Chapter 255: The Inquiry Realm version of Haizao and Song Siming?

On February 24, 2005, the *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button* crew, including Zhang Manyu, Fan Bingbing, and Zhang Songwen, continued their roadshow tour, while Boss Lu returned to Beiping alone.

The plane landed at noon. Hu Zi picked up the car from the airport parking lot and drove him straight to the Feilong Film and Television Base in Fangshan District.

The casting for *My Own Swordsman* was nearing its end; today, they would be conducting screen tests in full costume on the set.

Lu Kuan wasn't there to participate in the casting, as he had already arranged everything that needed arranging.

In the newly acquired Happy Twist troupe, the still fresh-faced and scholarly-looking Shen Teng would play Lu Xiucai;

Inquiry Realm actress Tong Liya would play Guo Sister Furong;

Ma Li would play Li Dazui—this character had already been adapted into a female role by Ning Caishen;

For the Innkeeper, Yan Ni, with her authentic "Shaanxi dialect," was still the most suitable choice. Both she and Sha Yi's Bai Zhantang were nearly irreplaceable; they were the anchors of the cast.

The remaining roles stayed as planned.

The acquisition of Happy Twist was specifically for Shen Teng, Ma Li, and their entire team, filling the scarce comedy niche within the Inquiry Realm film and television talent pool.

Why did the films of later stars like Shen Teng and Jia Ling always become massive hits?

Shen Teng's first film appearance was in 2015; in six years, his films' box office exceeded 20 billion.

Beyond the sheer scale of the national film market at that time, it was an undeniable fact that he had caught the right wave of comedy.

There was once a question on Zhihu: If *Kung Fu Hustle* were released today, how much would it gross?

Answers ranged from 3 billion to 10 billion, but no one could deny that the comedy genre would always hold economic and topical value domestically.

During the hardest times for Xiangjiang cinema, it was Zhou Xingchi's *Shaolin Soccer* that barely saved face;

When mainland television was being ravaged by Hong Kong and Taiwan dramas like *My Fair Princess*, Zhao Benshan's *Liu Laogen* was the 2002 CCTV ratings champion.

The subsequent *Ma Dashuai* and *Love Story in the Countryside* series were essentially dramas with stable viewership.

After Zhou Xingchi and Zhao Benshan faded from the mainstream, Chinese comedy superstars and high-quality comedy film and television became scarce resources.

There were crosstalk performers and sketch comedians, but they weren't the top-tier or mainstream.

The core of the cultural industry, and the part with the highest added value, would always be in the film industry.

And it wasn't hard to understand why later stars like Shen Teng and Jia Ling broke out of the comedy industry to stir up the mainland film scene.

Even if their films were just "entertaining" and lacked any artistic merit—even being the type that received zero nominations at the Golden Rooster Awards—

that didn't stop them and their investors from making money, did it?

After Happy Twist was acquired, Shen Teng, Ma Li, and the others were given shares and signed long-term contracts, essentially welding them into the Inquiry Realm system.

But these few still needed to hone their skills like Zhang Songwen, accumulating strength for a future breakthrough.

On the *My Own Swordsman* set, Shang Jing didn't tell the cast members that the newly minted Jin Xiong-winning director was coming to inspect the set and oversee work.

He was a professional sitcom director with very rich experience.

He knew that whether it was Tong Liya or the two comedy actors from Happy Twist present today, they were all newcomers in the television field, and it was best not to make them nervous.

"Yaya, here, warm your hands?"

The infatuated Chen Sicheng was also visiting the set today. After *Soldiers Sortie*, he had gained some fame, and his resources had expanded.

Recently, he had been hanging out a lot with his buddies Li Chen, Zhang Yi, and others, all of whom urged him to quickly win over the Beijiang beauty and set an example for their little group of men.

His last painstaking plan had been unintentionally ruined by Liu Yifei, and since then, he hadn't had a chance to get intimate.

This time, *My Own Swordsman* started filming during the first lunar month, and Tong Liya simply didn't return to her hometown.

Chen Sicheng had even been asking her out every day since the first day of the Lunar New Year to no avail, and taking the opportunity of the filming of *My Own Swordsman*, he came running to the set again, fawning and flattering her.

"No need, I'm going on set in a bit, you keep it for yourself."

Tong Liya wasn't too keen on his attentiveness, but as a lone drifter in Beiping, she inevitably felt lonely and helpless at times, so she half-heartedly started dating him.

It was just that Chen Sicheng's lustful desire to get intimate had never been realized; even occasionally holding her little hand was a luxury.

Chen Sicheng sullenly took back the hot water bottle, feeling a bit indignant for her: "Inquiry Realm is really unfair to you!"

"You've been signed for almost two years, and they only gave you a supporting role in *Zhu Xian*; now it's just a sitcom, and the rest of the time they just leave you at Beidian to fend for yourself."

"Yaya, why don't I talk to the leadership and see if you can come develop at Warner?"

Chen Sicheng would enter Yanda Huayi around 2006; previously, he had debuted as a singer, with his management contract at Warner.

