Extreme Pampering-Chapter 18 - Someone reminded me to do garbage
Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Someone reminded me to do garbage collection.
Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Someone reminded me to do garbage collection.
In the brightly lit and elegantly decorated exhibition hall, Shen Zhiyi gazed upward to admire a delicate ink painting on the wall opposite her, standing by her side was the actress Song Ran, who had also been invited to this art exhibition.
“Do you like this painting?”
Shen Zhiyi was not familiar with Song Ran, only knowing that she had debuted in the same idol group as Xu Xia, but had never been particularly successful—thus, she turned to acting early on. Shen Zhiyi was a bit surprised when Song Ran struck up a conversation, “Mm.”
Song Ran said nonchalantly, “Then buy it, it’d be a nice gesture of goodwill.”
The host of the art exhibition was a retired veteran actor who had since turned to the business sector, amassing considerable assets. Many prominent figures from the business world were invited to the exhibition, as were quite a few from the entertainment industry, all hoping to use the event to network. Song Ran herself planned to buy a painting to cozy up to the host.
Shen Zhiyi shook her head, “It’s too expensive.”
Her expression was calm, neither flippant nor regretful, and as she stood in front of the ink painting, she was even more eye-catching than the elegant scenery, which left Song Ran momentarily stunned before she burst into laughter, “You can’t even afford that much?”
Shen Zhiyi was with the same talent agency as Huo Heng. Although she wasn’t as high-profile as him, the entertainment industry is highly profitable, and after a few years, it shouldn’t be that she found a painting to be too expensive to buy.
Their conversation was not loud, but many around them gradually turned their gaze towards them. Song Ran was all too familiar with this kind of attention. She took out her phone thoughtfully, and then swiftly changed the subject, “You’re trending again.”
She showed Shen Zhiyi her phone screen, with the top spots on the trending searches featuring her name.
[Shen Zhiyi Terminates Contract with Agency]
[Shen Zhiyi and Huo Heng Cast in the Same Drama]
[The Real Reason Behind Shen Zhiyi and Huo Heng’s Breakup]
As expected, as soon as the news of her early contract termination with the company made the rounds, they immediately threw out more sensational fodder to shift public attention. Now everyone was discussing whether Shen Zhiyi thought Huo Heng’s resources weren’t high-end enough and whether it was too thick-skinned of her to still land a role in the same drama with him after breaking up.
Shen Zhiyi had anticipated this and wasn’t surprised by the company’s tactics. She had already terminated her contract with them but had not yet signed with a new agency. If she wanted to clarify things, she would have to step forward herself.
Online discussions were buzzing, and her comment section was once again overrun by haters, most of them calling her calculative and shameless, and some expressing sympathy for Huo Heng being used even after the breakup.
“Huo Heng has no intention of speaking out,” Song Ran said with a playful tone, “He really is responsible, isn’t he?”
“Have you got any leads on a new agency? How about I recommend you to my agency?”
Shen Zhiyi looked down to type, “No need,”
Curiously, she looked up, “We’re not close, so why do you want to help me?”
“I feel sorry for you, being used by Huo Heng for so long and not getting any real benefits out of it.”
Song Ran blinked and whispered, “I know you were Xu Xia’s shield.”
Her fingertips paused momentarily, and Shen Zhiyi tapped out the last line, “You know?”
“I saw Huo Heng privately meeting Xu Xia before I left the group. The two of them were in the same room until the wee hours, just the two of them— isn’t it obvious?”
Shrugging her shoulders, Song Ran added, “And then your romance with Huo Heng was exposed.”
It was clear who she was taking the bullet for.
She saw that Shen Zhiyi seemed to have written something, so she opened her cell phone again to check her social media account, and sure enough, Shen Zhiyi had responded to those trending searches.
First, she didn’t ignore the issue of terminating the contract with the company like the netizens did; she directly posted a photo of the termination contract with a detailed explanation of the company’s breach of contract.
Second, regarding everyone’s speculation that she gained resources through Huo Heng and joined the same drama cast, Shen Zhiyi directly asked Huo Heng to explain.
“You’ve been hopelessly devoted to Huo Heng for so long, what made you suddenly see the light?”
At first, it was believed that the breakup was Huo Heng’s idea, but now it seemed that Shen Zhiyi was clearly the one taking the initiative, which was quite a rarity.
Shen Zhiyi looked at the expensive ink painting on the wall and smiled faintly as if to herself, “Someone reminded me to remember to take out the trash.”
Some decisions are tough to make, but once you take that first step, everything else falls into place naturally.
Sometimes Shen Zhiyi also wondered why she was so persistent with Huo Heng, knowing full well he had someone he liked but still unable to let go of her feelings for him, thus wasting these wonderful years.
What exactly did she like about Huo Heng?
After browsing through the painting exhibition, she had to go downstairs to the tearoom to socialize and greet others. There were many artists invited this time, and Song Ran saw many familiar faces at a glance, “Now we’re probably the lowest tier here.”
Above the artists, it was the business tycoons who were the real VIPs at this event. Only a few top-tier stars could mix in with that crowd. Those who couldn’t mingle didn’t want to leave, laughing and chatting in the card rooms. Shen Zhiyi was led by Song Ran into the room and unexpectedly someone called out to her.
“Zhiyi,” Xun Zhouxing smiled as he called her, pointing to the seat beside him, “Sit here next to me.”
Shen Zhiyi stood still, a subtle annoyance in her eyes.
It was this man again.
Xun Zhouxing had always been pursuing her, even knowing that she was “dating” Huo Heng, and after her official break-up with Huo Heng, he harassed her even more persistently, leaving her no peace even after she blocked him.
“Why don’t you come over?” Xun Zhouxing acted as if he was at his wit’s end, chuckling helplessly, and said with presumed affection, “If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain.”
He approached Shen Zhiyi, not hiding his determination to have her under the watchful eyes of the crowd, and whispered, “I’ll introduce you to some talent agency heads later, aren’t you waiting to sign with a new agency?”
“No need,” Shen Zhiyi smelled the strong scent of his cologne, which furrowed her brows slightly.
“Shen Zhiyi,” Xun Zhouxing sighed, “Are you still going to reject me? I’m serious about you. Just give it a try with me, and I will be able to give you whatever resources you want in the future.”
Xun Zhouxing was a commercial film director and a third-generation wealthy businessman, with a well-known business empire to his name. He’d been pestering Shen Zhiyi for years with promises of fame and fortune, but to no avail; Shen Zhiyi was thoroughly annoyed with him.
The two of them stood talking at the door, and as Shen Zhiyi turned to leave, she was grabbed by Xun Zhouxing who seemed to want to say more. However, a commotion arose from the tea room, all the business elites who had been joking and exchanging pleasantries suddenly stood up in unison and strode toward the door to welcome someone.
Beyond several short screens and the crowd, the figure at the door was barely discernible, dressed in an elegant pure black handmade suit with delicate bamboo embroidery on the chest. He slightly raised his eyes, a hint of a smile on his lips, almost there yet not quite.
Those who came to greet him were all cautiously observing his mood, not daring to overdo their compliments for fear of annoying him.
At a certain moment, the center of attention casually swept a glance over.
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