Chapter 236

Wen Qingyan first met Jing Zejun during an audition.

He was only there to assist a senior colleague, wearing a mask and black-framed glasses as a simple disguise, standing in line with the others.

He noticed a girl who, despite his own young age, seemed even more youthful and inexperienced.

She appeared nervous, her voice gentle, yet she was auditioning for the role of a domineering rich girl.

Watching her try to portray arrogance while carefully holding back to avoid actually hitting her scene partner, Wen Qingyan couldn’t help but smile faintly in the corner.

This girl was quite endearing.

When the audition ended, she quickly helped her scene partner up and stood obediently, waiting for the director and others to judge her performance.

His senior colleague told her to wait for further notice, but Wen Qingyan knew she likely hadn’t made the cut.

After watching a few more auditions, Wen Qingyan grew bored and decided to step outside for some fresh air.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

To his surprise, the girl was still there, muttering to herself, clearly frustrated.

As he approached, he could hear her reciting the lines from her earlier performance.

“I won’t get to perform this scene again,” she murmured.

Having grown up in the entertainment industry, Wen Qingyan had seen many hardworking individuals, but something about this girl made him want to ease her burden.

The girl seemed slightly startled when she noticed him, her beautiful eyes filled with caution.

But as if sensing his goodwill, her guard softened, and she smiled gently.

“I know the director probably wasn’t satisfied with my performance,” she admitted, unable to hide her disappointment.

Wen Qingyan was curious. “If you knew, why did you hold back so much?” Being overly cautious with a co-actor wouldn’t earn her any points—it might even cost her the role.

The girl sighed softly. “I probably wouldn’t have been chosen anyway, but the actor I was paired with had scraped knees and bruised wrists.”

Wen Qingyan mimicked her sigh. “Little girl, do you think you can survive in the entertainment industry like this?”

Unfazed by his teasing, she continued to smile warmly. “I’m doing alright so far.”

This response amused Wen Qingyan, but before he could reply, he noticed a scrape on her hand.

He pulled a bandage from his pocket and handed it to her.

“If you have the energy to care for others, you should take care of yourself too. You’re injured as well.”

The girl was surprised but accepted it gratefully. “Thank you!” As she carefully applied the bandage, Wen Qingyan asked, “What’s your name? Have you acted in anything before?”

Still focused on the bandage, she looked up, puzzled.

Was this man a talent agent?

“I’m Jing Zejun. I’ve acted in…”

As she listed a few titles, Wen Qingyan tried to recall them but drew a blank. She was truly unknown.

But her name, Jing Zejun, sounded somewhat similar to his boss’s name.

“Little girl, are you some rich heiress here to experience life in the entertainment industry?”

The girl paused, her smile tinged with a hint of sadness. “No, I’m here to make a living.”

Wen Qingyan’s expression immediately turned serious, and he apologized sincerely.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.”

Though he didn’t know her background, her demeanor suggested there was more to her story than he had assumed.

The girl didn’t seem bothered. “It’s alright, you didn’t mean any harm…” She was about to say more when her phone rang. It was her agent, summoning her to another audition.

Her face lit up as she hung up.

“Thank you for the bandage, sir. I have to go now!”

Watching her hurried departure, Wen Qingyan instinctively called out, “Focus on your acting. Worrying too much won’t do you any good.”

She seemed to hear him, as a grateful “Thank you!” floated back.

“You’re welcome, but I hope you actually take my advice,” Wen Qingyan muttered, shaking his head as he headed back to the audition room.

…

“Does President Jing have a sister?” Wen Qingyan’s agent asked casually as they walked, flipping through his recent work schedule.

“I’ve never heard of him having a sister. He has an older brother, though. Why do you ask?”

Wen Qingyan shrugged. “Just curious.”

It was a passing thought. After all, there were plenty of people with similar names.

The agent didn’t press further and led Wen Qingyan to Jing Zeqian’s office.

Today was a routine check-in on the artists’ progress, and since Wen Qingyan was available, the agent brought him along to maintain visibility.

Not that it was necessary—Wen Qingyan was Startrack’s undisputed top star, with both talent and achievements to back it up.

But lately, Jiang Miaomiao and her agent had been overstepping, acting as if Wen Qingyan’s easygoing nature meant they could take advantage. As if he wasn’t the senior artist here!

Unaware of his agent’s internal grievances, Wen Qingyan frowned slightly upon entering the office and seeing who was inside.

The expression was fleeting, unnoticed by anyone.

He shot his agent a look: You didn’t tell me she’d be here.

The agent gave a sheepish smile: If I had, you wouldn’t have come.

Wen Qingyan: …You’re in trouble now.

Wen Qingyan had joined Startrack after Jiang Miaomiao. He’d heard of her reputation in the industry but hadn’t crossed paths with her until then.

Initially, given their shared company and her comparable fame and talent, his agent had considered a collaboration.

But before any deal could be struck, her agent’s arrogant attitude had been enough to dissuade him.

The idea was never brought up again.

Wen Qingyan wasn’t one to compromise his comfort. He’d chosen Startrack for its reputation and Jing Zeqian’s management style.

At least here, no artist had to resort to socializing or compromising themselves for opportunities.

Plus, he rather liked his boss’s personality. So, as for Jiang Miaomiao, he’d simply pretend she didn’t exist.

When Wen Qingyan and his agent entered, Jing Zeqian raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Well, look who’s gracing us with his presence today,” he teased.

Wen Qingyan took a seat as far from Jiang Miaomiao as possible, his tone calm. “It’s been a while, President Jing. I was worried you’d forgotten about me, and the resources would stop coming my way.”

Jing Zeqian shot him a glance, their familiarity evident. “Don’t flatter yourself. You only get what’s left after you’ve picked through the best…”

Jiang Miaomiao and her agent observed the exchange, their expressions thoughtful.