HYAT - 60

By the end of April, the days were getting longer.

An endless afterglow from the setting sun spilled into the hallway from the French window.

It was a clear day, and the lunar calendar indicated it was a good day for making money, starting a new business, and receiving blessings. Everything seemed auspicious and full of good omens.

Shen Qianzhan was happy with the sunlight and didn’t bother to argue with the rake, Ji Qinghe. She simply adjusted her long hair, which was styled in an updo, and gave him a playful glare: “CEO Ji is still too young.”

She stepped into the elevator, her long dress with its fishtail hem swaying like waves.

When this woman tried to be seductive, her every move was full of charm.

Shen Qianzhan, however, was completely unaware of her irresistible charm. When Qiao Xin caught up, she released the elevator door button and gracefully took a step back: “I’m not available to entertain you tonight.”

Ji Qinghe was noncommittal.

He was very low-key today. He wasn’t in a suit and tie, nor was he dressed to attract attention. He was in casual clothes that were appropriate for his age. If it weren’t for his dazzlingly handsome face, he would have looked like an accountant—scholarly on the outside but full of calculations on the inside.

Shen Qianzhan couldn’t help but glance at him a few more times and asked: “Where’s Ming Jue?”

“He didn’t come. I’m here, and someone needs to hold down the fort in Beijing,” Ji Qinghe said, pausing before adding calmly: “And I was also worried he would get in the way.”

“Get in the way? What could he get in the way of?” There were plenty of people on the crew; one more mouth to feed and one more bed wouldn’t be an issue.

Ji Qinghe chuckled lightly and looked at her through the elevator’s floor-to-ceiling mirror.

He didn’t say anything, but his gaze was filled with a sense of ambiguity and indulgence.

Shen Qianzhan only met his eyes for a moment before quickly looking away, staring at the elevator ceiling, the camera, the handrail—anything but Ji Qinghe.

Soon, the elevator arrived at the lobby.

Shen Qianzhan stepped out of the elevator first, as if her pants were on fire.

A line of commercial vans was parked in front of the hotel, waiting to pick up the guests. Every member of Team A and Team B was present.

The production assistants and the logistics team were arranging for the guests to get into the cars. As soon as Shen Qianzhan arrived, she naturally got priority. Ji Qinghe was an important guest, and he joined Shen Qianzhan in her car along with the two scriptwriters, and they set off for Jichun Erwan, ten kilometers away.

________________________________________

The Jichun Erwan Hotel was built by a lake and was one of the most luxurious five-star hotels in Wuxi in recent years.

Because of the expensive accommodation, Shen Qianzhan hadn’t even considered it when she was allocating the budget. She had only stingily chosen to hold the launch party in Jichun Erwan’s reception hall.

When they arrived, Su Zan, who had gotten wind of their arrival, was already waiting at the entrance.

He stood in front of the Time concept poster that was hanging on the outside of the hotel. He was wearing a floral shirt and looked cheerful and energetic.

A doorman came forward to open the door. Ji Qinghe, who was sitting on the outside, got out first, followed by Shen Qianzhan.

She was wearing a long dress with a narrow hem, and she was hesitating between elegantly jumping out of the car or awkwardly getting out sideways. Ji Qinghe reached out, took her hand in his, and put his other arm around her waist, lifting her out of the car without giving her a chance to refuse.

When her feet were on the ground, he casually withdrew his hand. The whole action was fluid and without any hint of awkwardness.

Shen Qianzhan was still a little dazed. Su Zan, who was watching the show, clapped twice. The laughter that had just bubbled up from his throat was stifled by a single glare from Ji Qinghe.

He cleared his throat, pretending he hadn’t seen anything, and walked past Shen Qianzhan and Ji Qinghe, extending his hand to Qiao Xin: “Come on, I won’t allow you to be the only one not getting a hug.”

Qiao Xin, who hadn’t even digested the first helping of romance, saw Su Zan’s attempt at a second and gave him a leg sweep, sending him flying: “You, you, you, go find somewhere else to cool off.”

