"Also, during this time, if my dad calls asking what I'm doing, do you know what to say?" Wen Wenlan subconsciously changed the subject.
"Young Master, wouldn't that be a bit problematic?" Wei Si asked hesitantly, "If you keep lying, what if Master Wen the Third comes to catch you directly?"
"I'll deal with it if he catches me," Wen Wenlan sneered. "My dad has too much free time."
He had told his father more than once that he had no interest in managing the Wen Group. With his uncle around, wouldn't it be better for them to leisurely hold their shares and travel the world?
Why did he have to find things to do for himself?
After the last family banquet at Yuyuan, he had tried to persuade his father. His father had quieted down for a while afterwards. Before he could even be happy, he received his father's call, indirectly saying that acting had no future and he might as well return to work at Wen's with him and secretly cultivate his own trusted aides.
It was a headache, a real headache. Heaven knew how much he detested management. Even for his own studio, he hired a professional management team.
What was even more outrageous was that his father even said he was of age and it was time to find someone to marry and form a strategic alliance. He just wanted to establish himself in acting and then marry his beloved Yan Huan. All those damn alliances and arranged marriages could go to hell.
"Actually, Young Master, your father did call me once."
Upon hearing this, Wen Wenlan involuntarily sat up straighter, looking at Wei Si with a mixture of displeasure and worry. "When was that?"
"It was yesterday, after you finished filming your last scene."
Wei Si knew his artist's temperament, so he had accompanied Wen Wenlan for most of the time he was on set.
Last night, during the night shoot, Wen Wenlan's phone had rung.
At first, he didn't want to answer, but the person on the other end seemed to be of the mindset that "if you don't answer, I'll keep calling until your phone breaks today."
Reluctantly, he picked it up.
The caller ID read: Father.
Wen Wenlan had said that as his agent, he had the right to answer any calls from his father and didn't even have to tell him.
After he finished that call, he went to do other things and then forgot about it.
"Alright, I know. You don't need to tell me the content of the call," Wen Wenlan interrupted Wei Si's reminiscence. "Just take me back to Mingshan Apartment. I need to read scripts for a while, so don't disturb me."
"Okay."
As they reached the gate of Mingshan Apartment, Wen Wenlan said he wanted to get out of the car.
Wei Si knew this meant he wanted to think about the script's plot, so he let him out.
The weather was cloudy.
Wen Wenlan walked along the path with an appreciative air, occasionally stopping in front of some flowers and trees.
"Who!"
He suddenly heard a sound and sharply looked towards the bluestone path behind him.
When he saw who was approaching, his expression froze. "It's you."
"Uh..." Fang Miaomiao also showed a hint of embarrassment upon seeing Wen Wenlan.
"Brother Wenlan."
"An'an? What are you two doing here?"
"Dad said the office wasn't much fun, so he let Mom and me come home," Wen Yan'an's voice was soft and sweet. "Mom said it wasn't far from home, so we walked in after getting out of the car at the main entrance."
"I didn't see you at the main entrance," Wen Wenlan's gaze towards Fang Miaomiao held a hint of displeasure and disdain.
This woman really had a way. Seeing him get out of the car, she also got out and had Yan'an cover for her.
His uncle was good in every way, except for his poor judgment. How could he have fallen for such a fickle woman?
"We've been here for a while," Wen Yan'an pointed to the bluestone path behind them. "We just saw a lost puppy over there and took it to the property management, so we're only coming over now."
Wen Yan'an's words were like countless slaps to Wen Wenlan's face – silent, but painful.
He had thought, he had thought that Fang Miaomiao, upon seeing him, would deliberately find an excuse to bring Yan'an closer, just to speak a few words to him.
"Alright, say goodbye to Brother Wenlan, we need to go home now, the sun is getting strong," Fang Miaomiao said to Wen Yan'an with a smile, as if she hadn't noticed Wen Wenlan's expression.
"Goodbye, Brother Wenlan."
"Goodbye, An'an."
"Miaomiao..." Wen Wenlan watched Fang Miaomiao leave without looking back, suddenly unsure of what to say.
He vaguely felt that his thoughts from the last time at Yuyuan were correct. Fang Miaomiao seemed to have truly changed. Her gaze no longer stayed on him, and they felt like strangers meeting occasionally.
"Mom, can we really get a puppy tomorrow?"
"If you like raising one, then we will," Fang Miaomiao wasn't particularly interested in pets. Raising a child was already a great merit in her eyes. "But let's be clear, you'll have to take care of them yourself. I won't be involved."
"Mm-hmm," Wen Yan'an nodded vigorously. "But what about Dad?"
"Leave your dad to me."
"Mom is so amazing."
Fang Miaomiao affectionately patted Wen Yan'an's little head.
Back home, Fang Miaomiao slumped onto the sofa. "So tired."
"Mom, you rest. An'an will get you some water."
With that, Wen Yan'an poured Fang Miaomiao a cup of warm water. "Mom, drink this."
"Thank you, my little sweet An'an."
Fang Miaomiao took the water and took a sip. It was warm.
This made her feel a warmth in her heart. What an obedient and kind child.
"Mom, when are we going to adopt a kitten tomorrow?" Wen Yan'an sat next to Fang Miaomiao and asked excitedly.
"Tomorrow..." Fang Miaomiao flipped through the weather forecast. "How about the morning? It'll be too hot in the afternoon, and going out will be tiring."
"Mm-hmm, whenever Mom says we go, we go."
"Tsk." Fang Miaomiao unceremoniously patted Wen Yan'an's smooth cheek. "You little rascal, how have you suddenly become so eloquent?"
Completely different from the quiet child she had seen before.
"I saw it on TV."
TV had taught him that he had to treat people he liked seriously, listen to them carefully, answer them without being perfunctory, and also be sweet-mouthed. That way, the person he liked would like him more and more.
He wanted his mother to like him more, and even more.
"Active learning and application," Fang Miaomiao said, giving him a thumbs-up while continuously scrolling on her phone.
Her hand paused. "An'an, what do you think of this place?"
"Are all these stray cats?"
"Pretty much. But if you don't like it, we can change it."
"Mom, why are there stray cats?"
Fang Miaomiao paused. "Perhaps their owners were irresponsible, or perhaps, due to various reasons, they couldn't take their cats with them and had nowhere to put them, so they ended up abandoning them."