Chapter 27: Chi Pan Xia Yu Cp
“It’s okay, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.”
Chi Ye saw the Empress Dowager’s disappointed appearance and comforted her: “I’ll take you next time.”
Jin Xia beamed with joy, cutely sticking out her pinky for a pinky promise: “Then it’s a deal!”
“Yeah, next time I’ll take you for a high-end feast!”
Jin Xia: “…”
“See, if I really take you, you won’t be happy.”
“Xia Xia? Xia Xia?”
Suddenly, a familiar yet strange voice came from downstairs.
“Mom’s here.”
Chi Ye glanced over: “Go down quickly, don’t worry your guardian.”
“!!”
The Empress Dowager jolted, sneakily peeking out, then glanced back at Chi Ye: “Teacher Chi, I’m heading out first.”
“Yeah, bye.”
Chi Ye said goodbye to the Empress Dowager.
“Bye.”
Jin Xia, wearing cute little yellow duck slippers, clomped downstairs.
“Hey, Xia Xia, don’t run so fast, what if you fall?”
“It’s fine, Sister Mi, I haven’t seen you for days, and I don’t miss you at all…”
From downstairs came the faint sound of her coquettish whining.
Chi Ye listened, his lips inexplicably curving into a smile.
He had to admit, being with the Empress Dowager was truly carefree.
But a carefree life was just a fairy tale.
For him, the workhorse daily grind and his terrible career were the stark reality.
—This Circulation film crew was nothing like what he had imagined!
Chi Ye returned to the room, packed his simple suitcase, then sat on the bed and looked up a company.
Han Xing Entertainment.
This was a new company established just this year, not large in scale but backed by solid capital.
The Circulation notebook was this company’s project.
The reason Yue Na got this notebook was because the company lacked publicity and distribution plus a broadcast platform; Yue Na could provide all the channels they needed, leading to the cooperation.
This was the daily net-casting of industry juggernauts like Yue Na; due to their massive size, strong capital, and channels, most small and medium companies had to live under their thumb.
But this Han Xing Entertainment was one of the exceptions.
Because of their backer capital relationship plus needing only a platform without investment, they had strong personal autonomy.
This was something Chi Ye hadn’t considered before.
If it were Yue Na’s project, he wouldn’t need to rush; he might even follow the Empress Dowager to Screaming Night to see what the top streamers in this parallel world were like privately.
But with Circulation having such great autonomy, what if something unexpected happened?
Chi Ye had already gotten the Circulation director’s phone number from Keke that morning and had a brief talk; from the director’s attitude, it was clear—timid, angry but afraid to speak, silent to every question.
Although with his “Yue Na Imperial Clan” status, he would probably secure the Circulation male lead in the end, if Han Xing Entertainment insisted, Yue Na might reassign him other A-list resources.
Since they were all A-list anyway, Yue Na didn’t care about script quality, let alone Chi Ye’s future “survival.”
But he had to care about his own survival.
Moreover, Keke had already contacted a lawyer; it wouldn’t be long before both sides tore into each other, and he had little time to pick another notebook.
So, to avoid prolonged delays, he planned to cut the knot quickly and secure this opportunity first!
…
Half an hour later.
Chi Ye received Keke’s phone call.
He saved the Han Xing Entertainment info, left the room, and went downstairs.
At this moment, the once lively Jian Ni small dwelling was empty, with filming paused.
The guests had all left, leaving only Shi Daifu alone in the kitchen fiddling with ingredients.
She hummed a pleasant tune, looking focused and serious, probably preparing dinner for herself.
Nice voice.
As expected of the former little diva.
Chi Ye was thinking this when his footsteps downstairs startled Shi Daifu.
She stiffened like a startled little deer, her voice faltering slightly.
—Hadn’t everyone left? Why was someone still in the house?
Chi Ye didn’t know the Boxing King’s inner thoughts and curiously asked: “You’re not leaving?”
“…” Shi Daifu snapped back, embarrassed and wishing she could crawl into a hole, her pretty face slightly red, almond eyes downcast: “I… I’m leaving tomorrow.”
He wouldn’t have seen everything, right…
So embarrassing!!
Chi Ye paused, nodded, and didn’t tease her like before.
He roughly understood that Shi Daifu’s current situation was probably no better than his own.
Once she left the small dwelling, what announcements did she have?
“Then I’ll head out first?”
