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"Legal wife."
Ning Yuxuan and Yuan Shu were enjoying the cool shade under the tree.
Upon seeing the two, Manager Wang immediately strode forward: "Ms. Ning, how long have you been here?"
Ning Yuxuan remembered this Manager Wang; she had met him when she came to this hotel with her mother last time.
She didn't have a good impression of this person at the time because she asked him about several hotel performance-related data points, and this Manager Wang couldn't answer any of them.
"About ten minutes." Ning Yuxuan glanced at her phone. "I spent the first five minutes negotiating with that security guard, and the last five minutes thinking about how to prove that I am my mother's daughter."
Manager Wang's smile froze for two seconds.
"It's all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!" Manager Wang chuckled awkwardly. "Didn't I come to pick you up personally?"
The security guard, following behind Manager Wang, was dumbfounded and stammered, "You...you really are the boss's..."
Manager Wang glared at him and said, "Shut up, you have no right to speak here!"
Then he said to Ning Yuxuan, "Miss Ning, Huayuan recently opened four new stores, which has led to a shortage of manpower and uneven quality among the employees. Don't worry, you will definitely not see him again after today."
The security guard's expression was worse than crying. He had only been there for three days, and he was fired just like that?
Offending the boss's daughter is indirectly offending the boss.
Seeing that there was no way to resolve the situation, the security guard decided to go all out: "Ms. Ning, I want to report Manager Wang!"
Manager Wang almost lost control of his expression, turning his head and glaring: "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Ning Yuxuan looked at the security guard: "What do you want to report?"
Security guard: "Manager Wang is in charge of recruiting all the employees for this store, but I've heard that quite a few people have come to work without going through the formal recruitment process. I've also heard—"
"Enough!" Manager Wang said sternly, "Don't try to shift the blame onto me just because you're about to be fired for making a mistake!"
Security guard: "It's because you're dishonest and take kickbacks!"
Before the security guard could continue making outrageous remarks, Manager Wang picked up a walkie-talkie and called someone to come and drive the man away.
After everyone left, Manager Wang smiled obsequiously at Ning Yuxuan and said, "Miss Ning, don't listen to that man's nonsense. He's just trying to get revenge."
Ning Yuxuan observed Manager Wang discreetly until he became visibly uncomfortable, then she hummed in agreement: "I know, you're a long-time employee here, I trust you."
Manager Wang breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, I almost got dragged into this mess without realizing it.
Fortunately, although his new boss seemed quite clever, he was actually still young and easy to fool.
Manager Wang led Ning Yuxuan and the designer into the hotel.
To show his loyalty, he became even more respectful in his speech: "Miss Ning, you should have seen the decorations here last time. Is there anything else you would like to see in detail today? I'll take you there."
Ning Yuxuan handed the decision over to Yuan Shu.
After thinking for a moment, Yuan Shu said, "I want to go to the restaurant first, and then go through each room type in order."
Manager Wang nodded repeatedly: "No problem, please follow me!"
...
When Ning Yuxuan returned home after her inspection, Ning Fei had already seen the producer return.
According to Ning Fei, she had a very good chat with the producer and they have basically confirmed their intention to cooperate. They are just waiting to coordinate everyone's schedules before setting a start date for filming.
Ning Fei also mentioned that she ran into an acquaintance at the producer's place—
Liang Jihuai, a famous actor who has won the Golden Dew Award for Best Actor twice.
The film in which Ning Fei first won the Best Actress award featured Liang, the actor who played her co-star.
“I never expected to see him this time.” Ning Fei’s expression was full of nostalgia when she mentioned Liang Jihuai. “The last time we made a movie together, I was only in my early twenties. It’s been almost thirty years in the blink of an eye.”
Ning Yuxuan asked in surprise, "That movie star? Is he going to play a role in the movie too?"
“Yes,” Ning Fei replied, “He will play Zhao Wanyi’s husband.”
Ning Yuxuan was even more surprised.
She had heard Qin Man briefly explain the script's contents on a variety show before, and later Ning Fei explained it to her again.
Zhao Wanyi is the name of the character Qin Man wanted to play, and although Zhao Wanyi's husband has one of the first two male characters in terms of screen time, he is a completely villainous character.
It can be said that this character exists solely to highlight the brilliance of the two female protagonists in the film, and she herself has no personal charm.
Given Liang Jihuai's current status in the film industry, it's somewhat unbelievable that he would agree to play such a minor role in a female-centric film.
Ning Fei knew what her daughter was surprised about, and she herself felt the same way: "I didn't have time to talk to him much this time because of the tight schedule, but maybe it's because he and Qin Man are friends that he was willing to make a cameo appearance."
