"Little Ancestor, are you up yet?"
Summer Zhu, who had been restless and nearly sleepless all night, mumbled in a hoarse voice, "Just got up."
Manager: "Get ready. I'll come pick you up soon."
"Mm?" Summer Zhu was a bit confused. "What's going on?"
Manager: "Our old class monitor from high school is turning 28 today. He called me early this morning to invite you and specifically asked me to let you know, as a big star, that you must come if you're free."
Summer Zhu pouted. "I thought it was something important... but it's been years since we last contacted each other. I don't want to go. Besides, if I get photographed in an unflattering way, it'll cause trouble."
Manager clicked his tongue. "Silly girl, just listen. The old class monitor said we'll go to Yunhu Villa in the afternoon and then to Chen Qiang's snack bar for dinner. Chen Qiang, remember? The one who was so poor that he couldn't afford a warm coat or a pair of sneakers for three years. He opened a snack bar a few years ago. The monitor wants us to support his business."
"So?" Summer Zhu was still puzzled. It seemed unrelated to her, and she didn't see the necessity to go.
"Don't you get it? It's a great opportunity. Imagine if it gets exposed that a big star like you, who is usually aloof, goes to a snack bar to support your struggling classmate. It could boost your public image."
Summer Zhu suddenly understood. "To offset my recent negative news and build some goodwill?"
"Exactly!" The manager said proudly. "Hurry up and get ready. I'll be there soon."
Summer Zhu perked up and began to do her makeup after hanging up the phone.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
Gao Ning entered and saw Summer Zhu applying makeup. "Are you going out?"
Summer Zhu smiled. "Class reunion, just going to have some fun."
Gao Ning was taken aback and frowned. "When will you be back?"
"Probably late..." Summer Zhu said. "I have another dinner appointment tonight."
"My mom... also made dinner plans for us tonight."
Summer Zhu paused her lipstick application and turned to Gao Ning, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Ning Ge, can we reschedule? I'm not just going for the reunion, but also for work, so I have to go."
"But..." Gao Ning was displeased but didn't reveal his true intentions for the dinner. "Alright, we can reschedule."
After leaving the room, he called his mother. "Mom, is tonight's plan settled?"
His mother, with a confident tone, replied, "Don't worry. I've already put pressure on Qingya Media. Just wait for them to beg you tonight!"
After ending the call, Gao Ning showed a sinister smile and muttered, "Zhao Yanan, Chu Yuxuan, tonight I'll make you two know the consequences of offending me!"
Meanwhile, High Mother had just put down the phone when Gao Zhensheng asked, "What are you and your son plotting now?"
High Mother huffed and said, "Qingya Media is making things difficult for your son. Aren't you going to do anything about it?"
Gao Zhensheng, who had been busy until the early hours of the morning and had not yet returned his son's call, was unaware of the situation and asked, "Difficult for Ning'er? Who is it? Zhao Yanan?"
High Mother said, "Not just her, but also the new boss of Qingya Media, Chu Yuxuan."
"Chu?" Gao Zhensheng's eyes widened at the name.
High Mother sneered. "What's there to be nervous about? Don't worry, I've checked. He's just a small-time guy who runs a ride-hailing service. Among the younger generation of the Chu family, there's only Chu Haoran, the eldest grandson of Old Master Chu. I've never heard of Chu Yuxuan."
In Jiangcheng, the Chu family is like a giant tree. While the surrounding flowers and plants can't compare, it's clear how many fruits it bears from constant observation.
Gao Zhensheng pondered for a moment and said, "Check again, and make sure you understand clearly. In Jiangcheng, it's best not to provoke anyone with the surname Chu."
High Mother didn't take it seriously. "My surname is Li. Does that mean Li Ka-shing is my father? Gao Qiu is your ancestor? Honestly, you're becoming more timid as you age!"
Gao Zhensheng wanted to argue but received a call and left in a hurry, leaving the matter behind.
...
An hour earlier, Qingya Media was already in chaos.
"President Zhao, the three ads we discussed the other day— the client just called to say they want to pause the cooperation and reconsider..."
"President Zhao, the reality show we agreed on last month— the production team just called to terminate the cooperation..."
"President Zhao, I turned down two other similar deals for this ad. Now that it's fallen through, shouldn't you explain?"
"Yes, President Zhao. I've already announced the reality show on my personal account. Now they're saying they want to end the cooperation? What's going on?"
In the president's office, several department heads and affected artists were arguing around the desk, leaving Zhao Yanan feeling overwhelmed.
"President Zhao, I think someone is sabotaging us from behind!" The head of the market promotion department said thoughtfully. "Could it be that Mr. Gao from yesterday? Otherwise, we should let President Chu handle it!"
Zhao Yanan had already suspected Gao Ning; no one else would be this petty.
"Everyone, please leave. I'll handle this," Zhao Yanan said, rubbing her temples. Once everyone left, she began calling the relevant parties.
However, most of them were evasive and hung up quickly once they knew it was her.
Finally, she called the reality show's director.
"Director Song, what's going on? We had a deal, and now you're terminating it? Can you explain?"
Director Song, who had some past dealings with the Zhao family and was usually polite, said with a smile, "President Zhao, you're a smart person, so I won't beat around the bush. It's all about personal connections. I'm in a difficult position... How about this: let's have dinner at Ziyang Tower at eight tonight. Someone wants to meet you... Oh, and bring your President Chu along."
Zhao Yanan felt helpless. It seemed that Director Song was not one to uphold old friendships.
"Is it the Gao family?" she asked coldly.
"Ha, yes," Director Song replied with a smile. "President Zhao, let me advise you. We're all in the same circle. I won't elaborate on the Gao family's status. It's better to resolve conflicts than to create them. Lower your head; it's not hard."
After ending the call, Zhao Yanan took a deep breath, thought for a moment, and called Chu Yuxuan.
"The Gao family is causing trouble."
Chu Yuxuan on the other end asked playfully, "Is it for you or for me?"
Zhao Yanan replied coldly, "You're the spark."
Chu Yuxuan was silent for a moment and then said, "Beg me."
Zhao Yanan hung up the call, thought for a moment, and then sent Chu Yuxuan a message: "Eight o'clock, Ziyang Tower."
Soon, Chu Yuxuan replied with the same two words: "Beg me."
Zhao Yanan rubbed her temples and repeated in her mind, "Don't be angry, don't be angry..."
But she couldn't maintain her composure. Her slender fingers typed out two angry sentences and sent them to Chu Yuxuan: "Despicable, shameless scoundrel! Go to hell!"
Chu Yuxuan: "Heard it before, not satisfying."
Zhao Yanan: !!!
She had never encountered such shamelessness before!
This man was unreliable. The icy beauty angrily left WeChat and found Chu Zhiqing's phone number in her contacts.
However, after hesitating for a while, she didn't make the call.
The Zhao family had already caused Chu Zhiqing a lot of trouble. Not to mention safeguarding Qingya Media, on the wedding day, Old Master Chu didn't even show up but had the butler warn Chu Yuxuan, clearly showing his disdain for her. The pressure on Chu Zhiqing could be imagined.
Facing these difficulties, she found it hard to face Chu Zhiqing directly.
In the end, the beautiful president decided to go to the meeting alone.
If it was just about admitting a mistake, she would do it.
But if the Gao family had more overbearing intentions, she could still reach out to Chu Zhiqing later.