Chapter 10, Section 10: "If you're not in the mood for sex, are you interested in keeping me here?"
After Gu Lai blurted it out, the two looked at each other in silence, so quiet that it was as if they could hear the air moving and the sound of eyelashes touching.
The only thing I can't hear is my heartbeat.
Gu Lai looked at Jiang Yi.
She was truly beautiful, Gu Lai was certain of that once again. Technology changes lives, and the phrase "forever young" is indeed true, as long as there is professional care available at any cost. Jiang Yi was still the dazzling Jiang Yi she had first met, but Gu Lai knew she was no longer the humble and awkward little artist dressed in cheap idol attire.
Gu Lai stared intently at Jiang Yi. Although the silence only lasted a few seconds, she was already getting impatient.
Either let me hear the same heartbeat as before, or Jiang Yi, say something, whether it's a rebuttal or something else.
However, no.
Jiang Yi's lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something but swallowed it back. When she opened her mouth again, she actually laughed out loud, "Ha!" She propped her forehead up and looked down, as if it was too absurd and too funny, so she still couldn't say anything.
And my heart remained obediently in my chest cavity. Let alone the pounding of my heart back then, it wouldn't have even stirred slightly.
No.
Jiang Yi propped his forehead up like that, so he couldn't see her expression, but he could hear her calm yet hoarse voice.
"Now you're asking these kinds of questions too, Alai. I thought you would never say things like others."
Gu Lai, what do you mean by "such words"? If "such words" are nonsense, why don't you immediately refute them?
But it's meaningless.
I think I no longer love her; I can easily say the most sarcastic and cutting things. Even the love that had been diluted by time has been completely consumed by the endless awkward conversations, cold wars, arguments, waiting, and hurtful interactions we've had recently.
Gu Lai heard herself calmly state, "I'm being unreasonable again."
Jiang Yi took a deep breath and looked up at her: "Does it have to be asked like this?" Before she could answer, she leaned forward and smiled, saying, "So, are you willing to do it with me now?"
Gu Lai was shocked.
"Are you willing?" Jiang Yi asked somewhat aggressively. "Scented candles, ties, high heels, the bedroom, the terrace, the salon, even absinthe and the swimming pool, any way and anywhere, are you willing? What were you thinking when I kissed you last night?"
"So you weren't asleep." Gu Lai nodded and repeated, "So you weren't asleep, then why are you saying it now?"
Jiang Yi didn't answer; her phone rang.
When the call connected, the assistant's voice came through the receiver in a muffled manner. Gu Lai only caught a few words, but she could basically fill in the rest of the meaning.
The acquisition is not going smoothly, and there are also media reports that are making things worse. Some executives want to meet to discuss the matter.
Gu Lai opened her phone and, sure enough, saw that the platform had accurately pushed the news.
"16 Billion! Fenglu May Drive the Largest Acquisition in Luxury Goods Industry History, and the Mastermind Behind It Is Her..."
You don't even need to open the link to find out who's behind this. The photo below the title is of Jiang Yi and Camilla being photographed in front of a private terminal not long ago. However, the woman from Onsa in the original photo has been cut out, leaving only Jiang Yi with his head slightly turned to the side and a calm expression.
Gu Lai looked up after reading the message and saw that Jiang Yi had already turned off his phone screen and was looking at her.
"Ah Lai, do you think I should go now?" Jiang Yi revealed a charming smile that didn't reach his eyes. "If you're not in the mood, are you interested in keeping me here?"
Even the most linguistically gifted writers can't compare to their closest loved ones. The most ordinary words, spoken, feel like a slap in the face, a knife to the heart.
Gu Lai said, "You're asking me?" She laughed, "Ask yourself. I don't know anything. Would you listen to anything I say?"
Her pronunciation was very clear, demonstrating the diction of a top-tier national actor.
She asked, "Do you really need me?"
Jiang Yi's face turned cold. She stood up, and it was clear that she wanted to turn around and leave. However, she stopped and turned back, saying to Gu Lai, "I didn't want to argue with you. I really didn't want any messy influence or estrangement. I was just being unreasonable."
Gu Lai thought for a moment and then told the truth: "I could tell yesterday, but I'm not sure today."
Jiang Yi couldn't help but laugh, and when he spoke again, his smile was still a little unrestrained: "So that's what you think. If you thought I talked too much, you should have said so earlier."
Gu Lai: "No...?"
Jiang Yi interrupted her: "You said something right, and I'll remember it: 'When did our relationship become nothing more than polite, perfunctory questions and answers?'"
Gu Lai remained silent.
Jiang Yi did not stop.
“Ah Lai, I remember telling you before that I felt we were different, at least different from the people in my family and the circle of people I knew.”
After Jiang Yi finished speaking, she turned and left without looking back. Gu Lai watched her back until it disappeared into the distance. After a while, she saw a dark shadow flash past on the scenic walkway with the roar of an engine.
