Chapter 17, Section 17: But it seems she realized it a little too late.

Jiang Yi propped his head up and didn't say anything.

Reason told her that confiding was a good choice. Tian Miao in her circle of friends was essentially very similar to her, without He Xiaoqing's excessive sentimentality, and their fields of work were completely different from hers, so there was no competition between them.

...The last half of the sentence is the key point.

But emotionally, she still refused.

Even now, she can't tell whether it's because she's unwilling to analyze herself, or because she's unwilling to discuss things related to A-Lai with outsiders.

Tian Miao understood, so she changed the subject: "If we get a divorce, what about President Jiang?"

—She was referring to Chiang Kai-shek, who retired due to cancer and became the de facto emperor, Chiang Chieh-ming.

When Jiang Yi decided to get married, it wasn't as easy and peaceful as it seemed on the surface.

Tian Miao knew this so clearly because she was also one of those people Jiang Yi owed a favor to back then—her family was mainly engaged in real estate and mining, and had closer ties with the local community than Jiang Yi.

At that time, Jiang Yi suppressed Gu Lai's vulture-like parents by using Tian Miao's connections.

Tian Miao believed in the importance of social standing and family background in marriage, which is why she didn't get along as well with Gu Lai as He Xiaoqing. At this point, her concern became very rational; once she had enough in the relationship, she immediately shifted her attention to her career, which had a real impact.

She and Jiang Yi did have a real collaboration—not with Feng Lu and the Rongtian Group behind her, but rather it stemmed from their personal relationship.

"Grandma won't do anything. It would be better if we could appease her, but if we can't, she won't be the same old Empress Dowager she used to be. You think you can take back what's been spilled? It's not that easy."

Jiang Yi opened his eyes, his gaze completely clear of drunkenness, and glanced at Tian Miao with a half-smile: "Don't worry, it won't delay the cooperation. We've communicated with everyone from the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission to the city government. There are still so many people whose repayments haven't been resolved. We'll only file a lawsuit when everything is ready. When the Slow Bull Group is dealt with, Rongtian will make a killing."

Tian Miao chuckled at Jiang Yi's utilitarian speculation, but did not refute it. She asked, "What about Gu Lai? So far, the public relations efforts seem quite effective, dragging a bunch of celebrities into this mess, leaving them all in a sorry state... But speaking of which, she shouldn't have taken this role in the first place and gotten herself into this mess, right? Does she know that you're using this to stir up trouble?"

Jiang Yi said indifferently, "I'm not omnipotent, and she's not a subordinate who needs to report to me. I'll accept it, and as for the rest, let them see what they want. It's a good opportunity for various departments to clean up some people."

Tian Miao objectively commented: "That's true, but I'm afraid you've protected her too well. If word of the divorce gets out—it's only a matter of time—she'll encounter many wolves in sheep's clothing. Can you really let go?"

Jiang Yi frowned, feeling the dizziness and nausea that had subsided surge back up.

She gripped the sofa tightly, her nails, which hadn't been trimmed in a while, digging a line into her skin. But her expression didn't change much; at least, Tian Miao didn't notice.

She swallowed hard without making a sound: "I'm not that petty and ungrateful, am I? Treating each other like enemies after the divorce."

Tian Miao was speechless at Jiang Yi's listening comprehension. Did parting ways mean becoming enemies? She thought that accepting survival of the fittest was a challenge of fate that every adult would understand.

Normal people can't effectively communicate with someone obsessed with love in this regard. The only benefit is that Sister Gu is still a blue-chip stock that can be held for the long term.

"Alright, I understand. After this is all over, I'll still give what you're owed to Sister Gu's Lelai Investment. Whether you want to go back or continue playing around is fine with me. I'll arrange for people and medicine to be placed at the door, it'll be clean."

As Tian Miao stood up and was about to open the door to leave, she couldn't help but turn back and complain, "I've never seen this new type of love before."

Jiang Yi didn't even lift his eyelids, remaining motionless as he listened to the person close the door and walk away, leaving the soundproofed private room in an unspeakable silence.

She staggered to her feet, rushed to the empty trash can, knelt down, and vomited violently.

-

The entertainment and fashion circles are not very big, but they are not small either. Gu Lai never saw Jiang Yi again, including her so-called lawyer.

Gu Lai ignored these questions and didn't ask any of them.

