I woke up to find I have a child - Chapter 69
Han Feixu’s words made Ye Mingxin slowly relax. She was not afraid of Han Feixu knowing, but she was just afraid that Han Feixu might have remembered the reason and the context behind it.
She replied, “The one you are missing, the one the Yi in Nianyi is referencing to is Li Yi.”
Han Feixu was dumbfounded, “Who is Li Yi?”
“Li Yi is actually Bai Jinglan. Bai Jinglan’s surname is Bai, her given name Jinglan, and her nickname is Li Yi.”
During the Republic of China period, many women gave themselves nicknames or aliases. When creating characters, a screenwriter considers various aspects of the character, even if many of these details might not appear in the final movie.
Han Feixu has watched the film ?Blossoming Dreams?, but doesn’t remember the details that went into the filming. She only knew that Bai Jinglan was the character played by Ye Mingxin. Han Feixu didn’t understand, “Why would I give my child such a name for this reason?”
Ye Mingxin placed her hand on her leg and smiled faintly, “Because you really like the character Bai Jinglan.”
Han Feixu still didn’t understand. While she may like certain characters in movies, she wouldn’t go so far as to name her child after one. She sat on the edge of the bed and thought for a moment. Maybe she immersed herself too deeply in the role during filming and developed feelings for the character.
In any case, as long as there was an explanation, it was fine. She looked at Ye Mingxin and said, “So, you were so cautious just now because of that? Are you hiding something else from me?”
She narrowed her eyes, and after a moment of eye contact with Ye Mingxin, she said truthfully, “I thought you regained your memories.”
“Is it so scary if I did?”
“For me, yes,” Ye Mingxin smiled self-deprecatingly, “Because in the past, you liked Bai Jinglan more than you liked me.”
Han Feixu couldn’t help but furrow her brows. When she heard that sentence just now, her heart felt uncomfortable, as if it had been squeezed and there was an unfamiliar feeling, one that did not feel like her own. Something almost like a physical reaction.
She kicked off her slippers, sat cross-legged on the bed, and looked at Ye Mingxin seriously. “You’re talking nonsense again. I’m not some fangirl who falls in love with 2-D characters, why would I like a fictional character? And look at yourself, besides your looks, what do you have in common with Bai Jinglan from the film?”
“If I really liked Bai Jinglan that much, I would not have married you. Even Shen Sangluo is more like Bai Jinglan than you.”
Ye Mingxin arched an eyebrow but didn’t express any opinion. Han Feixu hadn’t yet experienced the feeling of completely immersing yourself in a role. When an actor becomes one with their character, whatever the character loves, the actor starts to love as well. And Ye Mingxin could tell that Han Feixu genuinely liked Bai Jinglan.
Even for a long time after they finished filming ?Blossoming Dreams?, Han Feixu would still occasionally rewatch the film and every time Bai Jinglan appeared on screen her eyes would shine brighter than usual. And towards Ye Mingxin herself, apart from their first year, she never received such treatment again from Han Feixu.
Jiang Lingyan always called her crazy, saying that she was so jealous that she became jealous of herself. But Ye Mingxin couldn’t figure out if she was jealous of herself or a fictional character.
Glancing at the clock on the bedside, Han Feixu noticed it was almost midnight. Han Feixu widened her eyes and immediately pulled the covers over herself. “Quick, I need to enter sleep mode right away! Otherwise, today’s facial mask will be in vain!”
After saying that, she laid flat on the bed, closed her eyes, and immediately fell asleep with a peaceful expression on her face.
Ye Mingxin: “….”
After being tortured by so many questions, Ye Mingxin didn’t feel sleepy at all. She silently studied Han Feixu lying beside her. After a while, she sighed silently, then stretched over and turned off the lamp.
After finally waiting for the day of the advertisement shooting, Han Feixu found that she had completely lost her excitement for the “big” ad shoot. All she could think about was that she wouldn’t have to use so many expensive facial masks anymore. With the money she saved, she could buy so much delicious food later!
Han Feixu was looking forward to treating herself to a good meal after shooting this advertisement. With this thought in mind, as she exited the high-speed rail station, she had a perpetual smile on her face.
Seeing her smile, even Zhong Yuanyuan felt her own mood lift, “You’re in a good mood today.”
