That evening, Zhou Xiulin treated everyone. The main and assistant directors, Cheng Ying, Jin Zhongbei, and Zhao Xinran all went.
Inside the private room, the atmosphere was not initially very lively, but fortunately Cheng Ying was there.
“Mr. Zhou, why did you suddenly come?” Despite winning several awards, Cheng Ying still maintained her polite demeanor towards people. At that moment, she poured tea for everyone.
There were rumors that Zhou Xiulin and Zhao Xinran had some secret relationship, which was why Jiang Qin was sent over. When Zhou Xiulin appeared in the afternoon, some people said he came to see Zhao Xinran. She and Zhou Xiulin had known each other for five or six years, so she didn’t believe it.
Zhou Xiulin smiled and said, “I came to Hangzhou for a meeting and thought I’d drop by.”
Cheng Ying smiled cleverly and said, “I see. Then let me offer Mr. Zhou a toast with tea and wine to thank him for his kindness.”
Since they had to film the next day, they didn’t serve alcohol that night.
Compared to Cheng Ying’s lively and sociable nature, Zhao Xinran seemed much quieter. After all, her presence at the dinner was mainly because she was a contracted star of Huaxia. She secretly observed that Zhou Xiulin and Jin Zhongbei were evenly matched in different aspects. Jin Zhongbei had a high popularity in the entertainment circle, and many people openly or secretly admired him. Huaxia Film and Television was on the rise, and Zhou Xiulin stood out from the crowd like a dark horse, making him one of the men discussed by female celebrities in private.
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Zhou Xiulin pondered for a moment and asked, “Are those photos from last night? Did you find out who took them?”
Jin Zhongbei replied, “It was someone from the crew.”
Zhou Xiulin nodded. It seemed that this was all for Jin Zhongbei’s sake, and Jiang Xiao inexplicably became an accessory.
Cheng Ying turned to Zhao Xinran and smiled, “Xinran, you should thank Zhongbei. He cleared your assistant’s reputation.”
Zhao Xinran smiled brightly, “It was just someone seeking attention. My assistant has a boyfriend.”
Jin Zhongbei glanced at Zhao Xinran, seemingly waiting for her next words.
Zhao Xinran continued, “Her boyfriend is her classmate, studying abroad. My assistant and her boyfriend have a good relationship.”
Cheng Ying smiled and continued, “It’s normal to have a boyfriend at this age. Many students graduate from university and immediately hold both their graduation certificate and marriage certificate, some even bring their children to the graduation ceremony. It’s different from us.” Her words carried a hint of envy.
Zhou Xiulin’s right hand on the table twitched slightly. He picked up the water glass in front of him and took a sip. “Young girls nowadays have their own ideas.”
After the dinner, everyone dispersed.
When Zhou Xiulin arrived at the hotel, it was already 10 o’clock.
The car parked in a dark area, and the streetlights emitted a serene, dim light. Zhou Xiulin sat in the back seat, his refined face appearing somewhat blurred in the dark night.
Assistant Jiang sat in the passenger seat and hesitantly reminded him, “Mr. Zhou, the Madam usually sleeps at eleven.”
Zhou Xiulin suddenly curled his lips. If she could sleep at eleven, then the sun would rise from the west. Even if she turned off the lights, she would definitely be secretly playing with her phone.
Zhou Xiulin got out of the car with a paper bag in hand.
When Jiang Qin arranged the rooms initially, he also took into consideration that Zhou Xiulin might come to visit his family in the future. That’s why their rooms, both his and Jiang Xiao’s, were located in a quiet and concealed corner.
Zhou Xiulin stood at the door and raised his hand to knock. Jiang Xiao’s voice came from inside, “Who is it?”
“It’s me!” he replied in a deep voice.
The door slowly opened, revealing her face. Her eyes stared straight at him, clear and bright. She bowed slightly, looking obedient. “Mr. Zhou, welcome.”
Zhou Xiulin frowned and walked in, closing the door behind him. He stopped at the end of the bed and surveyed the room. The room was not big to begin with, but as soon as he entered, it seemed even smaller.
“Have you had dinner?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“What did you eat?”
