Zhou Xiulin arrived at H City Hospital over two hours later. The director and Jin Zhongbei were both there.
Jin Zhongbei and Zhou Xiulin nodded at each other and exchanged simple greetings.
The director’s face was heavy. “General Zhou, you’re here!”
“How is Cheng Ying doing?”
“The surgery just ended, and it was successful. She broke a rib, had internal bleeding, and sustained multiple injuries. Fortunately, nothing vital was harmed,” the director said. He didn’t expect such an accident to occur. The horse suddenly lost control. Although it was an accident, the production team couldn’t avoid responsibility.
Zhou Xiulin composed himself. “As long as there is no life-threatening danger, that’s good. Director Li, you can go back and focus on your work. We can discuss Cheng Ying’s scenes later.”
With injuries to the tendons and bones, she would need at least one or two months of rest.
The production of “The Prosperous World” couldn’t afford to wait, not to mention the financial losses incurred each day. Other actors had signed contracts, and everyone had their schedule arrangements. Delaying the female lead’s scenes for one or two months meant other actors might not have any available schedules afterward.
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Jin Zhongbei replied, “I was right beside her, about five meters away. She fell off the horse in an instant, there was no time to react. I understand your thoughts, and this time it truly was an accident.”
Zhou Xiulin fell silent for a moment. “How much of Cheng Ying’s scenes are remaining?”
Jin Zhongbei pondered briefly. “About half. What are your plans?”
Zhou Xiulin had already thought it through on the way there. “I have two options: either wait for her to recover and rejoin the production, or replace the female lead. But either option will delay your time.”
Jin Zhongbei suddenly smiled. “I will adjust my schedule. After all, this accident was unforeseen.”
Zhou Xiulin spent most of the day at the hospital, and they both had to wait for Cheng Ying to wake up.
An hour later, Cheng Ying slowly regained consciousness. She saw the two men standing there and said, “I’m sorry for worrying you.” As she spoke, she felt a dull pain from her wounds.
Jin Zhongbei said, “Don’t talk now. Rest well.”
Cheng Ying smiled faintly. “I haven’t been a good host. You two, feel free to make yourselves at home.”
Zhou Xiulin: “Zhang Yu has already contacted me. She will handle the upcoming work, so you don’t have to worry. Your main focus now should be on recovering.”
Cheng Ying: “Mm. Zhongbei, why are you still here? Don’t you have scenes to shoot today?”
A hint of helplessness flashed across Jin Zhongbei’s handsome face. “The Princess Consort is injured. How can I not come to take care of her?”
Cheng Ying murmured softly, “I thank the Prince Consort for his concern.” She couldn’t resist her drowsiness and was about to fall asleep again.
Zhou Xiulin and Jin Zhongbei left the hospital together, their expressions slightly somber, devoid of any emotion.
“General Zhou, I heard that you have a new assistant?”
Zhou Xiulin smiled. “So you’ve heard too.”
“My sister’s birthday is this weekend, and I heard from Aunt Liang. Is it Jiang Xiao?” Jin Zhongbei’s tone carried a hint of questioning, but his expression indicated that he already knew it was Jiang Xiao.
“Yes. Jiang Xiao is capable. Jiang Qin suggested transferring her to work by my side.” Zhou Xiulin restrained his expression. “Indeed, she is quite good. I’ll return to Jincheng first, and we’ll meet another day.”
“Goodbye,” Jin Zhongbei said. He stood there in a linen shirt and black pants, exuding a natural air of ease.
On the way back, Jiang Qin sighed. “The relationship between Jin Dashen 1Dashen – God and Sister Ying is really good.”
Zhou Xiulin raised an eyebrow. “Jin Zhongbei has the reputation of being a kind person in the entertainment industry.”
Jiang Qin agreed, “Yes. After spending half a month with him on the set, he remains humble and never measures himself against other celebrities based on fame. Women probably like him for that.”
