Chapter 318 - 160: Please Don’t Be Like This

Chapter 318: Chapter 160: Please Don’t Be Like This

After Su Ran freshened up, he picked up his phone and saw an email reply from Aunt Luo: "The photo is great, I like it a lot. Give me an account number so I can send you the photography fee."

’Whoa, this old lady really is rich.’

Su Ran replied to the email: "I never talk about money when I bang women."

「Imperial Capital.」

A courtyard residence, separated from the Forbidden City by just a single wall.

Aunt Luo was chatting with a few veterans of the Beijing Circle about matters in the entertainment industry. It was just as Reba had explained to Su Ran before: ’In Shanghai, if you have money, you’re king. Money is the only thing that talks there.’ ’But in the Imperial Capital, money isn’t enough. You have to get into the right circle—the so-called Beijing Circle. Only then will people take you seriously.’

Aunt Luo wasn’t there to network her way into the Beijing Circle; she had always been an insider, a member of the old guard with an immense background and influence. Her illustrious status was evident from her courtyard residence, nestled right next to the Forbidden City.

"...Aunt Luo, this young woman is our company’s biggest star right now. She’s incredibly popular nationwide, and her aura and image are a perfect fit for the script." The head of an agency shot a look at the actress beside him. The actress smiled, stood up, and poured a cup of tea for the financial magnate, Aunt Luo. "Hello, Aunt Luo. My name is Reba. It’s an honor to meet you."

Aunt Luo looked up and sized up the actress. "You certainly are pretty. Do you have a boyfriend?"

"No."

"Heh."

Aunt Luo gave a small smile and was about to say something when, DING! Her phone chimed. It was an email reply from "Buddha says do not be arrogant": "I never talk about money when I bang women."

Aunt Luo’s brow furrowed. ’The word "bang" followed by "women," and he doesn’t even talk about money? So he just gets laid for free, and acts like he’s in the right?’

DING!

Buddha says do not be arrogant: "Sorry, typo (sheepish grin). I meant I never talk about money for *photographing* women. I’m just glad you like the picture."

A smile spread across Aunt Luo’s face as she began chatting with him. The surrounding group of tycoons remained silent, waiting for the financial magnate to finish her urgent business before they continued their discussion.

Standing beside Aunt Luo, Reba glanced at the netizen on the screen named "Buddha says do not be arrogant." The name felt a little familiar. Pulling out her own phone, she compared the avatars. It really was Su Ran!

’Damn, my little bro is something else.’

’Reba understood now. Su Ran’s social circle was truly elite if it included Aunt Luo.’

’At the same time, Reba felt completely mortified. That time she had accompanied SJ to the International Finance Center to find a styling team, she had so confidently schooled Su Ran on the differences between the "Shanghai circle" and the "Beijing Circle." The most infuriating part was that he had listened with the clueless expression of an elementary schooler, but it was all just an act. How infuriating is that?’

’Playing dumb to get the upper hand, huh?’

’Still, Reba had to admit it. That little brat Su Ran, the one who kept calling her ’Sister Naza’—no, wait, ’Sister Rena’—had an impressively wide ’network,’ so to speak.’

"Aunt Luo, pardon the interruption..."

As Reba spoke, Aunt Luo, who had been in the middle of an animated conversation, frowned slightly. A person of her stature despised being interrupted.

"Aunt Luo, do you know Su Ran?"

"Who’s Su Ran?"

"The person you’re chatting with online—that’s Su Ran."

"Oh?" Aunt Luo smiled. Reba breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "So Su Ran is the one who took this photo for your wallpaper?"

"Yes. Do you know him well?"

"I... uh... well, it’s like this..." Reba quickly explained the situation, then showed her the video of Su Ran singing "Stubborn."

"I didn’t realize the young man was so talented." Aunt Luo glanced at her phone’s wallpaper. It showed her walking on a small bridge over a stream. Though she looked her age, the photo had captured her presence perfectly, and she loved it. "Alright. Since he refuses to accept a fee for the photo, you can have the role in the show I’m investing in."

"Thank you, Aunt Luo."

"You’re welcome."

In truth, the role had already been promised to Reba. Announcing it now was just a convenient way to repay Su Ran’s favor for the photograph. Aunt Luo disliked owing people. She usually settled such things with money, but since this Su Ran didn’t seem to care for it, she had to use other means.

With the matter settled, the agency head shifted to small talk. "Aunt Luo," he asked, "I hear you’ve returned to the country for good this time?"

"An old woman like me needs to return to her roots. I won’t be going abroad again; I’m afraid I’ll die out there." Aunt Luo set down her teacup. "By the way, Director Jia, you filmed a documentary a while back, didn’t you? I believe you went to a tribe in a Miao Village?"

"Yes, I did. A very primitive tribe. They still use the Saintess System. I..." Director Jia had just gotten to this point when a middle-aged man beside him gave a soft cough. Director Jia immediately fell silent.

Aunt Luo smiled and rose to her feet. "I’m getting stiff from sitting so long. Shall we go inside?"

The guests clearly understood this was their dismissal. They each made an excuse, politely declined, and left.

Once outside the courtyard residence, Director Jia asked the middle-aged man, "Old Wang, what was that warning cough about? Did I say something to offend Aunt Luo?"

"Director Jia, you wouldn’t know..." Old Wang glanced back at the courtyard residence, then pulled Director Jia aside. "Aunt Luo once had a son who fell in love with the Saintess from that very tribe. When the woman returned home, her people found out about the relationship and burned her alive. I heard she even had a daughter who was burned to death with her. Because of that, Aunt Luo’s son fell into a deep depression and committed suicide not long after."

"I’d heard whispers of that, but I never imagined it was true. Sigh. Aunt Luo has had such a tragic life. Decades ago, when she was young, she met her husband, Qin Liheng, while studying abroad in the United Kingdom. It should have been a wonderful love story, but he died in Vietnam. His body was never even found. They say Aunt Luo tore Vietnam apart looking for him, but to no avail. Sigh... They’re all dead. She’s the only one left. What’s she supposed to do with all that money now?"