Chapter 2
Chapter 2- Two Transactions
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Many came to the funeral . There were famous stars and great directors, which then led to the arrival of obscure celebrities, as well as the reporters that were chasing after their footsteps . Very quickly, this funeral turned into a socializing party .
“Isn’t this strange? She didn’t have this many friends while living, and yet now that she’s dead, there are so many more . ” A familiar voice rang out behind Ning Ning .
Without having to turn around, she knew the owner of the voice .
Chen Guanchao walked to a few steps behind her before bending down to place a white chrysanthemum onto the coffin .
“You turned her into an exhibition . ” He straightened his back from its previous bending position, and turned to face her with a smile .
Ning Ning’s lips moved wordlessly, unable to think of any words of rebuttal because he was right . Someone who was sincerely here to attend their friend’s funeral would never bring along selfie sticks and reporters .
“Oh right,” Chen Guanchao said, “I heard a rumor recently . ”
“A rumor?” Ning Ning asked .
“I heard that you are going to auction your mother’s belongings,” He stared hawk-eyed at her, “including her trophies and underwear . ”
Ning Ning looked at him wide-eyed in disbelief, “Why would I do something like that?”
“You better not do so . ” Chen Guanchao paused momentarily as if he was contemplating something, before continuing finally, “You can come for an audition next week . Although the female lead has already been decided, the supporting role is still undecided . ”
If he had told Ning Ning this news in the beginning, she would have been happy beyond words . However, hearing it now only made her feel humiliated and upset because it felt too much like charity .
“This is not charity . ” He answered as if he could see her thoughts, a scornful smile on his face . “This is a transaction, to put it simply, you keep your mother’s dignity and I give you a chance . ”
Ning Ning stared at him before appearing as if she wanted to speak but was interrupted by her phone ringing . She furrowed her eyebrows at the incalling number, before hurriedly rushing off to the lounge after saying a few words of “apologies” to Chen Guanchao .
“What are you saying?” In the lounge, Ning Ning was simmering in anger, “Mom only just left and you already want to auction her belongings?”
In a luxury store in Hong Kong, an old granny in a leopard print leather coat was currently trying on diamond rings, while a shop attendant held up a phone to her ear . She replied unhurriedly as she admired the shining glimmer on her fingers, “I don’t have enough allowance . ”
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Ning Ning took few deep breaths, “How much do you want?”
“Give me 1 million for now,” Old granny said .
“I just gave you 1 hundred thousand last month and you are asking me for 1 million now?” exclaimed Ning Ning .
“In her younger days, your mom would give me whatever amount I wanted when I asked . ” The old granny replied coldly, “She’s great in all ways except for giving birth to an ungrateful brat like you . I’m only asking you for some allowance and you are giving me this poor attitude . Are you out to piss off your maternal grandmother?”
Ha! To think someone like her exists in this world!
Who in the industry doesn’t know that everything about Ning Yuren is great, except for having a blood sucking vampire-like mom like Cui Hongmei . As a movie empress of a generation, why would she not have any money left for her own medical expenses? Where did it all go? It all went into Cui Hongmei’s luxury leather coats, diamond rings and villas .
“I have no money!” Ning Ning is not as good-tempered like her mom was, “It all went to buy mom’s burial plot at the cemetery!”
“Well that’s fine . ” Cui Hongmei couldn’t care less, “see you at the auction place . ”
Then, she hung up while snorting at her phone, “hmph, you’re years too early to argue with me . ”
When the phone rang again, an attendant looked at Cui Hongmei, who waved her hands . “Don’t bother with her, let her continue calling . What other designs do you still have, bring them all for me to try . ”
On the other side of the phone, Ning Ning raged after her tenth consecutive call went unanswered and her patience had run thin, “Old thief!”
As Cui Hongmei might really stay true to her threat, Ning Ning had to contact the funeral celebrant to end the ceremony quickly, and at the same time, ready an airplane ticket to stop her grandmother .
Thus, the funeral started out of good-intention had ended hastily .
Guests slowly shuffled out of the venue with soft murmurs of complaints . Inside a Bentley, a tall handsome man suddenly spoke, “Dad, don’t you think you were too harsh?”
“What are you trying to imply?” When Chen Guanchao sat down beside him, the driver shut the car door .
