Chapter 139: The Businessman

"Ah!" Mother Cheng let out a sharp cry as she caught sight of what was in the box. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed to the floor in a dead faint. Cheng Yanchi rushed over to support his mother. In an instant, the ceremony descended into chaos.

Mother Cheng was rushed to the hospital in time; fortunately, her condition was not severe, and she soon regained consciousness. Father Cheng, however, was in a different state. His health had already been failing, and he had been holding on by a mere thread. This sudden shock proved too much, and he was immediately wheeled into the emergency room.

With the Cheng family’s heirloom missing, the police intervened, cordoned off the scene, and conducted a thorough investigation, yet they yielded no results.

The lights in the emergency room went dark. The doctor emerged to announce that their efforts had failed. The joyous celebration had turned into a funeral.

Jiang Yao became the target of everyone’s scorn. Almost everyone accused her of being a jinx, claiming that even before officially marrying into the Cheng family, she had already brought such ruin upon them. Her past was dragged out and scrutinized once again. Despite the Cheng family’s heavy spending to suppress those rumors, the fallout remained relentless.

Jiang Yao had no heart to dwell on the vile insults hurled at her; these past few days, she had been busy assisting Cheng Yanchi with the funeral arrangements for Father Cheng. While the members of the Cheng family did not openly blame her, their attitude toward her was no longer what it had once been.

Ever since the false accusations against him, He Yunqing’s career had hit an unprecedented low. First, he lost his voice and missed out on two excellent roles. After he recovered and returned, he found two more roles he was slated to play snatched away by others.

Sister Cai, who had never been treated with coldness before, found herself turned away at the door repeatedly.

"Yunqing is free recently. I believe this role—"

"Sister Cai, Yunqing’s acting is indeed good, but the investors have explicitly stated that they cannot hire artists with tainted reputations."

"Our Yunqing is not a tainted artist! That previous matter was already—"

"Sister Cai, I think one must have the courage to face reality. I don’t know if Yunqing is considered a tainted artist or not, but the risk of using him is simply too high. It’s hard enough to produce a film; you wouldn't want to see it banned or boycotted after release, would you? We’re all just trying to make a living."

"But—"

He Yunqing appeared from nowhere and pulled Sister Cai away. "Forget it, Sister Cai."

"Forget it? You’ve already 'forgotten' several roles! No, there’s still a supporting role in this production. I’m going to go fight for it for you."

"Don't go."

"What? Have you grown so accustomed to playing leads that you’re turning your nose up at supporting roles?"

"They won't hire me for supporting roles either."

He Yunqing was right. He had hit too many walls lately. In the entertainment industry, there was no shortage of handsome faces. As for talent... singing could be polished in post-production, and acting could be dismissed as a "minimalist style." As long as the capital wanted to promote someone, there was no one they couldn't make a star. Clearly, the capital was no longer on He Yunqing’s side.

Sister Cai had been in the business for so many years and had never felt such stifling frustration. She suddenly wanted to cry. "This makes no sense! A person is clearly innocent, the truth has been brought to light, yet he still has to face cold shoulders everywhere. Yunqing, with your looks and your talent, why should you suffer such grievances? It’s simply unfair!"

"Sister Cai, it’s not our first day in this circle. Is there any fairness to be found here?" He Yunqing said, his voice calm and ripple-free. "If it really comes to it, I’ll just retire from the industry."

If only he had retired earlier, would his ending with Jiang Yao have been different?

...

At the Jin residence, Jin Nana carefully carried a bowl of freshly cooked snow pear soup and knocked softly on the study door of Grandfather Jin.

"Come in."

"Daddy," she pushed the door open, calling out with a sweet, coquettish tone. She set the soup down before him. "I heard you’ve been coughing these past few days, so I specifically stewed some snow pear soup for you. Would you like to taste it?"

Grandfather Jin pushed up his glasses, set aside his documents, and glanced up at her. "You stewed this?"

"Of course."

"Not the cook?"

"Of course not. For you, I have to do it myself. Hurry, have a taste."

Grandfather Jin cleared his throat, gave Jin Nana a look, and took a sip of the soup. He savored the flavor for a moment. "Not bad."

Jin Nana gave a sheepish smile. Grandfather Jin set the bowl down, a slight smile touching his lips. "Tell me, what do you need from Daddy now? Have you set your sights on another car, or perhaps a limited-edition handbag?"

Jin Nana shook her head. "Neither."

"Oh?" Grandfather Jin squinted. "That’s a novelty. My precious daughter has found a new interest? Tell me then. As long as you aren’t asking for the stars in the sky, Daddy will make it happen for you."

Jin Nana laughed brightly, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Daddy! I knew you were the best."

Grandfather Jin waved a hand. "Don't thank me yet. You haven't told me what it is."

Jin Nana’s face flushed slightly. "You must have heard that Yunqing’s career hasn't been going smoothly lately. He hasn't had work for quite some time now. If this continues, he’s going to retire from the industry."

"Hmm." Grandfather Jin nodded. "And so?"

"And so..." Jin Nana blinked. "Do you have any plans to invest in the film industry lately? I promise, if you hire He Yunqing to star, you’ll definitely make a fortune!"

"Nonsense!" Grandfather Jin coughed twice. "Personal relationships are one thing, but business is business. How can you mix the two? Even though I have been friends with Yunqing’s father for years and watched him grow up, I cannot prioritize personal feelings over objective principles."

"Daddy!" Jin Nana pouted, gently shaking his arm. "You just said you would help me with anything! Just consider this a favor to me, please?"

"Help you? What is your relationship with Yunqing?"

Jin Nana pursed her lips. "You’re asking when you already know the answer. You know how many years I’ve liked him. Just grant me this wish, please?"

Grandfather Jin’s expression grew even firmer. "If that is the case, then it is even more out of the question."

"Why?"

"Has he agreed to be with you?"

Jin Nana shook her head. "Not yet."

"Since he hasn't, how can I intervene?" Grandfather Jin’s gaze grew shrewd. "Nana, remember, I am a businessman, not a charity."

"Daddy!" Jin Nana put her hands on her hips, furious. "Are you going to ignore your own daughter’s lifelong happiness?"

"It is precisely because I care about your happiness that I am doing this," Grandfather Jin said, lighting a cigarette. "Yunqing is indeed a good young man. Go tell him: as long as he is willing to be with you, I will fund his career."