Who Needs a CEO? I Choose Stardom

"Haha! Have you not heard this joke before? When people say ’I have a friend,’ it usually means they’re talking about themselves."

Sang Yuan gave a helpless smile. "I was just caught off guard for a moment. I was thinking, ’Do I really have such a bad reputation in your eyes?’ And think about it, I’m not stupid. If I had the money to keep a starlet, why wouldn’t I save it for marriage and find myself a good wife?"

"No, no, I was just kidding!"

"Alright then, I’ll forgive you for now."

As Sang Yuan spoke, his lips seemed to have a mind of their own, curling up uncontrollably.

"Hang on, let me call Sister Wei and ask."

Ni Bingyan pulled up her contacts and made the call.

For something this important, she couldn’t just take Sang Yuan’s word for it. She definitely had to confirm it herself.

She was open about it, not worried that Sang Yuan would overthink things, and made the call right in front of him.

If Sister Wei confirmed what he said was true, she would stop associating with Li Yi from now on. Even if Sister Wei didn’t know, she still didn’t plan on going today, just to be safe. The phone call was just to avoid wrongly accusing someone.

"People often walk their dogs and stroll along this road. Anyway, your house is just a few steps away, why don’t we talk there?"

Sang Yuan, harboring his own little scheme, was secretly making his calculations.

’Come to think of it, I haven’t even stepped through this gate in this lifetime!’

The last time he delivered kiwis to Ni Bingyan, he only got a glimpse from outside the courtyard gate.

Ni Bingyan was completely unaware, only thinking his suggestion was very thoughtful and considerate, so she immediately agreed.

"You’re right, it wouldn’t be good for someone to overhear this. Come home with me! You can be my witness later, I’m afraid Sister Wei won’t believe me."

’Sang Yuan was the one who told me this, so of course I have to bring the witness along. Otherwise, what will I do if Sister Wei says I’m making it up?’

Sang Yuan naturally had no objections. "Sure, it’s my duty. I’m telling the truth, not trying to stir up trouble between you and your friend."

"Oh, it’s not like she and I are close. You know how it is. All our classmates got into the program wanting to become actors. It’s a competitive field, so it’s hard to be genuine friends. For those who actually made it as actors, we’re around the same age and compete for the same resources, making a real friendship even more impossible. The only reason I accepted the invitation was because I couldn’t get out of it."

The two of them entered the gate to No. 32 as they spoke.

Sang Yuan looked at the familiar yet strange surroundings, his heart filled with emotion.

’A connection spanning two lifetimes is truly rare.’

Ni Bingyan had no idea what he was thinking.

To her, Sang Yuan was just a neighbor she was getting to know, plus a business partner. There was no deep friendship between them.

"Do you like fruit trees? You’ve planted so many."

Ni Bingyan had left on foot, so the two of them came in through the front gate.

Sang Yuan looked up and saw a yard full of fruit trees.

In winter, the fruit trees had lost all their leaves, so the yard didn’t seem crowded.

"Yep. Instead of flowers and decorative plants, I prefer growing fruits and vegetables. You can eat them, and their blossoms are pretty too. It’s killing two birds with one stone! These trees should start bearing fruit next year. I’m so excited."

"That’s a very practical way of thinking."

"I’m a practical person by nature."

"The other trees are still small, so they won’t bear much fruit. But this apricot tree is a big one. Its fruit will surely be very sweet."

"I’ll take that as a good omen. If it really does produce sweet apricots, I’ll definitely share some with you."

After a few more simple words, they went inside the house.

Just then, Ni Bingyan’s call connected.

"Hello? Sister Wei! I just heard something, do you have time right now? I wanted to ask you about it."

Wei Shuojie had just said hello when Ni Bingyan spoke first, not waiting for her to ask.

"I have time, of course I have time! I always have time for business. What is it? Tell me!"

"You know how I was about to go to that class reunion? The one my classmate Li Yi organized. Well, before I left, someone told me that Li Yi isn’t a good person, that she secretly acts as a pimp for people. Is that true?"

"What? Something like that is happening? How come I didn’t know? I know of Li Yi. Doesn’t she usually just keep her head down and film on set? She seems so honest and hardworking. How could she be that kind of person? Are you sure? Where did you hear this?"