Jiang Xiao blinked her eyes. “Vegetable salad and fruits.”
Zhou Xiulin walked over and sat on the edge of the sofa, his gaze fixed on her. “Do you want to have something cold to drink?” He found her longing for it in the afternoon quite amusing.
“No,” she replied firmly.
Zhou Xiulin pointed to the bag he brought in.
Jiang Xiao grinned. “Did you bring something for me? What is it?” She thought it was something to eat.
When she opened it, she found two books inside. “What Pregnant Women Should Know”!
Jiang Xiao glanced at him and noticed that he had rolled up his shirt sleeves, probably coming straight from the dinner. He looked slightly tired. “Would you like something to drink? I only have mineral water, green tea, and yogurt.”
“Mineral water.”
She took out a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator and handed it to him. “Have you been drinking alcohol?”
He raised an eyebrow and smiled. “No.”
Jiang Xiao didn’t say anything more.
He asked again, “How have you been recently?”
“Okay.” She paused. “Didn’t Assistant Jiang tell you?”
Zhou Xiulin suddenly smiled. “What he said, it’s different from hearing it directly from you.”
Jiang Xiao’s eyebrows twitched as she sat at the end of the bed, facing him. “That’s how life on the set is. It’s not bad except for being a bit hectic.”
Zhou Xiulin narrowed his eyes, secretly hoping to get drunk tonight. “Come hereā”
Jiang Xiao twisted her fingers anxiously and didn’t move.
Zhou Xiulin stood up and took steps towards her. She sat while he stood, his towering figure completely enveloping her.
Jiang Xiao looked up, her body slightly stiff. “Youā”
Before she could finish her sentence, his hand rested on her shoulder. His gaze fixed on her. “Who is your boyfriend studying abroad?”
Jiang Xiao replied, “ā¦Where did you hear this gossip from?”
Zhou Xiulin played with a strand of her hair between his fingers.
The close proximity made Jiang Xiao feel uncertain. But she had no escape. “Hey, Mr. Zhou, did you come to discuss this gossip with me?”
“What do you want to discuss with me? Or do you want to discuss the rumors between you and your idol?” He looked at her coldly. His hand slowly slid down, eventually holding her hand, carefully examining her ring.
Jiang Xiao struggled to decipher his true intentions.
Zhou Xiulin slowly lowered himself, half squatting, meeting her gaze. “Jiang Xiao, you are my wife.”
“That’s not true. Our marriage is fake.”
“Do you think I need a marriage certificate?”
Jiang Xiao’s eyes became confused.
“You are supposed to be smart, aren’t you? Why are you soā¦ slow on this matter?” Warm breath lingered near her ear, the distance between them getting closer.
Jiang Xiao hesitated. “Don’t you know that pregnant women become slower in their thinking?”
Zhou Xiulin chuckled and suddenly kissed the corner of her mouth. Anticipating her evasion, his hand held her face firmly.
Their breaths intertwined.
He asked, “Have I been drinking?”
Blushing, Jiang Xiao shook her head.
Zhou Xiulin looked deeply at her. “Has Little Bean Sprout bothered you these past two days?”
She had only vomited once when she saw him, and there had been no further reaction. When it came to Little Bean Sprout, she relaxed a lot. “Do you want to feel it? I feel like my belly has gotten bigger.”
Zhou Xiulin’s brow twitched as his gaze fell on her stomach. She was wearing loose sleepwear, so there was no noticeable change. Finally, he restrained himself and just hugged her.
After a while, Jiang Qin opened her phone and reminded him that he should go back.
Jiang Xiao smirked. It served him right for not buying her cold yoghurt in the afternoon. Everyone else had some, except her.
Zhou Xiulin glared at her. “How much longer will Zhao Xinran’s shoot last?”
“Xinran is not in the right condition, so the filming schedule may be delayed for a few days.”
Zhou Xiulin pondered for a moment, picked up his phone, and made a call. “Tina, I’ll be back at the company tomorrow morning at 10. Delay the morning meeting.”
Jiang Xiao asked, “ā¦Aren’t you leaving?”
“It seems like you want me to go.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.” Jiang Xiao didn’t chase him away. “Then where will you stay? You should ask Jiang Assistant to help you book a hotel room quickly. The rooms here are in high demand, and there might not be any available.”
