Male Sing and His Pet Owner: Chapter 67

The next day, Zhao Kaile received a delivery with Zhan Hang’s name on it. He opened it to look and found a cake, shipped from a well-known private bakery in the city.

A question mark popped up above his head. He carried the box back to find Zhan Hang.

Zhan Hang, however, showed no sign of surprise. He paused the treadmill, wiped his sweat with a towel, and said flatly: “You deal with it.”

Zhao Kaile hesitated but didn’t ask further. Besides Zhan Hang himself, the people who knew his real birthday were probably family or close friends. If it were from a close friend, he probably wouldn’t have this kind of reaction. It was likely from his father or mother.

He thought to himself and placed the cake on the table. It was a full eight inches, definitely too much for one person to finish. It would be a shame to let it go to waste. Zhao Kaile planned to wait for the housekeepers to come and share it with them to take home for their children.

After Zhan Hang finished running, the doorbell rang. Zhao Kaile got up to answer the door, but Zhan Hang stopped him: “Don’t go. I’m not here.”

Zhao Kaile: “??”

The doorbell rang a few times then stopped. Half a minute later, someone knocked on the glass door by the courtyard. Zhao Kaile turned back to look and it was actually Bai Li, her face full of helplessness. Clearly she had long anticipated what tactics Zhan Hang would use.

A moment later, the three sat around a small round table, and Zhao Kaile poured tea for both of them.

Bai Li frowned slightly and said: “I’ve fought for the opportunity for you, Zhan Hang. Don’t overthink things. Would Sister harm you?”

“Let’s talk about it in a few days.” Zhan Hang played with a pen in his hand, not looking at her at all: “I don’t want to talk about it today.”

Zhao Kaile cooperated: “Yes yes, Sister Li, today is Brother Hang’s birthday. Let him relax for one day!”

“Is that so? Happy birthday.” Bai Li said politely: “But time waits for no one, Zhan Hang. The chief director is my friend. I talked until I was blue in the face to delay this until now. If you don’t go again, this vacancy will be filled by Sun Yimin.”

Zhao Kaile: “…”

What a perfunctory blessing.

Zhan Hang indeed couldn’t hold back, frowning: “Why is it him again?”

Bai Li said with a sorrowful expression: “Then who else should we let go? Good fertilizer shouldn’t flow to outsiders’ fields. Since we’re giving up a spot anyway, it’s better to give it to someone from the same company.”

“Provocation tactic?” Zhan Hang sneered: “Won’t work.”

Bai Li: “…”

The air stagnated, and the conversation once again fell into deadlock.

Zhao Kaile clapped his hands, trying to liven up the atmosphere: “Ah, then how about eating some cake first? Sister Li, have you eaten? You’ve been busy until now, right?”

Bai Li said listlessly: “Thanks, no need.”

“Let’s each take a step back.” Zhan Hang raised his chin and said: “I’ll find the script myself. When I find it, you help me with the process.”

Bai Li said: “No, how can we be so reckless?”

“You go busy yourself with those two’s matters. Didn’t you say you can’t find a suitable role for me? Is it not okay if I do it myself?” Zhan Hang said coldly: “Spending all your energy on me recently isn’t very worth it.”

Between the lines, he was implying that Bai Li was eager for quick success, only thinking about rapidly manufacturing a star and not giving him a chance to properly polish his roles. Bai Li looked at him in disbelief, clearly hurt by these words. But she didn’t want to show this emotion, only restraining herself and saying in a low voice: “Zhan Hang, I’ve managed you all these years. I know in your heart you definitely don’t think of me this way. I can guarantee that the heat from this variety show will absolutely not be inferior to that year’s Extreme Run. You’re someone I brought up with my own hands. Would I push you into a fire pit?”

Zhan Hang spun the fountain pen in his hand one full rotation, flicked his index finger, and accurately tossed it back into the pen holder. He remained silent.

Bai Li said: “Think about it again.”

After saying this, she stood up and left with her bag.

Zhao Kaile looked back at Zhan Hang, then hurriedly got up to see her off. When he caught up outside, Bai Li was supporting her forehead, seemingly a bit dizzy.

“Sister Li!” Zhao Kaile jogged to her side, pulled out a packet of chocolate and gave it to her: “Is it low blood sugar? Here.”

“Thanks.” This time Bai Li didn’t refuse, taking it and saying softly: “Don’t say anything about low blood sugar or not… I’m purely angry at him.”

Zhao Kaile comforted her: “You know him. He’s just… um, he doesn’t mean any harm.”

“I know.” Bai Li held a piece of chocolate in her mouth, speaking vaguely: “But Kaile, do you know how many people in this circle have struggled for five years, ten years, over a decade without making it? Zhan Hang is already 26. Compared to those who just entered the circle, in their early twenties…”

“Then can’t we just not compare with those people?” Zhao Kaile said puzzled: “Actually I think Brother Hang is already very good like this. If you forcefully drag him in front of the camera to keep laughing with those people, he probably couldn’t do it either.”

Bai Li didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “No one would like an artist who always has a sour face. He can pretend for a while in front of fans, so he can also pretend for a few hours in front of the camera. What’s so hard about smiling?”

Zhao Kaile imagined Zhan Hang’s face radiating a gentle smile all day long, and couldn’t help shivering all over, shaking off goosebumps everywhere.

