HYAT - 13

It was late at night, not yet past midnight.

Su Zan, who was enjoying a rare health-conscious evening at home, almost kicked a hole through his foot-soaking tub when he saw the WeChat message.

He pushed away the lazily sleeping cat in his lap, about to compose a reply, when his phone rang. It was Qianzhan’s public relations department.

Getting a call from the PR department in the middle of the night was like hearing a knock on the door at 3 AM—never a good sign.

Connecting it to Ji Qinghe’s WeChat message, Su Zan’s heart did a violent lurch. He answered the call almost with the mindset of having his house raided and accounts frozen.

The PR department reported the situation concisely.

The more Su Zan listened, the darker his face became.

By the time he hung up, his face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

At this critical juncture, when Shen Qianzhan was desperately trying to secure a collaboration, the false scandal involving Xiang Qianqian and Ji Qinghe broke out. The negative impact of this move was immeasurable.

Xiang Qianqian losing out on Buzhong Sui’s fashion resources was a minor issue; ruining Shen Qianzhan’s plans was what was truly fatal.

Su Lanyi leaned against the chaise lounge, watching her brother bounce around like a flea after taking the call, and couldn’t help but feel annoyed: “What happened?”

Su Zan was seething. Su Lanyi’s question was like lighting a firecracker under him, causing him to explode in a rapid-fire rant.

Su Lanyi silently listened to his monologue-like summary of the incident, then lazily lifted her eyelids: “Didn’t the hot search get taken down? And the news was suppressed. What else are you worried about?”

“You don’t understand!” Su Zan spewed another barrage of words, finally making Su Lanyi understand the trickiness of the situation.

The latter didn’t think it was an insurmountable problem. She glanced at the messy foot-soaking tub and wet stains on the floor, saying indifferently: “When you’re doing things, don’t just ‘think’ or ‘suspect.’ If you suspect Xiang Qianqian secretly contacted Ji Qinghe behind your back, then go ask her. If it’s true, it’s not too late to make plans then.”

She closed her eyes, her voice languid: “As for Qianzhan, you don’t need to worry even more. Don’t you know her capabilities? When she secured this tribute drama with Baixuan, I told you all that there were many envious people in the industry, and you needed to prepare early.”

With that, she let out a disdainful scoff: “You’ve been with Qianzhan for two years, and you haven’t learned an ounce of her composure.”

________________________________________

The “composed” Shen Qianzhan, far away in Hangzhou, had been cursing the “scoundrel” all the way.

She only stopped to catch her breath after returning to the hotel and parting ways with Qiao Xin.

The coffee had been useless; it didn’t quench her thirst at all.

She kicked off her small leather boots, didn’t even bother to change into slippers, and walked barefoot to get mineral water. After chugging half a bottle, the fire in her heart finally subsided. She took out her phone and glanced at it.

An hour had passed, and neither Su Zan nor Meng Wangzhou had made any move.

Meng Wangzhou was excusable; he was innocently caught in the crossfire, and it would be hard for him to make any move.

But what about that brat Su Zan? Why wasn’t he checking in yet?

This matter was neither big nor small; it all depended on the specific circumstances.

Assuming Ji Qinghe was interested in Xiang Qianqian and intended to develop a relationship with her, then he could only consider himself unlucky to have been exposed by netizens.

But if Ji Qinghe was set up, under the current circumstances, Shen Qianzhan was most likely the prime suspect.

Not only would the collaboration fall through, but even their past intimacy would be gone.

Shen Qianzhan mused that Su Zan shouldn’t be so foolish, but until the matter was settled, she knew nothing of the minor details, like a useless person with blocked ears and eyes, serving no purpose.

After calming down, Shen Qianzhan’s mind finally cleared. She took a final glance at her phone, then picked up her pajamas and went to wash up.

________________________________________

After showering, it was already past midnight.

Her body, drenched by the hot water, finally felt the belated fatigue.

Her planned face mask and full-body spa were mercilessly canceled the moment she stepped out of the bathroom. Shen Qianzhan sat in front of the mirror, meticulously applying her lotion and toner.

The woman in the mirror, with her delicate bare face and beautiful features, had skin that glowed pink from her recent shower, like fine, translucent jade, clear and light.

