Chapter 166 Returning Home

"Since 'money power' is effective, can I speed it up?"

Chen Xingzhi enunciated each word very lightly and slowly, as if afraid of scaring away the sunlight in the air. His slightly trembling ending tone seemed to conceal some emotion that was about to burst, carrying a unique attraction that Ren Limeng could hardly resist.

She is indeed a slave worker who can be easily bought off with just money!

It's normal to bow down to Shen Xingzhi's "money power"!

It’s not shameful for workers to be greedy for money!

Ren Limeng kept reminding herself, she took deep breaths secretly, trying to convince herself to ignore the thundering heartbeat at the moment and rationalize all her abnormalities.

But ever since he said "host" last night, she seemed unable to concentrate on hosting.

"...you...what do you think?"

Ren Limeng forced herself to raise her chin, she raised her hand to tidy up her not-so-messy hair, and pressed her lips into a restrained arc. She couldn't help but avoid looking away, but suddenly noticed Shen Xingzhi's red earlobe, which was particularly conspicuous against the cold white skin on his side face.

Suddenly, she felt at ease.

Ren Limeng suddenly pursed her lips and smiled softly, her dimples filled with sweetness that had not yet overflowed. Her eyebrows, which were gently curved into crescents, finally regained some composure, and she looked into Shen Xingzhi's pair of black eyes again.

"Senior Xingzhi, it's only the first day, and you want to take shortcuts?"

Ren Limeng's eyes fell to the side of Shen Xingzhi. The two people following him a few steps away made Shen Xingzhi's words roll in his throat. In the end, Shen Xingzhi just smiled lightly and looked deeply into Ren Limeng's eyes. There were too many words in the intersecting gazes that only they could understand.

At the same time, Shen Xingzhi and Ren Limeng turned on their recording microphones at the same time, and continued to record in front of the camera as if nothing had happened. Only a few minutes later, the phone suddenly vibrated, reminding Ren Limeng that the episode just now had really happened.

Perhaps, there are also the red earlobes in the sunlight.

Ren Limeng's eyes swept to Chen Xingzhi behind her. At this moment, in the corridor less than two people's width at the door of her house, she slightly turned sideways when turning the corner, and could clearly see Chen Xingzhi's red earlobe just one step away. She couldn't help but tease him, and it also invisibly dispelled some of the uneasiness of being close to home.

"Brother Xingzhi, this isn't a meeting with the parents, why are you so nervous?"

Ren Limeng suddenly stopped and turned to look at Chen Xingzhi with a smile, who was standing on the next step with his hands full of fruits. Due to the height of the step, Ren Limeng was finally able to look Chen Xingzhi straight in the eye.

Chen Xingzhi's usually cold eyes seemed to be filled with more warmth at such a close distance. At least, in the moment of looking at each other, Ren Limeng had to work very hard to rely on her years of professionalism to suppress the upturned corners of her mouth.

"Not nervous."

Chen Xingzhi's face was tense, his voice was as cold as ever. In the narrow stairwell, the slightly hoarse echo from just a few feet away was particularly alluring, making Ren Limeng's eyes brighter.

It was like seeing a cute and arrogant cat with its head held high; her instinct was uncontrollable to tease it.

"Then...why is your breathing so disordered?"

When the question came to her lips, Ren Limeng suddenly didn't want to point out the strangeness of Shen Xingzhi's earlobe. She changed the subject and asked doubts righteously as if she was lying with her eyes open, and a barely perceptible playfulness flashed in her eyes as she stared at Shen Xingzhi.

The next second, Shen Xingzhi had already turned his head slightly to avoid Ren Limeng's sight. He had a stern face and wanted to walk up, as if he didn't hear the question raised by Ren Limeng with a smile.

"Which floor is your house on? Haven't you arrived yet? Uncle and auntie must be waiting anxiously."

Chen Xingzhi's low voice seemed calm as usual, but Ren Limeng would not ignore his trembling eyelashes, rolling Adam's apple, and suddenly stiff back.

"It's the top floor, Brother Xingzhi, you need to exercise more. It's only the third floor, there's no way you can't lift it!"

"Ren Limeng!"

"What's wrong? Brother Xingzhi, you're not angry or embarrassed, are you?"

A clear female voice filled with laughter echoed in the empty corridor, and Shen Xingzhi felt that he was unknowingly surrounded by Ren Limeng's lively smile.

Just like many years ago, in the corridor of the teaching building after the club meeting, Ren Limeng skipped beside him, chasing him to ask questions related to the host. While asking questions, she couldn't help but insert her own selfish thoughts, secretly and obviously inquiring about his schedule and preferences.

Her sparkling eyes seemed to think that she had hidden the problem very well, but only he knew that behind the helpless "Ren Limeng" at certain moments, there was so much indulgence that he himself had not even noticed, just like the unconscious curl of the corners of her mouth at this moment, which made him helpless and happy.

Ren Limeng's good mood only lasted until she reached the stairs on the 6th floor. After turning the corner, the identical stairs appeared before her eyes with a familiarity in her memory.

The corners of the mottled security door were still covered with colorful stickers that had been pasted there when I was a child. There were many familiar-looking shoes in the neatly arranged shoe cabinet at the door. Even the "Fu"-shaped carpet under the entrance door was still the same as before. Ren Limeng took a deep breath, raised her right fist, and slowly knocked on the door.

"Mom... Happy Birthday!"

