Bowing to Arranged Marriage [Rebirth] - Chapter 25

Zhang Yi said, “I thought I would be the bridesmaid.”

Zheng Xiyun smiled even more warmly. “There won’t be any bridesmaids. This wedding might be a little different from the usual ones.”

But Zhang Yi didn’t seem to care about that. Instead, she asked, “Are you doing this willingly?”

“Of course,” Zheng Xiyun replied, lowering her gaze to look at the invitation. “This is my own decision. No one forced me.”

After a pause, she raised her eyes to meet Zhang Yi’s. “The Mu family is decent. Mu Qing is beautiful, has a great figure, and isn’t someone I dislike. Marrying her isn’t a bad deal.”

Zhang Yi looked at her with concern and finally sighed. “Just don’t act impulsively or push yourself too hard.”

Zheng Xiyun said firmly, “I’m not.”

The first time she met Mu Qing was six months ago. They had known each other’s identities and grown close over the past three months. Deciding to marry now wasn’t impulsive. Zheng Xiyun had wrestled with it for a long time, carefully considering everything before arriving at this conclusion.

No matter the outcome, her choice now was to marry.

Seeing the determination in Zheng Xiyun’s eyes, Zhang Yi’s gaze softened, and she smiled. “Then I’ll wish you happiness. May your married life be free and joyful.”

“Thank you,” Zheng Xiyun said, smiling as well. Only Zhang Yi knew what she truly desired. She hoped marriage wouldn’t become a shackle, making her timid and hesitant. Instead, she wanted this union to be wings for both her and Mu Qing, allowing them both to benefit from it.

Zheng Xiyun had dinner with Zhang Yi. Midway through, she received a call from Zheng Quanfeng. “Xiyun, there’s a meeting at headquarters tomorrow at 10 a.m. Be there.”

Zheng Xiyun’s heart tightened. She sighed softly and replied, “Alright.”

Then Zheng Quanfeng hung up.

“What’s wrong?” Zhang Yi asked with concern.

Zheng Xiyun curled her lips into a mocking smile. “My father wants me to withdraw from a film investment I signed off on. I refused. Just now, my uncle called to summon me to a meeting tomorrow—probably for a shareholder vote.”

“Why do they love stirring up trouble so much? If they handed the company over to you, they should just let you manage it properly. But no, they keep interfering. If that’s the case, they might as well take back control,” Zhang Yi said sarcastically.

If Zheng Xiyun were an incompetent leader, that would be one thing. But she wasn’t—in fact, she had an exceptional eye for investments. Yet these people refused to trust her. If this weren’t Zheng Xiyun’s family company, Zhang Yi would have poached her long ago to make money for herself.

The next day, Zheng Xiyun didn’t go to her own office but drove straight to headquarters.

Most people at headquarters recognized her, but few addressed her respectfully as “President Zheng.” Some even walked right past her as if she were invisible. Most of them were employees under Zheng Yoaquin’s command.

The meeting began on time. Zheng Quanfeng stood at the head of the table and got straight to the point. “Today, we’ve gathered all shareholders and senior executives to vote on one of the company’s investment projects.”

Then he looked at Zheng Xiyun and continued, “This is Zheng Xiyun’s first project this year. An investment in a film by an unknown female director. Although the amount isn’t enormous—just sixty million—we expect every investment decision from you, President Zheng, to be carefully considered. After all, the annual returns from Zheng Group’s investment division are of great concern to everyone.”

Zheng Xiyun stood up and acknowledged the shareholders before speaking, “Since the company has appointed me as the president of the investment firm, I hope all shareholders will place their trust in me. Zheng Corporation is not just yours—it’s mine as well. I would never joke about my own company, so please believe me when I say this project will not incur losses.”

“And why should we trust you?” Zheng Yoaquin challenged sharply.

Zheng Xiyun smiled faintly. “Because even my lowest-yielding project outperforms your highest-yielding one.”

Zheng Yoaquin’s face flushed red, her eyes burning with anger as she glared at Zheng Xiyun. After returning from abroad, Zheng Xiyun had taken over Zheng Corporation’s investment firm and managed it impressively. Envious, Zheng Yoaquin had her father secure her a position in the investment department of the parent company after graduation. Though she was only a minor supervisor with a small team and limited funds and resources at her disposal, she convinced herself her role was far more critical than Zheng Xiyun’s. After all, she was in the headquarters, while Zheng Xiyun was in a subsidiary.

But as time passed, Zheng Yoaquin found herself increasingly unable to keep up with Zheng Xiyun’s track record. Every project Zheng Xiyun invested in turned a profit, differing only in the margin of return.

Another shareholder chimed in, “Even so, that doesn’t guarantee all your future projects will be profitable. What if this one fails? You must know that box office flops aren’t rare these days. Even Zheng Yoaquin, who has invested in numerous films, can’t guarantee success—not even with renowned directors. You’ve never ventured into the film industry before. Why are you so confident?”

Zheng Xiyun smiled confidently. “Before asking that question, did you read the script?”

“A script doesn’t determine everything,” the shareholder countered. “A good script doesn’t always translate into a good film, and a good film doesn’t always guarantee good box office returns.”

Had she not been reborn, Zheng Xiyun might have only been cautiously optimistic about the film’s potential based on the script. But now, she stated with absolute certainty, “A great script, paired with an excellent director, top-tier actors, and the backing of a renowned production company like Jiateng Pictures—don’t you think that’s more than enough to ensure this film’s success?”

“Jiateng Pictures? That’s part of the Mu Group,” Zheng Quanfeng remarked. “Is Mu Group involved? I heard the director approached Jiateng for funding but was rejected.”

