Chapter 38 - Annual Meeting
Qin Xiao helped Yan Ting open the elevator door and subconsciously wanted to follow him down. Yan Ting stopped and turned to look at him.
“Sir, please.” Qin Xiao realized this person didn’t want him to follow downstairs and took a step back. The elevator door closed slowly in front of his eyes and the number of floors kept decreasing, indicating that Mr Ting was getting closer to the little star.
He took his glasses off his nose and prepared to wipe off the dust. Looking up, he saw a young woman in a professional suit standing at the end of the corridor, which was connected to the staff corridor.
“Wei Tian?” Qin Xiao put his glasses back on and looked serious. “Why are you here?”
“Special Assistant Qin, this is a document sent by the public relations department. It is about the company’s annual meeting. Are reporters allowed to enter? There is also a spokesman who isn’t free and hopes to leave early.” Wei Tian gave the report to Qin Xiao.
There were many brands under Cang Huan and the spokesmen of the brands came together. This was like a small entertainment festival. Thus, Cang Huan’s annual meeting was the focus of media attention every year. Even the red carpet at the entrance could cause many media to squat there.
Qin Xiao took the folder and nodded slightly.
Wei Tian was somewhat afraid of him and didn’t say anything. She turned around and headed back to the office through the staff channel.
Qin Xiao opened the folder while contained the detailed process of the entire annual meeting. It even stated what the car the artists attending the annual meeting would take and how many assistants they would bring. Qin Xiao didn’t find Li Zhao’s name on this list. He frowned and directly called the internal phone number of the PR department. “Li Zhao is the spokesman for the latest watch. Why isn’t his name on the annual meeting’s invitation list?”
“Special Assistant Qin?” The manager of the PR department was arguing with the manager of the logistics department. Once he received the phone call from Qin Xiao, his voice suddenly dropped eight degrees. “Yes, Li Zhao signed an endorsement contract with us but there hasn’t been a clear plan for the advertisements and print photos. That’s why we haven’t sent the invitation letter to his company.”
“Since he has signed a cooperation with our company, he is our spokesperson.” Qin Xiao closed the document. “Arrange people to send an invitation letter to Strawberry Entertainment as soon as possible. Don’t let them feel that our company is treating them differently.”
“Yes.” The PR department’s manager hung up and immediately contacted Strawberry Entertainment.
Li Zhao didn’t wait downstairs for long. He saw Yan Ting’s figure and held the box as he ran to Yan Ting. “Take me to your car. This box of things is quite heavy.”
“Let me.” Yan Ting reached out to hold it.
“No.” Li Zhao saw Yan Ting’s pale and handsome face. It would give him an uneasy conscience to ask the owner of this face to do physical work.
Yan Ting reached for the cardboard box in his arms and took him to the bottom garage. “What’s in it?”
Li Zhao laughed. “Mostly things that can be used for New Year Day.”
Yan Ting walked easily while holding the box in his arms. He was just passing the main road of the garage when a car suddenly braked and the owner looked at them with horror.
“Oops…” Li Zhao pulled up his mask and hid by Yan Ting’s side. He peeked at the female car owner whose expression gradually returned to normal. “Was I recognized?”
“It’s fine.” Yan Ting looked at the owner of the car. “The company’s people had tightly closed mouths. They won’t go out and talk.”
“That’s good.” Li Zhao sighed with relief and walked to Yan Ting’s side, reaching out to help Yan Ting carry half the box. “Let’s move it together.”
Yan Ting didn’t refuse. Yan Ting’s driver ran all the way over and took the box with fright. “Sir, Mr Li, how can I let you carry this?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. We are big men and can move such things.” Li Zhao reached for Yan Ting’s neck. “Isn’t that right, Yan Ting?”
The driver looked at Yan Ting and didn’t dare so anything or ask anything. Yan Ting put Li Zhao into the car and sat beside him. “The crew gave you a holiday today?”
“It is until the 8th.” Li Zhao replied. “The original plan was to start on the 7th but producers felt that seven days wasn’t good enough and changed it to eight.”
“I will participate in the New Year’s party with Green Pepper Video on the 29th and advertise Cangshi’s watch on the 5th and 6th of the new year. Apart from that, I have no other arrangements.” As a newcomer who became popular with an online drama, Li Zhao didn’t have a high workload. Strawberry Entertainment didn’t arrange meaningless activities for him. Instead, they deliberately controlled his exposure to ensure netizens didn’t get bored with him.
