readytorunbook Chapter 634 Liu Xiaoli: This child is not bad
Chapter 634 Liu Xiaoli: This child is not bad
……
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"mom?!"
Liu Tianxian's clear eyes were filled with sudden panic; she never expected her mother to come back so unexpectedly.
"Sisi, do you miss your mother that much?"
Liu Xiaoli's long, black hair was loosely tied back, with a few strands gently falling at her temples, which bore the marks of time, and a warm smile shone in her eyes.
He assumed his daughter's discomposure was due to her overwhelming joy at seeing him return home early.
"Come here, let Mommy give you a hug. I have some really great news to tell you today."
Liu Xiaoli walked over with light and gentle steps, and lovingly cupped her daughter's face in her hands.
"Mom... what's the good news? You're smiling so happily."
Liu Tianxian's fair and delicate face was crumpled into a ball, and she squeezed out a silly smile with her pearly teeth indistinctly, but her eyes were like those of a thief, glancing at the TV screen out of the corner of her eye.
She prayed frantically in her heart: "Gu Qing, you better hide well, please don't come out!"
"Sisi, Mom wants to tell you..."
Liu Xiaoli happily wanted to pull her daughter to sit down on the sofa and talk slowly.
But Liu Tianxian grabbed him and spun him around halfway, turning him around and pinning him to the sofa.
"Mom, tell me, tell me quickly."
Liu Tianxian playfully shook Liu Xiaoli's arm, her delicate body blocking the screen in front of her.
"Sisi, Huayi is going to fail, and even Tangren is struggling to survive."
Liu Xiaoli didn't find it strange. She gently patted her daughter's smooth hand, her voice filled with relieved joy and lightness:
"From now on, you will be completely free to develop your career in China!"
Since back then,
With her divine touch,
The contract dispute between Liu Yifei and the then-booming Huayi Brothers and Tangren Media directly resulted in a "double whammy" of problems.
The once thriving business has plummeted.
During that period,
Not only were there countless negative rumors circulating about her, but the most outrageous accusations even targeted her gender, claiming she was transgender, with absurd rumors spreading like wildfire.
This has caused many people to doubt themselves.
Even the film and television industry suffered a great setback, forcing Liu Tianxian to transform into a singer and dancer for a period of time.
Later, after his career transition failed, he had no choice but to go to Hollywood and work there for a few years.
Until the first three years,
With the entry of major internet giants, the traditional giants' bargaining power declined, and Liu Tianxian gradually escaped her resource predicament.
But the influence of those traditional brokerage firms still exists!
But this year,
Whether it's Huayi or Tangren, after enduring several years of attacks from major companies, they finally raised the white flag.
If you can't even take care of yourself, how can you possibly have the ability to restrict others?
Liu Xiaoli went to the company in the afternoon and received definite news from Alibaba, with whom she has a deep partnership.
Huayi has completely abandoned the restrictions.
With only a crumbling Tang dynasty figure, there was no way they could cause any more trouble.
In the new year,
Radio broadcasts are no longer the mainstream pursuit for artists; online drama data on major video platforms is the real king.
"Sissi, from now on, you can take any kind of movie or TV series you like and want to try. No one can stop you anymore!"
Looking at her daughter beside her, Liu Xiaoli's eyes were full of relief. "Now, you're finally completely free. Aren't you happy?"
"real?!"
Liu Tianqing's eyes lit up, and she happily hugged her mother. But then the sound of the TV came from behind her, and she quickly straightened up, grunting, "Trying to outlast me? I'll outlive them and let them bully me!"
"It's about to go bankrupt now, isn't it? Serves it right!"
After venting,
"Mom, you've had a long day. It's getting late, go back to your room and rest."
Liu Tianxian gently placed her hand on her mother's shoulder, then, with a determined effort, pushed her towards the bedroom.
She was concerned that her mother was tired after a long day, but she also wanted to get her back to her bedroom as soon as possible to avoid any awkwardness.
"Sissi, what's wrong?"
But Liu Xiaoli stopped in her tracks and stood still without moving an inch.
Having lived together for over thirty years, she knows her daughter's every move and every micro-expression like the back of her hand.
Liu Tianxian's obviously unnatural movements clearly indicate that she has something on her mind.
