Chapter 148: Getting a Bit Full of Yourself?

Nan Qiao’s appearance caught everyone on site by surprise, and even more so, the person she had come to find was Lu Zhou.

When Li Jiayan saw Nan Qiao beckoning to Lu Zhou, she froze, mid-scroll on her phone. What was going on?

Logically speaking, they had just finished filming the show abroad. Even if they were acquaintances, unless they had coordinated with the production team beforehand, there was no way she could know they were here right now.

Nan Qiao’s greeting clearly indicated she had come specifically for Lu Zhou. Had they arranged this in advance?

A wild thought suddenly flashed through Li Jiayan’s mind: Could it be that Lu Zhou didn’t choose anyone or make a confession on the show because he already had a girlfriend? And that person was Nan Qiao? Was he only on the show to ride the wave of popularity?

As this thought emerged, even Li Jiayan was shocked.

That couldn’t be right, could it? That would be too dark. Li Jiayan immediately dismissed the idea.

It shouldn’t be possible. Lu Zhou had zero fame before joining the dating show; his current popularity only came after the show aired. Logically, a female artist of Nan Qiao’s caliber wouldn’t be dating a nobody like Lu Zhou. Besides, while Lu Zhou might accept a relationship with an older woman, she didn’t think he would go for someone more than three years his senior.

Thinking this way, Li Jiayan concluded she was just being sensitive and letting her imagination run wild.

After getting out of the car, Nan Qiao saw Ye Fangfei standing next to Lu Zhou, so she didn’t walk over to disturb them, opting instead to wait by the car door.

Lu Zhou withdrew his gaze from Nan Qiao and, in a voice only the two of them could hear, explained to Ye Fangfei: "Nan Qiao is likely here on behalf of Jinhua Entertainment to discuss a contract with me."

The eyes hidden behind Ye Fangfei’s sunglasses twitched. Recalling their conversation the night before they set off on their trip, she nodded and said, "Then I suspect the olive branch Jinhua Entertainment is offering you this time must be very tempting."

As they spoke, the car meant to pick her up arrived. She gripped the handle of her suitcase and, before leaving, offered her perspective: "If the terms are good, signing back with them isn't a bad idea. After all, it's your old agency; you're familiar with everything, and it makes things easier to handle."

With that, she rolled her suitcase toward the parking space.

Seeing Ye Fangfei approach, Nan Qiao walked up with a smile. "Feifei, long time no see!"

"Sister Nan, what a coincidence, you’re in the U.S. too."

Ye Fangfei stopped, pushed her sunglasses onto the top of her head, gave Nan Qiao a warm smile, and leaned in for a hug.

"I had some work here recently," Nan Qiao replied.

The two exchanged a brief, polite hug before pulling away.

Nan Qiao looked Ye Fangfei over and laughed. "You look a bit thinner than the last time I saw you. It’s not fair for you to keep getting more beautiful."

Ye Fangfei smiled back. "Don’t tease me, Sister Nan. It’s just the tan making me look thinner."

A tall man dressed as a bodyguard stepped out of a nearby car and took Ye Fangfei’s luggage.

Ye Fangfei said goodbye to Nan Qiao and got into the car.

Nan Qiao watched the car drive away before turning toward Lu Zhou.

Lu Zhou stood where he was, watching her approach. The scene felt all too familiar.

"Sister Nan," he greeted.

Nan Qiao gave him a sweet smile. "You, kid... you’ve certainly stirred up quite a commotion on this show."

Lu Zhou pursed his lips into a smile and got straight to the point: "Is there something important that you needed to see me about so urgently?"

"Yes," Nan Qiao replied. "A major matter that is very important for you."

As she spoke, she glanced around and suggested, "Shall we find somewhere quiet to talk in private?"

Lu Zhou agreed, and they moved to a deserted, quiet spot to sit down.

"Sister Li made non-stop, life-or-death calls demanding I meet with you before you board your flight back home."

Once seated, Nan Qiao didn’t beat around the bush. She took a folded A4 paper from her clutch and handed it to Lu Zhou.

"The company is truly sincere about wanting you back this time. This is the information Sister Li asked me to pass on; I’ve printed it out for you to look at."

"President Feng specifically requested to sign you. As for the terms of cooperation, the company has made its greatest concessions."

Nan Qiao looked at Lu Zhou and smiled. "Honestly, the conditions President Feng is willing to offer you made even me envious."

"I’ve been with the company for so many years, and I still don't have these perks. When my contract expires, I’ll have to demand these same terms to renew," she joked.

Lu Zhou smiled but didn't respond. He flipped through the terms listed on the paper, scanning them quickly.

Nan Qiao observed Lu Zhou’s micro-expressions, but seeing no fluctuation on his face as he read the text, she couldn't help but feel puzzled.

That shouldn't be the reaction.

Jinhua Entertainment had shown enough sincerity by offering these terms to bring him back; why was he so indifferent?

Could it be that he had already received a better offer?

Huaxuan Music? Could it be that the terms from that side had already been communicated to Lu Zhou through Ye Fangfei?

