Kicked Back to a Rich Family by the Real Eldest Daughter - Chapter 34
Chapter 34
It took Tang Jinzhi about half an hour to formally discuss work with the temperamental director, Yu Feishuang.
She had no choice. She could tell this volatile director disliked people being casually inserted into her crew. Perhaps it was out of trust for Lin Ai, believing she wouldn’t make reckless recommendations, that she had accepted her friend request in the first place.
Tang Jinzhi spent over ten minutes explaining the misunderstanding, half of which was spent waiting for the other party’s reply. The director must have been busy, and Tang Jinzhi felt guilty for potentially delaying her work, thinking a few scoldings were deserved.
However, despite Yu Feishuang’s impatience, once she understood Tang Jinzhi’s purpose, she didn’t curse her for wasting time. She chose a break time to open the document Tang Jinzhi had sent her.
Tang Jinzhi nervously waited for over an hour without a reply. Her anxiety intensified. The content she had streamlined shouldn’t take that long to read; it should be finished in about twenty to thirty minutes at most.
Just as she thought Yu Feishuang might ignore her, the director called her directly.
Tang Jinzhi walked to the balcony to answer the call. Soon, a smile spread across her face. Yu Feishuang, who had been extremely irritable with her, was now very pleasant. Her voice sounded exceptionally steady and reliable, and she even offered a subtle apology. Tang Jinzhi knew the director had read it and was satisfied.
They talked for a long time. When Xie Xiangyi returned from work, Tang Jinzhi was still on the balcony. She was nestled in the lounge chair, hugging the tablet she had given Zhang Yueqi, flipping through it while talking.
Indeed, different fields were worlds apart. Some issues Zhang Yueqi couldn’t spot, Yu Feishuang, from a director’s perspective, could immediately identify.
Tang Jinzhi was very happy. Although the initial document she showed Yu Feishuang wasn’t this modern novel, the director said she would read the two books she was serializing and promised to offer some feedback.
Yu Feishuang, without her volatile temper, was incredibly easy to work with. Furthermore, when they spoke, she didn’t discuss anything outside of work, and Tang Jinzhi appreciated this efficiency.
When Xie Xiangyi returned, Tang Jinzhi only spared her a quick glance, nodded, and continued discussing something with Yu Feishuang.
Tang Jinzhi spent most of the time doing her own research because Yu Feishuang was genuinely busy and only called when she had a moment to rest.
It was clear this director preferred verbal communication, finding written replies too slow.
Tang Jinzhi split some of her attention to Xie Xiangyi. She was surprised Xie Xiangyi got off work early today. Looking at the clock, she realized it was almost 8 PM. Time really flew.
Hearing the noisy hustle on the other end of the phone, she thought for a moment and said, “Director Yu, are you still busy with work? Let’s talk tomorrow. My wife is back now anyway.”
They had mostly covered everything. Yu Feishuang mostly asked her questions, worried about any unacceptable “landmines” in the later content, and occasionally complimented her, saying, “You are one of the few normal people I’ve met.”
After being complimented so much, Tang Jinzhi began to wonder if she was abnormal.
Only after listening to the director’s examples of bizarre plots she had encountered did Tang Jinzhi fully accept the statement that she was one of the few normal people. She couldn’t help but imagine what the director had gone through before, as her mental state was concerning.
Yu Feishuang was slightly surprised to hear Tang Jinzhi had a wife. She chuckled, “Lin Ai recommended you, saying you’re only 24 and recently graduated. You’re already married. Congratulations.”
Tang Jinzhi wasn’t surprised that the director knew her age. Lin Ai thought she was going for an acting role, so she must have given a brief introduction.
She let out a soft laugh, “Thank you.”
Before hanging up, Yu Feishuang asked, “How about we find a time to meet in person? If possible, it would be best for you to be the scriptwriter. I haven’t met many normal scriptwriters. They all change the scripts into something where they’ll die without a romantic relationship or have no actions other than making eyes at people. You really are a normal person.”
Tang Jinzhi hadn’t thought about this. She pondered for a moment and said, “I can’t accept anyone drastically altering the novel I wrote, but I need to think about it.”
Her initial thought was just to sell the copyright and have it made into a TV series, but after hearing Yu Feishuang repeatedly call her a “normal person,” she started worrying her novel might be ruined.
