Chapter 123
The movie "First Love" was officially released on July 3. There was no big promotion and the release date was also very casual. There was no official release date announcement. Just a week before the release, Chen Zhiyi posted a release date announcement on his personal Weibo.
On an ordinary day, I met you, which began a lifelong bond between us.
The hashtag #FirstLove is set to premiere on July 3rd.
Fans were very confused. After all, it was her first film as a director, and the script was based on her own love story. Both of these points were big names and topics with high traffic. As long as the promotion was done well, even with the film market downturn due to the pandemic, it could still be a hit.
How could they be so hasty, without any publicity whatsoever?
But upon closer examination of this announcement on Weibo, hidden information was discovered between the lines.
It turns out that July 3rd was not only the movie's release date, but also the date the two first met.
Releasing the film on such a memorable date is already the best form of publicity!
The release date of a movie is very important, as it has a significant impact on box office performance. Therefore, when many movies are being filmed, the distributors start by consulting fortune tellers to choose the most suitable date.
But being suitable doesn't necessarily mean having a topic of conversation. These days, having a topic of conversation is what creates a story and attracts people.
So this release date was perfectly chosen!
Of course, the movie itself is also excellent.
It's less of a movie and more like a youthful diary, recording the story of a couple from their first meeting to their growing understanding, love, and commitment to each other.
There are no melodramatic love triangles, no accidental breakups, and none of the affected sentimentality found in youth angst literature.
From taking off school uniforms to wearing wedding dresses, from ordinary people to meeting at the peak, the story is simple and realistic, a breath of fresh air in the genre of youth films.
Many of the lines in the film are heartwarming yet powerful, leaving a lasting impression.
My love for you lasts from the moment I decide to love you until the last second of my life.
A good partner will always be there for your future, because they have already included you in their life plan; your future is their future.
I thank you for your kindness to me, but I am even more grateful to myself for finding someone who is a wonderful person in themselves.
I don't ask for much in life. I want to do what I love, and through it, I can earn a decent salary that allows me to meet our basic needs while also creating romance in our lives. Three meals a day, falling asleep in my arms every night, and waking you up with a kiss the moment the sunlight streams in.
If you feel tired, remember to turn around; I'll be right behind you.
There's no need to worry about who walks in front or behind, because our hands are always tightly clasped.
...
It is touching and sincere, a microcosm of the love between ordinary couples, and also the fantasies that couples hope for but cannot realize, which resonates with the audience.
Everyone exclaimed that the 9.9 yuan ticket was a great deal, and the box office has been soaring since its release. Experts even predicted that it would set a new box office record for youth films and attract a new number of viewers.
The media asked Chen Zhiyi if the story was indeed based on his own love story.
Chen Zhiyi did not deny it, after all, the text at the end proved it all.
This film is dedicated to my newlywed wife, my first love, the one I love most. This is my grandest declaration of love for you.
But Chen Zhiyi also said that it was a pity that he was not as lucky as the male and female protagonists. Their love did not have many separations and reunions. But he also felt that he was luckier than them because his lover and he had experienced too many separations, which made him cherish each other even more.
Well, now we've been fed a good dose of romance in the movie, and then unexpectedly fed another dose in real life.
Lin Ting also went to see it, and it was as if everything that had happened in the past was going through her mind all over again.
There was both touching and regrettable.
Yunshang's business is booming, with new orders every day. They are not enough staff, so they have added a few more experienced tailors and custom measurement service staff.
In addition, she collaborated with major magazines, borrowing clothes from Yunshang for several consecutive covers, and her reputation grew stronger and stronger.
Lin Ting is very content. Now her belly is gradually showing, and the staff in the store all know about it. However, everyone knows the rules and keeps their mouths zipped up to keep it a secret.
Fortunately, she usually wears loose clothing, so the customers who come into the store don't notice.
Ever since the staff at the store found out she was pregnant, she has become the store's national treasure. Everyone takes turns accompanying Lin Ting out for walks, not letting her sit for long periods of time, and watching over her to make sure she rests. She has to go to the rest room for a nap at noon, and even if she can't fall asleep, she has to close her eyes.
The experienced chefs would occasionally cook nutritious meals for Lin Ting. In their eyes, Chen Zhiyi didn't seem like someone who could cook, and even if he did, it would probably be unpalatable or lacking in nutrition.
Lin Ting thought that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover. She was doing quite well. Every time the family doctor came for a prenatal checkup, he praised the baby's development and the mother's complexion. It was all thanks to the father, who took good care of her.
Indeed, Lin Ting looked even fairer and more delicate after becoming pregnant, with a delicate pinkish hue, just like a fresh, juicy peach standing on a branch after a summer rain, dripping with raindrops.
Every night when Lin Ting sleeps next to Chen Zhiyi, he pinches her rosy cheeks. In addition, she has a new shoulder-length bob, and sometimes Chen Zhiyi wonders if he has a different wife. How come she is pregnant and her body is shrinking?
