Chapter 131 Drunken Butterfly: A Joyful Dance, Joining the Cast of "Temptation Star"
The plane arrived in Mot City in the evening.
The person who came to pick them up at the airport was Jiang Xiuqi, the eldest son of the Jiang family and the elder brother of Jiang Xiuyuan.
Compared to Chiang Hsiu-yuan's bear-like demeanor, Chiang Hsiu-chi, a lawyer by profession, is more composed and reserved.
He wore a suit, gold-rimmed glasses, and his hair was perfectly styled. He looked upright and aloof, with an air of "keep away."
Even when he saw Song Ying, the height at which he raised his hand to greet her was just right, so as not to wrinkle his clothes or reveal the corner of his white shirt underneath.
“Ah Ying.”
"Big brother!"
"Welcome back to Mo City."
Jiang Xiuqi took the suitcase from Song Ying with one hand and extended his other hand to shake her hand as a courtesy.
"Brother, it's one thing that you're so serious at home, but why are you acting like a robot when you see Sister Ying? People who don't know us will understand that we're family, but people who don't will think you're here to pick up a client. This is the first time you two have met!"
Jiang Xiuyuan couldn't stand seeing his boss like this, and he complained about it every time.
However.
"Stand up straight, sit properly, and get into good position!"
Jiang Xiuqi did not argue, but frowned and reminded Jiang Xiuyuan not to be so irresponsible.
Of the four Chiang brothers, Chiang Hsiu-chi is the most like his grandfather, and they even share the same aura.
So even though Jiang Xiuyuan seemed unwilling, he eventually gave in and stood properly.
"Thank you for making this trip, brother."
Song Ying knew that Jiang Xiuqi wasn't being deliberately distant, so after shaking his hand, she smiled and struck up a conversation.
"No trouble at all, the law firm is free today."
After speaking in a formal tone, Jiang Xiuqi helped Song Ying open the car door.
"Get in the car."
As he spoke, he put the suitcase into the trunk.
Evening is the busiest time of day, and what should have been an hour's journey took almost two hours.
Song Ying called Qin Shu to let him know she was safe, and even took a nap in the car.
There was no other way; Jiang Xiuqi wasn't a talkative person, and Jiang Xiuyuan dared not spout nonsense in front of him, so sleeping along the way was the best way to ease the awkwardness.
-
It was almost 7 p.m. when we arrived at the Jiang family's house.
As soon as she got out of the car, before even entering the villa gate, Song Ying heard a familiar, catchy tune:
"No matter how hard I try, I can't fly out of this colorful world. It turns out you're just a drunken butterfly..."
Jiang Xiuyuan's words echoed in his mind.
"Grandpa now does square dancing every morning and evening..."
"See? I wasn't wrong, was I?"
Jiang Xiuyuan leaned closer and continued to complain, "Sister, let me tell you, you'd better be mentally prepared if you stay at home. For the next two weeks, you'll have to fall asleep to this brainwashing song every day."
Jiang Xiuyuan had been listening to this for over a week before he left.
The square dance competition is still half a month away from ending.
Song Ying silently gave a thumbs up.
...Yes, very strong.
The servants were already waiting at the villa entrance.
While he was still on his way home, his family called him several times to ask why he hadn't arrived yet.
Upon seeing that people had arrived, the servants hurriedly ran back to report to Grandpa Jiang and Grandma Jiang.
The music stopped shortly afterward.
An elderly man dressed in a bright red traditional Chinese jacket jogged over, the sweat on his forehead glistening under the streetlights.
"Ying'er!"
"grandmother!"
Song Ying quickly went to greet her.
The old lady had a full head of white hair, but her face was extremely rosy. She was about to hug Song Ying when she suddenly remembered that she had just worked up a sweat, so she quickly withdrew her hand.
"Look at me, I'm covered in sweat! I'll take a shower later and then I can cuddle my precious grandson properly!"
