BAB 1

“No way? You don’t know that this shopping mall is owned by Sheng Siyu?”

“I’m not familiar with him. Isn’t it normal?”

On the second-floor elevator entrance of Beicheng International Shopping Plaza, Bai Zhou and his childhood friend Lin Xi walked into the elevator one after the other.

“Huh? He’s your husband.” Lin Xi looked shocked inside the elevator.

“It’s not like you don’t know it was an arranged marriage.”

Bai Zhou shrugged, as if he was talking about something insignificant, “Also, we are getting married in secret. It’s better not to mention him in such a public place. I don’t want rumors circulating about us.”

Lin Xi: “…?”

Not being familiar with your husband and not wanting to be involved in rumors doesn’t seem to stop you from spending your husband’s money.

Bai Zhou’s disdainful tone makes it sound like spreading rumors about Sheng Siyu was as if he’s being set up by the other party.

Lin Xi rolled his eyes. “Do you even realize what you’re saying?”

How did you end up like this? Don’t you have any self-awareness?

As a capitalist, Sheng Si Yu is much more famous than Bai Zhou in the entertainment industry.

If there were rumors about the two of them, it would be Sheng Siyu bringing attention to Bai Zhou.

Lin Xi looked at Bai Zhou speechlessly. He was wearing a high-end trench coat, a duckbill cap, and a slightly sparkling earring on his left ear, giving off an air of luxury and fashion, creating the impression of a top-tier star.

His clean and fair face displayed a hint of coldness, while his black and lively eyes added a touch of charm.

This cold and pure-looking face is indeed well-suited for the entertainment industry.

The only thing missing was exposure. If there was a scandal with Sheng Siyu, he might become famous.

“Do you want to repeat that in front of the Cartier bracelet I just gave you?”

Bai Zhou’s voice was cold and dignified. His family worked in finance, but he had no interest in finance. He insisted on entering the entertainment industry, but Bai Zhou’s father consistently objected.

Despite his father’s objections, he secretly signed with an entertainment company after entering university. This led to a big argument between father and son, and in a fit of rage, Bai Zhou’s father agreed to the marriage alliance with the Sheng family.

He seemed to have no control over his son, so he wanted the Sheng family to take care of him.

But Sheng Siyu only gave Bai Zhou a hidden marriage agreement, and the next day after receiving the marriage certificate, he went abroad to expand his industry.

This made Bai Zhou very happy.

Having a husband who was willing to give him money to spend and freedom, Bai Zhou even became too lazy to accept company notices.

In the past two years, he used Sheng Siyu’s money to go shopping for clothes every day, and went to high-end clubs. The WeChat conversations between him and Sheng Siyu were only about transfers, and their phone calls were business-related, exchanging information about family birthdays and reminding each other to send gifts.

Indeed, they weren’t familiar at all.

But Bai Zhou felt that the current relationship between them was just right—two shores apart, not interfering with each other.

“Yes, yes.”

Lin Xi’s family background was not ordinary, so of course he didn’t care about the bracelet, but in order to take Bai Zhou’s face into consideration, he still said in a flattering tone, “Our Zhou Zhou holds the position of a film emperor. Spreading rumors with Sheng Siyu would only decrease his value.”

Bai Zhou smiled satisfactorily, the deep peach blossom eyes carrying a hint of charm when he smiled.

In fact, the Bai family’s marriage with the Sheng family was no longer a secret in the capital circle.

But Bai Zhou remained an artist under Jiaxin Media.

The hidden marriage agreement was densely packed with restrictions on the marriage relationship between the two, including a clause stating that neither party could use information about their marriage for publicity.

Bai Zhou naturally understood what this meant. If he had any dissatisfaction with Sheng Siyu after two years of marriage, it was probably Sheng Siyu’s attitude of binding him with the agreement that made Bai Zhou disgusted.

So Lin Xi’s words were very useful to Bai Zhou.

It was because of his disdain to spread scandals with Sheng Siyu, not because of some hidden marriage agreement.

Coming out of the elevator, Bai Zhou and Lin Xi walked into a high-end luxury brand store.

This entertainment mall, under the name of Shengsiyu, integrated various luxury goods. Located in the most prosperous area of the northern city, those who could afford to spend here were either socialites from wealthy families or celebrity tycoons.

In the store, Bai Zhou unexpectedly bumped into another artist who was wearing the same outfit as him.

It was none other than Su Yan, his arch-rival who had snatched several roles from him.

Lin Xi murmured in a low voice: “Damn, the limited edition can be matched? Are you trying to match a shirt or a ghost?”

“What’s there to be afraid of? I’m not embarrassed anyway.” Bai Zhou casually walked to the winter new arrivals section.

Clashing outfits weren’t scary; whoever looked worse would be embarrassed. Lin Xi, using his top-notch aesthetic judgment in the fashion world, was convinced that Bai Zhou had completely outshone Su Yan this time in the outfit clash.

Just based on Bai Zhou’s fair skin, beautiful appearance, and long legs, he could outshine Su Yan by several blocks.

“Bai Zhou? It’s really you. I thought I was seeing things just now. What are you doing here?”

