When the Scumbag A Got the Dog-Licking Script - Chapter 23

Meanwhile, Yu Jinzhao had no idea Pei Daowan had already left work. She had been swamped all day, so busy that she hadn’t even had time to take a sip of water since arriving at the office that morning.

As the wealthiest family in Jiang City, the Yu Family’s business empire spanned nearly every industry. Vast and sprawling, their operations were particularly complex due to their close ties with the government, with many projects even intertwined with the city’s urban planning.

The Yu Family truly was a colossal enterprise. In just a few decades, they had grown to such a scale, a testament to Yu Xincheng’s remarkable business acumen.

Despite being Yu Xincheng’s “biological daughter,” he hadn’t entrusted her with the Yu Family’s core projects. Instead, he had assigned her a relatively marginal division within the group: film and entertainment.

Yu Xincheng held rather old-fashioned views. Given that the Yu Family’s primary holdings remained in traditional industries, he harbored a certain disdain for the entertainment sector, viewing it as lacking prestige.

Consequently, while the Yu Family had invested in entertainment companies, these ventures had always remained lukewarm, with Yu Xincheng himself rarely intervening. These investments served more as favors to influential figures in the industry.

Now, with Yu Jinzhao being tasked with overseeing this sector, she struggled to discern Yu Xincheng’s true intentions. Her research confirmed that, at least on paper, she was indeed his only Alpha heir. Why, then, had he assigned her to such a peripheral division?

Yu Jinzhao herself harbored no prejudice against the entertainment industry, nor did she care what projects Yu Xincheng assigned her. Her real concern was whether the Yu Family’s core industries were off-limits to everyone but him.

It seemed Yu Xincheng’s vigilance was far greater than she had imagined. After all these years, his authority remained absolute. In the half-month she’d been at the company, she had gleaned no significant information beyond trivial matters, relying entirely on her own investigations.

But that was fine. Yu Xincheng’s disregard for the entertainment industry meant his influence couldn’t reach it, creating an opportunity for her to cultivate her own power base.

Working until after 9 PM, she finally had a moment to rest. She slowly exhaled a sigh of exhaustion. This job was truly grueling.

She instinctively pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts, needing to organize tomorrow’s agenda. Having grown accustomed to the V software in her previous life, she found this world’s lack of a similar contact app quite inconvenient. She had to manually find each contact and send individual messages.

After finishing her tasks, Yu Jinzhao rubbed her aching eyes. It was nearly 10 PM. By the time she got home, it would probably be 10:30. She wondered if Pei Daowan was already asleep.

Pei Daowan was feeling restless. She rarely sat in the living room watching TV, paying no attention to what was on the screen, only glancing at the clock every few minutes.

It was already half past ten. What kind of work could possibly take this long? She was even later than Pei Daowan herself.

Click!

The sound of a key turning in the lock made Pei Daowan instantly relax her body, feigning nonchalance. She focused intently on the TV screen, as if completely absorbed in the show.

Yu Jinzhao hadn’t expected to find Pei Daowan in the living room. The moment she saw her, a complex mix of emotions surged through her.

“Good morning…” she stammered, immediately regretting the awkward greeting. What time is it? Why did I say that?

Pei Daowan turned to look at her, her expression blank, betraying neither joy nor anger. For some reason, Yu Jinzhao felt like a wife caught coming home late by her spouse.

Her awkwardness and guilt intensified. She practically stumbled through the door, forgetting to put down her bag and standing stiffly behind Pei Daowan like a clueless fool. She desperately tried to make conversation, “Why aren’t you asleep yet? Watching TV?”

Duh! Isn’t that obvious? Do you really need to ask?

“Are you usually busy with work?”

Oh no, this feeling is getting stronger. It’s exactly the same! If I hadn’t done anything wrong, I’d think I was having an affair.

“It’s manageable. I just took over the family business, so there’s a lot to handle…”

“Do you need any help?”

Suddenly, Yu Jinzhao remembered that Pei Daowan had genuine experience in corporate management, and on a scale far larger than her own startup. Why didn’t I ask her sooner?

“Actually, yes!”

Pei Daowan raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Tell me about it.”

Yu Jinzhao set down her bag and sat on the sofa beside Pei Daowan, leaving a good half-meter between them.

“I took over the Yu Family’s entertainment division, Mutual Shadow Media. But the company doesn’t have any real projects. They’ve just invested in a few films and TV shows, mostly as favors, not because they actually want to produce them.”

“I was thinking of turning it into a survival show for girl group debuts. That way, we’d generate buzz and get good viewership.”

Afraid Pei Daowan might not understand what a girl group was, Yu Jinzhao explained the concept of girl group survival shows in their world. Pei Daowan, being quick-witted, grasped the idea almost instantly.

She tapped her fingers lightly on the table, feigning casual interest. “Were you a big fan of girl groups back then?”

Yu Jinzhao didn’t hesitate. “I barely watch them. I only like movies and occasionally watch TV dramas.”

