After getting a general idea of the show’s content and understanding the situation, Zhao Xi felt this variety show had come at just the right time.
After all, she really didn’t have any suitable acting roles lined up lately, and this show was also a great opportunity for growth.
She patted her chest confidently and assured,
“Fei Ge, you can rest easy this time. I’ll definitely accept this arrangement obediently,”
she said with a playful grin.
“Hah, you only accept obediently when you like something. If you don’t like it, you don’t even give me the time of day,”
her agent Zhao Fei replied with an expression that said, “I see right through you.”
“Hey, don’t be like that. We still have a long way to go working together. I promise I won’t cause any trouble.”
“You’d better not,”
Zhao Fei replied with a forced smile, and Zhao Xi returned the same expression.
Just as Su Zhaotang had settled down for a moment, Zhou Lingjing’s mother, her future mother-in-law Liang Zhirong, called her.
She swiped to answer,
“Hello, Auntie, good afternoon,” Su Zhaotang said sweetly.
“Oh, what are you still calling me ‘Auntie’ for? It’s time to change that. I’ve been waiting almost thirty years to hear you call me ‘Mom’,” Mrs. Liang teased.
Su Zhaotang felt a bit embarrassed, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Mom.”
“Yes, haha, our Zhaozhao is so adorable. The reason I called is to invite you to join me at a tea ceremony gathering tomorrow. It’s just some wealthy ladies from the industry. They’ve been showing off their sons and daughters-in-law to me all the time. This time, I’m definitely bringing you along,”
her mother-in-law said proudly over the phone, as if Su Zhaotang was sure to make her proud.
“And our Zhaozhao is so outstanding and beautiful—they’ll definitely be green with envy,”
Mrs. Liang added happily before Su Zhaotang could even respond.
Su Zhaotang felt a bit awkward.
“Ah, wouldn’t that be a bit sudden? Me just appearing in front of them like that…”
“Nonsense, it’s not sudden at all. You’re the rightful daughter-in-law of the Zhou family. Just dress up beautifully tomorrow evening and come with me, okay? Be a good girl,”
Mrs. Liang encouraged her.
“Alright, then I’ll go with you,” Su Zhaotang agreed.
“Mhm, mhm, mhm, it’s settled then. I’ll go tell them right now that I’m bringing my daughter-in-law, hahaha,”
Zhou Lingjing’s Mother seemed overjoyed, her laughter audible even over the phone.
Su Zhaotang tidied up at the studio and then took the driver’s car home.
By the time she arrived home, it was already afternoon. Her parents had already finished eating, but her brother hadn’t.
Because this guy had just woken up from sleeping in and was leisurely eating his lunch.
Or, more accurately, this should be his breakfast.
As soon as Su Zhaotang entered the dining room, she saw Su Haoxuan looking half-asleep, mechanically shoving food into his mouth.
She walked up behind him and gave his back a light pat, startling him so much that he dropped what he was holding into his bowl. He turned around, shouting,
“Who patted me?”
“Me,” Su Zhaotang said matter-of-factly.
“How late did you stay up playing games last night? You’re only just getting up to eat now. Are you trying to become an immortal or something?”
Su Zhaotang launched into a tirade. Her younger brother really needed to be scolded. You could say he was foolish, but he was also incredibly smart—he played the stock market like a pro in private. He just didn’t take things seriously.
Su Haoxuan saw it was his sister and wore an expression of speechless resignation. He wanted to scold her, but he knew she would definitely complain to their parents, and in the end, he would be the one getting scolded.
“Can’t you let me eat in peace? Why did you have to scare me?” Su Haoxuan looked at her with a resentful gaze.
Su Zhaotang sat down beside him.
“I just tapped you, that’s all. Don’t make a fuss.”
“Also, can you fix your sleep schedule? What are you going to do after summer break ends, staying up like this every day?”
Su Zhaotang lectured him.
“I know what I’m doing, sis. Don’t worry.”
After saying that, he picked up a napkin from the table, wiped his mouth, pushed his chair back, stood up, and then ruffled Su Zhaotang’s hair with both hands before quickly running off. Sure enough, the next second, Su Zhaotang’s scream echoed.
“Su! Hao! Xuan!! Do you have a death wish?”
She hated it the most when someone messed up her hair.
Su Zhaotang angrily smoothed her hair and then called the housekeeper to prepare a simple lunch for her. She was starving.
In the evening, Su Zhaotang mentioned this matter to her parents. Su Mom smiled knowingly.
“The Zhou family just wants to give you some face, to let others know that they are very satisfied with their daughter-in-law. It’s also another way of telling people that you and Lingjing are married.”
Liu Xinruo held a cup of floral tea in her hand. The subtle floral fragrance as she took a sip made her squint comfortably.
Upon hearing this, her father Su Zhiyuan took off his gold-rimmed glasses. Even his refined face couldn’t hide his joy. After all, his precious daughter had gained the respect of her in-laws, which was a good thing for her.
Listening beside them, Su Zhaotang felt that her parents might be overthinking it. Maybe they just simply wanted her to accompany them to that tea ceremony event.
She shook her head helplessly. Suddenly having free time, she didn’t know what to do.
Suddenly, an idea flashed in her mind. Her eyes sparkled mischievously a few times, and even the corners of her mouth unconsciously lifted into a smile.
She picked up her phone and opened the chat with the person she hadn’t messaged since adding them on WeChat—Zhou Lingjing.
His default nickname was ZLJ, and she couldn’t be bothered to change it.
In the chat box, she tapped his profile picture. She thought she would have to wait a while for Zhou Lingjing to reply, but unexpectedly, a question mark was sent instantly.
Su Zhaotang was genuinely a bit surprised.
Tang Xiaotang: 【Aren’t you busy?】 followed by a sneaky puppy sticker.
Zhou Lingjing: 【Just finished a meeting. Picked up my phone and saw you looking for me.】
Zhou Lingjing: 【What’s up?】
Tang Xiaotang: 【Ah, nothing really. I’m just a bit bored.】
She sent another pouting sticker.
Seeing this reply, Zhou Lingjing couldn’t help but smile—a smile even he didn’t realize carried a hint of affection.
He sat on the sofa chair in his office, his long legs casually resting on the edge of the sofa, forming a comfortable posture. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on his face, making his features appear even more defined.
Zhou Lingjing: 【So you want me to chat with you? You weren’t this clingy when I was in the country.】
Not bad, at least she knew to look for him when she was bored, Zhou Lingjing thought.
Seeing this, Su Zhaotang quickly replied with her slender fingers, as if not wanting to let him have the upper hand.
Tang Xiaotang: 【How did you become so narcissistic after going abroad, my dear CEO Zhou?】
Tang Xiaotang: 【I just wanted to remind you to remember to bring me back some nice things, okay~】
Zhou Lingjing: “Don’t worry, I won’t forget you.”
He had already instructed his assistant to make a purchase at the flagship store as soon as he got off the plane. Moreover, he planned to attend a small private auction in Germany tonight, intending to pick out some jewelry for Su Zhaotang. This little one had loved shiny things since she was a child.
He still remembered when she was just a tiny baby, her sparkling eyes fixed on the diamond ring on his mother’s finger. Her chubby little hand tugged at him as she said, “Brother, Zhaozhao wants that shiny thing.”
Her eyes remained glued to it as she spoke—adorable beyond words.