Chapter 121: No, You Did it on Purpose
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Jiang Yuning was ecstatic upon receiving the phone call from Grandpa Tan. “Grandpa Tan, are you telling me that you really have news about my father?”
Grandpa Tan was shocked at the sudden question and he immediately realized that Jiang Yuning had tricked him. “You little brat. You really got me with your acting.”
“Grandpa Tan, I have only been able to discover the truth because you are worried about me,” Jiang Yuning quickly replied.
“I had just informed him to visit less frequently in case he gets discovered by you. If I were to call him right now, he would definitely suspect that something is amiss. Why don’t I give you a call to inform you the next time he visits me? That way, you can reunite with your father and both of you can settle your personal affairs without my involvement,” Grandpa Tan replied.
“Thank you so much, Grandpa Tan.”
Jiang Yuning could not help but scream as she threw herself into Lu Jingzhi’s arms as soon as she heard that her father was still alive.
It did not matter if she would be able to meet her father or otherwise. He was alive. The most important thing was the fact that he was still alive!
“Second brother, my father is still alive! That is why I have not been able to find his body or any information at all even after all these years. It is because he is still alive! I finally know the truth after all these years.”
“I know, I already know. Sit down properly,” Lu Jingzhi said because he was afraid that she would hurt herself in the moving car in her excitement. “Secretary Ho sent me a picture of a man that fits your father’s description last night, but I have not shown it to you yet because I am still trying to verify the identity of the man.”
“Do you have a photo of him? Can you show it to me?”
Jiang Yuning quickly put her hands into Lu Jingzhi’s pocket to take out his cell phone. When she found out that she had to use a password to unlock the phone, she quickly turned around and looked at Lu Jingzhi.
“My password is your birthday,” Lu Jingzhi replied immediately. “You can save your fingerprint in my cell phone later.”
“You will let me go through your cell phone?” Jiang Yuning was surprised and she quickly asked, “Are you not afraid that I might accidentally look at your private business matters?”
“I will not use my personal cell phone for any business matters,” Lu Jingzhi assured her immediately.
Jiang Yuning unlocked Lu Jingzhi’s cell phone and she could not explain the kind of feelings that she had in her heart. This was the first time that she would be going through Lu Jingzhi’s cell phone.
She opened up the photo gallery in Lu Jingzhi’s phone and she immediately realized that Lu Jingzhi did not even have a single selfie or photograph of himself in his phone.
Jiang Yuning looked through all the pictures that Lu Jingzhi had saved last night. Even though it was raining heavily and the man was wearing a cap and a mask, Jiang Yuning immediately knew that this man was her father. She could feel it somehow.
“I can finally heave a huge sigh of relief now. Do you know how suffocating it has been for me? I feel so much lighter right now!” Jiang Yuning said as she started to put down Lu Jingzhi’s cell phone. At this moment, she suddenly noticed that Lu Jingzhi had used a very blurry photo as his screensaver. Jiang Yuning stared at it for a long time because she could not figure out who the person in the photo was. However, she thought that the back of the person looked extremely familiar…
“Second brother…this picture—did you take it when I was over at the Lu family mansion for the New Year’s feast?”
“Yes. I did not know how to take good pictures back then,” Lu Jingzhi answered as he kissed her neck gently.
“No, you did it on purpose,” Jiang Yuning instantly replied. “You are afraid that someone might see this picture that you have of me and that they might start gossiping about me. You were trying to protect me. I had never paid any attention to all these little details prior to this. If only I had found out about it earlier…” Jiang Yuning suddenly grabbed hold of Lu Jingzhi’s right hand and interlocked her fingers with his.
After that, Jiang Yuning used Lu Jingzhi’s cell phone to take a picture of them holding hands. She then used a photo editing app to retouch the picture, making it look more beautiful as she wanted to replace the picture that Lu Jingzhi was using as his phone screensaver with this.
“You can change this picture to any other picture that you like in future. You can take a picture with me anytime you want to, and I will also provide you with unlimited photographs of myself.”Read the next chapter on our vipnovel.com
Jiang Yuning then took out her own cell phone and started to transfer plenty of her own selfies to Lu Jingzhi’s cell phone before she taught him how to encrypt photographs that he wanted to keep private.
“This is what the cell phone of a man with a girlfriend should look like. Otherwise, no one would even believe you when you tell them that you have a girlfriend.”
Lu Jingzhi could not help but smile as he watched Jiang Yuning. He used to think that a cell phone was merely a communication tool. However, now that he had Jiang Yuning by his side, he suddenly felt that even a simple thing like a cell phone could finally mean something else to him.
“Second brother, has Grandpa Lu ever urged you to get married or has he ever tried to matchmake you with someone else? I guess he must have done so because as the heir of the Lu family, it must be very important for you to have a child.”
Lu Jingzhi took his cell phone back from Jiang Yuning before placing it back into his own pocket. He then pinched Jiang Yuning’s nose gently before asking her, “What generation do you think we are living in right now, huh?”