Zhou Xiulin smirked. “Jiang Qin must be tired too. Let’s just make do tonight and squeeze in.”
Squeeze inā¦
Jiang Xiao was about to explode, but she didn’t have the courage to resist.
Zhou Xiulin took a shower in the bathroom while Jiang Xiao turned off the lights, leaving only one dim light. She lay on one side of the large bed, leaving a large portion for him.
She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of water. After a while, the sound of running water stopped, replaced by the sound of a hairdryer blowing.
Zhou Xiulin came out of the bathroom and saw Jiang Xiao wrapped in a blanket, sleeping on the edge of the bed, ready to fall off with a slight movement.
He wiped off the sweat from his body and lifted the blanket, lying down beside her. “Where’s the light switch?”
Jiang Xiao didn’t say anything.
Zhou Xiulin chuckled. “It seems like the switch is on your side.” As he was about to reach over, Jiang Xiao extended her hand and turned off the light with a snap.
In the stillness of the night, neither of them fell asleep.
Jiang Xiao remained motionless, while Zhou Xiulin was quite content. “After you finish this job, when we go back, we’ll tell our parents about the pregnancy.”
“Why didn’t we tell them from the beginning?”
“My mom has a very traditional mindset.” His hand held hers under the blanket. “It’s okay. After three months, we’ll go to the hospital for prenatal check-ups.”
“What check-ups?”
“The steps for pregnancy and childbirth. I’ll accompany you when the time comes.”
Jiang Xiao fell silent for a moment. “You will definitely be a good father.”
“You trust me that much.”
She paused for a moment. “In our high school class, many people knew that Zhou Yanyan had an amazing older brother. She used to show off with your photos.”
“Oh, so you’ve seen my photos?”
“I’ve seen it. The photo of you wearing a graduation gown,” she said. She didn’t have a good relationship with Zhou Yanyan and didn’t have the chance to see his photos. However, Zhou Yanyan would often talk about Zhou Xiulin with a few female classmates she got along well with.
“What were you thinking at that time?” he asked.
Jiang Xiao mumbled, “I was only thinking about the college entrance examination.” After a moment of silence, she continued, “I’ve seen you before.”
“When was that?” he asked curiously.
“Ah, I’m too tired. I have to go to work tomorrow.” She refused to say any more.
Zhou Xiulin knew he wouldn’t get an answer and pulled her blanket, saying, “You don’t mind being stuffy. Let’s sleep closer to the middle!”
Author’s Note: [Dream Theater]
One day, Little Bean Sprout, who had started primary school, asked, “Mom, what does ‘mensao’ mean?”
Jiang Xiao looked it up in the Xinhua Dictionary with her son.
Upon understanding the meaning of “men sao,” Little Bean Sprout exclaimed, “There are people like that!”
Jiang Xiao replied, “Yes, your dad is one of them.”
Little Bean Sprout said, “Dad is really ‘mensao.’ No wonder my name is Zhou Simu.”
Mr. Zhou, who was in a meeting, sneezed.
I’ve just revealed Little Bean Sprout’s full name to you.
Sansukini: SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER: 1The story of how they they met for the first time will be in another novel, HELLO, DR. QIN. It’s a high school to university setting featuring Jiang Xiao’s bestfriends, Lin Wu and Qin Heng. I might not translate this one because it’s too lengthy (boring), but it’s also a good read if you’re interested to mtl it. It will also be briefly mentioned how Jiang Xiao first met Xiulin later in the novel.
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You can also check out my other translations Here
Can you just spoil it for us on how they met? ššš
In HS, Xiulin brought his sister’s homework to the school and it just so happened that Jiang Xiao was late, so he asked her to take it to Yanyan. She fell at first sight because Yanyan is always bragging about her brother, and she thought he’s so nice; because she is an only child and basically orphaned (although her parents are not dead)
Will you translate her friend’s story?
Probably not. Here is the link https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3385613 if you want to read. In that one, the FL is an ethnic minority called Miao, and the story started from High School to adulthood. They have a lot of Jiang Xiao in the story.
Thank you.