Ex-Girlfriend – Chapter 67

Amusing Ourselves to Death

Manager 04

Queen

After Xin Lan finished handling some matters, she went to check the stock market trends.

            

The original host didn’t dabble much in stocks, only played around with small amounts, making and losing money here and there. Xin Lan planned to make some profit from this first.

Stock trading brings quick money, although the risks are high.

The original host wasn’t particularly short of money, owning an apartment in a first-tier city [一線城市 | yī xiàn chéng shì | referring to China’s most developed cities like Beijing, Shanghai] with a considerable annual salary, but wasn’t wealthy either. Because of mixing in the circle, especially with her need to socialize everywhere, giving favors was essential – money the company wouldn’t provide, so she had to manage it herself.

            

Xin Lan looked at several stocks and had Ling Jiu analyze the rise and fall trends.

Ling Jiu compiled the statistics and provided the optimal solution.

Xin Lan tapped the screen and began buying.

            

After finishing all this, she lay down to sleep.

The next morning at dawn, she was awakened by knocking.

Fortunately, now awake, she wasn’t unhappy. After washing up, she got into the car heading to the airport.

            

Shen Yun sat beside her, wearing a mask, looking like she had words stuck in her throat.

The atmosphere in the car was awkward. Zhou Qinqin, sitting in front, didn’t know how to ease the tension, so she just handed breakfast to both Shen Yun and Xin Lan before lowering her head to look at her phone in silence.

Shen Yun removed her mask; yesterday’s slap mark had faded considerably, leaving only faint finger marks that were quite visible against her fair skin.

            

She only ate a little breakfast, then began looking at Xin Lan with deep emotional eyes.

Though that gaze wasn’t piercing, it had a particularly strong presence. Xin Lan kept her head down looking at her phone, completely ignoring it.

Until they got out of the car, Xin Lan still hadn’t acknowledged her.

            

Shen Yun bit her lip, reluctantly put on her mask and hat, and followed behind Xin Lan.

Because Xin Lan bought her ticket later, although they were on the same flight, they weren’t seated together.

Zhou Qinqin intended to switch seats with Xin Lan but saw her shake her head.

            

Obviously, there was conflict between the big boss and little boss, so Zhou Qinqin didn’t approach, avoiding becoming collateral damage [炮灰 | pào huī | cannon fodder].

Shen Yun sat very uncomfortably in her seat, bloodshot eyes indicating she hadn’t slept well the previous night.

She didn’t know how things changed so quickly – just yesterday she attended the wrap-up party [殺青宴 | shā qīng yàn | celebration marking the end of filming], looking forward to the future, and today everything had changed like this.

            

Breaking up with Xin Lan hurt her, but what hurt more was worrying about her resources.

She knew that given her star power, some resources wouldn’t normally come her way – they were opportunities Xin Lan had fought hard to get for her. Now that Xin Lan had broken up with her, would she stop providing resources? Would she make things difficult?

The more Shen Yun thought about it, the more afraid she became, her eyes growing dark.

            

Now she began blaming Chen Qing, if it weren’t for Chen Qing suggesting they have a roll in the hay [來一炮 | lái yī pào | casual sexual encounter], she wouldn’t have accepted.

After the one-hour flight, Xin Lan left the airport and was about to get a taxi.

“Go home and rest well first. I’ll pick you up at seven the morning after tomorrow. We’re scheduled to meet Yake at eight. Iris hates tardiness the most. At seven, I want to see you without any marks on your face. If you don’t get this endorsement deal, that’s on your own incompetence.”

            

Xin Lan spoke rapidly, checked the time on her phone, and hurriedly walked away.

Shen Yun couldn’t call out to her in time and could only watch her walk further away.

She consoled herself internally – at least Xin Lan wasn’t targeting her, didn’t seem very angry, and the Yake endorsement was still on. If she could secure this endorsement, her popularity would increase a bit more.

            

Xin Lan got into a taxi and went to the company.

Someone was already waiting in the office, politely greeting her as she walked in.

Xin Lan gave a light laugh, tossed her things on the desk, settled into the boss chair, and looked at the young man sitting on the sofa.

            

“Tell me, what’s going on?”

Cheng Zhi shuddered at her laugh, and seeing her gaze, lowered his head even more.

“This is bad,” he thought, “why does her aura seem even stronger now?”

            

“Gone mute?”

“Sis, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have violated company rules by dating in secret.”

“Have you broken up?”

            

Cheng Zhi remained silent.

Xin Lan picked up photos from the folder on her desk. There were over ten pictures showing Cheng Zhi being intimate with a girl. Fortunately, there was no kissing, just hand-holding and sharing drinks, but even these could cause trouble if released.

