Join a Dating Reality Show with the Aloof, Fishing-Style Richest Man - Chapter 29

Ji Zhaoxi stared deathly at her phone screen, wishing she could reach through and grab the person on the other side to ask: Has my current situation still not given you enough of a sense of security?!

At this thought, Ji Zhaoxi felt a bit gloomy. She opened her various bank accounts to check her balances and mentally tallied all her assets.

Ji Zhaoxi: “…”

Exiting the chat with Lu Zhao, she sent a message to Zhou Jiaoyan.

Ji Zhaoxi: That project with the Qiao family last time—did we pass on it?

Zhou Jiaoyan: You mentioned it last time, but I haven’t had the chance to officially reject them yet.

Ji Zhaoxi: Don’t reject it. Let’s cooperate.

Zhou Jiaoyan: ?

A simple question mark was enough to express all of Zhou Jiaoyan’s confusion. Just a few days ago, Ji Zhaoxi herself had said they wouldn’t work with the Qiao family, claiming they didn’t need those few projects. How long had it been? She was suddenly going back on her word?

Ji Zhaoxi’s expression was sullen. Previously, she hadn’t wanted anything to do with the Qiaos because Qiao Yang was their child. With the Ji Group’s current status in the country, very few people could shake them. But after seeing Lu Zhao’s words, Ji Zhaoxi felt the need to push harder. She couldn’t settle for the status quo, lest a certain someone encounter someone they didn’t dare to cross in the future and end up feeling wronged.

After putting her phone down, Ji Zhaoxi’s brain shifted into high gear, almost to the point of obsession, unwilling to let any potential business expansion slip by.

Meanwhile, Lu Zhao had no idea how much destruction her simple sentence had caused Ji Zhaoxi. She put her phone away and looked at the third female lead, saying very sincerely: “Since you already know I’m Ji Zhaoxi’s ‘simp’…”

“Then you should also know that I’m living with her, right?”

The news of the two of them living together was currently causing a stir online; Lu Zhao didn’t believe the woman didn’t know.

“You…” The third female lead’s face turned ugly.

Lu Zhao nodded nonchalantly and said casually: “I know, I understand what you want to say. You just want to say that when the day comes that Ji Zhaoxi dumps me, I won’t have a good life anymore.”

“But, hasn’t she dumped me yet? If you provoke me now, aren’t you afraid I’ll whisper something in her ear at night to make your life difficult?” Lu Zhao gave her a pure, innocent smile.

The woman’s expression changed slightly, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

Lu Zhao’s smile widened. “A friendly reminder: next time you try to mess with someone, wait until they’ve lost their power. Otherwise, if you run into someone with a bad temper, you might get crushed.”

“Don’t let it end up dragging down the people around you, too.” Lu Zhao pulled out a tissue and slowly wiped each knuckle dry before tossing it into the trash.

“Just focus on acting. This confrontation is meaningless.” Before leaving, Lu Zhao patted her on the shoulder.

After she left, it was unknown what the woman in the restroom was thinking, but the moment Lu Zhao stepped out, she was so thrilled she almost jumped!

Damn! So this is what it feels like to use someone else’s power to act tough! It feels freaking amazing!

Recalling her performance just now, Lu Zhao felt like giving herself an Oscar.

Returning to the dining table, Fan Yaxuan leaned in and whispered, “What took you so long?”

“Oh, just chatted with someone for a bit,” Lu Zhao said vaguely.

Fan Yaxuan gave her a complicated look, but seeing Lu Zhao’s demeanor, it didn’t seem like she had suffered a loss.

Lu Zhao didn’t know why Fan Yaxuan was being so friendly, so she asked directly: “Are you this familiar with everyone?”

Sometimes she really couldn’t hold back her words; she had to get an answer to feel at ease, otherwise, it would haunt her sleep.

Fan Yaxuan’s eyes widened slightly; she clearly hadn’t expected Lu Zhao to be so blunt.

After a second of silence, she said softly: “Actually, I wanted to get close to you to see if you could talk to President Ji. I want to join Ji Media; my contract with my current agency is about to expire.”

Because she hadn’t shown any intention of renewing, her company had been suppressing her resources. She either had to renew or find a new home quickly.

