Chapter 141: Attack, Attack!!!

Yang Lin originally planned to invite Cheng Chen to dinner.

But Cheng Chen, seeing how difficult the crew's conditions were, politely declined.

This trip up the mountain included the director, actors, and crew members—only a little over twenty people total.

Getting down the mountain after wrap was no easy task, and they still had scenes to shoot the next afternoon.

So the crew simply stayed overnight in villagers' homes; those without rooms set up tents outside to camp.

For this group of film professionals who had traveled far and wide, these conditions weren't that harsh.

After all, Cheng Chen had once slept under bridges.

Under the bridge, a small blanket, tears smeared inside the blanket.

After wiping away tears, it didn't matter—he'd just nod and say yes, yes, yes to everyone.

After chatting with Cheng Chen for a while, Yang Lin exchanged a glance with Xiao Shuai.

Both of them unspokenly took their leave.

Anyone could see that Cheng Chen had come all the way here just to visit Gao Yuanyuan.

Otherwise, given their crew's circumstances, who would be worth Cheng Chen traveling thousands of miles from Jingcheng to suffer in this remote mountain valley?

After they left, only Gao Yuanyuan and Cheng Chen remained alone.

Gao Yuanyuan kept her head down; her once flowing long hair had been cut into a neat short style.

"Sis…"

Cheng Chen called out.

"Hmm?"

Gao Yuanyuan still didn't look up.

"Um… how are you doing here? I see the environment is still quite harsh."

Since Gao Yuanyuan didn't speak up, Cheng Chen found topics to talk about.

"Yeah, it's fine—just a few days up the mountain are tough."

"Actually, filming down in the town was pretty good too."

Gao Yuanyuan replied softly.

Seeing Gao Yuanyuan like this, Cheng Chen was deeply puzzled.

What's wrong with Big Beauty Yuan? It feels like there's much more distance between them now.

But the confusion in his heart lasted only a moment.

Cheng Chen walked straight behind her, wrapped his arms around her slender waist, and whispered in her ear:

"Sis, what's wrong? I've felt since last time that you've been deliberately avoiding me."

"I… little brother, you, you let go of me."

Gao Yuanyuan struggled lightly, especially upon hearing Cheng Chen say "since last time."

Her face turned as red as dripping blood.

"I won't let go. If you don't explain clearly, I'm not letting you go today."

Cheng Chen straight-up acted like a brat.

Gao Yuanyuan naturally had no way to resist him—especially when Cheng Chen spoke, his warm breath came in waves against her ears.

Her bones turned to jelly; she clenched her legs tightly, looking like she couldn't hold on any longer.

"I… I haven't been avoiding you."

Gao Yuanyuan spoke in a whisper, her face as crimson as blood, her whole body limp and leaning against Cheng Chen's chest.

"Still saying you haven't been avoiding me? You don't reply to my texts, hang up the phone after just a few words—what are you trying to do?"

For the last sentence, Cheng Chen leaned close to her ear and whispered.

"I…"

Gao Yuanyuan was about to cry—since their last exchange, this bastard behind her clearly remembered her sensitive spots.

That's why he was attacking her without restraint.

Seeing it was enough, Cheng Chen finally released Gao Yuanyuan, sat across from her, and said:

"Sis, this mountain feels nice—let's go outside and see the scenery, camp out, okay?"

Gao Yuanyuan's nose was sweating, her lips panting; she shot Cheng Chen a glare and said:

"It's pitch black outside—what's there to see?"

"You don't get it—it's called ambiance. Are you coming or not?"

"Fine, the crew actually left me a tent."

Gao Yuanyuan forced herself to stand up; Cheng Chen's earlier assault had truly left her with serious "internal injuries."

The two went outside; the mountain wind was biting cold. Gao Yuanyuan led Cheng Chen to the tent the crew had prepared for her.

This tent was built specially for Gao Yuanyuan—after all, it was winter, and she couldn't just stand outside waiting when she wasn't filming.

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Inside the tent was warm, with cotton quilts and down jackets fully provided,

More comfortable than staying in the villagers' homes.

After slipping into the tent, Cheng Chen suddenly pounced on her.

"Sis, I've missed you so much…"

Gao Yuanyuan blushed and nodded, her delicate face now flushed crimson.

"Mmm~"

As if hearing the signal to attack, Cheng Chen launched a fierce assault.

……

At dawn, the two lay side by side beneath a down comforter.

Outside the tent, the cold wind howled, occasionally causing the top of the tent to sway slightly.

