The Salted Fish And Protagonist A Ended Up Together - Chapter 44

After watching television for a while, Pei Shuran and Pei Ting walked in together through the entrance. The light from the glass ceiling chandelier fell upon their sharp suits, outlining their crisp, elegant silhouettes.

Their expressions shared a similar composure until they approached Wen Mian and Wen Rong, at which point their features softened instantly.

As Pei Ting sat down beside Wen Mian, her brow furrowed immediately. She couldn’t even hide her gaze, staring straight at Wen Mian. Smelling the rich scent of sandalwood lingering on her, Pei Ting felt a surge of irritation in her heart.

Gu Man again?! I knew she had ulterior motives!

Pei Ting exhaled slowly. Pei Ting, calm down! Stay calm.

Her fists gradually unclenched. She then handed a gift to Wen Mian, saying calmly, “A wrap-up gift for you.”

Wen Mian paused for a moment, her eyes curving into a smile. She took the gift with both hands and thanked her softly, “Thank you, Sister.”

Pei Ting’s fingers twitched slightly before she reached out to rub Wen Mian’s hair. Her expression turned tender. “You’re welcome.”

Startled by the unexpected gesture, Wen Mian’s body stiffened for a few seconds before she slowly relaxed and gave her a sweet smile.

So cute! Pei Ting’s heart melted, she desperately wanted to pull Wen Mian into a hug and give her a kiss, but…

Forget it, there will be other chances in the future. She slowly withdrew her hand, her eyes filled with reluctance.

Wen Rong and Pei Shuran gave Pei Ting a silent, sideways glare. Sending a gift alone without telling your mothers, are you looking for a scolding?

A mischievous smirk appeared at the corner of Pei Ting’s mouth as she looked away.

To celebrate Wen Mian’s successful wrap-up of the show, Auntie Li had prepared a magnificent feast. Wen Mian ate until she was fully satisfied, only stopping when she felt she couldn’t take another bite, slumping back in her chair.

Wen Rong winked at Pei Shuran, signaling: You ask.

Pei Shuran glanced at her helplessly before turning to Wen Mian. “Mianmian, what is your current impression of Gu Man?”

Wen Mian suddenly coughed violently, her face flushing bright red. She took a large gulp of warm water before answering, “She’s quite nice. Why are you asking so suddenly, Mother?”

Pei Shuran’s gaze was direct, and her words were even more so: “Her mark..”

Before she could finish, Wen Rong cut her off with an elbow to the ribs.

Wen Rong quickly changed the subject, laughing awkwardly, “As long as you get along well, haha…”

Seeing their reactions, Wen Mian finally realized, the temporary mark! How could she have forgotten? If she had known, she wouldn’t have come back yet!

Wen Mian gripped the edge of the dining table tightly, staring at the floor, wishing a crack would open up and swallow her whole.

The only saving grace was that her face was already flushed from coughing, so the blush of embarrassment wasn’t too obvious.

“Um… I have something to do, I’m going upstairs now.” Wen Mian pointed upstairs awkwardly, turned around with a stiff body, and walked away so fast she was practically flying.

That night, after washing up, Wen Mian lay in bed looking at her phone.

[Lying down?] Gu Man sent a message.

Wen Mian was stunned. How did she guess so accurately? Then, remembering what happened earlier, she felt a twinge of annoyance. It was all her fault!

[Yeah, watching videos.] Wen Mian replied, then quickly added: [Are you still busy?]

Gu Man looked up at the brightly lit studio and replied: [Almost finished. I was afraid you’d be asleep soon, so I wanted to say goodnight first.]

A smile played on Wen Mian’s lips as her fingers tapped lightly across the screen: [At least you’re sensible.]

Gu Man didn’t reply further, likely called back to filming. Wen Mian thought for a moment and sent another message: [Goodnight, get some rest.]

She exited the chat and checked Weibo. Her follower count had reached a staggering 10 million. Previously, Wen Mian never imagined she would truly be loved by so many people.

The comments section was bustling. Many fans who had gone to the airport to meet her were posting photos with boastful tones, making other fans green with envy.

• “I want to see Mianmian too, ugh!”
• “Who doesn’t? I’ve decided, once the dress Mianmian endorsed arrives, I’m definitely wearing it to go see her!”
• “Count me in, sis! I just hope Mianmian has an event scheduled then.”
• “She definitely will, I believe in Mianmian!”
• “I don’t have the money to follow her offline. I don’t know when I’ll see her again. I’m so sad.”
• “Hope to see Mianmian on the big screen soon.”

