"All right." Shen Lian gave a faint smile. "If there's nothing else, I'll get back to work."
Jiang Nong suddenly strode forward and blocked his path. "No, Shen Lian, that's not it!"
"Then what is it?"
Jiang Nong couldn't explain. He hadn't meant to humiliate Shen Lian; the thought hadn't even crossed his mind. He knew his mother wouldn't agree easily, but that was fine-he could talk to her afterward. In those few minutes just now, all he'd cared about was how Shen Lian felt.
But Shen Lian had said he already liked someone, and no one else would do.
"Shen Lian, I apologize on my mother's behalf," Jiang Nong said quietly. "But please don't deliberately hurt me, either."
Shen Lian sighed. His tone was gentle, but his words were unsparing. "Jiang Nong, I can't even say I see you as a younger brother. I see you as a colleague. We aren't even close enough to be friends, so there's no reason for me to deliberately hurt you. Besides, your mother wants what's best for you. If she has concerns, she can raise them and we can clear things up. There's no need to apologize, either. Really, focus on your acting. Daybreak could be a hit. Don't waste such a good opportunity."
Jiang Nong's heart plummeted.
Shen Lian was drawing a clear, unmistakable line between them.
It was also at that moment that Jiang Nong's mind went blank. Things he'd ignored for so long suddenly flooded back, and he realized something was wrong. His approach to Shen Lian had been wrong from the very beginning.
He'd been spoiled, given everything he wanted, and so he'd assumed Shen Lian would surely like him. Without realizing it, he always placed himself above others. Once he fell for Shen Lian, he subconsciously expected