Chapter 116: Yun Na’s Underhanded Ways
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
That woman called Yun Shishi is rather capable!
But so what? It is more fun to play with a woman who used to be the boss’s favorite. Besides, Mu Yazhe won’t be that much interested in a newbie with no decent background.
The entertainment industry has no lack of beauties. With his status, he can have anyone he wants.
It doesn’t sound so bad to go after a woman whom Mu Yazhe has fooled around before.
With this plot in mind, he furiously crushed the paper with Yun Shishi’s information using his fist. His evil thoughts were interrupted by a coy voice beside him.
“Hello, how – how are you doing? May I ask if you are Director He Lingxiang?”
He turned around and saw a bare-faced Yun Na speaking to him.
Having removed her makeup, she actually looked way cleaner than before.
Her face was still swelling slightly, but it did not diminish her beauty.
Yun Na’s seductive and devilish beauty was different from Yun Shishi’s pure and innocent splendor. The former was the kind of vixen that enchanted emperors in ancient times. She would be able to make the cut if she were to act the character of Daji1.
She was petite unlike the slender and tall Yun Shishi. Her shy and timid expression complemented her small, pale, and clean face; she came across as vulnerable.
She unwittingly fit He Lingxiang’s pitch!
He recently took a liking to such type of beauty, so he was immediately attracted by her.
Seeing him staring at her, she knew she had gotten him interested. Not many men could resist her charm – even a veteran like He Lingxiang with his filthy mind.
“Director He, my name is Yun Na. I graduated from an arts school. I’ve looked up to you and your talent. Oh, I greatly admired the film you directed last year called ‘Blood Roses’; I still consider it as the best film.”
‘Blood Roses’?
That was a half-assed production with a bad script that received bad reviews. How could she consider that rotten movie as a great film? He realized what she was after with her flattery.
Yun Na was not from the entertainment industry, so she did not know of his disgusting deeds and the troubles she would be getting into with her action now. She only knew that he held some reputation within the circle.
He Lingxiang would not reject women who threw themselves at him. Besides, he was deeply humiliated by the incident that had happened earlier and needed an outlet to vent.
He came close to her intimately, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her to his chest. Hiding behind the shady trees, he groped her breasts as he nibbled on her ear.
“Ahh...” Pretending to be alarmed and scared, Yun Na feebly attempted to push him away like a frightened little rabbit. “Director He, what are you – you...”
Her body had a faint aroma that got him more aroused. It looks like this girl is still a chick.
He Lingxiang was not the kind to accept all women without filter. Fortunately, Yun Na satisfied his criteria.
“Didn’t you just say you admire me?” He decided to be direct with her. “You purposely sought me with those intended flatteries. Others would think I have ulterior motive if they heard what you had just told me.”
Yun Na got his meaning. With their aroused bodies so close together, the intention was evident to both!
She was of course a little scared. The entertainment industry was messy and dangerous, after all. However, she was filled with loathing at the thought of Yun Shishi passing the audition and getting the coveted role. How proud and glamorous that woman would be thereafter?
Her jealousy was like a poisonous tree taking root in her heart. She would do anything for it.
“Director He, it’s not convenient here. Why don’t... we change location?” she suggested with an alluring smile.
“Great!” He had been waiting for this.
1. ‘Daji’ character in Chinese literature refers to the legendary beautiful and wanton concubine who eventually led Emperor Xin to his downfall.
Chapter 117: Intense Exchanges
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Huanyu Tower.
By the window, a man stood tall and upright; his deep-set eyes, proud and distant, gazed at the tall buildings outside the window.
Earlier, the board of directors had a heated argument over the female lead role for the ‘The Green Apple’ movie.
The female lead had already been decided internally. The nationwide audition was just a publicity stunt as a warm-up to the eventual release.
Lin Fengtian was absent from the board meeting, yet he made his stance clear over the phone.
He expressed his support for Yun Shishi, a newbie with superior qualities, and wanted her to play the lead role.
All the investors and producers were thoroughly upset by this and unanimously voted against it.
The role had already been set for Lu Jingtian. How could an unknown newbie come out of nowhere and enchant Lin Fengtian into selecting her?
