I Love Her Because She’s Dim-Witted And Filthy Rich - Chapter 9

After finishing their meal, the two walked back to the hotel together.

They parted ways at the elevator; Su Miao went back to her room to grab her script, preparing to find Duan Bainian for lines practice just as she did every other day.

During the walk back, Duan Bainian had felt a bit warm, but out of concern for her public image, she hadn’t taken off her coat on the street. Now that she had stepped out of the elevator and saw no one around, she began shedding her coat while walking toward her room.

Just as she reached her door and prepared to open it, a figure flashed out from the shadows of a corner, speaking in a casual, roguish tone. “Oh? You can’t wait to take off your clothes the moment you see me?”

Duan Bainian turned around in shock. The person before her was in his twenties, with his hair slicked back into a pompadour, and the scent of his perfume was pungently overwhelming even from two meters away.

It was her partial boss, Tang Shi.

Duan Bainian’s heart couldn’t help but skip a beat in apprehension.

Liuli Entertainment, the agency she was signed to, was a subsidiary under the Tang family’s corporate umbrella. For the past two years, it had been managed by Tang Shi’s father, while Tang Shi himself merely held a title. Recently, Tang Shi had taken over more and more of the operations, and he was gradually assuming the position of the man in charge.

This man, Tang Shi, was well-known in the industry for his competence, but he was even more famous for being a lecher.

Duan Bainian hid the disgust in her eyes and smiled. “Young Master Tang, why are you here?”

Tang Shi leaned crookedly against the doorframe, sizing Duan Bainian up with a half-smile. “Why am I here? Shouldn’t I ask you that, Great Star Duan? My calls don’t go through, and my WeChat messages aren’t returned. I thought you’d been in a car accident. As your partial boss, shouldn’t I come to check on my employee?”

Some time ago, Tang Shi had been calling her every few days, saying he wanted her to be his girlfriend. At first, Duan Bainian had humored him politely, but later she truly couldn’t stand it anymore. Since she couldn’t afford to offend him openly, she set her phone to a whitelist, so no one except for a dozen specific people could get through.

Duan Bainian pulled back slightly to maintain distance, smiling with her usual gentleness. “Young Master Tang, please don’t say that. I’ve been too busy filming lately; I likely just didn’t notice.”

Tang Shi didn’t bother to expose Duan Bainian’s excuse. He jerked his chin toward the door. “We’re already at the door; aren’t you going to invite me in for a seat?”

Duan Bainian hesitated for a moment. Thinking that Xiao Yuan should be in the room, she opened the door and welcomed Tang Shi inside.

Tang Shi looked around the space. “This production’s conditions are alright; they can actually arrange suites for you to stay in. It seems they aren’t short on money.”

Duan Bainian played along with a smile. “Would you like some water, Young Master Tang?”

Tang Shi nodded. “Warm water is fine.”

Duan Bainian poured the water for Tang Shi and stood quietly at a distance.

Tang Shi took a sip and set the glass down. “I heard you’ve been in contact with the production team of the variety show The Sisters’ Cat Cafe lately?”

Duan Bainian replied, “Yes, Jian Ru has been contacting them on my behalf recently.” Jian Ru was her manager.

Tang Shi smiled. “The hype for that variety show has been very high lately; quite a lot of people want to go.”

Duan Bainian remained silent; she wasn’t sure what Tang Shi meant by this.

Tang Shi continued, “Speaking of which, it’s a coincidence. The person in charge of the Sisters program called me two days ago to ask if I had any artists with available schedules.”

Duan Bainian’s expression softened. “Then, Young Master Tang, who do you plan to recommend?”

Tang Shi burst out laughing. “It’s not certain yet. However, He Lianyun also looked for me yesterday; she said she wants to go.”

Duan Bainian couldn’t help but frown. He Lianyun was considered the “First Sister” of Liuli Entertainment. Compared to other artists, the company’s resources always leaned heavily in her favor. If He Lianyun was going to compete with her, this variety show gig would likely fall through.

Duan Bainian still said nothing, waiting for Tang Shi to reveal his true intentions.

Sure enough, Tang Shi’s true colors emerged. “I told her I needed to consider it. Duan Bainian, you surely know what I am considering.”

Duan Bainian felt like laughing. What virtues did she possess to make the young Master Tang so persistently obsessed?

Duan Bainian’s tone was gentle yet firm. “I’m sorry, Young Master Tang, I’m afraid I’m going to disappoint you.”

