LOI Chapter 21 — Amicable Termination

After the New Year, Rong Ke received a call from Zhuang Kang, asking him to sign the termination agreement.

Things went much smoother than Rong Ke had anticipated. However, when he arrived at the agency at the appointed time, he waited for several hours without seeing Zhuang Kang.

During this time, coworkers who didn’t recognize him asked for help carrying equipment, while juniors who knew him requested photos together. It wasn’t until nearly closing time that Zhuang Kang appeared and called him into the office.

“Sorry, I had an impromptu meeting,” Zhuang Kang said, sliding the termination agreement across to Rong Ke. The scant pages still carried the faint scent of ink, as if it was fresh from the printer.

“It’s fine,” Rong Ke replied.

He had no pressing matters anyway; the wait only delayed his grocery shopping.

The agreement was straightforward: an amicable termination, with the condition that Rong Ke couldn’t disclose his relationship with Jiang Si to the public. Otherwise, the company would seek compensation for damages.

A reasonable request.

Both parties understood that as long as Rong Ke regained his freedom, he wouldn’t stir up trouble and thrust himself into the spotlight.

Rong Ke signed his name on the agreement and asked Zhuang Kang, “Is Mr. Zou really letting me go just like that?”

“The company has many artists, and plenty of inexperienced newcomers. You’re just one of them. Don’t overestimate your importance,” Zhuang Kang said.

Rong Ke thought self-deprecatingly that being a nobody had its perks after all.

With two copies of the agreement, he took his and prepared to leave. However, Zhuang Kang called out to him.

“As an employee of your former agency, I hope not to see you doing well in the future,” Zhuang Kang said. “But personally,” she paused, “I wish you a bright future.”

Rong Ke knew Zhuang Kang’s style: professional, not personal—a cold work machine.

For her to say such things showed some sincerity, but Rong Ke still found it difficult to muster a “thank you.”

After hurriedly buying groceries, Rong Ke returned to the apartment complex rather late. Yan Zhi would be getting off work soon.

He parked in the basement and headed towards the elevator with his bags when suddenly, a car door slammed shut nearby, followed by someone calling out, “Rong Ke.”

Turning around, he saw Jiang Si approaching from his parking spot.

Rong Ke immediately understood: Jiang Si must have known about his termination agreement signing and came to intercept him.

He continued walking, reaching the elevator and pressing the up button.

“Rong Ke, I’m talking to you,” Jiang Si frowned, following him.

Realizing he couldn’t shake him off, Rong Ke entered the elevator and asked, “What is it?”

“You terminated your contract with the company?” Jiang Si questioned.

Rong Ke couldn’t be bothered to answer, watching the numbers slowly increase on the elevator display.

“Do you think everything’s fine now that you have Yan Zhi backing you?” Jiang Si pressed.

With a “ding,” the elevator reached the sixth floor—which Rong Ke had deliberately selected for Jiang Si. He frowned, reminding him, “This is your stop.”

Jiang Si didn’t budge, allowing the doors to close and following Rong Ke to the seventh floor.

“You know, Mr. Zou changed his mind today. He’s not keen on letting you go so easily,” Jiang Si said, following Rong Ke into the seventh-floor foyer.

Rong Ke finally deigned to look at him properly. “And?”

Seeing he’d finally elicited a response, Jiang Si eased up, teasing out the suspense. “I watched ‘Legal Elite.’ You were actually decent.”

Rong Ke asked impatiently, “You ambushed me in the parking lot just to compliment me?”

“Everyone online is praising you, saying you look like you were plucked from a construction site,” Jiang Si said. “They don’t realize you’re just playing yourself. You barely need any acting skills. Sure, you can experience this role, but are you going to ‘experience’ every role? If you play a murderer, are you going to kill someone?”

Rong Ke knew nothing good ever came out of Jiang Si’s mouth.

“Why can’t I experience being a murderer?” he said lazily. “If I were to kill someone, you’d be my first target.”

Jiang Si’s expression faltered, his body slightly recoiling, obviously frightened by Rong Ke’s words.

He quickly realized Rong Ke was bluffing, a flash of annoyance crossing his eyes at having been so easily fooled.

“Anyway, you’re trending now, and the show’s on CCTV. Mr. Zou can’t ignore you even if he wanted to.”

Rong Ke checked the time, his patience wearing thin. “What’s your point?”

“This afternoon, Mr. Zou negotiated terms with Yan Zhi.”

Rong Ke’s brow furrowed imperceptibly, suddenly understanding why Zhuang Kang had been called to an impromptu meeting.

“Do you know what Yan Zhi agreed to?” Jiang Si asked.

His smugness was barely contained. Rong Ke, unwilling to humor him, walked straight to the door, about to open it. “I’ll ask him when he’s back.”

“He agreed to give me the May anniversary issue cover,” Jiang Si said, quickly stepping forward and leaning against the doorframe, positioning himself perfectly to observe Rong Ke’s reaction.

