Secretary Pei talked Lu Yuchen into heading back, and a date was set for filming to begin.
Once Ai Xuan heard from the production team, she packed her things and got ready to leave for Xuzhou.
Her flight was booked for 10:20 a.m. Sister Wang had breakfast ready for her, and once she’d eaten, the staff brought her luggage downstairs. Secretary Pei pulled up in the car to take her to the airport.
“Thank you for going to the trouble.” Ai Xuan smiled, her tone polite.
“It’s no trouble. The Third Young Master and I are heading to the company afterward, so it’s on our way.” Secretary Pei put her suitcase in the trunk and left it at that.
The Third Young Master wanted him to keep his mouth shut, and he knew how to take a hint.
Secretary Pei drove while Gu Heng and Ai Xuan sat in the back. Soft music played in the car, and the driver wished he could turn invisible.
As they drew closer to the airport, Gu Heng looked at Ai Xuan beside him. “Take good care of yourself over there. Call me if you need anything.”
“So I can’t call unless I need something?” Ai Xuan grinned and deliberately teased him. “You can’t wait for me to stop bothering you, can you? You’re finally rid of this pest.”
That broke the slightly somber mood in the car. Even Secretary Pei smiled as he eased off the accelerator.
“You can call.” Gu Heng’s voice was low and gentle. He added, “You’re no trouble.”
The more often she called, the better.
Ai Xuan had only meant to tease him and lighten the mood. She was lively and quick-witted and knew how to smooth over an awkward moment. She got along well with the actors she worked with, and a little teasing back and forth was normal on set. Maybe it was the gentle sincerity in his voice, but something in her heart stirred, sending ripples through her.
Gu Heng had always been endlessly patient with her. She didn’t know whether it was because of those dreams, but for some reason, she trusted him.
The car pulled into the airport’s underground parking garage, and Secretary Pei got out to wait. Ai Xuan turned to Gu Heng, her eyes curving as she laughed. “Well, whether I need anything or not, I won’t be shy about calling.”
Gu Heng nodded, his expression gentle. “Mm.”
Ai Xuan looked at him, her smile slowly fading, and pointed outside. “I’ll get going, then. You don’t have to walk me in. Go take care of your own work, and make sure you look after yourself, too.”
She put on her face mask and baseball cap and got out of the car.
Gu Heng watched her walk farther and farther away, his gaze intent.
Without a word from Gu Heng, Secretary Pei didn’t dare get back in. He stayed outside and waited while Gu Heng sat motionless in the car.
The minutes ticked by until a message came through on Gu Heng’s phone.
Ai Xuan: I’m on the plane. We’re about to take off.
Gu Heng lowered his head and typed a reply. “Mm. Have a safe flight.”
More than anything now, he wanted her to be safe. As long as she was safe and healthy, he wouldn’t ask for anything else.
Secretary Pei’s legs had gone numb by the time Gu Heng finally called him over. Gu Heng’s voice was cool. “Book me a ticket on the next flight to Xuzhou.”
Secretary Pei nodded. “I’ll arrange it right away.”
Miss Ai was going away for months. She might as well have taken the Third Young Master’s soul with her.
He’d probably held back from going with her openly because he was afraid she’d be uncomfortable or frightened. He’d chosen to stay close without telling her instead.
Half an hour after Ai Xuan’s flight took off, another plane bound for Xuzhou left the airport. Gu Heng sat in first class, staring out the window with an impassive expression.
Ai Xuan’s flight had been delayed, so the two planes ended up landing at about the same time.
Ai Xuan had hired Li Ping as her manager. Li Ping had managed her when she was first starting out. She was resourceful and had plenty of industry connections. Most importantly, she took Ai Xuan’s wishes into account and was less driven by her own agenda. The two got along easily and enjoyed working together.
She also had a junior assistant named Zhang Xiaoru, a recent graduate with short hair. Zhang Xiaoru seemed easygoing and was almost always smiling.
Ai Xuan hadn’t announced her travel plans, so there were no fans waiting to greet her. She hurried out after getting off the plane to avoid being recognized.
The first thing she did once she got in the car was let Gu Heng know she’d arrived safely.
Secretary Pei watched the Third Young Master focus on his phone as he replied, a faint smile on his lips. He had mixed feelings about it.
Gu Heng had wanted Ai Xuan even before, but he’d kept himself in check. Now, after spending months together day and night, too much had changed.
The hardest thing was to finally have something you wanted and then have it ripped away.
Xuzhou Film and Television City.
Zhang Xiaoru stared wide-eyed at the traditional-style estate ahead. “Our production must have a pretty good budget. I heard they rented out the whole estate!”
Ai Xuan leaned forward to look, too. It was much nicer than she’d expected. Apparently, the production wasn’t that strapped for cash after all.
“Well, look who’s playing the lead. She’s still a big name,” Li Ping said, half joking. Back when she’d managed Ai Xuan, she’d already seen how naturally gifted she was and how willing she was to work hard. Seeing her come this far was no surprise. What Li Ping hadn’t expected was for Ai Xuan to come back and ask her to manage her again.
“Exactly! Sister Xuan is my idol,” Zhang Xiaoru chimed in, nodding vigorously.
“You really know how to flatter me. It still won’t get you a raise, however good you are at it.” Ai Xuan laughed.
