Chapter 27
“Mom, I’m home.”
After returning home, Meng Shi went straight into her bedroom. Without even changing her clothes, she collapsed onto the bed.
Today’s meeting had been unbearably boring. Everyone had stared at her as though she were a monkey on display.
She yawned, rubbed her eyes, and prepared to take a short nap when the door suddenly opened and Xie Ping poked her head inside.
“Shi, you’re home.”
“Hmm? Mom, what’s wrong?”
Meng Shi forced her eyes open and sat up.
“Nothing. I’ve just noticed that you’ve looked tired these past two days. Is work not going well?”
Xie Ping sat beside the bed and studied her.
“If something is upsetting you, tell Mom. Don’t keep everything bottled up inside, all right?”
Meng Shi smiled.
“It’s actually fine. Today’s meeting was simply too boring.”
“A meeting? Didn’t you go to the film city?”
“Hmm? I’ve already signed with an entertainment agency. I went to the company for a meeting today.”
“You signed with a company?”
Xie Ping looked shocked.
“…Didn’t I tell you?”
Xie Ping hurriedly shook her head.
Seeing her mother stare at her excitedly, Meng Shi briefly explained the situation.
“Are there any major celebrities in your company?”
Xie Ping’s eyes practically glowed.
“Mom… are you a fan of celebrities?”
“What? Am I not allowed to be? I might know even more celebrities than you!”
“Hmm… Then do you know Su Yutong?”
“No.”
“…”
“Then you probably don’t know Qi Beibei either—”
“Beibei?!”
Xie Ping’s sudden exclamation startled Meng Shi.
Were all fans so easily excited?
“You know her?”
Meng Shi looked astonished.
“Of course! She’s the Nation’s Daughter. She’s so beautiful!”
“I watched her performance as Xia Xiaohua yesterday. Her acting was excellent!”
Xie Ping was so excited she nearly jumped up.
“Oh. Is that so?”
Suddenly, Xie Ping grabbed Meng Shi’s arm.
“You’re in the same company as her? Did you see her in person? Is she even prettier than she looks on television?”
The little fangirl shook Meng Shi’s arm enthusiastically.
“Cough.”
Meng Shi was displeased and coughed heavily.
“Sit properly.”
She put on a solemn expression.
“You shouldn’t even have to ask that question. In your eyes, shouldn’t your daughter be the most beautiful person in the world?”
“Even if I somehow don’t qualify, there’s still my sister.”
【Meng Jiu: Where is my feather duster?!】
The moment those words left her mouth, Meng Shi’s heart turned cold.
Xie Ping was looking at her with unconcealed disdain…
“Get out. I’m not helping you ask Qi Beibei for an autograph. You can forget about taking a picture with her too.”
Meng Shi pointed toward the door, thoroughly offended.
This was her biological mother!
“Shi…”
“I’m going to sleep.”
Meng Shi pulled the blanket over her head.
The pitiful little fangirl slowly got up and left.
Meng Shi lifted the blanket and glanced after her, then smiled helplessly.
What an old child…
…
Meng Shi had only just fallen asleep when her phone rang.
Still drowsy, she glanced at the screen.
Fang Yu.
“Hmm?”
“Ah Meng, send me your home address. I’ve assigned you an assistant. From now on, she’ll drive you to and from work and take care of matters related to both your work and daily life.”
Meng Shi was about to refuse, but after thinking about it, she realized this was probably another performance intended for certain people.
She agreed.
“Also, I’ve selected a production for you. Come to the company early tomorrow. I’ll take you to meet the director.”
“Mm. Thank you, Sister Fang.”
After ending the call, Meng Shi sent Fang Yu her address.
However, she remained cautious and gave only the name of her residential community, leaving out the specific building number.
Fang Yu truly seemed determined to invest in her.
She was even assigning her an assistant?
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Meng Shi checked the time. It was already past eight.
Listening carefully, she heard movement outside. Her sister seemed to have returned.
She stretched and left the room just as Xie Ping carried a dish out of the kitchen.
“It smells wonderful.”
Meng Shi’s stomach immediately growled.
After washing her hands, Meng Jiu came out and saw her.
“What kind of schedule is this? It’s still early, yet you’re already sleeping. Are you feeling unwell?”
She placed a hand against Meng Shi’s forehead.
“No. I was simply a little sleepy when I returned.”
Meng Shi helped Xie Ping bring out the bowls and chopsticks, preparing for dinner.
“Mom… what’s wrong?”
During the meal, it was obvious that Xie Ping was sulking.
Even when she normally remained quiet, she would at least place some food in Meng Shi’s bowl. Today, she merely lowered her head and listlessly pushed rice around.
Surely she wasn’t angry because Meng Shi had refused to ask for an autograph?
Meng Jiu also noticed that something was wrong and signaled to Meng Shi with her eyes.
“What happened?”
“…”
Meng Shi was unbelievably helpless!
She briefly explained the situation.
“You signed with a company?”
Meng Jiu looked shocked.
“Qi Beibei?”
She remained shocked.
“Su Yutong?!”
Meng Jiu shot directly to her feet and grabbed Meng Shi’s arm.
