Xu Ziyan and Yang Anni hit it off immediately, their views aligning perfectly, and they could talk about anything. The script Yang Anni proposed was genuinely good; just hearing the general outline captivated Xu Ziyan, who desperately wanted to see it made into a series. She made a decision on the spot. “This one. You assemble the crew, I’ll provide the funds. I only have one requirement: make it well, make it fast, so I can watch it as soon as possible. You handle everything else.”
Yang Anni raised her glass in delight. “Don’t worry, Sister Yan, leave it to me!”
The moment their glasses clinked, Yang Anni received a call from Ding Yao. He asked what she was doing, and she casually mentioned she was having coffee with Xu Ziyan. Ding Yao immediately said he was nearby and would rush over, then hung up.
Yang Anni awkwardly held her phone. “This… He’s not usually this presumptuous. I’ll tell him not to come.”
Xu Ziyan waved a hand. “It’s fine. He can treat us to dinner. Maybe we can even rope him in as an investor, get him to chip in some money too.”
After settling the business, Xu Ziyan leaned closer to Yang Anni, gossip mode activated. “So, what’s the story with you two?”
Yang Anni chuckled. “It’s just one of those things. I got tricked into attending a dinner party, drank some spiked wine, and accidentally stumbled into Ding Yao’s room.”
“Wow, isn’t that straight out of a novel plot?” Xu Ziyan exclaimed, then remembered—this was a novel world. Not so strange after all.
Yang Anni laughed. “At the time, I didn’t know who he was. I thought he was a newbie in the entertainment industry. I even promised to debut him and give him resources, asking if he wanted to be with me. Who knew he was the eldest young master of the Ding Family! We’ve just been like this since then. What happens in the future, we’ll deal with later.”
Xu Ziyan nodded. ‘Exactly. This world is about to collapse anyway. Live for the day, do whatever makes you happy.’
The moment Ding Yao walked through the door, he heard Xu Ziyan’s inner thoughts. He calmed his rapidly beating heart from the hurried trip over and slowly approached their table. What did ‘world collapse’ mean? Was this world turning mystical?
The three exchanged greetings, and Ding Yao couldn’t wait to fish for information. “Miss Xu, what brings you out to meet Annie? Didn’t you go find Ding Jie?”
“Annie and I were discussing some business.” Xu Ziyan thought, ‘Ding Jie stole that game from me, and now he’s busy trying to please Old Ding. No time to come out. Ding Jie is really treacherous, deliberately causing trouble for Ding Yao to get him exiled to a branch company, while he takes the Fu family’s game to win Old Ding’s approval. He’s really mastered the whole ‘control group’ dynamic.’
Ding Yao’s expression tightened. He quickly lowered his head to take a sip of coffee to hide it. His work mistake was actually Ding Jie’s doing? He’d have to investigate that thoroughly when he got back. But Ding Jie stole a game from the Fu family? That illegitimate son truly lacked upbringing—stealing, and from a rival family at that. Utterly disgraceful.
Their so-called father was also beyond words, actually admiring a son like that? As long as the end result was good, any ugly process was acceptable, was that it?
Ding Yao also understood what Ding Jie had been mysteriously busy with these past couple of days. Coming back to the present, he asked, “What business were you discussing? You just met.”
Yang Anni said happily, “Sister Yan and I really click. Sister Yan is even going to invest in a series for me, with me as the female lead.”
Ding Yao let out a soft laugh. “Didn’t I say long ago I’d let you bring capital into the crew to play the female lead? You refused. Now you’re accepting Miss Xu’s investment?”
“It’s different.” Yang Anni had invested some genuine feeling after all and didn’t want their relationship to become too transactional. But with Xu Ziyan involved this time, it felt different. Xu Ziyan gave her the feeling of a true business partnership. So she asked frankly, “Are you in? Invest some money, just to lend some prestige. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Sure, no problem.” Ding Yao agreed immediately. His mother had left a considerable inheritance. Aside from non-liquid assets like stocks and properties, the funds at his disposal were quite substantial. He wasn’t short on money.
