How Can a Construction Foreman Be the Public Girlfriend of a Top Celebrity? - Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Shu Xuan only smiled silently, her gaze fixed steadily on Zheng Ling.
“Forget it, just stick to what you called me before,” Zheng Ling said again. “If you keep calling me ‘Boss Zheng’, people might think I’m some kind of rich mogul.”
“Alright, Boss Zheng,” Shu Xuan replied playfully.
Ever since the poisoning incident, Zheng Ling’s image had grown taller in Shu Xuan’s heart. She increasingly felt that this woman was grounded and capable—something that set her apart from most people.
“By the way, Ye Yu said she wants to treat you to a meal,” Shu Xuan mentioned lightly.
Zheng Ling slurped her noodles. “What does she want now?”
“Well, you did save her life. Treating you to a meal is only reasonable,” Shu Xuan explained.
“Not going. Didn’t she look down on people like me who work construction? Now she wants to treat me to dinner? I’d rather she just give me cash.” Zheng Ling said it with a tinge of emotion. She really didn’t like Ye Yu. Even if it hadn’t been Ye Yu in danger, Zheng Ling would have still stepped in.
Shu Xuan nodded slightly. “Alright.”
The next morning, Shu Xuan arrived on set.
Today marked the filming of her final scene: the demon concubine being sent to the Central Plains and enduring countless tortures.
Her makeup and costume were complex; it took more than three hours to get everything done.
“Good morning, Miss Shu!” Chen Ju walked into the studio. She had just recovered and looked unaffected.
“Morning, Miss Chen,” Shu Xuan greeted her with a smile.
A bit embarrassed, Chen Ju said, “Miss Shu, you don’t need to call me ‘Miss’. I’m nowhere near that level. Just call me Juzi—it’s fine.”
Shu Xuan accepted the black coffee Xiaoying handed her and took a sip through a straw. “Juzi, huh? Now you’re making me crave fruit.”
“Should I go buy you some?” Xiaoying asked.
“No need. This time of year, there’s no way you’ll find good oranges,” Shu Xuan replied casually.
After a few more words, Chen Ju went to get her makeup done. Ye Yu arrived while Shu Xuan was filming her second scene.
She had replaced her assistant. Her company had done a thorough screening and warned her to control her emotions. Recently, Ye Yu had been unusually respectful toward Shu Xuan—most likely due to Zheng Ling.
Ye Yu now sat beside the director, watching Shu Xuan through the monitor.
Onscreen, the demon concubine was bound to the bed railing.
Her body was covered in wounds. Bl00d flowed from her arms to her waist, and her legs, riddled with scars, attracted flies and mosquitoes.
This was the demon concubine after four months of torment. Her sacrifice hadn’t saved her country. The king of the Central Plains had promised she’d return to Jin soon.
But when she finally limped back to her homeland, Jin no longer existed. She dragged her mangled body through the ruins of her country, breathing her last.
After her death, those who fled Jin to the Central Plains learned the truth: her regency had been for the people, for reform and survival. The collapse of the Jin Dynasty, in hindsight, may not have been a tragedy after all.
With that, Shu Xuan wrapped her final scene.
Behind the monitor, Ye Yu and Director Li were both wiping away tears. Ye Yu finally understood the difference between herself and Shu Xuan—Shu Xuan became her characters. She didn’t act from the outside in; she was them.
Fresh flowers were brought in immediately, and the studio erupted in applause. “Congratulations on finishing, Miss Shu!”
“Thank you, thank you.” Shu Xuan bowed several times.
Director Li came over to shake her hand and gave her a red envelope.
“Thank you, Director Li.”
Shu Xuan took group photos with the crew. Director Li even mentioned that he wanted to tailor a new project just for her next time.
Director Li had several acclaimed works in the industry. Earning his recognition was proof of Shu Xuan’s undeniable talent.
In the dressing room, Shu Xuan removed her makeup. Xiaoying packed her things into a suitcase to be loaded onto the car.
Just as she finished washing her face and opened her eyes, she saw Zheng Ling standing in front of her.
For a moment, Shu Xuan thought she was hallucinating and blinked several times to be sure.
“What’s wrong? Miss Shu doesn’t recognize me anymore?” Zheng Ling leaned on the table. Her hair had clearly been styled—shoulder-length, dark brown with one side tucked neatly behind her ear. She looked sharp and composed.
