A Happy Transaction
Everyone Has Their Own Little Schemes
Lin Sifei sat in her chair, cupping her face as she scrolled through photos of pretty cats.
“We already have one cat. Why buy another?” Luo Ke wasn’t too keen on the idea. She liked her private world with Lin Sifei, and adding another cat felt like a lot of trouble.
Lin Sifei pouted. “Because I want to be able to suck on a cat1, too.”
She flopped back in her chair dramatically. “It’s no fun sucking on myself. I can’t even pet my own cat.”
Luo Ke snorted with laughter. “If you turn into a cat, isn’t it the same as just petting your own fur with your paws?”
“It’s not the same,” Lin Sifei insisted, slumping onto the desk and kicking her long legs restlessly.
Luo Ke put on a troubled expression, tapping her fingers on the armrest. “If you really want one…”
Before she could finish, Lin Sifei launched herself into her lap.
Luo Ke gasped, nearly fumbling the catch.
Grinning, Lin Sifei wrapped her arms around Luo Ke’s neck. “So troubled, huh? Is it because you only want me as your little kitty? One heart, one mind2… your self-control is pretty good, President Luo.”
Luo Ke swatted her playfully on the butt. “Are you testing me?”
“It’s not a test! I do want to suck on a cat, but compared to you, you’re obviously more important,” Lin Sifei said, planting a loud kiss on her cheek.
A small smile touched Luo Ke’s lips. She held Lin Sifei close, her eyelashes lowered. It was true that she was one heart, one mind, but it wasn’t as noble as Lin Sifei thought. She just wanted Lin Sifei to be her one and only, and likewise, for Lin Sifei to have her as her one and only.
She’d long been aware of the extremist nature of her feelings. She only wanted one. But Luo Ke knew you couldn’t force matters of the heart; wanting a ‘one and only’ was too difficult. So, she simply kept her distance from people, carefully controlling that space. Yet after a thousand precautions, ten thousand precautions3, she’d failed to guard against this particular cat.
She turned her head and pressed a kiss into Lin Sifei’s hair, closing her eyes.
Xiao Xiao, you’d better stay focused.
Dong dong. A knock sounded at the office door. Lin Sifei scrambled off Luo Ke’s lap and sat in the chair next to her.
Luo Ke straightened her clothes. “Come in.”
Zhao Min pushed the door open and saw them both sitting prim and proper, a knowing look on her face. If nothing was going on, why were they fixing their clothes?
She cleared her throat and walked in briskly. “President Luo, the team you assigned to watch Yan Yafei sent a report. The drama she’s in is getting a good response, and now they’re guiding her fans online to pick fights and start purifying her fanbase.4“
Lin Sifei’s brow furrowed at the news. “Didn’t her show just start airing? Besides, she’s Female No. 35 or lower. Who is she even tearing at?”
“I heard they’re using the excuse of ‘bullying a newcomer.’ Also, the company she signed with has some connections to Yuan Corporation. Her fans are now cursing out the company, too. It looks like she’s probably trying to break her contract.”
Lin Sifei crossed her arms, amused. “Is she kidding? There’s nothing wrong with the contract, and nothing wrong with the company. How could she possibly break it so easily under these circumstances?”
Zhao Min just shook her head. She was just a repeater machine6 with no feelings; the rest wasn’t her responsibility.
Luo Ke waved a hand, dismissing her. “Keep me updated on any other moves she makes.”
“Yes, President Luo.”
Lin Sifei frowned thoughtfully. Was Yan Yafei’s only goal this time to suck up fans7? It was actually a good move. A unified fan team effort would increase cohesion, and since they were tearing at her own company, she wouldn’t offend any other celebrities.
As for offending the company… as long as you could bring in money, a company didn’t mind having to carry the black pot.8
“Yan Yafei is smart. I thought she would have signed with Yuan Corporation. Looks like she planned on ditching Yuan Mo from the start.”
Lin Sifei thought about the plot of the original book and shook her head. “She doesn’t want to kick Yuan Mo to the curb. She plans on fishing for more fish.9 Her fallout with Yuan Mo was just an accident.”
“An accident you arranged,” Luo Ke said, smiling as she poked her cheek.
Lin Sifei couldn’t help but grin back, looking at her with pride.
“Although we can’t directly smear Yan Yafei, we can hire a water army10 to post some clarifications. If Yan Yafei gets big in the future, every word and every action from today will be dug up.”
Lin Sifei’s eyes narrowed. She wasn’t in a rush. This was about letting out a long line to catch a big fish.11
Luo Ke glanced at her and nodded.
Yan Yafei’s company initially didn’t want to bother with the situation, since she was, in fact, attracting fans. But they weren’t stupid. A celebrity who built her fanbase this way was bound to break her contract later. They couldn’t let her completely trash the company’s reputation, but as long as she didn’t go too far, her small cluster of fans couldn’t make any real waves.
But it wasn’t long before a group of people appeared online posting clarifications. Although the posts weren’t widely spread, they were clearly the work of industry insiders. Thinking about how Yan Yafei had offended Yuan Corporation, no one else dared to get involved. They let her do whatever she wanted.
Yan Yafei’s team also saw the clarifications, but they didn’t tell her about them. Instead, they sent the information to Feng Tingyun.
Feng Tingyun sat at his computer, read through the posts, and chuckled, taking a sip of beer. “Looks like this Yan Yafei has offended quite a few people.”
