Pei Liang stayed with Gao Jun while he gave his statement. Only then did she learn that Gao Jun’s father was not only addicted to gambling but had recently become addicted to drugs as well.
That was why he had accidentally killed Gao Jun’s mother. In the middle of their argument, his addiction flared up. When Gao Jun’s mother tried to stop him from taking drugs, things spiraled out of control.
There had never been anything resembling love between the couple. They were both hopeless wrecks who had simply ended up together. The only lucky thing in their lives was having a handsome son like Gao Jun.
Two useless people who could barely support themselves had latched onto their son and leeched off him ever since he was four or five. In fact, they lived more carefree lives than ordinary people who worked honestly for a living.
The only thing they had in common was their instinct to parasitize Gao Jun and drain him dry.
Gao Jun’s father had never truly cared about Gao Jun’s mother’s affair. Likewise, Gao Jun’s mother had never cared about how many bad habits her husband had.
The unprecedented conflict this time had only erupted because both sides had crossed the line and touched the other’s bottom line.
What was that line? Money, of course.
Gao Jun had already signed a contract with Huiyuan, fully expecting the company to give their son professional promotion, an endless stream of opportunities, and a steady income.
But Huiyuan had not chosen to capitalize on the momentum from the film and hurriedly exploit Gao Jun’s commercial value.
Instead, they had invested in him at enormous cost and were not even in a rush to make him turn a profit.
During this period, aside from the fixed salary the company paid him each month, Gao Jun was unlikely to have any other income in the short term.
Naturally, Gao Jun’s parents were dissatisfied. But the contract had already been signed, and it was not up to them to call the shots. Besides, they did not have the ability to pay the penalty for breaking the contract.
With their source of money temporarily cut off, the couple’s life had recently become rather difficult.
Apart from matters concerning Gao Jun, the two of them each did whatever they pleased.
Unfortunately, Gao Jun’s mother had bad luck this time. The lover she had found turned out to be a con artist who swindled several hundred thousand yuan from her in less than two months.
Gao Jun’s father was no better. He had already been a gambler, and then he had become addicted to drugs as well. Either one of those habits alone could destroy a family.
Gao Jun’s father had managed to acquire both addictions, even mortgaging the house.
When creditors began hounding them, the couple finally checked their assets and discovered that in the span of only a few months, they had squandered the family’s cars, house, and even Gao Jun’s newly received acting fees. They were also buried under a mountain of debt.
Naturally, the two began blaming each other. Gao Jun’s father accused Gao Jun’s mother of being a loose woman who paid other men to sleep with her, while Gao Jun’s mother called Gao Jun’s father a good-for-nothing coward who was incapable of achieving anything.
During the confrontation, Gao Jun’s father’s drug addiction flared up. Gao Jun’s mother had already been furious at how recklessly he spent money and naturally could not tolerate him developing such an expensive habit on top of everything else.
So when Gao Jun’s father took out the drugs, she snatched them away and flushed them down the drain. He then flew into a rage and accidentally killed her.
The police, who had learned about the couple’s history, felt deeply sorry for Gao Jun. He had been treated as nothing more than a money-making tool and drained by his parents since childhood, and now he had to endure this on top of everything else.
Fortunately, following the leads they had gathered, the police shut down the drug den and underground gambling ring that had been supplying Gao Jun’s father. As for the debts Gao Jun’s parents had incurred, Gao Jun was not legally responsible for any of them.
Besides, the debts themselves were illegal. With the matter having escalated to this point and a life having been lost, the police’s involvement would surely deter anyone from trying to cause trouble for Gao Jun.
It might sound inappropriate to say so, but being able to escape a family like that might not be a bad thing for Gao Jun.
Some parents only stay alive to torment their children over and over again.
After completing all the necessary procedures, Pei Liang took Gao Jun home.
Given his current mental state, he would probably have to take some time off from his classes.
With the Pei family’s protection, he could also avoid a great deal of unnecessary trouble.
By the time they returned home, it was already well past midnight. The three of them had not eaten since the afternoon.
Seeing that Gao Jun had no appetite at all, Pei Liang felt that this could not continue. She told the housekeeper to go back to her room and rest, then walked into the kitchen herself.
