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Before Wen Di returned, Yan Heyu went back to his seat.
Jiang Chengyu and Fu Yanzhou were discussing the trailer for “Awakening from a Grand Dream.” The lead actress was Shen Tang, and it was her last work before retiring from the industry.
Today, Jiang Chengyu was in the mood to discuss this drama because Shen Tang and the male lead had no intimate scenes, only confrontational ones.
Their emotions were shattered, their desires insatiable.
Yan Heyu sat down, and they temporarily paused their conversation. He asked Jiang Chengyu what gift Shen Tang had brought for Wen Di.
Jiang Chengyu wasn’t sure. Shen Tang had put all the gifts in one gift box, already wrapped when she gave it to him. It was probably a bag and clothes or something similar.
They often exchanged such gifts.
Jiang Chengyu said directly, “You don’t need to beat around the bush if you have something on your mind.”
“No thoughts.” Yan Heyu glanced at him. “Do you think I want to help you deliver the gift box to her?” He had no such intention; sending it would only annoy Wen Di.
“Wen Di probably hasn’t received a surprise in a long time. I wanted to ask if Shen Tang brought a lot of things for her.”
Jiang Chengyu: “Probably quite a bit.”
Yan Heyu nodded, indicating he knew. He moved his plate to the empty seat next to Jiang Chengyu.
Fu Yanzhou saw his posture and realized he was going to switch seats.
Yan Heyu was originally sitting side by side with Fu Yanzhou, but now he sat over by Jiang Chengyu.
Fu Yanzhou choked him: “Are you being wronged by sitting with me?”
Yan Heyu said, “Proximity to cinnabar makes one red.”
He was just short of saying, “Proximity to ink makes one black.”
This wasn’t just a simple change of seats; it was a declaration of attitude.
Fu Yanzhou knew he wasn’t a good person, so he didn’t argue for himself. What he found new was, “Are you going to turn over a new leaf?”
“It’s not easy to cleanse one’s heart or change one’s ways. A man who can be reborn is certainly not in my situation.”
Fu Yanzhou took his words: “So I said, sitting with me, you’re not being wronged.”
The people he knew who had been completely transformed had, without exception, experienced major upheavals, mostly related to their families, and some due to personal reasons. Their family fortunes declined, their previously superior conditions were no more, and they had no choice but to change themselves.
In fact, it wasn’t really changing themselves, but rather compromising with reality.
From being high and mighty to experiencing the hardships of the human world.
He had never heard of anyone whose family was still prominent, or who stood at the top of the pyramid, suddenly wanting to turn over a new leaf and live a good life.
Such a thing simply didn’t exist.
However, if, with one’s family background and sense of superiority still intact, one was willing to change a little, that could be considered sincere reform.
Fu Yanzhou added, “It’s not easy for you to change.”
Otherwise, why would there be the saying, “Old habits die hard”?
Yan Heyu grasped the cloth-wrapped red wine bottle, poured wine for both of them, and then poured half a glass for himself before speaking, “I’ll change slowly, to be a person who’s not so bad.”
He put down the wine bottle, picked up his glass, tilted it slightly towards Jiang Chengyu, and said, “I’ll strive to be no worse than him.”
Jiang Chengyu being able to win Shen Tang back meant he wasn’t that bad, at least.
Being in the circle of fame and fortune, to say that he would transform into a completely good person, he himself felt it was unrealistic.
Yan Heyu suddenly remembered to ask, “What were you two just talking about?”
Fu Yanzhou said, “The trailer for ‘Awakening from a Grand Dream’ was released tonight.”
They only saw it after it trended on social media.
Wen Di hadn’t seen this trending topic yet. During dinner with Xiao Donghan, she was busy organizing her thoughts for “Behind Desire” and hadn’t paid attention to her phone.
On her way home, she received a call from Qin Xing, who said the production company had released the trailer, and it exceeded his expectations.
“It’s not convenient right now, I’m driving. I’ll watch it when I get home.”
Back home, her second aunt and father were both there.
Her mother was on a business trip abroad these days, and her father was temporarily staying at Grandpa’s house.
“Honey, you were trending on two hot searches today.” Her second aunt waved, gesturing for her to come sit down.
Wen Di opened her phone. “Wasn’t it just one?”
“‘Human World Is Not as Good as You’ also rode on the coattails, using your name to praise you.”
“Awakening from a Grand Dream” and “Human World Is Not as Good as You” are two dramas, one depicting brutal reality, the other delicate happiness, two extremes of love. It was hard to imagine they came from the same screenwriter.
