Chapter 36: Please Part 2

Autumn wind blew in from the window, but the room still felt stuffy.

“I know it’s harassment, but without solid evidence, even the police can’t touch him. He’s smart and cautious about this—never leaves any handles.” Emma tapped her phone screen, bringing up the photos. “Even if we know he sent this cake, there’s no direct proof it was him. The label only has my number.”

“…Has he been harassing you like this for long?” Miao Zhu latched onto the key point, taking several deep breaths. “—I’ll go with you to his production company to complain! If you keep tolerating it, he’ll only get worse!”

“Mia, don’t rush! It’s not that I won’t complain or report it—I just need more evidence.” Emma licked her dry lips and leaned toward Miao Zhu. “If I can’t take him down completely and he turns it around, claiming I seduced him, how can I survive in this industry? I need to make money.”

At this point, Emma held nothing back. “I didn’t actually come back on short notice for this project. I took it so I could get my mom away from her old life.”

Miao Zhu was still immersed in anger over Emma’s harassment when she heard this. “Away from her old life?”

“Originally, my mom took me abroad to join her boyfriend, but they divorced soon after marriage. Then she dated others, and I followed her, moving constantly… Some guys she met were good—even after breaking up, they supported my studies. But others…”

“Proper businessmen in public, but alcoholics and abusers behind closed doors…” Emma looked up. “You’ve seen it—the bruises on my face. My mom’s were worse. My hair too—I shaved it short after he yanked chunks out when I fought back.”

“Even then, she wouldn’t leave him. She’s not young anymore and just wants to cling to that scum for a comfortable rest of her life… Every time I went back, I’d find new injuries on her, worse each time. Mia, I was so scared—scared that one day I’d go back and find… So I called the police. I forced her to come back.”

“She suffered a lot to raise me. I promised her I’d work hard to give her a good life… Mia, do you understand? I have the responsibility to support the family, but I’m so small and powerless, while he’s the VP of a major production company. Acting rashly will just put me on the defensive.”

Family and work both tormented Emma. As she poured out her honest confession, Miao Zhu’s indignation faded bit by bit, leaving her limbs heavy with helplessness.

All this time, Emma had been giving her energy, never mentioning her own pains.

In just a few sentences, Miao Zhu understood Emma’s courage and her concerns.

Miao Zhu hugged her heartbrokenly. “Are you even treating me as a friend? You tell me nothing—I could share the burden!”

Emma hadn’t cried when beaten or when clashing endlessly with her mom over the abuse, nor from the workplace harassment. But in Miao Zhu’s arms, hearing her friend’s complaints and feeling her care, her tears finally fell, pattering down.

That evening, after dinner at the restaurant, back in the car, Sheng Xingran took Miao Zhu’s hand. “You seem really down. Was the food not to your taste?”

Miao Zhu’s eyes reddened instantly. “I’m worried about Emma.”

After hearing about Emma’s workplace ordeal, Sheng Xingran soothed her. “Do you know which production company?”

Miao Zhu opened a search engine, looking up the drama’s filing info. Sheng Xingran leaned over to look together.

“Chuanming Film.” Sheng Xingran mused. “This guy probably knows Wen Jie.”

Tang Yuwen’s entertainment company was top-tier domestically, while Chuanming Film was merely second-tier.

Sheng Xingran’s words hit just what Miao Zhu hoped. She pleaded, “Xingran, could you ask Wen Jie for help?”

Tang Yuwen’s phone lit up with Sheng Xingran’s call as she sipped drinks with Mu Shanyi at Moon.

“Xingran.” Tang Yuwen told Mu Shanyi. Moon wasn’t noisy, so she answered right there.

“Wen Jie, busy?”

“When am I ever busy?” Tang Yuwen laughed. “If playing counts as busy, then yeah, every day.”

“Perfect then. A friend of mine just opened a camping base—great weather for it. Let’s plan a time to go?” Sheng Xingran invited over the phone.

“I like meeting new friends.” Tang Yuwen twirled her long curls. “Is she a beauty?”

Mu Shanyi: “…”

“Actually, I have a great friend I want to introduce you to. Wen Jie, I’d like to ask a favor.” Sheng Xingran got to the point.

“Oh? Tell me, see if I can help.” Tang Yuwen set the phone between her and Mu Shanyi, tapping speaker.

“From Chuanming Film…” Sheng Xingran paused, and another soft voice naturally continued: “Mo, Mo Wei.”

“Miao Zhu’s there too?” Tang Yuwen recognized her voice.

A faint noise came from the speaker, like the phone being handed to Miao Zhu. Three or four seconds later, her voice returned, clearer: “Wen Jie, it’s me.”

“It’s actually me asking the favor. My good friend is working on a project under Chuanming Film’s President Mo, but she’s facing harassment from him at work. Could you lend her some light, Wen Jie, to make him back off?”

Tang Yuwen didn’t reply right away but glanced at Mu Shanyi, who was frowning.

“Lend some light” and “back off”—Miao Zhu was finding backing for her friend. The request was vague, leaving Tang Yuwen plenty of room. She could help, but to what extent?

The call was from Sheng Xingran, but Mu Shanyi was listening—this favor could go on Mu Shanyi’s tab, so Tang Yuwen wanted to gauge her attitude.

“Longlong, you were with Emma today and ran into that scum—did he offend you!?” Sheng Xingran suddenly cut in.

“Yes, his look made me really uncomfortable.”

Sheng Xingran gritted her teeth. “Wen Jie, you might not know—Longlong is my fiancée. In that case, we can’t just let this slide with him backing off.”

Mu Shanyi gave Tang Yuwen a slight chin lift—a nod.

Tang Yuwen knew where things stood.

“Okay, wait for my message.” Tang Yuwen’s tone shifted back to its lazy, smiling drawl as she spoke. “Xingran, I really had no idea about your fiancée. Tell me all about it properly when we go camping later?”

Mu Shanyi silently finished the wine in her cup.