Starting from Taohuawu, kilometers away

"Ah! Cheng Cheng!"

As soon as Li Cheng and Sister Meng, mother and daughter, walked out of the elevator, they heard a voice he didn't want to hear.

He turned his head, forced a smile, and said, "Sister Zhang Meng!"

Sister Meng was curious at the time, so she looked back, smiled and greeted, "Sister Meng~"

"Zi Yi!"

Zhang Meng warmly hugged Sister Meng, looked at Sister Qian and said, "Ziyi, is this your aunt?"

"Yes, my mother."

Sister Qian immediately stretched out her hand and said happily, "Hello, hello!"

"Hello, Auntie, I'm Zhang Meng!" After introducing herself, Zhang Meng started to brag, saying, "Auntie, you are really young! You look prettier than on TV."

Li Cheng stammered a few times when he heard this, but he didn't say anything. He didn't really want to meet Zhang Meng, but he didn't expect to actually meet her. He made an excuse and said, "You guys chat first, I'll go over first."

"Good~"

Sister Meng also noticed that Li Cheng looked uncomfortable, and immediately signaled her mother to take Li Cheng away first.

Zhang Meng was about to speak when she saw Li Cheng's pace gradually quickening without stopping at all.

Zhang Meng looked around and asked quietly, "Why did you come here with Li Cheng? Are you two..."

"Hey, Sister Meng, don't talk nonsense, we just ran into each other downstairs."

Sister Meng immediately refuted the rumor, fearing that it would be spread by Zhang Meng. If it got out, what kind of person would she become?

Li Cheng pushed open the door of the hotel conference room, and a warm atmosphere greeted him.

The room was filled with a faint aroma of coffee and a tense atmosphere mixed with the sound of conversation.

He closed the door gently and stepped into this makeshift little world.

The light is soft, illuminating every focused and expectant face.

He glanced across the conference room and saw several familiar faces, and a warm smile unconsciously appeared on the corner of his mouth.

He walked quickly towards them, stretched out his right hand, and shook hands with them one by one with just the right amount of strength, with a familiar and cordial echo in his voice: "Long time no see, old friends."

At one end of the conference table, several new faces were sitting around discussing something, flipping through the scripts in their hands with a rustling sound.

Li Cheng looked at them, his eyes revealing a hint of seriousness and concentration.

He walked up to them and politely interrupted their discussion: "Sorry to bother you, can we start?" His voice was calm and powerful, instantly silencing the entire conference room.

The conversation immediately began, and Li Cheng quickly got into the mood, chatting with everyone, sometimes nodding in agreement, and sometimes putting forward his own opinions.

His expressions are rich and infectious, and people can't help but be attracted by his words.

Other people in the conference room gradually gathered around him, and the discussion became heated and in-depth.

From time to time, laughter and nodding echoed in the conference room. Whenever someone said something interesting, everyone couldn't help but laugh knowingly.

Li Cheng handled it with ease, and his eyes and tone showed that he was full of anticipation and confidence in the upcoming cooperation.

As time went on, the discussion gradually turned to an in-depth analysis of the script.

Li Cheng took out his notes and carefully sketched on them, occasionally communicating his ideas with others.

The air in the conference room seemed to be ablaze with knowledge and passion, and everyone was engrossed in the story that was about to be presented.

The hustle and bustle outside the conference room seemed to be isolated by this door. The conference room became an independent small universe, and Li Cheng was the sun in this universe, radiating light and heat, illuminating and warming every corner.

After being arranged by Li Cheng, Meng's mother, Qian, kept smiling and staring at Li Cheng all the time. She suddenly found that Li Cheng had a calmness that did not belong to his age, especially when talking with other people, she could feel that he was at ease, especially when discussing roles, she felt that Li Cheng was emitting golden light and it was hard not to notice him.

As everyone arrived, the director sat at one end of the long table in the softly lit conference room, scanning every face present with his sharp eyes.

His voice was clear and decisive: "Considering the New Year's Day holiday, our opening ceremony will be postponed until after the holiday. However, this does not mean that we will stop working. We will use this time to make more detailed preparations."

Li Cheng and Meng Ziyi looked at each other and nodded in tacit understanding. Their eyes revealed their enthusiasm for the upcoming work.

There was a subtle excitement in the air, and the crew members all had relaxed smiles on their faces.

They know that although the crew shows strict discipline and efficient work attitude to the outside world, it is full of human touch inside.

