Chapter 693
The Paparazzi Wants to Take Over
My heart is filled with anxiety.
That eagerness to prove herself and the desire for more opportunities entwined her heart like vines, making even breathing feel heavy.
The artists who joined the company at the same time have all made progress, but she is still stuck in the same place. This sense of disparity torments her day and night, making it difficult for her to calm down and inevitably causing her anxiety.
Lying in bed late at night, she often tossed and turned.
Images of other people in the company kept flashing through my mind.
Xiwei landed an important supporting role and received numerous invitations to variety shows, while Chaoyue even got a lead role.
She couldn't help but wonder if it was because Jiang Yang had a close relationship with them that they were able to obtain so many resources, and whether she also had to make some sacrifices in order to escape her current predicament and gain more opportunities to stand out.
The reality of the entertainment industry is like a cold, thin film that envelops everyone within it. Peel back this film, and you'll find nothing but naked exchanges of interests underneath.
Obtaining quality resources, gaining wider recognition, and truly becoming famous are never easy tasks; they often come at a price. This is an unspoken rule within the industry, and Bai Lu understands it better than anyone.
She wasn't unaware of Jiang Yang's character. Unlike those profit-driven and calculating people in the industry, this boss was sincere and never forced his artists to do things they didn't want to do. He took care of everyone to the best of his ability.
Even though she knew all this, she couldn't help but think about those ambiguous things, and the more she pondered them, the stronger her resentment became.
Jiang Yang had never touched her, and this fact was like a thorn stuck in her heart, constantly reminding her of his actions.
She looked at herself in the mirror repeatedly. She had delicate features, fair skin, and a well-proportioned figure. She wasn't stunningly beautiful, but she was definitely outstanding. So why couldn't Jiang Yang see her?
Is she really so ordinary that she doesn't deserve attention or favor?
Memories flooded back. Ever since signing with Jiang Yang's company, their interactions had been filled with playful banter and teasing, without a trace of ambiguity.
Jiang Yang always looked at her with a disappointed expression. The only contact he had with her was when she acted foolishly and gossiped, he would spank her and pull her hair. Apart from that, there were no other intimate actions.
Jiang Yang rarely offered her even a gentle word of encouragement, let alone a tender reassurance.
Compared to Jiang Yang's patient guidance when Xiwei made mistakes, and Jiang Yang's sincere praise when Chaoyue made progress, the grievances in her heart overflowed like a tide, and the sense of imbalance grew stronger and stronger, almost drowning her.
They are both artists in the same company and both work hard for Jiang Yang. Why are Xiwei and Chaoyue able to receive Jiang Yang's favoritism, have such close relationships with him, and obtain a constant stream of resources, while she can only barely get some insignificant roles amidst his scolding and beatings, and can't even get a kind word from him?
She had thought about this question countless times, but she could never find the answer.
Just as she was feeling wronged and secretly competing with herself, Jiang Yang suddenly told her that his private invitation to Yang Ying to go to the RV was not out of any romantic intentions, but for her sake, to give her more exposure opportunities and help her connect with better resources.
The news struck Bai Lu like a thunderbolt, leaving her dizzy and disoriented. She stared blankly at Jiang Yang, unable to recover for a long time. When she spoke again, her voice trembling with disbelief, she said, "It really was for me... you dog of a boss, if you're lying to me, I'll sleep with you right now, and calling Hao Chun won't do you any good."
She simply couldn't believe that Jiang Yang would put aside his work and secretly arrange a resource exchange with Yang Ying for her sake.
In her eyes, she was just an insignificant little artist in the company, without outstanding acting skills or super popularity. She even loved to gossip and throw tantrums all day long. She was not worth Jiang Yang's trouble and was not worth him trying to please a top female star like Yang Ying.
Seeing her bewildered and suspicious expression, Jiang Yang's impatience gradually faded, and his tone softened considerably. Looking into Bai Lu's eyes, he replied earnestly, "Yes, Bai Paozi, why would I lie to you? The viewership data for your episode of 'Mars Intelligence Agency' was twice that of Hao Chun's. Hao Chun is introverted and can't let loose, so he's not suited for variety shows. Although Ye Zi is outgoing and can handle any joke, he can't throw out jokes or respond flexibly. His sense of humor is too poor, making it difficult for him to establish himself in the variety show industry."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "You're different from them. You're open-minded and down-to-earth. You can handle any joke and don't get angry easily. What's even more remarkable is that you're willing to make yourself look ugly on variety shows and don't try to maintain an idol image. Many artists can't do that. You have a great sense of variety and a lot of potential. As long as you get more exposure, you'll definitely become popular and be liked by more people."
