1.12

Given the all-clear from Dr. Li, once again, today was the day I could start resuming some of Zhiyue's responsibilities. 

Though Jianyu was reluctant, it had been another month since the nightclub incident. Another month of Dr. Li visiting daily and reassuring Jianyu of my mental health. 

Su Meng brought me along to Galaxy Entertainment to familiarise myself with the company and its staff. Unwilling to let me out to play again and forcing me to remain steadfast in my career.

Surprisingly Jianyu had agreed with her, seeming to not want anything else to happen to me. At least if I was working, I'd be under watch and safe.

Dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans, with the usual cap and mask to hide my bare face, I entered the underground carpark lift with Su Meng at my side. She was leisurely leaning against the wall, typing furiously on her phone.

"CEO Jiang wants to meet you," she sighed, then leaned forward to press the top floor button.

I gulped nervously, "the CEO?" I thought I was just here to look around.

She laughed at me, before roughing my loose curls, "you've met him before, he's a good man, even better boss, he won't eat you up," she playfully teased, though her eyes looked somewhat fanatical talking about him.

"Okay," I nodded, taking a step back. Since the incident at the bar, she had been trying to soften up with the way she approached me, but they were all just humans, humans I'd have to leave eventually. 

The idea of warming up to them just to lose them eventually… What was the point?

Once we reached the top floor, a tall and thin male secretary greeted us warmly, ushering us through the open-plan office, past many curious glances from the CEO's personal team. The top floor was strictly for him and his personal staff. 

We were led into a large office with wall-to-floor windows flooding the cold and modern monochrome office with warm light.

At the desk sat a man worthy of being a celebrity himself. He was dressed neatly in a black suit which only exaggerated the crisp white of his shirt beneath and the paleness of his skin.

Almost pitch-black eyes studied me just as intently as I studied him. Once our eyes connected, my entire body jilted in fright. 

Su Meng's warm hand on my shoulder brought me back to life.

"Sorry CEO Jiang, she's a bit absent-minded of late," Su Meng's words made me realise that the people around me had had an entire conversation without me.

"CEO Jiang," I greeted politely, trying my best to calm the erratically beating heart in my chest.

"Miss Wei," his melodic voice greeted me back, only worsening my inner turmoil.

Why did I feel like this? It wasn't like I wasn't used to handsome men. I slept beside one every night, though only sleeping.

Since that night he'd maintained a reasonable distance, likely noticing the changes as I guiltily tried my best to keep him at arm's length.

"Sit down," CEO Jiang gestured to the two black, leather chairs opposite his desk. 

Su Meng took the lead, pulling me to sit opposite him.

"What would you like to drink?" The scrawny-looking secretary asked me, a slightly cold glint shining behind his gold-rimmed glasses. 

"Some tea," I meekly replied, shifting nervously under his gaze. 

"Coffee as usual?" He turned to his boss. Once he nodded, the secretary left us in peace, closing the door softly.

"It's a pleasure to have you back with us," CEO Jiang smiled whilst his hand tapped the fountain pen he held.

His eyes looked at me expectantly, but no words came.

"This girl," Su Meng tutted beside me, "sorry CEO Jiang, she's a bit muddle-headed lately." She spoke as if I was still a child, not her peer.

"It's understandable," he smiled again, politely, betraying the coldness in those abyss-like eyes.

He cleared his throat, finally letting go of the pen as it clacked against the marble desktop.

"Thanks to your cooperation in sharing your medical reports, we're fully aware of the situation and will do our best to cater to your condition Miss Wei," he spoke calmly, his eyes studying my every action, no matter how minuscule. I felt under a microscope.

"It's the least I could do," I finally found my voice.

"Before your… incident, you expressed your wishes to enter into the acting industry, is this still something you are considering?"

Su Meng had mentioned this before and had given me materials to work with to keep my idle hands busy. So his question had been what I'd anticipated.

