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

Chapter 455 Special Treatment, Highlight Moment

A gentle breeze, carrying moisture, caressed the willow branches by the lake.

Jiang Qing held the fishing rod, her gaze fixed on the gently swaying float, her expression focused and her mind relaxed.

He was in an extremely pleasant mood, having finally found a good spot to fish and spent the night enjoying himself with Chen Duling.

Jack Ma sat on the folding chair next to him, also staring at the water, humming an off-key opera tune leisurely.

There were already several palm-sized crucian carp in the bucket between the two people.

"President Jiang is so young, but he is quite patient."

Jack Ma glanced at Jiang Qing, who stood motionless like a statue, and chuckled jokingly.

"Fishing is all about cultivating stillness."

Jiang Qing smiled slightly, her gaze never leaving the water.

"If your mind is not calm, the fish will not come."

Jack Ma laughed and was about to speak when his phone started vibrating in his pocket.

He took it out and glanced at it. It was a link sent by his assistant, with the message: "Mr. Ma, the photo of you and Mr. Jiang in the cafeteria is trending on social media."

He clicked on the link, swiped a few times, and then smiled as he handed his phone to Jiang Qing.

"General Jiang, look at us, the whole country is watching how we eat breakfast."

Jiang Qing glanced at it from the side.

The photo is quite clear; in the picture, the two of them are sitting at a table eating and chatting, with relaxed smiles.

In the center position, he is seen stuffing a steamed bun into his mouth, while Jack Ma, in his signature knitted sweater, is gesturing with his hands, with the bustling employee cafeteria in the background.

"Netizens really love to join in the fun."

Jiang Qing smiled, not taking it to heart.

"They acted quickly; having breakfast made it to the top of the trending topics."

"That's right, President Jiang is now a top influencer among top influencers. I'm only doing this because of you."

Jack Ma put his phone away, a wry smile on his face.

"Yesterday, President Jiang was busy tearing off name tags, and today he's just sitting here fishing with this old man. No one else can understand your lifestyle."

Jiang Qing smiled and grabbed another handful of bait, scattering it down.

"It would be good if it could provide some topics of conversation for everyone."

Jack Ma was taken aback, then raised his hand and pointed at him, smiling without saying a word.

While the two were enjoying a peaceful fishing trip by the lake, the photo had already sparked a new wave of discussion online.

"Holy crap! Jiang Qing and Teacher Ma are having breakfast together at Ali's Cafeteria?! This scene is too surreal!"

"Haha, these two big shots are like the old man and young man I ran into in the neighborhood, they're so approachable!"

"President Jiang looks so fresh and handsome in this outfit! He looks good in anything! I'm so envious!"

"Yesterday he was running around tearing name tags on Running Man, and today he's chatting and laughing with Teacher Ma. I can't tell whether Jiang Shen is busy or idle..."

"Is this what life is like for top-tier executives? Easily crossing boundaries and switching between them!"

"I bet it's because Ahri and Wuwen Technology are collaborating, right? Otherwise, why would they be working together?"

"It's definitely something big! Maybe it's a powerful alliance, and they're about to make some big move!"

"Let's wait and see what happens next..."

As netizens predicted, many tech bloggers and influential figures have begun analyzing the deeper meaning behind this meeting.

"Jack Ma and Jiang Qing had breakfast together at Alibaba's headquarters. Could this mark the beginning of a new strategic partnership between Wuwen Technology and Alibaba?"

"From casual chats in the cafeteria to fishing by the lake, what business signals are hidden behind the leisure time of these two business leaders?"

"Can Wuwen Technology's comprehensive ecosystem and Ali's e-commerce business create a chemical reaction? Or will it open up cooperation in some new fields?"

Various speculations and discussions have been rampant, pushing related terms such as "Jiang Chong Ma Yun" to the top of the trending search list.

a long distance away.

Pengcheng, the headquarters of Tencent Video.

At 2 PM, the live group interview with the main cast and crew of "The Long Season" will begin.