With this, the amount of capital they could raise became quite significant. Looking at the two of them, Yang Anni had a sudden inspiration. “How about we start an entertainment company? Sign me, and a few other good actors I know. It’ll be easier and more flexible for future investments and productions. What do you think?”
Xu Ziyan blinked. “I’m not going to work a job. Too much hassle.”
Ding Yao also quickly declined. “I haven’t even figured out my own family’s company yet.”
Yang Anni assured them, “I’ll handle the hassle! You two are responsible for providing the capital. I’ll definitely work hard to make you lots of money. I’m just catching a ride. This way, I’ll never have to be traded around by agencies again.”
“As long as I don’t have to work…” Xu Ziyan thought for a moment. “Alright then, no problem.”
‘Anyway, the money I have now was given to me by the family. Wouldn’t it be great to have someone help me make more money? Money making money. Even if we lose it all, Mom, Dad, and Sister will give me more, hehe.’
Ding Yao found this amusing to hear, though his own situation was similar. Even if they lost the investment, it wouldn’t be a big deal to him. And so, on that ordinary afternoon, in a small café, a fledgling entertainment company was born from what seemed like playful banter!
After chatting a while longer, Xu Ziyan suddenly heard Ding Yao call Yang Anni by her English name, “Ann.” It clicked instantly—Yang Anni was the cannon fodder woman from the original plot who went down with Ding Yao!
‘Oh my god, Annie’s feelings for Ding Yao are the real deal. In the final moments when Ding Jie dealt with Ding Yao, Annie hid Ding Yao in her home, doing everything she could to help him find evidence. In the end, Ding Jie hired mercenaries who bundled them up and shipped them overseas.
Ding Yao ended up with broken limbs, becoming a beggar. As for where Annie went, it wasn’t mentioned, but it probably wasn’t a good end. That disgusting scumbag Ding Jie really deserves his whole family to die!
Wait, Ding Yao doesn’t count.’
Xu Ziyan angrily took a big gulp of coffee. The more she learned about the plot, the more she detested Ding Jie. How could someone like that be the male lead? Was this some kind of toxic short drama?
Ding Yao was once again stunned by this stream of inner thoughts. Although he had heard about his own miserable fate once before at the mall, hearing it again still left him cold to his core. But he had already had people investigate; his mother’s jewelry was indeed in Song Jie’s possession. What Xu Ziyan said was true.
So he really would lose everything, become crippled, and beg overseas? And Annie… being with him would lead to such a tragic end for her. They had never spoken of the future, both knowing they would part ways someday. He had thought Annie didn’t have deep feelings for him. Yet, in the end, she was willing to take risks and sacrifice so much for him.
Ding Yao’s feelings were complex and indescribable. He simply took charge, saying, “I know quite a few friends. I’ll handle registering the company. The sooner it’s done, the sooner we can start filming.”
Yang Anni quickly added, “Then I’ll hurry and find actors and a director. We need quite a team.”
Suddenly possessed by a workaholic spirit, they both looked expectantly at Xu Ziyan, who immediately shook her head. “I’m not going. Don’t even think about making me work.”
Xu Ziyan parted ways with them and returned to the Fu residence. Fu Yazhen was back from her physical exam, reviewing the report. Xu Ziyan asked, surprised, “Why the sudden check-up?”
Fu Yazhen said, “I’m pregnant. I wanted to know how my physical condition is, if it’s suitable for carrying this child.”
Xu Ziyan nodded, asked a servant for a glass of iced lemon water, and offered no opinion, not even any inner thoughts.
Fu Yazhen found this a bit strange. She had thought Xu Ziyan would urgently advise her against keeping the child. She set down the exam report, her expression growing more serious. “Ziyan, earlier you suggested investigating the people around us. I didn’t expect preliminary results so quickly.
Other things aren’t clear yet, but one point is certain: your brother-in-law is not an orphan at all. His father was once a manager at a Fu Corporation branch. He committed a crime, Dad reported him, and he was sent to prison. Who knew he fell ill and died?
