After hearing Lim Yoong's words, Seohyun tried retaliate, but Lim Yoong pinned her down by the hands, "I won't do anything to you, I swear on my military rank."
The reason for Seohyun's retaliation was probably due to the fact that she had been hurt too many times in the past.
But, after hearing Lim Yoong's words, she finally relaxed.
"We aren't at this stage yet..."
"Not yet. But, since they've tread into my area of influence, then it is my responsibility to control it." After saying these words, Lim Yoong finally loosened his grip and continued to drive forward.
Seohyun turned her head and glanced at Lim Yoong's side profile. This strong and tall man was quite an upright person. Because he was in the military, upholding promises was his instinctive duty.
Seohyun finally realized her situation couldn't get any worse.
So, as soon as she thought about the $30 million, she was no longer upset at Lim Yoong.
...
Soon, the two arrived at the Lee Family Home. Upon spotting Seohyun, the housekeeper immediately approached, "Second Miss, why are you back?"
After speaking, the housekeeper glanced at the man behind her.
"Are Mr. and Mrs. Lee home?" Seohyun no longer referred to them as her mother and father because it was no longer necessary.
"The Madam is home, but..."
"That's good enough." Seohyun then gestured for Lim Yoong to stand beside her and the two walked towards the living room. However, as they approached, they realized the Lee Family had guests.
When Mother Lee saw that Seohyun had returned and she had brought a man with her, she was obviously angry. She immediately stopped her at the doorway and asked, "What are you doing here? You sure know how to pick your day. Was it the housekeeper that told you that Young-Min's fiancee is visiting?"
"Let me warn you, you little sl*t. Don't try to ruin things for Young-Min again."
Seohyun did not say a word, nor did she notice Lim Yoong pull out his phone behind her and record the entire conversation, "Mrs. Lee, with your tone of voice, we can't give you $30 million."
"Where did this poor fellow come from?" Mother Lee insulted. "I'm teaching my daughter a lesson. It's none of your business."
"Mrs. Lee can tend to her guests first. We can discuss our matter after."
After speaking, Lim Yoong led Seohyun out to the garden, where they sat down.
In the spur of the moment, Mother Lee didn't know how to deal with Seohyun, so she had no choice but to turn around and return to the living room.
Seohyun felt a little uncomfortable. In fact, she wanted to leave the property altogether. But, Lim Yoong remained seated upright with an authoritative vibe, like he was seated in front of his desk at the military base.
"I want to leave."
"You haven't stolen nor snatched anything, why should you feel bad? You don't deserve to feel that way," Lim Yoong responded.
"Lim Yoong!"
"Leave it with me," Lim Yoong replied.
Seohyun sighed. She didn't want Lim Yoong to be humiliated alongside her, even though she relaxed after seeing that he wasn't upset at all.
However, she understood Mother Lee well. She was obviously holding them up for as long as she could, without letting them into the living room.
"Are you hungry?"
"How could you think about hunger at a time like this?"
Lim Yoong did not reply. Nor did his expression change. He simply pulled out his phone and made a call.
Half an hour later, two men dressed in military uniform appeared at the villa and delivered some dim sum to Lim Yoong and Seohyun, right in front of the housekeeper.
The housekeeper was shocked. At this moment, he finally noticed that the man accompanying Seohyun looked quite wealthy and respectable. His identity was definitely special.
Mother Lee heard something was happening outside and caught a glimpse of the two military soldiers leaving.
Although she refused to believe what she saw, she couldn't deny that Lim Yoong did look like he could be a military chief.
"They..."
"They are my subordinates," Lim Yoong explained indifferently as he lifted a cup of tea to his mouth.
In reality, all Seohyun knew was that Lim Yoong was in the military. She had no idea what he did there or what rank he held.
"Eat. Just treat this like a tea break."
Meanwhile, Mother Lee began to feel a little unsettled as her heart filled with curiosity. So, she decided to invite Seohyun and Lim Yoong into the living room so they could see how great the woman she found for Lee Young-Min was. Her intention was to embarrass them.
