Jiang Qingmei's mind was in a turmoil. She forced a smile at Miao Cuihua and said, "Thank you for coming to pass on the message, sister-in-law. But look, I haven't even washed my face yet. Let me wash up and I'll be right there."
Miao Cuihua nodded. "Then hurry up. The old village chief and the distinguished folks from the film crew are all waiting at the village entrance."
Hearing this, Jiang Qingmei hurried inside and yanked Jiang Xiaowei, who was still sound asleep on the bed, to her feet. She combed her hair into two little pigtails, applied some of her treasured Pechoin cream to her face, and dressed her in the new skirt she had just bought for her yesterday.
Jiang Xiaowei was bewildered by all this fussing. "Mom, what's going on?"
"A film crew has come to the village. You don't need to say anything later—just do whatever I tell you to do, got it?" Jiang Qingmei explained as she pulled her daughter along, hurrying toward the village entrance.
A film crew?
Jiang Xiaowei had never heard of such a thing, but seeing how serious her mother looked, she obediently didn't ask any questions.
Huaihua Village was remote and isolated. For many people, the farthest they'd ever traveled in their entire lives was going to the market in town over ten kilometers away. Now that a film crew had suddenly arrived in the village, who could possibly care about farm work?
Apart from those who had gone to search the back mountain earlier, most of the remaining villagers had gathered at the village entrance to watch the excitement.
A black off-road vehicle rumbled into the village like a wild beast, finally coming to a stop in front of the village committee office.
The first to step out was Yan Qiu, followed by the young Qi Jinchen and Jiang Xiaoxiao.
The little girl had spent the night at the county hospital. When Yan Qiu came to pick her up that morning, she had also bought her a brand-new set of clothes.
At first, the girl had been shy and refused to wear them. But when Yan Qiu said the clothes would be deducted from her future acting fees, she finally accepted them.
Jiang Xiaoxiao had always been cute, but previously her face had been sallow from malnutrition, and she was always wearing ill-fitting clothes, making her look like a little beggar.
But after a night of rest and a change of clothes, the little girl's innocence and loveliness immediately shone through.
When Jiang Qingmei arrived at the village entrance with Jiang Xiaowei in tow, she spotted Jiang Xiaoxiao from a distance—wearing a pinafore dress, as adorable as a doll.
Jiang Qingmei's expression shifted.
When had that dead girl become so pretty?
Jiang Xiaowei blurted out directly, "Mom, is that Jiang Xiaoxiao? I want that dress she's wearing!"
Jiang Qingmei ignored her and instead carefully studied the people around Jiang Xiaoxiao.
Jiang Xiaowei was spoiled rotten by Jiang Qingmei. Seeing that her mother wasn't paying attention to her, she simply went to take it herself: "Jiang Xiaoxiao! Take off that pinafore dress and give it to me!"
Hearing her cousin Jiang Xiaowei's voice, Jiang Xiaoxiao pursed her little lips and hid behind Yan Qiu. "I can't give this to you. It's the film crew's costume." With Aunt Yan backing her up, Jiang Xiaoxiao naturally wasn't afraid of Jiang Xiaowei. But she was afraid that after Aunt Yan left, her aunt would hate and beat her even more, so she lied and said it was a costume.
Sure enough, as soon as Jiang Qingmei heard it was a costume, she quickly pulled Jiang Xiaowei back.
Meanwhile, the old village chief hurried over to introduce them to Yan Qiu: "Director Yan, this is Xiao Ya's aunt. And this little girl is her cousin, Jiang Xiaowei."
Yan Qiu was dressed in a plain long gown, beautiful and aloof, looking just like a star from the television.
Jiang Qingmei had thought she was an actress—never expected her to actually be a director. She hastily plastered on a smile and stepped forward: "Ma'am, my home is just up ahead. If you don't mind, why not come sit for a while?"
"No need to sit." Yan Qiu said flatly: "I came to let you know that I plan to have the girl Xiaoxiao follow me for a couple of days of filming. This is the contract I've drafted. Take a look."
After speaking, Yan Qiu shot a glance at her assistant, who immediately stepped forward with the pre-prepared contract.
Jiang Qingmei couldn't read—how could she possibly understand a contract?
But she wasn't stupid either. She knew filming came with wages, so she cut straight to the point: "Ma'am, I can't read, so I won't bother looking at the contract. Just tell me directly how much this girl will earn following you to film."