“He did arrange for me to be married to Lu Zongye,” Jiang Yuning retorted because she was not convinced.
“Are you being vengeful now?”
Jiang Yuning turned around and looked at Lu Jingzhi with a serious expression on her face. “Second brother, if…if you are ready to get married, you can let me know. I am willing to marry you but we cannot announce it to the public yet.”
After listening to Jiang Yuning’s words, Lu Jingzhi replied, “There is no need to rush into things. Although we have known each other for a very long time, you have not fully understood me yet. Therefore, you have many other options to pick from.”
“I know that you are only saying that because you know that I am trying to make it big in the entertainment industry,” Jiang Yuning said immediately. “I am serious, second brother. If you want to get married now, we can go ahead and register to get a marriage license now. After all, you are already twenty-eight years old. It is the perfect time for you to get married.”
“Had we not agreed to let nature take its own course? Come, let us go into the house now,” Lu Jingzhi replied, ending the topic immediately.
Who would not want to get married?
He had already been thinking about marrying Jiang Yuning and making her his own from the day that he brought her back to his villa. However, he did not want to tie her down when she was still so young.
Anyway, the only thing that they lacked right now was the marriage certificate. Lu Jingzhi had already regarded Jiang Yuning as his wife and decided she was the one that he was going to spend the rest of his life with.
Jiang Yuning stared at Lu Jingzhi as he got out of the car and she walked slowly behind him. She knew that he was once again sacrificing what he wanted because of her.
Lu Jingzhi opened the front door but did not see Jiang Yuning stepping into the house. He thus turned back and said, “Why are you not keeping up with me? Why are you in a daze?”
Jiang Yuning held back the tears that were about to flow out and immediately chased after Lu Jingzhi. “Second brother, you are so demanding!”
…
It was already half past eight at night and eight hours had already passed since Huo Zhendong was detained. Since the police could not find any evidence, they had no choice but to release Huo Zhendong.
“Officer, you have worked hard. If there is nothing else, I will go home now,” Huo Zhendong said as he straightened out his clothes. “I will be going abroad tomorrow. If you need me to assist in any further investigation, do not hesitate to contact my personal assistant. He will pass the message on.”
“Okay,” replied the police officer who had interrogated Huo Zhendong.
Huo Zhendong smiled before he turned around and left the police station with his personal assistant.
“Are you going to let him go just like that?”
“What else can we do? We do not have any evidence to charge him. The only evidence that we have is Fu Yahui’s testimony against him, which is insufficient.” The captain in charge of Fu Yahui’s case could not help but sigh.
“Hold on, Captain Lee. Someone has sent us a bag of items. He says that these are the evidence of Huo Zhendong’s crime.”
Upon hearing that, the police officers were all very excited and they hurriedly brought the parcel into the conference room.
After opening the parcel, the police officers found some photographs, a USB flash drive, a vacuum bag containing some tools, and also other auxiliary materials in the parcel.
In one of the photographs, Huo Zhendong was pictured holding some tools as he entered the parking lot.
When the police officers plugged in the USB flash drive, they could clearly see a video recording of Huo Zhendong sneaking around and acting suspiciously in a parking lot…
Chapter 122: What Now? Can You Still be Smug?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Subsequently, he opened the door of a black Porsche before getting into the driver’s seat. He bent over and it looked as though he was destroying something in the car.
The police officers then looked through the other supporting documents and realized that the person who had sent the parcel had also attached documents specifying who the owner of the Porsche was. The person had also included a document which turned out to be the service report of the Porsche for that year.
The last video was the most exciting one.
Huo Zhendong must not have known that Jiang Zhitong had installed a video recording device in his car at that time. As long as there was a moving object within its detection range, the hidden recording device would automatically turn on and start recording. Although it was only a short ten second video, it had already recorded the entire process of Huo Zhendong’s crime.
The police officers were even more puzzled after going through all of the evidences. Why would they suddenly receive a parcel containing all these pieces of evidence at the exact moment that they were trying to obtain evidence to charge Huo Zhendong for his crime?
Furthermore, this was the most comprehensive and solid list of evidence that they had ever received. Everything was properly sorted out and it seemed as though the person had already gotten everything ready for the police.
“Captain Lee, since we already have all these physical evidence, should we arrest Huo Zhendong now? If we continue to hesitate, we might lose him since he is already going abroad tomorrow!”
“I will ask for the superior’s approval now. Get the team ready to arrest Huo Zhendong.”
In the past, Jiang Zhitong had spent a lot of effort to gather all these evidence. As he had been seriously injured and was bedridden for a long time, he could only ask others to help him collect and compile these evidences.
He had only realized that Huo Zhendong and Fu Yahui had already eloped and moved abroad after gathering all the relevant evidence. Yun Xuan had then fallen ill not long after that and he had been busy taking care of her. He had also been focusing on building up the Cliffside Hotel as he waited for the right moment to come because he did not believe that Fu Yahui and Huo Zhendong would stay in hiding abroad for the rest of their lives.
