Chapter 96: Chi Ye Is One Shady Guy!
Chi Ye was silent for a moment, then said: “Actually, it might really be a bad movie.”
Jin Xia corrected: “That’s art!”
“Dog blood.”
“Realistic!”
“Cliché.”
“The script has solid fundamentals!”
Chi Ye laughed: “When did you get so good at ‘sophistry’?”
“Anyway, I don’t care.” The Empress Dowager grumbled: “If I say it’s good, it’s good.”
“……Can’t chat anymore, I’m about to board the airplane.”
Chi Ye arrived a bit late… Of course, these weren’t excuses; the real reason was that he was afraid if they kept talking, he wouldn’t be able to resist changing his ticket right now and flying to the United States to find the Empress Dowager.
A man must hold it together, must stay composed, must… endure!
“Alright then, bye.”
Jin Xia said reluctantly: “Teacher Chi, wait for me. I’m coming back soon. When the time comes, you have to take me to eat lots of delicious food, okay?”
“Sure, I’ll take you to eat all kinds of junk food you’ve never tried.”
Chi Ye regained some ground.
Jin Xia: “……How much can I eat?”
“Not too much. I’ll strictly control you!”
“Hmph.”
The Empress Dowager was actually a very knowledgeable and reasonable person… Of course, maybe everyone around her didn’t think so, but Chi Ye thought that way.
Because she was really very “thoughtful” toward him.
“Hurry up and board. No more talking. Remember to report that you’re safe!”
“Bye.”
“Bye!”
Chi Ye hung up the phone, unable to hide the smile between his brows.
Xiao Liu beside him was already starry-eyed, her little heart pounding.
Who said that after becoming a star’s assistant, the filter for the star would shatter?
She finally understood Sister Shang now. She was obsessed!
“Chi Ge, want some dinner?”
“No need. Go buy me some candy. I suddenly want some.”
Chi Ye directed.
Xiao Liu went to buy candy, and half an hour later, the two boarded the airplane.
Flying to Beijing.
……
Meanwhile.
United States.
After finishing the phone call with Chi Ye, Jin Xia lightly kicked with a pair of perfectly shaped straight long legs, and the cute rocking chair started swaying again.
She propped her chin with her small hand, but her beautiful peach blossom eyes were deep in thought.
“Ancestor, done with the call? Go change clothes once you’re done. You have two advertisements to shoot today.”
Sister Mi opened the room door and saw the Empress Dowager playing with the rocking chair alone in a daze. She couldn’t help but hold her forehead: “How old are you? Still playing with this?”
“They wouldn’t let me play with it when I was little, saying it was ‘undignified’ if people saw. But I just like playing with it. So what?”
Jin Xia stopped, had an idea in mind, and looked at Sister Mi: “Sister Mi, help me hire a few screenwriter teachers… um… the top-tier ones… oh, I forgot to ask what the genre is… just find teachers for all genres.”
Sister Mi: “?”
Surprised: “What are you doing? Want to build a script for yourself? But you don’t lack roles to film anyway, right?”
“No.” Jin Xia explained: “Teacher Chi said it might be a… realistic, solid fundamentals, artistic script, so I want to help him.”
Sister Mi was full of question marks: “What the heck? All Chinese characters, but why can’t I understand them together?”
“Oh.” Jin Xia thought about it and spoke plainly: “It might just be a bad movie.”
Sister Mi: “……”
But she didn’t care about that and asked in shock and astonishment: “What does that mean? He… he’s going to film himself?”
“He said he wrote a notebook for me and him… hey, what’s with that attitude?”
Jin Xia realized and was dissatisfied with Sister Mi’s attitude, furrowing her pretty brows: “This is a good script!”
Sister Mi: “……”
You’re good… you lollipop.
This sounds like no proper notebook at all!
“Don’t you know Circulation? Circulation was written by Teacher Chi!”
Jin Xia eagerly tried to prove it to Sister Mi, puffing out her chest proudly: “I witnessed it on the spot! It was written so well!”
Sister Mi puzzled: “Circulation… what Circulation? That drama Chi Ye just finished filming?”
She was speechless: “What do I know? I haven’t seen that script.”
Jin Xia: “……Anyway, it’s very good, very good. You don’t understand. None of you people understand.”
Sister Mi: “……”
Yes, yes, I don’t understand. You’re the one who understands best. Your Teacher Chi is the unbeatable number one in the world.
No… I’m really done. How did I end up managing you in the entertainment industry like this?!
Won’t your family come back and eat me alive?
Thinking of this, Sister Mi’s mood worsened, and she didn’t even notice the implication in Jin Xia’s earlier words about pushing aside other roles. Instead, she thought of another even more annoying matter.
“By the way, let me tell you in advance.” She paused, looking at Jin Xia: “Time With You sent a message. The first episode is about to air soon. I advise you to prepare how to explain to your family…”
“Oh? It’s airing so soon? Pretty fast.”
Jin Xia’s peach blossom eyes lit up. She bounced up excitedly and asked eagerly: “When? I’ll help promote it then!”
