“Doctor Jiang!” Urgent shouts rang out amid the chaos.
Chi Nian’s heart tightened along with the cries as she looked toward the center of the commotion. The direction of the cold blade pointed at a doctor dressed in surgical attire.
Unlike the panic of the others, this man appeared calm and composed. As if absentmindedly, he extended a hand. Just by looking into those eyes, no one would have imagined his current situation—an unsuccessful surgery, emotionally collapsed family members of the patient, and a cold knife.
A well-defined hand grasped the woman’s wrist.
With a “clatter,”
the knife hit the floor.
It was as if the woman had been paused. Her hysterical, heart-wrenching screams turned into choked sobs.
The flurry among the group of white-coated doctors also came to a halt.
“Calm her down.” The man’s cool, clear voice sounded, devoid of any emotion as he gave the instruction.
Only then did the entire scene begin moving again.
The man used the same hand that had taken the scalpel to lightly pat the woman’s shoulder, leaving behind just three concise words and the faint breeze stirred by his movement.
Leather shoes struck the smooth floor, producing a rhythmic sound as the man walked toward Chi Nian.
One step, two steps…
Chi Nian’s heart beat along with the rhythm.
As they brushed past each other, Chi Nian turned her head to look. Her slightly curious gaze collided with a pair of calm, rippleless peach blossom eyes. Eyes that, in stories, were always the most affectionate, yet on this man, they carried not the slightest trace of emotion.
As they passed each other, Chi Nian could not help but turn back for another glance, rubbing her arm.
Doctor Jiang?
Tsk, so cold.
After wandering around the hospital for a while, Chi Nian checked the time.
Mm, about time.
“Director.” Chi Nian returned to the waiting area outside operating room where Lu Yu was, greeting Liu Bing.
“Mm.” Liu Bing nodded in response.
Under normal circumstances, he would not have bothered interacting with Chi Nian. But driven by a certain intuition, he felt that Chi Nian was not simple—at the very least, today’s Chi Nian was not simple.
Just as the two exchanged greetings, the door to the operating room opened.
After all, this incident had happened during their program, so Liu Bing hurried forward, looking at the doctor in surgical attire with concern.
“You’re the patient’s family, right? The surgery was very successful.”
Although he knew that an appendectomy had a high success rate, it was only upon hearing the doctor’s words that the heavy stone in Liu Bing’s heart finally settled.
“Good, good. Thank you, doctor. Sorry for the trouble.” Liu Bing was sincerely grateful to these doctors.
“It’s our duty.”
Watching as Lu Yu’s hospital bed was pushed into the VIP ward, Liu Bing let out a breath and took out his phone to make a call.
“Hello, Xiao Li, this is Liu Bing. Lu Yu’s surgery was very successful. Let the fans and the public know he’s safe.”
After hanging up, Liu Bing looked at Chi Nian, who was quietly standing to the side.
“Chi Nian, if nothing unexpected happens, the final episode will start filming in a week. Make sure to arrive on time.” Liu Bing wore a smiling expression.
Having worked on shows for so many years, he had a strong premonition—the highlight of the next episode would be on Chi Nian.
Whether it was negative or positive attention, as long as it brought the show into the spotlight, it was good for him.
Thinking about Chi Nian’s performance today, Liu Bing stroked his chin. Perhaps the chances of it being positive attention were higher?
But then again, it was hard to say. After all, the name Chi Nian itself represented uncertainty.
Director Liu’s words hit Chi Nian like a bolt from the blue.
She had thought that after this incident, the show would come to an end. Unexpectedly—it was to be continued!
Heavens! Maybe her math was bad, otherwise why did the number of days until she could leave the industry keep increasing?
Filming one variety show episode took seven days. Subtracting the one day that had already passed… how did it equal fourteen?!
This news was so shocking that even after getting into her manager’s car and returning home, Chi Nian was still out of it.
On the sofa, Chi Nian lay limp against the soft cushions, utterly lifeless, listening to her manager’s incessant chatter.
“Chi Nian, are you even listening to me?!” Wang Shengnan had been reading off her notes until her mouth went dry. Just as she was about to take a sip of water, she looked up and saw Chi Nian like this, and her anger immediately flared.
Startled by the sudden raised voice, Chi Nian instinctively replied, “Yes!”
After taking three deep breaths and covering her rapidly beating heart, Chi Nian finally came back to her senses.
Oh no—what had Sister Wang just said?
Looking at Chi Nian’s still-shaken expression, Wang Shengnan immediately knew the answer.
She knew it!
Didn’t Chi Nian realize who all this painstaking effort was for? If this girl could just worry her a little less, she would not have to talk so much.
But there was no helping it—her chosen artist. Even if her mouth went dry, she had to say it again.
Wang Shengnan took a sip of water to moisten her throat and set the cup down heavily on the coffee table.
“I’ll say it again. This time, listen carefully!” Wang Shengnan emphasized.
“Mm-hmm.” Seeing her manager suppressing her anger, Chi Nian nodded quickly.
She felt that if she spaced out again, her fate would be no different from the cup that had nearly fallen off the table just now.
“Lu Yu’s injury assessment report is out, and the studio has released an official statement. Now there’s some good news—congratulations, legally speaking, you’re a good person.”
Wang Shengnan paused.
Chi Nian had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, her manager continued, “However, based on the public impression you’ve built over the past few years, no one believes your explanation about the medical examination. So morally, you’re now considered a public nuisance.”
Wang Shengnan had originally thought Chi Nian’s public favorability could not get any worse, but she had not expected that, for Chi Nian, there was no worst—only worse.
“But I still have to congratulate you—”
Wang Shengnan gave Chi Nian a meaningful look and deliberately paused.
Chi Nian looked at her curiously. Congratulate her?
Wang Shengnan did not keep her in suspense for long. “Right now, #Chi Nian Get Out of the Entertainment Industry# is still trending. The entire public is petitioning for you to stay away from their beloved idols.”
As Wang Shengnan spoke, the lifelessness in Chi Nian’s eyes gradually filled with light.
Leave the entertainment industry!
No problem—what the masses wanted was exactly what she wanted!
However—
“Stop dreaming. You’re still doing the variety show.” Seeing her artist’s rising smile, Wang Shengnan immediately knew what she was thinking.
With her manager’s next sentence, Chi Nian’s smile quickly fell again.
“Not only are you participating, you’re going to do it properly!” Wang Shengnan set a clear goal.
Chi Nian: ???
What did “do it properly” even mean?