“What about you?” Li Zhao opened the icebox and saw two cakes inside. He knew that this was specifically prepared for him by Yan Ting. He took out two pieces, one for Yan Ting and the other for himself. “When are you taking a vacation?”
“Just like you.” Yan Ting didn’t like the bright red strawberries on the cake. It made him think of blood flowing on the ground.
“What’s the matter?” Li Zhao saw that Yan Ting didn’t move and asked, “You don’t like this one?”
Yan Ting shook his head and put the cake back in the icebox. “This is for you. I don’t like to eat it.”
A faint sweet fragrance filled the car. Li Zhao ate it in a few mouthfuls and lay like a worm on the chair. “It is better to go home. In the crew, all I can think about is the script and a lot of hair dropped.”
Home.
Yan Ting looked at the big boy looking lazy and was silent for a long time. “Welcome home.”
Li Zhao’s return was warmly welcomed by the housekeeper. He had the chef make a table full of dishes and spoke many words of blessing.
“Thank you, Uncle.” Li Zhao pulled out a red envelope and handed it to the housekeeper. “I wish you a Happy New Year.”
“Thank you, Mr Li.” The housekeeper looked at Yan Ting and took the red envelope. He had a few words with Li Zhao before making excuses to leave. He walked to the door and looked back at the dining room. Under the orange light, Mr Li told the boss interesting stories about the crew. His entire body was dyed with a warm colour. Beside the lively young man, even the boss became soft.
After the meal, Li Zhao sat cross-legged on the living room floor and opened the box, pulling something out. It was red and embroidered with the character for ‘good fortune.’
“This will be at the head of the bed and will bring good luck.” Li Zhao stuffed the sign to Yan Ting and continued to take things out. Paper cuttings, folded red lanterns, couplets, blessing characters and five crops ornaments as well as… a stack of red envelopes.
“The houses we both live in are too big and I’m afraid the paper cuttings won’t be enough.” Li Zhao rubbed his hands. “This is the first time I’m taking part in New Year activities. I am a bit unskilled so I bought all of them.”
Having said that, he took out two couplets. “This is from the crew and I didn’t spend money. On New Year’s Eve, they will be stuck on our front doors.”
There were other bits and pieces in the box, all of which were for New Year. Li Zhao carefully studied how these things should be put or hung. He was like the mischievous troublemaker in kindergarten.
“Put your socks on.” Yan Ting looked away. “Don’t step barefoot on the ground.”
“I just came back from taking a bath and my feet don’t smell.” Li Zhao shook his head. “This is warm and stepping on it is very comfortable.”
Yan Ting looked at the moving feet and felt a strange itching in his heart. Finally, he asked the maid to bring clean socks and had Li Zhao put them on.
“It can’t be helped.” Li Zhao was putting on the socks when the doorbell rang. He hurriedly put the scattered things back into the box.
“No need.” Yan Ting held his hand. “Don’t worry about it.”
Li Zhao saw the housekeeper opening the side door to go out. He also heard a woman’s shouts and vaguely guessed what was going on. To be able to have two buildings and dozens of stores in Beijing could be described as sitting on a gold and silver mine. It was natural to have distant relatives wanting a piece of the pie.
He might have no relatives but he had played a soy sauce in various family drama and knew how bad relatives could be. “Okay, I understand.”
As a competent and good brother, he had to look after his brother’s interests and not let others take advantage of it.
“Mrs Xu, the night is deep. Please go back.” At the gate of the villa’s courtyard, the housekeeper made a perfect gentlemanly bow toward the woman and smiled. “Sir is treating a guest. Please don’t disturb the guest.”
“Gues?” The woman sneered. “Does this guest know that Xu Yanting is an inhuman madman?”
The housekeeper was still smiling. “Mrs Xu, there is surveillance here. It is against the law to slander others.”
Xu Liran looked up at the monitoring and took a deep breath. Compared to the last time she stopped the car at the gate, she looked a bit more dignified today. “I want to know if Yan Ting really wants to kill me.”
Yan Ting sent her husband to prison and the company under his name was bought by others. Now the clothing company under her name had frequent problems and fewer orders.
“Mrs Xu, the boss has many industries. How can he remember that there is a clothing company under your name?” The housekeeper smiled politely. “Please don’t misunderstand him.”
Xu Liran was self-deprecating. “You mean that I am now a drowning dog not worthy of Xu Yanting’s effort?”
The housekeeper smiled and didn’t say anything. Looking at the housekeeper’s smile, Xu Liran’s expression suddenly changed. How could she forget? Xu Yanting might not really do anything to her but the entire circle knew that Xu Yanting didn’t get along with the Xu family. Who would dare risk offending Xu Yanting by cooperating with her company? He didn’t act but he was more ruthless than if he had acted.
