Chapter 94: Film Emperor (14)

In the partitioned lounge, Zaiye and Tong Jianxu sat facing each other, a bottle of water in front of each of them.

Qian was sitting beside them, eating pomegranate.

A large, ruby-red pomegranate. She peeled open a section, revealing jewel-like seeds inside, and with her small, chubby fingers, plucked them out one by one to suck the juice from each.

In the quiet lounge, the only sound was her slurping the pomegranate juice.

When Zaiye had just carried her back, Tong Jianxu had been holding the pomegranate, ready to go find her.

When he saw Zaiye, the smile on the Film Emperor’s face faded and became polite and distant. Wearing that surface-level courtesy, he exchanged just two greetings with Zaiye.

Literally, just two.

“Boss Zai, what brings you here?”

“On vacation?”

Zaiye, however, was not one for polite small talk. Back in school, he’d been a sharp-edged troublemaker, never with a pleasant expression.

Even after years as a company boss, earning the nickname “Wild Daddy” from countless gamers, it hadn’t made him any more fatherly.

Now, facing the Film Emperor whose face resembled the child in his arms, he got straight to the point: “I want to talk to you about Qian.”

That wiped the polite smile right off Tong Jianxu’s face.

Of course Zaiye could tell that the Film Emperor was in a bad mood and didn’t want him around. But his own emotions were too complicated, his mind too full of unanswered questions, to care how some stranger was feeling.

Besides, with his animal-like instincts, Zaiye knew full well that if he laid his intentions bare, this Film Emperor wouldn’t be any more friendly toward him.

So why bother being courteous?

Tong Jianxu didn’t bother either.

He really liked his daughter. It was because he liked her so much that he never gave up investigating her origins.

Back at Cloud Restaurant, when they’d encountered Boss Zai, Tong Jianxu had already sensed something off in Qian’s behavior.

He had quietly harbored suspicions and tested them subtly.

He’d found interview clips where Zaiye appeared, as well as company annual meeting footage, and shown them to Qian.

Watching the videos where Zaiye appeared, Qian reacted like she was watching one of his dramas or movies. It was the kind of expression a child had when seeing a familiar face on TV.

Tong Jianxu had his own share of doubts and worries. He had thought about keeping Qian away from Zaiye—but Zaiye’s sudden reappearance made him realize that the worst-case scenario might be true.

The new dad and the old dad, both with secrets and baggage, fell into a prolonged silence.

Meanwhile, Qian happily slurped her pomegranate, glancing left and right, swinging her legs under the table, looking like she was having a great time.

Someone had to break the silence.

Tong Jianxu shifted his posture and finally spoke. “Boss Zai, I hear you’re a busy man. If there’s something you want to discuss, just say it.”

The way he called him “Boss Zai” made Zaiye’s brow twitch.

Almost no one in the industry called him “President Zai” or “Boss Ye,” because whether it was “Zai Zong” or “Ye Zong,” it just didn’t sound right. People were used to calling him Boss Zai.

Those more familiar with him would follow the crowd and call him “Brother Ye.” It didn’t matter if they were older or younger than him—everyone called him that.

So “Boss Zai” was brimming with sarcasm.

Zaiye didn’t disappoint. He opened with, “Is Qian your biological daughter?”

Tong Jianxu: “Would you like to see the paternity test report?”

Hearing that, Zaiye’s mind flashed back to old memories.

His brow twitched again. He asked, “Who’s Qian’s mother?”

Tong Jianxu replied, “That’s my personal business. I don’t think it’s appropriate to share with Boss Zai.”

Zaiye asserted, “No one has found out who Qian’s mother is. You don’t know either. She just appeared in your life one day, didn’t she?”

Tong Jianxu immediately looked at Qian, a fake smile on his face and displeasure in his eyes. “That’s not something we should be saying in front of the child.”

Zaiye glanced at Qian too. The little rascal had a mouth stained red from the pomegranate, her round eyes watching them like none of this had anything to do with her.

Zaiye didn’t say more. He only added, “You know what I mean.”

Tong Jianxu didn’t pick up the cue. “I’m afraid I don’t understand what Boss Zai means.”

With the conversation going nowhere, they fell back into silence. But the atmosphere of mutual wariness and discontent was even thicker than before.

The little blue orb system next to Qian’s ear flickered twice.

【My previous hosts have also gone through love triangles like this. Always thrilling—people would rip off their facades, some would throw punches, others would force love with confinement.】

This host of its was truly unique.

It had never seen a “female lead” this detached during a melodramatic showdown.

If anything, it was like her adoptive and biological fathers were fighting over her, and she was just there as a lucky charm.

The system was a little disappointed there wasn’t a fistfight.

After a long silence, it was Zaiye who spoke first.

He asked, “Do you really see her as your daughter?”

Tong Jianxu replied, “Qian is my daughter.”

Zaiye said, “If you have doubts about her background or identity, if you’re unwilling to raise her, please let me know. I’m willing to take her in—and offer you some compensation.”

Tong Jianxu laughed coldly. “That’s quite the suggestion, Boss Zai. Qian is my daughter. What standing do you have to raise her? I suggest you get yourself checked out at a hospital.”

Zaiye responded, “You can think I’m crazy, or you can consider my offer. I don’t know much about the entertainment industry, but if Film Emperor Tong ever needs resources…”

The last person to offer the Film Emperor something like that had already gone bankrupt.

Tong Jianxu cut him off. “I’m heading to a shoot soon. I don’t have time to entertain Boss Zai. Please leave.”

Zaiye acted like he didn’t hear the dismissal and remained firmly seated. “One more thing. I own a children’s clothing brand. I want Qian to be the brand ambassador. You can name the price for the endorsement.”

