Huayu: This celebrity doesn't follow the rules.

Chapter 73 Would You Be Willing to Come to My Company? (Seeking monthly votes at the end of the month; bonus chapter if we reach 1000 votes soon)

January 20, Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport

Morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the departure hall, and a mechanical female voice announced flight information over the loudspeaker.

Jiang Ye pushed the suitcase with one hand, while holding Meng Ziyi's slender fingers tightly with the other.

The Beijing Film Academy is on holiday!
He's sending Meng Ziyi away today...

This year's end-of-term performance for the Performing Arts Department is "Recreating Classic Scenes," with five shows running from January 8th to 14th, featuring students from freshmen to juniors taking turns on stage.

After the performance, the set needs to be dismantled, costumes and props need to be organized, and a debriefing meeting needs to be held, so most students did not leave the school until the 15th.

The directing department is the latest!

Because their final assignment was a 30-minute short film, from pre-production shooting to post-production editing, it would take almost the entire last week of the semester.

Jiang Ye's freshman directing class, although they don't have to shoot feature films, requires them to submit "storyboard design + director's statement", and also to participate as assistants in the short film crews of senior students, following along to oversee the final round of color grading and sound mixing.

The department's project screenings ended on January 17th, and students were not officially allowed to leave until the 18th. This is the most recognized major at Beijing Film Academy that students leave school the latest, jokingly referred to as "using film to stick their steps home."

The two of them have been working overtime at the apartment every day lately...

Today, Meng Ziyi wore a beige long down jacket with a fluffy fox fur trim around the collar, making her face look tiny. She wore black pencil pants and brown snow boots, making her look warm and soft.

"Are you sure you don't need me to take you home?"

"Okay, stop trying to fool me. You're so busy! I'm not a child!"

Meng Ziyi turned to face him, her down jacket rustling softly. She stood on tiptoe and nuzzled Jiang Ye's chin with her nose: "Take good care of yourself..."

"Stop staying up until the wee hours of the morning..."

"Can't tasks like contract review and venue coordination be delegated to others?"

"I think our company's Egret is pretty good!"

"She carried such thick files without even breaking a sweat, she's as strong as a deer. You should have her do more fieldwork, like scouting locations!"

"Don't always stay in the office..."

Jiang Ye: "..."

He suddenly tightened his arms, pulling her completely into his embrace. Meng Ziyi's mischievous thoughts were trapped inside the thick down jacket. Just as she gasped and looked up, she was met with Jiang Ye's kiss.

His lips were a little dry, with the chill of winter, but they became hot the moment they touched.

The kiss was light, yet it inexplicably made Meng Ziyi's eyes well up with tears.

The two walked hand in hand to the security checkpoint, where the crowd began to grow.

Jiang Ye helped her tie her scarf tighter: "It's cold back home, wear more clothes."

"Know it!"

"I also prepared a gift for your mom. Thank you for your help with the cameo last time!"

"..."

Jiang Ye suddenly changed the subject: "How did your talks with Yongle go?"

Meng Ziyi paused for a moment, pulling herself out of the sweet atmosphere: "We're still in contact."

She bit her lower lip. "The main issue is the contract duration. They insist on more than three years, preferably five, saying they can help me find more resources."

She looked up to observe Jiang Ye's expression. "Didn't you tell me to make it as short as possible?"

Jiang Ye remained silent for a moment, his gaze falling on the large screen scrolling in the distance.

The Spring Festival travel rush surged around them, and the loudspeaker began urging Meng Ziyi to board her flight.

"If..." Jiang Ye suddenly spoke, his voice low, "...we were to bring you to my company. We wouldn't have as many resources as they do, and the contract period might be longer. Would you be willing?"

Meng Ziyi's eyes widened.

Without any hesitation, she replied, "Yes."

"Why?" Jiang Ye stared intently at her, his gaze piercing.

"Because I believe in you!"

After spending this time together, she trusted her judgment; this man was reliable!
In fact, she was conflicted when Yongle first approached her.

On the one hand, there's the reality: the other party has offered a lot of leverage, which concerns my future.

On the other hand, she lacked self-confidence and couldn't see through Jiang Ye's feelings for her!

She also has her own little plans!
However, as time went on, she became more and more dependent on Jiang Ye.

More importantly, Jiang Ye's development speed is too fast. I originally thought he would take a year or two to mature, and by then he might become a big star.

If he were to return to her side, wouldn't he be moved to tears?

Wouldn't that make me a perfectly legitimate boss lady?
But this guy's development is like he's been given a cheat code!
Starting such a huge project now has made Sister Meng lose sleep lately...

I'm so anxious!
Jiang Ye smiled and reached out to ruffle Meng Ziyi's hair: "Let's wait until after the New Year. Things should become clearer after the New Year."

"If I can secure that role, I'll have a better plan for you guys!"

"You guys?" Meng Ziyi didn't care at all about the roles he mentioned; she only focused on those two words.

Jiang Ye said speechlessly, "You really think I hired Xiaobai to be my assistant? Alright, hurry up and go, you're going to miss your flight!"

"Oh……"

As soon as Jiang Ye stepped out of the terminal, a cold wind rushed into his collar. He hunched his shoulders and looked around, when suddenly he heard the roar of an engine approaching from afar.

