Chapter 16.1

Wen Tang was indeed startled by the suggestion to meet!

Just imagine, if she had to meet with Gong Yue while pretending to be an unknown actress…

……

The image was too embarrassing to contemplate!

Meeting was not something to rush into. Wen Tang thought hard of a sufficiently valid reason to decline his invitation.

The other side seemed to be okay with it, simply suggesting they arrange something next time.

It was now time for her usual bedtime.

As expected, he messaged her precisely at her bedtime: [Y: It’s ten o’clock.]

Wen Tang thought, “……”

Before she knew him, she couldn’t have imagined being so disregarded.

In any case, she was of no importance to him at the moment; sleeping was evidently more important!

……

Around one in the morning, Wen Tang was fast asleep when she was woken by her phone ringing.

In her groggy state, she answered the call without looking and then hung up, trying to continue her sleep.

The phone rang again. She considered turning it off but saw a familiar name on the screen.

— Lu Zhiling.

During their relationship, she had saved his WeChat contact under a nickname, but after their breakup, it had reverted to his real name.

Having just recorded a variety show with him, the phone kept ringing, and holding it in her hand, Wen Tang eventually answered the call.

Once connected, there was silence for a while, until Wen Tang finally called out his name: “…Lu Zhiling?”

Then came an uncontrollable, choking sound.

Wen Tang had never seen Lu Zhiling like this during their relationship. He was stubborn and proud, unwilling to show weakness to anyone.

“…Tang Tang, why did we break up?”

“Am I not good enough?”

“…I can change. Tang Tang, let’s not break up, okay?”

……

Lu Zhiling was incoherent on the other end of the line.

From his tone, Wen Tang could tell he was different from usual, probably drunk.

…Such situations weren’t new to her.

Her ex-boyfriends often tried to rekindle their relationships after a breakup, but for her, while she had genuinely liked them when she was in love, what was past was simply past.

Soon, Lu Zhiling’s assistant, who had been with him, confirmed Wen Tang’s guess.

“Sister Tang, I’m sorry. Brother Lu drank a bit too much today and dialed the wrong number! Please don’t take what he said seriously. I’ll take him back to the hotel right now!”

The assistant’s hurried voice came through the phone, and after a flurry of activity, the call ended.

The next morning, Wen Tang got up early to participate in the recording of “Forward Charge.”

Unlike “Happy Sunday,” which invited eight guests at once, this show only invited the male and female leads and the second male and female leads, making a total of four people.

Wen Tang had expected to see Gong Yue at the recording, and she had briefly imagined what would be appropriate to say when they met. However, upon arrival, she found that he wasn’t present.

Someone from the production team came to explain the process to Wen Tang. Noticing her distractedly looking around, they curiously asked, “Teacher Wen, what are you looking for?”

Wen Tang casually inquired, “The guest host Gong Yue, who will be joining my current drama soon, but I haven’t seen him here. Where is he?”

The production team member responded, “Oh, we heard he will be joining the drama soon. It turns out he will be working with you. He’s quite lucky.”

Lucky indeed?

In the industry, everyone knew Wen Tang was the queen of ratings; any drama she starred in was bound to be a hit!

With her talent and beauty, and the admiration for strong individuals, Wen Tang was very popular within the industry, both among artists and behind-the-scenes staff.

The staff member continued, “He didn’t come today.”

And explained, “Although he is our regular guest, being a newcomer, he has to make some sacrifices when necessary… You understand, Teacher Wen!”

She gestured toward the crowded area and winked, “Since Teacher Wen is here for this episode, everyone is eager to see you. Today, we have a special episode for the returning old members, so the new ones didn’t come.”

Wen Tang: “……”

So that’s how it is.

Such situations are very common in the entertainment industry. It’s all about backstage connections and seniority. If the meat isn’t swallowed, no one knows who will eventually get it.

Whoever is popular and has strong backstage support has the power to speak.

The little rookie from the eighteenth tier, despite being heavily promoted by the company, couldn’t escape being overshadowed by seniors!

Wen Tang actually enjoyed chatting with him on WeChat, but strangely, she didn’t have much obsession with meeting him in person.

After all, once he finishes filming the variety show, he will join the drama crew, and she’ll see him every day then.

However, being replaced probably didn’t make him feel good. Wen Tang thought she should play the role of a comforting friend and take the opportunity to offer some consolation.

The variety show filming lasted the entire day, and during the shooting, phones weren’t allowed. Sports variety shows are the most exhausting, especially since Wen Tang had a strong competitive spirit. By the end of the shoot, she was completely worn out.

Yet on the way back, she managed to get her phone from Ke Xin and sent a message to Gong Yue.

Talking a bit could be comforting when feeling down?

Instead of bringing up the sad topic of the show, she chatted about something he was interested in.

[ Candy: Senior Brother, I heard Jiang Qianya is also filming in Liuzhou recently. Did you know?]

[Candy: But it seems she left yesterday.]

[Candy: What a pity!]

Given the recent cold attitude from the other side, Wen Tang didn’t expect an immediate reply. Just as she was about to close her eyes to rest, a reply came instantly.

[Y: Do you want her autograph?]

Wen Tang’s spirits lifted immediately.

[Candy: Not just her autograph, but I also want a photo with her!]

Just kidding!

She hoped never to see that saintly white lotus again!

He replied nonchalantly.

[Y: There will always be opportunities.]

It seemed he was really in a bad mood, as his words lacked enthusiasm.

[Candy: Mmhm!]

Talking more about Jiang Qianya made Wen Tang feel uncomfortable too, so she changed the subject.

[Candy: Senior Brother, after filming “Forward Charge,” you’ll be joining the drama crew, right?]

There were many things to deal with. Zhou Jingyu, still working overtime in the office, paused when he saw Wen Tang’s message.

Before he could type even a single “yes,” another message popped up.

[ Candy: I’m so envious of you, Senior Brother. You’ve just debuted and already have a major role in “Hear Your Heart”!]

[Candy: Senior Brother is really amazing.]

If he had any doubts earlier, seeing the four characters “Hear Your Heart” made Zhou Jingyu completely sure that she mistook him for Gong Yue.