But... the recent trending topics involving Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei on the show were still causing a stir online. Since the two didn't end up together, surely Huaxuan Music wouldn't sign Lu Zhou, right?

Even if Huaxuan Music disregarded the rumors between Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei and still planned to sign him, it was unlikely they would offer terms as good as Jinhua Entertainment's, right?

The more Nan Qiao thought about it, the more confused she became by Lu Zhou’s calm demeanor.

"I heard the talent management department was ordered by top management to undergo a restructuring because of your situation. You can rest assured if you return; the treatment the company is offering you now is truly completely different. If the other artists knew about these terms, they’d probably cause an uproar."

"The fact that the company can offer you this shows they are truly optimistic about your development. Sister Li has already led a team to customize a full future development plan for you. Opportunities don't come around often, and before an artist finds their footing in this industry, going it alone is much harder than you imagine."

"The competition in this circle is fierce. I’m a senior to you and have more experience, so my personal advice is to return to the company. If you go looking for other firms, I don't believe any of them will be able to offer these terms."

Nan Qiao tried her best to persuade him.

In truth, she didn't need to go to such lengths; she was only acting as a messenger. But after following Lu Zhou’s recent updates, she realized he was truly talented—a hidden gem. If he could be brought back to the company, they could exchange ideas as label-mates, which wouldn't be a bad thing.

So, out of personal bias, she hoped Lu Zhou would return rather than fall into the hands of another company.

Lu Zhou put down the documents, turned to look at Nan Qiao with a smile, and asked, "With perks that even you don't have, why would the company offer such good terms to someone like me, who has only just gained a little bit of fame and hasn't even found my footing yet?"

"Huh?" Nan Qiao was caught off guard by the sudden question. This phenomenon... could she admit that she didn't really understand it herself?

She could understand Jinhua Entertainment wanting to sign back the Lu Zhou who terminated his contract for the sake of their reputation, but to be honest, she couldn't quite fathom why they were putting in so much effort.

But the company had its reasons, and she hadn't asked what President Feng was thinking.

Nan Qiao smiled awkwardly and said, "That... I’m not entirely sure of the specifics. It’s probably that President Feng is particularly optimistic about you. You can communicate more deeply with Sister Li after you return to the country."

*You don't know, but I do,* Lu Zhou thought to himself.

Lu Zhou folded the documents and handed them back to Nan Qiao.

"No need. Please tell Sister Li that my thoughts remain the same as when I spoke with her before. I’m very grateful for the company's high regard, but returning... I think I'll pass."

Returning would mean living under surveillance. He wouldn't step into the same pit he had fallen into before. In his past life, he had been persuaded by this very tempting olive branch and agreed to sign back with Jinhua Entertainment, only to end up with every move exposed under the prying eyes of others.

Seeing him make a decision so quickly, Nan Qiao looked surprised. Wasn't it too hasty?

"Won't you reconsider? I’m just entrusted to bring you a message; I don't represent the company, so you don't actually need to give an answer right now," she said.

Lu Zhou smiled at her, his tone firm. "No need to reconsider. My mind is made up."

A look of regret flashed across Nan Qiao’s face as she took back the documents. "Alright then. My mission is accomplished, and I will convey your decision to the company."

She stuffed the documents back into her clutch, feeling inexplicably that she could no longer see through Lu Zhou.

To make such a choice, he must either have a truly better option, or perhaps he was getting a bit arrogant?

"It’s enough that we only talk about work whenever we meet." Nan Qiao brushed the hair on her shoulder, smiled at Lu Zhou, and said, "Let’s talk about something else. Do you mind if I gossip with you?"

Lu Zhou was puzzled. "About what?"

"You and Fangfei... is there really nothing going on between you two? I watched your show when I was bored. Don't tell me—you two really had a lot of chemistry on screen. The result was like an earthquake on the internet."

Nan Qiao teased tentatively.

Hearing this, Lu Zhou didn't answer directly, asking back in a joking tone, "Are you a fan of our couple pairing?"

Nan Qiao was slightly stunned, then laughed. "Not a fan, but while watching the show, I really did feel that you two were inexplicably sweet together."

Lu Zhou nodded, thinking: *I thought it was pretty sweet too.*

"In all honesty, Sister Nan, do you think Fangfei and I could actually be together?" he asked, looking at her with a knowing smile.

Nan Qiao curled her lips and smiled silently.

To be honest, she didn't think they were suitable for each other in her heart. Even if they were together due to the impulse of feelings, it wouldn't last long.

Ye Fangfei was talented in music and possessed great strength; Nan Qiao acknowledged that. But for Ye Fangfei to climb to such a high status in the industry at such a young age, it would have been impossible without Huaxuan Music pouring top-tier resources into supporting her.

Debuting with top-tier configurations—you couldn't find a second person like her in the industry.

Why did Huaxuan Music support her so much? Clearly, her background was far from simple.

Look at the background of Ye Fangfei’s ex-partner. An arranged marriage prospect demanded by her parents—not to mention the person himself, the background spoke for itself. And she didn't even like him...

