Chapter 6: CH 6

Ruan Song fruitlessly sighed: “How much money?”

Ruan Song was dragged by Chen Yan into chatting into the dead of night, and after they finished eating the Japanese food, they hastily showered. They couldn’t even be bothered to clean up the dining table before they laid down to sleep.

So the next day when Ruan Song picked up a call from the hospital early in the morning, his entire body was muddled, and he couldn’t even open his eyes wide.

Fortunately, the nurse at the hospital’s front desk didn’t sound like a salesman: “Is this Mr. Ruan? This is City A’s First Hospital, someone is here to visit your mother.”

Ruan Song nearly said Ren Qinming’s name out loud, nestled back into his blanket and cleared his throat: “……Is it a man?”

The nurse denied: “It’s a lady with the surname Xu. She said she’s a co-worker, and has accompanied aunty to chat for awhile now. She asked us to call you to notify you. She probably wanted to discuss something with you, but couldn’t reach you.”

Ruan Song’s closed eyes opened in an instant, then suddenly asked: “Do the gifts she brought when visiting my mom look expensive?”

Nurse: “?”

…

Ruan Song was originally quite worried, but once he received the answer of ‘very expensive’ from the nurse’s investigation, he immediately grew unhurried.

No matter who it was, seeing as they brought such expensive gifts, then they definitely had something to ask of him.

And this ‘something’ was definitely not an easy task.

Ruan Song planned to give the other the cold shoulder for a while, and let the nurse tell that woman that he had something to do first, and could only go a bit later.

Then chose an outfit from the comfort of his bed, and even leisurely showered and washed his hair. He was completely unhurried, and even smoothly woke up the fatty as well.

Bleary-eyed, Chen Yan staggered about the door frame of the bathroom: “A woman surnamed Xu brought such expensive goods to see your mother, it can only be Ren Qinming’s manager. Is she asking you to do something?”

Ruan Song bent over to brush his teeth: “What’s she like? What kind of impression did you get from her?”

Chen Yan burped from the satisfying meal he had last night: “A pretty awesome woman. Yesterday, Ren Qinming ignored everything she said, but she didn’t get angry. I even ate her melons before. Now all the currently popular female stars born in the ‘80s were all found and made famous by her.”

Ruan Song thought this was quite impressive: “Then why didn’t she keep managing female stars? How’d she end up with someone as hard to deal with as Ren Qinming.”

The fact that Ren Qinming frequently changed managers wasn’t a secret in the entertainment circle.

Chen Yan briefly lowered his voice: “Haa, don’t mention this. I really did ask around about this before. The version my friend told me was that Xu Lan was too bold. She finessed too many resources for her own artists and blocked other people’s path. Then a few veteran managers or some other people, worked together to shut her out, and forced her to resign.”

Ruan Song held back the foam in his mouth: “What a legend, so why’d she come out of retirement?”

“Her savings are probably in a state of emergency. It’s not easy raising a child alone. The salary for being Ren Qinming’s manager is twice the amount of other roles, she probably couldn’t resist it.”

Chen Yan honestly and unreservedly shared all the rumors in his arsenal, and sighed while shaking his head: “The year they forced her to quit, it seems they took advantage of the gap in time and she grew pregnant. Her child should be five years old this year, and is about to start primary school, the perfect time to burn money.”

“Oh, and I also heard before she gave birth, her husband two-timed with an artist that she had managed before and ran away. Anyway it’s all quite miserable.”

Ruan Song paused after hearing the other finish, and felt as if he couldn’t keep brushing his teeth: “You’re guilt-tripping me, making me feel bad for making things hard for her……”

Chen Yan solemnly slapped his back: “We’re all just lowly workers, it’s fine as long as it’s convenient for everyone.”

Then Ruan Song wasted no more time, spat out the foam in his mouth, faced the mirror to dry his hair and prepared to leave.

It was still Chen Yan who stuffed a piece of bread into his hand before he left: “Although we stuffed ourselves yesterday night, you should still pad your stomach in the morning.”

Ruan Song: “Got it, I’m leaving.”

