Chapter Forty-Nine: Like Charges Repel, Unlike Charges Attract

At that moment, a message popped up on her phone.

When she saw the news about the resurrection of Apocalypse Entertainment, the hatred in Shen Jingrong’s eyes deepened.

“Damn Shen Qingli, if not for you, how would I have ended up like this? Why? Why is it that you can still live here in peace?”

She spat out these words viciously, then suddenly hurled her phone away. Seeing Shen Qingli’s twisted face on the shattered screen, she felt a fleeting sense of satisfaction.

“Damn Shen Qingli, I will never, never let you off, you wretched woman!”

Her furious voice echoed through the empty room, making the place seem all the more chilling.

Meanwhile, at the company, Shen Qingli was busy at her desk when a sudden chill crept up her back, followed by an unexpected sneeze.

“Who’s cursing me behind my back?”

Hearing the host mutter, the system, Green Parsley, pulled a wry smile in her mind. [If nothing’s gone awry, it’s probably Shen Jingrong.]

[Host, now that only Shen Jingrong remains in the Shen family, if she knows about your company’s comeback, she’ll definitely come after you. You must be careful.]

Shen Qingli nodded silently. “Understood.”

Her tone was cool, lacking the warmth of the past.

For now, this was the only way she could interact with the system. As for whether it was truly a demon spirit, she’d have to observe longer.

Green Parsley wanted to remind her of something else, but that feeling of disconnection returned, forcing her once more into a dormant state.

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Shen Qingli said without looking up.

Li Xi entered, watching as Shen Qingli busied herself with work. Excitement flared in her eyes once again. “President Shen, Miss Rong has confirmed the time. The meeting is in an hour at Lanting Café.”

Originally, they should have met on set, but since this was a collaboration with one of her own artists, Shen Qingli felt it necessary as the boss to get to know her better.

Besides, “Journey” was a script she had high hopes for; whether Apocalypse could truly make a comeback hinged on this project.

“Good, let’s get ready and head over now.”

She rose at once, taking Li Xi with her as she left Apocalypse.

Meanwhile, in the corner of Lanting Café—

A woman in a short skirt, with a striking figure, large sunglasses, and a mask, stirred her coffee idly.

Her gaze wandered carelessly around the room, finally falling on the entrance.

Not seeing the person she was hoping for, Rong Qiaoyi glanced down, withdrawing a photo from her bag. The woman in the picture was none other than Shen Qingli.

“This meeting is going to be interesting... Shen Qingli, you’re even more troublesome than I imagined.”

Her voice was cold, with clear distaste in her eyes for the woman in the photo.

She let out a cold laugh. When her peripheral vision caught sight of two figures entering the café, she quickly stowed the photo away.

“Over here!” she called, waving them over. Then she removed her sunglasses and mask, her face breaking into such a friendly smile that it was almost disarming.

“Miss Rong, you came alone? Didn’t your agent come with you?”

Given Rong Qiaoyi’s current popularity, it was odd to see her without even a single companion.

“I didn’t want them tagging along. This must be President Shen? I didn’t expect you to be so young and accomplished—and so beautiful too. Honestly, you could be a star yourself.”

Rong Qiaoyi showered Shen Qingli with unabashed praise, her alluring eyes, however, carefully scrutinizing the woman before her.

Her words were polite, but a woman like this—how could she compare to herself?

The thought flashed through Rong Qiaoyi’s eyes, a dark glint passing through her gaze.

Sensing the unique, ethereal fragrance on Shen Qingli—a scent that belonged only to Xie Jinchuan—the darkness in her eyes deepened further.

Yet she concealed it well, her smile sweet and approachable, giving no hint of arrogance.

“Miss Rong, I didn’t expect you to be so easygoing...” Li Xi, who was actually a fan of Rong Qiaoyi, had felt nervous before arriving.

Shen Qingli watched as the two women conversed, her gaze sweeping the room, frowning slightly.

She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but there was something different about Rong Qiaoyi—something that made her feel oddly familiar.

It seemed that being near her caused the spiritual energy within her to stir restlessly.

“Miss Shen?” Rong Qiaoyi waved a hand in front of her, puzzled by her distracted look.

“Oh, sorry, Miss Rong, you’re so beautiful I was momentarily lost in thought.”

Shen Qingli smiled, then steered the conversation to business, placing the script for “Journey” before Rong Qiaoyi, along with the contract.

“I’ve heard you’re not signed with any other agency yet, Miss Rong. Would you be willing to give our company a try?”

Noting the contract term was only three years, a flicker of unreadable emotion crossed Rong Qiaoyi’s eyes.

“Of course. In fact, I’ve always liked President Shen.”

She signed the contract without hesitation, but instead of feeling happy, Shen Qingli was left with a vague sense of unease.

She couldn’t quite put her finger on what was wrong.

The brief meeting ended quickly, as Shen Qingli was feeling unwell. Rong Qiaoyi waved goodbye as she closed the car door.

What Shen Qingli didn’t notice was that, at the moment the car door closed, a wisp of green smoke slipped into the bracelet she always wore.

Since the system was dormant, the wisp went completely unnoticed.

“It’s getting late—let’s call it a day and go home to rest,” Shen Qingli said.

For some reason, a wave of fatigue suddenly overcame her. After seeing Li Xi off, she returned to the villa and collapsed on the sofa, falling into a deep sleep.

The wisp of green smoke silently emerged from her bracelet, swirling around her as she slept.

Just as it was about to envelop her entirely, the smoke seemed to sense something and retreated instantly.

A slender, elegant hand shot out, seizing the smoke in its grasp.

Xie Jinchuan looked at the woman sleeping soundly on the sofa, a cold glint in his eyes.

“How utterly reckless.”

With a cold voice, he crushed the smoke in his hand, erasing it from existence.

He crouched down and carefully lifted Shen Qingli into his arms. “This little girl really has no sense of self-preservation.”

She slept in his arms like a kitten as he carried her to the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed.

She remained fast asleep, showing no sign of waking.

“What a silly girl.”

He murmured softly, a slight smile at the corners of his lips.

Spiritual energy began to gather in his palm, its gentle warmth enveloping Shen Qingli, both nourishing her and probing to see if anything else lurked within her body.