Chapter 4 – A Transaction

Ming Yao never expected Qi Xu to skip all the usual preliminaries and come straight to her school.

Luxury cars were a common sight at the film academy, but a Bentley worth tens of millions suddenly appearing on campus at night still caused a stir.

From upstairs, Ming Yao saw a man step away from her dormitory entrance and return to the Bentley.

It wasn’t Qi Xu—probably his driver or assistant.

Suppressing the unease rising in her chest, she asked with forced composure, “President Qi, what brings you to my school?”

Qi Xu replied flatly, “I had someone leave something with your dormitory caretaker. Pick it up when you have time.”

Ming Yao: “?”

Before she could even ask what it was, he unexpectedly said, “Good night.”

Beep—

He hung up?

Ming Yao held her phone in a daze for a long time.

That’s it?

She glanced downstairs.

The car had already driven away…

This wasn’t how she had imagined things would play out. She had assumed that, at the very least, he would find an excuse to make her come downstairs, say something sincere, and casually arrange their next meeting. 

But he just left, without doing anything?

Still feeling puzzled, Ming Yao went downstairs and picked up the package Qi Xu had left with the dorm supervisor. 

It was that same jewelry box.

Ming Yao Was he really this persistent about giving it to her?

As she walked back, she absentmindedly opened the jewelry box.

Her steps suddenly froze.

Inside wasn’t the pair of expensive earrings from the jewelry exhibition—

but the pearl earring she had lost.

Ming Yao: “……”

What was this man up to?

A strategic retreat? Playing hard to get? Or some entirely new trick?

She couldn’t figure him out.

She spent the whole night overthinking, guessing, doubting, and spiraling on her own thoughts. Even in her dreams, she found herself cast as Qi Xu’s White Moonlight stand-in.

In the dream, she became Lin Yunyun herself, tears streaming as she confronted him,

“You never loved me. I was just Jin Tang’s stand-in, wasn’t I? You only wanted me because I look like her!”

Qi Xu, every bit as heartless as Gu Yuan, replied coldly, “Consider it an honor that you even resemble her. Don’t waste your time on delusions.”

Then, without warning, he lunged at her, tearing her dress apart.

Ming Yao woke with a start, heart pounding from the vividness of the dream.

At 8 a.m., she opened her eyes, still haunted by the lingering image of Qi Xu tearing her dress.

Thankfully, it was just a dream.

Yesterday, he had left without a word, returning her earring in the process. Two people whose lives had barely intersected had now severed their only connection.

There was no reason for them to meet again.

Maybe, just maybe, Ming Yao had been overthinking everything from the start—reading too much into things.

After all, how many “stand-ins” could there really be? This wasn’t some cliché TV drama.

A few uneventful days passed. Aside from attending her French classes, Ming Yao spent her free time reading scripts and working on character backstories. The brief story between her and Qi Xu gradually faded from her memory.

That day, while she was in the library researching, Tian Anni called and invited her to dinner.

She said, “Let’s talk about your career plans and sign the contract while we’re at it.”

Ming Yao had already decided to sign with Tian Anni’s studio. She had thoroughly reviewed the contract beforehand. For a newcomer like her, the terms were incredibly generous—clearly a sign of respect for Jiang Minyue.

At 6 p.m., Ming Yao arrived at the restaurant Tian Anni had booked.

It was one of the most exclusive private dining establishments in Beijing, known for offering an unparalleled experience. To maintain its prestige, the restaurant only accepted a limited number of guests each day. Both the cuisine and the service were among the finest in the city.

A waiter greeted her warmly and escorted her to a private dining room.

Tian Anni arrived first.

At 32, she had once been just another devoted fan of Jiang Minyue. Later, Jiang Minyue took her under her wing as an assistant and even secured a job for her before retiring from the industry.

Over the years, despite her own success, Tian Anni never forgot her roots and remained deeply respectful toward Jiang Minyue.

“Ming Yao, come sit!” Tian Anni greeted her warmly as she stood. “How’s your mom?”

Ming Yao replied, “She’s doing well. She recently went abroad for an art course.”

Tian Anni sighed. “A director offered her 80 million for a comeback, but she turned it down. Such a waste.”

Ming Yao chuckled. “Forget it. She just wants a quiet, simple life now.”

The waiters arrived one after another, serving exquisite dishes on elegant blue-and-white porcelain, their intricate designs adding an air of sophistication.

The two chatted as they ate.

“I heard Director Song’s new film has you locked in as the second female lead?”

“If everything goes smoothly, yes.”

“Goes smoothly?” Tian Anni picked up on the implication. “What could go wrong?”

