Under Lu Huaicheng’s seemingly all-seeing gaze, Xia Liyang swallowed hard and quickly explained, “Um… I used to be a tutor for his child… teaching language arts.”

Hearing her explanation, Chen Zhen paused for a moment, a hint of confusion in his expression.

Although he had a child in junior high, when did she come to tutor him?

Chen Zhen opened his mouth, just about to ask if she had confused something.

But Xia Liyang quickly interjected, “Mr. Chen, how is your child’s academic performance lately?”

“…It’s okay.” Chen Zhen instinctively answered her question while noticing the man beside her turning his head.

He had a youthful and handsome face, with sharp and distinct features.

Wearing a high-quality ash-gray suit that complemented his tall and upright stature.

His aura was noble, exuding an extraordinary charm.

Even if he didn’t recognize him, he could deduce that he was a privileged and significant figure.

After all, at this banquet, the attendees were either from the entertainment industry or were capitalists.

And he just happened to have a smaller independent film and was looking for investors.

Perhaps he could leverage Xia Liyang’s connections to help him.

Realizing this, Chen Zhen’s expression paused momentarily as he set aside his doubts and cautiously asked, “Teacher Xia, did you come with a friend?”

Xia Liyang hesitated, unsure, and glanced at Lu Huaicheng. Seeing he remained silent, she smiled and said, “Yes, a friend.”

“Such a handsome friend, why not introduce us? I’m still looking for a male lead for my next movie,” Chen Zhen said half-jokingly as he probed.

“He’s not an actor…” Xia Liyang bit her lip, hesitating as she glanced at Lu Huaicheng, unsure of how to introduce him.

Noticing her gaze, Lu Huaicheng stepped in smoothly, saying, “Lu Huaicheng, Junlan Group.”

“Oh, so it’s Mr. Lu from Junlan Group. Nice to meet you,” Chen Zhen’s eyes lit up, and his attitude immediately became more respectful. He introduced himself, “I’m Chen Zhen, a director. I recently directed a film called ‘Temptation and Punishment.’ I wonder if you’ve seen it.”

“I have. The cinematography and concepts were quite good,” Lu Huaicheng replied with a gentle smile, not withholding his praise.

Seeing that Chen Zhen and Lu Huaicheng were discussing the movie, Xia Liyang felt her tense nerves relax a little.

But she didn’t dare to let her guard down, fearing that Chen Zhen might suddenly remember to ask her why she was inexplicably impersonating a tutor for his child.

So, not long after, she found an excuse, saying she felt a bit dizzy and gently rested her hand on Lu Huaicheng’s arm, saying she wanted him to accompany her inside to sit down.

“Why did you suddenly feel dizzy?” Lu Huaicheng frowned slightly; his tone was concerned, but there was a hint of doubt in his eyes.

“Maybe I drank a bit too much,” Xia Liyang pretended to be unwell, rubbing her temple. She weakened her voice a bit and glanced apologetically at Chen Zhen.

Chen Zhen quickly caught on and stopped talking, hurriedly pulling out his phone and saying, “Mr. Lu, could I add you on WeChat? I’m preparing a suspense film in a similar genre, and you might be interested.”

Lu Huaicheng observed her for a moment and, seeing she seemed genuinely unwell, restrained his gaze and looked calmly at Chen Zhen. He reached into his suit pocket, took out a business card, and replied perfunctorily, “You can send the film proposal to my email. I’ll look at it when I have time.”

“Alright, alright.” Chen Zhen eagerly took the business card from his gloved fingers, watching as he walked away with Xia Liyang toward the villa.

As they climbed the short flight of stairs, Chen Zhen noticed Xia Liyang stumbling slightly. Lu Huaicheng immediately placed a steadying hand on her waist, helping her regain her balance.

And he didn’t let go after that.

It seemed their relationship was more than just friends.

Maybe his film investment would work out after all.

Chen Zhen chuckled to himself, unlocking his phone to find Xia Liyang’s WeChat.

When Lu Huaicheng’s warm hand wrapped around her waist, Xia Liyang felt a surge of indescribable emotions.

