Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
The only sound in the entire kitchen was the continuous “whooshing” of water.
Wen Di washed a few vegetables three times, then took them out and set them aside to drain.
Qi Mingche had tried to stop her from washing, but she wouldn’t be deterred, so he eventually gave up.
The sound of water stopped.
She leaned on the counter, lost in thought for a moment.
Qi Mingche was editing photos and casually put on a song.
The melody wasn’t particularly cheerful, nor was it particularly sad.
The song looped for the second time, and Wen Di walked over, plugged in the hot pot, and began to boil the broth.
“Do you know it’s his birthday today?” She looked up at Qi Mingche, then continued to busy herself.
Qi Mingche was editing photos and seemed not to have heard.
But he had heard.
He neither admitted nor denied it.
Wen Di said, “Thank you.”
Afraid she would be upset on Yan Heyu’s birthday, he had planned to take her to Mountain City for hot pot yesterday. Since they didn’t get to eat it, he insisted on accompanying her for a meal tonight.
“I’ve adjusted now. Writing the custom script for your dad is no problem.” Wen Di found a few plates and put the leftover dipping sauces into them. She said, “When I get the copyright fee, I’ll give you a share.”
Qi Mingche looked at his computer screen and found time to reply, “You really should give me a share. I provided you with so much material, some details even my mom probably doesn’t remember.”
In the past few months, every time they went out to eat, he tried his best to tell Wen Di about his parents when he was little.
Only his parents when he was little, unrelated to his current father.
“How much longer until you’re done?”
“Almost.”
Qi Mingche packaged the edited photos and sent them to his friend.
The two sat at the table, and Wen Di put meat into the pot.
She hadn’t taken off her apron. Qi Mingche looked at it a few more times and said, “You can’t wear that anymore. I’ll wear it.”
Wen Di’s hand movements paused. She realized what he was referring to—Yan Heyu had said that in their three years together, he never let her wear an apron.
“You heard all that?”
Qi Mingche extended his long arm, placing an empty bowl and chopsticks in front of her. “Just because of an apron, he said I wasn’t suitable for you. Who would agree with that?”
Wen Di smiled, taking it as a joke.
Qi Mingche stood up and walked over to her side.
Wen Di turned back, “What are you doing?”
“Untie your apron for me.”
“I’ll get you a napkin.”
Qi Mingche untied it himself, saying, “I’ll clean up after we eat.”
The apron was the wrong size for his tall frame, so he simply took it off and tied it around his waist.
The mushroom soup in the pot boiled. Wen Di put the greens in to cook. She chatted with Qi Mingche about a certain fashion magazine; she had a cover for an October issue coming out. “I heard you’re their special guest photographer now.”
“Mhm.” Qi Mingche poured her a glass of warm water and opened a can of iced beer for himself. He said, “I’ll shoot you then. I’ve already picked an outdoor location, in a small village in the suburbs. The atmosphere is good and fits the theme of that cover issue. We’ll shoot in mid-August.”
Wen Di was surprised, “You already knew I was shooting that issue?”
Qi Mingche was drinking beer, his Adam’s apple bobbed. He slowly swallowed the beer, not saying much, just nodding in response.
But Wen Di guessed, “Did you recommend me to the editor-in-chief?”
Cover resources that had to be obtained through connections had no reason to be given directly to her.
Qi Mingche said directly, “I don’t need these resources myself. You might as well use them.”
Wen Di smiled, no longer being polite with him. She clinked her water glass with his. “When your dad pays me the copyright fee, I’ll split it with you fifty-fifty.”
Qi Mingche clinked his beer can against her glass again. “The one thing I don’t lack is money. You can just treat me to a meal.”
“That’s easy to arrange.” Wen Di happened to need a dining partner recently.
After eating hot pot, Qi Mingche did all the cleaning up.
He was true to his word and didn’t let her lift a finger.
At 11:30 PM, Wen Di saw Qi Mingche downstairs.
The elevator stopped on the first floor. As Qi Mingche stepped out, his footsteps paused for a moment.
Wen Di followed his gaze. In the lobby’s seating area, Yan Heyu was sitting, reading a magazine. It looked like a financial magazine, which he flipped through casually.
The tea on the table next to him remained untouched.
A bodyguard stood beside him, whispering something to him.
Yan Heyu looked up, glanced in her direction, then resumed reading his magazine.
“You stop here,” Qi Mingche waved to her.
