Showbiz Scandal: The Official Announcement of My Ex and Myself

Chapter 535: A Father’s Love Is Like a Mountain

Sending two ambiguous photos in a row, Yu Xia had reason to suspect Xie Qingci was up to some new "couple’s quirk."Maybe he was just trying to bait her, and as long as she held steady, the next photo would be even more thrilling.

So she thought about it and after appreciating the photos, she replied with a very serious message.

[The spruces overseas are indeed quite impressive]

The topic was dry enough that even a botanist couldn’t continue.

Xie Qingci quickly replied: [This place is great for a vacation. Want to come next time?]

Her: [We’ll see]

Those three words expressed her indifferent attitude and her lack of interest in this topic.

Now he must not be able to keep up the pretenses, right?

She held her breath waiting for the response from the other side but didn’t want to appear too eager, so she turned off the phone screen and placed it aside.

That way, when a message popped up, she could still claim that Xie Qingci was too clingy, wanting to text at every moment.

But two seconds, ten seconds, half a minute passed, and not a message appeared on the phone.

Could the phone be malfunctioning? She picked it up to check, confirming it was simply that there was no reply.

After another minute, still no message.

Three minutes later, still nothing.

The purpose of portraying "Xie Qingci as too clingy, incessantly messaging me" was not achieved, yet He Ci and Mei saw her urgent look, frequently picking up the phone for a glance.

He Ci: "What’s up, timing the seconds to snatch a zero-hour lightning deal? The interval between your unlocking sounds could compose a Croatian Rhapsody."

"..." Yu Xia awkwardly set the phone down again and calmly said, "I just worry that not replying promptly might come off as disrespectful."

He Ci snorted air through his nose: "Is that so? I thought you were anxious to see a word from him to relieve lovesickness, need me to arrange a job abroad for you two to reunite?"

The body’s here, but the soul’s nowhere to be found.

Yu Xia rubbed her nose, deciding she wouldn’t check the phone again even if it rang like an explosion.

She refocused and tidied up the script He Ci brought over, pointing at the pile of movie scripts, "There are so many movie scripts this time?"

When it came to work, He Ci’s attitude made a 180-degree turn, a smile spread across his face, causing wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.

"Once we start, resources are endless, especially since your acting skills are evident to all. But this time, the movie scripts aren’t great—you decide if there’s one you like."

The film industry is tough. Actors used to TV drama find it hard to break in, mostly starting with comedies, but her current image doesn’t fit comedies well.

Other movie scripts already have a set pool of actors to choose from, no need to risk trying her.

Yu Xia frowned, going through them one by one, feeling slightly discouraged in her career confidence she had built up.

After going through them, she didn’t find a good one, so she turned to the TV scripts.

The TV scripts handed over were all big-budget, high-production, and pretty good quality.

But too similar.

Watching her expressions, He Ci asked, "Anything you want to take on?"

Yu Xia threw the script in her hand onto the table and leaned back.

"No."

"No worries, there will be more later, waiting is fine too."

He collected the scripts, moving past the matter and smoothly arranged the following tasks.

"Remember the platform event? Your last two dramas were exclusively aired there. This time, they made you a promo ambassador, you need to attend."

Yu Xia: "Weren’t we supposed to reduce offline activities before the TV festival awards?"

"This one’s different. They invited a lot of people, it’s all about the collaborations. Prepare, and think of what to say if you get any award."

Such awards hold no actual effect within the industry, but at least represent the platform audience’s fondness toward the artist.

She nodded, going through the schedule Mei prepared.

That’s when the phone, neglected on the side, finally rang a few times.

Yu Xia’s gaze stayed on the schedule, but her hand reached for her phone.

It was from Xie Qingci.

[Then let’s wait until you feel like vacationing]

[Sister, my work here might be delayed]

[If the return is postponed, will you join a new crew?]

She closed the schedule, fingers lingering on the screen for a while before replying.

[Haven’t found a script, I won’t. Focus on your work.]

Xie Qingci: [We won’t see each other for a month and a half]

Yu Xia: [Oh. Isn’t there video chat?]

Xie Qingci: [That doesn’t count as meeting]

Xie Qingci: [Sounds like you don’t miss me at all. I thought Mr. Yang said you look at my photos to ease longing was true]

Yu Xia: [...I don’t know what you’re talking about]

Xie Qingci: [You didn’t daydream looking at my photos?]

Xie Qingci: [Ah, I’m so disappointed]

The teasing oozed through the screen, how could she not sense it.

Yu Xia wordlessly set her phone down and stared intently at He Ci.

He was humming while sorting scripts, only turning his head when he sensed her gaze.

"Why are you staring at me?"

She asked expressionlessly, "Are you in cahoots with Mr. Yang?"

"What are you talking about? I’m innocent!"

"Then why would Xie Qingci know about me daydreaming over his photos?"

He Ci: "...Agents do have certain unconventional ways to communicate... hey, hey, hey, I meant well! Mr. Yang mentioned he’s constantly worried about how to use a ’deep love’ story to coax a not-yet-marriage-age, lovesick artist to focus on work. It’s tough, as a fellow agent I felt inspired to help, what’s wrong with that?"

"What do you mean, what deep love?" she was speechless.

He Ci chuckled. "It’s your unexpressed but internally surging affection. Hard to grasp? Let me use an analogy—we often say fatherly love is silent and solid as a mountain, a child senses not the love but longs for it, hoping to find proof of a father’s love from others’ views..."

Yu Xia promptly grabbed a cushion to pin him to the couch, face twisting.

"Alright, you can shut up now."

Mei had no sympathy for the "artist defeating the agent" scene, snapping photos while laughing.

Meanwhile, Xie Qingci was waiting for a reply, and after kicking out the tactless He Ci, Yu Xia stared at Xie Qingci’s chat screen for quite a bit.

Then, with a heavy heart, she changed their chat interface to a custom-made simple background.

Fatherly Love as Mountain.

Looking at those words, her chats had the patience and warmth of a father’s love toward a child.

Thus, responding to his mischievous teasing became effortless.

[No disappointment, no disappointment, pat pat]