HYAT - 24

The road back to the company was a bit congested.

Due to traffic control, the commercial vehicle got stuck in traffic shortly after getting on the elevated road.

Several people who had lived in Beijing for a long time were already used to the suffocating traffic in the capital. They continued to play on their phones, showing no signs of impatience.

Gradually, as the traffic jam steadily worsened, the flow of cars became tightly packed.

From time to time, frustrated drivers on the elevated road honked impatiently, creating a buzzing noise.

The driver, seeing the situation, turned off the vehicle and got out to inquire about the cause.

As soon as the car turned off, the air inside became stuffy. Shen Qianzhan slightly opened a crack for ventilation.

Su Lanyi looked out of the window that Shen Qianzhan had opened, directly facing the setting sun. The afterglow spread, enveloping the entire city of Beijing in a warm twilight, revealing a metallic texture of a steel jungle.

She put down her phone, leaning her elbow on the car window, and looked at Shen Qianzhan: “Zhanzhan.”

Shen Qianzhan responded and turned her head.

Su Lanyi seemed to smile, her lips forming a smooth arc: “You’ve worked hard this year.”

Shen Qianzhan raised an eyebrow, showing no timid respect towards her boss, instead smiling with a hint of wickedness: “It’s more practical if you give me more bonuses than say these pretty words.”

Su Lanyi took out a delicate cigarette case from her bag, lit one for herself, and offered one to Shen Qianzhan: “Which year has your red envelope been thin? And your bonus hasn’t been reduced by a single cent. Rumors outside say I treat you harshly, and people even dare to poach you right in front of me.”

She lit her cigarette and tossed the lighter to Shen Qianzhan.

Watching Shen Qianzhan lower her head, cupping the cigarette and lightly flicking the lighter to the tip, Su Lanyi averted her gaze and softly discussed with her: “Su Zan reported to me about Xiang Qianqian. Could you talk to her again before I handle it?”

Shen Qianzhan’s face showed little expression, only her eyelids twitched, and she asked, “How do you plan to handle it?”

“That young woman attracts trouble. I’ve already received several photos of her privately contacting other companies. Such a disobedient artist, keeping her would only be for show. How do you think I’ll handle it?” Su Lanyi tapped her cigarette, watching the ash fall onto the car mat with a cold gaze.

Shen Qianzhan clearly saw the momentary disdain and contempt in her eyes, like crushing an ant. She said, “It’s a pity my foolish younger brother can’t let go; he feels Xiang Qianqian was ruined under his watch. I’ve thought about it, and you’re the only one who can intervene in this.”

She remained silent. After thinking for a few seconds, she frowned at the spark curling around the cigarette paper, and said, “I’ll try, but I have no idea if she’ll listen to me.”

Wind, carrying dust, drifted in, and the conversation in the car briefly paused. When the wind died down, Su Lanyi said, “Su Zan should stay by your side in the future. His work ability is only suitable for assisting you.”

Shen Qianzhan didn’t respond this time.

She lowered her gaze, took a deep puff from her cigarette, and turned to look out the window.

________________________________________

Over the next few days, Shen Qianzhan finally had some free time.

Although the film and television industry didn’t have distinct peak and off-peak seasons, and holidays were largely ignored by everyone except junior staff, with New Year’s Day approaching, she still appropriately relaxed her department, which had met its performance targets.

Qiao Xin was still overseeing contracts.

The script she had discussed with Shen Qianzhan in Hangzhou a while ago had its contract finalized and was in the signing process. Recently, she had been constantly checking the opposing agent’s WeChat for the express tracking number.

Year-end accounts were being settled, and if the process was slow, it would be quite troublesome.

While she was checking WeChat, the work group, which had been silent for an entire lunch break, suddenly became lively.

A colleague from the operations department @ Qiao Xin, asking if she had seen Little Boss Su recently.

Su Zan’s office and Xiang Qianqian’s studio were on the same floor, originally to facilitate Su Zan’s handling of Xiang Qianqian’s work. However, Su Zan was naturally restless. If the office space was too large, he found it lonely; if it was too small, he felt cramped.

Su Lanyi indulged him, relocating and redesigning his office, but still couldn’t keep him in one place.

When he was idle, he would run to Shen Qianzhan’s department. After several colleagues inside Qian Deng failed to find him for official business, they became smart, either notifying him via WeChat first or going directly to Qiao Xin to find him.

Qiao Xin was initially frantic. After her overt and subtle hints to Su Zan proved ineffective, she just resigned herself to it.

But today, when the colleague from the operations department asked, she suddenly realized that she hadn’t seen Su Zan in days.

Upon receiving Qiao Xin’s answer, the operations department colleagues began chattering amongst themselves.

Colleague A said, “I just saw Xiang Qianqian come to the company with a lawyer. I called Little Boss Su, and he didn’t say where he was, only that he’d be here soon, then hung up.”

