Salted Fish Doesn’t Want To Work Hard Anymore

Fang Lin stood up abruptly, leaning his back against the table in the lounge, trying to hide the astonishment in his eyes.

His palms reached back and propped up on the table, his index and middle fingers subconsciously picked at the edge of the table, he was unable to speak for a long time.

What could he say?

From the day he was reborn, Duan Changke suddenly crashed in. Last time, yes, and this time, too.

Why did he appear here?

The reigning prince, the boss of a top media company, even if he invested in this drama, there was no need for him to personally be there to keep an eye on the director, let alone something as trivial as promotional posters.

Unless he really had a purpose, or wanted to find ……

He was partly surprised, he didn’t know why he and Duan Changke always bumped into each other.

However, Duan Changke didn’t just want to ask that question. He only gave Fang Lin a short time to think, and then asked again like he was urging him, “Really?”

Duan Changke didn’t think there was anything wrong with his question, and jokingly repeated what Tao Le had just said, “Don’t you want a backer anymore?”

When the same words Tao Le said came out of his mouth, Fang Lin felt his face get a little hot.

He didn’t talk fast, nor was it aggressive, and when he saw that Fang Lin didn’t speak, he didn’t push him, instead he slightly lowered his eyes, as if he was thinking about something.

His aura was just too strong.

Fang Lin’s fingers tightened on the edge of the table.

He needed to remain calm.

Whatever the meaning of this sentence was in the end, regardless of whether Duan Changke was speaking to him as the owner of the company or as himself alone, at least he was throwing an olive branch to him.

If put in his past life, he might really, as Tao Le said, “straighten his spine” and “not give in”, he would feel contemptuous, and coldly refuse Duan Changke, and stubbornly say that he would strive for it by his strength, and that he didn’t need this kind of airy invitation.

Unfortunately, some things weren’t the result of one’s own efforts, he recalled the last six months of his former life, no role, no variety shows, he signed a guaranteed agreement with the company, the result was that he only had a guaranteed income, he felt tired, anxious and numb.

So he said to himself, this time, look at it lightly, reach for what you want, if he didn’t like it, he would  refuse, even if in the end, it may not be as good as before, he wouldn’t do what would make him unhappy.

But from the time he got this role, or from the time he somehow got a chance to be reborn, everything obviously became different.

He liked the character of Jing Chuan so much that he could play it well even if he didn’t try hard.

The crew was very responsible and seemed to really want to do a good job with this drama.

Chu Chen was also very enthusiastic and took his work seriously.

This was something he had craved for a long time, and now someone was standing in front of him and saying, I can give it to you.

Duan Changke’s questions were like compulsion – or perhaps it couldn’t be called a compulsion, but something that was making him see the present situation and forcing him to make a choice.

The haze of his previous life was torn apart, and then a door was opened to him, saying, Try it.

Fang Lin took a deep breath, and when he looked up again, he smiled, his voice wasn’t loud, and his tone was light, “Is this what Mr. Duan sees in me?”

In fact, there were many other things he wanted to ask.

For example, the most boring “I am a man”, or the pretentious and cheesy “why me?”

However, there would be no such thing as “loss” if he dealt Duan Changke.

Duan Changke didn’t answer the question,  he just looked at Fang Lin lightly.

His pupils were dark and deep, facing such a deep gaze startled Fang Lin, and that the calmness and slowness he was trying to maintain quickly vanished.

But he was a good actor, Fang Lin thought, and this was one of his few strengths.

He wasn’t playing a certain role, he just wanted to cover up his poor and somewhat ridiculous self from his past life, so that no one else could see it, and that was alright.

So he settled down, he could do this one task. It wasn’t too difficult.

“Okay.”

Fang Lin stopped asking, his fingers propped up on the edge of the table oozed a little thin sweat, but the smile on his face was light, and he wasn’t worried about his heartbeat being heard because the two were far enough apart.

Duan Changke asked a very straightforward question, so he responded straightforwardly: “Does Mr Duan have any requests?”

Duan Changke’s expression remained unchanged as he scratched his phone screen: “If you need anything, I can call my assistant to come and draw up the contract.”

“Then what can Mr Duan give me?”

Duan Changke’s finger stopped on the screen, he looked at Fang Lin, and his thin lips moved slightly: “What do you want?”

Even though the two were talking about this kind of issue, his tone wasn’t mocking or contemptuous, but a well-bred and serious inquiry.

Fang Lin avoided his gaze for just a moment before he added, “Then I want to sign with your company.”

“Okay, in order to avoid suspicion, it can be signed when your contract with your company ends, but the share will be 10% more than that of other artists. If it goes well, dividends will be paid later,” Then Duan Changke added without any dissatisfaction. “Of course, if you can’t wait, you can sign the contract tomorrow. You don’t have to consider the liquidated damages.”

“Of course, the resources will be covered,” Duan Changke looked at him, “besides that, you can tell me anything you want. You know what I’m referring to in general.”

Cars, houses, or even money.

After he finished speaking, Duan Changke gave him his personal number: “If you need anything else you need, it’s all fine when the time comes.”

Fang Lin curled his fingers, looked up and asked, “What about the duration?”

Duan Changke paused slightly, as if he hadn’t considered this question.

“Then it’ll be …… a year first.”

The staff knocked on the door and entered, reminding him that he needed to get ready to shoot the second set.

Fang Lin nodded, and waited for the other to leave before turning to Duan Changke who was waiting at the side.

“So when do I sign?”

“Anytime.”

