Chapter 7

Chapter 7

This shoot included twelve outfits and took nearly three hours. All the pieces were new products. Finally, all the shots were completed. Tonio quickly selected the photos and sent the email, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Seeing Jiang Chen still waiting for him, worried about reshoots, he said, “No need for reshoots, your photos have a high yield, which is a great help to me. If Director Ling hadn’t prepared in advance, we would have been ambushed by that person again, damn it.”

Tonio usually prides himself on being high-quality and rarely swears.

With the matter resolved, Tonio’s mood also relaxed, and his tone returned to its previous state: “Let’s go, let’s go eat with Director Ling.”

Jiang Chen was about to refuse when the door of the studio was pushed open. The person who came was Ling Sheng, who was wearing simple casual clothes today, without the usual business style, looking much more approachable.

Even though he had prepared himself mentally, the joy and satisfaction that surged in his heart at the sight of Ling Sheng couldn’t deceive anyone.

Jiang Chen had thought about leaving, but he couldn’t say the words.

“Speak of the devil, here’s Director Ling, let’s go have a meal together.”

Tonio, being a social butterfly, knew all the nearby eateries. He picked a place nearby and dragged Jiang Chen along. It was a Jiang City cuisine restaurant. Jiang Chen tasted it and thought it was good, but not as good as Yan Huan’s restaurant, so he said, “My friend opened a restaurant in Hankou, and the Jiang City cuisine is exceptionally good. You can try it.”

Tonio was very interested and said he would go tomorrow, noting the address. Then he asked Ling Sheng: “Director Ling, do you have anything to do tonight? How about we go for a drink?”

Ling Sheng didn’t eat much. He had already put down his chopsticks and said upon hearing this, “I’m going to Coco’s place tonight, so I won’t go.”

Going to Coco’s place tonight?

A lone man and woman, alone in a room?

Tonio drew out a long “oh” and said with a suggestive smile, “So, you have a date with a beauty.”

Jiang Chen looked at Ling Sheng’s unabashed appearance, with a belly full of questions he wanted to ask but didn’t dare.

After the meal, Ling Sheng paid the bill and went to the restroom. Tonio was swiping his phone, chatting away. Jiang Chen couldn’t hold back any longer and brought up a topic: “Director Ling seems to have a really good temper. He’s so calm even with such a big thing happening.”

Tonio’s eyes changed instantly: “That’s because you haven’t been in a meeting with Director Ling, child. You’re too naive.”

Jiang Chen couldn’t help but be intrigued by Ling Sheng’s affairs: “He’s very… fierce in meetings?”

Tonio clicked his tongue twice: “That’s not called fierce, darling, that’s called a sense of oppression. While you haven’t been poisoned by society yet, play more in school.”

He slowly pulled the topic back, pretending to be nonchalant as he asked Tonio, “Director Ling and Coco seem to have a good relationship.”

Tonio’s attention was still on his phone, and he said absentmindedly, “Yeah, ten years of being classmates, how could they not be?”

Jiang Chen didn’t know they had such a deep relationship, but even with such a relationship, going to a female subordinate’s, or even a female classmate’s, house late at night wasn’t very appropriate.

He thought about it and remembered hearing Xu Peiya mention that Coco was from H University, and said, “Oh, is Director Ling also from H University?”

Hearing this, Tonio remembered something: “Yes, speaking of it, Director Ling also came to Eternity as an intern at your age, but he only stayed in the Jiang City branch for half a year before being transferred. He only came back after seven years. Coco was extremely happy to know he was coming back. The night before Director Ling came back, she dragged me to go crazy all night.”

This sounded like a rekindled old flame no matter how you listened.

Does Peiya know?

But compared to Xu Peiya, it seemed like he was the one who was more pitiful.

He couldn’t help but speculate about the relationship between Ling Sheng and Coco, after all, everyone in the company could see how close the two were.

“What are you chatting about?”

Ling Sheng’s voice suddenly came from behind, and a hand landed on his shoulder, making Jiang Chen stiffen.

The hand on his shoulder seemed to feel his stiffness, and the palm kneaded the muscles on his shoulder: “Were you tired from the shoot just now? The muscles are so tense.”

The strength of the palm was just right, a movement that was originally meant to relax him, but the more he rubbed, the tighter the muscles under his palm became. Ling Sheng looked at Jiang Chen’s uncomfortable appearance, patted him twice, and let go of his hand.

Tonio didn’t have any reservations, and unlike Jiang Chen, who felt guilty, he directly said, “We were talking about you, Director Ling. Speaking of it, you and Xiao Chen are from the same school. He’s your junior, haha.”

Ling Sheng “Oh”ed and turned his head to look at Jiang Chen: “Coco mentioned it.”

Ling Sheng sat down in the seat next to Jiang Chen, looking at Jiang Chen with a hint of a smile in his eyes: “Junior, you’re so interested in your senior’s affairs, why don’t you just ask me directly?”

He heard what he said just now?

Jiang Chen looked at the eyes that were teasing him, but also seemed to see through his heart. He felt a moment of panic in his heart and quickly found an excuse for himself: “Um, I heard Peiya mention it, so I just asked casually. If Director Ling minds, I won’t ask.”

Ling Sheng raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard his words, and his voice slowed down a little: “Xiao Ya?”

