Who Needs a CEO? I Choose Stardom

Ni Guangli had arrived quietly, and he left just as quietly. He sped off in his new Maserati, carrying his daughter’s promise to publish an art book and a collection of essays, in such a hurry he looked like a dog was on his tail.

Ni Bingyan headed to the set of Rainy Days with an Umbrella at four in the morning. They were filming the sunrise scene with Wen Qing and Gu Feng that day, so she naturally couldn’t see him off.

The night before, he had told her he was returning to Rongcheng City. Ni Bingyan couldn’t persuade him to stay, and since she was so busy with work, she didn’t insist.

She offered to ask Sang Yuan to give him a ride, but Ni Guangli flatly refused.

”Tomorrow isn’t the weekend. Doesn’t Little Sang have to work? I’m not some helpless old man in his seventies or eighties who can’t do anything by himself. Besides, didn’t you say you were still thinking things over? It wouldn’t be right to trouble him.”

’She wouldn’t feel at ease with anyone else. Besides, she often helped Sang Yuan out. Asking him to give her dad a ride to the airport was hardly a huge favor. There was no need to be so particular about it.’

Ni Bingyan tried to persuade him again, but he shut her down with a single sentence.

”Physically? I’m in better shape than a lot of those young guys who stay up all night playing video games! I got here by myself, didn’t I? It’s only a ten-minute-something drive to the airport. I’ll step on the gas and be there in no time. Stop chattering and go to bed! You have to be out the door at four!”

’Thinking about how this stubborn old man could still go clubbing, Ni Bingyan obediently went upstairs.’

Filming a sunrise for a movie or TV show is notoriously difficult.

For one, weather forecasts aren’t always reliable. For another, with such a large crew, getting everyone ready on time is a challenge. And finally, the sunrise itself is fleeting, and there’s no guarantee the actors won’t mess up a take.

The crew of dozens had been preparing for today’s scene for a long time. Ni Bingyan had no idea if anyone else would slip up, but she absolutely refused to be the one to make a mistake.

To be at her best and ensure she made it to the set on time, she knew she had to get to bed early.

She hadn’t gotten home from the auction until almost ten. By the time she and her father were done talking, a glance at the clock showed it was already ten-thirty.

Ni Bingyan quickly washed up, set her alarm, and turned off the lights to sleep.

But when she got up at three-thirty and went downstairs, she saw a warm light in the kitchen. Her dad was inside, busying himself quietly.

’Ever since she’d had a father, he would never let her leave the house on an empty stomach if he was there.’

’Pouring his deep affection into the warm food and watching her eat her fill with a blissful look on her face—that was probably what warmed her father’s heart the most.’

Ni Bingyan stood at the foot of the stairs, her throat tight and her eyes brimming with tears. For a moment, she was speechless.

Hearing the noise, Ni Guangli turned around. When he saw her standing there, gawking at him with a silly look on her face as her eyes threatened to spill over, he couldn’t help but laugh.

”Oh, you silly girl, you’re a grown woman! Still crying at the drop of a hat. I’ll come see you again when I have time! It’s so easy to travel now; it’s not like I’m far away!”

Ni Bingyan sniffled, embarrassed.

’A person who’s been dying of thirst in the desert finally spots an oasis. As they get closer, they feel the damp air on their face and realize it’s not a mirage—it’s real. Wouldn’t even someone with a heart of stone break down and cry?’

’Her father’s presence filled an empty space in her soul. To her, he was like an oasis in the desert. It was only natural to be moved to tears.’

She wasn’t embarrassed in the slightest. She ran over, reaching to lift the pot lid. ”Dad, what delicious thing are you making?”

Ni Guangli swatted her hand away. ”Go get the bowls and chopsticks. It’ll be another two minutes.”

After getting the bowls and chopsticks, Ni Bingyan craned her neck to look again, sniffling as she peered into the pot. Ni Guangli watched her, amused.

”What delicacies haven’t you tried growing up? Is there any need to be so dramatic?”

”Dramatic? What’s so dramatic about it? Food is the most important thing in life! Got it?”

”Alright, alright, bring the bowl over.”

Ni Guangli took the bowl and filled it to the brim for her. Not minding the large portion, Ni Bingyan carried it to the table before going back to serve her dad.

Seeing how much was left in the pot, she started planning aloud,

”I’ll put the rest in a thermos and take it to the set. After we finish the morning shoot, I’ll have a bowl and then catch up on sleep in the car.”

”Good thinking. You’re very practical.”

Her father nodded in approval, a wave of warmth spreading through his heart.

’The praise of every food critic in the world couldn’t compare to the joy of his own daughter loving his cooking.’

’And seeing her unwilling to let even the leftovers go to waste filled him with delight.’

As the father and daughter sat across from each other eating, Ni Bingyan took a bite of a fish fillet and immediately knew something was off.