Chapter 24: Be Good, Will You?

Upstairs, Zhang Jingyan remained entirely oblivious to the fact that she was "flaunting her affection." Hearing familiar footsteps approaching, she glanced up casually before returning to her work as if nothing had happened.

Lu Tianyu was in no rush to speak. He sat down opposite her with composed deliberation, staring at her with a steady gaze as she busied herself, remaining silent. After ten minutes of this stalemate, Zhang Jingyan finally couldn't hold back any longer. "Mr. Lu, with projects worth hundreds of millions waiting to be discussed, aren't you worried about people gossiping while you sit here idle?"

Lu Tianyu curled his lips. "Who would dare gossip about me working alongside my wife?"

Zhang Jingyan chose to ignore his "shamelessness." She took a sip of her coffee and buried herself in her work once more. Lu Tianyu leaned back in his chair, sitting in a languid posture with one leg crossed over the other, his foot occasionally brushing against the hem of her skirt—a gesture clearly meant to provoke. Zhang Jingyan didn't say a word; she simply pulled her chair back, creating distance. The message of refusal was blunt.

Lu Tianyu cleared his throat and went straight to the point. "Why did you agree to it?"

Zhang Jingyan feigned ignorance. "Agree to what?"

Lu Tianyu leaned forward, his tone firm. "The documentary about Rachel. Let someone else handle it."

Zhang Jingyan shook her head. "An opportunity to shadow a subject like this is rare. I don't want to give it up." She cast a stubborn look at him, meeting the disapproval in his eyes. "Besides, what right do you have to interfere with my work?" She gave him a disparaging look. "Or is it that you're afraid she'll be wronged?"

Lu Tianyu sighed. "Silly, I'm afraid *you* will be the one wronged."

A flash of emotion crossed Zhang Jingyan’s eyes, but she replied calmly, "What kind of grievance could I possibly suffer? If you ask me, it’s someone else who is feeling guilty, terrified that past, unsightly secrets might be brought to light." With that, she set down her mouse and fixed him with a meaningful look.

She hadn't intended to be so sharp. When she first received the assignment, her instinct was to decline. But then she thought, how could she give up such a golden opportunity just because of Rachel? What would people say about her? That she was a deserter? It was just an old flame, after all—nothing to be afraid of. The frustration and resentment she had kept buried deep inside spilled out the moment she saw Lu Tianyu.

Lu Tianyu switched seats, moving closer to her. Recalling the unresolved tension following their intimate moment that morning, Zhang Jingyan shifted away guardedly. "What are you doing?"

He leaned in closer. "I think it’s necessary to clarify the nature of my relationship with Rachel."

His gaze was intense and deep. Zhang Jingyan found herself drawn in, echoing, "What relationship?"

Seizing the moment, Lu Tianyu wrapped an arm around her waist, sidestepping the truth. "She helped me in the past, so I felt grateful to her, which is why I let many things slide. Now that she is married to my older brother, the situation is delicate. It would be better if you kept your distance from her."

As his long fingers traced patterns against her, Zhang Jingyan found her focus slipping; she barely heard what he was saying. A sensation known as "surrender" washed over her. Lu Tianyu seemed to possess a certain magic; whenever she was in close contact with him, her thoughts were entirely under his control, and her mind felt as if it had short-circuited into a blank void. It had been like that this morning, and it was like that now.

Zhang Jingyan’s wide eyes were lost in the bottomless depths of his dark pupils. She said nothing more. Seeing that his pacification had worked, Lu Tianyu pulled her closer and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Be a good girl, okay?"

The atmosphere was intoxicating, and Zhang Jingyan was on the verge of nodding. Just then, Lu Tianyu's phone vibrated. It was his assistant, Jiang Cheng'an. Reluctantly, he pulled away and frowned as he answered. "What is it?"

Zhang Jingyan moved aside and picked up her coffee cup, using it to mask her lingering daze. She couldn't hear what was being said, but Lu Tianyu’s patience quickly evaporated. "For matters like that, tell her to go directly to Qi Yihuai."

At the mention of Qi Yihuai, Zhang Jingyan guessed it was related to the entertainment industry. There were only two people in their circle involved in that world. She sipped her coffee, observing his expression with interest.

She saw him rub his temples, looking troubled. "If the acting isn't up to par, how can we force them onto the production team? Ask the crew if they can at least grant an audition." He hung up the phone hastily. He didn't notice that the moment he finished speaking, a look of guilt and self-reproach flickered across his face.

He avoided Zhang Jingyan’s eyes. In that instant, she understood: this call had been about Rachel again.

Zhang Jingyan set down her cup and said coldly, "To think a famous opera singer needs your help just to get an audition—how mediocre." Considering another possibility, she closed her laptop and began packing her things. "Or perhaps she just wants to cling to you to stay relevant."

After finishing the last of her coffee, she picked up her laptop bag and stood up. "I heard the conversation between you and your father at the Lu residence that day. I know you only married me to distance yourself from Rachel. I’m nothing more than a shield."

"Jingyan, you've misunderstood. I actually..." Lu Tianyu tried to explain.

A sob rose in her throat. Zhang Jingyan closed her eyes, enduring it. "I hate being used. I hope you think this through—if you don't love me, then let me go, and set yourself free as well."

Refusing to look at the defeated expression on his face, she lowered her head and walked out quickly. Downstairs, she exchanged a hurried goodbye with Jiang Mengnan and pushed out the door.

Jiang Mengnan was confused. She took off her headphones and subconsciously looked upstairs. Zhang Jingyan’s eyes had been red. Had they been fighting? Adopting a "combat stance" without much thought, Jiang Mengnan finished giving instructions to the staff below and went straight upstairs.

She had intended to grab Lu Tianyu by the collar and demand an explanation, but when she reached the second floor, she saw him sitting in Zhang Jingyan’s chair, slumped in despair. Jiang Mengnan froze, hesitating whether to go through with her plan.

Lu Tianyu stood up abruptly, gave Jiang Mengnan a slight nod, and walked away, clearly preoccupied.

Jiang Mengnan summoned her courage and called out to him, "Do you love Jingyan?"

Lu Tianyu kept his back to her and said nothing. Guessing the issue that weighed on Zhang Jingyan’s mind, Jiang Mengnan offered a well-intentioned warning. "If you can't figure it out, just think about whether you can truly accept a world where Zhang Jingyan no longer exists."

"If you can, then be graceful and let her go. If you can't, then shed your pride and pursue her more fiercely."

"Over time, her expectations and tolerance for you will slowly drain away. By the time you regret it, it will be too late."

Lu Tianyu listened quietly, offering no response. He waved a hand at her without turning around and headed downstairs.