I Refused to Be a Substitute, and Shot to Fame on a Variety Show With My Mother-In-Law

44 Li Xiwu was Alone Outside the Delivery Room

The morning weather was fine.

Li Xiwu stayed in the company for a while before driving Ji Weiling to meet the general manager of D Perfume Asia Pacific.

In the car.

Ji Weiling was very nervous. “Miss Li, do you think D Perfume can really sign me? I’m not that influential yet. I’m afraid this trip will be in vain…”

Li Xiwu smiled. “You don’t trust me?”

Ji Weiling wiped the sweat from her palms with a tissue. “The influence of the D perfume brand in the country is obvious. The last show I aired wasn’t so popular that I could take on the endorsement of D Perfume, so I’m worried.”

Li Xiwu saw that Ji Weiling’s tissue had already been crumpled into a ball. She took out a new bag of tissues from her bag, opened it, and handed it to Ji Weiling. “People always say that you have to know your limits, but there are actually very few people who know their limits. They often think that they are competent, capable, and able. Although confidence might be a joke sometimes, they are often the key to success.”

It was not Li Xiwu’s style to not fight or snatch. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made Xie Wen famous back then.

Li Xiwu reminded Ji Weiling, “In the entertainment industry, unless you’re lucky enough to be chased by the heavens to feed you, you won’t have a meal if you don’t fight for it. You have to be more confident, especially in front of the brand manager later. You have to make the brand think that you’ll definitely become famous and make them realize that it won’t be you who climb up the ladder of D perfume, but D perfume.”

Ji Weiling was enlightened. “I understand.”

–

The person in charge of D Perfume’s Asia-Pacific region was called Ren Jia. Li Xiwu and Ji Weiling arrived ten minutes earlier than the agreed time, but they waited for nearly an hour before seeing Ren Jia appear.

Li Xiwu stood up and extended her hand politely. “Manager Ren, nice to meet you.”

Ren Jia reached out her hand. “Miss Li, sorry to keep you waiting.”

Li Xiwu smiled and thoughtfully pulled out a seat for Ren Jia. Ren Jia sat down. It was easier to cross her legs in her pants. She looked up at Li Xiwu opposite her, then up at Ji Weiling. Then, she carefully sized up Ji Weiling’s facial features and concluded, “Compared to the previous Xie Wen, Miss Ji’s facial features are still a little limited.”

Ji Weiling’s lips pursed into a straight line. Beside her, Li Xiwu said with a smile, “Manager Ren, do you have any good suggestions?”

Ren Jia said bluntly, “Miss Ji’s face is very suitable for ancient dressing, but she’s not that stunning in modern dramas. I suggest that you adjust it slightly. Make her double eyelids deeper and open the corners of her eyes a little more. Her face would look much more classy when it was more suitable towards both ancient and modern times.”

In short, Ji Weiling’s face was not classy enough.

Li Xiwu agreed. “Manager Ren’s suggestion is very good, but our Weiling looks are born for ancient costumes. By the way, let me share some good news with Manager Ren. Weiling’s current drama has been bought by Wind Platform.”

Ren Jia smiled faintly. “Isn’t it still filming?”

This chat was a game of Taiji. It depended on whose Taiji was better.

Li Xiwu followed Ren Jia’s words. “A while ago, Weiling just won the Best Supporting Actress Award from Wind Platform. Wind Platform thinks very highly of Weiling. I can say that Weiling is now the biological daughter of Wind Platform. With Wind Platform as her backer, why is Manager Ren worried that she won’t be popular for long?”

“Not at all. I’ve always thought highly of Miss Ji.” Ren Jia smiled calmly. But she thought to herself that this manager was really capable.

After that, Ren Jia told the two of them about the development of the brand over the years. She also asked some self-planning questions about Ji Weiling. With Li Xiwu’s encouragement previously, Ji Weiling was very confident and generous when facing Ren Jia’s question. Even if she didn’t know anything, she dared to answer. Even if Ren Jia suddenly spoke English, she would answer in awkward English. There was no stage fright. She dealt with it confidently.

