Faced with Shi Guanghua's good-natured attitude, Chu Yueyi's inner turmoil dissipated. She softly asked, "What kind of leader am I now?"
Shi Guanghua replied, "Start by leading one, then gradually expand."
Chu Yueyi suddenly realized the meaning behind his words. She paused, then said dryly, "Do you mean leading you?"
Shi Guanghua nodded, "Mm-hmm."
Chu Yueyi deliberately challenged him, "What can you do? I don't keep idle people under me."
Shi Guanghua pondered for a moment, then curiously inquired, "What do you need me to do? If I can't do it, I can learn."
Chu Yueyi quipped, "You sound like a fresh graduate looking for a job, not even knowing what you can do."
Shi Guanghua suggested, "Provide services for you?"
Chu Yueyi was speechless.
Faced with his earnest attitude, Chu Yueyi couldn't tell if he was sincerely seeking advice or maintaining a straight face while being mischievous. She felt her head was full of useless information, or perhaps she had been infected by frequently browsing the Moonlight Science Club, always having strange associations with his words.
Distracted by Shi Guanghua, Chu Yueyi had forgotten her troubles and instead wondered if this guy was genuinely clueless or just playing innocent. As they say, the greatest truths are the simplest, and straightforward players break through all the frills. His thought process was truly different from ordinary people sometimes.
Seeing her silence, Shi Guanghua gently lowered his gaze and asked, "Is it because of something I said?"
Chu Yueyi never discussed her work pressures. Just as she had advised Shi Guanghua not to act recklessly after her return, concerned that he might regret it later, she hadn't mentioned a word about how it might affect her.
She wasn't one to force others to cooperate. When she first met Shi Guanghua, she didn't pressure him to perform, but rather took the initiative to set the tone herself. Now, she had even fewer demands of him.
"It's not," Chu Yueyi denied immediately, then continued slowly, "It's really not your problem. This day would have come sooner or later; it's just arrived earlier than expected."
Ever since "Heart-Fluttering Promise" became a hit, Chu Yueyi's status in the company had been rising steadily. With this came various issues, or rather, as her influence grew and her position strengthened, friction and confrontations within the company increased.
In less than a year, her popularity had suddenly skyrocketed. In the entertainment industry, dramatic ups and downs were common, with some artists disappearing like shooting stars, fading into obscurity after just a brief hiatus. The company didn't believe she had won over the audience with her talent alone. The leadership's thinking was that resources and exposure had created all of this.
This was practically a circle monopolized by capital. Only artists with resources and backgrounds could get screen time; otherwise, they didn't even have the chance to appear before the public.
The company certainly believed that the success of the on-screen couple could be replicated, just like the assembly line of newcomers in the market. They weren't particularly special, relying solely on resources to make a splash. It was the same principle as talent shows, where if a trainee's company didn't spend money, they wouldn't even get a second of airtime in the final cut.
Shi Guanghua said, "I thought it was because my actions weren't following the rules."
Chu Yueyi responded decisively, "It's not. In the end, no one has the right to set the rules. It's just a matter of majority practices versus minority practices."
"You don't need to be like them. Do whatever you want to do," she said without hesitation, dispelling Shi Guanghua's assumptions. She didn't agree with everything in the industry from the bottom of her heart and wouldn't ask him to follow so-called rules.
Shi Guanghua was taken aback. His eyes lit up, and he suddenly said, "This is the third time you've said something like this."
Chu Yueyi: "Huh?"
Shi Guanghua pondered, "The last time was during the show's recording when you made the second promise."
At that time, she had said not to do things that didn't suit him, just do what he was willing to do. She told him to be natural, not to change deliberately.
Of course, she didn't remember the time before that.
But she hadn't changed at all, still the same after all these years.
Chu Yueyi's eyes widened in disbelief, "How are you keeping count of what I say?"
"Is that not allowed?" Shi Guanghua looked at her, his eyes shimmering, his deep voice like the night breeze, with a hint of joy in his tone, "And are you encouraging me to keep taking advantage?"
She had never explicitly stated her true thoughts about his wild behavior, and he didn't know if she would ever grow tired of it.
Perhaps she found it troublesome but didn't express it for fear of hurting him. She was so considerate of others' feelings that it sometimes made it difficult for him to judge.
But he didn't feel that way now; his heart was filled with tenderness.
Although Shi Guanghua was usually a man of few words, his voice was actually very pleasant, especially now as he deliberately lowered his volume, inexplicably creating a heart-stirring feeling.
Chu Yueyi's ears turned red, and she said in disbelief, "Who's encouraging you..."
Brother, what nonsense are you saying again!!
Don't make it sound like she's looking forward to him acting wild in public!?
It was already good enough that she hadn't criticized him for showing off everywhere, how could he have the nerve to turn the tables on her?
Shi Guanghua calmly said, "Although things are good as they are now, if it's going to affect you, I can try the majority approach."
He was happy that she let him be himself, but he also didn't want to overwhelm her.
His eyes were dark as he blinked, "I haven't tried that way yet, maybe sneaking around could be quite interesting."
Chu Yueyi found his words increasingly outrageous and asked confusedly, "What do you mean by sneaking around?"
Shi Guanghua pondered for a few seconds, recalling the celebrity gossip discussed by Xiao Cheng and others, and described, "I don't know how to put it, but many people only admit it when they're photographed at night, never giving in before that, though I don't know why."
