Land Of Settlement

Yao Miaomiao’s concerns were not without a reason. Xia Qi was a new and irreplaceable rookie who had landed such an important role. It’s inevitable that others would feel envious of him. Even though Xia Qi has only been on the set for a day, he has already faced a fair amount of open and hidden ridicule. Fortunately, he had a broad mind and had experienced being sidelined before, so he remained calm. Others see him as lukewarm and did not bother saying much. On the other hand, Lu An Qi called that evening to inquire about the situation. Xia Qi couldn’t help but laugh, “It’s just some small jokes, nothing serious.”

Lu An Qi is Lu Xuan’s half-sister and also the CEO of Shengshi Media where Xia Qi is currently working at. The fact that she called to show concern for Xia Qi can be considered wholehearted. Xia Qi felt grateful and replied, “There really isn’t a problem. I can handle it. These kinds of things… they happen.”

Lu An Qi, having been in the industry for many years, understood him. After comforting Xia Qi with a few words, she ended the call.

Feeling grateful, Xia Qi then put away his phone and was about to return to his room when it rang again. Xia Qi picked it up and was startled to see that it’s Lu Xuan.

Lu Xuan rarely called Xia Qi directly, and even when they arranged to meet, it was usually through his assistant. Xia Qi also cannot initiate contact with Lu Xuan. When something major happened, he could only contact Lu Xuan’s assistant first. Therefore, direct conversations like this are extremely rare, and Xia Qi still felt somewhat uncomfortable, but he still answers the call promptly, “President Lu?”

“It’s me.”

Whether it was because Xia Qi rarely received calls from Lu Xuan or because Lu Xuan’s voice was too pleasant to listen to, as hearing the two words that came from him made Xia Qi blushed uncontrollably. Because of that, Xia Qi then acted like a thief, glancing left and right afraid of being noticed by people, and slowly walked towards his room. He then softly asked, “Do you… have something to talk about?”

On the other end, it sounded like Lu Xuan was in his office.  Xia Qi faintly heard the sound of Lu Xuan capping a pen. Lu Xuan then asked him in a low voice, “Who were you chatting with just now?”

It was clear that Lu Xuan had called while Xia Qi was busy. Xia Qi hurriedly explained, “It was Ms. Lu. She asked me about today’s situation.”

Lu Xuan responded with a casual “Oh” and asked, “How was it? Were you getting used to it?”

“Everything’s going well.”

Xia Qi then shared some of his experiences from being on set with him. In fear that Lu Xuan might find it boring, he racked his brain to recall any interesting encounters from that day. After returning to his room, he sat down and dryly said, “That’s… about it.”

However, Lu Xuan remained quiet on the other end of the phone. Xia Qi suspects that Lu Xuan had become bored and resumed looking at his documents. Out of the blue, Lu Xuan continued to inquire, “Was that it? Were you getting along with others well?”

 Xia Qi repeated the same sentence he used with Lu An Qi earlier, filled with enthusiasm, and said, “Rest assured, I will do my best.”

Lu Xuan couldn’t help but laugh. After a moment of silence, he said, “Anything else? Do you miss me?”

Xia Qi knew that Lu Xuan was just teasing, but his heart beated faster nonetheless. He struggled to suppress the urge to smile and whispered, “I do.”

Lu Xuan loved it when Xia Qi was being so honest. He chuckled lightly and said, “I missed you too. I missed how cute you were in the bathroom yesterday.”

Xia Qi’s face immediately turned red. Yesterday, Lu Xuan lifted up one of his legs and placed it on the bathroom counter. Xia Qi then looked at the mirror in the bathroom and saw himself looking like a little dog in heat. Just that posture alone made Xia Qi feel so embarrassed that he almost bursted into tears, not to mention the things Lu Xuan said to him when they were being intimate. Xia Qi, being unable to bear it, walked to the window and opened it, allowing the cold wind to blow on him to calm himself down. Lu Xuan seemed to feel Xia Qi’s embarrassment, and decided to let him go, saying, “Alright, I won’t tease you anymore. I still have work to do. I will come to visit you tomorrow.”

