Who Needs a CEO? I Choose Stardom

This year’s New Year’s Day Gala was especially lively. She had thought there would only be choir performances and dance numbers, but to her surprise, there were also crosstalk and comedy skits!

What’s more, she never expected the organizers to have invited an internationally award-winning acrobatic troupe for the finale!

’As expected of Beijing!’

’So much talent here!’

This was Ni Bingyan’s first time seeing an acrobatics performance up close!

They started right away with international-level stunts. During the tense moments, her face flushed with excitement, and by the curtain call, she had nearly clapped her hands raw!

’Wow!’

’The atmosphere here is incredible!’

’It’s just so electric!’

’And the performance!’

’It was just too amazing!’

No wonder the flashbulbs in the audience were constantly going off!

Even she couldn’t resist taking a few photos as mementos!

When the gala ended, with the acrobatic troupe being such a tough act to follow, the dance by Granny Liao’s group seemed to lose some of its luster. Still, they took first place in the dance category. The group headed home in high spirits, discussing the night’s performances all the way.

Ni Bingyan was still buzzing with excitement. The moment she left the venue, the cold wind cooled her down a little, but her excitement flared right back up when her neighbors pulled her into an animated chat on the way home.

Back home, she didn’t bother with anything else, immediately ducking into her gym to box for half an hour. Only when she was drenched in sweat and utterly spent did she head upstairs.

After her shower, a wave of drowsiness hit her, and she collapsed into bed and fell asleep instantly.

As for her phone? It was still in her backpack downstairs.

Wei Shuojie was worried sick.

Other artists caused trouble the moment they started working. They were either feuding with one person or fighting with another, or getting caught acting like a diva.

But her artist was more reliable than anyone while on the job—she didn’t even need an on-set manager. The problem was, the moment she went on break, trouble would find her.

Without Wei Shuojie having to lift a finger to create buzz, Ni Bingyan was constantly trending!

’I can let other things slide, but this dating business... is she or isn’t she?’

’If the guy were anyone else, it’d be one thing. But it’s this man who, the moment he opens his mouth, talks about getting married by year’s end. He’s so sincere it’s almost supernatural. I want to be the bad guy and break the lovebirds up, but even my conscience wouldn’t let me.’

’So, do I issue a clarification or make it official?’

’I can’t just let it keep trending, can I?’

’It wasn’t for lack of trying to get the topic taken down, either.’

’I don’t get these netizens. They’re perfectly happy being single, yet they love watching other people fall in love. The slightest hint of a romance gets them rubbing their hands with glee, staying up until midnight to gossip with a bunch of strangers about the love life of two other strangers.’

’It’s truly one of humanity’s great unsolved mysteries!’

They’d tried to suppress the story’s popularity several times, but it just wouldn’t die down!

Her calls wouldn’t go through, and her WeChat messages went unanswered. Wei Shuojie patted her chest, telling herself, ’Don’t get angry. If you ruin your health over it, there’s no one to take your place.’

She grabbed her car keys, about to storm over to Ni Bingyan’s house and drag her out, when she suddenly remembered: early tomorrow morning, they had to be at the first recording of the *Chinese Poetry Conference*.

It was a competitive show that left no room for the slightest mistake.

She was counting on Ni Bingyan to use this show to boost her prestige, so she couldn’t possibly go over and wake her up in the middle of the night.

’Forget it. I’ll just let her get a good night’s sleep.’

After weighing her options, Wei Shuojie went straight back to her room to sleep.

She decided to go to bed early so she could pick Ni Bingyan up from her house before dawn.

Right now, nothing was more important than this show.

Knowing Ni Bingyan, as long as no one told her, she probably wouldn’t even be aware she had been trending. Going over early tomorrow was a necessary precaution.

Wei Shuojie lay back down in bed, but her mind was still on the trending topic. She tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

”I’m such an idiot! There’s another person involved, isn’t there?”

She didn’t bother with WeChat this time and just called him directly.

Sang Yuan was currently fending off his mother’s excited interrogation. It was the middle of the night, and he was so sleepy he couldn’t stop yawning. The call was a welcome reprieve.

”Sister Wei, can I help you with something?”

People from the Beijing and Tianjin areas always spoke with that hint of politeness.

Wei Shuojie was in a frantic state; she had no time for pleasantries.

She cut straight to the chase. ”Are you and Bingbing for real or not? The story is trending and I can’t kill it. So what am I supposed to do here, issue a clarification or make it official? You two are already at the point of attending galas together? Why didn’t you give me a heads-up? You’ve put me in a really tough spot!”

”What?”

As a low-key financial tycoon, he rarely even appeared in business news. How could he have expected to be trending on social media?

He had just gotten back from the gala himself and had been immediately cornered by his mother. He hadn’t even had a chance to grab a glass of water, so how was he supposed to know any of this?

Hearing what Wei Shuojie said, he quickly pulled out his phone to check.

’Well now!’

’These photographers are pretty skilled!’

’Tsk, tsk. They made us look so good! A perfect match of talent and beauty!’

’Sigh. A couple this perfect should be walking down the aisle already!’

’I wonder where the God of Marriage has wandered off to.’