The New Year's Day holiday arrangement is not only a respect for national holidays, but also a reward for the hard work of team members.

"We will finalize the new schedule as soon as possible and make sure everyone is clear about their tasks." The director continued, with unquestionable determination in his voice, "Our goal is to create a masterpiece that will be unforgettable to the audience, so every link cannot be sloppy."

After the meeting, the crew members' faces were filled with joy.

They walked out of the meeting room in twos and threes, some discussing holiday plans in a low voice, while others were eager to go home and reunite with their relatives and friends.

In such an atmosphere, the Jiuchongzi crew appears more united and energetic.

Li Cheng and Sister Meng did not leave, but looked at Zeng Zhijie who was in the C position.

Zeng Zhijie noticed the looks of the two leading actors and asked, "Any other questions?"

"No, it just feels a little weird that there is a New Year's Day holiday!"

Li Cheng spoke out what was in his heart.

Sister Meng also nodded and said, "Yes, yes, yes, Director! You are a very nice person!"

"Hahahahaha, it's New Year's Day? We must celebrate it with our family. What's the point of celebrating it on the set? Besides, our crew hasn't officially started filming yet. It's already more than half a month late. These three or two days won't make a difference!"

Zeng Zhijie smiled and shook his head. He was originally a short drama director, and it was no problem for him to finish a work in one day. Why did he choose Li Cheng and Meng Ziyi? Isn't it because the former shoots fast and has high quality, and the latter is also a powerful actress born after 95. He has also watched Taohuawu, and the tacit understanding between the male and female protagonists is self-evident. He firmly believes that it will be faster!
"Then if there's nothing else, we'll leave first, Director Zeng."

"Okay, see you after New Year's Day!"

"See you after New Year's Day!"

Sister Meng left the conference room, patted Li Cheng on the shoulder, and asked, "Is your New Year's Eve party a toilet?"

"Well then, it must be the toilet. Did you take the job too?"

Sister Meng nodded, showing an unhappy expression, and said, "I have to prepare for the New Year's Eve too."

"It's still early, let's have dinner together. We haven't seen each other for a long time. Xiaotian is here too. Bailu even sent me a message asking if I'm free today."

Li Cheng glanced at his wrist and found that it was still early. The meeting had only been going on for an hour and a half, which was neither long nor short. "Okay."

Sister Meng originally thought that Li Cheng wanted to have dinner with her alone, but when she heard that Xiaotian and Bai Lu were there, she thought that it was okay. If it was a friend that Li Cheng was familiar with but she didn't know, she really didn't want to go.

"What about auntie? Can you tell her?"

"My mom has gone to see her friends. We don't need to worry about her. She's busier than me in a day."

"Swoosh." Li Cheng waved his hand and said, "Let's go."

"go!"
-
In the dim underground parking lot, the lights cast mottled shadows. Li Cheng and Meng Ziyi walked side by side, and their laughter echoed in the empty space.

The two seemed immersed in the joy of meeting again after a long separation, and were completely unaware of the pair of prying eyes in the corner.

The reporter hid behind a pillar, the camera in his hand like a sniper's gun, aimed at the warm figure in front of him.

He pressed the shutter button silently, and the light of the flash flashed in the darkness, but Li Cheng and Meng Ziyi didn't notice it at all.

Their conversation was full of the warmth of friendship. They talked about interesting things in the past, and it was very lively.

Suddenly, the reporter moved quickly and another photo was captured.

He was like a hunter, tracking his prey silently, and this time the prey was the laughter of two celebrities.

Soon when netizens saw this news, they were like smelling the fragrance of fresh fruits, and they clicked, shared and discussed it one after another.

Although Li Cheng and Meng Ziyi in the photo looked like they were just enjoying an ordinary reunion, netizens can always find unlimited imagination in it.

Li Cheng and Meng Ziyi were probably still reminiscing about that pleasant encounter at this moment, and were unaware of the sudden attention.

Li Cheng lightly stepped on the accelerator, and the car slowly drove out of the alley and merged into the city's traffic.

Meng Ziyi sat in the passenger seat, and the two of them had a pleasant conversation and were full of laughter.

There was cheerful music playing in the car, interweaving with their conversations and laughter, creating a relaxed and joyful atmosphere.

They chatted about the latest insider gossip, from a celebrity's scandal to a certain actor's acting skills, and every topic was analyzed by them with relish.