"Yes," I nodded, finally feeling my heartbeat begin to lull, in turn increasing my confidence. "Due to my amnesia, I feel if I were to resume in the music industry I'd be somewhat… lacking."

I'd made an attempt at playing various instruments in Zhiyue's music room at home and decided firmly that no matter how hard I tried there was no way I could be on the same level as her.

One way or another they would all eventually realise the difference in our abilities.

Especially with the western instruments I'd painstakingly attempted to play. Instead, I'd found myself more comfortable with the antiques she collected as a hobby. 

Her music genre was modern pop, and her favourite instrument was the piano. She'd released two albums and held many concerts nationwide. 

Before I had taken over she had been working on another album, which was practically finished, and had been doing promotional work in another town when she died.

To placate the fans, during my time in the hospital, the company released her new album. Now it had been months of little to no action, they were beginning to become unruly in asking for her again. Especially since her follow-up concert had been cancelled.

"There are still two years on your contract," CEO Jiang interrupted my thoughts as his hand rested on the paperwork beside him, "due to your medical leave the contract has been extended by six months, has Miss Su explained this clearly to you?"

I nodded. This was the best solution they'd come up with during my time at the hospital. 

"Great, due to your situation, I think it's best to avoid putting you through any public training again," he continued, with Su Meng nodding like a chicken pecking rice. I was sure she'd agree to anything so long as it was spoken by this man. Some manager.

"I'm not sure if you're aware, but before I started Galaxy Entertainment, I was an actor myself…"

I shook my head, I'd not really done much research on the CEO, only the company. I knew he had started it in his youth from scratch, that was it.

"I wonder if you'd find it acceptable for me to take you under my tutelage?"

I almost choked on my saliva at his words, and so did Su Meng.

"Under you?" I spoke abruptly, unable to find sense in his words.

Before he could reply, the door opened again, the secretary returned with a tray of steaming drinks. He set them on the desk, before returning to close the door and taking a leisurely seat on the ivory sofa with his own drink.

He did not seem to be just a secretary at all as he casually leaned back, his own steaming mug in hand as he turned to listen to the conversation. 

"I would like to avoid sharing your personal situation with other staff. Currently, only I and my close aids are aware of your circumstances, including your amnesia."

I bit my lip unintentionally, feeling somewhat ashamed at the idea of having to hide everything. So what if I couldn't remember Zhiyue's life? So what if I was a victim of some crazy psycho immortal that claimed to have been my husband?

"So are we in agreement?" He asked without really asking. As if I had a choice.

"Yes," Su Meng replied before I could, "my baby Yue is blessed by the heavens to be under your care CEO Jiang." 

Su Meng's bootlicking mentality caught me totally unaware.

Again, I felt more like an object to be pimped by her, than her childhood friend. What shitty luck it was to be reincarnated as a celebrity… Last time I swear.

"I'll do my best Host," System interjected.

"Great, I'll have my secretaries form a schedule, once you feel more comfortable we'll have you attend a tv-show as a guest, and get you used to being behind the camera again. It'll give you a chance to regain your popularity before we start picking some suitable scripts."

My mind went blank as he droned on about the future plans I was unwilling to participate in. His hand still lingered over the contract that felt more and more like a slave contract from those ancient dramas I'd watched.

"As for the news of your engagement," he coughed slightly, his voice turning slightly cold, "public relations think it's best that we just maintain that Captain Fu was simply doing his duty that night, keep your relationship under wraps for now."

I had zero intentions of marrying Jianyu at this point. Lest that psycho finds out and kills him before I had a chance to find out who he was. I was not a hundred percent sure how easily he could reenter my new life. Since that dream, I had not seen him since. 

System made me aware that he could only do that as a wandering soul in this world, which made me even more uneasy now he was absent.

"I agree, from what I've seen from my fanbase currently, they don't seem to like the idea of their little sister being in a relationship at all…" which was true for most celebrities it seemed. Whilst that contract existed, everyone had ownership of Zhiyue, except Zhiyue.