Chapter 4

The elder said that she is not forgetting her roots, and has also devotedly taught her that after traversing thousands of rivers and traveling thousands of miles, she must remember the heritage of her ancestors

Tang Zechen followed the gaze, a fleeting smile passing through his eyes, yet his voice remained calm and unperturbed, "You have a discerning eye"

Until the third glass was downed, he showed no intention of relenting at all. Qin Nuanyang secretly cursed himself for seeking out this torment tonight, having been provoked by Li Han and coming over in a fit of impulsiveness. Trembling, he poured another glass.

"Three cups are enough." His voice was deep and clear, exceptionally magnetic, and to her ears, it seemed to carry a hint of subtle temptation

Just as the wine glass touched her lips, he suddenly raised his hand and clasped her wrist

She turned back to glance at the calligraphy on the wall and remarked with implication, "Good stuff"

Tang Zechen played with the string of prayer beads on the table while keeping an eye on her movements. A faint smile lingered on his lips, exuding an air of complete patience

Upon entering this private room, one is greeted by a faint aroma of sandalwood. At a glance, one can see the calligraphy and painting hanging prominently on the wall, exuding a rich fragrance of ink, seemingly imbued with an indescribable antique charm. Below it stands a folding screen adorned with a landscape ink painting, which evokes a sense of elegance akin to that of a person, with a countenance as refined as jade.

As the waiter pushed the door open, Qin Nuanyang was momentarily taken aback

Qin Nuanyang stared at him for a while, casually placed the script on the table, picked up the teacup and took a sip, "Did your parents give you this mouth just for gossiping?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she herself was taken aback; how could what she said sound so ambiguous...

Just as she approached the calligraphy on the wall, a calm and languid voice sounded from behind her, "How is it here?"

After the red wine was served, Qin Nuanyang personally went to the nearby cabinet to fetch three wine glasses. Just as he was about to speak after filling them, he suddenly lost the desire to do so. He leisurely picked up a few pieces of food with his chopsticks and placed them into her bowl, his voice calm and unhurried, "To make amends, you should eat something first. I do not want to see you drunk to the point of not knowing where your home is."

Her thoughts were in constant turmoil, yet in the end, she merely suppressed them in silence, maintaining an outward appearance of calmness that was ever-changing

Li Ao has been keeping a low profile regarding his lead role, and when reporters inquire, he deflects with vague responses, maintaining a tight-lipped demeanor

So?" She interrupted him, her eyes showing some impatience. "If it is because Mr. Tang reduced your role, you need not take it out on me. What power do I have?"

What truly threw Qin Nuanyang into a state of confusion were the few photos that emerged shortly after the filming of "Prosperous Capital" began, capturing her and Tang Zechen during a dinner party in City S that night

The places where he held her skin pressed against his, in just a moment, conveyed each other's warmth, becoming so warm that it was almost scorching

She blinked, seemingly not quite understanding his meaning

She has only debuted for a year, yet her momentum is fierce. Now, having secured a role in "The Prosperous Capital", there are those who feel envious and those who applaud her. The internet is flooded with news about her, and soon someone unearthed information about the dinner gathering in City S that night, though it was merely snippets buried under a sea of speculation

As Qin Nuanyang turned around, she saw Tang Zechen lazily leaning against the doorframe, dressed in a deep gray suit, with a white shirt meticulously buttoned up.

One photo shows her standing side by side with Tang Zechen, and another captures her getting into a car shortly after. In the photo, her face is clearly visible, while Tang Zechen's is blurred and indistinct. However, this is understandable; when leaking information, one must also consider personal safety. If Tang Zechen's face were not obscured, it is likely that the photo would not have been released.

Qin Nuanyang spent more time by the old man's side since childhood than with her parents. The old man enjoyed playing with antiques and calligraphy, and she was greatly influenced by this from a young age, developing a strong fondness for it. Whenever she went out to travel, she also liked to explore ancient towns, believing that the artifacts from ancient times possessed a unique charm.

Miya was just about to come in when she was unexpectedly bumped into. "Did you have a fight?"

Qin Nuanyang leisurely poured him a cup of tea and slowly pushed it over, saying, "Have some tea."

Qin Nuanyang remained silent, gazing out the window. Only upon hearing this did she turn her head and say, "Do not tell my brother"

Upon arriving at the entrance of the TC Club, she waved for Mia to go ahead, stating that she would return after having dinner.

Qin Nuanyang's expression had already turned cold as she directly threw her phone over, "Make a dinner appointment with Mr. Tang! For tonight!"

This incident seemed inconsequential at first, yet subconsciously, everyone looked at her with a slightly different gaze

The official announcement of the finalized stills marked the complete confirmation of the cast.

Tang Zechen raised an eyebrow and suddenly asked, "Did she say that to you?"

He seemed to be in a good mood. After a moment of consideration, she spoke up: "Mr. Tang, are you satisfied with tonight?"

She held her composure tightly, yet maintained a proper smile on her face as she slowly ate the dishes he had brought over, one bite at a time. When she finally saw him put down his chopsticks, she raised her wine glass to toast him, saying, "Tonight, I am here to make amends, and it seems I have caused Mr. Tang to waste a good bottle of wine"

It was Li Han who, during the afternoon when they were acting together, suddenly asked, "Have you hooked up?"

On the day Qin Nuanyang went to take her promotional photos, she happened to run into Li Han. The next time they met was at the press conference for the start of filming. It was then that she suddenly understood the meaning of what Tang Zechen had said during the dinner gathering: "Interest must be nurtured properly and cannot be rushed."

