When Qiao Zixin woke up the next day, Xu Zifan had already left. She breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a little disappointed. However, having just realized she was starting to have feelings for him, it was better not to see him and to calm down. After all, liking someone involves many considerations, and having feelings doesn't mean you have to act on them. It wouldn't be good if he found out before she had made up her mind, making everyone uncomfortable.
She toasted two slices of bread and heated up a cup of walnut milk for breakfast. After eating, she vacuumed the house. Seeing that there wasn't much else to do, she turned on the TV to watch a drama. The drama happened to be about a female lead who was being pursued and fought over by both the male lead and the second male lead. One man was domineering and full of hormones, while the other was warm like a friendly older brother. The female lead was very conflicted and hadn't made a choice even after two episodes because she felt that both men were too good to her.
Qiao Zixin watched TV, but her thoughts drifted to Xu Zifan. The female lead felt the two men were too good to her, but Qiao Zixin felt they couldn't even compare to a tenth of Xu Zifan's kindness; she still felt like she was dreaming. When she first met Xu Zifan, she was already on the verge of a breakdown. Surrounded by so much negative news and negative emotions, she hadn't even been wary of this stranger, because she was truly heartbroken and her mind was blank. Moreover, Xu Zifan had saved her, and she had a subconscious trust in him, however faint, it was real.
Later, Xu Zifan pulled her up, forcefully entering her life to shield her from all troubles and create a safe haven for her. Looking back now, not much sadness remains in her memory, because she was so shocked by Xu Zifan's bold words that her attention was completely diverted, and she actually emerged from that state of utter despair. Gradually, she found a sense of security with Xu Zifan, regaining trust between people. Xu Zifan became the person she trusted most; she couldn't be wary of him.
Their relationship was very similar to the movie they filmed, where the man saved the woman in her most critical moment and then offered her a lot of help. The only difference was that Xu Zifan was much more domineering than the man in the movie. Although he always smiled gently, his eyes were sharp, and his mind was very rational. He never gave anyone a chance to object to his decisions, and his decisions were always correct; they couldn't find any reason to argue with him. Over the past few months, Xu Zifan had gradually pulled her out of the mire, cleansed her of her stains, and now her new movie was about to be released, and her career was on the rise again.
When Xu Zifan sees her sad, he gives her time to heal alone; when she's happy, he shares her joy; when she's tired, he always says gentle words; and when she's in trouble, he always stands up for her. Xu Zifan would rather work long hours himself than let her go out for social events; he'd rather have more publicity than let her be offended by interviews...
So many touching things had come together to make Xu Zifan the most special person in her heart. She recalled the first time she met Xu Zifan: a thin figure, a dowdy hairstyle, and shapeless clothes from cheap brands; he looked like an ordinary person with decent looks. But now, Xu Zifan was strong and fit, well-dressed, and had a hairstyle specially designed for him, revealing a full forehead. He had the face of a young heartthrob, yet he subtly exuded an aura of authority, calm and mature. He was already a very charming and reliable man, and if he entered the entertainment industry, countless female fans would be chasing after him.
This man is only good to her.
Qiao Zixin suppressed her slightly racing heartbeat and calmed herself down. She didn't really know why Xu Zifan was so kind to her. She didn't quite believe a fan who liked her would go to such lengths for her, especially since Xu Zifan didn't seem like the type to be a fan of celebrities. The longer they spent together, the more she felt that Xu Zifan was like a CEO sitting in an office handling multi-million dollar contracts; celebrities... he simply wouldn't care about them.
Qiao Zixin slumped onto the sofa in frustration, grabbing a cushion to cover her head. If she couldn't figure it out, she might as well stop thinking about it! With Xu Zifan's domineering personality, even if she liked him, the initiative wasn't in her hands. What was the point of thinking so much? She might as well let nature take its course. Right now, she relied on Xu Zifan for everything, and she was too embarrassed to think about it anymore. She needed to firmly establish herself and reach a point where no one could bring her down before considering anything else!
Qiao Zixin rubbed her hair, sat up, turned off the TV, and started scrolling through her contacts. She then selected a few people who seemed trustworthy and started making calls. Xu Zifan's decision not to let her appear in public was for her own good and part of his career plan; she wouldn't waste his kindness. What she needed to find now were the behind-the-scenes staff. Although these people hadn't spoken up for her, it was because they were just ordinary friends, and they had no obligation to speak on her behalf. She didn't have any qualms about it; she simply wanted to contribute to the new film in her own way.
One call after another went through her fingers. She told the other party that she wanted them to come and help out for a while, offering generous compensation and promising not to treat them unfairly. Some said they were busy with other things, some said they were abroad and couldn't come back, and some said they wanted to take a break... Qiao Zixin's throat was dry from talking. After making more than thirty calls, she finally settled on six people! One public relations specialist, one press release writer, one legal lawyer, one publicity director, and two senior personal assistants.
Their team is basically all newcomers to the industry, figuring things out as they go. The fact that they haven't run into any problems yet is thanks to Xu Zifan's excellent management in all aspects. But it's too much work for Xu Zifan to handle so many things by himself. Now that they've found these professionals, it should make things a bit easier for everyone, at least preventing them from taking too many detours. Of course, Xu Zifan still needs to personally oversee the personnel.