Saying this to Tong Liya was clearly him puffing himself up, showing off his connections and social standing.

In fact, the utilitarian and slick Cheng Cai, whom *Soldiers Sortie* spent a lot of time portraying, was exactly his own personality.

Perhaps even more so.

What did Cheng Cai do?

His goals were clear and definite; he had no real friends in the barracks.

He usually carried three packs of cigarettes in his pocket: top-tier for the platoon and company commanders, mid-tier for the squad leaders and deputies, and low-tier for himself and his fellow soldiers.

The units he served in were stepping stones in life, and his back-to-back comrades were ruthless competitors.

And what did Chen Sicheng, who later rose to become a big director, do?

After *Soldiers Sortie* exploded in popularity, Duan Yihong, Zhang Yi, and others took low-paying roles in *My Chief and My Regiment* to repay the favor.

But he refused, throwing himself into Lou Ye's *Summer Palace*, wanting to join the ranks of film stars, even claiming he wanted to become the next Jiang Wen.

What truly pushed him into the ranks of the film industry's power brokers was the later 2012 *Beijing Love Story*.

The script for *Beijing Love Story* came from a thousand-word blog post by his good friend Li Chen; to support him, Li Chen used his connections to bring in Teng Huatao, Yang Mi, and others.

Zhang Yi, to support him, lowered his own salary by a third.

But when the final film was released, it turned out that only Tong Liya and Chen Sicheng had heavy screen time.

The brothers had all become his sedan-chair carriers.

Even later, screenwriter Li Yaling fell out with him and took him to court to reclaim her writing credit and the final payment.

But regardless, this hit drama became his stepping stone from actor to director and boss, and he also achieved a beautiful union with the lead actress Tong Liya, bringing the *Beijing Love Story* IP into his own pocket.

Riding this east wind, the Chen Sicheng couple, as shareholders, established Pinya Film and Television with Wanda, forming a deep bond.

The aforementioned Liu Haoran was promoted by them at this company; following the release of the *Beijing Love Story* film, Chen Sicheng began to carve out his share in the film industry.

For example, the *Detective Chinatown* series.

In 2005, Chen Sicheng was only slightly popular due to the early release of *Soldiers Sortie*, but at this point, he hadn't even entered Yanda Huayi; he could only be considered a small fry.

But a small fry full of ambition and purpose.

Facing his boyfriend's invitation, Tong Liya said somewhat awkwardly: "Inquiry Realm is quite good, don't talk nonsense, it won't be good if someone hears you."

"Inquiry Realm never engages in messy stuff; artists just focus on improving their acting, and the company thinks of you when there's a suitable role; I really like that."

Chen Sicheng sneered inwardly: Your boss is a lecherous ghost, and they don't engage in messy stuff?

Who are you trying to fool?

He felt a sense of alarm: Could his new girlfriend already be "second-hand"?

That Lu Kuan was a beast who wouldn't even spare an eighteen-year-old girl, right?!

Speak of Boss Lu, and Boss Lu arrives.

Director Shang Jing walked to the center of the set and clapped his hands: "Colleagues, everyone, quiet down."

"In a moment, Inquiry Realm's Boss Lu, who is also the newly minted Jin Xiong-winning director Lu Kuan, will come to visit the set."

He looked down at his phone: "He's already entered the scenic area; he should be here in 5 minutes."

"You are all excellent actors selected with his approval, so show some spirit, alright!"

Shen Teng and Ma Li exchanged a glance, joy appearing in their eyes.

When the Happy Twist troupe was acquired, Zhong Lifang was involved throughout; Boss Lu hadn't even shown his face.

To this day, the fledgling "Shen-Ma Duo" still didn't know the reason why they and their troupe were favored by Inquiry Realm.

But it was a good thing regardless; at least they had a performance opportunity in less than a month, and it was a prime-time drama on Travel TV.

Tong Liya also clenched her little fists: "Alright!"

She hadn't seen Lu Kuan since the last Inquiry Realm holding company establishment meeting; seeing this director of the same age again, he already had another trophy under his belt.

Chen Sicheng watched the beauty he hadn't yet touched reveal her little tiger teeth, hating him in his heart.

At this moment, he wasn't the rich second-generation Chen Sicheng from *Beijing Love Story*; he was the grassroots Zhang Yi.

"Sicheng, tidy yourself up, I'll introduce you to Director Lu in a bit, he's a very good person."

"You've even been in an Inquiry Realm production; maybe there's a chance to get in?"

Chen Sicheng tried his best to hide the jealousy and unwillingness in his heart: "Hehe, alright, I was just wanting to witness the demeanor of a great director."

Tong Liya didn't notice his strangeness, just couldn't help but urge him: "Perform well in a bit, maybe Director Lu will recognize your talent?"

What a joke! Do I need his recognition?

The two fists in Chen Sicheng's down jacket pockets were clenched tight, his knuckles turning white.

Through the cheering crowd, the young director, who seemed to come with his own background music, walked onto the set.

