ABSML Chapter 16: Maintaining Connections

 Previous | Table of Contents | Next

After reading the post, Chen Zhan roughly calculated the situation. Since they had once been engaged, Lin Chiang’s survival rate was quite high. The fact that insurance had already been purchased suggested the two had already met.

“Feelings are truly mysterious.”

Setting aside everything else, allowing one’s fiancée to purchase multiple accident insurance policies in their name meant there was truly no resentment.

Meanwhile, another person in the crew had also attempted to drug him—out of personal feelings.

Perhaps due to guilt, the female lead deliberately avoided Chen Zhan afterward. Back in school, she had already been somewhat street-smart, and she had entered the industry at a young age, thinking that old tricks of borrowing influence would still work. Her plan was simple and crude: cause Chen Zhan to fall ill, delay filming, then spread some rumors to the media and use public pressure to force him out of the production.

Unfortunately, her plan had been exposed from the start. Even more unfortunate, her target had no intention of enduring silently.

The one with the truly clever plan was Chen Zhan, but it was unnecessary. Wang Cheng, who had outwardly advised him to endure, privately leaked the information to Yin Ronglan.

Wang Cheng didn’t care how the infamous Chen Zhan knew Yin Ronglan, nor did he wish to investigate why Yin Ronglan kept his identity a secret. As a businessman, he only focused on immediate benefits. Since Yin Ronglan and Chen Zhan seemed to have a good relationship, Wang Cheng saw an opportunity to establish a connection.

When Yin Ronglan received Wang Cheng’s message, he was in his office listening to a subordinate’s report.

His company had only collaborated with Wang Cheng’s boss once a long time ago. Since they didn’t have his contact information, they had used a more indirect method—email.

Ignoring the fake flattery and pleasantries, the email contained all the necessary details, including the female celebrity’s identity.

Yin Ronglan knew that even if he did nothing, Chen Zhan would find a way to settle the score himself.

After a few moments of contemplation, he interrupted his subordinate: “Wanxing Entertainment has a female artist named Xiao Tong. Find someone to contact them and terminate all her endorsements.”

The subordinate couldn’t understand how this actress had offended the boss, but he didn’t dare show curiosity. He simply nodded and obeyed.

Since the CEO had given personal orders, he dared not slack off. The subordinate immediately contacted Xiao Tong’s agency, and the result came back quickly.

“She’s too low-tier, and she offended someone during a previous magazine shoot. She currently has no endorsements.”

He placed a more detailed report on Yin Ronglan’s desk.

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but ponder—his usually ruthless boss wanted to take down an actress, only to find she was a nobody. Even with full force, there was no real target to attack. How frustrating.

But Yin Ronglan’s expression remained unchanged. Instead, he looked at the subordinate and said, “If she has no endorsements, why not give her one first?”

The subordinate froze, unable to process the logic.

Yin Ronglan didn’t elaborate, simply waiting in silence.

His gaze was so intimidating that the subordinate quickly snapped out of it. “Gain something, only to lose it?”

Yin Ronglan gave a soft “Mm.”

The subordinate hesitated. “But if the advertiser initiates the termination, she will receive a large compensation.”

Yin Ronglan chuckled. “That depends on the product. Some brands require that their endorsers remain single during the contract period.”

Flipping through the report casually, he continued, “Didn’t you already discover that she has a secret boyfriend? When the time comes, let’s see which she values more—her boyfriend or her endorsement?”

For a minor celebrity like Xiao Tong, the subordinate had seen many and immediately judged, “Someone is probably being too greedy.”

Yin Ronglan said calmly, “Greed comes at a price.”

Leaving the boss's office, the subordinate felt his heart pounding. When he returned to the work area, his colleagues asked what had happened.

Still shaken, he gave a four-word warning: “Don't mess with the CEO.”

He had always thought the most ruthless approach was not to solve problems but to deal with the people who raised them. Now, he saw that there was always someone more formidable—creating problems where none existed was the most terrifying strategy.

In another city, while filming, Chen Zhan was completely unaware of Yin Ronglan’s ruthless and merciless way of handling things.

It wasn’t until the next day that he fully witnessed the female lead basking in her success.

The previous subtle nervousness she had shown around Chen Zhan was now gone. She was strutting with her chin slightly raised, exuding arrogance.

Wang Cheng usually spent time with the male celebrities he managed. Compared to the actors, his life was much more comfortable—sitting in the nanny van, enjoying air conditioning and good food.

One of his artists, Shi Ke, had once gained brief fame from a TV drama but had gradually faded over the years. Wang Cheng thought he had good looks and talent and believed he had the potential to rise again, so he was willing to manage him.

At first, Shi Ke was happy. Now, he was even more flattered—Wang Cheng had several artists under him, yet he was spending the entire day accompanying him on set.

During a break from filming, Shi Ke got into the nanny van, wanting a cold drink to cool off. But considering it might harm his voice, he resignedly picked up his thermos instead. After taking a sip, he carefully suggested, “I heard the actress I'm working with is about to land a major endorsement. Should I take this opportunity to stir up some dating rumors with her?”

What Wang Cheng liked most about him was that he always consulted before taking action.

“Could be an option.”

Shi Ke barely had time to feel happy before Wang Cheng added, “Unless you want to quit the industry and go back to inherit your family business.”

Having received the news earlier than his artists, Wang Cheng had already processed his initial surprise. After thinking it over, he couldn’t help but feel a chill down his spine.

There were no free lunches in this industry.

