Ms. Zhao winked at him secretly, and Zhang Chaohe finally couldn't help but laugh.
As soon as Zhang Chaohe got home, he called Cheng Jixue. She answered quickly, and before Zhang Chaohe could even speak, she said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Zhang, I've caused you trouble."
Cheng Jixue's voice was so soft and low, like a cotton ball soaked in lemon juice, making Zhang Chaohe's throat feel dry. He couldn't help but soften his voice and carefully comforted him: "I'm the one who caused you trouble... Are you alright today?"
Zhang Chaohe felt increasingly guilty. If it weren't for his prominent position, how would that little bastard He Guangyin have noticed Cheng Jixue and the others?
If Cheng Jixue really gets into trouble today, he'll regret it to death even before Master Ji punishes him with his iron fist.
Although he felt sorry for him, he didn't take all the blame upon himself. Beautiful things are not sins; the fault lies with those who have ill intentions.
“I’m fine. If it weren’t for you, Mr. Zhang…” Cheng Jixue’s voice trembled slightly, “I really can’t imagine what would have happened.”
Zhang Chaohe couldn't stand seeing a beautiful woman show weakness, especially since he felt guilty towards her. He immediately made the mistake that every man makes, gritting his teeth and saying, "I didn't hit him hard enough—I should have sent him straight to the ICU."
Cheng Jixue thought to herself, "Yes, if it weren't for you today, he probably would have ended up in the ICU. Although it would be a bit troublesome to clean up the mess and might ruin my public image."
Fortunately, Zhang Chaohe wasn't making a video call, otherwise Cheng Jixue's persona would have collapsed immediately—it's said that the poor young Peking Opera actor, burdened with three million yuan in debt, was lazily lounging in a luxuriously decorated private gym, throwing darts with perfect accuracy.
"Du," "Du," "Du."
If it were He Guangyin on the other side, he would probably have already made a brilliant leap forward on a winding road in life, avoiding sixty years of detours and going straight to his grave.
Zhang Chaohe's ears twitched: "What was that sound?"
Cheng Jixue was surprised by his good hearing. After a moment of silence, she said softly, "It's melon rind."
When Guapi heard its owner's call, it happily rushed in. It excitedly circled around Cheng Jixue and even fawned over him by hooking its tail around his calf.
Cheng Jixue tossed aside the remaining darts in her hand, tilted her head, used her shoulder to hold the phone, and affectionately ruffled its long face.
The melon rind grinned foolishly, revealing an adorable smile. Cheng Jixue secretly marveled at how much this silly dog resembled Zhang Chaohe.
Zhang Chaohe had mistakenly thought the dog belonged to Professor Cheng Jixue when he bumped into him walking it last time, never expecting it to be Cheng Jixue's own pet. Listening to the sounds of Guapi running around on the other end of the phone, he felt as if he could already touch its soft fur and thick paw pads. He really regretted not making a video call to "virtually pet" the dog.
He cleared his throat: "How did your chat with Director Chen go tonight?"
Cheng Jixue thought for a moment and said, "Director Chen is a very insightful director, and the role of Chang Xiaoyue is very suitable for me. I look forward to working with him."
Zhang Chaohe thought to himself, "If it were me, I would be happy too. If I had the chance to play the founder of this school of singing, wouldn't that be a disguised form of idol worship that has become real?"
He hummed in agreement, still racking his brains about how he could get his hands on a real melon rind. But the next second, Zhang Chaohe's gaze slid down to the bandaged hand and he couldn't help but laugh: "I haven't thanked you for cleaning my wound yet. It's all thanks to your cleverness."
He Guangyin was as soft as a steamed bun. Zhang Chaohe punched him twice, but he was unharmed. However, before leaving, Cheng Jixue grabbed his hand and slammed him against the door frame, causing some bruises and bloodstains.
Zhang Chaohe was in so much pain he wanted to cry, but he had just perfectly portrayed the domineering CEO and couldn't afford to break character after putting on a show, so he forced himself to hold it in and could only look at Cheng Jixue with a resentful gaze.
