Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Xie Dang handed a cigarette and a lighter wrapped in a square handkerchief and handed it to Jiang Jiusheng.
“There are no cigarettes for ladies,” he said in a nasty tone. “This is for men. It’s very strong. You’re only allowed to smoke half of it.”
Jiang Jiusheng took it with a sweet smile. “Thank you, my little brother.”
Xie Dang tilted his jaw proudly. “Call me Master Xie.”
Jiang Jiusheng rose with the cigarette in her hand. “I’m going to smoke now. Please let me through.”
Xie Dang gave her the stink eye and walked away. He had gone only a few steps when he bumped into a woman. From Jiang Jiusheng’s angle, the incident looked deliberate—it looked like she was either trying to pick a fight with him or throw herself into his embrace. However, Xie Dang didn’t stop for even a second. He pushed the woman, causing her to stumble over her long dress. She looked to be in a sorry state.
Jiang Jiusheng couldn’t help but laugh. Xie Dang is really a ruthless and unruly princess!
The woman’s expression didn’t look favorable. Her staggering had caused her to reveal a fair amount of her chest, and she grew frantic. “I’m sorry, Teacher Xie! I hope you’re okay,” she said. Afterward, the pale woman continued walking forward as if nothing had happened.
Xie Dang immediately retreated and gave the woman a cold look. He corrected her. “Call me Master Xie.”
The woman was speechless. Xie Dang was a national first-class musician despite his young age, and most people in his industry addressed him as “Master Xie.” Of course, that didn’t include Jiang Jiusheng and the other disciples of the Xie family. Still, “Master Xie” was a title reserved for Xie Dang’s father.
The woman was at a loss and looked at him with her mouth agape, still speechless.
“Are you 1.5 meters tall?” asked Xie Dang suddenly.
The woman was taken aback. Her pretty face looked frozen. “I’m 1.57 meters tall,” she answered.
I’m almost 1.7 meters tall now, with my heels. It’s too much of him to assume that I’m 1.5 meters tall.
Xie Dang looked her up and down, making her feel totally helpless.
After that, he said with certainty, “I’m sure you’re not any taller than 1.55 meters.”
Well, I’m 1.54 meters tall, she thought, but there’s no celebrity who doesn’t lie about her height! What does Princess Xie want from me? I just wanted to come here for exposure. Is that so wrong?
“With that kind of height, you shouldn’t be wearing such a dress.” Xie Dang crossed his arms and circled around the woman. He gave her a sidelong glance. “It makes you look shorter.”
The woman was furious. Do you think that you’re entitled to humiliate other people like this just because you’re the pet in your industry? Do you think you can be so merciless just because you’re so popular with the public? We’re both less than 2 meters in height, so what gives you the right to talk to me like that?
Despite this, she suppressed all her thoughts until her face turned green, and she mumbled an apology before grabbing her purse and scrambling off.
The celebrities around them were all quite used to this scene. Xie Dang had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth and came from a good family background. He was very good at acting coy, yet he had a venomous tongue. And he was very capable of appearing genuine when his nature was devious. From the beginning, the reporters had posted many nasty words about him, but those articles hadn’t been able to stop Xie Dang’s popularity from rising rapidly. Soon, his fans protected him so much that they would go after whatever news outlet dared to write anything bad about him.
Moreover, Master Xie had disciples from all over the place, and even if the higher-ups in the music industry didn’t like him, they had to show respect to his father. As such, they were willing to go against their conscience and indulge the Xie family’s little prince. It was no wonder the 1.54-meter-tall celebrity had sought to make use of Xie Dang for attention.
The artists’ lounge was on the second story and was not open to the media. Jiang Jiusheng found a random spot near a window and put the cigarette between her lips. She ignited the lighter.
This cigarette was better suited for men and had a very strong flavor. Jiang Jiusheng took a few drags and exhaled a mouthful of smoke slowly. She closed her eyes, satisfied.
Across the corridor, the faint conversation between a man and a woman could be heard. Jiang Jiusheng looked over lazily with the cigarette in her mouth. The woman was wearing a dark blue dress with stars embroidered on it. Her body was tilted sideways, but it was clear that she was wearing a lot of exquisite jewelry, and she looked very graceful.
