Xu Mei quietly tipped Yuan Fenghui off, then slipped back into her seat as if nothing had happened.
The moment she sat down, she raised her glass to Ran Keqing first.
A smiling face is hard to slap. Xu Mei had been riding high lately and was Jiaxin’s signed artist. In front of Xie Qian, Ran Keqing had to give her at least a little face.
After drinking the toast Xu Mei offered, Ran Keqing never got another chance to speak to Xie Qian alone.
Xu Mei’s tolerance had been honed back when she was dating Cao Bo. Young Miss Ran was no match for her. By the time Ran Keqing was seven-tenths drunk, she flatly refused to lift her glass again for fear of losing face. Xu Mei looked deeply regretful.
“Boss, let me take Miss Ran back to her hotel? Although today was our first meeting, we really hit it off. You have to give me a chance to get closer to her.”
Xu Mei did not want Ran Keqing to become her future lady boss, and she certainly wasn’t going to let the woman cling to Xie Qian.
Xie Qian might be aloof, but he was still young. He had never dealt with the wiles of a mature older sister. What if he fell for it?
Xu Mei was being this helpful. Xie Qian was extremely pleased.
“Then I’ll trouble you to look after Miss Ran.”
Jiang Youjia nearly burst out laughing.
Xie Qian and Jiang Youjia saw Ran Keqing into the car together. Xu Mei squeezed in as well.
Once the car had driven off, Ran Keqing suddenly pushed away Xu Mei’s supporting arm. “What exactly are you playing at?”
Xu Mei looked the picture of innocence. “Miss Ran, where did I go wrong?”
Her acting was still a notch below film-empress level, but it far surpassed the average person. She had, after all, just won the Magnolia Award for Best Supporting Actress. Pretending to be clueless in front of Ran Keqing, she didn’t show a single crack.
Ran Keqing began to doubt herself.
Had she overthought it?
Was this Xu Mei simply another small-time celebrity trying to butter her up?
Ran Keqing smoothed her long hair. “I had a bit too much to drink and wasn’t thinking straight. I mistook you for one of those sleazy men trying to take advantage.”
Xu Mei very thoughtfully twisted open a bottle of mineral water for her. “Totally understandable. I’ve been there myself. A girl has to stay alert when she’s out socialising. Here, drink some water, Miss Ran. It’ll help sober you up.”
Ran Keqing took a couple of sips and really did feel better.
“You’re too polite. Just call me Keqing from now on.”
She had heard that after Xie Qian took over Jiaxin he had only signed one artist—Xu Mei. Ran Keqing wanted to pump her for information about Xie Qian, so she softened her attitude. After a bit of chat, she discovered Xu Mei was actually the same age as her, and she felt an immediate kinship.
“Does your boss have a girlfriend?”
Xu Mei’s brain hurt from that direct pitch.
“How would I know about the boss’s affairs? Even if he doesn’t have one now, he will once term starts. We’ve all experienced how colourful university life can be.”
Wake up! The boss only just finished the gaokao!
Wouldn’t it be nicer for him to have a pure first campus romance with a girl his own age? Why tangle with an older woman like you?
Whether Ran Keqing genuinely didn’t catch the hint or simply didn’t care, she leaned back and smiled at Xu Mei.
“Our company has a film starting soon. I think you’d be perfect for one of the roles. Fancy coming for an audition?”
What was this—trying to tempt her with a film role?
Ran Keqing really had underestimated Xu Mei.
If she could accept roles standing upright, why should Xu Mei kneel?
This summer, Hunan Satellite TV’s prime-time slot would first air Tianjiao’s drama in mid-July, followed immediately by the dual-female-lead series Xu Mei was in.
This year alone Xu Mei had two dramas broadcasting. “Alley Family” had exploded in both reputation and ratings. The dual-lead one might not match the critical acclaim, but the viewership was guaranteed to be solid. Forget this year—even for the next two years Xu Mei would never be short of work. Young Miss Ran really had no idea what the situation was!
The enthusiasm on Xu Mei’s face cooled a few degrees. “Whether I audition or not is up to the company.”
