Chapter 132: Late Night Malatang

Lu Yan He left the classroom half an hour before the end of the second evening self-study session.

Better not to rush for the last bus if he can avoid it.

Who knew that when he was going down the stairs, he would run into Su Su, who was also going down.

"Teacher Su."

"Going back?" Su Su looked up at him and asked.

"Yes." Lu Yan He nodded. "Are you leaving so late too?"

Su Su smiled and said: "Taking advantage of the fact that everyone has left and the office is quiet, I organized the lesson plans for later."

Lu Yan He asked in surprise: "Do you still need to organize lesson plans?"

"Why wouldn't I need to organize lesson plans?"

Lu Yan He said: "In the past few days, you've been teaching us, and it feels like everything is at your fingertips, never bringing any lesson plans to the classroom."

"Not bringing lesson plans to the classroom is because everything is remembered in my brain, but if I don't prepare in advance, how did these things in my brain come about?" Su Su smiled. "Do you think I'm a genius?"

"We all think you are," Lu Yan He said.

Su Su laughed.

The two walked to the school gate together.

Lu Yan He was about to say goodbye to Su Su, when suddenly, a figure rushed in front of Su Su.

"Su Su!"

The woman who rushed in front of them.

The light at the school gate was very dim, but it could still be seen that she was very delicate in appearance. If the madness in her eyes wasn't so surging, she was actually a very pretty young woman.

But Lu Yan He still recognized her from those eyes; she was the woman who hid behind Qiu Ling's car in the underground parking lot that day.

At that time, she was wearing a mask, but today she wasn't.

After Su Su saw her, he immediately frowned.

"Yuan Yi, are you still following me?"

This woman, whom he called Yuan Yi, sneered, "You thought that after you abandoned me and ran from Jiangguang to Yuming, you could get rid of me? I'm telling you, Su Su, you will never be able to get rid of me in your life, I will keep pestering you!"

Lu Yan He felt an inexplicable sense of madness.

When he saw Yuan Yi last time, he still felt she was a woman who had suffered some kind of injury and whose thinking was a bit extreme. This time, he felt she was far from just the word "extreme," even making people feel that her spirit had problems.

Su Su looked at Lu Yan He at this time.

He said: "You go first, this has nothing to do with you."

Lu Yan He nodded, hesitated, and felt that leaving like this seemed a bit too cold, so he asked in a low voice: "Do you need me to help you call the police?"

"No, she's my ex-girlfriend," Su Su said frankly. "When we broke up, it wasn't handled well, and there was a misunderstanding between us."

"How is it a misunderstanding! You promised to be with me for a lifetime! You abandoned me!" Yuan Yi let out a hysterical scream, "Su Su, we've been together since we were sixteen! We've loved each other for twelve whole years!"

Su Su looked at her coldly, but his words were directed at Lu Yan He.

"You go first."

Lu Yan He didn't speak again this time and turned to leave.

Who knew, Yuan Yi suddenly chased after him at this time.

"You're his student, right? You're still wearing a school uniform, you must be a student," Yuan Yi's tone was fast, following Lu Yan He, saying, "Do you know what kind of person your teacher is? Do you think your teacher is a person with great cultivation and knowledge? I'm telling you, don't be fooled by him."

Lu Yan He only felt incredible at this moment, and didn't know how to deal with it.

This was something he had never experienced before.

"Yuan Yi, how long are you going to make a scene? You won't even let go of my student, right?" Su Su's severe voice came from behind.

He grabbed Yuan Yi's wrist and pulled her so she couldn't move forward anymore.

Lu Yan He looked at them in surprise.

Su Su looked at him, signaling him to go first, then looked at Yuan Yi, his tone cold: "I'll tell you one more time, we've already broken up. It's fine if you pester me, but now you're disturbing my student. If you continue to pester like this, I can only call the police."

Yuan Yi roared angrily: "Go call—"

Lu Yan He walked further and further away. When he reached the bus stop, he could still hear the conversation between the two of them.

He didn't know how Su Su would solve this matter, only feeling it was inexplicable.

When the bus came, he got on, and through the window, he saw the two of them still standing at the school gate, confronting each other. Yuan Yi was saying something angrily to Su Su, and Su Su was looking at her silently.

This scene was soon left behind by the bus.

The night wind poured in from the window.

Lu Yan He took out his headphones and put them on.

Lu Yan He discarded the influence Yuan Yi had just brought him and seriously thought about his own affairs.

He must take this play 'The Golden Age', and can no longer be like the last time in 'Little Song Gathering', where the director clearly sent the opportunity to him, asking him to save the scene, but was intercepted and obstructed by Zhou Ping'an.

The biggest impact of Xu Zijun being bullied by Hong Zhixing on Lu Yan He was that it made him completely understand one thing: for someone without background or ability to resist, swallowing one's anger is a habitual operation, but blindly enduring it actually won't make things better.