“Then how do you know so much about them?”

“Girl group survival shows are really popular where I’m from. Lots of people love them, so I’ve picked up some knowledge.”

Hearing Yu Jinzhao’s explanation, Pei Daowan’s mood inexplicably brightened. “I think it’s worth trying. This kind of show has never been done here before. Even if it doesn’t meet all our expectations, it’ll definitely generate buzz and novelty.”

Yu Jinzhao’s eyes lit up. “You think it’s feasible too?”

But her voice dropped several notches. “I’ve never had any experience with this kind of thing before…”

“The principles are the same. You have experience in other industries, so you’ll learn this quickly too. You’re a smart person.”

Flattered by Pei Daowan’s praise, Yu Jinzhao felt a little embarrassed. She scratched her head, her voice tinged with delight. “You really trust me that much?”

Pei Daowan’s gaze turned meaningful, a mix of teasing and encouragement. “You’re so capable. How could you not learn it?”

“Speaking of which, the moment I arrived in this world was shortly after my business venture failed…”

Yu Jinzhao hesitated, unsure how to begin. Pei Daowan encouraged her with a look to continue.

“I was really down, almost depressed, but I’m much better now. I guess I was just stuck in my own head.”

Pei Daowan narrowed her eyes slightly and suddenly said, “Come here.”

Hearing this, Yu Jinzhao instinctively took a step forward, closing the distance between them to just a foot.

Since they were standing, Yu Jinzhao leaned down, bringing her ear close to Pei Daowan’s, as if listening intently.

Pei Daowan reached out as if to touch Yu Jinzhao, who held her breath, instinctively offering her fluffy head to save Pei Daowan the trouble.

But the expected touch didn’t come. Yu Jinzhao felt a pang of disappointment, pursing her lips, unsure whether to straighten up or wait for Pei Daowan.

The next moment, Yu Jinzhao felt slender fingers gently weave through her hair, followed by a palm softly settling on her head.

The fingertips first brushed her hair tentatively, as if testing the waters, before the entire palm pressed firmly against her scalp, pausing briefly before gently kneading twice.

A head pat!

Yu Jinzhao’s heart jolted violently, as if something had struck its bullseye. An indescribable flutter surged through her, leaving her both flustered and faintly delighted. Unable to process the emotion, she frowned slightly and looked up at Pei Daowan, as if awaiting an explanation.

Pei Daowan’s demeanor was nonchalant. The moment Yu Jinzhao looked up, her hand had already withdrawn, as if it had never crossed the line.

“What? Don’t like me touching you?” Pei Daowan’s voice trailed off with a teasing lilt, sending a tingling sensation through Yu Jinzhao and leaving her even more bewildered.

Dazed and confused, Yu Jinzhao nodded and shook her head simultaneously, completely unaware of her own actions.

Pei Daowan tilted her chin, a faint smile playing at the corner of her eyes. Her slender fingers flicked out again, slowly and deliberately tracing the neckline of Yu Jinzhao’s shirt.

Yu Jinzhao was wearing a blouse today, having removed her blazer upon entering. With the top two buttons undone and her leaning forward slightly, her collarbones were clearly visible.

Each casual stroke of Pei Daowan’s fingertips felt like an electric current. Yu Jinzhao instinctively leaned closer, her body tilting forward. Warm breath brushed deliberately against her earlobe as Pei Daowan’s other hand casually rested on the sofa, trapping her within her personal space.

“I…” Yu Jinzhao stammered, opening her mouth only to immediately close it again. She felt that any words she might utter at this moment would be utterly tone-deaf.

But…

“What is it? What do you want to say?” Pei Daowan’s composure stood in stark contrast to Yu Jinzhao’s awkward nervousness. She carried herself with the haughty confidence of someone accustomed to authority and absolute control over the situation.

Yu Jinzhao’s lips felt dry as she mumbled, “It’s getting late. We should go to bed…”

Pei Daowan: “……”

In an instant, the deliberately cultivated air of intimacy vanished without a trace. It was like casting a flirtatious glance at a blind man.

Pei Daowan rarely found herself speechless, but at this moment, she was genuinely silent.

Is it that I’ve lost my charm? Or does Yu Jinzhao simply not like my type? But her behavior suggests otherwise…

“I understand. Go to sleep.”

Even the slow-witted Yu Jinzhao sensed the tension in the air. She timidly asked, “Are you angry?”

Pei Daowan scoffed. “Why would I be angry? What’s there to be angry about? How ridiculous.”

Without waiting for Yu Jinzhao’s reaction, she switched off the TV and stomped upstairs, her footsteps echoing loudly on the stairs.

Yu Jinzhao belatedly touched her head where Pei Daowan had patted it earlier.

Thank goodness I washed my hair this morning, she thought. It’s not oily and still feels fluffy. What if Pei Daowan had found it greasy?

Should I wash my hair again tomorrow before going out? What if she touches it again?

Filled with guilt, Yu Jinzhao quickly washed up and went to bed.