"What could it be this time?" She groaned as she opened the link Shen Jiao sent her.
Yan Xiuchen moved to her side, curious as to what had made his woman upset this time. He had made sure that no libelous articles or news about her would be released in public without his knowing. However, none of them had expected that Xiao Rufeng would get involved with Bai Qingyue this time.
'Xiao Rufeng, a queen in the making.'
What was this all about? She wondered. Xiao Rufeng wasn't sure why she was in the limelight of the news again.
"Huh? Bai Qingyue is leaving Golden Star and joining Bluemedia?" Xiao Rufeng furrowed her brows in confusion. "What does it have to do with me?"
"Why do you seem surprised? Isn't it normal for artists to leave their agency when they have already served their purpose?" Yan Xiuchen asked.
"But not for a queen like Miss Bai and Miss Tang." Xiao Rufeng pointed out.
Because queens were practically considered as cash cows for huge entertainment agencies like Golden Star and Bluemedia. There was no way Golden Star would allow Bai Qingyue to leave them easily. As Xiao Rufeng read the article, she was surprised that Bai Qingyue mentioned her name and wanted to take her as her protege.
"Something must have happened." She heard Yan Xiuchen say. "But wouldn't it cause a rife between Su Xiaofei and Mo Yuchen?"
"I'm not sure…" Xiao Rufeng sighed as she placed her phone down. She could already imagine how fans would react to Bai Qingyue's statement. Furthermore, she doubted that Su Xiaofei had no idea of this.
Yan Xiuchen remained silent and started eating his meal. He knew that as Xiao Rufeng's career continued to progress, it would only mean that her private life would garner more attention. He wondered how long they would be able to keep their relationship a secret from the public if this continued.
"What do you think?" He asked Xiao Rufeng, wanting to know what she had in mind.
"I'm not sure what to think of it. I could only assume that this is to divert everyone's attention from me and Ye Mingyu."
"Ye Mingyu has a powerful backing now. You should be more careful."
Xiao Rufeng snapped her head towards him and looked at him with wide eyes.
"How do you know that?" She asked. It seemed to her that Yan Xiuchen knew more than her.
"Su Xiaofei and I discussed your security details and I decided to send someone to keep an eye on Ye Mingyu. It turned out that she became the lover of a businessman. Su Xiaofei must have known it already and is already taking preventive actions to protect your reputation."
"So we're more or less in the same boat, huh? I didn't expect Ye Mingyu would do such a thing."
"Don't compare yourself to that woman. You are nothing like her." He gave her a displeased look. "I promised myself that I will protect you from any harm, regardless of who it is. I wouldn't stand back and let anyone hurt you."
Xiao Rufeng released a breath she didn't know she was holding.
"What they have and what we have are different. I'm not with you because of sexual favors, and I know you aren't with me just to gain something in return."
"That's not true. I get something from you." She paused and leaned forward toward him, her hand reaching out to touch his face, careful not to wipe off the concealer over his scars.
Yan Xiuchen went still but didn't flinch under her touch. If it was in the past, he would deny himself of physical intimacy or closeness with another person.
"I've got a best friend and a lover in you. I wouldn't dare to be with another person that isn't you." She smiled when he released a shuddering sigh.
"I'm not going to leave you, ever. If the time comes and our relationship is brought to light, I would gladly admit that I'm with you. I used to believe that I belonged nowhere before meeting you. Heck, I didn't even think that I would come to love you. But here you are, proving to me that I matter and that when I'm with you, I am home."
Yan Xiuchen gave her a small smile.
"You mean it?"
"With all my heart." Xiao Rufeng promised her.
"Then I want to be with you, if you'll have me." He suddenly said with all seriousness.
She stared at him for a long moment before it dawned to her what he meant by those words. Her cheeks burned red, but she allowed her lips to curl into a smile. It hadn't been too long since her father asked her about her and Yan Xiuchen's future plans, and she was glad that Yan Xiuchen wanted to be with her.
"I'll be honored to be yours." She responded.
Yan Xiuchen took her hand that was on his face and pressed a kiss on her knuckles.
"Do forgive me if I didn't prepare a ring yet. I was under the impression that marriage isn't in your plans."
"You are right." Xiao Rufeng admitted. "I haven't really considered it before. Perhaps it's because I was caught up with work that I didn't think I would be in a serious relationship before meeting you. But you'll have to be patient with me, my love. There are things I need to achieve before we can tie the knot."
"I don't mind waiting a little longer." This time, he reached out a hand and gently brushed the fringe of her wig. "I have waited for someone like you for my whole life. A few more years of waiting is nothing, as long as I know that we're together. It's a small price to pay, considering who I'm waiting for."
Xiao Rufeng laughed and moved closer to him, running her hands up his chest before looping her arms around his neck.
"I love you." She murmured and Yan Xiuchen broke into a genuine smile.
—-
The next day, Xiao Rufeng was summoned by her manager and Zhang Ling came to the Yan Mansion to pick her up. However, Xiao Rufeng didn't expect that her friend was taking her to the Lu family estate instead of bringing her to Bluemedia's headquarters in Shenjing.
"President Su is with Miss Yun and Miss Bai today. They are all expecting your company." Zhang Ling explained.
Xiao Rufeng said nothing and remained silent in the passenger seat. The last time she had seen Su Xiaofei was during Lu Qingfeng's succession party and then there were rumors about her being pregnant when Yun Qingrong stepped forward and assumed the management of Bluemedia once again.
She didn't dare to ask her manager or question Xi Qian. Xi Qian went back to Qiying City to attend med school and Xiao Rufeng hadn't seen or talked to her lately. She didn't need to ask for her to guess that this meeting with Bai Qingyue could affect her career and her future.
When she was led to a sitting room where her manager and their guest was seated, Xiao Rufeng's eyes widened when she saw Su Xiaofei's protruding stomach. So the rumors were true after all. But why did Su Xiaofei and Lu Qingfeng not announce it to the public?
"Sorry, I'm late." She said, giving her seniors a polite bow.
"Take a seat, Rufeng. We haven't started yet." Su Xiaofei gestured to the empty seat on her right, which was next to Yun Qingrong.
Xiao Rufeng took a seat and greeted Bai Qingyue, before giving her manager a questioning look.
"I suppose you already heard the news of Miss Bai signing an exclusive contract with Bluemedia?" Su Xiaofei started and Xiao Rufeng nodded in response.
"Miss Bai wants to take you under her wing and train you herself. This is one of the conditions of her contract."
Xiao Rufeng glanced at Bai Qingyue as she took a sip from her drink, looking at ease in her seat. She couldn't understand why Bai Qingyue would take an interest in someone like her. She and the reigning queen had never crossed paths before and had never made a project together, unlike Ye Mingyu.
"May I know why?" She couldn't help but ask her manager. She knew that Su Xiaofei intended to keep her promise by making her a queen someday, but she didn't consider that it would involve Bai Qingyue in the process.
"It's because we have a mutual enemy, Miss Xiao." Bai Qingyue answered her instead. "Ye Mingyu is threatening me, but I want her out of this industry, even if it means that I have to give her rival an advantage."
"And you cannot do it while you're with Golden Star?" The younger actress retorted.
Bai Qingyue's lips curled up and for a moment, Xiao Rufeng thought that she was looking at her manager.
"Golden Star has already served their purpose. It's time for me to venture into the unknown."
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