Don't let women drink alcohol.
The couple, who had been busy all night, both overslept the next day.
Chen Xiaojing sent a message to Zhou Chenjin: "You two were making such a racket this morning, I could hear it from my room."
"Come on, don't think I don't know how irregular the great writer's schedule has become since he stopped going to the Writers' Association office."
"Oh, by the way, I won't be having dinner with you guys tonight, I have a dinner engagement."
"What kind of dinner party? One in the industry? Are there any handsome guys? Introduce me to them." Zhou Chenjin was clearly still not used to being married. "Oh no, who's more handsome than my Hua Nian? Nobody."
Chen Xiaojing happily turned off her phone, walked into the Yuelai Hotel, showed her invitation, and was treated like a VIP as she was led up to the fifth floor.
"Director Qian, it's been a long time. I'm so glad this project was completed smoothly." She bumped into Qian Luchang as soon as she got off the elevator, offering her official congratulations. "I hope we can work together again sometime." The two shook hands, and he led her into the banquet hall.
It was just an ordinary banquet, attended only by members of the film crew. The staff wore ordinary and comfortable clothes, while the artists dressed up a bit nicely but not in a glamorous way.
Qian Lu led her forward to the front seats. "I won't introduce these guests; Ms. Shang Shui Luo Ying has met them all at the script reading session." He pulled out a seat for her. "Please sit down first, the banquet will begin shortly."
The male lead, Yu Yan, was sitting next to her. He stood up and bowed to her after she put down her bag, saying, "Teacher Chen, it's been a long time."
"There's no need to be so polite. We're all just cast and crew members."
"Please have a seat."
Chen Xiaojing didn't have anyone she knew well around her, so she started chatting with Yu Yan: "Is the filming going smoothly? I haven't been on set since then, so I'm not sure about the situation."
"Everything is fine." Yu Yan listened intently. "The work is sure to be a huge hit."
"Why is there a wound near your eye?" The lighting in the banquet hall was dim for the sake of atmosphere, so she couldn't see it clearly. "It seems that not everything is alright. The male lead was injured during filming, which is no small matter."
"It was just an accident with the wire harness; she's already had stitches at the hospital." Yu Yan seemed unconcerned. "Everything else is fine, Teacher Chen, don't worry."
Chen Xiaojing, being cautious, added, "If anything threatens your life, you can tell me. Don't keep it to yourself."
The banquet guests had mostly arrived. Qian Luchang moved to the stage and said a few words, mostly thanking everyone for their recent cooperation and hoping to meet again someday. Chen Xiaojing had no intention of listening to any of it.
Some cold dishes were served, and several kinds of wine and small bottles of beverages were placed in the middle of the table. Drinking is inevitable at dinner parties in the entertainment industry. Chen Xiaojing touched the hangover medicine that Zhang Renyin had given her before she came out, planning to take it when she had the chance later.
“If news of my death ever comes out, it will not be suicide, nor will it be some absurd accident,” Yu Yan suddenly said. “I will not allow myself to have an accident.”
Chen Xiaojing didn't understand, but could only go along with him and say, "It's good that you have this awareness. Your own life is always the most important thing."
On stage, Qian Luchang announced the start of the banquet, then immediately stepped down and sat opposite Chen Xiaojing. Yu Yan got up to help open the wine bottles, and Chen Xiaojing noticed that the seat for the female lead, Song Qing, was empty.
"What would you like to drink, screenwriter? I'll pour you some."
The producer next to me picked up a bottle of red wine: "It's from '82, a fine wine. Tonight, we must drink to our hearts' content with the screenwriter."
The corks had all been pulled out, and Chen Xiaojing could already smell the rich aroma of the liquor—just as she was about to hand over the wine glass in front of her, Yu Yan handed her a bottle of coconut juice.
"It's best not to let the lady drink alcohol."
Chen Xiaojing quickly waved her hand: "I can drink a little, it's fine."
Yu Yan leaned in close enough to whisper without being offensive and whispered in her ear, "Don't push yourself. They drink without restraint. I know what's good for them." Then she poured half a glass of red wine into her own glass and said, "Producer, I'll drink with you."
The wine glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound. Yu Yan's glass was slightly lower than the other's—Chen Xiaojing saw the smug smile on the producer's face.
She pulled the tab on the coconut juice can, and the aroma of coconut juice and milk mixed together cleared her mind amidst the smell of alcohol.
Qian Luchang took a small white wine glass and said, "Thank you all for your cooperation. I'd like to toast you all first." He tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.
Apart from Yu Yan, everyone at the table was a person in charge of different sections of the production crew, and each of them drank a full glass of wine, without exception.
When it came to Chen Xiaojing's turn, she didn't know whether to offer coconut juice instead or follow the others' example and drink a full glass. Before she could make a decision, Qian Luchang spoke up: "The screenwriter can't hold her liquor. I, Director Qian, will toast everyone on her behalf."
After he finished drinking, Chen Xiaojing gave a brief speech on behalf of the scriptwriting team: "It was a pleasure to work with everyone. It was a very pleasant experience. Thank you all for making such a wonderful performance possible."
There will be quite a few people to thank later.
As the hot dishes were slowly served, and amidst the clinking of glasses, some people inevitably became tipsy.
Just as the producer's hand was about to touch Chen Xiaojing's waist, she got up without hesitation, excused herself to go to the restroom, and left temporarily, not forgetting to take her small bag with her.
She hadn't drunk any alcohol and was very clear-headed; some of the bad habits in the entertainment industry shouldn't be tolerated.
"The screenwriter did a great job."
She often bumped into Qian Lu, who came to wash his face at the sink: "That producer is notorious in the industry for groping people. I thought he only dared to target actors, but I didn't expect him to be so bold."
Chen Xiaojing took out a hangover pill from her bag and handed it to him: "Your health is more important. Socializing isn't that important."
Qian Luchang looked at the pills in his hand: "They're very useful, thank you."
She shouldn't leave the table for too long. When Chen Xiaojing returned to her seat, the producer, who was probably too drunk, had already been helped away. Only then did she feel at ease and return to her seat.
"Hangover cure, your health is more important."
She placed another pill next to Yu Yan: "Drunkenness is bad for your health."
"Thanks."
After eating some more food, Chen Xiaojing said goodbye and left the banquet hall. As she walked out, her phone received a message: "How did it go? I'm coming to pick you up."
It was sent to her by Zhang Renyin.
"No need, I haven't been drinking. I can go back by myself."
The neon lights of the Yuelai Hotel still shone brightly, and Chen Xiaojing walked out of the gate alone, hailed a taxi, and left.
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