Chapter 139: A Date, Everyday Life

Living away from home with her boyfriend, Zhang Ya still felt a bit shy. On the surface, she pretended to be composed, but whenever Cheng Yao held her in his arms, her heart would flutter like a startled deer, as if she had been transported back to her high school days.

In truth, it had only been about half a year since high school. Though both of them had changed and matured significantly, Cheng Yao’s transformation was the most profound; she could feel it clearly. If he were still the slightly timid boy from high school, she might have found it bothersome, but now, he was different—driven, focused on fitness, and full of ambition. A hardworking man was undeniably charming.

At the hotel, between late-night snacks, browsing their phones, and playful banter, the atmosphere gradually heated up. After a shower, the moment Cheng Yao collapsed onto the bed, he started acting out. Unable to resist his advances, Zhang Ya gave in to his "rogue-like" devotion. After all, if even wealthy heirs and handsome stars could play the part of a besotted suitor, why shouldn't he? When faced with his most primal desires, what use was there for pride?

That night, Zhang Ya not only "practiced her instrument" but, aside from the final step, she gave him everything she could. She never expected Cheng Yao to be so insatiable. Yet, this intimacy brought them closer, stripping away any sense of privacy and making their relationship far more casual and candid. Cheng Yao had truly struggled to stop himself from taking the final step, but he held back; after all, what kind of man would he be if he broke his word? Besides, Zhang Ya didn’t leave him hanging, successfully helping him find release. Cheng Yao, in turn, was more than happy to return the favor, using all his skills to ensure her complete satisfaction.

Now, she slept with her leg draped over his, while Cheng Yao held her close, slowly tainting her innocence, occupying her, and consuming her bit by bit—a feeling that outsiders could never truly comprehend. Cheng Yao felt as though he might be sick.

[Total consumption: 64,000. After rebates, a total of 640,000 has been received.]

With hundreds of thousands hitting his account, Cheng Yao felt no ripples of excitement.

The next morning, the sun rose in the east. Pulling back the curtains, the luxury river-view room at the Peninsula Hotel offered a first-class vista.

"Time to get up, the sun is hitting your backside."

Zhang Ya opened her eyes, drowsy and disheveled. Cheng Yao playfully nudged her, and she pushed against his face, pouting, "I’m getting up to wash my hair, stop it, behave..."

"Just one kiss."

"Silly..."

After some intimate play and washing up, Cheng Yao drove Zhang Ya to breakfast and made reservations at an upscale restaurant for the evening. In a city of consumption like Shanghai, a little sense of ritual was necessary. Cheng Yao had to take care of some paperwork regarding the car, and Zhang Ya followed him, unwilling to waste a second of their rare time alone.

After filing the necessary documents, they spent the morning handling the details. Driving the Ferrari LaFerrari through the streets was a head-turning experience; every time they stopped, Cheng Yao could see people on the sidewalk pulling out their phones to take pictures. Even the passengers in neighboring cars did the same.

"This car really turns heads. A Ferrari..."

"Yeah, it’s perfect for picking up girls."

"Don't you dare..." Zhang Ya looked at him with a smile, her slender fingers pinching his cheek.

Driving this car was convenient because other drivers were genuinely afraid to get close. If an accident happened, a three-million-yuan insurance policy might not even cover the damages. You’d end up selling your house and car just to spend the rest of your life working off the debt. Those stories on short-video platforms claiming you don't have to pay are just naive; try encountering that in reality and see if they don't demand compensation. They’d go through the insurance companies, use legal proceedings, and wouldn't even bother to meet you.

Only those who read too many idealistic scripts think things will turn out for the best. Life is cruel; it hits you with a mace when you least expect it, making you realize exactly how harsh reality truly is.

With the paperwork done, Cheng Yao contacted a service company to arrange for the car to be shipped to Jinling for four thousand yuan—a convenient service indeed. He checked in with Boss Duan to finalize the handoff, and with that, their paths would likely not cross again, as one was in Jinling and the other in Shanghai.

With a new car in his possession, Cheng Yao couldn't help but show it off in his club’s group chat. As soon as the LaFerrari appeared, the chat exploded with activity. Qin Haoran and the others invited him out for a joyride, but Cheng Yao politely declined.

Since he was in Shanghai, he naturally had to reach out to Zheng Yuechan. He made the call.

"Hello, Aunt Zheng, are you free?"

"I'm busy at the Universal Film Studio. Shi Qi is preparing; we start shooting at the beginning of the month. Is something wrong?"

"I'm in Shanghai. Can I come by to visit?"

"Sure, come on over."

Zhang Ya asked curiously, "Do you really have relatives in the entertainment industry?"

"I suppose you could say that..."

After hanging up, Cheng Yao filled the tank and drove Zhang Ya straight to the Universal Film Studio. There wasn't much else to do, and they were tired of shopping.

When they arrived, the area wasn't as grand or prosperous as one might imagine; it felt much like a theme park, bustling with tourists. It was said that the project had failed a decade ago, and now it was mostly used for web dramas; the real Universal Film Studio was in Beijing. Still, shooting web dramas was fine—dreams could be pursued anywhere.

