DAEYTT Chapter 005: Not on the Same Path; The Hot Pot Tycoon Wants to Debut

Chapter 005: Not on the Same Path, the Hotpot Tycoon is About to Debut

A red sports car stopped at the entrance of an ordinary neighborhood in Shanghai.

Wang Qian got out from the passenger seat.

Qin Xuerong also smiled as she got out from the driver’s seat, her gaze so intense it seemed to melt Wang Qian, as she said, “You’re really funny. I enjoyed chatting with you.”

Throughout the drive, Wang Qian’s steady demeanor and witty conversation made her fall even more for him.

Wang Qian shrugged. He had just told some jokes, but it turned out this girl had a low threshold for humor and couldn’t stop laughing the whole way. He responded, “If you can live a day happily, why choose sadness? Thank you for driving me back, it’s getting late, you should head home soon.”

Qin Xuerong kept her eyes on Wang Qian, softly asking, “Aren’t you going to invite me up?”

Wang Qian’s smile slowly faded, his eyes meeting Qin Xuerong’s gaze with a sharp look that made her instinctively take a step back.

Wang Qian walked over to her in two steps, brushed off her pristine professional suit as if to dust it off, then gently adjusted the collar of his neatly exposed white shirt, and said quietly, “Qin Xuerong, I’m over thirty. How old are you?”

Qin Xuerong, very nervous, her white slender neck gradually turning red, looked down and didn’t dare to look at Wang Qian up close, her voice trembling slightly as she said, “I’m twenty-four, just graduated last year. I think our age difference isn’t big. I like older guys. I never dated in college; they were too immature…”

Wang Qian shook his head and said again, “I’m divorced. Your life is just beginning.”

Qin Xuerong suddenly looked up, her moist eyes filled with stubbornness and obsession, staring at Wang Qian: “I don’t care! I believe in love at first sight. I like you. I’m willing to marry you; we can go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get a certificate first thing tomorrow. I don’t want a dowry or your house; I have these. I mean, I’m not showing off!”

Afraid Wang Qian might misunderstand her, Qin Xuerong’s face showed a trace of panic, her voice anxiously explaining, “I mean, liking you is enough. I don’t want anything.”

Wang Qian sighed. It seemed he had to use his trump card. “Qin Xuerong, when is your birthday?”

Qin Xuerong was taken aback for a moment, then quickly replied, “August 24th, I’m a rat, this is my zodiac year!”

Wang Qian shook his head, full of regret, took a step back, and looked her up and down: “Too bad, you’re so excellent. Unfortunately, a fortune teller once told me I can’t be with a rat. Especially not an August rat, it’s like we’re natural enemies. I really like you, but fate doesn’t allow it. Goodbye!”

Wang Qian shook his head again, looking very regretful, then turned and walked away.

Qin Xuerong stood there stunned, her eyes showing a bit of sadness and confusion, staring blankly at Wang Qian’s back until he walked into the neighborhood. She then suddenly realized it must be an excuse, how could it be so coincidental? 

Fortune telling?

She didn’t believe it.

The next second, Wang Qian suddenly came out of the neighborhood gate again, standing across the street and shouting to Qin Xuerong, “By the way, which foot did you use to get out of the car first?”

Qin Xuerong instinctively looked at her left foot.

Wang Qian helplessly shrugged again and said in a very sad and helpless tone, “See, you got out with your left foot first, and I use my right foot first. We’re really not on the same path, go home, you’ll find someone better suited for you. Goodbye!”

After saying that, Wang Qian walked back into the neighborhood and disappeared.

Qin Xuerong’s face showed even more confusion, then she looked down again at her left foot and long legs, a smile slowly appearing on her face. She shouted towards the gate, “Wang Qian, you can’t fool me. I know you like me too, I won’t give up. I’ll come find you every day!”

Wang Qian suddenly came out of the gate again: “Do you know what the synonym for love at first sight is?”

Qin Xuerong glared at Wang Qian, pouting, not saying a word.

