Deeply in Love [Showbiz] - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After Bai Lian finished speaking, she sat up straight and focused on driving with the same seriousness as before.

However, while the speaker was casual, the listener was not. Nan Zhiyao’s heart raced at these words, and she had to repeatedly tell herself: Don’t overthink it, don’t overthink it. In a circle as large as the entertainment industry, it’s normal to have seen each other occasionally at events.

Ahhhh! Did Bai Lian see me looking ugly or something!?

Nan Zhiyao’s throat tightened. She told herself that as soon as she got home today, she would call Sister Geng to demand a contract termination.

Previously, when she signed with Chuangyi, she had been indifferent to the company’s hype strategies. Back then, she didn’t have much ambition for her career and figured she’d just play around.

Now things were different. Bai Lian was about to marry her! She would soon be her legal wife.

Creating fake scandals with my own wife? Would I even be human?

Nan Zhiyao deliberately ignored the fact that this was a contract marriage. Just then, the phone in her hand began to ring.

Speak of the devil? The screen displayed the words: Sister Geng.

Bai Lian glanced at Nan Zhiyao and reminded her softly, “We’re almost there.“

“Ah… okay.” Nan Zhiyao’s phone kept ringing. She felt that Geng Pan looking for her was never a good sign. She declined the call once, but the other side called back persistently.

“Don’t want to answer?” Bai Lian asked calmly. She deftly turned the steering wheel half a rotation and brought the car to a steady stop at the entrance of a back street. The Marriage Registration Center was less than a hundred meters ahead.

“My manager,” Nan Zhiyao frowned, then added, “But not for long.“

She saw a look of understanding on Bai Lian’s face. She paused but eventually couldn’t help herself. “Before, my company always associated me and you—”

Nan Zhiyao held her breath, unable to bring herself to say the word “hype.“

Bai Lian seemed to be waiting for her to finish, her eyes resting on her. Having her idol right in front of her was enough to send her blood pressure soaring; having her stare directly at her was almost more than she could handle.

Nan Zhiyao pressed the “ignore” button again, only for the phone to ring once more. Bai Lian said, “I can answer it for you.“

No, no, no! If you answer it, a massive disaster will break out.

Nan Zhiyao finally hit the answer button, and Sister Geng’s angry voice immediately blared out: “Nan Zhiyao, have you grown a pair? You dare hang up on me!?“

Hearing this tone, although Bai Lian’s expression remained flat, her brow furrowed slightly.

Geng Pan didn’t give Nan Zhiyao a chance to speak: “Didn’t I tell you? You must make a proper appearance at tonight’s Starlight Gala! Where are you right now? We’ve arranged your seat two rows behind Bai Lian. You must find a way to appear in the same frame as her, do you hear me!?“

Awkward.

Nan Zhiyao blinked with difficulty. She was being ordered on how to “leech” off the very person sitting right next to her.

“Also, didn’t I tell you yesterday? The final variety show for Bai Lian’s group is starting preparations. If you want to fight for this opportunity, you must increase your exposure with Bai Lian. Otherwise, why would such a great opportunity fall to you?“

Nan Zhiyao: “…“

Great my ass!

It turned out Geng Pan had started planning this so early, but she hadn’t cared at all before.

N.A.E., the girl group Bai Lian belonged to, had three members. All three had different career paths planned from the start, and they never hid this from the fans, but that didn’t stop the trio from becoming incredibly famous.

Bai Lian was the most popular. Since her debut, fans had hailed her as a “god-tier beauty.” Her every move was the center of attention. Consequently, Nan Zhiyao, who was “hyped” alongside her, became famous as well.

Back then, Nan Zhiyao was confused. So many people wanted to use Bai Lian for hype—how did she alone become famous? At the time, she told herself the company’s PR ability was truly amazing, carving out a path of “black-and-red” fame for her among so many competitors.

Now Nan Zhiyao knew: she was just lucky. To be reborn after dying—this “koi fish” luck was beyond that of ordinary people.

Starting this year, N.A.E.’s stage activities had decreased by a third, and Bai Lian had begun transitioning into acting. And the result? People who could attract countless fans by singing and dancing could do the same by acting. Her first attempt, playing the third female lead in a historical drama burdened by a blood feud, was a role most people couldn’t pull off. Yet the moment Bai Lian appeared, a single look from her captivated the audience.

What kind of perfect human is she!?

Riding this momentum, Bai Lian’s team quickly signed her for a modern drama as the female lead. Coincidentally, Nan Zhiyao was also in this drama, playing the major “vile female supporting role.” The director’s stance was that everyone had to coordinate with Bai Lian’s schedule, waiting for word from her on when to start filming.

Bai Lian lifted her hand to check the time, a small movement Nan Zhiyao keenly captured. She pulled her thoughts back from the clouds and cut off Geng Pan: “Sister Geng, I want to terminate my contract with Chuangyi.”

“…”

There was a period of silence on the other end, clearly too shocked to react.