Chi Ye politely said goodbye, already spotting Keke outside the courtyard.
“Let me see you off.”
Shi Daifu hurriedly wiped her hands, wanting to carry Chi Ye’s suitcase.
“No need.” Chi Ye lifted the suitcase, indicating it was light, then grinned: “When I come back, I’ll bring you some beef and seafood. Go wild with them later… um… don’t worry, I’ll sneak them in, no one will find out.”
With that, he waved and left the small dwelling.
“…”
Shi Daifu was silent for a moment, only muttering after hearing the door close: “Actually… I already sneaked in a lot of food myself… um…”
Outside the courtyard.
Keke hurried over, voice full of concern: “Chi Ge, you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Chi Ye walked to the car, standing tall, tone proud: “I’m still alive!!”
Keke: “…You’re amazing then.”
The PD teacher who followed: “…”
As expected, like boss, like subordinate!
He aimed the camera at Chi Ye, starting this “outdoor live broadcast.”
“What’s up with this car?”
Chi Ye glanced at the PD camera and asked casually.
“I got it from the company…”
Keke paused, with an “outsider” present, she didn’t say more.
Chi Ye nodded and beckoned: “Then let’s get in.”
They opened the door and the three got in.
The PD teacher didn’t notice at first, but after a while, he suddenly reacted.
—Something’s off, why is Teacher Chi’s team so “small”?
It wasn’t even small, just one assistant young girl driving to pick him up—compared to other guests’ entourages of inner and outer layers starting at over a dozen people for travel, it was unbelievable.
Setting up a persona on purpose?
The PD blinked, and the live broadcast room audience noticed this highlight too.
「What’s the situation, Hu Ye travels so “simply”?」
「My Imperial Clan going out, shouldn’t it be eight-carriage sedan? Too shabby.」
「Seeing this reminds me, Hu Ye was gonna ride on Jian Ni’s popularity to set up a persona?」
「Seeing this suddenly reminds me, the stuff Hu Ye used in the room seemed really cheap too…」
The live broadcast room had plenty of viewers, all shocked by Chi Ye’s “team setup.”
Chi Ye was unaware.
Now in the car, he gestured to the PD teacher, indicating he was about to discuss work, not suitable for live broadcast.
The PD teacher paused but quickly turned off the camera.
The program team had this rule, so he naturally respected guest privacy.
Keke awkwardly activated “privacy sound shield mode”; partitions appeared between front and back seats—this was the most advanced “private chat system” in domestic new energy cars, blocking outsiders from hearing private talks, very advanced.
“He can’t hear like this?”
Chi Ye asked curiously.
“He can hear sound, but not what we’re saying.”
Keke drove while reporting methodically: “Chi Ge, there are two things you need to know.”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
Chi Ye shifted to a comfortable position.
“The first is about our public opinion reputation.”
“After you joined Jian Ni, online reputation and reviews improved a lot from before… um… popularity is higher too.”
Chi Ye nodded: “I know that.”
He knew from the system’s favorability growth: first day up to 500,000 favorability.
Second day less, but still 300,000.
A huge program like Jian Ni definitely lacked no attention or exposure.
But how did the reputation change…
“Chi Ge, take a look.”
Keke handed over a tablet.
Chi Ye paused, took it, unlocked, and saw a Weibo super topic on Keke’s tablet.
More precisely, a super popular CP super topic.
#Chi Pan Xia Yu# CP super topic.
“This…?”
Chi Ye was stunned.
“Main source is this.”
Keke drove, glancing suspiciously at Chi Ye from the corner of her eye: “You and… Teacher Jin Xia now have quite a few CP fans; many viewers followed you because of your interactions… most reputation changes these days are because of this.”
Chi Ye: “…”
Good grief, he really rode on the popularity?
“Of course.” Keke added: “Also more haters.”
I knew it!
Chi Ye grumbled inwardly; him and the Empress Dowager’s pairing would be weird without haters.
“Um…” Keke paused, then said softly: “I feel like someone bought paid commenters and press releases to stir up hate against you.”
“Oh?”
Chi Ye rubbed his wrist: “Who?”
Keke didn’t answer directly, moving to the second thing: “Second is about the Rise Screaming Night reunion.”
“Rise is reuniting at Screaming Night?”
Chi Ye was taken aback; he really hadn’t known.