Ren Jia was quite satisfied. She looked at Li Xiwu meaningfully. “As expected of an artist taught by Miss Li. The previous outstanding artist, Xie Wen, left a deep impression on me.”

Li Xiwu said politely, “Manager Ren, you flatter me.”

Ren Jiayao said meaningfully, “It’s just that… it’s a pity about Xie Wen.”

Li Xiwu smiled and did not reply.

After successfully taking down the endorsement of D Perfume, Ji Weiling felt like she was in a dream. However, she remembered Li Xiwu’s reminder not to reveal too childish a flaw in front of Manager Ren. She held it in until she returned to the filming set to vent her emotions.

Ji Weiling hugged Li Xiwu excitedly, and there was obvious crying in her voice. “Miss Li, ever since I found out that you signed a new artist, I’ve often thought about many things. I’m afraid that I’ll lose my resources, that I won’t have any scenes to film, and even more afraid that you’ll abandon me.”

Li Xiwu smiled and pushed her away. “Are you still afraid now?”

Ji Weiling told the truth. “I’m still afraid. Actually, I heard that Xue Jinzhu has a sugar daddy behind her. Most of the resources in your hands should be leaning on her.”

Li Xiwu said, “To be precise, it definitely will.”

Ji Weiling’s eyes were misty. “Then I…”

Li Xiwu said, “Do you want to ask what you’re going to do?”

Ji Weiling nodded.

Li Xiwu felt like a mother, coaxing her daughter not to cry. “Weiling, you can’t rely on anyone. In the end, you still have to rely on yourself. I can fight for you this time, but there might not be a next time. You have to work hard and try to throw your results in President Qi’s face before spring next year.”

Ji Weiling nodded vigorously. “I’ll definitely work hard.”

There wasn’t much comfort.

Ji Weiling could balance her emotions very well. Li Xiwu instructed her assistant, Yuanyuan, on some matters. After watching Ji Weiling and Yuanyuan enter the set, she prepared to return to the company.

She had only taken two steps when someone behind her stopped her—

“Miss Li.”

Li Xiwu froze for a few seconds at the familiar voice. She looked back. It was Xie Wen.

Xie Wen was probably here to visit Chi Xu. She was still holding her daughter in her arms. Li Xiwu fell into a daze as she recalled that the last time she had seen Xie Wen in person was on the day she gave birth, more than five months ago.

That day, Chi Xu was filming on set and could not leave. Zheng Yuehua could not make it in time since she was playing mahjong. Xie Wen had disappointed her parents since she was pregnant and gave up her career. Ever since then, she had cut off contact with her family, so she did not inform her parents on the day of delivery.

Li Xiwu received the call and rushed over. At that time, she was alone outside the delivery room. Fortunately, Xie Wen and her daughter were safe. She also became the first person to see Xie Wen’s daughter. She also saw how haggard Xie Wen looked when she was pushed out of the delivery room.

At this moment, Xie Wen carried her daughter over and greeted Li Xiwu. “Miss Li, what a coincidence.”

Li Xiwu came back to her senses and asked, “Are you here to visit Chi Xu?”

Xie Wen nodded. “There’s no live broadcast today. So I brought Shenshen to the production team to see her father.”

Li Xiwu smiled faintly. “Not bad.”

Xiao Shenshen, who was in Xie Wen’s arms, snorted a few times. Xie Wen coaxed her gently and patted Shenshen’s back with her palm. “Good girl.”

Li Xiwu looked at Xie Wen’s tired face and knew that some words were meaningless. “I still have something on. I’ll leave first.”

When she turned around, Xie Wen stopped her. “Miss Li.”

Li Xiwu didn’t turn around, but she didn’t leave either. Xie Wen’s voice came from behind. “Miss Li, I have something to tell you.”

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