Against the Light - Chapter 95
Chapter 95: Shi Qing
When the two of them were led to the head table, it wasn't just them—the entire room of guests was stunned. Whispers broke out as everyone discussed the pair's background.
Gu Xinran glanced at the seats, then at Ming Qian beside them, and offered her a smile. "President Ming, pardon us."
After speaking, Gu Xinran helped Bai Yilan pull out her chair and watched her sit down before taking her own seat with poise, unfazed by the crowd's scrutinizing gazes.
"Hello, President Ran."
"Hm? Hello, President Han. Please, just call me Xinran." Gu Xinran looked at the woman sitting next to Bai Yilan. She wore a black-and-white striped chiffon blouse, her features were pleasant and enduring, and she carried herself with an excellent air. Gu Xinran recognized her. Over the past two days, Qu Qi had shown her photos of many industry bigwigs, and she was among them: Ye Qiu Han. Barely in her thirties, she was already the head of Star Moon Entertainment, with a boundless future ahead of her.
Ye Qiu Han's eyes curved slightly, a sharp glint hidden within them that made Gu Xinran's heart skip a beat. As expected of people at this level, every single one of them had an incredibly sharp gaze. In comparison, she felt like nothing more than a foreman from a small workshop, completely lacking the air of a boss.
"Alright, then you can call me Sister Han. Director Bai, it's been a while. For that last film, Qin Qiong was truly under your care."
"You're too kind. Qin Qiong works very hard on her own; she doesn't require much looking after," Bai Yilan replied with a faint smile.
"I heard that Xinran is very fond of Qin Qiong?"
"Hm?" Gu Xinran's brow twitched. She remembered saying on a show that she wanted Qin Qiong to join Heart Entertainment…
"I've been on a few shows with Qin Qiong, and I have a good impression of her. This fondness is purely admiration. Please don't misunderstand."
Ye Qiu Han smiled. "It's fine. If you truly admire her, her contract happens to be expiring soon. Why don't you…"
Sensing where this was going, Gu Xinran quickly raised a hand.
"Sister Han, I just admire her as a person. I've heard about Star Moon's model for developing artists, and I know you pour a great deal of effort into every actor. That's something I can't do. What I said before about wanting Qin Qiong to join Heart Entertainment was purely for entertainment, just a joke. I hope you'll forgive me if I caused any offense."
Ye Qiu Han blinked. "I'm not joking with you. Does my gaze not seem sincere enough?"
"…" What do you think???
Ever since she sat down, Gu Xinran's heart had been in her throat. She originally thought there was no situation she couldn't handle, but now she realized, well, this was a situation she couldn't handle.
These titans came up and immediately started piling on the flattery to get on her good side. Who could withstand that?
She would almost prefer it if these people looked down on her or came looking for trouble. At least then she could be firm and find an opportunity to retort, knowing how to defend herself. But now… she felt like she was being held over a fire, forced to maintain a calm facade.
To put it bluntly, this setting wasn't for her. With Heart Entertainment's current standing, she really didn't have the right to be sitting here. She had no idea how she had earned President Shi's favor.
The two chatted for a few more moments before a host took the stage.
It was Shi Qing's assistant who had appeared earlier, Ye Nan.
She had changed into a form-fitting long dress, and her previously tied-up hair now cascaded down, giving her a very gentle appearance. Holding a microphone, she walked gracefully onto the stage. She smiled as her gaze swept over the crowd, and when it passed over Bai Yilan, a flash of surprise appeared in her eyes, followed by a look of great warmth.
Gu Xinran caught this small detail and quickly looked at Bai Yilan, who was also smiling at the person on stage.
"Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend President Shi's birthday banquet. I am President Shi's assistant, Ye Nan." Ye Nan gave a simple self-introduction and a slight bow.
The audience immediately erupted in thunderous applause.
Shi Qing had always remained behind the scenes, rarely making public appearances. As a result, many had only heard her name but had never seen her in person. Most matters, big or small, were handled by Ye Nan, which gave her a rather high status in the industry.
"To everyone here, we've all had many dealings in our professional lives. You should all know that President Shi rarely makes an appearance and has never held a birthday banquet before. But today, she has chosen to welcome this special day with all of you. I hope you won't be stingy with your precious blessings, alright?"
"Alright—"
Ye Nan glanced back, but Shi Qing, who was supposed to make her entrance, had not yet appeared.
"It seems President Shi has a bit of stage fright. How about we sing a birthday song to welcome her to the stage?"
"Yes!"
"I'll start us off." With that, Ye Nan led the crowd in singing the birthday song.
The background music started right on cue, and a group of industry titans sang in unison, offering their blessings to the guest of honor.
The lights on the stage gradually dimmed, and a single beam of warm yellow light shone on the side of the stage. A figure stood there, tall and with a graceful, curvaceous figure, her long, wavy hair cascading down her back. She stepped onto the stage, elegant and dignified, and walked forward slowly. She wore a black evening gown with a long train that trailed on the floor. Although her face couldn't be seen clearly, her aura alone was enough to stun the entire audience.
The moment she appeared, Gu Xinran frowned.
That dress looked familiar, somewhat like an evening gown Bai Yilan had designed for her in her past life, but with some minor alterations.
