NMBJ2 - 30

Ni Kailun had been away on a business trip for a few days. Early that morning, upon returning to the office, she was summoned by the boss's secretary before she could even step into her own office.

She entered the big boss’s office upstairs, where Boss Thirteen was sitting on the sofa. He waved her over and got straight to the point: "When does Huang Xitang plan to renew her contract?"

Ni Kailun shrugged, acting as if the matter didn’t concern her. "Isn’t she handling negotiations through her lawyer? Why are you asking me?"

"The contract expires next month. We should have started discussions at the beginning of the year, but it got delayed because of her mother’s passing. It’s already been put off for nearly half a year."

Ni Kailun smirked. "Why didn’t I see you rushing her to sign earlier?"

Previously, when Huang Xitang’s career was unstable, the company had been hesitant to negotiate her renewal. But now that she had fully resumed work in the second half of the year, the company suddenly became anxious.

The big boss rarely visited the company, known as a smiling tiger. Hearing this, he waved his hand to stop Boss Thirteen from responding and gave Ni Kailun a teasing glare. "Kailun, you’re one of the company’s key players. Don’t turn your back on us—it doesn’t look good."

Ni Kailun stopped joking around. She respected the big boss enough to give him an honest answer. "This past year, Huang Xitang’s pay has skyrocketed. You know how high the offers are for the new dramas she’s signed. The fact that she’s still considering renewing with the company instead of going solo is already commendable."

Boss Thirteen chimed in enthusiastically, "Opening a studio on her own would be exhausting. Better the devil you know—how about signing for another three years? The terms are negotiable."

Ni Kailun grinned. "You tell her."

After leaving Boss Thirteen’s office, Ni Kailun made a phone call to Hengdian.

Her assistant, Ah Kuan, answered the phone.

That night, after wrapping up filming, Ah Kuan relayed Ni Kailun’s instructions once more. Xitang understood that Ni Kailun meant well. They were currently in a delicate phase of contract negotiations, and the future was uncertain. For now, it was best to remain low-key. Xitang had her own calculations. The company had taken her in when she was struggling, and now that she was famous, it wouldn’t look good to abandon them. Still, no one could deny how much the company had taken from her in the past—neither owed the other anything. But they had worked together for years, and this bond couldn’t be ignored. Ni Kailun advised her to leave the negotiations to her lawyer and stay on set as much as possible, avoiding the company headquarters.

In reality, during this period, as one of the most popular actresses in the domestic industry, Huang Xitang had been embroiled in controversies that kept the company’s publicity team busy. After the release of Spring Delay, which achieved both critical acclaim and box office success, her private life was thoroughly scrutinized throughout the year. First came revelations about her being from a single-parent family, with rumors spreading online that she was an illegitimate child and her mother had been the mistress. Then, after some time, an unnamed classmate came forward to claim that Xitang looked different from her university days and alleged that she had been kept by a wealthy businessman since college, undergoing multiple abortions.

Such marketing tactics were common among entertainment companies vying for artist resources. Xitang had seen it all before. To gain advantage, people resorted to underhanded methods. She herself never paid attention to these reports, though she worried her mother might be hurt by them. Fortunately, her mother was already hospitalized at the time. Su Yan’s PR skills were exceptional; she filed a high-profile lawsuit against those blatantly defamatory articles, quickly quelling much of the negative buzz. Subsequently, media outlets became more cautious when reporting on her. When her mother passed away, the company helped arrange the funeral. Since Spring Delay was a China Film Group production, Su Yan invited Hu Shaolei. In the entertainment industry, unless there was a deep personal connection, big names rarely attended funerals due to lack of time or superstition. Surprisingly, Hu Shaolei not only attended but also gave an interview afterward, praising her performance and urging the media to respect artists’ private lives.

Not long after, rumors of a romance between her and Hu Shaolei spread throughout the entertainment world.

During that time, Xitang was completely unaware of what was happening outside. However, Su Yan and Ni Kailun’s efforts earned high praise from Boss Thirteen. Just the fact that Hu Shaolei willingly allowed himself to be used and tacitly approved of the company hyping the rumor added an air of mystery to Huang Xitang’s background.

