Zhao Ruyi had already been handed over to Secretary Du to deal with, and the Moments post had just been made. With everything settled, the two of them felt completely at ease and began chatting about a few “private” topics.
“Mr. Xie, thank you for stepping in to help,” Ling Wei said sincerely. If Xie Qingyan had not appeared in time, she could have handled Zhao Ruyi herself, but it would have been much more troublesome.
Xie Qingyan played with the red bracelet and said, “It is only right. It is written in the agreement.”
“You still deserve thanks.”
“Then how about something more substantial as a token of gratitude?”
Ling Wei looked at him warily. “I am a person with principles. I will not give anything too excessive.”
Xie Qingyan raised his hand and pointed at his cheek. “Would a kiss count as breaking your principles?”
Ling Wei: …
Could it be that Boss Xie really had feelings for her? Was he using the agreement as an excuse to pursue her for personal reasons? Otherwise, why would he keep making gestures that could easily be misunderstood?
But it was only a kiss on the cheek, not on the lips. It was not a big deal. Had he not just kissed her on the forehead in front of everyone? Thinking this through, Ling Wei stopped hesitating and readily leaned down to kiss him lightly on the cheek.
Xie Qingyan: …
Noticing his odd expression, Ling Wei asked, “What is it?”
Xie Qingyan lifted his eyelids and glanced at her. “You kissed too fast. I had not opened the camera yet.”
Ling Wei: …
Now it felt as though she had been the one eager to kiss him.
Ling Wei pressed her lips together. “Are you collecting material for Moments again? Did you not just post something?”
“I will save it in case I need it. And you look beautiful in that costume.” Xie Qingyan rarely praised her so seriously.
Ling Wei immediately felt a little smug. She flicked her sleeve and struck a seductive pose. “I think I look beautiful too.”
Xie Qingyan nodded. “Just like a favored concubine in Daddy’s imperial harem.”
Ling Wei: …
In the end, Concubine Ling cooperatively adopted a demure pose, allowing Daddy Xie to take several more photos to his heart’s content.
Xie Qingyan had never had any dealings with the entertainment industry before. This visit to the set was a first for him. The entire crew treated it with great importance. After the couple finished handling their private matters, Guo Qi personally came to receive Xie Qingyan, leading him around the set and giving a detailed introduction to the production. The pomp and ceremony made it seem like a high-level official inspecting work. Every member of the crew turned into a flatterer.
Ling Wei, her hand tightly held by Xie Qingyan, also made the rounds with him. By now, even the cleaning auntie knew she had a very powerful boyfriend.
After the tour, Xie Qingyan was invited to observe the live filming. Sitting behind the monitor, he looked even more professional than the director.
Ling Wei had no scenes to shoot at the moment, so she sat beside him and watched. Ever since everyone found out she was Boss Xie’s girlfriend, her treatment on set had instantly improved by several levels, almost on par with Lan Ruo.
Before the scene began filming, Xie Qingyan chatted quietly with the director, while Ling Wei scrolled through her Moments.
She heard Xie Qingyan speaking eloquently, “The current system of China’s entertainment industry is not yet fully developed. Many actors struggle to win public confidence with their abilities. The market has not fully unleashed its immense potential. After all, China has a large population. As long as purchasing power rises and intellectual property protection is strengthened, the potential will be immeasurable…”
When Boss Xie talked to others, he was serious and grand in his reasoning, completely carrying the air of someone in a superior position looking down on the world. Hearing this, Ling Wei lowered her head and checked his Moments. The tone there was completely different:
“Daddy just loves to show off. Single dogs have no right to comment.”
“Even if you wear a hundred-carat diamond bracelet, you cannot show off like Daddy.”
“You lot can only kneel and worship!”
Ling Wei: …
She raised her head again to look at Boss Xie. With a thoughtful and far-sighted expression, he said wisely, “I am quite optimistic about this industry. Over the past two years, I have also tried investing in it, and the results have been good. Besides, Xiaowei likes acting. For her sake, I need to make more plans…”
Ling Wei listened blankly, then lowered her head again to check his Moments:
“If you have the ability, show off too. Daddy will give you two Moments posts!”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“Get lost.”
Ling Wei: …
Ling Wei felt that if she stayed around Daddy Xie any longer, she might develop a split personality herself.
At noon, Xie Qingyan played host and treated the director and several key members of the cast and crew to lunch. Since they still had work in the afternoon, no one touched any alcohol.
After the meal, Xie Qingyan did not stay long. He said goodbye to Ling Wei and left.
Ling Wei secretly went to the front desk to ask about the cost of the lunch. The price was not outrageously high. Not long after Xie Qingyan left, she transferred the exact amount to him via WeChat.
On his way back, Xie Qingyan saw the transfer and wore an expression as uncomfortable as constipation. He asked Secretary Du how much lunch had cost. Secretary Du was somewhat surprised that he would care about such a trivial matter and reported the figure. It was exactly the same amount Ling Wei had transferred, precise down to the last decimal.
Xie Qingyan’s expression turned subtle as he tapped to confirm the transfer, then sent her another message, “What about the money for the red string on your wrist?”
Very quickly, Ling Wei sent him another red envelope. He opened it and saw five yuan.
Xie Qingyan: …
The sour sting of it surpassed even pickled mustard greens.