Wen Changyun repeatedly watched the trailer, which was only a little over two minutes long. He said, “I plan to follow this drama.” He usually watched his daughter’s many dramas as a task, and romance dramas weren’t quite suitable for his age.
It was because his mindset was no longer young.
But this “Awakening from a Grand Dream” no longer floated on the surface of love or not love.
The collision of emotions and reality within it, due to the director’s expressive style, was very sharp.
The visuals had a texture and a fractured atmosphere.
This drama was also filmed in Jiangcheng; the crew spent more than half a month shooting here.
Wen Di finished looking at the trending topics. “They’re praising me to the heavens.”
Wen Qizhen smiled, “You are a flower yourself, no need for praise.”
The phone in Wen Di’s hand vibrated; it was a call from Jiang Chengyu.
“Hello, CEO Jiang.”
“Sorry to bother you so late, but Tang Tang told me that your gift had to be delivered tonight. Are you home? I’ll be there soon.”
Wen Di wasn’t surprised that Jiang Chengyu could find her house; Shen Tang had been there many times and knew the exact address.
Jiang Chengyu had originally planned to pick a daytime to specially visit the Wen family. Besides Grandpa Shen, Wen Di and her family had shown Shen Tang the most care.
He was grateful to everyone who was kind to Shen Tang.
For this visit, he had prepared some collections, which were also carefully selected.
Wen Changyun and Jiang Chengyu knew of each other, but it was their first meeting.
Grandpa Wen, like Wen Di, had a very good impression of Jiang Chengyu. “It’s enough that you came to see us. Look at how much you’ve spent.”
After warm greetings, Jiang Chengyu sat down and said, “It’s my pleasure.”
He then apologized again for disturbing them so late tonight, saying he would visit again after the financial forum concluded.
It was getting late, so Jiang Chengyu didn’t stay long, only chatting for half an hour before excusing himself.
Wen Di and Wen Changyun saw him out, accompanying him all the way to his car.
“Don’t be a stranger, please stay here.” Jiang Chengyu shook hands with Wen Changyun to say goodbye.
Wen Di stood beside the driver’s door. The person inside was watching, separated by a car door and a car window.
She didn’t know who was inside.
The car drove away from the villa compound. Wen Di and Wen Changyun went back inside.
The large gate of the courtyard closed automatically. The car drove not far and pulled over.
Yan Heyu turned his face. “Are you still planning to sit in the back?”
“The chance to be my driver, you begged for it.” Despite what he said, Jiang Chengyu still opened the car door, got out, and sat in the passenger seat.
Yan Heyu had only been to Wen Di’s grandpa’s house once, but he clearly remembered the way to the villa area. He didn’t use navigation and didn’t take a wrong turn at any intersection.
________________________________________
Wen Di carried the gift box from Shen Tang back to her room to unwrap the surprise.
Inside was a handbag, along with a stylish suit set paired with a white shirt.
There was a card with a message from Shen Tang.
[I guessed you might go to the financial summit. It’s a rare opportunity, and it happens to be in Jiangcheng. Here’s a suit for you, suitable for the occasion. I also bought one, a different color from yours, sister matching outfits.]
No wonder she insisted on Jiang Chengyu delivering the gift tonight; she wanted her to wear the suit tomorrow.
Wen Di took the gift box to her walk-in closet and tried on the new clothes.
She and Shen Tang had similar figures and wore the same size.
It was her first time wearing a suit. Standing in front of the mirror, it felt very different from before.
Wen Di video-called Shen Tang. Shen Tang answered immediately, but she wasn’t in the frame.
“Didi, wait for me. I’m buttoning up.” Shen Tang’s voice came through. She knew Wen Di would video call her after getting the gift.
She was changing into her newly bought suit to show Wen Di the effect.
Propping up her phone, Wen Di and Shen Tang complimented each other on camera.
Shen Tang said, “I used to think you looked sexy in dresses, but it turns out you’re also sexy in a suit, a kind of austere sexiness. I can’t help but take a second look.”
She declared, “I’m not flattering you; it’s the truth.”
Wen Di said, “You’re flattering the clothes you bought.”
The two chatted merrily for over half an hour.
Later, Wen Di brought up the trending topic from last night. “‘Awakening from a Grand Dream’ was well-acted by you. Why did you still let people praise me?”
Shen Tang: “I’ve retired from the industry, that kind of popularity is useless to me. It’s not flattery. If you hadn’t written it well, who would have the nerve to praise it? That would be forced flattery. Qin Xing and I discussed it, and we decided to follow your wishes. Our company will film ‘Behind Desire’ ourselves. You’re a golden brand now; we have to give you the spotlight.”
