Chapter 2, Where in Life Do We Not Meet
Due to the fact that this experience was truly thrilling, Yang Xiaoguang often recalls it whenever she finds herself in a time-sensitive situation, which intensifies her already urgent state of mind
She believes that all beautiful people are a source of trouble, and if they enter the entertainment industry, they become the worst of the worst.
The newcomer, regardless of her anger, immediately took her arm in a close embrace.
Only... Yang Xiaoguang looked him up and down again. He was wearing a beige-gray casual jacket fromMetersbonwe, a pair of skateboard jeans that had deformed after one wash, and on his head was a brown turned-up wool hat, with the large English brand name Metersbonwe emblazoned right in the center of his forehead
He Zhi Xuan was indeed curious: "Have you acted in a TV drama?"
Yes, it has been officially called upon. Old Chen's tone was calm
Old Chen said: "Indeed, this is the first time I have encountered such a low price. However, I have heard that recently, Meili has secured quite a few shows for him, and it seems that their company has a favorable view of him. This is worth our consideration."
Seeing Yang Xiaoguang like this, even the administrative officer passing by who was preparing for this morning's model selection meeting couldn't help but laugh along with the front desk staff
He Zhi Xuan nodded and said, "The company needs to achieve some new results. This is a new project, and there will be risks, but if we do not take risks, we will not succeed."
Her instinctive movement made him smile, and he was firmly captivated by her.
His thinking is clearer than that of other models, and he seems to have done some homework on the products. He is a relatively diligent newcomer and communicates well with us. Moreover, his image is fresh and appealing, aligning with the client's consistent approach of introducing new products with new faces.
Under the weight of inertia, the only thing Yang Xiaoguang could remember was to immediately get up, entangled with a leg of the small colored lights, struggling to move towards the attendance clock by the company door, and raising the attendance card to swipe it with great difficulty
With a single remark, it struck at Yang Xiaoguang's sore spot, and she glared at him indignantly: "Just you wait, little brat."
Pan Yilun pointed to the bottle label and asked, "Is the label of this sports drink pink? It seems a bit feminine. Advertisements don't necessarily have to be shot like others do"
The staff over there called: "Pan Yilun?"
Pan Yilun said "arrived"
Among the people Yang Xiaoguang knows, there is only one person who is so familiar with others, and that is Ms. Mei Li, a model agent from the modeling agency "Tianming," which has been a long-term partner of the company and regularly rents models.
Who is not the newly appointed Vice President He Zhixuan that suddenly appeared behind?
After Pan Yilun finished his performance, he quietly returned to his seat, not forgetting to take the drink that He Zhixuan had mentioned. He stuffed the drink into the backpack he carried with him and looked up to see Yang Xiaoguang, who was paying attention to him. He waved his hand, bidding her farewell
He Zhi Xuan smiled politely
As soon as the conversation ended, the door next to the driver's seat of the green Polo opened, and Mei Li called out: "Yilun, this is Miss Yang from Junyuan Consulting, come and meet her."
She finally hailed a taxi, and fortunately, the driver was familiar with the route, making the journey quite smooth. However, just as they approached the last turn to the office building, they were blocked by a green Polo that was occupying the lane ahead.
Yang Xiaoguang lowered her head, staring at the pointed tip of her leather shoes, and made a small grimace. It turned out to be just a passerby.
Pan Yilun reached out his hand, startling her. As she was about to evade, he had already plucked a needle from her shoulder, saying, "Rest assured, I will do it well." He emphasized once more, "Elder sister."
Oh dear, Xiao Yang! You must be running late!
Yang Xiaoguang did not dare to be negligent, quickly placing her bag and putting on her name tag, and when she stepped out again, she had already transformed into the image of a standard white-collar professional.