Wei Shuojie waited on the other end for a long time with no reply, rendered speechless. ”President Sang? President Sang? Hey, Sang, what are you doing over there? Give me the bottom line, what’s going on? I’m waiting to deal with this!”

If they planned to go public, and she had just issued a clarification, she’d be immediately contradicted. People would think she and Ni Bingyan had a terrible working relationship!

On the other hand, if nothing was going on and she let the rumors run wild, people would say she was tacitly confirming them and deliberately misleading the public. They’d inevitably accuse Ni Bingyan of being a social climber trying to marry into a wealthy family.

Sang Yuan was still busy saving the photos. Her angry voice was like a bucket of ice water dumped over his head.

’I haven’t even confessed my feelings yet! What am I getting so excited for?’

’Sigh!’

’If only those netizens were all matchmakers sent from heaven.’

’I really wish we could just get married right here and now!’

”You should issue a clarification,”

His excitement had been for nothing, and Sang Yuan’s tone soured.

If he dared to announce their relationship unilaterally, he’d be a dead man the moment Ni Bingyan woke up.

Knowing her personality, she would see red, storm over to his house, and beat him to a pulp. No one would be able to stop her.

Having been under this woman’s thumb for so many years, just the thought of her arched brows furrowed in anger made Sang Yuan’s courage desert him.

’Can’t afford to offend her, definitely can’t afford to offend her!’

Wei Shuojie immediately understood the situation and couldn’t help but laugh. ”Looks like you’ve still got a long way to go, my friend!”

Sang Yuan’s expression darkened, and he hung up.

Mrs. Sang had overheard the entire conversation. Though she felt it was a shame, she had already received live updates from the ”front lines” in her group chat, so she wasn’t too disappointed.

She patted her son’s shoulder. ”Get some sleep. Dress sharp tomorrow. Our whole family will go watch her at the recording. Relationships develop slowly, you know? How long has she even known you? You can’t rush these things. Be patient.”

Mrs. Sang was a wise and open-minded mother. Sang Yuan grunted in agreement and put his phone away, refusing to look at it any longer.

Mother and son returned to their respective rooms. Two blocks away, Ni Bingyan was smiling in her sleep.

’Ah!’

’Such a lively and spectacular gala... it was so wonderful to watch!’

’I just love being part of the excitement!’

Wei Shuojie arrived bright and early the next morning.

Since they were heading to the recording today, Ni Bingyan was listening to her smart speaker recite classical poetry, even while brushing her teeth.

When Wei Shuojie saw her reading a poetry anthology even while slurping her rice noodles, she knew Ni Bingyan was completely unaware of what had happened last night and finally felt a sense of relief.

Once ready, the two headed straight for the ”Big Underpants” building to get into makeup and wardrobe. At the same time, the Sang family also left their house, full of energy.

Ni Bingyan’s mind was completely focused on the competition. She found an inconspicuous corner among the hundred-person contestant panel and waited quietly for the recording to start.

The Sang family followed the signs to the audience section, sat down together, and waved to her from a distance.

They waved back and forth happily, unaware that a paparazzo, having tailed Ni Bingyan, had already snuck into the audience and was aiming his camera every which way, snapping photos.

Looking at the photos on his camera, the paparazzo’s eyes lit up. They were practically fifteen-watt bulbs!

’Oh, this is good! This is very good! So, that’s your game, Wei! Playing the fans for fools, are you?’

’Things have already gone this far, and you still have the nerve to issue a clarification?’

’She’s just recording a show, and the guy brings his entire family to support her in person. And you’re trying to tell me there’s nothing between them?’

’And look here, who’s this?’

’An insanely powerful iron lady like Shui Sulan... who in the entire country doesn’t recognize her?’

’This is an absolute smoking gun!’

’Holy hell, maybe they’re already secretly married!’

’Why else would the ’Iron Lady’ mobilize her entire family if not for her daughter-in-law!’

The paparazzo, his phone’s flash turned off, huddled in a corner, found his angle, and started snapping away. CLICK! CLICK!

As he snapped away, he couldn’t help but pinch his thigh.

’Ow!’

’This little vixen, Ni!’

’She even managed to win over a mother-in-law like Shui Sulan! And her sister-in-law seems to adore her too!’

’What a badass!’

’I never knew there was such a legend hiding in the entertainment circle!’

This particular paparazzo was from Chaotianmen. His parents had died young, leaving his family in poverty, and he hadn’t had much schooling. But he was sharp and knew how to hustle, and he’d gotten into the paparazzi game early on.

In his own words, his professional skills were ”insanely good.” Earth itself couldn’t contain his talent!

[Sigh, I even impress myself sometimes. My photography skills are just that good. Come on, here are the HD pics. I’ll let the images speak for themselves. I won’t say another word. (9 images)]

After Wei Shuojie’s clarification, the fans who had just begun to disperse immediately swarmed back.

This time, the hashtag wasn’t #NiBingyanDating, but #NiBingyanSecretlyMarried.

’Holy crap!’

’Our Bingbing has really made it big!’

’When did she marry into a rich and powerful family?’

That was what nearly every fan was thinking.