S&OP : Chapter 3 – The Undisguised Abduction

Author: Su Youbing

Translator: Renkun27, chiangyushien

Proofreader: KainGuru

When the hour hand crossed twelve o’clock, Xiao Bai became nervous.

The clothes that he wore specially for the interview on the TV station yesterday had just been washed. The rest were all T-shirts and faded jeans.

He opened the closet and finally found a white T-shirt with a pattern printed on the chest and picked a pair of colored jeans that could still be counted as clean.

Looking up at the clock again, the hour hand has been striding toward one o’clock’s embrace.

He used a styling mousse to comb his bangs in front to the back, revealing his smooth and round forehead.

Jia Zhiqing said that his high forehead could deceive people’s first impression, thinking that he has a high IQ.

Xiao Bai originally wanted to squeeze in the bus but had second thoughts about it. He was afraid that he would reek of sweat, so he very painstakingly took out twenty yuan to take the taxi and prepared two coins to ride the bus for the return trip.

When he left, he stood at the side of the shoe cabinet and carefully checked the things around him, just to confirm that there was no danger of anything going wrong before he went out.

Yimate’s building was very distinct, especially in stark contrast with the whole dusky street below. Its orange color was dazzling.

When Xiao Bai went in, he was a little nervous.

This was all because he saw a lot of people with gleaming nameplate on their chests.

When he passed by the entrance guard, he slowed down a bit, so that the other could go ahead and cross-examine him.

However, the entrance guard just looked up and then quickly lowered his head and continued to study his sports news.

Xiao Bai, who had no confidence and was confused, walked back and forth, and the entrance guard kept standing still.

Not far away, a tall and handsome man leaned on the shoulder of the person beside him. He grinned as he asked: “What is he doing? Is he drawing a circle on the ground around the entrance guard to lock him up?”

The person beside him shrugged, “Since you’re aware of it, don’t casually eat other people’s tofu.” [1]

([1] 吃豆腐 chi doufu: “eating tofu” – no, it doesn’t actually mean to eat tofu. It means to get fresh on someone, to flirt or even to harrass mildly, depending on the context and the part of China.)

The man pursed his lips and complained: “You’re discriminating against me.”

“I am.”

“…”

“Also, please allow me to remind you this once, Mister Heavenly King Feng. It’s okay for you to show me this coquettish look, but you mustn’t go out and show it to the fans, or else you will be cramming under the bridge together with the beggars.”

“Are you also discriminate against the beggars?”

“I am.”

Aaron Feng gloomily asked: “What do you not discriminate against?”

“People who can make money and have a normal sexual orientation. It’s a given that you’re hopeless in this life.”

Aaron Feng responded with indignation: “Gao Qin, you shouldn’t be so full of yourself. Perhaps, one day you’ll fall in love with me!”

Gao Qin pushed him on the forehead and indifferently said: “This is the most vicious curse I’ve ever heard.”

“I %¥##¥#”

“Even though we’re in the company, as your manager, I’m still going to say… please pay attention to your image.”

“You %&%¥%”

Xiao Bai could not help but follow the entrance guard’s directions. In the end, he gingerly arrived at the top floor of Yimate.

The fascinating black marble floor seemed to be waiting for someone to use their face to make intimate contact with it.

The female secretary sitting outside the only office on this floor looked at him with a smile, “You’ve arrived half an hour early, Younger Brother Xiao Bai.”

Xiao Bai’s face was painted with red, then he stuttered as he responded: “Then I’ll go down… and wait.”

“Oh, don’t go.” The female secretary deftly grabbed him by the arm, “It’s better for you to stay here and have a nice chat with your elder sister.”

Xiao Bai’s blood and vital breath rushed to his head, making him blush like a ripe tomato.

The secretary could not help but laugh, “Why are you ashamed? I won’t eat you.” She pulled him to the side and made him sit, then she poured him a glass of water.

Xiao Bai just wanted to drink rather than listen to her ask in a secretive manner: “What’s your father’s name?”

“……” After the glass swayed five to six times in his hand, only then did Xiao Bai unhurriedly say, “Zeng Guangquan.”

The secretary tried hard to filter the celebrities named Zeng Guangquan in her mind. In the end, she drew the conclusion — I don’t know.

“What’s your mother’s name?” It was now the age of equality between men and women. In a family, it was a very ordinary matter for the wife to have the better skills than the husband.

