That evening, after Little Xinxin refused to listen to Shen Xuanrun tell her fairy tales, Shen Xuanrun thought, both touched and heartbroken, Little Xinxin has grown up. She doesn't even cling to her big brother for fairy tales anymore. Boo-hoo-hoo.
Shen Xuanrun shed tears of gratification like an old father. Sure enough, watching a child grow up, step by step, really was a contradictory experience.
Little Xinxin: "Don't you have any self-awareness?"
With the heat of August gone, the September skies gradually grew gentler, bringing mildly cool autumn breezes that weren't particularly cold.
Shen Xuanrun took Shen Qianxin to kindergarten early and, after telling her that he would come back to pick her up that evening and that she shouldn't wander off, returned to the apartment.
Sister Chen had sent over the script for "Battle in the Sea of Commerce" that day, and he needed to familiarize himself with it.
"Battle in the Sea of Commerce" mainly told the story of commercial warfare during the Republican era.
Lin Borui, a merchant during the Republican era, died in an explosion. His only son, Lin Jiexuan, who had been studying overseas, returned home, but discovered the truth behind his father's death.
With the country shattered and its people displaced, his father had been assassinated for supporting the army defending their homeland. Lin Jiexuan inherited his father's business and aspirations, beginning a war without gunfire in the sea of commerce.
Shen Xuanrun would play Zhao Ziru, a friend of Lin Jiexuan, who had returned from overseas.
Zhao Ziru was an opera performer who enjoyed reading foreign literature. He and Lin Jiexuan met in a library because they shared the same ideals.
Zhao Ziru witnessed other opera troupes disband under the invaders' persecution. While he had secretly slipped away to the library, the old master in his troupe was beaten to death, and even the senior female apprentice who had always looked after him ended her own life with a strip of white silk after being violated by the enemy.
Zhao Ziru returned to find the opera troupe devastated and was filled with regret. After saying goodbye to Lin Jiexuan, he perished together with an enemy commander during an opera performance.
This incident also strengthened the male lead Lin Jiexuan's resolve to build his own country's enterprises rather than depend on foreign companies, import machinery, free up labor, and secretly send supplies to the army.
By the time Shen Xuanrun finished reading the broad outline of the plot, it was already noon. He threw together a quick lunch and thought of the original owner's acting skills, which could very well ruin the role of Zhao Ziru.
After some thought, Shen Xuanrun took out his phone and called his agent, Sister Chen.
Shen Xuanrun: "Sister Chen, I've finished reading the script."
Sister Chen: "Good. You'll be playing Zhao Ziru. If you have any questions, you can contact me anytime."
Shen Xuanrun: "Sister Chen, could I trouble you to find me an acting coach? Preferably someone who knows a little traditional opera."
Sister Chen fell silent for a moment. After all, she had found coaches for Shen Xuanrun before, but this was the first time he had wanted to find one himself. His previous lessons hadn't yielded any improvement in the end, and those teachers had also said they couldn't teach him.
Sister Chen: "I'll do my best. I'll let you know once I find someone. Take this time to give the role of Zhao Ziru some serious thought, too."
After Shen Xuanrun agreed, Sister Chen hung up with a worried expression.
Sister Chen: I can't approach any of those previous teachers again. Shen Xuanrun's reputation is already in tatters in their circles. I'll have to think about who hasn't suffered at his hands yet and could be tricked into coming. 눈_눈
By the time Shen Xuanrun had carefully considered Zhao Ziru's storyline, it was already four in the afternoon, and time to pick Little Xinxin up.
Shen Xuanrun put on his mask, hat, and sunglasses, had Little Li drive him to Central Kindergarten, and waited for the little female lead to finish school.
Less than two minutes later, a Rolls-Royce from a nationally limited edition stopped outside the kindergarten. The driver hurried out, opened the door, and held up an umbrella as a long leg extended from the car.
The moment Gu Weichen extended his foot out of the car, he heard a burst of mockery from that familiar voice in his head.