She stepped back step by step, not that she was not afraid, but she only blamed herself for meddling at such a critical moment
Moreover, Lun sings well and has also acted in idol dramas
Yang Xiaoguang waved his hand, seeing his serious demeanor, his penchant for banter resurfaced: "Not only does he run fast, but he is also a world champion! Liu Xiang is my junior apprentice."
At first glance, it is truly startling; has the world ever been so coincidental? It turns out to be the handsome young man, Shuai Zhengtai, who had previously crossed paths with her on two occasions, having worked as a deliveryman for a printing factory and as an audio repair technician
Then Pan Yilun routinely walked the stage, performed a skit, and sang a song
Yang Xiaoguang merely gazed longingly towards the general manager's office. She was not the type to be oblivious to the affairs outside her window; her ears were always attuned to the various rumors circulating. Since He Zhixuan was appointed by the newly elected chairman of the board, the original general manager, Philip, who had been appointed by the former chairman, had been on leave for many days.
He assigned me the responsibility of coordinating and following up on the advertising script and filming work, with a very tight schedule
He Zhixuan indeed said: "The right person is more important than anything else, and I agree with your opinion"
Her educational background was not surprising; she graduated from a vocational technical secondary school, and in the relatives section, there was only her mother's name. Why was there no mention of a father? Was it a single-parent situation? She raised a small question mark in her mind. It seemed that his financial situation was not affluent, and being a newcomer, it was no wonder he was willing to quote such a low price
A row of bottles with a streamlined design of sports drinks, claiming to be rich in vitamin C, has been arranged on the conference table, which is the advertised product for this occasion
This is the tumultuous change at the upper echelons. For those of us in the workforce, we cannot be too concerned, yet we cannot afford to be indifferent, as even a slight oversight in this matter could lead to unforeseen obstacles in our careers.
Meli immediately replied: "It is the previously filmed movie 'Summer Love'! He plays a classmate who plays basketball with several male leads"
A chill breeze suddenly arose behind Yang Xiaoguang, and before she could even shiver, Mei Li swiftly approached and said, "Hello, Mr. He!"
The appearance is indeed exceptionally good, but the overall attire is of inferior quality; no matter how handsome the face may be, it does not reveal a background as a model.
However, it just so happened that it was the morning rush hour, making it even more difficult to hail a taxi, which left her in a state of anxiety, sweating profusely, as anxious as on the day of the college entrance examination when she had to take the mathematics test
Fang Zhu once said: "Aguang, you are either chasing stars or reading comics, never taking anything seriously. What will you do in the future?"
Yang Xiaoguang raised her head and looked around the room for Pan Yilun
She bit her lip and thought to herself, a man also relies on his attire; the fundamental social class differences have never changed. She then considered, upon taking a closer look at He Zhixuan today, it had truly been many years since they last met, and he was indeed impressive.
He Zhixuan asked Pan Yilun: "Have you ever had this type of beverage?"
He also said, "Every job is hard-earned"
The call made Yang Xiaoguang extremely angry; she turned around fiercely, and the expression on her face clearly conveyed a message: "Those who stand in my way shall die"
Yang Xiaoguang's opinion was affirmed, and he felt very happy
"Share your thoughts," He Zhixuan asked Yang Xiaoguang
Meili introduced: "This is our newly recruited model, whose appearance is exceptionally good"
Pan Yilun said, "Wearing such high heels and running so fast makes it easy to fall!"
Yang Xiaoguang, who had scorned physics due to countless failures in physics exams during her middle school years, finally understood the terrifying nature of inertia this time. She took three hurried steps and, in a fierce posture reminiscent of a ferocious tiger pouncing on a sheep, crashed into the brightly decorated Christmas tree in front of the company, ultimately receiving the punishment of physics.
Pan Yilun at the back remained silent as before
Meili continued to cling to He Zhixuan, chattering incessantly: "We recently signed a senior MV and commercial director from Hong Kong, and the post-production has all moved to Hong Kong, which has definitely elevated the standard."
