Isn’t money good?

Chapter 8

Arriving at the dessert shop, the two ordered cake and black tea, then sat down in a corner booth.

Fu Baiqing eagerly pulled out his phone. “Let’s play!”

“You really are…” Yan Shiqiu was speechless. “WeChat or QQ?”

Seeing him take out his phone, Fu Baiqing immediately said with delight: “WeChat.”

Remembering how many times Fu Baiqing had died quickly in the game, Yan Shiqiu reminded him once more, “Remember to dodge, don’t rush when picking up items.”

Fu Baiqing nodded enthusiastically, “Mm-hmm”, then ten seconds into the game, he died with a splat again.

Yan Shiqiu: “…”

Fu Baiqing blinked in confusion. “Huh?”

Yan Shiqiu had no choice but to “suicide” and accompany Fu Baiqing in starting over.

When Fu Baiqing died with a splat again before even one minute into their fifth attempt, Yan Shiqiu looked at him with added affection. “How about I play on your account for you?”

“No.” Fu Baiqing rolled up his sleeves, “Let’s go again!”

Yan Shiqiu felt he needed to calm down. “Wait, let me take a breather and mentally prepare myself.”

“Oh.”

The cake and black tea had been served. Yan Shiqiu took a bite of cake, and his mouth was immediately enveloped in sweetness and softness. Paired with the slightly bitter black tea that cut through the excessive sweetness, his eyes squinted with satisfaction.

Fu Baiqing bit into a macaron, his cheeks puffed out. “Tastes good, right?”

“Mm, it’s delicious.”

“Their matcha mille-feuille is also good. You could order one to try.”

“No thanks, too much would be cloying.”

Fu Baiqing nodded. “True. Then you should take one to-go later and eat it tomorrow.”

“By the way, what’s your relationship with Ji Yunnian?” He lowered his voice and asked, curiosity and gossip written all over his face.

Yan Shiqiu propped his chin on his hand and glanced at him. “Do you know why Xiao Ming’s grandfather lived to one hundred?”

Fu Baiqing: “…”

Fu Baiqing picked up his phone. “I’ve rested enough, let’s play again!”

The two huddled in the dessert shop playing games for over an hour. After dying within one minute of starting countless times, they finally got Fu Baiqing to the point where he could survive for five minutes. Yan Shiqiu sank into the sofa, his mind blank, feeling more exhausted than writing a thesis.

He was certain now—he had really found himself a big headache!

He shifted position on the sofa and opened his social media feed, continuing to collect information about the original owner, trying to match names with faces of people the original owner knew.

Suddenly, Yan Shiqiu saw a photo.

He abruptly sat up straight, staring intently at his phone screen with disbelief, joy and confusion intertwining as his breathing became lighter.

Fu Baiqing, biting on his straw, noticed Yan Shiqiu’s expression and asked with concern: “What’s wrong?”

Yan Shiqiu shook his head.

He grabbed his bag beside him and stood up, saying hurriedly: “I have something to do, I’m leaving first.”

Fu Baiqing opened his mouth, but before he could speak, he saw Yan Shiqiu had already run to the door, hailed a taxi, and left.

Question marks popped up above his head.

Sitting in the car, as the vehicle merged into traffic, Yan Shiqiu gradually calmed down.

He reopened his screen and gazed at the painting filling the display. His nose tingled with emotion, but his heart felt joyful—so his mother’s paintings existed in this world too.

Then was his mother perhaps still alive?!

Yan Shiqiu immediately switched to a browser and searched for his mother’s name, but the information that appeared shattered his delusion.

Bai Zhi, died of illness five years ago.

Exactly the same.

Yan Shiqiu raised his hand to cover his eyes, and when he finally lowered it after a long while, the corners of his eyes were red.

He turned his head and quietly looked out the window.

Half an hour later, the taxi stopped in front of a café in the West District. Yan Shiqiu paid the fare and got out.

Walking into the shop, he quickly found the person who had posted the photo—Gu Qi, also a wealthy second-generation.

