Zhou Qishen said quite seriously, "Sleep, but before you sleep, could you please talk to me properly again?"
Zhao Xiyin was baffled. "What did you say?"
"The three men and one woman from just now."
"We'll share a room tonight."
"Will that woman be able to get out alive in the end?"
Zhao Xiyin laughed and rolled around on the bed a few times, then scolded playfully, "Zhou Qishen, are you even capable of this?!"
“Okay, of course.” Zhou Qishen thought for a moment and analyzed seriously, “But if I were that woman, I definitely wouldn’t be able to come out alive.”
Zhao Xiyin: "..."
Zhou Qishen chuckled, "But that won't happen to me, because there aren't three Zhao Xiyins in the world, and I can't handle a lot of people. Don't worry, Xiao west, don't be jealous."
Zhao Xiyin was inexplicably called out and left completely bewildered. After a moment's confusion, she realized this jerk had done it on purpose. She retorted angrily, "Pah! Where am I jealous? What nonsense are you spouting!"
Zhou Qishen smiled so hard his eyes squinted upwards, like a swallow returning to spring in March.
After a long pause, his smile faded, and he suddenly asked in a deep voice, "Xi'er, when are you coming home with me?"
Chapter 67 I Want the Moon to Come to Me (1)
I want the moon to come to me (1)
Zhao Xiyin pursed her lips slightly, a blush creeping onto her face. She understood, she comprehended. A bitter twig in her heart, once steeped in water, gradually began to taste sweet. This sweetness was hard-won, like walking on thin ice, for fear that stirring it too much would spoil its flavor.
So she said, "I'm at home right now."
Zhou Qishen was a smart man; he understood all her thoughts and didn't press her further.
The video call stayed on, and even when they weren't speaking, they could almost hear each other breathing. Before Zhou Qishen closed his eyes, he heard a gentle voice say, "Sleep well, goodnight."
This was the most peaceful night's sleep he had had in nearly three years.
Zhou Qishen woke up at six o'clock, feeling refreshed. He glanced at his phone and saw that the two of them had video chatted for two hours yesterday. He took a screenshot and sent it to the Iron Triangle WeChat group. Old Cheng, who always got up early, replied quickly: "Congratulations, Boss Zhou, you're about to become a husband again."
Gu Heping replied at eight o'clock, "Phone sex, Zhou Ge'er really knows how to play."
Zhou Qishen was on his way to the company. Perhaps because his shirt was buttoned up too tightly today, he felt a little short of breath. Gu Heping's words were always unreliable, but this time, Zhou Qishen silently looked at his foreign words several times.
Upon arriving at his office, his assistant brought in coffee, followed by Secretary Xu, who handed him a financial statement. This was the private section, detailing the accounts of Zhou Qishen's personal investments. He quickly glanced through the categories, looked at the totals, and then closed the document.
Secretary Xu reported, "Your father's living expenses have been transferred to him monthly, and he has been hospitalized again."
Zhou Qishen raised his head.
"I had a stomach hemorrhage from drinking, but it's nothing serious. I'll have Hu'er settle the medical bills."
Zhou Qishen didn't care much about these things. As long as they didn't cause trouble, he was willing to pay for peace and asked, "Where's Zhuang Qiu?"
"Zhuang Qiu secretly returned to China two months ago and got close to several mine owners in Shanxi and Hubei. Last quarter, when the international gold market was good, he stockpiled gold and made a lot of profit. It's estimated that he has several hundred million yuan, which is why he dared to show his face in Beijing and stand up straight in front of his father." Secretary Xu said, "His pretense of looking at projects everywhere and wanting to invest is just that. His real purpose is to build connections."
Zhou Qishen didn't take it seriously, "Just keep an eye on it."
Secretary Xu nodded, then remembered something else, "President Zhou, Old Sun will send back news in a couple of days, saying there are two candidates who meet the requirements. After you review them, you can decide whether to bring them to Beijing."
Zhou Qishen's years-long dedication to finding his family was so poignant that even Secretary Xu felt sorry for him. He had moments of hope, but prolonged disappointment drained his energy, and his initial enthusiasm dwindled to nothing.
Zhou Qi pondered for a long time, then said calmly, "Hmm."
——
Zhao Wenchun's cold hadn't gotten better for a while, so she took two days off to rest at home. The dance troupe's affairs couldn't be delayed, so Zhao Xiyin had to go back. Zhao Wenchun kept urging her, "Hurry up and go, don't hold the team back."
Zhao Xiyin deliberately asked, "Aren't you afraid I'll meet Zhou Qishen?"
Zhao Wenchun started coughing again, rubbing his chest to catch his breath, and glared angrily at her.
Zhao Xiyin quickly said, "Please stop coughing. I promise I'll listen to you and get better soon, okay? Be good."
The father and daughter have no respect for elders; they've really spoiled this brat.
The dance troupe held a short meeting, and the filming crew also arrived. Their idea was to have Zhao Xiyin and Su Ying connect first, spend more time together, and gradually build rapport. After the meeting, the costume and makeup team gave Zhao Xiyin her body measurements—chest, waist, and hips. After taking the measurements, the costume designer exclaimed, "The proportions are really good!"
Zhao Xiyin asked, "During rehearsals, the troupe measured it once. Do we need to measure it again?"
"Of course," the master smiled. "You and Su Ying are partners, leading the dance together. Your makeup and costumes are different from others. They are all handmade, and the decorations are brought from the Northwest. They are realistically recreated, so that when the audience sees you two, they will feel like they have traveled back to the Tang Dynasty."
Zhao Xiyin couldn't hear clearly; she always felt that these things were far removed from her.
This tailor, who had sized up many female celebrities in the industry, sincerely praised Zhao Xiyin's figure, saying, "Ms. Zhao, after completing this film, you have a bright future and unlimited potential. We will definitely have the opportunity to work together again."
Zhao Xiyin shook her head. "I'm here to learn. I'm far from being as good as the seniors. I'll just have to finish this dance well and at least be worthy of this salary."
The master was overjoyed. Finally, he measured her neck circumference and said meaningfully, "Just based on what you said, you will definitely have a bright future."
No matter what profession you're in, what are you most afraid of?
The worst thing is hearing too many nice words and then believing them to be the truth.
Zhao Xiyin was insightful and open-minded. She had already set a clear boundary in her heart, knowing exactly what was appropriate and what wasn't. In the afternoon, she went to Su Ying's art center. Su Ying was a renowned figure and a senior artist, but Zhao Xiyin remained humble and took the initiative to learn and observe, standing respectfully offstage.
Su Ying led the actors in performing half of "The Moonlit Clouds" on stage. The woman in her early thirties showed no signs of clumsiness. She was beautiful and elegant, and her movements were graceful and ethereal. Chang'e flew to the moon and never returned to the mortal world.
Halfway through, rehearsals continued. Su Ying went down onto the stage and stood a meter or two away from Zhao Xiyin, intently watching the performance. During the final scene, Su Ying's assistant came in from outside, greeted Zhao Xiyin warmly, and asked, "How did you think of the dance?"