After Yang Xiaoguang, who is known for being talkative, let slip some words this time, he felt guilty for most of the night, replaying in his mind the old stories involving his friend and his new boss several times.
The elevator doors opened, and both gentlemen stepped aside to let the lady enter first. At this moment, comparison brought about distinction; Yang Xiaoguang glanced left and right, and although the young and handsome Shota was charming, he still felt somewhat lacking when compared to He Zhixuan
Yang Xiaoguang was so infuriated that he made the internal publication team into a mess, and in his anger, he said: "Use your brain for the performance instead!"
The administrative officer reported to He Zhixuan on the arrangement of the meeting room, where several selected models and their agents were already waiting inside. Although this is just an advertisement, there is considerable competition among many participants
She knew that Fang Zhu was influenced by the meticulous He Zhixuan, so she nonchalantly said: "I have low demands for life, as long as I have enough to eat and live in peace, everything is fine." After a moment of reflection, she added, "I also want to be able to afford Hong Kong version Blu-ray discs and Taiwanese version comic books, among other things." This made Fang Zhu so angry that she no longer bothered to urge her to be diligent in life.
She couldn't help but look up at him again from the mirror, and for some reason, his gaze was fixed on her. When he saw her lift her head, he smiled broadly, a beautiful smile, with very white teeth, suitable for a toothpaste advertisement.
The new leader spoke so sincerely that Yang Xiaoguang thought there was no reason to protest even if he were to become a frontline soldier.
Just making a turn, the originally straight-moving green Polo reappeared from the other end of the road, coming to a steady stop beneath the office building. As the car door opened, a person rushed out energetically and intercepted Yang Xiaoguang, who was dashing towards the office building.
Yang Xiaoguang felt as if she had just awakened from a dream and immediately took off running. With all her strength, she sprinted to the examination hall, yet still arrived five minutes late. She couldn't help but feel out of breath and anxious, and it took her quite a while to answer a few relatively simple multiple-choice questions. When the scores were released, they were naturally lower than she had anticipated, and she had no choice but to resign herself to carrying her luggage to her second-choice university in another city, where she would spend the next four years.
This morning, in broad daylight, she was finally able to see him clearly. He stood in a spot where the brilliant morning glow shone down behind him, almost like a spotlight. In the interplay of light and shadow, the angle was perfect, and his appearance was exceptionally handsome, with features as delicate as a painting, like a jade tree standing in the wind. In a crowd, he would undoubtedly stand out, which is why she recognized him at a glance
Another round of selection has begun
Yang Xiaoguang listened to these words, glancing at Pan Yilun, who was singing earnestly. He thought to himself, it is truly rare for a model and young man with multiple roles to not enroll in an acting class, but instead pursue a degree in marketing
This year, many promising candidates have been selected. Take this child for example; although he is already twenty-three years old, he is still at a youthful age, making it an ideal time for shooting advertisements targeting youth.
She was already extremely anxious the night before the math exam. The next day, she overslept and was fortunate to catch a taxi as soon as she stepped out. However, to her surprise, just after passing one intersection, she was blocked from turning by a vehicle going straight ahead.
Yang Xiaoguang indeed has some ideas
Yang Xiaoguang was startled once again, blaming herself for being overly jumpy
Seeing her shake her head and toss aside her white-collar identity, Pan Yilun smiled and said: "So he is the world champion, and you can only be the champion of stepping on points"
Yang Xiaoguang was too preoccupied to care about others, only wanting to break free from her clutches and quickly go upstairs to punch in for attendance, so he merely glanced at that person in a cursory manner
She took out the advertisement script and began to read and revise it carefully
He sat in the inconspicuous corner at the very back of the conference room, with his head bowed and eyes closed in rest. His partially revealed face, at first glance, was strikingly handsome, evoking an involuntary sigh.
