Gold Medal Mediator [Quick Transmigration] 43

Chapter 43: Sugar Mommy, Kisses (I)

After several consecutive missions, the System had developed a blind faith that Hua Baihe would perform better in mission worlds that were closer to her own world’s background. So, the story of the world it had blessed—oh, no, selected—this time was still one that Hua Baihe could adapt to with extreme ease.

The Child of the World, Wen Congshu, as the youngest daughter of the Wen Corporation, grew up in an environment of wealth and comfort. Apart from not receiving her father’s love, she seemed to have no worries.

According to her father Wen Tingyuan’s plan, she was supposed to become a sacrifice for a family alliance marriage after she came of age. However, this uncrowned king who had built the Wen financial empire with his own hands suddenly fell ill when the corporation was at its peak. His body could not support his ambition. Wen Tingyuan was rushed to the hospital with an acute cerebral hemorrhage and couldn’t speak a word when he woke up.

Unfortunately, just before this sudden incident, he was preparing to summon his lawyers to settle the division of his assets in case of an accident.

Who would have thought that the accident would visit him before the plan?

And Wen Tingyuan was the type of man who had a wife at home and a mistress on the side. With his illness, his hospital room became like an ancient emperor’s bedchamber. The first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh mistresses took turns serving him medicine, their schemes and hidden barbs turning the place into a contemporary classic novel, if only a tabloid reporter could sneak in and listen.

Afterward, the Wen Corporation’s stock fluctuated wildly. Wen Tingyuan’s eldest and legitimate sons were busy drafting various wills, appointing themselves as the rightful heirs. The entire corporation’s upper management was in turmoil, and major shareholders sold off their stocks, leading to a wave of panic selling among smaller investors.

Wen Tingyuan’s daughters were not to be outdone, busy picking up the scraps from their brothers’ struggles, either grabbing more shares or fighting for more benefits.

Among them, Wen Congshu naturally had no intention of becoming a puppet in her old man’s hands and snatched a piece of the pie from the chaos.

In the end—

The Wen Corporation existed in name only, having been divided into four factions. Upon hearing this news, Wen Tingyuan, who had raised such a bunch of turtle sons, was so angry that he closed his eyes, kicked his legs, and was sent back to the emergency room for the second time.

But none of the princes and princesses who had divided up the former dynasty’s inheritance had the leisure to visit his bedside with words of comfort or to serve him tea and water. Among the many factions, Wen Congshu only received a live-streaming company under the original Wen banner—NB Live.

At that time, NB was just starting out in the country, and the laws regarding live-streaming were not well-established. The website itself had been shut down by the network management several times due to the varying quality of its idiotic streamers, leading to many unrestricted live broadcasts.

The company was already in decline when Wen Congshu took over, but she had a talent for business. She poached several streamers who were being severely exploited on other websites with high salaries, signing them to new contracts and attracting the most popular gamers in the country to her platform.

Afterward, while other live-streaming sites still occasionally relied on streamers selling their souls to attract viewers, NB had decided to strengthen supervision from the source. Streamers had to register with their real names, and if a stream’s content was too explicit, the streamer’s channel would be shut down directly and they would be blacklisted from the site. NB thus escaped a later major crackdown on explicit content on live-streaming sites.

Wen Congshu’s steps didn’t stop there. She tackled both the website and the streamers. On one hand, she poached a group of technical talents from her alma mater to improve the website’s stability and developed a team of personnel with a keen sense of the market to discover and package promising streamers. After five years, NB Live slowly made a name for itself in the market.

In addition, NB also developed a video sub-station separate from live-streaming, importing a large number of foreign films, TV shows, and anime. It collaborated with several other major video websites to gradually guide the audience’s awareness of copyright, successfully carving up the domestic film and TV video website market with several other companies.

Seeing that NB was on its way to becoming the number one live-streaming platform in the country, with resources in film, TV, and anime, and an increasingly solid financial foundation, and was even planning to enter the entertainment industry and develop web series, Wen Congshu’s brothers couldn’t sit still.

Wen Tingyuan’s eldest son, Wen Sizhu, the biggest beneficiary of the initial division of the parent company, felt a deep sense of crisis as he watched his younger sister climb up step by step.

Because the Wen family had started in the entertainment industry, and the foundation of the Wen family was in the entertainment industry, Wen Sizhu’s Wen Pictures was a veritable gold mine. However, the film kings and queens who had emerged in the entertainment explosion of the 70s and 80s had retired one by one in recent years, leaving Wen Pictures in a state of crisis with no one to fill their shoes.

