“Uncle, what brings you here this time? I’m all wrapped up like this, yet you can still recognize me,” Jiang Leyi said, somewhat incredulous as she looked at him.
She couldn’t possibly be trying to extort her, right?
She was still a public figure, after all. If she ended up trending on social media because of this, she’d be at a loss for words.
So she touched the mask on her face, relieved to find it securely in place.
She noticed the man gazing intently at her.
Jiang Leyi felt panic rising in her heart, as if he could see her face through the mask.
Did she have flowers on her face?
Jiang Leyi’s emotions gradually shifted to displeasure, “Mister, it’s very impolite to stare at someone like that. If you have an issue, please speak up. If you’re unwell and can’t afford to go to the hospital, I can offer temporary help, but please don’t block the hotel entrance. It attracts too much attention.”
Upon hearing her, the man came to his senses, promptly apologizing, “I’m sorry, I was abrupt. It’s just that the young lady looks familiar… like a friend of mine.”
He initially wanted to say “wife,” but to avoid scaring the young lady, he used “friend” instead.
Jiang Leyi widened her eyes, “Your way of hitting on someone is too cliché. If you need money, just say it. I have some cash in my bag, and it’s all yours.”
She wanted nothing more than to distance herself from this person.
Irritated at herself for meddling and inviting trouble.
“I don’t want your money,” the middle-aged man said in haste.
He pulled out a business card from his bag and handed it to Jiang Leyi, “My name is Zhou Zhenghui; this is my business card. I have a favor to ask of you that comes with a generous reward.”
Upon receipt, Jiang Leyi saw he was the head of a listed company in Port City.
She had even thought he was being bullied by the mobster Zhou Yanbai.
But Jiang Leyi had been living in luxury since she was young; she’d seen plenty of money and didn’t find it all that impressive.
So she pushed the business card back to him, declining politely, “I’m sorry, I’m afraid I can’t help you. I have my own affairs to attend to and no spare time for other matters. You should find someone else.”
“Five hundred thousand.”
Jiang Leyi glanced at him, then turned away.
“One million.”
As Jiang Leyi walked off, he clenched his teeth and said, “Two million.”
“Three million.”
“Ten million!”
Even as he reached ten million, Jiang Leyi didn’t look back.
Zhou Zhenghui grew panicked.
“Young lady, please, I’m begging you to help me. My wife has fallen ill with longing, and if I don’t give her something to hold onto, I’m afraid she won’t survive the winter. If she dies, I’ll have no reason to live. Please help me,” he pleaded in a mournful tone.
Jiang Leyi stopped in her tracks, her lips tightly pursed.
Behind her, the pleading continued, “Miss Ji, I’m begging you, please do me this favor.”
After a while, Jiang Leyi turned around again. The man appeared to be in his fifties, but his hair was mostly white, and his face was covered in the wrinkles of hardship, visibly aged.
She sighed, “What do you want me to do?”
With tears in his eyes, Zhou Zhenghui looked at her, “Pretend to be my daughter, then visit my wife in the hospital. I want her to live, if not for me, then for our daughter.”
Jiang Leyi had thought of many possibilities, but she had never anticipated this one.
Her usually cold face began to thaw, and her eyes filled with pity.
“Your daughter passed away?”
Zhou Zhenghui, in agony, grabbed his hair, “I lost her… I would rather suffer myself than let it happen to her. I don’t even know if she’s still alive in this world, if she’s doing well, or if anyone loves her.”
“But I am not your daughter. If your wife finds out I am an imposter, it will definitely worsen her condition. I feel that I cannot do this.” Jiang Leyi felt sympathetic, yet she retained her rationality.
Although the intention was good.
But what if that lady realized she was not their daughter, and became even more desperate?
Offering false hope to someone else, Jiang Leyi found it quite distressing.
“You’re an actress, you can certainly fool her with your acting, just keep her stable this time round until she recuperates. I will tell her the truth later, don’t worry about these things, just pretend until you leave Port City,” Zhou Zhenghui continued to say.
Jiang Leyi: “…”
She was somewhat conflicted.
She had seen that middle-aged woman before. She had been pushed over by Zhou Yanbai and was then frantically rushed to the hospital by the man in front of her.
Moreover, Zhou Zhenghui didn’t seem like someone short on money, he appeared to be a well-known businessman in the area, something one could easily find out, and Jiang Leyi didn’t think there was anything about her worth deceiving.
Yet now she was supposed to deceive another person with this man before her, and it made her hesitant.
“I will take responsibility for all consequences. If my wife unfortunately passes away, don’t blame yourself. One could say her time has come. I will pay you remuneration…” Zhou Zhenghui was still speaking.
“I don’t need your answer right now. How about you go home and think it over tonight?” He said, pushing his business card towards her once more, his smile kind, “Regardless of your response, I’ll wait for your reply.”
Jiang Leyi didn’t say a word but still took the business card.
The middle-aged man turned and left.
Jiang Leyi lingered at the door for a moment.
“Le Yi? Who was that just now?”
Jiang Leyi was lost in thought when she suddenly heard Su Ran’s voice.
She lowered her hand and subconsciously shielded the business card behind her, “It’s nothing, just a stranger asking for directions.”
Su Ran had already caught a glimpse of the business card, and chose not to expose her lie, simply giving her a faint smile, “Alright.” Then, with guilt, “I was a bit inhibited today, somewhat fearful of the action scenes, so I delayed the progress. I’ll come to your room later, and we can run lines together, how’s that? I’ll be fully prepared tomorrow, this won’t happen again.”
Jiang Leyi: “…”
She was somewhat speechless. Today’s scenes had pushed all of Su Ran’s back, letting her finish hers first. Due to time constraints, not much was filmed.
Seeing Su Ran’s earnestness, she didn’t have the heart to dampen her spirits, so she gave a noncommittal response, “Come over after dinner, let’s run lines for two hours and see.”
Su Ran’s bright face beamed with excitement, “Thank you, Le Yi.”
Jiang Leyi didn’t want to talk more with her and strode inside.
The assistant was waiting for her at the elevator entrance, seeing her arrive late, she asked with concern, “Yiyi, why did you come so late? Your sister already went back to her room to rest.”
“I was held up by some things.”
She entered the elevator.
When she reached her floor, Jiang Leyi walked towards Jiang Nanshu’s room, and told the assistant, “You go and wait in my room first, when the takeout arrives, put it inside. I’ll come back to eat later, and if Su Ran comes, ask her to wait a moment.”
“Okay.” The assistant nodded.
Hearing Jiang Leyi mention Su Ran, she couldn’t help pulling a face and whispered, “Yiyi, don’t get too close to that Su Ran, I’m worried she’ll influence your acting.”
Jiang Leyi laughed out loud and patted her shoulder, “That won’t happen, go back and wait for me.”