Just then, the intercom rang. He let go of her hand to answer the phone, and Cheng Jixue stared at the small section of her wrist that he had held, her eyes indifferent.
So that's what he likes. Cheng Jixue casually stirred her coffee with a silver spoon, unaware of what was being said on the other end of the phone, but Zhang Chaohe's tone was extremely cold.
He hung up the phone and went back to signing and typing documents, frowning as he typed away on the keyboard. Cheng Jixue quietly poured the brewed coffee into that overly cute cat-shaped cup and considerately placed it next to Zhang Chaohe.
Mr. Zhang was engrossed in reading the documents and completely unaware that he was enjoying Cheng Jixue's attentive service. He casually picked up his cup and took a large gulp—
"puff!!"
Fortunately, Zhang Chaohe realized in that instant that he must not spray coffee onto the keyboard and monitor. He forced down the mouthful of unsweetened and milk-free freshly ground coffee and turned his murderous gaze toward Cheng Jixue standing to the side.
Cheng Jixue looked at him blankly, her eyes slightly brimming with emotion, her thin lips pursed in a flustered manner: "I'm sorry, Mr. Zhang... I..."
The beauty looked at him with remorse and fear. At that moment, Zhang Chaohe's old habit kicked in, and he felt once again that there was nothing that was unforgivable!
Although a bitter, sour taste, almost like Chinese medicine, still lingered in his throat, his words were incredibly sweet: "I was so engrossed in my work that I forgot to add sugar... Could you add two sugar cubes and a glass of milk for me?"
Cheng Jixue went out to get candy and milk, and Zhang Chaohe quickly grabbed the water bottle on the table and took a big gulp to suppress the bitterness in his mouth. He then put the water bottle back as it was, pretending to be engrossed in his work.
Not long after, Cheng Jixue returned leisurely. He gently and considerately placed the freshly brewed coffee on the table, and then secretly glanced at Zhang Chaohe's computer screen.
He was actually revising a recruitment plan.
A few days ago, Zhang Chaohe saw that the company's top female star only had two variety shows on her recent work schedule, and he felt that he hadn't really squeezed her dry. In addition, although the recruitment budget requested by the HR department was increasing day by day, the quality of the new recruits was still appalling.
Mr. Zhang finally couldn't tolerate this paid garbage scavenging behavior in the dump. He decided to send the top female host to work at the recruitment interview site, using the topic and traffic to create a scriptless, live-streamed talent show of his own!
Zhang Chaohe was pondering the details of the project when Assistant Jiang suddenly knocked and entered. Her gaze swept across the table but lingered on the steaming cup of coffee—while President Zhang was still struggling with the documents, Cheng Jixue waited demurely behind the boss's desk, looking like a wicked concubine trying to interfere in politics.
Assistant Jiang's eyes sharpened—she hadn't forgotten that Young Master Zhang had once been so infatuated with women that he drafted a sugar daddy contract and even went to great lengths to arrange for someone to take him home drunk. Chairman Zhang had repeatedly instructed her to assist the Second Prince well; she absolutely couldn't let Young Master Zhang lose his chastity in less than two months of taking office!
"Mr. Zhang, Manager Cheng hasn't arrived yet. Why don't I take Mr. Cheng to the lounge to wait, so you can focus on processing the documents?"
Zhang Chaohe's fingers flew across the keyboard. His trust in Assistant Jiang was so great that he let it go in one ear and out the other, replying without hesitation, "Ah, okay then..."
"It's alright, Mr. Zhang. I'll just sit here for a while. I won't trouble Assistant Jiang." Cheng Jixue interrupted him softly and sat down on the same sofa where Song Fei had sat during his last outburst in the office.
He turned his head to look at the stunned Assistant Jiang, and gave him an innocent smile: "Assistant Jiang, is there anything else?"
Assistant Jiang was taken over by him, which further confirmed her opinion of him as a seductive woman. However, the topic had already been moved on, and she did not forget the important matter. She handed the folder in her hand to Zhang Chaohe's desk: "Mr. Zhang, this is the information you requested about Chen Xingting's new drama."