Colleague B: “Wasn’t the PR department suppressing trending topics and handling negative news recently? There was a post that broke the news about Qianqian looking for a new agency. I didn’t take it seriously then, but it seems to be true today?”

Colleague C: “Isn’t her contract still for several years? Is she planning to breach it?”

Colleague A replied, “I don’t know, I felt my little fairy changed a while ago. It turns out the change came so suddenly. Little Boss Su’s voice when he answered the phone just now was haggard and desolate. For a moment, I didn’t know who to feel more sorry for.”

Colleague B, not one to miss out on gossip, @ Qiao Xin again: “Sister Zhan and Little Boss Su are so close, have you heard anything?”

Qiao Xin vaguely felt things were getting out of hand. She skillfully deflected with a few vague sentences, excused herself to print documents, and temporarily escaped to report to Shen Qianzhan.

Shen Qianzhan had just finished a call with Su Zan. Seeing Qiao Xin enter, she beckoned: “Go verify with Ming Jue if Buzhongshui’s brand ambassador for China next year is indeed Xiang Qianqian.”

Qiao Xin was dumbfounded: “Ming Assistant shouldn’t handle that, should he?”

Shen Qianzhan acted as if she hadn’t heard, adding another task: “Also, ask which company is negotiating on Xiang Qianqian’s behalf.”

Qiao Xin hummed, holding her phone. Before leaving, she cautiously asked, “Is Qianqian really here to terminate her contract?”

Shen Qianzhan picked up her coffee cup, ready to leave: “Don’t ask anymore for now. Just WeChat me directly when they reply.”

________________________________________

When Shen Qianzhan arrived, Su Zan hadn’t yet come. In the meeting room, besides the temporary agent handling Xiang Qianqian’s affairs, only Xiang Qianqian and her lawyer remained.

She carried her coffee cup, casually found a seat, her posture as relaxed as an old man walking his bird in the park: “Su Zan and legal will be here soon. Please have a seat.”

She glanced at the empty long table in front of the two, tapped the table, and reminded them: “Even family members shouldn’t be treated so neglectedly. Where’s the front desk?”

Her single sentence both extended goodwill and asserted control, instantly sobering up the temporary agent, who was still somewhat bewildered by the sudden turn of events.

Xiang Qianqian looked at Shen Qianzhan for a while, then lowered her head, took off her sunglasses, and respectfully and politely called her, “Sister Zhan.”

Shen Qianzhan smiled, showing no displeasure despite her bringing a lawyer. As she drank her latte, she asked, “What’s wrong? Are you unhappy with Su Zan?”

Xiang Qianqian glanced at the temporary agent Qian Deng had assigned her, pursed her lips, and said nothing.

Shen Qianzhan understood: she was displeased with Qian Deng’s arrangement and felt unfairly neglected.

She thought for a moment and said, “If there’s still room for maneuver, however you brought this person here, take them back today. If not, then pretend I never said this.”

Xiang Qianqian’s face was not good, pale as if she hadn’t rested in a long time, her cheeks showing a sickly gauntness: “Aren’t you going to ask about my demands?”

“Honestly, that’s not my concern,” Shen Qianzhan smiled, her voice very faint: “My presence here is solely due to our past friendship. While I’m here, it’s easy to talk. If you alarm Ms. Su... there will be no room for compromise.”

She lightly tapped the cup lid in front of her with a bent finger, her voice cold and deep: “Your contract with Qian Deng still has several years. If Qian Deng wants to drag this out with you, a lawsuit could last two or three years. The company can afford it, but you can’t. Of course, if you have another opportunity, I certainly won’t stop you from soaring.”

Shen Qianzhan thought to herself that Su Zan must have talked to her, but the outcome wasn’t satisfactory for everyone. That was also why she had delayed seeing Xiang Qianqian; if someone was already determined to leave, trying to keep them was futile.

Her phone vibrated slightly in her palm. Shen Qianzhan unlocked it to see.

Qiao Xin had sent her a message on WeChat: “Ming Assistant said the document was sent to Ji Zong and then was thrown away.”

Thrown away?

Qiao Xin’s little mouth babbled, sending another message: “It happened this morning. Ming Assistant said that if the document reached Ji Zong, it means it had basically been internally evaluated, and only needed Ji Zong’s signature.”

Shen Qianzhan secretly glanced at Xiang Qianqian, who was sitting opposite her, her inner feelings incredibly complex.

She cleared her throat, said “just a moment,” and slightly turned to reply to Qiao Xin: “Did he say why?”

She suspected that Xiang Qianqian’s previous stunt of getting him on the trending topics had angered Ji Qinghe. Shen Qianzhan knew firsthand how vindictive this man could be.

Look at her every confrontation; wasn’t she always attacked by Ji Qinghe to the point of being unable to refute, just lying flat and accepting the ridicule?

