Chapter 8: Purpose

Not long after, the door to the meeting room swung open.

It was Yan Muyu who opened it. Her face looked rather poor, and she held a wet wipe in one hand, using it to clean the other.

“What are you staring at? Take Miss Qiu Chao over there first. Let HR’s Jiang Sui talk things over with her.”

Yan Muyu’s golden hair was already a messy tangle. As she lowered her head, the dangling earrings on her earlobes clinked together with a crisp sound.

She then turned to glance at Xia Yuanyuan. “What are you standing around for? Miss Qiu Chao doesn’t look well. Go help her.”

She continued to wipe her hands methodically, not sparing even the spaces between her fingers.

Only then did Lou Haiyan notice the red smear on the snow-white wet wipe.

It was red from Yan Muyu’s hand.

She hurriedly asked, “Are you hurt?”

Yan Muyu lifted her gaze with a half-smile. “No.”

She even waved her hand in front of Lou Haiyan. Those hands were like white jade sculptures, the kind that drew the eye again and again.

They were indeed flawless.

She savored Lou Haiyan’s shocked expression for a moment before smiling and walking away first.

“I’m going to check if Tianxing’s done her homework at home. Have Supervisor Jiang start the chat without me.”

Lou Haiyan, left standing there, felt like her mind had exploded.

Not injured—that red was clearly lipstick.

Everyone knew Yan Muyu wasn’t wearing any lipstick. And the shade wasn’t her usual one either. It could only be…

Qiu Chao’s lipstick.

So why had Qiu Chao’s lipstick ended up smeared on Yan Muyu’s hand?

Uncontrollably, images flooded Lou Haiyan’s mind: the top-tier A-lister, award-sweeping Best Actress idolized by countless young artists as the ideal type, Qiu Chao—grabbing Yan Muyu’s hand and pressing a kiss to it.

That was just too…

Intimate.

Were these two…???

Why on earth would they get together? Young Boss Yan had seemed so cold to Miss Qiu Chao!!!

While Lou Haiyan reeled in shock, Xia Yuanyuan had already gone inside to find Qiu Chao.

She found her artist slumped on a chair in the small meeting room, head bowed and breathing heavily.

Xia Yuanyuan cried out in alarm, “Sis, what’s wrong?”

The oppressive aura from Yan Muyu earlier had been overwhelming. She hadn’t even had time to think before following the woman’s lead and coming in.

“Are you sick? Did you catch a chill from the cold wind yesterday? Sister Zhou’s here now. I’ll have her grab some medicine for you…”

When Xia Yuanyuan got anxious, she tended to ramble. She reached out to help Qiu Chao up, wondering if they should see a doctor first, but Qiu Chao waved her off.

“It’s nothing.”

Xia Yuanyuan thought: That voice sounds a bit off.

Looking closer, she saw that Qiu Chao’s eyes were still rimmed red, her nose was red too, and the lipstick on her lips had smeared.

Qiu Chao tucked her hair behind her ear and pressed her lips together.

Xia Yuanyuan’s eyes widened. “Your clothes… how did…”

She lowered her voice. “Did Young Boss Yan bully you?”

Qiu Chao straightened her collar and said, “No.”

Her voice was softer and more seductive than usual, almost like the sticky pull of soft rice cake being stretched apart.

The pleasure in it was utterly unconcealed. “She pinched me. Felt so good.”

Xia Yuanyuan: …

Even a quick glance had shown how painful that red mark looked.

You two have such a twisted relationship. What the hell happened in those five minutes?

Qiu Chao sighed again. “Sister Zhou’s coming? That’s it then. I accidentally agreed to Young Boss Yan earlier that I could sign a TV and film contract.”

Xia Yuanyuan’s eyes bulged. “What?!”

She felt like she’d been struck by lightning in broad daylight. A TV and film contract was huge for Qiu Chao.

She’d never signed one lightly before. It meant no room for choice—the partner dictated what she shot.

Qiu Chao’s current status meant she didn’t need to sign something like that at all, right?

Xia Yuanyuan could already picture Mai Chen, still laid up in the hospital, having a total meltdown if she heard.

“This… this is way too impulsive, Sis. Shouldn’t you discuss it first? Otherwise, it’ll be tough for Sister Zhou to negotiate.”

Qiu Chao shook her head and closed her eyes. She wiped her naturally cherry-colored lips, soft beyond measure. Closing her eyes like that easily stirred a desire in others to taste them.

