Chapter 32: "Can You Come Back and Help Me?"

“Good morning, Teacher He!” Zhou Ran woke up naturally and, upon descending the stairs, saw Teacher He downstairs preparing breakfast.

“Morning, Xiao Ran,” Teacher He greeted him just as he finished making breakfast and brought it out. “You’re right on time. Breakfast is ready.”

“Okay!” Zhou Ran sat down at the table as soon as Teacher He spoke.

“Where are Chef Huang and Sister Xiaofeng?” Zhou Ran grabbed a piece of toast and, seeing that only he and Teacher He were present, asked about Chef Huang and Zhang Xiaofeng.

“Oh, them! They had schedules to keep, so they left early this morning,” Teacher He replied, sitting at the table after arranging everything.

“On the road for work?” Zhou Ran nodded, understanding immediately.

For artists, rushing to events and appointments is commonplace. Usually, their daily schedules are packed, and it’s not unusual for them to visit two or three cities a day, sometimes in one city in the morning and another in the afternoon, practically living at airports.

After all, for them, time equals money—one event can mean hundreds of thousands.

After finishing breakfast, Zhou Ran said goodbye to Teacher He, but he didn’t plan to return to Star City yet. Instead, he intended to visit Sister Mi.

Recently, Zhou Ran felt increasingly aware of the importance of a manager. Without one, he wouldn’t be able to handle all the events and activities—he’d be overwhelmed.

He had to seek Sister Mi’s help; otherwise, even sorting out a single tax issue could consume all his time. For Zhou Ran, resolving taxes was quite important.

…

“Who is it? Who is it?”

Sister Mi was sleeping soundly when her doorbell suddenly rang, waking Li Mi from her dreams.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!”

Li Mi, still groggy and wearing a red silk nightgown, went to open the door. She hadn’t really woken up yet, acting purely out of instinct.

“Hello, Sister Mi!” Zhou Ran greeted her as she opened the door, handing over several luxury handbags he’d bought at the mall as a token of gratitude for her help recently. After all, a smiling visitor is hard to turn away, and bringing a gift is always appropriate.

“Ah! Zhou Ran, what brings you here?” Li Mi was surprised to see him.

By rights, Zhou Ran shouldn’t be here at this hour; he ought to be in Star City preparing for the ‘Who Is the King of Song’ competition.

Seeing Li Mi in a daze at the door, Zhou Ran gently tapped her left arm. “Sister Mi, shall I come in? It’s a bit awkward standing outside alone.”

“Oh, oh, come in then! Really, you didn’t have to bring gifts. Why so polite with your Sister Mi?” Li Mi snapped out of her daze, quickly taking the gift and letting Zhou Ran inside.

Though Li Mi complained about the trouble of bringing gifts, her expression betrayed her delight the moment she accepted them—she was clearly pleased.

This was a lesson Zhou Ran had learned through two lifetimes. Whenever visiting friends, it’s always best to bring a little something, even if they protest; they’ll always be satisfied.

Li Mi was a perfect example. Though, with her status, buying a few handbags was no problem, gifts from others meant more.

“So, what brings you here all of a sudden, Xiao Ran?” Li Mi fetched a bottle of milk from the living room for Zhou Ran. “Your favorite milk.”

“Sister Mi, you really know me! I love milk.” Zhou Ran took the milk and sat on the living room sofa.

His habit of drinking milk was instilled by Li Mi a year ago.

Back when Zhou Ran and Li Mi were trainees, Zhou Ran was too thin—standing at 184 centimeters, he weighed only about 120 pounds, barely more than skin and bones.

Training required intense daily workouts, and Zhou Ran’s physique couldn’t handle it. He once fainted during practice.

Afterward, Li Mi imposed a strict rule: Zhou Ran had to drink a bottle of milk every day and never skip breakfast.

After more than a year of Li Mi’s care, Zhou Ran’s weight rose to about 133 pounds, much better than when he first arrived. He developed the habit of eating breakfast and drinking milk every day.

No matter how busy he was, he had to drink a bottle; otherwise, it felt like something was missing from his day.

Watching Zhou Ran drink milk, Li Mi noticed he looked much as he did a year ago, but now he was more confident, greatly improved from before.

When Zhou Ran first joined as a trainee, Li Mi immediately saw his insecurity. Though handsome, he carried a lack of confidence that made him inconspicuous in crowds.

Now, Li Mi was very pleased with the changes; he was nothing like before.

“So, tell me—why did you suddenly come looking for your Sister Mi? Don’t tell me you missed me!” Li Mi started the conversation as Zhou Ran took a sip of milk.

“Heh, Sister Mi, you always understand me!” Zhou Ran smiled awkwardly, realizing she’d seen through his intentions.

Li Mi regarded Zhou Ran as if to say, “Would I not see through your little schemes?”

“Sister Mi, I came back to ask for your help. After all, you’re my ‘motherly manager.’” Zhou Ran widened his eyes, looking at Li Mi with a pitiful expression.

“Oh, fine, fine, as long as I can help, just ask. Honestly!” Li Mi couldn’t stand that look—it was simply too disarming.

“Okay, Sister Mi!” Zhou Ran grinned mischievously. “Sister Mi, now that I’m famous, can you come back to help me?”

Li Mi rolled her eyes at Zhou Ran’s request, thinking to herself, “I knew it! Whenever this rascal comes to me, it’s never for a simple reason. Sure enough, this time he’s come to make me his manager. He really won’t let me go!”