After hanging up the phone, Su Yue’s mood was unsettled. The discovery of Haohao’s relatives meant he might have to leave, and her heart clenched with reluctance just thinking about it .
With her makeup complete, Su Yue arrived at the studio, where Xu Shen, also freshly made up, approached her with a familiar greeting. “With you here, today will be another early finish,” he remarked.
Su Yue smiled, her thoughts still preoccupied with Jiang Haoyan. She, too, wished for an early return home.
“It’s refreshing to work with you. Everything is practically a one-shot take. If possible, I hope to have more opportunities to collaborate,” Xu Shen confessed, a rare compliment from a man usually on the receiving end of praise. He had to admit, Su Yue’s ability to draw him into a scene was remarkable. Her acting skills were truly admirable for a newcomer, effortlessly matching seasoned actors. She was, he realized, born for this profession.
“You’re too kind. Your acting skills are also excellent,” Su Yue responded, genuinely admiring Xu Shen, a young actor who had already earned the Best Actor award, a feat she had yet to achieve.
Their conversation was cut short as a staff member called them to set.
Meanwhile, Jiang Xuan, having completed her makeup, waited for her turn before the camera. She had heard that filming was underway in the studio next door and considered going to see Su Yue, perhaps to offer guidance.
The current scene depicted Ji Yao’s journey from her village to the city in search of work, where she encountered widespread discrimination and scorn. Later, in a musical instrument store, she met the owner, a limping young man who, surprisingly, agreed to hire the blind Ji Yao.
When Jiang Xuan arrived, she found Su Yue standing within the meticulously constructed set of the musical instrument store. Since Jiang Ci had moved Su Yue out of the Jiang family home, Jiang Xuan hadn’t seen her in person, only through occasional news reports online.
“Alright, prepare for the first take,” Director Guan announced, his mood visibly light. No director, after all, disliked a talented actor. The production had been delayed significantly by previous heavy rains and landslides, yet he felt no urgency thanks to Su Yue. Whenever her scenes were filmed, shooting proceeded swiftly. It seemed Su Yue’s influence even extended to Xu Shen, the male lead, who also slipped into character with remarkable speed, requiring no extra effort from the director. today’s scene starts from Ji Yao, overwhelmed by the shop owner’s willingness to hire her, expressed her gratitude. “Thank you so much for taking me in. I promise to work hard, clean all the equipment, and take good care of everything here.”
Xu Zhan, with his limping foot, preferred sitting to standing. He watched Ji Yao from his chair. “You don’t need to thank me so much. I’m just bored by myself and needed to hire someone else. Just pass the time with me.” He had never interacted with a blind person before and found the prospect of observing their life intriguing.
Ji Yao remained unfazed, her heart filled with gratitude for the shop owner. After days in the city, she knew how difficult it was for a blind person with no special skills to find work. The fact that someone was willing to hire her was a genuine surprise and a great relief to her.
Next, Ji Yao began working at the musical instrument store. She arrived early every day, having quickly memorized the route, no longer disoriented or confused. She also remembered the precise placement of every instrument. One morning, Xu Zhan arrived as early as she did, playing the piano while Ji Yao meticulously wiped dust from the equipment, despite her inability to see. As he played, Xu Zhan watched the girl, noting her exceptional patience and quiet profile. The music flowing from his fingers grew noticeably more cheerful.
Director Guan, satisfied, called cut and told Su Yue to rest.
Jiang Xuan, watching from behind the staff, was utterly stunned. She had arrived quietly and now departed just as silently.
Back in her dressing room, Jiang Xuan barely registered what her makeup artist was saying. She had never truly believed that Su Yue’s acting skills were genuine, dismissing them as mere online marketing. She had intended to offer Su Yue guidance, but now, a wave of relief washed over her. Fortunately, I didn’t greet Su Yue or offer to guide her.
Her eyes cast downward, Jiang Xuan’s mood grew heavy. Logically, it was Su Yue’s first time filming, so how could she act so well? She had always comforted herself with her greater acting experience compare to her , but now, realizing that Su Yue surpassed her in both online popularity and acting prowess, Jiang Xuan felt completely overwhelmed. She detested this feeling very much.
