Chapter 550 - Lin Yunan’s Visit
A Star Reborn: The Queen's Return
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Xia Ling smiled at Luo Luoâs arrival and gave her a hug before walking over to Sister Mai Na and a few others to greet them.
Sister Mai Na was in a maroon off-shoulder gown. With her neat, clipped hair, she exuded the air of a leading lady as she always did. Upon seeing Xia Ling and Li Lei, she raised her wine glass. âCongratulations on your reconciliation.â
Xia Ling turned around and glanced at Li Lei. âMm, we wonât split again this time.â
âCongratulations, Xiao Ling and Boss Li,â Luo Luo said. âOh right. Congratulations Murong, âPowerful Opponentâ is a hit!â
Bai Murong smiled and pinched her nose teasingly. âPractice your singing well, we can duet next time.â
Luo Luo stuck out her tongue out jokingly. âIâm nowhere as good as Xiao Ling. If we duet, youâve gotta guide me along.â
âCall me Brother, and Iâll consider.â Bai Murong laughed.
Luo Luo gave him a stare before breaking into laughter and calling him âBrother.â
Bai Murong ruffled her hair.
Xia Ling watched their interaction and found it a bit unusual. She quietly asked Sister Mai Na, âThey are...?â
âAfter filming Extraordinary Risks, theyâve maintained a very close relationship, and Murong gradually stopped dallying with other women. So, what do you think they are?â Sister Mai Na replied.
Xia Ling understood now, it seemed like Luo Luo, the little innocent bunny, had been abducted by Bai Murong, the big grey wolf. She was worried that Luo Luo would be bullied, but looking at how happy and compatible they were together set her mind at ease. She quietly gave her blessings.
They chatted and joked about with one another easily. Although their Big Boss Li Lei was around, everybody felt comfortable and at ease, coming together like old friends at a reunion. Wei Shaoyin joined in the conversation as well, and soon, everybody was discussing why he had given up his position in the family business and chosen a music career instead.
âYou donât know how boring it is in a drug manufacturing company,â Wei Shaoyin said with a look of disdain. âThose researchers go about doing the same boring things day after day, what sort of life is that? If I hadnât escaped in time...â He was about to say more when the butler approached them.
âYoung Master, thereâs a guest at the door â Mr. Lin Yunan.â
âLin Yunan?â Wei Shaoyin furrowed his brows, âWhich Lin Yunan?â
âMy manager... in the past.â Xia Ling had not seen him since the paragliding incident. Back then, Imperial Entertainment had transferred her over from Dongyue Culture and Entertainment without providing a good reason. She felt like she owed him something.
âLet him in,â Xia Ling said.
Hearing what she said, Wei Shaoyin gave the same instructions.
Lin Yunan came in a more casual outfit â a grey-blue shirt with buttons unevenly done up. He did not maintain his sleeves well either, with one side rolled up haphazardly to the elbow. He stormed in and immediately caught sight of Xia Ling holding a glass of wine. âYe Xingling, you returned to Skyart right after you left Imperial? Did you even think of me? Or even to return to Dongyue for a visit?â He was evidently unhappy.
Xia Ling had not even had a chance to speak before Li Lei responded, âWhy are you speaking to our Xiao Ling like this?â
Lin Yunan sized him up. âLi Lei? Donât interrupt me, Iâm talking to my singer.â
Now, it was Sister Mai Na who was unhappy. She placed the wineglass on the table and said, âWhose singer? Letâs be clear here, sheâs my singer.â She was Xiao Lingâs current manager, and nobody was going to argue that.
Even Wei Shaoyin commented, âExactly. Xiao Ling is Sister Mai Naâs, return to where you came from and donât be an eye-sore here.â The way Lin Yunan dressed put him off â even the buttons werenât done up properly. It really upset this clean freak.
He couldnât wait for this guy to get out of his sight.
Lin Yunan practically bore his teeth at him. âWei Shaoyin, I see. Your uncle got me to keep a lookout for you in the entertainment industry. I havenât even bothered all these years, but if you step on my foot now, you can be sure Iâll keep my eyes on you.â
âYou know my uncle?â Wei Shaoyin was shocked.
âIsnât he Wei Lingnan, the one who has a boring face like Pei Ziheng. He has business connections with my family.â Lin Yunan was trying to scare him. It was true that he knew Wei Lingnan, but they were in no way on close terms. He was only bringing up names because he heard that Wei Shaoyin was intimidated by his family members.
Wei Shaoyin was indeed intimidated and did not mention anything about chasing him out anymore.
Lin Yunan continued talking to Xia Ling, âIt was you who got me back into the entertainment industry, how could you just leave like that? In any case, your options are: to let me be your manager, or to let me be your manager.â
Xia Ling smiled bitterly, this man really sounded like a scoundrel now. But to be fair, she was the one at fault. He had pinned all his hopes on grooming her to become the next Diva, but she had let him down with no good reason. Then again, she was already under Sister Mai Na now, how should they handle this?
âHow about multi-manager?â This was Li Leiâs idea.
Typically, a manager would be in charge of several artistes, but each artiste would only have one manager. However, there was another option, which was a âmulti-managerâ style. It was very common overseas, and it often involved a few managers and artistes in one unit.
That also meant that a single artiste could indeed have a few managers.
This would be a first for both Skyart and Dongyue.
Sister Mai Na frowned. She was worried that Lin Yunan wasnât reliable enough to take good care of Xiao Ling. And she felt better being in complete control of the situation.
Lin Yunan was unhappy too. âIâve always taken a one-to-one style with my artistes. Once Iâve decided on one, I donât even manage a second one concurrently. Li Lei, I canât believe youâre suggesting something like this as an insult to me.â
âWhoâs insulting who now?â Sister Mai Na was angered.
Li Lei watched them calmly.
Xia Ling stood by the side and did not know what to do. She really shouldnât have gotten Ah Wei to let Lin Yunan inâshe should have gone to the door to speak to him personally. How could she have forgotten that Lin Yunan and Sister Mai Na were not on good terms?
Seeing that a fight was about to ensue, Xia Ling decided to say something. âSister Mai Na, donât be offended, this is just Lin Yunanâs way of speaking. Lin Yunan, itâs true that I got you back into the industry and then left you to your devices. But I will never return to Dongyue. Back then, Dongyue terminated my contract on their terms which I was not even aware of, and then transferred me to Imperial Entertainment. I canât possibly return to a company like that.â