Chapter 46 "I Hate You Like This"
Tianxu's hotel brand is expanding smoothly in Switzerland. Although it has not yet been officially launched, the procedures that require Xu Shaoting's personal involvement have been almost completed. He has left the remaining trivial matters to Yang Ruiming.
Originally, they planned to stay in Switzerland for a few more days. However, Wen Jia was about to join the film crew and had to return to China. Xu Shaoting couldn't bear to let her squeeze onto a commercial flight alone, so he ended the trip to Switzerland early and took her with him on the plane.
The captain and flight attendants all recognized Wen Jia, exchanging knowing glances. Changing aircraft at the last minute is rare enough, let alone bringing an extra person, especially a popular female celebrity.
The three flight attendants were trembling with fear, worried that despite receiving exorbitant allowances, they hadn't served the passengers adequately, and also worried that their eyes might wander and see something they shouldn't. They hid behind the curtain, feeling as if they were walking on thin ice.
The Bombardier had entered the stratosphere and was cruising stably. Inside the cabin, Wen Jia sat with her legs bent, listening to the man on the phone beside her.
Although Yang Ruiming wielded considerable influence, he still needed Xu Shaoting's approval to make the final decision. From the moment he boarded the plane until now, his phone hadn't stopped ringing, his voice hadn't stopped, and the attentive flight attendants hadn't stopped either, repeatedly coming to refill his tea, water, and ice.
After several phone calls, Yang Ruiming was severely reprimanded by him, and his voice was almost hoarse.
Wen Jia didn't dare disturb him, so she quietly looked at her phone, studied the script for a while, and was engrossed in it when a message from Zhang Linzhi popped up:
"Old An is going to focus all his efforts on promoting Kim Yeon."
Wen Jia stared at these words, without much reaction:
"I guessed it."
An Xiyue, the CEO of Xing Shuo, is an out-and-out capitalist, but Wen Jia has to admit that while he is opportunistic, he also has a keen business sense. He could foresee Wen Jia's future and potential when she first debuted, recognizing her popularity and value. He decisively signed her and did his best to promote her. She lived up to his expectations, bringing the company hundreds of millions in profits after she became famous.
Her rise to fame was a combination of talent, luck, and business acumen. However, an entertainment company cannot rely on just one artist from beginning to end; profit always comes before the artist.
They need to constantly sign new talent, gambling on luck; even if one person becomes famous overnight, it's a win. Resources and enthusiasm will always be directed towards fresh blood that can bring explosive growth.
Jin Yan's performance in urban romance dramas is lively and charming. She has already secured a place among the new generation of actresses with a hit drama. In less than four years since her debut, she has won the title of global brand ambassador for a major brand, showing a similar momentum to Wen Jia back then.
Although Zhang Linzhi phrased her words tactfully, Wen Jia still understood her subtext—
An Xiyue wanted to do everything he could to elevate Jin Yan to his own position, perhaps not as good as Xing Shuo's number one, perhaps on par with Xing Shuo's number one, or perhaps far surpassing Xing Shuo's number one.
Perhaps she won't be able to rise to fame, or perhaps Kim Yeon is destined for stardom.
It might only take one or two years, or it might take six or seven years.
Regardless of the circumstances, one thing remains constant.
The balance of resources will gradually tilt in Kim Yeon's favor.
At first, adding small weights, such as minor endorsements and guest appearances on variety shows, kept the balance.
Gradually, they began to increase the stakes, with top-notch production teams and high-end fashion endorsements, ultimately causing her to sink significantly.
There is no longer any possibility of balancing the two sides of the scale.
This process is gradual and will not pose a threat to Wen Jia in the short term. However, she has been working with Zhang Linzhi for so many years that she has long been prepared for any eventuality.
She had long expected this day to come, but seeing Zhang Linzhi speak so clearly now, she still felt a little disappointed and wistful.
She remained silent, gazing out the porthole, lost in thought. For a moment, the only sound in the cabin was the man's voice on the phone.
Finally, half an hour later, Xu Shaoting hung up the call, sat back in his seat, glanced at her, and easily saw through her emotions.
