Chapter 15: The Boisterous Le Family

“Yes, yes, anyway, Lexi doesn’t know how to butcher a sheep, or roast one. If they get hungry on the road, just butcher the donkey and roast the whole thing. Imagine gnawing on donkey hooves while traveling.”
“Lexi was miles apart from Wang Sisi and the others when the money was announced yesterday, and it’s the same today. Yet the production team put them into the same group. Are they sure they’re not targeting Lexi? Director, you’re getting bored too quickly—this isn’t very fair.”
The director watched both the monitor and the live broadcast. He wanted to say he had no choice,
but he had to listen to the investors; it was their call.
“I object,”
Huo Hongming raised his hand.
“Director, our group and Meiying’s are only about a hundred yuan apart. If you won’t let us take the high-speed train like them, at least let us take a regular train. We’re over two thousand yuan behind Wang Sisi and Wang Zhuorui—making us take the donkey cart like them is too unfair.”
The host replied,
“That’s how the competition works. It’s not about first or second place—no matter how far you are from the last place, the rules are the same. Please respect the results.”
“All right, everyone’s worked hard these past three days. You can go home now and prepare. In three days, first and second place groups will depart directly. Third and fourth place groups, we’ll notify you of the meeting location.”
Once everything was packed, all the agents’ cars came to pick everyone up.
Each agent and assistant got out to help their artists with their luggage, except Lexi.
Lexi had no assistant, and her agent, Shen Xiaoman, sat motionless in the car. Lexi didn’t mind—after all, it was thanks to Shen Xiaoman that she managed to stay on the show.
After loading her luggage, Lexi got in.
“You’re quite capable,”
Lexi suddenly remarked. Shen Xiaoman was momentarily surprised, since Lexi never said such things—it was usually Shen Xiaoman herself who did.
The moment Lexi was told to leave, Shen Xiaoman called the director.
The director just said, “The result is decided,” then hung up.
If it hadn’t been dark, Shen Xiaoman would have stormed over to confront him.
She planned to rest and deal with it the next morning, but in the middle of the night, the director called her: Lexi would continue filming.
Shen Xiaoman, like the internet commenters, believed Lexi had managed to persuade the director.
Some cursed Lexi for being shameless, saying a discarded woman would do anything; others praised her for having real skills.
So was it not Lexi who convinced the director? Or did Lexi deliberately pretend to be high-minded with Shen Xiaoman?
Shen Xiaoman didn’t care to dig deeper.
“I am a professional agent.”
Lexi didn’t respond further—Shen Xiaoman was right; it was her job, no need for extra praise.
“Where to?”
Shen Xiaoman asked.
“My house,”
Lexi had considered staying at a hotel, but upon retrieving her phone—a device with over 200GB of storage—she found it overloaded with messages, unable to even open WeChat.
A few notifications showed up, all from her mother:
#No rice at home, Grandpa and Grandma are too hungry to walk.
#Grandpa and Grandma are dying.
Her grandparents were seventy-eight, an age when they should be cared for by their descendants. Lexi couldn’t call them lazy and say they deserved to starve.
So she had to go back—assess the situation, send them to the hospital if needed, feed them if necessary.
“Your house? Your family’s place?”
Shen Xiaoman pried,
“You got divorced and didn’t get a single room out of it?”
Lexi reminded her,
“You’re a professional agent.”
Shen Xiaoman stepped on the gas.
When the key turned and the door opened, ten pairs of eyes shone like cats spotting a mouse.
“You’re finally home. Where’s your thirty million? Is it in your suitcase?”
Lexi’s mother, father, and uncle, all with good legs, rushed to snatch Lexi’s suitcase. Lexi was used to it.
Whenever she brought something home, they got excited. The less mobile Grandpa and Grandma would bang their canes loudly for fear of missing out,
“Respect the elders, respect the elders, let the old ones have it first.”
But thirty million was too tempting—even the elderly, not only banged their canes but tottered forward, joining the scramble for the suitcase.
Lexi observed their trembling steps, but believed with such a fortune at stake, they wouldn’t fall.
She poured herself a cup of tea and pulled out her grandmother’s tin of peach cookies,
Drinking water and nibbling cookies,
She hadn’t eaten all day and was starving.
Her suitcase was turned inside out, but Lexi didn’t care.
When she left the Song family, she brought nothing—not even clothes.
Those clothes were all Song Qi’s favorites, not hers, so she left them to irritate Tang Yuexin.
With Song Qi’s impulsive nature, he’d surely bring Tang Yuexin home right after registering their marriage; Tang Yuexin would definitely see them.
Now, her suitcase contained only dirty laundry—she’d have to wash it anyway. They could rummage as they pleased.
“Why is it all clothes? Where’s the money?”
The five questioned discontentedly.
Lexi took a big bite of peach cookie.
“Who keeps money in a suitcase? It’s in the bank, of course.”
“That’s true, that’s true,”
Her father, mother, and uncle simultaneously slapped their heads.
“We’re so muddle-headed.”
Her mother reached out,
“Where’s the card? Give it to me, I’ll go withdraw the thirty million.”
Her grandmother interjected,
“Give it to me, I’m the eldest.”
Her mother protested,
“Mom, you want everything. With your failing eyesight, can you even read the ATM screen?”
Her grandmother retorted,
“You’re disobedient. I’m your mother-in-law—I can see clearly at mahjong, I can see clearly at the ATM.”
Lexi almost applauded—what other seventy-eight-year-old grandma could play mahjong like hers?
Her mother continued,
“With your legs, you’re more likely to fly than walk out the door.”
“You, you—”
Her grandmother directed Lexi’s father,
“Divorce her, she’s disrespectful to her mother-in-law.”
Her uncle chimed in,
“You two stop arguing—give it to me. In the Lexi family, men are in charge.”
Her father rebuffed,
“I am the head of the household, Lexi, give it to me.”
Her grandfather protested,
“Don’t treat me as dead, Lexi, give it to me.”
...
“Enough,”
In the past, except for Lexi’s mother—who was timid and lazy—the others were all stubborn and lazy, each thinking highly of themselves and refusing to yield to anyone.
Since Lexi was bitten back by the system, even her mother became like the rest—
They quarreled over food, drinks, everything. They never agreed, except for one thing: they were united in dealing with Lexi.
“Lexi, how dare you speak harshly to us? We’re your grandparents (parents, uncle)—you must respect your elders.”
Respecting elders requires them to be worthy of respect. Lexi used to be cautious, thinking she was an actress—even a minor one—and if she ever became famous, her reputation would suffer. Later, she had no choice after being bitten back.
Now, she feared nothing.
“I don’t care who you are. If you want the thirty million, it’s impossible.”