Chapter 42: I came here to vent my anger, not to argue logic!

Chapter 42: I'm here to vent, not to reason!

That final "Hmm?" terrified Wang Rui and Qi Tong, making them shake their heads repeatedly.

Both men felt a chill seep into their backs, leaving them completely numb.

"Miss Shen, how could we possibly bear such a heavy responsibility? This is..." Wang Rui offered an awkward, apologetic smile. Seeing Shen Ci looking at him expressionlessly, he could no longer care about anything else; he grabbed Qi Tong and pulled him to the front, scolding, "Speak! Speak up and explain everything clearly to Miss Shen."

Qi Tong wished he could turn invisible right now—or even turn into a speck of dust and drift into a crack in the floor—just so he wouldn't have to stand here and face this.

"I-I'm sorry," Qi Tong stammered. As soon as he spoke, he couldn't help but steal glances at Lu Jinzhao, looking like a thief with a guilty conscience.

Lu Jinzhao's brow furrowed. "Why do you keep looking at me? Is there something written on my face? Tell her what happened!"

"It's not you, President Lu, it's someone from our company who... who brought it up. Can I even say it?" Qi Tong spoke while sweating profusely, his armpits soaked through.

Upon hearing it was someone from his own company, Lu Jinzhao's heart sank halfway.

Seeing Miss Shen looking at him, he decided to ask directly: "Who? Ren Jia?"

It was a mere guess, but he hit the mark. Seeing Qi Tong nod, Lu Jinzhao's eyes widened.

"Ren Jia?" He was very surprised. "Why would she go out of her way to make things difficult for Shen Li?"

Ren Jia was a popular actress at the peak of her career, with a solid body of work, massive online popularity, and several awards to her name. Newcomers could only look up to her; it shouldn't be that easy for her to be threatened.

"How should I know?" Qi Tong looked utterly miserable.

He had simply done a small favor, which was incredibly common in the industry. How had he managed to kick a steel plate? This Ren Jia was truly bad luck.

Shen Ci wasn't entirely unfamiliar with Ren Jia. Recently, a drama Gu Lianxing had been binge-watching in the dormitory featured this actress. She was reportedly a specialist in playing "villainous women," having played many similar roles.

From the very beginning, Shen Ci hadn't believed it was a mere oversight by staff or that the stage was too small. The inexplicable refusal to let her sister go on stage was clearly a deliberate act of targeting by someone with ulterior motives.

"Miss Shen, Ren Jia is an artist under our company. If this matter involves her, it means our company has failed in managing our artists. I will handle this matter strictly. Please rest assured."

Lu Jinzhao did not protect his own. Of course, he had no standing to protect anyone in front of Shen Ci, so he immediately adopted a professional and upright attitude.

Shen Ci looked at him and asked directly, "How does Mr. Lu intend to handle this Ren Jia?"

Lu Jinzhao was momentarily speechless. He hesitated before saying, "I haven't fully decided on that yet, but Miss Shen, please rest assured, I will ensure you are satisfied."

"However, replacing her is unlikely. I must clarify this with you beforehand. Firstly, although she is an artist of my company, she has signed a contract for the role. Secondly, the main cast has already been announced at the press conference. Replacing her suddenly would definitely impact the drama. We also need to consider the online public opinion, don't you think?"

Shen Ci raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this. Lu Jinzhao's words were quite truthful; he wasn't deliberately defending Ren Jia, but was considering the bigger picture.

Her original intention was to get an explanation, not to target Lu Jinzhao or his company. Lu Jinzhao had even sold his house for this project; Shen Ci knew he cared about the smooth running of this drama more than anyone.

"Mr. Lu, I am not making things difficult for you. Since Ren Jia wouldn't let my sister appear at the press conference, I will return the favor. From now on, no official accounts for 'Destiny of the Phoenix' are allowed to post any materials, news updates, or behind-the-scenes footage related to Ren Jia. Furthermore, she is prohibited from participating in all subsequent related activities!"

"Huh?" Qi Tong instinctively blurted out, "President Lu, Ren Jia is the second female lead. That doesn't seem reasonable, does it?"

"Reasonable?" Shen Ci looked at Qi Tong and asked, "Do you think I am here to reason with you?"

"I am here to vent on behalf of my sister, not to reason with you!"

That single sentence terrified Qi Tong into silence. Wang Rui, standing behind him, felt like kicking him!

Lu Jinzhao quickly nodded in agreement. "No problem, Miss Shen. As long as you don't demand she be replaced, I will agree to all your requirements."

Hearing Lu Jinzhao say this, Shen Ci felt slightly better, but she wasn't finished. She turned back to Lu Jinzhao and continued, "As for my sister, how does Mr. Lu plan to appease her? You don't intend to let her suffer today's grievance for nothing, do you?"

"Of course not. Miss Shen, it's like this: our company currently has several upcoming collaborations. For all unassigned roles, your sister gets first pick. Just say which one she wants to play, and I will guarantee her the part directly!" As Lu Jinzhao spoke, he pulled out his phone to fulfill his promise on the spot. "I'll have someone organize the list right now and send it directly to your sister later today so she can choose for herself."

Shen Ci was very satisfied with this method of appeasement; it was sincere and practical.

For a newcomer like her sister, being able to choose her own roles was something she wouldn't even dare to dream of. She would certainly be happy.

Shen Ci nodded, took a deep breath, and stood up. Lu Jinzhao also hurriedly stood up, cautiously watching her expression.

After a brief pause in her breathing, she said, "Let this matter end here. And do not let my sister know about it."

"I understand, Miss Shen. Please rest assured," Lu Jinzhao promised with a quick nod.

With nothing left to say, Shen Ci composed herself, politely declined Lu Jinzhao's offer to drive her back, and left the scene on her own.

Once Shen Ci left, Lu Jinzhao felt as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He let out a long sigh of relief and sat back into his chair.

Wang Rui, having made such a massive mistake, didn't even dare to breathe loudly. He etched Shen Ci's image firmly into his mind, vowing never to offend her in the future.

Only Qi Tong was secretly gnashing his teeth. His anger was naturally not directed at Shen Ci, but at Ren Jia, who had nearly ruined him.

"Qi Tong, right?" Suddenly, Lu Jinzhao regained his composure and looked at him, his expression cold. "Pack your things. Go to the HR department immediately to resign. Get out!"

"P-President Lu..." Qi Tong was stunned, but Lu Jinzhao had already stood up and walked away without looking back.

After going downstairs, Shen Ci didn't rush back to school. Instead, she sat down in a nearby coffee shop. Just as she was about to scan the QR code to order, her phone suddenly received a text message.

Upon opening it, Shen Ci's eyes instantly widened.

[Your card ending in *1069 received a cross-bank transfer of 74,800.00 CNY at 15:00 on September 20th at the Longcheng Branch. Current balance: 4,837,159.88 CNY. Recipient: China Space Exploration Research Department. Remark: August Salary [China Construction Bank]]

Shen Ci stared blankly at this unbelievable text message. "China Space Exploration Research Department" was the workplace where she had worked for decades. The amount, 74,800, was her salary for her final month before retirement. It had actually been deposited into her card right on time on the 20th, her usual payday!