Chapter 18: Opportunity Stolen

Although she spoke with a hint of stubbornness, Chu Luoxi ultimately did not refuse Ji Yanjin. Taking advantage of a chance encounter with their homeroom teacher, Tang Ming, during afternoon classes, she explained the situation, stressing that she was volunteering and would not expect to hand over any personal income upon returning to school—otherwise, she’d be at an unfair loss.

Tang Ming seemed a little surprised, gazing at her with a peculiar look for a moment before nodding and saying, “Alright, just go over the weekend, there’s no need to request leave. Since it’s unpaid, some formalities can be skipped. After school, come to my office and sign a form—a simple document for the administration. I’ll prepare it for you.”

“Thank you, Teacher.” Chu Luoxi smiled politely, her attitude composed, though she was a little surprised herself. In her previous life, though she ran around outside and worked herself to the bone, she never received much opportunity. She had little experience requesting leave or interacting with her homeroom teacher.

Now, it seemed Tang Ming, though somewhat radical in teaching philosophy, was incredibly responsible and caring. He even prepared the paperwork himself, sparing her the trouble of running around. Clearly, he wished every student could find their own path.

That initial odd look must have been surprise at her suddenly acquiring connections. Nowadays, everyone says you need to gain fame early. If you have the chance, why wait? Apparently, the hardest part of becoming an entertainer is getting started; if you can’t take the first step, what hope is there for the future?

Her feelings toward the homeroom teacher suddenly improved. Chu Luoxi quickly—and quite meticulously—looked over the contents of the form, then signed her name with practiced ease. The fluid motion was graceful and pleasing to the eye, impressively smooth.

Tang Ming was momentarily stunned again, glancing at the fancy signature—a typical stage name flourish. He couldn’t help but twitch his lips. He knew students practiced their signatures, sometimes even consulting professionals, but such proficiency was rare. He wondered how long Chu Luoxi had spent perfecting it, amazed at her patience.

Had she known what her teacher was thinking, Chu Luoxi would have laughed like a queen. Wasn’t it true? In her past life, she’d practiced for nearly twenty years, especially during fan meetings, signing until her hand cramped from exhaustion. That kind of misery was best left unremembered.

Having settled things with the school, Chu Luoxi contacted Ji Yanjin. With no classes that Friday afternoon, she rushed over, unsure if he feared she might back out—his relentless phone calls, one after another, seemed oblivious to any cost.

Perhaps Ji Yanjin truly sensed some impending trouble. Chu Luoxi had barely arrived at Imperial Film City, relying on her years of experience from her previous life to navigate the grounds. Just as she was about to find the location Ji Yanjin had described, she was stopped by someone.

Most importantly, the person who stopped her was not someone Chu Luoxi dared challenge. Under the sharp gaze of this “bandit,” she had no choice but to call Ji Yanjin and explain the situation.

As expected, Ji Yanjin exploded. Before she could finish, he roared into the phone, “What? Someone intercepted the person I invited? Hmmph, just you wait…”

Ordinary staff—directors, assistants, and so on—could only stare blankly as Ji Yanjin, his hair only half done, stormed out like a thunderbolt, sprinting off at full speed, leaving everyone frozen like statues.

Oh dear, what was he going to do? The lead actor just ran off? Couldn’t he give a reason first? Was he about to abandon the project halfway?

Chu Luoxi’s lips twitched. Without even looking, she knew Ji Yanjin’s expression must be twisted with impatience. His temperament was always so fiery—he’d be in front of her within minutes.

“Done?” The deep voice was like aged wine—rich, mellow, intoxicating, stirring the soul and teasing the senses.

“Hm?” Chu Luoxi’s face flashed a hint of helplessness. The voice was so pleasant it was almost criminal, but she couldn’t help wondering how things had gotten so out of hand.

She’d originally been searching for the right location, but while passing a street used for period dramas, suddenly someone blocked her view—not because she was fainting, but because someone had literally eclipsed the light. And the person who appeared before her left her utterly stunned, frozen for ages until he chuckled softly.

“Xiao Jingxuan?” Chu Luoxi’s tongue stumbled; she thought she must be hallucinating.

Xiao Jingxuan appearing at the Film City was no surprise—he’d officially graduated in June last year, marking the start of his meteoric rise. But for him to suddenly appear before her, clearly recognizing her, and physically blocking her way—it felt as if Chu Luoxi’s soul had left her body. Good heavens, was she not only reborn but somehow transported as well? How could the great Xiao know her? In her previous life, they’d only crossed paths once at the freshmen welcome party, and in this life, not even that!

Seeing Chu Luoxi’s dazed disbelief, Xiao Jingxuan felt his mood lighten, the oppressive aura around him softening with a trace of warmth as his lips parted in a casual, alluring smile: “Junior Chu…”

He knew she’d find this encounter bizarre, but he certainly wouldn’t tell her outright that after descending from the stage at the freshmen party, he’d overheard some of her group’s conversation. That piqued his curiosity, leading him to have his agent, Leng Lu, investigate their backgrounds.

Leng Lu, though endlessly chatty, was highly capable. Xiao Jingxuan had merely mentioned it offhand, yet Leng managed to dig up information despite the lack of clues. How he did it remained a mystery.

When Xiao Jingxuan finally received the information, he recognized at once that Chu Luoxi was indeed the person he’d been seeking.

And just now, by chance, catching sight of her, he’d instinctively stepped forward and stopped her in her tracks.

Sure enough, her reaction was even more amusing than he’d anticipated.

Perhaps it was seeing Xiao Jingxuan’s mesmerizing smile up close, but Chu Luoxi shivered involuntarily, feeling the situation was almost too surreal.

Then? Well, she quickly regained her composure, remembering her appointment with Ji Yanjin, and declared she was here on business, not just sightseeing.

Xiao Jingxuan’s response nearly drove her mad—he struck a thoughtful pose, gently stroking his chin and gazing at her for three seconds before exclaiming, “Ah, it’s Friday! Junior Chu, you must be here looking for work. As your senior, how about I show you around our crew?”

Upon hearing this, Chu Luoxi couldn’t help but twitch her lips. In her past life, she knew all too well that the great Xiao was not only domineering but also quite autocratic. Now, she was truly experiencing it firsthand.