Shang Jing, nodding and bowing, was the first to greet him, gripping Boss Lu's hand tightly with both of his.

The banners hung around the set, reading "Welcome Jin Xiong Winner Director Lu Kuan to Inspect," fluttered in the wind, matching the excited crowd.

It had quite a feeling of "flowers blooming on brocade, oil fueling the fire."

A real man should be like this!

"Sicheng? Sicheng?"

Tong Liya gave her boyfriend's arm a hard nudge: "Stop spacing out, go say hello."

Like a leader comforting the grassroots, Boss Lu shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with everyone one by one.

"Shen Teng, right? Very handsome and spirited; I heard you're the heartthrob of the PLA Academy of Arts?"

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare, Brother Sha is still here!"

"Ma Li, not bad; this time you're playing a greedy female chef who loves to take small advantages, are you ready?"

"No problem, Director, please give me some guidance in a bit."

"Yan Ni, Sha Yi, you two are veteran actors; take good care of these young people who have just entered the industry."

"We'll learn from each other! Learn from each other!"

The questioner hit the nail on the head, and the respondent was humble and fluent, until it reached Tong Liya, where the tone changed slightly.

"Little Tong, how come your hands have frostbite? Is Beiping colder than your Beijiang?"

Tong Liya pulled her hands back, somewhat embarrassed.

She was too embarrassed to say that the washing machine in her rented apartment had broken recently, and her hands were frozen from hand-washing.

This term had strong connotations; in the entertainment industry, it had become a specific noun for someone, and she was afraid of causing her boss to misunderstand.

Chen Sicheng felt indignant, but remained enthusiastic on the surface: "Hello Director Lu, I'm Little Tong's friend, here to visit the set today, it's an honor to meet you!"

Tong Liya saw that her boyfriend didn't have his usual arrogance and felt relieved.

She thought about whether to ask Xixi to put in a good word for him and see if he could be squeezed into Inquiry Realm.

She felt Chen Sicheng was a very decent person; he hadn't even touched a finger of hers until now, and she felt at ease dating him.

Boss Lu shook hands with him, thinking to himself: How did this "Feng Kuzi the Second" appear ahead of schedule in this life, and why is he tangled up with Tong Liya again?

The bond is this deep?

Or is it that there really is a magnetic field between people?

"Not bad, not bad, what's your name?"

"Chen Sicheng, Chen Sicheng."

"Good, Little Chen, your appearance is fine, keep working hard, keep working hard."

Boss Lu casually brushed him off and walked to the side to gesture at the script and set design with Shang Jing.

Chen Sicheng's eyes turned cold, looking at the young director with a sinister expression.

Tong Liya gave her boyfriend a light nudge, and after walking away, said with some dissatisfaction: "What's with that expression?"

"I!"

"I'm several years older than him; is that how you call someone? Still 'Little Chen,' acting like he's some big shot, pfft!"

Chen Sicheng was triggered by Boss Lu's casual address, unable to hide his previous humble politeness any longer, and vented his emotions to Tong Liya in a low voice.

"You! Keep it down! If you can't handle it, just go back first, alright? Don't make things difficult for me?"

"That's the boss of Inquiry Realm, that's the director of the domestic film history box office champion, and he's someone who has helped me; can you not be like this?"

Tong Liya was almost crying with anxiety.

She didn't understand why the usually gentle, mature, and composed Chen Sicheng had to throw a tantrum today, and was so pointedly targeting her boss.

Where did this evil fire of yours come from?

She still didn't understand men, otherwise she wouldn't have mentioned Lu Kuan in her words earlier.

This was simply adding fuel to the fire for Chen Sicheng, who had an extremely strong competitive and jealous nature.

Of course, the current Chen Sicheng hadn't evolved into his complete form, otherwise he might have done the same thing as Yu Dong did back then.

Offering a woman.

It was late, and the crew wrapped up.

Boss Lu thoughtfully arranged for Hu Zi to give everyone red envelopes and invited the crew members to have dinner together.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was lively, but amidst the clinking of glasses, there was the bitter face of an entertainment industry newcomer.

Tong Liya looked at her phone, somewhat distracted.

She hadn't been able to persuade the tantrum-throwing Chen Sicheng to join the dinner, and watching him pace outside the Feilong scenic area hotel in the freezing weather, she felt a bit uneasy.

Why did it turn out like this?

She didn't feel she had done anything wrong, and she didn't feel her boss had done anything wrong; why did it have to be so unpleasant?

"Little Tong, you've been drinking today too?"

Tong Liya came back to her senses; Shang Jing and Lu Kuan happened to be making their rounds to her table.

"Ah, yes, Director Lu, we Beijiang girls can all drink a little."

Shen Teng chimed in: "What do you mean 'a little'! You drank me under the table the first time we met!"

Sha Yi, loving the drama, added: "Yaya, have a big drink with Director Lu! Win some face for our crew!"

"Change the glass! Change the glass!"

Boss Lu looked at the dimpled beauty he hadn't yet touched with a smile: "Drink as you like, just don't drink too much."