Firstly, she really had nothing to control. She was completely clueless about what agreements she had signed when she got her marriage certificate, and what other things she had signed over the years. She had no say in what Jiang Yi wanted to do, nor did she have the intention to object. Secondly, she was also running away.

She wanted to get away from all this, as if being further away would allow her to see the rights and wrongs of the past few years more clearly.

The controversy surrounding fake box office figures before the Lunar New Year has subsided for a while, but it hasn't completely disappeared.

After the Slow Bull Group, the capital behind it, was exposed, related companies experienced repayment issues, and the CEO resigned and fled overseas overnight. The Slow Bull Group, which was already involved in "film and television + finance", naturally brought a group of celebrities into the mix.

For companies whose illegal contracts have been exposed, whose companies have gone bankrupt, and whose major S-level film and television projects have collapsed, try to suppress them if possible. If you can't suppress them, try to drag the already infamous Slow Bull Group into the mix, since the boss has already run away.

From the moment this incident became entangled with Gu Lai, and after Gu Lai made her choice, Tan Junming had no intention of letting it quietly become an unsolved mystery on the internet. In the end, every time he brought it up, it was inseparable from Gu Lai.

The current situation is developing quite well. Gu Lai, who was the first to be entangled and seemed to have the biggest connection, is actually the one with the smallest connection. Now, the people who were cheated by the repayment are pointing their fingers at the celebrities who promoted and endorsed the company. The latest trending topic is "#QiaoYiPayBack#".

The only downside is that Gu Lai, who rarely participates in variety shows or events, needs to be in the public eye frequently to demonstrate her innocence, purity, and uprightness, so as to prevent malicious individuals from spreading rumors that she has been taken away for investigation, which could cause unnecessary anxiety and lead to a drop in stock price.

Of course, the last item above is the key.

Gu Lai hadn't been on such a hectic schedule in a long time. She was so busy, she didn't have time to think about anything else; at most, she focused on her basic physiological needs like eating and sleeping.

She would occasionally wake up in the middle of the night, and only when she reached out to touch the side would she notice the empty bed and the silent phone.

Gu Lai almost thought that this way of forgetting love by focusing on her career was excellent—if she wasn't particularly anorexic or frequently suffered from insomnia.

On the last day of the year, Gu Lai was invited to attend the New Year's Eve celebration.

After she got together with Jiang Yi, aside from attending some interviews during promotional periods, she didn't participate in any variety shows. In the first few years, she would appear on some New Year's Eve galas to increase her exposure and boost her status, but later she almost stopped doing so.

It's not that Gu Lai is detached from worldly affairs.

Although she debuted as a stage singing and dancing idol in the public eye, her true passion lies first in acting, and secondly in the occasional burst of inspiration for songwriting.

Her acting style is not suited to high-intensity exposure; the various high-end promotions she does each year are enough to maintain the level of popularity she needs.

As for songs, she has no interest in singing other people's works, and she hasn't written any songs herself for a long time.

Even so, Gu Lai did not neglect her original skills; in fact, she was even stronger than before.

This year, major TV stations have started marketing their shows with live vocal performances, making talented singers more popular, with some even having to perform at several shows in one night. Gu Lai hasn't released any songs in a long time, and from the outside world's perspective, she's more of an actress. The program team was a bit unsure about her solo performance, and in the end, they still recorded the original vocal track.

The staff member in charge was so busy that they didn't have much emotional intelligence left when they came over to comfort Gu Lai. The gist of their words was that it didn't matter if she didn't sing well, as they had connections and Gu Lai could enjoy the privileges of a big star.

After Zhou Shanshan smiled and dismissed the people, she closed the door to the lounge, her expression turning rather unpleasant.

Gu Lai was in a good mood. Seeing Zhou Shanshan's slightly annoyed look, she comforted her instead: "I can understand. It's better to be prepared. Even if they don't say anything, we will still prepare rehearsal videos in case there are any problems on the spot."

Zhou Shanshan said, "Her words were too easy to misunderstand."

Gu Lai looked down at the rehearsal video recording: "What misunderstanding?"

Zhou Shanshan hesitated for a moment.

"I'm the performer, and she's the backstage staff. We're just colleagues," Gu Lai said calmly. "Attitude isn't important; as long as the job is done well, that's enough."