She tilted her head slightly, intending to tease Liu Tianxian a few times before returning to her room to give her daughter some privacy.
But at this very moment,
"Ahhh-"
Cheers came from the television.
Liu Xiaoli glanced casually and a handsome face came into view.
With a slight pause in his steps, everything made sense.
No wonder they wanted her to leave quickly.
Oh, it's just a little darling, but it's letting in the wind...
Liu Xiaoli chuckled inwardly, a bittersweet feeling welling up inside. A knowing smile played on her lips, and the faint crow's feet at the corners of her eyes gently relaxed. She didn't immediately expose him.
"Don't rush me away."
Liu Xiaoli leisurely returned to the sofa, patted the spot beside her, and said in a gentle tone with a hint of mischief, "Mom hasn't had a proper time to watch TV with you in a long time. We happen to have some free time today, so let's watch a show together."
"Okay... alright..."
Liu Tianxian slumped against the sofa, her heart sinking to the bottom.
That's it, there's no escaping it now.
Her eyes drooped, and she looked utterly hopeless, as if every minute and every second to come would be an unbearable ordeal.
Just as the mother and daughter were each lost in their own thoughts,
The host's signature loud voice came from the television.
Bald Uncle Kai, holding a microphone and smiling, announced to the camera: "Next, please welcome our fourth mystery guest – the cool race car driver."
The camera then switches smoothly.
The broadcast studio was switched to a separate recording booth.
Facing the camera, Gu Qing's eyes were gentle, and a smile played on her lips. She picked up the microphone and spoke to the audience in a disguised and edited voice:
"Hello everyone, I'm the cool race car driver."
"Ok?"
Liu Xiaoli tilted her head, feigning confusion, and looked at the young man on the screen.
"It's over..."
Liu Tianxian slumped against the sofa in despair, like a salted fish washed ashore, closing her eyes and awaiting her final judgment.
"Sissi, why does he look so familiar to Mommy?"
Liu Xiaoli carefully examined the young man on the screen and asked, seemingly casually.
"Mom, I know you know him. He's my junior from Beijing Film Academy, Gu Qing."
Liu Tianxian, feeling utterly listless and resigned, picked up a cushion and hugged it to her chest, resting her chin on it.
"He's the one who went to Chen Long's premiere with me."
She certainly understood her elderly mother perfectly well.
She had to arrange for an assistant to accompany her to the movies last time, so she didn't believe her mother hadn't secretly inquired about who Gu Qing was.
They might have even looked through their household registration book.
“Sisi, Mom is also worried that you will be scammed... There are too many people who will try to take advantage of you.”
Liu Xiaoli spoke softly as she gently stroked her daughter's hair, saying, "There are too many bad people in the entertainment industry."
"Trying to take advantage of me?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Tianxian's willow-leaf eyebrows turned into slanted eyebrows, her pretty face looked slightly strange, and the scenes that had happened in the car after the movie involuntarily surfaced in her mind.
Mom, is it possible that your daughter took advantage of someone else?
She was too ashamed to say these words, so Liu Tianxian simply lowered her head, bit the pillow in her arms, buried her face in it, and remained silent.
Seeing her daughter's shy and awkward expression, Liu Xiaoli assumed it was just a little tantrum from a young girl.
Her tone became even gentler, filled with genuine encouragement: "Sisi, Mom knows you've grown up and have your own thoughts and ideas."
"As for matters of the heart, Mom won't forcefully stop you. If you truly like someone, just be bold and pursue it."
"I did have someone look into this young man before."
Liu Xiaoli paused, then said seriously,
"He's a pretty good kid. He has a good appearance, a promising career, and is very similar to you when you were young. You two should have a lot in common."
"When I was little?"
Liu Tianxian suddenly raised her face, on the verge of tears: "Mom, I'm not that old, am I?! It's only a seven or eight year difference..."
She was deeply hurt.
"Yes, yes, Mom was wrong."
Liu Xiaoli covered her mouth, her eyes crinkling with laughter, and apologized to her daughter:
"As long as you get along well, an age difference doesn't matter, it's just that..."
She couldn't help but add, earnestly, "Xixi, you also need to hurry up. At your age, you should be thinking about marriage. Delaying having children for a few more years is not good for your health."
