CHAPTER 31
Qin Yinong meticulously trimmed her nails smooth and even, then tossed the nail clipper back. During the trimming process, her mind was filled with various thoughts, creating a discordant atmosphere.
Guan Han retrieved her camera from the bag and continued to lower her head, tinkering with it.
She had taken too many photos and was currently sorting through them, deleting the blurry ones and those with unfavorable angles.
Qin Yinong was in a good mood, with a faint smile lingering on her lips. Upon seeing this, she casually said, "How did the photos turn out? Let me see."
Guan Han silently handed them over.
After Qin Yinong finished looking through all the photos, she fell silent for a while. How should she describe her assistant? Too clever. Guan Han had already considered things that she hadn't even thought about. Qin Yinong stared at one particular candid shot, where Tang Ruoyao falling into her embrace, looking up at her with eyes as clear and gentle as water.
Qin Yinong's heart warmed, and her fingertips moved unconsciously.
After a while, she returned the camera, cleared her throat unnecessarily, and said, "Don't give these photos to them in the dorm."
Guan Han nodded. "I know."
Qin Yinong's heart, which had just calmed down, was stirred up again because of these photos. The small patch of skin on the back of her neck that had been brushed by Tang Ruoyao's warm breath seemed to tingle slightly, and the same sensation spread across her back.
Qin Yinong wondered, 'Where did this kid learn to be so audacious?'
Tang Ruoyao was going to take graduation photos with her classmates at school and wouldn't be home until evening at the earliest. To prevent herself from dwelling on it and making it more difficult, Qin Yinong tried to shift her focus.
She concentrated on her work-related thoughts, such as the formation of the production crew. Her eyebrows furrowed as she devoted herself to writing a list of potential directors and actors in her phone's notes. She also needed to urge Chai Ziqiu to submit the script as soon as possible.
"Qin Jie," Guan Han softly called her from the side.
Qin Yinong's fingers paused, and she looked up with a smile. "What is it?"
"This morning, I overheard something on the school road. I'm not sure if it's true or not, but it's related to Miss Yao." There was a slight hint of caution in Guan Han's tone.
"Tell me."
"There's a movie called 'Under the Southern Mountain,' and the female lead role was taken by Huo Yuke, not Miss Yaoyao." Guan Han was certain that Qin Yinong didn't know who Huo Yuke was, so she quickly explained, "Huo Yuke is Miss Yao's classmate and also an actress."
The smile on Qin Yinong's face faded, and her expression became enigmatic.
"When did this happen?"
"I don't know, I haven't checked it yet."
Qin Yinong's gaze turned cold, and her voice became subdued. "What are you waiting for?"
"Right away!" Guan Han shivered, immediately making a call to Tang Ruoyao's manager, Ruan Qin.
Ruan Qin was currently busy accompanying another artist on a shoot. When she received this unexpected call, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly reviewed her recent actions and realized that she hadn't done anything to provoke Tang Ruoyao. She stepped aside and nervously answered, "Hello."
Guan Han observed Qin Yinong's expressionless face and spoke in a colder tone than usual, asking, "Is it true that Tang Ruoyao's female lead role in 'Under the Southern Mountain' was taken away?"
So it was because of this incident.
Having a grasp of the situation, Ruan Qin hurriedly distanced herself, "Yes, it's true, but it has nothing to do with me. It's because Huo Yuke has a strong backing, and I have no power or influence." She even took the opportunity to flatter Qin Yinong, praising her skills and assuring that if she intervened, she could definitely retrieve the role. Guan Han didn't bother listening and coldly interrupted her, "Why didn't you inform me?"
Ruan Qin broke into a sweat. She couldn't bring herself to say that Tang Ruoyao was falling out of favor. She was afraid that if she mentioned it, not only would she fail to regain the role, but she would also cause trouble for herself. Moreover, "Under the Southern Mountain" was an art film with a low salary, which meant even less commission for her. Why would she bother with something that offered no benefits?
