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

Chapter 296 Doubts Arise, The Way He Likes

About twenty minutes later, the door to the lounge creaked open. Jiang Qing looked in the direction of the sound and a smile instantly spread across her face.

A creamy white, fluffy down jacket, resembling a large cloud, enveloped the girl, making her already small face appear even more delicate and exquisite, like a finely crafted piece of porcelain.

Two jet-black braids hung obediently in front of her chest, swaying gently with her movements, adding to her adorable girl-next-door charm.

Her smile was so sweet it could drip honey, her eyes curved into crescent moons, and her whole being radiated a warm and joyful aura.

"Jiang Qing! You weren't waiting impatiently, were you?"

Zhou Ye skipped out with light, quick steps, his voice clear and crisp.

"Come on, let me show you around Hengdian! I'm a local big shot here!"

As she spoke, she magically pulled a brand-new white baseball cap from the large pocket of her down jacket, slapped it on her head, and looked at him eagerly from under the brim.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Tour Guide Zhou."

Jiang Qing understood and pulled her black baseball cap down a little lower to cover her eyebrows and eyes.

With the popularity of the TV series "The Beginning", Xiao Heyun's face is extremely recognizable in a place like Hengdian.

"Today, Tour Guide Zhou is in charge."

"give it to me!"

Zhou Ye confidently raised his chin, his eyes crinkling as he patted his chest.

After greeting He Shuping, Hou Minghao, and other main cast and crew members, the two walked out of the set side by side, while Chen Duo, Zhou Zhengkai, and Zhang Wen trailed far behind them.

The streets of Hengdian in winter are less bustling than during peak season, and instead appear quite peaceful.

Zhou Ye was indeed a dutiful tour guide, chattering away with Jiang Qing without stopping.

"Look over there! That's the Ming and Qing Palaces, and over there, that's the Qin Palace. Wow, it's so impressive every time I pass by! And over there, that's Guangzhou Street and Hong Kong Street. They look so beautiful when they're lit up at night..."

She turned her little head from side to side, as if she wanted to show him the whole Hengdian.

Once the excitement got the better of them, the topics of conversation became quite whimsical.

"Jiang Qing, have you seen the latest viewership of 'The Beginning'? It's almost 24 billion! My goodness! The whole internet is talking about yesterday's finale! Every time I open my phone, there are related pop-ups, and my WeChat Moments are flooded with them!"

She shook his arm, more excited than if she had starred in a hit drama herself. Then, she pouted and abruptly changed the subject, her tone becoming slightly sour.

"But... ugh! You gave away your first on-screen kiss! And to Mai Mai no less! Ugh! I'm so angry! I saw it on set that time... I really wanted to rush in and pull Mai Mai away!"

She deliberately made a fierce and exaggerated gesture, which made Jiang Qing laugh.

"Work, that's work."

He squeezed her small hand and explained with a smile.

"I know it's work!"

Zhou Ye muttered something, clearly not really angry, but more like he was being coquettish. His attention was quickly drawn back to the food stalls on the roadside.

Wow! Roasted chestnuts! They smell so good!

She grabbed Jiang Qing and rushed over.

Jiang Qing let her pull him along, and shook his head, amused by the girl's lively and unconventional behavior.

So, the rest of the trip turned into a complete "eat and shop" experience.

"Boss, one order of this osmanthus cake, please!"

"This roasted sweet potato looks so sweet! Jiang Qing, shall we buy one and share it?"

"Hey? There's a candied hawthorn berry stall over there! Strawberry one! I want that!"

"Ah! Hot oden! And a few skewers of fish tofu, please!"

Zhou Ye was like a happy little squirrel, wanting to taste everything he saw.

She wasn't greedy; she bought a little of everything, ate a couple of bites herself, and stuffed the rest into Jiang Qing's hand, staring at him with bright eyes.

"This is delicious, you should try it!"

Jiang Qing naturally continued eating from the spot where she had bitten, and seeing her eyes squinting in satisfaction made him even happier than if he had eaten it himself.

In less than an hour, Zhou Ye's pace slowed down noticeably.

She held a skewer of takoyaki in one hand, having just taken a bite, while secretly covering her stomach with the other. Her little face scrunched up, and she gave Jiang Qing an embarrassed grin.

"Oh no, I ate too much..."

Her voice was soft and tinged with annoyance.

My stomach feels a little bloated...

Jiang Qing looked at her adorable, gluttonous, and stuffed appearance, and couldn't help but laugh and cry.

He took the remaining half-skewer of meatballs from her hand, and naturally placed his other hand over her hand that was covering her stomach, gently rubbing it through her thick down jacket.

