Jiang Li looked up at Sheng Shuocheng. From his eyes, she could tell that he wasn't really angry. So she gave a very playful laugh and said, "I can't repay a big favor, and I don't need to repay a small one."
"You really have a lot of tricks up your sleeve," Sheng Shuocheng raised his eyebrows and laughed heartily. "What if I were to hold you accountable for this small favor? How would you deal with it then?"
Jiang Li blurted out, "Then I'll just repay it. It won't cost me a thing. But you should think about whether it will harm your reputation."
Sheng Shuocheng was both amused and exasperated by her. "I really don't know what to do with you."
She always knew when to advance and when to retreat, and she measured her actions just right. She didn't rely on him as a backer; instead, it was more like she was acting coquettishly in front of him. She had a good sense of propriety.
After having dinner there, Sheng Shuocheng suddenly brought up the matter of her last live - broadcast and asked how she was doing now.
"It hasn't had much of an impact. I've got it under control," she replied.
"Do you want me to find a doctor for you?" Sheng Shuocheng asked.
Jiang Li raised her glass and declined. "No, it's just a psychological block. Once I figure it out in my mind, it'll be fine. Thank you for your concern."
Seeing that she clearly didn't want to talk more about it, Sheng Shuocheng lowered his eyes and glanced at her, hinting, "Little girl, a heart - ailment is the hardest to cure."
Jiang Li smiled. "A heart - ailment has to be cured with the heart. Others can't help."
She knew exactly where the root of her problem lay, so she didn't need others to say more.
Seeing that she had a plan, Sheng Shuocheng didn't force her. He just said that if she needed anything, she could come to him.
Jiang Li asked, "Is this a big favor or a small one?"
She was obviously still calculating about what had just happened and deliberately teasing him.
Sheng Shuocheng could tell. He couldn't help laughing. After he stopped laughing, he said, "Let's count it as friendship between us."
Jiang Li pretended to suddenly understand. "Then we're like friends regardless of age difference."
The atmosphere gradually relaxed. In the middle of the meal, Sheng Shuocheng glanced at his phone and then quietly put it down. He asked her, "A friend of mine wants to come and have dinner with us. Do you mind?"
Jiang Li of course didn't mind. She thought it was just an old acquaintance of General Manager Sheng in Huacheng. He just took the time to meet. If it was really inconvenient, she could just find an excuse to leave later.
Who would have thought that when the door of the room opened again, a familiar face walked in.
Jiang Li felt as if her body was frozen. She was in a daze for a few seconds, thinking she had misseen. "Dr. Qiao... Dr. Qiao?"
Qiao Jinrun waved at her and gave her a gentle smile. "What, aren't you welcome me?"
"Of course not," Jiang Li just felt surprised.
Qiao Jinrun came in and closed the door.
Sheng Shuocheng noticed the surprised look in Jiang Li's eyes and said with a smile, "I had a little problem with my body some time ago. I asked Dr. Qiao to perform a minor operation on me. When we were chatting, we happened to mention you, and he said he knew you."
"Just in time, I'm coming to Huacheng these days, so Dr. Qiao came with me."
Hearing this, a look of worry appeared on Jiang Li's face. "Are you not feeling well?"
"I'm getting old. There's a little lesion in my liver," Sheng Shuocheng pointed to his abdomen and then nodded at Qiao Jinrun with satisfaction. "Fortunately, Dr. Qiao is young and promising, and the operation was done superbly."
"Since you know you're getting old, you should drink less alcohol on weekdays," Jiang Li almost blurted out the advice instinctively. Her tone was full of natural concern and reproach.
Her tone and expression were so sincere that Sheng Shuocheng was taken aback for a moment and then smiled openly.
No wonder people say that daughters are their parents' caring little cotton - padded jackets.
It was a pity that A Zhi didn't leave him a daughter but a troublesome son who only knew how to race cars abroad all day long.
It was time to urge him to come back, Sheng Shuocheng thought.
After dinner, Sheng Shuocheng left first on the pretext of being tired, leaving Qiao Jinrun and Jiang Li to have tea and catch up.
Qiao Jinrun was elegant. His eyes looking at her were still gentle. "How have you been feeling recently?"
"Not bad."
"I'm a doctor. I don't like patients lying."
Seeing that she couldn't hide it, Jiang Li smiled sheepishly. "Okay, I've been a bit depressed recently."
"Depressed enough to announce your condition to the public?" Qiao Jinrun asked her lightly. "Do you know that in psychology, this kind of behavior of yours is no different from self - destruction."
The more people with psychological problems are, the more they want to hide these problems as if they were shameful scars, wishing to hide them as deep as possible.
Once they voluntarily choose to make it public, it means that there are more serious problems with the patient's psychology. This kind of behavior is also a signal to the outside world for help.
"Dr. Qiao, I'm really okay—"
"Jiang Li, I've told you before," Qiao Jinrun looked at her and sighed deeply. "Once there's any problem, contact me immediately."
"Do you not trust me, or do you think I'm not worthy of your trust?"
Jiang Li was stunned.
The explanation in her throat couldn't come out for a long time.
Qiao Jinrun continued, "Even if you don't think I'm worthy of your trust, you still have your agent and your two assistants. Don't you care about them either?"
Rarely, his tone turned a bit cold. "I understand your mentality very well. You just think that you won't trouble them like this. But on the contrary, this kind of thinking of yours will actually make them feel more troubled and harder to handle."
After a long time, Jiang Li lowered her head, her voice weak. "I was wrong."
When she said this, she was like a child who had broken a glass and didn't know what to do, timidly waiting for blame.
Qiao Jinrun took a deep breath. He knew that he had lost his composure. He poured a cup of hot water for Jiang Li. "I'm not blaming you. I was just a bit excited. Don't take it to heart."
He was usually calm and self - controlled, but in front of Jiang Li, he still lost his cool.
Jiang Li shook her head. "... No, I know it's my problem."
She explained quietly, "Some time ago, my mom called me and said she knew I had bipolar disorder, but I've never mentioned it to her."
Qiao Jinrun listened.
"I don't know how this news leaked out, and I don't know how many people know about it. You know I'm an actress. Reputation and fame are the most important things in our industry. A little smear can have endless consequences."
"If I don't admit it myself, and if it's revealed by others, the negative impact on me will be even greater. Instead of having the handle in others' hands and being in a panic when it's exposed, it's better to just say it out openly."
"Maybe the public will still have a good impression of me because of my honest attitude."
This was all her thoughts.
After listening, Qiao Jinrun thought for a moment and then nodded. "Okay, I understand your intention."
Jiang Li let out a sigh of relief, but then he asked, "Then why don't you plan to be an actress anymore?"