Chapter 127: The Child’s Rare Warmth

Seeing all these items, a look of surprise and delight immediately appeared on Bai Ling’s face.

"Sister Ge, you shouldn’t have brought so many gifts when coming over!"

"Come, come, what are you all just standing there for? Hurry inside!"

As Bai Ling ushered the three of them in, Sister Ge and Miao Miao looked at her with a hint of bewilderment.

"Oh?"

"What kind of wind is blowing today? How did you, little girl, suddenly change your temperament?"

"Don't tell me you still have the same enthusiasm you had when you insisted on participating in two shows at the same time?"

"Do you really not feel tired?"

Sister Ge asked.

She had assumed that Bai Ling was only interested in things for a fleeting moment, and that managing two shows simultaneously was a one-off stroke of luck. She expected Bai Ling to complain endlessly. That was why, when originally choosing variety shows for her, she had tactfully selected "I Am an Actor" and "Our Voices"—the latter of which only required a single appearance. On the whole, it wasn't particularly exhausting. With that same mindset, she had brought these contracts, hoping to add a small burden to Bai Ling’s schedule—nothing more strenuous than before.

However, Bai Ling’s excited reaction caught her off guard.

Bai Ling chuckled, "Sister Ge, what are you saying? Was I really that lazy in the past?"

"I don’t think so!"

"I’ve been a hardworking and diligent child since I was young."

Sister Ge, Miao Miao, and the others laughed. "Yes, yes, we can all see that."

Xiang Zi stood to the side, not daring to speak. The other two could get away with being sarcastic, but he certainly couldn't.

Bai Ling took all the project proposals and notices and set them aside. "Alright, alright, let’s talk about business first, and then we’ll go out to celebrate tonight!"

Seeing the child so rare in her enthusiasm and positivity, Sister Ge decided not to dampen the mood. "Bai Ling, your performance this time was truly brilliant. The company is very pleased. They said they treated you poorly before and want to craft a new script specifically for you..."

Upon hearing this, Bai Ling immediately waved her hands.

"No, no, no!"

"I wouldn't dare compliment the company's taste!"

She remembered clearly that the script for "A Bright Future" was absolute garbage. She had no interest in being "valued" by the company in that way. Even if she were to film again, she would provide her own script.

Sister Ge found Bai Ling’s reasoning sound. The people at the company were strictly management; they didn't have an artistic bone in their bodies. Still, Sister Ge didn't dare to criticize them too harshly. She was also in management, after all, and lacked artistic flair herself. However, she knew how to listen to advice. She trusted Bai Ling’s vision and talent, which was what had led to this miraculous comeback and newfound success.

"Fine. I’ll go back and speak on your behalf. If you ever have any ideas and need resources, I can help you negotiate."

"As for these, these are the project proposals sent by various production teams from early yesterday morning until this morning. I was worried you’d be tired, so I only brought a third of them."

Bai Ling, who had been excitedly reaching for the proposals, froze.

"O-one third?"

Looking at the surge in her followers and the number of trending topics on Weibo, Bai Ling already understood how sensational her performance last night had been. But those were the approvals of the audience and listeners; these contracts were the industry’s recognition of her. There was a difference.

Sister Ge added, "I have already filtered these contracts. Take a good look."

Only then did Bai Ling notice the dark circles under Sister Ge’s eyes. It was clear that she had spent a great deal of effort—likely pulling an all-nighter—to select the most suitable proposals. Bai Ling decided she would treat Sister Ge to a grand feast that evening.

She began to flip through the proposals. After more than half an hour, she started to get a headache. It wasn't just because the documents were numerous and complex, which made her deeply appreciate Sister Ge’s hard work; it was because most of these contracts were for music-themed variety shows, along with a few miscellaneous entertainment programs.

Bai Ling understood why music shows were inviting her. The success of "A Diao," combined with her previous two songs, was enough for her to establish a firm footing in the music industry. Even if she didn't claim to be a top-tier diva, plenty of people now recognized her as a first-rate talent. She just wasn't sure how long this popularity would last or if she could consistently produce high-quality work.

But there were simply too many music show invitations—more than half were music-related. Some wanted her as a mentor, some wanted her to perform, and others wanted her to interact with non-celebrity guests. The formats were endless. Music variety shows were already heavily saturated, so no matter how varied the formats were, Bai Ling couldn't muster much interest.

More importantly, Bai Ling had just reached the pinnacle of acting; her goal was to improve her craft. She wanted to continue developing and digging deeper in that field to gain greater fame. After all... acting paid better than singing.

She kept this thought to herself, knowing that if she voiced it, Sister Ge would surely give her a lecture. To veterans like Sister Ge, reputation was far more important than immediate financial gain. After all, once you were famous, would you ever be short of money? Just look at her now—even if she slacked off slightly, didn't people come lining up to hand her money?

However, Bai Ling soon realized the flaw in her thinking. She had been foolish.

"Acting variety shows like 'I Am an Actor' aren't currently saturated in the market. Even though my acting skills stood out once, there aren't many other acting-focused shows looking for me."

"As for the ones that do exist, they must be inferior, which is why Sister Ge screened them out," she thought silently.

"If I really want to increase my reputation as an actress, the best way is to produce actual work. That is more convincing than any variety show. Plus, participating in two acting shows at once would be too mentally draining."

At the same time, Bai Ling realized that many of the shows actors appeared on most frequently weren't acting-related at all. They were genuine entertainment variety shows—the kind remaining in the stack she held. These programs didn't require guests to have acting or singing skills. Most just involved completing obstacle courses or playing various games and challenges to provide "entertainment" for the audience.

Consequently, these shows were a paradise for traffic-driven stars. The show she had previously participated in, "Spending the New Year at My House," was actually a variation of this type, and a relatively well-developed one at that. If it hadn't been for her existing reputation and the fact that the other participants were seasoned veterans, she likely wouldn't have had the opportunity to showcase herself at all.

These shows weren't difficult; they were even relatively relaxing. But they required the guest to have a "variety sense." Bai Ling wasn't sure if she possessed that ability, so she hadn't given them much thought.