Volume 1, Chapter 9: Frenzied Jealousy

The woman flashed a confident smile, her face radiant and her steps graceful as she strode to the front of the stage. Meng Linchuan finally caught sight of the familiar figure, his heart fluttering slightly as he watched Si Tang approach with a smile.

"A scout is rare, and a true talent is even harder to find. I am very fortunate to have met Linchuan; without him, Yaoxing would not be where it is today," she said. Her voice was as clear as a babbling brook, and she exuded a dazzling charm that commanded the room.

Sitting in the audience, Gu Yubai experienced a complex surge of emotions for the first time. He narrowed his eyes slightly. It turned out that during the four years they had been apart, Si Tang had long since learned to spread her wings, transforming from a fledgling into a soaring eagle capable of standing on her own.

As applause thundered, Si Tang stepped off the stage, her heart full. From her initial trepidation to this sense of fulfillment—was this not, in its own way, a validation of her capabilities? To ease her nerves, she took another glass of champagne from a waiter’s tray and downed it. She curled up on the sofa for a while, imagining how she would face Meng Linchuan, before rising and heading toward the back of the lobby.

Gu Yubai’s gaze had been tracking Si Tang’s every move. Unable to help himself, he stood up, crossed the vast banquet hall, and followed her.

In the hallway, Meng Linchuan was leaning against a secluded corner, smoking. He came face-to-face with Si Tang and immediately crushed his cigarette; he knew she disliked the smell of smoke.

"Tangtang? Long time no see." Meng Linchuan looked at her with focused eyes. "Tan Yin told me you were coming, but I didn't believe it at first." He added with a feigned casualness, "I thought you didn't want to recognize me as a friend anymore."

Si Tang lifted her chin, crossing her arms. "Linchuan—no, I should say, the great Movie Emperor Meng. You are the pillar of our Yaoxing, and my personal cash cow." She tilted her head, joking to lighten the mood, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Ruthless capitalist," Meng Linchuan teased, appearing to breathe a sigh of relief, though his eyes remained fixed on her.

The media had once reported that Meng Linchuan had zero scandals over the years. What kind of woman did he really like? If Meng Linchuan were to answer that question himself, he would surely say it was the face he had brushed past in a corner of a flower shop on a Parisian street when he was twenty-eight.

Si Tang had finished three or four glasses of champagne, her cheeks flushed. She let out a yawn. "Where is Tan Yin's room?" she asked.

"Are you tired?" Meng Linchuan asked. "Let me get you a new room."

"No need," Si Tang replied, shaking her head and attempting to walk past him.

They were already at the end of the corridor. Meng Linchuan shifted slightly, catching her wrist. "There are no rooms left there."

"Ugh..." Si Tang stumbled, her legs feeling weak, and she nearly fell into Meng Linchuan's arms. She braced herself against the wall to steady her balance. The intense heat of the man’s grip on her wrist made her skin crawl with a familiar resistance. Si Tang closed her eyes and sighed softly.

The air froze for a few seconds, silent enough to hear a pin drop, until a cold, magnetic voice from nearby broke the stalemate. "What are you doing!"

Gu Yubai took two long strides forward and swiped Meng Linchuan’s hand away from Si Tang.

Si Tang turned around, clearly not expecting Gu Yubai to have followed her. She glanced between the two tall men, her gaze finally settling on Gu Yubai.

"Mr. Gu?" Meng Linchuan’s expression had returned to normal, his clear voice betraying nothing. "What can I do for you?"

The two had crossed paths a few times, but Meng Linchuan’s circle was primarily in film, and they had no business dealings. This was likely their first real exchange. As their eyes met, one could almost see the sparks of competitive desire flying between them.

Gu Yubai looked away, ignoring Meng Linchuan’s scrutiny, and turned his focus to Si Tang. "What is your relationship with him?" His tone was harsh, sounding like an interrogation; the scene felt like a husband catching his wife in an affair.

Si Tang didn't hesitate. "Have you had enough of acting like the world's policeman?" She thought, *Why is he so meddlesome?* She couldn't fathom his intentions—being tender to Su Yuejin on one hand, and then constantly popping up in her life on the other. A man's true nature, when stripped bare, was simply pathetic.

"Si Tang, I didn't realize you were so impatient—back in the country for only a moment and you've already found someone new?" A nameless rage flared in Gu Yubai’s heart, and he spoke with cold sarcasm.

"Even if I were looking for a replacement, it’s none of your business," Si Tang retorted, raising an eyebrow with an unfriendly glare. She wouldn't mind bringing up that shameless marriage of theirs; who would be more embarrassed than whom?

"You—" Gu Yubai choked on his breath, unable to finish his sentence.

Si Tang had already hooked her arm through Meng Linchuan’s. "Let’s go, Linchuan."

Meng Linchuan nodded, accepting the role of the shield for the moment. A corner of his mouth hooked upward, and he protectively placed a hand on Si Tang’s shoulder as they walked past Gu Yubai.

Gu Yubai closed his eyes, feeling a frenzied jealousy fermenting in his mind, to the point where for a moment, his own features felt blurred. It wasn't until his phone rang several times in his pocket that he realized where he was.

Looking back, Meng Linchuan and Si Tang’s retreating figures seemed perfectly matched—the scout and the steed, their story carrying the scent of destiny. He clenched his fist tightly and slammed it into the hard wall, striking until his knuckles throbbed, just to distract from the sharp ache in his heart.

When the phone rang for the second time, Gu Yubai stopped, gasping for air, and suppressed the overwhelming gloom within him.

"Hello?"

It was Su Yuejin on the other end. "Yubai, I miss you so much. Can you come see me?"

Gu Yubai’s eyes narrowed, his tone remaining cold. "It’s not over yet."

"Then finish your work... I just missed you." Su Yuejin deliberately softened her voice to sound fragile; any other man would have been completely captivated by that tone.

Gu Yubai, however, reacted with indifference. He gave a grunt of acknowledgment and, after a long pause, added, "Go to the set tomorrow." She had been resting at home for two days, and the crew had been waiting for two days. Time was money; hundreds of thousands in losses had already been incurred.

Su Yuejin was reluctant, but she didn't dare argue. Instead, she brought up another matter: "My assistant went to pick up Zhouzhou today but couldn't find him. Didn't he want to come here to play?"

"You believe a child's words? He has exams; let him focus," Gu Yubai said curtly.

They couldn't seem to find common ground on any topic. Su Yuejin sensed his distraction and said in a hurt voice, "Yubai, I'm sorry, I disturbed..."

Before she could finish, Gu Yubai said "Fine," and hung up.

He wondered when this absurd situation would finally end. It was time, he realized, to get back on track.