C24—- Expressing Sincerity

 

After Wen Huaizhe received Ji Yuan’s call, even the progress of the meeting was accelerated, and the routine meeting was directly shortened from two hours to one hour.

 

Around 3pm, Ji Yuan appeared at the door of Wen Huaizhe’s office wearing a dress and a short jacket.

 

“Mr. Wen, madam has arrived.” There was a knock on the office door and Ji Yuan walked in from behind his assistant.

 

“Very busy?”

 

Seeing Ji Yuan, Wen Huaizhe stood up from his office chair and closed the annual plan passed up by all departments of the company.

 

 

“It’s not very important. Xiao Chen, made two cups of coffee.”

 

“No need to call him, I already asked him to prepare it.” Ji Yuan put her handbag on the glass table, “Why didn’t you tell me about the public opinion on the Internet?”

 

 

“It doesn’t matter, what kind of opinion is that? It’s just the Mu group messing around. You didn’t come all the way out here just for this, did you?”

 

“Yes and no.” Ji Yuan sighed. “This is about me. You don’t have to hide it from me.”

 

The Wen family company was involved in many fields, and there were two luxury brands under it, jewelry and watches. The best-selling jewelry was also designed by Ji Yuan.

 

She was a jewelry designer in college, and then went to a subsidiary of the Wen family for an internship and met the prince, Wen Huaizhe, and they fell in love freely, and soon got married and had children.

 

After the marriage, Ji Yuan still worked in the company. In the year she was pregnant with Xingxing, Ji Yuan’s design won an international award and was called – the design with the most happiness.

 

For five consecutive years, she was the most sought-after jewelry designer in China. Since Xingxing’s accident, Ji Yuan resigned from her position in the company, and even her designs were drawn less and less.

 

 

However, she still designed one or two pieces of jewelry each year, but they were no longer the most popular styles.

 

Just a few days ago, the Mu family launched a new piece of jewelry, somehow it was used by marketing blogs to compare with the Wen family’s Lulu, and then the most popular jewelry designer of the year – Ji.

 

Many up-and-coming designers, as long as they had one or two famous works, would be compared with Ji Yuan’s former designs.

 

Ji Yuan had read the comments on the internet, some of which were hard to hear, and some of them felt sorry for her.

 

[Ji Yuan’s inspiration is gone, right? What are the designs of these years? How many designers can keep on shining.]

 

[ Not to mention the fact that Lulu’s designs have become less and less tasteful over the years, whether it’s jewelry, watches or bags. ]

 

[I agree, Lulu is not as good as it was back then.]

[I used to buy all the new models from Lulu’s collection. Now I’ve moved to the Mu Group, theirnew design is really nice.]

 

If it were the past, Ji Yuan would have been sad to see these comments, but since Xingxing left, nothing seemed to hit her anymore.

 

Ji Yuan took out the tablet from her bag and handed it to Wen Huaizhe, “The watch design, it hasn’t been shown to anyone else yet.”

 

Not a jewelry design, but a watch design.

 

The dial was a starry sky pattern, with a curved moon hanging in the blue sky and a few stars dotted around.

 

Wen Huaizhe looked up in shock, “When did you start drawing this?”

 

There was no wonder that he was so surprised, he was busier, but during the Spring Festival, his eldest son, Wen Zheng, proposed a trip abroad, and the family went abroad to relax, so Ji Yuan shouldn’t have had time to finish the design.

 

“It’s not a recent design.”

 

“Then it was years ago?” Wen Huaizhe thought about it, the company had a lot of things to do before the new year, and he came home late, so he didn’t notice what Ji Yuan was doing. “It’s beautiful! My wife is really good.”

 

“It was designed fourteen years ago.”

 

When Ji Yuan spoke, Wen Huaizhe fell into silence.

 

“Slight changes were made as the years went by.” Ji Yuan added.

 

 

When she first drew the design of the watch, she didn’t want to design a new product for the market, this watch was only a child’s watch.

 

A few months ago, she rummaged through the storage box and found this design drawing, so she got the idea to modify it, except for the exterior design, the star pattern was unchanged.

 

 

“You ……” Wen Huaizhe opened his mouth, for a moment he didn’t know what to say.

