Huayu 2021: Isn’t he in the technology field?

Chapter 276 Caught in the Act
At 6:30 p.m., the liveliness of the winter night in Luyang seemed to be concentrated in the largest private room of this restaurant called "Huixianglou".

The huge round table was filled with the main cast and crew of the movie "Lighter," the aroma of the dishes filled the air, and the atmosphere was so lively it almost seemed to lift the roof off.

As for the other members of the crew, they were already distributed in the lobby on the first floor that the crew had booked.

"Come on, Teacher Jiang! This first toast must be to you!"

Liu Junjie, his face flushed, held a full glass of baijiu and spoke in a loud voice that drowned out the noise at the table.

He stood up and stared intently at Jiang Qing.

"The Beginning is a game-changer for the new year! Its premiere viewership broke records! It's a huge surprise for our film and television industry! It's also given our production team a lot of motivation! This is great news! We have to keep going!"

“Go! Go! Go!”

Zhao Zhiwei and the others immediately joined in the commotion, raising their glasses in response.

Jiang Qing smiled helplessly, picked up the equally full wine glass in front of her, and was about to speak when Liu Junjie's loud voice cut her off.

"Teacher Jiang, don't say anything else! It's all in the wine! Congratulations, Teacher Jiang! Congratulations on the huge success of 'The Beginning'! Cheers!"

"Dry!"

Everyone echoed in unison.

As they spoke, they both downed their drinks in one gulp.

Jiang Qing had no choice but to tilt her head back and drink the spicy liquid in the cup in one gulp, her throat instantly burning.

"it is good!"

Liu Junjie led the applause and generously filled his own cup again.

"Second toast! Wishing our lighters the same good fortune as Teacher Jiang, and may they be unstoppable when the show airs! Cheers!"

"Dry!"

Another glass went down.

Jiang Qing's alcohol tolerance was not high to begin with. Although he used small wine cups of less than an ounce each, he drank two cups of strong liquor quickly and forcefully, and a thin layer of red quickly rose to his face.

"Third cup!"

Liu Junjie was clearly in the zone and in high spirits.

"A toast to our entire crew! Thank you all for your hard work! Cheers to making a great production!"

"cheers!"

After three glasses of strong liquor, Jiang Qing felt a churning in his stomach, and sweat was already beading on his forehead.

He had just sat down to catch his breath when Zhao Zhiwei came over with a cup, a mischievous smile on his face.

"Dr. Jiang! God Jiang! Your crossover is so amazing, it leaves us miles behind! You're practically a god descended to earth! No, no, I have to toast you separately! To soak up some of your divine aura! I'll drink it all, you can do as you please... Of course, it would be best if you drank it all!"

Before Jiang Qing could react, he gulped down his drink in one go.

Jiang Qing chuckled and had no choice but to raise his glass again.

Cui Yuxin, Qian Didi, Zeng Keni, and several other assistant directors, production managers... people kept coming to offer toasts, each with a sincere congratulation and a touch of enthusiasm that "the heroes must drink to their hearts' content."

Jiang Qing was also infected by this enthusiasm today, accepting all drinks and emptying them completely, but her eyes began to glaze over and her reactions slowed down.

"Brother, drink slowly!"

Jiang Nan, who was sitting to Jiang Qing's right, kept a close eye on his condition.

Seeing that his eyes were a little unfocused, I immediately used a small spoon to scoop a bowl of hot chicken soup and brought it to his lips.

"Quick, have some soup to tide you over."

Although what Jiang Qing said to her in the car was infuriating, she couldn't help but worry when she saw that he had drunk too much.

Zhang Jingyi, who was sitting to Jiang Qing's left, had also put down her chopsticks long ago. Her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and there was a hint of worry in her eyes.

She had been whispering and laughing with Jiang Nan, but seeing Jiang Qing being attacked, she couldn't help but speak up to defend him.

"Directors, take it easy! Jiang Qing has an early scene tomorrow!"

