AD Chapter 6
The LCD TV in the living room was playing entertainment news.
"Recently, the rising star Chu Zichen, who debuted through a talent show, has been frequently appearing in major media. Not only did he hold his own concert, but it’s rumored that he’s also been approached by a big production crew, possibly making his way into the acting industry. Chu Zichen has captured the hearts of fans with his extraordinary looks and impressive singing and dancing skills. He can be described as a rising star in the entertainment world."
"A rising star, huh..."
Su Ning, curled up on the sofa with a cushion in his hands, sighed after hearing the reporter’s commentary. The entertainment news quickly passed, switching to updates about other celebrities. Su Ning wasn’t particularly interested in the entertainment industry, but since he had worked as an assistant for a few celebrities in the past and occasionally interacted with some of them for work, he sometimes kept an eye on the news.
Shifting his position to make himself more comfortable, Su Ning started scrolling through Weibo on his phone.
Almost immediately, the news about Chu Zichen flooded his feed. He had held another sold-out concert today, and tomorrow he was spotted attending a commercial event looking absolutely stunning. His rise to fame was nothing short of meteoric, like a rocket.
Of course, with fame came controversy. Among all the buzz, the most talked-about topic was his debut. Chu Zichen came from a talent show and won first place, instantly gaining abundant resources. Some people questioned his true abilities, claiming there were behind-the-scenes manipulations and shady dealings in the program. They argued that if it were purely based on talent, he wouldn’t have even made it into the top three.
These netizens even presented evidence, arguing that no newcomer could receive such a disproportionate amount of resources right after debuting. Chu Zichen came from an ordinary family, and while his agency was supporting him, it still didn’t explain why so many people in the industry were giving him so much face.
A lot of people speculated about shady transactions behind the scenes. Every speculation was accompanied by written analysis and photos, and Su Ning couldn’t help but laugh, though he also felt his lips twitching at the absurdity.
The internet truly had its own way of making a fuss. While many of the guesses were ridiculous, some of them did seem to touch on the truth.
—The truth was that Chu Zichen was being kept by Gu Lingfeng, and he was now Gu Lingfeng’s latest lover.
The talent show was organized by a subsidiary of Gu Lingfeng’s company. Chu Zichen, young and incredibly good-looking, with delicate features and a rare charm seen in few men, was an obvious standout among the contestants. He also had impressive flexibility, making his dance moves flawless, and high-difficulty choreography was no challenge for him.
He was young, adorable, and had someone like Gu Lingfeng backing him—entering the entertainment industry was a cakewalk for him, wasn’t it?
Not like Su Ning, who worked tirelessly, 24/7, always on call, doing everything from caretaking to handling his employer’s messy personal affairs.
It was hard not to compare, and once the comparison was made, it was infuriating.
Maybe that’s the way life goes, some people are born into the right circumstances, while others aren’t?
Su Ning smiled bitterly to himself, put the phone aside, and pushed aside the slight pang of frustration. After working by Gu Lingfeng’s side for years, Su Ning knew very well what his role was. He understood his position perfectly: he was an assistant, there to manage his employer's life. He would do his job and take his salary. Anything beyond that, he never thought about.
Luckily, Gu Lingfeng was always generous when it came to employee treatment.
Su Ning reached beneath the cushion and grabbed the remote control, intending to change the channel. Just then, an arm stretched out from behind him and snatched the remote from his hand.
Su Ning jumped in surprise, turning around to find that Gu Lingfeng, who had just taken a shower, was standing behind him. He hadn’t even noticed when he had arrived.
"President Gu." Su Ning called out, quickly pushing all his thoughts aside. Those complicated, hidden feelings only ever surfaced when he was alone. When facing Gu Lingfeng, he always maintained the role of the efficient, ever-ready assistant.
Gu Lingfeng casually tossed the remote control aside and sat next to Su Ning. He was wearing a bathrobe, with damp skin glistening with moisture and his hair still wet. Su Ning, ever the attentive assistant, immediately fetched a dry towel, knelt on the sofa behind Gu Lingfeng, and began drying his hair.
Neither of them were particularly talkative. Su Ning silently dried Gu Lingfeng’s hair, his touch light and gentle to avoid causing any discomfort. The only sound in the room was the TV playing in the background.
If it were anyone else, this kind of interaction might feel awkward. But Su Ning had been with Gu Lingfeng for years and understood exactly what kind of person he was.
This man was decisive and ruthless in his work and maintained the same strict control in his personal life. He didn’t like excessive flattery or sycophancy; he liked absolute control. When it was time to talk, you spoke. When it was time to be silent, you better stay completely quiet.
When Su Ning had nearly finished drying his hair, Gu Lingfeng suddenly spoke, "I won’t be coming back here after work tomorrow. You don’t need to follow me to the office."
Su Ning was momentarily taken aback, but he quickly responded, "Okay."
As he continued drying Gu Lingfeng’s hair, Su Ning couldn’t help but think. It seemed like Gu Lingfeng was going to start staying out overnight again. It hadn’t been long since he ended things with his previous lover, and now he was probably going to be with Chu Zichen. Su Ning had been through this countless times over the years. Gu Lingfeng liked to have lovers, and he wasn’t shy about switching them out quickly. He never brought them home—he usually arranged for them to stay in one of his many properties.
If a lover performed well and was obedient enough, they might even receive a house when it was time to break up.
In the past few years, Su Ning had personally handled the transfer of properties so many times that he had lost count.
Lost in his thoughts, Su Ning unconsciously slowed his movements. Gu Lingfeng suddenly grabbed Su Ning’s hand and turned to look at him. "What are you thinking about?"
Su Ning snapped out of it and smiled at Gu Lingfeng. "Nothing. The hair’s dry. Do you want me to use the blow dryer?"
As he spoke, he casually ran his fingers through Gu Lingfeng’s hair.
The man’s hair was thick and coarse, matching his strong-willed character. After being dried with the towel, it looked a bit messy, lacking any real style.
"No need." Gu Lingfeng swatted Su Ning’s hand away and stared at his face for a moment. In a low voice, he said, "Go to bed."
After speaking, Gu Lingfeng stood up and headed toward the bedroom. He walked a couple of steps, then turned around and glanced at Su Ning. Seeing that Su Ning was still kneeling on the sofa, unmoving, his brows furrowed slightly. Su Ning quickly snapped to attention and jumped off the sofa to follow him.
The TV in the living room remained on, playing entertainment news. The floor lamp was still lit, casting a warm, yellow glow across the room.
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