After Marking a Paranoid CEO [Transmigration] - Chapter 47

The small phone screen reflected a mature and beautiful face. Sister Mu was sitting at a café in Paris, sunlight dappling through the leaves onto her. The scene should have exuded tranquility, but her cold, sharp eyes inexplicably sent a chill down one’s spine.

Xia Youxi greeted her with a placating smile, “Sister.”

In Mu Huayue’s view, the silly girl was wearing pajamas, her hair in a ponytail. A spilled bowl of red soup lay scattered on the table, alongside a steaming cup of instant noodles. Frowning, she asked, “Is this all you’re eating?”

Xia Youxi nodded. “Mm, I was a bit hungry. This place is a bit far, so delivery takes too long. I just made a bowl of noodles, but I accidentally spilled the soup when I felt unwell earlier.”

She lowered her head, gazing at the spilled soup with a look of genuine regret, as if she had lost something precious.

Mu Huayue felt a pang of guilt, knowing it was her electric shock that had deprived the silly girl of her meal. She snorted, “This cobbled-together team is so unreliable. They can’t even hire you an assistant.”

“No need, Sister. I can take care of myself,” Xia Youxi said, tilting her head and flashing a sweet smile, her dimples showing.

Mu Huayue scoffed again. “Take care of yourself by eating instant noodles? I have an apartment in Beiyang City. You can move in.”

Is this what it’s like when you’re rich and generous?

Xia Youxi looked genuinely touched but politely declined. “Thank you, Sister, but it wouldn’t be the same without you. You don’t need to worry about me. The security in Paris has been bad lately, with thieves everywhere. Please be careful when you’re out.”

“Mm.” Mu Huayue took a sip of her coffee, the corners of her lips curving slightly beneath the rim of the cup. She hadn’t expected the silly girl to remind her to be careful. Setting down the cup, she glanced around the temporary dormitory room and frowned slightly. “Show me your room.”

Xia Youxi immediately turned the camera around, panning it across the room. Her temporary dormitory was a single room, similar to a standard hotel room. It wasn’t large and had no TV, just a bed, a simple desk and chair, and a bathroom.

“You’re living alone?”

Mu Huayue’s question came through the screen, and Xia Youxi immediately understood: Sister Mu was worried about her sharing a room with someone else and had come to check. She quickly replied, “Yes, we each have our own room.”

“What about your new endorsement?”

Another question followed. Xia Youxi saw Mu Huayue’s lowered brows and narrowed eyes, clearly displeased. Stunned, she replied, “Sister, didn’t I tell you I hadn’t met with Director Zhou yet?”

Tap, tap.

The sound of knuckles rapping on the desk. Xia Youxi adjusted the camera to show her own innocent, bewildered expression, staring intently at Mu Huayue. On the screen, CEO Mu’s face radiated suppressed anger. The tapping stopped, replaced by a cold smile. “You wanted to meet with Director Zhou?”

“Yes,” Xia Youxi replied, still confused about the reason for this sudden attack.

Mu Huayue continued, “It doesn’t seem like you do. The film’s production schedule hasn’t even been finalized, yet you dare accept endorsements without my approval. Who do you think you are, entitled to make the entire crew wait for you to join the set?”

Xia Youxi grew even more bewildered. “Sister, what endorsement are you talking about?”

Mu Huayue nearly snapped. Her finger hovered over the “Punish” button, but as she gazed at the girl’s clear, clueless face, she withdrew her hand and sent a link instead. “See for yourself.”

Xia Youxi clicked on the trending topic and read the news article, feeling somewhat dazed. She genuinely had no idea when she’d accepted such a gig. The cast was impressive; aside from her and Guan He, both newcomers, the rest were already established and popular celebrities with large fan bases.

Could this be the variety show Guan He had mentioned the other night, the one she claimed was guaranteed to be a hit?

Did Sister Guan just release the announcement to force my hand and secure the job for me?

Is she really such a good person?

Xia Youxi couldn’t decide whether to be touched by having met such a kind soul or annoyed by her unilateral decision. She understood Mu Huayue’s anger perfectly; it all stemmed from the word “cohabitation.” In her original world, she’d participated in similar shows where co-ed living arrangements were common. But here, given her status as an Omega in the eyes of outsiders, there was a real risk that people would assume she and Guan He were sharing a bed.

She stole a glance at the screen. Across from her, the stylishly dressed Sister Mu was staring down at her with a gaze as cold as winter wind, sending a chill down her spine. Xia Youxi tried to explain, “Sister, I genuinely didn’t know about this gig. Liulian Media probably accepted it on my behalf without informing me. Just a moment, I’ll contact them and ask them to assign it to another member.”

After the group disbanded, all members signed short-term contracts with Liulian Media. During the contract period, the company would arrange occasional promotional appearances for the members.

Typically, these appearances were group events. After all, Liulian was primarily focused on maximizing its own profits, and the minor artists were already managed by their own agencies, making it unnecessary to invest extra effort in them.

Mu Huayue naturally didn’t believe this. She tapped the table again and said casually, “Contacting Liulian would be less effective than reaching out to your ‘Good Sister Guan.’ Xia Weixi, she’s truly devoted to you.”

