Robbin: Merry Christmas everyone!

The private room door was knocked politely twice, then the waiter opened it and said to Chen Yiran, “President Chen, we’ll serve the food now.”

“Okay.” Chen Yiran nodded and motioned for the people outside the door to come in.

A young lady wearing a qipao came in with a tray. While setting everything on the table, she would briefly introduce the dishes to them.

“It’s officially the season for bamboo shoots so I ordered a few more dishes made with it.” Chen Yiran told Li Linlin.

“Hmm, I like bamboo shoots.” Li Linlin picked up her chopsticks, took up some shredded bamboo shoots and tasted it. “This braised chicken with bamboo shoots tastes good, it’s so fresh.”

Chen Yiran also picked up his chopsticks to have a taste. He nodded slightly. “It’s not bad.”

The dishes were brought in one after another so the little brother in charge of their private room didn’t close the door to facilitate the serving. After Fu Angsi had a meeting with several senior executives of Huachuang, they also came there to try the dishes. When they passed by the door of Chen Yiran’s private room, they all stopped and greeted him.

Li Linlin was busy eating. She couldn’t keep up with the speed at which the food was being served. As she was rushing, she saw several men in suits suddenly standing outside, including Fu Angsi. She presumed they’re senior executives of Huachuang.

“Cough.” Li Linlin choked on the food in her mouth, put down her chopsticks in a pretentious manner and picked up the tea on the table to take a sip.

“Keep eating.” Chen Yiran put a piece of salt and pepper spare ribs on her plate. “They’re here to try the dishes as well.”

“Oh, are they eating with us?”

“They’ll eat next door.” After saying that, Chen Yiran glanced at Fu Angsi who was still standing outside the door. “You’re not hungry? Then go back and work overtime.”

“……” Fu Angsi said wisely. “Enjoy your meal, President Chen. We’re going to eat as well.”

After he left with several senior executives, the waiter closed the door of Chen Yiran’s private room again. In the corridor, one of the senior executives gossiped with Fu Angsi, “Mr. Fu, who’s that woman just now? Why didn’t President Chen introduce her?”

Another person heard his question and immediately sneered. “Old Wang, don’t you have Internet connection at home? You don’t know Little Sister Linlin?”

The person called Old Wang was taken aback and seemed a little confused. “Is she an actress? She’s…… President Chen’s girlfriend?”

Chen Yiran never had any women on his side. But today he brought someone there to try the food, so at a glance, their relationship didn’t seem ordinary.

“It looks like that to me. President Chen is even serving her food.”

Fu Angsi, who had been silent, cleared his throat and told them, “Don’t make wild speculation. That’s President Chen’s sister.”

“Sister? Isn’t President Chen’s sister Chen Xi?”

Fu Angsi smiled. “Who knows? Anyway, President Chen said she’s his sister. All right, let’s go eat. You guys are still so energetic even after a long meeting.”

———

In Chen Yiran’s private room, Li Linlin began to eat freely again. “Ah, eating without Wu Hui is a real meal.”

Chen Yiran looked at her appearance as if she hadn’t eaten for several days and couldn’t help asking, “Does she usually not let you eat?”

“She’s letting me, however, it’s just a small piece of an apple, some vegetable salad, and two pieces of chicken breasts.” Li Linlin recounted Wu Hui’s crimes, “She also told me that female stars eat like so. But I see some male stars that are so fat yet they still appear in TV shows. Why are they so strict on female stars?”

“It’s true that society demands more from actresses. Not many young male stars nowadays go on a diet on a regular basis.”

“I can see that Shang Ci usually eats very little too! It really sucks!”

The chopsticks in Chen Yiran’s hand paused for a moment, then he raised his eyes to look at her. “I almost forgot, Shang Ci is in the same crew as you.”

“Yeah, he’s an artist from Shengteng!”

“Are you familiar with each other?”

“It’s okay. We don’t talk much except when filming.”

