The Misunderstanding
"What?!" Owen rudely tore open his shirt, exposing his delicate collarbone. "He's so old and still dares to covet a young girl. Leo, you beast!"
Owen was furious, feeling an inexplicable frustration, as if his prized cabbage had been taken by a pig.
No, he had to warn that old man Leo!
Carlos couldn't help but laugh secretly at Owen's protective demeanor. The young people nowadays loved this kind of drama. Clearly in love with someone, but refusing to admit it until someone else shows interest, then they panic.
"Uncle Li, I'll talk to you later."
"Alright. I'll take care of the young girl, don't worry. She won't be mistreated here," Carlos assured him with a smile.
"Thank you, Uncle Li."
After hanging up, Owen immediately dialed Leo's private number.
One ring, two rings, three rings…
He called for over ten minutes, but the line was continuously busy.
Just as Leo hung up one call, Owen's call came through. Leo frowned, wondering what was so urgent.
"What's the matter?" Leo answered abruptly, skipping any pleasantries.
"Leo, you beast."
Leo's brows furrowed slightly.
This guy had always been a bit wild, but he usually showed some respect by calling him Brother Ye. Today, he seemed overly brazen, and Leo was not in the mood to indulge him.
*Click*...
Leo hung up without hesitation.
Owen was dumbfounded, staring at the disconnected call.
The next second, he redialed, his face darkening.
"One more insult, and I'll block you," Leo's deep, rich voice warned threateningly.
Knowing Leo's no-nonsense attitude, Owen held back his anger for the sake of the main issue.
"I heard you fancy a young girl," Owen said sarcastically.
"Get to the point."
"So you're admitting it!" Owen's voice rose, turning icy.
How shameless! Leo, that old scoundrel, had eyes for a young, beautiful girl. Despicable!
Leo's thin lips curved slightly, "Who I like is none of your business, Third Young Master."
"Ye Fourth, aren't you ashamed? You're so old, and she's so young. Aren't you afraid people will say you're a lecher?"
"That's none of your concern."
"How can it not be? Did you get my approval?" Owen retorted angrily.
Leo shook his head in exasperation, "If there's nothing else, I'm busy."
Before Owen could reply, Leo hung up again.
When Owen tried calling back, he found he'd been blocked.
"FUCK!"
Owen cursed loudly.
"Leo, you're ruthless!"
His assistant, startled, had never heard Owen swear before.
"Is something wrong, Brother Owen?" the assistant asked cautiously.
Owen waved him off, signaling him to leave.
Squinting, Owen decided that if he couldn't deal with Leo directly, he'd start with Zuri.
He found Zuri on social media, thinking for a while before typing a subtle message.
Zuri had just come out of the bathroom when she heard her phone chime.
She picked it up.
Owen: [Zuri, happy birthday.]
Owen: [While filming, I encountered a problem and wanted to ask your advice. What kind of boys do pretty girls like? For example, someone like you.]
Zuri stared at the message for a long time.
Could he have feelings for me?
Zuri couldn't be blamed for thinking this way; his question was bound to be misunderstood. Usually, the next sentence would be something like "What do you think of me?" followed by a confession.
Zuri pondered for a while. She didn't want to hurt him or embarrass him, so she chose the most appropriate reason to gently reject his overture.
"Ding…"
Owen's phone chimed. He eagerly opened the message.
Zuri: [I'm focusing on my studies right now. I haven't thought about that question. I'm not considering these things at the moment.]
Owen: ...
Owen stared blankly at the message. Something felt off, a bit strange.
Could she think I have feelings for her?
Owen was enveloped in a sense of awkwardness. He looked at the message he had sent, silently clicking "recall," but... the system indicated it couldn't be recalled after two minutes.
"FUCK!"
Owen cursed again.
His assistant was trembling beside him.
What's gotten into him today?
Zuri waited for a while but didn't see a reply.
Did he feel uncomfortable?
Actually, he was a good person, but... after experiencing so much in her past life, she no longer knew how to love someone unconditionally or trust someone completely.
As she was about to go to bed, her phone buzzed on the bedside table.
Zuri picked it up and opened the message.
Owen: [You misunderstood. I was really asking you a question, nothing more.]
Zuri raised an eyebrow, a knowing look in her eyes.
She had expected this kind of reply.
Zuri had just typed "Okay" but hadn't sent it when another message popped up.
Owen: [Did that question make you uncomfortable? I just wanted to understand what people your age think. You know, I have many fans your age.]
If she had only seen the first part, Zuri would have continued to misunderstand. But seeing the word "kids" at the end made her feel embarrassed. She had misunderstood.
Zuri looked at her previous reply, her brow furrowing tightly. She quietly clicked "recall," then...
She thoughtfully typed a new message.
Zuri: [What I like may not be the same as your fans. If I really had to say, looks don't matter, nor does height. The only requirement is that he must genuinely care for me, love me, protect me, and trust me unconditionally.]
Owen looked at the message, lost in thought.
Her response seemed perfunctory, but he could sense she was sincere. Somehow, he felt a heavy, oppressive emotion from her brief words.
So young, yet carrying such heavy emotions.
Seeing Owen deep in thought with a serious expression, his assistant didn't dare disturb him. But the director was already urging, so he had to approach cautiously.
"Owen, it's time to start filming," the assistant said cautiously.
Owen didn't hear him, all his thoughts focused on how to subtly ward off Leo's advances.
Owen: [Older men have experienced a lot, and they especially like young girls. Zuri, if an older man shows interest in you, be cautious. Such men usually have bad intentions and are quite lecherous.]