Chapter 55

Chapter 55

It wasn't until this argument that Lu Tingchao realized Mo Lingnan actually didn't want him to work.

Though Lu Tingchao himself wasn't sure if this even qualified as an argument between them.

Mo Lingnan didn't seem upset at all. The next morning, he still prepared breakfast and tidied everything before returning to the bedroom to gently coax Lu Tingchao out of bed. Holding him close, he murmured, "I've already arranged Dou Dou's kindergarten. Nanny Wang will take him there later. You can sleep a bit more, okay?"

Lu Tingchao rubbed his sleepy eyes, instinctively clinging to Mo Lingnan's arm, and let out a soft yawn.

Mo Lingnan said, "First, get up and have some breakfast, hmm?"

Still half-asleep, Lu Tingchao shook his head. "Don't want to eat."

"Not an option. You've had stomach issues before."

Mo Lingnan didn't mind that he hadn't brushed his teeth or washed his face. He picked him up like a child, carrying him out of the blankets and all the way into the master bathroom, where he set Lu Tingchao on the counter.

Lu Tingchao couldn't be bothered to open his eyes. He aimed a lazy kick at Mo Lingnan with his exposed calf. "I'm tired."

Mo Lingnan easily caught Lu Tingchao's delicate foot and smoothly slipped on the no-show socks that were set aside. Then he said, "Baby, at this hour, everyone else is heading to work already. You're still lazing around in bed—how could you possibly go out to work?"

"Who said I—"

Lu Tingchao lifted his head from Mo Lingnan's shoulder, then seemed to remember something. He turned his face away, shoved Mo Lingnan, jumped down from the counter, and stomped off in his no-show socks.

There was absolutely no way Lu Tingchao would tell Mo Lingnan that he had secretly been catching up on the latest entertainment news and performances under the covers last night, watching the newest hit dramas and variety shows until nearly 5 a.m.

This was a circle that always had an endless supply of new talent. Unless you reached a level of success like Zhuang Ji—irreplaceable and unmatched—then in this industry, the chase for novelty never ended.

Lu Tingchao was someone who had been immersed in this world, rising and falling with the tides. No one understood the fickleness and favor-swapping better than he did.

Before secretly making this decision, Lu Tingchao had briefly wondered if he really should return to being an entertainer.

But aside from that, he didn't know what else he could do.

He hadn't excelled in his studies, and he didn't have any impressive education.

He also didn't have many special skills—unless being idle counted as a talent, in which case he might have some room to shine.

Lu Tingchao also didn't want to become Mo Lingnan's assistant.

Because he realized… he still needed personal space.

Just like every moment in the past, and every person who had ever been by his side, Lu Tingchao didn't believe two people should be joined at the hip twenty-four hours a day.

It made him feel extremely irritable, and the consequence of that irritability was often Lu Tingchao wanting to quit then and there.

This could probably be considered one of Lu Tingchao's special talents.

Persistence was too difficult for him.

But giving up came very easily.

It might take Lu Tingchao ten days to fall passionately in love with someone, but it only took him ten seconds to walk away from a relationship.

So, out of a sense of responsibility for their relationship, Lu Tingchao felt he couldn't accept the suggestion of becoming Mo Lingnan's assistant.

But of course, he couldn't outright say this reason either.

In the end, after finishing breakfast and being carried back to the bedroom by Mo Lingnan, Lu Tingchao wrapped his arms around Mo Lingnan's waist, snuggling against him, and said obediently, "I still think I shouldn’t go out to work. The sun's too strong outside."

Mo Lingnan was all for it.

The man's strong, handsome features softened slightly as he lifted Lu Tingchao's chin and gave him a long kiss. "Such a spoiled thing."

Lu Tingchao turned his face away, his eyes round. "Is that spoiled? I didn't even ask you to skip work and play with me."

"Play what?" Mo Lingnan's voice dropped suddenly, his breath brushing against Lu Tingchao's. "Ride the horse?"

Lu Tingchao: "..."

