Rebirth of a Fashionista: This Life Is Soo Last Season

Chapter 91-100

Chapter 91 - Found Herself a Stepfather

As soon as Sheng Jiaoyang had sobered up, she found herself standing under the shower with a half-naked man standing in front of her. No one in their right mind would stay calm in this situation.

Sheng Jiaoyang's heart was beating like crazy, her emotions in a complete mess. She didn't know how to face the current situation. The only thing that reassured her was that she was still wearing her clothes. Although she was drenched and her silk pajamas were stuck to her body, it was better than not wearing anything at all.

Seeing her sober expression, Shen Zhining turned and walked out of the bathroom.

Sheng Jiaoyang raised her hands and covered her face. OMG! Could it be that Shen Zhining was taking a shower and she broke in on her own initiative?! How else could she explain the fact that Shen Zhining was half-naked, but her clothes were untouched?

After dilly-dallying and drying her hair, she walked out of the bathroom. Upon seeing Shen Zhining fast asleep in bed, she heaved a sigh of relief and quietly tucked herself into her self-made floor bed.

The next day, at breakfast, Daisy's expression looked gloomy as she informed everyone that she was leaving. The two elders also said that they were going back, expressing that they didn't want to disturb the pair's lovey-dovey days any longer.

Just before they boarded the plane, Grandfather Shen called Shen Zhining aside, "It doesn't matter if Jiaojiao gets pregnant, just don't hide it from us when the time comes. You can let your grandmother and I take care of the child while you two enjoy your own time together."

"..." He hadn't expected his grandfather to react like this.

In a corner, Daisy stood in front of Sheng Jiaoyang with an ugly expression and asked, "You...you touched my chest last night, didn't you?"

Sheng Jiaoyang blinked innocently. "Did I?" Her eyes fell on Daisy's plump chest and she thought: Hmm...must feel good when one touches them.

Daisy, who retained some memories of yesterday night, wanted to bite this shameless woman in front of her to death. She murmured, "You pervert!" Then, she turned and left to board the plane.

Sheng Jiaoyang was speechless.

Standing on one side, Felix tried his best to hold back his laughter.

Watching the plane soar into the sky, Sheng Jiaoyang touched the tips of her reddened ears. Did she really touch Daisy's chest last night?

"Felix, move her things out of my room!" Shen Zhining immediately instructed Felix.

"Right away, Boss!" Felix promptly asked a few people to go up and get the task done.

Sheng Jiaoyang glanced at Shen Zhining and asked, "My mission has been accomplished, so I can leave now, right?"

Shen Zhining cast her an indifferent look and said, "Your mission has just started. Only when I deem that your help is no longer needed can this mission be considered complete."

"But, what if you can't find a wife for the rest of your life...cough, cough..." Sheng Jiaoyang immediately halted and covered her mouth.

"You should start praying!" Shen Zhining said ambiguously. With a smirk tugging at his lips, he turned and headed back to the villa.

So...her mission isn't merely pretending to be his girlfriend? She now has to find him a wife as well?

Sheng Jiaoyang took a deep breath as she thought: How would she know what kind of woman Demon King Shen likes? All this time, she hadn't seen Shen Zhining initiate with any woman. Could it be...

Demon King Shen actually likes men?

As her thoughts got to this point, Sheng Jiaoyang's eyes widened in shock.

Regardless of whether Shen Zhining liked men or women, she didn't have to worry. There were many handsome men and beautiful women in the entertainment industry, so there would certainly be one or two that suit his tastes.

Sheng Jiaoyang's pupils were suffused with a faint glow as she pondered over this. There was no doubt; she was ready to be his matchmaker. If she could get away from Demon King Shen, then why should she bother with the others? Besides, Shen Zhining wasn't someone with a good temperament, but he also wasn't one who would engage in domestic violence. If one was favoured by him, although that unlucky person would have to tolerate that gloomy face every day, at least he or she wouldn't have to worry about food and clothing...

It was at this moment that Sheng Jiaoyang strengthened her resolve to do well in the entertainment industry. She had to broaden her network and find someone for Demon King Shen to increase her chances of escape.

When Sheng Jiaoyang stood in front of her house, she felt as if a lifetime had gone by. With all the things that had happened recently, she felt as if she'd been through an abyss of suffering with each day feeling like a year!

When she opened the door, she was shocked to hear a voice coming from inside. Last week, when she contacted Xu Qing, the latter told her that en route to her trip, she passed by a remote impoverished mountain area and saw the teacher responsible for teaching the people there having a hard time. Thus, she whimsically decided to stay there and help for a while. Since this was something Xu Qing desired to do herself, Sheng Jiaoyang greatly supported her mother's decision. She had even transferred a sum of money to Xu Qing's bank account at her disposal.

She's back already?

Wait a second...how come there's a man's voice as well?

When Sheng Jiaoyang walked into the living room, she saw Xu Qing and a man sitting on a sofa looking at a photo album. She heard Xu Qing say, "This one was taken when Jiaojiao was five years old, and this one was taken when she was in primary school. This one..."

"I'm back!" Sheng Jiaoyang abruptly announced.

Xu Qing turned her head and was surprised to see Sheng Jiaoyang standing there. She hurriedly stood up and said, "Jiaojiao, you're back?"

At this time, the man also stood up and turned around.

The man appeared quite young; she reckoned that he must be in his early thirties. He looked, in fact, even more youthful and energetic than Shen Zhining.

"Hello, Jiaojiao," the man greeted Sheng Jiaoyang with his substandard Mandarin.

"Hello! You are...?" Although Sheng Jiaoyang was asking the man, she was peering at Xu Qing.

"My Chinese name is Li Weiqi."

"He's a friend I met on the tour group."

"She's a friend I met on the tour group."

The man and Xu Qing responded almost at the same time. Afterwards, the two stared at one another and smiled.

A glint flashed across Sheng Jiaoyang's eyes upon hearing their responses. Looks like there's more to this than meets the eye!

"Didn't you say that you wanted to stay and help out in the mountain area?" asked Sheng Jiaoyang.

Xu Qing then explained, "That was my initial plan, but Weiqi said that my strength alone wouldn't be of much help. He told me that he can set up an educational fund program and gather funding from other rich people, making education available for those poor children in the mountain area."

Sheng Jiaoyang stole a glance at Li Weiqi. He sure had many ideas. However, if she were to say that this guy wasn't interested in Xu Qing, then her surname wouldn't be Sheng. Okay fine, her last name was Xu now, not Sheng...but this wasn't the main point.

"That's a good idea!" She went over and sat down on the sofa on the opposite side. Afterwards, she shared her thoughts and experiences on setting up a public welfare funds program.

The more Li Weiqi listened, the more surprised he felt. He stared at Sheng Jiaoyang in astonishment. Qing's daughter sure was intelligent! To think that she had such a deep understanding and so much insight in setting up a funds program. She looked like a pompous little princess on the surface, but was, in fact, a very profound person on the inside. One truly couldn't judge a book by its cover!

Although Xu Qing didn't understand much of their conversation, she still sat there with a smile on her face as she listened to them speak. When they finished, she asked, "Jiaojiao, weren't you supposed to be at school, joining military training classes?"

"Oh." Sheng Jiaoyang's eyes swivelled as she pondered for a while, but she decided to tell Xu Qing the truth in the end. "I'm going abroad to attend the runway at Fashion Week in two days, so I've asked for leave from school."

"The runway? Jiaojiao, you're a model?" Li Weiqi was even more astounded now.

"Jiaojiao is amazing! She took part in a supermodel competition not long ago and won the championship!" Xu Qing proudly beamed.

Li Weiqi nodded and said no more. This little girl's knowledge and experience was an eye-opener for him. He also knew that Xu Jiaojiao was underaged and that she would only turn eighteen this year.

"Would you like to go abroad with me for a few days?" Sheng Jiaoyang looked at Xu Qing.

"I..." Xu Qing turned and glanced at Li Weiqi.

Li Weiqi smiled. "You should go and have fun with Jiaojiao. I'll go back and get things ready for the funds program."

After Li Weiqi had left, Sheng Jiaoyang asked Xu Qing, "You intend to find me a stepfather?"

Xu Qing choked on her saliva and blushed as she said, "That's impossible...Weiqi is just a friend. He's still so young, and there'll be many young girls for him to choose from."

"Your way of thinking is outdated. Nowadays, there are a lot of older women dating younger men, so this kind of relationship is common these days. Even an age gap of ten years or more is possible. He's thirty-three this year and you're only forty. There's only seven years between you two, so why not?"

"Don't be ridiculous, we're just friends. He...he doesn't like me..."

"How can you be so certain that he doesn't like you?" Sheng Jiaoyang interrupted.

Xu Qing was stunned for a few seconds. She soon recovered and stammered, "I-I'm already so old! H-how could he possibly like me? That's out of the question."

After all was said and done, it was still because of her lack of self-confidence! Sheng Jiaoyang silently stared at Xu Qing for a moment, thinking that she had to find Mei Niu and let her stylist transform her Mother's appearance. Most of the time, people's self-confidence came from their outer appearance. So, the first step was to transform her Mother's appearance and let her slowly built up her confidence.

Sheng Jiaoyang was a woman of action. She quickly booked their tickets and immediately took off with Xu Qing.

Chapter 92 - New Gossip Arises

What? Boss wanted a copy of Xu Jiaojiao's travel itinerary?

Li Yu was instantly put in an awkward situation. Ever since the boss had asked him to sign on Xu Jiaojiao, he hadn't asked about her anymore. That girl was too disobedient, so he could only deal with her in a transparent manner. One month passed by quickly, and he had to deal with so many things everyday. Where would he find the time to recall that there was such a person under him?

He had no choice but to tell the truth.

