Shen Lian stood with his hands in his pockets, his expression slightly cool but composed.
He had already met Chen Mu. Tilting his head slightly, he sized up the other two. Sure enough, he didn't like the look of them. They didn't even need to introduce themselves; "mercenary" and "bootlicker" were written all over their faces.
The two clearly recognized Shen Lian. After all, he had been making quite a splash lately. Apparently, an endorsement that Film Emperor Su Niansheng had all but secured had ended up going to Shen Lian after an executive's assessment.
Despite having such powerful backing, Su Niansheng hadn't said a word.
What could he say? Sun Binghe had snatched that deal. Anyone dreaming of prying something out of Assistant Sun's hands could keep dreaming.
"M-Mr. Shen." One of them looked embarrassed. Shen Lian's accusation of "bullying" had apparently hit a nerve, and he stammered an explanation. "You've misunderstood. We know Chen Mu."
"I know you know him." Shen Lian nodded. "But did that stop you two from trying to throw him out? What, are you hosting tonight's business reception?"
The man plastered on an apologetic smile. "I wouldn't dare."
Shen Lian wasn't interested in wasting words. He turned to Chen Mu and tipped his head, signaling for him to leave.
Surprise flashed in Chen Mu's eyes. He hadn't expected Shen Lian to intervene, but he appreciated it. He immediately stepped around the two men and followed Shen Lian off the terrace without incident.
"Mr. Shen." Chen Mu stayed half a step behind him, choosing his words carefully. "Thank you."
Shen Lian glanced sideways at him with a faint, ambiguous smile. "Are you always this mild-mannered?"
Had it been him, he would have kicked those two into a corner long ago.
A trace of bitterness crossed