Chapter 33: Face-Slapping (2)

【Fairies who mentioned the chapter repeated can try refreshing the page.】

Half a minute passed before someone came to open the door.

"Shen Ran." Shen Xingman took off her mask.

"Sister Manman..." Shen Ran was taken aback. "Why are you here?"

Her eyes were red, her expression panicked, haggard and dejected—she looked to be in very poor shape.

Shen Xingman didn't linger outside and walked straight in.

Shen Ran knew what she was concerned about and quickly shut the door. "How did you know I live here?"

Seeing Shen Xingman arrive, even in the worst of moods, she still put on a pleased expression and didn't give her any attitude.

Shen Xingman didn't answer right away, only taking in everything around her: the simple furniture, the cement floor, the dim lighting, and a worn, peeling square table.

This was where a female star lived?

"Shen Ran, do you want to terminate your contract with Tianyi?" She got straight to the point, no wasted words.

Shen Ran's mind went blank; the hope that sprang into her eyes was like a moth flying into a flame, and it was a long time before she stammered out a few words: "I, I want to..."

"Where's the contract? Let me see it."

Shen Ran froze for a moment, then quickly nodded, pulled the contract out of her suitcase, and held it out in front of Shen Xingman.

Without a doubt, this was a one-sided contract.

Calculated at eight million per year in penalties, if Shen Ran wanted to terminate, she'd have to pay the company sixteen million.

Young and naive, scouted by a talent agent, dazzling on the big screen, yet shackled by the company, which did whatever it wanted with her.

Mu Zhihan had told Shen Xingman that the person Shen Ran had actually offended wasn't Lin Wan, but a wealthy second-generation heir who wanted to take advantage of her.

The heir tried to grope her, was rejected, and in a rage pressured her, wanting to make her come crying back to beg him.

But Shen Ran was too stubborn and refused to give in. Lin Wan, acting on hearsay, came to fan the flames, resulting in her being shelved.

"I can lend you the penalty fee."

If the agency wanted to hold up the contract and force her into a corner, Shen Ran would have no power to fight back. In other words, she would never be able to stand on stage and perform again in this lifetime.

Shen Ran had strong self-esteem; if Shen Xingman offered to pay for her, she most likely wouldn't accept, so at this moment, the word "lend" was far more tactful.

"Sister Manman... I, I..."

What could she even say.

"Thank you."

She choked up, tears in her eyes that wouldn't wipe clean no matter how hard she tried. "Thank you."

It felt like a person on the verge of starvation suddenly seeing an endless feast of delicacies before them.

"You're welcome. You've helped me before too, haven't you?"

"Qiao Yun has already made an appointment with your agent. She'll come find you this afternoon. Remember to dress up nicely then."

Having rushed to get this done, Shen Xingman returned to her apartment, dressed herself up, and brought Miaomiao along to negotiate a collaboration.

This time, she had a hundred percent certainty it wouldn't get snatched away.

"Boss, what's your relationship with that Shen Ran, exactly?" Miaomiao kept pestering Shen Xingman in the car, mumbling nonstop.

Shen Xingman wanted to cover her ears, but Miaomiao wouldn't give her the chance, grabbing her wrists with both hands. "If you don't tell me, I'll bite you."

"Aiya," Shen Xingman sighed helplessly. "You're jealous."

"...?" Miaomiao pouted, saying one thing but meaning another. "Am not!"

"Boss, you finally brought me out. Can't you just talk to me properly?"

"..." Shen Xingman was suspicious. "I am talking properly."

Miaomiao: "Is, is that Shen Ran going to live with us?"

Shen Xingman: "Uh, that's hard to say. I went to see where she lives today—it's a bit shabby."

Miaomiao: "?"

Boss!!!

"Alright, alright, we're almost there, let's be ladylike." Shen Xingman poked Miaomiao. "We're going to meet a big shot. We need to be composed. Ahem, composed."

"..."

Seven in the evening, the top floor of a certain club.

This was a place for the wealthy to relax—even the elevator car was gold. The decor, the facilities—truly more upscale than the place they'd gone to last time.

Marveling at the opulence around her, Shen Xingman led Miaomiao to find the private room.

"Damn, only two private rooms on this whole floor? That's way too extravagant."

Shen Xingman: "Oh, it's just so-so. Not even as big as my living room."

Miaomiao: "..." Keep bragging.

The two had already entered the spacious corridor, their high heels making no sound on the soft floor.

Looking up, Miaomiao saw two bodyguards stationed outside the private room, suited and tied, looking thoroughly formal.

Shen Xingman pulled Miaomiao over.

"Are you Miss Shen?" one of the bodyguards asked.

"Mm." At this moment, Shen Xingman had returned to her usual cool detachment, because the person speaking to her now wasn't Qiao Yun, nor was it Miaomiao.

It was an innate sense of distance.

"Please come in."

The bodyguard bowed respectfully and struck an inviting pose.

Super polite, indeed.

Shen Xingman nodded, pulling the nervous Miaomiao inside.

Perhaps it was too much of a coincidence; as soon as she left, someone followed.

——Hello.

The familiar voice made Shen Xingman turn her head.

Then, the next moment, the owner of the voice made her frown.

Miss Jiang?

Yes, it's me. She nodded, smiling friendly at the bodyguard.

Miaomiao almost recognized her in a second: "I'm impressed, how is she everywhere?"

Yeah, flies show up where there's blood.

Moreover, Shen Xingman knew she did it on purpose, having someone check her schedule, then pretending to run into her, then taking the chance to act pitiful and play mind games, creating various topics to embarrass her.

Assistants can't enter. The bodyguard reached out a hand and pulled the little girl beside her aside.

Jiang Xiaoyan kept her smile: "Sir, my dad said……"

Assistants can't enter. The bodyguard repeated, not bothering to argue further.

Sir, please let me explain……

Assistants can't enter.

The bodyguard frowned, obviously impatient.

Jiang Xiaoyan objected, pointing at Shen Xingman outside: "Then why can her assistant enter?"

Sorry, that Miss Shen is a guest of Assistant Mo.

Upon hearing those three words, Jiang Xiaoyan's pupils shrank, and she couldn't even say half a word.

Assistant Mo…… seems to be the right-hand man of that reclusive big shot of the Mu Family, an existence that no one in the entire wealthy circle dares to provoke; even her father often warns her not to offend that big figure, otherwise, even ten lives wouldn't be enough.

And now, the assistant of such a top-tier hunter actually appears in this kind of place?

The key is, he invited Shen Xingman?!

Jiang Xiaoyan couldn't understand, and instantly her feelings were mixed, with reluctance and fear.

She said nothing, lifting her gaze to look at Shen Xingman inside.

Bringing disgrace upon oneself.

That person gave a cold chuckle, glanced at her gloomily, then pulled the assistant away and left.

——It was a look of looking down on ants, with undisguised contempt.

Jiang Xiaoyan frowned in disgust, her pupils tightening, as if she wanted to stare a hole through that person.

-------Side note-------

Some readers said it's duplicated, you can go back and refresh; I think my posting should be fine.

There will be another update later, wait for me to...