Superstar Assistant [GL] - Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The man was the drama’s primary investor. Seeing Mr. Lin arrive, Liu Xinxin immediately rushed to his side. With tears welling in her eyes and a look of profound grievance, she pressed her lithe body against him and whimpered piteously, “Mr. Lin…”

Mr. Lin wrapped an arm around her waist and surveyed the crew with a cold gaze. “Where is the director? I heard the director is unwilling to change the script. Does he no longer want this investment?”

As he spoke, his eyes followed Liu Xinxin’s gaze toward Li Ziyu and her group.

At that moment, Zhou Tiantian was sitting in Li Ziyu’s exclusive chair, while Li Ziyu sat on the armrest, one hand draped over the back of the seat, effectively circling Tiantian into her territory. Mr. Lin, however, wasn’t focused on their posture; his eyes were fixed on Li Ziyu’s cold, elegant beauty. He noticed the undeniable tenderness in the look she gave Zhou Tiantian—a warmth that melted her icy exterior and filled her with a uniquely feminine softness.

Looking at Li Ziyu, Mr. Lin felt a surge of desire to conquer. If a woman like this could be made to submit beneath him, driven mad by his presence like Liu Xinxin, what a massive sense of achievement that would be!

Zhou Tiantian read the look in Mr. Lin’s eyes instantly. Overcome with disgust, she stood up and shielded Li Ziyu, whispering, “That man next to Liu Xinxin is the investor, isn’t he?”

Li Ziyu reached out and caught a strand of Tiantian’s hair, twirling it around her fingertip. Her tone was teasing, practically grazing Tiantian’s heartstrings. “Tiantian, are you protecting me?”

Tiantian couldn’t stop her face from flushing, but her flickering eyes were suddenly filled with a strong, steady resolve. “I’m worried about you. I’m your main assistant—if I don’t protect you, who will?”

Dong Minsi and Zhao Qing stood to the side, watching the drama unfold like spectators at a show.

The curve of Li Ziyu’s lips became more pronounced, her playful smile deepening. “Is that so? Then, my little assistant Tiantian, how exactly do you plan to protect me?”

As they spoke, Director Sun walked onto the set. Facing Mr. Lin, he said with professional poise, “Mr. Lin, what brings you here? Is there something else to discuss?”

Mr. Lin snorted. “I heard you don’t plan on changing the scenes?”

Director Sun smiled faintly. “It’s not that, but changing a script isn’t something that can be done overnight.”

Mr. Lin glanced at Li Ziyu again. Her features were exquisite and enduringly beautiful; the longer he looked, the more stunning she became. Her cold temperament only served to sharpen his predatory instincts.

He changed his tune. “Well, there are ways to avoid changing the script,” he said, the lust in his eyes becoming increasingly obvious.

Although they weren’t filming, the entire crew was on standby. Hearing Mr. Lin’s words, no one spoke, but their eyes darted back and forth, conveying a thousand silent messages.

Liu Xinxin had intended to use Mr. Lin to regain her dignity, but seeing him being “seduced” by Li Ziyu instead, she nearly ground her teeth to dust. She glared at Li Ziyu with pure jealousy, thinking: You called me cheap and lowly, but how “noble” are you really?

Li Ziyu’s expression remained unchanged. Zhou Tiantian, however, was incensed. She turned to face Mr. Lin, her brow furrowed, and said in a low, serious voice, “Mr. Lin, the matter of the script will be handled by the company. Sister Luo will come to discuss it with you personally.”

Mr. Lin hadn’t noticed Zhou Tiantian before. Seeing her turn around now, his eyes lit up. Even though she was serious and firm, her sweet face and soft voice took the edge off her sternness. Even as a pregnant woman, she possessed a loveliness that stirred his heart.

Mr. Lin’s smile turned oily. “It’s useless for Luo Na to talk to me. I think you would be a much better fit for the discussion.”

Li Ziyu let out a sharp sneer from behind Tiantian. She moved to step forward and shield her, but Tiantian raised a hand to stop her, remaining resolute. “Mr. Lin, I’m afraid the thing you’re hoping for isn’t going to happen.”

