My Paranoid Girlfriend Asks Me to Be Her Kept Woman (Rebirth) - Chapter 12

Shanhai International Building · Artist Management Department

Fan Texi raised his head smugly at Assistant Li and said proudly, “The newcomer replied. She’s coming to the company today for an interview.”

Assistant Li, who had long since received the news, organized the contract in his hands while having no choice but to endure this noisy creature.

“Oh.”

“I’ll definitely win her over today!”

“Not bad.”

“I looked into it. Boss really has a sharp eye for talent. This Lin Yi really does have something!”

“Mm-hm.”

“Are you brushing me off?” Fan Texi leaned in front of Assistant Li.

A face enlarged several times appeared in Assistant Li’s field of vision, and he pushed it away with one hand.

“No,” he said with a fake smile. “I wish you success.”

Fan Texi still was not satisfied and kept rambling about the things he had found out.

Assistant Li remained expressionless, slandering him inwardly.

He can even find out this much. He really is suited to being paparazzi.

Fan Texi finally talked enough to satisfy himself. Assistant Li had also finished organizing the contract in his hands and slapped it onto the table.

“You’ll probably need this later.”

“What is this?” Fan Texi curiously picked it up and read word by word, “Shanhai International Signed Artist Class-A Contract.”

“Class A?” he muttered to himself, then suddenly reacted. “What?”

“Assistant Li?! Is this the contract for the newcomer later?”

“Don’t newcomers usually start with a Class-D contract?”

But when he lifted his head again to question him, where was Assistant Li? While Fan Texi had been focused on studying the contract, the man had already left cleanly and efficiently.

Downstairs, Lin Yi got out of Zhao Qi’s car and looked up at the gilded words on the top of the building.

—Shanhai International Building

The six characters shone brilliantly.

Zhao Qi parked the car, her voice calm and light. “Let’s go.”

She still had not told Lin Yi that this was part of the business her family had asked her to take over. But she thought that after bringing Lin Yi here today, Lin Yi would probably know.

Originally, she had planned to let Fan Texi contact Lin Yi directly, to spare Lin Yi any awkwardness afterward. But after what happened yesterday, she changed her mind.

Perhaps being open and honest would make both of them more comfortable.

Lin Yi followed behind Zhao Qi, curiously looking around Shanhai.

“Good morning, Boss.”

Assistant Li had been waiting at the entrance for Zhao Qi’s arrival.

It was also his first time seeing Lin Yi. “Miss Lin, welcome to Shanhai.”

Lin Yi opened her mouth in surprise, looking at Zhao Qi, then at Assistant Li.

The corners of Zhao Qi’s lips lifted slightly. “Welcome to Shanhai.”

“This is yours?”

Zhao Qi nodded slightly. Lin Yi’s feelings were complicated.

Why was this different from what she had known in her previous life?

She remembered that in her previous life, Zhao Qi had taken over Zhao Group’s cultural and entertainment industry, but she had never heard of Shanhai having anything to do with Zhao Qi. She only knew this was a company focused on planning. As long as a program was produced by Shanhai, its variety-show effect was guaranteed. Later, Shanhai entered the film and television industry and produced several explosive hit dramas. From then on, in the audience’s minds, anything produced by Shanhai was bound to be high quality.

Could it be because she, this butterfly, had flapped her wings?

As Assistant Li led them to Shanhai’s Artist Management Department, Lin Yi was still thinking aimlessly.

At the door, Zhao Qi held Lin Yi’s hand for a moment. “What are you thinking about?”

Lin Yi shook her head. “I just didn’t expect it.”

Zhao Qi smiled faintly. Her expression carried a softness that was different from usual, making Fan Texi’s eyes nearly fall out.

In his impression, although Boss was a woman, her methods were truly beyond question. Sometimes the sharpness she revealed was enough to make even a grown man like him temporarily avoid her, lest he be cut by the blade.

Boss was that outstanding. Not long after taking over Shanhai, she had already sorted the company out of its chaotic mess.

The department he was in now had only just been newly established. The company was currently hesitating over transformation and wanted to drastically cut down the artist department directly, then build its own professional planning, directing, and screenwriting teams in the future. It intended to gather talent from the acting and entertainment industries. That was why Fan Texi was currently so idle that he was bored to death.

He had thought he really would no longer manage artists in the future. The several artists under him had already been given personal studios by the company according to their needs. The other newcomers had also been placed in a new company and signed temporary artist agreements, waiting for better development in the future.

He had also thought that from now on, he really would become a nanny for the future director and screenwriter teams.

But Fan Texi had to admire the strategic goals Zhao Qi had customized for the company. She had carved out a new path and did not follow the old model of media companies cultivating artists. Instead, she was improving the company’s value in a more professional and steadier way.

He thought that if things went according to Boss’s plan, in a few years, Shanhai would have an entirely new face. As long as it could cultivate capable directors and screenwriters, and build its own teams for filming, post-production, lighting, art design, and so on, no one would be able to steal Shanhai’s brilliance!!!

Thinking was one thing, but Fan Texi quickly pulled open the glass door and came out to welcome Boss.

He called out nervously, “Boss, why are you here?”

He had not forgotten the message Assistant Li had brought yesterday.

Zhao Qi nodded and said, “I’m sending her here for the interview.”

Fan Texi gathered his courage and said, “There’s no need for Boss to come personally for that. You only had to give an instruction.”

Zhao Qi looked at Lin Yi. Lin Yi’s expression did not change, and her eyes were as clear as ever.

Zhao Qi’s brows and eyes softened as she asked attentively, “Do you need me to stay with you?”