He was supposed to teach Fu Yahui a lesson and get her to pay for her crimes, but he could not leave Yun Xuan alone on her dying bed.
Therefore, handing in the evidence that could incriminate Huo Zhendong and Fu Yahui would be the only thing that he could do for himself and his daughter.
…
At this time, Huo Zhendong had just entered the mountain villa.
As soon as he entered the villa, he saw Huo Yuxi, who was taking her medication, in the living room. “Daughter, have you packed your bags already? We will be going abroad tomorrow.”
“Dad, are you sure…that the police officers have nothing that they can use to sue you?”
“Of course. Do you think that your father would be caught so easily with something as simple as this? Furthermore, what Fu Yahui did really has nothing to do with the two of us. The police have no reason to charge me for any crime,” Huo Zhendong replied confidently as he sat down on the sofa. “After we go overseas, I will find the best doctor there to treat you and we can start a new life there.”
Huo Yuxi did not feel happy at all.
She had such a terrible father and she really did not want to go overseas with him.
“Why are you showing that expression on your face? Do you detest your own father?” Huo Zhendong asked with a frown when he saw the fearful expression on Huo Yuxi’s face. “Everything that I am doing now is for your sake. Don’t you understand? That little shrewd from the Jiang family is hoping that the police will arrest me but I will not let her wish come true. I do not want to talk about this anymore. I am exhausted from being detained the whole day. I am just going to rest and relax now. Yuxi, I am warning you that you had better pack up your belongings today. We are leaving early in the morning tomorrow.”
After speaking, Huo Zhendong got up and went back to his bedroom.
Huo Yuxi stared at Huo Zhendong’s back as he returned to his own bedroom. She was extremely terrified. She did not want to go abroad with someone like him.
Huo Zhendong was soaking in his bathtub when the police came knocking at his front door.
Upon hearing the police siren, Huo Zhendong impatiently came out from the bathtub to put on some clothes before he went downstairs to open the front door for the police officers.
“Officer, how can I help you now?”
“Mr. Huo Zhendong, you are under arrest because we have reasons to suspect that you have been involved in the planning and execution of the murder of Mr. Jiang Zhitong. Please cooperate as we need to take you back to the police station for further investigation. This is the warrant for your arrest.”
Huo Zhendong could not help but sneer as soon as he heard what the police officer had just said. “Officer, I have already told you that I have nothing to do with this case. Aren’t you overreacting by trying to arrest me when it is already so late at night? I am not a suspect. I am just helping you with the investigation.”
“You were not a suspect earlier today, but you are now a suspect for the murder,” the police officer replied coldly. “We received a tip-off today. Did you destroy the brakes of a black Porsche car in the parking lot of Xingmu International Airport at about ten o’clock in the morning on the 23rd of April five years ago?”
After listening to the police officer…
Huo Zhendong started to panic.
However, he quickly regained his composure and continued to cover up his crime. “What are you talking about? Where is your evidence? You need evidence to arrest me!”
“Take him back to the police station now. He will be able to see all the evidence that he wants us to show him then.”
Huo Zhendong continued to struggle and refused to admit defeat as he resisted the arrest. He believed that the police officers were only trying to scare him, as he was certain that he had already destroyed all the evidence that could link him to the murder five years ago. He had already destroyed all the evidence!
Therefore, he still believed that he would be able to get out of this messy situation.
Huo Zhendong was brought into the interrogation room as soon as they arrived at the police station.
“Officer, are you sure that you have caught the right person? I have always been a law-abiding…”
“We will not arrest an innocent person, but at the same time, we will also not let go of a criminal. Huo Zhendong, I advise you to cooperate with the police because we already have sufficient evidence to prove your guilt!”
“Where is your evidence? Show it to me. Don’t just tell me that you have it. If you cannot show me any evidence, I am going to sue you!” Huo Zhendong replied very arrogantly.
“Evidence? You want me to show you the evidence?” The police officer who was interrogating Huo Zhendong slowly took out one photograph after another as he placed them very neatly on the table in front of Huo Zhendong. The police officer then knocked on the table as he said, “This is the evidence that you have asked for. Is this enough for you? If this is not enough, I still have a high definition video recording of you committing the crime. So, is this enough?”
Huo Zhendong was shocked and felt extremely nervous upon seeing the photographs that were placed before him.
This was impossible. It was impossible!
“What now? Can you still be smug? Do you have nothing else to say now? Do you know that you could be sentenced to death for intentional homicide? I cannot believe that you still have the audacity to raise your voice at me!”
At this time, Huo Zhendong had already gone pale; it was obvious that he was finally panicking.