As Bai Lu listened to Jiang Yang's praise, the corners of her mouth slowly turned up, and the grievance and imbalance on her face gradually dissipated.
Throughout her life, apart from her family, very few people have been able to so directly affirm her strengths, and even fewer have been able to see her potential.
She straightened her back, a clear sense of pride on her face.
It turns out the boss has good taste; he knows I have a good sense of humor and the potential to become popular. It seems I'm not entirely useless after all.
But her smugness didn't last long. When she heard Jiang Yang say that she could play ugly on a variety show, the smile on her face disappeared, her brows furrowed tightly, her eyes were filled with dissatisfaction, and her tone was full of grievance and accusation: "You called me ugly? You actually said I can play ugly? Am I ugly? Then I'm leaving?"
As she spoke, she turned and walked towards the door, but her steps slowed considerably, and her eyes kept glancing towards Jiang Yang, with anticipation hidden in them.
She didn't really want to leave; she just wanted to throw a tantrum, to have Jiang Yang coax her, and to have him tell her that he didn't think she was ugly, that he was just saying it casually, and that he wanted to get more attention from her.
Jiang Yang looked at her, seeing her contradictory expression.
Impulsive, mischievous, and prone to tantrums, every time I try to have a serious conversation with her or praise her a little, she always manages to nitpick over trivial things, steer the conversation off-topic, and throw a tantrum. It's really a headache.
这丫头在综艺上确实放得开，有梗又有趣，观众很喜欢看她的表现，可私底下却这么娇纵任性，爱钻牛角尖，真的很欠揍。
If she could channel that stubbornness into acting and self-improvement, she would have made progress long ago without needing anyone to urge her on, instead of only getting minor roles now.
Jiang Yang's gaze fell on Bai Lu, scrutinizing her closely.
She wasn't wearing heavy makeup today; she only had a light layer of lipstick on her face, which made her skin look even whiter. Her eyebrows were curved, and her eyes were clear, making her look pure and lovely.
Looking at her pants again, he had pulled them down halfway earlier, but now she hurriedly pulled them up, not fully on, hanging crookedly around her waist.
One side was higher than the other, revealing the edge of white cartoon underwear and a small patch of fair and delicate skin, exuding a girlish shyness.
Whenever the conversation turns to those ambiguous and shy topics, Bai Lu's words flow like a broken string of pearls, impossible to stop.
"You can leave then," Jiang Yang said.
Bai Lu had been waiting for Jiang Yang to say those words: "I'm not leaving!"
Seeing that Jiang Yang didn't speak but just stared at her quietly, she moved closer, her tone teasing and provocative, her eyes filled with grievance: "Jiang Yang, do you know, your lustfulness is comparable to that of the Chinese national football team." "The national football team? Why?" Jiang Yang replied casually, his eyes full of doubt.
He couldn't understand how Bai Lu could associate his lecherousness with the national football team. As soon as he said it, he regretted it.
He suddenly realized that he had been led astray by Bai Lu. He was just talking to her about exchanging resources with Yang Ying and getting her variety show opportunities, but somehow the conversation had drifted to these random topics.
Seeing him respond, Bai Lu immediately smiled smugly and leaned closer, speaking rapidly, "The country spends a lot of money to train the national football team, but they're disappointing and let foreigners shoot at them at will."
Jiang Yang's lips twitched.
Bai Lu continued, "Just like you, you spent a lot of money to train me, paid me a salary, provided food, accommodation and social security, and through your connections, I have more than a thousand WeChat friends in the industry. Now my appearance fee for variety shows plus my acting fees total more than 100,000 yuan. You spent so much money to train me, are you going to let others take advantage of me one day instead of taking advantage of me yourself?"
Jiang Yang couldn't hold back any longer after saying that.
