This situation greatly amused many of Huang Yi’s haters, who flocked to his Weibo account to leave comments.
"Hahaha, Huang Yi's brilliant plan backfired—he lost both his manager and his support!"
"I used to hear your brainless fans praising you, saying, 'Do you know how hard my brother works?' Well, your brother sure works hard—hard enough to make his manager jump ship to the rival company!"
"This is the most satisfying gossip I've had all year. So refreshing~"
Seeing these mocking comments, Huang Yi wanted to reply to each one with a scathing retort! Unfortunately, ever since the last incident, his official Weibo account had been taken back by the company, so he could only use a small account to start arguing with the haters.
"What? Jealous much? Envy that someone else makes in a year what you can’t make in a lifetime?"
"Funny how hard work is suddenly a fault. At least he’s not just typing on a keyboard."
"Hahaha, time will prove everything."
If Huang Yi had any lingering feelings for Wang Xiaohua before, now he was filled with a sense of betrayal, humiliation, and resentment!
...
Two days later, Wang Xiaohua received a call from Cheng Qingying and eagerly took Qi Lin to meet her. They arranged to meet at a café. Wang Xiaohua placed great importance on this meeting, buying many new clothes for Qi Lin.
Before leaving, Li Yue spent nearly an hour just doing Qi Lin's makeup! Afterward, Qi Lin looked at himself in the mirror for a long time. It was still the same face, but it looked much softer and more pleasing, prompting him to marvel at how makeup could work like magic!
That day, Qi Lin wore a beige V-neck sweater, navy blue jeans, and white sneakers. He looked fresh and clean, with a hint of a sunny, warm boy-next-door vibe. Li Yue and Wang Xiaohua took numerous photos of him to post on Weibo and Douyin to keep up his social media presence.
As an athlete, Qi Lin rarely drank coffee or other beverages, mostly sticking to plain water or sports supplements. Even at the café, he ordered a glass of warm water. While sipping his water, he pondered how to best portray the character Erduo. Wang Xiaohua sat beside him, studying information about Hu Lai and planning how to build a rapport with him to secure an opportunity for Qi Lin.
...
"Director Zhao is something else. I asked if he had any suitable artists, and he found me an unknown newcomer? If I wanted a newcomer, I’d go straight to a university! There are plenty of good-looking men and women there!" In the car, album lead Cheng Qingying complained.
Her manager laughed, "Come on, what’s the harm in meeting him? Besides, this newcomer is quite popular lately, especially on Douyin. His follower count is rising fast."
Cheng Qingying pouted, "Only those who aren’t famous use that app!"
Her manager responded seriously, "Don’t underestimate the app. I have a feeling it might become a major platform in the future, one that even big names like you will rely on."
The manager continued, "And do you know who the newcomer’s manager is? It’s Wang Xiaohua! Think about Wang Xiaohua’s track record. Every artist she backs becomes a star!"
Cheng Qingying retorted, "Huang Yi!"
The manager countered, "Huang Yi, despite not being as hot as the other returning stars, still has significant popularity! And Huang Yi wasn’t even Wang Xiaohua’s pick. She became his manager to repay a favor to his uncle."
"Today, even if it’s just out of respect for Director Zhao and Wang Xiaohua, you have to meet this person!"
"If you meet him and you're not satisfied, just scratch your head, and I'll help you decline. Don't worry, I won't let you be in a difficult position," the manager assured.
Hearing this, Cheng Qingying reluctantly nodded.
As they arrived at the café, the fully disguised Cheng Qingying got out of the car and walked into the café with her manager. The moment she stepped inside, her eyes were drawn to a particular scene.
Near the window sat a young man, hands crossed on the table, his head slightly tilted as he gazed out the window, lost in thought. His brows were slightly furrowed, making Cheng Qingying feel an urge to smooth them out. The morning sunlight was soft, and as it fell on his gentle face, it made her heart race. She stopped in her tracks, afraid that any noise she made would shatter this 'beautiful dream.'
The manager, noticing her reaction, followed her gaze. Though momentarily dazed, her experience quickly brought her back to reality. She recognized Wang Xiaohua sitting next to the extraordinarily handsome young man, though she didn't know him.
As they approached, Cheng Qingying realized that there was indeed someone sitting next to the 'handsome man,' someone she had completely overlooked.
Hearing footsteps, Qi Lin turned his head while Wang Xiaohua greeted them warmly.
"Hahaha, Sister Sitian, long time no see! Oh my, is that a new bag? I saw it at the launch last week, isn't it a limited edition?"
The woman addressed as Sister Sitian was Cheng Qingying's manager. She was about the same age as Wang Xiaohua but more plump. She and Cheng Qingying sat opposite Qi Lin and Wang Xiaohua before replying, "Oh, a friend gave it to me. You know me, I’m always carefree and don’t pay much attention to bags, just use it to carry things."
She then turned to Qi Lin, "Is this your new artist?"
"Yes, my brother Qi Lin. Brother, say hello."
Qi Lin stood up with a smile, "Hello, I’m Qi Lin."
Sister Sitian shook hands with Qi Lin, then glanced at her own artist, noticing Cheng Qingying seemed somewhat distracted. A discreet kick brought her back to reality, and she shook hands with Qi Lin too.
Wang Xiaohua, sharp-eyed as ever, sensed that the deal was almost in the bag, but she still needed to say the right words.
"Sister Sitian, you know I speak my mind. Does my artist meet your requirements?"
Sister Sitian looked at the still-dazed Cheng Qingying and felt a bit speechless. She thought, "This girl can't be that smitten, can she? It’s like she hasn't seen a man in years!" She gave Cheng Qingying another light kick.
Cheng Qingying finally snapped out of her daze but instead of answering Wang Xiaohua, she turned to Qi Lin and asked, "Can you ride a horse?"
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