Chapter 107: The Unspoken Rules of the Inner Circle

Yuechan Zheng’s impression of Yao Cheng was that he was slick-tongued and glib.

She found it rather startling. The last time she had seen him, he had seemed such a refined, proper young man...

They said time was a butcher’s knife, but this was a little too fast, wasn’t it?

Yao Cheng did not press his luck with his words and only smiled. “Aunt Zheng, the person you said you wanted to introduce me to?”

“You’re staying in Shanghai today, right?”

“Mm.”

“Tomorrow morning, then.”

“No problem.”

The salon was being held at Jinmao Tower, where security staff stood watch at the entrance.

Zheng Yuechan was dressed in a tailored business suit. Her voluptuous figure was on full display, though not in the least bit indecent; with a handbag slung over her shoulder, she looked quite composed and dignified.

Yao Cheng had not dressed formally either, his casual clothes giving him an easy, unstudied look.

Walking together, they looked almost like an older sister and younger brother. Both were strikingly handsome and beautiful, drawing repeated glances from passersby.

“Ms. Zheng...”

“Mr. Guo.” Zheng Yuechan gave a polite smile, keeping her distance, though her manner of speaking was exceedingly smooth.

Yao Cheng followed beside her and listened, thinking that thirty-year-old women really were something else.

Mr. Guo glanced at Yao Cheng. “Oh? And this young gentleman is...”

“He’s the son of a relative of mine. I brought him along to see the world.”

“No wonder. Ms. Zheng, your whole family is gorgeous. This young man is really quite exceptional.”

“Mr. Guo, my Shiqi is planning to attend next month’s audition for the female lead in Youth With You. Perhaps we’ll have a chance to work together then.”

“Shiqi, eh? Of course, of course.”

After the other man got into the elevator and the doors slid shut, Zheng Yuechan said, “Mr. Guo from Times Cinema. He’s investing in a web drama right now...”

“When I’ve sorted out things on the Shengxia side later, maybe we can work together too?”

“We?” Zheng Yuechan looked at Yao Cheng.

Yao Cheng nodded with a smile. “If you’re interested, you bring the script and I’ll put up the money...”

“A movie?”

“Not just a movie. We could shoot anything!”

At any rate, I wouldn’t lose out.

“You’re serious?”

“Can you make films?” Yao Cheng asked curiously.

Zheng Yuechan shook her head, half laughing and half exasperated. “I don’t have that kind of energy anymore, but I know a lot of directors in the industry. If you want to invest, I can introduce you.”

“That’s a pity.”

Being a director didn’t sound bad either. He could make some money, gain a bit of status, and even show off now and then.

Just then, Xia Shiqi got out of the car, and dressed as she was, she looked stunning.

Yao Cheng’s eyes lit up. As expected, the clothes made the man—or the woman in this case—and she had a completely different style now. That girl really could pull off a lot of looks.

“Aunt Zheng.”

“You’re here. Let’s go up.”

Ding-dong.

When the elevator doors opened, the greeter at the entrance smiled and said, “Miss, sir, which private room are you guests of?”

“White Rose.”

“This way, please.”

Even through the doorway, Yao Cheng could already hear the graceful music. The event had begun.

The moment he stepped inside, he felt immediately out of place. The women were in evening gowns, the men in suits, all holding wineglasses and mingling in conversation...

Zheng Yuechan smiled and said, “Take a stroll, grab something to eat. Shiqi and I are going to make the rounds and toast people.”

“Okay.”

“Sir, would you like some champagne?”

“Thank you.”

Yao Cheng gave a polite smile, took a glass, and wandered around.

His gaze swept across the room. There were a few pretty young girls linked arm in arm with old men at least fifteen years their senior; whether they were fathers or something else was hard to say.

Still, in this circle, Yao Cheng was already used to it.

He did not drink. Instead, he watched Zheng Yuechan drift among them, one glass after another, with people coming to toast her as well. She could clearly hold her liquor.

“Hello.”

