Chapter 18 shameless

Cheng Yuxuan glanced at his watch and said, "Is everyone here?"

The head of the management department, who was in his early forties, quickly stood up and replied, "Mr. Chu, four of the artists are filming outside the city. The others are all here."

Cheng Yuxuan nodded and looked over the faces of the gathered stars, muttering to himself, "That old guy Chu Zhqing doesn't lie, they really are all quite good-looking…"

He cleared his throat and began to speak seriously about the company's future plans. His speech was interspersed with motivating and encouraging words, delivered with eloquence and humor. He seemed to embody the demeanor of a true leader, far from his usual carefree style.

Zhao Yanan was shocked. She hadn't expected Cheng Yuxuan to have such a reliable side. His confidence and decisiveness were evident in his speech, and he could quote classics and speak fluently… Was he really someone who dropped out of high school in the second year?

She was even more surprised that he actually took Qingya Media seriously—he must have put in a lot of effort to deliver such a polished, impromptu speech.

Gradually, Zhao Yanan's gaze at Cheng Yuxuan became peculiar, with a hint of fascination. She unconsciously traced circles on the table with her slender fingers, lost in thought. It wasn't until Cheng Yuxuan called her name twice that she snapped back to reality.

"Hmm?" Zhao Yanan responded, startled.

Cheng Yuxuan, with a smile in his eyes as if he were a teacher catching a distracted student, asked, "Ms. Zhao, do you have any objections to what I just said?"

Zhao Yanan composed herself and replied, "No."

"Good…" Cheng Yuxuan smiled and then adopted a nonchalant expression, crossing his legs and scanning the artists. "Everyone, there's one more thing I need to announce."

"I know the entertainment industry can be a mixed bag, and many people are interested in the so-called 'unspoken rules'… Starting today, you don't need to worry about those rules anymore. I'll be giving out my phone number shortly. If anyone tries to take advantage of you, feel free to contact me. Of course, if you're willingly participating, then just ignore what I said."

The artists below began to murmur.

"What's the deal with Mr. Chu? He seems so impressive!"

"Who cares about the deal, he's handsome and rich. Wonder if he's married…"

"Just add him on WeChat later and ask, haha…"

Hearing these comments, Xia Zhu lowered her head, fiddling with the buttons on her coat, her face slightly darkened.

A young actress, with boldness, asked Cheng Yuxuan in a high-pitched voice, "Mr. Chu, when you're not busy, can we call you and maybe invite you for a meal?"

"Oh, you're just looking for a meal, aren't you?" The other artists teased, and the atmosphere in the meeting room became lively.

Cheng Yuxuan smirked and said, "If there are beautiful women to accompany me, why not? Add me on WeChat later!"

"Mr. Chu, don't play favorites!"

"Yes, I want to add you too!"

"I want to add you as well!"

…

Seeing the frenzy among the artists, Zhao Yanan, emotionless, pursed her lips and cast a sidelong glance at the smiling Cheng Yuxuan, thinking, "Is this what genetics is about?"

While he was grandstanding about protecting the female stars, his true intentions were obvious. In reality, the female stars were well aware, but sometimes, in the face of fame and fortune, one has to play dumb.

Zhao Yanan didn't care about these personal matters. She was indifferent to the artists' private lives and had no right to interfere, as long as it didn't affect the company's development.

Soon, her WeChat received a message—Cheng Yuxuan: "Why the long face? Are you jealous?"

Zhao Yanan rolled her eyes and replied with three words: "You wish."

As soon as she sent the message, a male artist asked, "Mr. Chu, can I also ask for your help in the future?"

Cheng Yuxuan was taken aback and replied with an awkward smile, "That's a bit of a dilemma."

"Ha ha ha…"

The meeting ended amidst laughter, and the artists left one by one. Zhao Yanan stood up, repositioned her chair, and decided it was necessary to thank Cheng Yuxuan.

However, just as she raised her face, she heard Cheng Yuxuan humming Jay Chou's "I'm Not Worthy" as he slowly walked down from the stage.

Zhao Yanan lost interest in thanking him, giving him a cold glare. She turned to leave, but saw Xia Zhu standing by the door, head bowed, nervously fiddling with her hands.

Feeling Zhao Yanan's gaze, Xia Zhu timidly lifted her head and said softly, "Ms. Zhao, I… I want to talk to Mr. Chu for a moment. Is that okay?"

Zhao Yanan wasn't interested in their personal issues and silently headed for the door.

However, as she took a few steps, Cheng Yuxuan said from behind, "Honey, should we go home for dinner or eat out?"

Zhao Yanan froze, turned to glare at Cheng Yuxuan. Before she could speak, Cheng Yuxuan grinned and continued, "Oh, I forgot, I can't call you that at the company… Don't be mad, anyway, no one's around…"

Zhao Yanan glared at the shameless man, wishing she could kill him with her eyes. But since Xia Zhu was still there, she couldn't say much and had to leave, struggling to control her anger.

Xia Zhu bit her lip, fists clenched, her fingertips digging into her palms, her face pale.

Once Zhao Yanan left the meeting room, Xia Zhu managed to speak, "Yuxuan, you…"

Before she could say more, Cheng Yuxuan "passed by" her as if he hadn't seen her and eagerly went after Zhao Yanan, "Ms. Zhao, where are we going for dinner?"

A dazzling star like Xia Zhu had never endured such humiliation. Watching the couple's retreating figures, her eyes suddenly filled with tears.

"Cheng Yuxuan… How can you treat me like this! How can you insult me like this!"

She just wanted to understand what was going on!

She wanted to know what the two years of marriage meant!

But it seemed she didn't even have the right to ask. He didn't even bother to look at her!

There's a type of person who is the most carefree—when I've poured my heart out and you didn't appreciate it, then after leaving you, even looking at you is beneath me!

Cheng Yuxuan followed Zhao Yanan all the way to the president's office.

As soon as they entered, Zhao Yanan said sharply, "Is this amusing to you?"

Cheng Yuxuan pretended not to understand, "Hmm?"

Zhao Yanan, trying to control her anger, said, "Don't drag me into your issues with Xia Zhu!"

Cheng Yuxuan smirked, "Jealous?"

Zhao Yanan replied, "Cheng Yuxuan, we're not close. Can you keep your distance from me in the future? I admit you handle company matters well, but I hope we can each keep our personal lives and relationships separate, okay?"

Cheng Yuxuan pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, "Sure, I'll do as you say."

Zhao Yanan angrily snatched the cigarette from his mouth, her eyes filled with warning, "If you want to smoke, go outside!"

Cheng Yuxuan, unfazed, said, "Is this interfering with my personal life?"

Zhao Yanan: …

"Shameless!"