Chapter 130: Even Beauties Have Curiosity

The next day.
The weather was clear and breezy.

Inside a business sedan headed toward the awards ceremony, Lin Chuan sat stiffly in a crisp suit, his expression somewhat unnatural. Usually, Lin Chuan opted for casual or sportswear; it wouldn't be accurate to say he rarely wore suits—it would be more accurate to say he had essentially never worn one. Because of this, suddenly donning a tailored suit made him feel restricted and incredibly awkward.

He had no choice. Who told him he had to attend this ceremony today? If he showed up in athletic gear, wouldn't he be the laughingstock of the industry? He might not even be allowed through the front door.

However, that wasn't the main issue. What truly made Lin Chuan feel uneasy was the person sitting opposite him: a stunning beauty named Mu Qing.

Mu Qing was the assistant director of the production team and a capable right-hand woman to Director Chen. It was she who had personally arranged to meet Lin Chuan and finalize their collaboration. At the time, because Lin Chuan was a newcomer—or rather, not even a newcomer, just a reality show contestant—his selection to sing the theme song had been met with plenty of skepticism.

Later, when "Loyal Souls of the Prestigious Clan" officially aired, both of Lin Chuan’s songs, "Sword Heart" and "Poem of Farewell," received unanimous acclaim from the audience. It would be no exaggeration to say that these two songs elevated the grand historical drama to an entirely new level. Since then, Director Chen had held the young man in even higher regard, and the beautiful Mu Qing felt a sense of gratitude as well; after all, it was these two songs that had solidified her own standing within the production crew.

But... gratitude is one thing. If she felt so indebted, a simple dinner invitation would have sufficed. Was it really necessary to stare at him from the moment they got into the car, scrutinizing him from head to toe without end?

Lin Chuan fidgeted, looking left and right. Being stared at by such a beauty was enough to make anyone feel on edge. After the car had been driving for quite some time, Lin Chuan finally couldn't take it anymore. He gave a light cough and asked, "Director Mu... have Director Chen and the others already arrived?"

"Hehe, you can just call me Mu Qing. Director Chen and the rest of the crew arrived long ago," Mu Qing replied with a light chuckle and a nod.

In truth, Mu Qing was undeniably beautiful. With fair skin, long legs, and a figure that could be described as top-tier, she was especially charming when she smiled, revealing two shallow, captivating dimples. If Lin Chuan didn't know her, he would never have believed that such a stylish, gorgeous woman with such a presence actually worked in film production. Working on a set was no simple task; it meant being exposed to the elements, enduring the bitter cold of winter and the sweltering heat of summer. Even men often found it grueling, let alone a beauty like Mu Qing.

Even more bafflingly, she hadn't even tanned...

Lin Chuan gave an awkward smile and said, "Then we should hurry. We mustn't keep Director Chen and the others waiting too long."

"It's fine. We still have an hour and a half before the ceremony begins. We have plenty of time," Mu Qing reassured him.

Lin Chuan nodded, opened his mouth, but found nothing else to say.

The atmosphere in the car turned peculiar once again, and Mu Qing’s gaze resumed its relentless survey of his person. Lin Chuan kept doing what he had been doing—trying his best not to meet her eyes. He looked to the sides, out the window, anywhere... as long as it wasn't toward the opposite seat.

But having a beautiful woman stare at him like this wasn't sustainable. Was there a flower growing on his face? Or did she actually like him? Lin Chuan shamelessly speculated to himself.

Suddenly, Mu Qing spoke up: "Hehe, I really hadn't expected you to be so talented. I haven't seen you in a few months, and you’ve truly made me look at you with new eyes."

*Well, well,* he thought, *you’ve been staring for half an hour just to say that?*

Lin Chuan offered a faint, humble smile. "I was just lucky to meet the right people at the right time."

"Don't give me that. I haven't been in this industry for just a day or two. If you didn't have real ability, even meeting a talent scout would be futile. Besides, you're not exactly a fresh-faced idol anymore, and your looks are... passable at best."

*Pfft!*

Lin Chuan nearly spat out his saliva upon hearing this. What did she mean, "not a fresh-faced idol"? And what was this about his looks being "passable"? Was she complimenting him or insulting him? If she weren't a woman and the assistant director, he would have kicked her out of the car already.

Lin Chuan thought this to himself, but on the surface, he maintained a modest, humble smile.

"I hear you have a son?" Mu Qing asked again.

"Yes, I do have a son," Lin Chuan nodded, not bothering to hide it. In reality, this was no longer a secret. While it wasn't exactly common knowledge, those who followed Lin Chuan closely knew he had a very cute and handsome son.

"How old is he? Do you have a photo? Let me see," Mu Qing said with a smile.

Lin Chuan frowned slightly, took out his phone from his pocket, and opened the screen to reveal a photo of Yangyang. The little guy had a joyful smile, and his bright, intelligent eyes were like clear pools of water.

Mu Qing looked at the photo, then looked back at Lin Chuan, and said after a moment, "His nose is quite like yours, and his mouth too. But his eyes... they're different from yours. They must take after his mother, right?"

Lin Chuan didn't answer and didn't offer any reaction, simply smiling lightly as he said, "So, isn't my son handsome?"

"Hmm, the little guy is quite cute. It’s a good thing he doesn't look like you for the most part, otherwise, it would have ruined the child..." Mu Qing said with a straight face.

Lin Chuan’s expression changed involuntarily at these words. *Am I really that bad?* he wondered. *Would it ruin the child to look like me?*

Seeming to notice that Lin Chuan was uncomfortable, Mu Qing suddenly laughed. "I’m joking, don’t take it seriously. But he really doesn't look much like you. I bet his mother must be very beautiful, right?"

"Hmm, I suppose she is," Lin Chuan replied with an awkward nod.

"Hehe, my curiosity is fully piqued now. I really want to know what your wife looks like. Do you have a photo? Let me see that too," Mu Qing said with a smile.

At that moment, Lin Chuan’s complexion turned somewhat grim. Just as he was wondering how to handle the situation, the car suddenly came to a stop. Looking out the window, he realized they had reached their destination.

Lin Chuan let out a long sigh of relief and smiled. "Director Mu, we've arrived. Let's get out."

Mu Qing rolled her eyes, annoyed that they had arrived at such an inconvenient time. With no other choice, she followed Lin Chuan out of the car.

As soon as they stepped out, they were met by a crowd of reporters. When the journalists caught sight of Lin Chuan, they froze for a split second before swarming toward him in a frantic, unorganized mass.