Fan Texi hurriedly signaled to Lin Yi with his eyes. If Boss stayed here, how were they supposed to negotiate?!

The corners of Lin Yi’s lips lifted. Ever since she found out that Shanhai was one of the businesses Zhao Qi had taken over, she had been unable to suppress her smile.

This person was still the same. She wanted to give Lin Yi a surprise, but could never hide it properly. In the end, she simply laid everything out directly without concealing it.

Lin Yi smiled and replied, “No need. Since it’s your place, I feel very reassured.”

Lin Yi seemed to have figured out what had happened yesterday.

Zhao Qi only did not understand love for the time being. It was not that she did not like her.

Those acts of concern were not fake. Zhao Qi had even prepared a way out for her.

After receiving her answer, Zhao Qi squeezed Lin Yi’s hand, then let go.

“You two talk. When you’re done, come to my office.”

“Hurry and go work.”

Lin Yi had already seen someone in the corridor on the other side walking back and forth several times with a water cup.

After all, with the company’s boss standing here, how could it not cause a stir?

Zhao Qi finally said to Fan Texi, “Have a proper talk.”

“Yes, Boss,” Fan Texi answered loudly.

Zhao Qi did not know what she was worried about. Was she worried Lin Yi would refuse to join the company? Or was she worried that the conditions the company offered would not be enough to attract Lin Yi? She did not know. She only knew that her heart felt childish, like in the past when she placed the gifts her mother had given her into her own exclusive corner, refusing to allow anyone to touch them.

It seemed she had also brought Lin Yi into her territory.

Her change had been silent and gradual, carrying emotions even she herself had not yet understood, clearing the way for Lin Yi all along.

After Zhao Qi left, Fan Texi welcomed Lin Yi into the reception room.

He solemnly reached out his hand to Lin Yi. “Hello. Let’s get to know each other again.”

“I am Fan Texi, head of Shanhai International’s Artist Management Department.”

Lin Yi extended her hand, and their palms lightly touched.

“Hello. I’m Lin Yi.”

“Please sit,” Fan Texi said. “I’ll introduce our company’s situation to you.”

“Our company has always been part of Zhao Group’s cultural and entertainment sector. At present, the artist section has already been separated out. If you sign with us,” Fan Texi looked at Lin Yi and said each word clearly, “you will be the only signed artist under our company.”

Lin Yi was shaken inwardly. In her previous life, she had known Shanhai was a strange company. It signed directors, screenwriters, and even lighting technicians and cinematographers, but it did not have artists. They rose suddenly with the best scripts and the best filming teams, and countless artists wanted to work with them.

But they had no artists of their own.

Fan Texi continued, “The advantage is that you can enjoy the resources of the entire company being directed toward you. The disadvantage is that there will be no senior brothers or sisters to guide you. Whether things go well or badly will depend on your own efforts.”

“Is there anything else you’d like to know?”

Lin Yi furrowed her brows and thought for a while.

In her previous life, Shanhai mainly produced dramas and variety shows. She had never heard of anything related to music.

“What does your company mainly do? I can’t act. I can only sing.”

Fan Texi smiled. “You don’t need to worry about that. If you sign as a Shanhai artist, the company will create a career plan tailored specifically for you. And Zhao Group—I’m sure you understand what that means.”

Lin Yi asked again, “Then will the company force me to act?”

Fan Texi raised a brow. “No, it won’t. Forget it.” Since Boss had already given instructions, there was no need for him to hide anything. He directly handed over the contract.

“This is the contract prepared for you in advance. After you read it, we can continue talking.”

Lin Yi took it and carefully read through the terms. In her previous life, she had been deceived by an artist contract, and even now, she was still trapped in Jianming’s contract pit with no release yet.

After reading it, she let out a long breath. “We can sign.”

Her eyes shone brightly. The contract could not be considered the top contract in the industry, but for a newcomer like her, it was more than favorable enough. Moreover, the whole contract lasted five years. Aside from providing her with comprehensive training and packaging, the company would also accept work for her based on her own wishes. The entire contract clearly divided rights and obligations. Besides, this was also a place Zhao Qi was in charge of.

“Great!” Fan Texi said. “Then let’s prepare to sign!”

“Wait.” Lin Yi stopped Fan Texi. “There’s one thing I have to explain. You saw it last time too.”

“I still have an unresolved contract dispute with Jianming.”

Fan Texi said confidently, “I know. You have to trust me. This matter will definitely be resolved within three months!”

“Believe me, our legal department is not useless either!”

Fan Texi winked at Lin Yi. “Welcome to Shanhai.”

By the time Zhao Qi received Fan Texi’s message, it was already lunchtime. Lin Yi stood in the lounge, drinking coffee and looking out the window.

Fan Texi was very efficient. In one morning, he completed all the procedures and even assigned her a lounge. Starting tomorrow, she would come to Shanhai to receive tailored training from instructors.

Lin Yi found it quite novel.

Shanhai was completely different from Jianming.

After signing with Jianming, there had been no systematic training at all. They only made senior artists lead newcomers around to different events.

From small shop openings to large concert guest appearances.

Unfortunately, Lin Yi had always been sent to small shop events. Although she had accumulated a lot of singing experience because of it, she had never performed on a big stage.

The biggest stage she had ever stood on in her previous life was the virtual stage she appeared on after falling out with Lin Xiaolu.

She hid behind a virtual singer and provided the voice. Countless people cheered with joy, but she had always longed for a stage of her own.

Congratulations.

Wuming suddenly appeared.