Chapter 1309 — Free Spokesperson

"Huh? Doll?" The voice on the other end went noticeably blank for a moment.

"Hm?" Wei Zhao caught it too — that was not Qiu Lingshan's voice — and he paused as well. "Who is...?"

"I'm not a doll... I'm Xu Shilan..." Xu Shilan was more than a little speechless. How could this fellow be so crude, answering the phone and calling someone a doll? Had she not known Wei Zhao's character so well — known that he had no designs on her — she would have taken him for a common ruffian!

"Oh, you're a doll too, then — Doll Xu. What's the matter?" Wei Zhao said offhandedly, never for a moment expecting Xu Shilan to be the one calling.

"..." Xu Shilan was somewhat speechless, but never mind — a doll was a doll. Come to think of it, she really was a doll, wasn't she? Not one to belabor a form of address, she simply said, "Earlier, you said you would prepare some headache medicine for me? I happen to be free today — I'll come pick it up, and then take a few photos with your friends?"

Xu Shilan's concert in Songshan City had drawn to a close, and she was about to move on to other cities, so before leaving she intended to bid Wei Zhao farewell — and pick up some headache medicine at the same time! Over the past few days her manager, Sister Wang, had also made contact with Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals, relaying the news that Xu Shilan meant to serve as their spokesperson free of charge. Fat Lai had been utterly baffled at first: a megastar they could not so much as buy with money before — why was she now offering to endorse them for nothing?

So Fat Lai put Sister Wang's identity through a grilling. This person wasn't some swindler, was she?

Only after Sister Wang's explanation did Fat Lai learn that Xu Shilan was in fact Wei Zhao's patient! Nor did Sister Wang hide the nature of Xu Shilan's illness from him — Wei Zhao and Guan Xuemin both knew the story already, so there was no point keeping Fat Lai in the dark.

Only now did Fat Lai see the light — so that was why! And so he no longer felt that Xu Shilan's free endorsement left him owing her anything. However lavish the endorsement fee, how much could it possibly be? Bear in mind that when Wei Zhao treated the疑难杂症, a flat ten million was only the floor!

Wait — I must avoid Chinese characters. Fix that.

Only now did Fat Lai see the light — so that was why! And so he no longer felt that Xu Shilan's free endorsement left him owing her anything. However lavish the fee, how much could it possibly be? Bear in mind that when Wei Zhao treated the most intractable and exotic illnesses, ten million was only the starting fee!

So Fat Lai summoned Xu Shilan on the spot and put her to work for all he was worth — shooting promotional spots, then video after video, cramming in as many as could possibly be crammed; he even had the packaging of the Guan Daifu Trauma Ointment redesigned, with Xu Shilan's photograph printed on it!

And he added a tagline — "Want skin as flawless as a superstar's? Use Guan Daifu Trauma Ointment: repairs the wound perfectly, leaves no scar!"

Even Sister Wang could hardly bear to watch. When had Xu Shilan ever been ordered about like a servant? Even for an outrageously high endorsement fee she had never shot this many films and promotional spots — this was treating her like dirt!

But Xu Shilan only smiled and shook her head, saying it was nothing. Since Wei Zhao treated her as a friend and treated her illness for nothing, she ought to return the favor in kind; and since they were friends, she shouldn't count the cost.

Besides, Xu Shilan felt that everyone around Wei Zhao was just like him — they simply did not take celebrities seriously. However pretty and cute she might be, Fat Lai seemed not to see it at all; when he spoke to her, his eyes were always rolling this way and that, figuring how to squeeze every last drop of value out of her...

Of course, what Xu Shilan did not know was that Fat Lai had already written her off as Wei Zhao's stand-in — with a chance, someday, of being promoted to official girlfriend — and Fat Lai would never entertain any thought about his boss's woman.

It was only that the Guan Daifu analgesic had not yet gone into mass production; the company held merely a handful of samples, so if Xu Shilan wanted any, she still had to get it from Wei Zhao.

"Today? Fine!" Wei Zhao happened to have nothing on. "As it happens, I've just brought back a pile of seafood from the restaurant — come along and eat with us."

"Seafood... to go?" Xu Shilan stared, then could not decide whether to laugh or cry. "All right — give me the address and I'll be right there!"

"The address is Seaview Villa Bay..." Wei Zhao told her. "If you can't find it, use navigation."

"Fine — wait for me, then." It was rare for Xu Shilan to have a friend at all, and one with no ulterior motive toward her; it let her relax completely in their company. Otherwise it was hard for her to make any true friends: women who approached her mostly rode on her halo to claw their way up, and men who approached her only had sordid things on their minds.

But Wei Zhao and Feng Xiaoxiao were different — both perfectly decent people. And through her dealings with Fat Lai, Xu Shilan had found that Wei Zhao's friends were all decent too; presumably those friends Wei Zhao had mentioned, the ones who wanted photos with her, were no worse — otherwise a proud and haughty soul like Wei Zhao would find it hard to accept anyone.

The moment he hung up, Feng Xiaoxiao could hardly contain herself and asked, "Hubby Wei Zhao — is Xu Shilan coming?"

"Yes. She'll come by the house in a while to pick up her medicine; the three of you can play together a bit." Wei Zhao seemed to think Xu Shilan's coming to the door was the most ordinary thing in the world — had it been anyone else, a superstar turning up would have left them beside themselves with excitement.

"Wonderful — then let's all sing here at home and have Xu Shilan perform for us live!" Feng Xiaoxiao exclaimed. "I'll call Sister Tang Yun right now — we'll go fetch her!"

Wei Zhao did not follow stars, so naturally he could not fathom the feelings of Xu Shilan's fans.

The moment they reached the house, Feng Xiaoxiao told Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu the thrilling news. Tang Yun was equally pleased, though not nearly as animated as Feng Xiaoxiao; she simply greeted Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu with a smile.

Tang Yun had already become a regular guest at the villa, and she was quite at ease here.

"Shouldn't we prepare something tonight to entertain Xu Shilan?" As the mistress of the house, Gu Mengyao naturally could not neglect a guest — let alone a guest who was a major star.

"No need to trouble yourselves — I've brought back a whole pile of seafood." Wei Zhao hefted the big bundle of takeout boxes in his hands. "Packed up from the Overlord Fish Seafood Pavilion. Some fool treated us to dinner today."

"A fool?" Gu Mengyao was puzzled.

"Just a fool who was trying to court Tang Yun," Wei Zhao explained briefly; as for Zhao Fafa's business, he could not be bothered to say more.

True to her word, Xu Shilan arrived the moment she said she would. While Wei Zhao and the others were still talking, the doorbell rang outside; clearly she had set out the instant she hung up. The roads were unfamiliar to her, but Wei Zhao had lost time fetching Tang Yun as well, so the two of them arrived almost on each other's heels.

Feng Xiaoxiao and Shen Yushu bolted out to open the door. The household had gone from one live wire to two, and Wei Zhao had long since accepted the fact.

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