She didn't want to think about it anymore. Shoving the odd thoughts aside, Mu Bai began walking down the long corridor toward the staircase ahead. Her heels clicked lightly against the polished floor, and behind her, she could still hear that pair of soft footsteps. The gentle sound was strangely reassuring, and she realized with a faint surprise that she was relieved Shen Ming was still following.
Stopping in front of the staircase, Mu Bai turned around. Her arms folded neatly over her chest, her expression settling into the cool, reserved mask she always wore when handling business. She let her gaze rest on Shen Ming, trying her best to keep it steady and sharp. But the moment she truly looked into those phoenix eyes again, her composure almost cracked. Those eyes… framed by thick, naturally curled lashes, clear yet carrying a depth of mystery, were the kind of beauty that could hold a person's attention without effort.
Shen Ming, however, did not waver. She stood with her back straight, her long hair swaying lightly behind her. The movement caught the light, each strand gleaming with a silky sheen. Her pale fingers reached up to tuck a few loose strands behind her ear, revealing the clean curve of her cheek and the delicate shape of her ear. The gesture was unintentional, casual even, but it drew attention to the graceful lines of her neck and shoulders.
She waited without speaking, her calm composure making it clear that she was neither intimidated nor impatient.
Mu Bai exhaled slowly, deciding there was no need for more preamble. She went straight to the point, her voice firm yet carrying the faint trace of warmth she couldn't quite hide.
"Shen Ming… From now on, I will be your agent."
Shen Ming blinked softly, unknown ripples forming in those pair of phoenix eyes. Her gaze was clear yet deep, like a still lake that could reflect the entire sky while hiding the mysteries beneath its surface. Her long eyelashes cast a faint shadow under her eyes, making them appear even more luminous. Her red lips parted softly, and when she spoke, her voice—cool and refreshing—entered directly into Mu Bai's ears, sinking into her like a drop of spring water falling into warm tea.
"Will you be my agent?"
Her voice was completely different from her usual cold and alienated personality. In place of distance and aloofness was a softness that seemed to reach out and touch a person's heart. It wasn't the kind of sweetness that was cloying, but a natural gentleness that lingered without permission. There was also a slight hint of confusion in her tone, making it even softer and more captivating. It slid into Mu Bai's ears like the lightest brush of a feather, making the inside of her ears feel warm and tingly, as if the sound itself was alive.
"Yes… If you have any objections… you can speak up now…"
Mu Bai's own voice came out quieter than usual, almost unconsciously so. It lacked the commanding coldness she normally used when speaking to others. Instead, it carried an undercurrent of caution and tenderness, as if she were speaking to something fragile and small—a little rabbit that might flee if she so much as raised her voice.
What she didn't realize was that in this moment, her eyes betrayed her. The calm, indifferent mask she had worn for years was gone, replaced by an open and almost desperate anticipation. She was watching Shen Ming with a gaze so focused and so full of unspoken feeling that even the most oblivious person would have found it hard to ignore.
Shen Ming met that gaze without flinching. Her eyes were like pools lit by soft light—gentle, warm, and inviting—but within that gentleness was something layered and complex. There was curiosity, there was thoughtfulness, and perhaps something even deeper that Mu Bai couldn't quite put her finger on. The only thing she could be sure of was the curiosity—Shen Ming seemed to be quietly studying her in return.
"Director… I have no objection. I will be in your care from now on. Please take care of me in the future…"
Her words were polite, the kind one might expect between strangers forming a professional relationship. But when she spoke, the slight curve of her lips and the graceful cadence of her tone made even the simplest sentence feel like something more.
Shen Ming extended her hands towards Mu Bai. They were slender and delicate, with pale skin so smooth it almost glowed under the light. Her fingers were long and fine, the kind that seemed born to play the piano or hold a brush. The faint pink tint at the tips of her nails gave them an almost fragile beauty.
Mu Bai's eyes lingered there for a moment before she carefully looked back up at Shen Ming's expression. Seeing that she didn't seem unhappy or resistant, Mu Bai's heart loosened in relief. The corners of her lips softened into a faint smile—so subtle it was barely noticeable, yet it changed the cold lines of her face into something unexpectedly gentle. She reached out and took Shen Ming's hands into her own.
The touch was light, but it was enough for Mu Bai to notice the faint warmth in Shen Ming's skin and the softness of her palm. "Hmm… Let's cooperate well. I will be joining the set of The Rise of the Phoenix Empress (凰后崛起) with you from next Saturday…"
Her tone carried a quiet firmness, but there was also something personal in it—as if she wasn't simply making a work arrangement but staking some invisible claim.
"Don't take much pressure and rest well for the next few days. Your body should be in optimal condition before filming so as not to get sick."
Shen Ming listened to Mu Bai's words of concern with a slightly dazed look on her face. Her expression didn't change much, but her eyes seemed to shift ever so slightly, as if she was trying to read something between Mu Bai's words.
Mu Bai, not noticing the daze, continued speaking. "Don't worry, I will take good care of you…"
She meant it as a practical promise, but deep down she knew it was more than that. Her mind flickered with a quiet determination—if she was there, the male lead would never get the chance to come close to Shen Ming.
Shen Ming's gaze focused at once. Those four words—take good care of you—echoed in her mind, each syllable sinking deeper than it should have. The sweetness that rose in her heart felt warm and almost intoxicating, and she nearly wanted to smile wider, to let that feeling show. But she controlled herself.
Her long eyelashes trembled faintly, but her face remained composed. If not for the faint blush that dusted her cheeks and the subtle red tint at her earlobes, no one would have guessed that her calm expression was hiding something else entirely.
She curled her red lips slightly, enough for the movement to seem natural, and replied, "I'm looking forward to it."
Her voice was even, yet there was a warmth in it that hadn't been there earlier. It was the kind of warmth that lingered, slipping quietly past the guard of the person listening.
Mu Bai held her gaze for a moment longer before finally letting go of her hand. But the warmth of that contact seemed to stay, stubbornly refusing to fade from her palm. For someone who had never been the type to indulge in sentiment, this was both unfamiliar and unsettling—but she didn't reject it.
In the quiet hallway, the two women stood facing each other, their words polite but their eyes carrying a conversation neither of them was ready to put into speech.
For now, their cooperation had been set. But beneath the surface, something else entirely had begun.
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