"Not bad, Miao Miao," Cui Mantong said, having watched Fang Miao Miao's performance from the side. "Keep this up, and you'll only get better."
"Thank you for the praise, Sister Mantong," Fang Miao Miao leaned into Cui Mantong. "I'll work hard."
"Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?"
Fang Miao Miao shook her head. "No, I want to go back to my room, review the script, have a video call, and then sleep."
"Tsk tsk tsk," Cui Mantong chuckled, shaking her head mischievously. "I wouldn't have guessed, your relationship with your significant other is getting better and better."
"Not really," Fang Miao Miao denied. "I'm calling An An."
"Speaking of An An, does your An An have a phone? Si Si has been pestering me about this child An An all day. If he has a phone, could you give me An An's number? I can take it back to shut Si Si up."
"Sure, I'll send you An An's number tonight."
"Alright, I'll drive you back to the hotel then. I have a thing going on."
"No need. You go have fun. I have Yu Zhi with me, she can take me back."
Cui Mantong nodded. "Alright, then I won't see you off."
"Have fun."
Getting into the nanny van, Fang Miao Miao leaned against the window, closed her eyes, and let her mind wander until they returned to the hotel.
"Sister Miao Miao, what do you want for dinner tonight?"
"I've told you many times, you don't need to use honorifics with me."
Yu Zhi scratched her head. "I'm used to it."
Fang Miao Miao waved her hand. "Whatever, as long as it's nutritious for my diet."
"Understood, Sister Miao Miao."
"You go attend to your business."
Back in her room, Fang Miao Miao lay on the bed for about half an hour before resignedly dragging herself up to exercise.
"Phew, this is tough. Working is really tiring. If I wasn't worried about Wen Zhiyan being kicked out of the Wen Corporation later, I wouldn't be so strict with myself."
Fang Miao Miao sighed as she did sit-ups. This was her way of relieving stress. She'd say all her unhappy thoughts out loud, letting them drift away with the wind, so she wouldn't have to dwell on them. This was a method her nanny had taught her.
Thinking of her nanny, Fang Miao Miao continued to talk to herself. "Nanny, why didn't you let me erect a tombstone for you in this world? That way, when I miss you, I'd have a place to visit you."
"But you hated reminiscing the most. If I erected a tombstone and missed you, you'd surely scold me."
"I'll listen to you then. I'll always look forward, and keep my longing for you hidden in my heart."
With that, Fang Miao Miao collapsed onto the bed, unable to move.
*Huff.*
Her phone vibrated.
Fang Miao Miao reached for her phone on the bedside table. It was a video call from Wen Zhiyan.
She answered.
A cute little face immediately appeared on the screen.
"Mommy, are you off work?" Wen Yan An asked excitedly.
"Yes, our tasks for today finished early, so we got off work early."
"Mommy, are you tired?" Wen Yan An asked, noticing the sweat on Fang Miao Miao's forehead.
"No, no, I just finished exercising."
"Mommy, you shouldn't lie on the bed after exercising."
"It's okay, this is a double bed. I use one side for sit-ups and when I don't want to move after work, I just lie down," Fang Miao Miao explained. "The other side is for sleeping at night."
"Mommy."
"Don't cry, An An. Isn't this your dad's phone?" Fang Miao Miao quickly changed the subject. "Is your dad off work?"
"Yes, Dad takes me to and from school," Wen Yan An nodded obediently.
"What did An An learn at school today?"
Wen Yan An thought for a moment and then recounted some of the fun and interesting things that happened at school from morning to after school.
"That's not right, though. Didn't you say you got a little red flower? Where is your little red flower?"
Wen Yan An looked to the side, then looked at Fang Miao Miao with his teary eyes. "Dad said little red flowers are childish."
"So you took it off?"
Wen Yan An nodded.
"Don't listen to your dad. Little red flowers are so pretty. If An An wears one, you'll definitely be the most handsome kid in class, no, in kindergarten. Your dad has bad taste, don't listen to him."
"Really?"
"Do you think your mommy ever lied to you?"
Wen Yan An shook his head vigorously and said happily, "Then Mommy, can I wear the little red flower tomorrow for you to see?"
"Of course."
"Mommy, An An misses you."
"My good boy, Mommy misses you too. When Mommy finishes filming and has a holiday, I'll come back to see you, okay?"
"Mommy."
"Wen Yan An, we're about to get off the car. And your mother is very tired right now, don't cling to her constantly, let her rest a bit."
Wen Zhiyan's voice came from the other side.
Ah, that voice. It's so pleasant. She missed Wen Zhiyan already, and it hadn't even been a full day.
"Mommy."
"Have you reached the garage? Fang Miao Miao noticed the environment around Wen Yan An. "Be good, listen to your dad. You need to be alert in places like garages and pay attention to safety."
What if there were kidnappers?
"Okay, I'll find Mommy after I finish my homework."
"Okay, bye."
After hanging up, Fang Miao Miao's spirits lifted slightly. Just as she was thinking of getting up to shower, there was a knock on the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me."
Fang Miao Miao frowned. What did Fei Qing Qing want with her?
"Is there something you need?"
"Can you open the door?"
Fang Miao Miao thought about it. This was the October Hotel, with high security, nothing would go wrong. She opened the door.
"Do you need something?"
"Fang Miao Miao."
"Huh?" Fang Miao Miao looked at Fei Qing Qing in confusion. "Is there, is there something?"
"Tomorrow, can you not upstage Yan Huan's scene?"
Fang Miao Miao found it even more inexplicable. "Wait, I don't quite understand what you mean."
"Today, you deliberately upstaged her scene."
"Aren't you overthinking things?" Fang Miao Miao pointed at herself. "Someone like me, upstaging a scene?"
"I know you won't admit it, but it's okay. As long as you let Yan Huan's scene go through tomorrow, I won't bother you about past matters."
Fang Miao Miao chuckled. She leaned against the doorframe. "What are you saying? I don't understand."
"Don't worry, I haven't recorded anything, I'm not trying to trap you."
"But I still don't understand, what past matters?"
Fei Qing Qing's expression changed slightly. She hadn't expected Fang Miao Miao to play dumb even after she had said so much. If it wasn't for her, how would she have been fired from the crew and her mother wouldn't have had money for medical treatment? And now, she was being kind and advising her, yet Fang Miao Miao still wanted to act as if nothing had happened.
"You deliberately framed me back then, causing me to be fired from the crew. Do we need to spell this out?"
"I didn't do it, so I'm not taking the blame," Fang Miao Miao scoffed. "Besides, you think too highly of me. You knew my situation back then, didn't you? As a fallen fake heiress, why would the crew bother to get rid of an acting genius like you?"
"If not you, then who else?"