Chapter 46: Chi Ye Teaches You High Emotional Intelligence

"Buddy, tell me the truth, did you really provoke her?!"

Once the Lao Foye walked out, Director Zhang let out a sigh of relief, leaned in toward Chi Ye with a shifty look in his eyes, and warned: "Don't blame your big brother for not warning you, Jin Xia is not someone to be trifled with."

Chi Ye: "?"

"You don't know... everyone is guessing what her family does, but I... I was fortunate enough to hear... her family situation is extremely complicated. I can only say that even a live-in son-in-law has no hope. You'd better..."

"Hey, stop right there, you're drifting too far."

Chi Ye stopped him.

He didn't want to hear these things.

"Fine, with that attitude of yours, I understand."

Director Zhang chuckled.

Honestly, Director Zhang is actually quite easy to deal with.

Because he lacks the slickness of other old-timer directors in the circle; he even exudes a kind of pure temperament unique to "college students."

Most importantly, he is a bit of a literary youth—he cares deeply about and values his own work.

Chi Ye quite likes dealing with him.

Firmly in control.

"Where's the contract? Bring it out, let me see."

Chi Ye poured a cup of tea for Director Zhang and urged him.

"Look at you, what's the rush? I really don't know what you have to be so anxious about. With those resources, even if you can't be a live-in son-in-law, if you coax her a bit more, wouldn't she give you good resources?"

Director Zhang continued to ramble, but he didn't neglect the main business. He took the contract out of his bag and handed it over: "I'm telling you, I had a lawyer revise this several times. If you're still not satisfied, then I'm out of options."

"The penalty for breach of contract has been increased tenfold, right?"

Chi Ye flipped through the contract to confirm.

Director Zhang was speechless, eyeing Chi Ye: "This is the first time I've heard of someone proactively requesting to increase the breach penalty tenfold..."

He gave a thumbs up: "You're the one, for real!"

Although he couldn't understand Chi Ye's move, he was deeply shocked.

Chi Ye didn't say much, just smiled.

The procedural steps for Yue Na to accept outside dramas had already been completed on the first day he "blackmailed" Ge Shuang.

And the company didn't know that he had already hooked up with Director Zhang.

Now that the penalty was increased tenfold, he didn't believe Yue Na would pay such an astronomical price just because of him.

Even if they really had to pay... then they'd just go to court; the contract was signed, after all.

Thinking this, Chi Ye confirmed there were no issues and signed the contract readily.

"Alright, that's it for now. Notify me when filming starts."

With the matter settled, he stood up and shouted: "Lao Foye, let's go!"

"Hey, hey, don't go yet!"

Director Zhang was anxious: "You haven't finished talking about the *Loop* script... um... the stories you told me last time, you haven't finished them!"

The reason he agreed so readily this time, and even helped Chi Ye lobby the top brass at Hanxing Entertainment, sparing no effort to use his privileges, wasn't it all for his own work?

Now that the contract was signed, you'd better keep "perfecting" it!

"That thing..."

Chi Ye glanced at the listless Lao Foye who had walked in, thought for a moment, and said: "Order her something delicious, and I'll tell you."

Since Director Zhang was so thirsty for him to be the lead, he would reluctantly be the lead then.

Besides, *Loop* was his first male lead role, and in the future, it might become the key to breaking the ice; it really needed to be treated seriously.

"Alright! No problem!"

Director Zhang was overjoyed upon hearing this and hurriedly called the waiter: "Bring me the best... the healthiest food you have here. Remember, it must be the best and healthiest. I know your boss, don't try to fool me!"

Waiter: "..."

Chi Ye: "..."

The Lao Foye's already listless little face became even more dejected.

"Don't." Chi Ye waved his hand directly: "We aren't eating the food here."

"Have your assistant go to a street food stall outside and buy something with the highest 'technological content,' the most additives... in short, fried food, barbecue, and beer. It must be the most junk and harmful takeout. Oh, and add a cup of milk tea!"

Director Zhang: "?"

The Lao Foye's eyes lit up. She thought for a moment and added coquettishly: "Don't get too much, I'm afraid of sending myself away!"

Director Zhang: "..."

He was already dizzy, thinking he was having auditory hallucinations.

Was this young lady's taste so heavy now?!

"Go quickly."

Chi Ye urged, taking the opportunity to praise the Lao Foye: "I didn't expect you to be quite smart now, knowing how to control the dosage."

Jin Xia glanced at Chi Ye with her peach-blossom eyes and grumbled: "Teacher Chi, I've always been smart, okay!"

Chi Ye: "..."

Director Zhang received the "instructions" and had his assistant go out to prepare the meal for the Lao Foye. Chi Ye had already "started lecturing" here.

To be honest, he really put his heart into *Loop*.

Since he had been a roast-commentary UP host in his past life, and *Beginning* was a small hit drama in recent years, he still remembered the plot roughly.

