From that night onwards, Wayne kept Pei Li's visits brief in the morning with her mother, with the excuse of her studies. He kept a routine with Pei Li to tutor her slightly after lunch till her usual 4pm nap. At night, he would study his script with Penny while tasting a variety of dessert wines.
He was nervous on the day he had to do script reading because it was a day before Pei Li's exam. The sight of a familiar figure kept him at ease. "Seb!" Wayne greeted Sebastian as he came to shake his hand.
"Yo, bro! Congrats on your new role!" Sebastian congratulated him.
"Thanks… I still have plenty to learn. Kindly teach me along the way. I heard… how's things?" Wayne thanked him as Sebastian's eyes darted to the lady behind him.
"Oh, let me introduce... My assistant, Pei Li." Wayne quickly said as Pei Li nodded slightly with a short smile.
"Nice meeting you, Pei Li! Good that you have an assistant this fast. The company is treating you well… As for me, well… same old. Just coping and hoping for things to die down soon…" Sebastian explained nonchalantly as he walked a little into the script room.
"Hmm…" The acknowledgement from Wayne indicated that it was obviously not by the company, but they could not say much anymore since there were other crews around filming them. Somewhat, Sebastian felt very strange about Pei Li, but quickly shrugged it off.
Sebastian's mind drifted to the Chu's siblings. He was excited to meet with Sam and, hopefully, Violet too later in the week. He wondered how it would be to keep Violet by his side as his assistant feels before the script reading began, pulling his focus back to work.
A few days after Violet went on to Qi Tai with Sam to meet Maliwei, he decided to leave Violet to discuss details with Maliwei first while he discreetly went to meet with Sebastian at his house.
Sebastian had been staying indoors mostly other than his script reading sessions after Janice learned of his return to Qi Tai a few days before. Ever since, she had tried to persuade him to not divorce. What was worse was right before Sam came to visit, he had an intense fight with Janice who had been visiting his mother daily out of courtesy to win him back but it was to no avail.
Sebastian was half hoping to see Violet, only to see Sam alone as his upset look grew deeper.
"Foul mood I see?" Sam greeted when he was led by the maid to the living room as Sebastian regained his composure from frowning at the incident in the morning.
"Sorry… Hey, sit." Sebastian urged.
"Sorry to disappoint you that I'm alone. She had gone for her event discussion for the weekend." Sam updated Sebastian as his facial expression began to relax.
"I didn't ask…" Sebastian sipped his tea. "I could tell…" Sam teased as Sebastian kept quiet.
"Something bothering? When did you fly in?" Sam asked.
"Earlier this week…" Sebastian said briefly while Sam raised an eyebrow, expecting an answer to his first question.
"Yes, my ex. Well, that calls to my plans. You see…" He paused, waiting for the maid to serve Sam his tea first and leave.
"Right… Cao Tung agency, in particular, is notorious for unnecessary demands and squeezing their artists' schedules to the max. I have roughly seen your schedule. Despite being on a break but apparently you're scheduled for a photoshoot next few days for a magazine, coupled with script reading past few days? Really? You're lucky the paparazzi are up with your divorce news again, else when will you ever rest?" Sam questioned as Sebastian was getting more impressed with him.
"Just how much homework have you done?" Sebastian questioned casually.
"Oh, plenty. You're schedule as the second male lead in less than a month to a mystery, brutal domestic violence drama, but the airing has been postponed to 3 months later. That should be easy for you. No wonder you went for the script reading already," Sam snapped his fingers.
"Right… So in your opinion, this work will only be materialising after six months, perhaps, and by the time I am no longer with this agency. I am looking for…" Sebastian paused when Sam interrupted.
"A way out?" Sam asked as Sebastian smiled, nodding.
"What do you think of a romance drama for a change? I have received several scripts, and one seems to be appealing. Short, direct, and straightforward but challenging cause it's not my genre in general." Sebastian updated.
"You're asking me as a manager or business partner? From my understanding, you wanted a personal tea,m but there will be lots of arduous conflicts…" Sebastian raised his hand to stop Sam.
