Zhao Qian was itching to make a move, yet she never quite dared to come forward and cause trouble.
As for the other one, Zhuo Yue, she was even stranger. First she showed up pretending to be a fan, then simply vanished. She never reappeared until the very end of the reception.
Wen Ying felt the loneliness of a master. “Why aren’t they playing by the rules?”
“Because they still have some self-awareness and know they can’t beat you.”
Xie Qian wasn’t just dishing out mindless praise. Three years wasn’t long, but it was enough for Wen Ying to complete her transformation.
What did a completely unsuccessful Zhao Qian have to flaunt in front of Wen Ying?
Coming over would only be self-humiliation.
As for Zhuo Yue, Wen Ying was spot-on. She was exactly like Sara Zhuo, with the same style of doing things. People accustomed to scheming and intrigue never declare open war. The moment the situation looks bad, they withdraw quickly.
Jiang Youjia had been toasted repeatedly all evening and was now swaying on his feet. Yet when he tottered over to Xie Qian, his words were perfectly clear. “I’ve already spoken to the people at the portal site. Every single shot of you will be cut.”
The entertainment channel of the portal site was live-streaming the entire awards ceremony tonight.
Whenever possible, Xie Qian avoided the live cameras.
For the ones he couldn’t dodge, post-production would handle it. As long as he didn’t appear in the final edited version, that was fine.
When Jiang Youjia personally asked the portal site to do this, they thought it was a shame.
The cameramen had raved about Xie Qian, saying his handsomeness was “earth-shattering” and that putting him online would cause a sensation.
“You wouldn’t even need your company to promote it. It would save a fortune in marketing!”
The portal site felt Jiaxin was being a little ungrateful. Jiang Youjia could only say the company had its own plans.
Fine, so they were keeping the new talent under wraps before the big debut?
Before the reception even ended, word was already spreading in the industry that Jiaxin had signed an unbelievably handsome newcomer.
Some countered that the newcomer had actually been signed by Tianjiao.
For a while, neither side could convince the other.
Either way, whether it was Jiaxin or Tianjiao, both were making aggressive moves and putting real pressure on their peers.
Xie Qian gave a slight nod. “Cut everything you can, and keep doing that in future.”
Jiang Youjia really couldn’t figure out what Xie Qian was thinking.
With Xie Qian’s meticulous nature, how could his flight possibly be delayed?
If he knew the weather might change, Xie Qian would definitely have arranged things in advance to avoid any delay. So why had he lied to Wen Ying?
Young people these days were so strange.
As soon as the reception ended, Director Jin finally released the oblivious Zhang Guangzhen.
Jiang Youjia was a little tipsy. Zhang Guangzhen was completely plastered, shouting that he wanted to write a screenplay for Director Jin because the man was a true friend.
Director Jin threw up his hands. “I didn’t do anything!”
Wen Ying didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I’m not blaming you.”
Being plied with drinks by Director Jin was still better than being plied by anyone else.
Director Jin might lack refinement, but at least he knew you had to pay for a script. He wouldn’t cheat Zhang Guangzhen into working for free.
Because Zhang Guangzhen was drunk, Wen Ying shared a car with him. Xie Qian rode with Jiang Youjia, and Xu Mei had her own nanny van. Everything was arranged perfectly. Three cars headed off in two different directions.
Halfway there, Jiang Youjia dragged a small box out from under the seat.
“I sent Slan’s products for testing. Some of the additives are controversial internationally, though there are no clear regulations against them domestically yet.”
The box contained Slan’s launched products and the test reports.
Jiang Youjia loathed Zhao Dong and hoped his venture would fail. He was desperate to find a weakness in Slan.
Xie Qian flipped through the reports without surprise. “If he managed to get domestic approval, the products won’t have major issues. Medical-aesthetics products are like health supplements. To see immediate results, you have to add hormones, which is very risky. You’re better off just mixing cornflour pellets and selling those.”
Cornflour plus vitamins is safe and won’t harm anyone.
The same logic applies to medical-aesthetics products.
Will the product actually make you whiter?
Some brands stress that you must avoid sunlight while using them because it will react with UV rays, etc. Consumers follow the instructions, stay out of the sun for half a month, and discover they really have become paler. Overjoyed, they think it’s the expensive product working. Of course you got paler. Anyone would after half a month without sun exposure, product or no product!
The products Zhao Dong spent big money importing from abroad didn’t actually have strong technological barriers. They were mostly selling a concept, which was why Zhao Dong had to spend heavily on advertising.
Jiang Youjia was disappointed. “So we can’t catch him out?”
Xie Qian closed the report. “Your direction is right, but you lack patience. Additives that aren’t explicitly banned domestically now might be banned in future. Every new market starts out wild. That wildness can run rampant for a while but not forever. Sooner or later the state will regulate it. We can wait for the right moment, or even help push those regulations through faster. Also, mass-produced Slan products can get away with weak efficacy, but their high-end medical-aesthetics line can’t use the same stuff. Those premium clients have seen the world. Slan will need genuinely effective products to keep them.”
Jiang Youjia fell into thought.
“The less you do, the fewer mistakes you make. The more you do, the more mistakes. Products with outstanding effects are likely to contain even more additives. You want me to keep a close eye on Slan’s flagship experience store?”
Exactly.
The people who go to the flagship store are no ordinary customers.
If any of those clients have problems, even something like an allergic reaction that ruins their face, it would be enough to finish Zhao Dong!
Jiang Youjia immediately brightened. “I’m going to be a good citizen and properly supervise Slan’s product quality on behalf of consumers.”
As they spoke, the car in front stopped. They had reached Wen Ying’s hotel.
Xie Qian was not staying at the same hotel as Wen Ying. He had deliberately chosen somewhere several kilometres away.
Jiang Youjia helped get Zhang Guangzhen to his room. Wen Ying was puzzled. “What’s with your brother-in-law? He suddenly looks really happy.”
Xie Qian gave a non-committal smile. “He’s always been easily satisfied. Jiaxin won so many awards tonight. He feels his work has value.”
Wen Ying thought about it and laughed too.
“Shame Gong Sheng didn’t attend the ceremony.”
The success of Alley Family really had little to do with Jiang Youjia. Gong Sheng was the one who had poured his heart into it. But now Gong Sheng no longer handled Jiaxin’s day-to-day affairs. To avoid unclear lines of authority and to build Jiang Youjia’s reputation, Gong Sheng was deliberately fading into the background.
Of course Xie Qian hadn’t forgotten Gong Sheng’s contribution.
The moment Gong Sheng’s name came up, Xie Qian received a message from him.
Following Xie Qian’s instructions, Gong Sheng had shortlisted several riverside luxury properties. Since Xie Qian was already in Shanghai, Gong Sheng hoped he could come view them in person.
Xie Qian glanced at the message, then looked up at Wen Ying.
Wen Ying caught it instantly. “You’ve got something to say to me?”
The words reached Xie Qian’s lips, then took a detour. “Your gaokao score estimation—”
“I got it, stop nagging. I’m going up right now to estimate!”
Wen Ying threw up her hands in surrender and jogged into the hotel lobby. Xie Qian stood there smiling.
He thought he was pretty terrible, always unable to resist teasing the little hamster.
After laughing at himself for a while, Xie Qian called Gong Sheng. “Take me to see the properties tomorrow.”