Yang Xiaoguang gritted her teeth and glared at the clearly illegal vehicle ahead. One second, two seconds—then three minutes. Just four hundred meters ahead was the destination, victory was within reach, and she refused to accept a "heroic sacrifice." Therefore, she decided to save herself, promptly paid the fare, got out of the car, and sprinted forward with the speed she had during her student days when racing fifty meters.
Yang Xiaoguang made a big scene and turned bright red
Yang Xiaoguang focused intently on the numbers jumping up on the LCD screen, thinking to himself, this is just the beginning of the workday and I am already subjected to the torment of sales pitches, how tragic
Yang Xiaoguang, with keen eyesight, dashed over and snatched the newspaper from Pan Yilun's hands. Indeed, it was the corporate newsletter displayed in the conference room. The page he flipped to happened to feature photos from the company's team-building trip to Tianmu Lake last year. On that day, while playing "White Water Rafting," Yang Xiaoguang posed for the camera on the inflatable raft, and several close-up shots were taken by the designers from the design department using a DSLR. Ultimately, her radiant smile, which best embodied the spirit of harmony and health in the corporate culture, was directly used by her colleagues in the design department for the newsletter.
Meli hurriedly promoted to He Zhixuan: "This is the new child we signed at our company, looking clean and fresh, absolutely suitable for beverage and snack advertisements"
Yang Xiaoguang saw the person being beaten from the chaotic crowd; the individual was slender, seemingly still a child, unable to fight back and could only crouch down, protecting their head with their hands
Back in the day, when I first got to know He Zhixuan, who was still a boyfriend of a close friend, I was just a college student passionate about chasing stars and anime, often skipping classes and copying notes. When exams approached, I would make long-distance calls to ask Fang Zhu, who was always a good student, to tutor me in the higher mathematics I struggled with, which often delayed their dating time. I knew that He Zhixuan, to some extent, would think that I was not serious about my studies.
He Zhixuan nodded: "First, let's go back and try the taste of the beverage"
That group of people stopped what they were doing and turned in unison to look at this meddlesome individual
The driver had no choice but to stop, and Yang Xiaoguang anxiously leaned out of the window to observe the traffic conditions. Just then, he caught sight of a commotion on the sidewalk outside, where several people were shouting and running out of an alley. Five or six individuals, armed with sticks, blocked another person at the entrance of the alley and began to beat him mercilessly.
She cannot change her clumsy habit, and once again, she accidentally tripped in the corridor leading to the conference room
He Zhixuan stated candidly: "This is my first project upon joining the company, and it is also the first project for the company to expand into new business areas. I made a solemn commitment to the headquarters at the outset, so I need a capable team. I am very grateful for your cooperation"
The experience of that day was simply like a movie, and Yang Xiaoguang can still vividly remember the excitement and danger involved
Yang Xiaoguang covered his forehead with his hand and said, "It is an honor, an honor!"
The new leader asked: "What do you think of Pan Yilun?"
Amidst this chaotic and disordered thinking, the elevator descended floor by floor, and a cold voice came slicing through: "Yang Xiaoguang, you are going to be late!"
Pan Yilun had his newspaper taken by her, yet he was not angry. With a slight twist of his mouth, he appeared to smile without actually smiling. In the end, he did smile and said, "Recently, the acne on my face has improved a lot!"
She said to He Zhixuan: "I sincerely hope to learn more through the new project"
Meili leaned closer to He Zhixuan and said, "Our little friend is also studying in a university self-study program during his spare time, and he is majoring in marketing."
Yang Xiaoguang was originally someone who loved to sleep in and would arrive at the company just in time to clock in. However, today the newly appointed Vice President He Zhixuan is to preside over the model selection meeting for a new advertising project. With a guilty conscience, she fears being late at such a critical moment, which would cause the new leader to deduct points from her impression.
