In the end, Pei Rong accepted that watch, because it was obvious that the old professor didn’t make the decision.
Refusing a watch from a big CEO felt awkward no matter how
you looked at it. Even though the watch was expensive, it was just a casual
item for Lu Qin. Furthermore, material possessions were also a part of the
packaging for celebrities. Otherwise, why would female stars compete to wear
the latest limited edition dresses and use money to pile up their aristocratic
temperament? If they didn’t keep up, they might be marginalized. Pushing back
and forth only made it seem like he was being overly sentimental.
He could simply leave it behind once he left the industry.
The next day, Pei Rong participated in the promotional tour
for a movie he had filmed the previous year, and he wore the watch.
According to his new persona, he didn’t wear a button-down
shirt with two buttons undone and fresh colors this time. Instead, he opted for
a black suit, and his fair wrist showcased a valuable watch, exuding an air of
elegance.
After the event, Pei Rong played with his phone in the nanny
car. Sharp-eyed fans had already noticed that his style today was different
from before. In the promotional images, they carefully examined all the brands
he was wearing and emphasized that his new style was still magnificent. The
watch he was wearing was just too fitting!
[This watch is truly exceptional! It’s rarely seen in the
country. The last time I saw it was on our big boss’s wrist!]
Pei Rong barely paid attention to the content of the lesson,
letting it go in one ear and out the other. He couldn’t remember how many of
these watches were produced, but after reading that comment, he dejectedly took
off the watch and never wore it again.
Secretary Gao’s schedule was considerate. One day working,
the next day learning, followed by another day of work...
Pei Rong diligently worked a full day and appeared noticeably
tired during the second day of classes. He was either daydreaming or on his way
to daydreaming.
Unlike high school students who secretly played with their
phones under their desks, Pei Rong never played with his phone. He remained
calm and collected, resembling a piece of dried fish. His demeanor was
composed, but one could easily tell he wasn’t paying attention.
This was understandable. Secretary Gao simply replicated the
curriculum from “Elite Wives’ Advanced Course”, and it had little relevance to
his career development. He could choose not to listen.
Just like some meaningless professional development courses
and lectures in the workplace, their purpose was to go through the motions and
satisfy the boss. Secretary Gao had a responsibility towards the boss, so Pei
Rong understood.
During the second class, his seat was changed to a soft sofa.
By the third class, the curve of the sofa was even more suitable for reclining.
The instructors probably had an arrangement, and no matter
how Pei Rong acted out, no one paid him any attention. The only constant was a
silly question before the end of the lesson, giving him a reward once he
answered it.
Pei Rong responded off-topic, saying one plus one equalled
three, acting all clever.
Pei Rong enjoyed this kind of class. One day on, one day off,
it was almost like semi-retirement. Thinking about it this way, it was a sort
of disguised relaxation.
This went on for two weeks. Suddenly, news of a
thunderbolt-like change arrived: the cultural class was over, and practical
training was up next!
Pei Rong stared at the mirror blankly. Because there hadn’t
been any specific styling activities recently, the semi-curled hair he had
permed last month had grown longer and hung down loosely. It was fluffy and
soft, with a touch of chestnut-colored highlights at the tips.
He lifted the hem of his pajamas and furrowed his brows.
Secretary Gao had probably calculated that his “abdominal
muscles” would disappear after these two weeks of cultural classes. That’s why
they were increasing his exercise regimen!
Damn those cunning capitalists.
Outside in the Spring countryside, the green grass was lush
and vibrant. Light purple and tender yellow wildflowers bloomed quietly in the
grass, while common white butterflies fluttered by intermittently.
Pei Rong had spent the whole day shooting advertisements for
a historical-themed online game. He changed into the white robe of the head of
the Sword Sect. Whether it was his figure or his looks, he outshone the game
characters.
Throughout the advertisement shoot, he almost always held a
weighty long sword, swinging it around with an imposing air. He was meticulous
in his work, never just going through the motions. Whenever the director
pointed out an imperfect move, he would redo it accordingly.
After all this explanation, the main point was that Pei Rong
didn’t want to attend today’s equestrian class and wanted to fake being sick to
get a leave of absence.
He contacted Secretary Gao, “I seem to have a fever of 38
degrees today, so I might not be able to go to class.”
Secretary Gao didn’t respond, but half an hour later, a
private doctor appeared downstairs with him.
