Starting a new chapter in life

Since Jingyan and Cui Hongru arrived, Zhizhi and An'an's already busy lives have become more lively. The weather in late autumn is already hot, so Jingyan specially rented a house near the filming location, just for the well in that house.

Cooling watermelons in well water is gentler than refrigerating them and also quenches thirst. In addition, when making mung bean soup, well water is always sweeter than tap water. Director Liu's crew got used to Jingyan and her mother-in-law coming and going from the filming location in less than a week.

At noon, after finishing the crew's boxed lunch, they would bring their own bowls or water cups to this place to get a couple of spoonfuls of mung bean soup to quench their thirst, or take a slice of watermelon and squat by the roadside to eat it. Although it was nothing much, it left a very good impression on these support staff. At least, the impression that He Anzhi's family supported her career was completely confirmed.

Director Liu was drinking the qi-boosting tea that Zhizhi had brewed for him, while also munching on a few pieces of watermelon. With the special stove on, the irritability from working under the scorching sun had dissipated considerably.

“Anzhi, is it possible for your mother to afford to buy us some refreshing drinks out of her own pocket? I’ll ask the finance department to give your mother an advance so she can help prepare some drinks. That would be reasonable.”

Director Liu didn't see anything wrong with his own food and drink, since it's only natural for apprentices to show respect to their master. However, he felt that bringing along the entire crew's logistics was a bit too much of an expense.

Zhizhi shook her head: "Master, no need. My mom and the others will only stay here with me for a while. They won't stay long. Besides, this drama will be finished in about a week at most. There's no need to go through all this trouble."

I've seen actors on film sets often buy tea and snacks to treat the crew to meals. My mom could probably live on that money for a week. These days, she and my grandma are finding things to do, and also helping me maintain my connections and networks.

Director Liu sipped his tea and sighed, "Parents all over the world are so concerned about their children's future. However, most families would think of having their children become actors, but supporting them to become directors is still rare, especially since you are a girl."

Zhizhi grinned: "My mom is very democratic. She supports all our decisions as long as they are legal. I applied to the film academy for Lu Xiaoxiao's sake. I'm not interested in acting, so I chose directing."

Back then, I thought it was simple: I'd be the director, she'd be the actress, and we'd support each other. But the reality is, she's constantly traveling all over the country filming, while I'm here studying, so I don't have much time either. It's true, once you enter the workforce, you're no longer in control of your own destiny.

Director Liu laughed heartily at her joke: "After this movie is finished filming and edited, I'll organize a gathering and introduce you to all my old friends. That will be your network. You have a real talent for location shooting, so maybe you'll have the opportunity to work with them."

Zhizhi beamed with joy: "Thank you, Master. I will definitely work hard and try not to let you down."

After delivering mung bean soup and watermelon, Jing Yan spent the afternoon at home braising meat. The next morning, she took a taxi to see He Jin'an, only to find him in a meeting. His male assistant recognized Jing Yan and took them directly to his office to wait.

Cui Hongru stood in He Jin'an's office, looking around in surprise: "Jingyan, I didn't expect An'an to be so capable, she actually managed to start a company."

Jingyan sat on the sofa, placed the lunchbox containing braised meat on the coffee table, and looked around as well: "Hmm, our kids are all doing quite well now."

When He Jin'an learned that his mother and grandmother were visiting, he rushed back after finishing his meeting. When he opened the door and saw the two elderly people, he couldn't contain his joy. After three or four years of experience, the once naive young man had developed the temperament of a mature man, although he still showed a bit of naivety when facing his mother.

"Mom, Grandma, when did you arrive? How long are you planning to stay in Beijing? Where are you staying now? Would you like to come stay at my house?" An'an was really excited.

Cui Hongru patted his head and laughed, "We've only been here for less than a week. Your mother rented a courtyard house near Zhizhi's filming location and delivers mung bean soup and such to the crew every day. After all, Zhizhi is learning skills there, and we need to help build relationships."

Yesterday your mom braised some meat, and since you like it, she brought some over for you first. Later, she'll pack some for Chef Zhizhi to try; after all, it's our family's signature dish, so it should be presentable.

An'an pulled her to sit down and said, "You don't need to worry about Zhizhi's job. Director Liu has a very good reputation in the industry. Although he's quite strict, he's truly talented. With his guidance, Zhizhi will avoid many detours compared to others."