Wang Qian answered his own question, “It’s lust at first sight. So stop saying love at first sight, go home.”

After that, Wang Qian turned around and walked in again.

Qin Xuerong pouted, her eyes reddening, a hint of tears welling up, but she held them back, shouting at the gate, “You’re talking nonsense.”

The person she wanted to see did not come out again.

Qin Xuerong thought for a moment, wiped her eyes, locked the car, and walked into the neighborhood, looking around. She found it was an older neighborhood and didn’t see Wang Qian anywhere.

“I know you live here!”

Qin Xuerong’s pretty face was determined. She lingered at the gate for a while, attracting quite a bit of attention from the residents.

After refusing the twentieth guy who asked for her WeChat, Qin Xuerong finally left.

The sports car started up and disappeared down the road.

A little girl who had been standing at the gate eating spicy strips skipped into the neighborhood, came to a building, and shouted, “Uncle, that sister is gone.”

Wang Qian came down the stairs, patted the little girl’s pigtails, and praised, “Good job, let’s go, Uncle will buy you some treats.”

“Okay!”

The little girl skipped along beside Wang Qian.

After buying a bunch of snacks at the convenience store, Wang Qian sent the little girl off and finally breathed a sigh of relief. He left the neighborhood and took a taxi back to his real home.

This was a place he bought three years ago after his second hotpot restaurant started doing well. He spent over ten million yuan on it, with a down payment of five million and a loan of five million, finally having a place of his own in Shanghai.

With a view of the Huangpu River and access to top-notch amenities like hospitals and schools, this place was ideal for living now or for starting a family in the future.

He turned on some music, walked into the bathroom, and soaked in the bathtub, his exhaustion melting away, and the negative emotions in his heart gradually dissipated.

“Divorced, huh…”

Wang Qian lay in the bathtub, looking at the ceiling, talking to himself.

It’s been eight years since he came to this world.

He had already gone through a marriage.

In his previous life, it took him fifteen years to end a marriage.

Unfortunately…

Both times he hadn’t had a child.

Wang Qian felt a bit regretful.

If he had a child now, he wouldn’t feel lonely in the future and wouldn’t need to get married again. He could live a lifetime with just a child.

“Buzz buzz…”

The phone vibrated!

Wang Qian lay in the water, answered the call on speaker: “What’s up?”

The caller was his college roommate, He Dongming, who studied acting but ended up as a director at a TV station.

The entertainment industry is very realistic; if you’re no longer part of it, people won’t waste time and energy maintaining a relationship with you.

Of course, this applies to any adult's world.

So, friendships that can last are very precious.

He Dongming laughed, “Qianzi, I’m in Shanghai. Aren’t you going to host me?”

Wang Qian declined, “No, I’m staying home to recover.”

He Dongming was shocked, “Recover? You got injured? Car accident? Did you break any bones?”

Wang Qian replied, “You’re the one who got into a car accident. You’re the one who broke bones. I’m heartbroken… Starting today, I’m single again. Come and comfort me.”

He Dongming laughed, “Come on, you should celebrate. Your marriage was a name-only thing. Given her current status, she probably forgot she had a husband. It’s good that you divorced. Alright, I’ll come over. Are you at the new place?”

Wang Qian confirmed, “Yes, come quickly. Don’t bring any alcohol. You know I don’t drink or smoke.”

“Yeah right, who are you pretending for? A grown man who doesn’t drink or smoke. You’re divorced now, what’s there to be afraid of? I don’t know what keeps you going.”

He Dongming sneered, “Alright, I’ll be there soon.”

With that, he hung up.

Wang Qian looked up at the ceiling in a daze.

After a while.

The sound of keys turning in the lock echoed.

The only people with keys to this place were him and He Dongming. He Dongming had accompanied him when he was looking for this place and was given a key for when he was on business trips in Shanghai and needed a place to stay.

“Qianzi, your bro is here.”

He Dongming’s voice came through.

