Huayu: Traffic is king

Chapter 194 Good Luck
"Jingyi, it's almost the end of the year. Both Zhejiang TV and Hunan TV have invited us to their New Year's Eve concerts this year. Hunan TV offered a slightly higher price, but Zhejiang TV's offer is also good. So, have you decided which one to go to?"

Lin Ze sat in the hotel room and handed the new itinerary to Gu Jingyi.

Then they started asking about the New Year's Eve concert, even though it's already December 3rd.

As the year draws to a close, invitations have been sent out by various award ceremonies and important galas.

The New Year's Eve concert on December 31st every year is of utmost importance, although in addition to Hunan TV and Zhejiang TV, other local channels such as Jiangsu Province are also producing it.

But the only ones that really generated buzz were Hunan TV and Zhejiang TV, with Hunan TV being the first to host a New Year's Eve concert.

Although it's only the beginning of the month, various galas are already drafting lists of celebrities to perform.

Gu Jingyi was naturally swarmed by television stations, and wherever he went, he was expected to set a new record for peak viewership.

This means that increased buzz and popularity can bring higher profits to sponsors.

If we can secure Gu Jingyi's services, it means we can once again have sponsors internally compete for advertising sponsorship during his broadcast time slot.

It would bring in at least tens of millions of yuan in revenue, which is why Hunan TV spent a few million RMB to invite Gu Jingyi.

“Sure, my album of viral TikTok songs is about to be released, right? I’ll take this opportunity to sing it at Hunan TV’s New Year’s Eve show.”

"We need to hurry, Douyin keeps urging us."

"You can't blame me for that. It's because I didn't invest in Douyin. My focus on social media has been entirely on TikTok lately, and even Weibo is being run by my company."

Gu Jingyi spread his hands, his smile somewhat shrewd.

Even five fingers can be of different lengths, let alone the human heart.

Who made TikTok a "unicorn company"? Although the share was small, it helped TikTok become a "unicorn company".

Even a tiny bit is "the tail of an elephant".

"As for award ceremonies, just the Weibo Night, Tencent's Star Awards, and iQiyi's Scream Night should be enough. I guess after you finish filming your movie, the vacation you imagined won't be as relaxing as you think. There's the album MV shooting and location scouting, as well as recording and shooting posters and photocards. It'll take at least half a month. You also added two new endorsements in December, so you'll have to find time to shoot those too."

"Next up is the promotion for 'Ashes of Love,' and I guess you'll have to make time to participate in the promotion and door-to-door sales when you join the cast of 'Go Go Squid!'"

Gu Jingyi smiled and said, "What's the big deal? If you're going to be part of '208,' you have to be prepared for the consequences. If I really wanted to just give up, why would I be in the entertainment industry?"

After checking the time, Gu Jingyi changed his clothes and went to the film set again.

Today we're filming the last scene, where Xiao Bei takes the blame for Chen Nian and is interrogated in the interrogation room. Afterwards, Chen Nian visits him in prison, and the two are emotionally charged through the window.

The fluorescent lights in the interrogation room hummed, casting a dim, unnatural light from above. This created stark contrasts of light and shadow on Gu Jingyi's face; he remained silent.

The boy's sweaty bangs clung to his brow bone, and his eyes were slightly lowered. He resembled a clay sculpture soaked by rain and cracked by the scorching sun.

He sat there lifelessly, silently enduring the almost roaring questioning from police officer Zheng Yi.

The actor playing the policeman stood up abruptly, making a large movement. His tall shadow loomed over Gu Jingyi, foreshadowing his impending fate.

"You are lying, you have been lying all along!"

"You'll never see him again after you go in. Have you thought about that?"

The air seemed to freeze on the asphalt. The camera zoomed in, and Gu Jingyi's expression trembled only slightly upon hearing the words "never to see you again." His long-closed heart opened a crack.

Xiao Bei wasn't afraid of taking the blame; he was only afraid of never seeing Chen Nian again.

Behind the monitor, Derek Tsang was showing Gu Jingyi a close-up shot.

Gu Jingyi didn't look up at Zhou Dongyu across from him, but his droopy eyebrows and eyes regained their emotion because of those words.

Something stirred very slowly deep within those abyssal eyes.

It was not a wave formed by emotional excitement, but a silent eddy formed before the ship sank into the abyss.

