Chapter 33: Gu Tingyan

Qin Shu stared at Gu Tingyan's face, an inexplicable sense of rebelliousness rising in her heart.

Chen Wuzhi said earnestly, "I think the second female lead is more suitable for you."

Chen Wuzhi: "The outside world only knows that there is only one female lead, but they don't know that this movie has two female leads."

As he spoke, Chen Wuzhi handed the script for the second female lead to Qin Shu: "This was tailor-made for you."

Qin Shu took it and flipped through the script.

Chen Wuzhi: "Only if you play Su Lingxi will the world know that I am not lying."

Qin Shu looked at the script; this plot was indeed more brilliant than the first female lead's, and her heart stirred when she heard Chen Wuzhi's words.

Chen Wuzhi: "Qin Shu, I need you."

Qin Shu closed the script and said, "Alright, I'll give it a try."

Seeing her agree, Chen Wuzhi was stunned for a moment, then the smile on his face grew wider and wider.

In the private room, the three of them were quite happy, except for Gu Tingyan, whose eyes were fixed straight on Xie Jin, his expression icy cold.

Xie Jin seemed completely unaware; he looked at Qin Shu's profile, his gaze deep, a faint smile hanging on the corners of his lips.

Xie Jin reached out his hand: "Qin Shu, happy to be working with you."

Qin Shu raised her hand to shake it, smiling faintly: "Happy to be working with you."

Xie Jin let go, his fingertips still lingering with Qin Shu's warmth.

Gu Tingyan stood up, took a glass of red wine, walked around, sat down next to Qin Shu, rested his arm on the back of her chair, and raised his glass to Xie Jin: "A toast to our leading man."

Seeing Gu Tingyan come over, Xie Jin naturally had to drink since the biggest investor was toasting him.

Xie Jin picked up his wine glass to clink with Gu Tingyan, revealing a distant, polite smile: "Thank you for your care, President Gu."

Gu Tingyan's lips curled into a smile; he tilted his head back and downed the wine in one gulp, his sexy Adam's apple bobbing.

After finishing the drink, Gu Tingyan didn't leave; he just sat down right beside Qin Shu in a very straightforward manner.

Gu Tingyan took out a cigarette and lit it, holding a section of it between his fingers with a smile on his face, while his other hand rested naturally on the chair behind Qin Shu.

The man's posture was very natural, as if he had just rested his arm there casually, but it also seemed to show a strong sense of possessiveness, as if he were half-holding her in his arms.

This posture was somewhat ambiguous, more like he was asserting his sovereignty.

Not to mention Qin Shu being startled, Chen Wuzhi and Xie Jin both looked over at him at the same time.

Chen Wuzhi's gaze swept over Gu Tingyan and landed on Qin Shu; he calmly picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

No wonder; Gu Tingyan had always been indifferent to everyone, yet today he had specifically brought up a point for Qin Shu.

So, he had taken a fancy to this girl.

Chen Wuzhi's face was dark; he felt it was necessary to give Gu Tingyan a warning.

He was the type of person who hated investors using the name of investment to pick up women on his film crew.

Or, directly stuffing women into his crew.

A perfectly good crew would be turned into a foul atmosphere by these people; the morale would be poor—to put it nicely, if they slept together, they were boyfriend and girlfriend.

To put it bluntly, it was engaging in sex work; it wasn't illegal, but it disgusted all the staff on the crew.

In such situations, what was filmed usually turned out to be a trashy drama, and it would be scolded by the audience upon release.

Watching investors pick up women every day, everyone would just be gossiping; who would have the heart to film?

Chen Wuzhi looked at Gu Tingyan with unfathomable eyes; he had thought this kid was pure and ascetic.

For so many years, beautiful actresses had come and gone, and many had tried to cling to Gu Tingyan, but they had all been thrown away by him.

Who would have thought it was just because he hadn't met one that suited his taste.

