Incense was burning inside the censer.
Yaoqin took off her bag.
The mandarin ducks sat down and played the notes of the pentatonic scale.
She sang faster and faster, and the pipa couldn't keep up. She was eager to leave the stage and pass the test. Jin Xiaofeng smiled, completely captivated; he simply couldn't get past this challenge…
Jin Xiaofeng waited for Dandan to arrive at Fengmanlou.
Because the owner had long missed a woman, even the small office building was habitually called by that name, as a form of self-comfort.
Dandan, led by Shi Zhongming, was quite unhappy, but dared not be too ostentatious. After leaving the stage, still shaken, she removed half of her makeup when Mr. Shi, a manager-level official, came to see her, saying that Mr. Jin wanted to meet her.
On her first appearance, she was already facing a serious challenge and had to meet the boss. Oh no, she was afraid she wouldn't make it. She was thinking, "I'll quit if I don't want to, I won't starve anyway. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow. At worst, I can register at a matchmaking agency." At that moment, she felt she had nothing left to ask for, and she wasn't even afraid of the boss anymore. She sat down, her little face gloomy, and she pouted.
"You are Song Mudan?"
"Yes, Mr. Kim."
"What?" Mr. Jin asked, somewhat amused. "Who's bullying you?"
"It was my fault, I danced wrong, the performance collapsed, I apologize, but I didn't cheat the audience. Mr. Shi..."
"Zhongming, how could you offend such an inexperienced young girl? You have no sense of propriety."
Shi Zhongming blinked slightly, taken aback by his words in front of outsiders. He understood immediately. However, he felt a little embarrassed, after all, she was just a young girl. So he said:
"I was just urging her to hurry up." He added with a laugh, "She immediately asked, 'Who? And what about Mr. Jin?'"
Oh, how ignorant they are!
Dandan was startled and glanced at Mr. Jin in front of her. Unfortunately, he was also looking at her, staring into her dark, inky eyes. Nearby, there was a thug, like a large blob of ink, from which a small speck of ink had been splashed, landing perfectly in the corner, like a restless, vengeful spirit.
He waved his hand, and Shi Zhongming went out. As he was leaving, he glanced at Dandan. He had been with Mr. Jin for many years and had seen many beauties. With Mr. Jin's great talent and ruthless methods, most of the arrogant and self-important people in the world had fallen into his hands. Logically speaking, why would he take a fancy to this simple yet fierce little girl?
—Although she is beautiful. It's entirely that tearful disorder that adds to her unconscious sadness.
Mr. Jin asked her, "Do you have a boyfriend?"
Dandan was taken aback:
I won't tell you.
His indifference couldn't hide his unease: "No. Never. Mr. Kim, it's none of your business. —You think there's something wrong, because you weren't paying attention? I'm sorry, but if you really fire me—"
Jin Xiaofeng remained calm and composed.
Why are you staying in Shanghai?
"It doesn't matter where I stay. Am I not going to eat? If this place doesn't want me, there are other places that will."
"You're trying to force me to fire you, but I don't have time for such trivial matters."
"Then what important matters do you concern yourself with?" Dandan asked. It was strange; she wasn't afraid of him. Those who weren't afraid from the start remained fearless. Perhaps seeing his composure emboldened her. This is the advantage of being ignorant of one's own limitations. Mr. Jin, receiving no flattery, instead flattered her:
"Promote whoever meets the requirements."
"How will you promote me? I don't know much, but I'm willing to learn if given the opportunity. I'll definitely learn."
"Hey, did I ever say I'd promote you?"
Dandan blushed; she had fallen into this linguistic trap and felt a little resentful.
"Then let me go back."
Jin Xiaofeng kept staring at her. She didn't reveal a trace of scheming, but someone as observant as him knew she did; she harbored ulterior motives. Her tightly pursed lips revealed her uncompromising nature. Who would she choose as her enemy? Perhaps he couldn't persuade her otherwise.
"What did they call you? Xiao Dan?"
"It's not Xiao Dan, it's Dan Dan."
“I’ll call you Xiao Dan, you’re much, much younger than me.”
Grain Full, Grain Full, Grain Full. He thought.
"Yes, how old are you?"
"I'm too old to tell you."
Dandan couldn't help but laugh:
"You're unwilling? So what? If you don't want to say, then don't say. I'm eighteen."
Jin Xiaofeng found it extremely interesting. She was so young, yet he was such a powerful figure. She would never know that she was being manipulated like this.
However, for some unknown reason, he insisted on letting her have her way:
What do you want?
Who is the most popular female celebrity in Shanghai?
"Duan Pingting".
"Okay!" Dandan bravely voiced her thoughts: "I want to be more famous than her!"
"Of course, if you were promoted, Duan Pingting would be out of the picture."
Really? Dandan's eyes lit up too.