Of course, these veterans had all been discovered by Wen Tingyuan’s discerning eye and personally promoted in their early years. They were loyal to their old boss and were unwilling to follow a new one, which was one reason.

In addition, the rise of web series and online talent shows on video websites in recent years was slowly impacting the traditional film industry and star selection methods. Wen Sizhu himself was not a good manager and had only managed to secure the company because his mother was pulling the strings from behind the scenes, which also meant that many of his mother’s family members were installed in the company.

As the saying goes, his first maternal uncle and his second maternal uncle are both his uncles. Every time the company held a meeting, Wen Sizhu would sit in the CEO’s chair, only to be controlled by the voices of his uncles. Even if he didn’t approve of the investment proposals submitted, he had to bite the bullet and approve them.

And so—

Wen Pictures invested in several films that were expected to be blockbusters but were ridiculed on major film review websites upon release.

The public’s ridicule came flooding in:

“Oh my, this generation of Wen’s heirs is the worst I’ve ever seen.”

“What? You think you don’t need vision to invest in movies?”

“The weather’s getting cold. It’s time for Wen Pictures to go bankrupt.”

Wen Sizhu was infuriated by the public’s ridicule. And among his many competitors, his younger sister was about to enter the ring to compete with him. If Wen Congshu really managed to get ahead of him, wouldn’t he become a laughingstock in the industry?

Wen Sizhu thought for a long time and came up with a plan—

He had someone find a recent graduate, a handsome male university student with some special abilities. He offered him a large sum of money to infiltrate Wen Congshu’s company and find an opportunity to cause trouble for her.

The man’s name was Miao Keqi. His family background was rather average. Because he couldn’t afford a house in a first or second-tier city to provide for his parents early, he was the type to dream of shortening his struggle by thirty years.

In school, he had used his handsome looks to date several well-off girlfriends, and his taste in clothes and expenses had been honed to a high level.

Standing on the street, even the simple act of Miao Keqi fastening his cufflink could outshine his peers by a galaxy.

He accepted Wen Sizhu’s down payment, took the information he was given, and studied Wen Congshu for a long time before applying for a position at her company.

Because he was indeed quite capable, he eventually made it to the position of CEO’s assistant.

But…

Just as readers would expect in any romance novel, in their day-to-day interactions, he came to understand Wen Congshu on a deeper level and eventually fell in love with her.

Actually… being with Wen Congshu, it wasn’t as if he couldn’t get what he wanted.

Miao Keqi smoked for a whole night and then unilaterally tore up his agreement with Wen Sizhu in his heart. In his daily life, he took meticulous care of Wen Congshu and eventually won over Little CEO Wen’s heart with his unique tenderness.

* * *

Miao Keqi and Wen Congshu’s engagement ceremony made many jaws drop in the industry.

Wen Sizhu was also surprised. He had sent someone to cause trouble for his little sister, not to serve himself up on a platter—

He had intended to throw the contract he had made with Miao Keqi in his sister’s face and ruin the engagement. He believed Wen Congshu was not the type to tolerate a speck of sand in her eye, but his mother gave him another suggestion.

He took the contract and met with Miao Keqi again, threatening him that if he didn’t provide some useful information, he would put the contract in front of his sister, and his dream of marrying up would be shattered.

Forced, Miao Keqi had no choice but to tell him one thing. Because the company had been expanding rapidly in recent years, there were some problems with cash flow, and a web series they were currently filming might be short on funds.

Wen Sizhu had him bring the script, and he immediately saw the essence of it. After returning, he first used his mother’s connections to meet with the heads of several banks for a few meals, hinting that—

He had recently heard through channels that his sister’s company had a cash flow shortage, and the bank loan might not be repaid if it was granted.

At the same time, he gave the script to his subordinates and had them find a group of young, handsome actors, without paying much attention to the quality of the background, and rushed out a very… very crude web series in a short time.

The plot was incredibly stupid, but because it made use of the currently popular quick transmigration element, and relied on casting based on looks and appropriate queer-baiting, the majority of netizens bought it.

For a time, the internet was flooded with fans of the official couple, incestuous brother-brother fans, father-son fans, and female lead-female supporting character lesbian fans, making the web series an overnight sensation!

On the other side, NB Pictures was in a bit of trouble. The bank loan couldn’t be secured in the short term, and a high-quality web series they were preparing to shoot had appeared under another company’s name in this manner.

Wen Congshu was not in a good state.

She understood that some high-level executive in the company had leaked the information.

Just as she was about to launch a strict investigation, Miao Keqi received a call. His father had fallen at home, and his mother couldn’t take care of her husband alone, so she called him home.