Wen Di still insisted on seeing him to the outside of the building, cautioning him to drive carefully.
She turned to go back into the apartment building. Yan Heyu was waiting for her at the elevator entrance.
There was security at the lobby reception, and she didn’t want to cause a commotion, so she walked towards the elevator as if nothing was wrong.
Yan Heyu walked a few steps towards her. “Having dinner with an unfamiliar man until now.”
“If...” She had just said these two words when Yan Heyu interrupted her, “If it were Jiang Yunxing, I definitely wouldn’t wait for her here tonight. I would definitely consider her feelings. Is that what you want to say?”
He said, “Indeed, what I can do for Jiang Yunxing, I cannot do for you.”
Wen Di had nothing to say to him and simply walked away.
She had only taken two steps when Yan Heyu abruptly pulled her back into his arms. He turned to the bodyguard and said, “Turn off the surveillance for Elevator Two.”
He could easily embrace her with one hand. In a few steps, he reached the elevator, pressed it open, and pulled her inside.
“Yan Heyu!”
If he were truly serious, Wen Di’s meager strength was no match for him.
Her hands were twisted behind her back by Yan Heyu, and she was pinned in his embrace, pressed against the elevator wall, utterly unable to move.
Yan Heyu made no further moves. He looked down at her. “I’ll finish what I didn’t say tonight.” At that time, he hadn’t spoken, being locked out by her.
Wen Di also quieted down, her eyes cold. “Whatever you say, it’s meaningless.”
“For me, it is.” He told her, “My wish this year is different from before. Before, I wished you were reasonable. Now, I hope you won’t be sad. You can threaten me however you want, I’ll accept it all.”
The elevator stopped on Wen Di’s apartment floor, and the doors opened.
Yan Heyu carried her out, set her down, then stepped back into the elevator and pressed “1.”
The elevator doors slowly closed, and he only saw her resolute back.
________________________________________
By the time Yan Heyu reached downstairs, Kang Bo had already arrived.
Assistant Kang learned from the bodyguard that the boss had another conflict with Wen Di just now. The bodyguard had the surveillance for Elevator Two turned off and all small camera footage cut.
The bodyguard also said that after the boss got the documents and got into the car, he drove away for a few minutes, then had the driver turn back.
His face had been dark all night, he hadn’t said a word, and he sat in the lobby waiting for Wen Di and Qi Mingche to finish hotpot and come downstairs.
“Mr. Yan.” Kang Bo didn’t know what to say.
Yan Heyu merely nodded slightly.
The car was parked right in front of the apartment building’s main entrance, and a few people got in.
Yan Heyu handed the folders to Kang Bo. “They should all be here.”
Kang Bo took them. “Did you just... with Miss Wen?”
“It’s nothing.”
Yan Heyu looked out the window, remained silent for a while, and then said, “When I went to get the documents from her, you reminded me to be a gentleman, to be graceful. I even tried it once. When I saw Qi Mingche, I gave her grace.” At that time, he automatically retreated outside the door.
But it wasn’t like that at all.
Even after getting the documents and getting into the car to leave, the anger wouldn’t subside, so he still had the driver turn back.
“Wen Di and I, that’s not suitable for us.”
Kang Bo nodded. “I understand.”
________________________________________
In late May, Qu Pei took on a job for her.
June 10th was Changqing Entertainment’s 10th-anniversary celebration, considered a major event in the entertainment industry. Wen Di was the host of Changqing’s 9th-anniversary celebration and gained countless fans that night.
This year, she received another hosting invitation.
Qu Pei called her, discussing the evening gown she would wear on the day of the celebration.
That night, stars would gather, and the red carpet would naturally be a fierce competition of beauty and glamour. Although she was the host, she couldn’t be outshone.
Qu Pei borrowed two evening gowns in total. “Xin Yuan borrowed from the same place as you. Her agent borrowed earlier than mine. Xin Yuan also liked the one I had my eye on. Later, when she heard you wanted to borrow it, she readily gave it to you, saying she had a backup dress.”
Such willingness to compromise was rare in the world of fame and fortune.
“It seems you two got along well on the show.”
“Yes, quite well.” Wen Di was puzzled. Xin Yuan had transformed, like a different person, especially towards her. Both on and off the show, she was considerate in every way.
She categorized Xin Yuan as someone whose temper mellowed after gaining fame.
