On the sea-blue bed, Qin Fan was completely awake.

Did last night's wish come true?

If she had known wishes were so effective, she would have made a few more last night!

No, Xie Yanli's birthday hasn't passed yet.

She can still make a wish now!

Qin Fan tossed her phone aside. Her slender body half-knelt on the bed, facing the sun that had long since risen outside the floor-to-ceiling window. She closed her eyes and muttered, "Gods and Buddhas above, your devotee Qin Fan wishes, first, for a brilliant future and to become a film empress soon; second, for a long life and to become more and more beautiful; and third...

After a slight pause, Fairy Qin showed her broad perspective, "Third, I wish for our motherland to be prosperous and for world peace!"

After making her wishes, Qin Fan felt like she had forgotten something.

'What are you mumbling about? I'll be at your door in half an hour!'

Jiang Rong's piercing voice came from the phone, interrupting Qin Fan's thoughts. She picked up her phone and got out of bed, "Got it, I'll get ready now."

Qin Fan didn't have time to eat before Jiang Rong picked her up for the second audition.

In the nanny van, Qin Fan changed into a light-colored, oil painting-style blouse paired with a pleated skirt. Her black hair was casually tied in a low ponytail, with naturally scattered, slightly curled wisps of hair on both sides of her cheeks, looking elegant and languid.

Jiang Rong was extremely satisfied. "This outfit looks great today. Make sure to perform well later."

Leaning back in her seat, Qin Fan was listlessly eating a small dessert meticulously prepared by her family's chef to stave off hunger, humming lazily in response.

Seeing her lax attitude, Jiang Rong was worried.

It wasn't until the car parked at the entrance of the film and television company that Qin Fan got out, her expression composed, once again the beautiful and reserved female star.

She unhurriedly led her manager and assistant through the door once more.

This time, Pei Feng was already waiting in his office early.

Before him was the contract to be signed.

The second audition was just an excuse.

When Pei Feng saw Qin Fan walk in through the door, based on her face alone, she was more suitable for the female lead of Feng Hua than Qin Yuzhi.

Some people's charm is a superficial performance, while for others, it's an innate quality; their every move is naturally bright and enchanting.

The former was Qin Yuzhi, the latter was Qin Fan.

Pei Feng thought about how he had hesitated between her and Qin Yuzhi back then. If it weren't for her ambiguous relationship with Xie Yanli, he would have chosen Qin Fan in the end.

Now, Xie Yanli had made the decision for him.

No need to waver anymore.

After signing the contract, Qin Fan shook hands with Pei Feng and heard him say meaningfully, "I hope you'll focus on acting from now on. Men will only hold you back."

Qin Fan was baffled but replied politely, "Thank you for your guidance, Director."

While leaving the office and waiting for the elevator, Jiang Rong asked in a low voice, "What did the director mean by that?"

Qin Fan toyed with her thin phone, shaking her head thoughtfully. "I don't know if it has something to do with Xie Yanli."

But if it was about Xie Yanli, why would Director Pei say he would hold her back?

Just as she was pondering whether to ask Xie Yanli,

Suddenly, the elevator doors opened.

A group of people came out, surrounding Qin Yuzhi in the center. Her entourage was as grand as ever.

Jiang Rong whispered in Qin Fan's ear, "She's probably here to terminate her contract."

Qin Fan didn't even look, preparing to enter the elevator on her own.

But she was stopped by Qin Yuzhi's shout, "Stop!"

Qin Fan couldn't be bothered with her, and in her high heels, she nonchalantly brushed past her.

Qin Yuzhi suddenly said in front of all the employees on the floor, "Qin Fan, you must be very proud of yourself for using a man to snatch my role."

Using a man?

Qin Fan's brows furrowed. She turned to see Qin Yuzhi's resentful and angry eyes and had a sudden realization.

That's right. Besides Xie Yanli, who had the power to strip Qin Yuzhi of her role overnight and make her swallow her anger and terminate her contract?

It wasn't some god or Buddha helping her fulfill her wish.

It was Xie Yanli who had taken action.

Qin Fan paused, her thick eyelashes lowered, hiding her expression.