From Shu Xuan’s angle, she could see the small mole behind Zheng Ling’s earlobe.
She also wore a nude gloss on her lips, making them look plump and glistening as she spoke. The freckles on her nose, touched by a sunburned flush, gave her an added allure.
Shu Xuan had never seen Zheng Ling like this before—not even at their wedding had she seen her wear makeup.
“Going on a date?” Shu Xuan asked.
Zheng Ling folded her arms, then leaned in, reducing the space between them to just a few inches.
“Would Miss Shu be interested in going on a date with me?” Zheng Ling’s eyes were soft as water, her reflection mirrored in Shu Xuan’s gaze.
The atmosphere felt ambiguous. Shu Xuan leaned away slightly. “No.”
“Really?” Zheng Ling closed in further, resting one hand on the arm of Shu Xuan’s chair.
“You’re crossing the line, Boss Zheng,” Shu Xuan said calmly, though she was clearly flustered by the closeness. The dim lighting in the room only amplified the lingering tension between them.
Zheng Ling had been about to pinch Shu Xuan’s cheek, but instead, she gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“I contacted my uncle. He happens to have a ready-made PR team. I thought it might be useful to you, so I went ahead and arranged a meeting. Sorry I didn’t tell you in advance,” Zheng Ling explained.
Shu Xuan pretended to look at herself in the mirror, avoiding Zheng Ling’s gaze. That tender look in her eyes made Shu Xuan feel like she could lose control.
“Thank you, Boss Zheng,” she said, picking up some makeup to reapply.
Zheng Ling added, “Dinner tonight with him?”
“So all this makeup is for your uncle?” Shu Xuan asked.
“Mm-hmm. He’s a perfectionist—extremely demanding, not just of himself, but of others too,” Zheng Ling muttered. “We’ve never really gotten along. But he’s always helped me when I needed it.”
Shu Xuan listened quietly.
“Whenever I meet him, he criticizes me endlessly. My figure, my skincare, my makeup, my outfit—nothing escapes his judgment.”
“If he weren’t my relative, who could put up with him? Me, a construction site worker, putting on makeup just to go eat cement dust?”
“I’ll go change.” Shu Xuan stood up just as Chen Ju knocked and walked in.
She held a fruit basket and froze slightly upon seeing Zheng Ling, then spoke. “Miss Shu, congratulations on wrapping up. I brought you some oranges.”
“Thank you,” Shu Xuan accepted the fruit. Zheng Ling immediately took them from her hands.
“Oranges? In this season?” Shu Xuan asked.
Chen Ju looked a little embarrassed. “A friend owns a fruit store and got them for me.”
“That’s too generous.” Shu Xuan looked at the oranges. Their peels were a lush green, each one large and full, with an imported label. She recognized the logo—it must’ve cost hundreds for just one orange. That whole basket had to be worth thousands.
“No, really. I’m just happy to have worked with you. Um, can I add your contact info?” Chen Ju stammered nervously, glancing between Shu Xuan and Zheng Ling.
“I’ve always admired you. You’re the reason I entered this industry. I—I hope that’s not too forward.”
Shu Xuan smiled. “Of course.”
Zheng Ling frowned, glancing from Shu Xuan to Chen Ju.
Just then, Ye Yu arrived at the door.
Upon seeing the people inside, she was about to back out and close the door.
“Come in. What, you think you’re a doorman now?” Zheng Ling called.
Ye Yu pouted and stepped inside. She didn’t acknowledge Chen Ju and only spoke after the latter left.
“Miss Shu, I was wrong about the audition earlier. I’m sorry,” she said, bowing. Then she turned to Zheng Ling. “Boss Zheng, thank you.”
Her voice was sticky and muffled, like she was forcing the words through her throat.
Zheng Ling’s smile faded. “Don’t mention it.”
“I asked Miss Shu to help invite you to dinner—when would you be free?” Ye Yu asked quietly. She was a completely different person from her arrogant former self. The poisoning incident had clearly rattled her.
Zheng Ling glanced at Shu Xuan for help, but Shu Xuan pretended not to notice. She picked up an orange and began peeling it, the sweet citrus scent instantly filling the room.
“It was just a small favor,” Zheng Ling almost added, “Even a dog would help in that situation,” but she held back.
