Chapter Fifty-Five: Yun Yao's Plan
Summer has arrived in Country R. The sun shines generously on the earth, but there is no scorching heat; instead, it brings a refreshing coolness.
As you walk along the winding path, you'll find yourself surrounded by dense forests. Tall pine and spruce trees stand straight like loyal guards, blocking out the sun. Sunlight filters through the leaves, creating patches of golden light.
As night fell, the sky gradually turned a deep blue. Yun Yao looked up and saw a dazzling starry sky, mysterious and serene.
He has been living at his uncle's house in R country for more than half a year. With the meticulous care and companionship of his uncle and aunt, his condition has been well treated in the hospital in R country. The doctor even said that his depression has been basically cured pathologically.
Having escaped the environment that had plunged him into depression and despair, and regained genuine family affection, his emotional distress seemed to gradually improve. But what no one knew was that the past was like paper stained black; even as the ink faded, it still stung him from time to time in the quiet of the night.
Even in a faraway foreign land, Yun Yao still often woke up in the middle of the night, feeling uneasy and terrified. He knew he was still afraid. He was afraid those people would drag him back into that cage, and if his wife were no longer around, who could stop them then?
During this time, Yun Yao unexpectedly received a call from someone—Qin Rao, someone he had almost forgotten, who somehow obtained his current phone number. Yun Yao hung up on her several times, but she persistently called back from a different number.
She was very attentive on the phone, even a little ingratiating, telling Yun Yao that she would be coming to nearby Y country on a business trip next month and wanted to meet Yun Yao.
Later, after several sleepless nights filled with nightmares, Yun Yao suddenly remembered that those high-society people despised actors who could tarnish their reputations, and Qin Rao currently owned a media and film company with considerable influence in the industry. Thus, a vague plan slowly began to emerge in his mind…
So when Qin Rao called him again, Yun Yao didn't hang up on her. Instead, he hesitated for a moment before coldly agreeing to her request.
Qin Rao was overjoyed; she never dreamed that Yun Yao would actually agree. She diligently arranged a time and place with him, and only carefully hung up the phone when Yun Yao said he had other things to do.
At this time, Xing Yu also arrived in R country. He comforted the anxious Yun Yao, telling him that things had settled down in the north and that he could relax.
But Yun Yao told Xing Yu that he couldn't rely solely on his wife's charity. Things given as charity are never reliable; he couldn't just sit and wait to die. He had to secure his own future. So Yun Yao told Xing Yu about Qin Rao's recent contact with him and his own thoughts.
Xing Yu listened in stunned silence. He asked in surprise, "Yun Yao, is that Qin Rao... the one who..." Seeing Yun Yao nod, Xing Yu said worriedly, "This woman is not simple. I'm afraid you'll end up using her and she'll control you."
Yun Yao smiled and said calmly, "Xing Yu, I'm not the same person I was back then. Of course I was confident in coming up with this idea. Just tell me, do you think this idea is good or not?"
Xing Yu thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "Thinking about it carefully, it is indeed a solution! Back then, when that Tang family heir caused that incident, it spread throughout their entire circle. After that, unless those who were willing to go out of their way were willing to provoke them, those who were unwilling would not dare to provoke them recklessly. After all, those celebrities and actors are too famous, and it is much easier for them to cause a stir than for ordinary people."
“Yes,” Yun Yao’s eyes deepened, and he said in a low voice, “Those people look down on celebrities in front of the camera and privately mock them as actors, but doesn’t that also mean they care about these celebrities and are afraid of being implicated in public and losing face and family reputation?”
Yun Yao looked at Xing Yu and said calmly, "Then I'll become the kind of celebrity they hate the most but have to be wary of. That way, at least I won't be completely without the ability to fight back or protect myself. At worst, we can fight to the death."
Xing Yu was alarmed. He quickly comforted Yun Yao, saying, "Yun Yao, it won't come to that. We shouldn't take extreme measures unless absolutely necessary. But then again, what you said does make sense. Let's just consider it a precaution."
As he spoke, he scrutinized his friend again, nodding exaggeratedly, "And you're got the makings of a star! Yun Yao, look at your face, it would be an injustice if you didn't become famous!"
