In September, the weather remained hot. Jiang Xiao brought Zhou Simu to Lingnan, and Zhou Simu looked satisfied with curiosity in his eyes. “Mom, is this where you grew up? The house is so beautiful. Oh, there are cows over there!”
After parking the car, Jiang Xiao held his hand and looked for the crew.
Mother and son were dressed in matching outfits again today, with yellow T-shirts. Jiang Xiao wore denim shorts, while Zhou Simu wore capri pants, paired with white sneakers, and they both wore matching sunglasses. They attracted quite a few looks along the way.
“That’s Jiang Xiao’s son! The little guy is really handsome.”
“Him and his Dad’s looks are on point!”
“I heard he ran away from home not too long ago, right? Hahaha…”
Jiang Xiao gave a few more instructions, “Uncles and aunties are all busy filming, so you can’t run around, okay?”
“Mom, I’m not a child.”
The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.
Kkydt Dkys xwvvlale, “R esd’v jdso obs ayd yoyu qasx bsxl.”
Hbsw Fkxw qszzsole Kkydt Dkys kdvs vbl nalo kd y plakswp xyddla. Tl alxykdle nyzx, zssjkdt yaswde, yde eked’v pbso ydu lxsvksd, xwnb zkjl Hbsw Dkwzkd.
Ebld Dw Kkyayd pyo bkx, lhld vbswtb pbl bye jdsod kd yehydnl, pbl nswzed’v bkel bla ypvsdkpbxldv.
“Fkxw, pyu blzzs vs Gwdvkl.”
Hbsw Fkxw: “Tlzzs, Gwdvkl Kkyayd.”
Dw Kkyayd pxkzle, “Dkysuydt, ts tlv xu pdynj cyt.”
Kkydt Dkys pyke, “Ls dlle, R’hl clld nsdvaszzkdt bkp pdynjp zyvlzu.”
Dw Kkyayd tldvzu vswnble bkp zkvvzl qynl, “Kkydt Kkl, R nyd’v clzklhl kv.”
Jiang Xiao smiled, “How have things been lately?”
“Everything has been going relatively smoothly. Professor Liang and the others have been a great help to me, and I’ve really learned a lot this time.”
“That’s good,” Jiang Xiao nodded. “You’ve always been a talented actor.”
“Jiang Jie, I heard you’re not planning to be a talent agent anymore?”
Jiang Xiao looked her in the eyes, “Yes, I came here today to discuss this with you in person.”
“Why?”
“Each stage of life has its own choices.”
“That’s a bit of a shame then.”
“Jiaran, your upcoming work has already been arranged by the studio. We’ve also set aside time for the promotion of ‘Changting.’ I had a look at a TV script for you earlier, but I’m not sure about your plans now.”
Xu Jiaran pondered for a moment. “Professor Liang suggested that I shouldn’t rush things. After ‘Changting’ is released, we can make further plans.”
Jiang Xiao understood their intentions. They had high hopes for “Changting,” hoping that Jiaran might win Best Actress with this film, but it was still uncertain. Winning Best Actress depended on talent and luck.
“That’s alright. Your current contract is still with Huaxia, and the company will arrange a new talent agent for you. Of course, you can find one yourself if you wish. Regardless of your choices, I respect your decisions. If you want to terminate the contract with Huaxia, I’ll also talk to the company on your behalf.”
Zhou Simu tugged at Jiang Xiao’s clothes, “Mom, there’s a little dog over there. I want to go see it.”
Jiang Xiao nodded, “Be careful.”
Xu Jiaran had considered leaving Huaxia and starting her own studio, but she didn’t have the necessary connections. How would she secure good resources in the future?
Before Jiang Xiao’s identity was exposed, she did consider changing talent agents. Now, her next steps are indeed a bit tricky.
“Jiang Jie, I’ll think about it some more.”
“That’s fine, take your time, and contact me when you’ve made a decision.”
Zhou Simu spotted a Husky, and he couldn’t resist approaching.
Zhou Simu: “Woof woof—”
Husky: “Woof woof—”
Zhou Simu looked at the Husky, and the Husky looked back at him. They locked eyes, creating a tense atmosphere.
