After wrapping up filming, Yu Shuman took a day off before boarding a flight back to the capital with Qin Ran the next day. While waiting in the airport lounge, Yu Shuman couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Ran, don't you have classes today?"
Qin Ran looked away guiltily, and Yu Shuman immediately knew that Qin Ran had skipped class again. Yu Shuman wanted to say something, but Qin Ran quickly covered her ears, putting on an "I'm not listening" expression, which left Yu Shuman exasperated. She raised her foot and lightly kicked Qin Ran's calf.
Yu Shuman didn't use much force, so instead of feeling pain, Qin Ran felt a tickling sensation. She smiled at Yu Shuman and softly promised, "But it's because you wrapped up filming, so of course, I wanted to be with you. And I didn't take that many days off. I had classes two days ago before flying over, so I only took yesterday and today off. I promise I won't skip too many classes."
After that, the two nestled together, whispering secrets to each other.
The female bodyguard sitting nearby had good hearing and couldn't help but overhear their private conversation. She wished she hadn't heard anything because they really sounded like kids in a puppy love phase, discussing things with no substance. Qin Ran's "secrets" were more like a daily diary, recounting everything she did.
Yu Shuman wasn't much different, sharing trivial things that weren't interesting at all. But the two of them seemed to enjoy their chat, occasionally gossiping about celebrities in the entertainment industry. Qin Ran even secretly told Yu Shuman that Zeng Qian had a boyfriend, and it was trending recently.
Yu Shuman told her not to be so nosy and whispered to Qin Ran that Zeng Qian wasn't really in a relationship. It was just a publicity stunt arranged by the company. Zeng Qian actually found the guy quite annoying and would sometimes call Yu Shuman to complain about him.
Zeng Qian, whose role in the drama was shorter than Yu Shuman's, had left the set about a month and a half earlier. Having been out of the spotlight for several months, Zeng Qian needed to regain public attention through the company's arrangement by creating a fake romance with a popular male star, planning a dramatic twist later on.
For example, they might get caught "dating" by the paparazzi, which was actually a group outing but made to look like a romantic date through selective shots. This simple trick was effective and commonly used in the industry.
However, the male star Zeng Qian was paired with seemed rather bothersome, calling her in private, which annoyed her to no end. She would complain about him to Yu Shuman. Yu Shuman hadn't appeared in public for a while either, and faking a romance would have been a great publicity move, but her boss wouldn't agree to it.
Yu Shuman could already imagine Qin Ran saying, "If you're going to fake a romance, it might as well be with me! It would generate even more buzz!"
Besides, Yu Shuman didn't need such tricks. Unlike other stars who might fade out of the entertainment scene without constant exposure, leading to no movie roles or endorsements, Yu Shuman had countless brands seeking her collaboration even when she had zero fame.
This applied to all artists under 99 Entertainment. The company encouraged its artists to focus on learning and immerse themselves in filming. Even if it took one or two years to perfect their craft, the company supported them as long as they were doing the right things. The artists didn't need to worry about missing out on opportunities or income because 99 Entertainment was their biggest support.
99 Entertainment had only a few artists, maintaining a "small yet refined" status. As the company's reputation grew, more artists sought to join, but 99 Entertainment continued to carefully select those with the right talent and moral character.
Zeng Qian once expressed her admiration for 99 Entertainment's approach. She genuinely respected them, especially after returning to her own company and facing the need to create fake scandals to stay relevant. She envied 99 Entertainment even more. But she was deeply bound to her current agency, unable to switch as she pleased, and could only voice her feelings to Yu Shuman in private.
As Yu Shuman explained Zeng Qian's situation, she also mentioned that Zeng Qian wanted to treat Qin Ran to a meal. Now that Yu Shuman had finished filming, she had some free time. If Qin Ran was available, they should schedule this meal that Zeng Qian had been looking forward to. Qin Ran reluctantly agreed. In truth, she wasn't keen on going, but Zeng Qian, who constantly called Yu Shuman "Sister Man," posed too big a threat. Qin Ran needed a way to eliminate this potential problem.
Hearing that Zeng Qian was yearning for 99 Entertainment, Qin Ran's clever mind quickly identified the key to the issue.
If she couldn't control Zeng Qian, why not bring her under 99 Entertainment's wing? That way, she'd be under Qin Ran's control, and Qin Ran could manipulate her however she wanted! She could arrange their schedules so they never crossed paths. If Yu Shuman was in the south, Zeng Qian would be sent to the north, making sure they never met. That would stop Zeng Qian from clinging to Yu Shuman!
