220: Chapter 220 Let me show you how good my staff skills are.

Jiang Fan walked out of the main gate of the Hou Family Troupe and followed the bluestone path outward.

Li Cheng trotted out from the courtyard, catching up to walk beside Jiang Fan.

"Brother Jiang, where did you learn those moves?" Li Cheng circled around Jiang Fan a few times. "I was dumbfounded watching you earlier. Even that old man Hou Chuanwu turned pale."

"Cut the chatter." Jiang Fan stopped in his tracks. "Stay behind to finalize the contract details. Offer a salary slightly above the industry standard, but don't go too high; we can't break the rules."

Li Cheng nodded, making a mental note. "I understand."

"I'm heading back tomorrow. You finish the remaining paperwork here yourself."

After giving his instructions, Jiang Fan walked to the entrance of the alley, hailed a taxi, and returned to Tang Yingxue's luxury flat.

He changed into slippers and sat down on the living room sofa.

There was no one around, and the room was very quiet.

Jiang Fan closed his eyes and pulled up the system panel in his mind.

[Current Lifespan Value: 89,800 points]

Spending 5,000 points on the master-level Monkey Opera skill just now made his heart ache a little when he saw the number, but being able to handle Hou Jinlai meant the quality of the entire TV series was now secured.

More importantly, Jiang Fan noticed some changes in his body.

After redeeming the master-level Monkey Opera skill, he felt that his muscle control, flexibility, and even reaction speed had all reached a new level.

When walking, his body felt light and filled with an indescribable agility.

Jiang Fan leaned back on the sofa to rest his eyes and drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

Around five o'clock, the door lock emitted a "beep."

Tang Yingxue pushed the door open, wearing sunglasses.

She tossed her bag onto the entryway cabinet, kicked off her high heels, changed into slippers, and walked in.

Seeing Jiang Fan sitting on the sofa, she took off her sunglasses and placed them on the coffee table.

"Is it done?"

"It's done." Jiang Fan stood up and stretched his neck. "I've got him."

Tang Yingxue walked to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the cap, and took a drink.

"That old stubborn man from the Hou Family Troupe is notoriously difficult. How did you manage it?"

Tang Yingxue had heard Jiang Fan say he was going to find Hou Jinlai yesterday, and she had even specifically asked some contacts in the Beijing circle to inquire about him today.

The feedback she received was surprisingly consistent: that old man couldn't be swayed by soft or hard tactics.

Last year, a director who had won international awards wanted to hire his son for a movie and showed up with generous gifts, but was kicked out before even entering the main room.

Jiang Fan walked over, took the mineral water directly from her hand, and took a drink from the bottle.

"I showed off a little."

Tang Yingxue waited for two seconds, but realized Jiang Fan had no intention of elaborating.

"What do you mean by 'showed off a little'?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. I performed a set of staff techniques and completely stunned him."

Tang Yingxue stared at him for several seconds.

"You can also wield a staff?"

"There's a lot I can do; you'll have to get to know me slowly."

"Stop bragging." Tang Yingxue leaned against the side of the sofa with her arms crossed. "Writing songs, writing scripts, and now you've become a martial arts master?"

Tang Yingxue racked her brain but couldn't connect the image of Jiang Fan with performing monkey staff techniques.

She took out her phone to check the time.

"Come on, I'll take you out to eat. You can't come to Beijing and not have a good meal."

She turned and walked toward the walk-in closet. "Wait for me while I change."

Tang Yingxue walked into the closet, stood in front of the full-length mirror, and unzipped the back of her dress.

The black silk dress slid off her shoulders and pooled at her ankles.

Just as she was about to bend over to grab some casual clothes from the hanger, the door was pushed open.

Tang Yingxue turned her head, and Jiang Fan had already walked in, closing the door behind him.

"Why did you come in?" Tang Yingxue straightened up, her hands instinctively covering herself.

Jiang Fan stepped forward and placed his hand on the small of her back.

"Let me show you my staff technique."

Tang Yingxue didn't react in time before Jiang Fan had pressed her against the large floor-to-ceiling mirror.

She reached out to push Jiang Fan's shoulders, but couldn't budge him at all.

