Superstar's Development Diary
Chapter 259 - 260: Wooden Son

Chapter 259: Chapter 260: Wooden Son

He Jinxia remained noncommittal. Her mother had left them both the shop and its goods; even the smallest supermarket in Qingdu would have at least a hundred thousand Huaxia Coins’ worth of merchandise stacked there. Offering them only fifty thousand was already a good deal.

That money would all be owed, and He Jinxia had already anticipated the scenario where they wouldn’t be able to get it back.

Regardless of the matters in Qingdu, He Jinxia was immersed in the joy of her mother coming to Imperial City, as they chatted and laughed, looking forward to the future.

When Luo You entered once more, Mrs. He and He Jinxia didn’t show a hint of anything unusual on their faces, only conveying that they were both very fine and happy.

Their demeanor left Luo You somewhat puzzled. Had they had an open discussion, or had there been no talk at all?

Or... had he completely misunderstood??

Noticing the hour was late, He Jinxia led her mother to a nearby hotel to check into a room. Luo You stayed right next door to Mrs. He. As they parted, He Jinxia took out a set of keys from her bag and solemnly handed them to her mother.

"This is the place I’ve rented in Imperial City, a two-bedroom suite in Dongting Lake Garden. It’s enough for us. From now on, this place is yours to manage," she said seriously.

Mrs. He was amused by her words and patted her hand, encouraging her to leave, "Alright, alright, no need to act so precious with me. I promise when you return, you will find your home clean, with a hot meal, soup, and someone caring for you!"

With a toothy grin, He Jinxia continued her conversation, clinging to her mother for a bit longer before she finally left the hotel.

At the same moment, Sheng Yan was still at his office sorting through a pile of documents.

The top-floor office included a small suite, which, despite being named small, was rather spacious, with a large bed, bathroom, and all the essentials, set up specifically for Sheng Yan who’s often too busy to go home.

Just after finishing a report, Sheng Yan shook his head and rolled his stiff shoulders, stood up to stretch a bit when his phone rang.

It was his mother on the call, which he answered.

"Did you know that Aunt He has already arrived in Imperial City?"

Sheng Yan’s heart skipped a beat as he asked in a deep voice, "Why would Auntie suddenly come over?"

Mrs. Sheng replied, "It’s not so sudden, really. She’s been asking me about Imperial City for months, and I’ve been trying to entice her to move here."

Life in Qingdu wasn’t bad, but it couldn’t match the prosperity of Imperial City.

Mrs. Sheng didn’t have many friends, and with her husband rarely at home, she was free to travel anywhere. She stayed in Qingdu, hoping to spend time chatting with Mrs. He.

If Mrs. He could come to Imperial City, that would be better. She was more familiar with Imperial City and could take Mrs. He to explore around.

Sheng Yan’s brows furrowed slightly, "When did she ask you?"

Mrs. Sheng answered, "Around the New Year’s time. She has been asking continuously and just now told me in a chat that she’s arrived and went to see Jinxia at work."

Pausing briefly, Mrs. Sheng continued, "Son, this is an excellent opportunity, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Whether you can make a good impression in front of Ah Fang depends on how you handle this."

Sheng Yan: "..."

Why did it feel like this was going to be a challenge?

Seeing his silence, Mrs. Sheng thought for a moment and then, feeling melancholy, she sighed deeply:

"Alas, how did I end up with such a blockhead for a son? It’s fine being reticent, but a bit of romance wouldn’t hurt. Have you... have you ever even asked Jinxia out to a movie or for a meal?"

Sheng Yan: "...Mom, we’re celebrities, public figures. It’s not convenient for us to go out."

Mrs. Sheng: "First, tell me, have you ever thought about doing these things with her?"

Sheng Yan chose to remain silent.

Every meeting was squeezed into a tight schedule, hurried and rushed; being able to see each other was satisfaction enough, so where was the leisure to think of doing those things? Besides, Jinxia didn’t seem like the type of girl who liked to go out and have fun.

As if she knew what Sheng Yan was thinking, Mrs. Sheng sighed heavily: "Foolish boy, how did I give birth to such a blockhead! You neither speak well nor know how to please a girl. How on earth did Jinxia come to fancy you?"

Sheng Yan’s face turned slightly dark. Did he really seem so unsatisfactory?

"Mom," he began slowly, "for my girl, I naturally know how to please her. Don’t overthink it. Jinxia is destined to be your daughter-in-law, and she won’t escape that fate. Since you have some free time now, you might as well—"

He paused mid-sentence and whispered, "help me think of ways to win over my mother-in-law?"

People of the same age have their own preferences, and without his mother’s advice, winning over elders would surely be doubly hard.

Mrs. Sheng’s attention was diverted, and she started discussing Mrs. He’s preferences with Sheng Yan.

Sheng Yan listened intently, occasionally jotting down notes on paper, his expression serious and focused.

The next day, after Mrs. He took a tour of He Jinxia’s filming site, she realized how tough it was to be a star. The same line, the same scene, had to be repeated over and over. Sometimes, she had to stand all day, which made her sympathize even more with her daughter.

Perhaps because an elder was watching, He Jinxia put extra effort into her acting that day. Her performance was full of energy, scene after scene, astonishing Duan Yu, who was behind the camera.

Duan Yu was still too young. He had the ability to control the camera but lacked the experience of He Jinxia, and in some parts, where he felt that Jinxia’s handling was not right, he didn’t know how to correct it.

The other two directors were likely no better than him. The three of them huddled together, murmuring for half a day, but couldn’t come to a conclusion. They had no choice but to press on with the filming.

It wasn’t long before He Jinxia faced a minor climax in the drama—the struggle for the child.

In the script, Luo Mei picked up a baby from a garbage truck, enduring hardships to raise the child to the age of four when the biological parents showed up.

They searched back and forth on that street, asking everyone if they had seen a child here four years ago, apparently left in a garbage truck, claiming the child had been abducted by traffickers.

Strangely, if the child had been taken by traffickers, why were they so sure that the child had been left in a trash bin?

The couple claimed they had seen the child there for the last time, had fought off the traffickers, and then as they chased the fleeing traffickers, everyone forgot to watch the child. When they returned after failing to catch the trafficker, the child was gone.

The answer seemed far-fetched, but the couple insisted the child was in the trash bin, taken by traffickers, and claimed they had seen their child on this street just last month!

They were very purposeful, searching only that street, while others argued that if the child had been abducted, it would certainly have been sold to another place and couldn’t possibly still be nearby. But the couple was insistent and wouldn’t believe, convinced they had seen him last month.

When Luo Mei passed that street after work in the evening, as she brushed past the parents, she overheard the woman murmuring to her husband:

"I saw it, I really saw it. Last month I saw a child nearby who looked just like you did as a boy!"

The words were resolute, as if she would dig three feet into the ground to find what she sought.

A shiver ran through Luo Mei’s heart; she rushed back to the apartment to check on the child, intending to hide him away.

Sadly, less than a day after she’d hidden him, the child was found.