Backstage in the dressing room, Qin Ran stared at the hand cream Yu Shuman had just handed her.
If there were no mistakes, this was likely the very hand cream she had asked Sister Li to purchase, with the cost discreetly billed to her.
Yu Shuman, while pressing the tube into Qin Ran's hands, insisted, "Junior, you need to take better care of your hands. I noticed back when you were in your first year of high school during winter break that your hands get chilblains every winter. I saw the signs of them coming back over New Year's. It's not just about appearance—chapped skin is painful."
Worried that Qin Ran might not accept the cream, Yu Shuman took matters into her own hands, unscrewing the cap and squeezing out a small amount to demonstrate how to use it. "See, this cream is lightly scented, not overpowering. It's very moisturizing without being greasy. You should apply a little after every time you wash your hands."
Yu Shuman's hands had been somewhat rough before, but after being dragged by Sister Li to multiple hand care sessions at the beauty salon, they had become much smoother. Initially, Yu Shuman had resisted, thinking the treatments were too expensive, but Sister Li had coldly pointed out, "Your hands are too rough for close-ups. Do you know how much a good pair of hands can add to an actress's appeal? You have a good hand shape, long and slender fingers. If you don't take care of them now, what will you do if you need a close-up? If a role requires rough hands, you can make them rough again, but you won't be able to restore them if you don't maintain them now."
For the sake of her career, Yu Shuman had obediently undergone several hand care treatments.
Now, her hands were soft and smooth, gliding over Qin Ran's slightly rough ones, causing Qin Ran's ears to turn red.
Even though Qin Ran had plenty of money now, she had grown up quite poor, working part-time jobs since middle school, which had made her hands rough. Now that she had money, she still avoided hand care out of laziness.
She preferred to spend her time at home fighting through the levels of that damn soul game. The so-called game of the year had kept her stuck for ages. Part of it was due to her busy schedule, and when she had free time, she'd rather look at her senior's photos and contribute to her fan club.
While Qin Ran blushed from Yu Shuman's hand rubbing, Xiao An, standing nearby, nearly had a heart attack watching the hand cream being used. She wasn't sure if Qin Ran's chilblains hurt during winter, but she knew her own heart was in pain.
Despite her inner turmoil, Xiao An didn't show it. When Yu Shuman explained, "This is Xiao An's treasured hand cream. It's not expensive, and Sister Li already took care of the bill. We had to remove the packaging to avoid any misunderstandings about product placement, but it's not some cheap, unknown brand, so you can use it without worry," Xiao An cheerfully added, "Yes, it's very cost-effective. Use it freely, and if you run out, I have more."
After all, it wasn't her money being spent, so why should she be stingy?
Unbeknownst to her, this one sentence significantly boosted her standing in Qin Ran's eyes. Qin Ran noticed Xiao An's pained expression but appreciated that she hid her feelings well, was loyal to Yu Shuman, and never tattled to Sister Li or others. As long as she continued to do these things, she'd remain secure in her position as Yu Shuman's assistant.
In the end, Qin Ran accepted the hand cream from Yu Shuman, but she didn't stay long since Yu Shuman had other events to attend.
As Sister Li was about to leave for the office, she offered Qin Ran a ride. Yu Shuman waved goodbye to Qin Ran and headed off with Xiao An.
This time, the offer of a ride wasn't just a gesture—Qin Ran was actually planning to go to the office. Sitting in the passenger seat of Sister Li's car, Qin Ran noticed that their conversation seemed to have an underlying message. Finally, Qin Ran cut to the chase, "If you have something to say, just say it."
Sister Li smiled. They were approaching a red light, and as she slowed the car to a stop, she took the opportunity to adjust the rearview mirror slightly.
She didn't want to miss a single expression on Qin Ran's face.
Once everything was set, Sister Li asked, "Boss, can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
Outside, pedestrians hurried across the crosswalk, and the sound of tires on pavement filled the air as Sister Li's voice reached Qin Ran's ears, "Boss, do you like Yu Shuman?"
Qin Ran's first instinct was to deny it. She was very concerned about anyone discovering her feelings. If others could tell so easily, surely Yu Shuman would figure it out too.
But then she realized that the only reason Sister Li knew was that she understood that Qin Ran was the boss of Jiushijiu Entertainment. Many of the things Qin Ran did went through Sister Li's hands.