 

“Originally it was a sixth birthday present for Xingxing.”

 

Ji Yuan lowered her eyes, after more than ten years, she was now able to calmly mention this matter.

 

“Huaizhe, do you know?” Ji Yuan lifted her head, her eyes light, “I dreamt about him yesterday.”

 

 

Ji Yuan hadn’t had a dream for a long time, during the months when her youngest son was just lost, she had nightmares every day and night.

 

 

She dreamt that Wenxing disappeared from under her nose, that someone carried him away in front of her, that someone stopped him and wouldn’t let him go home.

 

She took sleeping pills and was sedated, but nothing worked. No one could understand the pain in the heart of a mother who had lost her child and how much she blamed herself.

 

Then later, she rarely dreamt of the scene when Xingxing disappeared. But what was more difficult for her to accept was that Xingxing in her dream was wandering alone in the street, his helpless expression made her so heartbroken.

 

Ji Yuan envied those parents who could watch their children grow up, while she could only see Xingxing occasionally at midnight.

 

She didn’t know if Xingxing would get enough to eat outside, if he would freeze? Did anyone bully him? Was there someone with him when he was afraid?

 

Ji Yuan thought about it so much that for a while she didn’t dare to go out at all, didn’t dare to look at the parents with their children on the road.

 

When Ji Yuan calmed down, she began to help Wen Huaizhe investigate what happened back then, and even went back over and over again to see if there was anything that had been missed.

 

But he stopped involving her because he didn’t want her to be so self-tormented.

 

After a few more years, Ji Yuan rarely dreamt of him. The reason was, she didn’t know what he looked like. She couldn’t imagine it.

 

She was afraid that one day he would walk past her and she wouldn’t recognize him, she would be the most incompetent mother in the world.

 

So, every year on his birthday, Wen Huaizhe would find a sketch artist and ask him to draw his growth and changes every year based on his previous photos.

 

But Xingxing was still too small, and the sketch ended up stopping at the age of twelve.

 

 

Wen Huaizhe eyes flashed a trace of sadness, he steadied himself. “What did you dream about?”

 

 

“He said he was doing well and told me not to worry.” Ji Yuan was a little happy.

 

“It’s the first time in all these years that Xingxing gave me a peace offering. He didn’t get angry or ignore me, and comforted me not to be sad.”

 

“Xingxing said that he was looking for us too.”

 

Ji Yuan sniffed, “His birthday is coming up, and it’s time to give out this birthday present that’s so long overdue.”

 

Wen Huaizhe didn’t know what to say for a moment, he patted Ji Yuan’s shoulder comfortingly and sat closer to her.

 

“Are you planning to release the new model on his birthday?”

 

Ji Yuan nodded, “Advertise, but not sell. I want to wait for Xingxing to come home and give it to him by hand, a gift that belongs to him alone.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Wen Huaizhe was always responsive to Ji Yuan’s requests, and he would unconditionally agree to any of her requests, not to mention that this matter also concerned his youngest son.

 

“I will have the public relations department issue a statement as soon as possible, those water forces online should be hired by the Mu family. Marketing isn’t enough, they also want to step on Lulu to get to the top, such big ambition.”

 

****

 

After the scene.

 

Le Hanfei found Lu Wenxing and told him the results of the company’s investigation.

 

“As I guessed, that hot search about you was indeed directed at me.” Le Hanfei explained, “There have been instances like this before, ostensibly sounding off for me and step on artists who are in competition with me, but in fact it is pulling hatred to me.”

 

Only the people involved will know that there was insider information about the audition, but the outside world didn’t know before the official announcement was made. Le Hanfei had more fans and his fame was bigger than Lu Wenxing, so when comparing the two, netizens would be used as a g-un.

 

They targeted Lu Wenxing and scolded in front, when the truth was revealed later on, people will turn around and scold Le Hanfei, saying that he was trying to get attention, while netizens will be indignant because they have been cheated, which would corrupt Le Hanfei’s popularity.

 

 

“It’s good to find out the IP address first, after that it can be handed over to the public relations team, and after the company clarifies, I will also send out a Weibo to clarify.”

 

“Also, this time it’s not just against me. My agent said that he also found another group of people taking advantage of the opportunity, this may be for you.”

