When Quan Jiu returned home, the table was already laden with a sumptuous feast.
Chu Rong, dressed in casual wear, was working in the living room. Upon seeing her, he smiled faintly and got up to serve her food.
Quan Jiu washed her hands and changed into pajamas, then sat down at the dining table. Only after Chu Rong sat down did she ask, "How much were you involved in the matter concerning Quan Xingfa's family?"
"I acquired Xingfa Building Materials Factory. It's currently undergoing renovations and will be operational next month. I am the legal representative, and I've opened an account for you. All income from the building materials factory will belong to you."
Quan Jiu frowned slightly. "I don't need these."
"Did he come to trouble you?" Chu Rong's tone deepened.
Quan Jiu paused for a moment. "No." She knew he wouldn't be bothering her anymore.
After dinner, Quan Jiu returned to her room. However, just before closing the door, she suddenly remembered something and said, "I promised Mom and Dad that I'd visit Grandpa this weekend. I'll go straight to Grandpa's house after work tomorrow."
Chu Rong couldn't help but smile. "I'll go back with you."
"I'm driving myself. If you want to go back, that's your business." Quan Jiu ignored him and closed the door, entering her room.
After washing up and getting into bed, everything was settled by nine o'clock.
Quan Jiu snuggled under the covers, thought for a while, and then opened her chat history with Gu Si.
"What are you doing?"
Gu Si replied almost instantly, "Just chilling. You?"
After their last meeting, he had spent a long time reflecting. The more he thought about it, the more he felt his actions had been too impulsive. He wasn't that kind of person, so why had he...
But once words were spoken, they couldn't be taken back. After that, Gu Si inexplicably developed a phone addiction, doing nothing with his phone but feeling restless without it.
It was only now that he finally felt... liberated, refreshed, joyful, and delighted.
He dismissed Su Bin, who was reporting his work, and began to ponder the message he had just sent.
*Chilling. You? Isn't that a bit too silly? Feels a bit too official? Seems a bit robotic? Does it sound boring?...*
"I haven't had any creative inspiration lately. I'm planning to watch a movie. Any recommendations?"
Gu Si leaped up from the sofa and quickly opened the search interface, typing "best movies." He then asked Quan Jiu, "What genre do you like?"
Thus, they chatted about movies, then moved on to TV series. Back and forth, they talked for nearly half an hour. Finally, Quan Jiu ended the conversation proactively, "I'm going to watch a movie. Talk to you later."
After putting down her phone, she fell into thought.
Regarding Quan Xingfa's family, if they had indeed been set up, she could only think of two people: Chu Rong and Gu Si. Since Chu Rong had already admitted he wasn't involved, Gu Si became her suspect. The reason was simple: the information about her grandmother's inheritance was leaked to her by Gu Si. This meant Gu Si had at least had contact with Quan Xingfa's family.
But as for the reason, Quan Jiu didn't want to overthink it, nor did she want to assume the worst of people. After all, during the time she had deliberately approached Gu Si, she hadn't sensed any malice from him.
Perhaps, it would take more time for him to reveal his true intentions.
As Quan Jiu pondered, she pulled up an old movie and started watching. Not even a few minutes later, there was a knock on her door.
She hesitated for a moment before getting up to open it.
There was still a glass of milk by the door. She hadn't drunk it for the first two days, but Chu Rong had been consistent. Later, thinking it would be a waste, she resigned herself to accepting the milk.
Quan Jiu picked up the glass and took a sip, realizing it was yogurt, peach-flavored at that.
*Delicious.* she thought to herself, then sat back on the bed to continue watching the movie.
...
Friday finally arrived. The members of the "Historical Narratives" program team were gathered in the program hall, awaiting the arrival of seven o'clock.
The chief director, Chen Fei, appeared calm, but his heart was pounding. The day's ratings would determine whether "Historical Narratives" would be completely shut down.
The general coordinator, Li Dong, sat beside him, his words laced with sarcasm and a sense of resignation.
"Director Chen, it's been a pleasure working with you over the years. Although 'Historical Narratives' has reached its end, your consistent adherence to your principles is truly admirable. I hope you'll continue to stay true to yourself. If you go with the trends and the times, then you're not Chen Fei, and you'll have wasted the ten years of history 'Historical Narratives' has made."
Chen Fei stared intently at the big screen, not engaging with Li Dong.
Li Dong continued with a chuckle, "However, there's no room for you in the current programming landscape. I truly pity you.
That newcomer, Han Zhao, right? Even if the show fails, don't blame him. It's not his fault. He's just a newcomer with no fan base. Can he really turn the tide single-handedly? Isn't that a fantasy? You, don't have too many expectations of him, lest you be disappointed and then blame others."
Han Zhao, sitting in the row behind, sighed inwardly. In truth, he had no confidence either. Although he had done his best, viewership ratings were something that depended on the audience's reaction. Who could be sure the audience would buy into it?
Bai Lin, who was waiting for the results with him, saw his dejected mood and comforted him, "Don't worry. I've managed countless artists, and I know your caliber. My judgment won't be wrong."
These words were overheard by Li Dong in front. He turned back with a smile. "Bai Lin, your judgment is indeed excellent. You caught the eye of our discerning Director Chen, even beating out a traffic star with tens of millions of fans. This kid has a boundless future."
Han Zhao gave a dry laugh and remained silent.
Bai Lin chuckled twice. "Don't make a judgment until the last moment, or you might get a slap in the face with a reversal."
Li Dong acted as if he had heard the greatest joke, patting his own cheek. "I can only hope for that."
The other employees remained silent. Everyone was nervous, though some had already found new jobs and appeared relaxed.
"I've already completed my resignation procedures this morning. I'll be leaving after clocking out."
"Oh? So soon? Did you find a new job?"
"Yes, I did. The salary is a bit lower than here, but it's a new program that should survive for a long time."
Li Dong chimed in with the employees' conversation. "You're all quick to act. Which company did you find? On the account of our past long association, recommend some to Director Chen as well."
Then, his gaze shifted to Chen Fei. "Director Chen, if you ever need my help in the future, feel free to reach out. I'll help in any way I can."
Chen Fei still didn't respond, instead watching his watch, mentally counting down.
With only one minute left until seven, everyone held their breath. Even Li Dong stopped talking, his expression one of disdain as he crossed his legs, drank coffee, and played with his phone.
Han Zhao grew increasingly nervous, staring at his phone. He opened and closed Quan Jiu's chat window repeatedly, then suddenly received a message.
"The show is about to air, right? Wishing you success in advance."
Han Zhao's heart inexplicably settled. He then sent a wronged emoji back. "Everyone thinks the show is going to fail. If it really fails, they'll probably blame me to death."
Quan Jiu sent him a comforting emoji. "Don't worry. Even if the show fails, it won't affect your popularity. Besides, you've done your best."