53: anger

Zheng Ge could feel the malice in his heart overflowing continuously, gradually swallowing his reason.

It was very close to his mindset back then when Zhou Tangsi chose to believe him and belittled Shen Lian to the extreme.

He hadn't controlled it that time, and naturally, it was the same this time.

Wei Fanchen was somewhat disappointed; even when Zhou Tangsi was mentioned, Shen Lian's expression didn't change at all.

Someone flattered Zheng Ge, saying, "As expected of the 'heartthrob' fans talk about, everyone likes you."

Huang Jiacan almost rolled her eyes too.

Those words were just meant to be complimentary, but who would have thought Zheng Ge's tone would suddenly drop as he said with a hint of malice, "Who wants to be liked by someone like Chu Yilan?"

The scene suddenly became quiet.

In their eyes, if Chu Yilan liked Zheng Ge, it was fine for Zheng Ge to complain a bit, but the man was, after all, a big shot who held the industry's resources in his hands; how could it be their turn to criticize him?

Zheng Ge clearly saw Shen Lian's gaze turn cold.

Now, Zheng Ge's mood, which had been gloomy for over a week, finally found an outlet, to the point where his face became slightly distorted.

Shen Lian was with Chu Yilan?

One was someone Zhou Tangsi didn't want, and the other was someone he didn't want; who were they trying to disgust by getting together?

Zheng Ge ranted in his heart, yet in reality, he didn't want to miss a single one of Shen Lian's expressions. That bone-deep sense of rivalry surged up again after many years, but what flooded his heart wasn't resentment, but jealousy.

A jealousy that even Zheng Ge himself was unwilling to admit.

Right then, Shen Lian suddenly spoke: "Chu Yilan, what kind of person?"

His tone was calm, looking no different from usual, but it inexplicably made everyone's heartstrings tighten.

If someone who knew Shen Lian well were present, they would understand that this was the precursor to his anger.

Having received a response, it was as if someone had finally scratched Zheng Ge's itch. He sneered, a predatory darkness in his eyes. "What kind of person? Aren't you clear on that?"

Shen Lian understood; in the romance between Zheng Ge and Zhou Tangsi, there could never be a lack of stepping stones. If the stepping stone moved away, they would go looking for trouble with it.

"When you were dating Zhou Tangsi while having Chu Yilan clean up all your messes, why didn't I see you acting so noble then?" Shen Lian leaned back on the sofa, his gaze turning completely cold, his aura so oppressive it made people struggle to breathe. "Zheng Ge, we both know very well that Chu Yilan has already dumped you. What are you pretending for?"

These words meant a complete falling out.

Zheng Ge hadn't expected Shen Lian to be so blunt, trampling his pride into the ground.

"You date one and string another along, do you really think you're some 'heartthrob'?" Shen Lian continued under Huang Jiacan's horrified gaze, "Zheng Ge, what the hell do you think you are?"

In his bones, Shen Lian was still that top-tier superstar from his previous life who stood at the peak, brimming with pride. If Zheng Ge weren't the protagonist of this world, with such a character, Shen Lian wouldn't even bother to spare him a glance—someone who relied on plot buffs and protagonist halos to trample on others at will.

And Chu Yilan's unspeakable loneliness and timidity were treasures that Shen Lian held in his palms, wanting to repair them bit by bit. Yet now, they were spoken of by Zheng Ge as if they were something to show off, as if Chu Yilan were some kind of lapdog of his, only to be labeled as "that kind of person" afterward. If Shen Lian allowed Zheng Ge to slander him for even one more word, he would have lived his two lives in vain.

Zheng Ge was so angry he was shaking all over.

Yes, wasn't the "two men fighting over one" that the outside world envied essentially just this?

Zheng Ge had exploited Chu Yilan's confusion and vulnerability at the time, and taking advantage of Chu Yilan's lack of understanding, he had framed this relationship as love. It satisfied his vanity and provided him with a certain level of security.

And those accustomed to hypocrisy would never admit their own evil.

