Chapter 41

In fact, Nian Nian always thought her parents had divorced long ago.

She used to live abroad with her mother and rarely saw her father. Although young, she knew her family was different.

Other families have a father, a mother, and children who live together. But Nian Nian felt like she only had a mother and no father.

The most vivid memory of her father was their regular video calls on weekends. Although she could hear his voice, she couldn’t see or feel him. Nian Nian thought of the father in the video as a kind of robot, not a real person.

During the video calls, the robot dad always asked the same questions: “How is Nian Nian lately?” 

Nian Nian would reply, “Okay.”

Then the robot dad would ask, “How is your study?”

Nian Nian would say, “Very good.”

There were fixed questions and answers, and then Nian Nian would play by herself while the robot dad was busy. The calls would end quietly.

Until this trip, Nian Nian had more time to spend with her father, but her mother became busier and busier. These days were the longest she’d ever been separated from her mother. Nian Nian felt uneasy in kindergarten. She couldn’t help but secretly wonder if her mother didn’t want her anymore, just like her father didn’t want her before.

In the past, Nian Nian lived with her mother. In the future, would she live with her father? Would she only see her mother occasionally, like she used to see her father?

If that were true, Nian Nian couldn’t accept it. 

Nian Nian could live without her father, but not without her mother.

Even though she liked her father a little more now, she still loved her mother much more.

Before, Nian Nian’s idea of her father was vague, but these days, a clear image started to form in her mind.

Her father was tall and strong, like a big boss. Though he often teased her, when she got upset, he would comfort her. These days, she noticed that she was getting mad more often.

After spending time together, Nian Nian liked her father a little bit more—but it was nothing compared to how much she loved her mother.

Nian Nian had to tell her father clearly: no matter what, she would always follow her mother!

She didn’t want to end up like her kindergarten friend Jiang Xu, who was taken away by his father and never saw his mother again, no matter how much he cried.

Nian Nian didn’t fully believe what her father said, that he and her mother wouldn’t divorce.

Sometimes, adults tell lies too.

She noticed that her parents had been living separately at home these days. Her mother slept in the bedroom, and her father slept in the study. Even when they were on the show, her father slept alone. Though she didn’t fully understand, she felt that her parents seemed a bit different from other kids’ parents.

This was probably what her friend Jiang Xu meant by having a bad relationship.

Nian Nian didn’t want to be taken away by her father like her friend, so she had to stand up for herself.

Jiang Chen looked at his little daughter standing in front of him.

She was small but stood straight with a serious expression, as if telling him very earnestly that she could live without a father but not without her mother.

She wasn’t joking. This was how she truly felt.

Jiang Chen didn’t feel hurt. Instead, he felt sad. Nian Nian seemed like a sensitive and insecure child.

He squatted down, looked at her seriously, and said, “Nian Nian, Daddy won’t divorce Mommy.”

After thinking a moment, he added, “Even if it happens like you said, and we do get divorced, Daddy will never make you stay away from Mommy. You believe Daddy, okay?”

Nian Nian saw the seriousness in his eyes, and for the first time, her father seemed reliable.

So, she nodded and decided to trust him this time.

_

The next morning, Shen Mingyou left for the set early.

Filming a costume drama takes a lot of time, especially the styling. Shen Mingyou had the heaviest role, so she had to be on set by four or five every morning.

By the time Nian Nian had breakfast and arrived on set with her father, it was almost six.

When she got there, she saw her mother in a pink dress, flying through the air with a sword in her hand. She looked like a female knight, fierce and powerful.

It wasn’t the first time Nian Nian had seen her mother film, but it was the first time she saw her flying in the air.

Her eyes followed her mother, moving back and forth, hardly able to keep up.

While Nian Nian was watching her mother, others were watching her.

When the crew saw Jiang Chen arrive with Nian Nian in his arms, they got excited.

“That’s Shen’s husband and daughter. Mr. Jiang looks even more handsome! They’re a perfect match!”

“I’m a fan of Xiao Niannian. She’s so cute in the show. I wonder if I can take a photo with her.”

“Shen has only been filming for a few days, and her husband and daughter have already followed her to the set. They must be very close.”

“Ah, Shen Mingyou is so lucky. Her husband is rich and handsome, and he loves her so much. I can’t even feel jealous anymore.”

…

After Shen Mingyou finished her scene and got off the wire, she saw that Jiang Chen had brought Nian Nian to the set.

When director Qin Song and the producer saw Jiang Chen, they immediately came over to say hello.

Although Jiang Chen wasn’t an investor in this production, having more connections could mean opportunities in the future.

Jiang Chen was polite to his wife’s colleagues. After saying hello, the little girl in his arms asked, “Uncle Director, why can my mom fly?”

Nian Nian was really curious about how her mother could fly.

She wanted to fly too.

The director smiled and explained, “Because your mother is hanging on a wire.” ^[1]to describe a tool that lifts actors in the air.

The director brought them to Shen Mingyou, who was having the wire equipment on her body removed with the help of the staff.

“This is the wire.” The director pointed at Shen Mingyou and said, “With this, your mother can fly.”

“Do you want to try it?” Seeing the little girl was curious, the director asked the staff to get ready and let the little girl give it a try.

Nian Nian immediately looked at her mother.

Seeing her daughter excited, Shen Mingyou nodded and said, “Go ahead, give it a try.”

The staff quickly helped Nian Nian with the equipment. Nian Nian was lifted up on the wire. She was a little scared but also excited. However, since she was just a child, the staff let her hang for a short while before quickly bringing her down.

Nian Nian felt she hadn’t had enough fun yet.

Seeing the little girl’s enjoyment, Qin Song asked, “Little girl, do you know how to act?”

Nian Nian had never acted before, but she had been on set with her mother and knew that acting was about playing a role. She had seen other young actors on TV sets.

Nian Nian nodded, “I can.”

The director chuckled to himself, thinking the kid probably had no idea what acting really was, yet she said she could do it.

“Do you want to act like your mom?” the director asked. “Uncle Director can let you play a small part in my drama.”

Nian Nian saw how beautifully her mother was dressed, with fancy accessories in her hair, looking so different from usual. If Nian Nian acted, she could wear similar beautiful clothes like her mother. The thought made her really happy.

“Okay,” Nian Nian said, trying to hide her smile, “What part does Uncle want me to play?”

She hoped she could play her mother’s childhood or her mother’s daughter in the drama. Nian Nian thought she looked just like her mom, so she imagined wearing a smaller version of her clothes, with pretty braids, and flying through the air. That would definitely be fun.

Seeing how eager the little girl was, the director grinned and said, “Let the makeup artist do your makeup first, and then you’ll find out.”

Nian Nian happily followed the makeup artist without even saying goodbye to her parents.

When Nian Nian came out after makeup, the crew saw that the originally pretty little girl had been transformed into a little beggar by the makeup artist’s magic.

Nian Nian ran to her mother and asked with sparkling eyes, “Mom, mom, do I look good now?”

While getting her makeup done, Nian Nian hadn’t seen herself in a mirror. She liked the clothes she was wearing, even though they were torn and old. The material felt comfortable and different from what she usually wore.

“This must be a design style,” she thought. Her mother often wore strange clothes but said they were fashionable.

So, Nian Nian assumed her outfit was fashionable too.

She felt she must look very pretty now.

Excited, she asked the director, “Uncle Director, am I going to play a little fairy?”

Director Qin Song smiled and shook his head, “We don’t need fairies in this drama, but we do need a cute little beggar.”

Nian Nian: “…?”