Chapter 176 - 140: Unexpected Situation

Chapter 176: Chapter 140: Unexpected Situation

Yan Xici had drunk quite a bit and was already fast asleep, her head resting limply against Xiao Ran.

A few stray strands of hair fell across her delicate face, and her skin was flushed and warm.

It was like holding a little furnace.

Xiao Ran’s heart ached for her.

He gently laid her down on the bed, reached out to tuck the stray hair from her face, and then pulled a light blanket over her.

He murmured softly, "Sleep well."

Only then did he turn to Xu Cheng, who was standing behind him. "Well, it’s getting late. We’re heading to bed. You should get some rest, too."

"You got it! See you in the morning!"

Xu Cheng said this with a grin, then glanced over at a drowsy Zhang Chuan. "Don’t listen to things you shouldn’t! It’s enough to shatter a single guy’s spirit!"

All this PDA from a couple in their honeymoon phase is a silent killer.

"Screw you!" Zhang Chuan retorted, then climbed onto the tatami mat a short distance away. He shot Xiao Ran a grumpy look. "Keep the noise down tonight, huh? And don’t take too long!"

With that, he decisively slid the door shut.

’There’s no way I’m putting on headphones. If he has the guts to do it, then I have the guts to listen!’

The private room itself was huge, with the two beds a full ten meters apart. Each sleeping area even had its own door; closing them was like sealing off two separate worlds.

Seeing that Zhang Chuan had obediently gone to bed, Xiao Ran slid his own door open again, took off his shoes, and climbed up.

The moonlight tonight was beautiful, but Xiao Ran was not in a good mood.

The tatami platform was surrounded by transparent, floor-to-ceiling windows. Xiao Ran only drew the curtain on Yan Xici’s side to shield her, then lay down and gazed at the moonlight through the window opposite him.

This night was no different from any other.

The good and the bad, the warm and the cold, the expected and the unimaginable—all of it was happening.

It was like the nightscape over the Huangpu River; no matter how glamorous Shanghai appeared on the surface, it was still a city of both desolation and splendor.

The darkest, most wretched parts slipped by, silent and awkward.

People only stared at the dazzling billboards and the multi-colored luxury yachts, as if those were the only real things—the things that upheld the city’s undying fame.

He selfishly wished that Yan Xici could be the main character, just for once.

Let her experience the beauty of this world.

...

Yan Li barely slept a wink that night, drifting in and out of a restless slumber. ’What on earth did I do wrong?’ she wondered.

’Why is everyone treating me like this?’

She finally endured the night until morning, then drove to the company bright and early.

Because of what happened the previous night, Wang Meng also arrived very early. She had just stepped into the office when she saw Yan Li storm in, dressed in a black suit and walking on three-inch heels.

From a distance, she still looked as radiant and full of energy as ever. It was only up close that one could see the slight puffiness of her eyes and the dark circles underneath.

"President Yan, did you not sleep well last night?" Wang Meng asked with concern.

Yan Li seemed unwilling to answer. Her expression remained neutral as she walked and said, "I read yesterday’s draft. It’s not vicious enough. Make it harsher."

’Xiao Ran... there’s no way I’m letting that culprit off the hook!’

"Huh?" Wang Meng was so shocked by Yan Li’s words that she paled and stopped in her tracks, a lost and helpless look in her eyes.

’I thought what I wrote was already harsh enough.’

’Saying he got together with President Yan’s sister right after their divorce...’

’For a man, especially one with some level of fame like Xiao Ran, that kind of accusation is enough to completely ruin him.’

’If she wants it to be even harsher, isn’t that as good as making him public enemy number one?’

"Don’t ’huh’ me. Hurry up. I want the new draft on my desk in ten minutes!"

The elevator arrived. Yan Li stepped inside first, with Wang Meng following closely behind.

Her heart pounded with anxiety. This time, President Yan was about to start a war with her own family, one that couldn’t be undone.

She hurried back to her desk, opened her computer, and pulled up the previous day’s draft. After a moment of deliberation, she added a few more pointed lines. Then, she printed the document and rushed it to Yan Li’s office.

Yan Li was waiting for her, one leg casually crossed over the other. The moment Wang Meng entered, she took the draft without a word and began to read.

The expression on her face showed that she was quite satisfied with this version.

Her fingers tapped lightly on the desk a few times as she formulated her next move.

She spoke calmly. "Go find a few popular influencers, the ones who focus on relationship drama, and have them spread this content."

The influencer industry has its own unwritten rules. For example, comedy skit creators focus on funny, everyday life content; you would never see a blogger like that talk about gossip.

Lifestyle and product review influencers are another example; they’re always sharing their favorite things. Unless there’s a major strategic shift, everyone sticks to their own niche and would never encroach on someone else’s territory.

After all, changing one’s public persona is a huge risk.

Wang Meng thought it over and decided to try persuading her one last time. Having worked for Yan Li for so many years, she truly couldn’t bear to watch her go down this path.

"President Yan, forgive my bluntness, but are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

’If Xici finds out about this, the relationship between the sisters will only get worse.’

Yan Li sneered. "Then tell me, what should I do?"

’I’ve already been more than fair!’