Therefore, while the housekeeper was tending to the guests, she stepped out into the garden, crossed her arms and said to the two, "Come in."
But, Lim Yoong remained firmly seated in place.
Mother Lee turned around to look at the two as her eyebrows creased together.
"Why aren't you coming?"
"Are you sure that you want me to go in there?" Lim Yoong asked.
"Do you want me to carry you in?"
After speaking, Mother Lee walked ahead into the living room. But, as she began to mention Seohyun in front of her guests, she did not look impressed.
A moment later, Lim Yoong stepped into the living room with Seohyun. Just as Mother Lee was about to introduce Seohyun to her future in-laws and let her have a taste of people from the upper class, her guests suddenly stood up with respect.
"Major General Lim."
"It's a pleasure to see you here."
Mother Lee froze...
She had never imagined that the man accompanying Seohyun was actually a major general. Her future in-laws suddenly looked like a bunch of brown nosers.
Lim Yoong walked in with Seohyun and sat down. He then said to the people in the room, "Please continue. We are here to resolve a private matter. Seo Seo, where is your room?"
The way that Lim Yoong called her 'Seo Seo' sounded so nice and natural that it took Seohyun a few seconds to come to her senses, "I don't have a room here..."
As she was aware, Mother Lee had already turned her room into a room for the maids.
"What about your belongings? Your belongings must still be here, right?"
Seohyun shook her head. They were likely thrown out.
"Since that's the case, then even better!" Lim Yoong ignored everyone else in the room. The coldness emanating from his body made him impossible to approach, but Mother Lee couldn't deny that Seohyun had brought home a very impressive person.
After finding out that the major general was here to resolve a private matter, the guests did not dare to make him wait, so the entire family quickly bid farewell and left.
Of course, Mother Lee was left feeling extremely awkward.
"Major General Lim, I'm sorry if I have been unreasonable, I didn't do it on purpose."
"I'm here to discuss the $30 million. The amount you requested is too much," Lim Yoong couldn't be bothered with small talk as he directly laid the cards on the table.
His tone was not hostile, but it did sound slightly impatient.
"Well, this..." Mother Lee broke out in a cold sweat.
"I've estimated Seohyun's expenses over the years. Here is a cheque for $3 million. I hope she can break all ties with you from now on," Lim Yoong said straightforwardly.
"This..."
"Seohyun is now a part of the Lim Family, and the Lim Family does not like to be involved with dirty people and things. So, it's best we clear everything now while I'm still being nice."
Mother Lee did not dare to look into Lim Yoong's eyes because she could sense his strong dominance.
"If you don't say anything, I'll assume that you agree."
"If I ever hear the Lee Family mention Seohyun again, you will no longer be welcome here in Korea."
After he was done talking, Lim Yoong did not want to stay another second as he turned and asked Seohyun, "Do you have anything else you want to say?"
Seohyun glanced at Mother Lee and shook her head, "No."
"Let's go then." After speaking, Lim Yoong stood up and offered his hand to Seohyun.
Seohyun was a little surprised, but she quickly accepted.
Just as the two turned to leave, Mother Lee no longer held back her anger as she yelled towards Lim Yoong, "I think you should reconsider your decision to be with Seohyun. After all, a person that would seduce even her own brother is quite cheap."
"But, as I'm aware, your son is the one that's been endlessly pursuing Seo Seo," Lim Yoong replied calmly before he wrapped his arm around Seohyun's waist and led her out of the villa.
Mother Lee was so angry that her chest heaved repetitively. However, there was nothing she could do. Who told Lim Yoong to be a major general?
The Lee Family were rich, but they did not have the courage to provoke those with power. Unless, of course, they no longer wanted to stay in Korea like Lim Yoong had warned.
But, how was she to accept that Seohyun had found such a great source of support?
...
Although Lim Yoong's method was something that pretentious men often did, women liked it and Seohyun was no different.