To everyone's surprise, Zhang Chaohe didn't even glance at it, and simply gestured with his chin towards Cheng Jixue: "Give it to him."
Assistant Jiang gritted her teeth, swearing she saw a fleeting, faint smile in Cheng Jixue's eyes—what a green tea b*tch!
She turned her hand and handed the folder to Cheng Jixue, who politely stood up and accepted it with both hands: "President Zhang, what is this?"
“This is the first script you’ve received on your own.” Zhang Chaohe looked up from his computer and said, “Cheng Xuelan has already read it and thinks there are no problems. Whether you accept it or not is up to you.”
Assistant Jiang silently slipped out, deciding to immediately call Cheng Xuelan and urge her to come to the company. He couldn't let the Demon Consort and the Second Prince be alone in a room again. It used to seem like only Director Zhang was unilaterally interested, but now it seems like even the Goddess has feelings for him?
She imagined a whole host of possibilities, and decided to subtly but deliberately bring it up the next time Mr. Zhang routinely greeted her brother.
Cheng Jixue opened the folder. The first page had the words "Zan Ying" neatly written in bold, size 2 font. Turning the pages, the document not only detailed the various proposed aspects but also included an A- rating report from Jiasheng Market Assessment Department and a project comparison report with similar production teams.
Before Cheng Jixue could finish reading, Cheng Xuelan pushed open the door and entered. Zhang Chaohe minimized the document and casually opened a mini-program on his phone: "Let's go downstairs and talk."
Cheng Xuelan glanced at him, puzzled, probably wondering why he would leave his perfectly good office unused and insist on going downstairs.
The three of them sat down in the living room. Zhang Chaohe put his phone on the stand and switched it to landscape mode. While staring at the screen, he said, "Go ahead and speak."
Cheng Xuelan glanced at the screen and discovered it was surveillance footage from Zhang Chaohe's office. She immediately felt a deep respect for the capitalist's caution: "You even installed a camera in your office?"
“Once the company is completely mine, I probably won’t need it anymore.” Zhang Chaohe said casually, with an air of unspoken arrogance that suggested he controlled everything. “Can I borrow your phone for a bit?”
He extended his hand to Cheng Jixue.
Cheng Jixue handed over her phone, and Zhang Chaohe dialed the secretariat: "This is Zhang Chaohe. Someone come and deliver Li Yimao's single proposal to him. The document is on my desk."
After the phone call ended, a young man entered the office. He nervously glanced around, and seeing that the office seemed empty, he went straight to Zhang Chaohe's computer. After flipping through the files, he took out his phone to take pictures, and finally deliberately rummaged through the pile of files before picking up the document Zhang Chaohe had specified and hurriedly leaving.
The entire operation was skillful and smooth, clearly indicating that this was not a first offense.
"That's really meticulous and thoughtful," Cheng Xuelan commented with great interest.
Zhang Chaohe clicked "End Recording," and the software automatically compressed the recorded surveillance video. He then switched to WeChat, found Assistant Jiang's chat window, and sent the message with one click. He calmly turned off the screen and said, "Okay, let's talk quickly. I have a game appointment with someone later."
Cheng Jixue also casually shifted her gaze away.
Cheng Xuelan took the folder from Cheng Jixue's hand: "You've seen the general situation. Chen Xingting is a very capable person. He has a good eye and is also good at directing. And to be honest, this role is very suitable for Xiao Cheng. Xiao Cheng doesn't have any filming experience yet, so it's good for him to practice acting with this kind of role first... That's an advantage."
"The shortcomings are also obvious. First of all, Chen Xingting has not been on set for a long time, and everyone is watching to see if he has run out of ideas. The investment this drama has attracted so far is pitifully small."
Zhang Chaohe gave an ambiguous snort, twirling the glass on the table in his hand, and replied in a very irritating manner: "Problems that can be solved with money are not problems."
Cheng Xuelan paused for a moment, then said, "Never mind what I said."
With the backing of investments from two major conglomerates, Zhang Chaohe can easily bleed up a TV series.
