Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Travel Variety Show
The doorbell rang, Xia Nuan picked up an umbrella and opened the door a crack.
"It's back to its rightful owner. Thank you for your kindness." Xia Nuan put the umbrella into Ye Li's hands and handed him a beautifully wrapped gift box. "This is a thank you gift."
"Goodbye then."
Although it was Ye Li who had forced the umbrella on her, she did use it and didn't get wet, so she still had to thank him. However, there was no need for any other unnecessary small talk.
Ye Li hadn't expected Xia Nuan to be so direct. Looking at the two items in his hands, he felt a bit amused and helpless. "Gifts are really unnecessary. But, are you really not going to invite me in for a chat?"
Ye Li handed the gift box to Xia Nuan, but she didn't take it.
Xia Nuan paused as she was about to close the door, then looked up at Ye Li. "A thank-you gift is essential. You should know my personality. I'm leaving soon, so I won't keep you here any longer. Bye, and be careful on your way."
"You really have no impression of this umbrella?" Ye Li's hand holding the umbrella gradually tightened, and his other arm was holding the door to prevent it from being closed.
Ye Li blurted out the words, a hint of urgency that seemed at odds with his typically composed demeanor. He seemed to haven't expected to say it so bluntly. This matter had been lingering in his mind for so long, so long that he'd probably forgotten it.
But actually, he cares.
Xia Nuan's gaze returned to the umbrella. She remembered it, but was there any need to tell Ye Li?
But if he really made it clear, he could truly let go of his obsession with himself, instead of being stuck in this endless chaos for so many years. This was good for both him and himself.
Even though the breakup wasn't pleasant, eight years had passed and she had long since moved on. Regardless of her perspective, she hoped Ye Li could move forward like her, rather than being trapped by the past.
Xia Nuan thought for a moment, then opened the door. With an inexplicable emotion between her brows, she sighed and said, "Come in and have a cup of tea."
Even though Ye Li's expression didn't change much, his whole person suddenly became brighter.
He held the umbrella tightly in his hand, as if afraid that Xia Nuan would go back on her word, and immediately walked into the house.
"I once gave an umbrella to a passerby caught in the rain. That person was you, right? If I hadn't seen this umbrella again, I might never have thought that we had met so long ago." Xia Nuan said with some emotion, handing Ye Li a cup of tea, "Why didn't you tell me this before?"
Ye Li's eyes lit up little by little. Sure enough, she still remembered this incident. Her hands, which had been holding the umbrella tightly with some restraint just now, relaxed a little after hearing these words.
His brows relaxed, making him look no longer as cold as before. Ye Li licked his lips and pushed his eyes down. His black pupils seemed to be washed, with a faint halo appearing.
"Actually, I thought about it. When I first saw you in the coffee shop, I knew it was you, and I thought about giving you the umbrella. But at that time, I always felt it was inappropriate. Until that day when it rained heavily, I thought it might be a good time to return the umbrella to you."
His voice was like a cello, elegant and magnetic. Xia Nuan also fell into memories as he spoke.
As if thinking of something happy, Ye Li's lips curled up, and a smile appeared on his face, adding a touch of youthfulness for no reason. "But at that time, you said you didn't need it."
Xia Nuan's eyes widened and she blinked a few times, "But I did have an umbrella at that time."
Ye Li pursed her lips and smiled, the smile that leaked from the corners of her lips was a rare and pure happiness.
He spoke in a deliberately relaxed and slightly teasing tone, "Yeah, actually, at that time, I wanted to just let it go. It was just an umbrella, but I couldn't resign myself to it. I felt I couldn't just let it go. Now that I think about it, I'm really glad you didn't take the umbrella. Otherwise, what happened later wouldn't have happened."
Ye Li looked at the umbrella, a hint of warmth in his eyes. "When I was young, I was always ashamed to mention this matter."
An umbrella? What's there to be ashamed of? Maybe she didn't want others to know about her miserable childhood. Thinking of how Ye Li cared about her face in the past, Xia Nuan shrugged and chuckled.
However, she didn't think about it any further, nor did she want to explore the real reason why Ye Li didn't say these things in the first place. Time is a good thing, and it's no longer necessary after so much time has passed.
