Chapter 084: Faking an Accident

Life was already so hard—why was her darling husband worried that she’d risk his job just to do that sort of thing? Song Wan looked at Jin Youqian with an expression beyond words.

Yet Jin Youqian’s expression was even harder to describe. “A woman who sneaks into my bed while I’m showering to seduce me has no right to say such things.”

So, you’re worried that as long as we’re under the same roof—even if it’s in separate rooms—I’ll seize the chance to crawl into your bed?

Song Wan was utterly speechless.

“And even if you won’t do it for now, Uncle Feng will persuade you.” Jin Youqian looked at her. “I don’t trust you—and I trust even less that you can withstand Uncle Feng’s persuasion.”

Uncle Feng? Wasn’t he the butler who mysteriously handed her Jin Youqian’s room key that night? The same one who brought lunch directly to her film set?

Oh no! Song Wan covered her face, admitting inwardly that she really couldn’t handle such an elder.

Perhaps she’d start out with no intention at all, but after Uncle Feng’s gentle coaxing, she might just be tempted to do something with Jin Youqian...

She didn’t have much confidence in her own self-control.

But honestly, she couldn’t be blamed. Song Wan’s eyes darted, and she glared at Jin Youqian with righteous indignation. “Who told my husband to be so irresistibly handsome?”

Jin Youqian: “…Then just go back to your company apartment!”

He nearly choked on his own anger.

What sort of woman had he married—to tell a man that he was ‘irresistibly handsome’?

Jin Youqian flexed his fingers and looked at Song Wan in silence. “If I hit you right now, would it count as domestic violence?”

Song Wan shrank back against the car door, her gaze wary. “You’d go to jail!”

“Knock, knock, knock—”

Someone tapped on the car window from outside, right on Jin Youqian’s side.

He turned to look, finding a nervous, unfamiliar man standing there. Wherever he’d come from, his hair was drenched with sweat, beads slipping down his forehead as if threatening to flood his eyes. Every few seconds, he had to wipe them away.

But perhaps worried that Jin Youqian might find him disrespectful, he stood rigidly after tapping the window, not daring to move an inch. Even as sweat slid from his eyelids, he merely blinked hard.

Jin Youqian asked Song Wan, “Do you know him?”

Song Wan shook her head. “Never seen him.”

Jin Youqian raised an eyebrow and signaled the driver to lower the window. “What is it?”

The man, wearing black-rimmed glasses, offered an awkward smile upon seeing Jin Youqian. “Um, Mr. Jin, my name is Shi Yi, from Ethereal Films…”

“Tap—”

Jin Youqian rapped his curled forefinger and middle finger against the glass, his expression cold and his gaze full of impatience. “I asked why you’re looking for me. Do we know each other?”

Shi Yi jumped, not daring to say more, and hurried to explain, “Our company recently acquired a web series with countless fans. But the author wanted your company’s Miss Song to play the female lead…”

“That’s it?” Jin Youqian lifted his chin arrogantly. “I don’t deal with these matters. If you want Song Wan to take the role, speak to her agent or directly to the head of artists at Imperial Entertainment.”

Imperial Entertainment had been established for over half a year, but aside from buying scripts and investing in promising film and TV projects, they’d only signed Song Wan as their sole artist. In some sense, the artist department existed solely for her.

If this so-called Ethereal Films truly just wanted Song Wan to star in their show, there was no need to approach Jin Youqian.

Seeing his ulterior motive laid bare, Shi Yi’s embarrassment deepened. He opened his mouth, wishing to say more, but whatever he meant to say seemed too difficult, and he couldn’t form a complete sentence. For a long while, only broken breaths could be heard.

The atmosphere fell silent.

Jin Youqian waited patiently for quite some time, but Shi Yi still didn’t speak. Growing truly impatient, he tapped the driver’s seat. “Close the window!”

Just as people said, his time was measured in tens of thousands per minute, and wasting this much on a stranger was already his limit.

No one else dared keep him waiting so long!

If not for Song Wan’s involvement, he wouldn’t have bothered with this baffling man at all.

Ethereal Films? Never heard of it!

“Wait!” Shi Yi panicked. “I—we—our company truly believes in the potential of this adaptation, and sincerely wishes to invite Miss Song Wan to play the female lead. But, but…”

Shi Yi was nearly in tears, cursing his own clumsy tongue.

If—if only he had his boss’s gift of persuasion, he could convince Mr. Jin to invest in this drama!