"Little greedy cat."

The tone was helpless and doting.

"Let's go, I'll take you to have a proper lunch. We can't eat these snacks anymore."

Considering that Zhou Ye still had filming to do in the afternoon, Jiang Qing took her to a quiet Cantonese restaurant and asked for a private room.

When ordering, he filtered out all spicy and stimulating options, opting instead for steamed fish, blanched bok choy, shrimp dumplings, slow-cooked soup, and other mild and nourishing dishes.

In about twenty minutes, all the dishes were served.

"Be careful of the burn."

He first scooped out a small bowl of soup, blew on it, and then placed it in front of Zhou Ye.

The fish bones were carefully removed before the tender white fish meat was placed in her bowl.

The shrimp dumpling skin was a bit chewy, so he picked one up and gently poked a small hole with his chopsticks to make it easier for her to bite into it.

Seeing that she had some soup on the corner of her mouth from eating, I naturally took out a tissue and wiped it off for her.

Zhou Ye was like a well-cared-for child throughout the entire process, only needing to open his mouth to eat and laugh happily.

As she sipped her soup, she watched Jiang Qing intently removing fish bones from her face, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart. She felt the slight bloating in her stomach dissipate with this cozy sense of happiness.

The meal was warm and satisfying.

After putting down his chopsticks, Zhou Ye let out a small, satisfied burp, his cheeks slightly flushed.

Seeing that she was in good spirits, Jiang Qing got up to pay the bill and leave.

"Take a rest after you've eaten. After we settle the bill, I'll take you back to the film set to rest. Have a good afternoon of filming."

He had just reached the door of the private room, and before his hand even touched the doorknob, he heard Zhou Ye's clear voice calling from behind.

"Jiang Qing!"

He turned back subconsciously.

Zhou Ye ran forward in a few steps, stood in front of him, tilted his little face up, his eyes bright and clear, with an unmistakable determination.

She tiptoed, swiftly and accurately cupped his cheeks with both hands, and then kissed him without hesitation.

The kiss carried her unique sweet scent, along with a hint of the lingering taste of the clear soup from earlier; it was soft, warm, and filled with unreserved affection.

Jiang Qing was stunned for only a moment.

The girl's initiative to get close to him was like a warm flame, instantly igniting the tenderness in his heart.

Almost instinctively, he tightened his arms, holding her even closer in his embrace, and lowered his head to respond to her gently yet firmly.

This kiss was no longer just a fleeting encounter.

He guided and deepened it, with comfort and the same intense longing.

At first, Zhou Ye was a little smug about being in control, but she quickly softened at his strong yet gentle response, her breathing became rapid, and she could only hold tightly to his shirt, passively enduring this sweet plunder that made her heart tremble.

Jiang Qing reluctantly let go of the girl in his arms only when he felt she was having trouble breathing and unconsciously pushed him away with her little hand.

Zhou Ye leaned against him, breathing heavily, her face flushed red, like a ripe apple.

She took a while to catch her breath before raising her watery eyes and staring at him intently, her voice soft and gentle, tinged with a bit of panting.

"Jiang Qing... I've missed you so much lately."

Jiang Qing's heart was struck hard by her blunt words.

He brought his arms closer and gently brushed his chin against the top of her soft hair.

"Me too."

The private room fell silent, with only the sound of their intermittent breathing and the low hum of the heater filling the air with an almost sticky, sweet atmosphere.

Zhou Ye nestled quietly in his arms for a while, then, as if remembering something, raised his head and asked softly.

"So...when are you leaving?"

“There’s still filming in Luyang tomorrow morning, so I specially asked Director Liu for an extra day off to come and see you.”

Jiang Qing felt a pang of pity seeing her eyes dim instantly, but she still told the truth.

"So, I have to leave tonight."

"tonight……"

Zhou Ye repeated it, her little mouth pouting unconsciously again, her eyes filled with reluctance.

She was silent for a few seconds, as if making a difficult decision.

Then, she suddenly raised her eyes, her expression becoming somewhat serious, even scrutinizing, as she stared directly into Jiang Qing's eyes.

"So this afternoon... are you going to visit Sister Duling on set?"

This question came rather suddenly, and Jiang Qing's heart skipped a beat.

He naturally had this plan, after all, the crew of "The Long Moon Shines Brightly" was nearby, and since he was here, he definitely wanted to go see Dudu. But being asked so directly by Zhou Ye, especially with that unusually serious expression on her face, made Jiang Qing inexplicably nervous.

