**Chapter 22: A Beauty Hidden in a Golden House**
\u201cAhhh! Director Lin\u2019s films are always so intense, and Qin the Flower Vase has amazing potential in every aspect\u2014I can\u2019t wait to see the sparks fly between them!\u201d
\u201cHaha, the director and actress watching racy movies together for \u2018research\u2019\u2014classic Lin. Only he would pull this off.\u201d
\u201cAm I the only one dying to know the name of the movie?\u201d
\u201cQin Mang hasn\u2019t really done anything too bold on screen yet, right? Not even her first onscreen kiss. Tsk tsk… wonder which lucky guy\u2019s gonna get that.\u201d
\u201cIs the collaboration for real?\u201d
\u201cIt\u2019s on Qin Mang\u2019s boss\u2019s social media\u2014tons of industry insiders have seen it. How could it be fake?!\u201d
\u201cCan\u2019t wait!\u201d
The online buzz was overwhelmingly one-sided.
“New leadership always makes a splash, but this first fire is burning right under your feet!”
The PR department of Hezhou Film completely ignored the directives from Meng Ting. Instead, they aggressively promoted the new CEO\u2019s post about Qin Mang\u2019s upcoming bold film role, pushing it everywhere.
As if they were afraid there was still someone out there who didn\u2019t know she was about to star in a racy movie.
Meng Ting usually kept his cool. Even when Qin Mang was getting hate from the whole internet, he hadn\u2019t been this mad.
That time, it was outsiders causing trouble.
This time, it was betrayal from their own people.
Completely disregarding status or decorum, he lashed out at the new boss: \u201cThey really do see you as a cash cow\u2014terrified that a scandal might dent your market value.\u201d
Given Hezhou Film\u2019s current decline, even with new leadership, the rot ran too deep to fix. Corruption and narrow-mindedness were in its bones.
\u201cNo surprise really. As an old company stuck between generations, they\u2019ve been coasting on past glory. Now that your popularity brings hope, of course they want to milk every cent of commercial value from you.\u201d
They didn\u2019t care what the artist actually wanted.
\u201cThey want me to be their cash cow? Do they even deserve it?\u201d
Qin Mang\u2019s gaze was icy. After a pause, a chilling remark slipped out.
With her bold, glamorous makeup and precision high heels clicking against the floor, she strode out of the set.
People fell silent as she passed.
Everyone felt like, if she had a real gun in hand, she’d probably mow them all down.
She made no effort to hide how furious she was.
\u201cEveryone online\u2019s saying that after wrapping *Dreams of the Capital*, you\u2019ll head straight into filming *Night of Souls*. Director Lin hasn\u2019t commented yet.\u201d
But as everyone knows:
No comment means tacit agreement.
Angry or not, the problem had to be solved.
After a long silence, Meng Ting spoke up: \u201cThe thing is\u2026\u201d
\u201cThe fans seem pretty excited.\u201d
Indeed, Qin Mang\u2019s fans were more thrilled than anything.
Collaborating on a film was way better than being tied to some sleazy romance rumors or accused of using Lin Chenxuan to climb up.
And everyone in the entertainment industry knew: every film Lin Chenxuan directed was full of iconic scenes used as textbook examples in acting classes.
Especially since the lead role in *Night of Souls* had just been revealed.
This was Lin Chenxuan\u2019s female lead. He didn\u2019t make many films, but every single one was award-winning overseas. The prestige was obvious.
So naturally, no one would expect Qin Mang to turn it down.
If they really were going to work together, watching intense foreign films as prep made sense.
Who knows, maybe it was a private one-on-one coaching session for the next leading lady.
Career-focused fans of course wanted the best resources for their actress. Qin Mang had just announced a fashion endorsement with EG, and now a new movie with Lin Chenxuan? Her fans were over the moon.
Meng Ting tested the waters: \u201cWhat if we go back to Director Lin and see if there\u2019s any room for adjustment?\u201d
\u201cMaybe revise the script a bit?\u201d
\u201cCut out all the heavy stuff, or use a body double?\u201d
Once inside the nanny van, Qin Mang propped her elbow on the cream leather armrest, her elegant fingers resting against her chin.
Hearing this, her previously cold voice finally wavered slightly. \u201cDo you believe it?\u201d
\u201cBelieve what?\u201d
\u201cThat if I agree to shoot this film\u2026\u201d
\u201c\u2026I\u2019ll have to quit showbiz the very next day.\u201d
Qin Mang was clearly in a bad mood. Her dark eyes shimmered with frustration that was hard to detect at first glance.
