Chapter 216 Standoff
"Thump—"
Like a bronze bell ringing in his ear, the moment Zhou Ting heard his third uncle's words, his ears rang so badly that he almost lost his hearing, his eyes lost focus, and he didn't know what to look at.
Or rather, he didn't know what he could watch.
Like a cockroach, groping, crawling, and spying in a dark corner, he was suddenly discovered by the owner one day, only to realize that his filthy thoughts had already been discovered.
He thought that keeping it to himself would keep things peaceful.
Zhou Ting didn't dare look at his third uncle or the light projected by the crystal chandelier, so he shifted his gaze to the table and the dish he had ordered himself.
Third Uncle was right; this was the one he chose from countless options. Just like Xia Mingzhao, the Zhou family gave him time and countless choices, and his father rarely interfered with his choice of spouse.
Even Xia Mian... had truly loved him.
But he still chose Xia Mingzhao.
A true man never regrets his decisions; he knew perfectly well enough without his uncle's reminder. His marriage wasn't just a personal matter; it involved two families, three households, thousands of employees, and countless shareholders who had invested real money in the company.
But he didn't do anything wrong!
Because he knew that for the sake of those behind him, he was willing to be a cockroach and try to convince himself that he loved Xia Mingzhao and was good to her.
Every minute of every day, he tried to control himself from hibernating. Every time he woke up from a dream about hibernation, he would slap himself hard.
He did it! He tried his best!
Love is inherently a product of emotion, and reason struggles to control it. He's already exhausted all his energy trying to hide from someone. Is it wrong to like someone?
Struggling with pain all day long, Zhou Ting is almost driven insane.
Xia Mingzhao, in particular, seemed to have sensed something and frequently said ambiguous things to provoke him. He felt guilty towards Xia Mingzhao and dared not refute her, so he could only accept everything.
The repeated blows were like pulling apart building blocks, leaving him teetering on the brink of collapse. His third uncle's "speaking frankly" was the final blow; the string of reason snapped, and he could no longer bear it, collapsing with a crash.
"Third Uncle, I know I shouldn't have had such improper thoughts. But I... couldn't control myself, I'm sorry." As if recovering from a serious illness, Zhou Ting's face was pale, but his expression was one of a long-lost openness.
Yes, he admitted it. He did like Xia Mian. He didn't want to torture himself anymore, and he was willing to bear all the consequences, including confronting his third uncle—the youngest head of the Zhou family!
He could foresee the consequences: he might lose his job, lose his right to inherit the Zhou family business, or even lose his health and... his life. He knew all too well the methods of the man in front of him.
He is still willing.
Zhou Pingchuan had already finished wiping his hands, and upon hearing this, he showed no surprise at being challenged. He looked at Zhou Ting and, as always, said in a tone of concern, "Ting, you're not young anymore. Relationships aren't as simple as just opening and closing your mouth to say 'I love you.' Besides love, you need to think about what you can give the other person."
"You know, Mianmian's job is as an actress. The entertainment industry is a complex web of power dynamics. Can you stand behind her and protect her from the storms?"
“Mianmian loves freedom, dislikes formalities, and is very proud. Can you guarantee that he will always stand tall and never bow to anyone?”
"Let me put it simply: after you got married, you met Mianmian a few times and know what kind of life he led. Can you provide him with the same living conditions?"
Throughout, Zhou Pingchuan's tone remained steady, devoid of any emotional fluctuation. Yet, with each sentence, Zhou Ting felt as if a heavy stone was pressing down on him.
Upon hearing the last sentence, he finally succumbed to his overwhelming weight, bowed low, buried his face in his hands, and his eyes turned bloodshot.
***
After the show, Gao Zhuxiu and the group walked together towards the exhibition hall. In addition to the styles that had just been featured on the runway, there were many other styles available for purchase in the hall.
As it turned out, Da Huang's worries were unnecessary. Xia Mian was not only not stopped, but was also led into the VIP room. There was a catalog on the coffee table in the VIP room. Xia Mian casually picked out a few items, and soon the selected items were brought to her by bodyguards with multiple layers of protection.
