This Director Is Not To Be Trifled With - Chapter 33

In June of 2018 came the hottest summer in a decade, with surface temperatures reaching up to fifty degrees Celsius. The winding mountain roads of Qingchuan City were treacherous, and traffic accidents occurred frequently.

A white sedan sped along the road. The driver was a young girl, crying, her eyes red. The phone on the passenger seat buzzed nonstop, but she ignored it completely. She rolled down the window and slammed on the gas pedal. The rushing wind dried the tears on her face.

“You are about to exceed the speed limit. Please slow down. You are about to exceed the speed limit. Please slow down.”

The automated voice reminder brought her back to her senses. She gradually eased off the accelerator. Just as she was turning at a curve on a slope, a loud honking startled her it sounded like a large truck. She steered slightly to the side.

Sure enough, a six wheeled truck appeared in the next moment, but strangely, it continued to blare its horn. The girl suddenly realized something was wrong but it was already too late. From behind the truck, a black SUV shot out at high speed.

Instinctively, the girl pulled the steering wheel to the right. Her car crashed into the guardrail. The black SUV slammed into the rear of her vehicle, spinning it three meters away, while the SUV itself, driven by force and speed, collided with the truck.

The truck had no time to brake and smashed the SUV into pieces. A woman and a child in the back seat were thrown out, rolling several times on the ground. Bl00d stained both the vehicle and the asphalt.

The girl’s phone started vibrating again. The screen showed “Dad” calling. She lay slumped over the steering wheel, barely conscious, watching everything unfold before her.

On the ground, the woman ignored her injuries and crawled toward her child. Just a meter away, yet she couldn’t reach. In her utter despair, she looked back at her husband, who was trapped in the driver’s seat and had died instantly. She let out a breath of hopelessness and collapsed, never getting back up again.

The scorching noonday sun burned mercilessly. The girl’s face stung under the heat. She forced herself to turn her neck with great difficulty. The glaring sunlight stabbed into her eyes like needles. As the pain intensified, the blinding light slowly faded from her world.

Song Xian had been haunted by this nightmare for five years. If she could, she would wish it was just a terrible dream.

She gulped down the glass of water Xiao Yutong handed her, sighed in relief, and smiled. “I’m hungry.”

Xiao Yutong noticed Song Xian had no intention of explaining the nightmare and simply pretended nothing had happened.

Xiao Yutong said, “Alright, let’s go home. I’ll make you something easy on the stomach.”

Monday mornings are when everyone’s face shows one giant word “Exhausted.”

Since carpooling with Xiao Yutong, Song Xian always arrived extra early. When she entered the office, only a few people were around. Last night had been intense. She was so tired she collapsed onto her desk.

They had fallen asleep at the same time, yet while Xiao Yutong was energized, Song Xian felt like a sick chicken. Was she that out of shape lately? Her stamina shouldn’t have been this poor unless Xiao Yutong was glowing from affection while she was being drained dry.

“Sigh!” A dramatic sigh came from nearby. Zhang Xin had also slumped onto her desk, facing Song Xian.

Song Xian said, “What’s this? You’re a sick chicken too?”

Zhang Xin groaned, “My roommate’s birthday party last night. They were noisy until midnight.”

Song Xian asked, “At your place?”

Zhang Xin nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

“Why didn’t you go out to celebrate?”

“That costs money!”

“Afraid of spending money, and still want to have a birthday? That’s not gonna work. You’ve gotta find a solution.”

Another long sigh. “What solution is there?”

Ever since people discovered Song Xian’s photography skills, she’d frequently been pulled in to help when manpower was short. Today was no exception Xiao Yutong dragged her into the studio again.

Song Xian said, “Director Xiao, I think the company should hire another photographer.”

Xiao Yutong started the car. “You don’t want to do it?”

“It’s not that I’m just saying, I’m doing the work of two people. Shouldn’t I get a raise?”

Xiao Yutong leaned over, fastened Song Xian’s seatbelt, and kissed her cheek. “Is that enough?”