Tang Shi smiled. “Duan Bainian, the contract you signed with our company is for ten years, right?”

Duan Bainian answered, “Yes, ten years.”

Tang Shi stood up and approached Duan Bainian step by step. “In the entertainment industry, especially for girls, if you can’t make a name for yourself in your twenties, that’s basically it for you. Tell me, if I were to cut off your resources right now, what would happen to you?”

Duan Bainian’s eyelids twitched. She looked at the man in front of her. “Why must Young Master Tang make things difficult for a small-timer like me? We aren’t enemies; I am also working hard to contribute to Liuli Entertainment, am I not?”

Tang Shi sneered. “The money one He Lianyun earns is more than what a hundred of you earn. Why should I recommend you? Am I doing charity?”

Duan Bainian smiled as well. She had to admit that what Tang Shi said was the truth.

Tang Shi walked almost right up to Duan Bainian. “I know you have good acting skills and a good reputation—everyone knows these things—but what’s the use? You just can’t get famous! Although He Lianyun is always criticized for having a ‘formulaic’ face in her roles, she brings her own heat. She can post any random Weibo and stir up a trending topic. Now look at you: under one of your Weibo posts, it’s all ‘Goddess Sister’ this and that—it’s very harmonious indeed—but what a pity, the comments never even break a thousand.”

Duan Bainian gave a self-deprecating smile. “Young Master Tang, did you come here today specifically to humiliate me?”

Tang Shi suddenly grabbed Duan Bainian’s shoulder. He stared straight at her. “I don’t want to humiliate you. I just want you to recognize reality. I think you will make the right choice, won’t you?”

Duan Bainian felt an unbearable nausea in her heart. She forcefully pulled Tang Shi’s hand away. “It’s getting late, Young Master Tang. You should go back and rest early.”

The pushed-away Tang Shi wasn’t angry. He gave Duan Bainian a beaming look. “Then I shall await the good news!”

With that, he left Duan Bainian’s room.

When Su Miao came over, she brushed past Tang Shi.

She looked at this man coming out of Duan Bainian’s room and her brows furrowed instinctively. Ugh, this person is so greasy.

The door wasn’t closed, so Su Miao walked straight in. What she saw was Duan Bainian standing there with her head lowered, lost in thought. Her curly hair obscured half of her face, and as the light hit her from above, a shadow fell across her features, making her expression unreadable.

This version of Duan Bainian felt very strange.

The originally high-spirited Su Miao suddenly quieted down. She walked closer to Duan Bainian. “What’s wrong?”

Only then did Duan Bainian notice Su Miao had arrived. She forced a smile. “You’re here?”

Su Miao nodded obediently. “I came to practice lines with you.”

Duan Bainian stood up and patted Su Miao’s head. “Wait a moment, let me go change into my pajamas. I’ll be right out.”

By the time she emerged in her pajamas, Duan Bainian had lost that look of being lost and despondent from moments ago. Her face wore its usual gentleness. “Alright, let’s begin.”

Duan Bainian was as gentle as ever, yet Su Miao still felt something was off.

Sure enough, after they finished their lines for the night, she heard Duan Bainian say softly, “This is probably the last drama I will ever film.”

Su Miao didn’t quite understand. “Huh? You’re not going to act anymore? Are you going to become a singer then?”

Duan Bainian was silent for a moment, then said awkwardly, “I might be leaving the entertainment industry.”

Su Miao was stunned. This news was something she couldn’t process.

She asked subconsciously, “If you leave the entertainment industry, what are you going to do?”

A flash of confusion crossed Duan Bainian’s face, but it vanished quickly. “I’ll probably go back to my hometown. My family has some connections; I’ll invest in some businesses. At least I won’t starve.”

Su Miao began to feel distressed. She didn’t understand the complexities; she only knew that Duan Bainian was going to be separated from her.

She had fantasized many times that after the two of them finished this drama and returned to Beijing, she would go with Duan Bainian and visit every single mall in the city, big and small. Whatever Duan Bainian liked, she would buy it all for her. She wanted to be Duan Bainian’s very, very best friend.

But now, Duan Bainian was saying she was going back to her hometown.

Su Miao’s nose felt prickly, and her heart began to ache with sharp, rhythmic throbs.

She didn’t want Duan Bainian to go back to her hometown. Not even a little bit.