Liu Yan's worries, in the end, never came true.
After the chaotic "battle" of the previous night—one that could only be described as overwhelming even by Luo Zheng's standards—he had reached a strange, almost transcendent state. It wasn't that he had lost interest in worldly pleasures, but rather that his body and mind had temporarily entered a rare equilibrium, a kind of calm detachment that left him with little energy to spare for anything else… including Liu Yan.
Kate had arrived suddenly and left just as abruptly. The visit itself had been short in appearance, but the time in between had stretched far longer than Liu Yan would have liked. For the first time, Luo Zheng truly felt the limitations of his current apartment. Two bedrooms—only two—and one of them occupied by his secretary.
He couldn't very well throw Liu Yan out in the middle of the night. If he did, judging by her personality, she might actually explode on the spot—either from anger or sheer embarrassment. So, with no better option, the living room had become the center of activity.
Even with earplugs firmly in place, Liu Yan didn't fall asleep until well past dawn.
By the time silence finally returned, she lay there staring at the ceiling, her thoughts tangled in a mix of irritation, disbelief, and reluctant curiosity. She told herself that if she experienced something like this a few more times, she'd probably become completely immune.
Still, there was one very practical issue she couldn't ignore—her supply of clean underwear was running dangerously low.
—
Now, aboard a passenger plane heading back to Beijing, Liu Yan reclined in her seat, a facial mask covering her face as she tried to recover from the lack of sleep.
Beside her, Luo Zheng appeared… perfectly fine.
In fact, more than fine—his complexion was rosy, his posture relaxed, and despite a faint hint of fatigue in his eyes, he seemed almost energized.
This contradiction left Liu Yan deeply puzzled.
According to everything she had ever read—or at least, everything casually mentioned in books and gossip columns—men were supposed to become more exhausted the more they indulged in such activities. So why did Luo Zheng look like he had just come back from a rejuvenating vacation?
Could it be… a final burst of vitality before collapse?
The thought startled her.
Her eyes snapped open behind the mask, and she turned her head slightly to look at him. She hesitated, clearly wanting to say something, but unsure how to begin. Her concern felt awkward, almost misplaced.
Of course, she immediately told herself that she wasn't worried because she cared about him.
No—absolutely not.
She was simply concerned that if something happened to him, she would lose a job that paid this well.
That was all.
"Say what you want to say," Luo Zheng suddenly spoke, still flipping through an issue of Esquire without even glancing at her. "Don't think I can't tell you're making faces just because you're wearing a mask."
Liu Yan froze for a second before quickly pulling off the mask.
"When was I making a face?" she shot back defensively. Then, lowering her voice, she leaned slightly closer. "Boss… do you feel any discomfort? Like… physically?"
"No," Luo Zheng replied calmly. "I feel perfectly fine."
"Impossible," she muttered, hesitating again before leaning in even closer. Her voice dropped to almost a whisper. "After last night… I think it would be safer if you went for a medical check-up."
This time, Luo Zheng finally turned his head.
"I said I'm fine."
His tone was firm, but then, without warning, his expression shifted into a faint smile. "If you don't believe me… you can verify it yourself."
The distance between them suddenly felt very small.
Liu Yan could feel his breath, steady and warm. For a fleeting moment—just a single, dangerous moment—an absurd thought crossed her mind.
What if she actually did test it?
But just as quickly, she snapped back to reality.
"In your dreams!" she said sharply, raising her voice to cover the brief flicker of embarrassment.
Luo Zheng only smiled, his expression meaningful.
Sooner or later, he thought, this stubborn little secretary would fall.
—
The plane landed smoothly.
This time, Luo Zheng had deliberately kept his return low-key. There were no reporters, no crowds—only a single figure waiting at the airport.
Zhang Hui, the General Manager of Blue Whale Entertainment.
For him, this was more than just a routine pick-up. It was an opportunity—one he had waited a long time for.
