Chapter 574
Chen Duling, the Born Dancer
……
……
Unfortunately, Kyoko didn't get to drink the wheat juice.
It wasn't that he didn't want to drink; it was that he simply didn't have the chance.
The moment the two stepped out of the lounge, Gu Qing was the first to be "arrested".
Those "young masters and ladies" who had been eagerly awaiting Gu Qing's departure for so long saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity upon learning that Gu Qing would not be leaving until tomorrow.
Today, we finally caught Gu Qing alone, how could we let him go?
"Little brother, come on over! Now that you're in Beijing, I have to treat you to a good meal and let you enjoy some authentic old-city cuisine!"
"What's wrong? Your brother finally came all this way, are you planning to treat him to McDonald's?"
"Gu Qing, there's a really good restaurant called Annie's nearby that serves Italian food. Shall we go eat there together?"
"Pah! You traitor! You've watched 'Wolf Warrior' for nothing? Don't you like our own food?"
Someone fired shots in public.
"Who are you calling a traitor?!"
"I'm talking to you! What are you going to do about it?"
Say it again!
"What's wrong with me saying that?"
As the argument escalated, the group lost their composure and began hurling insults at each other, spittle flying everywhere.
Gu Qing was surrounded and had no choice but to move forward or backward.
At this moment, Jingzi felt that her muscles were completely useless and dared not exert any force. She was staggered and pushed out of the crowd.
"What are you all doing here?"
Just then, a familiar voice came from the periphery of the crowd.
Director Lü's assistant squeezed in, panting, his forehead covered in sweat.
"Little brother, Director Lü said you should go out for a meal after your meeting, so we can talk about the show."
"Director Lü wants to hog all the benefits?! No way!"
"Since we're having a meal, one more won't make a difference! Let's all go together."
"We've been working overtime for Director Lü every day, shouldn't he treat us to something nice?"
The young masters and ladies were making a racket, their voices rising and falling like a flock of sparrows whose food had been stolen.
Director Lü didn't show up in person, and one assistant couldn't keep them in check.
The assistant was driven crazy by the noise, his face turning red and white in turns, and his lips trembled for a long time, but he couldn't utter a single word.
A large group of people arrived at Director Lü's office.
Director Lü was sitting behind his desk drinking tea when he heard the noise outside the door. He looked up and saw a huge crowd of people.
He paused for a moment, then put down his teacup, stood up, and said without changing his expression:
"Let's go to the cafeteria."
……
Inside the bright and clean cafeteria, a television on the wall was playing CCTV programs, but the volume was low, almost like background noise.
The cafeteria was quite ordinary, like the ones commonly found in company cafeterias, only cleaner and tidier.
The white tiled floor, the stainless steel dining table, the neatly arranged tables and chairs, and the aroma of food filled the air.
The dishes are delicious, visually appealing, and come in a good balance of meat and vegetables.
The braised pork belly gleamed with oil, the stir-fried vegetables were vibrant green, and the sweet and sour pork ribs were coated in a glistening sauce—all of which looked incredibly appetizing.
"Brother Jing, we're now eating the food of the officials."
Gu Qing only ordered a few light vegetable dishes and a small bowl of rice, then sat down in an empty seat with her stainless steel plate.
"Xiao Gu, I have to criticize you now. It's a good thing you have a good memory; my ancestors were officials."
Wu Jing took a bite of rice, then started to smile with his eyes narrowed, shaking his head.
"Then why did you stop eating it later?"
Gu Qing smiled and asked, picking up a piece of green vegetable with her chopsticks and slowly putting it into her mouth.
"Ahem... You're asking a question you already know the answer to, child. It's just that after the queues were cut off, we started eating from the same pot again."
Wu Jing gave an awkward laugh, his head unable to move, but he didn't try to avoid it.
Wu Jing sat next to Gu Qing, and Director Lü sat opposite him.
What's outrageous is that all the empty seats and long tables on either side were occupied by young women from the station who had dressed up meticulously.
