Chapter 35
Su Qing on the other end of the phone was clearly taken aback by this sudden, almost frantic order to allocate resources, but Lin Zhenghong's tone made her understand the seriousness of the matter, and she immediately replied solemnly, "Yes! Chairman! I understand! Execute immediately!"
After hanging up the phone, Lin Zhenghong's face broke into a smile again, and he warmly greeted, "Come, come, Professor Zhuohua, Lu Xiao, please take a seat! It's just a simple meal to express our appreciation!"
Dinner was exceptionally lavish, yet the atmosphere was somewhat awkward. Lin Zhenghong was extremely attentive, and the conversation always seemed to linger on metaphysics and feng shui, the awe in his eyes impossible to conceal.
Lin Yang transformed into a diligent little assistant, serving Zhuo Hua food and water before the servants could. Although his movements were clumsy, his attitude was extremely serious, his eyes were frighteningly bright, and he kept quietly asking various questions that he considered "professional":
"Master, do you think there's any particular reason for placing these soup bowls?"
"Master, do you think this color will bring me good fortune tonight?"
"Master..."
Zhuohua frowned slightly at his noise, only occasionally responding with a word or two, and mostly eating quietly. Lu Xiao sat beside Zhuohua, his demeanor composed and his dining manners impeccable.
He didn't deliberately interrupt, but carefully moved the dish that Zhuohua had glanced at closer and refilled her cup with warm water before it was empty.
When Lin Yang's questions became too outrageous, he would gently change the subject or use a calm look to make Lin Yang tone it down. He was like a silent and reliable barrier, separating Zhuohua from the excessive enthusiasm and noise of the outside world, allowing her to enjoy a moment of peace.
After the dinner, Lin Zhenghong personally escorted the two to the door, expressing his gratitude profusely once again. A long Bentley limousine had been waiting for some time.
The car smoothly drove away from the hillside villa, disappearing into the dazzling city lights below. Soft, soothing music played inside the car.
Lu Xiao leaned back comfortably in the soft leather seat, turning his head to look at Zhuo Hua, who was resting with her eyes closed beside him. The sunlight streaming through the car window swept across her delicate profile, outlining her aloof and exquisite features. He reached out and naturally took her hand, which rested on her lap. Her hand was slightly cool, her skin as smooth as jade.
Zhuohua didn't open her eyes, but her fingers twitched slightly, gently squeezing back.
A satisfied smile curved Lu Xiao's lips. He was no longer the small-time extra who would be anxious about a little bit of resources or panic about a little bit of supernatural events.
His girl was a goddess from the heavens, incredibly powerful. His task was not to look up to her, but to strive to grow into a safe harbor for her, her strongest support and... refuge in this noisy world.
"Are you tired?" he asked softly, his voice sounding especially gentle in the quiet carriage.
Zhuohua's long eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. Her clear, cool eyes reflected Lu Xiao's calm and focused face, and something seemed to melt within them. She didn't answer whether she was tired, but simply rested her head gently on Lu Xiao's shoulder, finding a comfortable position.
"Go home." She closed her eyes, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible languor.
A wave of warmth washed over Lu Xiao, and he tightened his arms around her, making her lean against him more securely. He lowered his head and placed a very light, very precious kiss on her smooth forehead.
"Yes, let's go home."
Sunlight, sliced into blocks by the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, generously poured into the multi-functional training hall on the top floor of Xingyao Media, where fine dust particles floated in the air. The cool air from the air conditioner struggled against the July heat outside, but it couldn't dispel the invisible, suffocating low pressure in the center of the training hall.
Following Chairman Lin's orders, Su Qing quickly arranged teachers and a full schedule of lessons for the two of them. Zhuo Hua didn't care about any of this, but seeing Lu Xiao's passion for acting, she sighed and decided to reluctantly follow along for the sake of her own love for acting.
But the teacher was furious.
The physical education teacher, Qian Min, stood in the center of the room. Her well-maintained face was now taut as if coated with paste, her gaze sharp as a knife, fixed intently on Zhuo Hua. The script rolled up in her hand trembled slightly with her rapid breathing, as if it would fly out of her grasp at any moment.
"Zhuohua!" Qian Min's voice suddenly rose, sharp enough to shatter glass, "'Shy'! 'Panic'! 'Weakness'! This is the feeling your young lady wants! Look at you!"
She suddenly pointed the script at Zhuohua, her fingertips trembling. "Your posture, your eyes! Tell me, you're not a young lady panicking at the sight of a strange man! You're clearly a female war goddess waiting to review the three armies on the parade ground! Are you about to draw your sword and chop someone up the next second?!"
The surrounding air seemed to freeze.
Several young artists who were taking the class together and were trying to strike a pose all held their breath, keeping their eyes down and not daring to make a sound, only daring to sneak glances at the eye of the storm.
Zhuohua stood in the dappled sunlight, her simple training clothes outlining her tall, slender figure and conveying an ancient sense of power. Her face was expressionless, her eyes calm and undisturbed, as if Qian Min's stormy rebuke was merely a gentle breeze passing by her ear.
