Just because I wrote "Zhu Xian," the school beauty sent me razor blades.

On a quiet weekend morning, outside a secluded detached villa on the outskirts of Beijing.

The black van came to a steady stop at the gate of the courtyard. Gu Zhiwan unbuckled her seatbelt, her palms sweating, and turned to look at Lin Yuan in the driver's seat, her eyes filled with barely suppressed tension.

"Lin Yuan, when we go in, listen more and talk less. My dad is usually cold-faced and likes to put on airs like an old businessman. If he picks on you, don't argue with him. My mom isn't airs, but she's a die-hard fan of 'Chinese Paladin 3.' She was wiping away tears on the sofa when she saw the finale a few days ago. She's probably still holding a grudge."

Gu Zhiwan went on and on, practically giving him a "Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls When Meeting Your Parents-in-Law" on the spot.

Lin Yuan turned his head to look at her, a playful smile curving his lips: "What's wrong, Gu, the big star who's usually fearless on set, but coming home is like going to a trap?"

"I'm worried about you!" Gu Zhiwan glared at him and muttered under her breath, "What if my parents kick you out? Where will you put your face as an Oscar-nominated director then?"

"Don't worry, let's go."

Lin Yuan calmly got out of the car, carrying two exquisite gift boxes from the back seat.

The doorbell rang twice before the door was opened from the inside.

Mrs. Gu was dressed in a dark-patterned silk loungewear, her hair neatly styled, exuding a dignified and elegant air. Yet, when her gaze fell upon Lin Yuan, it carried a hint of the complex and profound emotions of someone who had just watched a tragic drama.

"Mom! We're back!" Gu Zhiwan immediately pulled Lin Yuan through the door, a sweet smile on her face.

"Hello, Auntie, sorry to bother you." Lin Yuan greeted her politely with a smile.

Mrs. Gu glanced at Lin Yuan. The young man was tall and slender, with an extremely handsome face, and exuded a composure and calmness rarely seen in his peers. As someone who was attracted to good looks, Mrs. Gu's icy gaze melted away almost instantly, and she quickly invited him in, "Come in, come in, Lin, don't be shy, make yourself at home."

Lin Yuan handed over the gift box: "Auntie, I heard from Zhiwan that you like 'Chinese Paladin 3'. This is an unpublished hardcover full manuscript and a photo book of the main cast and crew that were kept inside the production team. I brought it to you to show you something new."

When Gu's mother took the gift box and opened it, she saw that the exquisite manuscript even had the signatures of all the main creators. Her eyes immediately lit up with joy, and she praised repeatedly, "Oh my, Xiaolin is so thoughtful! This gift is exactly what I wanted!"

Gu Zhiwan watched in stunned silence—what happened to the fans' resentment? They were bought off with just a set of manuscripts?!

As they were talking, a low cough came from the sofa.

Mr. Gu sat upright on the leather sofa, holding a newspaper in his hand. He wore frameless glasses, his expression solemn, and his brows exuded the authority accumulated by a person in a position of power.

Lin Yuan stepped forward and placed another box on the tea table: "Hello, Uncle. I heard you enjoy drinking tea, so I specially found this Lu'an Melon Seed tea for you to try."

Mr. Gu glanced at the tea box, a priceless, specially supplied delicacy that even he had tried to buy for half a year through connections without success. A hint of surprise flashed in Mr. Gu's eyes, and the "suppressive and authoritative" lines he had prepared were choked back in his throat. He could only nod slightly with restraint: "Thank you for your thoughtfulness. Please sit down."

As soon as he sat down, Gu's mother personally brought over a fruit platter, sat opposite Lin Yuan, and gently peeled an orange for him, her tone extremely loving: "Little Lin, eat more fruit. Auntie has been watching 'Chinese Paladin 3' lately, and I cried so much after watching the finale that I haven't slept well for days... I just wanted to ask you, when you were writing the scene where Mao Mao cuts his flesh to exchange for food, were you able to eat dinner?"

Gu Zhiwan almost spat out the water she had just taken a sip of and frantically gave Lin Yuan meaningful glances.

Lin Yuan remained calm and composed as he accepted the orange, replying, "Auntie, that scene was filmed around noon, and the crew was having braised pork lunchboxes. Lin Zicong, who played Mao Mao, ate two lunchboxes in one go after filming that scene to portray the feeling of hunger."

Mrs. Gu was both amused and exasperated by these incredibly down-to-earth behind-the-scenes tidbits. The sadness she had been holding in vanished instantly, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing: "You child, I just can't do anything with you."

Not far away, at a tea table, Mr. Gu brewed a pot of tea and said in a deep voice, "Xiao Lin, come and sit down, let's have a chat."

Upon hearing this tone, Gu Zhiwan's heart immediately jumped, and she gave Lin Yuan a "good luck" look.

Lin Yuan got up and walked over, sitting down opposite Gu's father.

Mr. Gu poured two cups of tea, pushed one towards Lin Yuan, and looked at him sharply: "Xiao Lin, I've heard about your achievements in the film industry. You were nominated for an Oscar at 22 and created a phenomenal blockbuster. You're young and promising. However, Zhi Wan has been spoiled by us since she was little, and she's naive. The film industry and capital are too murky these days. You can't rely on talent alone. I don't want Zhi Wan to suffer any injustices while she's with you."

This was clearly a classic reprimand from his father-in-law, testing both Lin Yuan's character and his mental fortitude.

