Ji Ling sat up, unsure of what to say for a moment.
Just a while ago, he had been thinking that the Yan family seemed to be doing fine, and yet, suddenly, Old Master Yan had fallen critically ill.
When Yan Jisheng had announced his retreat for treatment years ago, the Yan family’s stock had crashed once. If this news of his worsening condition got out, it would likely cause another stir.
But at least for now, there was Yan Yixuan holding down the fort. The Yan family should have prepared for this.
Ji Ling cursed himself inwardly as he thought about it. Here he was, thinking about stocks when Old Master Yan was seriously ill and the family was grieving.
He paused, realizing that any words of comfort right now would be pointless. He asked Yan Yixuan, “How serious is his condition?”
Yan Yixuan didn’t get up, his eyes shining in the dim light of the bedside lamp as he looked at Ji Ling. He didn’t directly answer Ji Ling’s question but instead said, “My grandfather won’t leave his work unless it’s absolutely necessary. The last time, the doctor gave him an ultimatum, and only then did he step down for treatment.”
Yan Yixuan’s voice sounded almost ethereal in the quiet of the night as he continued, “Honestly, it’s already a miracle we’ve made it this far.”
Ji Ling was completely stunned.
He hadn’t expected it to be this bad.
Ji Ling remembered when Yan Jisheng had appeared in public during the stock dip, and Yan Yixuan had mentioned that he would occasionally come back for meals, but it turned out that all of it had been a show of strength.
Ji Ling opened his mouth, finally forcing out, “There’s still hope. Trust in medicine.”
But Yan Yixuan responded, “At first, we were shocked. But after dragging it out for so long, we were mentally prepared. This sudden deterioration probably came from old age, a sudden flare-up. Everyone has had a sense of it.”
It was hard to believe. No matter how prepared you are, things like this are difficult to accept.
Ji Ling wanted to say something else, but Yan Yixuan stopped him, “It’s fine. Just take it as me talking too much. Don’t think too much about it. Go to sleep.”
Ji Ling lay back down, but the drunkenness was completely gone.
He had sensed some of Yan Yixuan’s restlessness over the past few days but had assumed it was just the usual temper of the young master. He hadn’t realized it was because of his grandfather’s condition.
From what Yan Yixuan had said, Ji Ling deduced that Yan Jisheng probably wouldn’t make it through this.
Ji Ling felt a jolt of fear. Though Yan Yixuan often sounded dismissive of family matters, it was clear that he valued his family deeply.
The calm expression on his face was probably just another way of him pretending to be strong.
A complicated feeling stirred in Ji Ling’s heart. He couldn’t quite figure out what it was, feeling a bit lost. He turned over and pulled Yan Yixuan closer to him.
“Hey, is this too cheesy?” Yan Yixuan’s tone was normal, complaining about Ji Ling’s actions. “Two grown men are already crowded enough.”
Hearing this, Ji Ling didn’t back off. Instead, he simply hugged him tighter, locking his arms around Yan Yixuan’s waist.
“…”
“I’m drunk,” Ji Ling used his usual excuse again.
Yan Yixuan sighed, letting it go.
If the news about Yan Jisheng’s condition got out and someone with bad intentions found out, it could easily shake the stock market.
He had once thought that Yan Yixuan was pushing him away, but now, looking back, if there hadn’t been enough trust, why would Yan Yixuan have told him?
The investment from the Luo family was quickly put into place.
The Luo family had increased their stake in Ji Ling’s company, immediately boosting its capital, and it had successfully joined the ranks of big companies.
At the same time, the promotional department of Tiansheng Entertainment had restructured and joined Ji Ling’s team as a technical investment. Ji Ling not only gained money but also acquired personnel and resources.
This move caused quite a stir.
The Luo family was known for their high standards, and the resources they provided were incredibly generous, which was rare to see.
As a result, all eyes were on Ji Ling.
People dug into Ji Ling’s background, his wealth, and his recent experiences, analyzing everything.
They were amazed by his youth and how quickly his career had taken off, while also puzzled by his methods. How could he manage to attract two powerful families, the Luo and the Yan?
Some were eager to see what kind of returns Ji Ling could bring to the Luo family, while others mocked, claiming the Luo family had made a poor judgment.
Ji Ling had been busy dealing with the investment from the Luo family, and while everything else seemed fine, the sudden arrival of a whole new team was a problem—how to integrate them well was the issue.
Ji Ling couldn’t help but feel like the office was getting a bit cramped.
But he didn’t have the resources to build his own office building yet. Renting an entire floor was already quite an achievement, so he would have to make do and re-plan the space.
During this time of handling business, Ji Ling could clearly feel that more and more people were taking notice of him.
When he walked through places like movie theaters, TV stations, or tech companies, familiar faces would approach him to chat, congratulating him. Even people he vaguely recognized would smile warmly at him, and occasionally, someone he didn’t know would greet him with a ‘Mr. Ji.’
He was called ‘Mr. Ji’ countless times in one day, almost making him feel like a celebrity.
Before, when he was in a high position, flattered by people, he didn’t feel much. After falling from grace and being ignored, now, with everyone eager to greet him like a star, it was hard not to find it a bit amusing.
He couldn’t help but reflect on how real people could be. Back then, he used to run around just to land a deal. Now, everyone was treating him with warmth.
Ji Ling knew that all of this was the result of the Luo family’s money.
However, he wasn’t the type to focus on small details. He understood that people’s temporary interest would eventually fade, and that the real key to success was making money.
