Power and Wealth

Chapter 1726

Afternoon.

At home.

Inside the master bedroom.

A stark-naked celebrity standing there motionless startled Dong Xuebing. His heart almost jumped out of his chest, and he was so shocked that his vision went dark momentarily. How could his old classmate Chen Ying suddenly strip off her clothes like this? It's not just surprising in the dead of winter; even in summer, this would be unheard of. Dong Xuebing had never heard of such a tradition among old classmates, whether between opposite sexes or the same sex.

Too provocative.

Too stimulating.

What on earth is going on?

Dong Xuebing's heart was pounding uncontrollably. Even though he had no such intentions, it was purely a normal physiological reaction upon seeing such a completely naked beauty.

"Chen Ying."

"Yeah."

"What are you doing?"

Dong Xuebing even used a polite "you" when addressing his old classmate, showing his shock. This was completely unexpected.

Chen Ying leisurely sat down on the bed, still completely naked.

"Why did you take off your clothes?" Dong Xuebing quickly turned his head away, and his face flushed. He didn't know where the teacup he held went when he came in. "Oh my, I can't believe this. Please hurry up and put your clothes back on."

Chen Ying remained unmoved, still sitting bare on the bed.

Dong Xuebing glanced at her and quickly averted his gaze again. "Come on, what are you implying? Just tell me directly. My heart can't take this. I've had heart problems since my grassroots days. Rainy days always make it hard for me to breathe, and my heart feels uncomfortable. It's an old problem, you know. Please, don't stimulate me. What's going on? I just brought you some tea. How did we end up here? Is my home heating so hot?"

Chen Ying's calm voice came from beside him. "You are in a different position now. You are already a leader. I thought about it, and this seemed like the only way."

Dong Xuebing was speechless. "What does me being a leader have to do with you taking off your clothes? We haven't seen each other in so many years, almost ten. I wanted to catch up and chat. How did we end up like this? I'm slow-witted. You should know that. Just tell me directly, yes or no."

There was a pause in the woman's voice. "I've already said it. Mr. Zhou arranged the first film I starred in. I even got the lead role, which is rare for graduates from real film schools. Mr. Zhou chose me. Later, I collaborated with him on many films and TV shows, for which I greatly owe him. Naturally, I want to repay him. Xuebing, you might not know, but you stopped the last film I worked on at the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television. I was the leading actress. I can't bear to see my film not even get released."

Released.

Oh, so that's what this is about.

Dong Xuebing slapped his forehead. He finally understood the situation, and his face couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. But when he moved his hand away, he saw Chen Ying's impressive figure again, from top to bottom. He quickly closed his eyes. "Oh my, you should have told me earlier. Is that what this is about?"

Chen Ying said, "I did tell you earlier. You kept changing the subject and didn't give me a straight answer."

" I was still angry at that company and wanted to teach them a lesson. Make them learn from their mistakes. It was only a few hours ago. When you said that, I had to change the subject," Dong Xuebing said, feeling both amused and irritated. He didn't know what to say. "So, you thought I was just procrastinating and not making a decision."

Chen Ying remained silent.

Dong Xuebing: "Is that really what you think?"

Chen Ying hesitated for a moment and said, "Not exactly. This matter with Mr. Zhou's company is too important. It's important to me, too. I don't want to make any mistakes."

Dong Xuebing sighed in frustration, "Am I that kind of person in your eyes? You're my old classmate. How could I not give you face?"

Chen Ying said, "I don't know either."

Dong Xuebing quickly waved his hand, "Put your clothes on first."

"What about the company's matter?" Chen Ying asked.

Dong Xuebing smiled wryly, "I'll make a call shortly. Don't worry, your company's films and TV shows will be released as planned. Is that okay? Hurry and get dressed." He was indeed at a loss and felt quite awkward. Dong Xuebing had never encountered such a situation before.

"Alright," Chen Ying said.

"Then I'll go out first. Hurry up and get dressed. We'll talk after you're dressed," Dong Xuebing said, covering his eyes and quickly pushing open the door before closing it behind him.

Phew.

Wow.

This is just too much.

