In the evening, Zhou Xiulin canceled his plans and returned home early.
Jiang Xiao also came back early, having bought a few slices of cake from a bakery. When her mood wasn’t great, she enjoyed eating sweets. When her heart was too bitter, indulging in some sweets made her feel a bit sweeter inside.
When Zhou Xiulin arrived home, she was busy in the kitchen, with the countertop filled with ingredients. She had changed into comfortable home attire, wearing beige slippers, her long hair tied up, revealing her fair neck. She lowered her head, focusing on the ingredients in her hands. Stray strands of hair fell, covering half of her face, concealing her current expression.
Zhou Xiulin breathed a sigh of relief. Her mood didn’t seem to have been greatly affected. “What are you making?” He rolled up his sleeves, intending to help.
Jiang Xiao turned around with a faint smile, “Why don’t you go check on Simu? I’ll be done in about half an hour.” She gently pushed him away.
Zhou Xiulin stood still, just looking at her profile. He actually had a question in his mind – when did Jiang Xiao recognize Liang Yue’s identity?
Jiang Xiao turned back, “What’s wrong?”
Zhou Xiulin slightly pursed his lips, then embraced her from behind. She leaned against his chest, and his chin rested on top of her head.
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Zhou Xiulin patted his head, “You really like Detective Black Cat, huh!”
“Yeah. Daddy, I’m Detective Black Cat, and you’re Lei Feng,” he blinked his eyes, “Just put on Lei Feng’s hat.” 1https://chineseposters.net/sites/default/files/images/e39-791.jpg
Zhou Xiulin’s eye twitched. He remembered that day when he had to wear a Lei Feng hat just to appease his son’s filial piety. Jiang Xiao even took pictures of them.
His wife had threatened him that if he ever appeared in the news with a female celebrity again, she would release that photo.
He was tempted to say, “Go ahead, release it.” He was actually quite looking forward to everyone knowing who his wife was.
That night, everything was as usual for Jiang Xiao. Knowing her well, Zhou Xiulin was certain she wouldn’t tell him for now, so he refrained from asking.
However, Zhou Xiulin knew that Jiang Xiao was still feeling uneasy.
When they were entwined, she seemed to be seeking a form of release, indulging herself without reservation.
Her behavior with him was something she had never displayed before.
In their final moments, she nestled in his embrace, whispering softly, “Zhou Xiulin, promise me you’ll never leave me, forever.”
He held her hand, fingers intertwined. “Xiao Xiao, my favorite line from the Book of Songs is ‘Hold your hand and grow old together.'”, he kissed the corner of her eye, tasting the saltiness of her tears.
He repeated by her ear, over and over, “I’ll always be here.”
I’ll always be here.
After a night had passed, Jiang Xiao recovered and went to the company full of energy.
Zhou Xiulin strongly felt that his young wife had the potential to become an actress. Maybe she could even win an award for Best Actress.
After talking on the phone with Xu Jiaren for half an hour, Xu Jiaren insisted on postponing a variety show appearance. She was convinced that “Changting” would make her extremely popular.
Jiang Xiao took a deep breath. “Jiaren, I respect my artists’ choices, but I’m not optimistic about ‘Changting’.”
Xu Jia Ren clenched her teeth. “Now that Liang Yue is willing to give me this opportunity, why should I decline? Jiang Jie, Liang Yue’s manager called me yesterday. After reviewing my profile, they think I’m suitable, and we’ve arranged a meeting.”
Jiang Xiao’s mind went blank. She leaned against the table and spoke slowly, “Jiaren, I disagree.”
Xu Jiaren became more stubborn. “Then can you provide me with better resources than ‘Changting’? You know how competitive our industry is. I only have this one chance. I won’t be like Zhou Yanyan, whose older brother is the CEO of Huaxia. She keeps landing roles, and she even has scripts offered to her.”
Jiang Xiao had no words. “I’ll contact the director tomorrow and postpone ‘Our Journey’.”
Xu Jiaren fell silent. “Jiang Jie, thank you.”
A surge of frustration welled up within Jiang Xiao.
Can this make up for everything? Oh, Mom! You really don’t understand me at all.
During lunchtime, Jiang Xiao had arranged to meet Zhao Xinran for a meal.
The two of them met at a Japanese restaurant.
Jiang Xiao arrived first and ordered a few dishes. Zhao Xinran came shortly after, appearing makeup-free and seeming to have lost weight.
Zhao Xinran curled her lips into a faint smile. “You seem to have lost weight.”