Qu Pei asked her, “Should I bring the dresses for you to try on, or will you go to the store?”
Wen Di answered without hesitation, “I’ll go to the store.”
That Friday afternoon, Wen Di drove to the flagship store to try on dresses.
While waiting at a red light, she inadvertently glanced out the window. Across a block, she saw the towering Jingyue Group building, its logo glinting in the sun.
“Beep beep—” The car behind honked impatiently.
Wen Di snapped back to attention; the light had turned green.
That night, after Qi Mingche had finished hotpot and cleared the table, he said to her: “So many people are pursuing you, aren’t you considering one?”
She said: “I don’t mind dating again, I just haven’t met the right person.”
Qi Mingche: “What do you mean by ‘right’?”
She caught Qi Mingche’s implied meaning: he thought he was quite suitable.
Suddenly, with a “bang,” she stomped on the brake.
She had still rear-ended the car in front.
Wen Di’s soul, which had been wandering for over three months, finally returned, and a layer of sweat broke out on her back.
She had been driving for seven or eight years, being as careful as possible. Apart from being rear-ended by Jiang Yunxing last time, this was her first time hitting someone else’s car.
This collision seemed to thoroughly wake her up.
Her life was the most important thing.
Taking a moment to compose herself, Wen Di unbuckled her seatbelt and got out.
The car she rear-ended was very expensive, similar in price to Yan Heyu’s Bentley.
The driver of the front car got out. He held his phone and took two pictures of the damaged area.
Wen Di walked over, apologized, and asked him how he wanted to handle it.
The driver said, “I’ll ask President Xiao.”
Wen Di nodded and stood by the rear of the car, waiting.
The driver took his phone to ask for instructions. The rear window slid down, and the person inside casually rested their hand on the window, not even looking at the photos the driver took. They didn’t care about the car damage, speaking sparingly: “Get in, I’m in a hurry.”
The driver turned back to Wen Di and said, “No need.”
“That won’t do.” Wen Di disliked owing favors the most. “Give me your contact information. When the car is repaired, you contact me, and I’ll give you the repair fee.”
Her phone was still in the car. She walked around to the driver’s seat. Just as she got her phone, the front car slowly drove away.
She had no choice but to write down the license plate number, hoping to find an opportunity to pay the other party.
It should be a considerable repair cost.
Her own car had a scratch.
Wen Di ignored it for now, eager to go to the flagship store to try on dresses.
The dress was a new early spring style. After trying it on, even the store manager praised her, saying it fit as if tailor-made.
Wen Di hadn’t even taken off the dress when she received a call from Qu Pei. She was about to report on the fitting results when Qu Pei’s tone was somewhat anxious: “Where are you? Come to the company.”
“Trying on dresses. What’s wrong?”
“You know Tian Qinglu, right? She just called me about your hosting gig. Come over; we’ll talk face-to-face.”
Wen Di clutched her phone, paused, and said, “Okay.”
If Tian Qinglu was getting involved, Yan Heyu would likely be at the celebration that day.
After more than three months, she was once again approached.
At the company, Qu Pei was waiting for her.
Qu Pei couldn’t stay idle. Her body hadn’t fully recovered after surgery, but she insisted on coming to the company for one or two hours every day.
“Sit,” she poured Wen Di a glass of warm water.
Wen Di was comfortable with her, sitting next to her and observing her expression. “Take it easy; don’t overwork yourself.”
Qu Pei didn’t chat idly with her. “What exactly happened? I never interfere with your private life, but you also have to have a limit. How did you get involved with a married man? If your parents found out, they’d be furious. You’re not short on money, what’s wrong with you?!”
“I was with him for three years. He was single then. He got engaged in February this year. I broke up with him at the end of February when I found out, and I didn’t get entangled.”
Wen Di spoke calmly.
She held the glass steadily in her hand, unlike the day Tian Qinglu came to see her, when she almost dropped the cup.
Qu Pei froze for a moment, then sighed, “You were sad and didn’t tell me.”
Wen Di smiled, “It’s over.”
The most difficult days had already passed. She had endured minute by minute.
Qu Pei patted her head. “Oh, you.”
She said nothing else.
Wen Di took a sip of warm water and asked, “What did Tian Qinglu tell you?”
Qu Pei recounted, “Her fiancé received an invitation to the Changqing celebration and might be attending. If you don’t want to host, she’ll find someone to replace you, so you won’t offend Changqing. If you still want to host, she’ll let you do as you please and won’t interfere with any of your decisions.”
