Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 86 What you can’t get is always turbulent

Shen Sisi looked at her old high school classmate with a charming smile on her face. She took the gift box, opened it, and found a gold bracelet inside. The bracelet was exquisitely crafted and sparkled.

Bai Yang stared intently at Shen Sisi with burning eyes, his tone fervent: "Try it on quickly."

Shen Sisi did not refuse and gracefully put on the gold bracelet, her white jade-like wrist instantly shining brightly.

"I really like it, thank you for spending so much, Bai Yang."

Bai Yang stared intently at Shen Sisi's sweet smile, completely captivated, feeling his heart melt. He suddenly realized that all the expenses were worthwhile.

She said willingly, "If you like it, that's fine. There's no need to worry about these things in our relationship."

A gold bracelet, which costs at least two thousand yuan, is a truly sincere birthday gift for a student.

The girls had already given their gifts to Shen Sisi, so Sun Jingyi smiled and asked Song Ci, "Master, where's your gift?"

Shen Sisi was afraid that her sweetheart would forget to prepare a gift and that he would be embarrassed or embarrassed, so she quickly spoke up to defend him: "I am already very happy that Song Ci came to celebrate my birthday. Gifts are not important."

Song Ci naturally wouldn't come empty-handed; he had always been thinking about repaying Miss Shen's favor.

He pulled an exquisite gift box from his coat pocket. If Liu Shishi had been there, she would have recognized it as the third gift box that had been placed on Song Ci's table that day, one that she had overlooked.

Song Ci didn't say anything, but simply placed the gift box in front of Miss Shen, gesturing for her to open it and take a look.

Shen Sisi, with her beautiful features, saw Song Ci's sentiment and excitedly opened the gift with both hands, revealing a blue fountain pen inside.

This fountain pen is exquisitely crafted, with a sterling silver and iridescent blue resin body engraved with an ancient Egyptian eagle, a scarab beetle atop the cap symbolizing longevity, and a coiled cobra on the clip representing the guardian deity of ancient Egypt and royalty. The pen barrel features openwork relief carvings depicting the story of the pharaoh and queen.

Shen Sisi was attracted by the pen's appearance and was about to take it out of the gift box to admire it slowly when she suddenly realized something and pushed the gift box back in front of Song Ci.

He shook his head and refused, saying, "This gift is too valuable; I cannot accept it."

Sun Jingyi knew that Song Ci earned a considerable income from writing books, so she figured he wouldn't be stingy. Seeing Shen Sisi's actions, she asked curiously, "Mumu, is this pen very valuable?"

Shen Sisi recalled the information she had read before and said, "This is a Mantega fountain pen, a famous Italian brand. This model is called Blue Nile! It's a limited edition, worth at least five thousand US dollars."

Wang Jing covered his mouth and exclaimed in surprise, "Five thousand US dollars, more than forty thousand RMB, is this pen really that expensive?"

According to statistics released by Beiping City in 2005, the average annual wage of employees was 28300 yuan. If this was the case in the capital, the average annual income in other regions was even lower.

Forty thousand yuan is a huge sum of money for a college student with no income, and no one expected Song Ci to be so generous.

Song Ci looked at him sincerely: "Between friends, it is customary to exchange gifts. The birthday gift you gave me last time was quite valuable. You didn't accept the gift I gave you. How can I bear this? Should I return the gift to you?"

Seeing Song Ci's words, Shen Sisi had no choice but to accept the gift. Her eyes were filled with tears, and she sincerely expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Song Ci. I'll treat you to a meal another day."

"No need." Song Ci quickly declined. He gave Shen Sisi this generous gift to repay a past favor. It would be a bit awkward to ask Miss Shen to treat him to a meal as well.

As everyone chatted, the waiter brought out plate after plate of delicious food to the table. However, all the dishes served today were on the spicy side. Song Ci took a few bites and then stopped eating.

He was a southerner in his previous life. Although he has gradually adapted to the eating habits of the north, he still prefers sweet food to spicy food.

Noticing that Song Ci was hardly eating and was only drinking water, Shen Sisi asked with concern, "Song Ci, why aren't you eating? Is it not to your liking?"

Seeing that everyone present was staring at him, Song Ci felt slightly embarrassed: "Um, I really can't eat spicy food."

Shen Sisi's expression was strange. She had specifically asked Little Lion about Song Ci's eating habits, and Little Lion had assured her that Song Ci liked spicy food, the spicier the better, and couldn't live without it.

It's clear that Song Ci was drinking water repeatedly because of the spiciness, which doesn't seem fake; he really doesn't seem to be someone who can handle spicy food.

Shen Sisi, being exceptionally intelligent, immediately realized she had been deceived by Liu Shishi. She guessed that the little lion had likely already seen through her identity and was deliberately spreading false information to create obstacles between her and Song Ci. But this was for the best; they could now compete openly in the future.