Dong Xuebing immediately went to the bathroom to splash his face with cold water. This helped calm him down a bit. He took a few deep breaths. It had almost been too much for him. There was no way around it; Chen Ying's aura and figure were too captivating. Plus, she hadn't been wearing a stitch of clothing. It would be strange if he weren't nervous. The more Dong Xuebing thought about it, the stronger those unusual thoughts became. He was the kind of guy who couldn't keep his cool around women. How could he resist such temptation?

Stay calm.

Stay calm.

Deep breaths.

Dong Xuebing dried his face and walked out of the bathroom. Glancing at the still quiet bedroom door, he sat on the sofa and started drinking plain water.

One sip.

Two sips.

Creak, the door opened, and Chen Ying walked out.

At this moment, she was fully dressed again, wearing a sweater and pants.

Dong Xuebing sighed in relief, but when he looked at her, he still felt his heart racing. Even though she was now fully dressed, he couldn't forget that just moments ago, she had been completely naked. Every inch of her skin and certain essential parts were vividly etched in Dong Xuebing's mind. Despite the clothes, his mind's eye still lingered on the previous scene, almost able to imagine what lay beneath her clothes. Thus, no matter how he looked at it, Dong Xuebing's face remained slightly flushed.

Those breasts.

Those hips.

Those legs.

They were all imprinted in his mind, unforgettable.

"Alright," Chen Ying approached with light steps.

Dong Xuebing coughed, "You scared me earlier, Chen Ying. I completely felt misunderstood. I didn't mean anything like that. Why would you even think that? Of course, I don't think you're beautiful. But after working for so many years, I've maintained integrity and done things properly. I couldn't do it if you asked me to take a crooked path. We were classmates from elementary school. You should know what kind of person I am."

Chen Ying said, "You were quite straightforward in elementary school."

Dong Xuebing broke into a sweat, "So now you're saying I'm not straightforward anymore as an adult?"

Chen Ying chuckled at his remark, "That's not what I meant. But after all these years apart, with society being so materialistic and full of temptations, I didn't know how you..."

She paused momentarily, sighed, and continued, "I'm sorry, I misunderstood you."

Pretending to be annoyed, Dong Xuebing said, "You're insulting my character."

Chen Ying sat down next to him. "It's my fault. I made assumptions, having been in this industry for so long and seeing too many unsavory things."

Upon hearing this, Dong Xuebing glared, "Did that Mr. Zhou threaten you? If you have any difficulties, you should have told me. They threatened you to come and paralyze me, and I still gave them face? Tell me what's going on. Don't hold back. Although I'm not a big shot, I still have some say in Beijing. If they've bullied you, damn it, I'll make sure they never rise again. And as for movies and TV shows, I'll make them regret it if one doesn't get released."

Chen Ying immediately responded, "No, it's not like that."

"Then what's going on?" Dong Xuebing asked.

"I came here voluntarily," Chen Ying explained. "I've said it before: Brother Zhou and the company have been kind to me. Without them, you wouldn't see the Chen Ying today."

"What about those unspoken rules?" Dong Xuebing was genuinely concerned, especially since she was his old classmate.

Chen Ying smiled, "Most of my films are done in collaboration with Brother Zhou. I rarely even attend hostessing events, let alone unspoken rules. That's why I have a special respect for Brother Zhou. He has never asked me to do anything I dislike. It's because I remind him of his deceased daughter. He's always been very protective of me. I'm telling you this, not because my film got stuck. You can ask people in the company; everyone knows. As for what you said about the unspoken rules in the entertainment industry, although it's chaotic, it's not as bad as people think. I think the system is more chaotic. It's just that the entertainment industry gets more attention, so naturally, there's more gossip and speculation. This creates the impression that everyone is subjected to the 'unspoken rules,' which isn't entirely accurate. Most of the stories are rumors."

Dong Xuebing still seemed unconvinced, "But what about today?"

Chen Ying fell silent momentarily, then said, "Today was the first time I ever considered succumbing to the 'unspoken rules'. Even though I'm married and you're my old classmate, I felt awkward about it. But I'm the kind who repays kindness, and Brother Zhou has been very good to me. If doing this can help him, I'm willing to accept it."

Dong Xuebing sighed, "Just don't do this again in the future."

Facing Dong Xuebing, Chen Ying admitted, "I feel awkward talking to you about this. But because you're my old classmate and we know each other well, I can somewhat accept it. Well, let's not talk about this anymore. I feel a bit embarrassed. I'm sorry for showing you this side of me."