A Baojun 730 wobbled toward him like a drunken penguin. The window rolled down, revealing Bai Lu's still chubby face.

She gripped the steering wheel tightly, her expression as serious as if she were defusing a bomb. "Boss, I'm here!" she called out in a drawn-out tone, but the car seemed to have a mind of its own, suddenly accelerating and rushing towards Jiang Ye.

Jiang Ye's pupils contracted sharply, and he dodged to the side behind the guardrail.

The Baojun 730 screeched to a halt five centimeters from the tip of his shoe, and finally stopped at an odd angle in front of him.

Bai Lu leaned out of the driver's seat, beaming with a bright smile: "Get in, boss! My driving skills are pretty good, right?"

Jiang Ye's face was dark, and the veins on his forehead were throbbing.

He walked around to the passenger side and slammed the door shut: "Bai Xiaopao, are you trying to run over your boss so you can inherit my Alipay account?"

The egret stuck out its tongue but didn't make a sound, concentrating on shifting gears.

The car jerked suddenly, and Jiang Ye's head slammed against the headrest with a thud.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Bai Lu said in a flustered manner, "The clutch on this car is a bit too high..."

Jiang Ye took a deep breath before noticing the interior decoration of the car.

He didn't let her pick him up yesterday, and he doesn't know when she messed around with it, but the car has been completely changed.

Pink lace seat cushions, a fluffy white cover over the steering wheel, a row of bobbing hamster plush toys on the center console, and a crystal ball with glitter floating inside hanging on the rearview mirror.

The most outrageous thing was the gear shift lever, which was covered with a knitted chicken head? Jiang Ye wasn't sure what kind of creature it was.

"Xiaobai," Jiang Ye hesitated, "Won't it be inconvenient for the company to use your car like this?"

"It's okay, boss," Bailu replied cheerfully. The car braked suddenly again, and Jiang Ye almost hit the windshield. "I don't mind!"

Damn it, he minds!
Jiang Ye silently fastened his seatbelt, deciding to drop the subject.

Why is it so hard to get a driver for free?
"Boss," Bailu suddenly spoke up, and the car finally smoothly entered the expressway, "when are we going on holiday?"

Jiang Ye gazed at the fleeting scenery outside the window: "In a few days, I have to attend a meeting."

"Oh, boss, you've worked hard. Can I go back earlier?"

? ? ? ? ?

This is a sign of ideological decline!

"Xiao Bai, I'm so upset that I couldn't get you the lead role!"

"Ah... Boss, it's me..."

Jiang Ye interrupted her, "Why do you think I didn't go back earlier? Did I have to attend a meeting during the New Year?"

"You need to go out and make some efforts to see if you can get a better role."

The egret stared wide-eyed in surprise: "Is there a better role?"

Her voice rose eight octaves with surprise, and the car swerved slightly in response.

“Yes,” Jiang Ye quickly grabbed the car door, “but I’m not sure yet.”

He looked at the egret's eyes, which lit up instantly, and couldn't help but smile. "Take your time."

"By this time next year, you'll be a big star!"

……

The time soon came to October 1st.

The 2015 Tencent Video Film and Television Strategy Foresight Seminar, organized by Tencent Video, was officially held in the banquet hall on the third floor of the China World Hotel in Yanjing.

The crystal chandelier illuminated the main venue brightly, while the LED screen in the center of the stage played a loop of compilations of Tencent Video's most popular dramas of the year.

Thirty round tables were arranged in a fan shape, each with a gold-plated place card, a mineral water bottle, and a meeting document box shaped like the Penguin Video mascot.

The main backdrop is a deep, technological blue, with the conference theme presented in three-dimensional lettering.

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On either side, roll-up banners displayed posters for Tencent Video's upcoming "100 IP Incubation Plan," while waiters carried coffee trays among the arriving guests.

Jiang Ye appeared at the registration area wearing a navy blue three-piece suit, with a light gray vest underneath that made his shoulders look particularly straight.

Unlike most of the middle-aged executives around him, he only wore a simple titanium steel lapel pin on his collar and no tie, which made him look more youthful.

"Jiang Ye, Jiangying Media."

As he handed the invitation to the receptionist, he heard whispers from the people around him.

"Is this the 90s-born director of 'Princess Promotion'?"

"I heard that the new project 'Sito' is being bid on by both Guangxian and Tencent..."

The female staff member at the registration desk's eyes lit up, and she slipped an extra personal business card into the document bag she handed over compared to others: "Director Jiang, I'm a big fan of your drama, and I look forward to your sharing today."

"Thank you!"

Jiang Ye scanned the venue and stopped in front of the sign.

His seat was arranged at the second table in section B, a position that was neither too close nor too far from the main stage—not the front, but definitely not bad.

This is thanks to his hit drama series; otherwise, a newcomer to the film and television industry like him wouldn't even meet the requirements to attend the conference.

Just as Jiang Ye reached his seat, a shiny bald head popped out from between the front seats.

The man in the black leather jacket turned around, the back of which was printed with the graffiti words "Unexpectedly" and grinned at him: "Hey, the blockbuster director is here!"

(End of this chapter)