Chapter 355

"Sister Ziyan, you don't want me to treat all those things that happened before as if they never happened and shake hands and make peace with them, right?" Lu Yan He asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

Chen Ziyan glared at him in frustration. "Do you look down on me, or do you look down on yourself? If I wanted you to do that, would I have waited until now?"

Lu Yan He was even more confused.

"Then you tell me these—"

"I'm just analyzing for you clearly what the biggest knot between you and Beijing TV is right now, and then we can make plans for what comes next."

"Hmm, what does that mean?" Lu Yan He asked.

This was completely beyond his range of understanding.

Chen Ziyan asked, "Does Beijing TV only have Station Chief Li as a vice station chief? Above him, isn't there a higher-level station chief?"

Chen Ziyan's words made Lu Yan He feel like he understood a little, but also felt like he didn't quite understand.

"When someone in a behemoth takes action against you, you can have two ways of responding. The first is to make enemies with all of them, and the second is to turn the enemy's opponent into a friend, and then, make him an enemy." After Chen Ziyan finished speaking, she spread her hands and looked Lu Yan He in the eye. "I think you might really want to wait for an official apology from Beijing TV, but I'll tell you the truth: you won't wait for it in this lifetime."

"I also know it's impossible to wait for an official apology from them."

"But you also can't act as if nothing happened before and shake hands and make peace with them directly," Chen Ziyan said. "Even if you were a coward, I wouldn't let you do that."

"I'm not that cowardly."

Chen Ziyan smiled. "So I said, at this time, even if you didn't come to me, I would come to you. Now it's time for us to play our cards."

"Why now? What cards to play?"

"First, because *Seventeen Layers* airs next month, and you are the male lead. No matter what, this show can't bypass you. At other times, they could leave this card game, but now they must accept your cards. Second, what cards to play depends on what you want to win. Do you want to take money out of their pockets, or do you want to send them something they want into their pockets?"

Lu Yan He felt he vaguely understood something.

That night.

Jiang Lan got out of the car.

A gray-pink professional suit made her look shrewd and capable.

The secretary in the car asked, "Station Chief Jiang, do you need me to go in with you?"

Jiang Lan was stunned for a moment. Obviously, she hadn't considered this question before.

After thinking for only a second, she said, "No need, you can go back and rest first."

Tonight's meeting was arranged by Chen Ziyan.

Jiang Lan didn't understand her intentions either, and came in a hurry.

As soon as she entered the room, Jiang Lan noticed that Lu Yan He was also there.

Before, every time Jiang Lan wanted to invite Lu Yan He out for a meal, she was blocked by Chen Ziyan. As time went on, Jiang Lan hadn't seen him for a long time.

In the last two days, Lu Yan He had become the most discussed person in the entire entertainment industry by relying on the live-streaming night of *Idol Era*, especially by single-handedly producing a stage like *Green Apple Paradise*, breaking the circle and brushing through everyone's social network.

This made the staff inside Beijing TV feel very complicated.

No one wants to go against someone who is in the prime of their life—going against such a person is just looking for trouble for oneself.

To outsiders, Beijing TV is a behemoth.

But to the people inside Beijing TV, they are also human, with their own job positions and their own task requirements.

And as long as you work in this industry, everything revolves around the needs of the audience.

If the audience likes Lu Yan He and wants to see Lu Yan He, then they must try every means to grasp Lu Yan He appearing here.

Jiang Lan is now doing the promotion for *Seventeen Layers*, but because of the relationship between Beijing TV and Lu Yan He, there are some constraints, and many plans are difficult to implement.

It's not that Lu Yan He is not cooperating, but based on their current situation, Beijing TV is also afraid that Lu Yan He will say something unfriendly to Beijing TV again, and then this situation will be even uglier.

Therefore, Lu Yan He's promotion regarding *Seventeen Layers* is all some prescribed actions required by the contract, and it does not reflect how close the relationship with Beijing TV is, including some supporting promotional arrangements Beijing TV made for this show, Lu Yan He appeared very little, far less than other actors.

Simply put, there hasn't been a "breaking the ice" big move.

