Xu Shen lost control and a hint of sympathy appeared on his face. Zhang Chaohe happened to turn around at that moment, and the two locked eyes instantly.
Zhang Chaohe: ?
He wondered if he was seeing things. Why was Xu Shen looking at him like that? Did he have some vegetable stuck in his teeth?
Shouldn't he be concerned about the powder puffing up his face?
Zhang Chaohe had originally intended to comfort him, explaining that his sudden decision to bring Cheng Jixue along wasn't to steal the role from him, and that their goals weren't conflicting. However, after seeing the bewildered look in his eyes, Zhang Chaohe lost the will to explain. He gave Xu Shen a cold glance and entered the venue without a word.
In Xu Shen's eyes, it was clear that President Zhang had noticed something and glared at him with a warning look.
This indirectly confirmed his suspicions, leaving Xu Shen with mixed feelings. He was pleased that he had leverage over this newcomer, but also distressed because with a patron like Boss Zhang, the newcomer's rise to fame was inevitable, and company resources would certainly be tilted towards him, meaning Xu Shen would soon be suppressed.
Recalling Brother Du's hint, Xu Shen, who had been hesitant, suddenly made a decision. He composed himself and, like a helpful senior, struck up a conversation with Cheng Jixue: "Are you the newcomer who filmed that variety show with Li Yimao?"
Cheng Jixue smiled, flattered: "Yes, Brother Shen...may I call you Brother Shen?"
Zhang Chaohe was stunned as he listened from the front—was Cheng Jixue planning to learn and apply what she had just learned from those students?
Xu Shen laughed heartily, "Of course! Do you know Song Fei? He praised you to me, and I have a deep impression of you."
Zhang Chaohe: As expected of the company's top dog, his level of scheming is far beyond what Fu Ziming and Song Fei can match! In just one sentence, he both bridged the gap between the senior and the newcomer and ambiguously used Song Fei as a shield!
How do I know you? Because Song Fei and I praised you! Oh, I won't go into details about how he praised you, but you can probably guess!
Cheng Jixue said with delight, "Thank you, Brother Shen! But when we talked about you, Brother Fei always changed the subject, and we even misunderstood that there was some discord between you—it turns out you two are such good friends?"
Zhang Chaohe: Damn, I completely forgot that this person is the king of green tea in the whole text!
A note from the author:
Xiao Cheng: Let me lift up Mr. Zhang's head and see what he's thinking;
[One Hundred Ways to Make the Protagonist a Submissive Character in Dark Shark]
[One Hundred Ways to Exploit the Protagonist for Profit]
One hundred kinds...
Xiao Cheng: "Slammed it shut with a bang!"
The latest thank-you list! A kiss to all the little ones, including and not including! This is my first post, and although it has many shortcomings, I will definitely try my best to write it well! Thank you everyone for believing in me 5555;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 14
Xu Shen: What kind of local rainstorm?
Xu Shen, an idol who debuted from a talent show at the age of seventeen or eighteen, naturally has the same weakness as most idols—his academic performance is average. When Cheng Jixue uttered those two words with a bright smile, he subconsciously reacted for a moment.
However, it was in this brief moment of distraction that the conversation was subtly interrupted.
After Zhang Chaohe led the two of them into the venue, they were quickly surrounded by various entrepreneurs and chairmen. He chatted with all sorts of uncles and elders with ease. Just as Xu Shen had predicted, everyone's attention was immediately drawn to Cheng Jixue.
Especially after General Manager Zhang introduced this as a new employee, everyone's thoughtful gazes were focused on him, probably wondering about the relationship between General Manager Zhang and the other person.
Xu Shen wore a natural smile, but secretly he was practically grinding his teeth to powder. He finally realized that since President Zhang had already decided to let the newcomer he was keeping steal his role, why did he still bring him along? President Zhang just wanted to use his fame as a stepping stone for the guy surnamed Cheng!
He was wronging Zhang Chaohe. Zhang Chaohe didn't think that far ahead. He simply wanted to earn two salaries. After all, the second male lead role was so important that it had to be given to an actor who could guarantee box office success. Cheng Jixue couldn't possibly snatch it away!
The target director was not far ahead, but at that moment, Cheng Jixue suddenly said, "I'm going to the restroom," and quickly left the spot.
Before Zhang Chaohe could react, a kind-looking middle-aged CEO rushed over to him and greeted him warmly: "Isn't this the Zhang family? You don't recognize me, do you? I'm Chu Yunsheng from Zhongmao, and I've been a friend of your father for decades!"
Zhang Chaohe didn't recognize this old friend at all, but he reacted quickly and immediately extended his hand to greet him with utmost sincerity: "Hello, Uncle Chu! My father often mentions you, I've heard so much about you!"
Chu Yun Sheng shook hands firmly in return and sighed, "Alas, since I went north to develop my career in the capital, it's been a long time since I've had a chance to get together with Lao Zhang. I'll definitely pay him a visit another day!"
After he finished speaking, he glanced behind Zhang Chaohe, completely ignoring Xu Shen's eager smile: "I just saw a young man, why did he leave?"
