Chapter 45

After all, when it came to working hard, Ye Mo believed she would lose to no one.

Director Ji did not think lacking talent was such a bad thing. He said, "There are only a handful of people in this world who can be called talented. Most people rely on diligence..."

Ye Mo thought, That's because you don't know how many teachers have already advised me to quit. If you knew, you probably wouldn't be able to say that.

As Ye Mo and Director Ji hit it off, his impression of her underwent a complete change.

Ye Mo had a poor reputation in the industry: bad acting, throwing her weight around, arrogance, rudeness... all sorts of ugly rumors had been pinned on her, leaving her with a terrible reputation.

Yet after this brief interaction, Director Ji felt that she was nothing like that at all.

Ye Mo gave the impression of being very clear and organized in both her words and her actions. She was not arrogant, either; in fact, she seemed exceedingly sincere and humble-Director Ji had met thousands of people, if not tens of thousands. He was not so blind that he could not tell whether someone was putting on an act or showing humility that came from the bones.

How on earth did those rumors start?

Director Ji wondered.

Over the course of the meal, Ye Mo and Director Ji chatted happily, while Ye Yongming and Yu Luwei finally worked out an arrangement.

"...Tianheng can invest five hundred million in your film. We won't interfere in any aspect of the film, nor will we dictate anything about casting. However, we have just one requirement," Ye Yongming said, his tone very serious.

With the investment looking promising and Tianheng's attitude so favorable, Yu Luwei could not hide the delight on his face. He was all amiability toward their financial backer as he asked, "What condition do you have, Mr. Ye?"

Ye Yongming smiled and said firmly, "That is, in matters unrelated to acting, you must not let Ye Mo suffer even the slightest grievance!"

This requirement was something neither Yu Luwei nor Director Ji had anticipated. Their expressions shifted slightly, and the looks they gave Ye Yongming and Ye Mo became rather odd.

"Don't misunderstand," Ye Yongming promptly explained. "Ye Mo and I aren't in the sort of relationship you're imagining. He's our president's daughter, and our general manager's younger sister..."

"In other words, Ye Mo is the young miss of Tianheng Industries!"

"The only reason Tianheng wants to enter the film and television industry and considered investing in your production is that our president and general manager can't bear to see our young miss suffer. They don't want to see another incident where a role already in her hands gets snatched away!"

Ye Yongming looked at the two of them and asked, "Do you understand what I'm saying, Mr. Yu, Director Ji?"

Director Ji gave Ye Mo an astonished look, his eyes seeming to say: You little girl, you actually have such powerful backing? And after all these years in the entertainment industry, not a whisper of it has leaked out?

"This is Tianheng's only requirement!" Ye Yongming made his position clear.

Director Ji frowned and asked, "Then if Ye Mo... Miss Ye performs poorly during filming and I scold her, what happens then?"

Ye Yongming said, "Director Ji, you've misunderstood me. If there's a legitimate reason-for example, something related to her acting-we have no objection to you scolding Ye Mo or reprimanding her. But..."

Ye Yongming's gaze sharpened. "If someone bullies her for no reason or subjects her to unfair treatment! Or if something like this recasting incident happens again, that won't be acceptable."

Director Ji's brow remained furrowed, and he seemed somewhat hesitant.

Yu Luwei paid him no heed and smiled. "That puts my mind at ease, Mr. Ye. Our production doesn't go in for power struggles. I guarantee Miss Ye will have a wonderful time acting with us!"

Director Ji glared at him unhappily and was about to speak when Yu Luwei seized his hand in a crushing grip. His face remained wreathed in smiles, but the voice that reached Ji Minghe's ear was positively sinister.

"If you run your mouth and drive away this five-hundred-million investment again, I, Yu Luwei, will smash my head against your doorstep and die there, Ji Minghe," he said fiercely.

Director Ji: "..."

Director Ji deflated and said sullenly, "But Tianheng mustn't meddle in anything to do with the production. You must guarantee that I have absolute authority! I don't like outsiders standing around pointing fingers on my set."

Ye Yongming said, "Of course. Professional matters should naturally be left to professionals. Rest assured, Director Ji, Tianheng has no intention whatsoever of interfering with filming!"

Hearing this, Director Ji finally felt a little better.

Ye Yongming looked at them and held out his hand. "Then here's to a successful partnership!"

Yu Luwei hurriedly reached out to shake it and said happily, "To a successful partnership!"

The investment had actually only been agreed upon for now. To finalize it, they still needed to sign a contract.

Still, both sides had more or less settled everything, and there would not be any major changes afterward. It was essentially finalized, with only the contract remaining.

Once they finished discussing business, Yu Luwei finally had the leisure to concern himself with other things.

"...Mr. Ye, your surname is Ye as well. May I ask how you're related to Ye Mo?" he could not help asking-he had been curious about this for quite some time.

At this, Ye Yongming glanced at Ye Mo and said openly, "I'm Ye Mo's older cousin on her father's side."

In other words, he was also a member of the Ye Family.

Hearing this, both Yu Luwei and Director Ji looked enlightened.

They had found it strange earlier, because Ye Mo and Mr. Ye Yongming did not seem to have merely the relationship of the Ye Family's young miss and a Ye Corporation employee. When Ye Yongming spoke of Ye Mo, his tone held a rare degree of warmth.

Now that they had the answer, they finally understood where that warmth came from-how could cousins not be close?

Ye Yongming exchanged contact information with Yu Luwei and said, "I'll contact you both later to discuss the investment in detail!"

Naturally, Yu Luwei and Director Ji nodded.

The four parted at the restaurant entrance. Ye Yongming turned to Ye Mo and asked, "Are you going home, or coming back to the office with me?"

Ye Yongming was the son of Ye Mo's paternal uncle. He was the same age as Ye Lin, seven or eight years older than Ye Mo. Since being found and brought back, Ye Mo had only met him for the first time today. However, Ye Yongming had treated her warmly from the moment they met, without standing on ceremony, so they had already grown somewhat familiar in this short time.

Hearing his question, Ye Mo thought for a moment and said, "I'll head home, then."

Ye Yongming said, "All right, I'll call a car to take you back!"

While he was making the call, Ye Mo suddenly grabbed him. As though she had spotted someone, she abruptly pulled him behind a nearby willow tree to hide, then furtively and mysteriously poked her head out to look across the street.

Ye Yongming, who was holding up his phone to contact the driver: ?

"What is it?" he asked, lifting his eyes to glance across the street. "Did you run into someone you know?"

Seeing him lean out, Ye Mo hurriedly pulled him back, then raised her index finger and shushed him, whispering, "Keep your voice down..."

She glanced out, her gaze flickering. Suddenly thinking of something, she asked Ye Yongming, "Is Helang Maijing Residential Complex near here?"

Ye Yongming paused, then nodded. "Yes!"

He pointed across the street. "You're looking right at Helang Maijing Residential Complex. Why? What are you asking for?"

Hearing his answer, Ye Mo understood at once. "No wonder..." Then she remembered that today was Sunday.

Seeing how secretive she was being, Ye Yongming asked, "What's going on, exactly? Did you run into someone you can't afford to meet?"