Chen Yan couldn't tell if it was just an illusion, but he felt that today's Yang Rou was different from the past couple of days.

Like the days before, even though she tried to hide it, he could still sense a subtle aversion she had towards him.

But today, Yang Rou didn't seem to have that feeling.

Could it be because of those jokes?

Or perhaps because the two of them were in a confined space?

Chen Yan didn't know.

He thought more observation was needed.

As the elevator doors slowly closed, Chen Yan looked at Yang Rou and then asked, "Sister Rou, you seem to be in a good mood today?"

Yang Rou's expression was a bit cold.

She glanced at Chen Yan indifferently and said, "It's okay."

'It's okay?'

What kind of answer was that?

Good means good, bad means bad. It's okay...

Chen Yan looked at Yang Rou.

After entering the elevator, Yang Rou stood side by side with Chen Yan, so from Chen Yan's perspective, he could only see her profile.

Yang Rou's profile was beautiful; although she was in her thirties, perhaps because she hadn't had children, time hadn't left too many traces on her.

Her skin looked fair and delicate, as if she were a young girl in her twenties.

Today she wore light makeup; her eyebrows were fine and long, softening her usually austere and serious face considerably.

Her lips were a light brown color, seemingly the popular Armani 520 of late.

Chen Yan had tasted it on Lu Man's lips a couple of days ago.

Quite delicious.

Perhaps because his gaze fell on her lips, Chen Yan suddenly noticed a detail that was usually hard to spot: that the corners of Yang Rou's mouth were slightly upturned.

Chen Yan recalled the usual Yang Rou.

Because her expression was always so stern, Yang Rou's mouth usually turned downward, giving off an unapproachable vibe.

But today her lips turned up, indicating her mood was indeed good.

Chen Yan felt something was off.

Keep in mind, Yang Rou hadn't been like this at all over the past month.

Could the parent-child activity from last night have really brought about some changes in her?

With this in mind, Chen Yan directly activated the "Internal Headphones," wanting to secretly listen to Yang Rou's inner voice.

The surrounding environment gradually faded away, and all Chen Yan could hear was the slow and steady heartbeat of Yang Rou.

Over the past month, the few times Chen Yan had eavesdropped on Yang Rou's heartbeat, it was somewhat "messy," with only sighs in her heart.

But this time, Chen Yan felt there was a play.

Sure enough, accompanied by the sound of the heartbeat, Yang Rou's voice rose softly in Chen Yan's ear,

"Is Xiao Chen peeking at me?"

"Indeed, the makeup Nuan Nuan put on me is quite effective."

"Charm offensive?"

"Sure enough, quite 'charming,' Xiao Chen can't take his eyes off."

And along with Yang Rou's inner words, Chen Yan also saw that Yang Rou seemed to deliberately showcase it, lightly pursing her lips, making the arc even more attractive.

Chen Yan:...

At that moment, Chen Yan actually felt a sensation of "tearful joy." Not because Yang Rou said anything particularly moving.

But because ... the old Yang Rou was back!

Keep in mind, over the past month, Yang Rou had never again flirted with Chen Yan in her mind.

Chen Yan, of course, felt like "it's all over now, it's all over now," but who would've guessed, the flirting was back now?

The inner voice gradually faded away.

Chen Yan looked once again at Yang Rou's face.

For some reason, Yang Rou's face seemed even livelier and prettier.

Chen Yan couldn't help but compliment, "Sister Rou, you look really pretty today."

Hearing Chen Yan's words, Yang Rou's mouth couldn't help but lift slightly, but she quickly regained control and coldly replied, "President Chen, please behave yourself."

Chen Yan:...

If he hadn't listened to Yang Rou's inner voice, Chen Yan would surely misinterpret that Yang Rou was still rejecting him.

But looking at Yang Rou's cold face again, Chen Yan was really a bit frantic.

What exactly was this woman playing at?

Why restore the interior to its former state but act so distant?!

Chen Yan thought, all of this must be related to the mother-daughter activity Yang Rou and Yang Nuannuan had last night.

