There’re Always Paranoid Thoughts to Monopolize Me - Extra 9.2

Seeing that the girl was truly insistent, Huo Zhonglou could only compromise.

“Alright then.”

He sighed lightly with regret, but couldn’t help reaching out to ruffle the girl’s long hair again.

“Then I’ll wait for you here – you can’t drive me away.”

“I won’t drive you away, on the condition that you don’t interfere with my work,” Qin Ke “warned” in a low voice.

Certain someone had a history of neglecting proper duties and disturbing people’s hearts, so Qin Ke really couldn’t trust him.

Huo Zhonglou saw her wariness and laughed hoarsely.

“… Alright. I promise you.”

A few minutes later.

Qin Ke regretted it.

Huo Zhonglou was indeed “cooperative” enough, not making a sound, not disturbing, and not even moving from his spot.

–

He just had someone bring a chair, placed it next to Qin Ke’s makeup table, and stared at Qin Ke, who had started to reapply her makeup, without blinking.

That gaze was scorching, intense, with all the longing from half a year of separation contained within.

Not only could Qin Ke not bear it, even the makeup artist couldn’t – just for the eye makeup alone, Qin Ke saw the makeup artist’s hand shake several times.

… The familiar taste of trouble.

Qin Ke sighed inwardly.

When the eye makeup part was finally finished, the makeup artist, with shaking hands, “begged for mercy.”

“The eye makeup is done. But I really can’t continue, Miss Qin. I’ll have someone else do the rest of your makeup.”

“…”

Qin Ke opened her eyes, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

“No problem, thank you for your trouble.”

“It’s no trouble, no trouble at all, it’s what I should do…”

The makeup artist smiled bitterly. Taking advantage of having her back to Huo Zhonglou, she lowered her voice to a minimum and joked with Qin Ke.

“I’ve never seen such a clingy fiancé, as if he’s afraid that if he blinks, you’ll be snatched away by someone. Miss Qin, I admire you. You must be skilled at managing your husband, right?”

Qin Ke was even more at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

When the makeup artist left to find help, Qin Ke looked at Huo Zhonglou and, sure enough, met his unblinking gaze fixed on her.

She sighed, “Eye harassment is also interference.”

“… Then it seems there’s no choice.” Seeing no one to disturb them, Huo Zhonglou stood up and approached, “I haven’t seen you for half a year, today I must look my fill.”

Qin Ke: “……”

Qin Ke: “Fine, you can look.” As soon as she finished speaking, she raised her eyes vigilantly and reached out her hand.

Her slender, fair index finger stopped in mid-air, pressing against the man’s lips, intercepting the kiss that was about to fall.

Qin Ke narrowed her eyes slightly, “You can look, but no sneak attacks – if you mess up my makeup again, I think the makeup artist will really fight you to the death.”

Huo Zhonglou could only sit back down with great regret.

****

Under the personal “supervision” of Huo Zhonglou, this big investor, the efficiency of the makeup team dropped to its lowest.

After an hour, Qin Ke finally left the makeup room, and the makeup artists felt like they had almost shed a layer of skin from nervousness.

Because of Huo Zhonglou’s presence, Qin Ke’s scenes, which usually only needed one take, had to be redone several times.

It wasn’t until he received the girl’s reproachful glare that Huo Zhonglou finally withdrew his gaze with an indulgent smile.

He took a script from the producer who had been carefully accompanying him and flipped through it boredly with lowered eyes.

“Mr. Huo, are you thirsty? Would you like a drink of water?”

A sweet voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

“…”

Huo Zhonglou’s figure paused for a moment, then he slightly raised his eyes and looked up.

A woman with a charming smile stood next to the soft chair he was sitting on, her face, which had a decent foundation, was heavily made up, eye-catchingly so.

As soon as their eyes met, Huo Zhonglou could see the desire in this woman’s half-concealed gaze.

He raised the corner of his lips, the smile in his eyes cooling.

