The news of Luo Zheng's visit to the set only reached Liu Xiaoli that very morning, and the moment she heard it, she wasted no time dragging her still half-asleep daughter out of bed. Liu Xixi, who had been stubbornly clinging to her blanket just seconds ago, instantly sprang to life the moment she heard Luo Zheng was coming. Sleepiness vanished as if it had never existed.
"Mom, should I wear the red dress or the pink one?" she asked, already rummaging through her clothes with excitement.
"If you listen to me, you'll wear these jeans properly," Liu Xiaoli replied without hesitation.
Naturally, in the middle of her rebellious phase, Liu Xixi chose to ignore that advice completely. She began mixing and matching outfits according to her own taste, leaving Liu Xiaoli watching from the side with a look of helpless disdain. She couldn't help but wonder where exactly her daughter had inherited such questionable fashion sense from.
Outside the set of The Story of a Noble Family, Liu Xixi—dressed casually in white sneakers—didn't hesitate for even a second. The moment she saw Luo Zheng, she rushed forward and threw herself straight into his arms.
"Gained a bit of weight, haven't you?" Luo Zheng teased.
"No way! I've even stopped eating snacks!" she shot back immediately, refusing to admit defeat.
Luo Zheng pointed toward a small truck parked nearby, its exterior plastered with images of all kinds of snacks. "Then it looks like all the things I brought will go to waste."
Even though she knew those snacks weren't meant solely for her, Liu Xixi still swallowed instinctively. Her eyes shifted toward Liu Xiaoli, silently pleading for approval. But before anything could be said, the crowd around them began to grow thicker, and Luo Zheng noticed reporters approaching. Taking advantage of the moment, he gently set her down.
Chen Kun, who had been waiting nearby for a while, immediately stepped forward, clearly seizing the opportunity.
"President Luo, I'm Chen Kun—the male lead of this drama," he introduced himself quickly, making sure his identity was clear.
"Hello," Luo Zheng replied with a polite smile. "Your performance in Like Fog, Like Rain, and Like Wind was quite impressive."
Chen Kun's eyes lit up instantly. "You've seen my work?"
"I know a bit about it," Luo Zheng answered casually.
That simple acknowledgment was enough to make Chen Kun visibly pleased. He held onto Luo Zheng's hand a little longer than necessary, clearly trying to deepen the conversation. Watching this unfold, Dong Jie—who had been standing nearby—grew increasingly anxious. She stepped forward without hesitation.
"President Luo, long time no see."
"The Handmaiden, long time no see," Luo Zheng replied with a faint smile.
During the handshake, something small and deliberate slipped into his palm. He didn't even need to look to know what it was. His expression didn't change, but the interruption had already shifted the flow of the conversation.
Chen Kun, who had been cut off mid-moment, felt a flicker of irritation. But when he noticed the subtle expression on Dong Jie's face, realization dawned. His eyes widened slightly. So that's how it is… No wonder she had dared to talk back to the assistant director yesterday. With backing like that, of course she had nothing to fear.
Fortunately, he hadn't had any conflicts with her before. Otherwise, who knew what kind of "pillow talk" might be used against him?
Escorted by Director Li Dawei and the rest of the crew, Luo Zheng entered the set. The reporters who had rushed over were kept outside, but not before capturing plenty of photos and footage. This was no accident—the production team had intentionally allowed just enough exposure to ride the wave of Luo Zheng's current popularity.
And as expected, by the next day, headlines about his visit to the set of The Story of a Noble Family had spread across major entertainment outlets, giving the production a significant boost in visibility even before filming had wrapped.
Elsewhere, in a quieter corner of the industry, a different kind of conversation was taking place.
"Old You, congratulations. Your drama is already gaining attention before it's even aired."
"The show isn't even finished yet. Early popularity doesn't mean much," You Jianming replied calmly. "Besides, Strong Vision can't compare to Hairen. We're just running a small operation here."
