Chapter 47: You Deserve Someone Better

Wen Bo spoke cautiously. He had been on edge all day, terrified of doing something to upset him.

Tan Qishen lifted his eyelids slightly. Most of his face was hidden in shadow, adding a gloomy hue to his expression. His reaction after hearing the news was unusually calm—like the calm before a storm.

Wen Bo didn’t dare look at him. He turned his head, silently waiting for instructions.

Only the sound of a lighter’s wheel could be heard from the back seat. Tan Qishen let out a low chuckle that sounded cold and distant.
“She does remember to come back.”

His eyes were bloodshot from the alcohol. He took a long drag from his cigarette and exhaled slowly, trying to suppress his inner fury.

Tan Qishen didn’t believe that Yan Man didn’t know he had gone to the film set last night.

Last time, he had wronged her—it was a fact he couldn’t deny. But this time, she had lied to him.

He looked toward his phone. He’d waited all day, but no message had come from Yan Man.

What secret did she have that even returning home needed to be hidden?

In the past, if he was upset, Yan Man would never wait until the next day to explain. Even if she was away on a business trip, she’d hurry back to soothe him. She never lost her patience, never made a fuss—this was how they’d gotten through the last two years.

But this time, he hadn’t blocked her on WeChat or silenced her calls.

So why hadn’t she explained anything?

Tan Qishen’s dark eyes grew heavier with shadow. He thought, maybe he had treated her too well lately—too well, to the point she took it for granted.

“President Tan… are we still going to the set?” Wen Bo’s voice was small, glancing nervously at Tan Qishen through the rearview mirror.

Just like last time.

Tan Qishen’s eyes narrowed coldly.
“What set? We’re going home.”

This time, Yan Man had to come explain it herself. He wouldn’t make the first move again.

——

Yan Man rushed straight to the film set after landing.

Shen Jie had gone to the airport early to pick her up. When she heard Yan Man tell the driver to head straight to the set, her face went through a range of expressions.

She kept glancing at Yan Man, hesitating as if she wanted to say something.

Yan Man, of course, noticed the sidelong glances and looked up from her phone, amused.
“Just say it.”

Shen Jie blurted everything out in one breath:
“Man-jie, you seem different lately. I thought you’d go find President Tan first to explain. You always used to—”

“Stop—” Yan Man held up a hand. She didn’t want to hear anything about Tan Qishen right now.

“Let’s not talk about him.”

She rubbed her brow. Her delicate, striking face carried traces of weariness.

She was still struggling with how to bring up the breakup to Tan Qishen. If she just texted him, would it be too abrupt? Would it scare him?

Probably not—he didn’t love her that much, right? He’d forget in time.

Shen Jie was stunned. She had never seen Yan Man act this way toward Tan Qishen.

Her confusion slowly turned to excitement. She asked eagerly,
“Man-jie… don’t tell me you’ve finally let go?”

“Huh?” Yan Man was confused by what Shen Jie meant.

“Let go of what?”

Shen Jie couldn’t hold it in anymore. Though Tan Qishen was technically her boss, she couldn’t help but vent to Yan Man. In a low voice, she said,
“Honestly, I’ve wanted to say this for a long time. President Tan is a terrible boyfriend—he gets upset over every little thing. It’s so unreasonable. And you always have to spend time coaxing him, rushing back from overseas work, losing sleep… I really think—”

She took a deep breath, looked down, and said what she truly felt.
“Man-jie, you deserve someone better.”

The car fell silent for several long seconds.

Yan Man was surprised. She hadn’t expected the usually quiet and considerate Shen Jie to say something like this. She was touched, but also a bit conflicted.

So in other people’s eyes, she had always been the one giving more in this relationship. She had been the one lowering herself.

Though she didn’t quite see it that way—there were reasons for why she’d always yielded to Tan Qishen. But those reasons weren’t something she could explain to Shen Jie.

Yan Man didn’t speak for a while. Shen Jie started to panic, thinking she might’ve said too much and upset her. She was just about to apologize when she heard Yan Man softly laugh.

Yan Man’s voice was gentle and warm.
“Thank you. I’ll think about it.”

Shen Jie looked up and saw Yan Man smiling at her kindly, without a trace of anger.

She nodded hard.
“Okay!”

Her Man-jie deserved the best kind of love!

——

The next day.

On set, the atmosphere was tense.

Yan Man was filming a scene where her character, Feng Xiaoxiao, walks the runway for the first time after becoming a model—and falls at the end.

Director Hu wasn’t satisfied with the first two takes, so this was the third.

Yan Man’s knees were already bruised and purple from the previous attempts. She sat off to the side, waiting for the marks to fade, so they wouldn’t be visible in the next shot. Shen Jie stood by, heart aching for her, but there wasn’t much she could do.

A few minutes later, Yan Man saw her skin return to normal. She got up and signaled to the director,
“Director Hu, I’m ready.”

Hu Su Ling nodded.
“All departments, prepare.”

Camera crew, props, lighting—everyone moved swiftly and efficiently.

“Show scene, take one, shot three. Action!”

All cameras turned toward Yan Man. She wore a white, form-fitting strapless gown with a floor-length hem. Her presence was confident and composed, but still carried the youthful freshness of someone new to the industry.

The audience was packed—this was Feng Xiaoxiao’s first runway show with a live crowd.

The first part went smoothly, her stage presence sharp. But just as she turned to walk toward the end of the runway, she suddenly stepped on her hem and fell, knees hitting the floor with a loud “thud.”

The audience stared in shock, confusion, mockery, or concern.

Feng Xiaoxiao paused for a few seconds, then pushed herself up with trembling hands. She smiled at the camera, ignoring the murmurs below, and struck a final pose at the runway’s end.

“Cut!”

Director Hu took off his headset and called out with concern,
“That was great. Are you okay, Manman?”

Yan Man waved it off.
“I’m fine.”

But as she walked off the runway, her steps were unsteady. That stumble wasn’t acting—she was really in pain, especially wearing 10cm heels.

“Miss Yan, let me help you.” Lin Yiyang extended a hand, voice gentle and tinged with nervousness.

“Thanks,” Yan Man said politely, lightly placing her hand in his just for support.