The first thing Xiang QingWei did upon returning home was to kick off her high heels, slip into comfortable soft slippers, casually toss her bra onto the sofa, and then walk into the bathroom to fill the bathtub and prepare for a soak.
She had bought the apartment last year and hired a renowned designer to decorate it. The sixty-square-meter space was small but fully equipped. Whether it was the hard or soft furnishings, everything was high-end. The designer, due to their friendship, had given her a significant discount and only charged a nominal design fee.
The renovation cost hundreds of thousands, and on top of that, she had spent quite a sum on furniture and decorations—the mattress alone cost eighty-eight thousand, the carpet under her feet six thousand, and the massage bathtub in the bathroom one hundred and eighty thousand.
In just the last half-year, Ling Jia Yi alone had contributed a substantial figure to the company's accounts, and her year-end bonus was exceptionally generous. Having been in the industry for many years, she could afford a superior lifestyle and never skimped on treating herself well.
Stripping naked and immersing herself in the warm water, Xiang QingWei felt every pore in her body open up as she relaxed completely. She leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and let out a comfortable sigh.
Today was supposed to be a holiday, and even though she had taken fewer calls, it felt more exhausting than a workday.
After her bath, she dried off the water droplets, meticulously applied body lotion, changed into a silk nightgown, patiently layered on skincare products, and then blow-dried her hair. She settled comfortably onto her eighty-eight-thousand-worth mattress, ready for a peaceful night's sleep.
Xiang QingWei fell asleep within a minute of closing her eyes but was soon woken up by her phone ringing.
The moment she opened her eyes, a murderous look flashed in them. She closed her eyes tightly to calm her emotions, grabbed the phone, and saw it was two in the morning. The anger she had just suppressed flared up again.
She answered the call, her voice suppressing the irritation of being woken up in the middle of the night: "What are you doing awake at two in the morning?"
Since entering the industry, she has had to change many of her habits, like her temper upon waking. As an agent, her phone had to be on twenty-four hours a day because you never knew when your artist might create a disaster while you were sound asleep.
Sometimes she would receive calls from partners in the middle of the night, so she always had to remain calm and polite, reassuring the other party that she didn't mind being disturbed at such an hour.
"I can't sleep. Keep me company and chat," Ling Jia Yi's voice sounded muffled.
Xiang QingWei took a deep breath, and tried to restrain herself, but couldn't help retorting, "Are you sick? If you can't sleep, go run ten kilometers downstairs or wake up Xiao Dong to talk to you. Why call me?"
She deeply reflected on herself—was she too nice to Ling Jia Yi?
Ling Jia Yi justified himself, "Who was it that told me? An agent should be at the artist's service twenty-four hours a day?"
Xiang QingWei: "...Aren't you tired from filming all day? How can you not sleep?"
Ling Jia Yi said, "How would I know?"
Xiang QingWei turned over, set the phone to speaker mode on her pillow, and closed her eyes, "I have to fly to B city early tomorrow. I can only chat with you for ten minutes."
"Oh," Ling Jia Yi responded, paused, then asked, "I don't know what to talk about, just asking... Xiao Dong said that when you came to the set today, a guy drove you there..."
Xiang QingWei, with her eyes closed, made a non-committal hum.
"Is that guy your boyfriend?" On the other end of the phone, Ling Jia Yi sat up in bed with his hair disheveled from tossing and turning half the night, unconsciously gripping the phone with his right hand and twisting the blanket with his left, even holding his breath in anticipation.
"No," Xiang QingWei said, "Just a friend. We happened to have lunch together."
Ling Jia Yi's lips unconsciously curled up, and he coughed lightly, "I thought so. Who would dare to take you!"
Xiang QingWei: "...I'm hanging up."
Ling Jia Yi exclaimed, "It's only been three minutes!"
Xiang QingWei sighed, somewhat helplessly, "Jia Yi, I'm very sleepy."
Xiang QingWei's soft and tender voice traveled through the phone, electrifying Ling Jia Yi.
Half of his face tingled, and his heart skipped a beat, leaving him feeling all mushy inside. His voice unconsciously softened, "Alright, alright, I'll stop talking, okay? Just don't hang up, please?"
Xiang QingWei didn't notice anything odd, mumbling an affirmative, and drifted off to sleep with ease.
Holding the phone, Ling Jia Yi listened to Xiang QingWei's faint breathing on the other end. His smile grew wider unconsciously.
He rolled around in bed with the phone pressed against his face, then settled on his side, placing the phone on his ear, and listening to the sound from the other end.
With his eyes closed, he muttered softly, "I just can't sleep, don't overthink it..." His voice was soft and indistinct, unclear who it was meant for.
...
A minute later, Ling Jia Yi suddenly opened his eyes wide.
Xiang QingWei said she was meeting a friend? Why dress up so nicely to meet a friend?
She had never dressed up specially for their meals together!
When Xiang QingWei woke up in the morning, she was surprised to find her phone had run out of battery. She quickly plugged in her power bank and turned it on, checking her contacts and WeChat.