“It is entirely up to you if you want to cooperate with us or otherwise. Anyway, we already have a witness and all these evidence to charge you for the crime. You can continue to be as arrogant as you want and you can refuse to confess to your crime, but I would advise you to think carefully about whether you still have the right to do so!”
After speaking, the police officer leaned against the back of his chair without even looking at Huo Zhendong.
At this time, Huo Zhendong’s reaction was exactly the same as Fu Yahui’s reaction when she had first been detained. He thought that he would still be able to get away as long as he kept silent and refused to plead guilty.
Who gave him that courage?
After watching the police officers taking her father away, Huo Yuxi tried calling Huo Zhendong’s phone number in the middle of the night, but discovered then that his cell phone was turned off. She knew that the same thing that had happened to Fu Yahui would happen and that her father would no longer come back.
This…was probably what a broken family felt like.
…
Early the next morning, the media had already started sharing the news that Huo Zhendong had been arrested.
The netizens and public were not even surprised when they saw the news. Nobody believed that he would not have known about the source of the seven billion yuan that his wife had.
However, they did not know that the real reason why Huo Zhendong had been arrested was because of homicide.
Jiang Yuning received news from Lawyer Zou early in the morning, informing her that Huo Zhendong had been arrested because someone sent evidence to the police the previous night.
Wasn’t this a second sign that her father was still alive?
Chapter 123: How Does That Feel?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
At the same time, Jiang Yuning had also received news that Huo Yuxi had tried to commit suicide by cutting her own wrist. However, she was discovered by a servant who was working the morning shift and she was subsequently sent to the hospital. She was already out of danger at this time, but it was obvious that she no longer had the will to live.
A large number of reporters had started gathering outside the hospital as soon as they heard the news. They wanted to obtain some inside information from Huo Yuxi.
Both of her parents had already been arrested and Huo Yuxi was now in an extremely miserable and depressed state.
Huo Yuxi knew that she had already lost everything that she had and that she was already on the verge of dying, but she wanted to see Jiang Yuning for the last time.
Therefore, she took the initiative to make a phone call to Jiang Yuning: “Jiang Yuning, I would like to meet you for one last time…I need some closure.”
“But I do not want to meet up with you alone and I do not want to waste any more time on you.” Jiang Yuning instantly refused.
“Yeah. If I were you, I would also be having a good laugh at the situation that I am in right now,” Huo Yuxi replied in a self-deprecating manner. “I want to know why you never seemed to be bothered even though I tried so hard to snatch everything that you had. If you do not care about all that, then is it that you actually care about? What is so different about the two of us? Can you tell me the reason? You have also lost everything that you had, but why are you not upset or afraid of anything? Are you not afraid of being trampled on? I was once trampled on and bullied, and I still have nightmares because of that. I do not want to be bullied anymore. I do not want anyone to look down on me…”
“The difference between both of us is that I am not afraid of losing anything,” Jiang Yuning replied. “All you see is what you do not have, but I see and appreciate everything that I have. Huo Yuxi, it is very easy to give up and choose to die, but at that time, you would really lose everything that you have. The saddest thing would be to not have anyone who would be willing to send you off even when you die…”
Jiang Yuning was about to hang up the phone after speaking when Huo Yuxi suddenly made a request. “I have one last request. Can you please help me?”
After listening to Huo Yuxi’s request, Jiang Yuning agreed to help her.
She might have been feeling sentimental because of the recent rainy weather in Luo City.
As Fu Yahui and Huo Zhendong had already been arrested and with all the chaos that was going on right now, it was only a matter of time before Dongheng Enterprise finally collapsed.
When that time finally comes, Jiang Zhitong will step up to acquire and take over Dongheng Enterprise’s shares but right now, they needed to wait patiently…
…
It started raining heavily in Luo City later that night.
In the quiet hospital ward, two men dressed in full black suits suddenly pushed the door open before they looked at Huo Yuxi who was resting on the hospital bed. “We have already prepared a car for you outside. Please come with us.”
Huo Yuxi was wearing the johnny gown and she brought nothing with her as she followed the two men directly to the hospital’s underground parking lot.
The reporters could not see Huo Yuxi, who was hidden inside the black car with tinted windows, as she left the hospital. The two men were about to drive her out to a small and hidden village dozens of kilometres away from Luo City because Huo Yuxi had requested for Jiang Yuning’s help in sending her to a temple to recuperate.
She wanted to spent the remaining part of her life in this manner.
As soon as they drove out of Luo City, the black car suddenly stopped at a junction right before the turning into the highway.
Huo Yuxi saw Jiang Yuning stepping out of another black car parked at the side of the road and very soon, she was standing before Huo Yuxi. Jiang Yuning placed a box in front of Huo Yuxi before saying, “This is my last shred of kindness towards you.”
Huo Yuxi felt a burning sensation in her throat and she could not say anything.
Jiang Yuning had already expected that Huo Yuxi would not thank her or say anything. Therefore, she turned around and started walking back to her car. At this time, Lu Jingzhi suddenly stepped out of the other side of the car and quickly rushed over as he held an umbrella over Jiang Yuning.
