Demon Consort Runs into the Beijing Crown Prince - Chapter 30

Oblivious to the fact that he was making someone jealous of himself, Chu Muyun’s soup spoon moved incessantly throughout the meal, returning repeatedly to the fish ball soup.

It still tastes the same as I remember.

The Great King subconsciously remembers me.

Yes, if he’d truly forgotten, someone as aloof as Lu Hanzhang would never have let me get close. He probably would have blacklisted me from the entertainment industry the day after I kissed him.

So, I’ll drug the Great King today! Maybe when we’re intertwined in bed, his memories will resurface!

Chu Muyun suddenly surged with determination, his gaze toward Lu Hanzhang transforming into the pink heart-shaped pupils of a little succubus.

The Little Demon Consort’s train of thought can be quite erratic.

But… but I don’t have any aphrodisiacs at home, nor any love-inducing incense… Chu Muyun’s mood darkened.

Ah, why didn’t I stock up? Now I’ll just have to get the Great King drunker.

Just as he was plotting how to strip the Great King naked and force himself upon him to seal the deal, his phone rang at the most inopportune moment.

It was Zhang Chen, “Chu Chu, it’s me. My mom found a kidney donor, but the transplant surgery requires a huge sum of money. Could you… could you lend me a little more? I hate to keep bothering you, but I’m desperate…”

“How much will the surgery cost?” Chu Muyun asked.

“The surgery itself and the follow-up anti-rejection medication will be around 4 or 500,000,” Zhang Chen replied bitterly. “I’m just trying to scrape together whatever I can. We finally found a kidney donor, and I don’t want to give up easily.”

“500,000, right? Okay, I’ll lend it to you. I just finished a film and happen to have that much.”

Well, the money I’ve saved is still far from enough to buy the Great King that watch, Chu Muyun thought. I might as well lend it to Zhang Chen for now.

“Ah? Thank you, thank you, thank you, Chu Chu! I don’t know how to ever repay you.”

“Don’t worry about it. I hope your mother’s surgery goes well.”

As soon as Chu Muyun hung up, Lu Hanzhang asked, “Who was that?”

Lu Hanzhang’s guard was up. He’d been feeling a simmering resentment, as if someone were standing between him and Chu Muyun. He hadn’t even figured out who it was when this new person appeared, someone Chu Muyun was willing to lend 500,000 to without hesitation.

The cufflinks and rose bear Chu Muyun had given him combined didn’t even amount to that much!

Though he knew comparing a life-saving surgery to personal gifts was unfair, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

“A friend,” Chu Muyun replied.

“What kind of friend?”

“Uh, just a regular friend? Our relationship is different from ours.”

“Anything else? How did you two meet?” Lu Hanzhang pressed. The Prince, known for his decisive leadership in the business world, rarely showed such an insistent side to Chu Muyun.

Chu Muyun recounted everything in detail, “Back at Tiansheng, we were both managed by the same agent. That damned agent tried to sell me to some old investor. He drugged my drink while I was in the bathroom, but he snatched the glass and drank it himself. Later, he told me he’d been through similar traps, nearly drowning in them, and didn’t want to see me fall in too. The time I covered for him at the nightclub was because he’d gotten drunk the night before and ended up in the hospital.”

Lu Hanzhang’s expression softened, “I’ll have his story investigated. If it checks out, I’ll cover his medical expenses. You can keep your money.”

“Oh, oh, great! You’re so generous, Boss!”

Lu Hanzhang gave him a cool glance, “Don’t forget about that watch you owe me.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t~”

Interrupted like this, Chu Muyun’s plan to get the Great King drunk was foiled.

In the end, he could only finish his meal and watch regretfully as Lu Hanzhang left. Crown Prince squeezed against his leg, peering out the door. Chu Muyun bent down and patted the rabbit’s head, “Hmph, you let your father escape again.”

Crown Prince, “Ji.”

Having just finished filming Misaligned, Chu Muyun spent several days at home catching up on sleep.

The grueling schedule on set, often working from six in the morning until nine at night, had left him severely sleep-deprived. He finally managed to recover.

Each morning, Chu Muyun would take Crown Prince for a stroll around the neighborhood before settling back home to watch movies, read fanfiction about himself and the Great King, and tease his boss on WeChat.

After a few days of leisurely rest, a new job opportunity arose. Shu Meijia, a domestic cosmetics brand, had been pleased with the results of their previous print ad campaign with him and contacted his agent to offer him the role of brand spokesperson.

Having already collaborated once, Chu Muyun readily agreed. He also felt that President Meng of Shu Meijia had shown remarkable foresight in choosing him for the initial campaign.

After finalizing the details, he arrived at the photography studio in a nanny van and filmed the commercial video.

