Zhao Xiyin's eyes were blank and timid, and she slowly nodded.
Su Ying's gentle demeanor was like a snow lotus quietly melting in the spring sunshine of March. She said, "Dancing is already hard enough, don't force yourself to do things you don't like."
Zhao Xiyin's voice was slightly nasal, "I'm sorry to have caused you trouble."
Su Ying looked impatient. "Always apologizing, when will it end? If you have this much free time, you might as well go back to the practice room and stretch your legs!"
Okay, she's turned into an ice queen again.
When Zhao Xiyin left, Su Ying wasn't very welcoming. She peeked back from the doorway and their eyes met. Zhao Xiyin smiled brightly and dashed away. Alone in the ward, Su Ying finally smiled too.
According to the plan, the troupe wouldn't get a holiday during the Spring Festival; they'd have to coordinate with the production team and do some pre-production work for the official filming. Zhao Xiyin didn't mind, since her home was nearby. But the girls from other provinces were worried.
When they were having hot pot together, Zhao Xiyin asked Zhou Qishen where he was going to spend the Chinese New Year this year, saying that he didn't have any leave and had to go to the film crew.
Zhou Qishen was disappointed for a moment, but then he didn't care anymore. "I'm going back to Xi'an."
"Aren't you going to keep Teacher Zhao company?" Zhao Xiyin asked with a smile.
"Accompany him? He's not my dad," Zhou Qishen replied with a smile.
Zhao Xiyin waved her phone and said, "I'll record it and play it for Teacher Zhao when I get back."
Zhou Qishen reached for the phone, but lost his grip and fell into the hot pot broth with a "plop." Without thinking, Zhou Qishen instinctively shielded himself from the splattering oil, and the boiling oil splashed onto the back of his hand, immediately causing red blisters.
Both of them were dumbfounded.
Zhou Qishen said helplessly, "It hurts."
Zhao Xiyin was extremely worried and got up to go to the hospital, but Zhou Qishen grabbed her and said with a wicked smile, "Just lick it for me and it will be fine."
He's three parts lust and seven parts evil; he's clearly a scoundrel.
Zhao Xiyin put her hand on his waist, pinched it, and scolded him, "You deserve to spend the New Year alone."
And so, the arrangements for the Spring Festival were pretty much finalized: Zhou Qishen would return to Xi'an, then go back to Beijing on the third day of the Lunar New Year, while Zhao Xiyin would stay in Beijing to work.
Two days before the Lunar New Year, the group received a last-minute notice.
An accident occurred on set: an assistant director was hit on the head by a prop. He suffered a brain hemorrhage, which is quite serious. He is still in the ICU. The incident became a trending topic on Weibo, and to avoid the media attention, it was decided to postpone filming until after the New Year.
Zhao Xiyin inexplicably got a week off and asked Cen Yue, "Little Moon, can you still buy a plane ticket?"
"Where can I still buy them? There aren't even any high-speed rail tickets left."
"Then how will you get back?"
“My dad said he’d fly a plane to pick me up.”
"..." Zhao Xiyin laughed it off, taking it as a joke.
Zhou Qishen's flight to Xianyang Airport was last night. Before leaving, he thoughtfully made a trip to Zhao Xiyin's house, filling a car with gifts, including a set of Qianlong-era patterned brush washers that he had photographed from a museum. Zhao Wenchun, a connoisseur, examined them for a long time and asked him how much he had paid for them.
Zhou Qishen didn't tell him the real seven-figure sum, only casually mentioning that it was just a few thousand yuan.
The New Year's gifts filled half the living room. Zhao Wenchun said it was a waste, but his face was beaming with joy!
The end of January, Lunar New Year's Eve.
The Zhao family usually eats their New Year's Eve dinner in the evening, but this year Teacher Zhao had his meal at noon. "I have a gathering with my old classmates tonight, where we'll have some tea, listen to some opera, and watch the Spring Festival Gala. Your aunt also said she was going back to the US on business and would be able to come back to celebrate the New Year with us, but she stood me up again, saying it was too cold in Beijing and she went on vacation to Hawaii. She's so unreliable."
"Huh? You're just leaving me home alone?"
Zhao Wenchun brought a plate of braised pork knuckle to the table, and all ten dishes were ready, steaming hot, symbolizing perfection. He chuckled and said, "Put more food on me."
Zhao Xiyin avoided eye contact, but remained defiant, "What am I pretending for?"
"How long are you going to hide your plane ticket? It's flying to Xi'an at six o'clock this afternoon. What, if I don't go out to see my old friends, you're going to watch the Spring Festival Gala with me?" Zhao Wenchun feigned disappointment. "My daughter has grown up and can't be controlled anymore. Even her old father has to step aside."
Zhao Xiyin did not deny it again, but lowered her head and smiled.
Zhao Wenchun sighed, "I know you're worried about him. Go ahead, leave early, it'll be hard to get a taxi on New Year's Eve, be careful."
Zhao Xiyin raised her head, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.
Teacher Zhao said with concern, "I know, I know, I'll keep it a secret for you."
Zhao Xiyin spent a fortune to snag a business class ticket, her heart aching with the expense. She left at five o'clock, giving Zhao Wenchun a red envelope before she left, then snuggled against his shoulder, pouting sweetly, "Teacher Zhao, may you have peace and health every year, and live a long and healthy life!"
Zhao Wenchun patted the back of her hand, "Daddy will. Daddy still has to watch my Niu Niu get married and have children, and be a good mother."
Zhao Xiyin felt a lump in her throat and hugged him tighter. "Then you can be a good grandfather too."
"Of course," Zhao Wenchun said with a smile. "Teach the little one to read the Three Character Classic, teach him idioms, and when he gets older, teach him to write characters. Xi'er, you, you also need to take good care of your health."
Choking up, Teacher Zhao couldn't continue.
Zhao Xiyin rubbed his shoulder and said, "Have a happy New Year, Dad. I'm off now."
Zhao Wenchun nodded, "Go ahead, take him home with you on the third day of the Lunar New Year."
——
At 8 p.m., Zhou Qishen was still in Xi'an city.
The largest private room in the club was resplendent with gold and flickering lights. Seven or eight men were playing cards, their voices rising and falling in a scene of revelry and prosperity.
"Brother Zhou, why don't you go play a couple of rounds?" A tattooed man walked over, his face fierce, but his attitude towards Zhou Qishen was unusually respectful.