Chapter 6

Capital Yanzhou, headquarters of Mega Star Entertainment Group.

Early in the morning, Wu Qingluan arrived, accompanied by Brother Guo, and toured various departments from top to bottom to complete the contract termination procedures.

The termination process went even more smoothly than she had anticipated. The procedures were expedited, with executives from the group and department heads swiftly signing and stamping documents. Just as she received the formal termination letter, the finance department promptly transferred the pending amount to her.

Wu Qingluan happily counted her account balance, moving her finger across a long string of zeros. “What a conscientious conglomerate! I thought they would intentionally delay it for a long time.”

Major entertainment companies in the country all had the practice of withholding a portion of their artists’ earnings. Wu Qingluan’s previous company, Mega Star, was no exception. Typically, they withheld 30% to 50% of the annual earnings to prevent artists from acting out or breaching their contracts.

When a profitable artist decided to leave, companies would do everything in their power to stall and find ways to deduct more money.

Wu Qingluan had worked at Mega Star for over a decade, and her withheld earnings had accumulated to a significant sum. She hadn’t expected to get it all back; she had prepared herself for some deductions. However…

Wu Qingluan counted her account balance once more and said, “Brother Guo, I can’t believe I’ve earned so much money. It’s the first time I’ve felt this wealthy! But… why did the company suddenly become so cooperative?”

Brother Guo whispered, “Miss, could you at least wait until you’re out of the building before badmouthing your former employer? You’re leaving cleanly, but I still have to stay here. Don’t get me in trouble! Come on, Mr. Yang, the Vice President, is waiting to see you.”

Wu Qingluan promptly closed her mouth and followed Brother Guo into the elevator. They ascended to the second-highest floor, heading to the office of Vice President Yang.

However, when the elevator doors opened, Vice President Yang was unexpectedly waiting there with a warm smile on his face. “Ah, Qingluan is here.”

Wu Qingluan, feeling both surprised and honored, said, “Hello, Vice President Yang!”

Yang greeted her warmly, “Good, good, good. You must be tired after running around all morning. Come, have a seat. We’ll arrange a farewell banquet for you once you’ve settled in.”

Wu Qingluan was deeply moved and expressed her gratitude, “Thank you, Vice President Yang!”

Back when she was just eighteen years old and in dire straits, Wu Qingluan had accepted Brother Guo’s invitation to join the Mega Star Entertainment Group. They had been working under Vice President Yang’s leadership since then, and she had always been grateful to him and Brother Guo.

Wu Qingluan never really liked the entertainment industry nor was she passionate about acting. When she first entered the industry, she faced ridicule and was often criticized for relying solely on her looks. Over time, she put in effort to study and steadily improved her acting skills, managing to shed the “flower vase” label.

However, Wu Qingluan was well aware of her own abilities. She didn’t possess extraordinary talent and lacked a genuine passion for performing. She didn’t aspire to achieve any artistic greatness; she simply wanted to earn money to support herself and her grandmother.

Fortunately, her years of hard work hadn’t been in vain. The money she had earned was enough to secure her and her grandmother’s future. Wu Qingluan couldn’t help but shed tears of happiness in her heart; she had finally gained her freedom!

Vice President Yang and Brother Guo personally escorted Wu Qingluan downstairs and saw her off to her car.

Once Wu Qingluan drove away, Brother Guo approached Vice President Yang and whispered, “Mr. Yang, can you give me some guidance? Wu Qingluan gave me a farewell banquet envelope.”

Vice President Yang smiled and pointed at him. “You’re quite perceptive, Little Guo.”

Brother Guo looked hopeful.

“While Mega Star is a conglomerate, it has always operated like a family business.”

“Right, right,” Brother Guo nodded repeatedly. “We all have the same surname, Yu.”

“The Qinglong Temple you rented for this movie is one of Young Master Yu’s properties.”

Brother Guo raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

Vice President Yang explained, “Little Guo, sometimes you’re quite clever, but sometimes you miss the obvious. Don’t you remember that Young Master Yu entered the Qinglong Temple for monastic training when he was just 10 years old?”

Brother Guo’s eyes widened in realization. Qinglong Temple, Young Master Yu, oh my gosh!

Wu Qingluan drove back to her residence in Yanzhou. Her assistant, Xiao Ma, had arrived earlier. In the living room, there were two open suitcases neatly packed with clothes.

Xiao Ma’s eyes welled up with tears. “Sis, I saw the message Guo sent in the group. Are you really leaving like this?”

Wu Qingluan patted Xiao Ma’s head. “Of course.”

“I’ll miss you so much!” Xiao Ma hugged her tightly. “You’re the best sister I’ve ever had!”

“Well, of course. I not only paid you a decent salary but also sneakily sent you red envelopes. If I had such a generous boss, I wouldn’t want to leave either.”

“No, Sis, it’s not just about the money!” Xiao Ma said, stomping her foot in frustration.

“I know, I know,” Wu Qingluan comforted her. Seeing Xiao Ma getting upset, she didn’t tease her anymore and hugged her tightly. “I’ll miss you too. Come visit me during your vacation.”

“Okay!” Xiao Ma wiped her tears. “Sis, I’ve packed everything else, but I didn’t dare touch your God of Wealth statue. You should do it yourself.”

“Sure!” Wu Qingluan first washed her hands, then carefully took down the small double-sided God of Wealth statue that Xiao Ma had been worshipping and placed it into a box.

This God of Wealth statue was quite unique. On one side, it depicted a jolly, chubby uncle’s face, while on the other side, it showed a charming and handsome young man with a friendly demeanor, instantly bringing joy to anyone who saw it.