“Mumu is here,” Liang Yue heard that Jiang Xiao had come to the set and came over to see, but she didn’t expect that Jiang Xiao had brought Zhou Simu with her.
Zhou Simu saw her, “Oh, Grandma, what are you doing here?”
“I’m here for filming. Do you like the Husky?” Liang Yue held the dog and said, “The Husky is very well-behaved; you can pet it.”
Zhou Simu couldn’t resist the temptation and gave the dog a few pats. “I have a cat at home, and it’s well-behaved too.”
“Then do you want a dog as well?”
Zhou Simu shook his head, “Taking care of a pet means you have to look after it, and my dad says I’m still too young to take care of one. I’ll get one when I grow up.”
Liang Yue looked fondly at him, “Well, you can come and visit Husky in the future.”
“But my home isn’t here.”
“Grandma’s home is also in Jincheng. You can call me when you have time.”
“Alright.”
“Mumu—” Jiang Xiao walked over and saw Liang Yue. Her expression didn’t change much.
Liang Yue stood up, still wearing a cheongsam, with an elegant demeanor. “Is the matter settled?”
Jiang Xiao nodded, “We should be going.”
“Since you’re here, why don’t we have a meal together?”
Jiang Xiao shook her head, “It’s alright. Mumu’s dad will be here in a while, and we’ve made plans to meet.”
Liang Yue let out a small sigh, “Xiaoxiao, you don’t have to be like this with me.”
Jiang Xiao paused for a moment, “Teacher Liang, I found out about what happened back then a while ago, and I also learned about my birth.”
Liang Yue looked bewildered, “Your dad told you everything?”
Jiang Xiao smiled gently and said firmly, “I used to resent you, but now I’ve come to terms with it. At least you gave me a life.”
“Xiaoxiao—” Liang Yue called out with a trembling voice.
“Waaah—” Zhou Simu suddenly cried, “The dog bit me!”
Jiang Xiao immediately squatted down and checked him from head to toe. “Where did it bite you?”
“My hand, waaah—” Zhou Simu’s tears streamed down one by one.
Jiang Xiao didn’t care about anything else and picked him up, heading outside.
Liang Yue followed, “I’ll take you to the hospital.”
Jiang Xiao furrowed her brows and quickly handed her the car keys.
Zhou Simu was very upset, with a tightly wrinkled face. Jiang Xiao comforted him gently, “It’s okay, you’ll be fine after getting the shot.”
“But I don’t want to get a shot.”
Jiang Xiao frowned, “Shots don’t hurt.” Just then, her phone rang. “It’s Dad calling.”
“Mom, please don’t tell Dad that I got bitten by the dog. He’ll criticize me.”
Jiang Xiao felt a pang in her heart, “Simu, it was an accident, and Dad won’t criticize you.”
Upon hearing that his son had been bitten by a dog, Zhou Xiulin said, “I’m on my way to Lingnan. I’ll be at the hospital to see you in a while.”
“Alright, we’ll be waiting for you at the hospital. Please drive carefully.”
Zhou Simu received a rabies shot, looking pitiful as he snuggled in Jiang Xiao’s arms.
Fortunately, with Liang Yue’s help in queuing and registering, they saved a lot of time. Now, mother and son sat in the chairs, waiting for Zhou Xiulin to arrive.
Liang Yue stood nearby, using a wet tissue to wipe the sweat from Zhou Simu’s forehead, saying, “Poor little guy. It’s all my fault for bringing Husky to the set.”
“It was just an accident, don’t blame yourself,” Jiang Xiao reassured.
Liang Yue let out a soft sigh, her voice heavy, “How can I not blame myself? I’m his grandmother, and I can’t bear to see him hurt.”
Jiang Xiao remained silent.
When Zhou Xiulin arrived, he had deliberately gone to the supermarket and bought a whole pack of Yakult, five bottles in total. He asked with a serious face, “How is he?”
“It’s fine, the wound isn’t deep, just a few teeth marks. The doctor gave him a rabies shot as a precaution.”
Zhou Xiulin examined the bitten area closely and felt a bit relieved, “Let me hold him.”
