Ni Nina was naturally furious. At Ou Minghan’s request, she had increased her investment, fully supporting him in his competition against Ye Zhi.
Ou Minghan’s frenzied money-grubbing had even startled Lin Shuangshuang.
Although she was now swimming in money, she preferred a steady stream over a one-time windfall.
Enduring disgust, she contacted him, advising him with a heavy heart, "Ou Minghan, take it easy! Even if the Cen family is incredibly wealthy, they can’t withstand your scorched-earth tactics!"
"What do you know?!" Ou Minghan retorted dismissively. "If I don't grab this money quickly, Cen Ya will spend it all on her studio!"
Lin Shuangshuang was utterly speechless. While Cen Ya had recently bought a lot of expensive fabrics, how much could that actually amount to?
The most costly expenditure had been finding a renowned designer for Cen Ya to apprentice under, but Ou Minghan had stalled that by claiming the designer required Cen Ya to first master the fundamentals of fashion design.
Unexpectedly, Cen Ya had opened a studio, and while she wasn't in a rush, Ou Minghan was.
"But at your current investment rate, the Cen family will be on the brink of bankruptcy!" Lin Shuangshuang couldn’t help but say.
Ou Minghan replied coldly, "If the Cen family goes bankrupt, what does that have to do with me?"
Lin Shuangshuang was rendered speechless. She knew Ou Minghan was a scoundrel, but she hadn't expected him to be such an utter bastard!
Cen Ya had even 'sacrificed' her second home for him, yet in his eyes, Cen Ya was merely a money bag?
"Lin Shuangshuang, are you perhaps siding with Cen Ya now?" Ou Minghan sneered. "I had no idea you’d not only con her out of her money and try to steal her man, but you also have sisterly affection for her?"
Lin Shuangshuang was so enraged she felt like spitting blood. She wasn't blind; how could she compete with Cen Ya for trash? She was simply after money!
"You should rein it in," Lin Shuangshuang said, suppressing her anger. "Ni Nina and Cen Ya are easily fooled, but that father and son from the Cen family aren't that stupid. Don't push them too far!"
Ou Minghan puffed up with pride, "A woman, you're worried about me?"
Lin Shuangshuang: ***—***—
She was truly holding back, lest she unleash a torrent of curses.
"Hmph, this isn't Country K. Even if they do come, what can they do?" Ou Minghan said contemptuously.
"Fine, suit yourself!" Lin Shuangshuang irritably hung up the phone.
*
Soon, it was the final night of Taoxun's "Dream Girl" variety show. This finale would determine the champions and runners-up.
Ye Zhi invited Qi Xuan, and they arrived at the finale together.
The competition was in full swing, with the four contestants showcasing their best talents.
The venue was somewhat chaotic, and Qi Xuan was initially unaccustomed to it. However, seeing Ye Zhi watching the stage with keen interest, he couldn't help but ponder.
"Are you wondering which of them Taoxun will sign?" Qi Xuan asked her, his voice near her ear.
Ye Zhi looked surprised and turned to him, "You guessed?"
"Since Taoxun has established Taoxun Pictures, it naturally wants to sign artists under its own banner. It will be much more convenient for filming, variety shows, or other resources," Qi Xuan stated calmly.
"Yes." Ye Zhi smiled faintly. "You really can't hide anything from me. Which one do you think I should sign?"
Qi Xuan glanced up. "The champion tonight will most likely be number 3."
Ye Zhi found it somewhat amusing. These contestants all had names, yet Qi Xuan referred to them solely by their numbers.
"Mhm," Ye Zhi agreed. "Her stage performance tonight was excellent; she's very good at engaging the audience, her singing is solid, and she has many powerful fans. She'll likely win the championship tonight."
"However, the one you've chosen isn't her," Qi Xuan stated with certainty.
"Why?" Ye Zhi asked curiously.
"Because she only has this one advantage; her other skills are average," Qi Xuan said calmly. "If Taoxun chooses her, they can only help her release albums and develop in the music industry."
Ye Zhi sighed and nodded. This was something she had been considering, and she hadn't expected Qi Xuan's thoughts to be so in sync with hers.
"I'm interested in number 2," Ye Zhi said. "Her singing is decent, and her overall qualities are excellent, especially her sweet looks and natural girl-next-door charm, making her very suitable for the entertainment industry."
"Does Su Ming have any objections?" Qi Xuan asked.
This variety show was co-hosted by Taoxun and Su's company. They had already agreed to divide the contestants.
"Of the four finalists, he can pick two, excluding number 2," Ye Zhi smiled faintly. "As for the top ten, he can pick anyone he wants."
Qi Xuan understood. Ye Zhi was using quantity as a bargaining chip with Su Ming, who was naturally happy to oblige.
Suddenly, Ye Zhi's gaze swept across the audience, and her expression shifted slightly.
"What is it?" Qi Xuan asked softly.
"Look over there..." Ye Zhi pointed to a direction, looking speechless.
Qi Xuan looked up, and the corners of his lips twitched.
Sitting in the audience was Ni Nina.
They were some distance apart, so they couldn't discern her expression, but they could sense her outward haughtiness.
"Why is she here?" Ye Zhi frowned in confusion.
Qi Xuan mused for a moment, "Ou Minghan recently established Flying Dragon Pictures."
Ye Zhi: …
Although Ou Minghan had been buying copyrights, assembling teams, and making films, Ye Zhi hadn't really taken it seriously.
After all, others might not know, but she had seen through him long ago: Ou Minghan was making a big show to create excuses for extracting money from the Cen family.
Unfortunately, the Cen family had fallen for these excuses.
She surmised that Ni Nina had come this time to sign some newcomers for Flying Dragon Pictures, which Ou Minghan had established.
"Dream Girl" was currently very popular, a national-level variety show. Leveraging this popularity, Ni Nina naturally wanted to sign some contestants, thus promoting Flying Dragon Pictures and piggybacking on the contestants' buzz.
"The Cen family is truly being reckless..." Ye Zhi put a hand to her forehead in exasperation. "What business does a jewelry seller have making movies? They really have money to burn! This mother and daughter are truly galloping towards bankruptcy."
"They won't be able to cause trouble for much longer," Qi Xuan suddenly said.
"Why do you say that?" Ye Zhi asked curiously.
"My friends in Country K sent me a message," Qi Xuan explained. "Although the Cen father and son are still under house arrest, the King of Country K has softened his stance. This is because... Cen Xiucheng is currently wooing a princess of Country K."
Ye Zhi: "...A honey trap?"
Qi Xuan nodded.
Ye Zhi turned to look at Ni Nina, not far away, and couldn't help but feel a sense of resignation.