Against the Light - Chapter 113
Chapter 113: Ambition
In just one afternoon, Gu Xinran's and Ming Zhen's phones were nearly blown up with calls.
Shi Qing's accident not only shook the entire fashion world, but the ripples also reached the entertainment industry. Everyone knew that Gu Xinran was highly regarded by Shi Qing, but at the same time, she was on bad terms with Bai Yiyue. Now that Shi Qing was completely out of the picture, it was almost a certainty that Bai Yiyue would take over the Wei Yi Group. Once Bai Yiyue was in power, a counterattack against Heart Entertainment was inevitable.
At a time like this, Gu Xinran's stance would be crucial.
Everyone was watching from the sidelines, waiting for the drama to unfold.
Qu Qi was also at a loss for what to do and had no choice but to ask Gu Xinran.
After much thought, Gu Xinran logged into her Weibo account and posted a message.
【Waiting for your return. The empire is still yours. @Shi Qing】
The moment this post was published, it caused a huge uproar. Its stance was clear and resolute. Many industry insiders who saw it couldn't help but give her a thumbs-up. To dare say something like that at a time like this was truly bold!
Immediately after, Ming Zhen also reposted her message, stirring up another wave of speculation. Industry insiders began to wonder: were these two families planning to join forces?
In the evening, Gu Xinran finally ended her call with Qu Qi.
She was supposed to go to the company that afternoon to discuss these matters with Qu Qi in person, but seeing that Yilan wasn't in a good state of mind, she didn't dare to leave.
Returning to the living room, she saw Yilan standing in front of the photo wall, lost in thought. Gu Xinran walked over and gently touched her shoulder.
"Is something wrong at the company?"
"Hm?" Gu Xinran paused. She thought Yilan was reminiscing about her childhood.
Gu Xinran hugged her from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder, and gently shook her head. "It's nothing, don't worry. Leave the company matters to me. You just focus on taking care of your mother."
"No." Bai Yilan's tone was exceptionally firm.
"Hm?"
"I want to take down Wei Yi with you."
Bai Yilan said it so casually, but Gu Xinran was utterly stunned.
"I never understood before why Mom would rather have this company than me. Now I understand. She wanted to protect this home for my father and me. She wanted me to one day be able to return to her side, openly and rightfully, as a daughter of the Bai family."
"But now, this home still has no place for me, nor for her. From the very beginning, in their eyes, my mother and I have always been outsiders, disposable."
"A home like that isn't worth protecting. It doesn't even deserve to be called a home."
Gu Xinran unconsciously tightened her arms. "We have our own home. And in our home, there are no such irrelevant people."
"Well, well, what are you two up to?" Ye Nan had intended to call them for dinner, but when she entered the living room and saw the two of them hugging so naturally, she immediately let out a soft laugh.
Gu Xinran froze for a second before quickly letting go. She had forgotten there was someone else here.
"Stop being so lovey-dovey, you two. Come and eat," Ye Nan called out.
They went to the dining room, where several exquisite side dishes made by Ye Nan were laid out on the table.
"It's been a long time since you've tasted my cooking, hasn't it?" Ye Nan pulled out a chair for Yilan to sit, patting her shoulder affectionately.
"Yes," Bai Yilan nodded.
Gu Xinran secretly glanced at Ye Nan a few times. Her boss was in this state, yet how could she still smile? How could she even be in the mood to cook?
If she were the one in a vegetative state, that Fang Jinghai would probably lose her appetite and cry for days before anything else, right?
"Auntie Ye," Gu Xinran called out to her.
"Yes?"
"When President Shi had her accident, where were you?"
"There was a routine meeting in the morning, so I went to the company early to prepare the relevant materials. That's why I didn't leave with President Shi."
"A routine meeting? Since it's routine, it must be held regularly, right? For previous meetings, did you also arrive at the company early to prepare materials?"
"Hmm… occasionally."
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. After dinner, you two should go rest. The bedroom has been prepared for you. I'll take care of President Shi tonight."
Gu Xinran nodded and said no more.
After dinner, Bai Yilan went to Shi Qing's room. She brought a basin of warm water and was wiping her arms and face when Ye Nan walked in hurriedly. Seeing what Yilan was doing, she sighed. "Yilan, it's getting late. You should go back and rest. I can take care of things here."
"It's alright, I want to stay with her a little longer. It's been so long… since I've been able to look at her like this."
"But you need to take care of your own health. Otherwise, when your mother wakes up and finds out you've been running yourself ragged, she'll definitely be angry with you."
"Auntie Ye, it's fine, I…"
"Listen to me." Ye Nan snatched the towel from her hand, helped her up, and urged her to go back and rest.
"Then… I'll leave it to you."
"Yes, get some good rest. Don't worry about me."
Bai Yilan said goodnight, glanced one more time at Shi Qing on the bed, and reluctantly returned to the secondary bedroom in the adjacent courtyard.
In the bedroom, Gu Xinran and Bai Yilan sat facing each other on the bed, each with a worried frown.
"Xinran, why did you question Auntie Ye like that during dinner? Do you think she… has something to do with the car accident?"