"If you really like him, bring him over to our house for a meal, and let Mom give you her opinion."
"Marriage? Having children? Where are those things?!"
Liu felt dizzy and disoriented.
Faced with pressure to get married, she too suffered from a splitting headache, let out a wail, and collapsed onto the sofa, burying her pretty face in a pillow.
He muttered, "Mom, please stop causing trouble. Our relationship isn't even close to happening yet!"
"You silly child, you went on dates to see movies and have meals together even before you had a chance to get to know each other?"
A surge of annoyance welled up in Liu Xiaoli's heart. She raised her hand and gently patted her obedient daughter's side hip, making a crisp sound.
"Liu Qianqian, you better be serious!"
"Tell me honestly, what exactly is your relationship?!"
As a divorced woman who cherishes her daughter as the only treasure in her life, she places particular importance on Liu Tianxian's romantic relationships.
She wanted to nip any potential "danger" in the bud.
"Splash!"
Liu Tianxian kicked her long, fair, and shapely legs, making two futile swipes in the air, ignoring the woman's warning, and pretended to be a salted fish.
until--
'Snapped! '
Another crisp sound rang out, this time a bit louder than before.
"Mom, we're just friends! We're just friends! We have a little mutual attraction, but we haven't officially confessed yet!"
Liu Tianxian was in unbearable pain and was so frightened that she quickly curled up and shrank to the corner of the sofa, alertly assuming a defensive posture as she looked at the woman.
"Just a mutual attraction? You're not lying to me?"
Liu Xiaoli lowered her hand slowly, looking suspicious.
"No, I'm not lying to you, I just have feelings for you!"
Liu Tianxian gritted her teeth and made up her mind.
Junior Brother Gu must have feelings for her, right?
It definitely exists!
"Since you're only one step away from confessing your feelings, didn't he reveal his true feelings to you when you went out for dinner and a movie last time?"
Liu Xiaoli squinted, "Don't try to fool me."
"Mom... does it count if I reveal my feelings?"
Liu Tianxian stole a glance at her mother and spoke cautiously.
Her voice grew softer and softer until it was barely audible, like a mosquito's hum.
"So... you've confessed your feelings, but there's still one more layer of paper between you and the truth, right?"
Liu Xiaoli was taken aback, and it took her a few moments to understand the meaning of her daughter's words.
Her eyes slowly widened.
The moment I saw my daughter nod awkwardly.
in an instant,
A chaotic scene unfolded in the villa late at night.
"I'll beat you to death, you brat! How many times have I told you, girls shouldn't be so forward! You still dared to confess your feelings to someone? And you even got rejected?!"
Liu Xiaoli's voice rose eight octaves, and the gentle and elegant woman instantly switched to "battle mode".
"I wasn't rejected! I wasn't rejected! He just didn't hear me!"
Liu Tianxian was so frightened that she became incoherent and gestured wildly with her hands in front of her chest.
"I...I...Ah, how could I have given birth to such an idiot like you!!"
"Didn't you hear me? I called you and you didn't hear me!!"
Liu Xiaoli was so angry that her face turned red.
Having grown up in the cutthroat world of entertainment, raising her daughter alone after her divorce, Liu Xiaoli's temper is far from her gentle appearance. He pinned Liu Tianxian down on the sofa, slapping her repeatedly in anger, eliciting screams of pain. "Do you hear that now?!"
She really had the nerve to hit him!
"Mom, please let me explain! He really didn't hear me..."
Liu Tianxian rolled over in fear, desperately clenching her hands to push against the woman's slender wrists, preventing the slap from falling further.
She spoke very quickly, recounting the entire story of how she confessed her feelings while watching a movie.
only,
I subconsciously omitted what happened after I got into the car.
Liu Tianxian dared not tell that story; if she did, she would be beaten to death.
After hearing the whole story—
"So, you two held hands the whole time? What was his reaction afterwards?"
Liu Xiaoli's anger had subsided considerably. Looking at her daughter, who looked aggrieved and whose hair was all messed up, she felt both annoyed and amused.
"He...he...was quite embarrassed."
Liu Tianxian hurriedly tried to cover for herself.
"Mom, my junior brother is quite shy. He's usually only on set filming, so it's impossible to get him to come out."
