Although Cheng Jixue wasn't particularly interested in the little schemes his classmates were playing back then, their self-righteous exclusion and isolation were more like a comfortable social distance for him.
But for those who have done evil and have a guilty conscience, sometimes just a subtle look or an unintentional action can make them feel very guilty and anxious.
Especially when the other party is rich and powerful, and seems to be living a better life than them.
They were constantly on guard against Mr. Zhang bringing up old issues, but Zhang Chaohe's thoughts were unrestrained, and the questions he asked were unpredictable and impossible to fathom. They were like being chased wildly by a happy, free-roaming goose in a primeval forest...
There was no way forward, but there was a goose eyeing us menacingly from behind.
I'm driving myself crazy.
“Xiao Cheng should be a year younger than me,” Zhang Chaohe cleverly brought up age after the previous topic ended, trying to market Cheng Jixue’s genius image: “A young prodigy.”
Xiaoru looked puzzled: "A year younger? Mr. Zhang is this year..."
Zhang Chaohe, with an elegant demeanor, said: "I am 24 years old this year."
Then he was pulled by Cheng Jixue, who this time genuinely showed a hint of panic in her eyes: "..."
Zhang Chaohe thought to himself, "What's wrong with this? Is there anything we can't talk about? These days, aren't all celebrities trying to appear younger? Everyone wants to be the lucky star who falls from the sky, and there are quite a few who lie about being five years older or more."
However, Sister Fei smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Zhang, you must be mistaken. I'm 25 this year, and my senior brother should be at least a year older than you."
Zhang Chaohe looked at Cheng Jixue in disbelief: "Didn't your file say you were 23?!"
Cheng Jixue hesitated for a moment: "In the entertainment industry...don't people all exaggerate their age a little bit?"
Zhang Chaohe felt wronged, as if he had been tricked—Cheng Jixue, how could you, an honest and simple man, do such a thing!
He pressed for details: "How old are you exactly?"
Cheng Jixue lowered her head weakly: "25."
Zhang Chaohe looked at him coldly: "Think it over before you speak."
Fei tried to speak up to salvage the situation, but as soon as she opened her mouth, Zhang Chaohe gave her a warning look. Fei didn't dare to offend Mr. Zhang at this moment, so she immediately shut up and backed away!
Cheng Jixue gritted her teeth: "26...really!"
Zhang Chaohe sneered: "Brother He, Little Cheng? Alright—"
He stomped off angrily, and Cheng Jixue quickly followed, lowering her shoulders slightly to soothe the grumpy goose... The streetlights cast their long shadows together, like two small flowers twisted together by the wind.
Xiaoru looked at Fei Jie with her eyes, asking what to do now. Fei Jie stopped her, leaving them a safe and private distance.
Based on experience, when young couples argue, the one who tries to mediate always ends up suffering.
So, run!
A note from the author:
My friends and family said that the comment section under the article has been taken over by Tencent (a Chinese tech blogger), and when I checked, it seems that's really the case.
Waaaaah, my darlings, I might update around noon tomorrow because I don't know if I can finish writing before midnight. Today, I went to the movies with a relative and we saw a kid playing on one of those little scooters. The kid bumped his head on the table, and I instinctively reached out to grab him, but I ended up with a bloody bump on my elbow. Waaaaah!
My left arm can't bend, so I'm struggling to use my right hand for a one-finger Zen.
Is this the price I pay for writing about geese's acts of bravery every day?!
Thank you to my little darlings for making such a big feeding effort!
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 47
Cheng Jixue's age mysteriously stopped at 26.
No matter how much Zhang Chaohe pressed him, he refused to budge, insisting that he was a handsome, sunny 26-year-old.
Some people take advantage of their good looks to talk nonsense and do whatever they want—Zhang Chaohe understands this very well, but he still feels resentful about Cheng Jixue lying to him.
Cheng Jixue thought she had escaped a disaster, but the next second, Mr. Zhang smiled and asked another deadly question: "Height and age...you didn't lie about your height too, did you?"
Cheng Jixue thought to herself that it seemed she couldn't skip this topic without giving the goose a juicy tidbit today, so she once again used her unparalleled tea-making skills, bowing her head with tears in her eyes: "I'm a male actor, so of course I'll underreport my height a little."
