The Possessive Villain Is Too Clingy [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 30.2

Bai Xin straightened up, frowning in thought for a moment. “Hmm, that does make sense.”

Ye Zhixia’s expression remained unchanged, though the corners of her brows couldn’t help but lift. Of course it made sense—because she was telling the truth.

The door to the dressing room swung open, and in came the makeup artist, struggling with several large bags.

She entered with difficulty, carefully bending down to place her bundles on the floor.

As she straightened up, she shook her arms vigorously, complaining, “I’m exhausted!”

Only after steadying herself did she notice the two lead actresses staring at her.

Six eyes met, followed by a brief silence, before the makeup artist broke into an awkward smile. “Oh, Xiaxia-jie and Xiao Bai are both here.”

Bai Xin, cheerful and lively, got along well with all the crew members.

She sprang up from her seat, scurried to the door, and placed both hands on the makeup artist’s shoulders, guiding her toward the plush chair she had just vacated. “Peipei, you must be tired—take a break first.”

As she spoke, she began massaging Peipei’s shoulders.

“How’s the pressure?” Bai Xin chattered away while kneading.

Peipei, thoroughly enjoying it, grinned. “Perfect, perfect! I’ll give you a massage later too!”

Ye Zhixia watched Bai Xin, who was beloved wherever she went, and couldn’t help but think of Chu Ning—cold and withdrawn, standing alone, waiting for others to approach her. The contrast made her sigh inwardly.

If only Chu Ning could step out of the shadows of her family’s conflicts, maybe she’d become a little brighter.

There was still some time before filming began. Bai Xin continued massaging Peipei, while Ye Zhixia sat with her legs crossed, scrolling through her phone.

The door creaked open again—this time silently, so none of the three noticed the newcomer.

Xu Miaomiao tiptoed over the threshold. Seeing the trio gathered together, with Bai Xin even giving the makeup artist a massage, her mind immediately raced with suspicions about their relationship.

Ye Zhixia was supposed to be her senior from the same acting school, yet she always took Bai Xin’s side. And Peipei seemed so close to Bai Xin—she’d probably make her look even prettier with makeup!

The more she thought about it, the more she felt like an isolated, pitiable figure. Anger and frustration welled up, and she clenched her fists.

Just then, Ye Zhixia came across an amusing news article and was about to share it with Peipei and Bai Xin when she caught sight of Xu Miaomiao standing motionless at the door, her face dark. Startled, Ye Zhixia’s phone slipped into the gap between the chairs.

Bai Xin, who usually greeted everyone with a smile, now watched Xu Miaomiao with keen interest.

Suddenly, Xu Miaomiao’s expression shifted, her eyes lighting up instantly. “Good afternoon, Xiaxia-jie, Xiao Bai, Peipei.”

Pei Pei noticed that Xu Miaomiao had arrived as well, so she quickly stood up and got to work. She was scheduled to do makeup for Bai Xin and Xu Miaomiao that afternoon, and now that both of them were here, it was time to start.

Everyone settled into their places, and Pei Pei began with Bai Xin’s makeup, which took quite a bit of time.

Ye Zhixia, on the other hand, took matters into her own hands, using an eyebrow pencil to tidy up stray hairs. After all, she was a female general—other details might not matter much, but her eyebrows had to look bold and spirited.

Xu Miaomiao pretended to be occupied with her phone nearby, but out of the corner of her eye, she couldn’t help stealing glances at Bai Xin’s face.

She wasn’t foolish enough to directly tamper with the cosmetics. Instead, she simply added a layer of cheap, counterfeit powder over Bai Xin’s high-end eyeshadow and pressed it firmly into place.

She was gambling—betting that Bai Xin’s eyelids wouldn’t withstand the effects of the low-quality counterfeit product.

After finishing Bai Xin’s makeup, Pei Pei didn’t rest for even a second before immediately turning to work on Xu Miaomiao’s.

Xu Miaomiao was playing a maid, so her makeup naturally wasn’t as elaborate as Bai Xin’s. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she became even more convinced that targeting Bai Xin was the right move.

“Xiao Bai, are you… asleep?” Ye Zhixia, sitting to Bai Xin’s left, asked hesitantly.

Bai Xin turned her face toward her. “No, but why can’t I see clearly out of my left eye? Did my contact lens fall out?”

“…” Ye Zhixia hesitated, unable to find the words.