Gu Lai instinctively took out her phone to call the driver, and only when she heard the driver's voice did she realize what had happened.
"Jiang Yi drove to the company...yes, a supercar, that McLaren...she must be in a bad mood, she was driving pretty fast...okay, thanks."
The driver told her, "It's okay, Sister Lai, don't worry."
It's okay, don't worry.
How could nothing be wrong? She's just used to it, used to taking care of these little things, used to being the one who takes care of the home in front of her "career-oriented lover," and now even worrying has become a habit.
Jiang Yi's counterattack was swift and brutal, or rather, the counterattack from Fenglu, with her at its core, was incredibly fast. Before public opinion could fully take hold, Fenglu's legal team had already filed a lawsuit against Gianni in a court in Country I. Now, more eye-catching than Gianni's jewelry is its lawsuit with Fenglu, and the increasingly declining and chaotic performance and company decisions that Fenglu, at its behest, have exposed to the media.
Gu Lai was more able to sense the storm caused by Gianni and the wind and dew than others.
The fashion industry and the entertainment industry sometimes go hand in hand. For several days, many people inquired about her, both openly and subtly, but Gu Lai remained polite and gentle, claiming ignorance—which was the truth, of course. In the past, Gu Lai would have definitely discussed it with Jiang Yi, but now she had no interest in doing so.
She attended events as usual, cooperated with the promotion of "From Winter to Summer", and prepared for He Xiaoqing's new drama "Full House of Spring". He Xiaoqing went to the audition for another female lead three times, and the person has not yet been selected.
After seeing off a few more actresses with some fame, Gu Lai leaned back in her chair and asked He Xiaoqing, "Director He, I really can't stay any longer. What kind of actress do you want?"
“A call came in.” He Xiaoqing tapped on her phone, clearly discussing finding more actors. “This is a romance film, a romance film, my goodness! When we were filming together just now, those guys practically had ‘Please give me your advice, Mr. Gu’ written all over their faces. And they couldn’t even play lovers. They were just standing there, every cell in their bodies screaming ‘Give me this offer, Mr. Gu,’ more like subordinates.”
He Xiaoqing made no attempt to hide it from people. In front of the assistant director, producer, and several of her actual "subordinates," she made sarcastic remarks without any attempt to hide them. Even a few agents who tried to strike up a conversation and build a relationship heard it, but their faces showed unanimous agreement, as if they had heard a royal decree.
The only exception was Gu Lai, who was amused.
"That's too harsh," she said with a smile. "You're too strict. You scared them so much that they only performed at one-tenth of their full potential."
These words pleased the few agents who had shamelessly stayed, but they dared not say a word. They just watched as He Xiaoqing gave a smug smile, then turned to Producer Wang and said smugly, "If any of those so-called 'Four Dan and Two Hua' had been delayed like this, they would have been fired long ago. Teacher Gu has a good temper; she's lucky to have met me, and I've conscripted her. Now even Teacher Gu can't stand it anymore, which shows how bad the actors who are rising to prominence these days are."
Producer Wang showed no arrogance in front of her ordinary colleagues. She placed her hands on her legs, leaned forward, and smiled, saying, "Teacher Gu is pure, and Director He is also a pure filmmaker."
He Xiaoqing laughed, "You're out of words? All you have left is 'pure'? It seems these brainless actors have really messed things up for us producers." Before he could reply, she turned to Gu Lai and said, "My dear Gu, as a major investor, would you be willing to exercise your power as an investor and put in a female lead?"
Gu Lai was looking down at the script when she heard this and replied casually, "Do you have to be so calculating? I won't work for you for free."
He Xiaoqing smiled and said, "How could I dare? If President Jiang were to have Gianni's lawyers turn their guns on me, it would be troublesome."
The words "General Manager Jiang" and "Gianni" clearly struck a nerve with everyone present, and even the assistant director slowed down his typing.
However, Gu Lai didn't notice that she handed her phone to He Xiaoqing, which showed a photo of a woman in a silver dress holding a wine glass with her eyes downcast.
"What about her? She overlaps quite a bit with Dong Ye, so why don't we ask her to give it a try?"
It was just a casual snapshot by the photographer that made He Xiaoqing make this decision so easily.
Upon closer inspection, He Xiaoqing quickly recognized Fan Zi.
He Xiaoqing was a little surprised, looking at the picture and then at Gu Lai. She didn't know about the ridiculous things Xu Rui had done with Fan Zi to make Gu Lai anxious, but she did know that Fan Zi had been given the cold shoulder recently.
Resources haven't stopped flowing, but several high-end brand endorsements that were in talks with were suddenly put on hold. They didn't replace anyone, so it's not a huge setback for the studio; it's like the profits are rotting inside their own house, not being fed by anyone else.