"This drama would be the last with the current agency, but a stepping stone to our business," Sebastian explained, which intrigued Sam with the business idea.
"You hear me right. A business. You are very resourceful. In no time, you would be able to gather quality artists and help them out. To kick start, Violet." Sebastian suggested as Sam frowned.
"Violet?" Sam questioned with full of doubts.
"Have you seen her recordings on the recent holiday or her podcast?" Sebastian questioned him as Sam was very surprised he knew.
"But she is still an amateur…" Sam was being humble.
"You're being biased cause that's your sister. I was the photographer. She just needed a proper script and some practice. She is a natural compared to many newbies in the market, given that her recent podcast was hilarious." Sebastian crossed his legs as Sam agreed deep down, but could not help laughing with Sebastian.
"Don't tell her it's me," Sebastian said as Sam nodded.
"Plus, about your comic artist friend. Not only does the company accommodate new artist debuts, which is the long-term plan. Short-term plans, we could source for collaboration and marketing through vloggers like Violet herself, but also at the same time, we can do behind-the-scenes work such as publication, printing, and distribution by collaborating with others." Sebastian filled Sam in, and Sam knew it was a thoroughly thought-out plan.
"How long have you been thinking about this?" Sam questioned.
"It was initially just the new artist part, but with your recent introduction, the plan just grew to accommodate more sources of income. Another matter would be, as much as I want to be on the board, you know my contract with the agency said no for now. I can fund whatever is required, but I will put you on board and Violet on my behalf." Sebastian offered, which made Sam feel skeptical as he leaned forward.
"Just one question…" Sam said as Sebastian nodded.
"How serious are you about my sister? I thought whatever happened in Phut Bi stays there?" Sam raised an eyebrow.
"That… I don't want to explain myself to you, but if she wants to be dead serious, I can. Just the timing isn't right, let's face it. Besides, the offer is a win-win situation." Sebastian dragged the focus back to the offer.
Sam gave it a thought, and thinks Sebastian was right. "But we still need a local director…" Sam pointed out as Sebastian chuckled.
"Indeed, you're a very well prepared candidate. I have put my mother's name in place to help out temporarily. Rest assured she has no involvement in the business whatsoever. Non exec and she has an alias from Phut Bi nationality that's hard to trace..." Sebastian then took out a contract for Sam.
"Review this and let me know soon…" Sam took the contract up when his phone had an incoming call from Violet.
"Yes Vi?" He said and noticed Sebastian smiled a little.
"Where are you?" Violet asked.
"Just some business… Are you done with Maliwei?" He asked while Sebastian typed on his phone to show Sam.
"Ask them over for dinner"
Sam raised an eyebrow asking if he was sure as Sebastian nodded.
"Yes… What's for dinner? Come join us!" Violet cheered over the phone as Sam smiled knowing she was very happy.
"Why don't you both come to the address I will send you. There's an important figure inviting you both for dinner together." Sam teased her as Violet frowned and shrugged with Maliwei.
"Maliwei as well?" She clarified.
"Yes." Sam confirmed.
"Who is that?" Violet asked.
"Just come. You will know." With that Sam hung up and sent the address over to Violet as Sebastian walked over to the kitchen to inform his mother of additional guests.
Mrs. Lu stepped into the living room to greet Sam who was sipping tea.
"Mr. Chu, thank you for helping out my son during tough times. Pleasure to be working with you from now on." Mrs. Lu said courteously and Sam could tell she was a very well educated woman.
"My pleasure too. Looking forward to working with you." Sam shook her hand.
"Let me get back to preparing dinner for all of you. Please make yourself feel at home." She quickly said and rushed back to the kitchen as Sebastian shrugged.
"Thanks for accommodating…" Sebastian smiled.
"Why didn't you speak with Violet first?" Sam asked curiously as Sebastian chuckled.
"Cause I should ask for her guardian's permission first." Such answer made Sam nearly instantly approve Sebastian of his intention towards his sister but he knew better.
Sam smiled instead and they both shared a tacit understanding to leave things as it is and go with the flow.