Well Said

If this had been the Qin Ran from her previous life, she would have agreed without hesitation, even if she were running 99 Entertainment. With her business structure, she had numerous other real estate companies besides 99 Entertainment, so she would have no problem devouring the honeyed cake that Ling's elder brother offered.

She wouldn't be the ant that dies from the sweetness of the cake but the person sitting at the table who consumes it all.

In the past, she might have chosen to agree, appearing compliant on the surface while secretly taking all of Ling's elder brother's offerings and even turning the tables on him. That would be the smart move, and by the time Qin Ran had digested everything, Ling's elder brother would be left fuming.

But now, it's unnecessary. She's not trying to make money; even if 99 Entertainment were to go completely bankrupt, it wouldn't matter, as she has the system to back her up. Instead of going through the effort of playing business wars, it's more fun to simply enjoy herself.

Qin Ran put down her teacup and gave Ling's elder brother a particularly bright smile. He was likely thinking to himself, "Young one, I refuse to believe that such a generous offer won't win you over. You're too young, easily blinded by immediate gains."

He smiled in return, only to hear Qin Ran lightly open her lips and say something that nearly made his blood pressure skyrocket.

"Well said, but I refuse."

The teacup clinked softly against the glass table, and Qin Ran's next words nearly caused Ling's elder brother to see red.

"I want your younger brother to go to jail. Don't worry, the sentence isn't heavy; he won't serve much time. Three years later, he'll still be a free man."

Ling's elder brother's expression darkened, like a stagnant pool of black water. "Ms. Qin, young people shouldn't be too rash. Doing this benefits no one."

"It benefits me," Qin Ran replied.

Ling's elder brother was puzzled and instinctively asked, "What..."

"It makes me happy," Qin Ran said before he could finish his sentence.

Before Ling's elder brother could even lower his tone, Qin Ran had already uttered these four words. He stood up abruptly, causing the glass coffee table to shake slightly. He glared at Qin Ran, his voice tinged with gritted teeth, "Ms. Qin, are you determined to go against the Ling Group?"

Ling's elder brother appeared formidable and authoritative, the kind of aura that would make most inexperienced young people submit out of fear. But to Qin Ran, Ling's elder brother didn't seem so intimidating. When it comes to a patriarch's authority, even ten Ling's elder brothers combined wouldn't be as terrifying as her father from her previous life.

Now, he was a truly tyrannical patriarch.

Qin Ran's father was the type who desperately wanted a son to inherit the family legacy, but her mother vetoed that idea. Although her mother's reasoning was flimsy, Qin Ran still thought it was great not to have a brother to compete with for the family wealth.

Her mother said, "What are you thinking? Another child? Do you know how much effort it takes to give birth? Do you have any idea how long it took for the skin on my stomach to tighten up again? I'm not having another child. If you insist, we're getting a divorce." Qin Ran didn't know if her father ever considered having an affair to get a son, but with her mother around, it would be challenging.

After all, her parents weren't just any ordinary couple; they were two closely intertwined wealthy families.

Her father was the epitome of an old-fashioned patriarch, truly insufferable. After enduring his oppressive authority, what was there to fear from someone like Ling's elder brother?

Most people facing Ling's elder brother's question would try to deflect, at least not tearing down the facade of civility. But Qin Ran was different; she directly retorted, "What else? I'm sending your brother to prison. Do you think we could ever get along after that?"

Her gaze conveyed, "Don't be too naive, young man." Ling's elder brother was livid, but all he could do was snort coldly before storming out with his entourage.

The meeting ended on a sour note, and soon after, the police detained Ling's third brother, transferring his case to the public prosecutor's office for trial. Qin Ran didn't bother to attend the proceedings; instead, Special Assistant Wu handled everything. The final sentence was three years in prison with three years probation and an additional fine of five million yuan. Ling's third brother ultimately avoided serving time.

A three-year prison sentence with a three-year probation meant that Ling's third brother was sentenced to three years, but with three years of probation. If he stayed out of trouble during the probation period, the prison sentence would essentially be nullified. However, if he committed another offense within those three years, he'd have to serve the full three years in prison.

When Qin Ran heard the verdict, she wasn't dissatisfied—though she thought the five million yuan fine was a bit low.

As for the three years probation... honestly, she doubted Ling's third brother could keep himself in check, turning over a new leaf and quitting hacking. He'd undoubtedly continue. At first, he might restrain himself, going a month or two without even touching a computer. But after those two months, he'd feel the itch and start wanting to touch a keyboard whenever he saw a computer.

In that phase, he might still avoid doing anything illegal, but eventually, he'd start sneaking back into old habits. Once he realized no one was watching, his boldness would grow, leading him back to his old ways.

