"What kind of work do you do, Miss Ji?" Old Madam asked tentatively.
Ji Nian just wanted to leave quickly, but she still had to be polite to the villainous family members. With a smile she said, "I debuted two years ago. Right now I'm just shooting shows and singing songs."
Old Madam understood. She looked the young and beautiful woman up and down. At her young age, not going to school but becoming a little star was also normal.
"We were just about to go back and have dinner. Would Miss Ji like to join us?" Pei Yuchen asked with a smile.
"No need!" Ji Nian refused. Then she felt like her reaction was too obvious, and she quickly smiled awkwardly, "I have a lot of work lately. Next I still have to read the script."
Amusement flashed in Pei Yuchen's eyes. He was actually very curious about this woman, how did she know he was a doctor?
"Miss Ji, last time you told me your name is Ji Nian?" Pei Yuchen asked with a smile.
Ji Nian didn't react for a moment. She didn't understand why the villain was asking this. Puzzled, she nodded and asked, "Yes, what's up?"
She saw a flash of obscure deeper meaning in the man's smiling eyes. He laughed, "Nothing, I just think the name Ji Nian is very special."
Ji Nian didn't understand what nonsense the villain was up to. Her eyes flashed a hint of caution, and she said drily, "Dr. Pei, then I'll...go get busy now."
Seeing her about to slip away again, and his grandmother was also present, Pei Yuchen decided not to tease her. He nodded and said, "Alright."
Hearing his reply, this was the first time Ji Nian felt this villain was easy to get along with. She had thought he would make it so she couldn't get away again like last time.
"Goodbye." The corners of Ji Nian's mouth turned up in a smile. As soon as she finished speaking she hurried away, afraid this man would call out to her again.
Watching the woman's fleeing figure, Pei Yuchen laughed out loud. He suddenly remembered the information he had casually searched online - this woman should be called Ji Xiaonian.
Old Madam looked at her precious grandson, surprise flashing in her eyes. She asked, "Usually you can't be bothered with those women, but you pay special attention to this young girl."
Pei Yuchen held the old woman's hand and laughed. "Wasn't Grandma urging me to find a girlfriend just now?"
"You like her?" Shock flashed in Old Madam's eyes, then her face immediately darkened. "That won't do," she said.
Hearing these words, a layer of coldness crept over Pei Yuchen's gentle smile. He didn't speak, just carefully supported the elderly woman as they walked forward.
"It's not that Grandma doesn't support you, but this kind of thing requires similar family backgrounds. This little star didn't go to school and her family circumstances aren't good either. The gap is too big. If she gets close to you, I'm afraid she has ulterior motives," Old Madam explained, afraid her precious grandson would get angry.
"If Grandma cares so much about family backgrounds, then why did she still let my mother into our family," Pei Yuchen asked with a smile.
Old Madam was stunned. She knew the "mother" he was referring to was that woman who had intruded on their family.
"I..." Old Madam's face instantly looked much older, and she said bitterly, "Chenchen, Grandpa and Grandma have wronged you."
"I'm planning to take over the company's work in a couple days," Pei Yuchen said indifferently.
Old Madam was stunned for a moment, then her face showed gratification. "Very good, that's asking a lot of you," she said.
"I'm the only son in the family. Since Father wanted me to inherit the company, then I'll go," Pei Yuchen said, his tone detached.
Old Madam didn't say anything more. Seeing they had arrived home, she changed the subject with a smile. "I'll have the housekeeper auntie cook you soup. Try it later."
A faint smile crossed Pei Yuchen's face. "Alright, thanks Grandma," he answered.
Ji Nian had just returned to the villa after working up a sweat. After showering, she sat down on the living room sofa.
Just then she received a message from the landlady, urging her to pay rent.
Ji Nian suddenly remembered that she hadn't been back to the farmhouse she was renting on the outskirts of Beijing for a long time. She opened up a transfer and sent the landlady money.
Suddenly there was an incoming call. Seeing it was He Yi, Ji Nian figured it must be urging her to lose weight again.
"I know, I just got back from my run," she answered without waiting for the other party to speak.
"That's good," He Yi was busy at the company. "I'm calling about something else," she said.
"What is it?" Ji Nian asked.
"Before when you terminated your contract, the breach penalty from your previous company was 4 million yuan. They're coming to collect now. If you have money on hand, don't give it to Cheng Liran first," He Yi had just received a call from the former company, telling her to help collect.
As soon as Ji Nian heard it was a debt issue, she was stressed. Not only was she unable to properly enjoy transmigrating here, but there were annoying things to deal with every day.
She hadn't resolved the money problem yet, but still had to deal with acting in order to use the female lead's halo to get close to Shen Shuyao. And she had to keep showing up in front of the villain and male lead from time to time. She felt like she was already seeing the end of her life.
"Fine, I know. When I have money, pay back the company debt first," Ji Nian said impatiently.
"OK, I have to get back to work. Remember to think about the script, and exercise every day," He Yi left some worried reminders before suddenly remembering something else. "Oh right, the dating show episode you filmed will air the second half tonight."
Ji Nian leaned back against the sofa and yawned. "I know," she said with a nod.
After hanging up, Ji Nian picked up the script, planning to mutter lines to herself and feel out the acting. She recalled Yu Luobai's lesson, to immerse herself into it and imagine she was the person described in the script.
Soon it was nighttime, and the second half of the dating show began airing, long awaited by the fans online tuning in.
At the start of the show, there was a replay clip from the first half. The scene turned to show the woman skillfully picking up sticks from the ground, borrowing the force of her knees to snap them - by this point the bullet screen comments had also become lively.
"Ji Xiaonian is so down to earth."
"These moves, isn't this standard for rural villages when we were young?"
"I think she's from the countryside."
"Suddenly I don't feel she's as delicate as I thought."
On screen, Ji Nian cleanly and efficiently prepared the ingredients, killing and brining the fish. Shen Shuyao brought over the peeled garlic and sliced ginger she had cut up.
"What to do, our honey Shuyao is so cute, obediently sitting to the side."
"The eternal gods of the Studying Books CP, this is too good a pairing."
"I can't stand it, it's as if I'm seeing their married life."
"Married life? What an interesting way to put it..."
"Ji Xiaonian looks cool and glamorous but unexpectedly does things very down-to-earth."
On screen, seeing her skilled appearance, Shen Shuyao was stunned over and over. She opened her mouth and asked, "It seems like you're...quite experienced..."
"When I was little, at my grandparents' place in the countryside, the kitchen was like this too, and the environment was even worse. Sometimes I did all the cooking," Ji Nian answered with a laugh.
The online fans also left many bullet screen comments after hearing this.
"I guessed that already."
"Very straightforward to openly admit it, I suddenly like her a lot more."
"You can tell with her skilled appearance that she often does physical work."
"What good is a pretty face? She's still just some country bumpkin."
"Poster above, what do you have against the countryside? What did rural areas ever do to offend you?"
"Yeah, what's wrong with people from the countryside?"
"Those antis need to just watch the show and not discriminate."