Ming Yao hesitated before admitting frankly, “I had my fifth audition a few days ago, but Director Song thinks I still haven’t fully grasped the role. If I can’t get into character before filming starts, he might replace me.”

Tian Anni mulled over her words for a moment. “Director Song’s movie is a must-do. I’ll check in and see what’s going on.”

Ming Yao nodded.

Midway through dinner, Tian Anni excused herself to the restroom. When she returned, she leaned in mysteriously and whispered, “Fix your makeup—I’m taking you to meet someone.”

“Who?”

“Don’t ask, just hurry.”

Ming Yao knew Tian Anni wouldn’t do this without a reason, so she didn’t press further. Instead, she obediently checked her makeup.

They wove through the restaurant’s elegantly vintage corridors before stopping outside another private dining room.

Tian Anni knocked. When a server inside opened the door, she smiled. “I’m here to say hello to President Jiang.”

Before the server could respond, she leaned in slightly with a practiced yet effortless grin. “President Jiang, what a coincidence!”

It was clear that she and the man knew each other. After greeting him, she took Ming Yao’s hand and led her inside.

Her words were smooth and polished, yet carried a warmth that made people feel at ease.

“Ming Yao, come say hello. This is President Jiang from Yasheng Media.”

Ming Yao lifted her gaze slightly, following Anni’s gesture to the man across the room.

She knew who he was—one of the entertainment industry’s kingmakers, an investor with an unrivaled eye for talent. Whoever he backed was destined for stardom. Many of her senior classmates were signed under him.

Ming Yao nodded politely. “Hello, President Jiang.”

No sooner had she spoken than Tian Anni continued, “And this is President Qi from Zhouyi Hotel.”

Ming Yao was just about to echo her greeting when a sudden chill ran down her spine.

Zhouyi? President Qi?

Could it be…

She instinctively lifted her head, locking eyes with the man sitting directly across from her.

…It really was him.

Qi Xu lounged in his seat, watching her lazily, as if waiting for her to greet him first.

Ming Yao hesitated for a moment but quickly regained her composure and greeted him properly. “Good evening, President Qi.”

Qi Xu was silent for a beat before responding with a subtle, unreadable smile. “Hello.”

Tian Anni then took over effortlessly, showcasing her finesse as a top-tier agent. With seamless charm, she wove Ming Yao’s studio affiliation into the conversation, making it sound entirely natural.

Ming Yao remained silent throughout, standing quietly by the side.

First, given the hierarchy in the room, it wasn’t her place to speak.

Second, she preferred to keep a low profile—and she hoped Qi Xu would do the same, rather than bringing up that barely ambiguous history between them.

Fortunately, Qi Xu stayed quiet, only occasionally letting his gaze brush over her as Jiang Yuhe and Tian Anni chatted.

His gaze never lingered for long.

After a few minutes, Tian Anni tactfully excused herself. On the way out, she even paid the bill, handling the situation with practiced grace.

As they walked back to their private room, she couldn’t help but remark on Ming Yao’s good fortune.

“Either one of them. Just building a connection with either would give you access to more resources than you can count.”

Ming Yao frowned slightly. “Isn’t SG a hotel chain? They don’t have anything to do with the entertainment industry.”

Tian Anni, who had been walking ahead, suddenly came to a stop and turned to look at her.

“So what if they don’t dabble in entertainment? SG is one of the country’s top five financial conglomerates. They own over a dozen hotel brands, and the most prestigious five-star hotels in Beijing are all under SG—not to mention their luxury resorts around the world. If they ever wanted to enter the entertainment industry, they could do it in a heartbeat. Besides, Qi Xu is the eldest son of the Qi family. It’s only a matter of time before he takes over the entire group. Most importantly, he and Jiang Yuhe are incredibly close—closer than he is with his own brother.”

“……”

“But don’t take what I said too seriously. Dealing with those two is anything but easy.”

Tian Anni shook her head and kept walking. “From what I’ve seen, every woman who’s tried to get close to them has failed—especially with Qi Xu. I even heard that there was once a—”

Finally, some gossip worth listening to. Ming Yao immediately perked up.

But just as suddenly, Tian Anni cut herself off. “Forget it. Why am I even telling you this? Just focus on your acting. Leave everything else to me—I’ll take care of it.”

Jiejie, can you at least finish your gossip properly?

Even though Tian Anni didn’t finish her sentence, Ming Yao could already guess what she was about to say.

It was nothing new—some past relationship must have left a deep scar, making him immune to women.

–

Meanwhile, after Tian Anni and Ming Yao left, Jiang Yuhe flicked a cigarette toward Qi Xu.

