Shrine - Chapter 40
Chapter 40
They had been too exhausted that day, and both slept soundly. Around three or four in the morning, Ruan Ruan couldn't help but get up to use the bathroom. After washing her hands, she was instantly wide awake. Listening to the wind outside, she went to the balcony and looked at the empty garden for a while. The sights and sounds of revelry had faded completely, like a withdrawn slide from a projector.
She closed the glass door, tiptoed back into the bedroom, and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the gown hanging there. It was still as resplendent as ever, and after she had worn it for a few hours, it seemed to have been imprinted with the shape of her body.
She wondered who else it would be lent to, and if the fragrance of tonight would linger on it.
Ruan Ruan was keenly aware that the situation of struggling to borrow a gown worn by many others would never happen again. Back then, comments online had said, "It's been worn so many times, why is someone still borrowing it? Are they doing it on purpose, or can they just not get any other clothes?"
She had no choice. The path before was just that narrow, with no other options. If your car broke down, you could only stay put.
But now was different. Someone was willing to turn back for her, and someone would send her photos of gowns, letting her choose as she pleased.
She sat in the unlit room, the luxurious, dark shimmer of the gown reflected in her eyes. She knew that the narrow path had transformed into a wide, open road, a ladder to the clouds.
Her heart swelled faintly, filled with anticipation for the future. A life where her wishes could be fulfilled—Ruan Ruan had never experienced that. A beautiful, brilliant life was just beginning.
She climbed back into bed, snuggled into Shi Ran's arms, wrapped her arms around her waist, and lightly closed her eyes.
The next day, the sunlight was so clean it seemed to have been washed. When Shi Ran woke up, Ruan Ruan was already up and tidying the makeup remover wipes in the bathroom. Hearing Shi Ran stir, she zipped up her makeup bag and came out, picked up the tissues from the floor, threw them into the toilet to be flushed, and then wrapped the used finger cots from the bedside table in a clean tissue.
Shi Ran was a little puzzled. "You're taking those with you?"
"Yes."
"Hm?"
This…
One look at her expression and Ruan Ruan knew she had been misunderstood. She quickly said, "I heard that some cleaning staff can be bribed to go through the trash in rooms where celebrities have stayed."
Her face turned a little red. Shi Ran looked at her for a couple of seconds before saying, "It's fine. Xiao Lin and the others will check the room before we check out."
"Oh."
Ruan Ruan walked awkwardly to the bathroom, threw the items in the trash, and washed her hands again.
Shi Ran found it fascinating. In bed, Ruan Ruan was completely uninhibited, even deliberately calling her "Boss" to excite her. But after sunrise, she seemed like a different person. The mole beneath her eye looked timid, very innocent.
She had never seen such a well-measured Little Bread, whose advances and retreats all seemed calculated to handle her.
Nor had she ever seen someone with such strong adaptability and acceptance. When she told her the truth in the lounge, she had thought Ruan Ruan would be shocked, stunned, or unhappy about being kept in the dark—all normal reactions. But she wasn't. The moment she had called out "Boss," Shi Ran had been intensely pleased. It wasn't just for the thrill, but also because Ruan Ruan was telling her that she accepted it, and was happy to accept it.
Shi Ran being the behind-the-scenes investor meant the company's strength was even more formidable, and it also meant she could more easily stay informed about the company's direction.
Ruan Ruan had been clear-headed from start to finish. She had signed with Xin Chen's company, and it was the best choice at the time. She hadn't cared who the shareholders were before, and the fact that Shi Ran was one of them was certainly not a reason for her to mind.
The brand had gifted Shi Ran's team a two-night hotel stay. They chose the night of the banquet and the following day. Although they didn't plan to stay the second night, it gave them the space to enjoy a relaxed brunch.
Ruan Ruan and Shi Ran, dressed in their morning robes, sat on the balcony drinking coffee. Ruan Ruan was initially worried about paparazzi with telephoto lenses, but Shi Ran told her not to worry; if she were photographed inside the hotel, she could sue the hotel into bankruptcy.
Ruan Ruan blinked, her mind recalling past cases of celebrities being secretly photographed. Did those hotels end up paying compensation?
Shi Ran glanced at her and smiled faintly. "You believe that?"
Ruan Ruan was at a loss for words. She lowered her eyes and drank her coffee. She did believe it. Since last night, she had come to believe in Shi Ran without a doubt, feeling she was omnipotent.
"This hotel covers a huge area. Whether in terms of distance or line of sight, no one can shoot from outside the hotel. And the hotel's internal security is very strict; no one can get in to take secret photos. Also," Shi Ran gestured for Ruan Ruan to look at the balcony diagonally below them to the left, where two figures were faintly visible, "see that?"
"Is that…" She couldn't see clearly. It looked like they were also having drinks.
"The CEO of Shengyue Media and his mistress."
The security here was self-evident.
Ruan Ruan smiled, her eyes sparkling as she listened to Shi Ran talk about these things. She found it interesting and exciting. And she loved hearing Shi Ran talk more. She loved it very much.
"Your photos were posted on Weibo yesterday. Didn't you go look?" Shi Ran put down her cup.
Ruan Ruan shook her head. "I'm a little nervous."
The people in the group photos were all considered popular starlets, so there were probably a lot of comments. The thought of this overwhelming attention made her ears turn red.
Shi Ran nodded in understanding, then asked, "So what are your plans next? The pre-production training Zhong Yi mentioned, are you going?"
Ruan Ruan propped her chin on her hand, an inexplicable urge to smile bubbling up. A shareholder was personally discussing her work plan with her. Was it possible that in the future, she could become the top star of Dianxing Entertainment?
