His face was no longer displaying that calm, gentle demeanor.
Recalling the years past, his affection for Shi Xinxin had been a performance, and their purported master-disciple bond had only blossomed amidst immense profit.
The Azure Dragon was merely a part of his plan. Shi Xinxin, favored by providence, was not so easily eradicated.
This Heavenly Dao… ultimately protected her.
Otherwise, the plane crash years ago would have claimed her life.
He knew the capabilities of the Azure Dragon Cult leader. The old undying one from the Shi family hadn't even made a move yet, and everything was still uncertain.
Only Yun Rou, that seemingly harmless woman, incapable of fighting her way out of a paper bag, was the key to truly getting close to Shi Xinxin and obtaining what he desired.
He had never believed that pharmaceutical technology was no longer in the hands of the Shi and Sheng families.
Humans, after all, were creatures who pursued profit. As long as that technology could be obtained, everything else could be discarded at any time.
Now, there wasn't just the Azure Dragon, but also Yun Rou.
Elder Feng did not believe that Yun Rou, a mere stakeholder, would defy the orders of him, the founder.
Shi Xinxin's life or death depended on whether she knew when to yield.
He smiled with satisfaction, idly fiddling with the White Bone Poison Bamboo he had nurtured for years, as if he could already foresee Shi Xinxin's tragic end and his own ascent in status due to his pharmaceutical endeavors.
…
Shi Xinxin's plans proceeded with great urgency, while Sheng Chenjin also engaged in a silent struggle with the Azure Dragon.
However, the entertainment industry was stirred by considerable commotion.
Yun Rou, who had won Best Actress at the age of twenty-six, did not continue her stellar career. Instead, she bid farewell to the industry after going abroad to study, entering retirement.
At precisely twelve noon today, Yun Rou, who had been sharing updates about her life abroad and work, posted an unusual Weibo update.
Yun Rou: The air back home is so fresh!
The accompanying picture was a candid shot from the airport, taken from a passerby's perspective.
In the photo, Yun Rou wore a mask and sunglasses, her wavy blonde hair cascading down. Her fair skin made the slightly raised scar even more prominent.
She wore a long-sleeved crop top and stylish sweatpants, embodying a vibrant, energetic purple ensemble with touches of black athletic elements, a perfect example of a "hot girl."
Yun Rou's previous follower count was thirty million. While she might not have been active during her studies, her followers might not have noticed her update immediately, and her count had dropped to ten million.
Many of these were inactive accounts. After working for so many years, at thirty-six, she should have settled down and started a family, yet she still possessed an ageless beauty like a university student.
On the first day, there was only a small buzz. Yun Rou fanned the flames, and Elder Feng also dispatched people to monitor the situation.
Soon, the hashtag #ActressYunReturnsToTheGame climbed to second place on the trending list.
Many newly emerged young actresses were keeping a close eye on this woman who was returning to the industry at thirty-six.
Yun Rou undoubtedly became a rival to certain popular stars in the entertainment circle.
At the same time that Yun Rou's popularity surged, "Let's Play, Youngsters" decided to resume recording.
Elder Feng had someone handle the news about the cobra, scapegoating someone and making it public. The matter was thus smoothly resolved.
Seeing this series of blame-shifting tactics, Shi Xinxin felt indifferent.
"Yun Rou," Shi Xinxin uttered the name, finding it somewhat familiar.
"Who?"
Sheng Chenjin frowned upon hearing the name.
"Haven't you seen Weibo? Yun Rou is returning to the industry. This person feels a bit familiar."
"No, it's the name that feels familiar."
Shi Xinxin pondered for a long time, sensing something was amiss.
It wasn't uncommon for celebrities to retire and then return, but the timing coinciding with the resumption of recording was particularly coincidental.
It was undeniably strange.
"Yun Rou, the current stakeholder of Sheng Ji."
Sheng Chenjin flipped through the资料 he had investigated, confirming it before showing it to Shi Xinxin.
"Thirty-six years old, the youngest stakeholder."
Shi Xinxin had no choice but to believe her eyes.
Such a complexion made her look at most twenty-nine, no older than thirty.
"When soldiers come, block them; when water comes, cover it up."
"I can't stop what's coming anyway."
Shi Xinxin was unconcerned. No matter how ruthless these people were, on Chinese soil, they would have to act with restraint. They couldn't possibly be so savage as to commit murder in broad daylight.
"You're quite open-minded."
Sheng Chenjin chuckled softly, not paying much attention to this Yun Rou.
However, he felt a sense of familiarity with this person not just because of Yun Rou's identity.
Because she had another identity: the eldest daughter of the Yun family in Haicheng.
The main branch of the Yun family had one son and one daughter. Coincidentally, Sheng Chenjin was more familiar with Yun Jinnian and had gone with him for military training before.
Their relationship was just so-so. He didn't know Yun Rou, Yun Jinnian's sister.
It was just that Yun Jinnian often mentioned her, and over time, he became aware of such a person.
Sheng Chenjin mused about what expression Yun Jinnian would have if he knew his seemingly helpless sister was actually fierce enough to kill tigers with her bare hands.
He raised an eyebrow, planning to tell Shi Xinxin.
Coincidentally, Shi Xinxin's phone rang.
"Hello, Director Fang?"
Shi Xinxin glanced at the contact name. It was indeed Fang Qi. He still dared to call her? She thought he would avoid her for his own safety and interests.
Shi Xinxin raised an eyebrow and looked at Sheng Chenjin.
"Yes, it's me. I wonder if Miss Shi could spare some time to participate. The variety show has no script, so it can be considered relaxation during work downtime, right?"
Fang Qi was sweating profusely on the other end.
The previous Best Actress, Yun Rou, had personally approached him to participate in this variety show. It wasn't just about bringing in capital, she even had demands.
He was happy to oblige. After Yang Xi's incident, her schedule also didn't match, leaving a vacancy.
What shocked him was that her sole request was for Shi Xinxin to also participate.
The capital of a major sponsor was traffic. This request didn't seem that difficult…
As for a company president like Shi Xinxin, she was a busy person. He had initially tried to get Xiao Jue to handle it, but who knew that fellow would directly refuse.
This forced him to eagerly contact Shi Xinxin himself.
"Director Fang, your variety show doesn't lack popularity, does it? I'm just an ordinary investor. If you're considering ratings, you could just find any popular celebrity, couldn't you?"
Shi Xinxin playfully teased Fang Qi. She hadn't intended to refuse Fang Qi's offer. With the protection of a public persona, she would be relatively safe even if she was tired.
However, Director Fang personally seeking her out made her feel something was strange about the situation.
"Miss Shi is joking. Your performance in the previous episode was witnessed by everyone. Wouldn't it be more reassuring if you personally handled the live sales?"
Fang Qi chose not to answer Shi Xinxin's question, subtly shifting the topic, hoping Shi Xinxin would focus on the financial benefits.
Instead of questioning him… he feared he might slip up and reveal something.
What if the Yun family and the Shi family truly had some past enmity? Wouldn't he be inadvertently fueling the fire?
"Director Fang, don't change the subject."
Fang Qi: SOS!
Shi Xinxin's smile never left her lips as she stood by the balcony.
Sheng Chenjin could only see her pursed lips, smiling sweetly.
Was she really talking to Director Fang? Not some young heartthrob?
Sheng Chenjin felt his world was in chaos.
"Miss Shi… we were also forced into this."
Director Fang wiped his sweat, blinking his eyes repeatedly, unfortunately, Shi Xinxin couldn't see it.
"Okay, I'll go."
"What did you say?"
Fang Qi: She agreed so quickly? So decisively?