416: Minghuang Group, Mr. Leng, when are we going to have a kissing scene?

Chapter 408: Minghuang Group, Young Master Leng, when is the kissing scene?

The Capital of the Dragon Nation, within the Fifth Ring Road.

A modern high-rise building, entirely covered in dark glass curtain walls, stood majestically, reflecting a cold sheen under the sunlight.

This building, approximately a dozen stories high, was the well-known entertainment giant in the industry—Tianyu International.

As one of the key players in the Dragon Nation's entertainment industry, Tianyu International's artists ranged from super-A-list superstars to unknown newcomers.

The company's market value reached tens of billions, making it a veritable industry flagship.

At this moment, in a luxurious office on the top floor of this glamorous building, the atmosphere was as cold as the glass curtain walls outside.

"What?"

A low growl, suppressed with anger, broke the silence. The speaker was a man.

He slammed the document in his left hand onto the expensive mahogany desk, his right hand still holding his phone.

"Didn't I tell you to persuade her properly? Why does Lu Xiaoying still insist on taking leave?" The man's chest rose and fell slightly, his voice filled with disbelief and indignation.

"What does she take this company for? Is it her backyard? Come and go as she pleases?"

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions, but the threat in his eyes grew even stronger. He issued a final ultimatum, word by word, into the phone.

"Gong Qing, you are her agent. Don't tell me you can't even handle this much."

"I'm giving you one last warning: immediately arrange all of Lu Xiaoying's schedule for tomorrow!"

"The film crew must start work on time tomorrow. There's no room for discussion!"

On the top floor of the Tianyu International Building, in an exceptionally large modern office with an excellent view.

A man in his forties, dressed in an expensive custom-made suit, was pacing anxiously.

He had the air of a successful person, and the precious watch on his wrist gleamed with a metallic cold light.

It was a pity that his thinning hair and obvious baldness diminished this carefully cultivated aura.

This man was the helmsman of Tianyu International, CEO Zhao.

At this moment, he clutched the latest smartphone tightly in his hand, his brows furrowed in a deep frown.

He harshly scolded into the phone, completely devoid of his usual calm demeanor in front of the media.

On the other end of the phone, a woman's voice, attempting to explain, vaguely reached him: "CEO Zhao, but..."

"No buts!"

CEO Zhao roughly interrupted the other party, the veins on his forehead bulging and throbbing with agitation.

All his composure and pretense vanished at this moment, his voice rising by an octave due to anger.

"I don't want to hear any reasons! I only want results! If this matter gets messed up, the consequences are not something you, or she, can bear!"

CEO Zhao seemed to have been drained of strength, his voice carrying a subtle tremor.

He even disregarded maintaining the dignity of a CEO, almost pleadingly saying into the phone: "Hey, Gong Qing... I'm begging you, okay?"

CEO Zhao took a deep breath, as if uttering that name required immense courage.

"Haven't you figured out the situation yet?"

"The one who signed the contract with us this time isn't some ordinary investor, it's Minghuang Group!!!"

He bit down hard on the words "Minghuang," his voice filled with an unspeakable fear and helplessness.

"Our Tianyu International may seem impressive, but in front of Minghuang Group, we're just a small company. We absolutely cannot afford to offend them!"

CEO Zhao's speaking speed grew faster and faster, trying to convey the urgent sense of crisis completely to the other party.

"Once we breach the contract, not only will Lu Xiaoying face astronomical compensation, completely ruining her future,

Our entire Tianyu International will also be buried with her; being severely impacted would be the least of it! Do you understand?"

This almost-collapsed confession completely shattered his previous anger, leaving only primal fear and supplication.

This was the first time CEO Zhao had so disregarded his status to plead with a subordinate.

The pressure from Minghuang Group was simply too immense; he could not bear any responsibility for mistakes.

On the other side, a custom-made pink sedan, like a flowing, dreamlike color, slowly drove into the core of the Dragon Nation's Capital.

A top-tier villa area within the Third Ring Road.

The tranquility here and the bustle of the city center seemed like two different worlds.

Dense greenery cleverly separated individual villas of various styles, ensuring absolute privacy.

Every inch of land was precious; real estate prices here had long surpassed the imagination of ordinary wealthy people, reaching exorbitant levels, with prices as high as hundreds of thousands per square meter.

In this place, any seemingly inconspicuous residence would be worth tens of millions at least.

Without a net worth of hundreds of millions and a matching social status, one would probably not even have the right to step into this area for a glance.

The pink sedan traveled smoothly along the quiet tree-lined road, finally stopping silently.

In front of a three-story villa that blended modern simplicity with classical Chinese elegance.

This was Lu Xiaoying's residence in The Capital, a property personally selected and acquired for her by her father, Old Dog Lu Yulong.

In Old Dog Lu Yulong's view, no one should suffer, especially not his beloved daughter.

Especially regarding safety and living quality, there was no room for even the slightest carelessness.

