Who Needs a CEO? I Choose Stardom

Chapter 52: Chapter 48: Like a Big Shot

As the two of them carried their luggage downstairs, Ni Bingyan suddenly remembered something while locking the door.

"Sister Wei, did they mention any other requirements? It’s been so long since the live-streaming sales thing. I can understand the poverty alleviation ambassador appointment taking time, since there’s an official process, but why did the cover shoot take this long to come through? Could it be that Mango TV is trying to make it up to me for what happened this morning?"

’If it were that easy, countless A-listers would be hoping to get snubbed by them day and night!’

Once you’ve made enough money, you start wanting higher social status. It’s the same in every industry.

Why else would so many celebrities want to become delegates and attend conferences at the Great Hall of the People?

Strictly speaking, the *Aiyou Refrigerator* crew didn’t do anything that outrageous. No matter how capable Sister Wei was, there was no reason for them to compensate her with such a plum opportunity.

There were so many outstanding people in society they could interview. She was nothing special among them.

’Could there be something else going on that I don’t know about?’

It wasn’t that she had low self-esteem; she just had a clear understanding of where she stood.

Seeing her mind starting to wander again, Wei Shuojie said helplessly, "I’ll tell you this, but don’t you dare repeat it to anyone—the Liu Family also pulled some strings. I’m just good at seizing opportunities."

The Liu Family?

No wonder.

They were repaying a favor.

Ni Bingyan wanted to say, ’What do you mean you’re just "good" at seizing opportunities? You could squeeze oil from a stone!’

But she knew that wasn’t appropriate to say, so she quickly changed the subject.

"But isn’t this taking credit for Sister Li’s work? Sister Li was the one who took her to the hospital. All she did was use my car. Besides, I didn’t help her to get something in return..."

If it were anything else, it would be fine, but this was an opportunity that was hard to refuse. It put her in a difficult position.

"You’re not some idol singer or a starlet who relies on traffic. How much effort do you think this really took the Liu Family?"

With her qualifications, she was already within the magazine’s scope of candidates. If she weren’t, the Liu Family might not have been willing to help.

It was just a matter of saying a few words, not something that would use up any real social capital. She really didn’t need to worry about it so much.

"Besides," Wei Shuojie continued, "the Liu Family will take care of Xiao Li in their own way, so you don’t need to overthink it. If you still feel bad, just give her a thicker red envelope at the end of the year."

Wei Shuojie was speechless. She patted Ni Bingyan on the shoulder and went to open the trunk.

’This kid is great in every way, except her skin isn’t thick enough.’

’Other actresses go abroad for a minor role and dare to issue press releases claiming they’re international superstars when they get back. How can an honest person like her compete with those shameless hustlers?’

’Fortunately, she’s lucky enough to have met a conscientious agent like me.’

’Sigh! Some people are just born lucky.’

Ni Bingyan, unaware that Wei Shuojie was not only sharp-tongued but also fond of complaining internally, was now worrying again. "We’ll have to stay in Xiang Province for a few days, right? Will the film crew have a problem with that?"

"That’s what agents are for—to handle the communication! You just need to do your job well! Don’t worry about everything. Your schedule is light now, so you can manage, but what will you do when you get busier? Do you think you have three heads and six arms?!"

It was only because her current artist wasn’t a big enough star yet, and she was afraid of being accused of putting on airs. Otherwise, with her skills, she could assemble a complete artist management team in minutes.

Perhaps feeling her tone had been a bit harsh, Wei Shuojie added:

"I signed you, which means you can’t stay unknown forever. You need to learn to think like a big shot. Have some confidence in yourself, got it?"

What else could Ni Bingyan say?

She just nodded vigorously, like a chicken pecking at rice.

’If I didn’t have the ambition to climb higher, how could I have endured so much injustice and stayed afloat in this industry for over a decade?’

’My past life was one thing; my natural assets weren’t enough to support my ambitions. But in this life, I will absolutely give it my all!’

The two chatted all the way to the airport, boarded the plane smoothly, and, both being experienced travelers, covered themselves with blankets and went right to sleep.

They slept all the way to Xiang Province, and it was two in the morning by the time they left the airport.

Yawning, they got into the car sent by the show’s crew. They checked into their hotel at three a.m. and gathered in the restaurant at seven a.m. sharp.

This, presumably, was the point of taking a red-eye flight. Even if they got stuck in morning rush hour traffic, they could still walk to the studio on time and not delay the recording.

The person sent by *Aiyou Refrigerator* to receive them introduced himself as Xiao Wang. He was a cheerful, chubby man with a round face. When he smiled, his eyes curved into crescents. He was constantly saying "Sister Wei" this and "Teacher Ni" that, making him very easy to get along with.

He had picked them up from the airport last night and was here again this morning to guide them from the hotel. Seeing the dark circles under his eyes, which even his tanned skin couldn’t hide, Ni Bingyan felt a pang of sympathy for him.

The sympathy deepened when she considered that, while they were both working through the night, her daily pay might be equivalent to Xiao Wang’s annual salary.

