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

Chapter 291 Sweet Interactions, Final Sprint

The dazzling light from the shattered ice sculpture had barely faded from my retina when the atmosphere in the banquet hall was already ignited.

A golden waterfall of champagne flows from the tower, laughter and rousing music mingle, but an even more surging wave is rushing across the internet at the speed of light.

Almost at the very moment Jiang Qing subconsciously stepped aside to shield Zhao Jinmai from the flying ice shards, and the two smiled at each other in the golden rain, countless phone screens were being frantically tapped!

Weibo, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, Bilibili... the same scene was all over the social media platforms - Jiang Qingwei's slightly turned figure formed a steady barrier, and Zhao Jinmai looked up and smiled sweetly in the shadow of his arm, the light outlining her slender neck and the undisguised joy in her eyes.

The background is filled with golden rain and blurry cheering crowds, creating an atmosphere so intense it almost overflows the screen.

"Jiang Qing, Zhao Jin, and Mai Shiranui in the same frame" goes viral
"The anti-bombing couple's victory celebration banquet features a killer eye contact"
"Jiang Qing protects Zhao Jinmai"
The trending topics list was instantly flooded with posts, followed by the bright red word "Explosive".

"Aaaaaaah, I'm done for! What kind of idol drama filming set is this?! Jiang Qing, where are you putting your hands?! (pointing and gesturing)"

"MaiMai's eyes! They were so sweet they gave me cavities! She looked at him like she was looking at the whole world!"

"Help! This height difference! This body size difference! This protectiveness! Jiang Shen's boyfriend power is MAX! Mai Mai is like a little bird nestled next to him!"

"What are you standing there for? Take a screenshot! This picture is enough for me to enjoy for a year! I want the original high-resolution image! I want to keep it as a family heirloom!"

"Even those who aren't fans of the couple can't resist this sight! It's so pleasing to the eye! Handsome men and beautiful women standing together are a blessing to the human eye!"

"Penguin Video Official Weibo! Did you hear that? I want to see a kissing scene in tonight's finale! Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing, kiss! Immediately! Right now! That's an order!"

"Upstairs +10086! The romance in the show is so restrained, relying entirely on eye contact. The finale absolutely has to give me Jiang Qing's first on-screen kiss! I want to see Jiang Qing's first on-screen kiss too!"

"First kiss! First kiss! First kiss! I'll say it three times because it's important! Noon Sunshine, you need to know better!"

"As a fan of the show, I wholeheartedly support this! What's wrong with a kiss in a loop? Even a time reset can't erase this memory! Give me that kiss!"

"Reuters even saw a kissing scene! It'll be in episode 14 or 15, can't wait!"

"A crane soars into the clear sky, its flight inspiring poetic thoughts that reach the heavens! The anti-fraud duo is awesome! (voice cracks)"

……

The barrage comments, comment sections, and topic discussions were completely drowned out by calls for "the anti-fraud couple's kiss scene" and "Jiang Qing and Zhao Jinmai's first on-screen kiss".

Fans of the drama are eagerly awaiting its release, while fans of the couple are overjoyed. Even individual fans of both sides can't help but smile at the natural joy and perfect pairing of their idols, happily joining the ranks of those who are "lightly shipping" the characters during the drama's run.

"Although I am a listener, but... Mai Mai is so cute, as long as Jiang Shen is happy (covers face)."

"Mai Xiang said that as long as Mai Mai is happy, we find this interaction quite sweet (well-behaved)."

"Promoting content during the drama's airing period is understandable, but isn't the quality of this promotion a bit too high? Are they forcing the celebrities to ship the characters?"

"Maixiang said that we would feel at ease if she was with Jiang Shen."

"That's right, if it's Jiang Shen, he'll definitely be able to protect our Mai Mai!"

"The only problem is that Jiang Shen seems to have quite a few scandals..."

As the conversation went on, it inevitably veered off-topic.

Soon, the comments section veered off to the topic of which rumored boyfriend would be a better match for Jiang Qing.