Jiang Xiao touched her own face. “Really?” Just last night, Mr. Zhou said she had gained weight and pinched her cheeks several times. “Are you on vacation?”
Zhao Xinran helplessly curled her lips. “I just finished shooting an advertisement a couple of days ago, so I’m taking a break.”
Jiang Xiao: “How’s everything going?”
Zhao Xinran had a desolate expression. “Just gritting my teeth and moving forward, I guess. I should have listened to you initially. How could I have blindly relied on Mo Yiheng, who’s always been unfaithful? A year ago, when I unexpectedly got pregnant, I should have awakened earlier.” She didn’t conceal her emotions at all. She felt uncomfortable and suppressed, but she couldn’t show it in front of others.
Jiang Xiao took a sip of water in silence. “Xinan, you’re stronger than you think.”
Zhao Xinran scoffed, picked up her glass, and downed the water in one gulp. Jiang Xiao understood her so well. “Yes, I’m strong. I was too greedy. Didn’t I achieve what I have today thanks to the resources Mo Yiheng provided me? Without him, I’m nothing. Everyone is watching my jokes. Jiang Xiao, do you pity me?”
Jiang Xiao reached out and held her hand. “Xinran, why did you enter the entertainment industry? Did you forget?”
Zhao Xinran blinked, momentarily puzzled. “Hahaha…” She laughed a few times, “I guess that’s long gone.”
Jiang Xiao tilted her mouth. “I often hear people say that they’re not in control of their own lives. But it’s really their inability to resist inner desires. However, when it comes to fame and fortune, how many people can truly hold themselves back?” She herself wasn’t bending for the sake of Zhou Xiulin’s charm.
“Xinran, life’s journey is still long, and you have plenty of room to grow.”
Zhao Xinran bit her lip. “Do I still have a path to walk? I’m going to the set now. People are all watching me, and they’re talking behind my back too.”
“Time will dilute everything, trust me.”
“But how long will that take?”
“Not long. The entertainment industry is never short of news. Once you’ve rested well, you can get back to work, carefully choosing scripts and considering variety shows.”
Zhao Xinran wasn’t convinced. “Is Han Rui beautiful?”
Jiang Xiao: “She’s beautiful.”
Zhao Xinran: “More beautiful than me?”
Jiang Xiao sighed slightly in her heart. Zhao Xinran had fallen in love with Mo Yiheng. In love, yet unable to obtain him, and caught up in comparison.
Zhao Xinran: “Forget it, don’t say anything. I can’t let go, and I’m not as magnanimous as I write on Weibo to wish them well. Jiang Xiao, am I a bad person?”
Jiang Xiao didn’t respond.
Throughout the meal, neither of them ate much.
Zhao Xinran felt uneasy. She had been bottling up these feelings for a long time, and she finally had someone to talk to. After sharing her own story, she then asked about Jiang Xiao. “When is your boyfriend coming back to the country?”
“He’s pursuing his Ph.D., so it’ll be another two or three years.”
“You’re not worried? What if he’s around other girls, spending so much time together? Emotions will eventually develop. You’re busy all the time, you won’t even notice. You should consider yourself too.”
Jiang Xiao’s expression stiffened, and she was momentarily at a loss for words.
Zhao Xinran sighed, “It’s only you who could hold on for this long. By the way, I heard that you took a child to the film and television city and offended Teacher Liang?”
Indeed, there were no secrets in this industry.
Jiang Xiao smiled helplessly, “So you know too.”
Zhao Xinran shook her head, “You’re just too careless. I heard that Teacher Liang was quite angry.”
Jiang Xiao shrugged, “The situation has come to this point, and there’s not much I can do.”
“Liang Yue has the backing of the Jin family. Her connections are extensive. Unless you want to quit this industry, don’t offend her.”
“Don’t worry. I know.”
After all, she hadn’t intended to stay in this field for too long.
“You could let Jin Zhongbei act as an intermediary for me. He seems to like you.”
Jiang Xiao’s throat was suddenly choked, a look of astonishment on her face.
What kind of joke was this? How could Jin Zhongbei possibly like her?
If that were the case, the script would have been rewritten long ago.
Over the weekend, Jiang Xiao and Zhou Xiulin had originally planned to go to the zoo. However, it happened to rain that day. So, the family had to stay at home.
Unable to go to the zoo, Jiang Xiao brought out a coloring book and had Zhou Simu try to draw along.
Zhou Simu sat earnestly at the desk, holding crayons and doodling randomly. Zhou Xiulin sat by the side, occasionally walking over to take a look.
