Chapter 301: Have A Child Soon...

"Little sister-in-law, bring Boss out more often in the future. Don't let him stay at home all day." He Ziheng had drunk a lot of wine and was growing more talkative.

Shi Jin smiled and asked, "When did you become friends with Fu Xiuyuan?"

Her eyes sparkled and she asked sincerely.

Seeing her expression, He Ziheng opened his mouth.

"It's been a long time. Speaking of back then, our families sent us for special training and intellectual development even before we stopped breastfeeding. We were so young and only knew how to drink milk. Special training my ass. We were scolded until we cried every day. During the exams, we relied on Boss to support us. Didn't the little Boss become our real Boss?"

"So you've known each other since you were young." Shi Jin listened attentively. She tilted her head and glanced at Fu Xiuyuan. It turned out that he had been born with leadership skills.

Fu Xiuyuan looked back at her, pleased by the passion in her eyes.

Their eyes met and the temperature in the room rose spontaneously.

As the people chatted, they could sense the romance.

"That's right. Speaking of which, Boss is not much older than us. He's the only one who could handle all the special training and intelligence training. The rest of us were just accompanying the crown prince in his studies." When He Ziheng talked about this, he couldn't help but envy Fu Xiuyuan's intelligence. "Man, he's a natural. We really can't envy him."

"Yes. I was willing to concede that he was like that when he was young, but when he grew up, he still crushed us." Qiao Zhuoli laughed and said, "Humans are not born equal."

Pei Junyi added, "Sis-in-law, since you've become our sister-in-law, why don't you come out for a drink with us in the future?"

What moved these people were not only Shi Jin's bottles of good wine, but also her current expression and her smiling eyes.

One could never hit a smiling person. Moreover, this was their boss's woman.

"Sure." Shi Jin agreed immediately.

Lan Tian raised her hand weakly. "I'm different from them. I'm a friend of Sister Lotus. I'm here to be a bystander."

"Sister Lotus's friend is Fu Xiuyuan's friend. It's the same." Shi Jin smiled brightly at her.

Lan Tian was stunned. How had this girl in front of her become so beautiful and valiant?

She said in a daze, "So, Sister Shi Jin, your previous test results were real?"

She did not mean to offend her and was just really surprised.

Shi Jin raised her eyebrows and smiled faintly. "I didn't want to graduate from high school. That way, Fu Xiuyuan wouldn't catch me and marry me."

As soon as she said this, everyone felt the coldness in the room intensify, and they couldn't help but shudder.

Shi Jin took Fu Xiuyuan's hand and placed it between her palms. She said, "After that, I realized that I should hurry up and graduate so that I could be Fu Xiuyuan's wife. So the results are real."

She was clearly speaking in a normal voice, but in the ears of others, it sounded coquettish.

To Fu Xiuyuan, those words were undoubtedly the most enticing confession she had ever made, and it was as if she was begging him to kiss her.

In a flash, Fu Xiuyuan's handsome grin grew.

She felt a warm sensation on her lips as the man pressed his mouth against hers, pulling her into his embrace.

"Wow!"

Everyone could not hide their shock.

Shi Jin placed her hands on his chest, stopping Fu Xiuyuan's kiss.

In front of her friends, she had yet to show off her love. Moreover, there were still minors present.

Lan Tian's face was red as she looked at Shi Jin. "Sister Shi Jin, can I ask you some questions next time?"

"Of course. We're friends."

This time, Lan Tian was smiling so much that her eyes had narrowed.

He Ziheng poured two more glasses of wine and handed one to Shi Jin. "Little sister-in-law, this is to you! I don't know what to wish you guys, but I hope you guys have a child soon!"

Fu Xiuyuan's expression darkened slightly. Have a child soon... He seemed far from that goal.

Because he was worried that the first time would not make Shi Jin feel good, he remained calm and composed. This was a gentleman's behavior.

It was hard to imagine that he and Shi Jin had been married for almost half a year.

"May Boss and Sis-in-law have a child soon!" Everyone also raised their glasses.

This time, everyone stayed longer than Fu Xiuyuan expected.

In this group of people, Shi Jin was completely at home. In fact, she was more comfortable than Fu Xiuyuan.

When it was time to go, everyone had to leave. There was still a bottle of the wine that they had yet to drink. Pei Junyi and He Ziheng were like roosters with bloodshot eyes, staring at the bottle of wine covetously.

"I'll take it back for my collection. This wine is extremely valuable. It'd be a pity to drink it," Pei Jun said first.

"Isn't wine meant to be drunk? If I take it back to drink, wouldn't it be more just?" He Ziheng disagreed.

Pei Jun said, "Drinking that would be a waste!"

He Ziheng: "Collecting it is meaningless!"

Qiao Zhuoli said mildly, "Shi Jin brought the wine. Aren't you going to ask her for her opinion first?"

Although he was about the same age as everyone else, he was from the same generation and addressed Shi Jin by her name.

Shi Jin smiled. "I brought it for everyone. Keep it."

"Whoever gets it first will get to keep it!" He Ziheng took the initiative and grabbed the bottle before Shi Jin could finish her sentence.

Pei Junyi was a second late. His face was red and he looked at He Ziheng speechlessly.

He Ziheng took the wine and ran over to Fu Xiuyuan's side. He was sure that Pei Junyi would not dare to do anything rash and became even more fearless.

Pei Junyi was so angry that he packed up the three empty bottles. Although the empty bottles were not as valuable as He Ziheng's actual bottle of wine, their collection value was still decent.

Putting the three together was better than nothing.

"I'm going to the washroom," Shi Jin said with a smile.

Lan Tian immediately ran to Shi Jin's side. "I'll go with Sister Shi Jin."

She held Shi Jin's arm and followed her in with a smile, saying in a low voice, "It's great that you're together with Boss."

"Really?" Shi Jin smiled.

"That's right. In the past, I thought that you guys were a good match and that we would definitely be happy together. I didn't expect that my notion was really accurate. I've really never seen Boss like a girl so much. In our group, he says whatever he wants, and no one dares to go against him. He's willing to listen to you, though.."

Chapter 302: Preparing For The Birthday Party

Shi Jin smiled.

"But it's also his blessing to be able to marry you. You look better than on TV, and your voice is even sweeter than in the records." The blue sky could not stop blowing rainbow farts.

Actually, she was considered a hidden gem. Although she didn't specialize in Shi Jin's fanbase, in reality, she bought all the songs that Shi Jin posted immediately.

It couldn't be helped. Shi Jin's voice was too charming.

Qiao Zhuoli went to the balcony to smoke and Pei Junyi sighed while hugging the empty bottles.

He Ziheng carried his bottle of wine and walked to Fu Xiuyuan's side. Before he spoke, he burped.

Fu Xiuyuan rolled his eyes at him.

"Boss, don't look down on me. I think you haven't completely taken sister-in-law down yet."

"What do you mean?"

He Ziheng's voice became even more mysterious. "When you go back, I'll send you something good."

Fu Xiuyuan furrowed his brows and raised his chin to look at him. "You have quite a lot of money and wine."

"I'm serious! Just because Sister-in-law gave me this wine today, I have to help you guys settle this matter!"

"What's the matter?" Shi Jin and Lan Tian walked over together and asked with raised eyebrows.

He Ziheng was shocked. "No, nothing. I said I finished this bottle of wine tonight! At the same time, I'll help you keep the secret of you two being together from Sister Lotus!"

These words infuriated Pei Junyi to the point his brows knit together tightly.

Fu Xiuyuan snatched Shi Jin from Lan Tian's arms. Lan Tian's arms were empty. She met Fu Xiuyuan's dark gaze and ran over to He Ziheng without a word.

Shi Jin could not help but laugh. Fu Xiuyuan was too possessive, wasn't he?

She waved goodbye to everyone.

Fu Xiuyuan grabbed her wrist, pushed her against the car window and kissed her.

He was not a glutton for alcohol, but at this moment, he wanted to taste the fragrant red wine in her mouth.

Shi Jin took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "What's wrong? I remember that you don't like to drink either."

"You gave Lan Tian a drink."

"How dare you drink in front of He Ziheng when you know you're like this?"

"Aren't you here today?"

She was the one who suggested coming over for a drink today. He usually did not. However, it seemed like she had miscalculated.

"Alright, I'll let you drink it next time. It'll be fine as long as I'm around in the future." Shi Jin smiled, but her smile was blocked by Fu Xiuyuan.

***

As "Scorching Sun, Long Sky" became popular, "Scorching Sun, Long Sky" also created a small sales peak.

Li Juekai suddenly had too many scenes to count.

Shi Jin went to her parents' house for dinner on the weekend and found that Li Juekai's desk was filled with scripts.

"Shi Jin, you can help me take a look." Li Juekai pulled her to his side and said with a smile, "I was thinking of choosing one from these. Do you want to help me choose one?"

Shi Jin asked, "Do you still want to continue developing in the entertainment industry?"

"That's right. After all, it was your father's favorite career back then. Back then, he didn't even want the family business and had to act. All these years, it was also because of his family's affairs that he was delayed," Gu Qingqing said.

"That's great. It's not easy for people to do what they like. It's also the best choice."

Li Juekai raised his eyebrows and looked at Gu Qingqing. "Listen, my daughter also supports me."

Gu Qingqing smiled. "I can't win against you, but it's rare that you have such a high starting point now. If you really want to do it, I'll be your manager."

"What about the things you like?"

"Isn't it one of the things I like doing with you?"

Shi Jin sat at the side with a smile on her lips.

She read quickly and soon finished reading a few scripts. She pointed to one of them and said, "I think this is not bad."

Li Juekai and Gu Qingqing looked relieved.

"What's wrong?" Shi Jin felt a little uncomfortable from their smiles.

"Your father and I both fell for that script."

Shi Jin: "Then our hearts are really linked."

"Who asked us to be a family?" Gu Qingqing smiled and said, "Oh right, Shi Jin, your birthday is coming up soon. You won't be going overseas to work, right?"

"No." Shi Jin shook her head. "We'll spend it together."

Gu Qingqing was full of anticipation. "I've been waiting for that day. Your father has been waiting for it for a long time."

***

Shi Xuexin's birthday was approaching.

She was born on the same day as Shi Jin, which was why she was mistakenly swapped by the hospital.

In the past, the Shi family had prepared for a grand birthday celebration for Shi Xuexin.

Even though this year was her twentieth birthday and it was supposed to be a huge day, Yuxiu Hua's preparations were a little weak.

As she watched Shi Jin become more and more popular, even Li Juekai became the current famous Best Actor. The outdated Best Actor turned into someone who couldn't be easily touched. Yuxiu Hua felt very upset.

"Mom, I'm going out to sign a contract with Dad today. I won't be back for dinner tonight," Shi Xuexin informed her.

"Is that so? Are you sure you can sign it?" Yuxiu Hua asked, overjoyed.

"Yes, the other party has already agreed," explained Shi Xuexin. "We will sign it now.."

Chapter 303: High-quality Brand-less Clothes

Yuxiu Hua's spirit was roused. "That's great. Speaking of which, this is the fifth contract you've signed this month. Not to mention your father, even your grandfather during his prime might not be able to match up to you."

She secretly blamed herself for being distracted by Shi Jin's incident. She was so flustered that she had ended up being careless even on her daughter's birthday. This was not something a good mother should do.

Her daughter was so capable. She was able to inherit the family business at such a young age. How could she think that Shi Jin had defeated her?

Shi Xuexin said with a smile, "Then I'll be leaving first."

"Go, go," Yuxiu Hua said.

The servant said, "Miss is getting more and more amazing."

"That's right, she's really my good daughter. Our Shi family's child is the best." Yuxiu Hua was very proud.

The maid chimed in, "That's for sure. In a place like the entertainment industry, it's possible for a person to show off their beauty, but for someone like you, who can stand out in the business world, it's not easy. There's no comparison."

Yuxiu Hua became even happier. These words touched the bottom of her heart. "Who would say otherwise? Oh right, go and make an appointment at Breeze Wind Pavilion... Forget it, I'll make an appointment myself."

Breeze Wind Pavilion was one of the top banquet venues in the capital city.

It was called Breeze Wind Pavilion, and in reality, the terrain suited the name of this building. It was built in a place with an elegant environment. It was warm in winter and cool in summer. Because of the structure of the building in summer, it could receive a breeze from all directions. It was very refreshing and pleasant.

In this big city where modern people relied on air conditioning all year round, it was a rare experience to be able to enjoy nature's gifts while dining on delicacies.

Therefore, even those who did not have any appetite would usually be happy to enjoy the wind in Breeze Wind Pavilion.

Now that it was summer break, it was the most suitable time to enjoy the pavilion. Naturally, it was crowded.

Yuxiu Hua was planning to personally make an appointment to hold a grand birthday banquet for Shi Xuexin.

***

After Shi Xuexin left, she went to meet the client with Shi Qing and successfully signed the contract.

Not to mention Yuxiu Hua, even Shi Qing was full of praise for Shi Xuexin. "Xuexin, you really have the same style as me back then."

"Dad, you're flattering me."

"It's all thanks to you." Shi Qing did not understand why the company's business had plummeted during this period. Fortunately, Shi Xuexin was by his side.

Shi Xuexin said gently, "This is my duty."

"Let's go. Get in the car and go home."

"No, Dad, I'm meeting a friend for dinner."

Shi Qing did not insist and said, "Go ahead then."

Shi Xuexin immediately called Chen Jierou. "Jierou, come out and accompany me."

Soon, they met at a mall.

Chen Jierou saw Shi Xuexin and said, "This is great. Shall we go shopping together?"

"Sure. Buy some clothes with me." Shi Xuexin held hands with her and walked towards an affordable store.

"Eh, Xuexin, what's wrong with you? Why are you buying such cheap clothes? Is the Shi family in a difficult situation now? But no matter how difficult it is, it shouldn't be this bad, right?"

"That's not it." Shi Xuexin shook her head and said, "I plan to meet someone. He has always dressed plainly, so I don't want to look too flamboyant."

Chen Jierou heaved a sigh of relief. "I see. Who is it?"

"My brother, Gu Jingyuan."

When Shi Xuexin was at the Li family's, she realized that Gu Jingyuan was dressed very simply, just like Old Master Li. His clothes were all bought and tailored by someone, and he rarely went out shopping himself.

At that time, the town itself had still had a tailor shop, so the others had felt that it was normal, but sometimes, Xuexin didn't like it. She felt that the style of the tailor was too old-fashioned, and nice lace edges weren't even an option.

However, since Gu Jingyuan liked it this way, there was nothing wrong with her following his lead.

She had to admit that it was necessary to build a good relationship with Gu Jingyuan.

Out of the five contracts she had signed recently, four of them had been signed because of him. She had a good relationship with Gu Jingyuan and they had been siblings for twelve years before he moved.

Every time she spoke of the relationship she had with her siblings, her listeners would praise and admire her.

No matter how stupid Shi Xuexin was, she knew that Gu Jingyuan was giving her face.

Beijing University's Professor, Gu Jingyuan, the Genius Doctor Gu Jingyuan... He was sought after by many. He was much more impressive than her with her empty titles.

So she couldn't wait any longer. She had to see Gu Jingyuan and salvage their relationship.

"Why? Do you have to dress worse when you see your big brother? Oh, I remember now. Is he Doctor Gu from First High School and Second High School? Xuexin, why are you so nice? You're even taking me to see him!"

"Yeah, are you willing to come with me?"

"Of course, of course!"

Chen Jierou was more than happy to help Shi Xuexin choose her clothes.

Her family was in the clothing business and she had even been to a show overseas. She was quite good at choosing clothes.

Shi Xuexin also had her own plans. Currently, Gu Jingyuan did not have a girlfriend, so it would be good if he took a fancy to one of her friends.

However, she couldn't let on and act like a mediocre matchmaker who had never seen the world. She could only use this method.

Soon, Shi Xuexin changed into a cheap set of clothes and went to the hospital where Gu Jingyuan worked.

Shi Xuexin asked a nurse about her brother's office, and then walked over with Chen Jierou. She was still thinking about what to say to him.

They finally reached his office.

Shi Xuexin waited until a patient left and Gu Jingyuan was alone in the treatment room before she knocked on the door and entered.

Gu Jingyuan was engrossed in writing when he heard a knock at the door. He looked up and was surprised to see that it was Shi Xuexin.

What was she doing here?

"Big Brother!" Shi Xuexin was the first to greet him.

Gu Jingyuan only raised his eyes once, but these eyes were unforgettable. There were also some similarities between his eyes and Shi Jin's.

He was wearing a white coat and had a transcendent aura.

Beneath the white coat was a white shirt. It was the kind that Shi Xuexin was used to seeing. It had been specially made by the tailor and did not have any brand.

He was a man of integrity, so when he wore all these clothes, he looked exceptionally elegant, diluting their plainness.

"What are you doing here?" Gu Jingyuan's voice was calm and emotionless.

This was not what Shi Xuexin wanted either, but she no longer had Gu Jingyuan's contact number..

Chapter 304: Plain Young Master Li

Or rather, Shi Xuexin had gone to the school to get Gu Jingyuan's contact number. She did not know how to begin repairing their relationship, so she might as well make a trip down personally.

"I'm here to visit you. You've been back in the capital for so long, but I haven't been to visit you yet." Shi Xuexin's voice was deliberately lighthearted.

"I also wanted to know more about your work environment," she said.

In the past, Gu Jingyuan might really have done his duty as an elder brother to her. However, it was impossible now. Knowing what Shi Jin's life was like in the Shi family, Gu Jingyuan's impression of Shi Xuexin was that she was just an ordinary person. Their sibling relationship was long gone.

"Can't you see that I'm in the middle of a consultation right now? The time that patients and doctors have is very precious. Next!"

An old woman walked in, trembling. "Doctor Gu..."

Shi Xuexin looked disinterested in her plight. However, Gu Jingyuan was already engrossed in his work. He got the old lady to sit down and began his consultation.

It seemed that he was only interested in his work and would not be deliberately making things difficult for himself.

Shi Xuexin said, "Sorry, I'll wait for you to get off work."

She turned around and walked out. Chen Jierou was still smitten, so Shi Xuexin reached over and pulled her away.

Finally, it was six o'clock. Gu Jingyuan took off his white coat and changed into his casual clothes. He even smelled like disinfectant.

"Brother." Shi Xuexin ran over.

"What's the matter?" Gu Jingyuan did not even bat an eyelid at her. With the treatment book in his hands, he strode forward.

Shi Xuexin followed him and said, "My birthday is coming up soon. In the past, I used to celebrate my birthday with Shi Jin. This year, I want to invite her again. Do you think that's a good idea?"

In order to ease her relationship with Gu Jingyuan, she was willing to bow her head to Shi Jin.

"Not really." Gu Jingyuan stopped in his tracks. "We've already parted, so let's go our separate ways."

"Big Brother, my mom was indeed not very nice to Shi Jin in the past. I only found out later. If I had known earlier, I would have gotten her to change long ago. This time, I want to celebrate Shi Jin's birthday with her. I also want to resolve our misunderstandings. After all, Shi Jin and I have been sisters for eight years."

Gu Jingyuan said calmly, "Is that so?"

"You can trust me, Brother."

"I only believe in the truth."

"Brother! Seeing is believing!" Shi Xuexin emphasized.

The past was already in the past. She did not believe that Gu Jingyuan would be able to make comparisons like this forever. As long as she performed well now, she could definitely dispel his worries.

Only then did Gu Jingyuan raise his eyes and look at her calmly for a few seconds. He said, "In the past, the Li family was wrong and didn't come to pick up Shi Jin in time. Now, the Li family is reforming and making up for this mistake. In that case, I hope that the relationship between the Li and Shi families will just end peacefully here."

"Big Brother!"

Gu Jingyuan's strides were big. After he finished speaking, he turned around and left.

Shi Xuexin clenched her fists tightly as regret surfaced in her heart. If she had known... if she had known that Gu Jingyuan would accomplish such achievements, she would not have been so brazen towards Shi Jin before.

She also regretted avoiding Gu Jingyuan and Old Master Li when they came to visit her.

"Xuexin, Xuexin?"

Shi Xuexin was stunned and realized that Chen Jierou was still beside her. She had seen everything.

Shi Xuexin said in a low voice, "Big Brother and I had a misunderstanding. Shi Jin slandered me in front of him. I wanted to resolve this misunderstanding today..."

"Shi Jin is too much! What right does she have to slander you!" Chen Jierou was indignant.

"It's not her fault. After all, Big Brother is her biological brother. Big Brother should believe her."

Chen Jierou said angrily, "Shi Jin is a troublemaker. Why is she always causing problems everywhere?"

"Forget it, it's fine. I believe my brother will wake up soon."

"By the way, you said that we should dress more plainly when meeting Big Brother. Why?"

"He has always dressed very plainly. He doesn't like others to dress too gorgeously," explained Shi Xuexin.

"That's not true. Can't you see that his shirt is a limited edition? The fabric of the jacket he changed into at the back is also very unique. His entire outfit is custom-made."

Chen Jierou's family was in the clothing business, so she was relatively knowledgeable.

Shi Xuexin was stunned. "What did you say?"

"I said he's wearing custom-made clothes! They're expensive. How could an ordinary person afford them? What part of him can be said to have anything to do with simplicity?"

Shi Xuexin could not believe it. On the way home, she was in a daze. After returning home, she asked the servant, "Where are the clothes I wore when I was young?"

"I think they were all thrown out."

"Is there nothing left?"

"Miss, you are the one who said to throw everything away. You thought they were eyesores."

Shi Xuexin's expression turned extremely ugly. One of the servants seemed to have thought of something and said, "I saw a few pieces of good quality clothing. I saved them for my granddaughter to wear. Miss, if you want, I'll bring them back for you."

"Get them."

Soon, the servant brought over a small bag with a dozen sets of clothes inside. They were all clothes that Shi Xuexin had worn back in that small town.

So many years had passed, and the maid's granddaughter had worn them many times. However, the colors were still bright and hadn't faded.

Shi Xuexin grabbed a handful of clothing. There were no labels on them. The designs were simple and mainly consisted of plain colors, black, white, and gray. At first glance, everything looked inconspicuous. Upon closer inspection, every part of the needlework was fine and uniform.

And in fact, just based on the fact that it had remained the same even after so many years, one could tell the value of the material and workmanship.

Shi Xuexin was shocked. What kind of family was the Li family?

How was she able to wear handmade, high-end clothes while living in a small town!

***

After Shi Jin's college entrance examination results were announced, Second High hung up a banner and held a celebration party for the entire Year Three class.

At the banquet, Principal Lu specially invited the teachers from First High School over. He showed them Shi Jin's marks one by one.

The faces of the teachers and principal of First High School turned red and white.

They couldn't blame Principal Lu for being arrogant. Back then, when Wen Yongwei had been the first prize winner of the domestic Mathematical Olympiad, First High School had almost hung a banner at the entrance of Second High School.

Right now, Principal Lu was just trying to get back at them. It was nothing special. Moreover, when the teacher from First High School mentioned the bet he had made, his voice was especially loud.

Shi Jin did not stay for long and walked out.

The others were still busy, and only she appeared at the entrance of Second High School.

It was already summer vacation and there were not many people at school.. She strolled out and heard Shi Xuexin calling out to her, "Shi Jin!"

Chapter 305: Birthday Party At The Same Place

Shi Jin looked up and saw that familiar and annoying figure. She was really persistent.

"Shi Jin." Shi Xuexin ran over and said, "I heard that the school is holding a celebration party for you today. I wanted to celebrate with you too."

"The celebration is inside. You can go in." Shi Jin looked at her with a faint smile.

It was obvious that Shi Xuexin would not enter just to seek humiliation.

Shi Xuexin said with a smile, "Since we're here to celebrate, we're naturally here to celebrate for you. Isn't our birthday coming up soon as well? Let's celebrate together, alright?"

Shi Jin looked up. Her clear eyes were striking, making Shi Xuexin unable to hide anything.

How could Shi Jin not know why she had invited her to celebrate her birthday with her?

Shi Jin said calmly, "How rare. Have you invited me before?"

"We used to... we used to live together, so we didn't need to specially invite each other."

"There's no need for that. I don't like celebrating birthdays with people I don't like." After Shi Jin said that, she walked away slowly.

Shi Xuexin felt vexed. This was like having her left cheek slapped by Gu Jingyuan and her right cheek slapped by Shi Jin.

She bit her lip and thought about whether there was anyone left in the Li family that she had not offended before.

She counted carefully and realized that there was no one. It wasn't just her, Yuxiu Hua's eccentric attitude had also damaged the relationship between the two families.

After they returned, Yuxiu Hua said happily, "Xuexin, for your birthday this time, I've booked the banquet hall at Breeze Wind Pavilion for you!"

"Thanks, Mom."

"Also, the Chu family came early in the morning to tell me that Chu Ling will be there. Not only that, he will also bring some friends to support us."

"Really?" Shi Xuexin felt much better.

"Why would I lie to you?" Yuxiu Hua looked radiant. "This birthday banquet of yours will definitely become a grand occasion!"

Shi Xue thought about Shi Jin and Gu Jingyuan's arrogant looks. Perhaps they were indeed difficult to beat, but so what?

With Chu Ling around, the Shi family could still crush the Lis.

***

On Shi Jin's birthday.

A few days earlier, Li Juekai and Gu Qingqing had been preparing for the entire birthday party.

This was the first birthday they had celebrated with their daughter in twenty years. It was obvious how important it was. Because of this, Gu Jingyuan had been reminded many times.

Of course, Gu Jingyuan had no complaints. He was even more concerned about this birthday party than his parents.

Not only had he personally prepared the set-up, but he had also arranged the dishes and flavors in the kitchen.

Early in the morning, he even went to take a look at the venue to ensure that everything was fine. After that, he returned home and chose the most suitable outfit.

"Dad, Mom, I'm going to pick up my sister!" Gu Jingyuan said, leaving with his car keys.

The three of them had all wanted to go and get Shi Jin. In the end, Gu Qingqing had proposed they draw lots to decide the winner, and Gu Jingyuan had won.

Because of this, Li Juekai and Gu Qingqing felt regretful for half a night.

"It seems like we can only go and fetch her first, then go and get the cake," Li Juekai said.

"Well, I'm going to see my daughter soon anyway. What's wrong with picking her up early?" Gu Qingqing laughed.

Shi Jin knew that there would be a birthday party tonight.

Her previous birthdays had all been fragmented. She had either spent them with Old Master Shi, or, later on, when Old Master Shi could no longer see and did not care about the Shi family's affairs, she had casually spent them with Shi Xuexin. Hence, she wasn't really looking forward to her birthday.

However, seeing everyone busy preparing for her, a different feeling slowly rose in her heart.

Everyone was surrounding her with love.

Wasn't this what she had tried so hard to get?

She changed into a simple dark green dress and put on flat-heeled shoes. The lively young girl in the mirror looked extremely outstanding.

Youth was the best make-up on anyone, let alone Shi Jin, who had such stunning features.

Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall. Her youthful image was slowly transitioning towards maturity.

She received a message on WeChat.

Shi Jin heard Gu Jingyuan's voice. "I'm at the Lanting Residence. Can I come in?"

"Come in. I'm ready," Shi Jin smiled and replied.

Gu Jingyuan came in quickly and Shi Jin went downstairs.

He was admiring the decoration of the Lanting Residence. Probably because he felt that Fu Xiuyuan's work was satisfactory, Gu Jingyuan's expression was very gentle.

"I'm here to pick you up for your birthday party. Where's Fu Xiuyuan?"

"Yes, he was here just now. He might be busy." Shi Jin knew that Fu Xiuyuan had a lot of work to do.

Gu Jingyuan said, "Ignore him then. Let's go over first."

"I'll tell him first." She opened WeChat and told Fu Xiuyuan where she was going.

***

At Breeze Wind Pavilion:

The atmosphere at Breeze Wind Pavilion, which had always been lively, was especially lively today.

Countless guests dressed in extraordinary clothes were walking about, and the scene was extremely luxurious.

The Shi family had arranged for Shi Xuexin's birthday party to be held tonight. Although it was only in a side room, it was enough to give them face.

After all, not everyone could make an appointment at Breeze Wind Restaurant. Furthermore, Yuxiu Hua had only made up her mind at the last minute to hold her daughter's birthday party there. There had been no availability when she went to book it.

It was only after the Chu family heard about it and came forward to help that Yuxiu Hua obtained this side room.

Not only could they enjoy the beautiful scenery and the delicacies here, but they could also signify their status.

At that moment, in a side room, Shi Xuexin's huge photo was standing at the door. In the photo, she was smiling sweetly and looked extremely eye-catching.

Today, the Chu family had arrived early. Father and Mother Chu had come early in the morning, giving Shi Xuexin plenty of face.

She warmly welcomed them. "Uncle, Auntie."

"This is a gift for you." Mrs. Chu smiled and took out an exquisite box for Shi Xuexin.

"Thank you, Auntie. You are so considerate." Shi Xuexin took it and smiled even more brightly. However, why wasn't Chu Ling here yet?

Mrs. Chu seemed to read Shi Xuexin's mood as she said with a smile, "He's a little late. I heard that he wanted to give you a surprise."

"Actually, I'm already very surprised that he's even coming," Shi Xuexin said with pursed lips, her face glowing.

Her words naturally made Mr. and Mrs. Chu happy.

Mrs. Chu really liked how lenient and sensible she was.. She smiled and said, "I heard you've signed quite a few good contracts recently?"

Chapter 306: The Hardest Main Hall

"It was all thanks to Father's guidance that I was able to secure those contracts," Shi Xuexin said humbly. "I also benefited greatly from Uncle and Auntie's precious words."

Mrs. Chu nodded her head in satisfaction. Shi Xuexin had never taken credit for herself. She was a very good and virtuous wife. It was a blessing for her son to have such a good match.

She said, "I brought a few friends from the business world over today to support you. They're here. You can greet them. Come, I'll take you to get to know them."

Shi Xuexin had not been expecting Mother Chu to be so kind to her and was extremely grateful.

Mrs. Chu then introduced her to CEO Zhang, Director Li, two high-ranking officials, and a rich young lady.

They all had a certain status and were important guests of the Chu family. They had given Shi Xuexin face by coming here today.

Under Mrs. Chu's introduction, everyone presented gifts and kept praising Shi Xuexin's beauty and outstanding ability.

Shi Xuexin's humble reply was very appropriate. It even attracted the unanimous praise of the distinguished guests.

Yuxiu Hua was standing to one side, feeling more and more satisfied. A biological daughter was truly different. If it was Shi Jin, could she do this? Could she handle it?

These were all resources of the Chu family. Mother Chu had never introduced them to Xuexin before.

Now that she had seen Shi Xuexin making progress in the business world and becoming more and more sensible, she was beginning to hand resources over to her.

"Xuexin, you have to treat these guests seriously," Mrs. Chu said. "Chu Ling is busy with his own business, and he has a lot of family matters to attend to. I hope you can work with him and become invincible."

"Auntie, I will definitely manage it. I will also fully support Brother Chu Ling's career!" Shi Xuexin felt agitated as her heart thumped.

It looked like she had truly obtained the Chu Clan's approval.

As long as she could get these resources, she would not need to be too afraid of Shi Jin.

Shi Xuexin invited them in and took their seats while she continued waiting at the door. A moment later, guests from the Shi family's business circle also arrived.

The side hall was bustling with noise and excitement. It was crowded and extremely noisy.

The person Shi Xuexin was most anticipating was naturally Chu Ling. In her heart, she longed for the surprise he would bring her. However, before Chu Ling could arrive, some familiar figures walked over.

It was Gu Jingyuan and Shi Jin.

Gu Jingyuan was not as cold as usual. He walked over with Shi Jin, chatting and laughing. It was rare for Shi Jin to wear a dress. It was only an extremely simple dress, but it seemed to cling to every part of her body, making her look elegant and charming.

"Father and Mother have gone to fetch Grandfather. They'll be here soon," Gu Jingyuan said with a smile. "Let's go in and take a seat first. There will be some guests coming over later."

When Shi Jin heard the people in the hall, she knew that there must be many people there.

The Li family had been specially preparing for this birthday party this time, so they definitely wouldn't have kept it a secret.

Shi Jin knew what her parents were thinking. They wanted to make things up to her so they were taking the opportunity to give her the best.

She asked, "Do we need to stand at the door and receive these guests? I see that there are people waiting outside the other halls."

"No need. You're the birthday girl today. Who would dare to make you stand at the door? You can just sit in your seat and wait. Even if you really need someone to receive them, I can go." Gu Jingyuan patted her head.

Shi Jin smiled. "Then I will really sit still and not move today."

"Of course." Gu Jingyuan smiled.

Shi Jin took his arm and walked forward.

When Shi Xuexin saw how intimate they were being, she felt a little upset. She called out to Gu Jingyuan, "Big Brother!"

Gu Jingyuan and Shi Jin walked straight ahead. It was unclear whether they had not heard her or were just not bothering to reply.

Shi Xuexin naturally could not believe that they were there to celebrate her birthday. However, she felt indignant as she shouted, "Big Brother, Shi Jin!"

Gu Jingyuan looked up, not expecting to see Shi Xuexin here.

"Are you guys here today to celebrate Shi Jin's birthday?" Shi Xuexin asked.

As far as she knew, it had already been very difficult for her to make a reservation at this place. Otherwise, they wouldn't have needed the Chu family's help.

Shi Jin had likely come back later to book it. Seeing that Gu Jingyuan had not come prepared, it must have been even more difficult.

"Although I booked a side room, there are still many seats. Brother, if there are only a few of you, why don't you come and celebrate in my room? Shi Jin and I can celebrate our birthday together."

"There's no need. We've booked a room already," Gu Jingyuan said calmly. He turned to Shi Jin and said, "Let's go in first."

With that, the two of them walked towards the largest main hall. The manager was waiting for them at the door personally. When he saw the two of them, he immediately opened the door for them and greeted them warmly with a smile.

Shi Xuexin looked at this scene in astonishment. She remembered that when her mother had come to make the reservation, people had said that the waiting list for the halls stretched all the way into next year. Especially the largest main hall, as it had always been popular over the years.

Not to mention now, previously when Chu Ling's album had received the sales award for the year, the company had specially booked the largest main hall. Back then, everyone had said that the appointment would not be until the end of the year.

At that time, Hu Lai and Xiuli Entertainment had made use of their connections, but had still failed to book the place.

When had Shi Jin and the rest booked it? Could it be that Gu Jingyuan's strength was already so terrifying?

Without giving Shi Xuexin time to think, Chu Ling arrived with Hu Lai.

The security measures at Breeze Wind Pavilion were thorough, and they were very protective of the celebrities. Hence, many famous people were coming and going peacefully without worrying about reporters and paparazzi. Therefore, Chu Ling did not need to wear a mask or sunglasses to hide his handsome face. He was moving around freely.

The staff there were well trained, and no one bothered them along the way.

A smile instantly appeared on Shi Xuexin's face. "Brother Chu Ling!"

"Happy birthday, Xuexin." Chu Ling took out an exquisite gift box and gave it to Shi Xuexin.

"Thank you, Brother Chu Ling." Shi Xuexin took it and her smile widened.

"You look so beautiful today."

Shi Xuexin became shy. She was wearing a princess dress today. It was her favorite style and had many lace ruffles. It was very cute. She had always liked this complicated and sweet style since she was young and wanted to be a little princess.

The clothes she used to wear at the Lis' were too simple and she really didn't like them.

Now that she was at the Shi family's house, she had switched out all her clothes. On such a grand occasion, she had specially ordered a sweet princess dress.

It was great that Chu Ling liked it..

Chapter 307: Isn't That Elder Zhu?

"Thank you, Brother Chu Ling, Sister Lai," Shi Xuexin said with a smile. "Why don't I accompany you in first?"

Hu Lai said, "Wait a minute, Chu Ling has prepared a surprise for you. Today is your birthday, so we naturally have to see the surprise first before we can go in and sit."

"What is it?"

"First of all, we want to introduce you to a violin master," Hu Lai said. "This is a master that our Chu Ling accidentally got to know last time he went out for filming. The two of them quickly became good friends. Chu Ling showed him your performance and he felt that it was not bad. If fate allows, he would like to take you in as his disciple."

"Really! That's great! Brother Chu Ling, you're the best!" Shi Xuexin was so excited that her voice went up a notch.

Chu Ling looked at her lovingly. "You like the violin. It's only right that I do this for you."

"Brother Chu Ling, you have done too much for me," said Shi Xuexin. "I wonder which master it is?"

"Wen Wang."

"Ah, it's Wen Wang! He's the country's top violin master, he's very famous. I'm so happy!"

"Master is here!" Hu Lai reminded.

An elderly man with white hair and a beard walked over with an extraordinary temperament. Hu Lai hurriedly went forward to welcome him. "Master Wen!"

"Chu Ling, Hu Lai," Wen Wang said amiably. "Is this the birthday girl?"

"Yes, Xuexin, come and meet Master Wen!"

Shi Xuexin hurriedly extended her hand. "Hello, Master Wen!"

"Xue Xin, I have often heard Chu Ling mention you. Seeing you today, you are indeed beautiful." Wen Wang laughed heartily.

"Master Wen, you flatter me. I'm really grateful that you've come to my birthday party. Please forgive me for my poor reception."

Both of them exchanged greetings.

Downstairs, Li Juekai and Gu Qingqing were greeting Old Master Li and an old friend of his that had rushed over together.