Inside the tent, it was warm as spring, quiet and peaceful; Cheng Chen played with Gao Yuanyuan's short hair and said:

"Sis, I've wanted to come visit you on set for a long time."

"But after the concert ended, I got busy filming 'Immortal Sword,' then had to go rehearse for the Spring Festival Gala."

"Once all that was done, another movie was about to start shooting—there were just too many things."

"Mm, I know."

Gao Yuanyuan stared at the tent ceiling, listening to the man's voice beside her, feeling deeply at peace.

"Then why have you been avoiding me all this time? Don't say you haven't—I can feel it."

Cheng Chen said directly.

Gao Yuanyuan turned her head to look at him, sighed, and whispered:

"I just feel… like I've done something wrong. We shouldn't… shouldn't be like this."

"Shouldn't be how?"

Cheng Chen asked with a smile.

"You're asking for a beating!"

Gao Yuanyuan glared at him playfully.

Cheng Chen smiled at her.

They gazed at each other in silence for a long while before Gao Yuanyuan softly said:

"You, with your limitless future, will surely meet a better, more suitable girl someday, while I…"

Here, she let out a self-deprecating laugh.

Yet that smile carried mostly helplessness and loneliness.

"That day on stage, when you said those things in front of so many people, I was truly moved…"

"In short, being with me will bring you more criticism and abuse—it's not good for you…"

Gao Yuanyuan looked at Cheng Chen with clear eyes and spoke slowly.

Cheng Chen embraced her directly and said:

"Sis, don't you get tired thinking about all this stuff every day?"

"If every romantic relationship required so much calculation, who in the world would dare get married?"

But Gao Yuanyuan shook her head, fixing her gaze on Cheng Chen:

"I used to think that if two people truly liked each other, no matter how big the obstacle, they should just push through it."

"If they couldn't push through, it meant their love wasn't deep enough."

"But now I realize that idea was rather childish. The media all call me a love-struck fool."

"And there's some truth to it—I used to think liking someone was enough, and I didn't care about the slander."

"But now it's different… especially after meeting you."

This nearly direct confession made Cheng Chen's heart pound violently for no reason.

Until now, his interactions with Gao Yuanyuan had always been calm and quiet.

From their first meeting to this super-friendship they now shared.

Between them, it had flowed like a stream—gentle, smooth, everything unfolding as naturally as water finding its course.

They had simply been lost in love without realizing it.

"Sis, don't think so much anymore. It sounds like you're about to leave me any moment."

"You are who you are. Don't care about outside judgment—just be yourself."

Cheng Chen turned her body to face him, his gaze burning.

"You… not only grew up, but also became domineering."

Gao Yuanyuan lifted her eyes slightly and smiled.

"Of course. As your man, I reserve the right to be domineering over you!"

Cheng Chen said shamelessly.

"Mm, you're my little man."

Gao Yuanyuan nodded with a smile.

"Huh?"

Hearing that, Cheng Chen immediately bristled, annoyed:

"Just say 'man'—why add 'little'? Where am I small?!?!"

"You're just like a child throwing a tantrum…"

Cheng Chen: …

Soon, Cheng Chen proved with action that he wasn't a child.

…

The next day, before dawn broke, Cheng Chen slipped back to the room the production team had prepared for him.

After spending half a day on the mountain, Cheng Chen descended with the crew.

In town, Cheng Chen had planned to leave, but Yang Lin insisted on dragging him out for drinks.

This Director Yang was a man of passion, and his fondness for Cheng Chen wasn't just because of his title as Heavenly King of the music scene…

"Chengzi, I toast you—your line 'Chinese flow is the coolest' was totally badass! Korean flow? Pfft—Chinese flow is the coolest! Cheers!"

Yang Lin wasn't much of a drinker, but he loved alcohol.

Director Xiao Shuai, beside them, also lifted his cup and drank with a smile.

The three had drunk quite a bit; Yang Lin and Director Xiao Shuai were already swaying.

Cheng Chen sat there as if nothing had happened, legs spread wide and relaxed.

He carried the air of: "If you dare, keep drinking."

In truth, Cheng Chen had drunk so much with the two because he had a small plan in mind.

Yang Lin, as the producer of Xinmei Media, constantly dealt with directors and actors.

Xinmei's vast resources were precisely what Cheng Chen—or rather, Xinghuo Entertainment—needed most right now.

Producing a TV drama or film required many nodes to be connected.

