Entertainment from Divorce

In early August in Beijing, the morning sun, having shed the scorching heat of midsummer, cast gentle light and shadows through the glass curtain wall of the dazzling entertainment office building onto the eighth-floor office area.

Tan Yue had just sat down at his desk, turned on his computer to prepare for the day's work, and hadn't even had a chance to look at the documents on his desktop when he heard a gentle knock on the office door.

Accompanied by familiar footsteps, Lin Qingye's voice came in: "President Tan, I've arrived."

"Come in." Tan Yue looked up.

Lin Qingye was wearing a clean white T-shirt and dark jeans. His eyes showed obvious fatigue and his eye sockets were slightly sunken.

It's obvious that he didn't get a proper rest after filming wrapped.

But his eyes revealed an undisguised excitement, and he was carrying a brown paper bag in his hand.

"Judging from your condition, you didn't get much sleep last night, did you?"

Lin Qingye walked in with a smile, placed the brown paper bag on the desk, and pulled out a chair to sit down.

"I really didn't sleep much. After filming wrapped, I had a simple celebration with the crew, and then I went back to the hotel to organize the list of footage. I only managed to get two hours of sleep in the early hours of the morning."

"But the thought of getting into the editing stage as soon as possible makes me not feel tired at all."

He pointed to the bag on the table.

"This is a commemorative keychain specially made by the production team. It is engraved with the logo of 'Time Ticks'. I brought one for you."

Tan Yue picked up the keychain and saw that it was a small old clock with the words "Time Tick-Tock" engraved on the dial. It was exquisitely crafted and had a warm feel to it.

"It's quite unique, thank you."

He placed the keychain next to the pen holder on the table, gently stroking it with his fingertips.

"I didn't go into details over the phone last night, so come and tell me about the key points of our work going forward today."

"Okay." Lin Qingye sat up straight, his tone immediately becoming serious, and said, "The rest will mainly involve editing and post-production. I plan to spend a week working with the editing team to review the footage."

Tan Yue listened attentively, nodding occasionally in response: "The idea is very clear. I have already asked Hong Yuanda to make preparations. He has cleared out a dedicated editing workstation, and the equipment has been set up. You can go there now and start working immediately."

He took a document out of the drawer and handed it to Lin Qingye.

"This is a post-production workflow chart compiled by Hong Yuanda. It marks the time nodes and contact persons for each stage. You can take a look. If there is anything that needs coordination, just let me know."

"That's great, thank you Mr. Tan! With Director Hong's help, I feel much more confident."

Lin Qingye took the document, quickly flipped through it, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

“Hong Yuanda is a reliable person, meticulous and conscientious in his work. Your cooperation will definitely create something special.”

Tan Yue said with a smile, "But as I always say, no matter how busy you are with work, you must pay attention to rest. Post-production is a meticulous job, and you can't rush it. Health is the foundation of everything."

"I know, don't worry, I'll manage my time well." Lin Qingye stood up and put the documents into his backpack. "Then I'll go to the editing room now and coordinate with Director Hong on the specifics of the work."

"Go ahead, and let's communicate anytime if anything comes up." Tan Yue nodded, watching Lin Qingye walk briskly out of the office, his steps light and full of energy, and he felt happy for him.

After Lin Qingye left, Tan Yue turned his attention back to his work.

The documents on the desktop are mainly the overseas distribution department's proposal for renewing the overseas copyright of "Interstellar" after it won an award, and the artist management department's new talent training plan.

He reviewed the document word by word, occasionally adding annotations and suggestions for improvement. The sound of his pen gliding across the paper was particularly clear in the quiet office.

During a break from work, Tan Yue habitually picked up his phone and glanced at it. There were no new messages on the screen, and he felt a slight pang of worry.

My parents, cousin-in-law An Nuan, and Tan Xin are coming to Beijing today. They are taking the 10:00 AM high-speed train, and should arrive at Beijing South Station around 3:00 PM.

Before he left, his mother, Li Yulan, sent him a WeChat message saying that Tan Xin was so excited that she couldn't sleep. She pulled An Nuan to pack her luggage and even brought a painting she had made for Chen Ziyu.

Thinking of Tan Xin's lively and adorable face, Tan Yue couldn't help but smile.

Because there was an important video conference in the afternoon to discuss the development of "Interstellar" merchandise with overseas partners, Tan Yue was unable to go to the high-speed rail station to pick them up, so he arranged for the company's driver, Lao Liu, to do so in advance.

Old Liu has been with him for many years. He is steady and reliable in his work, so Tan Yue is very at ease.