As the conversation unfolded, his grip on her hand finally loosened

"Hmm." He responded, not urging further, patiently waiting for the other side to continue speaking.

He glanced at the wine on the back of his hand, frowned slightly in displeasure, and then raised his chin to indicate that she should look at the tissue beside her hand, "Take some."

Ah? Mia was taken aback for a moment, but then quickly regained her composure and, instead of using formal language, directly addressed the main point, "The warm sun is taking a break tonight, and I would like to invite Mr. Tang to dinner to make amends. I wonder if Mr. Tang is available"

Li Han's face immediately turned pale, "This place can at least be considered half of my territory..."

Upon hearing this, Miya almost froze in place. She glanced from a distance at Qin Nuanyang, who was listening to the director discuss the play, and then said: "It must be Mr. Tang, right? I am Nuanyang's manager"

My family's warm sun is quite naive and has offended many, Mr. Tang, please do not hold it against her

Tang Zechen raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest appearing in his eyes, "It's just three cups of wine; Miss Qin wouldn't be so naive as to think that we could simply settle everything with that, would she?"

The makeup artist was touching up her makeup while she casually slid her fingers to browse Weibo. Naturally, she saw herself ranked first in the trending searches, but upon clicking it, her expression subtly changed.

Li Han smiled with his lips pressed together. Only after the makeup artist tidied up and walked out did he lean back lazily against the chair. "That night when Mr. Tang handed you the room card, everyone was watching. What do you think I was talking about?"

Tang Zechen remained silent, his fingers gently tapping on the table, one after another, in a very rhythmic manner

Qin Nuanyang was taken aback, her heart racing. She had originally thought that this place had good privacy, merely a venue where Tang Zechen often held private gatherings. She never expected that this clubhouse and the library were actually his, and that she would come to know about this matter by chance

She closed her eyes and did not look, gulping it down in one go, causing her entire throat to burn painfully. ... She covered her lips, secretly suppressing the bitterness that rose to her mouth, and picked up the second cup again

Li Han clearly did not think much and continued, "You are bringing capital into the group..." Having said half of it, he had already slapped himself in the face painfully

Miya held her phone, staring in astonishment, "Is it... is it possible to make an appointment..."

She does not dare to forget, nor has she ever forgotten

While ordering, Qin Nuanyang ordered an extra bottle of red wine. Tang Zechen glanced at her and signaled the waiter to bring up his cherished red wine, choosing not to say more. Instead, after the dishes were ordered, when the waiter withdrew, he respectfully addressed Tang Zechen as "boss".

Miya noted down the name of the meeting hall before hanging up the phone, only to realize that her palms were already damp.

She is reciting her lines, her brows furrowing, and her gaze is cold as she looks over. "What did you say?"

"It is said that Qin Nuanyang has come to make amends, and he will be received."

Upon hearing this, Qin Nuanyang felt a sudden chill run down her spine. She had only shared a meal with him, and that was in the presence of so many people. He had even noticed that she had a low tolerance for alcohol; what else could he possibly not know?

Tang Zechen has not yet arrived, but the service staff has already been arranged to directly take her to his VIP room

He just said that this is half of his territory, and now he is mentioning her bringing in capital to join the group. It is evident that he understands that Qin Nuanyang also has a say in this production, and his expression is becoming increasingly unpleasant.

Qin Nuanyang nestled at home and read the script from beginning to end, then went to Li Ao to discuss some issues regarding the script, and began to busy herself with taking the promotional photos.

The crimson liquid fell onto the table under the dim light, refracting a clear beam of light. She looked through this beam and noticed that his gaze seemed somewhat different, yet she could not discern the specifics. She only knew that he had no intention of stopping her for the time being, so she simply tilted her head back and drank it all in one go.

She appeared calm on the surface, but her heart was already filled with resentment. Seeing him sullen and silent, she became even more composed, waiting for him to be the first to lose his patience. As expected, she did not have to wait long; Li Han abruptly overturned the cup of tea and walked out the door

Tang Zechen, despite being extremely busy with his daily affairs, surprisingly still has the time to personally answer calls that come through to his assistant.

Li Hanlian was demoted by one rank and directly became the male supporting role 3. Not to mention his screen presence, the only reason he could appear at the launch press conference was due to his connection with Li Ao

Qin Nuanyang fell silent for a moment, holding his slightly cool fingertips with one hand while using the other hand to wipe away the sticky wine stains that had already formed on the back of his hand with a tissue

On the way to the meeting hall, Mia kept reminding her anxiously, telling her to be careful with her words, to avoid being taken advantage of, and finally, still feeling uneasy, asked her if she wanted to call Qin Zhaoyang

She set down the cup, took a tissue and handed it over, but he showed no intention of accepting it, looking at her as if it were only natural.

The abundant red wine momentarily lost its balance, swaying along the rim of the glass, spilling a small amount that landed on the back of his hand, then trickling down the clear contours of his knuckles and dripping onto the table.

Not long after, several rumors emerged regarding the cast of "The Prosperous Capital." When Qin Nuanyang saw this while browsing Weibo, she glanced at the script beside her and couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips.

Qin Nuanyang took the coat that Miya handed over and draped it over her shoulders. She glanced at Li Han, who was getting into the car with Li Ao, and her mind became a whirlwind as she recalled what Qin Zhaoyang had said that day.

Upon stepping into this place, I felt a complete relaxation throughout my body, and a sense of comfort washed over me

On that end, he was probably asking his assistant if he had a dinner engagement that evening. After a moment, the call was taken over by his assistant.