The handsome man – Chen Guanchao’s son Chen Shuanghe said bluntly, “You have not even the littlest intention on letting her act in your production . By telling her to come for an audition, you only want her to realize the gap she has between me and other people, then use scene after scene of ‘cut’ to crush her . ”
“You think this is harsh?” Chen Guanchao laughed, “It will be an irresponsibility towards the audience, as well as an insult to actors if I am to allow her to continue in this industry . ”
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“Really?” Chen Shuanghe gave him a long side glance, saying, without holding back, “All I see is a fanboy being irrational . ”
Chen Guanchao was stunned for a moment, before rebutting uncomfortably, “Who are you calling a fanboy!”
“There are so many people that lack acting skills, yet you are only picking on her . ” Chen Shuanghe said bluntly again, “Isn’t it only because, in your eyes, she is a stain on Ning Yuren?”
He stared at him coldly once he finished speaking . This man cried a whole three days at home upon receiving the news of Ning Yuren’s death, as if his own wife had died . No, when his true wife actually died, he didn’t even shed a single tear, nor did he even attend her funeral . When I called him crying, he only replied indifferently , “Wait till I’m done filming . ” In the end, when he finally came back home, mom had long been turned into an earthen jar of bone ash .
Chen Shuanghe ceased his thoughts, turning to look out the car window . Not too far away, a gloomy looking Ning Ning, in a hurried manner, walked past while carrying the earthen jar filled with bone ash . That lone back view bore an uncanny resemblance to him back then . Chen Shuanghe looked at her with complicated emotions, finding her appearance resentful in one moment, and pitiful the next .
In the next moment, the car started moving .
The grey Bentley drove past Ning Ning . Not knowing why, she stopped in her footsteps and turned to glance at him . The two lines of sight met rapidly and left each other just as quickly . Now that his surging emotions were gradually settling down, he could clearly feel more resent . Chen Shuanghe turned his head back around, thinking, The next time we meet, crush her .
Ning Ning didn’t take that momentary glance to heart . After the funeral ended, she was originally supposed to be busy settling issues regarding the cemetery but Granny Cui made her do a complete one-eighty on her plans . Without a choice, she had to temporarily leave her mom’s ashes at home and rush to Hong Kong at her fastest speed…
Welcoming her was a contract .
The contract was placed on the coffee table between Ning Ning and Cui Hongmei who sat opposite one another . The atmosphere was tense .
“Do you know what you are doing?” Ning Ning stated coldly, “You are selling your granddaughter for a cheap price . ”
“No, I think the price is very fair . ” Cui Hongmei sat on a european-styled sofa with legs crossed . Compared to last month, there was now a new huge diamond ring on her finger, “Besides investing in your film career and related movie advertising, Mr . Yang is willing to give me 5 hundred thousand as a monthly allowance . This is beneficial to both you and me . ”
Ning Ning slightly leaned forward to stare at her, “In your heart, I’m only worth this 5 hundred thousand monthly allowance?”
“If you had a talent like your mom’s, of course I wouldn’t have to do this . ” Cui Hongmei took a drag of her cigarette, a puff of smoke then shrouded her face momentarily, “ But do you? Just how long do you think your fresh little pretty face will remain fresh for?”
Ning Ning slowly curled up the fingers placed on her knee . There had always been people putting her down . But, this was the first time she had been hurt this deeply because this was her relative who had entirely disregarded everything about her . Except her physical appearance .
“Right now… I’m indeed no match for mommy . ” Ning Ning pressed her lips together, “but I’ve always worked hard…”
“Forget it . ” Cui Hongmei cut her off, “Yuren only took two years to become widely famous, but you? You’ve already been acting on tv for years . ”
Ning Ning felt indignant and ashamed, she wanted to refute these words with the reasons that times had changed, there were too many actors, audiences preferred looks over acting skills… But all these were mere excuses because in the end, it was all because she wasn’t good enough . If she had her mom’s good looks and acting skills, she would not have to be standing here now .
But at least Cui Hongmei should not be presenting her with such a humiliating contract .
This is just like a knife carving on her heart– you’re useless, you have shit acting skills, you’re only good enough to be a chairman’s mistress after all you’ve put in .
“What if I say no?” Ning Ning asked coldly .