Chen Ziyan welcomed Jiang Lan in with a smile, sat down, and said, "Station Chief Jiang, please sit."

Jiang Lan didn't sit, but walked to Lu Yan He, grabbed his shoulders with both hands with a face full of surprise, and said, "Yan He, we haven't seen each other for a while. This time, you really brought us an earth-shattering surprise on *Idol Era*."

Lu Yan He: "You flatter me."

"That's not true," Jiang Lan said. "Our show *Seventeen Layers* is about to air. Your final exams should be over, right? I especially want to ask if you can give us more time to do some promotion for this show."

Lu Yan He looked at Chen Ziyan and laughed. "Station Chief Jiang, Sister Ziyan brought us here today just to talk about this. We thought of the same thing."

Jiang Lan showed a look of surprise.

This was an answer she hadn't expected.

"Let the *Seventeen Layers* crew go to the graduation gala and appear on the same frame as the *Friends* crew?" Jiang Lan looked at them with some surprise, not reacting for a moment.

Chen Ziyan nodded. "Yes,?"

Lu Yan He nodded and said, "Also, both shows are aired on Beijing TV, and both are starred by me. Two highly anticipated crews on the same stage will definitely create a big topic, right? That's what I think."

Six hours ago, Chen Ziyan said to Lu Yan He: "If you only take Station Chief Li as an enemy, then Station Chief Jiang is someone you can win over. When your spearhead is no longer aimed at Beijing TV, but at Station Chief Li inside Beijing TV, then Beijing TV changes from your opposite side to your battlefield."

Lu Yan He asked: "Then what should I do?"

"Why does Beijing TV want to let Chen Zi join the *Friends* reunion at the graduation gala? Because they don't want to see the first reunion of the six of you from the first season being convened by you, and it has nothing to do with Beijing TV. So, they stuffed Chen Zi, who joined in the second season, in to create an effect on the surface: that the actor change between the first and second seasons is normal, and this reunion is not your credit alone. *Friends* is not up to you."

After Chen Ziyan finished analyzing, she pointed directly to the solution she gave: "Then the choice of Chen Zi joining the reunion is one we don't consider at all. Not to mention the second season issue, just this person has had public conflicts with you. So, let's come up with an alternative plan to let Beijing TV achieve their goals. *Seventeen Layers* is about to air. Let Beijing TV arrange for the main actors of *Seventeen Layers* to appear on the same stage as the *Friends* crew. It can promote *Seventeen Layers*, and both shows are produced by Beijing TV. Compared to a Chen Zi, the high-level officials of Beijing TV know which is lighter and which is heavier. So, can they really resist not taking this card we played?"

She smiled again. "And in this way, not only do we avoid the contradiction of facing the *Friends* sequel directly, but we also actively extended an olive branch to Beijing TV. *Seventeen Layers* is Station Chief Jiang's project."

Chen Ziyan sighed softly, looked at Jiang Lan, and said, "We actually know that the unpleasantness between us before was mainly Station Chief Li's problem. Standing from Yan He's perspective, you can definitely understand. So many people spoke for him, he must give an attitude. But you know, Yan He's personality is always kind to others. We cooperated on the *Seventeen Layers* project so happily, right?"

Jiang Lan smiled knowingly and said, "That's right, why let one person's problem affect all of us?"

She picked up the teacup and said, "Come, let's clink."

Lu Yan He and Chen Ziyan raised their cups.

"I have always told people in our station that it is very normal for Yan He to be angry. Who wouldn't be angry if such a thing happened to them?" Jiang Lan sighed. "However, you must also understand our difficulties. Units like ours have such problems. Even if one person causes the problem, it ultimately represents Beijing TV. Some things cannot give you a black-and-white explanation on the surface, we can only say that we can compensate in other places."

"Some things, compensation is meaningless. After all, it wasn't you who created the problem, right? If the person who really created the problem comes to compensate us, how would we accept it? If we accepted it, it would seem like we didn't care about the things he did." Chen Ziyan said. "One thing at a time. Yan He has always told me that when he was filming *Seventeen Layers*, you always took good care of him. If others bully Yan He to the point of bullying him, and we forgive him just by making a gesture of compensation, speaking of it, returning evil with good, how to repay good?"

