Chapter 1657: A Couple's Night Talk

Zhao Fusheng firmly believed that a wife should be cherished.

Of course, measured by the standards of some feminists, the relationship between Zhao Fusheng and Fan Baobao was unequal. Why should Fan Baobao stay home with the child and give up her career, while Zhao Fusheng could openly do whatever he wanted outside?

To this, Zhao Fusheng had no answer.

After all, in the minds of feminists, anything that didn't meet their demands was unreasonable.

This was human selfishness at work.

Incurable.

It was the same with animal rights activists: as long as those animals didn't bite their own family or themselves, they would keep professing their love for animals.

Small animals were indeed cute, but if one abandoned humans for animals, Zhao Fusheng could only say that some people's thought processes were indeed different from normal people's.

Respecting women, respecting his beloved, letting her choose the lifestyle she liked, and cooperating with her—that was how Zhao Fusheng expressed his feelings.

"But seriously, do you really want me to act in a film?"

Fan Baobao asked Zhao Fusheng curiously. "Didn't you dislike me acting?"

Zhao Fusheng shook his head. "No, it's not that I dislike it. I just think it's better to make quality films than to make so many bad ones."

"Quality?"

Fan Baobao was taken aback, then laughed.

"What are you laughing at?"

Her sudden laughter puzzled Zhao Fusheng, and he asked her in confusion.

"No, do you have some misunderstanding about the film or TV drama industry?" Fan Baobao laughed for a while before asking Zhao Fusheng.

"Misunderstanding?"

Zhao Fusheng was even more confused.

"Wait, I'll take our daughter to Mom." Fan Baobao skillfully changed the baby's diaper, then picked her up and took her to Zhao's mother and Li Yuan.

"Mom said she'll have the baby sleep with them tonight."

After sending the child off, Fan Baobao returned and said to Zhao Fusheng.

"When the child is a bit older, she can live with Mom and them." Zhao Fusheng thought for a moment and said to Fan Baobao.

"That works too."

Fan Baobao nodded. "Anyway, they like the girl more."

"As for Beibei, she should stay with us." Zhao Fusheng thought again and continued, "She's about to start middle school, so it's better for her to study in the capital."

"I feel like you're treating Beibei like a daughter too." Fan Baobao blinked and smiled at Zhao Fusheng.

"She's grown up with me since she was little, so there's not much difference."

Zhao Fusheng laughed self-deprecatingly. "Am I getting old? Sometimes I feel like my mindset is like that of a sixty- or seventy-year-old."

To be honest, having lived two lives, he really felt his heart had aged.

"I think so too."

Fan Baobao glared at him. "You, don't overthink every day. Can't you try to relax?"

To be honest, she really felt for Zhao Fusheng. As his business grew bigger, he had more and more things to do, busy all day, sometimes even neglecting sleep.

Even so, he still made time to be with her and the children, proving that he truly cared about family and career.

But the result was that he seemed even more tired.

"I'm fine."

Zhao Fusheng shook his head and smiled lightly at Fan Baobao. "By the way, weren't you going to tell me about quality films and TV dramas? Go ahead."

Hearing this, Fan Baobao nodded. "Do you think that many films or TV dramas are shoddy works, and that actors have no point in acting in them?"

"It's not pointless."

Zhao Fusheng shook his head, not agreeing with Fan Baobao. "I know actors are human too; they have to make a living. In short, the purpose of being an actor is fame and money. But our family isn't short of money, so why would you want to act in that kind of show?"

To be honest, having seen too many ridiculous war dramas and family melodramas, Zhao Fusheng had little fondness for many domestic films and TV shows.

It wasn't that he disliked them, but in his eyes, works like "Operation Red Sea," "Wolf Warrior," and "Dying to Survive" were acceptable, because they either promoted mainstream values or depicted realism, and had merits.

But what nutritional value did works like "Tiny Times" or "The Tomb of the Lost" have?

In these works, youth was filled with abortions, fights, and catfights, as if that was the only way to be a normal teenager.

Damn it!

Zhao Fusheng didn't remember his own student days being like that.

Back then, even liking someone had to be done carefully, for fear of being discovered, let alone early romance.

Even the post-80s and post-90s generations he remembered didn't have such a youth, did they?