Bai Xin’s right eye caught Ye Zhixia pursing her lips and frowning at her, so she quickly turned to look in the mirror.

Under the bright lights, the mirror clearly reflected her swollen left eyelid.

“Ah—!”

A scream pierced the air.

The crew setting up outside thought something terrible had happened and rushed frantically into the makeup room.

But upon seeing Bai Xin’s swollen eyelid, someone couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“What are you laughing at?!” Bai Xin glared in the direction of the sound, making her swollen eyelid even more pronounced.

The group at the door immediately struggled to suppress their amusement.

Beside them, Xu Miaomiao lowered her lashes, afraid of revealing the glee in her eyes.

“Hmph!” Bai Xin turned away angrily, crossing her arms and leaning heavily against the back of her chair.

Bai Xin’s assistant arrived late, flustered and unsure what to do.

But Ye Zhixia remained calm. “Go to the pharmacy outside and buy a tube of hydrocortisone butyrate cream.”

Then, turning to Bai Xin, she said, “First, remove your makeup. I’ll go explain the situation to Director Kong and see if we can postpone your scenes.”

Bai Xin nodded in agreement before shooing the crew members out with exaggerated gestures. “Stop gawking! Are you trying to piss me off?”

Though she said she was “pissed,” her tone was still lighthearted. Everyone knew this cheerful presence on set wasn’t actually angry at their reactions, so they left chuckling and returned to work.

When Ye Zhixia returned from securing Bai Xin’s leave, she saw Bai Xin accepting a steaming hot towel from Xu Miaomiao.

“Wait!”

Ye Zhixia stepped forward, snatched the hot towel from Bai Xin’s hands, and said with a smile, “Heat won’t help. You need a cold compress to reduce the swelling quickly.”

Then she took the towel into the restroom.

Bai Xin shrugged apologetically at Xu Miaomiao. “Sorry, Miaomiao. I didn’t mean to reject your kindness.”

For the rest of the afternoon, Bai Xin’s eye didn’t fully recover, forcing the crew to reschedule her scenes for the next day.

Xu Miaomiao stayed on set the entire time, dutifully waiting for her turn.

Her makeup had been for nothing—as the maid to Bai Xin’s character, Miss Yun, most of her scenes were shared with Bai Xin.

But she wasn’t upset. In her mind, Bai Xin’s mishap had delayed the entire crew, and surely the director and others would criticize her for it.

Yet as the crew moved between two different sets, not a single complaint was heard—as if this had been the plan all along.

Resentment simmered in Xu Miaomiao’s heart. She was certain Bai Xin had won everyone over in advance.

In the dressing room, Bai Xin had just applied the ointment when her manager Lisa burst in anxiously, “Xiao Bai, are you okay?”

The assistant wasn’t sure how serious Bai Xin’s red and swollen eyes were, so to be safe, she had notified the manager on her way out to buy medicine.

“It’s nothing serious, just an allergic reaction to some low-quality product,” Bai Xin replied, pressing a pre-prepared ice pack against her eyes.

Lisa eyed her suspiciously, “Are you really fine?”

“Oh, right, there is something I need your help with,” Bai Xin suddenly remembered, putting down the ice pack and rummaging through her small backpack.

A few seconds later, she pulled out an unopened tube of ointment, reached over to grab Lisa’s bag, unzipped it, and tossed the tube inside.

“Take this with you, thanks, Lisa-jie.”

Despite the adjusted filming schedule, the crew was still busy, and it wasn’t until 10 p.m. that they finally wrapped up.

Director Kong Sen stood up from behind the camera and headed straight for the dressing room.

Xu Miaomiao noticed this immediately and realized that Kong Sen must be going to see Bai Xin. What else could it be about? Surely it was to reprimand her. Eager to witness the scene, she quickly followed.

Kong Sen had been walking alone toward the dressing room when he sensed someone trailing him. Turning around, he saw Xu Miaomiao, who had been on set all day without getting any scenes filmed.

His expression was complicated as he asked, “Here to remove your makeup?”

Xu Miaomiao, in high spirits, smiled brightly, “Yeah!”

By then, the dressing room only had Bai Xin, sitting with a face mask on, and her assistant.

Kong Sen knocked before pushing the door open and walked naturally toward Bai Xin. “Bai Xin, are you feeling better?”

