Chapter 3 Violent "I'm afraid your nipples will make you hard."...
I had to strike while the iron was hot when I returned to work. On the third day after returning to China, before I had fully adjusted to the time difference, work came my way. My flight to Paris was in the afternoon.
The brand we previously collaborated with, Tingun, celebrated its 100th anniversary. The red carpet and dinner were complete, but selective; anyone could walk the red carpet, even those of lower or lower tiers, but only close friends of the brand could attend the dinner.
This brand is positioned as high-end luxury, but in the first ten years it had been relegated to the category of declining aristocracy. Later, a major overhaul of the brand, from designers to spokespeople, revitalized it.
Ji Jiazhen is the spokesperson, and her title is the top-tier one—Global.
Rumor has it that Tingun will officially announce its new Asia Pacific president at its anniversary dinner, a president whose power is absolutely historic.
That's all the information that's been circulating, it's all just hearsay, but it's enough to pique people's interest and generate a lot of discussion online.
Ji Jiazhen sat there watching public opinion, popping a blueberry into her mouth. There was a noise at the door, and Chen Li opened it for someone. May came in. As May walked over, Ji Jiazhen gave Chen Li a look, signaling her to go back to her room.
The door clicked shut, leaving only the two of them in the room.
This was the first time the two had met since she returned to China.
"I'm quite busy."
May opened the bottle of mineral water and gulped it down, looking quite thirsty.
"Haven't you caused me enough trouble already?"
Ji Jiazhen put down her phone, picked up the small plate of blueberries, crossed her legs and propped them up on the chair opposite her, eating while laughing amusedly: "I haven't done anything since I came back to China."
"My dear ancestors, just your return to China is enough to keep me busy."
There seems to be a hint of resentment in those words.
She glanced at May without batting an eye and asked casually, "Is the company asking you to mentor new employees?"
May said no, but the fleeting glance in her eyes didn't escape Ji Jiazhen's keen eyes. She understood and continued to ask, "Who are the people you brought? Tell me, and I'll help you keep an eye on them."
May, having been around for so many years, wasn't going to be fooled. She immediately steered the conversation towards her, "You're questioning me now? What are you up to in Paris? Do you even remember I'm your manager, grandma? You don't need to tell me about business activities?"
Ji Jiazhen smiled, not exposing her guilty behavior, "It wasn't business, it was just an invitation from a friend."
May looked at her suspiciously: "What friend?"
"Old friend, Tingun, we know each other, right?"
May pushed her legs down and sat down in the chair herself. "You're going to walk that red carpet? Girl, you really know how to lower yourself. To put it bluntly, even internet celebrities can get a few seconds on that red carpet."
Ji Jiazhen grabbed a cushion from beside her and put it behind her back, tilting her head back lazily. "Is this how you see me?"
"Not the red carpet? Don't tell me you're going to a banquet. Do you remember how much you had to pay in breach of contract fees the year you retired from the entertainment industry? Tingun almost blocked you."
Upon hearing this, Ji Jiazhen's smile instantly changed, his eyes sharpened, and a fierce glint appeared in his smile, a prelude to his anger.
"Sister May, others may not know why I retired from the entertainment industry, but don't you know?"
She slowly sat up, placed the empty plate on the glass coffee table with a firm, crisp sound that was quite intimidating.
“I’ve been in exile these past few years, and you’ve made quite a bit of money from Duan Qiyin training new recruits. Why don’t I talk to him and tell him to focus on training new recruits and arrange for someone else to train me?”
As Ji Jiazhen spoke, he slowly stood up, walked around her from behind, and May felt a chill run down her spine.
What does Ji Jiazhen's return mean?
This means that all of Duan Qiyin's resources will be unconditionally tilted towards her. Only if she is well-fed will others have a chance to drink the leftovers; if she is not well-fed, others will only starve to death. Being sidelined to train newcomers has only one outcome: she and the newcomers will all be forgotten by the company, because Ji Jiazhen will not let go of any opportunity to climb the corporate ladder.
Ji Jiazhen's wrist was grabbed. She chuckled, her face saying, "See? Why did you provoke me?" She looked down at the woman who was ten years older and ten centimeters shorter than her.