Chen Yiran nodded and put another dish in Li Linlin’s bowl. “I heard that there has been some unpleasantness on the set recently. Everyone brought their own screenwriter?”

“Yes.” Li Linlin looked at him. “You’re very well-informed, Brother Yiran.”

Chen Yiran’s lips hooked up slightly and he said to her, “I’ll also help you find a screenwriter so that you won’t be the only person without one.”

“No need, no need.” Hearing what he said, Li Linlin hurriedly waved her hand. “Actually, our drama will wrap up soon so they won’t get anything out of it no matter how much fuss they make. Besides, Teacher Wang Xin is still on the crew. It’ll be fine.”

Chen Yiran pondered for a while, then told her, “How about this, since Shang Ci’s screenwriter is also arranged by Shengteng, I’ll let the company know that if you need it, you can find the screenwriter Shang Ci brought to help you make changes.”

Li Linlin didn’t want to change the script at all, she just wanted to be a salted fish and act as the director told her. As for the other actors stealing her spotlight…… wouldn’t that be great?!

But she couldn’t tell Chen Yiran these little thoughts, so she nodded and said, “All right, I’ll go find his screenwriter if necessary.”

“En.”

The waiter brought new dishes. Chen Yiran picked up a clean small bowl and filled it with soup for Li Linlin. “How long are you staying here?”

Li Linlin blew the soup in her spoon and told him, “I will go back to A City after filming tomorrow afternoon.”

“Just in time. I’m going back tomorrow afternoon too. Why don’t you head back me?”

“Okay, okay, which flight are you on?” Li Linlin looked up happily at Chen Yiran. This was all thanks to Lin Zhen. Li Linlin really wanted to send her a banner!

There was a bit of pastry crumbs on her face, which looked a bit funny. Chen Yiran chuckled, raised his hand without thinking, and gently wiped the crumbs for her with his thumb. “You’re already twenty years old, why are you still acting like a child?”

Li Linlin’s face turned red and her heart started beating fast. She froze in her seat while holding a spoon, not daring to breathe.

Chen Yiran looked at her crimson cheeks and was stunned for a moment before realizing how ambiguous his action was.

He hadn’t even acted this intimate with Chen Xi since she grew up.

He hurriedly retracted his hand and picked up his chopsticks pretending to be calm. “We’ll take a private plane tomorrow.”

“……Oh, okay.” Li Linlin lowered her head and drank the soup in the bowl, her heart still beating rapidly.

Because of this little episode, Li Linlin’s thoughts were disrupted that she even forgot about taking a few photos for Chen Xi and could only give it up.

Chen Yiran sent Li Linlin back to her hotel and left. Thinking about his actions today, he inadvertently frowned.

Earlier, he told Li Linlin that when girls were young, it’s easy to become dependent on people like their fathers and brothers, but was it actually because he, as the older brother, didn’t have a good sense of proportion?

He let out a breath, loosened his tie, and leaned back on the chair to rest his mind.

———

Li Linlin had a good dream that night. In her dream, she was still having dinner with Chen Yiran. He raised his hand to gently wipe off the crumbs on her face, then lowered his head to kiss her lips.

“Li Linlin! Your alarm clock’s been ringing for so long, how come you’re still sleeping soundly?!” Wu Hui lifted Li Linlin’s quilt and Li Linlin shivered from the cold. The Chen Yiran in front of her eyes suddenly disappeared.

“What are you doing, Wu Hui’er!” Li Linlin slapped the mattress and sat up angrily. “Who allowed you to enter my room?!”

“If I didn’t come in, you’ll sleep until the crew finishes work!” Wu Hui was even more righteous than her. “Hurry and pack up, it’s time to go to the set!”

Li Linlin stared at her with wide eyes and stayed on the bed. “I was dreaming! How are you going to compensate me?!”

“Dreaming?” Wu Hui stood beside her bed with her arms akimbo, eyebrows twitching and half-smiling. “I’m just saying, but looking at you grinning so licentiously, it mustn’t be a serious dream.”