Seohyun continued to lean against Lim Yoong affectionately and Lim Yoong did not remove his arm from around her waist. At this time, Lee Young-Min's car drove into the property and stopped in front of them. As soon as Lee Young-Min stepped out and saw the two, he was a little surprised. But, his expression quickly turned helpless.
"You're set on your decision to leave the Lee Family?"
"Yes," Seohyun nodded. "I've been disgusted by them for a long time."
"Are you disgusted by me too?"
Seohyun did not answer Lee Young-Min's question. Instead, Lim Yoong answered on her behalf.
"Seo Seo should be disgusted by you. You haven't been able to protect her all these years."
After speaking, Lim Yoong led Seohyun away. As soon as they boarded Lim Yoong's car, they no longer had anything to do with the Lee Family.
"Thank you," Seohyun said.
"I have something I need to do. I'll send you home first. I didn't break my promise of two hours," Lim Yoong's expression was cold. He did not waste any time on sweet talk, nor did he have the ability to.
Seohyun nodded her head. From the moment she entered the Lee Family Home to the moment that she left, she had experienced a complex array of emotions.
Right now, all she wanted to do was calm down.
"I will be at the military base over the next three days."
"How will I contact you?" Seohyun asked.
"You don't need to. When I'm done, I will naturally be back." After speaking, Lim Yoong dropped Seohyun off at her home and drove away, quickly disappearing from sight.
Deep down, Seohyun actually wanted to remind him to take care of his injury because he had previously been shot.
Seohyun couldn't explain why, but as soon as Lim Yoong left, she felt like her sense of security had completely disappeared.
Was it because Lim Yoong was in the military, so she subconsciously trusted him and relied on him?
They had only known each other for a short period of time. If this was true, Lim Yoong was much too frightening.
Inside the Lee Family Home.
As soon as Lee Young-Min returned home, Mother Lee immediately approached, "When did Seohyun get involved with someone with such a strong background? Weren't you aware of it at all?"
"That's her choice," Lee Young-Min replied as he headed for his bedroom.
"That general threatened your mother! He said that if I mention Seohyun's name again, I will no longer be welcome in Seoul Korea."
Lee Young-Min finally realized, after all these years, the reason why he couldn't protect Seohyun was because he had never faced the situation with this attitude.
But, Lim Yoong could.
"That's great!"
After speaking, Lee Young-Min entered his room and closed the door. Everything finally fell silent; it was also finally time for Seohyun's name to disappear from his world.
...
After returning home, Seohyun told Wendy about how Lim Yoong helped her resolve the $30 million incident. Wendy listened in shock. She couldn't believe her ears. Was this really her hermit cousin that Seohyun was talking about?
"He's not bad, he's capable of so many things, why is my uncle worried that he won't find a wife?"
"How would I know?" Seohyun shrugged. "But, with all the favors he's done for me, as well as the $3 million he helped me pay, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to make it up to him."
"You can make up for it with your body," Wendy laughed. "By the way, don't forget that Xia Hanmo is returning today and Fany unnie asked you to pick her up from the airport."
"Oh God, I almost forgot," Seohyun quickly stood up, grabbed a few necessary items and left the apartment.
...
Thanks to publicity created by Crown Empire, 'Survivor' grew in popularity and became the most anticipated film.
But, Taeyeon did not stop here. Considering that there was still a bit of time left until the release date, he decided to help Wendy out a little. He found someone to write a meaningful song and gave it to Wendy to perform. This song was the theme song of 'Survivor'.
After receiving this news, Wendy went crazy with excitement.
After all, to have her name appear in the same film as Tiffany was something to be sincerely proud of.
So, after receiving her song, Wendy immediately went to the recording studio.
She couldn't help with other things, so creating the best sounding theme song, was the best way to show Tiffany her gratitude.
This time, there was no one around to swipe points off her, no one around to compete with her and no one around to prevent the film from being distributed. In fact, fans did not complain nor show doubt. Everything seemed to run so smoothly. But, Tiffany was nowhere to be seen.