"You didn’t know about this? Since you don’t, I can’t really say more. It involves someone else’s privacy, after all. They only told me because they were looking out for me..."

Before she could say more, Wei Shuojie understood what she meant.

"Alright, alright. I won’t ask where you heard it from. It’s better to be cautious, so don’t go tonight. Keep your distance from her for now. I’ll have someone look into it. I’m still helping my son with his homework, so that’s all for now."

"Okay, okay."

Ni Bingyan was so focused on the call that she didn’t notice Sang Yuan flip on the living room light as soon as he stepped inside.

At this hour, the room was already pitch black, yet he reached out and found the switch on the wall as if he’d done it countless times before and knew exactly where it was.

Sang Yuan had also heard what Wei Shuojie said.

’Well, this is fucking awkward.’

"It’s true, I swear!"

Pinned by her sharp gaze, Sang Yuan immediately grew nervous.

"If you don’t believe me, I’ll call that President Chen right now."

"Mm."

Ni Bingyan gave a slight nod.

Sang Yuan didn’t hesitate. He immediately got the number of that President Chen—the one who had bragged about the starlet—from a friend and resolutely dialed it.

President Chen, who liked to keep starlets, was notoriously promiscuous.

At this hour, he was having dinner in a private room at some hotel, and it was not a proper dinner. The dress of the little starlet in his arms was already wrinkled.

The mood was just right, and he was about to "make port," when the phone suddenly rang. Seeing it was President Sang from Yuan Yan Venture Capital, President Chen immediately pushed the starlet to the floor, zipped up his fly, and obsequiously answered the call.

He had saved this number a long time ago, never expecting that its owner would one day actually call him!

He was beyond flattered!

"President Sang, is there something I can help you with?"

President Sang, whose time was worth millions per minute, was famous for disliking small talk, so President Chen smartly got straight to the point.

’The God of Wealth himself has come knocking! I can’t afford to be disrespectful.’

"Ahem, it’s like this. I wanted to ask you, last time you said you could get a starlet named Li Yi to act as a go-between, that you could find a way to get with any starlet, no matter how beautiful. Is that true?"

President Chen let out a sleazy laugh that all men would understand. With a snicker, he asked, "President Sang, have you finally seen the light? You only live once, so you’ve got to enjoy it! This is a great thing! Don’t you worry, leave it to me. I know her well, I guarantee I’ll find you the most beautiful one!"

Ni Bingyan, listening in on the call, couldn’t help but cover her mouth to laugh as she watched Sang Yuan’s expression grow darker and darker.

"It’s not me, really, it’s not. I just have a friend..."

’Fuck, how many times have I said that tonight?’ Sang Yuan was mentally exhausted.

"Oh, I get it, I get it. Yes, it’s for ’a friend,’ it’s for ’a friend.’ I understand completely. You don’t need to explain. So, this ’friend’ of ours, what are his requirements for a starlet? Can this ’friend’ elaborate?"

President Chen was quite a character.

Listening from the side, Ni Bingyan couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore. She went out to the backyard, put her hands on her hips, and had a good, long laugh before coming back.

"Right before I hung up, President Chen asked if I was raising a crow at home, cawing in the middle of the night."

Instead of being offended that she was laughing at him, Sang Yuan cracked a joke, prompting Ni Bingyan to roll her eyes.

"I’ve missed my dinner and now I have to cook for myself. I’m already this miserable, and you’re still calling me a crow, just because I couldn’t help but laugh a few times~"

Sang Yuan laughed. "Is that so hard? Just wait, I’ll make it up to you with a meal."

Seeing him roll up his sleeves and head for the kitchen, Ni Bingyan quickly stopped him. "You can’t, you really can’t! You’re so earnest!"

’Who goes to someone’s house for the first time and just offers to cook for them!’

’Does this President Sang not understand social etiquette?’

’Alright, in all his years, even his own mother had called him as cunning as a fox. This was the first time anyone had ever called him earnest.’

Sang Yuan smiled faintly. "Yep, that’s just the kind of person I am."