“……” Li Linlin pointed at the door and told Wu Hui, “You get out!”

“So you can continue to sleep when I’m out?” Wu Hui didn’t have the slightest intention of leaving. “Hurry up and change your clothes and wash your face. Xiao Xi and Xiaoxiao are waiting downstairs.”

The corners of Li Linlin’s mouth twitched, revealing Ou Jiaxu’s classic dark expression. “Are you teaching me how to do things?”

Wu Hui: “……”

She dare not, she dare not.

By the time Li Linlin got down, it was already half an hour later. Fortunately, the hotel wasn’t far from the set, so it wouldn’t take long to get there.

When she arrived, the male and female leads were already filming. Li Linlin was sitting in the dressing room doing styling, still bitter from the morning’s unfulfilled dream.

Wu Hui’er had gone too far! She must deduct her salary this month!

After her hair and makeup was done, Li Linlin walked to her little stool and sat down, ignoring Wu Hui. The screenwriter brought by Shang Ci suddenly came over and greeted Li Linlin with a smile, “Hello, Teacher Li, I am Shang Ci’s screenwriter. You can just call me Xiao Fang.”

Wu Hui looked at the other person in surprise. She didn’t understand why he suddenly came to Li Linlin. Li Linlin remembered what Chen Yiran told her yesterday and quickly responded, “Ooh, hello, hello.”

Xiao Fang pushed up the glasses on the bridge of her nose and said to Li Linlin, “If Teacher Li has any thoughts for the script, you can tell me and I will try my best to help you modify it.”

Li Linlin said, “No need, no need, I won’t increase your workload, just help Shang Ci.”

“This……” The company specifically made it clear today that he would also be responsible for Li Linlin. Although he didn’t know why the company wanted to take care of an artist who wasn’t from Shengteng, he didn’t ask much. Anyway, the fee would be paid separately.

Seeing that he was in a dilemma, Li Linlin said, “It’s alright, don’t worry. I think the script written by Teacher Wang Xin is fine.”

Xiao Fang pushed up his glasses again and then said, “Alright then, but if you have any ideas, you can come to me any time. Then, I won’t continue disturbing Teacher Li.”

“Okay, take care.”

After Xiao Fang left, Wu Hui asked in bewilderment, “What’s going on? Isn’t he Shang Ci’s screenwriter? Why did he want to help you all of a sudden? Ah! It can’t be that you and Shang Ci—”

“What are you thinking?” The corners of Li Linlin’s mouth tugged down and she gave Wu Hui a small roll of her eyes. “Xiao Fang is a screenwriter found by Shengteng. Brother Yiran told me yesterday that he will make Xiao Fang in charge of me as well.”

“Oh……” After this entire detour, it’s still Brother Yiran? “Then why didn’t you agree? You can’t trust the screenwriter I’ll find for you, but don’t you even trust your Brother Yiran?”

“I just don’t think it’s necessary. Isn’t this drama about to be finished? No need to bother.” Li Linlin showed a profound expression of understanding the overall situation.

Wu Hui’s eyebrows twitched dramatically. Why does she think there’s something fishy?

Li Linlin was still filming in the afternoon while a luxury car was parked outside the set waiting for her. The crew would have luxury cars come to pick up Linlin from time to time so everyone was used to it by now. However, they didn’t expect that even when they came to H City, luxury cars would still follow there.

Lin Zhen watched Li Linlin get inside the car and threw her a contemptuous look. “Whose thigh is this Li Linlin hugging?”

Lin Zhen’s assistant whispered, “Can it be Li Shen’s people?”

“It didn’t look like it to me.” Lin Zhen thought for a while. “I saw Shang Ci’s screenwriter find Li Linlin this morning. Can it be someone from Shengteng?”

“It’s possible. Didn’t Mr. Fu come here before to talk to her?”

Lin Zhen frowned and sneered again. “No wonder. I thought this script was portraying her as the female lead. It turns out she have connection with the management.”