"What's wrong? Something on your mind?"
Wen Jia composed herself to conceal her embarrassment, stood up, the blanket slipped off her, and walked to the man's side, sitting directly on his lap.
Xu Shaoting was still engrossed in a business call, staring at her with a cold expression. He neither rejected her advances nor reached out to embrace her.
Wen Jia diligently picked up the water glass and brought it to his lips.
"You must be tired from making phone calls, have some water." She deliberately lowered her voice and winked at him as she spoke.
Upon hearing this, Xu Shaoting frowned, looked her up and down, and then, without saying a word, took a sip from her hand.
But he only took a small sip, moistened his lips and tongue, and then put the water glass down.
Seeing this, Wen Jia unwrapped the throat lozenges the flight attendant had given her and offered them to his lips.
"Clear your throat, your voice is almost hoarse, it breaks my heart."
Her tone of voice was not the one she usually used; it had a slightly coquettish quality to it.
Xu Shaoting frowned even more deeply, scrutinized her for half a minute, and still said nothing, remaining silent.
The third time, Wen Jia picked up a piece of fresh fruit from the table with her slender fingers, intending to offer it to him, but he grabbed her wrist.
He saw right through her. "If you have something to say, just say it."
Wen Jia chuckled twice, lowered her eyes, and put the fruit in her mouth. She spoke indistinctly, "There's something I'd like you to help me see if it's feasible."
"Just say it."
“My agent just told me that our boss is going to promote new talent, so I’ll most likely be left to my own devices by the company from now on,” she said indirectly. “I don’t think there’s any future for me if I stay at StarSpark.”
"I don't want to be tied down by the company, and my contract with them is about to expire, so I'm not planning to renew it. I want to go solo." She felt guilty and didn't dare look at him, her voice growing softer and softer. "Don't you think this is ridiculous..."
Xu Shaoting stared at her silently for two seconds, then shook his head. "You probably didn't just have this thought a moment ago."
Wen Jia obediently admitted, "Yes."
“Go on.”
"Actually, I've had this thought since my comeback. The company is very biased, I don't know if it's related to my retirement from the industry. After my comeback, I had to fight for many resources with my agent. Of course, Zhou Jingcheng also gave me some, I can't deny that."
It's only natural to fight for resources, but the sudden change from being chased around and fed to being eager to eat still caused her some psychological distress.
"Actually, before I retired, I realized that I couldn't work for the company for the rest of my life. Although I am very satisfied with my current achievements, I always get to choose the best scripts and wear the haute couture first, but I am still managed by the company and a large portion of my profits are taken away. I am too passive."
After listening to what she said, Xu Shaoting took a sip of tea and asked, "What is your profit-sharing percentage with the company?"
"When we first debuted, it was a 50/50 split, but after we renewed our contract, it became a 40/60 split."
He nodded. "It is indeed very passive. Given your reputation, you could actually get a 30/70 split, or even higher."
"I mentioned it to the company when I renewed my contract the first time, but it was rejected."
He chuckled. "Didn't your boss tell you that you could get a 30/70 split if you renewed your contract?"
Wen Jia nodded. "He's good at making empty promises. My contract hasn't expired yet, but he's already eager to promote new talent. Offering him 30/70 is probably just empty talk, so I'm even less willing to renew my contract."
She snuggled closer to him. "Do you remember when 'Wild Path' was nominated for the Silver Sail Film Festival?"
"how?"
"On the day of the film festival, my boss messaged me saying that the investors were taking it very seriously, and if there were no results, the company would not give me similar resources in the future. For that film, you should be the only one with such a lot of influence."
Xu Shaoting frowned slightly. "I never said anything like that."
“At first I believed him, but later I realized that he was just giving me a heads-up. Whether I win an award or not, the resources won’t go my way. So from that day on, I had a vague feeling and started to have this idea.”
Xu Shaoting asked in a businesslike manner, as if he were really just discussing a business deal with her, "If you want to go it alone, in what form? A studio, or a company outright?"
Wen Jia asked, with a selfish motive, "Is the latter possibility...?"
"Yes, but it will be difficult."