There weren’t many people in the hotel corridor, so this little incident went unnoticed by anyone but the people involved.

At a time like this, Shen Qianzhan wasn’t going to be pretentious. Only when they entered the hall and there was no one around did she casually look up and give Ji Qinghe a glance: “You’re so skilled, CEO Ji. You must have helped a lot of girls get out of cars these past few months, haven’t you?”

Ji Qinghe withdrew his gaze from the reception hall, lowered his eyes slightly, and their eyes met. He said in a normal tone: “I had Ming Jue send you my itinerary. I was with this person or that person, busy with this or that every day. How can you accuse me with your eyes closed?”

Itinerary?

Shen Qianzhan was full of doubt: “Where did Ming Jue send it?”

“Email,” Ji Qinghe said, giving her a faint look. He knew from her expression that she was completely in the dark. “Sending it directly on WeChat would have been too deliberate. We don’t have a specific title for our relationship, so I couldn’t be so direct. I had to be a little roundabout.”

Shen Qianzhan’s earrings swayed. For a moment, she didn’t know what expression to make.

She wanted to laugh a little.

His humble little plan and cautious probing hadn’t reached her at all.

She also felt a little embarrassed and angry.

She had been so busy lately that her skin had gotten thinner, and she would blush and feel hot at the drop of a hat, making her feel flustered. She used to be able to talk about dirty things with Ji Qinghe without batting an eye, but now that he was speaking seriously, she found herself unable to handle it.

Was she still the same Shen Ruthless who was famous in Beijing’s nightlife and social scene?

Being coquettish wouldn’t work.

The thought of pulling on Ji Qinghe’s sleeve, stomping her foot, and saying, “Who told you to send me your itinerary?” made her shudder. It was too disgusting; she couldn’t do it.

Being cold and elegant wouldn’t work either.

What if she hurt CEO Ji’s proud little ego? She couldn’t just give him a haughty look and, like a heartbreaker, mock him for being a fussy old woman for sending her his itinerary while also sarcastically saying that this was the only trick he had to chase girls.

That would be a thousand points of damage to him and eight hundred to her.

After much thought, the scumbag Shen could only avoid eye contact with Ji Qinghe and say nonchalantly: “Someone’s coming. Let’s talk later.”

Her change of subject was abrupt, and as soon as she finished, she turned to leave. Just as she turned, that scumbag Ji Qinghe lightly gripped her left shoulder. He leaned in and whispered in her ear: “Tug on your collar a little. However much you show, is however much I’ll go in.”

What the hell?

Shen Qianzhan was shocked and turned to glare at him: “You shameless bastard.”

After she finished, her heart was trembling, and his words had filled her head with beautiful images of “how much I’ll go in.”

She shrugged her shoulder slightly, shaking off his hand. Feeling that wasn’t enough, she turned back and gave him a fierce glare: “You pervert.” But that last glance was shy and timid, not intimidating at all. Instead, it looked charming and seductive, with a playful hint of flirtation.

After she left the hall and reached the entrance, Shen Qianzhan patted her chest and took a deep breath.

Her mind was racing, trying to recall how many low-cut dresses she had in her closet. She remembered a deep ink-colored sequined dress that went all the way down to her underbust, which she had bought as a custom haute couture piece a few years ago to try and steal Jian Xin’s thunder. But Jian Xin had a bad cold before the film festival and was absent.

If Jian Xin hadn’t been a killjoy, she probably would have had another highlight in her career as a producer.

When Shen Qianzhan came to her senses and realized what she was thinking, she slapped her forehead in frustration, almost wanting to smash her skull with her own hand.

She took a deep breath, cleared her mind of all the naughty thoughts, straightened her back, and then walked out.

________________________________________

At six o’clock, everyone, including Song Yan, had arrived.

The launch party officially began.