“Didn’t you say you had a new actress to introduce to me? Got a picture? Is she as good as the one Tian Anni just brought in?”

Qi Xu replied coolly, “No need. She’s already signed with someone else.”

Jiang Yuhe didn’t seem to care much about the matter. After a brief pause, he took a sip of water and casually remarked,

“That girl just now—don’t you think she looks a bit like Jin Tang?”

Qi Xu lifted his gaze, shifting the cigarette from his lips to his fingers, his eyes landing on Jiang Yuhe.

“Forget I asked.” Sensing his displeasure, Jiang Yuhe quickly changed the subject. “You mentioned looking for a brand ambassador. Have you decided on a candidate?”

There had been a few options.

But now, things had changed.

Qi Xu casually picked up a dish and said indifferently, “No rush. I’ll decide in a few months.”

As the meal came to an end, Ming Yao quietly found an excuse to slip out of the private room.

Before the dinner, Jiang Minyue had specifically instructed Ming Yao to cover the bill. And just now, Tian Anni had not only made an effort to introduce her but had even picked up Jiang Yuhe’s tab. That made it even more crucial for Ming Yao to settle the check before Tian Anni could.

She walked over to the front desk and stated her intent to pay. The server checked the bill and responded politely, “Miss, your total comes to 4,293 yuan.”

Ming Yao quickly pulled up her payment QR code. “I’ll scan it.”

The server smiled apologetically. “Sorry, Miss, we don’t support QR code payments here.”

“Then can I use a card?”

“We are a membership-only establishment. Payments must be deducted directly from a member’s account.”

Ming Yao hadn’t expected such restrictions. She couldn’t afford to stay outside for too long, so she asked, “Then I’ll open a membership. What’s the minimum deposit?”

“Our basic membership starts at 80,000 yuan.”

Forget it.

Left with no other choice, Ming Yao tried to coax the server. “Please, I just want to treat my sister to a meal. Can’t you make an exception just this once?”

The server declined with a polite but firm smile. “I’m really sorry, Miss, but that’s not possible.”

With no alternatives, Ming Yao was about to message Jian Ning to see if she had a membership when a deep, magnetic voice sounded behind her.

He said, “Charge it to my account.”

The server replied, “Understood, Mr. Qi.”

Ming Yao froze and turned around.

Qi Xu and Jiang Yuhe had likely just finished their meal and happened to pass by. He had spoken so casually, not even slowing his steps, and was already inside the elevator.

Ming Yao’s lips parted slightly, but before she could figure out what to say, the server had already processed the payment and handed her the receipt.

“Miss, the transaction is complete.”

Ming Yao: “……”

For a moment, her mind was a mess. Sure, she’d managed to settle the bill—but why did she somehow end up entangled with this man again?

Ming Yao carefully folded the receipt and tucked it into her pocket, then pulled out her phone to find the number Qi Xu had called her from earlier.

She needed to pay him back immediately.

The call connected after a few seconds, and a deep voice answered.

“Hello.”

Ming Yao’s heart skipped an inexplicable beat. “Mr. Qi, where are you? I’ll return the money to you.”

“No need.”

“Yes, there is.” Her tone was firm. “I can’t just take your money for nothing.”

The man on the other end of the line paused briefly. “Parking lot, spot A3.”

Ming Yao replied, “Got it. I’ll be right there.”

Ming Yao rushed back to the private room, quickly said goodbye to Tian Anni, grabbed her bag, and headed straight for the parking lot.

Qi Xu’s car was hard to miss—sleek and understated in black, yet exuding an undeniable presence. She spotted it immediately.

Since the driver’s side was against the wall, she couldn’t knock there, so she tapped on the passenger-side window instead.

The window rolled down, revealing the man’s striking features.

Ming Yao held up her phone. “Mr. Qi, let me scan your code?”

But Qi Xu didn’t respond directly. Instead, he looked at her and said, “Standing so far away?”

Fair point.

After a brief hesitation, Ming Yao opened the car door and slid into the seat beside him.

“Give me your QR code. I’ll scan it.”

But instead of a QR code, what she got was the crisp sound of the car doors locking.

Ming Yao: “……”

“How about we make a different kind of deal?” Qi Xu’s voice was calm and unhurried as he suddenly leaned in, reaching an arm past her.

Ming Yao instinctively held her breath.

Their eyes met.

The faint scent of ebony wood mixed with a trace of tobacco lingered on him—deep, smooth, and unmistakably masculine.

Her heartbeat quickened.

Then, came a quiet click. The seatbelt locked into place.

“In exchange, how about I drive you home?”