Chapter 26: A Huge Misunderstanding!

Lu Jinzhao hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back, before finally deciding to be more explicit.

"It's like this, Miss Shen. The twenty-thousand-yuan budget we advertised externally is actually the bare minimum—a conservative estimate. In reality, it will certainly cost more than that. After all, the salaries for the lead actors alone will take up nearly 5,000. You mentioned just now that you would help me cover the remaining deficit, so I feel I must be clear with you about the actual situation."

Shen Ci understood. Lu Jinzhao was clearly implying that the financial hole was much larger and was afraid the actual figure would scare her off.

She gave a calm smile. "Mr. Lu, just give me a number."

Lu Jinzhao's throat moved slightly as if he were weighing how much to report; he was truly terrified of driving Shen Ci away.

However, for the sake of the project, he gritted his teeth and blurted out the number in his mind: "Ten thousand!"

As if fearing she might change her mind, he hurriedly added, "Miss Shen, the more you invest, the greater your eventual returns will be. We have immense confidence in this project. You must believe in us."

Watching his urgent yet trembling demeanor, the smile on Shen Ci's face deepened.

She simply nodded and said, "No problem. As long as my sister gets the role, my ten-thousand-yuan investment will be transferred immediately."

To their surprise, Shen Ci agreed so readily that Lu Jinzhao, Xiao Man, and Feng Shan were all stunned into silence.

Finally, Xiao Man was the first to snap out of it. She quickly instructed Feng Shan, "Feng Shan, finalize this role immediately. You are more familiar with the school, so go handle the communication. However, our lead cast cannot be announced until the press conference, so make sure to maintain strict confidentiality."

"Understood, understood. I'll contact their teacher right away." Feng Shan nodded repeatedly, unconsciously stealing extra glances at Shen Ci.

He had never seen someone so young yet possessing such a powerful aura; to her, ten thousand yuan seemed as insignificant as one yuan.

Seeing this, Shen Ci spoke up at the opportune moment, "Mr. Lu, our cooperation must also remain confidential. I prefer to make my fortune quietly, so please do not let anyone else know, including my sister."

A-Li was naturally sensitive and prone to insecurity; knowing these things might not necessarily make her happy.

Lu Jinzhao understood her meaning and gave Feng Shan a look; Feng Shan knew exactly what to do.

Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted at the main entrance of the banquet hall, as if someone was arguing at the door.

The guests instinctively looked over in curiosity, but since the main doors were closed, they could only faintly hear the sounds of a dispute without being able to discern what was happening.

Seeing this, Lu Jinzhao stood up. "Please sit for a moment, Miss Shen. I'll go see what's going on."

Outside the banquet hall, Li Xiao, enveloped in fury, was being blocked by two security guards.

"Sir, this is a private cocktail party. You cannot enter without an invitation."

"Sir, you cannot force your way in, otherwise we will be forced to use physical removal. Please understand!"

Li Xiao's eyes were bloodshot, and it was as if a fire were burning behind him. He suppressed his rage and said in a low voice, "I'm just going in to find someone. I'll be out immediately!"

At that moment, Lin Biqi, who had been waiting for a long time, appeared quickly in her small heels. After running to Li Xiao's side, she deliberately tugged at him. "It's no use, Brother Li Xiao. You need an invitation for high-end parties like this. Your ex-girlfriend is quite something; the person she's clinging to is clearly a big shot."

Just as she finished speaking, Lu Jinzhao happened to walk out from inside.

Lin Biqi recognized him instantly as the man who had just been with Shen Ci. She excitedly pointed at him and shouted, "Brother Li Xiao, it's him!"

Before Lu Jinzhao could even ask what was happening, the manic man in front of him lunged forward and grabbed him by the collar.

The image of Shen Ci's sexy silhouette from the photograph flashed through Li Xiao's mind, and jealousy instantly drove him mad. "How dare you touch my woman!"

With a low growl, he raised his fist and swung it down heavily.

The punch was so sudden and fierce that Lu Jinzhao didn't even have time to react. The blow landed squarely on his cheek, sending him reeling to the side. Fortunately, the quick-witted security guards caught him.

Another guard snapped out of it and lunged forward, but he was nowhere near as large as Li Xiao. He tried to take him down but found it was useless.

Taking advantage of the door Lu Jinzhao had just opened, the irrational Li Xiao shouted at the top of his lungs, "Shen Ci! Shen Ci, come out!"

Lu Jinzhao felt stars dancing before his eyes; the left side of his cheek swelled up instantly.

Watching Li Xiao's current state of madness, a triumphant smile flashed in the depths of Lin Biqi's eyes.

"White moonlight," my foot!

She was about to make her lose all face in front of everyone.

The sudden chaos at the entrance immediately drew the attention of those inside. In particular, hearing someone shouting his name, Shen Ci hurried to the door along with Xiao Man.

"Li Xiao?"

Seeing Li Xiao here was a great surprise to Shen Ci, but when she saw Lu Jinzhao's heavily swollen cheek, her expression instantly darkened.

Li Xiao looked at Shen Ci. She was incomparably beautiful, but she was blooming for someone else, which only made his eyes ache.

His eyes were crimson as he prepared to rush forward, but he was startled by Xiao Man's piercing scream.

"Hubby!"

Seeing Lu Jinzhao's disheveled state, Xiao Man ran over in terror. "Oh my god! How did this happen? Are you okay?"

Someone behind them reacted and quickly called out to a waiter, "Quick, get some ice to help President Lu reduce the swelling."

Hubby?

This man's wife is here too?

Then what was that photo about?

If it were an illicit relationship, letting Shen Ci appear in a setting where the wife was also present would be far too blatant.

Li Xiao was no fool. Xiao Man's appearance caused him to gradually regain some clarity, and his belated expression was particularly vivid.

The anger on his face had not yet fully dissipated; first, confusion washed over him, followed by a sense of unease.

Lin Biqi was also stunned. What was going on? Why was this man's wife here too?

Noticing Brother Li Xiao's expression, she knew she might have made a mistake.

She was doomed; she had caused a disaster!

But there was no turning back now. Gritting her teeth, she decided to go all in, pointing at Shen Ci and accusing her loudly, "Shen Ci, you are truly shameless, flirting with other men behind Brother Li Xiao's back!"

"Shut up!"

It would have been better if Lin Biqi had stayed silent; the moment she spoke, the anger that was just beginning to subside in Li Xiao flared up again, and he roared at her.

Lin Biqi shivered in fright and immediately fell silent.

Shen Ci withdrew her dark gaze and walked up to Lu Jinzhao with an apologetic expression. "Mr. Lu, I am truly sorry. Please call the police!"

To be punched for no reason, and a heavy blow to the face at that—no one would feel good about it.

But since the other party was someone Miss Shen knew, and Lu Jinzhao had just secured a ten-thousand-yuan investment, he did not want any incident to affect the investment outcome.

Thus, although his expression was extremely grim, he said, "It's not necessary, Miss Shen. There might be a misunderstanding here."

A misunderstanding?

A massive misunderstanding!

But this punch was not something that could be settled with a mere word of "misunderstanding."

Shen Ci pulled out her phone expressionlessly. "I'll call them for you!"