Chapter 27: Someone is following Jiang Yan

The room fell into a heavy silence as all eyes turned to Long Lei. His gaze remained fixed on the director, his expression unreadable.

The director frowned. "What's the problem?"

Long Lei spoke slowly, his tone measured. "I don't think it's a good idea. I have a vision for my concert, and I won't compromise it by including someone who doesn't fit."

The weight of his words hung in the air, thickening the already tense atmosphere. Sister Lin could feel the unease ripple through the room, sensing how easily this could escalate.

The director, clearly caught off-guard, struggled to compose himself. He had expected some resistance, but not this outright defiance.

Trying to regain control, he raised his voice. "You need to follow the company's arrangements."

But Long Lei didn't budge. "I understand the company's expectations," he said evenly. "But this is my concert. I won't sacrifice its integrity just to meet a compromise."

The director's expression darkened. "You may be the superstar," he snapped, "but don't forget — the company made you who you are. You owe them."

Long Lei laughed bitterly. "You made me a superstar? No, it was my talent and hard work that got me where I am today," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

He continued, "And let's not forget, it's because of me that the company is earning more than 60% of its profits. Without me, you wouldn't be able to afford these fancy conference rooms."

The director sneered, "Don't get too ahead of yourself. You're just a performer, nothing more."

Long Lei laughed bitterly, "Is that so? Then tell me, why is it that my concerts always sell out? Why is it that my merchandise always sells like hotcakes? It's because of me, not because of the company."

The director was growing angrier by the second, "We're not asking for much, just one duet. It's not going to ruin your concert."

Long Lei stood his ground, "I'm sorry, but I cannot compromise my vision for the sake of appeasing someone else. If you can't accept that, then I will have to cancel the concert."

The director's face twisted with rage. "You wouldn't dare," he hissed.

Long Lei's eyes narrowed. "Try me," he said.

Sister Lin's heart sank as she watched the confrontation unfold. She knew that cancelling the concert would be a huge blow to both Long Lei's career and the company's bottom line. But she also knew that Long Lei was stubborn, and once he had made up his mind, it was hard to change it.

The director hesitated, clearly weighing his options. Finally, he spoke, his voice cold and controlled. "Fine. We'll stick with the original plan," he said. "But let me remind you, Long Lei, that you're not bigger than this company. We made you, and we can just as easily break you."

With that, the meeting ended, and everyone filed out of the conference room. Sister Lin walked out with Long Lei, her heart heavy with worry. She knew that this was only the beginning of a long and difficult battle between Long Lei and the company.

***

Hua Mei's office at Studio Grace was beautiful and spacious. She sat at her desk with Jiang Yan, poring over drafts of the upcoming clothing line. As they worked, Ling Meili bounced around excitedly, holding a ticket to Long Lei's concert. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation, already imagining the experience of seeing her "hubby" perform.

Hua Mei chuckled at Ling Meili's enthusiasm and turned to Jiang Yan. "How did you manage to get VIP tickets to Superstar Long Lei's concert at the last minute?" she asked.

Jiang Yan hesitated for a moment before replying, "I knew someone in the organizer's office who arranged it for me." She made a mental note to keep her connection to Feng Yuansheng a secret. She didn't want anyone to know about her connection to him.

Jiang Yan couldn't help feeling uneasy at the thought of Feng Yuansheng. He had been her ex-husband in a previous life, and she had been deeply in love with him. Even though she had been indifferent to him earlier today, seeing him again brought up old memories and feelings. She didn't want to get tangled with him again in this life.

Hua Mei noticed Jiang Yan's distraction and asked, "Is everything alright, Yan?"

Jiang Yan forced a smile and replied, "Yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all."

Hua Mei looked at her with concern, but didn't press further. She knew that Jiang Yan was a private person and didn't like to talk about her personal life.

They continued to work on the clothing designs, but the unease lingered in the air.

***

Guo Wenming slammed his hand on the table, causing the papers to jump. "This is unacceptable!" he exclaimed, his face red with anger. "I can't believe Lin Yiyun gets to call all the shots while I'm left with nothing again!"

