The Wealthy and Influential Fiancé has the Ability to Read Mind
Chapter 82
Just as Ji Yun said, the success of the first episode of “Double Pursuit” gave Jiang Miao confidence. After live-streaming to provoke Tang Nuan, her latest episode was shot at the Southern Film Base, with Ye Shuchen visiting to take care of her daily needs.
This not only showcased their affection but also demonstrated Jiang Miao’s professional abilities. Of course, it allowed her to openly undermine Tang Nuan’s project.
After all, Jiang Miao’s values echoed those of Tang Nuan and her team. By promoting her ideas on the show first, Jiang Miao left Tang Nuan at a disadvantage for future promotions.
Tang Nuan certainly couldn’t allow this to happen, so when she arrived at the film base, she made sure to be very visible, walking around the film city.
Never underestimate the entertainment gossip mentality of netizens, especially with Jiang Miao’s aggressive marketing. Everyone was curious about her and Ye Shuchen’s story while it was still fresh.
However, after Jiang Miao’s sincere apology in the first episode of “Dual Pursuit”, hinting that any past grievances had been resolved, netizens might have forgiven her if Tang Nuan had been absent. But with Tang Nuan present, they would be eager to see her actual response.
In places like the film city, there were plenty of fan clubs, fans, and paparazzi. While fans and club members might be more understanding, the paparazzi were definitely on the lookout for drama.
After Tang Nuan strolled around at noon, news of her and Jiang Miao both being at the Southern Film City spread online.
Speculation erupted about whether Tang Nuan would appear in the new episode, as it would surely create conflict and excitement.
Jiang Miao’s Weibo was particularly lively beneath her posts.
A few months ago, Jiang Miao lost a lot of fans, and now the new followers were mostly casual fans and “ChenMiao” CP fans, who were all quite new and mainly interested in shipping and watching the drama, without any intention of loyally protecting Jiang Miao’s interests.
So, everyone was asking about Tang Nuan, and the CP fans of Ye Shuyan and Tang Nuan preemptively thanked her, saying she saw their wishes and was going to fulfill them.
Jiang Miao was already quite sensitive, and she couldn’t pretend to be indifferent. The program director also analyzed the situation for her.
In short, the good start of “Dual Pursuit” is largely due to the topic of her past entanglement with Ye Shuyan, while her sweet interactions with Ye Shuchen now allow them to stand out among other couples, but her sincere apology was the prerequisite.
Without this prerequisite, no matter how sweet they were, it would still be a letdown for the audience.
So, the current situation is that if she could have a good interaction with Tang Nuan, it would bring better results for the show. Otherwise, she might face considerable controversy.
Jiang Miao returned to the hotel, angrily throwing her things all over the place, “Tang Nuan!! Why is she so haunting?!”
“She’s doing it on purpose.” The more Jiang Miao thought about it, the angrier she became. “She must have heard about my investment in ‘Jade Compass Order’ and is here to cause trouble!”
Ye Shuchen held her hand, pulling her into his embrace to comfort her, “Just calm down first. This might not be too difficult to resolve.”
Jiang Miao looked at him, “What do you suggest?”
Ye Shuchen shifted the topic, “I think she probably doesn’t know about Big Brother splitting the group yet.”
Mentioning this made Jiang Miao feel a bit better. This was still a secret; no one knew about it besides the Ye family and Jiang family. For Ye Shuyan, it would be quite embarrassing to let Ye Shuchen take such a large portion, so it was unlikely he discussed it with Tang Nuan.
At the last welcome banquet, Ye Shuchen and the others initially thought Ye Shuyan and Tang Nuan had ruined everything, but they didn’t expect so many people to support Ye Shuchen behind the scenes.
Putting aside other companies wanting to collaborate with him, there were quite a few shareholders within the group.
It turned out that Ye Shuyan had doubled the market value of the entire group, but the real estate and commercial sectors inherited from previous generations of the Ye family hadn’t improved much. Ye Shuyan not only reduced investments but also planned to sell off a significant portion.
This left many shareholders quite dissatisfied. Especially since last year, the real estate sector has seen a significant rise, yet Ye Shuyan wasn’t looking to remedy the situation. Instead, he seemed intent on directly selling off a considerable part of the shopping malls.
Yes, physical stores were heavily impacted by the internet, but hadn’t they also created a new retail model that combined online and offline models?
But Ye Shuyan focused entirely on the software systems, showing little interest in the physical industries.