Zhang Chaohe found his concern inexplicable, but still explained, "It's nothing serious—he's also an artist in my company. I brought them here today to meet with Director Lu Xun and see if we can talk about his new work."
Chu Yunsheng let out a long "Hi!" and patted Zhang Chaohe on the shoulder encouragingly: "Seeing you is like seeing your father when he was young. Like father, like son. Keep up the good work!"
Then he withdrew his hand and casually called out to Lu Xun, who was standing there in a daze, "Director Lu! Let me introduce you to Mr. Zhang!"
Chu Yunsheng had once invested in Lu Xun's film during his low point, helping him to stage a remarkable comeback. Lu Xun had always been grateful for Chu Yunsheng's support, so he was happy to give him face and came over to greet Zhang Chaohe: "Hello, Mr. Zhang."
Chu Yun Sheng wasn't particularly interested in investing in a small film. Seeing that the deal had been made, he exchanged a few simple pleasantries and then made an excuse to leave. However, even after walking quite a distance, he was still pondering who that fleeting glimpse of a profile resembled.
Zhang Chaohe and Lu Xun had already struck up a conversation, but Cheng Jixue still hadn't returned. He was anxious and secretly prayed that Cheng Jixue would hurry up, while hinting to Lu Xun that he was interested in recommending two actors and also wanted to invest in his new movie.
In his mind, this commercial film was indeed a sure-fire way to make money, and besides, it was quite polite to let a newcomer with investment experience join the crew.
When Zhang Chaohe called out the roles of the second and third male leads, Lu Xun looked troubled. He hesitated to organize his thoughts, but a young man had already stopped behind President Zhang: "President Zhang, I'm back."
He then greeted Lu Xun with a warm and humble smile that made people feel comfortable.
Lu Xun's eyes lit up: "This is... Mr. Cheng?"
Cheng Jixue's name was so unfamiliar to him that it was already quite an achievement for him to remember even one of the surnames after hearing it only once.
Zhang Chaohe gave a brief introduction to Cheng Jixue and subtly expressed his hope that Lu Xun would consider him when selecting the actor for the third male lead.
Xu Shen was relieved—since their goals didn't conflict, he was happy to do a favor. Besides, if they were in the same group, wouldn't Zhang Chaohe also help out Cheng Jixue if he wanted to meet with him in secret? He immediately helped promote this newcomer, praising him as if he were a star descended from the heavens.
Zhang Chaohe looked at him in surprise several times, unable to understand why Xu Shen had suddenly changed his personality.
Lu Xun hesitated for a long time, his index finger unconsciously pinching the pad of his thumb, before finally saying, "Mr. Zhang, actually I also think highly of him, but we've already found a very suitable actor for the third male lead..."
He spoke vaguely, but everyone present understood what he meant—someone had already paid to reserve the role of the third male lead, and even if someone wanted to pay to get someone in, there was a first-come, first-served rule.
Xu Shen secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Even if he was willing to speak well of Cheng Jixue, it was only out of desperation. He would much rather the other party disappear from the public eye forever. Having been in the entertainment industry for so many years, he knew all too well what kind of people would become famous and become a powerful threat.
The cake is only so big; if there's one more person to share it, he'll get one less bite.
Zhang Chaohe's face darkened; it seemed that Lu Xun intended to politely decline.
He was about to gloat over the topic when Lu Xun, as if catching his breath, spoke again: "But, would you be willing to try out for the second male lead role?"
Cheng Jixue was taken aback, while Xu Shen's eyes widened in surprise!
Although Lu Xun was completely absorbed in his role, he wasn't actually a very assertive person in real life. He spoke quickly, seemingly considering that what he was saying might be a little awkward: "What I can reveal is that the male lead has already been decided as Jing Suizhi, so I'll consider anyone else who's offered a role. When I first met you, I felt you were perfect for the second male lead, but I don't know how good your acting is, plus there are several other very excellent actors who are also interested in this role—like our Xu Shen, haha."
Xu Shen's face was extremely ugly. He almost gritted his teeth to maintain his excellent expression management, and continued to wait with a smile for Lu Xun to finish speaking.
"So, in a couple of days I'll prepare an interview for fair competition, and we'll compete openly for the roles." Lu Xun's status is what it is, and mentioning Xu Shen is just to give President Zhang face. There's really no need to care about his expression. Therefore, his gaze swept over Xu Shen without lingering for a moment, but instead landed on Cheng Jixue's face, and he looked at him with appreciation.
In less than half an hour, Xu Shen had already been given the cold shoulder twice. He was so angry that he was almost trembling. The feeling of being inferior that everyone could step on him when he was not famous once again overwhelmed him.
He suddenly realized that without Du Ze, he was still nothing. Everything he possessed was an illusion built on the bubble of the entertainment industry. He was popular with fans and glamorous, but when faced with the real powerful and influential, he had no room to struggle.
Brother Du is right. Only by leaving a company that doesn't treat him like a human being and taking charge of his own life can he go further.