What kind of weird game is that?!

Mo Lingnan's clearly unsteady breathing immediately made Lu Tingchao feel very insecure.

He pushed Mo Lingnan away. "I'm not talking to you anymore. You're being ridiculous!"

"Mm." Mo Lingnan responded in a low voice, grabbing Lu Tingchao's slender fingers and toying with them slowly for a moment before his Adam's apple bobbed. "There is a bit of a problem. I'll deal with it when I get back tonight."

Lu Tingchao, getting nowhere, was left speechless. "You—"

"Or would you rather deal with it now?" Mo Lingnan directly sat Lu Tingchao on his lap, brushing the hair behind his ear, and said softly, "Either works for me."

This time, Lu Tingchao squirmed away. "You pervert!"

Mo Lingnan raised an eyebrow and chuckled deeply, holding Lu Tingchao by the waist as they shared another long kiss. "Chao Chao, help me with my tie."

Lu Tingchao glared fiercely but took the tie Mo Lingnan handed him and began tying it.

Lu Tingchao's tie-tying skills were truly exceptional, likely honed from years of forced practice. With a few light movements, he tied a perfect knot.

He then reached for the tie clip from the bedside and fastened it for Mo Lingnan before holding out his hand expectantly. "Pay up. Five million for tying a tie."

Mo Lingnan let Lu Tingchao wriggle in his embrace. Only when Lu Tingchao reached out did he lower his head and nip at his fingertip. "Deal."

Lu Tingchao: "..."

Mo Lingnan took a card from the bedside and placed it in Lu Tingchao's palm, saying gently, "Dou Dou is done with school at 4:30 this afternoon. Nanny Wang will pick him up."

The man stroked Lu Tingchao's hair, which carried the same shampoo scent as his own, and couldn't resist kissing him again. "If you get bored, take the card and go shopping. I've arranged for a driver to follow you, along with two bodyguards to help with packages."

After saying this, as if still concerned, he added another line.

Mo Lingnan: "But you are absolutely not allowed to sneak off anywhere, and you're not allowed to see any of your old acquaintances. Understood?"

"Understood, understood!" Lu Tingchao slipped out of Mo Lingnan's arms and swiftly burrowed under the covers. "Just go already!"

Mo Lingnan originally wanted to say more, but seeing that Lu Tingchao was getting impatient, he ultimately kept the rest to himself.

He reached out to tuck Lu Tingchao back under the covers, lulled him back to sleep, then got up, adjusted the AC, before heading downstairs.

Aside from Mo Lingnan’s own work assistant and driver Lao Zhang, Lu Tingchao’s dedicated bodyguards and driver were already waiting downstairs. When they saw Mo Lingnan coming down, they hurried over.

Mo Lingnan glanced back toward the staircase, all trace of the gentleness gone from his eyes that he showed Lu Tingchao, his tone icy: "Keep the tracker in the car at all times, and carry one too."

Mo Lingnan added, "Keep a close eye, but don’t let him notice. Make sure he doesn’t realize you’re following him."

The bodyguards and driver, all brawny, immediately nodded: "Understood, President Mo."

Mo Lingnan narrowed his eyes slightly and looked them over: "Wear masks the whole time."

Bodyguards and driver: "?"

Though confused, the boss’s orders come first: "Got it, President Mo."

"Mm. Wherever he goes, whoever he meets, report every single thing to me without omission."

Mo Lingnan gave a slight nod, "Additionally, if you encounter anyone speaking Cantonese along the way, let me know right away."

Bodyguards and driver: "Yes, President Mo. You can count on us!"

"Good. For everything else, wait until he’s up and do what he says."

Mo Lingnan checked the time on his wristwatch, then left with his assistant and driver.

In the master bedroom, Lu Tingchao peered through the curtain, watching anxiously, until he finally saw Mo Lingnan’s car pull out of the parking space.

Lu Tingchao immediately bolted upright, grabbed his phone from under the pillow.

He dialed one number first, but it turned out the number was disconnected.