Yang Xiaoguang hopes that her thoughts should align with He Zhixuan's thoughts at the same point
Yang Xiaoguang sat in front of her desk, lost in thought for a moment, sighed, and finally her optimistic nature overcame her worries. She took a deep breath and thought that with new projects, new crises, and new leadership, there would be new challenges and thus new growth
Pan Yilun raised his chin, embodying the proud and self-respecting demeanor characteristic of youth, one that should not be taken lightly
She did not expect him to say this next, and was momentarily taken aback
Yang Xiaoguang was momentarily at a loss for how to respond
Elder sister? This is the greatest insult to those women who have no choice but to regard themselves as "older unmarried young women"! Yang Xiaoguang gritted her teeth and stamped her feet: "Little boy! I recognize you now"
Yang Xiaoguang almost asked, "Boss, are you a fan of Jay Chou?"
As her thoughts became scattered, she did not have the opportunity to greet him at the first moment, and then felt that greeting him again would seem strange. Moreover, he stood still beside her, not moving, and did not greet her either
The person across with a stick is also able to discern the situation, and soon two individuals brandishing sticks charge at her in a show of defiance
The force was unexpectedly strong, causing the unprepared Yang Xiaoguang to stumble, her shoe tip hitting the elevator threshold, and it seemed her adorable little nose was about to kiss the marble floor. Just as this was happening, she felt a hand reach out from behind her in a timely rescue, gripping her arm and pulling her back with such force that, in that fleeting moment, she could almost hear her little bones creaking in despair.
Pan Yilun replied: "No, there are similar products that NBA players endorse."
Someone let out a chuckle, and Yang Xiaoguang shot a piercing glare at the handsome young man.
Ms. Mary habitually ingratiated herself: "Come, come, let's go up together"
Yang Xiaoguang thought that she had only ever seen models following their agents to please clients, never someone so calm and taciturn.
At this moment, the previously besieged youth unexpectedly broke through the encirclement using some unknown technique. Without warning, he executed a shoulder throw on the nearest delinquent youth beside him, instantly throwing the formation of the boys into disarray. He shouted loudly at Yang Xiaoguang: "Run!"
Yang Xiaoguang felt quite nervous, bowing and nodding to the leader: "Good morning, Leader!"
He spoke very sincerely, and Yang Xiaoguang cast a glance at his direct superior, Old Chen, who still wore that calm and amiable expression he always had towards everyone
"Let go, let go, let go!" Yang Xiaoguang screamed, startling the kind-hearted person who was helping her to release their grip.
Yang Xiaoguang was not in the mood to deal with her public relations recommendation, so he exchanged a few perfunctory pleasantries and hurried to press the elevator button. The young male model named Pan Yilun had already pressed it first.
Old Chen patted her shoulder and said: "It is your top priority to ensure that the model agency and the production company cooperate fully. I have always believed in your abilities"
After entering the workforce, society has catalyzed personal growth. She has spent several years navigating the professional world, evolving from the carefree student of her earlier days into a capable white-collar worker who can read people's expressions and values efficiency in her work.
At that moment, she took one second to think, two seconds to act, opened the car door, and shouted at the group of people: "Hey! Hitting someone in broad daylight, I'm calling 110!"
The various brokerage firms in the conference room have begun to take turns presenting their company profiles and model introductions
The receptionist raised her head and said, "Aguang, you truly are a master of timing"
He replied, "Of course, performing requires using one's brain." After finishing his response, he continued to smile, the curve of his pursed lips was very attractive, directly captivating Yang Xiaoguang.
She thought that a handsome man's hands are usually handsome as well, with long fingers and distinct bones, and it would be a waste not to play the piano. However, she noticed that his right thumb had a slight flaw, a scar about an inch long, faint yet quite noticeable, indicating that he had suffered a serious knife injury.
Yang Xiaoguang took a step back and then realized that there were very few pedestrians on this sidewalk, with people being fewer than cars. Rarely, two or three individuals passing by saw the situation and actually diverted their path to cross to the other side of the road. The occupants of the cars were all well-to-do gentlemen, none of whom seemed inclined to open their windows and meddle in others' affairs. Contrary to her expectations, the driver kindly advised, "Classmate, mind your own business and come back!"