Yun Yao was amused by him, but it was a bitter laugh. His face had caused him so much trouble and suffering. If he looked more ordinary, would he have avoided so many ups and downs?
After Xing Yu left, Yun Yao planned to have an open and honest talk with his uncle and his family. This time, he didn't want to hide it from them anymore; he wanted to openly and honestly tell his family his thoughts, and he believed that his uncle and his family would understand and support him.
One month later, in a small town in Country R.
Rain slanted across the red brick rooftops of the town. As Qin Rao hurriedly pushed open the door, the wind chimes emitted a series of damp, tinkling sounds.
The café was filled with the sweet aroma of cinnamon rolls. A young man sat by the window, the light slanting across his profile, casting the shadow of his eyelashes onto his handsome, high nose. He was looking down at a leather-bound notebook, his well-defined fingers holding a silver fountain pen.
Qin Rao's hand was still on the doorknob, her reflection in the glass door overlapping with his. He suddenly looked up, his pen clicking as it landed on the notebook, and those beautiful eyes that she had never forgotten in her dreams now looked straight at her like shards of light from the sea.
Qin Rao smiled with delight and waved to him. She hadn't expected that after all these years, Yun Yao would not only remain as handsome as ever, but would also possess an even more mysterious charm. With the passage of time, the handsome young man, like a fine wine that has aged, became increasingly alluring and intriguing.
This reunion reignited Qin Rao's heart, which had grown weary over the years from her high position and easy access to beauty.
With excitement, she approached the young man step by step until she stood opposite him and saw the pale blue veins on his exposed collarbone. It was exactly the same as the outline of his neck when he was eighteen years old, soaked with sweat in her arms.
The scent of cedarwood emanating from the young man mingled with the sweet aroma of the coffee shop, like the tide that had been simmering in Qin Rao's heart for many years, finally overflowing its banks.
“Yun Yao…” Qin Rao pulled out a chair and found that her fingertips were trembling slightly.
Yun Yao nodded to her and then looked away. His gaze fell on the rain-soaked tram tracks outside the window, the crisscrossing lines mirroring his cold heart.
Looking at Yun Yao's indifferent profile, Qin Rao felt a surge of desire within her. She smoothed a strand of curly hair behind her ear, looked directly at him, and said softly, "Long time no see, Yun Yao. So many years have passed, I never thought we'd meet again... Are you... how are you now?"
Yun Yao glanced at her indifferently. He had no intention of reminiscing with her. He simply said calmly, "Qin Rao, let's get straight to the point. I'm meeting with you today because I need your help with something. Don't worry, it's not free."
Yun Yao had long understood that Qin Rao was a thorough businesswoman. He planned to use Qin Rao's entertainment company to build her fame, and he would give her corresponding financial benefits in return.
Qin Rao was taken aback by the coldness and bluntness in Yun Yao's words, but soon she smiled ingratiatingly as if she were not embarrassed at all: "Yun Yao, what you said hurt me. What kind of relationship do we have? Whatever you want me to do, I will do it without hesitation. What do you mean by paid or unpaid? That's too formal."
Just then, the café waiter brought over cinnamon rolls, the rim of the plate dusted with fine powdered sugar. Qin Rao picked up a small fork and pushed the softest part of the roll towards him: "I remember you don't like the hard edges."
"No need," Yun Yao pushed the cake back, his fingertips brushing against her nails, which were still painted with a flamboyant bright red nail polish, making him a little dizzy. "I'm not really interested in sweets."
Qin Rao's expression didn't change in the face of Yun Yao's cold rejection. She still looked at Yun Yao with a smile and said softly, "Yun Yao, you still haven't said what it is that you need my help with?"
"I heard that you own a fairly large entertainment company in China, and that it has produced quite a few big stars," Yun Yao said casually, stirring his bitter coffee.
Qin Rao raised an eyebrow. She hadn't expected Yun Yao to be interested in this. She immediately replied, "Yun Yao, you mean my company, 'Wangyue Media'? I apologize for making you laugh. However, my entertainment company, while I can't say for sure about other things, does have some influence in the entertainment and film industry. In recent years, it has launched quite a few talents."
Yun Yao's eyes flickered slightly, and he pressed on, "If it were an ordinary person, how long would it take you to make him famous and let the public know about him?"
