After My Thoughts Were Read, My Master Led Me to Change My Fate - Chapter 25

Such a gentle, cool, and elegant older sister, ah…

If only the beautiful sister could be a bit gentler when pulling out the needle.

Aw, the beautiful sister left, boohoo… So tired, so sleepy… so…

Can you give me a hint? Fumbling in the dark isn’t the way to do this. I have no idea what’s going on right now, so how am I supposed to continue your mission?

Give me a hint, seriously. If you don’t say anything, I really can’t play anymore.

…Are you Detective Conan? Are you trying to make me play Conan?

Riddler, get out!

Huh? Hmm? You glass-hearted system, get back here!!!

“How can her hobbies be exactly the same as my grandmother’s…” Ran Fanyin had attended many “wrap parties” of various sizes, but being dragged by a director to a roadside barbecue stall was a rare sight.

She rarely ate at street stalls when she was a child. It wasn’t until she became independent from her family that she experienced the joy these high-oil, high-salt snacks could bring.

Unfortunately, she had to control her weight, so she could only indulge once in a long while.

Fang Qing asked for a menu for every table. With a grand wave of her hand, she announced it was her treat tonight, then sat down beside Ran Fanyin.

“Xiao Ran, the two of us will sit at one table tonight. I don’t want to sit and drink with those big guys; it’s boring.” Fang Qing patted her shoulder lightly.

This time she chose the other side, avoiding the spot that was already quite painful.

Ran Fanyin skillfully scalded the utensils for both of them and arranged them neatly. She gave a soft laugh, the dimples on her cheeks particularly prominent.

Fang Qing was slightly surprised. “I thought a rich young lady like you wouldn’t know how to do this.”

“Director Fang must be joking. I became independent and started working hard long ago; I figured these things out myself.”

“Your family doesn’t support you?”

Ran Fanyin nodded.

“The one at my house doesn’t support me either, but still silently invests to let me film. Tsk, I can only say they’re all a bunch of people who are ‘tough-tongued but soft-hearted.’ Look, didn’t your parents eventually invest in Double Dreams?”

Ran Fanyin sighed. “They said if Double Dreams loses money, I have to go home.”

“Lose money? Impossible! I might have been unsure before since I wasn’t familiar with you, but after watching you these past two days, it’s completely fine.”

Neither of them had been drinking yet, but Fang Qing’s words sounded as though she had already downed half a pint of fake liquor—magnificent and bold.

Yet, her words were grounded in reason. She maintained strict control over her scripts. Her recent shows might not have been massive hits, but at the very least, they achieved a stable landing. Now, seeing the spark-and-lightning-filled chemistry between Ning and Ran, her confidence grew a few points.

If a lineup like this still lost money, it would be truly embarrassing.

Fang Qing watched the well-behaved girl for a while longer. The more she looked, the more she liked her. She stood up, grabbed a bottle of beer, and poured a glass for both of them.

Xiao Ran: Uh, didn’t she just say she didn’t want to sit and drink with those guys… And now?

“Director Fang, I don’t drink.”

“We’re having such a pleasant conversation tonight; a little bit is fine~”

No, she’s a three-cup lightweight she really can’t drink.

But looking at the glass being filled before her, Ran Fanyin gritted her teeth and downed it in one go.

Fang Qing was amused. She hadn’t even put the bottle down yet, and the little girl had already finished. She seemed a bit dazed and breathless from the gulp—her behavior was truly adorable.

If only she were her daughter; she was really too cute.

“The food hasn’t even arrived yet! And how can you down it in one go like that? The kick will hit you in a moment,” Fang Qing teased.

Ran Fanyin was a bit stunned, staring blankly at the glass in her hand. “I thought if I finished it first, I wouldn’t have to drink more later.”

Fang Qing suppressed a laugh. “Mm, I won’t make you drink anymore. But when the food comes, eat more to pad your stomach, otherwise, you’ll feel miserable tonight.”

While waiting for the food, the two discussed their roles in Double Dreams. Ran Fanyin was surprised that Fang Qing had already mapped out all the scenes so early, while Fang Qing was amazed that Ran Fanyin had such a complete design for the character. When the grilled meat was finally served, they shook hands firmly, feeling like old friends who had met too late.