“Who is this?”

The producer had been giving Qi Tian eye signals from the side, but how could Qi Tian, blinded by beauty and power, give up such an opportunity?

Hearing Huo Zhonglou’s question, the producer could only speak up reluctantly. “This is… the actress playing the female lead in this drama, Qi Tian.”

“Hmm,” Huo Zhonglou hummed with a light laugh, lowering his eyes to casually scan the script in his hand, his voice slightly cool, “Is this the one my Qin Qin is doing the stunts for?”

Producer: “……”

The producer was almost in tears, “We’re truly sorry, Mr. Huo. If we had known Miss Qin Ke was your fiancée, we would never have let her play such a role as a stunt double.”

“Don’t say that.”

Huo Zhonglou smiled indifferently. He casually tossed the script he had finished reading onto the nearby table. When he raised his eyes again, his gaze was cold.

“Qin Qin hates it most when people use my name to give her special privileges – so you can think that way, but don’t say it.”

“Yes, yes…” The producer wiped his sweat nervously.

Huo Zhonglou stared coldly at Qi Tian until the smile on her face, which was already stiff, became increasingly difficult to maintain.

He laughed softly.

“I heard that over 70% of the female lead’s scenes were completed by Qin Qin as a stunt double – as the boss of this crew, I can’t help but ask. If that’s the case, what’s the point of having you here? As a decoration, hmm?”

“…!”

The dark, low voice made Qi Tian tremble with fear. Her face turned pale, and she could only hastily wave her hands, “No… no, Mr. Huo, you misunderstand, I didn’t, really… really…”

“Didn’t? Are you saying I’m slandering you?”

“No, no, no – of course not!”

Qi Tian shook her head repeatedly in fear.

The last trace of cold smile faded from Huo Zhonglou’s face. He looked at the woman with icy eyes.

“I won’t bother with you – because Qin Qin wouldn’t stoop to the level of women like you. But while her patience is good, mine isn’t – so, don’t let me see you again… Get out!”

Qi Tian didn’t dare to make a sound. With reddened eyes and tears, she turned and ran.

Witnessing Qi Tian being scolded away mercilessly by the man, the few other actresses in the crew who had been restless due to Huo Zhonglou’s status and power all fell silent.

No one wanted to provoke such an Asura.

At this point, the producer’s gaze towards Huo Zhonglou had already carried a hint of genuine admiration.

“Mr. Huo, your feelings for Miss Qin…” The producer smiled, seemingly choosing his words carefully before continuing, “are truly deep and unwavering.”

Huo Zhonglou couldn’t stare at Qin Ke to avoid disrupting her filming, and he really had nothing else to do. Hearing the producer’s words, his eyes flickered slightly.

“I’ve liked her for so many years before finally being with her… Of course I will cherish her. Any potential threat to our relationship, I will nip in the bud.”

The producer smiled and said, “Such feelings as yours are increasingly rare to see nowadays.”

“Because she’s worth it.”

Huo Zhonglou’s lips curled into a smile. He suddenly turned to the producer and said, “Do you want to hear how outstanding she was before?”

Producer: “…?”

The producer thought to himself, do I dare say no?

On the surface, he nodded repeatedly, “I’d love to hear about it.”

“……”

So, when Qin Ke finally finished her last scene and quietly walked behind Huo Zhonglou, she heard him telling the producer about her “great achievements” in academics during her third year of junior high.

Qin Ke: “…”

Qin Ke’s face turned slightly red, and she pounced on him, unable to bear it any longer.

“I’m done. Let’s go.”

Huo Zhonglou was pulled up from his chair by the girl in the middle of his sentence.

He hesitated for 0.1 seconds, casually took out one of his business cards, and placed it on the table under the producer’s flattered gaze.

“There’s a lot more I didn’t finish telling you. I’ll tell you another day.”

Producer: “……”

Well, it’s better to take this obsessed investor away.