Wen Ning shook hands with Xia Qingtian and began to speak with a businesslike tone, "The company's subsidies and bonuses are detailed in the contract. You should have reviewed them."
Xia Qingtian nodded while moving her hands behind her back, subtly flexing them. She couldn't help but think about how strong Wen Ning's grip was; her hand still ached a little from the handshake.
Wen Ning, seemingly unfazed by Xia Qingtian's subtle movements, continued, "The signing fee will be transferred to your account after Golden Week. Based on your contract tier, the company will provide you with an assistant, a chauffeured car, and housing that's ready for immediate occupancy."
"A chauffeured car and driver aren't necessary. I'm signed as a virtual idol; there should be no chance of real-life exposure. I'll arrive on time for recording sessions," Xia Qingtian replied. "I don't need housing either; I live at home. An assistant would also be inconvenient, as I'm still studying and having an assistant follow me around would be difficult."
Xia Qingtian was pursuing her dream discreetly, using a roundabout approach. If she acted too boldly now, her grandfather might get upset and start arguing with her.
"These are standard provisions from the company. It's fine if you don't need them. Furthermore, you cannot opt out of having an assistant. She can be present only at your workplace, handle interfacing, and assist with private communications," Wen Ning's tone remained strictly professional.
After a few more special instructions and reminders, Wen Ning glanced at her wrist, saying, "It's about time. Let's go for lunch together."
"I'm not very hungry." Although Xia Qingtian greatly admired Wen Ning, a prominent figure in the industry, she felt a sense of pressure in her presence. She worried that eating lunch with Wen Ning might upset her stomach.
"I wasn't asking for your opinion." Wen Ning stood up, tidied the contract in her hand, and made a call, asking, "Is the restaurant booked?"
Hearing Wen Ning's words, Xia Qingtian realized that Wen Ning truly wasn't asking for her opinion; it was a directive.
Since the restaurant was already booked, did she really have the right to refuse?
Could it be that Wen Ning was trying to put her in her place?
With this thought, Xia Qingtian already felt a slight discomfort in her stomach.
Fortunately, the restaurant's food was indeed good, and the ambiance was elegant. Xia Qingtian sat opposite Wen Ning, eating slowly and deliberately. Wen Ning also adhered to the principle of not speaking while eating.
Midway through the meal, Wen Ning announced she had a meeting and left. Xia Qingtian breathed a sigh of relief and continued her lunch.
Before she could finish, there was a knock on the door of the private dining room. A slightly plump girl entered, the same one who had smiled at Xia Qingtian in the recording studio.
Upon meeting, the girl offered a shy smile. "Hello, I'm your assistant, Li Mengxiao. You can call me Xiaoxiao."
"Hello, I'm Xia Qingtian. You can call me Qingtian," Xia Qingtian stood up and shook Li Mengxiao's hand.
"Has Ning-jie already left?" Li Mengxiao said after shaking Xia Qingtian's hand. "I'm so sorry, there was traffic, and I had to finalize some matters after the contract signing, so I'm a bit late."
As her name suggested, Li Mengxiao was always smiling. Her voice wasn't loud, but she spoke quickly, appearing to be cheerful.
Before Xia Qingtian could ask anything, Li Mengxiao began to speak rapidly, explaining everything she knew.
It turned out that the lunch wasn't Wen Ning trying to assert dominance over Xia Qingtian, but a tradition at Gu Shi Entertainment. After an agent signed an artist, they would treat the artist to a meal.
Since most artists paid close attention to their physique, signings usually occurred in the morning, followed by lunch.
Wen Ning herself was extremely busy. She had returned to the country yesterday and met with Xia Qingtian early today. After signing in the morning, she had lunch, had a meeting in the afternoon, and another meeting and a charity gala in the evening.
Li Mengxiao had also noticed Wen Ning taking medication for jet lag while Xia Qingtian was recording, suggesting she was feeling unwell.
Listening to Li Mengxiao's explanation, Xia Qingtian looked at Wen Ning's barely touched lunch and sighed inwardly.
It seemed no one's success was accidental.
After they left the restaurant, Xia Qingtian went to a nearby congee shop. She bought a portion of hot congee and a self-heating pack, handing it to Li Mengxiao to deliver to Wen Ning at the company.
Li Mengxiao nodded in agreement and waved goodbye to Xia Qingtian.
Meanwhile, a meeting was underway at Gu Shi Entertainment. Mr. Gu, seated at the head of the table, made concluding remarks after listening to reports from various departments.
"In the second half of the year, we can focus on reality show variety programs. Those will be popular," Mr. Gu stated. "Try to arrange for the company's newcomers to increase their exposure."
Upon hearing Mr. Gu's words, everyone nodded in unison.
What Mr. Gu said was always accurate.
It had always been this way.
"If there's nothing else, we can adjourn," Mr. Gu said. "Wen Ning, stay behind."
Everyone then left their seats and headed for the exit.
After everyone had left, Mr. Gu turned to Wen Ning and said, "Your trip to Italy was hard work. If you need it, you can take two days off to rest."
"If you truly wanted me to rest, you wouldn't have given me a new artist," Wen Ning replied.
"She's very special," Mr. Gu's faint smile held a hint of mystery.
"We'll see," Wen Ning said. "However, since the company is venturing into virtual idols, I need full authority regarding funding and resources."
"That's not a problem." Mr. Gu was always generous in this regard.
He only cared about results.
"With your word, I'm reassured." Wen Ning placed her hand on her stomach, feeling a slight discomfort, but showing no outward signs of distress. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."
Mr. Gu nodded and cautioned, "If you feel unwell, take time off. Don't push yourself."
"Don't worry, I'm fine," Wen Ning smiled faintly and walked straight out of the conference room, her expression unchanged as she headed to her office. However, the moment she closed the door, she frowned.
Her stomach pain was a chronic issue that had bothered her for years, though it had improved significantly in recent times.
Perhaps due to the long flight, adjusting to the time difference, and not eating properly, it had worsened.
Just then, there was a soft knock on her office door.
After taking a few deep breaths, Wen Ning straightened her posture and casually flipped open a document on her desk, calling out, "Come in."
Li Mengxiao pushed the door open and gave a shy smile before placing the packed congee on Wen Ning's desk. "Ning-jie, Qingtian saw that you didn't eat much at lunch, so she bought some congee for me to bring to you."
Hearing Li Mengxiao's words, Wen Ning's gaze shifted slightly. "Understood. Please put it there."
"Okay, I'll be leaving now." Li Mengxiao then offered another smile and turned to leave Wen Ning's office.
After the warm congee settled in her stomach, Wen Ning's stomach pain noticeably eased.
"Hoo..." Letting out a long breath, Wen Ning looked at the self-heating pack beside the congee bowl and recalled Mr. Gu's words. She curved her lips. "This Xia Qingtian... at least she's thoughtful."