It wasn\u2019t that she wasn\u2019t willing to make sacrifices for her career, or that she was overly conservative\u2014it\u2019s just\u2014
Because of who she truly was, there were some roles she simply couldn\u2019t take. That was her bottom line.
Meng Ting thought she was overreacting.
What actor doesn\u2019t sacrifice for the role\u2014especially when it\u2019s such a great opportunity?
Just then, Qin Mang\u2019s personal phone rang.
Seeing the caller ID, the usually laid-back and stylish girl immediately straightened her posture.
She answered the video call.
Both of her fair hands folded neatly on her knees\u2014demure and proper.
The contrast was so stark that Meng Ting, acting as the phone holder, was stunned.
This little ancestor\u2014
Not even facing He Lingji made her act like this.
\u201cLittle uncle,\u201d she greeted sweetly.
A youthful, gentle male voice came from the other side\u2014not icy like He Lingji\u2019s, but warm and calm.
No one knew why Qin Mang wasn\u2019t afraid of He Lingji but was clearly terrified of *this* one.
He said, \u201cLittle lion, are you done playing around yet?\u201d
That \u201cplaying\u201d had layers of meaning.
\u201c\u2026Not yet,\u201d Qin Mang mumbled.
She hadn\u2019t won Best Actress yet. Besides, she had genuinely fallen in love with acting. She wanted to do it for the rest of her life. \u201cI want to act forever.\u201d
A second later, a soft, raspy cough came through.
Qin Mang froze.
She feared her little uncle\u2019s sudden coughs more than anything.
She looked at the man in the video.
His features were elegant and refined, but his skin was deathly pale. Only the red mole between his brows stood out\u2014like blood, adding a sickly beauty.
Qin Yan\u2019s voice was gentle.
But his tone left no room for argument. \u201cI don\u2019t approve.\u201d
\u201cYou wanted to join the entertainment industry before and I let it slide. But now you want to shoot *that* kind of movie?\u201d
\u201cQin Mang, am I being too lenient lately?\u201d
Lenient?
With his name, everyone knew he was notoriously short-tempered.
Yet he looked like a noble gentleman, delicate and refined. Later, due to a chronic illness, he had to cultivate calmness and restraint. He fooled many people with that appearance.
Qin Mang\u2019s parents had loved each other deeply.
Guan Yueyan died at the height of their love, and Qin Han couldn\u2019t take it\u2014falling into depression, attempting suicide multiple times. Eventually, he let go and became a monk, handing over both young Qin Mang and the entire Qin family business to his still-in-college younger brother, Qin Yan.
He never returned home for over a decade.
In many ways, Qin Mang was raised solely by Qin Yan. She lived in luxury and was naturally proud and confident.
To Qin Yan, aside from her extravagant spending that forced him to earn a fortune to keep up, she was generally obedient.
He told her what to study, where to apply, even who to marry for business purposes.
Then came her rebellious phase after graduation.
She insisted on becoming an actress and winning Best Actress.
Since she was technically “married off,” as long as she didn\u2019t cause too big a scandal, Qin Yan could pretend not to notice. But a racy film? Absolutely not.
The moment she heard that, Qin Mang raised three fingers in an oath: \u201cI swear I\u2019m not doing any racy movies!\u201d
\u201cOur new CEO set me up!\u201d
\u201cI never agreed to it!\u201d
\u201cWaaaah, little uncle, you have to avenge me!\u201d
And of course, she made sure to tattle.
\u201cYou really didn\u2019t agree?\u201d
\u201cAbsolutely not! Ask my agent if you don\u2019t believe me!\u201d
She flipped the camera.
Right onto Meng Ting\u2019s big face.
Meng Ting: \u201c!\u201d
Damn.
This little demon threw me under the bus!
Luckily, he was quick on his feet. Though cursing inside, his face was all smiles: \u201cHello, I\u2019m her agent, Meng Ting.\u201d
Qin Yan replied, \u201cHello, I\u2019m her guardian.\u201d
Guardian?!
Is she a preschooler?!
Qin Mang dared not speak.
Meng Ting had heard their whole exchange. Under Qin Mang\u2019s pleading gaze, he promised, \u201cDon\u2019t worry. We\u2019ll handle this properly.\u201d
\u201cWe won\u2019t go against the artist\u2019s wishes.\u201d
Before the call ended, Qin Mang gave him one last look, her beautiful eyes brimming with pitiful grievance. \u201cLittle uncle, the CEO bullied me\u2026 you\u2026\u201d
Qin Yan didn\u2019t flinch: \u201cThen come home.\u201d
Qin Mang: \u201c\u2026\u201d
\u201cYou don\u2019t love me anymore!\u201d
\u2026
**Qin Corporation, Beicheng**
It was late, but the office lights still burned bright.
