Chapter 24
The road back to the company was congested.
Due to traffic control, the business vehicle had barely entered the elevated highway before merging into the sluggish flow of cars, unable to move forward.
Having lived in Beijing for years, everyone was already accustomed to the suffocating traffic of the capital. They continued scrolling through their phones, showing no signs of impatience.
Gradually, as the traffic jam persisted, the vehicles squeezed together tightly.
On the elevated highway, frustrated drivers occasionally honked impatiently, the noise buzzing in everyone’s ears.
Seeing this, the driver turned off the engine and stepped out to inquire about the cause.
Once the car was shut off, the air inside grew stuffy. Shen Qianzhan cracked open a window slightly for ventilation.
Su Lanyi glanced out through the gap in the window, facing a slanted sunset. The lingering glow spread across the sky, enveloping the entire city of Beijing in a warm, golden hue, lending a metallic sheen to the concrete jungle.
She set down her phone, propped her elbow on the window frame, and looked at Shen Qianzhan. "Zhanzhan."
Shen Qianzhan turned her head in response.
Su Lanyi seemed to smile, the corners of her lips curving smoothly. "You’ve worked hard this year."
Shen Qianzhan raised an eyebrow, showing none of the deferential respect one might expect toward a boss. Instead, she grinned with a hint of mischief. "Giving me a bigger bonus would be more meaningful than saying nice things."
Su Lanyi pulled out an elegant cigarette case from her bag, took one for herself, and offered another to Shen Qianzhan. "When have I ever skimped on your red envelopes? Your bonuses have always been paid in full. Rumors are spreading that I mistreat you, and people are even bold enough to poach you right in front of me."
She lit her cigarette and tossed the lighter to Shen Qianzhan.
Watching Shen Qianzhan cup the cigarette and flick the lighter to ignite it, Su Lanyi looked away and spoke softly, as if negotiating. "Su Zan reported Xiang Qianqian’s situation to me. Before I take action, could you talk to her again?"
Shen Qianzhan’s expression remained neutral, though her eyelids twitched slightly. "How do you plan to handle it?"
"This girl is quite the troublemaker. I’ve already received several photos of her secretly meeting with other companies. An artist this disobedient is nothing more than a decorative piece. What do you think I should do?" Su Lanyi tapped her cigarette, her gaze cold as she watched the ash drift onto the car’s floor mat.
Shen Qianzhan clearly saw the fleeting disdain and contempt in her eyes, as if she were crushing an insignificant insect. Su Lanyi continued, "Unfortunately, my foolish brother can’t bear to let her go. He feels responsible for Xiang Qianqian’s downfall. After thinking it over, I believe you’re the only one who can intervene in this matter."
Shen Qianzhan remained silent for a few seconds, then frowned as she glanced at the glowing ember at the tip of her cigarette. "I’ll try, but I can’t guarantee she’ll listen to me."
A gust of wind swept dust into the car, momentarily silencing the conversation inside. Once the wind settled, Su Lanyi said, "Let Su Zan stay by your side from now on. His limited skills are only suited to assisting you."
This time, Shen Qianzhan didn’t respond.
She lowered her gaze, took a deep drag of her cigarette, and turned to look out the window.
—
Over the next few days, Shen Qianzhan finally found some downtime.
Although the film and television industry didn’t have clear off-seasons or peak seasons, and holidays were largely ignored except by junior staff, with New Year’s Day approaching, she allowed her department, which had met its targets, some breathing room.
Qiao Xin was still monitoring the contracts.
The script Shen Qianzhan had negotiated in Hangzhou earlier had completed its contract revisions and was now in the signing process. Qiao Xin had been checking the agent’s WeChat daily, waiting for the tracking number.
With year-end accounting underway, any delays in the process would only add to the hassle.
Just as she was focused on WeChat, the work group chat, which had been quiet all afternoon, suddenly buzzed to life.A colleague from the operations department tagged Qiao Xin, asking if she had seen the young Mr. Su recently.
Su Zan’s office was on the same floor as Xiang Qianqian’s studio, originally for the convenience of handling her work matters. But Su Zan was naturally restless—if the office was too spacious, he found it cold and empty; if it was too small, he felt cramped.
Su Lanyi indulged him, even relocating and redesigning the office, but nothing could keep him in place.
Whenever he had free time, he would wander over to Shen Qianzhan’s department. After colleagues from Thousand Lights repeatedly failed to find him for work matters, they learned to either notify him via WeChat first or go straight to Qiao Xin to track him down.
At first, Qiao Xin was frantic, but after her hints and direct appeals to Su Zan proved useless, she simply resigned herself to the situation.
However, when the operations colleague asked today, she suddenly realized she hadn’t seen Su Zan for several days.
Upon hearing Qiao Xin’s response, the operations department buzzed with chatter.
Colleague A said, “I just saw Xiang Qianqian come to the company with a lawyer. I called the young Mr. Su, but he didn’t say where he was, only that he’d come right away, then hung up.”
