Zhao Muqing took a deep breath, temporarily banishing the chaotic thoughts from his mind to focus on the pleasantries in front of him. “Zhao Muqing, Mu as in nomad, Qing as in cyan. Hello, Mr. Song.”
“No need to be so formal, just call me by my name. We will be colleagues from now on anyway.” Song Lijun smiled warmly. “May I call you Muqing in the future?”
Zhao Muqing had no objections; forms of address weren’t that important to him. Song Lijun seemed to have been active on this floor already and just happened to pass by the elevator lobby. After walking a few steps, Zhao Muqing realized they were heading in the same direction.
“Where are you headed?” Song Lijun couldn’t help asking.
“I,” Zhao Muqing couldn’t possibly reveal the matter regarding Dryad, so he casually pulled out an excuse, “just wandering around to pass the time.”
It sounded rather forced, but Song Lijun had no intention of questioning him. “That is fine too. Work pressure is high, and a stroll helps relax the mind.”
Zhao Muqing broke out in a cold sweat, wanting to mock himself right on the spot, because who on earth goes for leisure walks inside a company building? Before he could continue the conversation, Song Lijun unexpectedly brought up their first encounter again. “Speaking of which, you really startled me that day, suddenly rushing out in such heavy rain. You didn’t catch a cold, did you?”
“No, thank you for asking.” Zhao Muqing almost wanted to rub his temples. It was one thing to mention it once or twice, but bringing it up again made things a bit awkward.
“I heard the company’s stock price plummeted, and a shareholder broke past security, mistaking visitors for related personnel and lashing out.” Song Lijun briefly explained the inside story of that day’s news before letting out an imperceptible sigh. “Having been with them for so many years, seeing the company’s current state brings back a lot of feelings.”
Zhao Muqing followed behind him down the corridor. If he truly felt that much sentiment, he wouldn’t be jumping ship so quickly to sign with Shen Guanzhi’s studio. It seemed this protagonist shou was no simple character either.
In fact, the protagonist shou in the original novel possessed a rather high IQ. Had he not sensed that something was amiss, he probably wouldn’t have been able to expose Shen Guanzhi’s framing plot from the original story.
“I have arrived.” Song Lijun stopped abruptly in their tracks. “Muqing, see you next time.”
Watching Song Lijun walk directly into Shen Guanzhi’s office, Zhao Muqing’s alarm bells started ringing frantically.
According to the original plot, Song Lijun would soon have a magazine cover shoot, inviting top-tier makeup artists and stylists while wearing the studio’s most precious and intricately designed jewelry. Everyone present would agree that Song Lijun was undoubtedly the brightest star in the fashion world, both now and in the future.
Shen Guanzhi had crossed paths with Song Lijun a few times previously, so he would attend the shoot as a friend to check on the progress. Upon seeing such a captivating Song Lijun, he would instantly fall for him.
As a cannon fodder character, Zhao Muqing’s rapid sprint toward a doomed ending would officially begin from this very moment, with no turning back.
He instinctively touched his chin. He had to find a way to sever this entanglement; otherwise, his situation could become very dangerous. Following Zhao Muqing’s current line of thinking, reversing the plot was quite simple: first, prevent Shen Guanzhi from having the chance to interact with Song Lijun, and second, stop Shen Guanzhi from reaching the photo shoot at all costs when the time came.
With this thought in mind, the gaze Zhao Muqing cast toward Shen Guanzhi’s office grew even gloomier. Why was Song Lijun taking so long? They couldn’t possibly be discussing matters beyond work, could they?
Whatever. Zhao Muqing looked up at the ceiling. Since this wave couldn’t be saved, he would just have to work harder at being a stumbling block next time. With that thought, he rounded the corner of the corridor, arrived at the showroom door, unlocked it with his key, and stepped inside.
After putting Dryad away, Zhao Muqing took the elevator downstairs, only to find almost everyone discussing Song Lijun. Squeezing his way out of the crowd, he never expected to run into Jian Shigu.
“Good afternoon, Zhao Muqing.” Jian Shigu sidled up with a gossipy grin. “Have you seen Song Lijun yet? Is he better-looking in person than online?”
“Are you a fan or something?”
“Not really.” Jian Shigu gave an awkward laugh. “As a prominent figure in the fashion industry, ordinary people are just naturally curious.”
Zhao Muqing had no intention of telling Jian Shigu that he had already met Song Lijun. Knowing next to nothing about Song Lijun, he wanted to avoid an awkward conversation with Jian Shigu.
Song Lijun seemed to have brought his original team along when he jumped ship, though his manager had been replaced by Li Shuqiao.
This was also how Zhao Muqing learned that the seemingly unreliable Li Shuqiao was actually one of the top managers in the industry.
Strictly speaking, Zhao Muqing’s classes were scheduled for the afternoon; had it not been for Dryad, he wouldn’t have needed to come to the studio at this hour.
Finding an empty spot to sit, he pulled out his phone to check out nearby affordable and delicious lunch options when a shadow suddenly loomed over him.
“Muqing.” Song Lijun chuckled softly. “What a coincidence, seeing you again.”
Zhao Muqing was left speechless. This was the studio lobby near the main entrance; it would be a miracle if he didn’t run into people here.
He gave a slight nod as a greeting. Sensing that the other party wasn’t keen on entertaining him, Song Lijun smiled. “I will not disturb you. I am waiting for Mr. Shen over there.”
Hearing the other man mention Shen Guanzhi instantly ruined the appeal of whatever food was on Zhao Muqing’s phone screen. He sprang up from his seat. “Why are you waiting for him?”
“Just to have a meal and get acquainted with each other’s situations.”
