Chapter 52: Chapter 52: I still have accounts to settle with An Lan.

Beini Chen’s face turned red, extremely embarrassed. After all, her status was high, but now she was being coerced into kneeling to a lesser-known actor in front of so many people. Of course, she wouldn’t comply.

The silence settled again in room 1117, as nobody knew what to say.

At that moment, Shi Lan, seeing that Beini Chen hadn’t moved, forcefully set down her cup, stood up from her chair, and walked over to Beini Chen, saying, “Do I need to repeat what you just said?”

“An Lan…” Tang Ze reached out, grabbing Shi Lan’s arm, trying to persuade her to stop—after all, they still had to work together for four months and didn’t want to spoil their relationship.

But Shi Lan shook off Tang Ze’s hand, leaned forward, and said close to Beini Chen, “Some people, you try to give them face, but they just won’t take it.”

“An Lan!” Beini Chen yelled furiously, “If it weren’t for your past indiscretions, would Chengyu and I need to fear being dragged down by you?”

“Kneel… or not?” Shi Lan bit down on these words, her eyes suddenly turning very cold.

“President Yan…” Unable to deal with Shi Lan, Beini Chen turned to someone for help.

Yan Shixiu looked at the back of his hand, paused for a few seconds, and finally spoke, but he had no intention of pleading for Beini Chen, “I won’t involve myself in things you two agreed upon.”

Shi Lan raised her eyebrows at Beini Chen.

“I can trade with something else, but kneeling is absolutely impossible.”

At that point, Shi Lan stood up straight, scoffed, and said, “Sometimes I really don’t understand what people like you contribute to this world. Just like a pathetic dog, throwing tantrums, going back on your words as if they were nothing. If you don’t want to kneel, that’s fine, but I’m someone who bears grudges. Since you’ve offended me today, you have to leave something behind. Stand outside my door for three hours as punishment—I can barely accept that. The choice is yours.”

Apart from Yan Shixiu, nobody else at the scene could understand why Shi Lan could wield such a powerful presence.

“In the past, when it came to filming, I would give in and endure as much as I could, but if you keep pushing your limits, don’t blame me for confronting you. When that happens, what I want won’t be your kneeling—it’ll be… your kneecaps.”

Beini Chen was terrified by Shi Lan’s sinister gaze, feeling a chill down her spine.

So much so that when she answered, her voice trembled, “I… I… I’ll stand as punishment.”

Then, Beini Chen, along with her assistant, fled Shi Lan’s room like escaping for their lives and stood in the corridor.

Tang Ze was also frightened by Shi Lan’s demeanor. Thinking of how An Lan used to be like a docile lamb, he suddenly swallowed hard. It was as if she was possessed by an Evil Ghost!

Throughout, President Yan remained expressionless, closely observing every expression on Shi Lan’s face, the heiress really not hiding her domineering attitude at all.

Shi Lan looked up and, seeing everyone’s odd expressions, she dropped her intensity and returned to her usual calm demeanor, asking, “That segment just now, imitating a mafia movie, wasn’t it effective?”

Sun Ling was the first to breathe a sigh of relief, patting his chest, “Not just Beini Chen, you nearly scared me to death too.”

Tang Ze stayed silent, feeling something was off, but he couldn’t pinpoint what it was.@@novelbin@@

At this moment, President Yan spoke again, “You guys go out first, accompany Beini Chen as she stands in punishment. I still have some scores to settle with An Lan.”

The three of them understood; the matter about the body pillow wouldn’t have been so easily resolved without Yan Shixiu covering for Shi Lan.

Things like the dark windy night and being inspired by Yan Shixiu were just meant to deceive others.

The three hesitated but eventually left the room, staring at each other with Beini Chen outside, while the room finally fell quiet again.