An Ruo looked up at him. "What do I get out of cooperating with you?"
"You should know that those who oppose me never end well."
"So... if I refuse to cooperate, not only I, but An Che will lose his life as well?"
Shen Tingfeng smiled, his gaze greedily fixed on her. "Don't put it so harshly. I have quite a fondness for you. Even if you don't cooperate, following me won't do you any harm."
An Ruo felt like throwing up inside.
But she kept a smile on her face. "As long as you don't hurt An Che or disturb his life, I can cooperate with you."
Before Shen Tingfeng could speak, she added coldly, "Also, after this is done, you'll pay me a million as compensation."
Shen Tingfeng paused, then burst into loud laughter.
A woman greedy for money was the easiest to control. Besides, as long as she agreed, there would be plenty of time to make her his.
He reached out to touch her cheek. "If you're willing to be my woman, forget a million—the entire Shen family would be yours."
"I only want a million."
She had only gotten five hundred thousand for agreeing to marry in someone else's place, and that was life-saving money for An Che. She had no choice then. The old man gave a three-year deadline, and when it was up, she'd leave with nothing. But now, with Shen Tingfeng holding leverage over her, she still had no choice. Whatever he planned next, the Shen family was a den of trouble. She needed enough money to take An Che and leave this place!
---
"An Ruo?"
The girl snapped out of it. The man's brows were slightly furrowed, his dark eyes devoid of any light, yet they couldn't hide his striking handsomeness.
She had been distracted since returning, staring blankly at one spot for half an hour.
Shen Xiaoxing was sharp-minded. He figured she must have run into someone in the restroom, or she was hiding something from him.
"What took you so long in the restroom?"
An Ruo lightly pinched her water glass. "I... had a bit of diarrhea."
Even though they shared a bed every night, there was still a vast distance between them. She wouldn't tell the truth, and he couldn't press further.
"Don't you like this kind of event?"
"It's okay..."
"Bear with it a little longer. The art exhibition will be over soon."
An Ruo nodded numbly. "Mm."
Another long silence.
Shen Xiaoxing glanced at the girl beside him, her thick lashes half-lowered. He couldn't help asking, "Did you run into anyone suspicious in the restroom?"
Shen Tingfeng's sinister face flashed through her mind.
An Ruo clenched her fingers and shook her head. "No."
"Han Chong said a suspicious person sneaked onto the cruise. Did they hurt you?"
An Ruo bit her lip. Looking at his gentle expression, she felt a pang of guilt.
She suddenly missed the irritable, aloof Shen Xiaoxing. At least then she'd feel better inside. No matter how things turned out, she'd take the money and leave, never setting foot in Shen City again.
Having wandered alone since childhood, she had no one to rely on. Her longing for affection made her reluctant to let down anyone who was kind to her.
She lowered her head, her voice muffled. "I didn't run into anyone suspicious."
The human heart is the hardest thing to test.
Shen Xiaoxing knew she was hiding something from him, but he chose to look the other way, letting the trust that had slowly melted between them harden again.
How could he not know who she met in the restroom?
But more than that, he wanted to see what choice the girl would make.
---
Lan Zhen's businesses spanned many industries. Recently, the jewelry department was preparing to shoot a promotional ad to launch a new product called Bluewhale.
As the big boss, Gu Chao had no time for such matters, so he casually handed it off to An Ruo, putting her in charge of selecting the spokesperson.
Someone who never followed the entertainment industry, she was at a loss when she got the task.
The jewelry department welcomed her with open arms. Manager Yao introduced her to the most popular jewelry pieces of the year. An Ruo felt like a novice, though she had done some homework beforehand.
Bluewhale symbolized freedom and mystery, evoking a sense of longing and aspiration.
Manager Yao brought over several files. "These are the temporary candidates for spokesperson, but they're not very well-known."
"I remember Lan Zhen used to use Fu Zijie. Why the change this year?"
She had checked Lan Zhen's jewelry endorsements for the past two years—they had always signed Fu Zijie, a young and handsome rising star.
Manager Yao paused, looking at her in shock. "Haven't you seen the news?"
An Ruo shook her head. "Sorry, I never follow gossip."
Manager Yao let out an "ah" and explained why they weren't signing Fu Zijie this year.
"His professional ethics are terrible. He got into trouble a while back and is still in jail. With that kind of shady record, can Lan Zhen still sign him?"
An Ruo continued flipping through the other candidates. "Besides him, do you have anyone else in mind?"
"No." Manager Yao waved her hand. "None of these are good enough. I think the CEO has high hopes for Bluewhale. Why don't we propose an online open call and hold a talent show?"
An Ruo thought for a moment and found the idea decent. She nodded. "But I need to get the CEO's approval first."
"Didn't the CEO leave the spokesperson selection to you?"
"With the two of us having nothing to start with, how do you think we'd hold a talent show?" An Ruo sighed. "I'm getting the CEO's approval to secure funding. With money, we can afford those big-name stars."