The studio was brightly lit, and staff were making final equipment adjustments.

Zhou Ye sat on the sofa by the side, her head slightly lowered. Her thick, slightly wavy long hair cascaded down like seaweed, the ends of which had been carefully styled with a lazy curve, making her already small face even more delicate.

Today, the makeup artist created a perfect pink and girly look for her. The eyeshadow had a subtle shimmer, the blush was applied to her cheekbones, and the lips were a moist peach color, making her look bright and charming.

She wore a pink spaghetti strap top that revealed her delicate collarbones and rounded shoulders.

She paired it with light blue slim-fit jeans, which accentuated her long, straight legs.

A small section of her fair, flat waist was faintly visible under the hem of her halter top, exuding a sweet yet unintentional touch of sexiness.

However, it is not as vibrant as it appears on the surface.

Zhou Ye held the interview script in his hand, but his gaze was somewhat unfocused, and his fingertips unconsciously twirled the edge of the pages.

Only when staff members occasionally greet her will she quickly raise her face, revealing a standard and sweet smile, her eyes curving into crescents, showing a set of neat white teeth, as if that energetic girl has returned.

But as soon as the surroundings quiet down, her smile fades like the tide, revealing a deep sorrow in her eyes and a dazed expression, creating a subtle contrast with her overall sweet appearance.

Director Xin Shuang was quietly discussing the details of the upcoming interview with Fan Wei, Qin Hao, and other lead actors; the atmosphere on set was busy yet orderly.

"Ms. Zhou Ye, the live broadcast will start in five minutes. Please get ready."

A staff member walked over quickly and reminded them in an exceptionally polite tone.

Zhou Ye immediately raised his head, a bright smile spreading across his face, his voice clear and crisp.

"Okay, thanks for reminding me, I'm ready."

The staff member smiled and nodded, then turned to attend to other tasks.

Seeing this, Zhang Wen, who had been following Zhou Ye, moved a little closer, watched the staff member's departing figure, and leaned down to whisper in Zhou Ye's ear.

"Xiao Ye, have you noticed that since we arrived in Shenzhen, the staff at Tencent, from the person in charge to the ordinary staff, have been particularly polite to our team, even a bit... cautious?"

Zhou Ye paused almost imperceptibly in the hand holding the script. She looked up at Zhang Wen, then lowered her head again, pretending to straighten non-existent wrinkles in her clothes, her tone casual.

"Really? Maybe the platform values ​​this drama a lot. After all, Director Xin's dramas are guaranteed to be of high quality."

She tried to attribute the cause to something else.

Zhang Wen opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, such as that this politeness was clearly directed at her personally, but seeing that Zhou Ye didn't want to talk about it anymore, he had no choice but to swallow his words and sigh softly.

"Maybe."

Zhou Ye stopped talking, put down his script, took a deep breath, put on a professional and sweet smile again, and walked to the interview area and in front of the camera that had been set up.

A few minutes later, the live stream started on time.

Instantly, a large number of comments flooded the live stream.

"Here it comes! Let's cheer for 'The Long Season'!"

"Looking forward to Director Xin's new work! Actors Fan and Qin are guaranteed to deliver excellent performances!"

"Yezi! You look so beautiful today! Pink suits you so well!"

"Ye Bao looks amazing today! She looks so youthful!"

"This outfit is both sweet and spicy! It looks amazing!"

"Shen Mo, charge!"

Zhou Ye watched the rapidly scrolling barrage of comments, trying to concentrate, and smiled as he waved to the camera.

"Hello everyone, I am Zhou Ye, and I play Shen Mo in 'The Long Season'. I hope you will enjoy this drama."

Her fans were the most active, with the live chat filled with praise for her look and comments expressing their anticipation for the role.

Zhou Ye would interact with the interesting comments by saying a few words in his soft, sweet voice. "Thank you everyone for the compliments, the stylist deserves the most credit!"

Occasionally, when she's amused, she'll habitually smile until her eyes crinkle and she shows her teeth, looking both charming and adorable.

