Chapter 989


    Zuko licked his lips, feeling his throat dry. He was adept at concealing his emotions, never allowing


    them to show on his face.


    However, lying was not his strong suit. He had been forbidden from lying since childhood.


    Now, he found himself struggling to fabricate what might be the biggest lie of his life.


    Lina’s eyes grew increasingly suspicious. “Zeke, a meal at that hotel could cost someone’s entire


    annual ie, so…”


    “I did something, but it’s not illegal,” he replied, his voice deep, avoiding direct eye contact.


    In the past, he never looked people in the eyes because he simply didn’t care. But now, he felt a pang


    of guilt, hence avoiding her gaze.


    Her anxiety grew instantly. “What did you do?”


    Zuko fell into a momentary silence. Immersing himself in the persona of “Zeke,” he quickly


    brainstormed what kind of activity could have yielded such arge sum of money in a short period of


    time.


    Then, he remembered his uncle, a renowned actor, in Southeast Asia. Although Zuko was no longer


    involved in acting, his uncle’s sess in the entertainment industry had brought him significant wealth.


    So… being an actor might be a lucrative profession, right? Especially for someone like Zeke, with a


    tarnished reputation, no educational background, but undeniable good looks. Selling his appearance


    seemed to be his only option.


    Biting his lip, a sense of disgust washed over him. He never anticipated that one day he would have to


    sell his looks “for a living.”


    “Umm, I…” He became more skilled at crafting lies. “I became an actor.”


    “What?” Zuko’s response was far from what Lina expected. She stood there, stunned for ten seconds,


    her brows furrowed. “Are you lying to me? You? Acting? Who would want you in a production?”


    Zuko quickly sorted through his excuses.


    “There is,” he replied, trying to convince her. “Besides doing deliveries, I sometimes go to Southern


    Bay… I’ve been going there for the past few days. I’m still in touch with the director who cast me


    before!”


    Lina crossed her arms and stared at him. Indeed, there was arge film industry presence in Southern


    Bay, Jangasas. Multiple film crews were always shooting there, and film school students often gathered


    in the area. Given Zeke’s striking appearance, it would be rtively easy for him to stand out.Books


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    “You were just part of a group performance, right?” She scrutinized him. “You can’t make money from


    that!”


    “It’s not just that,” he effortlessly added more lies. “I am a stunt double and perform dangerous scenes


    or actions that the actors themselves won’t do.”


    She was taken aback.


    “Stunt doubles earn a lot.” Zuko continued weaving his web of deception. “And it’s not like I only started


    going there in the past two days. I’ve been doing it for a while and earned some money.”


    “So… you spent it all today?”


    “Almost.”


    “Zeke…”


    Lina couldn’t quite express what she was feeling. It was a mixture of warmth and a gentle ache in her


    heart.


    “It’s okay.” Zuko finally looked up, his eyes filled with tenderness. “I thought your ssmates often visit


    that hotel, so I wanted to give you the same treatment. They won’t look down on you now.”


    Lina pursed her lips.


    Observing her reaction, Zuko believed he had passed the test. He was about to go shower and


    change.


    However, she called out to him suddenly. “You must be… hurt?”


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    “What?” His heart skipped a beat.


    “Didn’t you say you did stunt work in the past two days? Being a stunt double is physically demanding,


    and you’ll likely get injured. I’m sure you have wounds all over your body, right?”


    “It’s minor, nothing serious,” Zuko replied, his heart racing.