Chapter 31: Going to the Company with Dad

Chapter 31: A Trip to the Company with Dad

This afternoon’s filming schedule was light. Around four o’clock, the set called a half-hour break for a scene change.

But the actors couldn’t rest. Mu Xingzhou had just finished a take, and Song Tan needed to rehearse the next scene with him. Assistant Director Guo was explaining the blocking, while a camera assistant stood nearby, filming.

This must be the behind-the-scenes footage Tao Tao had mentioned yesterday.

Song Tan ignored the camera, fully immersed in her work.

Assistant Director Guo: "In the previous scene, Chen Xucheng was chatting with a friend about Xiyue. The friend felt his concern for Xiyue had crossed a line, but Chen Xucheng denied it."

"Before the script revision, Xiyue and the original character had a purely platonic friendship. Now that Xingzhou is here, Director Fang and we decided to play it more ambiguously—not explicitly stating Chen Xucheng’s feelings for the female lead, leaving room for the audience’s imagination."

Films could benefit from appropriate ambiguity, and Song Tan had no objections. This ambiguity was Mu Xingzhou’s challenge—how to convey subtle emotions as a newcomer.

Assistant Director Guo was also concerned. "Xingzhou, have you ever had a crush on someone?"

Mu Xingzhou’s gaze drifted casually over the woman across from him before he replied blandly, "No."

"That makes it a bit tricky…" Assistant Director Guo frowned, thinking for a moment before elaborating: "In short, it’s about restraint. Your eyes are full of the female lead—you want to look at her but don’t dare, you want to comfort her and hold her, but you have to hold back. Your eye acting is crucial."

"Alright, let’s run this beat. Xiyue has reconciled with her boyfriend, and you’re happy for her, but your eyes are filled with loss."

Song Tan held her breath just listening. Some actors’ eye performances were unbearable to watch, while others could convey a world of emotion with just a glance.

Mu Xingzhou lowered his head to read the script, then looked up after a few seconds. "Ms. Song, are you ready?"

Song Tan: "Ready."

Without glancing at the script again, he met her eyes and spoke slowly, "So… he came back for you?"

The female lead was bubbling with excitement. "Yes, we talked all night and hashed everything out we never said before. Thank you, Xucheng."

Mu Xingzhou didn’t speak, just held her gaze, emotions shifting in his eyes.

Song Tan saw it and was momentarily stunned. The corners of his eyes were slightly upturned, yet his gaze held a hidden sadness—Assistant Director Guo’s description was perfectly realized in those eyes.

But the female lead wouldn’t notice. Song Tan continued, "Before coming here, I wondered which version of me he liked. But does it matter? No. What matters is that I love him, and my happiness, my sorrows—everything about me is what truly matters."

Mu Xingzhou curled his lips slightly, his voice almost imperceptible. "Really?"

That wasn’t the written dialogue, but this "Really?" seemed to capture his current state even better.

Assistant Director Guo didn’t call cut, and the camera kept rolling.

Song Tan also fell silent.

Though this wasn’t an official take, she felt she was struggling to keep up with his performance.

It was so real yet unreal—she could hardly tell if this was Mu Xingzhou or Chen Xucheng.

Vaguely, she began to understand why Director Fang had insisted on casting him. Perhaps it wasn’t just about capital.

"Perfect, just like that—nailed it." A relieved Assistant Director Guo finally spoke up. "Alright, take a break. We’ll start soon, let’s strike while the iron’s hot."

Mu Xingzhou broke character.

Song Tan turned to the camera assistant. "Did you get that?"

Assistant: "Yes, all good."

Once the assistant left, Song Tan relaxed and teased, "Mr. Mu, you truly are impressive."

Mu Xingzhou shoved his hands into his pockets, ignoring her praise.

His phone buzzed with a message: "Boss Mu, what time are you wrapping up? Let’s do dinner tonight."

The corners of his lips lifted as he quickly typed, "Sure, I’ll cover it."

Friend: "Wow, in a good mood?"

He didn’t reply.

Just as he put his phone away, a sweet, cloyingly high-pitched little girl’s voice rang out not far away: "Mommy~~"

Mu Xingzhou looked up and saw another little Song Tan, mother and daughter almost identical, stunningly beautiful.

Song Tan had already picked her up. "Xiao Chu, why are you here?"

Song Chuqing sat on her lap, giggling. "I missed Mommy so much, so I came!"

"Mommy missed you too, baby." Song Tan gestured toward Mu Xingzhou. "Say hello to Brother Xingzhou."

It was Song Chuqing’s first time meeting Mu Xingzhou, but safe in her mother’s arms, she wasn’t afraid. Beaming, she chirped, "Hello, Brother Xingzhou!"

Mu Xingzhou froze for a few seconds before stiffly replying, "Hello."

Then he asked Song Tan, "What’s her name?"

