Adopting Myself from the Young Heiress - Chapter 5

Several industry titans, figures usually only heard of but never seen, had gathered in the conference room. Their positions were even higher than Yan Ciwei’s current role.

It was likely they hadn’t come solely for Pei Luochen’s sake. Rumors of a major deal Yan Xun Entertainment was about to sign had already reached An Chixu’s ears, confirming that these influential figures had indeed remained at headquarters for this reason.

By sheer coincidence, Pei Luochen’s scandal had erupted just as their rivals sought to negotiate with the company, alarming these powerful individuals.

An Chixu glanced sideways at Yan Ciwei. In truth, the combined status of everyone present couldn’t match hers.

Yan Ciwei was the daughter of the chairman of Rian Group, the parent company of Yan Xun Entertainment, and the group’s designated heir.

Her decision to join Yan Xun Entertainment, even as a mere director, could be considered starting from the “ground floor,” accumulating experience and building her own team.

Even as she sat quietly in a corner, hunched over with her legs crossed, her eyes heavy with fatigue and her gaze lowered as if on the verge of sleep, the crowd instinctively gave her space, as if she were bathed in a spotlight that made her presence shine.

Simply by being there, she commanded attention that no one dared ignore.

An Chixu stood behind Tang Shu, acting as his assistant and strategist.

She had long known that she and Yan Ciwei belonged to different worlds.

Yan Ciwei wasn’t chairing the meeting; it was another department manager.

“Manager He, how did you manage your artists? How did this video leak?”

Manager He cowered to the side, apologizing profusely. He blamed his assistant’s negligence and claimed the assistant had already been fired.

Standing behind Tang Shu, An Chixu felt a subtle discomfort.

The fired assistant reminded her so much of herself: doing the hardest work and taking the heaviest blame.

Yet no one in the room seemed to find anything wrong with this. The manager’s expression toward Manager He even softened slightly.

With action taken, an explanation was in place. They could now begin preparing to shift the blame.

Pei Luochen was absolutely untouchable. Someone subtly glanced at Yan Ciwei before quickly averting their gaze.

An Chixu didn’t want to admit she was paying attention to Yan Ciwei, but as a minor figure in such a meeting, she had no choice but to keep her eyes and ears open. She couldn’t help but notice.

Could it be that Yan Ciwei was the one who secured Pei Luochen’s center position and crafted her public persona?

The person An Chixu least wanted to confront was Yan Ciwei.

This wasn’t just because of their past relationship, but also because of Yan Ciwei’s methods.

“What does this matter have to do with the assistant’s oversight?” Yan Ciwei unexpectedly pierced through the unspoken tension, exposing the unspoken truth.

The expressions of those in the conference room varied.

An Chixu couldn’t resist glancing at Yan Ciwei, relieved that their eyes didn’t meet.

Yan Ciwei remained unfazed by the surrounding gazes.

Whether you called her self-centered or confident, she was never easily swayed by others’ opinions.

“Summon Pei Luochen and Zhou Yanxi,” she commanded with effortless authority, her gaze barely brushing over Manager He’s bowed head.

The manager lowered his head even further, as if trying to burrow into the ground, and scurried out to fetch the two artists waiting in the lounge.

An Chixu drifted into a daze.

She understood Yan Ciwei. This attitude meant she intended to hold the parties directly responsible.

Perhaps she wouldn’t have to take the blame after all.

An Chixu’s posture relaxed slightly.

Yan Ciwei’s words continued to flow.

Compared to her usual meetings, Yan Ciwei spoke far more tonight.

In the past, she had been absent-minded and casual, rarely maintaining a proper demeanor.

No one dared to criticize her. Her sole responsibility was to issue commands at the most critical moments.

“Are we really short on chairs?” she even asked, uttering a completely meaningless question.

Only An Chixu understood her true meaning.

Their eyes met, and An Chixu froze, unable to look away. In those cold, ruthless eyes, she glimpsed a flicker of tenderness.

An Chixu averted her gaze and followed the group of standing assistants out to fetch chairs.

“First time meeting Little President Yan, she’s actually quite nice,” the assistants whispered among themselves as they left, united by their shared plight.

Yan Ciwei’s image suddenly loomed larger in their eyes, caring for them, mere background figures.

