Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Su Tinghe spent a considerable amount of time and effort, striving to produce his best work, and created two calligraphy works. As soon as he finished, he wanted to show them to Bai Hua's teacher.

He called, and Bai Hua's teacher answered with a smile, asking if Su Tinghe would like to come over for a meal.

Before Su Tinghe could decide how to respond, Bai Hua's voice came over the phone, "I happen to be at the teacher's place too, would you like to come over?"

Since the TV drama took off, Su Tinghe hadn't seen Bai Hua for a long time. Since Bai Hua was also there, Su Tinghe decided to bring his calligraphy works with him.

After knocking, Bai Hua opened the door. Seeing Bai Hua again, although his appearance hadn't changed, Su Tinghe felt that Bai Hua's aura was entirely different.

Su Tinghe suddenly realized that Bai Hua had shot to fame due to "Yu Lin Ling," and whether he would continue acting was a question.

During the meal, the teacher raised this topic. Bai Hua thought for a moment and replied, "I find acting quite interesting. Several companies and scripts have approached me. I plan to focus on my acting career."

Bai Hua's teacher nodded, "You've always been strong-willed. I won't interfere with your decisions. It's difficult to find jobs now, and you haven't even graduated yet. Securing a job early is good, but don't forget you still haven't submitted the draft of your thesis to me."

Bai Hua was at first speechless, then resigned, "Teacher, do you realize that I'm just an undergraduate? Why are you pushing me to submit the draft of my thesis so early? What about my graduate and doctoral seniors?"

The teacher, a bit taken aback, emphasized, "It's different. You're a busy person now. Before your next project is set, take some time to write your thesis. Otherwise, you won't have time later. Wouldn't you say, Su Tinghe?"

Feeling justified, the teacher looked to Su Tinghe for agreement. Although Su Tinghe didn't quite understand what the thesis was about, he nodded in agreement. The teacher, feeling more justified, turned back to Bai Hua.

Bai Hua gave a resigned smile, "Don't worry, I'll definitely submit my thesis to you in a few days." His teacher's insistence was overwhelming, leaving no room for procrastination.

After the meal, the teacher and Bai Hua unrolled Su Tinghe's calligraphy works to admire. Su Tinghe, recalling the teacher's earlier mention that exhibited works might be bought and collected, asked hesitantly, "Can they really be sold?"

"There's just a possibility," the teacher, who had offhandedly encouraged Su Tinghe, now carefully chose his words, not wanting to dampen Su Tinghe's spirits, "But you're a newcomer, and it's your first exhibition, so the likelihood of selling is quite low."

"Calligraphy and painting are elegant arts. Thinking too much about selling them is crass. It's a blessing to meet someone who appreciates them, but keeping them for yourself is also fine," the teacher encouraged Su Tinghe, patting his shoulder.

"Why don't you just say they won't sell," Bai Hua bluntly exposed his teacher's roundabout way, "It's already quite an achievement for a newcomer to exhibit. Selling is almost impossible."

"Why do you have to be so harsh," the teacher glared at Bai Hua, then said to Su Tinghe, "Don't listen to him. A low likelihood doesn't mean it's impossible. If you really want to delve into calligraphy art, practice well with me. Over time, the chance of meeting collectors will increase."

Su Tinghe felt his earlier thoughts were too optimistic. Upon reflection, he realized he was unknown; why would collectors want his calligraphy?

Forget it, Su Tinghe handed his two calligraphy works to Bai Hua's teacher, no longer harboring excessive hopes.

Su Tinghe and Bai Hua sat for a while longer, then left together. As they stepped out, Su Tinghe noticed Bai Hua wearing a mask and hat, completely covered.

"What's this for?" Su Tinghe didn't understand.

Bai Hua: "Too many people recognize me now. If I don't cover up, it's troublesome."

Is this the trouble of being a big star? Su Tinghe didn't quite understand but pulled his scarf higher, burying most of his face in it, and strolled down the street with Bai Hua for a while.

Returning home, Su Tinghe found himself trending on social media with Bai Hua, with some even using the keyword "romance exposed."

Bai Hua responded: Good friends, then @ Su Tinghe's account. Su Tinghe's account was suddenly flooded with drama fans, all marveling that a handsome man's good friend is also handsome.

Some keenly noticed that Su Tinghe was the producer of the TV drama "Yu Lin Ling" and began clamoring for a variety show.

Su Tinghe experienced for the first time the influence of a world star, no wonder Bai Hua had to be fully armed.

The explosive popularity of "Yu Lin Ling" not only boosted the lead actors but also brought substantial profits to Su Tinghe, the investor, and the video streaming platform.

