Luo Yixuan halted in his tracks as he stared at the man who had suddenly appeared.
Was this a friend or relative of Mr. Chao?
Seeing Luo Yixuan still standing there dumbfounded, Xiaojuan subtly waved him over. Hey, stop dawdling—get over here already.
Noticing Xiaojuan’s gesture, Luo Yixuan hesitated for a moment before silently walking to his side. He watched as Mr. Chao smiled at the man, who then reached out to ruffle his hair—yet Mr. Chao didn’t shy away.
"Miss Wang," Luo Yixuan averted his gaze, lowering his eyelids as he asked, "Is this gentleman a friend of Mr. Chao?"
"He’s—"
"General Manager Su!" Several sharply dressed entertainment executives descended the stairs, and upon recognizing the man standing beside Chao Musheng, they hurried over in a fluster.
What was General Manager Su doing at a mere charity gala for the entertainment industry?
Though baffled, none dared to hesitate—within moments, they were bowing and scraping before Su Chenzhu, their obsequiousness drawing sidelong glances from nearby artists and staff.
Just who was this VIP, to make these industry titans grovel so shamelessly?
"Gentlemen, today is General Manager Su’s private itinerary," Secretary Liu intercepted their sycophantic advances. "Business matters can wait for another time."
Disappointed but unwilling to overstep, the executives exchanged pleasantries with Secretary Liu before reluctantly dispersing.
An audience with General Manager Su was a rare privilege, after all.
One couldn’t resist glancing back—only to see Su Chenzhu tenderly straightening Chao Musheng’s collar, his typically impassive face softened with affection.
"Old Li, what’re you staring at?" A colleague nudged him, joking weakly, "Don’t even think about it. Someone like General Manager Su is beyond our reach."
"It’s just…" Old Li finally looked away. "He seems unusually attentive to Chao Musheng, that assistant of his."
"Do you even know who that ‘assistant’ is?" His friend lowered his voice. "Chao Musheng’s name is on the national elite talent roster. Rumor has it he’s contributed to critical state projects—like solving Kunlun’s stalled program in under two weeks. What boss wouldn’t treasure someone like that?"
And he was still young, with limitless potential ahead.
"I get that," Old Li frowned, yet something felt off—he just couldn’t pinpoint what.
"Shall we leave now?" Su Chenzhu’s fingers lingered on his collar before curling away as Chao Musheng glanced up, hands retreating behind his back.
"You just flew for over two hours—rest in the room first." Chao Musheng smiled. "Linhai’s nightscape is beautiful. No need to rush."
"Secretary Liu," he called, "let’s go."
General Manager Su…
Luo Yixuan studied the man standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Mr. Chao. So this was the legendary head of Kunlun—Su Chenzhu.
Noble. Enigmatic. Untouchable.
And in their entire exchange, Su Chenzhu had only spared him a single glance.
That alone left Luo Yixuan feeling unworthy, his courage to stand there crumbling.
"You must be Mr. Luo Yixuan?" Secretary Liu, trailing behind, addressed him warmly. "Your agency transferred your contract to Kunlun’s film division this noon. Any thoughts on your future direction?"
Luo Yixuan paused. "I love acting."
Secretary Liu arched a brow. This young man was bolder—and more forthright—than expected.
"Kunlun’s film division has new plans for the second half of the year. Staying with us might bring pleasant surprises." He sighed. "With your popularity, why would your agency give you up so easily?"
Luo Yixuan stiffened. He knew exactly why.
"Mr. Chao helped me out of a difficult situation this morning," he explained quietly. "He’s a good person."
In an industry where corruption was the norm, no one believed in pure intentions.
So no one would believe Mr. Chao had intervened out of simple kindness.
"I’m sorry." Luo Yixuan stopped before the opulent white building. "I’ve tarnished Mr. Chao’s reputation."
Stepping inside now would only fuel the rumors.
"Secretary Liu, Mr. Luo—why are you still outside?" Chao Musheng turned, beckoning. "Come in. We’ll have dinner together later."