“Oh, right.” She told Wen Di, “The drama version of ‘Human World Is Not as Good as You’ was a big hit. Several companies have approached me, planning to make a movie version.”
For “Human World Is Not as Good as You,” she had only authorized the TV series rights. Wen Di asked, “Is Guan Xiangmu still trying to buy it?”
“He has that intention.”
“Don’t sell it to him.”
Shen Tang smiled, “Okay, unless he’s willing to pay a huge sum.”
She received a message from Jiang Chengyu: [You tried on clothes and forgot about me? You’ve been trying on clothes for almost forty minutes, still not done?]
Shen Tang then ended the video call with Wen Di.
Wen Di turned off her phone and stood in front of the mirror for a while.
When her thoughts returned, fifteen minutes had passed.
________________________________________
The next morning, Wen Di was woken up by her alarm at six o’clock.
Today’s financial forum opened at nine, so she got up early to prepare, put on light makeup, and styled her hair for a while.
Downstairs, her father and second aunt were already seated at the dining table.
Wen Qizhen’s eyes lit up as she scrutinized her niece. “With another pair of glasses, you’d be a domineering female CEO, no doubt.”
“I don’t have that kind of aura.”
“No, no, it’s very strong. If you don’t believe me, ask your dad.”
“My dad wouldn’t dare to tell the truth; he’d just agree with you.”
Wen Changyun chuckled, “I dare to tell the truth.”
He felt that his daughter actually looked very good in this style of clothing. Wearing a suit, she had Qizhen’s strong presence.
Wen Qizhen stood up and tidied her niece’s long hair again. “Did Shen Tang’s urgent request for Jiang Chengyu to deliver a gift to you last night mean this suit?”
“Mm. She told me to wear it today.”
Wen Qizhen said, “I used to think you looked good in dresses, but now I realize suits seem to suit you better.”
Wen Di joked, “Maybe I’ve turned dark.”
“Sit down and eat first.” Wen Qizhen pulled out a chair for her niece.
Wen Di took off her suit jacket and sat down at the dining table.
Wen Changyun had already finished eating and needed to go to the venue early today, so he didn’t wait for Wen Di.
He had a speech and the organizer asked him to arrive a bit early.
Once Wen Changyun left, only the aunt and niece remained at the dining table.
Wen Qizhen spoke without restraint, “Xiao Donghan will be completely smitten today.”
“...Auntie, you’re making fun of me first thing in the morning.”
“You can’t hide it from me. He’s sending you invitations, making all sorts of excuses to ask you out. When a man frequently wants to see a woman over a period of time, it’s certainly not just to maintain friendship.”
Wen Qizhen handed her a glass of juice. “My intuition won’t be wrong.”
As for Xiao Donghan, she wouldn’t comment on his ruthless side in business. She wasn’t very familiar with his private conduct.
“You should ask Shen Tang more. I’ll also help you evaluate him.”
Wen Di: “I need to try judging people myself. Grandpa says, look a few times and you’ll get it right.”
At worst, he wouldn’t be worse than Yan Heyu.
Wen Qizhen smiled, “That sounds so familiar. Your grandpa told me the same thing, to look a few more times.” She shrugged, smiling without speaking.
Wen Qizhen still had to rush to the company. Wen Di waved to her, reminding her to drive slowly.
Wen Di left at 7:30 AM. Since there would be many cars at the venue today, she was worried about finding parking, so she had her driver take her and then drive the car back.
The financial forum was held at a hotel in the industrial park. Before even reaching the park, the cars were stuck in traffic.
Before getting out of the car, Wen Di found her accreditation badge in her bag and hung it around her neck.
Today’s opening ceremony was a grand event for the Jiangcheng Industrial Park. Security was strict. After passing through two security checks and confirming her identity, Wen Di was cleared to enter.
Wen Di was very familiar with the place. She entered the main hall on the first floor through the back door. There were also sub-venues on the second and third floors.
Her seat was in the second to last row on the side, relatively far from the main stage.
The person next to Wen Di hadn’t arrived yet. She opened her bag, took out a pre-prepared pen and notebook, ensured her phone was fully charged, and brought two power banks as backup.
She was an outsider, so she definitely wouldn’t understand the professional content. She could only record the relevant content on the big screen and study it slowly later.
The glasses Xiao Donghan lent her were still in her bag. She opened the glasses case but didn’t put them on directly, just held them up to her eyes.
Although the glasses weren’t prescribed for her vision, looking through the lenses made everything within her field of vision appear a degree clearer.
She wondered if her nearsightedness was more severe than she thought, or if Xiao Donghan’s prescription wasn’t very high.