Tong Liya thought of her boyfriend suffering in the cold outside, wondering if she could please her boss so he might promote him, and hardened her heart to take the 5-tael glass.

"Boss Lu, you recruited me into Inquiry Realm, gave me so many resources, and trained me at Beidian; I'm grateful to you."

"I'll finish this glass, you drink as you like!"

"Good!"

"Well done!"

"A heroine of the drinking table!"

As the alcohol hit her sorrowful heart, Tong Liya choked up with tears, and Boss Lu handed her a tissue.

"Take it easy, don't drink too much."

After saying that, he finished his own drink, patted her shoulder, and walked away.

The scene that looked warm and harmonious to everyone present became a live broadcast of workplace sexual abuse foreplay in the eyes of Chen Sicheng outside the hotel.

Now it's drinking, what happens after drinking?

Is he going to send her home, is he going to...

"Bitch! Bitch!"

Chen Sicheng smashed his fist against the concrete wall, using his mortal flesh to strike a stone, instantly bleeding profusely.

The biting cold wind poured into the bleeding wound, but it wasn't as painful as what was in his heart.

Inside the glass wall, gentle laughter moved hearts; outside the glass wall, wind, frost, swords, and spears pressed in.

He felt a peerless loneliness, and a strong desire for revenge surged!

Chen Sicheng certainly didn't dare to confront Boss Lu directly, but tonight he had to win over Tong Liya!

Even if it was just a half-hearted fling and then breaking up, it wouldn't be a waste of his painstaking pursuit of her for so long!

He endured the pain, took out his phone, and dialed the number of Wang Baoqiang, a friend he had met during *Soldiers Sortie*.

At the copper hot pot restaurant near Beidian, Xue Xiaolu's crew was also organizing a dinner.

As long as they were working during the first lunar month, most crews would be quite polite in giving red envelopes and treating people to meals.

"Ah? Tianxiang Yayuan? Alright, go ahead and stay there; the key is in the fire hydrant at the entrance, look for it yourself."

Hu Ge held a chopstick of mutton in the pot: "Who is it?"

"Sicheng, said he's going to stay the night at the Tianxiang Yayuan that I bought with Brother Songwen."

Hu Ge played the rich second-generation A-Pai in *Bad Genius*, and Baoqiang guest-starred as his follower, also to utilize his hot popularity after *A World Without Thieves*.

Liu Yifei spoke up to remind him: "Old Hu, your mutton is going to be overcooked, hurry and fish it out."

Baoqiang laughed: "I still haven't figured out why this meat is called 'grinding gear,' it's really fresh."

"Don't you have the experience of your inner thighs being rubbed red when you practice martial arts? 'Grinding gear' is the meat from the inner thigh, the muscle fibers are fine, you can't blanch it for too long!"

Zhu Yawen laughed: "Xixi is really professional about food now!"

He was the genius Bank in *Bad Genius*.

"That's right! That cook Lu Kuan is now my cook too; I've started learning to cook recently!"

Master Qiao was officially hired by Little Liu, part-time.

An extra 5,000 yuan a month; anyway, the two courtyards were super close, so he just considered it extra pocket money.

Hu Ge fished out the meat and dipped it in the sesame sauce he still wasn't quite used to: "Why is Chen Sicheng looking for you?"

"Sigh! The house he rented is far from the Feilong Film and Television Base, said he'd just make do there for the night."

Zhu Yawen laughed: "Didn't Yaya say Boss Lu went to visit the set today? Maybe he wants to be extra polite to you and also wants to get into the company."

Hu Ge nodded: "Chen Sicheng has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, Baoqiang, keep an eye out."

Little Liu knew Lu Kuan went to visit the *My Own Swordsman* set, but she had a bit of an impression of this boyfriend of Tong Liya.

"This Chen Sicheng you're talking about, is he the guy who was pursuing Tong Liya a while ago?"

She remembered the past incident where Tong Liya was harassed outside South Beauty.

And from her experience of "catching Lu Kuan in the act" time and time again, she sensed something was wrong.

——

"Director Lu, did you drink well today?"

"Good, good, Teacher Shang, your drinking capacity is really something; this is the first time I've drunk too much recently!"

The two stood outside the door smoking; Shang Jing wore a duckbill cap and looked like he had a natural talent for comedy.

"Director Lu, the actors you picked are really good, it's just..."

"Hmm? Teacher Shang, speak your mind."

Shang Jing smiled bitterly: "It's just that Little Tong is a bit too pretty, I'm afraid it will affect the comedy effect."

"No, being pretty and being funny creates contrast; her skin is dark, you can make her makeup even darker."

"Isn't Guo Sister Furong a swordswoman? It's very reasonable for her face to be dark from practicing martial arts."

Letting Tong Liya act in comedy is, first, to train her acting; Zhou Xingchi, Fan Wei, and Zhao Benshan, who came from comedy, all have good acting skills.

Second, it's to nurture people with hit dramas; once there's traffic, it's easy to monetize.

"Eh, did she drink too much tonight? Where is she?"

