Chapter 23: The Shameless Su Chen

Su Chen didn't even need to think about it; Su Yueying was definitely teasing him on purpose.

He was all too familiar with this tone and manner. During his live streams, Su Yueying had teased him like this more than once. However, reality was ultimately different from a live stream. In person, Su Chen could see her exquisite features, her alluring expressions, and the subtle,暧昧 (ambiguous/flirtatious) atmosphere swirling within her faint smile. He could clearly perceive her emotional shifts, unlike in a live stream where he could only see text.

In truth, Su Yueying gave Su Chen the impression of those noble, elegant Jiangnan women from a bygone era, dressed in qipaos. With their hair pinned up in high, cloud-like coils, eyebrows delicately arched, and walking with a graceful, lotus-like gait, her casual glances would drift over him, making her eyes seem as seductive as silk—dreamy, ethereal, and infinitely enchanting. It was enough to make one’s imagination run wild.

Su Chen smiled and replied nonchalantly, "I'm twenty-one this year."

"Twenty-one?" Su Yueying paused, asking with some surprise, "Oh, you're actually that young?"

In her eyes, Su Chen had always been shrewd, quick-witted, and sophisticated in his social dealings. She had assumed he was twenty-five or twenty-six. So, that wasn't the case!

"Is twenty-one considered young?" Su Chen couldn't help but glance at her, smiling carelessly. "Sister Ying, you don't look more than two years older than me, do you?"

"Don't you know that a woman's age is always a secret? Stop trying to fish for information from your big sister!" Su Yueying gifted Su Chen a charming, coquettish roll of her eyes, feigning annoyance.

"Alright..." Su Chen didn't dwell on the topic. He looked at the silver-rimmed glasses Su Yueying was wearing and asked with a smile, "Sister Ying, would you mind taking those glasses off? If it's inconvenient, never mind."

"What's wrong? Is there something off about them?" Su Yueying took them off, asking with some confusion. "Do I not look good in these glasses?"

Su Chen shook his head with a playful smile. "No, you look great. It's just that your charm becomes too powerful when you wear them; I can't look you in the eye!"

"Hahaha, your cheesy pickup line is going to be the death of me!" Su Yueying burst into hearty laughter. "But your little mouth is surprisingly sweet—it almost makes me want to have a taste."

Su Chen nodded unreservedly and said with mock seriousness, "Sure thing. We're all on the same side, Sister Ying; don't be shy, feel free!"

Su Yueying stared at Su Chen intently for a moment, then said with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, "I didn't expect you to be so much bolder now than you are on your live streams..."

"That’s only natural. With such beauty before me, I'm blinded by desire!" Su Chen replied with a light chuckle, not minding at all.

Su Yueying quickly realized the reason: during his streams, Su Chen always had to worry about the platform's censorship policies. In reality, there were no such restrictions, so he was naturally free to let himself go. It made sense; someone as sharp and intelligent as him couldn't possibly be routed and left helpless by her teasing every single time!

The two engaged in a verbal sparring match for over half an hour before finally getting to the point. Su Yueying stated the reason for her visit.

"We've known each other for two or three years now—that's not a short time. Since we can call each other friends, I won't beat around the bush. I'm an agent, and I've come here to invite you to join our team. I value your abilities highly, so please don't be in a rush to refuse; consider it carefully and give me an answer."

Su Chen was slightly surprised. He thought that with Su Yueying's looks and figure, she could easily be a star herself; being an agent seemed like a waste! Of course, he was more puzzled as to why she had sought him out, especially since his song "Someone Like Me" hadn't even been released yet.

Su Chen looked at her, his expression serious. "Sister Ying, where did you learn of my talent for songwriting?"

Su Yueying: [???]

What talent for songwriting? What did that have to do with inviting him to do public relations?

After a moment of bewilderment, she realized Su Chen must have misunderstood. With a strange expression, she softly explained, "I came to invite you to be a PR manager. What were you thinking?"

Su Chen: !!!

What on earth was a PR manager? Did "agent" mean a manager at a high-end karaoke club, and she was trying to recruit him as a male escort?

"Sister Ying, I know I'm handsome, but I don't sell myself!" Su Chen refused decisively.

Su Yueying rolled her eyes involuntarily. "What are you thinking about all day? It's not a male escort! It's a public relations team that helps artists handle PR crises!"

Su Chen finally understood. He asked, puzzled, "Then why me? This has absolutely nothing to do with me!"

Su Yueying shook her head with a smile. "No, no. I believe you are fully capable of handling this position; my judgment is never wrong. I saw what you did during the recent donation incident, and I must say, I admire your ability to manipulate public opinion and play with people's hearts."

"Hey, hey, don't put it so harshly! 'Manipulating public opinion and playing with hearts'—I prefer 'strategizing and being resourceful'!" Su Chen defended himself.

Su Yueying laughed, unfazed. "Fine, it's all the same. So, are you willing to follow your big sister and become my personal assistant?"

Su Chen smiled slightly and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sister Ying. I don't do things that go against my conscience. I'm a man of principle."

"You might have a slight misunderstanding about the PR profession. Not everything in crisis management requires abandoning your conscience!" Su Yueying joked. "Besides, if money is gone, you can earn more, but if your conscience is gone... well, you can earn even more money!"

Su Chen: "..."

Damn it, why did that sound so logical? He didn't know how to refute it!

"Don't worry, I won't let you lose out on compensation. How does a monthly salary of twenty thousand sound?" Su Yueying asked softly.

"It's not about the money!" Su Chen still refused. To him, earning 'rage points' was far more important than earning money.

Seeing that Su Chen was unmoved, Su Yueying played her trump card.

"If you agree, I'll let you be primarily responsible for Lin Yueyao's PR. Think about it—that's an opportunity to work side-by-side with the nation's goddess. It's a rare chance."

Su Chen was surprised. He hadn't expected that Lin Yueyao was also under Su Yueying's management! Impressive, Sister Ying! Lin Yueyao was currently the top female celebrity, incredibly popular—"household name" wouldn't be an exaggeration. Her breathtaking beauty and unique, ethereal temperament had made her stand out in the entertainment industry.

Still, what did that have to do with him? She wasn't his.

"Thank you for the offer, Sister Ying, but I don't have the time or energy for it!"

Seeing Su Chen's stubborn refusal, Su Yueying felt a flicker of frustration. However, because she truly coveted his capability, she made one last concession.

"What if I say you don't have to work with the team full-time? You can manage your own schedule and only need to step in when there's a PR crisis. Would you be willing then?"

Su Chen was surprised by her persistence. If he didn't have to go to work every day and could still collect that twenty thousand... hmm! That didn't sound too bad!

After thinking for a moment, he realized there were no real downsides. He finally nodded.

"Fine. But I'll state this first: if you feel my abilities aren't up to par, or if I decide I don't want to do it anymore, we can terminate the partnership at any time!"

"Deal!" Seeing that her goal was achieved, Su Yueying said with a satisfied, teasing smile, "I'll have Yueyao add you on WeChat later. Who knows? With your qualifications, you might even win her favor!"

Su Chen shook his head with a smile. "Compared to Lin Yueyao, I think I'd prefer to win your favor, Sister Ying!"

"Really?" Su Yueying feigned regret. "Too bad it's not convenient for me today, otherwise we could find some time to 'favor' each other."

Su Chen laughed and retorted cheekily, "Sister Ying, trust me, you can do it. I believe the tempering of blood and fire is no problem for you; it won't stump you—it will only make you stronger and take you to the next level!"

Su Yueying: "..."

This shameless brat—once he's off the leash, he really has no bottom line at all!