There's no one in this circle who's easy to deal with.
Yes, not one.
Sister May has been working in the industry for over ten years. When she was promoting someone, he was just a kid. Now he has the right to stand here and challenge her, all because of Duan Qiyin's influence.
But there's one thing she's very clear about, and hopes May will be clear about too: she's standing here because of Duan Qiyin's influence, but she's standing opposite her now because of Ji Jiazhen's influence.
Duan Qiyin is not one to cherish talent, and besides, she isn't talented either. Someone who didn't handle the scandal three years ago should have been kicked out of the company when Ji Jiazhen left the industry. The only reason she's still around is because Duan Qiyin is giving Ji Jiazhen face, since she specifically asked Sister May to mentor her when she debuted.
Ji Jiazhen patted her shoulder, "I didn't go abroad to cultivate my character. You should know best whether I have a good temper or not. What you should do now is put everything else aside, and don't do it in front of me. I won't settle the score with you for the assistant, but you need to know that when I get angry, what you did was really not very dignified."
It wasn't that Chen Li, the assistant, hadn't done a good job; on the contrary, she had done an excellent job these past few days. It was just that Sister May's perfunctory attitude was too obvious. Given her status, assigning a recent graduate as her assistant was inappropriate and rather unseemly; the lack of effort was blatantly obvious.
May knew she had acted inappropriately, so all she could do was listen quietly to what Ji Jiazhen was saying.
"I still trust you. After all, you've been in my shoes since my debut. Let's work together and achieve a win-win result."
They've given us plenty of options; there's no reason for us not to accept them.
May asked her, "The banquet tomorrow..."
"The clothes have been borrowed and the makeup artist has been booked. You've been flying for over ten hours and must be tired. Take a rest."
The contest ended in victory for Ji Jiazhen.
*
The banquet was held at the JL Hotel, with a red carpet stretching for dozens of meters. The media thronged the area, and as dusk completely enveloped the sky, the flashes never stopped.
At 6 p.m., the banquet officially began, but Ji Jiazhen was still doing the final touches on her styling, with a live stream of the event playing on her tablet.
This dinner had so many highlights that it was broadcast live globally.
May called her seven times, but she rejected all of them. Later, she got smarter and started sending her WeChat messages instead.
—"Why aren't you here yet?"
—Answer the phone!!!
"The banquet has already started, where are you?!"
Ji Jiazhen flipped her phone face down on the table. After tidying up, she glanced at the screen and saw rows of lights gradually lighting up in the live stream.
Chen Li pushed open the door. "Sis, the car is here."
Ji Jiazhen remained seated, her back ramrod straight, her posture impeccable. "Wait a moment."
Chen Li didn't know what she was waiting for, so she could only stand quietly at the door.
Time passed slowly, and no one spoke in the room.
The lights inside the banquet hall focused in one direction as Tingun's chief designer took the stage to thunderous applause.
Ji Jiazhen smiled, reached for the tablet and phone, stood up while holding onto her skirt, and casually put the tablet into Chen Li's bag as she passed by. "Let's go."
After getting on the bus, she continued watching the live stream. Sister May made two more calls, but she still ignored them. Strangely, Duan Qiyin also made a call.
But they all remained the same, ignoring all irrelevant people.
Five minutes after Duan Qiyin hung up the phone, Sister May sent a message: "Girl, stop playing hide-and-seek, President Duan is looking for you."
At the same time, during the live broadcast, Tingun's chief designer announced that Feng Mingqiao was the new president of Tingun's Asia Pacific region.
Chinese women.
This is unprecedented in Tingun's position, and what she brings is also unprecedented.
—The choice of Tingun jewelry line spokesperson is in her hands.
In the past, none of the decision-makers or spokespeople for this product line have ever been Chinese.
The scenery outside the window flashed by. Ji Jiazhen closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them. The buildings in front of her were magnificent and dazzling, the red carpet was eye-catching, and there were many media waiting outside the hotel. However, the banquet had been going on for half an hour, and no one had entered.
A tablet was placed on the seat next to her. Feng Mingqiao spoke in Chinese, and she listened while looking straight ahead.
