The Fallen Film Queen’s Possessive Alpha - Chapter 33

Someone was calling her name.

Zhou Qiwei reached out sleepily, groping until she caught the speaker’s hand, then pulled them forcefully into her arms, mumbling, “It’s still early, the sun can’t be up yet.”

“Zhou. Qi. Wei!”

The voice was higher-pitched and right by her ear. Frowning, Zhou Qiwei tried to roll away and ignore it, but her nose was pinched shut. Holding her breath, she opened her eyes to see Song Haoyin grinning mischievously, clearly pleased with her prank. Seeing Zhou Qiwei awake, Song clasped her hands together cheerfully and said, “Sorry, sorry! But it’s urgent Du Xin is on the phone. It’s important.”

This was the first time Song had seen Zhou Qiwei like this acting like a petulant child, reluctantly dragging herself to the foot of the bed to pick up the phone. Song couldn’t help but laugh. As she pulled on her robe to leave, Zhou Qiwei grabbed her hand again. Ever since last night, Zhou Qiwei had been unusually clingy, as if some strange switch had been flipped. From the moment they left the Ferris wheel, she had stuck to Song like glue.

Song’s face flushed again. Instinctively, she covered her chest with her other arm and whispered reproachfully, “It feels swollen. You can’t ”

“It’s not.”

Zhou Qiwei deftly pulled her back into bed, burying her face against Song’s chest, her voice lilting and coquettish as she protested, “How could it be swollen? I’d never dare bite it. I was just afraid it might melt, so I had to take good care of it. If it hurts, I’ll put some medicine on it later, okay? Good, it’s settled then.”

This woman really! Song ruffled Zhou Qiwei’s hair in exasperation, and the now-disheveled Miss Zhou clung to her, chatting away. It wasn’t until they were tangled together again that Zhou Qiwei finally picked up the phone, only to find Du Xin had already hung up. She had to call back.

“My deepest apologies for interrupting your blissful autumn night.”

The voice on the other end belonged to Xuan Tinglu, her tone flat and dripping with resentment. Zhou Qiwei felt no remorse and ruthlessly twisted the knife: “It’s been a while since you and Du Xin had a romantic evening, hasn’t it?”

A wail traveled clearly through the phone, and Zhou Qiwei, pulling Song Haoyin close, burst into laughter, holding the phone at arm’s length. Once the lament subsided, Zhou Qiwei finally asked, “What’s going on? It’s only five in the morning the sun isn’t even up yet.”

Curled in Zhou Qiwei’s arms, Song “unwillingly” overheard a confidential call from the upper echelons of Rubik’s Cube Industries. The situation sounded dire. Though Song wasn’t familiar with Rubik’s Cube’s business strategies, she could still grasp the severity of the problem. Watching Zhou Qiwei’s expression grow colder, she quietly considered what she could do to help.

Hanging up with a cold laugh, Zhou Qiwei noticed Song seemed to have something to say. Her heart clenched, and she asked cautiously, “What is it?” Had Song realized she was in trouble? Was she about to ask her to keep her distance, to avoid causing complications?

If Song wanted space, it wasn’t an unreasonable request, Zhou Qiwei thought. She’d agree. Public figures had to manage reputational risks it made sense.

“Is the company in trouble? It sounds serious.”

Zhou Qiwei initially wanted to shake her head, but seeing the worry in Song Haoyin’s eyes, she found herself nodding against her better judgment. Song Haoyin looked genuinely concerned. was she worried about her? Or was she anxious that company troubles might prevent her from offering assistance?

Was she truly, genuinely worried about her as a person?

“Based on the current box office earnings of ‘Fire Fuse,’ the studio can allocate at least 400 million in liquid funds this year. I know it might be just a drop in the bucket for Rubik’s Cube, but ”

Zhou Qiwei gently pressed her lips against the woman’s alluring red mouth, then moved to kiss her earlobe. Song Haoyin couldn’t finish her sentence as Zhou Qiwei caressed her shoulders and sighed into her ear, “Sister, don’t be like this. Being lovestruck is dangerous.”

“This isn’t being lovestruck!” Song Haoyin lifted her head, her fair skin tinged with a delicate blush like the finest brocade.

“I misspoke. Forgive me, sister.”

Their pheromones intertwined as warm, damp air crept up from the hem of Song Haoyin’s dress, inching closer to the land of milk and honey. Covering her face, she felt transported back to last night, drawn by Zhou Qiwei into a dream of dampness and sweet torment.