Dinner might not be the best idea, Secretary Liu mused inwardly.
The white building’s interior leaned Western in style. Chao Musheng ushered everyone to the sofas, where bodyguards served steaming tea. He took the first cup, placing it before Su Chenzhu.
"General Manager Su, the flight from Jing City to Linhai takes over two hours. When we spoke at noon, were you already on your way?"
Su Chenzhu’s tea rippled slightly. "Mn."
"Oh?" Chao Musheng’s grin widened. "So you and Secretary Liu planned this surprise attack."
"Guilty as charged." Secretary Liu grabbed his own cup before Chao Musheng could hand it over. "Bet you didn’t expect us to drop from the sky, huh?"
Actually…
Seeing Su Chenzhu appear had lifted his spirits.
"It was a surprise," Chao Musheng admitted. "General Manager Su, are you returning right after the branch’s anniversary event tomorrow?"
"This trip’s schedule is flexible." Su Chenzhu’s gaze remained downcast. "I can wait to leave with you."
Luo Yixuan glanced at Chao Musheng.
"Drink your tea." Xiaojuan shoved a cup into Luo Yixuan’s hands.
"Thanks." The hot liquid sloshed onto his skin, the scalding jolt snapping him back to reality.
He was just a lost traveler in the night, briefly illuminated by moonlight.
"You’ve been traveling for hours—want to rest in your room first?" Chao Musheng noticed the weariness in Su Chenzhu’s eyes. "Linhai will still be here tomorrow."
"I’m fine." Su Chenzhu set down his cup, offering a faint smile. "We can go now."
Secretary Liu’s phone rang abruptly. He excused himself, returning minutes later. "Chao, something urgent came up. I can’t join you tonight."
"Same here, Chao-ge." Xiaojuan glanced at Luo Yixuan. "The organizers scheduled artist livestreams, and I’m assisting."
Luo Yixuan bit his tongue. Only a few long-term collaborators with Pumpkin Video had streaming slots—but instinct warned him to stay silent.
"Right," he nodded. "Sorry, Mr. Chao. I can’t accompany you tonight either."
"No worries, work comes first." Chao Musheng waved it off. "You handle your schedules. General Manager Su and I will go alone."
He rose from the couch and glanced down at their meticulously tailored shirts and trousers. "Mr. Su, this outfit might not be suitable for shopping. Come with me."
Su Chenzhu set down his teacup and followed Chao Musheng upstairs.
Fifteen minutes later, Secretary Liu looked up at his boss, now dressed in a short-sleeved T-shirt and shorts, and nearly gaped in shock.
The eyeglass chain was gone, and his usually immaculate hair was now tousled, making him look five or six years younger. This… this…
When he saw Chao Musheng in a similar outfit, he discreetly took a deep breath. Though it was his first time seeing the boss dressed so casually, the two of them standing side by side inexplicably looked… well-matched.
Strangely, the boss wore the outfit without a hint of discomfort—even his brows seemed to carry a trace of happiness.
Secretary Liu’s gaze landed on the small cat-paw prints embroidered on the upper left of both their T-shirts. Rounded up, it could almost be considered… a couple’s set?
No wonder the boss looked so happy.
He understood now.
By late afternoon, the sun had lost its midday intensity. Chao Musheng pulled out an exaggeratedly large pair of sunglasses and put them on, declaring with enthusiasm, "Mr. Su, let’s go!"
Unfortunately, his bravado lasted less than five minutes before he ran into Chao Yin on the way.
"Mom," Chao Musheng said, quickly removing the sunglasses and hiding them behind his back.
Su Chenzhu felt something brush against his fingers before the sunglasses were pressed into his hand.
He steadied them and glanced sideways at Chao Musheng, who acted as if nothing had happened. The corner of his lips curled up slightly.
"Musheng," Chao Yin approached and handed him a document folder. "Read this when you get home tonight."