The director put all his effort into promoting 'Survivor' and the fans were sincerely interested in the film. But, Tiffany spent this time tackling special effects problems with her team.
Two days before the release date, the director contacted Tiffany via Taeyeon, "I know that the industry has brought you a lot of pain and you were misunderstood by a lot of people at one point. But, for the sake of your last film, can you attend the premiere as an actress?"
"Show everyone what it means to be a best actress and come enjoy the defeated looks of those that once insulted you."
Tiffany did not say a word.
"Don't reject me too quickly. I will leave a seat for you and look forward to seeing you there."
Tiffany remained silent and did not agree to anything.
She did not think it was necessary.
Wasn't she still contributing to the film industry?
There were some things that once meant a lot to her, but now, she'd rather spend her time on studying special effects. That way, after 'Survivor' made its appearance, the public would have an even more amazing film to look forward to; a film called 'Purgatory'.
These days, Tiffany had grown bored of giving faceslaps. She knew what she was capable of and knew where she stood.
So, no matter how the director tried to persuade her, she had no intention of attending the premiere.
That night at Hyatt Regency, the atmosphere was especially warm. Tiffany was going through her second pregnancy, so Daddy Tae was left with the responsibilty of carrying their two sons. As she watched her tall and strong man carry the two little ones into the bathroom, Tiffany's heart melted.
Taeyeon had become well experienced in this aspect. It was clear to see that he took on his role as a husband perfectly throughout Tiffany's pregnancy as well as after she gave birth. No matter how ruthless and heartless he was on the outside world, as soon as he returned home, he would put down his identity and take good care of Tiffany and their kids.
"Why aren't you going to the premiere of 'Survivor'?"
Tiffany handed Taeyeon a towel and watched as he carried one of the little ones in his arms. With a smile, she replied, "There's not much significance to my attendance."
Taeyeon did not say anything after hearing her response. But, deep down, he felt that Tiffany's performance in 'Survivor' was enough to secure another FT Best Actress Award. So, he already decided to submit the film to the judges later.
"I heard that Qiao Sen is planning to recommend a female lead for 'Purgatory'. How did that conversation go?"
"I came to a compromise," Tiffany shrugged. Everytime she tried to reason with Qiao Sen, he argued back with the fact that she had rejected the lead role. After going back and forth, Tiffany had no choice but to let him have his way. After all, she didn't have a suitable actress in mind anyway.
"The actress will have love scenes with me," Taeyeon turned and looked at Tiffany.
Tiffany froze for a moment and nodded her head, "Yes she will."
"You're not jealous?"
"Yes I am," Tiffany replied. "But I will always trust you."
Taeyeon turned around. While he was bathing the kids, he said to Tiffany, "All I need is you. After the female lead is confirmed, give me her name, I'll tell Sooyoung to do a background check."
"OK."
Tiffany assumed that she could handle the level of jealousy. But, it would take her until the actual day before she realized that she couldn't stand seeing another person look lovingly at Taeyeon...
...
Meanwhile, Xia Hanmo returned.
She returned with her travel diary and photos, as well as published stories in travel magazines. This time, she did not return with her previously dirty image, nor did she have to hide. It had been a long time since she could breathe in the air of Seoul Korea so comfortably.
But, even though it was almost midnight, some fans still ended up recognizing her at the airport.
As soon as she removed her sunglasses, they ran over to take photos with her.
Xia Hanmo was stunned. She thought anti-fans were trying to cause trouble. But, to her surprise, they smiled warmly at her and said, "Xia Hanmo, I really like the photos you took and your writing is really good."
Xia Hanmo was shocked. Although she knew her situation had changed, this was the first time anyone had praised her in such a way.
Afterwards, Xia Hanmo removed her disguise and took photos with her fans.
Meanwhile, Seohyun spotted the fans surrounding Xia Hanmo from the entrance of the airport and immediately ran over, "Fany unnie told me to come get you. Let me take you home to get some rest."
