Chapter 35: The Commencement Ceremony

At the end of the message, there was even a kiss emoji.

Lu Ming walked out of the kitchen. "Did I get a call, Youyou?"

He pulled two napkins from the box on the dining table to dry his wet hands, then reached for his phone. Lian Youyou instinctively took a step back.

"What's wrong?" Lu Ming asked, puzzled.

Lian Youyou lifted her eyes to look at him, her expression grave.

She recalled what Richard had just said to her: she knew nothing about Lu Ming.

It was true. He knew everything about her—her personality, her family circumstances, her experiences—because he was her teacher. But what did she know about him? Apart from the basic facts that he was a university professor and an MIT graduate, she knew nothing else. She had discovered his parents by herself, but knew nothing about their occupations or the family environment he grew up in. She didn’t even know what side work he did, how he managed to earn enough to buy Maseratis and Ferraris, or afford a high-end apartment in the city center, the most expensive part of Binhai. She knew none of it.

And it seemed that Lu Ming also had a good relationship with the executives at Haohan Technologies.

"Who is Gu Mosi?" Lian Youyou asked directly.

Lu Ming understood her concern and handed her his phone. "She’s my junior. She’s currently working at a gaming company in the US. She wants to come back and work here. You can check the messages yourself."

"Who wants to read your chat history with that woman?" Lian Youyou returned the phone, tossing her hair with feigned casualness. "I have plenty of confidence in myself."

That was what she said, but in truth, she had none at all...

Indeed, Lu Ming was too outstanding.

Even though she had once been a movie queen, the center of attention, in the end, she was just an actress.

Born in the seventies, she still carried many traditional values deep in her bones. She believed that compared to a PhD, an actress could never be truly respectable.

"The seafood rice should be ready. I’ll bring it out," Lu Ming said, turning back into the kitchen without another word.

Lian Youyou was reminded again of what Richard had told her: she knew nothing about Lu Ming.

He knew her inside and out, but Lu Ming himself remained cloaked in mystery.

…

On the day of the opening ceremony, the sky was a clear, brilliant blue. Though it was the depths of winter, there was not a breath of wind nor a hint of chill.

It was a rare, beautiful day.

There was no dress code for the event, so Lian Youyou chose a relaxed outfit: a white sweater with a shallow V-neck, wide-legged white pants cinched with a broad belt, and a beige wool coat. She wore Jimmy Choo heels in the same shade. The look not only concealed her petite stature and enhanced her presence, but was also simple and professional.

She wore light makeup, as she disliked anything too heavy, but still believed that makeup was a courtesy to others, so a modest amount was necessary.

Just as she finished her makeup, it was time. Richard was waiting for her in the parking lot below Lu Ming’s apartment.

"So simple? I thought you’d dress to the nines, ready to dazzle and start your rivalry with Fan Xiaoyun at the opening ceremony," Richard teased, opening the car door as she walked over.

She had thought that, after more than twenty years, Richard would have matured, but it seemed his habit of poking fun at others had not changed at all.

"What am I going to do, Mr. Li? It’s my first shoot, I’ve never even seen an opening ceremony in person—I’m nervous to death!" Lian Youyou acted like a frightened little rabbit.

"Ah, poor thing," Richard sighed, shaking his head. "Born into a star family, yet raised by your grandparents, and not even privy to an opening ceremony until now."

Yes… her daughter truly was a pitiable child.

"Come, Youyou, let me introduce you," Richard said, once she got in the car, turning to present the other occupant. "This will be your assistant from now on. Her name is Coco."

Coco was plain-looking, with a few pimples on her forehead and chin, giving her an honest, down-to-earth appearance.

Lian Youyou was caught off guard—she hadn’t expected Richard to arrange an assistant for her, a newcomer with no formal training. Did all the new signings at the company get assistants now?

Of course not.

Most likely, Richard was doing this as a favor to her mother, out of old friendship. Once again, she was living off her past connections.

So be it—if you have resources to lean on, lean on them. Don’t wait until you have nothing and regret it.

"Hello, Coco, I look forward to working with you," Lian Youyou said, extending her hand. She had never been the type to act like a diva, neither in the past nor now.

Besides, an assistant spent more time with you than your agent; if you couldn’t get along, it would be miserable for both sides.

"Hello, Miss Lian," Coco replied. She wasn’t as warm as Lian Youyou, but she wasn’t overly reserved either, shaking her hand.

Lian Youyou laughed. "No need to call me Miss Lian. I think I’m younger than you. Just call me Youyou."

"Alright, Youyou."

Before meeting her, Coco had assumed Lian Youyou would be a difficult, spoiled heiress. Even though she knew that Lian Youyou hadn’t grown up with Director Fan Chi, she was still a second-generation star and must have been pampered.

Moreover, there was a lot of talk in the industry about how Lian Youyou had been cast for "Tales of Chivalry"—how, despite the open auditions, the rules were bent for her and she was given the role directly. Many said she must have some kind of hidden relationship with the boss of Haohan Company.

Coco had braced herself for a tough time, expecting to be bullied. But to her surprise, Lian Youyou turned out to be so friendly, cheerful, and genuinely warm. Her sincerity made people want to be close, to become real friends.

Unlike so many celebrities who put on a gentle front in public, only to abuse their assistants and act like divas in private.

The ceremony was held at their filming base. There stood an imposing statue of Lord Guan, a large, square, redwood altar table adorned with an incense burner, fresh flowers, a roasted suckling pig glazed to a deep red sheen, assorted fruits, and various pastries.

Behind the statue, a red banner stretched across, bearing bold characters: "Wishing a Fortunate Start for ‘Legend of Dezhou’!"

On either side of the altar stood two cameras, both shrouded in thick red velvet.

The red cloth over the cameras was a tradition. It was said to have originated from a fear of "scratched film." In the days of actual film, the celluloid reels inside the camera could be accidentally scratched by internal components during shooting. Such an incident could cause the production enormous losses, and there was no way to foresee or prevent it—so the only thing to do was to drape red cloths over the cameras, to ward off bad luck.