Who Needs a CEO? I Choose Stardom

”Did you find him?”

”No, I’m about to head to the next spot.”

It was 9:30 PM. Ni Bingyan was on the phone with Sang Yuan again, but there was still no good news.

Ni Bingyan curled up on the sofa, ruffling her hair. She looked at the empty dog bed in the corner and the few pieces of kibble left in the food bowl, feeling incredibly guilty.

”I shouldn’t have taken him out. I shouldn’t have tied him up outside the store. If only I’d noticed when that kid let him loose...”

At that moment, Ni Bingyan felt a deep kinship with Xiang Lin’s wife.

The regret was like a thousand ants crawling over her, a dense, sharp pain that made it hard to even sit up straight. It felt like her whole world had turned gray.

”You just stay home, don’t come out. There are people everywhere trying to ’casually’ run into you, and a bunch of paparazzi are tailing my car, hoping to ambush you.”

Sang Yuan, worried she would overthink things while home alone, described the situation outside:

”Every one of them is acting like it’s a holiday, they’re so excited. I really don’t get what’s so amusing about this.”

”I don’t get it either. A lot of things I find totally normal, netizens think are hilarious. A few ’ha ha ha’ comments and they can get me trending.”

Ni Bingyan felt a little exasperated, but she didn’t hate it.

As a celebrity, this was a good thing for her.

As long as there was buzz, she would never be without roles to play. And as long as she had roles, she’d make a name for herself sooner or later.

It was always a mystery how these things worked in the industry.

Some people had amazing family backgrounds and incredible resources, but no audience appeal. Then there were people like her, who were inexplicably well-liked.

Who could you even complain to about that?

Heh heh.

’Come to think of it, that’s something to be a little proud of, isn’t it?’

Her mood suddenly brightened a little.

”Ha ha ha! You should take on a comedy and aim for a Spring Festival release. People will start laughing the moment they see you. The box office would be incredible!”

”My schedule’s full this year, but I can consider it for next year.”

It was a suggestion worth considering, so Ni Bingyan readily agreed.

She knew he was deliberately changing the subject to distract her. Grateful for his tenderness, Ni Bingyan couldn’t help but worry about him.

”Are things okay on your end? If it’s too much, just come back first!”

’Something already happened to the dog; I can’t let anything happen to a person!’

She wasn’t the kind of muddle-headed person who would prioritize a dog over a human being.

”Don’t worry. Wangcai has probably run himself tired and is lying down somewhere waiting for me. It’s always darkest before the dawn. The road to success is fuzziest right before you reach it. The tougher things get, the more you have to grit your teeth and persevere. Only then will you see the light of victory.”

Alright, he was a boss, after all. His ability to give a pep talk was masterful. Ni Bingyan was immediately convinced.

After they hung up, she went to the gym.

When it came to working out, no one would notice if you missed a day. You might not even see a difference after two or three. But the camera would definitely know.

She worked it all out, emerging drenched in a waterfall of sweat. Ni Bingyan had just hopped out of the shower and was drying her hair when the phone rang.

She quickly answered. It was her dad.

Ni Guangli sounded fired up. ”You big dunce, how could you lose a dog? At critical moments, you still have to rely on your old man! Hurry up and call this number to go get the dog! A friend of mine found him!”

Ni Bingyan was overjoyed. Forgetting that her dad had just called her a dunce, she quickly asked:

”What’s the number? I’ll go right now! Which friend is it? Do I know them? I need to figure out what would be a good thank-you gift.”

Hearing this, Ni Guangli almost despaired for his daughter.

With so little tact, forget entrusting her with the family business; he was afraid she couldn’t even be a proper supportive wife when she married Sang Yuan.

But whatever. She was his own daughter. Her shortcomings were his fault for not teaching her well.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too late. He was still alive and well, so he could teach her slowly.

Ni Guangli patiently began to school her in the ways of the world:

”I tell you you’re a blockhead and you don’t believe me. Right now, you shouldn’t bring anything except for Yuanyuan to keep you safe on the road. Hurry up and get the dog back. Tomorrow, after you’ve both cleaned up and dressed nicely, you two can go pay a formal visit to thank him!”

Ni Guangli thought for a moment and added:

”Don’t you worry about who he is. He’s a big boss, you’ll know when you meet him. If I tell you beforehand, he’ll know you did your research, which makes you seem overly calculating and focused on these things. Anyway, when you see him, just call him ’Uncle’ and you can’t go wrong.”