Lu Tingchao had no choice but to dial another number.

Luckily, his friends hadn’t abandoned Lu Tingchao—the owner of the other number quickly answered the call: "Hello?"

"Guozi, Guozi!"

Lu Tingchao exclaimed excitedly, like a drowning man clutching at a straw, "It’s me, Lu Tingchao!"

The male voice on the other end remained crisp and clear, sounding bright and untouched by life’s troubles.

Chi Guo was stunned for a moment before exclaiming, "Chao Chao, my brother said you quit the biz to marry rich in Hong Kong. Where are you now?!"

Chi Guo’s older brother, Chi Yu, was originally Lu Tingchao’s agent.

Lu Tingchao: "Ah…"

Lu Tingchao rubbed his nose: "Let’s just say my plan to marry rich failed, and I’ve decided to come back and get a job."

"You? Work?"

Chi Guo was shocked, "Working’s tough. Weren’t you always lazy? And Zhuang Ji has been looking for you—have you seen him?"

Lu Tingchao: "…"

To be honest, if Chi Guo hadn’t brought it up, Lu Tingchao had almost forgotten about him lately.

It was in that moment Lu Tingchao realized that perhaps, deep down, he was a rather heartless person.

But before Lu Tingchao could respond, Chi Guo spoke up in astonishment: "You haven’t contacted Zhuang Ji since you came back, have you?"

Lu Tingchao fell silent.

With neither justification nor confidence, he whispered, "Well… didn’t we break up?"

Chi Guo’s tone was incredulous: "Was that even a breakup? Wasn’t that you just ditching him? I feel like he’s been losing it over the past year or so. My brother says there are rumors in the industry lately that Zhuang Ji might be in deep trouble."

Lu Tingchao, preoccupied with his own urgent matters, casually asked, "He’s already a three-time Best Actor winner—that’s the highest honor, right? What else could happen?"

"Not too sure. I just heard that a while ago, he apparently OD’d on meds and collapsed during a recording."

After all, Chi Guo wasn’t part of the industry himself; most of the gossip he heard came from his brother. He went on to Lu Tingchao, "And that incident a while ago when he went to Hong Kong was really confusing too. To this day, no one knows why he suddenly got into a scuffle with someone at the hospital."

Chi Guo added, "But a few days ago, the court ruling came down. It ruled that the one who leaked the story was at fault for disturbance and defamation. Zhuang Ji wasn’t found responsible, so his fans can finally breathe easier."

Lu Tingchao: "Oh…"

Chi Guo: "That’s all?"

Lu Tingchao: "Ah…"

Chi Guo: "…"

If Lu Tingchao were right next to Chi Guo at that moment, Chi Guo swore he would’ve fiercely pinched that pretty face of yours until it deformed.

But Lu Tingchao wasn’t there.

Chi Guo could only grit his teeth: "I won’t talk to you about this anymore. Do you have anything else? I need to go do door-to-door checks—I still have three more blocks to go!"

Lu Tingchao hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, yes!"

Lu Tingchao: "Your brother’s number’s not working—it said his number was disconnected. Do you have his new number?"

Chi Guo: "? You have the nerve to ask?"

Chi Guo: "It’s because of that CP pairing you had with Fei Xiuqi before—my brother’s phone was flooded with calls from the industry. And then you were unreachable. He was so angry he ended up changing his number."

Lu Tingchao, knowing he was at fault, ducked under the blanket and whispered meekly, "I don’t speak Canto, and I didn’t get a local SIM after going there…"

Chi Guo pointed out accusingly: "Give me a break. It’s not like you went to Hong Kong and immediately got shacked up in Fei Xiuqi’s place, right?"

Lu Tingchao: "Well, that’s…" Actually, it wasn’t Fei Xiuqi who kept him.

Fortunately, Chi Guo was busy with work and didn’t press further. He hurriedly sent Lu Tingchao Chi Yu’s new number and ended the call.

*

Truth be told, Lu Tingchao rarely felt guilty.

