Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Perhaps out of a desire to compensate me, or maybe due to a sliver of guilt.

Shortly after, Lu Junrong gifted me a designer bag and secured a wealth of resources for me.

I became busy once again.

I focused primarily on films, occasionally taking on a television drama or two. My progress was slow, but it was steady.

I made a lot of money, bought a large house in Gangcheng, and moved my parents in with me.

Aside from acting, I also tried my hand at releasing an album, though the reception was mediocre.

Every time I completed a project, I would grant myself a period of leave.

I went back to school for further studies and traveled abroad.

Qiaoyi remained by my side throughout.

This was the unspoken agreement Lu Junrong and I had reached, despite never signing anything. I played the role of a mother during Qiaoyi’s childhood, accompanying her as she grew up.

Interestingly enough, Qiaoyi rarely visited her father on set, but she was constantly clinging to me.

Qiaoyi once told me, “Zhiyi, my dad is such a scumbag. Why don’t you just leave him?”

It wasn’t that the thought had never crossed my mind.

However, I was well aware of how complex and treacherous the entertainment industry could be. I knew exactly how difficult it was for a woman with no power, no influence, and no background to carve out a path for herself.

And so, I was willing to remain Lu Junrong’s fiancée.

We were actually quite harmonious, maintaining the open relationship he had suggested at the start.

Heh, it was only open on his end.

Whenever he grew tired of a girlfriend, I would appear in my capacity as his fiancée to handle the trouble for him.

After our first five-year contract ended, Lu Junrong and I renewed it for another five.

During the second five-year term, my pace and goals remained unchanged.

As Qiaoyi grew older, I increased my workload. Besides acting in films and television, I also began to invest.

I knew that after the millennium, the film and television industry in the mainland would flourish and enter a period of immense prosperity. Therefore, I planned to shift the focus of my future work there.

While I was working myself to the bone, Lu Junrong started to slow down.

The most obvious sign was that the frequency with which he changed girlfriends dropped; eventually, he went two full years without a new one.

His reputation and status remained high, but it was inevitable that people would occasionally whisper that he was losing his touch.

He wrote a script specifically for me, aiming for an award.

I was the female lead, and the Best Actor, Lin Yanxi, was the male lead.

In the end, when it came time to compete for the Golden Deer Award, both Lin Yanxi and I missed out. Instead, it was Lu Junrong who walked away with the Best Director award.

More importantly, the film won several awards abroad, which boosted my international recognition by several degrees.

Later, during an interview, a reporter asked what Lin Yanxi and I wanted to say to the director.

We both joked, “Director Lu, you owe each of us a movie now.”

The reporter then teased Lu Junrong, “Miss Xu Zhiyi and Mr. Lin Yanxi mean that their future hopes of becoming Best Actress and Best Actor rest entirely on you, Director Lu. So, Director Lu, are you reliable?”

Lu Junrong said confidently, “Of course I’m reliable.”

The reporter laughed and asked, “Talk is cheap. How do you prove you’re reliable?”

Lu Junrong turned back to look at me. “By marrying Xu Zhiyi and becoming sworn brothers with Lin Yanxi. We’ll all be family then, so of course I’ll be reliable.”

He burst into laughter. “Just kidding!”