After boarding Seohyun's car, Xia Hanmo finally said, "I've never met such kind-hearted fans."
"Who told you to have such a famously bad reputation in the past?"
Xia Hanmo giggled and looked out the window, "This was all thanks to Fany unnie. She helped me rediscover myself."
Afterwards, Xia Hanmo handed Seohyun a business card, "This man's name is Zhou Qing, he is the host of a travel adventure program and he is currently short of one permanent cast member. He wants me to join his program because I have a lot of travel experience."
"When did you meet him?"
"I ran into him in Europe," Xia Hanmo replied, "I want to give it a try."
"So, are you asking Fany unnie to do a background check on this man?" Seohyun asked. "Don't worry, I will speak to Fany unnie about it. Superstar Media supports their artists' freedom to develop however they want."
Xia Hanmo nodded her head, but her mind was still focused on the fans from a moment ago. She couldn't believe that people actually liked her.
Of course, this was all because Tiffany had chosen the correct path for her to go down.
"By the way, I saw the trailer for 'Survivor' while I was overseas. Netizens appear to have a high level of anticipation for it. I scanned over the comments quickly and noticed that Fany unnie has a huge fan base for her films."
"That's the result of Tiffany's previous projects. Her last few films did really well in the box office overseas," Seohyun explained. "Either way, due to what happened with Luo Sheng, Fany unnie has asked us to take good care of you, especially when negotiating jobs. She told us not to give the public any chance to hurt you guys from now on."
"I heard what happened with Luo Sheng. But, his lucky that he has Fany unnie to protect him."
Seohyun smiled and continued to drive Xia Hanmo home before she returned to Wendy's apartment. But, for some reason, as she drove past some police, she was naturally reminded of Lim Yoong.
All she currently knew was that Lim Yoong was a major general. But, she had no idea which part of the military he was in. And she knew he would never tell her.
After returning to the apartment, Wendy said guiltily to Seohyun, "I told my uncle about how my cousin saved you. I think you might see his parents very soon."
"You..."
"Don't worry, they appear to be quite easygoing."
Seohyun was a little flustered. There was nothing going on between her and Lim Yoong, yet Wendy had told his parents about her. Seohyun didn't know how to accept this – it was too quick!
"Fany unnie and President Kim got married the first time they met. You two have been dragging on for too long..."
Seohyun was dumbfounded...
But, it was too late to contact Lim Yoong about it, right?
However, Seohyun was overly worried. Because, in the end, Lim Yoong's parents did not make an appearance. In fact, Lim Yoong who had promised to be back in three days, was nowhere to be seen either...
Seohyun did not think that Lim Yoong was the type to go back on his words. So, her instincts told her that he had been injured again.
While Lim Yoong was missing, the night before the premiere of 'Survivor' crept up on everyone...
Although Tiffany had decided not to attend the premiere, Seohyun and Wendy still decided to go watch the film together. It wasn't easy to get a hold of the tickets, so they couldn't waste it. But...Wendy's manager ended up restricting her from going, so Seohyun was left holding two tickets on her own.
Initially, she was planning to go on her own. But, as she got downstairs, she spotted Lim Yoong's tall figure.
Lim Yoong did not say a word as he opened his car door.
And Seohyun did not question him as she stepped inside.
"Are you going to the theater to watch 'Survivor'?"
"Do you like watching films?" Seohyun asked.
"No. But, I heard that this one is based on a true story. I was involved in the real-life rescue mission," Lim Yoong said with his usual coldness.
78
0
"You..."
"I am a major general in the Air Force," Lim Yoong replied. "The area where the plane crashed was not far from our base."
The conversation suddenly became too serious, so Seohyun did not know how to reply. But, at least, she and Lim Yoong had a common topic of discussion.
"I have high expectations for the actors."
"So?"
"If I don't like their acting, I may walk out halfway."
"Fany unnie's films never disappoint," Tiffany's acting was so good that Seohyun was able to speak confidently about it.