He showed no resistance whatsoever; instead, he displayed an almost desolate calm.

It is a weariness and resignation that has seeped into the bones after being repeatedly battered by fate, yet at the very bottom, a small cluster of faint light stubbornly burns.

That was the clumsy yet courageous "worthiness" that belonged to Xiao Bei, this good-for-nothing hoodlum.

Behind the monitor, Derek Tsang held his breath.

In this single scene involving eye contact, Gu Jingyi has already demonstrated the level of acting prowess that of the top young actor in the Chinese entertainment industry.

In this scene, what he needs is not outward grief, but this feeling of being completely hollowed out inside, clinging to life only by the thought of "Chen Nian" in his heart.

Gu Jingyi succeeded; can Zhou Dongyu keep up?
When Derek Tsang cut the camera to Zhou Dongyu, unsurprisingly, Zhou Dongyu looked dazed and confused; she hadn't quite caught up with the scene.

"Stop, Zhou Dongyu. Go and get some rest and regroup. This scene is very important, and I don't want anything to go wrong."

When it comes to work, even Zhou Dongyu, who previously had a good relationship with Derek Tsang, made a mistake.

He showed no favoritism whatsoever, displaying a highly professional and impartial attitude.

"Excuse me, director, let me get a feel for it again."

Zhou Dongyu turned pale and left with the help of her assistant.

"Aren't you going to comfort him?" Zhou Ye appeared in front of Gu Jingyi without anyone noticing.

Her tone was indifferent, making it impossible to guess what she was thinking at that moment.

"If I go up and comfort them now, do you believe I'll offend someone instead?"

"Huh?" Zhou Ye didn't understand the meaning behind Gu Jingyi's words at all.

A mental storm raged through her mind before she gradually understood what Gu Jingyi meant.

Zhou Dongyu is a Golden Horse Award-winning actress and the most accomplished actress born in the 90s.

When she entered the entertainment industry, she had heard someone from the company mention her while she was at Hesong.

It's said that Zhou Dongyu is very arrogant and difficult to get along with.

She doesn't communicate with people she doesn't like even after the show ends.

I did act impulsively just now, and if I really let Gu Jingyi comfort me...

Doesn't that sound like she's being sarcastic or sarcastic towards Zhou Dongyu? She's already having trouble connecting with Gu Jingyi's scenes later.

A "Zhang Yimou girl" who has been in the industry for several years was actually overshadowed by Gu Jingyi...

In the previous part, the focus was entirely on the male lead.

This is abnormal; proceed according to the script as usual.

Zhou Dongyu should be standing on the other side, looking at Gu Jingyi with caring eyes.

Instead of the same as before...

After regaining her composure, Zhou Dongyu stood in front of the camera again.

She sat opposite Gu Jingyi, her back ramrod straight.

Just like Chen Nian herself, she is like a slender bamboo that is bent by the wind and snow but refuses to break.

Every question Zheng Yi posed felt like an invisible whip lashing at him.

Zhou Dongyu's hand rested on her lap, her knuckles turning bluish-white from the force.

She clutched at the seam of her faded school uniform trousers, the stiff fabric wrinkling deeply under her grip.

His face was always expressionless, his lips pressed into a straight line.

Her eyes were like deep, dry wells, clearly reflecting Gu Jingyi's silent profile across from her.

There were no tears in her eyes, only a tremendous pain that seemed to engulf her. It pressed heavily on her eyes, making her eyelashes feel as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Through the window, the two people gazed at each other, creating a silent dialogue.

The situation was quickly disrupted again, and Zhou Dongyu spoke again.

"I do not know him!"

The sudden sound was like sandpaper scraping against sheet metal—dry, cold, and resolute.

As she said this, her gaze never left Gu Jingyi.

Gu Jingyi slowly raised his head and looked at her. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards, forming a complex expression that mixed roguishness and bitterness.

He even tilted his head and said in an almost flippant tone, "How about we get to know each other now?"

He is frivolous, which fits people's stereotype of petty thugs.

The atmosphere was instantly ignited, and Zhou Dongyu's body tensed up abruptly.

She jumped up abruptly, the chair legs scraping against the concrete floor with a sharp, piercing sound.

A surge of chaotic emotions welled up within her. She stared intently at Gu Jingyi.

