Rumors swirled that Deng Shangwei had made mistakes in the past. When he faked his seafood company’s bankruptcy, many employees left, and the current driver was a newer hire. Whispers of Deng’s past “romantic escapades” lingered in the company, though new staff couldn’t confirm their truth. Now, Chen Li held the reins, with Deng seemingly working for her. Chen Li’s family subtly urged keeping a close eye on him. The driver, sneaking glances at the drunken, grinning Deng slumped against Wen Dongrong, sighed inwardly. Preventing Deng’s missteps was for his own good—stable boss, stable company, stable jobs. By reporting on Deng, the driver felt almost noble, a silent benefactor to all.
Deng was so drunk that Wen Dongrong and the driver had to haul him upstairs. At the corridor, Wen Dongrong stopped. “Take him inside. I’ll get a cab,” he said, smoothing his wrinkled suit. A man of pride, he couldn’t let Chen Li see his concern for Deng. Though Deng was decent, Wen Dongrong had to maintain his brother-in-law’s dignity.
“Brother-in-law!” Deng mumbled, grabbing Wen Dongrong’s arm. It took effort to break free. “Quick, get him inside!” Wen Dongrong snapped. Give Deng an inch, and he’d take a mile.
Despite the tussle, Wen Dongrong gained much from the night. Qin Xianming and his circle, successful businessmen, had real expertise. Wang Jun was a street-smart operator, but Qin Xianming was a refined scholar-merchant. As for what small business suited Zhu Meiqun, Wen Dongrong needed to think it over carefully.
While Wen Dongrong expanded his network, Wen Ying faced her final exams. She’d paused writing to focus on studying, unsure of her results. After the tests, she found the questions manageable, but that thought chilled her—her father had been overconfident before and failed. “The questions weren’t hard,” Xie Qian said, offering no comfort. As the top student, nothing was hard for him, making the comparison useless.
With exams done, winter break began. Before grades were out, Yuan Fenghui rallied the *The Galaxy and You* crew for Modu filming, holding a meeting to boost morale. Yun Chen and Zhang Yangning had filmed much, but Li Mengjiao’s scenes were lacking. Yuan warned her, “We aim to wrap by April for post-production, hitting the prime summer slot.”
Yuan’s serious demeanor underscored her goal: securing the best broadcast slot to outshine rivals like Yu Tianlin and Cao Bo. Last year, *The Princess’s New Clothes* outdid *Jade Forest* despite airing later. This time, Yuan wanted *The Galaxy and You* to air first, rendering Yu’s drama irrelevant—“airing into oblivion.” The crew, especially Li Mengjiao, Yun Chen, and Zhang Yangning, who disliked Yu Tianlin, was fired up.
Wen Ying, more composed, pledged, “I’ll ensure the script doesn’t hold us back. I’ll refine it on set.” Yuan smiled, “With everyone’s dedication, we’ll make it great. The company’s invested more than in *The Princess’s New Clothes*.”
Indeed, the budget was hefty: 3 million for pop diva Hu Man’s cameo and a fortune for Huang Yongjuan’s music production. Wen Ying, having invested 4 million—her entire earnings from a year and a half, minus a loan to Xie Qian—was banking on a ratings hit and profits from the soundtrack and merchandise. Her chance to buy Tianjiao shares depended on this.
With filming set for Modu and grades still pending, Wen Ying nervously approached Chen Ru. “Mom, I’ll make sure it doesn’t affect my studies,” she said, expecting resistance. If refused, she’d enlist her father, who owed her for dipping into her savings. Surprisingly, Chen Ru agreed readily. “Visit your Aunt Wu in Modu. She cares about you.”
“I will,” Wen Ying promised, puzzled by her mother’s quick approval. Even on the flight to Modu with the *The Galaxy and You* crew, including Xie Qian—who had his logistics company there—and Wang Shuang, who insisted on joining, she couldn’t figure it out. Wang Shuang, a senior, shamelessly claimed, “Where Xie Shen is, I am. Who else will tutor me for college entrance exams?”
His audacity drew scornful looks from the group. Xie Qian ignored it, while Wen Ying muttered about her mother’s odd behavior. Xie Qian’s eyes glinted with amusement. The answer was simple: Chen Ru valued grades above all. Xie Qian had asked his cousin Lin Lin to leak Wen Ying’s exam results to Chen Ru early, easing her concerns.