“Xu Zhi’an.”

She jumped excitedly, “Is she the Hongkonger singer who sang ‘Why Did You Love Someone Else Behind My Back?’”

“…”

“No, he seems to be a man.”

“…”

Despite being hit twice, the secretary became fiercer and fiercer, “Why did you replace Luo Peijiao as the host of ‘GO! GO! SU…SUPERSTAR?’”

When Xiao Bai was just about to answer, the tightly closed office door opened, and Ma Rui poked his half-bald head out and pointed his finger at him, “You, come in.”

The secretary gaped as she looked helplessly at the fat duck that flew away, then she opened her qq account and started venting out.

>> Licking Boss’s Boots is Very Difficult: I saw Xiao Bai! \(≧▽≦)/

>> Emerald Blossom: (⊙_⊙) Which Xiao Bai?

>> Licking Boss’s Boots is Very Difficult: That ‘big aunty upstairs’ one.

>> Vow to Die Rather Than Obey the Police: (⊙o⊙) Huh? No way! Don’t tell me Xiao Bai is Yimate’s artist?

>> Licking Boss’s Boots is Very Difficult：When he entered here, he wasn’t. But when he comes out, we don’t know yet.

>> Emerald Blossom: Quick, go and eavesdrop. Stick the receiver between a chink in the door. Stick the mic, stick the microphone!

>> Vow to Die Rather Than Obey the Police: No wonder he said bad things to the Great God. It turns out he’s from the enemy’s side. That’s too shameless and too despicable!

>> Licking Boss’s Boots is Very Difficult: Hey, unfortunately, Jie Wei hasn’t invited anyone recently. Otherwise, I’d really consider jumping into the other nest… I want to see the Great God every day!

>> Emerald Blossom: Aaron Feng is also very handsome! Hasn’t he been in bad terms with the Great God recently? How could you bite the hand that feeds you!

>> Licking Boss’s Boots is Very Difficult：％＞＿＜％ But he never looked straight at me in the eye.

>> Emerald Blossom: +_+ You shouldn’t jump in the other nest. You should go and get plastic surgery.

>> Vow to Die Rather Than Obey the Police: Aaron Feng doesn’t have a percent of the Great God’s handsomeness! Aaron Feng doesn’t have a percent of the Great God’s handsomeness! Aaron Feng doesn’t have a percent of the Great God’s handsomeness! Aaron Feng doesn’t have a percent of the Great God’s handsomeness! Aaron Feng doesn’t have a percent of the Great God’s handsomeness! Aaron Feng doesn’t have a percent of the Great God’s handsomeness! Aaron Feng doesn’t have a percent of the Great God’s handsomeness! Aaron Feng doesn’t have a percent of the Great God’s handsomeness! Aaron Feng doesn’t have a percent of the Great God’s handsomeness! Aaron Feng doesn’t have a percent of the Great God’s handsomeness! Aaron Feng doesn’t have a percent of the Great God’s handsomeness! Aaron Feng doesn’t have a percent of the Great God’s handsomeness!

>> Emerald Blossom:  The message above is spam. Get rid of it!

>> Someone: What are you chatting about again?

>> Emerald Blossom: Please make good use of your chat history.

>> Someone: Ah, Xiao Bai. I think he’s very cute.

>> Vow to Die Rather Than Obey the Police: Someone, congratulations, you’re nonsense.

>> Someone: Now where is Licking Boss’s Boots? Hurry up, get back here and report!

>> Someone: Well, it’s great to work in an entertainment company.
>> Someone: You get to see big stars every day …(>_> Vow to Die Rather Than Obey the Police: … I’m wrong to blame you.

>> Emerald Blossom: I bet a cucumber, Licking Boss’s Boots is eavesdropping.

>> Vow to Die Rather Than Obey the Police: I bet two tomatoes, I’m in.

>> Someone: It’s not right to gamble.

>> Licking Boss’s Boots is Very Difficult: I’m back. （＊＾＿＿＾＊ ) He he…

>> Emerald Blossom: How’s it?

>> Licking Boss’s Boots is Very Difficult: o（︶︿︶）o Well… This time, it’ll be difficult for Xiao Bai to escape the boss’s claws.

>> Emerald Blossom: Ah! Don’t tell me, they already…

>> Licking Boss’s Boots is Very Difficult: ╮（╯▽╰）╭  Not yet, but this matter only needs a nod from him.

