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

Chapter 441 Two Flowers Bloom, Each Telling a Different Story

Two o'clock in the afternoon, Beijing.

The studio at the headquarters of Kuzi Video was filled with the aroma of coffee.

Chen Duling sat on a high stool, her long, smooth black hair parted in the middle and carefully styled, falling softly to both sides of her chest.

Her makeup was exquisite, highlighting her already small features and making her face appear even smaller than the palm of her hand.

She wore a green stand-up collar puff-sleeved top and matching sequined shorts.

Beneath her shorts, a pair of straight and slender legs were on full display. They were long, white, and straight, and under the bright studio lights, they looked like white marble, attracting the attention of several male actors from the same production crew who would occasionally glance over them before quickly looking away.

She wore a pair of white stilettos, which accentuated the beautiful lines of her legs and made them appear even longer.

She had a script outstretched on her lap, outlining the interview process. Her gaze seemed focused on the paper, but her fingertips were unconsciously fiddling with the edges of the paper.

Beside her were several lead actors from the drama "The Long Moon Shines Brightly," including Bai Lu, Luo Yunxi, Deng Wei, and Sun Zhenni.

There was still some time before the interview recording began, and the group was chatting idly.

"The Long Moon Shines Bright" is scheduled to premiere on April 6th. Recently, Chen Duling, as the second female lead with a significant role, has been busy with various promotional activities with the main cast and crew.

This drama has a large investment, and both the production company and the platform attach great importance to it.

As the conversation went on, the topic inevitably veered towards yesterday's entertainment extravaganza that swept the entire internet—the Weibo Night.

It's already a hot topic, and given that they're all insiders, it's impossible for them not to pay attention.

Did you all watch the Weibo Night event yesterday? It was so exciting!

As she fiddled with the hair behind her ear, Bai Lu excitedly began to talk.

She was also at the scene yesterday, and flew back to Beijing overnight afterward.

Upon hearing this, Luo Yunxi immediately responded with a smile.

"It's hard not to see it; the trending topics are flooded with it, and my WeChat Moments are full of photos from the scene."

Deng Wei nodded and echoed his agreement.

"It's really lively. My staff have been glued to their phones, watching the drama unfold."

"Yeah, I'm so envious of you, Lulu, being able to be there and witness Jiang Qing up close! Ah, that's great!"

Sun Zhenni covered her chest with both hands, looking like a little fangirl.

Bai Lu's eyes darted around, revealing a hint of cunning. She moved closer to Chen Duling, who seemed to be diligently studying the script, and gently nudged her with her elbow.

"Dudu, you must have been following this too, right?"

Chen Duling paused for a moment, her fingers twirling the edge of the script, then looked up, a perfectly timed smile on her face, and nodded.

"Yes, I saw it, it's quite lively."

She couldn't possibly ignore it. Even though she kept telling herself that she wanted to distance herself from Jiang Qing, her eyes would always involuntarily search for news about that person.

Moreover, with yesterday's overwhelming flow of information, it's simply impossible to completely block it.

From the moment Jiang Qing was personally welcomed into the venue by Cao Guowei to her interactions with Wang Churan, Zhang Jingyi, Dilraba, and others, she saw every scene and every piece of text.

My heart felt like it was being tightly wrapped around something, not too tightly, but I couldn't break free.

Seeing her calm reaction, Bailu couldn't suppress her curiosity any longer and asked the question that had been lingering in her mind in a low voice.

"Seriously, Dudu, Jiang Qing's status and position are completely different now. There are quite a few actresses in the industry eyeing him. Look at the scene yesterday, wow! They wanted to devour him whole! You... don't you feel a lot of pressure?"

Her question was rather direct, since everyone had heard rumors about her and Jiang Qing, but neither party had ever publicly acknowledged anything.

Upon hearing this, the others also turned their attention to him.

Who wouldn't be curious about anything related to Jiang Qing!
Chen Duling's smile faded slightly, but the curve remained. She raised her eyes and looked at Bai Lu with a clear gaze.

"Lulu, you've misunderstood. Jiang Qing and I... are just ordinary friends."

His tone was normal, but it carried a deliberate sense of distance.

She paused slightly, as if to emphasize, and then repeated it.

"Really, we're just ordinary friends."

Bai Lu was stunned for a moment. She had expected to hear some vague response or a slightly sweet complaint, but she did not expect such a clear and direct denial.

She looked into Chen Duling's overly rational and serious eyes, which held no trace of resentment or shyness, only a calm clarity.

It seems... he's serious?
The egret keenly sensed something unusual beneath the calm; it wasn't a denial born of shyness, but rather a clear demarcation made after a firm decision.

She gave an awkward laugh and touched her nose.

"Ah...ha...I see. I was just asking casually. Dudu, don't mind me."

After saying that, she awkwardly moved away to talk to Luo Yunxi about something else.

Seeing this, the others realized what was happening and looked away. Only Deng Wei looked at Chen Duling intently for a few moments, a surge of excitement rising in his heart.

If, if... Chen Duling really cuts ties with that President Jiang, then could he try to pursue her?

