Superstar's Development Diary
Chapter 143: Those Years When I was a Paparazzo

Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Those Years When I was a Paparazzo

Outside the window, He Jinxia’s eyes curved into a smile as she cheerfully said, "My family is making dumplings, and my mom made a bit too many, so she told me to bring some down for you to try. It’s not easy for you to spend New Year’s Eve here keeping watch over me, thank you for your hard work!"

No sooner had she finished speaking than she turned and walked away, leaving the three paparazzi in the car exchanging puzzled glances.

Laoer was the first to speak, "Are we sure she didn’t poison these?"

The Eldest rolled his eyes at him.

The third, confused, said, "The Eldest, He Jinxia seems different from other stars. This is the first time I’ve seen someone who doesn’t shoo us away but instead brings us food."

The Eldest’s expression turned somber, a hint of deep thought crossing his eyes.

After a moment, he said, "Didn’t you hear it was her mother who sent her down? In the future, if you see Aunt Rui, make sure to greet her, got it?"

Laoer and the third nodded.

The Eldest looked down at the dumplings and said, "Let’s eat them while they’re hot. Today is New Year’s Eve, we should be gathering with our families for reunion dinner. Ever since I became a paparazzo, it’s been three years since I last went home for the holiday."

Every New Year’s, he was off tracking down celebrities.

Laoer and the third immediately grabbed dumplings and began eating, reminiscing about their years as paparazzi.

Laoer said, "I haven’t been home for a long time either. As you know, I started as an extra in Film City. Later, I heard paparazzi talking about getting big scoops for money, and that’s how I got onto this path. If it weren’t for The Eldest taking me under his wing, I probably wouldn’t have been any good at this job."

The third interjected, "This is my first year not going home for New Year’s."

The Eldest and Laoer looked curiously at the third.

The Eldest asked, "I’ve always had trouble understanding your way of thinking. You’re a graduate of a good journalism school, you could have found any decent job. Why opt for a paparazzo’s life, which everybody condemns?"

Laoer added, "I’m also puzzled by this."

The third scoffed and took the rare chance to show off in front of his seniors, saying:

"What’s wrong with being a college graduate? I got into journalism school through my own efforts. Should I tell you that I even received scholarships for three consecutive years? But what good did it do? Absolutely no good—it was all useless!"

The third continued to pick up another dumpling and said while eating, "Working as a journalist or commentator at a reputable media company is like being a civil servant, but I had no connections, I got brushed aside by those with the right connections.

Do you think these jobs require knowledge? Of course, they do, but anyone who has studied the field can get the job, regardless of whether they’re good or bad.

After you’ve been there a while, you understand everything you need to, as well as things you shouldn’t; it doesn’t matter what your professional skills were when you were hired.

After a few rejections at those big companies, I stopped applying for jobs. Becoming a paparazzo wasn’t really changing careers; it’s still a type of journalism, isn’t it? Always striving at the forefront to satisfy the people’s curiosity, toiling tirelessly, braving whatever comes..."

"Alright, enough," The Eldest interrupted. "With your eloquence, you shouldn’t be a paparazzo, you should be a speaker or orator. In ancient times, there was something, what was it? Right, a missionary; if you were born back then, you would have been the perfect choice for a missionary!"

Laoer chuckled along in agreement, "That’s right, that’s right!"

The third also smiled simply.

As The Eldest ate his dumplings, the light in his eyes flickered ceaselessly, thinking about various things.

Elsewhere, He Jinxia went upstairs to the door of her home and shouted a few times; Mrs. He opened the door, seeing her daughter’s empty hands, she couldn’t help but smile, "Did they eat them all?"

He Jinxia entered the home and shrugged nonchalantly, indicating that she did not know, "I stuffed them into their hands; I don’t know if they ate them."

Mrs. He closed the door and stood still in thought for a while, suddenly frowning, she said, "The day after tomorrow we have to visit your Aunt Rui, will they follow you too? It wouldn’t cause any trouble if Sheng Yan gets photographed, would it?"

He Jinxia blinked her eyes sincerely and said, "Mom, it’s not about whether there will be trouble, it will definitely be a big deal."

Mrs. He sighed, "What should we do then?"

He Jinxia blinked innocently again, "You’re asking me? I don’t know what to do either."

At that moment, Mrs. He exhibited the assertive side of a mother, urging He Jinxia to send Sheng Yan a message to ask for his advice on what to do.

"Sheng Yan is a big star, he must have a way to deal with it. Otherwise, when the time comes, I will just go to Aunt Rui’s place by myself and leave you locked in the room... Hmm, to eat steamed buns and pickles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!"

He Jinxia was at a loss whether to laugh or cry at her mother’s words.

Given the relationship between the two families, even if she were trapped at home and unable to go out, Sheng Yan might choose not to rescue her, but Aunt Rui definitely would not stand by.

She would probably even come to save her in person, and Sheng Yan would surely have to come along, so asking him about it wasn’t a big deal.

He Jinxia walked into her room, thought about the eager expression on Mrs. He’s face just now, and a smile crossed her eyes, bright like the stars.

How could she not understand by now that Mrs. He wanted to matchmake her with Sheng Yan?

"To see each other, huh..." He Jinxia murmured softly, the corners of her mouth curving slightly upward, shrugging lightly. If the person was Sheng Yan, it seemed... she wasn’t opposed to it?

He Jinxia picked up her phone and made a call to Sheng Yan.

"Hello?" After a short while, the call was answered, and the man’s deep and rich voice slowly came through, "What’s up?"

He Jinxia asked, "Have you ever had paparazzi follow you to your house?"

Sheng Yan pondered for a moment and soon replied, "No, they can never get near my place."

He Jinxia was stunned for a moment before she remembered that Sheng Yan’s family lives in a large luxury residential area with good security, so it was normal that paparazzi couldn’t get in.

She shook her head slightly; it seemed she couldn’t get any tricks from Sheng Yan.

Sheng Yan asked nonchalantly, "Why, have you been followed home by paparazzi?"

Just as He Jinxia was about to speak, a noisy commotion came from the phone, as if a large crowd were shouting, and she could faintly hear someone urging Sheng Yan to hurry into the car.

She frowned and asked, "Where are you?"

Sheng Yan answered, "I just left the airport, I’ll be home soon. You haven’t answered my question yet."

He Jinxia said, "I’ll wait until you’re safely home and then—"

Sheng Yan interrupted calmly, "Answer my question, I’m not driving."

He Jinxia: "..." He was indeed decisive, straightforward, and sharp.

A flash of helplessness crossed her face as she hummed an acknowledgment, "I was going to ask you for a way to shake them off, but it seems you wouldn’t know either. Let’s wait until you get back and then—"

"I know," Sheng Yan interrupted again, adding, "I’ll tell you after I get home."

He Jinxia: "..." So was he insisting on her clarity just for what reason?

Sheng Yan said indifferently, "Wait for me."

A hint of warmth surged up He Jinxia’s face, and her ears felt a bit hot; she mumbled a reply and then quickly hung up the phone.

She patted her face with her hand and took a long breath, feeling strange—what was with the heat in her face!