Her own filming began, and she made mistake after mistake, prompting Director Wu to call “cut” numerous times. “Jiang Xuan, what’s wrong with you today? Your general performance is usually not this bad,” Director Wu’s tone betrayed his dissatisfaction. He had heard that the lead actress next door had shot over a dozen scenes in less than a morning, effortlessly nailing every take. In contrast, even a single shot here was proving difficult, and the other actress was still a newcomer. Director Wu was reluctant to admit that he wasn’t as skilled at casting actors as Director Guan.
“I’m sorry, I’ll do it again,” Jiang Xuan conceded, admitting to herself that Su Yue had influenced her. After witnessing Su Yue’s performance, she constantly found herself subconsciously comparing, wondering how Su Yue would have delivered a particular expression or action.
“Expression, don’t use too much force. You’re concentrating, not frowning in serious discomfort,” Director Wu corrected.
“I’ll do it again.”
“You need to focus your eyes; they can’t be too wide, like a mere vase,” Director Wu instructed, his voice rising in frustration.
As the day wore on, Jiang Xuan’s performance deteriorated further, riddled with frequent errors. Several sets of shots planned for the day remained unfinished. When she overheard staff mention that the crew next door had wrapped up, and that the lead actress had performed exceptionally well, passing all her takes and finishing ahead of schedule, Jiang Xuan’s irritability and anxiety intensified.
Jiang Xuan allowed her makeup artist to touch up her makeup, her eyelids drooping, concealing the turmoil within. She knew her state was off, but she couldn’t control the strange feelings churning in her heart.
After finishing her scenes as quickly as possible, Su Yue rushed home.
“Madam, there’s a visitor in the living room,” the housekeeper reported, hurrying towards Su Yue as soon as she stepped out of the car.
“Okay, I see,” Su Yue replied, her eyes betraying a slight shift, clearly connecting this visit to Jiang Ci’s earlier phone call about Jiang Haoyan’s relatives.
Entering the living room, Su Yue saw Jiang Ci leaning against the sofa, his expression blank, facing two guests. Slowly, Jiang Ci’s eyes moved to Su Yue, his dark gaze lighting up faintly. “Come here,” he urged, wanting Su Yue to speak to them.
Su Yue walked over, and no sooner had she sat beside Jiang Ci than his large hand naturally wrapped around her waist. His other hand reached up to touch the side of her face. The blush from her cheeks transferred to the gauze wrapped around his fingers. “It’s ugly,” he remarked.
Su Yue then remembered her hasty return; her makeup was still on. The makeup artists had applied a darker foundation and blush to cover her natural radiance. She took Jiang Ci’s messy hand. “Don’t touch it, I’ll wash it off later.” She then turned her head to look at the guests on the sofa, and her dark eyes widened in shock when she saw one of them.
Xiao Haohao’s relative is this Teacher Lu? Such a coincidence?
Lu Xiang and her mother had been startled when two men in black suits suddenly invited them. They were panicked and confused, fearing they had offended someone powerful and were being held hostage. It wasn’t until they arrived at the lavish villa and saw Jiang Ci that Lu Xiang’s panic turned to surprise. She quickly told her trembling mother that this was a parent of one of her student.
Mother Lu, taking in the villa’s opulent interior, felt a profound sense of embarrassment. The house was enormous, impossibly luxurious. Even the grand homes depicted in TV dramas about wealthy families paled in comparison to this one . Their entire living room, plus two bedrooms, probably wasn’t as large as just this house’s kitchen or bathroom.
Lu Xiang, less overtly flustered than her mother, discreetly surveyed her surroundings before retracting her gaze. She then asked Jiang Ci, “Mr. Jiang, may I ask why you invited my mother and me here?” For some reason, a faint thrill ran through her.
Before Jiang Ci could answer, Su Yue returned. Jiang Ci naturally embraced Su Yue, then languidly asked, “Is Lu Xin your daughter?” His question was clearly directed at Mother Lu.
Mother Lu was caught off guard, startled by the direct question. She didn’t understand why the man in front of her knew her eldest daughter. Thinking of the daughter she hadn’t contacted in years, she assumed Lu Xin must have offended someone or fallen into debt, and now they were looking for her to pay it back. “Yes, but she abandoned me and Xiangxiang a few years ago, left us with a mountain of debt, and ran away. We haven’t contacted her in a long time. If she owes you anything, you can just find her directly.”