Wang Qian put on his bathrobe and walked out, seeing He Dongming lying on the sofa, unceremoniously gulping down beer and looking rugged, like a rough man from Dongshan. He threw over a bag of barbecue, “Don’t say I don’t take care of you. I brought food. Eat up.”

Wang Qian grabbed a skewer and started eating, asking, “Mingzi, tell me, is the entertainment industry fun?”

Since his reincarnation, he hadn’t paid much attention to this world’s entertainment industry because he was somewhat fed up with it.

But now, he was a bit interested again.

He Dongming paused his beer drinking, looked seriously at Wang Qian, “You want to debut? Have you thought it through? Not going to be the hotpot tycoon anymore?”

Three sharp questions.

Wang Qian nodded lightly, “It’s not about thinking it through. It’s just that we have the resources, so why not make a name for ourselves? I can keep running the hotpot restaurants!”

Wang Qian felt he might be the slowest developing reincarnator ever.

He hadn’t become a superstar or an entertainment mogul.

Nor had he become a business tycoon or an internet giant.

And certainly not a real estate magnate collecting rent nationwide…

Until now, he had finally completed the initial accumulation and opened two successful hotpot restaurants. Originally, he planned to keep expanding.

But now, he was interested in the entertainment industry. So he thought, why not be a hotpot tycoon while also moonlighting as a superstar?

Starting his debut eight years after reincarnation, Wang Qian had already reserved a superstar position for himself in his mind.

He Dongming put down his beer and said seriously, “Qianzi, let’s be honest.”

Wang Qian looked at He Dongming, putting his feelings aside.

He Dongming touched his cheek, “At our age, we’re considered old in the entertainment industry, you know? Newcomers are defined as being eighteen to twenty years old, and they need to be handsome to attract fans. A thirty-something newcomer? They’d call you uncle, no fans would like you.”

This was similar to what Li Qingyao had said.

A thirty-year-old newcomer.

No fans, no company would spend money to promote you.

That’s the reality of the entertainment industry now.

Wang Qian nodded lightly, accepting reality. He had gone through this stage in his previous life, and he asked, “Can’t I just focus on singing? Why do I have to sell my looks?”

He Dongming laughed, “What’s wrong? Got stimulated? Determined to debut and become a big shot, slap your ex-wife in the face, prove yourself to her? Have you been reading too many online novels lately? Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west? Don’t underestimate a middle-aged man?”

Wang Qian scoffed, confident and serious, “No, it’s not to prove anything to anyone. I just want to try.”

He Dongming acknowledged, “Alright, singing, can you do it? You studied acting. The bit of vocal training in school just gave you a basic grounding. Are you professional enough at singing? Already older, if you don’t have the label of being talented, then forget it. Being a hotpot tycoon isn’t bad. I get free hotpot.”

Wang Qian thought for a moment.

In this life, his biggest advantage since reincarnation was his talent.

He believed his vocal talent was second to none.

Professional singing skills?

He could handle it.

With some grooming, he thought he could be considered good-looking.

Even his acting skills, he could pick up at any time and wouldn’t lose to any talented actors.

Wang Qian nodded confidently, “I think I can do it!”

He Dongming thought he was joking, scoffed, “Cut it out. I’ve barely heard you sing. Debut and release an album?”

Wang Qian smiled, “Why not give it a try?”

He Dongming saw Wang Qian was serious, his expression also turned serious, “Qianzi, are you serious?”

Wang Qian rolled his eyes, “Do I look like I’m joking?”

He Dongming stood up, looked Wang Qian up and down, rubbing his chin, squinting, “Trying is okay. Tomorrow, are you free? I’ll take you to meet my boss.”

Wang Qian was puzzled, “Your boss? Why would I meet your TV station boss to debut? I should contact my former agent first.”

He Dongming said, “Do you know which show I’m working on?”

Wang Qian shook his head, “No idea.”

He Dongming laughed angrily, “I’m risking my career to help you. I’m currently a director on ‘The Voice of China’, got it?”

Wang Qian chuckled, “How many directors are there in your show?”

He Dongming deflated and sat down, “Twelve.”


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