Chapter 39 We'll gently cure all kinds of pretentiousness...
The night the show announced the new rules, the trending topics exploded.
The news that Meng Xian chose to seek help from Ye Jinyan outside the venue was happily spread across the entire internet by marketing accounts.
[Holy crap! Meng Xian is up to something! She clearly knows Gu Mingyan is interested in Ye Shao, is she trying to assert her dominance in front of the cameras?]
[It seems like she's trying to regain face by relying on Ye Shao, since the impersonation of the school beauty incident has just been settled, and she desperately needs to save face.]
[This is such a deliberate move, as if she's afraid people won't know her relationship with Ye Jinyan is unusual.]
However, Meng Xian's fans quickly rallied to fight back:
[Hilarious! When Xianxian encounters difficulties, her first thought is her boyfriend. What's wrong with that? Aren't some people being too sensitive?]
[It's perfectly normal for people in a normal relationship to ask their boyfriends for help; your sour reactions are really unsightly.]
The debate between the two sides lasted from late at night until early morning, pushing the popularity of the next day's live broadcast of "Aces Go Places" to an unprecedented level.
At exactly nine o'clock in the morning, the roar of car engines could be heard outside the camp.
All the viewers waiting in the live stream held their breath in unison.
Three pure black luxury SUVs lined up and drove along the mountain road, stopping steadily at the campsite entrance.
The door of the middle car opened first, and two bodyguards in black suits and wearing headsets quickly got out and stood on either side of it.
Then, a young man who looked like an assistant bent down and respectfully opened the back door.
A gleaming black leather shoe stepped out, landing on the slightly damp grass.
The next second, Ye Jinyan stepped out of the car.
He wore a well-tailored dark gray suit with a long black trench coat over it, which accentuated his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and upright posture.
[Such a grand display; no wonder he's the heir to the Ye family.]
[Ye Jinyan's looks and charisma are like a novel's male lead come to life!]
No wonder Gu Mingyan used to throw herself at me like that; I wouldn't have been able to resist either.
Meng Xian's smile deepened. She lifted her skirt and hurried to greet him, "Jin Yan, you're here. You must be tired from your journey."
However, Ye Jinyan did not respond to her immediately. His gaze swept around the camp and finally settled on the figure squatting by the river brushing his teeth.
Gu Mingyan was brushing her teeth with her cheeks puffed out, her hair casually tied into a bun, and her expression looked a little carefree.
He frowned almost imperceptibly.
When Ye Jinyan received a message from the production team last night, informing him that Meng Xian had chosen to ask him for help off-site, he agreed almost without hesitation and adjusted his schedule overnight to make time for her.
Although his main purpose for this trip was to help Meng Xian out of her predicament, deep down he actually had some other thoughts that were hard to explain.
He wanted to see how Gu Mingyan would react when she found out that he had come for Meng Xian.
Disappointed? Embarrassed? Or just putting on a brave face?
But the scene before him was nothing like any of what he had imagined.
"Jin Yan?" Meng Xian couldn't help but ask, "What are you looking at?"
Ye Jinyan withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "It's nothing."
He raised his hand with a reserved air, and his assistant immediately stepped forward to carefully straighten his already impeccable collar and trench coat hem.
Not far away, Jiang Mingqian crossed his arms and muttered, "Why do I feel a little annoyed with him?"
Yu Ran whispered, "Because this guy exudes an aura of 'I'm the best' from head to toe."
Jiang Mingqian clicked his tongue, deeply agreeing.
Before Ye Jinyan could finish his grand entrance, he suddenly heard the sound of a car approaching from the mountain road.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that it was a small convoy. The vehicles looked much more low-key and simple than Ye Jinyan's SUV, and the colors were also more subdued, such as black or dark gray, with no eye-catching logos.
Yun looked up at the sound and guessed, "It seems Xu Bai has arrived!"
Her shout startled Gu Mingyan, who was brushing her teeth, instantly switching into battle mode, her eyes fixed intently on the direction the convoy was coming from, rubbing her hands together in anticipation.
Ye Jinyan took in all of this, and the inexplicable sense of unease in his heart grew even stronger.
He glanced at the few unremarkable cars with barely noticeable brand logos, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.
I had heard that after the old master of the Gu family stepped down, the power of the Gu family had fallen into the hands of the younger generation, Gu Xubai. Rumors circulated that this new leader was capable and decisive, and was showing signs of overshadowing the Ye and Fan families.
However, it now appears that the rumors were just rumors after all.
If Gu Xubai is truly as powerful and influential as the outside world claims, why would he travel in such an inconspicuous car?
