"You know how chaotic the entertainment industry is, right? Without a strong background or backing, you have to sacrifice something to get famous.
Even if your acting is superb or your singing is beautiful, no one will give you a chance to shine.
But I don't want to do those sordid things just to become famous. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll likely have to leave this circle." Saying this, Xia Qianqian still felt a sense of unwillingness and reluctance.
After all, she majored in music in college and chose this industry after graduation. She had worked hard for so many years, but achieved nothing. Having to give up now would feel like pouring water into a bamboo basket, a complete waste of her seven or eight years of effort. How could she accept that?
But what could she do about her unwillingness? It was beyond her control.
After hearing Xia Qianqian's words, Liu Yifeng recalled his cousin mentioned by Du Ziheng: "My friend's cousin has also been in the entertainment industry for many years and refuses to bow to capital.
She's still not famous. You two are quite alike, both noble in character and principled!"
Cousin? Xia Qianqian's mind immediately went to her own cousin. She was his cousin too. Could this friend Liu Yifeng was talking about be her cousin?
However, she knew most of her cousin's friends. They were business partners whom she had met a few times when visiting her cousin's place. She had never met anyone named Liu Yifeng.
But then again, it seemed unlikely. No matter what, her cousin wouldn't introduce her to a man with a child.
Although Tong Tong was a good kid and she liked him a lot, she had never considered becoming a stepmother. It wasn't an easy role.
Besides, she wasn't lacking in her own right, so she shouldn't have to resort to becoming a stepmother.
So, she changed the subject and asked, "Mr. Liu, what do you do for a living?"
"I'm just a simple farmer, working the land in the countryside!" Liu Yifeng said vaguely. He wasn't lying; no matter how well agriculture was developed in the countryside, he was still a farmer.
Xia Qianqian found this even more unbelievable.
She remembered her cousin saying his friend was worth tens of millions and was a business partner.
For an ordinary farmer like Liu Yifeng to earn tens of millions from farming, how many decades would that take?
However, it was rare for someone his age to be content with farming in the countryside.
This made her wonder if Tong Tong's mother had divorced him because she couldn't bear their poverty.
But regardless, he had helped her tremendously. Whether he was farming or just loafing around was his own business, unrelated to her.
"Actually, the countryside is quite nice. The air is fresh, and the pace of life is slow. When I'm old, I plan to live in the countryside, growing vegetables and raising flowers. It must be a very comfortable life." To ease Liu Yifeng's potential embarrassment, she deliberately listed some of the advantages of rural life.
Liu Yifeng never felt ashamed of farming. Otherwise, he wouldn't have stated it so readily.
"Miss Xia, I'll toast you too. Thank you for bringing us to such a delicious restaurant. I wish you a smooth career and the early release of your own album!"
"Thank you!" Xia Qianqian clinked glasses with Liu Yifeng, but her expression was heavy with worry.
Liu Yifeng clearly sensed her unhappiness and asked, "Is something wrong?"
Xia Qianqian hesitated, then finally said it was nothing.
There was nothing Liu Yifeng could do about such a matter. Revealing it would only mean one more person to sympathize with her.
She believed that once she met Yun Duo'er, the truth about the fake singing would be revealed, and everyone would know that she was the one who sang "The Wind Rises."
She didn't care if the song made her famous; she just couldn't tolerate others exploiting her success.
It was infuriating to have her song stolen and claimed by someone else. No one could tolerate that.
Seeing Xia Qianqian's reluctance to elaborate, Liu Yifeng didn't press further. After all, they had just met, and asking too many questions might be off-putting.
Unexpectedly, Tong Tong, who had been quietly eating, suddenly spoke up: "Auntie Xia, you'll definitely do well in the entertainment industry. Believe in yourself!" He then made a fist-pumping gesture, looking incredibly cute.
Although she knew Tong Tong was just trying to comfort her, Xia Qianqian was still very happy. The gloom lifted instantly. "Tong Tong, then I'll take your good wishes! If that day ever comes, I'll grant you one wish!"
"Okay, it's a deal!" Tong Tong extended his pinky finger.
"Pinky swear, 100 years, no take-backs. Anyone who breaks it is a dog!"
"Pinky swear, 100 years, no take-backs. Anyone who breaks it is a dog!" Xia Qianqian repeated.
Watching Tong Tong's earnestness, Liu Yifeng felt confident that Xia Qianqian would indeed shine in the entertainment industry in the future.
However, he was curious about what wish Tong Tong would make of Xia Qianqian then. It was clear he cared deeply about her, even resorting to a pinky swear, as if afraid she might go back on her word.
After the meal, Liu Yifeng approached the counter to pay, but Xia Qianqian noticed his intention and stopped him.
"I said I was treating, how could I let you pay? I'll take care of it!" With that, she asked the cashier for the bill.
"Hello, the total is three hundred and twenty-eight!" the cashier said after calculating on the register.
The price wasn't cheap, but considering it was all wild fish, it was naturally more expensive than other restaurants.
Xia Qianqian then opened her purse, took out her wallet, and handed four hundred-yuan bills to the cashier.
The cashier verified the authenticity of the money before giving her the change. "Here is seventy-two yuan, please keep it safe!"
Xia Qianqian took the change and casually stuffed it back into her wallet. Then, she walked back to their seats with Liu Yifeng.
"Mr. Liu, would it be convenient for you to exchange contact information?" Xia Qianqian felt their encounter was more than a mere coincidence, especially given her bet with Tong Tong. She felt it was better to have each other's contact details.
They exchanged phone numbers and added each other on QQ. While WeChat was also an option, QQ was more popular at the time.
Sometimes, when bored, Liu Yifeng would even visit others' QQ spaces to steal their virtual crops. While it wasn't entirely ethical, his own crops were frequently stolen, so it was a common way to pass the time.
Afterward, they returned to their seats.
"Tong Tong, are you full?" Xia Qianqian asked gently.
"I'm so full, thank you for the treat, Auntie Xia!" Tong Tong patted his round belly.
"You're welcome. If there's another chance, Auntie Xia will treat you to more delicious food!" Xia Qianqian stroked Tong Tong's head and found his hair incredibly soft and comfortable. She couldn't help but pat it a few more times.
It wasn't until Liu Yifeng's voice broke the silence that she stopped: "Miss Xia, we've finished eating, so we'll be heading off now. We planned to take Tong Tong to another place this afternoon and need to get back early tonight!"
Xia Qianqian finally withdrew her hand. "Okay, goodbye!"
As Tong Tong got down from his chair, his clothes snagged on the chair leg. He lost his balance and fell forward, his head about to hit the table.
Xia Qianqian, being closest, instinctively placed her hand on the edge of the table. Tong Tong's head bumped against her hand, causing her to wince in pain, though she managed to suppress any sound.
Liu Yifeng quickly helped Tong Tong up and asked with concern, "Miss Xia, is your hand alright?"
He had noticed that Xia Qianqian had shielded Tong Tong from the impact without hesitation. Given the force of Tong Tong's fall, her hand must have been in considerable pain.
"Auntie Xia, I'm so sorry for hurting your hand!" Tong Tong looked at Xia Qianqian with remorse.
Xia Qianqian withdrew her hand and casually shook it. "It's okay as long as you're alright. I'm an adult, so it doesn't matter if I get hurt."
Seeing her comfort Tong Tong even with a bruised hand, Liu Yifeng couldn't help but compare her to Yun Duo'er again.
If Yun Duo'er had been near Tong Tong just now, would she have done the same?
Now, he finally understood why Tong Tong liked Xia Qianqian so much. It was because she genuinely cared for him and treated him well. Children could sense who was truly sincere towards them.