Pei Rong said, “I’m fine now, no need to worry.”
Secretary Gao was anxious. “How about letting the doctor
measure your temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure, or should we take a
blood sample for testing?”
The private doctor carried a large medical kit, as if they
had everything.
Pei Rong replied, “I feel like I could tame a wild stallion
right now. Let’s go.”
At the venue, Pei Rong deliberately took his time changing
clothes. He had ridden horses in period dramas, but he had never worn modern
equestrian attire.
His family background was quite ordinary. He had good grades,
and he hadn’t attended any art-related classes. After entering the
entertainment industry, he followed the persona set by the company. He didn’t
have time to squander the money he earned. If it weren’t for the fear of being
ridiculed for not wearing designer clothes in screenshots, he would happily buy
30 RMB cotton T-shirts.
It seemed like these cultural classes were teaching him how
to spend money, letting the hard-earned money he made be harvested by the
capital again.
Pei Rong stayed true to his original intention and wasn’t
swayed.
The equestrian attire included a helmet, riding pants, a
vest, and more. Since Pei Rong was a beginner, a protective vest was essential
to prevent him from injuring his neck if he fell off the horse.
The riding pants were made of elastic fabric, fitting his
body curves perfectly. They were reinforced on the inner thighs to prevent
abrasion, and the lower legs were covered in leather to avoid sweat from the
horse. Finally, he put on a pair of riding boots, which accentuated the visual
effect of his already long and slender legs.
The upper body was a white shirt with tight cuffs and a black
protective vest. When the whole set was worn, the person exuded a distinct
charm, like a graceful bamboo, with a hint of wildness.
Pei Rong glanced at the time; it was now 9:30 in the morning.
As long as he could hold on until 10 o’clock to interact with the horse for
half an hour, then take another half an hour to adapt to riding, by 11 o’clock,
he could say that he’s hungry.
Why did he suddenly feel a bit hungry now?
He was in a good mood, whistling leisurely as he used a
hairband to tie up the curls at the back of his head. Then he put on his
helmet.
A staff member led over a gentle-tempered horse for him. It
looked quiet and intelligent. When Pei Rong took the reins, the horse even
lowered its head to nuzzle him.
The horse was there, but there was no one to teach him.
Pei Rong patted the horse’s back, guessing that Secretary Gao
knew he had ridden a horse in ancient costume dramas, so this was likely free
practice.
Mounting the horse should be no problem.
He placed one foot in the stirrup and was about to push up
when a hand reached from behind and held onto his arm, giving him a supporting
push.
Pei Rong’s attempt to mount the horse failed, and he almost
tumbled off.
He didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.
Surprised, yet unsurprised.
For a short while, he probably wouldn’t be able to forget the
strength of those hands restraining him.
Suppressing the inexplicable shiver, Pei Rong calmly greeted,
“Why is President Lu here?”
Lu Qin replied, “I heard that someone isn’t paying attention
in class, and even the incentive mechanisms aren’t effective. I came to take a
look.”
Incentive mechanisms? Was that why they were giving out
watches and cars after each class? This wasn’t kindergarten...
Pei Rong didn’t feel embarrassed about sleeping in class, but
being pointed out by Lu Qin made him instantly self-conscious. After all, the
tutors were all paid for by President Lu.
If Lu Qin didn’t scrutinize him so much, he would feel guilty
for a bit longer.
Lu Qin stared at Pei Rong’s clothes, as if he wanted to put
all sorts of uniforms on him to see if any were unsuitable.
“If you’re not satisfied with the teacher I hired, I had to
come myself.”
If Pei Rong knew that slacking off in class would summon Lu
Qin, he would have worked harder than during his senior year.
“You’re going to teach me how to ride a horse?”
Lu Qin: “What’s wrong with it?”
Pei Rong pretentiously said: “I’m afraid of heights, I dare
not ride.”
Lu Qin pondered for a moment. “Both of us on one horse? I’ll
protect you from behind?”
Pei Rong: “I’ll overcome my fear of heights.”
Pei Rong added: “President Lu’s attire doesn’t seem quite
suitable.”
Lu Qin wasn’t wearing a suit today, just a simple white top
and jeans with the pants tucked into his riding boots. He took the reins from
Pei Rong’s hand and led the horse to the center of the grass field.
