My Wife Is a Superstar
Chapter 922

Chapter 922 A Miser

After ending the conversation with Cheng Xiangyun, Ning Ran sat in a daze for a long time,seemingly unable to grasp the situation.

Did the film really become a huge hit? Did it really gross over one hundred million at the box officeovernight? Did I really have fans forming a fan club for me?

Ning Ran pinched her own thigh with all her might at that thought. “Ouch!” It was so painful that agroan escaped her lips.

Coincidentally, Nan Chen stepped inside. “What are you doing?” The man shot her a doubtful gaze.“My skin's itchy!” replied Ning Ran ever so casually.

"Oh, really? Do you want me to scratch it a little for you?”

Ning Ran hurriedly waved her hands at that. “There's no need for that! I'm okay already. Thank youfor your concern, Mr. Chen!”

Then came Nan Chen's revelation. “The box office preliminary results are out. The ticket sales didn'tgo that well—only a little over three million. Your film now ranks last on the real-time box officechart.”

"What? Didn't someone say that the ticket sales hit the hundred million mark already?” The womanblanched in astonishment.

“Says who?"

On that note, her heart sank. “Wang Xiaoou, that's who. But didn't the film receive countless positivereviews from the netizens? Why aren't the tickets selling?”

"Whose words do you trust? Wang Xiaoou's or mine?” answered Nan Chen with more questions.Ning Ran was on the verge of tears. Every bit of joy within her was swiftly replaced by sorrow. “I'msorry..."

"What are you apologizing for?”

“Because... Because the box office sales were so bad. I even thought...”

She forced herself to hold back her overwhelming emotions. To be honest, she would be reduced toa sobbing mess at any moment.

It was then that Nan Chen parted his lips and said, “How could a film that grossed one hundred andthree million on the first day of its release be bad?”

Ning Ran looked up in an instant. “What did you just say?”

"I said “one hundred and three million.’ I was only telling you how much in excess the film madeover the hundred million mark a while ago.” The corner of the man's lips quirked, his face inundatedwith nothing but smugness.

“You big meanie!”

Ning Ran lunged at Nan Chen and pounded away at him without reprieve.

The next second, Nan Chen yanked the woman's body into his embrace and hugged her tightly.“Who would have known that you were so gullible?” he whispered a gentle tease in her ear with hismagnetic voice.

"You must be a total nut job. Why must you trick me like that? I was so thrilled, and you just had tothrow cold water on me. I almost broke down in tears because of that!"

Nan Chen was all smiles. “Silly, you. I've told you before—a movie that amazing would never flop.You simply didn't want to take my word for it. By the way, Wang Xiaoou must've already informedyou that the company has organized a celebration party, right? The Big Screen Journal would like tohave a half-hour exclusive interview with you prior to the celebration party, so you've got to dollyourself up. They're one of the critically acclaimed magazines in the local industry and have beenrunning their social media account pretty well. They're rather influential if you ask me. Beingfeatured on the cover of their magazine will signify a foothold in the film industry.”

“I'm not going to show up,” Ning Ran declined outright.

"Why not? So many actors out there would die to be on their magazine's cover. Even money can'tbuy them such an opportunity. To think that you're just going to throw it all away.” To say that NanChen was shocked would be an understatement.

Ning Ran covered her tummy and wailed, “I can't go because my stomach hurts. I need to go see adoctor.”

“That sounds serious! Why didn't you say anything sooner? Come, I'll take you to the hospital!”Wasting no more time, Nan Chen carried Ning Ran and bolted outside.

The latter wrapped her arms around the man's neck, indulging herself in the familiar scent exudingfrom his body.

“I didn't realize you were also this easy to deceive, Mr. Chen,” she muttered.

Nan Chen faltered in his steps. It finally dawned upon him that he had been played like a fiddle.Wheeling around, he brought the woman in his arms back to the bedroom and pressed her ontothe bed. “How dare you be so cheeky!”

"Hahaha! S-Stop it..."

While the door to the bedroom was left wide open, the couple continued to fool around when avoice rang out. “Mommy, what are you two doing?”

It was Erbao. She barged into her mother's bedroom upon hearing the loud commotion.Fortunately, the adults were merely frolicking with each other, not doing anything too carnal.

Still, it was kind of awkward in a sense.

Nan Chen was the first to utter in a serious tone, “Your mommy's having a headache, so I'm givingher a massage session.”

