Nuomi stared at her phone all day. Just as she was about to walk into a pillar, someone’s hand protected her forehead.
“Be careful when you walk.”
Yan Zhi frowned, looking at the young girl.
“Why is it you?”
The moment Nuomi saw him, all her fur seemed to bristle!
Before Yan Zhi could even speak, Nuomi raised her hand to interrupt him, “Wait a moment!” She immediately put the phone to her ear, “Hello? Director Liu? Sister Weiwei will be here soon. Don’t worry, since we arranged the time with you long ago, we definitely won’t be late!”
“Uh, it’s just…”
Nuomi raised her hand again, signaling “hold on.”
“Hello, Cui Ge? We’ve arrived. After we meet Director Liu, we’ll head over to your place!”
Yan Zhi simply stopped talking, his hands tucked into his sleeves, leaning against the pillar to quietly watch her performance.
After making a round of calls, Nuomi put her phone away with satisfaction.
The young girl placed her hands on her hips, a fierce look on her face, “See? We’re here because we have an announcement, not to piggyback on your brother’s popularity!”
Yan Zhi awkwardly rubbed his nose, his gaze drifting, “Well… that’s not exactly what I meant before…”
“It doesn’t matter whether it is or not. From now on, we go our separate ways, like strangers at the ends of the earth.”
“Hey, wait, I need to talk to you about something.”
Nuomi stopped, patiently looking at him.
“Here, this is for you!”
He fumbled around his person for a while and pressed a business card into her hand, mumbling, “Director Zhou’s new movie. If your Xia Niang… uh, no, Miss Xia is interested, call the number on here and find Deputy Director Wang.”
Nuomi looked at him suspiciously, “Are you sure it’s Director Zhou who films big movies? Not the Director Zhou who does micro-movies and short videos?”
“Of course!” Yan Zhi became anxious. Her doubt was clearly a lack of trust in him!
“You, you can believe it or not! The business card is here anyway, it’s up to you whether you want to call!”
He turned to leave.
“Wait!” Nuomi hurried after him, “Why are you helping us?”
How obvious his targeting of Sister Weiwei had been before didn't need to be elaborated upon one by one.
Yan Zhi coughed uncomfortably, his gaze still drifting in the air, “At that time… I was the same as them. I thought Xia Weiliang had abandoned her child, and I, I even cursed along with them…”
“And now?”
“Now… I have something to do! Goodbye!”
Yan Zhi scurried away quickly, escaping Nuomi’s sight.
Back in the car, he finally felt able to relax.
He turned and reported to the man still looking at the script, “Yi Ge, the business card has been given to her. But Yi Ge, why do you… want to help her?”
The man’s slender fingers fiddled with a page, turning it slowly, “Did I? It’s just a business card. Whether it’s successful still depends on her own strength.”
Nuomi understood.
“Yes, yes, Yi Ge is right!”
—
Xia Weiliang squinted her large eyes, holding the business card in her hand.
“This is Director Song! The Director Song who legends say can help you win an award just by being in his film!”
“Sister Weiwei, whether it’s real or fake, we should just give it a try!”
“What she’s worried about isn’t whether it’s real or fake, but why Actor Xiao is making an unnecessary move.”
Xia Weiliang looked up, “Why is it unnecessary? Isn’t it because he values talent?”
“Sorry, I didn’t hear clearly. Values what?”
“…Apologies, I spoke too directly.”
“Mm.”
As Song Yuan had said, Xiao Yingdi wouldn’t stoop to giving her a fake business card just to amuse himself. However, why was he doing this?
Did he pity her?
Ji Huan arrived at the apartment just then. Upon hearing about it, her expression became serious instead.
“It’s better not to go. At worst, you maintain your current popularity. But if you go and then don’t get cast, the news reports won’t be very kind, and it’ll easily damage your public image. After all, your acting… well, it speaks for itself.”
Xia Weiliang’s eyes suddenly widened, “Huan Jie, I actually think you could be a bit more tactful.”
