CEO's Sweetheart is a Super Idol-Chapter 461 - 453 Mermaid’s Song

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Clubhouse

Lan Yening was dancing on stage.

A group of well-dressed older women cheered wildly, like a pack of mad demons.

For the sake of ensuring the successful broadcast of his new drama, Director Hu brought him here for PR.

These women were all in charge of distribution for various platforms.

Faced with this rising star, these battle-hardened older women had a gleam in their eyes.

Nowadays, the primary audience for TV dramas is women.

Thus, many distributors are also women. Previously, they used to bring pretty young girls to accompany them, but now they’ve switched to energetic young men.

When Lan Yening returned, the group immediately laughed and chattered as if they were old friends.

Director Hu initially assumed that this boy, quiet and so beautiful it made him feel an itch himself, wouldn’t be able to handle the situation.

Unexpectedly, Lan Yening managed everything smoothly, serving the hormone-charged women with utmost satisfaction.

Director Hu wisely left the private room.

The group of women was now having the time of their lives.

"Xiao Ning, tonight you must have a good drink with us sisters!"

"One drink isn’t enough. Xiao Ning has an impressive capacity; you’ll need to drink a toast together."

A well-built woman with bright red lipstick grabbed a bottle, wrapped an arm around Lan Yening’s neck, and laughed happily.

"Then let’s drink together with a ’face-off’ game!"

"Haha, sure! Xiao Ning, you really know so many tricks. You truly are your sisters’ darling!"

Lan Yening smiled, grabbed the bottle, poured the liquor into four glasses on the table, and called for five straws.

Five heads bent together as they sucked hard through their straws.

The game rules were simple: whoever finishes last suffers a punishment.

Lan Yening deliberately slowed down; the four older women immediately burst into coquettish laughter and started punishing him.

They made him perform a challenging physical move.

Under the dim and suggestive lighting, Lan Yening’s young body radiated nothing but youthful energy.

His pale skin was both delicate and taut, and his face, under the influence of alcohol, flushed a brilliant red.

A few drops of red wine slid down the curve of his flawless jawline, combining with his naturally alluring eyes to make him irresistibly seductive.

"Sisters, you sure know how to drink. If this keeps up, you’ll have me dying of intoxication here," Lan Yening pretended to struggle.

Looking at the beautiful boy in front of them, a woman reached out with her red-nailed hand and smiled: "With just this little amount, how could you be drunk? But we sisters can’t really let you collapse here."

Another woman handed him a glass of wine. Lan Yening accepted it and tilted his head back for a hearty drink.

The stretch of his neck, the protrusion of his Adam’s apple, combined with the audible gulp, drove the woman to the edge of restlessness.

She couldn’t resist running her fingers lightly along Lan Yening’s hand. "If you lived in another era, you’d definitely be the brightest star of the day."

Lan Yening’s smile grew deeper, his eyes teasing and enchanting. "I aim to be the brightest star even now, all thanks to your support, dear sisters."

Night

How much ugliness it conceals.

The moment Lan Yening got into the car, despite having been drunk earlier, he quickly sobered up.

Of course, he wouldn’t actually get involved with those older women; the drinking was already his part of the duty.

The rest of the arrangements would be handled by Zhang Yuze and others.

Whether sending gigolos or money—they could deal with that themselves.

In fact, the reason he had been so willing to let himself go was to expand his own network.

Even though some might think this effort meaningless, many deals are indeed struck over drinks.

Opportunities can come to you—or someone else—and in moments like these, connections matter greatly.

Back at the hotel

After showering, Lan Yening picked up his phone. After some hesitation, he sent a text.

"Jiaqi, are you resting now?"

"Not yet; I just finished showering."

"What a coincidence, I just showered too."

"Xiao Ning, where are you now?"

"At the hotel. Director Hu had me accompany him for drinks to secure the broadcasting schedule for our drama."

As soon as he sent the message, Li Jiaqi initiated a video call. When he answered, Li Jiaqi’s sweet face appeared on the screen.

"Haha, Jiaqi, you seem more beautiful than ever."

"No need to flatter me. I know I can’t go out without makeup."

"Don’t say that. If you couldn’t go out, ninety percent of women would have to disappear instantly."

Lan Yening’s words made Li Jiaqi laugh, her expression playful and cheeky.

"Xiao Ning, what plans do you have?"

"Why? Interested in working with me again?"

"I’m just asking; my own projects still depend on others."

Lan Yening noticed Li Jiaqi’s expression darkened momentarily as she spoke.

He understood what she meant, very aware of her experiences.

Sometimes life is just that helpless—gaining something often means losing something else.

