Chapter 33- The National Goddess Raised by the Best Actor(12)

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Chapter 33

Xu Ping couldn’t reach Xu Ruier, but Xu Wan, ever so “helpful,” provided her number and reassured her not to worry, saying she could have a good talk with Xu Ruier.

Having left abruptly for the production set, Xu Ping was furious as she stayed in the hospital. Her anger erupted in a barrage of phone calls.

Xu Ruier picked up, and when Xu Ping launched into her accusations, she responded calmly, speaking softly, “Mom, I asked the doctor. The ovarian cyst surgery isn’t serious; you’ll be discharged tomorrow.”

Xu Ping’s fury was instantly extinguished.

How did she know?!

“If there’s nothing else, I have activities here at the production set. I’ll hang up now, but I’ll visit you when I have time,” Xu Ruier said in an unhurried tone.

“Still… even if it’s not serious, I’m in the hospital! You didn’t even say a word before leaving!” Xu Ping’s voice faltered slightly, laced with guilt.

Having her lie exposed, she felt embarrassed and awkward.

“Mom,” Xu Ruier said after a pause, “you’re doing all these things without considering my situation at all.”

“How have I not considered you?! Do you know what—”

“You’ve considered yourself, Xu Wan, Dad, Grandpa, and Grandma. But you’ve sacrificed me,” Xu Ruier interrupted softly.

Xu Ping’s eyes darted nervously as she tried to find an excuse. But before she could speak, the voice on the other end continued, “I have to go now.”

“Wait, I—”

Beep… beep…

The call ended, leaving Xu Ping stunned. Lately, Xu Ruier had been pushing the limits more and more. Now she not only disobeyed but seemed completely indifferent to Xu Ping’s well-being.

All she cared about was acting.

Xu Ping stared at the number Xu Wan had given her and decided that something had to be done. Otherwise, no one would have peace.

She dialed another number, introducing herself as Xu Ruier’s mother. In a righteous tone, she demanded that Ji Yang terminate Xu Ruier’s contract, forbidding her from pursuing acting.

Ji Yang listened to the impassioned plea without a flicker of emotion. His voice was calm and cold as he replied, “Xu Ruier isn’t a minor. She signed the contract after careful consideration. My studio isn’t a playground. Not acting means breaching the contract, and the penalty is 30 million yuan.”

“Pay the penalty, and she’s free to leave.”

At the mention of 30 million, Xu Ping was struck speechless. She wasn’t ignorant—causing a scene wouldn’t work here.

She hung up the phone in a daze, her hope completely dashed.

Thirty million?

The Xu family’s total assets, including all movable and immovable property, were only worth a few hundred million. Thirty million was an astronomical amount.

There was no way they could pay such a penalty.

Xu Wan eventually learned of the situation, as did the rest of the Xu family. Xu Dong’s face darkened, and a suffocating tension enveloped the household.

It was clear the Xu family wouldn’t buy Xu Ruier out of the contract. They couldn’t afford to. The planned arranged marriage was now in jeopardy as well. After all, prominent families didn’t want daughters-in-law who were in the public eye; they wanted women who could stay home and bear children quietly.

Even Xu Wan couldn’t easily access 30 million yuan from the family.

Xu Ping’s situation became increasingly difficult.

Meanwhile, Xu Wan wasn’t having an easy time on set either. The director’s standards were famously high, and she struggled to meet them. Originally, she thought Xu Ruier would make her look good in comparison.

Instead, the opposite happened. Xu Ruier unexpectedly performed smoothly, stealing the spotlight. Praises came her way repeatedly, and she became increasingly adept.

“Expression!”

“Your actions—bigger movements! Don’t be so restrained!”

“Cut! How many times do I have to tell you? Look at the script properly!”

Director Xu Yuan threw the script down in frustration. Both Xu Wan and Xu Ruier, standing in front of the camera, felt utterly awkward.

“I’m sorry, Director. We’ll go practice the scene again,” Xu Wan quickly spoke up, her tone filled with apology.

Facing Xu Ruier, though, she couldn’t muster a smile. Days of pent-up resentment simmered beneath the surface, barely contained by her carefully maintained public image.

“How many takes has it been?” Director Xu’s temper flared, his face dark as thunder.

“Maybe it’s because we haven’t had enough time to rehearse together. We’re not quite in sync yet…”

“Let me shoot the scene with her first,” Ji Yang interjected as he approached. Clad in a police uniform, his commanding presence exuded strength and determination, perfectly embodying his character.

“Fine.” Xu Yuan shook his head, giving in.

