Abstract Art Award Winner

Inside a secluded upscale club in Beijing, the lighting was dim and the atmosphere was languid.

In the largest private room, Wang Sicong leaned back on the sofa, scrolling through his phone, occasionally letting out a sneer.

He hasn't had much to do lately.

So I thought I'd just find Zhou Le to chat with and get together.

Anyway, Zhou Le is in Beijing now, so there's nothing much going on before the TV series starts filming.

"Tsk, this guy can be an idol? He's really brainless. He can use nuclear wastewater to make a joke? Suggest covering it with a big dome? Does he think it's a hot pot dome?"

He turned his phone screen toward Zhou Le beside him, "Look, this is trending on social media, it's impossible to put it down, and the comments are practically full of insults. This guy's acting career is really on track."

Zhou Le glanced at the screen and saw a puzzling Weibo post from a former boy band member about Japanese nuclear wastewater.

He shook his head, picked up his teacup and took a sip: "Insufficient knowledge and too much desire to express oneself. When it comes to sensitive international issues and scientific problems, the safest thing to do is to keep quiet. Either you follow the country's lead, or you're so stupid to be here and say such things. In short, you're an idiot."

"That's right!" Wang Sicong put his phone away and swiped a few more times. "Hey, there's also Tong Liya and Chen Sicheng. They finally officially announced their divorce today. Everyone online is praising him for escaping his misery, like the whole world is celebrating. What do you think?"

Zhou Le glanced at Wang Sicong helplessly.

"How can I say anything? I dare not say anything about this. Don't try to bait me. Don't you know the situation better than I do? Director Chen still has quite a few projects on your Wanda's film slate, right? It's a cause for celebration, so you should secure the cooperation with him, shouldn't you?"

"Haha, let's keep things separate. If we go through a cooperation, won't we make money? Besides, this isn't just a matter for one or two families. Whether we cooperate or not, sometimes even we ourselves don't have the final say. It's not like he's already sunk to the core of the earth."

Zhou Le smiled and said, "So, speaking of which, your movie 'Fame and Fortune' is about to be released. Will you give it more screenings?"

"You don't need to worry about that. As long as there are no other changes at the same time, Wanda will give you good screenings in the early stages. As for what happens later, it depends on whether other capital gets involved and your specific performance."

"I understand. Let's not talk about this anymore. We'll see how things go later. But then again, I don't think it will have much of an impact on Director Chen. After all, directors and actors are different."

Wang Sicong laughed heartily: "That makes sense! But even if it does, it doesn't matter. Anyway, sacrificing one person will bring happiness to a whole bunch of others... Oh no, it seems that some people aren't exactly happy either."

He laughed for a while, then, as if suddenly remembering something, leaned closer to Zhou Le and lowered his voice: "By the way, what about my son Sun Yining's matter? How do you think we did? Was it a success?"

Zhou Le raised an eyebrow and glanced at him, a half-smile on his face: "Success, you've really succeeded. Your quotes have gone viral, like 'My life is oily, but not the heavens,' and now your memes are all over the internet."

"Get lost!" Wang Sicong laughed and shoved him. "I'm talking about something! Who said anything about jokes? But I'm really satisfied with this one. On the surface, that's how it seems, but to be honest, behind the scenes, it's just so-so, tsk."

Zhou Le understood what "it's alright" meant.

But obviously, you can't ask too many questions about this kind of thing.

So he asked the other party about the real purpose of calling him here today.

"Not bad, you have good taste. You could even tell? Okay, let's get down to business. I called you out today for two reasons. First, it's been a while since we've met, and I wanted to talk to you about your job as a commentator. Second... um..." He paused, then casually pointed towards the door, "A friend of mine is coming over later, Wu Yifan. He said he has something he wants to discuss with you, maybe make some connections. But let me make this clear first, it's just a meal. You two talk your business. Even if we don't make a deal, we can still be friends. Don't worry about me. You decide for yourself. If you're not happy, just turn back. It's fine."

Zhou Le knew perfectly well that this was indeed the reason.

He smiled but didn't reply immediately.

Kris Wu hasn't been having the best time lately. Although he still has the aura of a top star, he hasn't been particularly successful in expanding his business further. His most successful project over the years has been The Rap of China. He has secured a lot of resources for movies, but the results have been lackluster. Therefore, he needs new incentives to boost his commercial value.

This is the current era.

Stephen Chow may not necessarily be a box office draw.

But Zhou Le is definitely capable, at least before he fails to sell his music and ends up working in a greenhouse.

He also wants to create some new on-screen couples, like the artists under Zhou Le's management, which would be quite good.

The other party had contacted him before and mentioned many collaborations, but Zhou Le politely declined them in various ways.

