Accepting the Favor

Although Ying Qi protects Ying Huai very much, Ying Father has always held prejudice against Ying Huai.

The Ying Family is a scholarly household. Ying Father has been conservative all his life and disagreed with Ying Huai entering the entertainment industry from the very beginning. Since Ying Huai's sudden rise to fame, he cut off contact and forbade anyone in the Ying Family from helping him.

Ying Huai appears completely free-spirited on the surface, but he's actually incredibly stubborn to the bone.

Recently, Ying Father has been furious over Ying Huai's affairs. Ying Qi could only secretly protect his didi while doing his best to smooth things over.

At this moment, Ying Father called again. After repeatedly confirming that Ying Huai would be fine on his own, Ying Qi could only leave reluctantly.

But the moment he left, Lu Jing looked at Ying Huai, and his face suddenly darkened.

'You've slept with my father, haven't you, Ying Huai,' Lu Jing looked at Ying Huai, gritting his teeth as he spoke in a low voice, 'that's how you two know each other.'

Ying Huai looked at him with an unreadable expression and said nothing.

Lu Jing's chest tightened with anger. For a moment, he couldn't tell exactly what he was angry about.

Even though he'd long known everything Ying Huai had done, when he actually encountered it, he still couldn't suppress the rage inside him.

—He could only temporarily attribute these emotions to defending his father.

'Ying Huai, I really did misjudge you.' Lu Jing gritted his teeth. 'You're truly even more shameless than I imagined.'

'How many other people have you done this with? Everyone you thought you could profit from? You jumped from your Former Management Company to the Lu Group through my father too, didn't you? Ying Huai, you—'

Before Lu Jing could finish, he suddenly heard the person in front of him let out a soft laugh.

'Shixiong really thinks highly of me.'

'Has Shixiong ever considered how, as an unknown who hadn't debuted yet, I could have taken the initiative to make contact with the head of the Lu Group?'

'Shixiong might as well think it through carefully,' Ying Huai looked at Lu Jing, the corners of his lips curving slightly, 'who exactly is the shameless one.'

Lu Jing froze for a moment. He suddenly reached out to grab Ying Huai's collar: 'What do you mean?'

The next moment, some images suddenly flashed through his mind, followed by a chaotic stream of memories surfacing.

He watched in his memory as Liang Shining stood in front of his desk and flung a stack of documents at him.

'This is all the 'resources' the Lu Group, as a management company, has given Ying Huai over the years.' Liang Shining spoke indifferently, 'as well as all the 'unequal contracts.''

'To help you, Ying Huai signed all kinds of unequal contracts with the Lu Group. In the end, when he was blacklisted across the internet, he couldn't even obtain evidence to prove his own innocence.'

Lu Jing's whole body trembled uncontrollably. He listened as Liang Shining in his memory spoke word by word: 'This is all the good work done by your father and your Lu Group, Lu Jing.'

'And it's what you owe Ying Huai.'

An undeniable agony surged through him via this inexplicable memory, and Lu Jing's movement was forced to a halt.

In that very instant, Ying Huai casually stepped back, just barely avoiding Lu Jing's fingers.

He curved his eyes at Lu Jing and turned to walk straight inside.

Behind him, Lu Jing stood in place with an ashen face.

He wanted to ignore the inexplicable memories in his mind, but the regret and despair contained within them made them impossible to dismiss.

Lu Jing stared fixedly at the door of Lu Fu's Office, then suddenly reached out and, ignoring the secretary beside him trying to stop him, strode inside.

·

Inside Lu Fu's Office, Ying Huai closed the door and slowly came to a stop.

He didn't go any further inside, but simply stood at the door and gave Lu Father a slight nod: 'Uncle Lu, it's been a long time.'

Lu Father sat behind the desk, and after a long moment, slowly spoke: 'Xiao Huai, you don't need to be so polite.'

Ying Huai raised his head with a half-smile: 'What do you mean, Uncle Lu? It's better to be polite.'

Lu Father's face darkened.

He looked at Ying Huai and suddenly let out a cold laugh: 'You came to find me today to turn down that Variety Show, didn't you?'

Ying Huai curved his eyes in a smile and said nothing.

Lu Father thought he had guessed the truth and relaxed again. He slowly leaned back in his chair: 'This Variety Show was indeed put together in a rush. It's understandable that you don't want to go. There's room for discussion.'

Ying Huai still didn't answer directly, but curved his eyes in a smile: 'What are Uncle Lu's conditions?'

'Very simple, same as last time,' Lu Father also laughed with an unreadable expression, 'you come to my room tonight.'

Lu Father didn't specify what 'last time' was, but he was pleased to see that, as his words fell, the person in front of him slowly raised his head.

A trace of smugness appeared on Lu Father's face, but the next second, he watched Ying Huai suddenly laugh: 'Does Shixiong know that Uncle Lu is actually this kind of person?'