Lu Xuan finished speaking and hung up the phone. Xia Qi suddenly coughed, stared at his phone for a good while,and unable to recover from what he just said, “Lu Xuan… coming to visit me?”

Lu Xuan disliked media attention and never sought to attract attention himself. He despised people around him creating topics involving him. Therefore, when with Lu Xuan, Xia Qi had to maintain extremely low-profile and avoid mentioning their relationship at all. He had to do his best not to let others find out about their connection, even after their “sugar daddy/sugar baby” relationship was over.

Xia Qi still remembered the reminder from Yan Zhuo Yi when he was first taken care of by Lu Xuan. Yan Zhuo Yi told him that he had to be discreet, even during their “sugar daddy/sugar baby” relationship. Speaking of which… his opportunity to be taken care of by Lu Xuan came from an awkward “set visit” from half a year ago.

At that time, Xia Qi was still being neglected by his original company. The company was acquired by a well-known talent agent in the industry, Lu An Qi. However, behind the scenes, the true investor was Lu Xuan.

“Don’t be so nervous. President Lu was actually easy to get along with,” Jiang Jiang comforted Xia Qi with a smile. “Two companies and a studio were going to be merged together during this acquisition, and I cannot even count how many actors were there altogether. Tonight was just going to be a routine meeting, and no one will pay attention to us.”

Although Jiang Jiang said that, Xia Qi’s chest couldn’t help but pound. He tried his best to calm himself down as he smiled gratefully at Jiang Jiang, saying, “Thank you, Brother Jiang. But I heard that President Lu acquired Zhuguang Media mainly for you.”

Unlike Xia Qi, who has been quietly unknown despite being in the industry for over three years, Jiang Jiang has starred in many TV dramas. Last year, he gained popularity by starring in a costume drama adapted from a novel. He was considered one of the star actors of the previous media company, Zhuguang Media, and six months ago, Lu An Qi had already contacted him, so he was well aware of the merging of companies. Jiang Jiang was humble, which he nodded and smiled, saying, “President Lu had the intention to establish her own company after an argument with the old company half a year ago. She was also planning to negotiate with Zhuguang during that time, so it has nothing to do with me. Alright, cheer up. I heard that President Lu’s younger brother, Mr. Lu Xuan, will also be coming. Don’t lose your composure later.”

Jiang Jiang’s words caught Xia Qi’s attention when he mentioned Lu Xuan, and his heartbeat quickened. He took two deep breaths and patted his own face.

“Has Brother Jiang arrived?” Bai Mu Chuan entered the private room with a smile, accompanied by his assistant. He sat beside Jiang Jiang and engaged in a lively conversation. “Brother Jiang, I heard that Lu An Qi used to be a manager?”

Jiang Jiang nodded. “An ace manager. From now on, we should address her as a CEO.”

Bai Mu Chuan nodded and lowered his voice. “I’ve only heard that President Lu has a large social circle, but I didn’t expect her to have such financial strength. She had an argument with the boss and quit, then started her own company. By the way, I heard that the money for acquiring several companies this time came from President Lu’s younger brother? How should I put it… I heard that President Lu and her younger brother have the same father but different mothers…”

“I’m not very clear about that,” Jiang Jiang timely interrupted Bai Mu Chuan and smiled. “President Lu is a good person. She’s very righteous. Our days shouldn’t be difficult in the future.”

Bai Mu Chuan quickly nodded and smiled. “Of course, everyone knows that President Lu was interested in Brother Jiang, which is why she made such efforts to acquire Zhuguang Media. We’ll have to rely on Brother Jiang’s care in the future.”

Jiang Jiang smiled and chose his words carefully. “Those words are just jokes. Of course everyone should take care of each other.” He turned his head to look at Xia Qi and asked, “Were you feeling better?”

