Chapter 1716: Return

With the addition of Zhong Bai, Wang Yan's life did not change much.

It was nothing more than a change in person, while the things they did remained the same. Going out to eat at places further away, then being intimate and affectionate.

He followed the same routine with Li Shuci and Lin Luoxue; it did not disrupt his life arrangements in any way.

Instead, the three of them had to adjust and communicate among themselves...

Time flowed quietly like water; people were immersed in it, unaware of the passing of time. By the time they came to their senses, the water that had flowed out had accumulated into a large lake.

During the winter break, everyone still had to go to various places for internships as usual. They went to television stations, publishing houses, advertising agencies, and the like, while others took on freelance work, shooting portraits, weddings, and so on.

In short, the employment scope for photography is still very broad. They were all students from professional backgrounds, so their basic skills were up to par. As long as they were willing to set aside some pride, an individual could easily live a life free from worries about food and clothing.

However, the problem lay right there: the students from professional backgrounds didn't lack money at home. At the very least, their parents had pensions, so it was a case of "one person is full, the whole family is not hungry." Even if they went out to take on freelance work, it was just to have something to do to look the part.

When school started again, it would be the second semester of their junior year.

This was the last period of time for the students to stay in school for classes—less than half a year, or to be precise, four and a half months.

Although students inevitably lamented the passage of time at the start of every semester in the past, none of them felt it as strongly as this time. Because they were only a short four and a half months away from entering the workforce. Even if an internship wasn't a "proper" job, it ultimately meant they had left the university campus and begun to integrate into society.

This was an important transition in life identity and a crossroads for important choices on life's path.

It's just that many people didn't realize this, or rather, they realized it, but the powerful inertia of laziness still dragged them into continuing their comfortable existence.

Consequently, this most intense lamentation only lasted for a while at the start of the semester; afterwards, the students seemed to be the same as before.

But they also seemed a bit different; for instance, they all started attending various advanced training classes and had already begun looking for various internship opportunities in advance. But overall, they were still laughing and joking together.

It wasn't until June that they became visibly anxious one by one.

"Hey, Lao Wang, let's chat."

In the evening, in the dormitory building, Yu Hao called out to Wang Yan, who had just finished washing up.

So Wang Yan returned to the dorm to put down his basin and came back: "Let's chat."

"You have no sense of romance when you say it like that," Yu Hao pouted.

"Get lost," Wang Yan laughed and scolded.

Xiao Haiyang asked worriedly: "Lao Wang, what are your plans for afterwards?"

"Xiao Haiyang, you asked the wrong person. Our beloved boss doesn't live in the same world as us; asking him has no reference value at all," Bi Shisan said gloomily.

"Even if it has no reference value, can't I listen to the excitement, look up to him, and have a goal to strive for in the future?" Xiao Haiyang turned and said, "Lao Wang, give us a hint."

"Yeah, Lao Wang, I'm waiting for you to shoot a movie so I can go help you with the lighting. My lighting skills are pretty good now, you said so yourself," Yu Hao added, full of hope.

When there's a big shot among classmates, you have to cling to them when you can.

Wang Yan said: "I haven't reached a conclusion yet. I have written a script and am currently pulling in investment; I'll definitely look for you later. As for other arrangements, it's nothing more than shooting some documentaries. Besides, Douyin and Kuaishou are quite popular now, and the future is clearly the era of short videos.

I'm also thinking of shooting some short skits and managing my own account. I suggest you all try it too. If you happen to make it, you could live a wealthy life relying on these in the future.

It's hard to say for others, but Yu Hao, you're actually quite well-suited. You could totally share good products through short videos, especially those skincare products you use. If you do it well, you can make big money. You just have to be prepared to be scolded; after all, you're a bit effeminate, and you're doing this category, so scolding is inevitable.

But don't overthink it; I get scolded just as much managing my account. You have no idea how many people are scolding me on Weibo. So if you want to do this, you have to be prepared to be scolded.

You all are the same; as long as you output content, you can always attract people's attention. If people pay attention, you can make money. It's just a matter of how many people and how much you earn."

"That is truly enlightening!"

Bi Shisan was very supportive. "Then, dear boss, I wonder if I can manage my own account after I start working? Maybe even film some of our daily work and share it on short videos."

