I Heard That I Am Poor

Chapter 44: I’m here to pick you up.

At nine o’clock in the morning, Yu Nian went downstairs on time with his suitcase.

He sat in the back seat. Shi Rou in the front row took off the steam eye mask, handed the thermos cup to Yu Nian, and said with a smile, “NianNian, when I stayed up late last night, I happened to see director Messer, who filmed your Florence commercial,  mentioning you in an interview with a foreign fashion magazine!”

Yu Nian was busy packing up his things in the morning and didn’t have time to look at his phone, so he didn’t know the news, “Director Messer praised me?” 

“How do you know?!”

Seeing that Shi Rou’s eyes were wide open, Yu Nian explained with a smile, “Your expression told me that if he had said that I’m not good, you would’ve been sadder than me.” 

Shi Rou laughed for a while and nodded, “Hahaha, yes, what he said probably translates into that you’re a person with a unique temperament, making people want to constantly discover completely different qualities under the camera, and he looks forward to working together again.” 

She snapped her fingers enthusiastically and said, “Let me tell you, Director Messer had praised you very seriously. Over the years, there have only been two film stars, five supermodels, and one singer, and now there is also you!” 

Meng Yuan patched, “He is also the director of Hersey’s Royal commercial.”

“Yes!” Shi Rou held the steam eye mask in her hand, looked at Yu Nian’s clothes, and worried again, “Oh, it’s almost winter. I was secretly happy before that you finally threw the wholesale white T-shirt in the closet, but you actually put on the wholesale sweatshirt again!”

Meng Yuan continued to patch, “Same style, and only three colors, black, white, and gray, to wear in turns.”

 “Yes! Before, when you were filming the advertisement, someone asked me what brand of sweatshirt you were wearing; it looked so good. I didn’t have the nerve to reveal the truth at the time!” Shi Rou sincerely suggested, “NianNian, shall we buy a few more expensive sets to wear outside?”

Meng Yuan turned his eyes away from the phone, revealing the reality, “He is about to be unable to order takeout again, so don’t make it difficult for him to pay for his clothes. Anyway, he is only 21 years old, and he can walk just by relying on his face.”

Meng Yuan and Shi Rou talked one by one, and when they finished talking, Yu Nian said, “Then why don’t I change into a woolen sweater instead? I bought seven or eight sweaters before.” 

“Seven or eight…” Meng Yuan held his forehead, “Really, I once again questioned my decision, whether it is right or wrong to let you have a noble son public persona?”

Shi Rou turned to comfort Meng Yuan, “It’s okay, Brother Meng; we should accept the situation. Others rely on money; we rely on the face, and maybe… temperament too?” 

After getting off the plane, they got in the car sent by the program crew to pick them up. When they arrived at the recording location, before Yu Nian realized what was happening, he was almost pushed to the ground by Xia Mingxi’s bear hug.

“NianNian!”

 Yu Nian couldn’t help laughing, “Mingxi, have you gained weight? The impact is super strong!”

Xia Mingxi stood up quickly and nervously touched his arms and waist, “No, am I really heavy? Ah, it must be that crappy crew. The chef was so amazingly skilled that I couldn’t help it!”

He touched another bag of biscuits and handed them to Yu Nian, smiling brightly and saying, “We’re recording the show together! Are you happy?”

“Of course I’m happy.” Yu Nian tore open the package of the biscuit and ate a piece, feeling very good, “I was surprised when Brother Meng told me. I thought you were still on the set and wouldn’t come back.” 

“I was also surprised. My manager resisted the director’s murderous gaze and immediately airlifted me back from the set! But I should finish filming in two or three days. Speaking of it, it wouldn’t have taken so much time for me to shoot. It was all because a little scene was added later that it dragged the time.”

Xia Mingxi lowered his voice again, “The director said that I have talent in acting, and he has already booked me as the second lead in his next movie!”

Yu Nian also whispered back, “Then are you going to continue filming in the future?”

“Yes, singing and dancing are too difficult, and filming is so interesting!” Xia Mingxi was delighted, “My mother even praised me, saying that I inherited her excellent genes!” 

“Then your father must be very disappointed.”