“It is raining.”
“It is okay. It is just drizzling,” Jiang Yuning replied as she put her hands around Lu Jingzhi’s waist as the both of them squeezed under the umbrella.
Huo Yuxi was surprised and her eyes were wide open as she saw how intimate they were. She had never expected that Jiang Yuning would actually be together with Lu Jingzhi.
Jiang Yuning was actually together with Lu Jingzhi, the heir of the Lu family and the most mysterious man in the whole of Luo City.
Furthermore, Lu Jingzhi had gotten out of the car to personally shield Jiang Yuning from the rain even though it was just a few steps away.
This was Lu Jingzhi, the man that every woman in Luo City dreamt about, and he was Jiang Yuning’s man.
On the other hand, she had struggled and fought so hard just to get an impostor.
It was really ridiculous.
If Huo Yuxi had the opportunity to be together with Lu Jingzhi, she would never have been interested in a man like Lu Zongye either.
Huo Yuxi finally realized that she had been utterly defeated.
…
After getting into the car, Jiang Yuning stared at Lu Jingzhi as he put the umbrella away and she could not help but ask, “Second brother, why did you get off the car? Huo Yuxi would have now already seen you.”
“So what if she has seen me?” Lu Jingzhi asked immediately. “I want her to know that you have me. She would have to think twice before trying to pick a fight with you.”
“She cannot and she would not dare to.”
However, Jiang Yuning did not know that Lu Jingzhi’s appearance had indeed completely wiped out the flame in Huo Yuxi’s heart.
Second brother had indeed done it on purpose…
He had gotten off the car deliberately just so that he could declare that he was in a relationship with Jiang Yuning. He wanted to give Huo Yuxi a warning indirectly.
“That would be best.”
“That is why I had said that you should not have gotten off the car. Second brother, why are you always doing everything just for me?” Jiang Yuning asked as she sighed.
“Who else should I have done it for, if not for you?”
Jiang Yuning did not reply and the only thing that she could do was to give him a kiss. Unfortunately, they were in the car and they would have to endure it even though they felt that they were about to lose control.
After a short drive, the black car finally turned into the gate of the villa. Lu Jingzhi did not get off the car upon their arrival, but he merely instructed the driver to get off work and to go home.
“Second brother, what are you doing?” Jiang Yuning asked. Her heartbeat accelerated. “Why did you ask the driver to leave?”
“It is already so late at night. It is time for him to get off work,” Lu Jingzhi said as he turned around and placed his hands around Jiang Yuning’s waist.
“What about us?” Jiang Yuning asked.
“What do you think?”
At this time, the rain started getting heavier.
After having an intimate session in the car, Lu Jingzhi carried Jiang Yuning out of the car into the villa.
“Second brother, I am so sleepy,” Jiang Yuning said as she rested her head against Lu Jingzhi’s chest.
“You are tired? Then just sleep. I am here.”
“I will sleep then…” Jiang Yuning replied as she buried her face in Lu Jingzhi’s chest.
“Goodnight, my dear.” Lu Jingzhi smiled as he carried Jiang Yuning in his arms and headed towards their bedroom.
The Jiang family finally had some closure, even though Jiang Yuning knew that the Jiang family was long gone.
However, she was still contented because Fu Yahui and Huo Zhendong were finally going to pay the price for what they had done.
It was late at night and the both of them had just taken a shower.
Jiang Yuning cuddled up against Lu Jingzhi and she could not help but ask, “Second brother, why has my father not come and look for me even though he is alive?”
Chapter 124: She is Not an Obedient Artiste
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“If he does not want to come and see you, then we can take the initiative to meet up with him instead,” Lu Jingzhi whispered to Jiang Yuning. “No matter what it is, this is not your fault. Please do not overthink it, okay?”
“Okay, I will listen to you,” Jiang Yuning replied as she nodded her head. She moved around until she found a comfortable spot in Lu Jingzhi’s arms before she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
No matter what happened and no matter what challenges she faced, she only needed to remember that there was a person who would always be there for her, holding onto her and supporting her. Therefore, she knew that she would never lose her way.
It was still pouring heavily early the next morning.
Jiang Yuning was woken up by an incoming phone call from Lawyer Zou, who had called her to explain the progression of the case to her over the phone.
“Both of them have already confessed to committing the crimes. The police will now transfer the case to the public prosecutor who will subsequently decide if they should start a public prosecution case. The process is very lengthy, but I will contact you immediately if there are any problems.”
“Lawyer Zou, I will be depending on you then.”
Jiang Yuning did not want to waste any more time on this matter because she wanted to focus on rebuilding her life right now.
“You are too polite, Miss Jiang. I am just glad that I can be accountable to Second Young Master Lu now.”
“Thank you, Lawyer Zou,” Jiang Yuning said sincerely. She knew that she could have only gotten this far because of all the hard work he had put in to help her.
