Chapter 118: Prelude to Conquering the Boss

Chapter 118: Prelude to Conquering the Boss

Jiang Xiaoying drew closer to Tang Fei. She looked around stealthily, making sure no one was paying attention to them. She coughed, hummed, and even took out a cherished bag of spicy snacks.

Jiang Xiaoying tried every trick in the book to get Tang Fei's attention.

But Tang Fei was astonishingly focused!

She completely ignored Jiang Xiaoying, as if the latter were a monkey trying to distract a meditating Xuanzang, who remained closed-eyed and reciting scriptures with a clear mind, oblivious to the antics.

Tang Fei was like Xuanzang, just one character away! No wonder!

"Fei, um..." Jiang Xiaoying abandoned her plan to get Tang Fei to initiate conversation.

Tang Fei was engrossed in studying, even sketching storyboards beside the script! Not just simple storyboards, but a visual representation of the scene, capturing both the overall setting and the intricate details of each character!

Jiang Xiaoying pinched her own cheeks. This had to be a dream! Did Tang Fei really draw this? Was there some expert secretly tutoring her?

No, it was Tang Fei's own work!

Tang Fei drew another one right in front of her!

So many talents – she can even paint? Jiang Xiaoying examined the artwork. Fortunately, the skill was merely average; it almost deceived her into believing it was a masterpiece that could dazzle anyone.

Turns out, she's just an ordinary person after all.

Jiang Xiaoying's head obstructed Tang Fei's view as she gazed at the painting.

Tang Fei frowned. "Not enough space for you again?"

Jiang Xiaoying bent her waist and turned her head, facing Tang Fei with their faces only about five centimeters apart.

She could see Tang Fei's face clearly. Her skin was rosy and smooth, without a single blemish. Her eyes were like autumn waters, bright and energetic, without any trace of dark circles beneath.

She looks healthier and more energetic than I do.

But the photo of Tang Fei being rescued with her eyes tightly shut was real, surrounded by police when she was sent to the hospital.

Thinking about diving into the icy water in winter made Jiang Xiaoying shiver.

Is it really necessary to be so serious in this state?

There were no more than five people of her age with comparable talent and dedication.

That was Director Xu's appraisal. Even if it were just polite flattery for the sake of business, it was still remarkable.

Jiang Xiaoying sat up straight, her eyes wide. She tried to display her magnanimity. "I'm letting you off the hook because you're sick, not holding your actions against you. I admit, I was out of line just now. I'm... I'm sorry. You took time off work, so why aren't you resting? Why did you come here?"

Tang Fei blinked. Jiang Xiaoying's attitude had done a complete 180-degree turn. Had she suddenly decided to drive back?

"I'm here to get accustomed to the production team."

"You lack common sense. After nearly drowning in winter and being rescued, you're already out and about after just three days?"

"How did you know?" Tang Fei almost suspected that Jiang Xiaoying had an informant at Time Culture, someone with connections everywhere, capable of uncovering such information.

"Why are you hiding it? You're too naive. There's no point in hiding anything. What is, is." Jiang Xiaoying displayed a photo on her phone. "If no one had taken a picture of you, you would've been waiting for criticism and letting Yao Hui's group bully you relentlessly."

Tang Fei looked down and saw that she appeared unconscious in the photo. During that period, she must have been in the dungeon, unaware of the outside world.

Surrounded by a group, she was lying with her eyes closed, drenched from head to toe. Next to her stood a figure also wrapped in a large blanket, whose shoes and hair were dripping with water.

This was...

Tang Fei involuntarily took Jiang Xiaoying's phone and zoomed in on the person. She fixated on the only clues revealing his identity: the shoes and the bottom of his pants.

Tang Fei's eyebrows knitted together tightly.

The boss had indeed gone into the water. That morning when she woke up and saw his slightly damp hair, she'd suspected as much.

Later, after he lectured her, she thought she must have been mistaken!

Now, it was clear that he had jumped in to save her. He accompanied her to the hospital and was standing right there.

She had relied on skill cards to save someone, but what did the boss have? Did he risk his mortal body, without any special abilities, to dive into the Xiangjiang River in winter to rescue her?