"Oh dear! Jingyi feels sorry for you!"

Zhao Zhiwei immediately seized the opportunity to stir up trouble.

“Jingyi is right! In that case, Jingyi and Jiang Nan, you can both represent Teacher Jiang and have a drink as a token of our appreciation! We mainly want to express our good wishes!”

"Yeah!"

Everyone immediately laughed and agreed.

Jiang Nan and Zhang Jingyi exchanged a glance, both seeing the determination to "go up" in each other's eyes.

"Thank you all for your kindness, teachers! This drink is on behalf of my brother to thank you all!"

Jiang Nan immediately picked up the glass of freshly squeezed orange juice in front of her and stood up gracefully.

"I did it!"

After saying that, he tilted his head back and emptied the glass of orange juice in an instant.

"it is good!"

Everyone applauded.

Everyone was just trying to create a lively atmosphere; nobody really wanted the two girls to drink.

Of course, no one dared to.

Zhang Jingyi also picked up her coconut juice, stood up gracefully, and her clear eyes swept over everyone with a playful "warning".

"Please be lenient, teachers! If Li Xun isn't in good form tomorrow, the princess will be angry!"

She imitated Zhu Yun's tone, which made everyone burst into laughter.

After saying that, she smiled and drank the coconut juice in one gulp.

With two girls flanking him and shielding him from the drinks, the subsequent toasting onslaught did indeed ease up considerably.

Everyone knew when to stop, so they mostly gathered together to chat and discuss the plot of "The Beginning" and their predictions for the final results.

Jiang Nan continued to demonstrate her "social butterfly" nature, staying close to Zhang Jingyi and chattering away non-stop.

"Sister Jingyi, let me tell you, my brother was really silly when he was little! Once, he spent an entire afternoon lying by the flower bed in our community trying to figure out how far ants could carry their food. When he came back, his knees were covered in mud and his face was covered in mosquito bites! My mom gave him a good scolding!"

Jiang Nan spoke vividly, not forgetting to imitate Jiang Qing's aggrieved yet stubborn expression at the time.

Zhang Jingyi listened with great interest, laughing so hard she almost fell over, her eyes curving into two crescent moons.

"Really? I can't believe Teacher Jiang can be so down-to-earth!"

"And there's more! He participated in the math Olympiad training in high school and became obsessed with solving problems. He would even talk in his sleep reciting formulas! His roommates were terrified, thinking he was possessed!"

Jiang Nan is ruthless when it comes to revealing secrets.

"Hahaha……"

Zhang Jingyi laughed until tears almost came out. While wiping her eyes, she couldn't help but look at Jiang Qing, who was being pulled aside by Liu Junjie to discuss camera language.

His profile was sharply defined, with a slightly tipsy languor. He nodded occasionally as he listened attentively. His focused and composed demeanor overlapped with the image of the boy Jiang Nan described, who was lying on the flowerbed talking in his sleep, creating a wonderfully endearing contrast that softened a corner of her heart.

Although she vaguely felt that Jiang Nan's enthusiasm was too intense and seemed to exceed the scope of a first meeting, she thought again that perhaps it was because she was her brother's partner and a girl, so the young girl was naturally close to her.

Zhang Jingyi was delighted to be recognized and treated so kindly by Jiang Qing's only sister, and responded with exceptional sincerity and enthusiasm.

The meal drew to a close amidst continuous laughter and cheerful conversation.

It was past 10 p.m. when the show ended.

At the restaurant entrance, the cold winter wind blew, slightly dispelling the effects of the alcohol on Jiang Qing, but her steps were still a little unsteady.

Chen Duo and Zhou Zhengkai supported him steadily, one on each side.

"Sister Jingyi!"

Jiang Nan held Zhang Jingyi's hand reluctantly.

"It was nice meeting you today! Let's add each other on WeChat? Next time you're off, let's go shopping together! I know Luyang like the back of my hand!"