If Cheng Zhi were an established star, she might not have asked this way, but he was still rising, and most of his fans were girlfriend fans [女友粉 | nǚ yǒu fěn | fans who fantasize about dating the celebrity]. News of a relationship would be fatal to his career.

            

“The money to buy these photos will be deducted from your account.”

Cheng Zhi nodded, looking even more dejected.

Fortunately, the paparazzi who took these photos had connections with company higher-ups, so the selling price wasn’t too high.

            

“You need to understand, it’s not that the company forbids artists from dating, but now isn’t the time. I’m not forcing you to break up, but hope you understand your star path isn’t just about you. The company can spend money and resources to cultivate you, and help clean up your messes, but that’s only when you have the ability to give enough return to the company.”

Cheng Zhi kept his head down, like a large dog with drooping ears.

“I’ve been thinking about whether to hand you over to someone else to manage.”

            

Xin Lan tapped the edge of her desk, her contemplative expression telling her sole spectator that she wasn’t joking.

Last night, Xin Lan had been thinking that if she tried to sign Qin Yuyan, then having two people under her might be a bit too many.

Although it’s common for talent managers to handle several artists nowadays, Shen Yun was in her rising period with considerable fame. Xin Lan still wanted to keep her for the “raise and kill” strategy, and wouldn’t let her go to someone else before she was done playing this game.

            

As for Cheng Zhi, although this incident happened, it was contained without major consequences. The young man had good looks, and his public image was likeable. If managed well, his future rise wouldn’t be difficult.

The problem was that Xin Lan already had two rising stars under her. If she signed Qin Yuyan too, it would inevitably cause jealousy among colleagues. Jealousy aside, the upper management might find it inappropriate.

Xin Lan frowned – if she were the company CEO, she wouldn’t have this worry, though a CEO wouldn’t be a miserably abandoned ex-girlfriend either.

            

“Sis! No, please, sis! I know I was wrong, I’ll definitely behave in the future!”

Cheng Zhi was startled and quickly raised his head, whimpering.

He’d been under Xin Lan’s management for a year, and she’d treated him well. Moreover, Xin Lan was now one of the company’s top managers. If she handed him to someone else, the treatment wouldn’t be as good as now.

            

Cheng Zhi thought Xin Lan decided to transfer him because of his photographed romance, saying he would break up, looking at Xin Lan like he might cry.

Xin Lan looked into his eyes – Cheng Zhi was only twenty-one, not yet corrupted by the industry’s chaos.

“I’ll ask around first. Getting a new manager might not be bad for you.”

            

Xin Lan took a sip of hot water, stood up and left the office, leaving Cheng Zhi there to reflect.

Xin Lan knocked on the CEO’s office door, and as soon as she stepped in, she heard an amused voice.

“Well, if it isn’t our busy bee! How come you have time to visit my office today?”

            

“President Xu is joking. No matter how busy, I must make time to see you.”

Xin Lan smiled faintly, looking at the man in the executive chair.

Xu Fang, thirty-two years old, was the executive CEO of Xingtu Entertainment, the original host’s direct superior who had always taken good care of her. Their relationship was quite familiar.

            

After exchanging pleasantries, Xu Fang got straight to the point.

Xu Fang: “You’re not here just for that young man of yours, right? No need to thank us, the company will deduct it from his account.”

Xin Lan: “I’m not just here about that. I wanted to ask if anyone in our company has availability to take him on.”

            

Xu Fang: “That young man?”

Xin Lan: “Yes.”

Xu Fang raised his eyebrows and sat up straight.

            

Xu Fang: “What’s wrong, not satisfied with him?”

Xin Lan: “How could that be? That kid is quite obedient. It’s just that Miss Qin finished her studies this year and came back, tried out a variety show. You know about this, right?”

Xu Fang understood: “You’re interested in her too?”

            

Xin Lan: “Too? Have others already consulted you about this?”

“She’s quite sought after. Keep that kid for now. If you can really sign her, that’ll be your achievement,” Xu Fang paused, “But if you’re feeling overwhelmed, why not let Shen Yun go?”

Qin Yuyan was a female actress, and Xu Fang felt that if Xin Lan wanted to let someone go, it shouldn’t be Cheng Zhi. Although Shen Yun’s value was evident, in their line of work, one must think long-term. Having two actresses under management would inevitably lead to resource competition.

            

Gender was a fixed factor – male roles couldn’t be played by actresses, and female roles couldn’t be played by male actors. Even if the two female artists had different positioning, it would be impossible to keep everything perfectly balanced.

