C30 He Was Venting His Anger

Ye Tian was about to walk away when she overheard the conversation and spun around, "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely!"

Laughter erupted once again.

Nodding, Ye Tian approached the stage just as the singer was taking a break. She grabbed the microphone, scanned the song list, and picked one at random.

The song was a recent viral hit called "Madman."

The lighting technician dimmed the lights further, spotlighting Ye Tian.

As her voice filled the room, the audience was momentarily taken aback, their gazes fixed on Ye Tian, who was radiant on stage.

She sang with such abandon that it seemed like an eternity since she had last let loose. By the end of the song, she was sweating profusely, feeling a great sense of relief.

"You promised to cover my drinks," Ye Tian reminded the man who was still mesmerized by her performance.

He eagerly nodded in agreement.

Ye Ziyan watched from a short distance, seething with envy. She had hoped to embarrass Ye Tian, but somehow, Ye Tian managed to steal the spotlight every time!

Fuming, Ye Ziyan stormed off. Ren Yuanhua, who had been anticipating a spectacle, was taken aback by Ye Tian's dazzling performance. Reluctantly, she paid the bill and trailed after Ziyan.

Staying any longer would only serve to swallow her pride and stoke her frustration.

A hooligan, captivated by the performance, pulled out a stack of crisp bills from his pocket—Ye Ziyan's money—and offered, "Sing two more songs, join me for a drink, and all this cash is yours."

Ye Tian shook her head, "I sell drinks; I don't drink with customers."

As the crowd snapped out of their trance from the song, the bar regained its lively atmosphere, with more patrons, eager like the hooligan, opening their wallets for drinks.

Ye Tian couldn't help but feel elated. She hadn't done the math, but she estimated that she had made almost as much as half a month's wages!

It dawned on Ye Tian why so many clamored to break into show business—it truly was a lucrative field.

A few minutes of singing on stage could yield a reward many times greater than the toil of her regular job.

She suddenly toyed with the idea of joining the entertainment industry but quickly vetoed it herself.

Her mind was prone to wild thoughts, as evident by looking at Ye Ziyan. She had no desire to have her life exposed to the public eye.

After her shift, the bar manager handed Ye Tian an envelope of moderate thickness.

"Here's your pay for today," the manager said, passing over the money. "Have you thought about singing at the bar? It's a lot easier than selling drinks, and you seem to be quite popular. We can negotiate a good salary."

Ye Tian was intrigued. "What's the base salary?"

"You'll earn from song requests and wine sales in your name, plus a base salary of 2,800 yuan a month. How does that sound?"

After some consideration, Ye Tian agreed, with two conditions: no more revealing outfits and reasonable working hours.

She couldn't survive working nights after day shifts, no matter how much energy she had.

The manager thought it over and agreed.

He couldn't afford to lose such a profitable asset.

The next morning, while browsing Weibo, Ye Tian was surprised to see her company Liyang's official account had liked a trending post about Ye Ziyan's scandalous past, including the times Ye Ziyan had falsely accused her and acted like a diva.

Ye Tian smiled, knowing Lu Jingyue was behind it. Without his approval, the issue wouldn't have gained such traction. He was supporting her, and it warmed her heart.

Netizens were abuzz with discussion. Ye Ziyan, a star who had shot to fame with New World magazine, hadn't retracted the like, and her popularity had plummeted.

Online, voices of condemnation echoed. Ye Ziyan remained silent, prompting wild speculation from the public.

Man Man: Guilty as charged! Where is she now, not hopping around like before when she was busy playing the victim?

Only I Ziyan: My darling has been a victim of cyberbullying repeatedly. She mentioned her mild depression in a recent interview. Do you all want to push her to suicide?

Xiao Luban, I am your father: So, according to you, in an avalanche, no snowflake is innocent? You'd say the same for anyone who dies. Might as well nominate you for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Cute Chestnut Head: I second that. You all act so high and mighty, then play the sympathy card with depression? Really?

Apple Fanatic: Exactly. Even Liyang's official account liked the post. Doesn't that pretty much confirm that the online leaks are true? If not, the studio would've said something by now, right? Tsk.

Backing Off: I've been a die-hard fan of Ye Ziyan for five years, and I'm starting to feel let down. Looks like you can't always believe the public persona. I'm not going to turn against her, but I can't call myself a lifelong fan anymore. I'm stepping back. Farewell, everyone.

...

Ye Tian couldn't help but burst into laughter as she scrolled through the comments. She even left a cheeky reply under the "Backing Off" comment, saying, "Looking back is the shore." She was laughing so hard she doubled over.

As she collapsed onto the sofa, she caught sight of Lu Jingyue in his suit and nearly leaped to her feet in surprise. "Director Lu, hello!"

Is he a ghost or something? How can he walk without making a sound?

Lu Jingyue gave a slight smile. "You were just too absorbed in your laughter."

Ye Tian blushed but managed to express her thanks. Lu Jingyue, without pointing out her embarrassment, handed her a cup of coffee he was carrying.

Ye Tian was taken aback. She had just been thinking about stepping out to grab a coffee since she was feeling sluggish from a late night. It was as if her thoughts had materialized. She wondered if this meant her wish to win ten million yuan might come true as well.

Lu Jingyue went into his office and summoned his assistant. "Cancel tonight's dinner plans. And let the Camera Department know they can leave early this evening."

The assistant was puzzled but didn't question it. After all, seeing the boss at the bar for the first time the previous night had already turned his perception on its head. It seemed the boss was more down-to-earth than he'd thought.

Predicting the boss's thoughts was a challenge. Better to not try and just follow orders.

Later in the afternoon, Ye Tian was surprised to learn that the Camera Department had been given the green light to leave work an hour early.

Ye Tian double-checked, "They've finished for the day?"

Linda was perplexed but she knew the boss never joked about such matters. Given the early end to the workday, they might as well make the most of it. "How about we all have dinner together in the office?"

Ye Tian let out a chuckle. "I've got other plans. Have fun, you guys."

With that, she made a quick exit, eager to get to the bar sooner and wrap up her shift early. She was on a tight schedule, alternating performances with other singers. When she wasn't singing, she could still sell drinks.

What she hadn't anticipated was running into someone she knew.

Gu Qinian.

The Gu Qinian she hadn't seen in days.

And by his side was Ye Ziyan.

Ye Ziyan smirked inwardly; she had intentionally brought Gu Qinian to this place.

"Why are you here?" Ye Tian asked Ye Ziyan, her tone icy.

"What? Do you own this bar, Ye Tian?"

In the dim light of the bar, Ye Tian couldn't make out Gu Qinian's expression, but his tone was clear—full of mockery and sarcasm. Perfect.

"Welcome, it's not every day we have an old friend visit. Considering the celebrity you've brought along, wouldn't it be fitting to buy a bottle of wine?"

Ye Tian couldn't outwit him verbally, but the thought of making Gu Qinian spend some money was satisfying enough.