Assistant Chen pushed Qin Yan\u2019s wheelchair into the executive elevator leading to the underground parking lot.
\u201cMiss Qin was raised by you. She\u2019s practically your own daughter. You\u2019re really okay letting her go like this?\u201d
The man in the wheelchair looked young and handsome, but strands of white threaded through his black hair like deliberate highlights. The red mole on his brow stood out against his porcelain-perfect face.
He looked like a serene Buddha, but his actions were anything but merciful\u2014ruthless and sharper than any demon.
At just 18, he had single-handedly wiped out the entrenched factions of the He Group and claimed total control.
Here is the translated text with clear spacing between paragraphs:
—
No one would ever underestimate his abilities.
His features bore a strong resemblance to Qin Mang’s.
Especially that small red mole.
However, the uncle and nephew pair had their marks in different places\u2014one at the center of the brows, solemn and godlike; the other at the tip of the nose, brimming with charm.
Not father and daughter, but closer than father and daughter.
When Chen, the assistant, spoke, Qin Yan’s pale lips curved faintly.
Only when Qin Mang was mentioned did he show a hint of warmth.
He sighed lightly, “When you fail to give up what you should, chaos follows.”
“She was young\u2014before, it was just novelty. The more adults forbade her, the more determined she was to try, even if she got hurt. And now? She\u2019s taking it seriously.”
“So you’re not interfering with her anymore.”
“It\u2019s a painstaking strategy.”
Qin Yan didn’t respond. His long, pale, slender fingers rested between his brows, his voice cooled slightly:
“Unless she suffers and bleeds, how else will she obediently quit the industry?”
The entertainment world was not something she should be involved in.
Qin Yan knew Qin Mang\u2014and Qin Mang knew him just as well.
As soon as the video call ended, the expression on her beautiful face turned more solemn.
“Little Uncle must be thinking that if I\u2019m forced to act in this film, he\u2019ll have the perfect excuse to make me quit the industry.”
“And obediently go home to inherit the family business.”
Little Uncle, young as he was, refused to marry and have children to inherit the family fortune, insisting on enslaving her instead.
Qin Mang only wanted to spend money, not make it.
So, there was absolutely no way she’d back down!
Meng Ting had finally recovered from the shock of \u201cmeeting the family.\u201d
He knew who Qin Yan was.
A top business mogul frequently featured in financial magazines\u2014the supreme power of the Qin Group\u2014Qin Yan!
Oh my god.
No wonder Qin Mang could be engaged to He Lingji!
At first, Meng Ting had thought He Lingji chose Qin Mang from a sea of socialites because of her extraordinary beauty. Now, having learned her true identity\u2014
He was stunned.
Turns out she was a real heiress from a super-rich family, just experiencing life in the mortal world.
And one who could actually inherit the family fortune?
What the\u2014?!
If Qin Mang ended up inheriting the He family too\u2014
*Hiss!*
Meng Ting\u2019s imagination started going off track. His face showed pure reverence: “Young Miss Qin!”
“If you rise to riches, don\u2019t forget your humble friends!”
Young Miss Qin gave him a cold glance: “\u2026”
Meng Ting shivered and slapped the armrest hard, his expression serious and solemn:
“We\u2019ve just gotten our footing in the acting world. If we quit now, that\u2019s too weak\u2014it\u2019s not our Miss Mang\u2019s style. Our goal is to become a radiant top actress!”
Beside them, Ah Tong was dumbfounded:
Brother Meng is truly wasted as a manager. With acting skills like that, slap on a new face and he’d crush top-tier actors.
Meng Ting continued:
“I\u2019ll think of something. As long as you don\u2019t publicly respond, there\u2019s still a chance.”
“Let\u2019s do this\u2014you focus on filming, and I\u2019ll go back to the company to talk to the boss.”
There was still time before *Soul Night* started production.
After all, Qin Mang hadn\u2019t wrapped *Dreams of the Capital* yet.
So they still had a window.
Qin Mang knew how to prioritize and focused on finishing *Dreams of the Capital*.
Otherwise\u2014
If she was forced to quit, she wouldn\u2019t even have a single representative work.
No!
She would never quit!