She wasn't discouraged. "Including the few endorsements that haven't been settled yet, I have enough assets to register a company right now. The difficult part is what follows," she paused when she mentioned the endorsements, "Do you still remember Ding Qianru?"
Xu Shaoting hummed in agreement.
“Some time ago she said that VELRA could give me a business collaboration so that I could stay in this company. Not only would my profits be taken away, but I would also have to go through the company to sign the contract. Recently, new talents have been gaining momentum, and I am afraid of being snatched away. This is one of the reasons. I only talked to my agent about this idea before you did. Even Kaiqing did not know about it.”
"How long until your contract with the company expires?"
"About six months."
"Not having to pay a penalty fee can save me a lot of money; otherwise, I wouldn't dare to even consider this idea."
Do you want me to help you?
He asked very directly.
She answered indirectly, "I can handle the bulk of it myself. If you're willing to invest a small portion of it... you can consider it an advance from that 100 million."
A few seconds of silence followed.
"Why are you being so calculating with me?"
Even close brothers keep clear accounts, let alone…
"Besides what?"
"Besides, we're just a couple right now."
They weren't husband and wife or soulmates.
"It is only natural to settle the accounts clearly."
Xu Shaoting was slightly taken aback, then smiled.
She was truly proud; even when asking for his help, she was only willing to use his favor in advance, and refused to accept his full offer.
"Zhou Jingcheng gave you resources before, have you settled things with him?" He took another sip of water, without looking at her.
Wen Jia was quite honest. "I haven't figured it out, but I can't really figure it out either. She only wants my feelings, which I really can't give her. If you're going to say that I owe her a favor, I have nothing to say about it. Besides, you can't compare to him, Mr. Xu. I have no feelings for him, but I do have feelings for you."
"Emotional debts are the hardest to repay."
She prefers to be clear about money and matters to avoid being confused about relationships later.
Xu Shaoting put down the cup and slowly looked back at her. "What if I said I didn't want it and you had to pay me back?"
"I should still keep it... I'll feel bad if I don't return it."
He nodded slightly, then fell silent, unsure of what to say.
This person treats him like a creditor, owing him both emotional and financial debts.
"I've had this idea before, why bring it up now?"
Wen Jia bit her lip, speaking in a high-sounding manner, "We weren't familiar with each other before."
"Are you already familiar with them?"
"Now we have achieved a resonance of soul and body."
“Speak like a human.” Xu Shaoting glanced at her speechlessly.
"..."
"It's easier to talk about it after you've slept through it."
"Get down." His voice was icy.
"No." Wen Jia remained lingering on his lap, not moving an inch.
Xu Shaoting stared at her, repeating her words carefully, "Is it okay to bring it up after sleeping together? So if you don't sleep together, are you planning to never mention it?"
"What do you take me for? A sugar daddy?"
She smelled the light perfume on him, a scent that usually made her feel comfortable, but now, with his words, it felt so oppressive.
“No, no, no,” she shook her head vigorously, “and I wasn’t wrong, in a way, you are mine…”
“Sugar daddy… Daddy.”
Xu Shaoting's face darkened completely. "Get out of here."
This time, Wen Jia started to feel a little intimidated by him. She slowly moved her hips, but before she could completely leave his thighs, he pressed her down again, as if he were toying with her.
His hot breath sprayed against her neck. "Don't tell me you've always treated me like a sugar daddy, Wen Jia."
It's so strange. Even though I've already confessed my feelings and completely taken her as my own, I'm still afraid that she'll put me on a pedestal.
I'm afraid she'll feel like we're from two different worlds?
When has he ever been so anxious and insecure?
He didn't need her to treat him like a superior, to show him respect, to inspire awe, or to look up to him.
Wen Jia didn't answer, escaped his embrace, and went straight back to the seat opposite him.
Seeing that she remained silent, Xu Shaoting impatiently looked for a cigarette, then suddenly remembered that they were on an airplane. He paced back and forth for a couple of steps and then drank the two glasses of ice water that the flight attendant had prepared.
