Rebirth 04: Starting from Taking an Unconventional Approach

Chapter 175 Launch Meeting

Liu Dong sat in the car dealership office, repeatedly flipping through the magazine in his hand on the desk. A joyful smile played on his lips, and his expression changed drastically as he read. His cloudy eyes shone with light, as if he genuinely believed that he had written these sentences himself.

Han Fei was surprised to discover that the power of words sometimes lies not in what they say, but in whom they belong.

"President Han, this...this is just too good!" Liu Dong's voice trembled with emotion. "This cover..."

This paper is even better than the ones sold at newsstands! Is this really for me?

"Of course. Brother Liu, this isn't the kind sold at newsstands. This is a special edition made for you, and there are only ten copies in the whole world. Give each of your four friends a copy, take them back, put them on the bookshelf, and when a friend comes over, they can just flip through it and ask, and you can just say that you wrote something in your early years and a friend helped print a few copies as a souvenir. It's not too ostentatious, but it also seems low-key and sophisticated." Han Fei said, picking up a booklet from the table, opening the title page, and pointing to the signature and brief preface. "Look, every single one of these has your name on it, and the preface says it's based on your personal experiences. If someone asks for details, you don't need to say much, just smile. The more mysterious it is, the more interesting it is."

"President Han, you're so observant! I've lived for over thirty years, and I've never had a picture of myself naked this stylish! You wouldn't believe it, but the other day a girl asked me what I did for a living, and I said I worked in cultural media, and she didn't believe me. Well, now I've slammed this book on the table, let's see what she has to say now!"

Han Fei took out 30,000 yuan from his bag and placed it on the table. "Brother Liu, I'm glad you're satisfied. I should redeem my car today. Help me with the paperwork, and we'll be even."

Liu Dong leaned forward, picked up the banknotes, and grinned from ear to ear: "President Han, don't worry, I've cleaned the car until it's sparkling clean and filled it with gas. You can drive off now, and I'll take care of the paperwork right away."

"Hmm." Han Fei glanced at his watch, stood up, and said, "Brother Liu, we've agreed that you keep this for yourself. Don't copy it, distribute it, or even think about selling it. First, it's a custom-made item, and second, if it gets out, someone might use it against you, which would only cause you trouble. We need to keep a low profile for the long term."

"President Han, don't worry. Although I'm a rough man, I know the rules. I'll keep this to myself and never pass it on. Besides, if I cause you any trouble, Mr. Ma won't let me off the hook."

Chen Zhengyuan found Wen Shuyan on the rooftop terrace on the fourth floor of the old Arts and Sciences building. The dean asked Wen Shuyan to stay there to prepare for the meeting. This place was not open to outsiders, but Zhang Huaili had given Chen Zhengyuan temporary access authorization.

Wen Shuyan, with her back to Chen Zhengyuan, leaned against the railing, gazing at the campus scenery below. To avoid startling her, Chen Zhengyuan coughed lightly.

As she turned around, Chen Zhengyuan was staring at her shoulder blades and neck muscles, wondering how her body could be so flexible, and whether it would always be so flexible. She wore light makeup and a white dress, but covered herself up very thoroughly, not letting Chen Zhengyuan see any parts that interested him. She straightened up, turned her head to the side, and showed a nervous expression.

"What...what are you doing up here?"

Her arms hung limply at her sides, and she was only a step away from Chen Zhengyuan. If she took another step back, she would fall from the fourth floor.

Chen Zhengyuan looked at her closely. Her pale skin shone with a strange radiance; her sensitive nostrils flared; her large, dark eyes and pupils resembled a partial lunar eclipse; her lips were unconsciously pursed, soft and moist, as if she had just kissed him. A broadcast blared from the school's loudspeakers.

There were only the two of them on the terrace. She took a deep breath, tilted her head slightly, and remained a step away from Chen Zhengyuan.

"Hey." Chen Zhengyuan didn't move.

Her eyes blinked rapidly, a look of surprise flashing across her face. She quickly took two steps, bypassing Chen Zhengyuan, and stood on the inner side of the terrace, her breathing rapid. She took a few more steps back, cautiously watching Chen Zhengyuan, until her back bumped against the wall, as if trying to shrink herself, attempting to hide, but to no avail. Chen Zhengyuan smelled the delicate fragrance of lavender soap.

"Teacher Wen, Principal Zhang asked me to come up and see how your preparations are going. This outfit is very appropriate and suits your temperament even better than what you usually wear."