Hearing this, Xia Youxi replied, “Sister Xia You, don’t worry. I’ll tell her right away not to accept any variety show offers and to stop arranging them for me in the future.”

Mu Huayue gave a soft “Hmm” without looking up.

Xia Youxi glanced at the instant noodles in front of her. The noodles had already become soggy. She felt a pang of disappointment and an unexpected urge to cry. Nodding, her eyes rimmed with red, she didn’t end the video call but spoke directly to Sister Guan, “Sister Guan, I saw the trending topic. Was that you who helped me? Thank you for your kindness, but I’m truly sorry, I can’t accept it.”

After sending the message, she looked back at the screen, her eyes still red. “Is that okay, Sister?”

Mu Huayue’s eyebrows twitched imperceptibly for a moment. She gave a casual reply, then countered, “You really want to be on this variety show that badly?”

Tears welled in Xia Youxi’s eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment. She didn’t answer, but Mu Huayue already knew the answer.

Irritated, Mu Huayue scoffed and hung up. She took two sips of her coffee, then picked up her phone again to call Wu Wei, her administrative assistant in China. “Negotiate a variety show with Durian Platform…”

The specifics of the call didn’t reach Xia Youxi’s ears. Right now, all she could see was a bowl of completely congealed noodles and Guan He’s urgent phone call. The message was brief: Guan He had scolded her harshly and blamed Mu Huayue for the whole mess, telling her to stay out of it.

So, my guess was pretty accurate after all.

Xia Youxi sighed. Given her current status, she couldn’t intervene even if she wanted to. She could only reiterate her wishes, but the Young Miss on the other end, her temper flaring, refused to respond. Like a drop of water into the ocean, her words vanished without a trace.

She stirred the clump of noodles and slurped a mouthful of broth.

The following days were remarkably peaceful.

Liulian Media, the agency they had temporarily signed with, assigned them a manager named Sister Huo. After meeting with the group, Sister Huo outlined the team’s 13-month development plan. While she didn’t restrict members from accepting individual gigs from their original agencies, she stipulated that such activities must not interfere with the group’s collective performances.

According to the plan, they would first release a group album, followed by appearances on variety shows and music programs to promote their songs. The final stage would be preparations for their farewell concert.

Given this schedule, Xia Youxi realized she would be swamped with album work and promotional activities for the next month or two, making it unlikely she’d have time for the travel variety show Guan He had offered her.

Forgetting about the variety show for the time being, she spent her days rehearsing and recording with her teammates, immersing herself in a busy yet fulfilling month.

As the recent lull in activity allowed her teammates to return to their former agencies for scattered gigs, Xia Youxi, still without a permanent agency, remained alone in the dorm, eagerly awaiting Sister Mu’s return to introduce her to Director Zhou.

She waited and waited, but Mu Huayue didn’t come. Instead, Wu Wei arrived.

Although Wu Wei was also one of CEO Mu’s assistants, her demeanor was more approachable than Wen An’s, her face always carrying a smile. Yet Xia Youxi felt uneasy around her, sensing a hidden disdain in her gaze, like a dagger concealed beneath a smile. Still, she greeted her politely, “Hello, Sister Wu.”

Wu Wei sized her up, her smile failing to mask the lack of genuine warmth in her eyes. “No need for such formalities, Miss Xia. From now on, I’ll be managing your agency contract. As your studio’s chief agent, I’ll oversee all operational matters. Let me show you around your studio now. The company is based in Jing City. Your plane ticket is already booked. Let’s go.”

Xia Youxi followed Wu Wei to the airport, boarded the plane to Jing City, and after landing, arrived at the tenth floor of a skyscraper in the city’s CBD. There, she saw a plaque engraved with her name. After just over a month of singing practice, she already had her own studio.

My Sister Mu truly lives up to her reputation as a cold, aloof, and ruthlessly efficient CEO. I absolutely adore her!

Xia Youxi sat in her executive chair, savoring her new status. Before long, Wu Wei handed her another contract. “This is for Durian Platform’s flagship variety show, Let’s Challenge! Take a look. If everything’s in order, sign it. Filming starts next week, and I’ve already finalized the details with them.”

Xia Youxi was stunned. Hadn’t Sister Mu forbidden her from accepting this show? Why was it now on her desk? She skimmed through the document, finding no major issues, but asked, “Did CEO Mu approve me taking this show?”

A flicker of sarcasm flashed through Wu Wei’s eyes as she replied with a curved smile, “Of course. CEO Mu invested in the studio and, as the majority shareholder, has the final say.”

Xia Youxi felt relieved. CEO Mu must have seen how upset I was and reluctantly allowed me to do it.

Secretly pleased, she signed the contract and handed it back to Wu Wei. Wu Wei took it, rose, and added, “The show will require us to stay in the mission city for several days. Wen An has already packed your luggage. I’ll take you home to rest now.”

“Okay.”

Xia Youxi followed her into the car. The route felt familiar, and soon they arrived at the luxurious First-Class Estate. She effortlessly navigated the familiar path upstairs, where Wu Wei left her in the room without so much as a bite to eat. Exhausted from the journey, Xia Youxi curled up on the sofa and drifted off to sleep.

She didn’t know how long she’d been asleep when she felt someone gently touching her face. Frowning, she instinctively grabbed the offending hand.