“Oh?” Zhou Xiulin raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?” Last night, Jiang Xiao mentioned that girls like someone like him.
Jiang Qin casually said, “General Zhou, has Madam ever mentioned to you that she applied for a position as an assistant at Jin Zhongbei’s studio in the past?”
Zhou Xiulin’s eyes gradually grew deep. “Is that so?”
Jiang Qin realized she had said too much. “Please don’t tell Madam it was me who mentioned it.”
“Continue,” Zhou Xiulin urged.
“At that time, they looked down on Madam because of her young age and didn’t want her. Madam cried pitifully.”
“Heh,” Zhou Xiulin chuckled softly. “That’s because Jin Zhongbei lacks vision.”
“Exactly, it’s because you have vision.”
One couldn’t help but admire Jiang Qin’s flattery skills. For once, she struck a chord with Zhou Xiulin.
Zhou Xiulin responded lightly, “Indeed.”
After Zhou Xiulin left in the morning, Aunt Zhang came early. Aunt Zhang was diligent and reliable, and she had always been the one cleaning up here.
Knowing that Jiang Xiao was injured, she arrived an hour early today and bought fresh bones to stew soup.
Jiang Xiao and Aunt Zhang had become familiar with each other. Jiang Xiao appreciated her care. During a conversation, Aunt Zhang expressed concern and casually mentioned that when the child grew older, Jiang Xiao could invite her mother to take care of her. Jiang Xiao informed her that her mother had passed away shortly after her birth, which made Aunt Zhang even more attentive to her well-being.
Around ten o’clock, the doorbell rang.
Jiang Xiao sighed. She already guessed who it was and went to open the door.
Zhou’s mother stood at the doorstep, and the driver carried various nutritional supplements.
Jiang Xiao softly called out, “Mother…”
Mother Zhou nodded, her gaze assessing her. “Don’t stand there, let’s sit and talk.”
Aunt Zhang tactfully picked up her things and said there were matters at home before leaving.
In the spacious living room, only Mother Zhou and Jiang Xiao remained.
Jiang Xiao thought for a moment. “Mother, let me pour you a glass of water.”
Mother Zhou waved her hand. “I’m not thirsty. Don’t stand there. How are you now?”
“I’m much better.”
Mother Zhou hesitated for a few seconds. “We all know about what happened that day. It was Yanyan’s fault this time. Her father is very angry and has called her back from Hong Kong. When she returns, he will make her apologize to you.”
Jiang Xiao sat quietly. She suddenly remembered the parent-teacher meeting in her second year of high school. At that time, her aunt’s family had immigrated, so she had to sit alone at her own seat. Fortunately, Lin Wu was there with her.
Both of them were excellent students, and the teacher didn’t mind if their parents were absent.
During the parent-teacher meeting, Mother Zhou also talked about her concerns regarding education, highlighting Zhou Xiulin’s learning experience. She wore an elegant suit and spoke gracefully and generously. Jiang Xiao found it strange at the time. If the way the Zhou family educated their son was effective, then why didn’t it work on Zhou Yanyan? It showed that Zhou Xiulin’s good grades were a result of his own intelligence. Although Zhou Yanyan’s grades were average among her classmates, her family’s reputation in school always made her stand out, with her participation in various artistic activities.
“Jiang Xiao, are you still angry with Yanyan?”
Jiang Xiao didn’t answer. If this matter didn’t involve Little Bean Sprout, she would let it go. But because of Little Bean Sprout, she couldn’t back down.
A mother must be firm. She believed that most mothers loved their children, but of course, there were also heartless mothers in this world.
Mother Zhou furrowed her brows slightly. “I know you’ve been wronged this time. Xiulin explained everything clearly to us that night. He was extremely angry because Yanyan is his own sister. Xiulin has already said that he won’t provide any resources to Yanyan in the future, and she’ll have to strive for them herself. I know Xiulin wasn’t speaking out of anger.”
