NOVPUBSheng Quan had no idea that because of her, a villa on a private island had been demolished.
To be precise, she simply didn’t have the time to pay attention to such things right now.
After wrapping up yet another interview, Chairwoman Sheng boarded her private jet again. Even at an altitude of 10,000 meters, she was tirelessly handling documents.
Elevating Starlight Entertainment to the world stage in an instant wasn’t easy. Just the construction of various facilities on Kara Island had led to so many collaborations with other companies, individuals, organizations, and even nations that it could practically weave a spiderweb on the spot.
This was a massive pie, and even if Starlight couldn’t swallow it all, they had to force themselves to.
Fortunately, after years of development, Starlight had gathered a wealth of talent and had prepared in advance, so they were still capable of taking on this challenge.
Of course, doing it effortlessly was out of the question—just look at Sheng Quan. She was now drinking coffee like water, maintaining an intense work schedule. One moment, she was nodding off from exhaustion on the plane, and the next, she was stepping off the jet, full of energy, discussing business with partners while touring their companies and delivering high-EQ remarks.
She was far more formidable than any of her subordinates had imagined.
Even He Xi, the capable and determined assistant who had climbed her way up to Sheng Quan’s side through sheer learning ability and perseverance, had collapsed from exhaustion under the relentless workload, dozing off on the desk. Yet Sheng Quan, who had even more responsibilities, was still working on the plane.
Yu Xiangwan, who usually never contradicted Sheng Quan, couldn’t help but urge her this time.
"You’ve always prioritized your health. You’re exhausted—please rest a little."
But Sheng Quan just smiled and shook her head.
"This time is different."
"Striving for your dreams is a different kind of effort. It’s because I’m working hard for it that it feels even more precious."
Though her words were abstract, Chairwoman Sheng wasn’t just painting an unrealistic picture this time.
This level of exhaustion was something she had experienced many times in her past life—typical corporate drudgery. 𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑝𝘶𝘣.𝑐𝘰𝘮
Back then, as an overworked employee, Sheng Quan had grumbled through every task. Even though her high salary allowed her to live comfortably in the city, she’d still mutter things like, "What’s the point of earning so much money if my health is ruined?"
But now was different.
Though she was still tired, her spirit was exhilarated. She knew she was realizing her greatest dream.
Of course, the most important thing was that Sheng Quan wasn’t recklessly sacrificing her well-being in her business pursuits.
What a joke!
She loved her current life too much to foolishly destroy it.
Mentally, Sheng Quan wasn’t just fulfilled—she also had System 006 constantly updating her on Tu Zhu’s career progress.
Yes, as Kara Island’s construction progressed and the world’s attention grew, Tu Zhu’s career points were skyrocketing.
Sheng Quan spent each day listening to the delightful chime of rising career stats.
Normally, the higher the career points climbed, the harder they were to increase—but Tu Zhu’s progress showed no signs of slowing.
[Tu Zhu’s Career Progress: 67%]
[Tu Zhu’s Career Progress: 69%]
[Tu Zhu’s Career Progress: 80%]
006 cheerfully announced: [Host, it’s time for another prize draw! Want to guess what’s in the pool this time?]
Now that she had already won the grand prize of Kara Island and was too busy for elaborate rituals, Sheng Quan decided to draw casually while taking a break from work.
[Oh… this is a good one.]
Even though she hadn’t been expecting much, Chairwoman Sheng was still pleased when she saw the reward.
A bonus on top of success—even better!
006: [Congratulations, Host!!! We’ll process the transfer immediately! It will be yours forever!!]
After claiming her prize, Sheng Quan stretched her shoulders.
"My shoulders really are a bit sore. Once you’re used to luxury, it’s hard to go back."
With that remark, she declined Yu Xiangwan’s offer to massage her shoulders and instead turned to the doctor in a white coat sitting nearby.
"Doctor Hu, how’s my condition?"
The well-paid physician set down his report. "No immediate issues, but your heart rate is slightly elevated. You might want to cut back on the coffee."
Sheng Quan promptly put down her cup. "Got it. Thanks, Doctor."