It was as if they wanted to etch his current appearance into his very bones.

The next second, she pounced on him without warning, like a little beast that had been completely enraged!
"Snapped!"

A sharp slap rang out abruptly, like an explosion.

This wasn't a fake shot; it was a real hit.

Derek Tsang requested that this scene be filmed in one continuous take to convey the actors' emotions more effectively to the audience.

The force of that desperate blow slapped across his face, causing Gu Jingyi's head to snap to the side.

Clear finger marks quickly appeared on his cheek, looking real and disheveled.

"Chen Nian! Are you crazy?!"

The next second, Uncle Zheng Yi, who had just realized what was happening, rushed over in a fit of shock and anger and held back the out-of-control Zhou Dongyu.

Amidst the chaos, only Gu Jingyi remained in the tilted-head position, not moving.

A few stray strands of hair fell down, obscuring his eyes, which were now churning with a storm of emotions.

After a while, he turned back to see how things were going.

When he saw Zhou Dongyu being subdued on the ground by the man in the hat, a tear suddenly rolled down his left eye without warning.

It wasn't a torrent of tears, just a single drop.

But under the glaring light, it drew a blinding trail, splashing onto his dirty T-shirt and leaving a small dark spot.

Derek Tsang, standing outside the monitor, was so excited his hands were shaking. This is the kind of inspiration a genius actor can have!

He quickly cut to a close-up of Gu Jingyi. How can one describe the expression on Gu Jingyi's face at this moment?
The roguishness, bitterness, and pain in Xiao Bei's body are not the real Gu Jingyi.

When he looked at people, his eyes were as still as a deep well. A kind of serene, almost resigned calm replaced his gaze, and he even gave Zhou Dongyu a barely perceptible smile.

At this moment, silence speaks louder than words; Xiao Bei's thoughts were conveyed through that smile.

He didn't hold a grudge against Chen Nian for the slap; instead, he gave her a smile that seemed to express his satisfaction.

This is Xiao Bei's purest sacrifice, this is the last thing he can do for her: I understand, I understand, don't be afraid.

Behind the monitor, the hairs on the back of Derek Tsang's neck stood on end.

That's awesome! This kid is a genius.

Did Zhou Dongyu catch it? What if she didn't catch it and had to do a retake? Would that affect Gu Jingyi's performance?
He certainly knew that as a director, he couldn't favor any particular actor; he had to be fair.

But so what? Just from Gu Jingyi's scene, he knew it would become a highlight of the movie.

Perhaps in the future, when people mention this movie, what will come to mind will be scenes from Gu Jingyi's life.

Lost in thought, Director Zeng switched the camera to a close-up of Zhou Dongyu.

She was stunned for a moment, and then she burst into tears.

The look in her eyes as she looked at Gu Jingyi was filled with regret and heartache.

It was alright, a decent performance.

Director Zeng was thinking this, and he was also well aware that Zhou Dongyu's interpretation had been overshadowed by Gu Jingyi's performance. But so what? He didn't plan to film any more.

"Filming has wrapped! 'Better Days' has officially wrapped filming!"

When director Derek Tsang finished speaking through a megaphone...

Cheers and applause instantly broke the silence and heaviness of the moment, and the set erupted in cheers and applause.

Gu Jingyi was still sitting on that cold chair in the interrogation room, the red marks on his cheeks clearly visible.

He tilted his head back slightly, closed his eyes, and exhaled a long, silent breath.

When he was filming, it felt like he really touched "Xiao Bei".

That soul that sank into the abyss of "Xiao Bei," that boy from the bottom of society who was willing to sacrifice everything for a glimmer of light.

Sweat slid down Gu Jingyi's thin jawline, mingling with the traces of undried tears.

Zhou Dongyu looked at Gu Jingyi, who had his eyes closed and head tilted back, and saw the palm print she had left on his face.

She was about to turn around and leave when she handed Gu Jingyi an ice pack to apply to his face.

"You did a good job just now," Zhou Dongyu said with a haughty air before leaving.

"It's just not bad," Gu Jingyi chuckled.

"It's amazing, absolutely amazing!"

Zhou Ye ran over and handed Gu Jingyi a glass of mineral water.

Her eyes crinkled into crescents, and her smile was especially sweet.

