Chapter 404: The Unknown

Jing Zeyang was rambling on, and before he could finish, the phone started ringing again with a "ding-a-ling."

Wang Qi Zhi was stunned: A phone number he just changed?

He took it out to look, and it was actually Ji Wangshu calling.

The call connected, and Ji Wangshu was exceptionally suspicious: "Wang Qi Zhi, what did Lin Sicheng do? The leaders of the Publicity Department have even called me..." Wang Qi Zhi was stunned and gasped; the Publicity Department his wife mentioned was the Publicity Department of the State Administration of Radio and Television.

It wasn't that it had nothing to do with the arts, but compared to culture and education, there were several Seat Mountains in between...

He gave a rough explanation, and Ji Wangshu listened as if it were a myth.

After being excited for a while, Ji Wangshu suddenly remembered: "Does Anning know yet?"

Wang Qi Zhi looked strange: "What does that have to do with her?"

"How could it not? The song and dance troupe has nothing else in abundance, but it has plenty of actresses, and every single one of them is beautiful."

Wang Qi Zhi let out a "pssh," and just as he was about to say something, he remembered the two young women who had bowed to him earlier.

In the moment he was stunned, Ji Wangshu said she was going to call Ye Anning, and then hung up.

Not even three seconds later, the phone rang again.

He glanced at it, and Wang Qi Zhi didn't know what to say: The Principal?

When he first arrived in Xijing, this was the number he used; he hadn't expected that after three years, the old Principal would still have it saved.

He sighed, answered it, and spoke for a long while. After hanging up, Wang Qi Zhi bared his teeth and grimaced, looking as if he were constipated.

He didn't know if it was as exaggerated as Jing Zeyang said, but just looking at this momentum: Lin Sicheng was still in Beijing, yet the personal connections of the Beijing Dance Academy and the song and dance troupe had already reached Xijing?

It was fortunate that Lin Sicheng had foresight.

Wang Qi Zhi sighed and changed his shoes at the entryway.

Jing Zeyang followed closely behind: "Wang Sanshu, are you going to find Cousin Lin?"

Wang Qi Zhi shook his head: How could he still have time to find Lin Sicheng?

"I'm going to the Cultural Relics Research Institute!"

This time, the collaborative project between the school and the Cultural Relics Research Institute was led by Deputy Director Deng of the Cultural Relics and Museology College, and he was fully responsible for all matters in Beijing. Quietly and without a sound, Lin Sicheng had caused such a big stir; he definitely had to report it to Deputy Director Deng.

Wang Qi Zhi grabbed his coat: "If you want to find Lin Sicheng, go yourself!"

Jing Zeyang's eyes lit up: "I can go?"

Wang Qi Zhi let out a "ha": "Lin Sicheng isn't a wanted criminal; why wouldn't you be able to go?"

Taking a step back, even if the connections reached the State Council, as long as Lin Sicheng wasn't willing, no one could force him.

Of course, since they still had to cooperate later, it wouldn't be good to make things too stiff, so they should avoid it if they could.

Jing Zeyang understood in a second.

Only now did he understand: Why did Lin Sicheng leave so suddenly and in such a hurry yesterday?

Let alone meeting Dean Yan or Lan Laotaitai, he didn't even dare to eat a thank-you banquet?

Looking at the situation today, he knew: If he had left even a little later yesterday, let alone returning to Xijing, he probably wouldn't have even been able to get out the door of the Dongfang Building... Jing Zeyang patted his chest: "Don't worry, Sanshu, I won't tell anyone who asks!"

Isn't that obvious?

If it weren't for Lin Sicheng, you would have been kicked out of the song and dance troupe immediately.

Not to mention repaying the favor, you couldn't return kindness with enmity, right?

With these thoughts, the two went downstairs. When they reached the garage, Wang Qi Zhi was about to get in the car, but Jing Zeyang blocked the door with a sheepish smile: "Sanshu, if Sister Anning asks, you must help me explain!"

