Ji Ling rented a few office spaces in a commercial building. They weren’t big, but they were surrounded by several major shopping malls, bustling with people. The rent wasn’t cheap.
He went all in on this because he figured that if he was going to run a media business built on traffic, his location needed to match that energy.
Expanding his team, he hired programmers, salespeople, and office staff, finally breaking out of the small-scale, one-man operation. But even with this growth, he knew what he had now was just a ‘big team’ at best.
If he wanted to take things further, he had to go out and get funding.
He put Mo Yulan in charge of part of the outreach and promotion, but even if he went out alone, he didn’t have any solid guarantees to offer. Just talking a big game wasn’t enough to convince investors, and relying on performance-based funding alone was nowhere near sufficient for his ambitions.
He needed to connect with people who were more powerful and had deeper pockets.
So, he turned his attention back to campus.
He frequently interacted with student organizations and even collaborated with campus innovation projects, all in the hopes of making a name for himself within the small circle of the film academy.
Because if he could, then maybe—just maybe—he’d get closer to the person he really wanted to meet.
He felt a slight sense of urgency, but he didn’t let it show. His company had already built a solid reputation as a promising newcomer in the industry. As long as he kept things stable for now, there wouldn’t be any immediate problems.
Ji Ling was, without a doubt, a workaholic. Once he got caught up in his business, everything else faded into the background.
He almost forgot about Yan Yixuan again.
But his golden goose had a habit of showing up just in time to remind him of his presence.
That day, Ji Ling had just sealed a new deal and planned to treat his team to dinner. Usually, he stayed late at the office, but since he had already promised, he made sure to leave with his colleagues at closing time, heading out of the building together.
Just as they reached the curb, his phone rang.
…Yan Yixuan.
With no choice but to pick up, Ji Ling answered, only to hear Yan Yixuan’s unmistakable, non-negotiable tone:
“Come have dinner with me.”
Ji Ling was about to turn him down when he spotted a familiar car parked not far ahead.
Yan Yixuan had seen him before making the call.
Clearly, Mo Yulan, who was following Ji Ling, also noticed the car. She had been uncertain about the relationship between Ji Ling and Yan Yixuan, not quite understanding why Yan Yixuan had assigned her to Ji Ling’s side. But now, everything made sense.
Ji Ling turned to his colleagues and said, “I’ve got something to take care of. You guys go ahead and eat.” He pulled out his credit card, noticed Mo Yulan’s odd expression, and then handed the card to someone else. “Go ahead and eat, it’s on me.”
With that, Ji Ling walked toward Yan Yixuan’s car.
The company staff stood in the back, watching as their boss opened the car door, got in, and the luxury car drove off.
Everyone stared, wide-eyed.
Many of them were new and didn’t know what was going on, but the receptionist had been with the company since the previous boss’s time, so she was the only one who knew about the connection between Ji Ling and Yan Yixuan. She suddenly gasped and blurted out, “Yan Yixuan… that’s the legendary Yan Yixuan, right?”
Mo Yulan snorted.
Ji Ling sat in the car and turned to look at Yan Yixuan.
It was obvious—this was intentional. Yan Yixuan had purposely called him away in front of his subordinates.
Yan Yixuan also sized up Ji Ling. It had been a while since they’d last met. Ji Ling had cut his hair short, was wearing a suit with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and he looked a bit more solid. He didn’t seem as gloomy as before.
As if he didn’t notice Ji Ling’s mood, Yan Yixuan said, “Boss Ji, you’re really something. In such a short time, you already have your own office in the central business district.”
Ji Ling ignored the sarcasm and countered, “Mr. Yan, what’s the sudden invitation for a meal today?”
Yan Yixuan glanced at him. “Isn’t it to congratulate you on your company’s office move?”
Ji Ling thought to himself that it had been a while since the move, so congratulating him now seemed a bit late.
He didn’t point that out, instead saying, “Well then, thank you, Mr. Yan.” After a brief pause, he added, “There’s something else I need to thank you for. I really liked the gift you sent last time.”
Yan Yixuan finally smiled. “Secretary Mo has potential, but she’s a bit too proud. It’s hard for her to stand out in the secretary office. She might be better off doing something more challenging.”
In other words, Mo Yulan had offended someone, so they sent her over to Ji Ling.
Ji Ling remembered Mo Yulan’s expression earlier. She really was straightforward, and the disdain on her face was barely concealed.
Yan Yixuan looked at Ji Ling with a hint of amusement and said, “She’s hard to train.”
Ji Ling slowly replied, “It’s fine. You can train a mule to be a horse.”
That finally seemed to lighten Yan Yixuan’s mood a bit.
As soon as Ji Ling got into the car, he could sense that something was off with Yan Yixuan today. Although he still spoke in his usual playful tone, there was an underlying sharpness to his words.