“Yes.” Keke nodded: “The collapsed ones aren’t coming, the non-collapsed are all going… except us.”
“Peng Chen and Shen Qing Yu are going too?”
“Yes.”
Keke paused, then returned to the first topic: “Personally, I think it’s Shen Qing Yu’s team buying the hater paid commenters; your CP direction with Teacher Jin Xia is good, such popularity in less than one episode, I bet he’s scared you’ll bind with Jin Xia later… then he’d be in trouble.”
“Of course, could also be personal grudge.”
“…”
Chi Ye stayed silent.
No matter how many haters the Empress Dowager had, she was still the industry-recognized first-tier hot top streamer, one of the Four Little Flowers; examples of rising by riding popularity, forming CPs, and binding were countless.
Done right, even an unpopular star could leap to first-tier.
Unsteady foundation, but real traffic.
Probably not just Shen Qing Yu; anyone from Rise who used to bully “him,” seeing Jian Ni and #Chi Pan Xia Yu# heating up, had already jumped in to target him.
They’re panicking.
“Chi Ge…” Keke hesitated, but couldn’t hold back her curiosity: “You and Teacher Jin Xia…”
“The Empress Dowager gets everything but understands nothing; we’re barely friends right now.”
Chi Ye told the truth.
Keke: “…”
Then grab the opportunity, Chi Ge!!
She didn’t dare say it out loud.
Sheng Ning’s example was still fresh; though fundamentally different—Chi Ge rode Sheng Ning because the company bound them, one-sided hard ride.
But this time… watching Jian Ni, she didn’t feel Teacher Jin Xia “resisting” Chi Ge.
A few more episodes, she’d probably ship it too!
Keke roared like a dragon inwardly for a bit before getting serious again: “And the Circulation film crew…”
“Don’t talk about that here.”
Chi Ye cut her off: “Home first, talk in the room.”
“…Okay.”
Silent ride.
Two hours later, the car arrived at Chi Ye’s “snail dwelling” in the capital city; the program team PD restarted the live broadcast, eyeing the rundown neighborhood.
He was getting confused now.
The car was top-notch… top-spec Wenjie M9, but Teacher Chi’s place was so shabby?
And the lone “team” earlier…
This wasn’t like the Teacher Chi he imagined, all lovey-dovey with a top flower like Jin Xia!
“Teacher, please have some tea in the living room and rest; we’ll talk business, then come out.”
Chi Ye went to the coffee table, looking for tea leaves but finding none, then nonchalantly got iced red tea from the fridge and poured it into a paper cup.
“Here, top red tea, try it.”
PD teacher: “…”
“I won’t… Teacher Chi, go ahead with your stuff, it’s fine.”
“Okay.”
Chi Ye casually turned and entered his bedroom.
Bullet comments exploded.
「???」
「What top red tea!」
「Dumbounded the program team!」
「LOL, I didn’t believe Hu Ye was this stingy before, but now I do.」
「This living condition—don’t tell me you saved all that money and won’t splurge on better housing?」
「Quick @Xia Xia to see how stingy Hu Ye really is privately! See his true face!」
PD watched the bullet comments, seeing everyone’s “enthusiasm” for Chi Ye’s home, and started filming with the camera.
This was prime SVIP-only material later!
…
Meanwhile, inside.
Chi Ye closed the door, poured Keke a glass of water, rubbed his brow: “Go on, can’t reach the Circulation director?”
“We talked by phone this morning; he’s abroad now, flying domestic, said he’d contact you after landing.”
Keke paused, continuing: “He’s clearly scared of offending you, wants to stall.”
“Stall till when…”
Chi Ye muttered.
In outsiders’ eyes, he was Yue Na juggernaut Imperial Clan, indeed not to be offended, but also not to be used…
“I don’t get it.” Chi Ye spoke in a Fenghua accent: “Am I that hated? Casting me as male lead, that humiliating?”
Keke: “…”
Six flops since debut, negative acting skills, pairing with any big star drags them down, broke multiple platform average countdown records…
What do you think?
Some things she couldn’t say, but the entertainment industry always believed in certain unfounded superstitions.
Rumors had it Chi Ye was not just the ghost-seen-sorrow who doomed co-star actresses, but also top unlucky body—every project flopped.
Picking his project was basically “money laundering”; half-time funeral, prep the aftermath early.
Han Xing Entertainment was clearly ambitious; how could they accept failure before victory?