"Of course you can," Wang Yan said affirmatively. "Expand your money-making channels and get more exposure. You sharing our daily life also increases my exposure."

With the internship period arriving soon, Bi Shisan was too lazy to bother with anything else; he would just join Wang Yan's studio when the time came and continue working for Wang Yan.

Moreover, having spent more than two years together, Bi Shisan had also been working for Wang Yan for more than two years.

For the documentaries Wang Yan filmed, after becoming familiar with the work, Bi Shisan mostly took on the responsibilities of a producer, in charge of the entire team's operation. Wang Yan only took responsibility for the content, leaving all other work to Bi Shisan.

In this respect, Bi Shisan's resume was very impressive; he could make a living anywhere. However, how long he could keep that job was another matter, as with Bi Shisan's style, he could choke someone to death in two days...

Yu Hao nodded thoughtfully: "Don't say, Lao Wang, what you said really could work. I'll study it these few days and shoot a few videos to see."

"You have to be persistent, you have to keep outputting, you have to update every two or three days..."

Wang Yan gave a rough explanation of short video shooting, which could be considered selfless teaching.

Lu Qiaochuan sighed: "Then what can Haiyang and I shoot?"

"Film your day, film the excitement on set, or you can just post videos teaching people how to edit. In short, it's about being fresh."

"Lao Wang, we really envy you. You say we're both human, why is the gap so big?" Xiao Haiyang said powerlessly.

Bi Shisan interjected: "Your family conditions are all very good; you don't need to worry about things afterwards at all. You have plenty of time to think about what kind of person you want to become and what you want to do. I really don't understand what you are anxious about."

"Thirteen, can you please not disturb our anxiety? This is a kind of ambition, okay?"

"Whatever you say," Bi Shisan tilted his head.

Yu Hao turned and said cheekily: "Lao Wang, I feel like Zhong Bai is very close to you. How did you become good friends?"

"Maybe she finally saw my personal charm, saw that my character is solid, and thus reflected on herself."

Wang Yan directly shifted the target, as if he knew nothing. "Speaking of Zhong Bai, I just remembered, Haiyang, I feel like you haven't been chasing Zhong Bai much since school started?"

"You just noticed? But that's right, you don't spend much time at school, so you don't have the energy to pay attention to these things."

Yu Hao spoke first, gloating: "Actually, Haiyang was sentenced to death long ago. You don't know, Lao Wang, not long after we came back from Bu Village last year, Zhong Bai sent Haiyang a message, saying a lot of things. In short, it was that there was no possibility for them, telling Haiyang to find someone else early and not to continue wasting his feelings and time on her."

Xiao Haiyang nodded with a bitter smile: "Yeah, there's no hope at all. But this is also quite good; at least I don't have unrealistic thoughts anymore. It's a relief for both her and me."

"It's not that I'm saying this, Qiaochuan is here too, I'm not afraid of you telling Zhong Bai. Zhong Bai actually has a problem with this matter. It's been more than two years, right? If you take away the half year she was with Qiaochuan, there's still two years."

"Why did Zhong Bai only say it now? Isn't it something that could have been determined long ago whether she likes him or not? She had to keep Haiyang hanging on. If she had made it clear earlier, Haiyang wouldn't have been single for so long and would have found a girlfriend long ago. You guys don't know, although Haiyang is a bit rough, he still has pursuers."

Lu Qiaochuan nodded without saying much; it wasn't easy for him to speak on this matter. After all, she was also his ex-girlfriend.

And to be honest, he felt that his relationship with Zhong Bai had also faded quite a bit relatively speaking...

Wang Yan, however, said: "Yu Hao, why do you say everything? I remember you didn't say it like that before."

"Oh, times change. Before, Haiyang really liked Zhong Bai, but now there's no hope at all, so of course I have to keep up with the times and change my tune. Otherwise, if I keep talking about Zhong Bai, Haiyang would be very uncomfortable."

Xiao Haiyang gritted his teeth: "Thanks for your consideration and care."

"You're welcome," Yu Hao said with a grin, not caring at all.

In fact, everyone has a villain in their life, but many times they are lost in it, unaware of the inside story, not knowing who is the enemy, who is the friend, and who is the culprit affecting their life and happiness.

Just like Bi Shisan, Lu Qiaochuan, and Xiao Haiyang now, they don't know that the big demon king in their lives is exactly the Wang Mouren who is laughing and talking in front of them right now.

