Bei Gong Hai approached Lan Jie who was chatting with overt flirtation with a producer. She was laughing in a manner that was uncharacteristic for a woman of her age. Her giggles sounded like they came from a preteen who had heard a dirty word.

"Lan Jie, can I speak with you for a moment?" Bei Gong Hai ignored the unpleasant sight and spoke in a normal manner.

Lan Jie tapped the middle-aged producer on the arm before speaking her goodbyes.

"Bei Gong Hai, you were great in the morning show. The audience loved you, especially the chemistry with Wang Yue. Already, your CP is trending." Lan Jie smiled with happiness. "In fact, people say that the mad scientist was only shy about showing his love."

His lips twitched at the statement. He wondered how crazy fans could be. It was obvious that his character was a complete psychopath. Even though he was the male lead, it was not a romance story. The scientist's obsession with the protagonist was sick and did not hold an ounce of love.

As for the CP, he did not know why he felt uncomfortable. He had been noticing that Wang Yue had some thoughts towards him. However, he could not say anything because she did not do anything appropriate. Sometimes, he even thought that it was his own imagination leading him into weird assumptions.

"Actually, I wanted to speak to you about Hu Lei. Why didn't she come to the morning show?" He asked, ignoring other thoughts.

There was a faint glint in Lan Jie's eyes. She had confirmed that Bei Gong Hai was interested in Hu Lei. But she felt that it would not be in the best interest of the show if this was discovered or encouraged. It would be better if the rumours circulated around him and Wang Yue.

"I don't know why she did not come. I tried calling her and her assistant, but there was no response. I had to plead with for our appearance not to be cancelled in today's show. It was too inconsiderate for her not to even notify me that she was not coming." Lan Jie was a clever woman and understood that she had to deal with Bei Gong Hai carefully. If he was not satisfied, he could cause trouble.

Bei Gong Hai frowned. He had exceptional work ethic. He would never be late for appointments, and he would not miss work even if he was sick. Obviously, he did not like people who slacked off. But he felt that there had to be a reason for Hu Lei not being there.

"Maybe I should check up on her. Can I trouble you to give me her number?" He asked.

Lan Jie did not have Hu Lei's personal number, and she had definitely not called earlier. But no one knew about this. "You know I can't do that. It is important to maintain personal privacy."

Bei Gong Hai felt embarrassed. He knew the rules, but people had always given him way. He did not expect that Lan Jie would be this strict when it came to such small matters. In a way, this made him trust her a little more.

"I am sorry. I shouldn't have asked. I am just concerned." He apologised.

"It's no problem. I am sure that she is fine. She is probably not used to the stress of the entertainment industry." Lan Jie smiled. "You should rest up. We don't have anything more today and tomorrow. You can do your own things. We will have a magazine interview and photo shoot after that. Your manager should have already informed you."

The two spoke a few more courteous words before going on their separate ways. As Lan Jie walked to her car, her phone rang. It was her boss.

"Lan Jie, what did you do?" The man spoke angrily.

Lan Jie did not know what this person was talking about. She had handled everything with efficiency. The host and the producer had loved the morning show. The audience was gushing online about the movie, especially with the influence of their social media experts. Even if they aired The Queen of Apocalypse immediately, it would do very well.

"Is there something wrong? There has been no trouble. The promotions are going well." She responded with caution.

"I was watching the show. Where is the author?"

Lan Jie's heart pounded a bit in confusion and apprehension.

"She did not show up this morning. I had to make arrangements so that the show could continue with only the main cast." She did not lose her composure.

There was silence on the line.

"That better be the case. If you have offended Little Ninja Cat, you will not have a good time ahead of you." The person spoke after a moment.

Lan Jie felt some doubt creeping up in her heart.

"Sir, is there something that I should know about the author?" She asked.

"I already told you everything you needed to know. There is nothing to worry about if you have no problems with her." With that, the call was disconnected.

Lan Jie felt a strange suffocation in her heart. Had she made a mistake? She remembered what she had been told before the TQA project was handed to her. The presence of the author was not negotiable. She thought back to her actions and tried to justify herself.

If something really happened, she needed to be ready with her defence. The original disagreement with that woman was about the TQA team jackets. She had indeed prepared a jacket for Hu Lei. But she had given it to Wang Yue's assistant, telling her to deliver it to Hu Lei. She could not really be blamed for the failure of delivery.

But in her heart, she knew that she had made careful calculations. She had wanted Hu Lei off the team for the sake of harmony, and the easiest way was to use the hand of an expendable and easy-to-manipulate person like that assistant. If the matter was discovered, there would be no proof of anything.

Furthermore, that little author had left by herself.

At that moment, that little author sneezed. The involuntary action caused her overworked body, which had been tossed around in the bed in difficult positions, to groan in protest. She cursed a certain man who had already abandoned her for work. Before long, she fell asleep once again.