Jiang Fei never expected to meet Yan Yunzhou under these circumstances.
—This person is clearly not simple.
But since she had already been seen, there was no need for her to pretend anymore. She simply raised an eyebrow and asked, "When did Mr. Yan get there?"
Yan Yunzhou smiled and said politely, "I should say that it was Miss Jiang and Mr. Qin who disturbed me."
In other words, he saw it from beginning to end.
Jiang Fei lowered her eyes, then raised them slightly: "Will Mr. Yan keep this a secret for me?"
Yan Yunzhou smiled at her, pondered for a second, and said gently, "That depends on what conditions Miss Jiang can offer to shut me up."
Jiang Fei thought for a moment, then turned to look at the stairs beside her: "Mr. Yan, it's tiring to look up at you."
Yan Yunzhou chuckled and shook his head: "Look at me," he said, raising his hand slightly, "Miss Jiang, please."
Jiang Fei did not refuse and went straight to the top floor.
It truly is the best place for night views. When you raise your hand, it feels like you could reach out and pluck the stars from the sky. The entire city is laid out before you.
Yan Yunzhou stood there, pale-faced, with a smile in his eyes. But only when you got closer could you see that those smiling eyes were full of aloofness, devoid of any warmth.
Jiang Fei walked step by step to Yan Yunzhou and said with a smile, "I haven't thanked Mr. Yan for rescuing me on the set last time."
Yan Yunzhou's smile remained gentle: "It was nothing."
Jiang Fei glanced at the top of his head. Her favorability towards him was as imperceptible as his emotions, unmoved. She paused, then said, "Mr. Yan looks so handsome in his sickly state."
Yan Yunzhou's favorability rating flickered slightly, but quickly returned to normal. He smiled faintly, but his voice deepened: "I can rescue Miss Jiang, but I can also take some things away from her."
Jiang Fei smiled.
Yan Yunzhou was indeed most concerned about this sickly man's health.
“Just kidding,” she said, turning to look outside. “It truly is the best spot for sightseeing; it feels like the whole city is mine.”
Yan Yunzhou followed her gaze without saying a word.
“However,” Jiang Fei suddenly turned to look at Yan Yunzhou, “there’s still something missing.”
Yan Yunzhou politely replied, "What?"
Jiang Fei moved closer to him, looked up at him, and said, "I'm missing a woman."
Yan Yunzhou looked down at the woman in front of him, the scar on his left cheek clearly exposed under the light: "What does Miss Jiang mean?"
"To be precise, Mr. Yan, it's you who needs a woman," Jiang Fei smiled.
Yan Yunzhou looked at her intently, as if he wanted to hear the details.
Jiang Fei said in a serious tone, "It's good for a woman's health to 'interact' with a man." As she spoke, she looked at Yan Yunzhou's pale face, "Mr. Yan's body should still need it."
Yan Yunzhou frowned helplessly, then chuckled and said, "Does Miss Jiang think that if I really needed it, I wouldn't be able to find it?"
“Of course not,” Jiang Fei said honestly, “Mr. Yan, even if you don’t have money, your face is enough, but…”
She shook her head regretfully, "What you need is a woman who doesn't love you, but will stay by your side."
Yan Yunzhou's smile faded slightly as he looked at Jiang Fei inquisitively before asking, "Judging from Miss Jiang's words, are you planning to recommend yourself?"
Jiang Fei blinked: "So? Will this method be enough to keep Mr. Yan in the dark and shut you up?"
Yan Yunzhou's faint smile paused almost imperceptibly, then he chuckled softly, "So you wanted me to keep it a secret..." His gaze swept over Jiang Fei's left cheek, his eyes showing neither disgust nor pity, just a very ordinary look, "Miss Jiang, aren't you a little... narcissistic?"
Jiang Fei reached out and touched the scar on her left cheek, shrugging: "But I'm a good actress. If you want gentleness, I can make you talk until your lips melt; if you want liveliness, I can make you happy every day with a different story, even..."
Jiang Fei covered the scar on her left cheek and looked at Yan Yunzhou with wide eyes: "If you want 'Miss Ye' to follow you and continue pursuing you, it's not impossible for me," she laughed and added, "and you don't have to carry any emotional burden."