In the past, since Ye Shuchen had no interest in family affairs, everyone had to follow Ye Shuyan. Now that Ye Shuchen is willing to step up, the shareholders in the real estate and business sectors finally have some hope.
So, some time ago, the shareholders supported Ye Shuchen in a confrontation with Ye Shuyan, and later the Jiang family also got involved.
It was unclear whether Ye Shuyan didn’t want to give up this sector or was afraid of mutual destruction, but after weighing the pros and cons, he made a concession, first handing over the real estate sector to Ye Shuchen.
Jiang Miao said, “My dad mentioned that Ye Shuyan is actually quite smart. The light assets he separated and the physical industries he handed over to you are mutually complementary. In this internet era, physical industries rely even more on software systems and management. So, it may seem like these industries are in your hands, but in reality, he still controls them.”
She sneered at this point, “But he’s too confident. Even though our Jiang family doesn’t specialize in software systems, we did start in the internet industry. Expanding into this sector isn’t that hard for us. When the time comes, he might not have the final say!”
Ye Shuchen patted her head and smiled, “Big Brother probably knows that too, which is why he doesn’t want to break ties with me just yet. I’ll go talk to Tang Nuan. She’s always been sensible, so there shouldn’t be any problem.”
Jiang Miao said nothing, silently agreeing with him.
Then Tang Nuan received a call from Ye Shuchen. He briefly explained the situation and said, “…The Jiang family is already developing a system for integrated shopping malls. If you and Miao Miao can’t get along, then in six months, at least the malls I’m responsible for will fully implement the Jiang family’s system…”
Tang Nuan was, of course, “shocked” and expressed disbelief. But Ye Shuchen, ignoring her reaction, directly offered a solution to the situation, “Miao Miao will be doing a live stream tonight. All you need to do is say a few words to her. No matter what happens, we’ll be family in the future. Big Brother will still be the one in charge. It’s better for us to stay united than to fight internally, don’t you think?”
Tang Nuan hesitated and didn’t say a word, while Jiang Miao sneered on the side, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Either way, you’re not getting on the show, and you don’t have to agree to the livestream. If that’s the case, I’ll just find another guest and focus on filming ‘Jade Compass Order’ properly. After that, we’ll go our separate ways!”
Tang Nuan finally nodded but maintained her last bit of defiance, “You’re the one who apologized on the show, so shouldn’t you be the one reaching out to me?”
Jiang Miao wasn’t happy, but Tang Nuan didn’t back down either, “It’s up to you. I don’t really care,” she said before hanging up the phone.
In the end, Jiang Miao grudgingly agreed, as this was still a much better outcome than the original plan, where Tang Nuan insisted on being on the show.
However, what Jiang Miao didn’t know was that after the call ended, Tang Nuan and Ji Yun, along with Li Qiuqiu, high-fived and burst out laughing.
Ji Yun laughed, “Who cares about being on that show? Jiang Miao’s the one funding it. They can manipulate the editing however they want.”
So, from the beginning, Tang Nuan’s real target had been Jiang Miao’s live stream.
Just to say a couple of words?
How could that be possible? She’s already on camera, how could just two words be enough?
So, that evening, when Jiang Miao held up her phone and went to visit the set of ‘Nine Springs’, Tang Nuan was standing next to Director Xiao, watching the playback on the monitor.
Jiang Miao had a gut feeling that something was off, but since the livestream had already started, she had no choice but to keep going. With a cautious and apologetic tone, she said, “Tang Nuan.”
Tang Nuan played her part perfectly, turning her head as if surprised to see Jiang Miao. After a brief moment of hesitation, she walked over. Her attitude wasn’t exactly warm, but it was acceptable. “Are you live streaming?”
Jiang Miao nodded and asked, “Do you want to say hi to everyone?”
According to Jiang Miao’s plan, Tang Nuan only needed to give her a small nod, exchange a few polite words, and then she could excuse herself by saying she didn’t want to disturb Tang Nuan’s work. Then, she would leave. After all, reconciling their differences was one thing, but expecting them to be genuinely friendly was impossible. Just having a brief interaction would be enough to satisfy appearances.
But unexpectedly, Tang Nuan walked right over and casually reached out to the staff member next to Jiang Miao, asking for their phone, which was streaming Jiang Miao’s live stream.
