Chapter 99: The Helplessness Behind the Cold and Distant Female CEO

After settling matters on her side, Lin Ning stepped out and heard that Ji Ya was on a call; she truly could not bear to interrupt.

Ji Ya replied to everything on the other end with a calm, detached air, hums and murmurs carrying the conversation to its end. At last, she answered with a single indifferent word and hung up. Xiao Lin happened to arrive then, and Ji Ya said in a flat tone, “Book a private room. Have Lin Yu come with me for dinner.”

At eight o’clock, Lin Ning followed Ji Ya to a floating restaurant. Looking down through the glass at the scenery below was enough to make one faintly dizzy.

Exquisite dishes were brought to the table. Lin Yu kept Ji Ya company, talking about work and a few everyday matters besides. By the time the meal was over, Ji Ya, because of work, had to take a private jet at nine o’clock back to the company.

“Remember, this is a rare chance for you to learn. If there’s anything you don’t understand, speak to Xiao Lin or Director Wu in time.”

Then she added with stern seriousness, “Don’t disappoint me.”

In her heart, she had wanted to stay and keep watching Lin Yu, but the company had encountered an emergency and she had to rush back to deal with it. In the mind of this woman of power, career always outweighed romance.

Before leaving, she still could not help glancing at Lin Yu once more, clearly reluctant to part. Yet as the boss, she had little choice. Since the day her parents had suffered their accident and she had had to shoulder the company’s burdens, she had already lost her freedom. Though she sometimes felt weary, she had no time even to catch her breath.

The glamour seen by others was all sustained by bitterness behind the scenes and hardships too painful to speak of.

Fortunately, all her efforts had never been in vain. She had gained a life of privilege beyond the reach of others, and had become an idol admired by all.

As for Lin Yu’s work arrangements, she had handled them with great conscientiousness. He was an artist she had personally signed, and his future concerned her own reputation. However busy the company was, she still had to divide some attention here.

The company’s matters were urgent, but not exactly a bad thing. They were only some long-standing problems that needed to be resolved. So long as she showed up and the bearing of a female executive pressed down on them, those old men with other intentions would obediently submit.

They simply wanted more money. Ji Ya was not unwilling to give it. Any problem money could solve was no problem to her. But endless forbearance was not her nature. This time, she was going back to crush the arrogance of those old hands and solve the issue at its root.

Lin Yu understood Ji Ya’s helplessness. Though she always acted fearless and invincible, she was still a woman in the end, and sometimes she also needed the comfort of an embrace. After all, she was facing the founding shareholders from his grandfather’s generation, and dealing with them was far more complicated than it seemed.

He reached out and drew her into his arms. No words were needed, yet the strength of his embrace had already given Ji Ya much consolation.

“Thank you.”

Ji Ya’s voice seemed a little choked. The sorrow she had endured for so many years finally burst forth, but after parting from Lin Yu, she merely lifted a hand to wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes and said nothing more of the bitterness in her heart.

She had it hard, yes, but she could not simply pour out her troubles to anyone.

She was no ordinary woman. When wronged or frustrated, tears and coaxing would not solve anything.

Later that evening, after sending Ji Ya off, Lin Yu returned by car and happened to meet the director’s team downstairs in the hotel lobby.

Seeing Lin Yu return, Wu De immediately thought of whether he had gone out somewhere to have fun. He wisely did not ask outright, only waggling his brows at him.

Thinking it was some sort of unspoken understanding between men, Lin Yu instead looked puzzled and asked with concern, “Brother, what’s wrong with your eyes?”

The people around them burst into laughter. It seemed Wu De had met a hard case this time. They had heard that Lin Yu was supposed to be someone who knew nothing, but looking at him now, it really did seem true that he had been single for more than twenty years.

Wu De awkwardly scratched his head and changed the subject with an invitation. “We’re going to eat. Want to come along?”

Lin Yu had originally wanted to refuse. He was still very full. That candlelit dinner had been so satisfying that he could hardly stop eating, with medium-rare steak and black truffles, all top-tier ingredients he had never tasted before.

But the director had brought along all the main cast members, and several important crew staff were there as well. If he did not go, he would seem out of place, almost like he was putting on airs.

After weighing the pros and cons, Lin Yu followed Wu De and the others to the place where the crew would gather for their first meal together. The production team was generous indeed; the banquet was held at the same five-star restaurant where Lin Yu and Ji Ya had just dined.

When the waiter saw Lin Yu appear again, he could not help greeting him politely. “Sir, welcome back to our restaurant.”

That greeting made everyone else at the table look toward Lin Yu.

They were all seasoned people in the business world. Since they had money, they frequented luxury hotels often, but this floating restaurant was among the city’s finest. Even they had never personally witnessed the city view beneath the glass on the thirty-sixth floor.

Yet Lin Yu seemed not to be here for the first time.

Wasn’t he supposed to be just a newcomer? How could he afford such an expensive meal? Could he be a hidden tycoon?

The rumored young master who had come into the industry to train himself... but from his temperament, he did not quite seem like someone from a wealthy family either.

No one asked what should not be asked. They all sat down in tacit understanding. Since it was a crew meal, the point was merely to let the members get to know the people from the other side of the team. Though these leading actors had all appeared in many dramas and might already know one another, beyond work they had basically no private contact.

Wu De knew full well how the industry worked, and he had specially spent a great deal of money to organize the gathering so that cooperation during filming would go more smoothly.

At the round table, everyone took their seats in order. No one had arranged the placements specially. Those who were familiar naturally sat together; those less familiar yielded politely; those with grievances sat apart, each leaving the other unaffected.

Xiao Lin stayed by Lin Yu’s side. As the assistant to the president of the country’s largest talent agency, her position was enough to grant her the right to choose a seat.

Of course, the seat of honor would certainly be Wu De’s. To his left was the assistant director, to his right the lead actor, and beside them were Lin Yu and the other key members.

Once the seating was settled, Xiao Lin leaned close to Lin Yu’s ear and introduced the main people to him.

Wu De was also introducing everyone’s roles at the same time.

“Lin Yu, a new actor, the most tragic supporting male role in the series. Please give him your guidance and patience.”

Beside Lin Yu sat a very beautiful girl, with cool, striking features and a commanding, elegant air. Wu De introduced her as the heroine of the drama: Liang Shi Yi.

The handsome young man beside her turned back to look at Lin Yu, grinning as he introduced himself. “I play the male lead, and I’m also your second brother. I’m Qiao Song.”