“Ha,” Qin Rao laughed confidently, “Yun Yao, let me tell you, as long as you give enough resources, there’s no one you can’t make famous. Not to mention, my Wangyue Media has top-notch agents and a professional team that’s best at hype and public relations. They can make anyone as famous as they want.”
At this point, Qin Rao rolled her eyes and joked, "What, Yun Yao, do you want my company to promote someone? Or do you have a friend who wants to debut as a big star?"
Yun Yao gave a bitter laugh to himself. He looked at Qin Rao and said slowly, "No, not a friend, it's myself."
"What?" Qin Rao was shocked, but then came immense joy.
It seems she can grasp her future with Yun Yao again. She's not afraid of wanting everything, she's afraid of wanting nothing at all. If Yun Yao has something to ask for, she still has leverage to hold onto.
Just then, the rain stopped, and the condensation on the windowpane gradually dissipated, revealing a red-billed gull perched on the opposite rooftop. Watching it preen its feathers, Qin Rao heard her own voice, suppressing joy and feigning gentleness, say, "Yun Yao, you've come to the right person. Don't worry, given our relationship, I will definitely do everything in my power to support you."
At that moment, Yun Yao picked up the umbrella. The clanging of the metal ribs mingled with the announcement of the tram arriving at the station outside the window. "Qin Rao," he finally looked up at her, his gaze as cold as an ice field, "you may have misunderstood. I think there is nothing between us. As I said before, this is not free. I will have my lawyer contact you to draw up a detailed contract."
As he spoke, he stood up, then looked down at Qin Rao and smiled faintly: "Of course, you can disagree. I can find other companies. As long as the money is right, I'm sure there are plenty of people willing to take the job."
Qin Rao was stunned. She never expected Yun Yao to have this side to him. It was as if this young man had undergone many trials and tribulations in the years she was unaware of, becoming more resilient and mature.
Seeing that Yun Yao was about to leave, Qin Rao grabbed his wrist and said, "Don't go, Yun Yao! Everything can be discussed. Since you came to me today, my company must be acceptable to you, right?"
As she said this, she seemed to remember something and said meaningfully, "Moreover, this company is doing so well thanks to you. Without you, it wouldn't be the size it is today. Really, Yun Yao, you are essentially its original investor, so you can use the company's resources however you want now."
Yun Yao's expression changed when he heard Qin Rao say this. He knew what Qin Rao meant. She was referring to the fact that because he was favored by the lady, Qin Rao, who had also "given her beauty," had received a lot of resources and started that entertainment company.
Starting from this point, Qin Rao relied on the connections she had made and her usual social skills to make that entertainment company a dominant force in the entertainment industry in a short period of time, gathering a huge amount of resources and connections that were the envy of many.
Qin Rao, with this money-making beast, has firmly established herself in the southern business world. People no longer just call her a wealthy businesswoman from Southeast Asia, but address her as Chairman Qin.
But who knows that all of this began on the blood and tears of a young boy?
Yun Yao pulled her wrist away from Qin Rao's grasp, looked at her coldly and said, "Qin Rao, do you have the right to say such things?"
Qin Rao also stood up, her eyes fixed on Yun Yao with a deep gaze. She said in a hoarse voice, "Yun Yao, I know I've wronged you. Please give me a chance to make it up to you, okay? All these years, I haven't forgotten you for a single day. I named that company 'Looking at the Moon,' do you... do you know what that means..."
Yun Yao frowned, coldly watching Qin Rao's deeply affectionate performance. Actually, the reason he thought of approaching Qin Rao with this plan was not only because her company was the most suitable, but more importantly because he didn't want to implicate other unrelated people, since his plan carried significant uncertain risks.
But Qin Rao was part of the whole affair, the instigator, and Yun Yao could use her without a second thought. He was no longer the soft-hearted and sincere young man he once was; his heart had turned as cold as iron.
“Qin Rao,” Yun Yao interrupted her emotional monologue, saying calmly, “My patience is limited. If you agree, then let’s arrange for the lawyers of both parties to meet as soon as possible. I will list my requirements in the contract, and you can also make your own.”
Qin Rao was speechless for a moment, then sighed and said softly, "Alright, Yun Yao, I know you may not trust me very much. But I will prove it to you. Don't worry, whatever you want, I will definitely help you achieve it."
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