My crush wants to be my sugar daddy.

Chapter 146 Can I stop liking him?

Jiang Haochen did not spend the night in Chi Yuan's room.

He wanted to assert his dominance and let everyone around him know that he was pursuing Chi Yuan, but he also needed to maintain a proper balance.

So, after dinner, I spent some time with Chi Yuan and then came out.

When Chi Yuan saw him off, he kissed him through the door until his legs went weak, recalling how the boy was half-naked and barely standing. Jiang Haochen's lips were curled up when he left.

While being a sugar daddy created some obstacles for him in his pursuit of Chi Yuan, the benefits were truly amazing.

"General Manager Jiang."

Li Weiran had been waiting in the elevator for quite a while.

She didn't miss the satisfied smile on Jiang Haochen's face, and knew that during that time, this person must have bullied her artist again.

Although Li Weiran had always known about the relationship between Chi Yuan and Jiang Haochen, this was the first time she had witnessed "aftermath".

She disliked this feeling intensely; it made her feel like a madam, and Chi Yuan was a minor official she had sold. Neither she nor Chi Yuan needed to earn money this way. Therefore, she felt even worse.

She hadn't been on set for the past few days, but she had learned from Xiao Zhao about President Jiang's unusual behavior. In her opinion, President Jiang's actions weren't a good thing. She even had a dark thought: could it be that President Jiang saw Chi Yuan's career was going too well and his contract was about to expire, so he wanted to use this method to force a renewal?

This is not what Li Weiran wanted to see.

So after finishing her business outside, she rushed back immediately. Originally, she wanted to talk to Chi Yuan first, but when she returned, Xiao Zhao told her that President Jiang was in Chi Yuan's room, so she waited here instead.

"I have some work I'd like to discuss with you, but I'm wondering if you have some free time?"

The only person Li Weiran could talk to was Chi Yuan.

Jiang Haochen glanced at Li Weiran and nodded in agreement: "Let's talk in the office."

To make things easier, the production crew booked a suite as their office. When the two went in, three staff members were still working inside, and Jiang Haochen asked them to leave.

After everyone left, the two went into the office inside and began to talk.

Li Weiran went straight to the point: "I'll get to the heart of the matter. President Jiang's recent behavior on set—is it an attempt to keep Chi Yuan constantly by your side?"

Jiang Haochen frowned: "Imprisonment? Why do you think I'm imprisoning him?"

Li Weiran: "Two years ago, when you asked me to mentor Chi Yuan, you told me that if he had potential, I should guide him properly. I thought you meant that you wouldn't hinder Chi Yuan's career development. But recently, you've been restricting his activities, canceling his endorsements, and now you're doing this on set..."

"Wait a minute," Jiang Haochen interrupted Li Weiran, "When did I restrict Chi Yuan's activities or cancel his endorsements?"

Seeing that Jiang Haochen seemed genuinely unaware, Li Weiran asked uncertainly, "You don't know?"

Jiang Haochen: "I don't know."

"The day you picked Chi Yuan up from the film set." Li Weiran recalled the awkward way Chi Yuan walked that day, and even suspected that President Jiang might have abused Chi Yuan that day: "The next day, when we went to pick him up from the apartment, on the way back to the film set, he told me that he wanted to cancel all activities related to Actor Yan, including Xingtu's endorsement. Canceling the activities is one thing, but you should know what Xingtu's endorsement means."

Yan Chuan?

Jiang Haochen remembered that he had indeed told Chi Yuan that he didn't like him and Yan Chuan being paired up as a couple, but he hadn't said he wouldn't let him take on endorsements.

Jiang Haochen: "I didn't know about the Starway endorsement, nor did I say I wouldn't let him participate in the event. I just..."

Li Weiran: "You are just what?"

Jiang Haochen: "I just said I don't like him and Yan Chuan creating a CP (couple pairing)."

Li Weiran knew that some sugar daddies were germaphobes; even though their mistresses weren't in a romantic relationship, they didn't like their lovers getting close to others. However, President Jiang had always seemed very generous, and given his past as an actor, she assumed he wouldn't mind.

In retrospect, she had been making some assumptions.

Men are all the same; they don't care if they're not clean themselves, but they have to demand that others be clean.

Seeing that Jiang Haochen hadn't completely ruled out the possibility, Li Weiran still wanted to try and secure the Starway endorsement: "If you mind the possibility of creating a romantic pairing, I won't arrange for Chi Yuan to be paired with anyone else during the contract period. But this Starway endorsement is rare. This Starway endorsement is a global promotion. If Chi Yuan can take this endorsement, his career can reach a new level. Once he misses this opportunity, he might not have another chance like this in the next two years."

In this industry, minor fame comes from promotion, while major fame comes from fate. Endorsements like Starway, which can elevate one's status, are rare and hard to come by.

