“Why did you pick her as the top three if you don’t like her?” Wan Qingsi started the car, then kissed Ah Sha.
“She’s better than the rest,” Ah Sha said nonchalantly.
“The Hao family is new money. They came here from the northwest a few years back.” Wan Qingsi paused in thought. “Still want me to give her a movie role?”
“Of course! She’ll bring in lots of funds, right? Just a.s.sign her to a movie that suits her!” Ah Sha chuckled. “Why would we turn away free money?”
Ah Sha studied Wan Qingsi, focusing on the tight line on his lips. When it didn’t disappear after a moment, Ah Sha reached out and caressed his hand. “She’s just an arrogant little girl,” Ah Sha said. “She thinks she’s calling the shots just because her family is wealthy. I don’t have the energy to bother with people like that. But if she steps out of line in the future, I won’t hold back against her.”
“Mm, I’ll let you handle it. Just make sure you don’t trouble yourself!” Wan Qingsi said. “By the way, my mother called me just now. She asked us to go home for dinner.”
Ah Sha frowned. “Did something happen?” she asked. Ying Qingcang and Xin Qing had just gotten back from New York yesterday. Wan Qingsi and Ah Sha just had dinner with them last night, yet now they were asking them to come back home again? Something must’ve happened.
“Guess we’ll find out!” Wan Qingsi said.
They saw Xin Qing cuddled up against Ying Qingcang the moment they entered Ying’s residence. Judging from the state of Xin Qing’s eyes, she’d been crying earlier. w.a.n.gw.a.n.g stood there quietly.
Ah Sha approached w.a.n.gw.a.n.g. “Did you make mommy angry?” she whispered. w.a.n.gw.a.n.g shook his head. He opened his mouth, and then closed it again.
Ying Qingcang snorted. “He’s leaving too.”
Ah Sha jumped a little. “What? Where are you going? Are you running away from home?”
w.a.n.gw.a.n.g gave her a look of exasperation. “Oh, come on, sis! What are you even talking about! I’m going overseas to further my studies.”
Xin Qing sobbed again. Ying Qingcang’s leg shot out and kicked w.a.n.gw.a.n.g’s shin. “We didn’t raise you to make your mother sad, you ingrate!”
“Daddy!” Ah Sha stopped Ying Qingcang from kicking w.a.n.gw.a.n.g a second time. “What’s going on?”
Wan Qingsi patted Ah Sha’s shoulder, then said, “I think w.a.n.gw.a.n.g wants to go study abroad, but my mother’s sad about him leaving.”
“Uh-oh…” Ah Sha thought.
w.a.n.gw.a.n.g held a special place in Xin Qing’s heart because he was the only child that she had raised on her own. Well, Ah Sha did stay with Xin Qing when she was young, but most of the time, Ah Sha was with Xunxun.
w.a.n.gw.a.n.g dragged Chengcheng away from his video games and said, “Mother, you still have Chengcheng!” w.a.n.gw.a.n.g gave Chengcheng an eye signal.
Chengcheng curled his lips and ignored w.a.n.gw.a.n.g. The truth was that Chengcheng didn’t want his brother to leave; if w.a.n.gw.a.n.g left, Chengcheng would have to attend Caesar Academy on his own.
Ah Sha didn’t feel like she had the right to say anything at all. She, too, had insisted on studying abroad in the past. Back then, Xin Qing was pretty crushed as well. But in the end, Xin Qing still granted Ah Sha’s wish. “Why study abroad all of a sudden?” Ah Sha asked tentatively.
“I got to know a couple of new friends in New York,” w.a.n.gw.a.n.g said. “They were all studying in a special academy that produces the business successor. I think I can learn more there compared to Caesar Academy.” w.a.n.gw.a.n.g stole a glance at Xin Qing. “Mother, I want to grow up and take over the company from my father sooner. That way, you and my father could go on your world trip! Isn’t that you wish?”
Xin Qing felt a sharp pang in her heart. She wrapped her arms around w.a.n.gw.a.n.g and said, “But I can’t bear it when I think about you shouldering all the burden! Yes, your father did plan to let you take over the company back then, but we still didn’t have Chengcheng at the time. Now, you and your brother can share the load together. It’s not necessary for you to shoulder all the burden!”
“I know that, mother. But Chengcheng is still so young,” w.a.n.gw.a.n.g said, casting a glance at his youngest brother. “If possible, I hope I can run Xin Enterprises on my own and let Chengcheng do whatever he wants to do.”
Seeing that Xin Qing was about to cry again, w.a.n.gw.a.n.g added, “I really don’t see it as a burden, mother. It’s what I want to do. I’m interested in running a company.”
