Chapter 146
Help, when asked for, was given swiftly, faster than a tornado.
Although he didn’t know what Wei Chengli wanted help with, Shi Dingshan instinctively raised his hand to stop him from speaking.
“Xiao Zeng, you go to the car first.” Shi Dingshan said, turning to Zeng Huanian.
Zeng Huanian was stunned, his lips trembled slightly, but he didn’t say anything, he dejectedly walked towards the cars waiting for them in the distance. Director Shi no longer trusted him… He was just a tool, still useful for a few more days. Zeng Huanian clearly sensed the difference in Shi Dingshan’s attitude. The ground beneath his feet was uneven, each step accompanied by the crunching sound of gravel, it grated on his soles, and pierced his heart.
Compared to Zeng Huanian’s dejection, Liu Ming was much more perceptive.
“Then Director Shi, Director Qin, we’ll also go to the car first.” Liu Ming said, pulling at Shi Hongxiao next to her.
Look at the remaining people, the big shots, Director Shi and Director Qin, the victims who were about to reveal some secret, was there a place for small fries like them to listen? This blockhead next to her truly had no intention of leaving.
For the sake of their shared battle earlier, Liu Ming kindly took him along.
Shi Hongxiao, being pulled, looked at Shi Dingshan.
“Okay, you guys go to the car first.” Shi Dingshan nodded in agreement.
Outside the air-raid shelter, people left in groups, now only three adults and two children remained at the entrance.
Shi Dingshan glanced at Wei Chengli, then at Qin Sichao.
“Me, good guy!” Qin Sichao said, covering Shi Dingshan’s eyes, as if to prevent him from hinting at something, he looked at Wei Chengli. “Let me stay, I’m the best at keeping secrets. Look at Lao Shan’s current state, weak and frail, it would be good to have one more person to help, right? And besides, you know, I also want what’s best for Yan Yan, right?”
“Yan Yan, what do you think…” Wei Chengli said, he knew about Qin Sichao’s intention to cast Cheng Tingyan in his film, he also felt that the Cheng family’s situation was becoming alarming, having a heavyweight like Qin Sichao involved would definitely be more beneficial than harmful. But it was Cheng Tingyan’s own matter, he couldn’t make the decision for her.
“Okay.” Cheng Tingyan nodded in agreement without much hesitation. She was no longer the timid six-year-old, no matter how trustworthy Qin Sichao was, it wouldn’t affect her plan.
Compared to Qin Sichao’s trustworthiness, Cheng Tingyan was more concerned about his words, “You know, I also want what’s best for Yan Yan, right?”
Did they… know each other? In her previous life, her only interaction with this internationally renowned director was him inviting her half-sister to be in his film, they hadn’t even met. In this life, they had only met twice, once when Maomao fell in the bathroom and he came with Shi Dingshan to check on her, and now. Why would he say such a thing?
Cheng Tingyan still felt that there must be another reborn person before her, that’s why this variety show and everyone involved had become like this.
Then, who…
Cheng Tingyan quietly looked around.
Liu Ming and the cameraman named Xiao Shi, who were getting into the car in the distance, they didn’t appear in her previous life.
Shi Dingshan, who was listening attentively with a pale face, he was already gone at this time in her previous life… Qin Sichao, he didn’t participate in this variety show in her previous life…
And…
Cheng Tingyan looked up at Wei Chengli, who was explaining her plan to leave the Cheng family to Shi Dingshan and Qin Sichao in detail.
As expected, the little chubby bunny’s dad was still the most suspicious.
This matter, which had been brewing in Wei Chengli’s mind for two days, he got straight to the point, every word shocking Shi Dingshan and Qin Sichao.
Good heavens, truly good heavens… They thought they were filming a parent-child variety show, but this person’s daily efforts weren’t about strengthening family bonds, but about severing them…
Thankfully, Shi Dingshan himself had already suffered an emotional blow before the filming started, he wasn’t focused on portraying harmonious parent-child relationships, but on the scrutiny and conflicts within these relationships. Otherwise, this sudden blow near the end of the show would be a huge shock.
“Then should I call her mom now? The live broadcast is still paused, I was planning to resume it during lunch, Yan Yan can talk to her mom directly now.” Shi Dingshan said, he was quite receptive to Wei Chengli’s words after his own emotional turmoil, he immediately grasped what they needed him to do.
Wei Chengli thought it was a great idea. Having the program team relay the message might make Yan Yan’s mom less trusting, it would be best if Yan Yan could talk to her directly.
Everything was going smoothly, if Cheng Tingyan was still the clueless six-year-old.
“I… don’t want to call…” Cheng Tingyan said, her eyes lowered, as Wei Chengli stared at her in shock and Shi Dingshan’s hand, reaching for his phone, froze. “Uncle Wei is right, my mom is already struggling to take care of herself, it would be too hard for her if she also has to take care of me.”
“Yan Yan!”
The first to react and interrupt wasn’t one of the three dumbfounded adults, but a little chubby child, her whole body expressing her anxiety, she started jumping around.
