Yao Ge had been living rather comfortably lately.
Although he had been forced to stay up late on the night of the Spring Festival Gala, he quickly packed his things and returned to his grandfather’s house the next day.
He even slept in until noon, only groggily getting up.
Following the aroma, he made his way to the kitchen.
There, his grandfather, apron on, was chopping a chicken with a clatter.
Yao Ge let out a faint groan.
“Grandpa, is there anything to eat?”
He was starving!
The old man paused mid-chop and glanced at him.
…Hmph, what a sight.
A young man with no energy—young people these days really are unbelievable.
Thinking that, he chopped off a chicken leg and handed it to Yao Ge.
“You got up so late, breakfast has gone cold. Here, eat this first to fill your stomach.”
Yao Ge didn’t refuse. He took it and devoured it noisily.
Halfway through, his sluggish mind finally registered a thought.
“Why are we killing a chicken today?”
He remembered that in previous years, his grandfather would serve leftover New Year’s Eve dishes on the first day of the lunar year, a symbol of “surplus every year.”
The old man muttered: “…You’ve got food, yet you still block your mouth?”
Though he said this, he still grumbled.
“Why kill a chicken today? Should I have done it last night? Last night, there wasn’t even anyone to eat it—why would I?”
His scolding was followed by a flicker of regret.
He knew what Yao Ge had been up to the night before—it was all good things. Why be mad at the kid? If the boy felt guilty, it was unnecessary during the New Year.
With that thought, he couldn’t help but glance at Yao Ge behind him.
Yao Ge finished the first chicken leg, yet his stomach was still empty.
He stared at the cutting board as if he could devour it with his eyes, nodding like a little chick pecking at grain.
“Mm, Grandpa’s right. Then I’ll eat the other leg later, and I’ll finish the rest.”
The old man: …Eat, eat, eat, always thinking about eating!
He thought that, shaking his head with a smile that didn’t match his tone.
“Alright, alright. What else do you want? I bought some ingredients and put them in the fridge. If you want something, I’ll cook it while I’m on holiday these days.”
Yao Ge thought for a moment and was about to speak when his phone rang.
He shivered instinctively.
The old man was puzzled.
“Your phone’s ringing. Why shiver without answering?”
He was chopping chicken, not planning to chop anyone.
Yao Ge: QUQ
He knew, but he didn’t want to answer—wahhhhhh.
After struggling for a full three seconds, Yao Ge reluctantly picked up the call.
“Agent Fan.”
Please, nothing urgent. I want a holiday!
“There’s an order…”
As soon as Fan Qing spoke, Yao Ge’s sobs came through.
They were so audible that Fan Qing could hardly pretend he hadn’t heard.
…Was that really necessary?
Fan Qing reflected briefly, then quickly gave up.
Reflecting on what?
Men chasing career goals—why cry over it? Be strong! Many people would give anything for such opportunities!
Thinking this, Fan Qing calmly said,
“They hope to have it ready before the Lantern Festival…”
“The Lantern Festival!”
Yao Ge cried out, sobs growing louder.
“Waaah, I can’t do it, I really can’t…”
Fan Qing: …
He began to seriously reconsider.
Had he pushed him too hard?
Well, maybe not.
Meanwhile, the old man leaned over curiously.
“What’s this about? Lantern Festival or not?”
Wasn’t this supposed to be work-related?
Why did his grandson look like his life was at stake?
Seeing him, Yao Ge suddenly became strangely determined.
“It’s nothing, Grandpa. I can handle it.”
He steeled himself and faced Fan Qing.
“Lantern Festival… really can’t do it QUQ…”
He wanted a holiday, and he already had so many orders QAQ.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t really agree to it.”
Though it was more effective to seize the moment, Fan Qing’s intention was never to make Yao Ge earn money for him.
Yao Ge could take on other designs, but his real dream was designing erotic wear—this was what truly aligned him with Fan Qing.
Fan Qing thought for a moment and added,
“But I think this order is doable. If Lantern Festival doesn’t work, we can push it to March. Do you think March works?”
March?
That’s still a while away!
Yao Ge quickly agreed.
The old man stood behind, momentarily speechless.
This silly kid—he didn’t even negotiate further?
People say “just agree”?
Hmph, definitely inherited from his late wife. Some people are just simple!
Thinking that, he returned to the kitchen with his knife.
Simple or not, that Fan Qing kid was sharp—but not heartless.
With Fan Qing around, even the silly grandson couldn’t get the short end of the stick.
Indeed, Fan Qing wouldn’t let Yao Ge suffer any losses.
After discussing matters with Yao Ge, he met up with Jiang Mian.
Although Jiang Mian was a little disappointed by the March timeline, she still nodded in agreement.
Once the deal was settled, she extended her hand to Fan Qing.
“Looking forward to a smooth cooperation, Agent Fan.”
Fan Qing stood, gave a slight handshake, then released.
“Of course. But Agent Jiang, you should arrange a time soon—while Designer Yao isn’t too busy, it’s best to finalize the measurements promptly.”
Jiang Mian exhaled lightly.
“Of course. I’ll go speak with Lian Lian today. Her schedule’s a bit tight, but we’ll make time as soon as possible.”
“Then it’s settled. We’ll see each other again later.”
Fan Qing didn’t linger. As an agent, he naturally understood Jiang Mian’s situation, and honestly, he was busier than she was.
Most of Tenghuang’s talents were gradually progressing, and truthfully, he was almost overwhelmed.
It was good that the talents were thriving, but the problem was—there weren’t many excellent agents in Tenghuang.
Which meant that, on the second day of the lunar new year, Fan Qing already had a mountain of tasks piling up.
Among them, Jian Feiyang had become famous overnight on the red carpet, and even during the holidays, invitations and offers flew in like relentless snowflakes.
