06 Bribing Xia Yao, Winning Over Xue Bin  

Shen Nanqiao knew that with her charm, if she tried to get close to a lesbian, there was a chance they might fall for her. But for some reason, she didn’t dislike the idea—in fact, she was even a bit curious.  

Every time she thought of the wedding-crashing video, where Fan Chen looked hysterical hating someone, she couldn’t help but wonder: what would that ice-cold face look like if she liked someone? Or, what would it feel like to be liked by her?  

If she really could charm Aunt Fan, why would she worry about her not giving in? And even if she couldn’t charm her, getting close couldn’t hurt. Move her with emotion, move her with emotion—whatever kind of “emotion” it was, as long as it could sway her and make her change her mind, it didn’t matter if it was love, friendship, or even gratitude!  

With such shameless thoughts, Shen Nanqiao added Fan Chen on WeChat. She excitedly clicked on her profile to check out her posts, only to find that she’d been blocked from seeing Fan Chen’s Moments.  

Aside from a sunset photo as her artsy profile picture, there was nothing else.  

Fan Chen sent a photo of the sunglasses first and added a short message: “Come pick them up as soon as you can.”  

“Nan-jie’s schedule is packed lately, so maybe next week,” Shen Nanqiao replied.  

“No need for her to come in person. Aren’t you her assistant? You can come instead.”  

“Tsk—does she hate seeing me that much?” Shen Nanqiao muttered to herself, typing furiously: “She can’t work without me around. I can’t get away for now!”  

After a moment of hesitation, Fan Chen finally replied: “Fine, send me a message before coming.”  

“Got it.”  

After putting her phone down, Shen Nanqiao suddenly remembered and told Yang Xiaodong, “Don’t tell Liu-jie about me using a side account to contact Fan Chen.”  

“Oh, got it.”  

Seeing how serious she looked, Yang Xiaodong couldn’t hold back his curiosity and asked, “What’s the plan here, Nan-jie?”  

Shen Nanqiao rested one hand against the car window, propped her head up, squinted her eyes, and mused, “Winning her over.”  

“Ahem…” Yang Xiaodong was startled and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “What did you just say?”  

“Why do you care so much? Anyway, find me someone who knows Fan Chen. I need to dig up some information. No friends or family—someone willing to spill secrets. Money’s not an issue, but the person has to be trustworthy.”  

“Someone who knows her but isn’t a friend or family?” Yang Xiaodong thought about it carefully, and suddenly his eyes lit up as he grinned. “I know who you mean.”  

Shen Nanqiao blinked. “Who?”  

“Zhang Jie! Nine years together—she must know her well, right?”  

Shen Nanqiao rolled her eyes. “Not her.”  

“Why not?”  

“I don’t like her.”  

“You’ve never even met her. How can you say that—”  

“Ugh, you wouldn’t understand! It’s women’s intuition.”  

That reason… Yang Xiaodong was stunned for a moment and then smiled helplessly. “Fine, I’ll go ask my old classmate.”  

“Mm.” Shen Nanqiao lowered her seat back, sighed deeply, and closed her eyes. “Read me my schedule for the next week.”  

Yang Xiaodong opened the memo app on his phone, scanned it briefly, and instantly recalled the schedule.  

“Tomorrow morning, you’ll meet with the Yaleio team to discuss details and officially sign the contract. In the afternoon, there’s a photoshoot. In the evening, you’ll record *The Life of a Celebrity*. From Wednesday to Friday, you’ll shoot the main ad and microfilms for the product series. Saturday is Mr. Shen’s birthday party, and Sunday is the orphanage…”  

Hearing “Mr. Shen’s birthday party,” Shen Nanqiao’s eyes flew open, and she suddenly sat up. “Who said I’m going to Shen Shichang’s birthday party?”  

“Liu-jie said so…”  

“Busybody!” Shen Nanqiao lay back down, looking annoyed.  

Yang Xiaodong gave an awkward laugh. “Just treat it as a day off…”  

Shen Nanqiao turned away angrily and ignored him. Yang Xiaodong glanced at her shoulder blades and sighed, adjusting the car’s air conditioning to sleep mode.  

The car drove all the way back to the city center. By the time they arrived at Shen Nanqiao’s upscale apartment, it was past eight in the evening. As soon as Shen Nanqiao got home, she went upstairs to video chat with Liu Haiyan.  

Meanwhile, Yang Xiaodong put down all the bags, grabbed a cold beer from the fridge, and took a refreshing sip that chilled him to his core. Sitting cross-legged on the wooden floor and leaning against the sofa, he opened his laptop and started pestering his old classmate.  

“Help, I need help!”  

His classmate immediately replied with three question marks: “Again? What is it this time? Don’t tell me you got rejected by her again?”  

“How did you know?”  

“Ha, predictable.”  

“Anyway… that’s why I’m coming to you~”

“What do you want? Don’t come near me!”  

“Relax, I just need some info. I’m not going to eat you.”  

“Come on, big guy! I’ve already told you everything I know. What more do you want?”  

“No, no, this time is different. The boss wants to find someone who knows her. Introduce me to them, and the rest is none of your business.”  

“What? Seriously? Finding someone who knows her? Are you trying to ruin her completely?”  

“You’re overthinking it! Do I look like the type to do something shady? My boss just wants to know her preferences to figure out how to cater to her tastes.”  

