Zhao Xiyin put it away.
Ding Yahe was finally satisfied, but then sighed slightly, "They're all such a handful. Xiao Rui has gone crazy lately, saying there's some script that's looking for dancers, or even extras. She's racking her brains to find one... Never mind, so annoying. I'm going downstairs for dinner."
Ding Yahe is forty-five years old today, so having a meal together is a way to celebrate her birthday.
After the meal, Zhao Xiyin didn't stay long.
Ni Rui seemed indifferent, but her sharp eyes had actually scanned those bags a hundred times over.
Once outside the residential compound, Zhao Xiyin, with a cold expression, threw her dress and LV bag into the trash can without hesitation.
The weather was scorching hot, like a bucket of melted, sticky butter. Zhao Xiyin was lost in thought, walking for ten minutes under the blazing sun. Later, unable to bear the heat any longer, she took a taxi to Li Ran's studio.
Li Ran was busily packing and shipping orders, her short red hair tied up in a high ponytail. Xiao Shun, who was squatting by the door, saw Zhao Xiyin arrive and quickly asked her to come and help.
The new models have rolled off the production line, and pre-orders are piling up. Li Ran pointed to a pile on the right, "Don't pack these up, I'll deliver them to a client later, they're close by in the CBD."
Zhao Xiyin remembered—it was the Guomao genius who bought up all the sexy lingerie in the store on the day of the live stream.
Xiao Shun clicked his tongue. "Delivering it personally? Aren't you afraid something might happen?"
Li Ran rolled her eyes. "It's obviously a company address. Just leave it at the front desk."
Xiao Shun sighed, "How can there be such a big difference between people? They really know how to live life."
Li Ran scoffed: "Shut up, you little brat who hasn't even had a first love."
Xiao Shun retorted without hesitation, "You talk as if you have a first love. Oh, you only have unrequited love."
Li Ran angrily threw a roll of tape at him, yelling, "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"
Xiao Shun easily caught it, slipped it onto his wrist, and twirled it around. He was twenty-two years old, but had a youthful face, a neat buzz cut, and handsome, spirited features. When he was being mischievous, his thick eyebrows and big eyes gained a touch of cleverness.
Li Ran's longtime crush on her senior classmate finally got married, hitting a nerve. Xiao Shun quickly tried to salvage the situation, saying, "What's so great about first love? How many couples end up together because they were each other's first love?"
Li Ran coughed a few times and blinked sharply.
Xiao Shun couldn't keep his mouth shut anymore, saying whatever came to mind. "However, even if your first love isn't great, it's still better than some morally corrupt and low-class people."
The implication is strong, and the target audience is quite obvious.
Li Ran had a bad feeling and regretted telling Xiao Shun about Zhao Xiyin's encounter with Zhou Qishen yesterday.
Xiao Shun was young, but his relationship with Zhao Xiyin was very deep. He lacked guile and pretense, and was more direct and open. Their friendship was characterized by loyalty and protectiveness. Xiao Shun knew everything about Zhao Xiyin's past.
Her divorce was so messy; looking back now, I feel sorry for her.
Xiao Shun truly hated that man, and spoke his mind freely, cursing him scathingly: "So what if he's rich and powerful? Zhou Qishen is just a male mistress! He deserves to be nailed to the pillar of shame!"
A loud "bang!"
Zhao Xiyin, who had been silent all along, slammed the keys and her bag onto the ground.
Li Ran's eyelids twitched, and she quickly gestured for Xiao Shun to shut up. She walked over and asked in a low voice, "Did you get mistreated at your mother's?"
Zhao Xiyin lowered her head, took a deep breath, and did not answer.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
Li Ran turned around and looked at the doorway, and was immediately startled. She stammered, "Teacher Dai, Teacher Dai."
Zhao Xiyin was taken aback for a moment, then looked over.
Dai Yunxin wore a modified cheongsam-style dress, her figure still graceful despite being over forty. She stood there, radiating elegance, and gave a slight nod in greeting. Then she entered the house and looked directly at Zhao Xiyin.
Zhao Xiyin's lips twitched slightly, and her eyes softened. "Teacher, you've been discharged from the hospital?"
Dai Yunxin looked radiant, with fair skin and a beautiful face, showing no signs of illness. She tilted her head back, her demeanor still calm, and spoke unhurriedly: "I didn't come here specifically to see you."
Li Ran chuckled, "So... you came all this way just to see me? I have some new arrivals! How about I give you two of my best outfits?"
Li Ran is a sensible person; even her childish remarks are selective. Dai Yunxin has deep feelings for Zhao Xiyin, which has led to them becoming acquainted. Furthermore, Li Ran's second brother works at the broadcasting station and has professional dealings with Dai Yunxin, so they interact without any formality.
Dai Yunxin kept a straight face, but her expression relaxed a little as she criticized, "Inappropriate."
The atmosphere relaxed, and Dai Yunxin sat down on the sofa. Zhao Xiyin poured her water, holding the cup with both hands, looking extremely respectful. Dai Yunxin observed her for a long time, but ultimately couldn't bear to keep her serious expression too long. She took the cup and took a sip.
How long have you been back in Beijing?
“I went back last Wednesday.”
"Have you had enough fun?"
Zhao Xiyin nodded.
Dai Yunxin's tone was about to become sharp again, but seeing her obedient and meek appearance, she couldn't bear to. The master and disciple sat and stood facing each other, and once quiet was set in, the deep rift between them became apparent.
Dai Yunxin looked away from her, a feeling of heartbreak welling up inside her. She loved this girl dearly; for over ten years, she had taught her skills, nurtured her talent, and watched her grow from an innocent girl into a graceful young woman, treating her like her own daughter.
The deeper the love, the greater the criticism.
Zhao Xiyin's words, "I'm not dancing anymore," truly broke her heart back then.
In recent years, they have stormed off in anger, acting as if they were complete strangers, as if they had severed all ties. Thinking of this, Dai Yunxin sighed slightly and said nothing more. She simply took out two envelope-style invitations from her bag and gently placed them on the table.
"There's an event on Saturday night. If you have time, go check it out. It's not far from your home."
The invitations were exquisite, with gilded edges and each tied with a silk ribbon. The event was quite prestigious, a press conference jointly organized by Fantian Pictures, a leading mainland film and television investment company, and the China Film Bureau. It officially announced the launch of a large-scale live-action stage play directed by Pang Ce, whose script alone had been in development for two years.