I Heard That I Am Poor

Chapter 70: Is this a threat?

Meng Yuan excitedly patted Yu Nian’s shoulder and exclaimed, “I knew there wouldn’t be a problem!” He wiped his face and fired a series of questions like a machine gun.

“What level of endorsement is it? Brand spokesperson? Brand ambassador? Brand friend? Is it global, domestic, or in the Asia-Pacific region? Is it for all products or a specific product line? Is it for beauty products, perfumes, or clothing?”

After Meng Yuan fired all the questions, Yu Nian finally answered, “It’s a global, all-line endorsement for Hersey.”

“Could you say that again?”

Yu Nian patiently repeated, “Brother Meng, you heard it right. I am indeed the global, all-line spokesperson for Hersey.”

Meng Yuan sat down on the sofa, pressing his temples with his hand. “Give me three seconds, no, five seconds to process this!” He counted five times, then slumped back into the sofa with a hearty laugh. “Nian Nian, you’re going to soar high!”

Maintaining his relaxed posture, Meng Yuan continued, “Your hard work has paid off. Once you become the spokesperson for Hersey, the luxury world will open its doors to you. And the best part is that you were personally chosen by Mr. Sleeman, the key figure. From now on, you’ll be surrounded by an aura of fashion!”

Recalling his conversation with Mr. Sleeman, Yu Nian said, “Mr. Sleeman is a witty and charming person. Talking to him was really enjoyable.”

“If I were facing someone I admire, I’d be witty and charming too.” Meng Yuan sat up suddenly. “Damn, this time I’ll definitely promote you vigorously! But, uh…”

He waved his hand, remaining rational, “It hasn’t been officially announced yet. Let’s wait for the official announcement. Though it might seem like pouring cold water, such things happen often in this industry. There are numerous instances of last-minute mishaps before contracts are signed. It’s not reliable until there’s an official announcement and a signed contract.”

Yu Nian agreed, “You’re right. We should wait for the confirmation before promoting it.”

“Okay, let’s do that.” Meng Yuan patted his chest. “Ah, this feeling is like having a precious treasure that you can’t show to others yet, and you have to keep it a secret. It’s nerve-wracking!”

Yu Nian advised him, “Let’s play it safe.”

“Sure, let’s take it step by step.” Meng Yuan rubbed his chin, which had grown a bit of stubble, and chuckled. “Ever since I got you the endorsement for Florence’s illusion ocean, I’ve been mentally preparing for this. Recently, I estimated that if Hersey is really going to sign you, it would be around this time. But I didn’t expect that hearing this news would still make my heart pound uncontrollably!”

Yu Nian smiled, “Brother Meng, calm down. You’re not that young anymore!”

“Get lost! How dare you tease your Brother Meng!” Meng Yuan counted on his fingers again. “Hersey choosing you now is because your endorsements have been outstanding, whether it’s Florence, Ri Yao Mobile, Funa Poetry Mineral Water, or the wristwatches. Each one has been remarkable. Moreover, your album has broken more than a dozen records. Even now, your physical sales are still number one on two major e-commerce platforms, and your digital album sales are number one on three major music platforms. These are all concrete achievements. Plus, your appearance and the prospects for your next three years… tsk, even if I were Hersey, I’d pick you!”

Yu Nian replied, “Brother Meng, you’re bragging about me again.”

“How is that bragging? It’s all true! As long as you don’t create any controversies in the coming years, your path will be smooth and broadening!”

Yu Nian noticed something different in Meng Yuan’s words but maintained a casual smile. He casually picked out a sentence and asked, “Brother Meng, does ‘not creating controversies’ have any specific boundaries?”

Meng Yuan’s expression remained relaxed as he answered, “There’s no fixed boundary, just avoid challenging fans’ sensitivities or public opinions.”

Yu Nian continued to inquire, “Brother Meng, do you mind being more specific?”

The atmosphere between the two of them had subtly changed. Meng Yuan lowered his head, peeled a banana, took a bite, and relaxed his smile, his voice slowing down. “Nian Nian, you know what’s going on.”

