Chapter 85: Internal Entertainment Circle Edition Of Fatherly Love And Filial Piety
“《Confession Balloon》… such a romantic name.”
Jin Xia didn’t care about whether the name was good or bad; what mattered was the person who came up with it.
She and Chi Ye came up with it, so it was bound to be the most beautiful name in the whole world—yes… no others could compare!
A gust of biting cold wind blew past, and after the two finished talking about this topic, they both fell silent again.
They could faintly hear each other’s pounding heartbeats.
Chi Ye’s expression remained unchanged, showing no signs of anything unusual.
“Mm…”
Jin Xia was the first who couldn’t hold out, rubbing her slender, thin shoulders: “It’s so cold.”
“Mm, it is pretty cold.” Chi Ye explained: “It’s nighttime, after all; it getting cold is normal.”
The Empress Dowager slanted a glance at him, then turned back and beckoned to her assistant: “Help me get my clothes.”
“No need to worry about me.” Chi Ye smiled: “I’m not afraid of the cold.”
Jin Xia: “…”
She ground her teeth and tugged at Chi Ye’s clothing corner: “Teacher Chi, how can you be such a bad person!”
Chi Ye couldn’t keep up the act anymore and laughed out loud. He turned his head and reached out his hand, saying casually: “Alright then, are your hands cold? I’ll warm them up for you.”
Jin Xia huffed, but didn’t say anything.
Chi Ye grew anxious and looked around, only then realizing there was no assistant—without Jin Xia’s permission, how could the assistant dare to follow!
Wait, didn’t they hold hands earlier while singing?
This… did this mean he hadn’t fooled her and she had caught on?
His mind raced as he prepared to use a little trick on the Empress Dowager.
Then he felt a soft sensation suddenly in his open palm.
It was as smooth as mutton-fat jade, carrying the unique fragrance of a girl.
So soft, so fragrant.
Chi Ye looked down and found that at some point, a delicate little hand had appeared in his open palm.
Her hand was very beautiful, clearly never having done any heavy labor; her fingers were tender like jade shoots, slender and graceful.
No manicure like ordinary girls preferred, but her nails were neatly and meticulously trimmed, gleaming with a healthy sheen, like pearls embedded at her fingertips.
At this moment, her fingertips carried strands of warmth, gently touching his broad palm.
Mm… just taken out of the gloves, it really was quite warm…
“Mm, your hands really are pretty cold; they need warming up.”
Chi Ye gripped the little hand without changing expression, looking serious: “The gloves are poor quality; next time I’ll get you a new pair.”
Jin Xia didn’t speak, her little head lowered. Under the night sky, her face couldn’t be seen clearly, but her fair little earlobes were already red to an alarming degree.
“Shall we head back?”
Chi Ye also felt himself about to blush. Seeing the program team members staring eagerly at them from not far away, he quickly changed the topic.
“Wait.”
But the Empress Dowager shook her head, suddenly lifting her little head. Her pair of beautiful peach blossom eyes gazed at Chi Ye, saying nothing for a long while.
Chi Ye: “?”
“Teacher Chi, you’re the first person I’ve done this for.”
She suddenly said this inexplicable sentence. While Chi Ye was still dazed, her fingers curled slightly and naughtily scratched his palm.
Chi Ye: “?!”
“Not cold anymore, not cold! Let’s go, let’s go!”
Jin Xia withdrew her little hand like a startled little rabbit, stuffed it into her pocket, and huffed as she turned and walked toward the program team.
Chi Ye: “??!”
He seemed to… he actually…
Got “teased” by the “silly” Empress Dowager?!
Hmph hmph.
Jin Xia, walking ahead, still had red at the base of her ears, but her little face showed a smugly triumphant expression as she huffed—
Gained back a point—not bad for me!
Got him!
Chi Ye watched Jin Xia’s “high-spirited” back, silent.
No way, too embarrassing; next time… next time he had to make sure she scratched a few more times!
Sorry, I’ve shamed all men.
He silently apologized in his heart and followed the Empress Dowager back to the program team members.
At this moment, Director Li, Shang Youshu, You Han, and others were already numb… Of course, Shang Youshu was numb from shipping them and wished she could perform “dark creepy crawling” on the spot.
But considering there were too many people around, she decided it wasn’t convenient…
Director Li looked at Chi Ye as if he wanted to say something but held back, saying nothing in the end. He called everyone to pack up and prepare to head back—it was eight o’clock at night, today’s journey had already concluded, and the other three groups had started heading back earlier.
Meanwhile.
Just as the 《Time With You》 group was heading back, news of Chi Ye singing at the variety show recording site had already spread online.
—The program team didn’t live broadcast, and there weren’t many domestic fans or audience at the site, but as the saying goes, no secrets in the industry; easy to fool outsiders, but insiders can easily find out if they want to know.