At first, Wang Qi Zhi was still wondering: Jing Zeyang hadn't done anything to Lin Sicheng, so what was there to explain to Ye Anning?

But seeing Jing Zeyang's eyes darting around and his guilty expression, Wang Qi Zhi suddenly realized: So that's why this dog was doubling back—he was afraid of being reported to Ye Anning?

Wang Qi Zhi glared: "Didn't you say Lin Sicheng and those two girls were fine?"

Jing Zeyang looked miserable: "They're fine, but only Cousin Lin is fine."

Looking at the attitude of those two women, this matter was definitely not over, unless Lin Sicheng never came to Beijing again.

In the future, if even the slightest rumor spread and reached Ye Anning's ears, he would lose a layer of skin even if he didn't die.

Wang Qi Zhi didn't really care: "You're worrying for nothing!"

Lin Sicheng wasn't that casual, and Ye Anning wasn't that narrow-minded.

"Let's go..."

Watching Wang Qi Zhi get in the car and drive away, Jing Zeyang sighed.

As the saying goes, different professions are like different mountains; Wang Sanshu hadn't realized what a National Social Science Fund Project meant for a state-owned art troupe like the song and dance troupe: it might not be the last, but it was certainly the first.

Wang Sanshu didn't even know what participating in a National Level major art research project meant for two ordinary dancers. He didn't know what Yu Jingsi and Yang Lin were thinking, but if he put himself in their shoes, if it were Jing Zeyang: not to mention the level of participation, even if it were just to be a prop, or even just to brush against the edges, he would be willing to work like a horse or an ox.

Of course, it might be that his own psychology was too dark and he thought of people too sordidly, but how did that saying go: never test human nature... After hesitating for a long while, Jing Zeyang got into the Alphard.

It was a new car the troupe bought before the eleventh, which had only been used to pick up leaders twice, and now it was assigned to him.

But Jing Zeyang estimated that Lin Sicheng wouldn't need it.

After about half an hour, Jing Zeyang arrived at Sanyuan Bridge. To the west of the road was the Oriental International Building, and to the east was a row of Embassies: the United States, France, Germany, Japan, India, and Malaysia.

Therefore, there were a ton of hotels in this area, like the Hilton, Marriott, Kempinski, and Ritz-Carlton. The troupe leaders knew Lin Sicheng might be staying nearby, but they didn't know which one.

Actually, they were staying at the Hanting Hotel across from the song and dance troupe, separated only by a road; Lan Laotaitai could see the hotel's main entrance just by pulling back the curtains. He deliberately parked the car in the alley behind, changed his coat, put on a hat, and then circled to the front. Entering the lobby, just as he dialed Fang Jin's number, he was suddenly stunned.

"Always want to confess to you, how heroic my mood is. Always want to pour my heart out to you, how much I love life..."

"Walking into the New Era"—the song was so old it was crumbling, and it rang out less than ten meters away from him.

He looked closely: Fang Jin was leaning on the front desk as if renewing the room fee, and beside him were a man and two women—who else could it be but Lin Sicheng?

"Cousin Lin!"

At first glance, Lin Sicheng almost didn't recognize him: baseball cap, stand-up collar cotton jacket, the brim pulled extremely low; he didn't look like a good person at all. Seeing Jing Zeyang acting sneakily, Lin Sicheng paused deliberately and stared behind him.

Jing Zeyang was startled, thinking someone from his unit had seen him and followed him.

Turning around to look, it was empty, and only then did he realize Lin Sicheng was joking with him.

He patted his chest: "Cousin Lin, don't scare me..."

"Just teasing you..."

One look at his attire and it was clear he had snuck over. Lin Sicheng looked amused: "Brother Jing, didn't your Group Leader Cheng and Editor-in-Chief Liu ask you to find me?" How could they not have asked?

It was already eleven o'clock last night when they dragged him from his home, then told him to find a way to contact Lin Sicheng.

