Under her efforts, the golden rice gradually fell, and she felt a sense of accomplishment.
However, not long after, she began to feel soreness in her back and pain in her waist, and her legs started to go numb. She straightened up and stretched her waist.
“Ah, so sore.”
But as soon as she said this, she looked around and saw only farmers bent over, working diligently.
She quietly watched the skilled farmers, her expression gradually turning serious, her heart filled with admiration.
The director closely observed Zhao Xi’s facial expressions, and the cameraman also focused the lens on her face.
Because intuition told him that Zhao Xi, this girl, definitely had explosive potential.
Her nose bridge was straight, like an exquisite mountain peak, adding dimension to her face. Her cheeks were flushed red from working under the sun, and her forehead was covered in sweat.
But at this moment, her eyes gazed into the distance, seemingly holding a thousand words.
This close-up photo was captured, quickly spread online, and for the first time, it landed Zhao Xi on the trending searches.
When the labor ended, the group walked back, chatting and laughing.
During the harvest season, everywhere they looked, there were farmers wearing wide straw hats and raincoats, toiling diligently in the wheat fields.
As she walked, she was captivated by a unique courtyard. The courtyard had white walls and dark tiles, simple yet elegant. The front was filled with various flowers, colorful and vibrant, like a splendid painting.
Zhao Xi couldn’t help but stop and gaze, truly drawn to this standalone building.
At that moment, she noticed a graceful man walking out of the courtyard. He wore a white T-shirt and casual pants, tall and upright, with an elegant demeanor.
His face was handsome, his eyes bright and spirited, as if hiding countless stories. The man picked up a phone under the grapevine in the center of the courtyard and began talking.
His voice was gentle, soft-spoken, but the words he spoke seemed unquestionable.
“This is exactly my type, ahhhhhh!”
A gentleman like jade, Zhao Xi screamed in her heart.
She would definitely inquire about him when she got back.
Xixizi: [Darling Zhaozhao!! Come out, today I saw such an amazing man in the village, ahhhhhh!]
[Really, he’s exactly what I love, wuwu]
[But it’s such a pity I forgot to secretly take a photo for you at the time (pouting)]
Su Zhaotang, who had just come out of the shower, saw Zhao Xi’s frantic WeChat messages.
She had just finished massaging her hair with essential oil and was about to apply body lotion when her phone kept ringing incessantly.
She helplessly put down what she was holding, picked up her phone, and realized it was Zhao Xi. This girl had been busy recording the variety show and hadn’t contacted her for days.
Tang Xiaotang: [Oh my, which handsome guy caught our Xixi’s eye~]
She teased.
Xixizi: [Really, you don’t understand. It was that place, that time, that moment—I was instantly captivated by him!]
[And my sixth sense tells me I’ll definitely meet him again!]
[Since he appeared in that courtyard, you can just go there and you’ll definitely meet him.]
Su Zhaotang seized the opportunity to poke fun at her.
Zhao Xi grew anxious.
[No, I don’t mean I’ll go looking for him to meet. I mean a chance encounter, a coincidence—it’s bound to happen in the future!]
Even through the screen, Su Zhaotang could imagine her jumping around anxiously on the other side.
[“Alright, alright, I believe you, okay? Whatever our Xixi says goes,”] she quickly chimed in.
[“That’s more like it. Just wait for the juicy follow-up~”]
[“I’ll be ready anytime (fist salute).”]
“Could it be that this guy actually found a boyfriend while participating in a show?”
Su Zhaotang put down her phone, puzzled and guessing.
“This is getting interesting, hehehe,” her gossipy side kicked in.
After saying that, she began applying her body lotion.
She squeezed out a pump of body lotion into her palm, gently rubbing her hands together. She evenly spread the lotion over her arms, chest, abdomen, and legs, her movements soft and meticulous.
The fragrance of the body lotion mingled with the steam in the air, creating a pleasant atmosphere.
Once she was done, she lay down on the bed, closed her eyes, and enjoyed the peace and comfort.
“Another day of being a corporate drone tomorrow,” she thought. She hadn’t touched her design drafts in days—it was time to catch up.
The next day was bright and sunny, with clear skies.
In the CEO’s office of Zhou Corporation, Lu Zhu looked grave as he reported to Zhou Lingjing on the progress of their recent real estate development collaboration with Tianyuan Group.
This should have been a done deal, but unexpectedly, an obstacle had appeared halfway.
“It’s the second son of the Wang family. In his rush to compete with his older brother for the inheritance, he’s eager to make a contribution for himself. It seems he’s offered some benefits to the CEO of Tianyuan Group behind the scenes and promised that if the development project is handed over to Wang Group, they’ll give up two percentage points to Tianyuan.”
Zhou Lingjing sat sternly in his office chair. After listening to the report, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
He tightened his grip on the pen in his hand, his lips slightly pursed, looking serious. With a mocking smile, he said:
“Hah, tell Wang Jun that if he can’t control his son or manage his own family affairs, I don’t mind stepping in to help him teach them a lesson.”
“Oh, and by the way, tell him—should I do a good deed and inform his wife about the illegitimate daughter he’s keeping outside?”
He added nonchalantly.
Since Wang Jun had built his fortune through his wife’s family, even now, he remained extremely respectful toward her. So if this matter were exposed, it would undoubtedly cause endless trouble.
Lu Zhu was clearly unaware of this news. Upon hearing it, he widened his eyes in surprise. “No way, that’s so intense!”
He had no idea how his boss came to know such gossip.
Truth be told, he had to thank Lin Sheng for this. Every time they went out for gatherings, Lin Sheng would chatter endlessly in his ear about the family scandals of various households. Zhou Lingjing had previously complained about how a grown man like him was always prying into others’ private affairs, but today, it had come in handy.
Seeing his CEO’s indifferent expression, Lu Zhu quickly suppressed his own gossipy curiosity.
He replied seriously, “Yes, Mr. Zhou.”
After his assistant left, Zhou Lingjing leaned back comfortably in his chair. He closed his eyes, his expression stern, his fingertips lightly tapping against his knee.
The office windows were closed, but sunlight still filtered through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on his face.
His long eyelashes cast a faint shadow under his eyelids, making his features appear even more profound and mysterious.
Having been in charge of the group for so long, Zhou Lingjing seemed somewhat numb to handling such situations.
As long as he achieved the desired outcome, whether the means were honorable or not no longer mattered.
Although the Zhou family business is a family-run enterprise, its development has led to complex and chaotic internal relationships within the group, with various overt and covert struggles never ceasing.
His father, Zhou Qingluo, stands alone as the dominant figure in the family, and as the only son, Zhou Lingjing controls the vast majority of the group’s industries—entertainment, dining, real estate, and hotels. As a result, Zhou Lingjing now holds absolute authority within the company.