Otherwise, given Lu Xiaoying's current status as a slightly weaker second-tier star, even with a successful career, her annual income would at most be around five million.

To fully purchase such a top-tier luxury home, which easily costs tens of millions, even if she didn't eat or drink, she would have to save for five or six years or more.

And this would only grant her the right to "take a look," far from reality.

After seeing the car smoothly parked in front of the villa, Gong Qing, the agent sitting in the passenger seat, slowly put down her phone, which she had been clutching tightly.

Throughout the journey, she had kept her call volume extremely low, and her body unconsciously turned towards the car window, trying to avoid the gaze from the back seat.

However, every word of the anxious and fearful conversation between Gong Qing and CEO Zhao.

Each syllable clearly echoed in Lu Xuan's ears, passing into his perception, which had long surpassed the limits of a Mortal.

In the spacious back seat, only Lu Xuan and Lu Xiaoying, who was still holding his arm and immersed in the joy of reunion, were seated.

The driver in the driver's seat was a dedicated staff member assigned by Tianyu International.

"Grandpa, we're here! Be careful, this is where I live. Do you like it?" Lu Xiaoying's voice was light and cheerful, like a happy little bird.

She moved quickly, opening her side of the car door first, then swiftly circling to the other side to eagerly open Lu Xuan's door.

At the same time, she thoughtfully extended her other hand, carefully holding it above the car door, afraid that Grandpa might accidentally bump his head.

Lu Xiaoying bent slightly, flashing a sweet smile at Lu Xuan inside the car.

Although most of her face was still covered by a mask, her crescent-shaped eyes were already brimming with smiles and anticipation.

"Grandpa, since you're in The Capital this time, will you stay here with Xiaoying for a few days, okay? Hehe."

This meticulous care and heartfelt intimacy were not lost on her agent, Gong Qing, who watched from the side.

The anxiety she felt due to company pressure was somewhat diluted by this warm scene.

The interior of the villa was elegantly and warmly decorated, with excellent natural light.

Lu Xuan sat calmly on the spotless white sofa in the center of the living room.

He held an elegant porcelain cup in his hand, containing the hot tea Lu Xiaoying had diligently brewed, with the fragrant steam slowly rising.

After Lu Xiaoying completed the "tea brewing," which she considered her most important task, she was about to snuggle beside Grandpa and continue talking.

However, she saw her agent, Gong Qing, quietly give her an urgent and serious look.

Lu Xiaoying paused slightly, then flashed a well-behaved smile at Lu Xuan: "Grandpa, you sit and drink your tea and rest for a bit. I'll go up and change and be right back!"

With that, she turned and lightly, like a butterfly, jogged up the spiral staircase leading to the second floor.

Inside the room on the second floor, the door had just softly closed.

Gong Qing clasped her hands together, almost pleadingly, and whispered to Lu Xiaoying.

"My dear Young Miss, this is really not a joke this time!

CEO Zhao is already furious. Please, just take pity on me and listen, okay?"

Seeing Lu Xiaoying's still stubborn little face, she quickly offered what she considered the best solution.

"How about this? I promise you, during the days Grandpa is in The Capital, I will personally accompany him everywhere, ensuring he's perfectly taken care of!

And look, you only go to film during the day. When you finish work and come back, don't you still have plenty of time to spend with Grandpa in the evening?

This way, nothing is delayed. How about it?"

Gong Qing felt like her head was splitting.

Facing this Young Miss with a deep background, whom she couldn't hit or scold, she could only humble herself, almost begging for her to change her mind.

Lu Xiaoying still puffed out her fair cheeks, like an inflated pufferfish, full of unyielding obstinacy. She stomped her foot: "No! I won't!"

Seeing her so unreasonable, Gong Qing's suppressed anger finally flared up.

She took a deep breath, her tone becoming unprecedentedly stern, with no room for compromise.

"Lu Xiaoying! Wake up!"

She almost squeezed out each word through gritted teeth, "This time is completely different from those previous minor contracts!

The previous collaborators, considering your Family background, might have indulged your little whims!"

Gong Qing stepped closer, looking directly into Lu Xiaoying's eyes, trying to jolt her awake with the most direct words.

"But this time's investor is Minghuang Group! Ming—Huang—Group! Do you understand what those four words mean?"

Without waiting for Lu Xiaoying's answer, she gave the reply in a voice bordering on despair.

"That's a super behemoth with a market value of trillions!

It's a giant that can make the entire industry catch a cold with just one sneeze!

And rumors say behind them... there are also some powerful figures we can't even imagine, whom we can't easily mention!"

Gong Qing's voice carried a subtle tremor, stemming from the fear of an absolute power disparity.

"If we dare to breach the contract this time, it won't be as simple as paying money and apologizing... We will surely meet a terrible end!

I, CEO Zhao, and even the entire Tianyu International, cannot bear that consequence!"

Seeing Lu Xiaoying still indifferent, as if it had nothing to do with her, Gong Qing almost lost her composure, and a complaint with a curse word slipped out.