Emotional burden.
Yan Yunzhou looked at her face, his smile gradually fading as he carefully examined the woman before him.
Jiang Fei calmly allowed him to look her over.
After an unknown amount of time, Yan Yunzhou smiled gently and said, "It's getting late, Miss Jiang, you should go back and get some rest."
Jiang Fei smiled and nodded, "Mr. Yan, please take care of yourself too." She turned and walked downstairs, then suddenly remembered something, "Mr. Yan..."
Yan Yunzhou remained standing there, looking down at her.
Jiang Fei made a phone call gesture: "Contact me anytime."
After saying that, she didn't hesitate any longer and went straight into the elevator. As the elevator doors slowly closed, she took out a voice recorder, found the conversation she had just recorded with Qin Mo, and sent it to Yan Wang.
Yan Yunzhou remained standing on the top floor, overlooking the city's night view outside the window.
Footsteps came from behind: "Mr. Yan," Assistant Wang said softly.
Yan Yunzhou remained motionless, calmly gazing out the window.
Assistant Wang continued, "Miss Ye has been staying at the Qin family home these past few days, with Mr. Qin." He then added, puzzled, "Miss Ye loves you. If you go to her, I believe she will definitely come back, Mr. Yan..."
"Why are you looking for her?" Yan Yunzhou said calmly, "What she wants, I can't give her, but what I want..."
He frowned slightly as he said this.
What Jiang Fei said was correct on some levels.
From the age of five, when he first noticed discomfort in his heart, he knew that sooner or later he would disappear from this city.
He couldn't do what his father, who was afraid of death, did, and suffer for nearly ten years on the operating table, dying a gruesome death.
For more than twenty years, he had been waiting for death to come. After waiting for so long, his heart was no longer stirred. After all, what is more important than life and death?
He didn't need Ye Qingqing's love; her love was a burden to him.
But he has to admit that when someone is following him, he does feel less lonely.
"Then... what about Miss Jiang?" Assistant Wang hesitated for a moment. "Didn't you send your bodyguards to rescue Miss Jiang last time?"
Yan Yunzhou lowered his eyes.
There was no reason for saving Jiang Fei; it was just for fun.
He couldn't control his own destiny, but that day, during the accidental explosion on set, as the fire grew larger and the crowd became chaotic, he could clearly feel that the fate of the person inside was in his hands.
Because of a few words from him, she was able to survive.
On the contrary, she would die if he remained silent.
He chose to let her live.
That's all.
"Mr. Yan?"
"Jiang Fei, you're too narcissistic." After saying that, Yan Yunzhou turned and walked towards the private elevator next to him.
...
A coffee shop near the Qin family's residence.
Yan Wang sat quietly in the private room on the second floor, watching the woman's figure rushing towards him outside the window, his hand gripping the coffee cup tightened unconsciously.
"Yan Wang." Ye Qingqing appeared at the door of the private room, her voice slightly raised.
Yan Wang turned to look at her; her face was beautiful and flawless. "Qingqing," he said, standing up and pulling out a chair for her.
Ye Qingqing smiled playfully at him: "It's rare that the great star Yan has time to treat me to coffee today."
Yan Wang looked at her smile, his gaze unconsciously falling on the corner of her lips, where there was a faint bite mark on her full, red lips.
Ye Qingqing blushed and pursed her lips: "What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
Yan Wang withdrew his gaze. For some reason, he felt that Ye Qingqing's eyes were not as bright as when she was pursuing Yan Yunzhou, and even seemed somewhat tired.
He shook his head: "Why isn't Qin Mo with you today?"
Ye Qingqing thought for a moment and said, "He said he has some things to do at the company and will be back late."
Just as Yan Wang was about to nod, his phone suddenly rang. He paused for a moment, then opened it.
It is an audio clip.
Qin Mo's voice came through: "Jiang Fei, I'm giving you money and resources, not so you'll betray me..."
Yan Wangfei quickly turned off the audio and looked at Ye Qingqing.
Ye Qingqing's originally blushing cheeks turned deathly pale in an instant, and it took her a while to say, "What is that?"
Yan Wang paused for a moment, then said, "I saw Qin Mo at the hotel today. I was worried about you, so I came to check on you..."