Ji Ling’s intuition told him something had happened today that had upset the young master.
He wasn’t going to ask Yan Yixuan what was wrong, but since he was clearly in a bad mood and wanted to grab a meal with him, Ji Ling decided to accompany him anyway.
Yan Yixuan took Ji Ling to a lakeside restaurant in the city, located within Inner Lake Park, nestled between the mountains and water—a truly picturesque spot.
Ji Ling had already gotten used to Yan Yixuan’s love for grand settings and fine atmospheres. Whether it was a lover, a secretary, or even a restaurant, the place had to be beautiful.
It had been a while since Ji Ling had eaten at a restaurant like this, so revisiting the experience was a nice change.
Instead of following behind Yan Yixuan, Ji Ling walked beside him into the restaurant, which made the waiter give him a second glance.
But as soon as they entered, Yan Yixuan stopped in his tracks.
Ji Ling looked ahead, thinking to himself, ‘This is really strange.’
They had run into Yan Yixuan’s half-brother, Yan Yili.
Yan Yili had just entered the restaurant with a female companion.
Unlike the distance between Yan Yixuan and Ji Ling, the woman was walking closely beside Yan Yili, her arm linked with his in an intimate manner.
Ji Ling took a quick look at the woman’s appearance. Though she was pretty, she wasn’t extraordinary. Especially when compared to the three men in the room, she appeared somewhat lacking.
Yan Yili and his companion had clearly noticed them too.
Yan Yili immediately furrowed his brows.
Yan Yixuan was the first to speak, sarcastically saying, “You were almost shouting at me during the board meeting just now, and now you’re dining at the same place as me. Don’t you think that’s a bit ironic?”
Ji Ling immediately understood what Yan Yixuan was implying.
The two brothers had just attended a board meeting earlier today, and it hadn’t gone well. Afterward, they went their separate ways to meet with different people—only to unexpectedly run into each other.
The woman beside Yan Yili glanced at him uneasily. He gently patted her hand, offering a reassuring smile.
But when he looked up at Yan Yixuan, his expression turned cold. His eyes scanned Ji Ling, and the disgust was unmistakable.
Ji Ling was 100% sure that Yan Yili didn’t remember him, but the look he gave him was exactly the same as it had been that time at the racetrack.
Yan Yili spoke, his tone sharp, “That was business, now we’re just here to eat. The restaurant’s door is open—just because you came, does that mean I’m not allowed?”
His tone was harsh, and his companion softly tried to stop him, “Yili.”
Yan Yixuan chuckled, “This must be my future sister-in-law, huh? Aren’t you going to introduce her?”
But Yan Yili didn’t bother with the introduction. Instead, he pulled the woman’s hand, clearly ready to leave.
Yan Yixuan blocked the door with a half-smile, not allowing them to pass.
It was one of those electric moments, where tension hung thick in the air, ready to snap at any second.
Ji Ling sized up the situation, then casually said, “How about we all eat together?”
Yan Yili shot him a murderous glare, but Yan Yixuan only laughed, “I don’t mind. Just worried my future sister-in-law might have some indigestion.” With that, he stepped aside and opened a path. Yan Yili, without saying a word, walked off with his girlfriend.
Ji Ling turned to Yan Yixuan and asked, “Are we still eating?”
Yan Yixuan smiled, “Why not?”
They sat down, and the dishes were all chosen by Ji Ling. Throughout the meal, Yan Yixuan chatted casually with Ji Ling, but it was clear his mind wasn’t on the conversation. His focus seemed to be elsewhere.
Ji Ling thought about the two brothers. The whole situation was really intriguing.
It was obvious that Yan Yixuan was in a bad mood because of a disagreement with Yan Yili during the board meeting. As soon as he started talking to his brother, his tone became biting, while Yan Yili seemed to be looking down on Yan Yixuan, his nose up in the air.
Yan Yixuan was known for his playboy ways, constantly flirting and living it up, gaining quite the reputation in their circle. On the other hand, Yan Yili, from what Ji Ling had observed just now, seemed to be the complete opposite—clean and upright, presenting himself as the faithful and devoted type.
The two brothers were like opposing mirrors, intentionally reversing their roles.
The contrast was so deliberate that even Ji Ling couldn’t help but feel a sense of discomfort, like something just wasn’t right.
Yan Yili challenging Vice Chairman Yan Yixuan in the board meeting made it clear that he must have support behind him, and undoubtedly, some powerful cards up his sleeve.
Ji Ling couldn’t help but glance at Yan Yixuan. This man didn’t seem to have a solid grip on his position in the Yan family, not like he used to.
The loss of Yan Yixuan’s usual composure left Ji Ling feeling uneasy.
This so-called high society… really was full of trouble.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
Hmm, alright.