 

The day Lu Wenxing was in the hot search, Le Hanfei had already spent money to remove that untrue post from the hot search list.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“No need to be polite, it was originally because of me, otherwise those people wouldn’t have found the opportunity.”

 

 

“All in all, thank you.”

 

Le Hanfei still wanted to say something, Gu Yanshen had changed out of his costume and walked over, “Are you two done with courtesy?”

 

Lu Wenxing: “…… almost done.”

 

Le Hanfei: “……”

 

“I just heard that you two are going to sneak off to dinner.” Song Jiajia still had a night scene and was still wearing her costume when she walked over.

 

Le Hanfei’s eyes instantly lit up, “Where’re you going?”

 

“Comrade Le, you’re going to shoot the night scene with me at night.” Song Jiajia mercilessly broke his hope.

 

“Oh.” Le Hanfei’s eyes instantly dulled, “I want to eat seafood.”

 

Lu Wenxing:?

 

Le Hanfei suddenly pulled Lu Wenxing’s arm, “Help me eat more.”

 

Lu Wenxing: “……”

 

Lu Wenxing looked at Le Hanfei’s pitiful eyes and said helplessly. “Why don’t I bring something back for you?”

 

“Wenxing, you are really a good person.”

 

Lu Wenxing drew back his hand hard: “……”

 

It wasn’t a big deal, really.

 

“I, I want it too.” Song Jiajia raised her hand, “I want to eat the Xiao Long Bao from Wu Fu Men and the spicy chicken from Xiao Tian’s house.”

These two places one in the east, one in the west, as Gu Yanshen listened to them, the veins on his forehead jumped.

 

 

“Not afraid to get fat and run laps?”

 

Song Jiajia: “……” There were words that could only be said once.

 

 

Seeing Song Jiajia’s mood become low at a speed visible to the naked eye, Lu Wenxing hurriedly said, “You’ll eat seafood, right? Seafood isn’t fattening.”

 

 

In the envious gaze of the rest of the crew, the artists who didn’t have night scenes left with their own plans, leaving the remaining people with different thoughts as they ate their boxed meals.

 

Lu Wenxing booked a seat in advance and took Gu Yanshen straight to his destination.

 

“After booking the table, I remembered that I should have asked what you wanted to eat first?”

 

“I’m not picky.”

 

Generally, when eating hot pot, unless there were many people, it was rare to book a private box, but because of Gu Yanshen and Lu Wenxing’s special identity, sitting in the hall would attract too much attention.

 

“It feels like Mr. Gu doesn’t eat too much spice, so I ordered the mandarin duck pot.”

 

In the middle, Gu Yanshen got a phone call from Qin Yu.

 

“Check it out, how do you want to thank me?”

 

He didn’t want to wait for Gu Yanshen to say anything, Qin Yu said beautifully, “When “Hundred Ghosts” airs, share two more points with me? I’m also a big investor.”

 

 

“Bye.”

 

“No, no, no! Just kidding.” Qin Yu quickly continued, “We have known each other for seven or eight years, yet you couldn’t resist that child, you’ve hurt brother’s heart.”

 

Gu Yanshen hadn’t bothered to emphasize with Qin Yu, Lu Wenxing wasn’t a child, he skipped the useless topic and directly asked.

 

“Have you found out who it is?”

 

“Jiang Zhengqin. You may not recognize him, he’s a small drama group casting director. It’s not like that little kid in your family has received any of his dramas? How did he offend the director?”

 

“Thanks.” Gu Yanshen was about to hang up the phone, Qin Yu as if he knew what he was going to do, immediately spoke again. “Don’t hang up ah! I haven’t eaten yet, do you want to hang out?”

 

“I’m eating.”

 

“It’s only less than six o’clock, you’re eating so early?”

 

Gu Yanshen lightly laughed, and years of tacit understanding made Qin Yu immediately react, he let out a low curse, ‘f*ck’.

 

“With your little friend?”

 

Qin Yu’s misunderstanding of Lu Wenxing was big, after knowing that Gu Yanshen wanted to bring someone to audition, he mistakenly thought that Gu Yanshen’s iron tree had blossomed and finally had his first relationship.

