I'm Rich - 18
Chapter 18
Hua Hongxi might have talked big, but under the watchful eyes of Qi Mingsheng and Qi Chengyan, he wouldn't dare get out of line.
So after Guan Zhiyi went inside to find Qi Mingsheng, he hurried in after her.
"Xiao Wu, have you eaten anything?" Qi Mingsheng's attitude toward Guan Zhiyi was exactly the same as toward his own granddaughter. He doted on her terribly.
Guan Zhiyi sat down beside him. "I had a little cake and some juice."
"Tsk, that's nowhere near enough. Grandpa prepared so much food for you, and you didn't eat any of it." Qi Mingsheng shot a look at Hua Hongxi. "You brat, how come you don't know how to take care of Xiao Wu?"
Hua Hongxi was mortally wronged. "I did tell her to eat. She wouldn't."
Qi Mingsheng: "Xiao Wu, is it that the food doesn't suit you?"
"No—"
"She's watching her weight." Just then, Qi Chengyan came in.
Guan Zhiyi lifted her eyes. Behind him trailed that Miss Yang. She and this Miss Yang had only crossed paths once, years ago, at some gathering. They weren't close, so she merely nodded a slight greeting now and looked away.
"She's already this thin, and still watching her weight?" Qi Mingsheng said. "Xiao Wu, health comes first."
"I know. I'll eat."
Qi Chengyan watched Guan Zhiyi agree so meekly and let out a soft laugh. "You're certainly skilled at humoring Grandpa."
Guan Zhiyi stiffened. "I— I am not humoring Grandpa!"
"Is that so? Then I'll watch you eat in a bit."
Guan Zhiyi's eyes widened slightly. "I'm not a child."
Qi Chengyan leaned back, unruffled. "Won't eat this, won't eat that. Aren't you just like a child?"
Guan Zhiyi couldn't out-argue him, so she turned to Qi Mingsheng. "Grandpa…"
Qi Mingsheng gave Qi Chengyan a look. "Ignore him. Grandpa believes you'll eat properly."
"Mm!"
Qi Chengyan shook his head, plainly resigned to his own grandfather's favoritism.
"Mengjia, how are you today? Eating well, I hope."
Yang Mengjia, who had been sitting quietly, quickly answered when Qi Mingsheng addressed her. "Don't worry, Old Master. I've been eating very well."
"Good, that's good." Qi Mingsheng said to Qi Chengyan, "Chengyan, Mengjia is our honored guest. You must take good care of her."
Yang Mengjia: "Please don't say that. Don't treat me as a guest. I can take care of myself."
"Oh, yes, yes, look at me." Qi Mingsheng gave Qi Chengyan a meaningful look. "You're not really a guest."
But Qi Chengyan didn't pick up on Qi Mingsheng's signal in the slightest. He simply picked up a cup of tea and took a sip.
Yang Mengjia, perhaps feeling a bit awkward, started a new topic. "Are Hongxi and Zhiyi together? I heard someone say so outside just now. I was a little surprised."
Hua Hongxi: "That's right. We've been together for months now."
Yang Mengjia smiled. "How lovely. You two make a great match."
Qi Mingsheng: "Indeed. Xiao Wu grew up right under my nose. I can't bear the thought of her marrying into someone else's family. If she could marry into ours someday, I'd be overjoyed."
"I'll work on it, Grandpa." Hua Hongxi said with a grin, then suddenly piped up, "Huh? Wait, Zhiyi, you should be calling him Waigong(maternal grandfather) too, right?"
Guan Zhiyi blinked. "Huh?"
Hua Hongxi teased, "You should call him Waigong like I do. How come you follow my brother and call him Yeye(paternal grandfather)?"
At that, Guan Zhiyi instinctively glanced at Qi Chengyan, and just then his gaze turned toward her as well. Her heart lurched. "I… I'm just used to it."
Hua Hongxi: "That's not something you should get used to."
"…"
"Have you married her already?" Qi Chengyan glanced at Hua Hongxi, stepping in for Guan Zhiyi. "You're in quite a hurry to make her change what she calls him."
"No, no." Hua Hongxi said cheerfully. "I'm just joking, right, Zhiyi?"
Guan Zhiyi: "…Oh."
**
Guan Zhiyi still had to rush back to the set tonight, so she had to leave after staying for an hour. Hua Hongxi was called out by Qi Mingsheng to see her off. When the two reached the garage to get the car, Yang Mengjia and Qi Chengyan happened to come down as well.
"Can't you go back tomorrow?" Qi Chengyan asked.
Guan Zhiyi didn't want to see Qi Chengyan walking alongside another woman. She gave a dull "mm." "I have an early shoot tomorrow."
"Then be safe."
"I know."
Hua Hongxi poked his head out from the driver's seat. "Ge, you worry too much. Aren't I here? I'll deliver our Xiao Wu back to the hotel without a scratch."
Qi Chengyan shot him a look. "Drive carefully."
"Yes, sir!"
Guan Zhiyi got into the passenger seat, and their car pulled out first. In those first few seconds after the car started, she couldn't help glancing at the rearview mirror.
That familiar figure was opening the car door for Yang Mengjia, gentlemanly and polite.
She wondered what they would talk about on the way back. Or maybe they wouldn't go back right away. After all, they both seemed to have feelings for each other. Perhaps they were heading somewhere else for a proper date…
Guan Zhiyi drew a deep breath and forced herself to look away.
Forget it. What business was it of hers.
On the other side, Qi Chengyan pulled his car out of the garage as well.
"Thank you for driving me home." Yang Mengjia broke the silence in the car.
