Chapter 134: My Affairs Are None of Your Concern

The young woman was none other than Lin Yufei.

Last weekend, Lin Yufei and her sister had been targeted by a group of people from the entertainment industry at the Chanel boutique. Hong Chen had clashed with them as a result. Only a few days had passed, and yet here she was on a film set; it didn’t take much thought to figure out what had happened.

She must have exchanged contact information with them at the time. Most likely, they had reached out to her, though it was possible she had initiated it. Regardless, the woman hadn't been able to resist the lure of stardom and had stepped into the entertainment world.

During dinner on that shopping day, Hong Chen had been very blunt about the industry being a murky place, full of sharks and fame-seekers where, aside from vanity, there was nothing of substance. He hadn't meant that it was impossible for a grassroots newcomer to make it, but the odds were astronomically low, and even if one succeeded, the cost was often steep. In the eyes of the world, that "steep cost" often meant moral degradation, or even being dragged into the gray underbelly of society.

At the time, Lin Yufei had rattled off a long list of celebrity scandals as counter-examples, swearing that she understood all these risks and would never get involved.

The scene before him proved clearly that he had been played for a fool.

A flare of unnamable anger rose in Hong Chen’s chest, but he did not lash out immediately. He watched patiently. After a line of women bowed, the man in the brocade robe offered a fawning smile to a wealthy-looking, pot-bellied, and rather lecherous-looking young man standing nearby. "Young Master, these are the beauties sent from the south. I intend to send them into the palace in a few days..."

The young man gestured at him with a knowing smile. His gaze swept back and forth, and he pointed at two of the women. Lin Yufei happened to be one of them.

Then, the man in the brocade robe waved his sleeves to dismiss the others. Lin Yufei and the other chosen woman walked up the steps into the ancient pavilion. The man in the brocade robe gave them a wink, and the two women moved closer to the young man. A wicked grin played on the young man’s lips as he unabashedly stretched out his arms and pulled both women into his embrace.

Next, the women began to preen and flirt, feeding the young man wine and grapes. The man in the brocade robe watched with a grin, occasionally offering a toast...

"Cut!" The scene lasted for two minutes before the call to stop finally ended it.

"Lin Yufei!" A sudden shout cut through the air. Everyone turned to look as a boat drifted in from the lake...

Inside the pavilion, Lin Yufei turned at the sound. Seeing Hong Chen on the boat, a flash of panic crossed her face. She jumped out of the young man’s arms as if electrocuted, bit her lip, and hurried out of the pavilion, descending the steps to meet him.

Reaching the shore, she looked at the approaching boat and then at Hong Chen’s gloomy expression. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Hong Chen, leave now. We’ll talk later."

"Get on the boat," Hong Chen said. "I have something to say to you."

Lin Yufei shook her head. "I’m busy right now. I’ll contact you when I’m done."

Seeing the plea on her face, Hong Chen remained unmoved. He increased his rowing force. As the bow bumped against the stone embankment, he said in a low, cold voice, "Get on!"

"Talk later"—it was clearly just an attempt to bury her head in the sand. Hong Chen knew she was afraid he would cause a scene in public, which would put her in an awkward position. If they were at school, he might have given her the benefit of the doubt, as that was her own social circle. But here? There was no need.

Lin Yufei’s small hands clutched the hem of her skirt. Her face was a mask of internal struggle, but her feet didn't move. Hong Chen lost his patience. His eyes darkened, and he demanded, "What are you thinking? Are you going to keep doing this tomorrow after you finish filming today?"

"No," Lin Yufei instinctively shook her head.

Hong Chen pressed again, "If not, get on the boat immediately. These people will have no place in your life later on. Do you really care about the opinions of a bunch of strangers?"

"Hey, who are you? We’re in the middle of filming. Leave at once! If you keep causing trouble, don't blame us for being rude." A stern, angry voice interrupted him. A pot-bellied middle-aged man walked over, looking displeased, followed by two bodyguards in black suits and two women in dresses.

Reaching the shore, the middle-aged man turned to Lin Yufei. "Miss Lin, Director Guo wants you back."

"Brother Pei..." Lin Yufei started.

Hong Chen pointed at her, looking at the middle-aged man. "She is my wife’s sister. I am taking her with me now."

The man turned his gaze back to Hong Chen. Their eyes met, and the man said unpleasantly, "I don't care who you are. Miss Lin has signed a contract with the company. We are filming, and this is working time. Please leave!"

Hong Chen didn't yield an inch. "How much is the breach of contract fee? I’ll pay it in full. I’m taking her now."

The man’s face darkened. This guy was relentless and stubborn as a mule!

"Hong Chen, I’m begging you, leave! I’ll explain everything to you later." Lin Yufei was on the verge of tears.

Hong Chen remained unmoved. It was like a child hanging out with delinquents in the eyes of their parents; when caught, the child asks the parent to leave so they can "explain later." It wasn't about saving face; it was that the child feared the delinquents more because they had to deal with them in the future.