She had thought he wouldn’t get so close to her in public, but it turned out he didn’t seem to care.

He wasn’t particularly concerned about the curious gazes around them either.

It seemed his eyes were only on her.

Yet she had deceived him again and again.

Even if, for him, this was a relationship with no future.

He had shown her far more genuine care than she had shown him.

But her emotions didn’t last long, as he interrupted her with a casual question.

“I noticed you didn’t even finish a glass of wine, so how are you already dizzy?”

Xia Liyang’s breathing tightened, and she laughed awkwardly, “I think I just have a low tolerance…”

“If you have a low alcohol tolerance, why didn’t you tell me? You insisted on drinking until you got dizzy.” Lu Huaicheng glanced at her with a frown.

“Because…” Xia Liyang bit her lip nervously and said slowly, “I’ve never really drunk before, so I didn’t know if I could handle it.”

Lu Huaicheng’s dark eyes lingered on her in silence for a moment before sighing and gently helping her to a sofa by the window. He called over a waiter and requested a cup of tea.

“Sorry for troubling you, Mr. Lu,” Xia Liyang said softly, her eyes blinking apologetically.

“Just drink the tea; it should help a bit.” His expression softened slightly.

“Thank you.” Xia Liyang nodded obediently and added, “Mr. Lu, please go about your business. I’ll just sit here and recover.”

“I’ve met most of the people I needed to, so there’s nothing pressing to attend to.” He spoke in a calm tone, unbuttoning his suit jacket and sitting beside her.

As the sofa dipped slightly under his weight, Xia Liyang’s nerves tensed up, fearing he might start asking about her tutoring job. She quickly changed the subject.

“Mr. Lu, do you plan on promoting any celebrity?”

“Why do you ask that all of a sudden?” Lu raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Because everyone at this gathering seems to be from the entertainment industry,” she replied carefully, “so I was a bit curious.”

“Oh.” Lu Huaicheng took a leisurely sip of tea and replied, “I’m also curious about how you have connections to be a tutor at the house of a well-known director, Teacher Xia.”

Xia Liyang’s pulse quickened, realizing there was no avoiding this question. After a quick mental scramble, she answered, “It was just by chance—a friend introduced me to the job.”

“So you have friends in the entertainment industry too.” Lu Huaicheng raised his gaze and gave her an intense look.

Running out of options, Xia Liyang decided to bring up Xu Songnian, thinking it might ease Lu Huaicheng’s suspicions.

After she mentioned Xu Songnian’s name, Lu Huaicheng’s gaze darkened slightly. After a moment, he asked, “So, how long have you known this Mr. Xu?”

“Almost two years,” she replied, nervously swallowing, reducing their actual history to a fraction of the truth.

“So, you met him as soon as you started graduate school?” His sharp gaze seemed to penetrate her thoughts.

“Uh-huh…” Xia Liyang’s eyes drifted slightly.

“How did you meet him?” he pressed on.

“Through a part-time job,” she replied softly.

Lu Huaicheng’s dark eyes lingered on her lowered lashes for a moment before he took another casual sip of tea, as if he had finished his line of questioning.

Xia Liyang quietly exhaled and picked up her tea to calm her nerves.

But then his deep voice broke the silence again, catching her off guard. “Have you ever followed him?”

Startled, Xia Liyang’s hand trembled, nearly spilling her tea.

“F-followed him where?” she stammered, her long lashes fluttering in confusion and anxiety.

Lu Huaicheng’s movements paused, his dark gaze fixed on her.

He seemed to be weighing whether she was genuinely clueless or feigning ignorance.

Her clear, innocent eyes reflected his figure. Her slightly parted lips, moistened by the tea, glistened like a freshly plucked peach.

Lu Huaicheng’s throat tightened slightly as he raised a gloved hand, gently grasping her delicate chin, lifting her face toward him.

“Mr. Lu…” Xia Liyang’s breath quickened, her fair, slender neck tilting up involuntarily.

