Chapter 58: A Watch

Through the lenses of his glasses, the redness around his eyes was visible, yet his handsome face remained as stoic as ever, as if nothing could stir his emotions.

Except for those eyes.

The two of them locked gazes.

Meng Ying reached out and touched his cheek. Xu Dian stiffened for a moment, then tilted his head slightly, as if trying to lean into her palm. But Meng Ying withdrew her hand, leaving his face hovering in emptiness. He was momentarily stunned.

Her voice was gentle but firm: “We’re here to learn.”

Xu Dian pressed his lips together and said nothing.

“Let go.”

Meng Ying pulled his hand away and took two steps back. Then, she turned and took Qiao Qi’s hand, saying, “Let’s continue.”

Just then, Zhao Yue and Zhu Min’er arrived at the scene and were stunned by what they saw. Hu Ye, shaking his head from behind, walked over to pick up the camera. He approached Xu Dian and said, “If you can’t handle it, go back and rest.”

Xu Dian tugged at the collar of his shirt, remaining silent. A few seconds later, he turned and said, “I really can’t handle it.”

“I can’t stand it.”

“I regret it.”

He regretted coming here as a photographer, using his skills to capture her on camera. That man acting as Qiao Qi beside her was an eyesore. Every second of it made him want to destroy him.

Xu Dian walked back to the car parked nearby, got in, and slammed the door shut.

He leaned back in his seat.

A metallic taste of blood lingered on his tongue.

He closed his eyes.

Since childhood, women had always tried to grab his attention—beautiful, sexy, gentle, all kinds. Wherever he went, women would approach him, their eyes filled with hints, some offering sex, some love, some with shy flirtation, others with bold seduction.

If he wanted them, it was too easy.

A slight lean forward, and a woman would rest her hand on his shoulder.

Yet, because of this, he had always watched them coldly. He felt no desire to touch them, not even the slightest bit.

Talking to them was no better than having a drink with Zhou Yang and the others.

Even back then.

With Yang Rou.

He had never wanted to touch her either.

When the video of her kissing Li Yi on their wedding day was sent to his phone, he merely glanced at it before putting his phone down.

He could still get up and play pool.

But now.

It was different.

Every moment, he wanted to pull Meng Ying back to his side.

To bring her back.

To make her look at him with eyes full of emotion.

He leaned forward, covering his face with his hands.

Outside the car window.

Meng Ying and Qiao Qi were still acting. She stood on her tiptoes, spoke, smiled, and even acted a little coquettish—all of it captured by Hu Ye’s camera.

They were close to the black car, but Xu Dian didn’t dare glance back even once.

Yan Xing, sitting in the driver’s seat, glanced at the woman through the rearview mirror, then looked at Xu Dian through the interior mirror. He coughed lightly, took out a pack of cigarettes, and handed one to Xu Dian.

“Boss Xu, want a smoke to ease the pain?”

Xu Dian took the cigarette and held it between his lips.

But he didn’t light it. His eyes were still red.

Yan Xing glanced at him again.

Was this still the same Boss Xu who always smiled with a cold, aloof demeanor, acting like he owned the world?

It was like looking at a completely different person.

The car fell silent for a few seconds.

Yan Xing fiddled with his cigarette, not daring to light it either. After a moment, he asked, “Boss Xu, should we go?”

The car was parked in a legal spot, but people kept glancing over. With the window down, the two strikingly handsome Eastern men inside were drawing quite a bit of attention.

Xu Dian pressed a button, rolling up the car window, and said, “Let’s head back to the company first.”

“Got it.”

The car started and drove back to the Geneva branch.

Meanwhile, on the shopping street.

Hu Ye glanced at the black car, relieved to see it leaving, and continued filming.

Meng Ying and Qiao Qi were now deep into their “romance.” Hu Ye reminded them, “Hold off on the kissing for now.”

Qiao Qi frowned, clearly annoyed.

But he didn’t say anything.

Meng Ying, on the other hand, didn’t mind. This feeling of being in love was something she had never experienced before, and now she could act it out quite naturally. She felt a sense of pride.

That day, Meng Ying and Qiao Qi were in their best form, while Zhao Yue and Zhu Min’er were stiff and awkward. The four of them reviewed the footage on the third floor of the villa. The parts Xu Dian had filmed mostly focused on Meng Ying—her every smile and glance was captured in the frame. His filming technique was masterful, almost like shooting a high-end commercial.

He made Meng Ying look breathtakingly beautiful.

Hu Ye sighed inwardly, cursing Xu Dian in his mind, but on the surface, he praised Meng Ying, “You’ve gotten into character quickly. Have you found the emotional connection?”

Meng Ying paused, then nodded. “Yes.”

As long as she channeled the emotions she used while filming *Twins*, it came easily to her. Occasionally, flashes of Xu Dian’s eyes would cross her mind.

At that moment, he was leaning back in his chair, long legs swaying slightly, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Meng Ying.

Only a fool wouldn’t notice.

Later, Hu Ye criticized Zhao Yue and Zhu Min’er, essentially saying that as seasoned actors, they shouldn’t have been so stiff.

His assistant had captured everything—Zhao Yue’s wandering eyes and Zhu Min’er’s obvious distraction, making it hard for them to immerse themselves in the romantic atmosphere.

Zhu Min’er lowered her head, silent.