“But he said he was working overtime,” Ye Qingqing murmured, then suddenly thought of something, “Is today the day Miss Jiang is discharged from the hospital?” She saw that many media outlets were reporting on it, but no one had taken any photos.
Yan Wang nodded.
Ye Qingqing bit her lip tightly, and after a long while whispered, "I'm sorry, Yan Wang, I probably won't be able to have coffee today." After saying that, she got up and walked quickly outside.
She cannot allow this to happen.
If she could do it all over again, she wouldn't make the wrong choice!
Yan Wang watched Ye Qingqing's departing figure, then slowly withdrew his gaze, looked at the recording sent by Jiang Fei, and smiled.
Once the seed of doubt is planted, it will quickly take root and sprout.
However, the next second, Yan Wang inexplicably clicked on the recording again.
"Qin Mo, I've followed you for five years, not because of money or resources, but simply because it's you, nothing more."
"Yan Wang... he's the same as you, because of this face."
"I'm actually happy. Without this face, all you see is me..."
A woman's voice, tinged with sadness and pleading, drifted over, infuriating those who heard it.
No wonder she could still laugh even after being disfigured; it was because she wanted Qin Mo to see her, not to see Ye Qingqing through her.
My phone suddenly rang.
Yan Wang snapped out of his daze. His cronies were around him, answering their phones without saying a word.
"Young Master Yan, is this new? Want to come?"
Yan Wang downed his coffee in one gulp: "Here you go."
After saying that, he hung up the phone, glanced at the recording interface, exited, and walked out.
The atmosphere was lively. When Yan looked over, many people were already drinking. As soon as they saw him arrive, someone immediately offered him a seat.
As soon as Yan Wang sat down, a beautiful woman next to him held a grape on a toothpick and handed it to him.
In the past, he would have enjoyed it, but now, looking at that grape, he felt inexplicably annoyed. Finally, he got up and kicked someone in the corner: "Change it."
The people around him were silent for three seconds, then looked at him with puzzlement.
Yan Wang ignored him, leaning against the sofa with a furrowed brow.
Just then, his phone rang again. He glanced at the screen casually, his body tensing slightly. He waited a while before answering: "Hello?"
"Where are you?" Jiang Fei's hesitant voice rang out.
Yan Wang glanced around: "A bar."
Just then, a woman called his name sweetly beside him, and Yan Wang, whether intentionally or unintentionally, responded softly.
Jiang Fei was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Oh."
Yan Wang chuckled lightly: "Miss Jiang, is there something you need?"
Jiang Fei hesitated for a moment: "Did you receive the recording?"
Yan Wang felt increasingly agitated as he thought about the recording, and couldn't help but raise his voice, "Just because of this?"
Jiang Fei's voice softened: "My back needs medicine..."
Yan Wang tightened his grip on his phone before coldly scoffing, "So what?"
"..." Jiang Fei quieted down.
The voices of the women around them grew increasingly charming.
"Sorry to bother you," Jiang Fei said calmly, and gently hung up the phone.
Yan Wang stared at the black phone screen and slammed it onto the table with a "thud".
On the other side, in the hotel room.
Jiang Fei put down her phone and carefully applied scar removal cream to her face and neck in front of the mirror.
[System: Host, Yan Wang's favorability is fluctuating.]
"Hmm." Jiang Fei responded softly, and after applying the medicine, she gently massaged the area to promote absorption.
Half an hour later, there were several urgent knocks on the door.
Jiang Fei raised her eyebrows slightly, but when she stood up, her eyes were already lowered. She quietly stepped forward and opened the door.
Yan Wang stood outside the door wearing a baseball cap, his brows furrowed.
Jiang Fei was taken aback: "You didn't mean to..."
"Shut up." Yan Wang interrupted her and walked into the room.
He was already very unhappy about being there, and if he listened to her speak any longer, he was afraid he would lose control of his anger.
Jiang Fei looked at him and suddenly laughed: "Yan Wang, are you a little worried about me?"
Yan Wang turned his head and looked at her with a furrowed brow.
Jiang Fei's smile gradually faded, and her voice slowly lowered: "...Because we are partners?"
