Due to the unexpected incident, the recording had to be halted. Shi Yu was shielded by her assistant, Xiao Di, as they slowly made their way out.
As she distanced herself from Ji Yao, the inner turmoil gradually subsided, yet the events of the previous night abruptly resurfaced in her mind.
After Ji Yao and Xie Bing left, Shi Yu sat on the sofa in a daze, thinking for a long time but failing to recall what had actually happened.
It wasn’t until Shi Rui arrived.
Ever since her marriage to Ji Yao and the subsequent deterioration of their relationship, Shi Rui had entrusted Xie Bing with looking after Shi Yu, insisting that he be called whenever necessary.
So, Shi Yu wasn’t particularly surprised by Shi Rui’s swift arrival.
However, his words left her deeply skeptical.
“Ji Yao hit Xie Bing?”
Shi Yu couldn’t remember the events of that time and couldn’t provide any explanation, only vaguely sensing a voice inside her insisting:
No, it didn’t happen. But she wasn’t sure where this conviction came from, especially since she remembered nothing.
It was only now that she recalled how, when she called the police at the door, she suddenly felt dizzy, and Ji Yao had shielded her not taking advantage as in the past, but with genuine urgency and concern.
Just like moments ago.
“Sis Shi, are you okay?”
Back in the restroom, Xiao Di asked with concern. Shi Yu snapped out of her thoughts, shook her head, and said, “I’m fine.” Then, as if remembering something, she abruptly looked up and asked, “Has Xie Bing signed any new talent recently?”
“No.”
“It’s been half a year since she last signed anyone.”
“I see.”
Something wasn’t right. Something still felt off. Her dizziness couldn’t possibly be that simple!
Though she hadn’t recalled anything, her sharp intuition told her that there was something she was missing.
“Sis Shi, shall we head back now?”
“Panpan called and said she wants to eat the crispy pork you make.”
“And she wants Ms. Ji to come too.”
When the accident happened on set, Shi Yu narrowly avoided being hit, but Zhou Feng took a solid blow to the shoulder, leaving her furious and cursing up a storm.
Ji Yao stood quietly to the side, first watching Shi Yu walk away unsteadily, then deciding against following her to avoid seeming odd. She waited until Zhou Feng had vented her anger.
“President Zhou, about my resignation request.”
Despite her outburst, Zhou Feng’s shoulder still ached, and she glared at Ji Yao with lingering anger. “If you leave now, aren’t you afraid I’ll blacklist you in the industry?”
Zhou Feng’s resentment toward Ji Yao wasn’t just misplaced anger, it stemmed from the fact that she hadn’t yet gotten what she wanted.
As fellow alphas, what was there not to understand?
“Actually, I’m thinking of switching industries.” Thinking of the new offer she had received, Ji Yao replied with confidence.
Her response left Zhou Feng speechless.
Zhou Feng’s gaze turned peculiar.
Then, she asked quietly, “Why have you reverted to your old, unyielding self?”
“Didn’t I say that as long as you agree, I’ll take care of those debts you.”
“No need, President Zhou. I can handle them myself!”
“You!”
Seeing Ji Yao’s carefree demeanor, Zhou Feng found herself unable to utter any further threats.
Her connections were limited to television and variety show production, with some ties to investors. If Ji Yao truly had no intention of staying in the industry or resuming her former frivolous lifestyle, there was little Zhou Feng could do to stop her.
“President Zhou, look behind you, your wife is here.”
The word “sister-in-law” made Zhou Feng’s lips twitch a few times, but she couldn’t utter a single word before turning her head away.
Ji Yao caught sight of her strained expression as she tried to maintain composure.
“Fengfeng!”
The female omega who threw herself in front of Zhou Feng, the one Ji Yao called sister-in-law was the daughter of the former TV station director. She had ordinary looks, was slightly plump, and a few years older than Zhou Feng.
However, her personality was coquettish and willful, making her quite difficult to deal with.
Although Zhou Feng’s scandals were not uncommon in the TV station, none could compare to this director’s daughter and the influence she wielded.
The young alphas who had been exploited by Zhou Feng regarded her with fear and respect, while onlookers dared not speak out.
When Ji Yao first joined the company and Zhou Feng extended an olive branch to her, someone boldly asked if she was afraid of Jiao Lanlan, Zhou Feng’s wife.
Of course, she wasn’t afraid. In fact, during their rare encounters, she had even called her “sister-in-law.” But Jiao Lanlan was far from friendly toward her.
Like now, she was even less friendly.
Clutching Zhou Feng’s arm tightly, her ample and exaggerated chest pressed closely against it, she asked in a high-pitched voice, “What are you doing here?”
“Aren’t you supposed to be working?”
Every time Ji Yao observed her, she couldn’t help but think that Jiao Lanlan wasn’t unaware of Zhou Feng’s actions over the years, she was just too deeply in love.
Unable to let go of Zhou Feng, she clung to the typical belief that it was always others who seduced her wife.
“Sister-in-law, I’m applying to resign from my position with President Zhou.”