"I'll go down right away."

"Don't be nervous," Chen Zhengyuan smiled. "I'm not here to bother you. Principal Zhang just said it would be best to go over some procedural details with you beforehand. For example, when you go on stage later, the company representative might shake your hand. Just respond naturally, no need to make a fuss. Principal Zhang also specifically instructed that during the media photo session after the launch meeting, he hopes you can stand next to the company representative. After all, you are the first representative of young teachers in this cooperation, and you have a good image. The Education Commission will definitely prefer to see more young faces."

"Isn't the group photo location arranged by the organizing committee? I'll just follow the instructions on site. Unless there are specific requirements, it's more appropriate for me to stand next to my college leaders."

Chen Zhengyuan could detect an uncontrollable anger in her tone.

"When you're on stage later, just read from the script," Chen Zhengyuan said with a gentle laugh. "Don't worry about saying the wrong thing. I'll be watching from the audience, and I won't make things difficult for you."

Wen Shuyan remained silent, glancing at her watch. "I have to pick up a friend. Excuse me."

Chen Zhengyuan stood there, frowning, listening to the sound of high heels echoing down the stairs as if they were fleeing for their lives.

Friend? Damn it, what friend?

Sunlight slanted across the small auditorium of Shanghai Normal University, casting shadows where teachers and representatives from various sectors gathered to attend the launch event. Celebrities chatted with each other. Reporters moved about in droves, their cameras clicking rapidly. Aside from discussions about resource allocation and anxieties about the future, the topics of conversation almost entirely revolved around Qingniao Publishing House, currently a hot topic in cultural circles.

Han Fei and Wen Shuyan walked side by side through the school gate and headed towards the auditorium.

"Thank you for coming," Wen Shuyan said with a smile, giving him a scrutinizing look at his suit. "It's so formal."

.

"It's nothing, I just wanted to get some fresh air. My eyes are getting tired from reading manuscripts all day in the office. Your school is quite big; it's been several years since I last visited." Han Fei turned around and smiled slightly. Every time he smiled, Wen Shuyan was amazed at how much his face could change. His smile could sweep away the hardship, focus, and fatigue on his face—those expressions were like wearing a tattered coat. And suddenly he looked like a playful young man, his face full of sunshine, like a bright July day in the mountains of northern Zhejiang—something to look forward to, yet rare and fleeting.

"Yeah, the old campus has a lot of trees, so it's easier to get distracted while walking. It helps to relax your mind and prevents you from being so tense all the time."

Han Fei nodded and looked around. "How long has Wangyi been cooperating with your school? I saw a poster at the entrance that says 'Original Music Support Program,' and it sounds quite plausible."

Wen Shuyan thought for a moment: "I haven't paid much attention to the other projects. It seems that the music project only started this year."

"When businesses come to campus, sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes it's just a vanity project. Are you representing the art academy today?"

"Yes, the dean asked me to go," Wen Shuyan said quietly.

Han Fei smiled brightly again: "Then I'll be your support group today, responsible for sitting in the audience and applauding you, and maybe I can get to know a few people from the Education Commission."

Wen Shuyan suddenly felt a strange warmth in her abdomen. She had never been sure if she really liked Han Fei, perhaps because the idea was too unrealistic. Han Fei already had Rui Yi, although they might not have officially confirmed their relationship. Besides, if she really admitted it, it might affect her younger brother's relationship with Han Fei. Therefore, she had always avoided figuring it out, trying to keep her feelings ambiguous.

"You always manage to seize opportunities," Wen Shuyan said.

"I'm used to it. That's how it is in publishing. Wherever you go, you're always thinking about whether you can meet people or find topics to cover."

They walked across a meadow in silence. A cool southerly breeze blew by. The bright sun hung in the pale blue sky. Dry leaves crackled and crumbled beneath their heels.

"I'm very relieved that you can come," Wen Shuyan said.

"Um?"

"What I mean is, with you here, I won't be so nervous."

Han Fei looked at her, opened his mouth as if to speak, then changed his mind and nodded, saying, "Has Wen Jie been complaining about me to you lately? I put him in charge of the technology, and he's under a lot of pressure."

Wen Shuyan chuckled softly, "He would never complain about you. Every time he mentions you to me, he talks about what Fei-ge told me, what Fei-ge told me to do... Sometimes I feel that you hold a higher place in his heart than I do."