“I have no objection.” Cheng Jixue showed a perfectly timed expression of surprise: “Thank you, Director Lu, for giving me this opportunity. I will definitely prepare well.”
"What do you think, Brother Shen?" He raised an eyebrow and looked at Xu Shen with a smile.
Xu Shen stared at him coldly, as if he were facing a slender, delicate, and beautiful venomous snake.
"Of course I have no objection. I am very honored that Director Lu is willing to give me this opportunity."
Zhang Chaohe sensed a hint of resentment in his tone. After all, no one had expected Director Lu to promote a newcomer so much in front of him, even personally inviting Cheng Jixue to audition. After exchanging WeChat contacts, Lu Xun gracefully left to chat with other executives, but the atmosphere among the three was gloomy and unsettling.
Actually, it was mainly Xu Shen who was staring at the two men with his lower eyelids that had undergone lower eyelid surgery.
Zhang Chaohe had initially felt a little sympathy for him, but seeing that he had written all his resentment on his face, the last bit of sympathy vanished instantly. Even if it wasn't Cheng Jixue, someone else would have won the director's favor. He hadn't been able to get the director to treat him differently, and he even gave his superior a hard time. He really hadn't experienced the harsh realities of society.
His expression was cold and stern, and his undisguised icy gaze was fixed on Xu Shen. Xu Shen, under the scrutiny of Young Master Zhang, subconsciously held his breath and dared not move.
"You don't look well, you should go back first."
Xu Shen felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. His last bit of hope was shattered, and the forced smile on his face instantly collapsed. It was as if he could see countless eyes gathering from all directions to watch him being kicked out by his boss.
Zhang Chaohe stared at his dejected back—in reality, no one even noticed this small corner of the hall. Most of the guests probably didn't recognize him, and even if someone gave him a glance out of the corner of their eye, it was just a casual look while observing the newly returned Zhang Er Gongzi.
Having finished his business for the day, staying any longer would only lead to a barrage of messy social engagements. Just as Zhang Chaohe was about to find an excuse to slip away, a pretty girl suddenly appeared in front of him. She smiled, revealing her sharp little tiger teeth: "Hello, Mr. Zhang! I'm Li Kelin's niece from Fenglian. I'm kind of a third-tier employee."
Zhang Chaohe mustered his spirits and struggled to recall who Li Kelin was—but who her uncle was didn't matter; what mattered was that the girl in front of him looked like a wealthy second-generation heiress who had already made her debut.
"I just saw Xu Shen, did he go out?" the girl asked, looking around.
"He wasn't feeling well and left first. Is there anything I can help you with?" Zhang Chaohe looked at her warily.
"Can I take a picture with you?" She rolled her eyes and gave Cheng Jixue an apologetic smile. "Although you are very handsome, I only want to take a picture with Brother Zhang. Could you move aside a bit?"
Zhang Chaohe frowned, but Cheng Jixue smiled good-naturedly and obediently stepped aside to keep a safe distance: "Okay."
The girl casually linked arms with Zhang Chaohe, raised her phone, and skillfully hid half of her face behind him. In the photo, Zhang Chaohe stared blankly at the camera, his eyes so cold they could kill. The contrast between their cool and warm personalities created a strange harmony.
Zhang Chaohe had a bad feeling, but the girl had already thanked him happily and left. The two of them quickly made an excuse to leave the venue. Zhang Chaohe secretly touched his almost empty stomach and asked somewhat embarrassedly, "Are you full? Do you want some hot pot?"
Half an hour later, Zhang Chaohe finally sat down in front of the bright red hot pot broth, eagerly waiting for the meat slices to cook.
In front of Cheng Jixue was a pot of rich, milky-white mushroom soup. He resignedly picked up a few vegetable leaves and tossed them in: "You're tempting me with this spicy broth, but wouldn't the shrimp paste taste even better?"
Zhang Chaohe kept his usual stern face—but the satisfaction and ease revealed in the corners of his eyes and brows easily betrayed him. He said confidently, "Maybe it's because it's too embarrassing to have a teddy bear across from you while eating hot pot alone."
Cheng Jixue shook her head helplessly and obediently started simmering meat slices in her mushroom broth. Zhang Chaohe, gloating, had only taken a couple of bites when he received a barrage of urgent calls from Assistant Jiang—
"Hello!"
"Mr. Zhang, look at the trending topics! Are you dating Tan Xiaolin?"
Zhang Chaohe's heart skipped a beat. He quickly opened Weibo and scrolled to the trending topics page, only to see that his name, Zhang Chaohe, was once again trending!
#Zhang Chaohe and Tan Xiaolin suspected of dating# Hot!
Zhang Chaohe: Pfft!
A note from the author:
Xiao Cheng: Other people who are in love with Xiao Zhang only need to buy a trending topic, but I have to spend a lot of money;
Why, why, why!
My darlings, this week's list is basically finished! Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the next update should be on Thursday! I'll definitely make up for the missed updates once it becomes a paid content (bowing deeply).
Thank you for feeding us, little ones!
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!