Lu Father froze for a moment, his face instantly darkening: 'What do you mean?'

'Using one's own power to casually threaten the company's artists,' Ying Huai spoke slowly, 'to satisfy one's own selfish desires.'

Lu Father laughed: 'Are you threatening me, Xiao Huai?'

'Even so, what of it? If you speak out, who would believe you?' Lu Father's fingers tapped lightly on the desk.

'I only need to lift a finger to flip public opinion, to make everyone think you're the one who tried to cling to power and failed, then turned the tables...'

Lu Father waited for Ying Huai to retort, but instead the person in front of him nodded seriously: 'You're right.'

Lu Father choked on his words.

He stared at Ying Huai suspiciously for a few seconds, then suddenly let out a cold laugh: 'Xiao Huai wouldn't have a recorder hidden on him, would he?'

'Lu Jing is my son. Of course, whatever I say, he'll believe it.' Lu Father spoke mockingly.

'As long as he still wants the Lu Family Heir Announcement position, he won't dare defy me in any way.'

He waited for Ying Huai to show a panicked expression, but instead Ying Huai nodded and spoke seriously: 'Uncle Lu is right.'

'But I don't think this matter needs to be as troublesome as a recorder.'

Lu Father frowned in confusion, turned his face, and gave the secretary beside him a look.

The secretary immediately understood, strode forward, and reached out to strip Ying Huai's clothes.

Lu Father slowly leaned back in his chair: 'Stop wasting words here, Ying Huai. Hand over the recorder, sleep with me obediently for one night, and I'll immediately tell your manager to cancel this Variety Show—'

But before he could finish, the next second, a gust of force came from beside him, followed by his secretary suddenly crying out in pain and terror.

Lu Father raised his head, his expression stunned.

Lu Jing stood in front of Ying Huai, his face ashen.

Lu Father suddenly stood up: 'Xiao Jing?'

Lu Jing paused, slowly raised his head, and gave Lu Father a slight bow: 'Father.'

Lu Father's pride was somewhat wounded.

Although he'd said those things earlier, now that it was brought out into the open, it was inevitably a bit awkward.

He didn't know how much Lu Jing had heard, and the mortified fury in his heart could no longer be contained. He gritted his teeth: 'Who told you to come in? Get out—'

'Father, I have some business with Ying Huai.' Lu Jing suddenly spoke.

This was the first time Lu Jing had so bluntly interrupted him since returning to the Lu Group.

Lu Father didn't react for a moment. After a few seconds, he suddenly spoke: 'Even so, it's not your turn to speak now, you—'

'It's an urgent PR matter concerning the company's reputation,' Lu Jing continued, neither servile nor overbearing. He raised his head: 'Didn't Father teach me that everything must prioritize the company?'

He lowered his head, but his tone remained steady: 'Circumstances demand flexibility. Please forgive me, Father.'

Lu Father was nearly apoplectic with rage.

—But for the first time, he also felt defiance and pressure from this illegitimate son he had never valued.

Lu Father always felt there was something different about the way Lu Jing looked at him now.

He felt inexplicably panicked in his heart. He took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice: 'Everything does indeed need to prioritize the company—you go out first, I'll finish the last bit of business with Ying Huai.'

Lu Jing said nothing more. He looked at Lu Father deeply, then turned and slowly walked out.

The office fell silent for a moment. Lu Father's face was dark.

'This is the second time you've refused me, Ying Huai.' Lu Father spoke coldly. 'What a pity. I really did originally want to help you turn down that Variety Show.'

He stared at Ying Huai and suddenly laughed: 'Speaking of which, you're really good to Xiao Jing.'

'Before, you were obstinate in helping him return to the Lu Group. Now, for his sake, you've completely torn off the mask with me.' Lu Father laughed coldly. 'Do you really think Xiao Jing will appreciate what you've done?'

The moment his words fell, he suddenly saw Ying Huai laugh: 'Who said it was for him?'

Lu Father was stunned, but before he could react, he heard Ying Huai slowly speak again: 'But he will appreciate it.'

—He wanted to make Lu Jing willingly lose everything he cherished.

·

Outside Lu Fu's Office, the moment Ying Huai turned around, a sudden great force gripped his wrist.

'You agreed to him, Ying Huai?' Lu Jing gritted his teeth.

Ying Huai's expression carried a trace of weariness. He couldn't be bothered to deal with Lu Jing anymore, and casually curved his lips: 'Before Shixiong asks me, you've already decided on an answer, haven't you?'

Lu Jing's face was ashen.

The newly surfaced memory in his mind kept flashing back.

Lu Jing wanted to ask Ying Huai clearly, but seeing Ying Huai's guarded expression, he couldn't bring himself to speak.

He stared at Ying Huai and suddenly spoke: 'Don't you not want to go on that Variety Show?'

'Don't agree to my father. I can help you.'

Ying Huai froze for a moment and raised his head somewhat in surprise.