"...Your third aunt told me you were in trouble and trending on social media. I almost fainted. How are you now?"
Li Ruan confessed honestly, "Mom, that video looks scary, but I'm actually fine. You can tell from my voice that I just have a few cuts on my arm. I'm really okay."
Hearing this, Ma Hongmei breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good that everything is alright. Then we won't go. The round-trip airfare for three people will cost ten or twenty thousand yuan. That's enough for your brother to pay for a year's tuition."
"Someone is deliberately trying to harm you. Have you found out who it is?"
"How could it be so fast? The police have already been notified, and the entire crew has stopped filming while awaiting investigation."
"I told you long ago that the entertainment industry is not a good place, but you insisted on going in. These past few years, all I've heard about you offending people is that you've offended them."
This time it's even worse, they're going to kill you. If you ask me, you should retire from the industry as soon as your contract expires. There's nothing better than being an actor…”
"Mom, I've made quite a bit of money from two movies in the last two months. I'll cover my brother's school fees from now on. I'll transfer some money to you later. When you have time, why don't you take Dad to buy a house in our county? Doing anything in the city is better than farming every day."
Ma Hongmei's eyes welled up with tears on the other end of the phone. That's how it should be. Her daughter has always been so good to her. The one who was so mean and critical of her before was definitely not her daughter!
"Do you remember the card number? Do you want me to send it to you again?"
Li Ruan smiled so beautifully, this is truly my goddess, "No need, I remember everything."
Perhaps feeling that her daughter was finally normal, Ma Hongmei talked on and on.
"If they find out, can you ask for compensation or something? Don't be silly and refuse it!"
Li Ruan: ...Familiar mom, familiar recipe, familiar taste, all she talks about is money!
Li Ruan could only sincerely reply, "Yes, yes, yes, Mom, you're right."
After hanging up the phone, Li Ruan immediately transferred two million yuan to Comrade Ma Hongmei. She couldn't transfer more; her mother wasn't stupid. She was particularly sensitive to anything related to money, and the housing prices in their hometown were cheap. A little over a million yuan could buy a very nice house. She wouldn't be willing to spend more than that.
After the money was transferred, Jona called.
Li Ruan was afraid of being scolded, so as soon as the call connected, she immediately started to whine: "Sister Na~ I'm in so much pain. I have several cuts on my arm, and my wrist is bleeding. I also had a concussion. I feel nauseous when I talk. Sister Na, when are you coming over? I don't have anyone to take care of me. I'm so pitiful."
Jona was fuming and had a lot to say, but now she had nothing left to say!
"Don't cry, crying will only make you feel worse. I've already booked a plane ticket and I'll fly over to see you right away! You don't need to worry about the rest, I've got you covered!"
Since something like this happened on set, she also needed to talk to Director Ming about compensation, so that her artist wouldn't suffer in vain.
...
Inside a luxury private room at the Longcheng upscale hotel.
Xi Leng never expected that his mother would actually arrange a blind date for him, and the person he was dating was none other than the eldest daughter of the Chen family.
If it weren't for the relationship between the two families, he would have left long ago.
He and Chen Manting grew up together. If they really had feelings for each other, they would have been together long ago. Why would they need someone else to play matchmaker?
He calmly cut his steak, listening half-heartedly to his mother praising Chen Manting, waiting to finish eating and immediately return to the company.
"Ah Leng, did you hear what your mother said? Don't just work all day long. You can't earn all the money in the world."
After lunch, take Manting shopping. She just got back from abroad not long ago, and she doesn't have many friends. Spend some time with her.
Xi Leng immediately lost his appetite. Who was it that whispered in his ear when he was three years old: "Study hard, because you will inherit the family business in the future. The company is your responsibility, and you have to be better than everyone else..."
When his eyes met Chen Manting's, she pointed to her phone.
He picked up his phone and glanced at it. He had received a message sometime earlier: "Brother Xi Leng, it's just an act. Don't upset Aunt Wen. Just agree for now, and we'll part ways once we're out of her sight."
Xi Leng put down his phone, looked at his mother who was smiling gently at Chen Manting, and said coldly, "Fine."
Chen Manting smiled gently at Xi Lengwen: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Xi Leng."
Wen Rong seemed particularly happy because of her son's obedience, and even talked more. "Remember to take Manting to her favorite private restaurant tonight. Don't always have such a long face, it's not endearing at all."
He pursed his lips. His thoughts were pulled back to the past because of his mother's words. It seemed that he had never received a word of praise from his mother, and he would never receive one.
Chen Manting knew a great deal about the Xi family. Upon hearing this, she immediately looked at Xi Leng across from her. Sure enough, his expression was even more unpleasant.
She quickly said, "Aunt Wen, I like Xi Leng's cold and aloof demeanor. Please don't make him change!"
Wen Rong's expression froze for a moment, then returned to normal: "Alright, alright, only you could like him. Otherwise, with his looks, he'd probably be single for life!"
Xi Leng stood up and said to Chen Manting expressionlessly, "Have you finished eating? I'll take you home."
Chen Manting quickly wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Okay, Aunt Wen, we'll be going now."
"Alright, alright, you can go ahead."
Xi Leng lifted his leg and walked away, completely ignoring the changed expression on his good mother's face behind him.
Chen Manting followed him closely as they left the hotel together.
Seeing the man walk faster and faster, Chen Manting quickly called out from behind, "Hey, Xi Leng, you're not going to leave me here, are you? You have to at least pretend to be here!"
Xi Leng did slow down a bit. The driver pulled the car to the door, and he strode inside. Chen Manting quickly followed him into the car.
Where to?
The docile expression she wore in the private room had vanished, replaced by a mocking look on Chen Manting's face. "You're as ruthless as ever. Send me to the grand banquet."
Knowing that Aunt Wen's words in the private room had upset Xi Leng, Chen Manting wisely kept quiet and the car quickly drove to the banquet.
Xi Leng didn't speak again, sitting there like an ice sculpture, eyes closed and silent.
He kept replaying his mother's words in his mind. He was indeed not likable, unlike Xi Ye, who was always like a warm little sun, and wherever he was, there was always laughter.
For some reason, he suddenly thought of Li Ruan's eyes, which always made him feel happy whenever he saw them. Yes, he had to admit that when he was with Li Ruan, it wasn't just her eyes, but her whole being made him feel happy!
Look at him, such a cold and indifferent person, he also likes someone as bright and cheerful as his younger brother. No wonder his parents have always disliked him.
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