Ever since leaving the police station, Gao Jun had followed Pei Liang like a little shadow, never straying more than a step from her.
It was understandable. The boy was desperate and helpless now, and he had come to regard her as his only lifeline.
Pei Liang smiled. “Can you peel potatoes?”
Gao Jun nodded. “I can!”
He had actually learned to cook when he was very young. Back then, aside from taking him to various photo shoots for children’s clothing, his parents spent their time doing whatever they pleased.
His mother went to bars and clubs every day, often staying out until late at night or not coming home at all. Meanwhile, his father was always playing cards with people in the smoke-filled living room.
Gao Jun rarely went to school and was naturally ordered around at home. Not only did he have to fend for himself, he also had to cook for his father.
But after becoming famous in his previous life, he had not held a knife in many years.
Gao Jun took the potato peeler Pei Liang handed him and began removing the skin. Then he heard the sound of rushing water beside him.
He turned his head and resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Oh, right. This idiot was still here.
They were not even in a relationship yet, and he had somehow acted as though it were perfectly natural to follow her all the way into her home. What a mood-killer.
Yet when he looked at Xie Chen, he saw that the man’s movements as he washed the vegetables were surprisingly practiced. His face was full of anticipation, and he could barely contain his excitement, as though he were waiting for something wonderful to happen.
Gao Jun did not understand what was going on. Then he saw Pei Liang take the potato he had peeled and move with an almost magical smoothness.
In the space of a few seconds, she had sliced the potato into fine strips of nearly identical thickness. Even after she finished, the potato retained its original shape.
She placed the strips into clear water, where they spread out in neat strands like precious golden needles. An ordinary potato now looked exquisite and elegant.
Gao Jun stared blankly. Then he saw Pei Liang take a whole chicken from the refrigerator and place it on the cutting board. With a few casual strokes of the knife, she began deboning it.
The knife seemed almost alive. Wherever it passed, it removed every bone while leaving the chicken’s outer form completely intact.
When she finished, aside from a round opening around the tail where the innards had been removed, the entire chicken looked as though its bones had been extracted by magic.
Pei Liang then stuffed the chicken with ingredients mixed with spices. She even filled the legs and wings with seasoned ground pork before brushing the whole thing with honey and the sauce from the marinade. Finally, she placed it in the oven, which had already been preheated.
The dish was not even finished cooking, yet Gao Jun was already swallowing repeatedly. Just imagining it was enough to tell him that the skin would be crisp while the meat remained tender, and that the pork filling inside the wings would add a rich, layered flavor capable of awakening anyone’s appetite.
Seeing Gao Jun repeatedly swallow, Xie Chen gave a derisive laugh. “You’re pretty lucky, kid. Make sure you enjoy it later. President Pei doesn’t cook for just anyone.”
As he spoke, he wore an air that suggested he was not included in that category and could eat her cooking whenever he wanted.
Gao Jun smiled faintly. “I never knew Big Sis was such a good cook. I was actually thinking that, since you’re so busy, if you ever didn’t have time to cook, I might get a chance to show off a little.”
“I’m actually pretty good at cooking too, but compared with Big Sis, I’m ashamed of myself. Unlike Brother Xie, who grew up in a wealthy family with loving parents and never had to worry about anything himself.”
At that, Xie Chen narrowed his eyes as he looked at Gao Jun.
The kid had a pretty sharp tongue for someone who had just gone through such a major ordeal. And what exactly was he trying to say? Why did it sound so unpleasant to Xie Chen?
Sure enough, the moment Gao Jun finished speaking, Pei Liang said, “It’s not like you’re going to become a professional chef. There’s no reason to feel inferior about something like that. If I ever get the chance to try your cooking, I’d actually look forward to it.”
Then, with an affectionate look, she added, “How many people your age know how to cook? You’re always working here and there, and you still have to take care of your own meals. You must have had a hard time before, right?”
Gao Jun shook his head sensibly. “It wasn’t hard. I like cooking for my family.”
“Sis, can I cook for you in the future?”
Pei Liang smiled and nodded. “Of course.”
