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Chapter 12: He’s Very Attentive

Yan Man was woken up the next day by a phone call.

She was alone in bed—nothing new.

Who knew what got into Tan Qishen last night—just when they were about to go to bed, he suddenly pulled her in for another round. It wasn’t until nearly dawn that she finally got some sleep.

She didn’t even know who was the real “sugar daddy” in this relationship.

Still half-asleep, she fumbled for her phone and tapped “answer” out of habit. A familiar voice came through the speaker, and the moment she heard the first sentence, her eyes snapped open.

“Yiyi, I’m pregnant.”

Those words from her best friend, Wen Moye, jolted her wide awake.

“Pregnant?”

Her voice was hoarse—clearly someone who hadn’t been doing anything proper last night.

Wen Moye still had the mood to tease her. “Looks like you’re enjoying your time in Beijing. Just waking up now?”

Yan Man glanced at the time.

Almost 3 PM.

Her brows shot up in surprise. She gave a couple of coughs and quickly changed the subject. “Don’t talk about me—you’re pregnant? What happened?”

Wen Moye sounded relaxed. “Dream come true—kept the baby, ditched the dad.”

Now Yan Man was fully awake. She knew all about her best friend’s plan.

The Wen family was wealthy, and Wen Moye was their only daughter—rightfully the sole heir.

Her family wanted a son-in-law who would marry into their household, but Wen Moye had her own ideas. She just wanted a child. Once she got what she wanted, the man would be kicked to the curb.

“The kid’s dad… doesn’t know?” Yan Man asked hesitantly.

“Of course not. The baby is mine—I’ll raise it myself. I just borrowed some good genes.”

Wen Moye didn’t think she was doing anything wrong. “Oh, and funny enough—he’s from Beijing too.”

Wen Moye had never met Yan Man’s boyfriend, didn’t know his name—only that he was also from Beijing and had a vibe similar to Tang Qingshuo.

“You must’ve had a very satisfying night to sleep this long, huh?” Wen Moye teased.

Yan Man never hid things from her best friend. She said it bluntly, “Yeah, he’s very attentive.”

“What do you mean?”

Images of last night’s steamy scenes flashed through Yan Man’s mind. After a brief pause, she answered slowly, “He… gives me t.”

“…”

There was silence on Wen Moye’s end for a good thirty seconds. Then she muttered, “My ex used to do that too…”

Sensing her friend was about to spiral, Yan Man quickly stopped her. “Alright, let’s not get into that. Think of the baby—keep it PG.”

“…OK.”

Wen Moye stroked her belly, suddenly reminded she was pregnant.

“Yiyi, when are you coming back? I miss you.”

Since returning to the country, Yan Man had only visited home once before staying in Beijing full-time.

Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, Yan Man found herself unsure how to answer that question.

“I haven’t had enough of him yet…”

Hearing that, Wen Moye sighed. She knew how much Yan Man had suffered after Tang Qingshuo left. Now that someone like him had shown up, it was a huge comfort—so she didn’t want to lecture her.

Aside from her best friend, no one knew Yan Man stayed in Beijing because she’d fallen in love. Her family still thought it was because she’d suddenly developed a passion for her career.

And she had made it big—her modeling career was booming, so her family was supportive of whatever helped her move past Tang Qingshuo.

Wen Moye said gently, “As long as you’re happy. Just… don’t lose yourself.”

Yan Man smiled. “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

But after hanging up, her mood dipped.

Wen Moye’s words made her, for the first time, truly think about her relationship with Tan Qishen.

Since the day they met, he’d always worn a stern face. Even after they started dating, he was still cold to her—except in bed, where he showed a little warmth.

She never argued with him, never got mad. Instead, she constantly catered to his moods and tried to please him without any boundaries.

From the outside, it probably looked like a one-sided, unequal relationship. Some might even think she was being kept by him.

But Yan Man didn’t care.

She’d gotten a lot out of this relationship.

Pulling the blanket over her face, she inhaled the rich scent of her body wash mixed with Tan Qishen’s usual bergamot and pine cologne.

It was like he was still beside her.

So… when should this relationship end?

Yan Man didn’t know.

Autumn in Beijing was short-lived. After a light snowfall, November quietly arrived.

Yan Man’s career was on fire. Since opening for the GV show, more and more opportunities had come her way.

Even that incident where she threw a drink in Director Zhang’s face hadn’t hurt her—though it hadn’t hit the internet, it had definitely stirred up the industry. Especially since Tan Qishen himself had stood up for her.

Naturally, gossip followed.

Shen Jie had mentioned some rumors in passing:

Some said she was Tan Qishen’s mistress, trying to sleep her way to the top.

Others said she was a homewrecker and that Tan Qishen already had a girlfriend.

Yan Man didn’t care.

People can talk—it’s their mouths. She wasn’t interested in responding.

Over the past two months, Tan Qishen hadn’t thrown any of his infamous tantrums. Yan Man was in a good mood—finally not having to figure out how to keep a man happy 24/7.

Mostly because he’d been away on business trips. They only saw each other two or three times a week, and when they did, it was pure passion—no time left to fight.

Yan Man had flown to a show in London the night before and landed that afternoon. She and Tan Qishen hadn’t seen each other in four days.

As soon as she stepped off the plane, Luo Xi called her to the company.

Luo Xi sat in the boss chair with a big smile and a mysterious look. “The company’s landed you a big project.”

Yan Man was used to the higher-end resources by now. Calmly, she asked, “What kind of project?”

“A movie. Want to do it?”

Luo Xi handed her the first draft of the script.

“The female lead is a model. The director said instead of training an actress for a few months, why not just cast an actual model?”

Yan Man was a bit surprised. Acting and modeling were two very different worlds. Holding the script, she hesitated. “Wouldn’t I still need training too, since I’m not a professional actress?”

She hit the nail on the head.

Luo Xi waved it off. “Don’t take everything the director says at face value. Her main goal is you.”

Yan Man’s expression turned wary. She couldn’t help but suspect some unspoken rules might be in play.

Luo Xi immediately caught on and reassured her, “Don’t overthink it—the director’s a woman. Married, too.”

“She’s just a fan. She’s seen a lot of your shows and thinks you’re perfect for the character.”

“Hu Suling. You’ve probably heard of her.”

Hu Suling—renowned female director in Chinese cinema and the only female Chinese jury member at Cannes.

“Director Hu?” Yan Man was very familiar with the name. Her mom was a huge fan—every time a new movie came out, she’d book out a whole theater to watch.

Different from traditional realist directors, Hu Suling’s work was deeply meaningful and centered around women’s growth and independence. Powerful stuff.

Luo Xi nodded. “She’s sincere. She even asked to have dinner with you. Want to meet and chat?”

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