She stood still with her meal for a long while because she saw her senior eating all by herself. The surrounding tables were empty, as if she weren’t a CEO but a virus; people had instinctively formed a buffer zone around her.
Cheng Luo unconsciously bit her lower lip. After a moment, she finally mustered the courage to sit with her senior, but just then, someone called out to her from behind.
“Cheng Luo, over here! I saved a seat for you!” Xiao Qi was waving at her, indicating the empty spot directly across from her.
The courage Cheng Luo had just gathered instantly deflated at the sound of that shout. Dropping her head, she sheepishly took her tray and sat down opposite Xiao Qi.
Xiao Qi asked, “What were you doing standing there like a fool just now? I called you several times and you didn’t hear me.”
“Ha, I was just looking for a seat.” After Cheng Luo spoke, she stole a glance in that direction, only to see Zhai Qing standing up after finishing her meal. Cheng Luo quickly lowered her head and shoveled a few mouthfuls of rice into her mouth, pretending she had been eating all along.
“Alright,” Xiao Qi said sullenly, poking at her rice with her chopsticks. “Do you think I will be able to become a permanent employee? The benefits and salary are pretty good; I really want to stay.”
Unlike Cheng Luo, Xiao Qi had graduated several years ago. She had spent the last few years failing the civil service exams before turning to job hunting. Fortunately, her luck was not bad; after hitting a few walls, she managed to get into Qingfeng.
Hearing this, Cheng Luo looked up at her with a determined gaze. “You definitely can! You work so hard every day; once your internship is over, you should be made permanent!”
Xiao Qi smiled at her words. “Thank you. I really hope you can stay too, so we can keep being colleagues.”
Cheng Luo smiled but said nothing. Xiao Qi did not know yet that she was just a college student here for a vacation internship. She wanted to wait until school was about to start to tell her, fearing that if others knew she had essentially entered through the “back door,” there would be gossip. It was better to wait until her last day to say anything.
However, Cheng Luo never got the chance to explain things to Xiao Qi personally. After studying with her supervisor for a while, she was reassigned. She was suddenly moved to the 30th floor as a temporary assistant to the CEO.
“Knock, knock.”
A faint “Come in” came from inside the room.
Clutching her few belongings, Cheng Luo nervously pushed open the door to the CEO’s office. Her senior was sitting behind the desk, her hands crossed and resting relaxedly on the tabletop. When she saw Cheng Luo arrive, she merely gestured for her to sit, showing no sign of surprise.
“How has your training been going during this period?”
This was Cheng Luo’s first formal conversation with Zhai Qing. She dared only to sit on the very edge of the chair. “It is, it is been alright. I have learned a lot from Sister Chen.”
“Then do you know why you were brought here?” Half of Zhai Qing’s usually sharp gaze was obscured by her glasses, making her look somewhat gentle at the moment, like a kind older sister.
“I know.” Cheng Luo nodded. She was not sure if it was too hot in the room, but her neck felt a bit clammy. She uncomfortably tugged at the collar of her white sweater, revealing a small patch of her distinct collarbone.
Zhai Qing watched the flash of fair skin, a hint of scrutiny flickering in her eyes. “My assistant is away on a honeymoon. During this time, you will take over the role. Furthermore, the company will have many collaborations with A-University next quarter, which you are very familiar with. I believe you are capable of this job.”
Cheng Luo felt like she was undergoing an interview, but she decided to voice her shortcomings first. “I have never worked as an assistant before, and I do not know what to do. Plus, I have to go back to school once the holiday ends, so I might not be the most suitable candidate, Senior.”
Hearing the soft, sweet way she uttered the word “Senior,” Zhai Qing wondered if she was acting spoiled. Regardless, it would not work. “I will not change a decision once it is made. I expect to see you here tomorrow.”
Cheng Luo wanted to speak up several more times, but seeing the certainty in her senior’s eyes, she resigned herself and nodded. “Alright.”
Cheng Luo had a night shoot tonight involving several action sequences that required wirework. The season in the script was summer, so on this late autumn night, Cheng Luo spent over two hours suspended on wires wearing nothing but a thin costume. By the time she came down, she had lost all sensation; her limbs were frozen stiff, and the wind had left her head spinning.
As soon as it ended, Xiao Xi rushed over to drape a cotton coat over Cheng Luo. “Sister, drink some water to warm up at least.”
Cheng Luo’s teeth were audibly chattering. It took a great deal of effort just to open her mouth and swallow the water.
“Seriously, they did not film when it was warm a few days ago, but they insisted on filming today when it is this cold. Who can stand wearing such thin clothes!” Xiao Xi said indignantly. “It is all because of certain people not focusing on the right things. If it were not for him,”
Before Xiao Xi could finish, Cheng Luo patted the back of her hand. “Do not say that. He had things to deal with that caused the delay. Besides, does filming stop just because it is cold? We are humans, not bears; we do not go into hibernation just because winter comes.”
