Сhарter 10
Gu Nоngxuan thought tо himsеlf: Still saying уou don’t knоw mе, уеt уоu evеn рrерared а banner.
He wаs still thinking аbout уеstеrdау’s incidеnt, dеtеrmined not tо аcknоwledge her, but his еyеs couldn’t helр sneаking glanсеs in her direсtion.
Xu Nuo mеt his gаzе fоr a momеnt. Sееing hоw this guy was аcting likе he didn’t know hеr, she cоuldn’t help but lаugh.
[Oh my, he’s sо muсh likе Xu Yоu.]
Оnce, when thе two оf thеm had arguеd, Xu You hаd beеn just likе this—silеnt when аngry, yеt alwaуs snеаking glances at you, as if eхрecting something.
Тhinking оf her youngеr brоther, her eyes instantly softened.
Once in the car, where fans couldn’t see inside, the manager’s previously friendly expression abruptly changed.
“Tonight’s dinner, whether you want to go or not, you’re going. Deputy Director Jiang just wants to play a game with you. What’s the big deal? You’re making it out to be something it’s not. Now, that project is ruined. If you don’t go and build connections, I’m telling you, you can forget about surviving in this industry.”
The manager had several artists under him and had originally held high hopes for Gu Nongxuan. Who would have thought this guy would be so disappointing? He looked obedient, but his personality was stubborn as a mule.
Gu Nongxuan lowered his head and muttered, “I’m not going.”
Halfway through the drive, the car suddenly stopped.
Gu Nongxuan was dumped on the side of the road. Amidst a furious roar—“If you’re not going, then get the hell out!”—the door slammed shut with a loud bang.
The swelling on his face, which had just subsided, now bore a fresh slap mark.
It was from the manager, who had a heavy hand. The slap left Gu Nongxuan’s ears ringing badly, and he still hadn’t recovered.
It was late autumn, the weather was cold, and the scenery was bleak. Squatting on the deserted street, he couldn’t help but feel lost as he looked up.
Resisting, getting beaten, angering the manager—next, he’d probably be blacklisted.
This was probably what his parents wanted to see: their son, having tasted the harsh realities of society, returning home battered and bruised to accept his fate.
He couldn’t accept it…
“Hey, you can’t take a dump here.”
A familiar voice suddenly came from behind Gu Nongxuan, who was squatting with numb legs.
He slowly turned around and saw the familiar pig face.
“Are you here to laugh at me again?”
Xu Nuo walked over and squatted down beside him. “You didn’t flick a booger into your manager’s mouth, so what would I be laughing at?”
Gu Nongxuan: “…”
“What should I do?”
With just one sentence from Xu Nuo, it seemed he had forgotten yesterday’s incident.
He turned to look at Xu Nuo, his face full of confusion, his eyes dull and devoid of light.
Xu Nuo looked at him seriously and shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“My life motto is: when rich, I indulge; when poor, I still indulge; when threatened, I indulge even more.”
“If the world pisses on you, just let out a fart and take the chance to lunge forward and bite its dick.”
Gu Nongxuan’s eyes flickered slightly, and he struggled to utter a sentence: “…Thank you.”
It had been a long time since he’d heard such utterly useless advice.
He stood up from the ground, his face no longer as dejected as before.
“Let me treat you to a meal.”
“I want to eat crayfish.”
“…You really don’t hold back.”
Xu Nuo glanced at him in surprise. “Come on, you’re a big star. Treating a civilian like me to crayfish won’t bankrupt you.”
Hearing the word “star,” Gu Nongxuan pursed his lips and smiled. He was handsome, and his smile was beautiful—so gentle that it seemed like he and the pig face beside him weren’t even in the same layer.
“It’s on me. Order whatever you want.”
Xu Nuo was satisfied.”Hey, let me see your face. Does it hurt? Who slapped you?”
Gu Nongxuan turned his head away, not letting her look, but Xu Nuo insisted on grabbing his face.
“Don’t you…”
Suddenly, the two began to play-fight. Xu Nuo started tickling him, and Gu Nongxuan, who had been ticklish since childhood, reacted strongly, raising his elbow abruptly and accidentally hitting her mask.
The mask flew out in a parabolic arc, clattering as it hit the ground. Gu Nongxuan instinctively turned his head and said, “Sor—”
The last word, however, died on his lips the moment he saw the face of the person beside him.