Guo Wenming's face turned red with anger as he received the news that Bi Xiaohong's duet performance had been cancelled. He had been banking on this opportunity to showcase his artist and launch her career. Sitting in his office, he clenched his fists in frustration.

Bi Xiaohong, who was sitting next to him, watched nervously as he continued to rant. She was worried about her career and the opportunities she might lose if Guo Wenming couldn't secure a good arrangement for her.

"How could they do this to us? We had everything planned out!" he exclaimed, his voice rising in anger.

Bi Xiaohong sat nervously in front of him, biting her lip. "What will happen to my career now?" she asked, her eyes pleading.

"Don't worry, Xiaohong. I'll find another way to launch your career," Guo Wenming replied, trying to sound reassuring.

Bi Xiaohong looked up at him with pleading eyes. "But how? Without this performance, how will I be able to get noticed?"

Guo Wenming could feel the jealousy and anger bubbling inside him. He couldn't stand seeing Lin Yiyun's artist always being the top priority, while he was left with the scraps. He made up his mind to take matters into his own hands.

"Don't worry, Xiaohong," Guo Wenming said, turning to her with a forced smile. "I'll find a way to make sure you get the chance you deserve."

Bi Xiaohong nodded, but she could tell that Guo Wenming was just trying to placate her. She knew he was jealous of Lin Yiyun's success, and he was desperate to prove himself.

Suddenly, Guo Wenming's phone rang, interrupting the tense silence in the room. He answered it and started speaking in hushed tones. Bi Xiaohong strained to hear what he was saying, but she couldn't make out the words.

After a few minutes, Guo Wenming hung up the phone and turned to Bi Xiaohong with a triumphant smile. "I've got it!" he exclaimed. "I just spoke to an old friend who owes me a favour. He's organizing a concert for a new up-and-coming artist, and I've managed to secure you a spot as the opening act!"

Bi Xiaohong's eyes widened in surprise and delight. "Thank you so much, Brother Guo!" she exclaimed, jumping up from her seat to give him a hug.

Guo Wenming grinned, feeling pleased with himself. "Don't thank me yet," he said, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "This is just the beginning. With my help, you'll be a star in no time!"

***

Feng Yuansheng was lounging in the plush living room of his grand villa, flipping through the pages of the daily newspaper when Li Ming, his trusted aide, walked in. Li Ming cleared his throat and said, "Sir, I have made arrangements for the VIP room at the Long Lei concert as per your instructions."

Feng Yuansheng nodded, still engrossed in the news. Suddenly, Li Ming cleared his throat again, catching Feng Yuansheng's attention.

"Sir, there's something else," Li Ming said hesitantly.

Feng Yuansheng gave Li Ming a side glance. "What is it?"

"Someone has been following Young Miss Jiang here in the capital," Li Ming replied.

Feng Yuansheng's expression darkened at the mention of Jiang Yan. He folded the newspaper and put it aside, his full attention now on Li Ming. "Who are they?" he asked sharply.

"I am not sure, sir. But I believe they might have been arranged by Madam Tian, Young Miss Jiang's stepmother," Li Ming replied.

Feng Yuansheng's jaw tightened, but he remained calm. "Keep an eye on them, but do nothing for now. Report to me immediately if you see anything suspicious," he instructed Li Ming.

Li Ming nodded and quietly left the room, leaving Feng Yuansheng alone in thought.

He leaned back, his fingers tapping lightly against the armrest as he stared into the dim light. That Jiang Yan had ended up entangled in such trouble had nothing to do with him — under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have spared it a second thought.

But she had saved Yun Cheng.

Because of that, both the Yun and Feng families owed her a debt they could not ignore. Saving the only grandchild of the family was no small matter. No matter how much Feng Yuansheng's nature leaned toward cold indifference, gratitude demanded action.

He couldn't intervene openly. His hands were too tied with other matters, and getting involved directly would only invite unnecessary complications.

Instead, he would move in the shadows, quietly sweeping away the minor obstacles that tried to reach Jiang Yan.

Feng Yuansheng's gaze darkened as he thought of Madam Tian. He hadn't expected her to go to such extremes just to track Jiang Yan down. He couldn't yet discern Madam Tian's full motives — but whatever she was planning, he would make sure Jiang Yan remained untouched.

***