Xiao Xi pursed her lips and said no more, but she kept rubbing Cheng Luo’s back to help her warm up faster.
While they were talking, Lin Qingze was also shivering from the cold. However, his treatment was not as good as Cheng Luo’s; no assistant came to bring him clothes, so he stood there hugging his own arms.
They were not the only two actors on set; the other actors and even the staff were quite disgruntled. No one wanted to work in such cold weather, and the culprit was Lin Qingze. For some reason, he had suddenly taken a week off, causing all the originally scheduled scenes to be delayed, leading to the current situation.
“Some people are not even the male lead anymore, yet they still put on such airs. This is freezing!” In the darkness, someone suddenly muttered this. The voice was not particularly loud or soft, but many heard it. Lin Qingze, standing not far away, naturally heard it clearly.
This past month had been a series of extreme highs and lows for him. He had been an obscure actor in a small company, but through a routine audition, he was actually cast as the male lead. Just as he was preparing to give the role his full focus, the company ran into financial trouble. They resorted to various tactics to manufacture “couple” hype to piggyback on trends and bring in quick revenue.
If he did not comply, the company threatened him with breach of contract fees. As a minor actor who had not filmed much since his debut, he certainly did not have the money to pay. He had no choice but to do as the company said, which resulted in him getting dragged through the mud and losing his status as the male lead.
Fortunately, last week the company offended someone and went bankrupt overnight. Lin Qingze not only received his contract termination pay but also regained his freedom. As soon as those matters were settled, he rushed back to filming, only to realize he had inconvenienced everyone.
A flash of guilt crossed the young man’s face. He stood in place and bowed. “I am sorry. I am truly sorry for making everyone film so late. I will order hot drinks for everyone in a moment; I hope you can forgive me.”
The person who had spoken was just venting, and they had not expected Lin Qingze to actually respond. A silence fell over the crowd for a long time until a slightly teasing voice rang out.
Cheng Luo: “I want mine with no sugar!”
Lin Qingze looked up at her gratefully. “Okay!”
Soon, people began to respond one by one, but Cheng Luo had already headed to the dressing room. Xiao Xi asked her through the door, “Sister, why are you being so nice to that Lin Qingze? There does not seem to be anything special about that kid.”
Cheng Luo’s voice drifted out from inside. “I just feel like he is quite sincere. When I first started acting, I often felt like I was wasting everyone’s time because I could not get into character. We have all been through that. Be a little more tolerant if you can, a choo!”
“Sister, are you okay? You did not catch a cold, did you?”
Cheng Luo was about to act tough and say she was fine, but a string of sneezes prevented her from speaking, and her vision blurred momentarily.
She really was getting older. In the past, she could film all night in the dead of winter and still be energetic the next day. Now, after just a little while, her body was giving out.
After changing, Cheng Luo went straight back to the hotel. If she did not get into bed soon, she was going to collapse on the floor.
She soaked in the hotel bathtub. Only after the warm water enveloped her body did she feel like she was coming back to life.
“Sister, the ginger soup is in the pot. Remember to drink it after your bath!” Xiao Xi shouted from outside.
Cheng Luo acknowledged her and then heard the door close. She wiped the water from her body and put on a bathrobe. With her damp hair draped over her back, she was about to blow-dry it when there was a knock at the door.
Did Xiao Xi forget something again? Does she not have a key?
Cheng Luo looked at what she was wearing and eventually opened the door only a tiny crack, too small for even a hand to fit through. She asked through the gap, “Xiao Xi, what did you forget this time?”
“Teacher Cheng Luo,” Before Lin Qingze could finish, the door was swiftly shut. He felt a bit relieved; it was a good thing he had not tried to put his hand in the gap.
“What do you want?” Cheng Luo asked cautiously from behind the door. She had not expected Lin Qingze to come here. If she had known it was him, she would not have opened the door at all.
“Teacher Cheng Luo, I did not know what you liked to drink, so I took the liberty of buying a sugar-free milk tea. Please accept it.”
Cheng Luo remembered what she had said on set earlier, but she had not expected the kid to actually buy it. There had been over a hundred people there; that was no small expense.
“I do not drink anything before bed. Keep it for yourself.”
“No, Teacher Cheng Luo, I bought this specifically for you. Please take it as my apology. Besides, you helped me just now, and I am truly grateful, a choo! a choo!”
Hearing the person outside sneezing, Cheng Luo realized he must be freezing too, especially since his assistant had not given him a coat earlier. As she thought about it, her heart softened. “Fine, I will take it. Just leave it outside the door; I will open it and grab it in a moment.”
Lin Qingze agreed. Perhaps the door’s soundproofing was too good, because Cheng Luo never heard the sound of footsteps leaving. After five minutes, she could not wait any longer; her hair was not dry yet, and the dripping water was very uncomfortable.
Cheng Luo reopened the crack to check. The milk tea was indeed on the floor. Assuming he had left, she confidently opened the door. However, as soon as she looked up, she saw Lin Qingze standing to one side, staring at her without blinking.