Shi Guanghua didn't pay attention to entertainment news, but people around him often chatted about it. Celebrities would only reveal their relationships after being caught by paparazzi, with men and women meeting privately late at night, followed by official statements from the parties involved.
As a straightforward person, he didn't understand why they couldn't date openly, preferring instead to have secret underground relationships, denying everything until exposed by the media.
Chu Yueyi corrected him sternly, "That's called not wanting to occupy public resources. Of course, they won't announce their relationships right away!"
Of course, some people weren't in serious relationships, so naturally, they wouldn't want to be exposed, but that's beside the point for now.
Shi Guanghua's eyebrows twitched, "I see, I thought..."
Chu Yueyi: "Thought what?"
Shi Guanghua: "...thought it was exciting that way."
Chu Yueyi: "..."
Chu Yueyi looked at him deeply and said stiffly, "What's exciting..."
Shi Guanghua pressed his lips together, turning his gaze towards the window, and mumbled, "You'd have to ask people in the industry, I'm not too sure either."
Chu Yueyi: "?" Well, well, starting to deflect blame and pretend not to understand?
Chu Yueyi sat side by side with Shi Guanghua, while the driver in front was chatting idly with the staff member in the passenger seat, neither paying attention to the conversation in the back.
The night was dark, and the spacious car cabin was divided into two worlds. Outside the window was a flowing night scene, occasionally flashing with star-like lights.
Chu Yueyi's eyelashes fluttered lightly as she said casually, "Do you want to try something exciting then?"
Shi Guanghua turned his head abruptly, a flash of confusion crossing his face, before he said in a restrained and slightly hoarse voice, "What kind of excitement..."
Chu Yueyi smiled innocently, "You'd have to ask people outside the industry, I'm not too sure either."
"After all, how would I know what they imagine? I don't quite understand the public's definition of excitement."
Shi Guanghua: "..."
Shi Guanghua could clearly sense her deliberate retaliation. He caught a glimpse of her smug expression from the corner of his eye, feeling completely captivated by her. She was intentionally teasing him and then playfully retreating, seemingly enjoying toying with and tormenting him, making him both annoyed and amused.
He had originally been cautious, fearing her rejection and aversion, but now he found it hard to control himself.
"The public is imagining doing things that can't see the light of day."
Before Chu Yueyi could respond, she felt a warm kiss on her lips.
In the dim car interior, with their close proximity and rising passion, after a gentle, teasing kiss came a probing deepening. Hot and soft, secret yet intense, it brought a dizzying, breath-taking sensation.
She couldn't describe the heart-pounding fear she felt at that moment, worried that the people in the front might suddenly notice them, yet held firmly against his warm chest, completely under his control. Like a small boat in a hurricane, she trembled in the stormy waves, utterly lost in her direction.
He kissed her lips, then moved to her sensitive ears, using his soul-stirring voice to seduce her, softly calling her name and expressing his feelings.
"I really like you."
He couldn't embellish his words, only repeatedly revealing his true emotions.
She was on the verge of melting from his breath and voice, completely falling into the intricately woven web of tenderness.
"We've arrived," the driver casually informed the front passenger while turning the steering wheel, having spotted the landmark.
The interior light came on.
When the van stopped in the underground parking lot, Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua were sitting upright, showing no signs of intimacy to outsiders. They bid farewell to the staff and headed directly to the studio via elevator, without making any public appearances throughout the journey.
Now that they were alone, Chu Yueyi still kept her head down without speaking, unable to shake off the recklessness of their earlier actions.
Shi Guanghua thoughtfully covered his mouth and mused, "It was indeed quite thrilling."
He began to understand the secretive behavior of those in the entertainment industry; it was indeed quite different from being straightforward.
Chu Yueyi, embarrassed and angry, snapped, "Shut up, or you won't be able to leave the studio tonight."
If he continued to spout nonsense, she would assassinate him on the spot.
Shi Guanghua's expression turned peculiar as he hesitantly asked, "Are you planning to stay with me in the studio all night?"
He had only intended to retrieve his car keys from the studio and hadn't planned on staying long, unsure of what she meant.
Chu Yueyi: "..."
She felt her breath catch, and exclaimed in frustration, "Can't you say something that most people would understand?"
She truly felt it was ridiculous, once again engaging in a conversation on different wavelengths.
Since Chu Yueyi had work the next day, they didn't linger for long. Shi Guanghua got his car keys and drove her home. Had he known earlier that she would be coming back with him, he might have driven there himself from the start.
Before parting, Shi Guanghua turned to Chu Yueyi in the passenger seat and politely asked, "Want another thrill?"
He had now learned a new trick, mimicking her casual tone.
Chu Yueyi: "?"
Chu Yueyi, who had just been feeling shy, faced with his repeated provocations, suppressed her embarrassment and heat, and said expressionlessly, "Don't you think you're imagining the public to be too innocent?"
Shi Guanghua was taken aback.
Chu Yueyi, a theoretical giant who had played so many otome games, wasn't about to let Shi Guanghua get the upper hand. Feigning nonchalance, she said, "The thrill the public imagines isn't just kisses and confessions. They imagine male and female celebrities going wild in the car, you know?"
Shi Guanghua: "..."
Seeing his face turn as red as if on fire, Chu Yueyi felt a sense of sweet revenge. She darted out of the car in a flash, not forgetting to tease as she left, "Now that's quite thrilling!"