"It's pretty good. They opened up a piece of land in the suburbs to grow vegetables and raise chickens. I heard they're also growing wheat recently."
Meng Weixi smiled and said, "Old Master Bai has worked hard for half his life and is now returning to his true self."
Bai Qi nodded, no longer making polite remarks. She knew what Meng Weixi was waiting for. "That favor you asked me to do last time might be a little difficult."
Meng Weixi raised his eyes, and after a moment of seriousness, he smiled and asked, "Wu Yue refuses?"
Speaking of this, Bai Qi looked worried. "My husband, Mr. Wu, is very easy to talk to in everything else, but when it comes to work, he is absolutely dedicated. Three years ago, he was Zhou Qishen's private legal counsel. Although he has resigned, the two of them have kept in touch and occasionally play cards together. My husband is such a shrewd person. I had barely opened my mouth to ask if he was having dinner with Mr. Zhou today when he immediately told me not to pry into his former clients' information."
Meng Weixi's expression was stern, and he rubbed the glass with his fingertips, sometimes touching it, sometimes not.
Bai Qi glanced at him, hesitated for a moment, and then sighed, "Wei Xi, can't you let go of west Yin?"
Meng Weixi lowered her head, as if giving a self-deprecating smile, "I can't let go, I can't let go in this lifetime."
Bai Qi said with difficulty, "I can't find out the reason for her divorce, but I once overheard my husband on the phone, and I vaguely heard about the change of ownership of the new house. Of course, this is not exactly a secret. Everyone in the industry knows that when President Zhou and Xiao Zhao got married, the house opposite the China World Trade Center was unconditionally given to Xiao Zhao. The two of them... their relationship should be very, very good."
Meng Weixi couldn't bear to hear this, and her knuckles cracked as she gripped the water glass. After a long while, she smiled easily and said, "Thank you anyway, let's eat."
Aside from this unpleasant incident, the two still had many old topics to chat about. As the peaceful and friendly dinner drew to a close, Bai Qi suddenly had a flash of inspiration, "Ah, I remember now."
"What?"
“My senior from university works at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. That day, my child had a high fever, and I asked him to come to my house to take a look. You happened to send me a WeChat voice message at that time, mentioning Xiao Zhao’s name.” Bai Qi recalled: “My senior muttered to himself that Xiao Zhao’s name sounded familiar, like a patient he had treated before.”
Chapter 28 In the Midst of the Mortal World (2)
In the midst of the bustling world (2)
Bai Qi's senior colleague is a top student who graduated from Harvard Medical School, majoring in clinical surgical medicine. He returned to China a few years ago after graduating with his doctorate and interned at a private chain hospital. To this day, he has treated countless patients, and it is highly likely that he simply misremembered the name.
Bai Qi immediately asked for confirmation: "Do you really remember? Zhao from Zhao Qian Sun Li, west from Southeast Northwest, and Yin from music. Zhao west Yin, do you remember?"
My senior brother, being meticulous by nature, thought it over carefully and then rejected it.
Bai Qi considered it a trivial incident and only mentioned it to Meng Weixi casually. She had driven there in her bright red Ferrari, and after watching the car drive away, Meng Weixi picked up her phone and made a call.
The call was answered quickly. Meng Weixi said, "Help me find out who he interned at three years ago."
Just as he hung up, Zhang Yijie called again. He said, "President Meng, I have something to report to you. President Qin wants to recommend a lead dancer to join the troupe for filming."
Meng Weixi frowned, "They haven't even arrived yet, and they've already started the dance?"
"You should recognize the name, Lin Lang, the champion of the last National Youth Dance Competition. She's also a Weibo celebrity with over a million followers and is quite active. This girl isn't just for show; she's very professional, a graduate of a proper dance academy, the same school as Xiao Zhao."
Zhang Yijie rarely wastes so much breath praising a young newcomer. His attitude is already very clear: this person has a background and generates buzz, so hiring him will be a win-win for the project.
Meng Weixi asked directly, "What is the relationship between President Qin and her?"
"Just admiration, I suppose."
Meng Weixi smiled dismissively and did not answer.
Zhang Yijie understood what he meant and smiled, saying, "President Meng, you treat everyone equally. Do you think Xiao Zhao is pure or not?"
Meng Weixi frowned in displeasure. "Don't compare anyone to her."
——
Zhao Xiyin took sick leave for five or six days that time. When she came back, everyone was quite polite and no one gossiped about the reason for her sick leave. They just came over to tell her to take care of herself. She is usually very low-key and doesn't cause much trouble, so she has a pretty good reputation.
After they finished marching in formation that day, Cen Yue ran over and whispered, "I heard that a new member is coming to the troupe."
Zhao Xiyin turned her head, "Hmm?"
“She should be promoted to the lead dancer position,” Cen Yue said. “She’s quite impressive. She’s signed with the same company as Ruan Dai, so she’s practically a debut artist, and she already has quite a few fans.”
Zhao Xiyin didn't mind, "It's normal."
Cen Yue tugged at her hand, her voice even softer, "Don't you want to be the lead dancer?"
"How can you achieve your wishes just by wanting them?" Zhao Xiyin smiled. "I really haven't thought that much about it. I'll just dance well and do my best for the audience."
The script of "Nine Thoughts" is ingeniously conceived. Set in the Tang Dynasty, it unfolds simultaneously through several parallel storylines from different perspectives, highlighting the themes of gentleness, kindness, frugality, loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness. The "Art" section is the most tender and beautiful part of the entire play, unfolding through the relationship between master and disciple. Su Ying is the "master," leading the first dance scene in the center position. Later, she is framed by a villain and dies unjustly. Her disciple endures great hardship to clear her name, ultimately achieving justice. The second dance scene is led by her "disciple," completing the "inheritance" of the art.
The selection of the "apprentice" remains undecided, but everyone knows that in terms of professional performance, Zhao Xiyin is the most likely candidate. However, with today's news, things are no longer certain.
Zhao Xiyin didn't think much of it, but when the meeting started in the afternoon and that person showed his face, she was stunned.
After several months apart, Lin Lang had become even more beautiful. She possessed a striking and vibrant beauty, with particularly deep-set eyes that, when enhanced by eye makeup, exuded an exotic charm. Standing on the stage, Lin Lang bowed gracefully and smiled, saying, "I hope to progress together with everyone, and I also ask for your guidance, instructors."
Cen Yue whispered, "I saw her outside earlier. Several teachers were chatting and laughing with her. I guess she's the one who's been chosen as the lead dancer."
Zhao Xiyin remained silent, lost in thought, her face expressionless.
Lin Lang brought gifts for everyone, demonstrating her keen ability to win people over. She was a rising star in the industry, incredibly popular, with her Weibo posts garnering a thousand or two comments. This natural radiance quickly made her the center of attention for young women.
Zhao Xiyin stood in the corner, packing her things by herself.
Surrounded by a crowd, Lin Lang raised an eyebrow and stood three or four meters away, her voice suddenly clear and crisp, "Xiao west! I've seen your training videos, and you jump just as well as you did in college!"
A moment of silence fell, and everyone's eyes turned to Zhao Xiyin.
Cen Yue was also puzzled, and nudged her shoulder, "You two know each other?"
Lin Lang walked over and affectionately placed his hands on Zhao Xiyin's shoulders, his eyes crinkling with laughter. "Yes, we're college classmates, roommates. Xiyin is very talented; she participated in the Youth Dance Competition in her freshman year and won first place. You guys didn't even know?"
"She always came in first place in exams, and I had to learn from her. She was truly a star student in our school back then." Lin Lang smiled and gave her a cheek kiss, looking like they were best friends.