The Fallen Film Queen’s Possessive Alpha - Chapter 30

Zuo Wanggong’s lips were dry, his expression agitated, the scholarly demeanor completely gone. For years, he had taken pride in his identity as a professor an achievement earned through his own hard work.

The more meaningless his small family became, the more disappointing Zuo Xingyu proved to be, the more he clung to his career as his greatest solace. Yet, in just one night, everything had changed.

The university had called in the evening, tactfully suggesting that Zuo Wanggong prepare himself if public outrage escalated, they would temporarily suspend his classes. Business partners had also reached out, stating that if the fallout was too severe, he would need to step back from their latest film project.

That little bastard Zuo Xingyu had hooked up with more people at Cloud Peak Villa than could be counted on two hands. Many of them were company artists, including people like Li Nian. The talent agency under Top Glory was already in crisis, and just thinking about it made Zuo Wanggong dizzy.

Before coming here, Zuo Wangshao had warned his Omega brother: “Don’t fool yourself into thinking your accomplishments are all your own. Your status as a veteran film critic, your investment projects, your professorship, your academic achievements, which one didn’t have Top Glory’s backing behind it? Go handle what needs to be handled. At this point, we must minimize the damage as much as possible.”

Coming here in the dead of night was a last resort for Zuo Wanggong, who had even arrived in an employee’s car. Right now, the area around the Zuo family estate and the company headquarters was swarming with reporters. When the leading horse in the film investment and talent agency industry was hit with such a scandal, the media, smelling blood in the water, had descended like hyenas.

Top Glory could not afford to become carrion for the hyenas to feast on the consequences would be unbearable.

Seething with the urge to strangle Zuo Xingyu himself, Zuo Wanggong checked his watch again and asked, “When will Haoyin get here?”

Yu Miao didn’t want to show the Zuo family any courtesy, but she understood that while Zuo Xingyu was a useless troublemaker, Song Haoyin might actually benefit from this situation. So, she swallowed her distaste and replied calmly, “Sister Haoyin just said she’s almost here.”

As she spoke, the sound of an engine came from outside the studio. Zuo Wanggong hurried to the window and, through the floor-to-ceiling glass, saw that the person escorting his niece was none other than Zhou Qiwei of Rubik’s Cube Industries!

His elder brother truly was his elder brother no wonder he had insisted on coming to Song Haoyin. At this critical moment, only she could serve as a bridge to beg Zhou Qiwei for mercy. Zhou Qiwei was undoubtedly a key player in the stock buyback, if not the mastermind behind it.

As for Song Haoyin, Zuo Wanggong thought, the conditions they were offering weren’t bad for her either. She should agree to be their mediator.

“Haoyin, think it over carefully. Ask President Zhou to negotiate with Ms. Elden on our behalf. Once the stock buyback succeeds, in addition to those shares, the family will grant you and An’ge the same stake any Zuo child would receive. Moreover, if you’re willing, Top Glory can bring you onto the board. That bastard Zuo Xingyu is hopeless, Zuo Yang is… what he is, and your uncle is getting old.”

“Dingyi is, after all, a family business. With those two out of the picture, you’ll naturally have the final say in the future. Moreover, Jiuzhou has assured us that negotiations won’t be affected by this incident and has even proactively shared valuable information with us. Dingyi won’t collapse this development only benefits you.”

Song Haoyin hesitated, her expression conflicted. Zuo Wanggong sensed an opportunity and pressed on eagerly: “When you take charge, the Zuo family will be yours to command. As for my second brother and his brood if you don’t want to see them, we’ll banish them from Luocheng. Out of sight, out of mind.”

Adversity reveals a person’s true colors.

This was something Song Haoyin’s mother had told her when she was very young. At the time, Haoyin had just entered middle school and begun reading scripts unsuitable for children. She couldn’t understand why scripts always subjected protagonists to so many hardships personal struggles, collective challenges, material deprivations, spiritual crises, temporary setbacks, and epoch-defining trials.

What was the point of putting protagonists through such torment!

The young girl wept for these fictional heroes, but her mother explained that adversity reveals character and creates powerful dramatic tension. What audiences truly want to see, she said, is how protagonists overcome these challenges through their own efforts, thereby showcasing their charisma.

“But what if the protagonist just can’t solve the problem?”

“Personal tragedies, or those of an era, still make compelling material.” Song Yu gently stroked her daughter’s hair as she explained: “A creator must torment their characters otherwise there’s no story.”

The current situation certainly had all the makings of a dramatic plot. Maintaining perfect composure, Song Haoyin deliberately appeared hesitant yet visibly swayed, while privately recalling her third uncle’s usual demeanor.

