My Moonlight Overlord

Episode 6

YunHe was awoken the next morning by her phone buzzing.

Hungover and groggy, she opened her eyes, unsure of where she was at first. It wasn’t until she saw Xiaotang lying next to her that the memories of their drinking session from the night before came flooding back.

Not wanting the noise to wake Xiaotang, YunHe grabbed her phone and tiptoed into the bathroom to take the call.

The caller ID was an unfamiliar local number.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Is this Miss YunHe?" a man's voice inquired.

"Yes, this is she. And you are?"

"I'm Chen Yi, assistant to President Meng."

President Meng?

YunHe immediately thought of Meng Jun.

Still, she wasn’t entirely sure and hesitantly asked, "Do you mean Meng Jun?"

"Yes."

YunHe’s heart instantly raced.

When she remained silent for too long, Chen Yi spoke up again, "Miss YunHe?"

"Ah, yes, I’m here."

"It’s like this, Miss YunHe. On behalf of Chengfeng Entertainment, I’d like to discuss the possibility of a contract. Our company believes you have great potential as an actress. Would you be interested in joining the Chengfeng family?" Chen Yi spoke in a formal, almost diplomatic tone.

YunHe: "???"

She couldn’t help but feel embarrassed, wondering how they could say that with a straight face.

Potential? What potential?

The only "potential" she had was her tendency to get killed off within an hour of screen time in every project she’d been in.

Unable to hold back, she asked, "Is this how you guys usually poach talent?"

Chen Yi paused for a moment before politely responding, "We prefer to think of it as recognizing hidden gems."

YunHe: "..."

After thinking it over for a moment, YunHe agreed. Regardless of Chengfeng's motives, this was a huge opportunity, and she had no reason to let it slip by.

They arranged to meet at 3 PM at a teahouse near Chengfeng’s office.

With over six months left on her contract with HeDu Entertainment, meeting with another company felt like she was sneaking around. Despite being an obscure actress, YunHe still felt the need to disguise herself as she left her house—mask, hat, scarf, the whole package. Fortunately, it was autumn, so her getup didn’t seem too odd.

When Xiaotang asked where she was going, YunHe decided to keep her in the dark for now.

Upon arriving at the teahouse, YunHe found that Chen Yi had already secured a private booth. The environment was quiet, with bamboo curtains separating the booths, providing visual privacy, though likely not much in the way of soundproofing. It wasn’t mealtime, so the surrounding booths were silent.

As soon as YunHe entered, Chen Yi stood up from his seat.

Having never met YunHe in person, he had searched for her photos online beforehand, but most were just stills from her shows. So, when he saw a bundle of clothes and scarves walk in, it took him a moment to realize that the human figure before him was, in fact, YunHe.

Only after she started peeling off layers of clothing, revealing herself, did Chen Yi tentatively ask, "Miss YunHe?"

YunHe smiled and tilted her head slightly, "That’s me."

She had a pair of large, expressive eyes that seemed to sparkle, turning into crescent moons when she smiled. Her round, baby-like face stood out in a world of angular, sculpted features that had become the norm in the entertainment industry.

Chen Yi quickly grasped it—so this is the type of look the boss prefers.

Admittedly, she was quite attractive.

But she didn’t seem like the type who’d brazenly kiss a man in public.

Suppressing his curiosity, Chen Yi got straight to business. "Please have a seat, Miss YunHe."

YunHe placed her belongings to the side and awkwardly smoothed down her messy hair. "I don’t usually look like this. I’m just... feeling a bit guilty about today."

Chen Yi adjusted his glasses, covering a smile, "It’s no problem. Just think of this as a standard career transition."

"Right, exactly," YunHe replied hastily.

Sensing her unease, Chen Yi gestured to the table, "These are some of the teahouse’s signature pastries. Please help yourself."

YunHe thanked him but declined the food for now, opting instead to pour herself some tea. The fragrance of white peach oolong soothed her, and she couldn’t help but let out a sigh of appreciation. "The tea is fantastic!"

"I’m glad you like it," Chen Yi replied just as a soft cough sounded from the booth next door.

It was a quiet but clear sound, as though someone was reminding them of their presence.

Chen Yi: "..."

YunHe paused mid-sip and lowered her voice, "Is there someone next door? Should we really be discussing this here?"

Chen Yi remained calm, "It’s fine."

Without wasting any more time, he pulled a contract from his bag and handed it to YunHe. "This is the proposed contract from Chengfeng. Please take a look and let me know if there’s anything you’d like to discuss."

YunHe skimmed through the document, and her eyes widened at the terms.

To be honest, she wasn’t an expert in these things, but she wasn’t naive either. Compared to her current contract with HeDu Entertainment, this offer was worlds apart—Chengfeng’s terms were far more favorable.

She couldn’t help but ask, "Are you sure this is meant for me?"

"Absolutely," Chen Yi confirmed.

YunHe set the contract down, frowning slightly. "Honestly, I’m aware of my own qualifications. This offer seems... a bit too generous. And isn’t it too early for me to see the contract?"

Chen Yi, amused by her honesty, chuckled, "Actually, we’ve already spoken with HeDu Entertainment. From what they’ve said, as long as the price is right, they’re open to negotiating an early termination."