So he didn’t even have time to explain to Wen Congshu, took leave, and went home. By the time he had finished taking care of his father and could return to the company, he was faced with a termination letter.

Wen Congshu had thought of a thousand things, but she never imagined it would be the person sleeping next to her who had done this.

During the days Miao Keqi was on leave, she had been at the company day and night, handling affairs. If only this web series could be broadcast, opening up this market, they could even start preparing for a public listing in a few years.

Just as she was on the verge of a double harvest in love and career, she was hit with such a heavy blow.

She sat in her office, her eyes full of exhaustion, and asked him one question:

“…Why?”

Miao Keqi’s eyes were also a little red. He stammered, unable to say a word, only hating himself for not knowing Wen Congshu sooner.

If only he hadn’t signed that contract back then… how wonderful it would have been.

Wen Congshu didn’t get his answer, and her eyes gradually filled with disappointment.

She could accept failure in her career because she could get back up countless times.

But love…

She waved her hand and said in a hoarse voice, “Go to the finance department and collect three months’ extra salary.”

As she waved her hand, she saw the flash of light on her finger and then took off the engagement ring, throwing it away.

As if provoked by this action, a look of grief appeared on Miao Keqi’s face, and he couldn’t help but take a few steps forward.

“Congshu, listen to me… Give me another chance. I promise there won’t be a next time. Don’t make me leave you. I don’t know how to live without you.”

Wen Congshu’s heart ached. She pointed to the door. “If you stay here, I’m the one who won’t know how to live. Get out.”

Miao Keqi was eventually kicked out of the building, but Wen Congshu, who had been working at high intensity and had just gone through a breakup, was not much better off. She developed a recurring headache.

It couldn’t be cured, couldn’t be treated, and would strike at any time, making it impossible for her to do anything.

The more she tried to be strong, the greater the pressure, the worse the headache, and the worse she handled things…

But she always put on a brave face, until she turned the company around and, little by little, got it back on track.

Just as she was pushing NB Live towards a public listing again—

Her half-brother, Wen Sizhu, had a contract sent to her.

It was the contract Miao Keqi had signed with Wen Sizhu back then, full of dirty deals.

They say that of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, attacking the heart is the best. Wen Congshu knew her own situation best. She had never gotten over the hurt from that time. No one knew how deep her feelings for Miao Keqi were, for someone who had grown up lacking a father’s love and had even developed an aversion to men.

She had finally opened her heart to welcome the sunshine, only to be met with a storm.

The thorn buried in her heart, which she thought had been slowly dulled by soft flesh, was now brutally torn open again, revealing not healed flesh, but a festering wound that had been covered up.

That night, Wen Congshu had just returned from a business trip in South America. Because of this, she slept in the office for a night, caught a cold, and her headache struck. She fainted in the office and was sent to the hospital.

At that time, a highly contagious new type of flu was in season locally, and a new drug had not yet been developed.

After asking a few questions, the doctor diagnosed her with the flu and said she must be quarantined immediately.

It was just when a market research company was evaluating whether the company was qualified for a public listing. If she, the CEO, were to step down, it would have a great impact on the results.

But out of consideration for the local citizens, Wen Congshu had to be quarantined…

During her treatment, she could only handle all company affairs by phone, and the side effects of the new clinical drug were severe. After she was cured, she was found to have a tendency towards depression.

On the day she went back to work, seeing the traffic outside the car, what she felt was… fear.

—She found that she could no longer adapt to crowded environments.

Slowed thinking, difficulty concentrating, and other problems appeared one after another. Wen Congshu found that she was no longer competent to be the CEO of the company.

A year later, NB Live was acquired by Wen Pictures.

On that day, upon receiving the news, Wen Congshu committed suicide at home due to severe depression. Because she was the former CEO of NB, the local news even gave her a special feature.

“Former CEO of a famous live-streaming website found dead at home by suicide, suffered from severe depression before death…”

* * *

After reading the story, Hua Baihe: “…”

Her feelings were very complicated for a moment.

She was just about to dryly comment to the System about Wen Congshu’s innocence and devotion when she opened her eyes and was first captivated by her surroundings.

It was a scene of devastation, as if plundered by locusts, a true scene of a smashing and looting incident.

Hua Baihe looked in shock at the broken porcelain bowls on the floor, the corpse of a vase, the TV with spiderweb cracks, the wooden stool lying in front of the TV cabinet, and the drenched sheets on her own bed. She couldn’t help but ask the System:

“System, my dear, which bastard dared to wreck my place—”

The System replied calmly, “You did.”

