Miss Ran swallowed a huge mouthful of frustration.
All her friends had been driven away by her outburst, leaving only Luo Hao to bear the brunt of her anger.
Fortunately, Luo Hao had dropped out of school early and mixed in society for years, gaining plenty of experience in taking abuse. He was just about able to handle the situation. When Miss Ran hurled a bottle in her rage, Luo Hao deliberately did not dodge. He took the full impact on his head, blood streaming down.
Even Ran Keqing was startled. She frowned. “Why didn’t you dodge?”
Blood trickled down Luo Hao’s forehead. He paid no attention to his own injury, only concerned whether Ran Keqing was hurt. “If I dodged, what if the flying glass shards cut your hand?”
As he spoke, he took her hand and examined it carefully.
Of course, Ran Keqing’s hand was unharmed. As a pampered young lady from a wealthy family, she had never lifted a finger her whole life. Her hands were exceptionally fair and delicate.
Ran Keqing stared at Luo Hao for a long time, then suddenly pulled her hand back and gave an enigmatic smile. “Luo Hao, I’m not one of those gullible little girls.”
Luo Hao’s expression stiffened. “Sister Keqing, I didn’t mean… sigh, I overstepped just now. I’m sorry!”
Ran Keqing looked at Luo Hao’s blood-smeared face and felt a small surge of satisfaction.
Xie Qian’s eyes were clouded and he could not see her charms, but that did not stop other men from fawning over her.
Ran Keqing knew Luo Hao had ulterior motives, but she did not mind. In this world, some people loved money, some loved power, some loved beauty. It was perfectly normal to fall for someone because of these things.
Compared to these tangible “advantages”, Ran Keqing truly did not understand how anyone could abandon a beautiful exterior to fall for something as intangible as “inner qualities” or “soul”.
“Alright, go to the hospital and get that wound treated.”
Ran Keqing suppressed her anger. “It was just one contest. It doesn’t matter.”
She was trying a little too hard to save face, but Luo Hao did not dare point it out. Instead, he followed her lead. “Next time, she won’t be so lucky!”
…
The producer had promised Liang Dan they would “re-edit”, and they had indeed done so. Only the new version was not what Liang Dan had expected. She too felt deeply frustrated.
The calls she made and the messages she sent all vanished without reply. The favour owed to her had been repaid in this way.
Yet Liang Dan could say nothing about it.
At the very least, she could not complain to other classmates that the other party had been ungrateful.
If she did, they would ask for details, and Liang Dan could not reveal what she had asked them to do. After all, a veteran like her using connections to suppress a junior would invite ridicule.
Liang Dan sat in sullen silence. Director Guan cautiously massaged his wife’s shoulders. “This time didn’t work, but next time it will!”
Liang Dan sighed. “This time didn’t work, and there probably won’t be a next time.”
After this interview programme, Wen Ying’s popularity and fame had risen another level. She was faintly on the cusp of transitioning from bestselling author to national writer. Once Wen Ying became a national writer, not just Liang Dan, but even more powerful figures would be unable to touch her.
Thinking of it this way made Liang Dan feel even more frustrated.
When Yuan Fenghui first came to the mainland to develop her career, she had relied on Liang Dan and her husband for opportunities. Wen Ying had been even more unremarkable, covered in dust and unnoticed. Even after producing bestsellers and writing hit dramas, Liang Dan had never taken a minor figure like Wen Ying seriously.
Until she learned that Wen Ying was a shareholder in “Tianjiao”.
Liang Dan deeply regretted it.
If she had known earlier, she would never have treated Wen Ying as insignificant!
…
The Fu family home.
“Grandfather, are you reassured now?”
Fu Senior’s son sounded rather helpless.
The old man truly cared about “Niliu de Yu”. At times, that care even surpassed what he showed his own grandchildren. For “Niliu de Yu”, he had ignored his recent serious illness and attended the “Dream-Building Fund” press conference.
This time was no different.
The moment an unfavourable interview appeared, the old man had immediately called to ask if help was needed. Goodness, even when his own grandchildren ran into trouble, his usual stance was to let them sort it out themselves first and only step in if they truly could not.
The whole Fu family had accepted the old man’s blatant favouritism.
Yet when he called, the other side said help was not needed and urged him to focus on recuperating and not worry about such things.
In front of the family, the old man praised “Niliu de Yu” lavishly, saying how sensible she was.
The Fu family: …We’re sensible too!
On the surface, the old man agreed nicely and promised not to interfere, but in private he made many calls.
If the second part of the interview harmed Wen Ying, he would step in.
Only after the second part aired and he watched it in full did the old man set his worries aside.
“Excellent, truly excellent!”
When the host announced that Wen Ying’s overseas publications had sold over a million copies, the old man was happier than when his own books had reached a million.
What was wrong with commercial operations?
Without them, Wen Ying’s works would never have been published overseas so quickly.
In the past year or two, Fu Senior had clearly felt his energy plummet compared to previous years. Age and illness had not spared him; everything that should come had come.
He had made peace with death.
He had worked in his field for many years and achieved modest success. Even if he died now, he would leave something behind for the world, so he had no fear of death.
Yet at this moment, from the bottom of his heart, Fu Senior wished to live a few more years.
It did not need to be long. Even five years… no, no, just three years would be enough to see Wen Ying climb another step!
His son was still “accusing” him of favouritism when the old man suddenly interrupted. “Schedule those medical checks the doctor mentioned.”
His son froze, then beamed with delight. “Grandfather, you’re willing to listen to the doctor?”
The old man muttered, “A full set of tests will wear these old bones out… but I should still listen.”
Afraid his father might change his mind, the son did not care that it was night and immediately contacted the doctor. No matter why the old man had changed his mind, the Fu family very much wanted him to live many more years!
…
The second part of the interview had ended.
Wen Ying’s readers reluctantly tore their eyes from the television screen.
When they went online again, the internet trolls who had been chasing Wen Ying to abuse her seemed to have collectively vanished.
“Hmph, hired trolls after all!”
Gan Tao did not know who had paid to blacken Xiao Yu.
But now Xiao Yu had used the interview to clarify some distorted facts and had her overseas sales revealed. The person paying for the trolls realised they could not shake her and had withdrawn.
Xiao Yu’s books should soon enjoy a sales boom in the country, right?
Gan Tao first emphatically reiterated to her parents how much she loved Xiao Yu, then spent a while in the QQ group reading long apologies from readers who had wavered earlier. In high spirits, she went to call her boyfriend.
“Haha, I knew Xiao Yu wouldn’t lose!”
Gan Tao chattered away, but to her surprise, Wen Kai on the other end did not echo her. She found it odd. “Are you unwell? Ahem, I have been neglecting you these past few days. Now that the crisis on Xiao Yu’s side is over, I’ll definitely make it up to you!”
Gan Tao was sweet and adorable. Wen Kai was caught in a dilemma, but in the end he told the truth. “Actually, Wen Ying is my cousin.”