Lu Yan He picked up the cup and toasted Jiang Lan: "Station Chief Jiang, no matter what, the process of filming *Seventeen Layers* was so happy because of your care. I toast you."

Before coming, Chen Ziyan gave Lu Yan He a second piece of advice. "The attitude must be clear. People who cannot be forgiven, no matter what, are not forgiven. This is not a matter of forgiving or not. We are in this position, it's not so easy to let go. This is a stance, it cannot be thrown away casually."

"However, one thing at a time. Letting Jiang Lan know our meaning is also borrowing her mouth to express our meaning to the high-level officials of Beijing TV." Chen Ziyan said. "I don't believe the high-level officials of Beijing TV are a monolithic block. That guy surnamed Li caused so many messes, at least Jiang Lan must be annoyed by him. Let's start from Jiang Lan, blow the wind first, and then slowly break them one by one."

"Don't force people who could have been our comrades into our enemies."

This dinner was enjoyed by both guests and hosts.

Before leaving, Jiang Lan said: "I will coordinate the matter of *Seventeen Layers* going to the graduation gala. You are right, fat water doesn't flow into outsiders' fields. Why let some people who became monks halfway get the fisherman's profit for such a good thing?"

Chen Ziyan personally sent Jiang Lan to the car.

Lu Yan He only sent her to the door, and then waited in the room for Chen Ziyan to return.

About ten minutes later, Chen Ziyan returned and gave him a look that said it was done.

"Okay, our first card has been played, let's see how Beijing TV receives the card." Chen Ziyan smiled.

Lu Yan He let out a long breath and said, "Sister Ziyan, I learned a lot from you today."

Chen Ziyan smiled.

"However, why didn't you tell me when I first broke up with them?"

"First, when you just broke up with Beijing TV, you had to set an attitude. Otherwise, if you were weak from the beginning and took the disadvantage, they would only intensify in the future, thinking that these practices didn't make you turn your face, so they would do it even worse."

"Second, the timing was wrong. Only by leaving them out in the cold, and then throwing out such a signal at this time, will they cherish it."

Lu Yan He suddenly realized, looking at Chen Ziyan in surprise.

The look of admiration in his eyes became even stronger.

Chen Ziyan patted his shoulder. "Don't worship your sister too much, your sister has long been a legend."

Lu Yan He: "... Sister Ziyan, this is not your style, why did you suddenly become Li Zhibai-fied."

Chen Ziyan laughed.

Not two days later, Chen Zi suddenly received a notification from his agent Yan Wei that he didn't need to participate in the graduation gala activity.

He was full of doubts and asked: "Why don't I need to participate? Are Lu Yan He and the others not going on stage?"

Yan Wei sighed and said: "Beijing TV decided to let the main actors of *Seventeen Layers* appear on the same stage as *Friends* to help promote *Seventeen Layers*. Promoting the sequel of *Friends* at this time would steal the limelight from *Seventeen Layers*, so they removed you."

Chen Zi heard this, incredulous, and furious: "Stealing the limelight? What nonsense is this."

"Anyway, the news I received from Beijing TV is like this," Yan Wei said. "We can't say anything now. Beijing TV has already spent a lot of effort to let us act in the sequel of *Friends*. At this time, it is not easy for me to negotiate with them about this matter."

Chen Zi asked: "Brother Yan, do you think this matter was pushed by Lu Yan He behind the scenes?"

Yan Wei: "Even if it was pushed by Lu Yan He, it is normal. He didn't reach an agreement with Beijing TV on the sequel of *Friends* in the first place. It is normal that he doesn't want you to participate in the reunion of *Friends*. It would be abnormal if he was willing."

"Didn't they say at the time that Beijing TV would absolutely not allow the six of them to appear together privately?"

"There is a master behind the scenes making moves," Yan Wei sighed.

Jiang Lan only took three days to settle the matter of the main actors of *Seventeen Layers* appearing on the same stage with the main actors of *Friends*.