Fang Qing took a bite, her speech slurred from the heat, but she still said firmly: “Xiao Ran, you just haven’t met a good production team before. Otherwise, with your attitude and ability, you would have blown up long ago.”

“It’s not that. It’s the characters I’ve experienced over the past five years that polished me into this. Otherwise, Teacher Fang wouldn’t see the me of today. I was very clumsy at the beginning, too.”

Ran Fanyin took small puffs to cool the grilled meat. The steaming food complemented the flush on her face, and a few stray hairs at her temples swayed gently with her movements, adding a touch of sincerity to her polite words.

Hearing this, Fang Qing laughed and said, “You aren’t wrong. Let me tell you, Ning Songwu was quite silly at the beginning, too.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ran silently put down the grilled meat and perked up one ear, peeking at Fang Qing and waiting for her to continue.

Fang Qing looked at her with understanding. “Indeed, you like Ning Songwu, don’t you?”

“Yes, I’ve been a fan of hers for many years.”

“Oh, so you liked her ever since that time she played the female swordsman in red?”

Ran Fanyin nodded frantically.

But Fang Qing wasn’t talking about that kind of liking. However, she didn’t have the habit of playing matchmaker, nor did she have the bad habit of exposing a little creature’s secret thoughts. She just glanced at her and said calmly, “I introduced her to that project.”

“Hmm?”

“That’s where her silliness came in. At the time, I was preparing to film a modern drama and was recruiting actors. She showed up with that face of hers—which looked like it belonged to an immortal—and when she arrived, she just stood there like a tree…”

Xiao Ran rested her chin on her hand and listened carefully. Following the woman’s words, she sketched out an image of a younger Ning Songwu—a bit reckless and blunt, not yet understanding the rules of the industry, standing there sillily to introduce herself without caring if the role suited her. Or rather, she had no choice; she had to take whatever she could get.

“…I looked at that face and that posture and thought it would be a pity to stuff her into my third-rate modern drama. So, I told her to go to that period drama set to test the waters. Hey, it turned out pretty well; she became an overnight hit. My eye for talent is good, isn’t it?”

Fang Qing was already a bit tipsy. What little professional air she had left was fading. She put her arm around Ran Fanyin’s shoulder and whispered, “I saw the potential in Ning Songwu, and I see it in you, too. You will definitely be a big hit, I believe in you.”

Ran Fanyin was always smiling, but this time her smile was even happier. She whispered in her heart: Actually, I don’t want to be famous that much; I just want to be able to stand by Teacher Ning’s side, that’s all.

To be on the same stage as one’s idol this was a major goal in a fan’s life, and she was gradually achieving it.

It was wonderful.

“But you know, back then, Ning Songwu lived a very tiring life. She has been sponsoring an orphanage all this time—did you know?”

“I’ve heard rumors, but was it actually true?”

Fang Qing nodded. “She could barely afford to eat herself back then, but when I asked her what she would do with her first paycheck, she told me she would donate it to her home the Journey Orphanage. That orphanage really knows how to pick a name.”

Home.

So… the orphanage is her home?

Ran Fanyin was stunned.

Ning Songwu didn’t like exposing life-related matters to the public eye. Even the “big fans” who interfaced with her company never knew the real situation of her family. Over time, fans stopped caring, mostly only checking if she had started dating, and didn’t ask further.

In terms of her love life, Ning Songwu was stably single. She threw herself entirely into work and spent her leisure time traveling, earning her the reputation of the “safest house” to stan.

They could never imagine a day when someone as cold and detached as Ning Songwu would like another person.

That was fine.

But today, having caught a glimpse of her background by chance, a sliver of guilt suddenly rose from Ran Fanyin’s heart, only to be buried under a mountain of heartache.

She took the bottle, poured herself another full glass, and downed it. Only then did she calm her emotions enough to ask, “So Teacher Ning’s parents…?”

“She’s a child who grew up in that orphanage. Where would she get parents?”

The heartache deepened.

No, her heart actually felt a physical twinge of pain.

She frowned slightly and raised her hand to rub her chest; a sharp pain had just drilled through her heart.

These movements all fell into Fang Qing’s eyes. The woman laughed twice and teased, “Is our old fan feeling sorry for Ning Songwu? The storm has passed; you need to work hard, too. Since you like her so much, you have to stand side-by-side with her.”

