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He was surprised to find that Qi Shenzhi’s previously gloomy mood had improved. Although that valuable, handsome face remained as indifferent and distant as ever, the atmosphere around him had clearly changed. Even someone as dense as him could sense it.
Curious, he glanced repeatedly at Su Bailing. As expected of Shenzhi’s beloved childhood sweetheart—she had the power to change his mood just like that.
“Sigh, are you guys leaving already?” Qin Zihe greeted them with a smile. “Why not stay a little longer?”
Qi Shenzhi nodded. “I’ll take Lili home first. We can chat next time.”
“Alright.” Qin Zihe, one of Qi Shenzhi’s rare friends, spoke casually. “By the way, Shenzhi, are you really not tempted by the conditions Jin Qiong mentioned just now?”
Qi Shenzhi’s expression remained calm. “Why would I be?”
It was just the profits from a few dramas. Even if they were huge successes, so what? Could they compare to even a minor project under the Qi Corporation?
Those projects weren’t even worth his attention—let alone Jin Qiong’s handful of dramas.
What a joke.
“True, that little profit isn’t worth mentioning for you.” Qin Zihe stroked his chin and said slyly, “But it’s different for your brother—I’m broke. If you don’t want to get involved, I’ll take this deal.”
Qi Shenzhi didn’t mind at all. “Go ahead, if you can handle it. You earned it.”
Qin Zihe grinned. “Nice, good brother. I was just waiting for you to say that. But before these dramas are released, take it easy, alright? Don’t ruin things for me—at least let me make my money first.”
That was his real intention behind bringing it up.
Jin Qiong wasn’t a big problem—he simply didn’t understand Qi Shenzhi’s preferences and had overstepped by bringing someone in and breaking his rules. Given the respect owed to the Qi family elder, Shenzhi probably wouldn’t deal with him directly, letting him stew in fear instead.
But Tang Manni? She was out of luck.
No matter how composed and indifferent Qi Shenzhi had appeared just now, it was all for Su Bailing’s sake—to leave her with an impression of him as tolerant and kind.
But as his friend, how could Qin Zihe not know better?
When it came to Su Bailing, Qi Shenzhi would never be as calm as he appeared. Provoking her was even worse than provoking him directly.
Tang Manni’s career was as good as over.
Qin Zihe just hoped Qi Shenzhi would hold off for now—after all, one of these dramas featured her. She had gained some fame recently, so if she had to fall, it was best to wait until after the drama aired. That way, they could maximize their profits.
On the surface, Qin Zihe seemed carefree and playful, but the fact that he had remained Qi Shenzhi’s close friend for so long proved he wasn’t as simple as he appeared.
At the very least, his current mindset was quite dangerous.
Wanting to squeeze every last bit of value out of someone before they were ruined? That was ruthless.
Qi Shenzhi was easygoing when it came to friends he trusted. He nodded. “Alright. Discuss the details with Xiao Chen—I won’t interfere.”
“Good brother.” Qin Zihe nudged his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I got this. Once I’ve made my cut, I’ll make sure everything else is wrapped up neatly for you.”
Qi Shenzhi waved. “We’re off.”
“Bye~” Qin Zihe grinned at them. “Xiao Bailing, come hang out sometime.”
Su Bailing stuck her tongue out at him playfully.
Qin Zihe wasn’t the least bit annoyed. This little ancestor was his lucky star—another payday was on the horizon.
It was truly a wonderful feeling, sitting at home while money rained from the sky.
Choosing the right friend was important. He had always known that sticking with Qi Shenzhi would mean getting a share of the spoils.
With that, Qin Zihe turned around and leisurely walked back to his office, dialing Jin Qiong’s number.
When Jin Qiong received the call, his eyes were filled with disbelief. Was he dreaming?
How had this whole situation miraculously worked itself out?
Just then, a knock came at his office door, followed by a cautious voice.
“President Jin, I’m back.”
Hearing this, Jin Qiong’s face lit up with a delighted smile. “Come in.”
Yes, it had to be her. She had just been having dinner with President Qin—how had Qin Zihe suddenly agreed to help him right after their meal?
He never expected that this seemingly unremarkable trainee would have such a hidden talent.
His tone softened considerably. “You’re back. Are you tired? Why don’t you go rest first? I’ll have your agent contact you when a suitable job comes up.”
The trainee had never seen such a gentle and amiable boss before, and the unexpected warmth sent chills down her spine.
Nervously, she said, “President Qin asked me to pass on a message to you.”
“Go ahead.”
The trainee gulped. “Man… Manni… Sister Manni… she can’t be saved…”
Tang Manni was their company’s top actress. If she truly went down, it would deal a heavy blow to the entire company.
The trainee had braced herself for Jin Qiong to erupt in fury and take out all his anger on her. But to her surprise, the expected outburst never came.
Jin Qiong merely let out a long sigh before sinking powerlessly into his chair.
He waved a hand dismissively. “Got it. You can go.”
Hearing this, the trainee quickly nodded and slipped away as fast as she could.
Jin Qiong stared blankly at the brightly lit city outside his window.
No wonder the outside world always said that Mr. Qi was difficult to deal with.
Even those with higher status than him wouldn’t dare try to curry favor with Qi Shenzhi. And now, Jin Qiong finally understood why.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
In the end, the issue was resolved, but not in the best way.
Not only had they lost Tang Manni, but he had also done all that work for nothing. Still, at least they were able to recover some funds—the company could struggle along a bit longer.
But who knew when the entire empire, once admired by thousands, would come crashing down?
This ordeal had taught him a valuable lesson: he would never again take the initiative to provoke Mr. Qi. In the future, he’d go as far as to avoid him entirely.
But while he wanted to stay out of sight, others had already taken note of him.
Su Bailing hadn’t forgotten about making a complaint.
After taking a bath, she checked the time—it seemed about right. She grabbed her phone from beside her pillow and dialed a number.
The call connected quickly. On the other end, a video call revealed a stunning backdrop of a deep blue sea and clear skies.
It looked like a tropical island vacation.
“Baby, do you miss Auntie?”
A gentle female voice sounded. The woman on the screen was well-maintained, looking at most in her forties, though her actual age was much higher.
She was none other than Su Qiuzhen, Qi Shenzhi’s mother.
She and Qi Shenzhi’s father, Qi Zhentong, were currently on a year-long vacation.
Su Bailing pouted playfully. “Of course! Miss Su, you seem to be having so much fun that you’ve completely forgotten about me. If I didn’t call, would you even think to contact me?”
Su Qiuzhen chuckled. “I was just trying not to disturb you two.”
She looked at Su Bailing with a fond gaze. “Has anything happened lately? Has that brat been taking good care of you?”
“Nothing much. And of course, my brother takes good care of me.”
Su Bailing kept things positive, choosing not to mention the situation with her biological parents.
She didn’t see the point in disrupting their travel plans over her personal matters. They would find out eventually when they returned.
“That’s good.” Su Qiuzhen smiled. “So, Lili, did you call today because you have something to tell me?”
As expected of someone who had watched Su Bailing grow up—she could see right through her.