Chapter 147: Whoever Stays Up Late Is a Pig

"Sit down first."

Tang Zhichu beckoned Zhou Yun to take a seat before heading into his bedroom. He hadn't stayed here for a while, and the bed wasn't even made.

Zhou Yun didn't sit; she leaned against the doorframe, watching him prepare the bed.

"What's your game? I mean, regarding those two?"

Tang Zhichu glanced back, seeing her leaning there, and replied, "Zhu Yiyang is a professional drama academy graduate. I told him a few stories, and he helped me turn them into scripts. He has genuine skill. As for Xu Lai, Director Xu Senior is preparing to retire and is going all out to pave the way for Director Xu Junior. It’s highly probable that the senior director’s team will be handed over to the younger one. What do you think?"

As soon as Tang Zhichu said this, Zhou Yun understood. This guy was restless again; he wanted to get into filmmaking.

Combined with their earlier conversation at the dinner table, it was clear. Zhu Yiyang had been fawning over Tang Zhichu the whole time, proving that Tang had already won him over, leaving only Xu Lai to deal with.

The son of a major director, with impeccable credentials, willing to follow Tang Zhichu to Yuzhou—that proved he had an agenda. Adding in Tang Zhichu’s pointed mention of the internet celebrity he was managing, it seemed this "third-generation director" with a pedigree was either looking for romance or just naturally repressed.

"Is the Xu family's upbringing very strict?" Zhou Yun asked.

Tang Zhichu looked at her in surprise. As soon as he brought it up, she seemed to grasp everything.

"Wouldn't that backfire? Don't you need to win over Director Xu Senior first?" Zhou Yun asked, puzzled.

Tang Zhichu smiled. "No need. Zhu Yiyang is a smart man. He’s more anxious than I am; he’ll act as the shield himself."

Zhou Yun frowned. After a long moment, she asked, "Does Zhu Yiyang have a special status too?"

"Would a top-tier 'investment second generation' from Shanghai count?"

Zhou Yun was stunned, and the way she looked at Tang Zhichu was filled with stars again. *It really is you, old Tang.*

With just a few words, she had deduced the result. The elder Director Xu letting the younger one come along clearly wasn't a favor to Tang Zhichu. It was for the sake of Zhu Yiyang—a top-tier investor from Shanghai who was also a trained drama school graduate. To any director, that was the ultimate financier.

Zhou Yun stepped forward, helping Tang Zhichu grab a corner of the sheet to line it up. "You are just too good at stirring things up," she murmured.

Tang Zhichu paused. He understood the subtext of her words: the more he stirred things up, the more tiring it would be for her.

Tang Zhichu rolled over next to Zhou Yun and pulled her into his arms. Zhou Yun flushed, naturally pressing herself against his chest.

"I don't know much about movies," she whispered.

Tang Zhichu gently stroked her back. Her white shirt was thin, and he felt the texture of the straps underneath against his palm.

"My movie is different. You don't need to worry about it. Just think: if an internet celebrity were to get involved with a top-tier Chinese production team, what kind of situation would that create?"

Zhou Yun paused, then looked up at him, a sudden realization dawning on her. She said with a touch of excitement, "Why didn't I think of that!"

She had been exhausted, but after talking with Tang Zhichu, everything seemed to click into place, opening up even more possibilities. A unique sense of satisfaction welled up in her.

"You really are something. I don't know how your brain works," she said, reaching out to hug him and rubbing against his chest.

It tickled, and Tang Zhichu laughed, squirming a bit. "Don't mess around, I still have to finish the bed."

"Hmm~ No!"

"We can't just sleep like this, can we?"

Zhou Yun lifted her head and pushed herself up. "You go take a shower first. I'll handle it."

Tang Zhichu wanted to object, but he was firmly pushed toward the bathroom.

Why not go to a hotel? They shared that much tacit understanding; they were both, to some degree, public figures now—especially Tang Zhichu.

When he came out after his shower, Zhou Yun was holding clothes she’d found somewhere, her face flushed as she ducked into the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, when he saw her again, Tang Zhichu couldn't help but swallow hard. She was wearing one of his white shirts, the "bottoms-missing" look accentuating her long, fair, and shapely legs. If he looked closely, it wasn't just a style—she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

With a *click*, Zhou Yun turned off the light. She leaped onto the bed, rolled over, and wrapped herself entirely in the duvet.

After some squirming, she poked her head out. The curtains weren't drawn, and a faint glow—whether from the moonlight or the neon lights of the sleepless city—was cast upon her face. Her porcelain skin, delicate features, and that faint scent of hers.

Tang Zhichu felt this scene was the most healing thing in the world.

"I don't know what Sister Lan was thinking by helping you, but I definitely didn't help you pave the way for the dating show finale just to promote your relationship with Yangyang!" she pouted.

Tang Zhichu reached out to pinch her cheek. "Sister Lan was involved? Wasn't it you who helped me?"

Zhou Yun moved closer. In the dim light, she couldn't see his expression clearly. "You really don't know?"

"Know what? Weren't the article on Weibo and the video on Douyin your doing?"

"The video on Douyin was my submission!"

Tang Zhichu pondered, then acted as if he’d just realized something. "If you put it that way, I really need to thank Sister Lan properly. I asked you to help me prepare a gift for her—you didn't forget, did you?"

Seeing his reaction, Zhou Yun felt relieved; she had just been testing him. If he were up to something, would he let her prepare a gift for Sister Lan?

It seemed that if Sister Lan had helped, she was still rooting for Yangyang. Everyone currently thought Tang Zhichu and Chen Siyang were together, thanks to that Weibo article.

Zhou Yun rolled over again, pulling the duvet over Tang Zhichu.

"Of course not, I prepared plenty of things. Go to my place and get them tomorrow. Or should we invite Sister Lan to dinner? You have me here, don't worry."

Tang Zhichu reached out and covered her with the blanket again. "We'll see about dinner. I'll just drop the gifts off for her."

"Don't put it on me, it's too hot!" she protested.

In the Yuzhou July heat, it was suffocating; only a ghost would want to be wrapped in a duvet. Tang Zhichu laughed and got up to turn on the air conditioner.

After a bit of fussing, perhaps due to the cooling room, Zhou Yun slowly drifted closer.

The two of them lay there, borrowing the faint light from the window, looking at each other.

Tang Zhichu didn't move because he *couldn't* move. Zhou Yun was too smart and too decisive; if he made a move, she would immediately set out to deal with Chen Siyang.

Zhou Yun didn't move either, even though she was itching to. Her attitude was already clear. If Tang Zhichu could still hold back, it meant he hadn't decided on anyone yet. If she took the initiative, she would lose her advantage and the confidence to claim her "sovereignty."

It was a strange, silent agreement: if you, Tang Zhichu, dare to sleep with me, then I, Zhou Yun, dare to be the boss's wife! Conversely, if you, Zhou Yun, dare to take the initiative, I, Tang Zhichu, will suppress you!

They looked at each other, hummed in unison with perfect tacit understanding, and turned away from each other.

"Sleep. Whoever stays up late is a pig!"

"Stupid pig, whoever stays up late is a little stupid pig!"

"You're the pig!"

"You're the one who's a pig!"