Jiang Mian’s situation was settled within just a couple of days.
The evidence she provided was simply too solid. Even Wan Lianlian couldn’t argue her way out of it.
Moreover, Wan Lianlian truly had no time to spare.
On one hand, she had to desperately try to clear her own name. On the other, she was being hounded by Madam Li.
President Li really was a live-in son-in-law. Although his wife was three years older than him, her health was far better than either of the two “President Lis.”
After learning about President Li’s affair with Wan Lianlian, Madam Li didn’t hesitate at all—she went straight to her father and said she wanted a divorce.
Madam Li’s father was equally decisive.
“Then get divorced. The children are grown up anyway. With a father like that, it’ll only make their future marriage prospects harder. They’re sensible enough—let them all stay with you.”
Madam Li nodded fiercely.
“That’s exactly what I was thinking. That old bastard is already this old and still managed to stir up something like this. He has no shame, but my kids and I still do.”
Just thinking about it made her shake with anger.
Back then, she’d married him because he seemed honest enough, decades of behaving properly. Who would’ve thought he’d pull this kind of disgusting stunt at such an age?
If she’d known, she would’ve kicked this useless thing out the moment the kids were born.
With her father’s support, Madam Li acted immediately.
Within three days, President Li was thrown out with nothing to his name. Because of the scandal, the children didn’t even want to stay close to him—though they said they would still support him financially, they made it clear they didn’t want much contact.
Only then did Madam Li feel somewhat calmer. She also felt relieved that her father had always told her children had to be raised personally to truly be close. Twenty years of hard work hadn’t been in vain after all.
After kicking that idiot out of the house and restoring her original surname, Madam Wen held the family company and assets in her hands. After some thought, she decisively called her children over and divided up the family property.
She kept the villa she’d lived in the longest, along with some jewelry, cars, and personal belongings. Everything else was split evenly between the children. Even the company shares were divided up, leaving herself with only five percent to use for retirement.
Even so, Madam Wen was still running the company.
After settling her family affairs, she immediately contacted Wan Lianlian’s agency without wasting a second.
The moment she arrived, she got straight to the point.
“You can protect Wan Lianlian if you want. But if you dare try to whitewash what she’s done, then we’ll see how this plays out.”
The company executives were furious—but Madam Wen’s father was not someone they could afford to offend.
After weighing it over, they could only nod and agree submissively.
Madam Wen felt a trace of disdain.
If these people had even a shred of backbone, she might have respected them a little more.
Then she continued,
“And that agent—you fired her, didn’t you? I quite like her. My company happens to be short on capable people lately. Give me her contact information. I’ll bring her over to help out.”
She truly was grateful to Jiang Mian.
Anyone could tell from the trending topics on Weibo that Wan Lianlian had chosen to sink her own reputation. Jiang Mian had actually shielded her from quite a few of these messes.
Madam Wen genuinely could not understand Wan Lianlian. With such a good agent, having already developed into a top-tier actress—why stir up trouble like this? What was she even trying to gain?
Clearly not someone thinking straight.
But this Jiang Mian? She was impressive.
Efficient and decisive in handling matters. When notifying her, she had even warned her to be careful of being framed in return, and had provided plenty of evidence of that idiot’s affair. That was how Madam Wen had been able to throw him out with nothing.
The more she thought about it, the more mocking her gaze became toward the people at the agency.
They fired such a capable agent for the sake of someone mediocre at best. That alone showed how poor the company’s judgment was.
The person liaising with her, however, thought differently.
The moment he heard Madam Wen ask for Jiang Mian’s contact information, conspiracy theories bloomed in his head.
For the Wen family, this scandal had been a massive embarrassment.
And where had the scandal originated?
From Jiang Mian.
Could Madam Wen really feel sincere gratitude toward Jiang Mian?
If it were not for Jiang Mian, would the Wen family have suffered this?
Maybe Madam Wen was planning retaliation.
With that thought, he decisively handed over Jiang Mian’s full file.
Not just her phone number—even her address.
Seeing how complete the information was, Madam Wen instantly understood what he was implying.
A sneer tugged at her lips.
Did he really think everyone was as blind and short-sighted as they were?
After getting Jiang Mian’s contact details, Madam Wen left immediately.
Staying in that lousy company any longer felt like it would contaminate her thoughts.
She acted as soon as she decided—calling Jiang Mian right away.
As soon as Jiang Mian answered, Madam Wen briskly laid everything out.
At the end, she could not help adding,
“I went to your previous company. No offense, but that place is rotten from the top down. It’s a good thing you won’t be staying there anymore. You helped me greatly with this matter, and my company happens to be short on capable people. When can you come in to report for work?”
Jiang Mian, who was currently preparing to sign a contract with Fan Qing, was stunned.
How had things fast-forwarded straight to reporting for duty?
Since when had she become this in demand?
She remained dazed for a long moment before looking up.
And there was Fan Qing, watching her with a half-smile.
To be fair, he had not meant to eavesdrop.
But they were sitting face to face, and Madam Wen’s voice was powerful enough to carry clearly from the phone. He had tried to pretend he did not hear it, but—
The future subordinate he had his eye on was being poached.