Suddenly, a long, slender hand appeared on her nose bridge, gently pushing the glasses frame onto her nose, while the other hand tucked the earpiece behind her ear.
Wen Di turned her face. Xiao Donghan was wearing a navy blue suit today, and upon closer inspection, faint stripes could be seen.
Just as she was about to take off the glasses, he said, “I’ve never worn them, they’re yours.”
“I don’t need glasses.”
“If you don’t need them, why did you take them out to try on?”
Wen Di took out her phone. “Then I’ll transfer the money to you. How much are the glasses?”
“They’re a gift for you.”
“I can’t accept something for nothing.”
“You did something good.”
“What good thing?”
“I’ve gone from the front row to stick myself next to you here, even putting glasses on you. What good thing did you do that you’re not clear about?”
The credit for making him feel different.
When he saw her enter the venue just now, he felt the same way he did when he received that [I’m thinking of you] message.
He looked at her face. “Something’s missing from your outfit without glasses.”
Xiao Donghan had never had the idea of conquering a woman, but Wen Di made him have that idea, and it was very strong.
He wanted her to have him in her heart.
Wen Di looked up the glasses model and transferred the approximate amount to him. “CEO Xiao, if you were in sales, you’d be a master. Look how easily you sold your unused second-hand glasses, no need for Xianyu. And you sold them at a new price.”
“What is Xianyu?”
“A very salty fish.”
“...”
Xiao Donghan opened his phone, glanced at the amount, and didn’t accept it.
Wen Di urged him to accept, but Xiao Donghan directly exited the chat.
“CEO Xiao, you’re here!”
A representative from the financial forum’s organizing committee approached.
Xiao Donghan was one of the invited guests today, with a segment to answer reporters’ questions on stage.
The representative paused when he saw Wen Di, then took a second look and felt it might indeed be Wen Di. He had seen Wen Di at some events in Jiangcheng before and had a strong impression.
“You’re Chairman Wen’s daughter, Wen Di, aren’t you?”
“That’s me. Hello.”
“I apologize, you were wearing glasses, and I didn’t dare to recognize you.” The representative saw her sitting so far back and was very apologetic, saying he didn’t know she was in Jiangcheng, otherwise he would have given her a front-row invitation.
The back seats did not include access to the cocktail party.
“The cocktail party is upstairs, in the banquet hall on the fifth floor. I’ll have someone send you an entry pass in a moment.”
“Thank you, but I won’t be attending the cocktail party.” Xiao Donghan might have thought she wouldn’t want to go either, which is why he hadn’t given her a cocktail party invitation.
“You absolutely must attend. It would be a lapse in my duty. I watched the trailer for ‘Awakening from a Grand Dream’ yesterday, and it had aerial shots of our Jiangcheng Industrial Park. Although it was only a few seconds, it was incredibly impactful. That’s advertising you can’t buy with money. You’ve gone to such great lengths to showcase our park, so there’s no reason not to thank you.”
The representative said, “If you don’t come, then it means you feel I haven’t been hospitable enough.”
Wen Di: “...”
It could be like that.
The representative then saw Xiao Donghan, who had condescended to come from the front row, so it was even more imperative to invite Wen Di. He turned to instruct his secretary, who said, “Someone has already been sent to deliver it.”
It was too much hospitality; if she refused, it would be a bit of a snub.
Xiao Donghan said, “Go ahead. Uncle Wen will be there tonight too.”
The representative pondered for a moment. Xiao Donghan didn’t say Chairman Wen, but Uncle Wen.
A single title, so many subtleties.
The admission pass was delivered, and Xiao Donghan left with the representative.
Wen Di put away the envelope, took off her glasses, and just felt a headache.
Not long after, she received a message from her father.
Wen Changyun said: [They specifically greeted me and told me to definitely bring you to the cocktail party tonight. Go. If it weren’t for this financial forum being held in Jiangcheng, you might not have the opportunity to attend such a high-level cocktail party in the financial circle. There’s no harm in seeing it.]
It wasn’t until 6:30 PM that Wen Di saw her father.
Wen Changyun was waiting for her at the check-in desk on the fifth floor. Seeing his daughter, he took two steps forward. “How was your day?”
Wen Di linked arms with her father. “It wasn’t a wasted trip.” She gained more than she expected.
She was still wearing her suit, and others attending the cocktail party were dressed similarly, at most having removed their suit jackets, with their shirts being the same ones they wore during the daytime conference.
The cocktail party wasn’t about glamorous attire; rather than a cocktail party, it was more of an open business networking event. Everyone was seizing the opportunity to find people they usually wanted to meet but found hard to arrange, or those with potential for cooperation.