“Yan Yan, you’re in danger! You can’t go back to your dad’s house! It won’t be hard for your mom to take care of you! I have money, we can find someone to take care of her and you! Uncle Shi, tell Yan Yan, I have money for this, right! Shen Zilin said we also have advertising revenue!” Wei Maomao said, she didn’t know why Cheng Tingyan was backing down at the last minute, but look at what happened today! Rolling down that slope, it would be so easy to break an ankle! Wei Maomao strongly suspected that this was how those people did it in her previous life. Whether it was or not, they did it in this life! What did the six-year-old Yan Yan do to deserve this, again and again, whether it was the Cheng family’s doing or not, it was definitely right to not go back.
“Ah… Yes, you do.” Shi Dingshan, suddenly being grabbed by the leg by the little chubby baby, nodded instinctively.
“Maomao, Maomao…” Cheng Tingyan said, looking at Director Shi’s pants, which had been pulled down by the little chubby bunny, she was amused and touched, she pulled the bunny into her arms. “I’m not going back to Dad’s house, I’m saying it would be hard for Mom to take care of me, so I want to find… Mom’s mom.”
Everyone present: “???”
Mom’s mom? Grandma?
Wei Maomao, stunned, let go of Shi Dingshan’s pants, she couldn’t keep up with the plot.
In her previous life, she never heard Cheng Tingyan mention her grandma… Was it the limitation of being online friends? Because she couldn’t participate in her real life, she could only get relevant information when they happened to talk about it.
Clearly, she wasn’t the only one who couldn’t keep up with the plot.
And Cheng Tingyan’s next words made Wei Chengli’s earlier words seem like a mere appetizer.
A girl who had a falling out with her family when she was young, left her hometown, got married, had a child, then got divorced, had an accident, became partially paralyzed, and never contacted her mother again. But in her dreams, when she woke up from anesthesia, when she was in unbearable pain, she still couldn’t help but call for her mom.
Now, this girl’s child wanted to find her mom, for her.
The whole thing sounded reasonable, even a bit touching.
From a practical perspective, although the grandma couldn’t get custody, having a healthy person in the family was still better than a half-paralyzed person taking care of a six-year-old child.
The logic was sound, but…
“Yan Yan, your mom truly hasn’t returned to her hometown since she left, hasn’t seen your grandma, and only occasionally calls her a few times a year?” Shi Dingshan asked, rubbing his forehead, seeking confirmation.
“I think so…” Cheng Tingyan said, her answer vague, then she changed the subject. “That’s what Mom said in her dream. She said, ‘Sorry, Mom, I only dared to call you, you still don’t know that you once had a son-in-law, and you have a granddaughter.’”
Qin Sichao, who had already imagined a ninety-nine-episode melodrama, sniffed and rubbed his eyes. “Then your mom clearly misses her mom a lot, why doesn’t she go back and visit? She already called, why didn’t she tell her mom that she got married and had a child?”
Cheng Tingyan shook her head. “Mom didn’t say in her dream. When she was awake, I asked her, she said Grandma was very angry when she left home, they had a fight, and they haven’t contacted each other since.”
“Although… but… It’s true that your mom needs her mom. But you also need your mom. Shouldn’t we still confirm your mom’s thoughts on the custody issue?” Wei Chengli asked, using his last bit of brainpower to bring the topic back on track.
“Mom said that my grandma loved her very much before, and she’ll also love me very much. As long as we find Grandma, whether Mom can raise me or not, Grandma will raise me.” Cheng Tingyan said, glancing at Wei Chengli, as expected, someone with double the brainpower wasn’t easy to fool.
“Yan Yan… Are you saying, your mom might not raise you?” Wei Maomao asked, sensing something alarming from Cheng Tingyan’s words. But… how could this be? When they chatted about Mom in her previous life, Cheng Tingyan only mentioned good things… She even agreed with her that maybe it would be better if she had lived with her mom since she was young.
Ah, she forgot about this clever one here. Cheng Tingyan smiled wryly and touched the little chubby bunny’s face.
“Right, Yan Yan, weren’t you very sure your mom would be willing before?” Wei Chengli asked, confused.
Sigh… It was time to clean up the mess from her six-year-old self’s naivete.
“I wasn’t sure…” Cheng Tingyan said, ruthlessly denying her past innocence.
Cheng Tingyan also knew that her current thoughts were vastly different from their previous plan. But there was no other way, if they followed their previous plan, it would be a dead end…
The six-year-old her naively thought that as long as she could get enough money for medical expenses and living expenses, she could leave that suffocating family and live with her mom.
The twenty-four-year-old her knew very well that what separated her and Liu Qiongfang wasn’t just money.
Her words inevitably contradicted her previous statements, it might reduce her credibility. But there was no other way, it was better than stubbornly clinging to a doomed plan.
Everyone had a mom.
Everyone should listen to their mom.
In her previous life, no matter how hard it was, she persevered.
This life, it was Liu Qiongfang’s turn.
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