Lu Zhao was shocked. She glanced at the others at the table—everyone was mostly finished—so they told the director they were heading back to the hotel early. This topic wasn’t suitable for the dinner table; it would be bad if the wrong person overheard.

Back at the hotel, Fan Yaxuan followed Lu Zhao to her room. It was a simple single room—not as luxurious as the leads’, but much better than those who had to share.

“With your current status, if you show interest in joining Ji Media, wouldn’t they want you?” Lu Zhao was puzzled. Fan Yaxuan had good traffic and a solid reputation; there was no reason for a company to refuse her.

“I could, but sometimes being the one to initiate means losing leverage,” Fan Yaxuan said with a bitter smile. “You know how this industry fluctuates. A good contract can guarantee a certain level of longevity.”

“If I’m the one to approach them, I’m worried they’ll squeeze the terms,” Fan Yaxuan said earnestly. She knew she wasn’t some high-prestige award winner; if she initiated, it was normal for the company to push for unfavorable terms.

“What I want you to help with is just mentioning it to President Ji. If I go to Ji Media, I just want the terms to be fair—what they should be—rather than being suppressed because I was the one who asked.”

Lu Zhao fell silent, feeling a bit of heartache for her. This circle was cruel; even if someone looked glamorous on the outside, they lacked so much freedom.

“But haven’t you thought about starting your own studio?” Lu Zhao asked.

Fan Yaxuan was silent for a moment before asking, “Do you think my foundation in this industry is that deep?”

Lu Zhao fell silent, an awkward smile on her face.

“But, I’m just President Ji’s simp! I can’t influence her decisions, especially when it comes to signing talent for the company!”

Lu Zhao was worried. Did this woman really think it was just a matter of “pillow talk”? No, wait—I haven’t even touched Ji Zhaoxi’s pillow!

Fan Yaxuan looked a bit disappointed, though not entirely. She understood; after all, today was the first time they had met. It was normal not to help.

“Thanks for listening to me anyway. It’s nothing, I’ll head back to my room. Goodnight,” Fan Yaxuan smiled warmly.

“Yeah, goodnight.”

After seeing her out, Lu Zhao lay on her bed, zoning out. She did want to help, but she understood that talking to Ji Zhaoxi about this might be crossing a line.

However…

Lu Zhao’s eyes lit up. She couldn’t tell Ji Zhaoxi, but she could tell Sister Li! She could drop a hint to Sister Li that Fan Yaxuan wanted to leave her agency, and then they could take the initiative to contact her!

Lu Zhao felt like a genius! This way, it would be a normal business interaction without the “pillow talk” complications. The contract would be clean!

Once decided, Lu Zhao planned to drop the hint to Sister Li the next day. Her mood improved, and seeing it was past 9:00 PM without a call from Ji Zhaoxi, she assumed she was still busy.

Lu Zhao got up to shower, planning to lie comfortably in bed afterward and video call Ji Zhaoxi to see Tangyuan (the cat).

While she was in the shower, her phone rang twice, followed by the sound of a message.

Seeing that her video calls weren’t being picked up, Ji Zhaoxi looked down into Tangyuan’s big blue eyes. After a few seconds of silence, she sent Lu Zhao a message.

She picked Tangyuan up to eye level and stared at him. The cat didn’t understand what she wanted and let out two soft meows. Tangyuan’s voice was sweet and light, making even Ji Zhaoxi’s expression soften.

“Don’t you miss your other owner?” Ji Zhaoxi asked.

But how could a cat understand? Every time she spoke, Tangyuan just meowed back.

Ji Zhaoxi: “…”

This cat was almost too well-behaved. She wondered where her assistant had found such a “god-tier” cat. Yet, Ji Zhaoxi was actually worried about his good behavior—if he didn’t cause trouble, how could she carry out her plan?

“Don’t you cats usually like to do ‘parkour’? Go run around,” Ji Zhaoxi whispered to Tangyuan. She looked a bit guilty saying it.

Tangyuan blinked his innocent blue eyes. “Meow~”

Ji Zhaoxi: “…”

Setting Tangyuan down, she lay back and stared blankly at the ceiling. Suddenly, her phone rang. Ji Zhaoxi immediately sat up to grab it, startling Tangyuan, who quickly recovered and hopped onto her lap.

