"Hey, Mo Cheng, the great movie star, are you satisfied?"
Hong Xinran went around to the other side of the VIP lounge and invited Mo Cheng, who had just arrived, over. Then she began to introduce him carefully: "Mo Cheng, this is Shao Qile, she's the birthday girl today. She's always liked your songs and your acting. Lele, this is Mo Cheng, I don't need to introduce him. I wonder if you're satisfied with him being your date tonight?"
Although Mo Cheng was nearly thirty, people in the entertainment industry are known for their youthful appearance, and with his well-maintained looks, he could easily pass for eighteen. He looked at Shao Qile and smiled politely at the charming girl. He owed Hong Xinran a favor—accompanying a fan to her birthday party. While the fact that he was her male companion made him slightly hesitant, he generally disliked owing favors.
"Hello, Lele, right? I wonder if I have the honor of being your guardian knight for one night."
Shao Qile looked at Mo Cheng, then glanced at Shao Qile, her eyelashes trembling like fluttering butterflies. After a long while, she slightly raised her eyelashes, reached out and placed her hand on Mo Cheng's outstretched palm, her cheeks already flushed with a beautiful pink: "It's my honor, my knight."
"Alright, Lele, Mo Cheng also needs some styling so he can look his best as your knight. Your look also needs further refinement."
After Mo Cheng went to the other side to fix his appearance, Shao Qile finally seemed to realize what was happening. She clenched her fists and placed them on her chest, then began to scream softly, "Ahhh! It's Mo Cheng! It's Mo Cheng! He even promised to be my knight! Ranran, pinch me quick, see if I'm dreaming!"
Looking at Shao Qile's belatedly excited expression, Hong Xinran carefully discerned that the excitement in her eyes and the joy in her tone were genuine. It seemed that letting Shao Qile meet more outstanding men was the right decision.
"Alright, you've had your fun, so sit down quickly and let the makeup artist do a final touch-up on your makeup."
"YES, MADAM!" Shao Qile gave a playful salute and sat down in her seat. "Ranran-jie, thank you!"
Mo Cheng smiled knowingly. His keen hearing allowed him to overhear Shao Qile and Hong Xinran's conversation. Did Shao Qile really like him that much? Although he knew his own charm, his intuition told him that Shao Qile, who acted like a die-hard fan, wasn't as happy as he appeared.
Who knows, tonight's birthday party, which he originally thought would be simple, might turn out to be quite fun.
If anyone had seen Mo Cheng's smile at this moment, they would have been utterly astonished. Mo Cheng's public image had always been that of a refined, upright, and peaceful man. This was a completely different person from the one whose slight upturn of the corner of his eye conveyed boundless sharp mockery.
For Shao Qile's birthday banquet, Shao Qibin specially booked the entire banquet hall of the best club in T City. When Shao Qile, arm in arm with Mo Cheng, gracefully descended the spiral escalator, Shao Qibin, who had just arrived to meet his girlfriend Hong Xinran due to work, was slightly amazed!
The complex emotions swirling within Shao Qibin—a mix of pride at seeing his younger sister grow up and other complicated feelings—were unnoticed by him, but were clearly observed by Hong Xinran, who had been keeping a close eye on her boyfriend. Hong Xinran even noticed that although Shao Qile was walking downstairs arm-in-arm with Mo Cheng, her gaze, after sweeping around the surroundings, ultimately settled on Shao Qibin.
"Lele and Mo Cheng are a perfect match, they're really dazzling to look at."
“Lele is the daughter of the Shao family! This Mo Cheng is just an actor, how could he be worthy of Lele? Besides, Lele is just an idol worshipper.” After subconsciously hearing Hong Xinran’s words that seemed to be trying to pair Shao Qile and Mo Cheng together, Shao Qibin directly retorted.
