Chapter 46: Chi Ye Teaches You High Emotional Intelligence

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

After the Old Buddha walked out, Zhang Dao let out a sigh of relief, leaned in toward Chi Ye with a shifty look, and warned: "Don't blame me 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've had the fortune to hear... her family situation is incredibly complex. I can only say there's no hope for a live-in son-in-law, you should quit while you're ahead..."

"Hey, stop right there, you're drifting off-topic."

Chi Ye stopped him.

He didn't want to hear these things.

"Fine, with that attitude, I get it."

Zhang Dao chuckled.

Honestly, Zhang Dao is actually a very easy person to deal with.

Because he lacks the slickness of other old-timer directors in the industry; he even exudes a clear, pure temperament unique to a "college student."

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

Chi Ye quite enjoys dealing with him.

Firmly in control.

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

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

"Look at you, what's the rush? I really don't know what you're in such a hurry for. With your 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?"

Zhang Dao continued to ramble, but he didn't neglect the business at hand. He took the contract out of his bag and handed it to him: "I'm telling you, I had my 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.

Zhang Dao was speechless, eyeing Chi Ye: "This is the first time I've ever heard of someone proactively asking 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 procedures for accepting outside work had already been completed on the very first day he "blackmailed" Ge Shuang.

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

Now that the penalty was increased tenfold, he didn't believe Yuena 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 way, after confirming there were no issues, Chi Ye signed the contract readily.

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

With the matter settled, he stood up and called out: "Old Buddha, let's go!"

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

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

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?

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

"This, huh..."

Chi Ye glanced at the listless Old Buddha who had walked in, thought for a moment, and said: "Get her something good to eat, and I'll tell you."

Since Zhang Dao was so eager to let him "emperor," he would reluctantly "emperor" a little.

Besides, *Loop* was his first project as a male lead; it might become the key to his breakthrough in the future, so it really did need to be treated seriously.

"Alright! No problem!"

Zhang Dao 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 Old Buddha'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-side takeout shop outside, buy something with the most 'technological content' and the most additives... in short, fried food, barbecue, beer, it must be the trashiest and most harmful takeout. Oh, and add a cup of milk tea!"

Zhang Dao: "?"

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

Zhang Dao: "..."

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

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

"Go on."

Chi Ye urged, and took the opportunity to praise the Old Buddha: "I didn't expect you to be quite smart now, knowing how to control the portion."

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

Chi Ye: "..."

Zhang Dao received his "orders" and sent his assistant out to prepare the meal for the Old Buddha, while Chi Ye had already "started his lecture" here.

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

Since he had been a roast-video creator in his past life, and *Reset* was a minor hit 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.

Zhang Dao listened from the side, becoming more and more pleasantly surprised. By the end, the look he gave Chi Ye was gradually becoming strange.

—Last time, Chi Ye had only touched upon it lightly, playing a game of "teasing" with Zhang Dao, but now that things were settled, he was "sharing everything he knew."

Zhang Dao felt the weakness of his original script; he was frustrated yet excited, and also 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 great!"

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

Chi Ye finished his brief explanation. Zhang Dao slapped his thigh, pointed at Chi Ye, and said with a slightly probing, sarcastic tone: "Yuena is blind. You should be a screenwriter, buddy!"

Chi Ye: "?"

Sensing the suspicion in Zhang Dao's eyes and tone, Chi Ye said "righteously": "I actually do have an idea. Do you have a problem with that?"

Zhang Dao: "..."

"That's right."

The Old Buddha seemed not to be listening, but in fact, she heard every word. She glanced at Chi Ye secretly, a flash of suspicion crossing her peach-blossom eyes, but she still said, "putting down the bowl to curse the cook": "Teacher Chi is just talented, Teacher Chi is just excellent. Do you have a problem with that?!"

Zhang Dao: "..."

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

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

Zhang Dao stopped joking. He was a person who valued his work very much, and precisely because of this, he felt embarrassed to just "take" everything and use it.

That... would be too shameful.

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

"Ah, I have no objection."

Chi Ye was very frank: "Even if you didn't mention it, I would have asked for it."

Zhang Dao: "..."

Looking at the Old Buddha again, he thought to himself that the two of them were truly a match made in heaven!

Truly fucking "spoiled"!

"Um... I can give you the screenwriting credit." Zhang Dao thought carefully and suggested: "But if our company and the 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, how about that?"

Chi Ye: "..."

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

Zhang Dao: "?!"

He was furious: "Isn't all this for *Loop*?! Teacher... Chi, don't make things difficult for me. To get you the male lead role, I 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 to do it."

