Jiang Tingyuan stared at the disconnected call, feeling both amused and exasperated. He had already started contemplating how to deal with this little rascal Ye Zhou when he got back.
However, the hint of a smile in Mr. Jiang’s eyes was quickly suppressed before the secretary opened the door, replaced by a cool and detached demeanor.
The secretary looked somewhat anxious as he addressed Jiang Tingyuan, “Mr. Jiang, Mr. Fu from Huihuang Entertainment said he had an appointment with you. He’s currently waiting in the lounge.”
Jiang Tingyuan wasn’t surprised by this and calmly responded, “Show him in.”
After receiving Mr. Jiang’s affirmation, the secretary breathed a sigh of relief. About five minutes later, he led a middle-aged man in his early fifties. The visitor was none other than the current president of Huihuang Entertainment, Fu Huihuang.
Huihuang Entertainment was also an established company in the industry. Although not as large in scale as giants like Jingzhe, Dingfeng, and Xingrui, it maintained a solid reputation among small and medium-sized companies by taking a steady and less aggressive approach.
After exchanging pleasantries and a handshake, Fu Huihuang didn’t underestimate the young, handsome man before him. After a few unsuccessful attempts to probe, he decided to get straight to the point.
“Mr. Jiang, I won’t beat around the bush. I’ve come to ask a favor,” Fu Huihuang said calmly after putting down his teacup.
“My late wife passed away due to complications from childbirth, leaving me with only one daughter, Chan’er. This girl has been spoiled since she was young. Last year, she quietly got herself a boyfriend, Xi Yang, and it’s regarding this good-for-nothing that I’ve come.”
As he spoke, Fu Huihuang subtly observed Jiang Tingyuan’s expression, but to his disappointment, this young master of the Jiang family seemed highly skilled at maintaining his composure, showing no reaction to his words.
Though disappointed, Fu Huihuang persisted, “Xi Yang was indeed in the wrong this time, and I’ve already scolded him. If there’s anything you’re unsatisfied with, please let me know, and I’ll bring him to apologize to you in person one day.”
“Mr. Fu, you’re joking,” Jiang Tingyuan’s long fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest. His voice was calm and detached, betraying no emotion. “As an actor, Mr. Xi’s busy schedule is only natural. There’s no need for you to apologize to me.”
His polite words made it sound like a trivial matter, but if it were truly as insignificant as Jiang Tingyuan claimed, Fu Huihuang wouldn’t have come in person to the Jiang family to make amends on behalf of his future son-in-law.
After Ye Zhou posted those Weibo updates that afternoon, the company’s public relations department had already swung into action to reduce the heat before public opinion fully erupted, trying their best to remove the trending searches.
Normally, unless it was an explosive piece of news like a celebrity’s affair or drug scandal, causing searches to trend too intensely to be removed, ordinary trending searches could be taken down after a few removals, and the heat would subside.
Xi Yang’s team had planned to contact Weibo to remove the trending searches, lowering the heat as much as possible and containing the impact within a manageable scope.
Initially, the process went smoothly, but soon the staff realized that no matter how many times they removed the searches related to Xi Yang, they would reappear on the trending list within minutes, skyrocketing to the top at a meteoric pace.
The staff tried removing them a few more times to no avail. Even after the searches reached the top, some experienced staff members knew that this was not a simple matter.
Ye Zhou was just an ordinary small-time director. Even if his previous film had earned some money, after deducting the shares for the theaters and investors, as well as taxes, he wouldn’t have much left. It was impossible for him to be buying trending searches on such a massive scale.
There was only one explanation. This Director Ye Zhou must have someone powerful backing him.
Fu Huihuang immediately had the matter thoroughly investigated after receiving a tearful call from his daughter, Fu Chan. When he discovered that the investor was Jingzhe, Fu Huihuang’s hair nearly turned white from worry.
Everyone in the industry knew that Jingzhe was backed by the Jiang family and was the business of the Jiang family’s young master. This Mr. Jiang appeared youthful, but his abilities were in no way inferior to the late Jiang patriarch, perhaps even surpassing him.
Had it not been for his daughter’s tears, Fu Huihuang would never have been willing to seek out this formidable figure for the sake of Xi Yang.
But his daughter was his only child, and she seemed bewitched by Xi Yang. Ultimately, Fu Huihuang’s heart ached for his daughter, and he swallowed his pride to come pleading.
After years of struggling in the business world, how could Fu Huihuang fail to recognize the veiled rejection behind Jiang Tingyuan’s seemingly polite words?
“Since Xi Yang was the one in the wrong, how about this?” Fu Huihuang gritted his teeth and said with a bitter smile, “Huihuang Entertainment will bear the full losses of this film, and we’re also willing to pay ten million as compensation.”
Fu Huihuang’s offer was quite sincere, proposing an apology and monetary compensation.
However, if Ye Zhou was not lacking in money, then money held even less meaning for Jiang Tingyuan – any amount was merely a string of numbers.
In Jiang Tingyuan’s eyes, ten million yuan was no different from a single yuan to an ordinary person.