"Arrange an assistant for her. I must be able to know her whereabouts at any time I want," a dull, dominant voice said over the phone.

Since Boss had said this, Li Yu had no choice but to comply. After the call had ended, he stared at the phone for a while. Xu Jiaojiao's background was ordinary, but what exactly did she possess for Boss to care so much? Could it be that he wants to choose her as the future Lady Boss?

Thinking about this, Li Yu trembled in shock. He quickly called the admin director to deploy a few staff members to get the task done. Afterwards, he searched all over for Xu Jiaojiao's number and phoned her, only to find that her cell phone was turned off. Li Yu frowned and immediately asked his secretary to check Xu Jiaojiao's whereabouts.

"President Li, Xu Jiaojiao isn't at school. I was informed that someone helped her ask for leave on the day of admission."

"Then, where did she go?" Where could an underaged girl run off to? Li Yu was puzzled.

"After her scandal with Gu Zhou died down, no one paid attention to her anymore. Now, you can't find any recent news about her online."

Li Yu felt a headache starting. He leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed and thought for a moment. He tapped the armrest a few times before opening his eyes to look at his subordinate. He then instructed, "Go to the airport and investigate. At the same time, look around and see if you can find any die-hard fans. Oh, right...does she even have die-hard fans?" He was particularly sceptical about this. How could someone like Xu Jiaojiao, who works by fits and starts, attract any fans?

The secretary, who'd previously investigated Xu Jiaojiao's experiences, quickly found a blogger. After looking through the blogger's Weibo posts, it wasn't hard to tell that the person was a huge Xu Jiaojiao fan. After all, the latest updates were all about Xu Jiaojiao.

She was about to contact this blogger to see if the other knew anything about Xu Jiaojiao's whereabouts when she saw this blogger post a new update.

Tech-savvy Orbit: [Sis Jiao's invasion~ (Image 1) (Image 2)... (Image 6)]

All the images attached were screenshots of a fashion show. In the background, there was a luxurious hotel lobby and a red carpet, filled with people on each side who were watching the show. With a closer look, one could also find familiar faces of a few international superstars. There were many cameramen standing outside trying to capture the scene. However, this crowded background couldn't even hide the demeanour and radiance of the real protagonist in the picture. No matter if it was the indomitable momentum she exuded while walking, the amorous aura she carried while posing, or the graceful view of her back. She walked out with an aura and spirit that no one else possessed, and a style that was exclusively hers, making it impossible for others to take their eyes off her.

For those who were following this fashion show, there was nothing strange about the background. The only unfamiliar part was the protagonist walking the runway in those pictures. This was the first time that this face had appeared at one of the four major Fashion Week shows.

The secretary was so fascinated by what she was seeing that she didn't even hear Li Yu calling out to her. She only managed to react after hearing a knock on the table. She looked up and saw Li Yu standing in front of her, stuttering as she asked, "P-President Li, h-how can I help you?"

"What are you looking at? I called you twice but you didn't respond," Li Yu responded with a frown.

"President Li, Xu Jiaojiao is currently in Paris."

"You found out on the internet again?" Li Yu felt bitter in his heart. She's his company's artist...the artist that he'd spent so much money to sign on. To think that the only way for him to find out her whereabouts was to go online and check the news...

"Xu Jiaojiao is in Paris attending the new Spring and Summer Collection fashion show, and photos of her on the runway are already out online." The Secretary passed the phone to Li Yu to show him the pictures.

Upon seeing that she could still find such resources without relying on the company, even Li Yu had to admit that Xu Jiaojiao possessed amazing skills. Whether this opportunity was offered by others or not, in the end, she'd still managed to get this chance with her own abilities. This was already proof enough that she had great social skills.

Xu Jiaojiao was just like a wild horse. He must find an assistant to look after her. Otherwise, he wouldn't know where she would run off to next.

At the same time, that 'wild horse' had just appeared at the airport with a brand new looking 'wild mother horse'.

A reporter who was initially laying in wait for another star to appear just happened to see Sheng Jiaoyang, and took a few pictures in passing. A casually dressed young man greeted the stylish-looking mother and daughter pair with a smile and hugged them, one after another. He then helped them with their luggage and the three of them left the airport while talking and laughing.

Consequently, when Li Yu saw Xu Jiaojiao in the news again, new gossip about Xu Jiaojiao cheating on Gu Zhou was being spread like wildfire by netizens. At this point, he had only one thought: Damn, Xu Jiaojiao has caused trouble again.

Li Yu immediately picked up his phone and called her. The call finally got through this time.

"Xu Jiaojiao, come to the office at once."

"Send someone to pick me up," Sheng Jiaoyang replied and gave him her address.

After a month, the two finally met again in the president's office.

The secretary, who served tea, stole a few glances at the short-haired girl in front of her. Up close, she appeared very glamorous. The imposing aura she exuded, and her charming eyes suffused with grace and elegance didn't make her appear like a child from an ordinary family at all.

Only when the secretary had left the office did Li Yu ask, "You have a boyfriend?"

"If your Boss Shen doesn't count as one, then no."

Li Yu was startled by her words, but at the same time, he felt that this made sense. No wonder this girl is as bold as brass. It turns out that she has Boss Shen backing her behind the curtains!

"Then, what's this all about?" Li Yu handed her an iPad, and on the screen was a picture of three people walking into a building together.

Sheng Jiaoyang looked through all the photos and said, "I was followed by a paparazzo? Am I really that popular already?"

"Don't change the topic and just say it. Who's that man? He went to the airport to pick you up, and you guys even went home together. Who's going to believe that there's nothing going on between you two? Yet, here you are, not even a tad bit worried. Aren't you afraid that Boss will misunderstand?" Li Yu solemnly asked, his fingers tapping on the table.

"He wouldn't care about something like this," Sheng Jiaoyang answered with a faint smile tugging at her lips.

Hearing this, a glint flashed across Li Yu's eyes. Does this imply that their relationship was stable or feeble...? If his girlfriend were to have an ambiguous relationship with another man, it would be impossible for him to not overthink things.

"Even if Boss doesn't mind, you still ought to pay attention to your image. After all, you're a public figure now. Don't give people the impression that your love life is a mess at such a young age. So, tell me, that man who went home with you, who is he to you? If he's a family member then it would be easier to explain, but if he's just a male friend, it's going to be much more troublesome," Li Yu said.

"He likes my mother, so does he count as a relative or a friend?"

Li Yu was rendered speechless.

 Chapter 93 - Together

"Hi Jiaojiao, I'm the assistant that President Li arranged for you. My name is Zeng Huan."

Sheng Jiaoyang had just left Li Yu's office when she saw a girl standing outside. She had a round face and wore her hair in a ponytail, appearing very young.

"My job is to take care of your daily necessities and needs. If there's anything you need me to do, you can call me," Zeng Huan added.

"Perfect, I actually do need somebody right now to help me find a man. I need him to be young and handsome, and it'd be best if he was a model," Sheng Jiaoyang immediately instructed.

"Huh?" Zeng Huan was dumbstruck.

The secretary standing nearby was also astonished.

"I want to use him for acting, so he has to have acting skills. It also has to be fast as I need him by tonight. The price isn't a problem. Decide it yourself and ask me for reimbursement later." Sheng Jiaoyang waved her hand. "It's time for you to show your stuff, go! I'll wait for your report downstairs."

Zeng Huan recovered from her shock and ran to check her contacts.

Sheng Jiaoyang then turned around to look at the secretary and asked, "Are there a lot of actors in the company? Ones that aren't married or have a partner? Both males and females are fine."

"What is Miss Xu planning?"

"It's just that I haven't seen any young actors in the company during my time here."

What did she mean? The secretary looked at her curiously and replied, "Apart from the actors in-training, very few will stay at the company after they debut."

"Oh." Sheng Jiaoyang was a bit disappointed.

"Does Miss Xu need anything?"

"Nope, I just wanted to meet them," Then, Sheng Jiaoyang left to take the elevator downstairs.

The secretary thought about their conversation and a weird expression appeared on her face. This specially-treated Miss Xu really didn't let off men or women!

After reaching the bottom floor, Sheng Jiaoyang found a sofa to sit on in the lobby and swiped through her phone.

"I need two people! Hurry up and help!" a shout was abruptly heard in the main lobby.

Sheng Jiaoyang continued to scroll through her phone, not bothering to go see what had happened.

"Is the one sitting on the sofa part of the company?"

"Yeah, she's one of the newly-signed artists."

"Which manager is she under?"

"This...I'm not sure, I've never seen any managers with her."

"Oh, no wonder she's so free."

The clacking of high heels echoed in the lobby as a woman walked up to Sheng Jiaoyang. When Sheng Jiaoyang heard someone noisily clear their throat, she looked up from her phone to see a woman with heavy makeup standing in front of her.

"Come and help us move stuff!" the woman ordered.

Sheng Jiaoyang leaned back on the sofa and crossed her legs, asking leisurely, "Are you talking to me?"

The woman obviously hadn't expected for a newcomer in the company to have such an attitude with her, and she narrowed her eyes. "Do you know who I am?"

"What does that have anything to do with me?" Sheng Jiaoyang smirked as she replied carelessly.

"You!"

"Sis Yu, it's better that I call over a few colleagues to help us move this," the receptionist interrupted, wanting to mediate the situation. She'd seen how this new artist had used the chairman's special elevator before.

The woman didn't reply as she stared at the short-haired girl with black sunglasses. "Who did you sign a contract with?"

"Li Yu."

"Li Yu? Is he in the company?" The woman frowned.

The receptionist answered weakly, "He is."

"Who is it? How come I never knew there was a person who could sign on new artists with that name?"

"It's the chairman," the Receptionist reminded the woman quietly.