Similar questions also appeared in the comments:
[The Gu family is one of the three great families of Yuncheng, on par with the Ye family, so why do they drive such a simple car?]
[I heard that Gu Xubai is actually an illegitimate child, so he probably isn't as favored as Gu Mingyan.]
Immediately, knowledgeable viewers stepped forward to explain:
[For your information, these cars may look ordinary at first glance, but if you look closely at the model and outline, they are definitely not mass-produced vehicles. They are most likely specially customized bulletproof models.]
See the license plate of the lead car? Even though it's not a consecutive number, that initial letter and number combination... those who know, know. It's not something money can just buy.
However, Ye Jinyan didn't notice the details of the license plates; he just arrogantly raised his chin and scanned the convoy.
Just then, the door of the lead car opened.
The first person to come down was a middle-aged man wearing a dark jacket, with a calm and refined demeanor.
He didn't leave immediately after getting off the bus, but turned slightly to the side, as if waiting for the people behind him.
Ye Jinyan's originally casual gaze suddenly sharpened when it fell on the middle-aged man's face.
How could it be him?!
This is no ordinary driver or assistant, but Qin Zhengbang, the CEO of a leading entertainment company.
Ye Jinyan had tried every means to meet and discuss a crucial cooperation project, but the other party kept declining, citing a full schedule and the need to consider the project. They hadn't even met a few times.
How did Qin Zhengbang end up here?
Ye Jinyan was shocked and involuntarily took two steps forward: "Chairman Qin, I didn't expect to see you here. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Qin Zhengbang then seemed to have just noticed him, and put on a polite smile: "Young Master Ye, it's been a long time."
Ye Jinyan tentatively asked, "Who invited you here?"
Qin Zhengbang quickly waved his hand: "Mr. Ye, you misunderstand. I wouldn't dare use the word 'please.' I was just on my way to a neighboring city to discuss a project and was giving Mr. Gu a ride here."
Mr. Gu?
Which Mr. Gu?
While Ye Jinyan was still processing the massive amount of information in his words, Qin Zhengbang had already turned around and strode towards the second car.
Under everyone's gaze, this chairman, who is very influential in the business world, actually bowed slightly and personally opened the back door of the car.
A tall and slender figure slowly bent down and got out of the car under everyone's gaze.
Gu Xubai was dressed simply today, wearing a light gray thin sweater of excellent quality and a black casual coat. Although he wasn't dressed in a suit and tie like Ye Jinyan, he exuded a restrained aura.
After he stopped, he nodded slightly to Qin Zhengbang: "Thank you, Uncle Qin, for troubling you to make this trip."
"Not at all." Qin Zhengbang quickly waved his hand, his smile genuine. "It's my honor to see Mr. Gu off."
After exchanging a few more words, Qin Zhengbang nodded to Ye Jinyan and led his men into another car.
The unassuming convoy turned around and drove away silently, just as it had arrived, leaving only a subtle silence in front of the camp.
Who is this middle-aged man? Ye Jinyan seems to respect him quite a bit.
[The person in front doesn't even recognize Qin Zhengbang?]
What do you mean? Should I get to know him?
Anyone with even a slight understanding of the entertainment industry knows that he is the chairman of ZhengBang Group, whose cinema chains, production companies, and artist management businesses are located throughout the country—a true tycoon.
[The explanation upstairs made me even more confused. A big shot like him personally opened the car door for Gu Xubai, a junior?]
Despite his young age, Gu Xubai is the current head of the Gu family. He's currently pursuing a double degree in finance and anatomy at Yuncheng University, and several of the mergers and acquisitions he spearheaded during his studies have become textbook examples in business schools.
Holy crap, so young and already this amazing?
[Actually, you'll understand if you just look at how Qin Zhengbang addresses the two of them. One is "Young Master Gu," and the other is "Young Master Ye." Although "Master" and "Young Master" differ by only one character, they are not even in the same league...]
Watching Qin Zhengbang's convoy disappear at the end of the mountain road, Gu Mingyan strolled over and raised her chin at Gu Xubai: "You've got quite the grand entrance, actually having Chairman Qin personally drive you here?"
Gu Xubai glanced at Yun Qingqing standing beside her before slowly saying, "Uncle Qin was on his way to a neighboring city to discuss a collaboration. Knowing that I was coming to record this program, he offered to give me a ride. I couldn't refuse his kind offer."
Ye Jinyan's face had already stiffened.
Gu Xubai's nonchalant entrance gave him the illusion of being crushed by someone of a higher level.
He cleared his throat twice, drawing everyone's attention back to himself: "Hello everyone, I am Ye Jinyan, the current Executive Vice President of Ye's Group, the Executive Director of the Young Entrepreneurs Association, the Vice Chairman of Yuncheng Chamber of Commerce, and also Meng Xian's off-site supporter. It is an honor to be here on 'Best Partners'."
