Mu Xianqing was dumbfounded and amused, then returned to quietly appreciating the painting. At one moment, he held it up to the floor-to-ceiling window; at another, he had his secretary hold it against the wall. In Jiang Ruotang’s eyes, it was all just a hassle.

After eating to his satisfaction, Jiang Ruotang looked at Mu Xianqing and directly said again, “I want to start an agency to cultivate a group of quality actors, from leads to supporting roles. Sweet Fruit is a broadcasting platform, and my dad’s side, as well as Qi Yanfeng’s side, are good production companies. Plus, Chicheng Pictures excels in promotion and distribution. We just need the acting talent to form a complete chain. Do you want to invest some money?”

Mu Xianqing’s gaze was still on the painting, but he let out a soft chuckle, “You’re just saying you want to borrow my influence, right?”

“You said it yourself, to find you when there’s money to be made.”

“So, what are your initial thoughts? Who are you considering?”

Jiang Ruotang took a sip of milk tea. He had already prepared, listing several names and analyzing their existing works, current situations, acting characteristics, and future development directions.

These were all people who would have acting skills and a good reputation in the future, but lacked some luck, and among them was Ling Song.

Mu Xianqing knew that Jiang Ruotang seemed casual about everything he said, but he never did business without preparation.

Secretary Ye wasn’t idle either; he secretly jotted down these names and would conduct a second investigation after Jiang Ruotang left.

“Hmm…” Jiang Ruotang remembered something, looked up at Mu Xianqing, “By the way… I saw CEO Qin and CEO Han waiting for you.”

Mu Xianqing smiled, “Their purpose is the same as yours; they both want me to pay.”

As a partner, Jiang Ruotang felt it was his duty to remind Mu Xianqing.

“If it’s an investment related to that ALEN, you should be cautious,” Jiang Ruotang said, stopping at a hint.

Mu Xianqing heard this, handed the painting to his secretary, gesturing for him to put it in the vault, then sat next to Jiang Ruotang, “What do you mean?”

“A persona built on marketing can easily lead to a complete loss when it collapses.”

Mu Xianqing smiled and nodded: “Don’t worry, I’m not that easily fooled.”

Jiang Ruotang didn’t stay long. He had already made the two CEOs wait an extra twenty minutes; if he waited any longer, they would probably vent their anger on him.

“I’m full, I’m going back!”

Other people who came to Mu Xianqing’s place wished they could stay as long as possible, but only Jiang Ruotang, after eating and drinking to his fill, left without a word, just packed up and wanted to go.

“Alright, looking forward to you coming to drink milk tea with me again next time.”

Mu Xianqing got up and walked out of the office, allowing Qin Zhanzao and Han Ming, who were in another lounge, to witness Mu Xianqing escorting Jiang Ruotang to the elevator.

The two looked relieved, exchanging glances. They had expected to wait until dinner, but it ended faster than they thought.

However, what they didn’t expect was that the investment in the movie tailor-made for ALEN didn’t get Mu Xianqing’s final approval. This was a clearly profitable project, coveted by many in the industry. Qin Zhanzao and Han Ming came to Mu Xianqing precisely because they valued Delightful Heaven’s cinema chain.

Mu Xianqing didn’t explicitly refuse, just laughed and played a game of tai chi with them, saying things like there were too many film and television project investments recently and they needed to pass a meeting, etc. At the end of the conversation, he didn’t tell Qin Zhanzao and Han Ming when the results would be out, an attitude worth pondering.

---

Walking out of Mu Xianqing’s office, Qin Zhanzao frowned. In the elevator, he couldn’t help but say to Han Ming, “Could it be that young man from the Jiang family said something to Mu Xianqing?”

Han Ming chuckled, thinking that Qin Zhanzao was still too young. Despite how much Mu Xianqing doted on Jiang Ruotang’s paintings, for him, business investments and art collections were never to be confused. Was Jiang Ruotang some big shot that Mu Xianqing needed to give face to?