Unfortunately, Xia Mian was in a bad mood today and didn't have much of a desire to spend money. She only bought two necklaces, which she planned to give to Xue Chunling and Ren Xiping.
He didn't stay long, swiped his card and left. Before leaving, Yu Xingtong glared at him: "So what if you have a VIP room? Let's see how long you can be so smug!"
Perhaps because she was in a bad mood, Xia Mian had a cold expression, which Xia Mian misunderstood as her giving her a sour look.
Xia Mian felt confused. There were too many people around, so he pretended not to see anything and quickly left with his men.
Fortunately, as soon as I got back to the car, I received a message from Zhao Wei: [Xia, I just sent you three scripts. Take a look and see which one you prefer.]
Three parts?
So many production teams want to hire him?
Xia Mian was flattered and immediately forgot about Yu Xingtong, opening her email. Zhao Wei, meticulous as ever, had already summarized all the key information about the script—genre, era, casting, project approval date, filming date, expected broadcast date, etc.—into a single document.
These three dramas are of different genres: one is a historical romance, one is a modern romance, and one is a workplace drama for women broadcast on satellite TV.
The most shocking thing is that the current idol actually cast him as the male lead! He has only filmed one poorly-ended drama and one drama yet to be broadcast since his debut. He didn't even care about the broadcast effect of "Legend of the Dragon". You can imagine how much the investors like him!
Xia Mian then looked at the actress who was acting opposite him; she was also a newcomer with a good reputation and was generating buzz. Her situation was similar to his—almost a third-tier actress. If she had a hit drama, she could immediately rise to the third or even second tier.
Summer: [The director of this idol drama didn't even let me audition before daring to give me the male lead role. Isn't that a bit too hasty?]
Zhao Wei: [This is a TV series adapted from a novel. The original IP is quite popular. You look very similar to the main character, and people keep using your image to create crossover clips. I guess the production team also valued your image and temperament.]
Xia Mian specifically flipped through the script; the male lead was a good-for-nothing, super-rich second-generation heir, which did fit his own character quite well. He hesitated for a moment: "Then I'll choose the third one."
Zhao Wei: [[Facepalm] You really surprised me. I thought you would choose a historical romance or a modern romance.]
Having experience with historical romance dramas, and being in a comfortable position, even though the roles are still supporting, the number of appearances has increased. If they seize the opportunity, they might just become more popular than the main characters.
The allure of the male lead in a modern romance drama is exceptionally strong. Which actor doesn't debut to play a leading role? The IP itself is also quite good, with a built-in audience base. As long as the script isn't drastically altered, it's sure to become a minor hit when it airs!
In the end, he chose a female ensemble drama!
Seeing that the other party hadn't replied for a long time, Xia Mian explained: "I haven't filmed a TV series that airs on a major network yet, and I'd like to appear on TV."
Zhao Wei: [Then I have to remind you, in female ensemble dramas, men are just supporting characters. Although your role belongs to the main cast, you don't have many scenes.]
Summer: [I know. I just think this character is memorable and the personality is quite likable. In recent years, the idol drama market has become increasingly weak, while female-centric dramas have a wider audience and can boost national popularity, so it's a win-win situation.]
Upon seeing this, Zhao Wei clicked his tongue. Xia Mian had her own career development plan, which was truly rare at her age.
Zhao Wei: [Okay, I'll proceed with the procedures then.]
Summer: [Please thank the investors of the current idol drama for me. Thank you for your support. I'll visit them in person if I have the chance.]
Zhao Wei: [You don't need to remind me, I know what to do. By the way, I've also secured you a guest appearance on a variety show, two commercials, two cameo roles in TV dramas, and a fashion week set visit for a video platform... A fashion blogger also wants to visit you on set, do you want to accept?]
Looking at this line of text, Xia Mian felt as if fate had grabbed her by the throat; even the donkeys in the production team might not have been as full as she was.
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