I had originally planned to give Director Liu some gifts to repay his kindness in recognizing my talent, but he declined. It's kind of him to appreciate the food you sent. So, thank you for your hard work, Mom and Grandma, during this time. But now that you're all out, is my dad being left alone at home?

Jingyan pinched her ear and laughed, "We're too idle at home. I don't have to keep an eye on Xiangmanyuan either. Your dad is busy with work, so I brought your grandma out to keep you company and also to see if you've settled down. You're already twenty-six, you should start thinking about your personal life. Do you want us to help you find a partner?"

An'an looked a little embarrassed: "Mom, I haven't thought about finding a partner yet. Can we talk about it later?"

"Have you not met the right person yet, or do you not have any plans to do so at the moment?" Jingyan was eager to know her son's thoughts.

An An shook her head: "I haven't met the right one. The girls I can get in touch with are all in the industry, they're very ambitious, and they don't really appeal to me. I don't want to waste my time on them."

You also said that not only should girls be chaste and self-respecting, but boys should be even more so. This way, they will have the confidence to pursue someone they like in the future. Therefore, I would rather remain single than settle for less.

Jingyan nodded: "You're right. Anyway, it's your life to live. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters. If you meet someone suitable, be sure to tell me right away. Your great-grandmother left me a lot of good things that I've kept hidden away. I'll give them to you and your brother as a secret stash later."

An'an's eyes widened: "Mom, is our family that rich? What did Great-Grandma leave behind? How about I get a few things first?"

Jingyan tapped his forehead and gently scolded, "When you all go home for the New Year, you and your siblings can go together and broaden your horizons."

Cui Hongru pulled Jing Yan aside: "Aren't you planning to distribute the things to the two children now? Isn't that too early?"

Jingyan shook her head: "These things are just sitting there in my hands anyway. I see that Zhizhi loves filming palace dramas, and the headdresses and floral decorations in the crew these days are really fake. If Zhizhi starts filming independently in the future, the quality of these things will have a significant impact."

Before, at the photo studio, you saw how much Zhizhi loved the exquisite headdresses and accessories. She was so focused on taking pictures with the camera; it made my heart ache.

Since An'an's company is also in this field, the siblings will definitely complement each other in the future. Sharing good resources and helping them when needed is the most valuable thing.

Jingyan never believed that those good things really had to be passed down for generations. If it weren't for the family's modest assets over the years, she would have taken them out when An'an started the company.

Cui Hongru didn't try to persuade her any further. She didn't value these material possessions much either. "I have some myself. I'll keep two or three items for Xiaoli, and the rest for you two siblings. In this line of work, everything costs money."

An'an was overjoyed and couldn't wait to go home with them, but she suppressed her excitement: "Thank you, Grandma, thank you, Mom."

Jingyan asked him, "Are you still short of money? This company is quite large, and I don't know how far you've progressed or whether you're self-sufficient now."

An An nodded: "The company's operation is still fine, but I'm thinking of setting up our own filming team and becoming a producer ourselves. However, such expenses are huge, and we also need to have the ability to withstand risks. Our company is still far from that."

"The dividends from the decoration and construction companies over the past few years, plus the profits from our restaurant, have amounted to more than a million. I'll keep the small change for my own expenses and invest the remaining million in you, how about that?" Jing Yan directly set her sights on her son.

"Mom, are you thinking of investing in my media company?" An'an's eyes lit up.

Jingyan nodded: "Actually, it's not a big deal to give you this money, but if it's all given to you, Zhizhi will have less. It's better to invest in it with you, and then you two siblings can divide the shares fairly."

An'an nodded repeatedly: "Then I'll go call the finance department over right now to see what a reasonable profit-sharing amount would be, and then we can sign a contract?"

Sure enough, business is business. No wonder he's been a CEO for several years; he's gotten into the role so quickly.

One million, and in the end, only five percent of the shares. The finance department was calculating management costs and technology-related equity, but Jingyan couldn't understand a word they said. It was her son; he could decide how many shares to give her.

Once the contract was signed and the bank card was given, Jingyan's task was complete. She asked An'an to send a car to take the two of them back, so they could familiarize themselves with the place and An'an could visit them whenever she missed them.