“You’re in the same company as Su Yutong? Seriously? Have you seen her in person? Is she especially charismatic?”
“I absolutely loved her performance as Detective Yan Lin!”
“…”
Meng Shishi felt absolutely nothing inside.
In fact, she almost wanted to laugh.
Were the two of them playing some kind of joke on her?
They were already this excited over two popular young actresses.
How lacking in composure.
Meng Shi thought about it and looked toward the ceiling.
If they learned about her relationship with Yan Qing, would the entire building collapse?
She silently reached for her chopsticks, only for Meng Jiu to snatch them away.
Meng Jiu scooped up a spoonful of rice, and Xie Ping placed a piece of meat on top.
Meng Jiu brought the spoon to Meng Shi’s lips.
“Ah Shi, you’ve worked hard. You shouldn’t trouble yourself with something as insignificant as eating.”
“Come, let your sister feed you. Open wide. Ah~”
Mother and daughter smiled at Meng Shi with identical expressions.
“…”
Women who chased celebrities were terrifying.
…
That evening, Meng Shi hid beneath her blanket and secretly called the older woman to complain about the two fangirls.
The person on the other end laughed so hard that she could barely breathe.
“Your family is far too adorable!”
“Aren’t you laughing a little too arrogantly?”
“All right, all right. I’ll control myself. I’ll restrain myself…”
Meng Shi sighed helplessly.
“Hey, was your mother like that too?”
Yan Qing fell silent for a moment.
“My mother…”
She paused.
“My mother is extremely conservative. Even now, she strongly opposes my decision to enter the entertainment industry.”
“For all these years, she hasn’t even allowed me to return home.”
Meng Shi’s heart trembled.
She could hear Yan Qing’s mood suddenly sinking.
“Uh… you…”
She wanted to comfort her but did not know what to say.
“By the way, I bought you a present,” Yan Qing suddenly said, her tone becoming much livelier.
Meng Shi pursed her lips, feeling distressed by how strong she was pretending to be.
“Why did you buy me something again?”
She followed Yan Qing’s lead and changed the subject.
“This was specially prepared for you.”
The mysterious tone gave Meng Shi an ominous feeling.
Before she could ask, the older woman laughed wickedly and ended the call.
Meng Shi was still confused when she received a WeChat message.
It was a photograph.
The object resembled a mat covered in countless densely packed, needle-like protrusions of various sizes. They looked extremely hard, and the larger spikes had even been arranged in the shape of a cross.
What was this thing?
Tiny bamboo shoots?
Meng Shi thought about it.
Specially prepared for me?
Hmm?
Wait…
Her eyelid suddenly twitched, and she messaged Yan Qing.
【Shi: …】
【Shi: My lady…】
【Shi: Spare my life…】
Afterward, she searched online for information about the serious emotional trauma caused when minors suffered domestic violence, then copied and pasted it to the older woman.
Yan Qing nearly laughed herself to death beneath her blanket!
…
Early the next morning, Meng Shi was awakened by her ringing phone before she had gotten enough sleep.
“Look at the time yourself. How can you still be sleeping?”
Fang Yu’s dissatisfied voice came from the phone.
Meng Shi opened one eye and checked.
It was already seven thirty.
She had stayed up too late talking to the older woman the previous night, completely disrupting her schedule.
“Sorry. I’ll leave immediately.”
“There’s no rush. Dress yourself properly. Bai Ling will arrive at the entrance of your residential community at eight.”
Bai Ling…?
“And don’t wear anything with Kung Fu Panda or SpongeBob again! Please dress a little more formally.”
Fang Yu warned her disdainfully.
“Oh. Understood.”
After ending the call, Meng Shi hurriedly got up and washed.
She could not wear Kung Fu Panda or SpongeBob.
Emmmmm…
Then she would favor the Minions today.
After getting ready, Meng Shi left home.
The moment she walked out of the community, she saw a black van parked across the road.
A professionally dressed woman stood beside it and waved to her.
“Are you Ah Meng? I’m Bai Ling. Starting today, I’ll be your assistant.”
She approached with a smile and extended her hand.
The two examined each other.
Bai Ling appeared to be around twenty-four or twenty-five. She looked calm and dependable, with neat, short hair that gave her a capable appearance.
“Hello, Sister Bai. I’ll have to trouble you to look after me from now on.”
“That’s my job. Get in.”
Meng Shi briefly examined the interior of the vehicle.
Fang Yu had even provided her with a car?
She was sincerely determined to turn Meng Shi into a target…
“Have you eaten breakfast? I wasn’t certain about your preferences, so I prepared both Chinese and Western options. See which one you like.”
Bai Ling retrieved an insulated food container from the back seat.
Inside were steamed buns, soy milk, toast, and coffee…
Meng Shi smacked her lips and looked at Bai Ling several more times.
Wasn’t she being a little too considerate?
“Thank you.”
Meng Shi picked up a steamed bun and took two bites.
“The journey from here to the company normally takes approximately forty-seven minutes. However, it’s currently the morning rush hour, so there will be traffic.”
“We should still arrive before nine thirty.”
