Chapter 32: He’s 25 Now, Not 18 Part 2

Unsure when Li Tingzhou’s companions would return, Ying Cong didn’t want to waste time uselessly, so he got straight to the point. “Haven’t seen you picking up Xi He lately. Did you two have a fight?”

Although it was very presumptuous, Ying Cong thought, as Xi He’s fellow apprentice, he could barely claim some grounds for speaking.

Li Tingzhou met his gaze, his meaning indecipherable. “You care quite a bit?”

Ying Cong thought he’d hit a nerve and jumped to conclusions again. “Is it because Xi He wants to participate in that variety show? My mother also doesn’t support her going into the entertainment industry.”

One word—”also”—continued to deepen the misunderstanding.

“Haven’t you also switched careers long ago? Your mother agreed to your decision. Why wouldn’t she support Xi He?”

Ying Cong’s face flushed slightly. “Xi He and my situations are different.”

He was about to continue speaking when Mao Maoyu, emerging from the convenience store, waved over this way. “Mengmeng, let’s go? The Chauffeur’s here!” Seeing Li Tingzhou not moving, he took off his jacket to hold over his head and started to come over.

“I—”

It was rare for Ying Cong to run into Mengmeng. Without thinking, he grabbed the other man’s wrist.

Li Tingzhou looked toward Mao Maoyu. “Got a business card?”

Holding his jacket up with one hand, Mao Maoyu put an unlit cigarette into his mouth to free up a hand to grab a card. One glance and he understood what Mengmeng intended. “Good thing it didn’t get wet. Here, take it. Address, contact number, work email are all on there. We’re not far from each other. If there’s really something, come by our studio to talk tomorrow, it’s all the same.”

“Alright, the rain’s getting heavier. We should go.”

Ying Cong accepted the business card and watched the two get into the car.

The next day, Ying Cong indeed came to the Heartbreak Studio during work hours.

He followed the young assistant down to the reception room on the lower ground floor. There was a huge fish tank against the wall. The wall cabinets were stuffed like a stockpile with cat food cans and nutritional cat treats. Shifting his gaze, Ying Cong saw the light tea-colored sofa that occasionally appeared in photos on Heartbreak’s Official Weibo, and sitting on it, laptop in hand replying to messages, was Mengmeng.

“You’re here? Sit anywhere. Water or coffee?”

“Water, please.”

Soon, the assistant brought a glass of ice water.

Li Tingzhou finally closed his laptop, interlacing his fingers and resting them casually on top. “Don’t blame me for meddling. But since it involves some news that hasn’t been made public yet, I have no choice but to briefly check on the situation with my Agent. Ying Cong, Director Ying, the program you and Teacher Xu Yuenan are planning—I’ve heard many rumors about it lately. Very innovative, and also very forward-looking.”

Currently, no platform domestically had set its sights on this untouched track like Tide did.

If Tide succeeded, a subsequent series of female-centric film and television resources would certainly continue to be developed. Once they had the first-mover advantage, even if other platforms wanted to imitate, they couldn’t immediately produce results.

Ying Cong hadn’t expected him to be so direct, much less that he’d first offer praise.

The prepared script in his mind became useless, and he had to hastily chug two gulps of ice water.

“I immediately asked Senior Sister Xu to invite Xi He to participate in this show, but she was very hesitant at the time. Later… later she figured things out and agreed to let me temporarily include her on the candidate list. But my mother doesn’t agree with her leaving her position at the troupe to develop in Inner Entertainment. She says the traditional opera circle and the entertainment circle are different.”

Li Tingzhou felt a moment of relaxation he couldn’t quite explain.

Aside from Xi He’s worthless biological father, all the other people she met were quite good.

“Haven’t you tried persuading Teacher Ying?”

Hearing the words “Teacher Ying,” Ying Cong was momentarily dazed, instinctively thinking Mengmeng was addressing him. Gripping the cold glass, he replied, “I tried. Not seizing the prime of one’s youth to venture out—how would one know if life had another possibility? The troupe has its good points, but it should be Xi He’s fallback, not her entire being.”

“And what did Teacher Ying say?”

“She can’t make exceptions for her son, nor for her student.”

If Xi He left, then she can’t blame others for taking her spot. Unless she could fully endure this unknown threat, she also couldn’t blame the Teacher for being heartless. The troupe, from top to bottom, has so many people to support and feed. It can’t be unable to stage a play just because one person is missing.

Li Tingzhou nodded. “That’s the truth.”

“You’re not going to speak up for Xi He?”

“Could I possibly dictate the internal affairs of their troupe? Xi He is an adult. She should be responsible for every choice she makes.” Having said this, Li Tingzhou had confirmed that Ying Cong harbored no romantic feelings for Xi He. “Since you support Xi He so much, you should also know she has a good-for-nothing biological father.”