Boss Lu made a call but couldn't get through, then called Hu Zi over: "Where is Tong Liya?"

"Seems like she was taken away by that boyfriend of hers."

"Oh, alright, then let's wrap up too."

Yan Ni wasn't just tipsy today; she was quite drunk, rushing over to grip Boss Lu's hand, her Shaanxi dialect popping out non-stop.

It sounded quite flavorful, but he didn't understand a single word.

Shen Teng and Ma Li also came over to say goodbye, and Boss Lu ended his afternoon inspection and happily returned home.

Driving past a bumpy dirt road in the scenic area, Lu Kuan saw a Hyundai Elantra crawling along the problematic section through the car window, seemingly afraid of scraping the chassis.

In the passenger seat was a woman waving her arms around, who was none other than the drunk Tong Liya.

"Pull over, kill the engine and lights ahead, follow this car in a bit."

"Yes."

The Elantra was in very new condition, still with temporary plates; after getting onto the main road, it sped along, and it was clear the owner was in a good mood.

Indeed in a good mood; Chen Sicheng in the driver's seat was already unable to control himself looking at the graceful Little Tong.

He just wanted to quickly take her back to Baoqiang's investment property to have his way with the great beauty, cook the raw rice into cooked rice, and she would be completely his from then on.

It didn't matter if they fell out; it was consensual, and he figured she wouldn't be able to say anything.

Yaya, don't blame me, it's you who didn't take me seriously, with your eyes always on your good boss!

It's already very good that I don't mind you being "second-hand"!

In his heart, Tong Liya had absolutely no way of escaping unscathed after being in Inquiry Realm for a year or two.

Chen Sicheng was already a bit obsessed; thinking of Lu Kuan's lecherous reputation outside, maybe he could rely on his girlfriend to climb up in the future?

Parking and killing the engine, Chen Sicheng even forgot to turn off the headlights, carrying the dead-drunk Tong Liya and climbing up to the fourth floor.

At this time, elevator apartments were still rare; Chen Sicheng puffed and panted as he climbed the stairs, the beauty on his body breathing like an orchid, and Chen Sicheng only felt his heart beating faster and faster.

Blood was now accelerating toward a certain part of his body.

"Key, key, fire hydrant, here!"

Chen Sicheng excitedly fumbled for a long time before opening the door to enter, turning on the lights and running to the bedroom.

The disheveled Tong Liya had been jolted the whole way, feeling a bit nauseous.

"Water... water..."

"Hehe, there's plenty of water, don't rush, you'll have it in a bit."

Outside in the stairwell stood two people.

"What now, Boss."

"Look for another key, otherwise just kick it open; this wooden door doesn't look very sturdy."

Hu Zi had just seen Chen Sicheng fumbling at the fire hydrant for a long time, so he immediately reached in, but came back empty-handed.

"I'll try with an ID card and a thin wire."

An old-fashioned wooden door, the lock was also very simple; the two didn't live here often, so there were no security measures.

Having mixed in the Xiangjiang underworld since childhood, Hu Zi easily picked the lock.

He signaled Boss Lu that he would go in first; as soon as he entered, he heard a carefree singing voice from the bathroom.

"Can we, can we meet again? I've begged before the Buddha for thousands of years."

Lu Kuan sneered inwardly: This little punk has quite a taste, singing a ringtone produced by Inquiry Realm while taking a shower.

He let Hu Zi stand guard outside and quietly leaned into the room, revealing a picture of a beauty lying drunk.

The Beijiang beauty's body curled up wantonly, a not-so-startling but enchanting and plump curve on her chest.

Boss Lu leaned in to appreciate and evaluate; Tong Liya's long, black, satin-like hair was spread out, her red lips parted, still murmuring about being thirsty.

She was currently in a half-drunk, half-awake state, her deep, bright eyes covered with a thin layer of mist, swirling with infinite drunkenness and temptation.

"Boss Lu... Boss Lu..."

Tong Liya opened her eyes in a daze, thinking she was dreaming; how could she be lying on the bed with Lu Kuan standing in front of her?

Boss Lu was also a lecherous ghost, feeling a bit impulsive, but the occasion and timing were indeed not quite right, so he immediately prepared to turn and leave.

Solve Chen Sicheng first, then talk.

Tong Liya on the bed sat up in shock from her dream; the man's ape-back and bee-waist as he turned made her feel inexplicably familiar, and she suddenly climbed up and hugged him around the waist from behind.

"Boss Lu, I like you... I like you so much... but I can't..."

"I promised Xixi, she treats me so well, woo woo... I feel so uncomfortable."

Liu Yifei, I didn't let you down; thinking about it in a dream shouldn't count as a mistake, right?

The first time they met, she watched the foul-smelling Yu Dong being scolded by him until he was sweating, and he magnanimously let her go home.

The second time they met was in the waiting room for the Spring Festival Gala rehearsal, where he helped her resolve the sexual harassment from Huang Dingyu of the Central Academy of Drama.

She looked forward to every big company meeting, hoping to sit somewhere closer to him.

