CHAPTER 191: CHAPTER 191: DESTINY

Mr. Meng helped Tian Xiang select an assistant and settled on one within a few days.

A newly retired lady, tall, lean, from the criminal investigation system, can use a gun and knows some grappling skills.

Her name is Tang Aiqun. Although retired, she came out to work because Mr. Meng personally invited her, respecting his influence, and also because she has six grandchildren to support at home, which is quite a pressure. So, she decided to work a bit to ease the family burden.

Tian Xiang, having heard that Tang Aiqun was once part of the criminal investigation team, felt somewhat respectful.

Tang Aiqun laughed heartily, advising Tian Xiang not to look at her with such admiration; she’s just an ordinary woman, whereas Tian Xiang is a big actress whose TV shows and movies Tang Aiqun has seen and liked a lot.

With Tang Aiqun around, Meng Cheng’an feels more relaxed. On workdays when Tian Xiang has to shoot or perform, Tang Aiqun accompanies her, usually driving Meng Cheng’an’s car.

During the first semester of senior year, Tian Xiang spent about half of her time in classes and the other half filming.

In the second semester, nearly all cultural courses were canceled, leaving them to submit a satisfactory graduation project, marking the end of their four-year college life.

The school also prepared two directions for their graduation class, allowing participation in the school’s theater productions or submission of screen works.

Previously, graduation was based on the big stage standard, but with the film and television industry developing rapidly over the past two years, societal changes are demanding educational reforms.

Also, the school cooperated with a production company, arranging for someone to write a script for an ensemble cast drama, selecting students from several graduation classes to see if they could inspire their potential.

At the start of the semester, Xiao Lei asked Tian Xiang if she’d choose stage drama or screen acting.

Tian Xiang thought for a moment, "I’ll go with the stage drama group."

Having done more filming in the past two years, she’s become somewhat estranged from stage drama and feels she needs to practice seriously.

With graduation approaching, Tian Xiang wanted to perform on the big stage one last time.

Hearing her say she’d pick stage drama, Xiao Lei was very pleased; she had a companion.

However...

"Not many people are choosing stage drama; we might not be able to pull off a big scene. If you choose this side, it’ll benefit Chang Wan; she’ll surely get the lead role."

Although the school’s collaboration with the production company is for an ensemble cast drama, everyone’s screen time couldn’t be the same, with some parts heavier than others, just not too obvious.

Since Chang Wan pushed Pang Meiqi aside to become the lead, she’s taken on starring roles ever since. Although there aren’t many works, just those two, among their graduation classes, apart from Tian Xiang, she’s the most experienced and famous.

Tian Xiang: "No need for some particularly big scene, just properly prepared, and there are plenty of high-quality plays in small theaters."

As for Chang Wan, Tian Xiang didn’t care.

Different paths, personal choices; she’ll do her own thing, not minding what others do.

The two of them left the dorm ready to go to class; there was a class meeting in the evening.

They encountered Teacher Zhang, their headteacher, on the way. He seemed particularly to be waiting for Tian Xiang, stopping her as she passed by.

The headteacher waved Tian Xiang over for a chat, raising her curiosity, then invited her to join the screen group.

Tian Xiang: "Teacher Zhang, I plan to join the stage drama side."

Teacher Zhang chuckled, "Forgot to tell you, the production company demanded your participation by name; you can choose your role."

Tian Xiang quietly asked, "Teacher Zhang, what would happen if I insisted on choosing stage drama?"

Teacher Zhang showed difficulty, "You know the staff and filming equipment are provided by the production company this time, and the school has already agreed to their terms.

Tian Xiang, you can film your part here first, I’ll arrange for the filming group to shoot your segment first. Once you’re done here, continue with the stage drama side. It won’t delay anything, just slightly exhausting."

Okay, she’s still a student now and sometimes has to follow the school’s arrangements.

Tian Xiang thus performed on both sides. To not delay the stage drama rehearsals, she chose a role with relatively fewer lines once she got the script.

After carefully pondering the role, she found herself quite fond of it.

The production company only requested her participation, without a specific role assignment.

When the students from several classes participated in the role selection, Chang Wan was a bit surprised to know Tian Xiang chose a minor role.

Thinking Tian Xiang would compete for the lead role with her, she didn’t expect that Tian Xiang willingly took on a supporting role this time.

While waiting to audition, Chang Wan specially went over to Tian Xiang and asked with some arrogance, "Choosing a minor role, what are you doing? Gone crazy?"

Tian Xiang: "You’re crazy; your whole family’s crazy!"

She didn’t bother talking more to this person, opting to lash back directly.

Tian Xiang didn’t deliberately lower her voice, and with this counter, everyone turned to look.

Chang Wan glared at Tian Xiang.

Tian Xiang: "Why glare at me? Did I dig up your family’s ancestral grave?"

Chang Wan was so angry her lips twitched but couldn’t retort because it was she who initiated the trouble in the first place.

"Tian Xiang, just you wait, I’ll definitely get revenge for what happened back then."

Chang Wan finished speaking and angrily returned to her nearby group.

Tian Xiang rolled her eyes inwardly.

Ever since that incident, Chang Wan blamed Tian Xiang for the grudge.

This is the fate of protagonist and antagonist, unavoidable.

Tian Xiang smoothly got the role she wanted.

She spent a week preparing and then took a week to finish shooting.

The shoot was for two-to-three-episode standalone stories, so she didn’t directly clash with Chang Wan, and both were fine.

Afterwards, Tian Xiang focused all her energy on the stage drama side.

By late March, she received a call from home; her second brother Tian Chenhui was preparing to marry during the May holiday. With the ceremony passed and the date selected, Hu Honglian informed her to return a day earlier.

This is a big event for the Old Tian Family, of course.

After hanging up, Tian Xiang shared this news with Mr. Meng, who was watching TV on the couch.

Mr. Meng: "This is great, it’s just right; I haven’t been back there for two years, I’ll go join the festivity."

Last year, the old man retired, completely handed over his work, attending only national conferences, otherwise watching TV and growing flowers, starting his retirement life.

Just right, the next day was the weekend, Tian Xiang asked Tang Aiqun to drive; she planned to visit the mall to see if there were suitable gifts for her second brother and sister-in-law’s wedding.

Recently, Meng Cheng’an was on a business trip, not in Beijing.

The two went to the largest comprehensive shopping mall in the city, opened just last year; it has five floors with everything from food to daily items.

Nowadays Tian Xiang usually wears a hat and mask when going out.

Though her outfit looked a bit strange, it avoided a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Tian Xiang, with Tang Aiqun, went straight to the fifth-floor import section, where there were fewer people, and the products were more upscale.

She entered a store selling handbags and looked around inside, spotting a black lady’s shoulder bag she liked. As she reached for it, someone from the opposite side had the same interest, and they both grabbed it simultaneously.