What? The woman's expression was startled before turning doubtful. President Li was a very busy person, where would he have the time to go and sign on this kind of new artist?

"Why are there so many things piled at the front door?" a voice asked from the company entrance.

They all turned their heads to see three people walk in. The one leading was a rather old man with his hair casually bound together. In the middle was a young man wearing a dress shirt and pants, so handsome that he was practically a walking pheromone. Behind him was a young boy, holding the young man's coat.

"Hello, Wen Ge! Hello, Male God!" When the receptionist saw them, she immediately started to fangirl.

"Sis Yu, is everything outside yours?"

The woman hurriedly pasted a smile on her face as she replied, "Yeah, those are all things our Xinyan got in the fan meet and greet earlier. I was just calling for people to help move it."

"Oh, do you need help?" Wen Ge politely asked.

"No need, no need." The woman waved her hand.

"Xu Jiaojiao." Initially, Gu Zhou wasn't going to say anything, but the short-haired girl was completely ignoring his obvious staring and he couldn't help but speak up.

Wen Ge turned to look at him in surprise. He still hadn't seen her.

Yu Hong was secretly shocked. Gu Zhou actually recognised this girl, and since he'd taken the initiative to greet her, they seemed to have a pretty good relationship. Who is she? Xu Jiaojiao? Why does the name sound familiar...

Having been called out, Sheng Jiaoyang could only stand up, unwillingly waving her hand in response.

"Why are you here?" Gu Zhou walked over.

"Waiting for someone," Sheng Jiaoyang replied.

She'd just finished speaking when she saw her assistant run out of the elevator. "Jiaojiao, I found somebody, he-" Eh? Wow! Gu Zhou! Male God!!!

"I'm leaving." Sheng Jiaoyang waved at Gu Zhou and glanced at her assistant, hinting for her to follow as she walked outside.

"Zhou, let's go. The brand manager is still waiting," Wen Ge reminded him.

Gu Zhou nodded and walked towards the elevator.

"I remember now! Isn't Xu Jiaojiao the one who was in that scandal with Gu Zhou?" Yu Hong seemed certain as she looked at the receptionist.

"Yep." The receptionist was secretly puzzled. When the two leads of a scandal meet each other, shouldn't they be like water and fire? Why were they so indifferent? Especially Xu Jiaojiao! Her attitude towards Gu Zhou wasn't enthusiastic at all. The Male God had even taken the initiative to greet her. Was the Male God the rejected one?

Later that night, Sheng Jiaoyang brought Xu Qing and Li Weiqi to an especially romantic patio restaurant. She said she wanted to give Xu Qing a nice surprise and covered her eyes with her hands.

When a tall, handsome young man walked in front of Xu Qing clasping a bouquet of roses, Sheng Jiaoyang loosened her hands.

Xu Qing opened her eyes, stunned at the scene before her.

"Ms. Qing, you might not remember me, but ever since I saw you in the phone shop, I haven't been able to get you off my mind. I've been searching for you ever since you stopped working at the phone shop, and I didn't expect that you were Xu Jiaojiao's mother. This time, I don't want to be silent anymore. Ms. Qing, I like you!" The young man kneeled on one knee, staring at the sitting Xu Qing with sincerity in his eyes.

Li Weiqi stood up, his face filled with astonishment.

"I-I..." Xu Qing had no idea what to say.

Sheng Jiaoyang glanced at Li Weiqi and purposely said, "You're so young and my mum already has a child as old as me. Regardless of whether my mum is willing to be with you or not, even if you like her, will your family even allow this?"

"I'm an adult, I can make my own decisions. Even if my parents have complaints, I'll take the initiative to please them so that it won't be a problem. The most important thing is that I hope Ms.Qing will give me a chance and get to know me." The young man's face was filled with sincerity, and he almost believed his words.

Xu Qing opened her mouth before hesitating, turning to ask her daughter, "Jiaojiao, what's happening?"

"He likes you!" Sheng Jiaoyang said with a smile. "In any case, you've been single for so many years already. Why not find a boyfriend to date?"

"I..." Xu Qing had just opened her mouth to speak when she was interrupted.

"Ms. Qing."

Li Weiqi walked around the table and kneeled on one knee in front of Xu Qing, staring at her seriously. "Although I don't have a rose in my hands, I have something I want to say to you. I like you, I really do like you!"

Xu Qing's eyes widened, pleasant surprise filling her expression before it was replaced by nervousness.

"Ms.Qing, when I first met you, I just thought that you were a delicate woman that really needed to be cared for. You seemed to hide many stories on you, so at that time, I just wanted to take care of you a little. It's not that I've never dated before, but there's never been a woman that has made me feel so emotional. That night at Miao Village, when you told me about what had happened with your previous husband, that was when I first thought about taking care of you forever. Although you're older than me, you're actually very young. I've actually always wanted to confess. Remember before, when I joked about wanting to find a wife just like you? You said that you wanted a little brother just like me, and asked if I was willing to be your younger brother?"

Li Weiqi paused before continuing, "Right now, I want to answer that question. I don't want to be your little brother. I want to hug you, embrace you like a lover, and kiss you like a spouse."

Xu Qing felt her heartbeat quicken. Because there were so many people listening, she felt even shyer.

The young man holding the roses faked an admiring gaze to look at the man actually confessing, and stuffed the flowers into his hands before patting him on the shoulder. "Brother, I support you!" He then backed out of the scene and moved aside to watch the show.

Li Weiqi clutched the flowers and gazed at Xu Qing sincerely, his voice passionate as he said, "Although we haven't known each other for very long, I think we've been through enough for me to fall in love with you. I'm sure that you're the person I want to grow old together with. What do you say?"

Xu Qing pursed her lips, her eyes teary from emotion. However, there was still a trace of uncertainty in her heart. Did she really want to accept this confession from somebody seven years younger than her? What happens if his parents don't agree when the time comes? If they'll later end up breaking up because of that, why even start?

"You should follow your heart. I'll always be behind you, supporting you...Mum." Sheng Jiaoyang squeezed her shoulder before finally calling her Mum for the first time since she'd become Xu Jiaojiao. After calling out the word Mum once, she found that it actually wasn't as difficult as she'd thought.

"Are you willing, Qingqing?" Li Weiqi raised the roses, asking loudly.

Tears spilled out of Xu Qing's eyes as she accepted the roses with a smile, her voice small as she replied, "I'm willing."

With a bang, fireworks exploded above their heads. After setting the fireworks off, the actor from just now laughed as he stood to the side. Haha, perfect, he'd be getting the bonus pay!

Chapter 94 - Fake Girlfriend in Action

"Did you take the photos?" Sheng Jiaoyang closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair.

Zeng Huan was driving the company's car as she replied, "Yep."

"Organise them and help me post them later."

"Alright."

While they were waiting for the traffic light to change, Zeng Huan turned to look at the girl resting next to her with her eyes closed. Sheng Jiaoyang was younger than her by a few years, yet everything she did was so efficient and smart.

Setting up the couple and the cleaning up of the scandal were both done so well!

Ding! Her cell phone beeped.

Zeng Huan looked at the text before glancing at the person sitting beside her. She took advantage of the red light to type out a reply.

"We've arrived."

Sheng Jiaoyang opened her eyes and adjusted her glasses. She frowned as she looked outside. "Are you sure we're there?"

Zeng Huan wasn't confident and didn't dare to look at her as she replied, "The notification I got said to have you come here."

"Notification?" Sheng Jiaoyang's expression turned cold.

Beside her, the car door was pulled open. She looked over and saw a tall man standing next to it, his face completely expressionless.

"Let's go," Jing Weinan said.

Sheng Jiaoyang brushed away some hair from her forehead and got out of the car.

"Jiaojiao, you can call me anytime you need me. I can also help you post on social media," Zeng Huan said from behind her.

By now, Sheng Jiaoyang had gotten over how this assistant was one of Demon King Shen's spies. At worst, she'd just have to spend some money to personally hire another assistant later. She could use Zeng Huan for now, since in any case, her dispute with Demon King Shen still wasn't over.

She knocked on the door of a private room after entering the restaurant.

"Just enter!" an impatient voice said from inside.

Sheng Jiaoyang's brows twitched; that voice sounded rather familiar. She glanced at Jing Weinan and entered.

"Eh, it's you?!"

Sheng Jiaoyang knew almost everybody in the room except for the person sitting by the door, next to Shen Zhining. The most surprising thing was that Idiot Ning was also there. The young pretty girl was the only one she'd never seen before.

"You're my cousin's girlfriend?" Ning Xiaoruan's face was filled with disbelief. After all, the last time they'd met, there were no signs at all. Furthermore, he and Jing Weinan had even kidnapped her together, and his cousin was very cold towards her at the time.

"Xiaoruan, you know her?" the middle aged man sitting at the head of the table asked.

Ning Xiaoruan noticed that everybody was staring at him and his face turned embarrassed as he rubbed his head. "I've just seen her a few times before."

Sitting next to the middle aged man was a very distinctive woman who asked, "Zhining, aren't you going to introduce us?"

Shen Zhining turned and glanced at Sheng Jiaoyang. "Xu Jiaojiao."

Everybody waiting: "..."

Seeing this scene, Sheng Jiaoyang knew that it was time to be useful. She took the initiative to introduce herself, acting as a dedicated shield. "Hello everybody, I'm Xu Jiaojiao. You can just call me Jiaojiao."

After saying that, she used a coquettish tone to softly scold Shen Zhining, "Really, Zhining, how could you say so little?"

Ning Xiaoruan was stunned as he watched them. Although he didn't know her very well, he still somewhat understood her. Before, she was completely cold and indifferent towards him. Now, she was suddenly acting so delicate and sweet to his cousin. Wasn't this difference way too big?