Yu Nian’s lips curled, but he didn’t respond to the statement.

Meng Yuan waited for a moment, but when he didn’t hear Yu Nian’s answer, he organized the peeled banana skin and placed it back on the table. “Since we’ve come this far, I won’t beat around the bush.”

Yu Nian also sat on the sofa, sitting up straight. “Please go ahead and ask.”

Meng Yuan put his hand on his knee, contemplating his words carefully. “What about you and your 186?”

Yu Nian met Meng Yuan’s gaze and calmly replied, “We’re together.”

“Together, huh.” Meng Yuan’s fingers rested on his knee, and he weighed his words. “Nian Nian, do you know what kind of impact this relationship will have on you?”

“Is Brother Meng trying to persuade me to give up?” Yu Nian didn’t evade and directly responded, “As you said before, I’ve given myself the confidence and qualification to be in a relationship.”

“That’s true, but I didn’t expect it to be—”

“It’s Xie You.”

Meng Yuan was taken aback that Yu Nian would directly mention that name. He turned his head slightly, showing annoyance in his expression. “Yes, you said it was 186, and I even told you that height doesn’t matter. But I never expected it to be a man, let alone… Xie You!”

“No, Brother Meng, you did expect it. Isn’t it happening now? I didn’t even tell you, but you already guessed it,” Yu Nian said.

“You’re just trying to fool me!” Meng Yuan laughed bitterly. “You know, if you had found a 186-cm female model or even a female basketball or volleyball player to hug and kiss you against the wall, I wouldn’t have much objection. But why Xie You?”

“No, Brother Meng, you’ve already thought of it. It’s just that I didn’t tell you yet…” Yu Nian completed the second half of Meng Yuan’s sentence. “How did I fall in love with Xie You?”

“That’s not something I can explain.” Yu Nian’s expression turned gentle. “When I first met him, I was deeply impressed. It was probably because his features were so stunning that I couldn’t forget him even if I tried.”

Meng Yuan covered his cheeks. “Damn it, I don’t want to hear about your love story!”

Yu Nian’s tone remained light, but his words were firm. “The situation now is that I’ve fallen for Xie You, and we’re together. This state will probably continue.”

Meng Yuan probed, “Is there no other option?”

“No.” Yu Nian shook his head. “This is the prerequisite for everything.”

After a moment of contemplation, Meng Yuan sighed, “Nian Nian, have you really decided to choose between your love life and your career?”

“I’m not planning to choose between them. I want both,” Yu Nian replied.

“But…” Meng Yuan slapped his thigh in frustration. “Aren’t you afraid of ending up with nothing on both sides? What if you can’t hold onto either of them in the end?”

“I can’t control the final outcome. All I can do is give it my best effort and build up my confidence. At least, I want to have the right to choose,” Yu Nian said with a soft smile. “As for the final result, even if I have to risk everything, I won’t regret it.”

Aware of Yu Nian’s underlying stubbornness, Meng Yuan sighed, “You… Why don’t you think about it more carefully? Your current situation is going smoothly, why…”

“I don’t need to think about it any further.” Yu Nian interrupted Meng Yuan again and said with a smile, “I’m just telling you how it is. During our time working together, we’ve been in harmony, and we both have confidence in each other’s abilities. But if you continue to cooperate with me with the intention of dissuading me, I’ll distance myself from you. After the contract expires, I’ll change my agent or agency.”

Meng Yuan’s fingers instinctively curled up, “Is this a threat?”

“No, this is communication, I’m stating my bottom line.”

“What if I accept?”

“I will protect my privacy until I have enough confidence. Also, I will work even harder than before.”

Meng Yuan pinched his forehead, took several seconds before speaking, “Give me a night to think about it.”

Yu Nian nodded, “Alright, let’s meet tomorrow morning then.”

Back in his room, Yu Nian picked up his phone and messaged Xie You, “Are you busy?”

Xie You replied almost instantly, “Not busy.”