Zhang Chaohe smiled bitterly: "Then how much was underreported?"
Cheng Jixue estimated for a moment: "Two centimeters, I guess."
Two centimeters—a subtle number that can be easily overlooked with a simple reason like changing your hairstyle!
Zhang Chaohe: ……
Well, anyway, Assistant Chen's height is already beyond reach, so Cheng Jixue's height seems acceptable.
Zhang Chaohe completely gave up, after all, Cheng Jixue had his reasons, which was understandable!
Although in his heart he had forgiven Cheng Jixue ninety percent, and the remaining ten percent was teetering on the brink, he outwardly maintained a cold expression and scrutinized Cheng Jixue sternly: "You have nothing else to hide from me, do you?"
Cheng Jixue's heart wavered for a brief moment, but his expression remained unchanged, and he looked at Zhang Chaohe with sincerity and gentleness: "Really, no."
Who cares, let's get the goose first!
Zhang Chaohe threatened loudly and without any real threat: "If I feed it some kind of small green vegetable that it doesn't like on the first day, it will pick it out and protest; if I feed it the same kind of small green vegetable on the second day, it will peck at me."
“The third time…” Zhang Chaohe smiled grimly, the outcome of which was self-evident; “You know what to do, right?”
The third time, it will retaliate by smearing the wall with mud and resolutely refuse all hugs from Zhang Chaohe!
Cheng Jixue nodded without any fear, "I know, Mr. Zhang."
Zhang Chaohe arrogantly signed the hotel bill in front of Fei Jie and the others. Meanwhile, Assistant Chen, to satisfy the brat's strange hobby, wore sunglasses and stood behind Zhang Chaohe with his hands clasped, acting as a well-trained bodyguard.
Mr. Xie was completely taken aback, probably because he had never seen an assistant like this before... He secretly resolved to find an all-around secretary who could combine the roles of bodyguard and assistant when he got back!
After finally saying goodbye to his scheming junior sister, Zhang Chaohe stood in the elevator looking dejected: "Sigh, I was planning to go to the aquarium today."
A true domineering CEO: Yacht parties, private dinners at revolving restaurants.
The fake domineering CEO: I want to go to the aquarium today.
Assistant Chen glared at Cheng Jixue with displeasure: "You vixen! What a troublemaker!"
Cheng Jixue also felt very sorry, after all, his schedule for today was originally planned well... but he did not expect that Da'e would take the initiative on a whim, so he had to cancel it with regret.
The old man who is currently sitting in a barbecue restaurant by the sea, trying to pretend to bump into her, is probably quite angry.
"After Mr. Zhang accompanies me to visit Teacher Zhao tomorrow, shall we go to the aquarium?" Cheng Jixue looked pitifully at Zhang Chaohe through the towering Chen Special Assistant: "After all, we have to go back to the film crew tomorrow night!"
Once Chen Xingting gets into work mode, he becomes ruthless. Cheng Jixue's short two-day holiday was only obtained by Zhang Chaohe under the pretense of running around for work.
Director Chen even declared that once Zhang Chaohe officially joined the crew, he would strip him of all his privileges. He advised Zhang Chaohe to enjoy life while he could and not regret it later.
Zhang Chaohe still couldn't muster any enthusiasm: "Let's talk about it tomorrow."
He felt extremely distressed at the thought of what he was about to encounter, but he was willing to make certain sacrifices in order to make money.
He never expected that reality would be even more devastating to his mental defenses than he imagined. Back in his room, Assistant Chen dutifully presented him with a script a centimeter thick: "Director Chen hopes you can get into character as soon as possible. He said that there will be no '1234 type' actors allowed in the crew."
Zhang Chaohe: A perfectly good holiday was suddenly shrouded in a shadow called homework?
Zhang Chaohe: Wasn't it agreed that I would only be making a cameo appearance?
But when Cheng Jixue pulled out his script from his suitcase—thicker than the 1953 textbook and divided into two parts—Zhang Chaohe instantly forgave Director Chen.
On this beautiful night, the president of an entertainment company and one of the company's artists were staying in a suite, the two of them mysteriously drawing the curtains...
Then he reverently opened the script on the table.
