After examining the marriage certificate for a moment, which was similar in nature to the one from before, Jiang Lingxi decisively opened it.
She was not one to hesitate.
The first thing that caught her eye was a vividly captured photograph.
Against a bright red background, the original host's face was exactly like hers, though she appeared to be smiling nervously, as evident from her eyes and expression.
The man beside her wore a lead-gray suit, with a clear and refined face. Upon closer inspection, he seemed somewhat indifferent.
The more Jiang Lingxi looked, the more something felt off. These two people lacked any hint of the shyness and intimacy expected of newlyweds. It seemed more like they had been forcibly put together, and the more she looked, the more disharmonious it felt.
She glanced at the names of the parties involved and then the date of issuance.
She had seen a modern electronic calendar in the living room earlier, so she quickly calculated that this marriage certificate was issued about six months ago.
Married for only half a year, according to convention, they should still be in the honeymoon phase. But there was no information about this newlywed husband in the memories left by the original host. Was this reasonable?
It seemed like a sham marriage!
Jiang Lingxi leaned back against the headboard, holding the marriage certificate, and squinted while pressing her temple with her other hand.
After almost reviewing the memories left by the original host, she finally found some clues.
However, the memories only contained a vague face and a man's cold, harsh words: "Just marry me, no need to fulfill any marital duties. I'll help you resolve your father's debt issues."
It was truly a transaction!
Jiang Lingxi opened her eyes and looked at the name belonging to the man beneath the photograph.
"Shen Yunqing."
This name made her raise an eyebrow involuntarily, recalling another familiar name.
Shen Moqing.
Her Prime Minister from her previous life!
He was the only one in the court who dared to advise her, the emperor of that dynasty, directly and would make her so furious but could not dismiss him due to his talent and ideas.
In her previous life, the people she trusted the most were herself first, and then not the young servant Qingyuan who served by her side since childhood, but Shen Moqing.
As an emperor, she knew the backgrounds of every minister in court, going back generations.
Naturally, she was aware that Shen Moqing originally came from a prominent family but had cut ties from them at a young age for various reasons. To distance himself even further, he changed the 'Yun' in his name from the family's generation name to 'Mo', signifying his determination to sever ties cleanly.
That man, originally named Shen Yunqing!
With this realization, Jiang Lingxi couldn't help but glance again at the photograph against the bright red background. When she last left, Shen Qing had already reached middle age, growing a beard to appear more stable like other ministers. In today's terms, he was a dashing mature man.
Thinking about him without the beard and comparing him to the man in the photo, she noticed a resemblance.
Until just before falling asleep, Jiang Lingxi's final thought echoed in her mind: She should find an opportunity to meet this supposed other half of the original host whom she couldn't even remember!
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, playfully dancing on the sleeping face in the middle of the room's large bed.
The person on the bed furrowed their brows slightly, turned away from the window, and lazily asked, "Qingyuan, what time is it?"
As the words trailed off, a knock on the door, accompanied by a hint of cautiousness, sounded just right.
"Xixi, breakfast is ready. Have you woken up?"
Jiang Lingxi sat up abruptly, instantly awake.
"I'm up, I'll be there." She responded towards the door, listening to the fading footsteps, before gently exhaling.
She needed to change some of her past habits. Now, there was no longer a figure always within her sight.
Lu Zhenzhen brought the freshly cooked breakfast to the table. When she reached out to place the spoon and chopsticks, she heard the main bedroom door open and turned her head quickly.
Seeing that it wasn't a face full of morning grumpiness after being woken up, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
To be honest, she was a little worried that the assertive yet gentle Xixi from last night was just a dream, and that everything would return to normal the next day.
Thankfully, everything was still the same!
"Xixi, I made red sugar millet porridge. There are buns and pastries in the fridge, and I've heated them up. Since you don't like boiled eggs, I stir-fried cucumber, wood ear mushroom, and eggs. Give it a try and see if it suits your taste."
Jiang Lingxi had just reached the dining table when Lu Zhenzhen swiftly pulled out a chair for her to sit down.
"Alright, you sit down too and let's eat together."
She could sense the cautiousness in the young girl's actions towards her, as if afraid of making mistakes in her words or actions.
Thinking back to how the original host treated this assistant, Jiang Lingxi understood.
The entertainment industry was a high-pressure environment, where everyone was striving for success. Yet, there were only a few top spots, requiring constant effort to climb up, and once there, one had to always be vigilant to prevent others from pushing them down.
The pressure was unimaginable.
But that wasn't a reason to bully those who served around oneself!
She always remembered a saying she had read in her youth: "Bullying others, others will bully you."
When you recklessly bully others, the day will come when others will bully you.
As she watched the person opposite her put down her chopsticks to wipe her lips with a tissue, Lu Zhenzhen finally cleared her throat and reported, "Xixi, Tong Jie called while I was cooking. She said she's on her way here and should arrive in about half an hour."
The manager was coming, which meant work was also coming.
Jiang Lingxi nodded, "Okay, I got it."
Lu Zhenzhen carefully and seriously assessed the situation, seeing no signs of resistance on the face in front of her. She quietly sighed in relief, stood up, and went into the kitchen to tidy up. Pulling out her phone, she sent a message to Tong Jie: "Xixi seems to be in a good mood today."
Tong Jie, driving at the time, glanced at the message she had just received and also breathed a sigh of relief.
The crew of "Let's Travel Together," whether it was the director, guests, or even the behind-the-scenes crew, was probably harboring some resentment towards Jiang Lingxi. No, they must be harboring a lot of resentment!
After all, delaying these few days not only caused financial losses, but more importantly, wasted time. The show had to be aired on schedule, and the editing team needed to work overtime.
The caprice of one person had led to such serious consequences. If she were in their shoes, she would probably be resentful too.
She was genuinely worried that Jiang Lingxi would be afraid to face all this when she returned to the crew and would retreat at the last minute, leaving her, the manager, in a bind!
With this in mind, she pressed her foot harder on the accelerator. The recording of the show could not be delayed any longer. Today, she must get Jiang Lingxi to the crew, no matter what!