— I'm a genius!
Qin Ran marveled at her own brilliance. By bringing Zeng Qian into 99 Entertainment, she could ensure that Yu Shuman and Zeng Qian would be worlds apart. She forgot, though, that even though Rong Hua was an artist under her company, it hadn't stopped fans from shipping Yu Shuman and Rong Hua together.
But if Zeng Qian found out about this, she would surely be overjoyed.
As they were enjoying their conversation, Yu Shuman suddenly paused. Qin Ran instinctively asked, "What's wrong?"
Yu Shuman's expression became complex, showing a mix of curiosity and disdain. She whispered to Qin Ran, "Look over there." Qin Ran followed Yu Shuman's gaze and saw a couple. The man was tall and had long legs, while the woman was petite and cute. They were quite a fitting pair. Both were attractive, especially the man, who had an uncommon air of seriousness and discipline.
There was something about him that reminded her of someone in the military.
Qin Ran was stunned, not because the man was handsome, but because he resembled Ling Miaohan. Especially when the girl next to him said something that made her laugh, the man's expression, trying not to smile while pressing his lips together, made him look about 70 to 80 percent like Ling Miaohan.
Qin Ran had already guessed the man's identity. Yu Shuman's reaction was likely because she found the man too similar to Ling Miaohan. Since Ling Miaohan had bought black PR against both Yu Shuman and 99 Entertainment, Yu Shuman had grown to dislike her.
Yu Shuman wasn't a petty person. If Ling Miaohan had only targeted her, it would be one thing, but trying to undermine Qin Ran's company was unacceptable. After everyone left the group, Yu Shuman had no goodwill left for Ling Miaohan.
Yu Shuman even thought to herself that no wonder Qin Ran didn't like her from the beginning; everything happened for a reason.
Yu Shuman was someone who loved and hated distinctly, and she would extend her love or hate to anything related. She disliked Ling Miaohan, so she naturally felt averse to anyone who resembled her. Though she was a celebrity, Yu Shuman was too straightforward to hide her feelings, which Qin Ran found endearing.
But Qin Ran didn't want their time together to be ruined by some random person. "He just looks a bit similar; let's not bother with him."
Yu Shuman nodded. If Qin Ran hadn't asked, she wouldn't have said anything. Now, she quickly dropped the subject and started planning dinner with Qin Ran.
However, it seemed like bad luck that they ended up on the same flight in the business class. The business class wasn't big, with only a few seats, making it hard to avoid each other. Qin Ran had no intention of provoking the man, but he seemed to notice her.
Qin Ran guessed that her face was probably on the Ling family's wanted list. As the second son of the Ling family, he must have seen her picture. When he saw Qin Ran, he visibly hesitated, which made the girl beside him realize something was off. She asked him something, and he shook his head, reassuring her before taking their seats without looking at Qin Ran again.
His reaction piqued Qin Ran's curiosity. She thought his response wasn't what she expected. The three brothers of the Ling family were extreme sis-cons. When they saw someone who had once bullied their beloved sister, shouldn't they come straight at them?
Especially since the second brother was known for his fiery temper. Qin Ran vividly remembered an incident in the novel where the second brother, who had spent a long time in the military, went home on leave and found out that a boy at his sister's school was bullying her. Unable to hold back, he beat the boy up.
Because of this, he couldn't continue his military career and had to retire. During his time away, he met his true love — a talented girl studying art, two years his junior.
Qin Ran remembered this incident clearly because the second brother thought his sister was being bullied when in fact, the boy was trying to woo Ling Miaohan. But because he was a playboy who didn't know how to handle true love, he resorted to childish tactics like pulling her hair or poking her with a pen, which got him beaten into the hospital.
After the beating, Ling Miaohan felt guilty for him, visiting him frequently in the hospital and even developing an interest in studying Chinese medicine.
In short, the second brother's actions seemed futile. He stood up for his sister but ended up being forced out of the military, while his sister felt sorry for the guy he beat up. In the novel, when the second brother returned, he continued to pamper Ling Miaohan as always. But Qin Ran wondered if he ever regretted it.
After all, without Ling Miaohan's tears and exaggeration, the second brother might not have been so impulsive.
The novel didn't give Qin Ran an answer to this question, but perhaps reality could.
Qin Ran: If I can't get rid of Zeng Qian, I'll just recruit her.
Zeng Qian: Woke up and found out I got into 99 Entertainment. Yay!