"Shy? And embarrassed?"
Liu Xiaoli's eyes widened, and her mouth opened slightly. "You little brat, are you kidding me?"
Are there still shy male celebrities in the entertainment industry?
She's been in the entertainment industry for so long,
I've seen countless "gentlemen" who appear refined and courteous on the surface but are actually more outgoing and fun-loving than anyone else in private.
She was so angry she almost rolled her eyes. Pointing at the screen, Liu Xiaoli turned her head and said, "Tell me, what makes him look shy..."
"Keep it up, Viagra!"
Gu Qing was cheering on Zhou Yiwei, who was doing the voice acting.
He sat in the guest seat, his eyes bright, his smile clean, and his brows and eyes filled with dappled sunlight.
Liu Xiaoli: "..."
"Sissi, were you fooled by his appearance?"
Liu Xiaoli hesitated for several seconds, then couldn't help but ask with concern.
"Mom, you've gone too far. Didn't you tell me I shouldn't talk badly about others behind their backs?"
Liu Tianxian pouted in dissatisfaction, "I'm so much older than him, do you think I'd be fooled by him?"
"Besides, my junior brother can fool only me, but how can he fool so many people in the entertainment industry?"
Fans and viewers really like him, and you've already investigated him; don't you know that?"
"You're telling me he's faking it? Who can fake it like that?!"
Liu Tianxian launched into a long, rambling monologue.
Liu Xiaoli remained silent.
Looking at her daughter's protective attitude, she felt a mix of emotions.
She's been raising cabbages for so many years, is she really determined to...
No, that's not right either. It looks like a fresh, plump cabbage.
Just as Liu Tianxian was feeling smug, thinking she had won, she saw her elderly mother raise her hand.
"I was wrong, Mom, you can hit me."
Liu Tianxian covered her head with both hands, turned to the side, arched her back, buried her face, and looked like she had no will to live and was ready to be beaten.
"Come back, I won't hit you, watch the show with me."
The expected slap didn't land. Liu Tianxian only heard Liu Xiaoli sit down beside her, her tone indifferent:
"You can know a person's face but not their heart. Let Mom personally help you vet them."
Liu Xiaoli preferred to believe her own eyes rather than what others said.
She refused to believe she could have misjudged a man!
……
On TV,
The stage lights of "The Sound" change as guests take turns appearing on stage.
"The show is quite interesting, it wins with its voice. This is a good actor, and his dubbing is quite infectious."
After listening to Zhou Yiwei's voice acting,
Liu Xiaoli didn't forget to tease her daughter, "Qianqian, if I let you do the dubbing, you definitely wouldn't even be able to remember your lines."
Liu Tianxian: "..."
Mom, am I a terrible actor?
It was A-Jie's turn to appear. Several of his voice-over clips were edited together.
The transitions between the boy's voice, the young man's voice, and the domineering CEO's voice are seamless, with each tone sounding like a different person speaking.
"Mom, that voice is so beautiful!"
Liu Tianxian also became childlike in front of Liu Xiaoli, making a lot of noise, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, and she was very excited.
"It's alright."
Liu Xiaoli's reaction was lukewarm.
For an older woman like her, especially one who grew up in an art troupe, her aesthetic sense was exceptionally high.
Ah Jie's voice is indeed pleasant to hear.
But when she saw the ordinary, even somewhat "passerby-like" middle-aged man on the screen, a deep sense of incongruity arose spontaneously.
Such a beautiful voice, paired with that face, she just couldn't get into the story.
She even felt a little creeped out.
Liu Xiaoli shook her head inwardly.
at last.
"Please welcome our last guest – the cool race car driver – to bring you the first classic sound."
The bald host, Uncle Kai, finished speaking, leaving behind suspense and anticipation.
"Mom, my junior brother is about to go on stage! I didn't even know he could do voice acting."
Both mother and daughter perked up at the same time.
"You know nothing, you understand nothing, yet you dare to confess your feelings to someone?"
Liu Xiaoli gently patted the back of her daughter's head, then, with a scrutinizing gaze as if she were "looking at her son-in-law," she focused on the screen.
Under the warm yellow light,
Gu Qing, dressed in a moon-white stand-up collar shirt, stood in front of the microphone with a slender and upright figure, exuding elegance, freshness, and handsome charm.