"What price?" YunHe asked, dreading the answer.

"Two million yuan."

"Two million?!" YunHe’s eyes widened in shock. "That’s robbery! I’ve barely earned that much in two years!"

Over the past couple of years, YunHe had been stuck in roles with limited screen time, often playing similar characters. With HeDu’s resources focused on their star actress, Song Sisi, YunHe had received little support. The company had hardly lived up to the promises made in her original contract.

Still, breaking the contract early would come with penalties, and two million yuan was steep for someone at her level.

Chen Yi nodded, "HeDu does seem to be overreaching a bit."

YunHe’s heart sank. "Does that mean Chengfeng will back out because it’s too expensive?"

Chen Yi glanced toward the neighboring booth, thinking, *As long as the boss thinks she’s worth it, two million is nothing.*

"You don’t need to worry about that," he reassured her.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, YunHe mumbled, "But won’t you lose money this way?"

Chen Yi paused. "Miss YunHe, please have more faith in yourself—and in Chengfeng."

"But I’d like to know why Chengfeng is so eager to sign me, and with such generous terms." YunHe hesitated before adding, "Don’t tell me it’s because of my potential. I won’t believe it."

Her wide eyes blinked expectantly.

Chen Yi, experienced in negotiations, didn’t flinch.

"To be honest, this was President Meng’s idea," he began smoothly. "He’s a young leader and hasn’t been in charge for long. There’s been resistance to his leadership, so he’s eager to make his mark. After the previous president stepped down, several A-list artists left the company, taking their resources with them. The company needs to cultivate new talent, and President Meng believes that you, as an old acquaintance, would be a valuable addition. It’s a mutually beneficial opportunity."

In his explanation, Chen Yi managed to mention "President Meng" five times and slipped in the idea of YunHe being an "old acquaintance" and part of the "inner circle."

He was quite pleased with his delivery, but YunHe wasn’t entirely convinced.

"So President Meng is really under a lot of pressure, huh?" she muttered to herself.

Chen Yi: "???"

Before he could respond, a loud clattering sound came from the neighboring booth, as if someone had knocked over a teacup.

YunHe looked toward the noise, puzzled.

Chen Yi’s face twitched as he suppressed a laugh. "Yes, President Meng is indeed very busy. So, would you be willing to... help him?"

YunHe bit her lip, remaining silent.

Help Meng Jun?

That was giving her way too much credit.

She wasn’t naive. Chen Yi’s explanation made sense on the surface, but she believed only half of it.

Still, she wasn’t blind to the significance of this opportunity.

She wanted to join Chengfeng, but her hesitation stemmed from one thing: Meng Jun.

She had always been a little afraid of him.

Back then, it had been a mix of fear and affection.

Now, she wasn’t sure how she felt—except for the fear.

Meng Jun’s cold demeanor made it hard for her to even look him in the eye.

But, Meng Jun was Meng Jun, and Chengfeng was Chengfeng.

If she stayed with HeDu, her career prospects were bleak. But with Chengfeng...

"Alright, I’m willing to join Chengfeng," YunHe finally said.

Seeing her

relent, Chen Yi sighed in relief.

After a few more pleasantries, YunHe stood to leave.

Chen Yi escorted her to the teahouse entrance and watched as she got into a car and left. Once she was gone, he returned to the booth.

This time, instead of entering the same booth, he knocked on the door of the one next to it.

After receiving permission to enter, Chen Yi stepped inside.

Meng Jun was lounging on the sofa, lifting his eyes only slightly as Chen Yi approached. "Seemed like you were having quite the chat."

His voice was cold, as if someone owed him millions.

Chen Yi internally rolled his eyes but remained outwardly respectful. "Weren’t you listening the whole time?"

Meng Jun grunted in response.

"Miss YunHe was very cooperative. We should be able to start negotiations with HeDu at any time now," Chen Yi added.

"How long will it take?" Meng Jun asked.

Chen Yi estimated, "About a week."

"Good. Let’s get it done in a week."

The task wasn’t particularly difficult, and Chen Yi had no doubt they’d meet the deadline.

With business concluded, Meng Jun showed no signs of leaving, so Chen Yi decided to sit back down.

He had been dying to ask something ever since the meeting began but had waited until now to satisfy his curiosity.

"President Meng, can I ask you something?"

Meng Jun shot him a look. "People don’t usually say that unless they’re about to ask anyway."

Chen Yi hesitated. "True, but why didn’t you meet Miss YunHe yourself? You were right there in the next booth."

Meng Jun was silent for a moment.

He glanced at Chen Yi, his gaze cold enough to freeze water.

Just as Chen Yi thought he wouldn’t get an answer, Meng Jun finally said, "I didn’t want to scare her."

If he frightened her away again, Meng Jun wasn’t sure he could contain his frustration.

Unaware of the hallway incident between them, Chen Yi was left bewildered. "Scare her? Miss YunHe doesn’t seem like the type to be easily frightened."

Meng Jun gave a bitter laugh. "Who knows her better, you or me?"

Chen Yi smiled wryly, "Of course, you do! But... what if she’s always afraid of you?"

Meng Jun didn’t reply.

Always afraid?

She wouldn’t dare.