If Lu Zhou really wanted to be with Ye Fangfei, was he sure he wasn't just cannon fodder meant for a fling?

A fling was fine, but wanting a happy ending? That was a different story entirely...

Thinking of this, Nan Qiao felt inexplicably sad for herself.

So... even though Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei’s relationship ended in tragedy today, leaving many fans heartbroken, in Nan Qiao’s eyes, Lu Zhou seemed quite clear-headed.

In all likelihood, he didn't want this kind of "fling-only" relationship.

Of course, these were all just Nan Qiao’s guesses. As for what he was actually thinking, she had no idea.

The two chatted about daily life for a while longer, but the conversation was cut short when the production team urged all guests to leave according to the schedule.

Before leaving, Nan Qiao stopped to greet the directors and was even pulled aside by Qi Jiajia, Wen Yiming, and others for autographs and photos before finally driving away.

...

Just as she got into the car, Nan Qiao dialed Liu Yali’s phone and sighed. "Sister Li, I tried my best, but Lu Zhou has no intention of returning to Jinhua Entertainment."

"He won't sign even with such good terms? What is he thinking?"

"I don't know."

In another country, Liu Yali prepared herself for being "offed" by her superiors and called President Feng to report the failed outcome.

Unexpectedly, President Feng became strangely calm and breezy. "If he won't sign, then don't. No need to look for him again."

Liu Yali: "???"

Wait, what happened? Previously, he had given her a life-or-death order to bring Lu Zhou back, and now he didn't care?

What was going on in the boss's head? Was he playing with her? She suddenly wanted to smash her phone.

...

Back in the U.S. —

After Nan Qiao left, Zhang Chen walked up to Lu Zhou, draped an arm over his shoulder, and said, "What's the situation between you and Nan Qiao? Don't tell me you were her boy toy before coming to this show?"

Lu Zhou’s mouth twitched. He shot Zhang Chen a sideways glance. "Are you sick? There should be a limit to your delusions."

"No, filming just ended, and this woman was in such a rush to find the production team to see you—it’s hard not to be suspicious," Zhang Chen laughed.

"Your imagination is too vivid," Lu Zhou said, speechless. He took out his phone and said, "Shall we exchange contact info?"

Zhang Chen raised an eyebrow. "Ha, are we that close?"

Lu Zhou pulled up a new contact page and handed his phone to him. "The more we hang out, the closer we'll get."

Zhang Chen looked at him for a moment, then finally smiled, took the phone, and typed in his number. "Fine, seeing as you performed okay today, I’ll give you a chance to ride my coattails."

Lu Zhou curled his lips in a smile, too lazy to snap back. After getting the number, he turned to go collect contact information from others.

Zhang Chen was stunned. *Hey? This kid is interesting. Did he come to the dating show just to network?*

After collecting everyone’s contact info, Lu Zhou followed the production team’s arrangements to prepare for the flight home.

In his past life, he had confessed to Ye Fangfei, they had left together, and he had flown home on her private jet. He hadn't bothered to get contact info for anyone else he met on the show.

Later, the production team created a group chat and invited everyone in. Chu Yao, Qi Jiajia, and Xu Junze had proactively added him as a friend, but they hadn't chatted much. Their circles were different, and they rarely interacted afterward, only seeing each other’s updates on social media occasionally.

Now, however, Lu Zhou had a different mindset: don't let networking resources go to waste; they should be carefully built up.

After playing in the U.S. for so many days, none of the guests wanted to stay any longer, so they all chose to fly back home that same day.

After a flight of over a dozen hours, the seven guests finally returned to their homeland.

No sooner had Lu Zhou stepped out of the airport than he was intercepted by people sent by Huaxuan Music. The other party was very enthusiastic, saying they had arranged a car to take him home and hoped to chat on the way.

Lu Zhou refused.

The other party then quickly produced a contract they had prepared in advance, smiling as they handed it to him, explaining that Huaxuan Music wanted to discuss a partnership. They told him he could take the contract back to study carefully, and if there was anything he was dissatisfied with, they could schedule a formal meeting to discuss it another day.

Lu Zhou did not take the contract. He smiled politely and said, "Thank you for the high regard from Huaxuan Music, but I’m sorry, I currently have no plans to sign with Huaxuan. Sorry for the trouble."

The other party stood there, dumbfounded. "???"

He didn't even look at the contract and refused directly?

Had he already struck a deal with his old agency?

The man stomped his foot in frustration and dialed a number: "Rejected. Jinhua Entertainment must have gotten there first."

But in reality, no one had gotten there first. It was simply because Ye Fangfei was at Huaxuan Music, and Lu Zhou believed that at his current stage, it was best not to sign with the same company as her, as it would easily attract excessive attention.

And Huaxuan Music was actually one of the entertainment industry layouts of the Xingda Group, and the Xingda Group was controlled by the Ye family—a family that was likely already under scrutiny.

Therefore, there was no need to look at the contract; it simply could not be signed.

Lu Zhou hailed a taxi to his home. Sitting in the car, he took out his phone, pulled up the Wetalk interface, pasted Ye Fangfei’s phone number into the search bar, and sent a friend request.