Chapter 56

Shen Zhenghui was clearly not a novice who could be easily swayed. If the first time he was seduced by Seino Tomoaki could be attributed to a momentary lapse, now, due to his fame and status, he had enough self-control. Even if his mind was clouded by desire, he would still think rationally.

So he silently withdrew his hand, giving it a couple of playful squeezes before letting go. Horiguchi Natsumi's face turned crimson, almost believing she had succeeded.

"Are you an employee of our company?" Shen Zhenghui asked.

"I am..." Horiguchi Natsumi pulled at her collar, the hint of skin showing more alluring than if it were fully exposed. "I work part-time here."

"Have you signed a contract?" Shen Zhenghui continued.

Horiguchi Natsumi bit her lip hard, her eyes full of frustration. "A temporary part-time job."

Oh, a temporary part-time job, not a regular employee. Perhaps she was just a secretary or a cleaner, but the name Horiguchi Natsumi sounded somewhat familiar.

Shen Zhenghui took a step back. His scrutinizing gaze made Horiguchi Natsumi feel ashamed, and she lowered her head in a guilty manner, though her clothes were still not properly adjusted, revealing her pale belly and a deep cleavage.

"Do you want to be an actress?"

"Yes! Very much so!" The other person lifted her head, tears hanging on her face.

"You can apply to the agency!" Shen Zhenghui said.

Horiguchi Natsumi looked somewhat embarrassed. "I have applied, but I didn't pass."

Shen Zhenghui carefully examined her face. Horiguchi Natsumi, blushing shyly, tried to lower her head but was stopped by Shen Zhenghui. "Don't move, lift your head, stand properly." He reached out to hold her chin, her tear-streaked face looking exceptionally charming.

Stepping back to look again, her figure was tall and far superior to the average petite Japanese girl.

"How tall are you?"

"O... one meter seventy-one," Natsumi stammered, "Is it too tall?"

"In Japan, it would be considered a unique feature, which is good!" Shen Zhenghui replied. "What did the person who interviewed you say?"

"He said my academic credentials were not outstanding, I had no special skills, and my appearance looked too mature, making it difficult to become an idol." Horiguchi Natsumi said dejectedly.

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"Hmm, indeed, you are a bit old." Shen Zhenghui nodded. Japanese female stars were usually scouted and signed by talent agents at the age of twelve or thirteen, often starting as models. Being signed at fifteen or sixteen was already considered late, and by eighteen or nineteen, they were already making their debut. Horiguchi Natsumi, at nineteen, wanting to sign as a star was indeed too late. Although she looked beautiful and had a good figure, she had never been trained and lacked the foundation to be an idol, which was why she was not accepted and could only work as a part-time temporary worker.

Hearing Shen Zhenghui say this, Horiguchi Natsumi fell to the ground, crying. "Do I really have to become a porn actress and then try to make it in the entertainment industry?"

"Uh, how did you come up with such a bizarre idea?" Shen Zhenghui squatted down. "If you act in porn, it will be very difficult to become a legitimate actor in the entertainment industry. Once you enter, the label of being a porn actress will always follow you."

"But... but... but isn't Miss Seino Tomoaki also like that?" Horiguchi Natsumi sobbed, asking Shen Zhenghui. "She can do it, why can't I?"

Shen Zhenghui clicked his tongue. "She is my friend."

"I can too," Horiguchi Natsumi said excitedly. "Whatever she can do, I can do too!"

Shen Zhenghui laughed. "She speaks Chinese and has studied acting in China."

"I..." Horiguchi Natsumi opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.

"Go back, I remember your name." Shen Zhenghui said.

Horiguchi Natsumi seemed to lose the courage to stay any longer, standing up dejectedly and walking to the door. She suddenly turned around. "If I also learn Chinese and study acting, can I become an actress?"

"If you can do that, then whatever you do will be good, and you don't necessarily have to be an actress." Shen Zhenghui said.

Horiguchi Natsumi pursed her lips but didn't say anything more. She bowed, "I'm really sorry for disturbing you."

Just as she was about to leave, Shen Zhenghui called out, "Wait."

Horiguchi Natsumi turned around full of hope but heard Shen Zhenghui say, "Fix your clothes before you go out, or what if you run into someone?"

Horiguchi Natsumi, while fixing her clothes, mustered the courage to ask, "Mr. Sasaki, do I have no charm in your eyes?"

Shen Zhenghui twisted his mouth. "I don't have that many roles to waste, and I need to be responsible to the investors." He said seriously, "Moreover, if I let you get what you want so easily, it would give you a wrong impression of the entertainment industry and distort your worldview."

Horiguchi Natsumi, after fixing her clothes, couldn't help but laugh. "Mr. Sasaki, you are so funny," she laughed so hard she couldn't straighten up. "Isn't the entertainment industry like this?" She combed her hair. "Which role isn't obtained through such rules? Maybe some people are lucky and don't need to!"