Before joining the company, he never would have imagined that one day, even an organization like China Film Group would be competing with him for the chance to welcome their boss at the airport.
"Boss, welcome home!"
The moment Luo Zheng heard those words, something in his expression softened.
It had been a long time since he had heard them spoken so sincerely.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward and pulled Zhang Hui into a firm embrace.
"Thanks for your hard work, Manager Zhang."
"It's my duty," Zhang Hui replied, his voice trembling slightly. For a moment, he looked like he might actually tear up.
On the drive back, Zhang Hui began reporting on the company's recent progress.
Overall, everything was moving smoothly. With strong financial backing and the support of China Film Group, Blue Whale Entertainment had grown rapidly, almost without resistance.
But there were… complications.
"Chen Guofu wants to adapt one of Hai Yan's novels," Zhang Hui explained carefully. "But the proposal was rejected before we could even make an offer."
"Rejected before an offer?" Luo Zheng raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."
He leaned back, his expression turning thoughtful.
"Hai Yan… Hai Yan…"
Then, suddenly, his eyes lit up.
He understood.
The issue wasn't the project—it was politics.
In the mainland entertainment industry, Luo Zheng didn't have many enemies. But there were two individuals who had openly shown hostility toward him.
One was Zhang Weiping.
The other… Liu Yanming.
If anyone could influence Hai Yan's decision so decisively, it would be Liu Yanming.
What surprised Luo Zheng wasn't the opposition itself, but the pettiness behind it.
Why block a mutually beneficial deal?
Why insist on factional rivalry instead of cooperation?
It didn't take much thinking to connect the dots. Zhang Weiping and Liu Yanming were clearly working together.
What he didn't know was that there had been a third player—You Jianming—who had once been aligned with them. But that man had since lost interest in business conflicts… for a rather different reason.
After being thoroughly captivated by Luo Zheng's appearance, he had shifted his focus entirely.
Frequent messages.
Persistent invitations.
Endless attempts to get close.
In the end, Luo Zheng had simply blocked him.
When Liu Yan found out, she couldn't help but tease him for days.
Her boss truly lived up to his reputation—charming to both women and men alike.
—
Back in the car, Zhang Hui cautiously asked, "Boss… do you know what's really going on?"
"Mhm." Luo Zheng nodded and briefly recounted his earlier conflict with Liu Yanming.
"That old fox must be jealous of your talent—and your looks!" Zhang Hui declared confidently.
Luo Zheng didn't disagree.
Only Liu Yan, sitting beside them, rolled her eyes.
She had long since developed immunity to his self-confidence.
—
By the time they arrived at the company, Luo Zheng took a full tour of the newly expanded office.
What had once been half a floor was now an entire workspace.
In just three months.
It was a clear sign of how quickly Blue Whale Entertainment was growing.
His office, naturally, had also been upgraded.
Larger.
Better located.
And equipped with a private lounge.
As his gaze lingered on the space, a faint, suggestive smile appeared on his face.
Liu Yan immediately noticed.
Without a word, she subtly adjusted her pencil skirt, her expression guarded.
Absolutely not.
—
Meanwhile, far from Beijing, the ripple effects of Luo Zheng's actions were already spreading.
On the set of Infernal Affairs, conversations buzzed with excitement.
"Is it true?" someone asked. "That he's working with Disney on a major film?"
Nicholas Tse could only sigh.
"I don't know. I read it in the news like everyone else."
Disbelief lingered in the air.
Because if it was true…
It meant Luo Zheng had already stepped into a completely different league.
—
Elsewhere, in a villa in Hong Kong, Ah Sa lay on her bed, kicking her legs happily as she spoke on the phone.
"So it's really happening?"
"Of course," Luo Zheng replied.
Her excitement was obvious—but so was something else.
Expectation.
After hanging up, she glanced at her close friend nearby.
Ah Jiao pretended to read, but the tension in her posture gave her away.
Neither of them spoke.
But both of them knew.
Sooner or later…
They would go to him.