“Ever read Snow White?” Wang Cheng said meaningfully. “Fruits that come to you on their own are usually poisoned apples.”

Shi Ke hadn’t been in the entertainment industry for long and didn’t fully grasp the meaning behind his words. But later, when reading his script alone, he shuddered as he thought things through.

Meanwhile, when the female lead deliberately walked past him, Chen Zhan asked the makeup artist about it and learned about her upcoming brand deal.

He was no naïve newcomer and quickly pieced together the likely backstory—even faster than Wang Cheng.

Perhaps overwhelmed by excitement, the female lead was noticeably unfocused during filming that day. Her performance was off, forcing Chen Zhan to reshoot several scenes with her.

In the afternoon, he had to do some wirework, and by the time he returned to his hotel in the evening, his body ached.

Chen Zhan made up his mind to move up his gym schedule.

While waiting for his hair to air dry, he was about to read his script when he unexpectedly received a call from Yin Ronglan.

“How's filming going?” The voice on the other end carried a slight rasp, possibly due to the late hour.

Standing by the window, gazing at the endless night sky, Chen Zhan replied, “Overall, it’s been good. Just a few minor hiccups.”

He recounted the happenings on set in a calm tone, without exaggerating or complaining, as if he were merely sharing amusing anecdotes with a friend.

Yin Ronglan had long noticed that talking with Chen Zhan was always a pleasant experience. No matter how bad the situation was, he never wallowed in self-pity.

“What’s your plan?” Yin Ronglan asked.

Chen Zhan replied, “I already asked Lin Chiang for help, and it looks like he’s taken care of it.”

Before the shoot wrapped up, he had sent a message to thank him, though Lin Chiang hadn’t responded yet.

The pen in Yin Ronglan’s hand paused slightly as he considered whether he should take credit and clarify the situation.

“Life imitates drama—it seems I still don’t fully understand people.”

Yin Ronglan: “What do you mean?”

Chen Zhan, captivated by a lone star in the sky, mused, “I just feel like this kind of maneuver doesn’t quite fit Lin Chiang’s style.” He then chuckled, “Not sure if you read novels, but this kind of cunning and ruthless strategy is usually the hallmark of a patient, vengeful antagonist.”

Yin Ronglan, realizing his core approach had been exposed, responded with remarkable clarity, “The Lin family heir is obsessive and highly skilled at deception. Best to keep your distance.”

Chen Zhan agreed, “I’ll be careful.”

Their conversation stretched on for some time. By the time they hung up, Chen Zhan’s hair had nearly dried. Exhausted from the day's work, he collapsed into bed and fell asleep immediately.

In contrast, Yin Ronglan still had work to do, sitting in his office reviewing documents.

In the last three months of the year, the company’s overtime workload would increase significantly. Fortunately, the benefits were generous, so employees had little to complain about.

Since witnessing his boss’s way of handling things earlier that day, the subordinate had been working diligently, fearing that any mistake might displease him. Others envied his impending promotion to special assistant, but only he knew the anxiety that came with it.

The moment Yin Ronglan paused his work, the subordinate instinctively tensed, thinking something had gone wrong again.

“What do you think is important in maintaining a friendship?”

Yin Ronglan had never really had friends. He had a few business partners, but their interactions were always based on mutual benefit.

The subordinate wasn’t sure why the conversation had suddenly shifted away from work. But confusion was nothing new when dealing with this boss, so he quickly composed himself and answered seriously, “From my experience, remembering birthdays and offering comfort when the other person is feeling down…”

Yin Ronglan interrupted, “Just tell me what to avoid.”

Without hesitation, the subordinate replied, “A friendship involving three people.”

Then, he elaborated, “If all three are outgoing, it’s fine. But if one of them is introverted, they’re bound to feel left out.”

Yin Ronglan listened thoughtfully and nodded slightly. Chen Zhan had recently shown signs of getting close to Lin Chiang, and he needed to put a stop to it early.

"Put aside your current work for now," Yin Ronglan glanced at his subordinate. "Go take care of something for me."

·

Since taking on Love in the Fields, the director had lost more than a few strands of hair.

The script was excellent and had the potential to gain traction once released, but the number of headaches it brought was far from small. For instance, the lead actress had recently been acting erratically, the investment deal with a sponsor had fallen through due to their bankruptcy, and now they had to cut costs on special effects.

At this critical moment, someone unexpectedly approached him, claiming they were willing to invest in the project. Had he not known their background, the director would have thought it was a scam.

Sitting before him was a sharply dressed young man who casually slid a contract across the table.

"The investment comes with one condition: we’d like someone to join the production."

It was common for actors to buy their way into a role. The director forced a smile. "We’ve already started shooting and publicly announced the cast. Changing the lead would be difficult."

The young man replied, "A minor role is fine."

The director exhaled in relief. "Are there any other conditions?"

The young man’s expression remained serious. "When the final cut is made, this person’s scenes must be removed entirely."

"… "

Paying to be in the production only to have the scenes cut—what kind of ridiculous request was this?

The director carefully asked, "Do they have any acting experience?"

The young man slid another document forward. The director took a quick glance and instantly sucked in a sharp breath. "This… this is…"

"My boss," the young man said. "Not many people have seen him in person. Please do not reveal his identity on set."

The director sat in stunned silence for a full minute before asking, "If he’s joining the production, why remove the scenes?"

"Who said he’s here for the acting?" The young man replied righteously, "He’s here to make friends."

"… "

_____

T/N: Please give support in my ko-fi page, thank you😊