Chapter 53 Getting Down to Business

Lu Xuan didn't need to look to know what a mess he looked like. He took the tissue, wiped the tears from his eyes, and said, clutching the crumpled tissue, "I didn't get first place."

"I know, very few."

Many people were looking this way, so Qiao Wu didn't say much, only saying, "But you are different."

Compared to Lu Xuan a month ago, he is doing much better now.

"Teacher Lu!" his fellow trainees called out from behind him, "Are you coming or not?"

Qiao Wu's voice rose slightly at the end: "Hmm?"

"They're going to have a get-together." Lu Xuan had no interest in a get-together at all; all she could think about was going home.

A month ago, he would never have considered returning to the Lu residence as something to look forward to.

But Qiao Wu's words "go home" sounded very nice.

"Are you going?"

"No, I'm going home."

“I can wait for you,” Qiao Wu said. “Liao Liao just invited me to dinner. Shall we go back together after we’re done?”

Lu Xuan frowned before he could even speak.

It's that bird again!

But Qiao Wu knew this was a withdrawal reaction, so she patiently said, "I'm not in your professional circle, but they are, and may be, like-minded friends as you move forward. You won't leave without my support?"

Be responsible for yourself.

Changing habits formed from birth is not easy. Lu Xuan muttered it to himself several times before he came to his senses from the confusion of seeing Qiao Wu.

He has never really understood social circles; his circle is a complete mess, and anyone can talk to him.

But if I had to say which friends I have that I can casually meet up with for meals during my free time, I really don't have any.

Of course, his fellow trainees weren't exactly his friends; at most, they'd exchanged a few words, and were colleagues he'd shared meals, sleep, and been scolded with for a month... but they were more tolerable than those who had only ever tried to get him drunk in the past.

But he didn't leave immediately. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and stared at the sparse crowd for a few seconds, his tone chilling: "After you come back from dinner, will I still be on your side?"

"..."

Qiao Wu was caught off guard and burst into a short laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Lu Xuan shoved the medal into her hand. "It's for you."

Qiao Wu looked down and saw it was the Progress Award.

He was much more talented than she had imagined.

Before she could say anything, Lu Xuan left in a hurry.

After watching Lu Xuan leave, Qiao Wu turned around and walked to Liao Liao's side: "Do you mind riding in my car?"

Liao Liao immediately shook her head: "Of course not!"

Since no one came to pick her up, she ended up having to take a taxi to the airport by herself.

Because of the show's airing, almost all the trainees have gained popularity, especially the few who have received a lot of attention. There are many paparazzi and photographers waiting outside, so when Qiao Wu arrived, he parked his car directly in the internal parking lot.

After getting in the car, she asked, "What would you like to eat?"

"Either is fine, whatever you like."

She quietly calculated her bank account balance; she had accepted a job and still had some money on her.

Treating Qiao Wu to a meal should be enough.

In her eyes, someone like Qiao Wu, who was from Yun Jian Shang, should eat the most expensive food.

But Qiao Wu didn't start the car. After hearing this, she turned around and said, "Actually... I'm only 22 years old this year."

The man counting the money looked bewildered: "What?"

“At your school, I’d probably just be an ordinary senior student,” Qiao Wu said. “You don’t need to think too highly of me.”

Liao Liao's face instantly turned bright red after being exposed: "That's not what I meant, I just..."

"Don't be nervous," Qiao Wu reassured her. "Relationships are mutual. You think I'm great, and I think you're great too. So if I treat you the way you treat me, will you feel pressured?"

Then it's not just about pressure.

Liao Liao couldn't even imagine the moment when Qiao Wu admired her.

Qiao Wu's gaze fell on the medal she was holding in her arms, and he sighed, "That's amazing, first place."

Now, Liao Liao's face turned even redder. She felt the medal was burning hot, but she couldn't help but show it to Qiao Wu: "I'm not a survivor this time."

Qiao Wu had indeed never seen one before. She thought that anyone who could become number one was amazing, so she carefully admired the medal for a while: "You are one in a million."

"So, now that we're in first place, let's think about what we should eat?"

This time, Liao Liao was less reserved. She took out her phone and started searching for recommendations on good restaurants in the city: "Is there a creative restaurant here?"

