Chapter 28#
Young Master He#
Lu Yan watched Su Mo’s profile as a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. The lamplight cast a shadow along his long eyelashes, adding an inexplicable layer of allure to his face—indescribably beautiful.
“The post-production is done already? The company’s efficiency is truly remarkable.”
The songs he had recorded just two days prior were naturally familiar to him.
“Actually, not yet,” Su Mo explained. “I had someone give it special treatment. Even when the EP hits the market later, this version will remain one of a kind.” He chuckled, sounding somewhat pleased with himself. “And I’m the first person besides the recording crew to hear these songs. They sound wonderful.”
Lu Yan also recognized what this “special treatment” entailed: the background music had been softened to highlight the singer’s voice, and the key had been lowered, making it sound like a lover whispering softly by one’s ear.
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t moved. With Su Mo putting in this much heartfelt effort, Lu Yan found himself at a loss for words.
As they traveled along with the music accompanying them, not much conversation was needed. Both of them enjoyed this feeling.
This time, Su Mo didn’t take Lu Yan to some unexpected place but rather to a private club that most people would associate with someone of his status.
Though called a club, it wasn’t ostentatious. Located near the outskirts of the city, the environment was quiet and serene. The space wasn’t large, but it was exquisitely arranged.
As Su Mo entered, he showed a card to the attendant—apparently, it was membership-based.
There weren’t many people inside. Besides Su Mo and Lu Yan, there were only two other tables of guests. Lu Yan didn’t know them personally but recognized their faces from financial magazines.
This club was clearly no ordinary establishment. Lu Yan thought to himself, though he didn’t feel out of place or uncomfortable.
As soon as they sat down, an attendant came over to open a bottle of red wine. Even though Lu Yan didn’t know much about wine, he could tell it wasn’t an ordinary vintage.
Lu Yan took a small sip. “The atmosphere here is wonderful.”
Su Mo nodded. “The food here is quite good too.”
This exchange reminded Lu Yan of their last visit to the café, and he joked, “Is this establishment also one of Chairman Su’s holdings?”
Su Mo countered, “Would you be surprised if I said it wasn’t?”
Lu Yan raised an eyebrow. “I’d probably be a little disappointed.”
Su Mo laughed. “Then I’ll consider buying it or investing in it.”
Lu Yan could tell this was also said in jest.
The food here was indeed as Su Mo had described—quite good—but it was also genuinely expensive.
Su Mo said casually, “A single evening here costs roughly what an average working-class person earns in a year. But that’s not the main point. The key is that they only accept three reservations per day, and the earliest available slot is already booked six months out.”
Lu Yan smiled. “And Chairman Su?”
He naturally didn’t believe Su Mo had made a reservation half a year in advance.
Su Mo gave a mysterious smile. “Me? I’m different. I have a connection with the owner.”
Lu Yan thought for a moment and said, “That reminds me of a story. Legend has it that during the Song Dynasty, there was a revered monk who made such delicious vegetarian dishes that all the nobles and officials in the capital flocked to him. So the monk set a rule: he would only cook one meal a day, and at an exorbitant price. Even so, demand still exceeded supply. But what everyone was really after wasn’t the meal itself—it was the monk’s teachings of Buddhism.”
Su Mo nodded. “You’re right. No matter how good the food here is, it’s not worth this price or effort. So the people who come here aren’t here for the meal—they’re here to see who they might run into. And being able to secure a reservation here also flaunts one’s status.”
A hearty laugh suddenly broke through. Lu Yan saw a man with an open collar, revealing a hint of a robust chest, striding over with a somewhat wild air. He sat down next to Su Mo, casually and warmly draping an arm over his shoulder, and said with a grin, “Chairman Su, what exactly are you taking my place for?”
Su Mo turned his head slightly to look at him and curled his lips into a smile. “A proper place.”
The familiarity and intimacy in his tone were unlike anything Lu Yan had ever heard from him, and for some reason, it left a faint, uncomfortable feeling in his chest.
Su Mo didn’t neglect Lu Yan just because he’d run into an acquaintance. Instead, he quickly introduced them. “Young Master He, this is Lu Yan.”
The man addressed as Young Master He nodded at Lu Yan to acknowledge him.
Su Mo then said to Lu Yan, “Lu Yan, you must have heard of the He family in the capital. This is the third young master of the He family, but everyone just calls him Young Master He.”
The He family of the capital—even though Lu Yan wasn’t part of that circle, he had heard of them. If this was the third young master of the He family, it was only natural that he could open such an exclusive club.
“Just call me He San,” the young master said before Lu Yan could address him.
Though he’d said that, Lu Yan wasn’t tactless. He still replied with proper respect, “Young Master He.”
“What brings Chairman Su to my humble little place today?”
“How could you call it a humble little place? Just now, Lu Yan was telling me how elegant and serene it is here—a rare gem.”
“Oh? Are you interested? I’ve told you before—if you want it, I’ll give it to you.” Young Master He looked at Su Mo with a smile.
