Chapter Eighty-Five
That’s good?
Shen Qianzhan nearly doubted her own hearing.
She was unemployed, not promoted! What did he mean by “good”?
As for the second half of Ji Qinghe’s sentence, it went in one ear and out the other—she didn’t take it to heart at all.
In the world of adults, love and marriage were two entirely different matters. In her view, such words lacked sincerity and leaned more toward jest, something to be heard but not taken seriously.
Under normal circumstances, such jokes would have been harmless.
Given Shen Qianzhan’s personality, she wouldn’t have been displeased; instead, she would have happily added a bit more flirtation to the moment.
But tonight, her physical exhaustion had made her emotions sensitive and fragile.
Like the crumbling bricks and swaying spire of a skyscraper on the verge of collapse, she was barely holding on by a thread.
If no storm had come, she might have recovered somewhat by tomorrow. But things didn’t go as she wished, and she failed to find the comfort and solace she had hoped for in Ji Qinghe.
Thus, the overwhelming sense of disappointment made it impossible for her to maintain the facade of composure and forced elegance.
The smile in her eyes gradually stiffened and froze until it vanished entirely.
The surprise and delight she had felt upon seeing him also seemed to flicker like candlelight in the wind, slowly fading away.
Shen Qianzhan suddenly felt disheartened, utterly bored with it all.
“I thought you would comfort me,” she said, her dark eyes quietly watching him for a long moment.
Ji Qinghe was the only bystander who knew the details of her past.
Even though she hadn’t spoken much about Su Lanyi, his keen perception would have allowed him to guess the role Su Lanyi had played in those past years.
Shen Qianzhan had thought that even if it wasn’t for the “unemployment” setback, Ji Qinghe would have comforted her for the emotions she had invested in Su Lanyi.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t.
The precarious tower she had built so high in her heart crumbled and collapsed in an instant, leaving behind only dust and debris, a constant reminder of her nearly foolish self-indulgence over the years.
The atmosphere suddenly grew delicate.
Yet neither of them broke the fragile peace that hung on the surface.
The clock’s hands slowly approached four.
Someone in the rooms downstairs stirred in the night, their shuffling footsteps particularly noisy in the quiet of the predawn hours, like a wisp of earthly smoke dispersing the last traces of cold before dawn, burning them away completely.
Ji Qinghe looked down at her for a moment, his hands resting on her waist through the fabric of her clothes, idly stroking the curve of her waist.
He could sense Shen Qianzhan’s anger.
But she was suppressing it, pretending to be calm. On the surface, it was hard to tell.
He recalled what he had said in the past ten minutes.
Women’s thoughts differed from men’s; the same situation could evoke different reactions depending on the context, entirely dictated by her mood.
Clearly, Shen Qianzhan’s current mood was not suited for listening to reason.
He straightened slightly, first lifting her off the table and settling her onto his lap as he sat in the leather chair.
Shen Qianzhan’s hands were bound by the belt, leaving her no way to resist as Ji Qinghe seated her on his lap.
The conversation with Su Lanyi had drained all her patience for managing her emotions. At this moment, she couldn’t control her expression at all, pursing her lips and clearly displaying her displeasure on her face.
Ji Qinghe chuckled softly.
He reached out to touch her dry lips and asked, “Striking first?”
Shen Qianzhan ignored him.Her anger was somewhat misplaced, and if he hadn't asked, it might have been fine. But once he did, she became stubborn, unwilling to speak properly.
"I'm the one most delighted to see you resign. Since you've come to your senses in time, why should I go against my own heart to comfort you?" Ji Qinghe pinched her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Is it fair for you to be angry with me?"
Shen Qianzhan slightly lifted her chin, avoiding his hand. "Who told you to be my boyfriend? If I don't vent on you and go find someone else, would you agree?"
He really couldn't agree.
Though it was flawed logic, Shen Qianzhan's confidence made even the most twisted reasoning sound like the truth.
Ji Qinghe was amused by her. He lowered his head slightly, intending to kiss her.
Before he could get close, Shen Qianzhan turned her head away, avoiding him.
Ji Qinghe wasn't annoyed.
Her willingness to speak meant she wasn't truly furious.
Shen Qianzhan wasn't the type to be unreasonable or stubborn. After a moment's thought, he combed his fingers through her hair, leisurely smoothing her long locks. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to continue working at Thousand Lights."
"I've dealt with Su Lanyi a few times. In my opinion, she isn't a good leader. Leaving Thousand Lights isn't a loss for you." He looked up at Shen Qianzhan. "It's just earlier than I expected."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qianzhan immediately understood—he had already formed an opinion but hadn't told her.
As if knowing what she was thinking, Ji Qinghe gathered her hair in his palm, playing with it slowly. "If there were no conflicts between you and Su Lanyi, my opinion wouldn't matter. I have to take responsibility for my words and for your future. Even though I don't think it's wise for you to stay at Thousand Lights, I fully respect your choice and support your career and ambitions." He paused briefly before adding, "Since you've decided to resign, it must be because Su Lanyi stepped on your tail, creating a rift. Given your personality, unless the conflict had reached an irreconcilable point, you wouldn't easily abandon the work you've dedicated years to. Not to mention, Su Lanyi once helped you during a low point."
"That's why, even though I don't think Su Lanyi is the right tree for you to perch on, I never interfered with your choices or gave unsolicited advice. I didn't want to impose my thoughts on you or make things difficult for you."
Shen Qianzhan remained silent but was slightly moved.
She tilted her face up to look at him.
Ji Qinghe was focused on untangling her hair and didn't meet her gaze.
"To put it simply, if you and Su Lanyi have a falling out, why should I mourn a relationship that neither of you cares about anymore? I'll just stand by your side."
