I really didn't intend to make a living based on my looks.

Jiang Chen didn't hesitate and strode over.

"Get out of my way!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it was chillingly cold.

The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then turned around and looked him up and down.

"Who the hell are you?"

Jiang Chen ignored him, pushed him away, and shielded Mao Xiaotong behind him.

The girl's wrist was gripped so tightly it turned red. She took a half step back, her fingers instinctively grabbing the hem of Jiang Chen's shirt on the back.

"Are you alright?" Jiang Chen asked, turning his head to her. "Did he harass you?"

"Did I harass her?"

The middle-aged man scoffed, "I'm her father! Her biological father! Li Yiyao, tell me, am I not your father?"

Mao Xiaotong peeked out from behind Jiang Chen and said, "I don't know him."

The man's face instantly changed, and he pointed at her, baring his teeth: "Fine, fine, now you have a man backing you up, huh? You think you're all grown up now, huh?"

As he spoke, he charged forward, raising his hand, intending to reach over Jiang Chen and slap Mao Xiaotong's face.

Jiang Chen's eyes lit up.

After practicing martial arts for so many days, it has finally come in handy!

He subconsciously adopted the "White Crane Spreads Its Wings" stance, a move he had practiced with Zhang Zhiyao for half a month. With his waist and stance in harmony, his breath sinking to his dantian, and his arms spread out like crane wings, he looked quite dashing.

Then, "snap!"

They couldn't stop them...

The other person hit Mao Xiaotong's arm...

The scene was extremely awkward at one point...

Jiang Chen: "..."

The pose looks cool, but the startup time is too long...

He glanced back at the red mark on Mao Xiaotong's arm, then at the middle-aged man who was panting heavily and could barely stand, and sighed inwardly.

It would be better to just go up and throw two punches yourself...

The middle-aged man was still cursing and swearing. Jiang Chen frowned and was about to step forward when Mao Xiaotong suddenly reached out and grabbed him.

"Calm down! Teacher Jiang, it's not worth it for you to fight with this scum for my sake!"

She took a few steps forward, stepped out from behind Jiang Chen, and stood in front of the man.

"Leave now, or I'll call the police."

The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then scoffed, "Call the police? I'm your father. What right do the police have to interfere in family matters?"

"You try," Mao Xiaotong said firmly, her voice unusually resolute. "You have a long criminal record, you've been to jail a few times, you know that yourself. When the police come, see who they believe."

The man's expression changed, his lips trembled, and he seemed about to curse, but he didn't utter a word.

"If you keep pestering me, you won't get a single penny from me."

The middle-aged man stood there, his expression changing repeatedly.

He glanced at Mao Xiaotong, then at the 1.85-meter-tall, showy guy behind her, muttered something, and turned to leave.

The footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Mao Xiaotong's tense shoulders relaxed.

She looked down at the red mark on her arm and suddenly burst out laughing.

"Teacher Jiang, your posture just now..."

"Isn't it cool?" Jiang Chen said without changing his expression or feeling embarrassed at all. "I learned it from Zhang Zhiyao."

"It looks pretty, but it seems...not very useful?"

"It worked," Jiang Chen said seriously. "At least it disrupted the operation and prevented you from getting slapped."

Mao Xiaotong fell silent...

No wonder everyone in the crew said he and Yang Mi were a pair of sharp-tongued duo; they truly lived up to their reputation!

She pursed her lips. "Thank you!"

"I wasn't of much help, no need to thank me."

"Thank you anyway. I... I've been wanting to thank you for a long time. Was it your recommendation that I got this opportunity to play Xiangling?"

As she spoke, her voice softened again.

Although she is older than him and debuted earlier, her status is undeniable, so she has to respectfully call him "Teacher Jiang".

Jiang Chen looked at her forced yet earnest expression and suddenly laughed: "So, all you have to do with thanking me is say it?"

Mao Xiaotong blinked, looking bewildered, "Huh? Well... when are you free? I'll treat you to a meal..."

"OK."

"what?"

"I'm free now," Jiang Chen glanced at his watch. "Let's go."

Mao Xiaotong: "..."

"...This...this...now?"

"Otherwise what?" He had already turned and walked towards the alley entrance, glancing back at her. "Didn't you say you'd treat me to dinner? Changed your mind?"

"No...no!" She quickly caught up, jogging a few steps, her low ponytail swinging behind her head.

Who is this person? They were just being polite...

In Hengdian Night Market, Mao Xiaotong led Jiang Chen into an alley and found a Chaozhou-style clay pot porridge restaurant that was still open.

The shop is small, with several clay pots set up at the entrance, bubbling and steaming.

The proprietress recognized her and greeted her with a smile, "Girl, you brought a friend so late tonight?"

"Um, could you please provide a private room?"

"Alright, the innermost part of the second floor, quiet."

The private room was small, with a square table, four plastic chairs, and faded celebrity posters on the wall.

Jiang Chen sat down, glanced at the menu, and looked up at her, asking, "You're treating, you order."

Mao Xiaotong bit her lip, swiping her fingers across the menu, and finally ordered only a pot of shrimp and crab congee and two cold dishes.

"That's all?" Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. "I have a big appetite."

"How about...another serving of salt and pepper mantis shrimp?"

"Let's have a few more beers."

"I don't drink..."

"I'll drink it," Jiang Chen said. "You drink the porridge."

Mao Xiaotong: "..."

She looked down at the table, her fingers unconsciously picking at the plastic edging on the corner of the table.

The tough attitude I had in the alley seemed to dissipate little by little as that man left.

The porridge was served quickly, steaming hot and with a wonderfully fragrant aroma.

Jiang Chen opened a bottle of beer for himself, didn't pour it into a glass, and took a sip directly from the bottle.

"Teacher Jiang..."

"Sister Mao, you're older than me, how can you keep calling me 'teacher'?"

Mao Xiaotong: "..."

"Jiang...Jiang Chen." She said a little awkwardly, "I'm sorry about what happened just now. I made you laugh."

"What joke?"

Jiang Chen picked up a piece of pickled cucumber. "Wasn't my posture cool?"

Mao Xiaotong couldn't help but lower her head and chuckle, her shoulders trembling slightly.

She quickly stopped herself, looked up at him, and asked, "Why...why are you helping me?"

Jiang Chen put down his chopsticks and looked at her.

The dim lighting in the private room made her profile look very soft, but there were faint dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept well for a long time.

"I have wine, do you have a story?"

Mao Xiaotong was taken aback.

"You want to hear it?"

"I'm not that gossipy Yang Zi," Jiang Chen took another sip of his drink, "It's just that some things, if kept inside, will only make things worse."

"If you trust me, you can talk to me."

"It's okay if you don't say anything. Let's drink and eat porridge, then go back and get a good night's sleep."

Mao Xiaotong looked at him, her fingers gripping the spoon tightly.

The private room remained quiet for a long time, with only the faint noise of the night market downstairs.

She looked down at the steaming porridge in the bowl and suddenly whispered, "That person... is indeed my father."

Jiang Chen didn't speak, he just looked at her.