Chapter 45

Tao Huixue knew that these women were gloating at her misfortune. She looked at the tai tais [1] who were having afternoon tea with her. “A fair lady is a good match for a fine gentleman. To have so many suitors, she must be quite a catch”.

“Mrs Chang, you are just too kind. Your family is rich and powerful, who knows what intentions these women might harbour towards Shi Gui? One of the ladies warned, “How vexing would it be if such a woman marries into the family?”

“Why do I have to worry when my Shi Gui is so good looking?” Tao Huixue gave a relaxed smile, “Besides, his wealth and ability are part of his charms”.

Seeing that Tao Huixue could not be moved by their taunting, not only did they lose interest  laugh at usin continuing, they also lost interest in the afternoon tea.

When they were all about to leave, one of the tai tais closer to Tao Huixue pulled her aside and whispered, “Don’t take what they say to heart. These people are just shooting their mouths off, when privately they would love for their sons to be as accomplished as Shi Gui”.

“I know, I just like to see them feel sour but are unable to do anything about it”, Tao Huixue laughed and tapped on the lady’s hand. “I should go home now, we’ll talk next time”.

When she got into the car, Tao Huixue’s smile subsided. She raised her head and asked the bodyguard in the passenger seat, “Xiao Huang, have you heard about the rumours between Shi Gui and a female actress?”

“Madam, the words of these reporters cannot be trusted”. Xiao Huang was the Chang family’s bodyguard who spent most of his time accompanying Tao Huixue, and was like a nephew to her. “Given Young Master Chang’s character, you don’t have to worry!”

“It’s precisely because of his character that I’m concerned,” Tao Huixue sighed. “He’s just like his father, they both keep to themselves. It would be difficult for him to pursue girls like that”.

Xiao Huang held back a smile, and did not further comment on Chang Shi Gui’s method of pursuing girls.

As the man in the centre of the rumours, Chang Shi Gui was unaware of the rich tai tais lement. However, he did not feel good when he saw the entertainment news about Ning Xi and Zhou Zhengchuan’s sweet interactions.

He launched Ning Xi’s Weibo, and noticed that she had many interactions with Zhou Zhengchuan. It was obvious that they were close.

Zooming into Zhou Zhengchuan’s photo, Chang Shi Gui suddenly recalled that Ning Xi had been filming an ad with this male celebrity when he met her at the beach last year, during his inspection trip of his company’s branch.

At that time, the image of them walking hand in hand by the beach had been blindingly harmonious.

Could it be that Ning Xi … really wanted to be a couple with this male celebrity?

When Li Sheng read the entertainment news about Zhou Zhengchuan’s dispute with the President of Chang Enterprises over a woman, all he felt was despair. He had been through difficult times as Zhou Zhengchuan’s manager, and he definitely did not want to see Zhou Zhengchuan fighting with Chang Shi Gui over a woman.

He gulped as he handed the phone over to Zhou Zhengchuan, “Zhengchuan, what exactly is the relationship between Ning Xi and the President of Chang Enterprises?”

“I haven’t heard her mention this before”, Zhou Zhengchuan took a look at the phone, and frowned. “These reporters are really brave. If Chang Shi Gui really had a crush on Ning Xi, given the way these bigwigs act, I would already be in trouble even before any reports were published”.

“But I heard that President Chang had brought Ning Xi to an important function a few days ago, this can’t be fake”. Li Sheng felt increasingly uneasy, “We should clear up such misunderstandings as soon as possible”. Li Sheng was initially unhappy when Ning Xi had rejected faking a relationship with Zhou Zhengchuan. Now, he was only glad that Ning Xi had rejected the plan.

He suspected that someone was intentionally using this issue to mislead the public into thinking that Zhou Zhengchuan was fighting with Chang Shi Gui over a woman, to make Chang Shi Gui unhappy. This would make quite a number of investors rethink their plans of investing in Zhengchuan’s productions.

This was a trap!

Ning Xi reacted to this matter faster than Zhou Zhengchuan. When interviewed, she announced that she was only good friends with Zhou Zhengchuan.

Seeing that Ning Xi had no qualms about turning down the rumours and had no intention of playing up their relationship, the reporters asked, “Ning Xi, Zhou Zhengchuan’s latest project will be screening soon, what do you have to say about that?”

