"It's hard not to know, she'd be delighted to tell me sooner rather than later!"
Xia Wei Liang's fists clenched as if ignited with battle fury. "Even if the Jade Emperor recommended her, admitting defeat is absolutely out of the question!"
"Sister Wei Wei is the best! Sister Wei Wei is awesome!"
Nuomi cheered her on, raising her arms.
Song Yuan, who was designing fight choreography with his senior martial brother, heard Nuomi's voice and silently turned his head to glance over.
"Your friend?" Song Cheng Yun asked.
Without a word, Song Yuan turned his back. "We've broken off relations."
A decision made just then.
On the other side, Chu Qiao returned to her designated seat prepared by the crew, a stern expression on her face.
Her assistant, Xi Chi, was a young man in his early twenties, tall, fair-skinned, and quite handsome.
He handed her a thermos cup, looked at her, and sighed softly, "Didn't get to have a proper conversation again?"
Chu Qiao pursed her lips and replied irritably, "With her rotten temper, all she does is mock and provoke when we meet. What's there to talk about?"
Xi Chi understood her well and asked, "And what about your attitude?"
"My attitude is as good as it can be!!"
As Chu Qiao spoke, she fumbled for a piece of chocolate in her bag and pulled off the wrapper, about to pop it into her mouth. Xi Chi mercilessly snatched it from her hand.
Chu Qiao's eyes widened. "Just one! I'll only eat one!"
Xi Chi smiled gently and shook his head. "The role in this drama requires a slender figure. From now on, you have to say goodbye to these completely."
Chu Qiao looked at him with pleading eyes. "No one will know if you don't say anything... I'll just eat one, just one..."
Xi Chi gazed at her, and after a long pause, sighed. "Open your mouth."
"Ah~"
Finally getting to eat the chocolate, Chu Qiao's mood instantly lifted.
Seeing her blissful expression, Xi Chi chuckled. "You know, if you had the same enthusiasm for sweets as you do for Xia Wei Liang, the two of you wouldn't be so at odds."
"What could I do? She doesn't talk properly! You saw it yourself, the moment she showed up, it was all fake smiles! How could I lose to her?"
Chu Qiao said indignantly, "When it comes to acting, you've never lost! If she's fake, I'll be even more fake than her!"
She bristled every time Xia Wei Liang was mentioned. Xi Chi had no choice but to pacify her. "But haven't you always wanted to find a chance to apologize to her?"
Chu Qiao conceded again.
"She doesn't even listen to me, how am I supposed to explain?"
Xi Chi said helplessly, "It's all just a misunderstanding between the two of you. If you clarify things, there won't be any problem..."
"Alright, alright! I know what to do, so stop nagging me like my mom! You're so young, aren't you afraid you won't find a wife!"
As Chu Qiao spoke, she secretly took out another candy and popped it into her mouth.
Xi Chi raised his light brown eyes to look at her, saying nothing.
---
Xia Wei Liang's reshoot scenes concluded quickly, and her part was officially wrapped.
Applause erupted around her. Deputy Director Wang personally presented her with a bouquet of flowers, his voice low enough for all the staff present to hear, "Niang Niang, Director Zhou sent this!"
"Sob! Dad Zhou is still the best!"
Receiving flowers from Director Zhou was enough for Xia Wei Liang to boast about for a year!
"Sister Wei Wei, congratulations!"
Just then, several young ladies carrying large bouquets of flowers approached. They were the makeup assistant girls who had shared a six-person room with Xia Wei Liang earlier.
Xia Wei Liang was overjoyed to see these girls, pulling them over for photos, striking all sorts of cute poses with pouting lips and peace signs, showing no hint of celebrity airs.
Next, flowers arrived from Su Yu Xi's people.
Instantly, the sisters around her let out "Oh oh oh" cheers. Among them was a fan who shipped her and Su Yu in the drama as the "Su Da Couple." She immediately took a photo and sent it back to the "Su Da Fans" group.
At this moment, a staff member holding a large bouquet of roses approached. "Sister Wei, your flowers."
