Hearing those words, Xu Xueruo couldn’t help but stare blankly for a moment. Why did Meng Zhen’s reaction differ from what she had imagined?

Even though Xu Xueruo felt shocked, her expression remained unchanged. She forcibly controlled herself from looking at Zhao Rong and, with her right hand hidden under the blanket, she fiercely pinched the tender skin on her leg. She wrinkled her nose slightly and her eyes curved into crescent moons, saying, “As long as Sister doesn’t blame me, everything will be fine. We will still be good sisters!”

Xu Xueruo enjoyed acting, and Meng Zhen found it quite amusing to watch her antics, occasionally responding with a few remarks herself.

After listening for a while, she walked to the table and turned on the desk lamp, pretending to explain sorrowfully, “Xueruo, it’s because of me that you ended up like that. Even if you and Mom and Dad forgive me, I don’t have the face to go back home anymore. I’ve been a trainee at Yunlai and have saved about thirty thousand yuan. It should be enough to get me by for a while.”

Zhao Rong pushed open the door just in time to hear those words and she felt quite uncomfortable in her heart.

Xu Xueruo grew up in the most privileged environment, with items like a handbag and a pair of shoes in her wardrobe costing more than thirty thousand yuan each. Yet her biological daughter had to live in the capital city on less than thirty thousand yuan, and she was even being criticized online as a bastard child. Zhao Rong realized that she and her husband had indeed treated Meng Zhen unfairly.

Out of the corner of her eye, Xu Xueruo noticed Zhao Rong’s left hand, where her thumb was gently rubbing against her index finger. After years of being together, Xu Xueruo knew well that this was Zhao Rong’s habit when she was deep in thought.

Zhao Rong was feeling sorry for Meng Zhen.

This realization made Xu Xueruo somewhat uncomfortable. However, being a clever person, she naturally understood that Zhao Rong likes well-behaved children. After chatting with Meng Zhen for a while, she didn’t persuade her to come back. After hanging up the phone, a hint of regret appeared on her slightly pale face.

“Mom, it’s all my fault. I made Sister sad and upset. After I’m discharged from the hospital, let’s visit Sister together. Then, we can casually bring up the idea of bringing her back home. What do you think?”

Zhao Rong patted Xu Xueruo’s head and said with relief, “Although Zhenzhen is half a year older than you, you’re much more sensible than her. That child picked up some bad habits in the orphanage, but she’s young so we can still teach her. As her younger sister, you should help her in the future.”

“Mom, rest assured, I’ll get along well with Sister. Wow, you even brought my favorite chicken soup! Thank you, Mom!” Xu Xueruo exclaimed with feigned surprise and joy.

Zhao Rong had lived a privileged life for years and had several helpers at home. Her cooking skills were only passable, but she loved to be praised by others. Xu Xueruo understood this well and naturally wouldn’t miss the chance to please her mother.

———pr

Meng Zhen wasn’t concerned about Zhao Rong and Xu Xueruo’s mother-daughter relationship dynamics. Seeing that it was getting late, she urged Lei Yin to rest. Not long after they fell asleep, the internet buzzed with activity again.

It turned out that the famous singer Luo Yang had liked Brother Da Lei’s post.

Luo Yang is currently the hottest musician in the country, but recently, instead of singing, he was planning on making a short film which was titled 《Daffodil》.

Netizens highly appreciated Luo Yang’s creative ability and were looking forward to it.

But 《Daffodil》 has yet to start production.

Netizens didn’t understand why it was so difficult to film, but those in Luo Yang’s studio knew the reason well. The short film was named after the daffodil because it was the source of Luo Yang’s inspiration.

Before preparing for the short film, Luo Yang had a dream. In it, he had become an ancient scholar who studied diligently in seclusion in a remote town, where he had the company of the goddess of the Luo River^[1]daffodil in his courtyard. One day, he accidentally got a portrait of a beautiful woman with celestial features that captivated his soul. Day and night, he gazed at the woman in the painting, where a daffodil was attached. Then the portrait of the beauty gained sentience, embodying both a bewitching charm and a divine visage. The scholar became deeply immersed and unable to extricate himself from this enchantment.

The core of the story of 《Daffodil》 was Luo Yang’s inner obsession and fantasy. The female protagonist of this short film was a distant dream for him, portraying his fixation. Although there were many glamorous and talented female celebrities in the entertainment industry, they failed to resonate with him.

At this moment, Luo Yang had just stepped out of the studio. Logging into Weibo to announce yet another delay in the release date of the short film, he came across the video of Meng Zhen practicing her footwork.

The young woman’s appearance and demeanor gradually overlapped with the daffodil from his dream, and Luo Yang’s heart began to race. Without a moment of hesitation, he liked the video and immediately called his manager.

“I think Meng Zhen is perfect. She’s my Daffodil. I want her to be the lead actress in my short film!”

Luo Yang had a handsome and refined face, and his personality was rather aloof. As his fans described him, he was like a ‘flower on a high mountain’. Now, not only did he seem less aloof, but his sharply defined features also took on a faint blush, making him appear more lively.

“Brother, are you crazy? Meng Zhen is just a rookie idol who has only acted in one low-budget web drama. Aren’t you afraid she’ll ruin the muse of your dreams by casting her as the lead?”