That was absolutely unacceptable.
Fan Qing thought to himself:
He had already planned what posture he would use when visiting Nie Luo’s set after no longer having to work overtime.
Raising a hand politely, he gestured to Jiang Mian.
“If you do not mind, I can help you explain?”
Still in a daze, Jiang Mian instinctively handed him the phone.
Good.
Very self-aware employee.
Fan Qing thought approvingly.
Taking the phone, he smiled warmly.
“I did not expect Madam Wen to be so perceptive. Unfortunately, you are one step too late.”
Hmm?
Why was a man speaking?
Madam Wen paused in surprise.
Then she blurted out,
“What do you mean too late? And who are you?”
Fan Qing smiled faintly.
“Madam Wen may not know me. My name is Fan Qing. My employer is Second Young Master Jin from Tenghuang. Jiang Mian is quite capable, and we have already signed a contract with her to join Tenghuang as an agent. I am not sure what position you intended to offer her, but I believe Agent Jiang would prefer to continue in her profession.”
Second Young Master Jin?
That would be from the Jin family. She had heard her father mention Jin Si before—a capable young man.
If Jiang Mian went to Tenghuang, that would not be bad at all. She had heard that Tenghuang had improved considerably after its recent restructuring.
And the fact that they recognized Jiang Mian’s talent so quickly showed far more foresight than her previous company.
Still…
Madam Wen considered this, then said,
“That is not necessarily so. Ask Jiang Mian what she chooses. Being an agent may be her profession, but she has more than one option. She does not have to continue down that path.”
Fan Qing remained composed.
“You are joking, Madam Wen. The contract has already been signed. Perhaps next time you should be quicker.”
Jiang Mian slowly glanced down at the contract on the table in front of her.
Technically speaking… it had not been signed yet.
She tried to convey that fact with her eyes, only to be met with Fan Qing’s smiling gaze sweeping over her.
Jiang Mian paused internally.
How should she put this?
From that look alone, Jiang Mian felt a distinct sense of threat.
A chill crept up the back of her neck.
On the other end, Madam Wen gave a snort.
“If the contract were really signed, it wouldn’t be you answering the phone, would it? You’ve got your eye on Jiang Mian—that’s true. But the contract being signed? That’s false. If I’m not mistaken, you’re in the middle of signing it right now, aren’t you?”
Jiang Mian heard that and her eyes widened slightly.
How did Madam Wen know?
Fan Qing’s smile softened a little, but his eyes curved even more.
“Then I suppose Madam Wen isn’t truly asking Jiang Mian to choose. What you really want is to help her raise her value on my side, isn’t that right?”
Jiang Mian’s pupils went round.
Jiang Mian: …Huh?
Madam Wen was momentarily stunned as well.
Two seconds later, she burst into hearty laughter.
“Fan Qing, was it? I’ll remember your name. You’re a sharp one, aren’t you? Not bad, not bad at all.”
No wonder he dared to recruit Jiang Mian while the storm was still raging. The calculation and decisiveness were impressive.
Madam Wen truly did have a straightforward personality.
Fan Qing smiled in return.
“You flatter me, Madam Wen. We understand each other.”
Listening to them go back and forth, Jiang Mian was completely lost.
So Madam Wen had actually been backing her up?
After exchanging a few more words, Madam Wen grew even more impressed.
She suddenly asked, “Fan Qing, you sound quite young. How old are you? Do you have a partner?”
Her two children had only recently come of age, but being five or six years older was still acceptable.
Young people this perceptive were hard to find these days.
The smile on Fan Qing’s face froze for a split second.
Jiang Mian instantly recalled the mottled marks she had noticed on his neck the first time they met.
She covered her mouth and snickered quietly.
Heh. Heh heh.
So even Agent Fan had moments when he was put on the spot.
Fan Qing shot her a glance before answering calmly,
“Not just a partner. I already have someone I intend to spend my life with. But as far as I remember, Jiang Mian is still single.”
Hearing him say “someone I intend to spend my life with” made Madam Wen admire him even more.
Very few young people his age would dare to say something like that so openly. Clearly devoted—and responsible.
A pity.
But when she heard his last sentence, her expression twitched slightly.
She had only spoken out of sudden enthusiasm; she was not actually arranging a blind date for her children.
Still, it reminded her of something.
After a brief pause, she changed the subject.
“I remember seeing online that Jiang Mian secured a custom design opportunity from that Designer Yao through you. Is that true?”
Oh?
Fan Qing raised an eyebrow.
“That is true. What, Madam Wen takes an interest in celebrity gossip as well?”
“Of course not.”
Madam Wen laughed brightly.
Her voice carried unmistakable confidence. “Since Jiang Mian is going to your side, that is fine. But I must repay the favor she did me. Ask her whether she wants to make proper use of that custom opportunity—and make a name for herself.”
Wasn’t everyone online saying that the deal she negotiated was worthless?
Then she would personally help Jiang Mian prove her worth.
Before Jiang Mian could say anything, Fan Qing was already smiling.
The move he had made unexpectedly came with a volunteer ally.