"Who is this little cutie who sent them?"
She found the card. It only said, "Congratulations on the wrap of your first film." The handwriting was vigorous, the strokes sharp. She looked at it from front to back but couldn't find a signature.
"Yo, an admirer?" Deputy Director Wang, driven by his love for gossip, had somehow come closer. "This handwriting..."
It looked familiar, but he couldn't recall for a moment.
He couldn't help but exclaim, "Nowadays, without some foundation in calligraphy and painting, you can't even step over the threshold of a flower shop!"
Across from them, Xiao Yi glanced sideways, then lowered his head to read his script. His scenes were coming up, and he couldn't afford to be distracted.
Yan Zhi was sighing on the side, looking at him, hesitating to speak.
At this moment, Xi Chi walked over.
"Fourth Brother."
Only then did Xiao Yi look up, giving him a glance, his eyes colder. "Scram."
"Young Master." Yan Zhi whispered, then obediently moved aside.
"Fourth Brother, don't be angry."
Xiao Yi put down his script and glared at him. "Threatening me with inheritance rights, you've really gotten bold!"
No matter how Xiao Yi treated him, Xi Chi remained good-tempered.
"But Fourth Brother, you didn't lose anything. Besides, you already investigated Chu Qiao, didn't you? You must also know that she not only harbors no ill will towards Xia Wei Liang but has also helped her a lot privately. It's precisely because of this that you agreed to my deal and recommended her to Director Zhou."
Xi Chi spoke with a perpetual smile. In Xiao Yi's eyes, he looked like a little fox constantly wagging its fluffy tail, making him want to pluck out its fur, one by one!
"Furthermore, if Chu Qiao lacked acting skills, with just my favor, how could I have gotten Fourth Brother like you? In any case, Fourth Brother acted opportunely and suffered no loss. It's just that... hehe, you did displease your Niang Niang, that's true. Regarding this, I can only offer my apologies."
Hmph, the more he looked at him, the more he disliked him!
Without another word, Xiao Yi rolled up his script and threw it at him. "Get lost quickly!"
Xi Chi dodged it nimbly. Not only was he not angry, but he obediently picked up the script and handed it over. "Fourth Brother, we'll be seeing each other often from now on, so please calm your anger..."
Before he could finish speaking, his collar was grabbed and he was yanked backward.
Chu Qiao, with an imposing air, stepped in front of him, hands on her hips, glaring at Xiao Yi. "Teacher Xiao, may I ask what my assistant did to offend you?"
Xiao Yi: "..."
He looked at Xi Chi, his gaze making it clear: You caused this trouble, aren't you going to come over and fix it?!
But Xi Chi was a mischievous brat. He stood behind Chu Qiao, as meek as a kitten, blinking innocently.
Xiao Yi: "."
"Teacher Xiao, you may be an acclaimed actor! But that doesn't mean everyone has to bow and scrape to you! Xi Chi is my person, let anyone dare to bully him and see what happens!"
Xi Chi pulled at the corner of his lips, a gentle smile on his face. His gaze shifted from Chu Qiao to his Fourth Brother, shrugging helplessly as if to say, "Someone's protecting me, can't help it."
Xiao Yi: Fine, you're dead.
At the same time, Nuomi quietly leaned close to Xia Wei Liang's ear and whispered, "Sister Wei Wei, it looks like Brother Yi is in trouble."
"What trouble could he be in!"
Xia Wei Liang said so, but her eyes couldn't help but glance over.
"Chu Qiao?!"
Seeing the scene across the way, Xia Wei Liang's perception of it changed completely—
Chu Qiao was standing with her hands on her hips, acting imperiously towards the acclaimed actor, while Xiao Yi sat there, so good-naturedly that he said nothing, letting her bully him.
Xia Wei Liang's temper flared up!
Ha, Chu Qiao, who else could you have provoked but Xiao Yi?
Without a second thought, she rolled up her sleeves and walked over—
You want to reach for the sky, huh?
Fine, Dad will give you a ride!