Song Chuqing eagerly answered for her mom, "Brother, my name is Song Chuqing! You can call me Xiao Chu. I’m four years old."

Song. Her last name was Song.

Mu Xingzhou suddenly felt exceptionally pleased.

He wasn’t used to interacting with children. After a moment’s thought, he pulled out a small pendant from his pocket—a jade gourd, translucent and clearly valuable.

Song Tan immediately refused. "Xingzhou, you don’t have to be so polite."

Mu Xingzhou simply stuffed it into Song Chuqing’s hand. "Just a small thing."

Song Chuqing glanced uncertainly between her mom and the unfamiliar brother, unsure whether to accept the gift.

Song Tan took it from her. "It’s too expensive. We can’t take this."

"It’s nothing." Mu Xingzhou didn’t give her a chance to return it, standing up to leave. "I’ll go get ready."

"Mu—"

He was already gone. Song Tan sighed.

Rich people really don’t care about money.

Song Chuqing understood now. "Mommy, we can’t take it!"

"Right. Receiving gifts depends on the situation, and this one from Brother is too valuable. We can’t accept it." Song Tan tucked it away, planning to hand it to his assistant later.

"Okay!"

Once alone, the mother and daughter continued their conversation. "Who dropped you off? Where’s Dad?"

"Dad had something to do and left first. Big Sis Tao Tao brought me in."

Song Tan finally checked her phone. Ji Fuxi had sent her messages half an hour and five minutes ago, saying that Song Chuqing wanted to come early. Since he couldn’t enter the filming site, he mentioned he’d go take care of some things first and meet up with them afterward.

She texted back "Got it."

After cuddling with her daughter for a while, she got called to resume filming.

Song Chuqing wasn’t a stranger on set—everyone knew her as the well-behaved little girl who quietly watched her mom work.

Whenever they had free time, crew would come play with her, and today was no exception. Song Chuqing always had company.

Half an hour later, during a break, Song Chuqing looked up and saw the same brother from earlier approaching. She greeted him politely, "Hello, Brother Xingzhou."

"Hello, Xiao Chu." Mu Xingzhou handed her two pieces of candy he had casually taken from his assistant, his voice a bit awkward. "For you."

Knowing it was just candy, Song Chuqing accepted. "Thank you, brother~"

Watching the beaming smile on the little girl’s face, Mu Xingzhou cracked a small smile before he turned and left.

Another half hour passed, and Mu Xingzhou came back again—this time with a small Disney plush toy that Mu Yuan had left in his car.

Yet another half hour later, Mu Xingzhou returned once more, this time holding a small cake from the snacks he'd gotten for the entire crew.

Song Chuqing was delighted and invited him to share it. Mu Xingzhou wasn’t big on sweets, but he sat down anyway.

"Do you like cake?"

"Of course! My mom likes it too!"

Mu Xingzhou pursed his lips, took a small spoonful, and tasted it. Sweet.

The little girl, happily eating the cake, grinned. "Brother, is it good?"

"Very."

By the time they wrapped up, Mu Xingzhou had already picked her up. Song Tan was completely taken aback—when had these two gotten so close?

"Xiao Chu, get down and walk by yourself."

Mu Xingzhou: "It’s fine. She’s not heavy."

Song Chuqing: "Mom, brother is really strong!"

"..."

"Let’s go. I’ll walk you out."

Unsure if Ji Fuxi had arrived yet, Song Tan turned him down. "No need, someone’s picking us up. You can go back, Xingzhou."

Mu Xingzhou looked at her, knowing exactly who that "someone" was.

His friend wasn’t wrong—Song Tan was more of an idol and a goal to him. Her two films had been the direct reason he entered this industry.

His curiosity about her had driven him to learn far more than just those two movies, and gradually, feelings he shouldn't have had taken root.

The past half-month of working together had made his growing feelings concrete.

He knew she had studied directing abroad and had watched the short films she directed.

He knew she had a daughter but wasn’t sure who the father was—she had been alone all five years overseas.

That father wasn’t worthy of being called a father. Five years without a single word, leaving her to raise the child alone—absolute scum.

He also knew that the top executive from Yuanhe Group might have some connection to her now.

He considered himself just as good. Though his wealth couldn’t match the Ji family’s, it was more than enough to ensure a comfortable life for the mother and daughter. In looks and build, he was just as good.

Most importantly, he was young. If he recalled correctly, Ji Fuxi was already in his thirties—what could he possibly compete with?

Yet Mu Xingzhou still lacked confidence. She treated him only as a colleague, and any rare kindness was merely out of mentoring a junior colleague.

He told himself it was fine—they weren’t close yet. He would take things slow.

As long as her heart stayed available, he would always have a chance.

Still holding Xiao Chu, Mu Xingzhou insisted, "Let me see you to your car."