Just as Chen Ziyan said, as long as Beijing TV is not made to feel that Lu Yan He's behavior is provoking them, or has such suspicion, Beijing TV will not refuse Lu Yan He in the current situation.

And at the same time as this matter was settled, Jiang Lan threw a new olive branch to Lu Yan He.

"I don't have time to take on new projects now, right?" Lu Yan He said to Chen Ziyan.

He didn't expect Jiang Lan to send a new project to Lu Yan He again.

Chen Ziyan said: "No need to take it, this is just a gesture, representing that Beijing TV has taken the initiative to send you a script again. We just need to cooperate with the performance."

Just as Chen Ziyan said, within a day, many marketing accounts began to blow the wind, saying that after the *Friends* turmoil, Beijing TV still hopes to continue the cooperative relationship with Lu Yan He. Station Chief Jiang Lan, who became acquainted with Lu Yan He because of *Seventeen Layers*, personally negotiated with Lu Yan He and his agent several times, and finally had a new intention of cooperation.

Chen Ziyan attended a commercial event at this time and accepted an interview with the media on the spot. Talking about the cooperative relationship between Lu Yan He and Beijing TV, she said with a smile: "We have always had a good cooperative relationship with Beijing TV. If we really broke up as many people said, we wouldn't have cooperated with the promotion of *Seventeen Layers* in an orderly manner before. Didn't Yan He just sing the theme song of *Seventeen Layers* on *Idol Era* not long ago?"

The reporter was disappointed and asked: "Then Yan He's firm attitude to quit *Friends* before, is this going to break his promise?"

"Who said it was going to break the promise?" Chen Ziyan asked back.

"Didn't you just say that your cooperative relationship with Beijing TV has always been good?"

"Our cooperative relationship with Beijing TV has always been good because there are station leaders like Station Chief Jiang Lan who have responsibility and cherish talented young people, but *Friends* is not Station Chief Jiang's project." Chen Ziyan smiled. "We are very willing to continue the beautiful cooperation with Beijing TV, but some people, once bitten by a snake, are afraid of the well rope for ten years. If the fate is gone, it is gone."

The media reporters were shocked by Chen Ziyan's answer that almost named names.

Just then, a set of photos flowed out.

Lu Yan He was led by Station Chief Jiang Lan and came out of a clubhouse near Beijing TV with Beijing TV Station Chief Shen Tailin, talking and laughing.

In every gesture, Lu Yan He expressed his respect for Shen Tailin.

Shen Tailin also patted Lu Yan He's shoulder in a friendly manner.

Insiders knew at a glance that this must have been arranged in advance, it was a staged photo, otherwise, the movements could not be so clear, and that angle was carefully designed.

But regardless of whether it was staged, after this series of news came out, everyone understood one thing: Lu Yan He and Beijing TV had reached a reconciliation.

Then, on the night of the graduation gala, host Peng Zhixing was responsible for controlling the scene. The main actors of the *Friends* and *Seventeen Layers* crews took turns on stage, singing, playing games, and answering the host's questions, which was very lively, giving them a full half-hour duration.

Lu Yan He held the microphone and said: "*Friends* is a very beautiful crew. I promised at the beginning that our *Friends* would definitely reunite in another form and appear on the same frame again. Fortunately, I fulfilled this promise and didn't let everyone wait too long. I also promise everyone again that this will definitely not be our last time on the same frame. *Friends* is *Friends*."

That night, as Lu Yan He said these words, another piece of gossip was also spread out.

Beijing TV intends to hand over *Friends* to Jiang Lan to be responsible for.

Some media posted: "Chen Zi joining the *Friends* sequel has new changes! Lu Yan He may return to *Friends*?!"

For a time, all kinds of news were flying all over the sky.

There were countless media coming to Lu Yan He and Chen Ziyan for verification.

Chen Ziyan responded to the media: "Yan He has already said that he will not participate in the sequel of *Friends* again, but he is very happy to see that this show seems to be coming into the hands of a leader who is more suitable to operate it."

"Our focus now is *Seventeen Layers*. Everyone, please help promote *Seventeen Layers*. Thank you!"