Power and Wealth

Outside the Private Room

The atmosphere was a bit tense.

Mr. Zhou looked at her and said to Chen Ying, "Today, we're counting on you. I wouldn't have asked if we had any other options. Xiao Yan and Xiao Lu came earlier, but he didn't even look at them. I don't know if it's because his standards are too high or... Yingying, you—"

"No need to say more, Brother Zhou," Chen Ying said calmly. "I know what to do."

Mr. Zhou, feeling a bit guilty, promised, "If things work out, rest assured, the company will definitely—"

Chen Ying shook her head. "You've always taken good care of me. You've always prioritized me in auditions, even going against the directors' objections. You've never mentioned these things, but I've always been aware of them. There's no need to make any promises. You've already done a lot for me."

Mr. Zhou gritted his teeth, "I'm counting on you."

"What's his name?" Chen Ying asked.

"His surname is Dong, but I didn't catch his full name," Mr. Zhou replied.

Mr. Zhou hesitated momentarily, "Don't blame me, Yingying. I—"

Chen Ying said quietly, "I should thank you, not blame you. I'm always grateful for what you've done for me."

Mr. Zhou sighed in relief, "Are you ready?"

"Yes, let's go in," Chen Ying straightened her coat.

Hearing this, Mr. Zhou opened the door for her, and they entered the private room together. As soon as the door opened, Chen Ying's previously expressionless face transformed into a gentle smile. She looked poised and graceful, demonstrating the quick adaptability of an actress.

"Oh?"

"Xiao Chen!"

"Yingying's here too."

The company executives noticed her arrival and were somewhat surprised. They knew Mr. Zhou had always valued Chen Ying and treated her with special care, almost like a daughter, because she resembled his late daughter. Except for the young secretary, who knew the situation, the other executives didn't expect Mr. Zhou to bring Chen Ying. This showed that he was desperate and willing to take a big risk. It was clear that he was at his wit's end. Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked Chen Ying to drink with them, possibly even more.

"Is that..."

"Chen Ying?"

"It must be her."

"Wow, it is Chen Ying."

Aside from one old policeman, the younger officers were excited to see a celebrity. The small-time actresses they had seen earlier were familiar but not well-known. However, they all recognized Chen Ying, indicating her high fame. She wasn't a top-tier star, but she was well-known.

Deputy Director Chang also seemed impressed, probably having seen Chen Ying's performances.

Dong Xuebing heard the commotion and looked up, recognizing her without giving it much thought.

Chen Ying had already figured out who the primary guest was today. Her gaze shifted to Dong Xuebing, and she hesitated momentarily, her expression showing a mix of curiosity and suspicion. Then she greeted, "Hello, everyone."

Mr. Zhou smiled and said, "Come, sit next to Mr. Dong. Mr. Dong hasn't eaten anything since he arrived. You should take good care of him."

Chen Ying smiled, "Okay."

She walked over and sat next to Dong Xuebing.

Dong Xuebing didn't refuse this time because although she wasn't exceptionally beautiful, he found her quite pleasant to look at.

She looked so familiar.

What movies had she acted in?

Dong Xuebing thought about it for a long time but couldn't remember.

"Mr. Dong, your glass is empty. Let me pour you some wine," Chen Ying said with a smile, picking up the wine bottle and filling Dong Xuebing's glass. "I toast to you."

Dong Xuebing waved his hand, "I'm driving, so I can't drink."

"Then please have some food." Chen Ying picked up some food with her chopsticks and placed it in Dong Xuebing's bowl.

Dong Xuebing still didn't give in, "No need, I'll serve myself."

Chen Ying smiled slightly. "I just got here. You're not drinking the wine, and now you don't want to eat the food I serve? You're putting me on the spot."

Hearing this, Dong Xuebing reluctantly took a bite, "Alright."

"Thank you for being so considerate, Mr. Dong," Chen Ying continued serving him food and started making small talk with Dong Xuebing.

Dong Xuebing responded with a few words.

Seeing Dong Xuebing's attitude softened, Mr. Zhou was pleased, knowing there was hope. At least Dong Xuebing seemed to like Chen Ying, which was a good sign. So, Mr. Zhou and the other executives started discussing topics around Chen Ying, like the TV shows and movies she had acted in and the roles she had played, hoping to use Chen Ying as a way to break the ice.

Movies.

TV shows.

But after listening for a while, Dong Xuebing was puzzled. They mentioned all of Chen Ying's works, but he hadn't seen them. This was why he was so confused. He didn't follow entertainment news, so why did Chen Ying look so familiar?