What was he doing? Of course, he was here to buy clothes. With a tone that looked down on people, did Su Yan really think Bai Zhou couldn’t tell?

Bai Zhou expressionlessly glanced up and down at Su Yan, wearing a hat and sunglasses, unable to hide the scent of hostility all over him.

“Just taking a stroll.” Bai Zhou replied casually, not bothering to talk to Su Yan.

Su Yan had seen Bai Zhou’s back on the second floor just now. The Chanel winter coat on Bai Zhou’s body perfectly highlighted his tall figure, giving off a sense of high-level customization.

He felt embarrassed and angry at that time, so he decided to come to the third floor to avoid Bai Zhou. Unexpectedly, he ran into Bai Zhou again as soon as he entered the store.

Bai Zhou and Su Yan were artists signed to Jiaxin Media around the same time. They also belonged to the same category in appearance, with a mix of innocence and a hint of charm.

Su Yan projected an image of a pure little puppy in the entertainment industry, but in reality, he was a scheming opportunist who used various means to snatch away several resources from Bai Zhou.

He often indulged fans in spreading negative comments about Bai Zhou. Any place associated with Su Yan would inevitably have comments stating that Bai Zhou’s acting skills were not as good as Su Yan’s.

Despite his celebrity position, Bai Zhou refused to leave before Su Yan.

Su Yan believes Bai Zhou, a minor celebrity, went here for a photoshoot, especially since everything here costs five digits or more.

So when he saw Bai Zhou stopped in front of a new sweater, he said arrogantly, “Wrap up that sweater for me; I’m buying it.”

The new arrivals section showcased items from this year’s winter fashion show, most of which were unique pieces. Su Yan was clearly provoking Bai Zhou.

Want to show off? Sorry, today is not your lucky day. You’ve encountered a celebrity with higher visibility than you.

Su Yan’s mocking eyes even made the salesperson sense a hint of gunpowder.

However, seeing this casually dressed man ordering confidently, the salesperson dared not neglect him and directly took the clothes away from Bai Zhou’s sight.

Bai Zhou lowered his head and sneered. He acted differently just after he won the Newcomer Award. He was already showing off.

Su Yan was currently in a rising period of his career, and his net worth hasn’t reached the point where he can casually buy a high-end luxury item without blinking.

Therefore, Bai Zhou watched in silence as Su Yan handed over the money.

Meanwhile, Lin Xi remained calm, observing how Bai Zhou would fight back

After all, Bai Zhou has never lost in such situations.

“I don’t like that sweater among these new arrivals. Miss, I’ll take all the remaining clothes,” Bai Zhou smiled faintly at the salesperson.

Without even glancing at the several high-end luxury items in the new arrivals section, Bai Zhou directly had them all packaged.

What does it mean to order a luxury product? Bai Zhou demonstrated it live.

At this moment, Su Yan, who only bought one sweater, looked a little embarrassed.

The key was that this sweater really didn’t suit young freshmen with innocent looks like them. It looks old-fashioned when worn. Su Yan wanted to return it, but felt embarrassed to do so. However, he was also reluctant to just take it away.

“Bai Zhou, are you okay? Why do you buy so many clothes for someone who doesn’t even have to attend a commercial event?” Su Yan walked up to Bai Zhou and asked, “Besides, you don’t have a single endorsement, can you afford it?”

Despite Bai Zhou wearing high-end luxury every day, in the eyes of others, he was a nobody with no background, no visibility, and no capital. Even his agent thought that Bai Zhou’s clothes were all high-quality imitations. The reason they looked even more genuine than real items was that Bai Zhou naturally exuded an air of sophistication.

Su Yan insisted on provoking Bai Zhou today because he thought the coat Bai Zhou was wearing was obviously fake, yet Bai Zhou managed to outshine him. He certainly felt uncomfortable.

But now, Su Yan seemed to be enjoying watching the show. He wanted to see how Bai Zhou would manage to purchase these genuine items.

Even the nearby salesperson was taken aback. These clothes were all limited editions. Why did this gentleman seem to be buying them as if he were at a vegetable market?

It wasn’t until Bai Zhou took out his VIP card and the salesperson, looking shocked, checked the information on the computer displaying Sheng Si Yu’s details that they respectfully returned the card to Bai Zhou.

“Sir, do you want the clothes to be delivered to the address on the card after they are wrapped?”

“Yes.” Bai Zhou nodded and turned around to speak to Su Yan with an infuriating tone, “This sweater suits you quite well. Congratulations, you’ve got the clothes you desired.”

Su Yan stiffened there, and even though one couldn’t see his expression, it was certain that it wasn’t a pleasant one.

Fortunately, he was fully dressed, and no one could recognize who this person was who was embarrassing himself in front of Bai Zhou.

Just as Su Yan was about to leave discreetly, Lin Xi decided to add salt to the wound.

“Su Yan! You’re Su Yan, right?!” Lin Xi grabbed Su Yan’s arm, raising his voice enough for everyone in the vicinity to hear.

“I loved your movie “First Love” so much. The male second lead in it was fantastic!”

Su Yan: “…?”