Shen Qianzhan gazed at herself in the mirror with fascination, clicking her tongue—the hotel mirror was still a bit inferior to the one at Jichun Erwan; theirs even had invincible filters in the bathroom.

Didn’t these hotel managers know how many female clients a mirror that made women look radiant and beautiful could attract?

After her basic skincare, Shen Qianzhan slowly moved towards the bed.

Her phone, deliberately ignored on the bedside table all evening, now had a dark, locked screen and lay peacefully on the headboard.

She glanced at it, then went to make the bed first.

She glanced at it again, then slowly went to boil a pot of water.

It wasn’t until Shen Qianzhan had nothing left to do, idle to the point of counting hair strands, that the doorbell chimed softly, and Qiao Xin’s slightly drowsy voice sounded from outside the door: “Sister Zhan, are you asleep?”

Shen Qianzhan shuffled in the hotel’s cloth slippers to open the door.

Outside, Qiao Xin, with two dark circles under her eyes, looked at Shen Qianzhan, who was still radiant and beautiful just before bed, and felt a surge of energy. She suddenly recalled a rumor from about a year ago.

After graduating, Qiao Xin joined Qianzhan and had been following Shen Qianzhan as a planning assistant.

When Qianzhan had project investments, Shen Qianzhan, as the producer, would be stationed long-term with the crew. Qiao Xin, as her assistant, was almost inseparable.

Due to the nature of film set work, Shen Qianzhan would handle accounting and financial coordination during the day. In the evening, after the director finished work, she would still hold meetings with the team.

One day, on the male lead actor’s birthday, the director gave them half a day off, a rare moment of leisure.

When the rest of the cast and crew returned from work, they happened to see the male lead actor being kicked out of Shen Qianzhan’s room, his attempt at seduction unsuccessful.

This matter was already quite awkward.

To avoid delaying the production, Shen Qianzhan didn’t pursue it and forcefully suppressed the incident. The movie was indeed completed on schedule, but shortly after the wrap party, the incident of the male lead’s failed seduction was somehow publicized.

The entertainment industry, after all, was full of true and false rumors.

Shen Qianzhan was famously beautiful. Over the years, countless men and women had risen to power through physical favors. Although Shen Qianzhan always refused and never accepted such offers, her high profile meant she was often subjected to ridicule.

Perhaps someone had stepped on the male lead actor’s tail, as he publicly mocked Shen Qianzhan for being promiscuous. He claimed that he had only gone to her room that day to share birthday cake, but when Producer Shen opened the door, she was in a revealing, disheveled nightgown, seemingly trying to seduce someone.

He also hinted sarcastically that her room had countless men entering and exiting late at night, implying no one was innocent.

At that time, Shen Qianzhan valued her reputation more than her life and would not tolerate provocation.

She directly uploaded the video evidence she had already preserved to the platform, instantly sparking attention on certain dark rules within the industry.

What Qiao Xin was thinking of now was that very statement made by the male artist who had ruined his own career.

He had said: “A woman like Producer Shen, her figure seems to have been sculpted by hand, bit by bit. Every dimension, just by looking, is just right. When you truly hold her in your hands, she’s an absolute gem. What man could resist?”

Even as a woman, she couldn’t resist.

But right now, she had more important matters.

Qiao Xin snapped back to reality, difficultly averting her gaze, trying to look less like a fawning sycophant: “Sister Zhan.”

She had just started when Shen Qianzhan turned sideways, gesturing for her to come in.

Qiao Xin quickly waved her hands: “It’s nothing important, I can say it in a few sentences, I won’t disturb your rest.” She shook her phone, “Su Zan seems to have something urgent for you, but he couldn’t reach you. I just called you, saw your phone was off, so I came over to check.”

Off?

Shen Qianzhan internally cursed, but outwardly remained calm, even nodding demurely: “I just finished showering and didn’t notice. I know now.”

Qiao Xin nodded, looked at her with concern: “Then you go ahead and take care of it, I’m going back.”

After watching Qiao Xin return to her room, Shen Qianzhan quickly closed the door, dashed to the bedside, and grabbed her small phone.

