Chapter 175: Long Time No See

There was a question that Bai Xixiang only realized after the stage recording had concluded.

Tang Zhichu had told her to choose the task ranked first on the task list for the next episode. However, only the losing team had the qualification to pick tasks first.

Therefore, they had "naturally" lost this episode.

Bai Xixiang felt it was only fair for Tang Zhichu to take half the blame, right?

The recording session today was not long, ending at just four o'clock in the afternoon.

Since participants were eliminated in the previous episode, this episode was not an elimination round.

From backstage to the back exit, it required navigating two turns and a long corridor.

Bai Xixiang deliberately waited a while for Shen Jianxin.

In this round, Shen Jianxin had faced He Shuyuan and lost.

For an advertising project, Shen Jianxin stubbornly insisted on playing rock music. The quality of his work was a matter of opinion, but the production team was targeting the younger demographic.

The biggest advantage of traffic artists was that their fans would genuinely spend hard-earned money to buy merchandise associated with their idols.

"What's up?" Shen Jianxin asked with a smile when he saw Bai Xixiang.

"Nothing."

Shen Jianxin said frankly, "When people back you and pay you money, to a certain extent, any outcome is just part of the job."

Bai Xixiang nodded, not knowing what else to say.

She just wanted to wait for Shen Jianxin.

It wasn't that she didn't understand how things worked, but rather she felt that understanding them didn't change anything.

Living happily was a day gone by, and living unhappily was also a day gone by.

If the alliance initiators performed in the early stages, even if they lost, they certainly wouldn't be eliminated immediately.

However, selling points dwindled with use, and losing in the later stages made everything unpredictable.

Why did so many veteran musicians participate in variety shows only to quit halfway through?

Because they all understood that early resources favored veterans, while later on, everyone was just harvested like leeks.

Everyone claimed to be broad-minded, but when faced with it personally, who could truly not care?

Bai Xixiang waiting for Shen Jianxin was a gesture of respect.

Those who understood why Shen Jianxin accepted that advertising project already held him in high esteem.

"I've learned a lot, the true rock spirit."

Shen Jianxin smiled. "It's just a show; it can't shake my status in the industry. That relies on my works. In the past, music was a dream. Now, music is a job."

Bai Xixiang smiled as well. She had originally intended to offer some words of comfort, but instead, she ended up being comforted by Shen Jianxin.

"No, I still play music for my dream," Bai Xixiang said with a hint of stubbornness.

Shen Jianxin gave her a thumbs-up. "That's why you're different. Don't worry."

Shen Jianxin was speaking the truth. To be rational, looking at the four alliance initiators from the perspective of the production team, the other three could easily be treated as tools, but Bai Xixiang could not.

Bai Xixiang was young and possessed commercial traffic.

"Forget it, I won't overthink it. Teacher Shen, do you have any plans for tomorrow?"

Shen Jianxin shook his head and smiled. "Even if I had plans, I'd cancel them. At a time like this, I really want to see how that guy plans to pull this off."

"Hehe!" Bai Xixiang felt a little excited. "Me too."

Perhaps many people shared this sentiment. Usually, after a recording ended, the cars picking people up formed long queues.

And this episode?

People gathered in twos and threes to chat.

It seemed as though very few people were leaving.

"Is Penguin Video really going to eliminate Tang Zhichu? Aren't they afraid of a public relations collapse?" Bai Xixiang asked Shen Jianxin.

Shen Jianxin frowned and pondered. "It depends on the method. If it were me, I would negotiate with Tang Zhichu behind the scenes and let him withdraw voluntarily."

Bai Xixiang stared in disbelief. "Why should he?"

"Look, you even said Penguin Video instead of the production team. When commercial competition is involved, these are trivial matters. Withdrawing voluntarily is the most graceful approach and allows one to secure other benefits. However, I don't think Tang Zhichu will quit on his own; it doesn't fit his personality."

Bai Xixiang didn't ask further. Perhaps she was wondering if there were any other ways to keep Tang Zhichu, but Shen Jianxin's answer clearly indicated there were none.

After recording for a long time without even having lunch, they prepared to go eat.

Suddenly, a white commercial van drove over.

Out of the twenty or so musicians, some had already left, leaving about thirteen or fourteen scattered around the perimeter of the performance building.

Quite a few people noticed the vehicle.

The van drove very slowly, cruising from one end of the performance building to the other.

It looked as though it was searching for someone, or hesitating whether to stop.

Just as it was about to drive past, the van came to a halt.

The door opened, and a figure stepped out.

The white T-shirt reflected the sunlight slightly, while the light cyan and white plaid shirt worn as a jacket reined in her aura with understated elegance.

Simple jeans, a simple ponytail.

Exquisite facial features radiated a hint of aloofness, yet anyone would feel that such a striking person naturally belonged beyond easy reach.

