Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The group variety show was still in full swing on stage, but Lu Tingchao had already opened his phone to quickly edit photos.

Driven by the principle of prioritizing profit, he meticulously smoothed Jiang Rong's skin, retouched her features, adjusted the lighting, and even added a few heart-shaped stickers between them.

Perfect.

The atmosphere, the chemistry, the sweetness—all were there.

ChaoChao Getting Rich: Here it is, here it is! Sharing the pics for my girls! Time to ship #Toast#!

ChaoChao Getting Rich: How do I put it—you are the one and only in my life. [Image][Image]

The comments exploded instantly.

"OMG! What an incredible spot!!! As expected of Rich Sis ChaoChao!! It’s an honor to have such a wealthy sister to ship with, wuuwuu!"

"So sweet, so sweet, my insulin!!! Why didn't you kiss her!! Zhuang Ji, are you incapable?!"

"This kind of seat must require insider connections!! Just who is Sister ChaoChao?! I want to be on the frontline for shipping too ahhh!! My CP is locked in!!!"

The DMs were flooded with messages from people wanting to buy the photos.

Lu Tingchao unapologetically sold them all, making a tidy profit, and even found himself looking more favorably upon Zhuang Ji and Jiang Rong.

He looked down, opened his phone, accepted Jiang Rong’s friend request, and casually clicked into her Moments.

Jiang Rong: Milk tea from Brother Ji, so sweet [Photo]

Jiang Rong: Night hiking with Brother Ji, so dark, Brother Ji’s stamina is really something…

Jiang Rong: Wondering what drama I’ll film next with Brother Ji, I'm kinda excited just thinking about it haha~

Lu Tingchao: "..."

This three-person race was, after all, a bit too crowded.

Opening the chat box, Lu Tingchao replied to Jiang Rong with an "Ok," forwarded Chi Cheng’s WeChat to her, and then typed: "This is my agent. Thank you for referring work to me."

After a moment’s thought, he added sincerely: "I think you and Zhuang Ji are a great match. Go for it."

Jiang Rong didn’t reply again.

Lin Cheng arrived more than ten minutes early to escort Lu Tingchao out ahead of time.

Zhuang Ji didn’t stay in the same hotel as the rest of the crew; he owned several properties in this Special Economic Zone city, though Lu Tingchao had hardly been to any of them.

Like this luxury penthouse that offered a direct view of the Huangpu River and the trio of iconic skyscrapers.

Lin Cheng was clearly more familiar with this place than Lu Tingchao, leading him through the hall as the smart lights turned on, illuminating the entire interior brightly.

"Mr. Xiaolu, there’s fruit in the fridge, and the swimming pool is ready. Brother Ji will be here soon."

"Okay."

Lu Tingchao flopped onto the large sofa: "It’s late, you should head back quickly."

Before leaving, Lin Cheng turned to look at Lu Tingchao.

Lu Tingchao: "What’s up, Brother Lin?"

Lin Cheng hesitated: "Brother Ji told me before that if you asked when this place was bought, or if he comes here often, I should tell you…"

"Ah, never mind!"

Lu Tingchao waved his hand. "It’s his business how many places he has. Bye, Brother Lin!"

Lin Cheng: "..."

Lin Cheng left, seeming to have more to say.

The nearly 300-square-meter space fell quiet, the silent light falling on the gray tiles Zhuang Ji favored, evoking a lonely, untamed desolation.

The Zhuang family kept climbing higher, while the Lu family had completely collapsed.

Some feelings, perhaps, were wrong from the very start.

Chi Cheng’s voice call came through: "Are you really going to do that dating show Jiang Rong recommended?"

Lu Tingchao hummed in agreement.

Chi Cheng: "Are you sure? A dating show? Aren’t you afraid Zhuang Ji will lose it?"

Lu Tingchao: "Brother Chi, I’m going to divorce Zhuang Ji."

Chi Cheng was silent for a long time.

The quiet stretched infinitely into the night.