The Jichun Erwan’s floral hall could hold several hundred people. There was a stage inside, not a very big one, but the host’s podium, curtains, lighting, sound, and other equipment were all very complete.

Directly below the stage was a solitary twenty-person main table. Name cards were placed on the table in advance, and everyone had to be seated in their assigned seats.

Shen Qianzhan was in the center. Ji Qinghe was to her left, and to her right were Shao Chouxi, the assistant director, Fu Xi, Song Yan, and the rest of the main cast. Jiang Juanshan and Lin Qiao were seated next to Ji Qinghe.

The main creative team of the crew was at one table, which was very eye-catching.

Su Zan was the host of the launch party tonight. From the opening to the warm-up, he had been memorizing his lines all day.

Shen Qianzhan hadn’t had Qiao Xin prepare a script for him. The launch party was, after all, just a meal for the crew to get together, to motivate and cheer everyone on before the official start of filming, and to get a good omen. With Su Zan’s eloquence, he had been to every major event. As long as he remembered the necessary procedures, it would be easy for him to get the crowd going.

But Su Zan was a very ritualistic person and had Qiao Xin write him a script. He came in early that morning to rehearse, adjust the lighting, and act as if he were attending a big gala on a TV network.

Fortunately, the crew members were all kind and good-natured. After laughing for a while at Su Zan’s solemnity, which was completely different from his usual cheerful and silly demeanor, they were very cooperative in applauding and cheering.

Su Zan wasn’t timid either. After he finished his lines, he started to improvise. When it came to introducing the main creative team of the Time crew, he suddenly became very emotional and gestured for the spotlight to focus on Shen Qianzhan.

The latter, who was not paying attention, was talking with Shao Chouxi about the shooting location for the first scene tomorrow. When the spotlight fell on her, the Time concept poster on the stage curtain faded, and the camera focused on her.

She subconsciously looked up, and her eyes, glittering and bright, were unexpectedly stunning.

It took Shen Qianzhan a few seconds to realize that the launch party had moved on to the second part. She gave a faint smile and comfortably listened to Su Zan introduce her with a bunch of flowery words.

As the producer, the decision-maker with the highest authority in the crew, she enjoyed the highest glory and prestige.

The entertainment industry is a very realistic place. The one with power and money is the boss. Whether you are a proud and clean-cut person or an opportunist who is good at clinging to power, you have to be polite to those in charge.

Shen Qianzhan was not used to this kind of atmosphere at first, but after dealing with more and more challenges, she understood. Many people’s respect was not for her, Shen Qianzhan, but for Producer Shen.

If she were to decline and be polite, it would only make people think she was petty and couldn’t handle the responsibility. If she accepted it gracefully, she would be respected, and everything would be easier. All people are born equal, but economic power, professional ability, and family background naturally divide people into different classes, and it’s not a completely fair world.

To hold a position, there will be both glory and bitterness. In the moments of glory, you are admired by all, but in the moments of bitterness, only you know.

She listened with her head down. The camera was on her for as long as she listened.

When Su Zan finished and invited her to speak on stage, the applause from the audience seemed to have been waiting for a long time. It surged like a tide, making the listeners feel excited.

Shen Qianzhan didn’t decline out of politeness. She didn’t even blush. She calmly got up and walked up the steps to the stage. The spotlight above her was like a curtain of water, making her bejeweled skirt look misty and breathtakingly beautiful.

The self-obsessed Producer Shen, appreciating the effect of her walk to the stage, was very satisfied. She took the microphone and encouraged everyone on the crew.

She didn’t say much, but every word was a classic.

She talked about how difficult and fortunate it was to bring Fu Xi and Song Yan together, and how capable and hardworking Su Zan was. She praised Shao Chouxi’s talent and the hard work of all the crew members, not leaving out the supporting actors, mentioning them one by one without going into too much detail.

It’s no wonder Shen Qianzhan was considered a walking Chinese dictionary. Her words were precise, perfectly hitting their target. There was not a single unnecessary word, and she skillfully brought the atmosphere of the launch party to a climax.