Yan Wang's brow gradually relaxed. Thinking of the recording, he added, "It's also because of your face."
Jiang Fei pursed her lips.
Yan Wang glanced around, picked up the ointment from the table, and said, "Turn around."
Jiang Fei paused for a moment, then turned around with a slight blush: "Few people have seen my injuries, and I didn't know who to turn to, so I bothered you..."
Yan Wang interrupted her: "Take off your clothes."
Jiang Fei lowered her head, hesitated for a few seconds, and slowly untied the belt of her pajamas. The champagne-colored silk pajamas slid down her snow-white shoulders to her waist and abdomen, reflecting the dim yellow light and gleaming with an ambiguous luster.
Yan Wang's gaze tightened slightly.
Jiang Fei gently lay on the side of the bed, the scars on her waist and abdomen winding and disrupting her elegant curves.
Yan Wang's breath hitched, his hand, which was covered in ointment, trembled slightly before he stiffly applied it, his fingertips feeling inexplicably numb.
Jiang Fei's back almost immediately shrank.
Yan Wang stopped moving quickly.
“It’s nothing,” Jiang Fei said, “it’s just… a little chilly.”
Yan Wang looked at her, his Adam's apple bobbing. He softened his movements, but still said irritably, "Why didn't you let Qin Mo help you?"
Jiang Fei froze, and after a long while, she lowered her head and said, "He saw the scar on my face, seemed very frightened, and turned around and left..."
Yan Wang paused slightly while applying the medicine, but quickly resumed. For some reason, he felt a little more at ease and nodded: "It really is terrifying."
Jiang Fei remained lying on the side of the bed, her voice blank: "And, I don't know why, but when I see Qin Mo, it seems different. It just feels very strange."
Yan Wang lowered his eyes: "What's different?"
Jiang Fei shook her head: "It's just that I always tend to think about random things."
"for example?"
Jiang Fei lowered her head and said, "I thought of our bet."
Yan Wang's hand stopped completely on her back.
Really? Spending time with Qin Mo made you think of him?
“Yan Wang,” Jiang Fei sat up, still wrapped in her pajamas, and turned to look at him earnestly, “If it weren’t for this face, would you have ever even approached me?”
Yan Wang paused for a moment as he applied the ointment, then lowered his eyes and said, "Of course."
Jiang Fei paused for a moment, then smiled with narrowed eyes: "I knew it."
Her eyes were just a little red.
Yan Wang gazed at her, the cool ointment in his hand tingling with heat. He rubbed his fingers together and rinsed them with cold water for a while, but he couldn't get rid of the heat.
Yan Wang's favorability rating: 30.
...
The Qin family.
Ye Qingqing sat on the sofa, watching the time pass by, until it was past eleven o'clock when the sound of the villa door opening came.
A man reeking of alcohol walked in, his sharp suit slightly disheveled, his usually cold eyes now showing a hint of intoxication.
Seeing the woman on the sofa, Qin Mo's expression softened: "Why aren't you resting?"
As he spoke, he stepped forward, embraced the woman, and leaned against her shoulder.
Ye Qingqing's body stiffened.
Qin Mo seemed to sense something, and his slightly tipsy eyes gradually calmed down. Still holding the woman in his arms, his voice was a little hoarse: "Qingqing, go to rest when it's so late in the future. Don't stay up all night waiting for me."
Ye Qingqing turned to Qin Mo with a wronged expression: "Amo, where did you go tonight?"
Qin Mo paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "There's a lot going on at the company. Don't worry, I'll try to come back as early as possible in the future."
Ye Qingqing bit her red lips tightly: "Is today the day Miss Jiang is discharged from the hospital?"
Qin Mo's brow furrowed, and he gradually loosened his grip on Ye Qingqing, sitting up and loosening his tie.
Ye Qingqing panicked and grabbed Qin Mo's sleeve: "Amo?"
Qin Mo turned to look at Ye Qingqing's face, feeling a moment of confusion. Whose face was this?
But he quickly regained his senses.
The person in front of me is Qingqing, because Jiang Fei's face has been ruined.
Even though she was disfigured, the woman still said she was happy because he would only see her from now on.
Stupid woman.
