The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Anning and Hao Zhicheng talked for a long time, and as they discussed, they finalized some details.

Afterwards, Anning typed up specific competition rules and such.

Hao Zhicheng also called the company’s legal department and asked them to quickly draft a contract and send it over.

By noon, Anning called the kids.

Xiao Yilin was out and not at the company, Qin Xiaocong was out performing with a celebrity, leaving only Yishan and Xiao Meng at the company.

Anning called the two girls over.

Afterwards, Anning and Hao Zhicheng took the two girls out for lunch.

In the afternoon, Xingchen sent over the contract, and Anning and Hao Zhicheng signed it.

Having sealed the deal on the talent show, it was also time for the middle school exam results to be announced.

Anning gave Xiao Cong and the others a holiday, allowing them to stay home and check their scores.

That afternoon, the middle school exam results finally came out.

Anning was still busy at the company when Qin Xiaocong called.

”Mom, guess how many points I scored?”

Anning laughed while looking at documents: ”Over 500, right?”

The middle school exam has a maximum score of 650, so over 500 is already quite good.

Qin Xiaocong was dissatisfied: ”Mom, you underestimate me too much. My sister scored over 690, and you think I only got over 500.”

”You scored over 600?”

Anning was pleased: ”Come on, don’t keep me guessing.”

Qin Xiaocong laughed: ”Six hundred twenty-five.”

”Congratulations!” Anning signed the document and set it aside, finally starting to chat properly with Qin Xiaocong: ”How about your sisters?”

Qin Xiaocong reported: ”Xiao Meng also did well, six hundred thirteen, Yishan, five hundred ninety-seven.”

These scores are excellent; they could certainly get into top high schools.

Anning laughed: ”Good, well done on the exams, I’ll reward you later. Have you called your dad?”

”I did, but he didn’t pick up.”

Qin Xiaocong was a bit worried: ”Where did dad and my elder sister go? Hope nothing’s wrong.”

”They’re probably in some remote place. Try calling again later.” Anning wasn’t too worried: ”By the way, what reward would you like?”

Over the phone, Qin Xiaomeng’s voice came through: ”Mom, mom, my idol is having a concert, I want to go.”

”Okay.”

Anning didn’t oppose the kids following celebrities as long as it didn’t interfere with serious matters; she considered it their freedom.

Xiao Yishan’s voice also chimed in: ”Mom, can I get money as a reward?”

Anning agreed with a laugh and then asked Qin Xiaocong: ”Son, what do you want?”

Qin Xiaocong thought for a moment: ”I want money too.”

Alright then, since they’re all fond of money, it shall be money.

Anning transferred ten thousand yuan to each child, and said to Qin Xiaomeng: ”The concert ticket and support items will come from this ten thousand yuan.”

Qin Xiaomeng was quite happy: ”Okay, thank you, mom.”

After transferring money to the three kids, Anning thought it over and also transferred twenty thousand yuan to Xiao Yilin.

Xiao Yilin was out building connections when her phone suddenly vibrated. She hurriedly checked it only to find Anning had transferred twenty thousand yuan to her, shocking her.

Once she was finished, Xiao Yilin called Anning: ”Mom, why’d you suddenly send me money?”

Anning had completed her work by then, and as she walked out with her phone, she said: ”It’s your pocket money, you’re a young girl, buy a couple of nice outfits in your free time. Also, you and LuLu are both eighteen now, go get a driver’s license when you have a spare moment, and when LuLu is back, I’ll get each of you a car.”

Xiao Yilin was first astonished and then a bit worried: ”Mom, don’t buy a car. We’re still young, besides, we won’t drive it often, why spend on that.”

Anning knew that Xiao Yilin was worried that setting up the company might not leave her with much money.

”Don’t imagine your mom is struggling; I still have money, your dad isn’t just sitting around at home, he’s earning no less than me, and his money is with me. It’s enough to get you cars.”

Xiao Yilin smiled at hearing that: ”Fine, then I’ll choose a good one.”

Meanwhile, Hao Zhicheng managed to finalize cooperation with the TV station, leading to a strong joint publicity campaign by the three parties and launching auditions in various locations.

Anning was busy with company artist training, signing new artists, arranging for artists to attend auditions, and she also visited the Xie Family a few times, asking Xie Zhao for help finding schools for the three kids.

Because these three kids didn’t attend junior high in the Capital, and the exam systems differ between locations, the three kids needed to take a school entrance exam.

Anning was quite busy, so Xie Zhao and Xie Kun volunteered to take the kids to participate in the school’s autonomous admission exams.

The exam results came out the next day, and all three kids did very well.

Xie Zhao found a renowned school in the Capital for the kids, a hundred-year-old institution renowned for its university entrance rates, although it did require high scores, luckily the kids scored ideally, even Yishan exceeded the score line by over ten points.

The results were out, and the happiest was Xie Zhao.

After all, he had used connections to find the school, and poor scores would have embarrassed him, perhaps requiring more effort and money to secure them places. But now, with such good results, Xie Zhao felt quite proud.

He was chatting with the principal when picking up the results and admission notices.

The principal praised Qin Xiaocong as a promising seedling, saying he would be placed in class one, the best class. Qin Xiaomeng would join the same class. Xiao Yishan, however, would be placed in class three due to her scores being less impressive than her siblings’.

Xie Zhao told the principal: ”You don’t know, Yishan is smart. She scored only over 600 in eighth grade and only started studying hard in ninth grade. Once she put in the effort, look, her scores improved. She was held back at home, mind you; had she worked hard from seventh grade, she would surely score over 600. Why not place her in class one? They’re siblings, two already in class one, you wouldn’t want the youngest to feel uncomfortable.”

This made sense.

All three kids came from the same household; if not placed together, it might affect their emotions.

The principal considered for a while: ”We’ll place her in class one for the first semester, assess her performance then. If she’s doing well, she stays; if not, we’ll move her to another class.”

Xie Zhao thanked the principal, collected the admission notices, and shared the news with Anning. Anning treated Xie Zhao to a meal to express gratitude but didn’t mention these details to the kids—just told them their scores were good and handed them their admission notices.

As the school year approached, Xiao Yuan finally came back to the Capital with Xiao Lu.

The duo seemed slimmer, Xiao Yuan already being lean, now looked even more striking, turning heads at the airport.

Xiao Lu, initially with slight baby fat, also grew lean and sharp, sculpted facial lines giving her a different aura—a previously cute girl now exuding a bit of a ”big sister” vibe.

Anning picked them up, and upon arrival, Xiao Lu promptly snuggled into the couch, unwilling to move.

”Mom, you don’t know how crazy Dad was—taking me to the most remote places. I thought I was working while touring, but it was more like wilderness survival, eating and sleeping poorly for over a month. Mom, I want braised pork; I want your cooking; I want noodles; I also want...”

Anning smiled: ”Alright, I’ll cook for you. Go take a shower first, and I’ll make whatever you want.”

Xiao Yuan was also exhausted, lounging on another couch, truly not wanting to move, so Anning urged him: ”Go shower, you’re covered in wilderness scent.”