“Um… Confession Balloon’s post-production must have pink bubble special effects. Sister Mi, help me communicate that. It has to be done well. I want to see it!”
Sister Mi: “……”
I’m really done. Don’t you care at all about the trouble you’re in?
She said listlessly: “I don’t care if you throw a tantrum or cry… anyway, you don’t want to be forcibly dragged back home and stay there all day, right?”
“Sis really doesn’t want to see you live like that again. That would be so boring…”
“Hm?!”
Sure enough, at the mention of being “dragged” back, the Empress Dowager immediately sat up straight and said seriously: “This really won’t do… If I go back, who will keep Teacher Chi company?”
Sister Mi: “Ah?”
“Wait…” Jin Xia’s dark eyes darted around: “Let me think of some little tricks, some nasty tricks, to play pitiful with my grandfather…”
Sister Mi: “……”
She found she could no longer communicate with Jin Xia.
Her heart was tired, she wanted to cry, and she didn’t know if after Time With You aired, she could continue her current carefree life.
Sigh… It’s all freaking Chi Ye’s fault!
Why did you have to sing that Confession Balloon…
Speaking of which, that Confession Balloon is really good…
……
Whether Confession Balloon was good or not, basically no one had heard it.
But Hand’s Rose was indeed very good—though not good enough to surpass the evergreen trees of the Chinese music scene, Teacher Han + Teacher Sun.
Second day at nine in the morning.
A night had passed since Voice of Nature aired.
Chi Ye was meeting a certain director at a certain clubhouse.
Chi Ye fans and Hua Yichen fans were in the midst of a fierce feud.
Suddenly online, three explosive pieces of news related to Voice of Nature, Chi Ye, Hua Yichen, and others broke out.
The first message was the unaired, unedited segment from last night’s Voice of Nature where Chi Ye gave Hua Yichen a star rating. Due to a “technical error” by Tomato TV staff, it was stolen by an unknown hacker and spread across major media platforms.
And… a pure a cappella version of Hua Yichen’s live performance from last night, with the accompaniment melody removed.
Without the cover of the top live band’s accompaniment reverb, Hua Yichen’s passionate performance last night was completely exposed.
That “ahhh~” vibrato and the segment of him rolling on the ground made people shudder, goosebumps falling all over.
Paired with Chi Ye’s evaluation and interview, it instantly exploded the hot search terms.
「Holy crap, forgive Hua Yichen for having so many mistakes last night?」
「My god, is this called a singer? So scary.」
「Obsessed?」
「Too eerie, this looks a bit creepy…」
「Isn’t Hua Hua a music prodigy? LOL.」
「Last night I thought Hu Ye was awkwardly dissing, but after this video… all I can say is Hu Ye really gets it!」
「Which camp’s negative press release is this? This video is obviously AI-edited!」
Hua Yichen’s side was caught off guard, with no time to react, and the “live performance king” and “music prodigy” image he had built over years was in jeopardy.
And it wasn’t over. Soon after, the short video of Hua Yichen fans shouting backstage “Hua Hua’s singing skill shocked and shattered kidney stones” “technically leaked” again. For a moment, Flower Master’s “flower” became Hua Tuo’s “Hua,” topping the hot search list.
Hua Yichen’s public favor and reputation were challenged.
“Fuck! Who! Who’s blacking me! Who’s messing with me?!”
In Shanghai, still pondering genres, Hua Yichen was struck like thunder upon hearing the news.
He immediately called the program team—such a secretive video clip that was clearly “edited out” yesterday, why did it suddenly leak?
It was obviously the program team stirring things up!
But the program team was also innocent, saying it was truly a technical issue.
Hua Yichen cursed: “The pure a cappella version only exists with you guys!!”
The program team shook their heads. Obviously, they would never admit such a thing. Only when Hua Yichen was about to explode did they vaguely hint:
“It really wasn’t us who leaked it… We originally only planned to release Chi Ye’s full evaluation… But the pure a cappella demo can be accessed by many in the program, and outsiders can do it too!”
“As for the kidney stone one… that kidney stone one was clearly shot live. If you ask who shot it… guess yourself.”
“Fuck you!”
Hua Yichen trembled with rage.
Still need to guess?
He had anticipated Voice of Nature stirring up program topics, but such a comprehensive negative press release was undoubtedly Chi Ye’s side making moves.
Fuck, this guy is really shady!
I haven’t even started on you yet, and you’re already coming for me?
Who the fuck is the villain between us?!
Hua Yichen paced in circles on the spot. His first reaction was to find the Thailand master to up the dosage on Chi Ye… then he reacted, hurriedly contacting his team to prepare PR marketing + counterattack.
And in fact, Hua Yichen’s team had indeed been preparing to target Chi Ye since before the program ended last night.
……
Ten o’clock in the morning.
Just one hour later.
Another “hacker” hit the Voice of Nature program team, and several edited-out videos and shots about Chi Ye leaked.
That was when the rankings were announced at the end, after Chi Ye and Shi Daifu took first place, what Hua Yichen said: “Why do Chi Ye and Shi Daifu deserve first?!”
