Romantic debts
The next morning, upon awakening, Jing Dan comfortably stretched in bed with a yawn, lazily opened her eyes, and blankly stared at the ceiling, tempted to indulge in a little more time nestled under the covers.
Suddenly, she sat up sharply, turning her head toward the direction of the door.
She remembered that last night, wasn’t she just drinking with her aunt? What happened to her afterward? It seemed like she had just fallen asleep?
Lowering her head, she caught sight of her own short and chubby black paws and blinked.
Not only had she fallen asleep, but she had also reverted to her most comfortable form…
Her aunt was miserably drinking alone, and she was comfortably sleeping next to her?!
Jing Dan, now fully awake, slapped the bed annoyedly and then dove, burying her entire head into the blanket, sulking over her own behavior.
How could she be so heartless?
How was her aunt? She hoped nothing was amiss.
She hurriedly scrambled out of bed and hopped down, scurrying outside.
The whole living room was quiet. Had her aunt not gotten up yet?
Not daring to knock directly on the door to ask, she could only jump back onto the sofa to lie in wait for her, starting to feel somewhat gloomy as she pondered over things.
She had lived on and off with her aunt for quite a few years now, and she truly had never seen her aunt look as dispirited as last night.
Ding——
Lost in thought, Jing Dan was startled by the sound, her cowlick even quivering a bit, before she realized it was her phone left there from last night that was ringing.
Upon opening it, she found it was a message from He Ying.
【He Ying】: Are you awake? Did you sleep well last night?
Seeing this message, Jing Dan blinked, somewhat puzzled as to why He Ying would make a point of asking her if she had slept well.
But thinking back on last night, although she had spoken about the matter concerning her aunt, it seemed like she had, indeed, slept quite well…
【Jing Dan】: Good.
As soon as the message was sent, He Ying knew she had replied.
Upon opening it, indeed it was from that person. Seeing the simply put ‘good’ and that period, He Ying couldn’t help but roll her eyes with annoyance.
This person sure sleeps soundly.
Thinking about how she was left behind last night just so that person could go back to sleep, He Ying felt an irritation that seemed to come from nowhere. Nobody had ever treated her like that before!
It wasn’t that she, He Ying, was generally believed in; rather, indeed, before Jing Dan, it had always been her who rejected others. She really hadn’t been left behind like that before!
With a helpless chuckle, she scolded herself. Why was she even trying to reason with such a child? While they seemed to be about the same age, she was old enough to be her grandma; she might as well bestow some affection on the young one.
Contemplating the balance in her account, she let out a wistful sigh. Rather than worrying about the kid, she should think about how to earn more money!
Consider other spirits who, by themselves, could live without concern for their households due to having someone skilled in business management within their clans—their spiritual lives are pretty carefree and comfortable. But her situation is different—if she truly were alone, she could have a comfortable life. But the reality is she has a whole group behind her, mouths agape, waiting to be fed!
With this thought, He Ying’s sigh grew even heavier. Why, as a spirit, must she work so hard to earn money! Why must pursuing art be so costly!
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While she was preoccupied with figuring out how to earn more for the dance troupe, Jing Dan had already tossed aside her cellphone, looking up worriedly at Jing Shiyue.
But Jing Shiyue’s expression was normal, just like usual, showing no trace of last night’s dejection. Seeing her like this, Jing Dan found it even harder to broach the topic. What if in asking, she inadvertently brought up painful memories for her?
Jing Shiyue came down, casually ruffling her head, and asked with a raised eyebrow, “What? Don’t you have to work today? Why are you still here and not getting ready?”
Jing Shiyue naturally knew why she was still there, but that matter wasn’t something that could be easily discussed with her. It was better to keep her busy than to have her overthink things.
Jing Dan let her ruffle her hair, and seeing that she truly seemed alright, quietly breathed a sigh of relief inside. She nodded and said, “I’ll get ready now!”
“By the way, since the office is quite a distance from here, do you want your aunt to prepare an apartment for you closer to the company?” Jing Shiyue asked.
Hearing this, Jing Dan thought it over. Nowadays, the human world is filled with surveillance everywhere, and using spiritual powers still comes with many apprehensions. If there was an apartment nearby, then she wouldn’t have to make the long trek back here.
However, she felt a bit reluctant to leave the bamboo grove not far away…
“Well, then prepare one for me,” Jing Dan said with some indecision. It was better to have it ready, so there would be a place available if needed.
“Alright, you go on with your work; leave this to your little aunt,” Jing Shiyue said.
Jing Dan nodded, and with a flash of white light, she went straight upstairs.
After changing her clothes upstairs, Jing Dan came down only to find that Jing Shiyue was no longer in sight. She touched her head and ultimately decided not to overthink things. She then headed straight out the door.
By the time she arrived at the company, Hu Tu was already there, lying in her office with a coffee, looking like someone who had been drained of vitality, giving her a somewhat resentful glance.
Jing Dan didn’t pay her any mind, going straight to pour herself a glass of milk to hold, treating Hu Tu as if she were transparent, completely ignoring her.
“Hey,” Hu Tu called out.
Jing Dan finished the milk in her hand, seemingly finding it quite to her taste, and was contemplating a second glass.
“Jing Xiaodan!” Hu Tu raised her voice.
Jing Dan gave her a leisurely glance. “What is it?”
Hu Tu replied, “Nothing much, but do you really just pretend not to see me like this?”
Oh, how angry she felt inside! Was this panda blind? Or was she pretending to be blind on purpose? What kind of bad karma did she have to end up encountering such a demon!
Hearing this, Jing Dan once again ignored her.
Hu Tu: “……”
Never mind, I must have owed her in a past life.
