Chapter 233: You Silly Little Thing!

Lion King Entertainment had been going through a rough patch lately.

Ever since Top Entertainment successfully rose to the ranks of first-tier entertainment companies, a siphoning effect had begun to take hold.

At first, it was just a few obscure, no-name artists.

Then came the third- and fourth-tier minor celebrities who already had their own fanbases.

Now, even regular company staff were jumping ship to the other side.

Take Wang Yang’s little secretary, for example—someone he had painstakingly trained.

Not long ago, she told him she was resigning to return home and get married.

He, being soft-hearted, agreed.

He even gave her a generous red envelope.

Only later did he find out—

The little secretary hadn’t gotten married at all. She’d gone to work at Top Entertainment.

Wang Yang was furious.

He smashed up his office on the spot.

Then he had someone send a message to the little secretary: if she didn’t come back, he’d send the office surveillance footage to her boyfriend.

As a result—

They broke up that very night. She stayed at Top Entertainment and never looked back.

Wang Yang was livid.

So today, when he accompanied the company’s girl group, Youlemei, to a commercial event, it was purely to blow off some steam.

He hadn’t expected—

In this academic setting, of all places, to stumble upon such a delightful surprise.

A girl with no makeup whatsoever.

A girl whose aura was completely different from the rest.

A girl who, even up close, was nearly flawless in every way.

Wang Yang hadn’t felt his heart race like this in years.

Especially since this girl was a top student competing in a math olympiad.

In an instant—

Seven or eight marketing strategies flashed through Wang Yang’s mind.

With her stunning looks on top of that—

He was certain.

She was destined to be among the top-tier celebrities of the future.

Even if she had no artistic talent at all, it wouldn’t matter.

In fact—

At that very moment, Wang Yang even found himself entertaining the idea of marrying this girl.

What a strange and wonderful feeling.

Wang Yang took a deep breath and put on what he believed was his most charming smile.

“I’m Wang Yang, General Manager of Lion King Entertainment.”

“I just caught a glimpse of your beauty.”

“And I was utterly captivated.”

“Would you be interested in developing your career with Lion King Entertainment?”

As he spoke—

To lend more weight to his words—

Wang Yang pulled out a special business card from his pocket, one that was only given to VIPs.

He handed it over.

Watching the girl’s expression shift from confusion, to surprise, then to calm—

Wang Yang felt his emotions rise and fall accordingly.

But just then—

A woman’s hand appeared out of nowhere and pinched the business card between her fingers.

“President Wang, since when did your business cards get so high-end?”

The moment he heard that all-too-familiar voice—

Wang Yang’s expression darkened. He glanced over.

“Miss Liao.”

“What sort of wind brought such an important figure like you all the way here?”

At that—

Liao Liao let out a light chuckle.

“What, President Wang can have artists under his wing, but I can’t?”

As she spoke, she flicked the card in her hand, the sarcasm in her tone unmistakable.

Then, she turned to the pretty girl beside her and smiled warmly.

“Hello.”

“I’m Liao Liao, Marketing Director at Top Entertainment.”

“Very pleased to meet you.”

With that, she extended her hand.

Seeing this—

Jiang Ning paused for a moment.

When she saw Liao Liao wink at her—

She immediately understood.

Smiling, she reached out and shook Liao Liao’s hand.

“Hello, I’m Jiang Ning, a math olympiad contestant from Linjiang Province.”

Wang Yang knew full well that as his rival, Liao Liao would definitely sabotage his plans.

He also realized that sticking around now would be pointless.

Though he was reluctant, he made a swift decision.

He forced a smile.

“Since Miss Liao is interested in Miss Jiang, I won’t intrude.”

“I just hope Miss Liao doesn’t bring some of the less savory aspects of the entertainment industry with her.”

Then—

He gave Jiang Ning a look that seemed to say “please understand,” and turned to leave.

Watching Wang Yang’s figure disappear down the corridor—

Liao Liao turned to Jiang Ning and made a polite gesture.

“Would you mind stepping aside for a chat?”

“Sure.”

A moment later—

The two of them sat down in a quiet corner of the hotel lobby’s café.

