CHAPTER 85

Xiaoyuan slept until 9:30 the next morning, and never dreamt again after that. She slept soundly and deeply, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. The fact that she didn't need sleeping pills to achieve such restful sleep felt incredibly healthy, and she was in a very good mood.

The housekeeper from yesterday arrived half an hour after she made the call, bringing a lavish breakfast. There were two types of sandwiches—a fried pork cutlet sandwich and a crab stick omelet avocado sandwich—along with a plate of mixed berries and a glass of oat milk.

Xiaoyuan suddenly noticed that the chef at Wei Zhuang always prepared a lot of food for her, very lavish, while Wei Zhuang herself ate quite little.

Was this her instruction?

The housekeeper hesitated before replying, "Your first meal order was spicy stir-fry, which doesn't seem like something Ms. Wei would order. Later, we learned that you're quite young, so your tastes would naturally differ."

"The doctor from yesterday, who is also a certified nutritionist, mentioned that you need to replenish your nutrients for the time being."

"Oh," Xiaoyuan processed her words, interpreting it as Wei Zhuang's indirect instructions, since these were all her people.

"Has Wei Zhuang ever had other people stay here before?" Xiaoyuan took a big bite of her sandwich, lowering her head but perking up her ears.

"No." the housekeeper replied.

Xiaoyuan couldn't help but smile, hiding her grin by taking another large bite of her sandwich.

As she ate, Xiaoyuan observed the housekeeper, noticing how reserved she was, much like her employer. Unwilling to let the silence linger, Xiaoyuan decided to engage her in conversation. "What time does Wei Zhuang usually leave for work?"

The housekeeper answered, "Ms. Wei leaves promptly at 8:30 every morning."

Xiaoyuan thought for a moment and asked, "And her return time varies?"

The housekeeper nodded. "Yes."

"Have you been working with President Wei for a long time?"

"Miss, you don't need to address me so formally," the gray-haired housekeeper said with a serious expression. "I am the Wei family's senior housekeeper, and I have been by Ms. Wei's side for thirty years."

Xiaoyuan was surprised. That meant she had been with Wei Zhuang since she was a child. She must have witnessed many things about Wei Zhuang's life.

Xiaoyuan restrained her urge to ask more questions. It wasn't the right time, and she didn't want to seem too nosy.

After finishing her meal, the housekeeper said, "Ms. Wei specifically instructed that if you feel bored staying indoors, you can go out, and a driver will take you wherever you'd like to go."

Xiaoyuan nodded with a smile. "Okay."

As the housekeeper cleared the dishes, Xiaoyuan looked at her and said, "Auntie?"

The housekeeper paused, looking up. "Is there anything you need?"

"Auntie, you don't need to address me so formally either. You can just call me by my name."

The housekeeper seemed taken aback but didn't object. She nodded and said, "Then I'll take my leave now. If you need anything, just call."

Xiaoyuan smiled, replying, "Okay."

A while after finishing breakfast, she did a set of stretching exercises, remembering she needed to call Xiang Zhishi.

She hadn't seen him since returning to Shencheng and wasn't sure where he was or how he was doing. During their last phone call, she thought she heard a woman's voice in the background, which had piqued her curiosity.

She dialed his number, and after several rings, it was answered—but by a woman's voice. "Hello?"

Xiaoyuan froze. She pulled the phone away from her ear to check the screen, confirming it was indeed her brother's number. "...Hello?"

"Are you Xiaoyuan? Hi, I'm your brother's girlfriend."

Xiaoyuan: "...Huh?"

The voice on the other end sounded vaguely familiar, but Xiaoyuan couldn't quite place it. The information conveyed was even more shocking. "...Uh, hello. Where's my brother?"

The woman chuckled lightly, her voice carrying a magnetic quality. "He went out to walk the dog and take out the trash. He left his phone at home."

This short sentence revealed so much information that Xiaoyuan was at a loss for words. She could only mumble, "Oh, okay, then..."

"Should I have him call you back when he returns?"

"Yes, that would be great. Thank you."

Xiaoyuan slowly ended the call, still reeling from the shock. She and her brother had been close for over a decade, and never once had there been a woman in his life. Was this really the first she was hearing about it?

She quickly pushed aside the slight discomfort she felt. Her brother's health had been poor lately, and it was good that someone was there to take care of him.

A pang of guilt and sadness washed over her. In the past, when she wasn't as busy with acting gigs, they used to talk about everything. Now, it seemed like they were both caught up in their own lives, rarely having heart-to-heart conversations.

Had they grown apart? Or was this just the natural distance that should exist between family members?

About half an hour later, Xiang Zhishi called her back. He asked about her recent life, then shared his own. "I'm in Pengcheng now. I'll be staying here for a while. The air is better, and it's not as damp and cold."

"So... is your girlfriend there too?" Xiaoyuan smiled "Brother, why didn't you tell me you were in a relationship?"

Xiang Zhishi was silent for several seconds before saying, "It's complicated. It's not something I can explain right away."

Xiaoyuan was puzzled. "Then...?"

Just as she was about to press further, that magnetic female voice chimed in again, "Alright, didn't you say you'd spend time with me when you're not with your mom?"

Xiang Zhishi seemed to sigh. "May..."

Had this woman named May already become so familiar with their family affairs?

Xiaoyuan frowned, just as she was about to say something, May laughed again, "Xiaoyuan, that's enough now. Be a good girl and don't disturb your brother and me anymore."

Xiaoyuan was baffled. The line went silent for a moment before Xiang Zhishi spoke again, "Yuan'er, brother will call you again. Take care of yourself."

"Okay, brother..." Before Xiaoyuan could finish, the call was abruptly ended.

