The night was deep and still.
After the second round of tasks was issued, Yu Xiaxing was the only one sleeping soundly.
Everyone else had already begun working through the night, searching for complaints that would be easy to resolve in hopes of winning the operations award this time.
The room of Fourth Miss Yu, Yu Lingyi, was located in the east wing of the Yu residence.
An entire floor had been opened up. Half of it was her bedroom and dressing room, while the other half was her workspace.
Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows was a meticulously tended garden. Beside the window stood a broad Barcelona chair, with an old-fashioned record player next to it. Several psychedelic paintings hung on the walls.
The entire space was filled with an artistic atmosphere.
She, too, was deciding which complaint to handle.
The company she had taken over was a film and television company. On her computer screen was a complaint the assistant had just sent over.
It concerned an internal dispute within a production crew.
The complainant was actress Shen Zhi, thirty-two, single, with solid acting skills and a good reputation in the industry. She was currently playing the female lead in one of the company’s short dramas.
The person being complained about was newcomer actress Qiao Tang, twenty-one, who played the second female lead.
Shen Zhi had accused Qiao Tang of changing the scene at the last minute and stealing an important emotional outburst scene from her. The two had gotten into an argument.
Qiao Tang had been extremely offensive: “Are you really going to act it that way, sis? I just think your performance is so painfully sad… Maybe it’s because you’re already over thirty. At that age, everything you do looks so painfully sad.”
As a senior actress, how could Shen Zhi not be angry after being mocked for her age by a junior?
She demanded that Qiao Tang apologize publicly. She also demanded that Qiao Tang be removed entirely from all subsequent promotional materials, and that she never be allowed to work with Qiao Tang again.
Yu Lingyi thought the matter would be easy to resolve. Qiao Tang had been rude, and the directing team had failed in its duty.
If Qiao Tang apologized and promised Shen Zhi that she would be removed from the promotional materials, Shen Zhi would surely be satisfied.
Besides, it only meant deleting Qiao Tang from the promotional materials. It was not as if they had to cut all her completed scenes. It would not affect the drama’s eventual content at all.
Just as she was considering the matter, Su Hao suddenly walked over, casually placing the cigar box he had just retrieved from Yu Xiaxing on the desk.
He naturally sat down on the carpet by her feet, leaning back against the sofa in a relaxed, unselfconscious posture.
From that position, he had to tilt his head slightly upward to see her face.
It was an intimate, submissive posture without the slightest hint of aggression.
Su Hao took hold of her foot with practiced ease and began gently massaging it.
The comfort radiating from the sole of Yu Lingyi’s foot spread up along her calf.
Then, for no apparent reason, Su Hao said, “Could you go a little easier on Qiao Tang?”
Yu Lingyi paused and looked up at him in confusion.
“Shen Zhi is definitely in the right,” he admitted first. “But Qiao Tang is a newcomer. It was her first time getting a substantial role, so she got a little overeager. Stealing the scene was wrong, and mocking Shen Zhi was wrong too, but it was just a petty argument. There’s no need to make it so serious.”
Yu Lingyi said nothing.
Su Hao continued, “What Xingtang needs most right now is a newcomer who can stand out.”
A faint discomfort stirred in Yu Lingyi’s heart. He rarely went this far to speak up for a particular actress.
Especially not a young and beautiful one.
She did not know whether she was being overly sensitive, or whether the fact that she and Su Hao were about to get married had made her too anxious…
In any case, she could not stop herself from imagining that Su Hao might have some kind of relationship with Qiao Tang.
She suddenly asked, “You admire her?”
Su Hao smiled. He immediately understood. “Lingyi. Did you misunderstand something?”
Yu Lingyi pressed her lips together and did not answer.
Su Hao increased the pressure of his massage and drawled, “Qiao Tang only got married last month. You forgot? Her husband is a composer, more than twenty years older than her, though he’s never quite managed to become popular.”
Yu Lingyi remembered at once.
If an ordinary person heard that a twenty-one-year-old actress had chosen to be with an old man without caring about money or looks, they would probably think she had something wrong with her head.
But Yu Lingyi understood her perfectly.
Women like them—artistic young women—were particularly prone to worshipping talented men.
Even if the public did not recognize those men’s talent, which was why they had never become famous, once these women acknowledged it, they could easily throw themselves in headfirst.
At the time, Yu Lingyi had even said that Qiao Tang and her husband had to be truly in love.
Su Hao smiled. “You remember now, don’t you? You were the one who said back then that they had to be true love. And their relationship really is good. When Qiao Tang joined the production, her husband even made a special trip to visit her on set. Every night after filming wrapped, no matter how late it was, he came to pick her up.”
Yu Lingyi felt a little embarrassed. Suddenly, she thought she had been rather petty.
Su Hao was probably defending Qiao Tang simply because he did not want to waste a promising talent.
Su Hao went on, “And I know you’ve been wanting to cultivate your own roster of newcomers ever since taking over the company. Qiao Tang only said those things because she’s young. She’ll learn with experience. Lingyi, this is a crucial period in your fight for the family fortune. Keeping a low profile, maintaining appearances, and avoiding mistakes will benefit the company too.”
He knew Yu Lingyi very well. She was a woman who cared about appearances, and he was certain she did not want to make the matter any bigger than it was.
Yu Lingyi thought for a long time and, as expected, decided to take his advice.
She sent a message to her assistant: “Have Qiao Tang apologize to Shen Zhi privately. As for the rest, I’ll personally try to persuade Shen Zhi tomorrow. The short-drama industry is in a downturn right now, and AI actors have already replaced a large number of human performers. Having work at all is something to be grateful for. People in the same industry shouldn’t hurt one another.”
Su Hao’s lips curved in satisfaction.
Slowly, Su Hao tightened his grip around her ankle.
Yu Lingyi suddenly cried out, “That hurts.”
“Sorry.” Su Hao loosened his grip slightly, but he did not let go.
The next moment, he suddenly leaned forward and pulled her off the sofa by the foot.
Yu Lingyi was caught off guard. He dragged her down, and she fell straight into his arms.
Su Hao looked up at her.
“Lingyi.” His voice was slightly hoarse.
Yu Lingyi’s throat tightened.
In an instant, the atmosphere turned intimate.
She felt his breath brush against her lips. The next second, he kissed her.
After the deep kiss ended, Yu Lingyi immediately pulled his hand out from beneath her clothes. “No… We’re getting married next month. You can wait a little longer.”
Her voice was very soft, as though she felt somewhat embarrassed.
Su Hao looked at her. The heat in his eyes slowly cooled, while irritation surged through him for a fleeting moment.
It was rare to come across such an old-fashioned girlfriend these days. She actually wanted to wait until after marriage.
Su Hao sneered inwardly for quite some time, but not the slightest trace of displeasure showed on his face.
He smiled gently. “I was being too hasty. You’re right. We’re getting married next month. There’s no need to rush these few days.”
Yu Lingyi hummed. “Go home and get some rest.”
Su Hao stood up and took the cigar box with him as he left.
The instant he stepped out of Yu Garden, the smile faded from his face.
He lowered his head and sent a message to a number.
“Come out. I miss you.”
Su Hao slipped his phone back into his pocket, carried the cigar box, and slowly disappeared into the night.
