Chapter 14: Everyone Goes Their Separate Ways

After Qin Hongfei returned home, she could no longer reach Qin Fei. Qin Fei was just a background actress, without an agency or an assistant. She did, however, have a girlfriend who had gone with her, but several calls to the friend's place went unanswered.

Their mother grew anxious at once. "Do you think your sister might be in despair?"

Even if Qin Fei wasn’t despairing, her mood was certainly unlikely to be good. Qin Hongfei said, "Mom, I’ll go to the film studio to check things out."

Her mother agreed; there was little else to be done. She handed over a small piece of paper. "This is the address where your sister's friend lives. If you can’t find your sister, look for her there."

Qin Hongfei nodded and tucked away the note.

Just as she resolved to head to the film studio, her grandmother called her over to say that her uncle and aunt planned to visit Qin Wanwan at the film studio and asked if she wanted to join them.

Qin Hongfei replied, "I was just planning to go as well."

Her grandmother, not catching her true intention, simply thought she was happy to join the fifth branch of the family, and said, "If you’re going, don’t let your mother know, or she’ll go off the deep end again. Your mother may be childish, but you should know better. Since your uncle and aunt are willing to take you along, behave yourself on the way and don’t cause any trouble."

Qin Hongfei realized her grandmother had misunderstood, but said nothing more.

Whether she went alone or with others, it made no difference to her.

Her grandmother gave her the meeting time and place. By coincidence, their tickets were for the same departure.

The next morning, Qin Hongfei declined her mother’s offer to see her off, and went alone to the station. Her uncle and aunt were already there, along with a relative who was familiar with the film studio and had come back to relay news. They were chatting animatedly.

"Uncle, Aunt, Mrs. Qin," Qin Hongfei greeted them. Her aunt, still resentful toward the main branch because her daughter had nearly been implicated, pretended not to hear her.

The relative, knowing her aunt disliked the main branch, wasn’t about to risk offending her. After all, one side were teachers and doctors, the other just an appliance repairman—anyone could see which side had a brighter future. Eager to curry favor, the relative remarked, "Xiao Qin, your mother really is something else. Why don’t you and your siblings ever talk some sense into her? It’s a good thing your aunt’s family is so generous and doesn’t hold it against you... Look, your sister’s in trouble and they’re still willing to help you. Otherwise, how could someone your age travel so far? Where would you find such good relatives? When you get home, you should have a good talk with your mother."

"Aunt, you make some fair points..." Qin Hongfei said dryly. "So why not say them to my mother yourself?" In the end, people always picked the easy targets. Unfortunately for them, she was not so easily pushed around.

The relative’s face stiffened. Trying to praise the fifth branch to her mother’s face would only earn them a tongue-lashing. With a sour look, the relative muttered, "Your aunt is only thinking of you and your sister’s good. Take it or leave it."

Her aunt quickly soothed the situation. "Don’t fuss with a child. You know what her mother’s like—she’s never taught her properly. Hongfei, since your mother hasn’t taught you, as your elder, I can’t just stand by. Your old aunt is kindly taking us to the film studio to find your sister, and says a few words to teach you—what’s wrong with that? If you’re so ungrateful, don’t follow us when we get there." She thought that by saying this, Qin Hongfei would bow her head and apologize.

However...

Qin Hongfei glanced at the bus that had just arrived and said with complete indifference, "Alright then. We’ll simply go our separate ways."