After getting out of the car, Li Juekai wanted to stop the vehicle and said, "Qingqing, accompany Dad and Uncle Zhu upstairs first."

"Sure." Gu Qingqing smiled and said, "Dad, Uncle Zhu, this way please."

Uncle Zhu's real name was Zhu Junrong. He looked ordinary and said to Old Master Li, "Old Master, you really have to let Shi Jin learn from me. I've seen her play the violin once. She's really talented! If you don't agree to it today, I won't leave!"

Old Master Li smiled. "You'll have to ask Qingqing first."

"Qingqing, you could be considered a junior that I've watched grow up. You won't be stingy in lending your daughter to me, right?"

"It would be Shi Jin's honor to learn from Uncle Zhu. But Uncle Zhu, she is no longer a young lady. She is already an adult and has her own thoughts and career, so what I say definitely won't mean much to her. When the time comes, you'll have to personally ask her for her opinion."

Zhu Junrong's tone was unhappy. "This is what you call immoral. When Xuexin was still in the Li family, you sent her here to study. Although she was mediocre, did I say anything to reject her? Did I show you any disrespect? Now that you've acknowledged your biological daughter, you're not giving her to me! How infuriating!"

Gu Qingqing smiled gently. "Uncle Zhu, at that time, the child was still young and we couldn't take care of her, so we had to rely on you. Now, Her situation is really different. Please understand."

Zhu Junrong was fuming, but Gu Qingqing's words were gentle and polite, so he couldn't flare up. However, when she walked in front of Old Master Li, her expression did not look too good.

In this industry, it was not easy to find a good teacher. However, it was not easy for a good teacher to meet a good student either.

Zhu Junrong had been thinking about Shi Jin for a long time, but he had never gotten a chance to get close.

It was a rare occasion for her to be celebrating her birthday at this time. The Li family was holding a huge banquet and Zhu Junrong had come over early in the morning to support them. Who knew that this would be the result?

"Uncle Zhu, this way please." Gu Qingqing guided Old Master Li and Zhu Junrong forward.

Shi Xuexin was still chatting with Wen Wang. Chu Ling was also trying his best to recommend Shi Xuexin to Wen Wang.

Hu Lai was also standing to one side.

Shi Xuexin suddenly saw Old Master Li and Gu Qingqing.

She hadn't spent much time with Gu Qingqing, so their relationship was limited. However, Old Master Li had watched her grow up, so she was closest to him.

However, Old Master Li was still dressed in a traditional Chinese suit and a pair of ordinary cloth shoes. He looked no different from an ordinary old man from a small town.

Maybe he'd even left some chickens and ducks downstairs which were waiting to be delivered.

With that thought, Shi Xuexin felt conflicted. On the one hand, she was trying her best to restore her relationship with Gu Jingyuan and use his power to expand her career. However, on the other hand, she really didn't like Old Master Li's old-fashioned ways and didn't want to be associated with him.

Seeing Old Master Li coming over, she couldn't really greet him. What would Chu Ling think if Old Master Li gave her a chicken or duck?

While she was conflicted, she also saw Zhu Junrong, who was beside Old Master Li. Her violin teacher when she was young had not looked like Teacher Zhu.

Teacher Zhu had been teaching in a small town at that time. Not only was he very old-fashioned, but he was also extremely strict and hit her palms at any moment.

Furthermore, in that small town, Teacher Zhu had kept saying that she did not have much talent and needed more training to make up for her lack of ability with diligence. This had made Shi Xuexin doubt herself.

It was only when she returned to the Shi family later that all sorts of teachers began praising her. Shi Xuexin had quickly regained her confidence and received numerous awards.

She really did not understand what was going on with this Teacher Zhu. She was already very skilled, and when she returned to the capital, she was no worse than the others. Why had he been so stingy with praising her and being nice to her? She really could not understand why.

Shi Xuexin could be said to hate and fear him at the same time. Even in her dreams, she could see his ferocious expression. She did not want to see him at all anymore.

In that moment of hesitation, she subconsciously hid behind Chu Ling, completely ignoring the three people.

Old Master Li and Gu Qingqing seemed to have sensed something amiss and looked in Shi Xuexin's direction.

They could not see Shi Xuexin in person. They only saw the enlarged photo at the door. It was Shi Xuexin's high-definition photo.

Then, without saying anything, the two of them walked inside.

Li Juekai followed closely behind. He did not see Shi Xuexin and walked towards the main hall.

Only then did Shi Xuexin step out from behind Chu Ling. The smile on her face did not change, but she secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

Wen Wang said in a low voice, "Isn't that Elder Zhu?"

Chapter 308: An Important Senior

Shi Xuexin quickly looked at Chu Ling and realized that he had not noticed Old Master Li and the rest. Her expression became even calmer.

Wen Wang said in a low voice, "Isn't that Elder Zhu?"

"Master Wen, what did you say?" Chu Ling asked.

"I think I just saw an important senior."

Wen Wang looked over eagerly, as did Chu Ling. "A master from the violin world? How about we pay him a visit?"

Shi Xuexin was very surprised. "Master Wen, are you sure? Which one is he?"

"That Elder Zhu..." Wen Wang said softly. He seemed to have thought of something and did not say much.

Shi Xuexin was slightly shocked. Was he referring to Zhu Junrong? How was that possible? Zhu Junrong was just an ordinary teacher from a small town. He was not a good person. Most importantly, he was blind. How could he be a master? This was definitely impossible!

Seeing that Chu Ling still had the intention of going over, Shi Xuexin said, "Brother Chu Ling, Shi Jin's birthday party is over there."

"She's over there." Chu Ling paused as he recalled Shi Jin's beautiful figure and her fair and charming face.

It turned out that Shi Jin was in the main hall.

He had heard that Shi Jin's elder brother, Gu Jingyuan, was doing quite well. He had both reputation and prestige. It was no wonder that he was able to book the main hall that was usually so difficult to get. Who else would appear at her party today?

Shi Xuexin looked at him in a daze and said, "Brother Chu Ling? Brother Chu Ling?"

"It's alright, go on. You can go in with Master Wen first. Xuexin and I will be waiting for my other friends here." Chu Ling retracted his thoughts. After all, it was Shi Xuexin's birthday today. He could not think too much about Shi Jin.

"Do you have any other friends coming?" Shi Xuexin asked in anticipation, completely forgetting the shock that Wen Wang's words had brought.

The Chus' friends were either rich or noble. Chu Ling's own friends in the entertainment industry also held high status. No matter who he knew, they were all very valuable.

The surprise Chu Ling was giving her today was really too much!

"Yes, I have a few close friends with high statuses. They will be coming to support you today," Chu Ling said gently, "You're with me, but you can't be openly seen by others. It's been hard on you. Wait for me. When the time comes, I will definitely let everyone in the world know about you."

"Brother Chu Ling, you're the best."

***

Shi Jin was sitting in the main hall. When she saw Old Master Li enter, she stood up and walked towards him. "Grandpa."

"Ah." Old Master Li made an amiable sound. "I didn't see you around today, but it looks like my granddaughter has become even prettier. Come, this is Teacher Zhu. He teaches the violin. You know him."

"Hello, Teacher Zhu." Shi Jin greeted him politely and shook his hand.

"Don't call me Teacher Zhu. You should call me Grandpa Zhu."

"I wish you all the best, Grandpa." Shi Jin immediately corrected herself.

"Alright, alright, alright." Zhu Junrong smiled. "Shi Jin, I still have something to tell you..."

Gu Qingqing knew that he was going to bring up the same old topic again. She smiled and said, "Uncle Zhu, there are a few old friends over there. Why don't we go over and greet them first? Today is Shi Jin's birthday. Wait for her to finish her work today. We'll talk about other things when she has time."

He was dragged away by his wife.

Shi Jin could not help but smile. "Grandpa, I wonder what this Grandpa Zhu is going to say?"

Seeing that Shi Jin's face was full of affection, Old Master Li was in a good mood. "He's a zither fanatic, looking for students all day long. He can't wait to find a few good ones. He saw the video of you playing the violin and insisted on finding you to train. Your parents and I haven't agreed yet."

"Well, I wish you the best, Grandpa." Shi Jin did not take it to heart. Since he was a zither fanatic, there must be many people who wanted to be his disciple. He must be taking her in only on account of the Li family, right?

Shi Jin seemed to recall that he had taught Shi Xuexin before.

Gu Jingyuan walked over. "Shi Jin, your friends are here."

Shi Jin looked over and saw a few old friends. After Ye Ke and Wang Boyan's college entrance examination, their dressing and demeanor had become more mature.

Ye Ke was a little reserved at first, but when she saw Shi Jin, she rushed over excitedly and said loudly, "Happy birthday, Shi Jin."

"I brought you a present." Wang Boyan handed the item over.

"Thank you." Shi Jin accepted it. "I thought you guys were attending summer camp in America and couldn't make it back in time."

"I'd already predicted your birthday and planned to rush back at this time. Even if you hadn't invited me, I would have done it myself," Ye Ke said proudly.

Shi Jin smiled. The corners of her lips curled up into a bright and valiant smile. "It's a good thing that I invited you. Otherwise, you would have missed out on me."

The three of them chatted and laughed for a while more. When Ye Ke saw that her other friends had come, she pulled Wang Boyan away and sat to one side obediently.

The person who came this time was Gu Qinghua.

Ever since she left 'Ultimate Singer Songwriter', although she was not as popular as Shi Jin, her career had been stable and her business activities were stable.

After overcoming the problem of appearing on stage in public, her stage presence had also improved greatly. Her career could be said to be going smoothly.

Meeting again now, she was accompanied by a dutiful manager who took care of everything for her.

Although they had not seen each other since the competition, Gu Qinghua took off her sunglasses the moment she saw Shi Jin and smiled like a little girl. "Little Stone!" She opened her arms and hugged Shi Jin. "I missed you so much."

"Me too."

"I finally have the chance to see you. You have no idea how much I missed you."

"If you miss me in the future, look for me on WeChat."

How could Shi Jin not know why she had not been looking for her recently?

Gu Qinghua had signed a contract very quickly after the competition. Being in fourth place, she did not sign with Diamond Music, but with another company.

If Gu Qinghua came to look for her, she would be able to gain a lot of popularity. That was what her company thought. They urged her to look for Shi Jin and act as her best friend so that they could act in sister roles, because of this, not only had Gu Qinghua not openly looked for Shi Jin, she had even avoided arousing suspicion on Weibo.

The more she cared about this relationship, the more she was afraid of tarnishing it.

Shi Jin understood her concerns and had heard about Gu Qinghua from Yao Jiahong.

Gu Qinghua was really treating her as a friend.

***

Shi Xuexin and Chu Ling were waiting outside. Before Chu Ling's friends arrived, they saw a few people from the entertainment industry. First came Gu Qinghua, then Yu Guannan..

Chapter 309: An Important Guest Arrives

There were even the famous producer, Liu Ning, who had been very popular recently, and a few popular artists who had participated in "Burning Sun, Long Sky."

Shi Xuexin felt a little sour in her heart. Shi Jin's current circle of friends was really different from before.

She subconsciously reached out to hold Chu Ling's arm and consoled herself. "Shi Jin has only made friends in the entertainment industry. Those are nothing. Brother Chu Ling has more than her. Now that I have made some progress in the business world, I can make friends with masters like Wen Wang. There's no need for me to be calculative with Shi Jin."

Chu Ling thought so too. He lowered his head and said to her, "My friend will come over later. You'll be surprised to see him."

Shi Xuexin understood. The friends that Chu Ling could bring were definitely more famous than Gu Qinghua, Yu Guannan, and the rest.

A moment later, Cai Xinyi, the current boss of the Unquestionable Answers app, came over, followed by the current boss of the beauty and skincare product line Allure, Zhou Feng, who unlocked the door.

Shi Xuexin subconsciously asked, "Do the big bosses of these endorsement companies personally attend an artist's birthday?"

Chu Ling frowned. That was impossible. Those big shots had so many things to do every day. No matter how much they valued celebrities, they would only arrange for the relevant department heads to celebrate. How could they personally go to such events?

He did not respond. He only felt that Shi Jin's birthday was a little ridiculous. Was this all arranged by Gu Jingyuan?

After Cai Xinyi and Zhou Yue unlocked the door, a few familiar faces appeared.

Shi Xuexin's pupils constricted. It was Ji Huan and Principal Lu.

As the top student of Second High School and the city's top scholar, Shi Xuexin had invited Principal Lu to attend her eighteenth birthday. However, Principal Lu only arranged for his secretary to come over and had not come personally.

The difference between the two immediately became apparent.

The people behind them looked a little unfamiliar, but Shi Xuexin had seen the Mathematical Olympiad Competition before. She quickly remembered. Weren't these the teachers who had been leading the national team?

Shi Jin was really shameless. She had actually sent out invitations so widely. Was she going to invite everyone she knew?

Shi Xuexin's fingers tightened secretly. If she had known this would happen, she would have sent more invitations. There was no reason for her to be at a disadvantage over such a trivial matter.

Chu Ling looked at the teachers thoughtfully.

He recalled that when Shi Jin was young, her grades had indeed been not bad and she had always been able to endure studying. When had her grades plummeted?

Chu Ling furrowed his eyebrows. He recalled how he had decisively abandoned all her matters back then and felt an inexplicable sense of melancholy.

***

Shi Jin had just welcomed Liu Ning and Yu Guannan. When she saw Principal Lu and the others, she was stunned for a moment. She said to Liu Ning, "Producer Liu, help me keep Teacher Yu company."

Liu Ning and Yu Guannan sat to one side and chatted happily.

"Principal Lu, Teacher Ji... Teacher Xia, Teacher Fang, Teacher Wu!" Shi Jin's birthday really did not alarm these teachers.

She knew they were busy, and she had no intention of causing them any trouble.

Ji Huan was the first to speak. "Why? It's only been a few days since you graduated, and you didn't tell me about your birthday? Are you afraid that I'd come over to control you, so you avoided me?"

"Why would I? I just know that you guys are usually busy. It's unusual for you guys to have a break, so I didn't want to cause you any trouble."

"You still have to tell us about your birthday. Principal Lu and I have already spoken about it. No matter what, we have to share your joy."

"Welcome!" Shi Jin knew their intentions as elders and was speaking sincerely.

Teacher Fang said, "As for me, firstly, I want to celebrate your birthday. Secondly, I wanted to set up a compilation of the international competitions over the years. There's also..."

"Teacher Fang, you really have a lot of reasons for coming here today. Don't forget that today is my sister's birthday. She's the most important person in the world today. One or two things is not enough, so you even have a third reason to talk to her?" Gu Jingyuan walked over, smiling as he teased.

Teacher Fang recognized Gu Jingyuan at a glance. "Jingyuan! If you hadn't just appeared, I wouldn't have thought of you! Back then, when I asked you to come to the national team, you went overseas! Seriously, I've been bearing a grudge until now!"

These teachers were usually very serious, but at today's event, all of them were actually quite lively.

"Then I have to apologize to Teacher Fang. I was young back then and didn't think too much about it. However, you can look for me, but don't tire my sister out too much." Gu Jingyuan protected Shi Jin.

He hadn't expected Teacher Fang to remember him so clearly.

Teacher Xia said from the side, "It's all Teacher Fang's fault for not making things clear. What he wanted to say was to ask Shi Jin to help us get some of the medicine from last time. It's really good for refreshing the mind. We can't find it anywhere else, so we can only hang our heads and look for Shi Jin. At the same time, we want to take advantage of the birthday stars' happiness."

Shi Jin took out her bag. "The medicine is ready. I wanted to send it to you, but since you guys are here, it's convenient for me to give it to you now."

The three teachers took the medicine with great appreciation. "Thank you. We have troubled you today."

When Shi Jin received these teachers, she did not waste any effort on talking to them. The teachers and principal came together and soon started chatting with each other. It could be considered harmonious.

After a while, other Li family friends came over. The huge main hall was soon filled with people.

In the crowd, Shi Jin was like the moon surrounded by its stars, receiving great care and attention.

Everyone wanted to say a few words to her. Fortunately, Li Juekai, Gu Qingqing, and Gu Jingyuan didn't want her to get too tired, so they all stopped the admirers.

***

Shi Xuexin and Chu Ling were still waiting outside.

Shi Xuexin was very patient. Since it was Chu Ling's important friend, they would definitely be late. It was worth waiting for.

While waiting, Chu Ling's phone rang. He walked to one side to pick it up.

Shi Xuexin knew that Chu Ling's friend was about to arrive and so was the surprise he had prepared for her.

As Chu Ling answered the call, a large group of people suddenly rushed in from outside.

There were men and women among them, and all of them looked extraordinary. The man in the lead was a little ugly, but his facial features were outstanding.

The other man looked rather aloof and unapproachable.

At that moment, Shi Xuexin was dazzled. She suddenly thought of something. She seemed to have seen the man in the lead somewhere before. It should be... She remembered that the man was called He Ziheng! Young Master He Ziheng!

Although the He family was not one of the four major families, they had a strong background and mysterious family traditions. They held high esteem in the capital and even the four major families had to respect them..

Chapter 310: There's Always Someone Better

He Ziheng was a wanton and unbridled person. He liked to make friends and was very famous in the capital.

She had heard that the friends He Ziheng made all had deep backgrounds. The business they did was mysterious and profitable. It was very impressive.

There had always been a rumor in the capital that as long as one could become friends with He Ziheng, then they were bound to get richer!

Shi Xue recalled that Yuxiu Hua had once told her that the Chu family had connections with the He family in this area. However, Father and Mother Chu had never fully acknowledged her, so they had not shared these resources.

Seeing He Ziheng come personally today, Shi Xuexin was overjoyed. Was this the surprise Brother Chu Ling had mentioned? Was he going to introduce her to the He family?

Although Shi Xuexin did not know the others, since they were with He Ziheng, they had to be similar to him!

She had never expected the Chu clan's background to already be at this level!

Shi Xuexin's face flushed with happiness as tears welled up in her eyes. She was truly blessed!

Not only could the Chus interact with such a family, they had even come to celebrate her birthday!

If this matter were to spread, her entire circle of friends would definitely look at her in a different light.

At that moment, Shi Xuexin was thinking of many things. She thought about how she had previously tried to please Gu Jingyuan. There was really no need anymore.

"Greetings, Young Master He! I'm sorry for not coming out to welcome you!" Shi Xuexin immediately greeted him when she saw him approaching, afraid that she had been lax with her manners.

Her smile was unprecedentedly bright. As she greeted He Ziheng, she nodded at the people behind him. She looked like a smooth talker.

He Ziheng was talking as he walked when he saw Shi Xuexin walking over. She was wearing a sweet princess dress, but she did not look that sweet.

She could normally be considered to be above average, but in He Ziheng's eyes, she was far from that.

Especially when he saw a girl like Shi Jin, who was stunningly beautiful even when she was arrogant. He Ziheng could not be bothered to look at someone like Shi Xuexin.

This dress was indeed not bad, but if the wearer was slightly mediocre, they would be completely overshadowed by this dress. It wasn't suitable for Shi Xuexin at all.

At the thought of this, He Ziheng's gaze became slightly rude. "Who are you?"

"I am Shi Xuexin. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to attend my birthday party. Today is the happiest day of my life. Young Master He's arrival brings light to my humble dwelling."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait. You said we came to attend your birthday party? Are you dreaming?" He Ziheng asked.

Shi Xuexin also felt that she had acted rashly. When it came to young masters from aristocratic families, a person definitely needed someone to introduce them before they could approach. Otherwise, it would be a form of disrespect.

She quickly looked at Chu Ling. "Brother Chu Ling! Young Master He is here!"

Chu Ling put down his phone. When he saw He Ziheng, he also recognized him. His pupils suddenly shrunk and he went forward to greet him. "Young Master He, I really didn't expect to meet you here! It's really an honor!"

"Who are you?" He Ziheng asked unhappily.

First, a woman with no distinctive features had come forward to strike up a conversation with him while being smothered by her clothes. Then, a man who looked alright, but had actually smeared foundation powder on his face had come for a chat.

He Ziheng was very frustrated. What kind of special person had he hired?

Chu Ling hurriedly said, "My surname is Chu, and my name is Chu Ling. I am a member of Beijing's Chu Family. It is truly an honor to meet Young Master He!"

Only then did Shi Xuexin understand that this was not a guest of the Chu family, nor was it a surprise from Chu Ling.

She suddenly felt disappointed. However, on second thought, it seemed normal. How could a family like the Hes befriend the Chus?

Although the Chu family was also reputable, there was always someone better. This saying was true. However, if He Ziheng had not come for Chu Ling, who had he come for?

Furthermore, He Ziheng's tone was too arrogant. Chu Ling was a top celebrity now, how could he not know him?

Chu Ling's face turned awkward. It could be said that he was famous and had countless fans. However, when He Ziheng opened his mouth, it was as if he had never heard his name. Not only that, he was even speaking rudely, not giving him any face at all.

Chu Ling was angry, but he knew what kind of person He Ziheng was. He had to say in a low voice, "I have heard Young Master He's great name for a long time, so I came to greet you. If I have been rude, please forgive me."

"Oh, I was wondering who you guys were. You're acting so familiar right from the start. You scared me," He Ziheng said. "You even said that I came to give you my blessings for your birthday. Do I know you guys?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." Chu Ling looked embarrassed as he looked at Shi Xuexin reproachfully. How could she have been so reckless?

Shi Xuexin's face turned pale. "I'm really sorry, Young Master He."

"It's alright now." He Ziheng did not mind and waved his hand to indicate that it was fine. However, it was clear that he had no intention of interacting with Chu Ling. After saying this, he turned to leave.

The others naturally followed, about to leave. Ever since Shi Xuexin and Chu Ling had greeted him, He Ziheng had not looked at them seriously.

Shi Xuexin consoled Chu Ling. "Young Master He must be busy with something, so he doesn't have time to talk to us. It's alright. When they are done with their work later, we'll see if we'll get a chance to go up and say a few words."

"Mhm." Chu Ling regained some spirit.

He Ziheng turned around and asked Qiao Zhuoli, "Is Shi Jin's birthday party here? Don't send my birthday cake to the wrong place!"

"This way." Qiao Zhuoli nodded.

"That's good. If there's a mistake, I won't be able to keep my head."

Everyone laughed and walked in.

Shi Xuexin's mind went blank. Her already pale face turned even paler. Was He Ziheng here for Shi Jinqing's birthday?

Looking at the people around him, all of them were either rich or powerful. Everyone's status should be about the same as his. So many people had appeared at once, and they were all there to celebrate Shi Jin's birthday? Why were these people celebrating her birthday?

Let alone Shi Jin, even Gu Jingyuan might not be able to hire a top manager like Yao Jiahong.

She raised her head to look at Chu Ling. Chu Ling's face was also filled with surprise. He was even more shocked than Shi Xuexin. Neither understood why these people had appeared here together..

Chapter 311: What Kind Of Taste Does That Jerk Have?

Which side did they belong to? Who had invited them?

Both of them had their own thoughts and were silent until a voice broke the silence. "Chu Ling!"

Chu Ling turned around and realized that his friend from the entertainment industry had arrived. He forced himself to cheer up and greeted Shi Xuexin. "Xuexin, my friends are here. This is the second surprise I have for you today."

It was two fresh meat male celebrities and two female celebrities. The four of them were considered famous in the entertainment industry. They had made great achievements in their respective fields and had a lot of fans.

If it were any other day, no, even if it had been that morning, Shi Xuexin would definitely have been so happy that she would have jumped up and gone to them to take pictures and ask for autographs.

However, when she thought about Shi Jin's party, not only were there popular singers, movie stars, various teachers, and even He Ziheng's entire group of friends, Shi Xuexin could not bring herself to jump up in excitement.

Any random from Shi Jin's party could beat everyone here, not to mention that she had so many friends.

Shi Xuexin received the guests politely. Chu Ling asked with a smile, "Are you surprised?"

"Yes, I'm very happy. Brother Chu Ling, thank you so much for being so considerate and thoughtful towards me." Shi Xuexin did not want to dampen his spirits and maintained her cheerful attitude.

"Today is your birthday. I hope you can always be a happy little princess," Chu Ling said affectionately.

Shi Xuexin nodded her head gently as happiness slowly returned to her.

***

The moment He Ziheng entered, he walked over to Shi Jin, who was talking to someone. While she was talking, he leaned over and whispered, "Little sister-in-law, happy birthday!"

Shi Jin turned around and saw He Ziheng, Qiao Zhuoli, Pei Junyi, and Lan Tian.

Lan Tian tied her hair into a bun and ran over to Shi Jin's side obediently. "Sister Shi Jin, happy birthday. I'm so happy to be able to attend your birthday party."

"I'm glad you could come, too."

"Are you unhappy that we're here?" He Ziheng saw that Shi Jin liked to talk to Lan Tian and shouted in jealousy.

"Welcome! I welcome you all!" Shi Jin said.

He Ziheng snorted. "Could you say it any more perfunctorily?"

Lan Tian made a face at him.

"It was amazing just now. As soon as we came in, someone stopped us and welcomed us to her birthday party. So weird," He Ziheng complained.

"That person was called Shi Xuexin, right?" Lan Tian asked.

He Ziheng asked, "Who is Shi Xuexin?"

He had been too lazy to find out about Shi Jin, so he knew very little about her relations.

"It's the one who got swapped with Sister Shi Jin as babies. The one who has been living in the Li family all this while. Later on, she returned to the Shi family and snatched Chu Ling away from the Jin Shi. She has the love of the Shis. Furthermore, she has been targeting Sister Shi Jin all the time!" Lan Tian liked to read gossip, so she was very familiar with this.

Especially after she reconciled with Shi Jin, she had read a lot about her. Now, she knew everything.

"F*ck!" He Ziheng was so angry that his fists balled. "No wonder I didn't like her just now. So that's what happened. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have been so nice. I really regret leaving just now. Also, that scumbag Chu Ling was the one with the makeup just now!"

He finally remembered someone called Chu Ling. However, it was obvious that this was not a good thing for Chu Ling.

Shi Jin was amused to hear this. However, Chu Ling had the burden of being a top celebrity. Just like some female artistés, he would not go out without makeup. His hairstyle and makeup had to be carefully handled by a stylist. Shi Jin had long forgotten what he was like underneath.

Shi Jin said, "Forget it. They are all unrelated. Don't take it to heart."

Her tone was nonchalant, and she seemed to have forgotten about the past. Her smile was calm, and she really did not seem to care.

He Ziheng suddenly said, "What kind of taste do you think that scumbag has? He actually took a fancy to that woman? Also, how could they be so shameless as to think that we're going to celebrate her birthday?"

Lan Tian said, "That's right. How can Chu Ling compare to Boss?"

Pei Junyi suddenly laughed dryly. "Have you all forgotten that Shi Xuexin did not fancy Boss in the past? Isn't she just lucky to be together with Chu Ling?"

After being reminded like this, He Ziheng also thought of this matter. He swore a few times, but he did not know what those people outside were thinking.

Shi Jin glanced at them. "That's not a good thing. It's our luck to have met such a person."

"Yes, yes. I wish Boss and Little Sister-in-law a happy life together." He Ziheng immediately gave them his blessings.

Pei Jun said, "Boss said he'll be here soon after making preparations."

Qiao Zhuoli checked his phone. "It's about time."

He Ziheng ran out. "I'll go take a look." However, before he could reach the door, the manager opened it with two waiters.

As soon as the door opened, the especially bright lights in the main hall concentrated outside and fell on Fu Xiuyuan, who had come over. The light outlined his well-defined facial features.

The man had a straight nose and his eyes were as deep as whirlpools. It was as if he could draw her in with just one look.

His powerful aura was especially oppressive. Even the people standing in the corner immediately felt an invisible pressure.

"Boss!" He Ziheng's eyes lit up and he immediately rushed in front of him to welcome him.

He Ziheng did not know why, but Boss was especially bright and dazzling today, even more so than usual. He had already been like a god, but now he looked even more noble and awe-inspiring.

Actually, he could tell from the last time that Boss, who was with Shi Jin, was glowing from head to toe. The man's charm was irresistible. With Shi Jin, he was the best boss they had ever seen.

This was also why they had reconciled with Shi Jin last time and treated her as a good friend now.

He led Fu Xiuyuan towards Shi Jin.

Shi Jin could tell at a glance that the clothes on him were all hand picked by her. From the clothes to the accessories, everything was there.

The clothes that she had bought did not have a specific price, but she had bought them as she liked them, so they were not very expensive and could not compare to Fu Xiuyuan's custom-made clothes. However, this man really was a clothes hanger. He looked good in anything. The moment he appeared, he made everyone around him look dull..

Chapter 312: I Got Someone To Change It

She looked at him with a gentle smile.

Fu Xiuyuan strode towards her with a pious posture. He walked up to her and said softly, "Happy birthday, Shi Jin."

"Thank you."

"I hope that every day from now on will be like today." Fu Xiuyuan's voice was low and rich, like a premium wine.

He Ziheng and the others gasped in surprise. Their boss, who was usually quiet and serious, could actually say such things?

Although it wasn't sweet talk, it was actually more than that.

Indeed, the magic of love was huge.

Shi Jin walked to his side, the corners of her eyes curling up slightly. Her voice was gentle. "With you around, I believe it will work."

He Ziheng and Pei Jun looked at each other. Lan Tian held her face in both hands while Qiao Zhuoli stuffed his hands into his pockets. He was not surprised that someone as cold as Fu Xiuyuan would be taken down by Shi Jin. Shi Jin was really good at this.

He Ziheng hooted. "What else do you have? Tell me."

Fu Xiuyuan glared daggers at him. He shrunk back, knowing that he couldn't stay there any longer. He said, "I heard that Uncle Li is over there. Let's go over and greet Uncle Li."

Everyone went over together.

The Li family had been in a state of decline previously, and because there were all sorts of things happening in the family, their relationship with the entire family had deteriorated. However, in reality, the Li family's gossip was alive and well in the mouths of the other aristocratic families. Back then, the bell rang for food and the fire burned for oil, making the people of the aristocratic clans take delight in talking about it. So He Ziheng and the rest understood them very well.

Since they were both aristocratic families, and the Li family was now where Shi Jin was, He Ziheng and the others naturally felt obligated to meet and have a good chat.

Fu Xiuyuan whispered to Shi Jin, "Ignore them."

"Actually, they're quite fun. Just with He Ziheng alone, the entire birthday party will become twice as lively."

"Then he'll still be useful."

Shi Jin smiled brightly. "Speaking of which, your friends are really nice."

"Am I alone not good enough?"

The moment Fu Xiuyuan said that, Shi Jin could smell his jealousy. Shi Jin had never known that he liked to be jealous so much.

Shi Jin raised her eyebrows and looked at him. Her tone was flirtatious. "You are the best."

Only then did Fu Xiuyuan feel satisfied. He bent, leaving a light touch on her scarlet lips. He wouldn't act rashly because there were too many elders around.

He Ziheng and the rest had already run over to Li Juekai's side and were chatting together happily.

Li Juekai was the Young Master of the Li family. Who had he not seen before?

In front of him, He Ziheng and the others were just ordinary juniors. His expression was calm, and he seemed very comfortable chatting with them. As such, the entire banquet hall was filled with laughter and liveliness.

Everywhere Shi Jin looked was filled with people she cared about. She was being embraced by love and her heart gradually warmed.

Ever since she was reborn, she had always felt that she was trying her best to warm up and heal those she owed, but actually, wasn't she the one accepting their kindness and being warmed and healed by them?

Love was mutual. It was precisely because they treasured each other that they were precious to one another.

After Fu Xiuyuan arrived, the banquet started very quickly.

Old Master Li stood up, picked up his wine glass, and tapped it lightly with his spoon.

Everyone instantly fell silent and looked at him at the same time.

Old Master Li's expression was kind, and his eyes were filled with deep affection. He said, "Today, everyone is here to attend Shi Jin's birthday party. I won't say any more words of thanks. I believe that compared to listening to platitudes, you would rather see Shi Jin live happily."

His words hit everyone's heart, and everyone applauded in unison.

"As Shi Jin's grandfather, I have some expectations. Shi Jin, your grandfather hopes that you can live freely and happily in the future."

He nodded in Shi Jin's direction. This was the greatest wish and blessing an elder could give to a junior.

There was another round of applause and friendly laughter.

Shi Jin stood up. There was a healthy flush on her fair face and her long hair fell over her shoulders like seaweed.

The young girl had a mature look on her face, but her eyes were still pure and clear.

She raised her voice and said, "Thank you, Grandfather, and to all my teachers, friends, and elders. I hope that everyone can live a carefree life and be happy and blessed."

Fu Xiuyuan looked at Shi Jin with a relaxed smile.

All the guests present were also giving their blessings, and the atmosphere was harmonious and pleasant.

There was no air conditioner in Breeze Wind Pavilion. The windows on both sides of the building were open and the wind was blowing in. It was cool and refreshing.

This was the largest and best main hall. The lighting conditions there were better than in the other halls. Even though there were many people there, everyone could feel the cool breeze.

In this modern city, such a feature was already rare.

He Ziheng drank a few glasses of good wine and whispered something to Pei Junyi, Qiao Zhuoli, Lan Tian, and the others.

The four of them immediately stood up and walked towards the door.

The manager quickly followed them. "May I know what else you need?"

"There seems to be a big screen in the waiting room over here?"

"Yes, yes." The manager led them out and pointed outside. "It's over there. Our LED screen is the largest indoor LED screen in Asia. All guests who celebrate their birthdays here can show their blessings on it. However, no one has come to use it yet, so it's just been playing Shi Jin's songs."

"Shi Jin's songs? Do you always broadcast her songs?" He Ziheng asked.

The manager smiled and said, "That's right. We broadcast whatever our customers like. Shi Jin has had the highest ratings recently. We can't go wrong broadcasting her."

"Can I order something later?"

"Sure, I don't have anything set yet. I'll go arrange it for you."

He Ziheng and the rest walked towards the big screen. The scene of Shi Jin's MV changed to another man's song.

However, in the eyes of He Ziheng and the rest, this man was too much of a fan. The music was even louder than the guests' voices. It was really not a good song.

"What's going on? Did you suddenly switch the song?" Pei Junyi asked.

"I got someone to change it. Why?" Chu Jia asked.

Standing beside her was Chu Jia. She was there today to congratulate Shi Xuexin on her birthday.

Shi Xuexin's birthday party was being held in a side hall. The side hall was not big and could not accommodate many guests, so she had added two more tables at the last minute.

With this addition, how could the others still feel the ever-present cold wind in Breeze Wind Pavilion?

Chu Jia had been sitting in the corner, and she came out halfway through the meal..

Chapter 313: What Do You Mean?

When she came out, she saw Shi Jin's song playing in the living room. She was really annoyed just by looking at Shi Jin. So she immediately found a waiter and changed the music to Chu Ling's song.

At a time like this, they should be playing Chu Ling's music. Who was Shi Jin?

Pei Jun looked towards the direction of the voice and said to Chu Jia, "Then I'll have to trouble you to make way for us first. We've spoken to the manager and we want to broadcast a birthday wish."

Chu Jia knew that she could order birthday blessings here. Since they wanted it, she had no reason to stop them. She said, "No matter what, we have to wait until Chu Ling's song is over before ordering it, right?"

She had a point. Pei Jun said to He Ziheng, "Ziheng, what do you think?"

"Alright, I haven't finished eating yet anyway."

Lan Tian said, "Then I'll give Sister Shi Jin a call and see when she's done eating. I'll give her a surprise."

When Chu Jia heard Lan Tian's words, she realized that these people were Shi Jin's friends.

Because she had always been studying and had never cared about her family matters, she did not know much about He Ziheng and the others' identities.

When she heard that they were going to congratulate Shi Jin, she immediately said, "The Shi Jin you guys are talking about, is that the same Shi Jin who refuses to leave the Shi family and wants to cozy up to Chu Ling every day?"

The four of them had not been paying much attention to her at first, but upon hearing her words, they turned to look at her simultaneously.

Chu Jia felt guilty under their gazes, but she would not let them off easily. "So I was right. Shi Jin is that person. To think that you still treat her as a friend. What is someone like her even worth?"

"So you're Shi Xuexin's friend?" He Ziheng looked at her with a faint smile. The others' gazes quickly turned cold.

Chu Jia was very confident in her family. She puffed up her chest and said, "I am Chu Jia, Chu Ling's cousin. Shi Xuexin is not only my friend, but also my future sister-in-law."

Normally, as long as she revealed this information, the people around her would look at her in a different light and treat her kindly. However, as soon as she said that, the four people in front of her were not intimidated. Instead, they started laughing.

Pei Jun said lazily, "Oh, so that's how it is."

"What do you mean?" Chu Jia was annoyed. "Today, the Chu family and Shi family are holding a birthday party here. The whole family is here. Do you still want to humiliate me?"

"So what if I'm humiliating you?" Pei Jun's provocative eyes made the others feel a bit afraid.

Chu Jia took a step back. "Did I say something wrong? Shi Jin has always been that kind of person. I advise you to stop while you're ahead and stop being friends with people like her. Even my cousin Chu Ling has broken all ties with her. Think about her character."

Lan Tian, who had been silent all this while, said slowly, "Isn't Chu Ling giving up on Sister Shi Jin because he's blind? What has that got to do with Sister Shi Jin? Besides, isn't it just Chu Ling? He wears makeup all day and even plagiarizes others' songs. If he's a man that even I don't like, Sister Shi Jin would definitely dump him. Isn't that normal? Don't you remember the song 'Scram'? Do you want me to sing it for you personally?"

