Chapter 77
Everyone looked around at the bouquets in each other's arms, their expressions a mixture of amusement and sarcasm.
Xu Shishi looked at Xue Jianxing with mixed feelings: "You actually bought flowers too?"
She thought Xue Jianxing was the one who was most detached from the matter.
Xue Jianxing calmly replied, "How can we not send flowers to Su Su for her performance today?"
The two looked at each other and fell silent.
Gu Chiyan, Cheng Fubai, and Chu Ge stood together.
Gu Chiyan asked Chu Ge, "What kind of flower is this?"
"Desert rose," Chu Ge smiled. "She's a perfect match for Su Su, isn't she?"
Gu Chiyan nodded.
Chu Ge glanced at the flowers in Cheng Fubai's arms and praised, "The color is very beautiful."
Cheng Fubai pushed up his glasses: "I heard this flower is quite popular online recently, and girls like it."
The three spoke calmly, but as they sized each other up, a tacit understanding was brewing beneath the surface.
In the observation room, the observers analyzed the personalities and emotions of the guests based on the bouquets they chose, while the live chat was filled with comments of people enjoying the show.
[Let's fight! Let's fight!]
[I hereby declare that this scene can be used to load classic moments from romance variety shows! Let's call it the Battle of Flowers!]
[Jin Xiao and Ye Yan are so pitiful; they don't even have a ticket to enter the battlefield.]
[That shouldn't be the case. Everyone knows Jin Xiao is a bit dim-witted, but judging from Ye Yan's habit of bringing breakfast, it shouldn't be like this, right?]
[I'm curious about the charity gala Qin Su attended; I've never seen it before. Can't the production team film her there?]
[That's definitely not an option. There are so many people at the gala, and they're all people of status and position. It's impossible to communicate with each of them about appearing on camera.]
Since Qin Su wasn't there, the others didn't bother to stay and put on a show of harmony anymore.
Chu Ge spoke first: "I have to go back to the shop tonight, so I won't be having dinner at the cabin. Don't wait for me."
"I don't need it anymore." Cheng Fubai smiled gently. "A friend invited me to meet."
Gu Chiyan: "Something came up at the company, I need to go back and take care of it."
Jin Xiao was speechless.
So, since Qin Su wasn't home at night, no one came back.
He asked Ye Yan, "Are you going back to the cabin for dinner tonight?"
Ye Yan said, "No, I have something to do tonight."
“Then it’s just the three of us.” Jin Xiao looked at Xu Shishi and Xue Jianxing.
Xu Shishi twirled a strand of hair around in her hand, and said listlessly, "Since Su Su isn't here, it doesn't matter what we eat. Just eat whatever you like."
Xue Jianxing asked, "What about the things we need for the barbecue tomorrow? Should we buy them today?"
Gu Chiyan asked for opinions and finally said, "If you have time, then buy it. If you don't have time, you can buy it tomorrow."
No one had any further questions, so they all dispersed.
The photography crew followed Jin Xiao and the others back to the cabin; the private activities of the others would not be filmed.
Ye Yan found his waiting car, and the driver dutifully opened the door for him.
A bouquet of roses was quietly placed in the back seat of the car, filling the interior with fragrance.
Ye Yan stared at it for a few seconds, then said to the driver, "Let's go to the banquet."
***
Qin Su arrived in this world already in the small house where the variety show was being filmed, and didn't have much time to go home afterward.
Today is the first time I've met the original owner's family member, who is also the founder and current boss of Mudan Foods—Shi Mudan.
Rumors often circulated that this self-made female CEO, who built her food empire from scratch, had a violent temper. Qin Su didn't know how true these rumors were, but she could sense that the woman was very gentle with her daughter.
Shi Mudan and Qin Su had just met when Shi Mudan went up to her and gave her a hug.
"Susu, it's been more than two months since I last saw you. I heard you're participating in some variety show. Is everything going well?"
Qin Su quickly sized up the other person, then smiled calmly and said, "Everything went smoothly."
Based on the timeline, Shi Mudan should be around 47 or 48 years old this year, but perhaps due to good maintenance, she looks very young, as if she has just turned 30.
With chestnut-brown curly hair, exquisite makeup, and no wrinkles on her face or neck, she wore a black evening gown and held Qin Su's wrist, speaking softly and slowly.
"Is summer vacation already on? What are your plans? If you want to travel or buy anything, you can tell me."
Qin Su answered truthfully: "The exam just ended today, and I still need to record a program for a while, so I don't have any other plans for the time being."
Shi Mudan then remembered to ask, "What variety show did you participate in?"
Qin Su: "Dating reality show."
Shi Mudan paused for a moment, then suddenly looked her up and down.
"Are you at the point where you should be participating in a dating reality show?"
She seemed a little dazed and pressed for more information: "What year are you in now? How many more years until you graduate?"
"I'm a sophomore now," Qin Su said. "I should be looking for an internship by this time next year."
Shi Mudan said with a sense of loss, "You're already a sophomore..."
She has been too busy all these years and has had no time to take care of her only daughter. Only now does she realize how quickly time flies and how little care and attention she has given to her child in the past.
"Do you have someone you like on the show?" Shi Mudan lowered her voice and said openly, "It's good to have a few relationships before graduation, don't worry that I won't agree."
"Only by getting to know and adapt to different types of people can you find out which type is more suitable for you."
"But don't prepare for marriage too early, just focus on dating."
Shi Mudan had no objection to her daughter dating, but she was unwilling to actually marry her off.
When Qin Su discussed relationship issues with her elders, she showed no hesitation and said frankly, "Don't worry, I will."
The two hadn't seen each other for a long time, and neither of them were particularly outgoing or enthusiastic, so that was about all they could talk about.
Shi Mudan didn't know what else to talk about with her daughter for a moment. After a pause, she asked, "Do you have enough money?"
"It's enough." Qin Su noticed her hesitation and offered, "I'll be starting my internship around this time next year. How about I get some experience at our family's branch office?"
Shi Mudan was quite surprised.
Peony Foods is a family business, and she had certainly considered having her only daughter inherit the business a long time ago, but Qin Su had previously been very opposed to this arrangement, so she had not brought it up again.
Hearing Qin Su say this, she was still a little incredulous and asked, "Are you serious?"
Qin Su smiled and said, "Of course."
Shi Mudan was genuinely pleasantly surprised. She felt that the relationship between mother and daughter had instantly become much closer. She took Qin Su's arm and told her about the company's situation.
Qin Su listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with a comment at crucial points, the content of which perfectly aligned with Shi Mudan's thoughts.
Shi Mudan's eyes lit up when she saw her, and she repeatedly praised her for her business acumen.
Unfortunately, the charity gala arranged Shi Mudan's seat very close to the front, preventing Qin Su from continuing to speak next to her.
"I can't spend much more time with you tonight either." Shi Mudan held Qin Su's hand and sighed regretfully, "I have to fly abroad after the party."
Qin Su comforted her, saying, "There will be time later. Maybe I can go on a business trip with you again in a few years when I have a job."
Shi Mudan laughed and said, "Hurry up, I've been looking forward to that day for so long."
The auction is about to begin, and everyone is looking for their seats.
The lighting on stage gradually dimmed, with blue lights turning on one after another, and the host could be vaguely seen waiting in the wings beside the stage.
As Shi Mudan let go of Qin Su's hand and prepared to walk to the front row, she suddenly turned around and looked at Qin Su again.
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