“I don’t buy it!”  

“If the person is reliable, you can pick any four-digit camera lens you want.”  

“Fine, reliable!”  

“Tch—what a racket.” Yang Xiaodong chuckled and grabbed his beer from the coffee table, slowly sipping while waiting for a reply.  

“Fifteen minutes later, Hunting Bar.”  

A sip of beer nearly sprayed out of his mouth. “Tonight?”  

“Yep. Stop whining. We just wrapped up work, so we’re swinging by for a sit-down.”  

Seeing “wrapped up work,” Yang Xiaodong instantly felt uneasy. He quickly asked, “The person you’re introducing isn’t your boss, is it?”  

“Bro, don’t worry. I wouldn’t dare bring up that name in front of her. But why did you even think that?”  

“Good, good… Nothing. I’ll be there soon.”  

“Hurry up!”  

At the bar counter, a young man with brown hair, slouched in a baggy T-shirt, cargo pants, and canvas shoes, looked bored as he fiddled with his transparent glass cup. His face showed traces of fatigue.  

Turning his head, the girl with straight bangs next to him smiled, squinting her eyes. Her goofy grin was occasionally interrupted by glances toward the entrance, watching every person who walked in.  

Xue Bin pointed at the time on his phone screen, his face full of impatience. “Miss Xia, is your friend coming or not? It’s already late.”  

Xia Yao hurriedly grabbed him, forcefully shoving a cup of alcohol into his hand. “Come on, come on, they’ll be here soon! Let’s have a drink first!”  

“Men and women shouldn’t touch. Show some respect.” Xue Bin pushed her hand away and took a sip with a frown. “Five more minutes. If they don’t show, I’m leaving.”  

“You!” If it weren’t for that new camera lens!  

Xia Yao suppressed a string of curses that had risen to her lips, glared at him, and muttered, “Fine, fine—five minutes it is!”  

Xue Bin stared at Xia Yao’s puffed-up, dumpling-like face, frowned for a few seconds, and then suddenly burst out laughing. “Let me guess… There’s no friend, is there?”  

“Huh?”  

“You said all this just to get me to come out here, didn’t you?” A strange smile slowly spread across his face.  

Xia Yao’s eyes widened like saucers, momentarily speechless. “Me? You?”  

Xue Bin instantly crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back dramatically, eyeing her with a smirk. “Sorry, I’m not into chubby girls.”  

“Go get your illness treated!”  

Squinting his eyes with a sharp smile, he flashed his tiger teeth. “But I’d consider adopting you as my kid~”  

Just then, Xia Yao noticed a figure at the entrance. She glared at Xue Bin, tossed out a hasty “I’m done talking to you,” and jumped off her chair to rush toward the newcomer. Xue Bin’s gaze followed her as she went, and when he turned, he saw a tall, slim young man apologetically responding to Xia Yao’s scolding.  

Looking feminine—no wonder he was late. Xue Bin couldn’t help but sigh. He had planned to mock the newcomer, but seeing such a delicate “girl,” he didn’t have the heart to scold.  

As the person was about to look at him, Xue Bin quickly turned his gaze away.  

Yang Xiaodong glanced in the direction Xia Yao pointed: brown curls, a sharp jawline, and a side profile that seemed slightly temperamental.  

Walking over, he felt uncharacteristically nervous. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”  

Xia Yao sat between them and introduced, “Yang Xiaodong, my high school classmate.”  

“My coworker, Xue Bin.”  

Xue Bin tilted his head, pushed the poured drink toward Yang Xiaodong, and said expressionlessly, “Just call me Bin-ge.”  

Without hesitation, Yang Xiaodong accepted the glass and smiled as he nodded. “Bin-ge.”  

Xia Yao couldn’t help grinning wildly. Two handsome guys sitting together—too much temptation for a fangirl! A charming “wolf pup” and a gentle “white rabbit”—how could she resist?  

Who knows how long she had been dreaming of this moment?  

Noticing Xia Yao’s bizarre smile, Xue Bin frowned. “What’s wrong with your face? Muscle spasm?”  

Yang Xiaodong coughed awkwardly. Knowing Xia Yao, she was probably daydreaming about that… Ever since he came out to her during his drunk heartbreak last year, she had been fixated on his love life.  

Usually ready to retaliate against Xue Bin’s mockery, this time Xia Yao wasn’t fazed by his sarcasm. She laughed politely and said, “Since I’ve brought him here, I don’t need to stick around. You guys chat.”  

“Hey?” Big sis! This isn’t a blind date—what do you mean unnecessary?  

Turning to see Xue Bin’s confused expression, Yang Xiaodong lowered his head, coughed twice, and awkwardly scratched his nose.  

“She’s leaving already?” Xue Bin was stunned. Watching Xia Yao’s swiftly retreating figure and then looking at Yang Xiaodong beside him, he had no idea what game they were playing.  

“You wanted to talk to me?”  

Yang Xiaodong nodded, turned to face him, and said seriously, “I heard from Xia Yao that you used to be Fan Chen’s assistant.”  

“Fan Chen?” Hearing the name, Xue Bin turned to face him, resting one hand on the bar counter as he spun his drink. Staring at Yang Xiaodong’s fair face, he said, “So what?”