Chapter 140: Delivering Benefits
Having settled the score, Ruby Marshall finally felt a bit better. "Seeing you’re doing so well puts my mind at ease."
"Alright, if you’re busy, go on and take care of your business. Your dad and I will go rest for a while. Once we’re up, we’ll explore Dragonspire on our own, so don’t you worry about us."
"Your mother doesn’t have many talents, but one thing’s for sure: I never get lost. I may have never been to Dragonspire before, but give me two days, and I’ll know this whole area like the back of my hand."
Several families in our village had children who made it big and brought their parents to the city. But after just a few days, they all scurried back to the village, insisting they couldn’t get used to city life and that they’d feel miserable if they couldn’t work the fields for even a day.
’If you ask me, they’re just gluttons for punishment, born to a life of hardship.’
’But she was different. There wasn’t a luxury she couldn’t get used to!’
When she heard that her daughter had bought a house in Dragonspire and was just waiting for her son to get into college to move the whole family over, she was absolutely ecstatic. She’d spent her entire life toiling in the dirt; her time to rise up and enjoy life had finally come.
She was determined to bring her husband and son to the city. She wanted all those vexing relatives back home to see just how filial and capable her daughter was. And as for the people who used to look down on her daughter? They wouldn’t get a single benefit from it. Let them stew in their own jealousy!
"I don’t have much going on today, but I do have to meet a friend a little after eight. When I get back, I’ll take you out for some good food."
Patrick Perry said, "You should get some rest too, then. Oh, if we’d known you had a driver, we would’ve just had them pick us up. You could’ve slept longer."
Mr. Perry was tall and burly. Years of manual labor had tanned his skin, giving him a somewhat fierce appearance, and his reputation in the village wasn’t the best. But in front of his family, he was an absolutely wonderful husband and father.
Riley Perry didn’t feel like sleeping, but she returned to her room so her parents could rest without worry.
She meditated in her room for a while, then slipped out the door just after eight o’clock.
At 8:55, Riley Perry stepped into a coffee shop. A server approached and asked, "Are you Miss Perry?"
Riley Perry nodded.
"The party you’re meeting is in a private room. I’ll show you the way."
Pushing open the door to the private room, she expected to see only Evan Young. Instead, a family of three was waiting inside.
The moment she entered, all three of them stood up. Evan Young beamed at Riley Perry. "Riley, come in! Cindy, say hello to Auntie."
The adorable Cindy Morgan called out in a sweet, high-pitched voice, "Hello, Auntie Riley."
"I-I know who you are. Mommy showed me the video, and I watched it lots of times. You’re the one who saved me. Thank you, Auntie."
"It’s nice to meet you too, Cindy."
Evan Young then made the introduction. "This is my husband, Martin Morgan."
"Hello, Mr. Morgan."
Evan Young had an excellent figure and was quite pretty. She possessed a gentle, graceful beauty that put people at ease.
Martin Morgan, on the other hand, had a refined, scholarly air. With a gentle smile on his face, he seemed very approachable.
People always say that a couple’s personalities must be complementary for a marriage to last, but these two were the exact opposite.
"Hello, Miss Perry," he said. "Please, have a seat. Tell us what you’d like to drink, and we’ll have the server bring it over."
Riley Perry sat down in the chair next to Evan Young and casually ordered a coffee. The server was quick, bringing it over in just a moment.
Once the server had closed the door behind them, Evan Young spoke again. "My husband and I came here today specifically to thank you, Miss Perry. If it weren’t for you, Cindy would have been taken by those traffickers. You saved our whole family."
Riley Perry waved her hand dismissively. "You don’t have to make it sound so serious. I didn’t really do much. I just happened to be there, felt something was off, and called the police. It was no trouble at all."
The couple exchanged a glance. She might have downplayed it, but they couldn’t possibly treat it so lightly. Martin Morgan took out a contract and handed it directly to Riley Perry.
"The Morgan Group is about to invest in a martial arts film. It’s an A-list production, with a top-tier director and screenwriter. The script is excellent. If you’re interested, you can sign the contract right now."
Riley Perry didn’t reach for the contract. "...Anna, I understand your and your husband’s intentions, but I can’t sign this."
"The better the script, the more rigorous the casting needs to be. Otherwise, all the effort from the investors and the production team will go to waste."
"I’m confident I can handle the fight scenes in a martial arts film, but my acting skills are just average. I can manage roles that are similar to my own personality, but if a character is too different, I’m afraid I’d just mess it up."
"So how about this? When the crew starts casting, Mr. Morgan, just give me a spot at the audition."
’An audition spot in exchange for saving her daughter’s life? That’s nowhere near enough to express their family’s gratitude,’ Evan Young thought. ’She and her husband had spent the last few days discussing how to thank Riley. Their company’s endorsement contracts weren’t up for renewal, and they worried that offering cash would feel like trying to buy their way out of the debt. After racking their brains, they decided a film contract would be a good way to build a relationship. And now she was refusing? That wouldn’t do at all.’
"Riley, just sign it..."
Martin Morgan cut his wife off, a hint of admiration in his eyes as he looked at Riley Perry. "Let’s just do as Miss Perry suggests. The film’s pre-production will take about two weeks. When it’s time for the audition, I’ll have the crew work around your schedule."
This time, Riley Perry didn’t refuse the kind offer. After all, her variety show filmed three days a week, and she’d miss her chance to audition if the schedules conflicted. "Thank you very much, Mr. Morgan."
With the business settled, Riley Perry pulled a small, golden bracelet adorned with intricate patterns and gemstones from her bag. "Cindy, do you like this little bracelet?"
Cindy’s eyes instantly lit up. What girl doesn’t love sparkly things? Even a small child like Cindy was no exception!
"I love it."
Riley Perry smoothly slipped the bracelet onto Cindy’s wrist. "Then it’s a welcome gift for you, Cindy."
Evan Young said, flustered, "Oh, you didn’t have to get her a gift!"
’Not only had they failed to give their own gift, but now they were accepting one from Riley. This gold bracelet looked expensive, and Riley had only been a minor celebrity with a limited income. Wasn’t this an extravagant expense for her?’
She shot her husband a look that said, "We need to get the film crew moving. As soon as Riley auditions, just give her the part. And raise her pay."
Martin Morgan’s eyes replied: "Got it, honey. Whatever you say!"
"Little Cindy and I were fated to meet, so what’s wrong with a small gift?"
’This bracelet was something she had casually tucked away in her Violet Palace back in The Cultivation Realm. She hadn’t known the little girl would be here today, so she hadn’t prepared anything. After rummaging through her Violet Palace, she found this bracelet to be the most inconspicuous item she had, so she gave it away without a second thought.’
Cindy was absolutely smitten with the little bracelet on her wrist. Fearing her mother would make her give it back, she quickly thanked Riley, "Thank you, Auntie. I love this gift so much."
Evan Young and her husband chuckled at their daughter’s antics. ’Oh, well. If she likes it that much, she can keep it,’ they thought. ’Friendships aren’t built in a day. We’ll have plenty of chances to return the favor in the future.’
They chatted for a little while longer and exchanged contact information. Then, Riley Perry took the initiative to say her goodbyes. It was their first meeting, and there wasn’t much else to talk about. Staying any longer would have just been awkward.