Chapter 77: The Rebirth of the Motley Troupe

“Are you suggesting I invest in your troupe? Help you through this difficult period?”
Li Changsheng looked at Annie with curiosity after hearing her idea. “From what I’ve seen of your variety troupe, it seems like nothing but a money-losing venture.”
Annie’s face turned pale at his words.
Yes, who would invest in something that’s losing money?
Her heart sank. “I’m sorry, I just wanted to try, to see if there was any hope…”
To see if I’d fall for a fool’s errand?
Annie herself felt a bit reckless for seeking out Li Changsheng, a little crazy, a little thoughtless, and her eyes lost their brightness.
Just then, Li Changsheng said, “If you don’t mind adding another business, investment might not be impossible.”
“Really?” Annie was startled, needing a moment to process. “We can accept any business, no matter what it is!”
When you can barely eat, who cares about an extra business?
“Any business at all?” Li Changsheng smiled, giving Annie a long look up and down.
Annie twisted her slender body uneasily.
Their eyes met; Annie looked away, and Li Changsheng stopped teasing her, speaking directly, “I need you, during your performances, to collect legends about strange creatures for me.”
Annie raised her head in surprise. “Strange creatures?”
“Yes, for example, werewolves, vampires, demons—things like you’d see in tales of the bizarre.”
“No problem.” Annie smiled, her gaze toward Li Changsheng warmer than before.
His look had startled her earlier; she thought he might demand something else from her.
Li Changsheng was indeed intrigued by this heroine Annie. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed so readily.
But he had no intention of taking advantage of her vulnerability.
“I’ll go deliver the good news to everyone, then.”
Li Changsheng nodded. “Go ahead, gather everyone together, let’s have a meal at the hotel—consider it a welcome.”
“Alright!”
Annie answered joyfully, then looked deeply at Li Changsheng before turning and striding away on her long legs.
After a couple of steps, she suddenly stopped and looked back, biting her lip. “Mr. Changsheng, I want you to know the money you supported us with—I haven’t spent it. I only used it to pay everyone’s wages. I’m not someone who’s accustomed to accepting charity from strangers…”
“Of course.” Li Changsheng looked at her approvingly, then smiled softly, “But we’re friends now, aren’t we?”
Annie’s heart stirred at his words, her eyes growing misty. “Thank you.” With that, she bit her lip and departed.
Annie in the film wasn’t like most foreign girls. Even when she was starving, she refused to dance burlesque at someone’s suggestion and walked away immediately.
Later, when Kong was captured by Carl to be exhibited at the theater, Annie refused Carl’s generous offer and chose work she disliked as a companion dancer.
This heroine not only kept herself pure, but also had her own principles.
That—
Was precisely the reason Li Changsheng decided to support them.

...

At the hotel.
Manny and the members of the variety troupe followed Annie inside.
The doorman, who had previously looked at them with disdain and barred them, now wore a broad smile, not only opening the door but also helping carry their luggage.
After all, Li Changsheng had given instructions—the job well done would earn a generous tip. Service is service, and serving these paupers might bring even more benefits, so why not?
This made Annie roll her eyes.
Yet her heart felt warm, and Li Changsheng’s shadow lingered in her mind.
Li Changsheng greeted the troupe, offered a few words of encouragement, then entrusted Annie with full responsibility for reopening the variety troupe, providing her with the startup funds.
With everything settled, Li Changsheng returned to his upstairs residence.
Whenever the troupe saw him, it was as if schoolchildren met their teacher—utterly obedient.
He knew that with him present, neither he nor the troupe could relax.
After he left, Manny sighed, “My career begins anew! Who would have thought, under such circumstances, we’d encounter such good fortune.”
He glanced around, seeing genuine smiles on the faces of the troupe. No longer numb, their eyes brimmed with hope for the future.
“It feels wonderful not to worry about food anymore. Collecting tales of the bizarre—seems like a business with no real work. Annie, he truly likes you, you must cherish this.” A plump woman from the troupe pulled out a cigarette, about to light it out of habit, then put it away.
The new boss doesn’t smoke; best not to be impolite in such a setting.
“That’s right, Annie, you have to work hard. With you here, our livelihoods are secure.” Others chimed in.
Annie shot them an annoyed look. “Eat your food! This is top-class hotel fare!”
Though she said that, her thoughts drifted as she glanced upstairs.
He probably hasn’t eaten yet—should I bring him something?
...

Night fell.
“Knock, knock, knock!”
Li Changsheng rose and opened the door, only to find Annie standing in the doorway with a tray in her hands.
“You?”
“The hotel waitstaff are off duty, so I’m filling in. For our esteemed VIP client, I’ve brought a late-night snack,” Annie said playfully.
Li Changsheng smiled. “Come in, then.”
Annie set the tray down, unpacked several delicate pastries, and poured two glasses of properly aerated red wine.
She already knew Li Changsheng would be sailing tomorrow; she had come to send him off and discuss the troupe’s affairs.
The situation was simple: the company that employed the actors had gone bankrupt, and the theater ceased its lease, leaving them homeless.
All it required was money to rent the theater anew and pay everyone’s wages.
“To your journey! Bon voyage!” Annie raised a glass to Li Changsheng. He took it, and she lifted her own, gesturing to him.

...

Li Changsheng smiled. “Cheers!”
The two sat by the window, taking in the view.
Whenever Li Changsheng looked out alone, he felt like a stranger in a foreign land.
But tonight was different.
Tonight, there were two of them.
And after a few glasses of wine—
“I’m not drunk… I can drink more! Let go of me.”
Li Changsheng hadn’t expected Annie’s tolerance to be so poor—after only four or five glasses, she was already tipsy.
Perhaps those with burdens get drunk faster.
It was late, and the troupe had all gone home.
Li Changsheng could only support Annie, her cheeks flushed, mouth full of wine fumes, drowsy and tipsy, and lay her on the bed.
Even then, Annie wouldn’t settle down. Her white high heels had been kicked off who knows when, her slender feet wrapped in sheer stockings flailing in the air.
Her white gown had ridden up, revealing two shapely, long legs—white and smooth as lotus roots, their graceful lines on display.
Li Changsheng could only be grateful that it was him here; anyone else might have been unable to restrain themselves.
With film characters he admired, his boundaries were strict, and even in this open foreign land, he found it hard to adapt. It didn’t feel proper.
“Water… I want water…” Annie furrowed her delicate brows, looking uncomfortable.
Li Changsheng poured her a glass of water, helped her sit up, and brought the cup to her lips. She drank, spilling as much as she swallowed, soaking her white shirt through.
A delicate outline appeared, faintly visible.
“This fabric is too poor,” Li Changsheng glanced once and looked away, placing the unfinished water on the nightstand and preparing to open another room for himself.
Better to play the gentleman than torture himself.
But Annie, eyes hazy with drink, grabbed his arm. “Li, why did you help us?”
A little water had sobered Annie, though she was still tipsy.
“Because you’re beautiful enough, and I like you enough.”
At his words, Annie felt no displeasure—on the contrary, she felt reassured. “Thank you. Today is the happiest day of my life. I’ve finally caught hold of something I truly desire…”
Her eyes, glimmering with moisture, came closer to him.
Li Changsheng’s heart stirred; he’d already been holding back, and with her teasing, a fire rose within him.
He pressed his lips to hers.