Ye Yongning had guessed that he would reject it outright.

He spoke very seriously, "The most important qualities in an actor are talent and aura, and in my eyes, Miss Jiayi possesses both. I believe Huo Zhenyang should trust my judgment as a director. Besides, I’ve heard that Miss Jiayi has also taken advertising shots for JJ before. Although it’s not a movie, she can be considered as having half-stepped into the entertainment industry. As for... being Huo Zhenyang’s woman, I don’t think acting and being his woman are related. Even though Miss Jiayi is Huo Zhenyang’s fiancée, that doesn’t mean her life can be restricted, her future imprisoned."

Ye Yongning’s gaze was resolute, affirming his stance: he had decided on this girl as the new film’s lead actress.

Imprison her future?

These words were severe.

Huo Zhenyang’s eyes gradually darkened.

Jiayi, fearing the wrath the overbearing man might inflict on Ye Yongning, couldn’t help but wrap her arm around his and gave a gentle tug.

Huo Zhenyang, of course, understood that Little Kitten was so affectionate with him because she was afraid he would become angry with Ye Yongning.

The man’s already icy face seemed frostbitten.

Heh, what exactly had they done or said in the short time of the premiere that Ye Yongning was so persistent with Little Kitten?

This little woman who attracted too much attention. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Jiayi could feel the coolness in his palm; it was over, the man seemed about to blow his lid. Could Director Ye withstand it?

She herself was frightened and couldn’t help but shrink back.

At that moment, Jian Meiyi came to her senses, cried out, and finally broke the awkward silence, "Huo Zhenyang, didn’t you agree it was me?" She then turned to Ye Yongning, desperately selling herself with a somewhat agitated tone,

"Director Ye, I am the professional actor. As an internationally renowned director, and for a highly anticipated new movie, how can you pick someone with absolutely no experience?"

Wei Lun interjected, "Miss Jian, are you suggesting that Director Ye lacks discernment?"

Jian Meiyi didn’t dare offend Ye Yongning, she bit her lip hard and kept silent.

After a moment of silence, Huo Zhenyang gazed at Ye Yongning pensively, "So is Director Ye rejecting the person I want to promote? My secretary should have made it clear that if Jian Meiyi could land the lead role in ’Demon-slaying Chronicle,’ the Huo Family would invest three hundred million. If Director Ye feels that this price is still not satisfactory, you can send someone to discuss it further with my secretary."

Three hundred million! Surely no production would not want such a large investment!

Seeing Huo Zhenyang speak up, with someone backing her, Jian Meiyi said grievously, "Huo Zhenyang..."

Ye Yongning was completely unmoved by money, his eyes were like stars, "Whether an actor can perform well is not solely dependent on their professional background, nor on how much money the investors toss in, and certainly not on how many layers their chest is padded or how much hyaluronic acid their skin has received. It’s about the aura, which I find entirely absent in Miss Jian,"

With that, he turned his head, his gaze falling on Jiayi, "But in Miss Jiayi, I see it."

Jian Meiyi’s face turned pale, her chest padded and skin filled with hyaluronic acid? Was this not a mockery of her?

Seeing Ye Yongning’s continued persistence, Huo Zhenyang’s lips twitched, tracing a trace of cold frost.

Under the deep blue sky, the man’s complexion was as cold as the stars on the horizon, brimming with coldness.

Lin Zixun understood the Boss’s intent and stepped forward to end the conversation on behalf of the Boss,

"I’m sorry, Director Ye, acting is not possible. Please dismiss this idea," Lin Zixun said.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Huo Zhenyang, already impatient to linger, took Jiayi by the hand, turned around, bent over, and got straight into the Lincoln.

Ye Yongning was still calling out from outside the car window, "Huo Zhenyang, please reconsider! I won’t give up—"

Lincoln revved up, its speed transitioning from slow to steady, and then to fast, leaving Ye Yongning’s voice trailing in the distance.

Jiayi couldn’t help but turn her head to take a few glances. Before she could turn back, a chilling voice floated from beside her, "Have you seen enough?"

She felt a shiver down her spine and turned around.

She anticipated the face she was about to see would be more terrifying than a horror movie.

Indeed!

The man stared at her coldly, his inscrutable eyes like sharp blades, excruciatingly cutting into her skin, "You didn’t go backstage to the restroom just now, you went to secretly meet with Ye Yongning, didn’t you?"

"I..." She faltered.

She had met Ye Yongning in private, but she wouldn’t consider it sneaking around.

"All you need to say is yes or no."

All she could do was answer softly and honestly, "Yes, but..."

Just as the word "but" barely escaped her lips and before she could complete her thought, her delicate jaw was fiercely lifted by him, and he leaned down to her ear, his voice as cold as iron, "Enough."

He had thought she would lie or simply deny it, then he could tell himself that Jian Meiyi was framing her.

But this Little Kitten admitted it so casually!

Who gave this Little Kitten the courage to whisper in secret with another man right before his eyes, and even strike a deal?!

The skin under his fingers on her chin was rubbed raw, making her involuntarily whimper, "Ah, it hurts..."

Though the Lincoln stretch limo was spacious, the sound still quickly reached the ears of the two people in front.

Both George and Lin Zixun in the driver’s and passenger’s seats startled simultaneously, "Boss."

"Drive the car," the man commanded with a deep, gloomy voice.

The two people in front didn’t speak again.

George pulled the curtain in the middle of the Lincoln.

The light in the rear compartment dimmed significantly.

Jiayi knew the car had excellent soundproofing. With the curtain drawn, it was totally isolated from the front—this man could kill her in the back and no one would know!

"In front of your fiancé, you flirt with another man backstage. Do you realize you’re wrong?" his pupils ice cold.

Her face gradually grew redder due to the discomfort at her jaw, and she began to flail her arms and legs desperately.

It wasn’t until her face turned from red to nearly white that Huo Zhenyang finally released his rough thumb and forefinger, but he then scooped her up and placed her on his lap, like an emperor’s statue awaiting her explanation.

"Ye Yongning could be my father, I wouldn’t flirt with him, okay." Had this man lost his mind? Besides, even if she wanted to flirt with a man, she wouldn’t be so impatient to do it right in front of him!

His handsome face softened slightly, his thin lips slightly curving in an arc, acknowledging that this Little Kitten at least had some taste, knowing that old, hard cabbage is tough to chew. He lifted her face again and gently shook it, narrowing his deep-set eyes, "Then what did you want with him?"

All she could say was, "Director Ye said I looked familiar, so I..."

So she wanted to ask in detail, wondering which acquaintance of Ye Yongning’s she resembled. There might be a blood relation, and perhaps it could lead her to her family?

He laughed derisively, "That’s a cliché pick-up line men wear out. You can’t possibly be that naïve."