The longer Xie Chen listened, the stiffer his smile became. But out of basic human decency, he couldn’t bring himself to maliciously speculate about Gao Jun, who had just lost his parents.
Even so, the feeling that something was wrong only grew stronger.
Pei Liang cooked incredibly quickly. Even several elaborate dishes didn’t take her very long.
It was the middle of the night, so they could have just thrown together something simple. Yet Pei Liang had deliberately prepared an entire lavish spread.
When the dishes were brought to the table, it was hardly a late-night snack. It would have been more than enough to call it an extravagant welcome feast.
Pei Liang ladled out a bowl of soup and handed it to Gao Jun. “Have some soup first. You were out in the cold earlier, and your lips were turning blue.”
In reality, Gao Jun had spent quite a while at the police station and had already warmed up after returning to the heated room.
But a warm current still flowed through his heart. He was deeply moved that Pei Liang had remembered such a small detail about him.
He obediently sipped his soup. His eyes were glistening with moisture, whether from the steam rising off the bowl or from his emotions. He looked both adorable and pitiful.
Pei Liang reached over and stroked his fluffy hair before pulling a wing off the roast chicken and placing it in his bowl. “Eat. I noticed you staring at these while I was marinating them. Back on set, whenever there were chicken wings in the meals, you always had a much better appetite. Do you like them?”
Gao Jun nodded. “Mm! I love them.”
The rich, intoxicating flavor of the soup had already warmed Gao Jun from head to toe, and he sank into a blissful, comforting haze.
It felt as though his mind had finally set down everything connected to his past life and been given a moment to breathe. That sense of ease and comfort—so wonderful he almost wanted to moan aloud—was something Gao Jun hadn’t experienced in many years.
He didn’t actually like chicken wings. Strictly speaking, there wasn’t any particular dish he especially enjoyed. Chicken wings were merely something he didn’t dislike, something he could eat a few extra bites of.
During the final years of his previous life, he had developed severe anorexia. After being reborn, his body had regained its youthful vitality and health, which had directly and indirectly improved his mental state as well.
But that didn’t mean he could simply forget all the pain, or the illness he had grown accustomed to in his previous life.
Still, he had to maintain the image of a warm, sunny young man in public, so he paid attention to details like this.
Gao Jun wanted to live this new life well. Although he still wasn’t mentally well, he was willing to keep pretending until the dream became reality.
He just hadn’t expected Pei Liang to notice even this.
Sure enough, when he bit into the roasted chicken wing stuffed with minced meat, the skin was slightly charred and crisp while the meat remained plump and tender. The juices from the filling burst into his mouth, and the springy texture created a rich, indescribably wonderful flavor.
As Gao Jun ate, his cheeks puffed out with food, and tears spilled down his face.
“Thank you, Sis. I love chicken wings. They’re my favorite.”
Pei Liang felt a pang in her heart. She simply couldn’t stand seeing a beautiful person cry.
The moment she heard that, she immediately pulled off the other chicken wing and put it in Gao Jun’s bowl.
Xie Chen, who was holding a knife and fork and about to take the remaining wing, fell silent.
Hey! Did you not notice there was someone else here?
Xie Chen had enjoyed Pei Liang’s cooking countless times before. Whenever they ate together, she had always prioritized taking care of him.
But now that this bratty little kid had barged in, Xie Chen felt as if his priority had instantly dropped off the table. He was probably no different from the dog chained up outside—just an afterthought.
He could tolerate all of that, considering Gao Jun’s circumstances.
But in the end, it was Gao Jun’s behavior that confirmed Xie Chen’s intuition was right. From then on, he looked at the boy differently. He no longer saw him merely as a child.
Gao Jun ate with abandon, as though he didn’t care in the slightest. His cheeks stayed puffed out the entire time, and he ate quickly.
Yet his table manners weren’t unpleasant. His already fair, slightly baby-faced cheeks were stuffed full, making him look like a hamster—tender and adorable.
Furthermore, although he ate quickly, he made very little noise. His mouth remained closed as he chewed, and he put food into his mouth at a steady, orderly pace.
It wasn’t an elegant way of eating, but it was strangely endearing. Just watching him made people smile and feel their appetites grow.
