Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 292, Section 290: Doing Whatever One Wants

As evening falls in Beijing, the hustle and bustle of the day fades away, and the city lights begin to illuminate the ancient city with a hazy yet modern glow.

Wang Sheng's black car silently glided into the underground parking lot of a top-tier apartment building near the East Second Ring Road.

This is a property he purchased last year. It occupies the top floor, offers a wide view, and provides excellent privacy, making it far more suitable for certain secret meetings than those suburban villas that are easily targeted by paparazzi.

The elevator takes you directly to the top floor, where the heavy metal doors open silently, revealing a large, single-level apartment that occupies the entire floor and boasts an extremely minimalist yet luxurious decor.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the silhouettes of the CBD's nascent skyscrapers and the endless stream of traffic make the pulse of the city seem almost within reach.

A middle-aged man in a white chef's uniform is busy finishing up in the open island kitchen with his assistant, and the air is filled with the enticing aroma of food.

Upon seeing Wang Sheng enter, the chef nodded respectfully.

"Mr. Wang, as you instructed, the dishes are basically ready, all made with the freshest seasonal ingredients," a middle-aged woman who looked like a housekeeper reported in a low voice.

Wang Sheng nodded slightly: "Thank you for your hard work, Manager Zhou. Assistant Li will be bringing a guest up shortly. You can go home once the meal is ready."

"clear."

after awhile.

……

The doorbell rang softly.

Li Tingting led Kim Hee-sun in.

At this moment, Kim Hee-sun changed out of the slightly formal dress she wore during the day and put on a beige cashmere knitted long dress that outlined her graceful figure. Her long hair was draped smoothly over her shoulders, and her makeup was light, which only highlighted her impeccable and exquisite beauty.

She carried a small handbag, her eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and caution as she entered an unfamiliar environment.

"Mr. Wang, Ms. Kim Hee-sun has arrived." Li Tingting said respectfully to Wang Sheng, then nodded politely to Kim Hee-sun before quietly leaving and gently closing the door behind her.

As a trusted confidante, she knew perfectly well what to see, what to hear, and what to keep to herself forever.

"Miss Kim, welcome." Wang Sheng carried two glasses of wine to the entrance and handed one of them to Kim Hee-sun.

"Thank you, President Wang." Kim Hee-sun accepted the wine glass with both hands and thanked him in slightly awkward but clear English, her gaze involuntarily drawn to the expansive view and the highly designed interior space.

A huge living room, furniture with clean lines, and art pieces displayed everywhere.

All of this silently speaks to the owner's wealth and taste.

She was already a top star in South Korea and had seen many wealthy people's mansions, but this large single-level apartment, which combined modern style with privacy, still made her feel a little shaken.

On the dining table, the exquisite bone china plates gleamed, and the dishes on them were clearly more refined and luxurious than the banquet at the restaurant at noon, with some ingredients that were even quite rare in Korea.

She couldn't help but silently sigh to herself, "Is this what China's wealthy families are like?"

Wang Sheng seemed to see through her fleeting thought: "I originally wanted to invite Miss Jin to my villa in the suburbs, where the environment is more tranquil."

But after thinking about it, the privacy over there isn't as good as here.

His words were ordinary, but the "privacy" was tinged with ambiguity by his deliberately slowed speech.

Kim Hee-sun's fingers tightened slightly as she held the wine glass, and a barely perceptible blush rose to her cheeks.

She's not an naive young girl. Having worked her way up to where she is today in the fiercely competitive and rule-ridden South Korean entertainment industry, she understands all too well what such a private invitation and this kind of occasion mean.

Before coming here, or rather, when she decided to accept the implicit invitation conveyed by Li Tingting, she had already anticipated and prepared for what might happen.

The South Korean entertainment industry, especially for actresses, is far more restrictive and difficult to navigate than it appears to the outside world.

The company suffers from severe exploitation, a constant stream of new talent, fierce competition for resources, and the ever-present influence of powerful conglomerates that require careful maneuvering.

She is hailed as "Korea's No. 1 Beauty," a title that is both a halo and a shackle, bringing her attention and making her a target of envy for many.

Her participation in "Flying Dance" was itself an attempt to expand her career abroad. And the man before her, Wang Sheng, was young, handsome, and possessed enormous resources in the Chinese film and television industry; he was incredibly powerful and seemed like the perfect person to climb the social ladder.

If she could get close to him, it would be of immeasurable benefit to her expansion into the Chinese market and even to improving her status in South Korea.

This was a tacitly agreed-upon deal.

She used her beauty, her fame, and her body to gain a more stable backer and a broader future.

It's realistic, but that's the rule of the world she lives in.

"This place is nice, very beautiful."

Kim Hee-sun steadied herself and tried her best to make her smile look natural and charming.

"The restroom is over there," Wang Sheng pointed in the direction. "Let's eat first. The chef's skills are pretty good."

Kim Hee-sun did as instructed and tidied her appearance.

When they returned to the restaurant, Wang Sheng had already gentlemanly pulled out a chair for her.

Dinner took place in a subtle atmosphere.

Wang Sheng is not a lustful person; he enjoys the process of slowly guiding and gradually taking control of the pace.

He chatted about some interesting things in the film industry and asked Kim Hee-sun about her experience filming "Flying Dance." His gentle and talkative manner greatly eased Kim Hee-sun's tension.

After a few glasses of red wine, Wang Sheng pieced together Kim Hee-sun's "growth story" through her intermittent narration, interspersed with simple English and occasional gestures.

She talked about how she was born into an ordinary family in South Korea (omitting the fact that her father was actually a mid-level manager at the Lotte Group in South Korea, deliberately creating a more down-to-earth image), and how she studied dance from a young age, dreaming of becoming a ballet dancer, but was forced to give up due to her height (her tone carried a hint of disappointment). Later, she was discovered by a talent scout because of her outstanding appearance and entered the entertainment industry.

She subtly revealed a hint of vulnerability and hardship, which was an effective way to garner sympathy.

Kim Hee-sun didn't mention any hints about unspoken rules, but the feeling of struggling to survive under immense pressure in her words was enough to convey the message.

Wang Sheng listened quietly, occasionally offering a word or two in agreement.

He certainly knew the state of the South Korean entertainment industry and understood how much truth and falsehood Kim Hee-sun was saying.

He could even roughly guess that, given her current position, it was impossible for her to be completely without the support of powerful forces behind her.

But he didn't point it out; he simply admired the deliberate yet natural allure that flowed in her beautiful eyes when she was slightly drunk.

Dubbed "South Korea's No. 1 Beauty," she certainly has the looks to back it up. No matter how much of her beauty is artificial, she is undeniably stunning under the lights.

He was very "devoted," devoted only to beautiful girls.

As for valuable and beautiful "works of art," he doesn't mind spending some time and patience to "collect" and "appreciate" them.

Dinner ended in a seemingly harmonious atmosphere.

The cook and servants had quietly left, leaving only the two of them in the large single-level apartment.

Wang Sheng got up, walked to the huge laser TV in the living room, and put in a disc.

"I heard Titanic is also very popular in South Korea? Want to check it out?"

Kim Hee-sun naturally had no objections.

She followed him to the sofa and obediently sat down next to Wang Sheng.

The story of that legendary ship began playing on the giant screen, with classic music echoing throughout the space.

As the movie's plot unfolds, the famous scene of Jack drawing Rose arrives, and the air in the living room seems to warm up a bit.

Kim Hee-sun could feel Wang Sheng's arm naturally wrapped around her shoulder without her noticing, and his body heat was transmitted through the thin cashmere sweater.

(End of this chapter)