After finishing her meeting with the producer, Ning Fei asked her daughter if her hotel trip had gone smoothly.
Ning Yuxuan told Ning Fei about the progress with the designer, and then brought up the incident between Manager Wang and the security guard.
Ning Fei frowned after hearing this: "The manager surnamed Wang you mentioned joined when I founded Huayuan; he's a long-time employee of the hotel. Last year, he caused considerable losses due to a work mistake, but I didn't fire him out of consideration for our past relationship. I let him handle some miscellaneous tasks at the new branch, but I didn't expect..."
After a moment's hesitation, Ning Fei said, "Xuanxuan, I will have someone investigate this matter more thoroughly."
...
For the next week, Ning Yuxuan and Yuan Shu met every day.
Ning Yuxuan's office at the hotel headquarters has been tidied up. In the past few days, the two of them have either been going to the hotel for on-site inspections or discussing design plans in the office.
When she went to that store a second time, not only was the security guard who had stopped her last time gone, but Manager Wang himself had also been dismissed.
According to Ning Fei, Manager Wang was ostensibly a long-time employee of Huayuan, but in reality, he had taken a lot of kickbacks from suppliers.
Ning Fei has always been very sentimental and tolerant of the old employees who have followed her all the way, which is why he has been able to take advantage of the situation until now.
It was only after her daughter reminded her that Ning Fei decided to investigate him properly, which uncovered many of the filthy things he had done in the past.
Huayuan's legal department is already at work, and it won't be long before Manager Wang is sued in court.
On Friday morning, the first phase of the design work was almost completed.
Ning Yuxuan has been exhausted these past few days, not to mention that Yuan Shu, as the designer, not only accompanied her to the site visits but also produced renderings for her.
On Friday noon, Ning Yuxuan treated Yuan Shu to a big meal to celebrate the temporary completion of the design work.
Of course, there is still a lot to be done, and their collaboration is far from over.
Ning Shiyue will be joining the film crew this weekend. The first filming location is Haicheng, and her flight is tomorrow morning.
The new episode of Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei's variety show also started filming on Saturday morning.
Everything happened at the right time. Ning Fei suggested that the family have a nice meal together on Friday night, as it would be Ning Shiyue's last get-together before he joined the crew.
But then they ran into trouble about what to eat.
In the past, such decisions were left to Ning Yuxuan, but recently she has eaten out with different people several times, and has already been to all the restaurants that Beicheng wanted to eat at.
In the end, Ning Fei made the decision: the three of them would have another hot pot meal at home.
Xie Zhiyan was there when we had hot pot last time, so I couldn't help but think of him again this time.
Ning Fei said with some regret, "It's a pity that Zhi Yan is away on a business trip these two days, otherwise I would have invited him to come over and have dinner together."
Upon hearing Xie Zhiyan's name, Ning Shiyue choked on his water and coughed incessantly.
Ning Fei was confused and thought her son had simply been careless. Helplessly, she handed him a few tissues, saying, "You're such a grown man, how can you choke on water like that? How can I not worry about you?"
Ning Shiyue coughed and wiped his mouth, taking a moment in his busy schedule to glare at Ning Yuxuan.
It means: It's all because of you.
Ning Yuxuan wanted to laugh but held it back.
Why is this person so unable to keep secrets? Her reaction to Xie Zhiyan was even stronger than hers. Anyone who didn't know better would think that Ning Shiyue was the one with a "special relationship" with Xie Zhiyan.
After a short while, Ning Shiyue finally managed to calm down.
Ning Yuxuan responded to Ning Fei: "Xie Zhiyan is busy with work. Even if he is not on a business trip, he may not have time to come to our house for hot pot."
Ning Fei nodded: "That's true, but if you put it that way..."
She frowned, seemingly puzzled: "Speaking of which, Zhiyan seems to have come to our house three times in the last two weeks, right?"
A few days ago, Ning Fei met with Zheng Xinmei, and her friend complained to her that she could only see her son once or twice a month, and envied her for being able to see her son and daughter from time to time.
In comparison, Xie Zhiyan has been visiting our home rather frequently lately.
Ning Shiyue quickly chimed in, "I guess it was just a coincidence? We just happened to be passing by while discussing work nearby, don't you think, Ning Yuxuan?"
Ning Yuxuan suppressed a laugh: "Yes, you're right."
Fortunately, Ning Fei didn't mention Xie Zhiyan again, otherwise Ning Shiyue might not have enjoyed his meal.
After finishing the hot pot, Ning Shiyue volunteered to clean up in the kitchen.