"Okay." Qiao Wu started the car. "Send me the address."

With a heart full of excitement, Liao Liao sent the address, and immediately received a call from the company inquiring about the results.

Qiao Wu had no interest in prying into other people's work and lives, so he didn't pay much attention to listening and instead focused on driving.

She thought the call had ended after a long silence on the other end, but the shouting on the other end drew her attention. She didn't look up, but she tilted her head slightly to ask a question.

"Does it have to be now?" Liao Liao's voice sounded hesitant. "I have an appointment."

"What appointment? Is work more important?"

The agent on the other end of the phone raised his voice and said, "It will be a month after the show ends. You're still a newcomer. Can't you tell whether your chance to get ahead is more important or your personal dates?"

Work is important.

But it's also very difficult to get an appointment with Qiao Wu now.

From her few words, Qiao Wu guessed most of it: "Something came up unexpectedly?"

I'll call you back in a bit.

Agent: "I'll send you the address in a little while. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The other end of the line slammed down the phone.

Liao Liao held her phone tightly: "The company arranged an audition opportunity, and the director happened to be here today and said we could meet."

Qiao Wu understood: "Because I delayed it?"

"But I've already made plans with you."

"We can go eat after your audition." Qiao Wu decisively exited the navigation. "Send me the new address."

Are you going to wait for me?

"Even if you stand me up today, it's fine. Friends are for life outside of work." Qiao Wu smiled. "It's not like I'll only eat this one meal a day for the rest of my life, and I won't see you again."

This person is so nice!

Liao Liao is now truly grateful to her past self for persevering and daring to take that step; otherwise, missing out on Qiao Wu would have been a lifelong regret for her.

She sent over the new audition address and then squeezed the medal again: "Wait for my good news."

Qiao Wu turned around at the intersection and said sarcastically, "Then I'll have to treat you to a second celebration dinner."

"It's my treat!" Liao Liao patted his purse. "I've saved up a little money."

"Okay, then I'll eat something more expensive."

Liao Liao hurriedly prepared her audition materials in the car. The role was to be decided on the spot, but her image and performance also had to be present, so as to increase the director's impression and make her more in line with the character.

Because the director was contacted at the last minute, the audition location was where the director was eating, which was in the south and north of the previously arranged location. I figured that by the time I got there after the audition, the place would be closed.

Liao Liao thought so too, so she asked, "Should we go to another restaurant?"

"How about this place?" Qiao Wu thought about how he still needed to pick up Lu Xuan later and didn't want to waste too much time. "The environment looks very nice. This time I'll treat you and I'll make the decision. Next time, you can make the decision."

There will be a next time!

He nodded lightly: "Then I'll go first!"

I'll send you the table number in a bit.

"Uh-huh!"

After Liao Liao went upstairs, Qiao Wu found a place to park his car and went to the store.

No wonder directors come here to eat; even the small tables in the main hall are spaced far apart, creating a tranquil environment.

However, there were still too many people below. Qiao Wu didn't know how celebrities usually handled their daily schedules, but if she were to take this path in the future, she would try her best not to expose her privacy, so she asked for a private room with better privacy.

There was a long corridor separating the private room from the main hall. The waiter led her to a seat: "Are you alone? Would you like to order now?"

"Two people." Qiao Wu flipped through the menu to the last page, the tea section. "Bring some tea first, then we'll order the food when my friend arrives. Thank you."

"OK."

After everyone left, Qiao Wu sent the name of the private room to Liao Liao, and then opened Qin Lian's chat box and sent a question mark.

She saw Qin Lian transfer another sum of money to her while she was in the car.

Although it wasn't much, the Qin family's money wasn't going to be thrown away like water. Lu Yingchi and Lu Ning were crying over a few dozen yuan just a couple of days ago, and here she had received dozens of times that amount.

Qin Lian didn't mince words with her and called directly: "Cong Yi came to the company today."

Judging from his tone, he seemed to be in a good mood. Qiao Wu asked, "And then?"

"He didn't say a word." Qin Lian found it amusing when he thought about it.

Like a shadow, he follows me everywhere. Even when he signs a document, this person will peek over it a few times. During meetings, he will bring a chair, squat in the corner, and stare intently.

"I left after watching it."

Qin Lian paused for a moment, then said, "Then someone ordered me a coffee."