"Okay!"

Zhang Jingyi readily agreed, took out her phone, and the two girls huddled together to scan the QR code and add each other as friends. "Be careful on the road! Send me a message when you get home!"

Zhang Jingyi gave Jiang Qing another piece of advice, her eyes filled with concern.

Jiang Qing nodded, revealing a gentle smile.

"Ah, you too."

As Jiang Nan watched Zhang Jingyi get into her RV and leave, the sweet, affectionate smile on her face vanished as if by magic.

She glanced at Jiang Qing, who was being helped by Chen Duo and the others, snorted, deftly opened the car door, and climbed into the back seat first, leaving Jiang Qing with a cold back of her head.

Seeing this, Jiang Qing smiled helplessly, first exchanged pleasantries and said goodbye to Liu Junjie and the others, and then was helped into the car by Chen Duo and settled in the back seat.

Zhou Zhengkai smoothly started the car and it merged into the traffic in the night.

The car's heater was on full blast, keeping out the cold from outside.

Jiang Qing rubbed her still throbbing temples, feeling much more sober.

He glanced at his sister, who stood beside him with her arms crossed, gazing out the window, radiating an aura of "I'm angry, leave me alone," and a smile crept onto his lips.

He cleared his throat, just about to praise her performance tonight...

"Humph!"

A clear, resentful snort escaped Jiang Nan's nostrils. She even turned her head further toward the car window, clearly expressing her refusal to communicate with the back of her head.

Jiang Qing swallowed back the words that were on the tip of her tongue and helplessly touched her nose.

Well, I'm still angry.

Although Chen Duo in the driver's seat and Zhou Zhengkai in the passenger seat couldn't hear what was being said in the back, they could see Jiang Nan's sudden change of expression and Jiang Qing's helpless yet somewhat guilty expression through the rearview mirror.

The two exchanged a quick glance, their eyes conveying a tacit understanding: "Just as I thought."

As people close to Jiang Qing, they naturally understood their boss's complicated and dangerous emotional state better than anyone else.

Judging from Jiang Nan's reaction, she was most likely confronted, and it was clear that this young lady disapproved of her brother's playboy behavior.

The two of them tacitly kept their eyes down, their posture even more upright, their gazes fixed on the road ahead, as if they were studying some profound philosophy of traffic, resolutely refusing to get involved in the family conflicts in the back seat.

A subtle silence fell over the carriage, broken only by the hum of the engine.

Half an hour later, the car entered the underground parking garage of Binhu Shuangxi and slowly came to a stop.

Jiang Nan was still fuming. She pushed open the car door and got out first, not waiting for Jiang Qing, and strode towards the elevator.

Jiang Qing quickly got out of the car and followed.

Once inside the elevator, in the cramped space, Jiang Nan's displeasure was written all over her face as she stared at the ever-rising floor numbers, as if those numbers were her nemesis.

Jiang Qing looked at her profile, which was as angry as a little bun, and suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

"cough……"

He cleared his throat and began to speak in a casual tone.

"Tuanzi seems to have gained weight recently. Her belly is round and plump like a fluffy ball. She's so heavy when she sleeps on my lap."

Sure enough, upon hearing the name "Tuanzi," Jiang Nan's expression, which had been filled with "don't talk to me," finally softened slightly, and her long eyelashes trembled.

Although she still didn't turn to look at Jiang Qing, her body was noticeably less stiff.

"Really?"

She couldn't help herself and muttered something under her breath, with a hint of doubt in her voice.

"Ah."

A hint of a smile flashed in Jiang Qing's eyes.

"Yesterday I opened a new can of cat food for it, and it ate it with great relish. After it finished eating, it rubbed against my leg and purred loudly."

Jiang Nan's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, but she quickly suppressed it, continuing to maintain her "I'm very aloof" demeanor. However, the tips of her perked-up ears betrayed her concern.