Cheng Jixue smiled reassuringly at him, then gracefully followed Chen Xingting away.
However, after arriving at the hospital, Zhang Chaohe finally understood Cheng Jixue's good intentions... Cheng Jixue was really going to great lengths to comfort him at every possible point. Zhang Chaohe had always had a smooth life and had never experienced any hardship, so he wasn't very good at reading people's expressions. Sometimes, when his elders laughed at him for being a naive and clueless person, he didn't think it was a compliment.
But for those children who are forced to learn about human relationships too early and are driven to stumble forward, doing more means suffering less, and taking care of themselves has become an instinct.
"Are you free tomorrow? Why don't you and Chen Xingting come to my house for dinner?" Zhang Chaohe blurted out.
Cheng Jixue raised an eyebrow on the other side.
"Bring the melon rind with you."
⚹
He Guangyin's simple network of relationships was written on a thin sheet of paper, and the all-powerful Assistant Jiang easily figured out what had happened that night.
Zhang Chaohe miscalculated this time. He Guangyin was not after Cheng Jixue; his target was actually Chen Xingting.
Because He Guangyin has a white moonlight named Bai Chen whom he loves but cannot have. From falling in love at first sight to being rejected, and then to him eagerly offering resources and money to the other party... He Guangyin is going further and further down the road of being a simp.
After all, the other party said "it's worth considering" rather than "there's absolutely no chance." He Guangyin thought that as long as he tried harder and harder, he would definitely be able to win the other party over!
Zhang Chaohe: How long have you had these symptoms?
Surely not every reasonably good-looking CEO is destined to suffer this mental breakdown?
A few days ago, Chen Xingting was rejected and humiliated by Bai Chen, and Bai Chen secretly gloated for a long time. He knew that Chen Xingting would definitely look for someone else, but he considered the actors in the industry with opera skills.
The higher-ups are too expensive; they wouldn't even consider him. Even if the lower-ups were willing to participate, Bai Chen is absolutely confident he could outshine them.
Suddenly, Cheng Jixue appeared out of nowhere. When he saw the trending topic, he had a bad feeling. He asked around and found out that Chen Xingting was indeed interested in contacting the other party!
The other person is good-looking and has no flaws. He is practically tailor-made for the role of Chang Xiaoyue. When the two dramas are released at the same time, there is a real chance that he will be a flop!
Moreover, Bai Chen became popular precisely because of his label of promoting traditional Peking Opera. If another celebrity with a similar persona comes along, his popularity will definitely be diverted!
Bai Chen panicked for a moment, and just as he was figuring out how to take down the other party first, the chat box for the gullible He Guangyin popped up again.
[Chat log with (He Guangyin, 25, 178, Master of Finance)]:
[4-18: What has Chenchen been busy with lately?]
[April 21: I just got two musical tickets, are you interested in them? (Sweetie)]
[April 25: It's raining outside, I miss you so much. Shall we have dinner together tonight? I found a really authentic Italian restaurant—]
Bai Chen, quick-witted, replied: 【Let's do it another day. I'm really annoyed by a washed-up director lately (crying)】
As a qualified simp, He Guangyin naturally had to be at the forefront. Bai Chen half-heartedly sent him the story of "the vicious washed-up director who was rejected but then climbed the social ladder again." Sure enough, He Guangyin vowed to help him solve his problems!
However, Bai Chen did not expect that Young Master He's way of solving his problems would be to instruct his club to pay close attention to the dining information of "Cheng Jixue, Chen Xingting, and Zhang Chaohe"...
Bai Chen was so angry at He Guangyin for smugly boasting that he almost fell over backwards. He thought to himself, "You think you're worthy of pursuing me? You're only fit to be a fish, you loser!"
Within two days, not only did the loser catch Zhang Chaohe at his own clubhouse, but he also discovered that three important targets were present at the same time!
Bai Chen: Even a blind fish can stumble upon a dead cat. I've learned something new.