Chen Yan stood at the door watching as the other entered the elevator, an expression of devotion for his brother on his face. But as soon as the elevator doors shut, he turned to edit a WeChat message.

[Little Fatty Weighs Over 1000jin, and His Face Accounts for 800jin: Jie, I got him! Song just left]

The other replied.

[Xu Lan: ok, later if there’s any melon you want to eat, just directly message me]

The old melons that Chen Yan told Ruan Song weren’t fabricated lies.

They were all real, but the friend who told him the gossip wasn’t anyone else, it was the person involved, Xu Lan herself!

Who said his Song looked like a tiger, in actuality his character was softer than anyone else.

…

Ruan Song hadn’t exercised in too long, and he panted as he ran from the train station to the hospital.

But as he rode the elevator up to the designated floor, his hastiness could no longer be seen.

Ruan Song stood at the door and lightly inhaled, pulling at the hem of his clothes, completely unaware that he had long been sold out by his brother. He pretended to take his time opening the door and entered: “I apologize, I was discussing work affairs with someone in a location that was a bit far from the hospital so I arrived late.”

Xu Lan was sitting next to Mother Ruan’s bed peeling a pear.

The man that entered had a face that was much prettier than she had expected. It didn’t have any traces of the torment of life, nor did he have any superfluous decorations. He was better looking than his photos by leaps and bounds.

She finally understood why Wang Duan had absolute belief in Ren Qinming’s loyalty.

If this were any other place, and she had met Ruan Song in any other way, Xu Lan would definitely utilize every fiber of her being to successfully convince Ruan Song to become an artist under her management. And she would use her best resources to package him.

But the current circumstances were clearly inappropriate.

The sunlight outside the window cascaded through the window frame, and Mother Ruan laid on the bed with her eyes shut.

“I accompanied aunty to chat for a while, and she fell asleep after growing tired. She asked a lot of questions regarding your work, because you never took the initiative to bring it up with her.” Xu Lan set aside the pear she had finished peeling onto a fruit tray.

As soon as Ruan Song entered, he saw the costly caterpillar fungus and bird’s nest1 placed on the bedside table, and he quietly said: “If you wanted to find me, it was totally possible for you to have called me.” It wasn’t as if Ren Qinming didn’t have his number.

“But you could have easily hung up on me as soon as you heard who I was.” Xu Lan smoothly pulled the corner of Mother Ruan’s blanket, and actively stood up, “Let’s talk outside.”

…

Outside the hospital’s inpatient wing was a small flower garden. The nurses and family members would often bring the patients here to get some fresh air.

Ruan Song and Xu Lan sat in a coffee shop across the street from the flower garden, both ordering an iced Americano.

Xu Lan wasn’t stingy with her praise: “Before I came, I thought I was just seeing a handsome man who only looked good in photos. Who would have thought the actual person is really stunning.”

“Just get to the point. This isn’t the first time one of his managers came to find me.” Ruan Song raised his hand and mixed the ice cubes in his cup into clinking along the glass, directly jumping over negotiation procedures and getting straight into the promise.

“I won’t get back together with Ren Qinming, won’t spontaneously admit that the other person in the explosive allegation is me, won’t announce anything that would negatively impact Ren Qinming, or broadcast the fact that we dated everywhere. Is there anything else I need to add? If you don’t trust an oral promise, I can also sign an agreement with you.”

Ruan Song was just like Ren Qinming, certain in his belief that all managers wanted to obstruct loving couples.

But Xu Lan was good-natured: “I think you’ve misunderstood my purpose in visiting. Regarding your attitude towards Ren Qinming, if you don’t want to get back together, then it would be completely unnecessary for me to find you.”

Ruan Song thought in his heart, isn’t it because you all believe Ren Qinming is carrying the position of emperor on his back, and everyone wants to harm him: “If it’s not for this, what else could it be for? It’s definitely not because you want to help us get back together.”

Ruan Song had only said it jokingly, but Xu Lan unexpectedly agreed: “It really is about getting back together. Our company hopes you and Ren Qinming will participate in a dating show together.”

Ruan Song: “?”