Ji Zhaoxi checked her appearance in the mirror and smoothed Tangyuan’s fur before answering the video call.

The moment it connected, she saw Lu Zhao on the screen, looking like a freshly bloomed pink lotus. Her face was completely bare of makeup, looking directly into the camera.

Ji Zhaoxi’s throat shifted subtly. She spoke calmly: “I called earlier and you didn’t pick up. Were you showering?”

Lu Zhao: “Mhm! I wanted to see you guys after I was all clean~”

Lu Zhao’s smile was radiant, and she immediately asked to see Tangyuan.

Helplessly, Ji Zhaoxi tilted the camera down to show Tangyuan on her lap. But seeing her own face disappear from the screen, she frowned, fixed the phone in place, and pulled Tangyuan into her arms so they were both in the frame.

Lu Zhao looked at the person and the cat. Unconsciously, her gaze lingered more on Ji Zhaoxi. She had to admit Ji Zhaoxi had excellent bone structure; she looked great in person, but even more frustratingly, she was incredibly photogenic.

When those deep eyes looked at the camera, perhaps filtered by the screen, they weren’t as cold, giving off a sense of intense focus instead. One might even say that gaze could look at a dog with deep affection…

Lu Zhao’s face darkened for a second. Look at a dog with deep affection? Am I not the ‘simp’ (licking dog)? Damn it!

Ji Zhaoxi didn’t know what Lu Zhao was thinking; she only saw her expression changing rapidly. She asked: “The trouble you mentioned earlier—did you talk back?”

At this, Lu Zhao’s eyes lit up instantly. “I did!” she said excitedly, gesturing with her hands. “You should have seen her face! President Ji, your name is so useful!”

Hearing this, Ji Zhaoxi’s lips curled into a faint, hidden smile. She subconsciously squeezed Tangyuan’s paw. “If it’s useful, that’s good. It might be even more useful in the future.”

I’ll have to work harder from now on, she thought.

Lu Zhao’s eyes were sparkling. Her usually seductive features were softened by a look of pure admiration. “Babe~ you really are my good babe!”

Lu Zhao praised her. It was her first time using Ji Zhaoxi’s name to fight back. No wonder people always wanted a backer; having someone to rely on felt great!

“Meow~”

Tangyuan meowed, staring at Lu Zhao on the screen and reaching out a paw to touch it.

“Aww! Tangyuan, you’re my little babe!” Lu Zhao pouted toward the camera, her voice so sweet it could make someone’s heart melt.

Ji Zhaoxi watched Lu Zhao pout at the screen, her own expression tightening slightly. She stopped Tangyuan from reaching for the phone and held him firmly.

“How long will you be with the crew this time?” Ji Zhaoxi asked plainly, as if just making small talk.

“Normally about a month since the second female lead has a lot of scenes. But Sister Li will probably talk to the director to condense my filming schedule.”

Lu Zhao had a variety show coming up, and if she didn’t want to juggle two productions, she had to finish her scenes as soon as possible.

Ji Zhaoxi nodded.

Lu Zhao noticed Ji Zhaoxi seemed to be in a good mood tonight. She lowered her gaze and asked tentatively.

“President Ji, do you have someone you like?”

Ji Zhaoxi looked up sharply, her body stiffening.

Lu Zhao looked down, picking at the seam of her pajama pants. “What kind of person do you like?”

Ji Zhaoxi’s voice was a bit stiff. “Why the sudden question?”

“Just… curious!” Lu Zhao’s eyes darted around, not daring to look at the camera. “We’ve known each other for so many years, and I don’t even know if you have someone you like or what they’re like. It makes me a pretty unqualified pursuer!”

Ji Zhaoxi lowered her eyes. After a few seconds of silence, she whispered, “Yes.”

Lu Zhao’s eyes widened at the camera. There actually is someone?

“Who is it? Why aren’t you together?”

Ji Zhaoxi caught her expression—it was pure shock, nothing else. Ji Zhaoxi’s heart twinged with pain, and her voice grew even lower.

“If I were to tell her now, she wouldn’t be with me.”

Lu Zhao was stunned. There’s actually someone that even Ji Zhaoxi can’t get?

“Then… would you consider letting me expand my services and help you pursue them as an ‘assist’?” Lu Zhao asked hesitantly.

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