As they were talking, Old Master Jiang walked up to them.
Wearing the same bright red outfit, in a traditional Chinese style, it looks like a white Tai Chi uniform that has been dyed.
Paired with the old man's large red folding fan, it's both festive and comical.
"Grandpa!"
"My dear grandson!" Old Master Jiang rarely smiled, but he was also taciturn. He opened his mouth, but what came out in the end was a call, "Come on, come on, don't just stand there like an idiot at the door, come home, come home."
-
Mr. Jiang had two sons and one daughter.
The eldest son, Jiang Lansheng, had two more sons, Jiang Xiuqi and Jiang Xiuming.
The second son, Jiang Lanyi, also had two sons, namely Jiang Xiujing and Jiang Xiuyuan.
Jiang Lan'an married Song Huaiyan and had only one daughter, Song Ying.
All things considered, the previous generation only had one daughter, Jiang Lan'an, and this generation, including all the grandchildren, still has only one son, Song Ying.
Although Song Ying only lived in the Jiang family for three years, it did not prevent the entire Jiang family from liking her.
For example, the room she lived in many years ago has been kept for her all these years.
The interior layout hasn't changed much, but it's spotless, and even the bedding has been freshly aired and smells of sunshine.
"I'll put your suitcase here. Remember to come down for dinner later."
Jiang Xiuqi placed his suitcase at the door without stepping into Song Ying's room.
"Thank you, brother. I'll be there in a bit."
Grandpa Jiang and Grandma Jiang worked up a sweat dancing, so they went to take a shower and change clothes. While they were doing this, Song Ying came upstairs to quickly pack her luggage and changed into some more casual clothes.
When she came downstairs, the old man had already changed his clothes and greeted her.
"Come here, girl!"
Song Ying quickly stepped forward, sat down next to Grandpa Jiang, and took out the knee pads that Jiang Lan'an had sewn by hand.
"Grandpa, I miss you so much! Mom said your legs ache whenever it rains, so she specially asked me to bring this over. She sewed it by hand. Wearing it on rainy days will make your legs feel much better!"
Grandpa Jiang's leg had been injured before. Although it had healed a lot and no longer affected his walking or exercise, it would still hurt on rainy days.
When Jiang Lan'an entered the entertainment industry, he had some conflicts with his family.
After Song Ying was born, the relationship between the father and daughter truly improved.
Both of them are strong-willed and never good at admitting defeat or saying nice things, so they are always stubborn, but their actions are full of concern.
"Okay, I'll take it. Please thank your mom for me when you get back."
"We're family, no need for thanks."
As she spoke, the old lady finished getting ready and came out. Song Ying then took out a gift for the old lady.
The things for the rest of the family were all in the car, which Jiang Xiuyuan was responsible for bringing in.
From my maternal uncles to my cousins.
After a round of circling around, dinner was ready.
"Speaking of which, it's been almost two years since Aying last came to Mocheng, hasn't it?"
At the dinner table, the old lady kept putting food on Song Ying's plate, saying, "The kitchen made your favorite dishes tonight. I don't know if your tastes have changed."
"Also, I heard from those old ladies that you celebrities don't eat much these days. How can that be? You still need to eat properly!"
"Your mother always ate well when she was a big star, so you mustn't starve yourself. Look how thin you are, come on, eat more!"
There's a kind of thinness that only your family thinks you're thin.
The plate in front of Song Ying was quickly filled.
Actually, she was of average build and ate quite a lot.
But because she is tall and has a small frame, she doesn't look fat at all; in fact, she looks rather thin.
This is why other female celebrities strictly control their calorie intake, while she can eat whatever she wants under Qin Shu's care.
But the old lady still took too much food, and soon her plate was piled high with it.
Song Ying thanked her, then stopped the old lady, "Grandma, there's no room left. Don't just focus on me, eat some too."
As she spoke, Song Ying placed some celery into the old lady's bowl.