When Shen Runze returned and learned that Jing Yan and the others had come and given him a huge sum of one million, he was astonished: "Your mother doesn't seem to care about anything, but she's quite good at accumulating wealth."

"It's mainly because Aunt Yuan and her group are doing well. My mom just invests money and waits for the final distribution. It's because my mom knows how to recognize people that she can make money so easily." An'an smiled happily.

Shen Runze smiled and agreed, "Yes, now that you're investing in her again, maybe you can help her earn even more in the future."

"Thank you for your kind words, but with financial support, many of our plans can be brought forward." An'an began to discuss the company's development with Shen Runze.

As usual, I delivered mung bean soup around noon and brought braised pork for Director Liu and the assistant director. You know what, men really can't live without meat. After trying a piece of meat, the meat in the lunchbox, which was supposed to be eaten in the evening, was gone in less than half an afternoon.

By the time Zhizhi realized what was happening, it was too late. Helpless, Zhizhi could only brew Director Liu a cup of tea to help him digest the grease. She couldn't let him get too upset from the oily food. Filming was coming to an end, and it would be best if everything went smoothly.

That evening, Zhizhi returned to Jingyan's rented apartment. The family sat inside watching TV and chatting. Jingyan couldn't help but ask about Lu Xiaoxiao's recent situation, though Zhizhi didn't know the specifics.

However, she is now doing quite well at An An's company. She has a professional assistant and agent. Although she travels around a lot, she always seems to be in a good mood whenever the two of them talk on the phone, and it seems that she is doing well.

Knowing that she was doing well, Jingyan didn't ask any more questions. She subtly inquired about her recent relationship status. Zhizhi pouted and said, "Mom, didn't you say you wouldn't pressure me to find a partner, that you'd even be fine with me never getting married? It's only been a few years, and you've already changed your mind?"

Jingyan patted her on the shoulder: "Nonsense, I'm not pressuring you. I'm just asking about your relationship status. If you have someone in mind, bring them back to us while your grandma and I are here. If not, then forget it. Marriage is not a game. I won't let you make the wrong choice because you're in a hurry to get married. The cost of trial and error is too high, it's not worth it."

Zhizhi was relieved. "I knew Mom was the best."

Jing Yan shook her head, swallowing the spell. "I remember your classmate from university, Chu Han? He even schemed to shield you from unwanted suitors. How's he doing now? Did he have feelings for you back then?"

Zhizhi thought for a moment: "He must be doing quite well now. Before I graduated, I was traveling around with Director Liu and I really didn't notice him. His rent is still being deposited into my account on time, so he should still be living there."

Xiaoxiao and I haven't been back for several months, so we really don't know how he's doing. Anyway, his family is well-off, so things shouldn't be bad for him in the future.

Seeing that Zhizhi didn't seem to care, Jingyan knew that the child was out of the question, and she was relieved. Although the child was good-looking and his family background was probably not bad, his actions back then were really unpleasant. It was fine if Zhizhi didn't like him; she was more suited to someone who was tolerant and could stand up for her in times of trouble.

The filming schedule was very punctual. As promised, the last week was completed within the stipulated time. After that, Zhizhi no longer needed to participate in the wrap-up. Director Liu also planned to take a break for a while, so he hasn't taken on any scripts yet.

Director Liu isn't signed with a company, so he's very flexible; if he wants to take a break, it's just a matter of saying so. Zhizhi hadn't originally planned to sign with a company, but since it's her brother's company, she should support it, right?

Previously, she hadn't graduated yet, so she didn't plan on this. Now, her mother has become a shareholder, and she won't be forced to take on any tasks after signing. Besides receiving a share from her capitalist brother, there are quite a few other benefits as well.

After a comprehensive evaluation, and seeing that the contract offered by An'an contained the most autonomy clause in the industry, Zhizhi gave her brother face and signed with Ping An Media, becoming a rookie director with a not-so-powerful backer.

An'an didn't disappoint her either, giving her the first task of filming the local customs and culture of various places, wanting to make a documentary to promote the food culture of different parts of the country. With the country developing so rapidly these days...

If we could integrate all the delicious food and beautiful scenery, we might be able to make the company famous overnight, and even boost the tourism industry in various places... With such expectations, An'an handed over this task to her younger sister, who was good at capturing scenic moments.