Chapter 72: You Are Truly Beautiful

Yajiang New City could be considered a riverside residential area to some extent. His aunt, Tang Huiwen, had moved to a coastal city, and since Tang Zhichu didn’t want to return to the old house, he rented her apartment. Though he transferred the money, his aunt never actually accepted it.

For now, it was a place to settle, and it sufficed.

Building Two, twenty-eighth floor, a not-so-large three-bedroom apartment.

Tang Zhichu took a few photos and sent them to Tang Huiwen.

“Just stay there with peace of mind. Don’t worry, I won’t ambush you. If I come back, I’ll let you know in advance. Blankets and quilts are all in the closet, you can look for them yourself,” Tang Huiwen replied instantly.

“I’ve locked the master bedroom.”

“It’s fine, just pick whichever room you like. If you’re scared, you can call me anytime!”

“……”

“Hahaha, by the way, that Lan girl is really something! Her figure is amazing.”

“Don’t you have work to do?”

Tang Zhichu placed his laptop on the desk in the study. He knew his aunt was trying to comfort him in her own way, so he replied casually, not wanting to squander her kindness.

Tang Huiwen sent back a photo, apparently enjoying afternoon tea.

“Let me tell you, when it comes to girls who don’t dislike you, or are even a bit fond of you, be bold. Girls love atmosphere, you know what that means? For the more mature ones, show your attentiveness—cook her a meal, something delicious and beautiful. Also, even when cooking, pay attention to your outfit. Just imagine, the flames crackling, smoke rising from the pan, and a profile that shows your Adam’s apple—who wouldn’t be mesmerized…”

Reading her lengthy advice, Tang Zhichu couldn’t help but smile.

“How many have you dated?”

“The most devoted in Yuzhou, you know?”

“This so-called devotion of yours—why not bring someone home, my thirty-two-year-old aunt?”

“(ー`´ー)! Tang Zhichu, you’re hopeless!”

Tang Zhichu replied with a shrug emoji, then set his phone aside.

He opened his laptop and began drafting an email.

This email took him over an hour to write, mainly because it involved so many details.

His contract with DY wasn’t complicated: five years, no mandatory business appointments, but he had to participate in DY’s own projects. The revenue split was a full ten percent higher than DY’s top streamers, though the penalty for breach was steep.

Compared to entertainment companies, it was downright generous.

Platforms cared for their own; the stronger their people, the stronger the platform became.

Why only five years? Probably because DY doubted he’d ever make it big; they couldn’t afford to invest support in someone who brought no returns.

“Are you really planning to join Yuhua’s show?”

Less than half an hour later, Su Qingzhu sent a message on WeChat.

She originally had other plans for Tang Zhichu, but he had somehow managed to land a major opportunity by himself. From her perspective, it might not necessarily be good news.

“President Su, I apologize for not communicating with you in time.”

“That’s alright, but I’m not sure about this. The project is huge, very different from a romance reality show. Last year, Mango TV ran a similar program—you know how many musicians participated? Thirty-four. The top tier, of course, but even the lower-ranked ones had notable works or were influential behind the scenes.”

Tang Zhichu hesitated and didn’t respond with any words of confidence.

Recently, these variety shows featuring multiple artists were all the rage—Sister This, Brother That. In the language of the influencer world, it was a massive pool of traffic.

Perform poorly, and you lose status; perform well, and you could not only become famous, but also absorb the residual traffic from the lesser-known artists.

It was like bringing the entertainment industry’s hidden rivalries to the surface. There might not be absurd hidden rules, but there was plenty of room for maneuvering. Some musicians had established reputations and skills; as long as their songs were decent, they were considered excellent. Tang Zhichu didn’t dare claim he’d stand out just by joining.

“I want to give it a try.”

“Alright, I’ll ask someone to smooth things over for you. Teacher Shen Jianxin is a senior, famous for being friendly to newcomers. Going to him is fine. What I’m telling you isn’t to discourage you, but—where there are many people, the waters run deep. Just remember DY is your backup plan, that’s your advantage.”

“Thank you, President Su.”

“I also read your brief plan for the media company, and I must say, you caught my attention. I’ve spoken with Director Li; Chen Siyang and you are a possibility—why didn’t it work out?”

When she typed this, Su Qingzhu hadn’t originally added that final particle, but she had a habit of checking every message she sent. Adding it changed the tone entirely.

Tang Zhichu looked at the message, thinking to himself, so you’re nosy too!

“If I said it was for Chen Siyang’s better development, would you believe me?”

On the other side, Su Qingzhu noticed Tang Zhichu had switched from the formal “you” to the familiar, and she smiled—he was learning the ropes. She couldn’t help but think, her subordinates were unreliable: was he socially anxious and introverted?

She sent Tang Zhichu to the romance reality show not expecting anything, just as training, to let him progress gradually.

Unexpectedly, he stirred things up and landed the biggest project on Penguin Video this year.

Su Qingzhu even wrote a special report about Tang Zhichu for DY’s core leadership; otherwise, why would she have attended his father’s memorial service?

“Wow, quite the romantic. And what about Jiang Lan, who helped you at the memorial?”

“Uh… If I said it was a coincidence, and Lan herself is kind-hearted, would you believe me?”

“Well, that’s a coincidence. But your plan says you could also sign Zhou Yun—what’s that about?”

“Uh… If I said she wanted to collaborate with me, would you believe me?”

“So you just happen to stumble upon every good opportunity? That romance show only has three female guests; aren’t you being a bit much?”

“Uh… President Su, you misunderstand. We’re innocent.”

“Forget it, I’m just reminding you—you’re going to be a public figure. Really, I shouldn’t worry. All three female guests are orbiting you, and Huang Zejun wants to sell his company—and himself—to you. Young man, you’re a bit outrageous. Take it easy at the music show; lots of people, deep waters. If things go sideways, I can’t bail you out.”

Tang Zhichu frowned. What had he done? He hadn’t acted improperly; why would she need to cover for him?

“President Su, could you make a decision?”

“Alright, I’ll send someone to handle negotiations for you. Consider it a personal favor. With Huang Zejun and Zhou Yun involved, your company’s starting point isn’t low. Focus on content; I’ll notify the operations team. DY isn’t like other platforms—it’s data-driven, with its own intelligent rules. I’ll bump your weighting a bit…”

“Thank you, President Su. By the way, there was something I couldn’t say the other day: you really are beautiful!”

“Get lost.”

Tang Zhichu was speechless. He’d used the formal address—wasn’t it a respectful compliment, not an offense?