Han Xingyan’s facial expression instantly cracked when he heard Shen Chuchu. He slowly turned towards Shen Chuchu with dark eyes.
Shen Chuchu held her breath and suddenly was afraid to know the answer.
“It’s late, rest well Miss Shen.”
Shen Chuchu sighed and smiled awkwardly. She said goodbye again then departed from the car. Inside the elevator, Shen Chuchu suddenly realised she had not told Han Xingyan she lived here. So, how did he know?
She raised her hand to find it was only eight o’clock. This was not late…
Before going to bed at night, Shen Chuchu felt that Han Xingyan was covering something when he urged her to leave the car. Perhaps that night, she was not the one being taken advantage of but the opposite??
At this thought, Shen Chuchu’s tightly shut eyes opened to stare at the darkroom. Her face reddened at the thought of Han Xingyan’s face tonight. She quickly pulled the sheets up and covered her head. Such an embarrassment!
While Han Xingyan took off his belt and threw his trousers in the bin when he arrived back at his apartment.
He had endured it for a long time. If it was not to drive Shen Chuchu home. He would have gone home first to throw away the trousers.
After a shower, he frowned at the missed call on his phone then called back.
“Son, what did you think of this Miss Zhang today?” His mother’s clear voice could be heard from the other end.
Han Xingyan thought back to the events of tonight and felt terrible as if his leg was bitten by a venomous snake. He endured the thought of going back for another shower and answered, “Mother, I don’t think we are compatible.”
His mother said disappointedly, “What’s not compatible. Miss Zhang’s family background is good and also very pretty. As for feelings, it needs to be slowly cultivated together.”
Han Xingyan thought to himself, he did not know whether feelings can be cultivated from spending time together but he felt physiologically disgusted towards Miss Zhang. At this thought, he could not endure it anymore and replied, “Mother, I still have some work to do tonight. You should not worry about your son’s marriage. There is no hurry.”
Paying no mind to his mother’s objection, Han Xinyan hung up the call and took another shower.
***
The next morning, Shen Chuchu had dark circles around her eyes.
When Wang Qian came over to deliver food and saw the pale looking Shen Chuchu. She hurriedly asked, “Boss, what’s wrong?”
Shen Chuchu tirelessly replied, “A relative* came to visit.”
*TL-note: Period/Menstruation is meant here.
Wang Qian curiously said, “Aren’t you usually not in pain? Is it due to the filming this time? Do you want me to buy some brown sugar or medicine?”
Shen Chuchu laid down on the sofa and tirelessly replied, “No need. It doesn’t hurt this time either. Just a little uncomfortable.”
Shen Chuchu was not only feeling uncomfortable in the body but also in her heart. She had dreamt a very embarrassing dream last night. At the start of the dream, it was very elegant and beautiful. She had dreamt of her university times when Cheng Xun was helping her study for Financial Risk Management. However, after turning her head, she found the person tutoring her had turned into Han Xinyan.
She had kissed him when he was sleeping then somehow they were suddenly inseparable. At this point, she felt her heart violently beat and race. As it raced, she felt her stomach gather inside. Afterwards, she woke up and found her period had come…
In truth, this was the first time in her life she had a dream like this. She was amused before when she heard people can have dreams like this. And she dreamt it herself today. Was it because she is older now and should get a boyfriend?
But, who is her boyfriend? Also, who will be her future husband?
Shen Chuchu waited until Wang Qian had left then stood in front of the mirror. She looked at herself but after a few minutes, nothing appeared on her head.
She never felt anything before but whether it was Han Xinyan’s words yesterday, last night’s dream or due to her period, Shen Chuchu felt very sad.
She could see everyone else’s marriage except her own.
When she first received the system, she felt there was no need to worry about this since she had just graduated from university. However, she now had a different view on marriage after matchmaking for other people for half a year.
She wondered what her marriage would be. How many times would she be married, who this person was and where they would meet.
In the afternoon, Shen Chuchu went to the company. For her, the period was just a continuous flow of blood and had never experienced the pain associated with it. It was bearable as long as she did not eat anything too spicy or cold or did any vigorous exercises.
At the company, Shen Chuchu went to see the acting class teacher. It just so happened that she was teaching the newcomers so Shen Chuchu went to listen. For someone with a non-acting background like her, theoretical knowledge is also indispensable in addition to practical practice in acting.