Zhou Qiwei kissed the brocade-like skin, listening to the most beautiful sounds, her gaze fixed on the faintly red gland that resembled a tempting cherry, luring her closer, closer still until she could devour it.

“Of course, sister isn’t lovestruck. You haven’t even agreed to be with me yet I’m still in limbo.” With the last shred of her restraint, Zhou Qiwei pulled away from the alluring gland. She couldn’t fully mark Song Haoyin now, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t claim a small reward.

Song Haoyin truly felt Zhou Qiwei’s adoration treasured like something held too tightly for fear of dropping, cradled too gently for fear of melting. It moved her to tears. She wept pitifully, while this little rogue, though tender and affectionate, remained unrepentant, slowly consuming her bit by bit.

Her ear was pinched. not painfully, but Zhou Qiwei feigned hurt. Song Haoyin’s hands were weak from propping herself up too long. Kneading the captured ear, she huffed, “How am I supposed to go to the studio now?”

“Go in the afternoon, I’ll take you!” Zhou Qiwei, indifferent to her ear’s peril, knelt on the bed, her usual aloofness gone, soft and pliant like a freshly steamed rice cake. Her voice was sweet and teasing, “Sister~ Haoyin-jie~ Won’t you give me the title of probationary girlfriend?”

“What do you mean, probationary girlfriend?”

Song Haoyin’s beautiful eyes held deep confusion. Zhou Qiwei explained, “If I do well, you can promote me. If I don’t, you can demote me back to limbo.”

“Thanks for handing all the power to me.” Song Haoyin turned away, ignoring this giddy, smooth-talking creature.

“Then, since sister doesn’t like that, just be my girlfriend. I’ll help share the burden of decisions how about that?”

Both were usually busy, and in the past, they never indulged like this. But today was unprecedented they lazed in bed until the sun was high before sluggishly rising to wash up.

Song Haoyin even experienced noblewoman treatment as Zhou Qiwei moved a bedside table over so she could eat lunch in bed.

“Noblewomen only get breakfast in bed,” Song Haoyin teased, laughing. Zhou Qiwei didn’t care as long as they were happy.

Though feeling sweet and happy, Song Haoyin didn’t forget the serious matter at hand. She asked solemnly again: Was the company really okay? There was no need to feel embarrassed from her personal experience, when facing troubles, pride was probably the least important thing.

Besides, the studio’s profits already included Zhou Qiwei’s investment. Any amount exceeding the investment share could be treated as an advance no need to push oneself too hard.

Zhou Qiwei raised her hand and swore with equal solemnity: Really, truly, there were no major issues.

To reassure Song Haoyin, Zhou Qiwei explained the details of her collaboration with Elden in a simple, easy-to-understand manner.

“Are you sure this won’t cause problems? It’s not that I don’t trust Qiwei, I’m just worried.”

In the Rubik’s Industrial building, Xuan Tinglu asked the same question in Du Xin’s office: “Although Leliana hasn’t raised any contract issues, given her habits, she ”

“She’s very trustworthy.” Du Xin wasn’t just comforting her girlfriend; she was stating an objective fact. “Though bankers typically lend umbrellas on sunny days and take them back when it rains, we’ve prepared for that. Even if Kyushu extends an olive branch, she’d have to deal with us first.”

The business world was treacherous, and Xuan Tinglu had seen plenty of bizarre incidents over the years. She was wary of Leliana, suspecting she might pull something behind their backs.

Across the ocean, amid the resistance to Rubik’s pheromones, Leliana’s side was investigating the leak while hoping Rubik’s could trace the source in Los Angeles. But Zhou Qiwei had already decided: regardless of the investigation’s outcome, the blame would fall on Kyushu.

Kyushu’s domineering style meant they didn’t need concrete evidence just a plausible chain would suffice. Du Xin explained to Xuan Tinglu that antitrust laws and commercial investigation departments had been eyeing Kyushu for years. That was likely why Kyushu treaded carefully in the media industry, keeping a low profile.

“Oh, I remember now.” Xuan Tinglu understood the crux of the issue lay here. The antitrust lawsuit against Kyushu had concluded only a few years prior. “But what if this escalates? Is Qiwei really going to confront Kyushu? Can we handle the fallout?”

“Then,” Du Xin smiled at Xuan Tinglu, leaning closer, “it’ll depend on your skills. Find an unrelated party to expose this, and make sure it’s done without a trace.”