Everyone sent a petition to the principal, making such a big fuss, and Yin Xiangyu was so angry that she ran to the class and cursed them, but the final result was as everyone wished: a new history teacher was changed.

His previous endurance and concession were out of consideration for having no strength to protect himself. But actually, thinking back, isn't he also someone who has nothing to lose, so he shouldn't be afraid of those who have something to lose? At worst, he'll just break the pot.

Moreover, Zhou Ping'an and the people behind him were obviously afraid of something and didn't dare to make the termination of his contract known to everyone. The termination agreement signed not long ago, instead, became a reliance in his hands.

Lu Yan He sat on the swaying bus, constantly thinking about his situation and the possibility of breaking the situation.

He suddenly felt a bit annoyed again.

Crossing from an eighteen-year-old to another eighteen-year-old is just superimposing another eighteen years, not two eighteen years adding up to thirty-six, which cannot give him thirty-six years of life experience.

Can't think of a way.

Zhou Ping'an is deliberately obstructing, either Zhou Ping'an can't obstruct, or Luo Yuzhong can not care about Zhou Ping'an's obstruction.

What can he do? -

Lu Yan He walked across the zebra crossing and ran into Qiu Ling, who was out looking for food.

"Just finished school?" Qiu Ling asked in surprise.

Lu Yan He nodded.

"Let's go, go have a late-night snack with me," Qiu Ling said. "Look at you, you were thin to begin with, now you're even thinner."

Lu Yan He was already a bit upset at this moment, so he followed when invited by Qiu Ling.

Qiu Ling was wearing a pair of slippers, loose trousers, and a T-shirt, without any makeup, looking like a college student.

She looked at Lu Yan He and asked: "Something on your mind?"

Qiu Ling didn't even know that she was one of the first people Lu Yan He met in this strange world, and one of the few people he became familiar and close with.

Lu Yan He couldn't tell the people at school about these things, and couldn't tell Li Zhibai and Yan Liang. Thinking about it, the only one he could tell was Qiu Ling.

"Ran into a trouble, couldn't think of a solution, so a bit upset," he said.

Qiu Ling subconsciously said: "You're a high school student, isn't your biggest worry failing an exam, how annoying can it be... Oh, I forgot, you're also an artist."

"Although I'm really not popular, you still hurt me," Lu Yan He looked sideways and complained silently.

"Hahaha." Qiu Ling immediately patted Lu Yan He's head and said: "I've been busy with a brain of paste recently, what to eat? Let's find a place to sit down, talk while eating, let the beautiful big sister Qiu Ling solve the worries for the handsome little brother Yan He."

Lu Yan He: "..."

He: "I'm casual, not very hungry."

"Then go eat Malatang with me."

Qiu Ling took Lu Yan He to a small shop nearby.

There wasn't a single customer in the shop.

This small shop was run by a couple, and when they saw Qiu Ling, they smiled, actually recognizing her.

"Officer Qiu is here." The boss greeted her.

Qiu Ling nodded and sat down.

"Help us mix a bowl first, I'm still mild spicy, Lu Yan He, what do you eat?"

"Mild spicy."

The boss nodded and responded.

Qiu Ling pulled a string of kelp from the fragrant big pot and started eating.

"Delicious." Qiu Ling took a bite, and a satisfied expression appeared on her face instantly.

Lu Yan He wasn't hungry at all, but seeing her expression, his appetite was hooked.

As a result, he was supposed to talk about things, but started eating first.

"This kelp is really good."

"Taro is also delicious."

"Try this cold beef skewer made by the boss, it's super delicious."

"I want to cook a twist, boss, and two strings of cabbage!"

After eating four or five points full, Qiu Ling came back to her senses and let out a long sigh.

"Okay, I'm in the mood to listen to you talk about things now, tell me, what's going on."

Lu Yan He briefly explained his recent situation.

Qiu Ling frowned subconsciously.

"Insisting on terminating the contract with you, and blocking you from taking jobs, but you don't know where you offended them, and you don't know why you are facing all this?" Qiu Ling had a face full of question marks, "This is too inexplicable, I don't understand, I've seen your agent, he looks like a profit-seeking person, blocking you from taking jobs, he can't earn commission either, it's a bit strange."

"I don't want to care about these now, and I can't care about them. The problem I want to solve is that Zhou Ping'an hasn't replied to my message until now, and hasn't told me that Luo Dao Yuzhong chose me. He must be playing tricks behind my back, messing up this play 'The Golden Age'," Lu Yan He said. "I really hope to act in this play. This might be my only opportunity to continue to stay in the entertainment industry after the college entrance exam."