He wanted to know what exactly happened last night.

That brought about such a change in Yang Rou.

Just as Chen Yan was thinking this, the elevator stopped on the 17th floor: the film company.

Yang Rou gave Chen Yan a distant, indifferent nod, and then stepped off the elevator.

Chen Yan, having just witnessed Yang Rou's demeanor in the elevator, how could he easily let go?

So, he stepped out following her.

Realizing that Chen Yan had followed her, Yang Rou suppressed a laugh and turned back, her expression already ice-cold, "Does President Chen have something else to do?"

Chen Yan had already prepared an excuse. He nodded, "Yes. I was looking for you yesterday to discuss the promotion of 'Disguise.' But you left work early."

"It just so happens I ran into you now. Let's talk about it."

Hearing Chen Yan's words, Yang Rou was clearly taken aback for about 0.5 seconds, then she nodded again, leading Chen Yan towards the office.

Arriving at the office, Yang Rou opened the door and gestured for Chen Yan to make himself comfortable, then she went over to the window and opened it.

Chen Yan, not considering himself an outsider, confidently sat down on the sofa.

After opening the window, Yang Rou returned to her desk and looked through the notebook where her secretary recorded tasks for her.

There were several sticky notes on the notebook with issues that had arisen after she left or things that need to be dealt with this morning.

As expected, there was the matter of Chen Yan looking for her to discuss the promotion of 'Disguise.'

Yang Rou looked up at Chen Yan, slightly puzzled: Could it be... I'm overthinking? Chen Yan really came to me for work?

Meanwhile, Chen Yan also sat up straight and began to speak slowly.

He actually just wanted to spend more time with Yang Rou, and if they could handle some official matters along the way, even better.

So, following that, the two engaged in a series of discussions about intensifying the promotion of 'Disguise.'

Since both of them were not optimistic about the Xu brothers' 'Eternal Love,' and both had high expectations for their own series, their ideas were quite similar.

The only issue was that Yang Rou also worried about 'Disguise's limited market; if they increased promotion, it might very well squeeze profits.

However... in Chen Yan's opinion, he didn't rely on these projects to make money. If spending money could improve the drama's performance, why not do it?

So, with the approval of Chen Yan, the big boss, Yang Rou signed off on the intensification of the promotion for 'Disguise.'

Money was always the most effective way to create buzz.

Investing tens of millions in promotion funds, the popularity of 'Disguise' skyrocketed, continuously sweeping rankings and media lists.

Now, everyone who knew or didn't know about the drama was aware that such a series was about to air.

Combined with the exquisite production, the acclaimed acting talents of the actors, and the rare Republican-era espionage theme, 'Disguise' gained popularity before it even aired.

However, within the entertainment industry, there was somewhat of a disinterested observation of all this.

In the beginning, when Chen Yan entered this circle and rewrote its rules with his own, everyone was somewhat surprised.

Later on, every time Chenlu Film Company released a new project, Chen Yan was always splurging millions and millions, and everyone gradually got used to it.

At most, they would sarcastically say: Isn't it just having a little money?

Or, they would secretly curse a few times: With such big investment, wait for you guys to flop and see how much you lose.

There were also other capitalists who saw Chen Yan's moves, thought they found a shortcut to success, and started to imitate Chen Yan's projects, then began to blindly throw money around. And then...

There was no then.

Not everyone had a Golden Finger.

So, now seeing Chen Yan once again splurging on promotions, everyone just accepted this as "Chen Yan's rule," and it no longer seemed strange.

They were more curious about, or rather interested in Chen Yan's rivals: the Xu brothers.

Because in the face of Chen Yan's overwhelming and aggressive approach, the Xu brothers seemed to have no reaction at all.

In fact... they further reduced the promotion plan for 'Eternal Love.'

You have to understand, the Xu brothers used to invest quite a lot in their projects.

And now, they had seemingly vanished.

This anomaly led the industry to gradually form a conjecture: Could it be... 'Eternal Love' is subpar in quality?