She listened to the busy signal, her brows furrowed even tighter.

This had never happened before. Xiaoyuan felt at a loss and couldn't help but call back. This time, the call was rejected before it could connect.

She hesitated for a moment.

It was clear that the woman named May had rejected the call. What made her hesitate was how brazen this woman was, and yet her brother seemed to tolerate her actions.

Could she be a crazy woman who was after her brother?

Thinking this way, she felt even more anxious and quickly dialed again. Still no answer. She didn't give up, calling again, but the phone was now off.

She held her breath, her eyes involuntarily welling up. She took a deep breath, covered her face with her hands. Finally, she made up her mind.

She would wait for Xiang Zhishi to call her again, or she would call back later to gather more information. If necessary, she would make a trip to Pengcheng herself.

She sat for a while before getting up to pour herself some water and take the medication prescribed by the doctor to regulate her emotions. She was currently in a sensitive and vulnerable state, and needed to wait until her condition stabilized a bit more. Her brother had told her to take care of herself, and she didn't want him to worry about her in return.

The doctor said her condition wasn't serious, just mild. It might be a recurrence of what she had experienced before. She wasn't actually afraid, except for the trouble she had sleeping at night.

Last night, she woke up from a nightmare, but then Wei Zhuang came, and she fell back asleep.

If only Wei Zhuang could stay with her every night.

But Xiaoyuan could also sense that Wei Zhuang was very protective of her personal space. She seemed to dislike sharing a bed with others, which was why Xiaoyuan had never entered her room.

Still, Wei Zhuang was willing to stay with her, waiting until she fell asleep before leaving.

At this thought, her breathing slowed. In that moment, she could almost smell the faint, cool scent of Wei Zhuang's embrace.

In that instant, she felt her heart sinking a little deeper.

Today was a sunny day. The sunlight had already filled the living room, casting a soft glow on the petals of the white roses on the table.

Xiaoyuan suddenly wondered if Wei Zhuang would come back early today, just like yesterday.

Conference Room

At Tonghua's film division, General Manager Liao, Deputy General Manager Shen, the head of film production, and the chief producer had just finished a pitch meeting with two marketing companies, finalizing the preliminary plan for one of their projects.

After the meeting, the executives from the various companies exchanged pleasantries before leaving. Deputy General Manager Shen gave General Manager Liao a meaningful look, and the two of them tacitly found a private spot to talk alone.

General Manager Liao had just returned from a business trip and wasn't fully updated on the situation. Deputy General Manager Shen briefed her on the key points, including the script outline for Warner's major project "Deep in the Palace", the preliminary casting, and the current financial status.

"...What I don't understand is that the President actually rejected the project. It's not like her usual style."

In Deputy General Manager Shen's eyes, Wei Zhuang had always been sharp and decisive. Years ago, when Tonghua entered the film industry, she had carved out a significant share of the already divided market without hesitation.

Since then, she had become more stable but remained far from conservative.

"If this project is executed well, it could be a phenomenon-level success. Moreover, compared to Boyi, Warner is more willing to collaborate with us. With Zhu Ehua and our own He Chenying on board, this is an unprecedented lineup in the industry. Marketing would be a breeze."

After reviewing the script outline, General Manager Liao shared her thoughts, "Given the current censorship regulations, the script will definitely need revisions. Getting it on TV might be a stretch..."

"Which streaming platform is Warner planning to partner with?"

Among the three major domestic video platforms, Penguin has always had a good relationship with Boyi, so it's unlikely to be an option. IQ Platform is relatively neutral, but their demands are quite high. The other option is Jinku, in which Tonghua holds shares.

It's clear that Warner is most interested in collaborating with Tonghua. This is a well-calculated move.

With Xu Shumin as the screenwriter, and Zhu Ehua and He Chenying co-starring, this is indeed an unprecedented lineup. However, there are also many unstable factors. One is the inexperienced director, and the other is the strict censorship system from above.

These two factors are quite critical. The director could affect the quality of the series, and if the censorship fails, not only will there be no return on investment, but it could also result in significant losses.

Therefore, Warner wants to find someone to share the risks but doesn't want to partner with someone too weak. Tonghua, with its invested major video platform, has the financial resources and, more importantly, something Boyi lacks—connections. Tonghua's wealth has been accumulated over generations, and it has an undeniable network in both political and business circles. Its production and distribution capabilities are even stronger than Boyi's.

Collaborating with Tonghua reduces risks, strengthens relationships, and at the same time, can strike a blow to their old rival Boyi, while also boosting their reputation.

After a detailed analysis by General Manager Liao and Deputy General Manager Shen, they could understand the President's decision.

Still, they couldn't help feeling a bit regretful.

General Manager Liao pondered for a moment, "I'll go meet with the President."

She glanced at her watch, "I haven't seen President Wei since I returned. It's a good opportunity to bring it up during the meeting." she said with a smile, glancing at Deputy General Manager Shen. "Isn't Wang Fan the executive producer of Deep in the Palace this time? I remember he's your classmate?"

Deputy General Manager Shen smiled, "Sister Liao, you have a good memory. Wang Fan and I were in the same undergraduate school."

General Manager Liao patted his shoulder and smiled, "I just happened to recall it."

As General Manager Liao left the meeting room, her secretary had already followed her instructions to coordinate a time with the CEO's secretary, Secretary Ma.

After a while, the secretary came back and said, "General Manager Liao, President Wei is not in the company. Secretary Ma's schedule is fully packed for the next two days."

General Manager Liao glanced at her watch, it was only four o'clock. "Then help me arrange a dinner meeting with President Wei."

"...Assistant Gao said President Wei has instructed not to schedule any private appointments at this time."

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