Seohyun originally thought that Lim Yoong would argue back, but he instead turned his head and focused on the road in front of him. Obviously, he could sense the level of respect that Seohyun had for Tiffany.
"I was a little delayed when carrying out my mission."
In other words, he wasn't deliberately late.
"I understand that you were a little delayed. But, what if you don't return one day?" Seohyun turned and asked Lim Yoong.
Lim Yoong suddenly fell silent.
This was a problem that would forever exist between them. No matter how brave Seohyun was, it would be impossible for her to accept that her other half lived his life on the edge everyday.
...
Tonight was the premiere night of 'Survivor'. Although it wasn't a public screening, there were plenty of celebrities present to show their support.
In fact, Taeyeon did not give his artists any instructions, yet they naturally attended the premiere on their own because they all wanted to witness Tiffany's acting once again.
As a result, plenty of Korea's media outlets, film critics, experienced filmmakers and other special personalities attended the premiere. Meanwhile, in the front row of the theater, the director still insisted on reserving a seat for Tiffany; he was sure she'd turn up.
Every seat filled and the film began to play. But, everytime Tiffany created a climax in the film, everyone would subconsciously look towards the empty seat at the front. It was a shame...Tiffany was not there...
The film lasted for 136 minutes. During the screening, not a single person popped out to the bathroom, nor did anyone discuss the plot amongst themselves.
They were simply consumed in the emotions...especially as the film came to an end.
Tiffany was a genius. No matter what role she played, she always left a deep impression.
Even Lim Yoong, who had high expectations, did not leave halfway. In fact, he waited until the entire film finished before he said to Seohyun, "I couldn't differentiate her from the real survivor I met all those years ago."
Lim Yoong's words held the most weight because he was there during the rescue mission. So, the fact that these words came from his mouth meant that 'Survivor' was truly a success.
After the premiere was completed, various reviews began to pop up online.
Of course, while fans were emotional about the unpredictable nature of life, they also felt it was a shame that a talented actress ended her acting career with 'Survivor'.
Especially since Tiffany had filmed 'Survivor' under such harsh conditions.
_"Can anyone convince Tiffany to come back..."
_"Please Tiffany, please forgive us for being temporarily blind."
_"Tiffany's too precious. With her level of acting, even if she actually killed someone, I would still forgive her."
_"The fact that Tiffany didn't appear at the premiere shows how determined she is to distance herself from being an actress."
In the end, Tiffany did not appear at the premiere...
It was almost like the film had nothing to do with her.
...
"The film was amazing. It's a shame that Fany unnie didn't get to watch it herself," Seohyun sighed on the way home. "Although Fany unnie is still a part of the film industry, it's still a huge difference from actually partaking in a film. It feels like something's missing to not see Tiffany on screen anymore."
"Everyone has their own choices in life."
Although Lim Yoong didn't know how to comfort people, this was the undeniable truth.
"By the way, my parents already know of your existence."
"!" Seohyun was a little shocked.
Lim Yoong understood that Seohyun still needed a long time to heal her previous wounds, so he assured, "They are willing to wait for now."
"But, I don't understand why you are so against meeting them."
"I'm not ready yet. For a woman, meeting someone's parents has an extra layer of meaning," Seohyun replied. "Plus, I don't think we are at that stage yet. I know nothing about you. For example, you told me you'd be back in three days, but I had no idea where you went. Apart from waiting helplessly, there was nothing else I could do."
The problem that Seohyun raised was very realistic. So, she expected Lim Yoong to back away. But, instead he replied, "From now on, I will find people to keep you updated."
Seohyun nodded her head without another word.
She had always thought that Lim Yoong was inflexible and boring, just like how Wendy described him as a complete hermit.
But, Lim Yoong proved her wrong, time and time again.
Lim Yoong actually lived his life with passion. In fact, judging by the way he had high expectations for the films he watched, it was clear to see that he wasn't just a rough and bulky man. He was actually someone that preferred quality in every aspect of his life.
Actually, the thing that reassured Seohyun the most was the fact that Lim Yoong appeared to be a resolute person who didn't easily give up.
