Chapter 99: Settling In
The child hesitated for a moment before cautiously nodding.
Xie Ran asked, “Can you sing a few lines for me?”
The child turned to see Xu Youyou giving her an encouraging look. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and began to sing.
“Walking along the country path…”
She didn’t know many songs—this was one that her music teacher had taught at school.
It was a familiar folk song, but the child’s ethereal and beautiful voice instantly drew everyone in. It was as if she had transported them to a picturesque countryside filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers.
Everyone present, except for her younger sister, was stunned.
Xu Youyou had already noticed that the child had a lovely voice, like a nightingale, but she hadn’t expected her singing to be just as mesmerizing.
As the song ended, Xu Youyou was the first to applaud.
“Just as I expected,” Xie Ran said with a smile.
Xu Youyou finally understood why the system had valued this child so much. Even without any training, her voice had the power to move people. She had just gained a top-tier singer for her company.
Xie Ran, still impressed, turned to her and said, “Boss, you truly have an eye for talent.”
Xu Youyou straightened her back proudly. Though she hadn’t initially known about the child’s singing talent, after being betrayed by Liu Ye last time, bringing this girl into her company now felt like redemption.
However, the biggest issue remained—the child’s identity documents.
Both girls were too young. According to national law, even if they were to enter the entertainment industry, they would need a legal guardian present.
But their legal guardian was their father—a gambling addict who would likely try to exploit them the moment he smelled money. Letting him stay involved in their lives would only spell trouble.
Xu Youyou found the situation troublesome.
Xie Ran, however, didn’t seem fazed. “Boss, let me talk to the sisters first. Not everyone has the courage to cut ties with their birth family.”
Xu Youyou thought for a moment. These two girls had managed to escape from their village just to avoid being married off. They didn’t seem like the type to let their father control them.
After half an hour of discussion in the meeting room, both Xie Ran and the sisters emerged looking happy.
“Boss, the older sister may only be fifteen, but she’s incredibly decisive. The younger one listens to her completely. They both know who treats them well and who doesn’t,” Xie Ran said.
The sisters’ names were Ye Jian Nü (meaning “Cheap Girl”) and Ye Jian Mei (meaning “Cheap Younger Sister”). Neither Xie Ran nor Xu Youyou wanted to say their names out loud.
A father who could give his daughters such names must have never shown them any love.
“It’s good that they understand their situation,” Xu Youyou sighed in relief.
She had been worried they might be the type of children who, despite being mistreated, would still long for their father’s approval and try to prove themselves as “filial.”
Xie Ran continued, “I also discussed their pay. The older sister hopes that before she turns eighteen, we cover her and her sister’s living expenses. She doesn’t want any money for herself—she wants to negotiate her salary again once she’s an adult.”
It was difficult for minors to control their own earnings because their legal guardian had the right to manage their finances.
Xu Youyou immediately objected, “That won’t do. She should be paid exactly what she deserves!”
Xie Ran chuckled. He had expected this response. “That’s why I told her that any money she earns before adulthood will be held in trust and given to her in a lump sum once she turns eighteen.”
Xu Youyou nodded in approval. Then she asked, “How do you plan to handle their father?”
Xie Ran, always quick to come up with solutions, had already thought it through. “I’ll send my assistant to deal with it. Their father only cares about money. If we offer him a sum, we can settle the previous marriage agreement and, at the same time, negotiate for legal guardianship of the children.”
Xu Youyou frowned. “I just hope he doesn’t cause trouble. Poverty breeds desperation.”
Xie Ran reassured her, “It’ll be fine. Handling people like him is actually quite simple. We’ll get a local influential figure to mediate. That way, we can put pressure on him. It’ll cost some money—maybe 200,000 to 300,000 yuan at most.”
Xu Youyou had plenty of cash on hand. That amount wasn’t even as expensive as one of her handbags, and it could buy two lives.
“I don’t care how much it costs—just make sure the problem is completely resolved. I don’t want their father showing up later to harass them, especially if the older sister becomes famous,” Xu Youyou said firmly.
Whether she was acting out of charity or just looking for talent, she didn’t want the sisters to be troubled by their past.
Xie Ran continued, “I’ll also arrange for their names to be changed. But since they aren’t originally from Shanghai, they’ll still have to return home for their high school entrance and college entrance exams.”
Xu Youyou nodded. “That’s fine. If they’re serious about studying, they’ll make progress no matter where they are. If they struggle with school, we can hire tutors for them. Don’t worry about the cost.”
Even if the child didn’t have an exceptional singing voice, Xu Youyou would have still been willing to support their education.
Xie Ran added, “It’s not safe for them to live alone. We need a reliable female guardian to stay with them. But finding the right person won’t be easy.”
Xu Youyou immediately thought of Song Zhibai’s mother. “What do you think about Auntie Song? She’s been recovering well lately and has been wanting to work again. She also doesn’t like relying on her caretaker anymore.”
At first, Xie Ran hadn’t considered her, but now that Xu Youyou mentioned it, it made perfect sense.
Song Zhibai, despite being surrounded by admiration in the entertainment industry, remained dedicated to his craft. He was different from the typical young actors of today. That showed how well his mother had raised him.
A strong and resilient woman like her would be a great role model for the two sisters, ensuring they didn’t stray from the right path.
The only minor inconvenience was that Song Zhibai was a man, but since he was often away on set, it wouldn’t be a big issue.
Xu Youyou immediately called Auntie Song. As soon as the call connected, she heard a sharp voice scolding someone.
“You raised an actor? What a disgrace to our Shen family!”
Xu Youyou was momentarily confused. “Auntie Song, are you visiting the set? Song Zhibai is filming right now, right?”
Xie Ran shook his head. “No, he finished his last project recently. His next one starts in two days. He should be at home.”
Xu Youyou frowned slightly and asked, “Auntie Song, is something wrong?”
Auntie Song glanced at her son and lowered her voice. “Boss, do you have something urgent? Can I call you back later?”
Xu Youyou could tell she didn’t want to say too much, so she didn’t push.
But the moment she hung up, she immediately instructed Xu Fang to prepare the car. She turned to Xie Ran and said, “I’m going to Song’s house. You arrange for the two girls to take a bath and get cleaned up. Once they’re ready, I’ll take them to meet Auntie Song.”