Ji Huan rolled her eyes at her, “With your acting skills, is there still room for tact?”
Sister Liang was indignant and said seriously, “That was my past self! The current me is very scary! So I’ve decided, I’m going to the audition!”
In her previous life, she had been heavily criticized for her acting. She had also thought about honing her skills. After joining *Jin Fei*, her announcements had completely ceased, and to pass the time, she had also devoted herself to studying for a period.
Even if she hadn’t reached the level of ascension, she was truly different now.
In front of Huan Jie and the others, she dialed the number.
“…Okay, I will be there on time. Thank you.”
After arranging a time with the film crew’s deputy director, Xia Weiliang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
To say she wasn't nervous would be a lie. In both her lives, she hadn't interacted with such a strong production team. It felt like she was worshipping a deity.
Ji Huan shook her head helplessly, “I really can’t understand you anymore.”
However, as her agent, Ji Huan respected her artist and wouldn’t force them to do things against their will.
At this moment, Nuomi received a call. After a moment of hesitation, she handed it to Xia Weiliang.
“He said he’s your brother… your biological brother…”
Without asking, they knew who it was.
Song Yuan decisively said, “Hang up.”
Xia Weiliang thought for a moment, then reached out and took it, “Give it to me.”
As soon as the call connected, the young man on the other end said with a grin, “Sister, I’m Yaozong, your brother!”
“If you have something to say, say it.”
Xia Weiliang knew the plight of the Liu couple after the full video was exposed. They were trending on hot searches, their financial backgrounds were revealed, and it was almost as if everyone was shouting for their downfall.
But she wasn’t taking Liu Yaozong’s call out of any pity.
“Sister, I know there were some misunderstandings before, but that was all done by my parents, and it has nothing to do with me! Sister, I just… want to see you.”
“Okay.”
Xia Weiliang’s prompt agreement delighted Liu Yaozong.
In the afternoon, at the coffee shop downstairs of Meiyu Media, Xia Weiliang met this so-called brother.
“Sister—”
As Liu Yaozong was about to lean in, Song Yuan blocked him.
“Go sit over there.”
She didn’t have a good impression of any of the Liu family.
Glancing at her, Liu Yaozong pouted in dissatisfaction, “Why are you so fierce!”
Xia Weiliang sat down. Since she was wearing a short skirt, it wasn’t very convenient, so she shifted slightly to the side, her back facing the window.
She raised her eyes to examine the tall young man opposite her. He looked to be in his early twenties, and resembled Bao Fang more, with delicate features but lacking masculinity. However, he had the kind of looks that young girls liked nowadays.
“Sit down.”
She picked up her coffee and took a sip.
“Hey!”
After Liu Yaozong sat down, he quickly said, “Sister, I swear, my parents going on the show had nothing to do with me! They are them, and I am me. We, as siblings…”
*Slap*—
The coffee cup was placed back on the table, making a rather loud noise.
Liu Yaozong was startled. He looked at the cup, then at her, and then back at the cup…
“I heard you’re starting a business.”
Unexpectedly, he got straight to the point so quickly. Liu Yaozong clapped his hands, excitedly saying, “Sister, let me introduce you to my sleep project, it’s called ‘Accompany You to Sleep: The Phoenixes Rise Again’!”
Song Yuan ordered soda water. As it was brought to her lips, she paused.
“Are you sure this isn’t an online novel?”
“Of course not!”
Liu Yaozong was about to launch into an enthusiastic description of his project when he was cut off.
“So, this time it’s not Liu Wan Quan, but you who has come to ask for money, isn’t it?”
“…”
Liu Yaozong was momentarily speechless, but he quickly regained his composure.
“Sister, I’m here to discuss cooperation with you! Cooperation is always a win-win situation, so I won’t take your investment for nothing. Just leave all your worries to me!”
“Oh?”
Xia Weiliang became interested, really wanting to hear what he had to say.