Chapter 123: Don't Want to Let Me Down?

After the premiere ended, the applause from the audience was like a tide.

Zhu Yuan, as the lead actress, led the team to return to the stage for curtain calls three times.

The applause continued.

After leaving the stage, Head Hao stepped forward excitedly, "Xiao Fengzheng! That was too spectacular, too amazing, you are simply the goddess of drama!"

His bald head seemed even shinier than before! His eyes shimmered with tears at the height of his excitement.

"Look, these are all the fresh flowers and gifts sent by the audience. I estimate this play will have to extend its run; the response is just too good!"

"Quick, get a shawl, get some water!" Head Hao hurriedly ordered people to bring things over; he couldn't let their troupe's great treasure get cold or thirsty.

Zhu Yuan put on the shawl and drank some water, "Keep the flowers, but please help me return the gifts. And just remember to give me a raise."

She had glanced at them just now; they were all too valuable, and there were even things sent by Shen Yijing.

Head Hao said casually, "What's this about a raise? Can art be measured by money?"

Hearing this, Zhu Yuan looked at him silently.

Head Hao quickly said, "I didn't say I wouldn't give you a raise, I will, I definitely will!"

Zhu Yuan returned to the dressing room to rest, and Dong Shu brought a large bouquet of fresh flowers.

Because she was Zhu Yuan's friend, the troupe's Bodyguard let her through.

"Zhu Yuan, congratulations on your successful performance! It was truly spectacular!" Dong Shu smiled and sat beside Zhu Yuan.

Watching Zhu Yuan take off her earrings, there was a natural, innate charm in her every gesture.

This was something nourished by a man.

Being cherished by a man like Sheng Yu was something countless women dreamed of.

"Thank you for coming to watch my performance." Zhu Yuan took the bouquet with both hands.

Dong Shu maintained her smile, "You are my friend, how could I not come for such an important event?"

Zhu Yuan glanced at her, then smiled as well.

"By the way, there is still some time before the next performance, I'll treat you to..."

At this moment, Zhu Yuan's phone rang, and Dong Shu had to swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

Dong Shu glanced over as she picked up the phone. A number without a contact name.

But she had long since known it by heart.

Zhu Yuan swiped the screen and held the phone to her ear.

Dong Shu saw Zhu Yuan clench her hand nervously.

"Hello."

"I'm waiting for you at the back door." The man's deep voice came through.

"I have another show tonight," Zhu Yuan said, lowering her voice.

The man said with displeasure, "Not eating?"

"The theater will arrange it."

"What kind of good food could the Pei Family have? Come out."

The man didn't give her a chance to refuse and hung up the phone directly.

Zhu Yuan looked at her face in the mirror, still wearing her makeup, and frowned; he really didn't consider her at all, he was unreasonably overbearing.

"Was that Yu Ge calling you?" Dong Shu asked her with a smile.

Zhu Yuan came back to her senses, "... Yes."

Dong Shu pulled her up from her seat, "Go on, don't keep Yu Ge waiting."

She half-pushed and half-coaxed Zhu Yuan out the door. When they reached the back door, they indeed saw Sheng Yu's black Bentley parked there.

Dong Shu felt a sting in her heart; so Yu Ge also had times when he waited for people, and he could also be this patient.

Suddenly, Zhu Yuan reached back and took her hand, "Yu Ge is your friend too, let's go together."

Dong Shu's hand stiffened noticeably, but her face did not reveal a hint of anything unusual, "Alright."

Sheng Yu saw that Zhu Yuan had brought Dong Shu along as well, so he had Situ call Yuan Fengye and Qi Jing.

Yuan Fengye came over eagerly and drove Dong Shu to the restaurant designated by Sheng Yu.

The car door closed, and Zhu Yuan's waist was wrapped by a powerful arm.

The car started.

The man's cold, deep black eyes stared at her, "I asked you to eat, what's the meaning of you bringing someone else along?"

"Dong Shu just happened to be there, I couldn't just leave her behind."

Sheng Yu looked at her, not exposing the fact that Dong Shu liked him; there were some things Zhu Yuan didn't need to know.

He pulled her closer into his embrace; from the moment she stepped onto the stage, he had wanted to do this.

"How many days is this run in total?"

Zhu Yuan's chest, outlined by her form-fitting cheongsam, pressed against his chest; she felt her cheeks heat up from the pressure, "Half a month. Perhaps a few more shows will be added around the New Year."

"Are you performing in all of them?" Upon hearing this duration, the man had a faint trace of anger on his face.

"I'm in all of them for the next few days, the B-role will go on later."

Ning Chu had one hand crippled, was hung up and beaten by Pei Ling's people, and later fell from mid-air, breaking several ribs, leaving her bedridden to this day; on top of that, she was blacklisted by the industry, so the person temporarily replacing her as the B-role was not yet skilled enough.

Sheng Yu kneaded her slender waist, which could be spanned by one hand, and hearing her soft, gentle voice, the anger on his face dissipated a little.

"How much is the Pei Family paying you to make you work so hard?"

As soon as he mentioned the salary, Zhu Yuan took the opportunity to change the subject, "Head Hao said he wants to give me a raise."

When she said this, a trace of a young girl's simple-mindedness and pride inadvertently flowed between her brows, which made Sheng Yu's expression soften.

"So happy?"

Zhu Yuan nodded, quietly trying to break free from his embrace.

Who knew that the next second, Sheng Yu would tighten his grip on her waist, pulling her flush against him, and look down at her, "Since you're in such a good mood, shouldn't you answer my question?"

"What?" Zhu Yuan didn't dare to breathe too loudly.

Sheng Yu gently pinched her chin, "You said you would think carefully about the relationship between us; an afternoon has passed, that's enough time."

Zhu Yuan had almost forgotten about that.

Suddenly brought up by him, her heartbeat skipped several times, and her grandfather's instructions echoed in her mind again.

She found an excuse, "You saw it too, I was performing all afternoon, I didn't have time to think about anything else."

"Is it that hard to think about?" Sheng Yu asked in a deep voice.

Zhu Yuan bit her lower lip, "I only want to perform well right now; this role was not easy for me to get. Besides, I know you deliberately lost to Yuan Fengye to let everyone vote for me, I..."

"Who told you that?"

Sheng Yu interrupted her.

"Can you not worry about who, anyway, I just know."

Sheng Yu did not deny it, but instead stared at her, "You don't want to let me down?"

Zhu Yuan: "..."

That wasn't how the words were meant to be understood.

However, Sheng Yu lifted her chin, "I can wait until after your public performance ends. But for the cufflinks you gave that Pei fellow, what are you going to use to thank me?"

Zhu Yuan didn't expect him to still remember the matter of the cufflinks; was he not planning to let it go?

"I don't have time today, can I make it up to you later?" Zhu Yuan whispered, negotiating.

She originally thought Sheng Yu would definitely not agree, but who knew he would say magnanimously, "I suppose that's possible."

Warm fingertips rubbed against her chin, the man's voice husky.

"I'm not that easy to talk to."

Zhu Yuan trembled slightly; she thought of the way she had pacified him at noon, and she had no way out.

She tilted her head back and kissed the corner of Sheng Yu's lips.

She only heard the man let out a satisfied chuckle, and then he took the initiative.

Dong Shu, Yuan Fengye, and Qi Jing arrived at the restaurant first, waiting for Sheng Yu and the others in the lobby.

When they entered the door, Dong Shu had sharp eyes and noticed that the lipstick on Zhu Yuan's lips was gone.