This was Tian Qinglu’s tactful approach.
Wen Di didn’t hesitate at all. “Tell her to find someone else to host, and thank her for me.”
Qu Pei also intended this. She didn’t want Wen Di to go because she feared Wen Di would be reminded of painful memories. Once Wen Di was indifferent to Yan Heyu, there would be no need to deliberately avoid him.
After all, making money was more important than men.
________________________________________
That night, the 10th, the event venue was packed with stars.
Currently, it was the red carpet segment. Yan Heyu, accompanied by Changqing Entertainment’s CEO, entered from backstage, taking a seat closest to the stage.
Yan Heyu was Changqing’s cash cow. Companies under Jingyue invested a large amount in advertising on Changqing Video annually, often sponsoring popular shows.
He rarely attended such celebrations, but Changqing sent invitations every year. In the past, others attended on his behalf, but this year he came in person to show his support.
At 8 PM, the celebration officially began.
Yan Heyu saw the two hosts on stage; Wen Di wasn’t among them. His gaze darkened.
The CEO of Changqing Entertainment next to him went on stage to give a speech. After returning from the speech, he asked, “Did they change the host?”
The CEO was slightly surprised, only able to respond with pleasantries: “We originally asked screenwriter Wen Di, but her schedule couldn’t be adjusted, so we had to find someone else.”
Using Wen Di as host was with his approval. Later, Tian Qinglu approached him and insisted on having a different host. He had to maintain relations with the Tian family, so he reluctantly replaced Wen Di at the last minute.
But Yan Heyu’s tone just now clearly indicated his displeasure with Wen Di being replaced.
It was their couple’s business; as an outsider, he had no intention of getting involved and could only give a vague, evasive answer.
Yan Heyu messaged Kang Bo: [Ask what’s going on with tonight’s hosting.]
He was uninterested and sat for half an hour, considering it showing enough respect, then left midway.
The CEO escorted Yan Heyu to the door, sensing that the change in host had displeased this young master. He knew Yan Heyu and Wen Di had a past, but he heard they broke up after the engagement.
Now, it seemed that wasn’t the case.
But he couldn’t bring himself to betray Tian Qinglu, so he could only pretend ignorance.
Yan Heyu’s car was at the exit. He got in, and Assistant Kang reported, “It was someone with connections who pushed Miss Wen out.”
Such things were common.
Yan Heyu ordered Kang Bo, “Tell Changqing over there, don’t bully people and do it on my head.”
Kang Bo conveyed the boss’s message to the secretary of Changqing Entertainment’s CEO, asking for a prompt reply.
The car drove into the night.
A few minutes later, Kang Bo received a call from the other party. Changqing guaranteed that they would compensate Miss Wen with other resources in the future.
He put his phone on speaker, so the boss also heard what the other party said.
Yan Heyu was looking out the car window, not turning his head, and said in a deep voice, “Continue investigating. I want to see whose connections are so strong that they can just replace Wen Di.”
________________________________________
The next day at noon, Assistant Kang found the results and immediately called Tian Qinglu.
Tian Qinglu was arguing with Ding Yi.
Ding Yi put on sunglasses. “You found someone to replace Wen Di. Did you think you could hide it?”
“Who said I wanted to hide it from you?”
“You’re getting bolder and bolder. If Yan Heyu finds out what you did, have you thought about the consequences?”
Tian Qinglu didn’t say a word; she started her car.
Now she was forced to. She didn’t want Yan Heyu and Wen Di meeting frequently at this time; they were a volatile pair.
She retorted to Ding Yi, “I’m exercising my rights; I didn’t do anything illegal or immoral.”
Perhaps, a little immoral, but the compensation owed to Wen Di, she would give double.
“For other variety shows, I’ll give her two more.”
“I think you’re probably crazy.”
“I’m not crazy.”
Tian Qinglu was silent for a moment, then said, “Yan Heyu plans to break off the engagement with me.”
Ding Yi was overjoyed: “That good?”
Tian Qinglu: “...”
Heart attack.
“It’s only a possibility. Maybe he’ll give up on dissolving the engagement if he thinks he can’t win Wen Di back.” After all, the cost was huge. And what their Tian family would lose would be even more.
Emotionally and logically, she hoped he would continue the engagement.