“After eating, you can take a short nap if you’re still tired.”
???
Was she truly this considerate?
“Mm. All right.”
“Your schedule today is to finalize the script with Sister Fang in the morning, then meet the production team and have lunch with them at noon.”
“Mm.”
Meng Shi smiled.
“What is it?”
Seeing her suddenly laugh, Bai Ling looked confused.
“Nothing. I’m simply relieved to see how attentive you are.”
Meng Shi had remembered her previous life.
Her deputy, Wen Yan, had also been exceptionally thoughtful and had taken care of her in every possible way.
She had been so meticulous that she was practically ready to eat, drink, and use the toilet on Meng Shi’s behalf.
“By the way, whose assistant were you previously?”
“I was always Sister Fang’s personal assistant.”
“…”
Meng Shi raised an eyebrow.
No wonder.
Now she understood.
Fang Yu was truly willing to invest heavily in her.
…
It was shortly after nine when they reached the company.
Meng Shi rubbed her eyes and climbed out of the vehicle, somewhat regretting that she had gone back to sleep in the car.
She felt even more tired now.
Yawning as she entered the building, she immediately saw Qi Beibei and her manager waiting for the elevator.
Naturally, Qi Beibei also noticed her.
She unwillingly greeted Meng Shi, and the expression made Meng Shi want to laugh.
“Sister Bai? I haven’t seen you in ages!”
Qi Beibei suddenly looked delighted and approached Bai Ling, who had just entered.
“Beibei, it has indeed been a long time.”
As the two exchanged greetings, the elevator arrived.
“Ah Meng? The elevator is here.”
Bai Ling looked around and discovered that Meng Shi was already walking toward the staircase by herself.
“Mm. I’m not accustomed to elevators.”
Seeing this, Bai Ling frowned slightly and hurriedly followed Meng Shi up the stairs.
“She…”
Qi Beibei stared at the stairwell in shock.
“What kind of attitude was that?!”
Her manager, Wang Han, watched Bai Ling’s retreating figure in confusion.
“Sister Bai… Why is she with Meng Shi?”
…
“Even if you dislike her, there’s no need to make it that obvious,” Bai Ling reminded her inside the stairwell.
“Hmm? I genuinely just dislike taking elevators.”
Bai Ling smiled.
“All right.”
…
When Fang Yu saw Meng Shi, she nearly threw her out of the office.
“Didn’t I tell you to dress properly? Why are you wearing something like this again?!”
Meng Shi looked down at herself.
Her clothes were casual and comfortable.
Wasn’t that perfectly fine?
How was she supposed to dress deliberately?
“Forget it. Bai Ling, if there’s nothing scheduled this afternoon, take her shopping for clothes.”
Fang Yu no longer wanted to deal with Meng Shi and threw her directly at Bai Ling.
“…”
Buy clothes?
Shopping?
…
Fang Yu handed her a script.
“I selected this production for you. It’s a historical drama adapted from the novel Bamboo Branch Ballad. It’s currently a very popular intellectual property. Take a look.”
The moment Meng Shi heard it was a historical drama, she became interested.
She had genuinely feared Fang Yu might arrange a modern urban workplace drama for her.
She hurriedly flipped through the script.
It was a forbidden love story between a demon and a god, filled with mythological elements.
It told the story of Luo Xi, a young bamboo demon who had only recently gained human form, and her accidental encounter with Tianque, a high god who had descended to the mortal realm to undergo a tribulation.
Luo Xi did not recognize Tianque’s true identity. She merely believed he was a blind physician who was not particularly intelligent.
However, she was deeply attracted by his handsome and ethereal appearance.
She constantly followed him in secret, disguising herself as various patients seeking treatment so that she could find opportunities to approach him.
At first, Tianque paid no attention to her.
As time passed, however, he developed unfamiliar feelings toward this kindhearted yet mischievous demon.
His previously monotonous daily life also became increasingly colorful because of the little demon’s constant intrusions.
Unfortunately, the good times did not last.
After Tianque completed his mortal tribulation, he returned to the immortal realm and forgot all his memories from the human world.
He left without even saying goodbye to Luo Xi.
Tianque’s sudden departure left Luo Xi heartbroken.
Through an unexpected opportunity, she learned his true identity.
Ignoring everything else, she secretly entered the immortal realm in search of him, hoping to receive an answer.
Instead, the high god Tianque treated her coldly and nearly killed her with his own hands.
…
“Huh? Why does it end here?”
Meng Shi had been reading enthusiastically when the script suddenly stopped.
Ending at a moment like this was deliberately tormenting the reader!
“The production team plans to release it as a weekly drama, filming and broadcasting it simultaneously.”
“Only the first ten episodes have been written for now. Later developments will be revised according to the audience’s comments and reactions.”
“They can do that?”
Meng Shi did not understand.
Wasn’t that a little too casual?
“If you’re interested, you can read the original novel after returning home. I believe it’s a tragedy.”
“Oh…”
Meng Shi flipped through the script again.
“Then which character am I playing?”
Author’s Note:
The adorable mother appears again. Hiahia~~~
Comments 0
You must be logged in to comment.
No comments yet. Be the first!