The next day, the ancient-style pavilion set was brightly lit, with massive wind machines roaring as they sent layers of crimson silk curtains billowing wildly, revealing the central stage draped in deep red velvet.
Director Li Mo sat before the monitors when a crew member hurried over, whispering nervously into his ear, "Director Li, Young Master Gu is here! He’s at the entrance and wants to check on the filming progress."
Li Mo’s heart skipped a beat as he jerked his head up.
Gu Chengyu?
Hadn’t he clearly fallen out with Lin Shu last time? Why was he here now?
This production, The Silken Calamity, was just a minor investment from a subsidiary of the Gu Corporation. Why would someone of his stature lower himself to visit the set again?
Countless thoughts raced through his mind as he quickly stood up, his expression reverent as he turned toward the entrance.
Gu Chengyu stood with one hand tucked into the pocket of his black dress pants, wearing an impeccably tailored dark gray shirt with the collar casually loosened.
He didn’t even glance at Li Mo, who was rushing to greet him. Instead, his gaze slowly settled on the figure at the center of the set—a woman clad in a sheer, rosy-hued dance costume.
"Young Master Gu, thank you for gracing us with your presence! Please, this way, this way! Feel free to share any feedback."
Li Mo guided him to a chair beside the monitors, offering an unobstructed view of the stage.
"Hmm." Gu Chengyu responded with a single indifferent syllable, lazily crossing his long legs as he sat.
His eyes never left the stage, as if everything else around him was mere background noise.
Su Qianqian stood at the center of the stage, her fingertips icy cold, her heartbeat so loud she could hear it.
The rosy chiffon dance dress clung to her delicate curves, accentuating her slender waist.
The blinding stage lights made her dizzy.
Instinctively, she clenched the fabric of her sleeves, her anxious gaze sweeping across the audience—until it collided with a pair of familiar, phoenix-like eyes.
He was here.
Before she could react, the crew member’s voice rang out.
"The Silken Calamity, Scene XXXX—ACTION!"
The drumbeats and music swelled. Su Qianqian closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
When she opened them again, all traces of timidity and panic had vanished. Her doe-like eyes now held only a quiet determination, brimming with the fearless courage of a newborn calf.
She was Yun Shang, the courtesan—a pitiful soul in this chaotic world, trading her beauty and dance for fleeting moments of peace.
Her delicate bare feet touched the stage as she spun like a willow in the wind. The rosy chiffon rippled like water with her movements, revealing a glimpse of her jade-like ankle, the arch of her foot exquisitely poised.
As a long, melodious note played, she arched her neck, the fragile curve of her throat and the refined line of her jaw painting an ethereal picture.
The innocence in her gaze was laced with an intoxicating allure, captivating and irresistible.
She dipped into a spin, her waist curving into a crescent moon as the sheer fabric clung to the full, tempting swell of her hips.
When she rose, her skirts billowed like rolling clouds, her slender arms stretching upward, fingers poised as if plucking a flower—pure yet devastatingly seductive.
Gu Chengyu’s fingers tightened imperceptibly on the armrest.
That figure in rosy chiffon was like a flickering flame, igniting the dark tides hidden deep in his gaze.
The same delicate woman who melted so easily in his arms, who turned pliant and wanton with the slightest touch, was now baring that very allure to countless strangers under the spotlight.
It irked him, but he wouldn’t stand in her way.
Fine, let them look—but only he could touch, only he could savor her completely.
Gu Chengyu lounged casually, but the heat pooling low in his abdomen betrayed him.
Tonight, she’d dance for him again.
In the dance studio of their penthouse, with the lights bright—not dim like last time—just the two of them.
And this time, he wouldn’t just sit and watch. He’d make sure she clung to him, her waist limp, dancing together until the very end.
In front of that floor-to-ceiling mirror, he’d force her to keep her eyes open—to watch herself unravel under his touch.
The mere thought sent a thrill through him.
How to coax her into agreeing?
A new script? Unlikely.
A promised vacation? Probably not enough.
The girl asked for little but was stubbornly hard to please.
Then perhaps a bit of force… Gu Chengyu’s tongue pressed against the back of his teeth, his chest swelling with a dark, possessive excitement.
Director Li Mo stared at the monitor, mesmerized. Su Qianqian’s portrayal—the haunting blend of loneliness and resilience—was perfection.
He glanced sideways at Gu Chengyu, whose imposing aura was impossible to ignore. The man’s focus was unnerving, his eyes brimming with something unreadable.
A sudden realization struck Li Mo. He gaped at Su Qianqian, who was lost in her performance.
Good heavens…
This wasn’t a casual visit. Young Master Gu was here to watch his woman film.
And if he recalled correctly, this girl used to be Lin Shu’s assistant.
The superstar and the assistant—had this man claimed both?
Did Lin Shu even know? Probably not.
This was going to be one hell of a drama.
Brother Wang stood further back in the shadows, thunderstruck.
He, too, noticed the hunger in Gu Chengyu’s gaze.
No way, was this some cliché soap opera plot?
Lin Shu was still hoping for reconciliation, and now Su Qianqian had already climbed into the Gu heir’s bed?
That was… alarmingly fast.
Meanwhile, Lin Shu sat alone in her dressing room, restless and oblivious to Gu Chengyu’s arrival.
Her mind replayed the incident at the café, her expression shadowed with bitterness.
The deadline for the Yunque bet was approaching, and she was out of options—forced to concede.
"CUT!" Li Mo stood, applauding enthusiastically.
"Brilliant! One take! Su Qianqian, you are Yun Shang!"
The set erupted in applause and praise.
The music ceased abruptly.
Su Qianqian panted lightly, her gaze instinctively darting back toward the monitors.
Gu Chengyu had already risen to his feet.
He was watching her, his eyes simmering with a familiar, predatory heat—a look that promised she was already his.
Her legs weakened, and she hastily lowered her head, the tips of her small ears flushing scarlet.
Too flustered to meet his gaze, she retreated backstage to change.
Gu Chengyu’s lips curled into a smirk as he turned to Li Mo, his tone laced with quiet authority. "You’ve done well, Director Li."
"Let’s keep my visit today… discreet."
Without another word, he strode off, heading straight for the backstage dressing area.
Inside the dressing room, Su Qianqian leaned against the door, her heart pounding.
How could he look at her like that in front of everyone? It was too embarrassing.
Outside, familiar footsteps approached, stopping right outside her door.
Before she could speak, the lock clicked softly—the door was pushed open.
Thud.
It shut again just as quickly, the lock engaging with a decisive snap.