With the intention of stalling for time, Zhang Chaohe turned on the home pet monitor, and immediately the small, aggrieved figure of Caiye appeared on the screen.
It looked lonely and helpless. Zhang Chaohe shook the camera joystick—the small vegetable leaves in the dish didn't seem to move much.
Zhang Chaohe never expected Caiye to rely on him like this. He had prepared for a messy house when he got home, but he was deeply moved by this scene. He carefully put his phone aside and touched Caiye from a distance.
"Don't you even look at the melon rind?" Zhang Chaohe suddenly suggested enthusiastically.
Cheng Jixue: ...
Right now, Guapi should be happily dismantling the dog playground in his house at Yipin Huading—how am I supposed to show this to Boss Zhang?
Finding a way to shift the blame to her nephew, Cheng Jixue quickly explained, "I entrusted Guapi to President Ji's care. He should be playing with Guapi right now, right?"
Zhang Chaohe was very envious. Before he went out to play, he tried to entrust the vegetable leaves to Boss Zhang or Assistant Jiang, but both of them strongly resisted and resolutely refused to let such a terrifying creature as a goose into their homes!
Assistant Chen has a cat at home, which is inconvenient. Zhang Chaohe thought that next time he might be able to trick Young Master Ji into taking care of Caiye for a while.
Seeing Zhang Chaohe lost in thought again, Cheng Jixue breathed a sigh of relief. He tried to start a new topic to make the young master Zhang forget about the melon rind.
The next second, Zhang Chaohe's phone rang—Cheng Jixue glanced at the caller casually and froze instantly!
Ji Boyang.
My dear nephew.
You're everywhere!
"What a coincidence." Zhang Chaohe happily picked up his phone and answered the call, but before he could even speak, he heard Ji Boyang shout excitedly on the other end of the line, "Brother He, Brother He, I got some good stuff!"
Second Aunt is about to be promoted to a higher generation, and every time Brother He calls her that, it's one less time he'll say it, so we must cherish it!
Zhang Chaohe immediately forgot about the melon rind: "What good stuff is this!"
A goose and a dog raced down the road at an astonishingly synchronized pace, while Cheng Jixue stood alone to the side, watching them disappear into the distance...
"I'm overthinking it," Cheng Jixue thought expressionlessly. "How dare I presume to predict His Majesty's behavior with my meager research on geese?"
However, since Zhang Chaohe was not home, Ji Boyang refused to reveal what the good stuff was in the end. Cheng Jixue listened anxiously as Zhang Chaohe and his nephew bid each other a reluctant farewell, promising to reveal the answer when they returned home.
Zhang Chaohe had no more reason to delay rehearsing his lines, so he finally picked up the script.
He glanced through Gu Yinqiu's lines and found that her small portion of the scenes involved either arranging military defenses or appearing at various banquets to elevate the social atmosphere and serve as a human backdrop for dancing with beautiful women.
His main role, however, is actually in the complicated and tangled relationship with Chang Xiaoyue.
Minrong Gege's determination to completely break with her noble feudal status was largely influenced by the progressive ideas of her friends in the main characters' group. Chang Xiaoyue, however, with her tragic past and used by the immature Minrong Gege as a tool to resist feudal oppression, was not so fortunate.
He was influenced by feudal ideology throughout his life. He was the lowest of the low among actors. Unlike the protagonists who fought against feudalism and tyranny, Chang Xiaoyue never fought for these noble causes.
He was simply fighting against his fate.
In other words, he was not a successful "revolutionary." He embodied not only the ignorant struggles of the lowest rungs of society at the time, but also the indulgence of going with the tide. Director Chen consulted a lot of materials and speculated on many possibilities between Gu Yinqiu and Chang Xiaoyue. In the end, he defined the relationship between the two in the play.
This is a feeling that is more than friendship but less than love. For Gu Yinqiu, although he helped Chang Xiaoyue stand up straight and walk into the storm to fight against the tide of fate, he did not help him truly remove the shackles on his body. As for Chang Xiaoyue, he could not tell whether it was love or gratitude. Gu Yinqiu was a confidant and a savior to him, but Gu Yinqiu's heart was not limited to love and romance. His gaze was directed towards a wider world.