“Xu Yanting, these good means..” Xu Liran was almost breathless after understanding this. This gorgeous village was like the devil’s castle in her eyes. It was terrible to be the enemy of someone who didn’t have any feelings.
“Shh.” The housekeeper took out his pocket watch and looked at the time. “It is late at night. Mrs Xu, please be quiet or the boss won’t be happy.”
“Happy?” Xu Liran smiled bitterly. “Since when has he been happy?”
She wanted to shout, scream, be angry and verbally abusive. However, she couldn’t say anything. She was afraid that she would end up in prison like her husband and afraid that Xu Yanting, this madman would get revenge on their only child.
Xu Yanting wouldn’t do anything that surprised her when it came to retaliating against the Xu family. It was because she didn’t understand the feelings of a monster, a madman.
Li Zhao and Yan Ting were leaning against the sofa to watch TV when the housekeeper came back.
“Sir, the uninvited guest has left.” The housekeeper bowed slightly. “Please rest with Mr Li.”
As Li Zhao was watching TV, Luo Rong, Zhang Xiaoyuan and the studio’s staff were having a leisurely time. Zhang Xiaoyuan had just sent the New Year’s red envelope and year-end gift to the staff when the studio received a call from Cang Huan’s headquarters.
“What? Tomorrow evening’s annual meeting?” Luo Rong was anxious and happy. It was a rare opportunity to go to the annual meeting at Cang Huan’s headquarters. It would add a lot to Li Zhao’s value. The urgent thing was that it was in one day and there was no time to prepare at all.
“Brother Luo, Cang Huan has sent a Cangshi limited edition watch.” On this occasion, the artists definitely needed something with the Cang Huan brand.
Luo Rong carefully opened the box sent by Cang Huan. It contained a diamond watch that glowed brightly.
“Hiss.” The stylist came to take a look and ended up sucking in a breath. “Isn’t this the out of production watch called Star Ocean that is placed at Cangshi’s headquarters?”
It was sent over so casually and they didn’t even need to sign an item protection agreement. This was a little too ostentatious.
“Quickly send security over.” Luo Rong felt he needed to act quickly to save his heart. “We must ensure its safety.”
“What does Cang Huan mean?” Zhang Xiaoyuan thought it was strange. If they were sincerely inviting Li Zhao to the annual meeting then they wouldn’t have waited until today to inform the company. However, if there was no sincerity then how could they send over this watch with extraordinary significance? They didn’t even need to sign a letter of responsibility. If their side lost, damaged it accidentally or did a trick, they couldn’t be held responsible.
“No matter what they mean, Zhao Zhao’s first appearance at the annual meeting can’t be timid.” Luo Rong was thinking into the future. Cangshi had sent the precious and extraordinary Star Ocean watch. If Zhao Zhao’s styling failed tomorrow, there would be a big accident.
Thinking of this, he hurriedly contacted a familiar big brand, hoping to borrow an outfit suitable for Li Zhao. It was near the end of the year and there were many activities in the entertainment circle. The latest big brands had lent out all their big outfits. Luo Rong was calling to ask but his hope wasn’t too big. The rest of the studio was inquiring about the outfits of other artists in order to avoid the situation of the same outfit.
Zhang Xiaoyuan started to communicate with the PR department about tomorrow’s red carpet process and successfully got the guests and media list. After reading the list of guest artists, Zhang Xiaoyuan’s heart thumped. Except for their Zhao Zhao, these guests were all super big artists. He held onto his old father’s mentality and started to worry that Li Zhao couldn’t adapt to this environment.
“The latest season products of the first-tier big brands have all be loaned up.” Luo Rong solemnly hung up his phone. “However, Zhao Zhao wearing a second-tier brand isn’t worthy of this watch.”
“So?” Zhang Xiaoyuan was also anxious.
“Don’t panic.” Luo Rong was silent for a moment. “I’ll call Cao Jia and ask if he has any connections.”
“Isn’t this too big?” Zhang Xiaoyuan didn’t want Li Zhao to be embarrassed but he didn’t want to bother the special help of the big boss for the sake of an outfit. He was afraid that this would lead to the dissatisfaction of the company’s senior management and would lead to trouble for Zhao Zhao later.
“You don’t know Cao Jia well?” Luo Rong asked.
“How can I know those people?” Zhang Xiaoyuan told the truth. “The first time I saw Assistant Cao was in Zhao Zhao’s rental house.