“That won’t work.”

Xin Lan rejected the idea, and Xu Fang shrugged.

            

“I know she’s your darling, but don’t pour your heart and soul into it too much. Some people have conscience, others don’t.”

Xu Fang snorted. Although Shen Yun was on the rise and appeared honest, who knew what ambitions she harbored. Once her wings hardened [翅膀硬了 | chì bǎng yìng le | idiom meaning becoming independent], she might want to go solo and poach people, leaving him with nowhere to cry.

Xin Lan remained noncommittal about the term ‘darling’ and stood up.

            

“Don’t rush off. Let’s have lunch together later. Kailin hasn’t seen you in ages and keeps talking about you.”

Hearing this name, Xin Lan pictured an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl.

“Alright, call me later then.”

            

Walking back to her office, Xin Lan thought about Kailin.

Kailin was Xu Fang’s sister, her Chinese name being Xu Siyu.

Back when the original host wasn’t as capable as now, she learned from Xu Fang. Sometimes he’d send her to pick up or deliver things to his sister, and that’s how the original host and Kailin became acquainted.

            

The original host was twenty-five or twenty-six then, while Kailin was fifteen or sixteen. Despite their ten-year age gap, which should have left them with little to talk about, the original host was gentle-natured and patient. Plus, since Kailin was the boss’s sister, whenever she sought help, the original host would guide or assist her. Over time, the young girl became quite dependent on her.

Xin Lan thought about being careful not to go OOC during lunch, as this mission environment was different from previous ones.

Returning to her office, Xin Lan faced Cheng Zhi’s pitiful gaze.

            

“Alright, stop looking so miserable. You’re still staying with me.”

Cheng Zhi sighed in relief, looking like he’d survived a disaster.

“Sis, I’ll work hard and make you proud!”

            

“Don’t worry about making me proud, just make yourself proud. And don’t meet your girlfriend for now.”

Cheng Zhi nodded like a pecking chick.

“By the way, who’s your girlfriend? Inside or outside the industry?”

            

The photos only clearly showed Cheng Zhi’s face; the female lead was either looking down or showing her back, making it impossible to identify her.

“She’s sort of in the industry, she performs traditional opera… Sis, what’s with that look?!”

“Just a bit surprised.”

            

“She sings really well, her whole family is in that field.”

Cheng Zhi’s expression was proud, not hiding his happiness at all.

A thought flashed through Xin Lan’s mind – wasn’t Qin Yuyan’s family also in the arts? Though the possibility of them knowing each other was tiny, it was worth a try.

            

“Could you ask your girlfriend if she knows Qin Yuyan?”

“Qin Yuyan?”

Cheng Zhi muttered to himself wondering who that was, but nodded and agreed.

            

“By the way, I have an endorsement deal for a men’s facial cleanser. I recommended you to them. Shooting starts in three days, so get ready.”

“Thanks, sis!”

Cheng Zhi had been idle for half a month since his last drama wrapped up, getting restless. Learning about the new job, he couldn’t contain his excitement.

            

He knew his Sister Lan wouldn’t abandon him like that. She had just scared him about not wanting him anymore, and not even two minutes later, she gave him an endorsement deal.

Cheng Zhi came in dejected but left full of joy.

This young man was quite amusing and remarkably straightforward without any ulterior motives.

            

Actually, under the original host’s management, his resources were quite decent. He wouldn’t have been sitting at home twiddling his thumbs for half a month after wrapping up, but the original host was particular about managing artists’ images, preferring to let Cheng Zhi stay idle rather than participate in questionable variety shows.

Xin Lan stayed busy with paperwork until noon, only looking up when a message notification sounded.

She massaged her shoulders and glanced at the office plants.

            

Come to think of it, after being in this face-slapping role for so long, this was the first time she was busy in the traditional sense.

The message was from Xu Fang, inviting her to lunch.

She locked her drawer, took her bag, and went downstairs, seeing a car parked at the entrance. She opened the door and got in.

            

“We’ll pick up Kailin first, then go to the restaurant.”

Xu Fang looked at the driver, signaling him to start driving.

Xin Lan nodded, taking out a small mirror from her bag to touch up her makeup.

            

Shen Yun, perhaps realizing she was being annoying, hadn’t sent any messages all morning, much to Xin Lan’s peace of mind.

Kailin was now a sophomore at the city’s famous film school, majoring in performance arts.

When she first met the original host, she was a high school student. The original host had asked what major she wanted to study, and Kailin said she hadn’t decided then. Just before the arts examination, she told the original host she wanted to study performance.

