The cocktail party carried on without any disruptions.
To Luo Zheng's slight disappointment, no foolish troublemaker appeared to challenge him or create one of those dramatic slap-in-the-face moments he had almost come to expect. The evening moved forward smoothly, elegant and controlled, with laughter, clinking glasses, and the murmur of powerful names filling the luxurious hall.
Still, the night had not been without its rewards.
Huo Wenxi was one of them.
He was almost certain she had begun to waver.
Almost.
The reason he could not be fully sure was simple: a woman like Huo Wenxi was far too proud to surrender easily, and Albert Yeung was not the type to casually let go of one of his most capable people. Pulling her away from Emperor Entertainment would take time, patience, and the right leverage.
But right now, none of that occupied his thoughts.
His attention was entirely on the girl standing in front of him.
Ah Sa.
The lights of the banquet reflected softly in her eyes as she stood there, still looking a little flustered from everything that had happened tonight.
Luo Zheng stepped closer.
"I'll take you back."
His voice was calm, but there was no room for refusal.
Ah Sa hesitated and instinctively glanced around.
"Wait… Xin Tong is still here."
Luo Zheng's gaze remained steady.
"I said, I'm only taking you."
His tone wasn't harsh, but it carried an undeniable certainty.
Ah Sa bit her lip softly.
"But…"
Luo Zheng leaned in slightly, his voice gentler this time.
"Don't worry. I already saw Ah Jiao leaving with her boyfriend."
Only then did some of the tension in her eyes fade.
After a brief hesitation, she gave a small nod.
"Okay…"
A faint smile appeared on Luo Zheng's face.
He raised a hand, and a Rolls-Royce Phantom slowly pulled up in front of the hotel entrance.
The chauffeur opened the door.
The two got inside.
The moment the door shut, the partition between the front and back seats automatically rose, sealing the rear cabin into a quiet private space.
Silence filled the car for a few moments.
Then Luo Zheng spoke first.
"Are you still angry with me?"
Ah Sa looked away.
"No."
He gave a soft laugh.
"Is that a real no, or just something you're too scared to say?"
This time she turned toward him, cheeks slightly flushed.
"Really no."
Luo Zheng's eyes narrowed with amusement.
"Then do you believe me now?"
"Believe what?"
"That I'm a very devoted man."
For a split second, Ah Sa was speechless.
Inside, she wanted to roll her eyes.
Devoted?
To whom exactly?
But under his gaze, the words that came out were entirely different.
"…I believe you."
The moment she said it, Luo Zheng's arm moved.
Her wrist was caught gently, and before she could react, she was pulled into his embrace.
A soft gasp escaped her lips.
Truthfully, the moment she entered the car, she had already prepared herself mentally.
She just hadn't expected it to happen this suddenly.
Luo Zheng leaned close, his breath brushing against her ear.
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
Ah Sa lifted her chin and looked straight into his eyes.
"If I said yes, would you let me go?"
Luo Zheng's smile deepened.
"No."
His voice dropped lower.
"That would only make this even more exciting."
Ah Sa's face instantly turned red.
"Bastard!"
For the first time that night, she truly spoke from her heart.
And perhaps because she knew what would happen next, she said it bravely.
Because once this moment passed, she might never have the courage again.
Sure enough, the distance between them vanished.
A muffled sound escaped her lips.
She instinctively tried to resist.
"Don't…"
Her voice was soft, almost pleading.
Luo Zheng paused just enough to look at her.
"You bit me earlier."
His expression was half teasing, half accusing.
"Shouldn't there be some compensation?"
Ah Sa stared at him in disbelief.
Was that even something a human being would say?
He was clearly the one taking advantage, yet somehow he was acting like the victim.
The sheer shamelessness almost made her want to bite him again.
Outside, the Rolls-Royce glided through the Hong Kong night.
The glittering city lights stretched across the windows like a river of stars.
Instead of returning home, Luo Zheng had the car drive straight to the The Peninsula Hong Kong.
Going back to his usual place would be inconvenient.