Yu Nian smiled. How could he not be busy? His fingers hovered over the keyboard, then he typed, “I want to see you.”

Within a second of sending the message, a video call invitation popped up. Yu Nian accepted.

Xie You was probably in his office; there was a large floor-to-ceiling window behind him with a warm-colored evening glow visible.

Rubbing his loosened black tie, Xie You said, “I just finished a meeting; it’s dinner time.”

Yu Nian nodded, using his gaze to sketch the three-dimensional and profound features of Xie You. He spoke softly, “I miss you a lot.”

Upon hearing this, Xie You felt a little embarrassed. His eyelashes trembled as he said softly, “I-I miss you too. Ever since we parted, I’ve been missing you.”

These words traveled thousands of miles and reached Yu Nian’s ears.

It’s wonderful. The person I like also likes me, and the person I miss is missing me too.

Seeing Yu Nian’s evident weariness but the sparkle in his eyes, Xie You wanted to say, “You don’t have to work so hard. From now on, I’ll support you.”

But looking at the fatigued yet starry-eyed Yu Nian, Xie You realized that, just like stars in the night sky, Yu Nian’s stage was equally vast. He might be tired, but he was happy doing what he loved.

He was his rose, but he shouldn’t be enclosed in an airtight glass case.

The assertions in the reference materials were wrong.

So, Xie You softened his voice and said, “Nian Nian, do you want to go to sleep now?”

Yu Nian yawned, his eyelashes wet with tears. He nodded, his voice filled with drowsiness. “Yes, I’ll go to sleep now. I’ll be taking a morning flight back, and I’ll be back soon.”

Xie You nodded, “Okay, I’ll wait for you to come back. Good night, Nian Nian.”

The next day, when Yu Nian woke up, his head felt heavy. He went down to the restaurant for breakfast, and Shi Rou had arrived earlier. Seeing that Yu Nian didn’t look too good, she asked, “Is it jet lag?”

“Yeah, a little bit, but it’s not too bad.” Yu Nian sat down, rubbed his forehead, and glanced around. “Where’s Brother Meng?”

“Brother Meng had insomnia last night, and he barely fell asleep when it was almost dawn. Before he slept, he messaged me, asking not to wake him up for breakfast. He’ll wake up when it’s time to depart.” Shi Rou took a sip of black coffee to wake herself up. After a tiring day yesterday, she was feeling a bit drained. “By the way, we’ll be on the same flight as Tang Xiaoke and the others when we go back. It ruins my mood!”

Yu Nian held a cup of hot milk in his hands and took a sip, smiling, “You can just pretend you didn’t see him. It should improve your mood.”

“Yeah, I’ll try to block him. Hopefully, he won’t cause any trouble again!”

As they returned to their rooms from the restaurant, Shi Rou couldn’t help but fume as she looked at her phone. “Damn it, does this Tang guy have a mental problem?”

Yu Nian glanced at his phone screen and saw the video interview outside the show venue.

“What did he say that got you so angry?”

“This reporter asked Tang Xiaoke whether he had met you at the Hersey show and if you had greeted each other or chatted.”

Shi Rou scowled, “I don’t know which nerve of Tang Xiaoke’s this question hit, but he replied that he didn’t know you, had not met you, nor had he greeted or chatted with you. He even said he didn’t understand why Hersey invited you to the show, as you couldn’t afford a single piece of their high fashion!”

Yu Nian raised an eyebrow, “You mentioned earlier that Tang Xiaoke got his invitation to the show by spending money?”

“Yes, he’s a VIP buyer of Hersey!” Shi Rou nodded. “Tang Xiaoke is a huge fan of Hersey. In his own words, Hersey is the only luxury brand that matches his taste and style. So, every season, he buys Hersey’s new products and then shows them off on Weibo!”

“The only brand that matches his taste?”

“Yes!” Shi Rou covered her mouth and chuckled. “I’m really curious. If Tang Xiaoke finds out that you’ve become the only Hersey global spokesperson, a noble and luxury brand that matches his taste and style, will he delete all 800 of his Weibo posts?”