"You have high blood pressure, eat more of this to lower your blood pressure."
The long separation did not affect the relationship between the grandfather and grandson; on the contrary, they were even closer than before.
After dinner, the family was sitting and chatting when the maid came up to remind the old lady.
"Madam, your dance partners have arrived. They say it's time for dance practice."
Upon hearing this, the old lady slapped her thigh and said in annoyance.
"Oh dear, how could I forget about that! I clearly remembered this morning that I was going to tell them not to come tonight, but then I got distracted and completely forgot about it..."
"Shall I go and tell them to go home first and come back tomorrow?" the maid asked.
"Okay, Aunt Zhang, go and tell everyone that something came up at home today and my husband and I can't get away. Oh, and take all the seafood that was delivered at noon and distribute it to everyone. It's kind of them to make the trip for nothing."
The old lady was actually afraid of neglecting her granddaughter.
However.
"Since we're already here, it wouldn't be right to send them back."
Song Ying took over and looked at the old lady, "Xiu Yuan told me on the way that you are about to participate in the competition, and everyone must be anxious! Grandma, don't let me affect your training. Anyway, I'll be here during this time."
When she visited the Jiang family before, her maternal grandparents were already training, which shows how much they valued this competition.
Chatting can happen anytime, especially since she'll be staying at the Jiang family's house for more than half a month, but the competition waits for no one.
Since Song Ying herself had said so, the old lady naturally couldn't be coy anymore.
The elderly couple were both easygoing people, so they went back to their room to change into their training clothes and invited Song Ying to watch them dance.
-
Behind the villa is the Jiang family's private golf course, where everyone usually practices dancing. The ground is flat and soft underfoot, and there is also a huge mobile screen for easy practice.
Song Ying originally wanted to keep a low profile and quietly watch from the sidelines.
As a result, the old lady, as if showing off a treasure, insisted on dragging her to introduce her to her old friends.
"Juan'er, this is my granddaughter, Song Ying, whom I told you about last time! The dance video you showed us last time, that's her dancing!"
Song Ying: ...? A dance video?
Before Song Ying could react, she was surrounded by a group of middle-aged women who were extremely curious about her.
"So this is Ying! My granddaughter really likes you! She plays your songs all the time at home!"
"Look at her! Oh my, she's so beautiful! Like a fairy from heaven, even more beautiful than on TV!"
"Girl, you did such a good slap dance before! It made even this old man want to dance along!"
Upon hearing this, some people nearby burst into laughter.
"That kind of dance is no good for my old bones. If I dance it, I'll end up in the hospital! Even if I were twenty or thirty years younger, it would still be a long shot."
Song Ying then realized that the group of aunties and grandmothers were talking about the palm dance in the poem "Que Ge".
So she greeted everyone humbly.
Younger women are called "sister," and older women are called "auntie."
Everyone burst into laughter at her words.
"Look at this little girl, her mouth is as sweet as honey. I'm about the same age as your grandma! Just call me Grandma Juan."
"I blushed when I heard this. Okay, call her auntie, or these old ladies will laugh at me to death."
Song Ying wasn't unaware of his age; she called him that simply to be pleasing. Since everyone said so, she naturally went along with it.
But because she was so lovable, the bystanders' dream was shattered, and Grandma Juan pulled her to jump along.
“My husband has something to do today and can’t get away. Ying, come and dance with Grandma. Grandma will teach you! Don’t be afraid you can’t learn it, it’s very simple.”
Song Ying: ……
Thanks for the invitation. I'm on the lawn, and I've already joined the senior citizens' square dance group.
As a form of mass fitness dance, square dancing is not difficult; it consists of basic choreography and combinations.
Song Ying started learning to dance in elementary school, and she was already very good at it after only one or two attempts.
In addition, her figure and posture are superb, which makes her dance a down-to-earth dance with a kind of ethereal lightness and grace.
