Chapter One Hundred and Four
When Shen Qianzhan said over the phone, "It just feels like the clothes might be a bit tight," she thought Ji Qinghe hadn’t heard. But he was waiting here, intending to settle old scores face-to-face.
How could she answer at a time like this?
Mindful of Meng Wangzhou enjoying the cool breeze in the courtyard, she dared not speak loudly, only mumbling vaguely, "Can’t I look?"
"You can." He chuckled softly, releasing her earlobe and instead nibbling at her neck, his voice hoarse: "Even if you want to play with it, you can."
She didn’t want to.
At least not now.
She gasped softly and pushed him away: "I’m a little hungry."
"Aren’t I your takeout?" Determined not to let her go, he grasped her hand and guided it back to its original place, his palm enveloping hers. Through the layer of his trousers, he slowly taught her.
His voice was so low that if she lost focus for even a moment, she wouldn’t understand what he was saying.
Shen Qianzhan was so embarrassed she could have dug her toes into the ground. Now she felt that merely staring at his crotch wasn’t so perverse after all.
Ji Qinghe was the perverted one!
This man always enjoyed doing things behind closed doors—first with Ji Lin, and now with Meng Wangzhou. It seemed the more people around, the more excited he became.
Her fingers ached, her palms burned as if holding a volcano forged from molten rock, waiting for it to awaken from its dormant state.
He kept soothing her, kissing her from her eyelids all the way to her lips, lingering and exploring, prying open her teeth, sucking on her tongue, entangled and lost.
The foyer was lit only by a single wall lamp for illumination. Through the frosted glass shade, the light was dim, carrying the warm hue of dusk, like the last ray of sunlight before sunset, stunning and moving like flowing sand.
Shen Qianzhan wore no makeup, bathed in this light like a mountain spirit emerging from a lantern-lit painting.
Before losing his senses, Ji Qinghe lifted her and pressed her against the foyer’s storage shelf.
Biting her lip, he whispered, "Don’t make a sound."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he kissed her deeply, swallowing the unspoken moan on her tongue.
His lips pressed against hers, his eyes burning with fire, yet his voice remained calm and restrained: "What are you doing tomorrow?"
Shen Qianzhan, like a lone boat tossed by a hurricane, whimpered and struggled to answer: "Going to Thousand Lights to handle resignation procedures and submit review materials."
Ji Qinghe hummed in acknowledgment and asked, "Do you want me to go with you?"
Her legs felt sore and swollen. Biting her lip, she swallowed the soft moan that threatened to escape and glared at him, saying, "Do you think I’m not already… conspicuous enough?"
The last few words were shattered by his sudden thrust.
Startled, she clung tightly to him, her fingers on the back of his neck scratching him lightly.
Ji Qinghe hissed softly.
He held the deep, fierce position for a few seconds, then suggested, "Should I carry you upstairs?"
Shen Qianzhan nodded.
She struggled to contain him, feeling as if all her strength had been drained, her limbs weak and limp.
She buried her head in the crook of his neck, her arms wrapped around him, tightening with every step he took.
Ji Qinghe had never experienced such an intense sensation, as if his spine had been pulled out, leaving him hollow. Barely making it into the room, he held her for a moment to steady himself, then laid her on the bed, moving with bold, decisive strokes, relentless and unforgiving.
Shen Qianzhan felt like a drowning fish, gradually suffocating.
He continued to ask, "After leaving Thousand Lights, what are your plans next?"Knowing this was his usual method of diverting attention, Shen Qianzhan didn’t want to play along. Her eyes were half-open and half-closed, like distant mountains seen the day after rain—hazy, mysterious, and fatally alluring.
She released her lips, humming silently.
Her gaze hooked him like bait, and only after he took it did she softly exhale two breaths, saying, “I plan to indulge in drunken dreams with you.”
In the end, Shen Qianzhan did indeed experience a few small deaths.
Curled in Ji Qinghe’s arms, she resembled a lifeless ragdoll, too weary to do anything but defend herself with her sharp, delicate teeth.
—
Ji Qinghe worried she might wake up hungry in the middle of the night, so he sent Meng Wangzhou to buy some porridge to keep warm.
Meng Wangzhou grumbled unhappily, “She’s your wife. Why should I go buy porridge?”
Ji Qinghe replied, “Because you’re single and have no sex life.”
Meng Wangzhou: “Fck? Is that how you ask for a favor?”
Ji Qinghe retorted, “Who’s asking whom?”
Over the years, Meng Wangzhou had relied entirely on Ji Qinghe’s goodwill, much like the Monkey King in the Buddha’s palm—unable to stir up any waves.
Resigned, he got up and went to the courtyard to ride his little Harley.
On the way to buy porridge, the night city of Beijing lazily turned over, its lights sparkling brilliantly.
He parked his motorcycle in front of the porridge shop, straddling the seat with both legs as he collected forest energy. Just then, his phone vibrated with another message from Ji Qinghe: “Interested in changing jobs?”
—
The next day, Shen Qianzhan went to Thousand Lights to handle the handover.
On the day Su Lanyi suspended her, aside from submitting her resignation letter, Shen Qianzhan had also applied to disband the crew for both Thousand Lights and Endless Year.
With Endless Year’s approval already in place, Thousand Lights quickly compromised under pressure from the investors.
So, Shen Qianzhan’s return to the company involved only signing documents, completing the resignation process, and packing up her personal belongings.
After signing, she casually asked the HR staff, “Where’s Director Su?”
“Director Su is upstairs.” The HR department had a good relationship with Shen Qianzhan. Seeing her finish the formalities and prepare to leave, they felt both regret for her departure and sympathy for her situation. They kept her for a moment, quietly passing along a message: “After the incident with the crew member’s accidental death, Producer Xiao came by once, saying he’d help check the emergency contacts of the crew staff.”
