Chapter 39

Chapter 39

“Sure, I’ll audition.” Shen Gali’s tone was casual. “You can leave now.”

Hurry up—don’t waste my mom’s rest time.

“Which agency are you with? I’ve never seen you before.” Pei Jing sized him up, disdain flashing in his eyes.

Though it was merely an audition, his girlfriend had told him to just show up and go through the motions—the director and brand representatives had already been secured. It was a done deal.

Yet now some clueless nobody had barged in. Pei Jing didn’t even know which agency this newcomer belonged to—how dare he be so arrogant? Even if the director had invited him, he ought to know his place in the hierarchy. Trying to snatch an endorsement from the industry’s top star? As if he deserved it.

Shen Gali answered simply: “Stay-at-Home Entertainment.”

Pei Jing: ?

Stay-at-Home? What kind of agency is that?

Director He didn’t want to waste any more time. He called out to the crew: “Everyone to your positions. Makeup artist, take him for styling. We start shooting in thirty minutes.”

Bai Wei gestured toward Shen Gali: “Jiali, good luck.”

Shen Gali nodded calmly. Words weren’t his strength, so he silently resolved to nail it in one take—for his mom’s sake.

Pei Jing watched Shen Gali walk away with the makeup artist. Clenching his teeth in fury, he whirled around and snapped at Director He: “What is this supposed to mean, Director He? Are you now plucking random nobodies off the street for Lancer’s audition? Do you think you’re such a big shot that you no longer care about the brand?”

Director He wiped his glasses impassively without looking up. “Sorry—I’m blunt. I don’t like dragging things out.”

Pei Jing let out another incredulous laugh. He hadn’t expected to run into such a formidable opponent today.

Lancer Jewelry—one of the world’s top ten luxury brands—had long been coveted across the fashion industry. Its exquisite, innovative designs and flawless service made it the first choice for affluent socialites and tycoons alike—and the ultimate endorsement aspiration for A-list celebrities in entertainment.

This year, Lancer Jewelry had formed a strategic partnership with a domestic gold brand, requiring a female spokesperson embodying strong Oriental aesthetics. After extensive screening, they settled on Bai Wei.

Bai Wei was the quintessential Oriental actress favored by international directors. Her elegance, poise, and timeless beauty shone through effortlessly, and she possessed a rare quality among contemporary performers—a profound nostalgic resonance that deeply moved audiences.

She’d been in the industry for over two decades, witnessing an entire era unfold. Nearly everyone who grew up in the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s had watched her work, making her, in their eyes, the brand’s most fitting choice.

As for Pei Jing—money always found a way.

His powerful backer doted on him endlessly. From the very outset of his career, he’d held numerous major IPs. Though he consistently ruined them with abysmal acting—even driving original authors to pull all-nighters and vent on Weibo—money solved everything.

In fact, money could even blind fans. Through relentless cross-platform marketing, Pei Jing’s terrible acting somehow eclipsed national treasure-level artists. His fans swarmed anyone who dared disagree—any dissent met with endless harassment, spam promotions, or vicious ridicule.

He succeeded—at least in topping the popularity charts.

Now, with his endorsement snatched from under him, he could confidently declare Shen Gali was doomed.

One phone call—and his sugar daddy rushed over immediately.

Inside the makeup room, the makeup artist seemed poised to speak but hesitated, wanting to advise Shen Gali to withdraw and avoid provoking the wrong person.

But Shen Gali spoke first: “Which agency does that powder-faced guy belong to?”

The makeup artist finally couldn’t hold back: “He’s from Changteng Entertainment, under Huanhai Group. It’s not that I doubt your talent—but I strongly suggest you step aside. You know Pei Jing has the backing of a Huanhai Group shareholder, and he’s extremely petty. Cross him, and you won’t survive in this industry.”

The makeup artist didn’t know Shen Gali and assumed he was also a junior artist under Bai Wei. Having witnessed too many people suffer after crossing Pei Jing, she offered the warning kindly.

Shen Gali: “Mm.”

The makeup artist sighed. "Well, I've done my part by saying something I shouldn't have. Since he won't listen, I can only respect his fate."

By the time the big-money backer arrived, Pei Jing was sitting alone in a corner, feeling sorry for himself. His desolate demeanor, like autumn leaves falling in the wind, was pitifully endearing.

Afraid of gossip, the backer didn't approach him directly but sent an assistant to inquire about the situation.

