Volume One, Chapter 19: The Gathering of the Chickens Belongs to the Prepared

At midnight, Su Nianxi and her group finally wrapped up their work. Since Xiao Qu’s flight was scheduled for noon the next day, the two of them had to stay in City A for the night.

“Why not go home?” Su Yan glanced at the time, his brow slightly furrowed.

“No need,” Su Nianxi immediately retreated, waving her hands repeatedly.

She wasn’t ready to meet the family just yet. Facing them all, unfamiliar and awkward, she feared her carefully constructed facade would crumble completely.

“Heh, so you’re worried about losing face now,” Su Yan teased, misinterpreting her reaction as lingering resentment over the earlier family disputes. He shook his head helplessly. “Fine, we’ll stay at the Yaoyun Hotel. It’s family-owned and safe anyway.”

“Wait—our family owns a hotel?” Su Nianxi howled.

“More than one. Our family owns businesses in every industry,” Su Yan said proudly, a crooked smile playing on his lips.

“I see, so our family is basically a construction contractor,” Su Nianxi nodded knowingly.

Su Yan wanted to smack her with a stir-fried chestnut for such a lousy description.

Regardless, like a diligent ox, he escorted Su Nianxi to a hotel not far from the studio.

Before leaving, Su Yan hesitated briefly, then reminded her, “Take care of yourself. If you ever want out, just come home anytime.”

“Mm…” Hearing this, Su Nianxi’s mood grew complicated; she responded quietly.

Just as she was about to say goodbye, Su Yan continued, “Oh, did you take your parents off the blacklist?”

“Yes, I did,” Su Nianxi nodded obediently.

“They haven’t contacted you?”

Su Yan was somewhat surprised.

“No, the one who keeps pestering me these days is Su Yuche.”

“That figures,” Su Yan empathized. “I was wondering why he hasn’t looked for me lately. Turns out, he’s been coming to you.”

“By the way,” Su Nianxi recalled an important matter about the Su family, “I don’t think I added my sister on WeChat; she’s not even on the blacklist.”

Though the original story didn’t dwell much on the Su family, Su Zhi—the most gifted and earliest designated heir to the family head—left a strong impression on Su Nianxi.

After all, who could resist adoring such a capable and outstanding elder sister?

Yet Su Yan’s expression completely changed, wearing a ‘good luck’ smirk filled with schadenfreude as he looked at Su Nianxi. “Because you deleted her. Just wait, she’s currently abroad on a business trip. When she gets back, you’re doomed.”

Su Nianxi was speechless.

She shouldn’t have asked in the first place.

“As for your parents…” Su Yan paused, then returned to the main topic, “I guess they forgot their WeChat password again. Just wait; soon your phone will be ringing like a symphony.”

“I’ll be sure to put it on silent on time,” Su Nianxi felt like shutting her phone off 24/7.

How did the Su family all love bombarding messages so much?

By the time they arrived at the hotel, it was already late at night. Su Yan said no more, watching Su Nianxi enter the hotel lobby before driving away.

Once inside the room, Su Nianxi plopped onto the large hotel bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

After a full day, she felt nothing else but a changed perception of the Su family.

Originally, she hadn’t wanted much to do with the original owner’s family. After all, in her previous life, she wasn’t close to her own family.

She had entered the company training and debuted at a young age, with her family almost indifferent—only contacting her when short on money, then vanishing again once paid.

Sometimes Su Nianxi felt they weren’t family at all, but rather creditors owed millions.

So when she met Su Yan in the recording studio and received messages from Su Yuche, she felt strange and lost.

These were emotions she had never experienced before, catching her completely off guard.

With a light sigh, Su Nianxi closed her eyes.

Forget it, she decided. No more thinking.

No matter what, she had to take control of her own life first.

***

The next day.

Su Nianxi and Xiao Qu returned to City S just after one in the afternoon. By the time they arrived at the production team, it was already past two-thirty.

Today was the day the mentors randomly checked rehearsal progress. No live broadcast was scheduled, so the entire crew was unusually quiet.

Su Nianxi didn’t hesitate and went straight to the mentor to assess the script reading, then returned to the lounge.

Not long after sitting down, she received a string of messages from Song Shi’an.

“Mumumu’an: Teacher Su, have you seen today’s extended edition update? Hahaha, it’s so funny. We didn’t even find it that hilarious when we recorded it.”

“Mumumu’an: [web link]”

Seeing his message reminded Su Nianxi of the mentor’s teaching segment filmed a few days ago, which was finally released today.

She clicked the video link sent by Song Shi’an, ready to admire her flawless beauty displayed within.

Yes, in Su Huang’s eyes—who scorns everyone and everything—only her stunning appearance matters.

Yet just watching the beginning, Su Nianxi sensed something was off about the program’s tone.

The screen showed Lin Yue teaching.

“No, you two have no chemistry. If partners don’t know what the other wants to express, how can you possibly perform a good scene?” Lin Yue frowned after watching the two pairs’ performances.

“That’s because we just met and aren’t familiar yet,” Qiao Yunan said during the recording, before she was eliminated.

“Then let’s cultivate your chemistry in this lesson,” Lin Yue said, clapping her hands and pulling out a whiteboard.

“How?” Ling Xiyue asked.

“Simple,” Lin Yue snapped her fingers. “We’ll play the most straightforward game—charades.”

“Here are the rules: two people per team, one guesses, the other acts. The actor can use gestures or descriptions but must not say any part of the word.”

Song Shi’an raised his hand, “Teacher, isn’t it supposed to be ‘you draw, I guess’? Are we not allowed to draw?”

“No,” Lin Yue smiled cruelly, “this is an acting class, not art.”

“Alright, let’s get someone to start.” Without hesitation, she picked Song Shi’an, who had just asked a question.

Then her gaze landed on Su Nianxi, daydreaming in the last row. “You two were rated as a team initially and should have some chemistry. Perfect to set an example.”

She gestured them to take the seats. “Who wants to describe, who wants to guess?”

“I’ll describe!” Song Shi’an, knowing he was slower on the uptake, volunteered.

Su Nianxi, unsure about the situation, half-heartedly sat opposite him.

“I’ll start!” Lin Yue said, writing two consecutive words on the whiteboard.

Su Nianxi faced away, seeing nothing.

“Uh…” Song Shi’an saw the words and began describing, “If someone loves work very much, what do they have?”

“Psychosis?” Su Nianxi blurted.

Song Shi’an was speechless.

“Cough, let’s try the next one,” Lin Yue quickly intervened to prevent further outbursts.

“Okay,” Song Shi’an continued, “What can a chicken do?”

This answer was simpler, and Song Shi’an felt confident.

Then Su Nianxi answered even more confidently: “Reserved for those who are prepared.”

Song Shi’an fell silent again.

Actually, the answer was not wrong, but…

Wasn’t that a bit too clever a comeback?