Han Fei laughed heartily: "This kid, this won't do. I'll have to tell him to treat you to more meals later."

They came to the front of the crowd gathered in front of the small auditorium, and a face appeared before them.

"I'm a reporter from Southern Weekly. Excuse me for bothering you, but regarding the 'People's Stories' case, we previously mentioned speculation about a protective umbrella in our reports, but you haven't responded. We are still following the case closely, and we'd like to know if we've made any progress on the mastermind behind it? Is the 'protective umbrella' claim true or false?"

They stopped, and Wen Shuyan noticed that the smile on Han Fei's face had disappeared.

The reporter smiled, but his eyes darted around.

"President Han, we've met before. I'm a reporter covering social news. You were interviewed outside the publishing house before, and I asked you a few questions. You answered them very patiently and in detail. Do you remember me?"

Han Fei carefully examined the reporter's face and nodded.

"Hmm, you're not covering social news anymore?"

"No, no!" The reporter shook his head vigorously. "I'm just filling in. This launch meeting was rather sudden, and we're short-staffed. Could you please offer your perspective as someone directly involved?"

"no."

"No? Then I won't respond to the protective umbrella. Can't I even say a few words?"

"I mean, I'm here today in a private capacity to attend a school event, not to be interviewed about Bluebird, so it's not appropriate," Han Fei said.

The reporter seemed confused.

"But this launch meeting is also about culture..."

""

Han Fei quickly glanced around, then leaned forward: "Since you're here to fill in for me at the launch meeting today, let's all do our jobs. I hope you won't shift the focus from the university-enterprise cooperation to Qingniao. Let's be understanding. If you want to interview me, let's do it another day, okay?"

"Uh, of course. Then..." The reporter handed over a white business card with "Southern Weekly" written on it in bold. Han Fei put the card into his back pocket.

The deadline is Friday night at 11 p.m.

"We'll see," Han Fei said.

The reporter stood there, looking confused. They stepped onto the stairs, and Wen Shuyan saw Chen Zhengyuan standing by the entrance, smiling at them, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. Wen Shuyan swallowed hard and subconsciously moved closer to Han Fei.

"It's great to see you all here together." Chen Zhengyuan's voice rang out. He opened his arms, and Han Fei hesitated for a moment before being embraced tightly.

"President Han, I didn't expect you to come too, that's great." Chen Zhengyuan hugged the tall Han Fei as if he had found a long-lost teddy bear, and at the same time winked at Wen Shuyan over Han Fei's shoulder.

"What just happened?" Wen Shuyan asked. They found seats in the fourth row and sat down.

"That person in charge at NetEase? I met him once before," Han Fei said, suddenly feeling a sense of doubt creep into his thoughts, into the very logic he had always thought so clearly. Had he really thought everything so clearly all along?

Isn't there even a hint of suspicion here? There's a strange, unsettling smell in here; Han Fei is certain he can smell it, but he doesn't know what it is or where it's coming from.

"That's not what I meant. I meant what you just told the reporter: don't shift the focus from school-enterprise cooperation to Qingniao."

"Oh, that," Han Fei said. "Because for launch events like this, most attendees are cultural reporters. And lately, Qingniao and my name have been one of the biggest hot topics for cultural reporters. I've observed that I recognize many of the reporters here. So my concern is that if I answer one reporter's question, a second and a third will come up with questions, and eventually, even reporters who don't know me might swarm around. In that case, the launch event will turn into a makeshift press conference by the president of Qingniao. The focus will shift from the university-enterprise cooperation to the aftermath of the illegal publication case and speculation about protection rackets. This will not only completely overshadow the event and embarrass the university, but it will also turn information like 'The president of Qingniao appeared at a launch event dominated by NetEase' into a news headline that can be interpreted arbitrarily, and who knows what kind of media storm that will be stirred up."

Wen Shuyan stared wide-eyed at Han Fei: "My God, you're amazing! You can think of everything so comprehensively in an instant. If it were me, I would probably be stunned on the spot, not knowing how to refuse, and afraid of offending someone."

Han Fei stared at Wen Shuyan thoughtfully for a while before finally asking, "You... you'll be alright, won't you?"

"What do you mean no problem?" Wen Shuyan asked, her tone revealing confusion.

"My point is," Han Fei said, smiling, "aren't you going to give a speech later?"

Wen Shuyan smiled sweetly: "I didn't ask. I'm not nervous anymore."