CHAPTER 128: 122: EASILY CHOPPED DOWN MY SECOND COUSIN-IN-LAW, THAT REPRESSED STRAIGHT MALE_2

She looked utterly carefree.

Ning Guiwan put down the tray, and it took some effort to pull the blanket out from under her and cover her with it.

Turning off the light and lying down in the bedding, Ning Guiwan had trouble falling asleep, unable to shake the image of Quan Yu’s smiling eyes from her mind.

The next day during the meeting, Tan Xi immediately noticed her lack of energy.

The meeting, attended by only a few trusted individuals, focused on the project bidding set for early April. After the meeting concluded, Tan Xi accompanied Ning Guiwan to her office.

Tan Xi made her a cup of coffee. "Didn’t sleep well last night?"

"A bit." Ning Guiwan propped up her dizzy head for a moment. When Tan Xi placed the coffee cup by her elbow, she looked up at her. "You have something to tell me?"

"The department store’s model contract has expired. The previous artist caused a scandal recently. As discussed at the last meeting, we decided to change the endorser. After the news was released, many agencies called to recommend their artists. One of them is a bit special..." Tan Xi opened the folder she had brought and laid it in front of Ning Guiwan.

She added, "This one, her agent said, she was your high school classmate."

Ning Guiwan looked at the resume, which featured Zhang Ziyan’s photo.

"I wouldn’t have brought it up just for this; I’ve seen too many of these relationship ploys," Tan Xi said. "But this Zhang Ziyan seems to have a close relationship with Han, the head of Shangtai International. Han’s secretary called Changfeng early this morning to invite him to dinner and also mentioned Zhang Ziyan. Changfeng thinks that since you’ve just taken over Tianchi, it would be good to do Han a favor, as future cooperation with Shangtai might be beneficial. However, while Zhang Ziyan is indeed famous, she also has many scandals..."

Tan Xi’s tone clearly conveyed her hesitation.

"That’s why Changfeng is uncertain and asked me to come and consult you." As soon as Tan Xi finished her last sentence, she stopped talking and waited for Ning Guiwan’s decision.

Ning Guiwan stared at the photo of Zhang Ziyan’s smiling face. The photo must have been taken years ago; the girl had her hair in a ponytail, her face still showing traces of youth, and her smile revealed shyness and timidity, a far cry from her current sexiness and extroversion.

The entertainment industry is indeed a big dye vat.

She remembered back in high school, Zhang Ziyan hesitantly telling her, "I want to go to an art school and become an actress someday." The introverted girl’s voice was filled with self-doubt.

Even then, though inexperienced, Ning Guiwan knew the entertainment industry was a complicated and not very good place.

Zhang Ziyan had such a soft and easy-to-bully personality. Worried about her friend being taken advantage of, Ning Guiwan hadn’t offered a supportive response.

Zhang Ziyan had been very disappointed. Perhaps she had hoped to hear words of encouragement and affirmation from her good friend when sharing her dream.

After that, for quite some time, Zhang Ziyan did not speak to Ning Guiwan.

"You all discuss it." Ning Guiwan closed the folder and pushed it forward. "Consider it from the company’s perspective. Don’t take my personal factors into account."

「Three-thirty in the afternoon.」

Ning Guiwan and Lai Yang were strolling on the commercial street downtown.

The department store under Tianchi Group catered to mid- and low-end merchandise. The brands inside were generally affordable to the mass market, drawing customers like migrant workers and people with lower wages. Since she was shopping for a thank-you gift for Quan Yu, Ning Guiwan couldn’t just pick something cheap from her own department store.

Lai Yang was all smiles along the way. "You finally get it. If you don’t catch on fast enough, a good man like your second cousin once removed could be snatched away by some other woman, and then you’d have nowhere to cry."

No sooner had she said this than Lai Yang exclaimed, "AAAH!" and pulled Ning Guiwan into a luxury brand cosmetic store. "The new shades! Let me try them on!"

The sales associate, seeing the several luxury shopping bags in their hands, greeted them with an especially radiant smile. Judging by their styles, she selected what she believed were the most suitable lipstick shades. "Both of these are new releases," she offered.

Lai Yang glanced at the one the sales associate handed to Ning Guiwan and immediately shook her head. "No, Xiaowan’s lips are already this color when she’s bare-faced. It’s too light."

"Really?" the sales associate said, half envious and half complimentary. "This is the hottest ’man-killer’ shade right now. To have such a natural lip color, that’s so lucky!"

"That’s why," Lai Yang said while removing the lipstick from her lips, "she easily captured my straight-laced and reserved second cousin once removed."

That’s a lot of information...

"How come I always run into annoying people wherever I go? Such a mood killer!" An untimely voice came from nearby.

Lai Yang paused. Recognizing who it was, she turned her head to see Ning Qinghan and immediately retorted, "Well, well, I was wondering who it was. Turns out it’s the mistress. No wonder I smelled such a stench the moment I walked in; I didn’t realize you were here too."