Gu Jingyi opened his eyes, and the thick fog in his eyes dissipated somewhat.

He took the water, and the cool bottle touched his burning cheek, causing him to tremble slightly.

"Does it hurt?"

Zhou Ye looked at Gu Jingyi with a pained expression, gently stroking the handprint left by the slap with her fingers.

Gu Jingyi swallowed a large gulp of water, his Adam's apple bobbing.

“What’s so painful about this? I’m an actor. Everything has to give way to the role. I couldn’t have gotten into character without that slap.”

Gu Jingyi's expression was indifferent as he turned his head to look out the window.

Under the gloomy sky of the mountain city, the buildings in the distance seemed shrouded in a layer of gray mist.

After two months on set, it's finally all coming to an end.

"That's what Xiao Bei was thinking. He got involved with Chen Nian, so he'll take the blame for her. Anyway, I'm just a worthless old man."

Gu Jingyi removed the ice pack from his face and threw it into the trash can.

The ice pack time is almost over; it's time to go have the wrap party.

Suddenly, Zhou Ye hugged him, saying, "It's not a bad life."

Zhou Ye's voice was sweet and clear, yet it carried a resolute tone.

"Xiao Bei isn't, and neither are you."

Gu Jingyi's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and he turned to look at Zhou Ye.

When he met the undisguised heartache in the other person's eyes, Gu Jingyi's emotions suddenly calmed down.

Looking back at Zhou Ye, his eyes no longer held the desolation and despair of Xiao Bei in the interrogation room. Nor did they hold the usual reserve or sharpness of the top star Gu Jingyi; only a tremendous, almost overwhelming, weariness remained.

It's like a traveler who has been trekking for too long, finally unloading a heavy burden but also having all his strength drained away.

But now, he's finally home.

Gu Jingyi turned around and hugged his "home" back.

"Little Coconut, thank goodness you're here."

His weary words rang in Zhou Ye's ears as she tirelessly went through round after round of interviews to join the cast of "Better Days".

His storyline, intertwined with Zhou Ye's, has now reached its final conclusion.

The pea must eventually return to the warm pod, and so must he…

.........

The aroma of the hot pot at the wrap party was so strong that you could smell it from a distance, even if it clung to your hair and clothes.

When Zhou Ye returned to her hotel room, the first thing she did was to untie her hair tie and let her long hair down.

She took a light sniff; it smelled of butter and beer.

She kicked off her shoes and put on the hotel slippers, stepping onto the cold floor. Zhou Ye walked to the window and looked at the night view.

The nights in this mountain city are never clear; the glow of neon lights dissolves in the river mist and sticks to the glass.

As Zhou Ye looked at the book, her thoughts drifted back to a certain person.

Actually, she really wanted to let go of her reserve and go find him.

The movie is over; if we don't act now, it might be too late.

"dong dong dong"

A knock sounded at the door, and Zhou Ye opened it with a smile.

Who else could be standing at the door besides Gu Jingyi?

He stood there in the dim light of the corridor outside the door, still wearing the same solid-color GoodGu short-sleeved shirt he wore at the wrap party.

His collar was soaked with sweat; Gu Jingyi hadn't even had time to shower before coming over. He was carrying a plastic bag containing two cans of ice-cold beer and a small box of hangover remedies.

He didn't speak, he just looked at her. His eyes were like they were covered with a layer of steam just pulled out of a hot pot, a little heavy and a little hot.

Zhou Ye's heart skipped a beat, and she stepped aside to let him in. The door closed, and the light and sound of the corridor were swallowed up in that instant.

The only sounds in the room were the low hum of the air conditioner and the indistinct noise of traffic outside the window.

"Stomach upset?"

Seeing that Zhou Ye didn't speak, Gu Jingyi put the bag on the small table and asked with some concern.

His voice was a little hoarse; the crew had given him quite a bit of alcohol at the wrap party.

"Kind of."

Following his words, Zhou Ye walked to the bedside, sat down, and rubbed her temples.

It wasn't actually that painful; it was just that the string in my heart, which had been stretched for too long, snapped with a snap, leaving behind a feeling of emptiness with nowhere to lean on.

She felt empty without Gu Jingyi.

Gu Jingyi arrived, and she felt a mix of anticipation and fear about what was about to happen.

Gu Jingyi opened a can of beer and handed it to her.