This Zuo uncle thought exceedingly highly of himself. Though he’d always shown respect to Song Yu and seemed to favor Haoyin and Ange over his own son Zuo Xingyu, Haoyin suspected this stemmed from their terrible father-son relationship. His kindness whether toward her sisters or his students always felt self-serving and superficial.

The complicated dynamics of the Zuo family became clear to Haoyin only as she grew older, helping her understand why her mother had kept her away from them. The uncle who favored Alphas, the third uncle who masked his dysfunctional family relationships with “career achievements,” and now her biological father finally showing his true colors what a family.

After seeing Zuo Wanggong out, Yu Miao returned excitedly: “Sister Haoyin, are you really going to become Dingyi’s board chair?”

“Indeed. Should I appoint you as talent director then?” Haoyin joked, clearly in good spirits.

But Yu Miao took it seriously, shaking her head vigorously: “No no, I couldn’t! I don’t have enough experience!”

With this attitude and more experience, she could genuinely qualify in a few years. Haoyin looked at Yu Miao with sincere conviction: “I believe Miao-miao will get there someday!”

Yu Miao floated out of the office clutching her cheeks. When Haoyin looked at her like that, she could practically feel the trust washing over her like warm waves. Oh, poor Sister Haoyin, she probably hadn’t even noticed that bite mark near her collarbone! She must have suffered so much. Alphas are terrifying.

“Has your third uncle left?”

“I didn’t go home, I’m at the research institute.”

“No, I’m not alone. Tinglu is here too.”

Xuan Tinglu sat across from Zhou Qiwei, yawning. She hadn’t slept at all tonight or rather, last night. Zhou Zhao’s arrest operation had been completely unexpected, and after the news broke, Xuan Tinglu and Du Xin had worked half the night. Later, they both came to the institute, where she told Du Xin to rest while she met with Zhou Qiwei.

Zhou Qiwei was happily chatting on the phone, and anyone could guess who was on the other end. Assistant Xuan sat opposite, grumbling the world was so unfair!

Looking at Zhou Qiwei’s neck, near the jawline, there was a glaring bite mark. She had spent last night rekindling romance with that Miss Song, while Xuan had to work hard with Du Xin. So unfair!

As Zhou Qiwei hung up, she was met with Xuan Tinglu’s exaggerated fake crying, lamenting how she only had the right to work but not to rest, let alone vacation with Du Xin: “I need a break! I want time off!”

“Ahem, Assistant Xuan, the company is facing a major challenge. How can you think of deserting now? Vice President Du would be the first to criticize you for such thoughts.” Zhou Qiwei adopted an official tone, handing over some documents. “But once this is over, I plan to restructure the company. Then your work schedule will be more flexible.”

“Huh? Restructure the company?” Xuan Tinglu froze, urgently asking, “What’s going on? Why this sudden idea?”

“It’s not sudden. After this is resolved, I plan to spin off our stake in the distribution business, bring in Song Haoyin’s studio, and form a new company. This includes potential future media and TV station acquisitions, which would also be consolidated under holding management. As for Magic Cube Industries and the research institute mainly the university side the relationship with the company needs further clarification.”

“I intend to step down as CEO. Hear me out,” Zhou Qiwei stopped Xuan Tinglu from panicking. She had much to tell her friend: “Though I stumbled into pheromone research by chance, I’m more interested in research than business. I also want time for other things investing in new research topics, pursuing cutting-edge projects.”

“And then there’s you and Du Xin. You’re doing well now, I know. But how will the company handle it? Your current roles aren’t suitable for your relationship.”

“I can resign.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Let me finish.”

A romantic relationship between the executive vice president and the CEO’s assistant was inappropriate, bad for company culture and requiring discretion.

But between a managing director/CEO and a board member heading another Magic Cube Industries subsidiary? Even marriage would be fine.

“Have you discussed this with Du Xin?”

Zhou Qiwei said Xuan Tinglu was the first to know her plans. Assistant Xuan’s eyes lit up her bad mood vanished as quickly as it came: “Who’d have thought I’d be the first to know someday!”

“Actually, I’ve always felt guilty. Du Xin is technically my aunt, so she favors me, but I never told you about this.”

“Oh, I know about this!” Xuan Tinglu seemed to recall something delightful, immediately performing the “fly-rubbing-hands” gesture with an especially silly grin: “Du Xin told me. Hey, if Du Xin and I get married, wouldn’t you Ouch!”

Look at that “I finally get to play the family joke” expression. Zhou Qiwei casually threw a sofa cushion at him, then swiftly dodged when Xuan Tinglu leaped up, attempting to crush her with his full weight. When Du Xin entered, she found her girlfriend sprawled on the sofa “barely alive,” while Zhou Qiwei sat nearby laughing heartily.