He hurriedly arranged to meet He Guangyin and demanded that he take Cheng Jixue away—entertainment reporters had already been arranged outside the door, and as long as he successfully took Cheng Jixue out, he would have a way to ruin his reputation.
He Guangyin resisted his arrangement fiercely for the first time, but Bai Chen just smiled weakly at him with his lips pursed: "How can I feel at ease being with you if you do this? You're just saying you like me, aren't you? Brother Guangyin, you really hurt me."
He Guangyin's eyes lit up, and he nervously grasped Bai Chen's hand: "You mean if I do this, you'll be with me?"
To prevent He Guangyin from finding any evidence against him, Bai Chen communicated with him face-to-face the entire time, being careful to prevent him from leaving any electronic evidence. This, in turn, gave He Guangyin the opportunity to get close to him.
Bai Chen endured the discomfort, thinking that after fishing for so long, it was time to give him some bait. So she held his hand tenderly and said, "As long as you do this for me, we can date. After all, look at you, you're not even 1.8 meters tall but you're so fat. I don't think anyone else would like you, right?"
He Guangyin let go of his hand in disappointment, but then clenched it tightly again in the next instant. He wanted to ask, "Have you considered what price I would have to pay for framing him?"
But he didn't have the courage to say it aloud; he simply nodded firmly.
⚹
Jiang's assistant could only find out that this undeserved disaster was related to Bai Chen, but he couldn't find out the specific details of Bai Chen's despicable and outrageous arrangements.
Even though Zhang Chaohe could only conjure up the healthiest and most environmentally friendly version after reading the survey report, he almost laughed out of anger.
The next day, Cheng Jixue and Chen Xingting attended a banquet. Zhang Chaohe handed the report to them while petting the dog. Chen Xingting was furious after reading it. He had no choice but to be ostracized by his former rivals, and now he was being harassed by this guy one after another. He was filled with hatred.
"How do you plan to handle this?" Zhang Chaohe asked Cheng Jixue seriously. "Hiding him? Banning him? Or would you rather find someone else to scare him like that?"
He wanted to imitate Zhang Yinshan and say "put a sack on top," but since Chen Xingting was still present, he felt it was best not to appear too much like a gangster.
Cheng Jixue's face showed just the right amount of grievance and anger. He looked at Guapi, who was clinging to Zhang Chaohe, with a worried expression and did not answer.
Zhang Chaohe thought he was kind-hearted and was hesitating about how to deal with Bai Chen, unaware that the other party was actually just looking at Zhang Chaohe's hand.
That lean, strong hand gently roamed through the thick, long, golden-brown fur, occasionally peeking out half a palm, and sometimes just a playful glimpse of the beautifully curved fingertips. The big golden retriever, amused by him, rubbed against him shamelessly and even nuzzled its head against Zhang Chaohe in a fawning manner.
Chen Xingting used to direct plays and had a lot of experience with various forms of performance. He glanced at the silent Cheng Jixue and coughed quietly.
Cheng Jixue suddenly woke up, but remained calm and composed.
He gently advised, "Mr. Zhang, there's no need to go to such trouble. If you act rashly without evidence, you'll only give others something to talk about. Wouldn't it be better to just wait for him to bring about his own downfall? If a dog bites us, we can't bite it back. I will definitely work hard to hone my acting skills and become a better actor than him!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Guapi gently bit Zhang Chaohe's hand, leaving a wet, shallow tooth mark.
Zhang Chaohe glared fiercely at Guapi, their noses touching, and shook wildly. When he realized what he had unconsciously done, he stiffened slightly—Little Zhang sat up straight with a blank expression: "You're right."
"What a load of rubbish!" Chen Xingting was genuinely grateful to Bai Chen, that idiot, for interfering and bringing his sugar daddy and him closer together. Taking advantage of President Zhang's lustful folly, he quickly apologized to the two innocent victims and then started the conversation: "President Zhang, last time Assistant Jiang mentioned your interest in investing in 'Zan Ying,' I prepared a report..."