“But President Zhou is too busy to sign my resignation.”
“Fengfeng? Are you really that busy? If Xiao Ji doesn’t like this job, you should let her go free!”
Her words were so heartfelt that Ji Yao was almost moved to reach out and grasp her dear sister-in-law’s hand to say, “Thank you!”
Jiao Lanlan’s words brought smiles to the faces of the two people present except for Zhou Feng.
Her face darkened, but not wanting to show too much in front of Jiao Lanlan, she could only hold her hand and explain, “I’m not busy. There was just an unexpected incident on site.”
“I was handling it.”
“Is it resolved now?”
“Yes,” Zhou Feng replied reluctantly, her eyes darting toward Ji Yao.
Full of regret.
Though she had played around quite recklessly over their more than ten years of marriage, she still deliberately restrained herself in front of Jiao Lanlan.
After all, her father-in-law was a formidable figure. Even though he had retired, his influence remained.
And so, Ji Yao successfully resigned. Out of humanitarian consideration, Jiao Lanlan made the decision to pay Ji Yao a full month’s salary.
As Ji Yao left Zhou Feng’s office, she saw, for the first time, a genuine smile on her sister-in-law Jiao Lanlan’s face. So, she kindly reminded her, “Sister-in-law, sometimes it’s better not to rely on external forces.”
She left it at that. If Jiao Lanlan believed her, so be it. If not, it didn’t matter.
As a top-tier “love-struck fool,” Jiao Lanlan knew that winning Zhou Feng’s heart back on her own was impossible. So, instead of being surprised by Ji Yao’s words, she leaned in mysteriously, as if afraid Zhou Feng might hear, and whispered, “Sister Ji Yao, do you know any reliable celestial masters?”
Celestial masters was a general term for people with extraordinary abilities, and there were many subtypes. For example, Ji Yao was a bit of a mixed bag, she specialized in capturing ghosts, but she could handle demons too, though not as effortlessly.
Then there was someone like Qiao Zixi, a demon tamer, who, as the name implied, excelled at capturing demons. Of course, she could also deal with ghosts, though it required more effort.
Another category was fortune-tellers.
Most fortune-tellers remain deeply concealed, for to glimpse the secrets of heaven, they speak as little as possible and reveal even less. Ji Yao had some acquaintance with fortune-tellers in another world, but so far, she hadn’t encountered a single one here.
Still, that didn’t stop her from trying to win over Jiao Lanlan as a client. After all, the Jiao family was wealthy and influential, no less so than Shi Chuang. Even if Jiao Lanlan didn’t hold the core power, she was bound to know plenty of affluent ladies.
Ji Yao grew more and more pleased with the thought, offering her brightest smile to Jiao Lanlan: “Sister-in-law, here’s my QR code, feel free to scan it!”
“Oh, okay!”
Ji Yao’s smile left Jiao Lanlan momentarily stunned. As an omega, she found it hard to resist such a radiant alpha.
Witnessing this, Zhou Feng’s expression turned grim.
Though she hadn’t caught what the two were saying, after years of marriage to Jiao Lanlan, she could read her wife’s emotional shifts like an open book. Usually, when meeting a young alpha, Jiao Lanlan would put on a cold face, just as she had initially with Ji Yao never had she been so openly delighted.
It was as if a fawn were leaping in her heart.
“Lanlan!”
“What should we have for lunch?!”
“Oh~ Fengfeng, what would you like to eat.” Jiao Lanlan replied quickly, before Ji Yao’s WeChat request was even accepted, and she gestured with her eyes for Ji Yao to leave first.
It almost seemed…
As if they were hiding something!
But for the sake of developing her client base, Ji Yao held back, waving goodbye to both of them.
After all, she was quite busy.
There were plenty of tasks to handle. Qiao Zixi had messaged her to go to Ningjiang that evening, and another potential buyer had inquired about a car. She needed to meet with them in person now.
She had taken a taxi to get here and planned to do the same for the return trip. However, the ride she’d booked through the app was taking forever to arrive. Too lazy to cancel and reorder, she crouched by the roadside, waiting.
As she waited, it suddenly struck her that she’d forgotten something just as a van pulled up in front of her.
She looked up and saw Shi Yu’s face through the car window.
Slapping her thigh in realization, she remembered what she’d forgotten.
It was that ghostly shadow!
After leaving the TV station, it had stubbornly clung to Shi Yu’s car door!
Without a second thought, Ji Yao formed a hand seal, intending to yank it away.
The ghostly shadow did flee at the sight of the hand seal, but Ji Yao pulled with too much force, wrenching the car door open. Shi Yu, who had been leaning lightly against it, nearly stumbled and ended up pressed tightly against Ji Yao’s arm.
Shi Yu immediately tensed up. Ji Yao was an alpha, and Shi Yu was still in the throes of hormonal turmoil. The faint scent of tea leaves spilled out without warning the moment she touched Ji Yao’s arm.
Clenching her lips, Shi Yu’s face turned as cold as frozen icicles: “Ji Yao!”