When Gao Jun noticed Pei Liang watching him eat, he hurriedly swallowed the food in his mouth and smiled shyly. “Sis, you don’t think I’m eating too much, do you?”
Pei Liang shook her head. “Of course not. I like people with healthy appetites.”
“Brother Xie doesn’t seem to eat much,” Gao Jun remarked, glancing at Xie Chen. Then, with admiration, he said, “I really envy Brother Xie’s elegance and self-discipline. Those are part of a male actor’s professional qualities, after all.”
Then he added glumly, “Unlike me. Whenever I see something delicious, I can’t tear myself away.”
Pei Liang smiled. “What fun is there in living a life that’s too disciplined?”
For example, she herself was a lecher who liked keeping pretty young men around. Asking her to give up that hobby would be no different from asking her to give up her life.
She continued, “Besides, you’re too young to be worrying about restraint. The company has professional fitness trainers. You work out so much every day, so eat more meat and build some muscle.”
A look of relief and joy spread across Gao Jun’s face. Seizing the opportunity, he wheedled, “Sis, I want one of those quail eggs. Can you peel it for me?”
Pei Liang nodded. Her long, slender fingers efficiently removed the shell without damaging the egg white.
Just as she was about to place it in Gao Jun’s bowl, he leaned over and plucked it from her fingers in one bite.
With the egg still in his mouth, he looked at Pei Liang and gave her a soft smile before swallowing. It was so cute that it made her heart melt.
Tch! How had she never noticed how adorable this kid was back on set?
Xie Chen, however, was staring at Gao Jun with a dark look in his eyes.
This kid really couldn’t say a single sentence without dragging him into it, could he?
So he was comparing himself to Xie Chen, was he?
Earlier, because Gao Jun was so young, Xie Chen hadn’t even considered that possibility. But the more he watched him now, the more certain he became.
This brat was clearly trying to snatch Pei Liang away from him halfway through the game.
He and Pei Liang had been close on the set of Haunted Mansion, practically staying together the entire time. Although Xie Chen usually kept a composed front, he didn’t think everyone around them was blind.
Besides, he often acted possessive enough to declare his claim. He had even overheard people discussing his relationship with Pei Liang behind their backs.
Gao Jun had gotten along so well with the production crew, and he was famously perceptive. There was no way he hadn’t understood.
Even if he had lost his parents and desperately needed familial affection to fill the emptiness inside him, if he truly saw Pei Liang as nothing more than the “sister” he kept calling her, he wouldn’t have treated Xie Chen—their ambiguous romantic interest—as a rival.
He wouldn’t have shown hostility, compared himself to Xie Chen, or repeatedly tried to sow discord through his words and actions.
At that moment, as if sensing Xie Chen’s gaze, Gao Jun looked up at him.
How should one put it? There wasn’t the slightest trace of youthful innocence or naivety in that gaze. Instead, he looked at Xie Chen like a man of the same age and equal standing—a rival male competing for a mate.
No, “a man of the same age” wasn’t enough to describe him.
There was unmistakable contempt in his eyes, along with a kind of lofty, absolute confidence.
Xie Chen simply couldn’t stand it. In an instant, it was as if some innate talent had awakened within him.
He didn’t get angry. Instead, he rose and said, “It’s getting late. I’ll head home first.”
“Not eating a little more?” Pei Liang asked. “As I said earlier, for a grown man, you really don’t eat much.”
Especially since Xie Chen worked out regularly. Although most of the dishes she made consisted of meat and seafood, they weren’t greasy at all. They were low in sugar and carbohydrates, and fit a healthy dietary structure very well.
With a rich and varied intake of protein, combined with regular exercise, it was actually an excellent diet for maintaining his physique.
Xie Chen’s teeth began to itch the moment he heard that. Are you really going along with the words of this calculating little green tea whose mind is full of holes like a sieve?
Why was he eating so little and restraining himself? Wasn’t it all to maintain an image of discipline and elegance in front of her?
Still, Xie Chen didn’t lose his temper. He merely smiled and said, “No, I haven’t finished reading the script from before. I want to go back and continue so I can contact the director sooner.”
“All right, then. I’ll have the driver take you. There’s so much food here—take some home with you.”