“Is that so? But why did I hear her laughing? What's so funny about having a headache?”Puzzlement was written all over Erbao’s face.

The man quickly explained, “Her head must hurt so much that she's starting to act silly and laugh onher own.”

"Oh?" The little girl became all the more confused.

“Don't listen to your daddy's nonsense, Erbao. I'm laughing because I'm happy that our film has hitthe hundred million mark!” Ning Ran was in seventh heaven when she dropped those words.Erbao, however, could not make sense of what her mother had just told her. “What does “hit thehundred million mark’ mean?”

“It means the ticket sales were very high, and the film made tons of money!” Ning Ran did nothesitate to return a response.

Erbao’s eyes sparkled. “Doesn't that also mean we now have lots of money to get some yummyfood?”

Nan Chen secretly heaved a sigh. Even if we didn't manage to sell a single ticket, I'd still have morethan enough fortune to feed you all the delicious food in the world for the rest of your life, silly girl.It broke his heart to see his daughter's eyes shining with glee in regard to wealth. To harbor such athirst for money, Erbao must have been left scarred by the abject poverty back in the days whenNing Ran was the only person she could rely on.

Kids her age would normally be unaware of what money could bring, much less be intrigued by themention of it.

Speaking of which, no children would deem money of any importance, for their parents couldprovide for them.

On the contrary, life had not been smooth sailing for Erbao, considering the poor financial status ofthe household in the past. Whenever she had the urge to taste good food or have some fun, NingRan would turn her down, only to promise to make it up to her once they had more money to spare.Erbao eventually became a miser, just like her mother. As such, her eyes would light up when itcame to money.

Given the money, it would mean that she could satiate all her heart's desires.

Nan Chen picked the little girl up and asked, “Tell me what you're craving now, and I'll buy it foryou!”

"Hmm... I'm craving for...”

Ironically, Erbao could not offer an answer to that. Truth be told, she had blurted those words outon a whim. She might have thought of various food in her head, yet she found it hard to choosesomething specific.

“The girl was only passing casual remarks about it. You don't have to take it seriously.” A grin wasetched on Ning Ran’s countenance as she spoke.

“Daddy! I want to go to the cinema!”

Erbao had been thinking about Dabao’s words to her from the night before—she would get toenjoy a variety of tasty food should she visit the cinema during the day.

Even though she could not make up her mind about what she wanted to eat just yet, she believedthat she would have the answer once she reached the cinema.

“We can't go to the cinema today. Your mommy and I have some very important work to do. In fact,you can't go anywhere today. If you do, you'll definitely be recognized.”

"Who'd recognize me?” Erbao regarded her father with her large, gleaming eyes.

Her question only served to elicit an elucidation from her mother. “Anybody who goes to themovies will recognize you. All of them love your acting so much that they'll naturally know that it'syou at a glance.”

Ning Ran had spoken nothing but the truth. Erbao’s scenes in the movie had been made intoscreenshots and circulated all over the internet. It was not exaggerating to say that Erbao hadgarnered more fame than Ning Ran.

“What will happen if they do?” Erbao still could not get it.

The adults exchanged glances. Neither of them had any idea how to better explain the matter athand.

That was because even they themselves had no clue about what the consequence might be shouldErbao get pointed out by her fans in public.

“They won't scold me, will they?” asked Erbao, seemingly aggrieved.

As a matter of fact, Ning Ran had often been bombarded with negative comments over the internetby the community, which had misled Erbao into believing that it was the norm for celebrities toreceive criticism

“Most probably not. No one will scold a cute little girl like you,” were Ning Ran's comforting words.Curiosity then got the better of Erbao, compelling her to probe further. “So, what exactly willhappen?”

"Hmm... Maybe they'll take pictures with you or something. No matter what, we shouldn't wanderabout outside for the time being. We'll only be inviting more trouble if we go out now. Let's wait forthe hype to die down a bit before we head to the cinema, all right?” suggested Ning Ran gently.“Then, should I even be going to school today?”

Erbao’s question stumped her parents once more.

Indeed, she had made a point. Since she was not allowed to go to the movies, she wondered if sheshould skip school altogether. From her perspective, her teachers and schoolmates would recognizeher all the same.

“Today's a weekend, so we don't have school,” Dabao chimed in.

Nan Chen and Ning Ran shared a look, both wearing scornful expressions.

How dumb can we possibly get? Isn't it a given that there's no school on weekends? How could wehave let our son point it out?