This time, Shen Qianzhan finally lifted her eyelids slightly and asked, "Why don't you like Su Lanyi?"
"It's not about liking or disliking." Ji Qinghe narrowed his eyes at her. "Although Su Lanyi's personal life doesn't necessarily define her character, I won't comment or judge. But a person's behavior and habits do influence my impression of them."
"Su Lanyi hasn't treated you well, and that alone is enough for me to disapprove of her."
"Su Lanyi hasn't treated me well?" Shen Qianzhan was surprised. "The treatment she gave me is considered generous in front of outsiders. Where did you see her treating me poorly?"
Ji Qinghe paused his hand in her hair and asked, "Do you really want to hear it?"Shen Qianzhan looked at him without speaking.
After a moment of thought, Ji Qinghe said, "Su Lanyi once hinted to me that she could help me pursue you and create opportunities for us to spend time together. In this regard, she and Xiao Sheng are birds of a feather, sharing the same rotten smell."
Although she and Su Zan were siblings, their personalities were completely different.
Shen Qianzhan felt nothing but a chill in her heart.
Su Lanyi had never mentioned any of this in front of her. Instead, she often probed about the progress of Shen Qianzhan's relationship with Ji Qinghe. Little did she know that Su Lanyi had already set her sights on exploiting her so early on.
Seeing that she was now listening, Ji Qinghe played with her fingers and asked, "So leaving her is actually a good thing. When I said 'that's great,' was I wrong?"
His rhetorical question extinguished the last of Shen Qianzhan's indignation.
She and Ji Qinghe operated on completely different wavelengths.
No matter how rational or calm she tried to be, she still sought emotional comfort, while Ji Qinghe's perspective was rooted in weighing the pros and cons of a situation. Without communication, who could have guessed they weren't on the same page?
And her loss of control tonight was entirely due to sheer exhaustion.
Who could accept the midlife crisis of career upheaval and unstable relationships?
The night only amplified such emotional fluctuations. The more she cared about someone, the harder it was to maintain control, and even the smallest issue could stir up a storm.
But Shen Qianzhan knew she was in the wrong. Seeing him waiting to settle the score, she cleared her throat and casually defended herself, "Couples always have conflicts."
Ji Qinghe scoffed lightly, "Couples?"
His tone suddenly deepened, "Who said they weren't suited for relationships? Thinking of breaking up?"
The accusation was too heavy for Shen Qianzhan to bear. Seeing the situation spiraling back into uncontrollable territory, she shifted her eyes and awkwardly changed the subject, "We haven't finished our earlier conversation."
"Aren't you curious why I suddenly decided to resign? At my age, if I leave Thousand Lights, no matter which company I start over at, I'll have to readjust and begin from scratch. Not only would my previous time be wasted, but my salary level would also drop..."
Ji Qinghe didn't expose her.
He unfastened the belt restraining her wrist and gently rubbed the reddened bone where the leather had chafed her skin.
He did all of this silently and intently.
When Shen Qianzhan finally noticed, he paused and glanced at her, saying, "Go on, keep imagining your unemployment crisis."
Shen Qianzhan was left speechless.
She had intended to play up her pitiful, helpless, and isolated persona... but this man didn't even spare a shred of sympathy.
As she fell silent, Ji Qinghe continued, "Do you think I have no idea about your commercial value, so you're just spouting nonsense?"
"After you leave Thousand Lights, plenty of film and television companies will want to hire you. Starting over is true, but it's only about familiarizing yourself with a new company and environment. There's no such thing as 'starting from scratch' as you described."
With Shen Qianzhan's qualifications, she would have plenty of options after resigning—only better, not worse, with a promising future.
"As for wasting time and lowering your salary level..." Ji Qinghe's tone was cold and merciless, "You should know best.""Moreover," he paused for effect, then said, "even without relying on any company, your current credentials alone are enough to go solo. If you want a studio, I can be the silent investor behind the scenes. If you want to become an independent producer, that won’t be a problem either. Although it might take more time, returning to the path you once wanted to walk would be a way to fulfill the Shen Qianzhan of ten years ago."
He saw it more clearly than she did.
During her many years at Thousand Lights, there had been no shortage of covert attempts to poach her. But before, she had never considered leaving Thousand Lights, so she had rejected every offer without exception, fearing that any whisper might lead Su Lanyi to doubt or distrust her.
Even though Shen Qianzhan had decided to resign tonight, before formally saying the words, she had never imagined she and Su Lanyi would reach this point. Let alone having a backup plan ready.
But spoken words are like spilled water—impossible to take back.
Even if she and Su Lanyi eventually reconciled, this incident would remain a lingering knot between them. At this stage, Su Lanyi’s actions could no longer be explained away as unintentional mistakes. Shen Qianzhan knew she was no selfless saint, and as for her bond with Su Lanyi, it had run its course, ending as it began.
Originally, Shen Qianzhan had no plans for the future. Though not exactly lost or panicked, the sudden upheaval had caught her off guard, leaving her feeling adrift.
Yet, after just a few words from Ji Qinghe, her horizons seemed to unfold before her, waiting for her to gallop forward and return to the battlefield.
In that moment, it felt like the day she had emerged from her lowest point. Before her stood towering mountains, cutting through the mist in the canyon, their paths not entirely smooth, one peak overlapping another, one river flowing into the next, all waiting for her to set out once more and resume her journey.
She turned her gaze to Ji Qinghe, who was quietly watching her. "Do you really trust me that much?"
"Isn’t it a bit late to ask that?" He took her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it softly. His lips were warm and gentle, and as they touched her palm, it felt as if he had suddenly flipped a switch to her world, sending a shiver of electricity through her.
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