Perhaps it was that little girl's way of silently showing him goodwill.

Qin Lian didn't expect his family to have a great relationship with him or to be very successful, but at least they shouldn't cause him headaches or hold him back.

Therefore, he felt satisfied with what he had accomplished so far.

The greatest credit goes to Qiao Wu.

He had heard that gifts for ladies usually included clothes, jewelry, and bags, but Qin Lian had no experience in this area. Whether Qiao Wu needed them or not was one thing; what he cared more about was that if he actually bought them, those things might not be allowed into the Lu residence.

After all, everyone else has been blocked.

Sending money is more direct.

"I heard you're away on a business trip again. I'll treat you to a meal when you get back."

“Okay.” Qiao Wu didn’t hesitate. “However, it’s sometimes better to handle your own family matters yourself. Don’t worry, I won’t take your money for nothing, and I’ll also provide after-sales service.”

Qin Lian raised an eyebrow.

Two minutes after the call ended, he finally understood what Qiao Wu meant by after-sales service.

Because he received two strange documents.

They are "A Guide to Avoiding the Mishaps of a Rich and Powerful Family" and "How Traditional Dominant CEOs Are Eliminated".

Qin Lian: "..."

"What is that?"

Qiao Wu: "Your family's situation is more serious, but these two documents can solve 80% of your problems. Don't be shy, you deserve them."

Qin Lian: "...Thank you."

Qiao Wu exited the chat window and couldn't help but laugh.

That's several hundred thousand yuan; she won't take it for nothing.

Seeing that Liao Liao hadn't returned yet, she decided to go for a walk outside. When she came over earlier, the view from the covered walkway was quite nice. She now really enjoys observing the details in life that she hadn't noticed before.

Who knows when we'll see each other again? The most important thing is to avoid regrets.

After walking a few steps forward, a familiar figure appeared from the other side of the corridor.

The man clearly saw her too, stopped in his tracks, and subconsciously dropped his arrogant demeanor.

The waiter asked in confusion, "Mr. Qin?"

"Hmm." Qin Tianrui walked up to Qiao Wu, thought for a moment, and then stopped. "What are you doing here?"

Qiao Wu ignored him.

Qin Tianrui: "Qiao Wu".

"So I have a name. I thought you were talking to someone else."

The image of a slap costing tens of thousands of yuan flashed through Qin Tianrui's mind, and his eyelids twitched heavily.

Last night, after returning home from Yi, she had a fight with her parents at the dinner table. It was then that Qin Tianrui learned that she had also run into Qiao Wu and had been punished. He immediately felt much more at ease.

But from these snippets of conversation, I also learned some things I hadn't paid attention to before, such as his older brother.

So he had a rare, calm conversation with Yi, but the more they talked, the more alarmed he became.

Qin Lian didn't say a word, just grabbed his belt and started hitting him. He had no idea how this person had been through his childhood.

Now I roughly understand: the father is a pervert, and the son is a pervert too.

That's great, not a single good person in that family.

So when he met Qiao Wu here, he felt he should say hello to her, but he was rebuffed again.

He must have had too much free time on his hands.

Qin Tianrui didn't want to be looked down upon, especially by the woman who had once humiliated him, so without being asked, he said, "I'm here today to take care of serious business."

Qiao Wu found it unbelievable and gave him a strange look: "You're over twenty and only now doing something worthwhile? Do you want me to give you an award?"

"..." Qin Tianrui said with a sour face, "I'm just showing you that I can stand up."

“I don’t feel honored,” Qiao Wu said leisurely, sitting in his chair. “That’s your own business. If you want me to comment, you’ll have to pay extra.”

Qin Lian always said that Lu Jinzhi was a scoundrel, but now Qin Tianrui felt that Qiao Wu's mouth wasn't much better.

Indeed, not a single one of them is any good.

He gave a cold snort: "I'm here to talk about film investment."

Over the years, he has indeed become somewhat incompetent, so it was impossible for him to join the group and be punished by Qin Lian. He could only stay in the media company under Qin's Group. Today, he came to attend the summary meeting of the actor training camp. A director invited him to talk about film investment, so he came along.

Hearing this, Qiao Wu became a little more serious: "A movie?"

"how?"

"Audition here?"