After a while, Chi Cheng said: "Back when Guo Guo accompanied you to... carry his child, I thought you loved him deeply and would never leave him."

Lu Tingchao sighed: "The love was real, and so is the lack of it now."

Lu Tingchao said: "Brother Chi, I’ve never been one for the long haul, and I’ve loved him long enough."

Chi Cheng: "..."

The atmosphere between them froze. Just as Lu Tingchao thought it might be too much to ask and was about to let it go,

Chi Cheng said: "Understood. If you just want to try being with someone else, or to provoke Zhuang Ji, I’ll sign you up for the variety show. But, Chao Chao, I advise you to think more about the divorce."

Lu Tingchao: "I..."

Chi Cheng: "Not you—it’s that I don’t think Zhuang Ji will let you go. Chao Chao, even if you’re going to divorce, handle it carefully. Don’t push Zhuang Ji to the brink and make things too ugly in the end."

*

Being forcibly awakened was really quite unpleasant.

Especially when the person was all hard muscle, radiating burning heat, pressing against him like a big dog.

"Baby."

Zhuang Ji nibbled on his ear again.

Lu Tingchao: "..."

The corner of the sofa was already cramped for two people; the small white fleece blanket that had been covering them had long since vanished.

Lu Tingchao helplessly reached out, grasping at nothing but air, until Zhuang Ji easily interlaced their fingers and pinned his hands above his head.

"Baby."

Zhuang Ji whispered in his ear, his breath ticklish and hot, damp and ambiguous. "Legs."

Lu Tingchao ignored him, squirmed and squirmed, trying to escape, only to be hooked by the neck and dragged back almost domineeringly, pinned into a helpless position.

Zhuang Ji effortlessly lifted Lu Tingchao, got off the sofa, knelt by the window as if cradling a child, and held him captive in his arms.

A flurry of kisses rained down.

Outside the window, the lights of the Huangpu River were inverted, dazzling yet blurry.

"Baby, baby."

Zhuang Ji's voice was nearly raspy, his breath hot against Lu Tingchao's ear, accompanied by a burning heartbeat, surging wildly in the night.

Lu Tingchao's fingers pressed against the vast glass pane, turned white from gripping.

"Why were you looking down at your phone during the group variety show?"

Zhuang Ji's slender fingers completely covered Lu Tingchao's hand from behind. "Isn't your husband handsome?"

Lu Tingchao threw his head back as if overwhelmed.

"Hmm? Baby, don't you like your husband anymore?"

Lu Tingchao: "..."

"Baby, say it."

"...Handsome! Handsome!"

Lu Tingchao was nearly going mad. "Husband is the most handsome, I like husband the most, please stop..."

Zhuang Ji gripped Lu Tingchao's chin, and the two shared a kiss that seemed to last forever. "Baby, you're sweating. So beautiful."

Lu Tingchao slumped bonelessly in Zhuang Ji's arms, dazedly yielding to his control.

Zhuang Ji's tone was laced with amusement.

He held Lu Tingchao, planting peppered kisses. "Chao Chao, look, everyone on the ship is looking at you."

A massive cruise ship glided slowly along the river.

The deck was crowded with people, ablaze with lights.

Lu Tingchao jerked violently.

Zhuang Ji rumbled with satisfaction. "But they can't see."

"Lu Tingchao, you are mine."

Zhuang Ji clutched Lu Tingchao's hand. "I love you."

Lu Tingchao curled up completely in Zhuang Ji's embrace. "I..."

A phone discarded on the handmade carpet began to ring.

Zhuang Ji glanced casually. "Mo Lingnan? Who?"

Lu Tingchao froze.

Lu Tingchao's scalp crawled. Before he could explain, the call had already ended.

Lu Tingchao let out a sigh of relief. "Probably a wrong number..."

The phone rang again.

Lu Tingchao: "What the—?!"

And it showed no sign of stopping.

Zhuang Ji's well-muscled arm reached for the phone. "Second call. Might be urgent. Not going to answer?"

Lu Tingchao: "..."