Shi Wenxiu was lounging around in her rental apartment when she saw Zhou You calling. She quickly picked up. "Hey, Brother You, what's up? Something going on?"
"Are you in the capital right now?"
"Yeah, I am."
"Come over to the Music Academy. I'll send you the address. I just invested in a movie, and the director happens to be here—she's a teacher from your Beijing Film Academy. Come meet her."
"Okay, I'll be right there."
Shi Wenxiu hung up and hurried out. Since wrapping up *Lost in Thailand*, she'd had basically nothing to do. She wasn't signed with any agency yet, and her gigs were few and far between.
After graduation, she'd been sharing a small two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment with a friend.
Anyone who could afford to split rent with her was in the same boat—not quite good enough for the top, not willing to settle for the bottom, just drifting along.
Seeing her take a call and rush out in a flurry, her roommate called after her, "What's up? Something urgent? Need help?"
Shi Wenxiu ran while glancing back. "Nothing, I'll tell you when I get back."
Out the door, she hailed a cab. Luckily, traffic wasn't bad, and she made it to the restaurant smoothly.
As soon as she walked in, she spotted Xue Xiaolu and gave a slight bow. "Hello, Teacher Xue."
Then she sat down next to Zhou You.
"Xiuxiu, you know Teacher Xue?" Zhou You asked.
"I do. Teacher Xue often gives us lectures, but I doubt she remembers me," Shi Wenxiu joked.
From the moment Zhou You called someone over, Xue Xiaolu had been wondering who it was. If it turned out to be her own student and she didn't recognize them, that would be awkward.
Luckily, when the student greeted her, combined with Zhou You's use of "Xiu" in the name, it clicked. "Shi Wenxiu, right?"
"That's right. I didn't expect you to remember me—I'm practically invisible in class," Shi Wenxiu said, genuinely surprised and smiling warmly. Not many students got remembered by their teachers.
"Yeah, you liked to sleep in class. That left an impression, or else I'd be embarrassed today," Xue Xiaolu said.
That comment made Shi Wenxiu blush.
Zhou You burst out laughing. "When I see Professor Shi, I'll tell him all about your embarrassing moments—slacking off in class. Teachers hate that kind of student."
Seeing Shi Wenxiu's head droop, he stopped teasing.
Then Zhou You introduced everyone at the table to Shi Wenxiu one by one.
When he got to Sun Li, he said, "This is my girlfriend, Sun Li. She's studying music under Teacher Miao and preparing for grad school. She'll probably be in the capital long-term. You two should look out for each other."
Shi Wenxiu politely greeted her. "Hello, Sister Li."
Zhou You briefly explained the situation, and Shi Wenxiu wasn't surprised. By now, she was used to it—the guy just had money to burn.
After the introductions, Sun Li and Shi Wenxiu started whispering to each other.
"Sister Li, you're so beautiful and cool. You kind of remind me of Jiang Yan."
"Who's Jiang Yan? I don't know her. I'll have to check her out sometime," Sun Li said, genuinely clueless.
The group chatted for a while before wrapping up. Xue Xiaolu went back to prepare the agreement, and Miao Xia also headed home.
Zhou You said to Shi Wenxiu, "This time, it's a supporting female role. You'll discuss the specifics with Teacher Xue later. Your other job is to keep an eye on things for me. I'll mention it to Teacher Xue too—you'll basically be my representative on set. Handle the day-to-day oversight and stay sharp."
Hearing this, Shi Wenxiu couldn't help but smile. "Brother You, I get it. It's kind of like a producer role. That's a big deal—way higher than being a small-time actress. Never thought I'd get to enjoy this treatment."
Zhou You had no choice. The film industry was a deep, murky pool. He hadn't wanted to get too involved, but too many people kept pushing him. If he didn't assign someone, it'd look like he didn't care.
From now on, Shi Wenxiu would be his go-to tool. Whenever he invested in a movie, he'd send her in—killing two birds with one stone, not wasting manpower and saving himself the hassle of setting up an investment company.
Since returning from Thailand, Zhou You had been running around nonstop without a break.
His body wasn't tired, but his mind was drained.
Everything required brainpower, especially the Zhang Yiming matter. It seemed small-scale, but it was the most energy-consuming.
The stakes were huge, and one wrong move could leave him empty-handed.
Still, Zhou You took it in stride. Even without this, he could live a comfortable life. This was just a safety net for more freedom.
Shi Wenxiu got back to her rental around 10 p.m. Her roommate was still awake, waiting for her. They were both struggling artists, so they had to stick together—what if an opportunity came up?
"Xiuxiu, you look thrilled. Good news?" Chen Baizhen asked.
"Yeah, it is. Remember when I went to shoot that movie a while back?" Shi Wenxiu said with a hint of pride. She wasn't a small-time nobody anymore—even if she failed, it'd be on a bigger scale.
"I remember. What about it? Didn't you say it was funded by one of your dad's students?"
"He's invested in another movie and wants me in it. This time, there's a supporting female role—way better than last time."
"Wow, your dad's student is amazing. I wish my dad had a student like that."
"Zhenzhen, don't worry. The director this time is our school teacher, Xue Xiaolu. The lead roles are set, but a few parts aren't finalized. I'll recommend you for an audition." Recommending each other for auditions was normal—it was up to the director.
But Xue Xiaolu didn't yet know about Shi Wenxiu's dual role. Once she did, she'd definitely take her recommendations seriously.
"Xiuxiu, you're the best. I'll warm your bed tonight," Chen Baizhen said, and they started playfully wrestling.
Zhou You planned to stay in the capital for a few more days, mostly to rest.
His previous visits had been rushed—either for tourism or investments, wrapping up and leaving. He'd never stayed long.
This time, he intended to settle in for at least half a month, savoring the flavor of the capital.
Over the next few days, Zhou You and Sun Li acted like any young couple—sampling street food, strolling through malls, watching movies, and shopping for clothes.
They did all the things couples love to do.
Sun Li was blissfully happy, finally experiencing what it felt like to be together long-term. She tried cooking new dishes, and Zhou You couldn't get enough.
During this time, Zhou You also visited museums, libraries, and even attended a niche music festival.
No wonder so many young people stayed in big cities—the entertainment options were endless, things you'd never find in small towns.
After all this time, Zhou You had never been to a bar. He and Sun Li went to one in Houhai to soak up the atmosphere.
They even caught a singer with an incredible voice, and Zhou You tipped them, enjoying a different kind of experience.
He'd thought about trying to discover a hidden gem among the performers, but no familiar faces showed up.