Sometimes she could see him arranging work with ease, sometimes she could see him pointing out the way for his subordinates.

Looking at that sharp-angled side profile, she felt a hidden sense of inferiority in her heart; perhaps only a heaven-favored girl like Liu Yifei was qualified to tell him she liked him?

It would be enough if she just silently improved her acting and lived up to the company's and his cultivation.

It was just that the life of a drifter in Beiping was too hard to endure, and Chen Sicheng's years of offensive made her unable to parry.

Thinking of her boyfriend, Tong Liya pulled her hand back like she had been electrocuted.

She felt dizzy, almost unable to distinguish between dream and reality; the touch of the hug just now was so real.

"Lu Kuan, what are you doing?!"

"Director Lu? Holy crap."

Tong Liya woke up with a start: How did I hear Xixi's voice?

Looking again, Liu Yifei stood before the bedroom door with eyes about to split, and Wang Baoqiang, Hu Ge, and the others behind her retreated one after another after taking a look.

"I!"

Even though Boss Lu was full of tricks and silver-tongued, he couldn't think of any excuse to deceive her for a moment.

That's not right?

I didn't do anything, what am I trying to lie about?

Seeing Liu Yifei turn and leave hatefully, Boss Lu greeted Hu Zi and hurriedly chased after her.

Trouble, trouble, the post-marriage "catching in the act" event has been previewed.

"Control that Chen Sicheng."

"You guys, help Tong Liya get some water, let her sober up a bit."

Until Boss Lu flew out the door to chase the girl, Baoqiang, Hu Ge, and the others in the room hadn't reacted yet.

Director Lu...

He is a Berlin Film Festival Best Actor; everyone couldn't tell for a moment whether he really did it, or if he really did it.

Chen Sicheng in the bathroom had long heard the noise, hastily putting on his clothes and wanting to break out and escape.

Hu Zi waited for the rabbit, kicking him in the lower back; the attempted beast collapsed to the ground, crying out in pain.

"Call the police?"

Hu Ge was relatively calm: "Can't report it, otherwise Yaya's reputation will be ruined."

"Baoqiang, you close the door first, control him and wait for Director Lu to come back."

Zhu Yawen walked out of the bedroom: "She's awake, just drank too much, it's fine."

Tong Liya walked out, somewhat embarrassed, looking at Chen Sicheng's miserable appearance, and after everyone explained, her face turned deathly pale.

Almost...

Thinking again that she had shamelessly expressed her love to her boss, a blush flew across her pretty face.

Things were fine here, but the man chasing the woman outside wasn't going so smoothly.

When a woman is angry, she automatically gains a speed bonus and enters an untargetable state.

Like Liu Yifei now, carrying a small bag, her two long legs swinging wildly; Boss Lu tried to grab her arm several times but was shaken off.

Adding a buff is just broken.

Seeing they were about to walk out of the dim residential area to the main road, if they were photographed, it would be impossible to clear his name.

Lu Kuan didn't care about her anger anymore, dragging Liu Yifei by the waist and stuffing her into the Land Cruiser despite her constant struggling.

"Beep beep," locking the car.

"No, can you listen to my explanation?"

"Let me out of the car!"

Liu Yifei swung her two fists at Boss Lu.

Clearly, the attack speed bonus was still there, and it even had an armor-piercing effect, almost making the drunk Berlin Best Actor vomit.

Lu Kuan had no choice but to hold her tightly in his arms.

As everyone knows, if you can't pull your fist back, you can't hit.

Little Liu really had strength, and this time she was truly furious, struggling in his arms like a hog trying to escape its fate of being slaughtered.

She suddenly raised her head; their eyes and noses were almost at zero distance, and she could even smell the alcohol on the man.

"Lu Kuan, I can understand you being a playboy, but how could you do such a pig-and-dog-like thing!"

"Taking advantage of her being drunk, you..."

Liu Yifei turned her head away in disappointment: "Let me go, I'm not going to mess with you anymore, I don't want to see you again."

Streetlights reflected in from the car window; from this angle, he could see her straight, perky nose, and crystal tears falling down her cheeks.

"Your acting is bad; didn't you hear Qiong Yao say? Tears have to fall one by one."

The little girl was shocked that this shameless thing was still teasing her: "You!"

"Woo woo woo, why did you do this... I'm almost an adult, why did you have to... woo woo woo."

Liu Yifei cried more sadly as she spoke, sobbing uncontrollably.

Boss Lu looked at her helplessly: "How about this, they have already controlled Chen Sicheng; you call now and ask, I won't say a word, to avoid collusion, alright?"

Liu Yifei suddenly realized: That's right! What about Chen Sicheng?

She had just put her whole heart on Lu Kuan, and her heart died on Lu Kuan, almost forgetting the reason why her group had rushed over.

Several people sensed something was wrong at the dinner, and Liu Yifei dialed Tong Liya's phone several times with no answer, so she went straight to the residential area.

Wang Baoqiang had the key, opened the door directly, and witnessed the scene of Tong Liya throwing herself into his arms in her dream.