"Chen Siyang!"

"Damn, she looks amazing!"

"Is this Chen Siyang? No wonder Tang Zhichu likes her."

Unconsciously, all conversations ground to a halt.

Those heading out for dinner stopped in their tracks.

At some point, Chen Siyang had picked up a large cardboard box. From a distance, it appeared to be filled with beverages.

"Do you really not need my help?" the driver's voice came from behind.

"Thank you, no need, sir. I can manage."

"Alright, then I'll be off."

The van drove away. In front of strangers, Chen Siyang always maintained a cool, expressionless demeanor.

She turned and walked toward the right side.

Before she had taken many steps, Bai Xixiang hurried forward to meet her.

During the girl group survival show period, Bai Xixiang had served as a mentor for that program, so she and Chen Siyang were very familiar with each other.

"Teacher Bai!" Chen Siyang called out proactively, a smile finally blooming on her face.

Seeing that smile, many people watching the scene smiled along with her.

Bai Xixiang took the large cardboard box from Chen Siyang's hands, set it on the ground, and announced loudly, "What are you all standing around for? Come over and grab some coffee!"

With that, a crowd gathered around.

Chen Siyang was not good at handling such situations; there were simply too many people.

That was why she had been looking for familiar faces from inside the van, and only asked the driver to stop when she spotted Bai Xixiang.

What if Bai Xixiang hadn't seen her either?

Then Chen Siyang's choice might have been to let the driver drive away and simply call Tang Zhichu.

She had wanted to give Tang Zhichu a small surprise, but failing to find him would have left her with no alternative.

"Please don't be polite, take whatever you like," Chen Siyang said softly.

"Thank you."

"Thank you."

Perhaps everyone was wondering what to say. Once surrounded in this setting, they could only offer polite expressions of gratitude.

When it was Sig's turn, he smiled and said, "My Brother Tang didn't come over today. Should I call him and trick him into coming?"

Chen Siyang returned a smile. "I'll call him. This is nice too."

Sig nodded and sat down cross-legged on the nearby lawn.

He exchanged a glance with Luo Xiujie, and both raised their eyebrows in silent admiration, thinking how stunning she was.

Yun Miao also picked up a cup of coffee. She remained silent, but her attention never left Chen Siyang.

She knew Tang Zhichu well; he was an absolute freak of nature.

The romance reality show was entertaining, but the logic was simple. Tang Zhichu had orchestrated a scheme against Tianhe and the reality show production team solely for Chen Siyang's dream.

When Sig and the others saw Chen Siyang, they probably thought that someone so gorgeous naturally explained why Tang Zhichu cared about her so much.

Yun Miao didn't see it that way. Men were visual creatures, and under normal circumstances, their thinking tended to be straightforward.

Some people were already taking photos with their coffee, likely planning to post them in private group chats to brag about the coffee bought by a major beauty.

If she were merely pretty, would Tang Zhichu be such a superficial man?

Yun Miao believed there was definitely more to it; Chen Siyang must possess exceptional qualities of her own.

Before the coffee was fully distributed, Tang Zhichu arrived.

On Yu Hua's turf, he seemed to know about every little disturbance.

At this moment, the existence of inner circles became apparent.

Sig and the others took their coffee without dispersing, all sitting together on the nearby grass.

Tang Zhichu made no fuss, walking over quietly and picking up a few bags that had fallen on the ground.

Someone spotted Tang Zhichu and wanted to call out to him, but he gently gestured for silence with a finger to his lips.

Tang Zhichu understood Chen Siyang's temperament.

She was slow to warm up. Her proactive behavior on the romance show had been directed at him, driven by initial motives that didn't reflect her true personality.

Yet she was also a bit clumsy, believing she could handle everything on her own, only to find out upon closer contact that reality was different.

This also proved that her core nature was pure and kind. During the romance show, had Tang Zhichu harbored even the slightest malicious intent, Chen Siyang probably wouldn't have survived in the entertainment industry.

Chen Siyang was expressing goodwill in a way unfamiliar to her.

She helped hand out cups of coffee while murmuring that it was no trouble and there was no need to thank her.

From Tang Zhichu's perspective, she had even consciously widened her eyes slightly.

As if that would make her look more sincere.

"This is for—"

Before she could finish offering the cup, Chen Siyang froze. As someone turned away, Tang Zhichu was standing right in front of her.

At that moment, everyone burst into cheerful laughter.

Sig even let out a few whistles.

Chen Siyang looked at Tang Zhichu, jolted back to her senses by the surrounding laughter of amused onlookers, and a flush of red bloomed across her cheeks.

A gentle breeze stirred a stray lock of hair, and a captivating smile surfaced on her face.

"Do you want one?"

Tang Zhichu took it and looked around at the group. "Did anyone not get one?"

"Got mine, Brother Tang!"

