C19 Who Are You Scolding?

"Your sister is great in every way, but her pride is too strong. She'd rather suffer than lose face," Chu Yun remarked as he placed a chicken drumstick onto Su Xiaoxiao's plate. "Xiaoxiao, you should talk to her more. At her age, it's tough to have an edge in the entertainment industry. Why does she insist on clashing with the bosses? That's just sabotaging her own career."

Su Xiaoxiao responded with a noncommittal "Oh," and continued the conversation half-heartedly.

She was relieved that her sister had kept her job, which made her warm up considerably to Chu Yun. Yet, the events of that night still haunted her, leaving her feeling unsettled and anxious.

"I've got more good news," Chu Yun announced, pouring a glass of juice and handing it to Su Xiaoxiao. "Your brother-in-law has found a job too. And guess what? He's now working with your sister."

"Is that so?" Su Xiaoxiao perked up with interest.

She had heard from her aunt that Chu Yun had stirred up quite a commotion at Unhindered Entertainment. They still hired him after all that?

"Absolutely. When have I ever lied to you?" Chu Yun declared with assurance. "In terms of hierarchy, I'm actually one of your sister's superiors now."

"Keep dreaming," Su Xiaoxiao teased, sipping her juice. "There aren't many at Unhindered who can manage my sister."

"Well, I may not be much, but I am indeed one of the few who can," Chu Yun said with a smile, clearly trying to bridge the gap between them. "But rest assured, I've made it clear to your sister. Whether we're at home or at the office, she's the boss. Wherever she points, I'll follow, even if it's into a sea of flames or up a mountain of swords."

Su Xiaoxiao wasn't sure what to believe from Chu Yun's words. After a few bites, she set down her utensils, her poor appetite getting the better of her.

"Why have you stopped eating? There are still some main courses yet to come," Chu Yun inquired with concern. "Xiaoxiao, are you not feeling well? Or has someone upset you?"

In any other family, a sister-in-law might seek comfort and act coy with her brother-in-law. But Su Xiaoxiao didn't dare.

She was genuinely scarred by the ferocious and volatile Chu Yun. I mean, who could endure having their leg broken over a mere disagreement?

"It's nothing, just a lack of appetite," Su Xiaoxiao said, shaking her head, appearing somewhat downcast.

Chu Yun, ever the astute one, could easily tell that Su Xiaoxiao was troubled. He gently prodded, "I'm not a stranger, I'm your brother-in-law. Share what's on your mind; perhaps I can offer some advice."

Su Xiaoxiao glanced at Chu Yun. Despite his drastic change in the past six months, becoming more violent and fierce, he somehow seemed more dependable, exuding an unsettling sense of security.

After a brief contemplation, she propped her chin and asked, "Do you really want to hear it?"

"Absolutely," Chu Yun declared earnestly. "You're my sister-in-law. I'd go through fire and water for you, face any danger without hesitation—even walk over shards of glass barefoot without so much as a grimace!"

Su Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes. "Could you possibly stop exaggerating so much?"

Chu Yun nodded in agreement and promptly fell silent.

After a moment, Su Xiaoxiao stirred her juice with a straw and began, "This morning, I got a call from an old classmate. We were deskmates for three years in high school. She was never as good as me academically, always copying my exam papers. After graduation, I got into Pearl University with high scores, while she went to a film academy as an art student. Over the past two years, she's shot several commercials and appeared in a few TV movies. She hasn't hit the big time yet, but she's already made over ten million and even bought her parents a house in Y City."

Chu Yun replied fairly, "Xiaoxiao, you're doing well yourself. You went to a prestigious university and you're beautiful. You're bound to achieve great things."

Su Xiaoxiao's expression darkened. "My sister is more beautiful than me, has higher qualifications, and she was even the top scorer on her college entrance exams. And yet, here we are."

After a brief pause, Su Xiaoxiao let out a sigh. "Honestly, my sister isn't even as popular as my classmates."