“Oh, that’s true.” Zhang Chaohe interrupted his long string of polite words: “Just tell me how much budget you think you need.”
"Eighty...eighty million?" Chen Xingting stammered.
To be honest, the historical drama he produced five years ago, a masterpiece, only cost 50 million in total. Taking into account five years of inflation and slightly overstating it, Chen Xingting boldly asks for 80 million.
"Eighty million?" Zhang Chaohe gently patted the back of the melon rind and pondered for a moment.
Chen Xingting said anxiously, "I've prepared a detailed report, Mr. Zhang..."
"I'll double it for you, and round it up, I'll invest 200 million."
Chen Xingting: ...
He was so overwhelmed by the sudden surprise that he fainted. Could rounding really be used like that?! Chen Xingting pinched himself hard with his free hand underneath—How dare I have such a big dream?
Cheng Jixue teased him from the side, trying to smooth things over for the bewildered Chen Xingting: "Director Chen, why are you so happy you're practically dumbfounded?"
Chen Xingting almost burst into tears. It's easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to offer charcoal in the snow. His face, weathered and slightly gloomy by life, trembled uncontrollably: "President Zhang, I... I truly thank you on behalf of the entire crew. I... I, Chen Xingting, will definitely repay your kindness in the future if I can get through this..."
He knew Mr. Zhang was rich, but whose money comes from thin air? Mr. Zhang dared to bet 200 million on him, so even if he had to work himself to the bone on this drama, he had to give Mr. Zhang a good explanation!
"Don't worry about repaying kindness later." Zhang Chaohe loosened his grip on the melon rind and adopted a serious demeanor to get down to business: "Before, because of He Guangyin, we couldn't reach an agreement—I want to open a new film and television company outside of Jiasheng, focusing only on producing truly benchmark works, and signing our own directors, screenwriters, and planning teams."
"We won't promote pretty faces or popular actors, we won't accept scripts with illogical plots, we won't produce shoddy work or make fake and empty films like 'Heaven on Earth.' We'll make whatever people want to see. I know there are many good directors and actors in the industry who are still unknown, and the company will continue to fully support the development of talent discovery programs in the film and television industry."
"Don't people always say that the traffic market is chaotic and that bad money drives out good?" Zhang Chaohe met his gaze firmly—a look that was almost provocative, passionate, and unwavering: "We'll show them that there's never a shortage of people in the industry who are truly dedicated to making films!"
Chen Xingting was surprised to find that some people are born to be leaders. He was so excited by the words of a young man that he realized that Zhang Chaohe's words were the ideal hidden in the hearts of every film and television person who works day and night on their craft.
There are just too many things that can force people to bow down. Many people have no choice but to submit to the market and investors, blindly producing one piece of garbage after another that treats the audience like fools, like an assembly line.
"Are you really willing to give up such a huge piece of the fast-food drama market?"
Zhang Chaohe blinked: "Isn't there Jiasheng too? It's not like you can only choose one for marriage. Is there a problem with making money from both?"
Cheng Jixue gave him a cool glance, and Zhang Chaohe, not understanding why, looked back defiantly.
Chen Xingting slapped his forehead – that's right! Without Jiasheng, where would he get the two hundred million to show off his power? President Zhang worked hard to earn money to support him, and he absolutely couldn't let President Zhang lose money!
Under his expectant yet nervous gaze, Zhang Chaohe asked, "Director Chen, would you be willing to become the first director signed by Kyushu Qingtong?"
Cheng Jixue suddenly looked up and found that Zhang Chaohe was also looking at him at some point. His gaze was gentle and tolerant, with both relief and determination, but there was none of the flattery and sympathy that he wanted to see—or perhaps that was what he feared most.
Not at all.
"Kyushu Qingtong, what is this name..." Chen Xingting pondered for a moment. It sounded pleasant but had a touch of literary elegance, and was slightly strange.
“It’s the name of the theater troupe I used to be in,” Cheng Jixue replied softly. “I stayed at Kyushu Qingtong for nine years, and it felt like home to me.”