Jiang Chen felt that his gaze was slightly disappointed, that little emotion was only a fleeting moment, and he still maintained his calm demeanor. He wasn’t even sure if he had seen it wrong, so he could only say, “Yes.”

Ling Sheng’s gaze rested on him for a few seconds before he smiled lightly and said, “I really envy you, I don’t have such childhood friends. If I had a childhood friend, the children should be able to play basketball with Xiao Xiao Wu.”

Tonio laughed: “It doesn’t matter if you don’t have one, as long as Director Ling wants, will you lack people around you?”

“Who is Xiao Xiao Wu?” Jiang Chen asked.

Tonio had a look of longing: “Coco’s son, five years old, super cute. It’s a pity I’m gay and don’t have that function, otherwise I’d want to have a dumpling as cute as Xiao Xiao Wu.”

Jiang Chen was startled: “Coco is already married?”

Ling Sheng stood up: “Yes, childhood sweethearts, married after graduation.”

Jiang Chen suddenly felt enlightened and felt that even the sunset looked better.

“Get married and have children, the efficiency is top-notch.” Tonio’s phone kept ringing. He looked down at it and said, “Director Ling, my sisters are waiting for me, so I’ll go first.”

Ling Sheng looked at his appearance, the smile in his eyes deepening, but he only stood up: “Let’s go.”

Jiang Chen drove back and passed three green lights in a row. He was in a good mood all the way. He parked the car, picked up his phone, and saw that Xu Peiya had sent him a message ten minutes ago.

Sister Xu: [You’re really concerned about the model thing? Why were you so perfunctory when I asked you to be my model?]

JC: [I’ve already agreed, so I’ll do my part.]

Sister Xu: [Okay, I know, I’m just telling you, be careful in the company and don’t get involved with messy people.]

JC: [?]

Sister Xu: [The company’s waters are still murky. Some people are secretly pimping, and the company’s models are not very clean. Be careful yourself.]

This made Jiang Chen a little unsure how to respond. He knew about this kind of thing in the entertainment industry, and some model agencies also had it, but Eternity, as a design company, although it had shows every year, usually used more of the flat models, so this kind of thing actually happened.

JC: [Are you afraid I’ll go to sea?]

Sister Xu: [I really want to see what can make you go to sea.]

Sister Xu: [I’m just telling you, Director Ling is investigating this matter, so don’t be overwhelmed with justice and get involved.]

Jiang Chen held his phone, his eyebrows furrowing unconsciously. This kind of thing was also stepping on the edge of the law, and it was certain that Ling Sheng would clean it up, but it was difficult to do it from his position. He had to investigate but couldn’t expose it, otherwise it would affect Eternity’s reputation. How would he investigate? What would he do?

JC: [Got it.]

Sister Xu: [Knowing is enough. I’m almost done with the handover here. I’m going to leave in about a week. When I succeed in confessing my love, I’ll send you wedding candy.]

Confess?

Jiang Chen looked at Xu Peiya’s message, his mind going blank for a while before replying: [You’re going to confess to Ling Sheng?]

Sister Xu: [Of course, I’ve been lurking for Coco for so long. I’ve helped them get all the evidence they wanted. Besides wanting to get an admission ticket to Eternity’s haute couture department, I also want to make a contribution in front of Ling Sheng and increase the chances of my confession succeeding. Now the time is ripe, the day I resign will be the day I reap the sweet fruit of love.]

Xu Peiya on the other side waited for a long time but didn’t get a reply. No one caught her excited mood, so she went to share it with her sisters.

Jiang Chen sat there holding his phone for a long time without moving.

Ling Sheng was still the person Xu Peiya liked. To him, Xu Peiya grew up with him, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she was like an older sister. He even regarded her as a younger sister in his heart, and he couldn’t possibly steal her boyfriend.

Moreover, he only remembered at this time that he was only concerned with sorting out his own mood, first Coco, then Xu Peiya, and the most important thing was ignored.

That is, was Ling Sheng straight or gay?

If Ling Sheng was straight, it wouldn’t matter if he was bent into a mosquito coil. He wouldn’t do things that were forced on people, let alone a newly bent straight guy. Even if he was given a chance to bend a straight guy, he would know nothing and wouldn’t even be able to open his mouth.

Originally, he had decided to stay away from Ling Sheng for a month. He wanted to figure out if he was just impulsive, but Xu Peiya’s message directly disrupted all his thoughts.

What if Ling Sheng and Xu Peiya got together?

Without Xu Peiya, Ling Sheng might also be with other girls.

An unprecedented irritability filled him with rage, and he really wanted to do something to vent, but it didn’t seem appropriate to do anything.

A crush that seemed to be about to end before it even started, and he couldn’t even find a reason to be sad.

In the following week, he rejected Tonio’s requests for photos, using the excuse that he needed to study and didn’t have time for the basketball game. He did put his energy into these two things every day, trying to avoid having any free time. He would go home, take a shower, and fall asleep.

But no matter how he avoided it, what was coming would still come. A week later, Jiang Chen looked at the message Xu Peiya sent on his phone, and the sun outside felt cold even early in the morning.

Sister Xu: [I’m going to resign today, get ready to welcome your brother-in-law tonight.]