Bai Li said: “This is called establishing a persona. Going on variety shows is for establishing a persona, for the audience to see. What he’s like in private doesn’t matter. What matters is whether the audience will like the persona he performs.”

“I probably wouldn’t like it very much…” Zhao Kaile said with lingering fear, muttering.

Bai Li: “What?”

Zhao Kaile hurriedly said: “Nothing.”

“Anyway, when you have nothing to do these next two days, help me persuade him.” Bai Li let out a long sigh, her face full of worry: “This person, he’s only grown in age. When his temper flares up he’s still like a child, not even as sensible as you.”

Zhao Kaile nodded, escorted her all the way to the main gate, and watched her get in the car before walking back with heavy steps.

After all, once he went back, Zhan Hang would definitely interrogate him, and he absolutely couldn’t say the harsh truth. He could only rack his brains to think of some way to respond.

When he entered, Zhan Hang was collapsed on the sofa playing a game on an iPad. Seeing him return, he glanced out of the corner of his eye and asked: “What did Bai Li tell you?”

Here it comes… Zhao Kaile thought for a moment, then said with a difficult expression: “Sister Li cried just now.”

“…” Zhan Hang sat up to look at him, his face full of suspicion: “She would cry?”

Zhao Kaile said without changing his expression: “Women’s emotions fluctuate greatly during those days. If you say a few harsh words she might not be able to take it. Although Sister Li is a strong woman, a strong woman is still a woman after all. Can’t she cry?”

Zhan Hang: “Oh.”

Zhao Kaile struck while the iron was hot: “Actually Sister Li’s meaning is very simple. She just doesn’t want you to take so many unnecessary detours, it’s too hard on you. She put in effort to prepare a shortcut for you, but you don’t appreciate her kindness. That’s why she’s so sad.”

Zhan Hang lay back with a blank expression: “How did she think of asking you to be her lobbyist.”

Zhao Kaile choked.

The room was quiet for a moment, only game sound effects still going biubiubiu.

“Fine.” Zhao Kaile took a breath and started over: “Actually her original words were, with your looks, if you don’t make good use of them during your best years, you won’t be able to use them when you’re older. By then you’ll have neither popularity nor looks nor works, and you won’t get anything.”

Zhan Hang: “……………………”

Zhao Kaile: “Face fans will scatter when you have no face left. Drama fans will scatter when you have no dramas. The people who like you will keep liking you, but there will only be that batch who persist, and as they get married, have children, and raise kids, their numbers will also grow fewer and fewer.”

Zhan Hang said angrily: “Her original words??”

Zhao Kaile looked at him for a moment, sweating coldly, and ultimately couldn’t go against his conscience. He said weakly: “Um… I added a bit of embellishment.”

Zhan Hang couldn’t help roaring: “Zhao Kaile!”

“Sorry!!” Zhao Kaile said cowardly: “I just think the path Sister Li chose for you is right. She didn’t cry just now, I lied to you. But she really almost fainted just now.”

Zhan Hang was completely out of temper now. He got up and flung a slipper flying over. Zhao Kaile didn’t dodge, and the slipper didn’t hit him, only landing by his feet.

“Pick it up.” Zhan Hang said irritably.

Zhao Kaile obediently picked it up and respectfully put it back.

“Damn it, can’t even have a peaceful birthday.” Zhan Hang cursed as he walked, shuffling in his slippers, holding the iPad under his arm, and went upstairs with an arrogant expression.

Zhao Kaile watched his retreating figure with lingering fear, but for some reason, he inexplicably had a premonition that this would work out.

Facts proved his premonition was correct.

The next day, Bai Li saw Zhan Hang push open the door and enter the company, her face full of surprise.

“Zhan Hang?” Bai Li asked hesitantly: “You came around?”

Based on her own understanding of Zhan Hang, he shouldn’t have bowed his head so quickly.

The great Zhan Ye, wearing sunglasses, didn’t say a word. He sat down on the sofa on his own, raised his chin to indicate his follower should answer for him.

Zhao Kaile said politely: “Yes, he came around.”

Bai Li looked at him, then looked at Zhan Hang, suspecting she had heard wrong.

Zhao Kaile asked again: “About when will the schedule come down?”

Bai Li couldn’t help laughing: “I’ll do it as soon as possible.”

The office atmosphere was harmonious when someone knocked and came in from outside.

Bai Li looked up and said: “Come in.”

“Lili.” A woman with black hair reaching her shoulders pushed open the door. She looked about the same age as Bai Li, with bold features and a mature makeup style. It was precisely Sun Yimin’s manager, Xie Lin.

“Sister Lin.” Bai Li smiled: “What wind blew you here? Sit quickly, I’ll reply to a message.”

Xie Lin held a folder, her gaze sweeping across the other two people. She smiled faintly and greeted: “Zhan Hang.”

Zhan Hang nodded at her, still somewhat polite: “Sister Lin.”

Zhao Kaile had learned to read the wind and steer accordingly, and also called out.

However, Xie Lin didn’t intend to beat around the bush with Bai Li. She sat down on another sofa, her face wearing a smile, and asked directly: “Sister sees you’ve been connecting with Jiang Chongyang recently. That program he’s planning to do, is it still missing a permanent MC?”