Several big-budget movies extended invitations to him, and Ji Ling carefully selected a police and gangster film with a strong patriotic theme. The reason was simple: the female lead was Zhong Mingwei.
Ji Ling admitted that although he had ways to sell movies and variety shows as commodities, he found it difficult to gauge whether a film would be popular.
It was hard for him to feel the excitement of a movie or catch the comedic timing in a variety show, so even though Luo Tao had repeatedly invited him to invest in films, he hadn’t agreed.
He could tell whether an air conditioner was good or not, but he had no way of knowing if a movie had a future.
Even if something had died and been resurrected, if you didn’t know, you still wouldn’t know.
People in the entertainment industry, however, didn’t understand his dilemma. His productions for GG had never failed, and with the recent support from the Luo family, everyone had high hopes for this young boss, believing that anything he picked would certainly be a hit. If it didn’t blow up, he could probably make it explode anyway.
Even Luo Tao couldn’t help but tease him, asking, “Do you know what people in the circle are calling you now?”
Luo Tao raised an index finger and said, “The Midas Touch, Mr. Ji, haha.”
Ji Ling: “…”
Speaking of the Luo brothers—Luo Teng had only come to S City to handle a matter, and he flew out again just a few days later. Ji Ling suspected that once Luo Teng got back, he must have thoroughly investigated him. And knowing how sharp Luo Teng was, he’d definitely pick up on traces of Zong Bolin in him.
Luo Teng added Ji Ling on WeChat in private.
As a result, Ji Ling’s posts about company activities on his Moments were getting likes from a new regular.
Not only did Luo Teng like them, but occasionally, he would also chat with Ji Ling on WeChat.
“What are you planning to do with my money?” Luo Teng asked straightforwardly.
Ji Ling thought to himself that this was too petty—he had already given the money, and yet he was still lingering over it. Besides, hadn’t he already told him? “Most likely, I’ll invest in the film industry.”
“That’s good. Let me tell you, if Luo Tao tries to convince you to film a movie with him, don’t agree.”
“…”
Luo Tao, with his carefree personality, could film any script when he was in a good mood. Ji Ling figured it was better to avoid that.
Luo Teng continued to undermine his younger brother: “Half of the films he makes are for charity. It’s bad enough that he’s wasting my money; what’s already given to you is yours. Don’t let him rip you off.”
“…Screenshot taken.”
“I’m just trying to remind you, and you’re still plotting against me. Don’t ruin my image as a good brother.”
After a bit of joking, Luo Teng suddenly shifted the topic to Yan Yixuan.
“How did you get to know Yan Yixuan? You seem pretty familiar with him,” Luo Teng asked on WeChat.
Ji Ling thought for a moment, unsure how to explain, and could only say, “It’s a long story, but we’re pretty familiar.”
“Ah.” Luo Teng sent a sigh emoji.
Ji Ling: “?”
“The Yan family is no joke.”
Ji Ling asked, “What do you mean?”
Luo Teng sent a voice message, and Ji Ling clicked to listen.
“I have some history with the Yan family. Their situation is very complicated.”
Luo Teng seemed to know some insider information, which instantly caught Ji Ling’s attention.
There were things he couldn’t ask Yan Yixuan about, but now he could get Luo Teng to explain.
Ji Ling continued, “How is it complicated?”
Luo Teng said, “You know Yan Jisheng, right? Although he’s a big player in business, he’s a failure when it comes to family. His relationship with his eldest son was terrible. His eldest son passed away due to illness, and his daughter-in-law took the grandchild and left. His second son also passed away young, and he was quite the romantic.”
Ji Ling couldn’t help but interrupt with a voice message: “I know all that. I just want to ask about Yan Yili’s maternal family.”
“Oh, that.” Luo Teng replied. “When Yan Jisheng’s second son was studying in the UK, he met Yan Yili’s mother. She was also the daughter of a British overseas Chinese business family—pretty well-matched. But something happened later, and they didn’t end up together. After that, Yan Jisheng’s second son returned to China and married Yan Yixuan’s mother. Who would have thought that years later, another son popped up.”
No wonder Yan Yili was so bold.
It couldn’t be called an affair, really. Yan Yili didn’t think of himself as an illegitimate child, especially since his mother was also a wealthy woman, giving her more confidence.
“Anyway, Yan Jisheng is stubborn and arrogant. He raised children just like himself—no one submits to anyone, but everyone wants to control the others.”
Luo Teng hesitated before continuing, “I’ve heard some news recently that the Yan family might be going through a major change. There might be a big fight.”
Ji Ling asked, “How do you know so much? You’ve never mentioned this before.”
Luo Teng replied casually, “When I was younger, I had some interactions with the Yan family, so I knew a few things. Anyway, I see you’re pretty close with Yan Yixuan, just a reminder so you don’t get caught up in it.”
Ji Ling thought to himself, the fire had already started, and trying to put it out now was too late.
Luo Teng had said everything he needed to and then jokingly added, “But hey, if you end up getting screwed over, you could always come find me, become a star, and make money with your face. It’d probably be more comfortable than what you’re doing now.”
Ji Ling figured Luo Teng hadn’t changed. Once they were familiar with each other, he would never stop teasing.
Ji Ling laughed and sent a voice message, “If it really comes to that, I’ll rely on Master Luo to fund my rise to fame.”
Luo Teng chuckled, “There you go again, always eyeing my money.” After a while, he sent another message.
“If anything really happens, come straight to me.”
Ji Ling wasn’t sure what to say in response, so he simply replied, “Thank you, Mr. Luo.”
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)
The friendship 🥹🥹
Thanks for the translations