Whether Ji Qinghe could handle it remained unknown, but Shen Qianzhan soon received retribution for her loose tongue – she didn’t get to touch a single bite of that entire table of dishes.

On the way to the “Spring River” crew with Su Zan, Shen Qianzhan regretted more than once: why did she talk so much? If she could have said less, wouldn’t the Beile roasted meat, braised bamboo shoots, and lotus leaf chicken all have been on her plate?

Xiao Sheng’s crew had experienced a violent conflict.

This originally had nothing to do with Shen Qianzhan, but halfway through she received a call from Song Yan’s agent, informing her that Song Yan had been accidentally injured and sent to the hospital. Immediately after, overwhelming gossip, entertainment news all seemed coordinated, reporting in real time.

From receiving the news to arriving at the “Spring River” crew, it was already eight in the evening.

Most traces of the fight and destruction had been cleaned up, with only scattered fragments of mechanical equipment and damaged props piled in corners, not yet discarded.

A production assistant remained at the filming location. During Wuxi’s snow disaster at the beginning of the year, Shen Qianzhan had dealt with him and recognized him at a glance.

When she spotted him, he also saw her, hurriedly patting his pants and coming forward: “Producer Shen.”

Shen Qianzhan nodded, first asking about Xiao Sheng: “Where’s Producer Xiao?”

The production assistant had been specifically left by Xiao Sheng to wait for Shen Qianzhan’s group. Hearing this, he reported everything: “Producer Xiao accompanied the two directors to the police station to give statements.”

Shen Qianzhan asked again: “Was anyone injured?”

The production assistant’s face suddenly looked like he’d eaten bitter herbs, drooping down: “Teacher Song was accidentally injured and someone already accompanied her to the hospital. We were about to wrap filming, what kind of situation is this?” Perhaps having held it in for too long, once he started speaking, he complained endlessly: “Nothing has gone smoothly since ‘Spring River’ started filming. After New Year we encountered the snow disaster, shutting down for half a month with losses in the tens of thousands. Just when we were preparing to wrap, the director and supervising producer actually fought, even making the news…”

Shen Qianzhan patted his shoulder, consoling: “All of this can be resolved.”

“I only knew something happened here after receiving a call from Song Yan’s agent. Originally this had nothing to do with me. Our President Su was worried, so he sent me to take a look, see if there’s anywhere we can lend a hand.”

The production assistant led her to the incident location, showing her the scene.

It wasn’t the bloody scene Shen Qianzhan had imagined. The ground was clean, at most just a broken thermos bottle with hot water spilled everywhere.

“I was under that tree smoking at the time, got caught on camera, so I was sent over there.” The production assistant pointed to a row of street trees by the roadside: “When I realized the production team was fighting, those guys had already started brawling. The injuries weren’t serious, just some conflict. Who knew they’d knock over a candle stand and lighting equipment, accidentally injuring Teacher Song. When Producer Xiao arrived from the hotel, Teacher Song had already been rushed to medical care. I heard she was injured on the face…”

He spoke quieter and quieter, until his voice was like a mosquito, not even daring to look at Shen Qianzhan’s expression.

Everyone in the “Spring River” crew knew that Song Yan would immediately join the “Time” crew after wrapping.

The supervising producer had made things convenient for Song Yan, concentrating all her remaining scenes in one place to be filmed within a few days. Other actors were dissatisfied about this and had already caused trouble before.

Though today’s incident was ostensibly a conflict between the director and supervising producer, it wasn’t completely unrelated to Song Yan.

However, he couldn’t clearly explain the complications involved. As just a production assistant, saying too much would seem like stirring up trouble, pointlessly attracting problems.

The most critical matter now was just one thing: Song Yan was injured on the face, which would not only delay “Spring River’s” filming but also affect Shen Qianzhan’s schedule.

Shen Qianzhan naturally noticed the production assistant’s evasiveness.

Xiao Sheng was probably very dissatisfied with her interference, which is why he left a production assistant who was smoking three hundred meters away during the incident to explain the situation to her.