Just then, Pei Jing posted on Weibo:

"I still can't accept it. After preparing so hard for so long, I was ultimately defeated by reality."

When he saw the assistant, it was like meeting a family member. The more he spoke, the more aggrieved he became, and his eyes reddened.

The backer doted on him deeply. Seeing him like this only added fuel to his fury. He strode over in two quick steps, pulled Pei Jing into his arms, and said, "My little treasure, poor thing. Tsk-tsk, what's wrong? Who bullied you? Tell me."

Pei Jing's voice trembled, his grievance so thick you could wring it out. "I don't know him either. He seems to be a newcomer brought by Sister Baiwei. Before I even had my audition, the director said they didn't need me."

The backer grew furious upon hearing this.

What kind of logic was this? Were the favors and money he had put in all down the drain? What newcomer was so arrogant as to disregard even Huanhai Electronics?

"Stop everything!" The backer waved his hand, halting the staff. "Have the person who auditioned come out. I have questions for him."

The staff looked at each other in bewilderment, not daring to delay, and quickly called Shen Gali out.

When Shen Gali came out, he still had three hair clips in his hair, and his light foundation accentuated his facial features. The backer got even angrier at the sight of him.

Damn it, such a magnificent face doesn't belong to me. If it's not mine, it must be destroyed.

"What company are you from? What's your boss's name?" The backer's tone was harsh, jabbing a finger at Shen Gali's nose in a threatening tone.

Bai Wei stepped forward, blocking Shen Gali, and pushed the backer's rude hand down. "President Yu, he's just a kid, doesn't know any better. If he has offended you in any way, I'll apologize on his behalf. But this is a studio, and there are many reporters outside. Let's talk somewhere else."

"No need. Let's talk right here. Go ahead, I'm listening." Shen Gali said lazily.

Since he had been called out anyway, the lazy bastard didn't want to move again.

Shen Gali wasn't being arrogant; he was just dealing with the matter at hand.

But in the backer's eyes, this was a blatant provocation. The young man, never having had his ass kicked by the real world, didn't know his limits. Today, he would have to be taught a lesson and shown who's boss.

The backer pointed at Shen Gali's nose, his cheeks flushed with anger. "You insolent bastard, you've got some nerve trying to steal the endorsement. I don't care who your boss is or who backs you. Know when to back off and get lost. Don't covet what isn't yours. A third-rate nobody like you isn't even worthy of polishing Pei Jing's shoes. You upset him. I'm not letting this go until you kneel and kowtow."

Pei Jing, listening on the side, was secretly pleased but put on a look as if a painful memory had been stirred up, lowering his head and crying in grievance.

Bai Wei's chest heaved violently, and a sarcastic smile appeared on her face. "President Yu, you're really throwing your weight around, making a scene at someone else's doorstep. For a newcomer who doesn't even have basic professional skills, do your wife and daughter know about this?"

The backer hated it most when people brought up his "ugly wife" at home. She was already constantly giving him a hard time at home, and now he had to hear her name outside. Furious, he said, "Say that again?!"

Bai Wei was about to say something more, but Shen Gali took her hand and pulled her behind him.

He said nonchalantly, "Kneeling is a pain, and I'd have to bend down. I'll apologize. You can leave now. Don't delay Sister Baiwei's schedule."

The backer hadn't expected this unknown low-tier nobody to show him such blatant disregard. He was used to being buttered up and had never taken such a blow. He called over several bodyguards, gestured for them to grab Shen Gali, insisting that he kneel and apologize.

He added arrogantly, "Not afraid to die, huh? Then keep talking back. Not even the Jade Emperor himself can save you today. Kneel!"

Shen Gali thought: So annoying. When will my mother finally get some rest?

Just as the bodyguards' hands were only a few centimeters away from Shen Gali—

"Bang! Bang!"

After two sharp, crisp clangs, the wealthy backer let out a pained "Ow!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked over, only to see the wealthy backer lying on the ground clutching his head, with an iPad lying next to him, its screen shattered like a spiderweb.

"Damn it," came from all sides, as a few bodyguards hurried over to check on the situation.

When they followed the direction from which the iPad had flown, all they could see was a dim corner where a tall figure exuded a twisted, oppressive aura, his face hidden in the darkness, his expression unreadable.

But the wheelchair beneath him, a telltale feature, announced his identity.