>> Vow to Die Rather Than Obey the Police: The chink on the boss’s office door is still that big?

>> Licking Boss’s Boots is Very Difficult: Well, it’s because I never asked anyone to repair it. O(∩_∩)O～

—–

Xiao Bai shyly looked at him sitting behind his desk and smoking a cigarette.

Ma Rui took one last puff then put out his cigarette, “So how’s it going? What’s your plan next?”

Xiao Bai moved his butt restlessly, “I want to make money.”

Ma Rui laughed, “You’re the most direct and vulgar person I’ve ever seen, but that’s normal. Who doesn’t love money. Well then, do you want to continue in the hosting world or expand to acting and singing?”

“Ah?” He never profoundly thought about this question, “Which one earns more?”

Ma Rui experienced bargaining with countless people since before. His courage was also overpowered by his sense of defeat, “All walks of life produces its own leading authority. If you work hard, even if you’d resell toilet bowls, you’d become a millionaire. If you don’t work hard, even if you will work as a prostitute, you will just gain debts.” He looked at Xiao Bai who was woodenly listening to him, “Okay now, how about if we do this. Sign a long-term contract with me. I’ll plan your entire life. I can’t guarantee you lots of money, but within five years, I can guarantee you’ll live in a 200-square-meter house and drive a three- or four-hundred-thousand car. What do you think about this?”

Xiao Bai listened with a banging beat in his heart, “How long is this long-term contract?”

“Twenty years.” He sighed loudly. “You know that the world is now in recession. It’s not easy to support people out. Sometimes, the company spit out our heart and spill blood to make people famous, haha, and when their contract expires, they immediately take their ass and go climb to a higher twig. During that time, It’ll be too late to cry.”

When he saw that Xiao Bai still did not have any reaction, he said: “Do you know Aaron Feng?”

Xiao Bai slightly nodded his head. He was the only male star that Jia Zhiqing loved and talked about every day.

“He’s also one of the people who signed a long-term contract with me. You can ask him when you see him later. How do I, Ma Rui, treat him? If he said he wants a raise, I’d add more money even if it’s coming from other places. If he said his car was broken and is being repaired, I’d immediately send a brand-new BMW car to his house. Isn’t Laozi treating him like a son?”

Xiao Bai was still woodenly listening to him.

Ma Rui spoke with excitement, he said: “Don’t look at how popular Yan Su’ang now, hehe, in fact, he’s not happy staying with Jie Wei. Zhang Fuman is controlling everything and makes everything his business. From when you eat, till you go to the toilet, he needs to approve it. That’s not how people should live.”

Xiao Bai began to get confused.

Ma Rui saw that he was more or less convinced, so he immediately took the contract out from the drawer, “In that case, take a look at this. If you don’t have any questions, sign it.”

Xiao Bai picked up the contract, and he was dizzy looking at a series of English words. Even if it was in Chinese, he could not understand it completely, too, “Can I take this back with me and read it first?”

Ma Rui frowned, “You can’t. The company’s contract should never be taken outside.”

“But…”

“However, there’s one thing that you can do. You can go out and inquire about it. In this business, whether my Yimate is counted as one of the very best or not, as the saying goes, ‘If you miss this village, you will be not able to catch the next inn [2].’ You should think about it clearly.”

([2] If you miss this opportunity, it will be hard to come across again.)

Xiao Bai picked the contract up and stubbornly said: “I want my friend to look at it for me.”

“Your friend? What does he do for a living?” Ma Rui looked at him alertly. He had clearly checked on him before and he had no family background.

“Insurance.”

“Oh.” Ma Rui thought about it. “Alright, you can take someone to see it tomorrow. It will also save me from looking as if I’m abducting and selling people.”

Xiao Bai sighed in relief, “Thanks anyway.”

“Okay. Then you can go back first today. Don’t forget tomorrow, at this time again.”

Xiao Bai weakly retreated out of the door. He felt that the back of his body was a little clammy.

The secretary rose in a dash. “How’s it? Did you sign it?”

Xiao Bai shook his head, “I’ll bring my friend here to look at it tomorrow.”

The secretary suddenly whispered and said, “Remember to find a smart friend.” If the friend was not smart, he would not be able to find the trap of the old fox in the contract.

---

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