Taming The Tiger

53. Aren't We Dating?

"Please sit," Li Na gestured at the plastic chair with a sickeningly fake smile.

The last thing Yu Hua wanted was to sit in front of his boyfriend's psychotic ex-girlfriend, but he was helpless. The director almost shoved him onto the chair while he took the one a bit farther than the table.

Li Na made a nod towards the cameraman and the little red light shone as the camera started to record.

"Actor Yu, I wanted to start with you as you are a new face in the entertainment industry. Can you share with us how you managed to land such an important role?"

The malice in her tone was hard to miss. Yu Hua took a deep breath and said "I was already selected by the talent department and-"

"Still," Li Na cut him off with a bored expression, "I made a background check on you and saw you actually had no degree in any of the media branches, let alone experience. Therefore, I guess you have a powerful sponsor behind your back, is that right?"

"Miss Li Na, is this an interview or an interrogation?" Yu Hua asked coldly and the team exchanged nervous glances behind Li Na's back while her lips formed a thin line with anger.

"No offence dear," she said after a pause, "we just want to introduce you better for the audience."

Yu Hua kept staring at her, void of emotion.

"So," Li Na continued, "I heard you are pretty close with Mr. Hu, the CEO of GL Entertainment, is that right?"

So it was what she was aiming at, Yu Hua thought while plastering a nice smile on his face, "Mr. Hu treats us all very well, it is an honour to work with him."

Not expecting such a cunning answer, the vein in Li Na's temple popped. Leaning forward, she asked "just work? I heard Mr. Hu is notorious for his paid-partners and I have pictures of you leaving the hotel he lives in."

"ENOUGH!" An angry sound echoed inside the room and all heads turned towards the newcomer, except Yu Hua as he knew it by heart that it was the CEO. He heaved a sigh of relief and decided to remain silent while the CEO handled the situation.

"Mr. Hu, what a surprise!" Li Na squealed blithely as if she wasn't aware of the fires in the CEO's eyes.

"Can somebody explain what kind of an interview this is before I throw you all out?" Hu Jing Yao said as he looked at the CBL team one by one with a daring gaze.

"We are reporters, of course we wonder about the gossips," Li Na retaliated with a smirk.

"Gossips?" the CEO nodded with a dangerous smile, "then I also have one, miss. I know how much you like to brag about being the youngest reporter of CBL, so I made my own research and learnt-"

"JING YAO!" Li Na lost her cool as she jumped on her feet. Would Hu Jing Yao really know about her short-lived relationship with the CBL's biggest shareholder?

"What?" the CEO asked with a smirk, "is it okay when you do it but not okay when I do it?"

"YOU!" Li Na was shaking with anger, "HOW CAN YOU TREAT ME LIKE THIS FOR THIS PAID MAN?!"

Hu Jing Yao glared at her while Yu Hua was embarrassed to his very core. Seeing the dejected look on his boyfriend's face, the CEO decided to stop the show. He took his phone out of his pocket and called a number.

"Tan Tan, the reporter you sent here has no manners at all and she dared to upset my boyfriend. What to do now?"

Everyone got the shock of their lives, some for the mention of the name of the CBL's CEO and some for the word 'boyfriend'.

"Really?" Hu Jing Yao continued as he bored holes in Li Na's skull, "that will do, thank you," he ended the call and pointed at the door for Li Na.

"Get out."

"Jing Yao-"

"Get out!"

The team collected their stuff and fled from the room for dear life.

"I will pretend as if I didn't hear anything," the director announced wisely and left the room in haste behind the CBL team.

With that, there were only the CEO and the actor left.

"Are you okay? Sorry, I was late," the concerned man said as he leaned against the table near his seated boyfriend.

Yu Hua looked at his lover with astonishment, "you just announced that we are dating," he said, not replying to the previous question.

Hu Jing Yao frowned, "aren't we dating? What's the problem?"

The actor's mouth fell to the ground with more shock, "the news will be spread like forest fire!"

"So what? I will protect you, don't worry," the CEO declared, patting his agitated lover's fluffy hair.

Yu Hua pushed his chair back and stood up, holding the hand patting his hair. Looking his lover in the eye, he asked "are you really okay, announcing it like that?"

All tension left Hu Jing Yao's shoulders as he understood that his boyfriend was just concerned about him. He saved his hand from Yu Hua and pulled him into his arms. Kissing his hair, he said "of course I am okay, just look at you. I am so lucky to have you in my life."

Yu Hua blinked to fight the happy tears welling into his eyes, his arms tight around his amazing boyfriend. Apparently, he panicked over nothing as the other seemed so confident about announcing their relationship.

"I love you."

"I love you more, my little flower."