After Chao Musheng took the file, her gaze shifted to the man beside him.
He appeared to be in his late twenties, wearing clothes of the same style but a different color as her son. Their closeness suggested a strong friendship.
Something about the young man felt familiar, yet she couldn’t recall where she’d seen him before.
"Auntie Chao, hello," Su Chenzhu greeted warmly. "I’m a friend of Musheng’s. I arrived in Linhai City this afternoon and came to see him after hearing he was here."
"Hello," Chao Yin replied with a bright smile. "Thank you for keeping Musheng company. Have fun on your outing."
"Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll be back before midnight," Chao Musheng said, not wanting Chao Yin to feel awkward about Su Chenzhu’s identity. He waved at her, then grabbed Su Chenzhu’s wrist and pulled him toward the exit.
Su Chenzhu watched as Chao Musheng’s fingers wrapped around his wrist, allowing himself to be dragged along in an uncharacteristic loss of composure.
By the time the two of them—along with their bodyguards—had disappeared into the distance, Chao Yin still hadn’t figured out where she’d seen Musheng’s friend before.
Maybe a schoolmate or colleague?
Her son had an extensive social circle. Even the old man who sold scrap metal at the street corner had known him for years.
"Editor-in-Chief," a male assistant hurried over. "I just heard from the assistant director of Pumpkin Video that General Manager Su from Kunlun visited the villa this afternoon."
"General Manager Su?" Chao Yin frowned. "Kunlun’s headquarters already sent a representative. Someone of General Manager Su’s stature wouldn’t waste time on a small event like ours. Where is he now?"
The assistant shook his head. "He seemed to be looking for Mr. Chao. He didn’t make an official appearance and has probably left by now."
Looking for Musheng?
Chao Yin thought of the man who had been with her son but quickly dismissed the idea.
General Manager Su couldn’t possibly be that young—and he definitely wouldn’t be dressed like that.
"That was close," Chao Musheng sighed as he slid into the car. "If Mom had found out I wore sunglasses in the evening, she’d have teased me for three days straight."
At twenty, he was at the age where looking cool mattered—but in front of his parents, it felt oddly embarrassing.
Su Chenzhu reached over and placed the sunglasses back on Chao Musheng’s face, studying him for a moment. "Very handsome."
"Heh." Chao Musheng pushed the glasses up onto his head. "Thanks for the compliment."
"It’s not a compliment," Su Chenzhu chuckled. "Just the truth."
"Not that handsome, really." Chao Musheng opened the folder Chao Yin had given him, skimming through the contents in front of Su Chenzhu.
After reading, he fell silent.
How had a simple act of helping someone turned into rumors about him being attracted to Luo Yixuan?
The document detailed the social connections involved in the incident, even implicating the Chen family.
While he was hospitalized, the eldest Chen sibling had cooperated with the investigation into Old Master Chen’s case, allowing Third Miss Chen to seize control of the family’s power.
"What does her failed power grab have to do with me? Why single me out for hatred?" Chao Musheng flipped through the pages again, baffled. With so many people involved in the Chen family scandal, why was General Manager Chen fixated on him?
Back when they were invited to the Chen estate, she had addressed him politely as "Assistant Chao."
Now, after her defeat, she saw him as a thorn in her side.
"Bullies always pick the easiest target," Chao Musheng set the file aside. "That night, you and Secretary Liu were there too, yet she only dares to retaliate against me."
"Not your fault," Su Chenzhu collected the documents back into the folder. A single page slipped out—bearing Luo Yixuan’s photo and a description beneath:
[Chao Musheng and Luo Yixuan behaved intimately, strolling side by side while admiring the scenery. Chao Musheng praised Luo Yixuan’s performance in his drama role.]
Su Chenzhu stared at the words for a long moment before tucking the page away.
"If you like him, we can keep him at Kunlun Entertainment," he said, turning to look out the window. "The film division needs young actors with real talent. He can join a production next week."