"Young people dance so differently! They're much better at it than us!"
"Ying, you learn so fast! No wonder your grandparents always praise you! I think you're much better than they say."
"They're married, otherwise I'd like to introduce you to my grandson! If I had such a wonderful granddaughter-in-law, I'd be laughing in my sleep!"
"Ying's husband, that young man named Qin Shu, is very handsome! They are a perfect match. I think you can only dream about it for the rest of your life."
They're all old friends who've been dancing together for a long time, so they can talk and joke around without any reservations.
As Song Ying mingled among them, she suddenly understood why her grandmother liked being with these people.
The Jiang family is a powerful and influential family in Mo City.
Logically speaking, she shouldn't have much contact with these ordinary old men and women. Even if the old lady does have a close friend, she should most likely be someone from the upper class of Mo City.
Having witnessed the elite circles of the capital, Song Ying realized that a person's character and upbringing have no direct relation to their background, family history, or even education.
Even top students from prestigious universities can maliciously fabricate stories about female students and spread obscene rumors.
Even wealthy heiresses and actresses with numerous works can disregard the law for their own selfish desires.
The elderly people who live simple lives may have ordinary family backgrounds, but their love for life and their enthusiasm for people are the most beautiful qualities that are not affected by family background or money.
The two-hour training session ended quickly, and Song Ying casually asked a question while chatting with everyone.
"Have we always learned this dance by following instructional videos? Is there a specific piece for the competition, or does it have to be exactly the same as in the video? Have the grandmothers looked into the situation of the other participating teams?"
"The song selection is from eight designated songs, and dancing doesn't matter. There are different dance versions online, so just choose the one that suits you. There are a total of thirty-five participating teams in Mo City. I heard from my sister that they are practicing over there too!"
Upon hearing this, Song Ying pondered for a moment.
"With 35 participating teams and 8 songs, even with numerous dance versions, there's still a high chance of them clashing, right?"
"Exactly! We had five moves that overlapped with ours, and ten pieces of music that overlapped with ours! That's why your grandpa even invited the teacher who recorded the video over to give us on-site guidance! The teacher even corrected a few moves for us, those most difficult moves, which are unique to us and not found in other teams!"
One of the older women mentioned this with some pride.
This is their team's trump card!
"Is it these few moves?" Song Ying jumped up and performed those moves on the spot.
"Yes, yes, those are the ones. The teacher said that if we can stand out, we'll definitely impress the judges!"
However, Song Ying frowned.
"Grandmas, I have a suggestion, though it might be immature. Would you like to hear it and see if it's feasible?"
Song Ying spoke tactfully, and the old ladies immediately stepped forward—as for the old men, they all stood on the periphery, waiting for the old ladies to make arrangements.
"Ying, you tell me."
"Yes, please give us any good suggestions so we can improve."
Song Ying raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead and said, "We have ten songs and five dances that we have with other people. Although we have made some changes and adjustments to individual movements, the overall changes are not significant."
"With 35 teams and each team having five minutes, that's equivalent to nearly three hours in total. Under these circumstances, it's difficult for the judges to concentrate, and they may not even notice the changes we made to our movements."
"So I was thinking, could we make some more adjustments to the current choreography? And I just noticed that some of the grandparents are not very familiar with these more difficult moves and are prone to tripping. If something goes wrong on stage, putting aside the competition outcome, the safety hazard is a major problem."
The tripping stunts have actually been noticed by everyone during the past few days of training.
"Yeah, that cross step, I've practiced it for so long but I just can't get the position right."
"My husband keeps stepping on my feet. His left and right feet are like they don't obey him at all. It makes me so angry that I want to hit him!"
None of them are professional dancers, so it's definitely going to be difficult.
But everyone was going all out to win.
With two weeks until the competition, more practice will definitely help me get the hang of it.
But if we make even more adjustments as Song Ying suggested, two weeks might not be enough...