Wen Mian’s heart felt warm. She picked a few comments to reply to.

[I’m looking forward to it. I bet you’ll look great in it.] [I’m working hard, so please look forward to it~]

Remembering Xu Qing’s suggestion about live streaming to stabilize her fan base, Wen Mian posted an announcement.

Mianmian Loves to Sleep: Hey everyone! Your Mianmian has suddenly appeared.

I’ve read everyone’s messages! To satisfy your requests, I’ve decided to host a live stream the day after tomorrow at 6:00 PM to chat and hang out with you all. I look forward to seeing you there!

The announcement made the fans ecstatic.

• “Don’t worry Mianmian, I’ll definitely be there!”
• “Plus one! Can’t wait!”
• “Sister is so kind, so excited!”

Wen Mian’s eyes softened as she scrolled for a bit longer before snuggling into her blankets to sleep.

The air conditioner blew a cool breeze, but Wen Mian was frowning deeply in bed, cold sweat beading on her forehead as if trapped in a nightmare.

As the sky turned from black to dawn, the air outside was damp with mist. Inside the room, Wen Mian sat up abruptly, gasping for air.

Her eyes were dull, her thoughts still trapped in the dream. Her heart drummed violently, accompanied by a faint, lingering sense of familiarity.

In the dream, two little girls were chasing and playing. The one in front had her hair down, turning back to look at the girl behind her, shouting happily, “Hurry! Come on!”

The girl behind gradually sped up and soon caught up with the first.

Wen Mian frowned, trying hard to recall the details, but she couldn’t see the girls’ faces clearly. As she tried to remember more, her thoughts were interrupted by her phone ringing.

“Hello?” Wen Mian picked up, her heart still pounding.

“Mianmian, I’m waiting for you at the gate,” Xu Qing said.

“Okay, I’m coming down.” Wen Mian tossed back the covers and put on her slippers, not forgetting to ask: “By the way, have you had breakfast? Want to join me?”

The memory of that Chinese meal they had shared at a restaurant surfaced in Xu Qing’s mind. She swallowed. Presumably, the food at the Wen household, a wealthy family, would be excellent too, right?

When Xu Qing didn’t speak for a long time, Wen Mian understood and laughed. “Wait there, I’ll bring you in.”

Seeing Wen Mian come downstairs, Auntie Li hurried to greet her. “Little Miss, breakfast is ready. It’s all your favorites.”

Wen Mian gave her a soft smile. “I know, Auntie Li. But wait a moment, I’m going to get a friend.”

Auntie Li nodded. “Are you referring to the woman at the gate? I’ve already sent Xiao Xi to fetch her. She should be at the door by now.”

Just as she finished speaking, a maid led Xu Qing through the carved wooden doors. She stood beside Wen Mian and bowed slightly. “Little Miss, your friend has arrived.”

Wen Mian habitually motioned for her to stand up and then turned to Xu Qing. “Come, let’s have breakfast.”

Xu Qing nodded dazed. Even though she had seen it several times, she couldn’t help but marvel: being rich really is nice.

The table featured a primarily Chinese-style breakfast, perfectly suited to Wen Mian’s tastes, nutritionally balanced and diverse. After a quiet meal, Wen Mian and Xu Qing left together.

Arriving at the company, Wen Mian followed Xu Qing into the elevator. Having gained fame on the dating show, many girls along the way were glancing at her with excitement.

Since her last meeting with Pei Ting, Wen Mian’s status had risen, and she now had a private office. On the 17th floor, the warm yellow morning light flooded the room through a floor-to-ceiling window.

Wen Mian and Xu Qing sat opposite each other as Wen Mian listened to her speak.

“The acting coach arrives at 8:30. You can look over the script for now.”

Wen Mian nodded and obediently began reading the script on her phone.

At exactly 8:30, there was a knock at the door, and a stern-looking woman walked in.

Xu Qing quickly stood up and extended her hand with a smile. “Teacher Yan, please take care of my Mianmian.”

Teacher Yan glanced at Wen Mian, who was looking at her with a polite smile, and nodded stiffly. “Where is the rehearsal room?”

Xu Qing awkwardly withdrew her hand, clapped, and stepped forward to lead the way. “This way, this way.”

Wen Mian raised an eyebrow and followed a step behind Teacher Yan, observing her. She had a straight posture and a crisp, decisive gait, her personality seemed to match her name (Yan means “strict”).

The rehearsal room was right next to the office. Teacher Yan looked around the room once before turning to Xu Qing. “You may leave.”

Xu Qing shot a worried, sympathetic glance at Wen Mian: Good luck, I’ll wait for you outside.