Liu Xiaoli and Xixi were there.
That alone made it impossible.
In a few days, once Qianqian officially joined the filming crew of The Story of a Noble Family, things would become far more convenient.
He had already booked a private suite in advance.
The elevator doors opened.
The corridor was silent.
A moment later, the suite door clicked open.
Then shut.
The instant the door closed behind them, all the tension that had built up throughout the night finally broke.
The air itself seemed to grow hotter.
Their emotions, restrained all evening, finally spilled over.
What had begun with teasing smiles and stolen glances now turned into something far more intimate.
By the time the moon had crossed half the sky, the room had long fallen into silence.
The next morning, Luo Zheng was woken by the sharp ringing of his phone.
He frowned and reached over lazily.
Without even opening his eyes, he answered.
"Hello."
A voice came through the line.
Before the other person could finish speaking, Luo Zheng glanced at the sleeping Ah Sa beside him and said flatly,
"She's sleeping."
Then he hung up.
Since he was already awake, there was little point going back to sleep.
He turned his head and looked at Ah Sa.
Her sleeping face was soft and adorable, completely different from the lively girl from last night.
A playful smile appeared on his lips.
An idea slowly formed in his mind.
By noon, both of them were awake again.
This time, hunger had dragged them out of bed.
After finally releasing the tension he had been holding onto for days, Luo Zheng looked visibly refreshed.
Ah Sa, despite being exhausted, recovered surprisingly quickly.
Years of dance training and stage performance had given her excellent stamina.
By the time lunch was delivered to the room, her complexion had already regained its rosy color.
She even sat beside him, feeding him bites from the tray.
Then the conversation shifted.
"Sister Wenxi is really willing to leave Emperor?"
Ah Sa still found it hard to believe.
Luo Zheng smiled.
"That's right."
Her brows furrowed.
"But President Yang would never agree…"
"With enough benefits," Luo Zheng said calmly, "nothing is beyond negotiation."
The words instantly dimmed the hope in her eyes.
Seeing that expression, Luo Zheng added gently,
"You can leave with her."
Ah Sa fell silent.
After a long pause, she finally asked,
"Is it because of Ah Jiao?"
Luo Zheng looked at her.
"You can't bear to leave her?"
She didn't answer directly.
Instead, she asked softly,
"Why do I feel like… you don't like Xin Tong?"
Luo Zheng shook his head.
"It's not that."
Then his gaze softened.
"I just like you more."
The room went quiet again.
After a while, Ah Sa lowered her eyes.
"Can you give me some time to think?"
"Of course."
Luo Zheng answered without hesitation.
In his mind, this matter was already decided.
Albert Yeung would never ignore an opportunity tied to Hollywood.
He would absolutely seize it.
In the afternoon, after sending the thoughtful and distracted Ah Sa back, Luo Zheng returned to the company.
He had another important meeting tonight.
A knock sounded on the office door.
"Come in."
Chan Fai Wang stepped inside.
"Boss, the guest has arrived."
Luo Zheng's eyes lit up.
"Good. I'll come right away."
Inside the VIP room, three men in suits stood up the moment he entered.
The man in the middle, with a square face and glasses, was especially familiar.
Luo Zheng smiled warmly.
"Brother Ma, thank you for coming all the way."
The man before him was none other than Tencent co-founder Ma Huateng.
As someone who had once spent far too much money on Q Coins in another life, Luo Zheng felt an almost nostalgic affection.
After greetings and pleasantries, Ma Huateng could no longer contain himself.
"President Luo, could you explain in more detail the monetization plan you mentioned on the phone?"
Luo Zheng smiled knowingly.
He had prepared for this.
He gestured to the assistant, who handed over a neatly prepared document.
The moment the three men opened it, their eyes locked onto the bold title.
Life or Death Sprint: Rapid Profitability Strategy
And beneath it, the highlighted core point:
Fully embrace and optimize Mobile Dream Network.
The room instantly fell silent.
Every pair of eyes focused on the pages in front of them.
The future was about to begin.