After realizing what she had said, and seeing Hong Xinran's face drain of color, she couldn't help but feel annoyed: "Xinran, I wasn't referring to you. It's just that Lele is still young, and we don't know anything about Mo Cheng's background. Lele needs a man who can give her a stable and secure life. She's a girl, unlike me."
This is the best explanation Shao Qibin could give, given his pride and self-esteem.
Author's Note: Happy National Day everyone! Have a great time! I'm going for a tutoring interview this afternoon. Hope it goes well and I can earn some extra money for living expenses!
52 Levels Cleared: Reborn Female Supporting Character
Chapter 51: Reborn Female Supporting Character After Clearing the Level
Hong Xinran's perfect mask remained perfect, but the coldness in her eyes betrayed the turmoil within her heart. She had initially thought it was just Shao Qile's unrequited love. Now, seeing Shao Qibin's reaction, she suddenly realized that a woman's affection for a man is sometimes a one-sided, unrequited love. Most of the time, such unrequited love fades away with the passage of time. However, if the object of this unrequited love were to show even the slightest bit more interest, the effect could be completely opposite.
It is obvious that Shao Qile admires and likes her older brother Shao Qibin, and Shao Qibin also has a special affection and fondness for his younger sister Shao Qile.
"It was all my recklessness. I just thought that Lele was still single and that at her age, she should find someone to date. I was only focused on how handsome the man and the pretty woman were, and how well they matched. I didn't think too much about it. I took it too for granted and didn't consider the bigger picture."
Hearing Hong Xinran's words, Shao Qibin smiled, but for some reason, he felt that Hong Xinran had emphasized the phrase "considering the bigger picture." Did Hong Xinran know something? He thought about her unusual behavior since her return. Having known Hong Xinran for so long, Shao Qibin's impression of her had always been that of a considerate and sensible person. But this time, first, Hong Xinran agreed to stay and live with him while Lele was around, and then she was so concerned about Lele's love life.
However, these questions were fleeting, since he had no evidence. Besides, how could Hong Xinran possibly know Lele's thoughts? She and Lele had clearly not seen each other for quite some time.
"Brother, Sister Ranran." Shao Qile led Mo Cheng over directly, greeted him, and then introduced him, "This is Mo Cheng."
"I just heard from Mo Cheng that Ranran and Mo Cheng played a couple in the drama that just finished filming, and there were even some intimate scenes! Brother, I'm giving you a heads-up beforehand, so you can't get jealous or angry."
Shao Qibin is a man with a strong sense of male chauvinism at heart. When he first got together with Hong Xinran, he didn't consider the special nature of the acting profession. Now that Shao Qile has suddenly brought this up, no matter how much displeasure he has, he won't show it at this moment, lest he lose his gentlemanly demeanor.
"Your brother isn't that stingy," Shao Qibin said with a smile, then reached out and shook hands with Mo Cheng. Remembering the star power of this former pop star and now movie emperor, he directly extended an invitation, "King Mo, I wonder if our T City has the honor of inviting you to attend the local Spring Festival Gala at the end of this year."
Although CCTV's Spring Festival Gala is undoubtedly the main event every year, this doesn't mean local TV stations can be inactive. There's still a fair amount of behind-the-scenes competition. He recently received word that he'll likely be staying in T City for a while longer before making a move. And before leaving, it's essential to further solidify his achievements and strengthen the foundations of his position.
"Brother, you're so silly. This invitation should have been arranged by Sister Ranran. The fact that Sister Ranran was able to invite Mo Cheng shows how close they are. With Sister Ranran, the Best Actress, and Mo Cheng, the Best Actor, at the party, wow, it'll be truly star-studded."
Shao Qibin wasn't annoyed by Shao Qile's teasing; he just smiled and glanced at Hong Xinran beside him.
“I’m sorry, I may have to disappoint you. I spend every Chinese New Year with my family. Because of my work, I’m away from home all year round, and it’s a rare holiday for us all to get together. I don’t want to neglect my family because of making money.”
Before Hong Xinran could speak, Mo Cheng had already politely declined.