Thus, after the drama ended, Zhang Shijing called to invite Su Tinghe to a celebration banquet.

Su Tinghe thought everyone would be familiar faces from the crew, but upon arriving, he realized that people from the video streaming platform were also present.

From Zhang Shijing's tone, it was clear that all the attendees were high-level executives from the platform. If Su Tinghe wanted to continue on the path of being a producer or investor in the future, maintaining good relationships with these people was crucial.

Since it was a dinner party, drinking was bound to happen. Zhang Shijing, being a straightforward and generous person, had no problem with alcohol, whether it was red or white wine. He could toast and chat with anyone.

Su Tinghe, clutching his glass, felt uneasy. He had only had a few drinks since arriving in this world, all of which were low-alcohol foreign liquors. But the *baijiu* handed to him now—a strong Chinese liquor—was so potent that just the smell was overwhelming.

To his dismay, the drink was handed to him by the deputy head of the video platform's film and television department. Su Tinghe couldn't refuse, and Zhang Shijing, noticing Su Tinghe's discomfort, quickly stepped in to drink on his behalf.

The drink was consumed, but soon after, the deputy head refilled Su Tinghe's glass, praising his sharp eye for investing in such a successful drama on his first try. He then sat uncomfortably close to Su Tinghe, discussing the future direction of film and television dramas.

Su Tinghe felt very uncomfortable with the person being so close. Bai Hua, noticing the discomfort, intervened and coaxed the deputy head, drinking the wine for Su Tinghe again.

Having someone drink for Su Tinghe twice, the deputy head's expression soured, and he insisted that Su Tinghe drink with him. Su Tinghe had no choice but to gulp down the small cup of wine. The deputy head, finally satisfied, continued to talk incessantly to Su Tinghe, even going as far as placing his hand on Su Tinghe's thigh.

Su Tinghe immediately stood up, excusing himself to go to the restroom.

Once in the restroom, Su Tinghe rushed to the sink and began to vomit. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the man's close proximity that made him feel nauseous, but his body was indeed uncomfortable. Having eaten little that evening, all he could vomit was some bitter liquid.

After vomiting, Su Tinghe felt a slight relief, but upon looking up, he saw the deputy head standing behind him in the mirror. Startled, Su Tinghe turned around and said, "I need to get back now."

As he tried to make a quick exit, the man grabbed his arm.

"Why are you vomiting? Are you not giving me face?"

"It's not about you; I just can't handle alcohol," Su Tinghe said, trying to pull his arm back. "Could you please let me go?"

The man tightened his grip, yanking Su Tinghe closer and pinching his chin with a menacing grin. "You're so beautiful; it's a pity no one is taking care of you. Let me take care of you, okay?"

"No."

Hearing Su Tinghe's refusal, the man's smile turned even darker. Su Tinghe instinctively recoiled, using all his strength to break free, but his efforts were futile against the man's strength.

Su Tinghe opened his mouth and sank his teeth into the man's hand hard. The man immediately let go, and Su Tinghe seized the moment to run, but he was caught again after just a few steps.

"Help!" Su Tinghe shouted, but the man quickly covered his mouth. A look of despair filled Su Tinghe's eyes.

Suddenly, the restroom door was kicked open, reigniting hope in Su Tinghe's eyes. The newcomer swiftly subdued the man who was holding Su Tinghe and then took off his jacket to cover Su Tinghe.

In his dazed state, Su Tinghe murmured, "Shang Huoyong."

"It's me, Su Tinghe. Look closely, I'm not my brother, Shang Huoyong," Shang Yizhi said, tightening the jacket around Su Tinghe and lifting his chin to make him see clearly.

Su Tinghe whispered a quiet "Thank you."

The man on the ground struggled to stand up, pointing at Shang Yizhi and threatening, "Do you know who I am? How dare you take him away."

"And do you know who I am? Who you dared to touch? You dare to mess with someone from the Shang family," Shang Yizhi sneered, looking down at the man with disdain.

Su Tinghe shook his head, "I'm not..."

Shang Yizhi looked at him, "Not what?"

Su Tinghe, "Not yours."

"At a time like this, you're still worried about that. No matter what, you're part of the Shang family now," Shang Yizhi said, looking at the man he had just beaten. "Did you hear that? You dare to mess with someone from the Shang family."

"Which merchant?" The man was still in a daze when someone else rushed into the bathroom, clearly following Shang Yizhi.

Shang Yizhi quickly gave them some orders, then took Su Tinghe's hand and said, "Let me take you home."