Jiang Xiao understood Mother Zhou’s feelings. Yanyan was her biological daughter, and what mother wouldn’t favor her own daughter? If the roles were reversed today and Zhou Yanyan encountered such a situation, it would have been a big fuss long ago.
“Mother, I understand what you want to say. I won’t say much about what Xiulin wants to do.” That was her stance.
“Good child. You and Xiulin got married in a hurry, and we haven’t had much time to get to know each other. If you have time, come to our house more often. Tomorrow night, let’s have a family dinner together.”
Jiang Xiao thought to herself that Mother Zhou was a good mother.
Zhou Yanyan was really lucky.
Mother Zhou looked around the house. “Are you still comfortable living here?”
Jiang Xiao nodded. “It’s quite good.”
Mother Zhou knew about Jiang Xiao’s previous living environment. “If there’s anything you’re not used to, tell Xiulin or me, it’s the same. Oh, have you bought things for the baby?”
“Not yet.”
Mother Zhou stood up and went to the second bedroom. “This room may need some renovation. We’ll need to buy a crib. I’ll take care of it later. You should come back to our house. That way, I can also take care of you. You’re pregnant, and Xiulin is busy with work. He may not be able to take good care of you.” Suddenly, she noticed that the second bedroom had so many things belonging to Zhou Xiulin.
Jiang Xiao said, “Thank you, Mother.”
Mother Zhou smiled faintly. “No need to be polite.”
After Mother Zhou left, Jiang Xiao was alone at home, idly watching old movies.
In the afternoon, she received a call from Huang Ya.
Huang Ya sounded excited. “Jiang Xiao! Have you seen the news? Cheng Ying is injured, and the president of Huaxia and Jin Zhongbei are at the hospital at the same time. What’s going on? Two men fighting over one woman?”
Jiang Xiao opened her iPad and searched for Cheng Ying’s name. Sure enough, she found several news articles. Reporters are really impressive. Zhou Xiulin and Jin Zhongbei standing together in the hospital corridor, both looking serious.
It’s really easy to jump to conclusions from such news reports. It seems that the news about Cheng Ying’s injury has been leaked. Reporters are so good at grabbing attention.
The love triangle between the national diva and two handsome men is even more entertaining than a prime-time drama.
“Jiang Xiao… Jiang Xiao…”
“Hey, how would I know? Entertainment news can’t be taken seriously.”
“There’s a saying that goes, ‘True feelings are revealed in times of crisis,’ right?”
“Then let’s just wait for them to announce their relationship and give them our blessings.”
“Hahaha… Who knows when that will be? By the way, Jiang Xiao, let’s meet up in September when I return to school, and we can invite Li Li too.”
Jiang Xiao paused for a moment and replied, “I’m not sure right now. After changing departments, I have a lot of work-related matters to handle.”
“Seeing you like this makes me want to keep studying forever.”
“Well, you have another option, like Li Li, find a good man and get married.”
“Forget it. I’d rather rely on myself than on a man.”
Jiang Xiao and Huang Ya chatted for half an hour before hanging up the phone. Cheng Ying was injured, and Jin Zhongbei appearing was reasonable. However, she couldn’t help but wonder, could Jin Zhongbei really have feelings for Cheng Ying?
After all these years, neither of them had been caught by the paparazzi with a girlfriend or boyfriend.
Besides, they were a perfect match.
Well, she could wait for Zhou Xiulin to come back and subtly probe him.
But why didn’t she feel even a hint of jealousy when her husband was involved in a rumor with someone else?
Jiang Xiao looked down at her belly and said to her unborn child, “Little Bean Sprout, your dad has been involved in a rumor with another woman. It’s really bad!”
Later that afternoon, Zhou Yanyan returned home with a gloomy expression. As soon as she entered, she went to find Mother Zhou, who had just returned as well, looking tired.
“Mom, is it true that Jiang Xiao is pregnant?”