Song Xiaolei is in love, and Lin Ting noticed. She's over thirty, yet she's not reserved at all; she acts like a young girl when she's in love, always smiling like a lovesick fool. At first, Lin Ting didn't care. In her mind, Song Xiaolei's relationships were like changing clothes—they wouldn't last long, always just physical attraction, not emotional commitment. She figured it would probably end in a while.
But this time it was noticeably different. She seemed to be paying attention. I even saw Song Xiaolei, who never lifted a finger in the kitchen, secretly watching cooking videos. Moreover, she would often disappear during lunchtime and after work, and she even refused the tickets to entertainment industry events that Chen Zhiyi had given her.
If someone who used to love flowers suddenly changes their ways, it can only mean that they've picked a flower that can outshine all the others.
It was when Lin Ting found the theater ticket that had fallen out of Song Xiaolei's pocket and accidentally saw her chat box with Han Ming that she discovered the secret.
Lin Ting didn't say anything, even best friends have to know their boundaries.
She hoped the two of them would stay together until the end. She could tell that Song Xiaolei was truly in love this time, and Han Ming wasn't someone who liked to play around or take relationships lightly.
As for why the two haven't gone public, perhaps they have their own concerns. They are both adults, and the expression of love should be more subtle and steady. Love that is easily spoken is less likely to last.
Qin Wei has won several consecutive LEGO League matches, attracting increasing attention. Besides his lightning-fast hand speed, his striking good looks also draw attention. With thick eyebrows, big eyes, fair skin, and a slightly shy smile, he appears well-behaved and adorable, making him very popular with fans.
When he was helping out at Yunshang, he was recognized by fans who surrounded him and asked for his autograph. Later, everyone found out that Qin Wei was Lin Ting's younger brother and the boss of Yunshang.
When the small business owner was in the shop, the number of customers increased dramatically, even more than when Chen Zhiyi was there.
Chen Zhiyi never expected that his brother-in-law would steal the title of "Yunshang," once a top star in the entertainment industry and a young film emperor.
Lin Ting couldn't help but retort, "You yourself said those glories are in the past, don't you understand?"
Chen Zhiyi: "..."
Seeing more and more people like Qin Wei and see him pursuing his life's value in the field he loves, everyone is very gratified. This is so rare for an autistic child, and it takes so much effort.
Of course, one person wasn't happy. Xiaoyuan got angry every time she saw fans surrounding Qin Wei in the store. Please, this is a business, not a place for you to chase after celebrities. But since they were guests, she couldn't turn them away.
Every time the fans left, Xiaoyuan would glare fiercely at Qin Wei.
Qin Wei lowered his head and quickly built a small toy out of Lego and gave it to her. Xiao Yuan smiled, and seeing her smile, Qin Wei blushed. This seemed to become a little secret between the two of them to coax each other.
Every time this happened, Chen Zhiyi felt like cursing, "What autism? They're all quacks!"
...
When Lin Ting was six months pregnant, Chen Zhiyi officially announced the news on Weibo. From then on, the family of four was accompanied by an ultrasound photo.
CP fans are all focused on the baby. Ever since the two officially announced their relationship, they have had CP fans.
"Twins! The older brother is awesome!"
"Need I say more? With a physique like that, broad shoulders, narrow waist, and perky butt, he must be incredibly strong in that area."
"Seven times a night, huh? *sobs* *covers mouth and laughs*"
"Are you going to crawl under someone's bed?"
"I'd like to, brother, could you let me have one?"
"This is also an undeniable advantage of relationships where the woman is older."
Of course, there are also haters who still can't understand it.
"The ultrasound showed the fetus was eight months along. Working backwards, that means she was pregnant before getting the marriage certificate. It's premarital pregnancy! No wonder they announced their marriage so soon after announcing their relationship."
"Lin Tingzhen is really anxious; she knows how to use the child to solidify her position."
"I still can't understand why Chen Zhiyi would fall for her and be so obsessed with her, even though she's older than me and a nobody."
"Yes, every female artist he's worked with is prettier than Lin Ting. The first celebrity couple I ever shipped was Chen Zhiyi and the female lead Shen Fei from his breakout role, but it ended badly."
"Using children to climb the social ladder, several couples in the entertainment industry have done this, and they all ended up divorcing. I think it won't be long before they officially announce their divorce."
...
On the afternoon of the official pregnancy announcement, Chen Zhiyi updated her Weibo again.
It wasn't premarital pregnancy; it was always planned. I approve of using the child to advance my position in her life. My dual identity as husband and father will forever solidify my place in her heart, and I feel at ease!
This undoubtedly slapped those haters in the face and solidified Chen Zhiyi's status as the number one loyal lover in the entertainment industry.
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