Qin Ran knew all too well the mindset of people like him—it was like trying to teach an old dog new tricks. Especially for someone like Ling's third brother, who had spent over twenty years glued to his computer, it was impossible for him to completely give it up.

Qin Ran instructed the hackers she had previously hired to keep an eye on Ling's third brother, and they, being equally passionate about computers, quickly assured her with great enthusiasm.

As soon as Ling's third brother's case was wrapped up, Yu Shuman packed her suitcase, ready to join her new film crew. Qin Ran, feeling a bit lost, clung to Yu Shuman, not wanting her to leave. Yu Shuman patted Qin Ran's hand, "I'll be away for a while this time. Be good and stay home, okay?" Qin Ran loudly protested, "No!" but still obediently let go and said goodbye.

Yu Shuman's stay with the film crew was indeed going to be lengthy, as she also needed to undergo some training beforehand, like learning a regional dialect. The character she was playing came from the same area as the security guard, and it was during an unintentional phone call with her parents, overheard by a policeman, that her cover was blown.

Mastering the dialect to the point where locals could recognize her as one of their own was no easy feat and required extensive practice.

Qin Ran waved goodbye to Yu Shuman, disappointed that they wouldn't spend New Year's together. Ling's third brother's case had dragged on for a long time, and by the time it was settled, it was already mid-December. Even the variety show Yu Shuman had participated in had ended. The girl group they were part of had also completely fallen apart, with the previous scandal involving accusations of "group bullying" making it difficult for the other three members to continue performing with Ling Miaohan.

The group had already been on the brink of dissolution, so it wasn't surprising. The underground idol was the first to announce she was leaving the group to focus on her solo career. Ling Miaohan was the second, citing the same reason. Soon after, Yu Shuman released her own statement, followed by the other two members.

Despite the group's disbandment, Yu Shuman remained on good terms with the other three, particularly the underground idol. The underground idol was straightforward, with a sharp tongue and a bit of a diva attitude, but she was a decent friend. Qin Ran didn't feel that Yu Shuman needed to sever ties with the underground idol out of concern for being implicated.

Honestly, in the entertainment industry, someone like the underground idol wasn't that bad.

Of course, there were still many virtuous veterans in the industry, but the entire entertainment world had been tainted by the allure of fame and fortune, turning it into a murky pool where only a few remained unscathed. Those who were truly virtuous stood out like rare patches of white in a sea of black, either getting assimilated or pushed out.

But Qin Ran was determined to protect 99 Entertainment, to shield Yu Shuman and create a bubble around her, ensuring that no matter how deep she swam in this murky pool, she wouldn't be tainted. She would also protect the other artists at 99 Entertainment. Even though it was just a byproduct of her actions, if it helped improve the industry's atmosphere, it would be a worthy cause.

Life continued peacefully in the following days. The only noteworthy event was that Ling Miaohan's previous school idol drama finally aired. After several rounds of revisions and reshoots, it stumbled its way to release. Qin Ran even sped through the first episode out of curiosity, only to have one thought: Did Ling Miaohan laugh when she read the script?

The plot was extremely simple, a typical story of a wealthy heiress falling in love with a poor boy. It seemed like there had been a lot of these types of dramas lately, but it wasn't the kind of story that appealed to Qin Ran. She suspected Ling Miaohan must have found the script utterly ridiculous. Ling Miaohan was the epitome of a proud, aristocratic young lady who held very high standards for her future partner, which is why she chose to be with someone like Pei Qi, valuing their compatibility.

But in the drama, her character, a high-and-mighty heiress, falls head over heels for a poor boy who saves her, leading to a three-year-long university romance. The first episode focused on their initial meeting, followed by the heroine pursuing the hero. At this point, Qin Ran couldn't understand what she was watching, because the male lead clearly showed no interest in the female lead, and she was constantly throwing herself at him, even though he was cold and dismissive.

Qin Ran didn't have a problem with stories where the characters come from different social backgrounds, especially considering her love for a poor college student. But she couldn't wrap her head around the fact that the male lead showed no interest at all and kept acting like he was too good for her money, which was infuriating.

If Yu Shuman had treated Qin Ran with such disdain from the start, any initial feelings would have been wiped out by her strange attitude, and the two of them would never have gotten together. Qin Ran genuinely appreciated that Yu Shuman understood the help she had provided, was grateful, and worked hard to repay her.

—That's how normal people should react!

Why would anyone think giving you money is an insult? If you're sick, go see a doctor!

Qin Ran was left baffled after watching the first episode, completely bewildered by the heroine's desperate attempts to win over the male lead, and promptly decided to stop watching.

This kind of plot would only happen in TV dramas. Take Ling Miaohan herself, for example. She was such a proud person that even if she wasn't with Pei Qi, she would never look twice at someone like the male lead.