Zhou Shanshan pursed her lips. Just as she was about to apologize, Gu Lai patted her forearm and handed her the tablet in his hand: "Shanshan, pick a picture for me."

Zhou Shanshan's words were cut off. She sat down next to Gu Lai with her tablet, and as she looked down at the materials Gu Lai had prepared for New Year's Day, she suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

She realized what Gu Lai meant. Gu Lai's gentleness was broad; she could understand the staff's frustration and wouldn't embarrass Zhou Shanshan, even though the restroom was full of their team members.

Zhou Shanshan was saddened by her gentleness.

Gu Lai's schedule was all set for the next few days. Apart from work, she kept to herself and seemed to be living a peaceful life. But Zhou Shanshan wasn't just her assistant in terms of acting; she was also responsible for all the trivial matters in Gu Lai's life and served as her general assistant in coordinating with the studio, family office, and other departments.

It was impossible for Jiang Yi and Gu Lai to keep their planned divorce a secret from the family office. Now, when Zhou Shanshan tried to contact them, the situation was no longer as smooth and considerate as before; their attitude was distant and meticulously discreet.

Zhou Shanshan certainly acknowledged that Jiang Yi had been generous enough in the past, but no matter how much power and wealth they shared, Jiang Yi was still Jiang Yi, and Gu Lai was still just Gu Lai.

This is just the beginning.

What about the future? Will she still be as clean and composed as she is now?

But Zhou Shanshan couldn't say anything to encourage reconciliation rather than separation.

In her eyes, Gu Lai was already gentle enough and cared enough about Jiang Yi. Zhou Shanshan couldn't imagine what kind of situation would force her to choose divorce.

Gu Lai didn't think that much; she closed her eyes and drifted off into thought.

The staff member wasn't making things up; she hadn't done a live broadcast on a major stage for a long time, and her last performance was at last year's Fenglu Annual Meeting.

Oh, or perhaps I should say this year, this January. A few hours later, when the clock strikes, we can say it was last year.

As a luxury goods group, Fenglu's annual meeting also carries a promotional flavor. Even though real estate and internet giants that used to hold large-scale annual meetings have become more low-key in recent years, Fenglu still insists on holding this grand event every year.

Countless stars from all over the world gathered together, invited to sing and dance at the annual meeting, but still couldn't compare to the real executives and directors "enjoying themselves with the people".

The most eye-catching moment was undoubtedly Chairman Jiang Jueming singing a section of "Catching and Releasing Cao Cao," followed by Jiang Yi and Gu Lai singing a love song together. Videos recorded from the employees' perspective were uploaded online and easily dominated the trending topics for almost a week.

Jiang Yi's voice is very unique, but she's not a professional, and it easily sounds plain and unnatural compared to Gu Lai's. She doesn't mind, but Gu Lai doesn't.

Gu Lai used the excuse of keeping her company to drag her into practice for half a month.

Jiang Yi seemed a bit speechless at the time, saying there was nothing to practice and that it was a blessing for others to hear her sing. But Gu Lai persisted for a while, and Jiang Yi didn't say anything more.

Gu Lai thought back to when she was browsing those amazing and praising comments online, Jiang Yi was like a lazy jaguar, holding her and quietly resting his head on her shoulder, watching along with her in silence.

Was Jiang Yi genuinely happy at that time, or was he indifferent?

And what about herself?

Gu Lai thought she really cared and didn't want Jiang Yi, whom she considered perfect, to be talked about, even though Jiang Yi himself said he didn't care.

Looking back now, what she really cared about was the act of "doing something together" itself.

...but she realized it a little too late.

The noise outside the lounge suddenly increased, with rousing music and impassioned speeches pouring in through the crack in the door. Heavy drumbeats pounded in my ears, and the floor seemed to vibrate.

Is Jiang Yi celebrating the New Year with drinks tonight, or is he also spending New Year's Eve like her?

Gu Lai got up and watched the video again. The makeup artist next to her helped check the suit she was wearing for the performance. Someone knocked on the door, and the moment she opened it, a deafening tsunami of noise from outside engulfed her.

The staff member greeted her with a smile and called out, "Teacher Gu!"

————————

Thank you to Xiao Zhang, Nanxun, and Xiao i who wants to sleep for the nutrient solution!

Wow, I received a compliment! So happy! [starry-eyed]