“What are you worried about? Even if Mu Xianqing isn’t interested in our project, as long as we hold the ALEN card, there are plenty of people who will pay more readily than him.”

Almost the very next day, Secretary Ye placed the investigation report on ALEN on Mu Xianqing’s desk.

Unfortunately, his boss was still immersed in the painting “Burning Clouds,” occasionally sighing, “It’s mine now,” which made Secretary Ye’s face twitch.

“I won’t read the report. Just tell me what kind of scandalous past this ALEN has.”

Secretary Ye was shocked when he started listing them.

What drunk assault, acting like a diva during commercial shoots, bullying his team members during the recording of Idols Please Line Up… a whole page of Excel could be pulled up.

“Geez, this guy is making money on our turf and he’s still so arrogant?” Mu Xianqing shrugged. “Can he speak Chinese yet?”

Secretary Ye shook his head, “His contract with Qilin Video has a clause that he cannot be forced to learn Chinese.”

“Then what the hell is he filming movies for? They’ll find voice actors later, and the lip-sync won’t even match. Are Qilin Video, Qin Zhanzao, and Han Ming masochists or something? Earning money by fawning over that ALEN’s stinky face? And they want me to pay and fawn with them? I’m not interested in that kind of hobby.”

Secretary Ye wanted to laugh but held it in.

“What about the actors CEO Jiang recommended?”

Secretary Ye listed them one by one and found they all shared a common trait: they diligently auditioned, ran errands, and some even struggled to adapt to the insincere ways of the entertainment industry, appearing somewhat out of place, or what’s known as having “poor social skills.”

But upon closer thought, their character was impeccable.

“What about their acting skills? Are they capable of being promoted?”

“You’re asking about acting skills? Compared to that ALEN, every single one of them is a strong contender for best actor/actress.”

Secretary Ye rarely mocked like this, which made Mu Xianqing trust Jiang Ruotang’s judgment even more.

He directly called Jiang Ruotang, his voice filled with laughter, “Little CEO Jiang, get your agency up and running as soon as possible. I’m afraid that once you go to the capital, you’ll be indulging in pleasures every day and forget about proper business.”

“You made a decision so quickly?”

“Me talking about investigations and considerations, wasn’t that just for show and putting on airs? You actually believed it?”

Jiang Ruotang thought to himself: It’s clearly your high efficiency in investigations and Secretary Ye being reliable. Mu Xianqing, you’re really patting yourself on the back!

But these words could only remain in his mind. Jiang Ruotang thought, I’m an adult now; I need to learn to see through things without speaking them.

So, he arranged a gathering, invited the Qi brothers, and also called Chen Dan, who brought his sister Chen Qian. It seemed the Chen family highly valued their cooperation with Jiang Ruotang. Plus, Mr. Zheng and Lawyer Dai joined them for dinner.

At the dinner, Jiang Ruotang announced that Mu Xianqing would become a shareholder. The Qi brothers and the Chen siblings immediately decided to invest.

“Instead of waiting for those popular celebrities to demand exorbitant prices, and constantly risking their careers collapsing, potentially losing all investment, it’s better for us to cultivate popular and capable actors ourselves. We can also strengthen our own management, so we won’t be too passive in the face of public opinion,” Qi Yanze stated.

Everyone looked at him with surprise.

“What’s wrong? Do I have sesame on my face or food on my teeth?” Qi Yanze touched his face.

Chen Dan unapologetically teased, “Aze, everyone’s amazed that you grew a brain!”

Qi Yanze’s face flushed, “I was born with a brain!”

“I only know you have animalistic intuition,” Jiang Ruotang chuckled.

Qi Yanfeng said, “Let our family’s shares in this agency be under my name.”

Qi Yanze was dissatisfied: “Why can’t it be under mine?”