"Damn it! My Young Miss Lu!"

"You come from a prominent Family, you're out of touch with the world!

You have your Family backing you. A sky-high breach of contract fee of hundreds of millions or even billions might just be a number to you, so of course you don't have to worry!"

"But we little people are different!" Her emotions completely erupted, her eyes slightly reddening.

"I'll be completely blacklisted from this industry, unable to find work ever again. I'll end up on the streets! Do you understand?!"

At this, Lu Xiaoying's attitude finally softened, not because of the terrifyingly high breach of contract fee.

As Gong Qing said, for her, that might just be a number that her Family could handle.

What truly hit Lu Xiaoying's soft spot was Gong Qing herself, and the phrase, "I'll end up on the streets, completely blacklisted."

Lu Xiaoying might be naive, but she knew who was good to her.

Throughout her journey, from her naive beginnings in the industry to her current modest fame.

It was all because of Gong Qing, her agent who was both a mentor and a friend, who took care of every detail for her, shielded her from difficulties, and sometimes spent more time with her than her own Family.

In her heart, Sister Qing had long been like an older sister.

How could she, because of her own willfulness, stand by and watch Sister Qing, who was like Family, be pushed into an abyss, her career utterly destroyed?

Lu Xiaoying subconsciously bit her lower lip, her bright eyes filled with unprecedented entanglement and struggle.

On one side was her Bloodline relative, her rarely seen Grandpa; on the other, Sister Qing, who was like a sister and facing a desperate situation... Her little head was a mess at the moment, experiencing for the first time the weight of a difficult choice in the adult world.

Seeing Lu Xiaoying's attitude finally soften, Gong Qing knew the time was right.

A subtle smile of "triumph" flashed across her face, but was quickly covered by an expression of concern.

In fact, she had already thought of the best solution, but Gong Qing knew she absolutely couldn't propose it first.

She had to wait until this Young Miss was pushed into a corner, with no other options, and then present the plan as a "savior" for her to readily accept it.

Now, the time was ripe.

The next second, Gong Qing immediately adopted a "sudden inspiration" tone of surprise, clapping her hands lightly.

"That's right, Xiaoying! I've thought of a good idea that might kill two birds with one stone!"

She leaned in closer, her voice carrying just the right amount of temptation: "Look, Grandpa rarely comes to The Capital; just visiting sights would be so boring, wouldn't it?"

"We could totally take him to the film set!"

"Letting him see firsthand how professional and radiant you are on set—wouldn't that be more meaningful than visiting anywhere else?"

"This is an extremely rare opportunity!"

Gong Qing carefully observed Lu Xiaoying's expression, then dropped the most crucial point.

"This way, you can see Grandpa all the time, make him proud of you, and at the same time, you can film with peace of mind. Nothing gets delayed! What do you think?"

Sure enough!

Lu Xiaoying, who had been pushed to a dead end and was internally conflicted,

Upon hearing this "perfect" plan, her previously dim little eyes instantly lit up, as if she had seen a ray of hope in despair!

The Capital of the Dragon Nation, within the Second Ring Road, a core area.

This was truly an inch of land worth an ounce of gold, home to the city's most exclusive villa district.

The average price of any residence here was calculated in "hundreds of millions," a direct symbol of wealth and power.

Inside one of the extremely luxurious villas, the vast living room lights were dim and hazy.

A man about thirty years old, with a refined but somewhat sinister face.

He lounged casually on the main sofa, a naked woman with skin as white as snow curled up beside him like a pet.

If anyone from the entertainment industry were present, they would be shocked to recognize her.

This woman was a recently popular, super-A-list actress, hailed as a national idol and known for her seductive charm.

At this moment, she clung to this man without dignity.

On the two sofas nearby, two other impeccably dressed men were also sprawled, each embracing two beautiful and curvaceous second-tier actresses, who, though not top-tier, were quite active on screen and had many fans.

The air was filled with the ambiguous scent of expensive cigars mixed with perfume.

"Young Master Leng, I heard you've been quite smitten with a woman lately?"

A man with slicked-back hair swirled his wine glass, his tone ambiguous, "For this woman, you even personally acted alongside her for more than a dozen episodes?

I've seen the promotional photos; that girl is indeed exquisite—a nine-head body, a swan neck, perfectly plump in all the right places... truly a work of art sculpted by God's own hands."

Another man with an earring leaned in closer, lowering his voice with a laugh: "The script should be reaching the kissing scene soon, right? When that happens, you must share your insights with us."

The man referred to as Young Master Leng curved his lips into a determined smile, his fingertips lightly tracing the shoulder line of the actress in his arms.

"You two have good taste. Once I tame this arrogant Phoenix into a house sparrow... I certainly won't forget my brothers."

Finally, he slowly uttered the name that lingered in his mind, his voice filled with dangerous obsession.

"Lu Xiaoying... she's also a woman with a bit of a background. I love playing these challenging games the most."