Film and Television: The Villain's Life Begins with Joy of Life

The online sensation "Film and Television: The Villain's Life Begins with Joy of Life," a heartfelt work by author Liu Yuzhijian, is now available.

The study fell silent.

The candlelight flickered on the lampstand, casting the shadows of the two people on the wall, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

Zhou Cheng looked at Li Yunrui, whose beautiful face still held traces of ruthlessness and determination, yet her voice betrayed a hint of sorrow and vulnerability.

He knew what kind of person Li Yunrui was.

She believed in power, in scheming, and in herself; she trusted no one but herself.

She valued power above all else.

As she has come this far, her identity and her experiences have shaped her personality and thoughts.

Zhou Cheng couldn't change her, nor did he ever think he could.

He wanted to keep the child, but the key was how to persuade Li Yunrui.

To persuade this slut, empty promises are useless. Only the most direct reality and benefits can move her and make her weigh the pros and cons before making the choice she believes is best for her.

The two looked at each other.

The candlelight flickered between them, as if trying to see into each other's hearts through their eyes.

Zhou Cheng sighed softly and spoke:

"Aunt, have you ever thought about this? You've never had a choice regarding the power of the Imperial Treasury. Even without this child, Father would have taken back the Imperial Treasury sooner or later."

Li Yunrui frowned but remained silent.

He continued, "You should understand your father. No one can disobey or change his will. From the moment he said, 'Whoever marries Wan'er will take over the Imperial Treasury,' it was destined that the Imperial Treasury would no longer remain in your hands."

Li Yunrui turned her head, looking past the candlelight at the flickering light and shadows on the wall.

She couldn't refute it.

She understood, of course, better than anyone else.

But even if she understands, is it possible to remain indifferent and wait for her fate? Impossible.

"So what?" she sneered, her face as cold as frost.

"Even if he is the emperor, he cannot act arbitrarily! If he wants to take back the Imperial Treasury, don't blame me for fighting. The Imperial Treasury is something I fought for, and it should rightfully be mine. I will not let him take it away with just a word! As long as it remains in my hands, I will not let it go."

Zhou Cheng looked at her, not at all surprised by her reaction.

"Have you thought about the future?"

He looked at her, his gaze serious.

"We're already plotting to get His Majesty to depose the Crown Prince. If I succeed in ascending the throne, are you really going to abandon our child just to hold onto power in the Imperial Treasury for a few more days? How am I supposed to treat you then?"

Li Yunrui's breath hitched.

She hadn't really thought about that question.

She only thought about the present!

She frowned in thought.

If she keeps the child, her relationship with Zhou Cheng will naturally become even more deeply intertwined.

If Zhou Cheng succeeds in rising to power in the future, even if some of his identities are shady, she will still be the most powerful woman in the country.

But now she stands at the pinnacle of power that women can wield...

Because of a position where it's difficult to advance further and an uncertain future, she gambled everything on one man...

She can't.

In her view, a relationship maintained through children is not secure, at least not as reliable as one based on mutual benefit.

Just like her relationship with Lin Wan'er.

That was her biological daughter; she did have feelings for her.

But what about Lin Ruofu? If he wasn't incredibly powerful, not the current prime minister, but simply "Lin Wan'er's father," she wouldn't care about his life or death.

Men are unreliable.

Using children to tie a man down is even worse.

This is an experience she summarized from her own experience.

Only when there is self-interest can one disregard everything else and be absolutely reliable.

She truly experienced the joy of being a woman with Zhou Cheng, which fascinated her and even made her fall for him.

So much so that on many occasions, when considering this man, her emotional side would even briefly override her rational side.

Just like today when she came over, she couldn't control her emotions, and even she herself felt that she was not herself.

But so what?

Her past experiences taught her that nothing is unchanging, and people's hearts change very quickly.

Even if she really falls in love with this young man now, and he is also obsessed with her body, what about in the future?

She wouldn't gamble that others wouldn't change.

I won't gamble that I won't change.

Li Yunrui took a deep breath, raised her head, and looked at him.

"Chengcheng, you're too young to understand. You have no idea how much trouble it will cause if you keep this child."

Her voice softened, carrying an unprecedented seriousness.

"Keeping him will do you no good, for me, or for the child."

She reached out and touched his face.

"If you really like children, I can have them for you once you're in a position of power. I'll have as many as you want. I'll have as many as you desire."

Her fingertips brushed across his cheek, carrying a slight coolness.

"We can have another child later. Now is really not the right time."

Zhou Cheng looked at her.

His face was reflected in the other person's eyes, which held reluctance, inner turmoil, and apology, but above all, unwavering determination.

He felt somewhat helpless.

Without being motivated by self-interest, it's still too difficult to persuade this woman.

He knew that if he revealed his identity as a Grandmaster and his true plans now, that bitch would definitely keep the child without saying a word.