Wen Mian understood and nodded wordlessly: Got it, just go.

Xu Qing turned and left briskly, returning to the office to comfortably eat snacks with her legs crossed.

Teacher Yan saw right through their little interaction. She cleared her throat and stepped into the room. Wen Mian shrugged and followed.

“How much do you know about acting?” Teacher Yan asked sternly, her deep gaze fixed on Wen Mian.

Wen Mian replied obediently: “Acting is a form of expression that uses the body, voice, and emotion as core mediums to convey messages and create characters within a specific context…”

“Stop!” Before Wen Mian could continue, Teacher Yan held up a hand. “Your memory is decent.”

Wen Mian wasn’t sure if it was a compliment or sarcasm, so she just nodded. “I read it on Baidu.”

Teacher Yan nodded. “I know. But with me, you only need to remember one phrase: Truly listen, truly see, and truly feel.”

A look of contemplation appeared in Wen Mian’s eyes. After a few seconds, she looked up at the teacher. “I understand, Teacher. I will do it.”

“Many people have said that to me. I hope you are one of the few who actually does,” Teacher Yan said flatly, showing no signs of being moved.

Wen Mian didn’t need her to be moved; as long as she was willing to teach, it was enough.

After a full day of acting lessons, Wen Mian collapsed onto the floor the moment the clock struck the end of the session. She rubbed her numb face, her expression filled with exhaustion.

Teacher Yan glanced back at her, frowned, and couldn’t help but say, “If you want to be a star, besides talent, you must maintain your poise at all times.”

Wen Mian spread her hands and sighed helplessly. “I know, Teacher.”

As Teacher Yan walked away, Xu Qing rushed in and crouched beside Wen Mian. “How do you feel?”

Wen Mian pointed to her paralyzed-looking face. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Xu Qing chuckled and quickly changed the subject. “Hungry? Want to go grab some food?”

Wen Mian propped herself up, her eyes lighting up instantly. “Let’s go, let’s go! I want to eat at the snack street near the university.”

Xu Qing wanted to refuse as a manager, she had requirements for her artist’s physique. But… seeing the deep exhaustion on Wen Mian’s face, she sighed and agreed. “Fine, let’s go.”

Wen Mian cheered, her fatigue forgotten as she ran out.

“Wait for me!” Xu Qing shouted, chasing after her.

Wen Mian looked back and shook her head playfully. “No way! Try and catch up!”

It wasn’t until she got into the elevator and saw other people that she suddenly quieted down, looking gentle and composed.

Xu Qing was speechless. So you actually care about your image.

The other people in the elevator kept stealing glances at Wen Mian. Despite being used to it, such intense stares still made her a bit uncomfortable. As soon as the elevator opened, she walked out quickly.

It was dinner time, and the snack street at the university town was incredibly lively and crowded.

Wen Mian put on a black mask and got out of the car with Xu Qing. She took a deep breath, looking around with satisfaction. This is the smell of carbs!

First, she bought a cup of lemon tea to cut through the grease, then she leaned toward a stall.

“Boss, two orders of grilled Shao Pi (potato starch wraps),” Wen Mian said, sliding the straw under her mask for a sip of lemon tea.

“You got it! Yours is next after hers,” the owner nodded with a smile, focusing on brushing the sauce.

Once she got the Shao Pi, Wen Mian gave one to Xu Qing and took a big bite. She swayed her head happily. Delicious!

With sparkling eyes, she darted from stall to stall, buying various snacks here and there.

Xu Qing was also eating happily, giving a thumbs up. “Mianmian, I’m impressed. I didn’t know you were such an expert on street food.”

Wen Mian tossed her head proudly. “Of course, look who I am!”

“Are you Mianmian?!” someone suddenly exclaimed in response.

Instantly, the surrounding students turned their heads to look at Wen Mian, who was dazed while biting into some tender tofu. Their eyes widened with joy.

“Hi?” Wen Mian waved her hand awkwardly in greeting.

Mianmian! It really is Mianmian! The students were shocked, the thought echoing through the crowd.

Xu Qing quickly stepped in front of Wen Mian, requesting in a low voice, “Everyone, could you please keep it down? We don’t want to draw a huge crowd.”

The students covered their mouths and nodded repeatedly, their clear eyes fixed brightly on Wen Mian. They whispered with delight, “Hello, Mianmian.”

Wen Mian smiled and nodded. “Hello everyone. Your university’s snack street tastes really good.”

They immediately puffed out their chests with immense pride. “Of course! That’s why I applied to this school!”