The glass was placed back on the table with a light but firm touch, making a crisp sound. The waiting flight attendants were startled and, seeing that the atmosphere was not right, fearing they would lose their jobs, they quickly hid behind the curtain.
"I never treated you like a sugar daddy," Wen Jia finally spoke, but it was a stubborn denial.
Xu Shaoting stood there, looking down at her, his aura very imposing. "Then what did you mean by calling me that just now?"
Wen Jia squeezed out two words, "romantic interest".
"Said in bed."
"You only call out the last two words in bed."
“There’s no difference,” she retorted stubbornly. “You’re willing to listen when I call you in bed, but off the bed… you turn your back on me.”
"Daniel even called you a gentleman, which is completely wrong, terribly wrong."
He was used to it; whenever this happened, she liked to bring in some unimportant people.
We used to talk about Zhou Jingcheng, saying that what Zhou Jingcheng said was indeed correct.
Now, whenever they encounter Daniel, they bring him up and say that what he said is completely wrong.
Xu Shaoting suddenly smiled helplessly.
Hearing his laughter, Wen Jia couldn't guess his emotions even more, and stubbornly turned her face to the window.
At the horizon, a parallel terminator divides the sky into three color blocks, creating a romantic and tranquil transition zone.
For a moment, only the sound of the aircraft engines could be heard in the cabin.
Xu Shaoting looked down at her. "You were moaning something else in bed, why aren't you moaning now, only this?"
"...I can't bring myself to say it."
"Can't bring yourself to say it?"
Along with Xu Shaoting's voice came his breath. He picked her up and carried her on his right shoulder, holding her legs firmly in place with just one hand.
He was tall enough that Wen Jia, standing on him, almost touched the top of the cabin.
She was suddenly lifted into the air, feeling insecure. Barefoot, she began to struggle, patting his shoulders and back with both hands, crying, "Put me down!"
Xu Shaoting ignored him, took two steps, walked to the bedside, and lightly kicked the door shut with his toe.
He threw the person into the bed sheet.
Fortunately, the mattress was soft enough to prevent her from feeling pain. However, the man's oppressive approach still made her feel panicked and afraid.
Xu Shaoting leaned in and silenced her unruly body with his soft lips.
He skillfully lingered his lips on hers, and only released her when she went limp in his arms.
"Can't make a sound under the bed, does that mean can make a sound in bed?"
...
Wen Jia clutched the bed sheet tightly in her hand. She looked at the romantic twilight line outside the window, feeling punished, and called out all the names he wanted to hear.
...
When Xu Shaoting came out of the shower, he saw the person on the bed lying on their side, with two smooth and slender arms exposed. Their breathing was even and calm, as if nothing had happened.
He lay down on the bed and waited as usual. Usually at this time, she would turn around, wrap her arms around his waist, and snuggle into his arms.
However, at this moment, she remained completely still.
He didn't force her; he just picked up his phone and dealt with the messages for a while.
The light from the screen flickered in the dim room, making the silence between them seem even more profound.
After replying to all the messages, the two of them remained silent, facing away from each other.
It was as if there was an invisible membrane separating them.
Xu Shaoting locked the screen, glanced at her, and saw her smooth back, with a pair of butterfly-shaped shoulder blades lying quietly on her shoulder blades, their outlines clear but not frighteningly jagged.
Looking at her slender body that rose and fell slightly, his heart softened, and he reached out to pull her into his arms.
But she remained completely still, clearly struggling against him.
He called her name gently, but his hands did the opposite, forcibly turning her over so she would face him.
A dim bedside lamp illuminated her face, making her expression of resistance towards him faintly visible.
He looked at her as if she wanted to exclude him, and a sudden flutter of fear spread through his chest.
"Are you angry?" he asked.
Wen Jia bit her lip and didn't answer.
"Why are you angry?" he pressed.
Wen Jia remained silent and prepared to turn over.
But the man grabbed her shoulders and stopped her; the force was too great, and she couldn't resist at all.
She deliberately avoided getting close to him, and there was a gap between them that was wider than the Milky Way.
His voice came from above:
"I didn't say I wouldn't help you, why are you angry?"
