Honey, Open The Door. I Want To Give You The Room Key - Chapter 56.1

When Lou Qingshuang went out to check on the filming progress, Liu Yu was buried in bed, sleeping. Her chestnut hair was sprawled across the pillow. Looking at the sleeping Liu Yu, Lou Qingshuang’s lips curled slightly.

Lou Qingshuang slowed her movements and gently closed the door, heading out with her subordinates to have breakfast. Everyone noticed the smile in Lou Qingshuang’s eyes, and their moods brightened; when the boss is in a good mood, work becomes easier.

After eating the hotel breakfast, the group boarded a vehicle provided by the crew and headed to the filming location. Outside the set, a vast crowd had gathered. Lou Qingshuang and Xiao He took a dedicated private lane to enter the studio.

This scene depicted the transition from the desert dunes into a tomb. The exterior shots had already been filmed; now, the lead actors were being swept into the tomb by sinking sands. Once this major scene was finished, they would film a “mini-theater” insert, scheduled to appear right when the mummies emerged.

Lou Qingshuang sat in a chair watching the monitor. The raw footage captured the acting directly, stripping away the crew members and leaving only the actors running, making it look like a finished television drama. This major scene took three or four hours to complete. Zhong Dai rolled on the ground countless times, covered in sand, her face and hands marked with small scratches.

Huai Bing, one of the female leads, was in a similar state. Her forehead had struck a sharp prop and was currently bleeding. The director hadn’t called “cut” because the bleeding looked so authentic, so the scene continued. When the mummies rushed out to chase the four characters, one mummy did a “jump scare” right in Huai Bing’s face. Startled, she swung her hand to strike it before continuing her flight.

Once the jump scare shot ended, it was time to film the advertisement: a moisturizer commercial featuring the mummy. Lou Qingshuang’s brow twitched. Mi Shui’s creative idea was hilarious—having a dried-out mummy promote moisturizing water was inherently funny. After the tension of the jump scare, this ad would provide the audience with a moment of comedic relief; they might even thank the director for it.

“Sang He told me last night that you intend to invest in us. Thank you, thank you so much,” Mi Shui said, standing beside Lou Qingshuang with reddened eyes.

“It would be a pity for such a good drama to die prematurely,” Lou Qingshuang replied, her eyes showing her genuine recognition of the work.

“Thank you. Three million is enough for us to hold on for a while. The Penguin platform released part of the payment this morning. If we’re frugal with the rest, it should be enough,” Mi Shui said with a choked voice. Even if she had to give up some profits midway, as long as she could break even and get the show aired, she was confident she could make a comeback.

“The contract was signed last night. The three million will arrive this afternoon. Director Mi, don’t let my investment go to waste,” Lou Qingshuang said with a smile, encouraging the self-doubting Mi Shui.

Mi Shui nodded vigorously—so hard her sun hat nearly flew off. Lou Qingshuang was truly her benefactor. Sang He would no longer have to endlessly drag the assistant director out to hunt for investment.

“It will be fine. Everything will be fine,” Lou Qingshuang’s eyelashes fluttered as she remembered that Liu Yu was the one who told her those words. And everything truly had begun to improve, just as Liu Yu said. Lou Qingshuang gently clenched her palm, watching the desert sand blow in the wind, feeling both content and rational.

After watching the morning’s commercial shoot, Lou Qingshuang returned to the hotel, leaving the others to monitor the rest of the filming. Back at the hotel, Liu Yu was already up and conducting an online meeting.

“Keep a close eye on the cooperation with Earl Lindsay. Ensure every process is handled correctly,” Liu Yu said in fluent British English. On the screen, a group of people listened intently.

“Understood, Chairperson,” they responded in unison.

“Britain is also experimenting with new energy. Core data cannot be unbundled, and all maintenance must go through our channels. Earl Lindsay wants a piece of the new energy pie, so keep a close watch. Use him to open the market, but prevent him from pulling the rug out from under us,” Liu Yu instructed the head of the new British branch, who nodded repeatedly.

“That’s all for today’s meeting. You’ve all worked hard.”

“It’s our duty. Goodbye, Chairperson.”

The computer screen returned to the menu interface. Liu Yu took off her wireless headphones and turned to see Lou Qingshuang leaning against the wall. She stood up, her white silk bathrobe flowing like water with her movement. The simple, elegant robe was chic and casual. Lou Qingshuang’s gaze fell on the white belt, which cinched Liu Yu’s waist perfectly, creating a lazy, heart-stirring allure.