A close-up at first glance,
"Hmm...good taste in clothes, better than Sisi's."
"His demeanor is also very good. I heard he studied opera? No wonder..."
"As for his appearance..."
Liu Xiaoli couldn't find anything to criticize for a moment.
And when footage of "Farewell My Concubine" appeared on the big screen...
Liu Xiaoli had nothing to say.
Do all kids have such good taste?
For older, artistic women like them, "Farewell My Concubine" is absolutely a masterpiece among masterpieces.
"Is he... really a good match for her?"
Liu Xiaoli wavered a little.
"Farewell My Concubine? Where's my Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils?"
Liu Tianxian was still muttering to herself in disappointment.
"Sisi, keep your voice down."
Liu Xiaoli said.
"Um?!"
Liu Tianxian stared wide-eyed at her mother's unwavering focus, her mind going blank.
Mom, you gave birth to a daughter, not a son!
She shut her mouth in annoyance and turned her gaze to the screen.
Scenes from "Farewell My Concubine" begin to play.
When scenes of dilapidated houses appear
Liu Xiaoli clasped her slender fingers together, held her breath, and her gentle eyes reflected the image on the screen.
This is the most heartbreaking scene in "Farewell My Concubine" that she found so moving, and she was deeply touched when she watched it back then.
"I am a man—not a delicate woman..."
"You were born a man!!"
“I…I am a man…and not a delicate woman…”
*Pat pat pat*—"
……
"Junior brother, that voice?!"
Liu Tianxian was stunned by his beautiful eyes.
It was youthful, clean, and even carried the crisp, clear quality of a boy's voice before it changed.
"No way, I'm going to make him call me 'Senior Sister' in that voice later!!"
A strange image flashed through Liu's mind, her beautiful eyes shining slightly, as if she couldn't wait any longer.
But at this very moment,
But she heard a faint sound beside her.
Liu Tianxian turned her head and was startled.
"Mom, what's wrong?!"
Liu Xiaoli's eyes reddened.
Her elegant face was flushed, her eyes were red, and she was holding a tissue in her hand, sobbing as she wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Sisi, it's...it's nothing. His name is Gu Qing, right? They're a perfect match."
Liu Xiaoli's voice was still a little choked up as she looked at the two images on the screen.
Half of it is the despair of young Cheng Dieyi being bullied, subdued, and beaten until he resigned himself to his fate.
Half of the shots are close-ups of Gu Qing standing in front of the microphone, immersed in her role, her body trembling slightly.
The two scenes are intertwined.
The latter, in particular, has a more realistic visual style.
Liu Xiaoli's eyes were filled with sorrow, heartache, and unbearable pain.
"Is it really that touching? I think it's alright."
Liu Tianxian looked puzzled, tilted her head, and reached for the tissue box.
"Sisi, you're too young. You'll understand when you grow up."
Liu Xiaoli took the tissue, gently blew her nose, and her voice was muffled.
"How old am I? Do I still need to grow?"
Liu Tianxian muttered to herself, unimpressed by Liu Xiaoli's experienced, motherly tone.
Immediately,
"Fairy Sister..."
"If only the fairy sister could say a word to me, Duan Yu would die a thousand times, ten thousand times..."
"Waaah..."
Liu Tianxian's eyes were glistening with tears.
"Sisi, don't cry. This isn't the version of 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils' that you acted in."
Helplessly, Liu Xiaoli handed her daughter a tissue, tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes.
As for the final scene from "The King's Avatar," Gu Qing's voice broke free from the sadness and became uplifting, sunny, and refreshing, bringing a knowing smile to the listener's face.
In the spacious and quiet villa, soft laughter filled the air, dispelling a chill of loneliness.
Liu Tianxian blew her nose, just as she was about to burst into laughter after her tears.
“Sisi…”
"Mom, what's wrong?"
She turned her head in confusion.
Liu Xiaoli hesitated for a moment, then looked away from Gu Qing and at her daughter. After a long while, she said shyly:
"Mom really likes this child..."
The more a mother-in-law looks at her son-in-law, the more she likes him.
Liu Tianxian: "???"
……
...(End of this chapter)