Hu Yi couldn’t resist gossiping. "Qi Yu’s face is completely twisted."

If she hadn’t said that, things might have been fine. But as soon as she did, everyone on the film crew turned to look at Qi Yu, Tan You included. When Tan You saw Qi Yu and Hu Yize in the middle of the red carpet, she merely gave a faint smile before looking away, her expression turning impassive.

Hu Yize looked flustered. He gave Qi Yu a gentle tug. "Let’s go."

Qi Yu was also desperate to leave. The moment she got a clear look at Tan You’s outfit, any thought of outshining her vanished. Did she not have a clear sense of her own standing? It was better to make a quick exit now than to have to force praise later.

But seeing Hu Yize shy away made Qi Yu feel a bit unsettled. ’Hu Yize used to be so powerful. How did he become so...’

Qi Yu couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she felt that fleeing in such disarray was, in the end, a bit humiliating.

Tan You paid the two of them no mind. She posed for photos with the rest of the crew and exchanged a few words with the host. The host was one of the company’s own artists, so naturally, Sister Li had roped him into service for the occasion.

As soon as she entered the venue, Sister Li was there to meet her with a shawl.

"I’ve already made arrangements for the fans. They’ll all be waiting for you. I left a card at the coffee shop, so they can just charge everything to it."

Tan You nodded slightly. "Okay. Are there any minors in the group? If so, make sure to contact their parents."

"I already asked. They’re all adults." Sister Li shook her head. "Why do you worry so much?"

Tan You replied, "It’s a habit. They all look so young, after all."

The premiere hadn’t started yet, so Tan You had to make the rounds and socialize with Sister Li. After all, investors of every stripe were present today. At an occasion like this, Tan You had to put her emotional intelligence to good use, no matter what.

After making a full circuit of the room, Tan You’s glass of red wine remained nearly untouched. When she sat down in her front-row seat, her face wasn’t flushed and her breathing was even, showing no signs of fatigue from all the networking.

Sister Li, on the other hand, had downed several glasses in a row, and her cheeks were now a little flushed.

Tan You glanced at her. "Are you all right?"

Sister Li replied, "I just get flushed easily. I’m actually still clear-headed."

Tan You said, "As long as you’re okay. This must have been tough on you."

Sister Li smiled. "I’m doing this for myself, too. The company gave me shares, you know."

Tan You didn’t say anything more, but she thought to herself, ’I have to give Sister Li a huge bonus at the end of the year.’

The theater finally quieted down, and the movie officially began. Sister Li was on Tan You’s left, and Hu Yi was on her right. To be honest, Tan You barely registered what was happening on screen; she was almost entirely focused on observing the changing expressions of the audience.

For instance, the film critics in the back rows, and the various celebrities and investors scattered throughout. As the movie passed the halfway mark, the expressions on the faces of the studio heads grew increasingly grim. Tan You knew they were starting to see her as a formidable rival.

The film critics, however, were full of anticipation and approval. As for the celebrities in the middle, their faces showed a mix of envy, desire, and a whole range of other emotions.

The Beauty System said, "Host, several of the executives want to sabotage you."

Tan You thought, ’It’s already come to this. Let them try.’ "How are things progressing overseas?"

The Beauty System stretched languidly. "Everything is going smoothly. It’s been shortlisted, but we’ll have to wait a while for the results. There are many different opinions on the judging committee."

Tan You narrowed her eyes. ’Then never mind them. As long as we get shortlisted, that’s a victory in itself.’

From the very beginning, Tan You had never planned to battle these domestic investors. Her sights were set abroad. No matter how much they tried to block or sabotage her in the domestic market, it wouldn’t matter as long as the film became famous overseas.

The Beauty System stirred and glanced toward Hu Yize and Qi Yu in the fourth row. "Host, Hu Yize and Qi Yu have been staring at you."

Tan You thought, ’I can feel it. Let them look, it’s no big deal. No matter what, all they can do is envy me.’

To be honest, Tan You really couldn’t spare the mental energy to suppress or get revenge on Hu Yize and Qi Yu. Because while the two of them were basking in the limelight now, their futures were anything but bright.

Take Qi Yu, for example. She would be blacklisted overnight for inappropriate words and actions, and all the works or variety shows she had ever appeared in would be pulled. Then there was Hu Yize, who would forever be saddled with the titles of "has-been artist" and "former Best Actor."

He even got divorced later. So, really, Tan You didn’t have a habit of kicking people when they were down. Since these two were going to run their own lives into the ground, why should she bother to intervene? 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Besides, she was very busy. She had to manage Lu Wen’s life properly, leaving those two so far behind they couldn’t even see her dust. She also had to navigate the scheming and intrigue of others, which already consumed most of her energy.

The premiere went very smoothly, but unexpectedly, there was a surprise waiting at the end. As the cast took their bows after the film, Ji Mingxi suddenly appeared with a bouquet of flowers.

"Congratulations! I knew you could do it." Compared to five years ago, Ji Mingxi’s Chinese was now excellent, gone was its former awkwardness and unnaturalness.

Tan You accepted the bouquet graciously. "Thank you. Why didn’t you tell me beforehand? I would have arranged for someone to pick you up."

Ji Mingxi replied, "I told Sister Li. I just wanted to surprise you."

Tan You chuckled. So those two were quite good at keeping a secret. But Ji Mingxi was familiar with everyone else, too. After exchanging a few words with Tan You, he joined Wei Wei and Wan Yi. The group of men hit it off immediately and started chatting enthusiastically.

When the premiere officially ended, it was a classic case of some rejoicing while others despaired. While the rest of the crew was busy networking, Tan You took Ji Mingxi to meet her fans.

They all gathered at the coffee shop, eating, drinking, and chatting about the minor frustrations and anxieties of life and work. Time flew by without anyone noticing.

A fan glanced at Ji Mingxi curiously. "Sister Wen, you’re still in touch with him?"

Ji Mingxi said smugly, "Of course. We see each other several times every year."

Tan You said, "Mhm, we’re very good friends."

The fan covered her mouth with her hand as she smiled. "That’s so nice."

Tan You replied, "I think it’s very nice, too."

With fans who adored her, close friends, a successful career, and a solid financial backing, one could say that the current Lu Wen was doing quite well for herself.

As expected, the first film produced by Tan You’s company was a blockbuster hit. Even if those investors wanted to sabotage Tan You, they were at a loss for what to do. They might try to stir up public opinion by digging for dirt, but every single one of her artists was squeaky clean.

If they wanted to go after Tan You’s company, they were held back by her previous threats. They were stuck, forced to simply watch as the movie’s box office numbers continued to climb.

Its money-making power made these investors burn with envy. Why had they been trying so desperately to break into the big screen all these years? Wasn’t it because that’s where the fast money was? But now, watching all that cash flow endlessly into someone else’s pockets, they were feeling utterly miserable.

"Since we can’t stop them this way, let’s make a move on the awards."

"The year-end awards are coming up, right? For a movie with such a massive box office, if it comes away completely empty-handed, the public will surely have a lot of questions, won’t they?"

"President Wang has the right idea. It’s time someone put Lu Wen in her place and taught her a lesson!"