Whether Shen Qianzhan would face karmic retribution was unknown, but Su Zan’s loose tongue got its comeuppance immediately.

If not for Shen Qianzhan retaining a shred of sanity and remembering that Su Zan needed to drink on her behalf tonight, she probably would have beaten him to the point of high-level paralysis and hemiplegia, crawling around looking for his head. At the very least, he would have ended up unable to care for himself.

A scumbag woman who tricks people into bed?

Even if you think it, you can’t fucking say it out loud!

However, clearly, violent output was the second-best method for venting emotions.

The anger Shen Qianzhan had accumulated over thousands of kilometers both domestically and abroad found excellent release and relief after thoroughly beating up Su Zan.

Feeling refreshed and clear-headed, she even stopped caring about tonight’s regret of not having fresh young meat for company. She lifted her wrist to check the time, adjusted her seat back, and instructed: “Wake me up ten minutes before we reach the hotel so I can touch up my makeup.”

Beijing’s evening rush hour began at four-thirty in the afternoon, like a flame touched by oil sparks, spreading from the main arteries of the Second and Third Ring Roads, sweeping along elevated highways, toll gates, and side roads, clogging all major thoroughfares within the Fourth Ring Road until everything was red with traffic.

The business car squeezed into the returning tide of traffic, crawling nearly five kilometers at a snail’s pace before finally breaking free like a fish returning to the sea.

Shen Qianzhan woke up on her own before Su Zan could call her.

She was always disciplined about work, and this discipline extended beyond mental requirements to her personal attire and overall image.

At least, outside of Shen Qianzhan’s dog house, Su Zan had never seen her display any inappropriate or improper behavior when out and about. She was always exquisite, appropriate, and glamorous.

Shen Qianzhan called this professional ethics and quality pursuit.

If Su Zan hadn’t seen that behind her glamorous exterior lay living standards worse than a street performer’s bedroll, he might have been completely fooled by her.

He expertly handed Shen Qianzhan a compact of highlighter and powder brush, watching her sweep it from her forehead, brow tails, nose bridge, cheeks, and chin, before finally pulling down her collar to dust some pearlescent highlighter powder on her collarbones.

Even Xiang Qianqian walking the red carpet wasn’t this meticulous…

Shen Qianzhan nonchalantly finished touching up her lipstick, lightly pressed her lips together in the mirror, and looked around. After confirming her looks could withstand every death angle, she snapped the mirror shut and smiled enchantingly: “Let’s go. Sister Zhan will take you to captivate all living beings.”

Jichun Erwan Hotel.

Shen Qianzhan was a regular at this hotel. From small dinner gatherings and hosting distinguished guests, to major events like Qiandeng Pictures’ annual meetings and exchange summits, everything was held at Jichun Erwan.

Everyone in the hotel, from the lobby manager to room service, knew Shen Qianzhan.

If Su Zan hadn’t been with her for two years and known that Shen Qianzhan simply enjoyed Jichun Erwan’s face-recognition credit service, her level of devotion to this hotel would have made him suspect she was taking kickbacks and profiting from the price difference.

As always.

From the moment Shen Qianzhan got out of the car, doormen, security, and the lobby manager rushed forward to greet her: “Miss Shen, you haven’t been here in a long time. You must be very busy lately?”

Shen Qianzhan smiled like spring breeze itself, chatting with each of them. Before entering the private room, she didn’t forget to turn back and sigh to Su Zan: “See, this is what a good hotel is like – it makes customers feel at home.”

Su Zan smiled superficially, inwardly complaining: If you weren’t a money tree, let’s see if you could still feel at home.

After Shen Qianzhan arrived at the private room, she noted the time – six-twenty.

Still early.

Apart from her and Su Zan, the room only contained the hotel staff assigned to serve this private room.

She waved for a menu to pre-order dishes, then spent some thought changing the decorative flowers in the room. After carefully adjusting the temperature and humidity, just as she was bored enough to consider changing to a more pleasing carpet, people finally arrived at the private room.

The first to arrive was Ai Yi, Vice President of Shiyue Video.