Jiang Miao instantly sensed something was wrong and gave the staff member a sharp look. The staff member seemed innocent, as Tang Nuan’s request had been so natural, and it was just a live stream, what could possibly happen?
Clearly, the staff member didn’t know Tang Nuan well enough. Tang Nuan glanced at herself on the live stream, then looked up and waved at Jiang Miao’s phone camera to greet the audience.
Then, she started speaking to the rapidly scrolling comments on the live stream, glancing at Jiang Miao with a smile. “The viewers are asking if it’s really me?”
She turned back to the camera and said, “Yes, it’s me.”
“Have I forgiven Jiang Miao?”
“There’s nothing that can’t be forgiven.” Tang Nuan glanced at Jiang Miao with a smile. “But calling us as close as sisters would be pretending. Still, we’ll be family in the future.”
Jiang Miao glared at Tang Nuan, silently threatening her, but Tang Nuan acted as if she didn’t notice and continued speaking to the screen. “What am I doing right now?”
“Oh, I invested in this production. I love wuxia dramas, but I feel like there aren’t many good ones being made anymore, so I decided to produce one myself. Yes, I fully funded it, and I only listen to the director’s advice.”
Jiang Miao was fuming, gritting her teeth. None of the questions Tang Nuan was answering were actually being asked on the live stream, she was just talking to herself.
But Tang Nuan didn’t care. With the comments flying by so quickly, who could even read them? Besides, as long as her answers were what people wanted to hear, that was good enough, right?
She reached over and adjusted the phone in Jiang Miao’s hand, pointing it toward Director Xiao. “This is Director Xiao,” she said.
Director Xiao waved cheerfully at the camera.
To the audience, seeing Director Xiao was a reassurance of the show’s quality. Although Director Feng was talented, he had produced quite a few bad dramas in recent years.
Jiang Miao was so livid that she tried to shift the camera away, but Tang Nuan held it firmly and kept her eyes on the live stream. “The title of the show? It’s adapted from the novel ‘Nine Springs’. If you’re interested, check it out.”
“As for the broadcast date, although we started filming early, it’ll probably air a bit later than Jiang Miao’s ‘Jade Compass Order’.”
“Why are the two of us investing in the same genre of drama?” Tang Nuan suddenly looked at Jiang Miao, jokingly saying, “Maybe it’s the competition between wealthy sisters-in-law.”
Jiang Miao saw the livestream flooded with “hahaha” comments and was grateful the camera wasn’t pointed at her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to keep her composure. She hadn’t expected Tang Nuan to throw such a sly jab at her.
But Tang Nuan wasn’t done, and with a smile, she asked Jiang Miao, “Isn’t that right?”
Jiang Miao quickly took a deep breath, adjusted her expression, and cut back to the camera with a smile. “She loves to joke around. I’m producing ‘Jade Compass Order’ because I truly love the story…”
She went on, determined not to give Tang Nuan another chance to speak. Tang Nuan, seeing the opportunity, excused herself, saying she was busy.
To avoid suspicion, Jiang Miao continued chatting with her fans for a while before finally ending the livestream.
The moment it ended, she stormed off to find Tang Nuan, only to discover that Tang Nuan had already gone back to the hotel with Ji Yun and Li Qiuqiu.
In the hotel suite, Ji Yun gave Tang Nuan a thumbs-up, “Brilliant! The whole ‘sisters-in-law competition’ thing, who’s going to win? With a topic like that, no matter how much Jiang Miao talks, it won’t matter. When ‘Jade Compass Order’ gets promoted, they’ll have no choice but to compare it with ‘Nine Springs’.”
Li Qiuqiu added, “This wave of attention isn’t just temporary, it’s permanent. Cheers!”
The three of them happily celebrated, while Jiang Miao was furious. Tang Nuan’s appearance on camera and her deliberate mention of the competition between them only fueled more online speculation about Jiang Miao and Ye Shuyan’s relationship.
The media surrounding the event at Shengshi Square was spreading rapidly, and more and more fans began shipping Ye Shuyan and Tang Nuan as a couple. Many people even started leaving comments on the show’s social media and Jiang Miao’s Weibo, asking for a family gathering episode featuring the two.
Thankfully, the second episode of ‘Mutual Pursuit’ aired the next day, featuring Jiang Miao and Ye Shuchen at an amusement park, where they went paragliding and shared thrilling stories of their time abroad. This successfully diverted the public’s attention, and fewer people were talking about Ye Shuyan and Tang Nuan.