No way.

After two failed S-level projects, what's with the Xu brothers?

Compared to being curious about the rise of Chenlu Film, it's obviously more satisfying to witness the downfall of the Xu brothers.

Many people began discussing the failures of 'Eternal Love' and 'The Legend of Shangyang.'

As a result, gradually, some Monday-morning quarterbacks started to voice their opinions. They believed that big-screen celebrities turning to the small screen were not quite fitting.

They thought, these character settings that disregarded the logic of an actor's age were exceptionally unlikable.

These were all reasons countless viewers ranted during 'The Legend of Shangyang's airing, and now they applied them to 'Eternal Love' without any discordance.

After all, that's how the entertainment industry is. If you're successful, there are a thousand reasons for success.

If you fail, there are a thousand reasons for failure.

All it takes is people talking.

And so it was, while 'Disguise' was a pre-air sensation outside the industry, and not much heeded within it, 'Disguise' and 'Eternal Love' were released.

It didn't take three days for the better of the two dramas to become clear.

'Disguise' successfully picked up the popularity of 'Hua Qian Bone,' becoming the top-rated TV series of the period.

And because of its theme, it received explosive acclaim.

It became one of the most critically acclaimed espionage series in recent years.

After succeeding on the big screen, Chenlu Film had claimed their strength on the small screen with two hit series.

The "Sunrise Plan," much like its name, rose gradually like the morning sun.

But the Xu brothers were struggling.

Yet another S-level project flopped.

Everyone wondered what was going on with them.

Even, perhaps due to the significant impact of these two TV series, some viewers began to pay attention to the Xu brothers, the producers, and started to wonder if they were only churning out duds now.

However, whether to dispel people's doubts or not, the Xu brothers suddenly made a move.

They directly copied Chen Yan's promotional style, blanketing channels and media with advertisement, promoting their next project 'Magic City Fortress.'

The scale of this promotion was unparalleled, except for the films of their partner, Director Zhang, no one else could compare.

This confident execution of promotion, coupled with the Xu brothers' past glory, made many people doubt for a moment: Could it be... the previous two works by the Xu brothers were just testing the waters?

Was their grand finale actually 'Magic City Fortress'?

A big sci-fi movie, huh.

Has there ever been a successful domestic sci-fi film?

Apparently not.

So... were the Xu brothers aiming to pioneer a new genre?

Moreover, the lead actor for 'Magic City Fortress' was a top-tier traffic celebrity with numerous fans.

Could it really become a huge hit?

For a moment, everyone began to watch and wait.

Meanwhile, as the Xu brothers were busy with their ventures, Qin Island's Chenlu Film Company was also holding a celebration party.

The successive hits of two film and television dramas had made a fortune, enough to warrant a celebration for any company.

At the celebratory party, Chen Yan generously took out twenty million in cash to distribute among the staff.

With the company's growth over the past two years, it had expanded to around 200 people. That meant roughly 100,000 for each person.

And this was just the bonus given by Chen Yan himself.

Project performance, project dividends, and the year-end bonus were not even accounted for yet.

As the company's leading celebrity and executive director, Lu Man, and the actress Zhao Xiaogu who shot to fame overnight with "Hua Qian Bone," were also present, interacting with the employees.

Hence, the celebratory banquet was bustling and lively.

The banquet was held at the Twin Towers Hotel. After it ended, Chen Yan invited Yang Rou to go upstairs to sit for a while.

Yang Rou didn't refuse and followed Chen Yan to the Sky Garden on the seventh floor.

The Sky Garden, normally closed to the public, was deserted.

The two sat down in chairs near the railing, gazing out at the brightly lit night scene, lost in thought.

Since the day after the mother-daughter event, Yang Rou's change was quite noticeable. She seemed less resistant to Chen Yan and no longer kept her distance.

Although nothing had happened between her and Chen Yan, there was a noticeable spark between them now.

During this time, Chen Yan had constantly tried to figure out what had happened that night between mother and daughter, but even using the "Inner Headphones," he had not obtained the answers he sought.