When they arrived at the villa, Shang Yizhi saw Shang Huoyong and immediately started scolding: "Brother, since you're not working now, can't you pay more attention to the people around you? If I hadn't happened to pass by and saved Su Tinghe, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Your career might be a mess, but you should at least take care of your family."

Su Tinghe said weakly, "It's not his fault. He didn't know."

Shang Yizhi rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Even now, you're still sticking up for him. What kind of magic has my big brother worked on you?"

Shang Huoyong thoroughly checked Su Tinghe from head to toe, ensuring he wasn't hurt, before turning to Shang Yizhi and saying, "You're right. I really should thank you this time."

Shang Yizhi stared at Shang Huoyong's expressionless face and felt nothing but revulsion. Even after being forced out of the company, why did he still act so indifferent? Since childhood, it seemed like everyone favored his older brother, even Su Tinghe, who had initially leaned toward him, quickly shifted his loyalty after marrying Shang Huoyong.

Faced with Shang Huoyong's thanks, Shang Yizhi snorted and walked away.

After he left, Shang Huoyong tossed aside the coat on Su Tinghe, gently persuaded him to explain what happened, and held him close for a long time to soothe him. Only after Su Tinghe went to shower did Shang Huoyong contact the people he had assigned to follow him.

"Why didn't you step in to save him when this happened?"

The other person gave a long-winded explanation, but Shang Huoyong cut them off: "From now on, when you're following him, his safety is the priority. Everything else comes second. I'll handle any fallout."

The other side asked another question, and Shang Huoyong paused for a moment before saying, "It doesn't matter if you're discovered. His safety is what matters most."

Suddenly, there was a loud thud from the bathroom. Shang Huoyong hung up the phone and rushed in immediately.

Su Tinghe, barefoot, had just stepped out of the tub and was bending down to pick something up from the floor. "I dropped the shampoo."

Shang Huoyong looked at Su Tinghe, who was completely naked, and said, "Lie back. I'll wash you."

Su Tinghe tilted his head, looking at Shang Huoyong in confusion. Shang Huoyong took the shampoo from Su Tinghe's hand, helped him sit back in the tub, squeezed some shampoo into his palm, and began massaging it into Su Tinghe's hair.

Su Tinghe kept his innocent, wide eyes open, watching Shang Huoyong. Afraid the foam would get into Su Tinghe's eyes, Shang Huoyong told him to close them, and Su Tinghe obediently complied.

Washing Su Tinghe's hair went so smoothly that when Shang Huoyong started applying body wash to Su Tinghe's body, he didn't expect Su Tinghe to splash water and throw foam at him.

Shang Huoyong's pajamas were instantly soaked, and he couldn't help but shout Su Tinghe's full name in exasperation.

Su Tinghe pouted, looking pitifully at Shang Huoyong, who immediately softened and coaxed him to continue bathing. But Su Tinghe only escalated, continuing to playfully splash water at Shang Huoyong.

"Husband, you're all wet," Su Tinghe said to Shang Huoyong.

Shang Huoyong asked, "And whose fault is that?"

Su Tinghe didn't answer but enthusiastically invited, "Since you're already wet, why don't you join me in the bath?"

"Are you sure?" Shang Huoyong raised an eyebrow.

Su Tinghe nodded vigorously. Shang Huoyong stripped off his wet clothes and got into the tub. Su Tinghe's face lit up with a triumphant smile as he continued splashing water at Shang Huoyong.

After things got heated, Su Tinghe lay comfortably in the water like a little fish. Shang Huoyong scooped him up, wrapped him in a towel, and placed him on the bed.

Shang Huoyong helped Su Tinghe into his pajamas, but Su Tinghe kept squirming, trying to burrow into Shang Huoyong's arms. Shang Huoyong lightly smacked Su Tinghe's bottom to make him behave.

Su Tinghe's face turned red with embarrassment, and he pulled the blanket over himself. Shang Huoyong asked, "Didn't you throw up earlier? Are you really drunk?"

Su Tinghe lifted his eyelids to look at him, the corners of his eyes tinged with pink. "I'm drunk."

Shang Huoyong smirked. "You seem pretty lucid to me."

Su Tinghe was annoyed: "Do you want it or not?"

Shang Huoyong called him a "little rascal," then pulled the blanket off Su Tinghe, who in turn shouted, "Old rascal!"

"Where am I old?"

"You're still older than me, though."

Shang Huoyong didn't respond, just kept going with his rough actions.

"Ohhh... You're not old, you're strong and full of energy, okay?"

"I won't call you old again, ah... be gentle... please."