Jiang Miao finally breathed a small sigh of relief. To prevent the remaining CP fans of Ye Shuyan and Tang Nuan from stirring up more trouble, she soon posted a set of photos on Weibo. Alongside the preview of the third episode, where Ye Shuchen spent lavishly on her, the photos showcased her and Ye Shuchen picking out rings, her trying on wedding dresses, and beautifully dreamy stage backgrounds for their engagement preparations with the caption read “For our future.”
As expected, the luxurious engagement planning stunned the public. People began researching the prices of the rings and dresses, speculating about what a wealthy family’s engagement party would look like. The comments under her post shifted to requests for footage of the engagement preparations or the event itself.
Finally, the chatter about Tang Nuan and Ye Shuyan disappeared, and Jiang Miao felt both relieved and pleased with herself. After all, Ye Shuyan and Tang Nuan hadn’t even bothered to hold an engagement party, and their family meetings had been quite perfunctory.
Tang Nuan, however, was completely unbothered by all this. After achieving her goal, she buried herself in her hotel room, focusing on researching ‘Jade Compass Order’. The script was about the same quality as theirs, and the cast was even stronger. However, their director was not as good. All things considered, it would come down to execution and promotional strategy, and overall, ‘Jade Compass Order’ seemed like it could be a formidable competitor.
Director Xiao didn’t seem worried at all. “If we’re talking about genuine passion, you all have it. As for them… it’s still capital at play.” He chuckled, “Xiao Feng used to capital.”
When it comes to capital, compromises are inevitable, and Jiang Miao isn’t the type to give up control easily. Her understanding of wuxia might not be as sharp as a director’s.
Director Xiao’s words reassured them, and once they relaxed, Ji Yun suggested they stay and have some fun for a couple of days. Tang Nuan thought it over and agreed. After all, Ye Shuyan wasn’t around, and going back alone would only make her feel worse. At least here, she had Ji Yun and Li Qiuqiu to keep her company.
Now that she was more at ease, Tang Nuan had the mind to notice other things. She glanced at the neighboring set, puzzled. “What are they building over there?”
This was a film base, and various sets were being built all the time, mostly for historical or Republican-era scenes. Castles and clock towers, like something out of a European fairytale, were rare.
“What kind of show could it be?” she mused.
“A fairytale story? A cheesy romance?” Ji Yun chimed in. “Probably a low-budget production. They can’t afford to shoot overseas, so they’re building the set here.”
Li Qiuqiu, staring at the almost-completed clock tower, suddenly laughed. “Tang Nuan, do you remember that time you got locked in the school’s clock tower?”
“Of course I do,” Tang Nuan replied with a grin, “You were the first one to rescue me.”
“That’s only because she didn’t go home, she was staying at a house nearby,” Ji Yun teased. “I still remember you sent a mass text to the whole class.”
“The old janitor who had the keys to the clock tower was being bombarded by calls from dozens of people. Every time he picked up the phone, someone would shout, ‘Unlock the stairs to the clock tower!’ The poor guy was terrified, thinking he’d encountered a ghost.”
“Apparently, when he locked the stairs, he didn’t see anyone at all! Otherwise, with so many kids up there, how could he have missed it?”
The three of them recalled the old janitor’s bewildered expression and burst into laughter.
Looking at the beautiful set being built, Li Qiuqiu suddenly suggested, “How about we take a group of best friend photos? A fairytale princess theme, maybe?”
Ji Yun’s eyes lit up. “I’m all for it! It looks like the set will be finished tomorrow. We can hire a photography team and maybe even borrow the set.”
Tang Nuan hesitated. “Do you think that’s allowed?”
Ji Yun waved it off, “Why not? The first day after a set is built, they usually don’t start shooting right away. Worst case, we pay a little. The set is so realistic, the photos will come out amazing!”
Without wasting time, she grabbed her phone, “I’ll call and check if it’s possible. It’s rare for the three of us to have some free time together, let’s make it happen!”
Li Qiuqiu added, “Besides, once Ye Shuyan gets back, you’ll probably be glued to him again.”
Tang Nuan thought about it and agreed.
Half an hour later, Ji Yun returned, brimming with excitement. “It’s all set! We can shoot tomorrow afternoon! Now let’s go pick out our outfits!”
At the same time, Jiang Miao posted a Weibo announcement with a live-stream schedule for the second episode of ‘Mutual Pursuit’ which will be tomorrow night at 6 PM…