The sugar daddy sprang up like a startled rabbit, cursing and swearing, but then stopped abruptly.

"N— President Nan?" he asked tentatively.

The man gave a cold laugh: "So you know who I am, and you still dare to act out? Should I call you reckless or just full of yourself?"

The sugar daddy was puzzled—so it was Nan Liujing who had thrown the iPad at his head? But why?

"President Nan, what are you doing here? Sorry, I was just disciplining a clueless rookie and didn't see you." The sugar daddy spoke while clutching his head, his eyes unable to open from the pain.

He wasn't really afraid of Nan Liujing, just a bit cautious. But the unloved cripple was at best an Executive President, working for others versus working for his own family. If that iPad hadn't slipped, Old Man Nan would get word of this within an hour.

Nan Liujing toyed with his Zippo, finding it amusing, and retorted: "What gives you the right to discipline my husband? When did it become your place?"

Everyone: ?

Everyone: !! !!

The sugar daddy's head was spinning, whether from the shocking news or from his injury, like a wad of glue.

When Nan Liujing got married, it wasn't a big affair. Many people hadn't seen Shen Gali before, and now they realized from Nan Liujing's words that the person he had just demanded kneeling and apology from was his spouse.

Pei Jing's heart sank. He rose unsteadily, panic flickering in his eyes.

An assistant pushed Nan Liujing's wheelchair over. Nan Liujing pulled Shen Gali's hands over, examined them left and right, then pinched his chin and turned it to inspect.

"Are you hurt?" he asked softly.

The sugar daddy was baffled:

Normally, he should ask 'Are you injured?' But saying 'Are you hurt?' like that makes it sound like he's sure the sugar daddy hit him.

Shen Gali shook his head, silently begging him to go. Dozens of eyes were fixed on them; if he didn't go soon, Shen Gali's social anxiety would kick in.

Nan Liujing was dead set on staying. He turned to Director He and said, "Continue today's shoot. Don't waste everyone's time."

Director He was overjoyed and told the rubberneckers to get back to work.

Man, what should have been resolved in one morning was dragged to nearly dusk because of Pei Jing and his sugar daddy. Finally, someone was taking charge and doing things right.

*President Nan, whether you agree or not, I love you.*

The sugar daddy walked over, holding his head: "President Nan, I was blind and didn't recognize that it was Mr. Shen. I apologize to you."

Nan Liujing didn't even look at him: "An apology has to show some real sincerity."

The sugar daddy: "What do you mean...?"

Nan Liujing flicked a glance to the side: "Tell him to come with me."

Everyone followed his gaze and saw it was Pei Jing, frozen solid.

The sugar daddy quickly stepped in to protect him: "He's with me..."

His tone suggested he feared someone might covet him.

Nan Liujing snorted coldly: "Don't worry. I'm not interested in that kind. I just have some questions for him."

In the lounge.

Pei Jing stood opposite Nan Liujing, shrinking his shoulders like a naughty student awaiting punishment. His eyes kept darting to the door, hoping the sugar daddy would come in and save him soon.

He had heard that Nan Liujing was ruthless, even capable of killing his own mother. Now that he was in his hands, his fate was uncertain..."

Pei Jing trembled violently, his whole body shaking like a leaf, barely daring to breathe.

Nan Liujing looked down at his phone without saying a word, as if deliberately leaving him in suspense.

The more silent he was, the more panicked Pei Jing became. His mind was tormented, flashing through his mind like a slideshow of brutal punishments.

One minute, ten minutes, half an hour passed—

Pei Jing's legs were trembling, either from fear or exhaustion.

Finally, Nan Liujing looked up.

"Why aren't you talking now?" he asked, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Wh-what..."

"Weren't you the one who loved to tattle? Why aren't you telling me how Shen Gali bullied you?"

"He... he didn't bully me." Pei Jing's face was pale, his lips trembling.

"Don't be afraid. Tell me the truth. I know what he's like." Nan Liujing smiled.

"He really didn't bully me..."

"You don't dare to say it?" Nan Liujing raised an eyebrow and held out his hand: "Hand me your phone."

Pei Jing was stunned: "What do you want my phone for..."

"So you can vent to your fans and family. Artists have a lot of work pressure. Keep everything bottled up and it'll eat you alive."

Pei Jing was hopeless. He knew he couldn't leave without surrendering his phone. Either way, he was doomed. Might as well give it up.

