After returning from Tian Sheng Entertainment, Ji Ling shared the big news with the company—Luo Tao was about to inject personal capital into the company.
The entire office erupted in cheers.
More money meant more opportunities, and everyone was naturally thrilled.
But Ji Ling didn’t openly share his concerns.
Luo Tao’s involvement in company management meant he would be under scrutiny. If Ji Ling made a wrong decision, Luo Tao could easily pull him down from his position as boss.
But regardless of that, bringing in capital was a good thing for the company right now.
It was a matter that should be celebrated, so Ji Ling quickly joined in the celebration with his colleagues.
After finalizing the financing details with Luo Tao, Ji Ling wasted no time in renting an entire floor of office space. Finally, he could expand departments, recruit new talent, and take the company to the next level.
With Luo Tao’s investment, whenever he went out to discuss business, people looked at him differently. Things that used to take ten sentences to explain could now be done with just one.
On top of that, Luo Tao had extensive resources in the entertainment industry. Even if he didn’t directly intervene, just being associated with his name allowed Ji Ling to get insider information early. In an age where information was everything, being a step ahead of everyone else was a huge advantage.
Right now, Ji Ling’s business model blends media, entertainment, and advertising—like a matchmaker connecting production teams with actors and linking advertisers to streaming platforms.
His failed collaboration with Tian Sheng Entertainment last time was a wake-up call.
Even with great ideas, without a solid creative team, it was too easy to have his work taken by others.
Maybe it was because Ji Ling had always worked in traditional industries in his past life—he never believed marketing alone could keep a business standing. He needed original, in-house projects to secure his foundation.
These thoughts were just the beginning. Right now, he had to focus on digesting Luo Tao’s investment and expanding operations.
The past few weeks had been packed with meetings, lease agreements, and endless discussions with Luo Tao. Now that everything had finally settled, and with so many new colleagues on board, Ji Ling decided it was time for a grand celebration.
A lavish banquet was in order—to welcome the newcomers and honor the loyal veterans.
He hoped his employees could eat happily and have fun.
And with a company dinner, drinking was inevitable. The employees were in high spirits and insisted on toasting to the boss. Ji Ling couldn’t refuse, so he ended up drinking quite a bit.
That one time with Yan Yixuan at the bar, when he was forced to drink until he felt like dying, had made Ji Ling lose his love for alcohol.
But in Chinese drinking culture, completely avoiding alcohol wasn’t an option. So over time, he had made an effort to build up his tolerance—at least enough so that drinking wouldn’t be as painful.
But today was a happy occasion, and he didn’t want to spoil the mood. So, he drank along with them.
As the drinking got heavier, the atmosphere grew more lively. Just as everyone was laughing and having a good time, the receptionist suddenly started crying.
She was clearly drunk, her face flushed red, but she was crying her heart out. Normally, she was very conscious of her image, but now, as she cried, she looked a little messy.
Everyone froze. Ji Ling rushed over to her and asked what was wrong.
The receptionist choked up, tears flowing like a faucet. She said, “Wuuu… Before, when you asked me to stay at the company, I didn’t even want to… But now your business is getting bigger and bigger, and all I do is stand there looking pretty… I’m completely useless! Wuuu…”
Ji Ling couldn’t help but laugh. “And then?” he asked.
“And then… and then… Are you going to fire me?!” She wailed even louder, looking absolutely heartbroken.
Everyone else burst into laughter.
Ji Ling chuckled too, handing her a tissue and comforting her, “No way, I’ve never met a better receptionist than you.”
When Ji Ling had first been reborn, the receptionist was the first person he met in the company. The first big business deal he went out for, he had brought her along. To Ji Ling, she was like a lucky charm. Every day, when he arrived at the office and saw her at the front desk, he felt like he could work peacefully.
“And didn’t you take evening classes? I thought you wouldn’t stick with it, but you’ve never given up, right?”
The receptionist looked at Ji Ling through tear-filled eyes and nodded.
Ji Ling smiled, “Although I told you to just be a pretty vase at the start, you’ve really done your job seriously, right? You’ve been working hard to improve yourself, and I’ve noticed. I was actually planning to have you join the PR team.”
The receptionist was so shocked that she forgot to cry.
“You can’t just keep calling yourself useless when you’ve worked hard and improved,” Ji Ling said.
She finally broke into a smile, wiping away her tears, and sincerely said, “Thank you, boss.”
Everyone applauded, and then they started teasing Ji Ling, asking him to give them promotions and raises. Ji Ling just laughed it off.
In truth, half of what Ji Ling had said was meant for Mo Yulan to hear.
Mo Yulan had always had a prejudice against him, thinking he was relying on Yan Yixuan as his backing. Ji Ling didn’t have the time to explain, but he just wanted her to see for herself—whether he was really using others as stepping stones to build his career.
Mo Yulan seemed to be deep in thought, standing quietly off to the side, watching.
Even though Yan Yixuan paid her salary, and she had made significant contributions at the company, Ji Ling still paid her an additional salary. She had even followed him on business trips and should’ve developed her own judgment by now.
Finally, Mo Yulan raised her glass and said to Ji Ling, “A toast to you, Mr. Ji.”
Ji Ling smiled and clinked glasses with her.
