HYAT - 32

Begging for Mercy?

The word seemed to touch a sensitive nerve in Ji Qinghe. His fingertip, resting on the coffee cup, paused as he gave Shen Qianzhan a meaningful look: “You like it here?”

He raised his wrist to check the time.

Perhaps it was due to his constant dealings with time, or perhaps Ji Qinghe himself held a deep reverence for it. Each time he checked his watch, the lines from his brow to the corner of his eye moved like a slow-motion film in a gilded frame, his gaze deepening from shallow to profound, focused and earnest.

Shen Qianzhan had seen him with a slight furrow in his brow, as if deeply submerged in a tide of desire, from a tingling heart to a melting body. That was the complete opposite of the man before her now; he seemed to possess two opposing souls, one standing by the tranquil Qingzhou River, the other on the edge of a deep abyss.

She quietly took a breath, calming her pounding heart.

Damn it, was this man sculpted according to her aesthetic standards? Everything about him hit the mark.

Ji Qinghe, completely oblivious to Shen Qianzhan’s rapidly shifting thoughts, lowered his wrist slightly and casually placed the coffee in the car door’s storage compartment: “Not enough time.”

Shen Qianzhan, who was captivated by the enemy’s beauty and constantly on the verge of surrender, suddenly snapped back to reality: “Not enough time for what?”

She cautiously placed the sealed document between them, like drawing a line of demarcation, feebly attempting to clearly define their boundaries.

The car was already an enclosed space, where breaths could intertwine within mere inches.

Shen Qianzhan’s futile action made Ji Qinghe chuckle. He lowered his gaze, his eyes deep and bright, reflecting the lingering sunset glow, with a golden arc in his pupils, exuding a three-colored glazed luster: “Be proactive. Sit closer?”

Shen Qianzhan’s face was full of resistance, yet her mouth stubbornly showered him with compliments: “It’s good sitting here; I can fully appreciate Mr. Ji’s elegant and handsome demeanor.”

Ji Qinghe saw through her intentions clearly. He pointed beside him with a finger: “Don’t make me say it a second time.”

As someone who constantly gave orders, he naturally possessed an irresistible aura of authority.

Shen Qianzhan almost instinctively trembled, wanting to obey.

When they first met, how could she have thought Ji Qinghe was a docile old wolf, someone she could manipulate at will? Engaging him in battle, she suffered defeat after defeat, leaving an almost indelible psychological shadow.

Seeing her resistance, Ji Qinghe reminded her: “The first investment hasn’t been disbursed yet; it can be called off at any time.”

Shen Qianzhan was least afraid of threats: “We’re partners bound by contract; who are you trying to scare?”

Ji Qinghe’s gaze fell on her fingers, unconsciously clenching her phone. He silently smiled, giving her an out: “The soundproofing in the back seat isn’t great. Are you sure you want Ming Jue to overhear intimate conversations?”

Uncertain.

Shen Qianzhan took the hint and moved over. She kept her distance perfectly, maintaining about a palm’s length from Ji Qinghe, ready to advance or retreat, unafraid of the old fox suddenly acting indecently.

Ji Qinghe was well aware of her little calculations, but didn’t make things difficult. He merely pushed up his glasses: “Qiandeng’s internal disputes are none of Buzhongshui’s business. As long as it doesn’t affect our cooperation or harm Buzhongshui’s interests, it has nothing to do with me.”

“Out of consideration for you, I’ve already suppressed the document. But company resources are limited and will not repeatedly provide unlimited assistance to Qiandeng.” He pursed his thin lips, the color on them deepening from pale to rich, suddenly acquiring a hint of allure: “Buzhongshui will not only refuse to cooperate with Qiandeng, but if necessary, will take special measures to promptly disengage. No one wants to get bogged down in a quagmire. Producer Shen, you understand this principle, right?”

Shen Qianzhan certainly understood.

Merchants prioritize profit, and in the volatile business world, you never know which storm will lead to your downfall. Self-preservation and protecting one’s assets have always been the primary principles of seeking advantages and avoiding harm.