But no matter how sympathetic she felt, she wouldn’t insult him with money.

Money should be spent where it matters most.

She quickly pulled out her phone, skillfully opened Alipay, and selected "My Charities."

Ni Bingyan made a clean donation to buy breakfast for left-behind children, which made her feel much better.

’Kids need to study hard so they can get better jobs when they grow up. With better jobs, they can earn more with less sweat.’

She had grown up in an orphanage and had received countless charitable donations since she was a child, which made her very compassionate.

When she was filming in Wutong County, she couldn’t stand seeing the locals in ragged clothes and offered to help them with live-streaming sales to ease her own conscience. It was the same now.

"The wontons at this hotel are one of a kind—absolutely delicious. Teacher Ni, you have to try them. We’re recording today, and I’m afraid you won’t last if you eat too little."

Seeing how tall and thin Ni Bingyan was, Xiao Wang was afraid she’d be like other female celebrities who would be full after two bites, only to become a handful during the recording—hungry one moment, thirsty the next. Since she hadn’t brought an assistant, it would all fall on him.

So, Ni Bingyan ate two bowls.

They were indeed delicious.

Xiao Wang was stunned. Then, he silently pulled out some digestive tablets from his pocket.

It had to be said, he really loved his job and was incredibly considerate.

"Brother Wang, have you ever thought about switching jobs?"

Ni Bingyan complimented him subtly.

Hearing this, Xiao Wang burst out laughing. "Haha, Sister Bingbing, you’re so funny! If my dream wasn’t to become a host, I’d leave with you right now, even if it was just to be your assistant!"

’Fair enough. At a TV station, even a gofer has big dreams. Otherwise, why would they work so hard?’

’These days, what else besides a dream could make someone willingly work themselves to death? It’s certainly not a monthly salary of a few thousand yuan.’

After breakfast, they arrived at the recording studio at exactly eight o’clock.

Makeup, script review, greeting the host, building rapport with her co-star—the show didn’t start until nine-thirty.

The original owner of her body had released movies and TV shows and often did promotional tours, so she was very familiar with television stations. And although Ni Bingyan hadn’t gotten many opportunities to be on variety shows in her past life, she had been on some. As a result, the recording went very smoothly.

Not only did she show off her cooking skills, but she also let everyone know that she doesn’t diet.

When "her refrigerator" was opened, it was filled with healthy ingredients.

"Sometimes I make vegetable salads, but most of the time, I prefer to eat hot food."

"For example, this vegetable mix—diced potatoes, carrots, corn, lettuce stems, ham, and so on. If you stir-fry them together with a little bit of oil, it tastes great. I often switch up the ingredients to eat a variety of things."

"Eat lots of vegetables, control your carbs—a few strands of noodles or a small steamed bun is enough."

"Things like beef, chicken breast, and shrimp are high in protein. Paired with high-intensity workouts, you can eat a lot without worrying about gaining weight. Cooking is actually very convenient; you can have a good meal in ten or twenty minutes. I don’t like ordering takeout unless I absolutely have to."

The host was a very famous veteran from Mango TV. Even when Ni Bingyan occasionally said something awkward, he could immediately smooth it over for her, so the recording was a very pleasant experience.

While she was on stage going through the motions, Wei Shuojie watched quietly from below. Seeing her handle everything so well, she was very satisfied.

Of course, healthy ingredients alone weren’t enough to make full use of this show.

Her refrigerator also contained a pile of face masks.

"Xiao Ni, your skin is so good. Is it because you love using face masks?"

The host cued her again.

"Yes, whenever I have time, I put one on for hydration. The air is humid back home, so I’m used to that. Staying in the dry north for long periods, the biggest challenge for my skin is hydration, haha! I’ve used many brands, and this one works quite well."

On the way here, Sister Wei had briefed her on all this. Ni Bingyan’s performance was perfectly natural, as if the refrigerator had really been transported from her home in Beijing.

In reality, while the refrigerator was the same model as hers, its contents were not entirely the same.

Show off the face masks, and with a little maneuvering from Sister Wei, the company behind them would soon be contacting her for an endorsement deal.

Besides these, there were also a few jars of jam, meat sauce, and other things her father had made.

These, at least, were real. Her dad had just mailed them to her a few days ago, and she had brought them with her.

She was the only "little princess from a family of chefs" in the industry. Bringing this up to boost her presence wouldn’t annoy people; on the contrary, they would gossip about it happily and might even go patronize her family’s restaurant.

Opening a celebrity’s refrigerator to see what’s inside?

It satisfies the fans’ voyeuristic curiosity while planting a lasting memory in their minds.

Once this episode of *Aiyou Refrigerator* aired, a down-to-earth actress from a harmonious family who loves beauty, fitness, and is also a great cook would be deeply remembered by netizens.

Of course, this all hinged on the fact that she was beautiful—and distinctively so.

It had to be said, Wei Shuojie’s maneuvering was top-tier.

Signing with this agent was totally worth it.