Bab 23: Idiot
Early in the morning, before the sun had even risen, AnLing had already awoken and arrived at her artist, Ning Jie's, house along with another assistant, Lin Li and Manager Hong.
Despite only being two assistants and a manager, they all wore elegant clothing as to not be a burden on Ning Jie's image on this special day but not beautiful enough to overshadow her.
Today was finally the day that all the young stars were waiting for.
The day they would be able to experience their 15 minutes of fame or more.
Everybody knew that they needed to be perfect. It was great publicity for the new stars and so the majority of them planned to come to the building early, get their make up done and demonstrate their good sides only.
Everyone also needed to be well behaved.
Which in itself was easy because Ning Jie was, despite not an exceptional beauty, the queen of calmness and serenity.
When she wasn't in her house of course…
At this time of day, Ning Jie was sound asleep. They all knew this for a fact. But being her Manager and longtime friend, Manager Hong opened the door without a second thought and allowed herself and the two assistants in without worrying that Ning Jie would be angry.
She knew she wouldn't be either way, in fact, being the lazy and laid back person she was, Ning Jie would accept it with open arms.
As long as she didn't have to make the effort to open the door herself, it was a win-win.
Once inside, the three girls made themselves at home. AnLing, being the newest member of their team, went to go make some coffee. All of them needed it. Last night it had been hard for her to sleep.
In less than a week her life had changed in the slightest of ways. All because of a man and a boy. AnLing knew they were both attached to her but she couldn't quite tell if this was a good thing. A part of her wanted to avoid them, but another part of her could see no harm in it.
It's not like the Lu's weren't rich. They also hung out with a lot of the rich entourage so even if she did get close to Kang Jun, it's not like she wouldn't understand the lifestyle.
Though there were many things AnLing didn't know about Kang Jun.
Those things went against everything she had been trying to avoid; trouble. But she didn't think about that. At that moment, AnLing's mind was filled with a new found enjoyment for the life she was living. So much so that her aura was slowly beginning to change.
As she made coffee, there was a spring in AnLings step.
From the bedroom, light snoring could be heard.
Manager Hong quickly entered Ning Jie's bedroom and ripped the silk covers off the girl exposing the beautiful skin of her ankles and wrists. Other than that she was fully covered in matching sating pajamas.
"Ah Jie, wake your ass up." Manager Hong said, hitting the girl softly with a pillow. In bed, Ning Jie turned and tried to go back to sleep.
'Here we go again…' AnLing thought as she arranged the coffee on the table and then took a seat on the sofa.
At the door Lin Li watched, taking mental notes, as Manager Hong literally pulled Ning Jie out of bed.
With a loud 'bang' she fell to the floor.
Ning Jie groaned.
"Can't you be a little nicer. I am an artist, after all."
"You're a singer and a songwriter. You're not a model. Who cares about a few little cuts and bruises."
Ning Jie did of course.
"If you don't take care of me properly, I'll complain and get you fired." Ning Jie pouted as she laid on her butt on the hard floor.
Though despite her words being potent, she didn't mean a single word. Manager Hong knew that well. They had been friends for half their lives after all, which is why she didn't bother taking it seriously.
"Yes, yes. I'll remember to be gentler next time. Now stop being a special snowflake and go shower, or else we will be late."
Ning Jie did as Manager Hong said.
Once in the shower, AnLing could bet that the girl would treat herself with utmost care as if she was a porcelain doll.
For the little time, AnLing had known Ning Jie, she knew that she hated having any type of blemish on her milky white skin. It was one of the traits that made her seem youthful. One blemish could end her.
Though this was the girls own self-centredness talking, AnLing couldn't blame the girl's train of thought.
Ning Jie's assumption about the industry was, for the most part, right but Manager Hong was even more right. The girl wasn't a model or an actress, so no one expected her to take care of herself as well as she did. It was she who put that much pressure upon herself.
"What time is it?" Manager Hong asked no one in particular.
AnLing checked her phone.
She was about to answer Manager Hong but just as she was about to open her mouth a voice behind her spoke,
"5:30," Lin Li said.
Manager Hong smiled at Lin Li and Lin Li smiled back. Meanwhile, AnLing sat on the couch staring at her phone.
Since their chat yesterday, Kang Jun had texted AnLing incessantly. She was becoming so used to seeing a message from him that she was beginning to look forward to them.
Seeing that Lin Li hovered behind her and didn't seem to have the intention of moving, AnLing put her phone away.
She didn't want Lin Li to see the messages sent by Kang Jun. If she did, AnLing knew that Lin Li would scold her.
When another assistant, that they both knew, had gotten a boyfriend. Lin Li had snakily commented on how dating had too big of an effect on work and reprimanded the girl for not having her artists best interests at heart.
And despite the fact that she wasn't dating Kang Jun, AnLing had to admit that their texts could be seen as ambiguous to the eyes of a bystander.
Heck, if they saw the messages about Mingyu they might even assume that AnLing had a child with the man and they were arranging times to meet.
She couldn't have that.
Getting impatient, Manager Hong knocked on the bathroom door.
"Ning Jie, hurry up, if you don't finish quickly I'm going to break the door down and drag you out by your hair."
AnLing smirked slightly but she noticed Lin Li frown.