“One iced coffee, one latte, thank you.”

Once the server had taken the money and left, Liao Liao finally turned her gaze to Jiang Ning.

It had been a year since they last met.

The girl before her seemed even more beautiful than before.

Beyond her already lovely features, delicate facial structure, and graceful figure—

Jiang Ning now carried an indescribable aura.

Elegant and ethereal, gentle yet strong.

Every smile, every glance, held a touch of poise and sophistication.

No wonder even Wang Yang from Lion King Entertainment had pulled out his exclusive business card.

Even someone like Liao Liao, who had been in the entertainment industry for years—

Couldn’t help but feel a little tempted.

“Jiang Ning, have you really never considered stepping into the entertainment industry?”

That question left Miss Jiang momentarily speechless.

“Sister Liao Liao.”

“We haven’t seen each other in a year, and that’s the first thing you say to me? You think that’s appropriate?”

Hearing this, Liao Liao gave a silent smile.

“Do you know who that person was who just came looking for you?”

Jiang Ning shook her head.

“The General Manager of Lion King Entertainment. He’s notorious in the industry for being a lecher.”

“But when it comes to promoting talent, he’s got real skill.”

“He’s made several B-list celebrities famous.”

“Even Zhao Yuanyuan, who’s a top star now, was brought up by him.”

“Zhao Yuanyuan?” Miss Jiang recognized the name.

One of her classmates back in her first year of high school had been a huge fan of that star.

Back when she and Chen Yu were releasing songs together, she even had a spat with Sun Qian over it.

Who would’ve thought…

But Liao Liao quickly added, “Don’t overthink it.”

“Zhao Yuanyuan isn’t someone Wang Yang could touch.”

Oh!

So she had powerful backing.

Just then, the coffee arrived.

Liao Liao thanked the waiter, then turned back and continued speaking:

“Since Wang Yang has his eye on you, he’ll probably try to approach you again.”

“With me here to block him, he’ll be a lot more cautious.”

Miss Jiang understood what Liao Liao meant. She nodded and smiled sweetly.

“Then I’ll be counting on you, Sister Liao Liao.”

“About that issue you mentioned last time with your classmate, the people I contacted are already working on it.”

“The class Master Lu set up can’t be shut down, but transferring your classmate to a regular academic track shouldn’t be a problem.”

Hearing that, Miss Jiang finally understood what Liao Liao had arranged.

After all, they were both insiders in the industry.

The goal was to meet her request without offending Master Lu.

After all, Luo Shanshan was only in her second year of high school.

The future was still uncertain.

If she eventually followed Master Lu’s path and got into an art academy, then everything could be arranged more smoothly later on.

No problem. It made sense.

They chatted for a while longer, catching up on recent events. The conversation gradually shifted from song sales to upcoming music projects.

“I know I’m asking a lot,” Liao Liao said, “but I still hope you can write more love songs.”

“Right now, love songs are still the most popular in the market.”

“Alright, I’ll give it a try,” Miss Jiang agreed, though a bit reluctantly.

But inside, she was already grinning from ear to ear.

She’d held back on releasing love songs before, worried that Liao Liao might read too much into them.

But now things were different.

Since the suggestion came from Liao Liao herself, Miss Jiang had every reason to put out a few love songs to warm up the audience.

Fifteen minutes later, when it seemed like the conversation had come to a natural close, Liao Liao suddenly pulled a set of keys from her bag.

“Huixu District, Kangwu Road, No. 333, Feixia Villa, Unit 12.”

“Five bedrooms, two living rooms. Total area: 411.21 square meters.”

“The house is registered under your name.”

“If you’re worried about scrutiny, you can find a way to register it under a company.”

Was this a parting gift?

Miss Jiang beamed as she tucked the keys away.

If it weren’t for the potential fallout, she would’ve thrown her arms around this elegant older woman and kissed her on the spot.

But…

She had something good to give in return too.

Miss Jiang’s eyes sparkled with an idea.

“Sister Liao Liao, have you ever thought about opening a store?”

…

By the time Jiang Ning returned to her seat, ten minutes had passed.

Just then, Xu Suihe reached out and tapped the face of her watch.