It's not like he can't have children.

It doesn't matter who he has a child with.

Zhou Cheng thought for a moment and then spoke:

"You don't actually have to choose between your child and your inner tube (referring to a type of underwear)."

Li Yunrui raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean? You still won't give up?"

Zhou Cheng looked at her, thinking about what she had said before, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"My aunt just said she's a shameless woman. And coincidentally, I'm a shameless man too. We're adulterers." They're in cahoots, utterly shameless—but our Emperor still has some sense of honor.

Li Yunrui frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?"

Zhou Cheng explained, "If Aunt is simply pregnant, then it would naturally be considered an act of corruption within the palace. Father Emperor certainly wouldn't let this opportunity pass and would want to take back control of the Imperial Treasury from you."

He paused.

"But the child you're carrying is mine."

Li Yunrui's pupils contracted slightly.

"An aunt and niece committing adultery—that's no simple scandal; it's a shocking scandal that would utterly humiliate the royal family. If Father had any sense of honor, he wouldn't let this scandal get out. Once he finds out that I'm the father of the child, he won't just refrain from making a scene; he'll probably even cover for us and silence everyone who knows. He'll never allow anyone to bring this to the forefront."

For Emperor Qing, Li Yunrui's affair with him was nothing but a disgrace, offering him no advantage whatsoever.

He wasn't the crown prince, he was just Prince Cheng.

If he were the crown prince, Emperor Qing could use this scandal to announce the deposition of the heir apparent, hold a ceremony at the temple, apologize to the world, attract grandmasters, and plan the Great Eastern Mountain scheme.

Unfortunately, he was only Prince Cheng.

If this matter were to be exposed, it would only embarrass Emperor Qing and serve no other purpose.

Therefore, even if Emperor Qing knew, he would definitely suppress the matter.

Li Yunrui stared at him blankly.

Then, she seemed to be deep in thought.

She began to seriously consider this possibility.

Zhou Cheng did not speak again.

He is waiting.

Waiting for Li Yunrui's reaction.

He wanted to know if the woman was willing to take any risks and face criticism for the child.

If she's not willing to take any risks or invest any feelings—then he won't keep the child.

Without the gradual emotional investment, having a child in the early stages is merely a joyful byproduct, and there's really not as much heart-wrenching and heartbreaking sadness as in romance dramas.

Li Yunrui remained silent for a long time.

The candlelight flickered on her face, reflecting her ever-changing expressions.

After much thought, she read "Film and Television: The Villain's Life Begins with Joy of Life," enjoying the reading time. She discovered that Zhou Cheng's words actually made some sense.

The problem is that if Emperor Qing finds out that the child's father is Zhou Cheng, he will be furious.

They may not be punished openly, but they will definitely be purged behind the scenes.

Not only her, but Zhou Cheng will also be at a disadvantage.

Once Zhou Cheng loses the emperor's favor, even if they manage to depose the crown prince, the only one who will benefit in the end is the second prince.

She had naturally made a considerable investment in the Second Prince. But no matter how large the investment, it couldn't compare to what she had made with Zhou Cheng.

She's completely committed herself to this.

If the benefits cannot be maximized, then she will still suffer losses.

Li Yunrui raised her head and looked at him.

"Chengcheng, have you thought about this?"

Her voice was very soft.

"Once it's revealed that you're the child's father, you'll never be able to ascend to the throne. Are you really willing to give up the throne, the most likely path to your rule, for a child with a mother like me?"

Zhou Cheng suddenly laughed.

He smiled and shook his head.

"Auntie, oh Auntie, you're being silly again."

He looked into her eyes and spoke slowly and deliberately:

"I got to that position not because of my father's 'favor'. If 'favor' were truly useful, the current court structure would be very different."

He paused.

"That spot is one we have to fight for. And since we're going to fight for it, we'll inevitably have to fight for it eventually. So why worry about so much?"

Li Yunrui was speechless.

The candlelight flickered on her face, reflecting the complex emotions in her eyes.

She had heard him say that before.

Previously, when Zhou Cheng was out of favor in the court, she would just listen casually, thinking it was nothing more than the ignorance of a young man.

But listening to it now...

She then realized that it was the other person's true thought and genuine understanding.

Zhou Cheng reached out again and placed his hand on her lower abdomen.

"For this child, I think it's worth sacrificing some things and taking some risks. Aunt, what do you think?"

Li Yunrui did not answer immediately.

She remained silent.

She knew that Zhou Cheng was asking her for the final answer.

If her answer doesn't satisfy him, the two might not necessarily part ways, but there will definitely be a rift between them.

Li Yunrui suddenly laughed.

There was relief, helplessness, and something else in that laughter.

She took a deep breath, her eyes gradually hardening.

She wrapped her arms around Zhou Cheng's neck and pressed her whole body against him.