Zhou Simu pouted, “Dad…”
“It’s okay, you’ll be fine in a few days. A real man shouldn’t shed tears easily.”
“But my butt hurts1Maybe the author forgot he got bitten in the hand and not the butt. I’m just translating what’s written.”
Zhou Xiulin handed him a bottle of Yakult, “Drink this.”
A bottle of Yakult managed to soothe the little guy’s injured heart, and he stopped complaining about his sore bottom.
Zhou Xiulin politely thanked Liang Yue, remaining courteous and distant. “Teacher Liang, thank you for your help today.”
Liang Yue shook her head, “It’s nothing. Take Mumu back and let him rest.”
Zhou Xiulin had a meeting in the morning, and after the meeting, he rushed over from Jincheng. The family of three planned to stay in Lingnan for the night and return home tomorrow.
Zhou Simu remained silent after getting bitten by the dog.
The family of three returned to their newly built villa. The villa was constructed on the old foundation of the Jiang family’s house. They had cleared a space in the yard, planning to grow vegetables and flowers, and even set up a swing. Usually, Zhou Simu would be excited, but today, after getting injured, he couldn’t muster up any enthusiasm for anything.
Jiang Xiao quietly spoke to Zhou Xiulin, “He’s worried you’ll criticize him again, so he didn’t want me to tell you.”
Zhou Xiulin touched his nose, “I’ll have a talk with him.”
Zhou Simu lazily lay on the bed, devoid of his usual lively spirit.
“Mumu—” Zhou Xiulin patted his little butt, “Let Dad see the needle mark on your bottom.”
Zhou Simu quickly rolled away, “No, I’m not hurting anymore.”
Zhou Xiulin smiled, lying down beside him. “Simu, Mom and Dad are going to have a wedding, would you like to be the ring bearer?”
“What does a ring bearer do?”
“A ring bearer has an important role; you’ll help Dad hold the wedding ring.”
“Dad, why are you and Mom getting married so late?”
“Because Mom and Dad wanted to invite you to our wedding. You’re Mom and Dad’s precious treasure.”
Zhou Simu’s round, black eyes gazed at him with a hint of confusion.
Zhou Xiulin gently patted his head, “Dad loves Mom and Mumu equally. It’s just that Mom is a girl, so Dad has to love Mom a little more. Do you understand?”
Zhou Simu nodded vigorously, “Boys have to protect girls, and I’ll protect Mom too.”
“That’s right. In the future, if you have a little sister, you’ll have to protect her as well.” Zhou Xiulin embraced him with one arm and kissed his forehead. “Of course, Dad will always protect you both.”
“Giggle giggle—” Blushing and covering his face after Dad’s kiss, the Little Bean Sprout said, “Dad, I know I wasn’t picked up. It’s Dad who planted a seed in Mom’s tummy. There’s a beautiful house inside Mom’s tummy, and I sprouted in there. Now that I’ve grown up, I came out of the house.”
Zhou Xiulin’s eyes were filled with astonishment, and he gently asked, “How did you learn about that?”
“Oh, my classmates at school told me.”
Zhou Xiulin touched his nose, “You’re absolutely right. Come on, Dad will take you to the yard to plant some vegetables.”
Jiang Xiao stood at the door of the room, looking at the father and son. When Zhou Xiulin passed by her, she said softly: “Husband, I love you too.”
As the sun set, everything in the yard was covered with a golden halo, making it warm and cozy.
Zhou Simu wanted to climb a tree, but he was too small, so he just asked his father for help. Zhou Xiulin held his buttocks and asked him to wrap his hands around the tree trunk. He pretended that he had really climbed the tree.
Children are so easily satisfied.
Jiang Xiao captured this scene with her phone. She posted the photo on her Weibo and wrote: “A while ago, our little bean sprout ran away from home, and my husband and I were so worried. As first-time parents, we sometimes have no clue about what our child is thinking. Our little one has quite a rich inner world. It’s nerve-wracking!”
SecretAgent009: Mr. Zhou looks incredibly handsome from the side! Those legs are long and straight!