Of course, the “exposer” was very tactful and automatically removed Jin Xia from it… the program team members didn’t want to get involved in that.
In fact, if not for Jin Xia’s approval, the news of Chi Ye singing probably wouldn’t have gotten out.
#Chi Ye Sings New Song at Variety Show Site# climbed the hot search list—the program team bought it.
《Reboot》’s popularity had mostly faded, but those words “Chi Ye new song” clearly still rode the wave.
In an instant, Chi Ye’s and 《Time With You》’s Weibo were filled with urging comments.
「Sang? Why wasn’t it broadcast?!」
「Bro put out a new song so soon?」
「It’s been how long since 《Reboot》’s release; Ye Zi, you absolutely can’t sacrifice quality for quantity.」
「Yeah, finally regained some public favor and reputation; bro, don’t mess up again!」
「Was at the site, no worries about quality; I can only say, the new album is gonna explode!」—This was a comment bought by a certain program team member who didn’t want to reveal their name.
And as soon as this comment appeared, it immediately piqued Chi Ye fans’ curiosity.
Right then, some short videos shot at the site started circulating… Of course, since there were no domestic fans or audience at the site, these videos were obtained from a few foreign exchange students.
And they were shot quite late—only three or four minutes total, couldn’t understand the lyrics, and it was only later they realized and captured the final scenes; the hand-holding they didn’t dare or want to release yet—that was the ultimate bomb!
So the video’s lighting and sound quality were average, not a great viewing experience.
Even so, the faintly pleasant guitar sounds and voice still attracted some people.
「Is the new song a love song?」
「Who shot this? Can’t even see the people?」
「So good, so good!」
「Program, broadcast soon! When is it airing? Can’t wait!」
These were Chi Ye’s fans and music fans urging.
But as the popularity fermented, the marketing team that had to perform rituals for Chi Ye every night to sleep peacefully caught the scent and came over.
「Closed eyes and it sounds good? Can’t even tell whose voice it is, and it’s good good?」
「No way, have someone’s fans gone this insane?」
「The father of the Chinese Music Scene really has piss-poor flow; sings with thoughts, everyone praises it! One level above sorcery!」
「I think it’s not as good as Hua Hua’s 《Cancer》; follow Hua Hua’s 《Voice of Nature》 latest episode, super good!」
「Isn’t Hu Ye’s live performance notoriously bad? Is this marketing team advanced black, now marketing Live?」
The father of the Chinese Music Scene started fatherly love and filial piety, launching daily charges at the Heavenly King of the Chinese Music Scene; this hype actually kept escalating, and by the time Chi Ye and the others returned to the hotel, it had reached the top of the hot search list.
“Just the usual fatherly love and filial piety.”
To this, Chi Ye said it was just an ordinary day of feuding.
Ever since he honorably became the Heavenly King of the Chinese Music Scene, Teacher Hua had been hung up on the generation difference, wishing to stare at him 24/7—higher attention than even Jin Xia gave him.
—How wasn’t this a form of love?
“This Hua Yichen is Yue Na’s artist; everyone at Yue Na is so hateful.”
Jin Xia, who hadn’t been paying attention to these things, leaned over when Chi Ye mentioned it, immediately huffing: “What level is he to even be compared to you, Heavenly King Chi?!”
Heavenly King Chi said nothing, just smirked.
Everyone around had black lines on their foreheads.
Enough, you two, enough.
After coming back from the Seine River, Chi Ye and Jin Xia “returned” to normal.
But to everyone else, this normalcy was only on the surface; in their conversations and interactions, that pink bubbly feeling was so obvious even a big fool like Xiang You could sense it!
“Chi Ge, I’m so impressed with you.”
Xiang You’s group returned to the hotel right after Chi Ye’s group. Upon meeting, he immediately showed his respect for a “strength faction.”
He did a classic high heels backflip on the spot, then gripped Chi Ye’s hand tightly, shaking it: “I didn’t expect Chi Ge you’re really a strength faction; I think we’re the same type—very manly, very masculine, very strong people!”
“You’re my brother; I’m set on you!”
Chi Ye: “?”
He twitched his nose and subtly withdrew his hand, sizing up Xiang You: “Why do you smell like shit?”
“Heh heh.”
Chu Luan Yu behind him laughed out loud, saying indifferently: “Not only shit smell; today he almost lost his life in Paris.”
Xiang You was displeased: “Hey, can you not bring that up? I just wasn’t prepared.”
“What happened, what?!”
Shang Youshu eagerly crowded over, her eyes sparkling as she sized up Xiang You and Chu Luan Yu. She originally wanted to ship them as a couple, but after looking for a while, she shook her head: “You two aren’t suited to be a CP.”