As Jian Feiyang’s agent, Fan Qing received more calls these past couple of days than he normally would in a single day.
Amid all this, Huazhi brought an unexpected surprise.
His last drama had actually won an award!
Although the award wasn’t particularly prestigious, it boosted Huazhi’s popularity significantly.
Especially since his character design in the drama was stunning—if Jian Feiyang’s red carpet hadn’t overshadowed it, Huazhi’s stills could’ve lingered near the top of trending searches.
Even so, several production teams began noticing Huazhi’s value.
Good-looking, talented, young—such male actors were rare in the industry.
With Fan Qing himself recently gaining attention, many producers secretly held one thought: though Huazhi wasn’t under Fan Qing’s direct management, everyone in the circle knew—Fan Qing was the true head of Tenghuang now.
If that was the case, when their production walked the red carpet, a bit of Fan Qing’s attention to Huazhi’s styling—no need to rival Jian Feiyang’s spectacle, just enough to land a trending spot—would be an almost guaranteed win.
Considering this, offers for Huazhi barely fell short of those for Jian Feiyang.
Fan Qing hadn’t expected that, before the year was even over, he’d be busier than even Nie Luo!
Forget visiting him on set—Nie Luo couldn’t even pick him up from work.
The two of them could only steal a brief moment together in the car before returning to their own busy lives.
Yet before leaving, Fan Qing could still sense a hint of grievance in Nie Luo’s eyes, though he didn’t say it aloud.
The promised “boyfriend perks,” where was it?
Fan Qing wanted to sigh.
Nie Luo picking him up after work—this was a privilege he really wanted to experience!
Thinking that, his gaze slowly fell on Tang Sheng.
“Sheng-ge.”
Tang Sheng looked up at him.
The markings on his neck were even more pronounced than Fan Qing’s.
Fan Qing was silent for a full two seconds.
…Damn it, I lost!
Shaking off the strange thought, Fan Qing returned to normal.
“Sheng-ge, what do you think about me dragging that playboy Jin back from his escapades?”
Jin Yi had flown off on a private jet to a southern island right after the New Year’s Eve performance. Checking his social media, it was nothing but blue skies, white clouds, sandy beaches, and bikinis.
In short—pure bliss.
Tang Sheng paused for a couple of seconds, a little helpless.
He could understand how close Fan Qing was to losing his mind with work, but…
“Will he actually help? Are you sure having him back won’t just make you more annoyed?”
Fan Qing was momentarily speechless.
Tang Sheng made a valid point—he couldn’t disagree.
The two of them exchanged glances, then silently lowered their heads.
Forget Jin Yi—don’t expect anything from him.
Still, amidst all the chaos, Fan Qing managed to carve out some time.
He urgently needed to scout a few capable agents for Tenghuang!
Meanwhile, Jiang Mian, after finalizing things with Fan Qing, felt her heels click crisply on the ground as she left the café.
Wearing her sunglasses and mask, she hurried to Jiangjing Villa District.
Upon arrival, she practically ran upstairs and opened the door.
On the sofa sat a stunning woman, who instinctively tapped away at her phone upon seeing Jiang Mian enter.
Caught up in excitement, Jiang Mian forgot to notice for a moment. She removed her mask and sunglasses, approached the woman, her voice filled with excitement and anticipation.
“Lian Lian, I’ve arranged it for you! Your schedule tomorrow afternoon is free, right? I’ll take you to meet Designer Yao, and they’ve promised a dedicated custom outfit just for you.”
Her excitement and hopeful eyes shone.
Jian Feiyang’s red carpet appearance had been so dazzling—it was exactly what Wan Lian Lian had been missing.
Among Jiang Mian’s managed talents, Wan Lian Lian was currently the most popular. Not top-tier, but certainly a first-tier actress in terms of popularity.
Jiang Mian had always managed Wan Lian Lian meticulously—except for one issue.
Wan Lian Lian’s natural beauty was striking—large, double-lidded eyes, high nose bridge, delicate cherry-like lips. Her features radiated natural charm and allure.
But despite Wan Lian Lian’s outstanding looks, major brands hadn’t really favored her.
Her striking appearance came with limitations. At first, it wasn’t that brands weren’t interested in working with her.
However, whenever she wore a haute couture piece, her every move radiated such intense charm and allure that it bordered on overly seductive.
Once or twice was fine, but after repeated occasions, brands began to notice the restrictions in how she could showcase their designs.
To them, Wan Lian Lian was popular, yes—but not necessarily the ideal choice.
This created a rather awkward situation. From last year to now, Jiang Mian hadn’t been able to secure particularly strong brand collaborations.
If brands refused to lend outfits, they would have to purchase them outright.
A few times might be manageable, but relying on buying for every single red carpet event?
Wan Lian Lian’s earnings probably wouldn’t even cover the costs.
That’s why Jiang Mian was so excited this time.
For her, collaborating with Yao Ge was risky, but the visible benefits far outweighed that.
First, she had already seen Yao Ge’s design work firsthand.
Second, as it was a newly established brand, even a private custom order was much more cost-effective than buying high-end brand couture.
Finally, there was a little selfishness on Jiang Mian’s part—despite Wan Lian Lian’s exceptional looks, she had never truly shone on the red carpet.
Over the years, critics and naysayers had whispered that she wasn’t up to par.
This time, Jiang Mian wanted to prove them wrong.
It wasn’t that Wan Lian Lian couldn’t do it—she just hadn’t found the right opportunity yet.
She was full of anticipation, yet Wan Lian Lian suddenly spoke hesitantly.
“But A-Mian, STYLE contacted me and said they’re willing to lend me their latest haute couture for this spring.”
Jiang Mian’s expression froze instantly.