Are you trying to force me to become a star?

Chapter 20: Getting into the Circle

"Sister Bingbing, thank you so much for your help with my junior brother's matter."

On Monday evening, Nanfeng was calling Fan Bingbing. It was a real favor that Fan Bingbing accepted the job. Fan Bingbing usually worked with top-tier celebrities in the entertainment industry, and their friendship stemmed from their striking resemblance.

If Xu's parents provided her with warmth in her daily life during her low period, then Fan Bingbing provided her with professional assistance, and the two had a very good relationship.

"How do you plan to thank me?"

Hearing the teasing voice coming from the phone, Nanfeng was a little puzzled, but still smiled and said, "Go ahead and tell me how you want to thank me."

"I've got my eye on Xu Jinyan, can I have her?"

"You...you guys...um..." Nanfeng stammered, wondering what had happened that afternoon. Was her junior brother really that charming? And what did he mean by asking her to give him to him? She needed to sort things out.

"Haha, look at you, you're rambling on and on. I was just kidding. If you really want to thank me, then tell me quickly how far you two have progressed? Have you held hands? Have you kissed...?"

Nanfeng was even more taken aback and quickly interrupted, "Stop, stop, stop! What nonsense are you talking about? How could you have such a misconception?"

"An illusion?" Fan Bingbing snorted and told Nanfeng what had happened when they met that afternoon. Then she said, "Do you remember how long it took for my mom to realize something was wrong when I introduced you to my mother? Half an hour! And Xu Jinyan? He just glanced at me twice and was sure I wasn't you! Did you tell him beforehand?"

Nanfeng remained silent. She hadn't said anything beforehand; she had originally planned to play a prank.

Did I not expect my junior brother to be able to recognize me with just two eyes?

Fan Bingbing continued teasingly, "If you hadn't told me beforehand, I'd have to be suspicious. Are you two closer than I am to my mom? Anyway, I came from my mom, but I wonder if he came from you too?"

Hearing the flirtatious voice on the phone, Nanfeng blushed deeply. What kind of indecent things was this woman saying?

She immediately interrupted the spellcasting and said seriously, "Sister Bingbing, let me tell you, there's definitely a misunderstanding. We really don't have that kind of relationship. Think about it, if we did, would I arrange for you to meet him without his knowledge? If he just went ahead and made a move, he'd be thrilled."

Attorney Fan had certainly considered this logic, but having been in the entertainment industry for a long time, she had seen a lot. She wondered if she might be part of their game?

She thought for a moment, then stopped joking. Nanfeng was definitely not a casual person; she had switched careers to study music to resist the unspoken rules of the industry back then. It was unlikely she would fall for someone. So she asked calmly, "Then what happened?"

Nanfeng pondered, "Perhaps it really is a difference in temperament?"

Fan Bingbing thought about it carefully for a moment, then shook her head: "No, he was very certain at the time. Even if a normal person realized something was wrong, wouldn't they hesitate for a moment? And would a normal person accept with a clear conscience the existence of two people who are so similar?"

Xu Jinyan: I am indeed not quite normal.

"Your junior brother is quite interesting. I'm actually quite curious about him."

Nanfeng was also brainstorming. She realized that she didn't really know Xu Jinyan yet. The first time she ate at his house, he was still in high school. The atmosphere at his house was very warm, and she even called him "Young Master" like Sister Yan.

As we got to know each other better, I really started to treat him like a younger brother.

It wasn't until recently, when he suddenly rose to fame, that she realized he had matured a lot, and even the way he looked at her no longer resembled that of an older sister...

"His eyes... his eyes are not right," Fan Bingbing interrupted Nanfeng's thoughts. After recalling for a while, she said, "When I was checking the contract, the way Xu Jinyan looked at me was definitely not the same as when we first met."

Nanfeng quickly asked, "What kind of look did he give you?"

"A mix of liking, scrutiny, appreciation, regret, familiarity, and perhaps even a touch of indifference..."

"Stop, stop, stop! Are his eyes a fan shape?" Nanfeng interrupted the spellcasting again. Where did such a complicated look come from?

Fan Bingbing ignored her and suddenly said, "I know! I know what that look is! That look is exactly like the way my ex-husband looked at me. Case solved: He's a scumbag, verdict complete!"