His fee for the previous print ad had been 50,000 yuan, but the spokesperson contract was worth 1 million yuan.

Although he had gained some online buzz, his drama hadn’t yet aired, placing him in the category of “rising star” or “budding traffic idol.” This high offer seemed like a gesture of goodwill from the brand.

Two weeks later, the official Weibo account released the post-production-finished commercial.

Chu Muyun was also seeing the finished commercial for the first time. During the shoot, he had filmed a scene dressed as an elegant young gentleman in pristine white robes, his hair crown and belt adorned with lustrous pearls, as he strolled through a meticulously constructed ancient-style corridor. His appearance was refined and ethereal, his makeup understated, yet every glance and turn of his head radiated a captivating allure that stirred the heart.

The commercial inexplicably tied this scene to his past life, with a voiceover claiming that Imperial Consorts had used pearl powder for beauty for millennia, a tradition passed down through the ages, and so on…

Wait, what? How did this get connected to Imperial Consorts? Did you even get my permission to use my likeness?

Well, apparently they did.

Chu Muyun had indeed used pearl powder before, though with the sheer variety of skincare products he used, it hardly qualified as false advertising.

He reposted the commercial on his Official Weibo Account, and the comments section flooded with: [Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous!]

Some fans exclaimed: [OMG, seeing this, you’re perfect for playing an Imperial Consort!]

[You’re practically the real thing!] :Many others chimed in with agreement.

Right? Chu Muyun thought to himself.

The endorsement fee arrived sometime later. After taxes, it amounted to around 700,000 yuan. Chu Muyun gave Xiao Xing a generous bonus, bought himself a diamond-studded bracelet, and splurged on a luxury brand belt for the Great King. The remaining money went into a special “little pocket” he had set up on JiPay, his dedicated “Great King’s watch fund”!

During his break from filming, Chu Muyun shot more than just the Shu Meijia commercial.

After Lu Hanzhang forbade him from endorsing pajamas, he secured a campaign for an aromatherapy diffuser from a subsidiary of the Lu Clan.

The brand, Yueji, marketed itself on refined living. While slightly pricey, its unique designs, impeccable craftsmanship, and exceptional user experience had made it a favorite among urban young professionals.

Chu Muyun only learned Yueji was part of the Lu Clan after landing the endorsement. He’d even bought their hair dryer before, drawn to its pastel colors and cute design. Though effective, its high price tag made him feel like he’d been fleeced by the Great King.

Xiao Xing drove him to the advertising agency, where he spent the day shooting. Chu Muyun’s features, already like a masterpiece painted by Nüwa herself, were perfectly balanced in beauty. With the help of makeup artists and stylists, he transformed into a polished young man who perfectly embodied the brand’s ethos.

In the final ad, he sat amidst a sea of flowers, his slender fingers gently holding a delicate orchid to his nose. The scene was pristine, as if the rich floral fragrance could waft through the screen.

When Yueji’s official Weibo account posted the ad, shares and comments exploded, far surpassing the engagement of their previous posts.

[So beautiful!]

[Beauty overload!]

[Desperate for his new drama, I’m stuck here thirsting over his visuals.]

[I wish I were a butterfly on Chu Chu’s fingertip~]

[I’d rather be a fluttering moth on his fingertip~]

[So many moths… I’ll secretly release a huntsman spider here~]

Yueji’s online buzz far surpassed Shu Meijia’s. Even though the aromatherapy diffuser Chu Muyun endorsed was just a secondary product, it still made others green with envy.

In the dark corners Chu Muyun couldn’t see, Luo Yi’s fans, too afraid to harass Yueji’s official Weibo account, gathered in their own fan community to hurl veiled insults at him.

[How could a nobody like him suddenly get such a good endorsement? He must have found a sugar daddy and slept his way to the top!]

Beneath these posts, rational fans urged them to delete the comments. Their idol’s agency had long coveted the endorsement for the Lu Clan’s flagship smartphone, the company’s core business, but they still hadn’t secured it and were pinning their hopes on the spring’s new model. Even though the aromatherapy diffuser was just a side product, insulting the Lu Clan’s president would definitely cost them points with the brand.

The Lu Clan’s flagship phones were launched annually amidst immense anticipation and nationwide attention. Their endorsements were notoriously difficult to secure, requiring popularity, a stellar reputation, and a flawless image. Even top-tier stars like Luo Yi had never managed to land one.

Several days later, a small fan’s Weibo post exposing the haters’ comments was pushed to Chu Muyun’s feed.

The haters’ language was crude, but Chu Muyun showed no anger.

Hehe, so what if I have a backer? You say I spend every night moaning as the Lu Clan’s president fills me up? Thanks for the blessing! I’d love that, too!