So, as he spoke, it was logical and orderly, and the plot lines were sorted out very well.

Director Zhang became more and more pleasantly surprised as he listened. Later on, the look he gave Chi Ye gradually became strange.

—Last time, Chi Ye had only touched upon it lightly, playing a game of "teasing" with Director Zhang, but this time, with the matter settled, he was "teaching everything he knew."

Director Zhang felt the weakness of his original script; he was frustrated, excited, and a bit suspicious.

Yes, he was very surprised now—how could Chi Ye understand these things!

This beautiful piece of trash who lives off women... has this kind of talent?

"You... you... this perfection of yours is good!"

Half an hour later, the takeout arrived. The Lao Foye gorged herself, her peach-blossom eyes glancing over here from time to time, then she continued to sneakily stuff food into her mouth.

Chi Ye finished his brief explanation. Director Zhang slapped his thigh, pointed at Chi Ye, and said with a bit of tentative sarcasm: "Yue Na is blind. You should be a screenwriter, buddy!"

Chi Ye: "?"

Sensing the suspicion in Director Zhang's eyes and tone, Chi Ye said "righteously": "I actually do have an idea. Do you have an opinion?"

Director Zhang: "..."

"That's right."

The Lao Foye seemed not to be listening, but in fact, she heard every word. She gave Chi Ye a secret glance, a flash of suspicion in her peach-blossom eyes, but she still "put down the bowl and cursed the mother" with her mouth: "Teacher Chi is just talented, Teacher Chi is just excellent. Do you have an opinion?!"

Director Zhang: "..."

He didn't dare to have one, absolutely didn't dare.

"Um... that... this story of yours is too perfect. To be honest, I really have to give you a screenwriting credit."

Director Zhang stopped joking. He was a person who valued his work very much, and precisely because of this, he was embarrassed to just "take" his own things and use them.

That... would be too shameful.

If it got out, it would be a disgrace to the men of Jingcheng!

"Ah, I have no opinion."

Chi Ye was very frank: "If you didn't bring it up, I would have asked for it anyway."

Director Zhang: "..."

Looking at the Lao Foye again, he thought to himself that the two of them were indeed a match made in heaven!

Truly "arrogant and spoiled" as hell!

"Um... I can give you the screenwriting credit." Director Zhang thought carefully and made a suggestion: "But if our company and investors see it, they will definitely have thoughts... How about this, you use a pen name, help me trick the money out of the financiers and investors first, is that okay?"

Chi Ye: "..."

He looked Director Zhang up and down and commented: "You're not a good person either."

Director Zhang: "?!"

He was furious: "Isn't this all for *Loop*?! Teacher... Chi, don't make things difficult for me. To let you play the male lead, I've almost sold my soul to the financiers, and you're still criticizing me?!"

"... Alright, alright, my fault, I shouldn't have said that. Then let's do it that way. As long as you can trick... get the investment, I'm very happy."

Chi Ye also knew in his heart how explosive his reputation in the circle was.

He was also a master of having no conscience; the two of them were actually birds of a feather.

The Lao Foye looked at the two of them "colluding," and with a straight face, she warned: "Teacher Chi, don't laugh like that."

"Hmm?" Chi Ye was surprised.

"It doesn't look good, it doesn't match your face."

Chi Ye: "..."

Director Zhang: I'm just f***ing speechless, I was dragged here in the middle of the night to watch this?!

I'm just single from birth, is that my fault?!

How innocent am I!

"Alright, let's leave it at that. See you when filming starts."

Chi Ye checked the time; it was almost 11:00 PM, and he still had to send the Lao Foye back to the cottage.

And the Lao Foye had eaten enough... of course, not finished, and he couldn't let the Lao Foye keep eating junk food like this.

After precisely controlling the amount, he stood up and said goodbye to Director Zhang: "I hope you'll still be this happy when the time comes."

"Don't worry, filming will start very soon."

Director Zhang didn't realize the meaning behind Chi Ye's words and rubbed his hands like a fly in excitement: "With your 'joining' this time, my confidence in our drama has increased tenfold!"

Chi Ye was curious: "Did you have no confidence before?"

"No, before it was a hundredfold."

Chi Ye: "..."

Waving his hand dejectedly, Chi Ye took the still slightly reluctant Lao Foye and left the clubhouse, hailed a ride-share car, and arrived near the cottage.

It was hard to drive into the small alley at night, so the two got out and walked toward the cottage.

Walking in the cold night wind, the stars were sparse, flickering faintly.

Jin Xia followed by Chi Ye's side, wrapping her thin clothes tightly around herself.

"If you can't stand the cold, wear more next time."

Chi Ye glanced at her and took a scarf out of his backpack.

Jin Xia looked at him, a smile appearing on her small face, grumbling, a bit spoiled and arrogant.