"Sit first," the woman said. "Have you eaten yet?"

"I already ate," Sheng Jiaoyang replied, smiling slightly as she sat in the empty seat next to Shen Zhining.

Without needing an introduction, Sheng Jiaoyang already knew that the middle aged couple sitting across from her was Shen Zhining's maternal uncle and his wife. Ning Xiaoruan was their son. She later learned that the girl who'd been staring at her critically was Xiaoruan's cousin.

It was clear that the two families had come to matchmake between her and Shen Zhining.

It was now time for the typical introduction questions. After finding out that Sheng Jiaoyang was from an impoverished, single parent home, the couple's faces both turned indifferent.

The beautiful, young woman never spoke until now. "Are you a model, Xu Jiaojiao?"

"Yep," Sheng Jiaoyang admitted calmly.

The Ning couple's faces turned even colder. They'd already decided to have a good talk with Shen Zhining.

"When I was online today, I saw some news about you, saying that you were two-timing Gu Zhou and had brought some other man home. The man in the picture wasn't Zhining either. How are you going to explain that?" the pretty girl asked.

Sheng Jiaoyang snorted. Originally, she thought that the pretty girl had just come here to go through the motions due to her parents. But, it turns out that she was actually on her phone all this time because she was searching for something to use against her. Sheng Jiaoyang noticed that the faces' of the Ning couple were already rather unsightly and said, "There was nothing between Gu Zhou and I in the first place, it was just a publicity stunt by the company. As for bringing that guy home, it's true."

"Wow, you're so blunt!" Ning Xiaoruan shouted.

The faces' of the Ning couple could no longer be described as simply unsightly. No, they were extremely unsightly.

Shen Zhining looked as if it had nothing to do with him as he sat there calmly.

"But, he's my mum's boyfriend, so we don't really know each other either," Sheng Jiaoyang slowly finished replying.

Earlier, she'd said that she grew up with her mum in a single parent family, so it was normal for her mother to find a boyfriend. The Ning couple's faces improved a bit and Ning Xiaoruan also had an expression of understanding.

However, the pretty girl wouldn't give up. She thought before saying, "Somebody took a picture of you and Gu Zhou on a date alone. If it really was as you said, and you two have nothing to do with each other, then why would you guys go for dinner together by yourselves? Furthermore, he's already confessed to you." The pretty girl's stare became even more critical as she stared at Sheng Jiaoyang. Why did this slightly passable looking woman, whose only asset was her height, have so many excellent men circling around her?

"Huh? Where did you see him confess to me?" Sheng Jiaoyang frowned.

"Gu Zhou even posted it!" The pretty girl waved her phone. "He said, 'Junior Sister probably won't reject me again, right?' Isn't this a confession?"

"He asked me for one of my paintings before, and I rejected him. That's what he meant by rejection."

"Your paintings?" The beautiful woman clearly didn't believe her. Why would a big star like Gu Zhou want to buy a young girl's paintings so much?! It was obviously just an excuse!

"You just don't believe me because you don't know me well enough. Zhining's never doubted me." Sheng Jiaoyang dealt the killing blow, leaving the pretty girl speechless.

The Ning couple glanced at each other, cautiousness against Sheng Jiaoyang in their eyes. Her arguments were watertight, and that last sentence was especially effective.

As a single dog, Ning Xiaoruan had received a critical hit. He thought: He also needs to find a girlfriend so he won't be abused with PDA again! Wait, something doesn't seem right...

"I already told Weinan to book the room. It's also tough on you guys to have travelled so far, so it's better to rest early," Shen Zhining said to the Ning couple.

"Okay." The Ning couple stood up. "Zhining, we've still never visited your island. Bring us there tomorrow and we can stay a few nights as a vacation."

"Alright, I'll arrange it."

After sending the four to the hotel, Sheng Jiaoyang was about to go back when she was grabbed by her collar. Shen Zhining's low voice rumbled next to her ear as he said, "Stay here for the next few days."

Sheng Jiaoyang silently ground her teeth before pasting a flattering smile on her face as she turned to Shen Zhining. She used a nauseatingly sweet tone of voice to reply, "I will, Shen~ Zhi~Ning~"

Ning Xiaoruan, who'd just opened the door to say something, stopped, utterly dumbstruck.

[[1. The girl is Ning Xiaoruan's 表妹 (biǎo mèi), meaning cousin from the maternal side, which is the wife. So, the cousin isn't blood related to Shen Zhining.

2. The term 'single dog' is internet slang describing a person who is neither married nor in a relationship.]]

Chapter 95 - Old Affection

"You want to go with us?" In the morning, Madam Ning stared at Sheng Jiaoyang with astonishment.

"Yep, Aunty." Sheng Jiaoyang nodded with a smile.

"You're still a student, studying is more important!" Mister Ning said seriously.

"Uncle, there's no problem. I'm still a freshman." Sheng Jiaoyang's smile didn't waver.

"Freshmen still have military practice!" the pretty cousin said.

"Even if military training was more important, it'd still be below accompanying Uncle and Aunty." Sheng Jiaoyang's smile was like a flower.

The pretty cousin: Damn schemer! Bootlicker!

"Zhining's worried that something might happen at the company midway, and then he'll have to neglect you guys. So, he asked me to come along. I also accompanied Grandfather Shen and Grandmother Andy the last time they came to visit, so I'm pretty familiar with Zhining's island. If there's any problems, you guys can just contact me!"

"You've met Zhining's grandparents?" The Ning couple were astonished.

"Yep!"

"What'd they say?"

"When we left, they wished Zhining and I happiness and are waiting for Zhining's good news," Sheng Jiaoyang said with a mix of truths and lies.

"Is that so? Zhining?" Madam Ning asked Zhining, not believing her.

Shen Zhining nodded.

Last night, the Ning couple had discussed how they could persuade Shen Zhining to break up Xu Jiaojiao, and now they felt a bit stifled. If his own grandparents had already given approval, then wouldn't they, as the uncle and aunt, be disrespecting Grandfather Shen and the Madam if they continued to oppose them?

The pretty cousin was also unhappy as such a perfect, excellent man had been taken away by such a pig. Even his grandparents had approved of it!

As for Ning Xiaoruan...he felt sick at heart. Once again, he was being slapped by PDA /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~

When they arrived at the island, Sheng Jiaoyang went to the same room as before.

When Sheng Jiaoyang returned to her room, she found that everything looked the same as when she entered it the first time.

The rooms arranged for the others were also on the second floor.

"You guys don't live together?" Madam Ning saw that Sheng Jiaoyang also lived on the second floor and found it rather strange.

Sheng Jiaoyang's expression was confident as she said, "I'm still young, so of course we wouldn't." She then thought darkly: If they actually lived together, she'd be forced to sleep on the floor! How could the floor be as comfortable as an actual bed? Furthermore, simply staying with Demon King Shen was uncomfortable.

This sentence made the Ning couple change their views on her slightly. Regardless of what the other was like, she at least conducted herself with dignity.

While they were enjoying the island's scenic views, the scandal about Xu Jiaojiao two-timing Gu Zhou was resolved overnight through the hard work of Entertainment International's PR team.

Zeng Huan noted that the views on the video of Li Weiqi's confession towards Xu Qing were phenomenal. It was being reblogged by everybody. The dramatic confession reversal, and the unusual confession speeches in the video, were all very interesting. Especially the line 'I don't want to be your little brother. I want to hug you, embrace you like a lover, and kiss you like a spouse'. The phrase became very popular as many men used it to confess to women older than them. The scene where Xu Jiaojiao staunchly stood by her mother and told her that she'd always support her also caused many people to become Xu Jiaojiao's fan. Such a reliable and dedicated girl was very admirable.

The young fans that were scolding Xu Jiaojiao without restraint the other day, were now running to Gu Zhou's social media to scold everybody that said Gu Zhou was being cheated on. There were also many people who thought that the video was specially shot to clear up the scandal. A lot of people also realised that Entertainment International only cleared up what had happened between Xu Jiaojiao and the male lead of the recent scandal, and that they didn't make any statements about her relationship with Gu Zhou. Were the two really dating?

Of course, something must also be mentioned about the ones who'd pushed the two-timing incident, believing that they could catch Xu Jiaojiao's tail and ruin her with public opinion. At this moment, they were probably angry enough to explode. The evidence was obviously conclusive, and as long as they acted, it should've been easy to stomp her down. Yet, the evidence suddenly turned into a joke overnight? It had even helped Xu Jiaojiao become more famous, resulting in them getting the opposite effect of what they'd wanted. The mastermind was truly pitiful.

Inside a certain somebody's office, a man saw the video and let his cup drop on the floor in shock.

Knocking sounded at the door.

"Please enter."

"President Pan, are you alright?" the secretary asked with concern.

"It's nothing, I just wasn't careful and knocked over the tea." Pan Zihui's face was expressionless.

"I'll help you clean up." The secretary started to pick up the broken teacup's shards and accidentally saw the video on the computer. She asked in astonishment, "President Pan, you're actually interested in that?"

Pan Zihui replied calmly, "I was thinking of finding a new spokesperson and thought that Xu Jiaojiao could be a good choice. So, I'm following her news."

"Oh, I see!" The secretary seemed to suddenly understand. Only after she'd left the office did she realise that something didn't seem right. Finding a new spokesperson was the Planning Department's job, and President Pan normally didn't get involved in such things.

Inside the office, Pan Zihui stared at the video on his computer. The woman was holding in happy tears as she accepted the roses, glowing with the sweet aura of a mature woman. He couldn't help but think back to their days at school.

Xu Qing's appearance belonged to a very natural sort of beauty. She didn't need to use makeup to attract everybody's attention, and combined with her gentle temperament, she was the crush of many boys in the school; himself included. Being together with Xu Qing was also quite wonderful as it always felt like you were being blown by a pleasantly cool breeze. Even though she'd been dating him, she still had many pursuers. Thus, he proposed to her before they'd even graduated.