"...Tingun has always maintained long-term relationships with excellent partners and is also keen to bring in fresh blood. In my opinion, the jewelry line needs new life..."
The car slowed down, slower and slower, getting closer and closer to the red carpet.
Some observant people became curious about who was sitting in the car and walked over with their cameras.
The car came to a stop in front of the red carpet, and Feng Mingqiao said:
"...I am honored to bring you this news, and I am also honored to announce it tonight. I solemnly announce: Tingun's jewelry ambassador in China is—Ji Jiazhen!"
The moment her name was spoken, the car door opened, and the media who were still outside rushed forward. Ji Jiazhen got out of the car, and the live broadcast camera switched to her.
This face, this person, is now on display globally.
At the same time, the official announcement of Ji Jiazhen's sudden appointment as the new spokesperson for Tingun jewelry line has been trending on social media.
On the red carpet, among the crowd.
The black velvet fishtail dress perfectly showcased her figure, while the nude pink tulle at the back added a touch of glamour. The bodice was adorned with rhinestones, and her curly hair cascaded down to her waist.
She was already used to this kind of scene. She wore a calm smile, her heels were high, her skirt was long, but she still took big strides. She didn't bother to linger on the red carpet because she never lacked opportunities to show her face.
There was too much noise around her—the clicking of cameras, the honking of horns—and foreign journalists shouting "Zhen" in hopes that she would give them a second glance.
The sound of high heels clicking on the ground should have been covered by the red carpet, drowned out by these sounds, but it seemed as if everyone heard it.
Thump, thump, thump.
Each step, each one, touches my heart.
In the Parisian night breeze, she is a black rose reborn from the ashes.
All the cameras were pointed at her alone.
The trending topic four days ago was a teaser; today is the real show.
Everyone in this industry needs to watch closely and remember: Ji Jiazhen is back.
They also hate and envy her, because she will devour those resources and fame, returning to the peak she reached back then, or even higher, while they can only watch and remember.
She wants to have what others can only dream of.
She is the first Chinese spokesperson in the 100-year history of Tingun jewelry line.
She will be the first in many things.
As she skillfully navigated the world of fame and fortune, Ji Jiazhen's name once again topped the trending searches, accompanied by the word "explosive," and the popularity didn't subside even late at night.
After the banquet ended, Ji Jiazhen's phone was ringing off the hook, with two of the missed calls coming from Duan Qiyin.
If a normally calm and composed person makes two phone calls in one night, it means they've really lost their temper.
Ji Jiazhen couldn't be bothered with his emotions.
His displeasure stemmed solely from his dissatisfaction with her taking matters into her own hands. Things had spiraled out of his control; she was no longer the little girl he could manipulate. That was all.
But he has to start getting used to it today.
Of all the missed calls and unread messages, Ji Jiazhen only paid attention to the red circle in her contacts.
The profile picture is all black, the name is just a single dot, and the verification message contains two words: "coat".
He was lazy and spoiled, so those two words weren't meant to be a friend's nickname so she could remember who he was. Instead, they were a message sent in a casual and flippant tone, but with two words omitted: "Give me back my coat."
Wen Siyu couldn't possibly be short of that coat. She had also inquired and found out that many girls deliberately tried to get close to him, but he had never given them a second glance. She had to carefully consider whether his current initiative was a bait or something else entirely.
Ji Jiazhen did not accept the friend request and replied with two words in the verification box: Who are you?
After I finished, I went to remove my makeup and take a shower. It took two hours to finish.
Two hours ago, the other side sent four words: You agree first.
She took her phone and went to the balcony to get some fresh air, then replied: How can I agree if you don't tell me who it is?
The other end replied: "If you don't agree, how can I show you who it is?"
It's like playing Tai Chi, going back and forth.
Ji Jiazhen smiled and finally clicked "accept".
Before a second had even passed, the video popped up. The wind messed up her hair, so she reached up and brushed it back before clicking "reject."
A question mark followed immediately.
Reply: I'm not wearing a bra, my nipples are showing and I'm afraid you'll get hard.
A note from the author:
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Enjoy with "Fire" by Gavin DeGraw.
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