Chapter 150: Zhao Ling'er Forced to Accompany Guests

"You are all flattering me too much. This is only the first time Young Master Yamamoto and I have met."

Zhao Linger offered a faint smile, though inwardly she remained unimpressed.

The group of men stared intently at Zhao Linger, their eyes gleaming like hungry wolves, instantly making the women in their arms feel utterly unappealing.

Although Zhao Linger belonged to Young Master Yamamoto as a plaything for tonight, that did not mean they could not share in the spoils.

These Japanese men had extremely decadent tastes, and group activities were hardly unusual for them!

Once Yamamoto Takeshi grew tired of playing with Zhao Linger, perhaps they would also get a slice of the pie tonight.

"Miss Zhao is the most beautiful female celebrity I have ever laid eyes on. That is by no means an exaggeration!"

Yamamoto Takeshi sat back on a leather sofa, reached out to pat the empty seat beside him, and gestured for Zhao Linger to come and sit down.

Zhao Linger was no fool; she naturally understood Yamamoto Takeshi's intentions.

Taking another look at the young men and women present, every single young man had a beauty wrapped in his arms.

With Yamamoto Takeshi inviting her to sit by his side, his intentions were glaringly obvious.

"Young Master Yamamoto, I will pass on sitting. Someone is waiting for me downstairs."

Zhao Linger said with a cold and detached expression.

Instantly, the expressions of everyone in the room froze, and the atmosphere grew somewhat awkward.

They were all scions of prominent families in Jinling, and they had originally thought they could easily manipulate a mere female celebrity.

Yet, Zhao Linger refused to show them even a shred of face.

Especially since she dared to disrespect even Yamamoto Takeshi—her audacity was simply astonishing.

"Who could possibly be waiting for Miss Zhao? Could it be some exceptionally important person?"

"Or perhaps all of us gathered here cannot compare to the person Miss Zhao wishes to see?"

Yamamoto Takeshi's tone grew heavier. Of course he knew the person Zhao Linger wanted to see was Chu Tian downstairs, as he had already seen him earlier.

However, he had assumed Chu Tian was just an ordinary nobody, and therefore completely beneath his notice.

"Miss Zhao, this is Jinling City, not some small town you used to stay in."

"Everyone present here is a figure of status and influence. Inviting you to sit and keep us company is giving you an opportunity, giving you face. Are you really going to refuse?"

One after another, the people chimed in, their voices filled with thinly veiled threats.

Hearing this, Zhao Linger furrowed her delicate brows.

She knew these people were trying to force her into submission!

Yet, she would never yield to such pressure.

At that moment, Yamamoto Takeshi spoke up once more, surprisingly offering to smooth things over for her.

"Speak to her more politely. Don't frighten Miss Zhao."

With those words from Yamamoto Takeshi, the crowd of young men and women instantly shut their mouths, not daring to chatter any further.

Hearing this, Zhao Linger's expression softened slightly.

"If Miss Zhao does not wish to stay, she is entirely free to leave."

"However, I have a few details concerning the film that I would like to discuss thoroughly with Miss Zhao."

"If Miss Zhao has no time to stay tonight, I'm afraid it might affect the progress of the film's release."

Yamamoto Takeshi appeared completely reasonable on the surface, but his words were dripping with coercion.

Upon hearing this, Director Li's expression shifted dramatically.

The entire crew had poured their blood, sweat, and tears into this film. If shooting or the release were delayed, the painstaking efforts of thousands of people would go down the drain.

To these wealthy second-generation heirs, even if the film was never released, the worst they would suffer was a minor financial loss.

But for the hardworking staff of the entire crew, the blow would simply be too devastating—far beyond what they could bear.

Though Yamamoto Takeshi refrained from spelling it out directly, this was a blatant threat, using the release schedule of the movie to force Zhao Linger to submit!

All at once, the young men and women in the room cast their gazes toward Zhao Linger, waiting for her reply.

So what if she was a female celebrity?

So what if she was a popular idol?