Gu Xinran turned to look at Bai Yilan. Her gaze was fixed on Shi Qing, completely unable to look away. She didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with the dress, as if lost in her own thoughts.
A series of soft gasps rippled through the guest seating area.
"President Shi is so beautiful—"
"Goddess!!"
It wasn't until Shi Qing was standing in the center of the stage that the surrounding lights gradually brightened.
The moment her face was revealed, another wave of gasps went through the audience. If they were just flattering her before, the dumbfounded expressions on their faces now were completely genuine.
Shi Qing had a delicate face, imbued with the intellectual gentleness of a mature woman. Her eyes were extremely soft, and the upturned corners of her lips formed a beautiful arc. Her skin was fair and clear, a clear sign that she took excellent care of it.
Gu Xinran sized her up but was completely unable to guess her real age.
"How old is she?" she whispered to the know-it-all Bai Yilan.
"Fifty."
"???"
"You really can't tell. I'd believe you if you said she was thirty," Gu Xinran said, clicking her tongue. She did a rough calculation of Wei Yi's history and figured she had to be around fifty.
Bai Yilan smiled without a word, her eyes still fixed on Shi Qing.
Gu Xinran glanced at her and saw that she had unconsciously clenched her fists, as if she were nervous. A little curious, she looked from her to Shi Qing, and then suddenly froze!
…I have a wild little theory :)
"The goddess is so beautiful!"
"President Shi should debut as a star!"
"Hahaha~"
Standing on stage, Shi Qing gracefully accepted everyone's gazes. Her bright eyes swept over each guest, and when she saw Bai Yilan, she skipped right past her, glanced at Gu Xinran, and gave her a nod.
Gu Xinran was flattered and returned a smile. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bai Yilan's expression dim as she averted her gaze.
Confused, Gu Xinran patted her hand. "Are you not feeling well?"
Bai Yilan shook her head. "No."
"Thank you all for attending this banquet. Over the years, Wei Yi has taken one step at a time to get to where it is today. I won't dwell on the hardships, but we are grateful for everyone's support." Shi Qing nodded slightly to the crowd in acknowledgment.
"What are you saying, President Shi? It's you who has supported us more."
"That's right, we're the ones who are grateful for President Shi's support!"
Shi Qing smiled faintly and raised a hand. The crowd immediately fell silent, obediently listening to the titan's speech.
Gu Xinran was listening intently when she suddenly felt a discordant aura beside her. In her peripheral vision, she saw Ming Qian fiddling with the watch on her wrist, her eyes fixed on Shi Qing like a hawk.
She gently rubbed her fingertips and glanced down at the time.
Gu Xinran frowned. If she remembered correctly, this was the fourth time Ming Qian had checked the time.
On stage, Shi Qing was still giving her speech. Gu Xinran was so preoccupied with stealing glances at Ming Qian that she didn't really hear much, until Ming Qian suddenly sat up straight. Only then did she pay close attention.
"Tonight, besides celebrating my birthday, I have one more announcement to make. This matter concerns the future development of Wei Yi."
Everyone was taken aback. Was it really necessary to discuss internal company matters so publicly?
"Starting tomorrow, the Wei Yi Group will be fully handed over to my daughter to manage and operate."
"Hiss…" A collective gasp echoed through the venue.
This was a bombshell. A titan of her stature, announcing her retirement at just fifty?
But was it really okay to announce such a major personnel change so casually?
Shi Qing looked at the audience, then turned slightly and glanced backstage. A moment later, another woman in an evening gown walked out. This must be the daughter Shi Qing had mentioned.
She wore a cream-colored gown, and her figure and looks were both excellent. Standing next to Shi Qing, she affectionately linked her arm with hers. The two looked like a pair of sisters, a perfectly harmonious picture.
Gu Xinran narrowed her eyes, carefully observing the two of them. With her years of acting experience, she could tell that their relationship was definitely not as harmonious as it appeared on the surface.
"Hello, everyone. I am Bai Yiyue. I'm very grateful to my mother for giving me this opportunity to grow. I know I still have much to learn. The Wei Yi Group is infused with so much of my parents' hard work and dedication. I will devote myself completely until my last breath. I also hope that all the seniors here will offer me their guidance." Bai Yiyue gave a deep bow. Her attitude was modest and gentle, and combined with her sweet and pure appearance, she could easily win people over. At this moment, however, no one dared to speak.
Gu Xinran was dumbfounded. Bai Yi… yue?
Beside her, Ming Qian's expression relaxed, and she took the lead in applauding. Only then did a sparse round of applause break out in the hall.
Shi Qing came down from the stage and walked directly to the table where Gu Xinran was sitting, taking a seat beside her. The others at the table were at a loss, but her expression was amiable and perfectly natural.
Bai Yiyue went from table to table, offering toasts and chatting with the guests. Afterward, she also came over to Shi Qing's side. Just as she was about to approach Bai Yilan, Bai Yilan calmly stood up, gave her a faint smile, and then turned and headed straight for the restroom.
Gu Xinran saw this, excused herself, and got up to follow.
In the restroom, Bai Yilan cupped some water and splashed it on her eyes.
Gu Xinran stood behind her, watching her quietly. "Yilan?"
"Hm? I'm a little tired. Why don't we leave first?"
"Just leave like this? Shouldn't we say goodbye?"
"No one will care anyway. Let's go?"
"Okay."
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