"Besides, you just saw it too, I was facing the door to go out, she hugged me from behind, I'm very innocent too, right?"

The Berlin Best Actor had a small burst of acting, his sincere eyes telling of his helplessness.

Liu Yifei's lingering anger remained, and she elbowed him in the chest; Boss Lu let out a miserable cry.

She took out her phone and dialed Wang Baoqiang's number.

"Hello? Xixi?"

"What happened just now? Let Tong Liya answer the phone."

Tong Liya explained things clearly with a guilty conscience, and also conveniently forgot to mention her bold actions in her wet dream.

Liu Yifei carefully combined the statements of the others and the suspect, only then hanging up the phone suspiciously.

"It really wasn't you?"

"Of course it wasn't me! I'm a decent person!"

Boss Lu looked at the girl in his arms sincerely: "I have already accepted your advice from last time, and now I am very clean and self-disciplined."

"Then why don't you let me go? Stinky hands!"

"Hehe, alright."

Little Liu is quite comfortable to hold, not worse than Fan Bingbing's soft flesh.

It's just that she's like a little chili pepper now, using iron elbows at every turn, which hurts like hell.

Boss Lu suddenly captured a key piece of information he had just heard.

"You just said you were eighteen, so what?"

"Nothing, none of your business."

"Open the door, I want to get out and see her."

In the past, Lu Kuan wouldn't have doubted the truth of this, but the current Liu Yifei...

She's probably going to interrogate the "criminal suspect," and this is another criminal suspect.

Liu Yifei put on sunglasses in the car and walked fully armed toward Wang Baoqiang's house; her determined back made Boss Lu feel a burst of lingering fear.

Fortunately, he came to be a good person today, not a groom.

If she had a weapon in her hand just now, and he was in the middle of "tossing and turning," wouldn't he have died on the spot?

Tianxiang Yayuan Building 12, 403, the ajar door was kicked open, bringing up a puff of light smoke.

No one had lived there for a long time, dusty.

Zhu Yawen, Hu Ge, and Wang Baoqiang looked with different expressions at Liu Yifei, who broke in with a blank face, glanced at the people in the living room, and walked straight to the bedroom.

Wang Baoqiang looked at the creaking wooden door that was still shaking and didn't dare to speak, just feeling heartache for no reason.

"Telling you not to do bad things! You caused my house to be ruined!"

Chen Sicheng was slapped on the forehead by him, selling his misery: "Baoqiang, we're brothers, just let me go, you really misunderstood!"

Hu Zi hung up the phone and walked in from outside: "Boss ordered, let him write a confession letter, press his fingerprint, hold it in his hand and take another video, then let him go."

The cold-faced bodyguard then said to Chen Sicheng: "We won't pursue your responsibility this time, behave yourself in the future, don't ever think about making an issue of this, otherwise..."

"I won't! I won't!"

Boss Lu outside the residential unit smoked a cigarette, thinking about the strangeness of today's events, going through it from beginning to end without finding any problems.

But how did Liu Yifei happen to bump into it so coincidentally?

Including the last time he flew back to Beiping from Los Angeles, she came to the door to mooch a meal early on?

Tonight's coincidence was a real coincidence, but the last coincidence was an artificial coincidence.

In the distance, the engine sound of the Elantra Chen Sicheng drove sounded, and the small fry who failed in his attempt slipped away.

In later life, he participated in the screenwriting of *Beijing Love Story* based on the experience of his close friend Li Chen.

I don't know if he will write this story similar to Haizao and Song Siming in *Dwelling Narrowness* based on tonight's experience.

Not long after, Hu Zi sent the three Inquiry Realm artists downstairs to leave; everyone was very sensible and didn't ask where the boss was.

It was indeed a little awkward just now.

"Where is Liu Yifei?"

"She's talking to Tong Liya in the room, hasn't come out yet."

Boss Lu felt sweat on his forehead.

It wasn't because he had anything with Tong Liya, but because the current Little Liu's combat power was unexpectedly strong, and he had some ominous expectations.

Baoqiang's 4,500-per-square-meter bedroom had now become a temporary interrogation room.

Tong Liya sat on the edge of the bed, Liu Yifei sat on a chair, half a head taller than her.

In movies, this kind of composition is usually used to hint to the audience about the status difference between the two, and it is the same in life.

"Tong Liya! You really live up to me!"

Liu Yifei looked unhappy, forcing the Beijiang girl in front of her with every word.

"Xixi, it was really a misunderstanding just now, I drank too much..."

"Don't call me Xixi!"

"I treated you as a best friend, helped you find someone to solve Huang Dingyu's harassment, and remembered to bring you a gift when I came back from Paris; and you?!"

Liu Yifei stood up and walked in front of her, creating pressure with the height difference, hoping to give her greater psychological pressure.

On one hand, she carefully observed her clothes, which seemed to be relatively normal.

Tong Liya was driven to a mental breakdown by her questioning and grabbed her hand: "Really! You heard Chen Sicheng's words just now."

"Director Lu, like you, discovered something was wrong and came to save me; it's really not what you saw!"