“Mm-hmm, I will work hard.”

Fang Qing smiled. “Talking about Ning Songwu all the time is boring. Let’s talk about something else.”

The topic drifted from north to south, from inside the industry to outside, from serious subjects to industry gossip.

Ran Fanyin usually didn’t care for gossip, but listening to Fang Qing tonight, she certainly learned a lot.

“There’s a male celebrity, named… Xie something-or-other, a famous scumbag. Xiao Ran, you must stay far away from him.”

“Mm-hmm, I don’t have any plans to date for now.”

“In the future, you can’t have anything to do with that person either!”

Ran Fanyin laughed and nodded heavily, her cheek being pinched.

By the time Li Ke’er got the call to pick her up, after several glasses of wine, Ran Fanyin was slumped on the table and couldn’t get up. Fang Qing’s face was only a bit red, but her spirit was still clear. She raised her hand and rubbed Ran Fanyin’s head.

How can she be out for the count after just a few glasses? This little one… I’ll have to keep an eye on her in the future and not let her drink randomly. She’s too weak.

“Are you her assistant?” Fang Qing turned her head to look at the newcomer.

Li Ke’er smiled slightly. “No, I’m her friend.”

“Be careful on the road.” Fang Qing waved her hand.

Ran Fanyin managed to stand up. Before she had gone two steps, she held onto her best friend and told her to wait. Then she turned around, clutching the edge of her clothes, and gave Fang Qing a deep bow.

She almost fell flat on her face.

Both people watching were amused by her complete disregard for her own image. The two relatively sober people secretly made a decision: they would absolutely never let this little cutie touch alcohol again.

She’d be kidnapped without even knowing it.

In the car, Li Ke’er felt as if the person beside her had breathed a sigh of relief. She asked tentatively, “You aren’t drunk?”

“Huh?” Ran Fanyin turned her head blankly, her gaze dazed.

Alright, she shouldn’t have held onto hope.

“Ke’er, tell me… are children in orphanages all very lonely?”

“Why are you suddenly thinking about that? Do you automatically unlock the ‘kind-hearted’ skill when you’re drunk?”

Miss Ran shook her head slowly. “I just… suddenly thought of it.”

She suddenly collapsed onto Li Ke’er, startling her so much that she almost lost control of the steering wheel. She gave her a shove, making her lean against the car door on the other side.

“I really like her so much,” Ran Fanyin whispered.

The “her” was self-evident. Li Ke’er only glanced at her and didn’t reply.

Being ignored made her somewhat unhappy. Ran Fanyin whimpered a few more times and asked, “Do children in orphanages celebrate Children’s Day on June 1st?”

“Why can’t you get over this orphanage topic tonight?”

There was no point in reasoning with a drunkard, but Li Ke’er still wanted to complain.

“I’m just thinking… whether I should bring a very nice cup for filming in the future.”

Good lord, she’s starting to talk nonsense.

Ran Fanyin suddenly straightened her body, startling the person next to her. Her tone was serious as if she were about to announce something major. Li Ke’er was truly frightened by this drunkard’s antics, so she quickly found a temporary parking spot to see what kind of shocking statement this little ancestor would make.

“I’ve decided! I’m going to give Teacher Ning a Children’s Day celebration!”

“Huh?”

Li Ke’er almost bit her tongue. She secretly felt relieved she had pulled over to the side of the road; if she had been in the middle, she probably would have hit the gas instead of the brake out of shock.

Tonight’s topic changes were too fast. Forgive her for being old; she could no longer keep up with this erratic brain. She simply crossed her arms and waited for her to finish.

She casually turned on the voice recorder.

You’re welcome~

Master is so beautiful even when she’s angry, hehe.

Even when Master is angry, she’s still worrying about me. It’s so nice.

I really like Master so much.

I thought Master would be mad at me for running away with Lin Yuxue. Hehe, I was overthinking it.

It’s because I haven’t switched over from my modern way of thinking. This is a cultivation world, after all survival of the fittest.

I really shouldn’t have saved her.

But if I had to do it again, I couldn’t guarantee that I wouldn’t save her.

That’s it. No wonder Twin Snow was never mentioned again later; it must be because of what Lin Yuxue did after she took it back this time.

But why didn’t the author write about what she did?