My Landlord is an Idol Singer - Chapter 178

“Hello.” Xia An’ge smiled politely. She knew this was Gu Zhinan’s close friend.

“H–Hello.” Lai Jingming’s nerves instantly tightened.

“Xia An’ge???” Situ Hongwei also stood up, still chewing the food in his mouth. He hurriedly swallowed it and stared at the girl in front of him. She was wearing a woolen mid-length coat, looking both elegant and aloof.

“You’re really Xia An’ge?!” Situ Hongwei blurted out again, then realized his gaffe and quickly covered his mouth. But the people from Natural Entertainment nearby had already heard him, and one by one they all crowded around.

“Wow! It really is you! I love your songs so much!” Yun Yinxue stepped forward excitedly, staring closely at this girl whom the Legend of Sword and Fairy fans called the “cooler, aloof version of Zhao Ling’er.” Indeed, her aura was extraordinary!

Xia An’ge gave everyone a sweet smile, but when she didn’t see Gu Zhinan, her brows knitted slightly. She turned to Lai Jingming. “Where’s Gu Zhinan?”

“H–He had something to do. He’ll head straight to Hangcheng TV station tonight.” Lai Jingming’s eyes flickered evasively. Even though this was only his second time meeting Xia An’ge, he had already guessed earlier that this landlord definitely had feelings for Zhinan. Now that she had come here in person, it confirmed it.

The springtime of an iron straight man could actually bring forth a fairy like this? Sinful!

“What matters? Can you tell me?” Xia An’ge looked at him with some confusion. Why was he avoiding her eyes? Lai Jingming scratched his head, clearly conflicted. Xia An’ge grew more suspicious. Just where had Gu Zhinan gone?

“You can’t tell me?” Xia An’ge’s expression dimmed. She had originally wanted to surprise him.

“Brother Situ, why don’t you let the crew take a break? We still have shooting this afternoon.” Lai Jingming turned to Situ Hongwei. Situ nodded, dispersing the staff. Some of them had hoped to get an autograph photo, and left reluctantly.

But recalling what Gu Zhinan had promised, that Xia An’ge would sign for them later, and guessing that maybe she and Director Lai were here to discuss the theme song, they backed off obediently.

Once the others had left, Lai Jingming finally looked up at Xia An’ge’s peach-blossom eyes, which were full of confusion, and muttered a few words carefully. “Zhinan went on a blind date.”

“What?!” Xia An’ge’s composure instantly shattered, her voice rising. Her peach-blossom eyes widened in disbelief. “Really?”

“Mm… just half an hour ago.” Lai Jingming could already feel the chill in the air. He wanted to run. Why was it that Zhinan got to enjoy life while he had to suffer for it?!

“Where is he?” Xia An’ge’s tone was calm, but Lai Jingming could clearly hear the coldness hidden within it. He stammered, “Hangcheng CBD, a coffee shop in the talent center.”

After hearing this, Xia An’ge turned and left. Lai Jingming could only pray that Gu Zhinan had the sense to finish quickly and escape. “What’s wrong with An’ge-jie?”

Ruan Ying saw Xia An’ge’s frosty face. She wasn’t even bothering with a mask now, and that puzzled her. Plus, she hadn’t seen Teacher Gu anywhere.

“I’ll take you into the city first. Head to the hotel near Hangcheng TV station. I’ve got something to do.” Xia An’ge’s gentle voice left Ruan Ying flustered. It had been ages since she had seen An’ge-jie with this kind of expression. She quickly nodded, not daring to press further.

Could it be because of Teacher Gu?

Through the window, she glanced at the nervous, trembling fat man outside. Her small face was full of doubt. The car suddenly felt like the temperature had dropped several degrees.

“Xia An’ge and Zhinan’s relationship doesn’t seem ordinary?” Situ Hongwei was both puzzled and shocked. The rising star had immediately changed her mood upon hearing Zhinan was on a blind date.

“I noticed too.” Yun Yinxue had somehow reappeared, trailing several new actors behind her, including Chen Yuze and Meng Xingye. All of them wore gossiping expressions.

Lai Jingming scratched his head, sighed, and admitted vaguely, “It’s pretty much what you’re thinking. Not just a simple work relationship. But I don’t know the exact details.”

Everyone exchanged knowing looks.

In Hangcheng’s city center, Gu Zhinan had placed his guitar by his side. He had already finished one cup of coffee. Honestly, Banlangen (herb tea) tasted better.

It was now 1:30 p.m., and his blind date, Wu Dandan, still hadn’t shown up. He decided to wait ten more minutes. If she didn’t come, he’d just forget it ever happened and tell his mother he had tried. 

