185 Exhausting Facade

The dinner felt suffocating yet fun, Xu Jia Li did enjoy the looks on Ye Lingling and Zhou Bingbing's faces. She knew what exactly they were doing as they threw endless praises to her. Zhou Jiayin seemed to be satisfied every time he saw that his wife and daughter were now in good terms with her.

'How fascinating!' Xu Jia Li thought as she gently tapped her fingers on the table.

She enjoyed every minute that showed Zhou Bingbing suffering all through out dinner. She didn't even finish her meals as she constantly threw looks of daggers on her way. How could someone be so fake and phony like these women?

"Master Zhou, there's a call for you in the receiving room," Butler Kang informed which made Zhou Jiayin stood and excused himself.

The moment he left, it was like Zhou Bingbing let her mask down. She gritted her teeth and said, "So Sister Xu, I heard that your movie is almost done filming. I have this feeling that you'll be nominated at the Golden Phoenix since I heard that they lower their standards this year. I think you'll have a fair chance, right mom?"

"Really? I don't really know much about this kind of things since I was told that the same standards will be given. Or much much higher standards, I suppose. But no need to fret, sister. Though I doubt you'll ever win yours."

"Bitch! Who do you think you are?!"

"Bingbing! Your words!" Ye Lingling reminded her daughter as she looked at the door, afraid that Zhou Jiayin might hear what Zhou Bingbing said. She turned her gaze at Xu Jia Li before she smiled apologetically, "Forgive Bingbing, Xiao Li. She's just really spoiled but she's doing her best, isn't she?"

"Pft! You're making me laugh. I don't know you're good at cracking jokes," She smiled mockingly, still sipping at her wine.

"You bitch! Don't disrespect my mother like that!"

"So sister, back to being who you really are, are we? It must be really hard putting up a mask, isn't it? How tiring it must be! Though I really doubt that both of you ever get tired since putting up your façade is what you normally do. Unfortunately, it will never work with me."

"Stup –" Zhou Bingbing swallowed her words when Zhou Jiayin spoke,

"What have I missed?"

"Oh, not much, Uncle Zhou! Though Sister Bingbing here talks about the Golden Phoenix."

Zhou Jiayin nodded as he sipped his tea. His gaze focused on his daughter.

"Well, Sister Xu, my mom won Best Actress for three consecutive years. No one has done that even now."

Xu Jia Li sipped her wine before she curled her lips into a smile, "Yeah, I even watched those movies! I can say that Miss Ye is really an experienced adulteress. Right? I mean, in the movie, of course! That's where she won her first Best Actress." Xu Jia Li smiled innocently when she looked at Ye Lingling who was now glaring at her.

"Yes, mom. It's actually –"

"Oh, that movie. Heard it didn't do well in the cinemas that it was pulled in just two days. I'm really sorry about that." Xu Jia Li sighed before she shook her head as if sympathizing with Zhou Bingbing, "But don't lose hope, sister since I bet you'll be such a worthy opponent… for Best Actress."

She raised her brow and stifled a laugh upon seeing how red Zhou Bingbing was. She could almost feel how tiring it was for her to pretend like a nice girl in front of her father.

"That's right! I hope to see both of you in the awards night. I know both of you are worthy of that award."

"Thank you, Uncle Zhou. That's really nice to hear," Xu Jia Li held her chest as if she was touched by Zhou Jiayin's words. Her eyes even glistened with tears, making sure that the man could see how she appreciated him before she gently wiped the corners of her eyes.

"Of course, Xiao Li. You're like a daughter to me."

Xu Jia Li sneered inside but she pretended to smile before Butler Kang entered, "Master Zhou, Assistant Feng is here."

"Oh, Chen! Come and join us for dinner."

Xu Jia Li's body shivered from hearing the name, Feng Chen. This man was the ever loyal dog who always did Zhou Jiayin's bidding. Her eyes immediately focused on the man walking towards them.

"Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner but there's something that requires your signature. I apologize that it can't wait," Feng Chen took the papers and the fountain pen on his briefcase and handed them to Zhou Jiayin.

"It's alright. These people are being a pain in the neck. Make sure that everything will be settled as soon as possible," Zhou Jiayin signed the papers without even looking at them. Once signed, he handed them back to the standing Feng Chen, "Before you go, come and join us for dinner."

"I had my dinner, sir. I'll join some other time since it seems that you have a visitor. I'll get going now."

Xu Jia Li never once took her eyes away from Feng Chen. There was something about that man that made her unsettled. The uneasiness made her heart beat faster. She couldn't point it out but she just knew from the moment she saw the man that she couldn't let her guard down with him around.

****

"What happened, love?"

"I saw Feng Chen there, honey. He really can't be trusted."

"He's been a loyal assistant to Zhou Jiayin. There's a lot more he could do."

"Honey, can you help me find out what is going on with his company? Earlier, he mentioned about some problems with his people. I know it's not just a simple problem."

"I can do that, love. I'm glad you finally let me do something for you. I thought I'll just be a useless handsome husband for you, though not useless… in bed."

Si Weimin's words made her cough as she tried not to laugh. She rolled her eyes when she saw him winked at her, "Wanna try here, love? We haven't tried it in the car yet."

"Pervert!" She pinched him on his side before she laughed, "You're such a pervert!"

"Ha Ha Ha! Anyway, love, I heard that the movie will finish filming this week."

"Hmm, yeah. Why?"

"Oh, nothing. I just asked."