Entertainment from Divorce

On the morning of the ninth day of the first lunar month, before the thin mist in Beijing had completely dissipated, the office building of Brilliant Entertainment had already returned to its usual hustle and bustle.

The employees hurried into the elevator, carrying documents and discussing work matters in hushed tones.

In the offices of various departments, the sounds of keyboards clicking, telephones ringing, and discussions mingled together, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

Inside the CEO's office on the eighth floor, Tan Yue was already seated behind his desk, fully immersed in his work.

On the desk lay the latest filming schedule and set construction plan submitted by the "Three-Body Problem" production team. Tan Yue was holding a pen, carefully reviewing every detail.

He was busy until late last night before going home, and arrived at work on time early this morning. The complicated tasks at the start of the work made him so busy that he barely had time to drink water.

But he remained calm and focused, and every annotation was precise and accurate, demonstrating the president's professionalism and competence.

Chen Ye walked in carrying a cup of warm coffee, gently placed it on the corner of the table, and said in a low voice, "President Tan, here is your coffee. Also, Director Lu just sent a message saying that a key scene needs to be filmed this morning, and he needs you to confirm the meeting time with the special effects team."

"Understood." Tan Yue replied without looking up, his pen still sliding across the document. "Tell Director Lu that I've arranged the special effects team. They'll meet at 10 a.m. sharp. If there are any problems, have him call me directly."

"Yes, Mr. Tan." Chen Ye nodded and tiptoed out of the office, afraid of disturbing him.

Tan Yue put down his pen, picked up his coffee and took a sip. The warm liquid slid down his throat, dispelling some of his fatigue.

He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and quickly went through his work schedule for the day.

Just then, there was a rapid knocking on the office door. The knocking broke the silence of the room, and the tone was somewhat flustered, unlike his usual calm demeanor.

Tan Yue opened his eyes, his brows furrowed slightly, and said in a deep voice, "Come in."

The door was pushed open, and Mr. Wu from the public relations department strode in.

Wu, who is usually calm and capable and always handles public opinion events with ease, looked flustered today. His forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and he was holding a tablet computer in his hand. His steps were a little unsteady.

"Mr. Tan, something terrible has happened!" Engineer Wu walked to the desk and said urgently, his face full of anxiety.

Seeing this, Tan Yue understood that there was probably a public opinion problem, but he remained calm and slowly said, "Don't rush, tell me slowly, what happened?"

His calm tone seemed to have a magical power. Wu took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and handed the tablet computer to Tan Yue.

"Mr. Tan, look, someone online has revealed that Ms. Chen is pregnant. Now, 'Tan Yue's wife is suspected of being pregnant' has become the number one trending topic on Weibo, and the discussion is still rising."

Upon hearing this, Tan Yue showed no surprise. He simply reached out and took the tablet, swiped the screen, and opened the Weibo trending topics list.

Sure enough, the top trending topic was "Tan Yue's wife is suspected of being pregnant," followed by a bright red "hot" sign, demonstrating the topic's immense popularity.

Clicking into the trending search term reveals tens of thousands of discussions. The source of the revelation was an entertainment blogger who posted several photos of Chen Ziyu and Tan Yue shopping at a mall a few days ago.

In the photo, Chen Ziyu is wearing a loose maternity dress with her belly slightly protruding. Tan Yue is carefully supporting her with a gentle expression.

The blogger captioned the post: "Tan Yue and his wife were spotted at a shopping mall. Chen Ziyu was wearing loose clothing, and her baby bump was clearly visible, suggesting she might be pregnant! The couple were incredibly affectionate throughout, with Tan Yue protecting his wife the whole time—so sweet!"

Less than an hour after the Weibo post was published, it had already been forwarded over 10,000 times and received over 50,000 comments, instantly going viral online.

Tan Yue swiped his finger, carefully reading through the comments from netizens, which showed a polarized sentiment.

Most netizens offered their blessings, thinking it was a perfectly normal thing to do.

"Congratulations! Teacher Tan Yue has been married for so long, isn't it normal for her to be pregnant?"

"Finally, good news! Hoping for a smooth delivery and a healthy baby!"

"Teacher Tan Yue is so doting on his wife! He supported her the whole time, and his eyes were full of love. I'm so envious!"

"I've always thought they were a perfect match, and now they're welcoming their little angel. Congratulations!"

Some netizens expressed surprise, as Tan Yue and Chen Ziyu are usually very low-key and rarely show affection in public. The sudden news of their pregnancy came as a surprise to them.

"Wow! That's so sudden! I just found out they're going to be parents?"