That was an unignorable, unavoidable landmine.

Ying Cong fell silent under Li Tingzhou’s gaze for a few seconds. “This is one of the reasons I support her coming to the entertainment industry to make a name for herself. To others, a disgraceful biological father would definitely be a burden in life. But for Xi He, only by completely exposing her past sufferings to the public can she have a chance to gain the public’s sympathy and be herself, pure and untainted.”

After he finished saying this, his heart began to race wildly.

Ying Cong could feel that Li Tingzhou not only didn’t blame him for overstepping, but his gaze even held affirmation and gratitude.

“Sister Xi He is very lucky to have you as a senior apprentice brother.”

Hearing Mengmeng say this, Ying Cong instinctively replied, “Xi He has you—”

“No, Director Ying Cong, Xi He and I have already separated. As you must understand about Xi He, she is so thoughtful and sensitive, always considering others’ feelings. She didn’t want me to be implicated because of her, even if it was just a passing mention of my name in some bad rumor.”

Ying Cong’s heart skipped a beat, then resumed pumping at an even faster pace.

“Please, you must not tell her about our meeting today. I have a phone number here, please note it down. Once anything happens on Xi He’s biological father’s side, you first…”

All day Sunday, the rain in J City didn’t stop.

Summer storms are always like this.

When Liu Lusi braved the rain to arrive, she could only see into the large recording studio through the soundproof glass. Dai Jier was in the booth controlling everything. Mao Maoyu finished recording a few backing vocal tracks and came out.

“How is it?”

“Although it’s a re-recorded version, this version also has its own flavor.”

“I mean, Mengmeng’s not angry, right?”

Mao Maoyu pursed his lips. “Angry, no.”

“Rather, he’d prefer if the artist’s side specifically stated a clear requirement. As long as it’s workable, just change the version. Switching to a different vocal tone? Big deal. The most frustrating thing was the last couple of days, finding a nitpick here and a nitpick there. When I read erotica in my student days, it was only when involving specific organs that it became censored. No reason that after entering the entertainment industry, writing a song’s lyrics should be subjected to such strict scrutiny…

If it’s not sexual shame, it’s being an old fossil!”

“Does Mengmeng know who this ad track is for, for what kind of ad?”

“He knows. Isn’t it just that Cui Lin? The one who accidentally liked a Qiaoqiao emoji before.” Mao Maoyu was completely unconcerned, his attitude aligned with Mengmeng’s. “Big stars always have these sorts of eccentric quirks, huh!”

“Cui Lin followed Mengmeng at noon. Didn’t you remind him to follow back?”

Mao Maoyu shook his head proudly. “I told Mengmeng, we can’t just instantly follow back because someone followed us. We gotta leave him hanging for at least half a day! What, the moment he makes a request, we’re over here bustling around, changing lyrics, switching vocal tones, re-recording new versions. Is his follow that valuable? Our Mengmeng also has over 3 million fans now!”

As they were chatting, Li Tingzhou finished up inside.

He took the warm water Liu Lusi personally poured and drank a couple of sips.

“When do you plan to follow back?”

“What?”

“Cui Lin.”

“Whatever.”

Mao Maoyu felt as if he’d been granted an imperial sword, immediately announcing with great solemnity, “Mengmeng has too many things to do. Don’t bother him with these trivial matters. Sis, can’t you log into Mengmeng’s account?”

Liu Lusi then switched to Mengmeng’s social media account and followed Cui Lin back.

“After all, we’re not in the same circle, future collaborations will be limited. But don’t make it too… His status is big, after all. After the fall Awards Season, his asking price might soar again.”

“I only know this song can’t steal the spot for Heartbreak’s new song.”

Li Tingzhou’s focus was admittedly skewed, but he also had a point.

“Earlier at the music festival, we agreed we’d release a new song. In July, at the Fragrant Lemon Music Festival, we need a new stage. Anyway, Heartbreak’s index trend looks good lately. It doesn’t matter when we release it now. Quickly pick a date.”

“What does ‘quickly pick a date’ mean?”

“Tomorrow.”

So casual?

Mao Maoyu quickly looked up the almanac. “Tomorrow is inauspicious for burial. Good! This day is good. The new song definitely cannot be buried!”

Liu Lusi was about to say something when she saw Li Tingzhou nod in agreement.

“Good, then it’s tomorrow. Remember to call Zheng Bing and Junko in the big group chat. I processed that background vocal source from our gathering and added it in. That also counts as them participating in the vocals.”

“What background vocal source?”

“Oh, just that noisy, bustling summer vibe group sound.”