Act Four

There was a moment when she particularly wanted to return to that bed and kick this dog of a man off it to feel what it was like to experience the June "spring" breeze, which is like scissors, specifically cutting through the towering pillars.

Ji Qinghe observed Shen Qianzhan's deliberate indifference from beginning to end. Upon hearing this, she exchanged a glance with her and replied, "I just settled in Beijing not long ago." As she finished speaking, her fingertips gently tapped the table.

Fortunately, Shen Qianzhan's ability to adapt to situations and his psychological resilience are as solid as a rock, steady as Mount Tai

How much sincerity can there be in a night of passion

Ji Qinghe finally raised the glass and took a sip of water, then asked her in a measured tone: "Qinghe Sanxiang is also not suitable, is it?"

He raised his hand to adjust his bow tie, leaned back in his seat, and adopted a more casual posture: "We will not discuss the history of the thirteen dynasties of Xi'an today"

Shen Qianzhan's remark was light and airy, completely lacking a point of reference. Ai Yi momentarily could not discern whether her statement "not bad" was referring to herself or responding to her.

Desiring a beautiful context, she can deliver a series of metaphors without repetition, praising from spring to summer, autumn to winter, and even to the end of time; wishing for profound connotation and high-context discourse, she can instantly recite the classic anthology of Chinese poetry spanning five thousand years; even when seeking a daily minimalist yet luxurious context, she can extol from Chanel to Louis Vuitton

Shen Qianzhan turned on the faucet, hastily rinsed the back of her hands, and did not respond.

His fingers are long and powerful, with sharp and clear lines. For a seasoned connoisseur, they are perfect, resembling a flawless work of art, naturally suited for admiration.

Ji Qing still did not respond, but her face clearly expressed: Who is Su Zan?

The atmosphere tonight is not good, which directly leads to no one drinking more

Although the objective conditions are insufficient for full expression, Shen Qianzhan still excels at seizing opportunities, tirelessly showcasing her excellent qualities as a caring and considerate person

The reputation that Shen Qianzhan has built over several years through her diligent efforts is something she does not wish to see ruined overnight due to sensational news involving her investors

She hesitated, the phrase "If you are not in a hurry, I will see you later" stuck in her throat, unable to be spoken.

Shen Qianzhan originally intended to express that his understanding of Xi'an is not profound; although he has feelings for the city, compared to Ji Qing, who has roots in Xi'an, he is merely a fleeting visitor of this city, able to offer only an appreciation that blooms like morning dew under the sun.

She asked Su to have the driver wait at the hotel entrance for Jiang Ye Cheng, in case Mr. Jiang caught a chill from drinking and being exposed to the wind

Shen Qianzhan glanced once, then again, and that suffocating feeling of being choked at the back of the neck returned.

The smile on Shen Qianzhan's face instantly vanished

After a brief loss of emotional control, she naturally tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and raised her glass in a distant toast to Ji Qinghe: "Compared to General Manager Ji, my understanding of Xi'an is indeed too superficial. Even if I exert myself to the fullest, I am merely the most inconspicuous drop of morning dew in the history of the sixteen ancient dynasties."

Ai Yi's company is nearby. She drove her own car here, and Shen Qianzhan arranged a chauffeur for her.

Let us discuss the fleeting romance of Producer Shen

She turned to leave, and the door opened halfway. Remembering something, she turned back and added, "You need not worry about changing the producer; I will not give up my position, let's see who dares to change it."

Since the appearance of Ji Qinghe, she has secretly calculated that this collaboration is likely to fail.

A peaceful night without incident

Shen Qianzhan: "... ..."

I have been there. She set down her wine glass, her voice cold: "It seems that Mr. Ji is quite interested in our project. How about this, after the meeting, could you leave me your work email or contact information? I will send you a copy of the proposal."

Jiang Yecheng, who had just shifted in his seat and was about to leave, exchanged a glance with Ai Yi, and they both saw the same question reflected in each other's eyes: Did he drink tonight

Upon returning, she unexpectedly saw Ai Yi waiting in front of the sink, applying lipstick while waiting for her

Ai Yi: "Why is the anger so intense tonight?"

Had she not been captivated by beauty and led astray, she would not have suffered such a significant setback

As the dinner party was drawing to a close, Shen Qianzhan excused herself to go to the restroom and took the opportunity to settle the bill

Her expression was clearly displeased, leaving the entire room caught off guard as they listened to the two engage in a "pleasant conversation" with smiles.

At the end of the event, the atmosphere appeared rather desolate and rational

There is no need for you to breach the contract," Shen Qianzhan said with a smile that did not reach his eyes, not even bothering to feign indifference, and directly stated: "In the realm of interests, there is no true affection; our plastic relationship can only achieve a win-win situation, as it cannot withstand the test.

Generally speaking

He forced a smile and quietly tugged at Shen Qianzhan, gritting his teeth as he asked in a low voice: "Sister Zhan, do you want to step out to the restroom to calm down?"

Memories related to Qinghe Sanxiang almost instantly come to life on paper

Shen Qianzhan felt a slight twitch at the corner of her forehead, faintly sensing a hint of headache

Shen Qianzhan really wanted to pretend that she did not understand, but her intelligence quotient did not allow for it

Shen Qianzhan asked again: "Shall I have Su Zhan send you?"