*Vroom, vroom.*

Cheng Yao parked at the entrance. As soon as he stepped out, a nearby paparazzo’s eyes lit up. She pulled out a photo from her phone, compared it to Cheng Yao, and her gaze sharpened. Zhou Jinghan, a reporter for Lychee Media, had been following news about Xia Shiqi for months. News about these overnight sensations was a goldmine, and recently, a rumor had emerged about a secret boyfriend.

When she saw Cheng Yao, she thought she was mistaken, but a quick check confirmed it was the man from the photos. Could the rumors be true? However, when she saw Zhang Ya get out of the car, she wondered, *Who is this? Another star?* Zhang Ya’s figure, temperament, and beauty were on par with any celebrity. In reality, celebrities were just ordinary people with a layer of polish and more name recognition.

Knowing she had a scoop, Zhou Jinghan approached with her microphone, smiling politely, "Hello, sir. I'm a reporter with Lychee Media. Could I take a moment of your time for an interview?"

"Go ahead."

"Is this a LaFerrari?"

"Yes, a 2014 model."

Zhou Jinghan was stunned as she looked at the car. "I heard these cost tens of millions, right?"

"Around thirty million now."

Cheng Yao closed the car door. Zhou Jinghan asked curiously, "You look familiar. If I may ask, what is your relationship with Xia Shiqi from Huatian Entertainment?"

"If you know it's intrusive, then don't ask."

Cheng Yao remained calm and natural, teasing, "Hasn't this already been clarified? We’ve only met a few times. I'm just here to visit family. Life is hard enough; don't make things difficult for her. That's all."

"Understood. Sorry to bother you."

Zhou Jinghan didn't press further, but that wouldn't stop her from embellishing the story.

Walking into the studio, they saw sets for variety shows and web dramas; most of the usable space had been occupied by the Shanghai Film Company. Honestly, it felt quite novel at first, so he spent the time touring the place with Zhang Ya. They soon found the Huatian Entertainment set, hand in hand. The auditions were over, and the crew was getting familiar with the venue.

As mere onlookers, Cheng Yao and Zhang Ya wandered around, passing rows of trailers and vans. Soon, he spotted Zheng Yuechan and Xia Shiqi. Without the halo of stardom, they just looked like beautiful women. Zhang Ya was not inferior to them; in terms of pure facial beauty, she even outshone Xia Shiqi. But when it came to her figure, she was outclassed by Zheng Yuechan—there was simply no comparison.

"Hello."

Xia Shiqi was surprised to see Cheng Yao. She walked over to greet him and nodded at Zhang Ya with a smile. "Your girlfriend is very pretty."

"You're not bad yourself. Getting started already?" Cheng Yao joked.

"Yeah. Aunt Zheng is busy with some things, so let me host you two. Want me to show you around?"

"No, no, go ahead with your work."

"I'm not busy; I wanted a break anyway," Xia Shiqi said with a sigh, leading the way.

Zhang Ya whispered, "Celebrities are just like regular people, very grounded..."

"It depends on who you meet. She’s alright, she doesn't put on airs..." Cheng Yao thought Xia Shiqi was decent. Some female stars were ridiculous, acting like celestial beings descended to earth, walking with an entourage of dozens of bodyguards. Others were divas, constantly acting superior.

They spent the afternoon wandering the film sets. Shortly after Xia Shiqi was called back to work, Cheng Yao said goodbye to Zheng Yuechan and left with Zhang Ya. Zhang Ya’s gaze toward Cheng Yao had shifted slightly; she realized he was coming into contact with more and more excellent people, especially women. However, she couldn't make a scene over work-related matters.

That night, they enjoyed delicious seafood atop the Jin Mao Tower. They had left the car at the hotel since it was nearby. Spiny lobster sashimi, king crab—they ate it all. As she ate, Zhang Ya posted photos to her social media and asked, "Are you leaving tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I have things to handle back home. The company has been busy lately."

Wang Yiming had signed several major streamers. Longzhu was failing, and many well-known internet celebrities were looking for an exit. Seizing this opportunity, the Gao family intended to sign more streamers and bring in e-sports teams. Shengxia would soon make a name for itself; it just needed capital. Wang Yiming couldn't decide on the signing fees alone; he needed Cheng Yao there to negotiate.

After the sashimi, delicate desserts were served. Cheng Yao wasn't particularly fond of sweets, so he gave them to Zhang Ya. Afterward, they strolled through the streets, and when they got tired, they grabbed milk tea. Back at the hotel, Cheng Yao continued his act as a "baby of several hundred months." Helpless, Zhang Ya had to indulge his quirks, feeling both embarrassed and irritated.

The next morning, Cheng Yao drove Zhang Ya back to school. On the way, she was spotted by many of her classmates. Zhang Ya didn't try to hide it.

Rong Xuelin asked curiously, "Was that Cheng Yao?"

"Yeah."

"Holy... a LaFerrari?"

Cheng Linlin grabbed Zhang Ya's arm, eager. "Call him back! Let me sit in the car and take a few photos before he leaves."

"I took plenty. I'll send them to you later."

"I'm so jealous. Did you stay out with Cheng Yao last night? Was it... you know, good?"

"Cheng Yao, is he big..." Cheng Linlin whispered, and Zhang Ya’s face turned bright red.

"Stop talking nonsense. Nothing happened!"

"Yeah, right! I believe you!"