After her speech, she elegantly walked off the stage, holding the hem of her skirt.

The spotlight had already moved to Shao Chouxi. Shen Qianzhan returned to her seat discreetly. Since the procedure was over, there was nothing for her to do. She picked up her chopsticks and ate something quickly to fill her stomach before the next round of toasts.

Although Ji Qinghe was talking softly with Jiang Juanshan, his peripheral vision didn’t miss her every move.

Wherever her eyes landed, he would unhurriedly place a dish in her bowl.

Shen Qianzhan didn’t have a bad reaction the first couple of times, but as the times increased, people’s gazes slowly started to gather.

She ate with her head down, and under the table, she lightly tugged on the corner of Ji Qinghe’s shirt. She meant to signal him to stop putting food in her bowl, but either he misunderstood or he did it on purpose. He leaned in and put his ear close to her, waiting for her instructions.

Shen Qianzhan glared at him. It wasn’t appropriate to get angry in public, so she could only lean in and say through gritted teeth: “CEO Ji, there are a lot of people here. Restrain yourself.”

Ji Qinghe was completely unbothered: “Qiao Xin told me to keep an eye on you and make sure you eat more.”

As soon as he finished, a burst of laughter erupted from the audience, startling Shen Qianzhan. She looked up and saw Shao Chouxi, who had been on stage performing a stand-up comedy routine for half an hour and still didn’t want to get off, looking at Shen Qianzhan. She didn’t know what he had said about her in the previous sentence, but the entire crew was laughing so hard they were shaking and swaying.

As expected, it was a bad idea to be distracted.

This statement was true for all ages.

Shen Qianzhan subconsciously asked Ji Qinghe: “What did he just say?”

Her hand was still gripping the corner of Ji Qinghe’s shirt. In her urgency, she gave it another tug. Ji Qinghe was pulled by her strength, and his shoulder moved toward her side. A burst of kind and amiable laughter, high and low, came from behind them.

Ji Qinghe had always been a man of composure and stability, the kind who wouldn’t bat an eye even if a mountain collapsed in front of him. But at this moment, it was as if he was infected by the atmosphere. He smiled silently and said: “If you don’t let go, you’re going to make a scene.”

Shen Qianzhan: “...” She let go immediately, as if the fabric had burned her hand.

At this point, if Shen Qianzhan still couldn’t tell that Shao Chouxi was making fun of her, she might as well give up. She turned and retorted without hesitation: “Director Shao is like a standing pole, standing on stage for half an hour. Don’t tell me tomorrow, when we start filming, that you can’t direct because your lips are too worn out.”

The whole room burst into laughter.

Shen Qianzhan had won this round. She waited for Shao Chouxi to return to his seat and then, being petty, stepped on his foot hard: “What bad things did you say about me just now?”

Shao Chouxi’s foot was stomped on by her high heel, and his face turned from pale to red. He looked past Shen Qianzhan at Ji Qinghe and gave him a sympathetic look that said, “This woman is not to be trifled with, brother, may God have mercy on your soul.”

Before Shen Qianzhan could get furious, he backed down and respectfully held up a glass of white wine: “How could I say bad things about you in public? I just said, ‘There’s a woman here who probably won’t know what I said until I get off the stage,’ that’s all.”

Then he looked at Shen Qianzhan. The cameraman’s camera followed his gaze and captured her small action. As a result, the entire crew knew that she was distracted by men and not focused on her work.

Shen Qianzhan, who had been unknowingly set up, could only make a threat: “...You just wait. This isn’t over tonight.”

________________________________________

The consequences of offending Shen Qianzhan were undoubtedly severe.

Shao Chouxi didn’t take it seriously at first, but when he followed Shen Qianzhan to toast at every table, he realized what it meant to regret something deeply.

A launch party is always a celebration for the entire crew.

