The few people grunted as they got up. They glared viciously at Qin Ze before they left. However, they did not leave any comments such as the cheesy ‘we’ll be back’, or else Qin Ze would have caught up to them and beaten them up.
The woman invited Qin Ze to a cafe near the river.
“Let me introduce myself. Pei Nanman. The people from before were my ex-husband’s lackeys. Thank you for helping me.”
“Qin Ze.”
“You learned martial arts?” The woman smiled.
“Just a few years.” Qin Ze nodded.
“I don’t think it’s as simple as a few years. You’ve learned Neijia as well.” Pei Nanman saw right through him.
Qin Ze was shocked. He felt that this woman had a pointed edge to her. Even though her quiet and elegant aura concealed it, he still felt fear and restriction like he did when he was facing his father.
Maybe not so much fear, but he did feel restricted.
This lady was a classical queen type. Qin Ze labeled her quietly to himself.
“Qin Ze, where is your family from?”
“We’re local.”
“How old are you this year?”
“23.”
“You haven’t graduated yet, but you’re interning, right?” The woman asked after a few seconds.
“Yes, but I haven’t found a job so I’m idle at home.”
“What school are you from?”
“SUFE, in economics.”
The woman took a sip of coffee and crossed her arms before her chest. She straightened her body. She was dressed casually and baggily, which made it hard for Qin Ze to gauge her sizes, but she was rather well-endowed.
“Will you be interested in coming to my company?” Qin Ze knew what she was going to say the instant she spoke. Her subconscious behavior of straightening herself and crossing her hands were classic moves by interviewers or of superiors looking at subordinates.
“You’re asking me to be a security officer?” Qin Ze was not sure if he should laugh or cry.
“I’ll save a managerial position for you. You’ll be promoted after six months or a year.” The woman did not give up.
I’m a university student, and you’re asking me to be a security officer. I’m okay with that since I’m just biding my time. However, I have a feeling my dad will disown me if he finds out.
“How about this? You don’t have to intern. Just come in to work directly, and I’ll give you the treatment and pay of a manager. It’s thirty thousand a month, with insurance. Bonuses are on top of that.”
“I’ll think about it.” Qin Ze turned her down politely.
Pei Nanman smiled and asked the service staff for a pen and paper. The two exchanged numbers, and she left.
Qin Ze sat in the cafe, reminiscing the woman’s expressions and behavior. Then, his phone rang. It was a voice message for his sister. “Qin Ze, are you coming back or not?”
It was 7:20.
In the evening breeze, Pei Nanman smiled slightly, and she looked at the cafe next to the river.
“He’s so young, but he managed to get neijin already?”
Wednesday…
9 AM, Star Talent Entertainment Company…
Qin Baobao drove to work and had a glass of water. She then went for her required daily dance and vocal lessons. Dancing was a skill required of singers. Even though they were not expected to sing and dance like in the past, they might come in handy for MVs and other events. Especially for singers who were pretty and had a good body like Qin Baobao. It was a waste for her not to dance. Besides, dancing increased lung capacity.
Vocal training was also necessary for new singers. Not everyone with a good voice could sing on stage. Anyone could sing, but the professionals were different from the other people. Their enunciation, articulation, breathing, etc. There was a lot to it.
After dance practice, the girls got together to chit-chat. Everyone was in their tight-fitting dance outfits, a view that the male employees earned to see.
Qin Baobao gulped down warm water from her thermos. She used to have herbal tea from her brother, but she was upset with Qin Ze and said a lot of things that were overboard like ‘I don’t need you to write songs for me, you scoundrel’.
It was because Qin Ze had been overly enthusiastic to Wang Zijin and had neglected his sister’s feelings.
“Sister Qin, you sing so well.”
“You’re so good. I’m becoming a fan.”
“Who writes your songs?”
“Aiya, she already said that her brother did.”
“Sister Qin, don’t forget us when you’re famous.”
Qin Baobao was at the center of the group of girls. They were chatty, and she did not know how many of them meant what they said.
11 am…
In an office…
“Baobao, the reaction to your appearance on the show was great. You’re really popular on the net. Everyone’s talking about you. The company’s PR has decided to market you as the Queen of Love Songs. You’ll take the title as long as you sing a few more love songs…”
Qin Baobao sat comfortably on the computer chair as she listened to the woman drone on. The OL before her was Li Yanhong, a manager that the company assigned to her. However, she was not an ace manager; Qin Baobao did not qualify for that treatment yet.