“Did you, last night, perhaps rack up some romantic debts?” Hu Tu said in a faint voice.
Early this morning, she was rudely awakened by a phone call. To her dismay, it turned out to be about Jing Dan’s matter, and she had to rush over without pause. Yet upon her arrival, Jing Dan herself wasn’t even here!
Jing Dan was filled with question marks upon hearing this question. Romantic debts? Her?
“Don’t project yourself onto me.” How could she possibly have romantic debts! She was the epitome of propriety. Hu Tu was really spreading rumors about her!
Hu Tu rolled her eyes dismissively and countered, “What do you mean by ‘don’t assume you are me’? If you haven’t stirred up some romantic debt, then why would that woman outside chase you all the way to the company?”
“She looked utterly worn and haggard, as if she was greatly troubled and in urgent need of someone’s arms to provide comfort and care.”
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Hu Tu clicked her tongue in annoyance, cursing her own damnable chivalry.
Jing Dan was stunned, a woman had chased her to the company? She instantly thought of the woman she had helped the previous night, could it be her?
“Where is she now?”
“The small reception room.”
Jing Dan made her way directly to the reception room and saw the woman sitting upright with proper poise inside.
Indeed, it was the woman she had rescued last night; her clothes still unchanged.
As she entered and drew closer, the strong scent of alcohol wafted from the woman, suggesting that she must have rushed over here without even having the chance to freshen up after waking up.
“Hello,” Jing Dan was the first to break the silence.
Upon seeing her, the seated woman immediately stood up, clutching at her own clothes somewhat nervously, displaying a timid demeanor.
Jing Dan: “…”
She glanced at herself and a flicker of doubt crossed her mind—was she really that frightening?
“President Jing, h-hello,” the woman promptly spoke upon noticing the change in Jing Dan’s expression.
Seeing her this flustered, Jing Dan didn’t speak further. She sat down on one side of the sofa and gestured for the woman to continue talking.
Seeing Jing Dan like this, the woman felt it was inappropriate to remain standing, so she sat down, her face taking on a somewhat panic-stricken look.
“President Jing, I had no choice but to come to you.” The woman introduced herself: “My name is Zuo Miaotong, I’m an actress. The people I encountered last night, they are the producer and the director of the TV drama I was auditioning for. I offended them last night. In this circle, it’s going to be very difficult for me to get by.”
Moreover, she wasn’t foolish. Just from the way Xu Zhihuan looked at her last night, she knew Xu Zhihuan did not like her. Offending those directors might still leave her with a glimmer of hope for survival, but having offended Xu Zhihuan, she feared she would no longer be able to make her way in the entertainment industry.
Jing Dan’s fingertips rubbed against each other as she looked at the woman with a beseeching face and asked, “So what is it you want to say? Say it directly.”
She had intervened last night because she couldn’t stand to watch what was happening. Now that this woman had come to her, she also didn’t like to beat around the bush and preferred to get straight to the point.
Zuo Miaotong took a deep breath, “President Jing, I know you are a good friend of President Xu. Could you please put in a good word for me to her? Ask her to let me off. I really need to continue to make my way in this industry, I need to earn more money!”
She suddenly burst into tears, covering her face, looking utterly desolate and hopeless.
She needed to survive in this circle, but there were too many things in it that she found unbearable, things that were almost driving her insane!
Jing Dan looked on quietly as she cried bitterly, but still spoke the truth, “President Xu is not someone I’m familiar with. Last night was only the second time we met.”
It was completely because that person was too presumptuous, treating me as if I were one of her own after only our second encounter.
Zuo Miaotong looked up at her blankly. They weren’t close? But didn’t Xu Zhihuan’s behavior last night exactly demonstrate a declaration of ownership?
Seeing her like this, and thinking of what He Ying said, this circle is too restless, many things have rotted away.
There was a hint of contemplation in her eyes, yet even such a rotten place still had so many people rushing headlong into it.
“President Jing, please, I beg you to save me, I really need this industry.” Zuo Miaotong’s eyes were bloodshot; she had not easily made it to her current status as a minor celebrity, at a time when her career was on the rise. If she was blacklisted now, then she would have nothing left!
Looking at her red-eyed appearance, Jing Dan began to feel an inner struggle between good and evil.
This is a matter for humans, should she intervene? Did she even possess the capability to change the current situation?
She is but a panda spirit with little understanding of human rules; could she truly effect any change?
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In that moment, she suddenly recalled the indifferent look in He Ying’s eyes when she said that the circle was thoroughly rotten.
She came back to her senses and said solemnly to the woman, “I can’t help you speak to President Xu, but you could consider joining our company. Here, I can guarantee that what happened last night won’t happen again.”
Yes, she might not be able to change the broader environment, but now that she had secured a position here, she could do her best to create a better one for herself.
Zuo Miaotong was taken aback upon hearing her words, and immediately frowned. It was her agent who had arranged for her to be there last night, which indicated that her company intended for her to obtain resources in that manner. Moreover, considering her actions last night, it was likely that her company would cast her aside.
But Jing Dan’s company had only just been established for a few days…
“Alright! As long as President Jing can guarantee that what happened last night won’t happen again, I’ll work hard with you!” Zuo Miaotong’s expression was determined. After all, since she could no longer stay in her current company, she might as well take a gamble!
Though she wanted to stay in this circle and be seen by more people, she wished to obtain her status through legitimate means, not by selling her body!
Seeing her resolute face, Jing Dan suddenly found the motivation and direction to better operate her company.
She wanted more people to be able to pursue their dreams without reservations.
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Bear · Idealist · Cat wants to start a business now, huh?