Nan Liujing took the phone and turned on the screen, only to be greeted by a relentless barrage of Weibo notifications.

The post Pei Jing had just sent was shooting up the trending charts like a rocket. His fans, seeing their darling wronged, were heartbroken. He worked so hard, yet still couldn't beat the power of money. Who had the nerve to steal his endorsement deal?

The fan site admin posted: "Today's spy shots only caught this one person entering and leaving the studio. [Image]"

"Who's this nobody?"

"That's Shen Gali, isn't it? This is taking a weird turn..."

"It really is SJL. No way, is the conglomerate bankrolling a debut just to please someone? [sweat]"

"Annoying, can't the conglomerate just stay out of it? Wanting a finger in every pie will only harm you!"

"We feel for our Jingjing—just one step away from the deal and he runs into a robber. He's so pure and kind he doesn't even dare to fight back. I'm fuming."

Extreme fans have already unleashed their full arsenal of vitriol:

"F*ck your mom, stealing my oppa's endorsement? Are you insane? Scram, don't leech off his fame."

"This b*tch steals my oppa's endorsement, I'm so furious I could die. Get lost!"

"I really want to slap this b*tch twice. Drop dead. Hope you hit 200 mph when you go out, and may Huanhai go bankrupt tomorrow."

On the other hand, anti-fans are delighted:

"Shen Gali? That gorgeous man? If he endorses it, I'm definitely buying."

"Shen Gali is way better looking than that plastic surgery face? Lancer has a counter in the mall near my house. I used to have to take a detour past their ads every time, lol. Thank you, Shen Gali, for saving me."

"Happy vibes, Jiali's gorgeous! Is it confirmed he's the endorser? If so, I'm ordering Lancer now."

Pei Jing's true fans know they can't crawl through the internet to strangle that nest of snakes and rats, so they resort to economic sanctions, vowing never to buy Lancer jewelry or any domestic gold brand that collaborates with Lancer. "Scram—if they dare bully our Jingbao, they won't make a cent. We'll wait for them to go bankrupt."

The hashtag "Boycott Lancer Jewelry" quickly rockets to the top of the trending list, followed by "Heartache for Jingbao."

Most people don't know that Pei Jing never actually signed an advertising endorsement contract with Lancer Jewelry. Although it seemed like a done deal, a near miss is still a miss, enough to change the outcome.

Nan Liujing is annoyed by Pei Jing's fans' comments—a nearly unanimous torrent of curses against Shen Gali. The language is so filthy it's shocking that even Nan Liujing, a self-confessed pervert, finds it appalling.

Everyone is cursing him to die, as if it's some kind of online phenomenon.

The next second, the phone in Nan Liujing's hand smashes to pieces, shards of glass flying everywhere.

Pei Jing is stunned, his breath stopping for a moment.

Nan Liujing fixes him with a cold gaze, his voice low: "Three things. First, clarify the facts online. Second, you and your insulting fans can await my lawsuit."

"Third, there are several comments saying they want to slap Shen Gali. You slap yourself that many times, no less."

Cold words never carry warmth. There are many ways to punish someone, and the villain always picks the one that cuts the deepest into their pride.

...

When Shen Gali comes out after finishing his makeup, he hears the sound of slaps coming from the next lounge, mixed with sobs—cries filled with fear and regret. Just hearing it makes his hair stand on end.

At the door stands the sponsor, fists clenched as if ready to explode, yet he doesn't dare to step in and stop it. He grinds his molars and swallows the bitterness.

Shen Gali isn't one for drama. He just wants to finish the shoot quickly so his mother can rest early.

The shoot goes smoothly. The director shoots three master takes, each in a single pass.

Bai Wei, wearing a white sleeveless dress, leans close affectionately with Shen Gali, who is in a white shirt. She raises her hand to show off the bracelet on her wrist.

Shen Gali occasionally sneaks glances at Bai Wei. The feeling of having found something once lost makes him feel beauty and hope for the first time.

The director's assistant whispers to Director He, "Their aura super fits, and they look somewhat alike—like mother and son. The atmosphere is great."

Director He nods approvingly.

After the shoot, everyone exchanges pleasantries about the hard work. Bai Wei's assistant immediately takes her to remove her makeup and rush to the next interview.

Bai Wei hands Shen Gali a small palm-sized box and smiles, "Happy birthday again. I made this myself. Hope you like it."

Shen Gali takes the box with both hands, his eyes fixed on it.