“Of course! Just thinking about how I can have kebabs tomorrow night makes me so happy that I want to kiss you.”
Zhong Yuanyuan: “….”
I’d rather you not, I’m still young and want to live after all = =
As they laughed and chatted, they walked outside and bumped into Liang Zhu in front of them. The manager was engrossed with her phone when a crowd of people rushed towards Han Feixu, thrusting microphones towards her.
Liang Zhu was startled and immediately shielded Han Feixu. In this crucial moment, Wei Xun proved his use, handling three people by himself as he cleared a path to the front and even shielded Han Feixu from the cameras. When a female journalist tried to squeeze in with her petite frame, he gently pushed her aside.
Han Feixu quickly composed herself and walked briskly ahead, but the reporters didn’t let her off.
“Miss Han, is your relationship with Yin Jiahe real?”
“Miss Han, is it true that the so-called slandering lawsuit is just a crisis PR stunt? Please clarify!”
“There are rumors that you went to the United States because you were pregnant. Is this true?”
“Miss Han, what are your thoughts on Han Yiren’s vote-rigging to snatch the lead female role?”
Han Feixu hesitated for a moment in her steps, causing Liang Zhu to worry. She had been investigating and collecting rumors about Han Feixu but had never heard anything about a rumor about her being pregnant. Could it be that the media had found out? How did they know?!
She didn’t have time to think about this because as Han Feixu stopped for a split second, the reporters swarmed around her like flies. She spotted one of the male journalists whose eyes were shining quite brightly. It seemed he was the one who asked about the pregnancy.
As expected, he confirmed Liang Zhu’s suspicion. His arm stretched out far, and the microphone nearly hit Han Feixu’s chin.
“Miss Han! Is it true that you were pregnant and had a child? Did you really give birth to an illegitimate child!”
Liang Zhu, “….” OMG, is this reporter looking to die? To actually ask Han Feixu such a question!
Liang Zhu was especially afraid that Han Feixu would go crazy and lose her temper, so she stared intensely at Han Feixu’s face for any signs. Even though only half of her face was visible, it was clear that Han Feixu was very unhappy. Her jaw moved slightly, indicating that she was brewing up some strong words to say.
Liang Zhu dragged her forward, using a bit of force to remind her not to act recklessly. Then she shouted to the reporters in front, “Sorry, Han Feixu is not accepting any interviews at this time. Please make way!”
Seeing a celebrity at a high-speed rail station was not a common occurrence, as most of them chose to fly for long distances, or they simply drove in their private cars for short distances. Han Feixu had brought a lot of luggage and had a large group of people with her. Her own private car couldn’t accommodate everyone, and she hadn’t bought a RV, so she couldn’t just drive that either.
So, they decided to take the high-speed rail. Who could have expected that reporters would stoop so low as to chase and surround her at the high-speed rail station?
After finally reaching the high-speed rail station parking lot, they found the representatives from the brand she was endorsing waiting for them. They also helped fend off the reporters while Han Feixu was escorted by a group of people to her car. Zhong Yuanyuan quickly went to open the car door for her. When the door opened, Han Feixu didn’t immediately get in but turned back, as if she was looking for someone.
Liang Zhu wished she could just push her into the car. Although these tabloid reporters might not be the nicest people, they could not be offended. These desperate people didn’t care about anything except gossip and their consciences have long been eaten by pigs as they dared to say anything.
If Han Feixu were to insult that reporter here, they wouldn’t even have to wait until tomorrow for it to become a trending news piece on the internet.
Liang Zhu anxiously watched her, and Han Feixu’s gaze locked onto a particular person, but it wasn’t the journalist who asked her about the secret child. She stared at this unfamiliar journalist for a moment, then took off her sunglasses and replied, “I wish her good luck.”
The journalist was momentarily confused, but at that moment, Han Feixu bent down and got into the car. The rest of the crew hurriedly followed suit. The car was about to leave, but some reporters were still chased from behind. Han Feixu heaved a sigh of relief and said, “That was scary. These people are too frightening.”
Zhong Yuanyuan dusted off her clothes. She had been bumped into by several people wearing windbreakers, and she wrinkled her nose and sniffed her sleeve, detecting a faint instant ramen odor on them
“Liang-jie, how did the information about our location leak? Even diehard fans didn’t know that Han Feixu was taking the high-speed train. How did the reporters find out?”