“Hahaha, yes!”

The two talked together for a while and then studied the script together. It was not until nine o’clock in the evening that the official recording began.

 Xia Mingxi had already dozed off on Yu Nian for a while and rubbed his eyes when he was woken up, “It’s about to start?” 

“Yes,” Yu Nian nodded, “Mingxi, I still have to tell you that you were talking in your sleep just now.” 

Xia Mingxi was so frightened that he woke up from his drowsiness with a shocked expression on his face, “W-wh-what did I say!?”     

“You didn’t say anything. You were just reciting the lines in your dream,” Yu Nian laughed at him, “So diligent?”

“Of course! I can’t embarrass my mother!” Xia Mingxi stood up again with a proud expression and shouted, “Sister makeup artist, can you help me touch up my makeup? The spot on my forehead was rubbed on NianNian’s clothes. ”     

“To Tell the Truth” was a domestic entertainment and interview variety show. The usual pattern was that the host and four regular guests, as well as two artists invited in each episode, would sit together and chat, with talent shows and funny games interspersed in the middle. Generally speaking, it was more friendly to artists and not difficult. The popularity of the program was not top-notch, but the ratings were not bad.    

After the recording started, the host warmed up the scene as usual, and after interacting with the regular guests, he introduced, “Please turn the camera around. Yes, the two very good-looking people next to us are our guests of this episode, Yu Nian and Xia Mingxi!”     

After the two introduced themselves and said hello, the host said, “We know that both of you are participating in this kind of variety show for the first time.” 

A guest answered, “What kind of variety show?” 

The host laughed and said, “Probably…a funny variety show? In order to fit the theme, let’s tell a joke first!”    

Xia Mingxi raised his hand and said, “I’m ready; I’ll come first!” He cleared his throat and began to speak seriously, “Two bananas went shopping one after the other. As they walked, the banana in front felt hot, so it took off its clothes! As a result, guess what—the banana in the back fell down! Hahahaha!” 

“Hahahaha—”

The laughter stopped, and Xia Mingxi blinked, wondering, “Why didn’t you laugh with me and NianNian?”

The host asked blankly, “Is it funny?”

Xia Mingxi looked at Yu Nian, and Yu Nian nodded, “Funny.”

Xia Mingxi turned to the host again with a hint of “it’s your turn” on his face, and the host responded with three “hahaha.”

Yu Nian sat up straight, unbuttoned his denim jacket, and said, “It’s my turn.”

He adjusted the position of the headset and began to speak.

“A little girl came to the police and said, Uncle policeman, I lost my bag. The policeman patted his chest, saying, “Don’t worry, you leave it to me! The girl was puzzled: “Hey, why didn’t you give it back to me?” 

As soon as Yu Nian finished speaking, Xia Mingxi laughed so hard that he slapped the table with a “bang”.

The host sighed loudly, “Oh, why do I feel so cold?”

A female guest wearing glasses nodded and said, “Yes, I have the experience of being at the equator one second and crossing to the South Pole the next second!” She asked again, “Hey, tell me, did the two of you make up your mind backstage? For example, if no one laughed after the joke, you must help the other party.” 

Yu Nian shook his head, “No, but we discussed it. When our performance is over and there is an awkward silence and no applause, we will vigorously applaud and praise one another. Smart, right?!

After speaking, he performed again.

There was laughter at the scene.

Xia Mingxi was surprised, “You didn’t laugh at the joke just now, but now you’re all laughing! I’m feeling happy!”

Yu Nian: “Yes, super happy!”

The host shook the little golden bell in front of him, “Okay, let’s skip and ignore the part about telling jokes. Hmm, let’s interview now. The two of you have participated in “Sound of Nature” together before, and it is said that the relationship has always been very good. Now there is a question. Yu Nian and Xia Mingxi, who do you think between you two is more handsome?”

Yu Nian and Xia Mingxi almost said in unison, “Me!” 

“Then who is better?”

“He!” 

“He!”

“Who is ugly?”

“Not me!”

“He!”

After answering, Yu Nian looked at Xia Mingxi, “Okay, our friendship will end today.”