Like it? Of course he does.

Opening the box, inside is a clay keychain pendant—two chibi-style figures, a man and a woman. It's clearly modeled after Shen Gali and Bai Wei, holding hands, cute and adorable. Bai Wei's clay figure holds a bunch of pure white lisianthus flowers, exquisitely detailed, down to the tiny pistils.

Shen Gali looks up, stunned. His eyes are filled with an emotion he couldn't quite put into words.

This is the best birthday gift he has ever received.

Bai Wei reaches out to brush a strand of hair from his shoulder, barely perceptibly clenching her hand, and smiles, "You worked hard today. You were great. Let's have dinner together when you have time, okay?"

Shen Gali nods, his fair cheeks flushed red.

Bai Wei leaves for her next commitment. Shen Gali is tired too and plans to go home and lie down.

Director He tells Shen Gali that he'll discuss with the brand. If the endorsement is confirmed, the company will transfer the fee to him as soon as possible. If not, he'll still give him a fee for his trouble.

Holding the clay figures, he goes out and sees Nan Liujing's car parked at the entrance, as if he were waiting just for him.

He wants to hitch a ride—too exhausted.

As soon as Shen Gali gets in, Nan Liujing says without looking up, "All done? Big star."

Shen Gali ignores him, admiring his cute clay figures.

Nan Liujing glances at the figures in his hand. Seeing how much he likes them, he thinks back to the birthday doll he'd made—the one Shen Gali had recoiled from in disgust. The blatant favoritism is infuriating.

But why does Shen Gali like Bai Wei so much? It doesn't seem like the admiration of a fan for an artist, nor does it seem like romantic feelings.

It can't be that they're mother and son.

Nan Liujing quickly dismisses that ridiculous notion.

But since both are dolls, his was bigger—why does Shen Gali treat them so differently?

It stung.

At home, Uncle Li has prepared chilled desserts for them. Shen Gali only takes a couple of bites of the taro balls before frowning.

Too sweet and too cold, upsetting his stomach.

The color that had briefly returned to his face after seeing Bai Wei fades again, leaving it pale as paper.

He puts down his spoon, says "I don't want any," and goes upstairs to lie down.

Nan Liujing watches his retreating back and asks Uncle Li to fetch the life-sized box from the storage room.

Uncle Li hasn't seen this thing before and is curious what's inside.

"Open it," Nan Liujing says.

Excitedly, Uncle Li opens the box. The next second, his expression changes drastically, face turning ashen.

Fingers trembling, he points at the contents inside, voice tight with fear: "Young... young master, who gave you this thing? We need to call the police!"

Nan Liujing gave a confused look.

“I’ve seen something like this in my hometown. There was a grandmother in my hometown skilled in sorcery who made these kinds of things to curse others. I heard that the people she cursed met terrible ends.”

Nan Liujing: …

But this was the doll he had stayed up several nights making for Shen Gali.

“Whoever made this must have an evil heart—it’s meant to bring someone to ruin!” Uncle Li snatched the doll and shoved it into the box. “Don’t worry, Master. I won’t let the one who sent this cursed thing get away. I’ll go find a bamboo forest and bury this thing right now.”

Nan Liujing: “Is it really that ugly?”

Uncle Li: “Ugly doesn’t even cover it—it’s absolutely appalling!”

Nan Liujing: “Uncle Li, I heard you broke a bowl recently?”

Uncle Li: “Sorry, it slipped from my hand.”

Nan Liujing: “Glad you admitted it. I’ll deduct it from your salary.”

Uncle Li: ?

Nan Liujing carried the doll back to his bedroom, studying it carefully in the moonlight.

Wasn’t it quite nice? Every single one of them is making a fuss over nothing.

He dug out a sewing kit, squinted at the eye of the needle for a long while, and finally threaded it.

Another sleepless night.

*

The next day.

Shen Gali was awakened by the vibration of his phone. Opening his eyes, he found the cursed doll sitting at the head of the bed, leaning forward, staring right at him.

The doll now bore an extra bloody handprint compared to before. Though the stitching was noticeably finer than before, it couldn’t change the hideous nature of the thing.

He knocked the doll off the bed, out of sight, out of mind. If someone wanted to harm him, they could just come for him—no need to make something so disgusting.

Grabbing his phone, he saw it was a call from Director He, whom he had worked with on the commercial yesterday.