Qiu Ling thought for a moment and said: "Let's analyze it first. What are your favorable conditions? First, that Luo Dao, he took a fancy to you and chose you to act. Second, Jiang Yuqian also appreciates you very much, and it was she who recommended you to Luo Dao. These are the only two favorable conditions I've heard so far. If you want to grasp this opportunity, I think you can only start from these two favorable conditions."

"Should I go tell them directly?" Lu Yan He said, "I've considered it, but in reality, almost no partner would be willing to use an artist who is risky and difficult to cooperate with. If Luo Dao knows that the company actually doesn't want me to act in this play, he... maybe he will give up on me directly to avoid trouble."

"He will definitely know," Qiu Ling said directly. "This is your blind spot in thinking. You are always worried about Luo Dao and Jiang Yuqian knowing about the conflict between you and Zhou Ping'an, wanting to hide it, but in reality, as you said yourself, Zhou Ping'an will definitely do bad things and obstruct. Standing from their perspective, it's a certainty that they know you have a conflict with Zhou Ping'an; you can't hide it at all."

Lu Yan He was stunned, and his whole person was knocked.

"So, since they will definitely know about this, don't worry about the risk brought by this matter, because it will definitely come," Qiu Ling said. "Then you only have one choice in front of you: to reduce the negative impact this risk brings to them."

Lu Yan He fell into deep thought.

Qiu Ling laughed.

"Do you know that the way you stare blankly now looks like a silly bird that hit its head?"

Lu Yan He came back to his senses, as if waking from a dream.

He really didn't expect that the problem he had been struggling with for so long actually had no meaning to struggle with.

"Then I only have one path to go." Clearing these struggles that troubled him, the path in front of Lu Yan He became clear.

Qiu Ling nodded, and didn't ask him what he planned to do.

"Actually, putting aside this whole thing, Lu Yan He, you don't have to take this opportunity so seriously," Qiu Ling said. "After you finish the college entrance exam, you will terminate your contract with the current company, right? That will be the real sea wide for fish to leap, sky high for birds to fly. You have talent, you can write songs, you can continue to go on programs like 'Little Song Gathering', you also have popularity, always better than those ordinary people who have no foundation at all. You also have thousands of fans in your livestream, right? I know that children of your age always tend to pin all their hopes in life on one opportunity, but in reality, it's not like that at all. Opportunity comes, go fight for it, if you don't get it, then forget it, the life ahead is long, and there are many opportunities."

Lu Yan He lowered his head and smiled.

He nodded and said: "Thank you."

"Work hard, teenager." Qiu Ling took a quail egg for his bowl, "I'm optimistic about you."

Lu Yan He scratched his head.

"You guys—" Li Zhibai's voice came from the door, with a bit of surprise, "Why are you here too?"

Lu Yan He and Qiu Ling turned their heads and saw Li Zhibai and Yan Liang, who were dressed very "dazzlingly".

"Did you guys just finish performing? Why haven't you even removed your makeup?" Lu Yan He looked at the layer of glitter on their faces and asked in surprise.

Li Zhibai and Yan Liang didn't stand on ceremony and sat down beside them.

"Don't mention it, I'm so angry, those idiots from MX snatched our makeup artist, we have to wait for them to finish before we can remove our makeup, I'm too lazy to wait, I'll just wash it myself when I go back," Li Zhibai cursed, his eyes still spinning on the two of them. "Why did you guys secretly come to eat Malatang? And didn't call us."

"Ran into each other on the road," Qiu Ling said. "Didn't specifically call you, what's so good about calling for Malatang, next time I'll treat you to a big meal."

Li Zhibai immediately said: "That won't do, we have to treat you."

Malatang is a good thing, a few people sit together, around the steaming pot, eating while chatting, the atmosphere is hot with the pot, not easy to cool down.

Although Qiu Ling is a few years older than them, she is actually no different from a college student in private, lively in personality, not very pretentious, laughing when she should, cursing when she should, joking bigger than them, often claiming to be a "big sister", making the few little friends blush.

Because of the nature of her work, Qiu Ling doesn't talk about her work, so later it was Li Zhibai and the others talking about their own affairs.

They are all some crappy things.

Artists at their level, to put it nicely, are idols. In fact, just looking at them being able to run outside to eat Malatang openly, it can be seen that they are not very popular.

Li Zhibai is popular, but only in their small circle. Walking outside, a few people can recognize him on the streets of first-tier cities, and in this residential area with a strong life atmosphere, unless you happen to meet one or two fans, he is just an ordinary person who looks better, just looked at a few more times.

So, their work is far from as bizarre as ordinary people imagine, more like a worker in the entertainment industry, running venues, experiencing crappy things that most people will experience, such as suppression, such as competition, such as others looking down on them.

"Anyway, idol artists, there are always some people who can't stand you, thinking you're just selling your face," Li Zhibai said. "And you really can't deny it's not. You don't release songs or do good performances. The company's arrangement is to find ways to improve your popularity and open up your fame. Making works? Heh, this return speed is too slow, far less fast than going on variety shows. It's been a few years since debut, ask what you've done, and there's nothing to tell people. I feel like these few years have just passed like this."

