Chapter 28 1/2

When Sheng Quan was still an employee, she hated attending various company dinners.

The main reason was that every company dinner was either after working hours or on weekends. Every time they gathered for a meal, it meant her personal time was being squeezed out for more than three hours.

However, now that she was the big boss, she could freely choose dinner times after working hours. She discovered that these gatherings could be enjoyable.

This joy, though partly because the table was full of attractive subordinates, was mostly because these people represented that Starlight Entertainment had finally taken the right path.

If a company only had money and employees, it wouldn’t be enough, especially for an entertainment company. It needed artists who could bring in profits.

Before this, if she wanted, she could have brought in a large number of people. However, Starlight Entertainment wasn’t that kind of heartless company that scammed signing fees. So their development was limited to having a select few quality artists rather than quantity.

Of course, this “quantity” was in comparison to other companies. Even with the size of Starlight, they couldn’t possibly nurture just a dozen artists.

Gu Zhao was busy contacting potential projects for collaboration. Externally, he appeared cold and aloof, almost like the heartless CEO who said, “Don’t even talk to me if it’s less than a billion.” But in reality, even for the smallest possibility of a collaborative project, he would approach it with 100% focus. Even if the deal couldn’t be finalized, he would aim for over 51% inclination from the other party.

Partnerships didn’t fall from the sky. In the initial stages of company development, even for well-funded companies like Starlight Entertainment, they had to approach projects one by one.

So, Sheng Quan found it difficult to imagine how Starlight, even with its fortunate start, could feel the hardships of the initial stages of entrepreneurship. Considering Wan Sheng’s hellish start, she couldn’t fathom how Gu Zhao managed to build it up.

But now, with so many people under her, Starlight was finally on the right track.

Starlight’s expenses were covered by the rent from Huaxing Tower. Essentially, she didn’t have to spend a dime; she just waited for profits and collected the money when they came.

Sheng Quan seemed to already see piles of money rushing towards her.

This was going to be lucrative.

While having dinner, Sheng Quan imagined the joyous scenes. However, when all the medical examination reports came in, she understood why these people seemed more capable, one by one.

Reality wasn’t like a TV drama. Humans couldn’t overwork themselves and remain perfectly healthy.

Really, in this group, Baixing was the only one who could be considered physically and mentally healthy.

The rest of them had stomach issues, and there were even two with malnutrition.

Even for someone like Gu Zhao, who was already undergoing treatment, he needed continuous care.

When Yan Hui mentioned it casually, Sheng Quan didn’t think much of it. However, upon seeing the medical reports, she realized that he and Gu Zhao were like a pair of difficult brothers.

Yuan Zixin was in slightly worse condition than these two.

As for the artists, Ming Qi was a bit better, but due to filming, she had developed shoulder periarthritis. Hua Qing and Liu Zian had various minor occupational diseases. Although not severe, they definitely felt discomfort every day.

Hua Qing even had some psychological issues, but fortunately, they weren’t severe. According to her, it was likely caused by not being able to get through a scene in a certain drama.

Yan Hui couldn’t escape either. Having experienced days with only three hours of sleep, not losing hair was probably his only luck.

As for Jin Jiu, who promoted the group medical examination, Sheng Quan thought of one word when she saw the reports:

—Tattered ragdoll.

The novel only mentioned that Jin Jiu’s throat was ruined after being poisoned. But the poison that Zhou Xie used wouldn’t be some kind of “special vocal cord poison” drug. Once this drug entered Jin Jiu’s body, it didn’t just ruin his voice.

He already had a deficit in his foundation, and after dropping out of school, he worked tirelessly to save money for treatment. He also had to find time to participate in programs. His body was already full of injuries.

Not to mention his more serious psychological illness.

Sheng Quan looked up at Jing Jiu.

Jing Jiu was sitting obediently. He looked a bit pale, with his hands placed gently at his sides, quietly blending into the background. But when he noticed Sheng Quan looking at him, his eyes immediately brightened, giving her a small, shy smile.

It was hard to imagine what he had been through to get used to such intense pain.

She asked him, “The doctor said you’d feel a strong sense of pain. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Jing Jiu replied softly, “I’m used to it.”

It was a casual, light-hearted sentence, but it sent a shiver down one’s spine.

What must he have gone through to get used to such intense pain?

Sheng Quan’s emotions were complicated. She couldn’t help but think that, in just seven years, Jing Jiu’s body had already reached this state. What about the thirty years mentioned in the book? During those thirty years, did he endure constant pain?

Jing Jiu was really too obedient. Maybe sensing Sheng Quan’s emotions, he looked at her again, adding carefully, “I’m used to it, so it doesn’t hurt as much.”

How could someone get used to pain and not feel it anymore? He just didn’t want Sheng Quan to worry.

Unable to hold back, Sheng Quan gently raised her hand and rubbed Jing Jiu’s head.

“Alright, who can get used to pain? The doctor will provide a treatment plan, and they will definitely cure you. You need to cooperate with the doctor’s treatment. Once you’re cured, there’s still work for you to do.”

Jin Jiu immediately nodded obediently and said, “I will definitely cooperate.”

After the medical examination, Sheng Dong’s “outstanding talents” were mostly transformed into “excellent patients.”

Fortunately, everyone was still relatively young, and most of their ailments were due to irregular lifestyles, poor eating habits, high-intensity exercise, and a lack of time for medical check-ups.

For example, since Sheng Quan insisted that Gu Zhao could only work overtime until 10 p.m. At the latest, his treatment progress had accelerated. Although he himself was reluctant to comply with this overtime ban, Starlight Entertainment, under Sheng Dong’s leadership, held the upper hand.

With just one sentence from Sheng Dong, everyone entered the treatment phase.