As for “black curtain,” it was edited out. The program team wouldn’t let those two words appear online.
Even so, hot search terms like #Hua Yichen Questions Black Curtain# #Chi Ye First Or Black Curtain# soared up the list.
Additionally, a video of Teacher Na’s private conversation with Teacher Yang was also leaked.
Of course, the specific content couldn’t be heard clearly during this time, only roughly “seen” from lip-reading and the “silenced version” restored by an unknown online hacker.
As follows:
“Feels like lip sync. That’s what it sounds like to me.”
“Indeed too steady.”
“Which hotshot team did he get behind the scenes for the lyrics and composition?”
“Um… seems like from Hong Kong side.”
Teacher Yang’s last lip shape was the words “Hong Kong.”
The surrounding noise was chaotic, making it hard to “see” their whispers anymore.
But the online gossip crowd and Chi Ye and Hua Yichen’s fans all exploded!
「Black curtain! I said there was a black curtain! How could Hu Ye’s strength possibly take first?」
「Don’t know much about lip sync, but Teacher Na probably wouldn’t hear wrong, right?」
「I knew it. How could Hu Ye suddenly get so good? So that’s how.」
「Truth out. Lyrics and composition from Hong Kong team, that Guang Ying Shi Meng. Reboot was done by this team. I was wondering back then—distribution and production aside, since it’s all this company’s people, why was the arrangement by Chi Ye himself?」
「Now let’s see how those wild kids boast. Ghostwriter behind the scenes, lip sync live—this kind of person deserves to be a singer?」
「Hu Ye get out of the music industry!」
Two music industry big shots “said it themselves.” Chi Ye lip sync + ghostwriter—how could that be fake?
As for the video being just the so-called post-production silenced version, identified only by lip-reading with no actual voices heard… that didn’t matter.
What mattered was that Hua Yichen and Yue Na had already spent big money to target Chi Ye!
And regarding lip sync, Teacher Na and Teacher Yang didn’t respond—because they knew Chi Ye didn’t lip sync, but they weren’t afraid of being slapped in the face. Outsiders can hardly tell lip sync anyway, and plus, they didn’t “speak” in this video—it was all “netizens'” restored “silenced version.” What did it have to do with them?
But the ghostwriter thing, the two believed was highly possible.
So, after receiving the call from Yue Na, the “straight-talking” Teacher Na responded on Weibo: “Can certain traffic brainless fans stop @-ing me? Don’t you know in your own heart whether it happened or not?”
Teacher Yang was more low-key, replying in a Douyin comment: 「I’m not clear. Maybe I’m old and can’t keep up with the era. So many geniuses.」
Certain fans stop @-ing. So many geniuses.
The two Yue Na lineup’s Senior Lao began assisting Yue Na Music Department’s crown prince.
Hua Teacher’s side gained huge momentum, with black marketing flooding the entire internet.
“Um… um… I know, okay… They want to divert attention. You keep buying heat for his pure a cappella version. Don’t worry about the rest.”
Inside a certain clubhouse.
Chi Ye hung up the phone and looked at Director Liu across from him, who was watching him with a complicated expression.
“Director Liu, please wait a moment. I have some work to handle.”
Chi Ye took out his mobile phone to indicate: “You should know about it too.”
“The son is about to kill the father again.”
Director Liu: “……”
“Go ahead, go ahead…”
He wasn’t a new director and even had some fame, but Chi Ye was in the “investor” role this time, so he was very polite.
“Okay.”
Chi Ye nodded, turned, and walked out of the private room, dialing Keke’s number.
“Hello?”
“Chi Ge, the pure a cappella wasn’t released by us…”
“I know.” Chi Ye smiled: “I communicated with the program team. They want topic popularity but don’t want to take the blame.”
Keke: “……?!”
“It’s fine.” Chi Ye paused and said: “Notify the other teams to prepare new press releases… Also, pay attention tonight at seven o’clock. Time With You’s first episode is airing.”
Keke was stunned: “We don’t need to get our pure a cappella version from the program team to prove it?”
“They won’t give it.” Chi Ye shook his head: “Like I said, they don’t want to take the blame. Yue Na is definitely pushing hard behind the scenes now.”
“So… you want me to pay attention to Time With You… because the first episode has your creation of Confession Balloon and the full a cappella process…”
Keke suddenly understood.
Chi Ye nodded: “Yes. I discussed it with Director Li. Time With You also wants this wave of popularity. Plus… Xia Xia might not consider other things herself, but I have to for her. If nothing diverts attention, Time With You airing normally would be too explosive… I need the Yue Na and Hua Yichen thing to lower the heat on that.”
Keke: “……”
She suddenly felt Chi Ge was indeed very shady.
“Then… I’ll go prepare?”
“Yes, go. I’m continuing my meeting.”
Chi Ye’s expression unchanged, he hung up with Keke and returned to the private room, staring at Director Liu: “How’s your consideration? To be honest, others don’t think highly of you, but you’re born to shoot sweet dramas! Join me. Next Magnolia Awards Best Director will be you!”
Two updates today
