CHAPTER 28 PART ONE

Li Zixi and Chen Pingping got in Xia Ningke's nanny car. Li Zixi had to sigh, having a car is good ah, having a car is convenient ah. Once she becomes red, she will also apply for a nanny car from the company.

"How are things recently? How is Director Jin's temper? Are you tired of filming his scenes?" Xia Ningke asked.

"Director Jin is pretty good, it's not tiring to shoot his scenes. But since Director Jin and Director Shen are friends, they have the same characteristics of having very strict requirements for the scene. Often times, a scene has to be shot many times to pass."

"Wow, it's the middle of summer. Shooting many times, isn't it very hot ah."

"Yes, it's very hot, but there's no way not to shoot." Li Zixi said, "However, looking at the scenes, I admire Director Jin very much. The effect of shooting it many times is indeed really good."

"What are you up to lately? I haven't seen any movements from you on Weibo." Li Zixi asked.

"Recently, I'm busy shooting magazine covers abroad. It's not done yet. Perhaps, the news will be released on Weibo in the next few days."

Li Zixi said admiringly: "Not bad, not bad. Already in line internationally, your career can be taken on the next level."

Xia Ningke was obviously satisfied with the status quo. While smiling, she said: "It's okay, as it can be. I hope that the blow up will not come too fast. It's good to go on at this pace. "

"How can a star who has not been hacked be considered a superstar? Even if you are blackened, don't take it to heart. At least it proves that you are red and hot."

Xia Ningke put her arms around Li Zixi's shoulders and said: "I like your attitude, it seems that big things are not a big deal to you, doesn't care about fame and fortune."

"Is it? I'm not a person who is indifferent to fame and fortune. If I am really indifferent to fame and fortune, I won't join the show recording, won't be locked up in the Film and Television City every day." Li Zixi was a little bit self-deprecating.

"You say, you standout in our class and entered Muzi Pictures. Everyone was incredibly envious ah. Although I didn't say anything, but I was also green with envy in my heart. But your performance in class, how to say it, it's like an indifferent person, not proud at all, very calm." Xia Ningke thought about it and spoke.

Li Zixi thought, that girl who is not proud and very calm should be the original owner.

"Probably there is nothing to be proud of. It's not that I have rushed out of Asia to enter internationally after becoming an academy awardee."

"I don't necessarily think so. Look at you, even if you become an international superstar one day, it is estimated that will still *don't cry for favor and humiliation." Xia Ningke refuted.

[*don't cry for favor and humiliation - remain indifferent whether granted favors or subjected to humiliation; take the rough with the smooth]

"I haven't finish talking yet, continuing. Later, everyone thought you would fly into the sky in Muzi Pictures. After all, Muzi Pictures' resources are so good and the quality is so high. But you let everyone have their *eyes popping. We didn't hear any movement from you for a long time. Muzi Pictures didn't seem to care about you even the slightest—playing some little maid and small supporting roles, shooting some small advertisements." Xia Ningke said, "Guess what they say about you now?"

[*eyes popping – left astounded]

Li Zixi smiled helplessly and said: "I didn't expect ah, before, I thought you are *a flower of the Gao Ling. But now, I found out that it is just a rich flower in the world, a peony. Vulgar, so tacky, and even pay attention to my gossips."

[*a flower of the Gao Ling – someone/something that can only be seen but can't be touched]

Xia Ningke patted Li Zixi and said: "The flower of Gao Ling? This word should be used to describe you. I am not like you, who *doesn't eat food made by mortals. I'm still in the class's WeChat group, only I never talked to them."

[*doesn't eat food made by mortals – being not interested with mundane affairs or in other word, immortal. This metaphor could be used either as a compliment or an insult. The 烟火 from 不食人间烟火 translates to smoke and fire respectively. These refer to the fire and smoke produced when you use firewood to cook, thus it indirectly represents food. And being other worldly/immortal/supernatural, one won't have the need to eat to survive.]

"Alright, alright, I am the flower of Gao Ling. May I ask, classmate Peony, what do they say about me?" Actually, Li Zixi doesn't care what everyone says about her. She likes the road she's taking now. A lot of things can only be understood as good and bad when you are in it. All outsiders see is only the appearance. Just like how only the person drinking will know if the water is warm or cold.

