Shadow of Chinese Entertainment

Chapter 221 Footprints
The two strolled on the beach, leaving a trail of footprints.

An Xiaoqian looked back at her mother in the distance, and then at the footprints that had been washed away by the sea.

For a moment, it was impossible not to feel a sense of emotion.

Isn't the path of an actor the same?

Isn't the path of life just like that?

How far can I go on the path of acting?

What kind of works will they leave behind?

With a look of longing in her eyes, An Xiaoqian turned to Hu Xiaobei and asked, "Xiaobei, do you think I can become a really good actress in the future?"

Like Audrey Hepburn and Vivien Leigh, they captivated countless viewers with their acting skills and will forever live in everyone's memory.

Hu Xiaobei tilted his head slightly, looking intently at An Xiaoqian, a gentle smile appearing on his lips, and said earnestly, "Of course you can, Xiaoqian. With your talent and hard work, you will definitely achieve your dream."

You should know that in the eyes of the vast majority of Chinese people, these two people are just two foreign actors, two symbols; they do not live in the memory of the Chinese people.

But you're different, Sisi. You just need to quietly be yourself.

Time will prove everything.

Audrey Hepburn and Vivien Leigh are nothing compared to you in the hearts of the Chinese people.

And no matter what difficulties we encounter, I will always be by your side to support you.

Hearing Hu Xiaobei's words, An Xiaoqian felt a warm current well up in her heart, even though he had exaggerated a bit...

She wanted to say that she wasn't that good, but seeing Hu Xiaobei's confident look, she still smiled with satisfaction.

She gripped Hu Xiaobei's hand tightly, patted his shoulder boldly, and deliberately imitated a big boss's manner, saying earnestly, "Brother, your words are like rain after a long drought!"

With your words, I have even more confidence.

If I achieve great success in the future, I will never forget your support, brother. I will share in your glory and wealth!

Hu Xiaobei knew perfectly well that her acting instincts were kicking in again, and she promptly chimed in to cooperate.

He sneered twice and, mimicking the tone of Black Whirlwind Li Kui, shouted, "You thieving bastard, I just spared your life a while ago, and now you're impersonating my brother Gongming again. Do you even recognize your grandfather Li Kui's fists?"

As he spoke, he pretended to reach out and teach her a lesson, his face showing feigned anger. His movements were swift and steady as he reached out and grabbed An Xiaoqian's neck, taking advantage of the situation to subdue her.

Suddenly captured, An Xiaoqian couldn't think of any good lines in her haste, so she could only shrink her neck and stammer, "Tie Niu...Tie Niu, don't be rude, I'm your brother Gongming!"

Hu Xiaobei picked her up and easily carried her over his right shoulder, stabilizing her legs with his right hand. He laughed heartily, "You little rascal, you still dare to talk nonsense. Let's see how I deal with you."

As he spoke, he strode forward, occasionally patting the boy's buttocks with his left hand as a form of punishment.

An Xiaoqian was both embarrassed and annoyed, but after being slapped a few times, her mind suddenly went blank, and her original resistance slowly turned into a blush on the tips of her ears.

She bit her lower lip lightly, and her hands unconsciously patted Hu Xiaobei's buttocks.

But as Hu Xiaobei's hearty laughter echoed in her ears, a different kind of feeling quietly spread in her heart.

An Xiaoqian closed her eyes slightly and stopped struggling. Her cheeks were burning hot, and she gradually fell silent.

She simply rested quietly on his shoulder, letting him carry her forward.

At this moment, time seemed to stand still, with only the sound of each other's heartbeats remaining.

After walking for a while, Hu Xiaobei noticed that she hadn't reacted, so he put her down worriedly to check on her.

An Xiaoqian reacted like a computer that had been turned on, but then let out a soft hum and turned away.

Hu Xiaobei hurriedly moved in front of her, quickly tapping his forehead, chest, left shoulder, and right shoulder in sequence with his right hand. Then, he placed his hands together in front of his chest and solemnly drawled, "May the Heavenly Venerable bestow boundless blessings!"

An Xiaoqian initially turned her head away, not wanting to pay him any attention for the time being.

Hearing this, she couldn't help but turn her head slightly, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Hu Xiaobei's actions. Her lips twitched slightly, as if she was trying to suppress a laugh.

Seeing that he had caught An Xiaoqian's attention, Hu Xiaobei immediately changed his tone and begged for mercy: "Heroine, please spare me! This humble monk will never dare to break the rules again. Or you can slap me back, as many times as you like!"

This time, An Xiaoqian couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing.

Perhaps feeling she had lost her temper, she raised her hand and gently punched Hu Xiaobei's shoulder, scolding him, "You just know how to bully me."

Seeing this, Hu Xiaobei breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the matter was over.

As the sun set, the two walked and chatted, lost in their beautiful dreams for the future.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, An Xiaoqian noticed some colorful seashells scattered on the beach. The dappled sunlight shone on the seashells, reflecting a shimmering light that instantly caught her eye.

She excitedly pointed to the seashells, her eyes sparkling with delight: "Wow, Xiao Bei, look how pretty those seashells are! Let's go pick some up!"

The beach was covered with wet marks left by the receding tide, and a thin film of water covered the surface, making it wet and slippery to walk on.

An Xiaoqian was preoccupied with the beautiful seashells and happily skipped towards them.

However, she was not paying attention and her right foot suddenly slipped forward, causing her to lose her balance and fall uncontrollably to the side.

Upon seeing this, Hu Xiaobei's heart skipped a beat. He rushed over like an arrow and, without hesitation, reached out and steadily supported An Xiaoqian.

The distance between the two instantly closed, and their warm breaths mingled together, as if a unique atmosphere began to permeate the air.

An Xiaoqian's face gradually flushed red, and a hint of panic flashed in her eyes. She couldn't help but recall the scene in the swimming pool that morning, and her heart seemed to race uncontrollably.

Hu Xiaobei was also a little nervous, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily. He met An Xiaoqian's gaze, and both of them were somewhat at a loss.

To be honest, he really didn't intend to pull such a tacky trick, but somehow his body just started acting out of character.

A full few seconds later, they separated tacitly.

An Xiaoqian lowered her head, her hands unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes, her fingers nervously rubbing the fabric.

Perhaps unsure of what to say, she said rather politely in a low voice, "Thank you... thank you, Xiao Bei."

Hu Xiaobei gave an awkward smile, his lips twitching slightly as he replied stiffly, "No...you're welcome. I'm glad you're alright."

Although they both felt it was strange, they also felt it was for the best.

It wasn't until quite a while later that the two of them regained their composure, continued chatting, and started looking for pretty seashells.

But their heartbeats seemed to have become a little out of rhythm.

Just then, Liu Xiaoli finally caught up with the main group.

When An Xiaoqian saw her mother, her eyes lit up. She quickly held up the seashell in her hand and proudly showed it to Liu Xiaoli: "Mom, look at the seashell I found, isn't it pretty?"

Liu Xiaoli looked her over carefully for a while, a gentle smile on her face, and nodded slightly: "Yes, very beautiful. Qianqian has such good taste."

An Xiaoqian laughed happily, then took Liu Xiaoli's hand and shook it gently: "Mom, let's find some more seashells together, we can make them into pretty decorations when we get back."

Liu Xiaoli smiled and agreed, "Okay, let's look together, maybe we can find an even prettier one."

So the three of them walked and chatted on the beach, occasionally bending down to pick up some pretty seashells, the afterglow of the setting sun casting long shadows of them.

(End of this chapter)