In handling matters, Ji Qinghe was much more decisive than Shen Qianzhan. He didn’t give her a chance to speak, concluding: “If you only came to explain the situation today, you can get off at the next intersection.”

Shen Qianzhan was choked into silence, her face alternating between pale and green.

Buzhongshui’s suppression of that press release was indeed benevolent. From a business perspective, Ji Qinghe had already given her a lot of face. Personally, she had always been dedicated to clarifying the relationship between them. After both parties had reached an agreement, it made no sense for her to unilaterally break the agreement and demand his cooperation at the last minute.

Besides, how could Ji Qinghe cooperate?

Come forward and clarify that they had no relationship? This man would never deny what he had done.

Shen Qianzhan vowed that if she dared to ask him that, Ji Qinghe would absolutely dare to do it all over again to help her remember. This “dog man” was like a tinder that would ignite with any spark.

It’s better not to clarify; the more you clarify, the worse it gets.

Her mind raced, and she finally realized that her move was a desperate one, done in a moment of panic.

Seeing her silence, Ji Qinghe’s eyebrow subtly arched, and he casually dropped a bombshell: “I have another idea.”

Shen Qianzhan looked at him. His brows and eyes were illuminated by the fading light, showing a rare softness: “Producer Shen might consider accepting my pursuit. If you’re willing, all of Buzhongshui’s resources can be at your disposal.”

________________________________________

Shen Qianzhan got out of the car at the next intersection.

It was rush hour, and whether by taxi or ride-sharing app, everything was full, with no drivers accepting rides.

She stood at the intersection for a long time, pedestrians came and went, yet she still couldn’t get a ride.

Beijing was too cold, so cold that the north wind felt like a blade slicing through flesh, capable of freezing thoughts and solidifying time.

After how many red lights she didn’t know, just as Shen Qianzhan was debating whether to try another mode of transport, a car pulled up. The front passenger window slowly lowered, and Su Zan waved to her: “Sister Zhan, get in.”

The car, filled with warm air, felt like a cozy shelter. Shen Qianzhan rubbed her frozen hands, and as she tuned the radio, she asked, “How are you here?”

“Mr. Ji sent me a location,” Su Zan noticed her bad complexion and spoke with a bit of caution: “He said it would be hard to get a ride at this time, and told me to pick you up.”

Shen Qianzhan pursed her lips. Her lips were dry, half of her lipstick gone, showing some patchiness.

However, compared to the shock she had just received, a less-than-perfect appearance was nothing.

Ji Qinghe was like God, orchestrating the battle. From the moment she proposed to meet, he had been meticulously laying traps, setting the stage for a grand reveal.

When he spoke in riddles, Shen Qianzhan could still handle it. Given his cunning and cautious nature, she hadn’t expected him to be so straightforward, blatantly revealing his intention to take advantage of the situation.

Even her instinctive refusal was calculated; his statement, “You can think about it and give me an answer in a few days,” left her speechless.

How much did Ji Qinghe like her? Not necessarily.

Between adults, lust was always more direct than love.

She rubbed her temples, which throbbed from the wind, and her voice was tired: “What date is the annual party?”

Su Zan, taking advantage of a red light, flipped through his calendar and replied, “Friday, two days from now.”

She hummed, closed her eyes, and said nothing more.

________________________________________

Shen Qianzhan always considered herself delicate and frail. After being exposed to such wind the day before, she should at least have a headache or a runny nose and cough the next day. She even told Qiao Xin to bring her some cold medicine to work the next day. Unexpectedly, when she woke up the next morning, she was radiant and more beautiful than a flower, without the slightest hint of weakness from being weathered.

After being a producer for so long, her physique was almost comparable to a muscular Barbie.

Although she was a little disappointed not to be able to feign sickness, Shen Qianzhan quickly adjusted her state and threw herself into work.