Being able to say this to her, Ye Li must have really let it go.
Xia Nuan was truly happy for him. She knew how it felt to be trapped by something. It would indeed be a good thing if Ye Li really let it go.
There was a faint smile on the corner of Ye Li's lips, very light but it made his whole face warm. He didn't know what Xia Nuan was thinking, he just hadn't been so relaxed for a long time.
"You returned the umbrella to me a few days ago, which means you've actually let it go." Xia Nuan took a sip of tea and frowned slightly. This tea was really bitter. "We're old acquaintances, so I won't go into other details. Let me be frank. Did you come here today, besides getting the umbrella, to have a cup of tea at my house?"
Ye Li raised his eyebrows slightly, and after hearing this, he took another sip of tea, a sly look in his eyes, "Your tea is quite good."
Xia Nuan looked at him without saying anything.
Ye Li laughed, "I just want to tell you that I have no intention of letting go."
The tone of this sentence was flat, but it was annoying. Xia Nuan rubbed her face and asked again with some frustration: "So what are you doing here today?"
"Nuannuan, I want us to start over." Ye Li raised his eyes and looked at Xia Nuan. His eyes were very dark, as if they wanted to suck people in. "You still remember this umbrella, which means you haven't forgotten me."
Xia Nuan's mouth twitched. How come this guy was becoming more and more narcissistic? He was cutting the Gordian knot. She must have been crazy to let Ye Li in. "No, not really. You don't have to overthink it. Although I've said it many times before, there's probably no possibility for the two of us."
Xia Nuan didn't doubt Ye Li's sincerity now, but it wasn't completely sincere. First love is always hard to forget, not to mention the obsession with that umbrella.
But not being able to forget doesn't mean anything. You have to know that Ye Li has had many lovers, big and small, over the years.
Xia Nuan didn't have the absurd idea that Ye Li should remain a virgin if he wanted to be with her. However, Ye Li's words of affection, coupled with his actions, did make her laugh.
In the past, someone had once shown off to Xia Nuan after hooking up with Ye Li, but that became rarer. Xia Nuan didn't know why that girl would show off to her, but she didn't care then, and it was even more so now.
If it were a few years ago, Xia Nuan might not have seen it so clearly, but as she grew older, she became more and more insightful in this regard.
"Ye Li, you've had plenty of people around you these years, why are you so obsessed with me?"
Hearing this, Ye Li's eyes flickered. He didn't deny that he had had some female companions over the years. He just said, "In my heart, you are the most important person, and you are the only one I want to marry."
"I don't want to. I have other things to do next, so let's just stop here." Xia Nuan's tone was calm and her expression was indifferent. There was not much emotional fluctuation from beginning to end, as if the two of them were talking about nothing more than a trivial matter.
Xia Nuan shook her head. "If we can't reach an agreement, then let's not talk about it. Ye Li, time will tell. You know you can't force love. The fact that we broke up in the first place actually explains this."
Ye Li's eyes flushed red, and his expression took on a hint of sadness. His breathing became a little rapid: "You really don't know how much I've done for you over the years. If I hadn't invested in the movie, you wouldn't have been able to star in Dynasty."
Ye Li clenched the umbrella in his hand, and for the first time, a crack appeared on his face. "Do you really think that without me, you can have your current status? Nuannuan, stop it. I've let you go for so many years, haven't you had enough fun? Three Golden Horse Awards, aren't you satisfied? Isn't it good to be with me?"
Xia Nuan didn't want to argue with Ye Li. Ye Li might have changed a lot, but in this respect, he hadn't changed at all.
Xia Nuan's expression turned cold, "Ye Li, goodbye."
Ye Li was a little flustered. "I just said something without thinking. Nuannuan, I love you. Why can't you accept me?"
What he just said was probably what he really thought.
After the director of "Dynasty" Wen Jianjie signed the contract with her, he received investment from Ye Li right after. "Dynasty" later became a big hit, and almost all the original investors made a fortune.
She was not chosen for that role because of Ye Li's investment.
But Xia Nuan would not deny that if it weren't for Ye Li's investments, Wen Jianjie would not be so friendly to her.
"Ye Li, I only realized today that you have always looked at me with such condescending eyes." Xia Nuan frowned slightly.