The celebration went on until late, but as with any lively party, it eventually came to an end. Ji Ling made sure to arrange transportation for the drunken men and ladies, and then parted ways with his subordinates.
After drinking, of course, Ji Ling couldn’t drive, but instead of calling a car, he decided to walk slowly down the sidewalk, letting the cool air help him sober up.
Honestly, he was feeling really happy today.
It had been a long time since he felt this happy.
He had secured such a large investment, he had a whole team of employees, and he had a bright future ahead.
But what exactly was the future?
When he was Zong Bolin, he had also thought about the future. Some people believed that those at the top, like him, had no more dreams, but he always wanted more, wanted to stay ahead of everyone else.
But now, as Ji Ling, where did his future lie?
Was he just going to become another Zong Bolin?
Ji Ling walked along the side of the road. The city was as bustling as his hometown, with traffic and people everywhere during the day, and even at night, young people who had stayed out late were still laughing and chatting on the sidewalks.
Although he still felt a little lost, right now, he was genuinely happy.
But that feeling of joy, mixed with a bit of confusion, who could he share it with?
He looked around, and for a moment, he froze.
Maybe it was the alcohol messing with his head, maybe it was just a whim—before he knew it, he pulled out his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and dialed ‘that’ number.
After a while, the other person finally picked up.
“Ji Ling?”
The voice on the other end didn’t mockingly call him ‘Boss Ji’ like usual. Instead, he just called his name.
Ji Ling paused for a moment, then called his name too, saying, “Yan Yixuan, I…” He had just started to speak when he suddenly heard another voice in the background.
“Young Master Yan, stop calling and come drink with us!”
Ji Ling instantly sobered up.
Listening more carefully, it sounded like there were a lot of people on the other end, with loud music in the background. Ji Ling immediately regretted it and said, “Never mind, I dialed the wrong number.”
Then, without waiting for a response, he hung up.
Ji Ling shook his head, wondering what the hell he was doing. This was exactly why people said alcohol was dangerous.
But thanks to that call, he was now completely sober.
Tomorrow was another workday—he might as well head back early.
The night had grown late, and even the late-night strollers were gradually disappearing. Ji Ling glanced around, pulled out his phone, and called for a ride. But the driver, who seemed to be from out of town, was circling on the overpass, unsure of how to come down and pick him up.
Ji Ling stood by the road, bored, waiting.
Suddenly, a sports car came speeding down the street like a bolt of lightning, cutting through the night.
Then, the lightning came to a sudden stop right in front of Ji Ling.
The sports car was a convertible, and Yan Yixuan was sitting in the driver’s seat.
He looked at Ji Ling and said, “Get in.”
Ji Ling’s first reaction was, ‘Are you drunk driving?’
His fear of reckless drivers was much stronger than his fear of alcohol.
Yan Yixuan rolled his eyes. “I haven’t even had a drink yet!”
Seeing that Ji Ling was still hesitating, he leaned out of the car, grabbed Ji Ling’s collar, and pulled him in for a kiss.
“There. See for yourself—I haven’t been drinking.”
Ji Ling took a moment to process what just happened. Indeed, there was no smell of alcohol—if anything, ‘he’ was the one reeking of booze.
Slowly, he walked around to the other side, opened the passenger door, and got in. Yan Yixuan restarted the car, but this time, he drove much slower than when he arrived.
It had only been about ten minutes since Ji Ling made that call. He glanced at Yan Yixuan and asked, “How did you know I was here?” Did he put a tracker on him or something?
Yan Yixuan seemed to read his thoughts and chuckled. “I called Mo Yulan. She said you guys had just finished dinner, so I figured you’d still be nearby.”
Ji Ling didn’t bother asking why Yan Yixuan hadn’t just called him back—because even if he had, Ji Ling wouldn’t have answered.
Yan Yixuan was about to say something else when Ji Ling’s phone rang.
Ji Ling checked the screen. It was the ride-share driver from earlier.
The guy had arrived at the location but couldn’t find him. Ji Ling quickly apologized and canceled the ride.
The driver cursed him out before hanging up.
Yan Yixuan, having heard everything, was laughing from the driver’s seat.
Ji Ling hung up and shot him a look.
It was a little strange, seeing Yan Yixuan like this. Normally, he was always sitting in the backseat of a luxury car, perfectly put together in a tailored suit. But tonight, watching him casually drive a sports car himself—it was different. A little unexpected. A little intriguing.
Ji Ling said, “Young Master Yan, there was no need for you to come looking for me.”
Yan Yixuan kept his eyes on the road. “I told you, I hadn’t started drinking yet. Just hanging out with some friends—skipping it doesn’t matter.” He seemed to be in a good mood. “This is the first time you’ve ever called me.”
The smugness in his tone made him sound almost childish.
Ji Ling was startled by the thought—was he actually finding ‘Yan Yixuan’ childish?
Yan Yixuan glanced at him. “Why did you call me?”
Ji Ling’s mind went blank for a second. To be honest, he didn’t even know himself. He had been drunk, and it just felt like the thing to do at the time.
He could only say, “I got Luo Tao’s investment.”
Yan Yixuan raised an eyebrow, clearly stunned. “That’s it? That’s what you wanted to tell me?”
Ji Ling regretted it instantly. Why had he thought—even for a second—that he could share his victory with Yan Yixuan?
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)
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