Su Mo smiled back. “If I wanted it, I’d buy it. I wouldn’t accept it as a gift. Don’t think you can repay my favor so easily. The goodwill of the future head of the He family is worth far more than this elegant place. Besides, without you, He San, this place would be deserted instead of bustling with guests, no matter how nice it is.”
Young Master He wagged his right index finger. “You really are a shrewd businessman.”
After that, Su Mo steered the conversation, helping Lu Yan and Young Master He strike up a chat.
Lu Yan’s eloquence, insight, and especially his demeanor appealed greatly to Young Master He. And since he was introduced by Su Mo, they quickly became familiar with each other.
By this point, Lu Yan naturally understood the real purpose of Su Mo bringing him here tonight—it was likely for the sake of this Young Master He San. Lu Yan knew well that in any industry, climbing to the top required an indispensable network, especially connections with such influential backgrounds. Since Su Mo had gone to such lengths to arrange this, Lu Yan wasn’t about to let his goodwill go to waste.
Reading people was, after all, Lu Yan’s specialty. By playing to his interests, he quickly won Young Master He’s favor. The latter even joked to Su Mo, asking why he hadn’t introduced such an interesting friend sooner. The two quickly exchanged contact information and agreed to meet up sometime for drinks and sports.
Everyone left thoroughly pleased.
By the time they departed, it was already late. During their stay, the guests from the other two tables had also come over to greet them, all clearly there for Young Master He. But compared to how he treated Su Mo and Lu Yan, his attitude toward them was far cooler.
Since he had to drive, Su Mo hadn’t drunk much. Lu Yan had drunk quite a bit, but he had a high tolerance. So when they got into the car, both were still perfectly sober.
However, Su Mo wasn’t used to talking much while driving, so they remained silent on the way back.
When they reached the entrance of the residential complex where Su Mo had dropped Lu Yan off before, Su Mo stopped the car. Lu Yan hesitated before speaking. “Tonight… Chairman Su went to a lot of trouble.”
Su Mo replied calmly, “The entertainment industry is a complicated place. The higher you climb, the more people want to drag you down and see you fail. Even though Starlight has some influence within the industry, there are certain matters it can’t openly defend. Knowing more people will be to your advantage.”
Lu Yan nodded. “I understand.”
Su Mo continued, “He Ming—this man—not only has a deep background but is also quite ruthless himself. Back when the three sons of the He family were competing, he was considered the least promising. But now, he’s the only one capable of inheriting the He family, which speaks volumes about his methods. That said, he’s also very loyal. Once he considers you a friend, he’ll go to great lengths for you. And his choice of friends never depends on status or background—only on whether he likes them. So he knows all kinds of people, from all walks of life. Most importantly, he’s very interested in filmmaking. You might even have the chance to collaborate in the future. Once you’ve earned his approval, the underground forces won’t dare to mess with you easily.”
Lu Yan thought to himself—could this be because of what happened on the red carpet last time? Back then, things had been resolved so quickly and smoothly that he’d simply assumed Qin Feng had prepared for it. He hadn’t asked about the specifics of how it was handled, nor did he know whether Su Mo had been aware of the situation or had played a role. But judging by today’s events, it seemed plausible that Su Mo had been involved. And now, he had even gone out of his way to arrange this. Lu Yan didn’t quite know what to say.
Since Su Mo hadn’t stated it outright, Lu Yan didn’t feel comfortable asking directly. Instead, he casually remarked, “It seems like you and Young Master He have quite a good friendship.”
Su Mo smiled. “When he was at his lowest, I once gave him a hand. He’s always remembered that favor and has treated me with great courtesy.”
Lu Yan sighed. “Chairman Su always has such a good eye for people. But how did you know I’d get along with Young Master He?”
Su Mo turned his head to look at him. “As long as you’re willing, I believe you can get along with anyone.”
Lu Yan raised an eyebrow. “You’re that confident in me?”
Su Mo smiled. “You’ve also said I have good judgment, and I’ve never denied that. In all these years, I’ve never misjudged a person. I believe you’re no exception.”
Lu Yan smiled too and said nothing more.
The two sat in silence inside the quiet car, letting the cold moonlight fall on them through the windshield.
The atmosphere was too beautiful.
Su Mo was reluctant to leave, and for some reason, Lu Yan didn’t bring up leaving either.
After a long while, Su Mo spoke first. His voice, in the stillness of the night, sounded even deeper, lending an added allure. “Lu Yan, would you be willing to seriously consider my proposal from last time?”
Lu Yan felt as though he were under the spell of the moment and couldn’t help but reply, “I’ll give it serious thought.”
Su Mo curled his lips slightly and lowered his gaze. “Then, good night. See you.”
Lu Yan softly said, “Good night,” and finally opened the car door to step out.
This time, Lu Yan didn’t let Su Mo see him off with his headlights. Instead, he stood where he was, watching Su Mo’s car drive away.
Only after the low hum of the engine had faded into silence did Lu Yan turn and walk into the residential complex.
If he thought of this tug-of-war as a battle, Lu Yan mused, he no longer had a sure victory. But if he were to lose, it would probably be something he accepted gladly—maybe losing would even be the true victory.
But now wasn’t the time. Not yet!
For the first time, Lu Yan felt that perhaps losing wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.