112. Life Is Too Hard for Me

“Where did you say you’re going?” Chen Ruowen yawned beneath the covers, her peach-blossom eyes still blurred from sleep, unfocused as they landed on Guo Jingyuan. The languid expression on her face made Guo Jingyuan’s heart race, despite herself.

“I want to… go to Beicheng,” Guo Jingyuan whispered.

“Why?”

Yesterday’s class reunion had lasted until eleven o’clock. After fending off several admirers for Bai Jinyan, Chen Ruowen had returned home in a surprisingly good mood to sleep.

Of course, this good mood was predicated on Bai Jinyan not interfering when she declared her territory. Had Bai Jinyan dared utter even half a “no” last night...

Hmph. Kill the messenger, don’t bury her!

But she woke up to Guo Jingyuan saying she wanted to go to Beicheng?

“I found a part-time job online. I want to work in Beicheng over the summer to save up for tuition,” Guo Jingyuan added quietly, “and to pay back some money.”

She hadn’t forgotten how much she owed Chen Ruowen.

Chen Ruowen’s lovely brows furrowed, but she didn’t say a word to stop her.

This little girl’s pride was fierce; if she didn’t let her venture out, she’d probably go two months without eating or sleeping properly.

“Which company?” Chen Ruowen asked.

“I sent out several resumes. The details will only be clear after the interviews.”

“The college entrance exam results aren’t out yet. If you leave now, how will you fill in your university preferences at the end of the month?”

“I can do it at an internet café…” Guo Jingyuan murmured weakly.

“When do you leave?”

“The interviews are in the next couple of days. I suppose… I’ll leave this afternoon.”

Chen Ruowen hummed in response without further comment, not voicing any opinion about Guo Jingyuan’s urgency to leave.

That afternoon, however, she called Assistant Pan to send Guo Jingyuan to the train station.

Assistant Pan watched as Guo Jingyuan carried a small suitcase alone into the security checkpoint hall, then hurriedly called Chen Ruowen to report.

“Miss, I’ve safely escorted Miss Guo to the train station.”

Chen Ruowen, lying on the bed editing a video, murmured in acknowledgement.

“What’s the train number?”

Assistant Pan blinked, confused. “Miss, you didn’t tell me to ask for the train number…”

Chen Ruowen’s voice came faintly through the phone. “I didn’t ask you to eat today either.”

Assistant Pan felt like crying. The lady’s thoughts grew harder to predict by the day. Wasn’t he just supposed to be the driver today? Why didn’t she just give direct instructions?

I’m really having a hard time.

Seeming to sense Assistant Pan’s thoughts, Chen Ruowen put the phone on speaker and tossed it aside, typing rapidly on her laptop with a cold tone.

“If you just need a driver, why didn’t I ask Old Cui?”

Assistant Pan was momentarily stunned. The lady had a point. He steadied the receiver.

“So, what do you mean, Miss?”

“Where are you?”

“Uh… outside the waiting room.”

“What did you say when you left?”

“That I was to escort Miss Guo onto the train…”

Assistant Pan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead as he spoke. The lady’s rapid-fire questions were intimidating!

“Has she boarded the train yet?”

“…Huh?”

Chen Ruowen’s patience grew thin. “Do you think your task is complete?”

Assistant Pan wiped his sweat again.

How to answer that? Not really done, since there’s nothing more for him to do? But if he says done, the lady’s tone suggests she doesn’t think so. So what’s the right answer?

He stammered for a while, then suddenly had an idea and cautiously ventured:

“Miss, I don’t have a ticket, so I can’t enter the platform. The most I can do is escort Miss Guo to the waiting room.”

“Figure it out yourself.”

“...Yes,” Assistant Pan smiled bitterly.

“Also, find someone to follow her after she gets off, so that this little fool doesn’t get sold out.”

“Yes…”

“If she runs into trouble, don’t intervene immediately. Let her endure a couple of hard knocks from society.”

“Yes…”

“But she can’t get seriously hurt or injured, and report to me before eight every day.”

“Yes…”

“Are you a broken record?”

“??_??”

Assistant Pan was tearful. I really am having a hard time...

...

At the same moment, atop a towering twenty-eight-story building in downtown Nancheng City, Chen Liwan, chairman of Shuangxing, pushed a pile of documents aside with a helpless expression.

“Will you agree or not?”

The old man sat across from Chen Liwan in a reclining chair, his wrinkled face stubbornly persistent.

“If Chen Ruowen agrees to play the role, not only the Starry Night Gala but even the Red Rose Best Actress Award would be within reach!”

Chen Liwan’s headache was unbearable.

Cheng Sheng had already camped in his office for the third time refusing to leave.

Chen Liwan had also spoken to Zhao Yan to understand the situation. Cheng Sheng had taken a liking to his daughter—no, rather, he wanted to cast her as the lead in a xianxia drama, but she refused.

Not only did Chen Ruowen refuse, Chen Liwan himself was against it.

What was his daughter’s status? Shuangxing’s future chairwoman! How could she expose herself to the limelight as an actress?

Not to mention the drama involved kissing and intimate scenes.

If that brat Bai Jinyan wanted to get close to her, Chen Liwan would break his leg. What were those popular young actors who acted alongside her? Who did they think they were, daring to take advantage of his daughter?

In other words, if anyone else had said this, Chen Liwan would have kicked them out of Shuangxing long ago.

“The Best Actress Award means nothing to Ruowen. She only needs to manage the company well,” Chen Liwan said.

“You promised me,” Cheng Sheng remained seated, unmoved. “When you invited me to Shuangxing, you said you’d do everything to help me achieve my dreams. You wouldn’t force anyone into my crew, no matter who I wanted to cast, regardless of their fame or backing, or whether the project fit the mainstream market—you promised to help me succeed.

It was because of that promise I followed you into the then unknown Shuangxing.

I don’t want shares, position, or money. I just want to make an unprecedented perfect xianxia drama.

Is that such an unreasonable request?”

Recalling the early, difficult days of entrepreneurship, Shuangxing was unknown and powerless, relying solely on Cheng Sheng’s breakout success with a milestone xianxia drama to make a name in the TV industry. Only then had Shuangxing gained footing and gradually grown to its current status.

Chen Liwan sighed deeply.

“Choose someone else. Shuangxing has plenty of actresses. Whoever you want, even if it’s an actor from Dongyu, I’ll do my best to poach them for you.

But Chen Ruowen is my daughter. I don’t want her involved in all that.”

Cheng Sheng urged, “You know my crew is free from all the messy industry nonsense. What’s there to worry about?”

“I’m not worried about acting. But what about after the filming?”

Chen Liwan pulled out several newspapers from the reading rack, flipped to the entertainment section, and pushed them toward Cheng Sheng.

“Once you enter this world, you’re completely exposed to the public, facing countless gossip, scandals, and scrutiny every day. Every move can be attacked by internet trolls and keyboard warriors.”

Chen Liwan looked at Cheng Sheng earnestly, a pleading tone in his voice.

“Director Cheng, I support your artistic career, but please understand a father’s wish to protect his daughter.”