“It’s not a problem.”
Riding a horse was a relaxing activity for him, and he had
rarely worn formal riding attire.
Pei Rong looked at his hands wearing leather gloves, then at
Lu Qin.
Suddenly, his whole body started to ache.
He finally understood why the calluses on Lu Qin’s palms had
a scraping effect. Who rode a horse without gloves?
With both the intention to help and for his own sake, Pei
Rong couldn’t help but offer a suggestion: “You should wear gloves.”
Lu Qin reacted, seeming to recall something, and a faint
smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. “Alright.”
Pei Rong uncomfortably pursed his lips, his face turning red.
Hmm, why did he have to meddle in unnecessary matters?
Fortunately, Lu Qin didn’t insist on the absurd idea of both
of them riding one horse. He helped Pei Rong onto the horse, then led it from
the front, displaying even more patience than the staff. They strolled around
like they were on a leisurely outing, with Lu Qin occasionally pointing out
equestrian details.
Pei Rong didn’t dare to lose focus. He thought that Lu Qin’s
lessons would definitely come with a tuition fee. If he didn’t learn something,
he would be nothing more than a pure loss.
After the ride, Pei Rong was tired physically, but his cheeks
were still flushed, and he had broken a sweat.
Lu Qin’s gaze immediately grew deeper.
Pei Rong swiftly changed his clothes. Without waiting for Lu
Qin to speak, he said, “I’m hungry.”
Lu Qin’s voice turned slightly hoarse, and he tried to
restrain himself. “Let’s have a meal together.”
Using the new table manners he had learned, Pei Rong nibbled
on the vegetable salad without much taste.
Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Lu Qin dine
elegantly and extravagantly, feeling puzzled by the other’s behavior.
If Lu Qin wanted to do something to him, could he do it more
quickly?
As a salted fish, every day he had to worry whether the sun
would rise tomorrow, whether he would be caught and dried, whether the method
of flipping and drying the salted fish was the same as last time... It’s really
tiring.
The salted fish hanging in the iron window of the rich
family’s house had a bear lurking under the windowsill, ready to pounce at any
moment. Even a salted fish would be afraid.
He couldn’t let the unknown barbarism grow unchecked. He
needed to guide it into the civilized mainland in a controllable manner. He
needed to disperse it before the airflow condenses into a blizzard.
Pei Rong didn’t mind helping President Lu get out of the
honeymoon period sooner, and he also wanted to retire from the entertainment
industry soon.
Before Lu Qin had made up his mind and when his desires were
not yet obvious, there’s room for negotiation. He should clarify this matter
first, gain an opportunity for negotiation. For instance, they could agree on a
maximum of one encounter per week, with certain rules and techniques in place,
or they could use this as a chance to cancel practical lessons. A hard day’s
‘work’ would be like a week for the salted fish.
Negotiating seemed like entering President Lu’s professional
territory, but in reality, Pei Rong didn’t suffer any loss. After all, Lu Qin
was used to being noble, rational, and abstinent in business negotiations, and
he adhered to the spirit of contracts.
Pei Rong encouraged himself - stay calm, stay calm, just make
a probing attempt first.
However, when he thought about the possible outcomes after
the probing, he couldn’t sit still. The ease with which he handled the role of
a beauty was gone, as this was, after all, a new field that required careful
steering.
He used one hand to hold vegetables and the other to play
with his phone. After a while, he raised his head and suddenly gave two stock
codes, both ending in 419.
“President Lu, I have some extra money recently that I want
to invest.” Pei Rong leaned on his hand and looked at Lu Qin with a smile. “Can
these two be held for the medium to long term? About half a year to a year.”
Lu Qin listened attentively, and with his powerful memory, he
quickly associated the stock codes with the specific listed companies, offering
professional advice: “The risk of being shorted is increasing in the future, so
it’s not suitable for retail investors. If you have a margin securities
account—”
“I don’t have one.” The salted fish only had substantial time
deposits.
Pei Rong, a retail investor, fell silent.
Hmm... Perhaps there’s a possibility.
In fact, both of them were straight men.
T/N:
419 in Chinese slang means ‘one-night stand’. Since Pei Rong showed the two stock
codes ending in 419 to Lu Qin and the other did not get it, he thought that maybe
Lu Qin was not interested because both of them were straight men.
