Chapter Seventy-Eight
Xiao Sheng’s hand, holding out a cigarette, hung in mid-air as he looked up at her. “Quit smoking?”
His tone was light, playful, as if he didn’t quite believe it.
Shen Qianzhan smiled but didn’t respond.
Her smile was gentle and appropriate, as though she didn’t mind the arrogance in his words.
But upon closer inspection, one could see the coldness and distance in her gaze toward Xiao Sheng, as if separated by a transparent barrier, keeping him at bay.
Xiao Sheng took the hint and didn’t press further.
He withdrew his hand, placed the cigarette between his lips, and tilted his head slightly.
His assistant, who had been following him, stepped forward skillfully to light it for him.
The evening wind was strong, and the group stood outside for a while before the cigarette finally caught fire.
Xiao Sheng took a deep drag, his eyes sweeping over Qiao Xin and Su Zan before settling on Ji Qinghe—this man’s elegance and demeanor were exceptional, unlike an ordinary staff member.
Xiao Sheng and Shen Qianzhan worked for the same company, Thousand Lights, and were well aware of each other’s allegiances.
Ji Qinghe was unfamiliar, and his striking appearance inevitably reminded Xiao Sheng of the recent, widely circulated gossip. The rumor claimed that Shen Qianzhan had specially hired a watch restoration expert as a consultant—young, handsome, with the looks of a Song Yu or Pan An, spending every day with Shen Qianzhan, inseparable. Many crew members of Time had reportedly seen this consultant entering and leaving Shen Qianzhan’s room late at night, their behavior ambiguous, their relationship unclear.
He had initially thought the rumor was false.
Shen Qianzhan’s self-discipline was such that even if a hundred stunning beauties stood naked before her, she would never lay a finger on them. At most, she’d applaud and play along, returning them exactly as they came, intact, without so much as a strand of hair out of place.
The fact that she brought this man along on a business trip clearly meant the rumors were true.
Without showing any reaction, he shifted his gaze and explained his purpose to Shen Qianzhan: “I’d like to invite you to dinner.”
“Last time you visited the set, the hotel had water and power outages, and I didn’t have the chance to properly host you. This dinner is both to thank you for your help and to apologize for my poor management. I wonder…” He paused briefly before asking, “Would Producer Shen be willing to honor me with your presence?”
“Producer Xiao, you’re too kind,” Shen Qianzhan replied with a professional smile. “There’s no need to take such a small matter to heart.”
“We’re both employees of Thousand Lights and have worked together for years. Talking about gratitude or apologies feels too formal.”
Xiao Sheng fell silent for a moment, narrowing his eyes slightly as he exhaled a puff of smoke. “I knew you’d refuse, so I came in person to invite you.” He smiled, not giving her a chance to make excuses, and said, “I’ve already reserved a private room. I drove here, so I can take you there directly.”
Then, he turned to Su Zan and extended an invitation: “If Assistant Manager Su is free tonight, why not join us? The three of us can catch up.”
Seeing that Xiao Sheng was determined to invite her to dinner, Shen Qianzhan couldn’t quite figure out what he was up to, but she knew she couldn’t refuse tonight. After a moment of contemplation, she relented: “Since Producer Xiao is being so gracious, Zan Zan and I can’t be ungrateful. How about we all go together?”
She smiled brightly, looking at Xiao Sheng and pretending not to notice the frozen expression on his face. “Producer Xiao, you wouldn’t mind, would you?”
This time, Xiao Sheng truly laughed.
He knew full well that he had been outmaneuvered. This woman’s defensiveness was truly something else.He stared at Shen Qianzhan for a long moment, then flicked the half-smoked cigarette butt to the ground and crushed it under his foot.
"Of course, you're welcome." He waved, signaling the waiting driver to bring the car over. "Get in."
——
The restaurant was booked at Jichun Erwan.
As soon as Xiao Sheng appeared, a server led the group to a private room.
Cold dishes and drinks were already prepared in the room, and a server from the catering department was pouring vinegar into small dipping dishes.
Seeing the guests arrive, the two servers bowed slightly and retreated to a corner, waiting for everyone to take their seats first.
Xiao Sheng politely declined the seat of honor, leaving it for Shen Qianzhan.
Shen Qianzhan, accustomed to being the client, naturally declined. Counting two seats down from the head of the table, she walked toward her seat while discreetly signaling Ji Qinghe with her eyes.
The latter understood and very naturally took the seat directly below the head of the table, completely separating her from the seat of honor.
Xiao Sheng’s eyelids twitched at the sight, but he couldn’t say anything, silently cursing the two of them in his mind. Only after everyone Shen Qianzhan had brought had taken their seats did he choose a spot, positioning himself diagonally opposite her.
Once the guests were seated, the servers began serving freshly sterilized hot towels in turn. After placing towels for everyone present, a server looked at Xiao Sheng and asked quietly, "Mr. Xiao, should we remove the extra tableware for now?"
"The guests aren’t all here yet, leave the tableware as it is." As soon as Xiao Sheng finished speaking, he turned to Shen Qianzhan and explained, "The producer of Spring River will be arriving later. I hope Producer Shen doesn’t mind?"
Shen Qianzhan sneered inwardly.
So this was why Xiao Sheng had insisted on inviting her to dinner today—he was using her as a means to curry favor with someone else.
Though disgusted, she maintained a flawless facade, smiling brightly as she asked, "The producer of Spring River—who might that be?"
Xiao Sheng called for the servers to start serving the dishes while answering, "You probably know him too—Mr. Zhao from Wuxi Penglai Chenguang Film and Television." He poured the aerated red wine into a goblet and sent it to Shen Qianzhan via the rotating tray. "Actually, I have to thank you for my collaboration with Mr. Zhao."