Doctor Hu didn’t slack off just because the job seemed easy. He nodded seriously and began preparing for another checkup once the plane landed. After all, with his high salary, he was committed to safeguarding his employer’s health—even if multiple tests over the past few days had only shown minor signs of stress.
Sheng Quan: "Then I’ll switch to chrysanthemum tea."
She glanced at Yu Xiangwan. "You should have some too. I told you I’m fine—why are you so worried? With all these medical staff around, plus a nutritionist preparing meals, I’m the last person who’d have health issues."
Indeed, while pushing herself to the limit, Chairwoman Sheng had hired a team of medical professionals, complete with full equipment, to monitor her health around the clock.
She was truly taking "wealth equals freedom" to the extreme—
Of course, Sheng Quan didn’t keep the perks to herself. Her subordinates received the same treatment.
Take He Xi, the ever-diligent assistant who handled mountains of work, stretching herself thin to keep up.
Or Yu Xiangwan, whose workload was already heavy but who insisted on keeping a constant watch over her, even sleeping in the adjacent room at night.
And then there was Jiang Lu, who outlasted even her—staying awake when she worked, and still awake when she slept.
—Workaholic Gu Zhao was the one who needed the most attention.
Though he was holding down the fort at headquarters, Sheng Quan didn’t need to guess that he was pushing himself even harder than she was. So she had sent half her medical team to oversee him, granting them authority to force him to sleep if necessary.
She couldn’t have her CEO burning out before their grand ambitions were realized.
With the top brass operating like this, the employees were naturally swamped as well. Fortunately, after Sheng Quan raised the bonus incentives, the staff—who had already enjoyed years of company benefits—didn’t complain. Instead, there was an almost rallying spirit of "charging forward together toward greatness."
Whether this morale was partly due to the dozen or so "insiders" she had planted to hype up visions of "better pay after success," "higher social status," "international recognition," and "new management positions opening up," no one could say for sure.
But at the very least, those promises were real.
"Please rest. I’ll wake you when we arrive."
For the first time, Yu Xiangwan disregarded Sheng Quan’s refusal and stepped behind her, gently massaging her shoulders.
He had always been a patient man. Back when he hadn’t met Sheng Quan yet, during those grueling days on set with barely two hours of sleep in three days, he would simply smile and say, "It’s nothing," when others asked.
But now, the mere fact that Sheng Quan had only slept three hours in a night was enough to send Yu Xiangwan, the producer, into a near panic.
In his eyes, his Chairman Sheng deserved all the beautiful things in the world—including her usual eight hours of nightly sleep. Seeing her sleep less pained him more than if he hadn’t slept for three days and nights himself.
He handed her an eye mask, his voice uncharacteristically subdued. "Your shoulders feel stiffer than before."
Sheng Quan replied, "Once this is over, I’ll take everyone out for a proper massage. The whole team."
With most of the urgent tasks handled, she noticed the faint redness at the corners of Yu Xiangwan’s eyes, as if he were on the verge of tears from worry. In the end, she took the eye mask.
Honestly, it wasn’t just her imagination—though Yu Xiangwan usually appeared refined with his glasses on, whenever his eyes turned slightly red with concern, he gave off the vibe of a puppy trying to coax affection.
And the main issue was, he was good-looking. When he was all businesslike, it was fine, but in moments like this, where he showed vulnerability, it was hard for an aesthetics-driven person like her to resist.
Besides, there really weren’t any urgent documents left to handle.
The beauty-loving Chairman Sheng softened her tone. "Then I’ll rest for a bit. You should go sleep too. Let’s sleep together."
The moment she agreed, Yu Xiangwan visibly relaxed. The composed, elegant producer who usually kept his composure now looked completely at ease.
He obediently sat beside her. "Alright, I’ll listen to you."
Just then, Jiang Lu returned with a glass of water and froze.
That was his seat.
This was technically a work area, and Sheng Quan hadn’t insisted on having a row to herself, so three spacious seats had been arranged. Originally, she sat in the middle, with Jiang Lu—responsible for her safety—on the right, and Doctor Hu, who monitored her health, on the left.
The tall, reserved man stood there silently for a good ten seconds.