“You are part of the second young master’s family and I am the Lu family’s lawyer. Anything to do with you is also my responsibility.”
Jiang Yuning could not help but blush as soon as she heard Lawyer Zou addressing her as Lu Jingzhi’s family member.
In fact, the reason why Fu Yahui and Huo Zhendong could be held accountable for the crimes they had committed was solely because of the evidence that the mysterious person had sent to the police station. Although it was extremely unbelievable, Huo Zhendong and Fu Yahui had a feeling that Jiang Zhitong might still be alive.
However, they could not think of anyone else who would be so clear on the entire facts of the case, and was able to provide such comprehensive evidence to convict them of their crimes.
Therefore, both of them were very anxious because they could not believe that someone who had died five years ago could resurrect. No…it was impossible!
It did not matter if they believed or continued denying the fact that Jiang Zhitong might still be alive because they would be seeing him very soon.
…
After the matter relating to the Jiang family had been made clear to the public, quite a large number of fans had also stepped forward and started posting on Jiang Yuning’s fan page.
[Sister Yuning, when will you be posting the next short video? I cannot wait to see it!]
[Sister Yuning, I hope that you are not upset anymore. You will always have our love and support!]
[Sister Yuning, I have already replayed and watched your first two short videos more than a dozen times! When are you going to post the third short video? Give me a hint!]
[I am already used to checking Jiang Yuning’s social media page as soon as I come online to check for any new updates! Post the third video already!]
Jiang Yuning laughed as soon as she read all those messages. It was time for her to let go of everything that had happened and to focus on the future now. So, she quickly took out her cell phone and immediately called the young paparazzo. This was because she wanted to check out and look for a suitable location to shoot her next video before going over to Grandpa Tan’s house in the afternoon to continue learning about Chinese medication and herbs from him, as she wanted to be well prepared for her upcoming role.
Jiang Yuning remained unsatisfied after visiting a few different locations. Therefore, she called Shen Yichen immediately to ask him if he had any other locations that he had in mind so that she could check it out with the young paparazzo.
However, Shen Yichen did not answer her call because Gu Pingsheng had just returned from his trip abroad. They were having a meeting in the conference room at this time because Gu Pingsheng had already hired a few candidates from abroad to manage some of their artistes.
“If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask,” Gu Pingsheng said as he sat at the main seat of the conference table. “I want to get to know the differences between domestic and international agents. If you have any opinion on Guangying Media, do not hesitate to express your views.”
Gu Pingsheng had brought three people back with him, consisting of two men and one woman.
It was rumoured that these three agents had done a very good job in handling and bringing up the artistes under their management.
The two men kept silent as they did not dare to speak or comment on anything. After all, they were still new and Guangying Media was a foreign place to them. However, the woman did not hesitate and asked immediately, “I would like to ask about one of your artistes named Jiang Yuning. I would like to know who is the agent in charge of her right now.”
Gu Pingsheng’s curiosity spiked as soon as he heard Jiang Yuning’s name. He looked at the woman and asked, “What would you like to know?”
Shen Yichen was also very interested to know what the woman would have to say.
“My name is Vera. First of all, I have no prejudice against this artiste. I am merely curious because I cannot understand why a huge and successful company such as Guangying Media, who is representing the frontline of the entertainment industry in China, would sign up a blacklisted artiste such as Jiang Yuning. This situation is very strange as after taking her into the company, there has not been anyone specifically in charge of her nor has she been given any job opportunities, but you have simply left her to upload her ancient short videos on her public social media account. In my honest opinion, this situation is really embarrassing for a frontline entertainment company such as Guangying Media.”
Vera’s words were very sharp and unrelenting.
Whenever she mentioned Jiang Yuning, her expression was filled with indifference and disdain.
“Chairman Gu…” Shen Yichen was just about to refute Vera’s words when Gu Pingsheng reached out his hand to stop him.
“So, based on your expertise, do you think there is a way for you to bring Jiang Yuning into fame again?”
“Give me half a year and I will make sure that she turns out to be a very successful artiste,” Vera replied Gu Pingsheng confidently as she stood with her arms crossed.
“I have to warn you. She is not an obedient artiste,” Gu Pingsheng said.
“Every artiste that I have managed had never been obedient at the start,” Vera replied indifferently.
Shen Yichen felt extremely uncomfortable after listening to Vera.
This was the exact reason why he could not understand why Gu Pingsheng wanted to invest in foreign talents. He had never enjoyed working with foreign agents due to the vast difference in their cultures and backgrounds.
“So, are you asking me to hand Jiang Yuning over to you?” Gu Pingsheng asked as he looked at Vera with a stern expression on his face.
“Chairman Gu, didn’t we sign the employment contract already? Since I am now officially working for Guangying Media, it is also my responsibility to pay attention to each of our artistes’ development. Is there anything special about Jiang Yuning that prohibits me from being her agent?” Vera asked Gu Pingsheng with a skeptical expression on her face.
