Chapter 8

PS: Please give me a recommendation vote, or else the scarred cute disciple will knock on your door tonight.

Later, Zhang Tan found out that the punishment for Xiao Bai this time was not being allowed to watch TV. For others, not watching TV is no big deal, just one night, but for Xiao Bai, it was like taking away half of her life. She was completely listless and spiritless.

"This is the script you wrote yesterday. It has been randomly distributed, anonymously. Each of you has one. Please review it and we will discuss it in an hour."

The deputy leader randomly distributed the 10 scripts from yesterday. Each person received one, and since there were no names, they didn't know whose it was.

Zhang Tan also received one and started reading it. An hour later, everyone gathered in the meeting room, including the two deputy leaders and the team leader.

Seeing everyone was present, the team leader, Old Liu, directly called out, "Zhang Tan, please start by reviewing the script you have. Discuss its strengths and weaknesses, everyone listen carefully."

Zhang Tan closed the script and placed it on the table in front of him.

"The script I have has very clear strengths and weaknesses. There are three strengths: the language is lively and cute, very suitable for the plot... There are also three weaknesses: the plot lacks logic, for example, at the beginning, it says Xiao Ni is very poor and dreams of winning a big prize, and he actually wins... The story's driving force cannot come from pure coincidence..."

Everyone in the meeting room listened attentively, and a girl sitting to Zhang Tan's right had a particularly unusual expression.

"Secondly, there is a part of the plot where Xiao Ni and his friends want to make a youth film, and a lot of space is used to write the plot of the youth film, which the audience watches, and the characters in the animated film also act, which is a play within a play, very unsuitable..."

...

After Zhang Tan finished, the team leader asked, "What methods do you have to address these three issues?"

Zhang Tan paused for a moment. He hadn't been asked to suggest revisions, only to review, but he was confident and calmly said, "For the first issue, the pure coincidence, we can change Xiao Ni winning the prize into a background setting, meaning he wins the prize when he first appears, and then the story revolves around how he spends the money, thus avoiding..."

After Zhang Tan finished, Old Liu nodded in agreement, saying it was very good, and then asked, "Who wrote this? Raise your hand."

Everyone looked around, and a voice came from Zhang Tan's right.

"It's me."

The team leader smiled and said, "I guessed it was you, Jiang Rong. What do you think of Zhang Tan's review?"

Jiang Rong: "Very accurate, I accept it all. Thank you, I've learned a lot."

...

After work, Zhang Tan received a call from Aunt Huang, saying that Xiaomi had been picked up and was very stable, not crying or fussing.

Zhang Tan didn't go home immediately. There was a dinner gathering to welcome him and He Chao, the two new members. The suggestion came from the team leader, Old Liu, and all 15 members of the evaluation team attended.

Zhang Tan was one of the main guests, so he couldn't avoid drinking. Fortunately, his alcohol tolerance was good, and he didn't get drunk, but He Chao was already quite tipsy, his tongue thick.

Jiang Rong toasted Zhang Tan, saying his review today had been very enlightening.

The team leader, Old Liu, encouraged Zhang Tan to be patient, avoid arrogance, and wait for opportunities while drinking with him.

Among the new members, he was most optimistic about Zhang Tan.

After drinking to about seven or eight-tenths, the restaurant owner came in, smiling, handed out business cards, and welcomed them to come again.

Jiang Rong said, "The food is good, but it's too far. Does the owner have any branches?"

The owner said, "Yes, yes, there are three more branches, one on West Chang'an Street..."

Jiang Rong praised the owner for having a big business, with all the branches in bustling areas, and the rent alone must be astronomical, let alone the profits, which must be very good.

The owner said, "The rent is expensive, especially on West Chang'an Street!"

Everyone laughed, saying that while the rent on West Chang'an Street was high, the business was good, and it might be the most profitable of all the branches.

The speaker was casual, but the listener was thoughtful, and Zhang Tan's mind started to work.

After dinner, everyone went their separate ways.

Zhang Tan returned to the school, and the gatekeeper, Old Li, saw him and poked his head out of the booth to greet him.

"Master Zhang is back. Oh, you've been drinking."

Zhang Tan sniffed but didn't smell anything and asked, "Is the alcohol smell strong?"

Old Li said, "A bit."

Zhang Tan originally wanted to go to the classroom to see Xiaomi, who had returned today, but he changed his mind and went straight upstairs to his room. He took a shower and, when he came out, heard a knock on the door.

"Wait a moment."

He changed his clothes, dried the water from his hair, walked to the door, and opened it. No one was there. He looked down and saw two little girls standing there, looking up at him with their little heads. One looked timid, the other fierce, as if ready to fight.

The fierce one, wearing a red Chinese-style jacket with a band-aid on her face, was none other than Xiao Bai, who was always at odds with him.

She looked like a scarred cute disciple.

What's going on? Did she come to kill him at home? That would break the game rules, right? Misfortune should not affect the family.

The other one looked familiar, but he couldn't remember. Most children looked alike, either like a chubby kid or a little radish head.

When the scarred cute disciple Xiao Bai saw him, she still had a serious look, her big eyes darting around, showing that she was quite agitated.

