Huayu: Just entered the industry, and was pursued by a young actress.

However, the thought of bringing up the sensitive topic of "creating a romantic couple" with Zhou Jin tonight made her really need some alcohol to bolster her courage.

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Duling finally nodded gently.

"Then let's drink less."

"Want some Snow Beer?" Zhou Jin suggested.

"I don't know much about alcohol, is this good?" Chen Duling asked softly.

"It's alright." Zhou Jin smiled. "Would you like it chilled? It tastes better cold."

"Then let's leave it cold." Chen Duling nodded obediently.

If Yang Mi were sitting across from Zhou Jin right now, that seasoned veteran would definitely roll his eyes with a charming expression and instantly understand Zhou Jin's joke.

But sitting right in front of her was Chen Duling, pure as a sheet of paper, who was completely unaware of all this.

Before long, the waiter brought over several bottles of chilled Snow Beer.

The two clinked glasses lightly and each took a small sip.

Chen Duling looked at Zhou Jin with some surprise.

This was her first time drinking alcohol. She thought the alcohol would be very strong, but it was surprisingly cool and not as bad as she had imagined.

Seeing her reaction, Zhou Jin chuckled and joked, "That's just how beer is. At room temperature, it's like horse urine, but chilled, it's like a national treasure."

Upon hearing this straightforward description, Chen Duling couldn't help but chuckle, and her tense nerves relaxed considerably.

The two ate and chatted for the rest of the time.

Zhou Jin was very sensible and did not try to persuade Chen Duling to drink. She completely went along with Chen Duling's wishes, letting her drink as much as she wanted.

We were full and had eaten most of the barbecue.

Chen Duling has a very low alcohol tolerance. Although she only drank one bottle of beer, two alluring blushes appeared on her fair cheeks.

She looked exceptionally beautiful and charming under the warm lights of the barbecue restaurant.

Just as Chen Duling took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself to speak,

Zhou Jin put down her water glass first, looked at her gently, and asked:

"You specifically asked me out tonight, is there something you want to tell me?"

Chen Duling paused for a moment, then nervously avoided Zhou Jin's gaze. After a brief silence, she mustered her courage and asked softly:

"Zhou Jin, may I ask... are you, Dilraba, and Yang Mi all very familiar with each other in private?"

"Very familiar."

Without giving it much thought, Zhou Jin casually added, "They're all very good friends."

Upon hearing this, Chen Duling paused slightly, a barely perceptible hint of sadness flashing in her eyes.

it is as expected.

The fact that they can so brazenly spread rumors online means they must be extremely close friends in private. Otherwise, how could a female celebrity of Yang Mi's status willingly cooperate with such hype?

Chen Duling bit her lower lip and finally spoke the words that had been weighing on her mind:

"Recently, the movie 'The Breakup Guru' has been heavily promoted online. As the lead actors, you and Yang Mi have generated a lot of buzz online as a couple, which has also boosted the movie's popularity."

She paused, then her voice became even softer:

"So... the day you took leave to go back to Hengdian last time, Director Su contacted me privately. He said that if possible, he hoped that during the upcoming promotional period for 'The Left Ear,' you and I could... create a couple dynamic."

"This will generate a lot of buzz during the film's promotion..."

After saying all this in one breath, Chen Duling immediately lowered her head, not daring to look Zhou Jin in the eye.

After waiting for a while, seeing that Zhou Jin remained silent, she felt a strong sense of loss.

She bit her lip, then opened another bottle of ice-cold beer and tilted her head back to gulp it down.

Zhou Jin looked at the girl in front of him, who was clearly a little drunk, and couldn't help but feel a little helpless.

He was just thinking about something in his mind and answered a beat late. Why did this girl suddenly act like she'd given up on herself?

However, Chen Duling, who usually has a cold and aloof demeanor, revealed a strange sense of contrast in her crazy behavior now fueled by alcohol.

Zhou Jin reached out and gently snatched the wine bottle from Chen Duling's hand.

Under Chen Duling's bewildered yet somewhat aggrieved gaze, Zhou Jin smiled gently:

"sure."

Chen Duling's eyes widened suddenly, staring at him in astonishment: "Really?"

Zhou Jin nodded with amusement: "It's just creating a CP (couple pairing) for publicity, it's not like we're actually getting married and becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, what's wrong with that?"