After all, with their old arms and legs, it took them two weeks to get the movements barely in sync, even with practice every morning and evening.
Being grateful for Song Ying's enthusiasm is one thing, but the actual difficulty of implementation is another.
“Ying, what you said is true, but everyone has been practicing this set of movements for a long time. If we change it again now, what if they are not used to it? Wouldn’t all our previous efforts be wasted?”
"Yeah, I finally managed to remember this old trick..."
"Grandma Juan, Grandma Zhou, I've considered your concerns. If you trust me, then leave this to me—it's just that I have to film during the day tomorrow, so I won't be free until the evening. I'll demonstrate the revised version for you then. If you think it's okay, then we'll follow the revised version. If you don't think it's good, then we'll continue practicing with the current version. What do you think?"
Before anyone could respond, the old lady of the Jiang family cast her vote of approval for her granddaughter.
"I think it's a good idea! Ah Ying, you've been learning dance since elementary school, so Grandma will trust the moves you've revised!"
After saying that, the old lady looked at her other elderly friends.
"Let Ying try it first. If it doesn't work, we can continue practicing as we are now. There's no harm in it, right?"
"That's right, that's right, I think it's great!"
Grandpa Jiang had a "me too" expression on his face.
However, the elderly women still had concerns.
The current set of movements was modified by the square dance teacher.
Although Song Ying is a good dancer, she doesn't usually do square dancing.
Take the palm dance for example. It looks beautiful, but the difficulty of the movements is something that not everyone can do.
That's what they say now, but if the final version is changed, it will be even more difficult than it is now. The girl meant well, and they can't bear to reject her. What will happen if they end up in a difficult position for both sides?
They said they could continue dancing as they were doing, but since they were using the Jiang family's venue, they ultimately rejected Song Ying's participation. They knew they'd see each other all the time, and they felt bad that the young girl was upset…
After a moment of silence, everyone looked at each other, and finally Grandma Juan was the first to agree.
"Let's trust Ying this once. My husband has told me several times that he always makes mistakes with the movements the teacher corrected. I'm afraid he'll hold everyone back in the future. Let's see what Ying can do to improve them first."
Seeing this, the others also decided to go all out.
They were all people with grandchildren, and looking at Song Ying was like looking at their own granddaughter. If they remained silent, it would probably hurt the little girl even more than if they were rejected.
"I think it's a good idea. Ying, it's all up to you! But remember, keep it simple, don't make it too complicated!"
"That slap dance thing, we old folks can't do it, so let's keep it simple!"
How could Song Ying not see what these simple grandmothers were thinking?
He just smiled and said, "Don't worry, everyone, I will definitely be careful."
-
After seeing off the twenty-odd people, Jiang Xiuyuan yawned and stayed behind with Song Ying as they headed towards the villa.
"Sister, why are you getting involved in this? Those old men and women clearly don't believe you. You're doing something thankless and a waste of time and energy. Why bother? You'd be better off getting some more sleep."
"It's not exactly a thankless task, is it?"
Song Ying said, "Putting aside the fact that Grandpa and Grandma obviously want to win—given the current status of the Jiang family, there are very few things that can make them interested and happy. If winning the competition can make them happy, then this time will not be wasted."
"Moreover, those movements are indeed somewhat dangerous. Not only for the elderly, but Grandpa also injured his leg before. Although it has healed, doing these movements too often can seriously damage his leg. Who knows what might happen one day and it would be too late."
"Prevention is better than cure—besides, I already have a plan in mind, so it's just a matter of time."
Jiang Xiuyuan pouted, "You're still the same as ever, your meddlesome nature hasn't changed at all."
"What's wrong? You're starting to look down on me, aren't you?"
Song Ying grabbed Jiang Xiuyuan's ear, and the latter immediately begged for mercy.
"Sister, I was wrong! It wasn't that I was nosy; I was just kind, considerate, beautiful, and generous!"
