The gift bombing came to a temporary halt in a manner that was almost absurd.
Following the return of the foal named “Moonlight Dancer,” Li Chenzhou seemed to finally realize that force-feeding Lin Yang with material gifts would not open his tightly locked heart. The unopened luxury boxes piled in the corner of the President’s office served as a record of a complete strategic failure.
Cheng Wei keenly sensed the low pressure surrounding his boss, which left the entire executive suite in a state of chilled silence. As he cautiously handled the returned gifts, he felt an indescribable curiosity toward this “Mrs. Li” who seemed entirely immune to worldly temptations.
However, what surprised him more was that Li Chenzhou did not attempt any further extravagant displays. Instead, he entered a period of silent observation. The nightly “routine inspections” at the apartment across the hall continued, but the excuses grew increasingly flimsy. Sometimes, Li Chenzhou would simply stand at the door, listening to the movement inside for a moment before leaving in silence.
This eerie calm made Lin Yang even more uneasy. He would have preferred Li Chenzhou to continue those laughably blunt material offensives; at least then he could see the man’s intentions clearly, even if he couldn’t understand them. This current silence felt like the calm before a storm, signaling an unknown danger.
Amidst this tense tranquility, an unexpected olive branch was extended.
It was Sister So. Her voice was sharp with excitement, piercing through the receiver of Lin Yang’s old phone. “Yang Yang! An opportunity! A massive opportunity!”
Lin Yang, who was staring blankly out the window, merely gave a lazy response, his interest noticeably low. Lately, every so-called “opportunity” had turned out to be nothing more than a mirage.
“It’s Pastoral Song! That hit slow-life variety show! They are contacting guests for the second season and they actually reached out to me! They said your temperament perfectly matches the peaceful, healing vibe they want to convey this season. They want to invite you as a series regular!”
Sister So spoke with the speed of a machine gun, terrified the opportunity might fly away if she slowed down.
Pastoral Song?
Lin Yang knew the show. After the first season aired, its reputation was excellent. It had gained countless fans with its authentic portrayal of rural life and the warm, natural interactions between guests. It was a high-quality resource that many artists fought desperately to secure.
Given his current status, which was practically equivalent to being retired from the industry, why would a show of this caliber actively come knocking? Suspicion immediately flooded his mind.
“Do they not know about my situation?” he asked, referring to his status as “Mrs. Li” and his current state of being effectively blacklisted.
“They know! Of course they know!” Sister So said immediately. “The producers were very candid. They admitted they considered that aspect, but they believe it actually adds interest and buzz to the show. Moreover, they value your inherent temperament and believe you can handle it well. While the appearance fee isn’t top-tier, it is very reasonable. The key is the prestige! Yang Yang, this is a rare opportunity! You can’t miss it again!”
Sister So’s frantic persuasion acted like a feather, lightly scratching at Lin Yang’s long-dormant heart. A variety show—especially one focused on life-logging and a relaxed pace—did seem more suitable for his current state than acting, which required high-intensity emotional investment.
More importantly, this was a chance to leave this apartment, escape Li Chenzhou’s line of sight, and truly touch the outside world. The filming location was in a remote southern village, and the cycle lasted over a month.
The temptation was immense, but the doubt was deeper. Could this be another carefully designed trap? Like the web drama that Li Chenzhou easily acquired just to replace him?
That night, Li Chenzhou appeared on schedule. Tonight’s excuse was “the property management sent over a new waste sorting guide.”
Lin Yang watched him expressionlessly hand over the thin piece of printed paper. After struggling internally, Lin Yang finally decided to test the waters. He took the guide and spoke with feigned casualness, keeping his tone as flat as possible. “Sister So mentioned today that a variety show called Pastoral Song wants to invite me.”
As he spoke, he watched Li Chenzhou’s face closely, not missing a single subtle change in expression.
Li Chenzhou’s movements paused almost imperceptibly. He looked up, his deep eyes revealing neither joy nor anger as he asked calmly, “Do you want to go?”
He didn’t immediately oppose it, nor did he show any interest. He simply asked about Lin Yang’s preference. This reaction took Lin Yang by surprise.