After being bombarded by Lan Tian's questions, Chu Jia started to babble incoherently, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

"Am I spouting nonsense? Didn't Sister Shi Jin dump Chu Ling? It's a well-known fact!" Lan Tian mocked.

"What's the benefit of kissing up to Shi Jin like this?" Chu Jia couldn't argue with her and started to attack her. "Do you think she will bring you into the entertainment industry and give you stuff? Do you think you can do anything with Shi Jin?"

Lan Tian laughed. "That's right. We're happy to be relying on Sister Shi Jin. What about you? You've been kissing up to your precious Shi Xuexin every day. What does she give you? Could it be that she wants to introduce you to a scumbag like Chu Ling? Right?"

Chu Jia felt helpless.

He Ziheng watched the show as he said to the other two, "As expected, we have to deal with this kind of person. We can only use her own words to attack her. Lan Tian's tactic of fighting poison with poison is not bad."

Chu Jia stomped her feet angrily and walked into the side hall.

"Heh, are you going to complain to your parents? Is that the trend these days?" Lan Tian was shocked by her actions.

Chu Jia went in to look for Yuxiu Hua. After she whispered something to her, Yuxiu Hua brought a group of guests out and stood in a large area in the waiting room.

There were so many people around that no one noticed He Ziheng and the others.

Yuxiu Hua said with a smile, "Thank you, everyone, for coming to Breeze Wind Pavilion to attend Xuexin's birthday party. Actually, after coming back, we would normally hold a birthday party for her every year, but today's a little different."

"We will donate a sum of money to charity on Xuexin's birthday every year to help those who need help and to honor Xuexin."

"Today, we would like to continue donating to a birthday charity fund for Xuexin. Furthermore, we welcome everyone to participate."

Everyone applauded and welcomed her words.

Everyone knew that the Shi family was a newly wealthy family and was involved in philanthropic work. It was very admirable that they were doing such a thing.

Chu Jia smiled and said, "In other words, we are participating in a competition today. Whoever gives the highest donation amount will be able to stand on stage and give Xuexin her birthday song. The funds will be donated directly to charity.

"This is not only for Xuexin's birthday, but also for a good cause. "

Everyone below the stage nodded in agreement.

The manager was stunned. He hadn't expected Yuxiu Hua and the Shi family to take the initiative to organize such an event. They hadn't even informed the hotel.

He was about to go forward to negotiate when He Ziheng blinked and stopped him. "Manager."

"Please speak." The manager hurriedly bowed.

"Let them do it," He Ziheng said. "Don't stop them."

"Yes," the manager said in a low voice. After all, everyone in the waiting room could stay there. As long as they didn't cause too much trouble, it wouldn't be a problem.

He Ziheng then said, "That Chu Jia is really too funny. Did she think that she could occupy the big screen and not let us use it? She even came up with this trick. It's really laughable."

Pei Junyi chimed in, "No wonder Sis-in-law was always unhappy when she was at the Shis'. It turns out that there's so much rubbish around them."

"Then let's see what else they can do today," Lan Tian said. "We're free today anyway."

Chu Jia picked up the microphone, and her face appeared on the big screen. She said, "Now, we'll begin bidding for Shi Xuexin's birthday song.. The bidders can come up on stage and sing for Xuexin!"

Chapter 314: The Limelight Of Their Own People

This huge move attracted the attention of everyone in Breeze Wind Pavilion. In an instant, many guests who had already finished eating went to the guest hall to watch the scene.

Chu Ling and Shi Xuexin walked out as well.

Shi Xuexin said in embarrassment, "How can I accept this? The donations from the past were all from the Shi family. How can I let everyone contribute this time?"

Mrs. Chu's approval of her had increased by quite a bit. She smiled and said, "Jiajia told me just now that it shouldn't be a problem. Since we're all here, it'll be fun."

"But Shi Jin is also celebrating her birthday. If we do this, won't it affect her?" Shi Xuexin said softly.

Mrs. Chu didn't say anything, but another relative spoke up. "What's so bad about that? They can do something like this too if they want to. Doesn't Shi Jin have a sugar daddy? Don't tell me that he can't afford it? If we're doing it, they can as well. That's perfect!"

Shi Jin had progressed too quickly in the entertainment industry and her popularity had far exceeded that of others. She had even brought Chu Ling a lot of trouble. Mother Chu had long been annoyed with her.

Her words had hit the nail on the head. "Yeah, that's it."

A cold expression appeared on Chu Ling's face. When he recalled that Shi Jin's rapid rise to fame had many sugar daddies behind it, his feelings for Shi Jin faded.

Although Gu Jingyuan was very powerful, the rules of the entertainment industry were not something he could control. There had to be an old man behind Shi Jin for her to be so famous.

Even He Ziheng and the rest might have come to celebrate with Shi Jin because of her sugar daddy. Otherwise, with Shi Jin and Gu Jingyuan's abilities, how could they have befriended such an influential person?

Since that was the case, why should he care about her reputation?

Chu Jia stoked the conversation to become even more lively. "Then, everyone can bid now! Anyone want to?"

Below the stage were the relatives of the Shi family, the Yu family and the Chu family. There were also clients and Chu Ling's friends.

These people naturally had to give Shi Xuexin face. Immediately, someone said, "I'll offer 10,000 yuan to give Xuexin a birthday song!"

"30,000!"

"50,000!"

"100,000!"

"200,000 yuan, that's enough! Xuexin's birthday song is mine!"

"250,000, don't forget me!"

Chu Jia smiled and said, "Everyone's bidding is very fierce. Is there anyone else?"

Shi Xuexin tilted her head to look at Chu Ling, who remained silent.

Even though he agreed with his mother's words, he had always carried a heavy burden as an idol. If he were to go on stage at such an occasion, since he could get someone to stop people from posting the video, it would not cause too many adverse effects and the public would not know that he and Shi Xuexin were together. However, to make a top celebrity like him sing a birthday song on stage?

Chu Ling felt suffocated just thinking about it. He had always been the top celebrity in the world of idols. In the movies he had filmed, he also played a domineering CEO. He walked with style and could control the entire world with just one look and one action.

After living with such a halo for so long, the whole world basically revolved around him. He could not sing such childish songs on stage. Therefore, he did not struggle in his heart and did not raise his hand to bid.

Shi Xuexin was very disappointed. She did not know what was wrong with him.

Was it because of Shi Jin? Or was there something else? Was she not worth it? However, why had he agreed to Chu Jia and the rest doing this?

Whispers came from all around. "This Shi Xuexin is really popular. Her family treats her really well."

"That's right. Money is secondary. What's more valuable is that everyone is willing to spend money for her and is fighting to donate."

"I can tell that this girl has had a good upbringing. This Shi family truly has good taste and good intentions. They don't forget to do charity even on their birthdays."

"Not bad, not bad. You're rich but you haven't forgotten your original aspirations. You're role models for the wealthy."

These words pleased Shi Qing and Yuxiu Hua. Only Shi Xuexin felt uncomfortable hearing them.

So what if other people offered higher prices? As long as Chu Ling didn't bid, no matter how lively the event became, it would only be a farce.

"700,000!"

"710,000!"

"800,000!"

The bidding continued.

Actually, there was also Yuxiu Hua's handiwork. She had found someone to make a bid and promised that she would pay for it herself.

There were many motives.

Firstly, she wanted to raise Shi Xuexin's status so that the Chus could see that the Shi family's relatives and friends were not only rich and generous, but were also willing to spend money on Shi Xuexin.

Secondly, the highlight of tonight's event was definitely Chu Ling. When Chu Ling called the price, not only did he not have to spend money, but he even shot the price up.

Anyway, they were using the guise of charity. Even if Chu Ling spent money, the Chu family would not lose out. If news of this were to spread, it would be beneficial to Chu Ling. However, since he had yet to say anything, Yuxiu Hua couldn't sit still anymore.

She turned to Mrs. Chu and Chu Ling.

Mrs. Chu looked at her son. "Chu Ling?"

"Mom, today is the Shi family's big day. We can't steal their limelight," Chu Ling said calmly.

It was not that he could not bear to part with the money. He could spend it for Shi Xuexin, but he did not want to go on stage.

Mrs. Chu knew that her son was being arrogant. She did not say anything else.

Shi Xuexin was heartbroken when she heard Chu Ling's words. How could he have said that? How was this stealing the limelight? Wasn't everyone waiting for him?

Chu Ling didn't say anything as they waited. Chu Jia couldn't wait any longer.

She saw Shi Jin walking out of the main hall and said, "Shi Jin is here!"

Shi Jin had been at the banquet and saw that He Ziheng and the rest had left for quite a while and had not returned. As the host, she could not act as if nothing had happened, so she was coming out to see if they needed anything.

The moment she came out, Chu Jia called her name.

The name Shi Jin attracted too much attention. Everyone looked at her immediately. All eyes were on her fair, clean face.

She did not smile; her expression was cold, but her eyes were clear and pure. Her lips were red and her teeth were white. Just by standing there, it was impossible to look down on her.

"Why is Shi Jin here?"

"Shi? Isn't she the one who got replaced by Shi Xuexin?"

"Oh right, I heard about that. The mixed up children are Shi Jin and Shi Xuexin!"

"Didn't they say that Shi Jin has broken ties with the Shi family and Chu Ling? What happened?"

Chapter 315: 300 Million!

Shi Jin said to everyone, "Everyone, today is my birthday. I'm just having a meal with my family and friends in the hall. Please don't misunderstand."

Her voice was clear and powerful. Even without a microphone, everyone could hear her.

Sure enough, everyone stopped talking after hearing that. However, Chu Jia refused to let her go. How could she miss such a good opportunity to please Shi Xuexin?

"No matter what, Shi Jin, you grew up in the Shi family. Today is your birthday too. Why don't you participate in our event? How about this? Who's willing to give Shi Jin a birthday song? The money for the competition will be donated to charity," Chu Jia immediately said.

She had asked for Shi Jin's opinion, but she did not give her a chance to speak.

Especially when she was holding the microphone, her voice was naturally stronger than when she spoke alone. Everyone could hear her immediately. This way, Shi Jin would be forced into the so-called bidding war!

He Ziheng could not help but curse. "F*ck! What kind of person is this! Her mind is too sinister and vicious, isn't it? She's purposely catching Shi Jin off guard!"

"Will anyone bid? Anyone? Anyone?" Chu Jia asked repeatedly.

It was obvious that she was doing this on purpose. All the guests were present. Even Shi Jin's fans would find it difficult to participate in such an event for Shi Jin.

Her repeated questions were meant to pressure people.

The people from the Shi family, Yu family, and Chu family would definitely not bid for Shi Jin. Everyone's gaze shifted from Chu Jia to Shi Jin and then to Shi Xuexin.

It was obvious that these people were comparing Shi Xuexin and Shi Jin. They seemed to be pondering why Shi Jin was having to bear the brunt of such cold treatment. If it wasn't her fault, then could it be the fault of everyone in the Shi family?

He Ziheng immediately raised his hand. It was just money, so what?

From the looks of Chu Jia, Shi Xuexin and the rest, it seemed Shi Xuexin had someone who could fork out money.

Even Chu Ling did not speak. Shi Xuexin had nothing to be proud of since she had the air of a top celebrity.

"Three..." He Ziheng said.

Before he could finish his sentence, someone came out from the main hall and interrupted him. "Wait!"

Chu Jia immediately laughed. "So someone is giving Shi Jin three?"

"Hahahahaha, three yuan!"

Hearing Chu Jia's laughter, everyone burst into laughter.

"300 million!" A deep, powerful male voice with a hint of magnetism rang out. The moment he opened his mouth, he suppressed the laughter and ridicule of the crowd.

Everyone fell silent. Everyone turned to look at Fu Xiuyuan.

The man's tall figure stood out amongst the crowd. His handsome facial features were extraordinary, and he had an imposing aura. Even the person who had jumped the most earlier did not dare to be rash.

As he strode over, the crowd subconsciously wanted to submit to him and make way for him. He walked towards Shi Jin and stood beside her.

Shi Jin looked at him as he walked towards her. The coldness between his brows dissipated when he saw her, replaced by gentleness.

She looked up, her smile forcing back the coldness from her face as she stared at him.

"I'm here," Fu Xiuyuan said in a low voice.

Shi Jin nodded her head lightly. Just one sentence from him was enough to appease her. She threw all her worries to the back of her mind. It was as if he was the only person in the world worth her attention.

Shi Jin's long, seaweed-like hair hung over her shoulders. Her face was fair and charming. When she stood beside the man, they complemented each other, making the perfect match.

Shi Xuexin and Chu Jia's eyes lit up when they saw the man.

Shi Xuexin had seen him before. At that time, she had thought that he was just a newbie in the entertainment industry and hadn't taken him seriously. However, upon closer inspection, she realized that this man was not as simple as some fresh meat celebrity. His aura alone was not something that an entertainment company could develop.

The two fresh meat friends Chu Ling brought along had originally seemed very good-looking, but compared to Fu Xiuyuan, they were simply nothing.

Chu Jia couldn't help, but fall for such a man. How could there be such a stunning man here? Why hadn't she seen him before? Why was this man standing beside Shi Jin?

Even Chu Ling could not help but frown. He looked at Fu Xiuyuan and tried to figure out his identity. As far as he knew, there was no one like him in the capital. Or was he just ignorant? Since when had Shi Jin been involved with such a man?

Chu Jia was stunned and didn't know what to say.

Someone in the crowd said, "300 million? Someone is really offering 300 million just to give Shi Jin a birthday song?"

The crowd started discussing.

Although everyone was rich, 300 million was still an astronomical figure. Besides, with this 300 million, what was the harm in using it?

Chu Jia also came back to her senses. 300 million? Shi Jin really knew how to find someone to flatter her!

This man was handsome and could indeed give Shi Jin some face, but could he give her 300 million? Or rather, would Shi Jin dare to let him spend that money?

"Haha, this gentleman has offered 300 million to give Shi Jin a birthday song! Really?" Chu Jia's tone was full of disbelief. However, her tone was still restrained. No matter what, she was instinctively afraid of Fu Xiuyuan and would not dare to go overboard.

"A cheque." Fu Xiuyuan took out a cheque. "In Shi Jin's name. Donate it to charity."

Those who were standing close to him could clearly see the cheque between his slender fingers. They could not help but gasp. "It's real!"

"Heavens, it's actually real!"

It was just that they couldn't recognize the name of the person who had signed it, but seeing that the check was real was shocking enough.

"Someone's really doing that for Shi Jin!"

"Actually, if I had money, I would do the same. After all, Shi Jin is worth it!" A passer-by from Shi Jin's party spoke up immediately.

"But 300 million can buy a lot of things, donating it just like that..."

"Actually, donating it is great. That cash could help a lot of people. This is very meaningful!"

The veins on Shi Xuexin's forehead were bulging from her frustration. How could this be? Where did the people around Shi Jin get so much money from?

Chu Ling was not even willing to bid for her once.. How could that man offer 300 million in one go? What had Shi Jin done to deserve that?!

Chapter 316: Come, Continue

Chu Ling furrowed his brows and looked at Fu Xiuyuan with a serious expression.

He knew very little about what happened to Shi Jin after that. He had no idea what she had suffered or what had happened to her, so he had never met Fu Xiuyuan.

At that moment, he was even somewhat glad that he had not bid. After all, he had no intention of going up on stage.

Even if he had no choice, but to go on stage, he didn't have a budget of more than two million yuan to spend on such a boring matter. Otherwise, he'd only be hurting his own prospects.

Sometimes, it was really hard for him to understand the vanity of women. Why would he spend money meaninglessly?

When Chu Jia heard that Fu Xiuyuan's check was real, she broke into a cold sweat and was so frightened that she didn't know what to do.

Initially, she had only wanted to get back at her in front of He Ziheng and the others. She had also wanted to build a good relationship with Shi Xuexin.

Who could have known that they would make such a huge blunder? Not only did it not make Shi Xuexin look good, it even made Shi Jin stand out. She was at a loss for words.

It was He Ziheng who spoke. "Why don't I sing this birthday song!"

Thinking that his boss would not do such embarrassing things and sing childish birthday songs in public, he cut in.

Pei Junyi echoed, "That's right, that's right. Let's sing for Shi Jin! Thank you for your support!"

If even Chu Ling wasn't willing to sing, they wouldn't expect their boss to be able to. They might as well take the initiative to resolve this crisis.

Fu Xiuyuan glanced at them indifferently. "Excuse me, you guys?"

"Huh?" The four of them were stunned. They had no choice, but to stop in their tracks, not daring to rush onto the stage.

Fu Xiuyuan said to Shi Jin, "Wait for me."

Shi Jin's eyes were brimming with smiles as she looked up at him.

Fu Xiuyuan strode towards the stage. He Ziheng grabbed Pei Junyi's arm. "No way, no way! Boss really wants to sing it himself?"

"He, he, hasn't he always hated doing such things since he was young?"

"Fu Xiuyuan is really going all out," Qiao Zhuoli concluded slowly.

When Fu Xiuyuan stood on stage, Chu Jia wanted to stand with him, but she just put down the microphone and left.

Standing in front of Fu Xiuyuan, Chu Jia, who originally had some good looks, felt that she had been made to look like some country girl. She also realized that this man was not to be trifled with, so how could she dare to stay?

The people below the stage were also discussing fervently. "He really went on stage!"

"It seems like he treats Shi Jin really well."

"Very good, very good!"

Chu Ling's expression changed slightly as Shi Xuexin clenched her fists tightly. How could she not know that Chu Ling was someone who carried a heavy burden as an idol? No matter what he did, he would only care about whether he was handsome or not, whether he looked good or not, and how his reputation was doing.

Well, why couldn't Shi Xuexin read his thoughts?

Looking at that man, he had an extraordinary bearing and stern eyes. Yet, he was willing to do this for Shi Jin.

Even if Shi Xuexin tried to brainwash herself into thinking that he was hired by Shi Jin, her heart was filled with unwillingness and envy.

Shi Jin looked at the stage. Just like everyone else, she had not expected him to go on stage personally. He had always been calm and reserved, disdaining to do anything troublesome or meaningless.

Even if it was a big event like the company's Annual Awards Ceremony, he might not say much when he went on stage. However, he was going on stage at such an occasion. Shi Jin looked up at his handsome features and his cold eyes.

She stood rooted to the ground. Only when she looked at him would her eyes be filled with energy and warmth.

Fu Xiuyuan picked up the microphone and walked past the crowd to look at the girl standing there. It was as if he had traveled through time and isolated everyone else. He could only see her.

He opened his mouth. "Happy birthday to you..."

His mellow voice was very pleasant to the ears. Every word he sung was meaningful and clear.

It was a very simple and ordinary birthday song, but he was singing it in such a way that it felt as if it was a warm little love song instead of a birthday song.

"Happy birthday to you!" Someone started singing along, and more and more people joined in.

In the end, the entire audience was infected by Fu Xiuyuan's voice and started singing together.

Such singing and such simple lyrics did not detract from Fu Xiuyuan's charm at all. Instead, it made him appear even more charming.

Chu Ling regretted it. He had originally thought that if he were to sing such a song on stage. It would be a blow to his charm and image. He had never expected that he would be able to get so many people to sing along with him.

The man standing on the stage seemed to be covered in a layer of radiance. His entire being exuded an indescribable yet enchanting charm.

After the song ended, Fu Xiuyuan put down the microphone and walked off the stage.

Shi Jin went forward to welcome him. Her face was slightly flushed and her eyes were red.

"Hubby," she called out to him in a low voice, her fingers tightly gripping his hand.

Every time Fu Xiuyuan gave her something, it went far beyond her imagination. It made her realize how much he cared for her and how much he loved her.

Fu Xiuyuan held her hand and looked down at her.

He Ziheng took the initiative to cheer. "Wow, happy birthday, happy every day! A perfect couple, so blessed!"

Pei Junyi and the others joined in.

Shi Xuexin bit her lips as a huge wave of displeasure surged through her heart. A strong sour taste bubbled up as she repeatedly lashed out at Shi Jin in her heart.

She was embarrassed and was about to leave when He Ziheng suddenly said, "Hey, hey, hey, who was that just now? Isn't your birthday song not settled yet? Why aren't you continuing? Come on up! Continue!"

At that moment, how could Shi Xuexin want to continue? So what if they continued? Who would offer more than 300 million? If it could not exceed 300 million, what was the point?

It was impossible for Chu Ling to take the reins. He could not go on stage after that man!

He also thought to himself that he did not have the ability to sing this song with so much love that everyone would want to sing along.

"Let's go," Chu Ling said to Shi Xuexin.

"Why are you leaving?" He Ziheng shouted. "Didn't we say we were doing it together just now? Isn't Shi Jin's part over? You guys just want to leave, but you shouldn't. Don't leave, leave after you're done."

As He Ziheng spoke, Yuxiu Hua noticed him. After a few seconds of surprise, she said, "Could it be... Young Master He? It's really Young Master He!"

Chu Jia stood beside her and whispered, "Who's Young Master He?"

Chapter 317: What A Bitch!

"Jiajia, you don't even know Young Master He? He's a member of the He family. The He family is known as an existence that transcends the four great families and is very famous." Yuxiu Hua hated herself for not recognizing He Ziheng.

Had He Ziheng been there long?

Chu Jia's expression changed immediately. So the person she had offended just now was He Ziheng and his friends? Then who was that man on stage?

"Auntie, who is that man on stage?" Chu Jia asked.

"No matter who he is, let's talk about Young Master He first." Yuxiu Hua took a few steps forward and walked over to He Ziheng's side. "It's really an honor to meet you today."

Shi Qing, Father Chu, and Mother Chu also noticed He Ziheng. They had only heard of He Ziheng, but none knew him personally. They all wanted to befriend him.

It was as if being publicly insulted by He Ziheng's friend was not shameful to them.

Chu Ling and Shi Xuexin were somewhat embarrassed. After all, they were the ones who had been truly shamed. However, seeing their parents' attitude, they still felt a little lucky. What if He Ziheng was now paying attention to the Shi family and the Chu family, and the two parties could build some connection?

The onlookers had yet to leave when Yuxiu Hua said loudly, "Young Master He, you and Shi Jin are friends, right? Actually, Shi Jin has been in the Shi family for more than ten years, so our relationship is also very deep. Today, we've invited Shi Jin and Xuexin to celebrate their birthday together. Since you guys are Shi Jin's friends, then you guys are also friends of the Shi family. Let's put it this way, we still want to celebrate Shi Jin's birthday with her today. Don't you all agree?"

When the bystanders heard this, they felt that even though Yuxiu Hua was a little rowdy, she wasn't a bad person. She treated Shi Jin well too.

He Ziheng felt that these words were too sarcastic and didn't know where to start. Yuxiu Hua said to Shi Jin, "Shi Jin, if you don't mind, Auntie will still give you a birthday present and wish you a happy birthday."

She saw He Ziheng's cold expression and knew that she had to start with Shi Jin. As long as she expressed her good will, everyone would be touched and Shi Jin would have no choice but to agree.

However, Shi Jin was not as easy to manipulate as she had imagined. Her expression had long returned to its usual cold and distant form. She said lightly, "No need, I can't accept it."

"Of course you can. Besides, you used to celebrate Xuexin's birthday with her every year, didn't you? Come, come, let's celebrate your birthday together again today."

Yuxiu Hua seemed very anxious.

In the eyes of Shi Qing and outsiders, she appeared to be really good to Shi Jin and treated her as their daughter. If Shi Jin refused again, it would only make her seem unreasonable.

Lan Tian couldn't help but mutter behind her back, "What a bitch!"

When Yuxiu Hua heard the mockery, she pretended not to hear and smiled more kindly than ever.

Everyone looked over as well. She raised her voice to an unprecedented volume. "Come on, come on. Let's celebrate your birthday together. Xuexin, bring the present for Shi Jin over."

"Wait a minute!" He Ziheng received Fu Xiuyuan's advice and suddenly said, "If you want to celebrate their birthdays together, we can talk about it later. Why don't we broadcast the VCR for Shi Xuexin's celebration today?"

This VCR had been prepared by Shi Xuexin for today. Chu Jia had just handed it over to the manager.

Fu Xiuyuan knew about this and had told He Ziheng. He Ziheng immediately went to get the things.

Without waiting for the Shi family to respond, He Ziheng had already taken the VCR out and played it.

Inside, were Shi Xuexin's birthday celebrations from the ages of twelve to nineteen appeared.

In every scene, she was wearing a princess dress and a crown. She was accepting all kinds of gifts, blessings, and compliments.

Shi Jin supposedly celebrated her birthday with Shi Xuexin every year. However, there was no Shi Jin in the clips!

Those gifts, all sorts of good stuff, birthday cake, none of them belonged to Shi Jin!

Not only that, when the camera occasionally swept around, they could actually see Shi Jin in the corner. Not only was she being ignored, she had to help clear up the dishes and wine.

The camera would only capture her on rare occasions. Most of the time, it would be Shi Xuexin's blissful expression!

If it was like this one year, it could be said to be an accident, but it had happened every year.

As Shi Xuexin and Shi Jin grew up, the situation had not changed at all. Everyone could see Shi Xuexin's happiness and Shi Jin's disappointment.

Since they were fifteen years old, Shi Jin had never appeared at a birthday party again. It was unclear if it was because she had not been filmed or if she had just not been invited. Only Shi Xuexin was smiling sweetly at the camera.

If Shi Jin had really been there, it was impossible that she wouldn't have been captured.

Everyone who saw this video couldn't help but start discussing it. "What happened to Shi Jin celebrating her birthday with Xuexin? Is this how she's always celebrated her birthday? She didn't get any new clothes or presents and just stood by the side to help like a servant?"

"Is this what you call celebrating together?"

"You still have the cheek to say that you invited Shi Jin to celebrate your birthday with you. Are you trying to make use of her now that she's famous and popular?"

"I've never seen such a shameless person!"

"Will they really prepare any gifts for Shi Jin?"

"I really didn't expect this family to be so disgusting! Even if Shi Jin was young and insensible, they shouldn't treat a child like this, right? Moreover, she had been with the Shi family for twelve years. No matter what, they should have had feelings for her, right?"

"Sigh, if all the videos are like this, what happened when they weren't being filmed?"

Shi Xuexin's mind buzzed. She had personally prepared this VCR.

When she was preparing to cut Shi Jin into this VCR, her original intention had not been to let everyone criticize her and pity Shi Jin. She just wanted to use Shi Jin's down-and-out image to show off her own princess-like wealth and love.

Indeed, if this VCR was only shown in front of the Shi family, Yu family, and Chu family, no one would think much of it. Some people would have felt for Shi Jin, but they definitely would not have said it out loud. However, it was different at this moment. Right now, all the guests were standing around and looking at the commotion objectively. They would only judge based on what they saw.

Yuxiu Hua was also stunned by this sudden change and hurriedly explained, "No, that's not what I meant.. Everyone, listen to my explanation!"

Chapter 318: What A White Lotus!

Lan Tian rushed out. "Sure! Explain! Explain what happened! Tell us, tell us!"

She had learned all about Chu Jia's tricks, so how could Yuxiu Hua have any room to refute her?

There were waves of accusations, discussions, and all sorts of scolding coming from all directions.

"Everyone, stop talking. My mother is not that kind of person. The VCR does not explain everything!" Shi Xuexin said loudly.

"What does that mean?" He Ziheng asked. "Do you mean that you guys are good to Shi Jin? Or what? You guys are good to her, but did you take any flattering footage?"

"That's right, that's right." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. "Shi Jin is living her own life well. After enduring suffering, good things should come. It's obvious that the Shi family is looking for trouble."

"That's right. Just now, they pulled Shi Jin over and insisted on her participating in their auction. When it was Shi Jin's bid, they awkwardly stopped bidding. They refused to bid and refused to leave. They even wanted to drag her into celebrating her birthday with them. I really loathe this family!"

Shi Xuexin was terribly embarrassed. Even Chu Ling's expression changed.

Previously, his career had been on the rise and he had not attended their birthday parties every time, so he had been unaware of how Shi Xuexin had treated Shi Jin.

After all, from the mouths of the entire Shi family, especially from Shi Xuexin, she had always been a perfect sister to Shi Jin and had always placed Shi Jin on a pedestal.

It was Shi Jin herself who was willful, insensible, and liked to cause trouble. That was why she had broken off their relationship.

Even if Yuxiu Hua had taken the Li family's money, it had nothing to do with Shi Xuexin. She was so innocent and pure, but in reality? Did Shi Xuexin really not know about these things?

Chu Ling looked at her and asked, "This is what your birthdays with Shi Jin were like?"

"Brother Chu Ling, I... I'm really not like that. There are other videos at home. There's something wrong with the editing here..." Shi Xuexin regretted editing this tape today.

In fact, if it weren't for other people's reminders and discussions, Chu Ling might have brushed it off and not thought about these questions. However, how could he not notice the problem when the people around him were discussing it like this?

"Then how do you explain this?"

"Brother Chu Ling! I can explain!" Shi Xuexin gripped his arm. "Believe me!"

"Forget it, I have something to do. I'll take my leave first."

"Brother Chu Ling!" Shi Xuexin chased after him.

Meanwhile, Yuxiu Hua had already become the target of public criticism. He Ziheng was asking, "So, do you still want to invite Shi Jin to celebrate her birthday with you guys? Do you still want to continue celebrating her birthday like this?"

"I..." Yuxiu Hua said one word and the bystanders all shook their heads.

The discussion drowned her out again, leaving her unable to speak.

Now, not only did she not want to befriend He Ziheng, even her relatives and friends were looking down on her and thought that she was too much.

Fu Xiuyuan shielded Shi Jin as he walked out of the crowd. His heart ached when he recalled what he had seen on the VCR. It was because he hadn't done a good job that Shi Jin had had such problems at the Shi family back then.

If he had appeared earlier and been by her side earlier, these things would not have happened.

He half hugged Shi Jin. She could feel his heart beating violently and his body trembling.

"I'm sorry, Shi Jin." Fu Xiuyuan's voice was filled with self-blame and pain.

"I don't blame you. The whole story is my fault. It's because I couldn't bear to let go of my old lifestyle and didn't want to leave that I rejected you and my family members who came to pick me up time and time again. From the age of fifteen, they came to visit me every year to pick me up. It was because I was stubborn at that time and didn't take you guys to heart." Shi Jin recalled everything and spoke softly.

"At that time, you were still young and didn't understand anything. As for me, I was a few years older than you. No matter what, I should have taken you away earlier."

"Didn't you take me away when I was fifteen?" Shi Jin looked up at him. "I didn't have such a bad life after that, did I?"

Fu Xiuyuan recalled that she had been by his side for five years.

The time was really not short. However, it was only during this past half year that the two of them had begun to truly understand each other's thoughts.

Thinking about it, he felt that five years in exchange for half a year was worth it.

"Shi Jin, I should have spoken to you earlier to control my temper..."

Shi Jin hugged him. She was the one who had caused so many things, but Fu Xiuyuan always reflected and blamed everything on himself. He had really shouldered too much.

"Then from now on, we'll be like this, okay?" Shi Jin leaned against his chest and spoke softly.

"Okay." The steady voice mixed with the resonance in his chest and merged with his heartbeat.

After Shi Xuexin's farce ended, the birthday banquet came to a silent close. Many guests returned in high spirits.

Thanks to Fu Xiuyuan's arrangements, Shi Jin's birthday party wasn't affected at all.

Afraid that the Li family would find out about this and worry, he didn't even let anyone in the main hall hear about the drama that was happening outside.

Shi Jin's birthday party continued as planned.

Everyone sang a birthday song for Shi Jin in the main hall. A five-tiered cake was sent in, and the air was filled with the fragrance of the icing.

Shi Jin cut the cake with her own hands. Everyone was satisfied with the slices she cut.

Naturally, she received a lot of gifts. Gu Jingyuan weighed the number and volume of the gifts and silently contacted five drivers to transport them.

"Well, I'll accompany Shi Jin home now," Fu Xiuyuan said.

Old Master Li couldn't bear to part with Shi Jin, but he knew that Fu Xiuyuan and Shi Jin were married now. No matter what, he couldn't stop the couple's life.

It wasn't surprising that other friends knew that Shi Jin had a boyfriend. It would seem normal for a girl like Shi Jin to even have ten boyfriends.

He Ziheng and the rest escorted them to the parking lot.

"Boss, do you really not need us to send you off? Or lend you a movie to watch?" He Ziheng asked.

Shi Jin laughed and said, "You are a person who loves alcohol as much as life. You don't have to worry about someone who hasn't been drinking, right?"

He Ziheng was hit in the heart by this jibe.

Lan Tian waved her hand and said, "Bye, Sister Shi Jin. See you next time.."

Chapter 319: I'll Send You Something Good

"Bye bye." Shi Jin waved at her.

Pei Junyi and Qiao Zhuoli held the drunk He Ziheng. "I'll get him back now!"

Fu Xiuyuan didn't drink. He drove the car personally and went home with Shi Jin.

As the car moved forward, Shi Jin felt a sense of exhilaration that she had never felt before. She rolled down the window and let the wind blow through her hair.

A moment later, she realized that this was not the direct path back to the Orchid Pavilion. She asked, "Where are we going?"

"We're taking a little detour. We'll be home soon," Fu Xiuyuan said as he skillfully made a turn. After the car passed by a huge building, she could see further.

Shi Jin looked into the distance. Just as she looked over, huge fireworks lit up the distant sky. The vibrant colors changed shape and appearance, forming dreamy paintings.

Shi Jin had not seen any fireworks for a very, very long time. Her gaze was fixed in their direction and the corners of her lips curled up slightly. It was really beautiful. Like a dream.

However, Fu Xiuyuan's shallow breathing was right beside her, letting her know that this was not a dream, but a beautiful reality.

The car stopped and the fireworks continued to explode in front of their eyes.

Fu Xiuyuan tilted his head and pressed his lips against Shi Jin's. "Happy birthday!"

He raised his palm and held her head. The clock was ticking. It was just past midnight. There was no mistake at all.

A soft click resounded in Shi Jin's mind, locking onto this moment.

She raised her head and took his kiss. The sound of fireworks exploding rang in her ears, and the dreamy colors continued to rise into the sky.

After the kiss, Fu Xiuyuan held Shi Jin's fingers and kissed them.

Shi Jin looked at his deep eyes and sincere movements, lost in thought.

At this moment, she felt a cool touch on her fingers. She looked down and saw a diamond ring on her finger.

Under the light of the fireworks, the beautiful sapphire looked even more dazzling.

"A wedding ring?" Shi Jin raised her hand to admire it. The more she looked at it, the more she liked it.

"Yes." There was a hint of nervousness in Fu Xiuyuan's voice. He seemed to be worried that Shi Jin would remove the ring.

The next second, he heard Shi Jin's pleasant voice say, "I like it! What about yours?"

What did she say? She said she liked it!

Fu Xiuyuan said in a low voice, "Can you say that again?"

"I like it." Shi Jin raised her fingers. "I like it!"

She reached out and hooked her arms around Fu Xiuyuan's neck. "Fu Xiuyuan, I like you!"

There was a smile in Fu Xiuyuan's deep and quiet eyes, which were lit up by the fireworks.

A galaxy-like brilliance flashed across his eyes.

The tips of Shi Jin's fingers turned cold again as she felt another ring. It was one for men.

Fu Xiuyuan wanted her to put it on for him personally.

Shi Jin went with the flow and took his well-defined fingers, helping him put the ring on his ring finger.

Outside the window, fireworks were still erupting.

***

In the middle of the night, Shi Jin was in a deep sleep when she was suddenly startled in her dream.

She reached out to touch the bed beside her, but Fu Xiuyuan was nowhere to be seen.

"Hubby?"

"Fu Xiuyuan?"

Shi Jin switched on the lights and sat up.

Strange.

Fu Xiuyuan had clearly been with her when they went to sleep. It was already midnight, where had he gone?

Shi Jin put on a silk robe and slippers before walking out of the room.

She saw a light coming from downstairs and wondered if it was Fu Xiuyuan.

She walked towards that spot and the light seemed even brighter.

When she got closer, she realized what Fu Xiuyuan was doing with his sleeves rolled up.

An extremely rich, sweet fragrance wafted through the air, seeping into her heart, immediately making her feel hungry.

Although Shi Jin made very little noise, Fu Xiuyuan still noticed her and immediately turned around.

Looking from one side of his body, Shi Jin saw a small cake that was not fully formed on the azure stone countertop. Although it looked ordinary, it smelled good.

Shi Jin immediately thought of the birthday party today. Fu Xiuyuan had arrived later than the others.

At that time, she had not paid much attention to what was happening. She only thought that he had been delayed by some work and that was why he had come late.

From the looks of it, it was obvious that he had been planning to make a cake with his own hands, but he had not done it, so he had not brought the cake over. Instead, he had bought a cake from the mall to send over.

When Fu Xiuyuan saw Shi Jin, he knew that he couldn't hide the cake anymore. He said in a low voice, "Sorry, I didn't make it in time."

Shi Jin smiled and strode towards Fu Xiuyuan. She walked past him and dipped her hand into the cream before placing it in her mouth. "It's quite delicious."

"Is that so?"

"Try it." Shi Jin took some more and placed it before Fu Xiuyuan's lips.

His Adam's apple moved slightly. The girl's slender fingers were like a work of art. They were as fair as jade and seemed to let off a warm glow under the light.