From a young age, he had an extremely high sense of self-worth—he was spoiled rotten. Or perhaps he was like an emotional black hole, constantly needing and demanding.

Unlimited love, unlimited money, unlimited attention and care.

Because of this.

When Chi Yu detected a hint of guilt in Lu Tingchao’s tone, he fell silent for a long moment. For the first time, he didn’t scold him over the phone.

Chi Yu asked, "Are you sure you want to return to the entertainment industry?"

Lu Tingchao was afraid of such direct questions and hesitated for a moment: "I… guess so."

Chi Yu said sternly, "Lu Tingchao, since you reacquired my number from Chi Guo, I’m making this very clear that we are discussing work matters."

Chi Yu asked, "This is the last time I’ll ask you. Do you clearly want to return to the entertainment industry? Yes or no."

Lu Tingchao burrowed himself under the covers again and after a while whispered, "Yes... I suppose."

Chi Yu: "Good. Come over this afternoon to sign the contract."

Lu Tingchao was stunned: "So soon?"

"I’ve been messed over by you countless times, Lu Tingchao. I’m not a fool—am I supposed to just let you keep messing me over?"

Chi Yu’s tone was especially businesslike, "This time we’re signing a formal commercial contract with a breach penalty of five billion yuan. You come over, review the contract, and then sign."

Lu Tingchao was dumbfounded: "...Five billion yuan?"

If he sold everything he had now, would it even be worth five billion yuan?

Lu Tingchao hadn’t calculated, and didn’t dare to.

But Chi Yu was straightforward: "It’s five billion yuan, Lu Tingchao. That’s the price for you to return to the industry. Make your decision, then confirm."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a while, only the sound of rustling.

Chi Yu knew Lu Tingchao’s personality all too well.

He waited patiently for a moment before speaking again: "But the contract isn’t for nothing, Lu Tingchao. You should know my style well. Once the contract is signed, all resources will naturally be prioritized for you."

The rustling stopped for a moment.

Lu Tingchao asked: "Like what?"

Chi Yu: "Right now, I have a prime-time variety show about to start. The guests are all A-listers like Best Actor and Best Actress winners, with veteran actors for added prestige. It’ll be a big boost for your return."

Lu Tingchao paused for a few seconds and started to back out again: "Best Actors, Best Actresses, veteran actors... I can’t keep up with that."

"It’s a travel show, mostly about eating, drinking, and having fun."

Chi Yu said, "It’s relatively relaxed, but you still need to rein in your personality."

Chi Yu added: "But your fanbase is still there, so it shouldn’t be a big problem."

Chi Yu: "Make your decision. Are you coming or not?"

Lu Tingchao didn’t answer immediately.

Chi Yu could even imagine him lying on the bed, biting his lower lip, picking at his fingers, and frowning.

Fortunately, Chi Yu didn’t have the absurdly extreme patience some other men had: "Lu Tingchao, I have a meeting soon. I’ll give you ten seconds. Are you coming or not?"

"Coming!"

Lu Tingchao’s clear voice gave one word, and it seemed only this one word was decisive and straightforward. The rest of his words returned to his usual soft, whiny tone: "Why do you always rush me... You never spoke to me this way before..."

Chi Yu indeed never used to talk to Lu Tingchao like this, and actually still doesn’t now.

But on the phone, Chi Yu’s voice remained particularly stern: "Then get up and start getting ready now. Ten o’clock sharp this morning, come to the legal department to sign the contract. No extensions if you’re late."

Lu Tingchao: "Huh?"

Lu Tingchao scrambled up from the bed: "So early..."

But Chi Yu had already hung up.

The empty phone line left only a series of beeps.

Lu Tingchao sat there dumbfounded for a while, blinked helplessly, and finally climbed out of bed dejectedly, dragging his feet into the spacious closet.

Meanwhile, in Chi Yu’s office.

A particularly tall and slender man finally put out his cigarette and stood up.