YourLove: Brother-in-law is no longer a shadow; a front-facing photo is just around the corner!
IAmTheLittleGentleman: Judging by the looks, this family of three is definitely off the charts in terms of attractiveness. Come on, spill the beans, why can’t Pa Pa Weekly reveal pictures of Sister Jiang’s husband and child? Instead, they keep publishing fake news to grab attention and get traffic. @PaPaWeekly
LittleFanFromTheNorth replied to IAmTheLittleGentleman: [Shaking hands emoji] Agreed! Pa Pa Weekly Gossip Column can close its doors now! But this family of three looks incredibly happy.
The reporters from Pa Pa Weekly are also heartbroken; they want to spill the beans as well.
Liang Yue returned to the set feeling somewhat tired and went back to her room to rest.
After finishing her scenes, Xu Jiaran heard that she wasn’t feeling well and came to check on her. She stood at the door and overheard the conversation inside the room. “Mumu got bitten by Husky; you should buy some delicious food and visit him.” Liang Yue was on the phone with Jin Shuyan.
Jin Shuyan frowned, “Why did you let Husky bite him?”
“I wasn’t paying attention at the time,” Liang Yue also blamed herself, “I couldn’t interfere with Jiang Xiao’s side.”
“Mom, if you don’t acknowledge Sister, how can I visit her?”
“Yan Yan, if I acknowledge Xiao Xiao, it means I have to reveal my past to the entire entertainment industry…” She couldn’t bear the thought. How could she give up everything she had now?
Xu Jiaran looked anxious, her breathing changed, and she quickly turned and walked away, hurriedly returning to her own room.
The assistant was slightly surprised when she returned so quickly, “Didn’t you go to see Ms. Liang? Why are you back so soon?”
“Liang Yue is resting. You should also take a break; I’ll take care of things myself.”
The assistant gave her an odd look and said, “Alright.”
Xu Jiaran began to piece together what had happened during this time. Why did Jiang Xiao initially disapprove of her taking on “Changting,” and why did Jiang Xiao not visit the set much later on?
Liang Yue treated her kindly, but it was likely because she was Jiang Xiao’s artist. She wanted to make amends with Jiang Xiao, right?
Xu Jiaran’s expression turned cold as she gazed at herself in the dressing mirror. So that’s how it is.
She had thought that Liang Yue valued her for her talent. She fiercely pinched her own palm, so now that Jiang Xiao was no longer her manager, would Liang Yue continue to support her as before?
Xu Jiaran was in turmoil, she covered her face, feeling lost, uncertain about her next steps.
She opened Weibo and saw the photo posted by Jiang Xiao, such a happy family. Her emotions were complex and hard to put into words.
Why do some people seem to effortlessly have it all? Her husband turned out to be Zhou Xiulin! Zhou Xiulin was the target of so many female celebrities in the industry.
Just as she was about to hit the “like” button, she noticed that Qin Yilu had already liked Jiang Xiao’s post.
“Eternal Sword and Dragon Slayer” has already wrapped up filming, and Yilu has recently taken on several skincare-related advertisements.
Xu Jiaran thought for a moment and decided to call Qin Yilu. Jiang Xiao had been very kind to Qin Yilu, and she wanted to see how Qin Yilu would choose. She couldn’t afford to make another wrong choice.
Sansukini: Like Liang Yue wants Jiang Xiao’s affection now, but he still refused to acknowledge her. With her level of fame and status, she shouldn’t have to worry about losing everything. She’s now losing both Jiang Xiao and Jin Shuyan.
P.S. Hey! 10 episodes left. I might add some more extras of Mumu and his wife taken from another novel. My next project will be an interstellar novel called “Interstellar Dad.” It’s a mixture of transmigration, futuristic pregnancies, romance and espionage. Please look forward to it.
Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)
You can also check out my other translations Here
When you don’t listen to advice you always regret after. 😮💨
Mumu said his butt hurt because sometimes kids will get shots on their butt in China. Of course, it’s also very common to get it on their arms.
Teacher Liang wants it all. You don’t want your past exposed, you want to ‘forget’ but still want to be part of her life and family…she keeps showing her self-centeredness.