Having said that, she stood up.
Just as she was about to flee, a warmth suddenly spread through her nostrils.
It seemed like there was a liquid flowing out of her nose.
Instinctively, she reached up to wipe it and ended up with a hand smeared in crimson.
Indeed, it seemed misfortunes often come together.
What was the difference between her situation and a sleazy man bleeding from the nose while watching adult films?
Tang Li pressed her right hand firmly on her nose, only wanting to hurry back to the guest room.
But it was no use. The blood kept seeping through her fingers, blooming like blossoms of blood on the floor tiles.
Then, a man’s broad hand appeared at the back of her head.
Tang Li tilted her head back, her neck muscles touching the man’s dry, rough palm. When the towel covered her mouth and nose, her disheveled state was brought to an end.
"Let’s go outside," said Song Baiyan’s steady voice by her ear.
Tang Li took the towel.
With caution, careful not to dirty Song Baiyan’s hand.
Tang Li walked out of the bathroom and heard the sound of water running inside; Song Baiyan was probably washing his hands. Unsure whether it was because she had lost too much blood, but her brain felt a momentary void.
When Song Baiyan came out, Tang Li was still standing by the bathroom door.
"Why not find a place to sit?" he asked.
"It’ll get dirty," she answered softly.
But Song Baiyan gave a slight smile, his expression carrying a warmth and generosity that touched Tang Li. He said, "It’s not a big deal. If it gets dirty, we can just have the maid clean it up afterward."
For a while, Tang Li didn’t respond.
She wasn’t without self-awareness.
She clearly understood that she had caused him quite some trouble tonight.
That she had run here from school in the middle of the night, until he took her in on a rainy night. No matter how ’willful’ she was, he was still the elder who generously and tolerantly accepted her.
Sometimes she really wanted to ask, was it really because of her mother that he took such care of her?
Sitting on the sofa in the bedroom, Tang Li spoke out, "A few days ago, a very impressive agent came to the set looking for me. He said he wanted to sign me."
As she spoke, her gaze rested on the man’s tall and imposing silhouette.
"Which company is he from?" Song Baiyan poured a glass of water.
Then, Tang Li changed the subject: "The Lai Family hopes I’ll sign with Tianhua. Tianhua is an agency specifically established for Lai Yuaner."
Song Baiyan walked over and sat down on the sofa as well.
The glass of water was for her.
"So, which one do you lean towards?" Song Baiyan asked her.
Tang Li hadn’t removed the towel from her mouth and nose yet. Hearing Song Baiyan’s question, she looked down, her gaze inadvertently falling on his adam’s apple as he spoke.
A man in his thirties’ adam’s apple, compared to a freshly matured young man’s, had an extra touch of stability and sexiness. It was like the fine lines that grew at the corner of a man’s eyes with age. Rather than merely being evidence of time, they were more like a charming allure of maturity.
Perhaps it was this kind of allure that made her unable to help relying on and trusting him.
And even, wanting to tell him everything about herself.
"I don’t want to sign with Tianhua," Tang Li said. "My relationship with my family isn’t that great. Once my management contract goes to Tianhua, I might never get a decent role in the future."
Ouyang Qian wouldn’t ice her out, but she could make her agent pick terrible scripts for her.
The kind that won’t even be broadcast on prime-time TV.
Wasting her four or five years, by then, her acting path might well be ruined.
"If you don’t want to sign with Tianhua, then don’t," Song Baiyan’s long legs crossed, his slender fingers intertwined, his tone supportive of her opinion. "Every industry is the same. Apart from your own ability, the most important thing is the team that plans for you from behind."