In the living room, Zhang Yueqi was sprawled on the sofa, clutching her phone and still reading the novel. Only when Xie Xiangyi walked past and nudged her did she reluctantly look up.
“What?”
Xie Xiangyi slightly frowned, “What are you two doing?”
No one acknowledged her when she came home.
Zhang Yueqi sat up, clutching her phone, and answered lazily, “Reading a novel. The one Tang Jinzhi wrote.”
She then proudly beamed, showing off to Xie Xiangyi, her expression very animated, “She’s still serializing it, but I’m reading the full text! I’ve been digging through Author Tang’s draft folder all afternoon. Having the full draft is the best!”
Xie Xiangyi raised an eyebrow and chuckled, “Only she would indulge you. Just remember not to share her drafts.”
Zhang Yueqi snorted with dissatisfaction, “Am I that thoughtless? She’s still serializing it. Why would I share it? That would just hurt her!”
Xie Xiangyi said, “Mhm, I’m just reminding you. Just keep that in mind.”
“Let me see your phone.”
She hadn’t read Tang Jinzhi’s novel, and Tang Jinzhi hadn’t told her about it, so she didn’t know the pen name.
Zhang Yueqi held her phone behind her, looking warily at Xie Xiangyi, “Why? Tang Jinzhi agreed to let me read it because she trusts me. Don’t think about deleting it.”
Xie Xiangyi was speechless.
“I just want to look. I haven’t read it yet.”
Zhang Yueqi became even more vigilant after hearing this, “Who are you trying to fool? She’s serializing it. Why can’t you read it on the novel platform?”
Xie Xiangyi’s expression froze. Her voice was slightly strained, “I don’t know which platform she’s serializing on.”
She added, “And I don’t know the pen name.”
Her voice was low.
Zhang Yueqi fell silent after hearing this. She felt Xie Xiangyi looked a little wronged. They had worked together in the study for so long, and Xie Xiangyi still didn’t know anything.
Tang Jinzhi even asked her for feedback on the novel this afternoon. She thought Tang Jinzhi had also asked Xie Xiangyi, which was why she was guarding her phone just now. It turned out to be a misunderstanding; Xie Xiangyi really hadn’t seen it.
The more Zhang Yueqi looked at Xie Xiangyi, the more she looked like a pitiful person unloved by her wife. Xie Xiangyi’s expression right now just looked so genuinely aggrieved.
Zhang Yueqi silently handed over her phone, “…You can look.”
Xie Xiangyi pushed it back, her voice low, “No, forget it. If she doesn’t want me to know, then so be it.”
Zhang Yueqi: “…”
Although she rarely saw Xie Xiangyi like this, why did she feel like Xie Xiangyi was faking it?
She felt so uncomfortable watching her.
“Wait, did you even ask Tang Jinzhi before saying she doesn’t want you to know?”
Xie Xiangyi hid the smile in her eyes, “No.”
Zhang Yueqi rolled her eyes, “Then how dare you blame her? You didn’t ask yourself.”
Xie Xiangyi laughed, her voice finally returning to its usual tone, “I was just teasing you on purpose.”
She then held out her hand, “Give me the phone.”
Zhang Yueqi crossly shoved the phone into Xie Xiangyi’s hand, then couldn’t help but look at her twice, inwardly confirming that her feeling was correct: Xie Xiangyi was different now, finally less boring and showing a bit of a lively spirit.
Xie Xiangyi only glanced at Tang Jinzhi’s pen name before handing the phone back, then turned her head to quietly look at Tang Jinzhi, who had just hung up the phone on the balcony.
Zhang Yueqi suddenly spoke, “Your wife stayed on the balcony all day.”
Xie Xiangyi was slightly surprised, “All day?”
Was she working?
Tang Jinzhi had mentioned wanting to renovate the balcony to make it easier for her to work.
While Xie Xiangyi was still thinking, Zhang Yueqi suddenly interrupted her thoughts again.
“Yeah, she chatted with her new friend all day, and they had a great time talking. She was radiant and kept smiling the whole time.”
In any case, whenever Zhang Yueqi looked over, the light in Tang Jinzhi’s eyes hadn’t dimmed.
Zhang Yueqi was about to say more, but Xie Xiangyi couldn’t sit still any longer.
The moment she heard “new friend,” her eyelid started twitching.
The only person she had met today was Sheng Yanzhi, wasn’t it?