His manager was staring at him with a bitter and deep-hated12 expression. “Stop drinking! You need to take care of yourself. Your face!”
“Fine.” Feng Tingyun slammed the beer can on the table. “I won’t drink. Happy?”
His manager, Wang-jie,13 glared at him. “I really don’t know what you’re thinking, lending your own team to a newcomer. Are you out of your mind? You haven’t even reached your peak yet. You absolutely cannot get into a relationship right now.”
Feng Tingyun rolled his eyes. “Relax. I’d get with anyone before her. I have my reasons for lending her the team.”
Wang-jie stared at the back of his head and sighed helplessly. “Tell me, are you really thinking about moving behind the scenes?”
“Depends on the situation. I’m just leaving myself a way out.”
“You’re doing great. Why do you need a way out? Are you hiding something from me?”
“It’s hard to say,” Feng Tingyun said, getting up from the floor with a dejected air. He snapped his laptop shut. “But don’t worry. Worst-case scenario, I still have company shares and my own investment income. I won’t starve.”
“Do you think I’m worried about you starving? You have so much talent!” She treasured his gift.
Feng Tingyun smiled. “It’s not like I’ll definitely extinguish my shadow.14 We’ll see.”
He walked into his bedroom, waving a dismissive hand at her. “See yourself out.”
Wang-jie shot him one last glare before walking away on her high heels.
Yan Yafei’s side was constantly making moves. Although her role in her first drama was only Female No. 3, or maybe even Female No. 4,15 she used every ounce of her strength to suck up fans. While she was tearing at her company to solidify her fanbase, her team also released her tragic orphan backstory, crafting an image of a hardworking, upwardly mobile young woman.
Lin Sifei sat in her chair, reading about Yan Yafei’s past with a sigh. An orphan who managed to get into a prestigious university with excellent grades—it really wasn’t easy.
“Honestly, I kind of don’t want to go after Yan Yafei anymore. If she can really stay out of our way, it would be fine to just let her make her own path,” Lin Sifei said, slumping over the desk. Her mouth was squished into a pout. “She’s had it pretty tough.”
Even though she knew the original plot, Luo Ke still nodded. “I’ll have people keep an eye on her. If our paths truly don’t cross again, we’ll let bridge return to bridge, road return to road.16 But the moment she comes at us with bad intentions, I won’t spare her.”
“Of course we have to watch her. Who knows if the plot won’t suddenly try to screw us over.”
Luo Ke didn’t interfere with Yan Yafei’s career. Soon, the drama finished its run, and Yan Yafei had become a minor celebrity. She chose a new script and was scheduled to join the production after the promotion period ended.
Life suddenly settled into a peaceful routine. Lin Sifei kept up her daily fitness regimen, and spent the rest of her time trailing after Luo Ke, lounging in the air-conditioned office and reading scripts Director Chen had recommended.
Occasionally, she’d turn back into a cat, take a few pictures, and satisfy the fans who were Aoao waiting to suck on a cat.
“President Luo, the department heads below would like to ask if we’re still holding the year-end gathering this year? If so, they need to start preparing.”
“Proceed as usual,” Luo Ke said, looking down at the document she was signing. “I’ll cover the bonuses. They can come up with performances if they want.”
She looked up. “But be mindful of the image we project. No vulgar acts, and don’t use them as a source for jokes. Before they prepare, have them review the corporate philosophy.”
“Understood, President Luo.”
Lin Sifei’s ears perked up, and she happily scooted closer. “What’s a year-end gathering? Will there be performances?”
“It’s just eating, drinking, and handing out bonuses. A chance for everyone to relax at the end of the year. If they want to go crazy, they can go crazy. The annual leave starts right after the party.”
Lin Sifei’s eyes lit up. “Can I perform something, too?”
“Perform the grand transformation into a living cat?17” Luo Ke chuckled, pinching her cheek.
Lin Sifei stuck her tongue out. “I’m super talented, you know. I can dance and sing. How about I sing a song? With my professional vocal cords, I’ll elevate the whole evening’s class!”
She tilted her head up proudly.
Luo Ke went back to her documents. “If you want to, of course. Just let Zhao Min know in a bit, and she’ll arrange it.”
“Then will you do it with me?” Lin Sifei’s big eyes blinked at her.
Luo Ke raised an eyebrow. “So that was your little scheme all along.”
“I’m helping you integrate into the big company family! How is that a scheme?” Lin Sifei grinned like an overlord flower18 that looked ready to devour someone.
Luo Ke considered it seriously. “What’s in it for me if I agree?”
Lin Sifei’s eyes narrowed, the corners of her lips lifting high. She leaned close to Luo Ke’s ear. “Remember that orange gift I gave you before? I could give you a new one.”
Luo Ke looked at her curving lips, which made her look just like a cat that steals fish.19 She leaned down and kissed her. “One word and it’s settled.20“
“You have to sing with me first. You can redeem it tonight.”
“Alright. It’s not like you can run away, anyway.”
Lin Sifei pouted. “I wasn’t planning on running, okay?”
She thought happily about the little box at home and started humming a cheerful tune. She’d already bought it, so she was going to give it to her sooner or later. Trading it for a duet with Luo Ke was more than worth it.
She really was a little genius.
Watching her cheerful back, Luo Ke couldn’t help but touch her lips. Does Xiao Xiao want to hear me sing that badly? She’s even willing to give up her gift.
Her eyes narrowed. It seemed she could make more of these transactions in the future.
The author has something to say:
Feifei & President Luo: We scored!
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