Xu Ruier was a little flustered from being scolded earlier, but the sight of Ji Yang helped her settle down. His voice, low enough for only the two of them to hear, carried a warning: “What did we rehearse last night? No mistakes allowed! If you mess up, don’t even think about running lines with me again—it’ll be pointless.”

Her nerves instantly heightened, her palms clammy with sweat as anxiety overtook her.

“That’s the energy. Keep it up,” Ji Yang added before stepping into position.

Director Xu signaled, and Ji Yang spun sharply, his piercing gaze fixed on Xu Ruier. “Zhang Duo, aiding and abetting a criminal is no small matter. If you’re caught, no one can save you.”

Xu Ruier’s eyes flitted nervously, quickly slipping into character. “I… I didn’t.”

“Didn’t?” Ji Yang’s tone shifted, harsh and accusatory, his voice rising. “Do you think I’m an idiot? On January 12th…”

“Cut!” Director Xu studied the footage, his expression softening. “Very good. Ready for the next scene?”

Xu Ruier let out a subtle sigh of relief, only for Ji Yang’s voice to come floating over again, light yet loaded: “If you mess this one up, you’re not sleeping tonight. Begging won’t help.”

The words sent a wave of embarrassment coursing through her, her face flushing bright red as a flurry of emotions—shyness, unease, and anticipation—swirled within her.

“Prepare for the next scene,” Xu signaled.

The next scene was completed in a single take as well.

Standing off to the side, Xu Wan couldn’t keep her composure. No matter how well she tried to hide her emotions, her smoldering eyes betrayed her seething rage.

The contrast was glaring—wasn’t it her repeated mistakes that had ruined the earlier scene?

“Wan Jie.”

Xu Wan abruptly turned, her burning glare momentarily shocking her assistant, who let out a startled scream.

“What are you screaming for?” Xu Wan pressed her lips into a thin line, her tone calm and measured.

The assistant, rattled, handed over a cup of coffee with trembling hands. “Wan… Wan Jie, here’s your coffee.”

“Mm.” Xu Wan accepted it with her usual grace, turning away with a composed smile. “Thank you. You’ve worked hard.”

Her assistant, still shaken, took deep breaths to steady herself.

Later That Night

“Chen Yan, no! I said no!”
“We can think of another way, okay? Please don’t do this.”
“I… I really can’t.”

Xu Ruier’s voice murmured from the desk as she practiced her lines, her script covered with detailed annotations.

From his vantage point, Ji Yang watched her quietly while towel-drying his hair. The dedication she showed, mumbling her lines even when the script was practically second nature, caught his attention.

She might lack experience, but her determination and discipline were impressive. He had a feeling she had the potential to become an award-winning actress.

“Ready for bed?” Ji Yang asked, stepping behind her to wrap his arms around her waist.

Recently, she had started coming to his room on her own initiative. True to the original Ji Yang’s character, he wouldn’t have lowered himself to visit her smaller suite. A little prodding and she would sheepishly sneak over at night, then slip back early in the morning.

“Can you run through this scene with me first?” she asked, tilting her head to look at him.

“Again? Running lines?” Ji Yang sighed, releasing her. “Don’t feel like it.”

“Just this one scene, please?” Xu Ruier asked softly, drawing out the words with a hint of a plea.

“Fine, but after this, you’re coming to bed with me,” Ji Yang teased indulgently.

Her face lit up with delight, her confidence buoyed by his agreement. “You’re the best!”

“Hand it over. Start from here,” he said, gesturing to the script.

“Mm-hmm!”

What began as running one scene stretched into running all of her lines for the next day. Ji Yang spent an hour coaching her performance.

“That’s not right—your intonation.” Ji Yang sighed, rubbing his temples. “Xu Ruier, slow down the end of the line and add a slight tremble.”

“Okay, let’s try again.”

Smack!

The script lightly tapped her head, and Ji Yang’s lips curled into a faint smirk. “Didn’t I just tell you to pause? You’re rushing.”

“I know, I know!” she protested, lunging forward to hug his waist. Tilting her head up, she pouted playfully. “You’re so strict. We’ve been practicing for two and a half hours—I’m exhausted!”

Ji Yang gazed down at her, her sparkling eyes full of love and the hint of spoiled charm that only he seemed to bring out in her.

Gradually, her guarded demeanor was fading. She was beginning to reveal her true self, even using her vulnerability to her advantage.

“Fine. Kiss me, and we’re done for tonight.” Ji Yang turned his cheek toward her. “One kiss, and you’re off the hook.”

Her cheeks flushed pink as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. True to his word, he let her off the hook. Holding onto his arm, she followed him around like a small, devoted shadow, a soft smile lingering on her lips.

For the first time, she felt what it was like to be seen, to be valued—and it was intoxicating.