Zhong Yuanyuan was very angry because she was wearing her favorite oversized, half-sleeve T-shirt today. She had worn it only once before, but it had acquired an instant ramen smell on its second wear. What was even more frustrating was that she didn’t have spare clothes with her, so she’ll have to be engulfed in this odor for the next few days.
Liang Zhu was also confused. Besides the representatives from the brand, she hadn’t told anyone else. She suspected that the leak might have come from their side, but the driver in front was one of the brand’s staff, so she couldn’t directly accuse anyone out loud.
She responded vaguely, “Who knows? Those journalists are more resourceful than fans. Fans rely on scouring various online sources, but the reporters use their connections to dig up information. Maybe something went wrong in one of those connections.”
This brand was a major one with ample funding. They had their own studio and had even set up three different sets for shooting Han Feixu’s two advertisements. The car drove straight to the studio, and Han Feixu got out of the car. She didn’t have even a minute to rest before they began shooting immediately.
The representatives from the brand had plenty of time, but Han Feixu had only had two days to work with them and so she was in a rush. She had a short time frame to finish everything.
Han Feixu changed into the clothes provided by the brand and followed the director’s instructions. She pressed one finger against the eyeshadow display stand and then confidently and alluringly circled around it. She only needed to make one circle, but it had to exude utmost confidence and charm.
Zhong Yuanyuan watched Han Feixu during the shoot, always ready to assist if needed. Liang Zhu returned from outside and whispered to her, “I found the source of the leak. A security officer at Yiwu Station posted it on Weibo, and that’s how these reporters got wind of it.”
Zhong Yuanyuan widened her eyes. “How did that security officer know that Han Feixu’s destination was Shanghai?”
“She didn’t know. She just posted a picture of Han Feixu from behind as she passed through security and added her own location. Those gossip-hungry reporters then figured out that Han Feixu was coming to Shanghai for two days for her ad shoot. There aren’t many high-speed trains in service, so it was easy to pinpoint her stop.”
So it was just plain misfortune, and they could only blame their bad luck. Zhong Yuanyuan sighed. |What should we do when we go back? Are we still taking the high-speed rail?”
“I’ve already had Little South refund the tickets. He’ll drive the car over this afternoon, and we’ll all go back together.”
Zhong Yuanyuan counted on her fingers. “There are five of us in total. Will the car be big enough?”
“It’s no problem,” Liang Zhu said with a slight smile. “I’ve also called Ye Mingxin. She’s given Little South the spare key to her van, and she told me not to bother returning it.”
Zhong Yuanyuan chuckled. “If she doesn’t want it back, then we won’t return it. Her van is really nice, spacious, and versatile. Not to mention custom-made. I’ve ridden in it once, and oh my, it feels more comfortable than our camper.”
“That’s because the cost of her custom-made van is about the same as our RV,” Liang Zhu sighed. “I wish Han Feixu could be as generous. She always spends her money on other people but is too frugal with herself.”
Zhong Yuanyuan glanced ahead at Han Feixu, who was still circling the dispaly. She took out her phone, found a good angle, and took several pictures of Han Feixu, then showed them to Liang Zhu. “What do you think?”
“It looks great.” Liang Zhu lowered her head to look at the phone screen. Han Feixu was wearing a wine-red ultra-short, tight-fitting dress with a low neckline and high waist. This type of clothing suited Han Feixu very well, accentuating her long legs, slim arms, tiny waist, and ample chest. The wine-red dress, combined with high heels, made her skin tone appear even more radiant than usual.
Under the studio lighting, Han Feixu was simply stunning. Liang Zhu clicked his tongue, “Sometimes I wonder if I’m gay too when I look at Han Feixu.”
Zhong Yuanyuan is straight, while Liang Zhu has never fallen in love before. She is someone who never dates and who never married. Zhong Yuanyuan had never heard her talk about her sexual orientation, so she was interested. “Really, then what makes you so unsure?”
Liang Zhu lifted her head and replied with a weary tone, as if she had seen the darkness in the world, “Ye Mingxin.”
Zhong Yuanyuan: “…”
No matter how beautiful and charming Han Feixu was, as long as Liang Zhu thought of Ye Mingxin, she couldn’t muster any interest in women. Her mind was only filled with terrifying images of Ye Mingxin = =
Liang Zhu asked her, “Why are you taking these pictures? Are you going to post them on Weibo?”