“Okay. I’ll message you when I get there,” Xie Chen said with a smile.
After Xie Chen left, Gao Jun initially assumed that he had been unable to tolerate the provocation and had gone home.
That wouldn’t have been surprising. With Xie Chen’s temperament, everyone had always needed to flatter and coax him. How could he possibly tolerate this kind of covert hostility?
Besides, given his current pitiful circumstances, even if Xie Chen wanted to lash out, he would probably feel embarrassed to do so.
Although Gao Jun had always thought that the current Xie Chen was an idiot, he had to admit that, objectively speaking, Xie Chen’s character and integrity were admirable.
But people like that were often no match for people like them—dark, fearless, and willing to use any means necessary.
Just as Xie Chen had been in his previous life, when he had fallen from the heights and spent two years in obscurity. If he hadn’t been so stubborn and persistent, he wouldn’t have ended up in such a miserable state.
Xie Chen’s departure put Gao Jun in a good mood, but before long, he realized that his judgment of Xie Chen had been completely wrong.
He had underestimated how calculating the man was.
Then again, not everyone could become completely shrewd after suffering one brutal lesson. The fact that Xie Chen had eventually become so watertight in his previous life proved that he had always been skilled at scheming.
He simply hadn’t wanted to use it before—and had never needed to.
Because half an hour later, Xie Chen sent Pei Liang a message:
[I’m home already. I suddenly got hungry again, but luckily I packed some food to bring back. I’m going to eat first.]
The message itself was perfectly ordinary. The important part was that Xie Chen had also sent a photo.
The photo showed several of the dishes he had taken home. He hadn’t transferred them onto any of the expensive plates in his house to arrange an artistic shot. He had simply left them in the takeout containers Pei Liang had packed for him and placed them on the table.
But the dishes weren’t the point at all.
The point was Xie Chen’s reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window beside the dining table.
He had changed out of the clothes he’d worn during the day and was now wearing a bathrobe, the front hanging wide open across his chest. The faint outline of his abdominal muscles was even visible.
He looked devilishly alluring. More importantly, the reflection revealed his lazy, sensual upper body while also creating a dim, hazy effect.
That made the image even more provocative and seductive. The haziness only made one yearn to peel away that natural filter and see what he truly looked like at that moment.
Sure enough, when Pei Liang saw the photo, her eyes didn’t linger on the food at all. Her gaze remained fixed on the reflection in the glass beside the dining table.
Gao Jun’s fists clenched. Did Xie Chen really think no one could see through his intentions?
Although Xie Chen himself wasn’t in the frame, the reflection in that absurdly prominent pane of glass made his presence impossible to ignore. Besides, Xie Chen’s home wasn’t exactly nearby.
He had arrived only a short while ago, yet he’d had the time to change into a bathrobe before eating. What the hell was he doing changing into a bathrobe without even taking a shower? And why had he pulled the neckline open so far? Who dressed like that at home in this weather unless they were deliberately showing off?
So he hadn’t taken a picture to show Pei Liang the food at all.
He wanted her to look at his body.
It was far more effective than staying here with no presence whatsoever. Sure enough, Pei Liang was already distracted.
That image would probably remain on her mind for quite some time.
He really had underestimated Xie Chen. The man was a born schemer—a natural-born Dior of a manipulator.
Meanwhile, Xie Chen smugly put away his phone, pulled his bathrobe closed, and shivered.
He hadn’t even had time to turn on the air conditioning after getting home.
Still, when he imagined that Pei Liang would probably be thinking about his body as she fell asleep that night, the smugness on his face grew even stronger.
Consider it a little gift for her—and a chance to show that brat the fundamental difference between a grown man and a little boy.
Just as Xie Chen had expected, Pei Liang had been single for more than a year.
But she was a responsible patron with a strong sense of ethics and professional boundaries. Until a deal had been reached, she absolutely would not make a move or take liberties.
The incident with Shi Feiyu had been an accident. Who would have thought that someone so clever wouldn’t understand such an obvious hint?
She had known Xie Chen for a year, and he had spent that entire year shamelessly flaunting himself in front of her and tempting her.
