Make sure Su Yunjin pays the price!

“Rather than talk about pangs of conscience, I’d say I was simply acting for the sake of the Seven Sects. It’s just a pity that I overestimated Zhang Chuchu and underestimated the power of the true heir to the Taiji Eight Trigrams of the Seven Sects. I thought that once this crisis was resolved, we could resume the livestream, but I didn’t expect your strength to be so overwhelming, while Zhang Chuchu was so weak.”

Lu Yiqing sighed and shook his head. In the end, he had misjudged the situation. Sitting backstage, he had witnessed the entire incident unfold. But at that moment, it was a live broadcast; as the producer, he couldn’t possibly abandon the entire stream over a minor dispute. Career was always the most important matter in his heart.

So he chose to let things settle, giving all three women a slap on the wrist. But he hadn’t anticipated the true force of the Taiji Eight Trigrams from the Seven Sects. Su Yunjin had clearly held back, yet Zhang Chuchu could barely withstand it. In the end, even someone with a little medical knowledge like himself could see that Zhang Chuchu wouldn’t last long even if she forced herself to endure.

So he lost interest in how Su Yunjin would act and left it alone until Zhang Chuchu was taken away by ambulance before handling the aftermath. He had no interest in the quarrels of three women. But the Lu family still needed the support of the Five Elders of the Seven Sects, and it was only for the sake of this relationship that he offered Su Yunjin the backup for camera four. But it was only for this connection!

Aside from that, Lu Yiqing felt not the slightest guilt for playing dumb and administering equal punishment. He was the producer and the boss; he couldn’t afford to be soft-hearted.

“Oh, so that’s how it is.” Su Yunjin nodded as if enlightened, turned off her phone’s recorder, and slipped the device into her pocket before speaking. “Then all the more reason I cannot accept it. Since you offered this for the sake of the Seven Sects, you should know that what has kept the sect alive to this day are its ironclad rules. Rule three of the sect: No member shall accept any favor not collectively approved by the elders, including but not limited to personal sentiments, money, power, or fame.”

“Well, since you insist, I won’t force it,” Lu Yiqing replied, unsurprised, and didn’t press the issue.

Just then, the elevator chimed. The doors opened after ascending and descending; Su Yunjin walked in and, leaning against the doorway with her hand on the open button, asked, “President Lu, are you going down?”

“I have a meeting.”

“All right, goodbye.” Su Yunjin waved and released the button.

Lu Yiqing replied with a cool “goodbye” as well. The elevator doors closed, and the indicator began counting down from the eighth floor.

“Seven, six, five, four…”

“I knew it. For a woman like Su Yunjin, Yiqing, you’d be a fool not to go after her. You’ve fallen for her, haven’t you?” As the elevator’s numbers declined, Pei Xuan, who had been silent beside Lu Yiqing, sidled up to him with a sly grin.

Lu Yiqing frowned immediately. “What nonsense is that? Who told you I’ve fallen for her?”

“Come on, stop pretending. If you weren’t interested, would you have asked why she was hurt or offered her the backup for camera four?” Pei Xuan spoke with the air of someone who had already seen through him.

Lu Yiqing was left speechless by his antics. “I already told you, it’s because of the Seven Sects—specifically, the Five Elders. Understand?”

“The Five Elders? I don’t buy it.”

“Believe what you want. Your wild guesses have nothing to do with me.”

With that, Lu Yiqing strode toward another elevator.

“Hey, hey, Yiqing, why are you getting angry?” Seeing Lu Yiqing’s face darken, Pei Xuan immediately stuck to him like glue, slinging an arm around his shoulder. “Can’t you take a joke?”

“Get lost. Don’t try to guilt-trip me!”

Lu Yiqing shook off Pei Xuan’s hand.

“Guilt-trip? I wouldn’t dare, Yiqing, don’t misunderstand.” Pei Xuan pretended to be flustered, but soon his expression turned serious. “But…I just can’t understand why you suddenly care about how Su Yunjin got hurt. Come on, tell me, why?”

“Courtesy. Do you understand?” Lu Yiqing was truly exasperated.

Though they’d grown up together, sometimes he wanted to cough up blood because of this childhood friend. Pei Xuan had always been something of a hanger-on and a living surveillance camera, chasing after love affairs since he was fifteen or sixteen, never making a move unless there was a sure thing. Lu Yiqing hadn’t minded his ways, but now it seemed Pei Xuan was projecting onto him.

What, just asking meant he was interested? Couldn’t it simply be basic manners? He wanted to force Su Yunjin to break off the engagement, but that didn’t mean he’d abandon his upbringing. Su Yunjin was the heir to Seven Sects Mountain, and the Lu family had close ties to them. Given that, if Su Yunjin was hurt, shouldn’t he at least ask about it?

Interested? Was he out of his mind? Did he lose control every time he saw a pretty woman?

“That’s all?” Pei Xuan clicked his tongue. He’d thought he’d get to see what Lu Yiqing was like when he liked someone, but it turned out…it was just courtesy? Upbringing? Purely social?

“What else?” Lu Yiqing shot him a cold look.

Seeing that Lu Yiqing was truly irritated, Pei Xuan immediately smiled ingratiatingly. “Don’t be angry, don’t be angry, Yiqing. I’m just concerned about your lifelong happiness. You know, I only want the best for you.”

“Get lost. If you really care, hurry up and gather all the PR materials. Don’t make people stay up all night over this trivial matter.”

“All right, all right. I’ll stop talking.” Pei Xuan raised both hands in surrender.

Ding. The elevator doors opened.

The twelfth floor.

Lu Yiqing walked out, Pei Xuan trailing after him, his earlier rakish and gossipy demeanor gone, replaced by a look of shrewd seriousness. Playboy he might be, but his professional ability was equally formidable.

On this side, Lu Yiqing, Pei Xuan, and Zhang Zhichang, along with the other core members of the C-position girl group, began their meeting.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Zhang Chuchu had regained consciousness. An IV drip hung from her hand; though her face was still pale, she looked much better than before. Beside her bed was her assistant.

Seeing Zhang Chuchu awake, the assistant’s eyes lit up and she shouted excitedly, “Chuchu, you’re awake!”

Annoyed by the assistant’s loud voice, Zhang Chuchu frowned, raised a hand to her head, and snapped impatiently, “What are you yelling for? Why are you the only one here? Where’s Sister Lin?”

Sister Lin, whose full name was Lin Jiji, was Zhang Chuchu’s manager—a confidante and loyal right hand whom Zhang Chuchu herself had promoted. Having suffered such a setback this time, there was no way she would simply let it go. So, as soon as her mind cleared, Zhang Chuchu immediately asked after Lin Jiji. She was determined to make Su Yunjin pay!