"I only met him this morning," Chao Musheng sighed, realizing Su Chenzhu might have misunderstood. "I was out for a walk with my bodyguards when I saw an older man harassing him. He clearly wasn’t interested, so I stepped in to help."
"You don’t like his portrayal of Lu Yu?"
"Who’s Lu Yu?"
Su Chenzhu laughed, loosening his grip on the crumpled folder. "The devoted second male lead Luo Yixuan played in that campus drama."
"Oh." Chao Musheng nodded, then shook his head. "I’ve never watched his shows before. No idea if he’s good, but with so many fans, he must be decent."
"Kunlun’s film division lacks young actors who can carry major roles," Chao Musheng analyzed from a business perspective. "Signing him would be beneficial for long-term development."
"That’s all?" Su Chenzhu asked. "You’re not worried about the rumors?"
"What rumors? The ones about me having an affair with Luo Yixuan?" Chao Musheng scoffed. "Vague gossip like that fades quickly if you ignore it."
General Manager Chen’s scheme was pointless. There was no way Su Chenzhu would doubt his integrity over something so trivial.
At that thought, Chao Musheng’s eyelashes flickered, and he turned to look at Su Chenzhu.
He seemed not to have considered the possibility that Mr. Su might doubt him.
"What's wrong?" Su Chenzhu noticed Chao Musheng suddenly staring at him and handed the documents back. "Don’t worry. Neither I nor anyone else in the company believes you’d do such a thing."
"Mr. Su." Chao Musheng took the documents and set them aside. "I feel like you treat me especially well."
"You deserve it." Su Chenzhu gazed at him tenderly. "Chaochao, there are many people around you who care for you. I’m just one of them."
The evening glow streamed through the car window, tinting Chao Musheng’s cheeks a soft red.
"Ahem." Chao Musheng touched his cheek and changed the subject. "Do I still need to attend tomorrow’s anniversary celebration at noon?"
"Of course." Su Chenzhu’s eyes lingered on the young man’s neck, bathed in the orange-pink hues of the sunset. "You’re my… most trusted assistant. How could you not be there?"
---
"Wang Xiaojuan, I never thought you’d still be here." A man in a security uniform blocked Xiaojuan’s path outside the White Building.
"There are many things you couldn’t have imagined." Xiaojuan had no recollection of this player. "You sacrificed so many players to win the security captain’s trust. You should be worrying about your own fate instead."
"Shut up! Who are you to lecture me?" The guard’s eyes turned icy.
Xiaojuan frowned. "If you want to throw a tantrum, do it far away from me. I have no patience for your nonsense."
"Wang Xiaojuan." The guard’s expression twisted. "With a 100% failure rate in dungeons, how the hell did you survive the company’s exploration mission?"
"So it was you who tampered with the system and forced me into that mission?" Xiaojuan finally understood why she had been randomly selected for the company’s dungeon before her scheduled time.
"You killed my sister. How dare you still live?" The guard’s eyes burned with hatred. "If it weren’t for you, she wouldn’t have died."
"Your sister?" Xiaojuan scrutinized the player closely before a faint memory surfaced. "You’re Xiaoxiao’s brother?"
Hearing the name "Xiaoxiao," the guard’s face contorted further. "You don’t deserve to say her name!"
"When the anomaly hunted us all down, you were the first to run." Xiaojuan spoke mercilessly. "The ones who killed Xiaoxiao were you, the anomaly, and the dungeon—never me."
"Lies!" the guard screamed. "You could’ve saved her! Why didn’t you?!"
"Why would you think I could?" Xiaojuan countered. "Were you hiding nearby when the anomaly killed her?"
The guard trembled. "I had no choice—"
"You were just afraid to die." Xiaojuan coldly exposed him. "The anomaly mimicked your voice, distracting Xiaoxiao. That’s why she died."
Back then, she had been barely surviving herself, with gaping wounds from the anomaly’s attacks. Saving Xiaoxiao was impossible—she had barely escaped using a system-granted item.