Lou Qingshuang’s gaze sharpened with rationality, but soon a soft warmth resurfaced. “Let’s go out for lunch.”

Lou Qingshuang pulled Liu Yu toward her and held her. She was deeply moved by Liu Yu’s arrival the previous night and enjoyed being with her. She intended to fully enjoy their time together. Lou Qingshuang took the initiative to kiss Liu Yu’s lips. Her passion made Liu Yu’s heart throb, causing her to sink into the kiss like a young lover.

“There’s a local farmhouse place nearby that’s supposed to be delicious. Let’s go there,” Lou Qingshuang said breathlessly after the kiss, looking into Liu Yu’s eyes.

“Alright. I’ll change my clothes.” Liu Yu changed into ordinary casual wear. The bodyguards did the same, allowing the group to blend into the crowd.

Lou Qingshuang drove Liu Yu away from the filming town toward a small rural restaurant. “Director Mi said the food here is great—one of the best in the area—but the environment is very simple,” Lou Qingshuang warned, preparing Liu Yu so she wouldn’t be uncomfortable.

“It’s fine. At my hungriest, I lived on expired bread and steamed buns for three meals a day,” Liu Yu mentioned lightly, bringing up her unknown past for the first time.

Lou Qingshuang was incredulous. The Liu family had never been destitute.

Liu Yu smiled. “My other mother said it was ‘training.’ So, I spent an entire year abroad eating expired bread and buns. I even had to forage for wild vegetables myself.”

Lou Qingshuang’s expression shifted, unable to imagine how Liu Yu had endured it.

“Don’t worry about me not adapting,” Liu Yu said, squeezing Lou Qingshuang’s hand. She had sensed the change in Lou Qingshuang’s mood and didn’t mind her partner knowing her better. Lou Qingshuang opened her arms and hugged Liu Yu, a sudden ache of sympathy for this Alpha rising in her heart. She might have had hard times, but she had never been reduced to eating steamed buns every day. It was hard to imagine that this powerful tycoon of Lu City had once lived such a life.

Liu Yu held Lou Qingshuang tightly, a faint smile on her lips as she buried her face in Lou Qingshuang’s hair, breathing in her scent. She truly was a “bad person” who used any means to achieve her goals, she thought, kissing Lou Qingshuang’s hair.

As the SUV drove into the mountains, the asphalt road narrowed and became uneven. However, the scenery outside was beautiful, and they admired the endless trees. For this meal, Lou Qingshuang only brought Liu Yu; she wasn’t ready to introduce her to her subordinates yet.

They arrived quickly. Liu Yu’s secretary had booked in advance, and since it was the off-season, there were few people. The chubby owner looked at the three black SUVs with surprise—these cars combined were worth tens of millions. Were these big bosses or superstars?

“Welcome, welcome! The food is almost ready. Please, come inside and rest,” the owner said warmly.

“Thank you.” The secretary stepped forward to communicate while Liu Yu and Lou Qingshuang went to a private room. After the bodyguards checked the room, they stood guard across the hall.

“The environment is nice. It’s clean and quiet. It would be comfortable to vacation here in the summer,” Liu Yu said, looking out at the swaying green bamboo. Lou Qingshuang sat beside her, and they watched the shifting clouds over the rolling mountains together. Lou Qingshuang leaned her head on Liu Yu.

“If you suddenly come to find me in the middle of the night, will your subordinates think you’re a besotted, negligent ruler?” Lou Qingshuang whispered into Liu Yu’s ear.

“My work was mostly handled before I came. This morning was just for things that had to be done during the day. They won’t think that, and besides, they wouldn’t dare,” Liu Yu said, leaning in until their noses touched.

“How domineering of you,” Lou Qingshuang teased, averting her eyes.

Knock, knock, knock—

A waitress stood at the door. “Excuse me, I’m here to serve the food,” she said cheerfully in a local dialect. “Are you two celebrities? You’re so beautiful. Can I get an autograph for my granddaughter?” She skillfully produced a pen and paper.

Liu Yu laughed softly. “I’m sorry, ma’am, we aren’t celebrities. We’re just passing through for a meal.”

“Oh, that’s alright then! Try our mountain specialties.” The woman put away her things and encouraged them to eat.

They smelled the aroma of the stir-fried yellow beef. “This smells wonderful.” Liu Yu took a bite. The tender beef exploded with the numbness and spice of mountain peppers. She gasped; the peppers were incredibly fresh and hot. Lu City cuisine was mostly light; such a pungent dish was rare.