At that time, he was whole-heartedly working hard to give her a better life, create a family, and grow old together. However, people changed after entering society. They'd always pursue fame and profit, becoming self centered and selfish. He'd enjoyed the special treatment of being chased by the rich girl, Jiang Yin, and over time, grew increasingly arrogant. Later, an accident occurred, and as they became more intimate, they naturally started to become a couple. This made him feel very guilty, causing him to treat Xu Qing with irritation. He knew that everything was his fault, but the vicious root in men caused him to continue anyways. Later, Jiang Yin had told him that she was pregnant and that the child couldn't live without her father. Thus, he finally divorced Xu Qing.

That foolish woman never did anything wrong. If there was one thing, it would only be that she shouldn't have believed him and entrusted him with her happiness so easily.

Compared to how he'd seen her earlier, the woman in the video seemed cleansed anew, blossoming with the same carefree splendor she'd carried during their schooldays. He should be happy that she'd found new happiness. After all, it would lessen the guilt that had plagued him for so long. However, he didn't feel happy at all.

Inside the office of another company's Boss, Qi Yonggao received a text from his treasured daughter.

Little Darling Huahua: Dad, did you pay people to hate on Xu Jiaojiao?

Qu Yonggao replied: I didn't, it's not the right time.

Little Darling Huahua: Forget about it, there's no need to care about her. I don't hate her that much anymore.

Qi Yonggao was very surprised. He was clear about his daughter's temperament. She wasn't the type to easily let go of her anger, and absolutely had to get revenge.

He asked: Why?

Little Darling Huahua: Although that slob, Xu Jiaojiao, is very loathsome, she's still quite filial to her mother. So, this Miss has decided to show her some mercy.

She then sent him the video. Qi Yonggao was astonished when he saw the woman being confessed to in the video. Although they hadn't met in almost twenty years, he could still recognise her in a single glance. After all, first love always left the deepest memories.

So, Xu Jiaojiao is actually her daughter!

Chapter 96 - The Light Afternoon

"Dear Felix, can you help me prepare a set of drawing tools?" Sheng Jiaoyang asked butler Felix, taking advantage of the time that everyone went to have lunch.

Felix smiled slightly as he replied, "No problem, you'll get what you've requested this evening."

"Thank you!" Sheng Jiaoyang thanked him sincerely.

"There's no need to be so polite, it's my responsibility," Felix replied politely.

Everyone was still having their noon nap, while the energetic Sheng Jiaoyang was very spirited. It was too bad that Xiong Zi, that dog who valued his lover over friends, had already gone to find his wife, the fluffy white Samoyed. If it wasn't for that, she could find Xiong Zi to play with.

She was bored and had nothing to do, so she found Felix and borrowed a laptop from him. She relaxed on the living room's sofa as she ate the cut slices of fruits from the fruit bowl. She wrote a proposal with the aim of helping poverty-stricken students by providing financial aid. The understanding she had towards the destitute mountain area merely came from Xu Qing's explanation and photo. If she had the chance, she would've visited the place herself. However, even if she didn't understand, it didn't affect her writing. After all, she still possessed some understanding towards the operation of funds, although she might be lacking in the particulars.

Actually, the various welfare funds in the country weren't lacking, but there were just too many people. As a result, there were always people in some places that hadn't been attended to. Simply put, the more welfare funds there are, the better, as this can let more people who need help receive it. Sheng Jiaoyang had never forgotten what her mum had taught her: When there is kindness at heart, you can see even more beautiful things. People who are living not only need to chase after their dreams and happiness, they also need a heart that thinks of others.

Of course, this 'others' didn't include those that had harmed her before! She wasn't the type of person to give the right side of her face after the left side was hit. If people wanted to hit her, she'd definitely beat up the other person first. In case she was beaten, she'd find a way, by hook or by crook, to return the treatment. In her dictionary, there was no such phrase as 'returning good for evil'.

By the time everyone had finished their noon nap, Sheng Jiaoyang's proposal already had a basic structure.

"What are you doing? You didn't rest this afternoon?" Ning Xiaoruan moved closer to Sheng Jiaoyang's back, and without the slightest politeness, looked at the laptop's monitor.

Sheng Jiaoyang didn't manage to close the document in time, so Ning Xiaoruan saw it. Sure enough, this guy began to holler.

"Scholarship funds? You're writing a proposal for establishing scholarship funds?"

The curious beautiful cousin also gathered around to see what was going on, but Sheng Jiaoyang had already closed the document.

"Don't, let me take a look!" Ning Xiaoruan immediately snatched the laptop away.

The document was placed on the desktop, so Ning Xiaoruan instantly found it.

Sheng Jiaoyang gritted her teeth. This fool! Even though it wasn't a secret, was the relationship between them close enough for him to snatch it away before asking for permission?

At that time, the husband and wife of the Ning family, who were walking down the stairs, saw the cousins squeezing together to look at the laptop. Inevitably, they also became curious and asked, "What are you guys looking at?"

"Xu Jiaojiao, you actually have some capabilities. There's no mistakes in what you've written!" Ning Xiaoruan exclaimed in surprise, unable to reply properly.

"Could it be copied from somewhere?" Her cousin was instead doubtful that she'd written it herself.

"What did she write?" Madam Ning asked again.

"Xu Jiaojiao wrote a proposal for welfare funds. However, not only that, it's also entirely in English."

"Proposal for welfare funds? Are you sure it isn't a form applying for scholarship funds?"

Ning Xiaoruan acted as if his tail was stepped on, immediately replying, "Please! Could it be that I, who graduated from Harvard, can't even differentiate this? Dad, you look down on me too much! If you don't believe me, then take a look at it yourself!" While he was speaking, he passed the laptop over.

He's clearly underestimating me! Sheng Jiaoyang popped an iced lychee in her mouth, bearing the unhappiness in her heart.

"You wrote this on your own?" Mister Ning used a scrutinising gaze to examine Sheng Jiaoyang.

"Yes, Uncle." Sheng Jiaoyang smiled, but in her heart, she thought that she'd never smiled so forcefully before.

"You're still a student, so how could you write this?" Madam Ning also asked.

"My idol managed public welfare funds before, so I have some understanding in this aspect. Coincidently, my mum's boyfriend wanted to establish a scholarship fund for the people in the poverty-stricken mountains area. Therefore, I tried writing a proposal."

"Idol? Who's your idol?" Madam Ning asked with an expression full of shock.

Sheng Jiaoyang lowered her head and smiled, then she used an extremely narcissistic tone and said, "Sheng Jiaoyang!"

It sounded a bit familiar. The husband and wife pair looked at each other.

"Why have I never heard of this person before?" The suspicious cousin felt that this person was definitely fabricated.

"There are many things you've never heard," Sheng Jiaoyang replied with a wide smile.

The pretty cousin was unwilling to be outdone and continued trying to find faults with Sheng Jiaoyang. "Your proposal for scholarships funds, isn't it for helping the poor people of our country? Why did you write it in English? I think that this is clearly something you copied from the website of another country."

Sheng Jiaoyang, who was more articulate when she wrote in English compared to Mandarin, choked a little bit. She rolled her eyes, and raising her chin, said, "I'm majoring in English, so I wrote it in English to practice. Am I not allowed to?"

The pretty cousin was obviously defeated by those words.

"I see that your English is excellent. You could immediately graduate with that standard," Ning Xiaoruan said.

"Who knows whether it's been translated on the web or not?" the pretty cousin mumbled with pursed lips.

"Yun Qian!" Madam Ning looked at her with disapproval.

Once the cousin heard her name, she realised that she'd broken away from her image. She silently stopped acting petulant and no longer spoke.

"Now that the sun isn't so bright, it's just the right time to play for a while on the beach." Madam Ning looked towards Shen Zhining, who was walking down the stairs. "Zhining, let's go together, okay?

Shen Zhining naturally wouldn't reject the seldom invitation from his aunt. As for Sheng Jiaoyang, who was acting as a shield for Shen Zhining from the romance of other ladies, had no choice but to agree.

One of the island's edges had a beautiful beach. The gold sandy shore was lined with the azure sea, blue skies, and floating clouds. It was beautiful to the point where it looked like a bright coloured oil painting.

Sheng Jiaoyang laid on a cane chair under a parasol as she listened to the frolicking of Ning Xiaoruan and Yun Qian as they splashed about in the water. Her gaze aimlessly followed the moving clouds until her vision slightly darkened. When she looked to see what was blocking the light, she found that Shen Zhining was standing in front of her.

"What is it?" Her gaze couldn't help but be attracted to his stunning figure that glistened with water.

"Do you feel unwell?" Shen Zhining sized her up, but saw that her complexion was good to the point where it couldn't get any better.

Not far away, Madam Ning, who was soaking in the warm sea, shouted in their direction, "If you're okay, then let's play together!"

Such an enthusiastic aunt...however, she didn't know how to swim, so she couldn't bear this kind of enthusiasm.

"Can you call Felix to help me find a...lifebuoy?" Sheng Jiaoyang whispered.

Shen Zhining looked at her in astonishment, but he didn't promise her anything. "Just stay around the shallow end of the sea."

Sheng Jiaoyang pouted. If she'd known that this would happen earlier, she would've just said that her period had come.

She entered the water, and with the sea water just barely touching her knees, Sheng Jiaoyang stopped. During this moment, a wave of salty seawater splashed her face, wetting her glasses. Due to this, her vision was affected.

Her ears suddenly heard the sounds of water splashing, and a pair of hands violently pushed her from behind. She was caught off guard and she fell into the sea, the seawater entering her mouth and nose. The salty and bitter taste choked her until she struggled to stand up, causing her to cough until her entire face swelled and turned red.