“Mom!” Lu Xiang quickly tugged on Mother Lu’s sleeve, trying to silently caution her against speaking nonsense.
“What’s the matter? Did I say something wrong? Don’t speak for your sister. They’re looking for your sister. It has nothing to do with us,” Mother Lu insisted, trying desperately to distance herself, fearing any connection to the matter.
Su Yue frowned. Clearly, Haohao’s two relatives didn’t have a good relationship with his biological mother. In this situation, she wondered not only if they would be willing to raise him, but also if they would truly love him.
“Mom!” Lu Xiang raised her voice. She knew that Mr. Jiang would certainly not be interested in collecting debts. She was exasperated by her mother’s shortsightedness. Could her mother not see the opulence around them? These people lived in such grandeur; why would they bother collecting debts from people like them, who resided in an old community?
“Mr. Jiang, Mrs. Jiang, I’m sorry. My mother doesn’t always think before she speaks. Please forgive us if we’ve offended you. Lu Xin is my sister, but she hasn’t contacted us in a long time. Do you know what’s wrong with her ?” Lu Xiang said apologetically.
Su Yue glanced at Jiang Haoyan, who was playing with Coriander and Leek, and quietly asked a staff member to take the child upstairs.
Jiang Ci’s dark eyes briefly met Su Yue’s, then he slowly spoke. “Your sister left a child. Should you raise it?”
“What to raise?” Mother Lu’s reaction was strong this time, even Lu Xiang couldn’t restrain her. “Our family’s conditions aren’t good. How can we afford to raise a child? What’s wrong with Lu Xin? Her own child, if she doesn’t raise him, she still wants to dump him on me? I don’t have the spare time or money to raise her child for her.” Mother Lu shook her head, a look of fierce resistance on her face.
“Mom!” Lu Xiang whispered, but did not refute her mother’s words. Her mother was unable to work and spent her days playing mahjong at a small shop, relying solely on Lu Xiang’s salary. If they took on another child, it meant Lu Xiang would be responsible for raising the child and paying for their schooling. This was a burden she could not bear.
“What do you mean, you can’t raise children?” Jiang Ci asked slowly, his face expressionless, his thoughts unreadable.
With the direct question, Lu Xiang looked embarrassed. She lowered her head and remained silent. Mother Lu quickly shook her head. “If we don’t support it, we can’t afford it.”
“Hmph!” Jiang Ci scoffed coldly, then lazily stated, “See them out.”
Lu Xiang’s face burned with shame, but she still mustered her courage and asked in a low voice, “Excuse me, Mr. Jiang, how did my sister die, and where is the child’s father? Where is the child? I want to meet him.”
“They both died together, in a car accident. As for the child, what does it have to do with you?” Jiang Ci raised his eyebrows, his tone sharp, clearly irritated at not being able to rid himself of this “small trouble.” Moreover, he had raised the “small trouble” for several years, and he was the only one allowed to dislike it. Who were these people to dislike him?
This time, Lu Xiang was so mortified that her eyes reddened. She found Mr. Jiang not only cold but also incredibly rude, even a little annoying.
“You two, please follow me,” the housekeeper said, having received Jiang Ci’s order, hurrying over to escort Lu Xiang and Mother Lu out. Mother Lu, never having witnessed such behavior from a wealthy person, shrank her neck and stood up, not daring to utter another sound. Fearful that the other party would force the child upon her and make her raise him, she dared not ask about the child or inquire further.
Lu Xiang bit her lip, rising as well, a sense of hopelessness settling in her heart. After a few steps, she couldn’t help but turn back to Jiang Ci and ask, “My sister’s child…” She said with a newfound certainty, “Is Jiang Haoyan my sister’s child?”
Su Yue, who had been sitting beside Jiang Ci, spoke. “You have already made your choice, and we respect it.” Since they didn’t even want their own daughter’s child, or their own sister’s child, it didn’t matter if they raised him. She and Jiang Ci would respect their decision, as she couldn’t bear to let Xiao Haohao go anyway.
Lu Xiang’s face turned pale. The other party had admitted it: Jiang Haoyan truly was her sister’s child.