Chapter 159: You Think You’re Worthy of Being a Simp for the Little Fairy?

"Has she acted in movies before?"

Lin Fan did not know if she was testing him or harboring ulterior motives, but he could not afford to give a bureaucratic answer, as that would lower the two women's favorability toward him. He had no choice but to ask about Huang Lingxi's acting experience.

"She played a role in an online feature film, but that's not important. She knows action scenes, has some martial arts training, and sang a bit of Peking Opera when she was younger. Her acting is pretty good..." Lin Mu blinked and laid it all out.

Lin Fan felt a flicker of skepticism. Judging by Huang Lingxi's weight and build, she showed no signs of a martial arts background. Was she just capable of throwing a few flashy moves? In the current entertainment industry, such situations were rampant. As long as a trending star looked good, even if they lacked martial arts skills, they would just perform a few basic motions, and the rest would be completed by others. There were even "light doubles," "positioning doubles," "action doubles," and post-production dubbing. Like many viewers, he despised these trending stars who lacked acting ability but loved to brag.

Seeing him remain silent for a long time, Huang Lingxi feigned helplessness. "If it's too difficult, never mind. I was just asking..."

Lin Fan cautiously observed Lin Mu's expression. Seeing she remained silent, it seemed she didn't mind. However, he noticed that Huang Lingxi's favorability toward him had dropped by 10 points.

*Negative 10 favorability!*

It seemed this girl was quite pragmatic. Was she already disgusted with him just because he hadn't made a commitment? Lin Fan realized their relationship hadn't reached the level of best friends; they were truly just roommates. Perhaps Lin Mu was worried about meeting him alone and brought Huang Lingxi along as a companion.

The food arrived, but they had barely started eating when an uninvited guest appeared in their private room.

"Mu Mu, what a coincidence! I didn't expect to run into you here. I was just passing by, caught a glimpse of you, and couldn't resist dropping in. Do you mind if I join you?"

Lin Fan froze the moment he saw the newcomer. It was Wang Minglou!

"Oh, Young Master Ming, what a coincidence! Since we've run into each other, let's eat together. By the way, let me introduce you: this is Lin Fan, a shareholder of Starlight Live. He came to Shanghai specifically today to sign Mu Mu to his company."

Huang Lingxi introduced Lin Fan’s background in a few short sentences, but Lin Fan felt she was hinting at something. Sure enough, upon hearing this, Wang Minglou looked at Lin Fan with a stunned expression, as if he realized something, though his face remained plastered with a fake smile.

"Then I should call you President Lin. You don't mind me tagging along today, do you?" Wang Minglou said, proactively reaching out for a handshake.

Lin Fan nodded with a fake smile as well. He had developed enough acting skills to handle such social maneuvers. But the moment their hands touched, he felt Wang Minglou exert immense pressure, as if trying to crush his palm. Lin Fan withdrew his hand, pretending to be calm, and glanced at Wang Minglou, who ignored him completely and sat down next to Lin Mu.

*Could this guy have recognized me as 'Brother Mu Mu' from the live-streaming platform?* Lin Fan mused. He began to suspect that Huang Lingxi had been bought off by this man. Otherwise, how could the timing be so perfect? Less than half an hour had passed before this guy appeared in front of Lin Mu. Either she was being tracked, or Huang Lingxi was working for him.

Thinking of this, Lin Fan decisively spent 100,000 wealth points to redeem a 'Detective Card' to check Huang Lingxi's interpersonal relationships. Sure enough, Wang Minglou's name appeared in her network.

It was possible they were being followed, but since they hadn't seen the girls using their phones, the fact that Wang Minglou was in Huang Lingxi's network made it clear their relationship was not ordinary.

Shortly after, Wang Minglou pulled a box from his bag. "Mu Mu, this is a gift I got just for you—a pink diamond necklace. You mentioned before that you liked jewelry, so I went to the Times Jewelry headquarters to purchase this for you. I hope you like it."

The lid of the box was translucent, revealing the shimmering, opulent pink necklace inside. In the center sat a pink diamond the size of a quail egg, adorned with over a dozen smaller white diamonds. The entire piece looked grand, dignified, and elegant. Lin Mu’s eyes were instantly drawn to it.

Huang Lingxi chimed in first, "This necklace must be very expensive, right?"

"Not at all, just ten million. Compared to some high-end bespoke jewelry, it’s quite cheap... Mu Mu, please accept it. You've turned me down so many times before; if you refuse again, I'll be truly heartbroken!" Wang Minglou spoke with a tone that bordered on a command.

Predictably, Lin Mu politely declined again. "This is too precious; I can't accept it. You should give it to someone else or keep it for your collection."

Wang Minglou frowned, clearly annoyed that Lin Mu was not giving him any face. A flicker of impatience flashed in his eyes. "Since you don't like expensive things, how about I buy you something cheaper? I saw a Chanel boutique across the street when I came in. How about I buy you a dress?"

Just as Lin Mu was about to speak, Huang Lingxi interjected, "Young Master Ming is as good to Mu Mu as ever. It's truly enviable. Some people haven't even brought a gift for our first meeting! By the way, Young Master Ming, is there one for me too?"

Wang Minglou replied immediately, "If you like, I can buy you one as well."

Lin Fan glanced at them calmly, suspecting more than ever that they had a secret connection. He chimed in as well, "I came in such a rush today that I forgot to prepare gifts for the two of you. However, I can treat you both to anything you like later—pick whatever you want!"

Huang Lingxi chuckled. "President Lin is quite generous, aren't you? But Mu Mu has very high standards. Things worth tens or hundreds of thousands don't catch her eye, so please don't make it difficult for yourself."

Lin Fan felt a jolt of realization. *This girl, so young yet so calculating, snobbish, and money-hungry—you truly can't judge a book by its cover! It’s probably that I don't catch your eye!*

He was now certain that Wang Minglou had learned from Huang Lingxi that he would be meeting Lin Mu today and had prepared in advance to intimidate him. He hadn't expected this guy to be a better actor than him, pretending to run into them by chance while carrying a ten-million-dollar necklace. It was a clear message that he was determined to win Lin Mu over.

Lin Fan wouldn't let him have his way and revealed his true identity. "Then you might not know this, but I’ve gifted Mu Mu over a hundred million in rockets in her live stream without batting an eye. Buying out a boutique is hardly a challenge for me."

Sure enough, the moment Wang Minglou heard him expose his identity, his expression shifted instantly.