Ning Yuxuan returned to her room and found a new message from Xie Zhiyan.
When Ning Fei mentioned Xie Zhiyan earlier, she asked her daughter if she wanted to send Xie Zhiyan a message saying that they were having hot pot at home and that Xie Zhiyan could come over again next time.
Ning Yuxuan did as she was told, taking a picture of the hot pot stove and the dishes, and sending it to Xie Zhiyan.
After sending the message, she continued eating without waiting for a reply.
She only just saw that the man replied with a picture.
Ning Yuxuan clicked on the photo, which showed a table with several plastic lunch boxes, the kind commonly used for takeout.
Ning Yuxuan inexplicably recalled Tao You's description of Xie Zhiyan a few days ago.
She typed: 【So even domineering CEOs order takeout?】
Xie Zhiyan was probably taking a break when he quickly replied: [Even a domineering CEO needs to eat; when he's busy and doesn't have time, he can only order takeout.]
Ning Yuxuan smiled slightly: [I thought you'd ask me what "domineering CEO" meant.]
Xie Zhiyan: [I'm five years older than you, not twenty-five.]
This time, Ning Yuxuan burst out laughing.
Even through the screen, she could imagine the man's helpless expression.
After laughing for a while, Ning Yuxuan remembered: she sent Xie Zhiyan the photos to tell him that her family was having hot pot again, but he wasn't there.
Xie Zhiyan sent back a photo of his dinner. What did that mean?
Ning Yuxuan: [Why did you send me this?]
Xie Zhiyan: [Sharing the contents of dinner with my girlfriend.]
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
Her heart skipped a beat, and then she realized something was wrong.
Her relationship with Xie Zhiyan can be described as extremely complicated.
Legally, they are husband and wife; in front of Ning Shiyue and Tao You, they are boyfriend and girlfriend; in front of Ning Fei, they are friends; and in the eyes of most people, they have no relationship at all.
So what exactly is the term "girlfriend" that Xie Zhiyan is referring to?
She didn't want to accept the title of "girlfriend" without understanding what was going on, since he hadn't even confessed his feelings to her yet, apart from that ambiguous kiss on the forehead.
Ning Yuxuan: [Only I can see your messages, so you don't need to pretend to be my boyfriend/girlfriend.]
Xie Zhiyan did not reply immediately.
Ning Yuxuan thought that her tone was too harsh and made the man angry.
A short while later, the other party sent a string of flight itinerary information.
Ning Yuxuan was even more confused after reading it and sent a question mark: 【? 】
Xie Zhiyan: [Reporting to my legal wife on my itinerary for the past few days of business trip.]
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
This man knows what it means to have to tear the roof off before you can open a window.
...
Thousands of miles away in Jiangcheng, Xie Zhiyan looked up from his phone.
His schedule was extremely busy all day; he was either in meetings with clients or on his way to meetings, with almost no time to rest.
There's another meeting early tomorrow morning.
A person's energy is always limited. Xie Zhiyan was working in his office that evening and didn't go to the restaurant for dinner. He just asked Liu Cheng to order him some takeout to tide him over.
While eating, he listened to Liu Cheng report on his work.
This is the only time I can truly relax, when I stop to reply to Ning Yuxuan's messages.
Liu Cheng saw everything, but knowing Xie's personality, he didn't say anything to persuade him to rest.
Advice was useless.
Seeing Xie Zhiyan take out his personal phone to reply to messages, and his expression softened, Liu Cheng's first reaction was surprise.
It's amazing that someone could get Mr. Xie to take a break from his busy schedule to reply to messages.
Then Liu Cheng thought of a rumor that had been circulating widely recently: Xie Zhiyan had a girlfriend and even adjusted his work schedule to go on dates with her.
Rumors also say that at a dinner party a few days ago, Xie Zhiyan abandoned a business deal that was halfway through and left in order to pick up his beloved woman and take her home.
According to Liu Cheng's thinking, this was completely fabricated.
Not to mention that, based on his understanding of President Xie, he would never let personal matters affect his work.
During this period, Mr. Xie's work schedule has not decreased at all.
Like today, I still went on business trips as usual, working non-stop all day without a break.
But seeing Xie Zhiyan's expression when replying to the message, Liu Cheng was actually starting to believe it.
I just don't know who that mysterious woman is.
He dared not ask too many questions, yet he couldn't help but be curious.
Liu Cheng stared blankly at Xie Zhiyan's personal phone until a deep voice pulled him back to reality.
Liu Cheng snapped out of his daze: "President Xie! I'm sorry, I was daydreaming."
Xie Zhiyan glanced at him: "Curious about who I'm texting?"
