Chapter 246 Partners
Li Chuyue has been struggling for the past two days. She feels that she is facing another important decision in her life. The importance of this choice to her is even no less than the "Peach Blossom Fan" selection many years ago, and she only has one chance now.
The experience after the second public performance and her reunion with Ren Limeng made her very clear that this time no one would make the final decision for her, and she could only try to make the decision that was best for herself.
The temptation offered by Hanxing is very tempting. As long as Li Chuyue comes out to post on Weibo, indignantly proving that there was "backroom dealings" when Ren Limeng learned acting and that she is a so-called "second-generation actor", she can directly sign a contract with Hanxing Entertainment, one of the four major agencies in the entertainment industry, and become the star that she no longer dares to dream of. She will have the opportunity to step on Ren Limeng again, or to use Ren Limeng to directly get to the top.
Li Chuyue was very tempted. Even if the popularity of discussing Ren Limeng was just a flash in the pan, as long as she could use this opportunity to enter the entertainment industry, perhaps the pay for a single event in the future would be enough to cover her salary for many years, just like when she was seventeen years old watching "Peach Blossom Fan". Some secret desires had already been secretly growing in her heart and were quietly growing wildly.
Moreover, after Ren Limeng revealed the truth about the audition last year, Li Chuyue had been having a very hard time in Meixiang Theater these days. She always felt that her colleagues were talking about her behind her back, and everyone looked at her with more pointing fingers and a tacit understanding.
Li Chuyue couldn't help but hate Ren Limeng. It was obviously something that happened in the past for so long, why did Ren Limeng have to stir up trouble again? Too many complaints surged in her heart. Li Chuyue opened the chat box with the Hanxing Entertainment staff countless times, but in the end, she still turned off her phone with a trembling heart.
Because deep down in her heart, deeper than hatred, is the fear that Li Chuyue will never admit.
She watched Ren Limeng walk all the way here.
Li Chuyue knew better than anyone how much hardship and bitterness Ren Limeng had swallowed behind her now proud and faint smile. Thinking about it carefully, Li Chuyue even felt that she had never seen Ren Limeng lose.
No matter how she recalled it, from a spirited teenage girl on the stage to a mature and self-possessed host today, Ren Limeng's back seemed to have never bent at all. That was the calmness and composure that she could never hope for.
Even if she cooperated with Hanxing to post on Weibo to temporarily put Ren Limeng at a disadvantage, Li Chuyue couldn't help but be afraid of Ren Limeng's next move. She had experienced this kind of uneasy fear day and night before. It was a feeling of unrest in her heart for too many years. This time, Li Chuyue didn't even have the confidence to act impulsively.
Even with mixed feelings, Li Chuyue still gritted her teeth and politely declined the Hanxing Entertainment staff who came to see her. She secretly made up her mind not to get involved in this mess, but...
At night, looking at the trending searches on Weibo that were flooding in front of her, she still couldn't look away. Li Chuyue couldn't help but start to get scared. What if Ren Limeng chose to expose the selection competition that year to calm public opinion, what should she do?
If she were the target of malicious comments and speculations from netizens at this moment, could she... withstand it?
Li Chuyue actually knew that Meixiang Theater intervened and asked the program team to suppress last week's incident and not broadcast it in the main program because Ren Limeng turned a blind eye and did not force it. If Ren Limeng insisted on letting the program team broadcast the scene of their confrontation last week, could Meixiang Theater save her?
Will Meixiang Theater not give face to Ren Limeng, especially Ren Limeng's mother Wu Murong?
She...can't just sit there and wait for death.
What's more, wealth and honor are achieved through risk. Now that the situation has come to this, she should put an end to what happened in the past and find a way out for herself now.
Ren Limeng: Speak up for me? What do you want to clarify about that time?
Li Chuyue bit her lower lip and looked at Ren Limeng's fragmented questions. She could not make out any emotions behind the words on the other side of the screen, just like her old friend who she could no longer hold on to with any affection.
Li Chuyue: Anything that happened back then.
Li Chuyue: Li Meng, I can cooperate with you to clarify anything now. Many things have already passed. We can work together.
Li Chuyue: Even though you may not want to admit it, your... choice back then may have been influenced by me. I can help you solve these problems more efficiently now. We should be united against the outside world at this time.
Li Chuyue: I am willing to explain and apologize like Teacher Wu and tell everyone what happened that year.
Li Chuyue: Li Meng, I was wronged by you before, but this time I really want to help you! Can you give me a chance to make amends and let me do something for you?
Li Chuyue: Just consider it as making up for my past mistakes, Mengmeng, I'm sorry.
Choosing to seek cooperation on social media is a very cost-effective choice. She can keep all the problems under her control by posting a blog to explain what happened that year. For Ren Limeng and her, the cooperation that each party needs is undoubtedly a win-win situation.
Li Chuyue believed that Ren Limeng would know how to make the more advantageous choice, but...
All her certainties became particularly uneasy in the face of Ren Limeng's indifferent and even slow response. Li Chuyue didn't know whether Ren Limeng would be willing to have a relationship with her again, even if it was just superficial friendship.