“I know all about Shen Guanzhi.” Zhao Muqing blurted out nonsense in a panic. “You can come eat with me and learn about the situation instead.”
Song Lijun couldn’t help laughing. “Mr. Shen and I already made arrangements.”
“I, I will tell him you have plans and go eat with you instead.” Zhao Muqing hastily opened WeChat and typed furiously in his chat window with Shen Guanzhi.
A reply came back promptly. [What do you mean by going to eat with Song Lijun?]
Flustered, Zhao Muqing typed randomly. [I just don’t want you going to eat with him, is that not allowed?]
Shen Guanzhi actually sent a voice message, which Zhao Muqing quickly converted to text. [I will accompany you for a meal next time.]
Why would he accompany him for a meal? Zhao Muqing felt completely baffled. However, since Shen Guanzhi was no longer insisting on having lunch with Song Lijun, his goal had been achieved, and he saw no need to dwell on the details. [Whatever works]
Putting his phone away, Zhao Muqing said, “Let us go.”
“I don’t think I agreed to anything yet.”
Zhao Muqing froze on the spot. Seeing his reaction, Song Lijun curved his lips into a smile. “Just kidding. How about the Western restaurant downstairs? My treat.”
This was Zhao Muqing’s first time dining at the Western restaurant near the studio. Given its high prices and small portions, relying solely on his meager base salary made it difficult to muster the confidence to step through its doors.
Song Lijun quickly ordered a few signature dishes, and Zhao Muqing followed suit by ordering a steak.
Once the dishes were served, Zhao Muqing couldn’t resist digging in. Having eaten a breakfast completely devoid of oil and grease, he was already starving.
Song Lijun raised his eyes and watched Zhao Muqing for a good while. “Do you always eat your food in such huge bites?”
“Yeah.” Zhao Muqing swallowed a large chunk of meat. “It is so delicious, I simply cannot help myself.”
“If you rush too much, you might choke. Have some water.”
“I won’t, I am used to it. I chew everything thoroughly.” Zhao Muqing smiled.
The two wine glasses on the table were still empty. Song Lijun had the waiter open a bottle of red wine and fill both glasses.
When the wine was being poured into Zhao Muqing’s glass, due to his overly enthusiastic eating movements, he accidentally knocked the glass over. The red wine spilled instantly, staining one of Zhao Muqing’s sleeves.
The waiter rushed over to apologize, while Song Lijun handed over a napkin and helped wipe Zhao Muqing’s palm clean, even grabbing his hand at the end to inspect it. “It is clean now, though your clothes are a bit of a mess.”
“No worries, none of my clothes are that expensive anyway.” Zhao Muqing rolled up the soaked sleeve and promptly refocused his attention on the food in front of him.
With the meal concluded, Zhao Muqing parted ways with Song Lijun at the restaurant entrance, heading off in opposite directions.
Before walking far, Zhao Muqing suddenly noticed a familiar-looking black sedan parked not far away in the parking lot.
He hurried over, and before he could even greet them, the person inside automatically rolled down the passenger window. “Get in.”
“Did you come out to eat too?” Zhao Muqing opened the car door and sat in the front passenger seat. He secretly observed Shen Guanzhi’s expression, which clearly looked less than stellar.
“No.”
“Don’t tell me you came to pick me up?”
Shen Guanzhi remained silent, which served as tacit confirmation. The person Song Lijun had originally planned to have lunch with was Shen Guanzhi, so it made sense how Shen Guanzhi knew which restaurant he was at.
“Why make a special trip over? You have work this afternoon, right?”
“He touched you.” Shen Guanzhi grabbed the hand Zhao Muqing had just gotten wine on, his grip tightening gradually.
“He was just helping me wipe my hand.” Zhao Muqing shifted his arm, attempting to pull it back. “Relax, Shen Guanzhi, there won’t be any rumors about you being cuckolded. That is Song Lijun we are talking about; what kind of capability do I have to team up with him and put a green hat on you?”
Only then did Shen Guanzhi loosen his grip slightly. “Let there not be a next time.”
“Of course, everything revolves around you. Whatever you say goes.” Zhao Muqing offered a deeply ingratiating remark, and upon confirming that Shen Guanzhi’s attitude had softened, he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen Guanzhi finally let go completely. “Be good.”
The sedan started up and was about to glide out of the parking lot when a figure suddenly appeared by the roadside, waving their arms to signal them to stop.
Before processing the situation, Shen Guanzhi had no choice but to bring the car to a halt.
Through the car window, Zhao Muqing saw that the person flagging them down was Song Lijun. Seeing that Shen Guanzhi had no intention of moving, he stepped out and walked right up to the driver’s side. “What is wrong?”
“Would you mind dropping me off? My apologies, Mr. Shen.” Song Lijun said, waving a pitch-black smartphone in front of Zhao Muqing. “My phone is out of battery, so I cannot contact my assistant or hail a cab.”
Looking impatient, Shen Guanzhi spoke from inside the car. “I am heading back to the studio.”
“So am I, it is on the way.” Song Lijun craned his neck to look at Shen Guanzhi inside the vehicle. “Do you mind?”
Shen Guanzhi didn’t answer. Acting on his own accord, Zhao Muqing pulled open the back door for Song Lijun, and Shen Guanzhi offered no objection.
Who knows what was going through his head. Since there was no explicit refusal, Zhao Muqing generously played the host using someone else’s car. “He probably doesn’t mind. Get in.”
Song Lijun climbed into the back seat first, and Zhao Muqing instinctively followed suit.
And thus, the back seat of the car was now occupied by Song Lijun and Zhao Muqing sitting side by side.