Amidst the chaos, Chen Fu nodded calmly.
"Call the police."
Lu Xiaomi grabbed the wrist of her short assistant.
"Call the police immediately, don't let any of them leave."
*
Lu Xiaomi's hand was quickly pulled away by the short assistant.
"Call the police? Great, call the police! Anyone who doesn't call the police is a son of a bitch."
Like a street thug fighting for territory, the short assistant's eyes widened, and the fat on his face twitched three times.
"You'd better think this through. Trespassing is a civil dispute. It's difficult to gather evidence and it takes a long time to convict someone. After we call the police, we'll all have to go to the police station. There will be statements and identifications every few days. It's not a good thing to have your actress end up in jail while filming a movie."
The tall assistant grinned and agreed.
"Others might think it's because it's been targeted by the anti-pornography and anti-illegal publications office."
Gender is always the first weapon these people use to attack, but it must be admitted that what these two said does make sense. The charge of forced molestation is difficult to prove, and besides, Han Xiao didn't even enter the room, and Tian Yu isn't someone to be trifled with. Even if the police were called, they might not even get a five-day detention sentence.
"Your artist just recorded a video without permission and used the video content to intimidate Han Xiao, which is suspected of infringing on Han Xiao's portrait rights."
The short assistant smiled smugly.
"It's not certain who will get sent to jail yet. I'm waiting to see our newest starlet go into jail and put on her prison uniform."
The sarcastic and harsh speculations pierced Chen Fu's heart like knives.
never mind.
Chen Fu thought to herself.
She's currently in a transitional phase and desperately needs to make a good impression on the industry. She doesn't have time to get entangled with these scoundrels. Rather than wasting her energy arguing with them, she might as well just accept her bad luck.
Having been an artist for so many years, she considers herself to have had enough bad luck, so one more time is nothing.
But Luyu doesn't seem to think that way.
The atmosphere was so silent it was almost frozen. Lu Xiaomi snatched Xiaolingdang's phone and said, "Who said I was going to sue you for trespassing?"
She casually opened the boot screen, swiping and exclaiming in surprise.
"My phone contained trade secrets worth tens of millions of dollars, and that person just now snatched it and deleted it all."
This absurd accusation startled everyone present.
"These confidential documents involve the development plans of the Lu Group for the next few years. I now suspect that Mr. Han Xiao is involved in stealing our company's trade secrets. I believe that the legal department of the Lu Group will soon send you a legal summons."
Chen Fu certainly didn't have the time or energy to get entangled with this group of scoundrels.
But Lu Xiaomi has it.
Chapter 20 CP20
Han Xiao never expected things to develop to this point.
The situation had spiraled out of his control. The cold wind in the hallway sobered him up somewhat from his drunkenness, which he had been using as an excuse. His previously calm mind began to race. This wasn't Tianyu, after all, a place where someone would clean up his messes no matter what he did.
No, things shouldn't go this way. Shouldn't we start by looking for the cause from the person being harassed? Shouldn't Lu Yu be disciplining Chen Fu? It takes two to tango. There are so many actresses in the crew, why did Han Xiao single out Chen Fu to harass her?
Under the influence of drugs and hormones, Han Xiao numbly took a few steps back. The short assistant gestured with his eyes to take Han Xiao back first, but before he could take two steps, he was stopped by Lu Xiaomi.
"No, we're not done yet. No one is allowed to leave."
The matter was clear enough. Apart from that high-ranking executive parachuted into Xihe, who else had the guts or the standing to bring up the Lu Group? The short assistant swallowed hard. He hadn't expected to be so unlucky today, running into such a big shot.
"Mr. Lu, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, it's so late and I'm still half asleep. I'm so sorry."
Despite her repeated apologies, Lu Xiaomi didn't even glance at her.
"Have your artist repeat what you just said to Chen Fu."
The short assistant became happy, which he interpreted as a sign of reconciliation.
"An apology is a must. Brother Han drank too much and caused a ruckus all night. I'm so sorry. Tomorrow, after Miss Chen releases her schedule tomorrow afternoon, I will definitely bring Brother Han to apologize to Miss Chen."
Lu Xiaomi smiled and said, "There's no need to go through all that trouble."
“I don’t need him to apologize in person. I’m afraid Chen Fu will feel disgusted if she sees his face.”
The blunt words froze the short assistant's smile on her face.
"I have no other requests, I only ask that Han Xiao record an apology video for Chen Fu. I don't want to hear any bullshit excuses like he was drunk or out of it. He better be clear and explain clearly what he did and what he wanted to do."
Han Xiao clenched his fists, and his tall assistant repeatedly said no.
"It would be even better if it didn't work out. I'd also love to see a popular young actor go to jail and wear prison clothes."
*
Although Han Xiao was unwilling, she had no choice but to give in to Lu Xiaomi's firm attitude. Lu Xiaomi didn't waste any more time with them; after filming the video, she sent Han Xiao away. She glanced at her phone; it was almost two o'clock after arguing with these bastards for so long...
When she returned to her room, Chen Fu was still awake. She leaned against the sofa, her brows drooping heavily, looking utterly exhausted. Xiao Lingdang came over with a cup of freshly brewed tea and poured Lu Xiaomi a full cup.
"Thanks to President Lu for coming over tonight. If it were just Sister Fu and me, we would have been terrified."
Chen Fu rested her chin on her arm, smiled and nodded noncommittally. The steam rising from the teacup dissipated, and she even seemed to have a seductive air about her.