Hua Baihe was taken aback. “Huh?”

The System asked, “Have you received your background information yet?”

Hua Baihe paused, pushing aside her sighs for Wen Congshu and trying to retrieve her own settings from her mind.

“My… my family went bankrupt?” she asked, her face a mixture of shock and grief as she looked at her own background story.

The identity the System had arranged for her in this world was Ning Wanwan, originally the treasured daughter of the Ning family. The Ning family had relied on the Wen Corporation to survive. When Wen Tingyuan fell, they tragically followed.

Because there were too many princes, the Ning family was directly drawn into the struggle. Unfortunately, because they had backed the wrong team of the first and second princes, Wen Sizhu, who had seized Wen Pictures, pushed them to the brink of bankruptcy.

The whole family was suddenly facing a crisis of being left adrift and without support.

Like a piece of seaweed swaying in the wind.

Seeing the Wen family split up, Ning Wanwan’s father held a grudge against Wen Sizhu and was unwilling to fall into decline. He thought about it and intended to marry his daughter to the Wen family’s second son, Wen Chengcai, to revive the company.

But unfortunately, Wen Chengcai at most wanted to have sex with his daughter. A proper marriage was out of the question. After all, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. The second son of the Wen family was not someone a fallen family like hers could match.

Ning Wanwan, having learned of her father’s intentions, resisted to the death.

She threw a tantrum at the dinner table. “Men are all big pig’s trotters (slang for scumbags)!”

“I will not marry Wen Chengcai!”

Her father said worriedly, “Even if you want to marry him, he has no intention of marrying you.”

Ning Wanwan: “…”

After a few seconds of silence, she stood up, bowl in hand. “The person I like is Wen Congshu! Dad, it’s the 21st century! Same-sex marriage is legal! I’m not going to be in a sham marriage with a man!”

Her father was greatly shocked, but after thinking it over with her mother for a long time, they felt that Wen Congshu was, after all, a member of the Wen family, so this plan was feasible.

Then, he went to talk to Wen Congshu, hinting that he had a beautiful daughter and that his family’s business happened to match the future development of her company. He wondered if CEO Wen had any interests in that area.

At the same time, Ning Wanwan also hitched a ride with her best friend and snuck into a high-society party, running up to Wen Congshu…

And offered herself.

“CEO Wen, I used to be in the same school and major as you. Do you remember? In the big Marx class on the Tuesday of the third week of the second semester of our sophomore year, I was sitting right behind you. Don’t you think this is fate?”

Wen Congshu was shocked by this far-fetched connection between them.

And then… she politely but firmly rejected her.

The most terrifying thing was that not long after, the Ning family was truly on the verge of declaring bankruptcy.

Ning Wanwan secretly went to see Wen Congshu behind her father’s back and told her—

If she acquired her family’s company, it would be a buy-one-get-one-free deal. Buy the company, get a wife.

Wen Congshu was once again shocked by her shameless move.

Then she immediately called the HR manager.

“What’s going on with the open auditions today? Why are you letting just anyone in?”

Having failed to sell herself again, the infuriated Ning Wanwan returned home and wreaked havoc on her room, turning it into the scene before Hua Baihe.

It had to be said, Hua Baihe was shocked by the System’s rapidly improving storytelling ability, which was advancing at the speed of a spaceship.

She swallowed hard, a gulping sound, and then asked the System:

“System, my dear, why don’t you give my body another check-up?”

System: “Hasn’t your virus been completely eliminated?”

Hua Baihe shook her head and said seriously, “Help me see if that Supervision Mode is still on me. Why do I hear the sound of heavenly thunder rolling?”

System: “…”

“I could tolerate the ‘Overbearing CEO Falls in Love with Me’ plot. I think I’d be okay with Miao Keqi’s ‘Signed the Wrong Contract, Married the Right Person’ plot too. But—”

Hua Baihe covered her face as if she had a toothache and asked, “What kind of script is this ‘Sugar Daddy’s Contract Daughter’? Can you explain?”

The System thought for a moment and actually started spouting nonsense with some logic. “Because the story takes place in the entertainment industry and the business world, I specially referenced popular entertainment industry novels to perfectly arrange your identity.”

Hua Baihe lowered her hand and asked through gritted teeth:

“How did you arrange it? According to the logic of ‘never being loved by the Child of Destiny’?”

The System chuckled, “Hehe,” and sent her a sticker of a hand with a raised pinky finger. “You guessed it. [You devil.jpg]”

Hua Baihe: “…”

To prevent her from getting into a relationship with the Child of Destiny, the System had really gone to great lengths.