During work, she had no time to indulge herself, so it was fine. But late at night, when she suddenly received a surprise benefit like this, who could possibly resist?
Maybe she should hurry up the negotiations with the people from Country X.
At this point, both The Haunted Mansion and Space Station had basically finished their theatrical runs, and their final box-office figures had been released.
The Haunted Mansion had grossed 1.9 billion yuan, while Space Station had grossed 5.3 billion. Together, the two films had earned more than 7 billion yuan, making Pei Liang a truly spectacular fortune.
And that was only the box office. There would also be revenue from later online streaming rights. With both films having become runaway hits, they would be paid titles on every platform.
There was also the DVD market. Although the industry had declined in recent years, a sizable number of enthusiasts still remained.
In that market, however, The Haunted Mansion would probably perform better than Space Station. After all, Space Station’s greatest appeal lay in its 3D effects, which were best experienced in theaters.
Judging purely by the quality of the story, The Haunted Mansion was actually the superior film.
By contrast, The Space Alliance had performed abysmally.
It wasn’t merely that the director and producer had insulted China. It had been revealed that they were prejudiced against all Asians, provoking a huge uproar throughout the entire Asian market.
Although not every Asian country had pulled the film outright, it still faced widespread boycotts, and its performance in Asia was dismal.
Admittedly, North America remained the world’s largest box-office market. But China’s market was now only a step behind, with the two countries leaving the third-place market far behind.
The Space Alliance had been the largest film investment in history. Its production and marketing costs alone totaled a staggering 700 million U.S. dollars.
With such an astronomical budget, the production was naturally polished. Judging solely by its critical reception, the film certainly lived up to its enormous investment.
Before leaving theaters, it had accumulated more than 700 million U.S. dollars in North American box-office revenue.
Based on past trends and Huaguo’s steadily rising consumer spending, they had initially estimated that they could rake in at least six hundred million dollars at the Huaguo box office.
But thanks to those two idiots—the producer and director—who had no filter whatsoever, that six hundred million dollars was gone.
Six hundred million dollars. An entire six hundred million!
And that wasn’t even counting the profits from online streaming rights or the far more lucrative market for collectible figures, models, and toys.
Because of this blow, what should have been a wildly profitable box office haul ended up barely breaking even once the revenue was divided among the investors and distributors. For a while, Huaguo almost completely boycotted [Cosmic Alliance].
This was already a major hit to the financiers behind [Cosmic Alliance], but just as [Cosmic Alliance] was pulled from theaters, a domestic science-fiction film from Huaguo burst onto the scene.
It raked in more than seven hundred million dollars at the box office—almost as much as [Cosmic Alliance] had made in North America. That meant Huaguo’s market potential might be even greater than they had anticipated.
And those profits should have been theirs.
What was more, with [Space Station] becoming a massive hit, more Huaguo filmmakers would certainly start investing in science-fiction films, and their technology would continue to mature.
Before long, the monopoly those big-budget films held over the market might become a thing of the past.
Under the combined impact of all these direct and indirect factors, the producer and director had practically become the eternal sinners of Country X’s film industry.
But adults only cared about profit. There was no way they would give up a market as enormous as Huaguo’s.
After that, they began frequently contacting Huaguo’s relevant departments and entertainment giants in an effort to repair relations. They proactively admitted that their attitude in choosing the producer and director had been careless and had hurt the people of Huaguo. They also announced that the two would be dealt with seriously, and that neither of them would be involved in any future [Cosmic Alliance] projects.
The two were currently being sued for racial discrimination and were entangled in legal troubles. From now on, whenever a major production wanted access to the Chinese market, they probably wouldn’t be hired again.
The people on the other side had made a show of offering a proper apology. Huaguo still had to embrace the global market, after all, so its attitude gradually began to thaw.
The latter half of the [Cosmic Alliance] series was expected to begin filming in September of the following year.
Since the other side had apologized sincerely, it was only natural for the injured party to make a few demands. There was nothing unusual about that.
Pei Liang was now the head of Huiyuan. With several consecutive investment projects under her belt that had started small and gone on to become phenomenal hits, she had already gained the capital to negotiate with them as an equal.