Ye Li lowered his eyes and didn't look at Xia Nuan anymore. His voice became very low and a little suppressed. "Nuan Nuan, do you think I dare not do anything to you? Don't be so naive."
Xia Nuan took another sip of tea, the bitter aroma of the tea filling her mouth. The cup made a crisp sound when it hit the table. "I'm not like I was before, powerless to resist anymore."
Ye Li's expression was a little panicked, and he trembled, "Nuannuan, I——"
He didn't want Xia Nuan to hate him.
The conversation ended unpleasantly, and Xia Nuan never met Ye Li again, except for one real accident.
She was happy to see this happen, and as for Ye Li's threat at that time, she was not trying to be stubborn.
Things like feelings will bring trouble once you get involved.
Xia Nuan knew that she was a little sick now. It might be that after the system told her the truth about this world, she gradually developed this idea. If it was not 100% sincere, she would rather not have it.
Moreover, most of the time she felt that being alone was actually quite good.
——
The initial plan for Xia Nuan's personal independent studio is to be affiliated with Langfeng. If it runs well, there may be other plans.
Lin Dayong was also aware of this. As Xia Nuan's agent, he was indispensable in helping her set up her own studio. According to the original plan, in another three months, all the formalities should be finalized and the studio could be officially launched.
However, Xia Nuan pushed her sunglasses and approached Lang Feng, realizing the unspoken meaning in Lin Dayong's previous words.
She had originally planned to travel for a month, but before she was halfway there, Lin Dayong's news interrupted her travel plans.
Xia Nuan rubbed her temples, and her aura suddenly startled Lin Dayong.
He looked at Xia Nuanhe's face, which hadn't changed much since six years ago, and couldn't help but sigh that time favors beauty. However, those clear and penetrating eyes were more resolute than before.
Lin Dayong also knew that she would naturally not allow herself to be bullied.
Xia Nuan looked at the contract in front of her. The company did promise to let her have her own studio, but these conditions were newly added. Basically, it meant that she would have to support newcomers and participate in variety shows.
The worry between Lin Dayong's brows was no less than Xia Nuan's, and his tone was the same, "Nuan, I've argued with the company about this as well. But the boss said that if you want to gain something, you have to pay something. He won't give in on any of these conditions."
Lin Dayong didn't see any other unnecessary expressions on Xia Nuan's face, he just saw her raise her eyebrows and pout.
As expected, there is no free lunch in the world. At the beginning, the company just agreed to this matter without discussing the requirements. Now, almost all the internal procedures of the company have been completed, but they only spoke out. Isn't it because they are afraid that she will refuse?
What is supposed to come has finally come.
Xia Nuan didn't have much objection to these conditions. She glanced at Lin Dayong, but she still had to pretend, otherwise she would appear to be too easy to talk to, and then she would not be qualified to negotiate conditions.
She knew why Lang Feng agreed to let her be independent. After all, her contract with Lang Feng would end in less than a year. Her status in the circle was no longer the same as before. Apart from some scandals back then, she had almost no black material in recent years. When she was not filming, she was traveling or staying at home.
Without being modest, I can say that any movie she stars in will be a big hit.
If she terminated her contract with Langfeng, there would be plenty of companies waiting for her to join, but Langfeng was too big in the industry and had a lot of say. If it wasn't a complete breakup, Xia Nuan wouldn't want to leave.
Seeing Xia Nuan put down the contract, Lin Dayong's heart skipped a beat. He swallowed, fearing that Xia Nuan would not agree.
Although Lin Dayong is the vice president of Langfeng, he is also Xia Nuan's agent. When Xia Nuan proposed to create her own studio and had no plans to go independent, the company naturally had no reason to refuse.
Even if Xia Nuan left on her own, he would still receive a substantial salary as her agent. Furthermore, Lou Su and Lin Dayong's relationship had long surpassed that of an ordinary agent and celebrity; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them close friends.
Therefore, whether in public or private, Lin Dayong was very concerned about promoting this matter, and generally stood on Xia Nuan's side. However, in the final analysis, he was just a vice president.
