Chapter 52: The Pure and Innocent Female Superstar Is Not to Be Provoked 2
"Thank you, Teacher Shi."
A Li accepted the small cake Shi Wei handed over, offering thanks with a faint smile, her words polite yet distant, creating a sense of separation.
But Shi Wei seemed a bit distracted.
When she took the small cake, he didn't let go in time, just staring at that pretty, fair hand. Her fingernails were pink and lustrous, neatly shaped, as obedient and good-looking as she was.
"Isn't it for me?" A Li asked with a smile.
Shi Wei snapped back to his senses, hurriedly letting go, his expression quite serious: "Sorry, I probably haven't been resting well lately." He inadvertently shifted his gaze away, pointed out the location of the sugar-free cakes to her, nodded at her, and returned to his original seat, closing his eyes to rest again, as if proving he really hadn't rested well.
He was annoyed inwardly—he had actually helped someone hold a cake.
A Li also returned to her seat, taking a bite of cake, a sip of red wine, watching the liveliness over there.
Whether the seat was chosen too well, or the people at the wine party were too busy, no one noticed this small corner where two quite famous people in the entertainment circle sat.
In the end, A Li didn't eat much cake; she could never eat much food.
But she drank cup after cup of red wine, her cheeks tinged with a blush, yet her eyes remained clear, not showing the slightest hint of intoxication.
Shi Wei in the shadows, aside from initially closing his eyes to rest, kept them open afterward.
His attention was uncontrollably drawn to her.
Du Li, famous since seventeen, revered as the pure and innocent goddess, the dream lover of many—he naturally knew.
Their paths were different; aside from scripts he was interested in, he wouldn't accept other announcements.
So they only knew of each other, never having collaborated.
Shi Wei was a bit puzzled. They'd run into each other a few times before, and though there was no interaction, his attention had never lingered on her.
Tonight was a bit strange.
Her alcohol tolerance is pretty good, he thought.
Shi Wei frowned. His attention toward her exceeded the normal range; perhaps coming to this wine party tonight wasn't a wise move.
The business that needed doing was done; he should leave. Staying here was meaningless.
He just liked acting, didn't want excessive entanglement with people in the circle. He didn't have the heart for it, and the other party probably didn't either, but who knew what onlookers would think.
If unnecessary, better not to invite trouble.
He disliked trouble, only wanted to act well.
And with her pure and innocent image, she probably didn't want any rumors spreading either.
Shi Wei stood up. Passing by A Li, he gave a slight nod, then walked past.
【Xiao Qi, thank you.】 A Li watched Shi Wei's retreating back, raised her wine glass, 【This cup, I toast to you.】
Thank him? Thank him for what? 997 was bewildered.
But he could tell the host seemed genuinely grateful; her eyes were very sincere.
Although she always looked sincere when doing damaging things, he vaguely felt the weight of this "thank you" was very heavy.
【You're welcome, Host, but what are you thanking me for?】 997 couldn't help asking; the host had too many secrets.
A Li sipped her red wine and said: 【Thank you for letting me experience life in the small worlds.】
997 didn't believe this for a second; he wasn't a rookie system. Since the host didn't intend to tell, he wouldn't ask further.
【Host, this world's client's wish is to prevent her mother from dying accidentally due to worry over her, repair the mother-daughter relationship, and be properly filial to her mother. She also said there's no need to maintain the original pure and innocent image; she always found it too exhausting. Of course, if the Host likes it and doesn't find it tiring, that's fine too—the client's wish concerns only her mother, Du Ya.】
【Mm.】 A Li acknowledged inwardly, set her wine glass on the table, found a comfortable position, and leaned back contentedly on the sofa.
The client's identity in this world was slightly complex. Currently a major star, with a pure, sweet, and clean appearance, she was deified upon debut, and five years later her popularity hadn't diminished in the slightest.
The client was actually a fake daughter—not an accidental mix-up, but someone deliberately swapped the Su family's girl with the client to take revenge on the Su family.
The Su family happened to be in trouble at the time. The mother had given birth and damaged her health, needed to recuperate during confinement, and had to worry about the Su family's situation, neglecting the child. The children were all left to a nanny, who was the one taking revenge on the Su family. By the time the Su family calmed down and unintentionally discovered something wrong with the child—perhaps a mother-daughter connection—Mrs. Su always felt this wasn't her daughter when getting close to her.
Later, a paternity test confirmed it wasn't.
The nanny refused to death to explain how she swapped the children. Even with the Su family's resources, after several months, finding a child was still difficult.
The Su family searched for their child while raising the client.
When the client was old enough to understand, they explained the situation clearly: they could support her until adulthood, as long as she studied they'd keep supporting her until graduation. If she couldn't study, they'd give her a sum of money and arrange a job.
But in their hearts was only their own daughter; perhaps they couldn't spare that much love.
A very rational arrangement, clearly stated, benevolent and righteous to the utmost, but for a child, undoubtedly heartbreaking and cruel.
Because of the environment, the client matured early, was sensible, never held any hope for the Su family. In her heart she was a bit strong-willed. Yet she also felt inferior, and because of inferiority, had some self-respect. Beneath her obedient and gentle face hid some extremism, just hidden extremely well.
She envied the girl who had been swapped away, because a whole family was waiting for her return.
No one could become a substitute for another.
So she also looked forward to the Su family finding her family.
She often thought about whether her family, like the Su family, was waiting for her to come back.
She longed for family affection, her desire to find that girl even more urgent than the Su family's.
Finally, when she was ten, there was news.
The Su family quickly brought Su Yuxin back.
The client only met Su Yuxin once, asked for nothing, smiling and waving goodbye to the Su family, running off with a joyful heart to meet her people.
The one who came was her mother, a woman with some weathering on her face, incomparable to Mrs. Su's jewels and finery, but this was her biological mother.
Du Ya actually only learned the truth of the child swap then. Facing the client's enthusiasm, she was momentarily at a loss. But facing such a cute, affectionate little girl, how could she not be moved, hugging her tightly.
The client learned her parents had divorced long ago, her father Zhao Peijun had a new family—slightly disappointed. But her mother was good; she wasn't greedy.
In the half year back, mother and daughter got along very well.
The client finally experienced what a mother's love was like. Though living conditions were far worse than before, she was very satisfied.
Because she had a mother now, had a home.
Until that day she returned from school and heard a phone call from inside the house. The phone had some sound leakage; she clearly heard the voice inside was Su Yuxin.