"That’s good then." Xi Nian was also quite annoyed.
Bo Yan didn’t listen to him any further and simply hung up the phone. Yuran was sitting beside him, looking at him with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, "My brother’s call? Miss Catherine doesn’t even spare their company when searching for you, truly, her deep feelings are hard to sever."
After speaking, she got up hastily, about to leave, but Bo Yan stretched out his hand and yanked her back, "Baby, are you angry?"
"It’s not you I’m angry at, I want to meet Miss Catherine."
Bo Yan frowned, not quite approving of Yuran’s decision, feeling that Catherine was not worthy of such an encounter, just a trivial person.
"Why meet her? It’s a waste of time. If you’re that free, you might as well do something meaningful with me instead."
Yuran: "... Qi Ge, are you thinking about having a second child with me?"
Bo Yan shook his head, his face full of rejection.
"Then why can’t I meet Miss Catherine, or is it that you can’t bear to let me find someone else?" Of course, this was said in jest, Yuran understood Bo Yan’s expressions quite well, after loving each other for so many years and being together for just as long, how could she not discern his disdain and affection?
This was just a joke.
Obviously, someone did not appreciate this kind of joke.
His face immediately fell, "Baby..."
"Alright, Qi Ge, I was wrong about this topic, I’ll correct it. But as for Catherine, I do need to meet her, to see what makes her feel so superior, daring to act so recklessly, trying to dig up information about you everywhere, it’s just preposterous."
Bo Yan: "... So it’s because of me that you’re going to find her?"
"What else could it be? Why else would I seek her out?"
Huanya restarted the "Miss Rose" project, with the bet against "City of Temptation" still intact, this time the kick-off ceremony was quite high-profile as Xi Gu personally opened a ten-million-dollar red envelope, creating a frenzy under the official "Miss Rose" Weibo page.
Many netizens didn’t forget the bet, nor whom they supported, but such an opportunity to grab money was too good to pass up.
This move wasn’t bad at all, at least it counted as a success. The news of "Miss Rose" resuming filming spread like wildfire over the internet, blowing up big time.
Especially the heat brought by Catherine, an American actress of Chinese descent, remained consistently high.
That didn’t stop netizens from commenting that Catherine was unsuitable for the innocent and touching protagonist of "Miss Rose." After all, an actress who exudes seductiveness effortlessly can’t quite capture the purity needed; Catherine resembled more of a songstress from a bygone era.
She epitomized cool elegance yet was tinged with worldliness.
Xi Gu launched a poll where everyone opposed Catherine playing the lead role, feeling it was rather discordant.
Xi Gu was delighted when he saw the results. Since everyone didn’t want Catherine for the lead role, it was decided she would be the lead—so even if it led to backlash later, it would propel "Miss Rose" into the headlines.
The members of the "Miss Rose" production team had also been reassembled; many were new staff members temporarily assigned by Xi Zhen, all experts in their fields.
On the day that "Miss Rose" was restarted, Xi Nian received a video conference notification from Xi Zhen, likely because he did not want any issues at the press conference on the other side and was also worried about Xi Nian causing trouble behind the scenes. Thus, Xi Zhen, wanting to be thoroughly good, prepared to personally deal with Xi Nian.
In the video, Xi Zhen’s hair was white, his expression somber, and his face stern as if he was reluctant to see Xi Nian even for a second.
Xi Nian had grown accustomed to facing such an expression and was neither saddened nor unsettled by Xi Zhen’s disfavor. In fact, years ago, he had held expectations for Xi Zhen, but as he grew up and dissected the truth of matters layer by layer, he harbored no expectations for the Xi family anymore.
"Although I helped Xi Gu a bit, now I have merely placed you all back on the same starting line. You wouldn’t be so petty as to think I’m favoring Xi Gu and not paying attention to you, would you?"
The old man spoke without an attitude of explanation, merely notifying Xi Nian.
This tone, this attitude, was somehow dislikable and even particularly grating.
Just pulling back to the same starting line?
Xi Nian felt somewhat amused, not because of his grandfather’s favoritism, but because of his blatant lies. How incompetent did he, Xi Nian, have to be in his grandfather’s eyes, for him to accept whatever he said without issue?
"As long as Grandfather is happy, that’s good."
Seeing that Xi Nian did not directly answer his question, Xi Zhen also played dumb, although he was well aware that his reasons had not convinced Xi Nian. He also did not intend to continue explaining.
Originally, he did not want to explain.
Today’s video conference was only meant to address one matter; he did not plan to say much more.
"Huanya has been doing very well under your and Xi Gu’s management, the results are very satisfying to see."
Who contributed more to today’s achievements of Huanya and whose performances were more remarkable were obvious once the reports were laid out. The old man was forcefully equating Xi Gu to his level, which Xi Nian might not mind, but it didn’t mean it wasn’t nauseating.
Xi Nian curved his lips in a sarcastic smile, silently watching the old man, "Grandfather, is there something you want to say? If there is, please speak, I’m listening."
Xi Zhen, interrupted, was slightly displeased but recovered smoothly after a few seconds, "Xi Gu’s mother is recovering well in America. Managing Huanya has indeed been hard for both of you. I think, why not have Xi Gu’s mother directly take over as the chairman of Huanya, while you and Xi Gu act as general managers? That way, if one of you loses the bet, there’s still a chance to make amends without anyone having to leave Huanya. This is a formal notification, not a request for your opinion."
Xi Nian’s hands under the table clenched tightly, almost digging into his flesh, his face turned pale, and he bowed his head without speaking.
If Xi Gu and his mother were both at Huanya, there would certainly be no place for him.
The old man had made his calculations well; this move was merely a way to shift all the blame onto him and then legitimately kick him out of Huanya.
Such a clever scheme, after all, the old man did not want the profitable ventures he had begun to fall into others’ hands, so he started this shameless maneuver to eventually drive them all out of the Xi family.
"Well, do you have any objections?"
The tone of Xi Zhen’s voice suddenly deepened, not masking his displeasure in the slightest, almost as if he would destroy Xi Nian if he dared to disagree.
Xi Nian chuckled, lifted his eyes back to the old man, his emotions quickly in check, showing no sign of discomfort or reluctance, "Whatever arrangement Grandfather thinks is reasonable, I am fine with it. If Grandfather thinks it’s appropriate, then let’s proceed that way."