69novels Chapter 7: You can't sacrifice money for your reputation!
Chapter 7: You can't sacrifice money for your reputation!
In January, the nights in Hengdian are a bit chilly, and with a slight breeze, the perceived temperature is quite cold.
Therefore, Han Xian and his two companions walked at a rather fast pace.
Meng Ziyi rubbed her cold face. "Han Xian, where do you live?"
Han Xian casually said, "I just arrived in Hengdian and don't know where to stay yet. I'd like to buy a change of clothes first, and then find a hotel to stay in for the night."
Meng Ziyi said, "How about we go check out the hotel where our film crew is staying? It's close to where we're filming, so we can take the same car to the set in the morning and go back to the hotel together in the evening. It's very convenient."
Han Xian thought for a moment and nodded, "That works too."
Although there are many hotels in Hengdian, their safety cannot be guaranteed 100%.
The hotel where the film crew stayed must have been thoroughly investigated beforehand, and both its security and accommodation conditions should be quite good.
If we could just move in directly, it would save us a lot of trouble.
As they were talking, the three of them arrived at the hotel where the film crew was staying, but the receptionist told them that there were many tourists during the winter vacation and the hotel had no rooms available.
Meng Ziyi looked utterly disappointed.
She wanted to stay at the same hotel as Han Xian, mainly because she wanted to ask him for advice on acting to improve her skills whenever she had free time. However, the plan fell apart before it even started.
Han Xian didn't care; there were hotels all across the street and next door, he could just look for another one.
The receptionist looked around, coughed lightly, and whispered, "Actually... our hotel has staff dormitories, but I don't stay there when I'm on night duty."
Ok?
Meng Ziyi squinted at the receptionist, then thought for a moment and suppressed her suspicions.
Although Han Xian is handsome, the receptionist is a man, so she probably won't have any romantic feelings for him.
Thinking of this, Meng Ziyi asked, "How about the price?"
The male receptionist held up his index finger. "One hundred for one night, but you have to leave before eight in the morning. However, you can get a breakfast voucher."
Meng Ziyi looked at Han Xian, who casually said, "Fifty, no breakfast coupon."
"eighty."
"Then you'll need to bring breakfast vouchers."
"……Can!"
The male receptionist hesitated for a second before nodding. Eighty yuan, money going into his own pocket, why not make it?
No one needs to register their ID card to check into the staff dormitory. Han Xian handed over 100 yuan and took back 20 yuan and a breakfast voucher.
Anyway, he's just going to take a nap, and he'll bring breakfast with him. He doesn't have much money, so he'll save as much as he can.
Meng Ziyi glanced at the rolled-up wallet in Han Xian's hand, but didn't say anything, her eyes sparkling as if she was thinking about something.
The hotel staff dormitory is on the first floor, and it is more than 20 square meters in size. Four beds side by side take up half of the area, and the rest is a washroom and a wardrobe.
Before Han Xian could even experience the firmness of the bed, Meng Ziyi dragged him away, saying, "It's still early, no rush to sleep. Let's go to my place and chat for a bit, and you can teach me how to act."
Han Xian grinned, "Please, Sister Meng! You're an actress, why are you chatting with a grown man like me so late at night instead of sleeping? Aren't you afraid of being gossiped about by the crew and ending up trending on social media?"
Meng Ziyi pouted, "How could I, a nobody actress, possibly occupy a trending topic that costs money? Besides, we're talking about acting, and Sister Yuanyuan is here with us. The door will be open. Anyone who wants to gossip would have to be out of their mind!"
"...Fine! You're pretty, so I'll do as you say!"
Han Xian shook his head helplessly, wondering if the plot of this glowing script was originally part of the main or side story of the novel.
Anyway, he had already advised Meng Ziyi that whether or not there would be any scandals or trending topics depended on the author's tactics in this entertainment harem novel.
Meng Ziyi curved her lips into a sweet smile.
She knows she's pretty and has long legs, but don't keep reminding her, or she'll get arrogant.
……
It was said that the three of them were chatting, accompanied by a female assistant who also opened the door.
As it turned out, Meng Ziyi and Han Xian were chatting on the living room sofa, while the female assistant went out to buy clothes for Han Xian that he hadn't been able to buy.
The door was naturally closed, but thankfully it wasn't locked from the inside or fitted with a door closer, otherwise Han Xian would have thought he was being set up by Meng Ziyi.
Gan!
A man and a woman alone in a room, and they're still so careless about safety.
This girl has a really big heart!
Looking at Meng Ziyi sprawled on the sofa, completely lacking any semblance of elegance, Han Xian speechlessly withdrew his gaze from her fair and slender waist. "Meng Ziyi, Sister Meng! You're such a beautiful girl. Being alone in a room with a grown man like me so late at night, aren't you afraid... something might happen?"
Meng Ziyi stretched and raised her eyebrows, "Aren't you afraid something might happen if a handsome guy like you and a beautiful girl like me are alone in a room together?"