 

It wasn’t that Gu Yanshen hadn’t recommended others in the past, he was extraordinarily serious about filming and would quietly give a hand to artists who were talented or hardworking enough, but he wouldn’t let the person know.

 

The first time Qin Yu knew that Gu Yanshen helped a certain artist, he thought that Gu Yanshen was interested in that person, but Gu Yan Shen denied it without waiting for him to ask.

 

Qin Yu believed that Gu Yanshen was only focused on filming after such things happened several times.

 

But

 

For Lu Wenxing.

 

Qin Yu didn’t think about anything at first, but Gu Yanshen didn’t help secretly this time. Instead, he found the person concerned and sent out an invitation. After being rejected, he didn’t give up, which made it difficult for him not to think about it.

 

Moreover, Qin Yu deliberately mentioned ‘your child’ in front of Gu Yanshen several times.

 

Gu Yanshen didn’t have the slightest intention to explain.

 

“Are you serious?”

 

Gu Yanshen didn’t answer, “I’m eating hot pot, let’s do that later.”

 

“What is there to be proud of eating hot pot, those who don’t know will think you’re eating a big meal.”

 

Qin Yu hadn’t finished speaking, but Gu Yanshen hung up the phone.

 

Lu Wenxing was holding a piece of duck, his lips were red from the spicy oil, and the tip of his shapely nose was covered in fine beads of sweat.

 

He ate slowly and methodically, but looking at it for a long time only made people feel it was elegant.

 

Seeing Gu Yanshen finish his phone call, Lu Wenxing pointed to the fatty beef roll placed on the empty plate.

 

“I used public chopsticks to clip it, it’s not good if it’s too cooked.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

Gu Yanshen finished all the fatty beef rolls Lu Wenxing gave him, looking at Lu Wenxing who was still fishing for shrimp sliders, he asked, “Do you know Jiang Zhengqin?”

 

Lu Wenxing’s movements paused for a moment, “Yes, why?”

 

“I checked the people who made the reactions worse and they are related to Jiang Zhengqin.”

 

 

Jiang Zhengqin was the casting director who was beaten by Lu Wenxing. A few months ago, Wang Man tricked Lu Wenxing into attending the company’s celebration, but in reality, she intended to push Lu Wenxing to Jiang Zhengqin.

 

 

In the case of Lu Wenxing’s reluctance, Jiang Zhengqin repeatedly pestered him. Lu Wenxing had a low fever that day and was so dazed that he could only injure Jiang Zhengqin and run away in the chaos.

 

He didn’t expect Jiang Zhengqin to want to deliberately retaliate, but he didn’t have to guess to know that this wouldn’t be the work of Jiang Zhengqin alone.

 

The company had been trying to get in touch with Jiang Zhengqin for a long time, the twists and turns weren’t so simple to explain, Jiang Zhengqin wanted to take it out on him, and Mang Cheng Entertainment was pushing the boat along to make a wave.

 

When he heard Gu Yanshen say this, Lu Wenxing was surprised. But the surprise wasn’t that this matter and Jiang Zhengqin were related, but the fact that Gu Yanshen helped him investigate directly.

 

 

“Teacher Gu has taken so much trouble, suddenly I feel that only inviting you for a meal isn’t enough to express my sincerity.”

 

 

Gu Yanshen smiled, he thought Lu Wenxing would be angry or show his discontent because of this matter, but he didn’t expect Lu Wenxing’s focus to be on this.

 

“You can tell me if you need help.”

 

He didn’t give Lu Wenxing ideas, nor did he intend to fight back for him, how to deal with it was Lu Wenxing’s business, unless Lu Wenxing asked for his help, he wouldn’t do anything.

 

“You helping me to this point is fine, the rest I can handle myself.” Lu Wenxing finished and half-jokingly said, “How about when there is time …… I’ll invite Mr. Gu to have dinner again?”

 

Gu Yanshen was amused by Lu Wenxing’s joke, and also cooperated.

 

 

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”

 

After the two finished eating hot pot, Gu Yanshen accompanied Lu Wenxing to pack snacks for Le Hanfei and Song Jiajia, and after returning to the hotel the two received another good man card.

 

Song Jiajia looked at Gu Yanshen who said she was ‘fat’ and turned her head to Lu Wenxing, “Thank you Wenxing, I love Wenxing.”

