CHAPTER 1

Chapter 1: The Distance Between Light and Ice

“Lin Yichen! Stop moving!”

“I am stopping.”

“You’re literally spinning in the chair!”

“That’s because this chair is expensive. It spins smoothly.”

“Your brain spins smoothly.”

The makeup room burst into laughter.

Lin Yichen leaned back dramatically in the salon chair, one long leg lazily swinging while his stylist fought for her life trying to fix his hair for the third time.

“Gege,” the stylist said through gritted teeth, “if you move again, I’m shaving your head.”

Yichen gasped in horror. “You would destroy this face? Cruel.”

“You destroy it yourself daily.”

Another wave of laughter spread through the room.

This was normal.

Wherever Lin Yichen was, silence usually died within five minutes.

He was currently one of the hottest actors in the entertainment industry. At twenty-six, he had already collected countless awards, millions of fans, endless brand deals, and enough viral clips online to haunt the internet forever.

And yet—

“Brother Yichen, can you stop stealing the staff snacks?” his assistant sighed.

Too late.

Yichen looked up innocently while holding three strawberry cakes in his hands.

“I’m helping reduce food waste.”

“You stole those from the director.”

“The director is on a diet.”

“The director cried last time.”

“He’ll survive.”

The assistant closed his eyes briefly, looking like someone questioning every life decision that had brought him here.

His name was Song Yu.

Twenty-four years old.

Professional assistant.

Part-time babysitter.

Full-time victim.

Unlike Yichen’s chaotic energy, Song Yu looked soft and clean-cut, with warm eyes and an easy smile that made people trust him quickly. He had been with Yichen since before the actor became famous, long enough to know every fake smile and every real mood swing.

They fought constantly.

But anyone could see how close they were.

“You have an interview in twenty minutes,” Song Yu reminded him while reorganizing the disaster Yichen had turned the table into.

“Mm.”

“And filming tonight.”

“Mm.”

“And no flirting with reporters this time.”

Yichen finally looked offended.

“I never flirt.”

The entire room stared at him silently.

“…Okay,” he corrected. “Not intentionally.”

“You smiled at a male reporter once and he forgot his own question.”

“That sounds like his problem.”

Song Yu sighed deeply.

Yichen grinned.

Bright.

Effortless.

Dangerous.

The kind of smile that made fans scream online and directors throw money at him.

It wasn’t fair, honestly.

“By the way,” Song Yu added casually while checking his tablet, “there’s a new endorsement offer.”

“Reject it.”

“You didn’t even hear it yet.”

“I’m busy.”

“It pays a disgusting amount of money.”

Yichen immediately sat up straight. “Continue.”

The room laughed again.

Song Yu shook his head helplessly before saying, “Lu Jewelry Industry.”

The laughter slowly faded.

Yichen blinked once.

“Jewelry?” he repeated.

“Mhm. Luxury brand. One of the biggest in Shanghai right now.”

Song Yu handed him the tablet.

On the screen was a sleek black-and-gold logo.

Simple.

Elegant.

Cold.

Very cold.

“Wow,” Yichen murmured. “This logo looks rich.”

“That’s because they are rich.”

“How rich?”

Song Yu named a number.

Yichen inhaled sharply. “Maybe I do love jewelry.”

“You love money.”

“That too.”

But despite the joke, his eyes remained on the screen.

Lu Jewelry Industry.

Even someone like him—who barely paid attention to business news—had heard the name before.

The company was famous for luxury jewelry pieces that were elegant, expensive, and nearly impossible to get without connections.

Very high-class.

Very untouchable.

Very unlike him.

“Who’s the CEO?” Yichen asked casually.

Song Yu gave him a strange look. “You seriously don’t know?”

“Should I?”

“Lu Chengyan.”

Yichen looked blank.

Song Yu stared at him in disbelief. “You really live in your own world.”

“I’m an actor. My job is fake crying, not finance.”

“He’s famous.”

“Is he handsome?”

Song Yu paused.

“…Annoyingly.”

Yichen immediately became interested.

“Oh?”

“Don’t ‘oh’ me,” Song Yu warned. “You flirt with living beings too easily.”

“That’s slander.”

“You flirted with a golden retriever last week.”