Although this matter couldn’t be entirely blamed on Xiang Qianqian, and she was purely retaliated against, it was also clear that Xiang Qianqian had ill intentions.

Qiao Xin replied: “The reason seems to be... Ji Zong doesn’t like it?”

“Ming Assistant probably doesn’t know this resource wasn’t being sought by Qian Deng, and he apologized to me. He also suggested something...”

Suggested?

Suggested that Qian Deng shouldn’t just look at looks when signing artists, but also their character?

Qiao Xin shivered and replied: “He suggested that Qian Deng could sign more artists like you. Ji Zong might be inclined to show favoritism.”

Shen Qianzhan: “???”

Oh, well, she was truly grateful for Ji Zong’s appreciation.

After putting down her phone, Shen Qianzhan leaned back in her chair and, as if nothing had happened, smiled kindly and warmly at Xiang Qianqian: “Are Buzhongshui’s endorsement and the female lead role in the tribute drama so important to you?”

Xiang Qianqian’s face slightly changed: “Are you investigating me?”

“Not really,” Shen Qianzhan clasped her hands together, her voice cool: “Photos of you contacting other companies have been continuously sent to Ms. Su. It’s hard for the company not to know.”

Shen Qianzhan hummed and asked, “You’ve offended someone, do you know that?”

________________________________________

When Su Zan arrived at the company, Xiang Qianqian had already been sent away by Shen Qianzhan.

She recalled Su Zan’s pathetic state an hour ago, his voice strained as he begged her over the phone not to let Su Lanyi directly intervene. She slightly raised her chin, motioning for him to come in and sit.

She pulled out a small mirror from her desk drawer and checked her appearance.

Su Zan, who was in such a foul mood he almost wanted to be left alone, suddenly saw this scene. A knot of frustration caught in his chest, almost making him choke. He tapped the table, reminding her: “Can your narcissism be more mindful of the occasion?”

Shen Qianzhan didn’t mind: “I am being mindful. There’s no one else here.”

She twisted out her lipstick and touched up her color: “Ji Qinghe didn’t approve Xiang Qianqian’s document, and even suggested that Qian Deng could sign more artists like me.” She pursed her lips, looked at herself in the mirror, perfectly pulling off the fiery red lipstick, and winked at Su Zan, propping her chin: “I rarely agree with Ji Qinghe.”

Su Zan rolled his eyes. He felt that no matter how big an issue was, when it came to Shen Qianzhan, it was like a wisp of smoke, never giving him a chance to become profound and steady.

He slumped into the chair and scoffed, “Sister Zhan, do you know how hard it is to sign someone according to your standards?”

Su Zan looked her up and down and said, “It’s easy to find someone with a similar face, but that figure might be hard to replicate. The initial investment for artificial breasts alone would probably be quite high. Moreover, your allure isn’t just in your looks or bone structure; that unwavering lust despite experiencing many things is something most people can’t possess.”

He seemed utterly oblivious to Shen Qianzhan’s murderous glare, honing her knives, and continued: “A woman’s quality, depth, and experience come from the caliber of men she has encountered. It’s like ordinary dairy cows chewing boring dry grass in a pen, with a roof above their heads and grass below, just typical farming. High-quality dairy cows are in the vast grasslands of New Zealand, listening to music and being massaged. You, a woman who has been meticulously nurtured, are one of a kind.”

Shen Qianzhan didn’t hesitate for a second, directly throwing the small mirror at him. As if that wasn’t enough to vent her anger, she threw everything else she could get her hands on, besides her lipstick.

You’re meticulously nurtured, your whole family is meticulously nurtured.

Su Zan was beaten black and blue, daring neither to complain nor resist, and had to dutifully clean up the mess on the floor.

He put everything back in its place, bringing tea and pouring water, trying to appease Shen Qianzhan: “Sister Zhan, you’ve cursed me, you’ve vented your anger. Can you help me arrange a meeting with Mr. Ji? I want to find out which company Qianqian has made a deal with.”

Shen Qianzhan snorted coldly: “Still not giving up? You want to keep her? I’ve never seen you this responsible before.”

Su Zan sighed wistfully: “She’s my first artist, after all. I’ve drunk for her, bought drinks to drown sorrows for her, and even fought for her. The affection I’ve put in is something you can’t understand. Given how things have turned out, there’s not much point in her staying. I just want to know if her next agency will treat her well.”

Shen Qianzhan curled her lip in disdain, verbally scolding him for being useless, but ultimately softened. She sent Ji Qinghe a WeChat message.

For their first contact after signing the contract, she tried to be cute and harmless to make the dog man powerless to resist: “Ji Zong, are you there? I need a favor~” After typing the text, she chose an emoji and sent a super cute dog bowing GIF.

The dog man, who seemed to live on WeChat, instantly replied: “You didn’t ask like that last time.”

Can these two situations even be compared?

Shen Qianzhan: “...” [Middle finger emoji.]