"It’s easier to hate others than yourself." Xiaojuan refused to accept his accusations. "Now you’re trading players as bargaining chips to please the locals. How are you any different from the anomalies hunting us?"
"I just want to live," the guard retorted. "You sold yourself to a local to survive. Isn’t that just as pathetic?"
Xiaojuan’s expression darkened. "Sold myself to who?"
"Who else?" The guard sneered. "That mysterious Mr. Chao in the White Building."
"You bastard! How dare you slander my pure friendship with Brother Chao?" Xiaojuan lunged forward, slamming the guard to the ground and pummeling him relentlessly. "You want to die, but I still want to live!"
If General Manager Su misunderstood, everything would be over!
The guard hadn’t expected her sudden attack. By the time he reacted, he had already taken several punches. He tried to fight back, but her strength was monstrous—he was utterly overpowered.
"No fighting in the villa!" The security captain, patrolling nearby, pulled them apart.
Recognizing the beaten guard, the captain frowned. This man had recently helped expose several undercover reporters in the villa, earning his favor. Seeing him beaten, the captain assumed it was retaliation.
"Captain, she’s a reporter who lost her temper after I exposed her," the guard said, straightening his torn uniform. "We need to fire her immediately."
The captain glanced between the towering guard and the petite Xiaojuan.
As a security officer, getting beaten up by a girl half your size—wasn’t that embarrassing?
Xiaojuan scoffed, her clothes slightly disheveled. "I’m a cleaner hired by Mr. Chao. Who gave you the right to fire me?"
Hearing "Mr. Chao," the captain immediately recognized her. His expression softened. "Ah, you’re the cleaner under Mr. Chao. This must be a misunderstanding."
"Captain!"
Seeing the captain’s stance shift, the guard activated his mind-altering item—even if it was his last use, he would ensure Wang Xiaojuan was eliminated from this dungeon.
"Captain, think carefully. We already know Wang Xiaojuan is a reporter," the guard said, his voice laced with persuasion. "If she leaks Mr. Chao’s secrets, will he let us off the hook?"
"She’s just a cleaner, not irreplaceable." The guard tightened his grip on the item. "Fire her and replace her with someone younger and prettier. Mr. Chao won’t mind."
"You’re right." The captain’s gaze turned vacant.
The guard’s heart swelled with triumph—it worked.
"Then fire her now—"
"Xiaojuan?" Chao Yin, passing by, noticed the commotion and approached. Seeing the young girl surrounded by guards, she recognized her as her son’s intern colleague.
"Chief Editor Chao." The guards immediately straightened, their expressions respectful.
The captain’s eyes cleared slightly. "Chief Editor, do you know Miss Wang?"
Xiaojuan stared fixedly at her shoes, too ashamed to meet Chao Yin’s gaze, and discreetly smoothed her rumpled clothes.
"Of course I know her." Chao Yin smiled, gently pulling Xiaojuan from the guards. "She’s friends with my son."
Xiaojuan’s face burned crimson. Her hands, still unwashed from the fight, felt filthy.
Friends with the chief editor’s son?
The captain looked at Xiaojuan, now standing meekly beside Chao Yin. How could someone connected to the Chao family be a reporter?
"Misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding." The captain sighed inwardly—today was full of "misunderstandings."
Seeing Wang Xiaojuan escape yet again—and his S-tier item rendered useless—the guard’s composure shattered. He glared at her, teeth clenched, wishing he could tear her apart.
Why was her luck always so damn good?
"Xiaojuan, are you here looking for Musheng too?" Chao Yin asked, puzzled. "Why didn’t you go out with him?"
"Editor-in-Chief Chao," the player replied, unaware of who the NPC was referring to as "Musheng," but he couldn’t resist the chance to stir trouble for Xiaojuan. "She’s just a cleaner here—how could she go out?"
Players couldn’t leave the boundaries of the instance.
Xiaojuan: "..."
This bastard really wanted to humiliate her further, didn’t he?!
Could he just shut up already?