He was fed up with Bailu's constant nagging, which always steered the conversation in ambiguous directions.
He reached out and wrapped his arms around Bai Lu's waist, pulling her tightly into his embrace. Then he lowered his head and kissed her lips without hesitation.
He used his lips to silence the incoherent, rambling words she was saying.
All he wanted right now was for her to calm down and listen to him talk about serious matters.
Bai Lu was stunned by his sudden action. She froze on the spot, her eyes wide open, her mouth slightly agape, her mind blank, as if she had been put on pause.
She never expected that Jiang Yang would kiss her first.
The kiss came so suddenly that she was completely unable to react for a moment.
A warm touch came from her lips, lingered around the tip of her nose, and gradually seeped into her breath, making her mind slowly drift away.
Her cheeks burned like fire, turning red all the way to her ears. Her whole body went limp, and she couldn't even stand up straight, so she could only lean against Jiang Yang's chest.
Her body was tense, her hands hanging stiffly at her sides, unsure of where to put them.
I felt both panicked and happy.
The feeling of being held tightly and kissed by Jiang Yang sent shivers down her spine, her heart pounded as if it would burst out of her chest, and even her fingertips trembled. It was a feeling she had never experienced before.
A few seconds later, Bai Lu slowly came to her senses.
The surprise and panic on her face gradually faded, replaced by shyness and secret joy.
She raised her hand and hugged Jiang Yang's waist tightly, pressing her body against his, burying her head in his chest, closing her eyes, and savoring the sudden kiss. A smile slowly spread across her face, her heart filled with sweetness and contentment.
She finally got to kiss Jiang Yang first.
Jiang Yang cares about her and likes her.
Jiang Yang originally just wanted Bai Lu to stop, so they only touched lips and didn't do anything further.
Feeling Bai Lu holding him tightly, and his body gradually relaxing, a strange feeling stirred in his heart, but he quickly let go of her.
He looked at her flushed cheeks and slightly trembling lips, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Listen carefully to what I'm about to say, don't interrupt, and don't talk about any more nonsense."
He paused, frowned, and thought for a moment before slowly saying, "Oh, right, I swapped resources with Sister BABY. Her business resources haven't been built up yet; her previous team was taken away by Huang Zheng, so she can't exchange for equivalent business resources with me. But she has variety show resources, specifically 'Running Man.' She can recommend you to be on that show. 'Running Man' is a top-tier variety show right now, with high exposure and a great audience base. As long as you seize this opportunity and perform well, you'll definitely become popular, gain many fans, and your future resources will only get better and better."
As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Lu raised her hands and gently cupped Jiang Yang's cheeks in her hands.
Her eyes were fixed on Jiang Yang, filled with a mixture of confusion and shyness.
She first stared into Jiang Yang's eyes. Jiang Yang's eyes were bright and gentle, like starlight, which instantly captivated her and made her unable to look away.
Then, her gaze moved down, passing over Jiang Yang's high nose bridge, and finally landing on his lips.
The lips that had just kissed her still had a faint sheen and retained her warmth, causing her to unconsciously swallow, her throat bobbing slightly, and her eyes to become even more hazy.
She didn't hear a single word Jiang Yang said; her mind was filled with the kiss, Jiang Yang's image, and her heart was pounding with excitement and joy.
She could clearly feel the warmth of Jiang Yang's cheek.
And his faint scent, clean and refreshing, lingered around her nose, sending shivers down her spine. Her heart pounded as if it would burst from her chest, and her breathing became rapid.
Not only during the White Dew season, but also in Jiangyang.
Just like what Bai Lu said.
The atmosphere has been created to this point.
She slowly moved closer to Jiang Yang, her nose almost touching his, her warm breath brushing against his face. Her tone was hazy and coquettish, yet tinged with a determined longing: "Anyway, with Zhou Hao directing for you, you have plenty of time to handle your work. Don't talk to me about that now. What Chaoyue and Xiwei have, I want too. You run an agency and a film company, and you've made almost ten million by now. The entertainment industry is so lucrative! With so much money, why should you maintain a good reputation? I don't care about anything else. The atmosphere is right now, you have to sleep with me. What Huoguanwei can do, I can do too. The paparazzi is going to take over today!" (End of Chapter)