"Brother Zhining, your girlfriend's being bullied!" Yun Qian said happily.

When she heard Yun Qian's voice from a distance away, Sheng Jiaoyang instantly knew who'd pushed her.

"Ning, Xiao, Ruan!!!"

"Don't be angry, I'm just playing a joke on you. Last time I fell into the sea because of you, and I didn't get angry. You just tumbled, let's go! Go swimming with this brother~" Ning Xiaoruan pulled Sheng Jiaoyang towards deeper water.

"I'm not going!" Sheng Jiaoyang wanted to shake off Ning Xiaoruan's hand, but this fellow's strength seemed to have gotten stronger compared to the past. Unexpectedly, she didn't manage to shake his arm off.

Ning Xiaoruan continued dragging her, his tone quite proud of himself as he said, "Haha, this time you can't shake me off! During this period of time, I didn't train myself for nothing."

Madam Ning and Mister Ning looked at each other, both seeing a look of helplessness in each other's eyes. When would their son grow up? Besides, Zhining is still here. Why was that stinky brat pulling on another person's girlfriend?

Madam Ning formed a group of words at once, and said towards Shen Zhining, "Zhining, you also go and have a look. I'm scared that Xiaoruan will cause a disaster. Plus, it looks like your Jiaojiao doesn't know how to swim. Let's hope nothing happens."

Shen Zhining put on his goggles before he jumped into the water and headed towards them. His robust body appeared and disappeared on the sea surface as the waves rose and fell.

Chapter 97 - Like Your Sister!

Sheng Jiaoyang had an ominous prenomination as her body was dragged forward. Sure enough, she wasn't holding on tight enough when that bastard let go of her and ran away.

"Ning-gululu..."

Ning Xiaoruan saw her struggling in the water and laughed gleefully, not even trying to help her. He took delight in her misfortune and even used a teasing tone to mock her. "Xu Jiaojiao, ah, Xu Jiaojiao, you actually can't swim!"

"Ning Xiaoruan, don't make trouble!" Mister Ning saw what had happened and berated him from far away.

Ning Xiaoruan stopped smiling. He was afraid of causing an accident, so he wanted to pull Sheng Jiaoyang up. But, someone went ahead of him.

Sheng Jiaoyang floundered in the water, her head filled with thoughts of killing Ning Xiaoruan. However, after struggling for a while, a sense of panic began to overtake her. The suffocating feeling filled her mind, forcing her to completely forget about Ning Xiaoruan. Just as she was about to lose all strength and sink to the bottom, a strong arm looped around her waist and pulled her up.

After taking a breath of fresh air, Sheng Jiaoyang panted as she coughed uncomfortably. The person who'd saved her turned and swam towards the shore. When they reached the shallow area, she didn't even have the strength to stand on the sand.

Shen Zhining swiftly picked her up and carried her to the sandy shore.

Sheng Jiaoyang was afraid she'd fall and subconsciously wrapped her arms around Shen Zhining's neck. The light reflected by the droplets of water on his face through her misty gaze made him seem even more eye-catching.

Ning Xiaoruan, who'd finally realised his joke had gone too far, walked alongside them, his voice nervous as he said, "Sorry, Xu Jiaojiao, I didn't know that you can't swim."

"Ning Xiaoruan, I want to see your market research report by tomorrow morning," Shen Zhining said coldly.

"Didn't I still have a week left?" Ning Xiaoruan turned pale with fright.

"Do I make the rules, or do you?"

"Come on, Cousin, you can't just bully me because I bullied your girlfriend..."

Shen Zhining put Sheng Jiaoyang on a cane chair and glanced at Ning Xiaoruan. "Any complaints?"

"...No." Ning Xiaoruan looked at him with grievances in his eyes. How could he have forgotten how defensive his cousin was.

Madam Ning also walked over and glanced at Ning Xiaoruan with blame in her eyes. Then, she turned to ask Sheng Jiaoyang, "Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"

Sheng Jiaoyang shook her head and returned to the villa early.

Madam Ning glared at Ning Xiaoruan as she watched the girl's lonely figure walk away before turning to look at Shen Zhining. "Shouldn't you go take a look? Jiaojiao seemed really scared."

"It's fine, she's not a child." Shen Zhining didn't care.

"You're wrong, coaxing a woman has nothing to do with age. She was wronged, so you have to make her feel better. Don't let her think that you're inconsiderate," Madam Ning said.

Shen Zhining nodded half-heartedly.

"Ning Xiaoruan, you aren't a child anymore, so how could you play such a joke? Are you also this brainless when you're working? I really don't know how you even learned how to read!" Mister Ning scolded Ning Xiaoruan.

Yun Qian also joined in on the action. "Cousin, be careful! You won't ever get a girlfriend if you treat women like that!"

Ning Xiaoruan bared his teeth at his cousin before being scolded by his father again.

Meanwhile, Sheng Jiaoyang returned to the villa and washed up before nestling in the hanging chair by the window. She swayed on it mindlessly as she stared at the endless ocean, her thoughts unknown.

In the evening, Felix brought over some drawing tools. Sheng Jiaoyang didn't have an appetite and just took a few bites before returning to her room.

"She's still mad at me." Ning Xiaoruan felt a bit worried. "Cousin, help me apologise!"

"I'm not the one that made her mad, why should I help you?" Shen Zhining was indifferent.

"Whoever started the trouble must end it. Xiaoruan, since you did it, you must fix it. Don't depend on other people," Madam Ning said.

Ning Xiaoruan was at his wits end and could only ask, "Cousin, what does Jiaojiao like?"

What did she like? Shen Zhining frowned, and in front of the anxiously waiting Ning Xiaoruan, pushed away the responsibility. "Go ask her yourself."

Therefore, a certain idiot knocked on Sheng Jiaoyang's door late at night with a gold card in hand.

"Jiaojiao, what do you like? I'll buy it for you!"

Sheng Jiaoyang stared at Ning Xiaoruan for a few seconds before shouting, "I like your sister!" Then, she slammed the door shut.

Ning Xiaoruan was speechless.

Like my sister? Ning Xiaoruan rubbed his head. All his female cousins were the pearls of the family; even if he worked for two lifetimes, he still wouldn't be able to afford one.

Chapter 98 - New Job

"Cousin, did she accept your apology?" Yun Qian was just about to enter her room to rest when she saw Ning Xiaoruan standing in the hallway.

Ning Xiaoruan replied listlessly, "I don't know."

Seeing the credit card in his hand, a strange expression appeared on Yun Qian's face. "You weren't thinking of gifting the card as an apology, right?"

"I wasn't. I only asked her what she liked so that I could go buy it."

Her lips twitched. Not even a drunk would be that blunt. "What did she say?"

"She said she liked my sister, and isn't that you? How could I dare to buy you? That's a sky-high price, I..."

"Wait!" Yun Qian stopped him by raising her hand. "Tell me her exact words."

Ning Xiaoruan blinked. What's with that face, Cousin? Pulled a muscle? But, he still did what she'd asked and repeated Xu Jiaojiao's words.

"Pfft! Hahaha..." Yun Qian lost all of her virtuous demeanor as she held her stomach with a hand and banged the wall with the other. She couldn't stop laughing.

"What's going on?" The Ning couple had heard her unrestrained laughter before they'd arrived, yet even now, she was still laughing.

"I don't know." Ning Xiaoruan shrugged.

The girl held her stomach while laughing through gasps. "Cousin just went to apologize to Xu Jiaojiao. He asked her what she liked so he could go buy it. Then, she answered with 'Like your sister'. Haha, this guy thinks she really likes his sister. And, he just told me that he can't afford me. Ah, I can't take it! I'm going to laugh again!" The girl laughed all the way to her bedroom.　

Hearing this, the corner of the Ning couple's lips also raised slightly. This brat must be a fake son!

"If I knew that this would happen, I wouldn't have sent you abroad to study. All that studying got to your head," Mister Ning lamented.

"How?! I graduated without a hitch, while some classmates still haven't!" Ning Xiaoruan said sourly.

"You didn't learn any of their craftiness and studied until you lost your senses. How will you take over your father's business like this? If we're gone, won't those geezers finish you off?" The more he said, the more annoyed he became. Seeing her son standing dumbly, Madam Ning pulled her husband to their room.

Ning Xiaoruan stared blankly as his parents entered their room. He could still hear them talking before they closed the door.

"Wife, should we have another child?"

"When we get back, we should go get checked out."

What just happened? Ning Xiaoruan ran up the stairs in search of that self-proclaimed intelligent cousin of his.

Shen Zhining heard what had transpired, then gazed silently at Ning Xiaoruan.

What? What? Ning Xiaoruan's heart did flips under his gaze. His cousin's face conveyed serious pondering whether he should save him.

"Cousin, what are you thinking about?" Ning Xiaoruan asked nervously.

"I'm wondering if there's a possibility of giving you a brain transplant."

"..." Ning Xiaoruan felt a blade run through his heart.

"You don't need to write a report."

"Really?" Ning Xiaoruan's eyes lit up. Did his cousin grow a conscience and decide to treat him well?

Shen Zhining got up to leave. "Keep up."

"Oh." Ning Xiaoruan followed at once.

Knock, knock, knock.

The repeated knocks caused Sheng Jiaoyang to grab her hair in annoyance. She held back her anger as she walked towards the door.

"What is it now...." Seeing Shen Zhining at the door, she promptly shut up.

"He'll follow you from now on." Shen Zhining moved to the side, making way for Ning Xiaoruan.

"What?" Sheng Jiaoyang hoped that she'd misheard.

"He'll be your assistant for this year. Give him errands."