Ni Bingyan thought about it and agreed. She was in a rush to get her dog; she didn’t have time to investigate who the man was. Right now, he was just a good Samaritan who’d found a dog and didn’t keep it.

”Oh, what’s the uncle’s last name? I should at least be polite.”

”His last name is Yu.”

”Okay, I’m heading out now.”

While still on the phone, Ni Bingyan found her car keys, walked out, and closed the door, all in one smooth motion.

Ni Guangli wanted to take the opportunity to teach her a thing or two, and seeing she hadn’t hung up, he continued:

”Yuanyuan is a boss too. He sincerely wants to build a family with you. To be his wife, you can’t just be focused on eating, drinking, and being romantic. You need a bigger perspective to support the family, understand?

”When a good opportunity like this comes up, you should act as a bridge and help expand Yuanyuan’s network.

”In business, more friends means more opportunities. Who knows when you might be able to help each other out?

”And if they already know each other, you can take this chance to integrate into his social circle and learn more about his life.

”If you show up with a thank-you gift right now, your Uncle Yu will think you don’t even care that much about Wangcai!”

Ni Bingyan wasn’t a fool. She hadn’t understood the convoluted ways of the wealthy before simply because she’d never experienced it, nor had anyone taught her. Now that someone was breaking it all down and spoon-feeding it to her, she immediately knew what to do.

However...

”Dad, you’ve been talking for ages. What’s the phone number?”

Hearing her starting the car on the other end, Ni Guangli felt a little awkward and snapped:

”It’s in WeChat! I sent it to you ages ago! I’m an old man, you think I can memorize a long phone number and recite it to you over the phone? Use your brain!”

With that, he hung up.

That was just her dad’s way. Ni Bingyan chuckled softly, not taking it to heart.

She made the call, respectfully addressed him as Uncle Yu, and arranged a place to meet and pick up the dog. Then, she immediately called Sang Yuan.

It was just a little past ten, which wasn’t late at all. For many people, the night was just getting started.

Leaving Yayuan, she met Sang Yuan halfway. Sang Yuan got out of his car, told his driver to go back, and climbed into Ni Bingyan’s dusty Volkswagen.

As soon as he got in, he praised her with a cheerful smile, ”You brought the right car. Uncle Yu will definitely be pleased. The moment you told me, I knew who found the dog.”

”Who is it?”

”The boss of Volkswagen, Yu Ze Ping.”

Remembering her dad’s words, Ni Bingyan fastened her seatbelt. ”You two know each other?”

”Mhm, he’s from the same city as my maternal grandfather. Our families visit each other during the holidays.”

Sang Yuan started the car and followed the navigation to the arranged teahouse. After a moment’s thought, he added:

”Later, when you have time, I’ll take you to meet my relatives and friends. If you don’t go back to Rongcheng City for the New Year, I’ll take you to my paternal grandfather’s place. You’ll get to meet all my family and old friends then.

”If there are too many people to meet in one year, we’ll just take a few more. Heh heh, the elders are very forgiving with a new daughter-in-law! We’ll just have my mom lead you around, so you won’t have to worry about calling anyone by the wrong name.

”And if you meet anyone who works in the entertainment industry, you can get to know them. It’ll make your work a lot smoother in the future...”

As Sang Yuan went on and on, Ni Bingyan listened, automatically filtering out the personal agenda he’d slipped in. The pattern of his behavior felt incredibly familiar, as if she’d just heard it.

She couldn’t help but turn her head to look at him.

Her dad was afraid she couldn’t hold on to such a good man, believing that feelings fade and only mutual interests can ensure a lasting relationship. So, he was teaching her how to be someone who could help Sang Yuan’s career.

And now, Sang Yuan was doing the exact same thing.

’Was it because he had the same worry as her dad? Was he worried that she might one day have a change of heart?’

Ni Bingyan was stunned by this sudden realization.

’Someone as outstanding as Sang Yuan could be this insecure when it came to their relationship?’

A warmth spread through Ni Bingyan’s heart. Her cheeks flushed red, and her bright, dewy eyes stared ahead as the night breeze gently rustled her loose hair.

Suddenly, she felt that life was full of wonderful things to look forward to.