"Auntie Ye has been by Mom's side since I was very young. Her relationship with Mom is like family. I believe she wouldn't be a traitor…"
Gu Xinran patted her hand.
"To have earned President Shi's trust so completely, I also believe she isn't a traitor. But it's too much of a coincidence, isn't it? At the very least, I feel like she's hiding something from us."
The two of them fell into deep thought.
Gu Xinran took out her phone and called Fang Yi to ask about the progress of the car accident investigation.
"I saw the dashcam footage. When President Shi was making a turn, the car from the opposite direction crossed the yellow line and crashed directly into her car," Fang Yi said.
"Didn't she brake or swerve to avoid it?"
"No, that's the strange part. She didn't react at all. And for some reason, President Shi's car stopped once on the road before the turn."
"It stopped once?"
"The section of road where she stopped is a surveillance blind spot, so…"
"I see. Any movement from Bai Yiyue's side?" Gu Xinran asked again.
"Not yet. However, quite a few shareholders have left Wei Yi. They're all old-timers who built the empire with Shi Qing step by step. They probably know Bai Yiyue won't treat them well. After all, a new ruler brings new courtiers," Fang Yi sighed.
"Oh, right. Several fashion brands under the Bai family have released new products. I saw in their company's planning department group chat that they're discussing holding a show to promote these new products. It involves new clothing from Chan Ye, as well as well-known perfumes and cosmetics. This should be considered Bai Yiyue's first big move since taking power."
"New products…" Gu Xinran muttered, her mind racing.
"Yes, they're currently contacting popular celebrities with strong sales power."
Gu Xinran raised an eyebrow. "Celebrities with strong sales power? I've got a whole bunch of those."
Fang Yi laughed. "What's the use of having celebrities if you have no products to sell? All the reputable brands in the fashion world are under pressure from Bai Yiyue and don't dare to work with us. Don't even think about it."
Gu Xinran sighed and was about to nod when she suddenly paused. A flash of inspiration struck!
"When is Wei Yi's show scheduled?"
"It'll have to be next month at the earliest. They're likely waiting for Bai Yiyue to officially take over, using the momentum to push the new products."
"Sister Ran, what are you thinking??" Hearing no reply from the other end of the line for a while, Fang Yi had a bad feeling.
"Tell me, can actors walk a runway?" Gu Xinran had a sudden idea.
"???"
Bai Yilan, who had been listening quietly beside her, was also taken aback.
"They can… I guess…" Fang Yi said, bewildered.
"If I gather a group of actors to promote products, do you think fashion brands would come to us for collaboration?"
"Hmm… for business people, profit comes first, right? If you really brought in a group of sales kings and queens, the brands would be fighting tooth and nail to get in. Who would care about Bai Yiyue then?" Fang Yi speculated.
"Wait, Sister Ran, you can't be serious, right? Your idea is good, but it's hard to implement. Heart Entertainment doesn't have that many famous artists. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if you can't pull off the show?"
"Let me think about it." After Gu Xinran said this, they discussed a few more things before hanging up.
"Yilan, what do you think of this idea? We can create a show in the format we're best at—a variety show. Its essence would be to showcase the commercial value of our artists, letting the major brands in the fashion world see our commercial value. Then Heart Entertainment's entry into the fashion world would be just around the corner."
"The only thing Bai Yiyue can do now is stop brands from collaborating with us. But if we show them our potential, I believe that where there's great profit, there will be brave souls!" Gu Xinran grew more and more excited as she spoke.
Bai Yilan pondered for a moment, then nodded with an appreciative look on her face. It really was a good idea.
"But it must have a gimmick and be exciting. It needs to showcase the artists' commercial value while also giving them a chance to gain fans and boost their fame. Killing multiple birds with one stone."
"Your ambition is even greater than mine," Gu Xinran chuckled.
The two of them discussed it late into the night. Before going to bed, Bai Yilan wanted to check on Shi Qing one more time. Gu Xinran accompanied her, and the two of them quietly snuck into the main hall.
The lights in the living room were on. Ye Nan was lying on the sofa, seemingly asleep.
They exchanged a look and tiptoed towards Shi Qing's bedroom. Just as they were about to push the door open…
"Yilan? Why aren't you two asleep yet?"
Hearing Ye Nan's voice, the hair on their arms stood on end. Bai Yilan clutched her chest and turned around. "Auntie Ye, did we wake you?"
"What time is it? Why aren't you resting? Do you always stay up this late at home?"
"Not usually. I just wanted to take a look." Bai Yilan gave an awkward smile, suddenly feeling guilty for some reason.
"Auntie Ye, isn't there an empty room next door? Can we stay here? That bedroom is too far from the master bedroom, it's not convenient for taking care of Auntie Qing," Gu Xinran said, looking at the empty bedroom nearby. It was too strange. There were three bedrooms in this main hall, yet Ye Nan hadn't arranged for Yilan to stay here, and she herself was sleeping in the living room?
"Sigh, it was all for you two. You young people are noisy when you sleep. I put you in the side courtyard so you can make as much of a ruckus as you want without anyone hearing. I gave you plenty of private space, and you're still not happy?"
"???" The meaning behind her words isn't what I think it is, right??
Gu Xinran was silent for a moment. "You're just too thoughtful…"
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