The cream was very white, but the color of her fingertips was no different. In fact, they looked even more translucent and moving.

Fu Xiuyuan opened his mouth and ate it.

It was the best cake he had ever eaten. The aftertaste was endless.

After savoring it for a long time, there was still a lingering fragrance in his mouth.

When Shi Jin retracted her fingers, she felt a tinge of regret.

Shi Jin lowered her head and picked up a knife and fork. She cut two pieces seriously and was about to pass one to Fu Xiuyuan.

His phone suddenly rang.

Fu Xiuyuan frowned. He did not intend to pick up any calls at this time.

However, the person was very persistent. After the ringing died, he called again.

Fu Xiuyuan glanced at He Ziheng's name and picked up. This had better be important!

As Shi Jin ate the cake, she watched him pick up the phone. It had to be said that the taste of this cake far surpassed its mediocre looks.

Fu Xiuyuan must have gone through countless experiments to obtain such a taste.

It was really hard to imagine that Fu Xiuyuan would come to the kitchen to study style and taste for a birthday cake.

Meanwhile, Fu Xiuyuan picked up the phone. He Ziheng's voice came over. "Boss, you're not asleep yet, right?"

"What do you think?"

Fu Xiuyuan's cold voice sent a chill down He Ziheng's spine. He slapped his head. He must be drunk, calling Boss at this hour.

He quickly said, "Fortunately, you're still awake. I forgot to send you something. I woke up in shock and sent it to you."

"What is it?"

"Good stuff. You'll understand when you see it." He Ziheng yawned. "You don't have to thank me too much. I'm going to sleep now. I drank a little too much today. I'm so tired."

Fu Xiuyuan hung up and opened his WeChat with a frown.

A dozen messages entered his phone.

The final one contained He Ziheng's blessings. "I hope Boss and Little Sister-in-law have a child soon.."

Chapter 320: Video

There were more than ten video messages.

Glancing at the thumbnails, one could see the ugly human entanglement.

Fu Xiuyuan's expression darkened.

The last time He Ziheng mentioned this, he had rejected it immediately. Who knew that after so long, he would still send so many things.

Fu Xiuyuan felt his temples throbbing. He looked up and saw Shi Jin's gaze on him.

The girl's eyes were very clear, and her gaze was as pure as water. There was a smear of cream on her lips, adding a touch of sensuality to her purity.

This kind of unknowing charm was so tempting!

Fu Xiuyuan calmly tapped on He Ziheng's message, planning to delete everything.

He moved his fingers quickly, wanting to destroy everything before Shi Jin realized that he even had such things on his phone.

Unexpectedly, when he was halfway through tapping, his hand slipped. Instead of hitting the delete button, he hit play.

He did not know where He Ziheng had gotten the video, but there was no prelude at all. The moment he opened it, there was a damned panting sound!

Fu Xiuyuan's hand slipped again, and his phone fell to the floor.

Shi Jin was eating cake when she heard this. She paused and looked at Fu Xiuyuan.

So Fu Xiuyuan hadn't rested even though it was so late. Was he actually here watching naughty videos?

Her eyes met Fu Xiuyuan's.

Awkward. Both of them felt extremely embarrassed.

Shi Jin put down the cake. "Well, I'll..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Fu Xiuyuan grabbed her wrist.

He said in a low voice, "I didn't." His tone was very serious.

Actually, it didn't matter even if he had been doing that kind of thing. Shi Jin could understand. However, when he denied it, Shi Jin knew that he definitely had not.

So it was actually... sent by some of his bad friends?

At the thought of his bad friends, Shi Jin could not help but feel speechless. It was already so late at night and they were still sending these things. Weren't they afraid of damaging their health?

Shi Jin pointed to the ground.

Only then did Fu Xiuyuan realize that the string of embarrassing voices was still continuing.

He coughed lightly, picked up his phone, and hit delete, finally deleting everything He Ziheng sent. However, the ambiguous atmosphere in the air could not be dispersed.

When Fu Xiuyuan approached, Shi Jin pushed herself back onto the counter.

Her waist was pressed against the countertop, and Fu Xiuyuan could see the lust in her eyes.

There was a terrifying danger hidden in his deep gaze, as well as an irresistible depth of love.

He also had strong restraint.

They had been married for some time. However, Fu Xiuyuan had not touched so much as a single hair of hers during this period of time.

She thought she was the one who was changing, making him feel more secure, letting herself warm and heal him. Actually, wasn't he also changing?

He had to respect her, protect her, and wait for her to accept him sincerely. Compared to what she had done, he had also done quite a lot.

Suddenly, Shi Jin understood his forbearance and suppression. He understood the things he had been waiting for.

She stretched out her slender arm and hooked it around Fu Xiuyuan's neck. She looked up and said, "This cake is really sweet... If you don't believe me, try it?"

She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips.

Fu Xiuyuan was stunned for a moment before his face lit up.

***

The consequence of Shi Jin's actions was that she woke up very late the next day.

The lesson she received was that she should never provoke a man who looked restrained and abstinent on the surface.

It was precisely because he had restrained himself for so long that a wild beast was released from his body.

She sat up and rubbed her sore shoulders and waist.

She looked up and saw Fu Xiuyuan striding over.

Compared to before, he was more energetic and radiant today. His sword-like eyebrows were even sharper and more imposing. His suit accentuated his outstanding figure. His shoulders were broad, his waist was narrow, and his legs were long.

He walked over to Shi Jin's side and lowered his head to plant a kiss on her lips.

His good-looking face was as charming as a demon's.

Shi Jin could not reject such a devil and became immersed in his beauty.

His fingers landed on her sore waist and massaged it with moderate strength. Soon, most of Shi Jin's soreness was gone.

"Are you feeling better?" Fu Xiuyuan restrained his restlessness and asked softly.

"Much better." Shi Jin frowned. He had known that her waist was sore.

He looked very serious and unapproachable, but he was actually the most attentive person ever when it came to Shi Jin. He could sense everything without her saying anything.

After a while, they got up. Shi Jin glanced at the time. "I'm going to see Second Brother in the afternoon."

"Gu Zehan?" Fu Xiuyuan asked.

"Yes. It was my birthday yesterday. He wanted to rush back, but he didn't have the time. This is also my first time meeting him officially. Do you have time to accompany me?"

"I do."

Accompanying her was naturally more important to him than anything else.

Gu Zehan was currently the most famous fashion designer in America. Two years ago, he had appeared out of nowhere with the name Brian. He had landed in the European and American showgrounds and obtained the world's recognition in one fell swoop, becoming a popular new fashion designer.

He was currently very popular. Even if a client was a famous Hollywood celebrity, it would not be easy for them to get an appointment with him.

He had wanted to attend Shi Jin's birthday party, but because he had already made an appointment for the Danish Royal Prince's wedding costume design, he couldn't make it.

The news of Brian returning to the country was not publicized at all. He kept a low profile throughout. However, many people had still heard this news.

For example, Chu Ling.

Chu Ling had lost a lot of face at Shi Xuexin's banquet yesterday, even though the details had not been leaked to the outside world. Moreover, he had invited his friends from the industry to attend the event.

Once he thought about how his limelight had been stolen by an unknown man and how his fiancée had lost face, he felt extremely anxious.

Hu Lai walked in and said in a low voice, "Chu Ling, I've heard something important. Brian has returned to China!"

"Brian is back?" Chu Ling was elated.

"That's right. I've been hiring people to find out about his whereabouts. This time, I've finally gotten news that he's coming back to China. You're about to participate in an important event, and there will be many celebrities on that day. If you can get a private order from Brian..."

Just thinking about it made Hu Lai feel really excited.

Recently, Chu Ling's popularity had been waning, and he had not been successful in transitioning to mainstream dramas. His top spot had also been hit hard due to his age.

If there were no breakthroughs, it would be very easy for others to steal the limelight. However, it would be different if he could get a personal customization from Brian.

Everyone in Country S had been looking forward to seeing Brian's private works for a long time, but no one had gotten one yet..

Chapter 321: Who Told You To Call Me That?

This time, when Brian returned to the country, various companies were already stirring up trouble in favor of their own artists.

If Chu Ling managed to get into the fray, he would definitely be in the limelight that night, and the fashion resources would come rolling in.

"Have you contacted him?" Chu Ling asked.

"We've been in contact with the company for a while, but we didn't expect Brian to suddenly come back. I think he only came back at the last minute because of you. Our company can afford high fees, and I believe that Brian won't reject us. Also, I heard that he has plans to return to China to develop his career. If you wear his clothes, the effects will be huge."

Chu Ling's face lit up as he said, "I have film and television resources now, but fashion resources aren't top-notch. If I can't get the six big blue and eight big red blood endorsements overseas, I won't be able to improve my style. You'll have to arrange Brian for me."

Hu Lai smiled. "I'll do my best."

The so-called Six Blue Bloods and Eight Red Bloods were collectively known as the top luxury brands globally.

These artists had always only looked for the most impressive people to endorse. They had very strict requirements for their figures, looks, taste, and popularity.

Obtaining these endorsements meant that he would be recognized by the entire fashion industry. It also meant that his style would be acknowledged.

Currently, even many Best Actor actors, despite having good figures and looks, had difficulty getting such endorsements due to their dispositions and brands.

Only the most fashionable, tasteful, and fashionable artistés could get these.

***

In the afternoon:

In a private meeting room:

Shi Jin and Fu Xiuyuan were already sitting inside drinking tea, waiting for Gu Zehan's arrival.

Shi Jin had not officially met Gu Zehan, but she had heard of him and seen his videos and photos.

She waited patiently.

Gu Zehan came straight from the airport and had told Shi Jin and Fu Xiuyuan to wait there.

Shi Jin did not insist on going to pick him up.

She was drinking tea when Fu Xiuyuan stretched out his long fingers and placed them on her waist.

She had been frowning slightly, and he sensed her needs.

Shi Jin tilted her head and smiled at him.

Footsteps came from outside the door. Fu Xiuyuan retracted his hand.

Shi Jin stood up and the door was pushed open. The waiter led a young man in.

After he entered, he politely nodded at the waiter, who immediately turned around and left.

Shi Jin saw his face clearly. It was similar to the one in the video, but much more exquisite.

He had long, narrow single eyelids, and he had phoenix eyes. His nose bridge was straight, but he looked very delicate.

He gave off an extremely delicate and exquisite feeling, completely different to Gu Jingyuan's upright and righteous aura.

It was probably because Gu Jingyuan looked like his father, Li Juekai, while this man looked more like his mother, Gu Qingqing.

He walked in and raised his eyebrows, looking at Shi Jin and Fu Xiuyuan.

"Shi Jin." He opened his arms and shot Shi Jin an extremely flirtatious smile.

This kind of charmer was truly the best sort of man in the world.

Shi Jin walked towards him and threw herself into his arms. "Second Brother."

Although this was their first official meeting, there was no longer any estrangement between the siblings. There was only natural kinship between them.

As Gu Zehan hugged Shi Jin, he saw Fu Xiuyuan standing to one side. He asked curiously, "Why is he here?"

After all, he had been overseas and did not know much about Shi Jin. He had no idea that Shi Jin and Fu Xiuyuan had gotten married earlier.

Shi Jin glanced at Fu Xiuyuan and said bluntly, "Second Brother, Fu Xiuyuan and I are already married."

"What?" Gu Zehan exclaimed in surprise. "What about Chu Ling?"

"Don't bring that guy up."

"But you can't just get married like this... Did Mom and Dad and Big Brother agree just like that?" It wasn't that Gu Zehan wasn't satisfied with Fu Xiuyuan. He just couldn't accept Shi Jin getting married just like that.

Such a good sister should stay at home for a few more years. How could she get married just like that?

There had not even been a grand wedding. He did not want to acknowledge this marriage!

He sized Fu Xiuyuan up from head to toe. Could such a serious and cold man really give his sister happiness? How could a strict family like the Fus show Shi Jin the greatest respect and love?

Shi Jin explained, "Second Brother, Fu Xiuyuan and I got married because we really love each other."

Gu Zehan sized Fu Xiuyuan up again.

He knew that Fu Xiuyuan had always had a cold expression on his face, as if someone owed him $250,000.

Although the Fu family and the Li family were engaged, it was just a marriage contract. In modern society, it was not important.

"Second Brother," Fu Xiuyuan called out steadily. Facing Gu Zehan, who was two years younger than him, he did not feel burdened at all.

"Who asked you to call me that?" Gu Zehan could not help but frown. He had yet to admit that he had a brother-in-law.

Shi Jin smiled and said, "Second Brother, Fu Xiuyuan and I have been married for a while now. It's impossible for you to get me to change my mind now."

Her voice was light and melodious. Gu Zehan could not help but sigh. "You..."

He glared at Fu Xiuyuan and helplessly tapped Shi Jin's forehead. Even if he did not accept it, he had no choice but to endure it. What could he do? It was her choice.

Shi Jin blinked at Fu Xiuyuan, signaling him to keep things light.

Of course, Fu Xiuyuan didn't mind. Shi Jin's family was his family. It would be fine as long as Shi Jin was still his.

"Why don't we eat first? You've been on that flight for so long, you must be hungry," said Shi Jin.

Fu Xiuyuan pressed the bell, and the waiter quickly delivered the food they had pre-prepared.

Gu Zehan picked up his chopsticks and ate two mouthfuls of each dish before putting them down. "The taste is just average."

"If it doesn't suit your taste, we can order more." Shi Jin reached out for the menu. "I didn't know your preferences. I ordered it according to my own tastes."

Gu Zehan picked up his chopsticks again. "I didn't eat much earlier, but now I feel that the aftertaste is quite fragrant. Let's eat this. I think it's quite good."

Fu Xiuyuan silently refilled Gu Zehan's cup.

Gu Zehan was slightly satisfied again. Everyone knew what Fu Xiuyuan was like. How could outsiders get him to personally pour tea for them? At least he was sincere!

However, Gu Zehan was only slightly satisfied. "Don't think about using such a small favor to make me acknowledge you as my brother-in-law!" he thought.

"By the way, Second Brother, I still have something I need your help with," Shi Jin said when she saw that he was almost done eating.

"Ask away.."

Chapter 322: I Only Want To Keep You

Shi Jin could not help but smile when she saw how willing he was. "Previously, when I was at the National Dance Association, I agreed to make everyone rehearse the song that I know, 'Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance'. Now, the dance has taken shape, but there is still no progress in finding a matching dress. I've talked to a lot of designers, but they all say it's too hard to do what I say.

The requirements for fabric and craftsmanship are especially high and they cannot achieve the effect I want. However, without such clothes to complement this dance, this dance won't be possible. Its essence won't be represented."

"Sure. I'll take this challenge," Gu Zehan agreed.

"But I heard that Second Brother's appointments run into next year?"

Gu Zehan raised his long and narrow eyes. "The others in line can get out of the way."

"Thank you in advance!"

"I'm quite happy that you let me help you. Before I came back, I was afraid that you wouldn't treat me as your brother. Oh, right, here's a birthday present." Gu Zehan handed her something.

Shi Jin took it, thanked him and put it in her bag.

Gu Zehan went out of the private room and gave his assistant a call. "Find out what happened with Chu Ling and Shi Jin."

A moment later, his assistant sent him a detailed report.

"That b*stard!" Gu Zehan clutched his phone as his devilish eyes turned vicious. "Don't give him my clothes!"

Before his return, he had thought that Shi Jin still had feelings for Chu Ling. Therefore, when Chu Ling's Xiuli Entertainment company negotiated with him and wanted him to help Chu Ling with a gown, Gu Zehan had agreed without hesitation. However, there was no need for Chu Ling to have treated Shi Jin as he did.

"Brian, the clothes have been given out."

Gu Zehan's clothes had been prepared long ago. They were meant for Chu Ling, and they were made as a greeting gift for Shi Jin and Chu Ling.

Unexpectedly, the situation had changed. The assistant had not expected this and sent the item over.

"Take them back!" Gu Zehan said without hesitation.

The assistant immediately responded.

Chu Ling was waiting for Hu Lai's final communication.

A moment later, Hu Lai walked in with a brand new set of clothes. The set was so exquisite that its beauty could be seen with the naked eye. Regardless of whether it was the design or the fabric, it had people intoxicated at first glance.

"Chu Ling, I've got the clothes!"

Hu Lai hadn't expected that either. As soon as Brian returned, he had someone deliver the clothes.

It could be seen how popular Chu Ling was. Even a mysterious designer like Brian was rushing to deliver his items.

As long as Chu Ling put on this set of clothes, Brian's reputation would become even greater because of Chu Ling.

Chu Ling stood up and took the clothes with a satisfied look.

"Chu Ling, I can tell that Brian approves of your reputation."

Chu Ling picked the clothes up. "Help me put it on."

Hu Lai was about to make a move when her phone rang. She picked it up immediately. "What?"

She did not dare to say much in front of Chu Ling. She walked out and asked in a low voice, "Why do you want them back? You already gave them to Chu Ling. I can't explain this at all."

Chu Ling did not know what the other party said, but Hu Lai seemed annoyed. "No. If it really won't work, we'll retreat after we pass through. I'll return tonight."

She had no choice but to agree.

Brian suddenly went back on his word and wanted to take back his clothes. Was it because he had a problem with his family? Or was there another reason?

If she told Chu Ling this, she would definitely be scolded to death.

Hu Lai pondered for a while before taking out a similar outfit from the cloakroom. She made up her mind and would let Brian pull out, but since Brian had gone back on his word, there was no need for her to follow the rules either.

She returned to Chu Ling's room and saw that he had already changed his clothes.

His already good-looking face looked exceptionally handsome in this outfit. It was indeed Brian's design. Even a third-rate celeb would look stunning in his clothes. Moreover, Chu Ling was already a top idol.

With this outfit, he would definitely become the most dazzling existence that night.

***

At Lanting Residence:

Shi Jin and Fu Xiuyuan returned home.

Her meeting with Second Brother had gone smoothly and Shi Jin was in a good mood. When she got home, she took out the red packet that Gu Jingyuan had given her.

Gu Jingyuan had only given it to her, not Fu Xiuyuan. She tilted her head to look at him and stuffed it back into her bag.

"Open it," Fu Xiuyuan said in a low voice.

He did not mind how others treated him. It was enough as long as they treated Shi Jin well.

Shi Jin thought about it and opened it.

Two red booklets.

Flipping them open, she saw that they were indeed property deeds with her name on.

However, compared to Old Master Li's Siheyuan and commercial building, Gu Zehan's apartment was new.

Even though it was an apartment, it was still expensive in a place like Beijing where every inch of land was worth a fortune.

Shi Jin had received eight real estate certificates from Old Master Li previously and had received quite a lot at her birthday party. Now that she had opened it again, she was already numb to it.

She finally understood what the saying "a starving camel is still bigger than a horse" meant.

Initially, she had estimated that the Li family's situation was mediocre and that their wealth had almost run out. She thought she might have to work harder to earn more money to let her family lead a better life. Now that she thought about it, she had been too naive.

As for the movie that she had specially written for her father, it was more meaningful to her spiritually than economically.

Shi Jin glanced at Fu Xiuyuan and said, "Why don't you keep it for me?"

She was clearly referring to them sharing assets.

Fu Xiuyuan looked down at her, his gaze deep as he pulled her into his arms. "I only want to keep you safe."

***

At the National Dance Association.

Shi Jin, Gu Zehan, and President Cui had already agreed to meet to discuss the dance and costumes for the "Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance".

The two of them entered together and President Cui's secretary welcomed them in.

"Miss Shi, Brian, President Cui is meeting guests now. He said that he's very sorry and hopes that you can wait a little longer," the secretary said apologetically as she brought them coffee.

"No problem." Shi Jin took the coffee. "Thank you."

***

In President Cui's office:

At this moment, he was in a terrible fix.

The person on his computer screen was Minister Hao from the non-material cultural heritage department.

Minister Hao said, "Currently, we are undergoing a non-lethal application for 'Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance'. However, Country H has already submitted this song to the United Nations ahead of time. As you know, this dance song represents our country's precious intangible culture. We cannot let anyone beat us to it.."

Chapter 323: Shameless Act

"I understand," President Cui said in a low voice.

"So, you have to prepare all the information as soon as possible. You will also have to prepare the dance music properly. This time, we can't let Country H succeed. This matter isn't just about you and me," Minister Hao said earnestly. "We can't let our brilliant historical culture be stolen by other countries."

President Cui closed the video and sighed.

Country H was just a small neighbor of Country S. However, even though Country H was small, it had always been a big talker. It was very ambitious and wanted everything. It had never been soft-hearted when taking things from Country S.

Country S was a large country with countless historical treasures and intangible cultural resources. Country H had taken advantage of the situation and benefited greatly.

Previously, Country H had seized opportunities because of their fast hands.

The thousands of years of cultural history of Country S had nurtured countless precious civilizations and cultures.

The other party had appropriated this without asking, leaving Country S filled with hatred and helplessness.

***

Shi Jin and Gu Zehan were drinking coffee when President Cui walked in.

"President Cui." Shi Jin stood up and greeted him.

President Cui's face was a little gloomy. He looked at Shi Jin and could not help feeling a glimmer of hope. "Quick, take a seat."

"President Cui, this is designer Brian. He is here to help us design suitable costumes for the 'Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance'," Shi Jin introduced.

"Hello, Brian." President Cui reached out and shook Gu Zehan's hand.

Although he wasn't in the mood, he still respected the person Shi Jin was introducing.

Seeing that he was in a daze, Shi Jin asked, "President Cui, is something wrong?"

"Well, Country H has actually taken 'Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance' and is saying it's theirs! Do you think they have such a long history? Do they even have an ancient dance? It's all because our National Dance Association performed such a dance last time that they took it!" President Cui said indignantly.

Shi Jin recalled how the people of Country H had always been like that. "They have always been like this. The other two neighboring countries have also suffered greatly. They really want to make the whole world theirs."

"I'm sure that they'll gain recognition for 'Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance'. In the future, they can use it to attract tourists from all over the world. They can even use that piece of culture as their country's strength and business card to raise their country's cultural influence and status in the world." Gu Zehan was also used to Country H's tricks.

That small country always liked to take things from Country S when they lacked something. They would take whatever they needed.

Let alone this kind of dance, even ancient festivals, celebrations, and even some ancient scholars weren't off limits to their thievery. If Country S did not retaliate, this situation would only worsen.

President Cui nodded. "You're right. Country H has always been like this. We can only make the first move in this kind of situation. We have to make things right and make them have no way out. That's the only solution."

Shi Jin asked, "Then, shall we pick up the pace of our dance practice and quickly gather all the information?"

"That's right. Shi Jin, you must settle this matter properly this time. I can arrange the information, but we can only rely on you for the dance. As for the costumes, we'll have to trouble Brian."

"Sure." Gu Zehan immediately smiled. "I'm also from Country S. I have a duty to protect my country's culture."

President Cui praised, "Thank you for your hard work."

After chatting with President Cui, Shi Jin and Gu Zehan immediately went to the dance practice venue.

When everyone heard about this, they became even more engrossed in their training.

Shi Jin explained the basic dance moves and the deeper meanings behind the dance to Gu Zehan. She also explained the style of the clothes she wanted.

"'Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance' looks simple and crude, but in reality, it contains many exquisite dance steps. When you dance really well, it's very pleasing to the eye. It's the legacy of our thousands of years of culture. This time, our dance has to compete with Country H's people, so we have to be better at choosing clothing than them."

Gu Zehan felt angry when he spoke about this. "Speaking of clothing, we've gone through many dynasties over the years. All kinds of ancient pieces of clothing have corresponding documents in the history museum as proof. Even so, Country H still treats them as historical clothing for their country. I want to see how they will fight for the clothing that I've tailored according to the styles of the Shangzhou era!"

"With you around, I believe our chances of success are very high."

The news that Country H was going to use the "Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance" to join the United Nations spread like wildfire.

Due to the fact that Country H was already a thief, who knew how many times they had stolen from Country S? Everyone was filled with righteous indignation.

"What? Country H is doing this again? Aren't they ashamed?"

"They were going to take away a festival passed down from ancient times last time, and now they're doing it again?"

"Country H is really shameless!"

"That's not all. They even said that our national treasure animals are theirs. What nonsense."

"Don't bring that up. Even Captain America and the others wish they had our treasures. And the evidence is conclusive."

"Alright, the whole world belongs to Country H, right? Are they satisfied? Even the whole universe belongs to Country H!"

"Ugh! Earth can no longer contain them. Let them get off Earth and fly away into the universe!"

The internet was abuzz with criticism. Naturally, everyone had high hopes for Country S.

"So, will our Country S succeed this time?"

"Be more careful and submit all the applications as soon as possible. Otherwise, if all the other countries get in first, there will be no chance of succeeding in the future!"

Wen Yongwei, who had been silent for some time, finally found an opportunity to make her presence known.

Previously, she had been embarrassed by Shi Jin. It had been a long time since she had commented and she dared not post on Weibo. However, how could she miss the drama today?

This was what she was good at, her battlefield!

She immediately created a Weibo post..

Chapter 324: Fire Of War

Taking advantage of the interest, Wen Yongwei immediately posted on Weibo.

She spoke earnestly, completely putting herself in her readers' shoes. "Country S's culture is glorious and has a long history. This is something that no one can ever take from us. I also believe that even if other countries harbor such thoughts, they will definitely fail. As a dancer, although I don't know how to do the 'Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance', I have always been in awe of it. It's really heartbreaking to see other countries trying to steal it. I hope that Country S will succeed as soon as possible and not be stolen from by others. I also hope that everyone will pay attention to our long history and not forget our country's brilliant civilization."

Wen Yongwei's words were perfectly suited to the situation.

At this juncture, as the first artiste to speak out publicly, her courage was commendable. This was a gamble that expressed that she didn't care about Country H's fans-if she had fans there.

Wen Yongwei had naturally considered the consequences. Country H was just a small country where she had few fans, and the benefits it could bring her were limited. There was no need for her to consider Country H compared to her own country's fans. As long as she could enjoy the current heat.

The fans praised, "Little Rose has always been very good at dancing. Now that she is standing up to speak, she really has a good conscience."

"Yeah, an artist with a pure heart is our true idol!"

"With her voice, I hope everyone will pay more attention to this matter and cheer for our girl."

The passerby's impression of her improved greatly. "Although she used to be a straight-A student and made people feel awkward, it's still admirable that she dares to say such things."

"I've become a fan. For an artist to have such a sense of social responsibility is really great."

Wen Yongwei quickly became a hot topic.

Although there were a few passersby who suspected that she was just trying to gain popularity by posturing, it was hard to say that she was wrong in this matter. Moreover, if anyone doubted her, they would be labeled as a lackey of Country H by her fans. Therefore, the doubters could only speak sporadically. They could not affect her on a large scale.

"Take advantage of the excitement and release two of the songs you've prepared," Kang Cheng suggested.

Recently, Wen Yongwei had been working very hard to compose as well. However, she had not found a suitable opportunity to release anything.

Today, her popularity was so high, it was the right time.

Wen Yongwei thought for a moment before releasing these two songs.

The fans were naturally willing to pay for it. Even if the passers-by did not buy her songs, they did not mock her. Some people still bought the music after hearing it, as a form of support for her.

A few people confirmed that she was just trying to gain popularity, but they were chased away by her fans after a few words.

Besides, who would want to be called a lackey of Country H?

No matter how people acted, no matter how unhappy they were with the artistés, their patriotic thoughts were unchanged.

At the same time, the celebrities online started to speak up one after another, supporting the success of Country S's announcement.

Netizens flooded to these celebrities' Weibos and praised their righteous actions.

When Shi Jin scrolled through her Weibo, she took a glance and felt that some netizens had indeed gone overboard.

Sometimes, they didn't express their opinions based on the facts. Instead, they used these things to vent their anger and project their emotions onto public figures, even if they hadn't done anything wrong.

She put down her phone and shook her head.

Moments later, Yao Jiahong called. "Shi Jin, I remember that Brian's real name is Gu Zehan? Is he your second brother?"

"Yes, why?" Shi Jin asked.

"The flames of war on the Internet are engulfing him."

Shi Jin was puzzled. "Why?"

"When he was training in Europe and America, he was low-key and mysterious. For a long time, there were rumors that he was from Country H. Now, he's back in Country S, so how could his competitors let him off? Everyone's opposing Country H on a large scale. As a potential citizen of Country H, he is naturally in the limelight."

Shi Jin thought of those aggressive netizens on the Internet and frowned slightly.

Upon hearing her silence, Yao Jiahong said, "If you need my help, just tell me."

"Okay, I'll take a look at the situation first." After hanging up, Shi Jin opened Weibo again.

As expected, the name Brian had quickly replaced the focus of other Weibo posts and was ranked first.

"Brian is from Country H, yet he has used Country S's cultural elements to design clothes for European and American shows. Isn't that very inappropriate?"

"It's a good thing to promote our culture, but to take it for one's own, or even to profit from it, is really unacceptable! Everyone from Country H is really shameless."

"Who says he's a genius? He's so shameless! I heard that this Brian wants to develop his own fashion brand in our country. I'm the first to object. Go back to where you came from and get lost!"

"Objection!"

"Objection!"

"We will not allow any Country H dogs to earn any ill-gotten gains."

"Get out of Country S @Brian"

"Get lost @Brian"

Soon, there was an uproar because of what had happened with Brian.

Brian's Weibo account also quickly responded: "Let me reiterate, I'm not from Country H."

However, no one believed his Weibo.

With the addition of his competitor's fake reviewers, there were even more comments. "He doesn't even dare to admit his identity. Country H's dogs are really despicable."

"Go kneel down and suck up to your European father. Country S doesn't need a designer like you."

"By the way, look at Brian's appearance. Someone actually said that he's not from Country H? He's been secretly photographed more than once in Europe and America, right? He has long, thin eyes and single eyelids. He's obviously Chinese, yet he still says he's not?"

Shi Jin called Gu Zehan.

Gu Zehan was drawing a design when he received the call. His tone was full of joy. "Why did you call me? Are you treating me to supper?"

"Do you want me to delete the posts online?"

"Delete what? I've already clarified it. It's up to them whether they want to believe it or not. It's so obvious that I'm from here, yet there are still people who believe in those things. It's obvious that everyone is brainless. They only care about venting their emotions. Deleting it will only make it worse. It's better to leave it for them to feel embarrassed about later.."

Chapter 325: I Don't Want To Lose My Future

Gu Zehan, on the other hand, was quite open-minded. At this moment, he still looked calm.

Shi Jin felt that she was calm enough, but Gu Zehan was even calmer than her. Perhaps it was precisely because he was fearless that he could remain unmoved even in the face of this storm.

"By the way," Gu Zehan said, "what do you think about adding some coarse fabric to make the costume look heavier and plainer?"

"Hmm, sure, but will I lose my elegance?"

"In order to maintain the elegance, I will make some special adjustments to the hems of the clothes. I will try my best to recreate the simple and unadorned style without reducing the softness and beauty of the dance."

As soon as the two of them started talking about this topic, they forgot about the rumors online.

The Li family did not take Gu Zehan's attack too seriously. Everyone in the family was from Country S. It was really funny for him to be labelled as someone from Country H just because of his looks and random speculation.

It was clear that Gu Zehan's identity was really mysterious, and there was nothing wrong with his actions.

Even his competitors had a hard time finding evidence. They could only attack on the basis of him being mysterious. There were no other weak spots. On the other hand, Chu Ling was deep in thought when he heard that Brian's identity was being attacked.

At this moment, the outside world was in a state of confusion.

The matter regarding Country H's statement had not been finalized yet.

Brian was also in a mess after being scolded.

Choosing to side with Brian and be with him from now on became Chu Ling's problem.

Many big fans knew that he wanted to collaborate with Brian.

Before, the fans had been very proud, but now, the situation was completely different. One wrong move and an idol could lose everything.

The big fans also took turns advising Hu Lai to cut ties with Brian so that Chu Ling wouldn't become the target of public criticism.

"There are plenty of other good designers. No matter how good Brian is, can he compare to those blue and red blood designers? It's not worth sacrificing Chu Ling's future for him!" a big fan said persuasively.

Hu Lai was actually thinking the same thing. After weighing the pros and cons, it was obvious that cutting ties with Brian was the best solution.

Chu Ling sat opposite her, deep in thought.

"Chu Ling, the company has already evaluated the risks and feels that you should give up on Brian," Hu Lai said.

"If I give up on his clothes, how am I going to outshine the others at the event?" Chu Ling didn't want to give up.

"There's no other way," said Hu Lai. "If you don't give up, everyone will know you're working with him. Sooner or later, this fire will be on your head."

She continued to persuade him. "After that, we will definitely find you a better designer. It's not a pity to give up on Brian. I'll help you post to Weibo now."

Chu Ling's Weibo account was shared by him and Hu Lai. When it came to public matters, Hu Lai needed to make a statement.

Chu Ling did not refuse.

Hu Lai used his name to post on Weibo. "I'm really heartbroken to find out that Country H has continued to use Country S's cultural treasures. We can't forget our ancestor's things, and we can't let anyone snatch them away. At the same time, I'm also announcing that I refuse to work with Brian and will no longer wear his designs."

There were two layers to this Weibo post. The first was cutting ties with Brian. The second was expressing to the public that Chu Ling's fashion resources had far surpassed his peers' and that he had gotten the opportunity to work with Brian. As for why he would not continue working with Brian, it was because he had given up his personal interests for the sake of the country's honor.

Once the Weibo post was released, it naturally attracted praise for Chu Ling.

"Let's see what it means to be a real top celebrity! This is what it means to be a real top celebrity. Even if you can get the best resources, you are willing to give them up for the country!"

"Giving up on this opportunity, Chu Ling is truly akin to a warrior cutting off his hand."

"Impressive, impressive! I used to look down on these superficial artists, but now it seems that there's no lack of hot-blooded men."

***

Shi Jin sat opposite Gu Zehan. When she saw the news, she frowned and said, "You're still working with Chu Ling?"

Gu Zehan glanced at Fu Xiuyuan, who was sitting to one side with a stern expression on his face. He coughed lightly. "That was before. If I'd known he would cut off our collaboration, I would have cut it off long ago anyway."

Fu Xiuyuan's expression softened.

"I'll reply to him now." Gu Zehan took out his phone and opened Weibo.

He quickly created a Weibo post: "Exactly what I wanted @Chu Ling."

After he posted it, he threw his phone aside and stopped looking at it. He would allow the public to discuss it freely.

Needless to say, Shi Jin could guess what Chu Ling's fans were saying.

There was a high chance that they would think that Gu Zehan was using Chu Ling's popularity.

Perhaps to those fans, the whole world was wrong. Only their idol was right.

"It's alright. Let's go to the National Dance Association first," said Shi Jin.

Gu Zehan stood up and blinked at Fu Xiuyuan, who couldn't go with them, showing off that he could go with Shi Jin.

Fu Xiuyuan remained silent.

Shi Jin noticed the unusual atmosphere and asked, "What are you guys doing?"

"Nothing, nothing." Gu Zehan immediately shook his head.

The two of them went to the National Dance Association.

The secretary handed them their cards.

"Miss Shi, Brian, you have to swipe your card every time you go in and out. Because the matter regarding Shen Yi has blown up, the management of the dance association has been tightened. Not everyone can enter."

"I understand." Shi Jin nodded.

She and Gu Zehan followed the secretary. When they saw their usual seats, they all swiped their cards.

The evaluation of personal identities had indeed become much stricter. This was understandable.

The National Dance Association was one of the key organizations in this year's batch of applicants, and they kept all sorts of information. The theory behind "Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance" was also here.

If they did not properly protect these secrets, and if the people from Country H found out, they would probably think that these things were theirs again.

It was difficult for Shi Jin to judge others. However, Country H's people were famous for their shamelessness. Who knew what they would do?

The secretary swiped his card and entered.

Shi Jin followed suit.

The screen showed:

Shi Jin.

S Card. Entry Permitted.

When Shi Jin entered, Gu Zehan was amused. "Are you an S card? I don't even know what card I have."

He swiped it.

The screen displayed:

Brian.

Temporary VIP card. Entry Permitted.

Gu Zehan looked at the words and could not help but look at the secretary.. "Why am I only a temporary card?"

Chapter 326: Unauthorized People Cannot Enter

"Brian, Miss Shi is an official member of the association, so she has an S card. You're a temporary guest, so you're using a temporary card."

"Is there a difference?" Gu Zehan asked.

"The permitted areas and time limits for each card is different. At the last minute, you can only enter the dance studio that you are currently in. The time limit is not long either, so your card's time limit should be up by now."

"Then what about Shi Jin's S card?"

"It's permanently effective. You can go to all the places that the association has access to with one of those."

Right now, even "Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance" was being arranged under Shi Jin's guidance. It was normal for her to be able to go anywhere.

Gu Zehan did not have much interest in the dance association. He had heard that he would not be able to enter this place again after the announcement. It was not really a pity. He said, "You should have done this a long time ago."

The secretary said politely, "Actually, there were such management measures in the past, but they were not strictly implemented. This time, taking advantage of Shen Yi's time, it is indeed not bad to put everything on the right track."

Shi Jin and Gu Zehan swiped their cards and entered. They soon arrived at President Cui's office.

President Cui stood up immediately when he saw them. "Shi Jin, Brian, come and sit down."

After Shi Jin and Gu Zehan entered, they discussed the choreography and designs of the costumes with President Cui again.

Gu Zehan brought out a set of samples he had already prepared.

After he took them out, President Cui took them.