Zhou’s mother had a stern look on her face, “You’ve really gone too far this time!”
“Really?” Zhou Yanyan asked, unwilling to give up.
“I just visited her this morning. Tomorrow, you should go and apologize to her.”
“I won’t! I don’t like her! Besides, she’s fine, right? I think this is all a trap.”
“Yanyan, you have to remember, she is your sister-in-law now. You don’t have to like her, but you must show some respect for your brother.” Mother Zhou had a headache.
“I don’t acknowledge her as my sister-in-law. Mom, I’m sure Jiang Xiao approached my brother with a purpose.”
“Regardless of her intentions, she has succeeded. She and your brother are already legally married and protected by the law.” Zhou’s mother thought of what she had seen. Clearly, the two of them slept in separate beds. What did that mean? Was Zhou Xiulin forced to marry Jiang Xiao because of the child in her belly?
The world of young people was something she couldn’t quite understand.
“Mom…”
“Alright, you go rest first. We’ll talk more when your father comes back.”
Zhou Yanyan quickly grabbed her mother’s hand and said, “Mom, you have to help me when Dad comes back.”
“If something happens, you should tell us right away, not run away like this.”
“I went to Hong Kong for school.”
“Yanyan, you are not a child anymore. What kind of grudge do you have with Jiang Xiao?”
“I just don’t like her. Mom, I bought a skincare set for you in Hong Kong. It’s said to be very effective against wrinkles. You can try it tonight.”
Mother Zhou sighed softly.
That night, Zhou Xiulin returned home 2his parents home a little late, looking dusty. When he entered the house, he found Zhou Yanyan waiting for him in the living room, her expression cold and resentful.
“Brother, is it true that Jiang Xiao is pregnant?” Zhou Yanyan asked with a mix of anger and curiosity.
Zhou Xiulin sighed and sat down on the couch. He looked at his sister and said, “Yes, it’s true. Jiang Xiao is pregnant.”
Zhou Yanyan’s eyes widened in disbelief. “How could you let this happen, Brother? You know she’s not right for you! She must have trapped you with this pregnancy.”
Zhou Xiulin shook his head. “Yanyan, it’s not like that. Jiang Xiao didn’t trap me. We got married because we love each other, and the pregnancy was unexpected.”
Zhou Yanyan scoffed. “Love? Brother, you’re being naive. She’s just a scheming woman who wants to take advantage of our family’s wealth and status.”
Zhou Xiulin’s face turned serious. “Stop it, Yanyan. You don’t know Jiang Xiao like I do. She’s not like that. She’s a kind-hearted and genuine person.”
“I don’t care what you think, Brother. I won’t accept her as my sister-in-law, and I won’t support this marriage,” Zhou Yanyan declared stubbornly.
Zhou Xiulin sighed again, feeling the weight of the situation. “Yan, I understand that you have your reservations, but this is my life and my decision. I hope you can try to accept it and respect my choices.”
Zhou Yanyan glared at her brother, her anger not subsiding. “I can’t accept it, and I won’t pretend to. This marriage is a mistake, and I won’t be a part of it.”
With that, Zhou Yanyan stormed out of the living room, leaving Zhou Xiulin feeling a mixture of frustration and sadness. He knew that reconciling his sister’s disapproval with his own happiness wouldn’t be easy, but he was determined to make things work with Jiang Xiao.
The road ahead wouldn’t be smooth, but Zhou Xiulin was ready to face the challenges and prove to his family that his love for Jiang Xiao was real.
In the evening, Zhou Xiulin came back (to his and Jiang Xiao’s home) a bit late, looking dusty and exhausted. When he arrived home, Jiang Xiao was already asleep. The living room was lit, with lights illuminating every corner. There was a bouquet of light purple flowers on the dining table, instantly bringing life to the house. It seemed that ever since she moved in, this place gradually started feeling like a home, not just a dwelling.
He first went to the bedroom and saw that she was asleep, so he quietly went to the bathroom outside to take a shower.
