I am a Big Player
Chapter 290 - 288, Secret (Third Update)_1

Chapter 290: 288, Secret (Third Update)_1

Recently, Yang Xi suddenly noticed that there was something off about Ren He; he always seemed to be silently preparing for something yet never let her in on it. Did Ren He have any secrets with her? Generally speaking, there weren’t any.

After all, she knew everything others didn’t; Ren He would share even the mundane things he did with her as if they were amusing stories. However, this time, it seemed different.

These past few days, Ren He’s mind appeared to be preoccupied with something, and he would frequently check his phone messages and communication apps. Yang Xi hadn’t intended to pry into why Ren He was so absorbed with his phone, but once, she accidentally noticed that when her gaze drifted towards Ren He’s phone, he would deliberately tilt the screen away.

That’s when Yang Xi became suspicious; she was absolutely certain that something was going on!

Never underestimate a girl’s suspicion and intelligence; they may seem foolish when they are with you, but the moment you start keeping something from them, they turn into detectives...

What could happen? Phone... communication apps...

Yang Xi was stunned for a moment; was Ren He chatting with some girl who liked him? In her view, that was the most likely possibility; how else could she interpret this situation?

Was Ren He cheating? Yang Xi found it hard to believe because Ren He’s gaze was still so clear, and when he looked at her, it was straightforward, nothing like the behavior of someone who had wronged her.

In fact, while Yang Xi could be pretty savvy in relationships, jealousy and possessiveness were traits innate to women. No, men also have them, perhaps even more so.

Yang Xi’s thinking wasn’t that open; she couldn’t accept someone else sharing Ren He with her. Every time she thought about being the one and only in Ren He’s heart, she felt sweet; but at this moment, the sudden realization that there might be someone else who intended to share that made it impossible for her to accept it.

True, there are many wealthy men with multiple wives and concubines, but Yang Xi still believed that Ren He wouldn’t become that kind of person, and she didn’t want him to be.

If Ren He truly chose to betray her, she would leave without hesitation and never sing any of the songs he wrote for her again.

However, she was still choosing to trust Ren He for the time being, just that she had to start observing carefully. She wanted to personally verify that her trust was warranted; if she found out Ren He indeed had an affair, she didn’t even know what she would do.

Such a world would probably be bleak.

As for Ren He, he didn’t even know if he would survive the return from Mount Everest, nor did he know if he would suffer any consequences even if he did make it back. Although Yang Xi had always supported him, Ren He still chose to keep the Mount Everest trip a secret. There weren’t many reasons, only that he didn’t want her to worry too much; even if something did happen, Yang Xi would only find out after the fact and wouldn’t have been anxious for over a month.

Ren He couldn’t say for sure if his choice was right or wrong, but that vivid dream kept haunting his mind, lingering persistently.

Keeping it from Yang Xi did feel quite wrong, but those who said that love has no secrets neither understood love nor secrets.

On the penultimate day before his departure, Yang Xi, out of curiosity during the break, stepped out of the classroom when she realized Ren He was not at his desk, and just so happened to see Ren He hiding around the corner on the phone. However, as soon as she walked over, Ren He glanced at her and hung up the phone.

Yang Xi jokingly said, "Who were you calling? Is it your mistress?!" Her voice was very low; if her classmates heard these words, it would probably overturn their worldviews...

The No.4 Middle School’s beloved goddess playfully asked a boy if he was on the phone with his mistress... it was truly terrifying.

Ruefully smiling, Ren He showed his phone: "It’s An Si." An Si, was the fourth brother.

Yang Xi saw the call log and indeed, the call had just been made to An Si. Had she been overthinking things?

With that thought, Yang Xi’s mood suddenly brightened. She had been right to trust Ren He. Yang Xi trusted Ren He, but girls always have moments when they feel insecure, even if she is the hottest star now and the future Queen Yang Xi. By rights, she should be very confident, but that confidence depends on who the other party is...

The other party was Ren He, and Yang Xi didn’t feel she was any better than Ren He. On the contrary, it seemed like he could do anything.

It was precisely because she knew everything about Ren He that he shone too brightly in her world, causing her to feel uncertain. Sometimes, Yang Xi couldn’t help but wish she knew a little less about Ren He. Then she could be a bit more confident, rather than submissively placing herself in the position of a child bride...

As she thought about it, Yang Xi couldn’t help but laugh first at the silly things she pondered all day.

Nevertheless, Yang Xi was still certain that Ren He was hiding things from her. She continued to pay attention, but her trust in Ren He never wavered.

The next morning, a company car from TK Company came to Liu Hai Alley to pick up Ren He, with An Si already inside.

An Si handed the plane tickets and boarding pass to Ren He: "You’d better think it through. Although TK has already released the promotional images and started using public opinion to build momentum, if you really change your mind and don’t want to go, that’s fine too. You can just make a shoddy video to bluff your way through, and at most people will be disappointed. They won’t really make a big deal out of it, as the higher-ups at TK are viewing you with considerable regard right now."

Being regarded like a big shot might be an overstatement, as ultimately they were business executives, but An Si had revealed TK Company’s current attitude: They particularly valued Ren He!

Now, if Ren He were to directly ask for a higher endorsement fee, TK Company would immediately consider it, as they believed in getting what they pay for. However, Ren He felt that the spirit of a contract should be honored. Raising the price on the spot was not something a man of honor would do.

"Then why didn’t you at TK reimburse the expenses for my guide company and equipment?" Ren He glanced at An Si and said. To tell the truth, he would feel the pinch from spending over a million in one go, but his life was more important after all.

An Si coughed twice: "Actually, we have discussed this. If you successfully summit Mount Everest, then TK will reimburse the fees you paid to your guiding company. But as for the equipment, forget it. After all, it’s not a TK product. There is some controversy over the fact that you won’t be using TK products for this climb. When the photos come out, and everyone sees that TK’s spokesperson isn’t wearing TK outdoor products, it’s going to have an impact..."

"Fine, I’ll take the guiding fee. If it’s free, I’ll take it. As for their concerns, tell them later. I’ll just take a selfie with my face, the snow-capped mountain background, and the TK flag. No one will see the clothes," Ren He said with a laugh, explaining the situation. That was quite a savings—short of 800,000 with just one discussion...

"Now’s not the time to talk about this. You better be sure. At altitudes above 8,000 meters, if something really goes wrong, no one will help you. It’s not just the Forbidden Zone for Life, but a moral no-man’s-land..."

Ren He certainly understood what An Si was saying, but he had his own compelling reasons for going—it was his obsession. If he were to die, he would have to die on the snowy mountain.

...

Massive thanks for the rewards. Buying this computer was a real rip-off; they installed the main unit but didn’t include the power cord. Now I’m typing on my phone, which might be a bit slow, so please be patient, everyone. My hands are sore, but still, I’m grateful for the generous tips, and I’ll continue...