MLMD -Chapter 409 A Conflict Breaks Out

Looking at Xiao Dan’s flower-bright smiling face, Yue Yang couldn’t summon even the slightest urge to scold her. He then turned to look at Xiao Lu on his right. Although Xiao Lu was naturally more steady and didn’t wear her emotions as openly as Xiao Dan, the joy and tenderness flowing from her beautiful eyes were unmistakably real. For a moment, Yue Yang didn’t know what to say.

With one arm around each of them, Yue Yang left the rest of the film crew staring in stunned disbelief. Many people thought their eyes were playing tricks on them, but when they looked again, the sight before them was still the same—the three of them leaning closely together.

A script supervisor murmured blankly, “My god… Is today April Fool’s Day? Otherwise how could something this absurd be happening?”

“Oh my god, my goddess! Have all the good cabbages really been ruined by pigs?” another actor exclaimed, spraying out the water he hadn’t yet swallowed.

Dozens of people on set stared dumbly at the three of them. Quite a few single men felt a surge of inexplicable bitterness in their hearts. This world was just too unfair. I’ve been working my ass off since graduation, and four or five years later I’m still single. Don’t you know women are a scarce social resource these days? And yet this bastard is pulling a one-man-two-women act!

Yue Yang had no idea that dozens of wolf-like gazes were fixed on him. And even if he had known, he probably wouldn’t have cared. After being steeped in the evils of feudal society for so many years, Comrade Yue Yang was already used to a life of holding left and right. Still, he understood that no matter how society developed, the law of the jungle—survival of the fittest—would never change. That wasn’t something that could be altered by shouting slogans or inventing theories or “isms.” Just as he was thinking this, a voice interrupted his moment of intimacy.

“You… you there! What’s the meaning of this? Who let you in here? Production staff… production staff… hurry up and throw this man out!”

A slightly shrill voice cut through the scene of the three—well, the three people—leaning together.

Yue Yang lifted his head with some displeasure and glanced at the person shouting. Xiao Lu and Xiao Dan also snapped out of their reunion-induced joy and realized there were still so many people around watching. What caught their eyes first, however, was Zhang Qing’s shocked and furious expression, along with his sharp voice.

Letting go of the two women with some reluctance, Yue Yang sized up Zhang Qing. Seeing the man’s almost distorted face, his brows slowly knit together. He turned his head and asked, “Xiao Lu, who’s this? Someone from your crew too?”

Zhang Qing was on the verge of passing out from rage. To others, Yue Yang’s question sounded perfectly ordinary, but to him it was the greatest humiliation imaginable. He pointed at himself, hardly believing it, and said, “You… you don’t recognize me?”

“Who are you? Am I supposed to know you?” Faced with someone whose self-regard was far too high, Yue Yang could only roll his eyes helplessly.

“You… you—you—”

Seeing Zhang Qing so angry that veins were bulging from his forehead, Xiao Lu forced back a smile and tugged on Yue Yang’s hand, gently coaxing him. “A-Yang, his name is Zhang Qing. He’s in the same crew as me and Xiao Dan. He doesn’t know you, that’s why he said that. Don’t blame him.”

“Yes, Brother Yang,” Xiao Dan chimed in from the other side. “Zhang Qing usually takes pretty good care of Sister Lu and me. Please don’t be angry, okay?”

Although Yue Yang had never told them exactly what he did for a living, Xiao Dan understood very well just how capable her beloved was. Even the son of a vice mayor and big shots who straddled both the underworld and the legitimate world called him “brother.” If Zhang Qing, a mere small-time celebrity, really provoked him, it wouldn’t end well. Besides, even though Zhang Qing was a bit arrogant and often showered Xiao Lu with attention, he was still part of the same crew. If something serious happened, it wouldn’t be good for anyone. So she tugged lightly on Yue Yang’s sleeve as well, signaling him not to get angry.