Ruan Qin wiped the sweat off her forehead, her mind racing as she quickly shifted blame, saying, "I thought Tang Ruoyao had already informed you herself. After all, her relationship with Qin Yinong is closer, isn't it?"
Guan Han didn't bother arguing with her and ended the call. She took a deep breath and turned to Qin Yinong, saying in a serious tone, "It's true."
Qin Yinong let out a cold laugh, gripping her phone tightly and rubbing her fingertips forcefully along the edge of the device.
Guan Han could almost hear her grinding her teeth.
"Turn around and go back to the company." Qin Yinong said with a chilling voice.
Guan Han pursed her lips and had no choice but to comply.
She pressed the intercom button and instructed the driver ahead, "Turn around and go to the studio."
The car made a turn on the road leading to Tang Ruoyao's house, heading farther and farther away until it disappeared into the distance.
.....
Qin Yinong was the only artist under An Ling's management, and she was on vacation during this period, so An Ling had relatively less to do. A couple of days ago, An Ling accompanied Qin Yinong on a trip to Paris to sign a contract renewal with B&H, taking care of the only significant matter that had come up recently.
An Ling sat on the sofa in the office, with a set of exquisite tea set in front of her. She meticulously brewed the tea, and its fragrance filled the air. The high-quality purple clay teapot changed colors as the light played upon it, making it even more pleasing to the eye.
Until Qin Yinong stormed into the room with Guan Han. emanating a strong aura of anger.
An Ling confirmed it from the speed of Qin Yinong's footsteps; indeed, there was an overwhelming aura of hostility.
"What's the matter?" An Ling assumed that Qin Yinong had encountered some trouble outside. There weren't many people who dared to provoke Qin Yinong and make her angry, so she put on a smiling face and greeted her, "Please have a seat. Who dared to offend you?"
Qin Yinong slumped bonelessly onto the sofa opposite her and said, "You."
An Ling: "..." What kind of madness is this?
She looked at Guan Han, trying to discern something.
Guan Han, who was Qin Yinong's trusted confidante, simply ignored her and focused solely on Qin Yinong.
An Ling: "..."
Hah, what a short temper.
An Ling poured a cup of hot tea for Qin Yinong and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Da Hong Pao, the finest quality. Care for a taste?"
The tea cup emitted steaming hot air, and Qin Yinong glanced at it but decided against drinking the scalding-hot tea. She got straight to the point, asking, "Why didn't anyone inform me that Ruoyao's role was taken away?"
An Ling was surprised. "Her role was taken away?"
Qin Yinong furrowed her brow. "You didn't know?"
An Ling almost burst out laughing at Qin Yinong's presumptuous tone and asked in return, "Why should I know? It's not like it's your role that was taken away. I'm quite busy, you know?"
Qin Yinong remained silent, looking at the purple clay teapot and tea set in front of her.
An Ling was genuinely angry now and sneered, "Do I not even have the freedom to brew a pot of tea? Did I sell myself to you or something? Show me which clause in our contract states that I must be concerned about Tang Ruoyao." She pointed her finger on the table. "Come on, if you can find one, I won't say another word."
After all, she wasn't Tang Ruoyao's manager. Qin Yinong's accusatory attitude made her feel as if she had committed some terrible crime.
An Ling's emotion fluctuated.
Qin Yinong rubbed her nose and quickly realized the situation, sensibly changing her approach. She stood up and sat next to An Ling. As she moved closer, An Ling moved further away. Qin Yinong reached out and gently held An Ling's shoulder, elongating her voice in a coquettish manner, "Sister An Ling."
An Ling's scalp tingled, and her bones went weak. She made a symbolic struggle but couldn't break free. She forced herself to put on a stern face and warned, "Don't get too close, we're both women."
Qin Yinong rested her chin on An Ling's shoulder, blinked her innocent, pure eyes, and acted like a rogue, saying, "What do you mean by not getting close? Isn't this quite close?"
An Ling's skin crawled with goosebumps, and she struggled, saying, "Qin Yinong, I advise you to be good."
