He Lost Control with Jealousy — What Happened to Being Untouchable? - Chapter 28

Just as Song Zixi was about to raise her bidding paddle, her phone rang, it was her agent.

“Hey, I’m in the middle of something. I’ll call you back later.”

She was about to hang up when her agent yelled anxiously, “Song Zixi, are you out of your mind? I sent you to this charity auction to network, not to pick a fight with your lead actress. You just landed the role, and now you’re clashing with Sang Wan. Do you still want to film this drama? Do you think the supporting role is irreplaceable without you? Stop right now.”

Song Zixi bit her lip, glaring at Sang Wan with resentment.

But her agent had a point. If things escalated too much, the role she had just fought for might be jeopardized.

No matter how much it irked her, she had to stop bidding.

“Sang Wan, congratulations. Though I really liked this jade pendant too, I can see you love it even more. I won’t compete with you.”

Sang Wan arched a brow, her lips curling slightly. How smooth, after bidding so aggressively, now she’s playing the good guy.

In the end, the jade pendant was won by Sang Wan for 1.6 million yuan.

Lu Tingzhou, seated not far behind, allowed a faint smile to touch his lips.

It was rare for her to be so fond of something.

As the auction drew to a close, the dazzling crystal chandeliers illuminated the grand banquet that followed.

Amid the clinking of glasses, a stir rippled through the crowd near the entrance of the banquet hall.

A tall, striking figure appeared, instantly drawing the attention of most guests like an invisible magnet.

Lu Tingzhou.

Dressed in an impeccably tailored black bespoke suit, the man’s broad shoulders and narrow waist were accentuated, his long legs adding to his commanding presence. An air of aloof nobility, honed from years of authority, surrounded him. His sharp, chiseled features stood out even more under the lights, like a meticulously crafted work of art.

The moment he arrived, many approached with glasses in hand, eager to strike up a conversation.

Lu Tingzhou responded with a few terse words, his expression indifferent, yet his gaze seemingly casual, landed unerringly on a certain corner of the banquet hall.

Lu Jinxuan was being pestered by Xu Mingyue, while Sang Wan idly swirled a glass of champagne, occasionally exchanging a word or two with those around her.

The moment she saw Lu Tingzhou appear, the harsh words Wang Sheng had spat that afternoon echoed relentlessly in her mind like a curse.

“The Lu Family would never accept someone like you…”

“Lu Tingzhou spent so many years abroad, do you think he lacked women around him? You’re just a passing fancy!”

On top of that, he hadn’t called or texted her all day.

This hot-and-cold treatment only deepened the unease in her heart, stirring up threads of grievance and irritation.

Why did he get to come and go as he pleased?

What did he take her for?

Sang Wan bit her lower lip, a stubborn glint flashing in her luminous eyes.

Suddenly, she turned around, a sweet smile blooming on her face as she walked toward a young actor chatting with someone nearby.

“Senior Brother Zhuo, long time no see.”

The actor, Zhuo Fan, was around her age but had debuted earlier. They had worked together before, and he had always been kind to her. In the moderately popular fantasy drama they co-starred in, their on-screen “senior brother-junior sister” chemistry had taken the internet by storm, and fans still reminisced about it to this day.

From the set to real life, Sang Wan had always called him “Senior Brother,” a habit that persisted even now.

Zhuo Fan’s eyes lit up when he saw her. “Wanwan, I was just about to come over and say hi. You’ve grown even more beautiful.”

“You flatter me, Senior Brother.” Sang Wan’s eyes curved into crescents as she naturally engaged in conversation with him.

The two reminisced about amusing moments from their past filming experiences, occasionally sharing soft laughter, the atmosphere harmonious and carrying a hint of intimacy that seemed almost imperceptible to onlookers.

Not far away, Lu Tingzhou’s deep, dark eyes narrowed slightly.

He watched Sang Wan’s charming, smiling face, his thin lips pressing into a cold, hard line.

Good.

She was throwing a tantrum with him.

Just like before, whenever she was unhappy, she would go out of her way to provoke him, to draw his attention.

Lu Tingzhou slid one hand into his pocket and strode forward with long, unhurried steps, cutting through the crowd. Each step carried an invisible pressure, and his path led straight to Sang Wan.

Sang Wan was deep in conversation with Zhuo Fan when, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of that familiar figure drawing closer. Her heartbeat skipped a beat.

Instinctively, she wanted to retreat, but it was already too late.

A large, well-defined hand, with an unyielding grip, seized her wrist.

“Come with me.”

The deep voice carried a trace of the cool clarity she knew so well.

Before Sang Wan could even bid Zhuo Fan a hasty farewell, she was pulled away, stumbling a few steps as she was dragged from the crowd.

Leaving Zhuo Fan standing there, stunned.

Song Zixi, witnessing the scene, was equally dumbfounded. Was there really something between Lu Tingzhou and Sang Wan?

Hadn’t her sister said that Sang Wan was nothing to worry about, that Lu Tingzhou would never possibly like her?

This seemed more complicated than she thought. She’d have to talk to her sister about it properly.

