After meeting with Yu Xiuzhu, Jing Xun didn’t expect him to come up with an idea so quickly. His eyes lit up. “A program?”
Yu Xiuzhu put down his coffee cup and stood up. “Wait here a moment.”
“Okay.”
Jing Xun watched as Yu Xiuzhu left the lounge and walked toward the nearby office. Less than three minutes later, he returned with a few thin sheets of A4 paper.
“Xiaoxun, take a look?”
Yu Xiuzhu handed him the freshly printed proposal. “It’s an observational workplace reality show.”
Hearing the genre, Jing Xun slightly furrowed his brows, but he didn’t rush to ask questions. Instead, he carefully read through the proposal.
The full title of the program was “This! Is Real Workplace!”—its premise was clear from the name.
The show would focus on trending workplace topics, featuring benchmark companies in Di Jing and Hai City as settings. It would use a “newcomer + veteran mentor” pairing format to reveal the real working environments of different industries.
The plan was for eight main episodes plus two special episodes.
Yu Xiuzhu explained while Jing Xun continued reading, “It’s a mix of workplace reality show footage plus a studio observation segment.”
This was currently a very common format.
“The workplace segments are already mostly filmed, and a large portion of the main episodes have been edited. The first round of studio recordings will start mid-month.”
“I heard one of the original celebrity guests suddenly had a scheduling conflict and couldn’t make it, so the production team is urgently looking for a replacement. They asked me if I could recommend someone suitable.”
Jing Xun looked up. “Brother Yu, you want me to be an observation guest?”
Yu Xiuzhu didn’t deny it. “The studio segment is relatively simple and suits your current condition.”
Sit in the studio, watch the reality footage, share your opinions, and discuss with other guests.
Usually, it doesn’t require much physical activity.
Jing Xun understood the implication, but since he had always been focused on acting, he had never participated in a reality show before.
Seeing his hesitation, Yu Xiuzhu added everything he knew:
“Xiaoxun, this show isn’t just online—it’s also a satellite TV production from Hai City TV. It’s S+ level. The guests in the workplace segments are reportedly very capable and visually strong.”
The station was aiming for a hit early in the year, so promotion after airing would definitely be strong.
Even if the observation guests weren’t the main focus, there would still be plenty of exposure and discussion.
Objectively speaking, given Jing Xun’s current physical condition, it would be difficult to find suitable acting roles or return to on-screen work.
Participating in this show would at least allow him to appear publicly to some extent while also earning appearance fees in a stable way. It was truly the best option right now.
Jing Xun rubbed the still-warm printed pages, his heart slightly heated. “Brother Yu, I understand what you mean, but with my current condition, would the production team even accept me as an observation guest?”
Yu Xiuzhu smiled. “Didn’t you say your legs might recover? There have been actors in the industry before who appeared on shows while recovering from fractures or sitting in wheelchairs—you wouldn’t be an exception.”
He didn’t single Jing Xun out or treat him differently.
Warmth rose in Jing Xun’s heart, and he tried to seize the opportunity. “I want to try, but I’m afraid the production team won’t think I’m suitable.”
Yu Xiuzhu said, “To be honest, one of the producers is my aunt, which is why they asked me to recommend guests.”
“If you’re interested, I can talk to them. Your chances of being selected are higher than most.”
“Of course, I can’t guarantee anything. We’ll see how it goes.”
Jing Xun hadn’t expected to secure it for sure anyway. He lowered his expectations immediately. “Okay, thank you, Brother Yu.”
“What’s there to thank me for? From now on, I’m your agent.”
“Mm.”
…
After meeting Yu Xiuzhu, Jing Xun returned to his normal routine.
Although Professor Song had diagnosed a strong possibility of recovery in his legs, surgery was no child’s play. The difficulty was high, and the medical team needed to carefully design a surgical plan.
As the patient, Jing Xun cooperated with all pre-operative examinations and preparations.
Meanwhile, the medication prescribed by Dr. Wen also began to take effect.
For a full week, Jing Xun’s sleep quality improved significantly. He often slept through the night until naturally waking up, with far fewer nightmares disturbing him.
Before long, another sunny day arrived.
With nothing to do, Jing Xun spent the afternoon watching two classic film series.
As an actor, he had always maintained a habit of watching films. In the past, he would even analyze pacing and study publicly available script excerpts.
Back in university, he had even considered becoming a screenwriter if acting didn’t work out.
And later, that idea had almost come true in the worst way.
In his previous life, during the years confined to a wheelchair, he could no longer act, so he tried writing an original film script.
But no matter how he revised the ending, he was never satisfied.
“….”
Thinking of that unfinished script from “before his death,” a trace of regret surfaced on Jing Xun’s face.
Before he could sink deeper into thought, a soft puppy bark suddenly sounded from the courtyard outside.
“Wuah~”
“….”
At first, he thought he had misheard. He tilted his head toward the window—then another faint sound came.
“Woof!”
Because of the wheelchair height, he couldn’t see what was happening downstairs. Just as the film reached its ending, he wheeled himself out.
In the rear courtyard on the first floor, the wide, tidy lawn was surrounded by the butler Lin Shu and several servants, all smiling faintly.
The butler was the first to notice him and stepped aside. “Young Master Jing, you came at the right time. Come take a look.”
Only then did Jing Xun notice a small puppy at the butler’s feet.