“Not long ago, Assistant Director Su also came asking for the list. When he overheard our department discussing the matter, he flew into a rage.”
Shen Qianzhan wasn’t surprised that Xiao Sheng would meddle, but she was taken aback by Su Zan: “Su Zan came for the list?”
The HR staff hesitated for a few seconds before nodding, hinting discreetly, “Assistant Director Su seemed to think these incidents were too coincidental and wanted to investigate. Director Su is fully aware and has turned a blind eye, letting him handle it.”
Shen Qianzhan nodded slightly to show she understood.
The Time* incident had stirred up a storm, and Thousand Lights was surely buzzing with private talk and gossip.
Likely, a few sharp-eyed individuals could see that this turmoil was a clash between two tigers, with the loser leaving.
She didn’t hesitate to show the utmost goodwill before her departure. After thanking the HR department, Shen Qianzhan returned to her office to pack her personal items. After bidding farewell to colleagues who had worked with her for years and came to see her off, she gathered the weight of her years at Thousand Lights and prepared to leave.
But as she stepped into the elevator, she suddenly changed her mind, pressed the upward button, and went to find Su Lanyi.The latter seemed to have been waiting for her as well. Upon seeing her enter, her tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and she stood up from behind the desk.
Shen Qianzhan greeted Su Lanyi just as she had when they were still friends—warmly, naturally finding an empty seat to sit in, and quietly waiting for her to speak.
Su Lanyi, however, was not as composed as she was. Pressing her hand against the corner of the desk, she stared at Shen Qianzhan for a moment before asking, "Don’t you have anything you want to ask me?" She knew the question was utterly foolish, yet deep down, there was a part of her desperate for an answer.
Shen Qianzhan thought for a moment and asked, "Is the company out of money?"
"Has Xiao Sheng found something to hold over the company and threatened you?"
"Can you handle it yourself?"
All three questions she asked had nothing to do with herself.
Su Lanyi was taken aback by how well she understood her. With a bitter smile, she said, "Su Zan argued with me fiercely over you. After returning home yesterday, he even declared in front of our parents that he no longer recognized me as his sister."
Her voice grew low and strained as she added, "Why don’t you ask me why I didn’t save Thousand Lights?"
Perhaps it was because she was back on her own turf, but ever since returning to Beijing, Shen Qianzhan felt more confident than she had in Wuxi.
Interlacing her fingers, she pondered for a few seconds before correcting, "Su Zan wasn’t doing it for me. He was acting on his own principles and sense of integrity. He doesn’t understand the complexities of corporate interests or the fierce dynamics of business competition. The company must never be handed over to him—it would surely go bankrupt."
Su Lanyi smiled, this time much more composed. "You’re right."
Shen Qianzhan hadn’t come here to reminisce.
She simply felt that Su Lanyi, as an indispensable figure in her life, might one day become a stranger, a mere passerby. Not bidding her a proper farewell felt like a disservice to all the years she had dedicated to Thousand Lights.
Even if what she had done wasn’t solely for Thousand Lights but also for herself.
Just as she was contemplating how to express herself in a way that would make Su Lanyi realize the significance of losing her, Su Lanyi, who had been staring at her for a long time, suddenly said, "I really envy you."
Shen Qianzhan was puzzled. "Envy me for experiencing a seven-year cycle and falling into the abyss again?"
Su Lanyi smiled and shook her head. "No."
She didn’t delve deeper into the topic, nor did she ask about Shen Qianzhan’s next steps. In fact, anyone familiar with Shen Qianzhan’s methods knew that such public opinion wouldn’t hold her back for long.
Her current silence was merely a waiting game—waiting for the right moment, the perfect opportunity for her to speak out.
Once she seized that opportunity, turning the tables would be just a matter of time.
And someone was already planning to give her exactly that opportunity.
That was why Su Lanyi felt envious. She envied Shen Qianzhan for having such a trump card, one that ensured she would always emerge victorious, no matter the circumstances.
Shen Qianzhan retrieved a document from a cardboard box and handed it to Su Lanyi. "This is a share transfer agreement."
"‘Time’ must have cost you a lot. I don’t have much more to offer, but this is something, better than nothing. It’ll also allow me to leave cleanly, without any lingering attachments."
Su Lanyi’s expression stiffened, as if she couldn’t believe Shen Qianzhan was giving away something so important so casually. "Your shares could have been used as leverage to negotiate with me."Shen Qianzhan smiled with exceptional ease. "Only you place such importance on profit. Last time, when I had nothing, you gave me a hand. After I stood back up on my own, money became far less important to me. It's something I can earn anywhere—why should I value it so highly? Only when your conscience is clear can you walk forward with confidence and keep smiling." She waved her hand and added, "I know exactly what kind of person you are, which is why I never resented you from the start. But if you hadn't given up on me, I was prepared to face this challenge together with Thousand Lights."
"Unfortunately, you gave up."
What Shen Qianzhan still minded was precisely this about Su Lanyi.
Perhaps only when she and Su Lanyi were completely free of any profit entanglements could they coexist peacefully.
What surprised Su Lanyi even more was something else.
Holding the equity transfer agreement, her expression turned inexplicable. "You didn't know?"
"Mr. Ji bought the copyright of 'Time' from Boxuan."
As if she hadn't heard clearly, Shen Qianzhan's smile remained at the corner of her lips, but her brows furrowed. "What did you say?"
Su Lanyi swallowed and said, "The copyright of 'Time' is now in the hands of Endless Year."
"You really had no idea at all?"
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