After all, as Wang Sicong said, he is currently the most sought-after "hard currency" in the industry.

It's officially recognized, has unparalleled traffic, a good reputation, and can even boost projects.

Finding a partner to collaborate with is undoubtedly a shortcut.

But Zhou Le wasn't very interested in Wu Yifan.

On the one hand, he felt that this person's professional skills were not enough to support his ambitions, and his musical style was not the kind he appreciated.

On the other hand, and more importantly, he subconsciously felt that Wu Yifan was... a bit "dangerous".

He was aware of the chaos within the industry, but some people were good at hiding their true nature. They might have fun, but they knew how to conduct themselves properly. Wu Yifan, on the other hand, gave him the impression of being the type who was prone to overdoing things and could potentially cause a huge scandal.

The rumors about his chaotic private life are not unfounded, and getting too involved with him would be too risky.

"Sure, let's talk then."

Zhou Le remained outwardly calm and readily agreed.

"I'm hungry too."

Seeing that he wasn't resistant, Wang Sicong breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good! Hey, to be honest, Le, I feel like I get along really well with you now. With other people, I'm just messing around." He spoke from the heart, "You're different. You've got real skills. You're officially recognized, and you have influence with Master Han. Your influence in the industry is undeniable. The key is that you can also run your own business, making more money than anyone else. You're at the top in racing and gaming. This is what you call a real life."

Just then, the door to the private room was pushed open, and Wu Yifan arrived.

He was dressed very fashionably today, in designer brands, with exquisite makeup. He greeted Wang Sicong with a smile: "Principal, I'm sorry I'm a little late."

Then, turning her gaze to Zhou Le, her smile widened, and she extended her hand, "Brother Le, long time no see, you've gotten even more handsome."

"Brother Fan, no, no, no, you are the senior."

Zhou Le stood up and shook hands with him, exchanging pleasantries flawlessly, "This aura, it has to be Brother Fan."

The three of them sat down, and the waiter began to serve the dishes.

At first, it was all casual conversation—talking about cars, games, and recent gossip—and the atmosphere seemed lively.

Wang Sicong would occasionally make a comment to lighten the mood.

After a few rounds of drinks, Wu Yifan finally got to the point.

He raised his glass to Zhou Le: "Brother Le, to be honest, I really admire you. There's only one in the industry like you who's developed in all aspects. I've been thinking lately about whether there's a chance we can collaborate. A powerful alliance would definitely make a big splash."

Zhou Le clinked glasses with him and asked with a smile, "What specific ideas do you have, Brother Fan?"

"You have a lot of ideas!" Wu Yifan put down his wine glass, leaned forward, and looked very enthusiastic. "Musically, we can do a collaborative piece, combining Chinese and Western elements. I have Grammy resources and a team here, so we can do whatever we want. Or in terms of fashion resources, we can do a joint endorsement, two spokespeople, with top-tier treatment! I can also find brands for you."

"Even... I see your company is doing quite well, is it possible to invest in some projects and work together?" The CP that had been mentioned briefly on the phone earlier was not brought up again.

Because he felt that Zhou Le was the same kind of person as him, loved to play around, had many women around him, not to mention that he must have had relationships with all of them.

However, judging from what Wu Yifan has described so far, the future looks very promising, as if once the cooperation is reached, it will be a storm that sweeps through the entertainment industry.

Zhou Le listened patiently, nodding occasionally. After he finished speaking, he slowly said, "Brother Fan's suggestions are all quite interesting. As for music collaboration, I'm mainly focused on filming lately, but my songs are really in trouble. I need to think about the style and positioning again, in case I hold you back."

"Fashion endorsements, well, brands usually have their own considerations. Forcing a partnership might not be the best approach. As for investment..." He smiled, his tone gentle but distant, "My side is small-scale, just messing around with friends. Besides, I've spent too much money these past few years. Very few of those projects have fully recouped their investment. I'm really broke; I'm practically working myself to the bone."

Every sentence, though not a direct rejection, was essentially a rejection.

Wu Yifan's smile froze a little; he hadn't expected Zhou Le to refuse so readily.

He glanced at Wang Sicong, who was engrossed in eating a crab leg, seemingly oblivious to their conversation.

"Brother Le, is there something you're worried about?" Wu Yifan tried to salvage the situation. "We can discuss the terms. I think our collaboration will definitely be more than the sum of its parts. We can maximize our fan base, generate buzz, and increase our commercial value."

"Brother Fan, it's really not a matter of conditions." Zhou Le's attitude remained good, even with a hint of apology. "It's just that my schedule and plans are indeed fully booked, and the direction might be a little different from what you're thinking, Brother Fan."