Chi Ye tied it around his own neck and rubbed his hands: "It's really cold."

Lao Foye: "?"

"Haha, just teasing you."

Chi Ye laughed, took out another scarf, and tied it around the Lao Foye's fair, swan-like neck.

The Lao Foye glanced at this scarf, which was clearly a "commoner brand," and surprisingly didn't make a fuss.

"You can rest assured now, right?" Chi Ye put his bag back on: "I just came out to sign a contract and discuss a script with someone."

"Hmm..." The Lao Foye nodded, her beautiful peach-blossom eyes darting at Chi Ye, wanting to say something but stopping.

Chi Ye was puzzled: "What's wrong?"

The Lao Foye looked left and right, lowered her voice, and asked curiously: "Teacher Chi, is that *Loop* thing really something you thought of yourself?"

Chi Ye: "?"

"So you didn't believe me just now either?"

"Hmm..."

Jin Xia carefully examined Chi Ye's expression, a flash of doubt in her eyes, but seeing Chi Ye's calm demeanor, she became satisfied again and grumbled: "Of course I believe you!"

Hmm, as expected of the person she took a fancy to!

Really very excellent!

People outside don't know that Teacher Chi can also write stories; her taste is really too good!

Chi Ye glanced at Jin Xia and knew what the young girl was thinking.

After all... as long as it's something/someone the Lao Foye takes a fancy to, it must be the best!

"Alright, I'll just send you here, I won't go in."

Chi Ye stopped; they had reached the outside of the small courtyard.

Jin Xia turned around, her watery eyes staring at Chi Ye, and she said coquettishly: "Teacher Chi, you must come back quickly, you still owe me a 'date'!"

"Hmm, got it."

Chi Ye nodded.

"Bye-bye."

"See you."

The two waved, and Chi Ye watched Jin Xia walk into the cottage until he saw the lights in the living room turn on and heard the faint voices of the production staff before turning to leave.

On the way, walking on the muddy path outside the courtyard, he suddenly caught sight of the flowers in the yard that hadn't withered yet.

These flowers were planted by the Lao Foye when she first arrived at the cottage.

He had originally thought they should have withered long ago and been cleared away.

It hadn't been long after all.

Thinking this, he walked to the end and saw the taxi Ke Ke had temporarily hailed.

No choice... Yue Na had now stopped all his announcements and taken back everything.

There was indeed no car available at the moment.

"Brother Chi."

Ke Ke got out of the car to help Chi Ye with his luggage, saying: "You've worked hard."

"What hard work for me? You're the one who worked hard."

It was rare for Chi Ye to sincerely thank someone.

Then the two didn't say much more, rode the car all the way home, and only then began to discuss the next steps in the living room.

"The situation is even more serious than we imagined."

Ke Ke's face was serious, and the news she delivered was one more chilling than the next: "The company has now stopped all your announcements, and all endorsements and partners have been pushed away... Also... Ge Shuang even accepted... many other 'announcements' for you today."

"Other announcements?"

As soon as Chi Ye heard Ke Ke's tone, he knew it wasn't any good work.

"Hmm." Ke Ke took out her tablet: "It's just like before... um... it should be even worse quality than the previous commercial appearances, including weddings and funerals... and selling an autobiography."

"Selling an autobiography?" Chi Ye was stunned: "When have I ever written an autobiography?!"

"It's fine, AI helped you write it."

Ke Ke took out an autobiography that was clearly just finished, titled—"Chi Ye Teaches You High Emotional Intelligence."

Price: 1999 per copy.

Chi Ye: "?"

"Are they trying to kill me?"

Ke Ke was silent for a long time before her tone became complex, carrying a bit of fear of the unknown: "Brother Chi, we have now been soft-banned by Yue Na."

"From this morning until now, Ge Shuang hasn't made a single phone call... not a single message, just updated a Weibo post on a burner account."

"Oh?"

Chi Ye was surprised, clicked on Weibo to take a look, and saw the latest Weibo post on Ge Shuang's unverified private burner account: "Your life is over."

"Heh, idiot."

Chi Ye cursed, completely unaffected by Ke Ke's emotions: "... I won't go to these announcements. I teach others high emotional intelligence? Isn't that purely taking revenge on society?"

He turned to ask her: "Have you prepared the things I asked you to?"

Ke Ke was startled and hurriedly nodded: "Ready!"

"Did the lawyer greet the other party?"

"The time was too short, but Lawyer Zhang said that no matter what the online public opinion is, it won't affect her preparation work."

"Good."

Chi Ye nodded and drank the water in his cup: "Then don't just sit around, let's start."

"Ah?"

Ke Ke was confused: "Start? Start what?"

"Start f***ing Yue Na!"

Chi Ye rubbed his wrists: "They won't give me a way to live, then let's all not live."