Wen Jia's breath hitched, and her heart sank to the bottom. "It's not about whether I help or not."
"Then tell me, why?"
“I hate it when you do this,” she said, curling her lip, “touching me without asking a question.”
“You yourself said you don’t want me to treat you like a sugar daddy,” she resisted him, pressing her hands firmly against his body to prevent him from getting closer, “Then how is your behavior any different from that of a sugar daddy?”
Xu Shaoting opened his mouth, his lips trembling slightly, "Didn't you promise it?"
He was indeed respectful enough, and even in that situation, he remained very rational and questioned her until she nodded before taking her for himself.
"If the atmosphere is right, then agree." Wen Jia snorted and looked away. "Besides, do I dare to refuse? Do I even have the right to refuse?"
“You do,” he answered firmly. “I told you, don’t be afraid of me.”
"And I don't want you to treat me like some kind of sugar daddy."
"Why?" She finally looked up at him. "Don't you like this feeling of being superior?"
“I don’t like you,” he said, his gaze fixed on her, not letting her look away. “What I like has never been your obedience, your flattery, or your fawning.”
Because he disliked these things, he found her sudden display of ice water, throat lozenges, and fruit strange and jarring.
Others might spend their entire lives seeking that thrill of being in a superior position, but he didn't want even a fraction of it from her.
These things should be given to him by completely unrelated people. He's received too many of them; they're too unoriginal, and he's tired of them.
If she gives it to me too, then it's no different from being a stranger.
He stared at the gap between the two of them. "If you treat me like some kind of sugar daddy, there will always be a chasm between us."
This chasm can be filled; he knew it could be filled from the first time she threw a tantrum and called his name.
Just when their relationship was finally making progress, her fear and clear-headedness made him feel that their relationship was going backwards.
We're still regressing in the face of a chasm.
“I have many people around me, and many are afraid of me, but very few truly understand me. Wen Jia, I just hope that with you, I can temporarily put aside all my identities and just be myself. And you can also just be yourself, you can have any temper, you can make any demands,” he looked at her again, his eyes filled with a rare weariness and longing, “This is more important than any feeling of being high and mighty, and besides, I don’t want it.”
He only wanted a worthy opponent, someone of equal strength.
"In front of you, I don't want to be a high and mighty chairman, a heir in the spotlight, or a boss that everyone fears. I just want to be an ordinary man, an ordinary man who can tolerate any of your temper, spoiled behavior, willfulness, or vulnerability."
But she was always too stubborn and refused to let him see her vulnerable side.
When she took the initiative to make a request of him, he felt an uncontrollable joy, but this joy was dashed when she said she was not willing to owe him anything.
As she listened to his words and the sound of her own heartbeat, her stubborn and proud expression finally softened a little. But she still refused to completely let go.
After a long silence, seeing that her expression had softened, he finally spoke, "I told you long ago, everything I'm afraid of is related to you, why didn't you believe me?"
She gave a soft hum, her tone gradually softening, "I thought those were lines you said to confess your feelings."
"Why did you agree to it if you thought it was just a line from a script?"
"When the mood is right, just say yes." She found this to be a foolproof answer.
Xu Shaoting was at a loss with her, and suddenly laughed, "So you understand the atmosphere so well? Then tell me, what kind of atmosphere are we in right now?"
"An atmosphere of conflict."
"So, do you also have to promise me you won't get angry?"
She blurted out, sounding a little annoyed, "The atmosphere isn't right! I won't agree."
"So how do we know when the atmosphere is right?" He pulled her into his arms easily with a gentle touch, kissing her forehead. "Does this count as the atmosphere being right?"
When he got close to her, her arrogance inexplicably diminished by a third, but she still tirelessly repeated, "The atmosphere isn't right! I won't agree."
"How about this?" He pecked her lips again.
How about this?
How about this?
His lips moved lower and lower, seemingly about to reach a dangerous area. Wen Jia, feeling the ticklish sensation as his scent enveloped her, began to surrender:
But she was still a little reluctant, saying, "It itches, so I agree."
"make a deal."