The manager, Ma Chao, felt utterly exhausted. While other managers worried about their singers lacking talent, he was troubled by Luo Yang’s whimsical ideas. He was already inherently rebellious, and now Luo Yang was even playing crossover.

Ma Chao stammered for quite a while before finally saying, “Luo Yang, Meng Zhen doesn’t seem suitable.”

“What’s unsuitable about her? As long as she has the charisma and can capture the essence of Daffodil, she’ll be fine. Besides, I noticed she has a background in Peking Opera, so her posture and demeanor should be good.” Luo Yang said with a resolute tone as he took the elevator down to the parking lot.

“Her reputation isn’t good!”

“Are you talking about the rumors online? We’ve dealt with Yunlai Entertainment before. Their specialty is packaging stars, and the personas are decided by the company’s management, not the artists themselves. Besides, the slapping incident was already clarified by the production team. I think there’s no real issue with her. Anyway, I’m driving now. Let’s discuss this in person tomorrow.”

As soon as the words were spoken, Ma Chao heard the sound of the call being hung up on the other side. He felt like he was going to have a heart attack and quickly took several deep breaths to calm his surging emotions.

Ma Chao had known Luo Yang for over a decade, having been the one who guided him when he first debuted. Back then, Ma Chao was just a young man who knew very little and stumbled through the entertainment industry. Now, as Luo Yang had built a successful career, Ma Chao had grown from his inexperienced days into a mature figure, establishing a respectable position within the industry.

Now calm, Ma Chao opened Weibo directly and typed ‘Meng Zhen’ into the search bar. The top result was a video clip. He clicked on it and had to admit that Luo Yang’s judgment was indeed spot on.

In the video, Meng Zhen was not only practicing the steps of Peking Opera but also integrating gestures into her performance. What stood out the most in the video was not just her physical movements but the expression in her eyes.

Even without singing a single note, her almond-shaped eyes seemed to speak, conveying the subtlest emotions of the performer and stirring the hearts of the audience, evoking a strong sense of empathy.

Such talent surpasses many formally trained actors and actresses. It seemed Meng Zhen was naturally destined for stardom. It was unclear what Yunlai Entertainment was thinking to sideline such a promising talent. They might regret it in the future.

Luo Yang’s status in the entertainment industry was many times higher than that of Ji Xiaoling. He rarely posts online, so his recent action not only shocked his fans but also piqued the curiosity of passersby. They couldn’t fathom why a superstar like him would have any connection with an unknown rookie idol.

Therefore, his action of liking a post related to Meng Zhen caused a huge uproar online.

As Luo Yang’s manager, Ma Chao didn’t need to check his phone to guess what people were thinking. After all these years, fans had speculated endlessly about Luo Yang’s romantic relationships, and now Meng Zhen was no exception.

Sure enough, on various major forums, many onlookers were posting threads with a variety of topics, but the general content was similar—— How did Meng Zhen manage to hug Luo Yang’s golden thigh^[2]a powerful protector/backer?

【I thought Meng Zhen’s career was over when Yunlai Entertainment announced their intent to terminate her contract. But who would have thought, she not only distanced herself from her unscrupulous former company but also hitched a ride with our King Luo? Could King Luo have taken a liking to Meng Zhen?】

【Stop spreading rumors, Upstairs. Everyone knows that Luo Yang has never publicly acknowledged any girlfriend in all these years. He’s known for being clean and straightforward. He’s a genius singer who’s also interested in traditional opera. I heard that his upcoming short film includes elements of opera, and Luo Yang might have simply liked Meng Zhen’s video practicing Peking Opera basics. Let’s not jump to conclusions.】

【Take away Luo Yang and send away Meng Zhen. Handsome guys and beautiful girls can just be friends. Don’t make assumptions or provoke Luo Yang’s fans.】

Luo Yang had produced numerous widely acclaimed works during his over a decade-long career, garnering countless fans across the internet and generally positive impressions from the public. The only aspect that drew curiosity was his sexual orientation, given that Luo Yang had never publicly acknowledged having a girlfriend. Meng Zhen, being a rare beauty, naturally sparked speculation.

However, most netizens believed that Meng Zhen was not at all suitable for Luo Yang, whether in terms of fame or achievements. There was a significant disparity between them, so a romantic relationship was unlikely.

———pr

The next morning, Meng Zhen sat in front of her desk, flipping through books on performance. Outside the window, light rain drizzled down, splashing onto the succulent on her desk through the cracks. The palm-sized green plant thrived, vibrant and lively, adding a pleasant touch to the scene.

This succulent Meng Zhen bought a few days ago at the supermarket had fallen from the display shelf once, looking a bit wilted at the time. Surprisingly, it managed to survive and thrive after she brought it home.

She felt that this succulent plant was much like herself, having experienced death and rebirth in a different world.

Suddenly, Meng Zhen’s phone rang. It was from an unfamiliar number she had never seen before.

When Meng Zhen answered the phone, a clear and magnetic voice from the other end greeted her, gentle like a soft breeze in the mountains, “May I speak to Ms. Meng Zhen?”

“Yes, this is Meng Zhen. May I ask who’s calling?”

“I’m Luo Yang.”

Robbin: I just saw on NU that the first translator has decided to continue with this novel and did a mass release, so if anyone wanted faster update you can just go read theirs. Thank you and have a nice day! ^^