"What are you talking about?"
She felt that Lu Siyuan wasn't very good at smoking; the smoke lingered without entering her lungs, but her posture holding the cigarette was quite sexy.The superstar probably had a lot of work pressure and just needed to unwind.Zhou Luchen wasn't like that; he inhaled deeply, savagely even.However, she noticed they smoked the same brand.
Lu Siyuan asked, "Is my acting really that bad?"
"Indeed, it's not very good," Shen Jing said honestly.
With the filters on TV, Lu Siyuan could rely on her beauty to make her fans overlook these flaws. Tough on the investors' wallets, though.
Lu Siyuan didn't seem to mind, self-aware as she was. After a moment of silence, she flicked the finished cigarette into the trash can.
After wiping her fingers clean, Lu Siyuan finally got down to business. "Miss Shen, please don't be foolish."
Shen Jing was completely bewildered. "What do you mean?"
"As a fellow woman, I'm worried you'll get trapped in the whirlpool of wealth and pleasure, unable to escape. You'll end up like those other women flocking around him, losing your heart completely," Lu Siyuan said.
Shen Jing just stood there, quietly listening.
Lu Siyuan continued, "You know too little about Zhou Luchen."
After a moment's thought, Shen Jing replied, "Thank you for your kind warning."
Lu Siyuan turned her head. "It's only a few tens of thousands in income. Don't come anymore. I don't want to see you at all."
Shen Jing brushed past her. "This is my job. You don't get to decide."
"Trust me, you definitely won't be able to come tomorrow," Lu Siyuan said. "I call the shots on this film set."
And indeed, Shen Jing couldn't go. The film set notified her early the next morning not to come anymore. The reason given was simply: Lu Siyuan claimed she forgot her lines whenever she saw Shen Jing.
Shen Jing was silent for a long time. How could someone else's inability to act be blamed on her?
What kind of precious darling is Zhou Luchen sponsoring?
Shen Jing downloaded Weibo and followed the superstar. With a new drama out, Lu Siyuan was constantly a trending topic. Watching netizens and marketing accounts speculate about Lu Siyuan's powerful backer, it seemed no one had thought of Zhou Luchen, the Second Young Master of the Zhou family. She was tempted to expose him.
Shen Jing contacted Chen Yao. "Do me a favor."
He didn't reply until dark, likely having just woken up. These people and their carefree lives, completely nocturnal.Sleeping at dawn, waking at dusk.
Shen Jing sent a voice message: "Ask Zhou Luchen why he's sponsoring some precious darling in the entertainment industry."
After listening to the voice message, Chen Yao's gaze shifted to Lu Siyuan. This superstar, Lu Siyuan, could certainly take a joke and was incredibly flirtatious—the epitome of mature feminine allure.He wondered what was going on.
「—」
The voice message quickly reached Zhou Luchen's ears. It sounded like an infuriated little kitten, letting out two utterly frustrated MEWLS.
「In the president's office of the United Branch.」
"Miss Lu, this way, please."
The secretary led the way. Lu Siyuan took off her sunglasses and thanked her with a smile. Lu Siyuan was dressed with exceptional innocence that day. She had forgone her usual red lipstick and high heels, instead sporting the fresh, clear-faced makeup of a recent college graduate.
As she pushed open the door to the president's office, the air was filled with the scent of high-end, traditional calming incense. The decor was of an exceptionally high standard, featuring an elegant, gray-toned aesthetic.
At the president's desk, Second Young Master Zhou, impeccably dressed in a suit, was reviewing a contract. His fingers, resting naturally on the desk, slowly turned a page with an air of composed indifference. Noticing the transparent water glass beside his hand was empty, Lu Siyuan went to the side, fetched some ice, prepared a glass of iced water, and brought it over with a smile.
"Boss."
Zhou Luchen hummed, his fingers tapping slowly on the edge of the desk, gesturing for her to set it aside.
Lu Siyuan set it down, then leaned close to him, lowering her head to watch him sign.
——— Zhou Luchen
"Your handwriting is beautiful, Boss."
After a moment, he looked up. "Did you provoke someone?"
Smart as she was, Lu Siyuan knew exactly whom Zhou Luchen meant.
"Yes. When she's on the film set, I just can't act well, and I really don't want to make a fool of myself in front of her," Lu Siyuan said, swaying slightly and pouting like a child who had misbehaved. "It makes me so jealous just having her sit there and watch me."
He narrowed his eyes. "And who are you jealous over?"
"Over you, of course," Lu Siyuan replied, leaning back against the desk, her smile perfectly measured.
Lu Siyuan studied Zhou Luchen carefully. Noticing he showed no signs of anger, seeming utterly unconcerned, she relaxed slightly. That Shen Jing girl had never been important to him.
"You smiled at her last time, and you even left with her," Lu Siyuan said.
Zhou Luchen twirled the pen in his hand, a lazy smile playing on his lips. "Why bother getting upset with a little girl, hmm?"
When he uttered the words 'little girl,' the smile on Lu Siyuan's face stiffened slightly. She was only twenty-five, still in her youthful, collagen-rich prime. Couldn't she be called a 'little girl' anymore?Could she, really?In Second Young Master Zhou's eyes, a 'little girl' was pure, obedient, the type who knew how to curry favor and be doted upon.
"So, Boss Zhou, are you on my side or hers?" Lu Siyuan purred, bending down to wrap her arms around Zhou Luchen's neck.
His fingers deftly caught her chin, tilting her face up. "Naturally, I'm on your side."
Lu Siyuan wanted to believe him, but the flicker of mockery deep in his eyes—so unreal, so unfathomable—gave her pause.Even as she clung to him, Lu Siyuan still felt he was utterly out of reach.Around Zhou Luchen, staying clear-headed was an essential survival skill for her.
Lu Siyuan gazed at the floor-to-ceiling window and took a shallow breath. "Alright then, I'll let her come back tomorrow. Offering 30,000 should be enough, right?"
Zhou Luchen remained silent, his expression unchanging, as he signaled for Lu Siyuan to move away from him. He tossed the contract to his secretary, draped his suit jacket over his arm, opened the door, and left.
Lu Siyuan's gaze followed his departing figure intently. She then picked up his cigarettes and lighter and followed him out.