The cold aluminum can touched her fingertips, causing her to shiver slightly. He had opened a can himself, but hadn't drunk from it.

I just leaned against the table and watched her sip her drink.

The room was quiet, with only the faint sound of beer sliding down one's throat.

"What time is your flight tomorrow?" he asked.

"Nine in the morning."

Zhou Ye put down the beer can. The cold liquid didn't seem to suppress the nameless heat; instead, it burned up in her stomach.

She looked up at him; behind Gu Jingyi, the window framed a hazy neon light. The halo of light cast a blurred edge on his sharply defined face. Gu Jingyi was no longer the prickly, fierce-looking Xiao Bei, nor the dazzling top star Gu Jingyi in front of the camera.

The man in the room at that moment was simply a childhood friend she had known for over ten years, his eyes tired yet focused, reeking of hotpot and alcohol.

When this realization dawned on her, Zhou Ye's replies became much more casual.

"And you?" she asked directly.

"afternoon."

The room fell silent again, even quieter than before.

But something was brewing silently in the air.

After their eyes met, Gu Jingyi suddenly walked around to the bedside. He picked up the thin coat she had just taken off and prepared to hang it on the hanger.

Zhou Ye looked at his thick eyelashes casting small shadows under his eyes and suddenly remembered his outburst after the final scene earlier that day.

It's strange that someone who has had a smooth career since returning to China can understand how difficult it is to climb up from the bottom.

Unless, of course, he himself has experienced it.

Upon realizing this, Zhou Ye felt a sharp, gritty pain in her chest, as if grit had been rubbed against it.

She reached out as if possessed, not to take her coat, but to place her hand on the back of Gu Jingyi's hand.

His movements froze instantly, and he looked up at her.

The neon lights outside the window shattered in his dark pupils, like pebbles thrown into a deep pool, rippling outwards in circles of scorching light.

Something inside broke through the shell of exhaustion, surging and churning with an almost ferocious focus.

"Zhou Yeye, are you sure you want to provoke me at this time?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Ye felt her fingertips, which were resting on the back of his hand, begin to burn.

The fire that started in her stomach spread rapidly, leaving her parched. Even the throbbing sound of blood rushing through her ears became clearer at that moment.

Sometimes, tacit agreement is also a form of acceptance.

Gu Jingyi could only pull Zhou Ye into his arms with great force, his determination leaving no room for doubt. His palms were burning hot as they slid over Zhou Ye's head and moved around.

Zhou Ye's heart skipped a beat, as if it were about to jump out of her throat. She tried to push him away, but his other hand gripped her wrist even faster.

Gu Jingyi leaned down and kissed him directly without any hesitation or testing.

His breath, carrying the slightly tipsy and clean yet hot scent of beer, pressed down on you relentlessly.

The moment their lips touched, Zhou Ye felt a "buzz" in her mind, as if something had exploded, or as if she had been instantly pulled into a vacuum.

The hum of the air conditioner, the traffic outside the window, the rush of blood—all disappeared, leaving only a strange yet surging sensation between the lips and teeth.

Scalding hot, moist, with an almost desperate force and overflowing passion.

It wasn't a gentle kiss; it was more like two people who had been wading through mud for too long finally grabbing onto a piece of driftwood, their desperate gamble and tearing need for support filling the air.

Gu Jingyi was still influenced by the character and hadn't completely broken free of the role.

His arms wrapped around her waist like iron hoops, pressing her tightly against him. Zhou Ye's back slammed against the soft mattress and sank in.

She instinctively clung to his shoulders, her fingertips digging into the fabric of his T-shirt, touching the taut, bulging muscles beneath.

In the darkness, sight is taken away.

But her other senses became unusually acute. Zhou Ye could clearly feel his heavy breath on the side of her neck, burning with heat. She could feel his heart pounding like a drum in his chest, making her eardrums tingle.

She could feel his burning palms leaving brand-like marks on her waist and back through the thin fabric.

Sweat quickly soaked their skin, which was pressed together, and they became sticky and intertwined, making it impossible to tell whose sweat it was.

As for how the clothes fell off, Zhou couldn't remember.

All I remember is the soft sound of the buttons popping open, the rustling of the fabric against my skin, and the tingling sensation of his burning lips lingering on my collarbone and shoulders.

(End of this chapter)