Once the thought started, I just couldn't stop it.

He felt he could give it a try.

Seeing that the others had looked away, Chen Duling sighed almost imperceptibly and turned her gaze back to the script on her lap, but the words on it seemed to have become blurred, and she couldn't read a single one.

She didn't even know what she was thinking at that moment.

Rationally, she knew clearly that Jiang Qing had changed. He was no longer the boy from the university debate competition, nor the man she could still sense some purity from when they first met.

He was surrounded by too many women, and his emotional world was too complicated for her to accept, so she chose to leave.

Emotionally, in her life and at work, he was everywhere—his news, his achievements, his scandals, his every move was magnified under the spotlight, like an invisible net that enveloped her, leaving her nowhere to escape.

A sense of powerlessness, where she desperately wanted to get away but was constantly reminded of the other person's existence, enveloped her, leaving her nowhere to escape.

……

Meanwhile, at the Tencent Video branch on the other side of Beijing, in a spacious conference room, the main creators of the TV series "The Long Season" were discussing the details of the promotion and distribution for the upcoming series.

Zhou Ye sat at the long table, his long hair cascading down his shoulders like a waterfall.

Her makeup was so light and subtle that it was almost impossible to see any trace of it, which only accentuated the beauty of her features.

She wore a soft white shirt with the buttons neatly fastened to the collar, and a colorful yet elegant peacock feather long skirt that trailed on the ground, adding a touch of artistic flair to her look.

Compared to when she was in Luyang last time, she was much thinner, with a more pointed chin. The aloof and detached temperament rooted in her beauty was also more pronounced, as if she were separated from her surroundings by an invisible layer of thin ice.

She held a pen in her hand, scribbling absently on the blank page of her notebook, her eyes somewhat vacant.

My mind is also filled with images from yesterday's Weibo Night.

When I woke up this morning, my phone was flooded with related news, from push notifications to people around me, and from my WeChat Moments.

Especially when she saw headlines like "Jiang Qing appears at Weibo Night", "Mingyun Xunhuan in the same frame", and "Reba and Jiang Qing", Zhou Ye felt like a bottle of vinegar had been spilled in her heart. The sour feeling spread from her heart to her throat, making it hard for her to breathe.

She clicked into the "Ming Yun Xun Huan" CP super topic on a whim, looking at the GIFs edited by fans and the sweet moments they analyzed.

When he saw Jiang Qing and Zhang Jingyi smiling at each other, a nameless anger welled up inside him.

The junior sister who once taunted her seemed to have already achieved her goal.

In fact, she received a call from Li Bingbing last night.

Li Bingbing spoke gently on the phone, casually mentioning that Jiang Qing had specifically asked her about her recent situation, inquiring about whether her work was going well and whether she was in a good mood.

Hearing her words, she couldn't deny a secret, uncontrollable surge of joy welling up inside her. He still cared about her!

But just as this thought arose, before it could even ignite into a small flame, the scene from the Vientiane press conference flooded back into my mind like a cold tide.

The entangled figures seen through the crack in the lounge door, Meng Ziyi's panicked and guilty eyes, Tian Xiwei's blatant provocation, Liu Haocun's seemingly innocent but actually inflaming words, and Chen Duling's calm yet cruel words, "You know everything."

The stinging and suffocating feeling of being betrayed by the most trusted people instantly extinguished any sliver of joy, leaving only a heart full of anger and resentment.

"Ono? Ono?"

Director Xin Shuang's voice pulled her back from her chaotic thoughts.

Zhou Ye suddenly snapped out of her daze and realized that everyone in the conference room was staring at her.

She quickly forced a smile, her lips curving upwards.

"Huh? Director Xin, what's wrong? I'm sorry, I was a little distracted just now."

Xin Shuang wore a warm smile, showing no sign of blame.

"It's nothing, it's nothing. I just wanted to ask if you have any questions about the preliminary schedule for this series of promotional events we've drafted? Or are there any inconveniences regarding the timing? If so, please let us know, and we can adjust it according to your schedule and try our best to accommodate you. Or, if you feel that some events are too tiring, you don't have to attend every single one. It mainly depends on your availability."

His tone was very gentle, with a tone of negotiation.

Upon hearing this, Fan Wei, Qin Hao, and the others at the long table exchanged glances and revealed meaningful smiles.

Zhou Ye paused, his hand holding the pen stopping on the paper.

She knew perfectly well that if she were just an ordinary or somewhat famous actress, the director and producers would never have discussed the schedule with her in such a cautious tone.

The only reason they acted this way was because everyone knew about her relationship with Jiang Qing.

Even the fact that she was able to get the important role of Shen Mo in "The Long Season" was because of Jiang Qing.

This realization left her with mixed feelings.

Her mind raced, and within seconds, the smile on her face vanished, replaced by an unusually serious expression.

She put down her pen, sat up straight, and looked at Xin Shuang.

"Director Xin, there's no need for special adjustments. I'm fine with everything on my end. I will fully cooperate with all the promotional activities for the production team, and everything will be based on their arrangements."