“He wagged his tail at me first.”

The makeup artist nearly fell over laughing.

Yichen stretched lazily before standing up, grabbing his sunglasses from the table.

“Send me the details later,” he said. “If the concept is boring, I’m rejecting it.”

“You reject everything.”

“Because most brands think standing there and smiling is enough.”

“And what do you want?”

Yichen tilted his head slightly.

Something playful remained in his expression, but his voice softened just a little.

“Something real.”

The room quieted briefly.

Only briefly.

Because the next second—

“YICHEN! WE’RE READY!”

“COMING!”

And just like that, he was smiling again.

Like nothing heavy had ever touched him.

—

Meanwhile, across the city—

No one dared laugh.

The conference room was silent enough to hear papers shifting.

“Explain.”

Two syllables.

That was all it took.

The executive standing near the screen stiffened immediately.

“Mr. Lu, regarding the overseas expansion—”

“Not the summary.” Lu Chengyan’s voice was calm. “The problem.”

The man swallowed.

Around the table, several others lowered their eyes slightly.

At the head seat, Lu Chengyan sat perfectly still, one hand resting lightly against the armrest.

Black suit.

Silver watch.

Sharp features untouched by warmth.

He wasn’t loud.

That was the terrifying part.

“Transportation costs exceeded the projected numbers by eight percent,” the executive admitted carefully.

“And your solution?”

“We’re currently adjusting—”

“Currently?”

The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Lu Chengyan finally looked up.

His gaze was steady, cold, impossible to avoid.

“You discovered the issue three days ago.”

The executive’s face paled.

“Yet you’re still ‘currently adjusting’?”

Silence.

“…No, Mr. Lu.”

“Then give me the actual answer.”

No anger.

No shouting.

Just pressure.

Pure, terrifying pressure.

Near the side of the room, someone quietly pushed a new document forward before the silence became unbearable.

“Updated transportation routes,” a calm voice said.

The speaker wore glasses and a dark suit similar to everyone else’s, though his posture looked more relaxed.

Xu Chen.

Lu Chengyan’s assistant.

Unlike the others, he didn’t look nervous.

Mostly because he had worked beside Lu Chengyan long enough to survive this environment.

Efficient at work.

Cold when necessary.

But outside the office?

He was surprisingly easygoing.

Though no one here would believe it.

Lu Chengyan glanced at the document briefly before nodding once.

“Proceed.”

The room collectively breathed again.

Xu Chen calmly adjusted his glasses while mentally planning tonight’s dinner and wondering whether his boss even remembered what sleep looked like anymore.

Probably not.

Forty minutes later—

“Meeting adjourned.”

Chairs moved instantly.

People escaped professionally.

Xu Chen gathered the remaining files while Lu Chengyan walked toward the window overlooking Shanghai’s skyline.

The city glittered below.

Busy.

Noisy.

Unpredictable.

He disliked unpredictable things.

“Your schedule for tomorrow has been adjusted,” Xu Chen informed him calmly. “And regarding the brand ambassador selection—”

“Finalized?”

“Yes.”

Lu Chengyan turned slightly.

“Who?”

Xu Chen handed over the file.

“Lin Yichen.”

The name meant very little to Lu Chengyan.

Actors, celebrities, influencers—

Useful for publicity.

Temporary by nature.

Nothing more.

He opened the folder casually.

Then paused.

A photograph stared back at him.

Messy dark hair.

Bright eyes.

A smile that looked entirely too alive.

It didn’t look polished or fake like most celebrity photos.

It looked…

Warm.

Lu Chengyan’s gaze lingered for exactly two seconds before he closed the file.

“Prepare the contract.”

Xu Chen blinked slightly.

That was fast.

Usually his boss reviewed endorsements for at least another day before deciding.

Interesting.

“…Understood.”

Lu Chengyan placed the file back onto the desk.

Efficient.

Simple.

Just business.

Neither of them noticed the photograph sliding slightly free from the folder—

The smiling actor frozen under warm studio lights.

As if belonging to a completely different world.

And maybe he did.

But somewhere between one signature and one impulsive decision—

Their worlds had already begun moving toward each other.

Quietly.

Inevitably.

LU CHENGYAN

LIN YICHEN

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