"Amo," Ye Qingqing suppressed her panic and shook Qin Mo's arm, "Don't be angry. I just feel very sorry for Miss Jiang. But I'm also very jealous. After all, she's been by your side for five whole years..."
envy.
Qin Mo looked at Ye Qingqing: "You never need to be jealous of her."
Ye Qingqing nodded vigorously, leaned into Qin Mo's arms, and after a moment of silence, said, "Amo, do you remember how you always wanted me to find something to do?"
"Um."
"I've thought about it," Ye Qingqing lifted her head from his embrace, "I've filmed a few short films before, and I'd like to act again, okay?"
Qin Mo looked into her eyes, almond-shaped eyes that seemed to hold ripples of water, and felt somewhat unfamiliar. He reached out and gently touched her left cheek, which was soft and smooth.
"Amo?"
Qin Mo snapped out of his daze: "Okay." "Thank you." Ye Qingqing's eyes lit up, and she looked up and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Qin Mo smiled and watched her skip excitedly towards the bedroom.
Then, he stood up and walked to the restaurant, habitually opening the soup pot.
It was empty inside, with no hangover soup, nothing at all.
...
Jiang Fei never expected that all of the original owner's acting contracts would suddenly disappear overnight!
The original owner was an actor who was somewhat involved in the art world. She didn't have many fans, but her acting skills were good. She had several scripts in hand, and although she hadn't signed any contracts yet, she had already negotiated with many of them. Two production teams even expressed their willingness to wait for her schedule.
However, early in the morning, Jiang Fei received four phone calls. First, they expressed their condolences to her, then they highly praised her acting skills, and finally they apologized and said that they had found other suitable candidates.
Those resources were originally provided by Qin Mo, so it's understandable that they were lost.
However, there was a script called "After Dawn," which was a commercial film that was expected to be both commercially successful and critically acclaimed. The original owner of this body negotiated with the director himself and did not ask Qin Mo for help.
From the initial script to the character design, and even the storyboards for several important scenes, I participated in the planning, just waiting for the original owner to finish filming on the previous set so that she could seamlessly join the new one.
Coincidentally, the female lead in this script is a character who has been disfigured, which happens to match her current situation.
However, the director personally called her about this script, regretfully explaining that the decision to change actors was made by the investors.
Soon, Jiang Fei saw the materials leaked by the marketing account. The female lead of "After Dawn" had been changed to Ye Qingqing, and there was also a blurry makeup photo.
Jiang Fei stared at the promotional photo, her eyes half-closed.
She had finally developed a bit of enjoyment for acting, and now her role had been stolen. She was really annoyed.
Jiang Fei glanced at the investor listed on the script, a man named Lin Tao.
I searched my memory thoroughly, but I couldn't recall anyone by that name.
Jiang Fei frowned, but quickly relaxed.
She didn't know, but someone definitely did.
...
When Yan Yunzhou has free time, he likes to go to the hotel rooftop to enjoy the city's night view.
Although it's beautiful in a boring way, it's still beautiful nonetheless.
I've been busy for the past few days, and I finally had some free time, so I came up to check on the hotel.
He was still wearing his white casual clothes, his silhouette against the night view outside the window appearing serene and lonely. He only glanced out as he passed the railing.
Assistant Wang followed behind him: "Mr. Yan, it seems that Miss Ye has started to take an interest in acting since she stopped showing up..."
“Assistant Wang,” Yan Yunzhou interrupted him, “there’s no need to talk about this kind of thing anymore.”
Assistant Wang paused, then hesitated for a few seconds, "No, Miss Ye stole Miss Jiang's spotlight."
Yan Yunzhou tilted his head: "Hmm?"
“People in this circle are all like that, they change their tune depending on the wind. Now that Miss Ye is by Mr. Qin’s side, those people naturally have to give Mr. Qin face,” Assistant Wang said, seeing that Yan Yunzhou was finally showing some interest. “In addition, Miss Jiang and Miss Ye look… a bit alike, so Miss Jiang has rarely gone out lately.”
Yan Yunzhou turned his gaze to the window, and after a long while, he lowered his head and chuckled softly, "It seems that Miss Jiang's acting in front of Mr. Qin is of no use." She couldn't even get a role.