You know?

"Hmm, I have a friend who's an actor." Qiao Wu raised an eyebrow slightly. "Does he try to promote his own ideas?"

"What do you take me for?" Qin Tianrui asked, displeased. "Why don't you go and take a look too?"

"What would I be doing here if you were discussing business?"

"You're just waiting for your friend, aren't you? If you don't say anything, who cares what you're doing? No one will say anything if you're with me."

Qin Tianrui was determined to show this person that he was capable of doing serious work.

Qiao Wu thought about it and decided it was a good idea. She could also help Lu Xuan learn about the audition process for movies in the entertainment industry in advance. She stood up.

"But I won't give you special treatment." Qin Tianrui said warily.

Qiao Wu nodded: "Don't worry, I won't say who I'm related to."

She followed Qin Tianrui to the door of the private room. The waiter knocked a few times and the door was opened.

"Young Master Qin!" A man greeted him with a beaming smile. "It's been a long time, thank you for coming... Oh, what's this?"

The man's gaze lingered on Qiao Wu behind him, giving him a brief once-over.

Qiao Wu looked back quietly.

"She's my friend, don't worry about her. You all go about your business." Qin Tianrui didn't explain much, casually pulled out a chair, and then glanced back.

He drew another card and sat down.

If Qiao Wu catches him doing something wrong, he'll inevitably gossip about it to his brother again.

Qiao Wu then saw that there were four or five middle-aged men and women and two or three young people in a private room. One of them was Liao Liao, whose eyes widened when she saw her.

She almost unconsciously shook her head, looked away, and sat down next to Qin Tianrui.

Every circle has its unspoken rules, and it's inevitable that some connections will create more loopholes. She didn't want to become one of those loopholes.

Although Qin Tianrui said not to worry about the people who came with him, the others saw that Qin Tianrui pulled out a chair for her, and seeing that this young woman's temperament and demeanor were definitely not ordinary, they did not dare to neglect her.

Qin Tianrui looked around, puzzled: "Why would someone audition at a dinner table?"

A middle-aged man wearing a hat sitting opposite him laughed and said, "Business deals made over dinner are the only real business deals. Young Master Qin probably hasn't had much experience with this yet, but he'll find out later."

He then pointed to the three people sitting in the corner: "These are all newcomers to the industry, and we only just met today because of this opportunity."

"What are you all standing there for?" the man said. "Pour some wine for Young Master Qin. You can't even introduce yourselves."

Qin Tianrui frowned and leaned closer to Qiao Wu: "Does your family own a media company? Do you have to drink before the audition?"

He subconsciously regarded Qiao Wu as a member of the Lu family and didn't care about the problem with his words.

Qiao Wu shook his head thoughtfully: "No, I only make investments occasionally."

However, she hasn't taken over yet.

"So you also have business dealings with Mr. Qin!" The man who opened the door earlier, upon hearing this, immediately understood why Qiao Wu had come. "What's your name, ma'am?"

Qiao Wu: "My surname is Qiao."

“Miss Qiao.” The man immediately stood up to offer his seat and beckoned to one of the handsome young men, “Come, sit next to Miss Qiao and pour her some wine today.”

The young man responded, and before he could react, he got up and sat down next to Qiao Wu, saying awkwardly, "Hello, Miss Qiao, my name is Li Xiangyang."

Qiao Wu: "..."

She raised her hand to stop the man from pouring the wine: "I drove."

Others chimed in, "You can hire a designated driver!"

Qiao Wu glanced at Qin Tianrui indifferently.

The latter jumped up, sat up straight, and slammed his hand on the table: "What's all the fuss about? Huang Long, aren't you auditioning? Hurry up and drink some wine."

The one called Huang Long is the one wearing the hat; he must be the director.

Huang Long agreed verbally, but in his heart he thought Qin Tianrui was just an ignorant spoiled brat. What could he possibly understand about auditions?

Moreover, the people he called today are all newcomers who are unlikely to play any major roles in his movie. He just wanted to use this opportunity to make Qin Tianrui happy and obediently invest. He would then add a few insignificant minor roles for them in the script later.

If someone is sensible enough to get on Qin Tianrui's good side, that would be a different story.

So he raised his chin and gestured, "Let's take it one by one. First, let's show Mr. Qin and Miss Qiao what talents you have."