He knew better than to take such compliments at face value. Liu Yanming wouldn't come all this way without a purpose.
Sure enough, the conversation quickly turned.
"That Luo Zheng who visited your set—he had some unpleasant dealings with me," Liu Yanming said bluntly.
You Jianming paused but didn't respond immediately.
"I'll be straightforward. Zhang Weiping from New Pictures isn't fond of him either."
"Is the young man really that arrogant?" You Jianming asked, finally engaging.
Liu Yanming seized the moment and began recounting the incident at China Film Group, embellishing details just enough to paint Luo Zheng in a negative light. Of course, someone as experienced as You Jianming could easily see through the exaggeration, but he didn't interrupt.
Only when Liu Yanming revealed his true intention did the situation become clear.
"You want me to help you get your face back?" You Jianming asked directly.
"Exactly. We're friends, Old You. There will be plenty of opportunities to work together in the future. Help me with this, and there might even be a chance for your company to get access to Zhang's film resources."
The offer was tempting—there was no denying that. But You Jianming wasn't someone who made decisions lightly.
"Fine," he said after a moment of thought. "I happen to be in Beijing. I'll meet this President Luo myself this afternoon."
Liu Yanming laughed with satisfaction. "I'll be waiting for good news."
Back on set, Luo Zheng was dealing with a completely different kind of pressure—Liu Xixi's relentless questioning.
"You promised to go shopping with me last night. Why did you break your word?" she demanded, already cutting off his usual excuses. "Don't say Mom didn't allow it. She went to bed early."
It was clear she had grown sharper during her time filming.
"I really had urgent business," Luo Zheng replied, trying to sound convincing despite having barely slept.
Instead of arguing further, Liu Xixi suddenly stepped closer and leaned in, sniffing around him curiously. Luo Zheng instinctively leaned back, caught off guard. Then he paused—why was he reacting like that? This wasn't his past life. There was nothing to be nervous about.
"What are you trying to smell?" he asked, regaining his composure.
But Liu Xixi ignored him, muttering to herself, "That's strange… it's not like what they say on TV. Why can't I smell anything?"
Luo Zheng couldn't help but laugh inwardly. Getting worked up over a sixteen-year-old girl was ridiculous.
Standing nearby, Liu Yan quietly curled her lips. If he thought anyone could detect anything, he clearly underestimated his own caution. Multiple sets of identical clothes, two showers after every "busy" night—if anyone smelled anything beyond shower gel, that would be a miracle.
She couldn't help but think that her boss was almost overly meticulous… especially for someone who didn't even have a wife yet. It made her wonder if he was preparing in advance.
Of course, Luo Zheng had no idea what was going through her mind. After spending the entire previous night dealing with Dong Jie, going shopping had never been an option. That left Liu Yan handling everything—waiting downstairs, arranging necessities, acting less like a secretary and more like a traditional maid.
Unsurprisingly, she hadn't fully adjusted to the role yet.
Just as the "trial" between Luo Zheng and Liu Xixi continued, there was a knock on the door. Liu Yan opened it to find Director Li Dawei standing outside.
"Is President Luo available? President You from Qiangshi Film and Television has arrived."
As they walked toward the meeting location, Director Li Dawei briefly introduced the guest, mentioning past productions and the company's background. Luo Zheng listened, nodding occasionally, though his thoughts were elsewhere. He was already very familiar with Qiangshi Film and Television—and with You Jianming himself.
Soon, they arrived at the director's office. The door opened, and You Jianming greeted them warmly, his enthusiasm almost excessive. He held Luo Zheng's hand for far longer than necessary, his eyes gleaming with interest.
"President Luo, meeting you in person truly surpasses all expectations."
Luo Zheng calmly withdrew his hand, subtly wiping it behind his back.
Inwardly, a strange thought surfaced—
This guy… couldn't be one of those "old rabbits," could he?
No wonder his reputation in the industry wasn't exactly clean.