Chu Qing lowered her head and gently rubbed her nose against Xia Xia's cheek, replying softly:
I miss you too.
"Does Dad miss me as much as I miss Dad?"
Being away from her father for so long made Xiaxia start to fuss over these little things.
If he could, he would love to take out the little abacus his grandfather gave him and carefully calculate the difference between how much his father missed him and how much he missed his father.
"have."
Chu Qing had just finished filming her scenes for the day, so she took Xia Xia's hand and said goodbye to the director before leaving together.
When I arrived, the director and screenwriter were sitting together under a small heater, discussing the upcoming plot.
Hearing Chu Qing's words, he merely nodded perfunctorily and quickly averted his attention.
When the screenwriter was feeling frustrated, his gaze unconsciously fell on the little boy that Chu Qing was holding hands with.
Wearing a down jacket made him look a bit chubby, probably because his legs were relatively short. When Chu Qing walked normally, he needed to take a few steps a little faster, which made him look especially cute.
"Wait, Chu Qing, is this your son?"
Although Chu Qing didn't quite understand why the screenwriter would ask such a question, she still nodded.
"Yes, this is my son, Xiaxia."
Xiaxia turned around and looked at the man who was speaking, waving her little hand at him.
"Hello, uncle, I'm Xiaxia~"
While traveling, Xiaxia was teased by a child for not speaking clearly. After realizing this, he would deliberately slow down his speech, and his childish voice sounded very well-behaved.
The screenwriter's mind was no longer on the plot he had discussed with the director. Inspiration came flooding out of him, and he stood up, walked over to Xiaxia, and squatted down.
"Little friend, would you like to learn acting?"
"hold head high?"
Xiaxia didn't understand what the uncle meant at first, and looked at her father with pleading eyes.
"Director Song, what...does this mean?"
The screenwriter went back and grabbed the director as he tried to stand up, his eyes shining, and began to introduce Chu Qing with great enthusiasm.
“I suddenly have some other ideas about the script. How about you consider having your son act in the production as well? Don’t worry, he won’t have many scenes, and there won’t be any of those messy things.”
In the novel, the Imperial Advisor's role ends with his death for his country. Although neither the director nor the original author mentioned it, the screenwriter always felt that something was missing.
If it ends like this, the character of the Imperial Advisor will not be fully developed.
Now that the screenwriter has seen Xia Xia, all the inspiration has suddenly come to him. Perhaps he can add a successor to the Imperial Preceptor's mansion in the script, since the Imperial Preceptor passed away too early and this little boy is now supporting the Imperial Preceptor's mansion.
Xia Xia looks somewhat similar to Chu Qing, but it doesn't matter if their temperaments are different.
The screenwriter shared his ideas with Chu Qing and the director, and the two, who had read the script countless times, also thought it was good.
Xiaxia, who knew nothing, stood there, hugging her arms, and asked in a uncertain tone:
"What do you guys want to do...?"
Xiaxia felt it was impolite to say certain things, but he really thought this uncle looked like a bad guy who would kidnap children.
The screenwriter thought about it more and more and felt that it was the right fit. It could not only make the character of the Imperial Advisor more complete, but also convey the idea of passing on the torch.
Xiaxia is the perfect age; he's so young and can't do most things well. The more clumsy he is, the more it makes one feel sorry for the former imperial advisor.
The screenwriter and director's gazes were so intense that Xiaxia hid behind her father in fear.
There are plenty of minor actors in the industry, but when the director saw Xia Xia, he felt that it would be hard to find someone more suitable than her. The resemblance was simply a stroke of genius.
Xiaxia initially refused. He only came to see his father, not to work. He thought working was too hard and he wouldn't have time to spend with his father.
But later, the screenwriter seemed to have seen through the little guy's thoughts, like a big bad wolf trying to lure Little Red Riding Hood, slowly throwing out the conditions he could offer.
"Little friend, if you want, you can stay on the set and be with your dad every day."
"I assure you it's all legitimate. Whether it's the pay or anything else, it'll all be determined by your dad's company, okay?"
Xiaxia's initially firm ideas have begun to be gradually persuaded by the director. Unlike at the beginning, she no longer just wanted to refuse. When she encountered words she didn't understand, she would take the initiative to ask questions.
"Payment?"
"Yes, it's money. You can buy milk powder, toys, new clothes, and if you want, you can even buy gifts for your dad."
Buy a gift for Dad? Earn your own money for baby formula and toys?
Xiaxia nodded her head like a chick pecking at rice, and even forgot to ask her father's opinion before agreeing.
