Lin Xu didnât answer the video call and sent back a message, âSomeone is nearby, itâs inconvenient to talk.â
Ji Tingyang didnât really have anything important to say either. He had left in a hurry and was worried that she hadnât eaten well, so he replied with âEat moreâ and continued with his work.
Ji Yuqiao was getting more and more heated, incessantly complaining about her brother to Lin Xu.
It seemed she had harbored resentment towards her brother for a long time.
âSo, the boy you like is so outstanding that you would give up your brother and your superior lifestyle?â
Listening to her grievances, Lin Xu suddenly spoke up.
Ji Yuqiao paused; her previously incessant voice choked, stammering, âI⦠I didnât mean to give up on my brotherâ¦â
From her earliest memories, she had lived with her brother. Their parents had died a few months after her birth, and it was her brother who had raised her.
She was just angry; she hadnât thought about severing ties with her brother.
âThen go and apologize to your brother and stop taking part-time jobs,â Lin Xu advised.
It was clear she was a daughter pampered by her family. Out here being bossed around, doing all sorts of dirty and tiring work was truly heartbreaking.
Lin Xu thought of her own daughter whom she had yet to meet, and a wave of melancholy washed over her.
If her daughter were suffering like this outside, she would certainly be very worried.
âIâll think about it,â Ji Yuqiao pursed her lips, her expression still somewhat reluctant, and her eating slowed down.
She rested her cheek in one hand while the other held chopsticks, absently stirring the food.
Ji Yuqiao was still preoccupied with thoughts of her brother when the back of her hand was lightly slapped, spreading pain and bringing her attention back.
She hissed and quickly withdrew her hand, glaring at Lin Xu with anger in her tone, âWhy did you hit me!â
âIf youâre going to eat, eat properly. Youâve messed the food into a mess; how are others supposed to eat it?â Lin Xu frowned deeply.
Without a smile, Lin Xuâs demeanor changed, exuding an aura of authority that involuntarily made Ji Yuqiao think of her older brother, who always had the same stern face when scolding her, sending shivers down her spine.
Ji Yuqiao reflexively sat up straight and timidly said, âIâm sorry.â
Seeing that she wasnât the type to act unreasonably spoiled, at least acknowledging her mistake and apologizing quietly, Lin Xuâs expression softened and she asked, âAlright, are you still eating?â
Ji Yuqiao shook her head, âIâm full, thank you.â
âI still have something to do, so Iâll go first,â Lin Xu stood up, picked up her bag, and before leaving, she said to her again, âHurry back and make up with your family, goodbye.â
Just after leaving Flaming Lily Restaurant, Lin Xuâs phone rang.
âSister Xu, where are you? Weâre almost there.â
âIâm sorry, I was delayed a bit by some matters; Iâm taking a taxi over now.â
This morning, someone in the fan group had messaged her privately, asking if she wanted to join them on a visit to a film set.
As for which film set, it was, of course, the historical drama currently being shot by Ji Zeqiu.
To solidify support from big fans, celebrities often give them special privileges. Thus, this big fan had received the managerâs permission to take photos with Ji Zeqiu and get autographs during the shooting breaks, and could bring two more people along.
Remembering Lin Xuâs recent success boosting Ji Zeqiuâs endorsement sales, the big fan thought she should definitely not miss out on this good opportunity, so they invited Lin Xu.
Eager to support her son, Lin Xu was more than willing and immediately agreed.
Todayâs filming had moved to a remote mountain for shooting some action scenes outdoors.
When Lin Xu got out of the taxi, the big fan and another girl were already waiting at the base of the mountain.
She rushed over, apologizing for her lateness. The two girls didnât mind and led Lin Xu up the mountain, continuously expressing their excitement about soon meeting Ji Zeqiu.
Compared to their excitement, Lin Xu was much calmer.
The one to welcome them to the production team was Ji Zeqiuâs manager, who showed a brief flash of surprise upon seeing Lin Xu.
But soon after realizing that this person was a fan of Ji Zeqiuâs mother, seeing her here felt quite normal.
Recently, however, she hadnât continued sending him messages to ask him to add a few more clothes for Ji Zeqiu or make sure he ate his meals on time. He even thought she had stopped being a fan.
After all, in the entertainment industry, changing loyalties is nothing out of the ordinary. Today you might admire one artist, and tomorrow, you might like another.
What the manager didnât know was that Lin Xu had already added Ji Zeqiu as a personal friend, and all those messages were directly sent to the man himself on WeChat.
As the manager was pondering this, they had already reached the outdoor location of the filming.
This was Lin Xuâs first time observing filming from such a close distance. At that moment, Ji Zeqiu was suspended by wires, his body nimbly leaping upwards with a long sword in his hand, mercilessly thrusting at the enemy before him.
His long hair tied with a red band fluttered with his movements, and his actions were sharp, quickly defeating his opponent.
âAh, so handsome! Iâm going to faint from adoration!â
Lin Xu, still engrossed in his impressive martial display, heard a burst of high-pitched screams from two fangirls nearby.
She smiled and nodded in agreement, âYes, indeed.â
When this segment airs, who knows how many more followers it will attract.
The director, watching the scenes on the monitor, was also very pleased and approved the take on the first attempt.
Upon seeing Ji Zeqiu come over, he started lavishing praise non-stop.
Great acting skills, perfect sense of the scene, securing a Best Actor award would be merely a matter of time.
Ji Zeqiu, with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, listened silently until it was time for the next personâs scene to start filming. The director then let him rest and called him over by his manager.
He was aware that fans were coming to visit the set today.
With a smile on his face, exhibiting an innocent and gentle demeanor, his expression cracked for a moment when he saw Lin Xu but quickly returned to normal.
Why isnât this woman staying at home? Why has she come here?
Ji Zeqiu grumbled in his heart, but his engagement with the fans didnât waver as he signed autographs and took photos with two girls, all the while thanking them for their support.
The two girls were so excited they could barely contain themselves.
âWonât this fan join us for a group photo?â Ji Zeqiu looked towards Lin Xu with a smiling gaze, suddenly speaking up.
Before Lin Xu could reply, those two fans pushed her towards Ji Zeqiu, âLetâs take it, letâs take it!â
Ji Zeqiu wrapped an arm around Lin Xuâs shoulders, leaned his head close enough to bridge any distance between them, their cheeks nearly touching.
This close contact was in stark contrast to the photo taken with the other two fans from a distance.
Just as his manager was about to remind him to maintain a proper distance, he saw Ji Zeqiu pull out his own phone and start snapping away furiously, a flurry of selfies ensued.
He had taken dozens of photos in no time.
He picked a few good ones and pulled up Ting Yang from his WeChat contacts, and sent them over.
The next second, he received a text from Ting Yang.
JTY: âIf youâre taking a photo, take it. Why get so close.â
Ting Yang, looking at the photo, felt a twinge of displeasure; he hadnât even taken a photo with his mother yet.
He felt even more annoyed.
JTY: âBack off a bit!â
Ji Zeqiu ignored him, his eyes glittering with triumphant glee, and with a victorious air, he stashed his phone back in his pocket.