She narrowed her eyes, a teasing glint in her gaze.

“Thirty-seven minutes…”

“What?”

Before Miss Jiang could finish speaking, she noticed Little Miss Xu twitch her nose.

She sniffed once, then again.

“And there’s a hint of perfume…”

Huh?

Really?

Miss Jiang instinctively raised her arm and took a sniff.

But strangely, she couldn’t smell anything herself.

Then, as she looked up, she met Xu Suihe’s eyes—half smiling, half mocking.

Only then did she realize she’d been played.

Her face flushed red.

“You tricked me!”

Xu Suihe chuckled softly, crossing her arms with a bright smile.

“Come on, tell me—did someone hit on you again?”

“Huh?” Miss Jiang blinked, then noticed Xu Suihe’s gaze drifting toward a certain direction.

She followed it.

It was that General Manager Wang from Lion King Entertainment.

He was sitting beside a trio of mature women, talking about something.

Judging by his stern expression, it looked like he was giving them a lecture.

“When you came back just now, I noticed the way he was looking at you was… off.”

“Yeah, he’s the General Manager of Lion King Entertainment.”

“Lion King Entertainment?”

Seeing Xu Suihe frown slightly, Miss Jiang thought for a moment.

She decided to briefly explain how Wang Yang had stopped her earlier, and how she’d managed to get away with help from Miss Liao of Top Entertainment.

After hearing the story, Xu Suihe’s expression shifted to one of understanding.

Her gaze lingered on Wang Yang for a few seconds.

Then she let out a soft laugh.

“Beauty like this, enough to topple cities and kingdoms.”

“What does that mean?”

“Grace beyond compare, beauty to topple kingdoms—like Su Daji dancing, enough to enchant a city.”

“What the heck!”

{Su Daji (蘇妲己) was the favorite consort of King Zhou, the last ruler of China’s Shang dynasty. In legend, she’s depicted as a beautiful but cruel woman—or a fox spirit who possessed her—who led the king into tyranny and excess, causing the fall of the dynasty.

Over time, she became a symbol of the “femme fatale” in Chinese culture: a seductive woman whose beauty brings disaster.}

“I was complimenting you, Su Daji! You silly girl!”

Silly girl?

Miss Jiang felt utterly insulted.

Her brow arched.

She raised a clenched fist.

“You little brat!”

“I’ve tolerated you long enough!”

“Don’t push me… Hey! Ow! Ow! That hurts! I was wrong! Big sis, I was wrong!”

Ten seconds later.

Looking at the pretty girl in front of him, fuming but too afraid to lash out, Xu Suihe smiled gently.

“This is just to teach you a little lesson.”

“Next time something like this happens, you tell me first.”

“Got it?”

…

Got it, my ass!

Even after the party ended, Miss Jiang still couldn’t figure it out.

Why did all these beautiful women know hand-to-hand combat?

Forget someone like Li Mingyu, a mature and elegant lady.

Even Xu Suihe, with just a casual pinch, could accurately grab the soft tendon in her arm.

How was she supposed to survive like this?

How was she supposed to play wall-pinning games with these little vixens in the future?

This was a serious problem.

If she didn’t handle it properly, where would her dignity as a man go?

She couldn’t just go back and ask Wang Jianguo for private training.

If someone asked why she wanted to train, and the answer was: “Because your boss can’t win a wall-pinning match against her wife and wants to practice with you,”

That paparazzi girl would probably laugh herself to death.

…

Elsewhere.

In the villa of Jiangzhou Tianxia.

“Achoo!”

Wang Jianguo let out a huge sneeze.

Meng Qing, sitting nearby, couldn’t help but express concern.

“Sister Xiaoya, you shouldn’t let the air conditioner blow directly on your head. You’ll catch a cold.”

To that,

Wang Jianguo gave a dismissive snort.

“Relax.”

“We martial artists train in the heat of summer and the chill of winter.”

“A little air conditioning wind? That’s nothing to me.”

“But you,”

“You can’t even hold a proper horse stance.”

As she spoke, she tapped Meng Qing’s thigh with a small twig.