Qin Mang gathered herself, ignored all the chatter on Weibo, and fully immersed herself in filming.
Her performance improved, and her chemistry with Jiang Hengyan grew stronger.
Toward the end, almost every scene was done in one take, rarely more than three.
After twenty days of intensive filming, she finally wrapped her scenes.
She didn\u2019t even stay for the wrap party and headed straight back to Shen City the same day.
She arrived at Hezhou Film late in the evening, just as office hours ended.
Dressed in a flowing pale gold gown, she was dazzling. The clouds at dusk seemed aflame, blending with the hem of her dress like a painting\u2014an ethereal beauty straight out of a masterpiece.
Her red lips pressed into a line, her face expressionless\u2014only adding to her breathtaking, icy allure.
The pressure she exuded was overwhelming.
There weren\u2019t many celebrities in the company building, but plenty of livestream influencers.
Some even turned their cameras on her.
Gasps and whispers followed:
\u201cWhy is Qin Mang here? Has she wrapped already?\u201d
\u201cOh my god, she\u2019s so beautiful in person, and so powerful!\u201d
\u201cThat face looks like it was modeled\u2014it\u2019s flawless!\u201d
\u201cNo wonder they call her the top siren of the entertainment world. That beauty is god-tier\u2026\u201d
\u201cI want a selfie\u2026 Can I?\u201d
\u201cI need a link to her dress, her earrings, her lipstick shade, *crying sounds*!\u201d
\u201cGo ask her!\u201d
\u201cBut she doesn\u2019t look very approachable\u2026 I\u2019m scared\u2026\u201d
\u201cShe\u2019s leaving\u2026\u201d
Qin Mang ignored everything and headed straight for the CEO\u2019s office.
Meng Ting followed behind, muttering, \u201cCalm down. We\u2019re here to talk about terminating the contract. It\u2019s best if we part on good terms.\u201d
\u201cIf it gets messy, it won\u2019t be good for your image, even if we manage to cancel the contract.\u201d
Exactly.
Qin Mang was here to terminate her contract.
According to the original agreement, the agency had no right to make decisions for her\u2014including choosing projects.
Clearly, the new CEO hadn\u2019t even read her contract properly and was already trying to treat her like a cash cow. What a joke.
Her face alone was the best pass she could have.
And yet, no one tried to stop her.
When President Yu saw Qin Mang, he was in a good mood, eyeing his \u201cgold mine\u201d with interest.
\u201cCongrats on wrapping. You\u2019re just in time\u2014the *Soul Night* contract is ready for you to sign.\u201d
The new CEO, Mr. Yu, was around his mid-40s or 50s. His hair was slicked back neatly, and unlike others his age who had let themselves go, he still carried a faint air of sophistication.
But Qin Mang had grown up among truly noble elites\u2014those whose elegance was steeped in their very bones and only grew more distinguished with age.
To her, this man\u2019s pretentious demeanor didn\u2019t even register.
\u2026No one spoke. The atmosphere turned awkward.
Meng Ting cleared his throat and subtly signaled with his eyes: \u201cThis is President Yu.\u201d
Qin Mang managed to remain calm. She didn\u2019t slap anyone, just nodded perfunctorily, \u201cOh.\u201d
Meng Ting: \u201c\u2026\u201d
Alright then.
Qin Mang casually flipped through the contract. Her gaze paused for a moment\u2014
The contract stated that if she joined the crew, she\u2019d be required to bring along two rookies from the company as supporting characters with favorable roles.
No wonder President Yu had hurried to announce it on social media.
He must have received hefty benefits from Lin Chenxuan.
Her eyes gleamed with sarcasm.
She was naturally beautiful, and now, with a faint smile on her lips and her head bowed over the contract, her slender, pale neck exposed\u2014she looked like someone easily controllable.
Yu Qing rarely showed tenderness, but he generously offered:
\u201cI\u2019ll talk to Director Lin and see if we can postpone your entry to next month. You should have time to rest.\u201d
He sounded sincere, like he cared for her health\u2014but in truth, it was sheer arrogance.
So, his plan was to have her move from one set straight into another? Squeeze her dry?
Looking at his smug face, Qin Mang couldn\u2019t help but laugh.
Her eyes curved, tinged with a seductive red hue, dazzling and bold.
The more Yu Qing looked at her face, the more satisfied he became. He was already calculating how much value this face could bring.
This time, he could send two newcomers with her.
What about next time?
And the time after that?
The more famous Qin Mang became, the more money he would make.