She was indeed playing the role of a young lady who should have been flustered and panicked when a stranger abruptly saw her. The script required her to step back, trip, and then be caught by the male lead.
But when the male actor who was sparring with her rushed over with the "eagerness" he had been trained in, and his fingers were about to touch her arm, an instinctive stress response that originated from the depths of her divine body and was honed through countless life-and-death battles started even faster than her thoughts.
She took root in her feet, her back and waist instantly tensed like a bowstring, and her shoulders and elbows subtly sank at an almost imperceptible angle. The airflow in the entire space seemed to freeze for a moment, and an invisible, cold repulsive force field was suddenly generated.
The male actor felt a powerful force crashing into him out of nowhere. Even though his fingertips were still an inch away from her sleeve, he felt as if he had hit an invisible, elastic wall. He cried out in surprise, tripped, and stumbled backward several steps in an extremely awkward manner, almost falling to the ground.
He clutched his lower back, his face deathly pale, staring at Zhuohua in shock, his eyes filled with bewilderment and lingering fear.
Zhuohua blinked, and the chilling aura that had instantly spread and was enough to freeze the soul receded like a tide.
She glanced at the disheveled male actor and Qian Min, who was practically fuming with anger, and slowly uttered an "Oh," her voice as cool and steady as ever: "Instinctive reaction, couldn't control it. Let's do it again?"
"An instinctive reaction?!"
Qian Min's voice completely cracked, and the script roll in her hand slammed hard onto the floor with a hollow thud.
She pointed at Zhuohua, her fingers trembling like leaves in the wind, her chest heaving violently, "You...you...you are simply the Waterloo of my teaching career! A hopeless case! An incorrigible piece of trash!"
She whirled around and yelled at Lu Xiao, who had been quietly observing from the corner with a slight frown, "Lu Xiao! Come here! Assist her! Let her see what a 'normal' reaction looks like!"
Lu Xiao immediately stood up and walked quickly to Zhuo Hua's side. He was wearing the same training clothes, his posture was as upright as a pine tree, and sweat soaked the stray hairs on his forehead, sticking to his full forehead, making his eyes look even more focused and bright.
He first gave Zhuohua a reassuring, questioning look, and after receiving a very slight, almost imperceptible nod in response, he turned to Qian Min and respectfully replied, "Okay, Teacher Qian."
He took a deep breath, quickly adjusted his state, his eyes filled with the "anxiety" and "concern" required by the script, his steps were urgent as he had been trained, yet he carefully controlled the distance and force, and he stretched out his arm to make a standard, light-supporting gesture.
Zhuohua looked at him, and a faint but real warmth finally appeared in her calm and still eyes, like a small fish swimming quietly beneath the frozen surface of a lake.
She took a small step back in cooperation, her toes just barely "tripping" her, her body swaying slightly, with a deliberate, somewhat awkward fragility, as she fell towards Lu Xiao.
Lu Xiao steadily supported her arm through her clothes, his strength gentle yet firm. Their eyes met briefly, and without a word, an unspoken understanding flowed in the air, unmatched by anyone else.
Qian Min stared intently at the scene, her face ashen, her teeth clenched, and her cheeks bulging. Lu Xiao's performance was exemplary, impeccable.
But Zhuohua's act of "weakness" was so convincingly fake in her eyes, which had seen countless deaths and carnage, that it was utterly outrageous! It was like someone holding a nuclear launch button trying to mimic a child falling down and crying.
That feeling... was so disjointed! So stifling!
She stomped her foot, the high heels clattering on the floor, grabbed the script roll, turned and stormed out, leaving behind a furious, frustrated roar that echoed through the training room: "Rest! The dialogue class continues this afternoon! Let's see how you make 'Quiet Night Thoughts' sound like the world is collapsing!"
The heavy door was slammed shut by Qian Min in a fit of anger, leaving the training hall in deathly silence. Dust danced wildly in the beam of light, illuminating the faces of several young artists who were still shaken but also had a look of amusement mixed with amusement.
Zhuohua straightened up as if nothing had happened, and casually brushed the spot where Lu Xiao had just helped her up, as if dusting off non-existent dust.
"Teacher Qian... has quite a temper."
She made a casual comment, walked to the wall, picked up her thermos, unscrewed the lid, and a clear, mellow tea aroma, unlike anything found in ordinary tea, gently wafted out.
Lu Xiao followed, his brows furrowed, and lowered his voice: "Hua Hua, Teacher Qian is a senior colleague whom the company hired at great expense. He's known for his bad temper, but he's definitely good at teaching. Could you... cooperate a little? Sticking your neck out like this isn't good for your reputation."
His tone was filled with undisguised worry, and his gaze swept over the few artists who were eavesdropping.
Zhuohua took a sip of spiritual tea, the cool liquid sliding down her throat and dispelling the slight irritation brought on by the physical training class. She looked up at Lu Xiao, and his worried expression was clearly reflected in his deep eyes, which softened a corner of her heart.
"Cooperate?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com