 

“Thank you Wenxing, thank you Mr. Gu.” Le Hanfei also followed.

 

 

“Isn’t that the young master of the Wen family?”

 

 

“It’s really him?”

 

“The Xia family is a bit capable, even the Wen family can be invited.”

 

 

Wen Zheng was wearing a high quality custom-made suit, ignoring the remarks, he was holding a glass of wine, sitting on the sofa, looking a bit isolated from the world.

 

The Xia family was actually just a burgeoning family, not on the same level as the Wen family, but Wen Zheng came to the reception because he found a new clue.

 

 

When he got the orphanage donation list, he found out that the Xia family donated a significant amount.

 

From Vladimir’s investigation, the Xia family wasn’t as rich as it was now, which was very interesting.

 

Where did the Xia family, which wasn’t considered a wealthy family back then, come up with so much money and donate generously to the orphanage?

 

When Mr. Xia sent the invitation to the Wen family, he didn’t really think that the other would come, but he invited them politely, and it didn’t matter whether they came or not. But when Wen Zheng really appeared, he was taken aback.

 

“You young people have more to talk about, go and get close to Wen Zheng.” Mr. Xia gave his son a push.

 

“Dad, it’s too hard for me, Wen Zheng isn’t the same as young people, and besides, I don’t think he’ll mind me even if I go.”

 

“Go and try, if not, don’t bother. If Wen Zheng can come, at least we have to entertain him well.”

 

Xia Zongqi couldn’t resist his father, so he went to greet him with a glass of wine, “Mr. Wen, do you mind if I interrupt?”

 

Wen Zheng raised his chin and gestured for Xia Zongqi to sit down, he certainly didn’t mind if he could take the opportunity to get some answers.

 

“The reception is well organized.”

 

Xia Zongqi suddenly didn’t know how to answer, Wen Zheng had participated in so many high-end receptions, did this statement have other meanings?

 

Can’t really just be talking about the reception, right?

 

Xia Zongqi: “It’s an honor for the Xia family to have Mr. Wen’s presence.”

 

Wen Zheng was calm and relaxed, he wasn’t in a hurry to set up a conversation, he shook his wine glass and raised his glass to Xia Zongqi across the air, he couldn’t be too hasty, he would be suspected if he didn’t go step by step.

 

–Bang.

 

 

Not far from a long table, wine glasses scattered to the ground with a crisp sound, wines and desserts, fruits and vegetables, were scattered all over the ground.

 

Wen Zheng knitted his brows, and Xia Zongqi immediately stood up.

 

“Sorry, Mr. Wen, I didn’t expect such an accident to disturb your mood, I’ll go see what’s going on.”

 

Wen Zheng also followed and walked over, Xia Zongqi’s voice was tinged with anger, “What’s going on?”

 

Surrounded in the middle was a clean-looking youth, and a middle-aged man in a suit.

 

 

“Sorry, this person keeps pestering me, I can’t get rid of ……”

 

“You’re talking nonsense.” The youth’s face was red for a while, obviously angry and a bit ashamed. “That’s not true, he was the one who pestered me and tried to force me, and I bumped into the table in order to break away from him.”

 

“Heh. Wearing such cheap clothes to this kind of reception, your meaning can be seen by the discerning eye.” The middle-aged man snickered.

 

“I’m not.” The youth hurriedly argued, and when he saw the crowd looking at him with contemptuous gazes, he couldn’t help but panic. “I’m an artist, this man said he was a director and thought I wasn’t bad, he said he wanted to give me an audition.”

 

“I just believed it, then I realized something was wrong when he made a move on me. What I said is true, he gave me his business card.”

 

The youth hastily fished out a business card from his pocket and handed it to the crowd to read.

 

“If I was the one who pestered him, how come his business card is on me?”

 

Wen Zheng’s brows knitted as his gaze fell on the business card.

 

— Jiang Zhengqin.

 

Very well.

 

The fact that he disturbed him wasn’t enough, but he forced others to take a backward step, what a scum.

 

Wen Zheng sneered in his heart. In front of the crowd, he returned Jiang Zhengqin’s slandering words to him intact.

 

“Then you appeared here wearing such a cheap suit… what is your purpose?”

 

 

---