Seeing him, Gu Qi was very surprised. “Yan Shiqiu?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“Talk to me?” She frowned.

“This painting.” Yan Shiqiu placed his phone in front of her, “this sunflower painting—where did you see it?”

“What, you want to buy it?”

Gu Qi scoffed sarcastically: “Don’t dream. You can’t afford it.”

Yan Shiqiu didn’t mind her mocking words—after all, it was the truth.

All the money he currently had added up to only 28,000 yuan. His mother’s paintings started at least at 800,000 yuan each.

“Right, I can’t afford it.”

He said matter-of-factly: “But I can look and appreciate beauty—having eyes is enough for that.”

Gu Qi hadn’t expected Yan Shiqiu to admit it so frankly. For a moment she couldn’t react, staring at him blankly as her follow-up mockery got stuck in her throat.

“I really like it. Could you tell me?” Yan Shiqiu softened his tone and offered an olive branch.

On his way here, he had quickly looked up Gu Qi—the youngest daughter of the Gu family, the apple of her family’s eye. She wasn’t bad-hearted and was quite kind, often doing charity work and sponsoring many poor girls’ education. She was just a bit spoiled.

Gu Qi came back to her senses and looked at Yan Shiqiu for a while longer, then curled her lip, feeling bored. She took out a business card from her handbag and tossed it to Yan Shiqiu. “This place.”

Yan Shiqiu took the business card and looked at her gratefully. “Thank you.”

Gu Qi was stunned again and replied dryly: “Oh.”

Strange, how was today’s Yan Shiqiu like a completely different person?

Having gotten the address, Yan Shiqiu didn’t disturb Gu Qi further and got up to leave.

The business card Gu Qi gave him was for a private gallery nearby. He took out his phone, pulled up the map, and walked there following the directions.

After walking for over ten minutes, he successfully found the place.

The gallery had a serene environment with a courtyard full of flowers and plants. Walking through the archway into the main hall, his mother’s painting hung in the most prominent spot.

It really was his mother’s painting.

Yan Shiqiu stopped in front of the painting, gazing at it with joy and nostalgia.

He stood before the painting for a long time until his stomach growled, reminding him, and only then did Yan Shiqiu reluctantly leave.

Walking out of the gallery, he looked back once more and clenched his fists.

He would earn enough money to buy it!

—

Chen Hangsheng’s call came quickly. The next day at noon, Yan Shiqiu received his call, notifying him to come sign the contract next Monday.

After hanging up, Yan Shiqiu couldn’t help but jump in place with joy.

His face lit up with happiness.

After saving Chen Hangsheng’s number, he went to wash his face, then returned to his study, sat down at the computer, and continued the translation work he had taken on last night.

One thousand yuan was a fortune for him at this stage—he couldn’t lose it.

A week passed quickly.

Monday morning, Yan Shiqiu arrived punctually at Chen Hangsheng’s studio.

Without auditions happening, the studio was much quieter.

The assistant led him to the conference room. After Yan Shiqiu entered, he discovered Fu Baiqing and Fang Yuhua were also there.

Fu Baiqing excitedly waved at him. “Good morning!”

“???” He was a bit confused.

He looked at Fang Yuhua, then at Fu Baiqing, and understood.

“He’s an artist under you?” Yan Shiqiu pulled out a chair and sat down, asking Fang Yuhua.

Fang Yuhua nodded. “Just signed half a month ago. Didn’t expect you two knew each other.”

“We just met on audition day.”

“I know.” Fang Yuhua smiled. “After Baiqing returned to the company that day, he kept praising you.”

Pausing, he said: “Congratulations.”

Yan Shiqiu smiled. “Congratulations to you too.”

Fang Yuhua crossed his arms. “How so?”

“He also passed the audition for the role of Xu Yang, didn’t he?” Yan Shiqiu nodded his chin toward Fu Baiqing. “He’s very excited and has been showing off to me for half the day.”

“That’s not called showing off, it’s sharing joy!” Fu Baiqing interjected, correcting his choice of words.

