The team members at Shen's Entertainment and Xu Luoning’s colleagues on the production crew were all silently rooting for her, hoping she would achieve a satisfying result. They knew that Xu Luoning’s hard work, dedication, and deep passion for her acting career deserved to be recognized and praised. The Shen's Entertainment family had always been her staunch support system; no matter what difficulties she faced, they would support, encourage, and help her through them without hesitation.
On the day the results were released, Xu Luoning did not schedule any commercial appearances. Instead, Shen Yanzhi, Xiao Mi, and her agent, Sister Xi, insisted that she stay at home to wait for the announcement. She knew they did this out of care and protection, wanting to shield her from external pressure and distractions that might affect her mood and state of mind. Waiting at home was nerve-wracking and anxiety-inducing, yet she felt a sense of warmth, knowing so many people were cheering and praying for her.
She had always had a hunch about her scores, but as the moment to check them arrived, Xu Luoning noticed that her agent and assistant were even more nervous than she was. Smiling, she said, "Sister Xi, anyone who didn't know better would think you two were the ones taking the college entrance exam."
Her relaxed and humorous remark eased the tension in the room and helped everyone loosen up a little. Sister Xi and Xiao Mi exchanged knowing smiles.
"You girl, you dare to tease me? Who do you think I'm doing this for?" Sister Xi said, feigning anger, though her eyes were filled with affection and concern. She knew that while Xu Luoning appeared relaxed on the surface, the pressure she felt inside was no less than theirs. She hoped to use her own way to help Xu Luoning feel at ease and not become overly anxious.
The assistant, Xiao Mi, nodded in agreement. "That’s right, Luoluo. You might not know, but I was so nervous last night I couldn't sleep a wink, while you were sleeping soundly." Her words were laced with a hint of playfulness, but they were mostly filled with concern and worry for Xu Luoning. Xiao Mi felt immense pride in Xu Luoning; she knew how much effort she had poured into this exam. Every sleepless night, every early morning, and every late-night study session—she had seen it all and kept it in her heart. She knew that Xu Luoning’s success was no accident, but the result of sheer hard work.
When the results were finally released, Xiao Mi jumped up in such a sudden outburst of excitement that both Sister Xi and Xu Luoning were startled. Sister Xi patted the excited Xiao Mi and said, half-jokingly, "Are you trying to scare us to death?" Her voice carried a trace of reproach, but it was mostly an indulgence of Xiao Mi's sudden overflow of joy.
Xiao Mi’s face was glowing with undisguised happiness, and her eyes sparkled with excitement. She knew it—she just knew it. Nearly unable to speak from excitement, she pointed to the laptop and stammered, "It’s not that, Sister Xi. Luoluo, she... Luoluo achieved a perfect score! It’s a perfect score..."
Her voice trembled with emotion. She knew deeply what this news meant for Xu Luoning. She understood that Xu Luoning’s diligent efforts had finally received their due reward, and she believed that Xu Luoning’s future would undoubtedly be even brighter. Xiao Mi’s eyes began to well up; she felt so proud of her artist’s achievement, as if this joy were a triumph of her own.