It was already obvious that Jiang Yuning had preferential treatment, since she was signed as an artiste under Guangying Media even though she was blacklisted in the entertainment industry.
Furthermore, the vice chairman of Guangying Media was still suspended from work because of Jiang Yuning. Who would believe that Jiang Yuning had nothing to do with Gu Pingsheng?
“Since you are interested in managing Jiang Yuning, I will give you an opportunity to be her official agent, Vera. However, I have to make it clear that as her agent, you are only allowed to handle matters relating to work. You should not get involved in or try to manage her personal matters,” Gu Pingsheng warned Vera in a very serious tone. “Furthermore, I will only give you three months to prove that you have the ability to manage Jiang Yuning. If you are still unable to do so after three months, you can no longer ask to manage Jiang Yuning in future. Do you understand what I am saying? If you agree to my conditions, I will arrange for Director Shen Yichen to transfer Jiang Yuning to be under your management later.”
“I understand,” Vera replied as she nodded her head.
“Is there anything else that anyone wants to say? If not, this is the end of our meeting today. Yichen, come over to my office after this,” Gu Pingsheng said, marking the end of the meeting.
After Gu Pingsheng spoke, everyone got up from their seats and started to leave the conference room.
Shen Yichen stared at Gu Pingsheng as he followed him back into his office. He felt very uneasy. “Boss, don’t you think that it might be a little reckless to let Vera manage Jiang Yuning? I am afraid that Jiang Yuning will be bullied.”
“You think that she will be bullied? Hm…” Gu Pingsheng asked. “Do you know how many people are looking out for that girl right now, including you and me? I am not sure who will be bullied. Don’t you think that the purpose Vera came is to look for Jiang Yuning?” Gu Pingsheng replied with a deep expression on his face. “Anyway, who would have the guts to bully Jiang Yuning? If anyone were to bully her, they would have to face Lu Jingzhi personally.”
Chapter 125: Where Do You Stand, Out of Everyone Who Hates Me?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Gu Pingsheng reminded Shen Yichen.
Logically, Vera should not have displayed her strong and competitive side so quickly, especially in front of the other two men who had come with her. However, she had already expressed her views and had even directly requested to manage Jiang Yuning. There could only be two explanations for this.
First of all, Vera could have done so because she wanted to prove her own ability. She knew that Jiang Yuning was a blacklisted actress and that if she could bring Jiang Yuning to fame, she would thus be able to prove her skills and ability in a very short timeframe .
The second explanation was that she probably had a personal grudge against Jiang Yuning and that she wanted to keep an eye on Jiang Yuning’s each and every move. The only way she would have been able to do that was by being Jiang Yuning’s exclusive agent.
“Boss, which option would you prefer it to be?”
“There is no point making an assumption right now. The only thing that we can do now is to sit back and watch what happens eventually,” Gu Pingsheng replied Shen Yichen. “Although I have already handed Yuning over to Vera, you still have to keep a lookout for Jiang Yuning to make sure that Vera does not go overboard. After all, you are still the director in charge of artiste management. Otherwise, how would I be able to explain myself to my nephew if he finds out that his girlfriend is being bullied?”
“No worries, boss. I will make sure that everything goes smoothly. I have a feeling that Vera is not as simple as she looks.”
“Then, let us just wait and see what happens.”
Gu Pingsheng had not expected that Vera would demand to manage Jiang Yuning as soon as she entered the company. He did not want to conclude so quickly on whether Vera was doing this to prove her working capability or if she was doing it because she had a hidden agenda. That was why he had decided on giving Vera a chance to prove herself.
“Furthermore, you cannot let Vera find out about Yuning’s relationship with Jingzhi, her relationship with you, and also how Ku Jie is related to her. It should all be kept a secret. If possible, do not let Vera find out about Yuning’s personal matters or even where she is staying right now. Since I do not know what her intention is, I do not trust Vera at this point and I want her to believe that Yuning is merely a blacklisted artiste who does not have anything,” Gu Pingsheng said cautiously.
“I understand, boss. I will sort out the relevant information before I give Yuning a call.”
Gu Pingsheng nodded his head and waved his hand, giving Shen Yichen permission to leave his office.
As for Vera, Gu Pingsheng wondered if his investigation on Vera was not thorough enough.
…
Jiang Yuning did not know that her agent had already been swapped. She was studying Chinese medicine from Grandpa Tan in his courtyard, and she was trying to get him to reveal some information regarding her father.
Grandpa Tan was already afraid that Jiang Yuning would ask him questions and he replied, “Yuning, please do not put me on the spot by asking me these questions. You can ask your father these questions when you meet him in future.”
Jiang Yuning sighed as she nodded her head. “Actually, I simply want to know why my father has refused to see me or give me any news about him in these past five years even though he is alive.”