He arrogantly rattled off a series of titles, his gaze sweeping over Gu Xubai almost imperceptibly.
All eyes immediately fell on Gu Xubai.
Gu Xubai nodded calmly to everyone: "Hello everyone, I am Gu Xubai, a student at Yuncheng University."
The introduction was extremely simple, without mentioning any family background or business affiliation.
However, after Qin Zhengbang personally saw him off, no one—whether it was the guests or staff at the scene, or the viewers in front of the screen—would truly consider him just an ordinary student.
[Haha, the most lethal kind of showing off is the subtle kind.]
For some reason, it seemed like Young Master Ye had overdone it with those few words.
Looking at Gu Xubai's nonchalant demeanor, Ye Jinyan thought that although the man was young, he had mastered the art of pretentiousness to the extreme.
Fortunately, Meng Xian gently came to the rescue: "Jin Yan, it's good that you came. The production team has prepared some tools for everyone, but they look a bit heavy. Could you help Manny carry them?"
She pointed to several backpacks piled up in the corner of the camp.
Of all the guests present, only Meng Xian and Gu Mingyan chose to seek help from outside the venue; everyone else opted for the tool kit.
Ye Jinyan finally found a stage to showcase his abilities, and a confident smile curved his lips: "No problem. I work out regularly, so my stamina is pretty good."
As he spoke, he took off his expensive trench coat and casually handed it to Meng Xian beside him, then slowly rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows.
Wow! Young Master Ye's arms are clearly the result of a lot of regular exercise.
[His boyfriend is so incredibly sweet! I'm suddenly so envious of Meng Xian, having a boyfriend who spoils and protects her like that.]
Although Meng Xian's character isn't great, I'm totally shipping her and Ye Jinyan's romance.
Gu Xubai happened to be standing next to the pile of supplies, and seeing this, he walked over, ready to help move some things.
"No need," Ye Jinyan said, stopping him.
His gaze swept over Gu Xubai's somewhat thin figure, and he lectured with an air of superiority, "I can carry this stuff by myself. Gu is still a student, and he's probably focused on his studies, so he seems to lack exercise. Young man, you should exercise more when you have time; health is the foundation of everything."
Standing to their side and slightly behind, Yun couldn't help but purse her lips.
Gu Xubai doesn't need any more training!
This person looks thin, but under his clothes are well-defined muscles.
Last time, Yun Qingqing mistook this big Buddha for a top male model and accidentally touched it through the fabric. All she could feel were firm and smooth muscle lines, completely different from Ye Jinyan's muscles, which were built up by drinking protein powder.
Yun Qingqing thought to herself, but a sweet smile suddenly appeared on her face as she showered Ye Jinyan with praise: "Young Master Ye, you're amazing! You lifted such a heavy box without even breaking a sweat! People who work out regularly are truly different!"
Ye Jinyan enjoyed the flattery and raised his head with a hint of pride: "It's alright."
Yun Qingqing pressed her advantage, pointing to a heavier and larger hiking backpack next to her, and looked at him with eyes full of trust and admiration: "Moving this must be a piece of cake for you, right?"
Ye Jinyan was in a state of euphoria and would never say "no," so he immediately nodded generously: "Of course."
Yun Qingqing had been waiting for these words, and immediately and deftly picked up the backpack and slammed it into Ye Jinyan's hand.
The backpack was quite heavy, and with the previous supplies, the double weight caused Ye Jinyan's body to slump down, and he staggered.
He gritted his teeth and couldn't help but glare at Yun Qingqing.
Yun Qingqing looked innocent and asked with concern, "Oh, is this bag a bit heavy for Young Master Ye? It's okay, it's okay, put it down, otherwise you might hurt your back..."
"How could that be!" Ye Jinyan couldn't stand such doubts and immediately raised his head to refute, "This weight is more than I can bench press normally."
"Wow! That's great!" Yun looked at him with admiration, then tossed a backpack over. "Since you're so capable, could you please carry this bag over with you too? That way you won't have to make a second trip."
The total weight of the three backpacks immediately exceeded Ye Jinyan's load limit. He felt a sudden ache in his arms and his back slumped, almost causing him to kneel down in a deep bow to everyone.
The comments section was completely overwhelmed:
[Hahaha, Young Master Ye's face is turning a deep purplish-red, but he's still holding on. Yun Qingqing, stop it! It feels like he's going to die if you keep pressing down like that.]
[I'm dying of laughter! How can Yun Qingqing deliver a sarcastic remark with such an innocent look? She must be a devil, haha.]
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