When Lin Fengtian heard that Lu Jingtian had been selected internally, he announced his decision not to direct the show unless the female lead was Yun Shishi. The art film he wanted to direct had been reduced to shambles, and that antagonized him into making such a bold declaration.
The lead director’s threat to resign from production stunned the collective directors, and they proceeded to apologize and ask for his forgiveness.
This might be a good script, but, without Lin Fengtian, this film would be nothing.
The movie would lose half its appeal without him.
Hence, the meeting ended badly.
Lu Jingtian was also present during Yun Shishi’s audition. That breathtaking scene was still vivid in her mind, which made her all the more jealous and envious.
That Yun Shishi successfully portrayed the innocence and beauty of Yin Xiachun with her near-perfect acting. Lu Jingtian was initially satisfied with her performance at the audition, but when she saw Yun Shishi’s, she knew she could have done better.
The crying scene she had performed at the audition was overly exaggerated.
“Hmph! She is so opportunistic!” Lu Jingtian commented resentfully. Looking imploringly at Mu Yazhe, she whined, “Brother Mu, you’ll let Jingtian have this role, won’t you?”
Mu Yazhe glanced briefly at her without a word.
She held tightly onto his arm with much coyness. “Brother Mu, Jingtian really likes this novel. It is Jingtian’s biggest dream to act the character of Yin Xiachun! It is Jingtian’s little wish, so you’ll agree, right?”
Mu Yazhe deftly removed his arm from her embrace. In a calm and cool voice, he said, “Jingtian, I give in to you because that’s what your grandpa wants. You know very well that I’m impartial when it comes to business. This may be an investment by Huanyu, but I don’t interfere with role selection.”
“Brother Mu...” Her face turned red. This was the first time he had refused her.
She knew that the role selection was decided by directors, but this was hardly the case in the current entertainment industry!
It was normal for a director to have limited power over the selection of actors and actresses. Even for acclaimed directors like Lin Fengtian, they had to take into consideration the investors’ requirements. Huanyu Entertainment was the biggest investor in this film, so the company would have its fair share of deciding power.
Mu Yazhe returned to his desk and coolly said, “You are not a child anymore. You can’t get your way all the time.”
“Brother Mu!”
“Go,” he commanded impatiently.
Lu Jingtian knew not to test his patience and dared not insist. She moodily took her leave.
Not long after, Aaron knocked on door and walked into the office.
“Director Mu.”
Mu Yazhe leaned on the office seat; his eyes on Aaron were sharp and penetrating.
For some reason, his penetrating gaze greatly disturbed Aaron!
Chapter 118: The Bonds Within
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Aaron did not know why the deep-eyes looking at him made his heart tremble!
He suddenly felt a little uneasy. His guilty conscience rendered him incapable of lifting his head.
The man before him was standing at the pinnacle of power; he could control everything with just a wave of his hand. His innate majestic aura made people fearful of him.
He dared betray this frightening man...
Even now, Aaron was still in a state of shock. If the boss found out that he had fiddled with that report, he would certainly be personally dealt with by him.
Just when he was thinking of this, Mu Yazhe raised his eyes and said, “Aaron.”
“Yes...”
With an ambiguous smile, the man asked, “How long have you been with me?”
“Boss, I’ve been with you for four years,” Aaron submissively replied with lowered eyes.
Mu Yazhe continued emotionlessly, “I set my eyes on you back then because of your outstanding abilities. You said you won’t disappoint me.”
“Yes. Boss personally nurtured me, so I’ll remain loyal to you for the rest of my life.”
Mu Yazhe nodded. With an unfathomable expression, he raised his hand with a photo clipped between his fingers.
Aaron retrieved the photo carefully. In it was the side profile of a child carrying a small bag and exiting the gates of a kindergarten.
Although it was taken from afar, regardless of the angle or the resolution of the photo, the child’s facial features could be completely and clearly seen.
The child in the photo was the spitting image of Mu Yichen.
Be it their appearance or their facial features – even the mannerisms they had – the two children seemed to be cast from the same mould.
Could two of the same leaves in this world exist without a connection?