Thankfully, there were no important calls, just a few work messages from her assistant that weren't urgent.
After getting up and quickly freshening up, she headed to her walk-in closet.
In her sixty-square-meter apartment, she had a small walk-in closet of about three square meters, with built-in wardrobes on one side for clothes, another for shoes, and another for bags. A housekeeper came daily to tidy up, so every corner of the house was neat and orderly.
A glance at the row of clothes revealed that half of them were various casual yet fashionable suits.
Xiang QingWei always tried to dress professionally for work.
She wanted her partners to trust her at first sight and subconsciously create a professional atmosphere. It also helped avoid unnecessary trouble.
Xiang QingWei's beautiful face inevitably attracted some "trouble," and the men who caused such trouble always respected and kept their distance from the smart, career-oriented woman that Xiang QingWei presented. They preferred women who seemed fragile and easy to manipulate, as it reduced their troubles.
Unlike many agents who focused on perfecting their artists' image while neglecting their own, Xiang QingWei's requirements for clothing weren't just about professionalism but also comfort and style.
Thus, for this season, a champagne-colored silk blouse paired with black casual trousers was an excellent choice.
Ditching yesterday's Chanel stilettos, she opted for a pair of square-heeled leather shoes, complemented by a messenger bag from a British brand. Her long curly hair was tied back in a simple, low ponytail, looking professional yet elegant.
After a spritz of low-key, refreshing perfume, Xiang QingWei was finally ready, grabbing her travel suitcase and heading out.
Tao Yuner's collaboration with Chanel finally seemed hopeful. For Chanel Makeup's annual event at their S CITY counter, they invited Tao Yuner and several young stars who frequently interacted with Chanel to make an appearance. According to insider information, one of these young stars would be chosen as the new face of Chanel Makeup.
Securing an endorsement from a luxury brand would be a fantastic way for Tao Yuner, a young actress born in 1995, to elevate her status. It would also significantly benefit her future in fashion.
For such a big event, Xiang QingWei, of course, had to take charge personally.
Little did Xiang QingWei expect, she would run into her blind date from the day before so soon on the plane.
"Miss Xiang, I didn't expect to see you so soon." Fang Xing Zhi politely closed the travel magazine he was reading on the plane and smiled at a visibly astonished Xiang QingWei.
"It's such a coincidence." After her initial shock, Xiang QingWei sat down next to him and sighed.
Not only were they on the same plane, but they were also in the same cabin, in adjacent seats.
"It indeed is a coincidence." Fang Xing Zhi's smile was always refreshing, and his demeanor remained politely distant: "Is Miss Xiang also on a business trip to S CITY?"
He seemed approachable, but in reality, he clearly marked his boundaries. He was polite and gentle, so much so that it might give the impression he was easy to get close to. However, in reality, he maintained a polite yet distant relationship with the outside world from within his boundaries. If you tried to cross those boundaries because of the illusion he created, he would immediately confront you with reality.
Having been in her profession for many years, Xiang QingWei's most adept skill was quickly determining how to interact with others.
So, after sitting down, she also smiled at him and made a light joke: "Right. It feels like we just met yesterday."
Fang Xing Zhi was taken aback for a moment before he caught on, and then he laughed too. It wasn’t the polite and distant smile, but one that seemed genuinely amused by Xiang QingWei's joke. The curve of his lips was no longer shallow but lifted slightly, even his eyes sparkled with mirth.
"Miss Xiang has a great sense of humor," he commented.
"I agree." Xiang QingWei nodded earnestly, then politely asked the flight attendant for a glass of iced lemon water.
"Sure, just a moment," the flight attendant replied with a perfect, ceremonial smile. But when she turned to Fang Xing Zhi, her ceremonial smile sweetened: "Hello, sir, may I get you anything?"
"Just a glass of plain water, thank you," Fang Xing Zhi responded, his smile returning to its polite curve.
This is the advantage of having a superior physical appearance; whether it's for a man or a woman, a good appearance can often make life easier.
Xiang QingWei couldn't help but think.
"You seem to like lemon," Fang Xing Zhi commented with a smile after the flight attendant left.
"I love drinking this kind of sour, sweet, and cool water during summer," Xiang QingWei said.
There wasn't a hint of awkwardness or tension between them, as natural as if they were old friends who had known each other for years.
After drinking half her lemon water, Xiang QingWei quickly dozed off, tilting her head.
After handling a few company emails, Fang Xing Zhi noticed that Xiang QingWei had fallen asleep.
The air conditioning in the cabin was set quite high.
Fang Xing Zhi asked the flight attendant for a small blanket, which he gently placed over her. Xiang QingWei slept soundly, completely unaware.
Sleeping, Xiang QingWei seemed to have let down all her guards against the world, her sleeping posture childlike, a stark contrast to her awake state.
Due to such a contrast, Fang Xing Zhi's gaze lingered on her face for a while longer.
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The entire book has been translated, with a total of 414K words and more than 1,200 pages.
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