Xu Shaoting hugged her tighter, the oppressive feeling from before gone, and said gently, "Right now, you're only completely unafraid of me when you're drunk. You dare to delete me on WeChat, dare to cause trouble at my house, and even dare to ask the servants about everything about me."
He seemed somewhat fascinated by the feeling that only she had disrupted the established order.
No one else can do it.
Before she appeared, perhaps only his two most beloved younger sisters could do it, but now that she has appeared, perhaps even they can't.
Only at times like these did he feel that he was not superior to her, but equal to her.
"You mean you only like me when I'm drunk?" Wen Jia recalled her embarrassing state that day, closed her eyes, and said, "Then I'll try getting drunk every day!"
Xu Shaoting was speechless for a moment. "I just hope that even when you're not drunk, you can be just as bold with me as when you are, instead of treating me like some sugar daddy."
Hearing only half of Wen Jia's words and missing the point, he took out his phone, unlocked it, and muttered to himself, yet couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips into a smile.
I'm deleting you on WeChat right now.
"Why are you being so obedient now?" Xu Shaoting laughed, snatching it away.
"Don't put me in an unequal position with you."
"Then you can't be indifferent, you can't be so serious, then I won't be afraid of you."
“I’ll try,” he said, agreeing with her.
"Forgive me?"
-
I landed in Linzhou at 6 PM.
Wen Jia was carried off the plane by Xu Shaoting, wrapped in a thick blanket, with only her face showing.
Lin Youzhe was waiting by the car and didn't see clearly at first. After walking closer and looking around for a while, he realized that Xu Shaoting had someone in his arms. He didn't dare to delay and immediately opened the door of the Maybach and welcomed the two people in.
"We'll stay at the manor today," Xu Shaoting said, leaving no room for negotiation.
Wen Jia was about to refuse when he interrupted her:
"You're still angry, let me coax you."
Wen Jia had never seen such unreasonable coaxing.
It had a hint of coercion and enticement, yet it was disguised as something perfectly reasonable, so she couldn't find any grounds for him to "force" her.
However, she has high standards. Xu Shaoting can't figure her out.
One minute I'm saying I'll give her a McLaren GT, pink is perfect for a girl, she'll definitely like it, but she says sports cars are too noisy to drive.
One minute she's saying she'll pick any apartment in the newly opened development, but she's too lazy to look at properties and loves her own little villa the most.
One minute they'll say they'll take her to Christie's in the first half of next year, and she likes to bid on everything. She says she's allergic to auctions and is afraid her arm will get sore from holding up the paddle.
"..."
Unable to pinpoint Wen Jia's preferences, Xu Shaoting could only refer to his younger sister, who was practically showered with wealth, and recall the gifts he had given her: Hermes rose gold Kelly bags, rare vases, art collectibles, and rare jewelry watches.
Wen Jia rejected them all.
He piled all the luxuries in front of her, but she always managed to push them away with the most nonchalant and absurd reasons.
For the umpteenth time, he patiently asked, "What do you want, baby?"
Wen Jia played with her fingernails in his arms, her toes twitching, looking like she was waiting to be flattered, her tone light and airy.
"I want something priceless."
Xu Shaoting encountered the first major challenge in his life. As a young master, he had always been able to buy whatever he wanted with money, and he couldn't think of anything that was priceless.
He later realized that all she wanted were his gentle words.
He whispered in her ear for an hour, coaxing her until she was completely at ease before she would let him touch her.
This time, Xu Shaoting didn't act like a beast; he simply held her close and kissed her properly, without touching her inappropriately.
Wen Jia was in his arms, almost lost in passion, when the butler outside pounded on the door with deafening force.
"Young Master, the Chairman has arrived at the manor!"
Along with the butler's voice, four message notifications also came in simultaneously:
Helen: "Dad's gone to your side, don't fight."
Xu Yancheng: "Xu Bozheng went to your house."
Xu Yishu: "Have you gotten off the plane yet? Hurry up and hide your sweetheart away, Daddy's probably almost there."
Xu Yitang: "Don't blame me for not reminding you, Daddy seems to be in a bad mood."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Four people were frantically trying to relay a message... one person's actions led to the entire family's involvement.
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