Chapter 7: Practice

As the week passed and Jiang Xi spent time with her new family, she learned a bit about Luna and Li Chen's habits. For example, Luna, who's real named is Li Ming Yue, is actually a night owl. It's very hard to get her to go to bed normally, which was probably the reason why Dong Feng had told them to go to bed early the day she first went to get Luna. Also, whenever she's acting cute or wants something, she would refer to herself in third person.

As for Li Chen, Jiang Xi did not interact with him much due to his busy schedule, but the man is probably the reason Luna has such poor dietary. Unless forced to, Li Chen usually will not sit down and have a proper meal due to how full his work is, which surprised Jiang Xi and she wondered if he had any time for himself or Luna. However, Luna said that she doesn't mind seeing her father only in the morning and evening and having him to herself for only about once a month, unless he's required to be on set, which would then become video calls at night.

Also, Jiang Xi found that her husband is a silent man. He often does not talk unless you talked to him first, opting to observing before speaking, something that Luna also inherited. As for temperament, Jiang Xi thinks that the reason why he was nicknamed a gentleman is due to the constant smile he kept on his face. To outsiders, it may seem that he always keeps a warm smile, but Jiang Xi is beginning to figure out the slight differences in the way his lips are curved, and his eyes are bent, revealing his real emotions during certain situations.

Also, Jiang Xi had told Li Chen that she planned to go to college and study acting because she wanted to enter the entertainment industry, to which Li Chen asked her why she wants to become an actress. Jiang Xi replied that she wanted to revenge Yu Xiang, which caused Li Chen to be dissatisfied with her for the first time. He told her that he is against her entering the entertainment industry and would rather she be a housewife if her reason for entering is revenge. However, later that day, he threw her a script and told her to pick a role and he will return to test her on her acting skills later.

The script he gave her was a famous classic that everyone in the country knew and loved, My Fair Princess. Jiang Xi loved this drama; it was one of the few that she got to watch growing up. At first, she was debating between two roles, the first female lead Xiao Yan Xi and the foreign princess Sai Ya, as both were in line with her cheerful character. She went back and forth between the two roles before settling with an ambitious role, Xiao Yan Xi.

When Li Chen returned that night, Jiang Xi acted out the part of Xiao Yan Xi running away from the palace because she felt that she was not cut out for the life of a princess.

Li Chen asked her why she choose this role and Jiang Xi had honestly answered that it was because she liked Xiao Yan Xi as a child and because she felt that they connect with each other the most.

Hearing her reply, Li Chen then asked her to tell him what kind of person she thinks Xiao Yan Xi is.

Jiang Xi answered, "Xiao Yan Xi is a cheerful girl who hates injustice. She's the type that everyone loves to be around."

"Naturally," said Li Chen. "She is a female lead. Anything else?"

Jiang Xi was silent as she tried to recall Xiao Yan Xi's personality.

Seeing her silent, Li Chen said, "As an orphan, Xiao Yan Xi loves money and her family. She's willing to do anything for them, but at the same time, values her life a lot too. Growing up unrestrained, she hates the rule and only follows her heart's desires, so she can be seen as stubborn and unyielding."

It seemed that Jiang Xi had forgotten about these facts.

"If you see Xiao Yan Xi as only that, then you won't be able to play her to the fullest," said Li Chen, looking at the other script. "Let's switch from a cheerful girl to a jealous and obsessive Empress."

"Hah?"

"Play the Empress," said Li Chen.

"That… May I see the script?"

"No," Li Chen denied her. "Let's improvise. I told you to play the jealous and obsessive Empress. Act out that scene. Think of the scenario yourself."

And so, Jiang Xi came up with a scenario herself and tried to express the role of the Empress being jealous of the newly favored concubine. In her act, she even used Li Chen as Emperor. In the end, Li Chen's evaluation was that she is able to obtain a role, but if he was the director, the only role he would offer her would be a maid, because a maid is not a well round character with the possibility of being real nor do they get much screen time.

This made Jiang Xi really sad but talking with Luna led her to understand Li Chen's thinking. It seemed that the reason by he doesn't like her performance is because he only saw her ambitions for revenge and not her love and appreciation for the role she plays. Luna commented that, as a bystander, she liked Jiang Xi's performance, but some of the feelings that Jiang Xi's characters gave off felt lacking, showing that her ambition will get her far, but without understanding and love and appreciation for the role, it won't feel real.

Once she understood this, Jiang Xi found Li Chen in their room and told him that she will try harder to understand her role and bring them to life and hope that he would help her. To her surprise, he gave her the date of the audition for a movie called Blood Moon, and assigned her the homework of playing a chatty aunt next door who always want to meddle into other's affairs.

Li Chen also told Jiang Xi that he doesn't mind her wanting revenge, but he also hopes that she will love her job as an actor, because he's worried that when she encounters the darkness of the entertainment circle, she might not be able to handle it. Also, as long as she can become a well-rounded actor and leave her comfort zone, even if black materials emerge, loyal fans will protect her and let her stand strong in this world of shadows.

Due to the homework she was assigned, Jiang Xi found herself a lot more meddling at work, which annoyed the chef, who was her boss, a bit. However, because the waitress job that Jiang Xi got with the old couple was the longest job she had and because they knew her situation the best, the chef and his wife, along with their regular customers, helped Jiang Xi out quite a bit.

Today is a Saturday and Jiang Xi was temporary relieved her her role as a meddling and chatty aunt for a bit. To take better care of Luna, Jiang Xi resigned from two of her jobs, keeping only her waitressing job and asked for the schedule to change from night to day, specifically the hours when Luna is in school.

After breakfast, while Jiang Xi was styling Luna's hair, Li Chen suddenly handed her a black card and said that he will meet them at Xing Yuan Pavilion at 6, confusing Jiang Xi, but Luna seemed to understand him as she took the card and Li Chen kissed both girls, Luna on the head, before leaving for work.

"Mama, don't look shock," said Luna, putting the black card on the table. "Papa wants us to go shopping today and have dinner together outside."

"Is today a special day?" Jiang Xi questioned, finishing up on Luna bread by pinning two flower tassel hair clips on both sides of Luna's hair to complete her qi lolita dress.

Luna turned toward Jiang Xi and said, "In a way, yes. But not entirely." She stood from the chair. "Mama, I usually go out with Clara-jie-jie. Would it be alright to bring her along this time as well?"

It seemed that Li Chen was right when he said that Luna is very fond of Clara. It was most likely that, due to being a single parent and with his own work that required him to be away for weeks, if not months, Luna always stayed with Clara and really considered the girl her own older sister and Grandfather Bao hers as well.

Jiang Xi smiled. "Of course," she answered.

And with that, Luna happily found her phone and called Clara out.

Having taken care of Luna for a week, Jiang Xi had noticed Luna's dressing style. Luna usually does not like to wear jeans and her closet is filled with Lolita clothing. After she returned from school, Luna would either change into a short skirt and a cotton shirt, sometimes with a ribbon tied around the collar, a light Lolita dress, or Qing dynasty commoner clothes.

Once the call ended, Luna turned to Jiang Xi and said, "Does mama want to change, or shall we leave now?"

Jiang Xi looked down at what she was wearing and found nothing wrong, so went to get her purse and the two left with Yun Jing.