"Why don't we wear the dance shoes that were issued to us? Who are you trying to blind with those sequins! There's no wind here, so we can't attract any butterflies!"
"Stand up straight! Didn't you learn how to manage your facial expressions? Who are you trying to mourn for here!"
"You're here to work! Practice properly, no matter who you come from, anyone who can't jump well is fired!"
He's got a big presence and a sharp tongue; this guy's not someone to mess with.
Finally, the people left, and the girls breathed a sigh of relief. They looked at each other, none of them daring to utter a sound.
During a short break, Zhao Xiyin went to the restroom. Just as she turned the corner, she was called out, "Miss Zhao."
Zhang Yijie, who had just been fierce and angry, now had a smile on his face, completely different from before.
Zhao Xiyin was taken aback for a moment, then obediently called out, "Leader."
Zhang Yijie chuckled, "It's for work. You must have been scared just now. Don't worry, President Meng specifically instructed me to take care of you. If you have any difficulties, please let me know."
Back in the practice room, another gentle and approachable female teacher came to explain the script to everyone. What kind of dance to perform and what kind of story it tells are crucial. With a good balance of strictness and leniency, this team was no pushover; by the end of the day, their authority and discipline were naturally established.
At 10 p.m., Fantian Entertainment stood in its headquarters building in the core area of the CBD.
Meng Weixi had been gone from the video conference for quite some time, but he hadn't left his office. Looking out through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he saw fleeting glimpses of prosperity unfolding beneath his feet.
Ten minutes later, there was finally a knock on the door.
Meng Weixi immediately turned around: "Come in."
Zhang Yijie called out, "President Meng," and reported, "The matters you arranged have all been taken care of."
Meng Weixi nodded, "Thank you for your hard work."
"Of course."
Zhang Yijie, a close confidant of Meng Weixi, was unpretentious. He casually sat down on the sofa and, after smoking half a cigarette, said something from the bottom of his heart: "Xiao Zhao has a great presence; I can spot her in a crowd at a glance. This is a rare kind of charisma. If we put her on the big screen, the audience will appreciate it. Dancing is a good profession, but with her qualities, she deserves a better platform. Mr. Meng, if you want to help, it's just a matter of saying the word."
The room was kept at a constant temperature by air conditioning, and the incense burner on the table was filled with agarwood. The faint woody aftertaste lingered in the air, perfectly matching Meng Weixi's temperament.
He didn't speak, but sank into the leather chair, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes.
After a long pause, he finally said in a tight voice, "It's not helping, it's owing."
Zhang Yijie isn't very old, but he's been in the industry for over twenty years. Early in his career, he worked as an extra and a stuntman, even breaking his left leg during a car chase scene, which left him with lasting effects. He's seen the harsh realities of life and understands the ever-changing nature of the world. After so long, he's become incredibly shrewd and calculating. Now, he holds significant power in the theatrical film production market and possesses a vast and extensive network of connections within the industry.
After hearing Meng Weixi's words, he understood the situation.
The word "owe" represents inner demons, emotional debts, and a cage that can trap a person for life.
After a moment of silence, Meng Weixi suddenly said, "Old Zhang, help me investigate something."
Without even asking, Zhang Yijie flatly refused: "If it's still that matter, I can't investigate."
Meng Weixi stood defiantly against the wind, thinking, "That Zhou fellow is quite capable."
Zhang Yijie neither denied nor understood, "When Zhou Qishen divorced, it didn't cause a ripple at all; his company's stock wasn't affected in the slightest. He was too low-key and handled it flawlessly. If you ask me to investigate the reason, on a small scale, it's just a normal part of life for a married couple. On a larger scale, Zhou Qishen has more than just Jingmao behind him; he and Commander Gu's only grandson are sworn brothers, sharing both the profits and the losses. If Zhou Qishen wanted to suppress the reason for the divorce—he definitely could."
Meng Weixi stood up, his hands loosely clenched into fists and resting on the table. He lowered his head, his shoulders slumping downwards. Zhang Yijie's words were calm and reasonable; he couldn't refute them. When he first heard about Zhao Xiyin's divorce, he secretly inquired with many classmates, but none of them knew the truth. Li Ran and Xiao Shun, needless to say, refused to divulge a single word about their close and complicated relationship with Zhao Xiyin.
He had guessed everything: infidelity, having a mistress, even Zhou Qishen's impotence.
But that's all nonsense.
The only plausible explanation is that the love faded, the feelings cooled, and they broke up. But this time when I returned to China, every time I ran into Zhou Qishen, it was like we'd dug up each other's ancestral graves, which clearly meant it wasn't that I didn't love him anymore.
Meng Weixi lowered his head, breathing heavily, his clenched fists almost digging into the pear wood tabletop.
After thinking for a long time, Zhang Yijie finally spoke, "But I heard a rumor that..."
Meng Weixi suddenly raised his head, his eyes blazing, and demanded, "What is it?"
"Zhou Qishen struck too hard and injured Xiao Zhao."
Chapter 16 My heart yearns for water, your heart yearns for mountains (2)
My heart yearns for water, your heart yearns for mountains (2)
Meng Weixi tensed up instantly, her gaze like dark clouds pressing down on the city, and she even swayed unsteadily.
Zhang Yijie took out his cigarette, stubbed it out, and said, "Hearsay doesn't count. I'm not exactly a nobody in this circle. If that were the real reason, there's no such thing as a secret that stays hidden forever. It wouldn't be this tightly controlled."
Meng Weixi's tone was as sharp as ice: "It better not be, or I'll kill him."
Zhang Yijie chuckled. Having weathered many storms in his life, he saw Meng Weixi's reaction as childish tantrums. For a man, building a career and conquering the world was the proper thing to do.
"Meng'er, listen to your brother. It's not worth it for a woman."
Meng Weixi lowered his head again, his hair falling slightly to cover his eyes. He said, "It's true."
Zhang Yijie didn't understand. "Huh?"
Meng Weixi said, "I thought she was my future."
Zhang Yijie remained silent for a long time. He understood the competitive spirit between men, and he also understood what it was like for a man to be serious and stubborn. Looking at Meng Weixi now, only one word came to mind: possessed.
——
Following the report, the dance troupe's three-day course schedule focused primarily on lectures. They had three different instructors, each renowned for their expertise, covering topics ranging from the background and interpretation of the script for "Nine Thoughts" to explanations of the history of Chinese classical dance. Their engaging lectures were incredibly beneficial.
Yesterday, the girls were divided into groups, and basically, each group of girls sat together. Zhao Xiyin was left out, and it wasn't appropriate for her to join their small circle, so she just chose to sit in the last row.