The man’s face still carried an air of authority; even in the hazy smoke of the office at that moment, it exuded an overly assertive, sharp superiority.

He seemed to have gone through round after round of extreme weight loss. His once highly praised figure had completely turned into a paper-thin, manga-like frame, with only a trace of lean muscle under his deep gray silk shirt.

As the man lit a cigarette, the cuff of his shirt slid across his skin, revealing fierce-looking scars that looked torn and repeatedly healed.

Those scars had appeared at some point and healed at some point, leaving only ugly scabs ridged like earthworms on once smooth skin.

"Thanks."

The man’s voice was hoarse.

He reached out and stubbed out the cigarette butt in the ashtray on the desk. As he stood up, he swayed unsteadily.

Chi Yu, choked by the room full of smoke, really wanted to open a window.

But afraid that paparazzi and stalker fans could capture Actor Zhuang’s disheveled state even from a hundred meters away, he took a deep breath and endured it: "Should I have your agent pick you up, or should I arrange a company car for you?"

"No need."

The man waved his hand, took another cigarette from the case, thought about it, but ultimately didn’t light it. "He doesn’t like my agent, or my assistant."

Chi Yu: "?"

Even without knowing much about industry private matters, Chi Yu was puzzled: "But your agent and assistant have been with you for years, haven’t they?"

"Not as long as him."

The man’s voice showed signs of rasp from excessive smoking or drinking. He staggered forward a few steps, then suddenly seemed to remember something. Turning back, his tone held a note that sounded almost jealous.

But not entirely jealousy.

It was a strange tone, like someone who had walked too long in a parched desert seeing a spring.

But that spring was only a mirage.

Chi Yu even felt he detected malice from a crazed state in that tone.

Zhuang Ji turned back and said softly, "He talks to you so affectionately."

In that instant.

Chi Yu sensed an eerie feeling that made his blood run cold.

This eerie feeling was like a damp swamp, oppressive and gloomy, making one extremely uneasy.

Chi Yu broke into a cold sweat and immediately said, "Actor Zhuang, you should know Lu Tingchao’s personality better than I do."

Chi Yu froze completely under Zhuang Ji's gaze, pausing for a moment before continuing, "You were the one who sought me out. Now you're turning your back on me, isn't that a bit awkward?"

The room fell silent.

For a long moment.

Zhuang Ji let out a soft laugh. "You're right, Mr. Chi. Sorry about that."

Over the years of Zhuang Ji's explosive fame, both domestic and international media had published countless photos of him—accepting awards, walking the red carpet, stills from films, candid shots, or personal photos.

Yet, even despite the abundance of images,

in real life, Zhuang Ji's face still carried a powerful, almost aggressive impact at all times.

Chi Yu had witnessed Zhuang Ji and Lu Tingchao at their sweetest, but he had also seen Lu Tingchao at his most cold and detached.

Watching Zhuang Ji's wiry frame gradually move toward the office door,

Chi Yu suddenly called out, "Actor Zhuang."

Zhuang Ji didn't turn around. "What is it?"

After a moment's hesitation, Chi Yu said, "I understand why you came to me, but I still have to tell you—given Lu Tingchao's personality, he may not come back."

Chi Yu continued, "You missed the time when he loved you most. His emotions are actually quite limited, and once his feelings shift, it's hard to get anything back."

Chi Yu added, "You grew up with him. You should know this better than anyone."

After thinking for a moment, Chi Yu went on, "Instead of waiting like this, both of you should move forward, just keep moving forward—"

Zhuang Ji suddenly turned around.

Their eyes met.

Chi Yu's remaining words died in his throat.

He had never seen such eyes before.

Their shape seemed like a gift from the creator—slightly upturned at the corners, elongated and narrow, the very image of classic almond-shaped eyes, the fenghuang shape.

Yet, the gaze within them held only a dull, ash-gray devastation.

"I can't, Mr. Chi,"

Zhuang Ji said softly, "From the moment Lu Tingchao left me, I've died a thousand times over."