Top star… As she thought about it, she felt a little embarrassed. Her previous company had never even launched a decent artist. What top star or second star? No one wanted the title.
"I'll wait for the company to assign me a manager, then I'll discuss it with my team," Ruan Ruan said thoughtfully.
Shi Ran glanced at her. Such a well-behaved artist would be cherished in any company.
"Or, what do you think?" Ruan Ruan looked up again, the small mole beneath her eye like a lone sail on the water, gazing at her gently.
"I don't recommend you join another production. After yesterday's exposure, news of your signing will gradually spread from 'gossip mongers.' Digging deeper, they'll find out that Shrine has been greenlit, which means the hype for Shrine is starting to build."
If Ruan Ruan took on an insignificant role at this time, it would diminish the mystique and anticipation for the female lead of Shrine. Furthermore, most of these dramas would likely air around the same time as Shrine. Playing the female lead in one while playing a minor role in another would easily give people the impression that her positioning was unclear and her career path poorly planned.
Ruan Ruan understood immediately. She rested her elbows on the small round table and leaned forward to ask Shi Ran, "Then, what should I do during this time? Just the pre-production training?"
"In my experience, the team will probably book you for commercial events."
"If you want to act," Shi Ran paused coolly, "are you interested in theater?"
"Theater?"
"I know a theater producer. I saw her promoting a play on her Moments feed a couple of days ago. I can ask."
Ruan Ruan's face lit up. "What play? Is it one I've heard of?"
"I'm not sure if you'd know it. Jinpao Language Studio. The producer is named Tao Jin."
She hadn't heard of it. Ruan Ruan knew little about theater, let alone behind-the-scenes studios and producers. But she was still excited. It was as if dandelions were drifting in her heart, scattering in all directions with a gentle breeze. She suddenly felt a sense of disbelief. She had originally been a lonely blade of grass, having to muster all her strength just to peek out from a crack. A bit of wind, a bit of rain, a bit of sunshine were all luxuries. Since when were there seeds in every direction? It seemed she could thrive here, and she could thrive there too.
She gazed at Shi Ran's side profile, which had been carved by the gazes of millions, her eyes soft and nested, and for a moment, she didn't speak.
After half a minute of silence, she finally spoke in a small voice, "Shi Ran."
"Hm?"
"I feel like this isn't real."
Shi Ran turned her face to look at her.
"You probably don't know, but in Shucheng, there are many, many small-time actors like me. We don't even have managers or assistants. Every day, we just drag our location cases around, rushing from place to place. The times on our call sheets depend on the mood of the production coordinator. Sometimes we have to get up at three or four in the morning for makeup, and then we wait all day, not daring to make any big movements for fear of needing a touch-up."
Actually, Shi Ran knew. Ruan Ruan didn't understand why she was saying it all again. Perhaps saying goodbye to the past required courage, and this outpouring was Ruan Ruan's courage.
She was grateful that Shi Ran didn't respond or make any move, but just gazed at her intently, listening.
"Now that I'm sitting here, I'm just thinking, why me?" Ruan Ruan scratched her forehead, ill at ease. "Just because I helped you once, all of your team's resources are willing to be used for me. I…"
She couldn't continue. A fine sweat beaded on the back of her neck as a sudden sense of embarrassment washed over her.
Shi Ran blinked, tracing Ruan Ruan's features with her habitually solitary gaze. When she stopped, Shi Ran smiled.
She shook her head. "It's not for you."
Ruan Ruan looked up.
"The company signed you, so they will definitely pour resources into you. But this isn't a gift, it's an exchange."
"You've signed contracts before, so you should know that the company's initial investment in you requires a return from you later on. So, you can say you're lucky, because not everyone gets these opportunities, but it's completely different from accepting a gift."
"My team supported my investment in Dianxing Entertainment and getting into artist management not for anyone else, not even for me, but for themselves."
"They need to have their own business empire; they can't hang their careers on me alone." Not to mention what would happen if Shi Ran had a scandal one day, or retired. Just from the perspective of their own self-actualization, successfully building one Shi Ran might just be a fluke. They needed to manage all kinds of artists and handle all sorts of situations to broaden their professional horizons. Otherwise, they would forever be tied to Shi Ran, forever living in the shadow of the name Shi Ran.
"From a business perspective, my colleagues have accumulated a vast network and many resources. My own energy for work is limited. They need to replicate some 'Shi Rans,' create more personal IPs, to consume these resources."
"I need it too," Shi Ran said without reservation.
"For example, a conglomerate has multiple brands under it. Due to the exclusivity clause for competing products in the same category, my team can only choose one for me to sign with. But they also have good relationships with the other brands. Should those resources just go to waste?"
Shi Ran blinked meaningfully.
Ruan Ruan understood. It was like this play, for instance. Shi Ran didn't have time to perform in it; she still had to film. So, by recommending Ruan Ruan, she wasn't wasting the resource, and she could also help her earn money.
"Relationships become more active the more you use them. You're helping us too," Shi Ran said coolly as a final point.
If it wasn't Ruan Ruan, it would be another artist signed with Dianxing Entertainment. So why not Ruan Ruan? She has acting skills, the looks, potential, and drive. She has no dark history, is smart, quick to learn, and considerate.
Besides, Shi Ran likes her.
"I understand now." Ruan Ruan felt a sense of grounding, as if a stone in her heart had finally landed. She would accept the company's resources with a clear conscience, and then show the investors that choosing her was not a mistake.
"When can I meet that theater producer?" Ruan Ruan asked.
"I'll ask," Shi Ran took a sip of coffee. "She might not be in Jiangcheng, maybe in Mozhen. If she's in Mozhen, will you go?"
"I'll go," Ruan Ruan said without hesitation.
Shi Ran smiled and nodded in appreciation.
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