Yan Qiu's gaze swept across her face and she immediately knew that Jiang Xiaoxiao's aunt was greedy and petty.
Even if she gave her more money, she would never treat Jiang Xiaoxiao well.
So Yan Qiu simply quoted the lowest amount.
"Two hundred."
…Two hundred?!
Jiang Qingmei almost thought she'd misheard.
It was true that their Huaihua Village was poor, but it wasn't like they'd never seen the world.
When celebrities filmed, their pay started at thousands or tens of thousands. This wretched girl might not be a celebrity, but surely it couldn't be this low?
Jiang Qingmei had initially thought this woman carried herself with class, but now she felt she'd been blind—this was clearly a cheapskate!
"No filming, no filming! Only two hundred yuan—might as well go home and farm!"
Jiang Qingmei's face darkened as she made to drag Jiang Xiaoxiao away.
Though Jiang Xiaoxiao was only five, she understood this aunt of hers better than anyone.
She knew her aunt was saying this on purpose to get Auntie Yan to pay more.
Though she didn't know whether two hundred was a lot or a little, she knew Auntie Yan genuinely cared about her, and she didn't want Auntie Yan to suffer a loss.
So, the moment Jiang Qingmei reached out to grab her, the little girl pretended to lose her footing, and with a plop, fell sitting onto the ground, then burst into loud wailing.
"Auntie, I just won't film, please don't hit me…"
Jiang Qingmei's eyes went wide: "What nonsense are you spouting, you wretched girl? When did I say I'd hit you!"
"Auntie really won't hit me?" The little girl stared with big eyes, looking timidly at Jiang Qingmei: "Then Auntie will also pay my medical bills, right?"
Jiang Qingmei was stunned: "Medical bills? What medical bills?"
The little girl clutched the hem of her clothes, looking pitiful: "When I was pulling radishes, I accidentally fell into the ditch on the back hill. This big brother saved me and took me to the county hospital, and covered two thousand in medical expenses for me."
Jiang Qingmei gasped, her eyeballs nearly popping out: "Two thousand?"
She'd never seen that much money in her entire life!
Was this wretched girl eating gold or taking gold-plated medicine, or living in a golden house, to spend that much money?
Even Yan Qiu and Qi Jinchen were stunned for a second, exchanging a glance.
Yan Qiu: You covered two thousand for this girl?
Qi Jinchen: Do you think that's possible?
After a round of eye contact, mother and son understood—so this little girl was putting on an act?
Now that was interesting.
The mother and son, who had originally intended to speak up for Jiang Qingmei, immediately adopted an attitude of surprise and amusement, standing quietly to the side to watch the little girl perform.
"So it was Xiaoxiao who fell into the water last night—no wonder Old Li and the others searched for half a day without finding her!"
"But then again, what kind of hospital charges twenty thousand yuan just to treat a drowning? This hospital must be trying to scam people, right?"
"I'm not so sure. That girl Xiaoxiao hasn't had a single full meal since she started living with the Jiang family's second son. She was already in poor health to begin with. Last night she got beaten and then nearly drowned—I'm afraid she really did pass through the gates of hell!"
"Aiyo, what a sin, being stuck with such a vicious aunt!"
Truth be told, many people in the village disapproved of Jiang Qingmei constantly beating and scolding Jiang Xiaoxiao. It was just that Huaihua Village was too poor—most families couldn't even put food on their own tables, so who had the spare energy to pity someone else's child?
But now, seeing the little girl crying so pitifully, everyone couldn't hold back anymore and stepped forward one after another to accuse Jiang Qingmei.
Hearing these words, Jiang Qingmei was so furious her eyelids flipped up. She was just about to open her mouth and curse them all out when the little girl on the ground spoke up timidly again.
"Auntie, why don't you just let me go film the show? Auntie Yan said that as long as I agree to film, we won't have to pay the medical fees."
The moment Jiang Qingmei heard the medical fees could be waived, the curses on the tip of her tongue were instantly swallowed back. Half-believing, half-doubting, she turned to look at Yan Qiu: "Is what this girl just said true? As long as she films your show, we won't have to pay you the medical fees?"
Only then did Yan Qiu step forward and play along: "Of course it's true. As long as you agree to let Xiaoxiao film with me, not only will you not have to pay the medical fees, but I'll also give you two hundred yuan."
Jiang Qingmei still felt two hundred yuan was too little.
Her gaze drifted to her own daughter, and she suddenly hatched a plan.