“Pfft…”

Unable to hold back, Bai Zhou laughed.

Su Yan didn’t even participate in that movie.

Lin Xi, you are such a fake fan, Bai Zhou gave a meaningful look, but the compliment was spot on.

“You’ve got the wrong person!” Su Yan hurriedly covered his duckbill hat, pushed Lin Xi away, and fled in a panic.

*

“Lin Xi, it has to be you with such clever banter. You not only embarrassed Su Yan on the spot but also didn’t give any publicity to his movie. This is a high-end strategy of using magic to defeat magic.”

“Hahaha!”

Lin Xi’s devilish laughter came from the VIP box of a high-end nightclub.

Su Yan’s little episode in the afternoon did not affect Bai Zhou’s and Lin Xi’s midnight activity at all.

Lin Xi had an androgynous appearance, while Bai Zhou had a cool and restrained look. Sitting together, they didn’t give off a couple vibe but rather a sense of mutual appreciation like two sea kings fishing.

“If you hadn’t controlled the situation upfront, to be honest, if your acting skills were used in filming, Su Yan wouldn’t stand a chance of winning any awards.”

Lost in his own words of being a “high-end strategy,” Lin Xi casually hooked Bai Zhou’s arm.

Bai Zhou playfully pushed Lin Xi, “So, you need to be careful. I don’t want to expose any scandals of being kept by a rich guy after winning the Best Actor award.”

Rolling his eyes, Lin Xi said, “Even teasing you for being chubby, you’re out of breath.”

However, Lin Xi retracted his hand obediently. He was not afraid of creating black material for Bai Zhou, but mainly because he was afraid of Sheng Siyu.

In the capital circle, who doesn’t know that the vice president of Shengshi Group had a capricious and naturally cold and arrogant temperament?

Not to mention Sheng Si Yu financially supporting Bai Zhou, just letting Sheng Si Yu know that he takes Bai Zhou clubbing and drinking every day would probably be enough to give him a headache.

Beicheng was a first-tier big city in China. The bustling nights here were intoxicating and confusing.

Bai Zhou and Lin Xi were having fun until two o’clock in the morning before reluctantly calling it a night.

At the Dragon Bay Villa, the chauffeur drove Bai Zhou’s car into the courtyard of Mansion No. 3, a collection of three Western-style houses.

Bai Zhou stepped out of the car.

Tonight, both he and Lin Xi had quite a bit to drink. Lin Xi was too intoxicated to get out of the car, so Bai Zhou had to bring him to his home.

Bai Zhou took out a stack of money and handed it to the chauffeur, “Thank you for your hard work. Please help me carry him inside.”

As his vision was a bit blurry, he asked another question, “Is this enough?”

“More than enough!” The chauffeur nodded vigorously.

This single trip today would cover his expenses for a month. It seemed that everyone living in the Dragon Bay Villa was wealthy.

The four-seater sports car he chauffeured was limited to only a hundred units worldwide, with an extremely wide and imposing body.

Moreover, as he entered the gate, he noticed a Maybach business car parked at the entrance.

Rich! So damn rich!

A Maybach for business, and a sports car for clubbing.

Lin Xi was around the same height as Bai Zhou, but Bai Zhou couldn’t hold him steady on his own. Thankfully, there was a chauffeur. Bai Zhou held Lin Xi’s arm on the left while the chauffeur supported him on the right.

The three of them walked into the entrance hall like this.

Bai Zhou said to Lin Xi, “I’m very sober right now, not drunk at all. After all these years, you should know my alcohol tolerance…”

Lin Xi mumbled vaguely, “I know, you can handle a thousand cups without getting drunk. That’s you.”

“Okay.” Bai Zhou nodded seriously, displaying the confidence of a child who had received approval from others.

The chauffeur on the side had no expression on his face, but in his mind, his impression of Bai Zhou had completely changed.

It turns out the two are good friends.

He was scared to death. He thought that these days, the second generation of rich people like to take such cute boys home for the night.

As they entered the living room, Bai Zhou’s confident demeanor suddenly disappeared because he vaguely saw a stranger sitting on the sofa.

“Xixi, I seem to have drunk too much. I saw a man on the sofa.”

Lin Xi looked up and said, “Huh? I saw him too!”

Seated on the sofa, Sheng Siyu raised an eyebrow.

What’s wrong? Was he a ghost? Was it so unbelievable to see him?

Bai Zhou squinted his eyes and frowned, staring at the man opposite him like a thief.

Who was this guy? How did he get in?

Was this considered trespassing? Shouldn’t they call the police?

However, this was the first time he saw a thief wearing a suit and tie. Was the thief world so exclusive these days?

Just when Bai Zhou took out his mobile phone and was about to call the police, he heard Lin Xi say, “This person looks so familiar…”

Bai Zhou’s brain was short-circuiting, and he couldn’t even think briefly about why there would be someone Lin Xi found familiar in his house.

He blurted out: “Who is he? Your friend?”

Lin Xi: “He seems to be your husband…”

Bai Zhou: “…?”

Chauffeur: “…?”

The information was too overwhelming, and their CPUs were burning.