Answering the call, Director He got straight to the point: “We’ve already contacted the Lancer brand team. They said they want to meet you in person before making a decision. Do you have time at ten? Come to Changteng Entertainment.”

Shen Gali’s three morning questions:

Can I really get up?

Can I really pass the interview?

Do I really need this job?

Can’t get up.

Can’t pass.

Don’t need.

He was about to refuse, but Director He continued, “They said that if you’re confirmed as the spokesperson, even if it’s not the astronomical fee they offered Bai Wei, they’ll take your situation into account. Sounds like the fee won’t be small.”

Shen Gali pulled open a drawer, fished out the promotional flyer for the underground CBD, and took a couple of long, deep breaths while staring at the photo of the luxurious cemetery. Feeling pumped, he got up.

Summer has a lot of rain, with thunderstorms appearing every few days. Today was no exception—the morning rain was fierce, hammering against the windows.

The room was dim, with just one chandelier on. Nan Liujing sat at the dining table enjoying a peaceful morning off. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Shen Gali sitting at the entrance changing his shoes.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

Shen Gali replied succinctly: “Making money.”

Nan Liujing couldn’t understand. He had been giving Shen Gali quite a bit of pocket money using excuses like replacing appliances lately. Why did he still need to go out and work? Wasn’t the pocket money enough?

He scanned the room, pondering what other excuses he could come up with. All the appliances that could be replaced had already been swapped.

Thunder rumbled outside as torrential rain poured down. It really wasn’t a good day to go out.

“Shen Gali.” Nan Liujing called to him.

Shen Gali, now with his shoes on, stood at the door waiting for his command.

Nan Liujing looked off to the side vaguely. “Tomorrow, help me pick a car. The budget is around eight figures. Today, don’t go out—stay home and research models online.”

Shen Gali did some finger counting. A budget of eight figures… If he could make some profit as a middleman without being discovered, how much could he pocket?

No way. Too much trouble. He hated comparing data. Don’t think you can push me around.

“No time,” he tossed out, and walked out the door.

Nan Liujing grew irritable. He threw money at him for nothing, and the guy acts all high and mighty. Another thunderclap. After a moment’s silence, he asked Uncle Li to drive Shen Gali there—otherwise, with his lazy nature, he wouldn’t even bring an umbrella.

In the car, Uncle Li asked curiously, “I heard Mr. Shen was shooting a major ad yesterday? Was it for Lancer? And today you’re meeting the brand team too?”

Shen Gali held his stomach, replying with a low “Mm.”

His stomach felt uncomfortable. Since last night, something had been aching dully, churning like crazy—in a way he couldn’t even describe.

Uncle Li glanced at him in the rearview mirror, saw how listless and drained he looked, and reminded him:

“Mr. Shen, you’ll need to be careful today. Lancer’s brand rep is British, reportedly of royal lineage, and is notoriously fastidious and strict about etiquette. No one has ever seen him smile. Even an artist of Bai Wei’s caliber didn’t even make the cut in his eyes initially. So Mr. Shen better make a good impression today.”

Shen Gali didn’t respond. If it works, great; if not, whatever. At least getting up early this morning counted as his effort.

Changteng Entertainment faced the commercial center of Jinhai City, right across from the Huanhai Electronics headquarters. The area was dotted with all kinds of large and medium-sized companies. A dining zone was designated near the road to host visiting clients, featuring not only traditional Chinese restaurants but also a number of exotic eateries.

The address Director He gave Shen Gali was an English restaurant in the central area. From the outside, it looked like a sparkling, angular diamond, with walnut wood accents—elegant yet understated.

The rain was still falling as Shen Gali stood alone at the entrance.

The famously picky Lancer brand rep hadn’t arrived yet. Since he came from a big UK family and was big on etiquette, he would typically be about ten minutes late to give the host ample preparation time.

Though in China, arriving late is extremely rude.

Director He had already arranged the restaurant in advance. When the waiter saw the guest, he respectfully showed him into the private room.

The interior was tastefully decorated, with handcrafted fabric sofas that boasted graceful lines and looked super comfortable to sleep on.

The dark sky outside, the white noise of the rain—

Shen Gali leaned back against the sofa, his body growing heavier. He tilted to the side and fell asleep with his head resting on the armrest.

Just as he was dead asleep, the private room door opened. The waiter led in a tall, blond, blue-eyed man.