Hearing Zhou Jin agree so readily, Chen Duling started to consider his feelings and muttered to herself:

"But... once we become a couple, every time someone mentions me, it will involve you. Wouldn't that be annoying?"

"Besides, my fame is far less than yours. If we create a CP (couple pairing) between us, we're just leeching off you. It won't do you any good at all."

Zhou Jin smiled indifferently: "I don't care about these things. The most important thing for an actor to establish themselves in the industry is still acting skills."

"Putting on a CP (couple pairing) can indeed bring temporary popularity and traffic, but if the acting is not good, no matter how high the traffic is, the audience will eventually criticize it. It's just cooperating with the production team's publicity, don't think too much about it."

Seeing that it was almost time, the two paid the bill and got up to leave.

They weren't staying at the same hotel. Zhou Jin very gentlemanly escorted Chen Duling all the way to her hotel building, stopped, and prepared to watch her go inside.

Chen Duling took a few steps up the steps, then suddenly stopped and turned to look at Zhou Jin.

Zhou Jin looked at her and asked curiously, "What's wrong? Is there anything else?"

Slightly tipsy, Chen Duling's cheeks flushed, her clear eyes fixed intently on Zhou Jin, her voice soft yet unusually earnest:

"Zhou Jin... Could we have dinner together again next time? This time there's no publicity mission, no purpose, I just... simply want to have a meal with you."

"sure."

Hearing this answer, Chen Duling breathed a sigh of relief.

Her previously heavy steps instantly became lighter, and she turned and walked towards the hotel lobby.

Zhou Jin stopped in place, watching her back, which even seemed to carry a hint of excitement, and couldn't help but smile softly.

I never expected that Chen Duling, who always appears aloof and cold, would have such a pure and lovely side in private.

On her way back to her hotel, Zhou Jin noticed a barbecue stall by the roadside.

Thinking that Li Yitong might still be waiting for him in the room hungry, he packed some kebabs and took them back with him.

"Beep—" The room card opened the door.

Li Yitong was lying listlessly on the bed when she saw Zhou Jin come in, and immediately gave him a somewhat resentful look.

She waited alone in the hotel, exhausted and hungry.

"Brother, I thought you had found someone new and forgotten about me."

Zhou Jin smiled and held up the steaming barbecue bag in her hand, shaking it gently.

"How could that be? I thought you must be hungry, so I brought you a late-night snack."

The aroma of cumin and roasted meat made Li Yitong's eyes light up.

She was still harboring a bit of resentment, having waited so long without even having dinner.

Seeing that Zhou Jin had brought him barbecue when he came back, the little bit of resentment in his heart instantly vanished.

She immediately jumped out of bed like a happy little deer, threw herself into Zhou Jin's arms, and planted two big kisses on his face.

"Brother, I knew you were the best to me!"

Zhou Jin gently supported her, smiling as she said, "Alright, alright, come down and eat something to replenish your energy."

Li Yitong, however, wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and shook her head charmingly.

"No way. I'm a dancer by training, and I was on wires and wielding swords every day on the set of 'The Return of the Condor Heroes,' so I'm in great shape."

She leaned close to Zhou Jin's ear and whispered, her breath sweet as orchids: "Right now... I just want to ride a horse."

Upon hearing this blatant flirtation, Zhou Jin's heart started pounding.

He casually placed the barbecue on the table next to him, picked up Li Yitong, strode to the bedside, tossed her soft body onto the bed, and lay down himself.

Li Yitong moved nimbly, flipping herself up like a valiant female general, and straddled Zhou Jin, pinning her beneath her.

Zhou Jin looked at the beautiful, delicate face above her, a mischievous smile playing on her lips: "Weren't you hungry?"

"Of course I'm hungry."

Li Yitong looked at him with seductive eyes and deliberately dragged out her voice, "However, it's not too late to eat barbecue to replenish my energy after I get tired of riding horses."

After saying that, she suddenly leaned down and kissed Zhou Jin deeply on the lips.

After their lips parted, she rested her chin on Zhou Jin's firm chest, listening to his heavy, powerful heartbeat.

Then, the wicked yet charming kitten narrowed its beautiful smiling eyes slightly and said in a sweet, coquettish voice:

"Brother, I'm going to ride a horse now!"