Chapter 43

After returning home, Bo He had a bit of a stomachache.

She figured it was probably because she had to face Qin Chuan's face during the meal, which hindered proper digestion, and also because she had deliberately held back her skills afterward—

Don't think it's easy for a genius to score exactly sixty on a test; that also requires careful calculation.

Mentally and physically exhausted, Bo He returned home without even the slightest interest in logging into the game.

Seeing that Ouyang hadn't eaten yet, she handed over the bag she was carrying.

The latter saw the bag and let out a "wow."

"This is from Sanmu, isn't it? Their stuff is so expensive. You went to Sanmu for dinner tonight?"

Bo He flopped directly onto the sofa.

"My boss treated me. How could I afford it?"

Ouyang blinked. "That sounds like a romantic beginning."

Bo He gave a bitter smile. "When you accidentally knock on his door and he scolds you for being delusional, would you still find it romantic?"

Ouyang's mouth twitched. "Pretend I didn't say anything."

Bo He sighed. "The most terrifying part is that I have to spend another two hours with this boss after work. Just thinking about it makes my life feel completely dark!"

Ouyang put an arm around her shoulder and said with a grin, "Don't be discouraged! When I make it big, I'll have you be my assistant. You won't have to do anything. I'll hire another eight or ten assistants, and you can just manage them!"

Bo He cupped her fists. "Ah, then truly, if you get rich and famous, don't forget me! By the way, how's it going with that new role you were in talks for? Has it been decided yet?"

Ouyang's smile faded. She said reluctantly, "Soon, I guess."

Bo He: "What? Was there a change?"

Ouyang: "They think I'm too inexperienced and are still considering... Sigh, you have no idea. For a low-budget web series production like this, there are still several people competing with me for one role. Every single one of them has a stronger background and connections than I do. My chances are probably slim this time."

While her looks weren't absolutely stunning, when she lowered her head with downcast eyes, there was a certain pitiful and delicate beauty to her.

Among ordinary people, she would be considered a beauty.

Unfortunately, Ouyang wanted to make it in the entertainment industry, and with such looks, she was destined to be stuck in the middle. She would have to pay a much higher price than others to stand out.

Although Bo He wasn't in her circle, she could get the general idea from hearsay, reading some gossip news, and occasionally hearing her godfather and godsister chat about it.

But knowing about it and being in the midst of it were, after all, two different things.

The former was like watching a fire from the other side of the river, while the latter was like being plunged into deep water and scorching fire.

"Although I have Tong Jun's recommendation, it's just a recommendation. My relationship with Tong Jun is casual; he'd never fight for me with the director. I heard the director prefers someone else, a second-generation star whose family has connections with Capital City TV Station. It's probably a lost cause this time."

Ouyang hadn't been renting with Bo He for long. Although the young woman was single-mindedly focused on making it in the entertainment industry and valued fame and fortune, she had a forthright and generous personality. Back when Bo He first started working and had little spare cash, Ouyang, who was still supported by her family, would often take Bo He out to eat and never forgot to bring back a share for Bo He whenever she bought something.

Most people have both a bright side and a dark side.

How many people in this world can truly transcend worldly concerns? In the end, isn't all the daily hustle and bustle just to put food on the table? Whether that meal is good or bad is the key.

Bo He said, "How about I go ask my godfather for you? Maybe he knows this director you're talking about."

Ouyang hesitated. "Uncle Zhuo probably can't help, but there is one person who might be able to."

Ever since finding out about Bo He's relationship with Zhuo Yi, Ouyang had automatically upgraded "Brother Zhuo" to "Uncle Zhuo." Because of his connection to Bo He, Zhuo Yi also looked upon Ouyang a little more favorably.

Bo He: "Who?"

Ouyang: "Director An. The director of that drama we filmed last time, remember?"

After a long moment, Bo He let out a soft "Mm."

"Speaking of which, Director An has some history with the producer and director of my current drama. The three of them were schoolmates; Director An is the senior 'sister,' and the other two are her junior 'brothers' from the same school. This role is the second female lead. The investors want to promote the main female lead, so there's no conflict with me. If Director An could put in a good word for me, with her reputation and connections, it would be a sure thing."

After finishing her rant, Ouyang turned to see Bo He's indifferent expression and became uneasy herself.

"What's wrong with you?"

Bo He: "Nothing."

Ouyang: "I didn't mean for you to go find Director An. I was just ranting, don't take it to heart."

Bo He: "I know, but I'm afraid I can't help either. In your circle, I only know my godfather and Sister Ling Shuang. If they could help, it would be fine for me to ask, but going through so many twists and turns would be too much trouble for them."

Ouyang: "I know, I know, how could I blame you? I was just telling you. But I've noticed that every time Director An is mentioned, you don't look too good. Did she offend you in some way?"

Bo He: "It's nothing, you're overthinking it. It's getting late, I'm going to take a shower."

With that, she got up and left, giving the other no chance to continue questioning her.

No matter how dense Ouyang was, she could tell that Bo He didn't want to talk about An Baohua.

This didn't mean there was no relationship between them. On the contrary, Ouyang could almost see that Bo He held a deep-seated grudge against Director An.

But thinking back on their interactions, when they were on the set in Li City, Bo He and Director An had barely even crossed paths.

Bo He knew she shouldn't be so transparent with her emotions.

Regarding An Baohua, the more nonchalant she appeared, the less others would be able to discern. Losing her composure served no purpose other than creating gossip and trouble.

But it was almost subconscious; she feared she would never be able to have a good feeling about that name for the rest of her life.

Especially after seeing An Baohua's attitude towards Shu Yao.

Both were her biological children. One had been displaced since childhood, facing countless hardships, with even her path to education full of bumps. The other had been held in the palm of a hand since childhood, enjoying a smooth-sailing life and all kinds of affection.

If it weren't for meeting Zhuo Yi and the others and receiving their help a few times, she might be washing dishes and serving plates in a restaurant in some big city right now, instead of having graduated from university smoothly, entered the workforce, and be sitting in a high-end office building in the city center.

Many people think that going to school, getting an education, entering society, and struggling in the workplace are perfectly ordinary things, but for Bo He, these also required a considerable price and effort.

What people fear most is comparison.

Bo He felt that she was content enough and never compared herself to anyone. Whatever happened, she could bear it herself and get through it.

But the moment she saw Shu Yao, she suddenly realized that she too was a common mortal.

She could feel jealousy, dissatisfaction, heartache, and self-pity.

Even if these emotions were just a little bit, as scattered and minuscule as dust, they still existed in the end.

Under the sunlight, there was nowhere to hide.

The best way was to cut off all information related to An Baohua and never mention her again.

After taking a shower, her spirits and mood improved a lot.

Bo He lay prone on her bed, a pillow propped under her, and picked up her phone to open a messaging app.

Her apprentice "Chuan Chuan" had sent her no less than ten messages.

As soon as Bo He saw the first message, she couldn't help but laugh.