ARIBASIEI chapter 30

Chi Yan never expected that when she had lunch with Shen Chen the next day, he would also be acting strangely.

She had booked a private dining room in advance and had already communicated with Shen Chen.

Knowing that Shen Chen was busy, Chi Yan deliberately set a later time. She herself had eaten some pastries beforehand to keep her hunger at bay.

She waited for Shen Chen for fifteen minutes.

“Sorry, something came up at the company, and we had to hold a last-minute short meeting. I’m late.”

Chi Yan waved her hand to show she didn’t mind and said, “I haven’t ordered yet. Take a look and see what you’d like to eat.”

Shen Chen held the menu in his hands but didn’t say anything for a long time.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like the food here?”

“It’s not that,” Shen Chen replied. “You don’t have to accommodate me.”

This restaurant was known for its Sichuan cuisine. The menu was thick and filled with a variety of dishes, but without exception, all of them were spicy.

Last time, when Shen Chen had dinner with her and Yu Jingming, he learned that Chi Yan couldn’t handle spicy food well. Clearly, this place wasn’t to her taste.

“No, it’s just that this place is close to your company,” Chi Yan said. “I saw good reviews online, so I thought we’d give it a try.”

Shen Chen glanced at his watch and said, “Let’s just order two dishes and a soup. Any more would be too much to finish.”

Chi Yan noticed his subtle movement. “Alright, we can always order more if needed.”

During the meal, Chi Yan wanted to start a conversation a few times, but every time she recalled how Shen Chen had just checked his watch—seeming particularly conscious of the time—she held back.

Shen Chen was unusually silent, and the two quietly finished their meal.

Shen Chen then asked, “Are you heading home? I’ll have my driver take you.”

“No need, I’ve already arranged for a driver,” Chi Yan replied with a smile. “President Shen is so busy—I wouldn’t dare trouble you any further.”

“Mm.”

They left the private room together, but neither spoke.

Chi Yan could feel the air turning heavy with awkwardness. It was the first time she had felt this uncomfortable, but she didn’t know what to say.

“Sh-Shen… President Shen?”

A startled voice suddenly broke the silence, and both Chi Yan and Shen Chen instinctively turned to look.

Several people had just finished their meal and were stepping out of another private room. The speaker was a mature and steady-looking man.

Chi Yan glanced at Shen Chen and asked, “A friend of yours?”

“He’s an employee,” Shen Chen said, nodding at them in acknowledgment.

Suddenly, he remembered something and instructed the man, “Secretary Fang, we have a short meeting this afternoon. Make sure to notify everyone.”

“Understood.”

“President Shen,” a petite young woman among the group hesitated before speaking softly, “may I ask your friend for an autograph?”

Shen Chen frowned. He glanced at Chi Yan, intending to decline on her behalf.

Unexpectedly, Chi Yan asked, “You know me?”

The young woman’s face instantly lit up with joy. She nodded vigorously and said, “Goddess! I’m a ‘Fireworks’ fan!”

“Do you have a notebook and a pen?”

The young woman was so thrilled she nearly fainted. “I’ll borrow some from the front desk! Goddess, please wait for me!”

“Is this okay?” Shen Chen asked her in a low voice.

Chi Yan said, “It’s fine. It’s rare to run into a fan. If you’re busy, you can leave first. I’ll leave after signing for her.”

Shen Chen didn’t respond, but he also didn’t leave.

With him standing there, the company employees felt too restrained to leave as well.

In the end, it was the petite young woman who saved them from the awkward situation.

“Goddess! I found one!”

She returned with an elegant notebook and a pen, her eyes shining as she handed them to Chi Yan.

Chi Yan signed her name with ease and returned the notebook.

“Can I take a photo with you?” The young woman asked cautiously, quickly adding, “It’s okay if you don’t want to! I totally understand!”

Chi Yan didn’t refuse, and the young woman beamed with happiness.

“Alright,” Shen Chen urged after they took the photo, “you should leave now—people are staring.”

Chi Yan nodded, waved at the young woman, and said goodbye.

After they left, the employees started openly discussing the encounter.

A few people turned to the girl who had gotten the autograph and photo. “Who was that? She looked so aloof.”

“My goddess is not aloof!” The young woman immediately defended her. “She’s Chi Yan! Chi Yan from The Actor’s Journey! She’s super popular right now!”

Some of them had also been following the show and immediately asked, “But why was she having dinner with President Shen? Shouldn’t she be practicing?”

“You didn’t watch yesterday’s live broadcast? Director Yu’s team finished their shoot, so he gave them time off!”

The young woman added, “Chi Yan and President Shen were university classmates! Plus, the first time my goddess made it to the trending list was when she hosted the graduation ceremony for Haida’s School of Journalism. President Shen was also back at Haida for a speech that day.”

Secretary Fang commented meaningfully, “This is the first time I’ve seen President Shen have a meal with a woman for something unrelated to work.”

The employees exchanged knowing glances.

Soon, rumors about President Shen’s close ties with The Actor’s Journey contestant #66 spread throughout the company.

Chi Yan, however, was completely unaware of all this. She was only thinking about getting her hair done as soon as possible.

The next day, she stepped out with long, silver curls.

Chi Yan had fair skin, and the silver hair didn’t make her look old at all. In fact, with her delicate features, the color made her seem like an ethereal spirit who had wandered into the mortal world.

She wore a mask that covered most of her face and a hat, but her hair was too long, and a significant portion still spilled out.

Mother Chi kept glancing at her again and again before finally saying, “Yan Yan, even with the mask and hat, your hair is way too eye-catching. Maybe you shouldn’t get out of the car later?”

“It’s fine,” Chi Yan replied. “I still have my sunglasses. Once I put those on, even Chi Hong—Dad wouldn’t recognize me.”