In short, it was pure fabrication to satisfy some people's curiosity.

"I'm an actor," Fan Baobao said helplessly, looking at Zhao Fusheng, clearly understanding his point. "No matter the script, if a role comes to me and I think it can improve my acting skills, I'll take it.

As for quality, I can only tell you that often, whether a film or TV drama is good depends on whether the public likes it. If the public likes it, it's quality; if not, you can see it as highbrow or self-amusement."

Clearly, Fan Baobao's words were the consensus of many in the industry.

Sighing, Zhao Fusheng shook his head helplessly.

He felt he couldn't accept Fan Baobao's explanation.

Many people liked to use Premier Zhou's quote as a reason, roughly meaning that if the masses didn't like a work, how could it be good?

In other words, if a work was popular with the masses and had high box office, it must be a good film.

Hmph.

Was that really the case?

Different people have different views; it's tacit understanding.

Zhao Fusheng couldn't even be bothered to refute such words, simply because he was afraid of being censored.

"What's the matter? Feeling helpless?"

Seeing Zhao Fusheng silent, Fan Baobao smiled and spoke.

Zhao Fusheng nodded. "Yeah, to be honest, if I had known, I wouldn't have let you become an actress."

Hearing this, Fan Baobao was startled, then hugged Zhao Fusheng and said gently, "You know, I'm really happy because you, though sometimes stubborn, always support me in whatever I do. I also know that without you, I might be doing who knows what now..."

"Hey, hey, hey, stop! Stop! Stop!" Zhao Fusheng quickly interrupted her. "Cut it out. Don't get all sentimental for no reason."

After so many years of marriage, she was still pulling this stunt. Zhao Fusheng couldn't take it.

Fan Baobao smiled sweetly, shook Zhao Fusheng's arm, and said, "Honey, you're so good."

"Stop!"

Zhao Fusheng looked speechless. "Go do whatever you need to do. I still have documents to read. I'll deal with you later."

With that, he quickly got up and slipped into the study.

No way. If she kept teasing him, things might get out of hand.

Watching Zhao Fusheng's retreating figure, Fan Baobao giggled. This man was always so amusing.

...

...

A good marital relationship sometimes had a huge impact on a person.

If the household was unsettled, it often drained one's energy, constantly dealing with fires in the backyard. Few could focus on work.

Take the later marriage of Song Hye-kyo and Song Joong-ki, for example. Observant people could tell from their post-marriage works that their relationship wasn't good. After marriage, neither produced good works, and instead were plagued by negative news.

Life affecting work was no joke.

Fortunately, Zhao Fusheng didn't have this problem.

Zhao Fusheng and Fan Baobao had such a good relationship that Fan Baobao felt she must have done something good in a past life to meet such a compatible person in this one.

Only Zhao Fusheng could answer that question.

The next morning, Fan Baobao went to guest star in her new show, while Zhao Fusheng took Hu Donghai, Wu Sijie, and others out, dropping Fan Beibei off at school.

The girl had grown up a lot and no longer clung to Zhao Fusheng like she did when she was little.

But she still liked to call him "Bro" instead of "Brother-in-law."

"Bro, can you take me out during summer vacation?" Fan Beibei asked Zhao Fusheng from the car.

Zhao Fusheng was taken aback, then smiled and ruffled her hair. "Why do you want to go out? You never liked going out before."

Fan Beibei tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said, "My classmates have all been out and know what's fun in other places. I haven't..."

At her age, just going to an amusement park was no longer enough. After all, she was already twelve.

Everyone grows and changes; that was undeniable.

Zhao Fusheng smiled and nodded, feeling a special sense of accomplishment. He said to Fan Beibei, "Alright, you think about where you want to go, and I'll take you."

After a moment's thought, he added with a smile, "We can also bring your sister and have the whole family go. How about that?"

Originally just to fulfill Fan Beibei's little wish, Zhao Fusheng thought it might be nice for the whole family to go out together. After all, since their daughter was born, or rather since he and his father started their business, the family hadn't traveled together.

This could be an opportunity for him and his family to take a break and reunite.

Watching Fan Beibei skip away, Zhao Fusheng smiled and instructed Wu Sijie, "Remember to remind me to take Beibei out during summer vacation."

Wu Sijie quickly nodded. As an assistant, that was his duty.