Ji Nian blinked innocently after hearing what the man said, wondering if it was implying something about her inner thoughts.
Not dwelling on it too much, she sensed a hint of awkwardness in the air. Ji Nian spoke, "Um... I won't disturb Mr. Ye then. I'll head back..."
Ye Jingzhan's deep eyes scrutinized the pink slippers under the woman's feet. It was rare for a woman to dress like this in front of him. He nodded slightly, acknowledging her words.
Seeing the nod from the male lead, Ji Nian swiftly ran off like avoiding a flood or a fierce beast. Passing by Liu Yi, she whispered, "Assistant Liu, remember to send me the password. Bye."
Observing the woman swiftly escaping like avoiding a catastrophe, Ye Jingzhan's gaze paused for a moment. It seemed like the last time in the office; she couldn't wait to leave then either.
The man beside him, however, showed interest in his eyes, chuckled, and asked, "Do you also have such moments?"
Ye Jingzhan resumed his cold demeanor, calmly inquiring, "When did you return?"
With a helpless expression, the man, his mouth slightly curved, replied, "Just landed last night, contacted you today."
Ye Jingzhan nodded, "Get in the car."
---
Back at the villa, Ji Nian unlocked the gate with the password, strolling slowly to the hall. To her surprise, Yun Auntie was there, seemingly preparing for meals regularly.
On her phone, she received a WeChat message from Shen Shuyao, who mentioned she had just finished a photo shoot at the studio. However, due to high popularity, the company assigned her another script, and she had to leave for the filming location tonight.
Ji Nian: How long will you be shooting?
Shen Shuyao: I don't know. I originally wanted to come back, but this script was a last-minute rescue, so I have to leave in a hurry.
Ji Nian: But if you're not at home, can I still stay here...
Shen Shuyao: Of course! We agreed that you'll stay. Wait for me to return.
Ji Nian: Alright, focus on your work.
Shen Shuyao: Just received a call from Love Life Program. Need to promote on Weibo. Saw your piano video. It's great! I didn't know there was a piano in the villa.
Ji Nian: I stumbled upon it today. If you like, I can teach you when you come back.
Shen Shuyao: Haha, sure, a permanent guest on the hot search.
Ji Nian: I'm on the hot search again?
Shen Shuyao: Yes, (smirking).
Ji Nian checked her Weibo, finding out her recent piano performance video had over 50000 comments in a short time. Opening the app, she was greeted by over 99+ notifications.
Weibo also notified her about a fan's repost of her piano video on Douyin, gaining millions of views and trending in the top three.
"Oh my, is she this beautiful even without makeup?"
"Wow, this piece is even better than 'The Ordinary Road.'"
"Is this another mysterious composition? Who is this musical genius?"
"Even Cheng Liran's ex-girlfriend has some skills."
"Wow, suddenly I feel like this woman not only sings beautifully but also plays the piano like a pro!"
"Trash Ji Xiaonian, get out of the entertainment industry."
"Hey upstairs, did she offend you?"
"Ji Xiaonian isn't even worthy to shine our brother's shoes!"
"Upstairs is just a brainless fan!"
"Am I the only one dying to know who the mystery person is?"
"I'm also curious. This mystery composer's work perfectly aligns with our tastes. Each piece sounds better than the last."
"Ladies, sorry to interrupt, but I officially declare myself as her fan!"
"Count me in!"
"Isn't it strange? This house looks so luxurious. Wasn't Ji Xiaonian supposed to live in a shabby place?"
"I noticed that too. We were so focused on watching her play the piano, and suddenly, the background is this lavish hall."
"Is this all just hype?"
"Maybe she rented the place?"
"Did she pretend to be poor before?"
Ji Nian scrolled through a multitude of comments, unexpectedly finding that the number of people criticizing her had decreased. She chuckled, liking a few compliments and replying to some of the skeptics.
"I wasn't pretending to be poor. I really am in debt. This is a friend's house, and I'm staying here temporarily~"
After replying, she checked her Weibo follower count and was surprised to see it had reached six million. She had become a big influencer, Ji Nian marveled.
If she ever got endorsement deals, she could negotiate decent rates. But unfortunately... no one approached her for ads.
And the money Yulo Bai promised for "The Ordinary Road" hadn't come through yet. She was still in debt. Tonight was her variety show debut; she'd see how it went.
She'd sell a few more songs later, save up enough money, and then retire from the entertainment scene. Wouldn't it be nice to laze around at home every day like a couch potato?
Feeling content, Ji Nian saw that Yun Auntie had already set the table with food. She walked over, smiling. "Yun Auntie, Shi Yao won't be joining us for dinner tonight. She's been busy these days, so I guess it's just me at home."
Yun Auntie looked at the woman with clear eyes and polite speech, finding her quite likable. "Sure thing."
Seeing the dishes on the table, Ji Nian licked her lips and asked, "Can we start eating now?"
Seeing the woman's eager eyes, Yun Auntie couldn't help but find her charming. She smiled and said, "Just finished cooking. Go ahead and dig in."
"Wow, then I'll dig in." Ji Nian sat down, took a bite with her chopsticks, and gave a thumbs up. "Delicious! Thank you for your hard work, Yun Auntie."
Yun Auntie was a bit curious about the woman in front of her. The Ye family was well-known in Kyoto, and which woman wouldn't rack her brains to climb up or find a way to get close?
But this one was different—clear-eyed, polite, and never probing about anything related to the Ye family. She seemed devoid of any ambitions.
"Miss Ji, where do you live?" Yun Auntie asked with a smile. Though she was in charge of household chores, she had been working at the Ye family for twenty years and had earned the respect of the old lady. So, her words carried some weight.
"I, you know, currently reside in a suburban urban village, quite far from here. It takes me three to four hours by subway and bus," Ji Nian replied with a smile as she ate.
Yun Auntie's expression froze for a moment. Did she hear correctly? From this exceptionally beautiful woman, she heard about urban villages, subways, and buses.
"Miss Ji, are you joking?" Yun Auntie asked, with a hint of scrutiny in her eyes.
"What's there to joke about? I and Shuyao are good friends. I was originally living with her, but unexpectedly had to move out at the last minute," Ji Nian said innocently, her large eyes blinking. "She asked me to accompany her for a while, so here I am."
Yun Auntie was indeed surprised. Despite the awkward topic, Ji Nian remained calm, without a trace of embarrassment.
"Miss Ji seems very cheerful," Yun Auntie remarked with a smile.
Though unsure why Yun Auntie praised her, Ji Nian nodded shyly, saying, "It's alright. My personality is different from Shuyao's; she's more reserved."
"That's also good, Miss Ji," Yun Auntie said, with a hint of admiration in her eyes. As someone who frequently attended various banquets serving the old lady, she hadn't seen such a pure-hearted person in a long time.