The style was simple and unadorned, yet elegant. It had absorbed the foundation of historical texts and had been innovated and improved upon.

"Not bad, not bad." President Cui nodded. "If we all wear this outfit, this dance will become even more godly. Brian, your design is really fitting."

"President Cui, how's the preparation going?" Shi Jin asked.

"I've arranged some things, but some information is really hard to find. Overall, I don't know if we can compare to Country H's efforts."

This was what worried President Cui the most. He said, "Whether or not the United Nations will approve this non-material cultural heritage will depend on all the reports. Only with enough details and credibility can we convince them to pass it. If our content can't compare to Country H's..."

Gu Zehan cursed, "Damn it! It's clearly our ancestor's stuff!"

"They don't care much. We know that this is ours, but others will only look at the evidence. At the end of the day, it's still because the world doesn't know enough about Country S and Country H, and the soft power of culture isn't strong enough. It's precisely because of this that we have to fight for any cultural treasure that we can actually fight for. That way, our country's cultural strength will be seen by more people."

Shi Jin passed him a notebook. "President Cui, can you take a look at this?"

President Cui took it and flipped to the next page.

The more he read, the happier he became. "Shi Jin, where did you get this?"

"I found it in the library."

"That's great. This information is what I need! With this, all the other information I've prepared will be more reliable. I won't be afraid even if I have to face Country H's people."

"Then feel free to use it." Shi Jin smiled. "I'll leave the notebook to you, President Cui. I'll go take a look at the dance studio now."

"Go, go!" President Cui looked at the two youngsters in front of him and felt very lucky.

Gu Zehan and Shi Jin walked out together. He asked, "Where did you get your information from?"

"Let's just say that it was legally obtained."

Seeing the faint smile on Shi Jin's face, Gu Zehan did not ask further.

Before he came back, he had assumed that his sister would still be as naive and childish as before and would need someone to protect her, but after interacting with her for some time, he realized that he'd been completely wrong.

She did look innocent, but she was well-mannered and polite. She had a plan in mind, and she no longer needed his guidance.

The two of them stayed in the dance studio for an entire afternoon before leaving.

By the time Wen Yongwei arrived at the National Dance Association, it was already evening. She was there to submit an application.

She was about to take part in a dance exam. Once she passed, she wanted to apply for a promotion at the National Dance Association.

Currently, there were many levels to the National Dancing Association. As a junior member, Wen Yongwei could only go there for a tour. She could not do anything else. Not to mention participating in internal affairs, even sharing a stage with the dancers here was impossible.

Since she was going to advance in her examinations, the National Dance Association had to actively seek advancement as well.

"'I've heard that as long as you become an A-rank member, you will be able to apply to do a national performance," Kang Cheng said. "So, you must first cross the threshold of being a junior member and get closer to Class C. In a year or two, it will be even better if you can get to Class A."

"I'll try my best," Wen Yongwei said.

As long as she could reach the national dance performance stage, she would be able to obtain more opportunities in the entertainment industry.

Currently, her college entrance examination results could not be released to the public. The glory of being the champion of 'Ultimate Singer Songwriter' had also been stolen by Shi Jin's multiple hits.

Everyone knew the runner-up's name, but very few people mentioned her as the champion.

Dance was Wen Yongwei's last trump card for surpassing Shi Jin.

Kang Cheng had asked around and heard that there was an [S] class. However, there was no need to even think about that right now. Many people who had been in the group for over 20 years had only barely reached [A] class. How difficult would it be to reach [S] class?

Wen Yongwei did not specialize in dancing. The entertainment industry was more important.

Kang Cheng accompanied Wen Yongwei inside, but they were stopped before they reached the hall.

"Unrelated people are not allowed to enter."

"I'm a member of the dance association." Wen Yongwei hurriedly took out her identification documents.

She realized that the place she was used to visiting was now visibly stricter.

In the past, even reporters had been able to enter freely, but now, the door was heavily guarded, and anyone who entered and exited had to swipe their card.

"Use your card to enter. The people accompanying you cannot come."

"I haven't got a card."

"Then go over there to fill in your information and wait for approval for a card. The card requires facial recognition and cannot be acquired by others on your behalf."

"How long will it take?"

"Go there and line up first. If it's fast, it'll be three hours. If it's slow, it'll take a day."

Kang Cheng took a look at the queue. There was no one there. He went over and took a number.

"You are number 41. There are 30 people queuing up before this."

A mechanical voice came from the call machine.

30 people?

Kang Cheng immediately felt irritated..

Chapter 327: Becoming A Cursing Point

Wen Yongwei's head hurt when she heard how strict the rules were. She had quite a lot of business to attend to. If she delayed it for a day, she would earn a lot less money.

Besides, there were many jobs that had already been arranged and which could not be delayed easily. However, she had to handle it herself. She had no choice but to get the card in person.

She was instantly troubled.

Kang Cheng also frowned. "You still have an event tonight. If you delay it, it will affect your image."

Wen Yongwei thought of something and said, "Wait a minute, let me make a call."

President Cui of the Dancing Association had some connections with the Wen Family. President Cui was the one who had invited Wen Yongwei to join the association.

Wen Yongwei believed in President Cui's love and care for her.

She immediately called President Cui. However, the person who answered the call was President Cui's secretary. "I'm sorry, President Cui is very busy now. You can leave a message if you need anything."

"I'm Wen Yongwei. Please tell President Cui that I want to apply for an access card, but I don't have enough time. Can you make an exception?"

"I'll pass on the message." The secretary was very businesslike.

"I'm in a hurry. Can you hurry?"

"I'll be quick."

She hung up.

Wen Yongwei had taken the time to make this trip. She didn't want to miss anything.

"You know President Cui?" Kang Cheng asked.

"Yes, President Cui saw me dancing once and contacted me personally. My dad is on good terms with him, but he's very busy now. I don't know if he'll have the time to help me."

Truth be told, Kang Cheng had been rather indifferent towards Wen Yongwei recently.

No matter what she did, she couldn't compare to Shi Jin. She had even been beaten by Shi Jin, making him, the manager, lose face. However, he was the one who had made many decisions. Thus, he could not entirely blame Wen Yongwei for her incompetence.

When he heard that President Cui had personally invited Wen Yongwei to join the National Dance Association, Kang Cheng felt that Wen Yongwei was not too disappointing. There were still things about her that could be salvaged.

"Then let's wait," he said.

Wen Yongwei had no choice but to wait. She knew that President Cui must be busy recently since Shen Yi was a huge matter.

What she wanted most was to level up at the dance association as soon as possible. She might even be able to witness Shen Yi's success. It would be a glorious achievement if she told others.

Both she and her fans needed such motivation.

The two of them waited for two to three hours. By the time the card was ready, President Cui and his secretary still hadn't been in touch.

The secretary naturally wouldn't disturb President Cui, who was reading the notebook Shi Jin had given him. Even if the sky were to collapse, President Cui would not lift his head from the notebook.

Naturally, the secretary ignored Wen Yongwei.

The card could be gotten according to the normal procedures.

"Director Kang, President Cui has been busy recently. He might not have time to help me." Wen Yongwei was disappointed, but she still had to comfort Kang Cheng. "As you know, he's been busy with Shen Yi recently. He can't split his attention."

"Understood," Kang Cheng said casually.

Kang Cheng and Wen Yongwei went to get their cards.

The procedures were complicated and drawn out, but Wen Yongwei was still excited and happy at the thought of being able to freely enter and exit the dance association in the future.

The last time she came to visit, because Shi Jin was also there, she had only taken a cursory glance and had not gone to many places.

With a card, things would be different.

After getting the card, she asked, "I'm going to submit an upgrade application. Can I go in now?"

"You can, but as a junior member, there aren't many places you can get into, just a few public dance halls. The information room, office area, file room, private dance hall, VIP dance hall, and so on aren't open to junior members."

Wen Yongwei's joy at receiving the card immediately halved. She had visited the public dance hall before and it was not interesting, but now, he was saying that she could only go to those places?

Seeing her expression, the guard said, "If you want to go to more places, work hard to level up."

As a last resort, Wen Yongwei had no choice but to swipe her card and submit the application form.

By the time they came out, it was already late. She and Kang Cheng got into the minivan and hurried toward the night's event venue.

After the car drove off, Kang Cheng saw a cafe. He called for a stop.

There was an event that night, and Wen Yongwei was going to do her makeup later. This meant that neither of them would be able to have dinner normally.

There was still some food in the car, but he needed a cup of coffee.

"Please help me buy a cup of coffee too, Director Kang." Wen Yongwei had been waiting at the entrance of the dance association for a few hours and was exhausted.

Kang Cheng got out of the car without a word. Wen Yongwei suddenly called out to him, "Director Kang!"

Kang Cheng looked back and saw her pointing out the window.

His eyes followed the direction of Wen Yongwei's finger and he saw Shi Jin and a young man buying coffee.

The young man gave off a very familiar feeling, as if he had seen him somewhere before.

"That's..." Kang Cheng frowned as he pondered.

Wen Yongwei suddenly thought of something. "Is it that Brian? The designer from Country H who has been badly criticized online recently?"

Kang Cheng immediately took out his phone and captured the scene.

If Shi Jin was with someone else, he wouldn't have been bothered. However, Brian had recently been criticized badly.

Chu Ling had even directly said that he didn't need the custom-made clothes that he designed and cut ties with him.

There weren't many people who had known about Brian. Most of them were from the fashion industry.

After Chu Ling's ruckus, Brian became known to more people. Of course, he also received more harsh comments.

The people of Country H did not ask about the things that belonged to the people of Country S. Everyone was scolding Country H, but Country H was just an empty vessel. The criticism would not get through to them.

So of course, they had to find others to blame.

Naturally, Brian was the first to bear the brunt of the public's ire and became the main target of criticism.

After Kang Cheng took the photo, Shi Jin and Brian drove off.

Wen Yongwei already knew what Kang Cheng wanted to do, but she still asked, "Director Kang, this photo?"

"I have my own plan. Don't worry about it for now."

Wen Yongwei immediately understood everything.

Brian was at the peak of his career. If Shi Jin was with him now, wouldn't she get involved too?

If Wen Yongwei wanted to defeat Shi Jin using normal methods, she would need to put in many years of hard work. However, using this method, she might be able to achieve her goal overnight.

That night, while Shi Jin was having dinner, there was a commotion in the WeChat group.

"Shi Jin, what's going on?"

"Shi Jin, have you been hacked again?"

Her friends were concerned.

The attached pictures were titled: Shi Jin and Country H's designer, Brian, are very close. They drank coffee to wait out the traffic..

Chapter 328: Afraid To Speak Anymore

The words 'Country H' were specially labeled in red.

It was obvious that the entertainment reporters were well versed in stirring up drama. They targeted Shi Jin precisely.

Right now, anyone who was associated with the words "Country H" instantly became the enemy of all netizens.

Fu Xiuyuan stopped eating and looked at her. "What happened?"

"This is it." Shi Jin showed Fu Xiuyuan the photo.

Shi Jin and Gu Zehan had been busy at the dance association for the entire day. After they left, they bought a cup of coffee and quickly got into the car. The two of them seemed very far away from each other in the photo and their expressions were calm. If not for that, people would have been saying they were lovers.

Seeing that Fu Xiuyuan's expression had not changed, Shi Jin knew that he could not stand to be scolded. She said, "It doesn't matter. My relationship with my second brother will be exposed sooner or later. Also, what we have done will soon be known by everyone. When that time comes, they will know what it means to have to eat their words."

Fu Xiuyuan's eyes narrowed slightly, clearly very displeased with these netizens.

Afraid that he would do something irrational, Shi Jin picked up some food for him. "I've been tired for the whole day. Can you give me a massage later?"

His slightly focused eyes turned dark and there was a heat hidden in his pupils. "Gladly."

Shi Jin put down her phone and put the matter aside.

This misunderstanding was too ridiculous. Even though Gu Zehan had already clarified that he was from Country S, these people still did not believe him. Then, when the time came, he would throw the truth in their faces!

The news of Shi Jin and Brian stirred up the netizens' indignation.

"No matter what, Shi Jin is with Brian now. This is a blatant provocation. She doesn't care about the interests of S Country at all."

"I've said it before. Time reveals the true nature of people. Little Rose is still better. She quietly carries on with her career and never acts up or messes around."

"I heard that Wen Yongwei even went to the National Dance Association today. As a member of the association, she couldn't possibly be there to assist, could she?"

"@Little Rose, are you going to the association to help Shen Yi?"

Everyone was asking Wen Yongwei the same question,

She posted on Weibo.

"I'm going to the dance association today. Shen Yi is not just one person, but a whole department. If I can help, I will do my best to assist Country S."

She wasn't saying if she had actually helped or not. She only said that she was willing to help. She also said that she went to the dance association.

Naturally, people would think that she had helped.

The fans could not wait to announce this to the world. "So Little Rose has been helping the country recently! It's really great! She's so responsible!"

"I'm proud of Wen Yongwei!"

"Wen Yongwei is my eternal idol! I will always support you and love you!"

"Little Rose has naturally contributed to Shen Yi's success."

"An artist like her deserves everyone's love."

"I really didn't choose to support the wrong person."

When Wen Yongwei saw these comments, she pretended not to see them. She did not explain or reply to them.

Even if the dance association saw this, they could not say that she had done anything wrong. She had only expressed her thoughts and said that she had been to the association, the rest was all the imagination of the fans. Could she really manage the imaginations of her fans? Besides, the dance association would not be free to bother about such trivial matters.

Shi Jin did not respond.

Her fans were also trembling in fear and didn't dare to say much. They were afraid that she would make more mistakes.

Although Brian had already replied that he was not from Country H, no one believed him. It had to be said that some people only chose to believe what they wanted to.

Three days went by.

President Cui would represent the dance association, Minister Hao from the Shen Yi Division, and the others to go to the United Nations to carry out the final declaration work.

At the same time, Country H's Shen Yi department also set off.

Shi Jin and Gu Zehan took a taxi to the airport to see President Cui and the rest off.

"Everything is ready. There shouldn't be any problems." The two young people in front of President Cui were very pleased. "This time, it's all thanks to your help."

"It will definitely go very smoothly." Shi Jin's voice was pleasant to the ear.

Guild Leader Cui nodded.

This time, there were also dancers from the dance association with them.

They were going to perform the song on the spot, and with the information President Cui had prepared, they had to get approval. They were also very confident.

As she watched them board the plane, a huge weight was lifted from Shi Jin's heart.

In her previous life, Country H had successfully claimed "Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance" as their intangible cultural heritage, causing a huge sensation.

At the beginning, they had applied for many kinds of intangible cultural heritages, from festivals, food, and ancient historical names.

They wanted to steal everything from Country S, As a result, Country S had always been slightly inferior in terms of cultural soft power. Unfortunately, in her previous life, she had not known what dance they had choreographed or what information they needed. However, according to Shi Jin's memory, she had heard them mention an ancient book. She had spent a lot of effort investigating that ancient book and had found its contents and given it to President Cui.

The civilization of Country S had a long history. It was vast, profound, and unique. There were many ancient books in it, but many of them were lost because no one had read them for a long time.

On the other hand, some small countries did not have much history. Instead, they liked to explore these things and study the precious culture that had originally belonged to S Country thoroughly before taking it for themselves. This was exactly what Country H had done.

Shi Jin had found the ancient book before them. It would not be easy for them to defeat Country S this time.

"Let's go." Seeing that Shi Jin was still deep in thought, Gu Zehan patted her shoulder.

"Okay." Shi Jin walked out with him.

Suddenly, a large group of reporters rushed forward, their cameras flashing non-stop.

The microphones stretched out in front of Shi Jin and Gu Zehan. "Shi Jin, Brian, what are you doing here?"

"What do you think about Shen Yi?"

"As a native of H Nation, how do you feel about stealing Country S's culture?"

"May I ask if the two of you are dating? Do you agree with Country S's culture from the bottom of your heart, or do you think that it's worthless?"

These reporters had come prepared. All their questions were directed at Brian. Of course, Shi Jin was not any better with him.

Shi Jin had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.

Her expression was calm and indifferent, and the corners of her eyes curled up slightly as she said, "Can you allow me to answer one question at a time?"

The reporters quietened down, but they still surrounded the two of them, looking like they wouldn't leave if they didn't get an answer.

Shen Yi's matter had been brewing for a long time, and everyone's emotions were getting out of hand. Naturally, someone had to bear the anger of the netizens..

Chapter 329: He Has Always Been Of Country S

Only then did Shi Jin say lazily, "Brian has always been from Country S. How can he say that he doesn't recognize our culture?"

Gu Zehan used to train in Europe and America. He had always kept a low profile and was talented. The outside world has always judged his nationality based on his looks. In the past, he hadn't cared about it. Now, he had to prove it to himself.

"My real name is Gu Zehan. My father is Li Juekai and my mother is Gu Qingqing. I was born and raised in Country S. It's not enough that I've clarified it once already on Weibo? Do you still need me to clarify it again?" Once he spoke, his slender eyes filled with an alluring light.

However, he was speaking in the fluent and authentic language of Country S, without any accent.

The reporters were stunned for a moment. Since Brian was a citizen of Country S, there was naturally no need for them to ask any more questions.

Hadn't everyone been angry because he was from Country H? Moreover, the name Gu Zehan was very familiar.

The reporters suddenly realized that Gu Zehan was not the same person... Was this really Gu Zehan?

"May I ask if you have any other questions?" Shi Jin lifted her eyelashes and asked coldly.

"So, what are you doing here today?" The reporter's attitude was obviously much better now.

"To help Country S," Shi Jin said.

In front of the reporters, she didn't mind telling them the truth.

The reporters obviously had not expected such an answer.

"So what did you do? What have you planned?" the reporters asked curiously.

"What is your current progress?"

"What are the chances of Shen Yi succeeding?"

Gu Zehan was already shielding Shi Jin as they walked out. Upon hearing these words, both of them stopped in their tracks.

With a serious expression, Shi Jin raised her voice slightly. "'Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance' is the cultural treasure of our country. It is the precious material and cultural heritage of every citizen here. It belongs to us and must also stay with us. Therefore, there is only one outcome for Shen Yi-success. Because the truth is the truth and it can never be changed."

With that, she followed Gu Zehan past the reporters and they returned to the car.

Gu Zehan glanced at the reporters outside. "I don't know if they will spread this news. Do you know why people keep saying that I'm from Country H? In Europe and America, I've repeatedly said that I'm from Country S, but the news media never reported it. It's as if Country S can't claim anything. I've clarified it on Weibo, but no one believed me."

"We have to release the news today." After saying that, Shi Jin tapped on her phone and typed a few words into it before sending something to Yao Jiahong.

She explained the whole story clearly. Yao Jiahong was still capable of this.

As expected, within half an hour.

# Brian is from S Country #

# Brian is Li Juekai's son #

# Shi Jin and Brian participated in Shen Yi's preparation work #

# Gu Zehan's Identity #

In the video, Brian spoke Country S's language fluently and said that his father was Li Juekai. Then, everyone recalled Gu Zehan's real identity.

"Isn't that the skating champion from Country S?"

"It's true! He's the champion!"

"I remember that Gu Zehan was very impressive back then. He participated in an international competition when he was 12 years old and won the championship. He's the undisputed champion of our country!"

"I can't believe someone said Gu Zehan was from Country H!"

"It's a pity that Gu Zehan retreated before he was even twenty years old. It's such a pity."

"So Brian = Gu Zehan. He used to be the light of Country S. How could he be slandered by someone like that?"

"It's true. Gu Zehan's family has already clarified many times that they're not from Country H and are from Country S, yet people still dared to slander them. I really hate these anti-fans."

In the comments, not only did everyone mention Gu Zehan's achievements from when he was young, many people also posted photos of him.

When he participated in the competition, he had still been far from mature. He had been a delicate and pretty little boy. There was a huge gap between him and his current monstrous image. No wonder no one had associated him with his former self all these years. However, back then, he could be considered a national star and was loved by many people.

After he retired, he disappeared from the public eye. No one knew where he went or what he was doing.

When he returned to the public eye, everyone's mood could be imagined.

Most of them were gratified. "Geniuses are indeed geniuses no matter what they do. Even if they change industries, they can still thrive."

There were even a few who were infatuated with him. "The kids back then actually dumped him when he grew up. I don't care. I love him!"

It was a pity that there were too few photos of him right now.

The doubts surrounding him had mostly dissipated.

Shi Jin's fans could finally respond openly.

"How is Brian from Country H? He's Little Stone's older brother!"

"It's time for the reporters to stop making groundless accusations! Is there any meaning in slandering others?"

"That's right. Didn't you hear what Shi Jin said? She went to help with Shen Yi's work."

"This is really funny. Shi Jin and Brian worked hard to help everyone, but they were scolded instead. Those celebrities just casually posted on Weibo that they helped, and they received a lot of praise. What's wrong with this world?"

Wen Yongwei's fans could not take it anymore. "Little Rose really participated in the preparation work of Shen Yi! You guys can clarify for Shi Jin, but can you not stop people implicating others?"

"That's right. Little Rose is a member of a proper country's dance association! She has potential!"

"In that case, I can still understand why Little Rose went to help. Shi Jin doesn't know how to dance and isn't a member of the dance association. Why is she getting involved?"

Shi Jin's fans: "Doesn't Little Stone know how to dance? Previously, when filming Grace's commercial, she already danced very well!"

Wen Yongwei's fans: "The advertisements were all edited, what's there to believe?"

Shi Jin's fans: "But Shi Jin wouldn't lie. If she says that she's helped, she definitely has."

Wen Yongwei's fans: "Little Rose was the first to say that she wanted to help. Why can't Shi Jin own up to the fact that she copied her?"

Shi Jin's fans: "It has already been proven that you misunderstood Brian. Do you still want to continue by misunderstanding Shi Jin?"

Wen Yongwei's fans: "Anyway, you can't talk. Little Rose is an eighth-level dancer. What about Shi Jin, huh?"

Passerby: "So this Shen Yi thing has been taken over by people in the entertainment industry, right? Why don't you all take a look at what abilities they have? This was all done by you guys, right?"

Chapter 330: How Many People Are Laughing At Him

The other passers-by were also disgusted. "That's right. Look at yourself. How dare you say that Shen Yi's matter was handled by you?"

Passerby: "Previously, when Wen Yongwei said those words, I already wanted to ask, what can a singer like you do? Now, Shi Jin is also here to interfere. I advise you guys not to generate hype."

The fans couldn't stand what the passersby were saying and went to argue again.

Wen Yongwei received a message. "Shi Jin is helping with Shen Yi's work?"

Kang Cheng said, "I didn't find out anything about her at the dance association. I've checked all the names of the people in the A-C ranks. She's not there."

"Could she be... [S] class?" Wen Yongwei asked uncertainly.

"How could that be possible? Is it that easy to get an S-grade? Besides, if Shi Jin really is S-grade, she would have come out to show off."

Wen Yongwei replied, "As far as I know, Shi Jin has never studied dancing before."

"Don't worry about it. Shi Jin can't really be involved in Shen Yi's work. We're focused on our own matters, but we really weren't expecting this from Brian."

Wen Yongwei had not expected Shi Jin to have such a brother! And he was a top designer at that!

She suddenly felt that her path had become a little more difficult.

Chu Ling was regretting his refusal to cooperate with Brian. It turned out that Brian was not even from Country H! He had been completely misled.

"Sister Lai, look at this. Is there any way to turn things around?"

Hu Lai looked troubled. There was no turning back this time.

Actually, from the very beginning, Brian had had no intention of continuing to work with Chu Ling. Chu Ling was the one who had forcefully taken the clothes and returned fake ones, forcing them to work together. After the incident, they had directly ended their relationship.

Now she couldn't even contact Brian's assistant!

"Chu Ling, let me find you something better to wear," Hu Lai said.

Unknowingly, the two of them had offended a big shot in the fashion industry.

Moreover, if this matter spread, no one would say that Chu Ling was a "hot-blooded man" anymore.

Right now, there were already people criticizing him for being stupid and negligent. They hadn't even gotten to know the situation clearly before making their judgements.

Especially now that Brian had been proven to be Gu Zehan, the smooth-sailing champion back then. His popularity, success, and good reviews were all very high.

It was the dream of many to work with such a designer, but Chu Ling's words had completely severed his relationship with the fashion designer.

Many people were likely laughing at him now.

Those designers who had originally been interested in collaborating with him also retreated. Who could tell when Chu Ling would step on them for the sake of his reputation?

The impact of the incident was far more serious than they had expected.

Soon, there came news from the United Nations. This news was everywhere.

Everyone was paying attention to the Shen Yi incident. Even those who were not interested in the entertainment industry knew that Wen Yongwei and Shi Jin were fighting over the fact that they had contributed to Shen Yi.

No one wanted to argue about this matter. They only wanted to know if Shen Yi had succeeded. Had they taught Country H a lesson?

"Success! Shen Yi succeeded!"

"The Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance has been successfully announced!"

"Country S has successfully claimed its heritage, and 'Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance' has been approved as our intangible cultural heritage!"

It was originally the treasure of Country S, but now that Country H's citizens had stepped in to claim it, there were many more variables and uncertainties.

It had made everyone feel indignant.

Finally, after obtaining this result, everyone was extremely excited. It could be said that the entire country was celebrating.

When President Cui and the others got off the plane, they were greeted by many netizens who had come to greet them. They treated them like heroes.

There were also many reporters among them. The reporters asked a lot of questions.

President Cui knew that everyone was concerned about the current issue, so he answered their questions in detail.

Finally, someone brought up a certain question: "I heard that there's an artiste from the entertainment industry who helped with the Shen Yi matter. May I ask if President Cui knows of this?"

President Cui's arrival was not a live broadcast, but it was better than a live broadcast. The netizens were reporting it in text online, attracting a lot of attention.

Some passers-by hated the way celebrities fought and paid special attention to this issue.

"It's fine if Wen Yongwei and Shi Jin use trifles to create hype, but I will never allow them to use such important things like this!"

"That's right. This concerns the country. How can they use it as a tool to create hype?"

"These celebrities are unbelievable!"

The ordinary public paid attention to the problem at all times and were prepared to teach the fans a lesson.

President Cui smiled and said, "Indeed. Many people have contributed a lot to Shen Yi this time. The support from the higher authorities, the cooperation between the members of the association, as well as Shi Jin and Brian's hard work have resulted in the success of our 'Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance'. I would like to thank them especially."

"What exactly did Shi Jin and Brian do?" the reporter asked curiously.

"As a member of the National Dancing Association, Shi Jin helped to develop the choreography this time. Together with Brian, she designed and made all the dance costumes for the dancers. It was precisely because we had a batch of costumes that our 'Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance' appeared to be even more godly in both form and appearance."

When word of this was sent back, those passers-by who had been clamoring all fell silent.

Shi Jin and Brian had really been involved? Shi Jin was a member of the National Dance Association? Brian had designed the dancers' costumes?

Actually, this was something that had been going on since a long time ago. However, these passersby had always looked down on people from the entertainment industry and felt that they only had flimsy reputations, especially Shi Jin and Gu Zehan. They were both good-looking and everyone subconsciously overlooked their true capabilities. Therefore, they had never believed that the two of them were actually capable of doing things like this.

It was only now that everyone felt their cheeks burning.

The two of them had never flaunted anything even when they went to the airport. Yet, they had been scolded by everyone. It was too much.

Many passers-by flooded Shi Jin and Gu Zehan's Weibos to apologize.

Shi Jin's fans were very proud. "You guys didn't believe us even after we told you. Are you willing to believe me now?"

"As long as you guys really like Shi Jin, we don't mind you becoming her fans."

"Shi Jin still has a lot of talents that you guys have yet to discover. I hope that you guys will stop following rumors. How many times have you misunderstood Shi Jin and Brian?"

Everyone apologized again.

Under Shi Jin and Gu Zehan's Weibo pages was a row of apologies. It was a spectacular sight.

Wen Yongwei's fans were also waiting anxiously for President Cui to mention Wen Yongwei's name..

Chapter 331: Not Remembering The Past, Not Afraid Of The Future

At that time, Wen Yongwei had also said that she helped with Shen Yi's work and had been used by passersby to mock Shi Jin. As long as President Cui mentioned the work that Wen Yongwei had done for Shen Yi, the public's attitude towards Wen Yongwei would also change.

They would also flood into Wen Yongwei's Weibo and apologize to her.

However, President Cui never mentioned Wen Yongwei's name again.

Wen Yongwei's fans couldn't wait any longer. They contacted President Cui's fans, who were waiting at the airport, and got them to ask questions.

There were a lot of Wen Yongwei's fans at the venue, and they all knew that Wen Yongwei had helped with the work, so they went to pick up President Cui to get first-hand information.

A big fan squeezed into the reporters' circle and asked, "President Cui, what kind of work did Wen Yongwei do for Shen Yi?"

The fans raised their cameras and aimed them at President Cui.

They trusted Wen Yongwei's words and thought that she had to be telling the truth. So they had to record this so that passersby would shut up.

President Cui obviously hadn't expected them to ask this. He said honestly, "We didn't trouble you to mention this person."

He could not recall who Wen Yongwei was all of a sudden, even though he had been entrusted by the Wen Family to bring her into the dance association.

"President Cui, are you sure?" the other reporters asked.

"I remember the names of all the staff who participated in this project."

This was a matter of great importance. Whether Shen Yi succeeded or not depended on all participants. President Cui remembered clearly that Wen Yongwei's name had not been mentioned.

Wen Yongwei's fans were dumbfounded.

The big fans immediately deleted the video, but what was the use of deleting it?

There were so many people receiving them at the airport and so many reporters around. It was too late to delete it now.

The video soon went viral.

Wen Yongwei's fans' hopes were dashed, and they received even more ridicule.

"Didn't you say that Wen Yongwei helped as well? How come President Cui doesn't even know about her?"

"Shut it. Wen Yongwei and her fans are the best at flattering themselves. Perhaps she saw that Shi Jin helped, so she followed suit."

"Seriously, is she a liar?"

Wen Yongwei's fans rebutted, "Yongwei never said that she was going to help. She was just saying that she wanted to help. You're the ones who maliciously misunderstood and slandered her."

"That's right. The public's malice towards pretty girls is really too great!"

Whatever the fans said made the most sense. However, the public couldn't be bothered with them anymore. Wen Yongwei's popularity had fallen to rock bottom.

Wen Yongwei did not dare to look at her Weibo at all. Behind every comment related to her was mockery.

No matter how many fans she had, how could they compare to the swathes of normal netizens?

She really did not understand. When had Shi Jin helped?

She had indeed seen Shi Jin appear at the dance association with her own eyes, but how was she going to help "Shangzhou Ancient Music Dance" if Shi Jin had never learned dancing before?

Kang Cheng's expression was unnatural. He thought back to the many opportunities that had been presented before him.

Not only had he chosen Wen Yongwei, but he had also completely changed his career direction because of this. He had thought that he could rely on Wen Yongwei to achieve glory in his life. And now, he could only watch helplessly as the glory went to the person he had abandoned...

"Yongwei, the higher-ups said that you have to be careful with your words and actions and not appear in public."

"Director Kang, how did this happen?" Wen Yongwei was shocked.

Kang Cheng shook his head and did not say anything. Previously, Wen Yongwei and Shi Jin's competition had been focused on the entertainment industry and their studies. Whoever was right and who was wrong had little impact on Diamond Music and the Shen Group. However, at this point in time, public opinion had not only affected Wen Yongwei it also affected the reputation of Diamond Music.

Naturally, the higher-ups of the company couldn't just ignore it.

Even though it wasn't definite, Wen Yongwei's future development might be a little uncertain.

***

Yao Jiahong sat opposite Shi Jin and looked at the video of Gu Zehan skating on the computer. He was in disbelief. "I didn't expect that Brian was not only Gu Zehan, but also that genius skater."

"That's right. He said that a real man doesn't boast about his past achievements, so he never mentioned this when he went to the European and American design circles," Shi Jin said calmly.

To a certain extent, this was already a characteristic of the Li family. They kept a low profile and did not care about the past or fear the future.

Having changed his occupation, he was able to find another path.

Shi Jin twirled the wedding ring on her finger.

"Grandma, you're too high-profile," Yao Jiahong said helplessly.

If they were photographed, who knew what the fans would think.

Of course, there were many things that did not need to be thought through. However, now that Shi Jin was acting independently, many die-hard fans knew what to do. No one would be too surprised by what she did.

Nevertheless, she still had to be wary of her competitors, red-eyed monsters, and anti-fans.

"Oh." Shi Jin lowered her head to take a look. After some thought, she took off the ring.

She was wearing the necklace that Fu Xiuyuan had given her last time. She put the ring on the necklace. When she touched the ring, she noticed a row of extremely small numbers engraved on the inside.

She took a serious look. It was a date.

Come to think of it, this date was the date she and Fu Xiuyuan had registered their marriage.

In other words, at that time, he had already ordered these two wedding rings and stored them, it was just that he hadn't brought them out.

It was probably because at that time, he had felt that to Shi Jin, the marriage was still uncertain, so he had waited until it was her birthday before taking out the ring and giving it to her.

Shi Jin put the necklace around her neck and stood up to leave.

Yao Jiahong handed her the job details and glanced at the necklace and ring that she had hidden in her clothes. He gave her a look that said, "That's more like it."

After she left the house, she went straight to the Fu Corporation building.

The car stopped in the parking lot of the building. She was about to call Song Fan when she saw Qiao Zhuoli.

"Second Uncle Qiao." Shi Jin walked up to him.

Qiao Zhuoli was only slightly older than Fu Xiuyuan and the others, but because of his seniority, everyone had to address him as uncle.

"Looking for Xiuyuan?" Qiao Zhuoli's gaze was distant and deep, exuding an unfathomable coldness.

"Yes. Are you here to do something?"

"Already finished." Qiao Zhuoli turned away before saying, "But I still have something on, so I'll take my leave first."

"Alright." Shi Jin wanted to give Fu Xiuyuan a surprise, so she didn't call him..

Chapter 332: Cutting Ties Was More Beneficial

However, calling Song Fan would also alert Fu Xiuyuan.

Meeting Qiao Zhuoli was quite a coincidence.

Under Qiao Zhuoli's instructions, the receptionist didn't interrogate Shi Jin and let her go upstairs.

Shi Jin arrived at the top floor where Fu Xiuyuan was. Song Fan was coming out of the meeting room to get some documents. When he saw Shi Jin, he said in surprise, "Little Shi..."

"Shh. Is Fu Xiuyuan in a meeting?"

"Yes, I'll talk to Master Fu right away."

"No need, I'll just wait for him in the office."

Song Fan was hesitant, but he dared not disobey Shi Jin.

Shi Jin pushed open Fu Xiuyuan's office door and walked in.

Song Fan took the documents and left.

She scanned the huge office. The last time she was there, she had not paid much attention to it. This time, she realized that this office was really cold to the extreme. It was decorated in black, white, and gray, and looked very clean. However, Fu Xiuyuan had actually placed a photo album on his desk.

Shi Jin glanced at it. It was a picture of her. She did not know when it was taken, but it showed her sleeping.

She narrowed her eyes. The ends of her eyes were long and narrow. Her long eyelashes were as calm as a butterfly's, and her face was pink and filled with serenity and peace. There was also a hint of satisfaction and laziness in her gaze.

Looking at the bed and background in the photo, Shi Jin suddenly remembered when the photo was taken.

Wasn't this how she looked after she fell asleep on her birthday? It was also the night she had taken the initiative to break the taboo with Fu Xiuyuan.

Fu Xiuyuan looked like a gentleman on the outside, but who would have thought that he would secretly take such a photo while she was asleep?

Shi Jin pursed her lips and looked at the computer.

The screen was still locked with her photo, but this time, it was a photo of her on stage. A beam of light was falling over her, as if the entire world's light was on her.

Shi Jin had never seen this photo before. From the angle of the photo, it must have been taken by Fu Xiuyuan himself.

How much fanaticism was concealed beneath his cold exterior?

Shi Jin looked at the rest of his things. Other than the stuff related to her, everything else in the room was still cold, black, white and gray. Only the items related to Shi Jin were passionate, radiant and warm.

Shi Jin reached out and placed the bottles of essential oil she had made into his drawer.

The bottles were filled with different formulas of essential oil. The scent was very faint and would spread through the air.

Most of them had a calming effect for Fu Xiuyuan's bi-polar.

The truth was that Fu Xiuyuan's mental state was becoming more and more stable.

She had just finished arranging the bottles when a message came in on WeChat.

"Little ancestor, do you still have the essential oil from last time? Can you provide a little more? [Blinking.jpg, acting cute.jpg, rolling.jpg, press your palms together.jpg, kneeling down and begging.jpg]."

Shi Jin took a look. "I don't have much."

"That's good, that's good. [Happy.jpg]! Then, should I send someone to get it, or will my little ancestor send it to me?"

"I'll send it to you."

"Thank you!. You're the prettiest. You're the best!"

Shi Jin saved all the emoticons for herself.

Fu Xiuyuan was not back yet so Shi Jin lay on the sofa browsing Weibo.

Halfway through, an unknown number called. Shi Jin picked it up and Chu Ling's voice came from the other end.

"Shi Jin."

When Chu Ling called, he realized that Shi Jin had really blocked his number.

Phone, WeChat, Weibo, all the contact methods that could be imagined. He couldn't believe it. He borrowed his assistant's phone and finally got through.