So, with both having had a drink tonight, Chen Yan wanted to tentatively ask what exactly happened that day.

Thinking this, he slowly began, "Sister Rou, I remember that over a month ago, you and Nuan Nuan went out for an event."

"What did you do that day?"

Hearing Chen Yan's inquiry, Yang Rou smoothed her hair back, pushing her loose strands behind her, then answered with a cool smile, "Are you that curious about that night, President Chen?"

Chen Yan denied, "Not really curious. Just asking casually."

Yang Rou countered, "If I remember correctly, you've tried to probe at least twice during this time."

"And since it's been so long, if you really weren't curious, why would you bring it up?"

Chen Yan went silent.

Yang Rou glanced at him.

The cool night breeze tousled her hair.

She slowly said, "Nothing happened."

"My daughter and I just went out for dinner."

She continued with a hint of reminiscence in her eyes, "I haven't dined out with Nuan Nuan for a long time."

"I've always pursued my career before. I wanted to take it to new heights."

"I neglected many things."

"Like family. Like love."

She paused, then said, "That night, we talked a lot."

"She said I should live for myself. I shouldn't look back in hesitation. I shouldn't put so much energy into my career."

"After all, a woman should have her own family, her own love."

Chen Yan looked at Yang Rou, and saw a smile in her gaze.

"In the past, I actually had some feminist views. I thought, why should women be inferior to men? If men can do it, so can we."

"Projects that men can succeed in, we women can too."

"Good movies that men can make, we can make as well."

"If men's careers can be successful, ours can be too."

"Now I think, whether for men or women, the career is not the most important after all."

"The most important thing is the people around us."

Chen Yan was silent for a while, then he asked, "So... have you awakened to this after that day?"

Yang Rou nodded.

She leaned back in her chair, looking at the sky, and said, "Yes. I awakened to it afterward."

"I have a good impression of you. I like you a bit."

"That's the truth."

Hearing Yang Rou's words, Chen Yan froze on the spot.

He stared at Yang Rou, his mouth opening and closing several times. He had not expected Yang Rou to confess at such a time.

Yang Rou just looked at him with a smirk and said, "I think... you should have known this already, right?"

Chen Yan wasn't sure if it was the alcohol, but he felt Yang Rou in front of him looked somewhat hazy.

Under the moonlight, it seemed as if a soft, blurry veil had fallen over her.

He nodded.

"I had a bit of a guess."

Yang Rou lowered her head and chuckled.

She laughed more than usual tonight.

Chen Yan looked at her, carefully asking, "So... what about this past month of yours..."

Following his words, Yang Rou said, "Why have I been hot and cold towards you this month?"

Chen Yan nodded emphatically, "Right."

Yang Rou winked at Chen Yan, "I've come to terms with my feelings, but that doesn't mean I want to be with you."

She extended her slender finger and gently tapped on Chen Yan's chest, "With your flirty ways, who would dare get involved in your affairs?"

"You'd better resolve the relationships with those few people around you first, before talking about it."

Chen Yan understood.

So this was where the crux of the problem lay.

No wonder he had always felt that something was off.

And at this moment, Yang Rou's gaze became somewhat distant.

She seemed to return to that night when she and Yang Nuan Nuan had their meal and were walking side by side along the seaside of Qin Island.

At that time, Yang Nuan Nuan asked Yang Rou, "Mom. Do you like Chen Yan?"

Although Yang Rou knew that the dinner with her daughter would be the first time they discussed Chen Yan,

when she heard her daughter ask the question so directly,

she still felt a bit embarrassed.

Unexpectedly, before she could speak, Yang Nuan Nuan added, "Actually, I like Chen Yan too."

"I understand how you feel."

"He's so outstanding, so mysterious. He seems to have an unparalleled charm for women."

Hearing her daughter's candid words, Yang Rou couldn't help but stop in her tracks and look at her.

Yang Nuan Nuan also stopped, then looked at Yang Rou and said, "Mom."

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