Chapter 131: Whose Soul Is in Turmoil

With the announcement of the premiere ticket counts and themes scheduled for the following day, Nan Yu and Liang Qisheng found it inconvenient to stay too late. They left after only a brief drink.

Before departing, Nan Yu gave a mock-serious instruction: "Little Lin, I’m relieved to see you’re doing well. Just be sure to listen to your boss and don't go causing any trouble."

What! Lin Zhiwei was speechless. Just downstairs, he had been lecturing her with such righteous indignation, and yet, after being bribed with a few bottles of limited-edition Burgundy, he had immediately changed his tune and sold her out?

Truly, there is no defense against the shameless!

After dinner, Lin Zhiwei crouched in front of her computer, nervously staring at the comments and the skyrocketing ticket numbers while biting on her soda straw.

"Weiwei?" Ling Ziheng was sitting on the sofa, flipping through a book. He glanced up occasionally to see the girl keeping the same posture for an entire hour, and couldn't help but call out to her.

"Huh?" Lin Zhiwei replied without lifting her head.

"You’ll know everything when it’s announced tomorrow," Ling Ziheng said with absolute calm. He didn't want to admit that even though the girl claimed she wasn't nervous, her behavior betrayed her.

"Although we are leading by a large margin, I have this obsessive-compulsive need to watch it; I won't be at ease otherwise," Lin Zhiwei muttered, rubbing her hands together.

Ling Ziheng curled his lips into a smile and stopped bothering her. This was the first stage production the girl had ever planned; naturally, she would be nervous. Forget it, let her be.

An hour later, Lin Zhiwei slammed her laptop shut with a "clack," returned to the sofa feeling dejected, and let out a long sigh. "I can't do it anymore. I can't look at it again; my eyes are going blind. It’s not even me on stage, so why am I so nervous?"

She felt her temples throbbing. Her heart was in a state of turmoil. Although the final result was perfect, she largely attributed that to Ling Ziheng’s own charismatic presence and powerful stage presence. If it were her on stage, would she feel constrained and awkward?

Just as she was caught in doubt, a pair of large hands gently rested on her temples, massaging them softly. That complex mix of anxiety instantly vanished into thin air. She slowly opened her eyes to meet Ling Ziheng’s enchanting gaze.

"That feels good~" she murmured, then hugged the man beside her, burying her head as she whispered, "Tell me, if I were the one on stage, would I just crumble?"

Hearing her ask this, Ling Ziheng realized the girl was anxious about her own future acting career. He stroked her back, comforting her, "How will you know if you don't try?"

"Fine," Lin Zhiwei replied weakly.

"Just being yourself is enough." Ling Ziheng felt an inexplicable reluctance. Perhaps he was the one most unwilling to push his girl into the limelight. If she were to have intimate scenes with other male actors in the future... Thinking of this, an inexplicable fire of jealousy burned within him, and the pressure of his hands increased slightly.

Lin Zhiwei seemed to sense his unusual aura. Her eyes darted around, and she smirked mischievously. "Ha, I know what you’re thinking. You’re definitely thinking about what would happen if I had intimate scenes with other male stars, right?"

Uh... Ling Ziheng was momentarily speechless. The girl was truly cunning.

Watching him frozen in place, Lin Zhiwei burst into laughter and couldn't help but tease him. "I’ve thought about it, and if the other person were really handsome, I wouldn't be opposed to it..."

"You..." Ling Ziheng was clearly incensed by her heartless attitude. Even though he knew she was joking, his face turned cold. "Then I would have no choice but to fund the production and buy it out..."

"Hahahaha, honey, you were the one who tempted and seduced me into the entertainment industry, and now you can't bear to let me go?" Lin Zhiwei nudged the petty, jealous man beside her.

"All right, I’m just teasing you. Actually, I have a mind to try big-heroine martial arts dramas or serious period pieces. Intimate scenes aren't the focus in those, so you can rest easy," Lin Zhiwei said, persuading him with confidence.

"Hmph." Ling Ziheng’s expression softened slightly.

Seeing her dear, petty, and awkward man, Lin Zhiwei couldn't help but press her lips to his. "My dear, your title as the 'Cold-Faced Movie Emperor' is no longer secure. You're just a big jar of vinegar now..."

Ling Ziheng looked back at the girl’s teasing smile, locked onto her lips, and pulled her into his embrace. Every time he touched that sweet nectar, he lost himself, unable to stop wanting to dominate the restless girl in his arms.

"Ooh, why are you biting me?" Lin Zhiwei protested.

"You've certainly grown bolder," Ling Ziheng said, his enchanting eyes filled with a playful interrogation.

"Heh," Lin Zhiwei laughed helplessly. "I'm so bewitched by you that I’ve lost my mind; how could I not be bold?"

"Weiwei," Ling Ziheng whispered against her ear, rubbing against her skin, "it is I who am bewitched..."

Lin Zhiwei was teased by his lips, and accompanied by his hoarse, sexy voice, her face turned red to the tips of her ears. She pouted, "Ling Ziheng, you really are a demon..."

"Then, my lady, why not try the demon’s temptation for yourself?" Ling Ziheng pulled her waist toward him, his large palms roaming over her hips. A dense trail of kisses was scattered across her neck, leaving behind distinct red marks.

"Hey, hey, hey, I have to go to work tomorrow!" Lin Zhiwei pushed him away. Damn, this demon was becoming increasingly unbridled.

Thinking of how the girl was always obsessed with her work and valued her image, Ling Ziheng had no choice but to let her go. However, watching the love bites he had left on her fair neck, he propped his head up and admired his masterpiece with satisfaction.

Lin Zhiwei silently pulled up her collar and glared at him vengefully. "Damn, I'm going to be teased to death by Mei Ning and Xiao Yu tomorrow..."

"Do they dare?"

"You're sabotaging me," Lin Zhiwei said, crossing her arms in dissatisfaction. "You've made me lose all face..."

"Then perhaps my lady should return the favor in kind," Ling Ziheng said, blinking those glass-like, brilliant eyes that held a hint of desire.

"..." Lin Zhiwei’s face fell instantly. Where is the justice in this world? Someone, come and take this demon away!

"This humble nun has already severed worldly ties and has no fate to enjoy such worldly riches. Amitabha." After finishing this line, Lin Zhiwei fled as if escaping.

Ling Ziheng couldn't help but laugh; only this girl was so quick-witted. He stopped teasing her and let her go downstairs to rest.

Once she had escaped downstairs and locked her bedroom door, Lin Zhiwei let out a huge sigh of relief. Inside, she couldn't stop muttering to herself—she had almost failed to withstand the demon's onslaught... Amitabha, it was a good thing she had escaped so quickly.