By now, Nan Zhiyao felt she had to salvage her “hype-only” image in front of Bai Lian by showing she was only following orders. She cleared her throat and said:

“Sister Geng, don’t set these kinds of paths for people in the future; it’s really not honorable.” Nan Zhiyao made her tone sound both serious and upright. “Understand? You keep grabbing onto Bai Lian for hype. Look at how much she must be annoyed; she probably gets a headache just seeing me. I don’t like hype. Talk to my lawyer about the follow-up.”

“Nan Zhiyao, what madness are you talking?” Geng Pan finally reacted, letting out a cold laugh. “A minor starlet with no background like you has the nerve to talk about termination? Can you afford the liquidated damages? Look at how much you’re being hated right now. Every fan of those people wants you out of the industry. Do you think anyone besides this company will take you?”

“Then I’ll just open a place that will.” Nan Zhiyao gave a careless, low laugh. “Goodbye.”

She hung up the phone with a relaxed smile. Bai Lian had heard the whole thing.

“I am not annoyed.”

“Eh?” Nan Zhiyao was in the middle of messaging her family and Shen Jiaye to say she had terminated her contract.

“I said, I won’t be annoyed seeing you,” Bai Lian’s eyes were clear and clean. Her long hair was tied casually behind her head, the tips slightly curled, making her voice sound so gentle. “I won’t have a headache, either.”

But within two seconds, Bai Lian immediately put on her sunglasses, hiding the slight embarrassment in her eyes. As she opened the car door, she placed a mask into the hands of the still-dazed Nan Zhiyao. “Let’s go. Time to register.”

Nan Zhiyao steadied her heart and followed. The moment she put on the mask, she started getting excited again.

This mask! Isn’t it the one Bai Lian was wearing just now!? Holy crap!

Doesn’t this mean… an indirect… kiss?

The mask wasn’t tight against her face; there was some distance from her lips, but it was enough to trigger Nan Zhiyao’s imagination. Once they entered the hall, she quickly took it off and asked Bai Lian in a low voice, “Are you going to the Starlight Gala tonight?”

She felt Bai Lian was in a bit of a hurry and naturally assumed she wanted to finish things here quickly to get back to work. My idol is so busy, ying. Unlike me, who has terminated her contract and suddenly has nothing to do but get married.

“Mhm.” Bai Lian hadn’t taken off her sunglasses yet. Nan Zhiyao could only stare at her high bridge of the nose while desperately suppressing the urge to spout “rainbow farts.”

After entering, staff led them to take photos and then register. Both were public figures with high visibility—the type that could cause a commotion in a crowd. Therefore, both families had made arrangements in advance; they only needed to show up to take the photo and register.

When the marriage certificate was handed to Nan Zhiyao, the expression on her face became instantly vivid. As they walked out, she kept looking at it over and over, her fair face clearly flushed with a faint pink. She was very beautiful, and also… cute.

Bai Lian caught Nan Zhiyao’s happy appearance in her peripheral vision, and the corners of her mouth curved upward.

If possible, Bai Lian would have preferred not to have that agreement, nor did she want a hidden marriage. But she was afraid of affecting Nan Zhiyao.

Bai Lian thought of how her family members talked about Nan Zhiyao—both their expressions and tones were filled with joy: “That little girl from the Nan family… she’s been quirky and clever since she was a child. Lian-er, you should have an impression of her. Before Yaoyao went abroad to study, your parents and I took you to the Nan house.”

She had an impression. No one would ever have a stronger impression than her.

“That girl is likable wherever she goes, a real ‘happy fruit’ who gets along with everyone. Her personality is great… though her temperament might be a bit unstable, which is normal for someone so lively and mischievous. Your families also feel that your steady personality is a good fit. Our two families will cooperate on a massive project later, and we need this relationship to solidify it. Of course, if you are unwilling, we won’t force you.”

Bai Lian had only asked one question then: “Is she willing?”

The reply was: “Nan Shiming went to ask, and he said she agreed. After all, she’s a few years younger than you and isn’t resistant to you. Feelings can be cultivated. Lian-er, you should take more care of the girl.”

Bai Lian had remained silent for a long time. In that blank space, many, many thoughts flashed through her mind. She had always known Nan Zhiyao was a very likable girl. Always.

She didn’t know how the Nan family had asked Nan Zhiyao, or if the meaning had been misconstrued, leading them to think she was willing to marry her. Was the “liking” Nan Zhiyao expressed truly that kind of liking?

Perhaps she had just offhandedly said: “Ah… Bai Lian? I like her!”—just like if someone asked if she liked a certain color or a pair of earrings.

Even knowing this, Bai Lian held onto a shred of hope and agreed to the families’ arrangement. She had even suggested registering earlier; she didn’t want to wait a single second longer. She wanted to seize this opportunity to have her name legally placed alongside Nan Zhiyao’s.

The agreement was something she set because she wanted to leave Nan Zhiyao an escape route. If one day Nan Zhiyao found someone she truly loved, Bai Lian didn’t want to use this relationship to bind her. This agreement wasn’t for herself; it was for Nan Zhiyao.

But Bai Lian didn’t want to imagine that possibility, because—

She found Nan Zhiyao especially, especially likable.

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