"Moreover, I heard that at that time, in order to secure this tribute drama, you accepted Bai Xuan's unreasonable terms." She leaned against the wall, her smile neither warm nor cold, clearly above the mundane world yet oddly adopting the mindset of a drug dealer: "I won't elaborate on the importance of this drama to the platform, but let me give you a heads-up. In case you offend someone and get replaced, I won't be able to make a decision that violates the contract for your sake"

Ai Yi chuckled softly and shook her head: "Qian Zhan, Bai Xuan signed the contract with Qian Deng. As the party A, he has the right to have Qian Deng change the producer"

Ji Qinghe looked at her for a moment and suddenly smiled

Ji Qinghe raised his eyes, his expression appearing somewhat dissatisfied

Ji Qinghe did not intend to put Shen Qianzhan in a difficult position regarding the collaboration. He maintained his composure and said meaningfully, "No rush, let me sober up."

This thoughtful gesture eased Jiang Yechen's displeased expression from the previous night, and he took the opportunity to express his eagerness to collaborate with her, advising her to maintain more contact with Ji Qing offline.

Unfortunately, although it is a good suggestion, Ji Qinghe does not agree: "Producer Shen said there are no suitable filming locations?"

It seems that he didn't hear a single word of her earlier attempt to salvage her dignity, and she insists on being calculative

"Isn't attracting investment my responsibility? Why is General Manager Jiang so concerned?" Shen Qianzhan turned around, took a tissue to dry her hands, and nonchalantly tidied the strands of hair that had fallen on her forehead.

Shen Qianzhan readily agreed and then turned to arrange matters for Ai Yi

But the problem also lies on this blade

It is quite difficult to maintain a good reputation in this circle

Shen Qianzhan felt quite calm.

A dog man is truly stingy

Speaking of which, I have indeed conducted an investigation in Xi'an. In the initial planning proposal, the protagonist was born in the 1980s, right at the time of rapid development, embodying the character caught in the transition between the old and new eras. Unfortunately, Xi'an does not have particularly suitable filming locations, nor are there economically viable studio areas, and building sets on our own easily exceeds the budget. Shen Qianzhan casually changed the topic, expressing regret: 'Now the project's creative team has leaned towards filming in Beijing and is in the process of revising the character's growth background.'

She nodded, lowered her chin, and cast her gaze downwards. From this angle, her small face, which was already the size of a palm, appeared even smaller, and she finally felt satisfied: "Not bad."

It seemed as if he was not merely tapping on the table to alleviate his boredom, but rather had a hidden intention of keeping account of her affairs

Do you still want the investment? Do you still want to proceed with the project? Do you still want to receive the bonus?

This is merely a performance in a fleeting context, where the profession of feigned smiles is practiced with varying degrees of dedication. When she is happy, her smile carries a hint of sincerity, but when she is displeased, she cannot even be bothered to pretend, and her expression immediately turns sour.

Su Zan has always thought that her fondness for Jichun Erwan was due to the hotel's facial recognition credit service, but this is only one of the reasons. There is another reason that she finds difficult to express directly—look at this mirror, it seems to come with a beauty filter, how charming it is.

Shen Qianzhan tried to remain calm: "Otherwise, shall I call a driver for you?"

She was so full of herself that she completely overlooked the presence of the person with whom she had a fleeting romance sitting on the other side of the dining table

Shen Qianzhan tidied the last few strands of loose hair, and as she looked at her glamorous and stunning reflection in the mirror, her mood improved significantly.

Ai Yi glanced at herself in the mirror, turned the lipstick around, and put it back in her small bag: "You can't possibly not see that Jiang Ye Cheng is intentionally trying to reach a cooperation with General Manager Ji, can you?"

Su is even more bewildered. Where has that woman, who is so charming and adept at navigating social situations, gone? Who is this woman who seems eager to stab the season's general in the back?

Therefore, the best approach is to refrain from cooperation, avoid crossing boundaries, and not repeat past mistakes

He did not take the wine glass, his gaze fell on the glass cup filled only with plain water on one side, his fingertips tapped lightly on the table, as if contemplating whether to settle for a sip of the water that had already gone cold

She has been in the industry for many years, and apart from exchanging and collaborating resources with her own artists, she has never been involved in any project with personal feelings. She only hopes that Ji Qing, who is proud and aloof, will disdain to acknowledge her. After the gathering tonight, they will part ways, as if they have never met before.

The amount of knowledge reserves and the level of cultural appreciation can meet the diverse needs of various industries and age groups, making it a veritable harvesting machine of the Chinese literary treasury

Compared to "tourist sentiment" and "transient sentiment," the precise use of "dew sentiment" is simply seamless, with every word striking at the heart of the matter

Once everyone was arranged, she seemed to finally remember that she had overlooked Ji Qinghe. With an apologetic expression, she asked, albeit with little sincerity in her tone: "Does General Manager Ji have a hotel to stay at in Beijing?"

The semi-open ancient garden area, with a private environment and verifiable history, is the most renowned internet celebrity attraction in Xi'an, a place for romantic encounters. He spoke very slowly, as if afraid that Shen Qianzhan could not hear clearly, enunciating each word particularly clearly: "Director Shen, you must have been there before, right?"

Shen Qianzhan's level of word choice and sentence construction stands out among phrases like "Drink one, all feelings are in the wine" and "I will drink first as a sign of respect; the stronger the wine, the more sincere my intentions are," making him nearly a master-level figure in the language arts group.

Knowing that Ji Qinghe was publicly setting a trap for her, she could only grit her teeth and respond with a noncommittal sound, unable to think of a perfect solution in the moment, and waited for his further remarks

That being said, once they returned to the private room, Shen Qianzhan still adjusted his attitude, displaying the enthusiasm that one should have when attending to the esteemed client until the conclusion of the gathering