Xuan Tinglu smirked mischievously, half-joking: “Why trouble another? I might as well use Ji Xubai’s name to blow the whistle. Once she and Leliana leave, Zhou Zhao’s tantrums won’t matter.”

“After this is resolved, let’s go on vacation too, okay?” Xuan Tinglu nestled against Du Xin, playing cute, almost rolling around coquettishly. “Why should we be the only ones working while Qiwei gets to date? We need time to strengthen our relationship too!”

As Du Xin organized files, she conceded her girlfriend had a point they also needed space to relax and nurture their bond.

“Once this is over, let’s take a vacation during Christmas.”

At the same time, in the Zhou residence, Zhou Zhao—dark circles under her eyes was home listening to her mother Du Ning’s proposal for a winter getaway.

Lately, she’d been so busy she barely had time to sleep, chugging coffee until her face turned pale. Finally back home, she’d barely eased into light conversation when Du Ning brought up the conflict between Zhou Qiwei and Zhou Mu dragging Zhou Zhao into it.

Du Ning had originally intended to inform Zhou Zhao about the matter, giving her eldest daughter some mental preparation. Unexpectedly, Zhou Zhao reacted with striking indifference not anger, but rather the relief of something long anticipated finally coming to pass.

Noticing her mother’s confusion, the eldest Miss Zhou finished her ginseng soup and explained with a weary smile: “Neither you nor Mommy can understand Zhou Qiwei’s mindset Mu Mu doesn’t either.”

“She has no sense of security and fundamentally doesn’t trust you, so she would never tell the truth. Even when she appears transparent, it’s only half-truths. Look at her entrepreneurial journey. she’s never made a major mistake, never fallen into any traps. While part of that is due to the unique nature of her industry, it also proves she always has a Plan B.”

“She thoroughly grasped Mu Mu’s personality and reservations before devising this ‘Banquet at Hong Gate’ strategy. And as for Mommy leaking information to the Eldons it’s useless. Qiwei would never allow herself to have such a vulnerability. I don’t think Leliana stands to gain anything from her. As the old saying goes, the debtor is the real master.”

“Knowing Qiwei as I do, whether she discovers Mommy’s leak or not, she’ll pin the blame squarely on Kyushu.”

Zhou Zhao concluded: “I still have work to return to shortly. Please relay a message to Mommy for me she’s so fixated on the successor issue, but has she considered that even if Qiwei wins decisively and Mu Mu truly isn’t cut out for it, would Qiwei even want to inherit Kyushu?”

Du Ning said nothing. Her eldest daughter had struck at her hidden fears. In truth, she didn’t fully agree with her wife’s approach. Such conflicts are easy to provoke but difficult to resolve. Moreover, how much genuine familial affection existed between Qiwei and Zhou Mu? Even Zhou Qing herself couldn’t guarantee it. Their assumptions were somewhat wishful thinking.

“But the conflict is already out in the open. What do you suggest we do now?”

This was the blind spot of motherhood no matter what, she couldn’t bring herself to view her children’s relationship in too harsh a light. Of course, Zhou Mu and Zhou Qiwei hadn’t reached a life-or-death standoff either.

Zhou Zhao put on her coat and dropped one final remark: “If you’re asking me, cut all ties with the Eldons and act like this never happened. Let Mu Mu and Qiwei sort it out themselves. But mark my words Zhou Mu is only going to get beaten down. Don’t you and Mommy feel too sorry for her. Better she takes a few hits from Qiwei now than makes one wrong move later and loses everything.”

“As for the succession issue Mommy is still young. Why worry about this so far in advance?”

Succession was the great dilemma of family enterprises. Every dynasty had faced chaos over inheritance, and the Zhou ancestors were no exception once nearly tearing the family apart. The Eldons were even worse, with generations of relentless infighting and ruthlessly primal rules winner takes all, losers exiled from York City, forbidden to even return home.

” Who leaked this? This is clearly sabotage!”

The leak about the collaboration did limited damage to Zhou Qiwei. Through leverage, she had already secured what she needed. Even if Leliana was tempted to break the agreement, she’d have to consider the exorbitant compensation. The premature disclosure of the synthetic pheromone project only harmed one person Leliana Eldon, who was now grinding her teeth in fury.

“From the moment you left Luo City for York until now, I’ve provided you shelter. Ji Xubai, it’s time to repay me.”

Ji Xubai nodded. “I’ll do what needs to be done.”