He realized that Shi Jin had quietly left his world. She had retreated completely. If not for the fact that she was still active in the entertainment industry, he would not have been able to find out about her.

"Shi Jin, I have something to tell you." As if he was afraid that Shi Jin would hang up, Chu Ling sounded anxious. "Can we meet?"

"No." Shi Jin's tone was calm and emotionless.

Chu Ling was very disappointed to hear this. "Regarding your second brother, I want to apologize to you and him solemnly. When Hu Lai arranged these things, she didn't explain it to me clearly. I was completely unaware."

Huh.

Shi Jin only made one sound. Did he think she would believe that?

Chu Ling said, "You know how important Shen Yi's matter is to Country S. We are all citizens of Country S. It was inevitable that we would feel indignant about protecting our country. That is why we had a misunderstanding with your second brother."

"There's no need to apologize or explain."

After saying that, Shi Jin hung up and blocked the number.

Neither she nor Second Brother needed him.

***

Chu Ling was stunned for a moment when he saw that the call had been hung up. He immediately called again, but there was only a robotic female voice on the other end of the line. "The number you have dialed is currently busy. Please try again later."

He had been blocked again.

Chu Ling's expression was ghastly.

Hu Lai knew that this was a big problem. The company was also having problems. At the start, they had unanimously agreed that the Brian incident was high-risk and cutting ties was the most logical solution.

However, now that something had happened, the higher-ups pretended not to have said anything and left the matter to Hu Lai and Chu Ling, hoping to settle it themselves.

***

Shi Jin couldn't be bothered with them. She couldn't even be bothered to guess. What did this have to do with her?

She put down her phone and closed her eyes to take a short nap. She still had activities to attend at night and needed to rest.

Since Fu Xiuyuan had stopped holding back now, the night was simply wild. Initially, Shi Jin had been able to sleep soundly at night, but now, her sleep time had been cut short.

She had just closed her eyes when she heard footsteps outside.

Song Fan followed Fu Xiuyuan, unsure if he should remind him.

Fu Xiuyuan pushed open the door and walked in. Song Fan consciously stopped at the door.

Fu Xiuyuan's steps were big, so he naturally made a lot of noise. When he pushed the door open, he didn't have any scruples. However, when the door was pushed open, he realized that the atmosphere in the office was off. He looked around and saw Shi Jin lying on the sofa.

He immediately relaxed and turned around to glance at Song Fan.

Song Fan defended himself verbally. "Miss Shi didn't allow me to tell you."

Fu Xiuyuan waved his hand, indicating that he could leave.

Song Fan hurriedly fled as quickly as he could.

Fu Xiuyuan closed the door gently and walked towards Shi Jin, looking down at her.

When the girl closed her eyes, she looked exceptionally peaceful.

He lowered his head and looked at Shi Jin seriously. He thought about how he did not know how to control himself at night, which was making Shi Jin need to catch up on sleep now. A trace of pain flashed through his heart.

He was wondering about whether he should restrain himself...

Chapter 333: She's My Sister

Shi Jin opened her eyes and raised her head with a smile, moving closer to the man's lips.

Unexpectedly, Shi Jin had only been pretending to be asleep. Fu Xiuyuan was startled. After she kissed him, he immediately grinned.

Fu Xiuyuan reached out and pulled her into his embrace, deepening the kiss.

After a long time, Shi Jin finally found some breathing space in his arms.

"Why are you so free today?" Fu Xiuyuan asked as he stroked her hair.

"I wanted to see you," Shi Jin said seriously. When she noticed the date on the wedding ring, she wanted to see him. It was only when she saw him that she was able to calm the surging emotions in her heart.

These words pleased Fu Xiuyuan. Even the corners of his eyes crinkled with a smile.

He placed his palm on her neck. "If you're busy next time, let me know when you want to see me."

He would go to see her himself. This way, Shi Jin would not have to take time out of her busy work day to travel back and forth.

Shi Jin thought about how this man had been suppressing his emotions silently and answered him with a kiss.

***

Hu Lai had no choice, but to beg Shi Xuexin.

Shi Xuexin had previously had a friendly relationship with Gu Jingyuan, and Hu Lai had believed in her and Gu Zehan.

Hu Lai went knocking on her door twice in a row, but was ignored. So she could only call Shi Xuexin.

Shi Xuexin could avoid Hu Lai, but she could not ignore the call.

At this moment, Hu Lai and Chu Ling weren't the only ones feeling regret. Shi Xuexin was too.

She had never expected Gu Zehan to get such dazzling results. When she was young, she had watched Gu Zehan's competitions. At that time, everyone had liked him.

Old Master Li often watched Gu Zehan's matches, but no one had told Shi Xuexin that Gu Zehan was her second brother. If she had known earlier, would the Li family have broken up so decisively?

It turned out that everyone in the Li family had been lying to her! They were guarding against her! All these years, they had never treated her as a human!

Infinite regret surged in Shi Xuexin's heart, as well as indescribable hatred.

When Hu Lai called, she had to answer it.

"Xuexin, where have you been for the past few days?"

"The National Piano Competition is about to begin. The leader will represent the country at the International Competition. I've been practicing by the teacher's side. Sister Lai, what's happened?"

Shi Xuexin knew all too well what had happened, but she asked anyway.

Hu Lai explained the situation briefly. "Xuexin, you and Gu Zehan are siblings. Can you mediate between them? Chu Ling still wants to use his design. This is very important to Chu Ling."

"I'm sorry, Sister Lai. My training has reached a critical moment. I can't do this. Otherwise, I would have already gone to Second Brother personally to make peace."

Hu Lai could hear her attitude.

The piano competition was naturally more important than Chu Ling's affairs. Furthermore, Shi Xuexin and Shi Jin's relationship during the birthday banquet had been too tense. It was so stiff that they could not bear to be around each other.

Hu Lai also felt regretful. She regretted her attitude towards Shi Jin. If she had had a slightly better relationship with Shi Jin, this matter would not have become so difficult. Or rather, if she had a slightly better relationship with Shi Jin, this would not have happened at all.

How could they not have known that Brian was Gu Zehan and Gu Zehan was Brian? Unfortunately, it was useless for them to say anything now.

The award ceremony for Zhongxia Night Music Festival was about to begin, so Chu Ling had to find another designer.

With his status, it was not difficult for him to find a good designer. It was just that he was too ambitious. If he wanted to find someone, they would have to be the best. Furthermore, he was unwilling to use someone that other people with lower ratings had used before. That was why it was so difficult to find someone.

***

Shi Jin glanced at the notices Yao Jiahong had given her. Zhongxia Night Music Festival was among them.

The music festival was an important award given to the musicians from the previous year. It was a grand occasion for all musicians.

Because Shi Jin hadn't appeared last year, she couldn't participate in the award ceremony. She could only appear as a guest.

What Yao Jiahong wanted was to make Shi Jin experience the grandness of these ceremonies first so that she would understand the process clearly when she received an award in the future.

Shi Jin understood his plan and sent a WeChat message to Gu Zehan. "Second Brother, when will my evening gown be ready?"

"Soon. I heard that the award ceremony for the Zhongxia Night Music Festival is about to begin. How was it? Which nominations did you get?"

"I just debuted this year, so I'm not qualified to receive an award. I can only get a seat in the audience."

"What a pity!"

"It's not a pity. Wait for next year."

"I mean, this music festival is such a pity. Without you being nominated, how can it be considered a complete music festival?"

Shi Jin smiled.

Gu Zehan then sent another message. "The brand named after me is about to debut in S Nation. Can you introduce a male artist with a good attitude for a long-term partnership?"

"Do you specialize in men's clothing?" Shi Jin asked casually.

"Don't I have you as my spokesperson for women's clothing? Why would I give up on what's near and seek what's far?"

Shi Jin could not help but laugh again. "Did you include me in your career plans before you came back?"

"To be honest, before I came back, I was really afraid that my career would be dragged down by you. At that time, I thought that if I was going to be pulled down by my sister, so be it. So what if everything collapsed? Who asked her to be my sister? After I came back... Tsk tsk tsk, I really was surprised! Sigh, with such a sister, what more could a man ask for?"

This was being said by a mysterious designer who had been hailed as the most talented genius in the past thirty years by the European and American fashion circles and whom many famous Hollywood actors and actresses could not make an appointment with. To be able to hear such words was the source of Shi Jin's joy.

"Alright, let me introduce you to someone."

Shi Jin thought about it and asked Yu Guannan, "Teacher Yu, will you be going to Zhongxia Night Music Festival?"

"I've been nominated. I'll be there."

Even though Yu Guannan was a teacher, he was actually only in his early thirties. He was a singer who had been in the industry for many years. He was elegant and wise, and his character was naturally very good. However, he had always kept a low profile and did not have a widely-known reputation.

Still, he had won countless awards and many of his songs had been released, so he was pretty popular. It was expected that he would be nominated again.

Shi Jin said, "Has your team prepared clothes for you? If not, you can contact this designer. If he wants to work with you, you can contact him anytime."

"Alright, thank you," Yu Guannan replied politely, taking the name card.

He couldn't tell which designer it was, but judging from the name, it was probably an assistant designer.

Naturally, Yu Guannan was not expecting Shi Jin to introduce him to Gu Zehan..

Chapter 334: Shi Jin Filters Everything

After all, Gu Zehan was famous and everyone knew that they could not get an appointment with him. Moreover, it was said that he was even more famous overseas than in Country S. Even the royal family had to queue up for him.

After Yu Guannan put away his phone, his assistant walked over with an embarrassed look on her face. "Teacher Yu, GU won't bring the clothes over."

"What's the matter? Didn't we agree that GU would provide me with this costume?"

GU was not a global brand, but it was considered a first-rate brand in the country. Still, it was still a little short of breaking into the international scene.

This time, Yu Guannan's team had fought for him for a long time before they managed to get him clothes to wear at the Zhongxia Night Music Festival.

GU had also agreed to lend Yu Guannan a set of clothes.

It was just a loaned piece, not a personal customization.

Lending meant that the brand thought highly of this artist, but didn't truly respect him. Otherwise, they would have customized an outfit for him.

"GU said that Chu Ling contacted their chief designer. This time, he's going to wear their custom-made outfit, so..."

The meaning was clear.

Chu Ling had decided to collaborate with GU's chief designer at the last minute, so GU could no longer lend the brand to Yu Guannan that night.

At the same venue, only one set of clothing was provided for other artists of the same gender.

Compared to Yu Guannan, even a fool knew who to choose.

Chu Ling had taken the initiative to approach GU, and GU had no reason to refuse.

"Alright, I understand." Yu Guannan hadn't expected this result.

"Chu Ling rejected Brian himself and offended someone. He made it so that it was too late for him to borrow clothes from other brands, so he came to snatch yours away. How shameless." The assistant was really angry. He was also angry that GU didn't care about the spirit of the contract. With a big shot like him, they had forgotten about what they had agreed upon.

Yu Guannan smiled and said, "Forget it. It's not your first day in the entertainment industry. This industry is always like that. It depends on popularity. Don't take it to heart."

He handed the name card that Shi Jin had given him to his assistant. "Add this designer's assistant and help me get my clothes. It was Shi Jin who recommended me. Talk to him nicely."

The assistant felt slightly better and went to contact the person on WeChat.

Soon, the assistant came back and said, "Teacher Yu, the designer has asked you to go over personally. I said I would go myself, but they didn't agree."

"Really?"

"Don't the assistants usually go and get the clothes? Now, they actually want you to go personally. What brand is this? Why is it even more arrogant than GU?"

"I'll go by myself. Stop complaining."

Since it had been recommended by Shi Jin, Yu Guannan didn't think much of it.

Some designers were especially proud and wanted to respect their own clothes. He could understand it. Just like how he cherished his own songs, he didn't want them to be damaged.

"Let's go," Yu Guannan said.

The assistant was not very willing, but ultimately had no choice. Who had asked him to meet Chu Ling?

The Zhongxia Night Music Festival had invited many singers this time, and most of them were borrowing clothes from brands. It was not easy for Yu Guannan to find clothes at the last minute.

The assistant had no choice but to accompany Yu Guannan. She hoped that this brand would be decent and that they would be able to borrow good clothes. She did not want Teacher Yu to be looked down upon when he went on stage.

The assistant drove along with Yu Guannan. Following the address given by the other party, they stopped in front of a newly opened commercial building.

After parking the car, the assistant checked the address and said, "It's on the top floor."

"Let's go." Yu Guannan nodded.

The situation of an artist having to come personally to retrieve his clothes would only happen to a small artist who had yet to become famous. It was simply inconceivable for it to happen to Yu Guannan.

Luckily, Yu Guannan didn't have a lot of work to do and wasn't too busy. He also took on business as he wished and never chased fame.

Just as they reached the door, a young man came over and said, "Hello, Teacher Yu. I'm the designer's assistant. Please follow me."

"Alright." Yu Guannan politely nodded.

The assistant followed him in and looked around.

Seeing that this commercial building had just been opened not long ago and all the shops inside had not opened yet, she thought that this brand must be a new one, the kind that was not very famous. Her heart could not help but turn cold. Was this brand lending clothes to Yu Guannan to gain popularity?

Seeing her unhappy expression, Yu Guannan gave her a look, signaling for her not to think too much.

The assistant could only lower her head. It was not that she wanted to say it, but Teacher Yu could not have Shi Jin filter everything.

Speaking of which, it was definitely because of Yu Guannan's hard work that Shi Jin had risen to fame in one fell swoop. Yu Guannan was usually very concerned about Shi Jin's movements and was especially concerned about her various affairs. However, after Shi Jin became famous, she had rarely taken the initiative to contact Yu Guannan. Actually, the assistant had some private thoughts about this.

Shi Jin was acting like that, yet Yu Guannan had still come personally. Wasn't this all because of Shi Jin?

According to her, Teacher Yu was too softhearted.

"Teacher Yu, this way please." The designer's assistant directed Yu Guannan to the top floor and sat down.

The top floor had obviously been newly renovated. Although the decor was very tasteful, it was too cold and simple. There were no customers at all. It looked like a studio.

"Please wait a moment. Our designer will be here soon."

The designer assistant brought two cups of coffee over.

"We're just borrowing a set of clothes. Must we wait for the designer to come?" Yu Guannan's assistant couldn't help but ask.

"That's what the designer told me."

Yu Guannan replied, "It doesn't matter. Let's wait a bit."

The assistant wanted to say something, but he said, "Sit down and have coffee first. Don't be so hot-tempered."

The assistant also calmed down. It was not that she was hot-tempered. Instead, it was because what she had encountered today really made her a little angry, and she couldn't help getting worked up.

When people were angry, it was inevitable that they would not be satisfied by anything.

After being told off by Yu Guannan, she sat down to drink her coffee and muttered, "Chu Ling is too much. He offended Brian and came to mess with us. In the future, I will work harder. I will definitely borrow some clothes from Brian for you to wear. It will anger Chu Ling to death! Speaking of which, I have seen Brian's designs. They're really amazing!"

"Then work hard." Yu Guannan laughed.

"Of course I have to work hard..." The assistant looked up and saw a man who was so exquisite that he looked unearthly. He was walking over with a blueprint and some fabric in his hand.

The man's almond-shaped eyes looked like peach blossoms. Even when he was expressionless, there was a hint of a smile on his lips..

Chapter 335: A Partnership Of Clothing And Clothing Brands

The man walking over was dazzlingly good-looking.

His appearance stunned Yu Guannan and his assistant for a moment. So it took them a while to realize who he was.

Wasn't this the most popular designer, Brian?

"Brian, is that really you?" The assistant stood up, stunned, unable to believe what she was seeing.

Gu Zehan walked towards them and extended his hand. "You can call me Gu Zehan. Nice to meet you, Teacher Yu, and hello, pretty lady."

Yu Guannan knew that Gu Zehan was Shi Jin's older brother, since he had read a lot of news. However, he clearly had not expected that Shi Jin would introduce them and even have him prepare clothes for him.

Clothes could make a man, especially on such an important occasion. He only needed a passable set.

The surprise was too great. Yu Guannan reached out to shake Gu Zehan's hand. "Hello, Designer Gu."

"Call me Zehan. You're Shi Jin's teacher, so you're my teacher too."

"You flatter me." Yu Guannan had only been a mentor to Shi Jin, and admitted that he wasn't really a teacher yet.

The assistant finally came to her senses. "Brian, are you really willing to lend your clothes to Teacher Yu?"

"It's not a loan." Gu Zehan shook his head. "It's a personal customization from me. Teacher Yu, can you give me this honor?"

Before Yu Guannan could reply, the assistant nodded repeatedly like a chicken pecking at rice. "Yes, yes, yes."

After she finished speaking, she realized that she had taken the initiative and quickly looked at Yu Guannan.

"I'm honored."

Gu Zehan smiled. "Then I'll have to trouble you to take off your coat first. I'll get someone to take your measurements first, then we'll discuss the style you want and choose fabric together."

The assistant finally understood why the other party had insisted on Yu Guannan coming personally.

An advanced customization! A private customization! This had to be confirmed in person!

"Brian, is there enough time?" the assistant asked. "There are only three days left until the Zhongxia Night Music Festival."

"Originally, it would have taken a few months to get a reservation like this. However, it's easier to clothe a man. With the help of the assistant, it should be possible. During this period, we'll need Teacher Yu's cooperation."

"Of course," Yu Guannan agreed.

"No problem then."

As Gu Zehan arranged for someone to take Yu Guannan's measurements, he suddenly thought of something and said, "Teacher Yu, I'm back in the country to develop my brand. The brand will be called Brian and will be entering Country S's market soon. I'm still lacking a spokesperson for the male clothing line. Teacher Yu, would you be interested in working together for a long time?"

Yu Guannan was stunned for a moment before replying, "Yes."

The assistant, who was standing to one side, took out her phone and said, "I, I'll ask Brother Xing to come over now."

Brother Xing was Yu Guannan's manager. He had been on leave for the past few days due to some matters at home.

Yu Guannan hadn't had much work to do. Since Brother Xing wasn't around, he had been getting his assistant to follow him.

The assistant was overjoyed. When she called Brother Xing, her fingers were trembling. "Brother Xing, come over quickly. Brian wants to work with Teacher Yu!"

"Which Brian?"

"It's Brian! The genius designer who has come back to the country! The ex-athlete!"

"F*ck! Send me the address! Don't move, I'm coming!"

The assistant hurriedly sent the address over. When her fingers touched the screen, she almost made a mistake several times.

Having been with Teacher Yu for so long, she knew that he had never liked to go partying or go out to drink with others. He really only liked to write songs and sing, so the difference between him and other popular singers had always been quite big.

A lot of people had heard his songs before, and the patriotic spirit of his songs was quite clear, but when his name was mentioned, others might say, "Oh, the mentor of 'Ultimate Singer Songwriter.'"

"Mm. Sounds familiar."

"Oh, so it's the original singer of that song! Sorry, I only listened to the cover version of that song."

Even cover singers were more popular than him, but out of those who knew him well, who wouldn't want him to have a brighter future?

It was only then that the assistant remembered Shi Jin's name. She cursed herself in her heart. When she next saw Shi Jin, she would definitely smile at her.

She had even thought that Shi Jin had no conscience, but she had given them such a good resource this time!

***

Three days went by.

The Zhongxia Night Music Festival was held as scheduled.

That night, almost all of the famous singers in Country S were invited, as well as some smaller singers and bands. Even some of the top figures from other industries were invited to participate as guests.

Starlight was shining over the event location.

GU's chief designer, Yu Ruilin, was also on the list of invited guests.

He appeared as Chu Ling's partner.

After Chu Ling's drama, a big domestic brand was supporting him.

The company wanted to rebuild his image, so they had specifically chosen to collaborate with local designers and brands. Therefore, GU, the rising top domestic brand in Country S, had naturally entered Chu Ling's team's sights.

Yu Ruilin also benefited from this and became Chu Ling's partner. Before Chu Ling even appeared, a draft had already been published online.

'Chu Ling will be attending the Zhongxia Night Music Festival together with the designer Yu Ruilin from Country S.'

"Patriotism begins in the heart. Learn from Chu Ling to support national brands and revive the nation's light."

He was dressed in GU and looked especially energetic in it. The photos that he had edited were extra eye-catching.

The fans had already started bragging.

The passersby couldn't help but praise, "That's right, there are many good brands in this country. Why wear those so-called foreign fashion brands?"

"Chu Ling's pretty good. Cutting ties with Gu Zehan was also correct on his part. Who asked Gu Zehan to use a name like Brian?"

Chu Ling had not lost out this time.

Although he was not wearing the big name that he had expected, his popularity remained unbeaten by those celebrities who had borrowed better clothes.

The top dog was still the top dog.

Yu Ruilin had also become famous because of Chu Ling's article and appeared on every news page. He had arrived earlier than everyone else.

The seat he was sitting at was right beside Chu Ling. Presumably, he would receive even more attention this way.

Yu Guannan's assistant had arrived a moment earlier. She was there to check her seat. She took a look and saw that Yu Guannan's seat was in the row behind Chu Ling's.

After confirming that she was ready, she was about to leave when Yu Ruilin said, "Get me a cappuccino with ice, sugar, and half-fat milk. I want foam. I only want one from Buck's. I don't want any other fast food brands' coffee."

The assistant didn't hear him clearly. "What?"

"I asked you to get me a cup of coffee.. What kind of work attitude is this?"

Chapter 336: Unmatched Status

The assistant was being treated as a staff member, but even the staff at the venue had their own duties. Not everyone had to fulfill guests' trivial requirements.

"I'm an artist's assistant. If you want a coffee, please get your assistant to buy it for you."

The assistant beside Yu Ruilin said in a low voice, "Her name is Xiao Lin. She's Yu Guannan's assistant."

Yu Ruilin seemed to have thought of something, "Is it that Yu Guannan who didn't borrow our clothes? No wonder a small-time assistant dared to be so rude to me. Someone like Yu Guannan is old-school, not fashionable, and not popular. It's already too much that GU agreed to lend him clothes. What else does he have to be dissatisfied about?"

His assistant agreed. "That's right. When Chu Ling wanted to work with us, we had to keep a close eye on him first. In the end, the others got angry and said that they didn't want to work with designers who didn't care about contracts anymore. Would they even have a chance if they wanted to work with us? Besides, we're not stupid. Why wouldn't we choose Chu Ling?"

Xiao Lin hadn't left yet, but these two people were already talking about Yu Guannan in front of her. She was furious. "It was you who didn't care about the spirit of the contract! You were the ones who broke it!"

"We don't want to lend our clothes to an artist who doesn't suit us!" Yu Ruilin's assistant retorted.

"Chu Ling is here!"

Someone shouted and Yu Ruilin stood up to tidy his clothes.

His assistant quickly stood up and adjusted his suit. The assistant immediately adjusted Yu Ruilin's collar again and said, "Designer Yu, when you're with Chu Ling later, you'll be photographed and go viral on many hot searches. It'll be best if you're like a spiritual god. Chu Ling will definitely win an award today. If he does... not only you, but the entirety of GU will also go international at high speed!"

"Of course!" Yu Ruilin replied arrogantly.

The assistant smiled and said, "When the time comes, I will continue to be your assistant. Designer Yu, you must remember to renew your contract with me."

The two of them walked towards Chu Ling as they spoke. This fawning attitude almost made Xiao Lin puke.

Today, Chu Ling was wearing a custom-made suit personally made by Yu Ruilin. He had a more mature temperament. With his top-notch face and high standards, his aura seemed even more extraordinary. As soon as he entered the venue, he was surrounded by reporters.

Yu Ruilin quickly walked over to his side and greeted him. Chu Ling immediately put on a show of being a top celebrity supporting the nation's brand designers.

The reporters took photos of them without hesitation.

Faced with the reporters' questions, Chu Ling smiled and said, "Locally produced products are the best. I believe that we have to use international advantages, but we can't forget to support local brands either. I hope that everyone can be like me and contribute to the development of our local brands."

These words would undoubtedly get into the hot searches very quickly. Not only was he liked and supported by fans, but such behavior would also not attract the disgust of passers-by.

The team had designed a way for him to make a comeback. It was a brilliant plan, covering all aspects.

He and Yu Ruilin were being interviewed when someone said, "Yu Guannan is here."

The reporters were not in the mood to listen. Yu Guannan and Nan Ge were well-known, but not really famous. They had good taste and were sufficiently refined, but what use was that?

Being popular in the entertainment industry was the way to go. Being handsome was the way to go. Being able to attract female fans was the way to go.

The reporter symbolically walked in that direction, planning to casually take some photos as a perfunctory measure.

Chu Ling was already used to this scene.

As a top celebrity, it was not unusual for people below him to receive special treatment. He would only look up at the A-list celebrities, movie queens, and movie kings.

As for the matter of him snatching Yu Guannan's clothes, he did not think much of it.

"Hey, where's Yu Guannan?"

"I didn't see him. Who's that handsome guy?"

Everyone looked towards the door and saw a familiar yet unfamiliar person. Someone then exclaimed, "Isn't that Yu Guannan?"

Yu Guannan was only in his early thirties, but because he came from an orthodox musical family, he was usually dressed like a veteran. Not only did he not smoke or drink, he often carried a thermos with him.

A pair of glasses would usually be covering his eyes.

Today, he was different.

Brian had custom-made a suit for him. Not only did it fit him perfectly, but it also highlighted his refined and gentle side, maximizing his elegance. At the same time, he had taken off his glasses and put on contact lenses. He had also put on some eye makeup to highlight his special characteristics and enhance his looks.

It was true that his face was not completely unmarred and could not be compared to Chu Ling's looks.

In the past, he hadn't been good at following the entertainment industry and hated makeup. However, now, after putting on this set of high-end, custom-made clothes, he had started to realize that he could surpass his previous self, so he agreed to take off his glasses and apply some eye makeup.

It was just a slight change, but his extraordinary elegance was highlighted.

Compared to Chu Ling, although he was not as handsome as him, he was more charismatic. The elegance that time had brought to him was also very obvious.

The reporters' cameras were one of the things that could provide proof of this.

When someone finally realized what was going on, a series of cracking sounds could be heard.

Yu Ruilin glanced at Yu Guannan and his expression changed slightly.

Previously, when Yu Guannan had gone to borrow clothes, Yu Ruilin hadn't taken it to heart and had casually chosen a set for him. The effect of wearing it then was very different to now.

It was obvious that Yu Guannan's current characteristics were enhanced by this set of clothes.

Yu Ruilin's assistant said in a low voice, "I don't know which big brand that is, but they're actually willing to lend him their clothes?"

They must be really blind.

Chu Ling could tell that Yu Guannan was different today. However, so what if he was different? Yu Guannan's team was just as inflexible as he was. They did not like to create hype and would not really win an award today. No matter what, this was just for this moment.

Xiao Lin ran up to Yu Guannan and whispered, "Teacher Yu, your seat is over there. You're so handsome today!"

"Is that so?" He subconsciously adjusted his nonexistent glasses and chuckled.

"Come on, let's go."

"I'll wait for Shi Jin and Zehan."

Xiao Lin said happily, "Are they late?"

"I heard that Shi Jin will be arriving soon!" a reporter said. "She's with Brian!"

The reporters immediately ran in that direction.

Yu Ruilin frowned.. Why was Brian coming over today?

Chapter 337: Professor Yu Deserves It

When Chu Ling heard Shi Jin's name, his expression turned cold.

The last time he had called Shi Jin, he had been hung up on so quickly that he felt extremely depressed. Sometimes, he really did not understand what Shi Jin was playing at.

He was sure that Shi Jin had not forgotten about him. However, she had not contacted him at all and would not even respond to him. Could it be that she had already fallen in love with one of He Ziheng's men?

Impossible! Those people's family backgrounds meant they would never accept an artisté like Shi Jin. Besides, none of those people were as handsome as him. Even if Shi Jin wasn't obsessed with looks, she couldn't possibly look down on him.

While Chu Ling was deep in thought, Shi Jin and Brian appeared among the reporters.

Both of them were currently very popular and the discussion around them was becoming more and more explosive. To a certain extent, the reporters would rather interview them than Chu Ling.

"Shi Jin, you look really pretty today. May I know which brand you're wearing?"

Today, Shi Jin was wearing a starry night dress. The blue color of the starry sky gradually changed and flowed down her body. The embroidered stars glittered brightly, as if she were really wearing the night sky.

Ever since Shi Jin announced that she had someone she liked, the clothes she had worn were no longer as basic. She was becoming ever more beautiful.

She smiled brightly. "My second brother designed it for me! I really like the night sky, so he designed this gown for me tonight."

"Wow, it's the work of Brian! No wonder it's so beautiful!"

"It's really going to be tonight's best outfit!"

"Shi Jin is so fortunate to have a brother like Brian designing evening gowns for her."

"But Brian is also very lucky to have a sister like Shi Jin who can wear such gowns!"

Hearing these words, Yu Ruilin heaved a sigh of relief.

Brian only designed women's clothing, not men's. Or rather, no one wore men's high fashion styles at the award ceremony.

The combination of him and Chu Ling would not be challenged.

"Brian, do you have any designs for men rather than women?"

Gu Zehan smiled and said, "I've already returned to China. Everyone, please call me by my real name."

His smile was simply brilliant, like a blooming flower, exquisite and bewitching to the extreme.

He had had a lot of fans to begin with, and they had been brought over from his sporting career in his early years. Now that he was smiling like this, it triggered many squeals from the fans.

"There are designs for men as well. They will be listed soon. I will be working here in the future. I hope everyone will support me."

Yu Ruilin thought to himself that it was really great that no men were wearing his clothing.

Gu Zehan then extended his hand and said, "It's my honor to have been able to invite Yu Guannan, Teacher Yu, to wear my latest custom-made outfit tonight."

"Wow, so Teacher Yu is wearing Gu Zehan's high-end clothing!"

"Oh my god, this is so awesome!"

"Teacher Yu is really becoming more and more refined."

"Gu Zehan's designs are getting better and better."

Gu Zehan walked towards Yu Guannan. The two of them stood together and posed for photos graciously.

"Can Shi Jin join in the photo shoot?" asked the reporter.

Shi Jin lifted her skirt and walked towards the two men.

Both gentlemen reached out to take her hand, leaving her standing in the middle so they could take pictures together.

Yu Ruilin was stunned. He had originally thought that Yu Guannan's outfit was one of the top international brands. That kind of style and design, that kind of sharp cut that was especially suitable for his temperament... Yu Ruilin was an expert and knew how difficult it was to do that.

Currently, only a few top international brands' chief designers could do such things. He had not expected it from Gu Zehan.

Would Yu Ruilin and Chu Ling still be able to defeat everyone tonight as expected?

He glanced at Chu Ling. He would definitely do it! There would be no problem!

Chu Ling was a top celebrity and a hot favorite for winning an award. How could someone like Yu Guannan compare to him!

Because Yu Guannan, Shi Jin, and Gu Zehan were in the limelight, the three of them occupied reporters for a long time before taking their seats.

At this moment, Shi Jin and Yu Guannan's costumes were too fitting and stylish. They were very eye-catching and trending.

Now that Yu Guannan's scholarly qualities were highlighted, many of them finally got to know him like they had when they first met him. They realized that he was actually so handsome and did not look like any other male artist on the market!

Chu Ling was handsome, and he was also a top celebrity. However, there were at least five or six top celebrities like him. They were all pretty boys, and those who were as old as him were all seeking to change their careers. The younger ones were still trying their best to reach his kind of position.

Yu Guannan was different. His elegance and maturity seemed to be innate. He was like a teacher at a university, but he was also fashionable and stylish.

Suddenly, many people started to watch his previous interviews and listen to his previous songs.

It was only then that everyone realized that he had always been mature and wise. His speech was especially cultured and insightful. He was not someone who just followed the crowd.

He often drank water out of a thermos flask. Although he was only in his thirties, he was very concerned about his juniors.

Therefore, everyone jokingly called him Professor Yu. After checking his information, they found that while he was releasing songs, he had already become a PhD student at the Music Academy.

Professor Yu deserved it!

As for his master-disciple relationship with Shi Jin, it made everyone recall the rivalvy back then and they could not help but talk about it enthusiastically.

He and Gu Zehan seemed to be partners. Everyone realized that his clothes were custom-made by Gu Zehan.

"Gu Zehan discovered his handsomeness and packaged it up." The fans were enjoying themselves.

As for the sibling relationship between Shi Jin and Gu Zehan, it was easy for good relatives to get along.

The photos of the three of them caught the attention of countless fans, and each of them were awed.

The friendship and feelings of the three of them started to become well known.

As for Chu Ling, the national brands that he and Yu Ruilin had worked with were soon forgotten by everyone. Only his fans were still talking about it.

National brands? Gu Zehan's was also a national brand, and his name had spread far and wide.

The light of the nation? Gu Zehan had long conquered Europe, America, and even the international world with his talent. Could he not be called the light of the nation?

Local brand? Gu Zehan was from Country S, so his business was a local brand!

Not to mention that Gu Zehan had already been the nation's pride before when he won the championship for the national team.

Chu Ling and Yu Ruilin sat in the front row, while Shi Jin, Gu Zehan and Yu Guannan sat in a row behind them.

Hearing their laughter, Chu Ling and Yu Ruilin, who had already seen the contents of the Weibo post, felt like they were sitting on pins and needles..

Chapter 338: Picking Up The Cup

Especially Yu Ruilin, his design was actually similar to Chu Ling's previous ones. Although Chu Ling looked handsome in them, he was simply good-looking. All the special characteristics and personality highlights were the same as before.

As a designer, his design had not fully displayed Chu Ling's advantages.

Without Yu Guannan, no one would have realized this. Just seeing Chu Ling would have been enough, but with Yu Guannan as a foil and a comparison, the feeling of mediocrity was overwhelming.

The meticulous planning of Chu Ling's team had been completely destroyed by the arrival of Yu Guannan and the other two. They had lost all face.

Now, Chu Ling was only waiting for the award. Only by winning an award could they win this round!

Shi Jin listened attentively to the award ceremony.

The awards nowadays were usually given out by small celebrities. This time, Shi Jin wasn't participating in the awards ceremony, so as a bystander, she could understand some of the trends.

She realized that the outcome of this award ceremony was very similar to what she remembered from her previous life.

Over the past few years, the music industry in Country S had been controlled by the capital. As a result, it had been declining steadily. There weren't many good songs, and many singers had changed careers.

People like Chu Ling could only be called idols, not singers.

However, she remembered that the award for Zhongxia Night Music Festival had gone to Yu Guannan.

Although the other awards were not entirely fair and just, they were already trying their best to give them to singers who were seriously composing.

It was probably because some of the original capitalists were already trying their best to calm the chaos in the music industry.

Someone like Yu Guannan, who truly loved composing, deserved praise.

Shi Jin hoped that her memories weren't false.

She tilted her head and glanced at Yu Guannan. Perhaps it was because he knew that he had no chance of winning an award, but his expression was very relaxed.

Gu Zehan was even more relaxed. He chatted with Yu Guannan from time to time, his expression gleeful.

Shi Jin looked at the two people in front of her whom she cared about very much. She hoped that her memory would not be wrong and she also hoped that she would be able to bring them together smoothly. Their talents deserved to be affirmed and unified.

"Alright, now it's the best male singer award. Currently, there are five male singers nominated. Let's look at the big screen."

On stage, five candidates appeared on the screen.

"He is the dream of thousands of girls and also the representative figure of idol singers. The champion of the annual album sales, Chu Ling!"

It was Chu Ling's music video.

His handsome face attracted screams.

"Xia Peifeng, a dedicated singer and talented composer."

Then came Xia Peifeng's music video.

"Newcomer King of the Year, Cai Xing!"

"Our Rap King, our hip-hop trending Mr. HU."

"The composed and refined singer whose songs are famous throughout the country, Yu Guannan!"

The moment the five candidates appeared, Chu Ling's entire team knew that Chu Ling was safe.

There was no need to mention Cai Xing. Although he was the Newcomer King, he had not released any viral songs. Instead, he had gone overseas to study. His popularity was already very limited.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hu was a niche singer. It was very difficult for him to compare with a popular singer. He had many die-hard fans, but the base number was relatively small and he could not compare to Chu Ling.

Yu Guannan had always been mediocre and unknown. He was neither popular nor loved, so there was nothing to fear.

As for Xia Peifeng, he was Chu Ling's biggest competitor. However, he was a very casual person when it came to releasing songs. He would only release one song from time to time. Sometimes, he would not be able to release a song even for a year or two.

This year had been the peak period for his works, but he had only released three songs. Last year, he hadn't even released a single song.

He had been nominated, but it was very likely that he had only been dragged there to accompany his date. Besides, he had also won the best male singer award at the Zhongxia Night Music Festival.

No matter what, it was Chu Ling's turn to win now.

Although Yu Guannan didn't care, when he saw his own nomination, he looked at it seriously, no longer as relaxed as before.

The awarding guest was invited out. It was an old singer. He took the list and glanced at it.

The audience was cheering.

At that moment, the fans in front of the screen were also waiting with bated breath.

Every singer was being flooded with messages.

The screen was full of idol names.

"The winner of this year's Zhongxia Night Music Festival's Best Male Singer is-Yu Guannan!"

Following the guest presenter's words, everyone was surprised. However, there was still a burst of applause.

Yu Guannan was indeed not very famous, but no one could deny his creative talent.

Outsiders looked at fame, but industry insiders recognized his various abilities. He deserved this award.

Before Yu Guannan could react, Gu Zehan gently pushed him. "Teacher Yu!"

He got up and walked towards the stage.