Liu Cheng: "..."
After all, he had been working alongside Xie Zhiyan for several years, and had been Xie's special assistant ever since Xie returned to China.
Compared to other employees, Liu Cheng was bolder: "I am a little curious, Mr. Xie, is she your girlfriend?"
Xie Zhiyan smiled faintly: "It can't be considered that; she's not willing to acknowledge this identity yet."
Liu Cheng: "..."
Now he was even more curious: what kind of woman was she that Xie Zhiyan was pursuing so desperately but couldn't have?
However, out of professional ethics and a sense of boundaries, he would never ask that question again.
.
On Saturday morning, "Dear Mom" aired again.
This is the first new episode since Cen Meng and her daughter left the show.
Several days before the show's premiere, many netizens were already waiting for the production team to officially announce who the new regular guests would be.
But after waiting and waiting, all they got was a vague announcement.
@DearMomSeason2: The new episode will air at the usual time on Saturday. This time, we'll be welcoming a new friend and his mother to spend a pleasant weekend with you. Let's look forward to this week's mystery guest!
The selection of new guests for "Mom" remains a mystery, prompting netizens to analyze the show in various ways.
[The term "mystery guest" sounds familiar. Could it be Guan Cheng and Pan Wenyan returning for a comeback?]
[No way?! The production team already said they're new friends, so rehashing old material is pointless.]
[Did you guys notice that the production team said "this week's mystery guest" instead of "regular guest"? Could it be that this is a guest appearance that will only be in one episode?]
I think that's possible! The show is so popular right now, there must be a lot of people who want to come, right? Maybe the production team is having trouble deciding, so they'll just let everyone come for one episode.
The hashtag "#DearMomNewGuest" quickly became a trending topic, with various rumors circulating.
Unfortunately, the production team kept the secret extremely tight, and no one from the "gossipmongers" produced reliable evidence, so everything remained uncertain.
This led to a surge in viewership in the live stream when the show premiered a week later, as everyone was eager to see who the new group of guests were.
However, when the live broadcast started, the production team still kept everyone in suspense.
Inside the villa, there were only four familiar people: Ning Yuxuan and her daughter, and Jiang Ning'an and her daughter.
The director himself appeared on camera to explain: "I know that all the viewers are very curious about who the new guest is this episode, but the two of them have signed a confidentiality agreement, so neither the viewers nor the two groups of regular guests know his real identity yet."
"The first segment today is for the two groups of regular guests to guess who the new guest is based on clues."
As the director spoke, the staff pushed up a signboard, covering the four lines of text on it with tape.
The staff announced that the four guests present would now take turns choosing one of the entries to reveal, and at the same time, they could ask the production team a question, to which the production team would answer with "yes" or "no".
After all the entries were announced, the four began to guess who the new guest was. If more than half of the guests guessed correctly, everyone would receive a special reward from the production team.
The first person to choose the term was Qin Man.
Without much hesitation, Qin Man stepped forward and uncovered the topmost strip.
Several large characters appeared in everyone's eyes: "Top-tier actor".
[Top star? Ning Shiyue?]
[Impossible, impossible. If it were Ning Shiyue, how could the production team have kept it from Teacher Ning and Ning Yuxuan?]
[Who else could it be? Could it be just some nobody actor who was artificially promoted to top star status by the show's producers?]
Qin Man also seemed puzzled by the definition of "top star". After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Has this actor worked with any of the people here before?"
Staff member: "No."
Apart from Ning Fei, who hasn't acted in years, the only other actors present were Qin Man and Jiang Ning'an.
The actors who have worked with Qin Man are mostly veteran actors, and it's hard to describe them as "top stars." Jiang Ning'an, on the other hand, has only been in the industry for a short time and hasn't worked with many people.
This answer did little to narrow down the possibilities.
Qin Man also seemed a little annoyed, as it was her first time playing this kind of game on a variety show, and she lacked experience.
The second person to choose a term was Ning Fei. She chose the last line, which revealed the words "teen killer".
Ning Fei joked, "It seems I shouldn't be asking this question. I no longer understand what young girls like these days."
After thinking for a moment, Ning Fei asked the staff, "Is this guest a young male actor who has appeared in idol dramas in the past year?"
The production team gave an affirmative answer.
Next, Jiang Ning'an revealed the entry for "former boy band member".
Jiang Ning'an asked the staff if the new guest had debuted within the last five years, and received the same answer.
During this time, the live stream chat was constantly filled with comments.
[Help! Why does this mysterious figure seem more and more like Ning Shiyue? Top star, debuted in a boy band, has had an idol drama air in the past year—every single detail fits perfectly!]
But Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan's reactions don't seem to match. Could it be that the production team is deliberately misleading us?
[There's also a possibility of a surprise at the end—it really is Ning Shiyue!]
The production team really pulled off a big stunt, fooling both Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan.
Finally, it was Ning Yuxuan's turn, and the entry she revealed was: "Gentle Boy".
The comments section instantly reversed.
Alright everyone, there's no need to guess Ning Shiyue anymore. He's not associated with the word "gentle."
[Haha, that's hilarious! Ning Shiyue is definitely a famously cold and cool guy, not the gentle type at all.]
[Why am I a little disappointed? I was looking forward to seeing Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue bicker!]
Wait, considering these factors, I think I know who it is... No way, production team, you're really good at stirring things up!
[I think I guessed it too! So it really could be that person?!]
The production team asked Ning Yuxuan to ask one last question.
After thinking for a few seconds, Ning Yuxuan asked, "Is he more popular than Ning Shiyue?"
audience:"……"
Ning Yuxuan, you really dare to do that!!
[Our Sister Xuan is truly an outsider; she dares to ask such a question.]
[Hahaha, this is hilarious! Now the pressure is on the production team. Will this top star actually become as popular as Ning Shiyue?]
The staff were also stumped by Ning Yuxuan's question and looked completely at a loss.
After consulting with the director, the staff replied, "They're about the same."
Ning Yuxuan raised an eyebrow: "Didn't we say we could only answer with 'yes' or 'no'?"
Staff: "..."
They wouldn't dare use those two words to answer questions about death, otherwise the guests' fans would definitely attack the production team.
The director stepped in to smooth things over: "Ahem, whether something is popular or not is a matter of personal opinion."
Ning Yuxuan pressed further: "If no standard answer is given, then the production team has violated the rules, and how will the reward be calculated?"
The director hesitated for a long time before finally compromising.
Regardless of whether you guessed the guest correctly or not, the rewards will still be given out as usual.
The staff gave each person a question board and asked them to write down their final guesses.
One minute later, all four people revealed their answers at the same time.
Both Ning Yuxuan's and Qin Man's answer sheets were blank.
Although Qin Man is still acting, she is not very familiar with the new generation of actors, especially those who follow the traffic route.
Ning Yuxuan has never paid much attention to the entertainment industry. Although she has been catching up on Ning Shiyue's TV dramas recently, she still doesn't know much about other artists.
Jiang Ning'an and Ning Fei both had the same name on their answer sheets: Cheng Xiyang.
As the villa door was pushed open, the new guest finally appeared, much to everyone's anticipation.
Cheng Xiyang and his mother appeared together in the live stream, immediately causing a flood of comments on the screen.
[What?! The production team actually brought him in?! I have a feeling a fan war is about to break out!]
[Is he really a top star? The production team wasn't lying to me!!]
[It feels like I'm back three years ago! Back when the talent show was held, Ning Shiyue and Cheng Xiyang were neck and neck in popularity, and they always had a clear lead in the votes.]
Even now, fans are still arguing about who was the most popular person back then, and neither side is willing to admit it.
No wonder the production team didn't dare to answer Ning Yuxuan's question directly. If they had, the show would probably have been shut down by fans immediately.
Teacher Ning is definitely a respectable person. I'm really looking forward to seeing how Ning Yuxuan will treat her younger brother's rival.
As if guessing what the audience was thinking, the director cut the camera to Ning Yuxuan.
Ning Yuxuan looked at the new guests, her expression unchanged compared to before.
[Are you that calm?]
[As expected of the older sister, she can still remain calm even now.]
Cheng Xiyang first greeted the two actresses, then walked up to Ning Yuxuan.
"Hello, Yu Xuan." Cheng Xiyang raised the corners of his lips, revealing his signature gentle smile. "I've often heard Shi Yue mention his sister before, and this time I finally have the chance to meet her."
Ning Yuxuan nodded slightly: "Hello."
Cheng Xiyang smiled: "I wonder if Shi Yue has mentioned me to you? What did he say?"
Ning Yuxuan's eyes showed a rare moment of confusion.
Wow, is this really going to be so tense right from the start? Ning Yuxuan probably doesn't know how to respond.
[This is Ning Shiyue's older sister! No matter how she answers, it will definitely be interpreted in all sorts of ways.]
[I anticipate that this part will be used as a major topic of contention by fans of both sides, becoming new fodder for arguments.]
Ning Yuxuan spoke under the young man's gentle yet meaningful gaze.
"Excuse me, I didn't hear you clearly just now. What's your name again?"
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