She understood this.

After all, in her mind, Xiao Sheng was nothing but a petty, hypocritical gentleman who couldn’t distinguish priorities.

Though displeased, she didn’t show it on her face. Using the excuse of checking on Song Yan’s condition, she turned to go outside and make phone calls.

Su Zan, seeing her leave, looked around and offered the production assistant a cigarette: “This is quite troublesome. We were originally waiting for Teacher Song to join our crew on Saturday.”

The production assistant accepted it with pleasant surprise, dry-laughing twice: “No one could predict this kind of accident.”

Su Zan saw him light up and leaned over to borrow his lighter: “You’ve been with ‘Spring River’ for quite a while. Didn’t you notice before where the director and supervising producer weren’t getting along?”

After coming out, Shen Qianzhan called Qiao Xin from the roadside.

Before departing, she had arranged for Qiao Xin and the unit production manager to visit Song Yan at the hospital and understand her injuries. Estimating the time, the two should have arrived at the hospital by now.

Unfortunately, the situation wasn’t as smooth as Shen Qianzhan had imagined.

Qiao Xin hadn’t seen Song Yan, nor had she seen Song Yan’s agent. Even phone calls weren’t going through – they couldn’t contact Song Yan’s team at all.

Shen Qianzhan thought for several seconds, saying thoughtfully: “You two come back first. I’ll think of a solution.”

After hanging up, she first contacted Fu Yang’s agent, learned that Fu Yang had finished today’s filming and returned to the hotel, then got straight to the point: “Teacher Fu is with Song Yan now, right?”

After several seconds of silence, the other party obviously felt there was no need to keep hiding from Shen Qianzhan and efficiently provided an address.

Shen Qianzhan waited for Su Zan to finish questioning and come out. Without rushing to know the truth, she pulled him into the car and first returned to the hotel.

She didn’t go directly to the destination, instead instructing the driver to take a detour. First they went to a newly opened bubble tea shop at the street corner to buy two drinks, then to the snack street to pack some fried noodles. Along the way they stopped repeatedly – this shop for candied chestnuts, that shop for duck necks. It looked like a spring outing, without any sense of urgency.

Su Zan was completely confused by her operations. Even after entering the hotel, he persistently questioned Shen Qianzhan: “Are we just ignoring it like this?”

Shen Qianzhan pressed the elevator button: “How do you think we should handle it?”

Su Zan, irritated by her nonchalant tone, instantly raised his voice: “Do you know what that production assistant told me? When the supervising producer was scheduling for Song Yan, some actors were dissatisfied and made trouble on set once. Xiao Sheng ignored it, even tacitly allowed it, which led to today’s conflict between the director and supervising producer, accidentally injuring Song Yan. If Song Yan is really injured on the face, how can this drama be filmed?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the elevator arrived.

Someone stepped into the elevator, lightly tapping the brim of Su Zan’s backward baseball cap: “Who are you yelling at?”

Su Zan was stunned by this tap, his brain buzzing. Looking up to see it was Ji Qinghe, his arrogance immediately deflated by half: “President, President Ji.”

He explained: “I wasn’t yelling at Sister Zhan, we were just discussing something…”

Ji Qinghe slightly lowered his chin, only glancing at him once, not buying it.

Until the elevator descended back to the hotel lobby.

Su Zan watched the two of them walk outside as if by appointment, his usually clever little brain finally catching on. He hurriedly followed a couple steps, catching up: “Sister Zhan, you’re pulling a shell game, aren’t you?”

“The crew’s car is too conspicuous, inconvenient.” Shen Qianzhan gave him half of the snacks she’d bought along the way: “I’ll be right back, we’ll talk when I return.”

After speaking, she walked a few steps, then turned back: “No sneaking bites.”

Su Zan, holding her snacks, instantly looked pale as vegetables.

Who! Snuck! Bites!

Who snuck bites!

He angrily threw back the handful of chestnuts and stormed off.

At the parking garage, Shen Qianzhan first checked the surroundings for anyone tailing them.