Ran Keqing frowned.
This little artist was awfully arrogant!
…
Yuan Fenghui received Xu Mei’s text that day but said nothing. Only the next day did she contact Wen Ying.
“I still have some loose ends to tie up here in Rongcheng. The Shanghai side of the business needs to get moving properly. You’re free these days anyway—why not head to Shanghai and carry out some shareholder duties?”
Wen Ying hesitated. “I’m not free. Aren’t we about to sue Blue Whale?”
“The lawsuit has Lawyer Zheng. You’re not a lawyer—what are you worrying about!”
The things that actually needed worrying about, this little fool ignored. If she didn’t go to Shanghai now, did she plan to wait until someone dug the foundations out from under her walls before acting?
Yuan Fenghui’s words landed like a slap on Wen Ying’s head.
Who said she couldn’t worry? She was a lawyer too… all right, that was in her previous life.
Back when she first reincarnated, Wen Ying had planned to run a lawyer account online. Then she got busy writing novels and doing exam papers, and the lawyer account never materialised.
“What duties do you want me to perform?”
Wen Ying’s voice was muffled; she was sulking a little.
Yuan Fenghui turned serious. “Go to Shanghai first. Help supervise Li Mengjiao, Yun Chen, and the others. The detailed work has people on it—they just need someone to coordinate overall.”
Wen Ying was surprised. “I thought Auntie Dong was handling all that.”
Yuan Fenghui nodded. “She was. But Tianjiao is moving to Shanghai, and Manager Dong wants to balance work and family. We should be understanding.”
Tianjiao was moving to Shanghai.
A film and television company never really belonged in Rongcheng anyway. Moving to Shanghai was the proper track.
It suited the migration pattern of the company’s core members and the domestic economic environment. The only person it didn’t suit was Mrs Wang.
Should she follow to Shanghai or not?
Mrs Wang hadn’t decided yet.
This move was different from previous business trips. Trips lasted ten days or a fortnight; the home base stayed in Rongcheng, and she knew she would return.
Working in Shanghai now meant a permanent relocation!
Mrs Wang just wanted to lie flat and be a salted fish.
She might complain about her husband Wang Jun and his junior-high education, but actually living apart? Mrs Wang couldn’t bear it.
If they were separated too long, would Wang Jun stray?
He used to be a fatty. Over the past six months he had stuck to his “rural assistance” regime and actually lost that greasy belly.
A successfully slimmed-down Wang Jun looked far better and had money in his pocket. Fresh young girls were throwing themselves at Director Wang in waves. Mrs Wang was afraid that while she became a career woman in Shanghai, the home front would fall!
Wen Ying’s family had just gone through the same dilemma, so she deeply understood Mrs Wang’s conflict.
“…Auntie Dong really does need to think it over carefully.”
In situations like this, salaried employees actually had more flexibility than business owners.
A job was a job wherever you did it. Worst case, you changed jobs.
Tonight happened to be the premiere of Tianjiao’s new drama on Hunan Satellite TV. When Wen Ying mentioned it, Yuan Fenghui told her not to worry.
“Just get yourself to Shanghai. First, keep an eye on Li Mengjiao for me. No one else can control her—if you speak, at least she’ll listen.”
Li Mengjiao had an endorsement deal.
Yuan Fenghui had already negotiated half of it. Originally Mrs Wang would have taken over, but now Wen Ying had to step in temporarily.
Wen Ying told her parents, then flew to Shanghai that very afternoon.
When the plane landed, instead of contacting Xie Qian first, she rang Li Mengjiao.
“Where are you?”
The background was deafeningly noisy. Li Mengjiao roared with laughter. “I’m under an overpass watching Wang Shuang sell clothes!”
This heartless idiot!
The foot traffic on Shanghai’s overpasses was insane. If passers-by recognised Li Mengjiao, the silly girl wouldn’t make it home safely today!
Wen Ying was so angry she nearly laughed. She wanted to grab Li Mengjiao that instant and give her a beating.
“Right now, this second, find something—hat, umbrella, anything—and cover yourself up completely. Stay exactly where you are and wait for me!”