"We're all in the same boat after all. Since Cheng'er has taken such a big gamble, I'm afraid Auntie won't be able to refuse."

After saying that, Li Yunrui's expression changed, and she stared at him with a hint of warning in her eyes:

"I hope you'll stick to your current beliefs in the future. If you change your mind—"

"I will definitely kill you, and then I will kill myself!"

Zhou Cheng seemed not to hear her threat, simply looking at her calmly without any change in expression.

"From now on, I will try my best to stay home and hide my pregnancy. It would be best if it weren't discovered. But if it does come to light—"

She paused.

You must keep your word.

Zhou Cheng nodded without hesitation.

Li Yunrui thought for a moment, then lowered her voice slightly:

"You must keep our affair a secret. Especially, you mustn't let Ye Ling'er know."

She stared at him, her gaze sharp.

"We will need the Ye family's help in our future competition for that position. Therefore, we must not allow the Ye family to harbor any resentment towards us."

Zhou Cheng thought for a moment, then instead of saying "okay" directly, he said:

"I won't tell Ling'er."

He could only guarantee that he wouldn't tell Ye Ling'er on his own initiative. As for whether Ye Ling'er found out through other people or other means, he couldn't make that guarantee.

Making a hasty guarantee in the heat of the moment might lead to breaking principles at any time.

His principles weren't anything remarkable,

But after persisting for so many years, we still need to try our best to avoid risks!

Zhou Cheng paused, then, thinking of the risks, suddenly smiled.

Li Yunrui raised an eyebrow.

"What are you laughing at?"

Zhou Cheng looked down at her lower abdomen, a smile playing on his lips.

"I suddenly thought of a name for the child."

Li Yunrui rolled her eyes at him.

"It's still unknown whether this child will be born safely, so it's too early for you to be thinking about a name."

Although she said that, she was still curious about the name Zhou Cheng had come up with, and asked again:

"What name are you going to give this child?"

Zhou Cheng chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"If it's a boy, you can name him Li Zhaoxian. If it's a girl, you can name her Li Zhaoxian."

"Zhao" is the generational name of the next generation after "Yun" and "Cheng".

Li Yunrui murmured repeatedly, "Zhaoxian, Zhaoxian... 'Xian' and 'Xian' are not bad, is there any deeper meaning?"

Zhou Cheng chuckled again.

"'Manifestation' and 'Immortal'—actually, it means 'danger.' This child has already endured many hardships in the womb before even being born; it's truly not easy!"

Li Yunrui was stunned for a moment.

Then she spat at him and reached out to push him.

She could tell at a glance that the hardships she had endured inside her belly referred not only to her recent hesitant attitude, but also to the unrestrained and absurd behavior the two of them had previously engaged in.

Instead of being pushed away, Zhou Cheng grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms.

Li Yunrui gave him a symbolic push, then quietly nestled in his arms.

She suddenly felt much more relaxed.

She didn't know why either.

Even though there are still many problems and great risks, once the decision is made, it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

Zhou Cheng's hand went around to her back and touched her gently.

"Yunrui."

Li Yunrui was taken aback.

"What did you call me?"

Zhou Cheng looked down at her.

"Yunrui. What's wrong? Doesn't it sound good?"

Li Yunrui's lips twitched.

Yunrui?

This form of address sounds incredibly awkward coming from the other person's mouth.

Zhou Cheng continued, "Does it feel a little awkward?"

Li Yunrui raised her head.

"Calling elders by their first names without any respect!"

Zhou Cheng looked down at her, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

"Yunrui, that's not what I meant by awkward."

"Hmm? What are you talking about?"

"What I mean by awkward is—it feels like it's been ages since we've talked this much while fully clothed. Don't you feel awkward?"

Li Yunrui was stunned for a moment.

Then, she punched him in the chest.

"I'm pregnant and you're still not behaving yourself! If you want more, go find your other women! Aren't you supposed to treat them all the same?"

She gets angry whenever the topic of treating everyone equally comes up.

Zhou Cheng didn't care about anything else and simply picked her up around the waist.

Li Yunrui exclaimed in surprise and instinctively hugged his neck tightly.

Zhou Cheng placed her on his desk.

The coolness of the desk seeped through the fabric of her clothes, making Li Yunrui shudder.

"Too dangerous! No!"

Zhou Cheng held her down and whispered in her ear:

"Don't worry. We won't use dangerous methods."

He propped himself up, looking at her with a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"You've been taking care of me the last few times. Now, let me take good care of the child's mother this time."

A slight blush appeared on Li Yunrui's alabaster face, and her breathing quickened slightly.

She slowly released her grip, lay down gently, and relaxed completely, her long black hair spreading across the table like a crabapple blossom.

The exciting chapter "Chapter 63: The Perilous Path" is now available online. Click to read it now!