Shen Sisi didn't explain, and immediately called the waiter over. Before Song Ci could speak, she ordered four or five more common specialties from Beiping.

As Song Ci's thoughts raced, a bitter smile crept across her face. It was clear that Shen Sisi had lost the battle of wits with Shi Ye, but she was the one who would suffer.

To make up for her earlier miscalculation, Miss Shen showered Song Ci with attention. Bai Yang, who was standing nearby, watched all of this with pain in his heart and was tormented by the pain.

He and Shen Sisi were classmates in high school. He had always admired this talented and beautiful girl. After they were admitted to Tsinghua University and Peking University, they continued to keep in touch.

Based on their three years of friendship, he believed that Shen Sisi treated him differently from other boys and firmly believed that the two of them were a match made in heaven.

He had originally planned to confess his feelings to Shen Sisi on her birthday today, but when Song Ci arrived at the private room, he had a vague sense of foreboding.

He was outshone in every way, from looks to gifts, and Shen Sisi's arrogant attitude and her eagerness to please Song Ci dealt him a heavy blow. He could only assess the situation and suppress his feelings for her.

While Bai Yang was filled with anxiety and sighing, Shen Sisi gazed tenderly at her beloved and whispered, "Song Ci, there's something I've always wanted to tell you."

Song Ci gazed at Shen Sisi with a profound look in his eyes, and spoke first, his words striking Shen Sisi like a thunderbolt:
"Sisi, you should know my girlfriend Liu Shishi, right? She asked me to send you her best wishes after she found out it's your birthday today."

Upon hearing this, Shen Sisi looked lost and dejected, remaining silent for a long while before finally uttering a few words, "We know each other."

Shen Sisi was incredibly intelligent; how could she not understand the meaning behind Song Ci's words? He was clearly telling her that he had a girlfriend, and their relationship was limited to that of friends and schoolmates.

Before Shen Sisi could utter a word, Song Ci had already blocked her way out. With a helpless sigh, she realized that half a year of knowing each other was no match for Xiao Shizi's childhood sweetheart. The time was not right, so she had no choice but to give up her plan to confess.

The couple who had excitedly planned to confess their feelings failed to do so, and the latter half of the banquet was devoid of flavor for everyone.

Just past seven o'clock, Song Ci exchanged a few pleasantries with everyone and then took his leave.

Shen Sisi stared at the dazzling blue Nile River under the lights, her expression inscrutable. She wasn't one to give up easily, and she was thinking about how to secure more opportunities to be alone with Song Ci next time Liu Shishi went to film. Sun Jingyi understood Shen Sisi's thoughts best. She also knew that Song Ci had a childhood sweetheart girlfriend. Just as she was about to say a few words of comfort to her roommate, she noticed that Bai Yang beside her was also sullen, occasionally stealing glances at Shen Sisi.

She couldn't help but sigh. She was thinking of him, and he was looking at her. Indeed, what you can't have always seems more alluring. She envied the girl who won the love of Song Ci!
A few days passed in the blink of an eye after Shen Sisi's birthday. May, the end of spring and the prelude to summer, is a time of lush vegetation and vibrant life.

During the May Day holiday, Song Ci drove Liu Shishi to Nanluoguxiang to visit her grandparents.

The two elderly people are in good health and do not want to trouble their son and daughter-in-law, so they do not live with the younger generation. They have a separate residence in Nanluoguxiang, which is a courtyard house.

Arriving at her grandparents' house, Song Ci pushed open the vermilion gate with its golden pillars, took Shi Ye's little hand, and led him through the exquisite screen wall into the square courtyard. The stone brick path was neat and simple, and a ginkgo tree was planted in the courtyard.

In about six months, the golden leaves of the ginkgo trees will flutter down into the courtyard like dancing butterflies, creating a rich autumnal scene. Compared to apartment buildings, the environment in the courtyard is more comfortable and leisurely.

Grandpa Song, dressed in a white martial arts uniform, was practicing Tai Chi in the courtyard. He was in a standing posture, and his movements were graceful and flowing, giving people a sense of profoundness and weight, indicating that he had at least twenty years of experience.

Upon seeing the old man, Song Ci was overjoyed and called out loudly from afar, "Grandpa!"

Liu Shishi also greeted the old man, saying in a charming and lively manner, "Hello, Grandpa Song, I've come to see you."

Grandpa Song was delighted to see his beloved grandson and his little sweetheart: "New Year's Day is here, and little Shishi is getting more and more beautiful, growing into a graceful young lady."

When Liu Shishi saw the old man praising her, her eyes narrowed into crescents with happiness, and she said to him in a charming way, "Thank you, Grandpa Song. I wish you good health and a long life."

Old Song laughed heartily upon hearing this: "Good child. You must treat Shishi well on New Year's Day."

Song Ci nodded and smiled in agreement, agreeing with her grandfather.