At present, Xinghuo Entertainment relied solely on Cheng Chen; rapid growth was unrealistic.

He needed a springboard, a platform whose resources in the film and television industry could help Xinghuo quickly establish itself.

Xinmei was a suitable choice.

In truth, Xinmei wasn't a big company; even in the future, it was known mainly for films.

It had only three TV dramas with any fame: "Women's Spirit," "Zanjia Nashie Shi," and "Passion Will Never Burn Out."

Even those were filmed around 2020, and now it was 2004.

But this was exactly what Cheng Chen needed—he carried many outstanding TV drama scripts from the future.

If he leveraged Xinmei's strength, once Xinghuo entered the scene and produced these TV dramas,

just two or three classic TV dramas would free Cheng Chen and his Xinghuo from needing this "borrowing a hen to lay eggs" method to grow.

Originally, Cheng Chen had considered Zhouyi Film and Television in Qiong Province as his partner.

If you asked young people in film and television production about Zhouyi Film and Television, they likely wouldn't know it.

But mention the TV dramas it produced, and they'd be a collective memory for those born in the 80s and 90s.

Like "Love Across Time," which pioneered Chinese time-travel dramas.

Early Chinese sci-fi drama "Young King Weisi," and even a historical drama, "Li Wei Official."

And these works had excellent quality and reputation.

Their flagship series, "Water Moon Cave Heaven," was the reason anyone who remembered Zhouyi—or liked Zhouyi—did so.

Or rather, those who loved Zhouyi mostly did because of this series.

Unlike mainland teams now focused on serious dramas, Zhouyi Film and Television produced almost exclusively fantasy-themed idol dramas.

It was also one of the rare film and television companies centered around the Screenwriter, producing mostly original scripts.

But the more glorious its past, the more heartbreaking its fall.

There were many theories about its collapse: loss of resources, one bad investment that shattered the company, the boss and his wife divorcing, and so on.

In short, Zhouyi's decline had many causes, but a large part was because it destroyed itself…

Cheng Chen's "borrowing a hen to lay eggs" method wouldn't work with Zhouyi because Zhouyi was too famous.

Xinghuo was far too small beside it; Zhouyi could crush it effortlessly.

Hmm… if you didn't consider Xinghuo Entertainment's reputation, investing in a few Zhouyi TV dramas would actually be profitable.

Cheng Chen briefly explained his plan to collaborate with Xinmei Media.

Yang Lin immediately understood, his demeanor noticeably clearer, and said:

"A collaboration between the two companies is a good thing! Xinmei has also wanted to enter the TV drama field.

But first, TV dramas don't make as much money as films, and our group already has a full service system for films.

As for the TV drama line… we've made some arrangements, but far less comprehensively than for films."

Of course, this was just surface talk—really, they simply looked down on the money TV dramas made.

But now that Cheng Chen had brought it up, Yang Lin had to consider it.

If it was to cultivate goodwill with Cheng Chen, co-producing a few TV dramas wasn't out of the question.

After all, the group was only sharing resources with Cheng Chen superficially…

In reality, as long as a TV drama had a top-tier star or a flow star, people would watch it, achieving high ratings.

Once a drama had a ratings anchor—like Cheng Chen himself, a top-tier flow star—it would be guaranteed profit.

But the final product could only be sold to TV stations, earning broadcast fees for first, second, and third runs.

But films were different; many actors wanted to act in films.

A good film tested an actor's skill more rigorously—that was one reason.

Another reason was that films made more money than TV dramas.

The entertainment industry had this saying:

Top-tier stars do commercials.

Second-tier stars make films.

Third-tier stars do TV dramas.

To outsiders, this saying sounded ridiculous.

But it indeed proved the high profitability of films.

Many new actresses who had won awards for films, if they later returned to TV dramas,

who would question their acting?

Because in the entertainment industry, film acting was still held in high regard.

Clearly, the status of film art remained higher than TV drama in the entertainment industry.

Of course, investors primarily invested to make money.

If they could make a big profit, who would care which one they were investing in?

After receiving Yang Lin's affirmative answer, the great stone in Cheng Chen's heart finally fell to the ground.

Actually, the reason he chose to do this was, when it came down to it, that his own strength was still not enough.

Or rather, as a boss, his influence within the industry was still insufficient.

He hoped that after this collaboration, Spark could grow up sooner.

After finishing the wine, Cheng Chen rested another night at the crew's quarters, and the next day, after bidding farewell to Gao Yuanyuan, he returned to Hengdian…