Nanfeng: "..." Bingbing's ex-husband was in the jade business. He cheated on his wife and was sued by Lawyer Fan, leaving him with nothing.

Seeing Nanfeng remain silent, Fan Bingbing also realized that she had been too hasty. How could she call someone a scumbag after just one meeting?

After calming down, she said, "Alright, that's enough. I'll keep an eye on Xu Jinyan. He's about to enter the entertainment industry, right? Once he's in, he won't have any secrets anymore. I want to see what kind of man he is. Oh, and tell him that if he has any legal issues, he can come to me directly. I can be his legal advisor. And also..."

"Sister Bingbing, have you ever heard the saying? Curiosity about a man is the beginning of falling in love." Nanfeng interrupted the spellcasting for the third time and said quietly.

"Haha, you think I'd fall for a little boy?"

"No, I just feel..." Nanfeng hesitated for a moment before asking, "Sister Bingbing, have you been single for too long?"

Fan Bingbing: "..."

……

……

"...So, in the end, I chose to sign with Canglan."

It was another family dinner. There was no way around it; the child was just too good for her. Even a big star like Li Lianjie said it was good, so the old lady took the initiative to prepare a table. After the meal, Xu Jinyan talked about her final choice.

After hearing the whole story, Grandpa Xu's expression improved slightly. On the surface, it seemed his nephew had waived the licensing fee to promote his family's shop, which had bothered him. Now, knowing the truth, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Yan Zhi clicked her tongue and said, "I knew it! When did you become interested in kung fu? Entering the entertainment industry really changes things; you can just spout off whatever you want!"

The old lady disliked people talking about her grandson, saying, "How dare you speak to your son like that?"

Yan Zhi was completely bewildered. In other families, people would say, "How dare you talk to your mother like that?" Why was it the other way around in her case?

Xu Jinyan suppressed a laugh and said, "Mom, I haven't even started working yet. I'm only starting next Monday." Then she quickly changed the subject, glancing at her brother, "Um, Yun Ge's back to school, hasn't she started summer vacation yet?"

"Yes, she left this morning," Xu Qian said, then suddenly burst into laughter, laughing so hard he could barely breathe. "Before she left this morning, she said... she said you violated her right to reputation and demanded an explanation from you."

"Hahahaha," everyone laughed so hard they were doubled over.

On the subway back to school, Xu Jinyan was still thinking about what had just happened and couldn't help but grin.

"What's making you happy?"

He was about to blurt out, "My wife is giving birth," but thankfully he managed to hold back.

Xu Jinyan looked at the beautiful, outgoing girl opposite him and expressed her confusion with her eyes.

"Hello senior, I'm Li Meng, a sophomore majoring in vocal performance. I really love your music. Congratulations on your 'Huo Yuanjia' being featured on Zhiyin's recommendation list again." Li Meng was as enthusiastic as ever, looking like she was meeting her idol.

Xu Jinyan smiled and nodded, "Hello, junior." Then she opened her phone and was a little surprised to see that it was indeed on the recommendation list again. This Zhiyin platform is really generous!

Li Meng observed Xu Jinyan's actions and expressions and realized that he seemed to only just find out about this.

This was also the excuse she came up with to strike up a conversation.

There's no other reason than that Xu Jinyan is already a household name at Dongxi Theatre Academy, especially among music-related majors; there's almost no one who hasn't heard of those two songs.

She was very glad that she decided to take the subway back to school tonight, otherwise she would never have run into Xu Jinyan. He's so popular lately. If she could become friends with Xu Jinyan and have him write a song for her... Just thinking about it made her heart race.

Just as she was still imagining going back to school together and having a little flirtation on the way, the bus arrived at the station.

Xu Jinyan smiled and nodded at the girl before leaving, showing no intention of accompanying her.

This fan is so fake. She only thinks about herself and hasn't given him a single bit of emotional value. Even if you're a hater, I'd still like to chat with you for a bit.

It seems his influence is still insufficient.

I'm about to enter the entertainment industry. Although it's a bit ambiguous, wherever there are people, there's a world of intrigue, especially in a place under the spotlight.

As long as he doesn't fall from grace, he'll never lack fans or haters.