After he finished tidying up, he came back again, and Jiang Xiao woke up.
“Did I wake you up?” Zhou Xiulin apologized.
Jiang Xiao rubbed her eyes and said hoarsely, “I want some water.”
Zhou Xiulin took a cup and poured her a glass of water in the living room. After Jiang Xiao gulped it down, she asked, “How is Yingjie? Is her injury severe? The news said it was pretty serious.”
Zhou Xiulin lifted a corner of the thin blanket and got on the bed. “She broke a rib, but fortunately, it didn’t harm any vital organs.”
Jiang Xiao’s face tightened, but then she relaxed suddenly. “That’s good.”
“Don’t take what you see online seriously, you know that,” Zhou Xiulin said.
Jiang Xiao made a sound of agreement and picked up her phone since she couldn’t sleep anyway.
Zhou Xiulin helplessly said, “You’re pregnant now, always looking at your phone. What if our little sprout becomes nearsighted in the future?”
Jiang Xiao looked serious. “Will it really have an impact?”
He replied vaguely, “Maybe.”
Jiang Xiao quickly put down her phone. “I’ll ask Aunt Zhao tomorrow.”
“Let’s talk.”
Jiang Xiao thought of that scandal and hesitated before saying, “Does Teacher Jin like Yingjie?”
“Are you concerned about Jin Zhongbei or Cheng Ying?”
“I’m just curious. There’s already been a love triangle story about you three online.”
Zhou Xiulin frowned. “What are they saying online?”
“Yingjie’s fans, one-third of them support Yingjie and Teacher Jin, one-third support you and Yingjie, and the rest think that you two are not suitable for her.”
Zhou Xiulin smirked, his deep eyes fixed on her, as if smiling but not smiling.
Jiang Xiao felt uneasy under his gaze.
He said dazedly, “I have nothing with Cheng Ying.”
“I know.” Looking at his sincere eyes, she subconsciously replied.
“Jiang Xiao, our work sometimes cannot avoid rumors. We never know how the reporters will write, but I will do my best to avoid the appearance of these unreal reports. And my feelings towards you and Little Bean Sprout won’t change.”
Jiang Xiao’s mind buzzed, and she lost her ability to think.
Seeing her flustered, he seemed to feel accomplished. “Jiang Xiao, if you keep looking at me like this, I can’t control myself.”
Jiang Xiao said, “…I feel like I’ve been deceived by your appearance. Mr. Zhou wouldn’t say such things.”
Zhou Xiulin laughed out loud, his voice deep and magnetic. “Otherwise? How did Little Bean Sprout come about?”
Jiang Xiao’s face was about to explode. She pulled up the blanket, readjusted herself, and turned her back to him.
Sharing the same bed was really dangerous!
Estimating that she had slept too much before, she couldn’t fall asleep now and tossed around in bed.
Suddenly, Jiang Xiao spoke, “My mom came today and said she wants to buy a crib for Little Bean Sprout.”
“No need, we’ll buy it ourselves later.”
“My mom also said we should have dinner together tomorrow.”
“I know, I’ll come back early tomorrow to pick you up.”
“Will you make Yanyan apologize to me?”
“You are her sister-in-law, according to tradition, she should respect you like a mother. It’s her obligation!”
Jiang Xiao turned her head, “Interpersonal relationships are really a complex subject.”
Zhou Xiulin chuckled lightly, “This is a legacy issue caused by a beautiful jade.”
Jiang Xiao thought about his words and burst into laughter. “Actually, we could make a TV drama based on our high school story, really. Lin Wu and Qin Heng would be the main characters, and I and Yanyan would be supporting roles. School dramas still have a certain market now, you should consider it.”
She was in good spirits.
In the middle of the night, lying in bed with her husband, they didn’t talk about love but discussed investments.
Zhou Xiulin sighed, “Assistant Jiang, we can discuss work during office hours.”
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