Xia Nuan saw Lin Dayong's expression constantly changing, and knew that this cunning guy was doing it for her to see. However, she also knew Lin Dayong and knew that he must have tried his best to fight for her. However, since the boss had spoken, he definitely did not have the final say.
But her attitude must be made clear.
The matter was delayed for another week until the final contract was finally completed. Xia Nuan looked at the red seal on the contract and the corners of her mouth curled up.
Xia Nuan will sign another five-year contract with Langfeng. From the signing of the contract, she needs to act in three more TV series during this period. The company guarantees that they are large-scale productions above S level, and she must participate in subsequent variety show promotions; the second clause is that she needs to participate in a travel variety show as the main guest.
Compared to her previous five TV series and three variety shows, Xia Nuan said she was quite satisfied. At least she had won the right to choose the script.
As for the newcomer to the dairy company, she didn't have much opinion on this matter. As long as it wasn't too excessive, she could accept it.
Half a month later, all the necessary procedures had been completed and submitted for official approval. It was estimated that her Nuan Yi Film and Television Communication Studio would be officially established in two months.
Xia Nuan let out a long sigh, and the joy on her brows was hard to conceal.
At first, Xia Nuan was a bit secretive, and apart from a few trusted people in the company, not many people knew about it. But after the paperwork was submitted, even if she tried to hide it, it was useless.
Naturally, her big move attracted the attention of those in the industry, and countless people were chattering and asking questions. Whether they were there to laugh or just to show their interest, only those people knew.
Ji Mian was naturally the one who kept an eye on Xia Nuan's whereabouts. However, he had no other thoughts other than simply worrying about her and secretly trying to find a topic to chat with Xia Nuan.
Ji Mian is not only currently popular, but has been so for many years. He not only has a lot of traffic, but he's also a leading actor with excellent acting skills. I wouldn't say in the film industry, but he's definitely a big name in television. With the new generation of actors emerging one after another, no one can currently shake his position.
After his confession was rejected, Ji Mian immediately realized that he had made a mistake, so later he told Xia Nuan directly and frankly that he was unable to get out of the character's emotions and was too immersed in the role, which caused trouble for Xia Nuan.
But he didn't want the relationship between the two to deteriorate because of this incident, and hoped that they could still be friends.
Although it was difficult to suppress his subconscious heartbeat and liking, he was a good actor, especially after he knew that Xia Nuan had actively distanced herself from all those who had confessed their love to her and been rejected.
After Xia Nuan observed them for a while, the two of them became friends again.
After Ji Mian knew that the news that Xia Nuan had set up her own studio was true, he wanted to call Xia Nuan immediately to discuss it, but his agent happened to call him at this time.
"Ji Mian, are you really not going to the travel variety show I told you about last time?" There was a hint of abnormal excitement and ridicule in the agent's voice.
Ji Mian frowned and said, "No."
The person on the other end of the phone seemed to be unable to hold back a laugh, then returned to normal, "Then I really rejected it. However, I just found out that Xia Nuan will actually participate. She hasn't participated in any variety shows in four or five years."
Ji Mian's brain froze for a moment, and before he could think clearly, he had already spoken, "No, I'll go."
The other end couldn't help but burst into laughter. "I knew you would change your mind after knowing Xia Nuan was there. Okay, there's nothing else to do. I'll send you the file later, you can take a look at it yourself."
Ji Mian's eyes, which were once said to have a deep expression, were now filled with joy and excitement, and he really looked silly.
The original plan to call was interrupted by this call, but Ji Mian curled his lips. He wanted to give Xia Nuan a surprise. Anyway, they could meet every day for the next month.
——
"Leaving in half a month?!" Xia Nuan exclaimed in surprise on the other end of the phone, "Didn't they say they haven't even started looking for guests yet?"
How can they find everything in just half a month, and at a suitable time? This travel variety show requires a full month abroad.
Xia Nuan's eyes widened in shock.
Lin Dayong gave a guilty laugh. This variety show was pulling off a scam. First, they'd hooked Lang Feng, then used Xia Nuan as a publicity stunt. Celebrities who'd initially turned it down were now calling to participate, and quite a few companies were trying to get people in. Previously, the production team was asking for talent, but now they were choosing. In less than a week, all the guests had been confirmed.
"It's warm, just get ready, there's still half a month left anyway."
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