Chapter 518: A Loose Screw
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Because Xue Yuanfei’s popularity has fallen and the viewers have mentioned that they would not watch any dramas that are written by him, no production company is willing to hire him now,” Zhou Jingan reported and scoffed at Manager Wu. “That’s why he is in urgent need to use a good drama to regain his popularity.”
“Mr. Wu.” This time, it was Wei Zhiqian who spoke in a cold but amused tone. “Are you planning to use this drama to help Xue Yuanfei regain his popularity? If we hire him as the lead scriptwriter, I bet he’s going to add a lot of redundant plots again. I’m pretty sure 15 episodes won’t be enough for him. Or are you planning to have Tan Mo write the script and let Xue Yuanfei take all the credit? Do you really think they are people you can bully and use so easily?”
Manager Wu was already covered in a cold sweat when Zhou Jingan reported the facts, but he was sure he could still think of an explanation to get himself out of the situation.
However, his legs began to tremble when Wei Zhiqian scoffed at him.
The reason he was so terrified was simple. Everything Zhou Jingan and Wei Zhiqian said was true. He was planning to help Xue Yuanfei regain the latter’s popularity with Tan Jinqi’s drama.
But there was no way he could admit that.
“No! Of course not! That’s not my intention!” Manager Wu denied in a shaky voice. “I-I only have a close relationship with Xue Yuanfei. That’s all. I did not plan to let him lead the scriptwriter team. I…”
“But the financial report for the first two quarters this year is in red,” Wei Zhiqian said, not giving the manager any chance to finish his sentence.
It was clear that the boss did not believe the employee’s words.
No matter what kind of trick or explanation Manager Wu came up with, it would not work on Wei Zhiqian.
“The directing and scriptwriting of the Broken Continent will be handled by Tan Jinqi and Tan Mo respectively!” Wei Zhiqian ordered as he scanned through his employees with his cold eyes. “Tan Jinqi will solely handle everything, including the camerawork! As for the script, Tan Mo will decide everything on her own. No one is to interrupt them!”
The order was directed at Xu Dashi and Yan Zhengxing as well.
Wei Zhiqian could not believe the two leaders actually had the nerve to watch Manager Wu raise his voice at Tan Mo, and they only punished the manager by asking him to leave.
Xu Dashi and Yan Zhengxing felt a chill go down their spines and swiftly nodded.
“If the Broken Continent is a success, then it means Mr. Wu’s decision as a professional is a problem. Mr. Wu, even if you don’t plan to use Xue Yuanfei this time, you still used him after all the failures he created. That alone proves that you are not as professional as you claim to be,” Wei Zhiqian said. “That’s why, if this drama fails, then Tan Mo will pay for the losses. But if it succeeds, Mr. Wu, either you leave the company on your own or we’ll fire you because of your incompetency. You choose.”
“Sir!” Manager Wu exclaimed.
Wei Zhiqian ignored the manager and announced, “That will be all. Let’s end the meeting here.”
After that, the man walked toward Tan Mo to grab her hand and lead her out of the meeting room, leaving Tan Jinqi staring at them in awe.
‘Dude, are you seriously ignoring me? Momo’s brother?’
Tan Jinqi was only stunned for a second. He quickly caught up to them.
The brother walked behind Wei Zhiqian and Tan Mo. He waited for a chance and grabbed his sister’s hand away from the other man.
The action caught Wei Zhiqian by complete surprise. As his grip on Tan Mo’s hand was soft, and since he did not expect Tan Jinqi to act like that, the brother managed to succeed.
Tan Jinqi gently pulled Tan Mo back to his side and said, “As Momo’s brother, I should be the one taking care of her.”
Wei Zhiqian scoffed and moved to Tan Mo’s other side to grab her other hand in a smooth motion.
“We can take care of her together,” Wei Zhiqian said with a smile.
Tan Jinqi frowned and glared at Wei Zhiqian. His instinct was telling him that something felt wrong.
*
With all the detail for the Broken Continent confirmed, Tan Jinqi started to prepare for the rest of the project.
Tan Wenci made his move as well. He immediately funded the second drama that his daughter was going to write for.
For the next few weeks, Tan Mo stayed at the small condominium that Wei Zhiqian had reserved for her next to her campus.
She even took her exams while she was writing the script for the drama.
As the Broken Continent was the first actual drama that Tan Jinqi was going to direct, Tan Mo paid extra attention to it.
She did not complete the script for all 15 episodes of the first season until it was near the Mid-Autumn Festival.
It took her another few days to edit the scripts before she finalized everything.
Naturally, she would still have to do some extra editing when the filming stage began.
When that happened, Tan Mo would have to go to the filming sites from time to time.
On a certain day, Tan Mo had just finished her classes and was on her way to the research room when she got a call from Butler Zhu.
The Wei family’s butler told Tan Mo that he was waiting for her at the campus gate.
When Tan Mo arrived at the gate, she noticed the butler was standing next to a black Benz with a gift box in his hand.
The butler gently smiled at the young lady and approached her.
“Mr. Zhu!” Tan Mo greeted as she ran toward the old butler.
“Tan Mo,” Butler Zhu greeted back with a warm smile. “It’s almost the Mid-Autumn Festival. My masters are worried that the girls in your room might not go back home since the break is short, so they asked me to bring you girls some mooncakes to enjoy the festival.”
“Thank you.” Tan Mo smiled and took the mooncakes from the butler. “I’ll call great-grandma to thank her later.”
“Okay. Oh, Madam also wanted to let you know that if you are going back during the Mid-Autumn Festival, could you come back to the old mansion as well around noon?”
It was a bit strange when people would tell Tan Mo to go back to the old mansion instead of visiting the old mansion. It was as if she was going home instead of visiting a place.
“If you are going to call Madam, please let her know if you’re coming back or not,” Butler Zhu added.
Tan Mo nodded and waited for the butler to leave before heading back into the campus.
On her way back to the research room, she called Old Madam Wei.
“Great-grandma! I got the mooncakes from Butler Zhu! Thank you!” Tan Mo said. “I’ll be visiting you at the old mansion at the Mid-Autumn Festival!”
“Good, good,” Old Madam Wei replied excitedly. “Let’s not invite your uncle.”
“Doesn’t he have to go back home at night?” Tan Mo asked, knowing that Wei Zhiqian still had to work on the day of the festival.
“No! I’m not letting him in!” Tan Mo could hear the anger in Old Madam Wei’s voice through the phone.
“What’s wrong?” Tan Mo asked, noticing that something was off. “Did Uncle do something to anger you?”
“Oh! You bet he did! I told him to go meet a girl, and he refused. I asked if he likes men, and he said no,” Old Madam Wei replied. “When he finally agreed to meet with the girl I arranged and they got along pretty well, he suddenly told me he doesn’t like her anymore. Then, he kept saying something like he has the freedom to choose who he loves and refuses to meet with the girls I want him to meet! Didn’t he say he likes girls and not guys? I don’t get him anymore.”
Old Madam Wei was so angry that she started to wave her cane around when she spoke.