Xia Mingxi raised his chin, “End it if you want; who cares?!” The next second, he stretched out his hand, “That… let’s get to know each other again. Hello, my name is Xia Mingxi, my father is Xia Yuan, and my mother is Zhang Lan.”

Yu Nian held Xia Mingxi’s hand, “Hello, my name is Yu Nian, my sister is Yu Qing, and we are destined to be brothers.”

The two performed very exaggeratedly, and the audience burst into laughter again.     

The host also laughed, and one of the guests said, “Although there is no arrangement in our script, how about you two try making a phone call?”

Xia Mingxi asked, “Is it calling my parents and Yu Nian’s sister?”

The host followed, “Yes, yes, yes, do you two think it’s okay?”

Yu Nian and Xia Mingxi looked at each other, “Yes.”

Putting the phone on the speaker in the venue, Xia Mingxi dialed first, and it was picked up after three rings. It was a mellow male voice, speaking very fast, “I have something to talk about with your mother, so your father is busy. I’m hanging up. If you call again, I won’t answer it!”

Xia Mingxi looked confused, “Well…how about I call my mom?”

The host nodded, “Yes, yes.”

The phone was dialed out again, and it was connected after one ring, “I have something to talk to your dad about. I’m busy, and I’ll talk to you later, my dear son!”

 Again, after being hung up on the phone, Xia Mingxi turned around, rested his head on Yu Nian’s shoulder, and said in frustration, “Okay, the fact that I have hidden for many years that no one cares about me has been exposed today…”

The host laughed the loudest, unceremoniously.

It was Yu Nian’s turn. Yu Nian called Yu Qing’s phone, and it took seven or eight rings before someone answered, but before Yu Nian could speak, Yu Qing’s voice came over first, very irritable, “Xu Xianglan NGed me eleven times today! Isn’t it just that I hid the bottle of hot sauce you made for me and didn’t share it with him?! This dying lady can’t do any more makeup shots! Strike! I—” 

Yu Nian interrupted her, “Sister, you may be in the headlines “

Yu Qing reacted instantly, “Are you recording a program?” Two seconds later, her voice returned to normal, and she even spoke softly, “Hi everyone, I am Yu Qing; nothing happened just now, right? I’m still young, so please take care of me. Goodbye.”

After speaking, the phone was hung up.

The host straightened his bow tie and turned to the camera solemnly, saying, “Okay, I’m sure, after this episode airs, if our show doesn’t hit the trending spots, I’ll live broadcast me eating the microphone!” 

It turned out that this speculation was correct. After the latest episode of “To Tell the Truth” aired on Sunday night, several topics became very popular.

[#No one cares about Xia Mingxi# Hahaha, the ancestral fans are laughing like crazy! My heart aches for Mingxi; it’s so pitiful to meet such parents. I’m here to pat his head! But Xia Yuan’s last sentence was absolutely hilarious. Hahaha!]

[#Yu Qing on Strike# Hahahaha, a bottle of hot sauce triggered a strike on the crew! Sister Qing became gentle in a second, lmao! Don’t hide it, how could old fans not know about your heroic deed of putting a scumbag into the hospital back then?]

[#Yu Nian Xia Mingxi# Lmao! The cold joke duo made their first debut, and they even cheered each other on, 666! It’s so fun to watch!]

[#Yu Nian To Tell the Truth# Ahhhh, requesting NianNian to be in more variety shows! God, his playing the piano and singing live is really charming! I watched it in an infinite loop! And did you grow up eating CDs, NianNian? The scene is so stable! And you can also make hot sauce for your sister? So well-behaved!]

[#Yu Nian To Tell the Truth# God, what kind of talent is this! Sisters, pay attention. NianNian wrote the song that he played and sang on the scene! He wrote it on the spot! It’s so good to hear that I’m crying! Requesting for a single aahhhh, I’ll buy it!]

Meng Yuan smiled happily after reading the data about the popularity of the topic, “Not bad, good start. You have a good understanding of variety shows, NianNian. It seems that you can try another one or two variety shows later; after all, as soon as “To Tell the Truth” aired, you gained 400,000 to 500,000 fans in one night; it’s really a powerful tool for fandom!]

