Huayu: This director is so eager to improve.

Chapter 22: A Divorce News Story

Early in the morning.

Li Qing carried steaming hot soy milk, fried dough sticks, and steamed buns, and walked briskly to the door.

I knocked on the door.

The door opened, revealing Guo Fan's sleepy-eyed face with messy hair.

Good morning, Van.

Li Qing greeted everyone energetically, waving the lunchbox in his hand.

"I've brought you breakfast."

She subconsciously tiptoed, peering over Guo Fan's shoulder into the room.

"Director Qi... are you up yet?"

"Stop looking," Guo Fan scratched his messy hair and yawned widely. "Qi Yue isn't here."

"He's not here," Li Qing's smile faltered for a moment, "Where did he go so early?"

"He went out last night," Guo Fan said vaguely, rubbing his eyes, "and hasn't come back yet."

"He hasn't come back?" Li Qing's voice rose slightly. "Where did he go? Did something happen?"

"How would I know?" Guo Fan shrugged and casually said, "Who knows..."

He was only halfway through his sentence when he looked up and saw Li Qing's tightly pursed lips, so he quickly braked.

"Ahem, don't worry, he'll be fine. He's probably meeting with some investors to discuss a collaboration. He's very busy, and he'll probably be back soon. Why don't you come in and sit down while we wait for him?"

The radiance on Li Qing's face dimmed instantly. She lowered her head, looking at the carefully prepared breakfast in her hands, feeling that it was a little too hot to handle.

"No...no, Brother Fan," she said in a low voice, "I suddenly remembered that I have some things to take care of at home, so I won't stay any longer."

"Oh? Then you brought me breakfast..."

"Oh, here you go."

Li Qing seemed to have just remembered and hurriedly stuffed the lunchbox into Guo Fan's hand.

Then he turned around and practically ran away from the stairwell with his head down.

......

The heavy blackout curtains weren't fully drawn, and a ray of morning sunlight slanted in, like a golden sword cleaving through the room's darkness.

It landed squarely on the man's chest on the messy bed.

His bronze skin had a healthy glow under the light, and his muscle lines were smooth and not exaggerated.

A slender, fair hand, painted with bright red nail polish, lazily drew meaningless circles on that chest with its fingertips.

"Stop it, it itches."

Qi Yue closed his eyes and grabbed the unruly wrist.

Zhu Zhu leaned closer, almost pressing her entire weight against him, her red lips close to his ear, her breath sweet as orchids.

"I told you to stop last night, but you didn't... Now you know it itches?"

Qi Yue opened his eyes, his gaze clear and bright, showing no trace of sleepiness.

"When Miss Zhu gives orders, she usually says the opposite of what she means, and I thought I understood that well."

Zhu Zhu chuckled at his words and lightly punched him, then her eyes dimmed for a moment as if she remembered something.

"Qi Yue, I think I'll be going abroad soon."

"Oh? How long are you going? For further studies or to relax?"

"Arranged by my family."

Zhu Zhu didn't elaborate, but for someone from her family background, going abroad often meant a deeper family arrangement or a necessary separation.

"It might take a while."

"Good thing," Qi Yue said, picking up the cigarette pack from the bedside table, popping one out, and putting it in his mouth.

"With your abilities, you can thrive anywhere."

His calm reaction made Zhu Zhu feel uneasy. She stared at him for a few seconds.

"Haven't you ever thought about taking responsibility for me?"

Qi Yue smiled. "Of course I've thought about it. You're an important investment partner of mine."

"So?" Zhu Zhu raised an eyebrow.

"So," Qi Yue said, his finger brushing across the tip of her nose.

"Does Miss Zhu really want to hear promises from someone like me?"

"Qi Yue, you're a bastard."

Zhu Zhu finished dressing and left the room without looking back.

With a loud bang, the door slammed shut.

The room fell silent instantly, leaving only the lingering fragrance and faint scent of perfume in the air.

He struck a lighter and lit the cigarette.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled the grayish-white smoke.

He never felt that there was such a thing as "love" between him and Zhu Zhu.

From the very beginning, this was a mutually beneficial transaction, an unspoken attraction and exploitation among adults.

The passion and intimacy between them in bed are more like the most valuable lubricant in this transaction, adding a more private bond to their relationship beyond "cooperation".

But a bond is ultimately just a bond, not a chain, much less a final destination.

She comes from a distinguished family and may need a thrilling interlude, but she would never seek a home that requires her to abandon the forest.

He, reborn into this world, has a clear goal, like aiming at a crosshair in a magnifying glass. Emotions have never been part of his core plan, and may even become a stumbling block.

Her angry "bastard" just now was less a sign of sadness and more an unconscious, resentful counterattack against his overly calm and detached attitude.

She was perhaps used to being admired and cherished, but Qi Yue's decisive "leaving after the deed was done" attitude left her feeling somewhat defeated.

But this is precisely the boundary that Qi Yue wants to maintain.

Clear, unambiguous, and with no one owing anything to anyone.

He finished his cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray. Zhu Zhu's presence in the room seemed to fade away with the smoke.

He walked to the television and casually turned it on. The morning news was broadcasting an explosive piece of entertainment news.

A meticulously made-up news anchor is reporting on a well-known actress's divorce scandal in a slightly exaggerated tone:

"...Recently, the divorce scandal between actor Pan Yueming and Dong Jie has continued to escalate, attracting widespread attention."

According to sources, the conflict between the two parties was intense, and Dong Jie's side even issued a statement through her studio, directly accusing Pan Yueming of having many problems during the marriage, including gambling addiction, domestic violence, and neglect of his family, and accusing him of being "unfit to be a husband and father".

Pan Yueming has not yet issued an official response, but public opinion is overwhelmingly against him. Numerous netizens and media outlets are launching a barrage of criticism against him, and his public image is facing a severe crisis…

The scene then shifts to blurry candid photos and screenshots of emotionally charged online comments, with the host summarizing the fall of this once-golden couple's marriage with a sigh.

As Qi Yue watched the scene on television, a shrewd, businessman-like glint flashed in his eyes.

He stubbed out his cigarette, picked up his phone, and dialed Xu Wei's number.

The phone rang a few times before being answered, and Xu Wei's efficient voice came through: "Director Qi? So early, has your new drama finally started filming?"

"Soon, now all we need is a male lead," Qi Yue said calmly, getting straight to the point.

"Sister Xu, I'd like to ask if you have Pan Yueming's contact information?"

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone; Xu Wei was clearly taken aback by the request.

"Pan Yueming?" Xu Wei confirmed. "Qi Yue, you know his current situation, right? Contacting him now might cause unnecessary trouble."

"I know." Qi Yue's voice was calm and firm. "Sister Xu, could you please ask around for me? If you know of any, just give me their contact information. I know the rest."