"Okay, okay, Uncle, when is a good time for Xiaxia to start working?"
Author's Note:
I forgot how many updates I missed qaq. I'll try to make up for it with four updates a day in July. I think that should be enough for a month.
Update times are 12 PM and 6 PM. If four chapters aren't finished, it might be updated at 9 PM.
Chapter 63
Rather than asking herself when she would start work, Xiaxia was actually more interested in knowing when he would receive the money for baby formula.
"Xiaxia, you're still too young. There are many things you can't decide for yourself. We need to wait for your dad's approval. If your dad is willing, he can come to work tomorrow."
Before Chu Qing could even react to what was happening, Xia Xia decisively reached out and grabbed his clothes, shaking him.
"Dad, Dad, please say you agree!"
Xiaxia's face was full of joy after gaining a small advantage, and she couldn't wait to finalize the matter immediately.
Now he works hard to earn money so he can give his dad a big red envelope during the Chinese New Year. His dad must have everything that other dads have!
Chu Qing didn't want Xia Xia to suffer too much while he was still so young, so she picked up the little guy who was clinging to her and acting cute.
"Director, I'm sorry, I'd like to think about it first."
"Yes, yes."
Xiaxia was a little unhappy because her father didn't agree right away, and she slumped her head and leaned on her father's shoulder.
After dropping Xiaxia off, Wei's mother left. She had her own things to do, and when she finished, she missed the little one and started a video call.
Noticing that Xiaxia seemed unhappy, I took the initiative to ask:
"What's wrong? Missing Grandma?"
The little guy, who was lying there holding a doll, shook his head reflexively upon hearing this.
Based on his experience of spending so much time with his grandmother, he knew that one should neither be overly polite nor act coquettishly with her.
As long as he nods and says yes now, Grandma will run up to him and call him "my darling" in a little while.
"What's wrong? Is your dad too busy with work?"
Xiaxia looked carefully, making sure her father wouldn't come over, before covering her phone and whispering to her grandmother about what happened today.
“It could earn money for baby formula, but my dad won’t allow it.”
With such a great opportunity in front of her, Xiaxia felt more and more that it would be a pity to miss it.
Wei's mother initially thought that Chu Qing hadn't taken good care of Xia Xia. She understood that young people were very busy with work these days, and was already thinking about sending the nanny who had been taking care of Xia Xia back to her.
Unexpectedly, this was the reason.
On this matter, Wei's mother agreed with Chu Qing's idea. Although Wei Yutang had also gone into the entertainment industry, Xia Xia was still too young in her eyes.
"Xiaxia, Grandma has already bought a lot of the milk powder you like, so you don't need to earn it yourself."
Perhaps because children from poor families mature early, Xiaxia's obsession with milk powder exceeded her mother's expectations.
"No, Grandma should keep it for her retirement. Xiaxia can earn it herself."
Xiaxia has her own principles on some things, and it's no use even if her father says so, let alone her grandmother.
He told his grandmother about this, hoping she would take his side.
Judging from his grandmother's current demeanor, she was clearly on his father's side. He got angry and talked to her for a while before hanging up the phone.
After thinking it over, he felt that his uncle might be on his side, so he made a phone call to Wei Yutang.
Wei Yutang was having dinner with the director at the time, and went outside after seeing the call notification on his phone.
"What's wrong, Xiaxia?"
"Uncle, I want to earn money for baby formula."
Upon hearing Xia Xia's words, Wei Yutang's first reaction was exactly the same as Chu Qing's and Wei's mother's.
They're such young kids, why would they need to earn money for baby formula? If they really needed that much money, their family certainly had it.
Even without relying on his family, Wei Yutang has earned a lot of money over the years in the entertainment industry, so there is absolutely no way he wouldn't be unable to support this little guy.
"How can you earn money for baby formula?"
"It's baby formula."
Xiaxia pouted, somewhat disgusted that this uncle didn't seem very bright, not even knowing what milk powder was.
"Dad works so hard, I want to help."
"Will your father allow you to go?"
Wei Yutang's words instantly deflated the previously excited child. If his father had agreed, he wouldn't have told his uncle that.
"Dad won't allow it, Uncle, please talk to Dad."
“If I really said anything about your father, you’ll immediately think I’m not good to your father.”
Wei Yutang knew this little guy's personality well. Xia Xia originally wanted to refute him, but after thinking about it carefully, she realized that he really was like that, and since she couldn't deny it, she just snorted softly.
"I want to go."
"You really want to go?"
"Um."