Hong Chen said sternly, "Lin Yufei, listen to me. If you’re worried about the contract, I’ll cover the damages—no matter the cost. If you’re worried about these people bothering you later, I’ll take care of that too. I guarantee they won't dare to harass you. If there’s anything else, say it now, and I’ll handle it all."

The middle-aged man scoffed, answering for her. "The young man has a big mouth. Aren't you afraid of biting your tongue? Hmph, truly, ignorance is bliss!" He urged Lin Yufei, "Miss Lin, we need to film the next shot immediately. They’re waiting for you."

One of the women in dresses chimed in, "That's right, Yufei. If you don't go back, Director Guo is going to lose his temper."

The other woman glared at Hong Chen. "You’re just her brother-in-law, not her parents. What right do you have to interfere? Yufei is the company’s rising star. If you keep causing a scene, people will think there’s some scandal between you two..."

"Enough, Qiaoqiao, stop it." Seeing her friend running her mouth, Lin Yufei shook her head pleadingly. After another moment of internal struggle, she gritted her teeth and turned to leave.

Hong Chen issued an ultimatum: "Lin Yufei, you gave me your word during dinner that you would never enter the entertainment industry. Have you forgotten? This is the last time I’m saying it: get on the boat!"

Lin Yufei spun around, her expression cold as ice. "Hong Chen, this is my business. You don't need to worry about it."

Hong Chen narrowed his eyes. "You mean your word is as worthless as scrap paper? You’re dead set on entering the industry, aren't you?"

"Yes," she said definitively. "I was lying to you. I was deceiving you. So what? It’s my life, and you don't need to manage it. You have no right! You’re my brother-in-law, not my man!"

Lin Yufei said excitedly, "Let me be honest with you. My sister has been a top student her whole life, got into a prestigious national university for business management, and won scholarships every year. But so what? It’s been almost four years since she graduated. It sounds nice to be a company president, but she only makes a few hundred thousand a year—barely better than an average person. I’m not as good at studying as she is; I only went to a vocational college. If I graduated, I’d just be a low-level office worker, nine-to-five, earning a few thousand a month, pinching pennies just to buy clothes. That is not the life I want!"

She exhaled and continued, "Now, there is finally a chance to change my destiny. I can become a star, earn millions or tens of millions on my own, and become someone who looks down on others. Why would I give that up?"

She shifted her tone. "I owe your boss over a million. I’ve already told the company, and they’ve promised that as long as I pass the probation period, they will pay it off for me. I’ll say it again: from now on, you don't need to worry about my business!"

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Hong Chen with a back that showed no intention of looking back.

"You two watch him. If he dares to come up and make trouble, don't be polite." Seeing that Lin Yufei had made her choice, the middle-aged man gave a contemptuous smile at Hong Chen, ordered the two bodyguards, and walked away.

The two women in dresses glanced at Hong Chen with mockery and disdain before hurrying after the man.

Hong Chen didn't say another word. He stood upright, swaying slightly with the motion of the boat. He watched Lin Yufei’s retreating figure with a blank expression. After a long while, he let out a stifled breath and muttered, "Lin Yufei, since you don't want me to interfere in your affairs, I won't waste the energy. But if you drag your sister into this, I will make you pay the price you deserve."

...

At 3:30, Hong Chen returned to the set on time. He stood leaning against a large tree, lost in thought, until Mo Fei finished filming for the day and came over to wave a hand in front of him. He snapped back to reality.

Mo Fei teased, "What’s wrong? You look like your soul has left your body. Did you meet a beauty at first sight while wandering the park this afternoon, and your soul followed her away?"

Hong Chen rolled his eyes. "I think you’re describing yourself."

Seeing Mo Fei staring at him with a mysterious smile, Hong Chen realized his words were ambiguous and offered a sheepish, awkward laugh.

Mo Fei took out her phone, made two calls, and waved at Hong Chen. "We can go. The appointment is at 5:30. It’s about time to head over."

Hong Chen nodded silently.

Mo Fei’s meeting place was at the East Suburb Resort. Hong Chen was driving the GTR today. Since it was still an hour before rush hour, the traffic was decent, and he managed to cut the hour-long drive by a third.

"Just the two of us tonight?" he asked casually as they drove through the manor gates.

Mo Fei shook her head. "My people are already there, but only the two of us are actually attending the meeting."

Hong Chen blinked. Seeing he didn't understand, Mo Fei explained, "The others are just escorts. There are only four people having dinner—two from their side, plus you and me."

Hong Chen grunted an acknowledgment and said no more. After winding through the roads for seven or eight minutes, they arrived at a small villa. Three people were already standing at the entrance. As soon as the GTR came to a stop, the woman in the lead, wearing a qipao, hurried over to open the door for Mo Fei.

When Hong Chen stepped out, the woman turned her head to look at him with a smile. Their eyes met, and both were stunned for a brief moment.