He knew Zhou Ye well. This girl usually seemed carefree, charming, and cute, but at times, her intuition was frighteningly accurate, and she was exceptionally sensitive to things he cared about.

The girl knew about her relationship with Dudu, but she never brought it up in the past, keeping it a tacit understanding. She didn't know why the girl would suddenly ask about it this time.

A brief silence fell between the two.

Looking into Zhou Ye's clear yet stubborn eyes, Jiang Qing knew that in this matter, honesty would cause far less harm than concealment.

He took a deep breath, nodded, and said it with certainty.

"Yes, I'm planning to go and check on her. She's not far away, and since I'm here, I'll naturally go and visit her on set."

He was prepared to face Zhou Ye's little temper or aggrieved look, and had even come up with several ways to coax her.

However, the expected reaction did not occur.

The serious expression on Zhou Ye's face melted away like ice and snow, disappearing without a trace in an instant.

She even chuckled, her eyes crinkling, as if Jiang Qing's serious expression from before was just his imagination.

"just go!"

She waved her hand, her tone relaxed and generous, even a little teasing.

"Aren't you and Sister Duling friends? It's perfectly normal for friends to visit the set! Do you think I'd stop you? It would make me seem petty!"

She tilted her head, smiling brightly, her eyes open and honest, without a trace of reluctance, but rather with a hint of smugness that said, "I'm very sensible."

"Moreover."

She added, her tone light and cheerful.

"Sister Duling is such a nice person! She's beautiful, has great poise, speaks so gently, and is very understanding. Why would I be angry if you went to see her?"

Jiang Qing was a little confused by her sudden display of "profound righteousness".

This reaction... was completely unexpected!
When did this girl develop such a good impression of Dudu?
And they still say "he's a very nice person" and "understanding"?
Have they met in private?

What did you talk about?
Suddenly feeling a little flustered, countless questions flooded Jiang Qing's mind.

He looked at Zhou Ye with a probing gaze, trying to find some clue in her radiant smile.

But Zhou Ye's eyes were crystal clear and incredibly open, as if what she said was her most genuine thought.

Jiang Qing's subtle tension was completely dispelled by Zhou Ye's unexpected magnanimity, replaced by a bewildering mix of amusement and a vague sense of unease.

But since Zhou Ye acted so "normally" and even "supportively," he couldn't press her for more information. He could only nod in agreement and give her a thumbs up.

"Alright, alright, our Ono is the most generous. I'll take you back later and then go check out 'Changyue Jinming'."

"Yeah! Go ahead, go ahead!"

Zhou Ye nodded with a smile, took his arm, and led him outside.

"Hurry up and take me back, I need to prepare for my afternoon scene! I don't want to keep the director waiting!"

She acted like a carefree, happy little sun, as if the girl who had just been jealously asking about her "first on-screen kiss," taking the initiative to kiss her, and then seriously inquiring whether she should visit the set wasn't her.

Jiang Qing was pulled along by her. Looking down at the girl beside him who was skipping and jumping, her braids swinging back and forth, the doubts in his heart were like pebbles thrown into a lake. Although they caused ripples, they were temporarily covered by the girl's smile.

He tightened his grip on her hand, suppressing the questions in his heart.

Regardless, her happiness and trust at this moment are genuine.

As for what exactly happened between her and Dudu, perhaps only after he meets Dudu will he know the answer.

When we returned to the "Protect the Heart" film crew, it was almost 1 p.m.

Upon seeing Jiang Qing return with Zhou Ye, Hou Minghao immediately came to greet them.

"President Jiang, I'm a huge fan of 'The Beginning.' Your acting was superb, and that cycle theory was absolutely brilliant! Could you please sign an autograph for me?"

He spoke earnestly, and as he spoke, he handed over the notebook in his hand.

"Uh……"

Jiang Qing raised an eyebrow, took the notebook and pen from his hand, and looked at Zhou Ye beside her.

"Oh my~ Xiao Houzi is really a fan of the drama 'The Beginning', he never misses an episode. You sign it for him first, I'm going to get my hair and makeup done."

Zhou Ye instantly understood his gaze, and waved as she walked toward the stylist who was waiting for her.

Jiang Qing smiled and quickly signed autographs for Hou Minghao, occasionally answering some of his questions.

After signing his name, he closed the notebook and handed it back to Hou Minghao, then chatted with He Shuping and the others who had gathered around.

Nearly half an hour later, he raised his hand to look at his watch, then turned his gaze to Zhou Ye, who had already finished his makeup and changed into his costume and walked forward.

"I have to go."

He took two steps closer to her, lowered his voice, and spoke with a hint of coaxing.