Seeing how much Xiao Chu liked him, Song Tan didn’t refuse. The three of them walked out together.

The crew were busy around them, packing up, not paying them any attention. A car was already waiting across the street. Song Tan took the child from his arms. "Alright, say goodbye to Brother Xingzhou."

Song Chuqing waved. "Bye-bye, Brother Xingzhou."

Mu Xingzhou glanced at the darkened back window of the car in the distance before reaching out to give the little girl’s cheek a pinch, smiling. "Goodbye, Xiao Chu. Next time, I’ll bring you more candy."

"Okay~ Thank you, brother!"

Song Tan walked off with her daughter.

The car door opened, and the man inside, who had been watching from across the street, made eye contact with Mu Xingzhou from a dozen meters away. Neither looked away.

Only when the mother and daughter got into the car, blocking their line of sight, did the door close.

Ji Fuxi coolly looked away and asked casually, "Who was that?"

Since there was no child seat in the car today, Song Tan buckled Xiao Chu in as she answered, "Mu Xingzhou, the actor playing Chen Xucheng."

Song Chuqing fished out a piece of candy from her pocket and said in her sweet voice, "Daddy, this is the candy Brother Xingzhou gave me. I didn’t eat it—it’s for you."

Ji Fuxi took the candy and held it up, immediately recognizing who this Mu Xingzhou was—the youngest son of the Mu family, the brother Mu Xinghe had specifically asked him to look after.

Remembering the challenging stare in the other man’s eyes earlier, he frowned.

A man knows another man's look. Though the reason was unclear, Mu Xingzhou had marked him as a rival.

"Daddy, what are we eating?"

Ji Fuxi shook off his thoughts and tucked the candy away. "What would you like, Xiao Chu?"

"I want pizza!"

Song Tan bopped her nose. "You just had pizza two days ago, thanks to Sister Chenchen. Don’t think I didn't notice."

Song Chuqing pouted and said in a small voice, "But Xiao Chu still wants to eat it."

"No, we're having something else today."

"Okay..."

...

Ji Fuxi had made a reservation at the restaurant in advance, so Uncle Li drove them straight to their destination.

The hotel's cloud-top restaurant at the tallest building in the capital was only serving their family today.

He didn’t care much about the food, but the little girl would probably love this place.

Sure enough, Song Chuqing lit up the moment she stepped out of the elevator, eagerly running to the floor-to-ceiling windows without any fear.

As night fell, the capital's glittering nightscape stretched before them, roads pulsing like glowing arteries of the metropolis, radiant and dazzling.

Song Chuqing couldn’t help but exclaim, "It's so pretty, Mommy!"

Song Tan also found it beautiful—the high-up view naturally opened her mind.

The restaurant manager approached to ask if they wanted to order first. Ji Fuxi glanced away from the mother-daughter pair now taking photos, and said, "In ten minutes."

"Very well, Mr. Ji."

After the photos, the family of three sat down. The child's tableware set was already prepared, so Song Tan didn't need to fuss.

When the manager came to take their order, Ji Fuxi gestured for the menu to be handed to her.

Song Tan didn't stand on ceremony, opening it.

It was a Chinese restaurant, and the menu was minimalist—surprisingly simple for such an upscale place, but simplicity didn’t mean it was lacking.

She ordered Peking duck and Longjing tea shrimp, dishes Song Chuqing could eat, and specifically instructed, "Not spicy, and no toppings like cilantro, green onions, or garlic."

"Understood." The manager asked, "What would you like to drink?"

"Two orange juices, not chilled, will do." Song Tan glanced across the table. "What about you?"

Ji Fuxi: "Same as you."

Song Tan closed the menu. "Three glasses, then."

"Of course."

As the manager left, Song Chuqing raised her kid's fork, grinning until her eyes became little crescents. "Daddy, I love it here!"

"We can come back another time." Ji Fuxi poured hot tea for both mother and daughter.

"Will Daddy come too?"

"Mm. If Daddy’s busy, Xiao Chu can always come with Mommy."

"Why?"

Why else? The hotel belonged to the Ji family, and so did the mall across the street. Song Tan handed her the poured tea and teased, "Are you my little 'why' baby?"

Song Chuqing giggled. "Yes, hehe."

The "why" baby continued her barrage of questions during the meal—what was this dish, how was it made? When it came to the Longjing tea shrimp, her little mind was full of big questions. "Tea can be used for cooking too?"

Ji Fuxi: "...Yes. Tea-infused broth can be used for stews, tea leaves for stir-fries, or tea powder as seasoning."

"Wow~" Song Tan acted amazed. "Daddy, can you do that?"

Song Tan stifled a laugh, glancing at the man across the table, who looked momentarily stumped. She then teased him to help him out. "Your dad can’t. His hands are for signing documents."

"Signing? What does that mean?"