Bai Xin peeled off the mask, checked herself in the mirror, then pointed at her eyelids and said to Kong Sen, who had come close, “The left eye was swollen earlier, but it’s fine now, right?”

Kong Sen bent slightly at the knees, leaning back to observe the symmetry of her eyes. “Hmm, looks about the same now.”

“All your scenes for the past two days are packed into tomorrow. Get some rest early and do your best tomorrow.”

After patting her shoulder encouragingly, he turned to leave.

Bai Xin gave a slight bow in farewell.

Xu Miaomiao was stunned—that was it? No stern reprimand?

“Wait!” she blurted out, unable to hold back.

Kong Sen stopped, slightly surprised as he turned to look at her.

Bai Xin and her assistant also glanced at her in confusion.

But the dressing room fell silent as Xu Miaomiao struggled to explain why she had called out to Kong Sen.

His expression shifted from curiosity to mild annoyance. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.”

Hearing this, Xu Miaomiao quickly said, “I’ll come early tomorrow to be on standby. I won’t hold up the schedule.”

Bai Xin’s round eyes widened slightly—Xu Miaomiao really had a way with passive-aggressive remarks.

Kong Sen gave Bai Xin a knowing half-smile before replying in a composed, authoritative tone, “Be more careful tomorrow.”

Then, shaking his head, he walked out of the dressing room.

Only after letting out a long breath did Xu Miaomiao return to her seat and leisurely begin removing her hair accessories.

“Let’s go, A-Qing,” Bai Xin said, tossing the used face mask into the trash. She then waved at Xu Miaomiao, who was still removing her makeup. “Miaomiao, we’re heading out first.”

Xu Miaomiao turned around and forced a smile, saying, “Goodbye, Xiao Bai.”

Unexpectedly, Bai Xin looked at her and, in response, locked the drawer of her vanity.

Xu Miaomiao stiffened at the sight of the gesture.

Bai Xin ignored her reaction and simply walked straight out the door with her assistant in tow.

–

Ye Zhixia’s scenes wrapped up around six o’clock.

After a quick phone call with Chu Ning, she immediately hopped into her car and sped toward the Chu residence.

Passing through the city center, she pulled over to the side of the road, bought a fruit basket, and then stepped into the florist next door.

“One bouquet of carnations, please.”

After a brief pause, she added, “And one bouquet of lilies as well.”

The florist’s face lit up at the mention of “carnations.” She had prepared a bouquet earlier in the day, but the customer canceled at the last minute, leaving her worried the fresh flowers would go to waste.

Hearing that Ye Zhixia also wanted a bouquet of lilies, she quickly said, “The carnations are ready to go, but the lilies will need to be arranged fresh. Would you mind waiting a little while?”

“Of course, I’ll wait. I’d like Madonna lilies, wrapped in wuzhi green, please,” Ye Zhixia replied softly.

After paying, she sat down on a small wicker chair in the shop with a smile.

The florist mentally visualized the color scheme, decided it would work, and got to work.

About ten minutes later, she handed over the carnations and the freshly arranged lilies.

Lilies symbolize devotion, elegance, purity, and happiness, as well as the beauty of womanhood. Held in Ye Zhixia’s hands, they carried a special charm.

After bidding the florist farewell, Ye Zhixia hurried back to her car and continued her drive to the Chu residence.

Old Master Chu knew Ye Zhixia had helped him a great deal, so when Chu Ning suggested inviting her over for dinner that evening, he agreed without hesitation.

At the same time, he also invited a few of his assistants and the head of the security company to join them for the meal.

Once Ye Zhixia was allowed through the gate, she smoothly parked her car in the Chu family’s underground garage.

Chu Ning was already waiting for her by the elevator.

“Quick, Ningning, help me with the flowers!” Ye Zhixia called out, struggling to maneuver with a fruit basket in one hand and two bouquets in the other.

The red-and-white carnations were strikingly vibrant, but Chu Ning couldn’t take her eyes off the lilies.

“They’re so beautiful! Are these for me?” she asked as she took both bouquets.

Ye Zhixia shifted the fruit basket to her now-free left hand and shook out her sore right wrist. “The carnations are to congratulate your grandfather on his discharge from the hospital. The lilies are for you.”

Chu Ning pressed her lips together, her cheeks lifting so much that her under-eye pouches became more pronounced.

“Thank you, Sister Xiaxia!”

