What Chu Yilan didn't know was that, in Shen Lian's previous life, his devoted fans and his haters had reached an overwhelming consensus on exactly one thing: Shen Lian was a flirt. A shamelessly blatant flirt.
When he liked something, he expressed it clearly and boldly, like a peacock spreading its tail.
And what Chu Yilan feared most was a direct approach.
Yet Shen Lian kept swinging one verbal club after another, without the slightest pause.
Shen Lian successfully drove Chu Yilan back to his room.
Once Chu Yilan left, Shen Lian forgot the pain as soon as the wound healed. Hugging the quilt, he couldn't resist rolling around several times. He thought he had just seen Chu Yilan's ears turn red.
Back in his bedroom, Chu Yilan gulped down a glass of cold water.
The next morning, by the time Shen Lian woke up, Chu Yilan had already gone to work. He leisurely finished the breakfast Aunt Fen had made, then headed to the café Qian Gao had specified.
Qian Gao was around five foot five, plain-looking and a little balding, in his thirties. But his eyes gleamed with shrewdness. Anyone who had made a name for himself among talent managers was bound to have plenty of tricks up his sleeve.
Qian Gao had been lounging on the sofa like he owned the place. His first glance at Shen Lian was still disdainful, but he quickly took a second look, then blinked in disbelief.
A change in someone's presence could make him seem like an entirely different person.
Shen Lian sat down across from Qian Gao.
"Hi, Qian."
Qian Gao said, "You..."
After searching for a suitable word and failing, Qian Gao ventured, "Did something get to you?"
"Being broke got to me." Shen Lian gave a lazy smile. "I'm poor, Qian. Got any gigs that would suit me?"
At that, Qian Gao immediately launched into a long spiel.
There was a dating show and an adventure show. After analyzing both, Qian Gao leaned toward the former. Given the current buzz around Shen Lian, pairing him with anyone would get people talking.
"Let's go with the adventure show," Shen Lian said.
Qian Gao hadn't expected Shen Lian to disagree. Startled, he asked, "Why?"
Shen Lian answered openly, "I don't want the person I like to get the wrong idea."
Elsewhere, in his office, Chu Yilan's back stiffened when he heard those words.
Shen Lian had guessed correctly: Chu Yilan wouldn't trust him completely, and planting a tiny listening device on his clothes was hardly difficult.
Qian Gao froze, then nearly jumped to his feet, unleashing a tirade. "Are you out of your mind? How many times have I told you? Zhou Tangsi isn't interested in you. He's never even given you a proper look, and you're still going on about not wanting the person you like-"
"It's not Zhou Tangsi," Shen Lian interrupted with a frown. "I'm not interested in dumbasses."
Qian Gao said, "???"
"I don't like Zhou Tangsi." Shen Lian didn't care how unbelievable that sounded. "Anyway, Qian, give me a chance. I can handle the adventure show."
Qian Gao wasn't about to agree. In Shen Lian's current circumstances, he had no right to pick and choose.
His phone buzzed. Giving Shen Lian a warning look, Qian Gao pulled it out.
Whatever he saw, however, his expression quickly changed.
A full half minute passed before Qian Gao asked Shen Lian, "You've made up your mind? The adventure show?"
Shen Lian nodded. "Yeah."
Qian Gao settled it. "Fine. That one, then. Report in three days."
Shen Lian didn't care why Qian Gao's attitude had suddenly changed. At worst, there was a trap waiting up ahead.
"Qian," Shen Lian continued, "the company should at least pay me some of the fees from my previous gigs..."
"Don't even think about it!" Spittle flew as Qian Gao spoke. "You insisted on getting involved in that business between Zhou Tangsi and Zheng Ge. Do you know how much bad publicity you brought the company? The compensation alone would leave you walking the streets bare-assed. Don't push your luck. Just try showing up late again this time!"
Shen Lian narrowed his eyes slightly. It had been years since anyone had dared speak to him like that.