Just then, the elevator dinged and arrived at its floor.

Jiang Nan was the first to walk out and stand in front of the heavy, high-tech entrance door, waiting for Jiang Qing to open the door by scanning his face.

Although she still had a stern face, her eyes couldn't help but glance towards the door, as if she was looking forward to seeing the big fat cat the next second.

Jiang Qing stepped forward, and the smart recognition system on the door emitted a soft blue light, scanning his face.

"Identity confirmed, welcome home."

An electronic voice then sounded.

He pushed the door open slightly, and bright, warm light immediately poured out.

And just as the door opened!
A tall, graceful figure, like a small cannonball ready to be launched, suddenly burst out from the entrance hall with a cheerful and crisp cry of "Jiang Qing!"

The person arrived too fast and had an extremely clear target, crashing straight into Jiang Qing's arms before she had even taken half a step in and had fully regained her footing!
Caught off guard, Jiang Qing staggered backward half a step before regaining her balance.

He instinctively stretched out his arms, thinking "Why again?", but his hands steadily caught the person who rushed into his arms.

A familiar, sweet, fruity scent of shower gel instantly filled my nostrils.

He lowered his head, and a bright and beautiful face was looking up at him.

"Hehe... Surprised? Unexpected?"

The girl in his arms asked him a question as if presenting a treasure, her voice sweet and crisp, with a hint of pride.

"I've been waiting for so long! Why are you so late today?"

She was still nestled in Jiang Qing's arms, her arms wrapped around his waist, rubbing her head against his chin, bringing a soft, ticklish sensation.

Jiang Qing was somewhat helpless at her sudden enthusiastic hug and surprise, but looking into her bright eyes, her heart softened and she chuckled softly.

"Yes, a pleasant surprise."

He raised his hand and casually ruffled her slightly messy hair.

However, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Jiang Nan, whose expression had softened from being so engrossed in the temptation of the "dumplings," now standing frozen in place outside the open door.

The little girl's facial expressions were truly fascinating.

First came shock, eyes wide open, mouth slightly agape, as if witnessing an alien invasion.

Then came bewilderment, as if they couldn't understand what was happening in this intimate scene.

Finally, all the emotions quickly settled, transforming into an extremely complex mix of "I knew it," "Brother, you're finished," "I knew this day would come," and... a deep sense of contempt.

His facial expressions are far superior to those of most actors!
Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly, her arms crossed over her chest, her chin slightly raised, and she stared at him with a gaze that was almost scrutinizing, carrying a strong sense of condemnation, and a half-smile.

At this moment, the girl in Jiang Qing's arms, still immersed in the joy of her successful "surprise," finally noticed the subtle change in the atmosphere.

Following Jiang Qing's gaze and noticing the momentary stiffness in his body, she turned her head in confusion to look at the doorway.

Then, she saw the pretty girl outside the door, wearing a bright orange scarf, who looked six or seven parts like Jiang Qing, and who was staring at her and Jiang Qing with an indescribably complicated look.

Eyes facing each other.

Time seemed to be paused at this moment.

Under the bright lights of the entryway, the three people maintained strange postures and expressions.

Jiang Qing held the girl, who was frozen in astonishment, in his arms.

She turned her head, her charming peach blossom eyes wide open, her face still bearing the lingering radiant smile, but her eyes were quickly filled with astonishment, embarrassment, and helplessness.

Outside the door, Jiang Nan stood with her arms crossed, her delicate face full of amusement, and a hint of slyness in her eyes.

The air in the entryway seemed to stagnate, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The only sounds were a very faint hissing from the central air conditioning vents and... a lazy meow that came from deep within the living room.

"Meow~"

The meow was like a needle, instantly piercing the frozen air and dispelling the tense atmosphere.

"Cough... If I said this was an accident, would you believe me?"

At this moment, the girl in Jiang Qing's arms blinked her eyes, breaking the silence with remarkable intelligence.

(End of this chapter)