Shen Zhenghui looked at this nineteen-year-old girl and felt that this seemed like something a thirty-nine-year-old would say. If she really entered the entertainment industry and spent twenty years in it, she might be able to say this truth with a weathered tone. But now, this girl seemed to be forcing herself to act mature, which made Shen Zhenghui find her somewhat endearing.

He also scratched his head. "I am not like that," he said seriously, "and Queens is not like that."

Horiguchi Natsumi's last bit of courage was shattered by this righteous tone, so she hurriedly bowed as an apology and fled.

Shen Zhenghui sat back at his desk, thinking about what had just happened. He still wasn't fully adapted to his identity and found it very strange that such things happened to him, rather than taking them for granted. Sighing, Shen Zhenghui felt he should have a mocking attitude towards this, otherwise, what was the difference between a director and a pornographer? For some reason, Shen Zhenghui thought of the movie "School Days." The protagonist's final fate of being killed by a katana made this pornographic anime a masterpiece. Shen Zhenghui scratched his head, wondering if he should let the Japanese experience this shock early.

He didn't have the energy to continue writing, so he packed up his things, left the office, and walked out of the building. He waved to the security guard at the door but didn't call a taxi to go home. Instead, he walked down the street. The fire in his heart, ignited by Horiguchi Natsumi, was now burning fiercely. Shen Zhenghui didn't know what he should do, so he just kept walking, his eyes scanning the neon lights and the seductive women standing at the doors, welcoming customers. Following his desires, he finally entered a bar.

As soon as he walked in, he regretted it. This was a very proper bar, neither noisy nor chaotic, playing quiet and soothing music. The patrons here seemed to be of a certain class, far from what Shen Zhenghui had imagined as a place for debauchery.

Well, since he was here, he might as well enjoy it. Maybe there would be someone interested in a one-night stand, but safety was a big concern. "God, please give me more time" had just been released last year! Thinking of this, Shen Zhenghui realized he was in the wrong place and should go to a place where female students gather, like a karaoke bar. But he immediately rejected this idea because he was already a star, and if news of his involvement in such activities spread, it would become a scandal.

Shen Zhenghui thought, if artists were all afraid of being exposed, wouldn't they only be able to hire call girls or engage in industry affairs? He shuddered, finally understanding why the entertainment industry was so chaotic. Thus, the burning fire in his heart was extinguished by half. As he thought, he was already sitting at the bar.

"Sir, what would you like to drink?" The bartender was a neat-looking middle-aged man, very tidy, without the yellow hair and long hair of young people, and his professional attire was very fitting.

"Give me a... " Shen Zhenghui originally wanted to order water, but felt it didn't match the atmosphere of the bar, so he said, "Something refreshing and sweet, like champagne. Yes, champagne!"

"You can try our special cocktail, guaranteed to be refreshing," the bartender smiled and recommended.

"Oh, then let me try it," Shen Zhenghui said.

A small glass of the drink was quickly served, indeed refreshing like champagne, almost without a noticeable alcohol taste. Shen Zhenghui liked it very much and ordered another glass.

Just as he was enjoying his drinks, he suddenly felt someone touch his arm.

Shen Zhenghui turned his head and saw a delicate face. As he turned, he realized he had drunk too much, his head was dizzy, and his vision was blurry. Although it was a cocktail, it still had a strong effect. He squinted his eyes, trying to identify the person next to him. The face was familiar, but he couldn't recall the name. "Ah, you are..."

Putting down his glass, Shen Zhenghui slapped his head.

"Mr. Sasaki, I am Kuroishi Ayaka, don't you remember?" Kuroishi Ayaka, supporting the swaying Shen Zhenghui, asked worriedly, "You've had too much to drink."

"Kuroishi Ayaka?" Shen Zhenghui blinked. "Oh, oh, the one with the yakuza connection, I remember." His mind was still clear, but his movements were stiff.

Kuroishi Ayaka looked around awkwardly. "You've had too much to drink, let me take you home."

"Wait," Shen Zhenghui struggled to take out his wallet, took out an unknown amount of money, and gave it to the bartender. "Your drinks are great, I like them. Just the effect is a bit quick, which is not good, it needs to be improved."

The bartender respectfully took the money and bowed. "You drank too fast," the bartender said respectfully. "You gave me 30,000 yen, which is too much."

"Too much?" Shen Zhenghui felt a wave of dizziness hit his head, trying to suppress the urge to vomit. "Keep the change, I'll come again next time."

The bartender had already handed the money to Kuroishi Ayaka. "Does your friend need a taxi?"

"Thank you," Kuroishi Ayaka said awkwardly, "I don't know where he lives, um, let me take him to his friend's house." So Kuroishi Ayaka, with some effort, supported Shen Zhenghui, walked out of the bar, and got into the taxi called by the bar, heading straight for Fukuda Hikari's house.

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