“Du Ming, I have been brushed off with money again,” the wealthy Mr. Xie said gloomily. Other people tried desperately to cling to a financial backer, yet this woman insisted on taking the unconventional route.
Secretary Du, sitting in the front passenger seat, did not even turn his head. His voice sounded as if it had just been taken out of a freezer. “Throw it back at her.”
Mr. Xie the tycoon found this very reasonable. Thus, during the remaining half hour of the drive, Xie Qingyan kept sending red envelopes. His fingers grew sore from tapping, yet his mood became exceptionally bright.
Ling Wei had a scene to shoot that afternoon. After sending Xie Qingyan the red envelopes, she handed her phone to Chen Xiaoruo and continued filming. When shooting wrapped, Chen Xiaoruo immediately returned the phone to her and said, “Sis, your WeChat is about to explode. Take a look.”
Ling Wei had no idea what she meant. When she opened it, she was startled. Xie Qingyan had sent her a huge pile of red envelopes.
Ling Wei: …
Was this his revenge? Because she had insisted on settling accounts with him, so he retaliated by bombarding her with red envelopes? There must have been a hundred of them. Had no one told Boss Xie that if she did not accept them, the money would simply be returned? All his effort was destined to be in vain.
Chen Xiaoruo swallowed nervously beside her. “Sis, are you not going to accept them? This is the first time I have seen someone send so many red envelopes in one go.”
Ling Wei scolded her with a smile, “Have some dignity.”
In the end, she did not tap to accept a single one.
The scandal about Assistant Director Wang sleeping with an actress had begun with a bang but ended hastily. Assistant Director Wang was dismissed from the crew, and the other party involved, Bai Xiaolian, resigned from the production herself and never appeared on set again.
After some sighing and gossip, everyone returned to their own business. Life belonged to each individual. It would not change its rhythm because of someone else’s scandal. No matter how big the event, people still ate and slept. After some time, it was forgotten.
Two days later, Ling Wei received a call from her company informing her that her manager Zhao Ruyi had resigned. The company had assigned her a new manager who would arrive at the set within a couple of days to meet her.
This outcome was within Ling Wei’s expectations, but she was still curious about what kind of manager the company would assign her.
She asked over the phone who it was, but the person on the other end deliberately kept it a secret, saying she would find out at the meeting.
So Ling Wei waited another two days. Finally, the person who arrived was Li Yi, a well known manager in the entertainment industry and currently the ace agent at Ling Wei’s company, with several top tier stars under her management.
Why was it her?
Ling Wei was so shocked because she knew that later this year Li Yi would jump ship to GH Entertainment. Not only her, but two of the top stars under her would also sign with GH after their contracts expired. The news had spread like wildfire at the time. Anyone in the entertainment circle knew about it.
At such a critical moment, why would Li Yi agree to take her on? Was it to lull the company’s senior management into a false sense of security? It was truly puzzling.
But no matter what, it was far better than when Zhao Ruyi had been around.
Li Yi was a career driven woman under forty, with a powerful presence and a decisive manner. Her attitude toward Ling Wei, however, was quite easygoing. She spoke with a smile, “With your conditions, as long as you are willing to work hard, you will definitely become popular.”
“Thank you, Sister Li.”
“I will not waste words. I just asked Director Guo for two days off for you. Come back with me to attend a production meeting. I have secured a reality show for you. Once you finish filming Palace Wall Willows, that show will begin recording, and the timing will line up perfectly.”
“A reality show?” Ling Wei had not expected Li Yi to be so generous. She had just taken her on and was already bringing such a substantial gift.
Li Yi explained, “Yes, it is a new program on Channel A, a parent child type. Your current popularity is not high, so the offer is modest, but that is fine. You can use the show to boost your visibility.”
Ling Wei did not resist the idea of joining a reality show. She knew how popular they were and that they were the best way to increase exposure. But the problem was, what did parent child type mean?
If she understood correctly, such programs usually featured a father and child or a mother and child. She did not even have a boyfriend, let alone a child. How was she supposed to participate?
“There are several real parent child pairs, and two temporary pairings. You are one of them.”
Ling Wei was dumbfounded. “So I am supposed to take care of a child?”
Li Yi narrowed her eyes. “What, you are unwilling?”
“I am afraid I will not do a good job.”
“That is exactly the effect the show wants.”
Ling Wei: …
Her resistance proved useless. Very quickly, Li Yi brought Ling Wei back to the capital to attend the production meeting and introductory session.
On the day of the meeting, Ling Wei wore her hair in two braids and dressed in playful suspenders and shorts. She looked lively and youthful, hoping to win over the child with her charm.
Before she even had the chance to demonstrate her appeal, the door had barely opened when a handsome and adorable little boy rushed toward her and shouted loudly, “Mom!”
Ling Wei felt as if she had been struck by lightning.
And the thunder kept rolling. Seeing that she was frightened, the little boy quickly introduced himself. “Hello Mom, I am your new son. My name is Xie Ziyu. I am five years old. My dad is the super invincible and unbelievably awesome big boss of the Xie Corporation, Xie Qingyan!”
Ling Wei: …
“What is your dad’s name?”
“Xie Qingyan!”
This had to be a prank show, right?
Author’s Note:
Another little drama king has entered the scene. Rest assured, he is definitely not Daddy Xie’s biological son!