Perhaps it was simply his kindness, and he would have saved anyone who fell into the water.

That day, when he sternly told her to take care of her health, scolding her for being reckless and showing off, she hadn't given it much thought.

So who was the reckless one here? She was confident in her safety, but what about him?

Was he equally certain of his own well-being?

"Hey, why do you look so surprised? It's normal for you to get exposed since you didn't take any precautions. You have no idea how popular you are. You're on the hot search list every day. Practically everyone who uses the internet knows you now," Jiang Xiaoying retracted her phone, noticing Tang Fei's emotional upheaval.

Jiang Xiaoying observed Tang Fei's dazed expression and asked, "Are you okay? Should we call it a day? We have many scenes together tomorrow, and I won't go easy on you during our acting. Let's see if you're as good as people say, that there are barely five young actors who can compare to you."

"Oh," Tang Fei stood up, her mind preoccupied with the news. "I think I do need some rest."

"I told you, get some good rest. Don't be too weak tomorrow," Jiang Xiaoying said confidently.

Tang Fei looked at the self-assured Jiang Xiaoying and then glanced at the 'Eagle Spreads Its Wings' mission in her task bar.

Did the requirement to demonstrate absolute strength refer to her?

The look in Tang Fei's eyes suddenly made Jiang Xiaoying feel a chill run down her spine.

"Tang Fei, I promise you won't be disappointed tomorrow. I hope you won't disappoint me either." Only by facing a formidable opponent could one truly showcase their strength; bullying the weak would never demonstrate true power.

"Tomorrow will reveal the truth!" Although Jiang Xiaoying was from a privileged background, she had honed her skills since childhood and was no idle heir.

She refused to believe that Tang Fei's talent could truly make up for the years of hard work she had invested.

Tang Fei nodded and left, her thoughts now predominantly centered on the Boss.

What could he possibly be thinking? He clearly regarded her as a product; there shouldn't be any other emotions involved, right?

He was risking his all for a product—this made little logical sense.

A product to which he had devoted so much effort?

Was he just too kind-hearted?

Treating her so kindly, but she wasn't a mere product; she was a person with feelings. She already sensed an unwarranted affection growing from her boss, and it was becoming clearer by the day.

Tang Fei massaged her disoriented head and opened her phone, searching for the picture of her being rescued. In the corner, there was the figure of Zhou Weichuan, drenched in water, wrapped in a blanket, stretching his neck to look at her back. She studied that image repeatedly.

Unfortunately, she couldn't see his face.

What must he have looked like then? Was he worried about her? Very worried?

Tang Fei took action to crop the photo, isolating Zhou Weichuan's part.

When she realized what she had done, she panicked and frantically tried to delete the picture.

Her finger hovered over Zhou Weichuan's backside photo, her thumb sliding from his hair down to his shoes, circling around the delete icon multiple times without mustering the courage to press it.

"Keep it, as evidence of him saving my life."

"A life-saving debt should be repaid. This serves as a reminder to repay him. But how?"

"Throughout history, the hero who saves the beauty's life often leads to..."

Tang Fei's cheeks flushed on their own, the crimson hue crawling up from her neck to her forehead.

"I'll wait until my career takes off, until I'm no longer just a small star under his wing. Then he won't see me as a mere product anymore. That's when I'll make my move and conquer him!"

"But what if by then, the boss gets married? It could take a decade or eight years to achieve success. By then, the boss's child could be old enough to run errands."

"Tang Fei lowered her head. "…Forty seems a bit too late to get married."

Then, she straightened her back and stepped forward with renewed determination.

"I need to shorten this timeline and succeed quickly! I just vowed to crush Jiang Xiaoying tomorrow. I have to focus on my mission and career to catch the boss's attention! I can't be just a product in his eyes!"

Tang Fei returned to the hotel with a resolute stance.

She opened the script and flipped to the shooting schedule. Her major scene for tomorrow was Xu Wan teaching Lan Xiaomei how to pursue her dream man.

She aimed to refine her gestures, expressions, and tones to present the most flawless performance on camera, in the director's view, and for the audience's perception.

Capture the shot!

Unleash her aura! Apply the stunning Courtesan Makeup card! Employ all her advantages!