Even though she had already sent a blessing message and transferred money on WeChat early in the morning, the moment she saw Wu Murong open the door, Ren Limeng still stood up straight, put on a big smile and said it again happily. She handed the gift box bag and flowers with a string tied to it to Wu Murong.

Wu Murong paused slightly and said "thank you" softly. Her eyes passed Ren Limeng and stared at Shen Xingzhi who was standing quietly behind Ren Limeng, with a hint of inquiry in her eyes.

"Chen Xingzhi? You are welcome to our home. Is it just the two of you?"

"Hello, Auntie, happy birthday to you. It's my first visit, and I'm sorry to bother you and uncle. There are two other guests from the same team, and they will be here with the program crew later. Li Meng and I came up first to see if you and uncle need any help."

Shen Xingzhi handed over the fruit in his hand with both hands and spoke politely. Noticing that Ren Limeng did not answer Wu Murong's question, he took the shoe covers that Ren Limeng handed over with lowered eyes and explained.

"Li Meng is back, Xingzhi? Hello! You guys can just sit there and play for a while. I'm in the kitchen. The steamed dishes are ready. We'll chat later. Sit wherever you want. Li Meng, remember to take care of Xingzhi."

Following the sound, Ren Shunan poked his head out of the kitchen, greeted Shen Xingzhi with a smile, and went back into the kitchen to get busy.

Upon hearing her father's arrangement, Ren Limeng didn't react at all. Her eyes were still on the cabinet at the entrance. Her exquisitely wrapped gifts and the fruit boxes brought by Shen Xingzhi were casually piled there by Wu Murong, as if they were dispensable and she didn't care at all.

Just like when she walked in, her mother's cold attitude was right in front of her and she couldn't ignore it.

"Excuse me, auntie and uncle. Auntie, your performance last night was so wonderful that everyone was still reluctant to leave after the show..."

Chen Xingzhi sat on the sofa, turned his head to look at Ren Limeng who was silent beside him, and then looked at Wu Murong who was sitting on the single sofa on the other side. Finally, he found a topic and chatted with Wu Murong politely and solemnly.

Wu Murong had a faint smile on her face when she looked at Chen Xing, but her expression returned to being expressionless when she looked at Ren Limeng.

Ren Limeng looked at Wu Murong, then at Chen Xingzhi. She pursed her lips and listened quietly to their conversation. She raised her head and leaned behind her, trying to relax and not look bored.

"Sit properly and sit properly."

Wu Murong frowned and stared at Ren Limeng's actions. Her slightly stern tone made Shen Xingzhi pause slightly while introducing the performance of "Couple Watching Lanterns". He also turned his head to look at Ren Limeng, and calmly handed the pillow on his left to Ren Limeng's waist.

"Um."

Ren Limeng responded perfunctorily. She took a deep breath, and the smile returned to her face. She put on the dignified demeanor she had at work, and the joy she had when she returned home was gone.

"I remember that you and Li Meng were college alumni?"

"Yes, Auntie, have you watched the show? We are in the same club and have hosted many events together."

"Old Ren saw it, and I took a few glances at it."

Wu Murong spoke somewhat unnaturally. Then, remembering something, she tilted her head to look at Ren Limeng, her brows furrowed even tighter. "Why did you choose to adapt the Peking Opera 'Su San Qi Jie' for your debut performance of 'Yu Tang Chun'? Is Huangmei Opera really that unworthy of the stage?"

Even in front of an "outsider" like Shen Xingzhi, Wu Murong still asked relentlessly. Ren Limeng could hear the confusion in her mother's tone. She subconsciously wanted to explain that this was a suggestion from the production team, but out of the corner of her eye she remembered the costumes in the gift box. In the end, she just chuckled and replied, "You're overthinking it. I just want to perform."

The casual tone made Wu Murong's face obviously become ugly, and the atmosphere suddenly became heavy. Shen Xingzhi felt the silent tension between the mother and daughter, and sighed in his heart, but on the surface he just explained more for Ren Limeng.

"Li Meng was a temporary helper before her first stage performance. The production team of "Shan Hai" must have restricted her in many things. Peking opera is relatively more popular. I guess the production team did not give Li Meng the opportunity to choose."

"Your show... is really trying too hard to cater to the public. On Wednesday in Fan County, I felt you were too utilitarian. So many people went to see the show just to see it, and the audience couldn't calm down. This kind of grandstanding is not good. It's really not good."

Wu Murong retracted her gaze, looked at Shen Xingzhi and shook her head. Shen Xingzhi nodded slightly and followed Wu Murong and said, "Yes, your consideration makes sense..."

"That's what everyone thinks. Huangmei Opera has only been able to stay in Meishi for so many years. Since Meixiang chose to collaborate with the 'Shanhai' program this time, shouldn't you have done your homework in advance? You've already participated in the recording, so what's wrong with that?"

Ren Limeng could feel Chen Xingzhi's deliberate obedience. She frowned slightly, glanced at Chen Xingzhi, and after enduring it again and again, she couldn't help but interrupt.

Ren Limeng leaned forward slightly as she spoke. She looked at her mother seriously and calmly. Her words were about the program team's choice, but it seemed that they were more than just Huangmei Opera.

Her mother was stubborn in many of her choices and would not tolerate anyone going against her will. However, some things could only be decided by one person, and some people could not always go according to her wishes. All she could do was express her disapproval.

Ren Limeng felt that every word her mother said about the "Shan Hai" program crew was harsh and familiar.