12. Kiddo, your mom has won!

Saturday, while the school forum was abuzz with a college entrance exam score, the person in question visited a shopping mall nearby.

Tang Shu's purpose for being there was simple, to watch a movie.

Having decided to live in the trajectory of the original host, she took acting seriously as her career.

For someone who had lived in Damo unhindered for eighteen years, the ancient Tang Shu would definitely not be willing to work an ordinary job after graduation.

"Tang Shu, have you taken your leave from school? The company has booked you a ticket to Yun Province for next Monday, and the Program Team will start shooting next week."

Sister Luo's call came through again, as expected.

Tang Shu retrieved a movie ticket from the self-service machine and bought a box of popcorn.

"I've taken the leave, don't worry, I'll be at the airport on time."

"Good, I'll send you the flight details."

"Alright."

"Oh, 'Happy Together' airs tomorrow night at eight, don't forget to retweet Teacher Pan's post on Weibo to help promote it."

Sister Luo thought about the Weibo account full of trolls, but eventually decided to make the suggestion.

Better than nothing, after all, infamy was a form of fame.

Tang Shu was surprised, then remembered she had recorded an episode, "I'll retweet it tomorrow."

"That's fine, you're busy, the company has picked up some scripts, I'll help you select."

"Thanks."

Having taken the popcorn and cola combo from the service desk lady, Tang Shu queued to have her ticket checked and then entered the theater.

Not far off, a man in casual wear took out a ticket and handed it to the beautiful woman beside him still engrossed in a game.

"Madam Jing, make sure you don't lose your ticket again."

"Is that how you talk to your mother? No wonder you still don't have a girlfriend; with your EQ, I don't expect to see a daughter-in-law's face for years~~"

The woman's black hair cascaded over her shoulders, her figure exceptionally slender; her hands that held the phone screen were carved like white jade, and a solid black duckbill cap on her head concealed her face.

Just from her appearance, one would never guess she had a son in his twenties.

Jing Yu sighed helplessly beside her, regretting not going to work today and letting his father accompany her instead.

"Anything else you need?"

"Uhm—let me finish this round. Isn't there still five minutes till the movie starts? Young people need to be patient."

"..."

Fine then.

Jing Yu, while avoiding the crowded weekend masses, pulled his mother by the sleeve to a resting area and barely sat down when he caught several girls secretly taking pictures of him.

"Ah— he's looking right at me!"

"He's hinting that you should delete the photo, sister, quickly get over your starstruck face!"

"But... it's my first time seeing such a handsome man, what if I don't want to delete the photo?"

The girl's friend nervously chuckled under the sharp gaze of Jing Yu, made a deleting gesture, and only then did Jing Yu look away.

"Phew— this man is not your type, too oppressive."

A few seconds of eye contact had her sweating bullets!

The girl with the phone, under the staring glare of her friend, reluctantly deleted the photo.

"Ah~~ even the chance to fawn over him is taken away; as expected, heartthrobs belong to others."

"I have to say, he's really handsome, but he looks way too rich and posh for our league."

The friend, more rational, pulled her companion into the cinema.

Meanwhile, the phone of the woman opposite Jing Yu blared with a victory message, "Winner, winner, chicken dinner."

"Yay~~ Sonny, your mom won!"

This pair instantly drew curious and questioning glances from the people around.

Jing Yu twitched his mouth, swearing never again to go shopping with his scatterbrained mother.

***

Screen 5, the movie "Blossom Your Beauty."

As the lights in the hall dimmed, the large screen played a few commercials before moving into the main feature.

The movie was about a painter meeting a pianist—an intertwining of romance and warmth, a hybrid of commercial and arthouse cinema.

About ten minutes into the introductory lead-in, the film officially dove into its theme.

An hour later, the movie reached its climax; the female painter and the pianist missed each other again, their figures parting ways, one to the left and the other to the right.

Jing Yu, while accompanying his weepy mother through the story, caught from the corner of his eye the girl sitting next to them spill cola on his black sneakers.

The hand that rested on the cola bottle was pale and slender, and even in the dim light of the cinema, it stood out.

Glancing up from the hand to the girl's face, Jing Yu's gaze inadvertently paused when it landed on her sleeping features.

Eyebrows slightly raised.

It was her.

The woman who bought the monkey doll from Herbal Hall.