005

[System, how exactly did things turn out this way?]

Jiang Huali sat in the chess room, looking at the chessboard in front of her, feeling quite absurd, and couldn't help but ask a question.

She was just joking, but she didn't expect the other person to take it seriously.

The system is busy detecting anything amiss with Meng Zhiling. [Play with him a little longer; I haven't finished observing him yet.]

"..."

Jiang Huali wiped her face with her hand, recalling what had happened an hour and a half ago.

When Meng Zhiling heard Jiang Huali mention "Gomoku" (a board game), he paused for a moment, then realized what she meant and chuckled softly.

He replied, "I've never played Gomoku before, how about we try a game?"

Perhaps it was because Meng Zhiling's gaze and tone were too natural and gentle, as if the chess they had talked about from the beginning was actually Gomoku (Five in a Row), that Jiang Huali's embarrassment dissipated almost entirely in an instant.

So Jiang Huali came here.

She wasn't bragging; she really was a master of Gomoku. They played ten games in total, and Jiang Huali won every single one.

When the tenth round was over, Jiang Huali was too embarrassed to continue playing, but since the system hadn't finished its check yet, she made up an excuse that she was hungry.

So they moved from the chess room to a private room, and after losing ten games of Gomoku, Meng Zhiling invited her to dinner.

[System? How much longer?]

Jiang Huali called out in her mind.

It'll be ready soon, it should be ready after you finish dinner.

Jiang Huali shrugged slightly and decided to fill her stomach first.

During the meal, Meng Zhiling would talk to her from time to time. Jiang Huali rarely ate alone with others. Sometimes she ate with her family, but most of the time she was alone.

Jiang Huali was born into an ordinary family. Her parents favored sons over daughters, but they had a difficult pregnancy and only had one daughter.

Her father had a bad temper, and her mother often beat and scolded her. Her childhood was not smooth, and coupled with her somewhat gloomy personality, she was even less likable.

Only after she grew up did she accidentally discover that her parents were not her biological parents. She was switched at birth in the hospital and her parents were exchanged with another baby girl.

Because so much time has passed, no one knows whether it was intentional or accidental.

Her biological parents were financially well-off and treated their daughter very well. They later took her back. Although they were related by blood, nearly twenty years had passed. They were blood relatives, but they were more like strangers.

Even after returning to her biological family, Jiang Huali's petty squabbles continue to unfold.

She watched the world like an outsider, looking at her fake parents with whom she had lived for twenty years, and her blood relatives. All she felt was a sense of absurdity.

It was a very strange feeling, as if she was just a passerby in this world, and never belonged here.

Jiang Huali snapped out of her thoughts, poked at the steak on her plate with her fork, and chewed it slowly.

The system glanced at Jiang Huali's dinner and felt a little hungry. [Is it delicious?]

Jiang Huali replied, "Not bad."

The system suddenly felt that the Time and Space Bureau should install a feeding system for every system.

Dinner tasted good, but it was a bit too fancy.

Jiang Huali's gaze fell on the vibrant roses and fragrant red wine on the dining table, and she silently made a comment in her mind.

Meng Zhiling didn't touch the bottle of red wine, but instead ordered another drink for Jiang Huali, saying to her, "This should suit your taste better. My sister also likes this drink."

Jiang Huali raised an eyebrow, took a bite after hearing this, and found it to be very sweet with a strong citrus aroma, which perfectly balanced the greasiness of the main meal. It was indeed the kind of food that young people would like.

She replied, "It really does taste good. Your sister has a good palate."

"Mr. Meng has a younger sister?"

Meng Zhiling: "Yes, it's my cousin. She really likes these things. Speaking of which, she's a fan of the original novel 'Above the Clouds' and really likes the character Jue Li. She even asked me to go to the audition to check out the quality of the actors."

He chuckled softly: "You're perfect for this role; you might even have something in common."

Jiang Huali was somewhat surprised. No wonder Meng Zhiling came to the audition; he was probably there to fulfill his sister's request.

It seems they have a good relationship.

Dinner went fairly well, and just as Jiang Huali put down her cutlery, the system finally finished its check.

Jiang Huali looked up at Meng Zhiling and smiled, "It's getting late, I should go back."

After dinner, Meng Zhiling and she left the hotel together. After getting into the car, he instructed the driver to take her home first.

Back home, Jiang Huali asked the system, "How were the test results?"