As the end of the workday approached, Yang Xiaoguang was summoned into the office by He Zhixuan along with the project director Chen De.
Yang Xiaoguang let out a snort and said, "It is a disgrace to the creator if a handsome man does not speak kind words"
At this moment, the elevator doors opened, and Mei Li kindly pushed Yang Xiaoguang out, saying: "You've arrived, Miss Yang, hurry and clock in!"
She has always believed in Lao Chen's ability to encourage and support his subordinates
Yang Xiaoguang took out his documents and carefully reviewed them
Yang Xiaoguang cautiously raised her eyes and took another look at the person in the mirror, wondering how he could have starred in an idol drama. She had always loved watching mindless idol dramas, so how had she never seen him before
The details of their past were not well known to her. By the time she understood the principle that "overthinking is of no use" and could finally rest easy, it was already nearly 2 AM.
During the intermission, Pan Yilun seemed to be quite thirsty, so he stood up and walked directly to the corner to pour himself some tea. He held a disposable cup in one hand and took a piece of paper from the newspaper rack next to the water dispenser with the other hand
Upon leaving He Zhixuan's office, Yang Xiaoguang asked Old Chen: "So we have officially been summoned by the new vice president?"
This polite smile awakened Yang Xiaoguang's attention. It was not merely because the young man's smile was indeed attractive, but from her angle, she could clearly see that his face was truly fair and delicate, with skin better than that of a woman, causing her to unconsciously touch the new pimple that had appeared on her chin
Due to the use of a DSLR camera, it was so clear that even the few acne spots on her face were evident. Yang Xiaoguang certainly could not allow such an embarrassing situation to be seen by outsiders, especially not by this handsome young man whose appearance made her feel ashamed as a woman.
Thus, the dealers flock to it eagerly. He Zhi Xuan smiled, seemingly quite pleased with his response
I am pragmatic.
Never have I seen anyone use "shiny as water" to describe a boy, and Yang Xiaoguang couldn't help but laugh. As she looked up, she caught a glimpse of Pan Yilun's indifferent expression in the blurred mirror of the elevator, so she quickly composed her smile.
The next morning, it was inevitable to rush in a flurry to catch the last second of the attendance clock.
Yang Xiaoguang thought, this can be considered a formal introduction, should I formally greet him? Then she reconsidered, this young handsome man is remarkable, not only is he a delivery person for a printing factory, but he also repairs sound equipment and works as a model, his professional scope is quite broad and complex, perhaps due to a complicated life experience
Upon reflection, she found herself somewhat amusing for having thought about him so much. She believed she had been overly concerned about him.
This advertisement was commissioned by one of the top beverage groups in the world, and it is also the first major business deal brought into the company by He Zhixuan, the ex-husband of Yang Xiaoguang's close friend, who is the newly appointed vice president. There are numerous supporting agencies and models, and just looking at the received model profiles left Yang Xiaoguang feeling dazzled.
Fortunately, someone managed to catch her in time, but quickly withdrew their hand
Yang Xiaoguang's heart raced anxiously, thumping rapidly, while the taxi driver behind her, seemingly afraid of causing trouble, sped away as soon as the green light illuminated. She was left dumbfounded, and the delinquent youth across from her began to laugh, brandishing a stick in his hand, closing in on her like a cat playing with a mouse.
Pan Yilun noticed that Yang Xiaoguang was staring at his fingers, and with a polite smile, he slipped his right hand into his pants pocket
Pan Yilun's salary is the lowest among all models, which undoubtedly represents the greatest competitive advantage for "Tianming" in this election
What kind of person is Mei Li? Upon seeing Yang Xiaoguang's eyes roll up and down and her eyebrows furrow, she immediately guessed part of it and hurriedly said: "This child has just started out and doesn't have much money to prepare an outfit, but it is precisely this simplicity that is commendable"