She had just stood up to walk toward the balcony when Tang Jinzhi walked in, clutching the tablet and still looking down at her phone, replying to a message.
Tang Jinzhi: “I might not be able to follow the crew on set during filming.”
Got Sick Go Die: “Social anxiety? Or is there some kind of trouble?”
Tang Jinzhi was carefully considering her words. She didn’t know when the drama would be filmed or when they would need her, but she guessed it wouldn’t be this year. Yu Feishuang’s new drama was just starting production now.
If it was next year, Tang Jinzhi worried she might be on the run by then.
Joining the crew would interfere with her escape plan, and there were so many people on a film set.
Xie Xiangyi walked up to her at that moment and firmly grabbed her wrist.
Tang Jinzhi looked up, saw her knitted brows, and wondered, Was she unhappy or angry?
Her eyes were full of confusion and bewilderment, “What is it?”
Xie Xiangyi: “New friend?”
Tang Jinzhi glanced at her phone and nodded blankly, “Yes.”
Xie Xiangyi took a deep breath, “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t engage with her?”
Tang Jinzhi looked at her with a strange look. Her mind quickly processed the situation. She glanced at Zhang Yueqi, who was secretly watching the drama, and playfully raised an eyebrow.
She tossed the tablet onto the sofa, freeing her hand to grab Xie Xiangyi’s hand, teasing her with a smile, “Are you jealous?”
Xie Xiangyi’s gaze briefly flickered away.
Zhang Yueqi grabbed a cushion and buried half her face in it, suppressing her laughter. She was so excited she almost stomped her feet. Watching Xie Xiangyi and Tang Jinzhi flirt up close—how rare!
Xie Xiangyi gave a light “cough” and let go of Tang Jinzhi’s hand, but Tang Jinzhi didn’t let go. She had no choice but to stare at Tang Jinzhi, explaining stiffly, “No such thing. I’m just afraid you’ll get tricked by Sheng Yanzhi.”
Who knew Tang Jinzhi would be so unreliable, turning around and becoming friends with Sheng Yanzhi? Xie Xiangyi felt deeply annoyed.
Tang Jinzhi’s bright eyes blinked, “Oh, so you’re worried about me.”
Teased again, but this time Xie Xiangyi didn’t refute it.
She was indeed worried about her.
It was just that when the words came out of Tang Jinzhi’s mouth, they sounded increasingly ambiguous.
Xie Xiangyi’s ears betrayed her and turned red. She lowered her head and sighed softly, “Talk to her less.”
She actually wanted Tang Jinzhi to delete Sheng Yanzhi, but she was afraid of appearing too bossy and irritating Tang Jinzhi. So, she offered this small suggestion. But even so, Xie Xiangyi couldn’t accept the fact that Tang Jinzhi was having a pleasant conversation with Sheng Yanzhi.
Tang Jinzhi covered her heart. She couldn’t take Xie Xiangyi’s hesitant and subtly aggrieved expression anymore, especially with the faint resentment in her eyes.
Zhang Yueqi was right; the former Xie Xiangyi must have been a cute and lovable good girl.
Because the current Xie Xiangyi was also very cute.
Tang Jinzhi quickly looked toward Zhang Yueqi and said mercilessly, “What are you staring at, little kid? Go back to your room.”
Zhang Yueqi: “…”
Although she was very reluctant, the thought of what they would do after she left excited her. She was also afraid of getting in the way, so she grabbed her phone, put on her slippers, and scurried back to her room.
Seeing Zhang Yueqi sent away, Xie Xiangyi’s heart tightened. She was a little nervous. What was Tang Jinzhi going to do?
Tang Jinzhi smiled brightly. She casually tossed her phone onto the sofa, cupped Xie Xiangyi’s face with both hands, and kneaded and pinched her without mercy.
“You’re so cute. What did you eat to grow up like this?” Tang Jinzhi’s tone was full of laughter.
Xie Xiangyi was confused by her actions. Her head instinctively leaned back, and her hands couldn’t help but grab Tang Jinzhi’s wrists.
She backed up repeatedly, expressing her dissatisfaction in a muffled voice, “What are you doing!”
They only stopped retreating when they were backed up against the sofa.
Xie Xiangyi “tore” Tang Jinzhi’s hands off her face.
No one had ever dared to mess with her face so boldly!