Ai Yi was in her forties, well-maintained with outstanding temperament. She had a square-shaped face with slightly upturned eye corners – looking at just her eyes, her appearance seemed somewhat harsh. Fortunately, her straight nose bridge and delicate lips elevated the sophistication of her features. Combined with neat short hair and designer professional attire, her female CEO aura was unmistakable.

As a leader in China’s video industry, Shiyue had always maintained good cooperative relations with Qiandeng.

The combination of Shen Qianzhan and Ai Yi was considered the golden duo guaranteeing viewership ratings in the industry.

One was responsible for the creative production of television dramas, the other handled channel distribution and traffic exposure after works went online. As long as the two joined forces, whether the released work was a youth dream drama or a passionate war drama, once they started attracting sponsors, the financial backers would compete to be the most enthusiastic.

With two women seated, naturally there were endless topics to discuss.

Su Zan initially heard Shen Qianzhan seriously discussing project progress and grand visions, but in a moment of distraction, she had already moved from fashion week’s latest haute couture to limited edition handbags, then from limited edition handbags to pregnancy precautions for Ai Yi.

Just as their conversation galloped like a runaway horse toward topics of which hospital for delivery, which nanny service was better, and which kindergarten for the children, the production company father finally arrived, right on the seven o’clock timeline.

The production company for the tribute drama was Bai Xuan Film and Television, which had exclusive authorization and Grade A television drama production qualifications issued by the State Administration, specializing in producing and distributing mainstream film and television dramas.

Tonight’s dinner attendee was precisely Bai Xuan Film and Television’s second-in-command, Jiang Yecheng.

Su Zan instinctively looked toward Shen Qianzhan first.

Usually, the brilliance of Shen Qianzhan’s smile when facing production company fathers was directly proportional to the project’s profit potential. The brighter her smile, the higher the project quality and the greater the company’s investment returns.

Just looking at Shen Qianzhan’s current attentive attitude, clearly this tribute drama being prepared this year for next year’s filming was as stable as an old dog in her mind.

After all, a big pie won after fighting with dozens of film and television companies would be a treasure to anyone.

With everyone seated and after polite pleasantries, Shen Qianzhan glanced at the empty seat beside Jiang Yecheng and casually asked: “This timing coincides perfectly with rush hour and poor road conditions. Is President Jiang’s friend still on the way?”

Jiang Yecheng, over fifty with nearly thirty years in the industry, could certainly hear the subtext in Shen Qianzhan’s words: Is the investor you promised to introduce tonight late or standing us up?

He smiled and explained: “Xiao Ji is still stuck on the airport expressway. Don’t worry about him, let’s eat first.”

Just late.

Understandable, completely understandable.

As long as the investor didn’t bail, she could continue calling him daddy.

Missing one person, the opening remarks Shen Qianzhan had prepared couldn’t be used.

Fortunately, Jiang Yecheng and Ai Yi weren’t complete strangers. Just discussing next year’s popular trends in the film and television industry and the State Administration’s new guidelines kept them talking for over half an hour.

Due to Bai Xuan Film and Television’s special position in the industry, they were always treated as honored guests.

Initially, Shen Qianzhan worried that Jiang Yecheng, as a big shot, might have an overly intimidating presence. Unexpectedly, he was affable, not putting on any airs, and was very good at listening to industry juniors’ views and suggestions on industry development.

If not for Jiang Yecheng’s assistant receiving a phone call and excusing himself mid-conversation, Shen Qianzhan would have almost forgotten that tonight’s important figure hadn’t yet appeared.

She looked sideways in the direction the assistant had left, lifted her leg to kick the still-unresponsive Su Zan with her toe. Taking advantage of Jiang Yecheng and Ai Yi’s whispered conversation, she reminded him quietly: “Go.”

“Go out with President Jiang’s assistant to receive the guest.”

With that, she smiled and nodded, seamlessly rejoining the others’ conversation without leaving a trace.

Su Zan understood and discreetly left.

Not long after, the phone Shen Qianzhan held under her palm vibrated with a new message notification.

She looked down and swiped to unlock.

In her WeChat list, Su Zan’s message jumped to the top: “Holy shit, Sister Zhan, you’ll absolutely never guess who the investor is!”

Before she could reply, another buzz and another WeChat message.

“Let me give you a key hint.”

“The one I’ve been really admiring lately!”