This recruitment was meticulously selected by Qiao Zixin. Xu Zifan took time to invite them for tea and a chat, and in the end, they all passed the screening and became members of their team. These people were recruited because they saw Qiao Zixin's rising popularity, all for their own benefit.
They also hope Qiao Zixin will do better and better. Having them join the team is like having experienced people to guide the way, especially the publicity director, who plays a particularly important role. Previously, any action in the team had to be discussed with Xu Zifan after it was all planned out before proceeding. Now that the publicity director is quite capable, Xu Zifan has delegated some authority to him, only keeping an eye on the overall direction, which has made things much easier for him.
With more free time, he did more things, including more social engagements, and even unexpectedly managed to get "A Mother's Strength" scheduled for release alongside "Double Agent"! "Double Agent" not only boasted a famous director and actors, but also had a budget several times larger, combining action with elements of brotherhood between police and criminals—its box office performance was generally expected to be strong. Some advised Xu Zifan to avoid direct confrontation with Lin Yan, but Xu Zifan was confident in his work; if it flopped, it would be a disservice to all the time he had spent learning in the underworld.
Now, when he thinks about it, he can't even remember how long it took him to learn. From initially resisting and refusing to learn, he eventually mastered the whole system, ensuring those old men could finally have successors and reincarnate in peace. It really took so long, perhaps several lifetimes. If someone were to say that no director in the world could compare to him, he wouldn't be modest; he's always been confident in what he's learned.
Two months later, on National Day, "A Mother's Strength" and "Double Agent" were released on the same day, along with six other films, including pet films, stage plays, period dramas, fantasy films, art films, and patriotic films—a truly diverse and competitive market. "Double Agent" had been heavily promoted for the past two months, appearing on several popular variety shows and holding numerous press conferences, and it immediately topped the box office upon release. The film starred an award-winning actor and featured the popular young actor Lin Yan in a supporting role; the plot was also quite enjoyable, and audience reviews were generally positive. However, its scores weren't particularly high, as it was a formulaic film with many similar movies available; without surpassing previous classics, it couldn't elevate its reputation.
"A Mother's Strength" ranked fourth at the box office on its opening day. Liu Jie, who was keeping a close eye on the box office, was delighted to see "A Mother's Strength's" performance. She immediately ordered her online army to launch a campaign to ridicule and smear "A Mother's Strength," while also praising "Double Agent." Comparing films released at the same time was nothing unusual; she was simply seizing the opportunity to tarnish Qiao Zixin's new film. If Qiao Zixin's new film flopped this time, her reputation as a box office poison would be hard to shake off, leading to a failed comeback and relegation to a third-rate star or even an obscure celebrity.
Liu Jie has now also joined Xingchen as an artist. Her agent, knowing about this, reported it to the authorities. The boss not only didn't reprimand her but also praised her a few times, instructing the public relations department to secretly push things forward, ideally to completely crush Qiao Zixin. Netizens are all criticizing her for disregarding sisterhood, but she's not happy about it. Once Qiao Zixin falls, everyone will know that her choice was right.
But it was on this very day that "A Mother's Strength" began to gain a following! Many viewers recommended it online and to those around them. It's a film that reflects reality, and it's also a story-driven film, containing themes of family, love, and friendship, but more importantly, it portrays human nature. Everyone who watches it is touched and gains some insights; that's its magic, making people unconsciously fall in love with it.
[I cried from beginning to end while watching the movie "A Mother's Strength." My dad was an abusive husband. When I was little, I often saw him beat my mom, leaving her bruised and battered. Once, he was drunk and hit me, and my mom scratched him relentlessly. She eventually divorced him, taking me with her. Watching the movie kept reminding me of my childhood. Thankfully, my mom is strong enough; she protected me. A mother's strength truly is boundless! I love my mom, and I'm taking leave to go back to my hometown to see her right now!]
My grandfather was abusive; the worst time he beat my grandmother, he even broke her ribs. He was the absolute ruler at home. It seems like most men in his generation beat women. I knew this before, but I'd never witnessed it and didn't really care. But watching "A Mother's Strength" this time gave me goosebumps. It's terrifying! Women are naturally physically weaker than men, so if you encounter an abusive husband, it's a lifelong nightmare!
[There's only a difference between infidelity and domestic violence—it's either zero times or countless times. If you encounter it the first time, you must fight back to the end. Forgiving will only embolden the scumbag!]
[I hope the domestic violence law can be improved to severely punish those beasts! I recommend everyone watch "A Mother's Strength," it talks about several ways to protect yourself, it's really a great movie, I'm going to watch it again with my best friend.]
[My neighbor's child has been missing for three years and still hasn't been found. I wish there were real-life organizations like those in the movie "A Mother's Strength" to help people find their missing children. If only reality could be like the ending of the movie!]
[The ending of the movie was achieved through blood, tears, and lives. I truly hope that reality won't be so tragic. I loved "A Mother's Strength" and hope for more great movies like it. Everyone should go see it!]