Chapter 102 - The Confrontation between Dreams and Reality

Under the blazing sun, Xia Zhuozhuo's eyes were like two beams of inextinguishable flames, locked tightly on Xia Huaile's face. Xia Huaile felt a little uncomfortable being looked at by her, and a slightly embarrassed smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "Xiao Qi, you look at me like this, but have you found anything new?" He teased, trying to ease the inexplicable tension. Xia Zhuozhuo's eyes flashed with sincerity, and he praised generously: "Third brother, do you know that your appearance is enough to overwhelm everyone, and you have the potential to become a big star." Xia Huaile shook his head self-deprecatingly when he heard this, with a bitter smile on his lips: "There are indeed many people who praise me for my handsomeness, but when it comes to the potential of being a big star, I'm afraid you are the only one. Even my mother has persuaded me to give up this thorny road several times." "Did my mother say that?" Xia Zhuozhuo's tone was a little surprised. "Yes, she felt sorry for me because she saw how hard I was on this road." Xia Huaile's eyes became deep, as if he was lost in memories of the past. "Then why do you insist on it? Being a star may seem glamorous, but in fact, it is very restrictive. When you go out, you are always in the spotlight, and you have no freedom at all." Xia Zhuozhuo's words were filled with confusion and worry. Xia Huaile sighed softly, his eyes became firm: "Since I was a child, I have had a special liking for movies, and the dream of acting is rooted in my heart. It's a pity that since I entered this industry, I have never been able to touch a really good work. Perhaps, I should really listen to my mother's advice and choose to give up..." Xia Zhuozhuo frowned slightly when he heard this, and asked back: "Then why don't you use the power of your family, invest yourself, and play the leading role yourself? In this way, wouldn't it be easier to realize your dream?" Xia Huaile shook his head, with a bit of stubbornness and pride in his tone: "If you rely on the power of your family to realize your dream, then the word 'dream' will lose its due meaning. I want to make a name for myself in the entertainment industry with my own strength." Xia Zhuozhuo heard this and muttered to herself: This guy is really a stubborn guy. He doesn't take shortcuts and has to ask for trouble. But on second thought, she also looked down on those who succeeded by backdoors. Perhaps, people like them have their own bottom line and principles. Although they seem stupid, they are worthy of admiration. Thinking of this, Xia Zhuozhuo felt a sense of admiration for Xia Huaile. Xia Huaile continued, "However, when the family encountered difficulties, I realized how naive my persistence was. If I could have used the family resources at the beginning, maybe I could share some pressure for the family now..." After hearing this, Xia Zhuozhuo was silent for a moment, and then asked, "Third brother, if other entertainment companies offer you an olive branch, are you willing to leave here?" Xia Huaile's fingers trembled slightly as he gripped the steering wheel, and he said firmly, "Let's go! But the reality is cruel. Such companies will not pay a huge penalty for me, because they know that I am not worth it." Xia Zhuozhuo raised a mysterious smile at the corner of his mouth, as if he saw the dawn of the future: "But I always feel that your good luck is coming." Xia Huaile smiled and shook her head, but did not answer. But Xia Zhuozhuo's sixth sense was extremely firm, and she believed in her intuition. Chatting all the way, they soon arrived at the shooting site. When the agent He Xidong saw Xia Huaile's figure, his brows instantly locked into a Sichuan character. "Why are you so late?" His tone was filled with reproach and dissatisfaction. Xia Huaile glanced at his watch and said innocently, "You told me to come at nine o'clock, but it's only eight fifty now." "Shouldn't you arrive earlier? Li Qiao and the others are all here, and you..." He Xidong's words were filled with sarcasm and disdain. Xia Huaile felt a surge of anger when he heard this. But he knew that confronting this agent head-on would only make him more passive. So he took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, bowed his head and apologized, "I'm sorry, Brother Dong. I'll arrive earlier next time." However, He Xidong stopped there. He pointed at Xia Huaile's nose and cursed, "If apologies are useful, what do we need the police for? What about next time? If I hadn't fought for you this time, you wouldn't even be qualified to participate in the filming! You don't know any rules, no wonder you've been a bitch for so many years!" He Xidong's curses echoed in the studio, but everyone seemed to be accustomed to it, and no one looked at him. Xia Huaile clenched his fists, his nails deeply embedded in his palms, but he remained calm and restrained. At this moment, a slender and powerful hand suddenly grabbed He Xidong's finger that was pointing at Xia Huaile's nose. He Xidong subconsciously wanted to pull back his hand, but found that the other party's strength was surprisingly great, and his fingers were tightly grasped, causing unbearable pain. He looked at the owner of the hand fiercely, and saw a beautiful face in his eyes. It was a small face the size of a palm, with delicate features like a carefully crafted work of art, a beautiful face that was born to be suitable for the big screen. However, the next second he heard Xia Huaile standing behind the girl and whispered a reminder: "Seventh sister, let him go,..." "Seventh sister?" He Xidong's face was instantly filled with disgust, "Xia Huaile! Take care of your sister! Let her let go of my hand immediately!" Before Xia Huaile could speak, Xia Zhuozhuo had already let go of He Xidong's fingers. She took out a disinfectant wipe from her pocket and wiped her hands carefully, as if He Xidong's fingers were covered with disgusting dirt. This action undoubtedly completely angered He Xidong. He glared and shouted: "Xia Huaile! If you don't want to do it, get out! Bringing such an uneducated thing to the shooting site, do you want to die?" Hearing the agent insulting his sister, Xia Huaile's face instantly became gloomy. He stepped forward and stood in front of Xia Zhuozhuo, saying in a cold tone: "Please apologize to my sister! She is not your subordinate, you have no right to say that to her." He Xidong laughed angrily when he heard this: "Ha! Good! Xia Huaile! You are so strong, right? Give it to me now..." Just then, a man suddenly ran to He Xidong and whispered a few words in his ear. He Xidong's face changed instantly. He suppressed his anger and said to Xia Huaile: "You are lucky today! Someone from above came and started shooting in a hurry! Hurry up and go to the dressing room to put on makeup! If it happens again, you won't get any notices!" Xia Huaile was secretly glad when he heard this. He knew that this was a great opportunity for him to get out of trouble. So he turned and walked towards the dressing room, and swore in his heart: I must seize this opportunity and prove my worth with my strength. Xia Zhuozhuo stood in place, looking at Xia Huaile's back with a firm gaze. She knew that her third brother was a man with dreams and principles. She believed that as long as he was given a chance, he would be able to make a place of his own in the entertainment industry. At the same time, He Xidong looked at Xia Zhuozhuo's beautiful face, and an inexplicable throbbing surged in his heart. But he quickly suppressed this inappropriate emotion and turned away. He knew that in this entertainment industry full of competition and temptation, only by staying sober and rational can he go further... Xia Huaile did not compromise this time. His eyes were like torches, and he said word by word: "Apologize!" He Xidong was furious and was about to explode. The man beside him whispered to dissuade him: "Brother Dong, the overall situation is more important. It is not appropriate to make enemies at this moment. It will not be too late to settle accounts with him after the filming is over." After that, he signaled with his eyes, indicating that the situation was serious, and He Xidong had to suppress his anger.