Seeing Jiang Tingyuan’s lack of response, Fu Huihuang’s heart sank, sensing that he might truly have to make significant sacrifices to resolve this matter. He closed his eyes briefly before saying, “Or you can name your terms. As long as Mr. Jiang is willing to let Xi Yang off, anything is negotiable.”
Jiang Tingyuan studied him for a moment before suddenly speaking when Fu Huihuang thought he wouldn’t respond, “The root of this matter does not lie with me.”
Fu Huihuang was taken aback, instinctively asking, “Then, according to Mr. Jiang, what should be done?”
“One should apologize to the person they have wronged, not to an unrelated party like me. I was not the one harmed, so I cannot, nor do I have the right to forgive anyone on his behalf.”
Jiang Tingyuan elegantly raised his teacup, taking a sip before looking at Fu Huihuang. “Mr. Fu, isn’t that the way it should be?”
“The person you’re referring to is…” Fu Huihuang felt like he was grasping the crux of the matter. If his guess was correct, there was only one person who had been in intense conflict with Xi Yang.
Fu Huihuang suddenly recalled overhearing some gossip at a dinner banquet about Jiang Tingyuan keeping a young lover whom he doted upon and treated with utmost care and consideration.
At the time, he hadn’t paid much attention to it, as Jiang Tingyuan didn’t seem like the kind of dissolute heir prone to scandals. He had always appeared upright and well-behaved, so Fu Huihuang merely treated it as a joke and didn’t dwell on it.
However, hearing Jiang Tingyuan’s words now, Fu Huihuang couldn’t help but recall that piece of gossip.
Jiang Tingyuan gazed at him indifferently. “Then you’ll have to ask Mr. Xi about that.”
Although he didn’t explicitly say it, Fu Huihuang understood his meaning and solemnly replied, “Rest assured, I’ll make sure he goes to apologize sincerely and seek forgiveness once I return.”
When Fu Huihuang left, his driver had been waiting for a long time downstairs. Upon seeing Mr. Jiang emerge from the company, the driver immediately got out and opened the car door for him.
It was nearly 11 PM when Jiang Tingyuan arrived home and noticed the lights on from afar, prompting even the composed Mr. Jiang to quicken his pace.
However, to Mr. Jiang’s disappointment, although the lights were on, the spacious living room was empty when he opened the door. Evidently, a certain little rascal had already gone to bed, leaving the lights on for him.
After changing his shoes, Jiang Tingyuan quietly made his way to Ye Zhou’s room. Usually, only the two of them were home, and Ye Zhou never put up his guard around Mr. Jiang, so his room door was left unlocked. A gentle push was all it took to easily open it.
The room was unlit, with only the cool moonlight filtering through the window, providing just enough illumination to make out shapes.
Jiang Tingyuan moved softly to Ye Zhou’s bedside, studying his features in the faint moonlight.
Although Ye Zhou appeared lively and spirited during the day, his sleeping demeanor was surprisingly well-behaved. He maintained a proper posture, neither kicking off the covers nor flailing his arms.
His body was fully wrapped in the blanket, with only his head exposed. His hair was somewhat disheveled, giving him a fluffy appearance. With a small, satisfied smile gracing his lips, he seemed to be having a pleasant dream.
The sleeping Ye Zhou looked obedient and adorable, stirring an urge within Jiang to ruffle his hair.
As Mr. Jiang gazed at him, an itch grew in his heart. He hesitantly extended his hand, nearly touching Ye Zhou’s head before abruptly withdrawing, unwilling to disturb his slumber.
After withdrawing his hand, the urge to touch Ye Zhou emerged again. After repeating this back and forth a few times, Mr. Jiang eventually could not resist the temptation and gently stroked Ye Zhou’s head.
Whether he sensed Mr. Jiang’s action or not, the previously soundly sleeping Ye Zhou unconsciously nuzzled against Jiang Tingyuan’s palm.
Jiang’s hand froze, and he felt an inexplicable sense of novelty from an action he often did when Ye Zhou was awake.
After about ten seconds, once certain that Ye Zhou had settled back down, Mr. Jiang finally retracted his hand slowly.
Accompanied by Ye Zhou’s long, rhythmic breathing, the recently insomniac Jiang unexpectedly felt a tinge of drowsiness himself.
It was getting late, so Jiang Tingyuan stood up and headed for the door. Before leaving, he took one last look at the sleeping little Zhouzhou. Unable to resist the strong urge, he turned back and stood by the bed, gazing at Ye Zhou for a long while before finally seeming to make up his mind.
Leaning down, he gently placed a feather-light kiss on Ye Zhou’s forehead.
The sleeping Ye Zhou mumbled something, causing Mr. Jiang, usually so composed, to freeze like a mischievous child caught by a parent. He remained motionless in that pose, not daring to move.
Fortunately, Ye Zhou was a sound sleeper. After a slight mumble from the ticklish sensation, he quickly fell back into deep slumber.
Before leaving, Jiang Tingyuan gazed at Ye Zhou’s sleeping face from afar. With slightly parted lips, he silently uttered…
Good night.
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