Li Xiangyang was the first.

He stood up: "Hello everyone, my name is Li Xiangyang. I'm an artist under Tianfang Entertainment, a third-year student majoring in acting at Chuanda University. This time, I'd like to audition for the third male lead role in a script, I..."

“Special skills, people want to see your special skills.” Huang Long interrupted him, “Show us your talents first.”

As she spoke, she kept glancing in Qiao Wu's direction, making her intentions quite clear.

Even though Qiao Wu knew nothing about this industry, she sensed something was wrong. She placed her hand on the table and asked the somewhat nervous young man beside her, "Do you know why we're here this time?"

Li Xiangyang nodded: "Audition."

Qiao Wu looked at the director named Huang Long and smiled: "Director Huang, I've never been in this industry before. I'm here with Young Master Qin to broaden my horizons. This young man seems a bit reserved. Why don't you explain the specific procedures to him?"

These words were so tactful that Huang Long felt a surge of pride. It seemed that this Miss Qiao was quite "savvy."

Many people in the industry are into both men and women, so they never bring just boys or girls to these kinds of dinners; they bring both, and whoever performs best gets the prize.

I never expected to stumble upon this today; it's obvious that Miss Qiao is interested in Li Xiangyang!

Huang Long immediately grabbed a wine dispenser and shoved it into Li Xiangyang's hand, giving him a gentle push: "Don't all of you acting students know how to dance a little? With your great figure and physique, why don't you hurry up and show Miss Qiao a little dance? If she's happy, everything will be fine. You're a young and promising college student, why would you worry about not having a chance?"

"And you two too." He gestured to Liao Liao and another girl. "Since it's your first time meeting Mr. Qin, you should all know your manners. What kind of behavior is it to leave him standing there like that?"

The others also laughed knowingly.

Li Xiangyang, who was carrying the wine dispenser, turned pale and then flushed, finally realizing that this was not a proper audition opportunity at all.

He clenched his hands tightly, stood there stiffly, and couldn't help but look down at the person next to him.

Then he noticed the woman was laughing along, and even asked with interest, "What if I like it?"

Not to mention the others, Qin Tianrui and Liao Liao stared at her in astonishment.

No, sis, why don't you take a look at your own situation?!

Huang Long was also taken aback, not expecting her to be so blunt. He laughed twice and said to Li Xiangyang, "Did you hear that? Still standing there? Young people should know how to seize opportunities and make Miss Qiao happy."

Seeing that Li Xiangyang was still not moving, he pushed him, causing the wine in the decanter to spill out and drip onto Qiao Wu's clothes.

She slowly suppressed her smile.

“Miss Qiao, he’s just being immature, don’t take it to heart,” Huang Long said immediately, his tone ambiguous. “I’ll call a couple more decent guys for you later.”

"No need." Qiao Wu took out a tissue, wiped the wine off his sleeve, and then looked at Li Xiangyang, whose face had turned completely pale, and said gently, "Don't be afraid, sit down."

Li Xiangyang clearly didn't know whether he should sit down or leave, but the company had sent him.

He just stood there without moving.

Qiao Wu didn't force him. Instead, she took the wine dispenser from his hand, stood up, and walked to Liao Liao's side in full view of everyone, placing the wine dispenser in her dazed and frightened hand.

Then, taking her other hand, he brought her to Qin Tianrui.

"Come on, let's toast Mr. Qin."

Qin Tianrui felt as if his face had swelled up again instantly. How could he not understand this situation?! Did he not know who Qiao Wu's friend was?! Did he not know who Qiao Wu was talking to that man about?!

Seeing that Qiao Wu was really about to raise his wine glass, Qin Tianrui felt that he would definitely lose a year of his life today.

He suddenly stood up, snatched the decanter, and slammed it onto the table, his face red and neck bulging.

Everyone was startled by his sudden outburst.

"Young Master Qin?" Huang Long asked in a panic, "Don't you like it?"

Qin Tianrui roared, "I like your grandpa!"

Amidst everyone's stunned and bewildered expressions.

Qin Tianrui looked at Qiao Wu, whose expression had faded, with trembling hands.

"I really didn't know these people were up to this!" he said, both angry and anxious. "I really came here to do serious business!"