Name: Fan Shayu

Looks: 86

Figure: 79

Special: 88

“Hello.” Yao Cheng took her in and lifted his glass.

This beauty was not low on looks, and her figure was good too. The only pity was that she already had a man.

“Handsome, which company are you with?”

“I’m with Shengxia...”

“Shengxia...” Fan Shayu thought about it for a moment. If she had no impression of it, it must be a small company. “I’m a trainee from Kangqi, debuted for two years. Nice to meet you.”

“Yao Cheng. Skilled at rap, basketball, singing, and dancing.” Yao Cheng smiled, though not quite sincerely.

He knew Kangqi; it was one of Huatian Entertainment’s rivals.

He had only heard about it from Xia Shiqi and did not know much.

Since someone was willing to chat with him, Yao Cheng, bored as he was, joined in and talked to pass the time.

Along the way, there were also a few pretty boys who came over for awkward conversation.

Xia Shiqi was a little hot right now, so she naturally drew the most attention.

Young people crowded around her, chatting and laughing, while some of the seasoned bosses took up their positions. A few nobodies lingered at the edges. The circle was brutally realistic: in this world, if you weren’t hot, you were less than a dog.

The more capable ones enjoyed the attention and special treatment, bragging and posing, surrounded by girls and beauties, feeling quite pleased with themselves...

“Yao Cheng.”

“What is it?”

Xia Shiqi came over and smiled. “We’re going to grab something to eat. Aunt Zheng is leaving you in charge.”

“...”

Yao Cheng’s expression turned odd. You trust me that much?

Oh, right. I’m Aunt Zheng’s nephew.

“Go on, go on. Leave it to me.”

“Bye...”

“Who is he, Shiqi?”

“Aunt Zheng’s nephew...”

“Oh, then it’s fine.”

So Xia Shiqi left with a few of the popular young stars, while Yao Cheng stayed with Zheng Yuechan until after nine.

By then, Zheng Yuechan was already a little drunk, her cheeks flushed red, looking especially lovely.

Mr. Guo came over with a wineglass in hand and a smile. “Ms. Zheng, it’s still early. Why don’t we find a place and talk about the collaboration for Youth With You?”

Zheng Yuechan jolted awake and said with a smile that did not reach her eyes, “Mr. Guo, it’s getting late. Let’s do it another day. I still have something to handle tonight, so I’m really sorry.”

At a critical moment, Zheng Yuechan was very calm, very composed. His words were like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, chilling her straight through.

She wasn’t stupid. It was already this late, and she was drunk. If she went out with him now, nothing good would come of it. In this circle, there were hardly any fools.

“Oh, I see. All right then, let’s make another appointment.”

Mr. Guo also put on an embarrassed look, the smile on his face fading.

Yao Cheng had his hands in his pockets. How could he not understand what that old bastard was thinking?

Men knew men best. It was nothing more than wanting to graze on the cabbage.

Compared with that old man surnamed Guo, Zheng Yuechan really did count as young.

This circle really was filthy. That old bastard, using the fact that he was some minor director, was hoping to play the casting-couch game. He sure had a pretty good imagination.

Once they left the tower, the air outside felt a little cool. Yao Cheng took off his jacket and draped it over Zheng Yuechan’s shoulders. Rubbing her temple, she handed him the keys and asked, “Can you drive?”

“I can!”

You want to talk about driving? Then I’m suddenly wide awake. I’m an old hand at it.

Zheng Yuechan nodded in relief. She opened the car door, got into the passenger seat, and undid one button with her slender fingers. “I’m going to sleep for a bit.”

“No problem.”

Yao Cheng glanced at her cleavage, thinking she really did not treat him like an outsider at all.

In the passenger seat, Zheng Yuechan was a little dizzy, a blush coloring her elegant oval face as she softly gave him the address, the building number, and the room code.

Yao Cheng focused on driving and did not dare to look too much, only stealing a couple of glances.

So white.

From any angle, it was all perfectly flawless.

And that, absolutely, was the real thing.

Most importantly, whoever suffered, the children of the future could not be made to suffer.

...