The scene in the banquet hall.

Amidst lively warm-up music, the host, microphone in hand, smiled broadly as he took charge of the event.

"Distinguished guests, dear [passengers]! Just seeing our main cast standing on the stage isn't enough! Next up is the long-awaited—intimate interaction time!"

Under the guidance of the host, the lead actors Liu Yijun, Huang Jue, Liu Tao, Liu Dan, and others were dispersed to different fan interaction areas and began playing pre-arranged games.

Guessing lines, charades, reenactments... the veteran actors were down-to-earth, accommodating fans' various reasonable or outrageous requests, filling the venue with laughter.

"Officer Zhang! Could you imitate that intensely intimidating look in your eyes when you interrogated Xiao Heyun?"

A fan shouted excitedly.

Liu Yijun immediately straightened his face, his eyes sharp as knives, instantly making the fan shrink back and causing a burst of laughter.

Huang Jue was pulled to repeat Wang Xingde's wooden "We've arrived at Yanjiang East Road Station," and he deliberately slowed down and lowered his tone, which was very effective.

The atmosphere grew increasingly lively.

"Alright! Now for the main event!"

After a lively interaction, the host's voice suddenly rose, filled with obvious excitement.

"Let us welcome tonight's brightest stars—Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing! And our Mr. Jiang Qing! And Ms. Zhao Jinmai!"

The spotlight then focused on the two of them again.

Jiang Qing calmly stood up and naturally extended her hand to Zhao Jinmai, who was still somewhat immersed in the atmosphere of the game.

Zhao Jinmai blushed, glanced at him quickly, and gently placed her hand in his palm to help herself up.

The audience responded with a tacit "Oh~".

Jiang Qing shook her head and chuckled. Zhao Jinmai lowered her head slightly as the two were led to a specially decorated area in the center of the stage.

"The first game is very simple—blindfolded cake feeding!"

The host announces the rules.

"Both of you need to be blindfolded, spin around three times, and then our CEO Jiang will feed Mai Mai a bite of the little cake we've prepared! Note that you can't use your hands to assist, only a fork! One minute is all it takes, let's see how well our anti-bombing duo works together!"

The moment the rules were announced, the live stream and the chat exploded!
"Ahhh! Blindfolded! Physical contact! Feeding! Penguin, you really understand your audience!"

"Give the host a bonus! This game design is brilliant!"

"One minute! Enough for a lot of stories to unfold! (doge)"

"MaiMai is so shy, won't she be mortified?"

"Start now! I love watching!"

……

Staff members quickly stepped forward and blindfolded Jiang Qing and Zhao Jinmai with soft blindfolds.

Vision plunged into darkness, and the surrounding sounds seemed amplified.

Zhao Jinmai nervously pursed her lips, her fingers unconsciously twisting together.

"Alright, you two, spin around three times! Ready—Go!"

Jiang Qing's movements were very steady. She spun around three times cleanly, only wobbling slightly when she stopped before regaining her balance.

Zhao Jinmai was a little dizzy. When she spun around for the third time, she lost her footing, let out a small cry of surprise, and swayed to the side.

"Be careful."

Jiang Qing's voice rang out almost simultaneously.

He instinctively reached out and firmly supported Zhao Jinmai's elbow, helping her regain her balance.

Through their skin, the warmth of his palm was clearly transmitted to Zhao Jinmai.

"Thank you...thank you."

Zhao Jinmai's voice was barely audible, and in the darkness, she could feel her cheeks burning intensely.

"Wow!"

The audience and the live chat erupted in screams once again.

"Next, Ms. Jiang Qing, please pick up the fork and cake in front of you, find Mai Mai's location, and successfully feed her! Mai Mai can't move, you can only guide her with your voice! Start the timer!"

Jiang Qing fumbled for the silver fork on the small table and speared a small piece of delicate cream cake.

He listened intently for a moment, quickly determined the direction from his memory, and then took a step very firmly toward Zhao Jinmai.