Meng Qing winced in pain, her face scrunched up.

“Sister Xiaoya…”

“Why are you always making me practice grappling and combat?”

At that, Wang Jianguo cleared her throat and struck a fighting pose, throwing a rapid series of punches—so fast they were almost a blur.

After finishing, she turned to Meng Qing and said,

“Xiao Meng.”

“You know my boss—your Queen—is amazing at making money.”

“But when it comes to personal combat skills, she’s got none.”

“And I won’t always be by her side.”

“So…”

Hearing that, Meng Qing’s eyes lit up.

“I get it, Sister Xiaoya!”

“Thank you!”

“I’ll definitely train hard in grappling and combat!”

Seeing how obedient Meng Qing was, Wang Jianguo’s face lit up with satisfaction.

Though, the smirk at the corner of her mouth was a bit too wide.

Just then,

The phone on the table suddenly started ringing.

“Ring ring, ring ring.”

Wang Jianguo leaned over to check it.

She quickly picked it up and answered.

“Boss~ How’s Haicheng? Having fun?”

“Do you miss us~?”

On the other end of the line,

Lying in bed, Miss Jiang replied with clear annoyance at Wang Jianguo’s fawning tone.

“Cut the crap.”

“It’s time for your report.”

“Oh…”

Wang Jianguo immediately launched into a rundown of today’s Shi Ning Ji business performance, the electric bike factory’s orders, and production status.

Listening to the numbers,

Miss Jiang quietly did some mental math.

Then frowned.

“Are you sure the increase in factory orders is accurate?”

“How did it suddenly spike like that?”

“Oh, right.” At the mention of this, Wang Jianguo seemed to recall something.

“It’s an order from neighboring Qingshan.”

An order from Qingshan Province?

Miss Jiang didn’t remember having any clients over there.

She thought for a moment and asked another question.

“You didn’t ask where it came from?”

“Something like… Four Deer something?” Miss Paparazzi’s voice was full of uncertainty.

Miss Jiang couldn’t help but feel exasperated.

Even though Xiaoning Electric Bicycle was doing great in Jiangzhou and had built a solid sales network within the province,

She had never ventured into the out-of-province market.

So,

Faced with this sudden out-of-province order,

It was only natural to feel a bit suspicious.

Afterward, Miss Jiang asked about the spicy snack machine.

Upon learning that the custom machine had just arrived today and would be installed tomorrow,

She gave a few instructions and hung up the phone.

Then came her nightly routine.

By the time Miss Jiang had finished everything and was lying in bed, ready to turn off the lights and sleep,

Suddenly,

The landline phone on the nightstand rang.

“Ring ring! Ring ring!”

Jiang Ning was stunned for a moment.

She frowned.

But in the end, she picked up the phone.

“Hello, who is this?”

After a moment of silence,

A young man’s stammering voice came through.

“Jiang… Jiang Ning, hello, I-I’m from Wujin No. 3 High School in Hanxi Province…”

Before he could finish,

Jiang Ning muttered, “Lunatic,” and hung up without hesitation.

But just as she was about to fall asleep again,

The phone rang once more.

She picked it up.

“Beautiful Miss Jiang, ah-la—cough, I mean, I’m Qi Yuhang! Remember me?”

Qi Yuhang?

Who the hell is that?

Miss Jiang thought for a moment, then lowered her voice.

“Sorry, wrong number.”

“My name is Luo Shanshan.”

With a sharp “click,” she hung up the phone.

The young man on the other end was left completely dumbfounded.

He turned around in a daze.

“What happened?”

“She said her name is Luo Shanshan…”

“Who’s Luo Shanshan?”

“How should I know? You think I’d be asking you if I knew?”

Meanwhile, Jiang Ning thought that making up a name would be enough to stop the barrage of phone calls.

But—

She was wrong.

The moment she put the receiver down,

The phone rang again.

This time,

Miss Jiang was truly furious.

She snatched up the phone.

“In the middle of the damn night!”

“Why don’t you go call your damn mother!?”

After a brief silence,

A voice came through the line that left Miss Jiang completely stunned.

“Ning Ning.”

“What are you saying?”

(End of chapter)