Chapter 119: There Is No Such Thing as a Free Lunch

Receiving another call from Lin Wanyu, Fu Tingxiu felt exceptionally agitated. In an instant, he decided to grant any request she might have; and if she had no requests, he would spare no cost to create them, all in an effort to restore his tarnished image.

Ever since Qin Chuan had thoroughly exposed him at the Lin family villa, Fu Tingxiu had assumed Lin Wanyu would despise him to the core. He had never expected that after so many days, she would take the initiative to contact him, making him feel as though he had suddenly been favored by the Goddess of Fortune.

"Wanyu, you're calling so late—is something the matter?" Fu Tingxiu asked tentatively.

Lin Wanyu deliberately feigned hesitation, stammering for a long while without getting to the point. Fu Tingxiu was overjoyed; this was the classic behavior of someone who needed a favor but was too embarrassed to ask.

"Wanyu, given our relationship, just speak your mind! Even if it meant climbing a mountain of blades or diving into a cauldron of oil, I wouldn't blink," Fu Tingxiu hurriedly declared his loyalty.

Lin Wanyu acted as if she had struggled intensely before finally coming to a difficult decision. "It's like this: I plan to attend the cocktail party hosted by Miss Long tomorrow night, but the Liu family's status isn't enough to receive an invitation. Does my senior have any connections?"

The eldest daughter of the Long family was coming to Binhai to host a cocktail party, inviting the core figures of major families with the intention of finding the best business partners. Almost every family head was eager to catch the young lady's eye, hoping to cling to the Long family and soar to new heights.

As the only son of the Fu family's head, Fu Tingxiu was among the invitees. This wasn't because of the Fu family's formidable strength, but because Fu Tingxiu had pulled strings with the Long family's third master—at the cost of letting the third master pull his strings in return.

Whenever he thought of this, Fu Tingxiu felt a sense of shame. He had never imagined that the Third Master Long, besides his fondness for women, also had a penchant for men. Every time he thought of other pretty boys who, when wanting to climb the social ladder through "lying flat," would say, "Auntie, I don't want to work hard anymore," while he himself had said, "Third Master, I don't want to work hard anymore," he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

"Does my senior not have any connections? If so, I’ll have to find another way," Lin Wanyu said, her tone filled with such helpless and weary disappointment that she performed the role of someone whose desperate search had failed to perfection.

Fu Tingxiu finally snapped out of his shame and melancholy, hurriedly saying, "Don't worry, Wanyu! No matter how difficult it is, I will find a way to get an invitation for you."

Fu Tingxiu intentionally made the situation sound grave and arduous, aiming to highlight how he had overcome layers of obstacles to finally deliver the invitation, hoping this would make Lin Wanyu even more grateful to him.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Senior. If you can get me an invitation, I will be sure to reward you handsomely!" Lin Wanyu sounded very excited.

Fu Tingxiu was ecstatic; this was the very sentence he had been waiting for. He patted his chest and promised, "Why be so formal between us? Consider it done!"

After a few more moments of idle chatter, Lin Wanyu hung up, claiming it was too late and she needed to sleep. Fu Tingxiu was left feeling lingering attachment, seeing the hope of rekindling his relationship with her.

Suppressing his excitement, Fu Tingxiu quickly found a number and dialed. The call was answered promptly, and a slightly aged voice came through the receiver.

"Little Fu, calling me so late—is the long night lonely and hard to bear?"

If this had been said by a stunning beauty like Lin Wanyu, Fu Tingxiu would have been dancing with joy. But coming from a man over sixty, Fu Tingxiu felt a chill crawl over his entire body. Yet, considering the old man's special status, he had to force an expression of delighted compliance, making his sense of shame and desire to crash into a wall all the more unbearable.

"Third Master, you really know how to joke."

Fu Tingxiu exchanged a few polite pleasantries before changing the subject. "I really do have a small matter tonight. A friend of mine wants to attend Miss Long's cocktail party in Binhai. Could you possibly give me one more invitation?"

"Is that all? You had to make a special call for such a trivial thing?" Long Tiancheng’s tone clearly carried a trace of anger.

Fu Tingxiu hurriedly apologized, "I was wrong, Third Master. It won't happen again."

"Hmph! That's more like it!" Long Tiancheng said with an air of arrogant authority. "Don't mention one invitation; even ten would be nothing more than a word from me."

"Then many thanks, Third Master!"

Fu Tingxiu felt a weight lift off his chest. Imagining Lin Wanyu's smiling face when she received the invitation made him even more excited. If she were to throw herself into his arms later, it would be pure bliss.

However, Long Tiancheng's next sentence dragged him straight out of his daydream. "I've told you many times, don't just pay lip service to your gratitude; actions are what matter. I am at the Drunken Immortal Residence in Binhai right now. If you really want to show your thanks, come find me now!"

Having said that, Long Tiancheng hung up, leaving Fu Tingxiu standing there like a statue, wind-blown and disheveled.

It was unclear how much time had passed before Fu Tingxiu, as if by muscle memory, touched his backside, his gaze shifting from hesitation to determination. Gritting his teeth and steeling his heart, he put on a stylish suit, dressed himself up like a pretty boy, and left his home with grim resolve, like a warrior marching toward the Yi River, setting off for the Drunken Immortal Residence.

The next morning.

Qin Chuan woke up feeling refreshed.

*Ring-ring!*

His phone rang abruptly. Qin Chuan answered, and Liu Qingcheng’s bewitching, soul-stirring voice came through the receiver: "Brother Chuan, you are so biased!"

"My dear, what’s wrong? Why can I smell something sour even through the wireless signal?" Qin Chuan chuckled, leaning into the flirtatious banter.

Liu Qingcheng said pitifully, "My cosmetics and slimming tea need a celebrity endorsement too. I think that Tan Shuying is quite good. What do you think, Brother Chuan?"

Qin Chuan suddenly realized why she had called so early. That said, Liu Qingcheng was well-informed; Tan Shuying had only helped Lin Wanyu shoot a promotional advertisement yesterday, and she had probably found out that very day.

"I think she's quite good, too," Qin Chuan said with a smile.

"Then can Brother Chuan help me hire Tan Shuying for an advertisement? I am willing to pay a high endorsement fee; I definitely wouldn't want to make things difficult for you," Liu Qingcheng said with 'understanding.'

Qin Chuan’s mouth twitched. This girl was clearly pointing a finger at him! He had let Lin Wanyu, a woman whose engagement had been broken, get a free spokesperson, yet he was willing to let his incumbent fiancée spend money?

"Fine, consider it done," Qin Chuan said with a sigh of resignation.

Recalling that intoxicating moment in the office, Qin Chuan felt endless sentiment. Indeed, there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world!