She thought for a moment and added, “Mom, I’ll admire your masterpiece and then head back to the car”

Mother Chi naturally went along with her.

However, plans couldn’t keep up with changes.

Chi Yan didn’t expect to run into an old acquaintance from her previous life at this art exhibition.

While her mother was called away by a teacher, Chi Yan wandered alone, admiring her mother’s paintings. Seeing them at home and viewing them in an exhibition were two entirely different experiences.

She slowly strolled through the gallery, taking her time. Just as she was about to head back to the car and wait for her mother, someone struck up a conversation with her.

“These works are from a new artist. Her painting techniques are refined, and her use of colors is elegant. Such artistry is rare in traditional Chinese painting exhibitions.”

Chi Yan looked curiously at the speaker and froze in place.

Standing before her was a renowned screenwriter and author in China. Though she wasn’t very prolific, every single one of her novels became a major IP. Many actors fought tooth and nail for a role in her scripts—even for a minor supporting part.

“Young lady, it’s rare to see someone your age at a traditional Chinese painting exhibition,” Huo Yixuan remarked. “Are you interested in this field?”

Chi Yan pursed her lips and replied, “Not exactly. These paintings were done by my mother. I came to see her exhibition. She’s not a new artist—she just stopped painting for some years after giving birth to me.”

“Oh? Is that so? Then, are you interested in acting?”

Chi Yan was momentarily overwhelmed by the unexpected offer and found herself speechless.

Huo Yixuan, however, assumed she was being skeptical and clarified, “I’m a screenwriter. My next drama’s female lead is a young woman skilled in traditional Chinese painting. You caught my eye, and I’d like you to play the role.”

Chi Yan knew exactly which drama she was referring to.

In her previous life, she only met Huo Yixuan three years later. By then, directors, producers, and screenwriters only approached her to play villainous supporting roles. Huo Yixuan was the only one who wanted her to portray a cool and fierce female racer.

While filming, they became good friends. Huo Yixuan had even mentioned this script before—one that had never been produced due to the lack of a suitable lead actress. She had poured her heart into it.

“Why me?” Chi Yan doubted that simply being at the same exhibition was enough to earn her the role.

Huo Yixuan smiled and replied, “My female lead practices traditional Chinese painting, but in the eyes of adults, she’s a bit unconventional.”

Chi Yan immediately understood. She had unintentionally dyed her hair silver before coming to the exhibition, which happened to align perfectly with Huo Yixuan’s vision of the protagonist.

“Aren’t you afraid that I might not be good-looking enough to be a lead actress?” she asked.

Huo Yixuan smirked. “If you agree to the role, I’ll tell you my reasoning then.”

Chi Yan thought about the schedule of her competition and said, “I probably won’t have time until autumn or winter.”

“My script isn’t finished yet, so even if you were free now, we couldn’t start filming. Winter should be just right. Let’s exchange contact information first.”

Chi Yan sighed internally—Huo Yixuan’s habit of casting unknown actors remained unchanged.

They exchanged phone numbers and added each other on WeChat.

“Chi Yan?” Huo Yixuan glanced at the name displayed in her chat and asked, “You’re a contestant in The Path of an Actor? A friend of mine recommended you to me.”

“I don’t think anyone else in the competition shares my name.”

“Alright then, I’ll be watching your performance,” Huo Yixuan said. “I hope you win the championship.”

“Thank you, Teacher Yixuan.” Now that they had officially introduced themselves, Chi Yan boldly used the same casual address as in her past life.

It was the first time Huo Yixuan had been called that. Others either addressed her as Senior Huo or Teacher Huo. She couldn’t help but glance at Chi Yan again.

Chi Yan explained, “I feel like I have a special connection with Teacher Yixuan, so I’d like to call you that.”

“I don’t mind the title. Just remember to let me know after your competition ends and you sign with a company—I’ll negotiate with them directly.”

Now that Huo Yixuan realized this was the same Chi Yan her friend Wang Di had described as “one of the most talented young actresses,” any lingering doubts vanished.

“Yan Yan,” Mother Chi returned after introducing her artwork to the visitors and saw her daughter talking with someone. Worried she might be recognized, she quickly stepped in. “Go wait in the car for me.”

She then turned to Huo Yixuan and said, “If you have any questions about the artwork, you can ask me. My daughter isn’t very knowledgeable about traditional Chinese painting.”

Chi Yan introduced them. “Mom, this is the famous screenwriter, Teacher Huo Yixuan. You really liked True Lies, right? That was written by Teacher Yixuan. Teacher, this is my mother—the artist behind these paintings.”

Mother Chi and Huo Yixuan engaged in conversation while Chi Yan listened from the side.

After a while, feeling she had been there long enough, Chi Yan excused herself and returned to the car.

As she rolled up the window, she thought to herself that her rebirth had been truly worthwhile—so many good things had happened.

With that in mind, she felt motivated to “go public” for a bit. She opened Weibo and posted about her break.

Chi Yan V: Taking a break feels amazing ☀️

Unexpectedly, Qiu Sisi was the first to comment.

Qiu Sisi isn’t Sisi: I’m so jealous!!!

Chi Yan replied with two carefree emojis before switching to WeChat to check in on her.

Chi Yan: What’s wrong?

Qiu Sisi: My manager booked me for tons and tons of work. I barely even have time to sleep.

Chi Yan: Stay calm. Once you finish filming Director Yu’s drama, take a well-deserved vacation. Isn’t your shoot almost done?

After chatting a bit more, Qiu Sisi left her with one last message:

Qiu Sisi: Director Yu said we’ll probably wrap up filming by the end of August. You should come to our crew’s wrap party!

when you realise that your feelings are going in a direction that you don’t want and you are not clear about it. Are you the type to explore them or the type to avoid them all together?