People couldn’t tell truth from fiction, nor did they care. The title of rumored girlfriend of China Film Group’s “prince” was enough to ensure no one dared offend her on set.

Xitang had always focused on her acting, trusting the company. This trust was one of the reasons she agreed to renew her contract. Starlight Entertainment’s PR and promotional capabilities were unmatched by ordinary companies.

During the Qingming Festival holiday in March, the production team took a two-day break. Xitang returned to Shanghai to visit her mother’s grave and rested for a couple of days. That evening, Ni Kailun happened to be home as well, so she took her child to dine at Xianju Restaurant. As they left the restaurant, Ni Kailun told her, "Let me explain why Boss Thirteen suddenly wants to rush the renewal."

That night, after dinner, Ni Kailun drove her child and nanny home, while Huang Xitang drove alone. Glancing at the rearview mirror, she noticed the paparazzi trailing behind. Xianju Restaurant had become a hotspot for media surveillance. Earlier in the year, the owner had specially developed a few dishes for Xitang, who was then focusing on fitness. Even her nutritionist approved. Unlike bland boiled meat, the dishes retained excellent flavor. Xitang enjoyed them and occasionally recommended the place to artist friends in her production team. Word spread, and soon it gained popularity within the industry. Recently, whenever Xitang visited, she tried to keep a low profile. She maneuvered her car to evade the paparazzi, driving along Huaihai Road, past the dazzling lights of IAPM Mall. Looking up slightly, she saw the softly glowing gold logo on the massive glass screen, feeling a familiar flutter of excitement. After so many years in the industry, there were still moments worth cherishing.

Xitang still remembered her first luxury item.

It was her second year in the industry, after earning some income from a movie. She saved over 20,000 yuan. Back then, she was still a young girl with limited horizons, enchanted by the confidence and vanity money could buy. On that spring afternoon, she invited Qiao’er to join her. The two girls took a taxi to Guomao Plaza. Xitang held Qiao’er’s hand tightly, stepping into the first floor with reverence, and bought her first bag costing over ten thousand yuan. She treasured it secretly, unwilling to use it on rainy days and too embarrassed to tell Zhao Pingjin, fearing it would reveal her humble origins. Two weeks later, Zhao Pingjin noticed the bag on the couch and casually asked, "When did you buy this?"

Xitang knew he had grown up accustomed to luxury. The second time she met him, she noticed the watch on his wrist. Girls from their kind of schools, whether rich or not, had impeccable taste. The watch was an entry-level Heritage series model, priced around 200,000 RMB domestically, and showed signs of wear from years of use. Its brown strap bore slight scratches, contrasting with the soft, pale skin of his wrist, exuding an effortless elegance. For someone like him, handsome features paired with a white shirt and platinum watch were basic accessories. In their lifestyle, even the most expensive items were merely tools for use.

When he first met her, Xitang was still a student. Though studying at the Film Academy, her style carried a youthful simplicity. Zhao Pingjin never minded; he never criticized her attire. Back then, both he and Shen Min were young. When the company first started, they couldn’t even afford office space. A group of men worked in the living room, writing code. For nearly a year, Xitang vividly remembered the living room lights staying on 24/7. Zhao Pingjin sat at a wooden table, wearing Adidas shorts and a T-shirt, black-framed glasses perched on his nose, furiously typing on his laptop. His disheveled black hair and intense expression made him look like an irritable lion. She only saw him dress formally when going out for contracts. When tidying his clothes, she noticed his wardrobe contained basic blue, white, and gray shirts, changed seasonally. Each button, each thread, exuded refinement and wealth. Despite being together for over two years, they rarely went shopping. Zhao Pingjin was too busy, only accompanying her once a year on her birthday.

Later, during her two or three years in Beijing, she only bought that one bag. When she left Beijing, Ni Kailun went to pack her things. Unable to take anything with her, she sold the bag and the expensive jewelry Zhao Pingjin had given her, converting everything into cash and sending it to her.

Everything had long disappeared.