Ye Yu expressed her gratitude at length, apologized again to Shu Xuan, and finally left.
Shu Xuan changed into a new outfit. She and Zheng Ling walked out together. Zheng Ling carried the basket of oranges; Xiaoying had already packed up the rest of Shu Xuan’s things and loaded them into the nanny van.
Today, Zheng Ling was driving a Porsche. She opened the car door for Shu Xuan, carefully buckled her seatbelt, and placed the fruit basket in the back.
All the way, Zheng Ling was sulking, unsure whether it was because Shu Xuan had said she crossed a line—or because Shu Xuan had added someone else on WeChat right in front of her.
While driving, Zheng Ling was unusually quiet, her posture tense but steady.
Shu Xuan tried to make conversation. “What does your uncle like? I should get him a gift.”
“He likes oranges,” Zheng Ling replied flatly.
“…” Shu Xuan glanced at Zheng Ling’s pouting face. She found it kind of cute and added, “The AC’s a little cold.”
“Eat an orange, you won’t feel cold,” Zheng Ling replied snarkily, but when they stopped at a red light, she reached over and adjusted the temperature.
“Boss Zheng, are you mad?” Shu Xuan asked with an amused look.
Zheng Ling didn’t respond—just mumbled under her breath.
Shu Xuan reached into the backseat for an orange, peeled it, and popped a slice in her mouth. “This orange is really sweet.”
At the next red light, Zheng Ling snatched the orange from Shu Xuan and shoved the rest in her own mouth, puffing out her cheeks like a balloon.
“It’s sweet, but I smell something sour,” Shu Xuan joked for once. Zheng Ling really was adorable.
Earlier, Shu Xuan had joked with Xiaoying and Da Tou that Zheng Ling was actually quite cute. They’d laughed her off—Zheng Ling’s fierce aura and imposing presence were anything but cute. They were convinced Zheng Ling must’ve bribed Shu Xuan with gold bricks to say something like that.
“You set my WeChat permissions to ‘chat only’ when we added each other. What about her?” Zheng Ling asked as she turned a corner.
Shu Xuan laughed. “Hers is also set to ‘chat only.’”
“Good,” Zheng Ling’s tone did a 180. She was back to cheerful. “My uncle doesn’t need anything. Let’s just eat.”
“Not jealous anymore?” Shu Xuan asked teasingly.
“I wasn’t jealous! I just think you should treat everyone equally,” Zheng Ling insisted.
Shu Xuan raised an eyebrow. “Oh, is that so?”
…tears like pearls rolled down, and Zheng Ling immediately moved closer to hug her.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry, I’m here,” Zheng Ling patted her gently on the back, voice soft with distress, “Did someone bully you?”
Shu Xuan shook her head, burying her face in Zheng Ling’s shoulder. The scent of cement dust and faint shampoo on Zheng Ling reassured her, grounding her in the present.
“I’m not sad,” Shu Xuan said in a muffled voice. “Just… moved.”
Moved by that one sentence — I was waiting for you to come home.
That sentence seemed to piece together every broken shard from her past.
Zheng Ling’s arms tightened around her. She didn’t fully understand what Shu Xuan had experienced, but she knew that this woman in her arms had suffered far more than she let on.
“Next time, tell me before you cry. At least give me a heads-up, okay?” Zheng Ling tried to lighten the mood with a joke, voice a little hoarse.
Shu Xuan chuckled softly through her tears and finally pulled away.
Her eyes were red, cheeks damp. She looked down at the damp spot on Zheng Ling’s shirt and frowned. “Your shirt is wet.”
Zheng Ling looked down, then waved her hand nonchalantly. “No big deal. It’s just fabric. You’re more important.”
Shu Xuan wiped her face and sniffed. “I’m going to shower.”
“Okay,” Zheng Ling nodded. “I’ll heat up some milk for you.”
Shu Xuan paused, looked back at her, and said with a soft smile, “Thank you, Zheng Boss.”
Zheng Ling smiled back, watching Shu Xuan’s retreating figure disappear into the bedroom. Only then did she sit back on the couch, pressing a hand to her chest. Her heart was still pounding from the raw emotion.
She thought about that one sentence she’d said without much thought: I was waiting for you to come home.
She hadn’t expected it would hit Shu Xuan so hard.
Maybe… maybe in the future, she should say it more often.