“Okay,” Zuo Qian agreed. He had always been conscientious and meticulous about his job. The two of them were standing together talking as per usual, but today in particular, there was a handful of staff on the side watching them with strange looks.
Changqing felt awkward from their stares. However, she found it hard to interrupt Zuo Qian to talk about personal matters, considering how serious Zuo Qian viewed his job.
By the time they finished recording the show, it was already six o’clock in the evening. Just as Changqing finished removing her makeup, Zuo Qian came by and whispered with a smile: “You mentioned that you would treat me to dinner before, so how does tonight sound?”
“Sure.” Changqing had intended to invite him herself even if he hadn’t brought it up.
After they left the TV station together, with Changqing sitting in his car, Zuo Qian took her to a retro-style open-air restaurant owned by a female celebrity. The restaurant was a suitable hangout spot for couples. The shadows of the surrounding trees shifted in the gentle evening wind, and the tables were lit up with candles.
When Changqing looked at Zuo Qian, who was sitting across the table, she sensed that something peculiar was going on.
“Do you like this place?” Zuo Qian asked tenderly.
Changqing nodded. With an apologetic tone, she said: “Teacher Zuo, have you heard about the rumors circulating in the company? I’m so sorry that I’ve gotten you involved in this.”
Zuo Qian peered into her clear pupils, and with his lips slightly raised, he replied. “It’s fine. It’s been nine years since I’ve debuted in this industry. It isn’t the first time I’ve gotten involved in this sort of rumor. Station Head was too much this time. I heard from the others that Chi Yining even barged into your office and fought with you. If I was there at the time, I never would’ve allowed you to get bullied.”
“Teacher Zuo, I can’t always rely on you to help me. In fact, it’s perfectly common for one to encounter difficulties and hardships in their early days no matter what industry one works in. I feel like I’ve had it fairly easy compared to others.” Changqing continued firmly, “You risked your career by confronting the station head to keep me in the show. I’ll never let you down.”
Zuo Qian lifted his teacup, his glistening eyes undulating gently in the midst of the candle lights. “Changqing, as long as you stay by my side, not to mention confronting the station head, but I wouldn’t even care if I had to leave the TV station. As long as you remain by my side, I’ll still be well-trusted with important responsibilities no matter what other TV stations I join.”
Upon hearing his words, Changqing suddenly became uneasy.
She didn’t know if it was just her misconception or not, but she felt like Teacher Zuo’s words seemed to have a hidden meaning.
“Teacher Zuo…”
“Changqing, from now on, stop calling me Teacher Zuo. I hope I won’t be merely playing the part of ‘Bo Le’ in your life as well. I was hoping I could become something else to you…” Zuo Qian’s voice trailed off while the look in his eyes became even softer.
Changqing was frozen to the spot. The notion “incest” uncontrollably surfaced to her mind immediately.
“Changqing, it really was you.” Out of nowhere, an abrupt voice that Changqing was extremely familiar with rang in her ears from behind.
Changqing turned around, and she saw Fu Yu standing behind her. The shimmering moonlight was shining on him, and in her eyes, his steady and handsome figure was akin to a mountain which was exerting an immense pressure on her. It made her heart skip. “Fu… President Fu…”
She stood up immediately on the spot, and when Fu Yu looked at how she was behaving, he snickered. “We aren’t in the lounge now. You can address me the way you did in the past.”
Looking at Fu Yu’s response, Fu Yu’s subordinate, who was next to him, almost detached his jaw from shock. Although the president of his company did smile generally, his smiles always looked dismal. It was the first time he witnessed his president expressing himself with such a glowing smile.
Upon hearing Fu Yu’s words, Changqing felt a sense of bitterness in her heart. She used to call him Brother Fu Yu affectionately in the past. However, he was no longer her Brother Fu Yu anymore. He was now Guan Ying’s boyfriend.
“This must be Zuo Qian,” Fu Yu commented as he shifted his gaze towards Zuo Qian, and he reached out his hand with a faint smile. “Nice to meet you. I’m Fu Yu.”
Generally, ordinary people might not hear the name Fu Yu in their entire lives. But, it wasn’t surprising that Zuo Qian knew Fu Yu’s name as he had worked in the entertainment industry for many years. He heard Fu Yu was a newly appointed president hired externally to join Shangwei media last year, and he was a president who acted shrewd and ruthless like a fox despite his young age. Although he had never seen Fu Yu before, he knew several friends of his were contracted under Fu Yu’s company. His friends always mentioned that no matter what, it was always better to offend anyone else than to get on Fu Yu’s bad side.