“Really?” Xin Qing asked skeptically.
Ying Qingcang patted Xin Qing’s back. “See? I told you a long time ago that w.a.n.gw.a.n.g’s interested in business, but you didn’t believe me. Now that he has told you himself, that should put all your doubts to rest!”
“Mother, I know the school that w.a.n.gw.a.n.g is attending. It’s one of the best all over the world,” Wan Qingsi said, earning him a glare from Ying Qingcang. “Who gave you permission to call her that?” Ying Qingcang snapped.
“She’s my mother-in-law, of course, I should address her as Mom,” Wan Qingsi said straightforwardly, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. Well, to him, it was the most obvious thing in the world. He and Ah Sha had already gotten their marriage license.
Ying Qingcang gave him an evil grin. “Before you have a proper wedding, and before you make your marriage public, n.o.body would think that you’re my son-in-law! I forbid you from using that t.i.tle!”
“It’s just a form of address! What’s the big deal? Jeez!” Xin Qing said, finding that Ying Qingcang was acting more and more childish.
“Oh!” Wan Qingsi paused in thought. “Are you jealous? Oh, well. You can just tell me if you want me to address you as Dad!”
Ah Sha and w.a.n.gw.a.n.g stifled their laughter. Chengcheng, on the other hand, burst into laughter. “Hahahaha! So that’s how it is, father. You want Brother Xunxun to call you father!”
“Go upstairs! If I see you touch your video game again, I’ll confiscate it!” Ying Qingcang roared. Chengcheng burst into tears and went crying to his mama, literally. “Mother!” Chengcheng said.
Xin Qing picked the boy up immediately. “Look at”—Xin Qing pounded Ying Qingcang’s arm with her fist—”what you’ve done!”
“Fine, fine. It’s all my fault. Calm down, okay?” Ying Qingcang said, then cleared his throat. “We’ve gone off-topic here. Let’s talk about w.a.n.gw.a.n.g.”
Inside Xin Qing’s arms, Chengcheng gave Ying Qingcang a smug smile. Ying Qingcang sneered inwardly. “Just wait, brat. I’ll deal with you sooner or later…”
No mother would get in the way of her child’s dreams. No matter how much Xin Qing didn’t want to see w.a.n.gw.a.n.g leave, she agreed in the end. In fact, she had even asked Caesar Academy to send an official letter of recommendation to w.a.n.gw.a.n.g’s school. w.a.n.gw.a.n.g boarded a plane to New York a week later. Zhang Mi had given Xin Qing her word that she would personally take care of w.a.n.gw.a.n.g.
Ah Sha went to the company to attend a meeting one day before “Fishing for Happiness” filming began. At the company, she ran into Hao Yuan.
“Sister Mei Jing!” Hao Yuan called out with a smile. “I’m sorry about the other day. I owe you an apology.” Hao Yuan’s att.i.tude towards Ah Sha was completely different now.
Ah Sha halted her steps. “Oh? I wonder what made you finally see sense?”
“My dad gave me an earful back home,” Hao Yuan said quickly. “I shouldn’t have listened to those rumors about you. Shouldn’t have spoken ill about you also.” Hao Yuan stopped talking and stared at Ah Sha, who kept quiet. Fearing that Ah Sha was still mad, Hao Yuan added, “We’re working for the same company now. I’ll learn from you. Please give me a chance.”
For the next few minutes or so, Ah Sha just stood there and studied Hao Yuan’s face. Hao Yuan bit her lip and waited with bated breath for Ah Sha to say something.
Ah Sha smiled and said, “You don’t have to be so formal with me. Who knows I’m the one who’d be learning from you when you become popular. Well, I hope things go well for you.”
Relieved, Hao Yuan laughed. “Okay. Thank you. I’ll work hard!”
When Ah Sha entered the conference room, she saw Zhou Na and Xiao Hua glaring at Hao Yuan.
“She thinks everyone else is an idiot like her!” Zhou Na spat. “Don’t underestimate her. That girl is sneaky and devious. I heard that her private life’s pretty messed up. She got busted for drug charges last year. Her family had to pay a huge some to get her out of that mess.”
Xiao Hua nodded and said, “I’ve said it from the start. Women like her are just deluding themselves if they think they can become superstars!” Xiao Hua dragged Ah Sha towards a chair and pushed her down. “You can’t go easy on her, young miss.”
Ah Sha smiled at Zhou Na and Xiao Hua. “Jeez. You two are acting as if I’m easily bullied!”
Xiao Hua and Zhou Na knew how capable Ah Sha was. However, Zhou Na still felt like she should give Ah Sha a warning. “I know you’re capable and that you have the boss’ support. But you should still watch out for those underhanded tricks. Look, watch your back from now on, okay? Try to avoid being alone with Hao Yuan if possible.”
