"That's right, I have a girlfriend. I can't explain it to her if I don't go home tonight."
Everyone almost spat out a mouthful of old blood, and the agent's face turned green.
"You, you, you... Xiangyang, are you sick? Just because Sister Hua gave you some face, you think you can be arrogant? You're lying right in front of me?"
Xiangyang sat up with difficulty. "I'm not lying, I really have a girlfriend."
"?! When signing the contract..."
"I didn't then, I just got one recently."
"Then before you came..."
"You didn't ask. I thought we were just here to talk business."
The agent's face turned from pale to green, then black, and he looked at Sister Hua awkwardly.
"Sister Hua, I'm sorry, it's all my fault. It's all my fault, I..."
But Sister Hua waved her hand generously.
"It's fine. The child is honest, though. Not like some people, who are like Chen Shimei, forgetting their humble wives the moment they see an opportunity. He has some backbone."
Regardless of what fate awaited them later, the two of them temporarily left the club safely.
On the way, the agent was so angry he didn't know how to scold.
"You got lucky today! Sister Hua didn't hold it against you because she pitied you! Do you know how badly we would have ended if she had?"
"She's a woman, and you think she's just talking business with young boys like you? How could you even think that!"
"Besides your face and figure, what else can you give her? What kind of business can she discuss with you?"
Xiangyang knew he was in the wrong and remained silent.
The agent scolded for a while longer, full of disappointment.
"When did you get a girlfriend? While the feelings aren't deep yet, I advise you to break up quickly!"
"You're going to be in the industry, you know what it feels like for an idol to collapse, right?"
Xiangyang whispered, "I don't want to be an idol, you said..."
"Hey! You don't want to make money now? Idols aren't just singers and dancers, they can be actors too! The ones who support you are all girlfriend fans! If you show up with a girlfriend, who will pay attention to you?"
To enter the entertainment industry, to be an actor, you can't even have a girlfriend, and you still have to be that for investors. What kind of life is that?
Without Chen Jiaojiao, there was no point in making money.
Xiangyang immediately said, "Then I won't make this money, and I won't enter this industry."
"Hey, who is your girlfriend? She has such a hold on you that you'd give up the chance to be a star for her?"
Xiangyang stated frankly, "Chen Jiaojiao, you know her too."
"Whatever you do, don't tell her about today's incident. Her temper..."
Chen Jiaojiao?
The agent almost spat out another mouthful of old blood.
"Chen Jiaojiao is your girlfriend?! You're dating Chen Jiaojiao?!"
"Why are you so surprised? She's not a demon or a monster, is she?"
Chen Jiaojiao was indeed not far from being a demon or a monster.
The agent had met her in Jincheng. In Jincheng's high society, who didn't know this arrogant and overbearing young lady?
You could provoke anyone but not this kind of formidable woman.
The agent complained in his heart but said nothing.
"Forget it, forget it. Tonight, I'll pretend I didn't bring you out. Let's not dream about entering the industry anymore. That's how it is."
"I'll pretend I don't know about your relationship. From now on, we'll honestly make small money. I'm truly speechless."
When they got home and rang the doorbell, Chen Jiaojiao rushed out instantly.
It was almost midnight. Since they became boyfriend and girlfriend, this was the first time they had been apart for so long.
Chen Jiaojiao missed Xiangyang terribly.
Her coral velvet pajamas were soft, and she looked like a tender peach. Xiangyang hugged her tightly.
"I saw your message, but there were people around, so I couldn't reply. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Chen Jiaojiao looked up and sniffed him. "You haven't been drinking? I thought you went out for drinks and got drunk, and then some other little vixen..."
Xiangyang interrupted her, "No, you know I have a low tolerance for alcohol. Unless they put a knife to my neck, I won't drink if I can avoid it."
Chen Jiaojiao affectionately kissed his cheek. "So sensible? You know what's important."
After kissing him, she noticed his face was cold. Touching his hand, it was as cold as ice.
"Where did you have your gathering? It's the middle of winter, you weren't at a roadside stall, were you? How did you get so cold?"
She pulled him inside and warmed his hands.
After taking off his shoes, she warmed his feet and found his entire feet were purple.
"What happened, you're frozen like this? What did you do?"
She looked as if she was about to question the agent, and Xiangyang quickly comforted her.
"It was really a gathering, but there were many important people. Someone like me couldn't say much, so I just stood there and got cold."
His words made Chen Jiaojiao feel a pang of sadness.
She understood the circles that relied on looks for a living.
Investment bigwigs thought they could control others' destinies, each acting as if they were the most important person.
Xiangyang, being inarticulate and powerless, could only stand there stupidly.
"You poor thing. You've made me feel so heartbroken. I regret letting you enter this wretched industry."
"If you're really wronged, tell me. We can just quit."
"We're so young, and our education is good. We won't starve as ordinary employees! Who wants to serve them!"
The more she said this, the more Xiangyang liked her, feeling that everything he did for her was worth it.
"That won't do. I don't want to be an ordinary employee. I want to buy you a car and a house and travel the world in the future."
"I'm not wronged. Many people were with me. I heard many young masters and ladies from prominent families also lowered their pride to be picked on. What can't I do?"
Chen Jiaojiao cupped his face, her expression filled with relief.
"You're so understanding? Alright. Since you can see it that way, I won't say any more. People do need to endure humiliation sometimes."
Xiangyang looked at her smooth, tender face and felt a bit worried about himself.
"I just don't know if my bodily functions are normal after being frozen for so long. Why don't you test me?"
"Ah? You're still wearing clothes, how could it be..."
Halfway through her sentence, Chen Jiaojiao realized he was being mischievous.
"You're quite something now. You're finding more and more excuses!"
The two young people laughed and joked, forgetting their troubles.
Lu Mingzhe's wedding proceeded as scheduled. The day Chen Jiaojiao received the wedding invitation, she was genuinely surprised.
"Not long ago, he was heartbroken over Xiang Wan, drowning his sorrows in drink, and now he's suddenly marrying another woman. Only Lu Mingzhe could do something like this."
"He failed with me once, yet he dares to fail a second time. Isn't he afraid of disgracing the Lu family name?"
Zhou Jin advised her to be kind.
"Don't curse him. Xiang Wan has been gone for so long, and no one can find her. Lu Mingzhe is getting older by the day, and he can't just wait forever, can he?"
"It's natural to get married when you meet someone suitable. Perhaps this time he'll finally settle down."
Chen Jiaojiao pouted, "Let's hope so."
"Speaking of which, I do admire Xiang Wan. She left as soon as she decided to, without leaving a trace. If we had half her determination, we wouldn't be in such a mess."