Ning Xiaoruan was stupefied. "Uh, Cousin?"

"Can I refuse?" Sheng Jiaoyang blinked, giving her best to her cute act in the hopes that Shen Zhining would take back those scary words.

"Nope!" Shen Zhining coldly spat.

Ning Xiaoruan's pride felt pricked. "Make no mistake, Xu Jiaojiao. A valedictorian like me is wasted on you. How can you still refuse?!"

"What can a valedictorian like you do? Bark orders?" Sheng Jiaoyang raised her chin as she spoke those haughty words.

She drives me crazy! Ning Xiaoruan bared his teeth.

Shen Zhining ignored Ning Xiaoruan's expression and looked over the credit card in his hand. "If you don't want to, then don't expect to have your account unfrozen. I believe your parents will approve of my decision."

Then, Shen Zhining went upstairs.

Feeling abandoned, Ning Xiaoruan threw a mournful glare at Shen Jiaoyang standing with her hands crossed under her chest. "It's all your fault for saying that!"

"What did I say?" She quirked an eyebrow.

"You said you liked my sister. Instead of thinking you're strange, I was blamed. Yun Qian couldn't stop laughing when she heard it. My parents talked about having another child. And, my cousin even said that I'll be your assistant. What devious power do your words have?" Ning Xiaoruan said aggrievedly.

Sheng Jiaoyang burst out laughing. Idiot Ning is Idiot Ning for a reason, and an accomplished one at that!

"Why are you also laughing?" Ning Xiaoruan just didn't understand.

Her laughter didn't die out, and she repeatedly waved her hand. "Go to sleep. In the future, when I call for you to come to class, you'll know then."

After saying all that, she closed the door in his face.

Thanks to Ning Xiaoruan's joke, Sheng Jiaoyang's mood turned for the better, and she went to finish her painting. However, she didn't just finish it, but painted another one in a completely different style.

The two paintings were related to the sea. The first was painted using marvellous skills, with vibrant and rich colours. It seemed to have the feeling of a deep and dangerous story buried within. A steamship drifted in the waves, with a charming and outstanding prince standing on its deck. The sea appeared to form a beautiful face in the distance. Her long hair resembled kelp, with a silver fishtail behind her peeking out of the water. This was a scene out of a fairytale, if you ignored the faded fishnet beneath the steamship.

The second painting was completely different. It had a dark blue background, with waving kelp trapping a girl. Her eyes were half-closed, with small bubbles rising from her mouth. She struggled at first, but then her eyes looked to the left where she saw a vague figure resembling a fish drawing nearer. It was like the dawn hacking at the darkness of the sea, bringing with it the hope of life.

The more one looked, the more the viewer felt fear from this dark scene. The magnificent figure pierced the negative feelings, evoking a sense of hope and life. The hope of turning misfortune into a blessing.

Sheng Jiaoyang stood before the paintings, staring in silence for a while, then took a picture of the second painting with her phone, sending it to Gu Zhou. She wasn't ready to part with the first painting. She wanted to keep it as a warning to herself, that no matter the time or place, to never let her guard down. Even if the one across from her was a handsome man.

Her message contained a picture and two simple words: You want?

Not long after, she received an even shorter reply: Yes.

The next day, she called for Felix to pack the second painting and deliver it to a place chosen by Gu Zhou.

[[1. Generally speaking, 'your sister' is internet slang that's usually used to emphasize a certain word spoken by the interlocutor, and the word 'your sister' is added after it to express contempt, disdain, ridicule, etc. 'Your sister' is replaced by an original objectionable character in situations where it isn't convenient to directly swear. ]]

 Chapter 99 - Screen Test

After sending away the Ning couple and Yun Qian, Sheng Jiaoyang went to the company with the newly-hired assistant, Ning Xiaoruan.

"A-assistant?" Li Yu was very surprised to see the two of them together.

"That's what your Boss Shen decided." Sheng Jiaoyang lazily leaned on the chair.

Ning Xiaoruan's face was filled with despair, and he could already predict how his classmates and friends would laugh at him upon knowing that he'd become an assistant for a star. A small star's assistant at that! But, his cousin's decision was absolute, plus his parents had told him to do it well before boarding the plane. Since even his parents didn't feel that his job was shameful, what else could he do about it?

Li Yu had finally accepted this fact, while at the same time, he felt that his respect for the girl in front of him had risen. She'd even made the Ning Group's Young Master work for her. With this, did it mean that she'd already conquered the Boss's family?

With that out of the way, it was time to talk about the main issue.

Li Yu felt that since Sheng Jiaoyang had just made headlines and was a hot search topic, she should strike while the iron was hot by acting in one or two popular dramas. Meanwhile, she should participate in popular variety shows to stabilise her popularity. However, Sheng Jiaoyang felt the problem didn't lie with the issue of popularity. Instead, she thought about hooking up, cough, getting to know more people to introduce to Shen Zhining. She didn't refuse Li Yu's arrangements, but she only picked scripts according to what interested her. Ever since having acted with Mei Niu in a few dramas, she'd found a new interest. It was no wonder that even in the midst of being busy, Mei Niu still took some time out to pick a script that she wanted to act. Sheng Jiaoyang felt a great sense of accomplishment when acting out a script that she was interested in.

Sheng Jiaoyang chose a script that was created by the company to boost newcomers. There were already several female candidates for the role, but with her arrival, she immediately got the role of the female lead.

Li Yu obviously wouldn't reject Boss's future wife, and he'd originally wanted to boost her fame anyways. After spending so much money to sign this 'flower vase', if it turned out to be useless, even if his boss didn't mind, it still mattered to him since it would leave a permanent black mark on his record.

The crew had started preparing two days ago. The only thing missing was the female lead. The previous few managers had argued with each other, each wanting to push the up-and-coming newcomers that they managed. Initially, this wasn't a big deal. However, these managers previously had problems with their resources. Now that they had newcomers whom they wanted to push up, and coming upon such a good script and crew, who could let go of such an opportunity? Thus, no one wanted to give way and it ended up in the hands of Li Yu.

In the end, the role of the female lead flew away from their grasp.

By the time the managers who'd made a scene for this role knew of this matter and inquired about who'd stolen the role, the crew had already started filming.

The title of the drama was 'Redeeming my IGD Boyfriend', and the contents could easily be guessed from its title. The whole drama was mainly about the boyfriend, Liao Jiayi, who was addicted to gaming, and his girlfriend, who pulls her boyfriend out of this addiction. Specifically, it's about a couple who grew up as childhood friends entering university, but are not only not intimate, but also solitary, due to the fact that Liao Jiayi was influenced by his roommates to indulge in gaming. In order to save her boyfriend, Zhen Xin creates a series of hilarious rescue plans with the help of her roommates.

In the drama, the setting of Zhen Xin's personality was a blunt and tall beauty. So, when Director Wan Youfang saw Sheng Jiaoyang, he didn't belittle her because of her unknown identity. Instead, he felt that the company was reliable in this area as they didn't randomly choose a female lead that didn't fit the setting and request to change the whole plot due to that.

The actors of other important characters in the crew also arrived, and after the opening ceremony, they took a set of photos.

In the initial setting, Zhen Xin was a tall beauty with long black hair, so Sheng Jiaoyang had to get a complete makeover.

"Ning Xiaoruan." Sheng Jiaoyang stood in front of Ning Xiaoruan and stroked her soft...wig.

Ning Xiaoruan, who was scrolling through his phone, heard her call and looked up. He was stunned. The girl in front of him satisfied all the fantasies that he had about his future girlfriend. Her long, straight black hair was hanging by the sides of her face, making her already small face seem more refined. The natural eye makeup made her big eyes particularly clear and clean. With the addition of that small nose, pink lips...

He could hear him himself swallowing his saliva.

But, why did she look so familiar?

Sheng Jiaoyang blinked her eyes and said, "You don't recognise me?"

Ning Xiaoruan held his chest as he felt his heart breaking. He thought that he'd finally met his goddess. But, it was just God playing a joke on him, wait no, it was Xu Jiaojiao, that brat, who was playing a joke on him.

"It turns out that you looked like this with long hair. This is too deceptive!" Ning Xiaoruan muttered, smiling dryly.

"How did I deceive you?" Sheng Jiaoyang narrowed her eyes and tilted her head.

"Yep, this expression is the expression. You look more normal this way."

Sheng Jiaoyang was startled. She tucked her chin in and lowered her eyes with a smile as she whispered, "I'm normal, no matter what." After saying that, she gracefully glanced at him before heading to the photo studio to take her promotional pictures.

With one look, Ning Xiaoruan felt like he'd just received a blow, and his bones seemed to have been burnt to crisps. He held his chest as he looked at the gentle figure of a lady gradually retreating. The girlfriend he was looking for was a really gentle girl, not a fickle one like Xu Jiaojiao.

"Zhang Yue, don't look at other people! Remember that you're Liao Jiayi now, you have a gaming addiction! Remember! A young lad with a gaming addiction!" The director's voice with a local accent echoed through the studio, resulting with the onlookers having a hard time holding in their laughter.

Zhang Yue was the male lead of this drama. He was also a newcomer that the company was trying to push up. He'd already participated in many TV dramas before, ranging from cameos to important supporting leads. He'd trained his acting skills vigorously, and all that was lacking was the opportunity to make him famous. This time, the higher-ups in the company had decided to let him take on this role of the male lead in the hopes that he could achieve stardom from this.

Why was he, someone who already had a stable and strong set of acting skills and experience, still getting shouted at by the director for daydreaming? It was naturally because of the arrival of someone with looks as pure and attractive as a goddess, especially for an otaku!

After taking a set of promotional photos, the director instructed the main leads to find a sense of chemistry between each other.