But after five minutes, a girl in formal business attire suddenly sat across from him, waving for the waiter. “One Blue Mountain coffee, lightly sweetened.”

Gu Zhinan studied the girl’s heavy makeup, compared it to the photo. After a second look, yep, probably the same person. “Wu Dandan?”

Wu Dandan took one look at Gu Zhinan’s delicate features and clear eyes, and immediately made her judgment. So this was the so-called online novelist she had heard about from her family.

A small-time writer, probably a shut-in, she thought. Otherwise, how could someone like him make tens of thousands a year just writing at home? “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Mm, yes. Thirty-five minutes late.” Gu Zhinan smiled lightly, his tone casual.

“Work was busy.” Her expression carried a clear trace of disdain and arrogance. After all, she was a Canadian-educated returnee with a master’s degree, working as an executive in Hangcheng’s CBD, earning hundreds of thousands annually.

Whenever she went on dates, she was always treated like a princess. And this novelist’s income? Unstable. Maybe okay for a short-term fling, but for the long-term? She already had her sights set on a certain deputy manager at her company.

In her eyes, Gu Zhinan was already classified as the “licking dog” type.

“I understand.” He nodded. She had shown up. That was enough for him to wrap this up.

“You’re Gu Zhinan, right?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have a car?”

“No, I don’t even have a driver’s license.”

“You’re twenty-two and still don’t have one? Don’t own a car?”

“Then do you live in Hangcheng? Planning to buy a place here?”

“I rent in Lin City. As for the future… don’t know. I don’t have money.” He answered truthfully.

“So your family only has that one old house in Ningnan? And you’ll probably end up going back there?”

“Maybe, but not necessarily.”

Her eyes flashed with disgust. To her, he looked like a man with no ambition. Not even worth a fling. “Well, you’re decent looking.”

“You too.” He replied blandly. Yep, definitely as big as in the photo.

“Your mom said you’re a novelist making 500,000 a year?”

“About that. Though right now I’m in debt, around two million.” He grinned.

“Two… two million?!” She almost trembled with shock, staring wide-eyed. “How can a novelist owe two million?”

“Just… happened by chance.” He didn’t bother explaining. No way. Judging by her face, she’d storm off the next second anyway. If not for saving his mom’s face, he would’ve walked already.

She sneered coldly, adjusted her posture, and waited until her Blue Mountain coffee arrived before speaking again. “You should already know my background. But let me introduce myself.”

“Go ahead.” He nodded. Might as well finish the formalities.

“I’m twenty-four, just returned from Canada with a master’s degree. Been back about a month. I’m an executive in a company here, with an annual salary of around 800,000. My car’s not expensive, just a Mercedes. I’m currently looking to buy a place in Hangcheng, already shortlisted a few. My monthly spending isn’t much, around forty to fifty thousand, sometimes thirty to forty. Tell me, how many of my conditions do you meet? Or how many of my expectations can you satisfy?”

“Uh…”

“Speechless?”

“Yes.”

“As expected. Someone like me, a high-quality woman, going on a blind date with you, you should already be grateful. But think carefully whether you even deserve this chance. This isn’t just some joke your parents arranged for fun.”

Gu Zhinan nodded seriously. “Miss High-Quality Woman, I completely agree with what you just said.”

“Heh.” She could tell he was a bit defiant. Her eyes drifted toward the guitar by his side.

“You play music too? Can you even play that?”

“I know a little.” 

She sneered, stretching out her foot to nudge it, but he immediately picked it up, eyes flashing with disgust.

“Please don’t touch my guitar. It’s expensive. I only came here today to go through the motions, give my mother and your mother some face. Beyond that, I had no expectations. For someone like you, a so-called high-quality woman, I could never measure up.”

“Heh, a mere novelist, what’s with the arrogance? Have you even worked in a real company? Do you know that people with your so-called 500,000 annual income are a dime a dozen where I work? Do you realize how much precious time I wasted coming here? The deputy manager in my department is my real boyfriend. Who do you think you are? I thought maybe I’d keep you as a backup, but you’re not even worthy!”

Her disdain overflowed. This was just a loser who wrote online novels. Why did he act proud? She’d crush him, show him what the real world looked like!

“Oh. Then please tell your mother we’re not suitable.” He nodded. She was right. They weren’t from the same world. A “high-quality woman” like her, he couldn’t reach that high.

Just then, as he turned, he froze.

Right behind him stood a furious little face, peach-blossom eyes locked tightly on Wu Dandan.