Little Liu sneered: "I saw it, and I heard it; you can't deny these, right?"

"Don't say it's because you drank too much."

"Saying you did the wrong thing because you drank too much is better described as doing it on purpose while drinking too much!"

Tong Liya's face turned pale; the ugly state just now was indeed seen by someone, and it was the best friend who had helped her.

"Xixi, I'm sorry..."

"I admit, I have a good impression of Director Lu, but I really didn't have any intentions."

She took out her phone: "If you don't believe me, look at my phone; except for company meetings, I almost never see him..."

"Maybe you won't believe it if I say it, but just now I thought I was dreaming, woo woo woo..."

The Beijiang beauty couldn't control her sobbing anymore, feelings of shame and inferiority filling her heart.

From the angle Liu Yifei was standing, Tong Liya's slender neck was faintly pink from the tipsiness, looking even more elegant and slender.

Such a beauty who makes one feel pity will sooner or later be a disaster.

"Can I continue to trust you?"

Tong Liya looked up in surprise: "Of course!"

"Then get ready, find a chance to leave Inquiry Realm."

"This?!"

Giving two slaps and a honey date, Little Liu squatted down and held her hand: "I also have a studio; when the time is ripe, I will ask Lu Kuan for you."

"Don't worry about development issues; I won't harm you; Siwei will make a detailed development plan for you."

Seeing her hesitation, Liu Yifei wanted to learn from Lu Kuan and threaten her with a villainous face, but thought better of it.

She left the room feeling a bit listless.

What sin did she have?

Just silently liking someone, and being too inferior to ever speak up or show it.

If this counts as a sin, then can she be sentenced to life imprisonment?

Stepping down the stairs in her little leather boots, Liu Yifei felt inexplicably sad for her own kind.

What's the difference between me and her?

Maybe it's just that I'm more profitable and valuable to Lu Kuan?

Under the dim residential streetlights, that familiar figure was still puffing smoke, and Little Liu walked over silently.

"Did you clear it up?"

"Hmm."

Boss Lu laughed: "I said it had nothing to do with me, right?"

"It has nothing to do with me either."

Liu Yifei retorted blankly and walked toward the residential area entrance on her own.

"Don't pull me? I said it has nothing to do with me!"

Lu Kuan looked at her young lady temper acting up again with amusement, speaking softly: "Why say it like that?"

Little Liu hated his lazy attitude toward her the most and wanted to hit him with her fist!

Once bitten, twice shy; Boss Lu continued to hold her in his arms to stop the little girl's "violence."

Liu Yifei's two arms were held up in front of her chest, leaving some distance between them, and she looked at him coldly again.

"I saw a sentence in a book."

"In the past, money was used, and people were loved."

"The reason this world is so terrible is that the order has been reversed."

"Now money is loved, and people are used."

Liu Yifei said it with some bitterness and grievance, her nasal voice heavier.

"Two years ago, when you had a showdown with Cheng Jingfei at Red Star Dock, I never forgot the words you said to him, and I didn't dare to think about them again."

"It's not that I don't know how realistic the entertainment industry is, but I always feel that you are different to me."

"I don't believe you are just simply using me; I don't believe you don't have any feelings for me."

Boss Lu was unable to parry her direct hit, unable to defend himself, and speechless.

If things were fine on the surface, he could always play dumb and play tai chi, and no one would force anyone to make a vow.

But since the beginning of the year, Liu Yifei, who was about to turn eighteen, clearly had a trend of slipping out of control, starting to intervene in him with absolute confidence.

The key is that her sincere heart made Boss Lu unable to be hypocritical.

People are emotional animals, more or less.

Three years, watching her change from an ignorant and innocent bun-faced girl beside him to a graceful willow branch.

That night, watching her sit alone in front of the computer being hit by black material, that trace of heartache couldn't be faked.

He asked himself if he had Liu Yifei in the bag; he would never allow others to touch her from inside out.

But to let a former PR company boss who was used to being carefree give up the whole forest and focus on talking about pure love with a little girl.

It also made him feel inexplicably ridiculous.

"The operation of this world... maybe it's not quite the same as you imagine."

"When you have more life experience, perhaps you can understand more."

The Berlin Best Actor avoided the important and dwelt on the trivial, talking about other things.

In all fairness, being able to force the fox-like Lu Kuan to this point, Liu Yifei had already made many of his enemies feel ashamed.

The so-called "direct heart is the dojo"; her personality was to hit a direct ball with a heavy sword without a sharp edge, making Lu Kuan's various ghostly tricks have nowhere to hide.

Sincerity is the eternal ultimate move.

Little Liu didn't let him send her off, fully armed herself, and took a taxi back.

Before leaving, she gave him a look for him to figure out himself.

Previously, after the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles, she had already shown her cards and given her deadline.

August 25, 2005.

Tonight was just another advance by borrowing the topic.

Compromise is occasional, struggle is the norm, and persistence is victory.

Put into the revolutionary period, Liu Yifei would at least be a communist female warrior with a tenacious personality.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 256 =====