Qiu Ling said: "I see there are quite a lot of idol artists in our country now, but there have been fewer in the past two years. In the previous few years, it seems various talent shows have emerged, and many idol artists have emerged along with them. You are the batch that came out at that time, right?"

"Yes," Li Zhibai nodded. "And then debut is the peak, and it's been going downhill ever since."

"Does the company have any plans to change for you? What about yourselves?"

"The key is that the company doesn't think you can do anything, just thinking we're selling our faces," Li Zhibai said. "Our group has someone who has always wanted to be a real singer, trying every possible way to release songs himself, but he has always been blocked, and because he has many ideas, they specifically don't give him programs that can sing."

Qiu Ling clicked her tongue when she heard this.

"It sounds like your company is not very good, not considering your development at all."

"What's there to consider? Do you know how many idol artists our company has signed?" Li Zhibai said. "There are more than two hundred signed alone. Our batch from talent shows is relatively better. At that time, the contract at least gave us a guaranteed salary. The artists who came up from the later trainees don't even have a guarantee, all relying on their families to help support them."

Lu Yan He nodded in agreement when he heard what Li Zhibai said.

Fortunately, the contract he signed at that time stipulated that he would be given a living allowance of three thousand yuan a month, otherwise he wouldn't know what to live on now.

Yan Liang also sighed: "We are just being raised as insects, seeing who among the hundreds of us wins in the end, and whoever lives."

Qiu Ling frowned.

"I've always thought that although the competition among you idol artists is great, it's about the same, and you still live much better than ordinary people."

"Sister Qiu Ling, that's because in this era, most people who go to be artists have good family backgrounds," Li Zhibai said. "I heard from a senior that ten years ago, most people who chose to be artists had ordinary family backgrounds. Now it's very difficult."

"Hmm," Yan Liang nodded. "People like Lu Yan He and me with ordinary family backgrounds can still get opportunities through talent shows. Now talent shows are not really held much, and taking the trainee path, unless you are outstanding, you have to rely on yourself. If your family can't support you, you can't support the few years of training time at all. No one knows when you can debut."

The words of a few young people surprised Qiu Ling. This is very different from the life of celebrity artists she knew before.

"Then why did you want to be artists in the first place?" She couldn't help but ask.

Li Zhibai shrugged his shoulders, "At that time, I signed up by mistake, participated in a talent show, originally just wanted to play, didn't expect to be popular."

"I've liked singing and dancing since I was a child," Yan Liang said a bit embarrassedly, "I like performing on stage."

Lu Yan He said: "I... everyone knows, to make money."

Qiu Ling asked: "Are most idol artists like you?"

Lu Yan He said: "About the same, want to make money, want to be famous, want to get others' liking, want to perform on stage, harvest applause, basically these reasons."

"You are already very happy, at least you are doing what you want to do," Qiu Ling said. "Any industry is not easy, not simple, you are still young, work hard yourself, everything is possible, wait until you become big stars in the future, then think carefully about today's words, and see if you have the ability to change all this."

"Wow, suddenly raised the height so high?" Li Zhibai looked at Qiu Ling in shock.

Qiu Ling smiled and said: "People always have to have ideals."

Because of this late-night snack, it was already 11:00 PM when Lu Yan He started livestreaming tonight.

Many people spoke one after another:

—Thought the host wouldn't livestream today?

—Why did it start so late today? I've been waiting since 8:00 PM. I've gotten used to watching you livestream to study. If you don't livestream, I don't have that much motivation.

—Is this because tomorrow is a holiday, so you're slacking off today?

—And you still say you want to take the Zhenhua and Yuming exams.

Kind, malicious, happy, sarcastic, all kinds of statements.

Lu Yan He was already used to it.

Anyway, when there are many people in the livestream room, all kinds of voices come out.

He rarely looks at everyone's statements now, because the volume is really too much.

At 11:30 PM, Li Pengfei sent him a message, saying: I'll wait for you at the gate of your residential area at 8:30 tomorrow morning.

Lu Yan He replied with an OK.

Li Pengfei said again: Why are you still studying after going back? How late are you going to study?

Lu Yan He:? Are you watching my livestream?

Li Pengfei: That's for sure, I'm studying along with your livestream, I only sleep after you finish the livestream! I'm working very hard! Do you think I'm joking?!

Lu Yan He: Uh, what is your ID?

Li Pengfei: I won't tell you that, humph.

Li Pengfei: As far as I know, many people in the class have followed your livestream room.

Although Lu Yan He didn't hide it from everyone, being said by Li Pengfei, he suddenly felt a sense of shame inexplicably.

Don't know how it happened. ===== CHAPTER 133 =====