Jiang Fan's movements were direct.

Tang Yingxue noticed that Jiang Fan was a bit different today.

Usually, Jiang Fan's strength was steady, but today, he exuded a sense of wildness.

Every movement and every shift in angle was incredibly precise, completely breaking her established rhythm of endurance.

Just as she adapted to one frequency, Jiang Fan would change his moves.

Tang Yingxue's legs went weak, and she could only clutch Jiang Fan's shirt tightly with both hands.

She bit her lower lip, not wanting to make a sound, but her body's reaction was completely beyond the control of her reason.

"How... do you have... so many... tricks... ah."

Tang Yingxue's voice was intermittent.

Jiang Fan did not slow down. He supported Tang Yingxue's waist with one hand, changing her position.

Tang Yingxue no longer had the strength to stand and hung onto Jiang Fan entirely.

It lasted until seven in the evening.

The walk-in closet finally quieted down.

Tang Yingxue slumped on the carpet in the walk-in closet, her forehead covered in fine sweat, her hair disheveled.

She watched Jiang Fan slowly and methodically button up his shirt; she couldn't even muster the strength to curse him.

Jiang Fan looked at her.

"How was the staff technique?"

Tang Yingxue turned her face away and spat out two words through gritted teeth: "Animal."

Jiang Fan chuckled and turned to walk out.

"I'll wait for you in the living room. Hurry up and change."

Half an hour later, the two went downstairs to the underground parking garage.

Tang Yingxue had changed into a low-key black tracksuit and was wearing a baseball cap.

She walked to a white Mercedes G-Class, opened the door, and got into the driver's seat.

Jiang Fan opened the passenger door and sat in.

The car drove out of the residential complex and merged into the traffic of Beijing.

"Where are we going?" Jiang Fan asked, looking at the street scene outside the window.

"To eat roast duck. I booked a private room."

Tang Yingxue gripped the steering wheel with both hands. When she hit the brakes at a red light, her leg muscles went uncontrollably weak for a moment.

She turned her head and glared at Jiang Fan.

Jiang Fan kept his eyes on the road ahead, pretending not to notice.

The car drove for forty minutes before stopping in front of an unassuming courtyard house in the Southern City.

There was no sign, and two security guards in black suits stood at the entrance.

Tang Yingxue walked in front. The security guards saw her and didn't stop her, immediately pulling open the heavy wooden doors.

The courtyard was a hidden gem, with rockeries, flowing water, and winding corridors; the environment was extremely private.

A waiter led them into a room further inside.

The room was not large but was elegantly furnished, with a mahogany round table placed in the center.

Not long after, the roast duck was brought out.

A chef in a white uniform pushed a dining cart in and began to carve the duck right in front of them, his knife skills deft, the slices thin and even.

After carving the duck, the chef placed the plate on the table, took the remaining duck carcass, and retreated, closing the door behind him.

Tang Yingxue picked up a lotus leaf pancake and spread it on her palm.

She picked up a piece of duck skin dipped in sugar and placed it in the pancake.

She added two slices of duck meat with a good ratio of fat to lean, topped it with scallions and cucumber strips, and spread some sweet bean sauce on it.

Her movements were practiced; after rolling it up, she handed it directly to Jiang Fan's mouth.

Jiang Fan looked at her.

Tang Yingxue, one of the prestigious Four Heavenly Queens, usually had assistants serving her tea and water when she was out, but now she was actually rolling roast duck to feed him herself.

Jiang Fan opened his mouth and took a bite.

Tang Yingxue watched him eat it, pulled out a tissue to wipe her hands, and then rolled one for herself and put it in her mouth.

"When do you plan to give me the script for Bodhisattva?" Tang Yingxue asked while eating.

"Next week." Jiang Fan wiped his mouth with a tissue.

"Does Xu Qingya know that I'm playing Bodhisattva?"

Jiang Fan glanced at her.

"She doesn't."

A small arc curled at the corners of Tang Yingxue's mouth.

When the production team made the official announcement, Xu Qingya would see her sitting high and mighty on the lotus throne, while she herself could only struggle and fawn over him in the mortal world.

That scene would surely be very interesting.