But whenever there's a break between questions, or when she hears other actors earnestly sharing their understanding of their characters, her eyes would unconsciously drift away for a moment, her fingers would quietly fidget with the hem of her clothes, and that touch of melancholy would uncontrollably return to her eyes. Although it was fleeting, it was caught by some observant fans.

"Ono seems a little quiet today?"

"Are you tired? Your smile seems a little forced?"

"Maybe it's because the character in the drama is quite melancholic, and I haven't gotten out of character yet?"

"She seems to have something on her mind..."

The two-hour live stream ended in a lively atmosphere.

Zhou Ye thanked the audience again in front of the camera, and then walked down from the interview area at the staff's signal.

As soon as she was out of the center of the camera's view, she let out a long sigh of relief. Her straight shoulders relaxed slightly, and the sweet smile on her face faded, revealing a hint of fatigue.

Just then, the studio door was pushed open, and a man in a white suit, who looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, walked in, followed by several people who appeared to be assistants.

His hair was neatly combed, and he wore an expensive-looking watch on his wrist, with a broad smile on his face.

He walked straight to Xin Shuang and extended his hand warmly.

"Director Xin, and all the teachers, thank you for your hard work! The live stream was a fantastic success!"

Xin Shuang shook hands with him and introduced him to the main cast and crew with a smile.

"This is Xu Lei, producer Xu, a producer at Tencent Penguin Pictures. He recently returned from studying abroad and is very promising!"

Xu Lei greeted Fan Wei, Qin Hao, and the others with a smile, his attitude seemingly humble, but the superiority in his eyes was hard to completely hide.

Fan Wei and the others exchanged glances, and they all understood what was going on.

She just returned from abroad and immediately became a producer; her background is quite obvious.

Finally, Xu Lei's gaze fell on Zhou Ye, who was standing a little behind, and a hint of amazement flashed in his eyes.

He walked a few steps to Zhou Ye, extended his hand, and smiled more broadly.

"This must be Ms. Zhou Ye, right? I'm Xu Lei. I've only seen her in photos and videos before, but I didn't expect Ms. Zhou Ye to be even more beautiful in person than on screen."

Zhou Ye could clearly feel the scrutiny in his eyes and the overly enthusiastic overtures in his words.

She maintained basic politeness, extending her hand to shake his lightly before quickly withdrawing it, a distant and polite smile on her face.

"Producer Xu, you flatter me. Thank you."

Xu Lei's eyes flashed, seemingly unaware of Zhou Ye's indifference, or perhaps not caring, and continued to smile at the crowd.

"To thank all the teachers for their hard work today, Penguin has specially arranged a cocktail party tonight. We hope you will all grace us with your presence. The platform attaches great importance to the drama 'The Long Season' and has also invited some important partners and advertisers. This is a good opportunity for everyone to get to know each other and exchange ideas in advance."

The crew members naturally and politely agreed.

Xu Lei nodded in satisfaction, his gaze lingering on Zhou Ye's face for a few more seconds before turning back to continue talking to Xin Shuang.

Zhou Ye glanced at his retreating figure, his brows furrowing slightly.

She had a feeling that the party that evening might cause some trouble.

At 7 p.m., the reception was held in a banquet hall at a hotel near the Penguin headquarters.

At the scene, crystal chandeliers reflected dazzling light, and elegantly dressed people mingled and clinked glasses.

Zhou Ye changed into a relatively low-key black dress, but her outstanding looks and temperament still attracted a lot of attention.

She had little interest in chatting with anyone. Instead, she picked up a glass of juice, a few small snacks, and found a secluded corner by the window to sit down. She stared blankly at the night view outside, completely out of place with the hustle and bustle around her.

What is Jiang Qing doing right now?
Is he with one of them again?
Her thoughts drifted uncontrollably, making her feel a tightness in her chest.

However, the quiet didn't last long. Xu Lei approached with his wine glass, smiling as he sat down in the empty seat next to her.

"Why is Miss Zhou Ye here all alone? Why don't you go and chat with everyone?"

Zhou Ye sighed inwardly, "They've come, just as I expected."

Xu Lei tried to find topics to talk about, from filming on set to the weather in Shenzhen, and then to some of his experiences abroad.

Zhou Ye only responded with indifferent "hmm," "really?" and "thank you," his attitude polite but aloof, his eyes never focusing on him.

Xu Lei's smile gradually faded.

He was arrogant because of his status; his father was a shareholder of Tencent, and he was a cousin of CEO Ma. He had returned to China to take over an important position at Tencent Pictures, and many people were eager to curry favor with him. Yet, this actress in front of him repeatedly refused to give him face.

He took a sip of his drink, leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and his smile became somewhat forced.

"Miss Zhou Ye, do you have some misunderstanding about me? Or... do you think I, Xu Lei, am not worthy of being your friend?"

Zhou Ye frowned slightly, then finally looked him in the eye, responding with a distant yet polite tone.

"Producer Xu misunderstood. I'm just a little tired and want to be by myself for a while."

"If you're tired, that's fine. I've booked a room upstairs so you can get some rest."

Xu Lei was too lazy to pretend anymore, and his eyes carried a clear hint.

Seeing Zhou Ye's expression darken, he simply stated his point bluntly, his tone revealing his superiority.

“Ms. Zhou Ye, although I have only recently returned to China, I still have some influence in this circle. My father is a director of the group, and Mr. Ma is my cousin. The reason I am sitting here and speaking to you calmly is because I think you are a good candidate and have a promising future, and I would like to be your friend. I hope Ms. Zhou Ye… will not be ungrateful.”

At the end, his tone suddenly turned cold and became threatening.

Their commotion inevitably attracted the attention of some people.

Seeing this, Qin Hao wanted to come over to help, but was quietly pulled back by an assistant director in the crew who knew about the situation. The assistant director whispered something in Qin Hao's ear, and Qin Hao hesitated and stopped in his tracks.

At this moment, Xin Shuang stepped forward and gave him a reassuring look, and he finally realized what was happening and his body gradually relaxed.

This girl should be fine; after all, she's not just someone with connections.

He was just a little curious: did this Producer Xu not know about her situation?

Zhou Ye felt a surge of disgust looking at Xu Lei's self-righteous face.

She stood up, her face turning completely cold, and her voice rising slightly.

"Producer Xu, please show some respect. I'm not feeling well, so please excuse me."

After saying that, she turned around and left.

Xu Lei's face darkened, and he immediately stood up, instinctively reaching out to stop her.

"Miss Zhou Ye, you haven't finished speaking..."

Just then, a lazy voice suddenly broke in.

"Oh, who do we have here with such an air of authority? It's Young Master Xu! You've only been in office for a few days, and you've already learned to make things difficult for actresses at parties? I think you've lost your mind. Do I need to help you wake up?"

The voice was all too familiar.

Zhou Ye turned his head and looked in the direction of the sound. He saw a tall, thin man wearing an extremely eye-catching bright red suit, with his hands in his suit pockets, tilting his head and looking at Xu Lei with a mocking expression.

His hair was styled in a very fashionable way, and he had a roguish smile on his face. Who else could it be but Yang Wei?
"Viagra!"

Zhou Ye blurted it out almost without thinking, his tense body instantly relaxing.

Then, realizing something, she quickly suppressed her smile and pursed her lips awkwardly.

Upon hearing this, Yang Wei immediately grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and first grinned at Zhou Ye.

"Yezi! Long time no see, you've become even more beautiful! Hmm... just a little too thin."

Then he turned his gaze to Xu Lei, whose face had become quite ugly, and looked him up and down, his disdain almost overflowing.

This clueless fool, did he get stupid from studying for a master's degree abroad?

Yang Wei rubbed his hands together excitedly, feeling very pleased with himself.

Hehe... My moment of glory is here!

Old Jiang should thank me properly this time. It wouldn't be too much to ask him to have a few big meals, would it?
(End of this chapter)