The sweat on Fang Lin’s palms had dried up, and he wasn’t so stiff anymore, “Today, then.”

Duan Changke quickly responded, “Then I’ll give you an address, come over when you’re ready.”

“Okay.”

It was late afternoon, the windows in the room were open, the air was dry, but it had the unique clean smell of summer.

Duan Changke watched as Fang Lin started walking to the door, “There’s no rush, take your time.”

When Fang Lin and Duan Changke walked out of the room together, Tao Le, who had been waiting for a long time, was trembling as his imaginations flew all over.

As soon as he saw the two men, he wanted to sincerely admit his mistake when he saw Fang Lin give him a look.

Tao Le closed his mouth, but his two eyes kept shuttling back and forth between the two.

Fang Lin pulled Tao Le towards the set, while Duan Changke quietly left.

After confirming he was far away, Tao Le breathed a sigh of relief: “You guys just ……”

Would Duan Changke give them a hard time!? This drama was invested in by Hailin Entertainment! Did he still have the role? Would he be replaced!?

“Don’t ask.” Fang Lin just lowered his head and walked ahead.

His nervousness had subsided a lot, but he hadn’t thought about how to explain to Tao Le or Xia Qi.

“Oh oh.” Tao Le noticed the direction he walked to was the set, he was relieved, Duan Changke was really merciful, he would never talk about him behind his back again.

He also wanted to burn incense for Fang Lin and pray that he would meet with Duan Changke less often.

The shooting process was smooth, the photographer was very satisfied with the photos, to the point that he almost didn’t want to retouch it.

Chu Chen also bought coffee and dessert for everyone, and politely praised everyone for working hard.

It was still hot outside, but the building was very cool, so Fang Lin took a sip of the coffee, and after saying goodbye to everyone, he left first.

Tao Le thought he was going home and was about to order a taxi: “I’m also going over there today, it happens to be on the way ……”

“No need.” Fang Lin took out his phone, “I have something to do, you can go first.”

Tao Le said, “Ah Lin.”

“?”

“Don’t be discouraged, although Hailin and us have no chance now, we can still find a new company. After this drama is broadcast, there will definitely be other companies interested in you.”

Tao Le was trying hard to make him feel better: “Although Mr Duan’s road isn’t impossible, if we work hard, anything is possible ……”

“I’ll go first.” Fang Lin didn’t wait for him to finish, his taxi had arrived.

“Hey no, where are you going?”

Fang Lin gave him a funny look, pinched his fat face, got in the car and rolled down the window, then he replied Tao Le, who was still confused on the side of the road, “I’m going to find the road that we’ll go through.”

The address given by Duan Changke was a top apartment complex in the central city.

Fang Lin had been here before and he didn’t really pay attention to it, but now he felt that the location was wonderful, sort of quiet in the middle of the city, but also low-key and introverted.

It looked like this was just some a place Duan Changke visited occasionally.

He was still wearing that white shirt that was for the campus style photo-shoot, and his hair was a bit messy.

When he walked in, he didn’t feel nervous.

After all, he had chosen this and he hated unnecessary pretenses.

Duan Changke’s residence looked very neat and tidy, and it mostly had cold gray tones, it didn’t look lived in.

He had probably just arrived, he hadn’t changed clothes yet, and when he saw Fang Lin coming, he nodded slightly and gestured, “It;s on the table.”

Duan Changke was really quick, Fang Lin looked at the thin pages on the table.

He felt a little stunned, but he also felt that there was no need to make a fuss.

Signing a contract was quite good, and when the contract ended, both sides wouldn’t be entangled.

He casually looked at the terms and conditions on it, Duan Changke gave a variety of conditions that were unexpectedly good.

But something strange was that when he saw the spot he had to sign on, it didn’t even state his role.

“The term of the contract, i.e. the duration of the relationship between Party A and Party B ……”

Only an ambiguous “duration” signified the relationship between the two.

He wasn’t stupid, he knew what he would face after he agreed.

It was said that some backers had peculiar hobbies that made people cry out for help.

But from the beginning to the end, he didn’t know if it was because Duan Changke’s wording was cryptic, or he deliberately didn’t want to clearly note it, in any case, he didn’t even see the words like “bed” and so on.

Duan Changke had already signed, with his strong handwriting, it looked like a serious business contract.

Fang Lin picked up the pen, exhaled, and wrote his name in one stroke.

Above his name, there was a spot that read “Termination of Contract”.

Party A can initiate the termination of the relationship, and will pay compensation not less than the above conditions depending on the length of time.

It looked very strict, but the main point was that it was somehow very friendly to him.

Even if he was only with the other for a month, if Duan Changke got tired of him, he could still get a substantial amount.

“Signed.” Fang Lin said.

“Hmm.”

The other spoke again, “Do you mind if I smoke a cigarette?”

“Of course not,” Fang Lin added, “You are free to do whatever you want in the future, I don’t mind.”

“Okay.”

Fang Lin watched as Duan Changke leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window as he smoked, he started thinking about the contract he had just signed.

There were some things he needed clarification on.

His kept a nice expression on his face as he looked at Duan Changke who had just come in from the hot sun, his voice was quiet and enticing.

“Boss Duan.” Fang Lin didn’t know if his heartbeat was heard by the other, but he still got a little closer. His thumb and forefinger held the pen and inserted it into Duan Changke’s suit pocket lightly.

“What kind of’ relationship’ did you mean in the contract?”

TN:

***Sigh****

He didn’t ask first ಠ_ಠ