The Man Behind the Star (1)

Sylvia was focused on her computer, typing up an article to accompany the news that they had just broken. It was about an extra-marital affair between a celebrity couple.

Sylvia tried her best to not project her feelings onto the news but she failed.

To be honest, it had been quite some time since she thought about the secret that her Auntie Xiu Ling revealed to her. Things had been so harmonious at home that she was able to trick herself into thinking the conversation with Xiu Ling was just nothing more than a part of her imagination.

During the recent crisis, the family pooled their support around her mother and on the surface, it looked like everything was fine and dandy.

However, the article draft that she was typing reminded her that all was not what it seemed. The celebrity couple in question also appeared to be the pair that was destined to go the distance but it was all a mirage, a front put up to show the public.

According to inside sources, the two had been separated for quite some time already and they only kept up this facade because it was beneficial for the public to see them as a loving couple. It helped with their public image and their endorsement deals.

Sylvia wondered would her mother do the same thing should the secret come to the surface. Would she keep quiet about it and pretended that everything was fine for the sake of her image?

Sylvia seriously doubted it. Her mother did not seem like the one who would compromise her ideals for something as frivolous as her public image. She was a principled woman.

Sylvia sighed because she knew if the secret ever got leaked, things were probably going to blow up. She believed her mother would stop at nothing to make her father pay.

"Why the continuous sigh?" A voice asked Sylvia, pulling her out of her reverie. Sylvia turned to the voice and found herself looking at her colleague.

The man was leaning against her table with his signature cap hiding a smile that was hanging on his face. Ming Tian was his name.

He was a reporter working at the same company as Sylvia and they had been on multiple co-opt cases already. In fact, the man was the one whom Joann mistook as Sylvia's "secret boyfriend".

To be fair, Joann was not completely wrong. Sylvia and Ming Tian had been coworkers for quite some time and it would be dishonest to say they did not have good feelings towards the each other.

However, they tried it once but it simply did not work. They had too drastic views on things especially those related to morality that could not be reconciled.

Now, they were just colleagues with some lingering tension between them.

"It's nothing, probably just feeling tired lately," Sylvia answered. They were not close enough for Sylvia to share her family problems with him.

"In that case, I have something that might cheer you up." The man reached into his pocket to pull out a pair of coupons. Sylvia realized they were for a recently opened restaurant. According to online reviews, the place was fabulous and thus almost impossible to get a seat.

Sylvia gasped with surprise, "How did you manage to get these?"

Ming Tian grinned mischievously. "I just did a feature on them for the papers and the manager practically shoved these into my hands."

Sylvia frowned. This was one of the differences between them that could not be reconciled. As reporters, it was common for them to receive freebies, samples and review copies. Even though not explicitly stated, these gifts were meant to sweeten the reporters so they would get a favorable reporting in the papers.

The line on this matter was grey and their company did not have a clear policy on this. Sylvia saw them as forms of bribes pure and simple and she did not once accept them during her career. However, it was obvious that some of her colleagues did not see it that way.

Before Sylvia could give Ming Tian a lecture on what he had done, the man said, "Now, I come in peace. I want to offer these to you because I do not have anyone in my life to bring to these kinds of upscale restaurant. Give me a roadside stall any day!"

The man paused before adding half-jokingly, "Unless of course, you're willing to be my date."

Sylvia eyed him suspiciously. She believed the man still had feelings for her but she did not reciprocate them. She was figuring out how to let him down easy.

"Or you can go with anyone you like, it's fine with me, I swear," Ming Tian added.

Sylvia sighed internally, now she just felt sorry for the man. She did not have the heart to disappoint him so she accepted the offering for now. "Thank you so much," she said weakly.

It lit up Ming Tian's face like the Fourth of July. "You're welcome." He then walked away with a bounce in his steps.

Out of his sight, Sylvia sighed as she shook her head. 'Now, what am I going to do with this?'

She was referring to both the coupons and the man.

Sylvia turned back to her work and then it hit her. She could gift them to her parents, after all, they could use a little night out to reconnect.

...

"A night out?!" Joann questioned with incredulity. Sylvia had called for a family meeting that night, it was attended by both Joann and Xu Jing. Mrs. Xu was not in attendance because she was not at home. Then again, her presence wouldn't have contributed much to the conversation anyway.

Sylvia offered the coupons to her parents and Joann was the first to object. "That sounds so troublesome. We're an old married couple already, Sylvia, you should bring your friend to go with you."

"But mother, I have no one to invite. You should go with father. Even if you're married, a date night once in a while wouldn't hurt."