“But our company is too small, and the show requires extensive special effects…” Shi Yi nearly buried his head in his chest, his voice so faint it was barely distinguishable. “So I—I’d like to ask Mr. Jin to invest in the project.”

He suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed on Jin Youqian. “It doesn’t have to be much—our boss has his own funds. Just another hundred million from Mr. Jin would suffice.”

A hundred million…

Not much…

Song Wan couldn’t help but speak up. “Just how much are you planning to spend on this series?”

Nowadays, dramas claimed to be massive productions costing over a hundred million, but very few truly spent that much on filming and props.

As far as Song Wan knew, only “The Empress” and “Immortal Cloud” fit the bill.

Movies had a long list of big-budget productions, but even there, most investment went to the actors, not the production itself.

Yet this man spoke of a hundred million right off the bat, and judging by their casting—

They wanted her as the female lead.

Though Song Wan was popular now, her fee wasn’t actually high—about three hundred thousand per episode. For an actress of her standing to play the lead…

Where was all that money going? Did Jin Youqian’s money grow on trees?

For some reason, just thinking about this man treating Jin Youqian as an easy mark made Song Wan feel annoyed.

Shi Yi blinked in surprise. “Are you Miss Song Wan?”

Song Wan raised an eyebrow, leaned over Jin Youqian, and poked her head out the window. “That’s me.”

Shi Yi seemed relieved—the suffocating pressure Jin Youqian radiated was too much for him to bear, but facing Song Wan was far easier.

His speech became smooth and organized. “Our company’s initial estimate for this drama is about two and a half billion,” he paused, his smile tinged with bitterness, “not including the actors’ fees.”

Clearly, he understood the industry’s realities and worried for the future.

“Our boss is extremely fond of this story, which is why he bought the adaptation rights and made it our company’s first project.”

He stole a glance at Jin Youqian, and when Jin Youqian looked back, he quickly lowered his head—

He’d heard that Imperial Entertainment only invested in projects, and their previously planned blockbuster film was halted for unknown reasons.

But that thought barely flickered in Shi Yi’s mind before he dismissed it.

Matters at Imperial Entertainment weren’t for small companies like theirs to probe.

“Our boss is just a recent graduate, and his family’s support is limited, so…”

Song Wan understood now—it was a second-generation heir.

“How much more do you need for your crew?”

“Our boss has already raised one hundred and fifty million. He genuinely wants to make something good, so he’s avoided random investors.”

Because the greatest fear in film production was an outsider investor, ignorant and overbearing, meddling after contributing a little money and ruining a perfectly good project.

“I heard Mr. Jin allows directors and screenwriters maximum creative freedom, which is why I mustered the courage to approach him.” Shi Yi’s smile was forced, his posture as humble as possible.

Truthfully, Shi Yi had come to see Jin Youqian of his own accord—his boss, though short on funds, had no intention of seeking investors.

He was putting on a brave front, or perhaps just didn’t care for Jin Youqian’s money. The problem was, Jin Youqian was elusive, and without inside connections, impossible to find. Shi Yi’s boss was just a wealthy heir, not in Jin Youqian’s league, and meeting him was out of the question.

But Shi Yi knew his boss’s ideal investor was Jin Youqian. So when he saw online news that Jin Youqian would be at the Golden Dog Awards, he rushed over without even telling his boss.

Afraid he’d miss Jin Youqian, he got out of his car during the traffic jam and ran over—hence his sweat-soaked appearance.

Jin Youqian listened for a long time, then turned to him. “Title!”

“Huh?”

Jin Youqian narrowed his eyes, the cold lights nearby reflecting a sharp, frosty gaze. “The title. You keep mentioning the story’s huge fan base. I need to verify that, don’t I?”

A hint of laughter flickered in his eyes, his expression half mocking. “How do I know you’re not wasting my time? Plenty think I’m wealthy and try to take me for a fool.”

He spoke, then glanced at Song Wan.

Song Wan: Meow meow meow, why look at me? What’s it got to do with me? When have I ever tried to take advantage of you?

She was just an innocent bystander, thank you very much.

Because of Jin Youqian’s inexplicable glance, Song Wan was left thoroughly frustrated.

But soon, she had no time for idle thoughts. Shi Yi, faced with the question, looked skyward with reverence. “It’s ‘Stardust’ by the Girl in the Box.”

Song Wan: Meow meow meow, did I hear that right?