But Yan Muyu wouldn’t. Despite her innate lustfulness, she seemed uniquely restrained with Qiu Chao.

She wouldn’t take what was offered.

Even touching her once came at a cost to Qiu Chao.

But the current Qiu Chao had plenty of leverage. She’d long since reached the peak of her career. What she could afford to spend wasn’t just money anymore.

She wanted the struggling Yan Muyu to bend.

She wanted Yan Muyu to use herself in exchange for Qiu Chao’s pleasure, to turn Qiu Chao into Whale Entertainment’s golden signboard.

She wanted Yan Muyu unwilling yet compelled to agree.

After all, Yan Kai was Yan Muyu’s most important family.

Qiu Chao said, “It’s fine. I came out of Whale Entertainment anyway. What’s there to guard against with my old employer?”

A lot of people had it right. She wanted to be the master of Whale Entertainment—but not of Yan Corporation.

She wanted to be the one in Yan Muyu’s heart.

~~~

On her way back to the office, Yan Muyu ran into quite a few people.

Everyone greeted the newly appointed Young Boss Yan, and she responded to each one.

But the moment she stepped into her office, her expression darkened abruptly. The earlier brilliance vanished, and even her hand felt scorching hot, all from the fire Qiu Chao had deliberately kindled.

She hadn’t changed a bit. Still so…

Yan Muyu closed her eyes. A nameless fire burned in her chest, and she went to wash her hands several more times.

In the president’s office, Yan Tianxing—who had been pretending to do homework upon hearing the noise—stole a glance and saw her aunt wiping her hands.

Yan Tianxing asked, “Auntie, what’s with you? What did you touch to get so worked up?”

She recalled Yan Muyu’s disgust toward the hamster she used to keep, which had provoked a similar reaction.

“Is someone at the company keeping a hamster?”

Yan Muyu said, “What are you thinking? Do you want another hamster?”

She walked over, picking up her phone to reply to unread messages while checking Yan Tianxing’s progress.

She discovered the girl had only written one page, and the multiple-choice questions looked like random guesses.

Yan Muyu said, “Have you been playing games again?”

Yan Tianxing declared righteously, “Can I not? It’s the weekend—the anti-addiction system’s off. What’s wrong with playing a little?”

Perhaps because Yan Muyu’s mood was foul, Yan Tianxing scooted closer and asked, “Don’t wanna work?”

Yan Muyu chuckled. “Do you wanna do homework?”

For a moment, the two felt a strange camaraderie in their mutual misery. Yan Tianxing was about to ask if she could skip it today when Yan Muyu, as if reading her mind, shook her head firmly. “No.”

Yan Tianxing whined, “I’m so bored here. You promised last week you’d take me out to play.”

Yan Muyu said, “We’ll go tonight then. If your homework isn’t done by the time I get back from the meeting, you’re staying behind.”

Yan Tianxing’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

The little girl hooked pinkies with Yan Muyu, then noticed her aunt’s dry lips. She fished a tube of lip balm from her backpack. “Auntie, your lips are so chapped. Use this.”

Yan Muyu had no desire to use Death Barbie Pink Lip Balm, but with the kid staring so expectantly, she pocketed it.

Just then, Lou Haiyan messaged to hurry her along. Yan Muyu patted Yan Tianxing’s head and left.

~~~

The meeting room with Qiu Chao was at the end of the corridor. When Yan Muyu pushed open the door, her eyes met Qiu Chao’s.

The others in the room were deep in heated discussion.

Zhou Danqing from Autumn Tide Studio looked sharp as a tack; her back-and-forth with Whale Entertainment’s HR felt like a debate match.

Qiu Chao, the principal involved, seemed utterly detached. She sat on the other end of the sofa and had just lifted her coffee when she heard the door, glancing up.

As if deliberately seeking eye contact with Yan Muyu.

This woman’s desires ran deep. She never said no—only more—until snow-white skin bloomed red like plum blossoms in frost.

Just like earlier in that other meeting room, smearing her lipstick on Yan Muyu’s hand, then grabbing it provocatively to seal a promise, waiting for Yan Muyu to make the deal.

Yan Muyu wasn’t so desperate yet.

There were plenty of artists in the industry, and she’d invested in Shen Tianqing’s company next door. Worst case, she could borrow some of Shen Tianqing’s promoted idols to fill the gap.

But that wasn’t even the best option.