Afraid she might not remember, he elaborated in detail, "Do you recall the advice you gave me before leaving, suggesting that Spring River represent Thousand Lights Film and Television in negotiating a long-term partnership with Wuxi Film and Television Base?"
"Penglai Chenguang Film and Television is the controlling shareholder of Wuxi Film and Television Base. At the time, I contacted Mr. Zhao’s assistant. As soon as Mr. Zhao heard that Spring River was produced by Thousand Lights, he agreed to the collaboration without hesitation and even offered to invest and co-produce with Thousand Lights."
Shen Qianzhan remained silent.
She lowered her gaze, glanced at the red wine glass in front of her, and asked, "Then you must know that Mr. Zhao and I have some unresolved issues?"
She didn’t speak harshly, her tone steady and even, betraying no hint of personal emotion. Yet the atmosphere in the dining room instantly froze, as if plunged into an icy abyss.
At that moment, she looked up, her gaze sharp and tangible, like a finely honed sword.
Xiao Sheng was taken aback, inexplicably unnerved by her stare.
He instinctively glanced at Ji Qinghe beside her. From the start, he had noticed that Ji Qinghe held an unusual position among these people—even Su Zan treated him with utmost respect, bordering on sycophancy.
His heart suddenly sank, and for a moment, he felt lost. "Unresolved issues?" What issues?The film and television industry has always been divided by region and faction. Wuxi and Beijing are far apart, and most film and television companies here belong to the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai faction, with little cooperation with Beijing.
Xiao Sheng, who operates within the Beijing circle, indeed knows very little about the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai faction.
"General Manager Zhao said you and he are old friends. I thought about it—your ancestral home is in Wuxi—and I believed it to some extent." Although Xiao Sheng is arrogant, he is relatively cautious in handling matters, especially when it involves Shen Qianzhan. He took extra care, specifically asking around to test the waters, and the answers he received were largely consistent with what General Manager Zhao had said. Only then did he agree to help General Manager Zhao make the connection and organize this dinner.
He intended to present a gift on someone else's behalf.
Shen Qianzhan's reputation as a top-tier producer is well-known. In Thousand Lights, people know of Shen Qianzhan but not Xiao Sheng. She holds connections and resources within the Beijing circle, and even investors trust her more than they trust him.
Under her shadow, Xiao Sheng struggles in every endeavor.
Penglai Chenguang Pictures is wealthy, generous with spending, and easy to deal with. Most importantly, it is a leader within the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai faction. By winning it over, Xiao Sheng would gain the support of this faction in the future, giving him the confidence to stand toe-to-toe with Shen Qianzhan.
Moreover, it was just about setting up a meeting.
He wouldn't have to exert much effort and could still reap the benefits.
But the current situation didn't seem to be going as planned?
As if to confirm his growing unease, Shen Qianzhan picked up the wine glass in front of her, brought it to her lips, and drank it in one go. Then, raising her hand high, she released the glass.
Amid the waiter's exclamation, the crystal-clear wine glass suddenly fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.
She stood up, her gaze cold as she stared at Xiao Sheng for several seconds, and said, "Whether it's to express gratitude or apologize, I've drunk the wine. Let this end here, and consider the matter settled."
Shen Qianzhan saw right through Xiao Sheng's calculations.
Even if he didn't know the full story, he was far from innocent.
The entertainment industry is full of people who act as brokers for their own gain. If both parties are willing, it's merely a matter of ethics. But if there is coercion, deception, or deliberate concealment, it goes beyond a lack of moral principles—it reflects a despicable character.
He wanted to use her to gain benefits from Chenguang, so he could have the capital to stand on equal footing with her.
His ambition was not small, but his methods were far from honorable.
Shen Qianzhan had always been sharp in judging people. When Xiao Sheng first arrived at Thousand Lights and worked under her, he was arrogant, relying on Su Lanyi's favor and promotion to act independently, always seeing her as a competitor.
His arrogance, selfishness, and disregard for others were nothing new.
Out of consideration for Su Lanyi, to spare her from being caught in the middle, Shen Qianzhan had always taken the initiative to avoid Xiao Sheng and minimize their interactions.
Xiao Sheng, for his part, was sensible. Knowing he wasn't yet fully established, he didn't confront her directly. When they had no choice but to meet, they remained polite, maintaining a superficial peace.
But all of this was contingent on Xiao Sheng behaving himself and not resorting to dirty tricks against her.
At this thought, the coldness in her eyes deepened.
"I mentored you for a while. Even if you were forced to follow orders, I taught you that at all times, you must respect your opponents, respect the artists, and respect yourself. It doesn't matter if a project falls through—there are plenty of wealthy investors out there. Who else could you serve as a lackey for?""You're proud and self-important, still feeling inferior because you once worked under me in my team. I've spared your dignity by never mentioning it. Even if you refuse others' goodwill, if you truly had self-respect and self-worth, you wouldn't stoop to such pimping and despicable acts."
Xiao Sheng's face instantly darkened.
He stared fixedly at Shen Qianzhan, not uttering a word.
On either side, Su Zan and Qiao Xin had already fallen deathly silent, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Su Zan couldn't even recall how the two production executives had suddenly started arguing—his memory of the evening began with Shen Qianzhan smashing a wine glass and saying, "Let this end here, consider it settled."
His legs trembling, he first glanced sideways at Ji Qinghe.
Ji Qinghe appeared calmer than anyone else.
Even when she shattered the glass, he hadn't blinked, as if everything she did was natural and deserved support.
In fact, if she needed it, he would have immediately nodded to have the hotel bring all the glassware she disliked, just for her to smash one by one.
At this moment, he was looking up at Xiao Sheng.
His eyes, deep as twilight haze, held a crushing, chilling intimidation that seemed to obliterate all sidelong glances.
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