“Besides, you didn’t even tell me you passed the audition!” He huffed twice, looking completely unhappy.

“I thought you knew.” Yan Shiqiu looked at him with a smile. “When we came out of the audition room that day, didn’t you tell me, ‘If I become rich and successful, I won’t forget you’?”

Fu Baiqing: “…”

Fang Yuhua tapped the table with his fingertip. “Should I help negotiate your contract together?”

Yan Shiqiu smiled. “You mean I’m your artist now?”

“Your previous contract is actually still valid. You never sent back the termination papers.”

Yan Shiqiu remembered this management contract was personally negotiated by Wen Chen for him. It was very close to an A-level management contract with very artist-friendly terms, and it was only for three years.

He kept his surprise hidden without showing it, looking at Fang Yuhua: “I thought I’d have to renegotiate with you for a long time and couldn’t possibly get the same favorable treatment as before.”

Fang Yuhua raised an eyebrow. “So you can’t disappoint me. Work hard and make me money.”

Extending his hand toward him, Yan Shiqiu said: “Happy cooperation.”

“Happy cooperation.”

Just then, the conference room door was pushed open. Chen Hangsheng walked in with his team. Without much small talk, he said directly: “I have to go to C City this afternoon and don’t have enough time, so I invited you all here.

I’ve prepared the contracts. Take a look first, and if you’re not satisfied, we’ll renegotiate.”

With professional expertise and Fang Yuhua present, Yan Shiqiu felt much more relaxed.

He quietly listened to Fang Yuhua negotiate back and forth with Chen Hangsheng’s team, removing clauses unfavorable to him and renegotiating the fee.

In the end, the fee per episode was increased by 50,000 yuan.

After finishing Yan Shiqiu’s negotiation, Fang Yuhua continued with Fu Baiqing’s, again not yielding an inch and fully considering Fu Baiqing’s interests.

Chen Hangsheng had gone to such great lengths to cast actors and finally selected people he was satisfied with, so naturally he was full of sincerity. Although Fang Yuhua was tough in attitude, he actually also considered the production team’s interests, so both contracts were finalized before long.

After signing the contract, Yan Shiqiu received the complete script.

Coming out of Chen Hangsheng’s studio, Fang Yuhua said: “Where to? I’ll give you a ride.”

Yan Shiqiu didn’t refuse. He opened the car door and got in. “‘Tunian’ Gallery, in the West District.”

“A gallery? Are you going to see an art exhibition? Then I want to go too!” Fu Baiqing spoke up, then quickly got in the car and scooted next to Yan Shiqiu, looking at him expectantly.

Yan Shiqiu turned his head and asked: “Don’t you have work?”

“No.”

“Then fine.” Yan Shiqiu didn’t mind Fu Baiqing tagging along—he was just going to see his mother’s painting.

Seeing Yan Shiqiu agree, Fang Yuhua said nothing more.

After dropping them off at the gallery entrance, Fang Yuhua had other matters and left after a few instructions.

“Let’s go in.” Yan Shiqiu familiarly led Fu Baiqing into the exhibition hall.

He had been coming almost every day these past few days, and the staff all recognized him. “Here to see the sunflowers again?”

“Mm.”

“Since you like it so much, you could buy it and take it home. Our boss is here today.” The staff member said.

Yan Shiqiu smiled slightly without responding.

Fu Baiqing waited until the person left before quietly asking: “Aren’t you going to buy it?”

“I don’t have money.” After saying this, Yan Shiqiu stopped in front of the painting, tilting his face up slightly to gaze at it with focused attention.

Fu Baiqing was about to say “I’ll lend you money” when he remembered he had run away from home and had no money himself. His face crumpled, and he deflated.

Behind them suddenly came footsteps and low conversation, breaking the quiet of the exhibition hall.

Listening to it, Yan Shiqiu found the voice very familiar.

It couldn’t be, could it?

He turned around and indeed saw Ji Yunnian again.

Was B City too small?!