"Brother Tang, she's so gorgeous!"

"Hahaha, thanks a lot!"

Scanning the circle, everyone looked cheerful. Even He Shuyuan raised his cup of coffee toward Tang Zhichu in acknowledgment.

Tang Zhichu smiled and nodded, making no attempt to hide anything. He then looked at Chen Siyang, naturally reached out to ruffle her hair, and said, "Long time no see."

Chen Siyang's smile softened further, exuding a charm akin to an immortal descending to the mortal realm.

The people around began to teasingly hoot and holler.

The quantity of coffee had been calculated, but since a few people had already left, there were a few cups left over.

Tang Zhichu squatted down to tidy them up.

Chen Siyang squatted down beside him as well.

Not far away, Qiu Zhen nudged He Shuyuan. "Actually, if he and Chen Siyang had ended up together on the romance show, it would have been quite nice."

He Shuyuan's gaze turned profound, his thoughts unreadable.

"That's the charm of romance, I suppose. Watching others date always makes it look wonderful," Qiu Zhen sighed.

Ever since the incident where Tang Zhichu suppressed him, he was genuinely intimidated by Tang Zhichu and didn't much care for the man.

Even so, seeing the dynamic between him and Chen Siyang still made it feel wonderful.

"Zhen-ge."

"Hmm?"

"In the next episode, you should face him."

Qiu Zhen was startled, his brow furrowing.

"The next episode is a guaranteed win. If that video hadn't leaked, I definitely would have been the one to face him, but I think you need this opportunity more," He Shuyuan said in a low voice.

Of course, Qiu Zhen knew it was a guaranteed win; official authorities had even intervened. He even suspected that Tang Zhichu had mentally prepared himself for elimination.

You couldn't fight authority, and given Tang Zhichu's personality, securing benefits meant giving both sides a graceful way out.

However, the psychological shadow Tang Zhichu had cast over him was substantial, making him hesitate.

"You've been suppressed across the board. If you don't stand back up, you'll lose your passion for making music. Even if you have to force yourself, you must stand up. Understand my meaning?" He Shuyuan whispered again.

Qiu Zhen spoke slowly, "The company... will the company agree?"

"Definitely. In the public perception, I'm stronger than you. If you win, it means I win, and it might even highlight me further. Understand?" He Shuyuan's words sounded rather pragmatic.

This time, Qiu Zhen didn't argue too much.

Though harsh, it made sense.

Why was He Shuyuan stepping aside? In Qiu Zhen's view, he was probably intimidated too.

If he went up and managed a hard-fought victory, a win was still a win. If the second brother could win, what about the eldest?

The adult world looked only at pros and cons. If Tang Zhichu was sensible, it would lead to a seemingly wholesome conclusion.

"Alright, I'll do it. Thanks."

"Stop looking, they've walked far away." Sig waved a hand in front of Yun Miao.

Tang Zhichu was carrying the cardboard box with Chen Siyang walking by his side.

Yun Miao swatted Sig's hand away and said softly, "How nice."

Sig looked over as well, just in time to see Tang Zhichu turn slightly, sliding his left foot back to playfully kick Chen Siyang's right shin.

"Tsk, how childish!" Sig muttered in disgust.

"You don't know a thing. That's what you call love."

"I noticed you've been staring at Chen Siyang for a while. What's up?" Sig asked, suddenly curious.

Yun Miao stretched and stood up. "Nothing much. I just wanted to see how exceptional the woman who conquered Tang Zhichu really is."

Sig was stunned, then let out a disappointed sound, thinking it would be something profound.

"Why does she need to be that exceptional? That's Chen Siyang we're talking about! A few days ago, some media outlet released a latest Asia-Pacific beauty ranking, and Chen Siyang ranked fourth."

Yun Miao looked at Sig. "Fourth? Who were the top three?"

"Foreigners."

"You think Tang Zhichu is like you? I think I'm starting to appreciate Chen Siyang's charm." Yun Miao paused for a moment before continuing, "She's very restrained."

"Restrained? Is that a huge plus?"

"Yeah. You guys only notice her appearance. If I were as pretty as Chen Siyang, hehe, wouldn't I be running wild all over the place? To be that gorgeous yet have this kind of personality is an advantage in itself, and this kind of personality only truly shines when encountering situations."

Sig curled his lip. "Miao-jie, it's a good thing you aren't pretty."

Yun Miao: "?????????"

On the other side, Chen Siyang moved a bit further away from Tang Zhichu. The guy actually kicked her!

Seeming unsatisfied, she stepped closer again, intending to bump into Tang Zhichu.

Tang Zhichu reacted quickly and sidestepped with a swift motion.

Chen Siyang missed her target, but since she hadn't used much force, she merely stumbled slightly without falling.

"Are you even being childish!"

Tang Zhichu looked back; they were already quite far from the crowd.

