CHAPTER 528: 208 SETTLING ACCOUNTS_3

"Mr. Huang is so generous, hurry and thank Mr. Huang."

Xu Si’s eyes finally lit up with a trace of happiness. He bowed sincerely, "Thank you, Mr. Huang. I will continue to work hard and not disappoint your expectations."

The young man took a seat, his heart finally settling down.

Huang Qi answered a phone call halfway through and left early.

Only two people remained at the table.

The young man cautiously glanced at the man across from him: "Mr... Mr. He, should we be leaving now?"

"Xiao Xu, you performed well today." The man smiled.

Xu Si chuckled dryly twice, "I have to thank you for your support, Mr. He, or I wouldn’t have this kind of opportunity."

The man chuckled lightly, clearly enjoying the sentiment.

"You’re a smart one; you should know there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world."

The young man’s fingers dug fiercely into his clothes as they rested on his knees. He lowered his gaze, motionless like he had turned to stone.

The man wasn’t in a hurry and leisurely took a sip of tea.

After some time, the young man rasped with a hoarse voice, "I await your instructions, Mr. He."

The man smiled again, the look in his eyes both pleased and affectionate.

"In this business, obedient kids often go far. I have a good eye—turns out I picked a promising prospect."

Though his heart was bitter, the young man dared not show any of it on his face.

The man stood up and grabbed the coat hanging nearby, "Let’s go, I’ll take you home."

The young man followed closely beside him.

The corridor lights were dim and hazy.

He Qian had had a little to drink and was slightly tipsy now; his foot twisted and he nearly hit the wall.

Xu Si quickly steadied him with sharp reflexes, "Mr. He, are you alright?"

He Qian laughed and patted his face, "Alright. Looking closely, kid, you’re quite charming—not bad compared to that Rong guy. Work hard, we’ll surpass him."

As he spoke, his fingers started rubbing Xu Si’s tender cheeks.

Xu Si suppressed his disgust and smiled, "Don’t worry, Mr. He, I’ll work hard."

"Mm."

Footsteps echoed from nearby.

He Qian instinctively turned his head.

A slender figure approached slowly, each step seemed to tread on his heartstrings.

Suddenly, He Qian pushed Xu Si aside and lunged toward the woman.

He blocked her path. Her face was obscured by a mask, and with the dim hallway lighting, he couldn’t see her features at all. But her physique and aura were outstanding.

From his experience in admiring beauty, he was certain there must be an incredibly stunning face under that mask.

He looked like a drunken creep—which would have scared most young women off. But the one before him remained calm.

He Qian’s excitement grew—this was the one he was looking for.

"Miss, are you interested in the entertainment industry? Here’s my business card."

He Qian pulled out a card and handed it to her.

She didn’t take it, "You’re blocking my way."

Her voice sounded like a heavenly melody.

He Qian felt even more intoxicated.

"Platinum Entertainment—you’ve heard of it, haven’t you? No? Doesn’t matter. Surely, you know the hottest young actor Chen Shucheng, right? He’s one of mine. And the Best Actress Zhou Qing—she was brought up by me. If you’re with me, you’ll absolutely become the next Zhou Qing, famous nationwide."

Behind his glasses, a pair of pitch-black eyes calmly gazed at her.

Even as time shifted and space changed, this scene remained the same.

However, compared to this humble attempt to coax, back in the day, He Qian’s attitude toward a struggling waitress had been far loftier—as if signing her up was an act of benevolence.

The mysterious young woman dressed in Zirui Pavilion’s attire—despite his slight drunkenness, He Qian wasn’t foolish. It was clear she had some sort of background. His usual tricks for naive young girls were meaningless here.

Delicate fingers pinched the business card. Just as He Qian felt hopeful, believing she couldn’t resist his offer, he saw those jade-like fingers shred the card into pieces in mere seconds.

She raised her hand and sprinkled the fragments all over him.

"Sign me? You don’t have what it takes."

She was so bold, so arrogant.

He Qian froze on the spot.

She didn’t spare him a glance and walked away proudly.

He Qian suddenly turned around, "Stop right there."

It was the first time he had been humiliated so blatantly. He Qian couldn’t swallow his pride.

The woman left without looking back.

He Qian took a few quick strides to catch up, reaching out to grab her shoulder. But it was as if she had eyes on her back; she precisely grabbed his wrist and gave it a gentle pull. A crisp crack sounded, and before He Qian could cry out in agony, he found himself spinning as the world flipped upside down.

With an over-the-shoulder throw, he was slammed hard onto the ground.

Xu Si witnessed it all, his mouth agape in shock, wide enough to fit a whole egg.

Who would’ve thought that this seemingly slender, frail woman could have such immense strength?

He Qian groaned in pain, gritting his teeth as he cursed, "You’re asking for death!"

The young woman stepped on his head, her voice icy and merciless from above, "You came looking for trouble yourself."

I wasn’t going to seek you out. Yet you couldn’t wait to throw yourself at me.

Don’t blame me for being ruthless, then.