CH 32

Chapter 32 - “Nothing is more important than protecting you." (2)

Zhuo Yixuan had never been treating this way before and, not being able to put up with this anymore, she pushed away those who were trying to comfort her, turned and ran away with her reddened eyes.

Watching the entire event unfold, Gu Nian was so touched that her eyes were teary.

Sniffles. You are mommy’s good son!

Geng Hongyu mulled over it and finally stood up frowing. “Alright, let me give it some more thoughts. I’ll get you know my decision before tonight.”

Gu Nian quickly turned around. “Thank you, Director.”

Frowning still, Geng Hongyu gave her a look, before he turned and walked away. Assistant Director Lin, too, left with him.

When the two of them reached the stairs and, seeing that they were alone, Geng Hongyu frowned and asked, “Did you stop me earlier because you have found out something about Luo Xiu?”

Assistant Director Lin smiled bitterly and shook his head. “No, I don’t have anything on him yet.”

Geng Hongyu, “Then why are you so afraid of him??”

“Director Geng, you are a straight shooter who didn’t like to get involved with the riches so you have no idea about this – when it comes to rich people, the less you can find out about them, the more powerful they probably are.”

Geng Hongyu was alerted but he didn’t want to show any weakness. “If he is from such a powerful background, why did he join a mid-range production team like ours and only be third male lead?”

“Who knows what goes through the head of the wealthy people?”

Geng Hongyu went silent for a little bit then, turning and looking intensely at the assistant director, said, “C’mon, be straight with me.”

“I am being straight with me.”

“You might be but that must not be all of it,” said Geng Hongyu. “I don’t buy it that you would act the way you did around him if you did find out anything about him at all.”

Assistant Director Lin smiled bitterly again. “Such good observation on your part. It isn’t that I don’t want to tell you. I just am not sure how accurate the information is.”

Geng Hongyu, “Cut it out already. What is his background?”

Assistant Director Lin looked around them before he leaned over to Geng Hongyu and whispered into his ear, “The Luo’s.”

“Which Luo’s…” And Geng Hongyu’s stopped in mid-sentence abruptly.

Recollected himself, his eyes widened a little as he looked at the assistant director wordlessly. There were surprise and uncertainty in his eyes.

Assistant Director Lin, too, put away his normal laid-back look and nodded at Geng Hongyu with a serious look.

A few seconds later, the two of them turned simultaneously and headed down the stairs. At the very end, a very light sound floated back, dissipating under the burning sun.

“If it really is him…”

“This is surely no joking matter.”

Inside the temporary canteen.

Watching the two directors disappeared outside of the door, Gu Nian felt that a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulder. Turning around, she looked at Luo Xiu seriously and said to him, “Mr. Luo Xiu, I really, really appreciate your help today.”

Luo Xiu, “You are welcome.”

Gu Nian, “But.”

Luo Xiu paused, then looked up at her.

He was met with the girl’s extremely solemn-looking pretty face. “You shall not do that again next time! You…”

She stopped herself and, pausing for two seconds, the girl lowered her head and rubbed herself on her face, she was dispirited and defeated, “I can’t. I can’t be stern with you when I am looking at that face of yours.”

“?”

Taken slightly aback, a hint of a genuine smile rose from his eyes. Leaning against the chair, he slightly lifted his brows and lips, chuckled, and asked. “What can’t I do?”

Gu Nian tried very hard to keep her head lowered to avoid looking at Luo Xiu. Her voice, too, had returned to its original solemnness. “I don’t know how your agency had been looking out for you but this is, indeed, a very rare opportunity for you after you had remained dormant for so long. You must have faith in yourself. With what you’ve got, once you are able to get under the public’s eyes, you will be able to capture a lot of fans.”

Luo Xiu nodded nonchalantly and had on him a smile that wasn’t really a smile. “And?”

“So you cannot afford to take any risk right now. Not even a little bit.”

Getting to her point, Gu Nian looked up abruptly. “Like how you risked offending the director and spoke up for me earlier. That absolutely cannot happen again.”

Luo Xiu, “Perhaps I didn’t do that for you.”

Gu Nian, “I understand that you don’t want to work with Zhuo Yixuan. But under those situations, just let me handle it.”

Luo Xiu paused for a little.

A few seconds later, he lowered his eyes and his smile deepened. His voice had an odd hint of dullness in it. “Are you teaching me to… take advantage of you, Miss Gu?”

Gu Nian was taken aback a little.

She thought about it for a little bit, turned around, and nodded seriously. “You can put it that way. Most of the relationships in this circle is about taking advantages of each other.”

“Why?”

“Huh?” Gu Nian was lost. “Why not?”

“……”

Luo Xiu did not look up again until he had suppressed the roiling emotions in his eyes. There was still a hint of cold fierceness and profoundness in his brown eyes.

“You really want to protect me? Even if that means blocking in front of me?”

“Mmhmm,” said the girl with no hesitation.

Under his intense examination, he still wasn’t able to see any fakeness in the girl’s eyes.

In fact, when faced with his cold look, the girl who should be cunning curved her deer-like eyes and her cat lips curved upward…

“Because, there is nothing more important than protecting you.”

“…..”

Luo Xiu was stunned.

[Progress on defeating the evil dragon: 1/99]

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Translator’s note:

1.     Some of you may have seen my poll earlier asking about “goose” versus “son”. What Gu Nian literally said was “goose”, which rhythms with “son” (off just a tad). It’s a cute way for mom-fans to refer to their idol sons/daughters. That was what had prompted HYC’s question. Throughout the story, Gu Nian consistently uses the term “goose” to refer to Luo Xiu, but for easier reading for my English readers, I have opted to use “son” throughout. I only used “goose” here because of HYC’s confusion.