The Villainess Awakens After Marrying the Male Lead’s Brother - Chapter 35

When Wen Yu returned from shopping, it was already past ten in the evening. The house was quiet. Has Jiang Yunyan not come back? Wen Yu wondered; wasn’t he supposed to finish work early today? She cautiously opened the adjacent room’s door and found it empty, the bed neatly made, and the sheets well-folded—making her wonder if he had military experience given such orderliness. Probably some last-minute work, being a boss is not too relaxing. Wen Yu mumbled to herself, then returned to her room.

The winter in the north is too cold; the recording location for the variety show “Setting Off Together” is in the south, with the first destination being an island. Yuan Tan invited her to buy clothes for the trip. Besides the variety show recording, they also planned to spend two days by the seaside. Yuan Tan deliberately cleared her schedule for three days amidst her busy schedule. Wen Yu bought several sets of swimsuits, enjoying the feeling of shopping without looking at the prices, especially when it’s not her money.

That night, Wen Yu skipped watching TV, fearing her sleep pattern might get disrupted, affecting her performance during the show recording. The next day, she caught up on “Become You” and watched the following two episodes. After finishing, she checked the data and realized it had soared. The buzz and popularity were on the rise. Laojie was so amazed she called, saying many job offers had come in.

Although there weren’t any A-list female leads, compared to before when she had to actively seek job opportunities, things were much better now. Even her Weibo followers had rapidly increased. On the first day, it was just a few thousand, hard to notice. But by the second and third days with more screen time, she had gained over a million followers!

Fan clubs, which were non-existent before, spontaneously emerged. People were actively posting in her super topic, collecting various information about her, and showering her with compliments. All this for a supporting character.

In terms of screen time, the male and female leads were at the top, followed by her and the families of the main characters, almost evenly distributed. With so many characters sharing the spotlight, the screen time for each improved. As the second female lead, she was practically on par with the second male lead and second female lead roles.

Her significant rise in popularity was attributed to her interesting character and, to a large extent, her attractive appearance. The male and female leads, on the other hand, experienced a complete skyrocketing of fame. From being relatively unknown, a single Weibo post now generated tens of thousands of comments.

The female lead was doing well, originally a third-tier celebrity with around ten million followers on Weibo. After five days of the drama airing, she had gained more than thirteen million followers. The male lead also reached close to four million.

With such a growth rate, the drama was likely to finish smoothly, and the entire cast was on the rise. This time, Wen Yu did her best to monitor any potential issues that could lead to the drama being pulled. She was only waiting for the drama to conclude to see how explosive the situation would become.

In fact, Wen Yu always felt that this time’s data was much better than described in the novel—perhaps due to a change in the male lead? Was the effect even better? Regardless, even if she acted in it herself, she thought it looked pretty good.

On the second and third day, Wen Yu still didn’t see Jiang Yunyan.

It wasn’t until the fourth day, the Lantern Festival, when the entire company had a day off. Jiang Yunyan stayed at home, had breakfast with Wen Yu, and then went to his parents’ place.

This time, Su Lengyue also came.

She didn’t come for the New Year, and though she sent gifts, she probably felt a bit impolite. This time, for the Lantern Festival, she specifically came over.

However, Su Lengyue seemed to have not completely forgiven Jiang Yunjin. She wasn’t as gentle as before and took the initiative to talk to Wen Yu.

Since their last meeting at Jiang’s house, this was the second time they met in person. Though they occasionally chatted on WeChat, they didn’t talk much.

Jiang’s mother enjoyed the commotion, finding joy in her second son’s misfortune. She said, “Little Su listens to advice. You shouldn’t spoil men. Many men turn out bad because they’ve been spoiled. They’ll suffer in the end.”

Su Lengyue smiled awkwardly. She had tried to adjust her attitude towards Jiang Yunjin, but it was still noticeable. Unexpectedly, Jiang’s mother was quite open-minded.

Wen Yu nodded in agreement, “You’re right! Mrs. Jiang understands it well.”

“That’s right!” Jiang’s mother proudly smiled, praising Su Lengyue first and then praising Wen Yu, “Little Fish, I watched that drama of yours, it’s really good. You acted well. I heard you even invested in it yourself, your taste is excellent!”

Wen Yu was also proud and said, “Yes, my discerning eye!”

Of course, thanks to the spoilers from the book!

Thinking about it, she felt grateful to Su Lengyue. Even though this was the real world, where people could feel pain, cry, and laugh, the events described in the book were also happening in reality. Sometimes she felt like someone had spoiled the script of life for her.