Yu Xiangwan had already closed his eyes and leaned slightly toward Sheng Quan, clearly not planning to give the spot back.
Jiang Lu: "…"
In the end, Brother Jiang could only silently take a seat in the row behind them.
He Xi, who had just woken up groggily, sensed movement and glanced over—only to see a man radiating an oppressive, intimidating aura sitting beside her.
She: "…Holy shit, scared me to death."
Thought it was a nightmare!
Clutching her pounding chest, she quietly got up and poked Doctor Hu, who was seated to Sheng Quan’s right.
"Doctor, my heart’s racing. Can you check me out?"
Doctor Hu, who had been diligently projecting an "I’m working hard to earn this generous salary" vibe, immediately brightened.
"Of course! Let’s head to the back for an examination!"
Indeed, the rear of Sheng Quan’s private jet housed an entire medical bay, equipped with every possible in-flight medical facility—some so expensive they could buy a house.
In the past, He Xi might’ve grumbled internally about "the obscenely wealthy."
But after Chairman Sheng made it clear she could use any of it whenever needed, He Xi’s only thought was, "Let me follow this boss for life."
Doctor Hu felt much the same. He’d served other wealthy clients before, but Sheng Quan was the first who made him genuinely consider spending the rest of his career as her personal physician.
It wasn’t just her generosity and approachability—her destinations were either thrilling or high-end, and the medical team always enjoyed top-tier treatment.
Take this upcoming concert on Kara Island, for instance. Ten million tickets had sold out worldwide in a flash—Doctor Hu hadn’t even stood a chance.
But! As part of Chairman Sheng’s medical team, he’d be spending ten days and nights on the island during the event!
This was the jackpot!
Maintaining his professional calm, Doctor Hu cheerfully finished examining He Xi and strode back to his seat—only to find the towering man Sheng Quan called "Brother Jiang" sitting in it.
Doctor Hu: "…"
After a brief pause, he silently took a seat in the row behind and resumed daydreaming about how amazing Kara Island would be.
It had to be incredible, right? People worldwide were practically begging for tickets.
—"It’s gonna be amazing!!!"
In an ordinary household in China, a young man was practically kneeling to beg his father.
"Dad, please!!! You have to go!!! The ticket’s under your name—if you don’t, it’s wasted!!!"
The fifty-year-old father looked like he wanted to kick his "hopeless" son. "A concert? That’s for your generation, not mine."
"Ten days on a ship, then another ten on some island—twenty days gone just like that. Sounds like a scam."
The son wailed, "You’re retired anyway! Dad, I’m begging you! This chance is once in a lifetime!"
"If I hadn’t accidentally entered your ID when buying the ticket, I’d be packing right now!! Just go, please! Take some videos—my channel’s success depends on this! You love Starlight Entertainment’s movies, don’t you? Kara Island belongs to them too!"
The father scowled. "You think I’m stupid? For what that ticket costs, twenty days there probably means terrible food, awful lodging, and a barely developed private island with nothing to offer."
"A million people crammed on one island—you trying to starve your old man to death?"
"No!! Kara Island’s development is insane now! Let me tell you—"
"Now you’re cursing at me?!?!"
"No no no!! I mean it’s mind-blowing!!"
In the end, the father—a widower who’d raised his son alone—couldn’t withstand the pleading.
Grumbling, he packed his bags. When neighbors asked about the trip, he complained loudly:
"That brat of mine messed up buying concert tickets—got one in my name instead. Says he needs footage for his ‘content creator’ nonsense. Cried and begged until I gave in."
"Tch! What can you do? As a father, I’ve got to suffer through it. Some island or other—kid’s always causing trouble."
With the Kara Island concert being broadcast worldwide, the neighbors knew exactly what he meant. They were instantly envious.
"Ohhh, that’s the famous Kara Island, isn’t it? Heard tickets are impossible to get!"
"Old Man Zhang, you’re in for a treat. That place is something else."
"Exactly, I heard some leader from Country N really wanted tickets and even mentioned it on TV."
"My son tried to get tickets too but couldn’t. Your son is really something."