The car hadn’t driven far when she received a call from Assistant Kang.
Assistant Kang asked her when she would be free in the afternoon to go to Jingyue, saying that Yan Heyu would be in his office all afternoon and she could go anytime.
Yan Heyu always kept his personal and professional lives separate, so discussing matters in his office naturally implied work.
Tian Qinglu first dropped Ding Yi off at her company, then drove herself to Jingyue.
The last time she saw Yan Heyu was on his birthday night. He drove out from home, and she was returning home. As their cars passed, she greeted him.
After that, she went on a business trip. By the time she returned, he was already on another business trip. During that time, she called him a few times, but always using work as an excuse.
Ding Yi asked her when she would stop being so humble.
Perhaps, Ding Yi wanted to say “being cheap,” but spared her feelings by using “humble” instead.
The car turned into the Jingyue Building’s underground parking lot. Tian Qinglu turned off the engine, took out her compact mirror from her bag, and carefully touched up her makeup.
She didn’t know the purpose of touching up her makeup; Yan Heyu wouldn’t stare at her anyway.
Assistant Kang was waiting at the office door. “Mr. Yan is inside.”
Tian Qinglu asked Assistant Kang, “What did he want to see me about?”
Kang Bo said, “Mr. Yan will talk to you.”
Tian Qinglu nodded, knocked on the door, and entered.
Yan Heyu was looking at emails. He didn’t even lift his head, just told her to sit.
The secretary brought her a cup of coffee. The door closed, and the only sound was the occasional click of his mouse.
Tian Qinglu sat in the chair in front of his desk, taking sips of coffee and occasionally glancing at him.
He wore a white shirt, and the edge of his watch dial seemed to be covered by the flat, textured cuff. When he took a sip of water, the entire watch dial was revealed again.
She also noticed that the cufflinks he wore today were new.
The watch was also a new model; she had never seen him wear it before.
Yan Heyu didn’t speak, his expression focused on the computer.
Tian Qinglu knew what his silence meant: he wasn’t here to discuss work with her today; he was waiting for her to confess.
She feigned ignorance: “What did you want to see me about?”
Yan Heyu’s gaze remained on the emails. “Think carefully about what you should tell me.”
His calm tone was full of pressure.
The coffee in Tian Qinglu’s mouth instantly turned bitter. “You know?”
He didn’t make a sound, his face impassive.
Tian Qinglu instinctively explained, “It was Wen Di’s own decision.”
Yan Heyu: “She’ll be attending many more events in the future. Are you planning to blacklist her?”
Tian Qinglu forced a smile. “You’re trying to pin something on me. It seems your information isn’t up-to-date; you don’t know I’ve already signed a few more shows for Qu Pei. As for whether Wen Di takes them, that’s not something I can control. She doesn’t listen to me either.”
Yan Heyu didn’t like to argue. He said, “You can make one condition, as long as I can fulfill it.”
Although Tian Qinglu was mentally prepared, it was a different matter when he said it himself, her heart churning. “You still decided to break off the engagement?”
Yan Heyu retorted, “Otherwise? You give me a reason why I should continue the engagement.”
Tian Qinglu spoke to herself, “Then you didn’t have to cut off all ties so thoroughly.” It completely exceeded her expectations; she hadn’t realized he would be so ruthless.
After letting them profit from several recent projects, previous collaborations were being gradually severed, and there would be no further involvement in the future.
Yan Heyu finished replying to the email, closed the page, glanced at his watch. He had a social engagement that evening, so he issued a dismissal: “Go back and think carefully about what conditions you want to propose.”
Tian Qinglu hadn’t decided what compensation to ask for the broken engagement. She was internally resistant to asking, hoping they could continue the engagement.
She stood up to leave, unsure if he had heard what she just said.
All this time, he had considered Jiang Yunxing in every way. Now, it was just giving Jiang’s family some time to withdraw their investment, which wouldn’t harm his interests. For him, it was merely routine maintenance for Jiang Yunxing.
It wasn’t difficult.
If there were any other way, she wouldn’t bother using Jiang Yunxing as an excuse.
She completely gave up on fantasies about him, but she still had to compromise for the sake of profit.
If he was willing to give the Jiang family time to withdraw their investment, there might still be room for reconciliation between them.
The months before a breakup were the hardest. After this period, perhaps he wouldn’t have such a strong desire to break off the engagement.
Google Sites
Report abuse