Qin Yinong laughed inwardly and persisted in clinging to her, refusing to let go. "Come on, An Ling, please."
Guan Han sighed inwardly, knowing it was starting again.
As one of the two bosses of their studio, An Ling's temper wasn't particularly good. There were rumors that she left her previous company because of her explosive temper, publicly humiliating the higher-ups and engaging in heated arguments. While she was undeniably talented, her temper was truly bad.
As business partners, it was inevitable for the two bosses to have conflicts and clashes, just like teeth occasionally biting the tongue. When An Ling got angry, Qin Yinong automatically lowered herself and coaxed her with a sweet and gentle voice. Her most effective method was to act spoiled, and An Ling fell for it every time.
Qin Yinong had an exceptional ability to leverage her advantages. She could accurately respond to each person's characteristics, and she appeared completely natural in her gestures and actions, as if it came naturally to her. It was perhaps a combination of acting skills and her innate personality.
Guan Han accompanied Qin Yinong to numerous social events back when Qin Yinong hadn't been recognized by the Ji family yet. She had been tirelessly navigating the industry on her own, despite winning many awards. Although she had achieved a lot, her foundation was not stable, and there were moments of awkwardness. She needed to expand her network. Among the people they encountered, there were big shots with higher status, peers on the same level, and even those below her. Yet, she always managed to please everyone. If one had to make a comparison, she was like a slippery snake, unpredictable, adaptable, and decisive. Her adeptness at navigating social occasions, making connections, and being at ease was the result of more than a decade of experience in the industry.
The sophistication she displayed at every dining table was slightly different from her demeanor in front of An Ling. At least Qin Yinong wouldn't feel nauseous on the way back home or rush to the toilet to vomit after acting spoiled towards An Ling.
Fortunately, as she rose higher and higher, with the powerful and deeply rooted Ji family backing her, she rarely needed to grovel or flatter in certain situations anymore.
Every time Guan Han witnessed Qin Yinong acting spoiled towards An Ling, she couldn't help but marvel. At the same time, a small hint of envy crept into her heart. As a trusted aide by Qin Yinong's side, she knew she would never have such an opportunity.
An Ling had the privilege to be on an equal footing with Qin Yinong and had the right to get angry. If she couldn't perform well, she might even face the risk of being dismissed.
Seeing the two bosses reconciling and engaging in friendly conversation, Guan Han refocused her thoughts.
"Is it the movie called 'Under the Southern Mountain'? Let me check." An Ling made a phone call, and the information was quickly confirmed. "Okay, it's true. The movie is directed by Lin Guoan, and initially, they did cast Yao... Tang Ruoyao. The production team had even prepared the contract. However, a few days before signing the contract, Liu Yayu, the CEO of the major investor Yayu Media, who happens to be the financial backer for Huo Yuke, snatched Tang Ruoyao's role away and decided to replace her."
"Yayu Media?" Qin Yinong sat across from An Ling, legs crossed, and smirked, "I've met Liu Yayu a few times at the dining table. He's quite fond of women and keeps a harem of mistresses. He always brings different people with him every time. But he seems to be quite fond of this Huo person, actually securing a role for her."
An Ling asked, "What do you plan to do?"
Qin Yinong looked down at her freshly manicured nails, lightly blowing on them and nonchalantly glanced at An Ling, saying, "Of course... we'll snatch it back."
Disapproval flashed in An Ling's eyes as she said, "I don't recommend doing that."
"Why?" Qin Yinong shifted her posture, lazily propping her chin on her hand, half-leaning on the sofa. The sofa was a bit hard, and Guan Han considerately placed a soft pillow under her elbow.
An Ling said, "Setting aside the fact that Yayu Media is one of the prominent media companies in the country, there are no benefits in offending Liu Yayu. In the grand scheme of things, Tang Ruoyao losing a role is not worth such a huge effort."
"Is that so?" Qin Yinong replied in a slow, ambiguous tone. Her lips curled up, a lazy and relaxed smile on her face, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.
An Ling wasn't blind to her displeasure and continued in a low voice, "Enough is enough. She's already had enough luck."