It was strange. Li Zhao’s agent wasn’t familiar with the senior management and Li Zhao wasn’t familiar with them. Why did the senior management call him from time to time, telling him to train Li Zhao well? If there was any problem that couldn’t be solved, he had to tell them.
He thought for a moment before making the call. Sure enough, they took care of the outfit preparation and even gave Li Zhao a stylist.
Perhaps… was Li Zhao the illegitimate son of President Sun? It couldn’t be. President Son was famous for being in love yet afraid of his wife. He was considered as one of the clean bosses in the entertainment industry and he couldn’t have an illegitimate son. In addition, President Sun’s distinctive facial features couldn’t produce a child as beautiful as Li Zhao.
The studio was chaotic while the guest list of the annual meeting had started to spread outside. Fans were proud that their artists represented Cang Huan and would take part in Cang Huan’s annual meeting. On the way, they taunted the fans of other artists. The major entertainment forums were very lively.
As the only eighth-tier artist, Li Zhao’s name was sandwiched between a bunch of big people and was ignored by all the fans of these big artists. It was because Li Zhao wasn’t even qualified in their eyes. The Li fans saw the list and were happy like it was already New Year. They ran to the studio’s Weibo and left messages.
“This is the first time the baby is attending an official event. You must prepare a smart stylist for him.”
“There are so many seniors at the annual meeting. The baby must not be more elegant than the seniors but he can’t be last place. Studio, can you do this?”
“The outfit and jewelry can’t be lacking, do you know?”
“If you let my little one get laughed at then you’re done.”
The fans in the comment sections calmed their hearts for fear that their baby would be sneered at by the marketing accounts tomorrow night. As long as it was an important occasion, the outfit of an artist was their armour. They weren’t facing just swords but the criticism of the audience.
Good-looking people were praised. If they weren’t good-looking then they would be ridiculed and it would even be used as black material to be kept forever by black fans. It would be taken out from time to time for people to ridicule.
Li Zhao didn’t know about it until the next morning. He received Luo Rong’s phone call and turned to Yan Ting, who was reading a book on the sofa. “Ting Ting, I have to attend an activity in the evening. After lunch, the company will arrange for a stylist to come over. Should I go back to my place first?”
“No, let them come here.” Yan Ting told him. “I recently collected some jewelry. You can let them choose the useful ones in the afternoon.”
“Jewelry?” Li Zhao stared. “It’s very expensive.”
“Not expensive.” Yan Ting shook his head. “A month’s rent can buy a lot.”
Li Zhao, “……”
He quietly calculated how much rent could be received every month from two buildings and dozens of stores. Then he clutched his chest and gasped out, “I haven’t seen enough of the world.”
“I’m weeping.” He covered his face and lay down beside Yan Ting. “Ting Ting, I want to hate the rich.”
Yan Ting put down the book in his hand. “No need for hate. Shall I send you two stores?”
“No, no, no!” Li Zhao was frightened and waved his hand. “This is a firm no!”
It was two stores, not two pieces of bread!
“It’s just two…”
“Stop it!” Li Zhao hurried to dispel this terrible idea. “Ting Ting, this really isn’t possible. You can’t even think about it. Do you understand?”
Yan Ting looked at Li Zhao and nodded slightly.
“Ting Ting, I’m young and my stomach is good.” Li Zhao was afraid that Yan Ting would be angry at the rejection and joked to ease the atmosphere. “Thus, you can’t let me get into the habit of eating soft food.”
Yan Ting didn’t understand what this had to do with soft food.
“You are my good brother. I can’t let my good brother keep me for the rest of my life.”
“You don’t want to be with me for the rest of your life?” Yan Ting bowed his head and opened the book again, slender white fingers pinching the pages of the book.
L couldn’t see the expression on his face and hooked an arm around Yan Ting’s neck while smiling. “Good brother, of course we will be good brothers for the rest of our lives. However, brothers should calculate the amounts. In this world, only one person can take advantage of you.”
Yan Ting looked up at him. “Who?”
“Your future wife.” Li Zhao leaned against Yan Ting and raised his eyebrow, smiling. “Your wife is someone who will eat, sleep with you and accompany you for the rest of your life. Thus, she can take advantage of everything.”
This was a thoughtful little train but Yan Ting didn’t seem to understand.
He looked at Li Zhao thoughtfully before slowly nodding. “You’re right.”
The author has something to say:
Baby Zhao Zhao: Ting Ting, why do you have so many cookies?
Baby Ting Ting: Don’t act spoiled. These two cookies are for you.