“Sister Li, when is Teacher Gongming coming? I’m recording the show tomorrow.” Qin Baobao cut the woman’s droning impatiently.
Li Yanhong, thirty-two years old. She had been in the manager circle for seven or eight years. She had a number of small artistes under her, but none of them were ever famous. She was still unhappy when the company asked her to manage Qin Baobao a few days ago, but to her surprise, Qin Baobao became an overnight sensation. Even though she had just started out, her fame and potential were way above the plain Janes she was managing.
Li Yanhong felt that this was her hard-earned chance to succeed. She was really concerned about Qin Baobao, treating the latter as if she were a budding sapling. She would get the masseuse to give Qin Baobao a massage after her dance lessons. She would also advise Qin Baobao to take care of her muscles after training to prevent stiffening.
She would ask if Qin Baobao was feeling unwell if the latter coughed even once. She would ask if Qin Baobao wanted cold medicine but then would offer to cook her soup because of the side effects of cold medicine.
It was like she was dealing with her child.
“Teacher Gongming is coming over soon. Writers often stay up creating so we can’t hope for their biological time to be too regular,” Li Yanhong said.
“Oh.” Qin Baobao frowned.
Xu Gongming was a composer that the company had groomed. He was quite famous in the circle and had quite many songs credited to him. At his peak, he was the go-to composer for the A-listers. However, as time passed, so did his talent. Otherwise, the company would never get him to write for Qin Baobao.
It was already Wednesday. They were recording tomorrow and airing the day after. Yet, Qin Baobao had not seen her new song, which made her extremely anxious.
“Don’t worry, just wait a little longer. I’ll make you a cup of tea.” As Li Yanhong spoke, she took out tea leaves from her drawer and walked to the water dispenser. Just then, her phone rang. She walked back immediately, looked at the caller ID, and waved her phone before Qin Baobao with a smile. “It’s from Teacher Gongming. I told you not to panic.”
“Hello. Hi Teacher Gongming. Sigh, you’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you for days.
“I just wanted to ask if you have any good works. I have a female artiste who is really good at singing. She’s very promising; the company told you about her right? Yes, yes, her name is Qin Baobao.
“What did you say?” Li Yanhong’s smile suddenly froze as her voice turned urgent. “No, why can’t you write it? You agreed to it a few days ago, and the company notified you, too. No, no, I’m not using the company to put pressure on you.
“Eh, eh, please help… hung up?!” Li Yanhong set her phone as she breathed heavily.
“What’s wrong?” Qin Baobao’s heart sank.
“The songwriting fell through?” Li Yanhong said in despair.
“Fell through?” Qin Baobao jumped straight. “Didn’t we agree that he’s in charge of all my future songs? He’s just giving up because he feels like it? Even the company’s words aren’t working?” She questioned.
“It’s not Teacher Gongming’s problem,” Li Yanhong sighed. “Xu Lu’s issuing a new album next month, and she’s short on a few songs. She’s not happy with all the composers that have been assigned to her. She heard that Teacher Gongming had a new song, and she decided to take it.”
Qin Baobao remained silent, her pretty face gloomy.
Xu Lu was a star that the company was promoting. She made her debut as a singer and turned to acting, but she had been stuck in a rut in the last few years. She decided to return to singing in an attempt to boost her stagnant popularity.
There was no negotiation. As an A-lister and one of the companies’ aces, no one would say anything if she took Qin Baobao’s song. Even if Qin Baobao made a fuss, the company would surely side with Xu Lu. She had no choice but to accept it.
“Baobao, it’s fine. She’s an A-lister; there’s no point in fighting with her.”
Qin Baobao’s expression remained gloomy, and she kept silent. What was she to do now that her new song has fallen through? Replace it with other songs? Battle it out with the popular singers? She knew without thinking that she had no chance of winning. She relied on the novelty of her original songs. Her singing ability was secondary. Did that mean that her debut on a variety show was coming to an end?
“Is Xu Lu trying to get rid of me?”
Qin Baobao said idly after a long pause, trying to suppress her anger.
“You can only say stuff like this in private. Don’t spread this,” Li Yanhong warned.
Qin Baobao pouted and headed for the door.
“Eh, where are you going?”
“I need a break.”
Qin Baobao left without looking back.