Chapter 1

Drunken Tang Huan pushed open the door and, as he entered the room, he bumped into Liu Mingzhu, who had just finished her bath and was wearing a black strapless dress.

Her jet-black hair, still dripping with water, framed her flushed, alluring face. Her body, exposed in large patches of white, tender skin, was both wild and irresistibly tantalizing.

The professional women at the nightclub had failed to arouse Tang Huan's primal desires, but being back home, he was stirred by this cohabiting female superior.

Tang Huan couldn't help but appraise Liu Mingzhu's fiery figure.

Plump, full, radiating an overwhelming allure. Unlike her seasoned and astute demeanor at work, at home, Liu Mingzhu often displayed a seductive and alluring side. It was a testament to Brother Huan's self-control that he hadn't lost it and barged into his female superior's room, driven by his baser instincts.

"Have you had your fill?" Liu Mingzhu flicked a strand of wet hair behind her ear, a few black strands sticking to the snow-white, tender flesh of her chest, both wild and maddeningly tempting.

"Not as good as the semi-transparent one from last night," Tang Huan straightened his expression, trying to rein in his increasingly wandering thoughts.

In Brother Huan's mind, Liu Mingzhu had already been stripped bare, becoming his meal.

"Daydreaming, huh?" Liu Mingzhu shot Tang Huan a glare, scolding him. "Do you think I'm one of those nightclub women?"

"They're just trying to make a living. Director Liu, you shouldn't have such thoughts. What if one of our models finds out? They'd go straight to the big boss and report you."

Tang Huan and Liu Mingzhu both worked for Shengtian Entertainment, a second-tier entertainment company in Bai Cheng. The company mainly focused on the modeling market, also handling some web series and small fashion shows. Annual profits were in the tens of millions, with a total market value just breaking the billion mark.

The big boss was currently gearing up for an IPO, aiming for better development.

But this had nothing to do with Tang Huan, who was just the head of Group One in the Comprehensive Department, led by Liu Mingzhu. He did the hardest work and received the lowest pay. In public, he had to boast about being in the entertainment industry, but in reality, he was just mingling with a bunch of models. Seeing those big chests and long legs every day was really annoying.

"Yes, they're all just trying to make a living," Liu Mingzhu said, sitting on the sofa with a cup of coffee.

Her long, white legs were slightly crossed, making Tang Huan, who was still under the influence of alcohol, feel dry-mouthed and tongue-tied.

He gulped down a glass of water and mumbled, "Good night, boss. I'm going to bed."

At work, Liu Mingzhu was experienced, smooth, and well-respected in the company. She had no shortage of admirers, even receiving harassing calls from some third-rate male celebrities, all of which she firmly rejected.

But at home, Liu Mingzhu never held back her fiery, alluring figure. Her trendy sleepwear became thinner and more revealing with each piece. The soul of Brother Huan, who was often oppressed at work, was frequently swayed by Liu Mingzhu, his heart pounding uncontrollably.

"Don't be in such a hurry to sleep. I need to talk to you about something," Liu Mingzhu said with a seductive glance. "You chat with those little models all day, but you get annoyed after just two minutes with me? Do you think I'm too old?"

Here we go again...

Brother Huan thought to himself: Those models in the company are willing to accompany me for meals and entertainment for work arrangements, and I can take liberties with them. Can you do that?

Every time I work for you, it's a thankless job, and my bonus never increases.

"Boss, you're being too harsh. Thanks to you, I have a place to stay—"

"Let's not use 'boss' at home," Liu Mingzhu waved her white arm. "Don't you usually call me Sister Liu? I think it sounds better."

Brother Huan sensed that something was amiss; Liu Mingzhu must have another arduous task for him. He organized his words, thinking about how to refuse her.

But Liu Mingzhu's next words completely dispelled his resistance.

"The landlord is raising the rent again," Liu Mingzhu said meaningfully. "From 8,000 to 10,000. A 2,000 increase."

She still looked at Tang Huan with a seductive gaze. "Sister Liu has always charged you 2,000 a month. Isn't that fair?"

Tang Huan's monthly income of 10,000 seemed substantial, but in Bai Cheng, a coastal city, it barely covered his living expenses. With rent, Brother Huan was essentially living paycheck to paycheck. He occasionally had to borrow living expenses from Liu Mingzhu, repaying her the following month.

For 2,000, to find such a place in Bai Cheng and cohabit with a beautiful woman, Brother Huan made up his mind and gave up his resistance. "Sister Liu, just say what you need. I won't frown, I promise."

"Look at you, acting like Sister Liu is so lonely and desperate that she has to force you to stay with her tonight," Liu Mingzhu began to flirt again. But Brother Huan, who had been tormented, knew it was all an act. Liu Mingzhu was not a woman who would be so casual. At most, she wore sexy sleepwear to tease him.

Last night was a typical example. After the sexy sleepwear show, Brother Huan had to serve a difficult client early in the morning, enduring until now.

"This isn't hard," Tang Huan said solemnly. "I'll go wash up. Sister Liu, please be patient."

"Stop being a smartass," Liu Mingzhu shot Tang Huan another seductive glance and got straight to the point. "Sister received a direct order from the big boss. The Comprehensive Department is to take over the business liaison for Han Qinghe's studio. I thought about it all night and decided you're the best fit."

Tang Huan, who had already had three bottles of red wine and a bottle of spirits, was a bit dazed. But when he heard Liu Mingzhu mention this, he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Boss, you're pushing me into the fire!" Tang Huan said emotionally. "As far as I know, the agents in the artist department have all fawned over that big star, but she still ignores them. The big boss has already fired several agents for their poor performance. If I take this on and fail, do you think the big boss will let me off?"

"First, you need to consider whether the big boss will let me off if the Comprehensive Department doesn't take it," Liu Mingzhu's already seductive voice became even softer. "Tang Huan, you know how much resources and effort the company has invested in signing Han Qinghe. It could even be said that the company's successful IPO hinges on whether we can manage Han Qinghe well."

"But I've heard she's impossible to deal with!" Tang Huan had never met Han Qinghe, not even in person. But as the most marketable star in the entertainment industry over the past three years, Han Qinghe's influence and dominance were unmatched.

When the big boss successfully signed Han Qinghe, the company's morale soared, and everyone felt that Shengtian Entertainment was on the verge of becoming a top player in the country. But within just three months of signing, every Shengtian employee, including the big boss, had been thoroughly tested.

Tang Huan had gloated for a while, thinking that the Comprehensive Department, responsible for logistics, had escaped the ordeal by luck.

But he never expected the disaster to hit the Comprehensive Department so soon.

"Tang Huan, Sister Liu just wants a stable job and a comfortable life. If I fail this task, I won't just lose my job; I won't even be able to afford this apartment," Liu Mingzhu's eyes took on a melancholy look. "Can you bear to see Sister Liu homeless?"

As she spoke, her long, white legs pressed even tighter together.

It seemed that if Tang Huan didn't agree, without the protection of this apartment, she might lose more than just her virtue.