If he heard that, where would I hide my face? I’m dead, I’m absolutely dead! Please, let him not have heard! I still want to live!
Although she hadn't put it on speakerphone, our darling Han Xinyue had such a booming voice, and since the couple wasn't very far apart, Mu Tingshen naturally heard every word.
Mu Tingshen chuckled. "Your friend certainly cares about you a lot."
Shen Xingling thought: *He’s actually laughing? What happened to the aloof and cold reputation everyone talks about? I’m dead, I’m dead, he really heard it. My reputation is ruined! Han Xinyue, you just wait!*
Shen Xingling smiled awkwardly and replied, "She really does care about me."
Twenty minutes later, at the Chenxing Entertainment executive office.
Shen Xingling stood in the towering office building, looking down at the city. Below, the streets were a bustling river of traffic and people, each person rushing and striving for their own happiness and ideals.
"Knock, knock." A series of knocks shattered the quiet of the office.
Shen Xingling set down her water glass, instantly transforming into an aloof goddess, and said in a low voice, "Come in."
"Little Star, happy wedding! You certainly know how to enjoy life, playing games every day, while I’m being worked to death," Gu Yuze complained with a look of grievance.
Seeing that it was Gu Yuze, Shen Xingling couldn't be bothered to keep up the cold act.
"Senior Gu! Take a seat, don't stand on ceremony. Should I pour you a cup of coffee to reward your hard work?"
"As if I’d dare drink coffee poured by the CEO," Gu Yuze replied with sarcastic defiance, sensing her attempt to butter him up.
He continued, "You and President Mu are enjoying your sweet new marriage, living your comfortable little life, but look at me. Not long after I graduated, you tricked me into working my life away here, and I’m still single to this day. You’re graduating soon too, and now that you’re back, you absolutely must give me time off. I need to go find my own romance!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Senior, that’s not fair! I never interfered with my employees' personal lives. If you can’t find a girlfriend, that’s just a lack of charm on your part. I’m not taking the blame for that."
Shen Xingling’s sharp tongue was a trait inherited from Ms. Xia Lan.
"Shen Xingling, you can't just make personal attacks like that! What do you mean 'lack of charm'? If I stepped out of this office, I’d have thousands of young women swooning over me in minutes!" Gu Yuze, unhappy, stood up excitedly to defend himself.
"Senior, I’ll give you time off the moment you find one. The problem is, even if I gave you the time off now, it’s not like you’d actually find anyone," Shen Xingling continued, goading him.
"You can rest assured—the moment I find a girlfriend, you’re giving me time off. No, to be precise, once I have a fiancé, you’re required to give me paid marriage leave."
"Then I’ll wait for your good news, Senior."
The two proceeded to discuss work, and not long after, there was another knock at the door. Shen Xingling checked the time—her troublesome best friend must have arrived. "Come in."
Han Xinyue pushed the door open and, seeing Gu Yuze there, greeted him as "Senior."
She then turned to Shen Xingling: "Baby, why were you so worked up on the phone earlier?!"
Seeing that the two girls had things to talk about, Gu Yuze excused himself.
Gu Yuze: "Well, CEO Shen, I’ll get back to work."
Shen Xingling suddenly remembered something: "Senior, don’t schedule any work for Xinyue for now. When she feels like working, she’ll reach out to Sister Cheng."
Sister Cheng, Cheng Cen, was thirty-two—an independent woman and the star agent at Chenxing Entertainment, famous in the industry.
She had originally been Han Xinyue’s manager, sticking with her through the ups and downs at Huangying Century. Later, due to a contract dispute with the company, Han Xinyue terminated her agreement with Huangying Century.
Cheng Cen firmly believed Han Xinyue had the potential to be a huge star. Despite two years of lukewarm success, she trusted her own eye for talent, so she left with her to join Chenxing Entertainment. After another year of effort, Han Xinyue finally broke through—not only becoming famous but also winning the title of Best Actress.
Gu Yuze: "Mhm, Sister Cheng mentioned that to me earlier."
After Gu Yuze left, Han Xinyue walked over and sat down next to Shen Xingling.
Han Xinyue wore a lewd grin. "You were so fired up on the phone earlier. What’s wrong? Could it be that your President Mu didn’t satisfy you on your wedding night?"
Shen Xingling was already annoyed, and this only added fuel to the fire. "It would have been fine if you hadn't brought that up, but Mu Tingshen was right there when you said all those things on the phone, and he heard it all! My reputation as a goddess is completely ruined because of you, you disaster of a best friend. I don’t care what you do, you have to make it up to me!"
Han Xinyue laughed awkwardly. "Hahaha! That is pretty embarrassing. Fine! I’ll make it up to you. What do you want me to do?"
Shen Xingling was unhappy with that response. "What do you mean, 'what do I want you to do'? You’re the one who ruined my image; shouldn't you be doing it voluntarily?"
She added, "I’ve lost quite a few stars in my game recently."
Han Xinyue understood immediately. "Fine, fine! I’ll help you rank up an extra star!"
Shen Xingling: "Just one?! You have no sincerity at all!"
Han Xinyue: "Alright, alright, I’ll get you up a whole tier, that should make it better, right? Besides, our Little Star didn't use to let people help her rank up. What’s gotten into you today?"
Shen Xingling begrudgingly accepted. "Fine. But my reasons are a secret."
Han Xinyue: "Fine, keep your secrets. One day you’ll tell me, but keeping me hanging like this is a bit annoying."
Shen Xingling: "Then just be annoyed!"
Han Xinyue rolled her eyes. "I’m speechless! Let’s call Wanwan and get together at Nanyueju tonight? It feels like we haven’t hung out in ages. Wanwan has been busy, and now that you’re married, you’ll have even less time."
Shen Xingling: "What’s wrong with being married? Are you discriminating against a newlywed? Marriage doesn't restrict my personal freedom. And look at Wanwan’s job—she’s a guardian angel saving lives, she has way less time than we two idlers do!"
Han Xinyue: "The only 'idler' is you, not me. I’m just on vacation right now. I’m just afraid you’ll get lost in President Mu’s tender embrace and never come out."
The thought of Mu Tingshen made Shen Xingling’s heart race inexplicably. "Tonight might not work; he’s coming to pick me up from work."
Han Xinyue: "Oh! Look at you blushing. Have you fallen for him?"
Shen Xingling: "I wouldn't call it 'fallen,' but there’s definitely some interest."
Han Xinyue’s gossip instincts flared up. "Sister, tell me all about it."
Shen Xingling slowly recounted every sweet gesture from last night until now.
Han Xinyue: "The President Mu you're describing sounds nothing like what everyone else says. Could my previous guess be right—that he’s been harboring a secret crush on you for a long time?"
Shen Xingling: "How is that possible? We had never even met before. I think you've been reading too many novels and scripts. Let’s ask Wanwan if she’s free first."
Han Xinyue: "Just because you hadn't met him doesn't mean he hadn't seen you!"
Shen Xingling: "Fine, fine, you win!"