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

He was also a person who specialized in having no conscience; the two of them were actually birds of a feather.

The Old Buddha watched the two of them "colluding," and with a straight face, reminded: "Teacher Chi, don't smile like that."

"Hmm?" Chi Ye was surprised.

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

Chi Ye: "..."

Zhang Dao: I'm fucking speechless, dragging me over in the middle of the night to watch this?!

I'm just a lifelong single, am I wrong?!

I'm so innocent!

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

Chi Ye checked the time; it was almost eleven o'clock at night, and he still had to take the Old Buddha back to the cottage.

Besides, the Old Buddha had eaten just about enough... Of course, not finished, and he couldn't let the Old Buddha keep eating junk food like that.

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

"Don't worry, we'll start filming very soon."

Zhang Dao didn't realize what Chi Ye meant, and excitedly rubbed his hands like a fly: "With your 'joining' this time, my confidence in our drama has increased tenfold!"

Chi Ye asked curiously: "Were you not confident before?"

"No, before it was a hundredfold."

Chi Ye: "..."

With a dejected wave of his hand, Chi Ye left the club with the still slightly reluctant Old Buddha and hailed a ride-share car to arrive near the small house.

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

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

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 pulled a scarf out of his backpack.

Jin Xia looked at him, a smile blooming on her small face, humming and hawing, acting a bit proud.

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

Old Buddha: "?"

"Haha, I'm just teasing you."

Chi Ye chuckled, pulled out another scarf, and tied it around the Old Buddha's fair, swan-like neck.

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

"Are you relieved now?" Chi Ye put his backpack back on: "I just came out to sign a contract and discuss a script with someone."

"Hmm..." The Old Buddha nodded, her beautiful peach-blossom eyes darting toward Chi Ye, wanting to say something but stopping.

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

The Old Buddha looked left and right, lowered her voice, and asked curiously: "Teacher Chi, that thing called 'Loop', did you really come up with it yourself?"

Chi Ye: "?"

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

"Hmm..."

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

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

Truly excellent!

People outside don't even know Teacher Chi can write stories; her taste is just too good!

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

After all... anything or anyone the Old Buddha takes a fancy to must be the best!

"Alright, I'll just see you to here; I won't go in."

Chi Ye stopped, having reached the outside of the small courtyard.

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

"Hmm, I know."

Chi Ye nodded.

"Bye-bye."

"Goodbye."

The two waved, and Chi Ye watched Jin Xia walk into the small house until he saw the living room lights turn on and heard the faint voices of the production staff, only then did he turn and leave.

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

These flowers were planted by the Old Buddha when she first arrived at the small house.

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

So it hadn't been that long after all.

Thinking this, he reached the end and saw the taxi Keke had temporarily hailed.

There was no help for it... Yuenan had now stopped all his bookings and taken back everything.

There was indeed no car available at the moment.

"Brother Chi."

Keke 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's worked hard."

It was rare for Chi Ye to thank someone so sincerely.

Then the two didn't say much more, riding home together before discussing the next steps in the living room.

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

Keke's expression was grave, and the news she delivered was one chilling piece after another: "The company has now stopped all your bookings, and all endorsements and partners have dropped you... Also... Ge Shuang even accepted... many other 'bookings' for you today."

"Other bookings?"

As soon as Chi Ye heard Keke's tone, he knew they weren't good jobs.

"Yes." Keke took out a tablet: "It's just like before... um... probably even lower quality than the previous commercial appearances, including weddings and funerals... and selling an autobiography."

"Selling an autobiography?" Chi Ye was stunned: "When did I ever write an autobiography?!"

"It's fine, AI wrote it for you."

Keke pulled out an autobiography that had clearly been made not long ago, titled—"Chi Ye Teaches You High Emotional Intelligence."

Price: 1999 per copy.

Chi Ye: "?"

"Are they trying to kill me?"

Keke was silent, and only after a long while did she speak with a complex tone, carrying a bit of fear of the unknown: "Brother Chi, we have now been soft-banned by Yuenan."

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

"Oh?"

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

"Heh, idiot."

Chi Ye cursed, completely unaffected by Keke's mood: "...I won't be going to these bookings. Me teaching others high emotional intelligence? Wouldn't that just be pure revenge on society?"

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

Keke was startled, then nodded hurriedly: "Yes!"

"Has the lawyer greeted the other side?"

"The time was too short, but Lawyer Zhang said that no matter what the public opinion is online, 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."

"Huh?"

Keke was dazed: "Start? Start what?"

"Start going after Yuenan!"

Chi Ye rubbed his wrists: "If they won't give me a way to live, then nobody gets to live."