Li Mi turned to Gu Xia with a playful expression, revealing her cleavage, and asked with a coquettish tone while tilting her head, “Mr. Gu, your accent doesn’t sound like you’re from Capital, right?”
Gu Xia glanced at her and replied, “I’m from Jia*gbei.”
“Oh, so you’re from Jia*gbei. I remember I went there to film a movie two years ago. It’s a nice place,” Li Mi said with a smile.
Gu Xia felt uneasy due to Li Mi’s flirtatious demeanor and quickly stood up, saying, “I’m sorry, I have something to attend to over there.” He began walking towards Xu Fan, but Li Mi grabbed his arm.
“Gu Ban, do you dislike Mimi that much?” Li Mi asked pitifully, tears glistening in her eyes.
Seeing her display, Gu Xia sighed inwardly. This woman was truly vexing! He gently removed her grip and said seriously, “Miss Li, I don’t dislike you, but I really have something urgent to attend to. If you have nothing to do, you might want to enjoy some snacks here; they’re quite good.” After saying this, Gu Xia ignored her expression and walked towards Xu Fan.
Gu Xia understood Li Mi’s intentions. Many celebrities aimed to secure a wealthy spouse and marry into a prosperous family, leaving behind the entertainment industry and avoiding the need to deal with directors and investors. They would simply bide their time, waiting to be pampered in their new life.
Gu Xia had witnessed such situations in her previous life. Although she hadn’t been fortunate enough to marry a celebrity, she was well aware of Li Mi’s type. While Li Mi wasn’t as attractive as Tu Sisi, her assets included a slightly larger bust, though they seemed to sag a bit as well.
Li Mi watched Gu Xia walk away without mercy, wearing an unpleasant expression. She couldn’t help but feel self-pity, thinking that she had toiled in the entertainment industry for so long but remained a second- or third-tier actress. She often had to compete with newcomers who entered the industry alongside her. Either one would become a top-tier star, establish their own studio or company, and escape the need to cater to others, or they would marry into wealth. Yet, she found herself in her current position. Li Mi couldn’t help but lament her circumstances.
Gu Xia, oblivious to Li Mi’s thoughts, wouldn’t have been fazed even if he knew. He had to grit his teeth and continue along his chosen path.
“I told you that Gu Xia wouldn’t be interested in that kind of woman,” Xu Fan remarked, glancing at Gu Xia as he approached.
“Haha,” Li Ke chuckled, her opinion of Gu Xia rising even higher. Despite being a young college student and a business owner, he was able to resist temptation, which was quite rare at his age.
“Brother Xu, you didn’t even come over to help me out. Li Mi was so persistent! And the way she spoke gave me goosebumps.” Gu Xia complained to Xu Fan, who had been observing the situation and glancing his way several times.
“Haha, I believed you could handle it on your own. After all, you came here voluntarily, didn’t you?” Xu Fan replied with a grin.
Gu Xia rolled his eyes playfully at Xu Fan’s response.
After the banquet, Gu Xia returned to the hotel, preparing to head back to Jia*gbei the following day. With the Chinese New Year approaching, there wouldn’t be much happening in the company.
In the hotel room, Gu Xia lay down on the bed after taking a shower. He hadn’t been sleeping well for the past few days. He wasn’t accustomed to sleeping in hotels, even though they were spacious and comfortable, they felt empty without his loved ones.
***
In the conference room of Charm Model Company, several people appeared to be in a heated discussion, and Hu Chao, as one of the shareholders, was present.
Suddenly, Hu Chao stood up abruptly and declared in English, “Tu Sisi’s name must be on the Vi*toria’s Secret show after the New Year.”
“Hu, Tu Sisi is still considered a newcomer. I don’t know what your relationship with her is, but at Charm, you don’t have the final say. Tu Sisi may be doing well, but so what? Many models in the company aspire to be a part of Vi*toria’s Secret each year, yet only one or two are chosen. Tu Sisi won’t be able to make it into Vi*toria’s Secret next year, no matter how well she performs. If everything goes smoothly, she might make it the year after that. According to Charm’s rules, a model typically stays with the company for three years before being considered for Vi*toria’s Secret. It will depend on her performance next month.” a middle-aged man with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a paunch argued.
“What? As one of Charm’s three major shareholders, don’t I have the right to decide? I know the rules at Charm. As long as Tu Sisi passes next month’s assessment, she will participate in the next Vi*toria’s Secret show. How about that? That’s my bottom line.” Hu Chao said, narrowing his eyes and asserting himself.
The middle-aged man who had spoken earlier looked at the others and noticed their silence. He reluctantly conceded, “Alright, Hu, as you wish. If Tu Sisi passes the assessment next month, she’ll be included in the company. If she doesn’t, she’ll have to wait until the year after next to participate in Vi*toria’s Secret.”
“Okay,” Hu Chao said with a satisfied smile.
Hu Chao intended to inform Tu Sisi about this decision and surprise her. Although Tu Sisi had stated that she didn’t like him, he believed that he could still do something for the person he cared about. Tu Sisi wasn’t married yet, and there was still a chance. He held onto the belief that as long as he treated her well, she would eventually be moved by his sincerity. If Tu Sisi did get married in the future, he would quietly withdraw and offer his blessings.
***
The following morning, Gu Xia bid farewell to Xu Fan and set off for Jia*gbei. The trunk of his car was filled with gifts that Xu Fan had bought for his parents and sister. Gu Xia felt slightly embarrassed and promised herself that he would spend more time with his god-grandfather once he returned home and resumed his classes.
Upon arriving home, a parking spot was conveniently available downstairs. Gu Xia parked his car and entered the building, where he found his grandparents engrossed in watching a TV drama.
“Xia Xia is back. Are you tired from the drive?” Grandpa inquired.
“Are you hungry? I can prepare something to eat for you.” Grandma added.
“Grandma, I’m not hungry. You and grandpa can continue watching your show. I’ll go rest in my room. Driving was a bit tiring.” Gu Xia replied with a smile as he helped his grandmother up from her chair.
“Alright, Xia Xia, rest if you’re tired. While money is important, your health is even more crucial. You’re still young, so there’s no need to overexert yourself.” Grandma advised lovingly.
Gu Xia smiled in response. He had experienced her grandparents’ worry about his financial situation in his previous life, when money was scarce. Hearing their frequent concerns used to make him feel uncomfortable.
However, in this life, he had achieved financial success, so he understood their perspective. In the rural area where he grew up, people often measured a person’s worth by their financial success. Consequently, his grandparents couldn’t help but inquire about his financial well-being.
“Okay, let Xia Xia rest. You have to work hard when you’re young, so you won’t regret it when you get older.” Grandpa Gu Xia added, patting his wife’s hand with a smile.
“Haha,” Gu Xia chuckled and then headed to his room. Despite being away for several days, his room was still neat and tidy. It was evident that his mother had taken care of it.
Gu Xia undressed and crawled into bed. He hadn’t slept well in the past few days, and he had also caught a cold. Tired from the long drive, he soon fell into a deep sleep.
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