Stepping into the banquet hall, Wen Di saw Jiang Yunxing. Jiang Yunxing was also wearing a business suit. She had her phone to her ear, making a call, and didn’t notice her.
Jiang Yunxing was on the phone with her uncle. The banquet hall was a bit noisy, so she came out to find a quiet and secluded place to talk.
Her uncle asked her if she had seen Yan Heyu today.
“I didn’t notice.”
“He wasn’t speaking on stage? You didn’t notice?”
Jiang Yunxing laid her cards on the table with her uncle. “Give up on this idea. I’m not going to him. Even if he halts my projects, I will never go to him.”
She was fed up with him always having the final say.
“I promised Xiao Donghan to continue cooperating with him. I can’t go back on my word. Xiao Donghan gave us benefits, and we give him resources. Before cooperating, you should have considered various risks, and halting the project is one of them. You don’t want Yan Heyu to be your opponent, and I don’t want Xiao Donghan to be mine either.”
Uncle: “Are you planning to introduce your cousin to Xiao Donghan? I’m telling you, the probability of that succeeding is less than one percent. Don’t pick up sesame seeds and lose the watermelon.”
“Even if the marriage alliance doesn’t work out, cooperating with the Xiao family, we won’t lose much. Uncle, if you have a choice, there will definitely be losses.”
The uncle controlled his temper: “Yunxing, do you think Yan Heyu will eventually back down?”
Jiang Yunxing looked out the window at the Jiangcheng Industrial Park, a very unfamiliar night scene, and said truthfully, “I had a tiny sliver of hope, less than one in ten thousand. The rest of the time, I knew he wouldn’t compromise with me.”
Now, the only one he might unconditionally compromise with was probably the Wen family.
So, she ultimately chose Xiaoning Group.
“Uncle, I’m also very uncomfortable, but I have to take this step. Now, Xiao Donghan affected his interests, and he won’t allow us to cooperate with Xiao Donghan. Next time, if we cooperate with someone else and inadvertently affect his interests, will we still have to compromise?”
To suddenly stand on opposing sides with someone she loved so much, she didn’t want that either, and he was merciless. That kind of feeling, others wouldn’t understand.
“Uncle, in the future, if it’s about this, don’t call me again.”
She hung up the phone, let out a sigh, and re-entered the banquet hall.
As she went to get a drink, she saw Yan Heyu from afar. He was chatting with a few friends.
These past few years, she and Tian Qinglu, who was better off than whom?
Even if she didn’t want to hear it, she would occasionally hear people around her say how he doted on Wen Di, buying her rare good things and putting thought into preparing them.
He even cooked for Wen Di.
These things didn’t seem like much.
Until he got engaged to Tian Qinglu, he still didn’t want to break up with Wen Di.
At that time, everyone was shocked.
Immediately after, he broke off his engagement, and even though Wen Di was dating Qi Mingche, he still refused to let go, chasing her all the way to Jiangcheng.
Jiang Yunxing tilted her head slightly, taking a sip of red wine. She swallowed it in one gulp.
If she didn’t cooperate with Xiao Donghan, what else could she do?
She certainly couldn’t expect to cooperate with him.
She took another glass of wine and went to find Xiao Donghan.
“CEO Xiao.”
Jiang Yunxing clinked glasses with him from a distance. “When are you going to Beijing next?”
Xiao Donghan countered, “Is there something?”
“My uncle and I would like to treat you to a meal.”
He wasn’t interested in such a gesture of goodwill. “I’m busy lately. I’m waiting for someone to pursue me.”
Jiang Yunxing: “...”
Xiao Donghan excused himself and went to find Wen Di.
Passing by the dining area, he saw Yan Heyu and Wen Di talking about something, but he didn’t approach.
Yan Heyu didn’t know Wen Di attended today’s financial forum, much less that she would appear at the cocktail party. When he accidentally glimpsed her just now, he thought he had seen wrong.
She was choosing a drink. He told her, “The one on the left is suitable for you.”
Wen Di nodded. “Thank you.”
But she didn’t take the drink on the left. She turned and went to another side to choose.
Yan Heyu didn’t bother her further and picked a low-alcohol drink to go to the lounge area.
Xiao Donghan sat down. There was a coffee table between them. He clinked glasses with Yan Heyu, “If three people are on one emotional path, does CEO Yan feel it’s a bit crowded?”
Yan Heyu swirled his wine glass, retorting, “I don’t think so. Anyway, none of us three are fat.”
Xiao Donghan: “...”
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