At this moment, the bearded director also walked over. Directors were generally not known for good tempers, especially while filming. Earlier, when Yue Yang had been all lovey-dovey with Xiao Lu and Xiao Dan, he had wanted to curse them out. But after carefully sizing Yue Yang up, he swallowed the words that had reached his lips. Stepping forward a few paces, he asked in a puzzled tone, “Sir, I’m the director of this crew, Zhang Huizhong. May I ask who you are…?”

Yue Yang was very polite toward Xiao Lu and Xiao Dan’s director. He picked up a food container beside him and smiled. “Ah… I’m here to visit the set. I came to see the two of them.” As he spoke, he deliberately pointed at Xiao Lu and Xiao Dan.

“Uh… visiting the set? And two people at once?”

Zhang Huizhong was momentarily speechless. Looking at the container in Yue Yang’s hand, he didn’t know what to say. These days, what man came to visit a set without bringing flowers or jewelry? Yet this guy had casually brought just a food container—and he was visiting two women at the same time. The bearded director didn’t know whether to praise his courage or call him reckless.

Seeing Zhang Huizhong remain silent, Yue Yang asked curiously, “What? Is visiting the set not allowed here?”

“That’s not it,” Zhang Huizhong said with a wry smile. “Since you’re friends of Miss Gan and Miss Wang, of course you’re welcome to visit. It’s just…” As he spoke, he glanced helplessly at Zhang Qing, whose face had already turned ashen, and shook his head.

Everyone on the crew knew that Zhang Qing was pursuing Xiao Lu. Although Xiao Lu hadn’t responded to him, Zhang Qing remained relentless, expressing his affection in different ways every day. Judging from what had just happened, however, Zhang Qing clearly had no chance anymore. Anyone could see the joy and tenderness in Xiao Lu’s eyes when she looked at this guy who had appeared out of nowhere. What Zhang Huizhong couldn’t figure out was how this kid was so capable—he had even managed to rope in Xiao Dan, the crew’s cheerful, beautiful, and adorable girl. Were times really changing so much that two women serving one man was now fashionable?

Facing the speechless bearded director, Yue Yang smiled faintly and said, “Director Zhang, since visiting is allowed, can I sit over there with Xiao Lu and Xiao Dan for a bit?”

Zhang Huizhong let out a long breath and waved his hand weakly. “Go on…”

Xiao Dan and Xiao Lu exchanged a glance, stuck out their tongues playfully, and said in unison, “Thank you, Director Zhang.” Then the two of them grabbed Yue Yang and trotted off to the side.

Once the three of them had gone some distance away, the set erupted with a loud boom of chatter. Almost everyone began buzzing with excitement.

An actor walked up to Zhang Qing, patted him on the shoulder, and tried to console him. “Bro, don’t be too upset. I told you a long time ago that Xiao Lu already belonged to someone, but you just wouldn’t listen. Now you should give up, right?”

Zhang Qing’s face shifted from red to white, then from white to green. Finally, he let out a low, hoarse roar: “Bitch… I treated her so sincerely, and yet she’s willing to serve the same man together with another woman. Why… why are women all so cheap?”

The actor beside him curled his lip, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes. What a hypocrite. Two women serving one man is ‘cheap’? If you were the male lead, you’d probably be so happy your nose would be blowing bubbles.

Though he inwardly despised Zhang Qing’s sour-grapes attitude, they were all part of the same crew. Moreover, Zhang Qing was a fairly popular second-tier actor, and in this line of work, connections mattered. It was better not to offend people if you could avoid it. Just as he was about to continue comforting him, he saw Zhang Qing fling his arm away fiercely and snarl, “No. I’m going to ask Xiao Lu myself. What makes that guy better than me? Why would she rather debase herself and serve him alongside another woman than accept my sincerity?”

With that, he stormed off toward the side.

“Hey—hey, come back!” His companion panicked and chased after him, trying to grab him. But Zhang Qing was determined; he couldn’t stop him and could only watch helplessly as Zhang Qing headed toward Xiao Lu and the others.