Wang Yan stole their love, made them lose the life experiences of joy and sorrow they should have had, and might even make them drop their jaws, doubt themselves, doubt life, and doubt the world after they know the truth.

That is the flower being beaten by rain and wind, beauty being ravaged, and they are powerless...

On the playground, Wang Yan was strolling with Lin Luoxue, Li Shuci, and Zhong Bai. Other classmates knew about Wang Mouren's glorious track record, so they just gossiped about it privately; some took secret photos, but there was no other trouble.

Even if it were posted on the internet, it wouldn't be a big deal. After all, Wang Yan was already a somewhat famous person in the film and television industry, and he was a rich man; it would be a problem if there were no women around him. Not to mention that his well-known official girlfriend, Li Shuci, was among them...

Zhong Bai walked slowly with her long white legs and sighed: "I feel very reluctant to leave now. We only started college not long ago, how come we have to leave school for internships in the blink of an eye?"

"Who says it isn't?" Lin Luoxue was also quite worried.

Perhaps she was thinking of her original intention when she applied for this school and this major. However, she didn't reap the results she wanted, but instead fell into the big pit that is Wang Yan.

"But it's also okay," she collected her mood, "at least... I can completely break away from my family."

"You say it as if I haven't done anything," Wang Yan had to declare his existence. "I haven't given you less money."

"Yes, I couldn't get this much even if I were a mistress. Thank you so much, Lao Wang. I love being a mistress the most~"

"Hypocritical!" Zhong Bai pouted in disgust.

"Do you have a say in this? Little Fourth?"

Zhong Bai was anxious but couldn't argue, so she punched Wang Yan in annoyance; after all, he was the culprit.

Li Shuci spoke up to ease the situation: "I also feel time passed very quickly; I'm not ready for work yet."

"Oh, Shuci, what preparation do you need for work? Just go do it. And you are also the boss's wife in Lao Wang's company, so there's even less need for preparation."

"No, I want to go to another company. Only in this way can I get training," Li Shuci looked at Wang Yan seriously and solemnly.

"I respect your choice. Go wherever you want, but there are many perverts outside, so be careful to protect yourself, and you must learn to refuse."

"Really? Is there anyone more perverted than you, this hooligan?" Zhong Bai seemed very surprised, then immediately changed the subject. "But I think Shuci is right. I didn't want to go to Lao Wang's company either. It was like that during my previous internship; I worked under someone else, was scolded and cursed at, and felt I improved very quickly."

"You're competitive," Lin Luoxue said considerately, smiling brightly. "Since that's the case, then from now on, it will be me and Lao Wang living in a two-person world. Oh my, it's been a long time since it was like this."

She was talking about the period when she was good friends with Wang Yan in her sophomore year. At that time, Li Shuci hadn't come yet, and she had always been living in a two-person world with Wang Yan.

Li Shuci glanced at her, pouted secretly, and said nothing.

Zhong Bai had even less to say.

Lin Luoxue raised her eyebrows triumphantly at Wang Yan; these two tied together were not her match.

There was a reason why the three could be so harmonious; Wang Yan also worked hard day and night, deeply studying the permutations and combinations of the three...

Recently, classmates were all in a state of anxiety, beginning to realize that their professional skills were still lacking compared to their grand goals, and that they were deficient in various aspects of themselves.

But on the other hand, this was the last period of time to stay in school, and the time everyone spent together was getting less and less. So while anxious, they seized the time to drink, brag, and play games together.

Just like that, after experiencing another party held for the freshmen, everyone's internship units were decided, and after another final exam, everyone finally understood that the days of separation were just these few days.

That night, the photography class organized a dinner, and the extra-curricular Ren Yifan also joined in. It was like that night when they first arrived as freshmen; everyone was drinking, and most of what they said started with "When I was a freshman," and many even cried.

And in the corner, two cameras were standing there, filming the joys, sorrows, and partings of these young people.

This was the long-term tracking documentary filmed by Wang Yan.

Goodbye, youth...

——

News of the "Living Father" always comes unexpectedly, arriving so punctually.

"《Tree of Life》 Duojie: Wait until success!"

?? Daily thanks to the good brothers who tip, vote for monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and read the book silently for their strong support! ===== CHAPTER 1717 =====