The speech ended with a flourish, and Su Jin gracefully stepped down from the podium, making her way over to Lin Luan’s side.
Lin Luan was sitting upright, smiling at her with deep affection in his eyes.
For a brief moment, Su Jin was caught off guard by that gaze, her heart fluttering in disarray, but she quickly regained her composure.
This man, he really knows how to act.
“What’s wrong? Eating so little—do you have no appetite?” Su Jin pulled out the chair next to Lin Luan and sat down.
She noticed that Lin Luan’s plate was almost empty. Su Jin had assumed he would be feasting.
“As Miss Su’s boyfriend, if I ate like a starving ghost, that would be a bit inappropriate.”
Lin Luan replied with a smile, and at the same time, he gently tidied up the hem of Su Jin’s long gown that was dragging on the floor.
“Such a smooth talker.” Su Jin turned her head away, though she couldn’t hide her smile. “You did well. I’ll give you a raise later.”
“That’s what I should do.” Lin Luan responded.
He noticed that Su Jin’s plate was almost untouched, with only a few cherry tomatoes.
“Miss Su, do you like eating these?” Lin Luan asked curiously. In his mind, this type of lady CEO usually preferred something like Wellington steak. Why cherry tomatoes?
“Something like that.” Su Jin answered offhandedly.
After Su Jin’s brilliant speech, the atmosphere of the networking event reached its peak, then moved into a more relaxed social session.
Amid the clinking of glasses and cheerful conversation, time slipped quietly by, and soon the event neared its end.
Staying true to Jinse Technology’s usual style of appealing to younger employees, the meeting wrapped up with some light-hearted party games to liven things up.
The Host came on stage to announce the first game.
[Impromptu Performance]
The rules were simple: the Host would provide a specific story, and two people would each take on a role to act it out. But the story was only half-complete—they had to impromptu perform all the way to the ending.
As the Host finished explaining the rules and was about to randomly select the first group of participants, a woman’s voice, tinged with laughter, rang out:
“Host, since this game is so interesting, why not let our gracious host today, Miss Su Jin, and her boyfriend give us a demonstration?”
Su Jin whipped around. Xia Wanyu was sitting there, legs crossed, smiling at her while swirling a glass of 2005 Romanée-Conti.
“Everyone’s very curious about General Manager Su’s love life. This is a perfect opportunity for us to learn how business elites fall in love.”
Empty flattery.
The Host was clearly caught off guard, but given Xia Wanyu’s special status, he dared not refuse and immediately played along, looking warmly at Su Jin:
“General Manager Xia’s suggestion is wonderful! General Manager Su, Mr. Lin, would you both be willing to honor us and start off this game?”
Su Jin’s fingers tightened slightly around her wine glass, but her expression remained as composed as ever. She turned her head and exchanged a look with Lin Luan.
Lin Luan gave a subtle nod.
It’s just a simple game. Refusing would reflect poorly on the company’s image, so it’s better to go along with it.
Su Jin stood up gracefully, nodded slightly to the Host, and accepted.
She reached out her hand to Lin Luan, who took it naturally. Together, they walked up to the stage, their movements close and intimate, as if they were a perfectly matched couple.
The Host brought over an opaque box with a round opening at the top, filled with slips of paper, each bearing a different story prompt.
“Well then, let’s have General Manager Su draw the first scene for the impromptu performance!” the Host said, holding the box out to Su Jin.
Su Jin remained calm, elegantly slipping her hand into the box. Her fingers brushed through the papers before she pulled out a folded slip and handed it to the Host.
The Host carefully unfolded the paper and turned to the audience:
“The scenario General Manager Su has drawn is—’In a library, a girl is helping a boy review for his exams. It’s raining outside… Please, the two of you, start from this setting and improvise an ending!'”
Su Jin’s heart sank. Of all things, she had to draw a couple-themed performance.
But she didn’t complain—instead, she slipped into character instantly.
She was an elite. Whatever she did, she would do it perfectly.
Stagehands quickly set up the props: desks, chairs, pens, and paper—nothing was missing.
Lin Luan went to the desk and chair in the center of the stage, sat down, picked up a pen, and pretended to be working through a problem in a book.
Su Jin walked over to him slowly.
“What’s wrong? Is there a question you don’t understand?”
Lin Luan looked up at her with a troubled smile. “This question is really hard. I’ve been staring at it for ages, but I still can’t figure it out.”
Su Jin naturally leaned in to look at the book, her posture close and intimate. “Where? Let me see.”
Her voice was gentle, and she was deeply in character.
Everything was going as planned.
Su Jin thought to herself that, at this pace, they could act out a scene where the girl patiently explained the problem, the boy suddenly understood, and the two walked home hand in hand under an umbrella in the rain outside the library—a warm and cozy ending.
Su Jin lowered her gaze, her eyes soft with a gentle smile.
A perfect script. Xia Wanyu, if you think you can catch me slipping up, you’re not good enough.
***
However, just as she waited for Lin Luan to say the expected line, “I don’t understand this part,” Lin Luan deviated from her imagined script.
Instead of continuing to discuss the question, he sat up straight, his eyes leaving the book and settling on Su Jin’s face.
The stage lights reflected in his eyes, making Lin Luan’s gaze seem especially focused. He looked at her quietly, as if there was no one else in the entire banquet hall but the two of them.
Su Jin was caught off guard by his sudden, intense gaze. Her prepared lines stuck in her throat.
Then, Lin Luan reached out and gently tucked a stray lock of Su Jin’s hair—fallen loose from her leaning in—behind her ear.
His fingertips brushed ever so lightly against her ear, sending a subtle shiver through Su Jin’s body.
Lin Luan spoke softly.
“Actually, the question isn’t that hard.”
He paused for a moment, like a shy boy gathering his courage.
“It’s just that when I look at you, I can’t concentrate at all.”
“Because… I like you.”
!!!
Time seemed to freeze at that instant.
Su Jin was completely stunned, her mind a total blank.
She had imagined all kinds of ways this scene might play out—warm, funny, even awkward—but she had never expected this.
A direct confession!
How could he… How dare he say that in front of so many people…!
Su Jin’s cheeks heated uncontrollably, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
She knew perfectly well this was just acting, but that “I like you” sounded so… so real. Could anyone really act that well?
No way… that wasn’t just acting, was it?
“Pa pa pa!” A round of applause erupted from the audience.
“So sweet, they’re perfect together!”
“No wonder they’re a real couple—you can’t fake this!”
The smile on Xia Wanyu’s face froze. She stared intently at Su Jin on the stage, searching for any hint of pretense in her expression.
But that split-second of fluster, like a startled fawn, couldn’t be faked.
Does she really like that man? Was I wrong again?
Onstage, after delivering his lines, Lin Luan maintained his pose, still looking at Su Jin.
Everything went according to plan!
At this moment, Lin Luan was full of self-satisfaction at his perfect performance.
Back in school, when he nearly got caught playing with his phone, he used the same sincerity to tell the teacher he didn’t have one.
So many years honing his acting skills in tough environments—they didn’t go to waste!
Next year’s Oscar, don’t forget to hand me the trophy.
A faint smile crept onto Lin Luan’s lips.
Su Jin noticed that smile.
It was so gentle, so captivating.
For the first time, she awkwardly looked away.
This isn’t just acting, is it?
Lin Luan…does he really like me?
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