“I think my pay is fine,” Zhang Xiaoru said with a contented smile, then promptly pledged her loyalty. “I’ll devote myself to the job and give it my all until my dying breath.”
That was so over the top that Ai Xuan’s smile grew wider. Her clear almond-shaped eyes made her look especially radiant.
She’d been assigned a luxurious suite decorated in the same traditional style. Even the wooden bed had an old-fashioned charm she liked the moment she saw it.
Filming had been hard over the years and her schedule had always been packed, but she’d never really had to make do with poor food or accommodations. She’d received top-tier treatment all along. This time, she’d braced herself for rougher conditions, so she was surprised to find the place better than she’d imagined.
After a long day of travel, she took off her jacket, flopped facedown on the bed, and messaged Gu Heng.
His reply came the instant she sent the message.
“Are you at the office?” she asked.
“No,” Gu Heng replied.
Assuming he was home, Ai Xuan took a few photos of her room and sent them to him. Perhaps worried that he’d fret, she made a point of adding, “It’s really nice here. I’m very happy with it.”
At the end of the message, she added a cute sticker giving him a thumbs-up.
A black Bentley was parked a short distance from the estate. Secretary Pei sat quietly in the front passenger seat, as though he were used to this by now. In the back, Gu Heng looked down at his phone without a word.
They’d done this many times. The first had been five years ago, when Gu Heng had officially gotten involved in the Gu family business and Secretary Pei had just become his assistant. Gu Heng had told him to drive to the entrance of City A No. 1 High School. It was June, the weather was sweltering, and the national college entrance exams were underway.
From the moment the exam began until the papers were collected and students started coming out in groups, Gu Heng hadn’t said a word. He’d simply sat in the back seat, watching the gates. Only after the last student came out did he tell Secretary Pei to drive away.
At the time, Secretary Pei couldn’t guess what the Gu family’s Third Young Master was up to. Perhaps he was reminiscing about his school days?
Nothing like that happened again for the next three years. Then Gu Heng officially took charge of the Gu family and told him to drive to the entrance of the City A Academy of Drama.
Looking at all those pretty, innocent young faces, Secretary Pei wondered if the Third Young Master had finally taken an interest in women and wanted to keep a few for fun.
That time, Gu Heng sat in the car for hours, again without saying a word.
On the day the forces opposing the Gu family were finally cleared out, Gu Heng told him, “I want everything you can find on Ai Xuan.”
Only then did Secretary Pei learn that the crowd outside City A No. 1 High School five years ago had gathered because Ai Xuan had shown up, and that three years ago, she’d been studying at the City A Academy of Drama.
He was also sharp enough to understand how much Gu Heng had held back. Things were far from settled in the Gu family, and Gu Heng couldn’t afford to have a single weakness. To go to such lengths to protect her, he must already have cared for her deeply.
It seemed Gu Heng took after his father when it came to love. Once he fell for someone, he was devoted.
After that, Secretary Pei often accompanied Gu Heng to Ai Xuan’s building, where they’d spend the whole night parked outside, or to one of her filming locations, where they’d stay for most of the night. Gu Heng never did anything. He just sat in the car, and Secretary Pei had no idea what was going through his mind.
The last time, they’d parked near Ai Xuan’s home and later followed her to Jin Yan’s place. Ai Xuan and Jin Yan had spent the entire night under the same roof.
When Gu Heng got back, he smashed everything in the study and shut himself in his room for two days.
It was a little cold that night, so Secretary Pei turned on the heater.
Now that Miss Ai had left again, who knew how long the Third Young Master would spend in a daze this time?
“Let’s go back.” Gu Heng’s voice came from the back seat, low and hoarse.
Secretary Pei was briefly taken aback. “Third Young Master, back to City A?”
“Mm.”
Gu Heng kept his eyes on his phone. Ai Xuan had reminded him to eat on time. She said she had a few things to do and would message him again that evening. She’d also told him to look after himself and avoid staying up late working.
The corners of his mouth lifted. He looked up at Secretary Pei. “Is there a case for this phone?”
Secretary Pei blinked. “?”
What use did someone who smashed a phone every three days, on average, have for a case?
Then it hit him that Miss Ai had the same phone. He answered at once, “Yes. I’ll get a tempered glass screen protector and put it on for you, too. They have a case for the white one as well. I’ll send it to Miss Ai.”
One white, one black. A matching set for a couple.
“As soon as possible,” Gu Heng ordered.
Secretary Pei promised to see to it right away.
Even after they got back to City A, Secretary Pei could hardly believe how quickly they’d returned this time.
He fetched the screen protector and phone case, but Gu Heng wouldn’t let him handle the phone. He took both items and headed straight for his office, adding without breaking stride, “Send hers now.”
“Yes, Third Young Master.” Secretary Pei didn’t dare delay for a second.
He went downstairs. Still uneasy, he called Lu Yuchen again. “Young Master Lu, please look after Miss Ai while she’s there. I hope you’ll enjoy working together. I’m sure you’ll make a great series.”
Lu Yuchen clicked his tongue. “Is that all you’ve got, Secretary Pei? One woman has you so besotted you can’t think straight. I have no respect for you!”
Secretary Pei was about to say something else, but Lu Yuchen cut him off impatiently. “I get it, I get it. You never stop yapping.” Then he hung up.
What was the big deal? She was just a woman. All that fuss was giving him a headache.