The autumn rain is fine and persistent, just like the plum rains of spring. I thought the rain would stop the next day, but it just wouldn't stop.
Cheng Qing got up early, ate breakfast, and stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass door, looking at the misty rain outside. She knew that she couldn't practice fencing outside today.
Today, Luo Xi also went to the driving range with Zhou Yong to practice driving, and left early in the car. With such heavy rain, the ground is wet and slippery; I don't know if it's safe.
Of course, the production team should be aware of these things.
Cheng Qing snapped out of her reverie and turned her gaze from outside the window back inside, where she saw three students coming out after changing their clothes.
Li Mingyao is good-looking, and he looks even more dashing in his fencing uniform. Ye Lingyun, on the other hand, is petite and cute, and the fencing uniform adds a touch of delicate charm to her appearance.
Since the male and female leads are the main characters, they are naturally handsome men and beautiful women.
The male lead is the CEO of a listed company, and he's quite capable. He would never have come here to record a program if it weren't for family reasons.
Although Ye Lingyun has been in the entertainment industry for quite some time, unlike Luo Xi, her career has not been smooth sailing. It wasn't until this year, when a web series she filmed became a huge hit, that Ye Lingyun gained fame.
However, the fame of just one web series is not enough for her to establish a position in the entertainment industry. Therefore, her agent took advantage of her high popularity and put her into the big-name show "Aces Go Places" this season.
Besides making people familiar with him, I'm also considering pairing him with a top celebrity to boost my popularity.
According to the plot, she and Li Mingyao naturally became the hottest couple of the season, which made them go viral and raised their popularity to a whole new level.
With Li Mingyao's company being quite large and him protecting Ye Lingyun, Ye Lingyun's life naturally became smoother over time.
The two guests with the most viewership this season, besides Feng Qiuyi, are Luo Xi, but even so, Luo Xi still doesn't have the advantage over the male and female leads.
Not only was he heavily criticized on the show, but Li Mingyao was also accused of being narrow-minded and trying to get revenge for Ye Lingyun and make her smile. Furthermore, after a minor argument with Luo Xi, he continued to target her.
They even went so far as to ruin her reputation. The protagonists' halos shone brightly, while Losi's career dimmed, and she had no choice but to retire from the entertainment industry. But retiring was not the end.
Cheng Qing was so angry when he saw Luo Xi leave the fandom that he abandoned the story, but he still wanted to know Luo Xi's ending, so he flipped to the back to find it.
As a result, they found her with both legs broken, sitting alone by the fountain in the park, heartbroken.
Cheng Qing cursed immediately, then abandoned the book, but remembered the author. She resolved never to read any of that author's works again.
After joining the program, she stepped into the heart of the story. Although Cheng Qing always maintained a gentlemanly demeanor on the surface, he would not deliberately antagonize the two of them unless Li Mingyao said something foolish.
But it's impossible to say that she has no resentment towards either of them, which is why Cheng Qing can always retort when Li Mingyao says something that doesn't suit her.
In her view, Li Mingyao was simply not worthy of respect.
Fortunately, with her joining the group, Losi's attention was no longer on the male and female leads, although it inadvertently turned to her own side.
Cheng Qing bit her lip lightly, squinting at the three students. Feng Qiuyi paused, then nervously stood up straight.
As the teacher of the three, this was Cheng Qing's first serious interaction with the male and female leads. Their previous confrontations were just minor squabbles; this was truly the first time they needed to get to know each other properly.
The sofas in the living room were all moved away, making a large space for the four of them to use as a temporary fencing practice area. The staff had already set up the fencing area and installed all the equipment.
The three students were fairly well-behaved and greeted the teacher with, "Hello, teacher."
Cheng Qing nodded and replied in a serious manner, "Hello everyone, how much do you know about fencing?"
The three students looked completely bewildered. As beginners, they knew absolutely nothing about fencing. They didn't even know how to score effectively. For the past two weeks, they had been either practicing baking cakes or playing games, and they longed to rest whenever they had a spare moment. They also didn't have phones to search for information about fencing.
Therefore, all three of them looked blank when they heard Cheng Qing's question.
Cheng Qing wasn't surprised; fencing isn't a popular sport in China. Compared to the various ball sports people usually play, even Go and chess are things that most people know a thing or two about.
Fencing, as a relatively recent sport introduced to China, has not become widespread throughout the country. This lack of awareness is not surprising; even at the Olympics, China is not a strong nation in fencing.
Cheng Qing picked up the fencing in his hand, showed it to them, and then explained how to use the sword and demonstrated some simple moves.