The screenwriting matter had recently made progress. Shao Chou-xie had recommended a highly reclusive but celebrated screenwriter, Jiang Juanshan, to her two days prior. Coincidentally, Jiang Juanshan was ranked first on Shen Qianzhan’s original list of invited screenwriters. If not for his long retirement from the industry, he would have been her preferred choice from the very beginning—a highly acclaimed screenwriter recognized by television stations.

She scheduled a meeting with him for the afternoon. After lunch break, she left early to wait at the appointed teahouse.

Working with experienced screenwriters who had a body of work was incredibly hassle-free.

After confirming that he was willing to collaborate, Shen Qianzhan opened the conversation by discussing Jiang Juanshan’s past representative works, delving into his thoughts on script stories. She was pleasantly surprised to find that even though Jiang Juanshan had been reclusive for years, his expertise remained solid, and he was quite knowledgeable about current TV dramas, films, and web series.

She quietly checked Jiang Juanshan’s profile on Baidu Encyclopedia.

Jiang Juanshan became famous at a young age, immigrated overseas at thirty, and had been reclusive ever since. His return to China this time seemed to be just for a vacation, and incidentally, to resume his old profession.

Shen Qianzhan was somewhat concerned about the amount of effort he could dedicate: “This drama is a key project for this year; from script to filming, it won’t be less than five months.”

Jiang Juanshan held his teacup and took a sip of water, showing great understanding of her concerns: “To be honest, I came back to China this time to deal with some family matters. My relationship with my wife has broken down, and we are currently going through a divorce.”

Shen Qianzhan grew even more worried.

Could such an unstable work state produce a stunning and amazing script?

But their previous conversation had been so pleasant, and Jiang Juanshan perfectly fit her ideal of an interesting soul with steady experience. She struggled a bit: “If we are fortunate enough to collaborate, script preparation will begin around Chinese New Year. Time will be quite tight, and the creative pressure on you will be immense.”

Jiang Juanshan placed his teacup into the tea tray. His handsome eyes held a smile as he gently said, “Producer Shen can rest assured about my contractual integrity. My private matters are also very clean and will not delay progress.”

Jiang Juanshan didn’t elaborate further.

Shen Qianzhan also wasn’t interested in gossiping about his private affairs. She always trusted her judgment of people. After discussing the quote, she had a clear idea.

Jiang Juanshan was humble and amiable, not asking for an exorbitant price. Coupled with his proven ability and stellar reputation, there would be virtually no difficulty in getting approval from Su Lanyi. Signing the contract was just a matter of days.

After classifying him as a core creative team member, Shen Qianzhan’s demeanor instantly became much friendlier: “Do you have a team, or have you always worked independently?”

“I used to,” Jiang Juanshan poured hot tea into her empty teacup and looked up at her: “After all, literary work involves too many trivial matters, which can easily affect creative mood. But I’ve been reclusive for five years, and my previous team has disbanded.”

Shen Qianzhan expressed understanding. Since the detailed terms of cooperation couldn’t be fully explored until Su Lanyi gave the final approval, she decided to keep things as they were for now.

With a weight off her mind and the dawn of hope appearing, Shen Qianzhan was in excellent spirits.

On the drive back to the company, she hummed an off-key children’s song, maintaining her high spirits all the way back to her department. She then told Qiao Xin to prepare the workflow.

Su Zan, still carrying out his spy mission, was itching with curiosity. He only approached Qiao Xin to inquire after she emerged from Shen Qianzhan’s office: “What happened to Sister Zhan? She’s so happy.”

Qiao Xin pulled out her chair and sat down, opening a document: “She found a one-in-a-million screenwriter, how can she not be happy?”

Su Zan, who hadn’t heard any whispers beforehand, looked bewildered: “One in a million, who is it?”

Qiao Xin replied, “Jiang Juanshan.” Seeing that Su Zan didn’t recognize the name, her face lit up with excitement as she lowered her voice, “He became famous at a young age, then retired successfully and remained reclusive. His return this time is simply like a mature uncle online taking souls, ying ying ying.”

Su Zan: Didn’t understand.

But he vaguely felt that Mr. Ji’s love rival had appeared?