"Secondly, there's the issue of the production team. The one competing with Chen Xingting has assembled a team entirely composed of popular actors. We might not have the advantage in terms of starting filming, promotion, and later ratings when we're all at the same time."
"Why does he insist on suppressing Chen Xingting like this?" Cheng Jixue asked. "And he even wants to film a drama about the same historical figures from the same period. What's his motive?"
Cheng Xuelan's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "This is also one of the reasons that made me decide to believe in Chen Xingting. I may not believe in Chen Xingting, but I cannot disbelieve the judgment of his peers. They would rather film a drama with the same material than let Chen Xingting's comeback be overshadowed, which shows that they are still wary of him."
"Moreover, this year is quite special, this subject matter is... favored by the higher-ups." Cheng Xuelan's words were vague, but everyone understood what she meant: "Chen Xingting started out making serious dramas, so he has the right timing and location, plus Mr. Zhang's investment, which means he has the right people. I have confidence in him."
“Then we’ll hire actors with good reputations.” Zhang Chaohe played with his phone in his palm, not worried at all: “We won’t hire any popular stars in this drama. We’ll rely on quality. As long as we can get support from above, they won’t have a place to fight us.”
"Xiao Cheng, what do you think?" Cheng Xuelan looked at Cheng Jixue. At first, she was optimistic about this young man only because of his appearance, but after several conversations, she realized that he did not give up acting to pursue film just for money. Just like his choice of playing female roles, he was an ambitious person who was passionate about challenges.
Therefore, he definitely doesn't just want to be a traffic star who relies on his fans; his goal must be something higher.
If "The Golden Hairpin" had been filmed according to the original plan, it could definitely have been considered a starting point tailor-made for Cheng Jixue.
“I trust your and Mr. Zhang’s judgment,” Cheng Jixue said sincerely and with trust in her eyes, “and I also trust my own judgment.”
Cheng Xuelan was increasingly satisfied, and her anxiety finally subsided. Actually, she was also a little worried that she had misjudged the situation, and that Cheng Jixue, relying on Zhang Chaohe's indulgence, would insist on taking advantage of quick and easy projects.
Fortunately, Cheng Jixue was a smart person, and so was she.
“Then I’ll go and arrange a meeting with Chen Xingting,” Cheng Xuelan put the documents back on the table, stood up, tucked a stray hair behind her ear, and looked relaxed. “Xiao Cheng will come with me afterwards.”
“I’ll go too.” Zhang Chaohe pondered for a moment. “I have an idea, but I need to think about it for the next couple of days. We’ll talk about it then—you didn’t make a special trip just for this, did you?”
Cheng Xuelan said smugly, "Of course not, Mr. Zhang. You'll definitely be interested in what I'm about to do."
"I'm going to talk to Li Yimao about the things he's done for Xu Shen all these years. If Du Ze wants to make a scene with Xu Shen... he'd better think it over."
Zhang Chaohe was taken aback, then laughed and cried at the same time: "Why bother with all that? You can all just do your own thing. There's no need to chase after him and beat him up."
Du Ze wasn't so clean in his dealings that he left no trace. According to Jiang's special assistant's estimate, if Du Ze wanted to break things off directly, he would at least have to pay an exorbitant penalty for breach of contract, and at worst, he would end up with a house behind bars.
Cheng Xuelan smiled sinisterly: "Of course, you have to nip it in the bud, Mr. Zhang. Just consider us enemies."
Zhang Chaohe finally realized—he thought Cheng Xuelan was an excavator, but it turned out she was actually a demolition team!
Can he lie down now?
A note from the author:
Mr. Zhang: I want both the exorbitant penalty for breach of contract and the real estate!
Thank you for the food, my little cuties!
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 18
Cheng Jixue's audition was in three days, so Cheng Xuelan was not in a hurry to arrange a meeting with Chen Xingting.
On the day of the audition, Cheng Xuelan did not accompany him in person. Cheng Jixue was notified that the company would assign him a personal assistant to accompany him. So when he opened the car door and saw the person in the back seat, he was really surprised.
Instead of his usual suit and armor, Zhang Chaohe was dressed casually in a T-shirt and trousers, lazily glancing up at him and greeting him, "Good morning?"