She lifted her hand and gently tugged at the man’s cuff. “Don’t be angry anymore.” Her tone was coy and careful at the same time.
“Let go of me.” The man was reticent. His words were like gold, and his tone was rather cold.
The woman shook her head. “I don’t want to,” she said bashfully.
She continued tugging at the man’s cuff and swayed a little. Her eyes were filled with admiration and tenderness, and her head tilted slightly to reveal her delicate neckline. She wouldn’t have been considered young, and she didn’t exactly look exquisite. However, she had a very lovely temperament and was as splendid as a peony.
Still, the man was aloof. When he spoke again, his tone was much heavier. “There are reporters present.”
“They wouldn’t dare to spin stories.”
From this interaction, it could be inferred that this woman was stronger than the man; she spoke with authority, while the man’s attitude remained reserved.
“I don’t want any rumors circulating about us,” he said.
“I know.” Although the woman sounded indignant, she still released her grip obediently. She coaxed him with a low voice, saying, “Don’t be angry anymore, okay? I’ll listen to everything you say from now on and not act on my own accord.” It was a brilliant combination of advancing and retreating.
Jiang Jiusheng recognized this woman. She was the second young lady of the Wen family from Yuncheng—a daughter who had been cultivated by a family of bankers and had been independent from a very young age. Under her leadership, Hua Na Media had gained stable footing in the media industry in just five years. Miss Wen had a very strong personality, and Jiang Jiusheng never would have expected her to have such a coy side. She was 35 years old and a strong career woman who was reportedly single. Jiang Jiusheng wondered what kind of man was able to pick up a sonorous rose like her and make her bend over for him like this.
His face could not be seen, but Jiang Jiusheng thought that his voice sounded quite familiar. She shook the cigarette between her fingers and started to approach them.
Just then, her phone suddenly started ringing.
The man pulled the woman toward the staircase. Then the door slammed with a hud.
Jiang Jiusheng frowned and stopped in her tracks. She whipped out her phone from her purse.
“Where are you?” asked Mo Bing.
“The second story,” she replied.
“Are you smoking?”
“Yes.”
Mo Bing couldn’t be bothered to lecture her anymore. Jiang Jiusheng’s addiction to cigarettes was too severe. There was no way she was going to listen to her.
“Are you here yet?” Jiang Jiusheng asked Mo Bing.
“Yes, I’m at the door,” said Mo Bing.
Jiang Jiusheng was silent for a moment. Mo Bing was parking her car, and she could hear the cacophonic sounds of traffic. Her voice was low as she said, “Mo Bing.”
“Hmm?”
“Did Lin Anzhi come today?” Jiang Jiusheng’s voice sounded emotionless.
Mo Bing alighted from the vehicle and started walking toward the meeting place. “Yes. He’s with the crew.”
“When are you guys going to make your relationship public?”
Mo Bing was astonished. Jiang Jiusheng had never before interfered in her affairs with Lin Anzhi. She wondered if there was a hidden message in the latter’s words.
“We’re waiting until his movie is released at the end of the year. What’s wrong?”
There was a moment of hesitation.
“I heard a voice that sounded like Lin Anzhi just now,” Jiang Jiusheng said.
“With a woman?” Mo Bing asked quickly.
Her manager had always been a smart woman. Jiang Jiusheng did not try to be evasive either. “Yes. Wen Shuning from Hua Na Media.”
Mo Bing reacted without thinking. “It wasn’t Lin Anzhi.”
“Are you sure?”
As a third party, Jiang Jiusheng couldn’t be sure. The woman and man in question were talented and attractive, respectively. The former was graceful and charming, and the latter was in the prime of his life. Nothing in this world was absolute. Moreover, Lin Anzhi wouldn’t have jumped over to Hua Na Media back then without rhyme or reason.
There was a short silence over the phone.
“I’ve known him since I was 14,” Mo Bing finally said. “I trust him more than I trust myself.”
Lin Anzhi had been an orphan who’d been adopted by Mo Bing’s parents at the age of 14. They had developed feelings for each other at the age of 16 and had become a couple. They were each other’s first love and had been together for 14 years now.