"Just get it done first," Jiang Mian said, a playful smile in her clear eyes.
"Okay," Ye Yi nodded. "I promise."
As they were speaking, Sister Ning emerged from the elevator. "Mianmian."
Ye Yi, being tactful, stood up. "You two talk."
Sister Ning watched him walk away before sitting down and lowering her voice. "I asked you here today because there's something I need to ask you. Should we tell Mr. Ye about your marriage?"
"What if he wants to maintain a single persona for you? If it backfires, won't it harm your reputation and alienate fans?"
Jiang Mian was taken aback. Sister Ning had a point.
Talent agencies usually crafted various personas for artists that the public would like, based on their image.
Jiang Mian propped her chin on her hand, hesitating for a moment. "I'll go tell him."
Sister Ning looked at her. "Good luck."
Jiang Mian tapped on the office door and entered.
"Come in," a lazy voice sounded.
Jiang Mian pushed the door open. "There's something I want to tell you."
Ye Yi, who had been slouching in his office chair, immediately sat up straight, his eyes fixed on her, very serious. "You say."
"I'm already married." Jiang Mian didn't say the rest, but she knew Ye Yi would understand her meaning.
"That's it?" Ye Yi leaned back again. "I know, you forgot? In the Shen family's backyard, you almost fought with Shen Tingyu." He said with enthusiasm.
Jiang Mian couldn't help but roll her eyes. "I think you were just hoping we'd fight."
Ye Yi decisively raised his hands. "Don't worry, I'll definitely help you... cheer!"
"Boring."
Ye Yi spread his hands. "I am quite bored. No one to keep me company."
"I'm leaving."
"No, no, no. There's a dinner party tonight, want to come along? It's all people from the industry, and even a well-known director." Ye Yi called out to her.
Jiang Mian mused that in this line of work, socializing was unavoidable, and making more appearances to stay relevant could be seen as an opportunity.
"I haven't changed clothes," she conceded.
Ye Yi scanned her up and down. "It's just a dinner party, no need to be too formal. Though, your outfit... it's okay, I guess."
"What do you mean, 'it's okay, I guess'?"
"It means that from head to toe, only your face is presentable."
Jiang Mian smiled slightly and retorted, "You too."
She was just dressed a bit casually!
Ye Yi glanced at his watch. "It's at night, so it's still early. Do you have other plans?"
Jiang Mian: "No."
"Then sit down and chat," Ye Yi said, pressing the intercom to have two cups of tea sent in.
He gestured with his chin. "Did Sister Ning tell you where the filming location for your drama next month is?"
Jiang Mian pursed her lips. "I saw it. In the mountains of Nan City."
Nan City was far from the capital, especially the mountains.
Jiang Mian could already imagine how harsh the conditions would be.
However, when she thought about the even more difficult scenes she had already filmed, this was nothing.
Seeing her composed expression, Ye Yi's eyes showed a hint of admiration. "Have your assistant pack plenty of mosquito repellent and insect repellent."
"Got it."
Ye Yi shrugged. "See you tonight. I'll send you the address later, meet you at the entrance."
...
Ji Corporation.
Xiang Long stood before the desk, his large hands pressed down, suppressing the rage within him.
The man in front of him was his boss, and the person he respected most in his life, who had provided him with endless help.
But on this matter, would President Ji... stand by his side?
Xiang Long gritted his teeth and said, "I've already found out about that person. There was someone orchestrating it from behind."
Ji Zixiu's expression remained unchanged, his chiseled face showing no surprise. His voice was as cool as water. "Speak."
Xiang Long squeezed out word by word from between his teeth, "It's the eldest daughter..."
After speaking, he didn't wait for Ji Zixiu's reply. He earnestly pleaded, "I hope that regarding this matter, President, can you please not..."
He knew his words might sound shameless.
After all, the eldest daughter was his own sister. Asking a brother to stand by and do nothing about his sister's actions was indeed asking too much.
But he couldn't let this revenge go unavenged.
Ji Zixiu raised his hand to stop him from speaking further, his cold eyes sweeping over him.
Xiang Long shivered, lowering his head. "Every word is true. If President needs proof, I've also brought the recordings of their confessions."
"No need," Ji Zixiu interrupted him.
"I will not hinder what you do to Zhi Lan, and you don't need to tell me. Whatever consequence she faces is her own doing, but as far as I know, without evidence, she won't realize her mistake."
Xiang Long's mood was complex. "I implore President Ji to intervene."
"Give me the evidence," he said in a deep voice.
...
The Ji Residence.
Ji Zixiu slammed a stack of photos onto the table.
Ji Zhi Lan was startled. Her brother's expression was truly unpleasant. "Wh-what is it? I didn't provoke Jiang Mian today!"
Mother Ji frowned. "What's going on?"
Ji Zixiu's lips curved into a sarcastic smile. "What? Have you forgotten what you've done?"
Ji Zhi Lan's heart pounded, unsure what her brother meant.
What she had done? She had done many things.
She reached out for the photos on the table, her heart trembling, feeling uneasy.