In fact, she didn’t even need to make the first move. While analyzing [Space Station], they had also studied the films that had performed exceptionally well at the Huaguo box office that year. Without exception, Pei Liang was the central figure behind every one of them.
She had produced two of those films herself, and the timing of [Space Station]’s release had been exceptionally bold and ingenious.
People in the film industry, no matter what country they were from, tended to be somewhat superstitious. Someone like Pei Liang, whose eye for projects was currently on an explosive winning streak and practically guaranteed box-office success, was bound to stand out—even to [Cosmic Alliance].
And since they also needed to curry favor with the Huaguo market, that gave her even more room to maneuver.
Pei Liang was working hard for the sake of sleeping with a pretty boy—or rather, for the sake of her career.
On Xie Chen’s side, he had also reached an agreement with the director who was interested in collaborating.
The man’s surname was Wang. He had received formal training, and even during university, quite a few of his short films had won awards. After graduation, however, his career had progressed rather uneventfully.
But after speaking with him, Xie Chen felt that his ideas were excellent. He had a strong grasp of how to balance story and market appeal, and Xie Chen had also watched his previous works and found no problems with them.
So they finalized the partnership.
He had been busy with this matter recently and hadn’t seen Pei Liang much. Since he was about to enter the film set in the next couple of days, he stopped by Huiyuan to see her.
He was only stopping by.
But the moment he entered, he saw that fellow Gao Jun inside Pei Liang’s office.
Xie Chen raised an eyebrow. “You’re only a trainee, yet you seem to have an awful lot of freedom.”
Gao Jun smiled. “It’s almost lunchtime. I was worried Sister would get busy and forget to eat again, so I came up here after class to wait for her and take her to the cafeteria.”
The idiots in the practice room—especially the group preparing to release an album—knew that he could come and go freely from Pei Liang’s office. Every time, they shamelessly crowded around him, hoping to tag along.
It was already difficult enough to shake them off, and now Xie Chen had come to freeload as well.
Gao Jun smoothly drove in a wedge. “It’s almost time to eat. Brother Xie, what brings you here at this hour? If you’re here to discuss the film, I can’t allow you to take up Sister’s break.”
Damn it. They hadn’t seen each other for only a short while, yet it was as if he had become an outsider. Meanwhile, this brat had somehow overtaken him and was acting as though he were the master of the place.
Xie Chen’s teeth practically itched with irritation. Then he swept his gaze across Pei Liang’s office, and his mood soured even further.
Compared with the last time he had visited, the office now contained several conspicuously unfamiliar items.
They were all small things, but they had been placed in highly visible spots that were impossible to ignore.
For instance, there was a pen holder on Pei Liang’s desk that hadn’t been there before. It looked handmade.
There was also a new photo frame on the desk. One glance at the picture showed Pei’s dad, Pei Liang, and Gao Jun standing together.
Then there were several chibi alien cushions from the merchandise released after [Space Station] became a hit sitting on the sofa. Given Pei Liang’s taste, she definitely wouldn’t have put such childish things in her office.
So who had done all this was obvious.
Xie Chen looked toward Gao Jun. The other man seemed to understand exactly what he meant and raised an eyebrow, his expression saying everything without a word.
There was no mistaking it. It was exactly what Xie Chen thought it was.
The kid was showing off his presence. Not only was he flaunting his existence, he was also being incredibly calculating with his gifts.
They were all dispensable little things—items Pei Liang could accept without feeling burdened in the slightest.
Yet each one constantly reminded her that he was there.
Take the pen holder, for example. It was clearly crafted with great care, but two parts seemed to have been deliberately left somewhat clumsy. The body was slightly crooked, giving it a faintly comical appearance. Unexpectedly, though, it didn’t clash with the desk at all.
Xie Chen could practically imagine what Gao Jun had said when he gave it to Pei Liang.
He had probably emphasized the embarrassing mishaps he’d encountered while making it, creating a memorable story that would make people laugh whenever they recalled it. That way, every time Pei Liang reached into the pen holder for a piece of stationery, she might think of that amusing incident.
And then there was the photograph. Normally, a picture of someone unrelated to Pei Liang had no business occupying such an important place on her desk.
