When Xu Zifan went to pay the bill after the meal, he learned that Bai Xingchen was a VIP guest, and the bill was deducted directly from her VIP card. Xu Zifan didn't say anything, put away his wallet, and walked out with Bai Xingchen. Bai Xingchen paid special attention to his expression and asked with a smile, "It doesn't matter who pays, the most important thing is that we enjoyed the meal, don't you think?"
Xu Zifan nodded, "I think the same way as you."
"Then I'll take you home."
"No need, it's not safe for you to go home alone so late. I'll take you. I'll take a taxi home when we get to your place. Let's go." Xu Zifan opened the door and got into the car. Bai Xingchen smiled and followed him into the car, driving towards her home.
A man who minds if a woman pays the bill will be difficult to get along with; you'll always have to protect his pride. Bai Xingchen deliberately chose this restaurant to see Xu Zifan's reaction. Fortunately, Xu Zifan isn't that kind of person. The point of any relationship is to be comfortable and relaxed, and of course, being happy is the most important thing.
Xu Zifan drove Bai Xingchen home. Bai Xingchen didn't invite him out; she smiled, said goodbye, and got into the elevator. When she got home, she looked out the window and saw Xu Zifan still there, smiling and waving at her. Only then did Xu Zifan call a taxi home. He arrived home around 9 PM. Thinking about how Pan's father had suddenly come to see him and that they might have further contact, he called his mother.
"Mom, I'm making money now from singing, appearing on shows, and acting. Why don't you quit your job and come live with me?"
Xu's mother laughed and said, "No need, no need. I'm doing a good job. Why would I quit? Although I don't earn much, I can still save some. I still need to save money for your wedding. Our house is too small and not worth much. It can't be used as a wedding house. I only have 100,000 yuan in savings. You should save all the money you earn so you can buy a wedding house later. Don't spend it recklessly."
Xu Zifan said helplessly, "Mom, just believe me. I'll definitely earn enough to get married, buy a house, and let you enjoy life. Didn't we agree that you'd come over once I made money? You can't go back on your word."
"Oh dear, you're still young and don't understand. It's not easy to find a suitable job, and it's even harder to find one again after you quit, especially since people my age generally don't want to hire me. After you get married, you'll definitely live a good life with your wife. It's been said since ancient times that conflicts easily arise when mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law live together; even teeth can break when they bite each other. I won't go over there and cause trouble. I have a small family here, a job, and I've even bought pension insurance, so you don't need to worry about anything. Just live a good life."
Xu Zifan could sense the affection in her words, but he wouldn't let the problems she worried about occur. He thought for a moment, then went to find cups, plates, and bowls, making some noise as if he were preparing a meal. Sure enough, his mother immediately asked, "What are you doing? Eating? Why are you eating so late? What did you eat?"
Xu Zifan sighed, feigning helplessness, "I ate instant noodles. I had no choice. I was exhausted after a long day out, and I didn't want to lift a finger when I got back. I was thinking of just going to sleep, but I was too hungry, so I decided to have some instant noodles instead."
"What? Instant noodles? Didn't you see the news that eating one packet of instant noodles requires several days of detoxification? Just order takeout and buy more groceries to cook for yourself..."
"Mom, I'm tired and sleepy, I don't want to do any of that, don't worry about it, it's okay."
"What do you mean 'don't worry about it'? If I don't care, who will? No way, you have to listen to me on this. Working hard is already bad for your health, and if you don't eat something nutritious, how can you take it? Don't think you're young and don't take your health seriously. When you're young, you're looking for illness, but when you're old, illness will look for you. You really have to be careful about this."
Xu Zifan sighed again, "Yeah, I was tricked by someone recently and suddenly gained so much weight. The doctor told me that even if I successfully lose weight, I still need to take good care of my body, but I'm too busy with work to do that."
"You've been framed? What? What happened?" Xu's mother doesn't usually go online and doesn't have to work on weekends, so no one has told her. She didn't know that Xu Zifan had revealed the reason for his obesity in an interview, and she was very anxious when she heard this.
Xu Zifan briefly explained the situation to her, but his mother immediately became agitated. "No way! I'll buy a train ticket and come see you tomorrow. You silly child, why didn't you tell me about something so important!"
"Mom, I'm fine now. The doctor checked me and said I'm fine, but I need to eat more nutritious food. Mom, why don't you quit your job, pack your things, and come stay with me?"
"Okay, I'll resign tomorrow and come see you the day after. Eat well these next few days, don't eat instant noodles, order some healthy takeout, and don't work too hard."
"Okay, I got it. Mom, hurry up and come." Xu Zifan smiled, packed his things, and went back to his bedroom.
After hanging up the phone, Xu's mother frowned and thought for a moment, then laughed and scolded, "That brat, he's trying to fool me!"
However, the drugging incident was definitely true. She just couldn't bear to leave her son unattended. He was busy with work, and if she went over, she could cook him some good food. Otherwise, he wouldn't even have a hot meal when he came home, and it would break her heart as his mother. She figured she could always come back after her daughter-in-law moved in. Once she understood this, Xu's mother immediately started packing. She hadn't been back for a long time; she needed to give away all the food, turn off the water, electricity, and heating, and make sure she had all her clothes and documents. There was a lot to do, so she had to hurry.