Han Xian instinctively backed away, feigning trembling. "I... damn it! What do you want to do? Don't do anything rash! If you do something rash... I won't resist!"
"Pfft! Okay, okay, stop acting, it's too fake!"
Meng Ziyi couldn't help but burst out laughing, then casually shook her small, fair fists.
"Let me tell you, I'm not afraid of you messing around! Don't let my skinny appearance fool you, I've studied self-defense techniques. If you dare to do anything reckless, I'll cripple you with one kick!"
"..."
Han Xian gave a slight smirk in response.
Self-defense fighting techniques?
As the saying goes, brute force can overcome all techniques, a basic attack can deal true damage, and wielding an AK can unleash devastation!
With Meng Ziyi's small, thin arms and fists, let alone anti-wolf fighting techniques, even if the opponent knew anti-tiger fighting techniques, he could take them down with one punch.
Besides, self-defense techniques should showcase long legs, what are you trying to do by waving your little fists?
Punch his chest?
Meng Ziyi suddenly sat up and rummaged through her bag. "Stop talking nonsense, let's hurry up."
Han Xian was shocked. "Hurry up? Meng Ziyi, what are you planning? You'd better think this through. I'm not going to give up the entire forest for you!"
Meng Ziyi took out her notebook and marker, looking at Han Xian suspiciously. "I just want you to teach me acting. What forest are you giving up?"
Han Xian was dumbfounded. "Teach you acting? Then you should hurry up?"
"It's already past seven o'clock, and I need to go to bed before ten, so of course I need to make the most of this time to ask you for advice."
Meng Ziyi tapped her watch, then suddenly realized something, blushing as she glared at Han Xian, "Give up the entire forest? What you're thinking... wouldn't happen to be..."
We cannot lose a forest because of a single tree, nor can we abandon a forest because of one person.
Could Han Xian be thinking the same thing as what she saw?
"..."
Han Xian paused for three seconds, then nodded righteously, "Yes! That's exactly what you think. Although you are beautiful, have a great figure, are considerate, meticulous, and have a good temperament, I will not give up protecting those equally beautiful and good girls for you."
Is this a compliment?
You can't even praise me!
Meng Ziyi suppressed her joy and glared at Han Xian, "Scumbag!"
Han Xian shrugged. "I'm just too soft-hearted to hurt those pretty, nice girls. How am I a scumbag?"
"Not refusing, not initiating, not making promises—isn't that enough of a scumbag?"
"You're wrong about that. I'll take the initiative when I should, and I'll refuse when I should. I'll also make a lifelong commitment, provided the other person meets my requirements!"
"Never to leave you for life? Do you even know how long a lifetime is? That kind of promise might fool a little girl, but I, your sister Meng, don't believe it!"
"Fine, don't believe me!"
Han Xian didn't want to explain too much.
He's the male protagonist of this entertainment harem novel.
It's not his fault for making such a promise; blame the author!
Every man wants to be a scumbag, the difference is that some want to be but can't, some don't want to be, but he wants to be and can be—because he's devastatingly handsome, outrageously so!
Meng Ziyi waved her hand, "Let's not talk about your scumbag behavior anymore. I have many questions I want you to answer, let's get to it!"
Han Xian was surprised, "Aren't you afraid I'll take this opportunity to cheat on you?"
Meng Ziyi slapped her chest and said arrogantly, "Everyone knows you're a scumbag, and you still think I'd fall for your tricks? Then my brain isn't just full of water, it's completely brainless."
Han Xian gave a thumbs up. "Fine! You're beautiful, you're confident, whatever you want. But you'd better not call me a scumbag anymore, or I'll take the initiative to scumbag you. Don't cry and say I didn't warn you when I scumbag you later."
Meng Ziyi glared at Han Xian, "Watch your attitude. I'm not asking questions for free. It's a thousand yuan per lesson, a thousand yuan at noon, and a thousand yuan in the evening."
Han Xian blinked, stood up, and gave Meng Ziyi a gentlemanly bow. "Hello, boss! Please feel free to ask me any questions. I promise to answer them to the best of my ability!"
???
Meng Ziyi was stunned and bewildered. Coming to her senses, she stared at Han Xian with wide amazement. "My God, how can you change your expression so quickly?"
"You've already paid your tuition, of course I'm going to change my attitude!"
"But this is just too much."
"Shameless! What does face matter! A person can't sacrifice money for face!"
What's more, this is the first money given to him by the first female lead in the harem—Han Xian added the last sentence in his mind.
Having experienced eating only steamed buns and drinking free egg drop soup for half a month, he wouldn't care about such a small matter.
Besides, he earns his money through knowledge and skills, which is not shameful!
Meng Ziyi was shocked. "How could you say something like that? You're amazing! I'm impressed!"
Han Xian said calmly, "You too!"
"what?"
"You're incredibly good-looking!"
"...I don't get the feeling you're saying anything nice."
Just take it as a compliment.
"Course completed, agreement void!"
"I was wrong, boss! You're not good-looking, but I am!"