Under his leadership, Hezhou Film would surely return to its former glory.
Yu Qing then lowered his hand from his back, showing a friendly and approachable demeanor, resembling a good superior who treats others with respect. “Once you bring more benefits to the company, Hezhou Film and Television won’t treat you unfairly.”
“In the future, when you become a shareholder, the company will have a share for you too.”
“Mr. Yu is truly generous.”
Qin Mang’s voice was soft and gentle, as she slowly twirled the delicate fish-tail diamond ring on her finger. Under the lights, it reflected a faint, cold glow. Those who knew her, however, understood that her patience had already reached its limit.
Having finished reading the contract, Meng Ting quietly took a few steps back. He didn\u2019t remind Qin Mang to stay calm.
At this moment, Yu Qing personally handed her the pen, with a patronizing gesture. “Sign this, and in the future, you\u2019ll have the opportunity to become a new shareholder of Hezhou.”
Qin Mang leisurely opened the contract to the signature page, and as she reached for the pen under Yu Qing\u2019s expectant gaze, she suddenly changed direction.
She picked up the coffee that the secretary had just handed her and splashed it onto the hypocritical face across from her.
“Whoosh.”
“Thud!”
Yu Qing instinctively tried to dodge, but to his surprise, he bumped into the corner of the table. His face and the pristine suit he wore were both splashed.
The brown liquid poured down, splashing onto the pile of contracts on the table.
In an instant, everything was in chaos.
There was a gasp from the side. The secretary frantically tried to wipe the coffee off Yu Qing.
Yu Qing was in disbelief, and his anger made him lose his composure. Since taking his position, everyone had always treated him with utmost respect, and he had never been humiliated like this. His eyes nearly bulged with rage. “Qin Mang, how dare you\u2014”
“Do you believe I’ll blacklist you?”
Qin Mang sneered, clacking her high heels as she walked away, “Exactly, with a fool like you as a boss, I don\u2019t even want to stay!”
“Meng Ting, Meng Ting, you don\u2019t want to stay either, do you?”
Meng Ting ignored him and searched frantically for disinfectant wipes. He happened to see the secretary still wiping Yu Qing off. He stepped forward, snatched a pack of unopened wet wipes, and ran after Qin Mang, “Young lady, wait a second, wipe your hands.”
“Looks like we can’t resolve this peacefully now.”
Meng Ting sighed. He could tell now.
Yu Qing\u2019s mind was filled with how to exploit Qin Mang to make money for him; there was no way he would easily let her go.
Qin Mang slowly wiped her clean fingers, from the knuckles to the palms, bit by bit, without missing a spot. Her thick, dark eyelashes covered all the emotions in her eyes.
Meng Ting said, “The thin camel is bigger than the horse. Hezhou Film and Television’s legal team is well-known in the industry. It’s not going to be easy for us to win the contract termination case.”
And from Yu Qing’s current behavior, it was clear he was not a magnanimous person.
Based on experience, when an artist falls out with their agency, it damages the artist’s reputation.
“By the way, Qin Mang, if you want to quit the entertainment industry, what about Mr. He?”
“What does he think?”
“If He\u2019s legal team steps in, the possibility of us walking away from this contract termination case unscathed will skyrocket.”
At this point, things had developed to a point where they couldn’t be solved.
Qin Mang finally remembered.
She had a particularly powerful husband.
Hearing Meng Ting\u2019s last sentence, Qin Mang\u2019s mind flashed to that night in the hotel closet.
He Lingji whispered in her ear, his calm yet determined voice, “Only when you’re at the top, do you have the right to decide whether to stay or leave.”
He was\u2014supportive, right?
Otherwise, why didn\u2019t he take the opportunity to have her quit the entertainment industry?
The sadness in the girl\u2019s eyes gradually faded, and they began to shine, like a blazing sun cutting through the night sky, reflecting dazzling light.
“To Huihuan Lake Manor!”
Qin Mang decisively made up her mind.
Even more terrifying than asking He Lingji for help\u2026 was quitting the entertainment industry!
Qin Mang had already planned a series of words to persuade He Lingji. Excited, she rushed home, only to find it empty.
Butler: “Sir went to Lingcheng.”
“He hasn’t returned for 19 days.”
“?”
“To Lingcheng again?”
Hearing this, Qin Mang carefully observed the change in the butler\u2019s expression, narrowing her eyes slightly.
“Why does he go to Lingcheng so often? Could it be that he\u2019s keeping a mistress there?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can find the complete translated novel in the link below<\/p>\n\n\n\n