He weighed his words carefully. “It sounds quite good. It’s a slow-life type of show, filmed in the countryside. It should be quite peaceful.”
Li Chenzhou watched him silently, his gaze seemingly able to pierce through the soul. Lin Yang could almost hear the thumping of his own heart as he awaited the verdict.
After a few seconds, Li Chenzhou looked away and tossed out two words indifferently: “As you wish.”
As you wish?
Lin Yang was stunned. It was that simple? No obstruction? Not even a single follow-up question? This was completely out of character for the controlling Li Chenzhou!
Following the massive surprise, what came next was not joy, but deeper suspicion and unease. He couldn’t help but ask, “You don’t object?”
Li Chenzhou had already turned to leave. Hearing this, he stopped and tilted his head. The light cast a faint shadow on his cold, hard profile. His voice remained devoid of emotion. “That is your business.”
With that, he opened the door and walked out, leaving Lin Yang standing alone in the entryway, clutching the useless waste sorting guide with his mind in a tangled mess.
As you wish? Your business?
This nonchalant attitude was actually more terrifying to Lin Yang than a direct objection. He absolutely did not believe that Li Chenzhou would truly let go and allow him to leave his sight for over a month. There was definitely something fishy going on!
However, the temptation was right in front of him. The breath of freedom, even if it might be laced with poison, was something he could not bring himself to refuse.
Over the next two days, Lin Yang lived in a state of great conflict. Sister So was pressing him, and the production team showed great sincerity, even sending a detailed program plan and filming schedule. Everything looked impeccable, so normal that one couldn’t find a single fault.
Ultimately, the desire for freedom outweighed the fear of unknown risks. Lin Yang gritted his teeth and told Sister So, “Accept it!”
The moment he signed the electronic contract, Lin Yang’s palms were drenched in sweat. He felt as though he were signing a deed of sale, or perhaps placing all his chips on a gambling table.
While Lin Yang, with a heart full of both anxiety and anticipation, began checking the weather in the southern countryside and preparing his luggage, the atmosphere in the President’s office on the top floor of the Li Group was entirely different.
Li Chenzhou sat behind his large desk. Spread out before him were not financial reports, but a thick stack of detailed information regarding the production team of Pastoral Song, the investment background, the confirmed guests, and even the local villagers they might encounter.
Cheng Wei stood to the side, reporting the investigation results meticulously. “The production company has a clean background. The main investor is Starry Media, which has no direct connection to our group. The general director, Zhang Ming, has a good reputation in the industry for focusing on quality and guest experience. The confirmed guests include veteran actor Guo Huai, singer Tian Rui, and newcomer actor Chen Mo. Their reputations are all relatively good. The filming location is a relatively secluded ancient village in Yunnan Province. Security conditions have been preliminarily assessed. There are certain risks, but they can be mitigated with reinforcements.”
Li Chenzhou listened in silence, his fingers tapping the desk unconsciously. His sharp gaze scanned every name and photo on the documents as if he were scrutinizing a potential business rival, or rather, a potential threat.
“Every staff member, including temporary workers, must have their backgrounds thoroughly checked. There must be no omissions,” Li Chenzhou’s voice was frigid. “During filming, arrange for our people to enter as staff members of the production crew to ensure nothing goes wrong.”
“Understood,” Cheng Wei replied immediately, not at all surprised. How could President Li truly allow Mr. Lin to stay in such a distant place alone for over a month?
“Also,” Li Chenzhou’s gaze lingered on the photo of one of the guests, a sunny young man named Chen Mo. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. “Pay close attention to the interactions between guests. I do not wish to see any unnecessary closeness.”
Cheng Wei understood perfectly. “Understood. I will arrange for people to watch the boundaries.”
Li Chenzhou closed the folder, leaned back in his chair, and rubbed his temples with his eyes closed. Outside the window was the bustling cityscape, but his thoughts seemed to have already drifted to that distant southern village.
He was letting him go. Not because he was letting go, but because he needed to confirm certain things and allow certain restless factors to be exposed within a controllable range.
Lin Yang thought this was an opportunity for escape. He had no idea that he had merely moved to a larger, more exquisite stage, where the only audience member and controller remained the very man, he was desperately trying to get away from.