However, Lin Yuan didn't spout those empty platitudes like "I will take care of her for the rest of my life." Instead, he picked up his teacup, took a sip, and spoke calmly and logically:

"I understand your concerns, Uncle. I hold core shares in Tianxing Entertainment. In the next three years, Tianxing will upgrade from a simple content producer to the upstream of the film and television industry chain, and at the same time establish a co-production mechanism with the three major overseas film companies. In terms of capital, I have enough leverage to protect Zhiwan; in terms of career, she has the freedom to choose any script and does not need to be at anyone's beck and call."

As Lin Yuan spoke, he casually peeled a mangosteen and skillfully handed it to Gu Zhiwan.

Sitting opposite him, Mr. Gu listened intently as Lin Yuan recounted his market analysis, equity structure, and overseas expansion plans, his eyes widening with each word.

He originally intended to set some rules for this young man based on his decades of business experience, but he found that when the young man talked about capital operations and the overall situation of the industry, his thinking was more accurate and shrewd than that of his own company's senior executives!

This isn't some young, great director; he's clearly a top-tier business hunter disguised as a director!

Mr. Gu paused, his hand holding the teacup still, his attitude instantly changing as he tentatively asked, "Where does that overseas co-production mechanism you mentioned connect with Warner Bros.?"

Lin Yuan smiled and said, "It mainly involves copyright sharing and the exchange of overseas distribution channels. If you're interested, Uncle, I can have Tianxing's investment department bring you the feasibility report later."

"Great! Excellent!" Father Gu slapped his thigh, his previously solemn face now showing genuine appreciation. He completely forgot about setting rules for his son-in-law. "Xiao Lin, let's have a couple of drinks later and talk about this in detail!"

Gu Zhiwan, who was lying next to him eating mangosteens, was completely dumbfounded.

Her dad is usually decisive and efficient at work, so how come he practically wanted to become sworn brothers with Lin Yuan after less than ten minutes of conversation?!

When it was time for dinner, the atmosphere at the table was so lively that Gu Zhiwan questioned the meaning of life.

Mother Gu kept putting food on Lin Yuan's plate: "Little Lin, try this braised lion's head meatball. Filming is hard work, so make sure you get some nutrition."

Father Gu smiled and clinked glasses with Lin Yuan: "Little Lin, you have a really sharp eye. If you have any new projects in the future, just let your uncle know."

Seeing her "marginalization" in the family, Gu Zhiwan felt resentful and decided to regain some ground and prove that she was the boss at home.

She deliberately snorted and tapped the bowl: "Lin Yuan, peel me a shrimp! I want it with vinegar!"

After saying that, she proudly puffed out her chest and stuck her foot out under the table to step on Lin Yuan's slipper, trying to show off her "dominance in the family".

However, the next second, Gu's mother slapped Gu Zhiwan's hand with her chopsticks.

"Gu Zhiwan! How dare you talk to Lin Yuan like that? Didn't you see him chatting with his father? Don't you have hands?" Gu's mother glared at her.

Gu's father chimed in, "Exactly! Lin Yuan has to write scripts and direct all the time, he must be exhausted. Zhiwan, stop bothering him at home."

Gu Zhiwan was instantly struck dumb, frozen on the spot, her big eyes filled with shock and disbelief: "Mom! Dad! I'm your biological daughter, okay?! He hurts the audience in the drama, and he's always verbally abusing me at home, how come you're still helping him?!"

"I think Lin Yuan is quite steady, much better than your usual impulsive self," Gu's father said, taking a sip of his wine.

Gu Zhiwan was completely defeated and relegated to the bottom of the food chain at the entire dining table.

Watching her adorable, embarrassed expression, Lin Yuan smiled slightly. He casually dipped a peeled shrimp in vinegar and gently fed it to her, saying, "Eat it, I won't bother you anymore."

Gu Zhiwan glared at him while biting into a shrimp, but her heart was bubbling with sweetness.

After the meal, Gu's father asked Lin Yuan to go to the open-air balcony for tea.

A cool night breeze blew as Gu's father handed Lin Yuan a cup of warm tea, his business acumen set aside, his eyes filled with the unique kindness and depth of an elder.

"Zhiwan is a stubborn and temperamental girl, spoiled by her mother and me since she was little. But I can see from her these past few years that she's become more grounded and her eyes are shining since she got together with you. Xiaolin, we're very relieved to have her in your care."

Lin Yuan abandoned his usual nonchalance, straightened his back ramrod straight, and nodded with utmost seriousness: "Uncle, don't worry, with me here, I won't let her suffer the slightest grievance."

Late at night, on the train home.

The neon lights of the streets of Beijing shone through the car window, casting dappled shadows on the two people.

Gu Zhiwan leaned back in the passenger seat, turned to look at Lin Yuan, blinked, and asked, "Director Lin, you did a great job tonight. But... did my parents really not secretly make things difficult for you?"

Lin Yuan gripped the steering wheel with one hand, glanced at her sideways, and a teasing smile played on his lips:

"It wasn't difficult, it's just that your mom forced me to sign a 'commitment letter' while you were in the bathroom."

"Huh? What commitment letter?" Gu Zhiwan was stunned.

"I promise you absolutely cannot mistreat the female lead in the next drama, especially you can't let your character die, otherwise you're not allowed to come into my business again."

Gu Zhiwan was taken aback at first, then couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Serves you right! You used to be so toxic, even my mom couldn't stand it anymore!" Gu Zhiwan laughed so hard she almost fell over. She finally calmed down, tilting her head to look at him. "But speaking of which, Director Lin, what are you planning to film next? Are you really going to turn over a new leaf and make a sweet romance drama?"

Lin Yuan turned the steering wheel and brought the car to a steady stop at the red light. He turned to the side and casually ruffled her hair, a deep emotion welling up in his eyes.

"What we film doesn't matter, as long as you're the female lead."