[The director has been found. If you have time to waste on me, you might as well go find someone who can cure your poison]
After reading the message, Jiang Xing slumped his hand down in dejection, tilting his head back to let the rain brush against his face. The cold, icy sensation filled him with boundless despair.
His younger sister truly didn’t seem to need any help from him at all.
The familiar pain struck again.
The poison was flaring up.
In a fluster, Jiang Xing fumbled in his pocket for the medicine the doctor had prescribed and swallowed it with some purified water. The spreading pain was finally contained within his body.
Just then, his phone rang.
Staring at the unfamiliar number, Jiang Xing answered weakly.
A violent voice came through on the other end.
“Jiang Xing?”
Jiang Xing was taken aback. “Who is this?”
The voice replied coldly, “I’m Qi Shaoxiong. Have you also been poisoned by Jiang Youli?”
Jiang Xing was startled. “Could it be that you…”
The other party cut him off. “I won’t waste words. Do you know how to detoxify?”
Hearing this, Jiang Xing hesitated for a moment before saying, “Only my sister Jiang Youli can cure this poison.”
“In that case, Jiang Xing, I’ll need you to come to the Qi residence tomorrow evening to explain everything clearly to my father.”
Jiang Xing was confused. “What do you mean?”
“If you still want to be cured of the poison, show up at the Qi residence at seven tomorrow evening and lay out everything you know to my old man clearly.”
With that, Qi Shaoxiong hung up without giving Jiang Xing a chance to respond.
Listening to the dial tone on the other end, Jiang Xing gripped his phone tightly.
Whatever Qi Shaoxiong meant by this, it might truly be his chance to get the antidote!
…
Over the next week, Jiang Youli spent the entire time adapting “Ambition of the Azure.” After repeated revisions and polishing, she finally produced a script she was deeply satisfied with.
Staring at the final completed version on her desktop, she let out a long breath and stretched comfortably before sending the file to her secretary, Yang.
Once the file was sent successfully, Jiang Youli picked up the phone to call Secretary Yang to her office, but just then, there was a knock at the door.
“Miss Jiang.” Secretary Yang’s voice came through.
“Come in.” Jiang Youli looked up and instructed, “Secretary Yang, the script adaptation is done and I’ve sent it to you. Process the submission to the National Radio and Television Administration today and make sure the project approval is completed as soon as possible.”
Secretary Yang beamed with delight. “Understood, Miss Jiang. I’ll handle it right away.”
But instead of leaving immediately, she hesitated and added, “Miss Jiang, there’s one more thing… Jiang Zhao is here again. He’s waiting for you in the reception room.”
Jiang Youli furrowed her brow slightly and said decisively, “Let him wait. Ignore him.”
Upon receiving the instructions, Secretary Yang quickly replied, “Yes, Miss Jiang, I understand.”
Then, recalling another matter, she asked, “Regarding the song recording you asked me to arrange earlier, I’ve completed it as you requested. When would you like to go record it?”
If she had once doubted Jiang Youli’s abilities, after the series of recent events, Secretary Yang was now thoroughly convinced of her talent!
Perhaps Jiang Youli really could write songs even more explosive than Jiang Zhao’s!
Jiang Youli had been so busy she had nearly forgotten about this, thankfully Secretary Yang had reminded her.
One thing after another.
Leaning back in her office chair, Jiang Youli rubbed the bridge of her nose. “This Friday for the recording.”
For the next couple of days, she would focus on writing and releasing a song, since the coming period would be spent waiting for “Ambition of the Azure” to clear project approval.
…
Jiang Zhao waited in the reception room all morning. Even though Jiang Youli never came to see him, he did not complain. Only when he saw her pass through the hallway at lunchtime did he immediately stand up and walk out.
“Xiao Li.”
Hearing the voice, Jiang Youli paused and glanced at him sidelong. Her tone was devoid of emotion. “Jiang Zhao, you’re still a signed artist at Starlight Entertainment. In the company, you should address me as Miss Jiang.”
Jiang Zhao quickly nodded. “Miss Jiang.”
“What is it?”
Jiang Zhao excitedly pulled out the music he had composed. “I’ve written a song recently. You mentioned before that you wanted to release a track. How about using this one…”
Before he could finish, Jiang Youli cut him off directly. “No need.”
Jiang Zhao’s fingers tightened around the sheet music.
Jiang Youli ignored the resentment in his eyes. “I gave you a chance to terminate your contract. Since you didn’t take it, then until the contract expires, you’ll sit quietly on the bench at the company. Once the contract is up, you can release whatever songs you want however you like.”
With that, she strode out of the company.
Jiang Zhao stood in the hallway for a long time before finally leaving Starlight Entertainment in dejection.
Meanwhile, a female employee who hadn’t yet clocked out said to a male colleague at the next desk, “I think Miss Jiang handled this situation with Jiang Zhao a bit unfairly.”
“How so?” the male colleague asked.
“Jiang Zhao is so talented. Keeping him on the bench is such a waste. No matter what personal grudges exist, they shouldn’t be brought into the company,” the female employee said regretfully.
The male colleague disagreed. “You admit there’s a personal grudge between Miss Jiang and Jiang Zhao. If I were her, I wouldn’t spend the company’s resources to promote Jiang Zhao either. He’s already a bit famous and uses his fans to pressure Miss Jiang. If he became really famous, his shady past would be whitewashed completely, and both Miss Jiang and the company would get cyberbullied by his fans.”
“But the company needs talent right now. Isn’t Miss Jiang practically handing him over to the rival company, Big Wind Entertainment?” the female employee wondered.
“If Jiang Zhao chooses Big Wind Entertainment, that just proves he can’t be trusted. It’s not worth wasting time or resources to promote him,” the male colleague analyzed sharply.
The female employee was at a loss for words.
After a moment, she said, exasperated, “Why do you stick up for the new Miss Jiang so much?”
The male colleague shrugged. “I’m not sticking up for anyone. I’m just being honest. Besides, she’s the one paying our salaries now.”
The female employee fell silent.
…
Jiang Zhao walked down dejectedly. Just as he approached his car parked by the roadside, a Honda Accord pulled up next to him. The window rolled down, revealing a middle-aged man’s face.
“Jiang Zhao.”
Jiang Zhao turned to look and recognized the man—Zheng Zegang, the former business department manager at Starlight Entertainment.
He frowned and ignored him.
Zheng Zegang got out of the car with a smile. “Jiang Zhao, judging by the look on your face, your sister Jiang Youli has upset you again, hasn’t she?”
“None of your damn business!” Jiang Zhao snapped viciously.
Zheng Zegang continued, “Why be like this, Jiang Zhao? If you ask me, whether it’s a man-woman relationship or a sibling relationship, the trick to dealing with women is simple: you have to be stronger than them! That’s how you conquer them! Begging won’t work—it’ll only make them look down on you even more.”
Jiang Zhao froze, sinking into thought.