The people signed by Gu Lai's studio are all cash cows; there's no need to hold them back. Besides, there are only so many high-end luxury brands globally, and most of them are under Fenglu's umbrella. Given this situation, it's easy to guess that this is a warning from Gu Lai.
He Xiaoqing and Jiang Yi were true childhood friends, but she had "neglected her proper profession" and become a famous director, so she knew even more about the matter. Based on her understanding of Gu Lai, she knew that Gu Lai would not, and could not, use such methods. She would laugh off trivial matters, but if she was unwilling to tolerate something, she would be straightforward and leave no room for compromise.
He Xiaoqing felt that even Gu Lai herself was unaware of the possibility that she might have offended Gu Lai, yet someone had already warned her on her behalf.
People with good fortune are truly enviable; they don't have to worry about anything.
He Xiaoqing said meaningfully, "Her resources have been really bad lately."
No one else dared to crane their necks to see who it was. The assistant director, who had been chatting with several agents nearby, also dared not slack off anymore. He kept talking and shooing the "outsiders" away.
Gu Lai, who was the center of attention, remained unfazed: "I know."
I know about her current situation, but it doesn't matter; that's what everyone has heard.
I know why she's like this. Before, I chose to trust the management's approach, but now, for the sake of the film, I don't mind giving Fan Zi resources. This is what He Xiaoqing heard.
He Xiaoqing readily agreed, nodding and asking when she could come.
"Today." Gu Lai held up her phone to her ear; the call had already been connected.
"Sister Xiang," Gu Lai said gently, "Is Xiao Fan here? Director He's film wants her to give it a try. How long will it take her to get here—"
She paused, looked at He Xiaoqing, who immediately typed out the address on her phone for her. Gu Lai slowed her speech and read it aloud: "—Is an hour enough to get here?"
A cheerful laugh came from across the room: "It doesn't need to take that long, she'll be here in half an hour."
Gu Lai hung up the phone. He Xiaoqing glanced out the window; the sky was overcast and looked like it was about to rain.
Just then, someone spoke up: "It might rain, and when the roads get congested, it doesn't discriminate between luxury cars and taxis. Can you get here in an hour?"
He Xiaoqing glanced over casually: "Hmm? What's wrong?"
“What I mean,” the man smiled, “is that we invite Professor Gu to join us? He’s been working hard all afternoon. Shall we eat while we wait?”
He Xiaoqing didn't give that man a second glance. She looked at Producer Wang and then turned to chat with Gu Lai about entertainment gossip. Producer Wang coaxed the man out for a smoke with a few words. Once the door was closed and he knew no one inside could hear him, he put on a half-smile and said, "President Wang, you've struck it rich."
Nowadays, anyone can be called a "general manager".
"General Manager Wang" bowed and bent down to light Producer Wang's cigarette: "No, no, I wouldn't dare—"
Producer Wang stood there letting her order, then interrupted, saying, "What do you mean you wouldn't dare? You're not even giving face to Teacher Gu's people?"
“That’s not…” “President Wang” swallowed his words halfway through, “Hey, I was just standing up for Teacher Gu.”
Producer Wang took a deep, relaxed drag of his cigarette, tossed it into the trash can, and gave it a three-pointer! He smiled smugly at the trash can, then turned his head, his smile turning into a mocking one: "You should hurry up and call Qiao Yi your teacher. She's all the rage this year, with fans blocking the airport and unable to leave. That's what you should be so eager to vent your frustrations on. You can fawn over her as a pretty face, but some people aren't your business. They're mostly obedient. It seems Mr. Wang has a bad memory; he didn't realize this."
After producer Wang finished speaking, he turned around, strode open the door, and shut "General Manager Wang" out.
"President Wang" stared at the door, not daring to follow him in. He stood there dumbfounded, finishing the last half of his cigarette. After making the call to his important friend, his face turned ashen, realizing he'd messed up. Just as he was fidgeting, unsure what to do, he turned his head and saw a person in a thin trench coat striding in, blowing in the wind and rain.
"President Wang" wasn't really good at distinguishing between minor celebrities, but at this moment he recognized her immediately as Fan Zi, whom they were talking about.
At this moment, she looked remarkably like Gu Lai, leaving "President Wang" somewhat bewildered at first glance. Her executive agent swiftly passed by the dazed "President Wang," and, led by the assistant director who had come to greet them, pushed open the door.
The room full of people who had been talking loudly fell silent, and then they all looked at Gu Lai, some quickly and some slowly.
Even He Xiaoqing, who had seen countless people, was a little stunned. How come she hadn't noticed before that Gu Lai looked so much like her?
He Xiaoqing said suspiciously, "That's strange. Does Jiang San know that President Tan signed this...this...Ms. Fan?"
“Not only do I know him,” Gu Lai nodded to the agent behind Fan Zi and said calmly, “I’ve even met him.”
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Thank you for the nutrient solution from Xiao i and for the comments from Digital Baby! [starry-eyed]
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