"Hmm...it's nothing major, just a few things I'm unsure about. But don't worry, I'll submit feedback to the Time and Space Bureau, and someone will monitor it. It won't affect our mission."

The system said.

Jiang Huali nodded, not taking it to heart.

After washing up, Jiang Huali went to bed early and spent the next few days preparing for joining the film crew.

The official photos were released quickly, and the pairing of popular young actress Yun Xin and popular male star Gu Huayu attracted a lot of attention from netizens.

Meanwhile, Jiang Huali, a face who had disappeared from the entertainment industry for a year, inevitably attracted some attention.

Discussions about the character Jue Li quietly rose to the top on Weibo at this time.

Who is this actor who plays Jue Li? I don't think I've ever seen him before.

I think I vaguely remember playing Hua Qi in the drama "Qing Cang".

Didn't they say she got that role through connections?

[Yue Ke also said she wanted to play the role of Jue Li, but it was played by a newcomer. Is this another case of unspoken rules? How disgusting.]

Fans of the original novel are worried that the actress playing Jue Li might ruin the character.

...

There's been a lot of discussion online, mainly divided into four groups.

One type is the bystander, the one who's just watching the show.

One type is fans of the original work.

One type is Su Yueke's fans.

Another type is pure black powder from Jianghuali.

Jiang Huali watched with great interest, thinking, "I didn't know I had so many haters."

The system, lying on the sofa, replied upon hearing this: "There are indeed many."

The original owner had already experienced the full extent of the experience.

Her agent, Sister Li, also called and told her not to read the comments online, and even less to make any statements in defense.

"If you say anything inappropriate, it will only make you more embroiled in public opinion."

It's not hard to tell the truth, but even if you do, others may not believe it.

Just as one wave subsided, another arose.

After the photoshoot that day, Jiang Huali and Meng Zhiling were photographed by paparazzi while having dinner together at the hotel.

The photos show them entering the hotel and leaving after their meal.

Meng Zhiling's face was photographed in a blurry way, but Jiang Huali's face was incredibly clear.

It was quite obvious that she got into a luxury car.

Public opinion has once again shifted towards the "unspoken rules" aspect.

[I knew this minor celebrity got the role of Jue Li through shady means. According to insiders, the man in the audition photos was also present.]

How did you confirm that? What if it was Jiang Huali's own car?

[Is the person upstairs joking? I suggest they study archaeology. Jiang Huali dropped out of high school, and I heard her family isn't well-off. Where would she get a luxury car?]

[Seriously, doesn't the entertainment industry need some reform? What a terrible atmosphere these days!]

...

Looking at the public opinion on Weibo, Liu Yuan quickly had his people suppress the photos of his boss and Miss Jiang that had just been posted by marketing accounts.

However, it was still a little too late. The photos had already spread to a certain extent, and blindly suppressing the hype would only make the flames rise faster and more fiercely.

Meng Zhiling had just finished a meeting when he heard Liu Yuan's words. He frowned and immediately contacted the production team of "Above the Clouds".

At 8 p.m. that evening, the official Weibo account of the "Above the Clouds" production team posted a message.

The Weibo post contained a video of Jiang Huali's entire audition process, along with the caption:

The casting process for "Above the Clouds" ensured fairness and impartiality. This is not only a sign of respect for the original work and its fans, but also for the actors themselves. We encourage everyone to engage in rational discussion.

Jiang Huali's entertainment company also issued a statement, saying that it will send lawyer's letters to those who spread false rumors on the Internet and damage the artist's reputation, and pursue them to the end.

The audition video released by the production team of "Above the Clouds" shows that Jiang Huali's acting skills are indeed quite good. She brought the character of Jue Li to life and impressed the audience.

The online sentiment has quietly shifted, and some mindless trolls have disappeared.

Su Yue watched helplessly as the situation reversed, her eyes filled with disbelief, and in anger, she threw her phone away.

She spent a lot of money and effort to get someone to take photos, and even bought trending searches, but it was all just suppressed like that?

Jiang Huali had no idea how Su Yueke broke down in anger.

She was chatting with Meng Zhiling at that moment.

M: [I'm sorry, it was my oversight; I didn't consider everything thoroughly.]

A pear: [It's nothing, thank you for your help in resolving this matter so quickly and smoothly.]

[Cat expresses gratitude.jpg]

Meng Zhiling looked at the reply from the other side and couldn't help but chuckle.

M: You're welcome.

I will apologize to you next time we meet.

Next time we meet?

Jiang Huali thought for a moment and replied: 【Okay】