He put his phone on silent mode and continued working on the documents, but he couldn't help but think about his family's schedule from time to time, and every half hour he would pick up his phone to check for new messages.

Just after the overseas video conference ended successfully at around 4 p.m., Tan Yue breathed a sigh of relief when his phone rang. It was Lao Liu calling.

"Mr. Tan, I have already taken your parents, Ms. An, and little Tan Xin to your home. Everything went smoothly." Old Liu's voice was calm and reliable.

"Okay, thank you for your hard work, Lao Liu." Tan Yue finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Was there any traffic on the way? Did they say they weren't feeling well?"

"There was no traffic, the journey was very smooth. Your parents and Ms. An are all in good spirits, and little Tan Xin was very excited the whole way, even asking me if there are any giant pandas in Beijing," Old Liu said with a smile.

"That's good." Tan Yue replied with a smile. "You go and rest first. You don't need to go back to the company today. Just go to work as usual tomorrow."

"Okay, Mr. Tan."

After hanging up the phone, Tan Yue looked at the few remaining documents on the table and couldn't suppress his desire to go home.

He sped up, quickly finished the remaining work, and after confirming that nothing was missed, he picked up his coat and keys and left work early.

At 5:30 p.m., Tan Yue was driving home.

It was rush hour, and there was some traffic congestion, but he felt exceptionally relaxed and happy.

He opened the car window a crack, and a cool breeze blew in, carrying the lively atmosphere of the city streets, allowing him to temporarily forget the busyness of work.

More than forty minutes later, Tan Yue finally arrived at the residential area.

As soon as the car came to a stop, he eagerly pushed open the car door.

As soon as I reached the front door, I heard lively voices and laughter coming from inside, along with Tan Xin's clear shouts.

He opened the door, and a rich aroma of food wafted out, instantly whetting his appetite.

In the living room, Tan Xin was sitting on the sofa with a plush toy in her hand. When she saw Tan Yue come in, her eyes lit up immediately. She dropped the toy and ran towards him, shouting, "Uncle! You're back!"

Tan Yue bent down and picked up Tan Xin, asking, "Xin Xin, are you tired from the journey? Did you miss your uncle?"

"Not tired at all!" Tan Xin hugged Tan Yue's neck and said excitedly, "I brought Uncle a gift, a picture I drew myself! I also brought Aunt Ziyu some little flowers!" "Good girl." Tan Yue smiled and pinched her little cheek, then looked to the other side of the living room.

Chen Ziyu sat on the sofa, and An Nuan sat beside her. The two were talking quietly, both with gentle smiles on their faces.

Seeing Tan Yue return, Chen Ziyu stood up with a smile: "You're back? Was there traffic on the way?"

"Yeah, we were stuck in traffic for a while." Tan Yue carried Tan Xin over, put her down, and reached out to hold Chen Ziyu's hand, feeling the warmth of her palm. "Where are Mom and Dad?"

"She's busy in the kitchen. Your mom and my mom have so much to talk about as soon as they meet, and they insist on cooking together. We can't stop them," Chen Ziyu said with a smile, her eyes full of happiness.

An Nuan also stood up, a gentle smile on her face.

Tan Yue looked at An Nuan with concern in his voice: "Sit down and rest for a while. Don't be shy, make yourself at home."

"Yes, I've already rested."

An Nuan nodded, sat down again, and looked at Chen Ziyu, saying, "Ziyu is pregnant now, so you need to pay more attention to rest and not overwork yourself. When I was pregnant with Xinxin, I had a lot of morning sickness in the first three months. Later, I listened to the doctor and ate more light food and kept a good mood, and it got better slowly."

"Yes, I'm asking Sister An Nuan for advice right now," Chen Ziyu said with a smile. "Sister An Nuan told me a lot of things to pay attention to during pregnancy, such as having a balanced diet, not eating too spicy or too cold foods, and taking appropriate walks, which are good for the fetus."

Tan Yue sat down next to Chen Ziyu and felt gratified to see the two chatting so congenially.

An Nuan has always been a gentle and considerate person. With her by Chen Ziyu's side, sharing her pregnancy experiences, Chen Ziyu can feel more at ease.

Just then, Li Yulan's voice came from the kitchen: "Xiao Yue, you're back? Come quickly and help me get my things!"

"Coming!" Tan Yue responded, getting up and heading towards the kitchen.

Upon entering the kitchen, one is greeted by a bustling scene.

Li Yulan, wearing an apron, was chopping vegetables, while Chen's mother stood in front of the stove, stir-frying something. The food in the pot made a sizzling sound and smelled delicious.