Seeing Gu Tingyan's disguised possessiveness, Xie Jin's expression also changed slightly.

Qin Shu felt his presence drawing near; she paused, then continued to pick up food and eat with a calm expression.

Gu Tingyan could see Qin Shu's feigned composure as soon as he lowered his head; his lips curled slightly, and he subtly tightened his arm around her.

With a cigarette dangling from his mouth, he used serving chopsticks to pick up Qin Shu's favorite braised pork and put it into her bowl: "Try it, this place makes it well."

Chen Wuzhi's face grew even darker: "!!!"

Qin Shu: "..."

Seeing the food in her bowl, Qin Shu tightened her grip on her chopsticks; she raised her eyes slightly and gave Gu Tingyan a warning look.

Gu Tingyan's gaze returned, looking at her with calm composure; their eyes met in mid-air, the man's eyes deep and affectionate, looking at everyone with tender feelings.

Someone who didn't know better would think they were having an affair.

Qin Shu was the first to look away, and under the gazes of the others, she calmly moved the food into a bowl nearby: "I don't like this dish, thank you for your kindness, President Gu."

Gu Tingyan's arm rested on the back of her chair, just staring at her, watching her lie through her teeth right in front of him.

The meat Qin Shu liked to eat most was braised pork; they had a dish of braised pork on the table every week.

A habit that had remained unchanged for five years.

And now she was actually saying she didn't like it.

Gu Tingyan let out a cold snort and didn't try to curry favor by picking food for her again.

Even if he picked it, it would just be thrown away.

After the meal, Qin Shu was only five-tenths full; she hadn't dared to eat any staple food at night, eating only vegetables because she had to prepare for joining the crew.

After the meal, Gu Tingyan offered to drive her home: "I'll take you, it's on the way."

Chen Wuzhi's face grew even darker; he called out to him, stopping him from continuing to harass Qin Shu: "Gu Tingyan, you stay here, I still have things to discuss with you."

Gu Tingyan: "???"

Seeing that Qin Shu was about to leave, Xie Jin hurriedly called out to her: "Qin Shu, let's add each other on WeChat so it's easier to discuss the plot later."

"Alright."

Qin Shu took out her phone and added Xie Jin on WeChat.

Gu Tingyan stood to the side, the line of his lips taut, his gaze as deep as a pool, just watching this pretty boy add his wife on WeChat right under his nose.

He pressed his tongue against his teeth, his gums aching, his heart aching too, and the look he shot at Xie Jin was as cold as if he were about to eat someone.

Xie Jin looked up, met his gaze, rose to the challenge, cold, sharp, and provocative, then immediately looked away.

Qin Shu greeted Director Chen and hailed a taxi to leave.

Xie Jin said goodbye to the two of them and also got into his own van.

Seeing that both had left, Chen Wuzhi stood next to Gu Tingyan and chuckled, "What? Taken a fancy to Qin Shu?"

Gu Tingyan curled his lips in a faint smile, neither saying yes nor saying no.

Chen Wuzhi patted his shoulder and advised him kindly, "Give it up, the girl doesn't like you at all."

"There's no possibility for you two."

Gu Tingyan was amused when he heard this and let out a muffled laugh: "Why do you think she doesn't like me?"

Qin Shu had taken a fancy to him eighty years ago.

Back then, he was the one who wouldn't have it.

"That girl, don't let her gentle appearance fool you, she's a tough nut to crack."

"You won't be able to handle her."

Gu Tingyan: "..."

Not only did he handle her, he had been handling her for five years.

And he even handled her until a child came out.

He and Qin Shu already had a four-year-old child!

Out of respect for his status, Chen Wuzhi left some room in his words: "I, for one, hate it when stinking capitalists force young actors."

"Don't come to my set anymore if there's nothing to do; just make sure the money arrives."

Chen Wuzhi: "Of course, President Gu certainly has nothing to do with those stinking capitalists."

Gu Tingyan: "Heh."