Zhao Jinmai's heart pounded as she heard his approaching footsteps.

She stood frozen in place, too afraid to move.

"MaiMai?"

Jiang Qing's voice was very close, and it sounded inquiring.

"Um... I'm here."

Zhao Jinmai responded softly, her voice trembling slightly.

Following the sound, Jiang Qing accurately judged her height, and with a very steady hand holding the fork, tentatively reached forward.

The cream on the tip of the fork gently touched Zhao Jinmai's nose.

"what!"

The cool, soft touch made Zhao Jinmai instinctively shrink her neck and let out a small gasp.

A huge commotion erupted at the scene.

The live stream chat was filled with laughter.

"Nose tip!!! It touched nose tip!!!" "Jiang Qing, you did this on purpose, didn't you? Absolutely!"

"Ahhh, this is like an idol drama plot! Mai Mai's hunched-over neck is so cute!"

"Should we go and kiss her next?"

"I absolutely love this game!"

……

Jiang Qing chuckled softly, a hint of helplessness and apology in her voice.

"Sorry, the location is slightly off."

"No, it's okay."

Zhao Jinmai replied in a low voice.

"Come again."

Jiang Qing made a slight adjustment to her wrist, moving the fork down a little.

This time, the goal is clear.

The cake, covered in cream, was slowly and precisely placed to Zhao Jinmai's slightly parted lips.

"what……"

Zhao Jinmai subconsciously opened her mouth and took a small bite.

The sweet cream melted in her mouth, but what unsettled her even more was the scent of him so close at hand, and the illusion that his fingers might have brushed against her cheek.

"Good! Success!"

The host shouted excitedly.

"We still have plenty of time! Looks like our teamwork is perfect!"

Staff members came forward to help the two remove their blindfolds.

The sudden restoration of light made Zhao Jinmai squint, and the blush on her cheeks, like the finest rouge, spread all the way to her delicate earlobes.

She didn't dare look at Jiang Qing at all, keeping her head down and unconsciously wiping away non-existent cream from the corner of her lips with her fingers.

Jiang Qing looked at her shy expression, his smile deepening, and naturally placed the remaining cake back on the table.

"Give me a kiss! Give me a kiss! Give me a kiss!"

A loud, clearly inflammatory voice suddenly rang out, drowning out the noise in the room.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Yang Wei standing by the main table, one hand on his hip and the other holding a champagne glass, waving excitedly toward the stage with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Vice President Yang is leading the charge in something big!"

Viagra is awesome!

"Kiss me! Kiss me!"

"General Manager Yang is awesome!"

……

The scene was instantly ignited, with waves of cheers and jeers rising higher and higher. Even Liu Yijun, Huang Jue, and others joined in with smiles and clapping, looking on with expressions of anticipation for the show.

Sun Zhonghuai and Han Zijie exchanged a glance, both revealing satisfied smiles.

This Yang Wei is quite good at creating a lively atmosphere, and the key is that he does it at just the right time.

As Jiang Qing's good friend, it was perfect for him to do this.

Zhao Jinmai had never experienced anything like this before. She felt like she had been thrown into a steamer, so ashamed that she wanted to disappear into the ground.

She instinctively took a half-step behind Jiang Qing, her small hands nervously gripping the back of his suit jacket, her head bowed even lower, revealing a pinkish tinge to the back of her neck.

Jiang Qing's smile faded slightly, and she glanced helplessly at Yang Wei, who was leading the commotion below the stage.

Yang Wei received his gaze, but instead of restraining himself, he became even more enthusiastic and mouthed "KISS".

This piece of shit!

Jiang Qing turned her gaze back to the host. Her voice was not loud, but it clearly traveled through the microphone and filled the entire venue, carrying a gentle yet undeniable tone.

"Host, what's the next segment? Everyone seems a bit too enthusiastic, don't scare Teacher Mai Mai."