Xia Qi quickly nodded and replied, “Much better.” Bai Mu Chuan then looked at Xia Qi and winked, “Xia Qi, you also have to work hard. With a new boss, everything starts anew.”

Bai Mu Chuan had just turned 22 this year, a year younger than Xia Qi, and he entered the industry two years later than him. His way of speaking was somewhat rude, but the fact that he was more popular than Xia Qi was not surprising as Xia Qi had been silent in the company for over three years and had long been used to the flaunting and mocking from the juniors. He did not take it to heart and just smiled with an, “Okay.”

While they were talking, Jiang Jiang’s and Bai Mu Chuan’s assistant, Qin Le, hurriedly entered the room and said, “Was everything ready? Ms. Lu will be here soon.”

Jiang Jiang stood up, and Bai Mu Chuan tidied up his hair using the reflective decorations in the private room. Xia Qi took a deep breath and stood up with everyone else.

The private room was already filled with executives and actors. As the company had just been acquired, many of them had not met Lu An Qi before. Everyone was putting in extra effort to make a good impression for the new CEO. Xia Qi was glad that although he does not have any fame, he had been with the company for a long time. Otherwise, he might not have had a place in the room tonight. It wasn’t just about being seen by Lu An Qi; the key was to avoid being seen by someone else.

“Here they come.”

The room quieted down, and shortly after, Lu An Qi and Lu Xuan entered with their respective assistants. Lu An Qi was 36 years old this year, but due to her well-maintained appearance, she looked no older than 30. Lu An Qi was quite stunning. She was dressed in a well-tailored black suit, which gave off a formal vibe. With her exquisite makeup, she could easily be mistaken for an actor herself. The people in the room were momentarily stunned. Several executives quickly stepped forward to greet her, while a few young actors couldn’t help but whisper and admire her beauty. However, Xia Qi’s gaze remained fixed on Lu Xuan, who was standing behind Lu An Qi.

That man was no different from three years ago.

There were rumors going around that Lu Xuan, who just turned 32 this year, had officially taken over all the industries of the Lu Family Group. He had lost his parents at a young age and only had one half-sister, Lu An Qi. Lu An Qi was an illegitimate child and consciously chose not to be involved in the family business. Instead, she made a name for herself in the entertainment industry. Almost all of the Lu family’s wealth was strictly in Lu Xuan’s hands. He was a man with a wealthy background, was ambitious, and had a handsome appearance. Wherever he went, he stood out like a beacon of light. While Xia Qi was lost in thought, several actors who had encountered Lu Xuan before approached him to strike up a conversation. Xia Qi snapped out of his daze, gathered his focus and waited for his own agent to introduce him.

Lu An Qi was very straightforward and wanted to avoid making the actors feel uncomfortable. After giving them a few speeches, she allowed everyone to relax and enjoy the food and drinks that had been prepared, which were of the highest quality. Those who knew they would not have the chance to engage in conversation with Lu An Qi gathered in small groups, eating and gossiping. Bai Mu Chuan was not one to join in such gatherings, and Qin Le only took Jiang Jiang to talk to Lu An Qi. Feeling annoyed, Bai Mu Chuan walked over to Xia Qi. He furrowed his brow and said, “We were given a few days to prepare ourselves for today’s event, but even if we’re here, we might not get a chance to speak with anyone. What was the point in that?”

Xia Qi lowered his gaze, and replied, “Qin Le said today was mainly for everyone to be familiar with each other, it’s better to have a harmonious atmosphere when working together in the future.”

“Hmph…” Bai Mu Chuan disdainfully curled his lips. “Working together in the same company? How harmonious can it be when we’re competing against each other?”

Xia Qi does not like to comment on others behind their backs, and has been restless the whole time. He did not say anything further and excused himself to go to the restroom, leaving the private room.