Seeing their eager expressions, Cheng Qing sighed and explained, "Your situation is different. You don't have much time, just one morning. To be honest, even understanding the rules is a bit of a challenge. Therefore, my plan is to give a brief explanation of fencing and then do some practical exercises."
Holding his sword, Feng Qiuyi asked with some unease, "That's it? Can we win?"
Cheng Qing was speechless when she heard this, but considering that he was this year's top male celebrity, she still turned to look at him, then parted her red lips and said, word by word, "I am involved."
Feng Qiuyi: "..." To be able to make losing sound so dignified, no wonder it's Teacher Cheng.
Feng Qiuyi was speechless for a moment, but he quickly asked with a grin, "Maybe we have a special talent? We can turn the tide and win."
Cheng Qing didn't refute, and even nodded in agreement: "It's possible, keep trying!"
Cheng Qing's words were so blunt that Feng Qiuyi didn't know how to respond: "..."
Ye Lingyun felt a little wronged. Why did it seem like Teacher Cheng treated Luo Xi was different from Teacher Cheng they treated their own?
He's so kind to Losi and gets along well with the racing team, so why does it always feel a bit off when it comes to his own team?
Cheng Qing noticed Ye Lingyun's expectant gaze and sighed inwardly. She was feeling uneasy about leaving tomorrow, and she was indeed a little agitated by the two people who had started it all.
Cheng Qing readjusted her mindset; none of the events had yet occurred. Not to mention, the male and female leads hadn't been as hostile towards Luo Xi as they had been in Li's story. Even if she left, things shouldn't turn out like they were in Li's!
It wasn't just Losie who changed, but everyone on the show, including the male and female leads.
Her plan to save Losi may have succeeded at this moment.
With that thought in mind, Cheng Qing finally managed to clap her hands with a smile and say, "Alright, get your attention back, let's begin!"
Cheng Qing's voice was gentle and warm, and when she smiled, her whole demeanor was as gentle as a spring breeze, giving people the feeling of being bathed in warm sunshine.
The three students, pleased with the friendly response, replied, "Okay."
Cheng Qing then began to explain the rules of fencing, as well as how to attack effectively, little by little.
Several students were quite attentive, standing obediently opposite and listening to the whole thing.
After explaining clearly, Cheng Qing put on his mask and raised his sword: "Let's go! Real combat training."
Finally, it was time for practical training. Feng Qiuyi held his breath, eager to demonstrate his extraordinary talent.
He was the first to accept the challenge, standing on the opposite side of the mat. Looking at Cheng Qing in front of him, he felt that victory was not impossible. Little did he know that, in Cheng Qing's eyes, Feng Qiuyi on the other side was also full of weaknesses.
The moment Feng Qiuyi made a move, Cheng Qing had already struck with his sword.
The scoreboard beside him beeped shrilly. Cheng Qing stopped what she was doing and looked at Feng Qiuyi, who seemed completely oblivious to how he had lost. Cheng Qing chuckled and asked, "How are you feeling now? Still think you can win?"
Feng Qiuyi was utterly impressed: "This is definitely not a simple sport!"
Cheng Qing: "This is an Olympic event. Unless you're a genius, every Olympic event requires years of practice."
Feng Qiuyi continued to joke, "Maybe my talent just hasn't shown yet, right?"
Cheng Qing removed his mask and looked at him with a smile, mercilessly rebuking him: "A truly talented person wouldn't be unable to demonstrate their talent even after picking up a sword."
Feng Qiuyi: "..." Clutching his chest, he slowly squatted down: "So, so heartless."
Ye Lingyun also sighed: "I want to win."
Cheng Qing gave her a serious look. Ye Lingyun was competitive, and Li Mingyao was narrow-minded.
Seeing Ye Lingyun's obsession with winning and losing, she spoke solemnly for the first time as a teacher: "This is a variety show, but it's also a game. You're not professionals, so winning or losing doesn't matter. The important thing is participation, and I'm not trying to belittle you. As your teacher for such a short time, I hope you can feel joy in this competition, not just winning or losing."
Feng Qiuyi, Li Mingyao, and Ye Lingyun were all stunned. They had all met the three teachers, but this was the first time a teacher's presence was so strong. Even though it was a lecture, they listened without feeling any resistance.
Feng Qiuyi nodded: "The teacher is right."
Cheng Qing smiled brightly: "Although I am only your teacher for a short time, I mean it sincerely."
Feng Qiuyi replied earnestly, "A teacher for a day is a father for life."
