Chapter 30: Creating Sin

That night, Shen Xian naturally shared a hotel room with Wang Tianqi.

Shen Xian helped Wang Tianqi upload two versions of “You Are My Eyes” to his short video platform. In just an hour, the video’s likes soared past thirty thousand, and his followers grew to over two hundred thousand.

The comments beneath the video were childish.

“This song is wonderful. Adding it to my KTV playlist.”

“Yeah, I want to sing it too. When will the KTV song selection system add this track?”

“And ‘Wait a Minute’—please add that one soon as well!”

“After this competition, you’ll need to sing a few songs that are a bit more mainstream.” Shen Xian scrolled through the comments and said to Wang Tianqi.

Wang Tianqi didn’t understand why Shen Xian wanted him to sing more popular songs, but he nodded. “Alright, I’ll follow your lead.”

Just then, Wang Tianqi’s phone rang. It was Li Xiurong, calling via video.

“Your girlfriend’s calling,” Shen Xian remarked.

Wang Tianqi fumbled with his phone, tapping several times without success, so Shen Xian helped him.

“Xiurong, how have you been lately?” Wang Tianqi spoke gently.

Li Xiurong’s voice came from the other end. “Everything’s fine. I watched your competition—it was excellent.”

Wang Tianqi murmured, “Are you coming back?”

Li Xiurong replied softly, “Do you want me to come back?”

“I do. I think about it every day,” Wang Tianqi said.

Li Xiurong hesitated, then said, “But if I return, you’ll have to pay a certain price.”

Wang Tianqi hurriedly replied, “We’ve been together so long. If there’s something, we should talk about it. Whatever difficulties arise, we’ll face them together.”

Li Xiurong then explained about her family’s matchmaking and the fifty thousand matter.

Shen Xian found himself a bit envious of their relationship. Perhaps it was because they’d been through so much that there was no need for secrecy between them. They spoke openly, hiding nothing.

In any healthy relationship, timely communication is the key to enduring harmony.

Nowadays, many women say, “I won’t tell you—you should just know. You must understand me.” Every time he heard such talk, Shen Xian wanted to slap her.

Would speaking directly kill you?

If you love having boys guess, why not go guess riddles?

So the way Li Xiurong and Wang Tianqi interacted was the right, healthy way.

“Xiurong, wait for me. I’ll earn big money soon, and then I’ll give your mother fifty thousand,” Wang Tianqi said excitedly.

Li Xiurong responded gently, “I’ll wait for you.”

Shen Xian interjected, “How about I lend you fifty thousand first? You can bring Li Xiurong back sooner—it’ll be more convenient to have her care for you. She’s a college graduate, right? Ask her if she’d like to work at my studio as your agent, with a monthly salary of ten thousand.”

Wang Tianqi immediately asked Li Xiurong her thoughts.

After a moment’s hesitation, Li Xiurong had Wang Tianqi hand the phone to Shen Xian. “Wouldn’t this put you in a difficult position?”

“How could it?” Shen Xian replied. “Wang Tianqi is my gold mine now.”

Upon hearing this, Li Xiurong and Wang Tianqi’s gratitude toward Shen Xian deepened.

If it were any other boss, they might say, “Your popularity is all thanks to me—don’t forget where you came from.” But Shen Xian simply called Wang Tianqi his gold mine.

That’s the art of language.

It’s also why so many people enjoy working with Shen Xian.

“Thank you, Mr. Shen,” Li Xiurong said gratefully.

“Alright, just give me an account number and I’ll transfer it now,” Shen Xian said.

After transferring the money, Shen Xian left the room, giving Wang Tianqi and Li Xiurong time alone to talk.

He walked up to the hotel rooftop, gazing over the city’s nightscape.

“Can’t sleep?” Ning Cai appeared behind him, though he hadn’t noticed her arrival.

Shen Xian felt especially uneasy facing Ning Cai now—afraid she might misunderstand and think he liked her. If she became convinced, changing her mind would be difficult. In other words, this woman loved to fixate on things, stubborn and rigid.

“Just needed some air,” Shen Xian said. “You too, can’t sleep?”

“I’ve got something on my mind.” Ning Cai seemed to have showered, wearing a white dress with damp hair, standing beside him. A subtle fragrance drifted to Shen Xian’s nose.

It was pleasant.

“I don’t quite understand,” Shen Xian said.

Ning Cai was surprised. “What do you mean?”

Shen Xian explained, “Why would a wealthy, beautiful, independent, and capable woman have worries? I honestly can’t imagine what troubles come with money—it’s like ancient farmers wondering if the emperor’s hoe is made of gold.”

Ning Cai’s voice was cool. “Every family has its own difficulties.”

Shen Xian sat down. “If you don’t mind, Ms. Ning, you can tell me about it. Maybe I can help.”

The help he meant was to offer comfort, speak platitudes with no practical use, pour out motivational words. After all, when people are powerless, they can only offer verbal consolation.

For example, if a girl says, “I’m struggling, I want to cry, work isn’t going well, it’s tiring, and I have no money.”

You reply, “It’ll get better. Hardships are only temporary. Sunshine always follows the storm.”

Is that what she wants to hear? She wants to see real action.

What she wants to hear is, “Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Here’s a million—spend it as you wish.”

That would truly ease her mind.

Chicken soup for the soul may be cliché, but it’s free. Just a few words—why dip into your pocket?

So Shen Xian’s offer of help really meant only verbal support.

To his surprise, Ning Cai’s eyes lit up. “You’re willing to help?”

Shen Xian immediately regretted it, wishing he could slap himself. Ning Cai certainly wasn’t short on money, so her request for help was almost certainly about relationships!

Sure enough, Ning Cai said, “My family arranged a marriage for me, but I don’t like it. Will you pretend to be my boyfriend? Let my parents see, so they’ll stop bothering me.”

Wow, how familiar—and cliché—was this plot.

Shen Xian had no energy to complain, only managing to ask timidly, “Is… is this appropriate?”

“It’s perfectly appropriate,” Ning Cai said.

“Is your father easy to get along with?” Shen Xian asked.

“He’s an old fossil, very rigid, but not hard to deal with,” Ning Cai said. “Don’t worry, you won’t be helping for nothing. After the meeting, I’ll terminate our contract early—you’ll regain your freedom.”

“Will your matchmaking partner try to hit me?” Shen Xian asked.

“He’s not a matchmaking partner,” Ning Cai replied.

Shen Xian was stunned. “Then who?”

“My fiancé.”

Shen Xian felt thunderstruck. “Ms. Ning, I really can’t do this. Wrecking someone’s engagement is asking for lightning to strike me.”

“Aren’t you supposed to like me? Would you really let me be happy with another man?” Ning Cai frowned.

Shen Xian: …

When did I ever say I liked you?

When did I ever say that!

Shen Xian was on the verge of collapse, unable to speak before Ning Cai turned and left. “Alright, you’ve already agreed. I’ll let you know when it’s time.”

Shen Xian stomped his feet, his body twisted and his face contorted. “What a disaster!”