At that time, she had only left behind a passport photo. The image already showed how beautiful she was, but when Su Ning saw her in person, he realized that the photo only captured about one-third of her actual beauty.

The true beauty, however, was best seen in motion.

Having shed her youthful innocence from a few years ago, twenty-two-year-old Ji Xue was a breathtaking sight that could captivate anyone. As she walked down, the backdrop was filled with roses and the luxurious garden of the estate, but everything seemed to pale in comparison to her presence.

Su Ning had seen so many female celebrities that it was hard to say who was the most beautiful. After all, each one had a different style—some were pure, some were seductive. But if there was one label to describe Ji Xue, it would simply be “beautiful,” purely and undeniably beautiful.

Upon closer inspection, there wasn’t a single flaw in her features.

Then, Boss Lü pulled her down and introduced her with a tone full of pride, “This is my fiancée, Xiao Xue.”

Ji Xue wore a simple light-colored long dress, her hair slightly curled. As she came down, she only glanced at Su Ning, and even her gaze toward Boss Lü was faint. She sat at the dining table, speaking little, only occasionally joining in their conversation, and when it came to business talk, she remained silent, as if uninterested.

The only time she showed a bit of initiative was when Boss Lü had nearly finished a bottle of wine. She gently stopped him.

She didn’t say a word but merely looked at him, and her gaze made her intentions clear.

Boss Lü laughed, saying “stop” while smiling, but then subconsciously refilled his glass. No one dared to stop him, but when he lifted his glass again, Ji Xue intervened.

She didn’t complain about his words not being kept. Instead, she pulled his hand towards her, and with that subtle force, she drank the entire glass. She probably wasn’t much of a drinker, as her face flushed pink after one glass, making her even more delicate and beautiful.

She then said, “Really, no more. I’ll be angry if you keep drinking.”

After that, Boss Lü didn’t touch his wine again.

Throughout the entire dinner, Su Ning remained calm. He didn’t stare at Ji Xue nor mention the fact that this girl was still an artist under Guang Ying Entertainment’s contract.

But if anyone wanted to know more, with just a little guidance, Boss Lü—who was very pleased with his girlfriend—would eventually share the story of how they met.

“My Xiao Xue used to work as a voice streamer online. She didn’t show her face to avoid trouble, just reading small stories or something. She didn’t make much money. Her family is well off, so it was just a way to pass time,” he said. “I heard her by chance, and she was so naive and pure, not really knowing how to navigate the industry. I gave her a little tip, but those big-name streamers in the guild started bullying her, saying she was taking money from the boss.”

Ji Xue’s family was indeed well-off, from a scholarly family with a middle-class background. She was their only daughter. Though not exceedingly wealthy, she didn’t need to worry about money.

However, this kind of background was no match for a company like Pinnacle Agency.

Boss Lü continued to recall his touching love story. In his telling, he was like a heroic knight rescuing a princess.

According to him, the situation escalated. The streamer guild made a fuss and insisted that Ji Xue, a small-time streamer, attend their offline event. A few prominent streamers even specially invited their big backer, Boss Lü, to the event, which was held in Rong Cheng.

At first, Boss Lü had just gone for fun.

Back then, he only felt pity for the voice streamer, not necessarily leaning towards her. After all, he was used to being the big spender, with stars flocking to him. But when he saw her in person, everything changed.

The originally lively offline meet-and-greet took a quiet turn the moment Ji Xue arrived. Most people fell silent in her presence, no one spoke loudly.

Boss Lü still remembered the scene where Ji Xue, who captured everyone’s attention, whispered to him.

Out of all the people there, Ji Xue was the only one who spoke directly to him.

“Thank you for your tip, but I don’t add fans privately. It’s a habit of mine. I told you I’d refund you the money, but you didn’t want it, so I had to reduce the gift quota on the platform,” she said. “I came here just to talk to you in person about this. If you really like hearing me read stories, just subscribe. That way, I can earn money.”

After going home that day, Boss Lü couldn’t stop thinking about her. His first confession was rejected.

The more he looked at it, the more he realized that Ji Xue wasn’t being bullied. She seemed like she didn’t care much. Just like her live streams and works, everything about her was calm and unbothered.

Trying to win over such a person, like climbing a high mountain, was something no one could refuse.

Boss Lü, who was so deeply infatuated with her, hadn’t married yet, believing he hadn’t played enough. But when it came to Ji Xue, he thought it would be like any other relationship, quickly tiring out. However, it had already been more than half a year, and he still hadn’t grown bored. In fact, he was even more obsessed, and he had openly acknowledged her as his fiancée.

His family’s business was so powerful, and since there were other children in the family, they didn’t force Boss Lü into an arranged marriage. They were all quite relaxed about it, as long as his background was clean, there was no objection.

The whole matter of Ji Xue being banned didn’t seem to hold up. Liao Yuansi had something to hide, and wiped all the online records clean. People like Su Ning, with connections in the industry, couldn’t find anything. The truth of the situation still came from Shen Mingzheng. If you weren’t especially diligent, just searching her name wouldn’t bring anything up.

Besides, this was such a common name, there were many others who shared it.

It really sounded like a fairy tale love story.

Boss Lü was a top-notch young talent in all respects, and Ji Xue, beautiful and pure, didn’t care about money. When they stood together, everyone praised them as a perfect match.

But Su Ning didn’t say that. After hearing it, he simply said, “It truly is a rare fate.”

He didn’t shower Boss Lü with compliments like others did, and this made him feel more comfortable. Especially since, in his eyes, the two of them shared a similar business experience. When Su Ning mentioned Guang Ying Entertainment, he said, “They say inheriting such a big company is a stroke of good luck, but once you actually do it, you realize that carrying the weight of the company often means you’re not in control of your own actions.”

Boss Lü nodded repeatedly, and their conversation felt like they had found a kindred spirit. By the time they left the dinner table, it was already past nine in the evening. Su Ning had time to check his phone and saw that Shen Mingzheng had started messaging him at eight. By this time, he had become so worried that he called directly.

He was worried that certain people might be a threat to Su Ning, who was out of town.

Boss Lü asked, “Who’s that?”

“Family,” Su Ning raised his hand, and the ring on his finger flashed as he answered the call. After a few words with Shen Mingzheng, the other side was reassured, knowing everything was fine, and hung up.

It was too late, and if he went to the airport now, it would be too late. Driving back would take all night, and Rong Cheng was far from Hai Cheng, so there was no way to get home tonight.

“Afraid you’ll be out late?” Boss Lü teased. “Tsk, still checking in.”

Since Boss Lü wasn’t part of the entertainment circle and wasn’t familiar with the situation between Su Ning and Shen Mingzheng, he didn’t know.

“Well, I’m just worried,” Su Ning smiled. “That’s how my family is.”

Boss Lü seemed pleased with the answer. He glanced at his beautiful girlfriend and then said, “My bad, I got so caught up in the conversation, I lost track of time. It’s too late now, and it’s not safe to go down the mountain. Why don’t you stay here tonight, Su Ning? You can leave tomorrow morning.”

Su Ning: “I wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

“What trouble?” Boss Lü waved his hand. “This whole place has shares of mine. It’s not like there’s no room. I’ll get a room ready for you. If you weren’t so busy, I’d show you around Rong Cheng.”

“That’s my misfortune,” Su Ning sighed. “There’s been so much going on lately, so many people are watching how I perform now that I’ve inherited the company.”

This made the second-generation wealthy Boss Lü empathize deeply. He was already tipsy and, eager to bond with Su Ning, suggested that they play video games together.

However, the alcohol had a strong aftereffect, and after drinking so much, Boss Lü stood up, feeling a little dizzy. He decided to take a shower first and then return.

Meanwhile, Su Ning and Ji Xue were escorted upstairs to the game room by a servant. Ji Xue then had the servant bring up some fruit and soon, the two of them were left alone.

To be precise, Ji Xue was on the balcony, while Su Ning sat on the sofa, with quite a bit of distance between them.

The door was wide open, and the wall was made of glass. The servant cutting fruit outside could see them, but couldn’t hear their conversation.

On the balcony, Ji Xue sat in a chair, leaning back, looking at Su Ning. “I heard from the teacher that you’ve been looking for me?”

There were only two of them here, no need for pretense.

Su Ning honestly nodded. “Yes.”

He didn’t ask how Ji Xue had been doing; he could see everything clearly.

“Su Ning, you’re really something,” Ji Xue smiled. “The teacher first told me not to trust you, not to trust anyone in the entertainment industry. Not long ago, when you called me, you hesitated and asked whether I should trust you or not. Apparently, recently, many people in the circle have a good impression of you.”

Su Ning was silent for a moment. “The promises I made to your teacher still stand. Ji Xue, you’re still an artist under our company. I have an obligation to help clear up any false rumors about you.”

Ji Xue didn’t respond immediately. She shifted positions in the chair. She had draped a coat over her shoulders, and the sequins on her dress sparkled. The lights made her look like she was glowing, like a perfect image of grace.

“Su Ning, do you think I’ll be moved by what you said? Do you think you’re going to ‘rescue’ me like you did with Li Chu, after all this time?” Her voice was calm. “If so, why don’t you guess how this endorsement came about?”

Su Ning had an inkling but didn’t say anything.

Earlier, in his conversation with Boss Lü, it was clear that Ji Xue wasn’t involved in the company’s business. She seemed like a delicate flower, protected by the man. But Su Ning didn’t think it was that simple.

At the dinner table, Su Ning noticed that while Ji Xue didn’t speak much and seemed to have low presence, every word she said was important. It kept the conversation flowing, preventing the topic from stalling. That’s why Boss Lü stayed excited and the two of them kept chatting.

As a businessman, no one would let their partner leave without a meaningful conversation. Su Ning would definitely stay, and the two of them would inevitably have this kind of exchange.

At that moment, Ji Xue spoke again.

“I was playing cards with Boss Lü earlier. He picked out a card. He thought it would be fun to let the game decide. So, he chose you.”

Even though he couldn’t name the members of that idol group.

“He thought it was just luck. Business people are a bit superstitious. Your recent success made him think his luck was good.”

Ji Xue smiled slightly. “But before we started playing, I already knew who he’d pick.”

“Su Ning, I honestly don’t know if you’re sincere or just pretending. But the teacher said you were okay, so I’ll take this as a response to your concern. It’s just an endorsement. I’m giving you a small gift. It’s better than giving it to someone else, right? You’re quite special in this circle.”

“Anyway, no matter what, Liao Yuansi can forget it.”

When she said this, her tone shifted.

It wasn’t as soft as before. With the breeze from the balcony, she spoke again. “But please, don’t bother me in the future. I don’t need you to rescue me.”

“Su Ning, a person should know their place.”

Su Ning understood what she meant.

After all these years, Ji Xue was no longer the helpless girl she once was. He had come too late.

Boss Lü, it was clear that he was deeply in love with her. His wealth and generosity were enough to provide her with a life of luxury. It seemed like nothing in the world could move her.

She appeared delicate, but if, as Ji Xue said, she had orchestrated the endorsement and even influenced everything that had happened tonight, then even though Boss Lü might have seen himself as a knight or a prince saving his lover, the truth was far from it.

Boss Lü quickly finished his shower and returned. Su Ning was still sitting on the sofa, while the fruits had been cut and served. Ji Xue had already started playing a game.

She was excellent at the game. The scoreboard showed her success. After finishing, she slowly lit a cigarette.

Boss Lü sat beside her, wanting to move closer, but she gently pushed him away. Ji Xue had never been one to just follow along.

“Your hair’s still wet,” she said. “Dry it first.”

Boss Lü sat on the carpet, watching her, while Ji Xue sat on the sofa and lit the cigarette. She didn’t smoke, only holding it in her hand and playing with the smoke. This left him utterly captivated.

Su Ning didn’t say much at this point.

Just as before, he maintained his professional relationship with Boss Lü. The endorsement deal was important for Glory, and the contract was already signed. There was no room for regrets.

The next morning, as Su Ning was heading back down the mountain, he saw a street vendor selling roses. He stopped, bought a large bouquet from an old lady, and placed it in the back of the car, taking it home with him.

Every time he was out for a while, Su Ning would bring something back. It was his way of showing appreciation to Shen Mingzheng, after all, he was staying in his place, and as a roommate, he couldn’t just leave it at nothing.

The first time, it was mints. Later, he brought clothes, a winter coat he personally picked out for Shen Mingzheng. The last time, it was an art vase.

The place that once felt empty now slowly began to fill with the things Su Ning brought back.

This time, Su Ning placed the roses in the vase he had brought earlier, putting them in the dining area. The space seemed to come alive.

“I was going to bring some local specialties from Rong Cheng, but I remembered you don’t eat spicy food, so I didn’t,” Su Ning said. “These flowers are nice, thought I’d bring them for you.”

When Shen Mingzheng saw him return, he was smiling. As he habitually took off Su Ning’s jacket and placed it aside, his sharp nose caught the scent of the women’s cigarette.

That particular brand had a distinct smell that lingered, different from regular cigarettes.

Shen Mingzheng:…

The smile that had been on his lips faded.

Especially when he heard Su Ning, who had just returned, answering a call from the company, saying, “Please find me an account for a female streamer. The keyword is…”