            

The original host actually didn’t support this, because Kailin had a somewhat reclusive personality and wasn’t very suited for the entertainment circle. But considering her brother was an entertainment company CEO and her family was wealthy, with people protecting her, nothing bad would happen, so the original host changed to being supportive.

After the original host started dating Shen Yun, contact with Kailin gradually decreased because Shen Yun didn’t like the original host being too close to others. Ironically, she ended up being the one getting negative distance [負距離 | fù jù lí | implying intimate contact] to someone else.

The car arrived at the edge of the university town. It was the height of summer, and Kailin wore a black shirt and shorts. She was naturally fair-skinned, and the black made her look even fairer.

            

She opened the car door and sat next to Xu Fang.

“Brother.”

She first greeted Xu Fang, then looked at Xin Lan.

            

“Sister Lan, long time no see.”

The young girl’s gaze fixed directly on Xin Lan, who smiled apologetically.

“I’ve been quite busy lately, so I haven’t been able to meet up.”

            

“Too busy even to reply to messages?”

“I’ll definitely remember to reply next time.”

Xin Lan spoke naturally, without any hesitation.

            

“Promise?” [說話算話 | shuō huà suàn huà | literally “words count as words”, meaning to keep one’s word]

“Promise.”

Kailin curved her lips slightly and sat properly.

            

The car arrived at the reserved restaurant. Xu Fang had booked a famous private kitchen, and the dishes came out quickly.

Xin Lan knew Xu Fang arranged this lunch mainly for Kailin, so she occasionally chatted with Kailin, asking about her situation, keeping the atmosphere from becoming awkward.

Midway through, Xin Lan got up to use the restroom, and when she came out, she saw Kailin washing her hands at the sink.

            

“Sister Lan seems so different now.”

Kailin’s voice was soft, almost indistinct among the sound of running water.

“Really? Probably because we haven’t seen each other for so long.”

            

Xin Lan pressed the soap dispenser, speaking very naturally.

“Maybe, but it feels like we’ve grown so far apart.”

Kailin pulled out some paper towels to dry her hands, throwing them into the bin.

            

After washing up, Kailin didn’t leave, waiting for Xin Lan at the door.

The two walked back to the private room in silence, but before entering, Kailin suddenly spoke.

“Sister Lan, we’re friends, right?”

            

“Mm.”

Xin Lan nodded without hesitation – they certainly were to the original host.

As for herself, it would depend on the situation.

            

“That’s good then.”

The young girl showed a somewhat shy smile and pushed open the private room door.

After lunch, Xin Lan had her assistant An’an send her the schedule.

            

When artists are busy, managers are busy too.

They must constantly work to maintain their relationships and connection], expanding them whenever possible.

Until lying in bed at night to rest, Xin Lan still felt somewhat dazed.

            

It had been a long time since she’d operated under such high pressure, but it felt not bad.

Her phone notification sounded, and Xin Lan swiped to see Cheng Zhi’s message.

【Orange Juice】 [橙汁 | chéng zhī | Cheng Zhi’s chat nickname]: Sis, she says she’s heard of this person but isn’t familiar with her. What’s up?

            

【Xin Lan】: Want to meet this person, but haven’t made a connection yet.

【Orange Juice】: Sis, you want to sign her?

After leaving Xin Lan’s office, Cheng Zhi had asked his girlfriend and Baidu-ed who Qin Yuyan was, finding the information and understanding what Xin Lan wanted to do.

            

【Xin Lan】: Yes.

【Orange Juice】: Then what about Sister Yun?

【Xin Lan】: Don’t call everyone “sister”.

            

Cheng Zhi’s eyes widened, looking at his phone with a ghosted expression.

To think this sentence would one day come from his Sister Lan’s mouth, amazing!

Cheng Zhi wasn’t stupid, he naturally knew who treated him well or badly. He also knew Xin Lan was more devoted to Shen Yun, and there was nothing to be jealous about. Looking at the situation, had Shen Yun made Xin Lan angry?

            

【Orange Juice】: Yes sir!

【Orange Juice】: I’ll ask if she has any way to help. Go for it, sis! You can definitely sign her!

【Xin Lan】: [CompletelyOJBCK.jpg] [OJBCK | abbreviation for “Oh Jesus Be Coming King”, internet slang expressing approval]

            

【Xin Lan】: Rest well these few days, no water retention, no dark circles. Keep your skin and figure in optimal condition, or I’ll supervise your diet personally.

【Orange Juice】: Yes, ma’am!

At six-forty the next morning, Xin Lan was awakened by her alarm clock.