Chu Ling's expression changed slightly, but countless cameras had already captured his face. He quickly adjusted his expression and calmly clapped, sincerely wishing Yu Guannan well.

Although Yu Guannan was very surprised, after he went on stage, his witty remarks quickly generated even more applause.

"In the past, I would have always brought my acceptance speech script with me to the ceremony, hoping that it would come in handy, but this time... Oh no, I changed my coat and left it in the old one's pocket." He pretended to check all his pockets frantically, causing everyone to laugh.

"Regardless of whether I brought a script or not, I believe that the award is for those who are well prepared. As long as I don't give up, I will finally get what I want one day. Next time, I hope the script I write will be useful."

Everyone was amused by him. "Teacher Yu is really funny and elegant."

"This is too awesome!"

"Why didn't I know about this before!"

Shi Jin stood below the stage clapping, her eyes shining.

"Did you guess that Teacher Yu would win the award?" Gu Zehan asked.

"If I could really guess the future, do you think I should make use of it?" Shi Jin asked.

"Well, if it doesn't hurt people."

Shi Jin smiled. "Look, Teacher Yu has picked up the trophy."

In her previous life, Yu Guannan had also won an award, but there had been a lot of objections.

Chu Ling's fans had been extremely dissatisfied with the result. They felt that the award belonged to none other than Chu Ling. If Chu Ling didn't get it, then the whole ceremony would be deemed unfair.

They had never noticed that Yu Guannan's songs had always been very popular. Logically speaking, for him to receive this award, even if it wasn't expected by the masses, there had to be a professional organizer who had considered it. However, if crazy fans were reasonable, they wouldn't be called crazy.

After Yu Guannan won the award, the dissatisfied Chu Ling fans scolded him over and over again on the Internet. They even went online to abuse the entire Zhongxia Night Music Festival's production team and the organizers. Yu Guannan also suffered a lot of criticism..

Chapter 339: More Support

After all, a famous singer does not become famous for nothing. Yu Guannan did not have a large number of fans, so he could not fight against Chu Ling's fans. The people in the industry were also very reserved. Not many people stood out to speak up for him, so he could only silently endure the abuse.

There were even rumors on the internet that he was living a double life and was being kept by rich ladies and wealthy businessmen at the same time. The more rumors spread, the more ridiculous they became, and it greatly affected his creative ability.

In his previous life, the award that Yu Guannan had received was not the beginning of his life. Instead, it was his only glory before his downfall.

It was only later that Shi Jin remembered this matter. At that time, she had had no interaction with Yu Guannan, but in this life, the situation after Yu Guannan won the award was very different.

The fact that he was wearing Gu Zehan's outfit had already laid a foundation for him to step into the industry, letting people know of his special qualities and making many fans willing to dig out his personal talents.

By the time he won the award, he had already become a treasured celebrity and had been looked into by his fans. He had become the hottest person that night.

With his talent, he won an award. Even though Chu Ling's fans were creating a huge commotion, it was useless.

Yu Guannan had already formed his own fanbase in a short period of time, using his own personal characteristics. When he received this award, the public only felt that the production team was being fair. They also felt that such singers deserved an award. Therefore, even though there were jeers, there were more voices of support.

Yu Guannan took the trophy and left the stage. He walked over to Shi Jin and Gu Zehan.

Shi Jin gave him a big hug. "Congratulations, Teacher Yu."

"Thank you." Yu Guannan's temperament was calm. After getting over the initial surprise, he immediately returned to his proper and refined manner.

Xiao Lin, Brother Xing, and the others were seated at the bottom row, not sitting with Yu Guannan.

When they found out that Yu Guannan had won the award, the first thing they did was immediately pay attention to the news online. They were afraid that the fans of the other singers would cause trouble.

Both of them had experienced the bloodbaths of the entertainment industry. They knew very well how many people would be affected by the award and how many fans would discuss it.

In the end, after scrolling through Weibo, they realized that Yu Guannan's reputation was actually very good and he wasn't being trolled too much.

After browsing through the comments, one could see how much Shi Jin and Gu Zehan had helped Yu Guannan this time around. Everyone was mouthing off about their master-disciple relationship and brotherly love, and the atmosphere was rather nice.

There were actually more blessings than hate comments.

Obviously, they were really approving toward Shi Jin.

Xia Peifeng glanced in Yu Guannan's direction. He was whispering something to Shi Jin.

There was a vividness in Shi Jin's eyes. When she did not speak, there was also a liveliness.

He pursed his lips. Xia Peifeng was not envious or jealous of what Yu Guannan had obtained. However, he was filled with regret over not being able to obtain Shi Jin's smile.

If he had trusted Shi Jin more back then, would the situation be completely different now?

He took out his phone and opened Weibo. He sincerely sent a message: "Congratulations, Professor Yu. You deserve it. @Yu Guannan"

He was jumping on the band wagon. After he posted this on Weibo, many fans rushed to congratulate Yu Guannan too.

With him being so magnanimous, the other three nominees could not remain calm and gave their blessings one after another. Only Chu Ling was a little reluctant to post.

From being a popular contender for the championship title to only being able to post one Blessing Weibo post, his psychological disparity could no longer be described with words.

After the four nominees had expressed their blessings, everyone's fans completely stopped talking. Those who had been mocking Yu Guannan only had a few words left to say.

After the award ceremony, Chu Ling's team only received one "Best Production Award".

As for Yu Ruilin, the hot searches that he had expected, the popularity, and his dream of bringing GU to greater heights had all been shattered at this moment.

If he had agreed to lend Yu Guannan the clothes he had originally promised, would he be the one on the trending page with Yu Guannan now, being widely praised by everyone?

He didn't dare to think too much about it since the more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt.

As soon as the ceremony ended, the reporters surrounded Yu Guannan, clamoring for an interview.

As Shi Jin and Gu Zehan were walking together with Yu Guannan, they were soon surrounded by reporters.

Chu Ling looked over. When he met Shi Jin's gaze, he couldn't help but focus.

Shi Jin's clear and dazzling eyes were calm and composed, as though nothing could affect her. When she met his gaze, she did not avoid it, but she did not look too deeply at him either. It was as if she was looking at everyone present equally. Her line of sight gave people the feeling that she had seen everyone, but no one could read her thoughts.

Chu Ling walked towards Shi Jin. He could not believe that Shi Jin had really forgotten about him and put him to the back of her mind. She did not care about their past friendship at all.

Yu Ruilin was with him tonight, so naturally, he had no choice but to walk towards her with him.

When the reporters saw him coming over, they were happy to interview them together.

"Teacher Yu, congratulations!" Chu Ling said politely.

Yu Guannan politely replied, "Thank you."

"You deserve this award. I hope that Teacher Yu will give me more pointers in the future."

"We'll give each other pointers," Yu Guannan said.

As Chu Ling spoke, he kept looking at Shi Jin, trying to see if she was still interested in him.

He knew well that he should not get involved with Shi Jin and Gu Zehan on such an occasion, but he could not help but say, "Designer Gu, thank you for the high-end custom-made gift you gave me last time. I'm really sorry about the little misunderstanding that happened before. I want to express my sincere gratitude and even sincerer apology."

Upon hearing his words, everyone knew that he was talking about his refusal to work with Gu Zehan.

This reminded everyone that Gu Zehan's first partner had actually been him.

Now, the second best choice was Yu Guannan.

It had to be said that Gu Zehan and Yu Guannan were really lucky to have chosen the right person, but in the end, Chu Ling was the one to have been favored by the heavens, while the others were merely candidates.

After Chu Ling finished speaking, everyone was distracted by their own thoughts.

He hoped that Shi Jin would say something, but she didn't. Her expression was indifferent.

Gu Zehan looked at Chu Ling instead. His narrow eyes made Chu Ling's heart skip a beat.

Everyone thought that Gu Zehan would just smile and have everyone see his magnanimity..

Chapter 340: Slapped On The Spot

After all, people in the industry would always take note when others lowered their heads. No one would go against their words and act recklessly.

However, Gu Zehan said, "You don't have to apologize. Anyway, I didn't want to continue working with you at that point."

Everyone was silent.

Chu Ling felt awkward. His apology today indeed seemed a little irrational. It was obvious that he wanted to take the limelight off of Yu Guannan. However, he didn't care about what method he used. He just wanted to see Shi Jin's reaction.

He had also predicted that Gu Zehan would not speak rudely in public, but he had misjudged Gu Zehan's character.

Gu Zehan continued, "By the way, I already told you that I didn't want to work with you, so I asked you to return the clothes. You did return them, but why did you return only one of the items and confiscate my designs? That would have been fine, but then you said on Weibo that you didn't want to work with me anymore. I'm really confused."

"When did I..." Chu Ling adjusted his tone." I think I have already returned it to you? "

"Of course not. The design that I sent and then collected is a mess. You must still have my own, right? It's good that I met you today. Let's get things clear. The clothes are still here, right? If they are, then return them to me now. I don't want to waste any more of my own time on you."

When the reporters heard their conversation, they could already roughly guess what was going on.

It turned out that Gu Zehan had not wanted to work with Chu Ling for a long time. It had all been Chu Ling's wishful thinking. He had even posted on Weibo that he was cutting ties with Gu Zehan and made use of his popularity to the extreme.

Now, seeing Gu Zehan's open and honest expression, Chu Ling's face was full of embarrassment. Everyone couldn't help but feel embarrassed for him.

Hu Lai was even more embarrassed than him. "The clothes are still here," she said quietly. "Maybe the delivery man made a mistake."

"Then why didn't you send them over?" Chu Ling was furious.

Why hadn't he known that Gu Zehan didn't want to work with him before that? What had Hu Lai been hiding from him?

Hu Lai was also trembling with fear. She had never thought that she would be exposed like this. Back then, she had taken the clothes because she had wanted to take advantage of Gu Zehan's popularity. However, she had not expected that she would get into such an ugly fight with him.

What was even more unexpected was that Gu Zehan actually wanted them to return the clothes on the spot!

Everyone in the entertainment industry had always liked to behave in public. They would also give each other some face. Even if they allowed the outside world to speculate, they would not fall out with each other in case they met again.

How could there be a straight shooter like Gu Zehan now?

Gu Zehan lifted his almond-shaped eyes to meet Chu Ling's. "Then I'll wait for you!"

Chu Ling could hardly restrain himself.

Since Gu Zehan had already spoken, the reporters wouldn't leave. They would just wait for Hu Lai's men to bring Gu Zehan's clothes over.

Although no one was saying anything, Chu Ling could tell from their expressions that they were feeling sorry for him and secretly mocking the nad decisions he had made.

Chu Ling could not just leave, so he could only sit and wait.

Gu Zehan and Yu Guannan were the winners tonight. They drank the coffee bought by their assistants and chatted happily with the reporters. It was not difficult for them at all. However, to Chu Ling and Yu Ruilin, the seconds felt like years. Time seemed to have frozen.

Shi Jin lowered her eyes and played with her phone. She did not look at anyone, but would occasionally respond to Gu Zehan's teasing.

Finally, Hu Lai's men retrieved the outfit that Gu Zehan had given to Chu Ling.

Chu Ling held back his anger. "Designer Gu, please check it. We'll leave after we're done."

Brother Xing and Xiao Lin immediately went forward and took the set of clothes from Hu Lai before carefully placing it in front of Gu Zehan.

It was clearly just a dark black suit without any fancy detail, but there was something special about it, attracting everyone's attention and making them unable to look away.

So this was Gu Zehan's original design.

If Chu Ling were to wear it, he would definitely surpass everyone else. If he had not posted on Weibo that he had split with Gu Zehan, he would definitely have worn it tonight.

"What a pity, what a pity."

Even the reporters were secretly shaking their heads. They didn't know if they were talking about Chu Ling's pity or something else.

"All okay?" Chu Ling asked.

"Yep, those are mine," Gu Zehan smiled and said. "I'm glad I've got this back. I hope this won't happen again."

When Chu Ling and Xiao Lin heard this, they carefully planned to take the clothes back.

This set of clothes was extremely exquisite. Even if Chu Ling couldn't wear it, others still could. They definitely couldn't damage them.

"Don't accept it yet," Gu Zehan said.

Everyone's vision blurred and a cold light flashed past.

Gu Zehan took out a pair of scissors from somewhere.

Everyone looked at him in surprise, not knowing what he was going to do.

Was he going to trim it on the spot to make it suitable for someone else?

Without waiting for anyone to finish guessing, Gu Zehan raised his hand and cut down the center of the clothes with a snipping sound.

Half of it was in Brother Xing's hands, and the other half was in Xiao Lin's.

"Designer Gu, what does this mean?" the reporters asked in confusion.

As for Chu Ling's face, no matter how good his professionalism was, it could no longer hide his extremely ugly expression.

His expression went out of control and his lips twitched.

"These are my clothes. I don't want them anymore. Isn't it okay to cut them?"

"Of course, no problem!" He was free to do whatever he wanted with his own clothes.

Chu Ling turned around and left.

Yu Ruilin and Hu Lai immediately followed. Their footsteps were unsteady and they couldn't conceal their dispiritedness.

Gu Zehan smiled and said to everyone, "Thank you, everyone. See you tonight."

Naturally, the reporters didn't skip this part and directly posted it on Weibo.

# Gu Zehan Cut His Clothes #

The news was soon trending.

The reporters didn't try to cover it up. Instead, they recorded everything that had happened in detail. Then, the netizens exploded.

"So Gu Zehan didn't want to work with Chu Ling from the start and secretly asked him to return the clothes?"

"In the end, Chu Ling returned fake ones and left the real ones behind?"

"I have reason to believe that Chu Ling wanted to wear Gu Zehan's clothes to create hype. In the end, their team thought that Gu Zehan was from Country H and directly cut ties with him. In the end, Chu Ling had no choice but to wear GU's clothes."

"Who's going to give us the deets? Gu Zehan really didn't explain this matter clearly. But I didn't expect him to be so stubborn. He couldn't be bothered to talk to Chu Ling, so he just asked for the clothes back and cut them up.. He didn't give him any face at all!"

Chapter 341: He Cut His Clothes In Public

"Gu Zehan did well, really! He should have kept his mouth shut!"

"Hahahaha, I remember Little Rose cutting the orchids with a snip! Those siblings are werewolves!"

"I like this kind of personality that doesn't accept any disrespect!"

"This is too much! Gu Zehan is indeed our nation's star. He's still so domineering even after retiring!"

"Gu Zehan might be the biggest winner tonight!"

"Am I the only one who wants to know what happened after Shi Jin cut those orchids? Didn't they say that they would grow back better?"

Chu Ling's fans desperately wanted to comment. He really couldn't control them.

Currently, the fans of Shi Jin, Gu Zehan, and Yu Guannan had gathered together. Chu Ling was the one at fault in this matter. How could he control the situation?

His angry fans suffered consecutive blows tonight. They could only vent their anger on Chu Ling's team. "Change your staff! What kind of shitty team is this?"

"Chu Ling has always been the one to take the blame for you guys. You guys did something wrong, yet you don't even care?"

"Chu Ling is really pitiful. Does he even care about those clothes? Look at what you guys are doing. I told you guys before that borrowing clothes from GU was lame. That brand is too outdated. Now, Gu Zehan has slapped him in the face!"

"That's right, Gu Zehan is really too much! It's just a small misunderstanding. He cut his clothes in front of everyone! What is the team doing?"

"Hehehe, in my opinion, Gu Zehan did this to attract Chu Ling's attention and Shi Jin! Shi Jin really hasn't given up on her evil intentions towards our idol!"

After Yu Ruilin and Chu Ling left, the others also tactfully took their leave.

Chu Ling got into the car and asked Hu Lai sternly, "What happened to the clothes?"

"At that time, Gu Zehan's assistant had just sent the clothes over and Gu Zehan said that he wanted to take them back. I was so angry that I casually sent one piece back. I thought that since they were the ones who were immoral first, they would have nothing to say even if we wore their clothes. Who would have thought that later..."

It was too much of a coincidence and was out of Hu Lai's control.

After what had happened tonight, she was furious.

Chu Ling was also very angry.

Hu Lai trembled in fear and did not dare to continue speaking.

Gu Zehan was the one who had broken the contract in the beginning, but now that things had developed to this point, Hu Lai had to take the blame. She also felt extremely unlucky.

"I know." Chu Ling snorted. "Gu Zehan did this on purpose because I dumped Shi Jin. He's come to seek justice."

Hu Lai saw him reveal a strange smile.

She wondered what he was thinking.

Chu Ling's thoughts were very simple. Since Shi Jin and the people around her still cared so much about his attitude and wanted to step on him, did this mean that Shi Jin had never let him go? Since she couldn't let go, she would be unable to calm down. Wouldn't Shi Jin regret this?

Of course, Shi Jin did not know what Chu Ling was thinking. She could guess that Gu Zehan wanted to take back the clothes to avenge her, though.

Gu Zehan had gone overboard in cutting the clothes. Still, he had received a lot of positive comments online. It was really hard to guess what the fans were thinking.

Brother Xing and Xiao Lin sent Shi Jin and Gu Zehan to the car. Xiao Lin reminded Gu Zehan in a low voice, "Designer Gu, Chu Ling's fans are nuts. You'd better not go on Weibo for a bit."

"Whatever." Gu Zehan didn't take it to heart.

Xiao Lin felt that he still did not understand how scary the fans were, so she kindly said, "The craziness of fans is not to be trifled with. Designer Gu, in the future... when it comes to fans, you should actually be more gentle."

Gu Zehan understood what she meant. "You want me to stop scolding Chu Ling so that his fans will be more restrained? Why should I be afraid of them? Besides, if I don't scold Chu Ling, will they stop scolding me? What logic can there be with crazy people?"

Xiao Lin suddenly felt that her worries were groundless. Compared to Gu Zehan's carefree attitude, she was being too cautious. She could not help but envy Gu Zehan.

Brother Xing asked, "Why don't I send the two of you back?"

"No need. You can go back with Teacher Yu first." Gu Zehan waved his hand.

"Then let's go." Brother Xing was indeed busy and bade them farewell.

That evening, Yu Guannan had received the best male singer award. His company had already called him countless times, and he still had to arrange interviews, celebratory feasts, and follow-up work.

Shi Jin saw that someone on the Internet was asking her about the growth of the yao orchid. She posted two photos that she had taken. "It's growing well."

It was just two photos, but Shi Jin's fans, who rarely saw their idol post things like that, regarded them as treasures.

"As expected, Shi Jin didn't lie. It looks really good after getting cut!"

"Haha, that's right. It's just like how girls who leave scumbags are blessed. Their lives only get happier!"

"Blessings, blessings!"

"Little Stone has to be as good as her yao orchids."

"Darling, Mommy loves you!"

"Am I the only one who wants Shi Jin to be my sister? I'm fine with being a sister-in-law too!"

"Then I'm different. I hope that Shi Jin will be mine. Wannabe-hubby fans are considered fans too, right?"

When Shi Jin saw this, she couldn't help but smile.

Gu Zehan was about to start driving when someone knocked on the car window.

He lowered the window and saw Fu Xiuyuan's stoic face, which seemingly hadn't changed for thousands of years, covered in snow.

"What's up? Didn't we agree that Shi Jin would follow me tonight?"

"The event is over," Fu Xiuyuan said mildly, sounding a little cold.

Gu Zehan lost his temper. "Fine, fine, fine. You can take her."

Fu Xiuyuan didn't stand on ceremony as he walked over to Shi Jin's side. He opened the car door and led her out.

When Gu Zehan saw the smile on Shi Jin's face, he sighed. "She's female, but barely human."

"Second Brother, drive carefully." Shi Jin waved at him.

Gu Zehan ignored the fact that she was leaning against Fu Xiuyuan as if she was boneless and sped away.

Most of the people at the event location had already left. Except for a certain sneaky figure.

It was summer and she was wearing a hat and a scarf. She also had a pair of sunglasses and a mask on.

Those who didn't know would have thought that she was some superstar hiding from the paparazzi.

She stuck her head out and looked outside. Seeing that there was really no one around, she walked out.

Someone patted her shoulder. She turned around and asked curiously, "Miss Fu, is that you?"

"No."

With that, Fu Heyan realized that she had forgotten to change her voice.

Having had her identity exposed, Fu Heyan removed her sunglasses and coughed. "I have something to do."

"Aren't you hot in that outfit?"

Chapter 342: There Is No Way To Be Matched

"Ahem, I've caught a cold recently." Fu Heyan coughed lightly to prove it.

The other party was one of the staff members from the event. Previously, when they had been hosting Fu Heyan's piano concert, they had crossed paths and asked kindly, "Do you need me to take you to a hospital?"

"No need, no need. Hurry up and go. I need to go home as well."

Seeing that she was in good spirits and didn't need any help, the person locked the door and left after saying goodbye.

Fu Heyan let out a sigh of relief. She took out her phone and scrolled through Weibo. She realized that some of Chu Ling's fans were still boasting that Shi Jin had evil intentions towards Chu Ling.

She disagreed immediately. "Shi Jin falling for a top celebrity? A couple whose looks and talent are not compatible is destined to fail! The person with evil intentions is the person who stole someone else's song back then, right?"

After sending the message, she looked at her phone in satisfaction.

She walked towards the parking lot. It was already late at night and almost no one was around.

She saw a couple kissing passionately.

Fu Heyan was not in the mood to invade other people's privacy, so she walked forward indifferently.

Something wasn't right. She looked over at the two people who were kissing passionately. Why was the man's figure so familiar? It was as if she had seen that slender waist somewhere before.

Fu Heyan stopped in her tracks and looked at them carefully.

When she looked over, her blood rushed to her head. How could they not be familiar? Wasn't that man Fu Xiuyuan and the girl Shi Jin?

Without thinking further, she strode towards them!

Fu Xiuyuan seemed to have sensed something and stopped what he was doing. He pressed Shi Jin into his arms and saw a woman wearing a cap, mask, and sunglasses walking over aggressively.

An anti-fan?

When she took two steps closer, Fu Xiuyuan realized who it was and frowned slightly.

"Fu Xiuyuan, you're really too much!" Fu Heyan quickly removed her disguise. "How can you be with Shi Jin?"

Fu Xiuyuan pursed his thin lips and whispered to Shi Jin, "Let's go."

"Stop right there, both of you!" Fu Heyan usually had a loud voice. When she got angry, she was like a firecracker. "Who asked you to leave? Fu Xiuyuan, weren't you with Jinxin? How could you cheat like this? Jinxin was still concerned about my health last night. She gave me essential oils to help me recuperate in peace and sleep well. She was very concerned about me and asked about your condition. She hoped that you could get better. She has done everything for you, and what about you? What are you doing?"

"Sis, I..."

"Don't say that!" Fu Heyan cut her off. "I know that Shi Jin is very nice too. She's beautiful, generous, decent, talented, and has a nice voice. She's beautiful and kind. Everyone wants to treat her as a sister or a daughter, but you can't ruin two good girls!"

"Erm..." Shi Jin didn't know if she was being praised or mocked. She lifted her head from Fu Xiuyuan's embrace and looked at Fu Heyan quietly.

The two eyes that she revealed were bright and spirited. They were indifferent, but still had a strong presence.

When Fu Heyan saw Shi Jin, she couldn't bring herself to reprimand her. She only felt that Fu Xiuyuan was in the wrong.

She had liked Shi Jin ever since she finished watching 'Ultimate Singer Songwriter'. However, due to her former grudges against Shi Jin, she had kept a low profile.

Although she would not dare to publicize her newfound affection, it did not stop her from continuously doing research, making investments, downloading Shi Jin's songs, and listening to them secretly. When she was free, she would go to watch her live.

She had come to the Zhongxia Music Festival tonight because she knew that Shi Jin was coming.

The more she looked at Shi Jin, the more she liked this talented and beautiful girl. However, in her heart, Shi Jin was just an idol, an incarnation, an unreal, distant, brilliant star. It was completely different from the Shi Jin she had hated in the past.

However, Fu Xiuyuan's actions had brought her back to reality. Fu Xiuyuan was doing this to both Si Jin and Shi Jin!

Fu Heyan glanced at Shi Jin and said, "Do you know that Fu Xiuyuan has a girlfriend? Don't waste your time on him. A man like him is not worth it!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a cold gaze on her.

Afraid? She was naturally afraid. This guy had had a unique ability to instill fear since he was young, but she still had to speak. Otherwise, how would this matter end?

Fu Heyan looked worried.

"Look... do you think Si Jin is good and Shi Jin is also good?" Fu Xiuyuan asked calmly.

"I..." Fu Heyan sighed. "Both are good, so you want to two-time? Seriously! If you really need to choose, you should choose Si Jin! "

Shi Jin should live more freely. Shi Jin belonged to everyone! Not just him!

"If Shi Jin isn't all that, why do you always go to her events?" Fu Xiuyuan asked.

Fu Heyan felt embarrassed after being exposed.

Other than practicing the piano, she spent most of her time on Shi Jin.

It had made Qin Sinian very unhappy with her, and he got jealous.

How could she admit that she often attended Shi Jin's events in front of Shi Jin herself?

"Don't talk nonsense. I don't even know when she releases songs."

"Oh, don't you? Then there's no need for you to interfere with Shi Jin's life," the aloof Fu Xiuyuan teased.

When Fu Heyan saw Shi Jin, she actually wanted to get close to her. However, her heart was in turmoil and she pouted in anger.

"That's not right. I'm the one who came to question you. Why are you blaming me?"

Shi Jin squeezed Fu Xiuyuan's arm and said seriously, "Xiuyuan, tell her."

Fu Xiuyuan then said calmly, "Shi Jin is Si Jin. Si Jin is Shi Jin."

"What?" Fu Heyan's eyes widened.

Actually, she had heard him just fine. She just didn't realize what he meant. Her mind was not functioning.

After a moment, she realized what Fu Xiuyuan was saying.

Recalling how Fu Xiuyuan had listened to everything Doctor Si said and smiled gently, she had initially been glad that Fu Xiuyuan had changed. He was no longer being inflexible and had found another path for himself. So that was how it was...

So Fu Heyan was the fool here?

She was furious.. "Fu Xiuyuan, how could you lie to your sister like this?"

Chapter 343: Really Put In A Lot Of Effort

As for Shi Jin, she was definitely not wrong. Fu Xiuyuan was the one who had lied!

"Ask yourself." Fu Xiuyuan's tone was still extremely calm.

Fu Heyan was stunned. She immediately understood many things. When her palm was injured, she had been at her most agitated state. The doctor had repeatedly said that she needed to rest, and every time she had seen Shi Jin, she felt so angry that her head and stomach would hurt. She hadn't been able to calm down at all.

However, the person who had healed her hand was Shi Jin!

Shi Jin had disguised herself in order to prevent her from getting agitated!

After thinking this through, Fu Heyan felt that she had gone overboard. It was clearly Shi Jin who had treated her, yet she had still gone to steal Fu Xiuyuan away from her. And now, she was the one trying to interfere with Fu Xiuyuan's love triangle!

She was so embarrassed that her toes curled. She wanted to disappear...

***

Shi Jin was free the next day.

It felt good for her to wake up naturally.

As she ate her breakfast, she opened WeChat.

Fu Heyan sent a voice message. "Shi Jin, are you free? Do you want to go home for dinner with Xiuyuan? You can also meet Grandma."

Fu Heyan was pretending that nothing had happened. As long as she was not embarrassed, the embarrassment wouldn't catch up with her.

Shi Jin thought for a moment and replied, "I can spare some time if Xiuyuan is free."

"Then ask him." Fu Heyan decided that it was more convenient for Shi Jin to ask.

Shi Jin didn't reject her and asked Fu Xiuyuan if he wanted to go.

After receiving an affirmative reply, Shi Jin took a screenshot and sent it to Fu Heyan. She then got up to look for her clothes.

She remembered that she had a terrible relationship with Old Madam Fu, just like her relationship with Fu Heyan.

Now, she had been able to reconcile with Fu Heyan very quickly due to the treatment she had given Fu Heyan before. However, the relationship between her and Old Madam Fu had not reached a stage where they could interact freely.

Thinking about how she had to make up for what she had done in her previous life, she felt a little vexed.

As she was looking for her clothes, Fu Heyan sent her another WeChat message. "Shi Jin, I've said a lot of good things about you in front of Grandma. Don't worry too much when you come over tonight."

"Thank you, Sister," Shi Jin replied.

Fu Heyan looked at the words "thank you" and felt a little guilty.

In reality, she had never put in a good word for Shi Jin in front of Grandma. Every time she praised Shi Jin, she had not mentioned her actual name, afraid that Grandma would not be able to take it. She had praised Si Jin a few times though.

***

At night, Fu Xiuyuan returned to Lanting Residence to fetch Shi Jin.

When Shi Jin saw him, she picked up her bag and stood up from the sofa. Fu Xiuyuan's eyes darkened.

The girl was dressed very simply today. She was wearing a white doll dress that she had never worn before.

Unexpectedly, it really suited her, completely highlighting her innocent side, which was very studious. It was like looking at an excellent prefect.

After getting into the car, Shi Jin asked, "I heard your grandma has been suffering from insomnia and strange dreams, right?"

"Yeah, the doctor said it's a common thing with the elderly," Fu Xiuyuan said in a low voice.

Shi Jin had brought a few bottles of essential oil in her bag as a gift.

In her previous life, she had rarely gone to the Fu Family. After a few times, she had had a few disagreements with Old Madam Fu and had never gone back after that.

When the car stopped at the Fu family's villa, Fu Heyan walked out quickly to welcome Shi Jin. Her actions and attitude were very familiar.

"Shi Jin." She went forward and took Shi Jin's arm, speaking in a familiar tone.

To be able to hold her idol's arm was something she had never dared to imagine doing before. She had originally planned to deny that she was a fan of Shi Jin. However, after the misunderstanding was cleared up that day, she had realized that her little pride was completely useless. There was no point in pretending not to know about her. She might as well just admit it.

She felt great after coming clean!

Fu Heyan regretted discovering the truth so late.

"Let's go inside." She pulled Shi Jin in.

The younger brother was thrown aside. Fu Heyan was not taking her husband seriously either.

The two men smiled helplessly and followed her in.

Old Madam Fu was sitting in the living room with a head of snow-white silver hair, looking very amiable.

When she saw Shi Jin, her gaze dimmed involuntarily. When she thought of the past, she felt unhappy.

If it wasn't for Fu Heyan's words, Old Madam Fu wouldn't have allowed Shi Jin to even come back for dinner.

Although Shi Jin had been a little more restrained in front of the elders in the past... the way she treated Fu Xiuyuan had long chilled the hearts of the elders.

"Grandma, Shi Jin is here!" Fu Heyan smiled and led Shi Jin forward.

Old Madam Fu lifted her eyelids and glanced at her indifferently.

"Hello, Grandma," Shi Jin greeted.

"Sit down." Only when the old woman saw Fu Xiuyuan, whom she had not seen for a long time, did she smile.

"Grandma, I've already told you that my hand was cured by Shi Jin. Take a look and see, there's no problem at all! You can't even see a single scar, right?" Fu Heyan extended her slender hands to Old Madam Fu.

Old Madam Fu knew about Fu Heyan's injury. At that time, she had been overseas. Although she did not rush back, she had looked for many doctors.

She had been extremely worried. Later on, she booked an overnight plane and went to Fu Heyan.

At the thought of this, her expression softened and she asked Shi Jin, "Are you living with Fu Xiuyuan now?"

"Yes, Grandma," Shi Jin said with a smile. "Ever since that competition, I've been living with him."

Old Madam Fu did not hate Shi Jin. Besides, the Fu family had always been on good terms with the Lis. Logically speaking, she should take care of Shi Jin. However, when she thought of the past, she felt troubled.

Seeing how obedient she was being and how Fu Xiuyuan was doing, Old Madam Fu had nothing to say.

She asked a few more questions, but Shi Jin's replies were rather sincere and unlike before, Old Madam Fu secretly nodded.

Besides, it had not been easy for her grandson to find a suitable person. She understood his personality too well.

She didn't say much. Shi Jin stood up and took out two bottles of essential oils. She handed them to Old Madam Fu. "Grandma, these are essential oils that can help you sleep better. Put drops of them on your pillow."

Old Madam Fu let the butler take them and put them in her room.

When Fu Heyan saw this, she smiled and said, "Grandma, I heard that this essential oil was prepared by Shi Jin herself. Even Xiuyuan uses them. She really put in a lot of effort to bring you this gift.."

Chapter 344: Shi Jin's Fondness

"Is that so? Xiuyuan's sleep disorder has been alleviated?" Old Madam Fu asked happily, the wrinkles on her face disappearing.

"Look at his face. Isn't he looking better? Also, his gastric problem is almost cured. All of this is thanks to Shi Jin." Fu Heyan praised Shi Jin generously.

Qin Sinian was shocked as he watched from the side. His handsome face was filled with doubt. When had this happened? His wife had actually become a fan of Shi Jin?

Old Madam Fu looked at her grandson and saw that he was radiant and his face was flushed. When she looked at Shi Jin again, she was obviously pleased.

She was already old and not much mattered anymore, but Fu Heyan and Fu Xiuyuan were her lifeblood. As long as they were okay, she had nothing else to ask for.

They began dinner.

Old Madam Fu instructed the butler to place the non-spicy and more easily digested dishes in front of Fu Xiuyuan.

This was all for his stomach. In the past, when his stomach had been at its worst, there were times when he couldn't eat anything for a few consecutive days.

Although Fu Heyan said that his condition had improved, Old Madam Fu didn't dare to be careless.

It was not like she had not seen Fu Xiuyuan's stomach ache to the point of him vomiting blood.

The dishes were laid on the table. Fu Xiuyuan picked up his chopsticks and took some of the various foods. They were cold, hot, spicy, and chewy. He ate almost all of them.

This made Old Madam Fu's heart skip a beat. She wanted him to be more careful, but felt that she was being too harsh.

After the meal, Old Madam Fu observed Fu Xiuyuan several times. Seeing that he was calm and did not show any signs of illness, she finally believed Fu Heyan's words.

Old Madam Fu's expression became livelier. She then asked about Old Master Li and Li Juekai.

After sitting for a while, she became a little tired. Shi Jin tactfully stood up and said, "Grandma, I still have something to attend to. Please rest easy now."

"Okay, come again soon." Old Madam Fu stood up, but she felt the world spinning around her.

A few of them went forward to support her. "Grandma!"

"Grandma, what's wrong?" Fu Heyan anxiously asked, "Butler, call the doctor over!"

"I'm fine, just a little dizzy. It's an old problem." Old Madam Fu opened her eyes. "There's no need to trouble yourself. No matter how many times I call for a doctor, it will only be like this. Forget it."

Fu Heyan and Fu Xiuyuan were aware of this situation as well and hurriedly helped her sit down.

"Maybe she got up too quickly and the blood couldn't get to her head quickly enough. That's why she almost fainted."

"Then I'll help you go and lie down," Fu Heyan said.

Shi Jin also went forward to support Old Madam Fu. When she felt her pulse, she had a good idea and took out a bottle of essential oil from her bag.

When she was settling Old Madam Fu down, she placed the extra bottle of essential oil on her bedside table before walking out with Fu Heyan.

"Grandma's dizziness is an old illness. All the hospitals have examined her, and they all say that it's just part of the aging process." Fu Heyan sighed. "There's nothing we can do about it. It's worrying to see her in this state."

"It's a good thing that Grandma is still in pretty good health," Shi Jin said. She was prepared to go back and prepare more essential oil.

She had just found out about her situation. She could make the essential oils more targeted and the effects would be better.

Fu Heyan changed the topic. "Right, you haven't checked the recovery of my hand, right? Let's go and take a look!"

Shi Jin had actually seen the video she had sent many times. However, since she had invited her so enthusiastically, Shi Jin could not refuse and entered her room with her.

Fu Heyan was already married, but she kept some clothes in her room so that she could come back to stay every other day.

The large room was elegantly decorated. It was divided into two parts. One part was a normal bedroom, while the other part was filled with musical instruments.

The two sides were split, making it convenient to use each.

"I used to have a piano room at home, but I'm a lazy person. I feel safe when I have everything in a place where I can reach it."

Fu Heyan opened the piano and said, "Take a look."

She sat down and played.

She was already at the pinnacle of the piano scene in Country S, so even if she just casually flicked her fingers, the ability she could display would still be very outstanding.

"How do you feel?" Shi Jin asked.

"I think I'm fine now." Fu Heyan turned around. "By the way, Shi Jin, how did you get such good medical skills? If you were the one who operated on me, I would never have had a problem."

"I learned from a master," said Shi Jin with a smile.

"Well, I'm really convinced by you."

Fu Heyan had been chasing celebrities recently and knew so much about Shi Jin. She was already numb to her abilities.

She also felt that she had been too prejudiced against Shi Jin previously, which was why she hadn't seen the outstanding parts of her personality.

"Sister, I have a piano for you. Take it as an apology for what happened back then," Shi Jin suddenly said.

"Sure, thank you." Fu Heyan was already using a top-notch piano, so it didn't matter if Shi Jin gave one to her or not.

She only thought that Shi Jin had broken her piano previously and wanted to make up for it now, so she agreed immediately.

She asked, "Do you know how to play? Do you want to try mine?"

"Sure." Shi Jin sat down and casually began playing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'.

It was so entry level that Fu Heyan laughed. After a little chuckle, she couldn't laugh anymore.

The depth of a song's difficulty was never the focus of a person's ability. It was their playing technique, the performance of every tone, and the expression of their emotions.