With this opportunity, Wen Yu was generous, “When the dividends from my investment come in, I’ll buy gifts for all of you. If you have anything you want, send me a message, and if not, I’ll just pick something!”

“That’s great.” Jiang’s mother was not shy. When children want to give gifts, she accepts them graciously, “Little Fish, just buy whatever you like, I’ll love it.”

Su Lengyue was about to refuse, but Jiang Yunjin said, “Don’t be polite. Apart from the ten million I invested, there’s also my five million.”

Wen Yu lazily replied, “It’s not like that. The ten million I invested was given by my elder brother. I’ve spent your five million!”

Jiang Yunjin: “…”

He looked at his quiet elder brother sitting beside him, showing a jealous expression, “Brother, I also…”

The man slowly raised his eyes and indifferently said, “You also what?”

Jiang Yunjin shivered. Why did he feel his elder brother’s gaze was a bit terrifying? He quickly shook his head and obediently said, “Nothing, Brother, are you in a bad mood?”

“No,” Jiang Yunyan said in a calm tone.

At first glance, everything seemed fine, but Jiang Yunjin felt something was off. He couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but he just felt like his elder brother didn’t look at him quite favorably.

In any case, he felt even more uncomfortable now. His girlfriend hadn’t forgiven him, and his elder brother was acting like this. It was like adding insult to injury.

After having dinner that night, the four of them went their separate ways.

Resting for a day, Wen Yu and Yuan Tan set out together.

Yuan Tan, a performer associated with a major entertainment company, often had publicized itineraries for fans to meet and support her during her busy schedule, fostering a closer connection with her fan base.

This time, going for a TV show recording was no exception. Fans were already waiting at the airport. As soon as they arrived, the fans enthusiastically cheered, and Yuan Tan, accustomed to such situations, slowed down to interact with them, signing autographs along the way.

Wen Yu quickly pulled Xiao Yu aside, saying, “Let’s go to the waiting area.”

Xiao Yu nodded and followed. However, they soon noticed someone chasing them.

Wen Yu, glancing at her winter attire, surrounded by a down jacket, scarf, and hat, explained to the pursuers, “Yuan Tan is over there signing autographs; I’m not Yuan Tan!”

The leader chuckled, “We’re chasing you!” Immediately, a dozen people behind them joined in shouting, “Brave little fish, soar courageously, the sea is forever with you!”

Though not a large crowd, their enthusiasm resonated, making Wen Yu’s heart race. She stood there, momentarily bewildered. Were they her fans?

The short-haired girl leading them apologized, “Sorry, our fan club just started, and our chant is a bit basic. Please don’t mind.”

Wen Yu smiled, unveiling her face hidden by the scarf and removing her hat, revealing a rosy and beautiful visage. The crowd erupted in excited cheers, praising her beauty.

Wen Yu approached them, “Sorry, it’s my first time having fans see me off. Shall we proceed with autographs and photos?”

The visibly delighted fans eagerly presented various photos, notebooks, and even tugged at their own clothes, asking for autographs. Wen Yu, without a pen, used what the fans had prepared. She had practiced signing before her debut, and swiftly signed for the dozen or so people, expecting it to be a quick task.

To her surprise, when she looked up, the dozen people had turned into dozens, with more joining and requesting signatures. Some were clearly just joining in for the excitement, approaching public figures to get autographs.

Wen Yu sighed, signed a couple more, explained her time constraint, and shifted to taking a few more photos. The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only enthusiastic fans taking pictures with their phones and cameras.

After bidding farewell, Wen Yu went through security, feeling afloat. Fortunately, Xiao Yu kept her steady, accompanying her to the boarding gate.

Once composed, Wen Yu quickly dialed Jiang Yunyan’s number.

Jiang

The conference room fell into complete silence.

The young man sitting at the head maintained a calm face as he looked at the proposals and project progress brought to him. He didn’t shout, nor did he curse; he calmly asked, “Is this the result of your month-long efforts?”

Seemingly casual, but the palpable tension around him was evident.

In the meeting room, everyone, including the middle-aged executives in their forties, wore serious expressions and dared not make a sound at this moment.

They feared being singled out for questioning.

“Can’t anyone give me an answer?” He tapped the table, his slender and attractive fingers lightly hitting the surface, “Thud, thud, thud,” three sounds echoing as if tapping out a response.