Huang Jiacan held onto the table, unable to believe that Shen Lian would point at Zheng Ge's nose and scold him in front of so many people.

Shen Lian said coldly, "Try saying that about him one more time."

These words gave Zheng Ge an unprecedented sense of shame and also caused his mind to explode with rage. Shen Lian was threatening him? On what grounds did a defeated opponent have to threaten him?

"Am I wrong?" Zheng Ge had clearly lost his reason, his voice trembling and hurried. "You're shameless, and Chu Yilan is also a..."

Shen Lian stood up abruptly, strode around the table and the three people in between, grabbed Zheng Ge by the collar, and lifted him up.

"Shh." Shen Lian even managed to look back and smile to soothe everyone's nerves. "Zheng Ge and I have some private matters to settle. You guys carry on."

Having said that, he dragged Zheng Ge along, heading straight for the service corridor on the side.

Shen Lian's originally soft and beautiful facial lines seemed frozen now, sharp and cold inch by inch. Zheng Ge thought in alarm that this man really would resort to violence.

"Let me go!" Zheng Ge struggled violently.

"If we don't go there, should we settle it here?" Shen Lian's voice was dark. "If I weren't worried about making Director Dai look bad, that bottle of wine on the table would have been smashed over your head just now, you know?"

Shen Lian's tone didn't sound like he was joking at all.

"I'm not going!" Zheng Ge's eyes were filled with terror. "What do you want?"

It just so happened that there weren't many people to the left of this sofa, so Shen Lian threw him down forcefully. From a distance, it looked like they were just fooling around, but only Huang Jiacan, who was closest, knew that Shen Lian's aura was terrifying, as if he could switch to beatdown mode at any moment.

Shen Lian pressed Zheng Ge's head into the corner of the sofa, pinning his neck down tightly. "Because Chu Yilan blocked you, you come out here to hurl all kinds of abuse and spread rumors. Speak clearly: who exactly is the shameless one?"

Not getting the answer he wanted, Shen Lian leaned down slightly and applied pressure with his wrist. "Speak."

"Me, it's me, okay?" Zheng Ge couldn't explain why the current Shen Lian made him so extremely afraid.

Shen Lian patted Zheng Ge's face twice with moderate force, making a "slap-slap" sound. "Today, out of consideration for the occasion, this is just a warning. You're more than welcome to go back and tattle to Zhou Tangsi. Zheng Ge, watch your mouth, or else pray that you never fall into my hands."

Zheng Ge's clean and approachable image was completely gone. Shen Lian looked down at him, a chilling light in his eyes.

He still wanted to hit him; Shen Lian rubbed his fingertips together.

"Shen Lian, what are you guys doing?" Dai Tong came over carrying a bottle of wine.

Shen Lian pulled Zheng Ge out and said with a smile, "Just playing. Why, does Director Dai want to have a few more drinks?"

"Of course! All the advertising sponsorships have been finalized, and the investors are more optimistic than ever. Hehe, now we just wait for the release."

Shen Lian took a deep breath, suppressing the violence in his heart. Dai Tong had shown him great kindness by recognizing his talent for this film.

"Alright, I'll drink with you." Shen Lian acted as if nothing had happened and pulled Dai Tong to another empty table.

"You're the best, kid!" Dai Tong was happy and didn't notice the strange atmosphere.

Shen Lian was certain no one would dare to cause a scene. Zheng Ge had been thoroughly subdued, and as for that trash Wei Fanchen, who would act like a coward just to save himself, he wouldn't dare say a word.

Shen Lian filled his and Dai Tong's glasses. A mouthful of strong liquor went down, the intense stimulation suppressing his anger, and he exhaled a heavy breath.

Too slow, Shen Lian thought. The current progress was too slow. He had to take steady steps and stand at the top of this circle to get what he wanted and protect those he wanted to protect.

As for Zheng Ge, Shen Lian was saving a beating for him. Just wait; his fist would greet that big face of his sooner or later.