Xiang You curiously: “Then suited for what?”
“Master and servant.”
Xiang You: “…”
Chu Luan Yu finally found someone to vent to and poured out her tragic experience of the day.
Everyone listened dumbfounded, turning back to look at Xiang You one by one.
Jin Xia glanced at Xiang You, puzzled: “Auntie never mentioned this type… it should be rare in Hong Kong, right?”
Chi Ye shook his head: “Forget Hong Kong; even in 《Journey to the West》 it’s rare.”
Everyone: “…”
How did Jin Xia learn to be bad from Chi Ye?!
Marry a dog, follow the dog?!
“Chi Ge!”
Xiang You pulled a long face, saying firmly: “I’m from China Hong Kong; she’s the Japanese one!”
Chu Luan Yu: “…”
Chi Ye was just about to keep bantering with everyone when his phone suddenly pinged with a notification. He looked down and saw a message + file from Keke.
【Chi Ge, from Shen Qing Yu; I think you need to see this.】
Chi Ye paused, waved off Xiang You’s enthusiastic invitation to go take a shit together, walked to the sofa and sat down to check the materials.
…
Two and a half hours later.
The truly exhausted after a full day, Wen Lijuan’s group finally returned.
Right before entering the door, Teacher Wen stowed away all signs of fatigue, straightened her back, and walked in with a composed expression.
Jiang Cheng behind her looked ashen-faced, just wanting to sit down and rest.
“Oh, everyone’s here?”
Teacher Wen saw everyone in the living room, inwardly delighted but keeping a straight face: “Everyone looks pretty energetic; looks like today wasn’t too tiring.”
“Mom Wen.”
Shang Youshu, who had been hugging a fox pillow and tracking Chi Ye and Jin Xia’s movements like a guided missile the whole time, stood up and ran over affectionately: “You went so far today; must be exhausted, right?”
“Psh.”
Teacher Wen had been waiting for this line; she waved her hand lightly with a smile: “What’s tiring about it? I didn’t feel a thing; going another couple rounds would just be a stroll.”
Jiang Cheng: “…”
A stroll that almost made him pass out wasn’t tiring; what was there to be tired about when he was nearly dead?
“Then why does Jiang Cheng look so pale…” Shang Youshu was surprised.
“Oh, Arthur’s stamina really isn’t great.” Teacher Wen said breezily.
Jiang Cheng: “?”
“What are you all doing? So lively?”
Teacher Wen turned to ask Shang Youshu and the others.
“Oh, we’re playing a game, four-player squad; wanna join?”
Shang Youshu waved her mobile phone; nearby Xiang You, Chu Luan Yu, and You Han nodded.
Wen Lijuan’s eyes lit up: “Oh? Just missing one? Me, me.”
“Sis, you play King of Glory?!”
Jiang Cheng was dumbfounded.
“Listen to how you say that.”
Teacher Wen smiled without speaking, just logged into her game account; rank displayed—King of Kings · Five Star.
Everyone: “?!”
Jiang Cheng conceded: “I’m done for, sis, I’m truly impressed… awesome!”
Teacher Wen chuckled without speaking, but inwardly muttered: Haven’t used a substitute in a while; little granddaughter played on my account again?
How did she drop ranks?
She used to be “Honor King”!
In the other corner of the living room, out of the camera’s view.
Chi Ye exchanged a few words with Keke, then skimmed through the “black material” Shen Qing Yu sent him a few times, his eyes surprised.
This guy actually has goods?
Mm… from what he’d seen so far, yes, but not much.
Unsure if he was bluffing or hiding real stuff.
But no matter what, after this period of testing, it was time to make slight contact—anything to make Yue Na uncomfortable, he was all too happy to do.
The more uncomfortable Yue Na, the happier he.
But Shen Qing Yu hadn’t run yet? Still in China?!
…
In some rental apartment.
Shen Qing Yu was icing his face with an ice pack—his body had several new wounds from recently going to find his agent, getting ruthlessly chased out, and beaten when he shamelessly persisted.
His SIM cards were all replaced, and he didn’t dare use any communication software anymore, because he had too many creditors, most the gray-area debt-collector kind; he couldn’t expose his whereabouts.
At this moment, after replying to Keke and setting down his phone, his eyes were dazed and timid.
But thinking of the nightmare experiences since his persona collapse, and Yue Na’s repeated humiliations to his dignity, his eyes gradually turned eerie.
Go ahead and fight, fight; better if you all die… once you’re dead, I’ll still be alive!
—He had decided: after completing the transaction with Chi Ye Studio, he’d go to Thailand.
Heard collapsed domestic artists all liked going to Thailand; maybe his life would get a second spring…
In any case, he wouldn’t come back this lifetime.