Shi Jin was doing the simplest song, but Fu Heyan could tell that she was different.

"How long have you been practicing?"

"Two to three years?" Shi Jin had trained in her previous life, and she really liked it.

Fu Heyan, on the other hand, felt that this wasn't something that could be achieved in two or three years.

However, when she thought about Shi Jin's age, she wasn't surprised that Shi Jin had studied somewhere. Still, she had not studied this when she was at the Shi family.

After she finished playing, Fu Heyan held her shoulders and said, "Shi Jin, come and learn with me!"

Fu Xiuyuan and Qin Sinian were sitting in the living room drinking tea when the butler came to report on Old Madam Fu's condition. The two of them were slightly relieved.

Sitting together with Fu Xiuyuan, Qin Sinian didn't have much to say. However, he was still very indulgent towards this brother-in-law of his. He checked the green tea he had personally brewed and poured Fu Xiuyuan a full cup. Then, they saw Fu Heyan and Shi Jin coming down the stairs..

Chapter 345: Little Sister, Give Big Sister A Chance

Fu Xiuyuan stood up. Fu Heyan looked radiant as she said something to Shi Jin. Shi Jin's expression was calm, and one could tell that she was being very patient with Fu Heyan. No matter what she said, Shi Jin nodded.

"What are you talking about? Why are you so happy?" Qin Sinian asked as he poured tea for them.

Fu Heyan said, "I'm trying to convince Shi Jin to learn piano from me. You don't know that she just casually played an introductory song, but she definitely has the technique of a master. I think as long as she's willing to learn, she'll definitely win an international award."

"Do you think that Shi Jin is like you with a head full of music?" Qin Sinian asked helplessly and dotingly.

"I'm telling the truth!" Fu Heyan said angrily. "If you don't believe me, I can show you the video!"

She would record videos when she was practicing the piano so that she could review her own skills and improve herself.

Qin Sinian smiled. "I believe you."

"Sister, Shi Jin is already busy enough." Fu Xiuyuan, who had not spoken much tonight, brought Shi Jin over to his side. "Don't try to snatch her free time again. We're leaving. If anything happens with Grandma, remember to call me."

Fu Heyan had no temper when facing Fu Xiuyuan. She could only watch as he took Shi Jin away.

Qin Sinian massaged her shoulders. "Alright, don't you know how busy Shi Jinnian is? Fu Xiuyuan already said it, so don't take it to heart."

***

Once Shi Jin and Fu Xiuyuan were in the car, Shi Jin said softly, "Grandma's condition isn't that bad."

"You have a solution?" Fu Xiuyuan tilted his head to look at her.

Although he hadn't said much today, his mood was visibly good.

"I still need something," Shi Jin said. Perhaps next time, she would need her grandfather to send some plants instead of a chicken, duck, or fish.

After saying that, she looked down at her WeChat. Fu Heyan had sent her a message: "Sister, give me a chance."

They had become as close as sisters in just one day, Shi Jin could not help but laugh.

***

Liu Ning accepted a good script and happily ran to Supreme Entertainment to show it to Shi Jin.

Shi Jin took a glance and nodded. "It's a little tacky, but the social issues it deals with are pretty good. We should be able to become famous and earn money."

"It's indeed quite vulgar. The lead is a mistress and has had a traumatic experience in her family. She even talks about whether women should give up their careers for the sake of their families," Liu Ning said. "But I did some market research. As you said, the probability of this becoming popular is very high."

Now that Liu Ning had returned to this market, in order to not be controlled by others, he had discussed things with Gu Jingyuan and decided to set up a company himself to produce films and television series.

Of course, although it had been a discussion, Gu Jingyuan actually hadn't cared about anything, but the money.

Since he had a company, he had to provide for them. If he wanted to provide for others, he couldn't just make cool works. He had to make things that were suitable for the market.

Shi Jin understood this very well too, so she agreed with Liu Ning.

"You can do it. Producer Liu, your taste is getting better."

Liu Ning laughed out loud.

After laughing, he said, "Well, you can keep yourself busy when it comes to this then."

"Sure." Shi Jin did not reject.

After all, she had lived another lifetime already. She had experience with what was popular on the market. In addition to her own opinion, it would indeed be easier for her to win if she were to check things out.

In the past, she still remembered many songs and movies and their places in the market. However, she wouldn't plagiarize. Nevertheless, as the economy improved and the number of people with free time increased, discussing social phenomena in film and television works and triggering people's thoughts and discussions had become more of a possibility. It should be the responsibility of industry professionals to produce works that could make people think.

***

Fu Heyan welcomed a doctor into the house.

Although Old Madam Fu had said that she didn't need a check-up, Fu Heyan had still discussed it with Fu Xiuyuan and invited a famous Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor over to take a look at Old Madam Fu.

Since she had already tried Western medicine, they might as well seek help from Chinese medicine.

The old Chinese doctor's hair and beard were all white, and he appeared to be quite skilled.

"Doctor Pan, how is my grandmother?" Fu Heyan asked.

"It'll be easy to heal. She just has low blood pressure. I'll prescribe her some Chinese medicine. She can improve if she takes it consistently."

Doctor Pan quickly wrote down the prescription.

Fu Heyan had found this doctor among the common folk. She had heard many rumors that his medical skills were pretty good, and others' illnesses had been cured by him. Otherwise, a person like Fu Heyan, who believed in modern medicine, would not try such a thing.

"After you get the medicine, you should take it three times a day. After taking it three times a day, there should be a huge improvement," Doctor Pan said.

"Thank you, Doctor Pan. Butler, see Doctor Pan off." Fu Heyan took the prescription.

Once Doctor Pan had left, she passed the prescription to the butler. "Go to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and ask about this medicine. If there's no problem, buy it and prepare it for Grandma."

When Fu Heyan finished practicing piano, the butler came back and told her, "The Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital said that there's no problem with the prescription. It can be used to replenish her blood and vital energy. The medicine has been bought and prepared."

"Okay." Fu Heyan nodded.

As they were speaking, a servant walked in with a young man.

"Sister Lotus," the young man said as he walked. "I'm here to see Grandma Fu."

"There's nothing wrong with Grandma. She just happened to get some medicine, so she should be fine after taking it. Have a seat, Huaixian."

Song Huaixian and Fu Heyan were both from the Piano Association and had a good relationship. Having heard that Old Madam Fu was not doing well, he had come to visit.

"That's good." Song Huaixian nodded.

"Mr. Song, please have some tea." The butler brought him some tea.

He was a frequent visitor and the Fu Family was very familiar with him.

As they were talking, the butler heard a commotion outside and said, "I'll go out and take a look first."

Fu Heyan continued to drink tea and chat with Song Huaixian.

A moment later, the butler came back and said, "Miss, someone has sent a piano over. They said they want you to sign for it."

Fu Heyan suddenly remembered Shi Jin's words. She hadn't expected her to really send such a thing over so quickly.

She smiled and said, "That girl..."

When Shi Jin had broken her favorite piano, she was indeed furious. However, now that the enmity between them had dissipated, she no longer cared about the past.

However, Shi Jin was a woman of her word. She had delivered the piano right to the doorstep.

"Let them bring it in."

Since it was a mark of Shi Jin's good will, Fu Heyan didn't reject it.

A few workers carefully moved the item in.

"Miss Fu Heyan, please sign here." The leader took out the receipt.

Fu Heyan was about to write her name.

"Miss Fu, this is very valuable. Please check that everything is correct," the deliveryman reminded her..

Chapter 346: Can You Allow Me To Scream A Bit?

Song Huaixian also stood up and asked, "Who sent this?"

"Shi Jin," Fu Heyan said.

"Shi Jin?" Song Huaixian glanced at her.

Like Fu Heyan, he had seen many good pianos. He had seen and touched all kinds of expensive and high-class ones.

Playing the piano was a money-burning hobby for normal people to begin with, let alone people like them who participated in various large-scale competitions.

Upon hearing that it was a gift from Shi Jin, Song Huaixian knew that it was probably an ordinary piano.

"Why would she give you a piano?" he asked.

"We had a small misunderstanding before," Fu Heyan said generously. "I told her not to send it, but she refused to listen."

She said to the butler, "Open it and take a look. Help me check it. If there's no problem, I'll sign."

After saying that, she sat down with Song Huaixian to continue drinking tea.

Song Huaixian nodded and picked up his teacup.

The Li family that Shi Jin was from had some connections with Song Huaixian. He thought that now that Shi Jin was not short of money, she might buy a top-notch piano and send it over. However, no matter how top-notch it was, it would not be anything much.

Famous pianists all had their own favorite brands. They rarely bought mass-produced products. Even if it was a gift, Fu Heyan would not use it often.

Fu Heyan had the same thought, but since it was a gift from Shi Jin, there was no reason for her to give it away. Luckily, the Fu family's residence was big, so she could just choose a random place to keep it.

Just as she was thinking this, the butler walked over and said, "Miss Yun, you might have to check it yourself. This piano... I don't really understand it."

Fu Heyan stood up in amusement. "How could you not understand?"

The butler of the Fu family knew how to play the piano too. He had graduated from a professional school and Fu Heyan had been with him since she was young.

She had just finished laughing when she saw the piano in front of her. She could not help but be stunned.

"Huaixian, come and take a look!" Fu Heyan called out to Song Huaixian.

Song Huaixian slowly put down his teacup, stood up, and looked over.

The piano had been wrapped up nicely just now, so he hadn't seen how it was inside. Now that it had been completely unwrapped, everything could be seen clearly.

The simple and unadorned body of the piano was revealed. It was not the latest style. Some parts were even covered with a layer of dust. It was obvious that it was an old piano.

Song Huaixian cried out, "This... is a Bechstein 'Louis XV'?"

The butler was stunned as well. "Mr. Song, are you sure?"

"Is it really 'Louis XV' by Bechstein?" Fu Heyan could not believe it either.

In the classical music world, Bechstein was a living legend. It had been Liszt's favorite piano brand when he was alive. Back then, when the piano scholar was worried about finding a suitable piano for himself, Karl Bechstein had made him a piano that could withstand the force of his playing and difficult techniques. It was called "Louis XV."

Liszt had used it to play all kinds of classical songs that shocked the world. He had also created countless famous songs that had been passed down over the years.

"During the war years ago, Bechstein's 'Louis XV' was lost," Song Huaixian murmured. "After that, its whereabouts were unknown."

The butler could not help being fascinated as well. "So, is this a fake?"

In order to recreate the brilliance of "Louis XV", on his 160th birthday, Besistan had found a custom-made blueprint and assembled 140 professional technicians, including a music producer, sculptor, and painter. After three years, he built this piano with his own hands.

The entire piano was worth 20 million yuan, making it the most expensive piano in the world.

To ordinary people, even a fake would be expensive, and they would still flock to it, but for those who truly loved piano, the Louis XV that Liszt used was the ultimate classic.

Every pianist had different skills and strengths, but Liszt was of the highest overall standard.

The piano that he had used before, whether it be in terms of form or content, would never allow any musician to make a mistake. Therefore, if it was the real one, it could be said to be priceless.

Fu Heyan went up to touch it and played a tune. Despite enduring the passage of time, the sound of the piano was still filled with charm.

She said confidently, "This is the original, the one that Liszt used!"

After she flicked it, Song Huaixian confirmed that this was the original version! Whether it was the tone or the material, it was indeed a classic.

The butler was flabbergasted... This was actually something that Shi Jin, who had been working so hard, had sent over? Could it be that Young Master had given it to her and she was now passing on the gift?

"Miss Fu, can we sign now?"

Fu Heyan was startled back to reality and looked at the piano carefully. After confirming that there were no defects, she signed.

She stepped forward and patted 'Louis XVI' affectionately. She looked like a woman who had fallen in love.

Song Huaixian looked at the piano enviously. It was an honor for him to be able to see "Louis XV" in his lifetime.

"Butler, quick, carry the piano to my room upstairs."

The piano that Fu Heyan liked was in her room. Now that she had "Louis XV", she had to put it in her room.

All of her favorite things had to be within easy reach!

"Tell everyone to be careful. It mustn't get scraped!"

The butler was even more cautious than her. "I won't let the piano get bumped even if it kills me."

Fu Heyan calmed herself before connecting with Shi Jin.

Shi Jin was by Liu Ning's side, listening to him talk about the casting and filming. She made an 'excuse me' gesture and clicked on the video.

Fu Heyan's face appeared on the screen.

"Shi Jin..." Fu Heyan didn't know what to say.

"What's wrong? By the way, I got someone to deliver the piano to you. Did you see it?"

"I saw it. That's why I'm calling you! Shi Jin, where did you find it? I really don't know what to say! Can you let me scream a few times?"

Liu Ning quietly put on his earphones. Which crazy fan was this?

"Go ahead." Shi Jin smiled.

Previously, she had personally poured a cup of iced coffee into Fu Heyan's favorite piano's keys right in front of her. Then, she had picked up a hammer and smashed at the keys seriously for a long time. Fu Heyan was now screaming the same way as she had back then..

Chapter 347: Showing Piano Skills

She had gone too far. Shi Jin felt suffocated just remembering it. Therefore, when the news of the location of "Louis XV" came from Europe, she got someone to collect it.

Initially, she had planned to send it directly to Fu Heyan, but then she decided to check it first before sending it over.

After Fu Heyan finished screeching, her face flushed as he said, "I already told you not to compensate me. You're really silly. How can I accept such a valuable item?"

Behind her, the butler was instructing people to move the item into the elevator. "Be careful, don't touch it at all! You must carry it into Missy's room like you would carry your infant son!"

If not for this scene, Shi Jin would have believed Fu Heyan more.

Fu Heyan quickly said, "Anyway, you're busy, I won't disturb you further."

"Okay, bye." Shi Jin turned off the video call.

"Producer Liu, let's continue our discussion," said Shi Jin as she put down her phone.

"If it's just this plot, I think it might need to be optimized..." Liu Ning handed over the script.

Shi Jin took a look. "Hmm, please change the scriptwriter a little. Since the female lead has already left her role as a housewife, she will have to rely on herself to grow and change in the future. She can't expect some man to save her. Otherwise, wouldn't she be in a different situation?"

The script was called "The Year of Standing". It discussed the difficulties faced by many people who had just entered middle age.

Liu Ning, on the other hand, was already in his forties, so he naturally had a lot of insight into these things. Even though the script portrayed the struggle and confusion of a female character at this age, there were many things that he could empathize with.

Shi Jin, on the other hand, was just a young woman who had just passed her 20th birthday. How could she have such deep thoughts?

He glanced at Shi Jin and saw that she was reading the script seriously. He didn't ask further.

***

Meanwhile, in Fu Heyan's room, after setting up the piano, she stretched her hand out and caressed the instrument with great care. She cherished and loved it more than her first crush.

Song Huaixian and the butler stood to one side, unwilling to leave.

Even though they knew that this was her private room and it was inconvenient for them to stay, neither of them suggested leaving.

After Fu Heyan had had her fill of admiring it, she lifted the cover and sat down to play a song.

After the song was over, she was still reluctant to go and did not care about the men nearby.

She turned around and saw that they were still standing there.

The butler knew that it was inappropriate for him to be there, so he apologized and went downstairs.

Song Huaixian stood in his original position.

Fu Heyan then remembered something and said, "Oh right, Teacher Song, let me show you something."

She quickly picked up her phone, opened a video, and handed it to Song Huaixian.

Usually, when she was practicing the piano, she would record it and review her performance. That night, she had also recorded a video of Shi Jin playing the piano.

Song Huaixian took a look. In the video, a girl was playing an entry-level song.

Although the content was very basic, it could be clearly seen that her standard surpassed that of most people from the Piano Association.

"How is it? Alright?" Fu Heyan had become the champion of the Chopin World piano competition when she was 18 years old. She had a professional grasp of sound and rhythm.

At present, she was also an important member of the Piano Association. As the former champion of the Chopin Piano Competition, it would take 15 years for her to become a judge and return to the top of the competition. She did not participate in the Chopin Piano Competition anymore. However, she had participated in countless other competitions of the same level. Every year, when she watched the Chopin Competition, she also silently evaluated each player.

Every time, the evaluation was almost the same as the final evaluation given by the true judges. Her hearing and evaluation were as professional as the experts'.

Song Huaixian, on the other hand, was the champion of her previous competition.

Upon hearing this performance, his expression turned grave. Then, his brows slowly relaxed. Obviously, he agreed with Fu Heyan and was very curious about this contestant.

"Who is she? Why don't you take her in as your disciple?"

Song Huaixian was not much older than Fu Heyan, but he was much more experienced than her, especially when it came to theory. He was one of the best.

Currently, he was already the de facto leader of the Piano Association. Even though he had not played for a long time, all the students who received his guidance improved their skills.

If Fu Heyan was a pianist, then he was undoubtedly a mentor.

"She refused and only said she was busy. And I guess even if I accepted her, I wouldn't be able to give her much guidance. That's why I want to introduce her to you."

Fu Heyan was a little embarrassed to be the sole owner of the Louis XV. Hence, she was introducing Shi Jin to Song Huaixian.

Song Huaixian said, "I want to see her."

"She's probably busy shooting advertisements or something. Anyway, don't miss this star pupil. I'll tell her to send you a WeChat message."

Fu Heyan immediately rang and asked for Shi Jin's opinion.

Shi Jin replied, "I might not have the time."

"I'm bold enough to tell you that he will definitely be worth your time." Fu Heyan looked at Song Huaixian and spoke with certainty.

"Alright then," Shi Jin replied. "But I'm on set now, so I might not have time to see him for now."

"It's okay, no problem. Go ahead and do what you need to do. Everything is up to you."

When Song Huaixian heard that Shi Jin was filming an advertisement and was with the production team, he asked, "She's also an artisté?"

That was strange. As far as he knew, artistés were usually very busy and there were not many who were truly talented. When had Shi Jin learned to play the piano so well? Then, he thought of something and asked, "Is it that Shi Jin from the Li family?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm. That's not so strange," Song Huaixian thought to himself.

In the old days, which one of the Li family members hadn't been a top-notch expert in their industry? How many outstanding talents could the Li family produce?

He immediately added Shi Jin on WeChat and asked for her location.

Shi Jin and Liu Ning went out after discussing the content. It was already late. She didn't know how long she would be busy for today, so she didn't ask Yao Jiahong to wait with Xiao Li. Besides, Fu Xiuyuan had said he would pick her up tonight and they would have dinner together.

Liu Ning had dropped her off and insisted on picking her up, but Shi Jin would not let him.

She walked out and saw a tall and thin young man. He looked very scholarly. When he saw her, he asked politely, "Shi Jin?"

"Are you... Teacher Song?"

When Fu Heyan had sent the WeChat message, she told Shi Jin about Song Huaixian's identity..

Chapter 348: The Li Family Never Loses Money

"It's me. My name is Song Huaixian." Song Huaixian extended his hand and shook her hand politely.

The girl in front of him was far from the artisté he had been imagining. He rarely paid attention to the entertainment industry and knew nothing about which artistés were popular. However, he had seen countless celebrities on various occasions. Normally, even male celebrities had to put on makeup, but Shi Jin had a natural face, and her skin was clear and beautiful.

"Hello. I may not have time to talk to you tonight..."

"Forgive me for coming uninvited." Song Huaixian already knew that Shi Jin had said that she was busy today. She had things to do during the day and at night, so she had asked him to come another day, but he really wanted to see Shi Jin sooner. That was why he had come over immediately and waited for five hours downstairs.

He said, "It's okay. I just wanted to meet you. You can go ahead and do your work."

He gave off a refreshing feeling. Shi Jin smiled and nodded. "I'm waiting for someone to pick me up. Teacher Song, why were you looking for me so urgently?"

"I saw the video of your performance. I really want to take you in as my disciple and teach you. I wonder if you're interested?"

Previously, Fu Heyan had asked her to be her disciple and now, Song Huaixian was doing so too.

Actually, Shi Jin was not very knowledgeable about the standard of his piano performance. She really did not have the time.

She explained her working conditions and said regretfully, "Teacher Song, I'm really sorry..."

"Shi Jin, you're perfect for piano! Show me your hands!" Hearing her reject him, Song Huaixian was no longer as restrained as before and became a little anxious.

Shi Jin stretched out her hands.

"Your fingers are very long and slender. Although your joints are very thin, I can tell that you have a strong sense of power. You are born to play the piano. Many songwriters are men, so many of their songs are more suitable for people who were born with long fingers to play. You naturally have an advantage! Furthermore, your sense of sound and color is also very talented. Shi Jin, don't waste your talent!"

Song Huaisian reached out as though he wanted to caress Shi Jin's hands. However, he restrained himself and maintained his etiquette.

There was the sound of a car honking behind him. Shi Jin looked in that direction. The familiar car had stopped and Fu Xiuyuan was now walking in their direction.

Shi Jin's heart skipped a beat. So when she had reached out just now, it looked like she was holding Song Huai'an's hands?

Regardless of whether he had seen or not, she took the lead and walked towards Fu Xiuyuan.

Before he could say anything, she was already lifting her head and kissing him.

Fu Xiuyuan looked up and her kiss only landed on his chin. However, this action still dissolved all of Fu Xiuyuan's anger.

He visibly calmed down and looked down at her, then reached out to hold her waist silently.

He looked up at Song Huaixian.

Song Huaixian knew that Fu Xiuyuan's personality was naturally cold, so he didn't mind. Nodding, he greeted, "Xiuyuan."

This was what Fu Heyan called him. However, Song Huaixian was a little surprised... The passionate couple was actually still together.

So that was why Shi Jin had indeed been a little abrupt just now. He really had not known that it would be Fu Xiuyuan coming to pick up Shi Jin.

After explaining Song Huaixian's intentions, Shi Jin said, "I'm still considering Teacher Song's invitation."

Song Huaixian said eagerly, "I hope you'll decide soon."

Fu Xiuyuan glanced at Song Huaixian indifferently. Because of Fu Heyan, he had some understanding of this person. He knew that Song Huaixian had always been obsessed with practicing the piano and never got close to women. Hence, he would leave the decision to Shi Jin.

After saying goodbye to Song Huaixian, Shi Jin got into Fu Xiuyuan's car. Seeing that he had calmed down, she started to think about Song Huaixian's words.

"Do you want to go?" Fu Xiuyuan asked.

For some reason, Shi Jin could hear jealousy in his tone. Or had she been spending too little time with him?

Shi Jin had a lot of work to do, so her time with him had been greatly reduced. This man couldn't wait to tie her to him, and he was naturally jealous.

"I heard that the Piano Association is quite powerful?" Shi Jin asked.

Fu Xiuyuan explained seriously, "It's not only a place for practicing piano, there are also many economic powers in Europe there. The upper echelons of the association are more powerful than the He, Qiao and Lan families."

The He, Qiao, and Lan families were existences that surpassed the Big Four Families. Shi Jin hadn't expected the people from the Piano Association to be stronger than them.

Shi Jin asked, "So the Piano Association is worth entering?"

"Depends on whether you like it or not."

"The Li family used to be one of the Big Four Families. Later on, they gradually declined... That was also related to this, right?" Shi Jin asked.

She had originally thought that the Li family declined because they had no money left. It was only later that she realized that the Li family had never lacked money. In which case, it had to be because of some issues that caused the Li family to be completely excluded from the Big Four Families and other influential families.

"More or less." Fu Xiuyuan nodded. He turned his head and the light from the street lamps shone in through the car window, falling over his face. "But whether you should enter or not just depends on whether you like it. You don't have to avoid it for me."

He loved her, so he had to let her make her own choice.

He would not let his love become a cage to imprison her. He hadn't understood it before, but now he would learn to work a little harder to make her happy.

The bright street lights shone into his eyes.

As the car moved forward, he became hidden in the darkness again.

Shi Jin leaned toward him. "I will make my own careful choice."

***

At night, Shi Jin was writing her script after dinner.

There came a message from Song Huaixian on WeChat.

She opened it and saw that he had written, "Shi Jin, when you were playing, you used the wrong amount of force on your right pinky. How could that have happened? If you have time, let's set up a date to talk about it."

When Shi Jin saw this, she finally understood how shrewd Song Huaixian was.

He was probably watching the song "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" that Fu Heyan had recorded. It was very basic and could be played with any finger technique.

Shi Jin's issue was so small that even Fu Heyan had not noticed. Other people would not have been able to tell either. However, Song Huaixian had immediately seen it.

Before he mentioned it, Shi Jin herself had not even noticed it.

Hearing his words, she raised her hand and recalled that in her previous life, Fu Xiuyuan had laid still in her arms. No matter what, she had not been able to help him recover his heartbeat.

His blood had covered her hands, and his fingers only gripped the pinky of her right hand. Hence, when Shi Jin was playing, she subconsciously tried to conserve the strength of this pinky and refused to exert too much force.

Even though Fu Xiuyuan was not far away from her and she could see him just by looking up, Shi Jin's nervous habit could not be changed..

Chapter 349: He Likes To Tell The Truth

This was a problem caused by her subconscious mind. She actually controlled herself very well. Ordinary people would not be able to tell, but Song Huaixian could tell.

She thought for a while before saying, "Alright, I'll confirm the meeting place with you when I have time."

***

When Shi Jin went to Jia Entertainment, she almost bumped into a woman.

The woman's assistant was about to flare up when she looked up and saw that it was Shi Jin. She then swallowed her words.

Shi Jin stepped aside and the charming female artisté got into the car. Her assistant whispered behind her, "Yao Jiahong is really something. I want to see if he will regret it..."

When Shi Jin arrived at Yao Jiahong's office, he instructed his assistant, "Pour me a cup of hot water, add wolfberries, chrysanthemums, and ice sugar."

Shi Jin was used to this and let him do whatever he wanted. She replied to Fu Heyan's WeChat message about Song Huaixian. She then asked about Old Madam Fu's condition.

"Grandma's condition has improved a lot over the past few days. Not only is Traditional Chinese Medicine really useful, but after that Dr. Pan came over to prescribe medicine, she slept well. Her mental state was also better during the day and she hasn't been fainting anymore."

"That's good," Shi Jin replied.

"It has something to do with you and Xiuyuan coming back for dinner. Grandma is looking forward to seeing you guys again."

Shi Jin smiled. "Then let's come back more often in the future."

She put down her phone just as the assistant arrived with hot water.

Although it was summer, Supreme Entertainment had a good central air conditioning. Shi Jin didn't reject Yao Jiahong's good intentions and took the mug.

She asked casually, "Did someone come to you just now?"

The assistant could not help but say, "That Huang Kaiqin, I don't know how she had the nerve to come back and look for Brother Yao. She was the one who ignored the conditions of the agreement and sought help from the old man. Brother Yao only gave her a few words of advice before she angrily terminated the contract with Supreme Entertainment, causing both sides to suffer. Actually, she had already made up her mind to leave, but she still pushed everything onto Brother Yao."

Yao Jiahong said calmly, "That's old news. Why are you still bringing that up?"

"Then why is she here again today?" Shi Jin took a sip of hot water and asked.

"It's all because she's jealous of Brother Yao's resources and wants Brother Yao to specially take care of her. She even said that she wanted Brother Yao to give up on you..." The assistant was very indignant. "She said that she would come to you personally and give you a chance to win the music award so that you'd leave Brother Yao. "

She knew how Shi Jin's results had come about. Her attitude changed from disdain to respect.

Huang Kaiqin was willful, returning whenever she wanted to. Did she really think that this place was her private property?

Shi Jin remained silent.

The assistant asked again, "Shi Jin, could she have come here for you?"

"No," Shi Jin said calmly. "Even if she did, would I give in?"

The assistant patted her chest and said in relief, "I knew you wouldn't!"

Yao Jiahong said, "Shi Jin, don't worry about these rumors."

He had actually gone through a lot of things in the past and had long planned to give up his managerial role. Anyone would get tired of the constant scheming and infighting. However, ever since he met Shi Jin, his waist stopped being sore and his legs didn't hurt. He had recovered and felt that he could fight for another fifty years.

Shi Jin nodded and didn't continue the topic. Instead, she listened to Yao Jiahong discuss work.

"Producer Liu said that for 'Twilight Years', he hopes that you can guest star in the role of a young girl. You're also a small singer in the show. I hope you can participate in the new movie, which hasn't been confirmed yet. There's also a singing program that wants you to be their judge..."

Shi Jin said, "Forget about the judges. I plan to study piano now."

Yao Jiahong did not hesitate and said to his assistant, "Cancel the judging work. Shi Jin, how did you arrange the piano lessons?"

"I haven't scheduled them yet, but it's settled. I'll give you the timetable after I've made the arrangements."

"Alright, then we'll have time to discuss it. We still have two endorsements to do. When do you think we'll have time?"

"Let's finish them tomorrow," said Shi Jin.

Yao Jiahong and the assistant coordinated the time. Shi Jin glanced at her phone and saw a message from Ye Peiwen. "Shi Jin, I'm coming to the capital to film a new variety show. I'll treat you to a meal then!"

Ye Peiwen had been silent for many years. She had become famous overnight because she had been Shi Jin's celebrity guest partner in "Ultimate Singer Songwriter".

Although she was only a third or fourth tier celebrity, she was still very satisfied with her job and earning a lot of money.

"Sure." Shi Jin agreed immediately. "Oh right, there's another theme song I want you to sing. Is that okay?"

"I only have three days for each recording. The theme song will be totally fine!" Ye Peiwen agreed immediately. Even if she didn't come to the capital, she would sing when Shi Jin asked her to.

She did not ask what the song was about or who it was for. She simply told her manager to make time for Shi Jin's job.

Meanwhile, Shi Jin was thinking about how the theme song for "The Twilight Years" had yet to be confirmed.

The television series focused on the most popular topics in recent years and was an important chance to discuss the marital status of women in their thirties or forties.

She and the other young singers were not used to singing such theme songs. However, at Ye Peiwen's age, her singing voice was really suitable.

After she informed Liu Ning, Liu Ning said, "Sure, let her come over. Teacher Ye's voice is perfect."

The next day, Shi Jin went to the airport to pick up Ye Peiwen after doing a photo shoot.

Ye Peiwen was already in her early forties, but she still looked extremely young. She did not look like someone in her forties at all.

Even Shi Jin was surprised. The difference between her now and the last time they met was too great.

"Teacher Ye, you're getting younger and younger." Xiao Li, who was driving Shi Jin, could not help but say.

"Young man, you have a sweet mouth. Is everyone around you like this?" Ye Peiwen went forward and gave Shi Jin a hug.

"No, he likes to tell the truth," Shi Jin said with a smile.

Ye Peiwen beamed as she distributed the gifts that she had brought. She was a meticulous person and even Xiao Li got treated.

After getting into the car, she said, "I still tell people about the ice mint you gave me last time. After I went back from the capital, my rhinitis was really getting better by the day. I can sing songs that I couldn't sing in the past, and I couldn't sleep well before, but now I can sleep with a pillow beneath my head every day. Hasn't my skin improved?"

Shi Jin smiled. "Sure has."

"It's all thanks to you."

"It's just down to your good luck that the medicine was effective." Shi Jin did not claim credit..

Chapter 350: What Other Than Beauty?

Ye Peiwen was rather impressed by her nonchalant attitude.

Nowadays, the entertainment industry was such a mess. Other artistés were usually under some psychological pressure. She had seen quite a number of them. It was really rare for an artisté to be able to live as indifferently and carefree as Shi Jin.

"Teacher Ye, when are you filming your variety show?"

"Tomorrow. I specially came a day earlier just to have a meal with you and talk."

"Then do you mind coming with me to the crew of 'Twilight Years' to take a look?" Shi Jin asked.

"Sure. Do you want me to sing that theme song?"

"Right."

Ye Peiwen was immediately very interested. "Producer Liu's drama definitely won't be bad. Speaking of which, I have to thank Producer Liu for giving me a chance to appear on his variety shows."

"What do you mean?" Shi Jin asked with interest.

"Our variety show is called 'Our Life'. It's a newly established slow lifestyle variety show. It invites artistés of all ages to show their living conditions. Originally, my position was Huang Kaiqin's, but then Huang Kaiqin took over the role of the female lead of 'Twilight Years', so when the position was left empty, I was found to fill it."

Shi Jin had not participated in the casting of "Twilight Years" and hadn't known that Producer Liu had chosen Huang Kaiqin.

This name had appeared a little too frequently in the past two days. However, since Liu Ning had already decided on the female lead, Shi Jin naturally wouldn't say much.

Actually, it was not easy to decide the female lead in a drama like this. The A-list and B-list actresses who were close to 40 years old now would rather appear in idol dramas than shows that involved marriage, childbirth, and parental relationships. They were afraid that it would affect their style and future fashion resources.

The other actors were the same. They were afraid that if they acted as a mother once, they would then be pigeon holed into that kind of role. For this kind of drama, actors could only be selected from among the capable ones.

However, capable actors had a wide range of choices for work. Liu Ning's own brand was alright, but his film company, Crystal River Productions, had just been established not long ago. Powerful actors would definitely have concerns. Besides, it was not easy to find a suitable schedule.

Actors with inferior acting skills all wanted to go on stage, but Liu Ning had high expectations, so it wasn't easy to choose.

It made sense to choose Huang Kaiqin. Huang Kaiqin had been quiet for the past two years. A few years ago, she was also a very capable first-tier female artisté. Her acting skills were very good, but she had gradually faded out and only reappeared this year.

Initially, Shi Jin didn't know why, but she found out from Yao Jiahong that it was because she married a rich man that she faded from the public eye.

The reason why she was making a comeback was probably because she was from a wealthy family. Perhaps married life with a rich guy wasn't as appealing as it might be to a normal person.

Ye Peiwen continued, "I didn't expect to be in the same crew as Huang Kaiqin."

"What a coincidence," said Shi Jin.

"I really want to go and take a look."

As they spoke, the car arrived with the production team of "Twilight Years".

Liu Ning was a fast worker. A few days ago, he had still been discussing things with Shi Jin. Now, most of the staff had already joined the team and were taking their makeup photos.

They believed that filming would start very soon.

Huang Kaiqin had just entered with her assistant when she saw Shi Jin and Ye Peiwen getting out of the car.

Huang Kaiqin's assistant could not help but mutter, "What bad luck, we meet again."

"Don't talk nonsense," Huang Kaiqin said.

"What's so good about this Shi Jin? Yao Jiahong actually piled all of his resources on her," the assistant complained.

Huang Kaiqin also looked at Shi Jin. Indeed, in her eyes, although Shi Jin was pretty, she wasn't the most competitive person in the industry. After all, what idol wasn't pretty?

Shi Jin had risen to power in a short period of time. In Huang Kaiqin's eyes, it was all because of Yao Jiahong.

As someone who had been around Yao Jiahong before, Huang Kaiqin knew how capable this top manager was and how many connections and resources he had. In other words, as long as Yao Jiahong was willing to support it, even a dog could make it big.

Otherwise, Huang Kaiqin wouldn't have gone back to seek reconciliation with Yao Jiahong.

Unexpectedly, even though she had lowered her head, Yao Jiahong had rejected her.

Forget it. He had even said that he would not accept anyone but Shi Jin. Wasn't he just being disrespectful?

When Huang Kaiqin thought of this, her gaze towards Shi Jin inevitably carried some scrutiny.

Other than being beautiful, fair, skinny and tall, what good was Shi Jin?

Upon seeing Huang Kaiqin, Ye Peiwen politely stopped in her tracks and said, "Teacher Huang."

Shi Jin also stopped.

Ye Peiwen knew that her variety show had been leaked by Huang Kaiqin, so she smiled at her.

Huang Kaiqin smiled and said, "Hello, Teacher Ye. Hello, Shi Jin. I wasn't expecting you guys to come too."

"We have a little bit of work," Ye Peiwen said with a smile.

"Is filming going well?" Huang Kaiqin asked.

Ye Peiwen's expression did not change. She simply explained that the variety show had not started filming yet and that she had come to see her old friend first.

"Then you guys go ahead," Huang Kaiqin said.

After Shi Jin and Ye Peiwen left, the assistant couldn't help but say, "Everyone wants to star in Producer Liu's current television series. I heard that Shi Jin is playing a guest role. Yao Jiahong's current ability... he's even stronger than before."

"I told you to stop talking." Huang Kaiqin's expression changed.

How could she not know that Yao Jiahong was powerful now?

For Shi Jin to be pushed to this height, her manager had to be outstanding in all aspects. Anyone who saw him would have to say that Yao Jiahong was amazing, but so what?

Yao Jiahong's refusal had been firm and decisive. What else could she do? She wanted to see where Yao Jiahong could push Shi Jin!

She and her assistant walked in slowly. The stage supervisor came forward to greet them. "Ms. Huang, this way please! The photos will be taken here!"

"Where's Producer Liu?" Huang Kaiqin asked.

Previously, Liu Ning had personally received her.

"Producer Liu is receiving guests over there. He has something to discuss."

Huang Kaiqin guessed that the investor and director were here, so he could not leave. Thinking about it, it made sense, so she did not say anything and went to put on makeup and take a photo.

***

Liu Ning saw Shi Jin and Ye Peiwen coming over and personally welcomed them to the office.

Shi Jin gave them a brief introduction.

Liu Ning smiled and said, "I've heard Teacher Ye's songs before, so I'm looking forward to hearing Teacher Ye's theme song this time. Then, I'll ask Teacher Ye to make time to prepare our theme song."

Ye Peiwen had initially thought that Liu Ning would ask her a few more questions to confirm her singing style and other details..