Colleague B added, “Didn’t the PR department recently work on suppressing trending topics and handling negative rumors? There was a post claiming Qianqian was looking for a new agency. I didn’t take it seriously at the time, but now it seems true?”
Colleague C chimed in, “Doesn’t her contract still have several years left? Is she planning to breach it?”
Colleague A continued, “Not sure. I’ve felt lately that my little fairy has changed. And now, this sudden upheaval. The young Mr. Su sounded so weary and worn out on the phone just now—I don’t even know who to feel sorry for.”
Colleague B, never one to shy away from drama, tagged Qiao Xin again: “Sister Zhan is so close with the young Mr. Su—have you heard anything?”
Qiao Xin vaguely sensed things were spiraling out of control. She skillfully deflected with a few vague remarks, excused herself to print some documents, and temporarily escaped to report to Shen Qianzhan.
Shen Qianzhan had just finished a call with Su Zan. Seeing Qiao Xin enter, she waved her over: “Check with Ming Jue to confirm whether Endless Year’s brand ambassador for China next year has been given to Xiang Qianqian.”
Qiao Xin was stunned: “Assistant Ming probably doesn’t handle that, does he?”
Shen Qianzhan acted as if she hadn’t heard and added another task: “While you’re at it, ask which agency negotiated for Xiang Qianqian.”
Qiao Xin hugged her phone and murmured an acknowledgment. Before leaving, she cautiously asked, “Is Qianqian really here to terminate her contract?”
Shen Qianzhan picked up her coffee cup, ready to head out: “Don’t ask for now. Just message me directly on WeChat once you get a reply.”
—
When Shen Qianzhan arrived, Su Zan hadn’t yet shown up. In the conference room, apart from the temporary talent agent now handling Xiang Qianqian’s affairs, only Xiang Qianqian and her lawyer remained.
Carrying her coffee cup, Shen Qianzhan casually took a seat, her relaxed posture no different from an elderly man strolling with a birdcage in the park: “Su Zan and the legal team will be here shortly. Please, have a seat.”
She glanced at the empty long table in front of the two and tapped it, reminding them: “Even if we’re like family, we shouldn’t be so neglected. Where’s the reception?”
With that one sentence, she both extended goodwill and seized the initiative, instantly snapping the temporarily bewildered agent back to attention.
Xiang Qianqian stared at Shen Qianzhan for a moment before lowering her head, removing her sunglasses, and addressing her respectfully: “Sister Zhan.”Shen Qianzhan smiled, not showing any displeasure just because she had brought a lawyer along. Sipping her latte, she asked, "What's the matter? Not getting along with Su Zan?"
Xiang Qianqian glanced at the temporary agent Thousand Lights had assigned her and pursed her lips without speaking.
Shen Qianzhan understood—this was dissatisfaction with Thousand Lights' arrangement, a sense of unfair neglect.
After a moment's thought, she said, "If there's still room for negotiation, take this person back the same way you brought them here today. If not, pretend I never said this."
Xiang Qianqian's complexion was poor, pale as if she hadn't rested in a long time, her cheeks showing a sickly weariness. "Aren't you going to ask what I want?"
"Honestly, that's not my responsibility." Shen Qianzhan smiled faintly, her voice soft. "I'm only here because of our past friendship. While I'm still here and willing to talk, it's better not to involve Mr. Su... once he's involved, there'll be no room for negotiation."
She lightly tapped the lid of her cup with a finger, her tone turning cold and firm. "You still have a few years left on your contract with Thousand Lights. If the company decides to drag things out, a lawsuit could take two or three years. The company can afford to wait, but you can't. Of course, if you have other opportunities, I certainly won't stand in your way."
Shen Qianzhan thought to herself that Su Zan must have already spoken with her, but the outcome hadn't been satisfactory for both sides. This was also why she hadn't approached Xiang Qianqian sooner—once someone's mind was made up, trying to persuade them was futile.
Her phone vibrated softly under her palm. Shen Qianzhan unlocked it to check.
Qiao Xin had sent her a message on WeChat: "Assistant Ming said the documents were thrown away after they were sent to Mr. Ji."
Thrown away?
Qiao Xin chattered on, sending another message: "It happened this morning. Assistant Ming said that by the time the documents reached Mr. Ji, they had already been internally reviewed. All that was left was Mr. Ji's signature."
Shen Qianzhan stole a glance at Xiang Qianqian sitting across from her, feeling particularly conflicted.
She cleared her throat, said "Wait a moment," and turned slightly to reply to Qiao Xin: "Did they say why?"
She suspected it was because of Xiang Qianqian's previous move of dragging him into the trending searches, which had angered Ji Qinghe. Shen Qianzhan knew all too well how vindictive this man could be.
Just look at every time she had faced off against him—each time, she had been left defenseless under his attacks, forced to surrender and accept the mockery.
Although this couldn't be blamed entirely on Xiang Qianqian—she was merely caught in the crossfire—it was undeniable that Xiang Qianqian had ill intentions.
Qiao Xin replied: "The reason seems to be... Mr. Ji doesn't like it?"
"Assistant Ming might not know yet that this resource isn't something Thousand Lights is pursuing. He apologized to me and even offered a suggestion..."