Zhang Qing had truly lost his rationality. Since his debut a few years ago, with the agency’s packaging and promotion, his fame had steadily grown and his career had gone smoothly. He rarely failed when pursuing women. Even though he’d hit a wall with Xiao Lu recently, he hadn’t lost confidence, believing it was only a matter of time. But Yue Yang’s sudden appearance shattered his fantasy completely. The beautiful prize he thought would eventually be his had already become another man’s woman. That was something he simply couldn’t accept.

A surge of anger welled up from the depths of his heart. At that moment, there was only one thought in his mind: to settle accounts with that guy who had appeared out of nowhere and stolen his love.

Meanwhile, in a pavilion less than two hundred meters from the set, Yue Yang opened the stainless steel food container. Instantly, a rich, mellow aroma wafted out, drawing Xiao Lu and Xiao Dan in at once.

Xiao Dan cried out in delight, “Wow… it smells so good! Brother Yang, you even know how to make soup?”

Yue Yang grinned. “Of course. I simmered this for several hours. I even added some wild ginseng. It nourishes the skin, boosts qi and blood, replenishes blood and promotes lactation, and clears heat and toxins.”

“Hey—you’re so bad!” At the words “promotes lactation,” not only did Xiao Dan cry out, but even Xiao Lu blushed deeply and lightly pounded his back with her small fists in mock punishment.

“It’s the truth—what’s wrong with saying it?” Yue Yang said shamelessly.

At that moment, he looked just like an ordinary young man flirting with his girlfriends. Only, to certain eyes, this one-man-two-women scene was indeed a bit jarring.

After joking around for a while, Yue Yang stopped laughing and said, “Alright, drink it while it’s hot. It won’t taste good once it cools.”

“Okay! Let me try Brother Yang’s cooking!” Xiao Dan cheerfully opened the lid, took out a few small bowls and spoons, and set them on the stone table. Just as she was about to ladle out the soup, a sudden shout rang out from nearby.

“Miss Gan! Who exactly is this man?”

The sudden roar stirred a trace of anger in Yue Yang’s heart. Xiao Lu and Xiao Dan also frowned in displeasure. They had been enjoying a rare moment of warmth together, only to have someone barge in and ruin it—how could that not be infuriating?

A hint of annoyance appeared on Xiao Lu’s beautiful oval face. Turning to the intruder, she said, “Zhang Qing, since you want to know so badly, I’ll tell you.” She wrapped her arms around Yue Yang’s arm. “This is my boyfriend. He came specifically to see me today. Can’t you tell?”

To Zhang Qing, Xiao Lu’s words were like a bomb exploding right beside him. He staggered back a step, his face turning even paler. He shook his head violently. “Impossible. I’ve asked around these past few days—everyone said you didn’t have a boyfriend. How could one suddenly appear? Impossible! This must be someone you hired to pretend, just to anger me. Right? Right? Tell me!”

As he spoke, Zhang Qing strode toward Xiao Lu, trying to grab her arm. But before he could reach her, another strong arm blocked his path.

Yue Yang’s voice sounded in his ear. “Young man, I can chalk your earlier words up to youthful recklessness. But what you’re doing now is crossing the line. Since Xiao Lu has clearly told you she already has a boyfriend, stop harassing her. Otherwise, I won’t mind teaching you a lesson.”

“Oh yeah? Come on, then!”

By now, Zhang Qing’s mind was completely clouded by rage. He took two steps back and then swung with all his strength at Yue Yang’s face. There was only one thought in his mind: knock this guy who stole his goddess to the ground and show her who the real strong man was.

Unfortunately, his wish was beautiful, but reality was cruel. Before his fist could land, a sharp pain exploded across his face. His arm was seized, and his entire body seemed to take flight. He flew back several steps and finally crashed onto the grass behind him in an extremely awkward sprawl.