Assistant Wang asked, puzzled, "Mr. Yan?"
Yan Yunzhou remained silent.
After an unknown amount of time, voices suddenly came from downstairs.
Assistant Wang frowned, turned his head to look at the stairwell, and then paused, "Mr. Yan, it's Miss Jiang."
Yan Yunzhou turned his head, then, as if remembering something, shook his head and laughed.
She does know how to find people.
downstairs.
Jiang Fei, with a white veil casually wrapped around her face, wanted to go upstairs, but was stopped by the bodyguards at the top of the stairs.
The bodyguard, with a righteous expression, said, "Sorry, unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter."
Jiang Fei raised an eyebrow: "That's because your boss didn't know it was me."
Just then, a gentle voice came from the stairwell: "Miss Jiang, is there anything special about me?"
Jiang Fei looked up at Yan Yunzhou, her eyebrows curving into a smile: "As someone who successfully shut Mr. Yan up, isn't that special?" After all, he had kept it a secret for her.
Yan Yunzhou chuckled, then his expression changed slightly. He coughed, covered his mouth, and after regaining his composure, he raised his hand, and the bodyguard immediately let him pass.
Jiang Fei walked up to Yan Yunzhou, looked at his pale face, and then glanced at the calmly indifferent 0% favorability rating above his head: "Mr. Yan..."
Yan Yunzhou glanced at the white veil on her head, lowered his eyes and said indifferently, "Miss Jiang, aren't you bored?"
Jiang Fei paused, then realized what was happening, removed the white veil, revealing the scar on her left cheek.
Yan Yunzhou glanced at her scar, then looked into her eyes and smiled: "Miss Jiang, is there something you need?"
Jiang Fei nodded: "I have two questions I would like to ask Mr. Yan."
Yan Yunzhou looked at her: "You want to take back your role?"
"Hmm?" Jiang Fei raised an eyebrow in confusion, then waved her hand, "We'll talk about that later."
She walked up to Yan Yunzhou, her slightly raised eyebrows fixed on him, and asked softly, "How much longer do you have to live?"
Yan Yunzhou's favorability rating fluctuated wildly for a moment.
Jiang Fei laughed: "I've recently found a new hobby, which might take a while, but I'm also worried about Mr. Yan's health..."
Yan Yunzhou's favorability fluctuated less and less, and his smile became more and more elegant: "Perhaps he will live a little longer than Miss Jiang?" His tone was light, but his threat was subtle.
"That would be best," Jiang Fei said nonchalantly. "Second question, Mr. Yan, who is Lin Tao?"
Yan Yunzhou pondered for a moment and then smiled, "He seems to be a film investor."
Jiang Fei frowned: "Is there anything specific?"
Yan Yunzhou looked at Assistant Wang behind him.
Assistant Wang quickly stepped forward and cleared his throat: "Ms. Jiang, Mr. Lin Tao is a well-known investor in the film industry. He invested in many films in the early days and has recently started investing in patriotic films."
"Sea Circle?" Jiang Fei asked, puzzled.
Assistant Wang: "The film industry is also divided into circles. In the early days, the Shanghai gangs had great power, and Mr. Lin was one of them. He saw the potential in the entertainment industry and invested heavily in film and television. Later, as the Shanghai gangs gradually declined, Lin Tao began to invest in patriotic films. 'After Dawn' was one of his investments, so he had considerable influence." At this point, he added with pride, "However, Mr. Lin has asked Mr. Yan for favors several times."
Jiang Fei automatically ignored the second half of his sentence: "A gangster, huh? He must be pretty pathetic."
Assistant Wang nodded: "Indeed, Mr. Lin's hand epilepsy is a legacy of that time."
Jiang Fei lowered his head, lost in quiet thought.
Assistant Wang waited for a while, then silently took a few steps back.
A few seconds later, Jiang Fei suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Yan Yunzhou.
Yan Yunzhou met her gaze and chuckled softly, "Miss Jiang..."
Jiang Fei said, "Mr. Yan, I would like to get to know Mr. Lin."
Yan Yunzhou's smile faltered briefly before he lowered his eyes: "Miss Jiang, do you think Lin Tao also needs a woman?"
Yan Yunzhou's favorability rating: 5.
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