The assistant said, “If that’s really the case, why didn’t she just play the female lead? It would save us all this trouble.”

Lin Zhen was silent for a moment, then looked at the other person. “What do you know? If she directly played the female lead, will it be the same as her stepping on me and Zheng Yang to get to the top like right now?”

The assistant came to a realization. “Sister Zhenzhen, what you said makes sense. I can’t tell that this Li Linlin has quite a lot of thoughts.”

———

“Achoo.” Li Linlin, who had a lot of thoughts, sneezed while sitting in the car, which made Assistant Wu, who was driving, worried.

“What’s wrong, Miss Li? Did you catch a cold?” Assistant Wu looked back at her.

Li Linlin rubbed the tip of her nose and shook her head at him. “No, must be allergy.”

Assistant Wu turned his head back to drive, but he didn’t forget to remind her, “It’s the flu season now so you must be careful when filming. Keep warm and drink some cold medicine to prevent it.”

“Mmhmm, Assistant Wu, you should pay attention to your health too.” After that, she added, “Brother Yiran might not approve your leave even if you catch a cold.”

Assistant Wu laughed and told her, “President Chen is actually not that unkind.”

After the car parked outside the airport, Assistant Wu helped Li Linlin lift her carry-on luggage and led her to Chen Yiran’s plane.

Chen Yiran was already in the cabin, and so was Fu Angsi. There were laptops and a bunch of documents in front of the two people’s table and they were discussing something. After seeing Li Linlin come in, Chen Yiran stopped talking and greeter her, “Linlin.”

“Brother Yiran.” As soon as Li Linlin saw him, she remembered the dream she had last night and she involuntarily blushed.

Fu Angsi noticed it with his sharp eyes and he asked from the side, “Little Sister Linlin, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Assistant Wu who was following behind heard Fu Angsi’s words and said, “Miss Li sneezed in the car just now. Do you have a fever?”

“No, no, I really don’t.” Li Linlin shook her head like a rattle drum. This misunderstanding was getting big.

Chen Yiran frowned slightly and called for the flight attendant. “Is there a thermometer on the plane?”

The flight attendant nodded. “Yes, President Chen. I’ll get it for you.”

“Ah, it’s really not necessary……”

The flight attendant didn’t listen to Li Linlin at all and went straight to get the thermometer. Chen Yiran arranged Li Linlin to sit next to him. Soon the flight attendant came back with the thermometer.

“Is it the young lady who needs it?” The stewardess asked with a smile.

Chen Yiran nodded. The stewardess spoke to Li Linlin and measured her temperature. “Thirty-six celsius. Normal.”

Li Linlin proudly told Chen Yiran, “See, I told you I don’t have a fever.”

Her appearance made Chen Yiran smile. His lips curled up almost imperceptibly and he said to the stewardess, “Do you have any cold medicine? Make her a cup as precaution.”

“Okay, just a moment.”

The stewardess really gave Li Linlin a cup of cold medicine. Li Linlin looked at the dark stuff in the cup and felt extremely sorry for herself.

Why? There were so many delicious drinks on the plane but all she could try was banlangen^[1]traditional antiviral Chinese herbal medicine?

She shouldn’t have sneezed. If only she had held it back.

After the plane took off, Li Linlin drank the banlangen with unhappiness written all over her face. Fortunately, Chen Yiran still had some conscience and asked the flight attendant to bring her a small dessert.

Li Linlin happily ate her dessert while Chen Yiran and Fu Angsi had been discussing business matters. Li Linlin sat next to them, listening to figures in the hundreds of millions, and couldn’t help but think, weren’t they afraid that she would hear these trade secrets?

Ah, Brother Yiran really wasn’t careful at all.

Li Linlin took the initiative to avoid suspicion and found an animated film to watch on the plane. She had unconsciously fallen asleep and it was Chen Yiran who woke her up.

“Linlin, wake up, we’ve arrived in A City.”