You are reading story I Became Popular After Participating on a Dating Show with my Ex-Lover at novel35.com

He didn’t believe his ears, and could be said to be exactly the same as Ren Qinming from yesterday: “……You’re telling me you not only have no intention of clearing up that photo, but you’re even prepared to directly announce it?”

Are you guys crazy, or am I crazy.

Xu Lan immediately revealed an understanding smile: “No wonder Ren Qinming was so disagreeable. It seems the managers who came before me really interfered with his personal life.”

Ruan Song felt this was all too outrageous: “Is it that Zhongrui’s boss isn’t surnamed Wang anymore, and was directly changed to Ren Qinming’s surname Ren?” Only then could such an unreasonable request be given the green-light.

Xu Lan directly pulled out a stack of printed PPT slides about the sales pitch for a project, and placed her cards on the table: “First look at this variety show. Your partner is fixed, and it’s much better than finding someone who just wants to freeload off his popularity. The company is also planning to transform him.”

Hearing it said like this, Ruan Song felt it was slightly more reasonable.

There were plenty of people who wanted to profit off of Ren Qinming’s popularity, ever since they were together. He had even seen a few ambiguous and ingratiating messages by accident on the other’s phone.

And on the document placed in front of Ruan Song, the very first line, written in huge font, was the variety show’s name ‘19 Days of Cohabitation’.

As the name implies, it invited several couples as guests to go through a series of trips as team-building activities and complete various tasks over a period of 19 days. It was a live broadcast type reality show.

The contestants could be real couples, but after a period of cohabitation, they could even become divorcees.

Each time, the program group was able to attract a large amount of popularity even before they began broadcasting due to the reputation of the guests they invited, as well as the fact that their live broadcast was unedited to prevent from exaggerating the guests’ personas.

Although Ruan Song has never attentively watched the show before, with that level of popularity, it was impossible not to know of its existence. Nor was it a trivial matter that one could be invited to the show.

From beginning to end, Ruan Song had always had an attitude of not wasting anyone’s time, and clearly drew the line: “Then I’ll say it directly. If you want me to be a screenwriter for the show then it’s possible, but it’s impossible for me to be a guest. No matter how you want to transform Ren Qinming, that’s your company’s business. I don’t have the obligation to cooperate with your duties.”

Xu Lan seemed as if she wanted to continue discussing it: “Is there really no room for negotiation at all? It’s just cooperating on a variety show for 19 days. Once the show ends, we won’t interfere if you get back together or stay separated.”

Ruan Song was immediately angered into laughter, and he leaned back on his chair: “Why should I negotiate? Since it’s just acting, why don’t you find some pretty girl in your company and let her get together with him? Someone like that would be easier to manipulate than me.”

Xu Lan: “Do you think Ren Qinming would be able to act with someone else?”

Ruan Song began to grow impatient, his voice was filled with ‘what does this have to do with me’: “Then let Ren Qinming return the title of film emperor.”

They already broke up, and he usually doesn’t even reply to Ren Qinming’s messages. Now they hoped he could participate on a show with the other to show off their affection? He’d have to be crazy to go.

But Xu Lan stared fixedly at him for a few seconds, pulled out her phone and pressed around for a bit, then showed him the screen: “You really won’t consider it?”

Ruan Song was actually a bit near-sighed, and would usually wear glasses when working.

He currently had his arms crossed, and calmly leaned forward to see that a calculator was open on the phone screen.

And the figure inputted into the calculator began with the number ‘2’ followed by a long tail of ‘0’s.

Ruan Song squinted his long and narrow eyes faintly, and after calculating the number for a long time, he unexpectedly found it really was two million, and found it hard to believe: “The program team is crazy right, how could the starting remuneration be so high???”

With his current quote for writing TV screen plays, two million was equivalent to writing for nearly 100 episodes!

Now, many TV series weren’t allowed to exceed forty episodes, and even if he picked up two different projects in a row with no gap, and wrote an episode a day without facing writer’s block, he still would have to write for over a hundred days.

And that wasn’t including the endless edits to the manuscript. Taking it all into account, grinding out a hundred episodes within a year would require the good omen of his ancestors.