If her sister didn’t return soon, Lu Tingzhou might really be lured away by Sang Wan.

With that face of hers, Sang Wan was practically born to be a seductive vixen.

Lu Tingzhou pulled her along, heading straight for a secluded corner of the banquet hall’s terrace.

The lighting was dim, the night breeze cool.

He released her wrist, but in the next moment, he trapped her between himself and the unyielding wall.

Yet his hand carefully cradled the small of her back, ensuring she wouldn’t feel discomfort.

The sudden warmth against her back made Sang Wan flustered as she looked up at the man before her.

“What are you doing? There are people watching.”

His tall frame nearly engulfed her entirely, the faint scent of cedar and tobacco dominating her senses.

“Scared?”

“I’m not like you, President Lu, vast wealth, high status. If photos of us together get leaked, it could ruin everything I’ve worked so hard for in an instant.”

Sang Wan tried to keep her voice steady, but the slight twitch of her lips betrayed her true feelings.

Lu Tingzhou said nothing, merely gazing down at her intently.

His deep eyes, under the dim light, were like an unfathomable pool.

Slowly, he leaned in, his handsome face filling her vision.

His warm breath brushed faintly against the tip of her nose.

His lips nearly grazed hers.

“Are you angry?” he finally spoke, his voice low and rough.

Sang Wan’s heart skipped, and she instinctively turned her head away, evading his scorching gaze and breath.

“I wouldn’t dare.” She stiffened her neck, though her tone carried a sharp edge. “You’re a man of power and influence, President Lu. A small actress like me wouldn’t dare be angry with you. Besides, we’ve only met a few times, we’re hardly acquainted.”

“Oh?”

Lu Tingzhou let out a faint, ambiguous hum. His calloused thumb gently stroked the wrist he had just gripped, where her delicate skin bore a faint red mark.

“Not familiar with me?” he asked again, his tone laced with playful mockery.

Sang Wan felt her chest tighten with frustration at his deliberately provoking manner.

She tried to push him away with all her might, but he remained unmoved, blocking her effortlessly.

Instead of backing off, he leaned in even closer.

His firm chest was nearly pressed against hers.

His long arms braced against the wall on either side of her, trapping her completely within his space.

“President Lu is a busy man with countless important matters. Between us, ‘familiar’ is hardly the word.”

“Is that so?”

Lu Tingzhou let out a low chuckle, the sound resonating from his chest. Sang Wan could feel the vibrations against her own, sending a shiver down her spine.

“I seem to recall,” he drawled, his warm breath brushing against her ear, eliciting a fine tremor, “not long ago, someone went out of their way to get close to me, trying to reel me in?”

“And today… you’re giving up?”

His deep, magnetic voice teased at her heart, sending tingles through her.

Sang Wan’s cheeks flushed crimson instantly, whether from anger or embarrassment, she couldn’t tell.

She tilted her face up, meeting his dark, fathomless eyes, and forced out a retort: “President Lu is an eternal iceberg: cold, hard, and impenetrably thick.”

“My skills are far too shallow. Before I could even cast the hook, I feared it would snap from your freezing aura!”

She paused, her tone tinged with self-deprecation. “So, I’ve decided to quit while I’m ahead.”

“Hmm…” A low, amused chuckle escaped Lu Tingzhou’s throat.

He watched as the girl’s cheeks puffed up slightly in irritation, like a bristling kitten, yet her eyes sparkled with stubborn defiance.

It was his favorite look on her.

The amusement in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by an intensity of emotion too deep to conceal.

He leaned in again, his thin lips almost grazing her tender, rosy ones.

Their heated breaths tangled together.

“Is that so?”

His voice was husky and dangerously alluring.

“Why don’t you try casting your hook again?”

Sang Wan felt her willpower crumble under his teasing, her body burning with sudden heat.

Pressing her lips together for a few seconds, she reached up and hooked a finger under his chin, her fox-like eyes both coquettish and sly.

“President Lu has always acted so unattainable. Why are you biting the hook today?”

Lu Tingzhou pressed his lips together. “I thought I’d try lighting a fire, just like you.”

His deep, rough voice carried an irresistible pull. “What do you think I want to do, Miss Sang?”

Sang Wan’s face was now completely flushed, her hand that had been teasingly holding his chin now clutching his shirt in flustered confusion.

The faint scent of tobacco and his cool, masculine fragrance overwhelmed her senses. His lips, so close, and that magnetic voice made her heart race uncontrollably.

Panicked and stumbling over her words, she stammered, “Y-you… what do you mean? There are so many people here, I-”

Lu Tingzhou genuinely wanted her to take the initiative, to act without hesitation. So even though he desperately wanted to kiss her right then, he let her go.

“This really isn’t the place.”

As he spoke, he released her and considerately straightened her clothes for her.

When he spoke again, his demeanor had returned to its usual composed elegance.

“I’ll take you home.”

Sang Wan was still dazed, the heat in her body lingering, while the man had already reverted to his cool, aloof self.

She let him lead her by the hand, following mechanically.

In the car, after a long silence, she finally mustered her first question.