And Sister Li was a seasoned professional, so it wasn't surprising that she could pick up on this. But for anyone else, recognizing Qin Ran's hidden feelings would be much more challenging. With that in mind, Qin Ran stayed silent for a moment before giving a straightforward answer, "Yes."
Sister Li hadn't expected Qin Ran to admit it so easily. Surprised, she glanced over at Qin Ran, but the light turned green, forcing her to focus on driving as she pressed the gas pedal.
Once the traffic calmed down, Sister Li chuckled, "Boss, you admitted that pretty quickly, huh?"
If anyone else had asked—especially if Yu Shuman had—Qin Ran would never have confessed. But since it was Sister Li, she didn't mind. Qin Ran even found it amusing, replying, "You'll keep it a secret, won't you?"
Sister Li rubbed her nose, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "Of course. I wouldn't tell anyone else."
After all, revealing such a secret would cost her this job. But not getting the reaction she expected left Sister Li a bit disappointed.
The car continued its steady journey until they reached the high-end office building where Jiushijiu Entertainment was located. This building was among the best, with rental fees calculated per square meter per day.
Jiushijiu Entertainment had secured two full floors at a rate of 20 yuan per square meter per day. With each floor covering 1,000 square meters, the monthly rent alone came to a million yuan. And with the building's policy of requiring a deposit and three months' rent upfront, Qin Ran, not wanting the hassle, had paid for an entire year in advance.
This was prime real estate in the capital, so while the cost was high, it was justified. Buying the building outright would require billions.
As they arrived at the parking garage beneath the building, Sister Li parked in a spot on the second underground level. Parking spaces were scarce, and hers was in a corner, but Sister Li didn't mind. In the capital, having any parking space at all was a luxury. Qin Ran, however, grumbled, "One day, I'll build my own building." Sister Li didn't take her seriously, knowing that constructing a building in the capital required more than just money—you needed land.
"Boss, you should buy one first. Building one from scratch is too expensive."
Sister Li got out of the car and closed the door, joining Qin Ran as they headed to the elevator. Jiushijiu Entertainment hadn't been established long, and most of the prime floors in the building were already rented out. It was only through sheer luck that they managed to secure two consecutive floors; otherwise, they might have ended up with two floors separated by ten or more levels.
Sister Li and Qin Ran didn't stop on the first floor but went straight to the second. This floor housed the executive offices, HR, and meeting rooms. Despite the spaciousness, the workspace didn't feel cramped like other companies where desks were packed together. The ample space was a luxury, given the prime location.
The location was also convenient, with a large shopping district and subway nearby, just a five-minute walk away. The only downside was that ordinary employees couldn't afford to buy or rent housing nearby due to the exorbitant prices. For celebrities, it was also inconvenient as the building wasn't exclusively theirs, so they had to worry about being recognized in the lobby or elevators.
Considering all this, Qin Ran was more serious about the idea of buying a building.
Otherwise, how could Jiushijiu Entertainment maintain its reputation as a wealthy company?
Today, Qin Ran was here partly to discuss purchasing a building. Assistant Wu and the CEO were both present and exchanged glances when Qin Ran mentioned it. Assistant Wu cautiously inquired about the budget, knowing that in the capital, buildings were like golden geese, and owners were reluctant to sell.
Of course, if you could offer an irresistible price, a deal might still be possible.
Qin Ran smiled at the question about the budget, "No need to worry about that. Anything under five billion yuan, you can handle it." She had done her research on property prices and knew that the current building they were in would likely cost over ten billion to buy outright, given its prime location. However, there were plenty of other buildings available for under five billion.
Assistant Wu adjusted her glasses and exchanged a look with the CEO before nodding. "I'll discuss it with Mr. Li and find a building that meets your expectations."
She had been Qin Ran's assistant for three years, initially managing other tasks as well, but now she was solely dedicated to Qin Ran. She knew Qin Ran was wealthy, but even she was surprised at just how deep those pockets were.
Given how much Qin Ran had already invested in Jiushijiu Entertainment, how could she still have five billion in liquid assets? And knowing Qin Ran, she wasn't planning to take out a loan for the purchase. She'd want to pay the full amount upfront. Assistant Wu was confident that sellers desperate for cash would be eager to do business with someone like Qin Ran.
After that topic was settled, Qin Ran mentioned her main reason for the visit, "By the way, get Sister Li up here as well. I asked her to find some scripts, and I want to review them."
Assistant Wu and the CEO exchanged puzzled looks: Did they really need to be there for the script review?