Xu Lan had already confidently pulled out the business contract and a pen: “Well, you haven’t seen Ren Qinming’s remuneration. If you change your mind now, I can help you discuss it with the program team, and getting 5 million shouldn’t be a problem.”

Ruan Song fruitlessly sighed: “……How much?”

Xu Lan maintained her smile, and repeated that unreasonable figure: “5 million. As long as you scatter candy throughout the 19 days of the live broadcast, the 5 million is yours. Also, it’s just you and you don’t have a company that you need to split the profit with. You just need to pay tax when the time comes. And if you sign your name right now, you can immediately get the down payment of 30%, your mother’s illness……”

Ruan Song: “Deal.”

“Ah?” The quick change in his attitude caused even Xu Lan to be surprised.

Meanwhile, Ruan Song had already simply signed his name on the agreement, he lowered his head half speechless and half self-deprecating: “A real man knows when to stand tall and when to bow and submit. I have no resources to make the money needed for the surgery, and can’t lower myself to sell my body. It’s already pretty good that I only have to endure a painless dog bite for 19 days.”

At the very least, it was better than the worst possible outcome he had expected after he finished beating up Liu Dezhong yesterday, which was finding Ren Qinming and borrowing money from him.

Xu Lan took the signed contract, and had completed her task, but unexpectedly found a bit of disgust in her heart: “You……don’t need to check the funds before signing?”

Ruan Song only carried his coffee cup while waving his other hand: “There’s no need to doubt the use of people, and no need to employ someone if you doubt them2. Seeing as I already signed, then I believe you won’t fool me.”

Xu Lan was stunned in her heart, but summarized her countless thoughts into: “Fine, then I’ll let the platform give you the funds today.”

…

On the other hand, Ren Qinming’s itinerary today was packed.

But he knew Xu Lan went to go convince Ruan Song to act out a show with him since early in the morning, and had constantly been absent-minded.

Now he was on his way to the filming site for a commercial, and sat on the car in a daze the entire way over.

Xiao Lu repeatedly reminded the other that he would be besieged by the paparazzi, and finally, right before he exited the car, he managed to adjust his mood.

Once he arrived at the destination, the outside of the car was surrounded by three layers of media reporters.

Later, after someone called the police, everyone’s ardor for any tidbit of news grew to a fever pitch, and the shutters as well as flashing lights couldn’t be stopped.

But just as Ren Qinming opened the door, and just as he was about to take the first step down, Xu Lan sent him a photo—— a photo of Ruan Song’s signature on the letter of intent to participate in the filming.

According to reason, during such a situation where one was surrounded by countless cameras, Ren Qinming would never reveal any abnormalities.

But he really……really couldn’t help the smile upon seeing Ruan Song’s signature.

Ren Qinming’s smile was like pressing a pause button on the scene, and all the raucous noise faded away. Everyone was already unclear as to when the last time they saw him smile was……

And this smile wasn’t an ordinary smile.

It was a smile that genuinely arose from his inner feelings. Even if you covered his mouth, his eyes would still reveal a smile. It was completely unprecedented!

“May I ask teacher Ren what kind of happy news you received?” A media reporter asked courageously.

Many media reporters on the scene were used to his indifference, and not one of them expected Ren Qinming to give an answer.

But it seems he really did receive some kind of happy news, and the cold King of Hell unexpectedly and uncharacteristically shared the news with generosity: “Actually, it’s nothing much. It’s just that I managed to convince my partner to participate on a dating show with me, ‘19 Days of Cohabitation’.”

Media reporters: “?????”

The hot search lived up to expectation, and it once again exploded.

.

The author has something to say:

Song: We already broke up, I’d have to be crazy to go.

Song: I’m crazy, I’ll go TT

1. Caterpillar fungus (ophiocordyceps sinensis) and bird’s nest are both valued as an herbal remedy in Chinese medicine.

2. This is an idiom, and is meant to describe efficient leadership. Essentially, ‘no need to doubt the use of people’ means using people and delegating tasks without suspicion while ‘no need to employ someone if you doubt them’ means don’t use someone at all if you already have doubts about that person. Altogether, it means a leader should respect the use of people when delegating tasks and there’s no need to be a leader if you doubt your employees.

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