Zhao Yan reached into his pocket and produced a lollipop, handing it to An Bao with a warm smile as he tried to get on her good side: "You must be... Mu Yunshang's little niece, An Bao, right? I'm his manager — you can call me Uncle Zhao. It's our first meeting and I don't have anything proper to give you, so here's this lollipop. It was meant for the little boy back home, but now it's yours, An Bao."
An Bao glanced at the lollipop, her little face flickering with hesitation, but she shook her head all the same. "An Bao can't take it. And besides, Uncle doesn't have a little brother at home—only a little sister. You lied to An Bao."
"Uh…" Zhao Yan was momentarily stunned. Watching An Bao's utterly certain expression, he felt somewhat helpless.
That rascal boy of his was nowhere near daughter material, no matter how you looked at him! He had wanted a daughter, sure enough… but fate just hadn't seen fit to grant him one, had it?
But now Zhao Yan clearly had an ulterior motive, so he laughed with a cheerful grin: "Alright, alright, alright — anyway, this lollipop is yours. Uncle Zhao wasn't trying to be mean just now, it's just that… this endorsement deal is far too important to your uncle, so I got a little anxious for a moment and…"
"Is that endorsement really so important?" An Bao thought of the disappointment that had flickered through Mu Yunshang's eyes just moments ago, and asked with quiet earnestness.
"Of course it matters — do you have any idea how many top-tier celebrities are fighting over that endorsement deal? Your uncle may look like he's at the height of his career right now, but the entertainment industry can change in the blink of an eye. Without enough works to his name… sigh…"
At these words, Zhao Yan let out a genuine, heartfelt sigh.
There are too many newcomers in the entertainment industry!
Every year they spring up like bamboo shoots after rain.
Moreover, every entertainment company was desperately training trainees. In short…
Staying perpetually popular in the entertainment industry is far easier said than done.
Though Mu Yunshang's reputation had already grown exceedingly renowned, there was still one more step he needed to take.
Otherwise… sooner or later, one would fade into obscurity among the masses.
After hearing Zhao Yan's words, An Bao asked in a half-understanding, half-puzzled way, "So what's an endorsement?"
"Being an endorser means taking lots of beautiful photos, then showing them to everyone."
"Oh… so if An Bao doesn't help Third Uncle take photos together, no one will like Third Uncle anymore — is that right?"
"Mm, right, so — An Bao, do you want to help your Third Uncle or not?"
Zhao Yan's words carried a hint of flattery, but An Bao couldn't help stepping back two paces, her brow furrowed as she said: "Uncle, you're just like the Big Bad Wolf! You're trying to trick An Bao."
"Liar! Liar!" Xiao Fengfeng, perched atop An Bao's head, immediately chimed in with the scolding.
“……”
Zhao Yan's mouth twitched. He glanced at the tiny, ferociously adorable little dumpling, then at that parrot which seemed to have cultivated a spirit of its own, feeling rather helpless.
This seems… not exactly easy to bluff.
But he knew Mu Yunshang's temperament all too well — once a decision was made, there was no changing it. The man was stubborn to the bone.
With that do-as-she-pleases personality of hers, if it weren't for the Mu family... she would have crashed and burned in the entertainment industry long ago.
Just as Zhao Yan was growing despondent, An Bao suddenly said, "Even though Uncle Zhao is lying to An Bao, Uncle Zhao isn't a bad person — Uncle Zhao is doing it for Third Uncle's sake. So An Bao has decided to help Uncle Zhao."
The moment Zhao Yan heard An Bao's words, he lit up with excitement and nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, yes! It's wonderful that you can help, An Bao. When your Third Uncle comes out, cry to him, roll around on the floor if you have to, and make him agree to endorse HIT — sound good?"
An Bao heard Zhao Yan's words and stepped back a few more paces, shaking her little head with a sigh. In her soft, babyish voice, she lectured primly: "Uncle Zhao, rolling around on the ground is something only three-year-olds do, you know."
"Uh..."
An Bao is already four and a half years old, not a three-year-old child anymore, so she won't roll around on the ground—An Bao can win people over with virtue.
"Pfft… Right, right, right, you're not a three-year-old anymore — you're a four-and-a-half-year-old. So about this matter…"
"Leave it to An Bao!"
An Bao patted her little chest, her soft and adorable face brimming with a sense of responsibility.
Just at that moment, Mu Yunshang stepped out of the room, still toweling off damp hair after a bath, and called out, "Who's at the door, An Bao? Don't open it for strangers."
Just as the words left her mouth, Mu Yunshang spotted Zhao Yan standing in the doorway. Her brow furrowed at once, and she added, "Especially—don't open the door for this big bad wolf."
“……”
Though Mu Yunshang was less than pleased to see Zhao Yan, Zhao Yan had come with a purpose and walked right in regardless, saying, "That endorsement deal with HIT…"
"Didn't I already say I'm not taking it? That worthless endorsement deal—they just want An Bao to appear on camera with me. He doesn't deserve it."
Mu Yunshang crossed his legs and reclined against the sofa, his hair still threaded with wisps of steam. His strikingly handsome face wore a faint air of contempt, and his entire bearing radiated a languid, self-contained coolness.
Even though Zhao Yan had already seen Mu Yunshang on many occasions, he still couldn't help but marvel at the Creator's favoritism.
Such looks — truly, no one in the entire entertainment industry can compare.
"Don't be in such a hurry to refuse — these things are open to discussion, you know? Right, little An Bao?"
Zhao Yan looked toward An Bao, catching his eye with a knowing wink.
An Bao froze for a moment, then let out a startled cry in her baby-soft voice: "Ah! I know, Uncle is winking at An Bao, isn't he? Daddy Pig in Peppa Pig winks at Peppa Pig too!"
“……”
Zhao Yan buried his face in his hands. What had he been expecting?
Mu Yunshang, for his part, was quite surprised and lavished praise on An Bao: "Wow, our An Bao is truly remarkable — you even know how to give meaningful looks! You're sure to become the finest diplomat someday."
An Bao didn't quite understand what a diplomat was, but judging by Mu Yunshang's expression, she figured it must be something impressive. She immediately put her hands on her hips, tilted her little head back, and gave a solemn nod. "Mm-hmm! An Bao is very impressive!"
"……"
Zhao Yan wanted to cry!
These two, uncle and nephew — one unabashed in his flattery, the other unabashed in lapping it up.
Just giving someone a look and somehow that drags diplomats into it?
Just as Chaoyang was on the verge of giving up, An Bao suddenly remembered her mission and asked Zhao Yan, "Uncle, what about that contract? Take it out."
"Ah? A contract? Oh right, right, right — a contract. This is the contract HIT just brought over. Feel free to take a look; if there's anything you're not satisfied with, we can make changes."
Zhao Yan took out the contract and set it on the coffee table, then turned to Mu Yunshang and spoke.
Mu Yunshang frowned, on the verge of tossing that contract aside — but then he watched, dumbfounded, as the little dumpling actually pulled a calligraphy brush out of the tiny pouch hanging at his side!
Exactly!
Writing brush!
The brush had been finely dipped in cinnabar, and then, stroke by deliberate stroke, two characters were inscribed upon the contract.
"An Bao……"
After An Bao signed her name, she tilted her head and looked at Mu Yunshang. "Third Uncle, An Bao is done signing! Now it's Third Uncle's turn."
"No, I wasn't planning to…"
"Third Uncle, hurry up and sign the contract! If you don't sign, An Bao is going to take photos with someone else, and then be seen by so many, so many people together with that someone else!"
"!!!"
Mu Yunshang was instantly agitated! How could this be acceptable?