"Otherwise, we won't make it to the airport in time and will have to turn back."

Zhou Ye immediately grinned broadly, his eyes crinkling into crescent moons, and nodded vigorously in a clear, crisp voice.

"Okay, I got it! You busy person!"

She even waved her arm at him dramatically, as if shooing away a non-existent fly.

"Hurry up, hurry up, don't delay my filming! Say hello to Sister Duling for me when you visit the set!"

Her tone was light and generous, as if she were talking about something very ordinary.

Looking at her radiant smile, Jiang Qing felt the lingering doubts in her heart sink even deeper.

He smiled helplessly, raised his hand as if to ruffle her hair, but stopped when he saw her delicate ancient-style hair bun, and instead gently pinched the downy fur on the edge of her down jacket hood.

"Okay, take care of yourself."

He whispered his instructions.

"Ugh, I know, I know! Stop nagging!"

Zhou Ye wrinkled his nose, deliberately making a disgusted expression, but secretly waved his little hand at him from the side, silently saying goodbye.

Jiang Qing didn't delay any longer and nodded to the staff around her.

"Thank you all for your hard work. I'll take my leave now."

After saying that, he turned around and strode towards the exit of the film set.

Chen Duo and his companion immediately followed, and the three of them quickly disappeared outside the somewhat deserted film set in the winter.

Zhou Ye stood there, her bright smile lasting, her gaze following his back until he was completely out of sight, before she slowly lowered her waving arm.

The smile on her face seemed to have been paused, still maintaining its upward curve, but the light in her eyes gradually dimmed, making them appear somewhat empty.

"Wow, what a busy person!"

Hou Minghao, holding the signed notebook, came closer and looked in the direction Jiang Qing had left, sighing with emotion.

He turned to look at Zhou Ye, a hint of gossip on his face.

"Hey, Yezi, is President Jiang going to visit Sister Duling on the set of 'The Long Moon Shines Brightly'? You... don't you care at all?"

He asked quite directly, after all, Zhou Ye's behavior just now was unbelievably generous.

Zhou Ye seemed to be suddenly awakened by his voice, and the lingering smile on his face instantly returned, even brighter than before.

She turned her head and waved to Hou Minghao in a carefree manner, her voice clear and loud.

"What's there to care about! It's perfectly normal for friends to visit each other on set! What's there to be so concerned about?"

She rolled her eyes slightly, as if Hou Minghao had asked an extremely childish question.

"Am I, Zhou Ye, such a petty person? Besides, Sister Duling is such a nice person, beautiful and gentle. Why doesn't Jiang Qing go and see her?"

She spoke very quickly, offering a series of reasons that sounded remarkably reasonable.

Hou Minghao was stunned by her rapid-fire "reasoning," but seeing the open and sincere smile on her face, his doubts were instantly dispelled.

He scratched his head and chuckled.

"That's right, that's right, I was overthinking it. Yezi is so generous!"

He gave Zhou Ye a thumbs up, thinking that this girl was really generous.

"I'll go over and go over with the lyrics first!"

Hou Minghao saw the stagehand gesturing to him from a distance, so he immediately grabbed his laptop, turned around, and ran away.

The surroundings of the film set were still noisy, with the sounds of props being moved, staff talking in hushed tones, and the director adjusting equipment in the distance all mixed together.

However, just as Hou Minghao turned and ran a few steps away, the bright and cheerful smile on Zhou Ye's face, as radiant as the summer sun, vanished without a trace, like a light suddenly extinguished.

It's as if the girl who was just now chattering, lively and generous, saying things like "it's normal for friends," "I don't care," and "I'm too happy to even think about it," was just someone who had been forced into an ill-fitting shell.

At this moment, she simply stood quietly in place, the chilly winter air seemingly frozen around her.

That delicate little face had lost all its lively expressions, leaving only an almost transparent calm.

Her long eyelashes drooped, concealing all the emotions in her eyes, and her lips were pressed into a straight line.

The surrounding liveliness seemed to be separated from her by an invisible barrier. Her charming and cute girl-next-door temperament vanished, replaced by a sense of aloofness and coldness, like a winter plum blossom standing alone in the cold wind.

She lowered her head slightly, looking at her fingertips that were a little red from the cold, and murmured something almost in a breath, her voice so soft it sounded like a sigh, and it instantly disappeared into the noise of the film set.

"Who doesn't care..."

She paused, her fingertips unconsciously curling slightly, her voice lower, carrying an almost self-mocking weariness.

"But... he probably prefers my smile."

(End of this chapter)