"Others say you are too proud and offend Muzi Pictures' higher ups, so Muzi Pictures has *exiled you to the frontier." Xia Ningke stopped smiling and solemnly said, "So, Xixi, this rumor should be false."

[exiled to the frontier – given punishment. Apparently, in ancient times, to be sent to the frontier is second to death penalty because it is unknown if you can survive on the long way, let alone the harsh environment in there—food is scarce, there weren't much people (which means vulnerable to invaders), and hard labor.]

Li Zixi felt Xia Ningke's concern for her. She smiled and said, "Of course it's fake, how could I possibly be exiled to the frontier? Others don't know, don't you know? The dramas I received from the beginning to end, how many of it are bad? What's the use of looking good? A lot of things are shiny on the surface, but have little value. Although I am only playing a small supporting role, it also depends on whose small supporting role I play—In which drama you play a small supporting role."

Only then Xia Ningke showed a real smile: "Although I have long understood what kind of road you are going to take, I also know that your resources is not lacking. But when I heard others say that, I am still worry a bit about you. After all, in the entertainment industry, many things are not groundless, they always have roots. So, I just asked you today to verify."

Hearing these words, Li Zixi was a little moved: "Thank you, Keke! Your *concern is chaos. The road I am going to take is not the road taken by Internet celebrities, Xiao Hua or idols. I am going to take a road that might be a bit difficult, it also might be a road that had been silent for many years."

[*concern is chaos – the more you care, the more confused you get]

Xia Ning Ke looked at Li Zixi and asked, "Do you regret it?"

Li Zixi asked back rhetorically, "Regret what?"

"Regret choosing such a slow road to fame; regret watching people who weren't as good as you at the beginning become more popular than you; regret that working so hard Is not as good as someone else's scandal."

"Never regretted it! And I believe that the heavens are looking when humans act. My efforts will eventually be rewarded." After saying these words, Li Zixi jokingly said, "Besides, Muzi Pictures is not a vegetarian. They certainly won't watch my *pearl be covered in dust for so many years. Perhaps, the day I'll be famous is not too far. Who can tell? Say, maybe I will be famous tomorrow."

[*pearl covered in dust – a person's ability or intelligence that has not yet been brought into play; valuables falling into the hands of people who do not know the goods]

"Haha! I like your character. *Lao Tie, if you'' be famous tomorrow, don't forget to carry me!" Xia Ningke said with a smile.

[*Lao Tie – an endearment that can be used to a closest friend/bosom buddy/ride-or-die friend]

"Rest assured, Lao Tie, I will definitely give you a hand. The two of us will go out of Asia to around the world together."

"Okay, our goal is..."

"The stars and the seas!" After the two people spoke, they both laughed out loud.

After dinner, Xia Ningke had rush back by plane. Li Zixi has no role recently, so she stayed there for another night. The next day, she rushed back to the Film and Television City.

While Li Zixi was waiting for the last scene to be filmed, Ye Handong's MV started filming.

The scene was taken in a very beautiful southwestern city, where the famous *one-meter sunlight is, as well as the snow-capped mountains and many more. The view is very consistent with the lyrics.

[*one-meter sunlight – There is a romantic legend about the one-meter sunlight. All year round, the peak of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang is shrouded in mist that even during the sunniest days, the sunlight could barely pierce through. But by the autumn equinox, there will be an occasional moment when the one-meter sunlight could be seen shining at the top of the mountain. And those who will be shone by this sunlight will get love forever.]

Everyone is busy preparing to start shooting, only one person is very idle and very unhappy.

That is our MV male lead!

Ye Handong is very angry! If he had known that the MV was for him to shoot in person, he absolutely will never agree to it! He always thought that he'll just write his own songs, just compose music and fill in lyrics. He didn't expect that they actually asked him to come.

Shouldn't they use a male model? Does his old man want to save money again? Sure enough, it is the nature of capitalists ah, profit chasing! With such resentment, Ye Handong followed the team to this beautiful scenery, but the city made him feel not very good.

During the filming process, Wu Xinran's performance has always been remarkable and the director is also very satisfied. This is not to say how good Wu Xinran's acting skills are, but the MV itself does not have such high requirements for the leading actors. As long as it is not too bad, it won't be too embarrassing.

When it was time for Wu Xinran and Ye Handong to be filmed together, the director's mood went along with Ye Handong's "excellent" performance and started to change to be not so good.