Bai Mu Chuan became increasingly annoyed. Unlike Xia Qi, who had a professional background, he came from a talent show. Although he had a higher starting point and became famous overnight, his popularity declined day by day after the hype of the talent show subsided. The previous company Zhuguang Media did not provide him with enough resources to continue his career. If he could not have any work within the next six months, he would truly fade into obscurity, just like Xia Qi. The resources of his former company were limited, and most of the good offers and scripts were given to Jiang Jiang. Now that there was a new CEO, him pretending not to have ambitions would be a lie. Bai Mu Chuan restrained his frustration and tried his best to appear happier. He was young, and when he smiled, he looked sweet and much cuter than usual.

“Sigh…”

Xia Qi rubbed his face in front of the restroom mirror, looked at his reflection and felt somewhat helpless. He could not compete with Jiang Jiang in terms of handsomeness, and could not compare with Bai Mu Chuan in terms of youth and cuteness. Compared to the other bright and popular stars who joined the company through the merging of companies, he paled in comparison. If he had to mention his strengths, it would probably be his diligence. But in this industry, everyone was diligent, so it did not seem like something to boast about. He couldn’t really showcase it either. Xia Qi was a bit worried. To him, it wasn’t just about shining under the new CEO, he just wanted that person to notice him…

“I should wake up earlier tomorrow and spend some time studying,” Xia Qi thought as he looked at himself in the mirror. Although he didn’t have any roles to take on at the moment, it would not hurt to be more prepared in case there was an occasion. He was never stronger than others in the beginning, so he should be working harder than anyone else.

“It just started and you already drank so much?”

Xia Qi was startled by Lu An Qi’s reflection in the mirror and quickly turned around to greet her politely. “President Lu.”

Lu An Qi smiled and pulled out a cigarette. “Do you mind?”

Xia Qi shook his head hastily. Lu An Qi took a puff of her cigarette, and her brows slightly furrowed. “I’ve been a bit tired these past few days, annoyed by the noise. Came out here for some peace and quiet.”

Xia Qi nodded, unsure whether to stay here or find an excuse to leave. He hesitated, and Lu An Qi found it amusing in her heart. If it were someone else, they would have probably taken this opportunity to strike up a conversation. Lu An Qi thought for a moment and asked, “Your name is Xia Qi, right?”

Xia Qi smiled and nodded, “Yes, formerly from Zhuguang Media.”

“Oh, I remember,” a glint flashed in Lu An Qi’s eyes as she smiled, “Bai Mu Chuan, he used to work with you in the same company, right?”

Xia Qi was puzzled and replied with a “Hmm.” Lu An Qi flicked the cigarette ash and said, “Never mind, just asking. How old is he this year?”

Xia Qi answered, “He’s twenty-two.”

Lu An Qi nodded thoughtfully and smiled at Xia Qi, “Alright, don’t worry, I’ll also keep an eye on you.”

Although Lu An Qi was dominant, she was generally easy to get along with, and there was a strange familiarity between her and that person. It made Xia Qi inexplicably feel good, so he smiled earnestly and said, “Thank you, Ms. Lu.”

Lu An Qi chuckled, and Xia Qi turned around and left the private room.Along the way, he ran into Qin Le, who greeted him before hurrying off to find Lu An Qi. Xia Qi had not gone far when he overheard their conversation…

“President Lu, I apologize for earlier…”

“It’s alright. I just wanted to tell you that my younger brother is interested in Bai Mu Chuan… He doesn’t object to that, does he?”

“How would he? Ms. Lu, rest assured, my actors were not the fussy type. It was their good fortune to be noticed by President Lu. Should I tell him now? Tonight…”

“No need. Lu Xuan is busy these days. Let us wait for a couple of days. I happen to have an advertisement on hand that I can arrange for Bai Mu Chuan and not make him feel too aggrieved.”

“You look up to him too much.”

“It was the least I could do.”

In the mirror of the corridor, Xia Qi’s young and handsome face turned slightly pale. He took a deep breath. Indeed, there were some things that couldn’t be achieved through hard work alone.

It was not the first time he heard about Lu Xuan supporting young celebrities. Xia Qi closed his eyes and slowly walked back to the private room.