That spot belonged either to family, a lover, a close friend from one’s youth, or a glorious moment such as an award ceremony.
What place could a little brat like him possibly have among them?
And yet Gao Jun had inserted himself into a family photo of Pei’s dad and Pei Liang, fitting himself into it perfectly and ensuring that his face would be displayed in front of her at all times.
As for the cushions, the only items that clashed sharply with the office’s style, they were obviously his way of marking his territory and warning off other men.
Everything about them proclaimed how much Pei Liang indulged him, valued him, and treated him differently.
Sure enough, Gao Jun even provoked him. “Brother Xie, what are you looking at? The pen holder?”
“Oh, that? Sister and I made it when we went to a pottery class together. The teacher even praised me for doing such a good job. It’s just a pity that I used a little too much force at the end, so the whole structure became slightly warped.”
As he spoke, he put on an apologetic expression. He looked unbearably adorable.
They had even gone together to make pottery? He hadn’t said he was busy? Where had he found so much time to spend with that brat?
Oh, right! After all, the poor thing had plenty of ways to make people feel sorry for him.
Pei Liang smiled as she asked Xie Chen, “What brings you here?”
“What? I’m not allowed to come?” Xie Chen asked, giving her a dirty look.
Pei Liang didn’t take it to heart. Instead, she flashed him a mysterious smile. “I have some good news to tell you in a little while. If you come then, your timing will be perfect.”
Xie Chen was practically laughing with anger. “So I can’t come looking for you unless I have good news? What if the good news won’t come for another three to five years? Should we avoid seeing each other until then?”
Pei Liang had no idea what had gotten into him this time.
But there was no need to understand the logic of an elementary schooler. Otherwise, wouldn’t that make her one too?
The corners of Gao Jun’s lips lifted. Sure enough, Xie Chen was far too easy to provoke.
But in the next second, Xie Chen seemed to regain control of his emotions. A meaningful smile appeared on his face as well.
He approached Pei Liang and braced himself against her desk, displaying his perfectly toned physique. Then, in a low voice loud enough for Gao Jun to hear, he said, “Speaking of which, I’ve prepared a gift for you too.”
Pei Liang was rather pleased. Accepting gifts from her pretty boys now and then made them even happier.
She asked, “What is it?”
Xie Chen’s voice turned seductive. “When I attended Fashion Week, a lingerie brand released a limited-edition set for this year. I thought it would suit you perfectly.”
“So I placed an order. You… won’t mind, will you?”
By the end, Xie Chen felt that he had gone too far in trying to one-up that little schemer Gao Jun. The tips of his ears instantly flushed red.
Pei Liang couldn’t resist blowing lightly on his ear. He immediately covered it as if jolted by electricity and straightened up, looking at Pei Liang with glistening eyes full of bashfulness and reproach.
Pei Liang smiled. Not wanting to discuss such things in front of a child, she lowered her voice and said, “Of course not. I love the gift. When it arrives, remember to bring it to me yourself.”
Playing around with her pretty boys was, naturally, great fun.
Just then, the alarm Gao Jun had set for lunch went off.
Pei Liang stood up. “I’m going to change my jacket. Let’s have lunch at the cafeteria together.”
Then she said to Xie Chen, “The food in Huiyuan’s employee cafeteria is pretty good now.”
After all, she had personally selected and trained the chefs.
As soon as Pei Liang entered the lounge, Xie Chen went over to the sofa and sat down opposite Gao Jun.
Without Pei Liang there, neither of them looked particularly pleasant. The trace of harmony and friendliness they had shown before was nowhere to be seen.
Gao Jun no longer put on that innocent, youthful act. He revealed the imposing presence and pressure forged through all the hardships he had endured in his previous life.
But Xie Chen was no ordinary person. Although he had never been tempered by such trials, in a sense, his current self was even more confident and arrogant. When it came to presence, he wasn’t inferior to anyone.
Gao Jun let out a scornful laugh. “So what if it’s lingerie? Her wardrobe contains hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces. She probably won’t even open the package when it arrives.”
Xie Chen’s face held undisguised mockery. “And what good does it do to constantly go out of your way to remind her that you exist? Try giving her the same thing and see whether she’ll accept it.”