This photo was captured by a private investigator under Mu Sheng’s order. When the old man received the photo, he bristled with anger and barged into Mu Yazhe’s office. Pointing his finger at him, he fumed, “You bastard! You have an illegitimate child?! Are you trying to piss me off? No wonder you keep refusing to marry Rou’er. Do you have an affair with another woman out there?!”
Mu Yazhe was also overwhelmed when he saw the photo. It was understandable why Grandpa Mu had fumed like that. The child looked too similar to him.
Those eyebrows were especially a perfect replica of his.
Family bloodline was something magical – it was something that could not escape anyone’s eyes.
The child was undoubtedly his flesh and blood. He felt that there was no need to resort to other verification methods.
There was a magical connection between father and son, and it was something difficult to explain. It was a bond from within.
The child was hidden from him by that woman for over six years.
What was she scheming?
Could she be greedy for riches and wanted to make use of his child to marry into a wealthy family?
She did not seem to be that kind of woman, though.
Mu Yazhe had had Aaron investigate that woman. The report he had given him mentioned nothing about this – unless someone tampered with it.
Who could it be?
Thus, he began to suspect his personal assistant.
Could his personal assistant, who was closest to him, hold a spark of infidelity?
As Mu Yazhe questioningly looked at him, Aaron felt chills down his spine.
He knew of his boss’s ruthless tactics.
He dared not imagine what would happen to him if the man discovered his betrayal.
“Aaron, I’m giving you another chance. Give me a satisfactory answer.”
He stared, with unreadable eyes, at his right-hand man and said slowly, “Continue investigating that child.”
Chapter 119: Panic
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
As Aaron left the office with an uneasy feeling, he met Mu Wanrou at the door by chance.
He had no idea how long she had been standing outside and as to what extent she had overheard their conversation. At this moment, the pallor of her skin was extremely terrible.
Stunned, his expression slightly faltered and he exclaimed in shock, “Madam!”
“Shut up!” Mu Wanrou immediately stared daggers at him. She stepped forward, covered his mouth, and then pushed him into the assistant’s office before swiftly locking the door from the inside.
Bang!
At a loss, Aaron stood rooted to the spot. Mu Wanrou was trembling from head to toe. She leaned on the door and let her body slide down helplessly, looking as if she had plunged herself into great fright and distress.
“Madam, are you alright?” he looked at her with worry.
At present, she appeared to have lost her composure. Her face was ghastly pale, just like a white sheet of paper.
“He... What did he say to you? Did you tell him?” She asked, as he fixed her gaze on him. She appeared to be in a situation where she was on the verge of drowning.
“Boss requested me... to look into Yun Shishi’s identity again and get every piece of information about her no matter how trivial it is. I have to re-examine everything... including that child.”
When Aaron ended his words, he observed that Mu Wanrou’s expression had worsened.
“NO!” Her eyes were stricken. “You will destroy me if you do that!”
He took in a breath of cold air with some complicated feelings resonating in his chest.
“I can’t betray the boss again.” He showed a pained expression, his good-looking face contorting. “I’ve already betrayed him once...”
“If you keep mum, how will he know?” She sounded as if she were trying to survive from drowning by grasping at the last straws. She was so frightened that her voice shook.
“If that child were really boss’s flesh and blood, wouldn’t it be good to investigate thoroughly?”
“NO!”
“Why?” he asked with confusion.
She, of course, could not give a reason why.
Why? If Yun Tianyou’s identity were to be discovered, he would be treated as one of the future heirs to the Mu Group, and he would be taken back into the Mu family.
Benefitting from her son, the woman would rise in status. She was the surrogate chosen by Grandpa Mu. She was outstanding, and the scarier thing was that she had given birth to two sons for the Mu family.
In contrast, being infertile from birth, she was unable to deliver any children for the Mu family, and her position as the young mistress was not sturdy.
The world of the rich was profound and difficult to navigate through. If one did not have any children, they would be unable to stabilize their position in the family.
She currently had influence in the Mu family because Grandpa Mu adored her.
However, no matter how hard she tried, she could not enter Mu Yazhe’s heart.
He agreed to marry her only because it was Grandpa Mu’s order – something that he could not defy.
However, Grandpa Mu’s physical condition was deteriorating with every passing year. To live a more relaxed life at an old age, the authority in Disheng Financial Group slowly shifted into the hands of Mu Yazhe.