“Who knows? I do not know how your father could be so heartless.”
After listening to Grandpa Tan’s reply, Jiang Yuning did not ask him any more questions but instead focused on studying Chinese medicine from him until she received a phone call from Shen Yichen.
“I was in a meeting when you called me earlier in the morning. Chairman Gu has just returned from abroad and he has brought three foreign agents back with him. One of them is called Vera and she has personally requested for you to be the artiste under her management. Chairman Gu has already agreed to her request and I have already handed all your working information over to Vera. She wants to meet you later to get to know you.”
Jiang Yuning frowned as she found it very difficult to process the sudden change. “Why is this happening all of a sudden?”
“This incident is indeed very sudden. She had seemed very prepared when she brought you up during the meeting. Therefore, Chairman Gu has decided to give her an opportunity to manage you so that we can determine her true intention during this period. You should be careful about what you tell her and how you act around her. Yuning, I can tell you for sure that she does not look like an easy person to handle.”
“Alright then. Just let her come. I am at Grandpa Tan’s house right now,” Jiang Yuning replied without complaining at all.
She had previously experienced this sort of situation numerous times when she was still with Emperor Entertainment.
Each time she was given a new agent, she would always be left out and played around with without being given any opportunities at all.
She would not let that happen again this time because she would not give anyone face anymore—not even if Vera was really an extremely competent agent from abroad.
“Okay. Yuning, just give me a call if you face any problems with Vera. After all, I am still the director in charge of artiste management.”
“Alright, I have got it. Director Shen is the best.”
Shen Yichen chuckled before he hung up the phone. He did not know if Jiang Yuning would be able to handle it. After all, Vera looked like a very difficult person and she seemed to be deeply influenced by her foreign culture and origins. He was afraid that she would force her foreign management methods onto Jiang Yuning.
However, Jiang Yuning was not affected and she remained calm as ever because she did not care where Vera was from.
At three o’clock in the afternoon, Vera arrived in front of Grandpa Tan’s house. As she did not like the smell of herbs and Chinese medicine, she leaned against the door and gave Jiang Yuning a phone call. “I am Vera, your new exclusive agent. Come out.”
“The door is not locked. You can come in,” Jiang Yuning replied over the phone.
“I do not like the smell of Chinese medicine. I am allergic to herbs,” Vera replied. “I will give you two minutes to come out.” Vera hung up as soon as she said the last sentence.
Jiang Yuning stared at her cell phone and there was a complicated look on her face. Grandpa Tan was standing next to her and he could immediately sense that something was wrong.
“What happened?”
“Nothing has happened but I have to leave now, Grandpa Tan.” Jiang Yuning quickly put away her cell phone before smiling at Grandpa Tan.
“Go.”
Jiang Yuning washed her hands to get rid of the smell of herbs before she grabbed her backpack and left Grandpa Tan’s courtyard. As soon as she stepped out of the door, she saw a woman with long hair who was dressed in a beige colored suit, leaning against a white Porsche.
“Get into the car,” the other party replied as soon as she saw Jiang Yuning.
Jiang Yuning walked towards the passenger seat and got into the car. She could sense that the atmosphere in the car was very tense.
“My name is Vera and I am your new exclusive agent. I believe that Director Shen would have already informed you about this matter. I will be handling and managing you for the next three months,” Vera said in a cold manner as she started the car. “I am already accustomed to the methods that I have been using to manage artistes abroad and I will not change my management style. Therefore, you would have to bear with me. I know that the way I speak could be rather sharp at times. It would be best if you are able to accept it. But if you are unable to accept it, then just let it go and do not take it to heart.”
“Where are we going?” Jiang Yuning asked.
“I am obviously looking for a place where we can sit down and talk. Do you think that anyone would find this to be a suitable place to have this conversation?” Vera asked as she glared at Jiang Yuning.
“Other people would be able to do it, but I know that you cannot,” Jiang Yuning replied as she smiled.
Vera turned around to look at Jiang Yuning before she sneered. “Do you want to know why you are still blacklisted and why your reputation is still so bad now? You are always wasting your time, shooting all those unnecessary ancient short videos. You think that you are doing something entirely different in comparison to other artistes, but in actual fact, these are the same old tricks. Other artistes do not even want to waste their time doing such unnecessary things.”
“I have heard that you took the initiative to specifically request to be my agent,” Jiang Yuning asked as she did not want Vera to continue insulting her.
“That is right.”
“What is your reason for doing so?”
“Because your reputation is so tarnished. If I am able to do a good job in bringing you to fame again, I can easily prove my talent and ability,” Vera replied, humiliating Jiang Yuning in a ruthless manner.
“I can tell that you really hate me a lot,” Jiang Yuning instantly replied. Even though Vera was so spiteful, Jiang Yuning was not angry at all.
“Quite a bit.”
“Where do you think you stand, out of everyone who hates me?” Jiang Yuning asked as she smirked.