The puppy was entirely milky white, except for its ears, which had light yellow tips.
Perhaps hearing the sound of the wheelchair, it wasn’t afraid at all—it instead trotted straight over.
It stopped by Jing Xun’s feet and looked up. “Wuuf!”
So fierce!
Jing Xun’s attention locked onto it instantly. He picked it up by the scruff of its neck. “Uncle Lin, where did this puppy come from?”
Although the estate was large, it was well-maintained, and stray dogs wouldn’t normally be able to wander in and give birth here.
Being suddenly lifted by its scruff, the puppy immediately changed expression, whimpering softly as it obediently lay on Jing Xun’s lap.
The butler stepped closer and explained, “It’s from a relative’s house. It’s only a little over two months old. Their mother dog gave birth to several puppies, and they couldn’t take care of them all. These past few days they’ve been trying to sell them near the Songjiang market.”
“They insisted on giving me one. If I can’t keep it, I should find someone who can take care of it and give it away for free.”
A servant chimed in, “Aiya, these local dogs are very loyal and smart.”
As they spoke, the puppy rubbed against Jing Xun, its fluffy head brushing his hand and stirring a familiar, nostalgic itch.
Jing Xun stroked its soft fur, the fondness in his eyes spilling out naturally. “It’s a local dog… I had one like this when I was a child.”
The butler understood immediately. “Young Master Jing, you like it?”
Another servant added, “Isn’t that perfect? If you like it, just keep it! Otherwise we still need to find it a home.”
Another echoed, “Yes, we’re employed by Mr. Chi. It’s not convenient for us to keep pets in the house.”
“….”
Jing Xun listened to everyone talking over one another, but he didn’t immediately agree.
He still remembered that a few days ago, when they were in the car discussing dogs, Chi Gui’s expression had been very indifferent. He seemed like someone who didn’t like dogs.
Jing Xun looked down at the puppy in his arms. “I can’t make this decision. I need Mr. Chi’s approval.”
Just as he finished speaking, a voice came from behind him.
“What needs my approval?”
Jing Xun turned his body slightly and met Chi Gui’s tall figure as he approached.
The butler and the servants all restrained their smiles at once, showing more respect. “Sir, why are you back so early today?”
The assistant who followed Chi Gui, Chen Yiming, answered for him. “A meeting was rescheduled, so we came back early.”
His gaze landed on the puppy in Jing Xun’s arms. “Oh? Young Master Jing, where did this puppy come from?”
“It’s from Uncle Lin’s relative. They wanted him to help find someone to adopt it.” Jing Xun explained, then couldn’t help glancing at Chi Gui. “I think it’s pretty cute, so I just held it for a while.”
Even so, he still couldn’t bring himself to return the puppy to Uncle Lin. Since he couldn’t keep it anyway, he might as well hold it a little longer.
Chi Gui asked knowingly, “Do you want to keep it?”
Jing Xun gently held the puppy’s soft little paws, a trace of regret showing on his face. “It’s probably better not to. My physical condition makes it inconvenient to raise a dog.”
The puppy in his arms seemed to understand. It clung tightly to his chest, even trying to nuzzle him with its nose and tongue as if to stop him from giving it away.
Jing Xun didn’t mind the messiness. He simply tapped its nose with his fingertip. “Be good.”
The puppy was indeed intelligent—it immediately quieted down.
Chi Gui watched this scene. “If you want to keep it, then keep it.”
Jing Xun looked surprised. “Hm?”
The butler, quick to read the room, said, “There are so many people in the house. It’s just one puppy. When we have time, we can take it for walks.”
A servant chimed in, “That’s right, Young Master Jing. I think this dog is quite fond of you.”
Hearing everyone’s encouragement, a spark lit up in Jing Xun’s eyes. “I can really keep it?”
Chi Gui met his bright gaze. He had no intention of refusing in the first place. “Yes. If you need any pet supplies, tell Chen Yiming and have him buy them.”
Chen Yiming, remembering the trunk already filled with pet supplies, wisely said nothing. “No problem.”
Jing Xun smiled. “Okay! I’ll think it through properly and make a list later.”
Fortunately, he had raised a dog before, so he had experience.
Uncle Lin looked at Jing Xun’s noticeably brighter mood, then asked for instructions from Chi Gui. “Should I set up a doghouse in the courtyard?”
Chi Gui nodded. “Mm.”
He had never been particularly fond of dogs. Allowing Jing Xun to keep one in the courtyard—based on the psychologist’s suggestion—was already his limit.
“….”
Hearing the brief exchange between master and servant, Jing Xun paused while stroking the puppy.
He looked back at Chi Gui, a hint of newfound boldness he himself hadn’t noticed in his eyes.
“Mr. Chi, can I keep it in my room?”
“….”
Chi Gui fell silent. He didn’t immediately answer.
Jing Xun quickly explained, “It’s still too cold outside. The puppy might get sick. I promise I’ll train it to use a fixed toilet spot, it won’t mess around in the house!”
He turned the chubby little puppy around and held it up in front of Chi Gui. “Look, it’s really well-behaved!”
“Wu~”
The puppy lifted its head and let out a soft cry, as if trying to prove its presence.
“….”
Looking at the strangely similar pair of human and dog, Chi Gui felt his bottom line retreat yet again.
“…Fine. Do whatever you want.”