Dong Xuebing looked at her and asked, "Have we met before?"

Mr. Zhou and the others broke into a sweat. What kind of old-fashioned pick-up line was that?

Surprisingly, Chen Ying blinked, "I was just thinking the same thing. You look very familiar to me, too."

"Me too," Dong Xuebing thought hard.

Suddenly, Chen Ying's expression froze, "Are you Dong... Dong Xuebing?"

Dong Xuebing blinked, "Yes, and you are?"

"I'm Chen Ying," she quickly replied. "We sat next to each other in elementary school."

Dong Xuebing slapped his forehead in realization, "It's you! Chen Ying, I remember now! What a coincidence!"

Mr. Zhou and the others were dumbfounded. Do they really know each other?

"Chen Ying, you became a star?" Dong Xuebing was extremely surprised.

Chen Ying smiled, "So, I've been in so many shows and movies, and you haven't seen any of them?"

Dong Xuebing smiled awkwardly, "I don't usually watch TV or movies, and then I don't have much time with work. I didn't expect this."

Chen Ying said, "You didn't expect someone as plain-looking as me to become an actress?"

"No, no, not at all," Dong Xuebing said. "You're being too modest. Just standing there with your aura would outshine anyone. Besides, you were one of the prettiest in our class in elementary school."

Chen Ying laughed, "That's because there weren't many girls in our class."

No wonder she looked familiar. They were classmates for six years. It would be strange if she didn't look familiar. Chen Ying was quite a beauty back in elementary school. Normally, Dong Xuebing shouldn't have had a hard time remembering her, but it's been over ten years, and people have changed a lot. That's why Dong Xuebing didn't recognize her right away. On the other hand, Chen Ying still remembered him, her former classmate who sat behind her, which surprised Dong Xuebing. Most people, especially those with poor memories, wouldn't have remembered him. During school, he kept a low profile—not by choice, but because he didn't do well academically, wasn't particularly good-looking, had a poor family background, and was quiet. Even if he wanted to stand out, he couldn't. Who would remember him?

Dong Xuebing asked, "How did you recognize me?"

Chen Ying smiled, "When I came in, you looked familiar. You have two moles near your eye; your last name is Dong. I remembered right away."

Dong Xuebing sighed, "It's impressive that you remembered."

"But you forgot about me," Chen Ying said, showing a hint of displeasure.

"No, I didn't. It's just that you've changed so much. You're much more beautiful now. I didn't dare to recognize you," Dong Xuebing said. He didn't mention that Chen Ying's name was common, so he didn't make the connection.

"How have you been recently?" Dong Xuebing asked.

"Same old. After graduating from college, I started acting. What about you?"

Dong Xuebing replied, "I joined a government office right after graduation."

Chen Ying remarked, "A government job is great. It's much better than what we do."

Dong Xuebing waved his hand, "No, we just work behind the scenes to serve the people. We can't compare to you celebrities."

"You're just being modest," Chen Ying laughed.

Dong Xuebing said, "Honestly if I had your looks, I would've tried to become a star too. Unfortunately, I'm not good-looking."

Chen Ying looked him up and down, "You're not bad. You've gotten more handsome."

The two of them started chatting, and it seemed like they had much to catch up on.

Seeing this, Mr. Zhou was the happiest in the room. He didn't expect such a coincidence—that Chen Ying and Dong Xuebing were elementary school classmates. This would make things easier. Classmate relationships are often the most genuine; with this connection, it would be easier to resolve the matter.

Mr. Zhou immediately said, "Chen Ying, Mr. Dong, was your classmate?"

Chen Ying nodded, "Yes, we sat next to each other for two years." She understood Mr. Zhou's intentions and used her words to close the gap between her and Dong Xuebing and, indirectly, between Dong Xuebing and Mr. Zhou. "Xuebing even copied my homework once, but we got caught by the teacher and had to stand for a whole class. Thinking back, it was quite amusing."

Dong Xuebing said awkwardly, "Oh, don't mention it. I felt bad about that. But didn't I bring you lunch for a whole week to make up for it?" He smiled warmly, recalling the incident. In elementary school, students had to bring their lunches because the school's food was terrible and expensive. Dong Xuebing used this opportunity to apologize to Chen Ying after getting her in trouble.

Chen Ying laughed, "I remember the food was quite good. Later, I wanted more, but you stopped bringing it."

Dong Xuebing coughed, "That was all my mom's cooking."

Memories came flooding back.

The youth had long passed.

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