No one needed to explain it; Yan Muyu knew Qiu Chao returning to Whale Entertainment was ideal.

The catch was the price Qiu Chao demanded: pleasing her.

Between women, it had nothing to do with humiliation. Yet with their past grudge, it did.

Qiu Chao had gotten Yan Muyu drunk ten years ago. Now, a decade later, with real power, she didn’t need tricks—she had the leverage to make Yan Muyu come willingly.

Yan Muyu didn’t find it painful. Disgust was secondary.

More like a fishbone in her throat. Qiu Chao was that thorn, lodged there.

Even though their relationship was no longer that near-family tie from before, this still carried a heavy sense of taboo.

Yan Muyu looked away, thinking: Her skill at reeling people in has only gotten better.

Wonder how many relationships it took these years to get so smooth.

She wasn’t this adept when she took me down back then.

“Young Boss Yan’s here?”

Jiang Sui from HR wasn’t young anymore. She’d handled Qiu Chao’s original contract personally.

She greeted Yan Muyu, who took her seat. Then Jiang Sui introduced, “This is Zhou Danqing, the coordinator from Autumn Tide Studio—and a partner.”

Yan Muyu shook her hand, sparing Qiu Chao not even a glance.

But Qiu Chao extended her hand. “Little Yan, why not shake hands with me?”

Her voice was so soft and sultry it could melt any woman who heard it.

Even though Jiang Sui hadn’t seen Qiu Chao in years, she still found the woman utterly seductive by nature—a born temptress.

Zhou Danqing had already heard Mai Chen’s tearful complaints by the time she arrived, along with Xia Yuanyuan’s mention of the simmering tension between Qiu Chao and Yan Muyu.

The core members of Autumn Tide Studio were few in number. They were partners as well as friends.

Even though outsiders claimed Qiu Chao had debuted straight into the deep end of the industry and never quite surfaced.

The employees knew their boss’s romantic history was squeaky clean—with one glaring exception: this Young Boss Yan.

Old scores left unsettled, and now she planned to raise the stakes even further.

Yan Muyu replied, “Didn’t we already shake hands before? You seemed quite satisfied at the time, Miss Qiu.”

She always came across as lazy and indifferent, with no time for polite small talk.

She called her colleagues with easy intimacy, yet with Qiu Chao, her tone dripped with sarcasm. Any passerby overhearing would sense the strained relationship immediately.

Qiu Chao let out a soft hum.

Zhou Danqing spoke up. “We’ve hashed out most of the details, except for one thing Leader Jiang won’t agree to.”

Zhou Danqing wore her hair cropped very short and was a die-hard childfree advocate through and through. She looked every bit the strong personality from the outside.

The executives at this studio were all cut from a different cloth than Qiu Chao—rigid and no-nonsense.

Qiu Chao alone was like a pool of melted autumn water. Even the glance she lifted shimmered with seductive ripples, as if she were deliberately luring someone in.

Yan Muyu flipped through the feedback sheet Jiang Sui had provided. “What is it?”

Jiang Sui shrugged. “I think this proposal is too rash.”

Yan Muyu shot back, “What does her contract have to do with me personally?”

Jiang Sui explained, “Miss Qiu wants you, Young Boss Yan, to act as her temporary agent.”

Yan Muyu thought she’d misheard. Her page-turning paused as she finally turned her gaze to Qiu Chao.

Qiu Chao straightened up a bit at last. The fierce marks from that day had faded from her legs, but a red rope bracelet still dangled from her ankle, embedded with a single button.

It looked like some old keepsake.

“My agent was badly injured in a car accident,” Qiu Chao said. “She can’t work anymore.”

“You can find someone else,” Yan Muyu replied. “My company has Gold Medal Managers available.”

“But I want you.”

Qiu Chao smiled. “Young Boss Yan, you’re a professional, aren’t you?”

The beautiful woman before her grew even more radiant when she smiled. “Besides, your company previously invited me to join one of their variety shows.”

“Isn’t it already airing?” Yan Muyu asked.

Qiu Chao shook her head.

Zhou Danqing picked up the thread. “It’s the one still in the planning stages: Pastoral Idyll: Me and My Agent.”

It was exactly the proposal Yan Muyu had just reviewed.

“I refuse,” Yan Muyu said flatly.

Qiu Chao smiled. “You wouldn’t want Yan Kai to wake up and hear that the company has gone bankrupt, would you?”

“Yan Muyu, you need me.”