Jiang Haochen listened quietly, and only asked after Li Weiran finished speaking, "When was the endorsement deal with Xingtu negotiated?"

Li Weiran: "It was the night I had dinner with Actor Yan. Originally, we didn't plan to make a short video with Actor Yan. It was Actor Yan's agent who contacted me and said that Xingtu was interested in having Actor Yan and Chi Yuan make a video together. If they could make a video together and create a CP (couple pairing) effect, it could increase their popularity, so Xingtu's interest would be stronger."

Jiang Haochen: "Is it settled?"

Li Weiran: "Pretty much. The person in charge at Xingtu has already arranged a time for me to come over to discuss cooperation. I just told Chi Yuan the news, and Chi Yuan said he wouldn't accept it."

Jiang Haochen: "He said I wouldn't allow it?"

Li Weiran recalled for a moment and said, "No, he just said that he would no longer accept any activities related to Actor Yan, including Xingtu."

Jiang Haochen asked as if confirming, "Just because I don't want him to create a CP (couple pairing) with Yan Chuan, he's giving up his endorsements?"

Isn't this the question I just asked you? Why are you asking me again?

It seems that President Jiang really didn't know.

Li Weiran realized she had misunderstood President Jiang, and her tone softened immediately: "Chi Yuan said that his contract with you as a sugar daddy hasn't expired yet, so all contracts concerning him should be waived for you."

Jiang Haochen said blankly, "I never asked him to do that."

"Chi Yuan is a grateful young man. He said that no matter how well he does now, without you, he wouldn't be where he is today." Li Weiran, meeting her boss's complicated gaze, couldn't help but speak up for Chi Yuan. "Chi Yuan doesn't just see you as his boss; he sees you as his benefactor. Chi Yuan is a down-to-earth, ambitious, and talented actor. In the past two years, even though he's been the one you've been keeping as your mistress, he hasn't used any special privileges once, and he hasn't even asked for any resources. Whatever work I assign him, he does it without complaint."

Jiang Haochen heard another key phrase and exclaimed in disbelief, "He never actively asked for resources?"

Li Weiran: "I was the one who asked for those resources. I know that those resources were at your behest, but it wasn't unreasonable for me to ask for them. I obtained each one based on Chi Yuan's abilities, and Chi Yuan used them very well, so the company didn't suffer any losses. Even without your connection, shouldn't the company provide some resources to cultivate promising newcomers?"

Jiang Haochen wouldn't believe anyone else who said this; in this industry, it's common for agents to take the blame. But Li Weiran is different. From a very early stage, Li Weiran wanted Chi Yuan to terminate his contract, so Li Weiran wouldn't take the blame for Chi Yuan.

If Chi Yuan doesn't care about these resources, then why doesn't he terminate his contract with me?

Li Weiran: "President Jiang, this endorsement is really important to Chi Yuan..."

Jiang Haochen: "Did you try to persuade Chi Yuan to terminate my contract?"

Li Weiran's eloquent persuasion came to an abrupt halt, but only for a moment, before she readily admitted, "I did try to persuade you."

There was no point in hiding it, after all, she had already expressed this intention to President Jiang, but since neither of them agreed, she didn't bring it up again.

Jiang Haochen stared straight at Li Weiran, his hands under the table clenching into fists involuntarily.

"What was his answer to you?"

Li Weiran: "Chi Yuan is a very contract-conscious person. He said that as long as you, President Jiang, don't terminate the contract in advance, he won't bring it up."

The light in Jiang Haochen's eyes suddenly dimmed.

He thought...

Is it just about the spirit of contracts?

Jiang Haochen: "You can leave now."

He wanted some peace and quiet.

Li Weiran: "An endorsement for a promising career?"

Jiang Haochen glanced at Li Weiran: "Answer it."

Li Weiran was immediately delighted: "Thank you, President Jiang."

With the celebrity endorsement deal sorted out, she couldn't be bothered with President Jiang's little antics on set. She'd just remind Chi Yuan to be careful; at this time, he absolutely couldn't afford to provoke this boss.

After Li Weiran left, Jiang Haochen sat alone in his office for a long time.

Would a lover, someone who's with him for resources, give up a career-building endorsement just because of a single sentence from him?

Jiang Haochen wasn't stupid; he couldn't help but think that perhaps Chi Yuan also harbored some feelings for him.

Jiang Haochen took out his phone and sent a message to Chi Yuan: {Chi Yuan, do you like me?}

A few seconds later, he received a reply: {Like.}

Jiang Haochen stared at those two words for a long time, then asked again: "What about the person you have a crush on? Do you still like them?"

Chi Yuan replied with five words this time: {I've always liked it.}

Jiang Haochen stared at the reply for a long, long time, until his body was stiff from sitting, before he finally couldn't help but reply.

Jiang Haochen: {Can I please stop liking him?}

He withdrew the message as soon as he sent it.

His pride wouldn't allow him to love so humbly.