As the time was almost up and everyone had had their fill of fun, they began to trickle out of the private room.
The employees walked out in twos and threes. To their surprise, as they opened the door to their private room, they saw their young boss pinned against the wall by a tall man, the two of them standing very close, in an intimate pose.
"Oh no, we didn't see anything!"
The two leading the way quickly turned around, covered their faces, and fled towards the stairwell. The others, realizing what was happening, followed suit, averting their gazes, not daring to look.
A few of the braver ones glanced back stealthily, exchanging knowing glances. After they had walked further away, they excitedly began to discuss.
"I never expected our little boss to be so bold, kissing in the hallway!"
"I was in too much of a hurry earlier to get a good look at the man, but judging by his height and build, he must be a 'male god' too!"
"Our little boss is quite the charmer!"
"Hey, who exactly is that guy? What if the big boss finds out..."
The employees of the studio knew about Su He's relationship with Lu Yanbei. Although they weren't sure if they were married, Lu Yanbei's secretary referred to Su He as "Mrs. Lu," indicating that their relationship was indeed extraordinary. Yet here was Su He, with another man behind the big boss's back. Was she not afraid of losing favor?
"Stop all this baseless speculation!" Su He's assistant hissed, lowering her voice. "Didn't you see the big boss's car parked outside?"
"Ah?" The employees' eyes widened.
How could that be!
What kind of person was Lu Yanbei? Arrogant, aloof, as cold as an emotionless robot. Would he make such a move in public?
They would never believe it!
However, the moment of being proven wrong came soon enough.
Not long after, Su He emerged from the club with Lu Yanbei's arm linked through hers. Her lips were slightly red and swollen, and her lipstick had clearly been reapplied. The influential figure, on the other hand, maintained his cold expression, exuding an aura of unapproachability. Yet, it was evident that there was no trace of anger in his eyes, and he seemed to be in a good mood.
If one looked closely, they would notice a smear of lipstick on his collar, adding a touch of worldly charm to his otherwise untouchable demeanor.
"It really is President Lu!"
"Good thing we didn't speak too loudly earlier, or we'd be in trouble!"
"I never thought President Lu would be so openly affectionate with our little boss in front of so many people... Ahh, my favorite couple is just too sweet!"
"What kind of day is it today, to be able to see both bosses together, showering us with sweetness! I have to go buy a lottery ticket later, maybe I'll win a big prize!"
Su He feigned composure, waved to the crowd, and gracefully got into the car.
However, the moment she sat in the passenger seat, she groaned and covered her face.
It was too embarrassing!
She had only intended to tease President Lu a little, but she never expected him to actually kiss her! Being caught by so many employees, how was she supposed to face anyone at the studio anymore!
Su He glared resentfully at the man beside her. "It's all your fault!"
Lu Yanbei remained unfazed. "Didn't you start it?"
"I was just joking with you!" Su He retorted.
"But I took it seriously!" Lu Yanbei said with a smile as he started the engine. "So, from now on, when you tease, remember to make it clear beforehand."
Su He was rendered speechless.
However, she made a mental note of this and vowed to get back at him someday.
*
The negative news online quickly disappeared, and the film crew seemed unaffected. Although Tang Xiaoying was unwilling, she dared not truly offend Director Zhang. In the end, she could only come forward to clarify, stating that she had failed an audition for a film overseas and had spoken out of emotion, not expecting her fans to misunderstand.
With that, the matter was considered closed.
While Tang Xiaoying had her reservations, Qiao An'an, relying on her powerful connections, had no intention of letting it go.
She had been strong-willed since childhood, and especially with her past grievances with Su He, she couldn't just let it slide. Thus, she cajoled and pleaded, convincing her sugar daddy to fund another project for her.
The novelty had not worn off, and the man naturally obliged her every request. However, having just spent a large sum of money, he didn't have much spare cash to indulge her.
Qiao An'an wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "Didn't you just invest ten million with Director Zhang? Why not get that money back?"
Her breath was intoxicating, bewitching the man.
However, he seemed hesitant. "Director Zhang is not easy to deal with... and the contract has already been signed. If we breach it, we'll have to pay a penalty!"
"What's a small penalty compared to losing a large portion of it?" Qiao An'an's fingers lightly traced circles on his chest, playfully teasing him. "Look at the cast of that film, most of them are unknown newcomers. Who will watch it? And the plot is so cliché, it has no market!"
"Director Zhang might be famous, but the audience isn't stupid, they can't be easily fooled?"
"In the end, they won't lose anything, but your money will be wasted? It's better to invest in me, at least I won't let you lose money!"
The man was so flattered that he was muddled and blindly believed her words.
Ten million yuan was not a small sum, and withdrawing the investment suddenly would be a significant blow to the film crew. Since it was a location shoot, many places needed to be rented, and these expenses could not be cut. Added to the actors' salaries and the staff's wages, all these expenses added up to a considerable sum.
Director Zhang sat in his chair, his expression grim.
"We had an agreement, I invested, and An'an would play the third female lead. But you kicked her out after only a few days of filming." The man spoke the truth, and Director Zhang could not refute it, so he had to return the money.
Suddenly lacking ten million in funding, Director Zhang lost several nights of sleep from worry.
This was even with Su Lin's cameo appearance for free, otherwise, the drama wouldn't even be able to start filming. Post-production also required financial input, and the thought of it was a headache.
Director Zhang sighed. Everyone around him felt the pressure he was under.
"The investor can just withdraw their funds? How will this drama ever be finished?"
"This is just the first batch. If others follow suit, it will surely die in the womb!"
"What can we do? I turned down several other projects to take on Director Zhang's drama. Will I end up with nothing?"
The actors felt uneasy and were on the verge of giving up.
Upon hearing the news, Su Lin went directly to Director Zhang. "Don't worry about the money, Director. I'll find a way."
"Su Lin!" His agent, Xu Jing, seeing him speak up, frantically tugged at his sleeve, giving him a look.
Does this kid have too much money to spend!
It was one thing to act for free out of respect for Young Master Yan, but now he wanted to invest his own money into filming? What was he trying to achieve?
Su Lin understood his agent's concerns, but he wouldn't easily change his mind. "I'm going to make a phone call."
It was only ten million, he could just find someone else to invest!