Taking selfies consumed too much battery, and she had been cursing Ji Qinghe all the way, so she hadn’t noticed her phone battery was critically low.

Shen Qianzhan plugged in her phone and dangled her feet by the bed, waiting for it to power on.

A few minutes later, as the phone successfully booted up, a flood of WeChat notifications poured in.

Before she could read them, Su Zan’s call came in instantly.

She gracefully answered, her voice cold as mist, giving a emotionless “Hello.”

Su Zan on the other end was like a fish nearing suffocation returning to the water, taking an exaggerated deep breath: “Sister Zhan, you finally answered me, sob sob sob.”

Shen Qianzhan tried to make her voice sound noble and aloof, gently asking: “What is it?”

“I’ll start with the important stuff,” Su Zan mentally prioritized the matters and deliberated: “The first thing you probably already know, Xiang Qianqian is back on the hot search due to a scandal. The second thing is, after the incident, Mr. Ji’s lawyers sent a warning to Qianzhan. The third thing is that Mr. Ji actively asked me for your WeChat.”

Shen Qianzhan had been listening casually until Su Zan’s last word dropped. She clicked her tongue and said: “This is what you call important?”

Su Zan was slow to catch on: “Otherwise?”

“Obviously, Ji Qinghe actively asking for my WeChat is the most important,” Shen Qianzhan scoffed lightly, not bothering to hide her disdain: “This represents a phase of progress, comparable to a landmark victory.”

Su Zan: “...” Are you sure?

But at this moment, he absolutely dared not pull the tiger’s whiskers. He could only cautiously follow up: “Before Mr. Ji asked for your WeChat, he also told me to wait for a lawyer’s letter. Are you sure this is a phase of progress, a landmark victory?”

Shen Qianzhan instantly sobered up.

Wait, she seemed to have overlooked some things.

“Did you investigate this Xiang Qianqian matter?” she asked.

She certainly didn’t do it, but from Su Zan’s tone, Ji Qinghe was also set up. So, as the number one suspect, Ji Qinghe’s logic of suspecting her of using Xiang Qianqian to approach him, taking those photos, and forcefully binding Buzhong Sui to coerce him was very reasonable. That scoundrel would absolutely think that way.

“I did,” Su Zan said concisely: “I called Qianqian. She did contact Mr. Ji privately, but she claims she wouldn’t dare to harbor any intentions towards him.”

The breathing on the other end deepened, and Su Zan immediately remembered the physical relationship between Shen Qianzhan and Ji Qinghe, quickly adding a补救 (bǔjiù, remedy/patch-up) sentence: “Of course, she’s definitely not innocent. What we can confirm now is that she contacted Mr. Ji privately, but the photos were not taken by her, and she didn’t orchestrate this incident.”

Perhaps feeling that this statement lacked persuasiveness, Su Zan thought for a moment and added: “I mentioned to you before that Qianqian seemed to be in a relationship. Now, it looks like she wasn’t in a relationship, but rather found a private backer.”

Su Zan recalled Xiang Qianqian’s hushed words before hanging up: “I’m not convenient to talk right now, can we talk tomorrow?” and his mood instantly became complicated.

“Before I pushed your business card to Mr. Ji, I explained it to him. But whether Mr. Ji believes it, I don’t know.” Su Zan sighed deeply: “My sister said we’re being targeted by envious people. I don’t know if this will affect you and Mr. Ji.”

This, Shen Qianzhan couldn’t say for sure either.

Ji Qinghe was profound and unpredictable; the Ji Qinghe unlocked at different locations was completely different.

She rubbed her chin, also sighing: “We’ll see. If Ji Qinghe utterly detests me and there’s no way to cooperate, we’ll just have to think of other ways.”

Su Zan regretted: “If we can’t cooperate with Mr. Ji, does the current concept for the tribute drama need to be completely overturned? If Mr. Jiang isn’t satisfied, there’s a protective clause allowing him to unilaterally terminate the contract.”

“I know. I’m hanging up now.”

Shen Qianzhan hung up the phone and went to check her WeChat friend requests.

In the request list, there was a new request with a white profile picture and a single character nickname: “Ji.”

The verification message below it was fresh and unconventional:

Not a dog, but bit you.