The room was very warm, and she was wearing a knee-length nightgown. Her long legs were slightly curled up at her sides, and her exposed knees were red with a faint raised curve, like an unsightly scar.
Lu Xiaomi's gaze fell there.
I almost forgot about the important matter.
After pouring the tea, Xiao Lingdang quickly left, leaving only Chen Fu and Lu Xiaomi in the large living room. Chen Fu, clutching a cushion, slowly sat up.
"Mr. Lu, is there something you need so late?"
Since Chen Fu initiated the kiss, a tacit relationship has formed between them. It's different from the intimacy between lovers, and it's not simply a transaction of flesh and blood; it's a vague threshold between the two. Chen Fu and Lu Xiaomi are engaged in a silent tug-of-war, and whoever wins will gain the upper hand in whichever relationship prevails.
Does your leg still hurt?
Lu Xiaomi took a sip of tea, her words somewhat mumbled.
So that's what it was about.
Chen Fu's injured right leg had almost suffered a secondary fracture due to strenuous exercise, but after several days of rest, it was fine. Before going into the water today, Yanshan specifically instructed her to take protective measures, and she was basically not affected by the cold water.
She originally wanted to protect her knees as well, but protecting the joints would affect her underwater movements. In order to get through smoothly, Chen Fu gritted her teeth and endured it wearing only a thin pair of leather pants.
This ailment had been with her for a long time, and it would ache whenever the weather was cold and damp. Chen Fu didn't have time to go to the hospital often, so she could only carry a bottle of painkillers with her at all times. Over time, it actually became a habit.
Her painful and arduous past is an untold history, an inseparable part of her being. But no one is willing to take the time to understand it, so Jiang Qing's flattery carries a hint of superficial sarcasm. In truth, the injury or pain itself is nothing, but over time, Chen Fu has always wanted to bring it up and tell others about it.
A faint sense of loneliness rose in her heart.
"I didn't mean that, I meant..."
Her gaze fell on Chen Fu's knees.
There was a slight reddish tinge there, but it was completely obscured by the warm-toned indoor lighting.
Lu Xiaomi shook her head.
I'm talking about the old injury you had a few years ago, the knee that's been a problem for a long time. Now, if you soak it in cold water, will it still hurt as much as it did back then?
*
"What?"
Chen Fu was startled by the vague words of the person in front of her. Lu Xiaomi's expression was obscured by the warm light, and Chen Fu unconsciously moved closer to her.
Lu Xiaomi sighed; she had known about this for a long time. Years ago, Chen Fu appeared on a variety show where someone found a bottle of painkillers in her backpack, causing a stir among the audience. For the sake of the show's entertainment value, the host asked her in a surprised tone, "Xiao Fu, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Why are you carrying something like that around?"
Chen Fu casually replied that it was nothing, just that her knees had been a little sore lately. Several other guests on stage gave a disgruntled "oh," and those who had been egging her on went off to talk about the next thing. The host smiled and turned the page, shrugging at the producers in the audience, but unfortunately, he hadn't managed to dig up any big scoops.
Lu Xiaomi was trying to figure out how to say it, but before she could open her mouth, 0413's voice came from her mind. The fox cub's tone was slightly apologetic. It said, "Host, Lu Yu couldn't possibly know such details from eight hundred years ago. If you say this, it might constitute a mild OOC. Your current favorability is not enough to offset the punishment, so it's best not to say it."
But I know.
The sudden thought was like a boulder sinking into still water. Chen Fu was a unique existence to her, so Lu Xiaomi remembered every detail about her clearly.
As soon as 0413 finished speaking, a cold pain came from Lu Xiaomi's lips and tongue, freezing the words she was trying to say. Chen Fu, puzzled, moved closer to her and asked what she had just said.
Perhaps it was the lighting, but Lu Xiaomi could see a hint of hope in Chen Fu's eyes. However, the confession she had prepared was already rejected. Like her previous "I love you," it remained unspoken, turning into a self-indulgent monologue by Lu Xiaomi.
What does this mean? In the silence, you don't know I'm here, you don't know I love you?
A strange feeling spread through Lu Xiaomi's heart. She gritted her teeth and swallowed the words she wanted to say.
"It's nothing. You just caught a cold and had a fever, and I was worried you'd get sick again if you suddenly went into the water."
So that's why.
Chen Fu responded with an "oh".
"If I don't say it out loud, but instead express it through actions, is that still considered out of character (OOC)?"
Lu Xiaomi asked 0413 in the spiritual sea.
The system's algorithm for determining out-of-character behavior is very complex, and specific actions need to be considered on a case-by-case basis. After a moment of contemplation, 0413 said, "I do not recommend that you do this. Although it may temporarily deceive the system's detection, there is still a certain risk."
Lu Xiaomi sighed.
Systems are static, but people are dynamic, so there's always a way to overcome them.
She stood up from the sofa, her footsteps landing on the soft, off-white carpet, and knelt down on one knee in front of Chen Fu.
This action made Chen Fu's breath catch in her throat. She looked at Lu Xiaomi with a somewhat blank expression, watching Lu Xiaomi's hands gradually kneading upwards from her bare calves.
The pain in her knee and the warmth in her palms made Chen Fu hiss softly.
"Does it still hurt?"
Author's Note:
I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed these past few days. The first three chapters only got around 600 clicks and less than 400 favorites, and now the last few clicks are so low. Is everyone just letting chapters accumulate before they're finished? QAQ