Upon seeing the people in the photos, her face instantly changed. She covered them, her voice unsteady, her face pale. "Brother..."
"What exactly happened?" Mother Ji asked, her brows furrowed at the situation.
"Xiang Long refused to marry her, so she held a grudge and hired people to kidnap Xiang Long's girlfriend. The woman has now attempted suicide. Xiang Long brought all the evidence to me. What do you think I should do?"
"Should I hand her over to Xiang Long to deal with as he sees fit, or send you to jail?"
Ji Zixiu said lightly, each word like a sharp tooth scraping at Ji Zhi Lan's eardrums.
Even though the living room was heated, Ji Zhi Lan felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, trembling all over.
Her teeth chattered, and she barely dared to look at Mother Ji's eyes. She could hardly imagine that woman had actually attempted suicide over this?
She had merely hired someone to kidnap her, to scare her, to teach her a lesson, and ideally, to break them up.
How did things escalate to this point?
Mother Ji was furious upon hearing this. She looked at Ji Zhi Lan. "Is what your brother said true?"
Ji Zhi Lan's lips trembled. She grabbed the photos on the table and tore them to shreds. "I didn't do it... I absolutely didn't do it!"
Ji Zixiu calmly played the recording.
"Yes, her address is here. Leave after this job is done."
"It's the woman in the photo, right? This is quite risky. What if we get caught?"
"Don't play dumb. Don't think I don't know you guys are seasoned professionals."
The voices of the two conversing emerged.
Mother Ji's face turned ashen. "How could I have given birth to a daughter like you?!"
Ji Zhi Lan shook her head, tears welling up. "Mom, I didn't do it. I really didn't. Believe me!"
Ji Zixiu expressionlessly put his phone away. "The evidence is conclusive. Are you still going to deny it?"
Mother Ji looked at her, raised her hand, and slapped her. "Ji Zhi Lan! Do you know what you've done? This is a crime! It's all my fault for raising you badly!"
Ji Zhi Lan turned her head, ignoring the pain on her face. A wave of immense panic washed over her. "Wuwu... Mom, I won't dare again. I really won't dare. I didn't know it would be this serious..."
"You must go and apologize to them!" Mother Ji said sternly.
Ji Zixiu raised his hand to stop her. "No need. They probably wouldn't want to see her anyway."
Ji Zhi Lan grabbed his hand. "Brother, help me. Xiang Long is your subordinate. He definitely listens to you. Ask him to delete all this evidence."
Ji Zixiu brushed her hand away, his eyes cold. "You almost took a life."
Ji Zhi Lan's tears streamed down. "I truly know I was wrong... I just wanted to scare her... I didn't intend to do anything to her."
Ji Zixiu frowned, sensing something was off.
"What do you mean by 'didn't intend to do anything'? Explain yourself clearly."
Ji Zhi Lan mumbled, "I just wanted to give her some trouble. Tingyu told me I could find people to teach her a lesson. So I found someone and asked him to kidnap Li Zhu Yi, just to scare her."
But she couldn't figure it out; it was clearly because she had lost her purity.
Ji Zixiu's face was like frost. "Then do you know why she committed suicide? Because her purity was taken away."
"Nonsense!" Ji Zhi Lan shook her head frantically. "I didn't! I really didn't give that order! Mom, believe me..."
Mother Ji looked at her. "Is anything you say still credible? I told you long ago not to associate with Shen Tingyu!"
Seeing her frantic state, which didn't seem fake, Ji Zixiu reminded her, "Find the people and confront them face to face."
"Right! There are other people, how could I forget!" Ji Zhi Lan's eyes lit up. She took out her phone and started dialing, turning on the speakerphone.
After a long series of rings.
A familiar voice came from the other end, with a slurping sound. "What? Miss Ji, are you looking for our services again? Since you're a regular customer, this time we can..."
Ji Zhi Lan quickly interrupted him. "I have something to ask you!"
"Go ahead and ask."
"I asked you to kidnap Li Zhu Yi. Did you do anything to her?"
The man let out a dismissive sneer. "Do what? Of course, we did. Everything was done according to Miss Ji's instructions, right?"
Ji Zhi Lan's expression changed. "That's not what I meant. Did you harm her...?"
"What does Miss Ji mean? We followed your instructions, took her away, and kept her in an abandoned factory for one night. We let her go the next day."
Ji Zhi Lan became anxious. "Then do you know she committed suicide not long after she returned! Did you guys suddenly get greedy for lust...?"
The man on the other end's expression darkened upon hearing this. "Wait a moment, I'll ask."
He moved the receiver away and called out, "Gou San! Gou San! Come out here!"
"What is it, Big Brother?"
"I told you to keep an eye on that woman that night. Did you do anything to her?"
Gou San's expression became unnatural. "B-Big Brother, what are you talking about..."
"The boss instructed that we only give her a small lesson, not to touch her. Did you or did you not do anything?"
Thinking of his brother's character, the man became furious. He kicked him sharply in the backside, shouting sternly, "Tell me the truth!"