Now it was Xin Shuang's turn to be stunned.

He was somewhat surprised. He had thought Zhou Ye might make some demands, but he hadn't expected her to be so cooperative.

Although Zhou Ye was very dedicated while on set, the drama had already finished filming.

He carefully examined Zhou Ye's expression and, seeing that she seemed genuine, a more sincere smile bloomed on his face as he nodded repeatedly.

"Great, great! That's wonderful!"

The others in the meeting room—the producer, the publicity manager, and the lead actors Fan Wei and Qin Hao—all pretended to be engrossed in their work, but they were all secretly thinking their own thoughts.

However, they did appreciate Zhou Ye's cooperative attitude.

It's okay if you're a resource provider; if not you, there are others.

The worst thing is that they're just people with connections who aren't professional, or they act like big shots and cause trouble, which would be really annoying.

After this little incident, the meeting continued, discussing specific publicity details, but Zhou Ye's heart remained unsettled for a long time.

Xin Shuang's polite, even somewhat ingratiating, attitude was like a needle, piercing through the facade she had been deliberately maintaining these past few days.

She suddenly realized that many of the things she now possessed, such as the endorsement deal with JD.com, the role in this drama, the special treatment she received from the crew, and even many other business collaborations or media attention, actually came directly or indirectly from Jiang Qing.

It was because of the ambiguous relationship between her and Jiang Qing, which appeared ambiguous to outsiders, that these resources were tilted towards her.

A question she had previously ignored suddenly surfaced involuntarily in her mind.

Did I really leave Jiang Qing?
Or rather, can I really leave him completely and get rid of his influence entirely?
Without his protection, could she still have all of this now?

This reality made her uncomfortable, even somewhat ashamed, yet it was undeniably real before her eyes.

She couldn't help but feel a little confused.

If I were to tell Li Bingbing and Li Xue now that I have completely broken up with Jiang Qing, how would they treat me?

……

Lin'an.

At almost the same time, the planning meeting of the "Keep Running" program team was also in full swing.

Director Yao Yitian frowned as he looked at the preliminary plan for the next episode.

The show's ratings have indeed been sluggish in recent years, declining steadily, and he urgently needs some new highlights to stimulate the market.

At this point, an assistant director in charge of inviting guests cautiously made a suggestion.

"Director Yao, I have a somewhat immature idea about the guest for the next episode... You see, everyone saw how popular Jiang Qing was at Weibo Night yesterday, it was practically phenomenal. Should we... try inviting him?"

As soon as he said that, a low murmur arose in the conference room, and most people wore expressions of disbelief.

"Invite Jiang Qing? Are you kidding me! What is his status now? He's the founder of Wuwen Technology, his net worth is terrifying, and I heard that even the White House has taken notice of him recently. He would be willing to participate in our program? Impossible, impossible!"

Immediately, someone spoke up to refute this.

"Yes, he's not the same person he was back in Peach Blossom Village. How could he have time to come and record a variety show? Besides, with his current status, how would we calculate his appearance fee? Giving him too little would be inappropriate, and giving him too much would be unaffordable for us."

The assistant director who made the suggestion seemed to have anticipated it, and he calmly began to explain.

“I know that inviting Jiang Qing would be incredibly difficult under normal circumstances. But, everyone, don’t forget that the theme of our next recording is a collaboration with the cast and crew of the drama ‘The Long Moon’s End’, and one of the guests on the guest list is… Jiang Qing’s old friend.”

Upon hearing this, Yao Yitian's eyes lit up, and he immediately grasped the key point.

"You mean... Chen Duling?"

He remembered that Chen Duling and Jiang Qing had indeed known each other for a long time. According to online reports, they knew each other in college and later even appeared together on the trending topics. Chen Duling was one of the few female celebrities in the industry who could talk to Jiang Qing.

This relationship might actually be a breakthrough point!

"Yes, that's right."

The assistant director nodded affirmatively.

"We can try to gauge his interest first and show him how sincere we are. If we can actually get him to come, it will definitely be a huge talking point!"

Yao Yitian thought about it more and more and felt that this idea was promising, so he excitedly slammed his hand on the table.

"Great! That's a good idea! I'll leave this to you. Make sure you show us your utmost sincerity! As long as Jiang Qing agrees, we'll try our best to meet any of her requests!"

"Understood, Director Yao!"

The assistant director who made the suggestion immediately agreed, his face showing excitement.

The others in the conference room then realized what was happening and their faces showed expressions of sudden understanding.

Yes, how could I forget about that relationship!

If... if we could really invite Jiang Qing, even for a brief appearance, given his current immense popularity, the ratings for this episode would absolutely explode, and it could even boost the show's overall buzz back to its peak!

Thinking about this, everyone couldn't help but feel excited and began to look forward to the outcome of the next round of negotiations.

The atmosphere in the entire conference room became lively because of this suggestion.

At the same time, Jiang Qing and Chen Duling began discussing the game format for the recording, striving to bring out their strengths and create highlights for the show.

An invitation quickly flew to Wuwen Technology.

(End of this chapter)