This was an indirect way of saying that Zhou Zhengchuan was intentionally using Ning Xi to gain publicity for his latest film.

“Senior Zhou is a very professional actor. I’m confident that this movie will not disappoint everyone, please give your attention to this film”. Ning Xi understood the reporters’ intentions, but she was also not stupid, and would not be played by such obvious tricks.

She was wearing her costume from Three Lives of Rouge, and seeing that the reporters had endless questions, she said, “Thanks for the concern over my love life, if I meet a partner in future, I will definitely tell everyone. Thank you”.

Ning Xi seldom put on airs in front of reporters. The only time she did so was during an interview a few days ago regarding campus violence. While many reporters were concerned about sales and popularity, they would not stoop too low to achieve them. Seeing Ning Xi’s response, they did not pressure her further.

However, there were still some reporters who would do anything to increase sales.

“Ning Xi, you spoke about campus violence before. Do you think that those teenagers who hurt their classmates should be forgiven?”

It was a known fact that Ning Xi had also been a victim of campus violence. The reporter was just rubbing salt into her wound by raising this issue again.

Ning Xi stopped smiling, and said coldly, “Whether they deserve to be forgiven depends on their attitudes and the decision of the victims. It is not for others to decide”.

The reporter wanted to push the issue further, but Ning Xi said, “Apologies, I need to return to work, we can talk more in future”.

When the reporter wanted to continue his questioning, the crew’s security team stepped in to stop him. Looking at the bulky security guards and the mild reactions from other reporters, the reporter could only listlessly turn off his pen recorder.

“Ning Xi, are you alright?” Kong Yuheng asked with concern, noticing that Ning Xi looked unwell after the interview. “We are going to another province to film two days later, would you be able to join us?”

“Yes”, Ning Xi nodded, and smiled at Kong Yuheng. She went to remove her makeup, before rushing to the next site to film the public interest advertisement.

Ning Xi was right on time, and after greeting the crew, she changed into her professional outfit. In this ad, she played a seemingly outstanding white collar worker who had never stepped out of the trauma of her youth.

The actress playing the role of the youth was a popular child actor. In order to create greater chemistry on film, the director planned for the two actors to bond over a meal.

Filming in the afternoon was mostly on the child actor. Ning Xi stayed at a corner to observe the habits and movements of the child actor, so that she could better portray her character.

When evening came, the makeup artist touched up Ning Xi’s make-up once again. Ning Xi settled her emotions, and got into the vehicle prepared for the filming.

The crew in their positions, Ning Xi also nodded at the director.

“Ok, action!”

A young white collar lady was driving on the streets at night. Her neat hair and accessories proved her identity as a high flyer. This woman was definitely an elite.

As the car passed a dark corner, a few youths were bullying another child. With trembling fingers, she touched her forehead, but the car continued without stopping.

Memories flashed across her mind, how she had been bullied in the past, how she had been ridiculed, and at last had hit her head and bled all over.

Afterwards, she transferred to another school, and had a seemingly happy life. But the memories of bullying had been buried in the depths of her heart, she could never forget it.

She continued driving on, driving out of the dark alley, and into a brightly-lit street.

“Screech!!” Her brakes screeched loudly. Half of her vehicle was shrouded in light, and the other half still submerged in the darkness of the alley.

She stared blankly ahead, her expression changing from agony to resolve. She drove back, and sped up till she reached the corner of the alley.

Stepping out of the car, her heels hit the gravel, making “click, click” sounds. In the empty alley, the lone sounds of her heels seemed to be knocking on the doors of the heart, urgent but full of hope.

“Get away!” She pushed aside a young man with a stick, then struggled to push aside the other youths, before protecting the beaten up weak boy behind her.

She gave them a fierce stare, her anger like a ball of flames that lit up the alley.  

“Good!” Once the director shouted “Cut!”, Ning Xi turned to face the young actors who played the hooligans and apologised, “I’m sorry, I might have used too much strength just now, did I injure you?”

“Sister Xixi, we are all men, how can we be so fragile?” Jin Xin, the one with the most scenes, scratched his head sheepishly, “Your expression was quite scary just now, I almost couldn’t react to it”.