“Enough, enough.” Song Xian held the side of her face, turning away to hide a shy smile.

Xiao Yutong was getting more and more flirtatious.

The photo studio wasn’t far from the company only a five minute drive.

Song Xian usually played around a lot, but when she worked, she transformed. Xiao Yutong sat off to the side, supposedly supervising, but her eyes never left Song Xian. Only now did she realize how charming Song Xian looked when she was focused.

The veins in her hands bulged as she gripped the camera, reminding Xiao Yutong of all the wicked things those hands had done last night. The tenderness in her voice and eyes as she guided the model made Xiao Yutong recall how Song Xian had gently wiped away her tears.

Without realizing it, she was completely entranced.

“Director Xiao. Director Xiao.” Several shouts from the staff pulled her back to reality.

The moment she looked away from Song Xian, the softness in her eyes vanished, replaced by her usual professionalism.

Xiao Yutong asked, “What’s wrong?”

“The people from Liloca want the final photos confirmed as soon as possible.”

“Got it. Schedule a time. I’m heading to the restroom keep an eye on things here.”

“Sure thing, Director.”

The studio often got rented out to ad agencies, media companies, and magazines. So competitors were common sights. Even so, everyone kept things polite on the surface.

“Well, Director Xiao coming to supervise personally!” came a sarcastic voice. The woman was the deputy director of A Ad Agency and a college classmate of Xiao Yutong.

Xiao Yutong shook off the water from her hands. “If I don’t keep an eye out, Director Ming might just poach all my staff.”

Ming Hui sneered, “That’s because you can’t hold onto them.”

Xiao Yutong retorted, “Ming Hui, don’t think I don’t see through you. Zhou Yao is completely unqualified to be director. You’re just using her to target me. I used to respect you as a worthy rival, but now you’re resorting to these dirty tricks.”

“And what if I am?” Ming Hui smirked like a petty villain.

“Doesn’t matter.” Xiao Yutong despised such tactics but quietly thanked Ming Hui for taking Zhou Yao off her hands.

She had no desire to engage in further small talk. After a few words, they went their separate ways.

But as soon as she exited the restroom, she ran right into Zhou Yao. Apparently, today just wasn’t her day. She had no intention of speaking with Zhou Yao, and assumed the feeling was mutual. But unexpectedly, Zhou Yao called out.

“Director Xiao. Long time no see.”

“It has been a long time,” Xiao Yutong replied coldly, with exaggerated politeness. “Director Zhou.”

Zhou Yao’s expression darkened. “Do you hate me?”

Xiao Yutong replied, “In this industry, things like this happen all the time. Hate’s too strong a word.”

Zhou Yao knew full well that in Xiao Yutong’s eyes, she was just a former employee—one who had betrayed the company. Yet, she wasn’t even worth hating?

Zhou Yao suddenly gave a cold laugh. “And if the one who betrayed you had been Song Xian? Would you still feel nothing?”

“What do you mean?” Xiao Yutong couldn’t grasp her implication.

Zhou Yao walked off, leaving behind a vague warning. Xiao Yutong wanted to chase after her to get clarification, but just then, Song Xian came out.

“What’s wrong?” Song Xian asked.

She glanced in the direction Xiao Yutong had looked, only catching a glimpse of someone’s back.

“Nothing. Just ran into someone I knew,” Xiao Yutong replied casually. Not quite a lie.

“Ahhh, I’m exhausted. Director Xiao, shouldn’t you treat me to a good meal tonight?” Song Xian clung to her arm, acting spoiled. “That shoot was tiring so many poses and the camera is heavy!”

Xiao Yutong smiled, “Alright. What do you want to eat? I’ll cook tonight.”

“Nope! Let’s eat out. That restaurant from last time we never got to eat there,” Song Xian whined.

“Alright,” Xiao Yutong agreed.

Author’s Note:

I’m back, everyone! Sorry it’s a short update.

I had a wisdom tooth removed today, and my head is splitting. This is all I could manage for now.