“Qibin, that’s just Mo Cheng’s personality. He prefers quiet and rarely attends large banquets like this. I can have someone from my studio come, or invite other friends from the industry.” Hong Xinran felt a burning sensation in her stomach, making her feel uncomfortable. Shao Qibin’s indifference to whether she had filmed intimate scenes with someone, and Mo Cheng’s direct refusal without any regard for her feelings, all made her feel embarrassed.
She hadn't felt this humiliated in a long time. Aside from the beginning, when she was trapped in misery due to her family's circumstances, she had always enjoyed smooth sailing thanks to her acting skills and insightful observations. Perhaps it was precisely because things had gone so smoothly that she found this kind of humiliation all the more unbearable.
Shao Qile, realizing his slip of the tongue, quickly tried to salvage the situation, saying, "Mo Cheng sings so well. Today is my birthday, I wonder if Mo Cheng could sing me a song as a birthday present?"
Mo Cheng knew that he had just rejected Shao Qibin's suggestion, and it would be really disrespectful to refuse again now. He smiled and nodded, and walked towards the other band.
"Brother, you chat with Sister Ranran, I'm going to find Sister Xiaoyu." Shao Qile ignored the undercurrent between Shao Qibin and Hong Xinran, showing no intention of making amends for his earlier disruption. He walked directly towards Wu Xinyu, and upon seeing the senior accompanying her, Shao Qile's smile grew even brighter.
"Sister Xiaoyu, I caught you red-handed! You still say you and your senior have nothing to do with each other. Seeing how close you two are, you still tried to lie to me and say you weren't boyfriend and girlfriend. I don't believe you."
"I didn't lie to you last time. Even now, I'm just trying to date my senior first." During this time, her faith had crumbled, and the feelings she had poured into the relationship were showing signs of collapsing due to the disillusionment of her illusions. Wu Xinyu had been in a bad mood. Just like the "heart rain" in her name, no matter how calm she appeared on the surface, she could never hide the drizzling rain in her heart.
Upon receiving Shao Qile's birthday party invitation, she inexplicably brought Fang Hanwei along. Even before witnessing Shao Qibin and Hong Xinran standing intimately side-by-side, she hadn't considered being with Fang Hanwei. However, perhaps due to a moment of distraction, she tripped over her skirt and nearly fell flat on her face in front of everyone, but Fang Hanwei caught her in his arms, preventing an embarrassing fall.
When Shao Qile made a joke, Wu Xinyu subconsciously acknowledged the relationship between her and Fang Hanwei.
Perhaps she really should give herself another chance.
There are plenty of fish in the sea, why be hung up on just one? She wasn't indifferent to Fang Hanwei. Perhaps it was because she had been wholeheartedly pursuing a dazzling light that she might never attain for too long, and her heart was already filled with weariness. And then she learned that those who had once devoted themselves to the same person as her were now either going abroad or getting married, and that feeling of despondency filled her entire being.
Standing beside Shao Qibin was a woman she had never met in her previous life—a now-famous international superstar, yet a woman she had never heard of in her past life. Perhaps, so-called rebirth wasn't about spending all her energy chasing a fleeting, unattainable love again. It was about letting her know that life could be unpredictable. She wasn't unmoved by Fang Hanwei's pursuit. In fact, if she hadn't met Shao Qibin first, perhaps she would have already surrendered to this man who possessed qualities that attracted her when he first launched his pursuit.
Fang Hanwei was taken aback when he heard Wu Xinyu say this. Caught off guard, he was surprised to hear Wu Xinyu admit their relationship. He looked at Shao Qile with gratitude and said, "Xinyu is right. When I met you last time, I was still pursuing you and had just been officially hired. I have to thank you for your birthday celebration, which brought me some good luck."
"If that's how you see it, then I'm the matchmaker for you two. You'll have to treat me to a meal then." Shao Qile was just joking around, but Fang Hanwei actually nodded seriously.