Just like a professor, theoretical knowledge is just as essential as basic skills in class. Without the support of theoretical knowledge, there is nothing to show even with many technical skills. Moreover, theoretical knowledge is also a moral pillar of human labour.
The acting teacher appreciated Shen Chuchu’s efforts very much. In this circle, there were not too many stars with brains. Without exception, these people have become popular in different ways.
After class, Shen Chuchu went to look for Chen Xili but she was already with someone. This person Shen Chuchu also knew, she was called Guo Xin and was around forty years old. She was one of the top three female celebrities in the company and her development in the film industry was in full swing. She had even been to Hollywood and was a very senior actress. Her popularity factor was very high and it was estimated that about ten per cent of people know her.
She was not like other celebrities. A lot of celebrities would leave as soon as they have gained popularity and open their studio or something. However, she seemed to have signed for twenty years with the company and showed no signs of wanting to leave. Although people in the company had become popular one after another and some were even more popular than her but in terms of status, they could never compare to her.
She could be considered a rare treasure in the company.
“Hello, Xin-jie!” Shen Chuchu respectfully said. It was no exaggeration to say that Shen Chuchu knew Guo Xin from birth. There were numerous awards and works displayed on Wikipedia so she was still a senior even though we were unsure whether this person was both virtuous and skilled as they say.
Guo Xin turned around and looked closely at Shen Chuchu then nodded. She smiled, “Not bad, seems to have some spirit.”
“Thanks for your praise Xin-jie.”
Afterwards, Guo Xin continued to speak to Chen Xili as if they were two close friends. Shen Chuchu sat beside them unable to join in so she looked at Guo Xin’s system.
After one look, Shen Chuchu was shocked.
Turned out, Guo Xin was married twice. But since she was a child, she only heard that Guo Xin and actor Sun Hui have been a model couple since they entered the circle. After a few years of a long-distance relationship, they got married. This kind of love story had infected many people.
So in this circle, there are no pure and real relationships? Are there always lies underneath these touching stories?
Shen Chuchu looked at the satisfied looking Guo Xin and suddenly felt somewhat complicated. All perfect romances look good but in fact, they all have their flaws.
Shen Chuchu glanced at Guo Xin then looked at her marriage system again. Guo Xin’s first marriage only lasted two years. Eight years later, she and Sun Hui started the second marriage.
Shen Chuchu felt surprised again when her second marriage showed five stars which meant conjugal bliss. Undoubtedly, Guo Xin encountered her happiness. The system stated when she would become a widow but that was at least fifty or sixty years later and the cause of death was natural.
At this point, Shen Chuchu felt it would be extremely lucky to find one’s happiness even if they had to go through a divorce before. Undoubtedly, Guo Xin was that extremely lucky person. She had seen many people’s marriages and few people were able to reach five stars. Four stars were already very happy so five stars were even rarer. The majority of marriages were three stars.
Before Guo Xin left, she looked again at Shen Chuchu and smiled, “Little girl, good luck!”
Shen Chuchu stood up and replied, “Yes, thank you Xin-jie. I will work hard.”
When Guo Xin left, Chen Xili looked at Shen Chuchu and said, “If you become like her one day then you have made it.”
Shen Chuchu summed up what she heard before and curiously asked, “Did Xin-jie receive a big production?”
Chen Xili deepened her smile and replied, “Yes, the director who won the Academy Awards last time has invited her to play the leading role in his film. The contract will be signed soon.”
An Academy Awards director! This was something that was beyond the reach of so many people within the circle. If you could play in a major international production then you will gain both fame and fortune no matter the outcome of the box office. It was like plating a layer of gold where you would increase in value and status.
Guo Xin was already close to the first-class level domestically then surely after this production, she would truly become first-class.
At this thought, Shen Chuchu replied with admiration, “Xin-jie is amazing.”
After chatting a bit more, Chen Xili smiled, “Good luck, you can also do it. Also, the film [Xiao Yi] is going to be promoted next month. Four people are on the variety show on S station and the director has called to bring you.”
Shen Chuchu was surprised to hear about a variety show and that it was on Channel S, a show that she had watched since she was a child. Chen Xili added, “What the company means is that there will be four to five variety shows during the promotional period of this film. I intended to let you participate in one of them, but the director wants you to follow the whole process. How many you want to participate in, it depends on yourself.”