An Chixu remained silent, even slowing her movements as she carried the chair.

Back in the conference room, the two girl group members were already standing before Yan Ciwei.

Heads bowed like chicks, their ear tips flushed red, and kiss marks visible on their necks.

An Chixu replayed the night’s events in her mind.

Pei Luochen had always maintained a cool, aloof persona in public. Her image strategist had meticulously crafted this distant yet approachable image, drawing on her striking appearance and recent fan preferences.

The character design was meticulously crafted. An Chixu had analyzed their strategy: a series of carefully planned moves designed to captivate fans, drawing them in with curiosity about her entire persona—either sparking instant infatuation or fostering gradual affection.

But the video circulating today showed her sharing private moments with teammate Zhou Yanxi.

The intimacy was so blatant that even An Chixu felt embarrassed to watch. The two in the video were clearly entangled, either flirting heavily or already in a relationship.

Idols aren’t supposed to date—it’s an unspoken rule in the industry, and their ages made it even more inappropriate.

To An Chixu, their transgression wasn’t just a matter of a shattered image.

“Are you dating?” Yan Ciwei, like a stern matriarch, sat before the two young women, her every gesture radiating authority. The sharp rap of her knuckles on the table made them pull their touching toes apart.

“Did you really have to?” She didn’t wait for an answer. She could tell by the way they approached.

“I’m sorry…” Pei Luochen stammered, forcing out the words.

“Suspend all activities for a month. Use the time to reflect.” This was the way true power operated.

She needed no explanations, no consultations with others.

Just a single sentence.

Pei Luochen’s eyes widened in shock, while Zhou Yanxi’s expression darkened further.

Their manager, Manager He, was visibly shaken, even rising to his feet to protest.

“Little President Yan, Pei Luochen is the team leader, and the group is on the rise. Banning her from activities would only confirm the rumors…” the manager interjected.

They were here to find a solution, not to punish Pei Luochen.

“So, no punishment? Next time she’ll keep flirting, the rivals will keep saving her videos, and we’ll keep cleaning up her messes?” Yan Ciwei’s gaze swept across the room.

“If this were false, would we be holding an emergency meeting late at night? You all know the truth, and you know exactly what kind of person she is.”

Yan Ciwei was one of the few executives who didn’t support meticulously crafting public personas for celebrities.

In a way, her views aligned with An Chixu’s.

Even if Pei Luochen had openly displayed her straightforward, flirtatious “sea king” nature, she still might have become just as popular.

“I was wrong. Next time…” Pei Luochen mumbled from the side, finally realizing the consequences of her actions.

Yan Ciwei glanced at her, silencing her with a look.

“What’s the explanation? You should have plenty of plans prepared. As for what the team does during her suspension… can’t the remaining five members handle promotions?”

Yan Ciwei had no intention of rescinding the punishment, making her stance crystal clear.

The punishment would undoubtedly be handled internally. Public statements would likely involve staged apologies or even counter-attacks against rivals to mitigate the damage.

Manager He’s face flushed crimson, then paled, a truly spectacular display.

Several senior executives who harbored reservations about Yan Ciwei wore equally complex expressions.

This outcome far exceeded An Chixu’s expectations. She had been worried about the younger artist she managed, but Pei Luochen’s month-long hiatus would create more opportunities for others.

An Chixu’s observations ended there. With more opportunities for Shen Jibai, she would be busier in the coming month. It was time to return and prepare properly.

Tang Shu, of course, understood Yan Ciwei’s unspoken intentions and was visibly excited.

Their commissions were tied to the performance metrics of the artists they managed. Tang Shu felt his spring was finally arriving.

“Last time President Yan kept you behind to give instructions, did you make sure she remembered you?” Tang Shu asked as they left the conference room, his face crinkling with eagerness.

“…I’m going to thank her,” An Chixu replied, her expression impassive, betraying no joy, only a hint of irritation in her eyes.

“Then don’t go in with that sour look. It would be even better if you could casually mention our Jibai and the achievements of our team,” Tang Shu patted An Chixu approvingly, impressed by her savvy.

If he weren’t slightly intimidated by Yan Ciwei, he would have tried to cozy up to her himself.