Ye Zhixia had initially wanted to say that the lilies reminded her of Chu Ning—pure and elegant—but the words felt too cheesy, so she swallowed them back.

The two chatted and laughed in the elevator, but when the doors opened again, the scene inside gave Ye Zhixia a start.

In the direction of the dining room, several men in sharp suits were seated around the table, deep in conversation.

“Did I come at a bad time?” Ye Zhixia whispered awkwardly to Chu Ning.

Chu Ning quickly shook her head. “Grandfather only kept them here because you said you were coming today. He thought it’d be livelier with more people.”

Relieved, Ye Zhixia relaxed. If she had accidentally walked into a business dinner, she’d have had to fend off endless toasts—what a nightmare that would’ve been!

Chu Ning first instructed Ye Zhixia to place the fruit basket on the living room coffee table, then arranged the carnations beside it before handing the lilies to the newly hired young Filipina maid, Ah Yao, directing her to place the flowers in her bedroom.

Ye Zhixia was ushered to her seat by Chu Ning and settled in beside her.

Lifting her head, Ye Zhixia politely greeted Old Master Chu before sweeping her gaze around the room with a faint smile.

Lowering her head again, she silently mused: So when Xiao Mi said ‘yellow,’ she meant it literally…

The elderly man sitting diagonally across from her, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the portrait, was so yellow that it was as if the words “liver stagnation and qi stagnation” were practically written across his forehead.

Old Master Chu began by introducing Ye Zhixia, gesturing toward her. “This is Ye Zhixia, an actress and Ningning’s good friend.”

A middle-aged executive at the table clapped his hands together, his expression serious. “So you’re Ye Zhixia! No wonder you looked so familiar—my daughter has your posters plastered all over her room.”

Ye Zhixia felt a twinge of awkwardness, knowing most parents didn’t approve of their children idolizing celebrities.

But the man rummaged through his pockets for a moment before pulling out a small notebook and pen. Standing up slightly, he bent forward respectfully and said, “Would you mind signing this? It’ll give me something to placate that little rascal at home.”

The awkward tension dissipated instantly.

Ye Zhixia wasn’t foolish—the daughter might be real, but whether she was actually a fan, let alone a fan of her, was another matter.

Still, when someone offered an olive branch at the dinner table, it was only polite to take it gracefully in front of the host.

With a smile, Ye Zhixia accepted the notebook and pen, signing the stylized autograph her company had designed for her. She even added courteously, “Next time I meet your daughter, I’ll make sure to chat with her properly.”

The man’s eyes crinkled into delighted slits as he happily agreed.

Old Master Chu then introduced the autograph-seeking gentleman first—he was the general manager of a security company.

With a relaxed yet earnest tone, Old Master Chu remarked, “Don’t let Manager Wang’s cheerful demeanor fool you. He’s a true self-made man who clawed his way up from the bottom. Beneath that suit is a body of pure muscle.”

Ye Zhixia bowed slightly. “Pleasure to meet you, Manager Wang.”

Old Master Chu proceeded to introduce everyone present one by one—most were employees from the security company or the headquarters of the Chu Corporation.

After making the rounds, they finally arrived at the old yellow man.

Old Master Chu’s gaze softened, his tone gentler, even carrying a hint of pride. “This is Secretary Jiang, who has been by my side since my youth. Xiao Ye, you can just call him Grandpa Jiang.”

Oh no.

Ye Zhixia’s heart sank.

If she were to claim that this yellow-skinned man was the mole who had been lurking in the Chu family all along, forget convincing Old Master Chu—she’d be lucky if she wasn’t hauled out and thrown onto the street, assuming Old Master Chu even bothered to follow proper procedure.

She maintained her smile. “Pleasure to meet you, Grandpa Jiang.”

Once the introductions were complete, the conversation turned casual.

This was Ye Zhixia’s first time dining at the Chu residence, so she couldn’t help but observe the family’s wealth.

The tableware wasn’t gaudy gold-trimmed porcelain.

The blue-and-white rice bowls each bore lifelike blue koi, while the accompanying sauce dishes featured delicate branches and blossoms along the rims, with three swallows artfully scattered in the negative space.

Every piece was subtly marked with a stylized variation of the character “Chu”—clearly a custom-made family crest.

The dishes were served one after another: crystal pork trotters, lion’s head meatballs with crab roe, white-jade shrimp, Wensi tofu…

Ten meat dishes, seven vegetarian dishes, three soups, eight cold appetizers, and twelve hot dishes—each a labor-intensive Huaiyang cuisine masterpiece requiring meticulous preparation.

