C7 We Are Going to Get a Divorce!

Liang Han opened her eyes again to find it was already early the next morning. Sunlight streamed through the window as she reached for her ringing phone. Still groggy, she answered, "Hello?"

"Liang Han! Have you sorted it out yet? Why are the advertisers still not using our models?" Her friend Han Ning's voice came through the phone, sounding a bit agitated, which immediately snapped Liang Han to attention. She rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up. "Uh... Ning, don't worry, I'll just, I'll just..."

"Just what?" Han Ning interrupted her, pausing as if realizing something. "You aren't still in bed, are you?"

"I—"

"Hold on! I asked you to find Qisheng yesterday, and now you're just answering your phone? Still sleeping? You didn't sleep with him, did you?"

Han Ning's blunt and accurate guess left Liang Han wide awake. She gathered her hair and glanced at Gu Qisheng, who was still asleep behind her, then turned back, suddenly flustered. "It's not like that... I'm, I'm at the hotel now, I'll, I'll be right—hello?"

Before she could finish her panicked explanation, her phone was taken from her hand. Gu Qisheng, his voice still a bit husky from sleep, spoke directly into the phone, "Call my assistant. He'll help you arrange everything with the advertisers."

After finishing his sentence, he ignored whatever Han Ning was saying on the other end and hung up, tossing the phone aside.

Liang Han stood there, stunned by his series of actions. It took her a moment to voice her question, "So you blacklisted those models just to make me come back and beg you?"

"What else?"

Gu Qisheng casually grabbed a plain white cotton T-shirt and slipped it on, turning to look at Liang Han. "Why do you think I'd bother making life difficult for a bunch of people working low-wage jobs?"

"What did you say?"

Low-wage jobs? Liang Han couldn't believe her ears. These models, dedicated to spreading fashion trends and showcasing various clothing styles, were now being labeled as low-wage workers?

Gu Qisheng had already fetched a robe from the closet. Seeing the confusion on Liang Han's face, he raised an eyebrow and explained, "As far as I know, those advertisers pay you models based on hours worked and the intensity of the job. Isn't that essentially earning through labor?"

After his explanation, he shrugged and headed back to the bathroom.

"Gu Qisheng!"

Liang Han was practically fuming. He had the audacity to blatantly insult her job, insult her!

Hearing his full name, he paused and turned back to Liang Han, raising an eyebrow. "What? Want to go another round?"

"I'll give you a—"

"Even though I'd love to play along, we don't have the time. Get ready; we're visiting your grandfather at the nursing home today."

Qisheng cut Liang Han off before she could finish her curse, glancing at his watch as he interrupted her, then headed straight to the bathroom.

Liang Han thought about following him but quickly changed her mind, remembering what happened in the bathroom yesterday. She fell back into the bed, kicking her legs in frustration. Why did everything suddenly go back to the way it was?

Was her two-month "escape" really going to end with last night's chaos?

With these thoughts swirling in her mind, Liang Han finished getting ready, but her mood hadn't improved by the time she got into Qisheng's car.