Chu Yun assumed the role of an attentive listener. Once Su Xiaoxiao had finished, he probed, "Xiaoxiao, are you considering a career in the entertainment industry to make money?"

"As long as it brings in money, I don't care what I do," Su Xiaoxiao replied, then quickly added, "But my classmate mentioned that you have to make a name for yourself early in the entertainment business, especially for women. Once you're older, the opportunities dwindle. Even if you become popular, it doesn't necessarily translate into earnings."

Chu Yun listened to Su Xiaoxiao's concerns with a touch of sympathy.

He knew Su Xiaoxiao well enough to understand that her desire to make money wasn't born out of vanity or envy; she wanted to alleviate her family's worries and help her sister shoulder responsibilities. Perhaps Su Mingyue's near-miss with job loss had instilled a deep sense of panic in her?

"Xiaoxiao, you're still a student. It's a bit premature to be focusing on making money," Chu Yun advised earnestly. "And even if you're looking to make some extra cash, as your brother-in-law, I wouldn't recommend the entertainment industry."

"Why not?" Su Xiaoxiao inquired.

"Your sister entered the industry out of necessity. It's a dirty and treacherous world. Even if she hasn't told you the details, you must have some idea, right?" Chu Yun implored with concern.

"I'm confident I can steer clear of those pitfalls," Su Xiaoxiao asserted, her eyes alight with a fierce desire to succeed. "Besides, I'm already a junior with a lighter course load and plenty of free time. Working off-campus occasionally won't interfere with my studies."

Chu Yun shook his head. "Your sister would never approve."

"I'll just keep it from her," Su Xiaoxiao suggested.

Chu Yun continued to shake his head.

Su Xiaoxiao grew frustrated. "I wish I hadn't brought it up with you!"

Just as Chu Yun was about to respond, his phone rang.

Glancing at the caller ID, he answered with annoyance, "Director Xue, I'm in the middle of dinner with my sister-in-law. What's going on?"

"Are you free tonight? I've got an event and I'd like you to join me," Xue Chaoqing asked very politely.

"Let's talk about it tonight. Bye for now," Chu Yun ended the call abruptly. He turned to Su Xiaoxiao with a smile. "Your brother-in-law still believes you should prioritize your education. And when it comes to earning money, you've got me and your sister to rely on."

"You still owe me money that you haven't paid back," Su Xiaoxiao remarked without much interest.

She could tell Chu Yun's stance and didn't feel like engaging in pointless chatter.

Chu Yun was taken aback and protested, "Xiaoxiao, it's pointless to talk like that. Remember the last time we had KFC? I spent 180. Today's meal is no less than 500. Is the 1000 yuan you're talking about the only real expense, while what your brother-in-law spends doesn't count?"

Su Xiaoxiao paused, then gave Chu Yun a playful eye roll. "You sure do keep a detailed account."

Chu Yun grinned and pulled out a smartphone from his pocket.

It was the latest model, valued at 12,000 yuan, not yet available domestically. He had gotten it through Xue Chaoqing's connections.

"This is for you," Chu Yun said with a smirk. "So you can stop obsessing over that thousand yuan."

Su Xiaoxiao's eyes sparkled, then dimmed slightly. "Wouldn't it be better if I could earn the money to buy my own phone?"

"Enough of that," Chu Yun dismissed with a wave of his hand. "You could choose never to work a day in your life, and I'd still provide for you unconditionally."

"I refuse to be useless," Su Xiaoxiao replied, accepting the phone with a smile.

She wasn't materialistic, but the phone she had was from her first year at university and was sorely outdated. After the Su family business went under, she felt too ashamed to ask her family for money to get a new one.

Chu Yun was thoughtful. On his second day back at work, he arranged an advance on his salary from the finance department to buy a phone for his sister-in-law.

"Who are you calling out?" Chu Yun asked sternly. "Have you ever been dependent on someone else's charity? What gives you the right to judge?"