I might want to slow things down a bit and focus more on more sustainable, long-term projects. What you've said is too much for me to handle, and I'm afraid I might end up holding you back.

That's a bit of a jab, implying that the two have taken different paths in their careers.

One seeks "explosion," the other seeks "precipitation."

Wu Yifan's expression darkened slightly, but he quickly regained his smile, though it was a somewhat forced one: "I understand, I understand. It's good that Brother Le has his own plans. We'll have the opportunity to cooperate again in the future."

He knew that continuing the conversation would only make him look foolish.

The atmosphere cooled down noticeably in the latter half of the meal.

Wu Yifan spoke less, only occasionally offering a few words of agreement.

Wang Sicong tried to warm up the audience again, but the effect was mediocre.

Zhou Le continued eating and drinking as usual, as if his earlier refusal was merely a casual question about the weather or whether he had eaten that day.

Finally, the dinner ended, and the three of them walked out of the club.

Wang Sicong's driver and Zhou Le's nanny van were already waiting at the door.

"Brother Fan, Principal, I'll be going now." Zhou Le waved with a smile and walked towards his car.

Wang Sicong patted Zhou Le on the shoulder: "Okay, I'm leaving too. Let's arrange the game later! We can talk about the commentary on WeChat!"

"No problem." Zhou Le nodded with a smile.

Wang Sicong also got into the car.

The two luxury cars drove away one after the other.

As Wu Yifan watched them leave, the smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a gloomy expression.

He kicked the car parked next to him and muttered a curse under his breath.

He could have let it go before by refusing, but this time he went to great lengths to get Wang Sicong to organize the event, thinking he had it all figured out. But Zhou Le didn't give him any face at all, and his rebuff left him feeling miserable.

This blatant rejection made him feel incredibly embarrassed.

With a gloomy face, he opened the car door and prepared to get in.

However, he was unaware that behind a pillar in the parking lot not far away, two fans who were waiting for other celebrities happened to be pointing their cameras at him.

The entire process, from his forced smile as he said goodbye to Wang Sicong and Zhou Le's instant change of expression after they left—his kicking of things and cursing—was clearly recorded.

"My God... What's wrong with Wu Yifan? His face looks terrifying..."

"Weren't you just chatting and laughing with Principal Wang and Zhou Le? How come you're like this as soon as you get out of the car?"

"Quick, post it out! This is absolutely big news! We might even make a fortune selling it to marketing accounts! Anyway, we're not his fans, so it doesn't matter to us."

Half an hour later, a video titled "Wu Yifan Suspected of Losing Emotional Control After Gathering, Kicking Things in Parking Lot with a Dark Face! On-Site Encounter by Sisters!" was quietly uploaded to the internet.

At that moment, Zhou Le, who was sitting in the car, received a WeChat message from Wang Sicong:
Wang: "How about that? Pretty fair, right? I didn't pressure you, did I?"

Zhou Le: "Thanks, Principal. I'll send you a model car later."

Wang: "Get lost! If you're going to give something away, give the real thing!"

The video of Kris Wu kicking a car in a parking lot with a black face instantly caused quite a stir on the internet.

After all, Kris Wu is a top star, and Zhou Le is the top of the top stars.

And then there's Wang Sicong.

The video was shot from a tricky angle, clearly capturing his entire process from forced smiles to an instant change in expression, especially the angry kick and the obviously emotional action of getting into the car, which is full of story.

The hashtag #WuYifanLocalParkingOutOfControl# was quickly followed by a bright red "Explosive" sign.

Netizens, sensing the urge to gossip, immediately flooded the comment section:

The scream from the egg: "My God, that face changes faster than flipping through a book! One minute it's all smiles, the next it's all 'mmp'?"

Fanfan's little wife: "How much has our Fanfan suffered?"

Autumn Leaves: "I'm just guessing, he must have lost face at the dinner party."

Snow Mountain Immortal: "Upstairs +1. The last to leave were Wang Sicong and Zhou Le. They got into the car chatting and laughing, leaving Fanfan all alone to explode. The contrast is too obvious!"

Xiao Fengru: "Did the cooperation negotiations fall through? Zhou Le is gaining momentum right now, and Wu Yifan wanted to get close to him and help him out, but he was rejected?"

"That's how Brother Le is. He told me about rounding up the bill that day, which made me spend nine yuan."

Various speculations arose. Although no one knew the specific content of the conversation, everyone assumed that Wu Yifan's emotional breakdown was related to the dinner party that had just ended, in which Wang Sicong and Zhou Le were present.

Soon, Wu Yifan's fans couldn't sit still anymore. (End of Chapter)