The department head wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, wanting to speak but silenced by guilt.

In fact, these tasks were arranged before the New Year, and after thirty working days, their progress had fallen behind due to some slackening during the holiday. Several departments were lagging.

As for their boss, despite his young age, securing the position of CEO showcased his powerful leadership. He approached work with meticulous precision, setting task goals and deadlines according to their capabilities. Everything was usually well-organized. In exceptional cases, he could swiftly adjust, never allowing anything to slip beyond his control.

However, this time, there were no exceptional circumstances; the progress had just derailed.

Coincidentally, these days, the boss was in a bad mood, making them fearful of a gruesome fate if they spoke up. So, no one dared to utter a word.

But staying silent wouldn’t resolve this matter.

Finally, the department head summoned the courage to lead by example.

Suddenly, a mobile phone ringtone echoed abruptly in the conference room.

The department head’s voice faltered, subconsciously relaxing for a moment, but then he became even more panicked: he hadn’t confessed yet, and this might be his doom!

Yet, Jiang Yunyan quietly took out his phone.

Everyone: “…”

Each person lowered their heads, stealing glances from the corners of their eyes.

What’s going on?

Is there a problem?

Zhou Han pushed his glasses and observed with a calm demeanor.

Sure, here is the English translation with space between paragraphs:

“Just listen to Jiang Yunyan, who suddenly sounded like a completely different person: ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Ah ah ah ah!’ A suppressed low exclamation echoed through the phone microphone, faintly reaching the ears of the people in the meeting room. Some bold ones even discreetly craned their necks.

Jiang Yunyan glanced at a few people, gave a look to Zhou Han, then turned around, blocking the microphone with his other hand.

Just after the enthusiastic shouting, Wen Yu excitedly exclaimed, ‘Big brother, I have fans! They even came to the airport, more than a dozen of them. A couple of days ago, Sister Liu told me I had a fan club, and I hadn’t realized it until now. It’s such an exhilarating feeling!’

‘I felt like I was floating as I walked just now! It only settled a bit when I sat down.’

Most of the people in the office had left. The joy on Jiang Yunyan’s face reflected through the glass in front of him. The urgent and excited voice on the phone was like bubbles in boiling water, waiting for the first person to lift the lid so it could burst forth.

The low spirits of the past few days were dispersed like smoke. He whispered, ‘Well, that’s indeed something to be happy about.’

‘I really didn’t expect someone to like me, like me enough to come and greet me at the airport. They just mentioned they would also come to pick me up later.’ Wen Yu’s voice was cheerful, and she spoke rapidly, ‘The key is, I didn’t even tell them when my flight was. But they guessed it based on the information given by Yuan Tan. It’s incredible! With just this bit of information, what if I walked separately from her or if something unexpected happened? Wouldn’t this trip be in vain?’

As she spoke, her voice lowered, and the joy faded slightly, revealing a mysterious and uncertain emotion.

Jiang Yunyan frowned, sensing this emotion keenly. Though he didn’t understand its origin, he quickly said, ‘You don’t need to burden yourself with the fans’ liking. Do what you can do, and they will be happy. You’re doing well.’

Wen Yu’s heart trembled, and the concealed confusion seemed to be smoothed out by the calm and gentle voice on the other end of the phone. She forced a smile, ‘Thank you, big brother.’ Her voice became light again, ‘By the way, big brother, did I disturb your work? I’m just so happy; I called you without thinking.’

‘No.’ Jiang Yunyan denied without changing his expression, completely ignoring the other members temporarily asked to leave the meeting room.

Wen Yu breathed a sigh of relief, ‘That’s good.’ She continued talking with assurance, ‘Just now, I signed autographs for those dozen fans, signed for a long time, and I thought, why are there still more? Then I looked, and a bunch of passersby also ran over…’

On the other end of the phone, the man patiently listened, occasionally responding.

Wen Yu finished speaking, and Yuan Tan also came over. She waved her hand for Yuan Tan to come this way and said to the person on the phone, ‘Big brother, Yuan Tan is here, I’ll hang up.’

‘Okay.’ Jiang Yunyan responded, and when the other end hung up, he put away his phone and called out. The executives who had just left with their tails between their legs returned.

But this time, inexplicably, the atmosphere in the meeting room seemed much more relaxed.

Before they could ponder too much, the boss handed the documents back to them one by one, then succinctly laid out the next task, finally saying, ‘That’s it, meeting adjourned.’

Everyone: ‘???'”