Li Cheng would occasionally catch sight of Meng Ziyi's smiling face through the rearview mirror. Their eyes met in the mirror, and then there was another burst of laughter.

However, their happiness could not completely isolate themselves from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

Just as they were immersed in the conversation, suddenly a burst of rapid shutter sounds broke the silence in the car.

Li Cheng turned his head and through the dim car window glass, he could vaguely see several figures flashing quickly. They were reporters squatting on the street corner, busy capturing them.

Meng Ziyi noticed the movement and frowned slightly, but soon regained his smile. He knew that these reporters often resorted to unscrupulous actions in order to grab exclusive news.

Li Cheng seemed more calm. He said to Meng Ziyi lightly, "Some people always like to make trouble in the dark."

The two exchanged a tacit look and continued their conversation.

Laughter and joy rang out in the car again, as if the previous interruption was just a small episode in the hustle and bustle of the city.

However, they all knew in their hearts that such fragments of life may have become stories written by certain people with ulterior motives.
-
The sunlight shone through the thin clouds, casting patches of light on the road ahead for the two people.

Li Cheng and Meng Ziyi walked side by side, occasionally exchanging a smile with each other, but it seemed that there were thousands of words unspoken.

Suddenly, a burst of rapid shutter sounds were heard and several flashes of light lit up glaringly, as if capturing the broken quiet moment.

Reporters on the street corners pounced out like tigers, their cameras in their hands shooting continuously like machine guns.

Li Cheng frowned slightly, while Meng Ziyi smiled gently. The two people's reactions were very different but were recorded just right by the camera.

Once the photo was uploaded, it immediately caused a huge uproar like a stone thrown into the air, and the entire internet world went wild.

"Look! Li Cheng and Meng Ziyi actually appeared together!"

"These two people actually cooperated? This is going to be a big deal!"

"Wow, this is the first time I see them together in Hengdian. It's so pleasing to the eyes!"

Comments from netizens poured in, some were surprised, some were excited, and some began to speculate online, guessing the deeper meaning behind this collaboration.

Behind the scenes, Li Cheng and Meng Ziyi seemed unaware and continued on their way. However, the tacit understanding that was inadvertently revealed made people think more.

The number of likes and comments under the photo soared at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if the entire network was celebrating this moment.

Behind this carnival was an unexpected surprise that Li Cheng and Meng Ziyi had never expected - their collaboration, which began with a simple photo, has become the focus of national attention.
-
A faint light leaked through the gaps in the delicate paper sliding door, illuminating the colorful plates of sushi in the private room.

The air is filled with the faint scent of cherry blossoms, and the Ukiyo-e paintings hanging on the walls silently tell classical stories.

The lighting in the box is soft, forming a sharp contrast with the brightly lit streets outside, as if you are in a paradise far away from the hustle and bustle.

The cherry wood grain of the dining table is clearly visible, each dish is placed just right, and the silver tableware shines with an exquisite luster.

The diners talked in low voices, and the occasional laughter was swallowed up by the silence in the room, as if they didn't want to break the tranquility.

The sake sways gently in the glass, reflecting the warm light, and you can feel the mellow fragrance of rice and the freshness of water in every sip.

The waiters were dressed in kimonos and walked lightly. Their movements were extremely respectful and careful, for fear of disturbing the diners' enjoyment.

When they brought out a new dish, the soft sound of wooden clogs and the sound of the lid being opened intertwined into a delicate Japanese melody.

Outside the window, the neon lights were flickering, but they did not affect the tranquility in the box at all.

Diners are immersed in this separated world, where every dish is a tease to the taste buds and every breath is filled with appreciation of this elegant Japanese style.

Even in the most prosperous corner of the city, the essence of Japanese food is still preserved here, allowing people to forget the hustle and bustle of the world and immerse themselves in tranquility.

"I didn't expect that someone would send me to the hot search list when we all met today! What a great thing!"

Li Cheng took out his mobile phone and his name and Meng Ziyi's name appeared on Weibo's hot searches and DY's hot lists.

"Ah? We're on the trending search?"

When Sister Meng heard what Li Cheng said, she quickly took out her cell phone to check.

"Well, it would be great if someone could buy hot searches for us to help promote the show!"

Li Cheng felt that he had saved money, so he would rather miss this free gift!
Sister Meng was speechless when she saw the photos inside, which were photos of the two of them coming down from the hotel after a meeting. (End of this chapter)