Zhu Xingtong scrambled to find the contact information she had obtained before leaving last time. She decided she had better call Zhong Ying first to explain the situation.
“Hello…” Zhong Ying’s voice came through the other end, sounding slightly lazy and husky.
Zhu Xingtong dazed for a moment. Zhong Ying’s voice sounded a bit distorted over the phone—had she just woken up?
“President Zhu, is there something I can help you with?”
The title “President Zhu” felt like a needle prick to Xingtong. She nearly jumped and hurriedly blurted out, “Zhong Ying, I don’t want to sleep with you!”
Zhong Ying: “…”
“Wait, no! That’s not what I meant!” Heavens, Zhu Xingtong, what on earth are you saying?!
A moment later, a melodic laugh came from the other side. “So, was it really you who sent President Long to sign that sponsorship agreement?”
She didn’t seem angry?
Zhu Xingtong gave a soft, small “mm” in admission. “…I want to be friends with you. I don’t want to sleep with you… really!”
“Why sign that kind of agreement just to be friends?”
Did she notice I was nervous? Zhong Ying’s tone was the same as usual; instead of being reproachful, she actually sounded a bit softer. Zhu Xingtong took a deep breath. “I want to promote you! From my professional perspective, you are guaranteed to be a hit!”
“What does that have to do with wanting to keep me as a mistress?”
Zhu Xingtong: “Uh…”
Just as Xingtong was agonizing over how to explain, Zhong Ying’s voice came through the phone with a faint, ghostly whisper: “You just want to sleep with me.”
Zhu Xingtong: “…?”
By Harbor Square, the sea breeze caught the hem of Zhong Ying’s white dress. She held back her wind-swept hair, the railings and the vast ocean behind her creating a scene as beautiful as a painting.
Zhu Xingtong arrived as promised and called out with pursed lips, “Zhong Ying…”
Zhong Ying turned around. “President Zhu.”
Zhu Xingtong clearly disliked the title. She muttered under her breath, “Women really are fickle.”
Last time they met, she was patting her on the head, but today she was calling her “President Zhu”! She was definitely holding a grudge over that agreement!
Stubborn little baby!
“Speak up a bit,” Zhong Ying said, narrowing her eyes.
Zhu Xingtong’s cheeks puffed out like balloons. “…Why are you being so fierce?!”
Zhong Ying: “???”
Even now, Zhong Ying couldn’t understand how this girl with such an adorable face had become the Chairwoman of Little Star Real Estate. Was she faking it? There was no need. Zhu Xingtong had enough money to bury her in cash.
So what was her motive?
It was precisely because Zhong Ying didn’t understand that she had agreed to this meeting.
As Zhong Ying was deep in thought, Zhu Xingtong walked over and said seriously, “Whether you believe it or not, I didn’t know about that agreement. That scoundrel Long Ze made the whole thing up.”
Zhong Ying paused. She hadn’t expected it to be Long Ze’s own initiative.
“But I thought about it, and I felt that becoming your ‘benefactor’ isn’t such a bad idea. You need a solid foothold in this industry, and you can just view me as a venture capitalist—I’m simply investing in you. That’s all.” After saying this, Xingtong felt something was off and added, “Surely there aren’t any actors who don’t want to be Movie Queens?”
“An actor who doesn’t want to be a Movie Queen isn’t a good actor,” Zhong Ying said with a smile.
“Other people have to sleep with several people just for one role. But look at you—you only have to sleep with me to get as many roles as you want!” Xingtong said.
Zhong Ying: “…” What kind of logic is this?
Zhu Xingtong whispered under her breath, “Besides, I have everything you have. You aren’t losing out by sleeping with me.”
“Pfft—”
Zhu Xingtong suddenly heard a laugh. She looked up and met Zhong Ying’s eyes, only to see her teasing gaze. “Not losing out? I wouldn’t be so sure.”
Xingtong felt as if her chest had been scanned by an X-ray! She instinctively covered her modest B-cups, feeling indignant. Is being a C-cup big shot really that impressive?!
“I remember during dinner last time, someone was staring quite intensely at my chest.”
“That was an accident! And… everyone has a love for beauty!”
“Oh—”
Zhong Ying laughed and stopped teasing her, her expression turning serious. “But why me? There are many people in this industry, many of whom will do anything to climb the ladder. Compared to them, I don’t think I have much ambition. I don’t think it should be me.”
“You have to trust my eye for talent!”
Zhong Ying: “…Hearing President Zhu say that gives me quite a bit of pressure.” To be given such expectations was indeed a bit overwhelming.
“Just say yes! You don’t understand the feeling of digging up a sapling from the mountains and desperately wanting to nurture it until it becomes a giant, towering tree!”
Zhong Ying unceremoniously patted her head. “Am I a sapling?!”
Zhu Xingtong stuck out her tongue. “Hurry up and let me become your benefactor, then you won’t be able to just pat my head whenever you want!”
“Please be sure to add that clause to the agreement: ‘Party B is allowed to pat the benefactor’s head at will.'”
Zhu Xingtong accused her solemnly: “That is a very unreasonable request!”
Wait, no.
“You agreed?!” Zhu Xingtong’s eyes widened. “You agreed to sign the agreement?”
Zhong Ying’s lips curled into a smirk. “I will draft the agreement myself. If you agree to the terms, I’ll sign.”
Zhu Xingtong: “!!!”