“I understand,” Ah Sha said, accepting Zhou Na’s kindness and concern gratefully. After that, Ah Sha changed the subject. “Come on. Let’s get down to business, shall we? The filming will start tomorrow. What does the schedule look like anyway?”
After the meeting, Ah Sha went to Wan Qingsi office to see him. She opened the door saw Qi Xiu and Zheng Gege inside.
Zheng Gege stood up the moment she saw Ah Sha at the door. She didn’t look directly at Ah Sha but was staring down at her own feet instead. Ah Sha thought she seemed nervous.
“Shall I come back later?” Ah Sha asked.
Wan Qingsi shook his head immediately. “No,” he said. “We’re done here.”
Ah Sha stepped through the door. Qi Xiu poked Zheng Gege a few times and said, “You’ll be working together with Mei Jing tomorrow. You can ask her if there’s anything you don’t understand.”
“I will,” Zheng Gege said. Her voice had come out cold, like the voice of an android.
Qi Xiu shook his head and looked at Ah Sha. “Don’t mind her. That’s just how she is,” Qi Xiu said. “But the truth is that she’s scared to death to meet you.”
“I know,” Ah Sha said with a smile. Some people had cold personalities, like Xiao Rui, for instance. During the elimination contest, Zheng Gege had left a good impression on Ah Sha, which was why Ah Sha picked her. First of all, Zheng Gege seemed to Ah Sha like a woman with pride and backbone; she was a woman who would stand up for herself and wouldn’t take c.r.a.p from anyone. But that wasn’t the only reason Ah Sha picked her. The main reason was the pureness in her eyes. Despite being a woman with pride, Zheng Gege’s eyes were pure. Ah Sha could tell just from her eyes that Zheng Gege was a woman with a big heart.
Wan Qingsi walked over and stood beside Ah Sha. “You’re pretty much done with your stuff, right? Shall we head home?”
“Yeah, let’s go then.” Ah Sha nodded. “Wait, we have to drop by the supermarket. We’ve run out of vegetables.”
Zheng Gege sighed in relief when Wan Qingsi left with Mei Jing.
The first thing Wan Qingsi told her at the start of the meeting was: “Since Mei Jing chose you, then you should work hard and put everything you’ve got into the job. Stars Entertainment will give every single one of its celebrities opportunities to shine, provided that they know their place.”
Zheng Gege got the message loud and clear. It was a warning as well as an insinuation: “The moment Mei Jing thinks you’re not up for the job, you’re out.”
The rumors out there about Mei Jing being just Wan Qingsi’s plaything was utterly unfounded. Zheng Gege wasn’t blind. She could tell that Wan Qingsi’s feelings for Mei Jing were genuine. When Mei Jing entered the office, the adoration on the man’s face was plain as day. Still, none of this was her business. She just had to play her part and be one h.e.l.l of an actress.
Ah Sha was swamped again after the filming for “Fishing for Happiness” began. One day, she received a phone call from Lin Musheng while she was wrapping up work.
“h.e.l.lo, my darling! I’ve just arrived at S City!” The man was obviously in a good mood.
Ah Sha chuckled. “Alright. Let’s meet up! My treat!”
At the restaurant, Lin Musheng wasn’t the slightest bit surprised when he saw Wan Qingsi walking in with Ah Sha.
“I knew you’d tag along,” Lin Musheng said.
Wan Qingsi pulled out Ah Sha’s chair for her, then gave Lin Musheng a cold stare. “Huh. I guess you’ve gotten more self-aware since we saw each other a month ago,” he mocked.
“My, my. Look at that att.i.tude. I was planning to give you guys some free information tonight. But now I’m reconsidering that you’re acting so b.i.t.c.hy,” Lin Musheng said. Then, he placed their orders and dismissed the waiter. Lin Musheng gave Wan Qingsi a smug look after the waiter left with their orders. “Don’t say that you aren’t interested in the information I got. I a.s.sure you that you will be interested since the information has to do with Ying Xin!”
Ah Sha’s face fell. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Wan Qingsi stared at Lin Musheng. Lin Musheng raised his gla.s.s and took a sip of red wine. “I went to j.a.pan last week. Guess who I ran into?”
“Oh, come on! Quit stalling and tell us already!” Ah Sha said. Somehow, she had a really bad feeling about this.
“Fine, fine!” Lin Musheng said, acting as though he was speaking to an impatient child. Wan Qingsi felt like bashing the man’s face with a plate.
“I saw you at a hotel!” Lin Musheng said, pointing at Ah Sha. “Well, more accurately speaking… I saw Ying Xin.”