Xu Zifan found it quite amusing when he went to bed after taking a shower. Bai Xingchen had been subtly manipulating him during their meal, and then he'd managed to outmaneuver her mother at home. How entertaining! He quite liked Bai Xingchen's personality; she was also the woman he'd interacted with most since transmigrating. He just didn't know if Bai Xingchen genuinely wanted a serious partner or was just looking for a casual relationship.
Xu Zifan searched online for Bai Xingchen's past. Regardless, participating in a dating show seemed like a good idea; it would allow him to...
Try dating openly and honestly. If it works out, great; if not, you can part ways naturally without awkwardness. Bai Xingchen's approach is quite good, very suitable for celebrities like them who are constantly in the spotlight.
Xu Zifan searched for the first season of "Romantic Trip for Couples" again, browsed through the general process, and only fell asleep peacefully after having a clear understanding of the situation.
The next day during filming, Director Shao keenly noticed a spark between Xu Zifan and Bai Xingchen, and he immediately seized on this moment to add a scene for them—a kiss on the forehead.
Bai Xingchen is the female lead. Xu Zifan plays the third male lead, who is the first person she falls for. Unfortunately, before they can confess their feelings, the third male lead dies unexpectedly. In order to investigate the cause of his death, the female lead later meets the second male lead and the male lead. After going through many thrilling and difficult times, she finally gets together with the male lead.
Director Shao added a scene where the third male lead kisses the female lead's forehead before he dies, filled with deep reluctance and regret. This provides a more reasonable explanation for the female lead's unwavering devotion to a man she has feelings for, as the emotions expressed at the moment of the third male lead's death are the most moving, making it perfectly normal for the female lead to develop an obsession.
Bai Xingchen is an award-winning actress, so she should have had no problem acting in this scene. But no one expected Xu Zifan's portrayal of the dying kiss to be so heartbreaking, his death so realistic, as if he were truly dead. The moment he closed his eyes, Bai Xingchen couldn't help but panic, repeatedly calling out, "Xu Zifan! Xu Zifan, wake up! Wake up!"
"Cut! Xingchen, why are you calling me by my real name?" Director Shao frowned and called out.
Bai Xingchen instantly snapped out of character, breathed a sigh of relief, released Xu Zifan, and stood up apologetically, "Sorry, I apologize to the director, I'll adjust myself."
Bai Xingchen quickly walked to the side and gulped down several mouthfuls of cold water. Xu Zifan got up from the ground, wiped the fake blood dripping from his hands, and walked over, saying, "Are you alright? I got too into character."
"No, I got too into character." Bai Xingchen shook her head and looked up at him. "I'm sorry for making you have to reshoot. But just now... you acted so well."
Just as Xu Zifan was about to say something, he suddenly heard Director Shao call out, "Xingchen, Zifan, come and take a look."
The two exchanged a glance and quickly walked over. Director Shao pointed to the screen and said, "I watched it twice. Xingchen's emotions were particularly strong just now, and her reaction was excellent. I don't think we need to reshoot. From this position, Xingchen's mouth is blocked by her shoulder, so we can't see what she's saying. We can just add some audio in post-production."
Bai Xingchen nodded and said, "I think it's a good idea."
She watched the playback intently, feeling a surge of exhilaration as she observed her and Xu Zifan's performance. Her acting was quite good, quite talented, but since her rise to fame, she hadn't truly immersed herself in a role for two or three years. Because her co-stars weren't as skilled, she couldn't get as deeply into character; sometimes, for the sake of the film's overall balance, she even had to slightly lower her acting standards to match theirs. The chemistry she experienced acting with Xu Zifan was something she had never imagined—it was so exhilarating!
After that take, their scenes for the day were over. The two cleaned up and went to visit Bai Xingchen's studio. Bai Xingchen genuinely wanted to invite Xu Zifan to join her studio, not only because she had feelings for Xu Zifan, but also because Xu Zifan was truly outstanding in every aspect and would definitely achieve great things in the entertainment industry in the future.
Xu Zifan didn't immediately agree after the tour. Bai Xingchen's studio was very well-run and mature in all aspects, but they were about to participate in a dating reality show, and he felt that such a decision should be made after the show ended. If there was no further development in the future, it would be better not to let their careers be intertwined.
Xu Zifan chose the restaurant for dinner this time, and naturally, he paid the bill afterward. Bai Xingchen didn't try to argue; she liked this natural approach. They were three years apart, one a top-tier actress, the other a newcomer to the entertainment industry. There were many potential conflicts, and their relationship might not develop smoothly, but she felt that as long as they let things take their course, they would soon know if they were compatible.
That day, after returning home, Xu Zifan resumed his old ways, investing all the money he had earned in the stock market for short-term speculation. He then began researching all information related to Pan's father's company. After a divorce due to infidelity, a common saying is, "I'm happy to see you unhappy." Xu Zifan felt he should make his mother happy, perhaps by bankrupting Pan's father. The bankruptcy of such a small company wouldn't cause unemployment for the employees; let Pan's father, Pan Yu, and that mistress share the hardship. Hopefully, they would still be a loving family in the end.