Chapter 32: Will You Make the First Move?

"Haha, that sounds fun!"

Liu Yifei, who had always been shy and reserved, had grown much more relaxed after spending time with Liu Tao, Wang Yi, and Du Sheng on set.

"When the time comes, I'll call you 'Cousin,' and you can call me 'Senior.' How amusing!"

She covered her mouth and giggled, a lightheartedness in her demeanor.

However, she didn't notice the presence of a figure not far behind her. This person quietly sat down, their back turned to the table.

Du Sheng, on the other hand, noticed the figure. Although he recognized who it was, he decided against greeting them, reasoning there was no harm in continuing his casual conversation with Liu Yifei.

"By the way, Cousin, do you actually know Bingbing Jie, the one making headlines recently?" Liu Yifei's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she brought up the topic.

A certain Bingbing had been all over the news recently due to rumors about her luxurious lifestyle, which included mansions and sports cars allegedly gifted by wealthy benefactors. Most sensationally, one of these benefactors had reportedly proposed to her, only to be publicly rejected.

"Li Bingbing? Never met her," Du Sheng replied casually.

The Bingbing he knew, Fan Bingbing, had been a recent acquaintance and a rather unforgettable one at that.

"I remember hearing you say yesterday that she was your favorite actress," Liu Yifei teased, arching an eyebrow.

Du Sheng chuckled. "Showbiz is full of such nuances. You might know of someone but not actually know them. Sometimes, familiarity is an illusion."

"Cousin, you're only three years older than me, yet you sound so wise," Liu Yifei said with a grin before her gaze turned contemplative. "Tomorrow, I'll be heading back to school and won't have as much freedom to go out. Yi Jie added me to a group chat. Should I invite you to join as well?"

Du Sheng caught a slight tension in the shoulders of the figure sitting nearby and smiled mischievously.

"I'd love to, but my Nokia 5230 doesn't support QQ downloads."

Liu Yifei, looking a little disappointed, stirred her drink absentmindedly.

"Cousin, do you also think I'm just a naive little girl who's easy to fool?" she asked, her voice dropping to a softer tone.

Du Sheng tilted his head and gave her a once-over before replying with a smile.

"How could I think that? You're my adorable little sister-next-door."

Liu Yifei pouted slightly, clearly unsatisfied with his response.

"Then can you at least give me your phone number?" she asked, this time with a bit more resolve. "We've known each other for so long, and we don't even have each other's numbers! It'll make it easier to stay in touch if you ever join the academy."

Unbeknownst to her, the figure behind them—her mother, Liu Xiaoli—was on edge.

She had noticed her daughter's growing attachment to Du Sheng over the past few weeks and couldn't ignore the unusual dynamic between them.

Liu Xiaoli had observed how Liu Yifei, typically reserved, addressed Du Sheng affectionately as "Cousin," a term imbued with familial intimacy in their roles and beyond.

While there had been no overt signs of impropriety between the two, Liu Xiaoli couldn't shake her unease. The entertainment industry was rife with complications, and she wanted to shield her daughter from unnecessary emotional entanglements.

Just as Liu Xiaoli was about to step in, she heard Du Sheng reply firmly, "No."

Both mother and daughter were stunned, albeit for different reasons.

"Why not?" Liu Yifei asked, her voice laced with disappointment.

Du Sheng's expression turned mock-serious. "I'll need to get my girlfriend's approval first."

"But you don't have a girlfriend," Liu Yifei retorted, her confusion growing.

"Exactly, so there's no one to approve it," Du Sheng said, his tone exaggeratedly mournful.

Liu Yifei's cheeks puffed up in frustration. "You're impossible!"

"Yifei," Du Sheng said, adopting a more serious tone, "as a girl, you should be more reserved. Let the guy make the first move when it comes to things like exchanging numbers."

"Would you ever take the initiative?" she challenged, her eyes narrowing.

"No," Du Sheng replied, his answer swift and unequivocal.

"!!!"

Liu Yifei stared at him, utterly flabbergasted, her emotions a whirlwind of disbelief and indignation.

Du Sheng, sensing the rising tension, finally relented with a sigh. "Alright, alright. Give me your phone."

With a triumphant smile, Liu Yifei handed over her phone. As he entered his number, she couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment.

Behind them, Liu Xiaoli, who had been holding her breath throughout the exchange, finally exhaled. Her daughter might be a handful, but at least Du Sheng knew

where to draw the line.

For now, that was enough to put her mind at ease.