Born a Tianjiao person, die a Tianjiao ghost.
Tianjiao is my home, success depends on us all.
Dedicate yourself actively to work. Work hard, embody the spirit of work, and rise above others through work.
A flood of motivational slogans surged through Mrs. Wang’s mind, but they didn’t inspire her. Instead, they made her feel utterly overwhelmed.
Mrs. Wang’s lips trembled, her body radiating resistance. “I can’t do it, I have no experience.”
Yuan Fenghui grinned, like a wolf grandmother luring Little Red Riding Hood. “How can you say you can’t? Saying that in front of Chief Editor Zou, you’ll disappoint her.”
Whenever Yuan Fenghui spoke with a Taiwanese accent, she was up to no good.
Zou Weijun smiled without speaking, while Mrs. Wang was on the verge of tears.
She had joined Tianjiao as PR manager to get close to Zou Weijun.
Now that Zou Weijun was her friend, she had to keep up the job. She’d crafted an image as a woman who didn’t want to be a housewife anymore but a career woman. If she quit now to return to being a housewife, how could their friendship survive?
Why have children?
They’re tough to raise when young.
Hard to teach when grown.
And you have to pave the way for their future.
Mrs. Wang felt she’d sacrificed too much for her son.
Yuan Fenghui pressed on. “Just temporarily take on the management of Mengjiao, Yun Chen, and Yangning’s affairs. Huang Yongjuan has to pay triple the penalty for breaching his contract. I plan to invest that money into making the album. He backed out halfway, so I’ll produce an album just as good to slap him in the face, showing him the world keeps turning without him.”
With Yuan Fenghui’s words leaving no room for retreat, Mrs. Wang’s eyes glistened with tears as she choked out, “I’m not belittling myself. I’m just too excited. I’m grateful for the company’s trust.”
Yuan Fenghui led the applause, followed by Yun Chen, Li Mengjiao, and Zhang Yangning.
Wen Ying’s shoulders shook as she clapped, quietly excited. Mrs. Wang, reluctantly pushed into this role, might just reach heights others couldn’t imagine.
Zou Weijun had long seen through Mrs. Wang’s intentions but was tolerant and didn’t expose her.
It wouldn’t be fun to call her out. Mrs. Wang, struggling to maintain her persona, was rather endearing.
Hu Man’s toughness didn’t trouble the Tianjiao team.
Huang Yongjuan’s breach of contract didn’t leave them disheartened either.
Everyone faces challenges. As long as the team stays united, external difficulties can’t bring Tianjiao down.
When Xie Qian learned from Wen Ying what had happened, he didn’t say much, only commenting lightly, “If Huang Yongjuan breaches the contract mid-way, the production of *Galaxy and You*’s soundtrack album won’t be affected. Hu Man, seeing her tactics fail, will likely strike again. Why not create a false impression to lull her, then settle the score after *Galaxy and You* airs?”
If *Galaxy and You* matched or surpassed the success of *The Princess’s New Dress* in ratings and impact, it would be enough to humiliate Hu Man.
With two hit dramas, Tianjiao, though a new company, would firmly establish itself in the industry.
Li Mengjiao and Yun Chen’s popularity would remain solid.
Zhang Yangning, playing a key role and singing the theme song, was bound to rise to fame.
Hu Man would feel the sting.
As for Huang Yongjuan, daring to abandon the project, he’d face consequences.
He’d breached contracts before, claiming it was to uphold a musician’s standards. This time, it was personal.
Would Yuan Fenghui let it slide?
No chance.
Once *Galaxy and You* became a hit, Yuan Fenghui would “promote” Huang Yongjuan’s actions, ruining at least half his industry reputation.
Unless desperate, who would risk hiring Huang Yongjuan for an album when there were other top producers?
“You’re right,” Wen Ying agreed wholeheartedly. “Given Hu Man’s domineering and petty nature, she won’t let this go until she vents her anger. I’m not just worried she’ll strike again, I’m concerned she’ll team up with certain people.”
Xie Qian knew exactly who Wen Ying meant by “certain people.”
Those with conflicts of interest or grudges against Tianjiao.
Like Manager Guan.
Or Yu Tianlin.
As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If Hu Man showed dissatisfaction with Tianjiao, she’d quickly align with them.
“Manager Guan and his group are probably too busy. Remember we saw Pan Li on the street? But Yu Tianlin, aiming to expand in the mainland, could use Hu Man’s resources. They’d easily join forces.”
Pan Li’s obvious pregnancy meant trouble was brewing for Deputy Director Duan.
This bombshell wouldn’t just hit Duan but would also implicate Manager Guan.
After all, Xu Mei had endured for so long. Without a fierce retaliation, how could her resentment be quelled?
Xie Qian’s predictions were usually spot-on, and Wen Ying couldn’t help but look forward to it. “I wonder when it’ll blow up.”
Pan Li had better deliver.
Xie Qian’s words were like a charm, always coming true.
Deputy Director Duan was indeed in a frenzy these days.
Pan Li’s pregnancy was advancing.
No matter what benefits Duan offered, Pan Li had learned from Yu Wenhao that promises not in hand were worthless. Even if Duan’s promises materialised, taking money to abort and leave would be the worst deal, as money runs out eventually.
Not aborting and having the child meant Duan could never escape her, providing endless wealth.
Becoming his wife would be ideal.
If not, Pan Li would enjoy the same material comforts as Fang Ping, or even better.
The child was her trump card.
When Pan Li and Yu Wenhao had schemed against Deng Shangwei, she lacked such confidence, knowing the child wasn’t his.
This time was different. It was truly Duan’s.
Duan and Deng Shangwei’s situations weren’t the same.
Deng was vulnerable to blackmail because he feared exposure to his wife, Chen Li. If Deng and Chen reached an agreement to handle external threats first, Pan Li had little leverage.
As a businessman, Deng’s mistress’s pregnancy would be gossip fodder, but as long as Chen didn’t demand a divorce, no rules could restrain him.
Deputy Director Duan was different.
A provincial TV station deputy director.
A scandal like this could ruin his career.
Without the “deputy director” role, this middle-aged man would lose all appeal to young women. His status and power would collapse instantly.
Fang Ping had long known of her husband’s affair but, for various reasons, compromised and didn’t divorce.
Men like Duan, thick-skinned and selfish, wouldn’t be grateful for Fang Ping’s compromise. Instead, he’d push further, expecting her to yield again.
When Pan Li made a scene, insisting on keeping the child, Duan had no choice but to discuss it with his wife.
Fang Ping thought she’d misheard and asked him to repeat himself.
“What did you say?”
Wiping sweat from his brow, Duan said, “I have no choice, it’s a temporary measure. Pan Li’s pregnancy can’t wait, and she refuses to abort. If I don’t marry her, she says she’ll keep the child and show up at the station with it. I’m thinking we fake a divorce, I get a marriage certificate with her, cover up the scandal, then divorce her cleanly.”