Exhaling a breath of stale air, Grandpa Song slowly withdrew his fist and asked Liu Shishi, "How has your grandfather been feeling lately?"

Grandpa Liu Tianli, the grandfather of Liu Shishi, was a renowned Xihe Dagu (a type of storytelling performance) artist in Tianjin and Beijing. He served as a director of the National Quyi Artists Association and a member of the Beiping Municipal Federation of Literary and Art Circles. He had interacted with Grandpa Song Ci before, and because of their junior status, the two were quite familiar with each other.

When Liu Shishi mentioned her grandfather, a look of affection appeared on her face. "Grandpa is still in good health, but after all, he is over eighty years old, so he always has some minor ailments."

Grandpa Song seemed to recall his youthful vigor, and after a long while, he came to his senses and sighed, "Yes, we're all old now!"

Seeing that her grandfather was feeling melancholy and hadn't seen her grandmother around, Song Ci interjected, "Grandpa, where's Grandma?"

Grandpa Song gestured towards the kitchen with his chin, "Knowing you and Shishi were coming today, I've been busy in the kitchen since early this morning."

Song Ci nodded. His grandmother doted on him the most. Every time he came to Nanluoguxiang, the old lady would cook a delicious meal. "I'll go see Grandma."

"I'm going too!" Liu Shishi walked lightly, following in her boyfriend's footsteps.

The two men, familiar with the route, went straight into the main hall.

Although this courtyard house is old, it is equipped with modern facilities such as air conditioning, underfloor heating, and bathrooms, making daily life extremely convenient.

Passing through the quaint west wing to the kitchen, the two saw Grandma Song humming a little tune as she sat on a small stool picking vegetables, clearly in a good mood.

"Grandma," Song Ci called out, her voice filled with longing.

Liu Shishi also greeted them politely: "Hello, Grandma Song, Yi Yi and I are here."

Seeing her grandson and his girlfriend, Grandma Song smiled and said, "Come, come, Yuandan and Xiaoshishi, help me pick vegetables. I'm going to check on the pork rib soup I'm making."

Song Ci chuckled and teased, "Grandma, you've already made Shishi do chores as soon as she arrived?"

Liu Shishi stuck out her little tongue and said defiantly, "I can do it."

Grandma Song didn't say anything, but with a kind smile on her face, she handed a bunch of chives to her grandson and Liu Shishi, and got up to go to the stove to cook soup.

If Liu Shishi were a guest, she naturally wouldn't have let the young girl do any work. However, seeing the two of them holding hands so intimately, she knew that the young man and woman had finally crossed the threshold of budding affection and become a couple deeply in love.

He naturally considered Liu Shishi as one of his own family. In the future, the young couple would live on their own and would need to know how to do housework, so what's wrong with assigning some housework to his grandson and future granddaughter-in-law?
Song Ci brought over a small stool for Shi Ye to sit on, while she herself sat on the stool that Grandma had just been sitting on.

Miss Liu is used to being pampered at home and never lifts a finger. She has no idea how to pick vegetables and is clumsy and awkward, only causing trouble.

"I'll do it."

Song Ci never expected Miss Liu to do housework. He knew that his master was going to be a big star in the future and probably wouldn't have time to pick vegetables and cook. He could just hire a few servants if he had the money.

Liu Shishi made a face at her boyfriend and said shyly, "Can you teach me?"

Miss Liu wanted to learn, and Song Ci was happy to see her succeed. So, he also taught the poet some simple household skills, so that he wouldn't be clueless when interviewed by reporters later. A down-to-earth persona is also important for celebrities.

While Song Ci and his girlfriend were sorting chives, they asked Grandma, "How have you and Grandpa been feeling lately?"

Grandma Song stood in front of the stove, ladled half a spoonful of broth into a small bowl, tasted it to check the saltiness, and nodded in satisfaction. The fragrant and delicious pork rib soup was her grandson's favorite.

After turning the stove flame down to its lowest setting, Grandma Song finally spoke, "Your grandfather and I are in good health. Your father comes to give us regular checkups. While we can still get around, I'm planning to join a senior citizen tour and go on a trip to the south with your grandfather for a while."

"That's great." Song Ci nodded in agreement. Her grandparents had worked hard for most of their lives, and it would be wonderful for them to go out and appreciate the magnificent landscapes of their motherland while they were still able to walk and move around.

After preparing the soup, Grandma Song turned around and went to the sink to wash rice and cook it, because there were two more people eating lunch, so she grabbed a few more handfuls of rice than usual.

"New Year's Day!" Grandma Song suddenly called out to her grandson.

The only sound in the kitchen was the running water rinsing rice. Song Ci waited for a while but her grandmother didn't respond. She looked up at the old woman and asked in confusion, "Grandma, why did you call me suddenly and then not say anything?"

(End of this chapter)