“You’re awake already?”

Xuan Tinglu scrambled up to straighten his clothes, vaulted over the sofa, and landed perfectly in front of Du Xin. Zhou Qiwei loudly mocked from behind: “So childish!”

That peacock-like Alpha mentality of showing off at every opportunity was truly immature.

But when Du Xin took Xuan Tinglu’s hand and led him over, Zhou Qiwei refused to admit she felt a twinge of envy. Her hyperactive brain automatically substituted Song Haoyin for Du Xin, Well, then she’d definitely push Xuan Tinglu aside and move closer herself.

Wait, what am I thinking? Why am I fantasizing like this?

“Just now, Zhou Mu called with some news.” Du Xin pulled her assistant down to sit, informing Zhou Qiwei: “Zuo Xingyu attempted suicide at the investigation bureau and has been hospitalized. Before that, during interrogation, he implicated many people. I’m worried this mad dog might drag us into the fire.”

“Also, from what I gathered from Zhou Mu, she wants to directly acquire Dingyi Group and bring us in too.”

Wow, Xuan Tinglu clicked his tongue. This second Zhou sister was ruthless, striking while the iron was hot. But he spotted the blind spot: “Does the Zuo family know? Honestly, completely crushing the Zuos wouldn’t benefit us much Jiuzhou would get the lion’s share. To be precise, the biggest winner would be Jiuzhou-Panyan Culture. Is she doing this for her fiancée? How romantic.”

There might truly be romantic heroes in this world, Ji Xubai was one, Du Ning and Zhou Qing counted as one together, Zhou Zhao barely qualified as half, but Zhou Mu definitely wasn’t. Not that the second young miss was cold-hearted quite the opposite. Having never lacked love, she wasn’t particularly obsessive.

Though Zhou Mu acted very fond of Li You, if forced to choose between Jiuzhou and Li You on a scale, Zhou Mu would have exactly one answer.

Du Xin smiled without comment. Zhou Qiwei informed them that according to Song Haoyin’s information, the Zuo family still believed Jiuzhou was playing the role of “knightly negotiator.” As for their side: “What I told the Zhou family was we could all sit on the same board.”

“But we must completely neutralize Jiuzhou’s advantage. Even if we can’t fully digest Dingyi now, we absolutely can’t let Jiuzhou monopolize it. I suspect Qu Yuanbao’s mother thinks the same.”

“Nothing stays secret forever. When do you think the Zuos will realize Zhou Zhao is leading this case?”

Though there were no personal interests involved just everyone fulfilling their duties, this situation was awkward to explain: the negotiator’s sister arresting their young master was legal and reasonable, but hardly tactful.

Xuan Tinglu frowned slightly. She needed to come up with a reliable person who could leak information about the Rubik’s Cube without raising suspicion: “We need to clear ourselves while letting the Zuo family know about this, and it has to be plausible.” Her eyes lit up as she looked at Du Xin, and together they turned their gaze to Zhou Qiwei.

“The person we’re thinking of must be the same.”

Only if the news came from that person’s mouth could they use this information to tie down Zhou Zhaohua and Zhou Mu, making the two of them quarrel without getting dragged into the mess themselves.

On the last Friday of September, as the stock market opened, shares in the pan-entertainment industry experienced significant volatility. Led by Top Benefit Group, stock prices plummeted sharply within the first thirty minutes of trading.

Qu Yuanzhi yawned as she came downstairs. Her mother was watching financial news while breakfast sat untouched on the table.

[According to relevant sources, Top Benefit Group has urgently initiated a buyback plan of up to 700 million yuan, hoping to stabilize the stock price before market close today. A spokesperson stated that Mr. Zuo Xingyu’s personal actions are unrelated to the group and that official announcements should be taken as authoritative. This incident will not affect daily operations or ongoing negotiations with Kyushu.]

“Really?” Qu Yuanzhi muttered as she sat beside her mother, announcing in a playful tone, “I still have to work today! ‘Fire Fuse’ is about to finish its run I need to prepare for the wrap party!”

“If you’re going to work, stay properly in the studio. And if you come across any scripts you like, don’t rush into production just yet.”

Qu Jinghan looked at her precious daughter with affection. Qu Yuanzhi leaned her head against her mother briefly to show she understood, then asked worriedly, “With Top Benefit’s stock crashing, will it affect you?”

“No. The reason I’m telling you not to rush production isn’t about the stock price. Yuanbao, listen to me once this matter is over, you’ll have complete freedom with your scripts.”

After breakfast, Qu Yuanzhi hitched a ride to work with her mother. Qu Jinghan went straight to Top Benefit Group, bringing with her reliable intelligence from Ms. Elden’s lawyer, Miss Ji Xubai.

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