Li Chuyue's words were full of sincerity, and every word she wrote was a little anxious to express her guilt all the time. However, no matter how touching her words were, they seemed unable to move Ren Limeng, who was as calm as a mountain.
Ren Limeng: Be united against external threats?
Ren Limeng: Chu Yue, do you really just want to help me?
After the question, the chat box suddenly became silent. The seemingly light words thrown out by Ren Limeng suddenly hit Li Chuyue's heart. She trembled inwardly, and could not believe that in just a short moment, Ren Limeng had seen through the pros and cons she had been weighing after many days.
How sincere is her initiative?
She doesn't know.
Maybe... after all, it was just a complete transaction, and the so-called apology that was delayed for many years certainly could not influence her decision.
She chose to help Ren Limeng only because in her judgment, Ren Limeng's mother Wu Murong had already taken the initiative to come forward, and Ren Limeng was likely to have the help of Shen Xingzhi behind her, and there was a high probability that she could reverse the seemingly one-sided public opinion in the evening.
Li Chuyue is helping someone when the time is right and taking advantage of the favorable conditions.
She didn't dare to go against Ren Limeng, so in order to seize the opportunity at this moment, Li Chuyue had no choice but to speak up for Ren Limeng.
There are so many benefits for her to take the initiative to explain for Ren Limeng at this moment. If Ren Limeng admits the "friend" that she explicitly or implicitly expressed in her explanation, or just remains silent, Li Chuyue is confident that she can use this to reverse the predicament she has been in at Meixiang Theater these days. After all, everyone has the impulse of youthful ignorance, and what is important is the choice of today, not the old news from many years ago.
She is confident that she can achieve her wish, and the prerequisite is that Ren Limeng is willing to cooperate with her.
Li Chuyue held the phone tightly, staring at Ren Limeng's words without any emotion. She no longer sent long and sincere speeches, and also removed many insincere and false words.
The silent tension is particularly gripping through the phone screen in the quiet night.
Time seemed to slow down and become extremely painful.
The chat box was silent for a long time.
Li Chuyue: I’m helping you and me, Li Meng. I’m sincere this time.
No matter how many plans she had, this time she would not stab Ren Limeng in the back like she did in the past. Li Chuyue did not promise anything anymore, but Ren Limeng seemed to be able to feel that Li Chuyue was more sincere and affectionate at this moment than before.
Whether it was due to circumstances or out of sincerity, Ren Limeng did not delve into the matter any further.
Ren Limeng: Okay.
Li Chuyue was still racking her brains thinking about how to impress Ren Limeng, but the next second she looked up and suddenly noticed a new word on the screen that did not show any emotion. She stared at the word in front of her, her eyes inexplicably red.
There was no hint of cooperation in Ren Limeng's previous questioning, so why did she suddenly agree?
There was no difficulty or harassment as she had imagined, nor was there the aggressiveness that had been shown when they had met last week to try to trick her into revealing what had happened. This gave Li Chuyue even more hope and anticipation in her heart...
After all, she couldn't suppress some extravagant hopes in her heart, and Li Chuyue sent another new message almost cautiously.
Li Chuyue: Mengmeng, can I ask why you agreed so readily? Is it possible for us...to still be friends?
This time, Ren Limeng finally replied to Li Chuyue's message immediately.
Ren Limeng: Li Chuyue, we are partners now, and of course friends.
It was clearly a straightforward reply of agreement, but Li Chuyue couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile as she stared at the answer.
The night is long and the day is almost dawning, but yesterday is finally over.
At ten o'clock on Friday morning, after Li Chuyue posted on Weibo, she couldn't help but recall the "partner" that Ren Limeng replied to. She took a deep breath, and instead of logging off and disappearing, she worked hard on the front line of interacting with netizens.
With the secret help of Guaxing Studio, Li Chuyue responded to the various voices slandering Ren Limeng in the comment section of her Weibo with emojis and words full of internet appeal, and successfully made her name a hot search as expected.
Soon after, she suddenly forwarded Shen Xingzhi's Weibo post last week introducing Ren Limeng as a host, with the caption "She is the host Ren Limeng", shifting everyone's attention from discussing "Ren Limeng Huangmei Opera" to "Host Ren Limeng".
Many people are still discussing the abnormality and ambiguity of Chen Xingzhi's "official announcement" of Ren Limeng, but some people also inadvertently paid attention to the host video in this Weibo post.
Different from the gossip discussion that was passed on by word of mouth last night, when people clicked on the edited video released by Shen Xingzhi again, more people noticed Ren Limeng's professional ability. From immaturity to maturity, Ren Limeng seemed to be shining when she picked up the microphone, making people unable to take their eyes off her.
"I haven't watched 'Shan Hai', I'm just a bystander. Ren Limeng's hosting skills are very good. The Orange platform is really full of hidden talents. Ren Limeng's career change may just be a choice that suits her better. After all, who knows what they want when they are teenagers? It's normal for Ren Limeng to try more!"
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