She was no ordinary lawyer. Though she hadn’t practiced in Luocheng for years, her firm continued operating smoothly. Beyond the standard office setup, Xuan Tinglu a perpetually busy executive assistant constantly traveling on business. could swiftly gather intelligence, thanks in no small part to the “investigators” at Ji Xubai’s firm.

Currently, Ji Xubai could only assist Reliana in overcoming her difficulties through two key actions: first, expediting the sale of Top Profit Group’s publishing business and shares to avoid complications; second, helping Reliana persuade Zhou Qiwei to visit York City and meet with local pheromone research experts, using substantial benefits to sway the lobbying group.

On the last day of September, away from media attention, representatives from Top Profit, Jiuzhou, Cube Industries, and Ms. Reliana Elden convened at the Cloud Peak Hotel in Luocheng’s suburbs for closed-door negotiations. After prolonged bargaining, they reached an agreement: Top Profit’s publishing business would be sold to Ferris Wheel Company for 2.1 billion.

The publicly disclosed board members of Ferris Wheel Company, ranked by share ownership, were as follows:

Topping the list was the Song Yu Director Memorial Foundation controlled by none other than Ms. Song Haoyin.

Rewinding slightly: prior to the negotiations, after Zhou Qiwei and Elden completed their Top Profit share exchange, Zhou had indeed transferred the shares to Song Haoyin. The Zuo family, honoring their agreement, allocated the shares due to Song Haoyin and Song An’ge from Zuo Wangxun’s holdings.

The Zuo family had struck a deal with Zhou Qiwei and Song Haoyin: as long as these de facto allies remained inactive, the Zuos could retain control of Top Profit. However, they hadn’t anticipated Zhou Qiwei’s true intentions lay elsewhere.

Song Haoyin injected her Top Profit shares into the foundation. Combined with Cube Industries’ capital and Reliana’s personal investment, they secured controlling interest in Ferris Wheel Company through preferential share voting rights. Top Profit Group invested in Ferris Wheel under Mr. Zuo Wanggong’s name, while World Group invested under director Qu Yuanzhi, both with standard voting rights.

Jiuzhou-Panyan Culture also invested but received only minimal voting power, becoming mere figureheads on the board.

Regarding Top Profit, though Zhou Qiwei and Song Haoyin couldn’t care less whether Qu Jinghan would displace Zuo Wangshao, practical considerations prevailed. Pushing the Zuo family too far would backfire, necessitating proper personnel exchanges. Thus, Song Haoyin’s assistant Yu Miao became deputy director of Top Profit’s talent agency, while Top Profit’s vice president Zuo Yang assumed the role of Ferris Wheel’s managing director.

This olive branch was personally extended by Song Haoyin. Zhou Qiwei had urged reconsideration, only to be silenced by “This is currently the best option.” Indeed, bypassing Zuo Yang would require involving either Zuo Wangxun or Zuo Wanggong an undesirable outcome.

Zuo Yang’s appointment posed no threat to Song Haoyin, whether in terms of seniority or sentiment. Moreover, with Ji Xubai as Ferris Wheel’s legal director, multiple safeguards were in place.

During the press conference, everyone except Li You seemed quite pleased. Zhou Mu didn’t even attend exchanging her fiancée’s interests for such an outcome had left her utterly disheartened. What frustrated the second young lady even more was that despite racking her brains and watching negative news continuously emerge from York City, she still couldn’t shake Lei Lianna’s confidence in Zhou Qiwei!

For a moment, the second young lady’s own confidence wavered greatly. She had no mood to comfort her fiancée, and Li You showed no intention of comforting her either. The two remained locked in this stalemate.

Just as everyone assumed Zhou Qiwei would charge ahead to expand new business ventures, Magic Cube Industries suddenly announced that the company would undergo a split and restructuring. Ms. Zhou Qiwei had stepped down as CEO and would assume the role of Chairman of the Board and CTO of Magic Cube Industries.

That evening, Zhou Qiwei issued a statement through a spokesperson, expressing her desire to “devote more energy to pheromone research.” Meanwhile, rumors circulated that during the company’s Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, Zhou had openly stated she wished to dedicate more time to her personal life.

As both relevant and irrelevant parties stared in shock, unsure of Zhou Qiwei’s intentions, on October 9th, the recently resigned but not yet reappointed Zhou Qiwei made a highly conspicuous appearance at the “Spark” crew’s victory celebration. She even granted an interview right at the entrance of the Caesar Hotel.

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