“This only shows that you rascal have not immersed yourself into the plot, that’s why you would be scared by Ning Xi’s performance”. The director walked over, and smiled at Ning Xi. “No wonder Old Xu specially recommended you, your expression was moving, even I was affected”.

“Thanks for the compliment”. Ning Xi humbly thanked the director. This increased the director’s fondness towards her.

As the filming had concluded successfully, the director was in a good mood and treated everyone to dinner.

As there were a number of teengers present, there was not much drinking involved. The atmosphere was friendly and lively, and everyone had a very satisfying meal.

Jin Xin had acted in a number of productions as the youth version of the lead, but he was not popular due to his age. He also found it hard to blend in with the adult actors.

Hence he was surprised that the popular Ning Xi had such a gentle demeanour. She did not treat him like a child, but a colleague. Neither did she impress upon him her seniority by age.

Especially when she said, “You might be younger than me, but you started acting before I did, hence you are the senior and I am the junior”. This line fulfilled Jin Xin's desire to be treated like an adult.[2]

By the time they went their separate ways, Ning Xi and Jin Xin had already started addressing each other as sister and brother. They also followed each other’s Weibo accounts.

Having completed the public interest advertisement, Ning Xi followed the crew to the other province to film. They concluded filming after one month of hard work.

Ning Xi returned to the capital to some good news. Yunyue of the Han Dynasty had been nominated for Best Drama in the Feiyu Awards, and she had also been nominated for Best Supporting actress for her performance in the drama.

Feiyu Awards was the oldest domestic television awards ceremony. It was also the most prestigious. To win the Best Drama award was the best commendation any drama could get.

To Ning Xi, it was not important whether she could win. To her, the nomination was already an unexpected windfall.

The night that she returned to the capital, it started pouring when she disembarked from the plane.

Ning Xi waited at the pick-up point for half an hour, but there was still no sign of her driver. It was only when she called Zhang QIngyun that she found out that her ride had stalled on the way to the airport, and the replacement ride was still on the way.

In order to attend the awards ceremony, Ning Xi had rushed to complete filming. Hence when she learned of the delay, she decided to take a rest at a bench nearby.

Sensing her fatigue, Xiao Yang said, “Sister Xixi, how about you take a nap on my shoulder, I’ll wake you up when the car arrives”.

Ning Xi lowered her baseball cap, then rested her head on Xiao Yang’s shoulder.

There were people walking past them, but no one had noticed that the woman resting on the bench would actually be the popular Ning Xi.

“Boss, your ride is outside”. Xu Chuan followed behind Chang Shi Gui, and started updating him about the schedule for the next day. Suddenly, noticing that his boss had stopped in his tracks, he asked, “Boss, what’s the matter?”

“Wait for me here”.

What followed was Xu Chuan watching his boss’ towering figure walking briskly and then kneeling in front of two women, and even whispering something to one of them.

As the other woman had a baseball cap on, Xu Chuan could not see what she looked like. His curiosity was piqued.

Who were these two women who could let his boss lower himself and proactively approach them?

Just when he wanted to take a look, a huge force pushed him from behind, and he was forced to take a few steps forward to regain his footing.  

He turned and saw that it was a woman who had knocked into him. Behind her was a young man who looked angry.

He knew who this young man was. It was Chen Yijun from Chen Enterprises.

The woman obviously did not notice her victim. She just shouted angrily at Chen Yijun, “Chen Yijun, you better don’t force my hand, don’t think that I wouldn’t dare to expose her photos from the past!”

Chen Yijun’s face darkened, “Wei Siqi, don’t go overboard. We owe her, she does not owe us anything!”

“What do I owe her?” The pretty lady asked angrily, “She only has herself to blame!”

Listening to the conversation, Xu Chuan’s heart clicked, it looked like an argument over an affair?

Who was this “she” in this scandalous story, who could cause these two people to quarrel publicly?

[1] tai tais - colloquial term for rich Chinese women who do not have to work for a living

[2] The original text was “大大满足了金鑫迫切想要长大的心思”, literally meaning that Jin Xin’s eagerness to grow up was satisfied. The two paras before it explains why - he was unfairly treated because of his age, hence he wanted to quickly grow up and be given the respect that he desires.