Chapter 176 Xiong Mei came to the wolf’s den! Too late to regret? (3)

Chapter 176 Xiong Mei came to the wolf's den! Too late to regret? (3)

Xiong Mei presumed that Zhang Wei was already familiar with the dynamics of art schools, but his genuine confusion prompted her to shed light on the matter.

"... There's a rumor that if you remain a virgin, you could easily secure significant roles in the industry if a director takes a liking to you. Supposedly, men love 'untouched' goods." She felt a blush grace her cheeks as she admitted her own adherence to such beliefs.

Amused to no end, Zhang Wei burst into laughter. 'Why hadn't I thought of that before?'

It suddenly struck him that these art schools were like legendary heaven for him, ripe with potential resources.

"Give me your bank account number," Zhang Wei proposed abruptly, his eagerness palpable as he moved swiftly to solidify his grasp on this newfound opportunity.

"Huh?" Xiong Mei's surprise was evident, her thoughts struggling to catch up to his abrupt request.

Not allowing her room to dwell on it, Zhang Wei pressed on, his tone urgent. "You wanted money, right? Hand over your phone; I'll transfer the funds to you. There's no need for you to pursue an acting career for it — you'll be exclusively mine from now on."

'What?!'

"... You want to raise me?" Xiong Mei responded dubiously, surrendering her phone to him with a hint of hesitation in her action.

Zhang Wei's nonchalant nod accompanied his acceptance of the phone, allowing him to proceed with the money transfer.

'Is he serious? Does he genuinely want me to become some sort of canary for him?' Conflicting thoughts tumbled through Xiong Mei's mind.

While the funds were now in her possession, a new dilemma arose. She had once yearned for fame and wealth, but now Zhang Wei's proposition threw her aspirations into a tailspin.

She had the money now...

As for fame, she questioned whether she even desired it anymore...

Caught in an internal tug-of-war, Xiong Mei felt lost. On one hand, there was the possibility of pursuing a career in acting, even though it seemed impossible without compromising her values.

On the other hand, there was Zhang Wei's offer of support and a life without the struggles of an industry known for its shadows.

The choice weighed heavily upon her. On one side was a potential career tainted by ambiguity, and on the other was a life intertwined with a man she barely knew.

To be honest, she knew that her chances of making it in the industry without some form of support were slim to none.

Having spent a significant time away from her village and gained exposure to the harsh realities of the world, Xiong Mei knew all too well the challenges that lay ahead for someone with her exceptional looks.

She recognized that even in supposedly formal jobs, she'd be vulnerable to threats and advances from managers who would attempt to exploit her for their own gain.

As Zhang Wei was about to initiate the money transfer, a surge of panic washed over her.

With determination overcoming her nervousness, she mustered her courage and blurted out, "I... I need 100,000 HLD!"

Zhang Wei's surprise was evident in his gaze as he turned to look at her.

Her expression had shifted to one of unwavering resolve, signaling that she wouldn't settle for anything less than that sum.

Xiong Mei felt a pang of embarrassment, but she was adamant.

If he was going to take on the role of supporting her, she needed to secure a reasonable income.

After all, these men had a tendency to disappear after a while, leaving her to fend for herself.

This was especially true of the rich ones.

Seeing through her intentions, Zhang Wei couldn't help but shake his head with an amused smile.

With a casual toss, he returned her phone to her, the notification of money received appearing on her screen.

Staring at the message in disbelief, Xiong Mei's mouth hung open as she looked at Zhang Wei with a mixture of astonishment and disbelief.

"That's one million HLD for a year. Do you want more?" Zhang Wei's voice held a hint of scrutiny as he observed her reaction closely.

Xiong Mei's head shook in rapid denial, her expression verging on the absurd as she gazed at him, eyes wide with a mix of astonishment and fear.

The big brother is too tyrant!

Her hands trembled slightly, unable to disguise the mixture of emotions coursing through her.

One million HLD...

It was an unimaginable sum.

Her initial intention had been to ask for 100,000 HLD per year, not per month!

Yet, there they were, the numbers displayed on her phone, an amount that seemed too large to be real. However, the feeling of happiness was conspicuously absent from her heart.

It felt as if she had, in a way, sold a part of herself to attain it.

This wasn't how she had envisioned things.

In the recesses of her mind, she had anticipated that Zhang Wei might reject her request due to the high price she had quoted.

But...

Her fragile ego took an unexpected blow, leaving her feeling unsettled despite the substantial offer before her.

Determined to no longer feel like she was selling herself anymore, Xiong Mei clenched her teeth and made a bold proposition. "I... I want a car!"

With this a victorious grin floated above Xiong Mei's face, she assumed Zhang Wei would no longer be interested in her and call off the deal between them!

Much to her suprise, Zhang Wei simply nodded, his response a mixture of agreement and understanding. "That's fine."

Xiong Mei's mouth opened wide, feeling a bubbling furstation within her heart, she parted her lips again, to pose another ridiculous demand before him, "... I-I also want a house!"

Zhang Wei, "No problem."

Xiong Mei, "... I also want a necklace!"

Zhang Wei, "Okay."

Xiong Mei, "I want a ring!"

Zhang Wei, "No problem."

Xiong Mei, "I want a new phone!"

Zhang Wei, "Okay."

Xiong Mei, "...."

______

The game of listing demands and approvals stretched on for several minutes, until Xiong Mei finally released a defeated sigh.

'Doesn't he have any concept of money?'