Seeing this, Shen Qianzhan raised an eyebrow slightly.

This bootlicker Su Zan would prostrate himself before any rich second-generation heir richer than him. Who knew which one from the roster he was talking about now?

—”The master who could maintain disdain despite your three visits to his cottage not long ago.”

Shen Qianzhan frowned, trying hard to recall.

People like her mostly must have robbed banks, been imprisoned, or done demolition work in their past lives to have such poor feng shui in this life, ending up as producers.

In her early career days, when luck was bad, fortune poor, and abilities insufficient, begging people everywhere was commonplace.

Even now, with hit dramas under her belt, when encountering arrogant directors or conceited artists, she still had to put her face on the line to negotiate collaborations.

Therefore, Su Zan’s brief description couldn’t successfully awaken her characteristically short-term memory.

—”His great-grandson said you were as clingy as the spider spirit from the Silk Cave, and told his uncle to come back quickly and deal with you!”

—”Ji Qingzhen, Old Master Ji!”

—”Damn, this young master just can’t keep his mouth shut.”

Shen Qianzhan was first stunned, then after reacting, the “everyone’s good is truly good” expression on her face nearly cracked. She gritted her teeth, mentally noting Su Zan’s loose tongue in her little black book, while outwardly raising her glass nonchalantly to toast everyone from afar.

Ji Qingzhen, China’s top-level timepiece restoration master.

This national treasure-level timepiece restoration master had once restored a returned wooden Buddhist clock from overseas without compensation. Due to the significant meaning of the wooden Buddhist clock’s return to China, Bai Xuan Film and Television specifically planned and produced a three-episode documentary recording the wooden Buddhist clock’s restoration.

It was also because of the inspiration this documentary provided that Shen Qianzhan secured Bai Xuan Film and Television’s tribute film with craftsman inheritance as its main theme.

For this, before going abroad, she had specifically made time to travel to Xi’an to invite Old Master Ji to serve as special consultant for the tribute drama.

She did meet him, but the reply she received was: “This old man has been busy his whole life and has already retired.”

Shen Qianzhan felt regretful but didn’t give up completely, making two more subsequent trips.

On the second visit, she left behind the project proposal, originally thinking Old Master Ji might be somewhat swayed. Unexpectedly, when Shen Qianzhan made her final attempt on the third visit, she kept encountering Master Ji’s great-grandson speaking colorfully, saying she was as clingy as the spider spirit from the Silk Cave, telling her not to come anymore lest his great-grandfather’s late-life reputation be ruined.

Though it was childish talk, Old Master Ji’s attitude was obvious—not interested.

Jiang Yecheng handled countless daily affairs; non-project matters couldn’t move him at all. His proactive organization of tonight’s dinner for fundraising had already surprised Shen Qianzhan greatly. How could the guest of honor possibly be Old Master Ji, who had no interest in the project?

Shen Qianzhan couldn’t figure it out and rarely replied: “Master Ji? Didn’t the old master retire?”

Though Ji Qingzhen was a timepiece restoration master, he was backed by the world-class luxury brand Bu Zhong Sui, having created the “Suimu” series of watches and three highly collectible timepieces for its watch brand.

Old Master Ji having no interest in the project didn’t mean Bu Zhong Sui wasn’t interested!

Su Zan hadn’t expected Shen Qianzhan couldn’t figure this out at such a time. Very dissatisfied with her off-frequency obtuseness displayed during his moment of excitement, he angrily dropped a line: “Stupid! Too stupid!”

Shen Qianzhan chuckled, and just as that smile reached her eyes, the private room door opened inward, and Su Zan’s bootlicker voice came through with extreme penetration: “…Our producer just said you don’t understand what ‘feast for the eyes’ means.”

Shen Qianzhan’s brow twitched violently as she looked in that direction.

The clear, cool smile in the young man’s eyes hadn’t completely faded yet. Between smiling and not smiling, he immediately captured her gaze. Those were the eyes she had once been familiar with—always appearing overly calm after desire’s tide receded.

As always, roaring when meeting wind, burning when meeting fire.

Shen Qianzhan’s smile instantly froze at her lips.

Her mind was full of—

Damn, truly facing karmic retribution now.