“The Mu Group’s eldest daughter, Mu Qing, later sought her out and decided to collaborate,” Zheng Xiyun revealed, sharing information they hadn’t known. “This is Mu Qing’s first foray into filmmaking. Do you really think the Mu family would let her fail?”

The room fell silent. Everyone present was well aware of the Mu family’s influence and their doting treatment of their eldest daughter. With that in mind, the film’s prospects seemed undeniable.

Seeing most people had been swayed, Zheng Yoaquin seethed with jealousy and resentment. She had encountered Mu Qing a few times. The woman clearly favored Zheng Xiyun, shielding her protectively. Zheng Yoaquin could never forget the chilling look Mu Qing had given her during the trial.

Not all shareholders knew about the impending marriage alliance between the Mu and Zheng families, nor had Zheng Jiangling disclosed that Mu Qing and Zheng Xiyun were set to wed. But the mere mention of Mu Qing’s involvement was enough. Moreover, Zheng Quanfeng knew the Mu family had long sought a marital tie with the Zhengs. At the very least, this film investment wouldn’t lose money.

Zheng Quanfeng began to lay the groundwork, saying, “Xiyun, you could have told me when I called that this was the Mu family’s eldest daughter’s project. Then we wouldn’t have needed to come to the company for a meeting.”

Zheng Xiyun looked at Zheng Quanfeng with an innocent smile. “But Uncle, you didn’t mention that coming to the company was about the film investment. I thought it was for something else.”

Zheng Quanfeng’s smile vanished in an instant. “Then let’s settle it this way. You’ll continue handling the film investment. Any objections from the other shareholders?”

What objections could they have? It was a guaranteed profitable project—they wouldn’t object.

Using company matters as an excuse, Zheng Xiyun didn’t speak to anyone after the meeting and headed straight for the elevator. But she didn’t return to the office. Instead, she went to Jiateng Pictures to find Mu Qing.

Since Zheng Xiyun had previously visited Jiateng to sign contracts, the receptionist didn’t question her much and let her go upstairs. The pre-production work for a film required a lot of effort, unlike the face mask project. The face mask’s success had been driven by celebrity endorsements and its effectiveness, with little additional marketing in its previous iteration.

Zheng Xiyun only knew that the film, with an investment of less than 100 million, had eventually grossed over 2 billion at the box office. However, she wasn’t familiar with the specifics of film production. Unlike the face mask project, where she could leave everything to Mu Qing, she couldn’t afford to be hands-off with this investment.

After entering the elevator, Zheng Xiyun called Mu Qing, but she didn’t answer. This was unusual. Without Mu Qing’s response, Zheng Xiyun had no way of knowing which office she was in and had to ask around.

Zheng Xiyun went straight to the floor where they had previously discussed the endorsement deal, intending to inquire about Mu Qing’s whereabouts. As she stepped out of the elevator, she heard voices from the nearby stairwell, faintly mentioning Mu Qing’s name. Zheng Xiyun carefully controlled her heels, tiptoeing to silence them, then approached the stairwell entrance. Through a closed door, she recognized a familiar voice. The same man she’d overheard in the office before.

His tone was mocking. “Even if this script is really good, are you sure Mu Qing can handle the project? Have you heard the rumors?”

Another voice asked, “What rumors?”

The man laughed. “People say Mu Qing is a jinx, cursed with terrible luck. Haven’t you noticed all the problems with the crew before filming even started? The lead actor and actress both had incidents after signing on, and the director fell ill. It’s all because of her bad luck. With someone like her running a film, it’s doomed to fail.”

The other person chuckled. “Then we don’t have to worry about Chairman Mu handing over the company’s management to her, right? Unless they don’t care about making money?”

The man replied, “Not necessarily. I heard Chairman Mu founded this film company specifically for Mu Qing. She was into photography in college—played around with DSLRs and cameras, even talked about making movies someday. So, Chairman Mu set up this company while she was still in school to give her an easier path in the entertainment industry. Essentially, this company was always meant to be her playground. Even if it loses money, the Mu family has the resources to cover it.”

“What do we do then?” the other person asked anxiously.

The man sneered coldly, “I’ll make her back off on her own. I’ve poured so much effort into this company—how can I let it decline in her hands?”

Zheng Xiyun stopped the recording on her phone upon hearing this, tiptoed quietly toward the elevator entrance, and then pretended she had just stepped out of the elevator, strutting confidently in her high heels.

The voices of the two men immediately ceased. Soon after, the stairwell door opened, and a man with slicked-back hair peeked out at her. Zheng Xiyun paused and asked, “Excuse me, which office is Mu Qing in?”

The man hesitated for a second before pointing toward the end of the hallway. “The one on the right at the far end.”

“Thank you.” With that, Zheng Xiyun clicked her heels loudly as she walked down the corridor.

After knocking, Mu Qing’s voice called out, “Come in.”

When she saw Zheng Xiyun, Mu Qing’s eyes suddenly brightened, and the corners of her lips curled slightly. “What brings you here?”

Zheng Xiyun closed the door, walked over to Mu Qing, and handed her the phone. “I recorded something for you. Listen.”

Mu Qing nodded and played the recording. To prevent the sound from leaking, Zheng Xiyun had deliberately turned the volume down, but Mu Qing could still hear the conversation between the two men clearly.

After listening, Mu Qing scoffed. “I already knew. Even without hearing them say it, I could see the disdain in their eyes. They really treat Jiateng as their own property, as if I’m the one stealing their assets. Ridiculous.”

“But you can’t fire them right away. They’ve been with Jiateng for so many years—who knows how many of the company’s resources they control. If you dismiss them, they might take everything with them, and whatever they can’t take, they won’t leave intact for you either.” Zheng Xiyun stated the truth, a faint smirk of schadenfreude playing on her lips.