What if... Mu Sheng were gone? Would she still have any place left in the Mu family?
Would she be kicked out of the family?
When that time came, Yun Shishi would ascend in the position because of her son – this was not something impossible.
The scariest thing was... If Grandpa Mu knew of Yun Tianyou’s identity, he would surely make him acknowledge himself as part of the Mu family.
Based on his usual actions, he would certainly have someone conduct a thorough investigation on Yun Shishi.
If that incident from a decade was dug out, if Mu Sheng discovered that she was the one who snatched Yun Shishi’s jade away and pretended to be her for over ten years, what would become of her?
She shuddered at the thought of this.
“Don’t dig into this. If you do that... I will be destroyed!”
Mu Wanrou covered her face and wept helplessly. She was weeping beautifully on the surface, but she was cursing herself bitterly on the inside.
Damn it... She was too slow to act!
Chapter 120: By Hook or by Crook
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Damn it... She was too slow to act!
That Yun Shishi was a b*tch! A damn b*tch! Why was it her? Why was it her of all people?!
Were the riches and luxury within her fingertips going to be snatched away before her eyes?
Aaron gazed at her pitiful appearance, and his heart squeezed with pain, as though it was being shredded to pieces.
No man could resist a weak and helpless woman.
“Aaron, help me...” Mu Wanrou pleaded. Looking fragile and weak, she leaned on his chest and her hot tears made his clothes wet. “I can’t let that child return to the Mu family! Aaron, I know you like me. This is the last time; won’t you help me, please?”
Mu Wanrou spoke in a tearful voice, each of her words hitting his heart hard.
His heart skipped a beat. He looked at her in disbelief.
She actually knew?
She was his university coursemate for four years. Her tenderness, beauty, pride, and confidence were the most beautiful things he had always yearned to see.
He loved her from the bottom of his heart, but he had never once let it show.
This was because, from the very start, he had always known that she was an unattainable dream in this life.
He was so insignificant he did not dare confess to her; he was contented with just observing her from afar.
After graduation, he entered Disheng Financial Group and became Mu Yazhe’s personal assistant. Only then did he realize that the man in her heart was like a god.
“Wanrou, I...”
“Just this once. This is the very last time. If you promise to help me, I will do anything you request of me in future,” she begged earnestly once more.
From his furrowed brows, one could tell that he was struggling inside.
Mu Wanrou gritted her teeth. Her hands latched onto his shoulders. She tiptoed and pressed her lips onto his.
Shocked, Aaron’s body became as stiff as stone.
Her lips onto his, she asked with a hint of seduction, “Is... Is this enough?”
“Wanrou...”
“Don’t speak. Hold me.” She smacked his lips with hers again. Her seaweed-like hair was tangled in a mess as she leaned her seductive figure onto his chest.
Mu Wanrou’s dainty frame stretched out enchantingly; it was extremely fascinating and charming. On a regular basis, she cared for her body exceedingly. She was blessed with good looks and a hot body. A normal man’s heart would thump erratically just by looking at her.
Aaron was unable to resist her sweet poison any longer and completely fell into her deadly yet gentle trap.
He let himself go and indulge. Closing his eyes and following his heart, he clutched her shoulders and went down along her back.
An inappropriate scene secretly played out in the assistant’s office.
What the two in indulgence did not know was that a mini pinhole camera was in a hidden corner of the ceiling...
...
Gu Xingze sent Yun Shishi home later that evening.
Knowing that she did not own a proper dress for tomorrow’s party, he spent a huge sum to gift her one. She was embarrassed to accept it at first, but he smiled at her and told her that she was treating him too much like an outsider.
“Silly girl. Tomorrow is a party breaking new grounds for Huanyu Entertainment. Many first-class producers and directors from movie festivals will be there. Don’t tell me that you, as my female partner, will be in a school uniform at the venue?”
Her wits were muddled by his words.
“Alright. Don’t stand on ceremony with me. If you succeed in signing the contract, just remember to treat me to a meal!” He presented her with a condition.
She readily agreed.
Erm... It was not like she could not afford to treat him to a 6-yuan Mala hotpot!
Before leaving, he suddenly planted a soft kiss on her forehead. “Yun Shishi, good luck.”