Lu Huaicheng slowly lowered his head, his heavy breathing getting closer and closer to her.

The pressure on her chin became stronger, with the soft leather sofa brushing against her smooth skin, slightly itchy and slightly painful.

Her heart pounded fiercely, and her eyes welled up with clear, shimmering tears.

Noticing her frightened, wet gaze, Lu Huaicheng paused. A hint of restrained frustration flashed in his deep eyes.

He turned his handsome face slightly, leaning close to her ear, and spoke in a low, hoarse voice, as if soaked in strong liquor, “Have you done this with him?”

Understanding his implication, Xia Liyang’s heart skipped a beat. She answered in a trembling voice, “No, we’re just friends.”

“You just told Chen Zhen that we’re friends too.” Lu Huaicheng enunciated each word, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe.

Xia Liyang’s ears turned red, and in a soft voice, she argued logically, “How else should I introduce you? A romantic interest? A benefactor? It wouldn’t make sense to say boyfriend, right?”

Lu Huaicheng froze, his expression subtly stiffening.

It seemed her words finally made him realize his overreaction.

He slowly straightened up, letting go of her chin, and his voice returned to its usual calm tone. “I’m stepping out for a bit. Take your time to recover.”

“Alright.” Xia Liyang lowered her gaze, feeling the heat left on both sides of her jaw from his fingers. Against her smooth, pale skin, it felt especially vivid.

Lu Huaicheng’s dark eyes moved slightly, his thin lips pressing together.

In the end, he said nothing, turning and leaving the villa.

Xia Liyang watched his tall figure disappear through the window and let out a long breath.

Quickly, she picked up her phone to explain the situation to Chen Zhen, only to see a message he had sent her not long ago:

“Miss Xia, are you avoiding revealing your pen name to your friends?”

Xia Liyang: “Director Chen, you caught me. Please help keep it a secret.”

Chen Zhen: “In return, please speak favorably of me in front of him. I’ll naturally keep my lips sealed.”

…

Xia Liyang paused, sensing his underlying meaning. Slightly troubled, she replied tactfully, “I’ll mention it to him, but I can’t guarantee he’ll listen.”

Chen Zhen: “As long as he genuinely takes the time to review my proposal and replies to my email, that’s enough.”

Xia Liyang: “I’ll do my best.”

Chen Zhen: “Thank you, Miss Xia. Let’s have a meal together sometime.”

Xia Liyang: “Sure, if there’s time.”

Feeling a bit drained, Xia Liyang put her phone down, leaned back on the sofa, and gently touched her still warm chin.

Sometimes, she truly couldn’t understand what went on in Lu Huaicheng’s mind.

To him, wasn’t she just a casual companion?

Did he really need to care so much about her past relationships or their current undefined status?

Moreover, if one were to argue, he had never clearly given her any sort of title!

What was he even upset about?

Absolutely baffling.

Outside, as he took in the fresh air, Lu Huaicheng’s heated mind finally cooled completely.

He couldn’t understand why he would feel such a strong possessive desire toward her.

The intensity was such that he couldn’t bear hearing about any man she’d been close to.

That moment of emotional loss of control forced him to re-evaluate himself.

He was too accustomed to having everything under his control. When anything deviated, even for a second, it unsettled him.

He didn’t want to, nor did he like to admit, that he could be influenced by a woman to this extent.

Perhaps it was simply because he had been drinking.

Alcohol inevitably dulls one’s senses.

With that thought, Lu Huaicheng’s turbulent eyes gradually calmed down.

He glanced at Xia Liyang, who was seated by the window.

Sunlight poured through the bright glass, casting a hazy glow on her hair, outlining her delicate profile with a soft radiance.

She looked increasingly pure and pristine, like a graceful lotus flower.

Perhaps sensing his gaze, she suddenly turned her face.

The moment their eyes met through the glass, she was slightly stunned.

Then she quickly flashed her usual, sweet, obedient smile meant to please him.

Lu Huaicheng’s dark eyes remained as deep as a well.

But his heartbeat, out of his control, skipped a beat.