"She's pregnant? She hid it so well!"

"Teacher Tan Yue did a great job keeping this a secret. We wouldn't have known if it hadn't been photographed!"

"Congratulations, Teacher Tan Yue! You're so lucky!"

Of course, there were also a few discordant voices mixed in with the blessings, which seemed particularly jarring.

"Is this a publicity stunt? Is it to promote a new drama or a company project?"

"What's so great about being pregnant? Does it really deserve to be the number one trending topic?"

There were also some malicious smears, which, although few in number, were particularly glaring.

Standing to the side, Wu looked at Tan Yue's calm expression and felt a little uneasy. He asked softly, "Mr. Tan, the topic is very popular right now, and the discussion is still rising. Should we take some countermeasures? For example, should we issue a statement to officially announce it, or contact the platform to suppress the trending topics? To prevent the spread of those malicious comments."

In his view, such revelations about the privacy of celebrities' relatives can easily trigger negative public opinion, especially a few malicious comments. If not dealt with in time, they may affect the reputation of Tan Yue and Chen Ziyu.

Tan Yue put down the tablet, leaned back in his chair, his expression still calm, and said in a nonchalant tone, "No need."

He paused, looked at Engineer Wu, and slowly said, "Everyone knows about my marriage to Ziyu. It's normal for a married couple to get pregnant after marriage. There's no need to issue a special statement to announce it or suppress it from trending on social media. Overreacting will only complicate things."

Upon hearing this, Engineer Wu was somewhat surprised and quickly said, "But Mr. Tan, there are some malicious comments online, and some people are even questioning whether it's a publicity stunt. If we don't deal with it, won't it affect your and Ms. Ziyu's reputation?"

“It’s alright.” Tan Yue shook his head, his tone firm. “The innocent will clear themselves. Those malicious comments are only a minority and can’t cause any trouble. Everyone’s eyes are discerning and they won’t be misled by these comments.”

He paused, then continued, "When you get back, you don't need to give any positive response or suppress the trending topics. Just let things develop naturally."

"The key is to keep an eye on online comments. If there are a lot of malicious slander, rumors, or someone deliberately trying to manipulate public opinion, we should deal with it promptly, contact the platform to delete the offending comments, and send a lawyer's letter if necessary."

"Also, I would like to remind the team members not to respond to any related questions privately, so as to avoid causing unnecessary controversy."

Wu listened carefully and gradually understood Tan Yue's thoughts.

Tan Yue and Chen Ziyu have always been low-key and don't like to overexpose their private lives. Pregnancy is a very private matter and there's no need to publicize it. It's better to take it easy.

Moreover, Tan Yue's confidence stemmed from his relationship with Chen Ziyu and the public's approval of them; those few malicious comments had no real impact. "Okay, Mr. Tan, I understand." Engineer Wu nodded, his anxiety gradually dissipating, and his tone becoming calmer. "I'll go back and make arrangements now. We'll focus on monitoring online comments, and I'll report to you immediately if a large number of negative public opinions emerge."

"Okay, go ahead." Tan Yue waved his hand, and Engineer Wu turned and walked out of the office, his steps much more relaxed than when he came in.

The office returned to silence. Tan Yue picked up his phone, about to send a message to Chen Ziyu, when his phone vibrated first. It was a WeChat message from Chen Ziyu, along with a screenshot of a trending topic.

"Look, we're trending on social media, and we're even number one."

This was followed by a helpless yet amusing expression.

Tan Yue looked at the message, a gentle smile unconsciously curving his lips. He quickly tapped the screen and replied, "I saw it. Engineer Wu just reported it. Don't worry, I haven't asked the PR department to respond. Let things develop naturally. What do you think? Should we make an official announcement?"

Although he felt there was no need to make an official announcement, he still wanted to respect Chen Tzu-yu's wishes, since it was a matter for the two of them and needed to be decided together.

Not long after, Chen Ziyu replied to the message, her tone relaxed and somewhat joking: "What's the big deal about an official announcement? It's no big deal. If you, a big star, don't care, then I don't care either."

"Pregnancy is nothing shameful. People will know if they want to, and most of them will wish us well. We don't need to take those negative comments to heart."

The post also included the comment: "But to be honest, the photos that blogger took are quite nice. The way you supported me was actually quite handsome."

Tan Yue couldn't help but laugh when he saw the message, and the little bit of worry in his heart disappeared.

He knew that Chen Ziyu, like him, was a calm and insightful person who wouldn't let these trending topics on the internet affect her mood.