Lin Li didn't like Manager Hong's unprofessionalism but it couldn't be helped since they were best friends and because Ning Jie was quite... special.
Manager Hong kept banging annoyingly at the door until Ning Jie opened it.
The girl's short hair was slightly wet and she held her phone in her hand. Though other than her hair, her skin was completely dry. She was texting someone, not caring about Manager Hong who stood in front of her.
This time, all the girls in the room frowned.
"You, how long have you been finished?" Manager Hong asked, but Ning Jie just walked by her and straight into her room to change. She didn't look up from her phone.
Once she was done changing she came out into the living room. Manager Hong gave her a mask and they quickly went outside to enter the van.
They had to take Ning Jie's coffee to go.
The sun had risen higher in the sky by then and it was inching itself forwards into the middle. That day was supposed to be a hot day and so everyone's clothing was pretty loose fitting and light. Ning Jie's especially. She wore a beige asymmetrical dress, with sandals that contrasted perfectly with her blemish-free skin. It made her look really pure and down to earth.
Manager Hong looked at Ning Jie with a displeased expression. Usually, she would have been pleased that the girl had tried harder with her appearance but it was strange how she didn't lift her head up from her phone.
"Ning Ning…" Manager Hong started softly.
Hearing her friend/manager call her Ning Ning, Ning Jie grunted but made no move to raise her head from her phone.
Lin Li and AnLing traded expressions of worry.
Manager Hong: "Who are you on the phone with?"
Ning Jie: "My boyfriend."
The van went quiet all of a sudden.
Manager Hong: "... Your what?"
"Are you deaf. I said, my boyfriend." Ning Jie didn't mince her words.
Manager Hong felt her head heat up and go fuzzy but she tried her hardest to remain calm. "When did you start dating?"
Ning Jie paused to text something and then said,
"Last week."
AnLing pinched the bridge of her nose while Lin Li leaned back into her chair, with a blank expression.
"Another one…" Manager Hong sighed out.
If AnLing wasn't mistaken, last week was when they'd gone to the company gathering get together. There weren't many men there, to begin with, but it wasn't hard to peek Ning Jie's fancy
At that moment, Ning Jie had brought her attention fully to her phone. A girlish smile appeared on her face.
She didn't know what was coming to her, or maybe she did but she didn't care.
Both AnLing and Lin Li prepped their ears. They were about to be assaulted. They looked at each other unsure if they were angry at Ning Jie or angry at themselves for believing the day would go off without a hitch.
It was still early and they hadn't even gotten to the Halo Stars building yet but already, they could feel that it was going to be a long day.
Though their thoughts were cut short by a screamed.
"You idiot!"
Manager Hong couldn't hold herself back anymore.
"Couldn't you just wait until this week was over? Don't you know how important today is? Can't you survive without having a boyfriend for a week?! Time and time again you make me really want to slap you. I forbid you from texting him. Give me your phone."
Manager Hong didn't reach for the phone right away. She just drove with one hand and left the other outstretched.
Ning Jie turned to look at Manager Hong for the first time and sneered.
"I can't just give it to you. I'm talking to him right now. Do you know who he is?"
Manager Hong rolled her eyes.
"The fact that you aren't telling me straight out already means he isn't important enough!"
Ning Jie's face paled.
AnLing would have laughed if her ears weren't throbbing.
After a bit of back and forth banter, Ning Jie, on the verge of tears, finally handed Manager Hong her phone. She couldn't win against Manager Hong, she was like an elder sister.
For the rest of the ride to Halo Stars, Ning Jie pouted, but it was for the best.
At the building, AnLing and Lin Li stepped out of the van first. Straight away Lin Li went to open the door for Ning Jie while AnLing went to check on Manager Hong, who was still breathing hard. The anger still obvious on her small face.
"You okay?" AnLing whispered.
It took a while but finally, Manager Hong replied, "If I keep working for her, I'm going to die young."
That was true... AnLing couldn't lie.
As they walked to the door, AnLing gazed at Ning Jie.
Compared to the brattiness she demonstrated in the car, the Ning Jie of the present wore a blank expression and walked greeting the people politely as they passed by.
There were a couple of reporters here and there and some stopped to speak to Ning Jie who smiled and answered their questions as earnestly as possible, making sure to keep the serene aura which most of her fame came from.
Despite her age, to the public, she displayed calmness and maturity which seemed to be really appealing to men and women alike.
By the way she acted at present, one would not have been able to tell that she had had a fight with Manager Hong in the car, just moments ago.
Manager Hong, on the other hand, was a bit of a reck, compared to her normal standards. Her eyes were slightly red and her lip slightly quivered but she tried her best to breathe herself back to sanity.
When Ning Jie was done talking to the reporter, the four girls walked inside the building.
AnLing held the door for them and then walked in right after. Feeling her phone vibrate, AnLing looked at it and to her surprise, she saw a message from Kang Jun but just as she was going to enter her password someone crashed into her shoulder.
"Sorry." AnLing hurried to say and slightly bow.
She began to raise her head, but before she did, a familiar voice said.
"You… What are you doing here?"
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
caremel
caremel For a couple of chapters, it'll focus on AnLing's work days. As much as Kang Jun wishes for it, AnLing can't spend 24 hours a day and 7 days a week with him.
Kang Jun will appear later on tho.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone