Huayu: Traffic is king

Chapter 143 There's a childhood sweetheart named Xiao Ye

The flight departed from Hangzhou on the morning of July 13th and landed in Changsha in the afternoon.

After saying goodbye to her team members, Gu Jingyi enjoyed a short two-day vacation.

Although it's a holiday, there's actually a recording of "Happy Camp" scheduled for tomorrow.

In other words, Gu Jingyi's so-called "vacation" was actually just a business trip where he was using the house as a hotel to rest for two days.

It was already three or four in the afternoon when Gu Jingyi finally arrived at Yuelu Riverside with his suitcase.

This is one of the three most expensive areas in Xingcheng, where almost all the apartments are single-level units. Gu Jingyi's home is on the 11th floor. He stepped out of the elevator and entered the password to open the door.

"Beep, the door is open."

"Dad, I'm back."

Gu Jingyi walked in wearing a mask and a baseball cap, adopting the classic celebrity disguise.

"You're back, hehe."

Gu Yeyuan, Gu's father, was reading a financial newspaper on the sofa when he saw his son, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, and smiled lovingly at him.

"Where's my mother?"

Gu Jingyi put down his suitcase, changed into slippers, and walked into the living room.

Gu Yeyuan pointed to the kitchen, where his mother, Ms. Lin, was cooking.

Several fried items were already laid out on the table, including stinky tofu with dipping sauce, crispy pork, and beef skewers.

These are all foods that Gu Jingyi loves to eat, and it's only a little past four in the afternoon.

"Xiao Yi, you're really lucky. You rarely get to see these cold dishes."

It's clear that Lin Yun had been preparing at home since receiving the news that her son was coming home.

"I'm only being gentle today, and this temporary gentleness won't last until the afternoon of the next day. Soon, my mom will complain that I'm getting in the way at home."

Gu Jingyi smiled and brought over the snow water stinky tofu, and he and his father started eating it together.

"Hmm, it's still hot."

The deep-fried snow water stinky tofu was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, bursting with flavor in every bite. Paired with a refreshing dipping sauce, it was even more appetizing, and Gu Jingyi ate more than half a plate by himself.

"Strange, where is Xuanxuan?"

Usually, at times like this, his younger sister would try to steal the food from him.

Now that there's suddenly no one around to fight over food, Gu Jingyi feels quite uncomfortable.

"You two are really something, going on a school study tour. You're always bickering when you're together, and then you start asking questions when you're not."

Gu Yeyuan pushed up his glasses and chuckled.

"Oh, then I'll make a video call to annoy her."

Gu Jingyi placed the toothpick beef and crispy pork directly on the coffee table in the living room, and then took a bottle of Sprite from the refrigerator.

I made a video call to Gu Xuanxuan, and sure enough, the poor little sister, who was studying hard, was hungry and tired and immediately broke down.

He cursed and argued with Gu Jingyi for a long time.

"Hey, you're bullying your sister again."

Lin Yun had just brought out the dishes when she heard the commotion.

"I was just sharing my updates with her and asking if she was eating well."

Gu Jingyi raised his head and spoke in a serious tone.

"You've always liked to bully her since she was little. Do you remember when we were little, your dad and I went on a business trip. We left you a few hundred yuan, and you took Xuanxuan out to eat KFC. After you finished eating, you went to see a movie, complaining that your sister was noisy and didn't take her. Later, Uncle Hat called us and we sent her home."

After hearing this, Gu Jingyi did have a vague recollection of it.

He remembered being whipped several times with a bamboo stick after his parents returned.

"I wish I had another daughter. If Xiao were here, this situation would never have happened. Back in Shancheng, your grandmother never encountered anything like this. Sigh..."

Ms. Lin started nagging again, and it was clear that she had quite a headache dealing with Gu Jingyi when he was a child.

"Xiaoye?"

Gu Jingyi's eyebrows twitched, as if he had thought of something.

"Have you forgotten? She's your grandmother's neighbor's granddaughter."

"Was my grandma's neighborhood assigned by Chongqing University?"

Gu Jingyi asked tentatively.

"Yes, those were policies from the last century. Why are you suddenly asking this? You're not an academic."

Mr. Gu put down his newspaper. “I told you to study finance before, and that you could come and help out at my securities firm after graduation. But you wouldn’t listen and insisted on studying music.”

Gu Yeyuan is a partner at a top securities firm and had always hoped that Gu Jingyi would follow in his footsteps.

"But I earn quite a lot now, Dad. The endorsement fee for just one of my advertisements is equivalent to your annual income."

Gu Jingyi put down the Sprite and said with a smile.

He was telling the truth; Green Factory paid him 1200 million yuan a year for his endorsement. After deducting taxes and profit sharing, that was exactly the same as Gu's father's annual income.

The Chinese entertainment industry is very profitable, and Gu Jingyi has caught the wave of internet capital entering the market. Previously, the top four celebrities, such as Chris Hemsworth, Lu Han, Li Yifeng, and Yang Yang, only commanded endorsement fees of a few million at most.

This is just a quote; there's still room for negotiation.

Since 2018, with the entry of internet capital, endorsement fees have skyrocketed, as have television drama salaries.

In 2018, Da Ru's salary for the role in "The Legend of Da Ru" was 9500 million yuan (including tax), far exceeding Sun Li's 2500 million yuan for "Empresses in the Palace." She was even called out by CCTV, and a "salary cap" was subsequently introduced.

Gu Jingyi also received 55 yuan per episode for "Ashes of Love," and his income from just that one drama was several times that of his father.

However, to save face for him, Gu Jingyi simply used an advertising endorsement analogy in a gentle way.

Gu Jingyi's mini-album released in May broke sales records in the Chinese entertainment industry; he wrote both the lyrics and the music. The copyrights are also in Gu Jingyi's hands, and he earned a small fortune with just one album.

Top celebrities earn a lot of money. Gu Jingyi is a singer, a popular actor, and a fashion icon.

Looking at his income throughout 2018, he was among the top three in the Chinese entertainment industry.

He only had Jay Chou and JJ Lin, phenomenal singers who had been popular for many years, ahead of him. Their copyright fees alone amounted to a huge sum each year, while Gu Jingyi's foundation was still somewhat shallow.

However, after "Ashes of Love" and "Go Go Squid!" air, Gu Jingyi's value will skyrocket again.

With an estimated 30+ endorsements and the addition of his new album next year, Gu Jingyi could very well ascend to the top of the Chinese entertainment industry's highest-earning list, ushering in a new era.

"Of course, you are my son. You inherited my good genes and enjoyed a better education, so it's certain that you will surpass me."

Gu Yeyuan patted Gu Jingyi on the shoulder with a smile, his tone full of pride for his son.

"By the way, the assets you entrusted me to manage have increased in value by 12%."

After purchasing properties in major first-tier cities, Gu Jingyi entrusted his remaining money to his father for investment.

Upon seeing his son return, Mr. Gu also showed off with a touch of smugness.

"Amazing, amazing, no wonder you're my dad."

"You two, stop bragging to each other, dinner's ready."

Lin Yun brought out the braised prawns and placed them on the table. She smiled at the father and son who were still chatting in the living room, saying, "Eat them while they're hot, they won't taste good if they get cold."

"Jingyi, you're in for a treat today. Your mom isn't usually this capable; this cumin lamb chop is one of her specialties."

Mr. Gu picked up his chopsticks, put a few lamb chops into his bowl, and started gnawing on them with his hands.

Gu Jingyi also hugged and gnawed at it in a similar manner; he was genuinely hungry after going through all that trouble to get home.

"You guys, eat slowly. Nobody's going to take it from you."

Ms. Lin Yun said with a smile, but silently pushed the meat and vegetables next to Gu Jingyi.

"By the way, son, you've been in the industry for a year and a half now. Have you been dating anyone?"

She was genuinely curious about Gu Jingyi's love life and listened to it as gossip.

Back when Gu Jingyi was training in South Korea, even when he was with female idols he didn't know well, she would still occasionally enjoy gossiping about him.

To her surprise, her son's career flourished after returning to China. She never heard Gu Jingyi mention anything about his romantic relationships again.

Seeing that Gu Jingyi didn't speak, she started asking questions on her own again.

"Cheng Xiao, Dilraba Dilmurat, and Wu Xuanyi—these are the girls you've been rumored to be dating. Are any of them your type?"

Gu Jingyi didn't reply and continued eating.

"It's probably unlikely for Dilraba, she's 6 years older than you. There's a generation gap between you two, but I quite like her portrayal of Feng Jiu."

“Cheng Xiao shouldn’t be that shallow. My son has never been such a superficial person.”

When Gu's father heard Lin Yun's inexplicable confidence, he suddenly smiled.

"What are you laughing at?" Lin Yun glanced at her sideways with disdain.

"I just... thought of something really funny, I'm not laughing at you."

Mr. Gu pinched his leg, trying hard to suppress his laughter.

His wife doesn't lack understanding of her son; she just doesn't understand men.

No man dislikes learning English, and everyone loves the "D" in "ABCD".

Even if Cheng Xiao isn't as pretty as Dilraba, her figure makes up for it all.

"I know, it's Xuan Yi, isn't it?"

Lin Yun slapped her thigh and started making random bets.

"That's not true at all. Look at this, it's not even close. She and I are just casual friends."

Gu Jingyi had a headache; he never imagined that his mother would one day bring him and Wu Xuanyi together.

He didn't say anything after we talked about it, but the problem is that he was completely innocent from beginning to end!

What an injustice!
"Tch," Lin Yun rolled her eyes at him.

"Don't I know you? You've always wanted the best and the most outstanding things since you were little. For the third performance of 'Produce 101,' would my son give up the most stage-perfect dance song 'I'm That Kind of Girl' to sing 'Shiny' on a standing stage? If you really wanted to choose a ballad, you'd go for 'Tears of the Ferris Wheel.'" Longtime fan Lin Yun said confidently, "Besides, Xuan Yi is really sweet, with long, straight legs. Standing there, she's definitely outstanding. It's just a pity that she's never won."

"It's not that she can't win, it's a problem with the stage mechanism."

When asked about the previous questions, Gu Jingyi really didn't know what to say, but when it came to the stage, he was quite professional.

"Don't think that just because I mainly performed ballads in every performance on 'Idol Producer,' I have an advantage during the performances. In the noisy environment of a performance, ballads are nowhere near as good as dance music in terms of creating atmosphere."

"The more structured the dance music, the more eye-catching it becomes. The audience is almost entirely amateur; they only look at the size of the movements when watching dance. They don't pay attention to the core strength, just like listening to a live performance only for a high note."

"Just like you, Mom, you only watch dunks in the NBA."

Gu Jingyi couldn't help but chuckle. "Look at her first performance, a ballad like 'I'm in Love Again,' which gave her a sweet image. In the second performance, 'Promise,' she was replaced as the center, and the reason given was that she didn't dance as well as the random contestants. You should have realized that she had no chance of winning at all."

"There are many reasons to make fans feel bad. Telling a contestant who has the ability to compete for first place that she is not good enough directly cuts off her path to first place. Mom, you should know this better than I do. Besides, wasn't 'Shiny' criticized as a fraud after it aired? It was the upbeat melody of the interlude that made fans mistake it for a dance song. Her group was mainly dancers, so it ended up being a standing dance song."

Speaking of this, Gu Jingyi also felt somewhat helpless.

His previous appearance as a "senior mentor" on "Produce 101" has aired. If fans had high hopes for the "Shiny" group before the show aired, they were extremely disappointed after it aired.

After the show aired, Gu Jingyi's fans were even more upset than Wu Xuanyi's fans. They angrily criticized the production team and fought for their idol's rights.

[ACE members lend their support as backup dancers, their riot control written all over their faces!]
[Gu Jingyi debuted with a landslide victory as the center of Idol Producer, but became a background character in the "Shiny" group? He was only shown on the edge of the camera and had only two and a half lines of dialogue. Were the production team blind, or were they afraid his star power would overshadow the favored contestants they were promoting?]
[They used Gu Jingyi as a gimmick to generate buzz and trend on social media when the official announcement was made, but after the performance, he was nowhere to be found. The footage was shoddy; do they think the audience is stupid? #GuJingyiScammedByProduce101# The production team is so desperate for attention that they're using a top star as a foil? Learn how to behave properly! @Produce101, next time you need backup dancers, just say so; don't ruin the artists.]
[@Tencent, is this the sincerity of your S+ level variety show? A top ACE was used as a tool to manipulate fans. Don't even think about piggybacking on the Idol Producer's popularity for the next season! #Produce101ApologizeToGuJingyi# Otherwise, expect a flop!]
[Gu Jingyi's role in the "Shiny" group: a life-size cardboard cutout + group leader for creating atmosphere. Does the production team have some misunderstanding about the concept of a 'special guest performer'?]
Because the stage safety measures were so obvious after the show aired, Ms. Lin suspected that her son might have joined the group because of his emotions.

"Then let me ask you this: if Wu Xuanyi isn't your girlfriend, does that mean you really haven't had a single girl by your side since you returned to China?"

"Ah... this one..."

Gu Jingyi was indeed embarrassed by these thoughts; how could his mother think of him that way?

Is he really some kind of womanizer? He's practically a fifth-grader...

Well, experience really pays off. His judgment of people is truly accurate!
"Son, just tell me who it is. Is it someone in your circle? Who is it?"

It has to be said that women can be really a headache when they gossip, and Gu Jingyi was so annoyed that he didn't even bother to talk about it.

Given his personality, he revealed who he was today. From then on, Ms. Lin would always mention it in conversations and ask how it went.

Moreover, when it came to girlfriends, Gu Jingyi really didn't know which girlfriend he was referring to.

"Alright, stop asking. Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. Don't you trust your son's charm?"

Noticing that Gu Jingyi didn't want to talk, Gu's father, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up to smooth things over.

"Come on, come on, have some food."

Gu Yeyuan placed a piece of Longjing shrimp on Lin Yun's plate. Lin Yun rolled her eyes at him but still ate it.

"Just calm down and let your son get some rest."

"Tch," Lin Yun glared at him, then began to complain, "It's like I'm some kind of busybody. He hasn't had a single romantic development since he came back to China. Back in school, tons of girls confessed to him. Even when he was little, he went through a wedding ceremony with Ye Zi..."

Lin Yun got angrier the more she scolded him; how could she, as his mother, not worry?
I'm not afraid that my son won't talk about it, I'm just afraid that he'll go astray in the entertainment industry.

"Wait a minute," Gu Jingyi thought, feeling increasingly uneasy.

"How old was I when I was little? How could I have had a wedding ceremony with another little girl? Mom, what nonsense are you talking about?"

Gu Jingyi was full of doubt. He wasn't some womanizer, so how could he have been so promiscuous since childhood?

Gu's father and Lin Yun exchanged a smile, looking at Gu Jingyi with a touch of nostalgia.

"You really don't remember anything at all? You were only seven years old then, right?"

Lin Yun looked at Gu Jingyi with a smile on her face.

Gu Yeyuan added, "It was just over two months after she turned seven. We went to my mother-in-law's house to pick up Xiao Yi to play. Xiao Ye, who often comes to visit, was also there, so we took them to the temple fair."

"Yes, we took you guys out to play. We ate snacks and caught goldfish along the way. Your mom and I only went to the bathroom for a short while, and then we couldn't find you anywhere. We were really worried and looked for you everywhere."

Lin Yun nodded, "Then we heard a chorus of exclamations around us. We heard people say that a pair of children were kneeling and kowtowing at the statue of Confucius. They were asking passersby for directions, and you and Xiao were kowtowing at the statue. The two of you were moving in unison, and you were muttering something to yourselves."

Gu Jingyi found it increasingly absurd as he listened. "No, you don't need to make up a story like this just to amuse me."

"Hey, you still don't believe me, kid."

Lin Yun's rebellious spirit was immediately provoked by Gu Jingyi, and she stood up abruptly. She quickly headed towards the bedroom, and not long after, Gu Jingyi heard the sound of something being rummaged through.

"Dad, is it really true?!"

Seeing how certain Empress Dowager Lin was, Gu Jingyi didn't dare to be too sure either.

Mr. Gu smiled broadly, "Yes, there really is. Your mother should go and look through the photo album."

"No way, this actually works?"

Gu Jingyi looked at his father, somewhat incredulous.

"You'll find out soon enough," Gu Yeyuan said, not answering his son but smiling in a rather enigmatic way.

"found it!"

A gasp suddenly rang out from the bedroom, and soon after, Lin Yun came out carrying a thick photo album.

The photos are yellowed due to their age.

However, it was still kept in the protection book and was not affected too much.

"Son, look!"

Lin Yun pulled out the photos directly; there were about five or six of them.

The two children in the photo are actually kneeling on the ground, praying to the statue.

Judging from his attire and facial features, the little boy was indeed Gu Jingyi.

The other girl, however, is not quite clear due to the angle.

Gu Jingyi was now half-believing and half-doubting what his parents had said.

The second photo was taken from behind, showing two children kneeling on a bluestone rock. Their silhouettes were stretched long by the setting sun.

Some vague memories flashed through Gu Jingyi's mind, as if these things had existed.

Finally, on the last picture, Gu Jingyi could see what the little girl looked like.

She clearly has a naturally cold demeanor; she's a classic haughty little beauty. Like a beautiful little leopard, she seems unapproachable.

The girl turned her head to look at Xiao Gu Jingyi, her beautiful eyebrows curving into a bright smile.

In the photo, however, little Gu Jingyi has a tense expression, his hands clasped together, looking expectantly at the Confucius statue. He only has eyes for it, completely ignoring his little one.

Xiao Xiao didn't seem to care at all; she laughed heartily. Even the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, giving her a somewhat illusionary Samoyed appearance.

It's really her!

A storm raged in Gu Jingyi's heart. He had never imagined that he had known Zhou Ye since childhood.

My little plum is a coconut? That's unbelievable!

"So, do you believe me now?"

Lin Yun glared at Gu Jingyi with annoyance. How come this child has always been so meticulous since he was a child?

"At the time, many people were overjoyed, saying that there was a pair of little golden boys and jade girls bowing to each other under the statue of Confucius."

Gu Yeyuan recalled the past and spoke with a smile.

He added with a touch of wistful emotion, "It's a pity that Coconut's parents aren't around, otherwise you two might have become childhood sweethearts. Haha, this is truly a remarkable coincidence."

"Son, what were you thinking back then?"

Lin Yun also asked the question she had been curious about for a long time. Gu Jingyi closed his eyes and thought for a long time before saying uncertainly, "Is he praying that Confucius would bless me so that I would get 100% in math and English on my final exams? Mom and Dad, do you remember you promised me that if you kept your promise, you would take me to Disneyland?"

"Did we...promise that?"

Lin Yun and Gu Ye stared at each other, their minds filled with questions.

"I promised, didn't I? Don't you remember Mickey Mouse Clubhouse back then? It was on the kids' channel every day, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck were so popular."

Gu Jingyi felt somewhat helpless. Back then, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck were the most popular cartoon characters in his childhood.

"Let's summon Mickey Mouse Clubhouse together! Miska, Mushka, Mickey Mouse!"

This catchy slogan is truly unforgettable.

So, did you manage to do it in the end?

Lin Yun was genuinely curious; it was rare to see her son acting so strangely.

"I think I did it. If I did, and you didn't take me with you, I'll probably remember that for a long time."

Gu Jingyi didn't remember much either; this memory was from two lifetimes ago for him.

Children hold grudges for a very long time; if their wishes are not fulfilled or they are lied to by their parents, they can remember it for a very long time.

"It's a pity we moved. Xiao Ye is truly the cutest little girl I've ever seen."

Lin Yun wore a warm, maternal smile. She had been in the education industry for a long time, and since she started working there, she had never seen a child more beautiful than Zhou Ye.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so impressed with Zhou Ye.

"When you were little, you didn't pay much attention to Xuanxuan. Your grandma often told me that it was all thanks to Xiaoye taking care of her. Unfortunately, after we returned to Changsha, we moved several times and lost contact with Xiaoye. Your grandma was also transferred to Xida University..."

Lin Yun started chanting scriptures again, and Gu Jingyi's head was buzzing with pain.

"Okay, Mom, with her looks, she's definitely got a chance to enter the entertainment industry. Maybe in a year or two, you'll see her on TV again."

He rubbed his temples, only to feel the pain intensify.

"Then you must take good care of her. She's someone you grew up with; childhood friends are..."

Gu Yeyuan glanced at his son and interrupted his wife.

"Jingyi, when will 'Ashes of Love' air? This is your first time filming a period drama, and I'm really looking forward to it."

"It'll be released during next year's winter break, I can really look forward to it. I'm super handsome and incredibly talented in it."

Gu Jingyi was a bit arrogant; the makeup and styling for "Ashes of Love" were famously good.

He's much more handsome than Lunzi, so Xu Feng's role is destined to be even more popular than in the previous life.

(End of this chapter)