Chapter 021: Overplaying the Joke

“You better hold that cup steady. If you’re not careful and I’m not either, and the water spills on the floor, people will think I’m throwing a tantrum and smashing cups again.”

At that moment, Lu Jingshan had just finished handling the matter with Qiao Yi and stepped briskly into the recording studio, catching the woman’s playful tone. Anyone listening could tell she was joking about the trending topics that had been circulating on Weibo recently.

He stayed among the crew, quietly watching Fang Yimeng as she tried to ease the atmosphere. He rubbed his index finger against the bridge of his nose and let out a silent laugh.

The crew, all too familiar with how celebrities usually behave, showed mixed expressions upon seeing Fang Yimeng so calmly poke fun at her own controversies.

Li Ke, ears flushed red, handed over the thermos. After Yimeng took a sip, she quickly hugged the bottle and rushed out of the interview studio.

After a short break, the remaining part of the interview focused on closing questions. Thanks to Fang Yimeng’s earlier deflection, the producer subtly skipped over the trickier topics.

With the interview wrapped up, the filming for episode two officially concluded.

After expressing gratitude to the production crew with newcomer Ou Xiangchen, Fang Yimeng instructed him to take her nanny van back to the training camp.

As for herself, she shamelessly insisted that Lu Jingshan drive her home, claiming she didn’t have a ride and forcing him to take her back to Meijing Park.

As soon as they reached the underground parking lot, Lu Jingshan’s phone rang. He picked it up with one hand and stretched the other out toward Yimeng.

No words were needed between them. She tacitly took the car keys from his hand, unlocked the door, and got into the passenger seat.

From her vantage point, she watched him stand in front of the car — wide shoulders and slim waist, his back to her.

Freed from the pressure of the work environment, Yimeng finally let out a breath, but her mind quickly wandered to the moment earlier today in the hallway with Lu Jingshan…

And her mother’s repeated advice: If you can’t get married, at least have a child. With genes this good, why waste them? When else will you find a man with both looks and stability?

These words echoed over and over in Fang Yimeng’s head.

By the time Lu Jingshan finished the call and got into the driver’s seat, she was still lost in thought, staring at him as if sketching out her entire future.

“Tired from filming?” he asked, noticing her dazed expression. He frowned, pulled a blanket from the back seat, and draped it over her. “You know how to adjust the seat — just don’t recline it too much. It’s unsafe. We’ll be at your place soon.”

He dimmed the car’s interior lights.

Yimeng, slightly stunned, instinctively adjusted her seat into a more comfortable angle.

Just as Lu Jingshan started the car and stepped on the gas, he glanced to the side — and saw a pair of bright eyes peeking out from under a soft pink blanket.

In the darkness, her gaze sparkled.

His slender fingers gripped the steering wheel a little tighter.

“My dad just called,” he said suddenly.

“My dad? What did he want?” she asked groggily, the drowsiness intensified by his deep voice.

“He asked me to come over tomorrow.” He was direct, offering no further explanation.

She mumbled a response, still half-asleep, but managed to ask, “Should I come out to meet you?”

He seemed to remember how she once made him wait for half an hour at the gate, refusing to get out of bed. He pressed his tongue against his molars, and slowly replied, “Your father said I’ll probably be coming to Meijing Park a lot, so he’s already spoken to the gate guards.”

In other words: No need for the princess to come out personally.

That remark shook off her sleepiness.

She gave a light scoff, her voice laced with drowsy sulkiness and a hint of sweetness.

Lu Jingshan’s lips pressed into a line, his dark gaze resting on her face growing deeper. Just as he felt his self-control slipping, he slammed down the handbrake and stepped on the accelerator, rushing her home before he lost it.

When the car entered the neighborhood, he confidently navigated to Fang’s villa, based on his memory from the last visit.

As soon as he parked, he saw the garage door open and a black Bentley roll out.

In the driver’s seat was Fang Jianyuan. He caught sight of the unfamiliar car at the gate and, locking eyes with Lu Jingshan, held the gaze for a moment.

Lu Jingshan stared back calmly, with subtle curiosity and a hint of provocation. Fang Jianyuan soon averted his eyes and drove away without pause.

Inside the car, the woman was still sleeping soundly. Lu Jingshan unbuckled his seatbelt, got out, and circled around to the passenger side. He gently unfastened her seatbelt.

“Just five more minutes,” she murmured, still half-asleep, snuggling deeper into the blanket and quickly drifting off again.

Seeing her peaceful and quiet expression — a rare moment of softness — Lu Jingshan couldn’t help the small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

He rang the Fang family doorbell, and when the housekeeper answered, he was already carrying Fang Yimeng, wrapped snugly in her pink blanket.

“She’s asleep,” he said softly before the housekeeper could speak.

The housekeeper took one look at the peacefully sleeping girl and smiled warmly, stepping aside to let them in and even opening the villa door for him.

Relying on memory, Lu Jingshan found Fang Yimeng’s room, laid her gently on the bed, and tucked her in before leaving — quietly closing the door behind him.

Click.

The moment the door shut, the “sleeping” woman opened her eyes, sharp and alert.

She glanced cautiously at the door to confirm it was closed. Then she yanked the blanket over her head and let out a barely audible squeal.

Three seconds later, she calmed down, peeked out from under the covers, and pulled out her phone.

She instinctively opened Weibo’s trending list.

The cold blue light from the screen illuminated her fair, delicate features — and her content smile quickly turned into a cold, steely gaze.

[#FangYimengJokesAboutBullyingOnSet [Hot]]
[#TheLastingPsychologicalImpactOfWorkplaceBullying]
[#BanFangYimengFromActingIndustry]