“You’re already linked to Sweet Fruit. And now an agency? How many small celebrities would flock to you then? You’re easily swayed, and if people flatter you, it’s hard to guarantee you won’t get carried away. Isn’t there a certain small celebrity with a ‘snake-like face’ trying to get resources from you lately? Do you dare say you haven’t thought about signing him into the new company? By then, he’ll be stirring up trouble in the agency, using your name to fight for resources and create gossip. Wouldn’t that be enough to drive us crazy?” Qi Yanfeng was merciless in his criticism of his brother when it came to serious matters.

“I…”

Everyone saw Qi Yanze’s hesitant look and guessed that Qi Yanfeng’s judgment of his brother’s character had hit the nail on the head.

“Alright, then it’ll be under Brother Qi’s name. Aze, don’t be sad. Your boyfriend won’t break up with you just because the agency isn’t under your name, after all, you’re a shareholder of Sweet Fruit.”

Jiang Ruotang’s words once again hit Qi Yanze where it hurt. After all was said and done, it was still about his money. He wished it was about his looks or his physique!

Chen Dan chuckled, “Sweet Fruit’s business is already enough to make me vomit blood. I really don’t have the time to get involved in managing the agency. But Ruotang, anything you want to do, our family definitely has to support. So, I brought my sister, Chen Qian. My sister, Chen Qian, is also excellent at securing resources, and she has a good reputation and connections in the industry. You can entrust the people you want to cultivate most to her; she’ll guarantee to make them soar!”

Hearing this, Jiang Ruotang quickly and formally toasted Chen Qian, smiling and saying he was paying his respects to her.

Chen Qian was amused by him: “We’re all family, no need to be polite. From now on, I’m half your sister too. Just say what you need, and I’ll definitely put my all into getting it done!”

Mr. Zheng and Lawyer Dai, who were nearby, both looked at Jiang Ruotang and smiled, feeling that this child, despite his youth, had already matured.

Seeing Jiang Ruotang’s spirited demeanor, Lawyer Dai felt a great sense of relief. He thought to himself, addressing Jiang Ruotang’s maternal grandfather: Look, Ruotang has grown up. He has his own field, and reliable partners. He’s getting better and better step by step. You can rest assured.

---

As soon as the dinner ended, Qi Yanze excitedly ran to Jiang Ruotang’s side and whispered, “Want to go? Bro will take you to experience something! Let’s go to Jinbihuihuang! I heard the waiters there have male model physiques! Consider it a celebration for getting into the Capital Academy of Fine Arts!”

Jiang Ruotang chuckled, “I have a boyfriend.”

“Just to feast your eyes, what are you thinking!”

“If it’s just to feast my eyes, then I’ll just go back and look at my boyfriend,” Jiang Ruotang said with a smile. “I haven’t seen a male model handsomer than him.”

“Love truly is blind…” Qi Yanze said dejectedly.

Qi Yanfeng pressed the back of his brother’s head: “You need to cultivate yourself properly. Even if Little CEO Jiang isn’t attracted to your looks, at least let him appreciate your soul.”

“Is a soul something you can just have just by saying it?” Qi Yanze mumbled.

While Dai Ming was still organizing the company’s articles of association and documents, Chen Qian efficiently began to contact and understand some of the actors Jiang Ruotang was interested in.

Some were active on stage, and though not outstanding in appearance, they possessed excellent line delivery and emotional resonance. Others were with small agencies, signing what could be considered slave contracts, with few resources, yet they were still diligently acting.

As for Ling Song, Jiang Ruotang had given Chen Qian a heads-up; he had to approach and soften Ling Song himself, as Ling Song had seen through the cold realities of the industry and held a grudge.

---

Perhaps because Jian Sha’s serialization was becoming increasingly popular, with rising buzz and traffic, even landing in the top three most popular online novels of the year.

Her wild imagination and fantastical plot attracted the attention of many film and television companies. Even Yunfeng Video and Cefeng Pictures sent people to discuss copyright matters. Jian Sha thought to herself that she had already promised Jiang Ruotang, so she naturally declined.