When Tang Ruoyao first appeared in such a fallen state, she luckily encountered the generous Qin Yinong. An Ling still didn't know why Qin Yinong chose to save her. There were plenty of young girls in the industry who would sell themselves for various reasons, but she didn't see Qin Yinong saving each and every one of them. Perhaps she thought of doing a good deed on a whim that day. Qin Yinong took the risk of offending people to intercept her and kept her by her side, teaching her acting, removing obstacles for her, and propelling her to success. Qin Yinong arranged everything meticulously for her—movies, advertisements, magazines, endorsements—taking care of every aspect, even preemptively suppressing any negative news.
As her benefactor, Qin Yinong fulfilled her physiological needs just like a mother would.
How many newcomers in the industry could have such good luck?
"Is it okay?" Qin Yinong continued to smile, lightly tapping her chin with her index finger. She spoke softly, "Why don't I feel okay about it?"
Falling in love with oneself is the greatest misfortune.
"Don't play these mind games with me." An Ling didn't have the patience for Qin Yinong's evasiveness. She took a deep breath and tried to remain calm, saying reluctantly, "I know you don't want her to go through what you went through, but have you ever considered that this industry is like this? It's a survival of the fittest. Think of it in a positive way—at least she wasn't forced to... entertain those old men. Isn't that better... for most people?"
Qin Yinong remained silent.
Thinking that she might be getting through to her, An Ling continued to persuade her, "If she's truly talented, why should she be afraid of not getting suitable roles? This role is gone, but there will be others. There's no need to fight over it."
Still, Qin Yinong said nothing.
An Ling grew tired and poured herself a cup of tea. She took small sips and waited for Qin Yinong to come to her senses. She was confident that Qin Yinong would eventually see reason. Qin Yinong had always been able to endure what others couldn't. If she acted impulsively, she wouldn't have survived until now, let alone over such a trivial matter.
"Isn't it right to continue like this?" Suddenly, these words echoed in the quiet room.
An Ling was startled and looked up to see who had spoken.
Qin Yinong, at some point, sat up straight, and the playful smile disappeared from her face. Her gaze became intense. "The root of this industry is rotten, and I alone can't change it. I never thought I could. I can't control what others do, but I won't let my people be bullied when I have the ability to protect them."
An Ling was infuriated. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down, but she felt like she was talking to a brick wall.
"Can you protect her for a lifetime?!" An Ling stood up abruptly, filled with anger.
"I don't need to protect her for a lifetime!" Qin Yinong also stood up. Her voice wasn't as loud as An Ling's, but her presence was just as strong. She spoke calmly, "When she becomes strong enough to stand on her own, I will naturally let go."
"Is that so?" An Ling suddenly lowered her tone, her lips curling with a mocking smile. "Do you think she'll ever become strong enough? Wake up! Even Ruan Qin can oppress her. She's inherently weak and incapable. She'll never become another you! Can you protect her until old age, until death? Can you guarantee that you'll always remain at the pinnacle of success? If you fall from power, what will she become? Have you ever thought about that?"
The false confidence that Qin Yinong had feigned crumbled under the weight of An Ling's piercing words.. It quickly shattered, leaving a mess behind. She quickly turned her face away, staring fixedly at the potted green plant in the corner of the office, tightly pursing her lips together.
An Ling walked over and gently touched Qin Yinong's shoulder. Seeing the shimmer of tears in her eyes, her heart softened. She spoke softly, "Listen to your sister's advice. There are some paths she must walk on her own, take a few hard falls, even crack her head open. Even the most foolish person can learn to protect themselves. If she never learns, it means she's not suited for this industry. Then you can think of another way out for her, okay?"
Qin Yinong clenched her teeth tightly, biting her lower lip. Her eyes looked elsewhere for a while, before she choked out in a low voice, "I can't bear it."
An Ling felt a pang in her heart and couldn't help but wrap her arms around her, gently patting her back.
"Sister An Ling" Qin Yinong murmured against her shoulder, "I want to help her once more."