Old Man Zhang’s expression turned slightly smug, though he tried to keep a straight face:
"What’s so great about it? A million people crammed onto one island—sounds like a mess. Who knows if they’ll even feed us properly."
He stomped off, pretending to be annoyed, but deep down, he felt a little uneasy. Since his wife passed away, he hadn’t traveled far from home.
After retiring early, Old Man Zhang had been feeling adrift, unsure how to fill his days. Most of his time was spent watching movies and TV shows, holed up at home.
This trip stirred some quiet excitement in him, but the thought of a million people packed onto a tiny island made him skeptical.
Oh well, he’d do it for his son.
He boarded the car, completely unaware that his son’s friend had just slipped into their apartment building.
Moments later, his son, Little Zhang, and the friend sneaked out, lugging suitcases behind them.
The friend asked, "Hey, does your dad really believe you only bought one ticket?"
Little Zhang grinned. "If I told him the truth, he’d never go. Ever since he retired, he’s convinced he’s useless—pinching every penny, refusing to spend on anything ‘frivolous’ like travel."
The friend nodded. "Smart move, telling him you needed those videos for work. He’d do anything to help you."
"Of course. My dad adores me. That’s why I’m making sure he enjoys this trip. Seeing him mope around at home breaks my heart. If I didn’t trick him, he’d never set foot on Kara Island—just hearing it’s a private resort would make him assume it’s outrageously expensive."
The friend still looked worried. "But the voyage takes ten days. You sure it’ll be okay?"
"Relax, I did my homework. Would I buy him a ticket otherwise?"
Little Zhang waved his phone triumphantly. "I’m a content creator—I’ve got connections. Just wait till we’re on board."
A day later—
Old Man Zhang spent the entire journey fretting about seasickness and whether he’d adapt to life on a ship.
At his age, he wasn’t as impulsive as the younger generation. He thought pragmatically.
—The ticket wasn’t that expensive. What kind of ship could they possibly get?
He did enjoy Starlight Entertainment’s shows, but even big companies had to turn a profit. You get what you pay for.
And hadn’t the news been buzzing about Starlight pouring a fortune into developing Kara Island?
They must be strapped for cash. What kind of luxury could they offer?
Not that Old Man Zhang cared much.
He’d endured rough voyages on small boats in his youth. If anything, he was glad his son wasn’t the one suffering.
That kid would tough it out no matter how uncomfortable—always pushing himself for work. But Old Man Zhang? He’d weathered storms before.
The thought filled him with pride—both for helping his son and for his own resilience.
He even spared a worried thought for Starlight’s finances.
After all, he was fond of their shows.
Then, he was led to the dock.
There, looming before him, was a colossal ship—at least 200 meters long, towering over a dozen decks high, like a leviathan from the deep.
—He recognized it from the news.
Didn’t this thing cost billions to build?
Even a fool could guess the tickets were astronomically expensive.
Old Man Zhang stood frozen.
Finally, he managed to ask a staff member:
"Is this… the ship to Kara Island? No extra ticket needed?"
The staffer smiled politely. "None at all. Your concert ticket includes three meals a day onboard."
Old Man Zhang was still baffled. "But this ship was in the news—isn’t it the world’s largest luxury cruise? How can our ticket possibly cover this? And with so many passengers, one ship can’t be enough, right?"
The staffer, clearly used to such questions, replied smoothly:
"To ensure the best experience for our guests, Starlight has partnered with multiple cruise companies, chartering several ships. So rest assured, all onboard expenses are covered by Starlight."
Old Man Zhang nodded, impressed.
"So this ship is chartered too? That’s incredible—the rental fee must be sky-high. How do you even turn a profit?"
The staffer shook his head. "Actually, this one isn’t chartered."
Old Man Zhang blinked. "…Not chartered? Then what?"
Was the ship too prestigious to rent out?
The staffer beamed.
"This vessel was recently purchased in a private transaction. It now belongs to Sheng Quan, Chairman of Starlight Entertainment."
Old Man Zhang: "…"
"The Chairman acquired it for 10.3 billion, specifically to transport guests to Kara Island."
With a final reassuring smile, the staffer added:
"So you needn’t worry."
"We don’t pay rent—we own it."
