Lu Wen rolled over in bed, looking especially docile. "You’re the only one on my side. Back when I first started acting, Old Lu took a lot of my money and used it all to subsidize Lu Yao."

Tan You replied, "That’s why I went over the accounts with Old Lu. I calculated exactly how much he took from you and how much he spent on you. Everything’s been tallied up, crystal clear."

Lu Wen imagined the scene. "He must have been furious, right?"

"No. A menace like him will live for a thousand years. Why would he die of anger so easily?" Tan You said coldly. "You were just too indulgent with them. Cut off their escape routes, and how could they not fall in line?"

Lu Wen smiled, two deep dimples appearing. "Like how you went directly to Old Lu’s boss?"

"I just introduced his company to a couple of clients. As a little quid pro quo, they’d naturally keep Old Lu in check."

Lu Wen felt a surge of satisfaction just thinking about it. "That is so gratifying. Speaking of which, now that you’ve won an award, did they ask you to come home for dinner?"

"They sent a ton of messages, but I didn’t reply. What would I go back for?" Tan You scoffed. "It’s not like their congratulations are sincere, and besides, I can’t be bothered to entertain them. You rarely went back for meals before, anyway, so it’s not like I’m breaking character." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Lu Wen asked, "Do you think they’ll go to the media? Say you’re unfilial?"

"You, not me. But they wouldn’t dare. They tried that once before, and it was completely useless. I used it as an excuse to dock Old Lu’s living expenses for two years."

Tan You’s expression was blank, but when she mentioned getting the upper hand on Old Lu, her tone lifted considerably.

Lu Wen said, "My family is a mess. This must be hard on you."

"It’s not that hard. As long as feelings aren’t involved, I don’t find anything difficult. It’s all just about interests, that’s all." Tan You was objective. After all, they were someone else’s parents. When it came to putting them in their place, Tan You wouldn’t be soft-hearted in the slightest, nor would she feel any psychological burden.

The more Lu Wen thought about it, the more relieved she felt. "This is great. You did what I always wanted to do but never dared. I had too many concerns back then. Lu Zhiping threatened me, saying that if I didn’t give him money, he’d expose me to the media..."

"Then, when Hu Yize and Qi Yu were getting hot and heavy, Lu Zhiping blamed me for not being able to hold on to a man. In the end, it was always my fault."

"It wasn’t your fault; it was theirs. You were just unlucky enough to run into a few bad people." Thinking of Lu Wen’s parents, Tan You thought of her own as well.

Ultimately, both of them had their own sorrows. It was just that Tan You could clearly see Lu Wen’s pain, while she would never let anyone know about her own.

"So, if I have a child in the future, I’ll definitely take good care of myself and try to live as long as possible. I’ll do my best to protect them and let them grow up in this world without a care. I also want a wonderful partner, someone who’ll be a great father... We’ll build a good family together, and I’ll make up for my past regrets by raising my child..."

As she spoke of her dreams for the future, Lu Wen’s eyes sparkled. This kind of warm family life was something she had always longed for but never had.

Thinking back, she’d had many suitors, but the men only ever wanted to date her, just to have some fun. No one had ever been willing to marry her.

Tan You listened silently to Lu Wen’s vision. To be honest, Tan You thought it would be very difficult. Many couples supported each other not because their feelings were so incredibly strong, but simply because the temptations they faced weren’t great enough.

’Besides, dreaming isn’t illegal. If Lu Wen wants to fantasize, let her,’ Tan You thought. ’Why should I be the one to shatter her beautiful dream? If she runs into a bad man, I’ll just help her run a background check.’

Lu Wen was also a persistent person. Even when faced with knowledge that was completely foreign to her, she didn’t give up, but instead worked hard to learn the professional material.

Of course, when it came to making decisions, Tan You would be the one to make the call, then have Lu Wen relay it. Tan You would break everything down for her, explaining why she made a certain decision and the best way to execute it, covering all the angles.

Another meeting ended, and everyone filed out of the conference room. Lu Wen pinched the bridge of her nose. "Honestly, it’s hard for me to get a concrete grasp just by reading those professional books, but when I see it in a practical context, I can actually understand some of it."

Tan You said, "You’re not a hopeless case. I’m practically giving you one-on-one instruction. You can’t find a masterclass like this on the market."

Lu Wen laid on the flattery thick. "I knew our Mr. Tan was the best! I really hit the jackpot."

Tan You was in a good mood. "Alright, hurry up and read the documents. The next meeting is in twenty minutes."

Lu Wen quickly looked down at the documents. "You got it. I studied them for a long time yesterday. By the way, I’m very bullish on the short-drama market. I think the company should start developing projects in the second half of the year."

Lu Wen was thinking of the future boom of short dramas. They had a faster pace than traditional TV series and offered more satisfying payoffs. Plus, the costs were lower, and they were easier to produce. The company already had artists, directors, and screenwriters.

If they really went into producing short dramas, they could have a finished product very quickly.

Tan You sat across from Lu Wen. "Short dramas are indeed a good idea. How about this: since you want to do it, you write up a proposal for me."

Lu Wen’s shoulders slumped. "Huh? Me? But I’ve never written one before."

Tan You replied, "If not you, then who? Me? You’ve looked at so many proposals recently, you should have learned just by reading them. You can do it. I have faith in you."

Seeing Lu Wen still sighing in despair, Tan You tempted her, "If your proposal is well-written, I’ll personally guide you through the implementation, step by step, and teach you how to properly manage a project."

"Really?" Lu Wen was suddenly excited. "You’ll really guide me through the whole thing?"

"Uh-huh," Tan You hummed. "After all, theory is no substitute for hands-on experience. You can do it. I have faith in you."

Tempted and encouraged by Tan You, Lu Wen was suddenly energized, as if she’d been shot full of adrenaline. She burned the midnight oil for two days before finally handing a proposal to Tan You.

In truth, Tan You had already seen the contents beforehand. But with Lu Wen staring at her so eagerly, Tan You still went through the motions of looking it over again.

"So? Is it any good?"

Lu Wen stood beside Tan You, her face full of anticipation. She was a perfectionist. While working hard to fill out the core content, she had also paid close attention to proposal templates. In fact, this was the result of countless revisions.

"I’d give it an 80," Tan You said, putting the proposal down. "It’s already quite good. For a complete novice, it’s not bad at all."

Lu Wen beamed. "That’s great! I was only expecting a 60. I didn’t think it would be so much higher."

Tan You said, "To be honest, your phrasing and sentence structure aren’t rigorous enough. But the reason I gave you that score is because you’re very good at integrating resources."