In front of those with genuine power, wealth, and influence, what on earth was a celebrity?

Wouldn't they still have to bow and submit obediently?

Lascivious grins hung on the faces of the young men as they unscrupulously appraised Zhao Linger's voluptuous figure.

Zhao Linger's expression darkened instantly.

Just as she had anticipated, not a single one of these rich heirs was any good!

"Miss Zhao, I advise you to stay right here in this private room and discuss the film's details properly with Young Master Yamamoto."

"Once Young Master Yamamoto is satisfied, he will surely let you leave and guarantee that the movie's release goes off without a hitch."

The group smiled half-metaphorically, their tones heavy with threats as they continued to pile pressure on Zhao Linger.

"I hardly think that's necessary!"

"If Young Master Yamamoto wishes to understand the particulars of the film, he should discuss them with Director Li. No one knows the details better than Director Li."

Zhao Linger's stance was resolute, refusing to grant Yamamoto Takeshi any face whatsoever.

At her words, dead silence fell over the private room.

None of them had expected Zhao Linger to refuse so flatly, showing absolute disregard for common courtesy.

Disregarding them was one thing, but she actually dared to treat Yamamoto Takeshi as a complete nobody.

"Very well. If Miss Zhao wishes to leave, then by all means, please do."

"However, the roads are treacherous after dark. It would be rather unfortunate if some unexpected accident were to befall you on your way home."

Yamamoto Takeshi's expression darkened. The threat that had previously seemed somewhat veiled was now entirely explicit.

"Just what do you mean by that?"

Dropping all pretense of politeness, Zhao Linger injected a sharp edge of interrogation into her voice.

"I don't mean anything special at all. I am merely concerned for Miss Zhao's safety. Surely there is nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Yamamoto Takeshi offered a cold smile, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Linger's body once more, a glint of lust burning brightly in his eyes.

Seeing the atmosphere escalate to the boiling point, threatening to snap into an irredeemable confrontation, Zhang Lan hurriedly stepped forward to act as a peacemaker.

"Everyone, Linger didn't mean it that way. She might be feeling a bit unwell today!"

"How about this? I will penalize myself with a glass as an apology to everyone here!"

With that, Zhang Lan picked up a glass of red wine from the table, preparing to drink it down in one go.

However, the crowd clearly had no intention of letting her off the hook.

"She didn't mean it that way? Then what *did* she mean?"

"If an apology is in order, it should come directly from Miss Zhao herself. Since when did you have the right to butt in?"

"Young Master Yamamoto has extended a personal invitation, yet she stands here making endless excuses. Who exactly is she trying to act innocent for?"

The crowd erupted in angry reproaches, and seeing Zhang Lan show weakness only made them grow even more arrogant.

One of the young men picked up a bottle of red wine and poured a generous amount into a large goblet.

He filled the massive cup to the brim, his intention crystal clear: he was going to force Zhao Linger to drain this enormous glass of red wine herself.

Seeing this, Zhao Linger wore an icy expression, remaining completely silent.

"Miss Zhao, in Japan we hold respect in the highest regard. Since you do not wish to stay here, you are free to leave."

"However, surely having at least one drink with us to clear the air isn't too much to ask, is it?"

Yamamoto Takeshi fixed his gaze on Zhao Linger, his tone softening by a fraction.

Zhao Linger did not answer immediately.

Beside her, Zhang Lan gently tugged at Zhao Linger's sleeve, silently urging her to accept the drink.

As long as she drank this glass, the tension between the two sides could be temporarily defused, preventing the situation from turning irreconcilable.

This was for the sake of the movie, after all; they couldn't possibly let the release date be delayed again and again!

Utterly helpless, Zhao Linger reached out and took the glass, preparing to drink it down in a single draught.

At that exact moment, the door to the private room was pushed open once more.

The abrupt sound of the door opening gave Zhao Linger a start.

The glass of red wine, which had already been raised to her lips, paused mid-air. Like everyone else in the room, her gaze snapped toward the entrance...