            

She reached out to grab the ringing alarm and opened her eyes.

Today she had to take Shen Yun to Yake’s audition site. Honestly, she didn’t care whether Shen Yun got it or not, but she knew Shen Yun would definitely seize this opportunity, and she was happy to let that happen.

After washing up, Xin Lan applied light makeup, changed into a professional pantsuit, and walked out in high heels.

            

Her assistant and driver were already waiting downstairs. When she got in the car, An’an handed her a sandwich and milk.

Xin Lan’s home wasn’t far from Shen Yun’s, so they arrived quickly.

Before departing, Xin Lan had messaged Shen Yun and her assistants to be ready.

            

Shen Yun got into the car wearing sunglasses and a mask. Miao Miao helped her in while Zhou Qinqin handed over breakfast.

The finger marks on Shen Yun’s face had completely faded, and her skin condition looked good.

Whether Shen Yun had come to terms with things or had some other plan, she didn’t try to talk to Xin Lan during the ride, nor did she give those longing, meaningful glances. After finishing breakfast, she closed her eyes for a short rest.

            

As they approached Yake, Xin Lan briefed Shen Yun on important points to note.

The original host was quite familiar with Yake’s manager. While the advertising team handled model selection and shooting, the final decision still lay with Party A father [甲方爸爸 | jiǎ fāng bà ba | business slang for client].

This time, Yake was shooting for their new hydrating mask, which they claimed was so effective that one sheet could “carry” the whole scene [carry全場 | industry term meaning to dominate/excel].

            

This placed high demands on the model’s skin condition. Although post-production could help, poor skin would definitely mean a pass.

Before this audition, the original host had gotten several sheets from the manager Iris for Shen Yun to use, firstly to test the effect, and secondly to adjust her skin condition.

“Hi, Iris.”

            

Entering Yake’s shooting location, Xin Lan saw the long-haired man standing there and went to greet him.

“Hi, darling Lanlan.”

Iris came over and hugged Xin Lan, smiling warmly.

            

“Is this the model you brought?”

Iris’s gaze swept over Shen Yun, focusing on her face.

Shen Yun felt like she was being thoroughly scanned by some kind of X-ray machine, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, but still raised a smile and greeted Iris.

            

“Yes, how is she?”

“Looks not bad.”

“Who else is coming?”

            

“Yu Zijun and Fu Wen.”

“Tough competitors.”

Iris smiled without commenting.

            

Yu Zijun was a starlet from the same generation as Shen Yun, also one of the Four Young Flowers. Fu Wen was a recent dark horse, known for her likeable supporting role in a popular drama.

Xin Lan thought that Yake probably chose Yu Zijun for similar reasons as Shen Yun, while Fu Wen was chosen for her current popularity and appealing looks.

The original host had met Fu Wen before – a fair and tender young girl, full of collagen, with luminous skin and baby fat. She would likely be quite effective in a face mask advertisement.

            

Xin Lan chatted with Iris for a while, then took Shen Yun to the director who was adjusting equipment.

After the necessary adult pleasantries [寒暄 | hán xuān | polite small talk], they got to the main point.

Although there were three candidates, they wouldn’t shoot simultaneously. Once the equipment was set up, Shen Yun began following the script.

            

Xin Lan watched from a distance rather than hovering close by.

Advertisements rarely get done in one take. While Shen Yun was immersed in repeated shoots, Xin Lan scrolled through her phone as Iris walked up beside her.

“I hear they say you’re very attentive to this darling of yours?”

            

Xin Lan smiled without answering.

Or perhaps, that was the best answer.

Iris, being shrewd, could easily read the meaning in her smile.

            

“Seems rumors can’t be fully trusted. Still, this one’s a good prospect. She might actually best fit our standards.”

With both traffic and looks, Iris couldn’t make a final judgment without seeing the others’ performances.

“You seem in much better spirits than before.”

            

“Really?”

Iris nodded. Their last meeting was half a month ago, when Xin Lan had dinner with him to discuss this advertisement.

Back then, Xin Lan was like an active volcano – appearing calm but giving off an anxious, suppressed, and busy feeling, like she might erupt at any moment.

            

Now she seemed much more peaceful, exuding stability when you looked at her.

Iris didn’t chat with Xin Lan for long before attending to his own business.

Xin Lan’s phone vibrated, and seeing the message, a slight smile appeared on her face.

            

【Orange Juice】: Sis! Xiaoyuan says the 17th is Qin Yuyan’s grandmother’s birthday. There’s going to be an inner circle celebration. She can get in and bring someone. Want to go?

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LP: Re-translated on February 06, 2025

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