Zhou Simu looked up, eagerly asking, “Dad, how am I doing with my drawing?” His expression clearly anticipated praise.
Zhou Xiulin patted his head, “Everyone has their own strengths.”
Zhou Simu didn’t quite understand and continued drawing energetically. “Dad, this is a cat I drew.”
Zhou Xiulin examined it, but all he could see were three blobs that didn’t resemble a cat at all. Clearly, his son didn’t inherit his grandfather’s artistic talent. His son was probably more of an abstract artist.
“Dad, what does the cat you have look like?”
Zhou Xiulin pondered for a moment. “She’s very beautiful.”
Zhou Simu chuckled, “Have I been good lately?”
Zhou Xiulin responded, “…Not bad.”
Zhou Simu raised an eyebrow, “Dad, can I go see the cat you’re raising?”
At this moment, Jiang Xiao brought a plate of fruit and placed it on the table. “What cat?”
Zhou Simu eagerly said, “Dad has a cat at the company.”
Jiang Xiao looked at Zhou Xiulin, “When did this happen? Why didn’t I know?”
Zhou Xiulin smiled wryly, “Mumu, go wash your hands.”
Zhou Simu exclaimed, slid off his chair, and hurried into the restroom.
Jiang Xiao continued, “Did you really get a cat for Little Bean Sprout? He’s been talking about cats for the past few days, fascinated by ‘Black Cat Sheriff’.”
Zhou Xiulin raised an eyebrow, “We already have two cats at home. I can’t possibly get another one. One is a sexy Persian cat, and the other is an adorable little kitten.”
Jiang Xiao choked a little, slightly annoyed. She picked up a strawberry and stuffed it into his mouth.
Zhou Simu came out after washing his hands, “Dad, you’re a grown-up. How can you let Mom feed you?” As he said that, he playfully touched his nose.
Jiang Xiao grinned, “Exactly.”
Zhou Xiulin’s lips twitched, and he couldn’t help but chuckle.
In the afternoon, Zhou Simu took a nap. Jiang Xiao and Zhou Xiulin were both busy with their work. Everything was peaceful.
Jiang Xiao was browsing Weibo when she suddenly saw Zhou Yanyan’s latest post.
“A cute little nephew gave this to me. Auntie says I can use it for shopping. PS: The little guy said when he grows up and earns money, he’ll buy me something even better.” The post was accompanied by a picture of a bag Zhou Simu had bought.
Ever since Zhou Yanyan started dating, her style on Weibo had changed. She became more relatable and cheerful, with a sweet undertone in her words.
Fans commented one after another: “You should quickly have a baby with Wen Ge.”
Zhou Yanyan specifically replied to this fan: “It’s too early.”
The fan was probably bewildered. They hadn’t expected Zhou Yanyan to reply personally. Within a short while, this comment had received six thousand likes.
Jiang Xiao scrolled through several pages of comments, most of which were friendly. She put down her phone and said, “Why did Yanyan accept a youth comedy?”
Zhou Xiulin looked up, “Zhou Yun recommended it. The preliminary plan for ‘Love Manor’ is to shoot two seasons. Yanyan is going to play a likable character. Filming starts at the end of April, and it will premiere on two major television stations during New Year’s. If the ratings and buzz are good, there’s a possibility of a third and fourth season.”
Jiang Xiao nodded, “I haven’t read the script, but several domestic sitcoms have been successful, as well as the foreign show ‘Friends.’ I think ‘Love Manor’ won’t be too bad. Such shows are well-received by the public. People prefer these simple and lighthearted TV series nowadays. Even if they miss an episode, it doesn’t affect the overall plot.”
Silent for a moment, Jiang Xiao sighed, “Zhou Yun has quite a keen eye. Without her, Ye Sister wouldn’t have achieved what she has today.” Mentioning Cheng Ye, Jiang Xiao was reminded of Jin Zhongbei again.
“Oh, by the way, I’m having a meal with Jin Zhongbei this week.”
Zhou Xiulin paused his work, raising an eyebrow, “He’s free recently?”
Jiang Xiao stared at him, hesitating, “Mr. Zhou, do I smell jealousy?”
Zhou Xiulin beckoned her over, “Come here.”
Jiang Xiao got up, teasingly, “I’ll wash some grapes. When Little Bean Sprout wakes up, I’ll make grape juice for him. By the way, what would you like to eat?”
Zhou Xiulin narrowed his eyes and looked straight at her, “Darling, I want to taste you.”
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