Qi Chengyan: "You're a guest. It's only proper."
He certainly knew how to keep his distance.
Yang Mengjia smiled and chose another topic. "I remember meeting Zhiyi before, though she was very young then."
"Is that so."
"Mm. She still looks young now, just taller. She has a baby face. Very cute."
Qi Chengyan's lips curved ever so faintly. "Mm."
"From the way you and Old Master Qi treat her, you two must be quite close."
"We live together. Naturally we're close."
"That's lovely."
Qi Chengyan glanced at her, meaning to end the topic. "Miss Yang, thank you for coming to Grandpa's birthday banquet today."
"You don't have to call me Miss Yang. It sounds so distant."
Qi Chengyan said, "We aren't very familiar to begin with. Wouldn't you agree?"
Yang Mengjia let out a soft laugh. "Everyone starts out unfamiliar. Why don't we start by calling each other by name? I know you may not be interested in me right now, but you also know we're well suited. There's no harm in giving it a try."
"This blind date had a lot to do with my grandfather pushing it. When I went, he's been convinced ever since that I have feelings for you." Qi Chengyan glanced at her sideways. He was smiling faintly, but his eyes were cold. "However, I believe I made myself quite clear."
"I know. I understand perfectly." Yang Mengjia said, "But I sincerely think we're a good match. It's fine if you can't accept it right now. Feelings are cultivated. There's plenty of time."
Qi Chengyan raised an eyebrow slightly. "Then I'm afraid Miss Yang will be disappointed."
Yang Mengjia propped her head on her hand and looked at him. "President Qi, can't you be a little more optimistic about our future?"
**
After returning to the set, Guan Zhiyi threw herself back into filming.
Half a month later came a scene of polo on horseback.
This scene came early in the script, so that day Guan Zhiyi, Xiao Ran, and the others all had youthful versions of their makeup and hair done.
"I'm wrapping up in a week." Zhao Mingming said with a sigh.
By now, Guan Zhiyi had lost that early awkwardness with everyone. "I'm about the same."
Li Xuan: "Not me. I've still got a month."
Guan Zhiyi smiled. "Teacher Li, you've worked hard."
Li Xuan: "When I wrap, let's make sure to grab a meal together, just us."
Zhao Mingming teased, "That depends on whether Ran-ge has time."
Xiao Ran was having his makeup done in front of the mirror. Hearing this, he said, "If you all have time, do you think I'd dare not to?"
"You're a frequent flyer. Who knows."
"I'll make time even if I have to squeeze it out." Xiao Ran said, then looked at Guan Zhiyi. "Zhiyi, what are your plans after you wrap?"
Guan Zhiyi: "Hmm… I might be doing a travel variety show. Still choosing my next drama."
"Is Ran-ge ready?" While they were chatting, a crew member came in.
The makeup artist said, "Almost done."
"Then everyone, come out and get ready."
Guan Zhiyi and the others rose and headed outside. This scene was set when the emperor was still crown prince, playing polo together with the crown princess, Princess Zhaoyang, and Shen Sibo.
The distant shots of galloping horses were all done by stunt doubles, but the close-ups had to be done by the actors themselves.
Guan Zhiyi had actually ridden horses as a child. Back then, it was because Guan Yuanbai and Qi Chengyan loved equestrianism. She'd watched them ride and found it interesting, so she'd made them take her along. But after being led around on horseback a few times, she'd quit. She thought riding was nowhere near as fun as watching.
The next time she rode was for this production. Over the past two weeks, aside from Xiao Ran, who already knew how to ride, the rest of them had all gone through horseback training.
Once Xiao Ran's makeup was done and he came out, they officially began shooting.
Guan Zhiyi was helped onto the horse by a crew member and began riding through the scene.
At first, everything went smoothly. The four of them moved through their marks, completing their assigned expressions and actions.
But midway through, there was a beat where Xiao Ran struck the ball and it went into the goal. In reality, this only required Xiao Ran to bend down and hit the ball on the ground.
Xiao Ran was very skilled at riding. He leaned sideways, struck the ball, his posture fluid, the movement executed beautifully.
But what no one expected was that the ball, once struck, flew in the wrong direction and hit the horse Guan Zhiyi was riding. The ball moved too fast. Before anyone could react, the horse spooked and let out a shrill cry!
Its front legs immediately reared up, the whole body pitching backward!
"Ah—" Caught off guard, Guan Zhiyi couldn't hold the reins steady. In an instant, she fell from the horse's back.
"Zhiyi!"
"Zhiyi!"
It happened so suddenly that everyone in front of the cameras was frozen in shock. When they came to their senses, the crew members closest to her grabbed the horse at once, while the others rushed over to check on Guan Zhiyi.
"How is it? Does anything hurt?!" a crew member asked anxiously.
Guan Zhiyi gritted her teeth against the pain in her ankle. "My leg… I think I twisted my leg."
"Doctor! Get the on-set doctor here first, and call an ambulance immediately."
"Right away!"
Xiao Ran had already dismounted. "Are you okay? How are you?! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't know the ball would hit the horse!"
"It's fine. It wasn't on purpose." Seeing the guilt all over Xiao Ran's face, Guan Zhiyi waved a hand. "Really, I'm fine. Don't worry."
Xiao Ran looked at Guan Zhiyi, her face gone white with pain, still comforting him in return, and was nearly killed by his own guilt on the spot. "Where's the doctor?! Hurry up!"
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Author's Note:
Xiao Ran: Waiting in place for President Qi's death glare and verbal abuse (pitiful)
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