After talking with Chen Ziyu, Tan Yue put away his phone and refocused on his work.

He knew that it was precisely in times like these that he needed to remain calm, focus on his work, and not be distracted by external matters.

He picked up the "Three-Body Problem" special effects docking plan on the table and carefully reviewed it, making annotations from time to time to confirm every docking detail and ensure that the filming could proceed smoothly.

At 10 a.m., Tan Yue called Director Lu of the "Three-Body Problem" crew on time to inquire in detail about the day's filming progress and the coordination with the special effects team.

After hanging up the phone, Tan Yue picked up the sponsorship proposal for the new season of "Star Stage" submitted by the program department and began to review it carefully.

The plan details the program format, guest lineup, and sponsorship benefits for the new season, and also lists several brands that are interested in cooperating.

Tan Yue looked at the plan, occasionally making annotations and offering several suggestions for revision.

Before they knew it, it was noon. Chen Ye knocked on the door and came in to ask Tan Yue if she needed to order lunch.

Tan Yue checked the time, remembered his agreement with Chen Ziyu, and said, "No need to make an appointment. I'm going back to eat. I'll be on duty at 1:30 this afternoon. Call me if there's anything urgent."

“Yes, Mr. Tan,” Chen Ye replied.

Tan Yue picked up his briefcase and walked out of the office.

In the hallway, many employees were discussing the trending topic. When they saw Tan Yue approaching, they immediately stopped talking and greeted him respectfully.

Tan Yue remained calm and responded to each question without any apparent change in expression, as if the trending topics online had nothing to do with him.

Seeing his calm demeanor, the employees gradually felt at ease, and their previous curiosity and discussions slowly dissipated.

Back home, Chen Ziyu was leaning back on the sofa, reading a parenting book, while Li Yulan and Chen's mother were preparing lunch in the kitchen.

Seeing Tan Yue return, Chen Ziyu looked up and said with a smile, "The busy man is back? Did the trending topic affect your work?"

"No, it doesn't affect anything at all." Tan Yue walked over, sat down beside her, and gently touched her belly. "Was the baby good today? Did he/she fuss?"

"She was very well-behaved and didn't bother me," Chen Ziyu said with a smile. "Mom just said that there are many blessings for us online, so we shouldn't worry."

"Yes, Mom is right, don't worry," Tan Yue said with a smile. "What delicious food did you make for lunch? I'm starving."

"These are all your favorite dishes, go wash your hands and eat." Chen Ziyu pushed him and said with a smile.

During lunch, the family didn't talk much about the trending topics; they just chatted about everyday things and reminded Chen Ziyu to rest and take care of herself.

Li Yulan placed a piece of pork rib on Chen Ziyu's plate and said with a smile, "Ziyu, don't pay attention to what's being said online. Just focus on taking care of your health. The most important thing is that the baby is healthy."

"Yes, I know, Mom." Chen Ziyu nodded, her face full of smiles.

After lunch, Tan Yue rested with Chen Ziyu on the sofa for a while before rushing back to the company.

In the afternoon, he convened a special meeting of the artist management department to make detailed arrangements for the follow-up work of the artists under his management.

Busy times always fly by, and before you know it, it's time to get off work.

After finishing the last document, Tan Yue stretched, picked up his phone, and habitually opened Weibo to check the trending topics.

Sure enough, the trending topic "Tan Yue's wife is suspected of being pregnant" has disappeared from the top ten of the trending topics list, and it can't even be found in the top fifty.

Only a few entertainment bloggers are still forwarding related messages, but the amount of discussion has dropped significantly, and the online atmosphere has basically returned to calm.

Tan Yue looked at his phone screen, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

He knew that such revelations about private life would generate buzz quickly, but also fade away just as fast. As long as he didn't respond deliberately or create hype, the buzz would naturally die down.

Moreover, the focus of everyone's attention is more on sending blessings, and those few malicious comments simply cannot cause any trouble.

He put away his phone and picked up his briefcase.

Stepping out of the office building, the setting sun was slowly sinking in the west, its golden afterglow bathing me in warmth and comfort.

Driver Lao Liu had already parked the car at the entrance. Seeing Tan Yue come out, he quickly opened the car door: "Mr. Tan, are you off work?"

"Yeah, I'm off work." Tan Yue nodded with a smile, bent down, and got into the car.

The car slowly drove out of the parking lot and headed towards home.

Tan Yue leaned back in his chair, looking at the sunset outside the window, feeling a sense of peace.

A trending topic controversy subsided quietly, without excessive hype or deliberate response; everything unfolded naturally. (End of Chapter)