Ancient poets described beautiful women as having "cherry lips and willow waists." Yang Mi embodied both, fitting the public's aesthetic standards. But after seeing too many beauties, aesthetic fatigue set in.
The next day, Yang Mi struggled to open her eyes. Seeing Zhou You still asleep beside her, she couldn't help but admire Liu Yan. That woman could still walk on her own, while Yang Mi couldn't even get up. Last night had terrified her—she thought it was some twisted game. Who knew the man himself was the twisted one? With a physique like that, who could handle it? This time, she'd taken a huge loss. She had to remember this lesson: never trade her life for money.
Lying in bed, she dared not move—partly from exhaustion, partly from fear of waking Zhou You. It was truly, truly indescribable. But as luck would have it, her fears came true. Zhou You opened his eyes. What to do? What to do? She quickly shut her eyes, pretending to sleep. *I'm asleep. This should get me out of it, right? It should, shouldn't it?*
When Zhou You woke up, he felt refreshed. He'd assumed Yang Mi would have slipped back to her room under cover of darkness. Why was she still here? Doubting his prowess, he started to initiate a wrestling match. He scooped her up, flipping her 180 degrees, ready for a takedown. Yang Mi couldn't fake sleep anymore. She shouted, "President Zhou, President Zhou, mercy, mercy!"
Zhou You was baffled. "Mercy? What are you talking about? It's like I'm about to kill you."
Seeing his confusion, Yang Mi had no choice but to explain. "President Zhou, do you know about the skilled mimic in the capital who can imitate countless sounds?"
"I know. I studied it as a kid, but never got to see one in person," Zhou You said regretfully. "There are so many amazing skills in this world, and I can't experience them all."
"I learned it. Let me perform for you today," Yang Mi said, pulling out her trump card to survive.
Zhou You perked up. Lying back, he closed his eyes, ready to enjoy her performance.
Mm. So that's it. Not bad.
Half an hour passed. An hour passed. Zhou You was satisfied.
Yang Mi dragged her battered body to the bathroom to wash up. Looking at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but feel sorrow. She scolded her reflection again: "Impulsive, so impulsive. When will I learn? One's inner self, one's outer self—you've got to protect the outside." Holding back tears, she finished washing.
Zhou You also freshened up and got down to business. "How much investment does your studio need from me?"
Yang Mi had worked all night for this moment. She cleared her throat a few times to steady her voice and organize her thoughts, fighting her impulsiveness. "Just 10 million in investment, but the stake won't be high—only 20%."
Zhou You wasn't thrilled. "Forget it then. Let's settle per project, case by case."
Yang Mi's heart raced at that. Per project? What if Zhou You never brought up projects? What if he lost money? What if he screwed her over? She had to tie him in, or her suffering would be for nothing. "President Zhou, what do you think is fair?"
"It's your studio. I won't take over. Just a bit less than your share. What's your total investment?" Zhou You felt 20% was too little. He had enough money, but in the entertainment industry, if you don't make it, someone else will. Knowing a project might blow up and only holding 20% felt like a loss.
Yang Mi didn't know all that. She just blindly trusted Zhou You's judgment and strength. After thinking it over, she said, "I founded the studio myself, holding 60%. President Zhou can have up to 40%, but you'd need to invest 20 million."
"Fine, deal. Send me the agreement, and I'll have legal review it." It was just pocket change, barely worth it. Future earnings wouldn't be much either—small potatoes. Mainly, it was convenient for fun.
With that settled, they went downstairs for breakfast together. As for gossip? Careful—I'll sue you for defamation!
Shi Wenxiu was speechless, watching Zhou You sink deeper. She said to Chen Baizhen beside her, "Still have any ideas now?"
Chen Baizhen nodded vigorously. "Serving one person is better than serving many."
Shi Wenxiu snapped back to reality, reflecting that she'd gotten too cocky lately, even feeling righteous. After just a few good days, she dared to look down on Zhou You. Unacceptable. This attitude couldn't grow. Her roommate was the clear-headed one. "If you'd wised up earlier, wouldn't you be famous by now?"
Chen Baizhen looked at Shi Wenxiu like she was an idiot. "Could I have met someone like Zhou You before?"
Shi Wenxiu shook her head again. What was wrong with her? Too smooth sailing? She'd forgotten her struggles. Before, her best contacts were casting directors, maybe a director or a minor star, but the payoff was too low, and she'd likely get used for free. Still, Chen Baizhen's look annoyed her. She hugged her and said, "Feel that? You're dreaming. Ambition higher than the sky, but no substance. Just serve me obediently!"
Chen Baizhen had recently snagged small roles thanks to Shi Wenxiu, much better than before, but she still dreamed bigger—to be a lead, to be famous. Why else be in this business? But Axiu was right: a thousand pounds of loyalty can't beat a few ounces of cleavage. Still, she wouldn't back down verbally. "Hmph, if you're used to feasts, you might crave some simple dishes."
Huh, that made sense. Shi Wenxiu studied her seriously. "Yeah, I think you'll go far someday!"
Chen Baizhen rolled her eyes. She knew it wasn't now—it was someday, in the future.
Zhou You decided to leave, satisfied. He said goodbye to Shi Wenxiu and the others, but a girl beside her ran over. "Hi, Brother You! I'm Xiuxiu's roommate. Thanks so much—I've been getting small roles with her."
Chen Baizhen was tall and slender, fresh out of school, radiating youthful energy with a first-love face, perfect for a pure image.
"No problem. You and Xiuxiu help each other out. Reach out if there's an issue," Zhou You said politely. Since Shi Wenxiu was willing to bring her along, they must be close.
"Okay, I'll add you, Brother You. Sorry for the trouble ahead." Chen Baizhen forced a sweet smile, dimples showing, playing the naive sweetheart. She mentally cheered herself on.
Shi Wenxiu tried to pull her back but failed, watching a lamb walk right into the tiger's den.