According to Chinese drinking culture, Shen Qianzhan was definitely not leaving until she was drunk tonight. Not only did she have to toast the crew members at every table, but representatives from every table also came to toast her.

Fu Xi and Song Yan could take small sips, but she couldn’t get away with it.

Even though Shen Qianzhan had Shao Chouxi, her scapegoat, to take a lot of the toasts for her, she was still dizzy and intoxicated by the time they were about to take a group photo.

Qiao Xin came to help her and fed her some hangover medicine. Seeing that she couldn’t sit still, she was about to support her by the waist when Ji Qinghe held her shoulder and let her lean against the back of the chair: “I’ve got her.”

Qiao Xin didn’t object. She held the hangover soup, which had been prepared in advance, to Shen Qianzhan’s lips: “Sister Zhan, have some of this to sober up. I’ll take you back to the hotel after the group photo.”

Shen Qianzhan was extremely dizzy. All the sounds in her ears were distant, as if separated by a film. She couldn’t hear clearly. She leaned into Ji Qinghe’s arms, fumbled to pinch his ear, and asked: “What did you say?”

His earlobe was slightly cool and comfortable to the touch. Shen Qianzhan couldn’t let go. She kneaded it twice and wrapped her arm around the back of his neck, holding him tightly: “I’m dizzy from drinking. I want to sleep.”

She nestled her head into his shoulder, and her hair brushed against his ear. Ji Qinghe was slightly stunned, but he couldn’t bear to push her away. He took the teacup from Qiao Xin and fed the hangover soup to her lips.

Shen Qianzhan licked it with the tip of her tongue, then pushed it away in disgust: “It’s gross.”

Ji Qinghe was splashed with the hangover soup she pushed away. He frowned slightly, looked up at Qiao Xin, and said: “Have Su Zan gather everyone. Let’s take the group photo, and I’ll take her upstairs to rest.”

Although he hadn’t had a drop to drink, he knew that mixing different types of alcohol was the fastest way to get drunk.

Shen Qianzhan was clearly still conscious, but she couldn’t control herself. If she wasn’t taken to her room to rest soon, there was no telling how she would lose her composure.

Qiao Xin naturally realized this as well.

Shen Qianzhan’s drunken behavior was always a lottery. On a good day, she would fall asleep as soon as she passed out, as docile as a lamb. On a bad day, she would cling to a male actor, wanting a hug, expressing her sympathy for his difficult career and pity for his unrecognized talent. If Su Zan hadn’t covered her mouth in time, who knows how many industry secrets she would have spilled?

In the end, Qiao Xin had to coax, lie, and drag her to get the three-year-old version of Shen Qianzhan to leave. Even so, the three-year-old Shen had scared the male actor so much that he was afraid he would have to sell his ass and avoided her until the filming was finished.

More recently, Shen Qianzhan had also gotten drunk and made a fool of herself.

Last year, Jiang Yecheng was getting restless and wanted to replace Shen Qianzhan with Jian Xin. She and Su Zan had accompanied Shen Qianzhan to meet Shao Chouxi at Jichun Erwan. However, Director Shao was kept by Jian Xin in her circle and couldn’t leave. Shen Qianzhan had spent a whole night fighting with two old foxes. She didn’t get drunk during the dinner, but she was drunk and talking in her sleep on the way back.

She had said things like “doggy-style” and “can’t afford diamonds,” spewing out vulgarities and profanities.

The thought of this made Qiao Xin blush and her heart race. She couldn’t look directly at Ji Qinghe or Shen Qianzhan. With a burning face, she ran away to find Su Zan.

Ji Qinghe looked at Qiao Xin’s panicked back, turned Shen Qianzhan’s chin to look at her face thoughtfully, and asked in a low voice: “Drunk?”

Shen Qianzhan insisted: “I’m not drunk.”

Ji Qinghe curved his lips and smiled silently: “Alright, you’re not drunk.”

“It’s better that you’re not drunk.”