Hahahaha-hic! What kind of domineering CEO entrance is this? (ಡωಡ) Ahem, the weather's turning cold. It's time for the Wang family to go bankrupt.
Gu Weichen paused and got out. Sure enough, he saw the young man he had met at the amusement park yesterday, still wearing the familiar mask and hat, with a trace of amusement flashing through his exposed eyes.
Shen Xuanrun saw the man who had kept staring at him at the amusement park yesterday step out of the car.
Shen Xuanrun didn't pay him much attention. After all, he didn't really seem like someone who would remember him.
Yet Gu Weichen walked straight toward him and held out his right hand. "What a coincidence. We meet again. I'm Gu Weichen."
Gu Weichen had investigated Shen Xuanrun's identity yesterday. He was the only son of the Shen family's second son, a third-tier actor whom everyone described as an upright gentleman, refined in manner and courteous toward others, but taciturn.
Shen Xuanrun froze for a moment, but quickly recovered and extended his right hand as well, shaking hands with him. "Hello. Shen Xuanrun."
That shouldn't be right. With this domineering CEO persona, shouldn't everyone be beneath his notice? How could he remember me? Hehe, looks like I really am handsome. A man like jade upon the path, a gentleman unmatched in all the world-that must describe me, right? Hahaha.
Shen Xuanrun looked every bit the modest gentleman, but inwardly, he had already started entertaining himself.
Gu Weichen subtly raised an eyebrow. It seemed most people didn't know Shen Xuanrun very well. This seemed vastly different from their descriptions.
Shen Xuanrun then heard two young mothers beside him murmuring.
"Oh my gosh, they're so handsome. They really look so good together, hahaha."
"Yes, yes, yes. Hehehe."
Shen Xuanrun: (* ￣︿￣)
Soon, kindergarten ended. With her little schoolbag on her back, Little Xinxin spotted her big brother, as well as the very handsome uncle standing beside him.
Little Xinxin ran over to Shen Xuanrun, who took her little hand and introduced him to her. "This is Uncle Gu."
Shen Qianxin also politely introduced herself to Gu Weichen. "Hello, Uncle Gu. I'm Shen Qianxin, and I'm in the senior kindergarten class this year. I'm Brother Xuanrun's younger cousin."
Gu Weichen crouched down as well and stroked the little female lead's round head. "Hello, Star. I'm your brother's friend. You're very cute."
Little Xinxin: "Uncle, you're very handsome, too."
A little boy quietly walked up beside Gu Weichen and called out,
"Uncle."
Looking at Gu Maojie, who was exactly like him, Gu Weichen gave a faint nod.
The little female lead said happily, "Hello, Gu Maojie! We meet again. So you're Uncle Gu's nephew! What a coincidence. This is my brother, Shen Xuanrun."
Then she tugged on Shen Xuanrun's hand. "Brother Xuanrun, this is Gu Maojie, the new transfer student in our class. He's also my new deskmate," Little Xinxin introduced enthusiastically.
Shen Xuanrun smiled gently at the little male lead, who merely nodded silently without speaking. Still, that didn't dampen the little female lead's enthusiasm in the slightest.
A nephew really does take after his uncle. Look, he's already got that domineering CEO air. "I want my scent all over you. You'll never escape me in this lifetime. You'll be my woman for the rest of your life." Hahahaha-hic! That's exactly the vibe. I can't hold it in anymore.
Shen Xuanrun recalled the domineering CEO fiction he had read before and this line Gu Maojie had said to the female lead back then. He was already performing it vividly in his head.
Gu Weichen: ...What exactly has he been reading?
Once the introductions were over, Shen Xuanrun took hold of Little Star and picked her up, then said to Gu Weichen, "Mr. Gu, we'll be going now. Goodbye."
I don't want to see you again. Whenever he's around, girls have nothing but weird ideas. Bleh, bleh, bleh. He's getting in the way of me finding a girlfriend, Shen Xuanrun thought silently.
Gu Weichen: "...Mm. Goodbye."