When the final showstopper dish was presented, Head Chef Shi came forward to introduce each course to the seated guests, concluding with, “Please enjoy your meal at leisure.”

Only after seeing Old Master Chu nod in satisfaction did Chef Shi withdraw.

While marveling at the spread, Ye Zhixia pondered how to alert Old Master Chu about the ticking time bomb by his side.

Cadmium poisoning required long-term, low-dose exposure—something only a trusted confidant like Secretary Jiang could orchestrate.

During the banquet, to bolster Chu Ning’s standing, Ye Zhixia shared a few polite toasts with the guests.

After the feast concluded, while Chu Ning saw the other guests out, Secretary Jiang remained behind, sitting on the sofa with Old Master Chu and Ye Zhixia to watch television.

“Don’t worry, Xiaoye. Secretary Jiang is family—you can speak freely,” Old Master Chu said kindly, patting Secretary Jiang’s shoulder.

An idea struck Ye Zhixia. Since directly warning Old Master Chu wasn’t feasible now, perhaps she could subtly caution Secretary Jiang instead.

“Can we let Secretary Jiang know about the cadmium issue?” Ye Zhixia probed.

Secretary Jiang’s face registered surprise. “What hiccup?”

Old Master Chu’s expression turned grave. “I haven’t discussed this with Lao Jiang yet.”

He then turned to Secretary Jiang. “It’s time you knew. Help me brainstorm solutions.”

After briefly explaining the situation, Ye Zhixia seized the moment to propose her idea: “Since Yihe Hospital failed to detect something this serious, perhaps you should switch to First Affiliated Hospital for future checkups.”

Secretary Jiang objected hastily, “We’ve collaborated with Yihe for years. There might just be an oversight somewhere. We should clarify the matter and have them investigate where things went wrong.”

“Public hospitals like First Affiliated can’t possibly protect Mr. Chu’s privacy.”

Ye Zhixia remained silent, patiently watching Old Master Chu for his decision.

Old Master Chu raised a hand for silence. “During my treatment at First Affiliated, no information leaked. That speaks well for their patient confidentiality.”

“As for Yihe, their medical competence is questionable—they nearly cost me my life. From now on, we’ll follow Xiaoye’s advice and go to First Affiliated if needed.”

Secretary Jiang seemed about to protest but held back. Noticing this, Ye Zhixia adopted an indignant tone: “Poisoning is a serious crime. Grandpa Chu, do you want to involve the police, or wait to catch the culprit red-handed next time they strike?”

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Old Master Chu’s eyes. “Let’s not alert the police yet. I have my own plans.”

Ye Zhixia barely suppressed an eye roll. No matter how meticulous Old Master Chu’s plans were, they’d inevitably be entrusted to Secretary Jiang—equivalent to posting them on the company’s front gate.

“For safety’s sake, Grandpa Chu, you should still get regular hospital checkups. After all, your previous treatment requires follow-ups too,” Ye Zhixia said, ostensibly advising Old Master Chu while actually warning Secretary Jiang against further attempts.

“Don’t worry, Sister Xiaxia. I’ve already made arrangements with Dr. Li,” Chu Ning chimed in as she hurried back from seeing off the guests, catching the tail end of Ye Zhixia’s suggestion about regular checkups.

“Grandpa’s condition is rare. Dr. Li said he needs to write a case report, though I’m not sure what that means.”

Ye Zhixia waved Chu Ning over, gesturing for her to sit beside her on the two-seater sofa while explaining, “It’s a medical case report. Particularly unusual cases can be published as research papers.”

Chu Ning settled next to Ye Zhixia, glancing at her grandfather and Secretary Jiang before asking coyly, “Grandpa, you won’t blame me for acting on my own, will you?”

With a stern expression, the old man replied, “Ningning, you’ve grown up. I’m overjoyed that you’re helping me plan my health regimen!”

Out of the corner of her eye, Ye Zhixia observed Secretary Jiang. Though he maintained a faint, amiable smile, the tension in his facial muscles betrayed him.

After chatting for over half an hour, Chu Ning suggested having the driver take Ye Zhixia back to the film set.

This time, Ye Zhixia had actually drunk some wine, so she had no choice but to comply—even though she had plenty of tricks to sober up quickly.