Zhong Yuanyuan lowered her head and applied filters to the photos she had just taken. “No, I’m sending them to Ye Mingxin. Do you think if she sees these pictures, she might be so happy that she’ll give me a little bonus?”
Liang Zhu raised an eyebrow. “Han Feixu is your boss. She’s the one who pays your salary.”
“What’s the difference? Ye Mingxin is my boss too, and it’s pretty obvious that she’s more generous.” Zhong Yuanyuan chuckled and sent the filtered photos to Ye Mingxin.
In less than two minutes, she received a transfer of 5,000 yuan, along with a message.
—Take some more.
Liang Zhu: “….:
Zhong Yuanyuan held up her phone excitedly, “I love our boss.”
Liang Zhu: “Control your emotions and be careful or else the boss might get angry with you.”
They hadn’t eaten lunch, and the shoot continued until after 7 o’clock in the evening. When they returned to the hotel, room service delivered their meal. As Zhong Yuanyuan was bringing it in, Han Feixu smelled the food and immediately rushed out of the bathroom.
Liang Zhu and Zhong Yuanyuan had already eaten KFC for dinner. Each of them had been munching on a piece of original fried chicken in the studio. In less than five minutes, they had finished their meal.
While Han Feixu was eating, Liang Zhu washed her hands and then asked, “What did you mean by wishing “her” good luck? Were you directing it at Han Yiren?”
Han Feixu nodded, and Liang Zhu sat down beside her, scolding her, “I’ve told you countless times, you can’t say anything like that outside. You need to control yourself and ideally you won’t say anything at all. Even a single word from you can become a big deal in the media, let alone something like wishing someone good luck in such an obviously sarcastic manner!”
Han Feixu swallowed what was in her mouth, took a sip of water, and explained helplessly, “I had no choice. I was afraid that if I didn’t say anything, that reporter would find something to criticize. When he mentioned my pregnancy and giving birth abroad, I was genuinely shocked for a second. He must have noticed it; otherwise, he wouldn’t have chased me down with such fervor.”
That’s why, just before getting in the car, she had tried to remedy the situation by mentioning Han Yiren’s name. She wanted the reporter to think that her initial hesitation was due to hearing about Han Yiren rather than the male reporter being right.
Zhong Yuanyuan looked at her curiously and asked, “Then why didn’t you answer the questions about you and Yin Jiahe? That topic should be easier for you to handle, and you have a good relationship with her. She wouldn’t mind.”
Han Feixu raised an eyebrow, disdainfully saying, “I don’t want to drag others into this mess. Yin Jiahe and I have no grudge between us. Why should I unnecessarily involve her?:
Zhong Yuanyuan found it amusing and was about to speak again when Han Feixu interrupted her, “Han Yiren is different. Using her as a shield is justified, and I can do it with a clear conscience. After all, she’s so malicious, with her spreading rumors about me every day. It’s fortunate we’re living in a more open-minded era. If we were to go back a few decades earlier, her words could have completely ruined me.”
She was right, and Zhong Yuanyuan paused, deciding not to say anything further. Liang Zhu then asked, “Do you think it might also be Han Yiren who leaked the information about you giving birth in the United States?”
Han Feixu pondered for a moment while holding her chopsticks. “It’s unlikely. How could she know about this? She doesn’t even know the true nature of my relationship with Ye Mingxin.”
That day when Yin Jiahe confronted Han Yiren in the theater, her words inadvertently confirmed that Han Yiren was still unaware of the matter. She simply believed that Han Feixu had a close relationship with the Ye family but didn’t know the true nature of her relationship with Ye Mingxin.
“That’s strange then. That reporter seemed to know the details quite well. How did he find out?”
Han Feixu turned to Liang Zhu and asked, “Did you manage to see which media he was from?”
Liang Zhu shook her head. “His microphone didn’t have a company logo and there was nothing else to indicate his allegiance. In such cases, it means he’s either a paparazzi that specializes in hot scoops or he didn’t want you to know which company he was from in fear of retaliation.”
Han Feixu snorted. “He should be afraid. Daring to claim my daughter is illegitimate, just for that statement, I wouldn’t have let him off. He was lucky this time.”