Cui Hongmei leaned back on the sofa, her red lips blood-like and a cigarette held between her fingers, “I already know you have no conscience, but that’s fine, I’ve already contacted an action house . From my initial estimation– those trophies, dancing clothes, underwear, small items etc– added up together will at least bring me 7 to 8 hundred thousand . Barely enough for an old woman like me to live my remaining years . ”
… People might call me unfilial, but if heaven had an event right now, a grandmother to exchange for a mom, I would burn this old woman to death right away!
“I won’t be signing this contract . ” In front of Cui Hongmei’s eyes, Ning Ning picked up the contract and tore it to pieces, “you should spend less time trying to scare me . There’s a part of the inheritance for you and as for me, just your part alone isn’t enough to sell for 8 hundred thousand . ”
“You are deliberately trying to anger me to death! cough, cough ” Cui Hongmei beat her chest in fits of coughs .
Ning Ning did not believe she would die when she was just on a date yesterday with a muscular man, in which she then posted a picture of kissing him on her wechat status .
“Let me give you another option . ” Ning Ning took out a pen and a notebook from her bag, then threw them on the table, “list out all the belongings, and we split half/half . You mark your half with a reasonable price, and I’ll buy them back one by one in future after I’ve earned enough money . ”
Cui Hongmei immediately stopped her coughing fit, snatched up the pen and wrote with fleeting speed in the notebook .
Once the list was done, Ning Ning looked through it . An astronomical amount, especially for personal items like underwear, was set at a high price of hundred thousand per item .
Ning Ning was clear that the most advantageous way to obtain these belongings was to let her auction them, because Ning Yuren was not currently a popular celebrity, afterall, and her underwear would not auction for a high price . However, she did not want to do so . Mummy can’t lose her honor .
She could only clench her teeth and say, “Fine . ”
At this moment, Cui Hongmei was finally satisfied, and facing Ning Ning’s leaving back view, she urged, “You better be quick, I’ve plans for a vacation to Hawaii next month . Can’t be empty-handed then . ”
I know! You said it in your status that you’ll be going on a honeymoon with your muscular man!
Ning Ning’s footsteps faltered for a moment, before leaving quickly .
Ning Ning boarded the plane hurriedly, then got off the plane hurriedly . In the taxi leaving the airport, Ning Ning continuously called and messaged people, begging for jobs – any job is fine, any role is fine, she needed to earn money .
However, influenced by her previous horribly-bashed movie, everyone saw her as box office poison, thus avoiding her like the plague . Her manager called when he got the news, warning her, “If you want to continue in this industry, don’t say things like ‘any job is fine, any role is fine’ just lay low for now . ”
Although her manager’s words were very strict, truthfully speaking, they were all for the well-being of Ning Ning and she herself was aware of this fact . But right now, what she needed was not a well-meaning warning but comforting; even a short “are you okay” would have been fine . However, as a golden manager*, Li Boyue was extremely busy . He has numerous stars under him, and though Ning Ning was one of them, she was not the most important one .
After hanging up, Ning Ning attempted to search for a friend she could open up to among her contacts, when in the end, discovered she only had contact information of work partners . There was no one to even lend her a shoulder to cry on .
In order to become a qualified actor, she had practically sacrificed everything .
She had no friends, no entertainment, no hobby . Only years after years, days after days, of practice and more practice .
So much sacrificed, yet there were no benefits to be reaped at all .
The tears that Ning Ning had held back for a few days finally came gushing down her cheeks . She looked at her image reflected on her phone screen, and could not resist choking up, “Why must you be born into this world when you have no merits …”
She covered her mouth crying uncontrollably, while outside the taxi, rain pelted down . Suddenly, in the midst of the rainwater, an old outdated signboard flashed past .
“Stop here!”
The car pulled on its brakes on the side of the road, and Ning Ning opened the car doors and got out . Without an umbrella, she stood in the unrelenting downpour and looked at the movie theater opposite to where she was standing .
Life Movie Theater .
Uncommon terms:
golden manager* – 金牌经纪人(jīn pái jīng jì rén) the highest grade of managers, title given to managers with high capability . (Resources, connections, etc . ) Basically ability to bring their celebrity to stardom .
Translated by: Ruisi
Edited by: Ely