"Xiao Ning, I heard you’ve secured a role in a serious drama."

"You’re well-informed. I only signed the contract a few days ago myself."

"Then you’ll be even busier. Let’s find a time to catch up!"

"Sure! No matter how far you are, I’ll fly to you immediately."

Lan Yening’s words might not be realistic, but they warmed Li Jiaqi’s heart.

She felt like he was the only friend left in her world.

"Xiao Ning, I won’t keep you; I need to rest now."

"Alright."

Lan Yening noticed a hint of panic and fear in Li Jiaqi’s demeanor.

He connected this to a possible explanation but felt powerless to intervene.

After all, wasn’t he just another pet raised by someone else?

Mansion

Zhang Yuze walked into the room with an indifferent expression, holding a bouquet of lilies.

"Jiaqi, I bought you flowers. Do you like them?"

"I do."

"But why does it feel like you’re unhappy?"

Zhang Yuze carefully placed the flowers in a vase, as if performing a sacred task.

"How was your day?"

"Fine."

"Did any friends come over?"

"Friends? What friends do I even have left?"

With her back turned, Zhang Yuze’s eyes briefly revealed a sinister glint before returning to calm.

"This place may be stifling; you can hang out with your Galaxy friends."

"Thanks, I’ll go when I find the time."

Li Jiaqi’s tone was flat and distant; while she answered every question, her words carried a deep resistance.

Zhang Yuze seemed unperturbed. He stepped in front of her, bent down slightly, and gazed at this sweet delicacy.

Li Jiaqi’s body began trembling subtly; she bit her lip and said nothing.

"Go to the living room and play ’Mermaid’ for me on the piano."

Zhang Yuze turned toward the bedroom door. Li Jiaqi felt a wave of relief, her delicate face marked with complex emotions.

She obediently followed him, sat in the luxurious living room, and started playing the piece.

Her slender fingers glided over the black and white keys, releasing a stream of beautiful notes.

"Sing for me, just like you do during your public performances."

Zhang Yuze leaned into a plush leather sofa, holding an ice-filled whiskey glass—a perfect image of a cocky, domineering patron.

Taking a deep breath, Li Jiaqi began singing the most famous song from Galaxy like a mechanical music box.

Haunting and melancholic, it echoed the sorrow of a dying mermaid unwilling to leave her companions beneath the moonlight.

"You sing even better than during public performances," Zhang Yuze said, placing down his glass. "Come over here."

Li Jiaqi knew what was about to happen; she had endured countless humiliations in recent days.

But she was powerless—she didn’t even dare to resist.

This man had provided her with the resources she wanted.

As she was consumed by inner turmoil, Zhang Yuze strode over to her.

"No... Please, not here!"

She wanted to preserve the last shred of dignity for herself, knowing bodyguards were stationed just outside the door.

Yet the monstrous man ignored her entirely.

His steel-like hands grabbed her snow-white neck, slamming her face against the piano keys.

The chaotic clanging of keys echoed; her tear-streaked face tried weakly to struggle, but she lacked any strength.

"I beg you, please, you can’t..."

"Can’t? What right do you have to say those words to me?"

Zhang Yuze’s voice was low and cold, his breath brushing against her ear.

"If you liked me even a little, you wouldn’t... wouldn’t..."

"What I feel for you isn’t liking—it’s possession. Not just you; I’ll gather sixteen people just to perform for me alone one day."

Li Jiaqi regretted everything. She never imagined this man’s heart could twist to such grotesque extremes.

Her overwhelming pain caused her to lift her head instinctively. Reflected on the piano’s surface was Zhang Yuze’s distorted, triumphant face.

The force of his hand on her neck grew heavier, making breathing increasingly difficult.

Driven near suffocation, her expression turned vacant, her flushed face showing signs of oxygen deprivation.

It was then she fully understood Ye Yuwei’s earlier warnings: these gatherings—they were hellbent on breaking women like them.

"Beg me?"

Zhang Yuze’s voice was smooth and calculated, devoid of any sign of distress.

Though she knew he wouldn’t let her off easily, the powerless Li Jiaqi bit her lip fiercely and said, "I beg you... Please let me go..."

Zhang Yuze stared at her as if reliving his past in that coffee shop. How pitiful she looked—like a crawling worm.

Back then, even when his own forehead bled from shattered ceramics or steaming coffee drenched him, he didn’t dare utter a single complaint.

He chuckled to himself, pleased with his success.

He planted a soft kiss on Li Jiaqi’s forehead and felt her shiver before mocking coldly, "Too late..."

"You..."

Li Jiaqi was speechless, seething with rage, silently vowing revenge against this man.