An Chixu took two steps back, thinking:

Tang Shu is really getting old.

His methods of speaking and acting are just like my mother’s.

He’s completely out of touch with the times, clueless about what young fans want.

It’s time for him to step aside.

By the time An Chixu reached Yan Ciwei’s office, twenty minutes had passed since the end of the meeting.

She knew Yan Ciwei would be in her office, just as Yan Ciwei knew she needed this opportunity.

What she couldn’t discern was which of Yan Ciwei’s actions today were part of their unspoken agreement and which were special favors tailored just for her.

Being favored by Yan Ciwei didn’t feel good.

If she could, An Chixu would never come to this place again.

She sighed, walked to the door, and was about to knock when a pine-green figure flashed across her vision.

Pei Luochen’s face was flushed with anger, her eyes bloodshot and glistening with a thin layer of tears. The unexpected sight made An Chixu pause.

An Chixu looked into Pei Luochen’s eyes, which were as clear as autumn waters, and her heart involuntarily tightened.

“You are…” Pei Luochen took a deep breath, wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes, and assumed An Chixu was some important figure.

After all, in Pei Luochen’s eyes, anyone who could casually approach Yan Ciwei’s office must hold some significant status.

She herself was one such person, but she was merely a pawn following orders.

An Chixu took a step back, lowered her head, and adopted a subordinate posture, clearly signaling her status to Pei Luochen.

She heard Pei Luochen’s heavy breathing, each breath crashing against her chest like waves against jagged rocks.

The usually proud young idol seemed furious, desperate for an outlet, and An Chixu, who had just bumped into her, became the perfect target.

Just as Pei Luochen was about to speak, a voice cut through the tense atmosphere. “Sister An?”

“Sister Tang said you were here. I wanted to thank you…” Shen Jibai trailed off, nearly choking when she saw Pei Luochen standing in the doorway, facing An Chixu.

Shen Jibai had been terrified ever since learning about the team leader’s accident. Only moments ago, Manager He had brought good news and even assigned her two new gigs.

Shen Jibai assumed An Chixu had something to do with it.

Since they didn’t have each other’s personal contact information, she had to find An Chixu at the company.

“Shen Jibai? What are you doing here? Come to laugh at me? Or steal my connections?” Pei Luochen snapped, her anger making her words harsh and cutting.

“…I came to find my character designer. I didn’t know you were here,” Shen Jibai said, trying to step forward, but An Chixu shifted to block her path.

I won’t bother thanking Yan Ciwei after all. One thank you wouldn’t matter much to her anyway.

An Chixu exhaled heavily. She realized she didn’t need to know how much Yan Ciwei had done for her, how much she had suffered. She didn’t need special treatment from her ex-girlfriend.

I’ll just give Tang Shu a perfunctory response.

“This is your designer?” Pei Luochen finally stepped forward, her disdain nearly overflowing. A mocking laugh was about to form on her lips.

An Chixu lowered her gaze, shielding Shen Jibai from Pei Luochen’s malice. She suddenly realized she disliked those eyes and that pine-green hair.

“Still here?” A slightly soft, yet cold voice cut through the air.

Yan Ciwei’s appearance silenced Pei Luochen, transforming her into a red-eyed, aggrieved rabbit.

The two women locked eyes, an invisible current surging between them. Unspoken emotions swirled in Pei Luochen’s gaze.

Their confrontation, one tall and one shorter, left the blush on Pei Luochen’s cheeks hanging in the air like a lingering, ambiguous warmth.

Pei Luochen’s position as team leader had likely been secured by Yan Ciwei, allowing her to unilaterally cancel Pei Luochen’s scheduled appearances for the month.

What exactly was their relationship?

Exhausted, An Chixu turned to leave, grasping Shen Jibai’s wrist.

“…An’an, it’s late. Let me take you home,” Yan Ciwei said, her voice soft. A strand of hair brushed An Chixu’s shoulder, feeling like slender fingers pressing against the base of her collarbone.

Bone was hard, but fingertips were soft.

It was a familiar sensation.

An Chixu thought she would catch the faint scent of geranium, slipping back into the past.

But when she blinked, she smelled the delicate fragrance of jasmine.

Yan Ciwei had changed her perfume.