Immediately after, Jian Sha’s column was swarmed by all sorts of malicious trolls, accusing her of plagiarism and twisting her plot. It was a chaotic and lively scene.

[Is this cannibalism? Using a big industry screenwriter to draw traffic for herself? Using them up and then turning around and suing them?]

[To read this kind of setting, you have to go to Chicheng Tianxia website to read what real masters write. What kind of thing is this?]

[OMG, the male lead of this author actually has a female bodyguard, and he even spent a night in a cave with the injured female bodyguard. Who would believe there’s no暧昧(ambiguity/flirtation)? Sorry to the female lead!]

[What kind of poison is this, given by the mistress to the mistress? Why do women have to make things difficult for women? Low-minded!]

…

Most authors, after being attacked, would feel down and self-doubt.

But Jian Sha was different.

“I’ve ridden on a windowsill before; do you think I’d be afraid of you losers who just talk trash?”

Jiang Ruotang also looked at these comments, then asked Jian Sha which film and television companies she had rejected. When he heard Cefeng Pictures, he closed his eyes and smiled.

This tactic, this mentality of not letting you off easy after being rejected, wasn’t it the doing of that domineering-looking Han Ming?

With such a golden opportunity presented, wouldn’t Jiang Ruotang seize the chance to strike back at Han Ming and vent some anger for his future employee, Ling Song?

Jiang Ruotang contacted Lawyer Hong, categorizing the malicious, twisted, and inflammatory comments online. He filed lawsuits against several IDs with clear malicious intent, quickly obtained their real information, swiftly pinpointed a marketing studio, and like pulling a radish, several similar studios were exposed alongside it.

Jiang Ruotang thought for a moment. Wasn’t Geng Zhaotan in the cultural sector? He seemed to be promoting self-purification and self-discipline in the entertainment industry recently. So, instead of doing it himself, he would give Geng Zhaotan this big favor and let his work bear fruit.

Indeed, Geng Zhaotan and relevant departments conducted a concentrated investigation into these studios, finding that they often stirred up trouble online and released so-called “dirt” to attack their employers’ competitors, creating a toxic environment. Cefeng Pictures was directly criticized by name by the relevant departments.

Han Ming’s face turned dark. The company’s board of directors directly questioned his competence and control over public opinion, almost causing him to lose his position as vice president.

Meanwhile, Jian Sha’s work quickly regained its reputation. The platform cleared out the toxic comments, and the studios involved in the malicious marketing issued public apologies, each slapping their own faces, which was truly gratifying.

And Cefeng Pictures’ self-examination and self-discipline statement also made headlines on Dayanzi.

Online rumors spread that these were all the good deeds of their vice president Han Ming. How could his rivals miss this opportunity? They all started digging up his old dirt online, saying he was arrogant, domineering, forcibly pushing people into film crews, and even demanding directors and screenwriters change scripts on set to promote his own newcomers, practically making him a tyrant in the entertainment industry.

Han Ming was overwhelmed. His secretary frantically deleted trending topics for him. Both partners and rivals couldn’t help but mock him, which made the usually imposing Han Ming even reluctant to go to his own office.

Ling Song, who was currently filming, couldn’t help but be slightly surprised when he heard other crew members discussing the ins and outs of the situation.

“Did you hear? Han Ming originally retaliated against the author of West Window Ghost Stories by hiring so many internet trolls, but unexpectedly, that author was even more formidable. They tracked down those studios and, in turn, exposed Han Ming!”

Hearing this, Ling Song sighed expressionlessly. How could an author have the strength to directly confront the vice president of a large entertainment company? Someone must be backing them.

“Don’t you know? I heard the author of West Window Ghost Stories is a classmate of Director Jiang’s son! This novel has already been acquired by our Director Jiang!”

Ling Song’s fingertips trembled, and Jiang Ruotang’s image flashed before his eyes.

Could it be… him?