Tong Jianxu could barely keep his polite facade and replied with a blank face, “I’m afraid we won’t be able to work together. I don’t want my daughter starting work at such a young age.”

Zaiye: “Fine. No photoshoots, no promotion. I’ll just pay her the endorsement fee.”

Tong Jianxu: “…”

The Film Emperor stood up, picked up Qian, and walked out the door without giving Zaiye another glance.

Zai Ye sat there, twisted open a bottle of water, took a sip, and pulled out his phone to contact his capable assistant, Assistant Zhang.

“Assistant Zhang, I’m at the newly built film studio in H City. Come over.”

There was a brief pause on the other end before Assistant Zhang replied quickly, “Got it. I’ll be right over. Do I need to bring a lawyer?”

Zai Ye: “A lawyer?”

Assistant Zhang: “If the other party calls the police, it’ll be easier to get you out of the station with a lawyer present.”

Zai Ye was speechless. “You’ve completely misunderstood. What do you think I’m here for?”

Assistant Zhang: “Engaging in illegal activity?”

He’d just been hit with sarcasm from Tong Jianxu, and now his assistant was doing the same. Zai Ye took a deep breath. “I want Qian to endorse my children’s clothing brand. I need you to come and talk to Tong Jianxu. I can offer him support—endorsement, investment, all negotiable.”

Assistant Zhang: “Understood.”

Zai Ye now got a headache every time she said she “understood.” Her version of “understanding” was always off-track.

Assistant Zhang: “What exactly is the boss hoping to achieve? Trying to become the kid’s godfather?”

Zai Ye, surprised: “That’s… about right. You actually got it?”

In his plan, if Tong Jianxu treated the child poorly, he could simply use money to deal with the film emperor and bring the child to live with him. But judging from the current situation, Tong Jianxu wasn’t that easy to handle. So Assistant Zhang’s suggestion might actually be the more effective route.

Assistant Zhang’s tone was calm and steady as she confirmed again, “You want to be Film Emperor Tong’s godfather?”

Zai Ye: “…Of course the child’s!”

Absurd!

Qian, who had suddenly been picked up, was still holding half a pomegranate. The juice dripped onto Tong Jianxu’s coat.

She glanced a couple of times at Zai Ye sitting in the lounge and didn’t notice the juice at first. When she realized it wouldn’t wipe off cleanly, she accidentally smeared some onto Tong Jianxu’s wig. She instantly felt guilty.

Tong Jianxu set her down and saw the nervous expression on her face, like she’d just done something wrong.

He grabbed a wet wipe, crouched in front of her, and began cleaning the stickiness from her face and hands.

Qian guiltily looked at the strands of pomegranate-stained hair on her dad’s wig.

“Don’t be scared, Qian. Dad didn’t argue with him. Look—hasn’t Dad been smiling the whole time?” Tong Jianxu reassured her.

After wiping her face and hands, he held her two little hands and spoke softly, “Qian, tell Dad—are you really Dad’s daughter?”

Qian blinked and said nothing.

She was still young, but she had a very clear sense in her heart: if someone wasn’t her dad, they wouldn’t care about her. And if she didn’t have a dad, she’d be pitiful—no one would care for her.

So she didn’t answer.

Feeling her little hand trying to pull away, Tong Jianxu gripped it tighter.

“Don’t be scared.”

“Dad already knew—you’re not really my biological daughter.”

Just like he told Feng Yu earlier—how could he not know whether he had a child or not?

But he had still accepted her.

“Because Dad never thought he’d have such an adorable kid. Dad is sick—no child would want a sick man as their father.”

“But luckily, a fairy sent Qian to Dad, so now Dad has a child.”

“Qian is Dad’s real child. Dad would never abandon you.”

The little hand stopped trying to pull away. She wriggled her chubby little body, then said, “It wasn’t a fairy who sent me.”

Tong Jianxu: “Then was it Santa Claus? But didn’t Qian say there’s no such thing as Santa?”

Qian leaned in and whispered mysteriously, “It was Bad Ball who sent me.”

Tong Jianxu laughed. “The one that always flies around you? The ball you’re always swatting at?”

Qian’s eyes went wide with surprise. “How did you know?!”

Tong Jianxu, smug: “Dad knows everything.”

“Isn’t Dad amazing?”

“Amazing!”

“Dad also knows Qian used to live with that person over there, right?” He pointed toward the lounge.

Qian gasped and covered her mouth in shock. She didn’t know how he figured it out when she hadn’t said anything.

“But now Qian is Dad’s little girl, and she’s going to live with Dad, right?”

Seeing her think for a moment before nodding, Tong Jianxu finally relaxed.

“Qian has to stay with Dad forever, or Dad will cry—so much his eyes will go blind.”

Qian thought about it again, this time a little hesitant, and told him, “Then you can’t like me too much.”

Tong Jianxu was taken aback. He remembered—this was the second time she’d said that. She said the same thing when she had just arrived.

Back then, he didn’t think much of it. But hearing it again now made him feel something was off.

“Qian, why would you say that?”

Just as he asked, Zai Ye stepped out of the lounge and walked toward them.

“My assistant will be here soon. She can talk to you about the collaboration.”

Seeing him, the warm, doting smile on Tong Jianxu’s face instantly turned into cold disdain: “No need for that, Mr. Zai. Don’t bother sending your assistant. And you should head back too. There’s nothing for us to collaborate on.”

“You’re in charge of such a big company—are you really this free?”

Zai Ye pointed in the other direction. “It’s the film emperor who’s actually busy—your director’s calling you to go shoot your scene.”