"It means with one signature, he can make a lot of money."

"Wow! Is that better than Li Keke’s dad?"

Song Tan made a show of thinking before saying very seriously, "I think he might be a little better than Li Keke’s dad."

"Really?!" Song Chuqing exclaimed excitedly, praising him enthusiastically. "Daddy, you’re amazing!"

Ji Fuxi's eyes crinkled with a smile.

He didn’t know why he was being compared to Li Keke’s father, but at that moment, he felt unexpectedly proud.

He put a shrimp in her bowl. "Thank you, baby."

"Hehe."

Song Chuqing was in high spirits today, keeping up a steady chatter through dinner, excitedly telling stories about kindergarten.

By the time she finished her orange juice, Song Tan finally interjected, "Alright, hurry up so we can head home."

Song Chuqing pouted. "But Mommy, I don’t want to go home yet."

"Then where do you want to go?"

The girl hadn't decided yet when the man across the table spoke up. "There’s a small children’s play area downstairs."

Song Chuqing’s eyes lit up. "A play area!"

With that, the little girl couldn't focus on eating anymore and begged to go play.

The play area was for hotel guests, so it hadn't been cleared in advance. Ji Fuxi didn’t join them.

Song Tan played with the little girl for nearly an hour—she seemed to have boundless energy as she went down the slide again and again.

By nine, she'd finally tired herself out, drinking water next to Song Tan while looking around. "Where’s Daddy?"

Song Tan laughed in mock surprise. "Wow, Xiao Chu just noticed Daddy’s gone?"

"Hehe." Song Chuqing’s eyes twinkled mischievously. "I noticed a long time ago."

After finishing her water, Song Tan helped her put on her coat. "Let’s go home."

"Mm!"

Ji Fuxi was already waiting in the car. Song Chuqing got in and immediately cuddled up to him. "Daddy, I missed you."

The man looked down at the little girl snuggled tight against him, his heart melting.

He pulled her closer, lowering his head slightly as if soothing her to sleep, his voice gentle. "Daddy missed you too, sweetheart."

Song Tan, who got into the car last, froze for a couple of seconds at the sight before entering.

Uncle Li in the front seat also turned back with a smile.

Mr. Ji had changed so much since having a daughter. If the old master saw this scene, he would surely be so pleased.

They arrived home in just over twenty minutes.

Uncle Li had other things to do the next day, so the car stopped outside the villa, and the three of them got out early.

Song Chuqing had already fallen asleep. Song Tan grabbed her little bag and water bottle, while Ji Fuxi carried her. The little girl murmured sleepily, nestling into a comfortable position in his arms, her small head tilting against his shoulder.

The car drove away.

Ji Fuxi started walking back first toward the house, holding Song Chuqing steadily.

Song Tan watched from behind, suddenly hit by strange new feelings.

Unfamiliar, yet feeling as though walking like this for a lifetime might not be so bad.

...

With just one week left, the four-month filming of *The Great Dream* wrapped up. After the weekend, Song Tan started working crazy hours—leaving early and returning late, hardly ever seeing Song Chuqing at all.

Since Ji Fuxi had moved in, if she left early, the task of taking their daughter to school fell to him. After dropping her off, he would head to work.

By the time she returned late at night, Song Chuqing was already asleep, leaving her only with a goodnight kiss before she went to shower and rest.

Ji Fuxi was equally busy that week—moving projects along, attending meetings, attending dinners, and even making an unexpected business trip to Shencheng on Thursday.

He rushed back by Friday afternoon. Instead of going to the office, he went straight from the airport to the kindergarten, the timing was perfect.

The little girl was overjoyed at the sight of him, shouting "Daddy!" bursting with excitement.

Ji Fuxi picked her up with one arm while carrying her backpack in the other. Song Chuqing snuggled against his chest. "Daddy, I haven’t seen you in so long!"

They'd last seen each other Thursday morning, but the man was thoroughly melted by his daughter’s sweet talk, his eyes warm.

"Are we going home?"

"Not yet. We’re going to pick up Mommy."

Song Tan was finishing filming today.

Just as they were about to get in the car, Zhuang Cheng called. Ji Fuxi answered.

Zhuang Cheng: "Chairman Ji, Minister Wang just showed up. Can you come back?"

Under normal circumstances, Zhuang Cheng wouldn’t have made this call, but Minister Wang was higher up than Mu Xinghe, and he knew what mattered more.

Ji Fuxi hesitated, glancing at his watch. It was now a quarter to five.

Minister Wang likely wouldn’t take up too much time. He should still make it to the set by six.

"I’ll head back now. Tell Minister Wang I'll be right there."

After hanging up, he turned to the little one beside him. "Xiao Chu, Daddy's got some work stuff and can’t pick up Mommy right now. Wanna come to the office with me first?"

Song Chuqing tilted her small head. "Sure!"