During the ride, the two chatted about everything under the sun, carefully avoiding any mention of the Chu family’s affairs.

Chu Ning understood that Ye Zhixia was wary of the driver, but she didn’t mind indulging in light conversation.

From poetry and calligraphy to Western philosophy, from films and TV to music and songs, Chu Ning, who had always been reluctant to engage with others, was remarkably well-versed in it all.

“Ningning, what kind of music do you like?” Ye Zhixia asked, propping her head up as she turned slightly toward her.

“Me?” Chu Ning pointed a slender finger at her own nose. “I like a bit of everything—Chinese classical, European classical, pop, R&B… Oh, and I really love your song Starlight Carnival.”

It was a sweet, cheerful tune. Remembering its melody and lyrics, Ye Zhixia couldn’t help but smile.

The driver, ever attentive, quickly turned on the car’s sound system, and Starlight Carnival began to play.

A delicate, bashful smile bloomed on Chu Ning’s face, as elegant as a lily.

When the car stopped by a small path behind the hotel, Chu Ning and Ye Zhixia stepped out and stood beneath a streetlamp while the driver waited inside.

The soft, amber light formed a conical glow around them, casting the two in a scene reminiscent of an old, weathered photograph.

Though the driver was still nearby, Ye Zhixia leaned in close to Chu Ning’s ear and whispered, so quietly it was almost inaudible, “Ningning, Secretary Jiang is the one poisoning your grandfather.”

A flicker of shock crossed Chu Ning’s face, but she quickly composed herself, her lips curving into a faint smile.

“Got it. I’ll be careful,” she replied.

Ye Zhixia then raised her voice slightly, adding for the driver’s benefit, “Don’t let Grandpa worry, understand?”

Chu Ning played along, nodding. “Mm, I won’t tell him.”

After a pause, she added, “Anyway, my leg is fine now.”

While they were exchanging serious matters below, someone on the hotel balcony above was practically dancing with excitement—especially when Ye Zhixia leaned in to whisper in Chu Ning’s ear. The observer rushed back inside, only to return clutching a guitar.

Just as Chu Ning turned to say goodbye and reached for the car door, the opening chords of a song in G major drifted down from above, accompanied by a rich, magnetic voice.

“It’s late in the evening, she’s wondering what clothes to wear, she puts on her make-up, and brushes her long blonde hair, and then she asks me: Do I look all right, and I say: Yes, you look wonderful tonight…”[1]

Ye Zhixia and Chu Ning both looked up toward the source of the voice. Bai Xin, dressed in pajamas, cradled a guitar while singing with deep emotion.

Chu Ning paused by the car, listening quietly.

“I feel wonderful because I see the love lights in your eyes, and the wonder of it all is that you just don’t realize how much I love you.”

Suddenly, a light flicked on in a nearby room, followed by an angry shout: “Who the hell is singing this late at night? Let people sleep, will you!”

The sound of a balcony door being shoved open followed.

Chu Ning snapped out of her daze and quickly ducked into the car.

Ye Zhixia also hurriedly stepped away from the lamplight.

Bai Xin outright bolted back into the house.

On the ride back, Chu Ning kept her head down, scrolling through her phone, afraid the driver might catch her blissful smile in the rearview mirror.

“Bai Xin… isn’t so bad after all,” she murmured under her breath.

–

Two days later, just as Tianxing Entertainment finalized the paperwork to announce Chu Xiao’s resignation, financial magazines were already buzzing with headlines: “Chu Group’s Eldest Son, Chu Xiao, Victimized, Vows to Challenge the Internet Industry.”

In the video news, a swarm of reporters with microphones crowded the entrance of Chu Group, ambushing the patriarch the moment he stepped out of his car.

—”Rumors suggest Chu Group employed illegal measures to detain and assault the newly appointed CEO of Qinbao Company. Can you confirm?”

—”Mr. Chu! Mr. Chu! The dismissal of Chu Tianheng and Chu Xiao, two pillars of the company—was this due to factional infighting? Will this demoralize long-time employees?”

—”Mr. Chu, with Chu Group’s stocks plummeting today, do you have any message for the shareholders?”

…

The old man remained silent, striding straight into the building, leaving the reporters to spin their damaging narratives on camera.

On set, Ye Zhixia glanced at his phone and couldn’t help but smile. “From a shadow war to an open business battle—now I can strike in broad daylight.”