Otherwise, when he realized their differences, he would have already given up, rather than slowly change and get closer to her.
Actually, it wasn't bad. Being with this man wasn't tiring at all.
...
Soon, 'Survivor' was officially released to the public. The theaters promoted it as Tiffany's last film and the results at the box office were shocking. After its first day, ticket sales already exceeded $300 million. Although everyone expected this film to be a hit, they never expected it to do this well.
Fans even declared Tiffany's acting as godlike.
But even so, Tiffany was still nowhere to be seen. She did not show her face even once. Almost like she was using her silence to mock those that had once looked down on her.
_"Aiya, Tiffany will make a comeback sooner or later. You guys just wait and see. If she doesn't return while her film is doing well, when else will she return?"
_"Tiffany may have moved behind-the-scenes and created Superstar Media, but I don't think her ambition stops here."
_"I hope to see Tiffany announce her comeback when I wake up tomorrow. Or at least receive news that she'll be attending an event."
Unfortunately, the next day when they woke up, they didn't receive any news at all.
These days, Tiffany stayed at home most of the time and barely left the house, so even the paparazzi couldn't get many pictures of her.
_"There aren't any good films this year, except for 'Survivor'. Tiffany's definitely winning Best Actress again. When that time comes, will she still be in hiding? I doubt it."
Tiffany was aware of the public's reactions. But, she was no longer the actress Tiffany.
Meanwhile, Qiao Sen took the opportunity to go watch 'Survivor'. After watching it, he was even more certain that he wanted Tiffany in his film.
But, Tiffany was more stubborn than him. So, what could he do?
Worst of all, he couldn't do anything on his own.
Qiao Sen's only hope was President Kim.
After all, Tiffany's management contract was in Taeyeon's hands. So, he ended up contacting Taeyeon and hoped that he could convince Tiffany to partake in 'Purgatory' as the female lead. He had no desire to continue filming with anyone else.
"I'm sorry Director Qiao, I will need to reject you as well," Taeyeon replied politely. "My wife is pregnant. She has just enough energy to manage what's going on behind-the-scenes, but it's impossible for her to film something that involves a lot of action scenes."
Qiao Sen was shocked. He never imagined this to be Tiffany's reason.
"Oh, that's a real shame."
Qiao Sen didn't want to accept the truth, but Taeyeon had already told him this much, so, he had no choice but to give up.
Luckily, Taeyeon managed to comfort him.
"Since that's the case, then I can only give Tiffany my blessings."
Taeyeon nodded his head. He would never let Tiffany take risks for the sake of a film and Tiffany would never agree to it either.
After all, she wanted so badly to have a daughter...
After Qiao Sen left, Sooyoung stared at Taeyeon for a long time before he suggested, "President, I don't think the Madam has watched 'Survivor' yet, should I make arrangements?"
"No need. I will arrange it myself," Taeyeon said before he placed his focus back on the documents in front of him.
...
Later that night, Taeyeon returned home and helped Tiffany coax the two kids to sleep. He then fetched a comfortable set of clothing for her to change into, "Let's go out for a bit."
"What about the kids?"
"Mom will come look after them," Taeyeon replied.
Tiffany nodded her head and quickly changed her clothes. The couple dressed casually and kept an extremely low profile as they left the house. No one expected that Taeyeon would take Tiffany directly to the theater, nor did they expect that he'd take her to one of the busiest ones. In the end, the couple entered early without being noticed.
All of this did not need explaining. Tiffany knew that Taeyeon had brought her to watch 'Survivor'. In fact, she knew that he had to pick a theater like this for her to experience the true atmosphere created by the film.
Soon, film fans piled into the theater. The percentage of seats filled was extremely high and Tiffany was amongst these seats. Of course, she couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
"Now that you're in here, you're just a normal member of the audience. Relax."
Hearing Taeyeon's words of comfort, Tiffany nodded her head and slowly calmed down.
After ten minutes of commercials, the film finally started.