An Ling was about to protest, but Qin Yinong, with a determined look, spoke with great calmness, "Just this once, I will let her grow."
If she had to take a big fall in order to grow, she would rather be the one pushing herself. It was better than her suffering at the hands of others.
Qin Yinong drank the tea An Ling had made, her emotions had calmed down considerably. She couldn't help but sweetly praise An Ling's taste.
An Ling was overjoyed by her words of praise and made her smile from ear to ear.
But let's talk about the real matter." An Ling said with some concern, "How do you plan to help her snatch back the role?"
Yayu Media is not an easy target. Even when dealing with Liu Yayu, Qin Yinong still needs to give him some face. It wouldn't be appropriate to openly snatch the role, so perhaps a covert operation... An Ling couldn't think of a foolproof way to operate in secret without being discovered. Liu Yayu is someone they would surely offend. Even if Qin Yinong doesn't directly confront him, there's no guarantee they can successfully reclaim the role. It would be a thankless and arduous task.
An Ling was startled, her eyes widened in astonishment, unable to find the words to express her shock.
Huanyu Film and Television is one of the leading company in the domestic film and television industry. Their films account for over 70% of the market share each year, leaving other companies with no choice but to collaborate with them or settle for scraps. Although Yayu Media has been rising rapidly in recent years, they still can't compare to Huanyu Film and Television.
The chairman of Huanyu Film and Television has the surname Ji. Except for those extremely close to Qin Yinong and the top figures in the industry, nobody knows about her blood ties with the Ji family. Qin Yinong's current position is already enough for her to walk with authority in the industry, but the Ji family is her ultimate trump card.
An Ling was dumbfounded, her mouth agape. "You... You actually plan to use your maternal family's connections for Tang Ruoyao."
Qin Yinong, on the other hand, appeared more composed.
"I still have some influence over there, and the Ji family won't refuse this small favor for me." Qin Yinong smiled faintly and stood up from the couch, and said. "This matter should be handled sooner rather than later. I'll make a phone call."
An Ling watched her figure and could only think of two words: She's crazy.
.....
"Okay, one, two, three... Cheese!" All members of Room 405 sat on the lush grass, supporting themselves with their hands and tilting their faces slightly upward. Behind them stood a iconic statue found in many schools—the Thinker. Fu Yujun held up a selfie stick and captured a group photo with a click.
Fu Yujun retracted the selfie stick.
"Let me see how it turned out!" Wen Shuxian eagerly rushed over and accidentally bumped heads with Cui Jiaran, who had also approached. They collided head-on, and Wen Shuxian let out a pained cry, rubbing her forehead with tears welling up.
Cui Jiaran, with a tougher head, seemed unfazed and immediately looked at her phone, praising, "Not bad, not bad."
Taking advantage of the situation, Wen Shuxian flicked her finger against Cui Jiaran's forehead. Cui Jiaran glared at her but didn't flick back.
Wen Shuxian looked puzzled and said, "Why do I feel like Tang Tang's smile seem a bit forced?" She turned around to look at Tang Ruoyao, who was sitting quietly on the side after the photo was taken. Tang Ruoyao smiled and said, "No, it's not."
She had already been dragged around for three hours of photoshoot, not counting the time spent for lunch. Graduation memories were precious, and even though she was eager to go home, she focused and cooperated in taking many photos.
However, this group of people had too much energy, especially Wen Shuxian, who was completely crazy.
Fu Yujun noticed the faint strain in Tang Ruoyao's expression. Even if she didn't know what Tang Ruoyao had in mind, she understood and said, "How about we stop here for today? You don't need to return the clothes immediately, right? Are you two still staying at school for the next couple of days?"
Tang Ruoyao's eyes brightened, and she gratefully glanced at Fu Yujun.
Cui Jiaran agreed, and Wen Shuxian hesitated while looking at the early sky. Fu Yujun tapped her forearm and said, "I'm a bit tired. Holding the selfie stick has made my arm ache. I want to go back and rest for a while."