He cleverly used the title "Teacher Mai" to defuse the ambiguity and then threw the topic back to the host.

The host immediately understood and quickly responded.

"Oh yes, yes, yes! It seems everyone's enthusiasm is beyond our expectations! But let's stick to the schedule! There are even more exciting parts waiting for you! Come on, let's ask you two to take a short break!"

Jiang Qing naturally turned to the side, gently supporting Zhao Jinmai's back as she led her to the edge of the stage and escorted her down the steps.

Zhao Jinmai clung to him like a frightened little rabbit the whole time, almost being half-protected by him as he led her away from the "dangerous" area in the center of the stage.

Only after sitting back down at the main table did she quietly breathe a sigh of relief, pick up the water glass on the table and take a big gulp, trying to calm the heat on her face.

Jiang Qing then sat down next to her with an air of nonchalance, as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with him.

This little incident once again ignited online discussion.

"President Yang has definitively refuted the CP (couple) fandom!"

"Jiang Shen protecting his wife! That line, 'Don't scare our Teacher Mai Mai,' was so sweet!"

"MaiMai is hiding behind Jiang, leaning back and clutching the hem of her clothes! She's so tiny! So incredibly cute!"

"President Jiang reacted so quickly, he took control of the situation immediately! He neither embarrassed Mai Mai too much nor created an awkward silence! High emotional intelligence!"

"Although it's a little disappointing that we didn't get to kiss, this interaction was incredibly sweet! I'm satisfied!"

……

The game segment continued with the participation of other actors, but the climax had clearly passed.

Time slipped away quietly towards 8 p.m. amidst laughter and interaction.

The banquet hall's dazzling lights were dimmed slightly, the huge main screen lit up, and it clearly switched to the Tencent Video playback page, with the background music changed to a soft and soothing melody.

The host stood to the side of the stage, his voice carrying just the right amount of solemnity and anticipation.

"Dear friends, joyful times are always fleeting, and the most exciting moment is about to arrive! Let us calm our excitement for a moment, because the final journey of 'The Beginning' is about to begin! Please take your seats in an orderly manner, and let us wait together for the final suspense to be revealed!"

The bustling noise of the crowd seemed to be paused, and quickly quieted down.

The guests and fans who were just immersed in the game and social interaction returned to their seats and all turned their attention to the huge screen.

A tense atmosphere, where everyone held their breath, filled the air.

At the main table, the relaxed smiles on the faces of Sun Zhonghuai, Han Zijie, Hou Hongliang, Sun Molong, and others faded, replaced by a serious expression that blended confidence with the final sprint.

Sun Zhonghuai even unconsciously rubbed his fingers together.

Jiang Qing leaned back in his chair, his posture still composed, his gaze calmly fixed on the large screen.

Zhao Jinmai sat upright, her hands folded on her lap, her lower lip slightly bitten, her big eyes fixed on the screen with anticipation.

This is a work she poured her heart and soul into, a work she completed with Jiang Qing, and it has achieved such great success. Now, it is about to reach its final conclusion.

She is looking forward to the final performance of "The Beginning"!
The live stream camera swept across the entire venue, capturing every face that was holding its breath in anticipation.

The style of the comments section also changed instantly.

"It's here! The last two episodes!"

"I'm nervous! My palms are sweating!"

"Please, please, it has to be a happy ending!"

"Kissing scene! Kissing scene! Where's my kissing scene?!"

"Is the data monitoring room ready? Will the record be broken again tonight?"

"Everyone stand up! Welcome to the grand finale!"

The time was 7:57 PM, and as always, Tencent Video was late in updating the latest two episodes.

On the giant screen, the familiar intro to the opening theme of "The Beginning" began, its suspenseful melody acting like an invisible fuse, instantly igniting the anticipation in everyone's hearts.

The banquet hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Hundreds of eyes are focused on one point.

The final cycle of "The Beginning" begins to turn.

The curves in the data monitoring room are about to begin their final, frantic sprint!

(End of this chapter)