Your brother-in-law hid this fact, and with such a sensitive background, I think he has ill intentions. Tell me, should I still have this child?”
Xu Ziyan had thought they were going to discuss the scumbag brother-in-law, but the final question landed on the child. She looked at Fu Yazhen in surprise. ‘Such an aloof sister would struggle with this too?’
She thought seriously for a moment. “If it were me, I wouldn’t have it. Because if the parents’ relationship is bad, it affects the child. Since he hasn’t arrived in this world yet, it’s better not to involve him in such a complicated situation.”
‘In my past life, my parents favored boys over girls and were always fighting. For several years, I felt like I must have done something terrible to be born into such a family. Especially since Zheng Wenbo is here for revenge. Won’t Aloof Sister feel complicated facing the child in the future when she remembers this period?
What if the child is born looking just like Zheng Wenbo? That would be a disastrous starting hand.’
Xu Ziyan continued, “I don’t know if women produce some protective, motherly hormones after getting pregnant. If you really can’t bear to part with it, then you can have it. With so many people in the family, we can definitely raise him well. It’s just that you’ll then have another tie, making it harder to be physically and emotionally free.”
‘I didn’t follow the villainess’s plot, so I don’t even know how long I’ll live. I might not even make it to the day the child is born. So the choice doesn’t really make a difference.’
So she concluded, “As long as you can make yourself happy every day. Nothing is more important than being happy in the present moment.”
Fu Yazhen was indeed troubled. The child was already in her womb; the feeling was different. She had to choose carefully. But after hearing Xu Ziyan’s inner thoughts, her mind cleared.
This marriage was founded on revenge and calculation from the very beginning. It should end completely. Only then could Zheng Wenbo and the Fu family be completely severed, allowing her to escape this whirlpool and be physically and emotionally free.
She nodded. “Thank you. I know what to do now.”
Xu Ziyan was taken aback. Huh? She figured it out just like that? I didn’t even say much.
Fu Yazhen smiled at her and showed her a news article on her tablet. “I remember the star you wanted to invest in is called Yang Anni? She’s on the hot search. Photos were published claiming she’s being kept by a sugar daddy. Do you think this will affect your investment?”
Xu Ziyan quickly took the tablet to look. Seeing the photos, she was speechless. “Aren’t these photos from when we went shopping last time and had coffee today? They really know how to pick angles. I was right there, but not a single strand of my hair was captured—only Annie and Ding Yao.”
Fu Yazhen reminded her, “You just got back, and the coffee photos suddenly hit the hot search. Someone must be targeting her deliberately.”
Xu Ziyan didn’t need to think to know it was Song Jie. She sent the group photo from her phone to Yang Anni for her to use in clarification.
Yang Anni immediately called back. “Is this okay? Showing your face might lead to netizens discussing you.”
“I don’t care.” Xu Ziyan treated this world entirely like a game. What could gossip do to her? She was now a wealthy heiress, fearless.
Yang Anni thanked her, saying this could perfectly serve as a wave of publicity for their new company and new series.
Yang Anni quickly posted the group photo to clarify the sugar daddy claims, captioning it: ‘Think outside the box! Isn’t cozying up to a beautiful lady better? My good sister is setting up a company for me and investing in me. Soon you’ll see Empress Anni! Sister is carrying me to success!!!’
Yang Anni had attracted many fans recently, who breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the clarification, laughing and commenting: ‘Going shopping with a sister gets twisted into being kept by a sugar daddy? Are they jealous our Annie has a rich bestie?’
Public opinion reversed instantly. Immediately after, netizens realized that since Xu Ziyan was also there, the hot search photos were deliberately misleading. Who hated Yang Anni so much? Could it be Song Jie, who had been trying to bring Yang Anni down recently?
Song Jie watched the flood of comments online suspecting her, furious. She smashed a cup and called Ding Jie to demand, “What’s the deal with that Xu Ziyan? Helping others deal with me?”