But by that time, Lin Sicheng had long since turned off his phone. Jing Zeyang put on a show, contacting Jing Suxin and then Qin Ruozhi, fussing about until one o'clock.

He slept at the troupe that night, and before six o'clock in the morning, the Section Chief of the Logistics Section called him up, assigned him an Alphard, and loaded it with local specialties prepared for Lin Sicheng.

Before eight o'clock, they arrived at Wang Qi Zhi's home, and they had to wait until nearly nine o'clock before they could go upstairs...

Jing Zeyang described it vividly, recounting everything he heard from Wang Qi Zhi—who among the troupe leaders had entrusted whom to contact Wang Qi Zhi, and even the fact that they had contacted the school.

Lin Sicheng was not surprised at all: one's position determines one's perspective.

Yan Zhidong and Editor-in-Chief Lan could basically understand why he would give up an award already in his grasp and run off halfway through translating *The Six-One*.

Because it takes time, it takes a process for all sides to react, so that the influence can spread to the maximum.

But the leaders wouldn't think that way: since it can be nominated for an award and a project can be established, why not finish it in one go?

For state-controlled cultural and artistic enterprises, National Level art research awards have extremely high value. The troupe leaders would certainly try every possible way, racking their brains to push it forward.

To be honest, after a whole night, Lin Sicheng was still quite surprised that they hadn't harassed his family yet, and had only contacted the school.

But it was useless; they wouldn't even be able to get past the school...

"That's good then!" Jing Zeyang let out half a sigh of relief, "Then Cousin Lin, when are you leaving, tomorrow?"

"Not that fast, probably another two to three days!" Lin Sicheng calculated, "I'll stroll around Qianmen in the morning, Panjiayuan in the afternoon, the Forbidden City tomorrow, and then go to Liulichang to look around the day after."

Jing Zeyang was startled: "Cousin Lin, at a time like this, you still dare to wander around?"

"What's there to be afraid of? Even if I run into them, can they kidnap me back?" Lin Sicheng smiled, "It's not easy to come to Beijing, so I have to see the Forbidden City no matter what. I study archaeology and work in Cultural Relics Protection, so of course I have to go and experience the local customs of the world's largest antique market." You've already grown tired of strolling through Panjiayuan and Liulichang, and you've even been ripped off several times.

It's not like you haven't been to the Forbidden City before?

Lin Sicheng had been there, and Fang Jin had been there too.

Jing Zeyang looked at Li Zhen and Xiao Yuzhu: these two hadn't been there.

Looking at it this way, Lin Sicheng was quite considerate of his subordinates.

"That's perfect, I drove here!"

Lin Sicheng said half-jokingly: "Brother Jing, you dare to go too? If your leaders find out that you were clearly with me but hid it without saying anything, won't you be in hot water?"

"Pah~ what am I afraid of?" Jing Zeyang didn't care at all, "With you here, would they dare to fire me?"

That was true.

Not to mention future cooperation, just look at yesterday's dance: as long as it could win some kind of award, the Song and Dance Troupe would have to rate Jing Zeyang as an advanced worker... Lin Sicheng nodded: "Good, saves the trouble of taking a taxi!"

Just as they were speaking, Fang Jin finished the procedures, and the five of them left the hotel.

It was a coincidence; just at that moment, Shen Xiaomeng drove the Accord and parked at the entrance of the Dongfang Building.

The two girls got out of the car and were about to enter the lobby when Yu Jingsi suddenly paused, staring blankly at the opposite side.

Yang Lin didn't notice, walking inside with her head down; it wasn't until she passed through the revolving door that she realized Yu Jingsi hadn't followed.

Turning her head back, she saw Yu Jingsi twisting her neck, staring across the road.

"What are you dazed for, let's go?"

Yu Jingsi acted as if she hadn't heard, not moving an inch.

Yang Lin walked back, looked in the direction of Yu Jingsi's gaze, and her eyes widened with a "whoosh."