An inexplicable chill ran through Qian Gao, and he swallowed the rest of his threats.
Shen Lian sneered inwardly. Who had pushed the original owner of this body to tie himself to Zhou Tangsi in the first place? Who had said bad publicity was still publicity? Now that they had milked him for attention, they were turning their backs on him. Fine. Once this adventure show was over, it would be about time to terminate his contract.
In his spacious office, Chu Yilan's expression darkened. He had thought Shen Lian was playing the victim, but it turned out to be true. Exploited to this extent, no wonder he had so little left in his bank account.
Knock, knock, knock-
His assistant knocked on the door.
"Come in," Chu Yilan said.
The assistant cautiously pushed the door open, looking somewhat bewildered and apprehensive.
Chu Yilan disliked that sort of hesitation in his staff. He was about to say something when he spotted the flowers in the assistant's arms.
His gaze paused, and he pressed his lips together.
"What are you doing bringing flowers in here?"
It was a bouquet of pink lilies, with a fresh, delicate fragrance.
"Someone delivered them to reception," the assistant said quietly. "They said... they were for you."
The assistant had drawn countless stares while carrying the flowers upstairs. Chu Yilan was the business world's living devil. He had always been cold, and after his looks were damaged, he kept everyone at an even greater distance. No one dared express romantic interest in him.
After a moment, Chu Yilan said, "Bring them here."
The assistant thought, Huh? Wasn't he supposed to tell me to throw them straight in the trash?
The assistant gently set the lilies in front of Chu Yilan.
His long fingers moved through the flowers and soon drew out a card.
The card had picked up their fragrance. The handwriting on it was elegant and firm: Roses were a little expensive. I hope you don't mind these.
Chu Yilan was speechless.
"Mr. Chu?" Unable to read anything on Chu Yilan's face, the assistant asked softly, "What should I do with them?"
"You need to ask me about something this trivial?"
The assistant thought, Okay, into the trash they go.
"Is there no vase in the office?" Chu Yilan asked. "Can't you manage a simple flower arrangement?"
The assistant was stunned.
Chu Yilan scoffed. "Could you be any more stupid?"
"..."
After the assistant left, Chu Yilan looked at the documents on his screen, but Shen Lian's clear, composed words kept replaying in his mind: "I don't want the person I like to get the wrong idea."
A long while later, Chu Yilan gave a cold, mocking smile. Whatever. None of it mattered to him. It was merely something to spice things up when he was bored.
Chu Yilan closed his eyes, and the familiar darkness enveloped him.
He had briefly trusted plenty of people before. And what had that gotten him?
The human heart was the last thing worth placing hope in.
The assistant arranged the lilies in a vase, then set them on the small cabinet by the door. Water droplets glistened on the leaves. Chu Yilan could see them whenever he looked up.
After parting ways with Qian Gao, Shen Lian went back to his rented apartment. Calling it an apartment was generous; it was barely twenty square meters, with a bed upstairs and bedding in disarray.
Shen Lian tidied everything up. The company had arranged the place, so there were plenty of things he couldn't take with him. In the end, his belongings filled only half a suitcase.
Shen Lian returned to Chu Yilan's place before dark.
As soon as he walked in, he saw Chu Yilan sitting on the sofa, reading a financial magazine. The man had his legs crossed, and even with his head lowered, his handsome, austere profile was visible.
Shen Lian admired him for a few seconds before starting to change his shoes.
At dinner, Shen Lian mentioned that he would be joining the variety show in three days. Chu Yilan merely gave a low "Mm," seemingly having no objection.
Then Shen Lian changed the subject. "Did you like the lilies?"
"The scent is too strong," Chu Yilan said.
Shen Lian understood. "I'll send something else next time."
Chu Yilan neither agreed nor disagreed.
Aunt Fen smiled as she went into the kitchen. Yilan even accepts flowers from Mr. Shen.
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