Only then did Tang Zhichu say, "I missed you."

Chen Siyang covered her ears.

"I missed you."

"Stop talking, I can hear you."

"Then why are you covering your ears?"

"I missed you too."

Tang Zhichu chuckled, his smile widening.

Chen Siyang lowered her hands, her face flushed red.

It was useless anyway; even with her ears covered, she could still hear those cheesy words.

Standing by the small lakeside villa, Chen Siyang was dumbfounded.

"You live here?"

"Mmm."

"Didn't you say you were at odds with the production team? How are you still living in such a nice place?"

Tang Zhichu let out a proud hum. "Who do you think I am?"

Entering the house, Chen Siyang grew more and more astonished as she looked around.

It was a standalone lakeside villa.

Her brain struggled to process it, so she simply gave up thinking.

Pushing open the sliding glass door, Chen Siyang stepped into the backyard.

The sunlight was gone, but night hadn't fallen yet, and the temperature was just right.

Glancing back through the glass door, she saw Tang Zhichu rummaging through the refrigerator.

Their eyes met through the glass, and Tang Zhichu cupped his hands around his mouth like a megaphone. "I'm cooking!"

Chen Siyang smiled and nodded. "Don't make too much, I'll only eat a tiny bit."

"Okay!"

With that, Tang Zhichu began gathering ingredients from the fridge.

On one side was the rippling lake kissed by the evening breeze, and on the other was the person she cared about.

Chen Siyang wasn't captivated by the scenery of the lake; instead, she gazed dotingly at the person inside.

After a long moment, she let out a soft sigh and took out her phone.

On WeChat, inside a chat box with a contact saved as "Zhan Zihua's Agent."

There were two sentences and a video.

The timestamp showed it was sent on August 1st, which was yesterday.

"Yangyang, did you and Tang Zhichu break up?"

"I saw this video online a while ago and bought the rights to it. No hidden meaning, but if your company isn't aware of this, I hope you can clarify it with them."

Chen Siyang had watched the video yesterday.

It wasn't long, just a few seconds.

It was a funeral where Tang Zhichu was seeing guests off, and Jiang Lan was standing right beside him, both dressed in black.

"Maybe I really am too stupid. If you didn't want me to know, then I suppose I shouldn't have known."

Chen Siyang muttered to herself, then tapped on Zhan Zihua's profile, scrolled for a good while, and finally located the block option.

She blocked him.

Chen Siyang had been chatting frequently with He Jin lately. What were they talking about?

Naturally, reviewing the content of the romance show.

Every time an episode aired, she would discuss it with He Jin.

Just as He Jin had said, Tang Zhichu seemed to be genuinely cultivating her.

Every episode contained a certain degree of guidance.

During the dinner in the first episode, Tang Zhichu had been away for a long time.

He Jin had asked Chen Siyang what she was thinking at that moment.

Chen Siyang had replied that she was thinking a lot.

It felt like the first time she wavered between pursuing her career or giving romance a try.

She had seemed somewhat determined to focus on her career, yet somewhat tempted to give love a shot.

It was quite contradictory.

Tang Zhichu hadn't pressed his advantage while the iron was hot; instead, he had left the time entirely up to her.

With video footage to look back on, Chen Siyang found that segment exceptionally heartwarming when she watched it later.

The first time she felt uncomfortable was when she asked him about long-distance relationships.

Back then, she had assumed Tang Zhichu was evading the issue.

Only later did she realize that wasn't the case at all.

He had handed the right of decision over to her, or rather, guided her to make the decision herself.

They had discussed a similar topic another time, and when reviewing the show afterward, Chen Siyang realized her own flaws.

That too was a lack of conviction; Tang Zhichu had never brought those doubts up, whereas she had mentioned them multiple times.

Chen Siyang had also recognized her own shortcomings.

She truly didn't know how to date, as she seemed to want him to handle everything that came up.

Old Tang must have been disappointed back then, she figured.

She had wavered between career and romance.

He had constantly emphasized how important dreams were. Looked at from another angle, was he trying to soften her ambition? Or encouraging her to maintain a happy and joyful mindset even when facing her career?

Moreover, on this matter, he had ultimately made the decision on her behalf.

That was what later became known as the show's most brilliant highlight—using a single song to make DY and Tianhe reach a consensus on unbundled operations.

Leaving the romance show's production team with no room for further manipulation.

Softening her career ambition might have been a selfish motive; after all, men always hoped their girlfriends would care deeply about them.

In Chen Siyang's eyes, that wasn't a big deal; in fact, it brought her a little joy.

Yet he remained steadfast, carefully and tenderly protecting her dreams.

This man, wasn't he somewhat foolish himself?

Thanks to brother (Pachini) for the 500 coin tip!

Thanks to brother (kzzznox) for the 100 coin tip!

(End of this chapter)