The other males in the room tried to pull away the female lead's roommates as the female lead came into the male lead's dorm room. The male lead was sitting at the computer desk and playing games. When he saw the female lead, he just made a small acknowledgement before going back to fighting the boss.

"Jiayi, I'm thirsty," Zhen Xin said, hinting that she wanted to be spoiled.

"Okay, just give me two minutes," Liao Jiayi didn't bother to look up as he replied, his fingers still vigorously tapping on the keyboard.

"...Forget it, I'll do it myself." I'm already parched! If I have to wait for you, I'll die of thirst first.

Zhen Xin pouted as she poured herself a glass of water. She then approached Liao Jiayi, and with her lips close to Liao Jiayi's ear, she said breathily, "Jiayi, we have no classes tomorrow afternoon, so why don't we go to the movies together?"

"Sorry, Xinxin, I've already made an appointment with my friends to clear a dungeon tomorrow afternoon. I can't accompany you."

Zhen Xin already knew that he'd say that and revealed a disappointed expression. She looked away and blinked before she immediately moved her head to block Liao Jiayi's line of sight. Liao Jiayi's first reaction was to naturally push her away. Splash! Suddenly, the cup of water that Zhen Xin was holding drenched his computer and keyboard, while the other half soaked his body.

"Oh no, what should I do?! Jiayi, I didn't mean to do it!" Zhen Xin acted like she was flustered, but her face revealed a smug expression.

Liao Jiayi was far calmer than she'd thought he'd be as he comforted her. "It's okay, my computer is waterproof." As he spoke, he flipped the computer upside down to drain the water. Then, he took out some tissues to dry his keyboard and table before continuing to play the game.

"..." Zhen Xin was stunned, she felt as if she'd wrongly been struck by lightning.

"Good! Xu Jiaojiao performed very well and acted very naturally. Zhang Yue, your second half isn't bad, but at the beginning, there were some problems. You must remember that you're a complete internet addict. Under the sky, there's nothing more important than your game. When Xu Jiaojiao talked into your ear, what was the change in your expression for? Remember, you must be calm! Act like your heart can never be moved by anything but games!" the director commented.

A complete internet addict. Zhang Yue thought resentfully. If this was reality, and a person like Liao Jiayi wanted to become one with the computer instead of cherishing his pure and beautiful girlfriend, he'd end up forever single!

[[1. IGD = Internet Gaming Disorder ]]

 Chapter 100 - Shooting a Drama

The new little assistant, Ning Xiaoruan, was currently witnessing, in his opinion, an extraordinary event. Xu Jiaojiao, who didn't seem to have done anything special, had just joined the director's circle of approval.

What had happened to the agreed on exclusion? The 'flatter the powerful and step on the weak'? The two faced schemers?

Things that might've happened in other crews, didn't happen in the crew of 'Redeeming my IGD Boyfriend'. Everybody was friendly, and even the director said that the atmosphere in the crew this time was the best he'd ever worked with before. Even when there was a competition between newcomers, it was only shown when it was time to act, and everyone got along well in private!

"Action!" the director shouted.

Today was the meet and greet the game developers had organised for the players.

Zhen Xin had tried all the plans she and her roommates had come up with to save her boyfriend from his internet addiction, but every time, she'd failed. Not even breaking up would make him give up his internet addiction. Thus, she finally decided to put all her efforts into fighting him inside the game. She forced Liao Jiayi's roommate to give her Liao Jiaoyi's in-game coordinates, and then she approached him in the game. Using her deep understanding of Liao Jiaoyi, she accompanied him to beat the boss and look at the mountains, rivers, and all sorts of scenery in-game.

Liao Jiayi had no idea that the person he was playing with everyday was actually the same Zhen Xin that was right beside him. However, as somebody who understood him even more than his roommate, an internet friend that had such tacit understanding of him, it was almost like they were destined for each other. They'd clearly never met, but it was like they knew each other extremely well. Every minute and second in the game with her, made him feel happy, and slowly, he realised that his heart was being moved. If she wasn't online, he'd feel worried, and if he was out with friends, he'd wonder if she was online waiting for him.

Finally, the meet and greet day arrived.

Liao Jiayi was both excited and worried.

Zhen Xin's heart felt the same as Liao Jiayi's.

When Liao Jiayi saw Zhen Xin at the meet and greet, he was shocked.

Zhen Xin had specially dressed herself up, curling her long, straight hair into waves, and delicately applying makeup. Her eyelashes were curled and coated with mascara, while her lips had a layer of shiny lip gloss on them. She wore a light green dress, and together with her tall height, she was immediately the focus of everyone's attention.

She was the tallest out of all the girls there, so all the other girls standing beside her were almost invisible.

"Beauty, did you come to the wrong place?" somebody asked.

"Isn't this place the meet and greet for the game?" Zhen Xin smiled as she looked straight at Liao Jiayi.

"It is. Who are you, then?"

"I'm-" Zhen Xin suddenly didn't want to reveal her identity, and instead used the name of her roommate's casual account. "Sian."

"Sian? I don't recognise it."

The female players scattered, only leaving a crowd of male players asking her questions.

Liao Jiayi was surprised to see his girlfriend here. He never knew that Zhen Xin also played this game. He knew there was a new player called Sian recently added into the guild. If Sian was Zhen Xin, then did that mean she'd seen his interactions in-game with Thousand Years Immortal?

"Thousand Years Immortal still hasn't come?" A female player that was ruthlessly beaten by Thousand Years Immortal in-game, nicknamed the Original No.1 Beauty, Lovable and Charming, inspected her surroundings.

"Yeah, I'm also looking forward to seeing her," a voice said.

Liao Jiayi's body stiffened as he turned to see his girlfriend striding towards him with a beautiful smile. His heart felt weak; sure enough, Zhen Xin knew.

"Wow, she's even more beautiful than the Original No.1 Beauty!"

"If she joined the top beauty contest, number one wouldn't be Lovable and Charming anymore."

Off to the side, a few people were gossiping, and their voices could faintly be heard across the room.

Lovable and Charming's face turned unhappy as she glowered at the nearby Zhen Xin.

"Cut! Over!" the director shouted.

Everyone on scene relaxed. The actress, who was playing Lovable and Charming, Song Yan, was still in her role and hadn't reacted yet.

Sheng Jiaoyang hooked Song Yan's chin, her tone coquettish as she teasingly said, "Beauty, if you keep looking at me like that, I'll think that you've fallen for me."

Song Yan instantly disengaged from her role and happily laughed back. After laughing, she exclaimed, "Jiaojiao, you looked so great just now that it was like you were glowing even without the editing! I almost forgot we were acting. I only managed to adjust my expressions at the last moment from memory!"

Probably all of the actresses on the scene thought about how they'd look if they played the role of Zhen Xin. However, even if they were more beautiful, they still wouldn't be like Xu Jiaojiao's Zhen Xin. Her long legs and height were completely incomparable to theirs.

As for the male actors, their faces were also astonished. They didn't need to hide the expressions of shock on their faces when Xu Jiaojiao, playing Zhen Xin, had walked through the door. However, it really was tough being the male lead, Zhang Yue. His expressions needed to be complex and indecisive, with each emotion clearly displayed and well acted. His slow reaction in the close up just now resulted in an NG.

They rested for a bit and were lectured by the director again. After another two NGs, the scene was soon over.

The next scene was the male and female lead's chat after the meet and greet.

Liao Jiayi, who couldn't wait for Thousand Years Immortal, felt a bit uneasy and impatient. When he heard that Zhen Xin had asked to talk to him, he wanted to refuse at first, but then felt that he couldn't escape forever and decided to be honest with her.

"Jiayi, before your games were just games, and you were never distracted during our dates. But, recently, you don't even pay attention while we're eating together. Because of this, I decided to join the game and see what you normally do, to see what's influencing your life so much in the game. I shouldn't need to say more for you to know what I saw!" Zhen Xin's face was expressionless.

Liao Jiaoyi was silent for a few moments before responding in a low voice, "I'm sorry, Xinxin."

"'I'm sorry'?" Zhen Xin laughed bitterly. "We've been together for so many years, and yet it's ending with just a simple 'I'm sorry'?"

Liao Jiayi looked at Zhen Xin sadly. He wanted to reach out and hug her, but was brushed off.

"Tell me, are you going to choose her, or me?!" Zhen Xin asked firmly.

"I don't know." Liao Jiayi clutched his hair and couldn't help but fidget.

"Alright, Jiayi. I'll give you time to think clearly, but don't make me wait too long. I hope that in three days' time, you can give me an answer." Zhen Xin stared at Liao Jiayi deeply before turning around to leave.

"Cut! Today went smoothly and it looks like everyone's conditions are okay, so we'll wait a bit before continuing to film," the director said.

"Everyone has to be prepared, we'll film the rain break up scene next."

"Wasn't the break up scene tomorrow?" Zhang Yue, who was planning to study the break up scene tonight, was startled.

"Today's cloudy weather is very good for filming the rain scene, and your conditions are very good today. So, there's no reason to wait for tomorrow. What? Do you have an issue with that?" The director's face practically radiated 'even if you do have a problem, I don't care, I don't care, I just won't care'.

Seeing the director's expression, Zhang Yue felt like somebody had just stuffed a lemon into his mouth. How sour, how sad...

The crying in the rain scene placed a lot of stress on the actor and actress's abilities. It couldn't be too exaggerated, and had to pull other people into their emotions. The key was to blend the tears with the rain.

"Jiaojiao, let's study the script together." Zhang Yue found Sheng Jiaoyang eating an apple.

"Alright." Sheng Jiaoyang continued munching on her apple.

"You're even eating your hair with the apple." Zhang Yue reached out to pull a strand of the wig from the corner of her mouth.

The assistant director, who was filming behind the scenes footage, caught it on camera.