It was a weird sensation. As she watched herself appear on the big screen and the camera, she slowly began to feel like she wasn't looking at herself, but a stranger.
It was worth mentioning that the director's camera work was also very impressive. Even though he had gone through the incident with Xu Xin, the film was not affected.
During the 136 minutes, everyone was completely immersed in the film.
Most people experienced a variety of mixed emotions, but when the film concluded, they didn't know how to explain how they felt. All they could say was, "Tiffany's acting is godlike."
Apart from that, some people also said,
-"I'm never flying on a plane again. I'm traumatized!"
After the film finished, the lights in the theater turned back on. Because Tiffany and Taeyeon were wearing face masks, they stood out a little more than everyone else.
-"Hey, look. Aren't they celebrities?"
-"Maybe. I can't see clearly through their face masks."
Tiffany and Taeyeon had no idea that they had been spotted. So, Taeyeon casually wrapped his arm around Tiffany and said, "Let's go."
Tiffany nodded her head. Just as she started walking down the stairs with Taeyeon, a few fans suddenly ran over to them and screamed,
-"Tiffany, it's Tiffany!"
Her long legs had revealed her identity.
Taeyeon shielded Tiffany in his embrace, but more and more fans began to gather round.
-"Tiffany, did you come to watch your own film?"
-"Tiffany, your acting was really good. Can you sign an autograph for us?"
"I'm sorry, can we please leave first so we don't impact the normal operations of the theater?" Tiffany said as she removed her mask.
The audience expressed their understanding and quickly turned to leave. But, every now and then, they would glance back at Tiffany, afraid that she would run away.
However, Tiffany always kept her promise.
The entire time, Taeyeon tried to keep Tiffany separated from the public. But, he seemed to have underestimated his woman's status in the entertainment industry. Within a few moments, the multi-level shopping mall that the theater was located in, was filled with people.
Only after they left the shopping mall did Tiffany finally stop. Still in Taeyeon's embrace, she slowly turned around and bowed to everyone, "Thank you for your support for 'Survivor'. As my last film, I hope everyone enjoyed it."
Previously, everyone had simply been rumoring that this was Tiffany's final film. While they still held some hope, they never imagined words like this to come from Tiffany's mouth.
It was weird. The actress Tiffany and manager Tiffany seemed like two different people: one kept to herself, while the other had a sharp tongue.
It was hard for everyone to think of them as one entity. After all, as a manager, Tiffany could say whatever she wanted.
-"Tiffany, please come back. You're acting is so good to watch."
-"Exactly. We are all your fans. We understand that you went through quite an ordeal with Xu Xin's incident."
-"Tiffany, please don't give up on us..."
-"Tiffany..." everyone cried from the bottom of their hearts. It was probably the first time that the public begged an artist to return to acting.
This was because she was one in a million.
Taeyeon knew that Tiffany was put in a difficult position. So, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tapped it gently, "Let's go."
-"Tiffany..."
"Please don't be sad. I am just a simple artist. Also, give me some time. I will use a different method to bring you a miracle. Wait for me!" After speaking, Taeyeon protected Tiffany as she boarded their car and the couple quickly disappeared from everyone's sight.
-"This is better than not leaving us with any hope."
-"Little Miss Tiffany, we will always wait for you."
Xu Xin's incident caused Tiffany a lot of pain and made her change professions into a manager because she wanted to help those that were neglected and mistreated in the industry.
Unfortunately, no one was capable of fixing the disappointment that Tiffany had in her heart.
-"She must be tired from all the arguments. Give her some time to rest. I'm sure she'll come back."
On the way home, Tiffany remained silent.
So, as Taeyeon turned around and looked at her, he asked in a gentle voice, "What are you thinking about?"
"I may be important in their hearts today, but they will forget about me in the blink of an eye."
Hearing these words, Taeyeon couldn't help but laugh, "Who cares about everyone else? As long as you always remain important in my heart, that's all that matters."
"Don't be impatient, I will definitely be back!"