A suggestion?
A suggestion that Thousand Lights shouldn't sign artists based solely on looks but also consider their character?
Qiao Xin replied timidly: "He suggested that Thousand Lights could sign a few more like you. Mr. Ji might be more inclined to show favoritism then."
Shen Qianzhan: "???"
Well, she was truly grateful for Mr. Ji's appreciation.
After putting down her phone, Shen Qianzhan leaned back in her chair and smiled warmly and kindly at Xiang Qianqian as if nothing had happened. "Is the endorsement for Endless Year and the lead role in the tribute drama that important to you?"
Xiang Qianqian's expression shifted slightly. "You investigated me?"
"Not really." Shen Qianzhan clasped her hands together, her voice cool. "Photos of you meeting with other agencies have been sent to Mr. Su regularly. It's hard for the company not to know."
Shen Qianzhan hummed thoughtfully and asked, "Do you know you've offended someone?"
—
By the time Su Zan arrived at the company, Xiang Qianqian had already been sent away by Shen Qianzhan.She recalled the scene from an hour ago, when Su Zan had called her, his voice strained as he begged for her help, desperately insisting that Su Lanyi must not be allowed to intervene directly. With a slight lift of her chin, she motioned for him to come in and sit.
She fished out a small mirror from her desk drawer and examined herself from side to side.
Su Zan, who had been in such a foul mood that he felt almost detached from the world, was caught off guard by this sight. A surge of frustration lodged in his chest, nearly choking him. He tapped the table, reminding her, "Can you at least be mindful of the occasion when you're being narcissistic?"
Shen Qianzhan was unfazed. "I am being mindful. There's no one else here."
She twisted open her lipstick and reapplied a touch of color to her lips. "Ji Qinghe didn’t approve Xiang Qianqian’s documents and even suggested that Thousand Lights could sign a few more artists like me." She pressed her lips together, admiring her reflection in the mirror as she flawlessly pulled off the bold red lipstick. Propping her chin on her hand, she blinked at Su Zan. "It’s rare for me to agree with Ji Qinghe."
Su Zan rolled his eyes. He felt that no matter how serious a matter was, when it reached Shen Qianzhan, it turned into a wisp of smoke, leaving him no chance to appear deep or composed.
Slumping into a chair, he sneered, "Sister Zhan, do you know how hard it is to sign someone according to your standards?"
Su Zan gave her a once-over and said, "Finding someone with a face like yours is easy enough, but replicating this figure might be tricky. The upfront investment for artificial assets alone would probably be quite high. And your charm isn’t just about looks or bone structure—it’s that insatiable heart of yours, which has seen countless ships yet never changed its course. Most people simply don’t have that."
As if completely oblivious to the murderous aura Shen Qianzhan was radiating, he added, "A woman’s quality, depth, and experience come from the caliber of men she’s encountered. It’s like the difference between an ordinary cow chewing bland hay in a pen, with a roof overhead and grass underfoot—just ordinary rearing. A high-quality cow, on the other hand, grazes on the vast grasslands of New Zealand, listening to music and getting massaged. A woman like you, raised with such meticulous care, is one of a kind."
Without a moment’s hesitation, Shen Qianzhan hurled the small mirror in her hand at him. As if that weren’t enough to vent her anger, she grabbed everything within reach—aside from the lipstick—and threw it all.
You’re the one raised with meticulous care, your whole family is raised with meticulous care.
Su Zan, battered and bruised, dared neither to complain nor fight back. Instead, he obediently cleaned up the mess on the floor.
After returning everything to its proper place, he served tea and poured water, trying to appease Shen Qianzhan. "Sister Zhan, you’ve scolded me, you’ve vented your anger—could you help me arrange a meeting with Mr. Ji? I want to find out which company Qianqian has reached an agreement with."
Shen Qianzhan snorted. "Still not giving up? Want to keep her? I’ve never seen you so responsible before."
Su Zan sighed gloomily. "She’s the first artist I ever managed. I drank for her, drowned my sorrows over her, even threw punches for her. The bond I shared with her isn’t something you’d understand. Given how things have turned out, there’s not much point in her staying. I just want to know if her next agency will treat her well."
Shen Qianzhan curled her lip in disdain, scolding him for being hopeless. But in the end, her heart softened, and she sent a WeChat message to Ji Qinghe.
For their first contact after their collaboration, she aimed to appear cute and harmless, something the dog-man would be powerless to resist: "Mr. Ji, are you there? I have a favor to ask~" After sending the text, she browsed through her stickers and sent an adorable animated GIF of a puppy begging.
The dog-man, who seemed to live on WeChat, replied instantly: "That’s not how you asked last time."
How can you even compare the two?
Shen Qianzhan: "..." Middle finger.
Author’s Note: First lesson for future guidance: The middle finger.Tomorrow, I'll try unlocking the second move.
Are there any positions you'd like? Hahaha
Thank you to the little angels who voted for me with overlord tickets or irrigated nutrient solutions between 2020-02-25 18:05:30 and 2020-02-26 18:02:15~
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