Although the God of Wealth statue was small, it was quite heavy. Wu Qingluan struggled as she lifted the box. “Xiao Ma, help me with the suitcases, it’s really heavy.”

Xiao Ma packed up the suitcases and pushed them along with Wu Qingluan into the elevator. “Sis, you’re leaving so soon. Let me treat you to a meal.”

“I’m not hungry,” Wu Qingluan replied. “Besides, I’m your older sister; I can’t let you treat me to a meal. Let’s have a feast after I’ve settled down! By the way, did Brother Guo give you the bonus?”

Xiao Ma was touched. “Yes, he did, and it was a lot. Thank you, Sis!”

“You deserve it.”

Wu Qingluan topped up Xiao Ma’s already generous bonus from her own account as a token of appreciation for her hard work over the past few years. During these ten-plus years, Wu Qingluan had gone through five or six assistants, and Xiao Ma had been the most trustworthy and reliable one.

Wu Qingluan sat in her car and said, “You know the passcode for the house, and you also know how to handle the utility bills and property fees. If you don’t leave Yanzhou, you can stay at my place.”

“Sis, I’ll pay you rent!”

“No need. The house will be empty if nobody lives in it, and I should thank you for taking care of it for me. Go back and rest; I’m leaving!”

“Sis…” Xiao Ma started crying again.

Wu Qingluan couldn’t bear to see her like this. She put on her sunglasses, waved to Xiao Ma, and drove away.

Wu Qingluan was from Yuzhou, a province in the southwest of Huaguo, known for its humid climate, which was in stark contrast to the dry and dusty Yanzhou.

As Wu Qingluan drove southwest, making occasional stops, her car became filled with specialties from various provinces and cities along the way. A week later, she finally entered the territory of Yuzhou.

Looking at the familiar mountains and waters, Wu Qingluan rolled down her car window and greedily breathed in the air of her hometown.

Yuzhou was known for its abundant mountains and rivers, picturesque scenery, rich resources, and delicious cuisine. It was indeed a very pleasant place to live.

Wu Qingluan drove her car directly into the Yuzhou Provincial First Sanatorium. She had come to pick up her grandmother, Mrs. Zhou, to take her back home.

Five years ago, Mrs. Zhou had suffered a stroke, and since then, Wu Qingluan had been afraid to let her live alone. After much persuasion, she had convinced her grandmother to stay in the sanatorium.

It was around that time when Wu Qingluan first had the idea of terminating her contract. Mrs. Zhou was already in her eighties, and every day spent with her was precious to Wu Qingluan.

“Ah, Qingluan!”

As Wu Qingluan was parking the car, she heard a familiar voice calling out.

Turning her head in the direction of the voice, she saw a slender old lady hurriedly emerging from the gatehouse of the parking lot. Wu Qingluan shouted, “Grandma, don’t run so fast! Why are you here?”

“I was waiting for you here! They said you’d arrive today, and since you were driving, you’d probably come here first. I came here right after breakfast!” While speaking, Mrs. Zhou had already reached Wu Qingluan’s car. “Let’s go back home quickly. There are too many rules here, and they confiscated the chickens I was secretly raising. I’m sure they’ve already been slaughtered and eaten.”

Wu Qingluan didn’t kno whether to laugh or cry. She got out of the car and hugged Mrs. Zhou. “Grandma, this time I’ve come back and won’t leave. Are you happy?”

“Very happy!” Mrs. Zhou stroked Wu Qingluan’s face with her rough hands. “Why have you lost weight again? I’ve been saying that you should change your job. Why become a star? We have such a big yard; I can support you by growing vegetables and raising chickens.”

“Yeah, I’m done with it. I’ve already told the company,” Wu Qingluan said, embracing Mrs. Zhou as they walked toward the residential area. “You go back to the room and rest for a while. I’ll handle your discharge procedures.”

The caregiver who had been taking care of Mrs. Zhou followed along, anxiously saying, “Miss Wu, I’ve tried to persuade her, but she insisted on waiting here. Her things were packed up last night, and she’s been eagerly anticipating your arrival!”

“No problem, even if Grandma doesn’t listen. You’ve worked hard,” Wu Qingluan said. “I’ll settle up with you once I’m done with the paperwork. Please take care of her a little while longer.”

“Of course.”

The discharge procedures were completed quickly, but Mrs. Zhou had a surprise in store for Wu Qingluan.

The director of the sanatorium personally led Wu Qingluan to the sanatorium’s kitchen. “Miss Wu, these chickens were confiscated from Grandma’s place over time. This time, please take them with you.”

Wu Qingluan was surprised to see several chickens of various sizes. “Where did she get these chickens from?”

The director sighed. “Grandma is very resourceful in her daily life.”

So, when Wu Qingluan brought Mrs. Zhou home, there was a surprise waiting for her. Following her car was a small truck filled with chicken coops.

When they arrived at the front gate of her home, another surprise awaited her.

After earning money in the entertainment industry, Wu Qingluan had immediately purchased a villa in Chongqing with a large garden, all to ensure Mrs. Zhou’s comfort and mobility.

In these past few years, Wu Qingluan had been incredibly busy, and Mrs. Zhou had been living in the sanatorium. They hadn’t spent much time in this villa, and it had fallen into disarray.

Throughout the journey, Mrs. Zhou had been discussing how to clean up the garden, and she adamantly refused to let Wu Qingluan hire a cleaning service, considering it a waste of money.

From a distance, Wu Qingluan saw a person dressed in flowing white robes standing at her doorstep, someone very familiar.

After parking the car, Wu Qingluan got out and recognized Yu Xuanwei in his pristine white Daoist robe. Her heart tightened. Could it be that he had come to collect the debt right at her doorstep?