At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded. Then Zhang Qing heard Zhang Huizhong’s voice nearby. “Hey, hey—what are you doing, hitting people here? Security… security!”

Hearing Zhang Huizhong’s voice, Zhang Qing knew he wouldn’t be beaten again. But at the same time, an overwhelming sense of humiliation surged from his heart. He felt countless eyes around him staring with contempt, shock, and mockery. For someone who had enjoyed smooth sailing for years, this humiliation was unbearable. And so, very simply, Zhang Qing fainted—though before losing consciousness, he seemed to hear many people calling his name.

“Hey… you there, what exactly is going on with you? How can you just go around hitting people?”

Soon, Zhang Huizhong’s booming voice rang out again. Pointing at Yue Yang, he shouted angrily, “I don’t care who you are. You hit one of our actors today—if you don’t give us an explanation, I won’t let this go!”

Facing the furious Zhang Huizhong, Yue Yang, the person involved, showed not the slightest hint of panic. He said calmly, “It’s very simple. Your actor wanted to hit me, and I merely countered lightly. That’s what you saw.”

Seeing Yue Yang’s unconcerned attitude, Zhang Huizhong was exasperated. “But you can’t knock someone unconscious! Look at this—how are we supposed to film today? Do you know how much money the crew loses if filming stops for a day?”

“That’s your problem,” Yue Yang replied coldly as his face darkened. “So by your logic, filming is supreme? You can hit whoever you want, and if he tries to hit me, I’m just supposed to stand there and not fight back?”

“Hey—what’s with you?” Yue Yang’s words immediately drew a chorus of accusations. A staff member in a green vest jumped out and pointed at him. “We’re filming here. You barged in without permission, visited the set as you pleased, and now you’ve injured one of our actors. And you still think you’re right?”

“Exactly. Hitting someone as soon as you show up—that’s way too savage,” others chimed in.

Some people on the crew joined in criticizing Yue Yang. Although they knew the incident had been entirely Zhang Qing’s fault, social reality was often like this. More often than not, people sided with their own. Since they were all part of the same crew, they had to “sit on the right side of the fence.”

Seeing everyone gang up on Yue Yang, Xiao Lu and Xiao Dan grew anxious. Standing on either side of him, each holding one of his arms, they wanted to speak up for him but didn’t know where to start. Their eyes reddened with worry.

Seeing this, Yue Yang’s expression grew even darker. Just as he was about to lose his temper, a voice sounded nearby.

“Hey, hey—what are you all doing? Don’t you have anything better to do?”

As the voice sounded, a figure squeezed in from outside the crowd. When Xiao Lu and Xiao Dan saw who it was, their faces lit up with joy, and they were about to speak. But Yue Yang was displeased. Pointing at the newcomer, he snapped, “Young Master Yun, this is the ‘very capable’ crew you introduced me to? This is your ‘very impressive’ director?”

The newcomer was Yun Feng, the CEO of Haitian Entertainment. He walked in and, seeing Yue Yang’s sour expression, burst into laughter. “Haha! Never thought a sharp and decisive President Yue would have a day of being ganged up on. Say, if I called Brother Zhao right now, do you think he’d fly over from his Jubao Pavilion immediately? Alright, alright—don’t look at me like that… I’m scared of you, okay?”

As he spoke, seeing Yue Yang’s face growing darker by the second, Yun Feng knew he couldn’t joke any longer. If he kept it up, this guy would really explode. He quickly turned around and berated everyone present. “What are you all doing? What are you doing?! Do you even know who President Yue is? He’s the investor I just brought in, and also the jewelry sponsor funding this shoot! What are you trying to do by surrounding him like this—drive him away? A bunch of idiots! No sense at all—serves you right to be wage slaves for life!”

As soon as Yun Feng finished speaking, the crew was stunned. So this man was the main investor behind the production. Well then… they’d really hit the jackpot—by offending their own benefactor.

Thinking of that, everyone froze, staring at one another, completely at a loss for words.