Isn't that Lin Sicheng?

His assistant Fang Jin, and the two girls who helped yesterday were also there. Even Jing Zeyang was there?

Look at the sign at the entrance: Hanting Hotel?

So, Lin Sicheng was staying right across from the building?

Yang Lin's face was full of joy, her hand already raised, and the words "Teacher Lin" were already at the tip of her tongue, but Yu Jingsi covered her mouth: "Yang Lin, don't shout!"

Yang Lin broke free: "Why?"

"Are you stupid?" Yu Jingsi gestured with her chin toward the upper floors, "If Teacher Lin wanted to see the leaders, he wouldn't have left so hurriedly yesterday..." Yang Lin was stunned, then realized: Why did Lin Sicheng turn off his phone?

Because he didn't want to see the troupe leaders.

Jing Zeyang clearly knew where Lin Sicheng was staying, so why didn't he say anything?

Because Lin Sicheng would be angry...

She nodded fiercely, a lingering fear washing over her: Shen Xiaomeng probably didn't see, and even if she did, she wouldn't say anything.

But there were still security guards at the building entrance...

The two looked at each other, entered the door without a word, and then watched Lin Sicheng across the road through the glass.

Across the way, Jing Zeyang followed Lin Sicheng, chattering away: "This morning, the leader had me go to Third Uncle's house to deliver some local specialties for you; there was quite a lot of stuff... Oh right, Yu Jingsi and Yang Lin went too, and they even bowed to Wang Sanshu."

"Brother Jing, please help me say thank you!"

There was no need to thank the leader, and Jing Zeyang couldn't reach them anyway, so Lin Sicheng was only referring to Yu Jingsi and Yang Lin.

Glancing back, seeing Li Zhen and Xiao Yuzhu following at the very end, Jing Zeyang lowered his voice: "I have a feeling those two women aren't quite right..." Lin Sicheng was stunned, his expression strange.

"No... Cousin Lin, don't disbelieve me!"

Lin Sicheng certainly didn't believe it.

He shook his head: "Brother Jing, that's not possible!"

How could it not be possible?

If it were him, he would absolutely use every ounce of his strength...

"Cousin Lin, you might not know: after the meeting yesterday, when the leaders saw the materials you left behind, they were so excited."

This is a National Level art research award; if the leaders are like this, let alone the actors?

Those celebrities who take the initiative to crawl into a director's bed—it's not just one or two of them, is it?

But Lin Sicheng still shook his head: "Rest assured!"

Those two girls have very upright values, and they are also very smart: precisely because they know the opportunity is rare, they are all the more cautious. They know even better that they don't need to do anything; as long as they can maintain the status quo, that is the best choice.

Jing Zeyang looked hesitant: "It's my fault for not making it clear... Cousin Lin: what I meant was, even if we replaced these two, there are still others..." No... who said I wanted to replace anyone?

Huh, that's not right... is he hinting at me?

Watching Jing Zeyang's eyeballs darting around, Lin Sicheng couldn't help but laugh: just how much of a deterrent force does Ye Anning have, that she can scare you like this from over a thousand kilometers away?

I reckon it's not just Ye Anning he's afraid of, but her mom and dad too: because if anything were to happen, they would definitely be the first to take it out on Jing Zeyang...

"Brother Jing, it's a groundless matter, don't scare yourself!" He sighed: "There's no need to replace anyone; Yu Jingsi and Yang Lin are quite good: their professional quality is solid, and their ability to grasp things is strong enough..."

Cousin Lin, you're doing this on purpose, right? Who was talking about professional ability?

Jing Zeyang was about to say something else, but then he froze: Lin Sicheng was waving at the other side of the road, and even smiling?

Damn, who did he run into?

Jing Zeyang was startled into a shiver and instinctively turned his head: in the lobby, Yu Jingsi and Yang Lin were behind the glass, baring their big front teeth and grinning foolishly at Lin Sicheng...