Assistant Xiao Wen, huddled in the passenger seat, gave Cheng Jixue a conflicted smile—he certainly didn't dare resist being kidnapped by President Zhang: "Good morning, Brother Cheng."
Cheng Jixue gave Xiaowen a considerate smile and gracefully sat down: "Good morning, President Zhang. What brings you here?"
He had a very elegant and mellow sandalwood scent. As soon as Cheng Jixue got close, Zhang Chaohe tragically discovered that the lemon perfume he had just sprayed that morning was almost completely suppressed and dissipated...
He casually suppressed his sourness: "I'm just here to watch the show, don't be nervous. Just treat me as your assistant today."
Cheng Jixue helplessly adjusted the hem of her clothes, feeling that her boss was really unpredictable: "Okay, then after the audition, would Assistant Zhang do me the honor of having lunch together?"
“Well,” Zhang Chaohe said, finding it intriguing, “I want to eat pickled fish.”
She's quite easy to talk to. Cheng Jixue chuckled: "Alright, I'll give you four more gluten buns."
Mr. Zhang, a distinguished employee, ventured into the service industry for the first time and successfully earned a meal of sauerkraut fish in golden broth worth 228 yuan.
Xiao Wen stole glances at his boss and his top boss from the passenger seat, as if he could see the glittering promise of a promotion and a raise beckoning to him. He mentally rehearsed all sorts of unexpected events that might happen later, and secretly vowed to show his two bosses the abilities of his top assistant!
Before getting off the bus, the actual auditioning artists did not take any protective measures, but Mr. Zhang put on a baseball cap and a mask.
Not only that, before Xiao Wen got out of the car to communicate, she even heard Boss Zhang directing Brother Cheng to hand her a bottle of mineral water!
Even Zhang Chaohe himself felt a little embarrassed, as his assistant had to be taken care of by his temporary boss, which made him feel really guilty towards the pickled fish. However, before Zhang Chaohe could dwell on it any longer, his chance to prove himself came!
Xiao Wen returned to the car with a grim expression: "Mr. Zhang..."
The car door was halfway open when Zhang Chaohe stopped joking and sat up straight, looking intently at the aggrieved-looking Xiaowen: "What's wrong?"
"Today is the full-makeup audition, Xu Shen... they won't let us use the dressing room."
⚹
Lu Xun intentionally favored Cheng Jixue, so he persuaded the assistant directors and casting director to have the six actors who came to audition prepare for a full-makeup audition.
However, Director Lu, with his peculiar way of thinking, didn't play by the rules. He didn't realize that he had already inadvertently created a grudge between Xu Shen and Cheng Jixue last time. This time, he even wanted Xu Shen to mentor Cheng Jixue to ease the newcomer's nervousness.
Therefore, he thought it was thoughtful of him to arrange for Xu Shen and Cheng Jixue to be in the same dressing room.
Xu Shen was so angry that he fell silent after hearing the director's assistant's notification—but fortunately, he had already learned from Du Ze that Cheng Jixue had only brought his assistant to the audition, so he gave his assistant a cold smile and a look.
So when Xiao Wen led the costume and makeup artist into the dressing room, he was directly stopped at the door by Xu Shen's assistant: "We have not received any notification that we will share the dressing room with other people, and I think with Brother Shen's popularity, Director Lu would not make him feel bad about doing his makeup and styling with the newcomers, right?"
Xiao Wen had a pretty good impression of Xu Shen, and after politely explaining that it was Director Lu's assistant's arrangement, the other party finally became impatient: "Then go talk to Director Lu's assistant. How can a newbie have no sense of propriety at all?"
"Bang!"
The three people stood at the door, looking at each other in bewilderment. Even Xiao Wen, who was slow to realize this time, understood that Xu Shen's team was deliberately making things difficult for them!
The makeup artist, accustomed to the cutthroat scenes on set, glanced at her watch and sighed, "Their team has always been quite arrogant. Why don't you ask Director Lu's assistant to approve another dressing room? Time is tight, don't delay the final result."