The father, Tan Zhaohe, helped wash the vegetables, holding a bunch of greens in his hand. His movements were a little clumsy, but he was very serious.

"Dad, Mom, thank you for your hard work." Tan Yue said with a smile, walked to Li Yulan's side, and took the kitchen knife from her hand. "Let me cut it, you take a rest."

"No need, no need. You just got back, go and rest." Li Yulan said quickly. "Your mother and I were just talking about how we're going to make Ziyu some nourishing food today. We'll make her favorite sweet and sour pork ribs, steamed fish, and your favorite braised pork."

Chen's mother smiled and said, "Yes, Xiaoyue, you don't need to help. The kitchen is too small, and it will be too crowded if there are too many people. Go and keep Ziyu and Annuan company. Xinxin is waiting to play with you."

Tan Yue felt a surge of warmth as he watched his three elders busily working.

"Alright then, just call me anytime if you need any help," he said with a smile, turning and walking out of the kitchen.

Back in the living room, Tan Xin was holding Chen Ziyu's hand, showing her her drawing: "Aunt Ziyu, look, this is the sun I drew, these are little flowers, and there are little birds. I drew this especially for you!"

"It's so beautiful, Xin Xin is so talented." Chen Ziyu took the painting, looked at it carefully, and smiled sincerely. "Thank you, Xin Xin, Auntie likes it very much."

Tan Yue sat down to the side, looking at everything before him.

Around 6:30, dinner was finally ready.

The table was laden with a sumptuous feast.

The tempting sweet and sour pork ribs, the tender and delicious steamed fish, the fragrant braised pork belly, and the refreshing and palate-cleansing cucumber salad.
Everyone sat around the dining table. Tan Zhaohe opened a bottle of red wine, poured a glass for Tan Yue, and then poured one for himself. Li Yulan and Chen's mother drank juice, while An Nuan and Chen Ziyu drank warm water.

"Come on, let's toast!" Tan Zhaohe raised his glass with a smile. "To celebrate our family reunion and to celebrate Ziyu's pregnancy. I wish Ziyu good health and the baby a safe and healthy journey!"

"Cheers!" Everyone raised their glasses and clinked them together, making a crisp sound.

Dinner was served in a lively and warm atmosphere.

Li Yulan kept putting food on Chen Ziyu's plate: "Ziyu, eat more of this steamed fish. It has few bones, is very nutritious, and is good for the baby."

Not to be outdone, Chen's mother placed a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs on Chen Ziyu's plate: "Ziyu, try this. I deliberately put less sugar in it, so it's not too sweet. Didn't you used to love this the most?"

"Thank you, Mom, thank you, Mom. I can manage by myself. Please eat more." Chen Ziyu was a little embarrassed by the enthusiasm of her two elders and quickly said.

Tan Xin ate her meal by herself, occasionally looking up to share her funny stories from school, such as getting a little red flower today or participating in a painting competition tomorrow. Her childlike words made everyone laugh.

At the dinner table, everyone chatted about everyday things.

Li Yulan inquired about Chen Ziyu's health.

Chen's mother shared her experience in caring for pregnant women.

Tan Zhaohe then chatted with Tan Yue about company matters.

An Nuan would occasionally chime in, creating a particularly harmonious atmosphere.

After dinner, Tan Xin offered to help clear the dishes. Her small figure moved between the dining room and the kitchen like a little adult, making everyone laugh.

Li Yulan and Chen's mother felt sorry for her and quickly told her to go play in the living room, while they and An Nuan cleaned up the dishes.

Tan Yue and Tan Zhaohe sat on the sofa in the living room, drinking tea and chatting.

Chen Ziyu played games with Tan Xin in the living room, and Tan Xin's clear laughter could be heard from time to time.

As night deepened, the city lights streamed through the windows into the house, casting a warm glow over this cozy home.

Looking at everything before him, Tan Yue felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

He knows that he will face more responsibilities and challenges in the future, but with the support and companionship of his family, he is confident that he can overcome all difficulties and protect this happy family.

He looked at Chen Ziyu's gentle profile, at his parents' kind smiles, at An Nuan's gentle demeanor, and at Tan Xin's lively figure, and thought to himself: This must be what happiness looks like.

Simple and plain, yet full of love and warmth.

All he can do is cherish this happiness and strive to make everyone around him happy and secure.

This night was a night of reunion, a warm night, and a night full of hope for Tan Yue's family.

And this happiness and warmth will accompany them as they greet each day of the future. (End of Chapter)