One look and he saw Shen Gali sound asleep, acting like he owned the place.

"I'm sorry, I'll wake this guest up immediately," the waiter said awkwardly.

"No need," the blond man replied in less than fluent Chinese, his tone indifferent. "You can go ahead."

The door closed, and the man pulled out a chair to sit down, leisurely adjusting his shirt cuffs as his gaze lightly fell on the sofa nearby.

The person on the sofa slept peacefully, like a flowering tree covered in snow, long lashes casting fan-shaped shadows beneath his eyes.

Half an hour passed, and the man finally lost patience. Frowning, he gave a soft cough.

Shen Gali didn't stir. Completely unresponsive, peacefully asleep, like a screenshot.

Outside the door, two waiters whispered to each other.

"Damn, why did this guy have to come back? Last time, just because the knife and fork were placed slightly off, he dropped a complaint bomb on us—a tiny mistake that got us closed for a whole week to fix things. I'm scared shitless every time I see him now."

"And the person he's meeting is still sleeping in there. Never mind the ad endorsement results—I just hope he doesn't get our restaurant in trouble."

"Yeah, I don't know who to mourn for. This guy is notorious for being a pain in the ass; anyone who gets involved with him ends up unlucky."

"Boom—" A thunderclap rolled in and exploded right over the restaurant, accompanied by a torrential downpour and raging winds that bent the small trees by the entrance.

Shen Gali was jolted awake by the thunder. Opening his eyes, he was momentarily disoriented, staring blankly for a long time before slowly turning his head to look around.

Beneath the circular crystal chandelier, a man in a suit sat upright at the dining table, his gaze turning toward him as well.

A flicker of confusion crossed Shen Gali's face, then he realized—this must be the representative from Lancer.

The man had golden hair and blue eyes, tall and robust, with sharp, deep-set features that clearly marked him as a classic Germanic type. His strikingly handsome features gave off a cold, aloof vibe, instinctively discouraging anyone from initiating small talk.

The man's brows were deeply furrowed as he stared at Shen Gali, his eyes dark and heavy.

Not only had the other party slept through an important business meeting, but upon waking, he didn't even have the decency to offer an apology. Instead, he just sat there dumbly, silent. Was he waiting for a compliment on his sleep quality?

In this situation, the more polite you are, the more you lose.

The man took a deep breath, his face cold, and stood up, gesturing with a "please" motion to the empty seat across from him, indicating that Shen Gali should take his seat and get down to business.

Shen Gali's entire demeanor screamed reluctance. As soon as he sat down, the man extended his hand. "Mr. Shen, nice to meet you. I'm Evan Rosander, global head agent for Lancer Jewelry."

Shen Gali remembered this name. In the original story, he was a member of the Rosander family—one of the UK's top ten prestigious houses, immensely wealthy and mysterious. This family monopolized the most profitable industries, even influencing presidential elections in many countries, leaving even the British royal family in their shadow.

Evan was the youngest son of this family. At just thirty years old, he already held the global agency rights for top luxury goods, and that was only the tip of the iceberg.

Naturally, this Mary Sue-style supporting character was also one of the many suitors of the original protagonist, Shen Lanqing. As for the original owner—after being used as a bed warmer for the old men in the entertainment industry—he tried to escape that swamp by dressing himself up as a cultured, etiquette-conscious gentleman to curry favor. But his skills were shallow, and he failed to catch Evan's eye.

The original owner then resorted to drugging him, attempting to force a sexual encounter, but the plan backfired. This enraged Evan, leading to a united front against him from major British families. Not only did the original owner suffer, but Huanhai Electronics was also branded as mismanaged, taking the blame. Their stock prices plummeted, and overnight, they became a target of public criticism.

Later, Old Master Nan Feng flew into a rage and removed Nan Liujing from his position as Executive President. The original owner's fate was predictable.

In the end, it was Shen Lanqing who stepped in to salvage the situation, helping restore Huanhai Electronics' reputation. In fact, because of him, the Rosander family began cooperating with Huanhai Electronics, pulling off a win-win happy ending.

The memory ended. Shen Gali was... speechless.

He should have just pulled out his own oxygen tube back then, so he wouldn't have to hear such a cringe-worthy and brainless plot.

And now, he was at a critical plot point—the moment where the original owner started trying to curry favor by acting proper, pretending to be cultured and well-versed in etiquette. But when his target didn't take the bait, the original owner began scheming.