Whether that gossip reporter had a lucky day today or not, nobody knew for sure, but everyone knew that today was not a lucky day for Han Yiren.
Han Feixu’s remark quickly became hot gossip in the entertainment industry. Although it didn’t trend as a hot search, it spread within a limited circle. Han Yiren sat in her company’s office, scrolling through the news and comments. The comments were filled with praise for Han Feixu and criticism of Han Yiren. Some even cheered for her, urging her to step up her game and try to outshine Han Yiren.
Her manager saw this and advised her, “Time is on your side. The public has a short memory. It won’t be long before they forget about this. When the time comes, you can showcase your talent, and it will surely shut them up.”
Han Yiren lowered her gaze, looking at her phone. After a while, she raised her head and asked, “When does Mr. Guo plan to meet with me?”
Mr. Guo is the CEO of Han Yiren’s agency. Before the incident when Cheng Hao’s wife found out and had people vandalize the company’s headquarters, Han Yiren was the agency’s top star. The person surnamed Guo used to smile whenever he saw her, but after that violent attack, he had never met with Han Yiren again, fearing that he might get caught up in more trouble.
Her manager chuckled. “Just wait a little longer. Mr. Guo is still busy.”
“It’s already past eight. What could he be so busy with?” Han Yiren raised an eyebrow, a hint of impatience in her eyes. “He wouldn’t be waiting for me to lose patience and leave, would he?”
Han Yiren is still a student and had free time right now to meet with him, but she needed to return to school before the gates closed at eleven. If she doesn’t get back by eleven, she won’t be able to enter the dorms.
The manager laughed nervously. “That’s highly unlikely. Mr. Guo is genuinely occupied.”
Han Yiren put her phone away, stood up, and smiled without much warmth. “Never mind then. I’ll come back tomorrow. Tell him I have more patience than he does.”
With that, Han Yiren left the room. Her manager watched her departing figure and once again realized that this young woman was indeed not easy to deal with.
When they first signed her, she had personally crafted her own persona, career path, and development plan. Their company was relatively small, and they hadn’t initially planned to invest heavily in her. However, she surprised them by securing a leading role in a drama, which catapulted her to fame.
Looking back now, with Han Yiren’s talent, she could have easily joined a major company, and they would have eagerly welcomed her. Yet, she chose to commit herself to this small company. It seemed like this was also part of Han Yiren’s plan. After all, in a large company, she might have been overshadowed by other talents, but in their company, every resource and individual was at her disposal.
Management in a major company would be seasoned and not easily swayed by the demands of a newcomer. In contrast, in their small company, whenever Han Yiren had requests, Mr. Guo always went out of his way to accommodate her, either meeting her demands or creating the conditions for it. It was indeed an ideal environment for a talented newcomer like her to grow.
However, the drawbacks were also apparent. The small size of the company indicated that Mr. Guo lacked ability, and what could be expected from someone with no competence?
At first glance, it seemed like Han Yiren had many connections, but in reality, she had no influential backing. Her achievements were entirely the result of her own efforts.
The manager sighed and returned to their desk, continuing to review the remaining documents left on the desk. Meanwhile, Han Yiren, back in her car, started the engine but didn’t drive away.
Her hand rested on the steering wheel, deep in thought. Who knew what she was thinking, but after a while, she took out her phone and made a call to Chang Hao.
Chang Hao is not in the country now. The time difference there is five hours behind China. It didn’t take long for the phone to be picked up. Han Yiren glanced at the rearview mirror. Her expression was cold and hard, but her voice was extremely sweet. Tired, “Director Chang, you haven’t called me in almost half a month. What, could it be that you have decided to break up with me?’
Who knows what was said on the other side of the phone, but Han Yiren replied playfully, “What a pity. I was going to ask you for a breakup gift.”
The car was quiet for a long time before one heard Han Yiren speak again, “What else can I ask for? I just want to shoot for the cover of the spring and summer special issue of a fashion magazine. The Paris Fashion Week is happening this month. If I can be on the cover of a fashion magazine for this month’s issue, my status in the fashion industry will be higher.”
After a brief pause, she leaned back on her seat, stretched out her hand, and drew a circle on the left side of her fogged up window, “What other magazine could it be?”
She chuckled, “Of course it’s the magazine that Han Feixu is going to be in, the Marie Claire.”