A fashion magazine’s anniversary issue cover held the highest prestige, even surpassing the September and October issues.

No wonder Jiang Si was so smug. After losing his New Year’s cover, securing the anniversary cover was a spectacular comeback.

However, Rong Ke showed no reaction, foiling Jiang Si’s attempt to provoke him.

“Congratulations,” Rong Ke said flatly. “Now you’ve got all four major magazine covers.”

“So what’s mine remains mine,” Jiang Si said, intensifying his tone when Rong Ke’s bland response fell short of his expectations. “You thought you could strut around with Yan Zhi backing you, but look what happened. He still had to bow to Mr. Zou. This is his domain, and even he caved. What do you think he can do for you in the film industry?”

Rong Ke remained unfazed. “Is one cover really worth all this gloating?”

“Heh,” Jiang Si scoffed, then continued, “I heard you’re auditioning for a weekly drama. Here’s some inside info: Liu Qing has already been cast in the main group. Do you really want to be in the same production as him? Remember, you’ve offended him before, and he’s not exactly friendly.”

“It’s fine,” Rong Ke said flatly. “I’ll just offer him some coffee when the time comes.”

“You think…” Jiang Si’s smile froze as he realized Rong Ke’s “offer coffee” meant “throw it in his face.”

“Don’t get cocky, Rong Ke,” Jiang Si warned. “I’m here to tell you the entertainment industry isn’t easy. Don’t think it’s so simple.”

Rong Ke was eager to start cooking dinner and about to tell Jiang Si to leave when the elevator doors suddenly opened. A tall figure stepped out.

Yan Zhi, wearing a black turtleneck under a pure white cashmere coat, approached with a commanding presence. He glanced at Jiang Si and asked Rong Ke, “Do we have a guest?”

Before Rong Ke could answer, Jiang Si stepped forward confidently, chin raised, and said to Yan Zhi, “Consultant Yan, it’s been a pleasure working with you.”

Ignoring him, Yan Zhi walked towards Rong Ke. “Darling, what’s for dinner tonight?”

Rong Ke noticed Jiang Si’s back stiffen visibly.

He shook the bag in his hand. “Crab roe tofu soup.”

Jiang Si took a deep breath and turned to Rong Ke. “We’ve broken up, and you’re still trying to provoke me? You know that’s my favorite dish!”

“Just because you like it, others can’t eat it?” Rong Ke and Yan Zhi entered the apartment, slamming the door shut. “Neurotic!”

Rong Ke put the ingredients in the kitchen, about to ask Yan Zhi about the magazine cover when Yan Zhi followed him in, frowning. “I don’t want that.”

“I wasn’t planning on making it,” Rong Ke said. He’d just mentioned it offhandedly. As he started washing vegetables, he asked Yan Zhi, “You gave him the anniversary issue cover?”

“Mm,” Yan Zhi leaned against the dining table, arms crossed. “Zou Wei wanted some benefits.”

Rong Ke didn’t respond, carefully washing the vegetable leaves.

“Are you upset?” Yan Zhi asked.

“No,” Rong Ke said. “If you hadn’t agreed, he would’ve delayed the contract termination.”

“Yes,” Yan Zhi said. “Both sides taking a step back is the best solution.”

“Besides, it’s just one cover. It’s not a loss for me at all.”

Rong Ke knew that for Yan Zhi, this was as simple as snapping his fingers. It wasn’t that Yan Zhi was a pushover, as Jiang Si had claimed, but rather that, in his eyes, this was a trivial matter not worth fighting over.

Still, Jiang Si coming to gloat at their doorstep had genuinely irritated Rong Ke.

“If you don’t like it, I can have him removed,” Yan Zhi added. “We can negotiate the contract termination separately.”

“No need, let’s leave it. I don’t want to complicate things,” Rong Ke said. Thinking about what had just happened, he found it somewhat amusing and looked at Yan Zhi. “But you calling me ‘darling’ just now was pretty manly. It’s nice having a sister to back me up.”

Yan Zhi pressed his lips together, suppressing a smile. “Naturally.”

“Oh, right,” Rong Ke said, finishing washing the vegetables and turning off the tap. “The weather’s getting warmer from this week on, so I’ll be moving back soon. I’ll prepare tomorrow’s meals for you too. You can just heat them up when you get home.”

Moving back?

Yan Zhi fell into deep thought.

If Rong Ke left, he’d no longer have hot meals waiting for him when he returned home every day.

There’d be no one to keep him company while working, watching dramas, or traveling.

Most importantly, that drawer full of aprons would go to waste without ever being used.

“Ahem, ahem.” Yan Zhi covered his mouth with his fist, coughing heavily twice. “I think I’m coming down with a cold.”

Rong Ke lit up his phone screen to check the warming weather forecast: “?”