“Then Li Ziyu won’t have a show to film,” Mr. Lin said, his attitude hardening when he realized they weren’t going to play ball. “You should know how many productions I invest in and how wide my network is. I’m telling you right now…”

Seeing the mockery in Li Ziyu’s eyes grow more apparent, Mr. Lin felt a chill of anger and shifted his tactics. He pulled the jealous Liu Xinxin closer, giving her backside a hard pinch. Hearing her gasp, he looked at Tiantian and Li Ziyu and said, “Since you don’t want to talk nicely, then give Xinxin an open apology. Nobody bullies my people. If Xinxin forgives you, then we can talk about your screen time.”

Li Ziyu looked at him coldly. “Impossible.”

Mr. Lin’s face contorted. “It seems you don’t value this drama, and perhaps you don’t value your career either. If you don’t soften your stance today, I can make sure you never work in this industry again!”

Zhao Qing, disgusted by his behavior, stepped forward to speak, but Li Ziyu held her back.

Mr. Lin laughed coldly. “What, your friend wants to play hero? Tell her to stay out of this, or I won’t let her off either!”

Zhao Qing found it hilarious. “And what exactly could you do to me?”

Mr. Lin replied, “You just own a few private restaurants. Do you think the people who eat there are actually your friends? Let me tell you, in the adult world, there is only interest.”

Liu Xinxin, feeling Mr. Lin’s “protection,” finally felt a sense of vindication. Leaning against him, she said arrogantly to Li Ziyu, “Li Ziyu, didn’t you say I was cheap and lowly? Why don’t you say it again in front of Mr. Lin? Insulting me is one thing, but aren’t you pointing your finger at Mr. Lin too?”

Mr. Lin’s anger flared. He sat down on a chair with Liu Xinxin in his arms, crossing his legs. “I didn’t know that happened. Well then, it seems Xinxin isn’t the only one you need to apologize to. You’d better think long and hard about how to do it.”

Zhou Tiantian checked the time on her phone, feeling a gnawing anxiety. She had researched Lin Qiang before Li Ziyu joined the set. He was not only a famous investor but also notorious for demanding “casting couch” favors. Almost every drama he invested in involved an actor ending up in his bed. Aside from stars with powerful backgrounds, most had to give him face because he controlled so much capital.

She knew stars who had resisted him in the past and ended up blacklisted. She knew Li Ziyu would never apologize, and she didn’t want her to.

“Apologize!” Liu Xinxin barked, emboldened by her backer. “And you’d better do it on your knees. Don’t worry, we’ll tell the people here not to let any videos or photos leak out. We wouldn’t want to ruin your ‘image’.”

Dong Minsi stepped toward Li Ziyu and addressed the pair. “Mr. Lin, we all work in the same circle. There’s no need for this, is there?”

“What do you mean by that, Teacher Dong?” Liu Xinxin interrupted. “Are you planning to go against Mr. Lin too? He is the biggest investor here. You have a high status, but I’ll advise you on his behalf: sometimes, it’s better to stay silent.”

“Shut your damn mouth!” Zhao Qing snapped, cutting Liu Xinxin off and startling her. Zhao Qing walked to Minsi’s side, letting her natural aura of authority flare. “Mr. Lin, you know exactly what’s going on here. There is always someone more powerful out there. You might be the biggest person on this set, but what about outside of it?”

“I am still the biggest!” Lin Qiang roared, his temper exploding. “Since you refuse to compromise, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Today, I’ll show you what capital and power really look like!”

He turned to Director Sun. “Director Sun, don’t bother changing the scenes. Just replace the cast. Get rid of Dong Minsi too. Give the lead to Xinxin, and find new actors for the supporting roles!”

Director Sun turned pale. “Mr. Lin, the costs incurred from such a change would destroy the filming schedule!”

“You mean there isn’t enough money?” Lin Qiang said coldly. “Then I’ll just invest more! I’ll show you all that I, Lin Qiang, can do whatever the hell I want!”

Zhou Tiantian looked back at Li Ziyu, her breathing becoming shallow and panicked. She didn’t know if the company would fight to the end for them, or if Luo Na would be able to protect Ziyu. She knew all too well that for most people, profit was far more important than a single person’s fate.