Cheng Qing laughed out loud: "That's not true, I haven't taught you for even a single day."
Ye Lingyun replied at this moment, "No matter how long it takes, you will always be our teacher."
How much of what she said was sincere? How much was just for the sake of the show? Cheng Qing didn't care. Her recording was about to end, and there would definitely be more emotional moments to come.
But upon hearing Ye Lingyun's words, she still looked at Ye Lingyun meaningfully and said, "I admire you from the bottom of my heart for what you said. With such a broad mind, why fear that the world is too small? I hope that in the future, you can also have such a broad mind."
Li Mingyao has always been vindictive and never felt the need to be tolerant of others.
Therefore, I couldn't help but ask Cheng Qing, "Teacher, what do you think of the saying 'If you repay evil with good, how will you repay good?' If you can't do that, how can you talk about having a broad mind?"
Cheng Qing chuckled, her gaze shifting slightly to Li Mingyao. Although Luo Xi's tragedy was caused by Ye Lingyun, Li Mingyao was the most direct perpetrator.
She countered, "So, Mr. Li, if you cause someone's family to be ruined during an argument with your spouse, and you also cause someone's family to be ruined after they kill your spouse, what do you see as the difference?"
Li Mingyao was taken aback. As his lover, she naturally couldn't be humiliated, nor would he allow it. But when compared, yes, what was the difference?
Is the slightest disrespect really enough to cause someone's family to be ruined?
Cheng Qing said calmly, "The difference is that if someone dares to hurt your family, and you dare to fight back for your family, that's called courage and responsibility. But if it's just two people arguing, and you turn around and cause his family to be destroyed, that's being too narrow-minded."
Li Mingyao was taken aback. Cheng Qing continued, "Normally, if you think his gaze is off just because he glanced at you, you have him fired. If he says something to you, you think his tone is disrespectful, so you have his factory shut down. If you argue with her, you think she's impolite, so you drive her to the brink of despair. What does Mr. Li think of this behavior?"
Li Mingyao: "..." He did all of this.
The living room was quiet; even the three students making cakes looked up at Cheng Qing.
When a person's status reaches a certain level, what Cheng Qing says becomes just a glimpse into life, or even a very ordinary one.
For example, Qi Shenghui was fired because his assistant didn't like his gaze; Zhao Baibing was replaced because her manager was too lecturing. Only one of these situations could be considered justified. For instance, a resentful assistant could be a potential problem. A manager's lecturing attitude could also indicate a strong desire for control, and in such cases, replacement is an option.
But when someone is so assertive in every aspect, is it really right to meet them?
Cheng Qing: "A person who can decide the fate of others must be of extraordinary status. For someone to reach that level to make a major decision based on just a baseless glance sounds like a domineering CEO, doesn't it? No, in my opinion, he's just a madman."
In the audible silence, Cheng Qing laughed again: "Alright, let's not talk about these trivial things anymore. You guys practice properly."
Cheng Qing went to the kitchen to get water, and the six students in the living room suddenly fell silent. Especially Li Mingyao; as the person in complete control of the company, his power was immense. It could be said that he held the power of life and death over the company; he had done everything Cheng Qing said—it was his right.
But Cheng Qing's words now felt like a slap in the face to this power.
Watching the scene from behind the camera, Kong Mingyan chuckled and turned to his assistant, saying, "She turned a perfectly good practice into an educational program. But it actually makes sense." Even he, when his temper flares, has offended someone, hasn't he?
The assistant found it even more amazing: "Everyone actually listened attentively and even reflected on it; that's what I didn't expect."
Kong Mingyan chuckled: "That's what makes her so remarkable. Even though her words are somewhat biased, she still manages to make everyone grasp the key points. That's her charm, and that's why Luo Xi listens to her so obediently. Cheng Qing's value should be even higher. Go and prepare the contract!"
***
The rain continued, and by 11 o'clock, Losi and the others returned, completely soaked.
Cheng Qing and a few others were packing their things when Luo Xi came in and ran up to Cheng Qing, asking proudly, "Teacher, guess how my driving went today?"
Cheng Qing didn't even look up: "You're so smug, do you still need to guess?"
"Guess, guess!" Rossi said with a smile.
Cheng Qing, who was squatting on the ground, looked up at her after hearing the excited voice and asked, "You came in first?"
Overjoyed, Losi exclaimed, "It really was my teacher! You guessed it right away!"
Cheng Qing was speechless for a moment, then turned to look at Liu Suoyu: "You lost to her?"