Seeing the two little girls standing there without speaking, Zhang Tan broke the silence and asked,

"Hello, what's up? Did you come to see me for something?"

The timid one lowered her head, fidgeting with her clothes, and took a step to the left, hiding behind Xiao Bai.

Xiao Bai glanced at Zhang Tan, as if it was too hot, and quickly looked away, finally focusing on a spot on the floor, where she might see a flower.

"What's the matter? Please speak." Zhang Tan asked again.

"Uncle, I'm sorry, hehehe~~~" Xiao Bai didn't look at him, but she was the one speaking.

What?

Zhang Tan was surprised. What did she just say? Sorry? Does the Sichuanese phrase "干掉你" (get rid of you) sound like "对不起" (I'm sorry)?

"Does your hand still hurt? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bite you."

Xiao Bai finally mustered the courage to look up, glanced at him, then looked down at his hand. The bandage was off, but there was still a band-aid, just like on her face.

Zhang Tan now understood that Xiao Bai had come to apologize, not to make threats.

So...

Zhang Tan looked at the other little girl Xiao Bai was holding by the hand. She was about the same height as Xiao Bai, thin and small, with slightly swollen eyes, indicating she had just been crying.

If he guessed correctly, this should be Xiaomi.

Sure enough, Xiao Bai introduced her, "Xiaomi is back, thank you, Uncle."

Then she said to Xiaomi, who was still looking down, "Little one, don't be afraid, just say it."

Xiaomi, encouraged, said softly,

"Thank you, Uncle."

Zhang Tan never expected that, given their history, she would not only not call him "Pierhei" (a derogatory term), but would also come to apologize. Unless Aunt Huang had continued to pressure her with her presence and gaze.

Xiao Bai, who always opposed him and was very tough, could be flexible and straightforward. What a clear-cut child, the scarred cute disciple was indeed not simple, but their world was very simple, with no concerns about face or embarrassment.

Zhang Tan smiled, and the resentment he had for being called "Pierhei" dissipated.

"No need to thank me. I understand how you felt at the time. How is Xiaomi feeling today?"

Xiaomi lowered her head and didn't speak. Xiao Bai nudged her, reminding her, "Little one, Uncle is asking you, why are you so shy?"

Xiaomi looked at her, confused.

Xiao Bai puffed out her cheeks and said in Mandarin, "Xiaomi, Uncle is asking you how you feel, don't be so absent-minded."

Xiaomi said softly, "I'm not crying anymore."

Xiao Bai: "Don't say that to me, say it to Uncle, look at him."

Xiaomi turned to look at Zhang Tan and repeated, "Xiaomi is not crying anymore."

Zhang Tan felt a bit tired. Speaking like this must be exhausting.

"That's good. Tears are golden beans; children shouldn't cry all the time. Do you want to come in and sit for a while?"

Xiaomi looked at Xiao Bai, who poked her head in and looked around. "Wow, your place is so nice, let's sit for a while."

She led Xiaomi in, looking around, completely at ease.

Zhang Tan brought chairs for them, asked them to sit, and asked, "Do you want some water?"

Xiao Bai and Xiaomi both shook their heads. Xiao Bai remembered something, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a handful of boiled peanuts, offering them to Zhang Tan, "Uncle, have some."

"These are boiled peanuts. I'll try one, you can have the rest."

Xiao Bai dumped them all into his hand, "They're all for you."

Zhang Tan couldn't refuse and took them all. He went to the kitchen, found a small bowl, and poured the boiled peanuts into it. Then he washed some green bodhi seeds and took out two orange-yellow tangerines.

"Try some fruit."

Xiao Bai picked up a green bodhi seed and put it in her mouth, smiled politely, and said, "So sweet," then sniffed and said, "Uncle, you've been drinking."

"You noticed. I had a little."

Xiao Bai immediately jumped off the chair and pulled Xiaomi away.

"We're leaving, bye~"

They came and went as they pleased, in a hurry.

Zhang Tan tried to keep them, "Don't you want to stay a bit longer?"

"No, no, we need to go to bed."

They fled.

"Take the tangerines and bodhi seeds."

"Bye~~"

They didn't want the tangerines and bodhi seeds.

Xiao Bai quickly led Xiaomi downstairs, turned the corner, and looked back up. Seeing Zhang Tan hadn't followed, she reassured her little tail, "Xiaomi, remember, drunk adults are very scary and might hit children. We need to run fast."

Xiaomi nodded, still a bit confused.

"Oh~~~"

Xiao Bai suddenly remembered the main purpose of their visit. What should she do? She was a bit afraid to go back to "Pierhei." What if he was drunk and hit her?

Xiao Bai looked at Xiaomi, feeling sorry for her, and gathered her courage. She rubbed her hands and told Xiaomi to wait there.

She messed up her hair, put her hand on her waist, where she had a small water gun filled with water.

One step, two steps, Xiao Bai walked up the stairs, bared her teeth, and tried to look fierce. After a moment of hesitation, she finally knocked on the door.

The door opened, and Xiao Bai took two steps back, staring at Zhang Tan defensively, and said quickly, "Uncle, you need to be nice to Xiaomi tonight, don't bully her, bye~"