Chapter 36: Establishing Authority

His cheeks were flushed and his lips pale, yet the brilliance in his eyes remained undimmed.

Tang Yuan turned to thank the staff member, and only after they had left did she step inside and lock the door behind her. The room was cramped, containing nothing but a five-foot-wide bed. His backpack and suitcase lay open on the floor, serving as his makeshift wardrobe.

Tang Yuan placed the two large bags of bruising medication on the bed, her heart burning with fury. "Come here, take off your shirt. Let me see what’s going on."

He didn't make a sound. After a few seconds of hesitation, he sat slowly on the edge of the bed and removed his shirt. A large, dark bruise covered his sturdy back, a testament to the intensity of the fall.

She took a deep breath and placed her hand on his forehead. He was still running a fever!

She hurriedly rummaged through the bag for fever reducers, feeling immensely frustrated. "Didn't I tell you to call me if you weren't feeling well?"

"I was afraid... you wouldn't want to hear from me."

Tang Yuan froze, falling silent. She had indeed been intentionally avoiding him this past week. The last incident had left them both awkward, and while she had wanted to collect herself, she hadn't realized he had been suffering in silence here all this time.

"Take the fever medicine first. That guy, Duan, will be dealt with soon." She held the pills out to his lips.

He sat on the edge of the bed, staring up at her. Tang Yuan wondered if there was something on her face, but in the next second, he reached out, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pressed his face against her.

She was standing, and her hand naturally rested on his hair. It was coarse yet soft, smelling faintly of youthful dampness. His arms were long; after carefully wrapping them around her, he nuzzled against her waist like a large animal.

Tang Yuan’s fingertips trembled. She shoved him away abruptly, grabbed his hand to thrust the pills into his palm, and turned to pour a glass of water. Fu Yansheng remained on the edge of the bed, looking down at the pills in his palm, his lips pressed thin.

Tang Yuan handed him the warm water, her tone indifferent. "Take them. Get the fever down first. There are anti-inflammatory pills in the bag—take two of those as well. As for the spray for your bruises, apply it yourself."

He reached out, slowly took the water she offered, and swallowed the pills in silence.

Feeling a sudden heat, Tang Yuan tugged at her collar and fanned herself for a few seconds before walking toward the door.

Fu Yansheng instinctively moved to follow, but she stopped him. "Stay here and rest. I’m going to go see that Duan fellow."

Duan Wei was currently filming his scenes. As he stepped off the set, his assistant whispered, "That woman called."

Duan Wei was the male lead of the production, paired with an A-list actress, and he had been riding high lately. Everyone on set knew he had a grudge against Fu Yansheng, or he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to torment him.

Just as he was about to ask what the matter was, a gust of wind struck him. A heavy slap landed on his cheek, snapping his head to the side and drawing blood from the corner of his mouth.

He touched his face in disbelief, looking at the woman in front of him who was masked by a hat and face covering. Though he couldn't see her face, her aura was unmistakable. He was instantly incensed. "You bitch, you!"

"The lady boss asked me to give you a message."

As soon as those words were spoken, Duan Wei’s anger vanished. Few people knew he had an affair with the lady boss, and since she had just contacted him, her associate appearing to slap him left him reeling. He suppressed his rage. "Who are you?"

Tang Yuan shook her hand; the slap had been so forceful that her own palm was stinging red.

"I’m Tessa. Has Brother Duan forgotten me so soon? I met with your partner's collaborator these past few days. Does the woman above you know you've caused so much trouble on this set?"

Duan Wei’s expression shifted repeatedly. His assistant murmured, "Brother Duan, she really did tell you not to cause trouble. Maybe it’s because you were targeting the second lead..."

Duan Wei felt suffocated and gritted his teeth. "Tessa, who do you think you are to lecture me?"

"I’m no one, but I have some connections with the top brass at Fenghua Entertainment. I don't think I've settled the score with you for that drugging incident yet, have I? If you keep acting out, I guarantee I’ll have this production replace you."

Duan Wei was currently relying on the female president of Baisheng, whom he had worked so hard to cozy up to, and he didn't dare gamble. Moreover, Tang Yuan’s confidence made him wonder if he had truly kicked a steel plate. Could it be that she wasn't just Fu Yansheng’s manager, but his secret benefactor? Fu Yansheng was lucky, finding such a stunner to back him.

The assistant chimed in, "Brother Duan, the lady boss is indeed very angry. Let it go..."

Duan Wei covered his face, forcing a stiff smile. "My mistake, I didn't recognize you. I’m sorry. Actually, my relationship with Yansheng is perfectly fine."

With most of the crew watching, the entire scene had played out before their eyes. They had thought Fu Yansheng had no one behind him, yet here was the male lead eating humble pie.

Tang Yuan scoffed. "You have people behind you, and Yansheng has people behind him, too. Next time, try to keep your eyes open before you make a move."

Duan Wei’s face darkened again; he wanted nothing more than to strangle her.

Director Zhang had watched the whole thing, never expecting Tang Yuan to have such a fierce side. Tang Yuan turned to him, her tone icy. "Director Zhang, when I brought Yansheng onto this set, didn't I specifically ask you to take good care of him?"

Director Zhang hadn't expected the fire to spread to him. Just as he was about to defend himself, she continued, "Haven't the executives at Fenghua Entertainment heard the news that they are supposed to be opening some doors for me?"

Fenghua Entertainment’s high-end coffee brand had been looking for a spokesperson, and word was that Tessa had snatched the deal, with CEO Shen himself giving the order. That was exactly what she meant by "opening doors." He had assumed that after Shen Zhou’s infidelity, he wouldn't care about his discarded wife, but it seemed he was still willing to provide resources.

Director Zhang was a Fenghua employee himself. He had never liked Tang Yuan, and seeing Duan Wei bully Fu Yansheng had been a source of amusement, but now he was in a tight spot.

"Tessa, look, this is all just a misunderstanding."

"Whether it’s a misunderstanding or not, Director Zhang knows best. I don't care to argue. The things I choose not to address aren't things I’m unaware of. If I really decide to make a scene, nobody here will have a pleasant time."

Director Zhang fell silent; Tang Yuan was threatening him. The recording incident was still hanging over his head, and if Shen Zhou ever decided to settle the score, he wouldn't even know how he died. He wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Yes, yes, of course. I will keep a close eye on things from now on."

Even the director had been humbled. No one else on set dared to speak, all wondering who this Tessa was—coming in to slap the male lead and lecture the director. If Fu Yansheng had such a powerful backer, it was truly foolish that he had ever let himself be bullied so badly.