1.26
To be honest, Su's mother had some reservations about Yin Yin. She didn't expect her daughter-in-law to be perfect; she simply hoped that Yin Yin would create a home for herself and be there for her son and grandson.
Father Su sighed slightly and turned away, unable to hide his disappointment.
Yin Yin felt a pang of guilt seeing their reactions, but she understood how deeply Father Su and Mother Su cared for their son.
"I understand. I deserve any criticism you have. I've neglected them over the years and realize my mistake. I love Su Mo and Dudu, and I promise to treat them well from now on."
After hearing Yin Yin's assurances, Mother Su wiped her tears away with a tissue, finally calming down. She sighed, "I hope you truly mean it."
"Dad, Mom, I came back to let you know in advance. After the New Year, Su Mo and I will be publicly together. I won't let Su Mo hide our relationship anymore. Dudu should also live openly."
Yin Yin detailed the plans to go public and mentioned that they would be holding a wedding.
The three of them talked for about an hour before leaving the study. As they were about to depart, Su's mother grasped Yin Yin's hand and pleaded, "Yin Yin, you must take good care of Xiao Mo. He can't handle any more pain. And Dudu deserves a complete family."
Yin Yin embraced Su's mother and promised firmly, "Mom, I will."
Su Mo had been anxiously waiting outside. When he saw Yin Yin and Su's mother emerging from the study, he immediately checked on her. Relieved to see that she was alright, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders.
Mother Su shot him an irritated look. "What, are you afraid we're going to eat your wife?"
Su Mo blinked in surprise, then blushed with embarrassment. "Mom, that's not what I meant."
Su's mother huffed, well aware of her son's anxious nature. However, seeing that the situation between Yin Yin and Su's mother had clearly improved, Su Mo felt a lot better.
This year, Yin Yin's family of three celebrated the New Year with Su's parents, and the atmosphere was warm and joyful.
Meanwhile, Director Xu's situation was less pleasant.
"Director Xu, Lin Yuan says his schedule conflicts and he can't attend," the assistant reported with a grim expression.
"Hmph, he's just making excuses because he doesn't think there's enough buzz. He doesn't want to come," Director Xu retorted, seeing through Lin Yuan's reasons but feeling powerless.
"Director Xu, perhaps we should consider increasing Zhenzhen's salary," another person suggested as they entered the room.
Director Xu shrugged and replied, "Do you think I have the authority to do that?"
The room fell silent, and the assistant hesitantly suggested, "Why don't we…"
Before finishing, Director Xu cut him off with a scowl, "I'd rather eat dirt than work with Yang Cai. It's repulsive."
The assistant frowned. "But Director Xu, not many people are willing to join our show."
Director Xu sighed heavily, filling the room with a sense of despair.
When it came to local TV stations, Strawberry TV stood out—not for its excellence but for its dire financial situation. With insufficient funds, lack of prominent guests, and poor program production, the station's fortunes had dwindled. A year ago, Director Xu, who had just graduated from the directing department, joined Strawberry Channel.
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When Director Xu joined Strawberry TV, he launched a love show that briefly brought the station some fame and rekindled hope among the station leaders.
Ambitious and capable, Director Xu aimed to expand and elevate the show, but his plans were thwarted when Yang Cai, a relative of the station's director, was appointed to take over. Yang Cai's promotion meant Director Xu would be demoted to assistant director.
How could Director Xu accept this? Yang Cai was a complete failure, relying solely on his family connections to make decisions and mismanaging the program. Worse, the director diverted most of the already limited funds to Yang Cai's projects.
Infuriated, Director Xu quit the dating show and decided to create his own program—a live family interactive show. The format involved broadcasting live from the homes of five guest families across six episodes.
Director Xu had envisioned this show before taking on the dating show and was confident in its potential. The live format offered a more authentic experience and minimized the risk of staged performances and deceit. Additionally, fans were eager to glimpse their idols' private lives, making the concept promising.
However, despite his enthusiasm, no one else at Strawberry Channel shared his optimism. With most funds already allocated to Yang Cai's program, Director Xu's show lacked financial support.
Refusing to give up, Director Xu invested his remaining funds into the new project. Unfortunately, the meager budget and the station's lack of prestige made it nearly impossible to attract top-tier celebrities, and even second- and third-tier stars were hard to secure.
Desperately needing a high-profile guest, Director Xu recognized the challenge as nearly impossible. As he sat, pondering his thinning hair and the dreadful year he'd endured, the phone rang.
"A Bing, answer that, please," Director Xu said wearily.
Assistant A Bing picked up the phone: "Hello?"
After a moment of listening, A Bing's eyes widened in shock, and his voice was filled with excitement. "You're kidding, right? Okay, I'll have the director speak to you right away."
A Bing hurried over to Director Xu, shaking his arm eagerly. "Director Xu, it's Agent Shen from Shenghuang Entertainment. He's calling to invite actress Yin Yin to join our show!"
Director Xu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them and sighed. "A Bing, don't tease me. We're in no position to invite guests right now. Besides, how could Agent Shen reach out to us directly, and why would someone like Queen Yin participate in our show? Our show is a family interactive program, which typically features a family of three and a child. Everyone knows Queen Yin is single. So how could she possibly fit into our concept? If you're joking, at least make it believable."
(End of this chapter)