Then, Hu Ye stood up and walked to the projection screen, saying, “I’ve told you before, you need to master the technique of emotional resonance. It’s not about pouring all your emotions into it, but finding a peak moment and releasing it. That way, after finishing a scene, you can detach from the emotions. The next time you need to capture that feeling, it’ll be easier because you’ve remembered it.”

“Meng Ying, you’re not quite there yet.” He pointed at Meng Ying, who nodded in acknowledgment. Hu Ye then turned to Qiao Qi, “You’re even worse. You know what I mean.”

Qiao Qi coughed.

He leaned back, his hand brushing against Meng Ying’s, but she pulled away.

Qiao Qi: “…”

He glanced sideways.

Just then, he noticed the watch on Meng Ying’s wrist—it was identical to the one on his own. He smirked, somewhat satisfied.

Hu Ye continued lecturing for a while longer, and when it was time, he dismissed them to head home. Meng Ying stood up, grabbed her small bag, and went downstairs. As she lifted the curtain, she saw a black car parked at the entrance. Xu Dian was leaning against the car door, smoking. When he noticed her coming out, his eyes lifted.

Across the gate and about two meters of distance, he stared deeply at her.

Meng Ying descended the steps, brushing past the black car.

Xu Dian straightened up and followed her, hands in his pockets, leisurely smoking. The surroundings were quiet, except for the occasional bark of a dog. The dim light cast a long, tall shadow behind Meng Ying. When she looked down, she could see it. He took a drag from his cigarette and asked, “What was the song you sang last night?”

His voice was low and magnetic.

It resonated in her ears, sending a slight tremor through her.

Meng Ying pursed her lips and replied, “*Youth*.”

Meng Ying added, “You remember it quite well.”

“You sang it beautifully. I could listen to it for a lifetime. Will you let me?” he asked softly from behind.

Meng Ying had already reached the staircase. She climbed the steps without answering, her figure quickly blending into the dim light. Xu Dian stepped onto the stairs, his long legs carrying him effortlessly. He raised an eyebrow, watching her slender back.

“Goodnight.”

Finally, his lips parted, then closed. She opened the door and went inside.

Since she had worked up a sweat, Meng Ying headed to the bathroom to shower. Afterward, she received a call—it was from the watch shop she had visited earlier that day.

The person on the other end explained that there was an issue with the watch she had purchased and needed to exchange it. Using the address she had provided earlier, they had found her building and were downstairs, hoping she could come down.

Meng Ying was half-skeptical but picked up the white watch and walked to the balcony to look down.

She saw a yellow-and-white mini car parked below, with a sign on the roof that read “Cheond.” A blue-eyed, blonde-haired staff member stood beside the car, waving at her.

It seemed legitimate.

Meng Ying nodded.

She stepped back and glanced at the watch in her hand.

She couldn’t see anything wrong with it.

But if they wanted to exchange it, she might as well comply.

She grabbed a coat, draped it over her shoulders, and headed downstairs. The stairwell light was dim, and she nearly missed a step but managed to grab the railing in time. When she reached the ground floor, the female staff member hurried over, apologizing repeatedly and explaining that the watch had a defect and needed to be replaced.

She spoke quickly.

Meng Ying couldn’t quite catch what the defect was. Her English was decent, but when the other person spoke too quickly, she had to listen carefully. She waved her hand, indicating it was fine, and handed over the watch and its box.

The female staff member’s eyes lit up.

She took the watch and handed Meng Ying another box. Meng Ying opened it to find a black ladies’ watch inside, with a starry diamond pattern in the center. It looked more high-end than the one she had bought with Qiao Qi earlier that day.

The staff member assured her sincerely that it was of the same value, asking Meng Ying to rest easy.

Her blue eyes reminded Meng Ying of the sky.

Meng Ying decided not to dwell on it. After her shower, the area had grown even quieter. A few vintage cars drove by, carrying some burly foreigners. After bidding the staff member goodbye, Meng Ying turned to head upstairs. The stairwell was now lit, so she looked down at the watch in her hand, examining it from all angles. She hadn’t seen this design in the store earlier. The arrangement of the diamonds was peculiar, almost like a character, but it was too dense, and the lighting made it hard to see clearly.

She stopped overthinking it, entered her apartment, and casually tried the watch on. As she walked to the recliner and sat down, stretching comfortably, she placed the white watch back into its box. Then, she headed toward a dimly lit café not far away. On the café’s terrace sat a man with long legs crossed, idly playing with his phone. His eyes behind the glasses showed no warmth.

“Mr. Xu,” the staff member called out in broken Chinese, placing the box beside him.

After setting it down, the staff member didn’t linger. She glanced at the man briefly before hurrying off to the mini car and driving away.

Once the car was gone, Xu Dian picked up the box and forcefully threw it into a nearby trash bin. He then stood up, stepped over the railing, and walked toward the black car parked not far away.

After getting in, Yan Xing peered over, lamenting, “You just threw away an 80,000-yuan watch?”

“Drive,” Xu Dian said, leaning back and tapping his fingers on his knee.

Yan Xing shrugged and started the car.

As the car drove off, the interior fell silent for a moment. Yan Xing asked, “Are you going back to being the photographer tomorrow?”

Xu Dian removed his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and closed his eyes.

“I’ll think about it.”

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