"That's more like it." Song Ying let go of her hand.
Jiang Xiuyuan remembered something and seized the opportunity.
"By the way, sis, you're filming tomorrow, can I go to the set to watch? I've never seen actors film before!"
"Don't you have anything to do tomorrow?"
"You forgot, it's summer vacation! We're on holiday, okay?"
"I mean, you don't need to go to the company?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiuyuan immediately deflated, but quickly regained his composure and pleaded, "So, sister, could you please tell Grandpa...?"
Nowadays, the Jiang family's company is managed by Song Ying's eldest and second uncles.
Of the four grandchildren, the eldest, Jiang Xiuqi, runs his own law firm, which is highly regarded in the industry. He has already achieved success on his own and naturally has the confidence not to interfere in the group.
The second son, Jiang Xiuming, was hospitalized and is now a promising young talent in the neurology department of the First Hospital of Mocheng. He is so busy that he has no time to take care of things at home.
The third son, Jiang Xiujin, is studying biology and is currently studying at Cambridge. He is also passionate about scientific research and has no interest in business.
Based on this calculation, only Jiang Xiuyuan, who is currently in university with average grades and mediocre talent, can be considered a potential successor to the family business.
If this happened in someone else's home—take the Qin family for example—if it were Qin Zhen, it would be an incredible stroke of luck, something to be secretly thrilled about.
But Jiang Xiuyuan only wanted to live a life of leisure, sponging off his parents and being a lazy bum.
The burden of inheriting the family business was like a meteorite falling from the sky, an absolute hurdle in his life.
Looking at those reports, data, and contract documents every day is harder than getting him to be number one in an exam—I really can't do it!
"Sister, I beg you... Just for the sake of me coming all this way to pick you up, please help me escape this misery, even if it's just for one day!"
-
Song Ying, showing mercy, helped Jiang Xiuyuan out of the way.
For no other reason than someone promised to cover all her shopping expenses during her stay in Mo City.
The next day, on the way to the film set, Jiang Xiuyuan specially combed his hair into a mohawk and hummed a song while driving.
They were laughing and chuckling.
The filming location was Mocheng No. 1 High School. Because Song Ying had informed the director in advance that she would be bringing people with her, she was able to enter the school gate without any hindrance.
Jiang Xiuyuan took a deep breath. "People used to say that Mocheng No.1 High School was full of academic elites, but I didn't smell anything when I tried to smell it."
Of the four Jiang brothers, only Jiang Xiuyuan was a poor student who failed to get into Mocheng No. 1 High School and ended up attending a private school.
Song Ying rolled her eyes at Jiang Xiuyuan, "Don't tell anyone you're my brother later."
I can't afford to lose face like that.
"What if people misunderstand and think I'm your rumored boyfriend? Tomorrow's trending topic will be you dumping Qin Shu and being seen with a handsome, rich young man on set..."
"Take a look?"
Song Ying took a small mirror out of her bag and handed it to her.
Jiang Xiuyuan looked in the mirror, touched his hair which was coated with hair gel, and said, "Pretty handsome!"
Song Ying: "..."
Being stupid sometimes has an advantage; at the very least, it allows you to perfectly avoid being disliked.
The filming of "Temptation Star" is currently taking place on campus, and the entire crew has been filming for almost a week.
Because of the previous casting controversy, Song Ying's filming has been delayed until now.
When I arrived on set, the director was filming a scene between the male and female leads.
The entire venue, including staff and actors waiting to be further divided, had dozens of people.
"Wow, so many people! This is completely different from what I see on TV!"
Jiang Xiuyuan's eyes widened, and he covered his mouth, whispering as if he had just arrived in the city. Then, as if he had thought of something, he said, "What if there are kissing or bed scenes? Wouldn't it be incredibly embarrassing with so many people watching?"
After saying this, Jiang Xiuyuan suddenly looked at Song Ying.
"Sis, do you have any kissing scenes?"
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