"Alright then, let's continue tomorrow." Wen Shuxian said enthusiastically, rubbing her hands together and asked, "What should we have for dinner tonight?"
Another dinner?!
Tang Ruoyao was taken aback and quickly made an excuse, saying, "I have something to attend to at work, so I need to go back. I won't join you for dinner tonight."
Wen Shuxian felt slightly disappointed but didn't insist. saying, Work is important. Will you be back tomorrow?"
Tang Ruoyao thought for a moment and pursed her lips. "It depends on the situation." If Qin Yinong stayed with her, she might not come back.
"What kind of lousy company is this? Keeping you busy even after graduation." Wen Shuxian complained casually.
The four of them made their way back to the dormitory. Tang Ruoyao took off her graduation gown and neatly folded it aside. After some consideration, she decided to put it in her bag. She noticed that Qin Yinong seemed to like her in this outfit.
Wen Shuxian noticed and asked in surprise, "Does your company allow you to bring this with you?"
Tang Ruoyao's ears turned hot, and she mumbled, "There maybe an interview."
"Oh," Wen Shuxian didn't think much of it. When Tang Ruoyao left downstairs, Wen Shuxian personally saw her off and waved, "Come back early."
Tang Ruoyao got into the waiting chauffeured car at the school gate—the car was arranged by her assistant. As a popular artist in the company, she had the privilege of having a personal car. This car was exclusively for her use.
"Go home." she told the driver in front, her eyes filled with genuine joy and anticipation.
Not long after driving away, Tang Ruoyao received a call from Ruan Qin.
"Something's up, come to the company." Ruan Qin said.
Her excuse had unexpectedly turned into reality. Tang Ruoyao furrowed her brows and spoke in a negotiating tone, "Can I come tomorrow?"
Ruan Qin stood outside the conference room, glanced at the distinguished man in a sharp suit through the glass, took a deep breath, and said, "It's a big matter. It's better for you to come now."
Thinking about Qin Yinong waiting for her at home, Tang Ruoyao wasn't too willing. Combined with her lack of trust in Ruan Qin, she insisted on getting clarification, "What exactly is it about?"
Ruan Qin was getting annoyed at Tang Ruoyao's dragging, but she didn't dare to get mad at her. Qin Yinong's assistant had just asked her, and not long after, the movie role took a surprising turn, and the speed was astonishing. If it wasn't for Qin Yinong, then who else?
Ruan Qin lowered her voice and said, "It's for 'Under the Southern Mountain.' Do you remember that movie? Come sign the contract. Everyone is waiting for you at the company."
"The supporting female role?" Tang Ruoyao misunderstood and switched the phone to her other hand. She spoke casually, "Didn't I say I wouldn't take that supporting female role?"
She didn't look down on supporting roles. After all, Qin Yinong had played many supporting roles after becoming famous. It's just that being on the same set as Huo Yuke would only cause trouble, right? Although she wasn't afraid of the other party, she didn't want to invite trouble upon herself.
"Not the supporting actress, it's the lead role!" Ruan Qin urged, "Hurry up and come. Don't let the cooked duck fly away." [To lose something one almost got.]
"What about Huo Yuke?" Tang Ruoyao blurted out.
"She got kicked out, obviously. Can there be two female leads? Why are you talking so much? Come quickly. Even the producer himself came here in person. We can't afford to offend him."
Tang Ruoyao glanced at the time; it was already close to 4 pm. She gritted her teeth and told the driver, "Change the route, go to the company."
The chauffeured car smoothly continued its journey towards the company.
She didn't know how long it would take for the round trip, so Tang Ruoyao sent a message to Guan Han.
[I'm going to the company, I'll try to come back early.]
After some thought, she pursed her lips and typed slowly, deleting and revising before sending another message:
[If you have something to do, it's okay to leave first.]
She kept her phone on her lap until she arrived at the company, but she didn't receive a reply from Guan Han.
It's unusual.
Suddenly, Tang Ruoyao felt an ominous premonition in her heart.
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