Chapter 42

Nian Nian had seen beggars before and knew what it meant to be one.

After realizing that the director wanted her to play a little beggar instead of a flying fairy, Nian Nian felt a bit disappointed.

But a beggar is still a role, so Nian Nian decided she could play it too.

The role of the little beggar wasn’t just added in for Nian Nian. It was originally meant for a boy who was a bit older than her, but he couldn’t make it to the set due to some last-minute issue. So, the crew needed a new child actor.

And then Nian Nian just happened to be there.

Qin Song looked at the little girl in her tattered clothes and dirtied face and was very satisfied.

He extended his hand and shook hers, saying, “Welcome to our crew.”

Nian Nian held the director’s hand, but instead of letting go, she asked with wide eyes, “Uncle Director, will I get paid for acting?”

Nian Nian knew actors got paid, so she figured she should be paid too. Otherwise, wouldn’t she be at a disadvantage? Nian Nian wanted to save up to buy a bag for her mother. Now that there was a chance to earn money, she had to ask clearly.

The director was caught off guard and laughed. He looked at Shen Mingyou and Jiang Chen and said with a smile, “Mr. Jiang, your daughter is impressive. She already knows how to earn money at such a young age.”

Jiang Chen found it funny too. He realized his daughter might be a bit of a money-grubber. The fifty yuan Nian Nian earned from her last job at a milk tea shop was still kept in her piggy bank, which she guarded carefully. Sometimes, when Jiang Chen asked her to run errands or do something, Nian Nian would make sure they agreed on payment beforehand. The money she earned always went into her precious piggy bank.

He rubbed Nian Nian’s head and asked, “Nian Nian, what do you want to do with the money you earn?” The family never lacked pocket money for her. Whatever she wanted, they could buy it almost anytime. He really couldn’t figure out what Nian Nian wanted to do with her money.

Nian Nian replied, “Buy a bag for my mother.” What else could she do besides buying a bag for her mother? But her mother’s bags were too expensive, and Nian Nian had too few ways to earn money. So far, she hasn’t even saved enough to buy one.

Shen Mingyou was stunned when she heard this. She knew that Nian Nian seemed to have been saving money all the time. Once, Jiang Chen asked her to run an errand, and Nian Nian asked for a huge amount of money—just to buy slippers for her father, but she directly asked him for a thousand yuan.

Jiang Chen would usually agree to his daughter’s requests. If Nian Nian asked for a thousand yuan, he would give it to her. Shen Mingyou thought that this wasn’t good at the time. If Jiang Chen unconditionally satisfied Nian Nian’s needs every time, she might think making money was easy, which wouldn’t help her develop a good understanding of money.

It wasn’t until now that Shen Mingyou realized Nian Nian had been saving up with “untold hardships” to buy her a bag.

Shen Mingyou jokingly smoothed out Nian Nian’s hair, which her father had messed up, feeling extremely touched.

When Jiang Chen heard his daughter’s words, he was a little surprised and said, “Buying a bag for mom is dad’s job. Why is Nian Nian taking over?”

Nian Nian refused and said, “If my father can give it to her, why can’t I?”

“…” Jiang Chen looked around. It would be inappropriate to argue with his daughter in front of others.

Seeing her father speechless, Nian Nian showed a triumphant smile and said, “Nian Nian wants to give it!”

Jiang Chen gritted his teeth. Why does this kid always want to challenge him?

Director Qin Song saw that the father and daughter were about to quarrel over the beggar’s salary, so he quickly intervened, “Just let Nian Nian have her way. Uncle will pay your salary and won’t treat our little actor unfairly.”

**

Nian Nian’s role as the little beggar had no scenes with Shen Mingyou. Her scenes were mainly with the male lead, Tang Qian.

The hero played by Tang Qian is a powerful magic master in the fairy world. While traveling, he met a little beggar who dared to steal his jade pendant. After following him, he found out the little beggar pawned the pendant to buy medicine for his sick mother.

The master was impressed by the little beggar’s talent. After the beggar’s mother died, he brought the beggar to the fairyland as his apprentice to help him manage the medicine house.

The original actor for the beggar couldn’t come, so Tang Qian had no scenes this morning. He was supposed to arrive in the afternoon until the director called, saying the new child actor was ready, asking Tang Qian to come to the set immediately.

When he arrived, he saw the new actor was Shen Mingyou’s daughter, Jiang Niannian.

Tang Qian had watched “Super Mom” before. He usually didn’t like children, but the kids in the show were all unique. There was Jiang Xu, who was so mischievous he made people laugh, and then there was Nian Nian, who was so well-behaved and cute that it made you want to have a daughter right away.

Since he was familiar with Shen Mingyou and Gu Aifei, Tang Qian originally wanted to just check out the show, but once he started, he couldn’t stop—it was addictive. Whenever he was waiting on set, he would watch the live broadcast on his phone.

Now, seeing the soft, sweet little girl from the show in front of him, Tang Qian suddenly understood what it felt like to be a fan.

“Hello, Xiao Niannian.” Tang Qian wiped his hands on his clothes and extended one to shake with her.

“Hello, uncle,” Nian Nian greeted politely.

“In the play, I’m your master. You can call me Master now.”

Nian Nian called out sweetly, “Master.”

Tang Qian felt the word “Master” hit his heart. It was so cute that he dramatically clutched his chest and pretended to fall over, as if the little girl’s cuteness was too much.

Nian Nian tilted her head and asked, “Master, what’s wrong with you?” Why was he lying on the dirty ground?

“Master is overwhelmed by my disciple’s cuteness,” Tang Qian laughed. “What should we do with such a cute disciple?”