Seeing that Yu Nian was reading the message with a smile on his lips, Meng Yuan was very perceptive, “Hey, are you chatting with 186?” 

Yu Nian turned off his phone, feeling uncomfortable, “Brother Meng, how do you know?” 

“Your Brother Meng, I’m quite experienced. Just by looking at your smile, I can tell there is something wrong.” Meng Yuan handed over the data in his hand, “Let me show you. Florence counted the sales for the past two weeks, and I was shocked. The lipstick sold for a thousand in a second, and the sales exceeded one million within half an hour of going online. The shade you painted in the commercial was so popular that it was out of stock. The total sales volume has skyrocketed by almost 5,000%!”

Shi Rou, who was listening on the sides, was also surprised, “With this ability, we don’t have to worry about endorsements at all!” 

“We don’t have to worry about endorsements, but we should still worry about high-quality endorsements. Many big names are still on the sidelines. We have to be more patient than them.” Seeing that Yu Nian lowered his hair and sent messages again, Meng Yuan sighed, “When a son is of age, he should be marred off; otherwise, there will be enmity!“1

Seeing that Yu Nian was still smiling and not speaking, Meng Yuan didn’t bother and said, “Since you’re in such a happy mood, then starting tomorrow, you will personally participate in the preparation of the EP! The demo is over; you have already done the arrangement yourself, and tomorrow you will start recording the sub-track and setting up the instrument. No problem, right?

Yu Nian shook his head, “No problem! “

He pursed his lips and said again, “Then…can I leave tonight? ” 

“It’s almost eleven o’clock? It’s a bit late,” Meng Yuan narrowed his eyes, “A date?”

Yu Nian denied it, “No!” He pointed to the phone and said, “A friend of mine sent a text message saying he was too drunk and asked if I could pick him up.”

Meng Yuan waved his hand, “Then go quickly. Be careful on the road!”

The car was allocated by the company. It had not been driven by Yu Nian and had been parked in the company’s garage. He sat in the driver’s seat, turned on his phone, and read the message from Xie You again.

The other party probably sent the message to the wrong person. Judging from the wording, they should have ordered the driver to drive to the designated location to pick him up at 11:40, but for some reason, the message was sent to him.

It was fine, even if it was wrong.

Yu Nian drove the car to the designated place, put on a cap, and waited quietly.

At 11:42, a middle-aged man who looked like an assistant opened the car door, helped Xie You into the car, reported the address in a low voice, closed the door, and left.

Yu Nian looked at the assistant who left neatly and then at Xie You, whose eyes were closed, reeking of alcohol and blushing, and he couldn’t help tilting his head and laughing.

It seemed that the message had been sent correctly.

After getting close enough to help Xie You fasten his seat belt, Yu Nian held the steering wheel and drove the car out of the parking lot.

Xie You was actually not very drunk. He leaned his head against the back of the seat and secretly looked at Yu Nian’s profile in the dark.

Yu Nian kept paying attention to Xie You in the front passenger seat and found that the other party was looking at him. He let him look at himself and then said after a while, “Is it uncomfortable?” 

Xie You’s voice was very low, carrying a little hoarseness, and he answered seriously, “En, uncomfortable, dizzy.”

Yu Nian frowned slightly and worried, “Why did you drink so much?”

“They forced me.”

 Like a complaint, the words contained grievances that he didn’t realize.

His mind was heavy, and the suppressed sadness was like small bubbles gurgling from the bottom of his heart.

When his father had just passed away, it was very difficult. He was young and had no elders to support and guide him. He didn’t know how many people were staring at him in the dark. Even if he was made drunk by those so-called elders, he couldn’t stage fright or throw up and had to continue drinking, even if there were endless meetings the next day.

Uncle Qu set up the dinner this time, mainly for Ding Zhaoxian’s affairs. In the past two years, he had behaved coldly and rigidly toward the outside world, so no one forced him to drink at the dinner except for the wine he must drink.

But in the face of Yu Nian, the sadness and grievance buried in the bottom of his heart with iron welding and copper casting overflowed little by little from the narrow gap.

Looking at Yu Nian’s warm and clear eyes under the street lamp, he suddenly wanted to hug this person, just for a second.