She was afraid of being followed, which might reveal Fu Yang and Song Yan’s whereabouts and add fuel to the fire, so she was careful and cautious throughout the journey.

After arriving at the hospital.

Ji Qinghe stayed in the car while Shen Qianzhan went upstairs alone to visit.

Song Yan’s injury wasn’t serious, just bruised on the shoulder by the lighting equipment. The small cut on her face only seeped a few drops of blood and would heal after a few days of rest.

Seeing Song Yan was fine, Shen Qianzhan’s heart, which had been suspended all evening, finally settled.

On the way here, she had envisioned several outcomes.

If Song Yan was too seriously injured to coordinate schedules, they would regretfully have to replace the actress. No matter how reluctant she was, she couldn’t delay the crew’s filming progress. But as long as there was a one-in-ten-thousand possibility, she didn’t want to face such a choice.

Fortunately, Song Yan’s injuries were minor, and none of her backup plans were needed.

Seeing Song Yan looked tired, Shen Qianzhan didn’t want to disturb her further. Using the excuse of needing to return to the crew for a meeting, she left the ward together with Song Yan’s agent.

Song Yan’s agent felt very sorry about this accident occurring just as filming was about to wrap and she was about to join the new crew. After repeatedly apologizing, she indicated they would negotiate with the crew as soon as possible to set a new date.

Shen Qianzhan had rushed around all night. After confirming Song Yan’s condition, her mind was at ease, but she suddenly felt utterly exhausted. After asking Song Yan’s agent to stay, she went down to the underground garage herself, opened the car door and got in.

The BMW’s door had automatic sensors. After she got in, ambient lights suddenly lit up from the door to the control panel, connecting in a continuous line.

Ji Qinghe had been resting with his eyes closed. Hearing movement, he opened his eyes and looked over.

Since getting in the car, Shen Qianzhan had been sitting motionless in the passenger seat, silent. Her gaze seemed fixed on some void beyond the windshield, quietly lost in thought.

This expression and state was like having all her vital energy drained, leaving only beautiful bones.

Ji Qinghe saw her mood was off and didn’t immediately start the car. He reached up to turn on the overhead reading light, and by this light carefully examined her: “The situation is bad?”

Shen Qianzhan came back to herself, reaching for her seatbelt: “Not serious.”

She pressed the buckle into the slot, turned to look at him. The two silently stared at each other for a moment, then she suddenly unfastened the seatbelt she’d just put on, reaching across the center console to hug him: “I’m a little tired.”

Originally tonight was supposed to be light flirtation, a little drink, and some small business – life’s beautiful pleasures.

But an incident occurred midway. Not only did she rush around, tired and hungry, but she still had to deal with the troublesome matter of Song Yan’s delayed entry to the crew.

She felt inexplicably low in spirits, only feeling better when held by him.

But pride getting in the way, not wanting him to see her current fragile state, when leaning against him she deliberately extended a wandering hand to pinch Ji Qinghe’s chest muscles.

However, he seemed able to read through her heart. Without saying a word, he reached up to turn off the reading light above her head.

The car’s ambient lighting flashed, shifting from bright white to dark purple. He turned off the engine and raised his hand to cover her eyes: “I’ll give you half an hour. In this half hour, you don’t need to serve anyone, and you don’t need to take care of others.”

Shen Qianzhan blinked once. In complete darkness, a few strands of ambient light leaked through his fingers, a dim purple.

Her heart suddenly became very heavy, then very soft. She reached up, grasping the hand covering her vision and pulling it to her lips.

She looked at him, seeming puzzled: “Apart from being good-looking and eating little, I have no other advantages. Ji Qinghe, what exactly do you see in me?”

Shen Qianzhan didn’t need him to answer, continuing on her own: “I have a bad temper. When someone annoys me, I strike without hesitation. I even suspect I have latent tendencies toward domestic violence.”

“If I were a scheming green tea bitch, I would have seduced you long ago, coaxed you into starting companies for me, squandering your family fortune for fun every day.”

At the end, she said with genuine regret: “But alas, I’m just too principled.”