Qin Yuzhi sneered at her, "What, feeling guilty? Scared to speak?"

Suddenly, Qin Fan let out a light laugh and whispered in her ear, "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known my husband had done so much behind the scenes."

"Thank you for informing me, Ms. Qin. In the future, I'll rely on my husband to snatch back all your roles."

Having successfully angered her, Qin Fan didn't spare another glance at Qin Yuzhi's increasingly ugly face and entered the elevator with composure.

"Qin Fan!"

Many employees witnessed Qin Yuzhi's teeth-gritting appearance.

As employees of the film and television company, they knew when to play deaf and blind.

Her manager, Xu An, frowned and reminded her, "Azhi, your image."

Qin Yuzhi forced herself to calm down. "She's gone too far. I can't let this go."

She turned her head and said something to Xu An, whose expression also turned sour. "Are you crazy?"

Qin Yuzhi started walking towards Pei Feng's office. "It's settled."

......

Half an hour later, inside the nanny van.

"I never would have guessed it was your husband!" Jiang Rong had finally found out that Xie Yanli had fully funded Feng Hua, and she said excitedly, "I knew no man could escape becoming Fairy Fan's admirer!"

Qin Fan slumped back into her seat and took out her phone. Her finger hovered over the WeChat interface, hesitating for a long time, unable to think of what to send Xie Yanli.

Jiang Rong leaned over to look. "What's there to hesitate about? Just send a 'Thank you, hubby, muah, love you'."

Qin Fan: "..."

She lifted her eyelids to look at her manager, a sentence escaping her red lips, "Does President Xie look like the kind of man who understands romance?"

An image of President Xie's passionless face appeared in Jiang Rong's mind, and she fell silent.

She had been too hasty.

Qin Fan put her phone back in her bag and closed her eyes to rest. "Forget it, let's go home."

Jiang Rong: "That's it?"

Qin Fan paused for a moment. "I haven't been shopping in a long time. If we're not going home, let's go to the mall. If I don't go now, I'll have to join the film crew."

Joining the crew means three or four months, and it's hard to get leave from Director Pei's set.

Jiang Rong: "You're not going to strike while the iron is hot and warm up to your husband? You're in the mood to go shopping?"

"After this, haven't you figured it out? You have a husband, so why not use him?"

"Look, once President Xie makes a move, you get everything!"

"As someone with experience, let me tell you, if you don't use your man, another woman will, and then you can just wait and cry."

"I'm going to the mall to buy a birthday present for Xie Yanli."

Jiang Rong was about to continue persuading her, but upon hearing Qin Fan's words, she reacted instantly. "How about that oil painting from last time? Should I have another one custom-made for you?"

"President Xie gave you such a big surprise on his birthday. Shouldn't you repay him properly?"

An oil painting?

Qin Fan had completely forgotten about the half-finished study room oil painting play from last time.

Wait! She had forgotten because she hadn't been to the study during this time, but Xie Yanli often went to the study. Could it be that he worked every day directly facing that risqué oil painting?

The more Qin Fan thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt—

But on second thought, with Xie Yanli's prim and proper personality, he had probably put it away long ago.

Beijing Suburban Villa.

When Qin Fan pushed open the study door, the first thing she saw was the huge oil painting hanging on the wall opposite the desk.

Qin Fan was silent for a few seconds—

Had she overestimated Xie Yanli, or underestimated him?

Her gaze inadvertently fell on the pair of thin, light-gold-framed glasses casually placed on the black solid wood desk, and Xie Yanli's ascetic and cold face surfaced in her mind.

So Xie Yanli, with his deceptively gentle and cultured face, worked every day while facing this outrageously risqué painting of her.

A magnificent and ambiguous oil painting, a man of few desires.

Tsk—

Qin Fan felt an inexplicable itch in her heart, wanting to witness this scene with her own eyes.

She leaned against the cold desk, took a photo of the oil painting, and sent it to Xie Yanli:

[President Xie, up for it?]

Not expecting Xie Yanli to reply instantly, Qin Fan put down her phone and went to the walk-in closet to choose an outfit.

Since she was going to coax him, she naturally had to cater to his tastes.