The strong aroma wafted through the air of the cafeteria, mingling with the smell of food to create a peculiar, irritating scent that made one's nose tingle.
The men, looking resentful, were squeezed to the next table and couldn't get close at all.
Someone carrying a tray tried to walk this way, but was glared at by a girl and turned back.
Someone had just sat down when another girl told him that "this place is taken" and asked him to leave.
Before Director Lü could even discuss his new ideas for the show with Gu Qing,
"Little brother, why are you eating so little? Can you get full with just this little bit of food?"
The girl sitting to Gu Qing's left spoke first, her voice as sweet as honey.
She rested her chin on her hand, staring intently at Gu Qing as if she were looking at a precious work of art.
"You're too thin, come and eat more. I'll give you more if you're still hungry."
Another girl picked up a piece of braised pork and put it into Gu Qing's bowl.
"This braised pork is especially delicious, little brother, you should try some. If you like it, I'll go get you another serving."
Not to be outdone, another girl picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs with her chopsticks and placed it on the edge of Gu Qing's plate.
The girls were all gentle and considerate, bending down to pick up food with concern, resting their chins on their hands, and gazing at Gu Qing with tender affection.
"These little peppers aren't usually like this at the station..."
Director Lü watched this scene, his lips twitching, his chopsticks hovering in mid-air, unable to pick up any food for a long time.
He recalled how these girls usually worked at the station; they were all like a pack of tigresses, with an icy expression towards everyone.
Unlike now, she's so gentle, like a completely different person.
Wu Jing was also stunned, his mouth full of food, forgetting to chew.
As two middle-aged people who have gotten older and gained weight, it was truly unpleasant to see this scene.
Men are also creatures with a competitive spirit.
But when the two looked at Gu Qing, whose face was piled high with bowls and chopsticks, his handsome face seemed to be surrounded by a soft-focus filter, making him seem to be on a different level from the others present. They immediately lost their temper.
They're not the same species, so what are we comparing?
"Let's eat, let's eat. They're celebrities, can't they eat like you guys?"
Director Lü spoke in an annoyed tone.
"If I really get so fat that I can't fit into my clothes, who will film my show?"
"Director Lü, are you saying we're fat?"
These words sparked outrage among the fans.
Where have we gotten fat?
"Exactly! Director Lü, you have to take responsibility for what you said!"
"I work out every day! My waistline is only..."
The cafeteria suddenly became as lively as if a pot had exploded.
"Could this be Teacher Chen experiencing the daily life of the TV series 'Empresses in the Palace'?"
Listening to the chatter around him, Gu Qing silently picked up a small amount of vegetables from the mountain of meat and put them in his mouth, sighing inwardly.
Back when I was a complete loser, I thought it would be secretly gratifying to be surrounded by girls vying for my attention.
But now that he's been an artist for so long, Gu Qing has realized that this is pure nonsense.
Boys and girls are the same.
If some complete strangers you've never met before show you excessive enthusiasm the moment you meet,
I wish I could hold you in the palm of my hand, kiss you, and shout "I love you" and "I'd do anything for you" with tears in my eyes and my heart breaking.
It's like a girl meeting a clueless young man who's had a crush on her for two or three years but never says a word to her.
Suddenly you graduate, and you muster up the courage to stand in front of the whole class and confess your feelings to me—that bewildered feeling is exactly the same.
Excessive sycophancy is not something anyone would find enjoyable; it would only make them feel uncomfortable and uneasy.
especially,
You can clearly feel that when everyone looks at you, there is more or less a hint of "malice" in their eyes.
Normally, one or two people would be fine, but this is a group of people.
Even though Gu Qing was a man, he still felt a bit uncomfortable.
Fortunately-
"Boss, Dudu has been picked up. Should we go directly to the station or to the hotel?"
The message from Zhao Ya saved Gu Qing.
"Let's go to the hotel!"
Without hesitation, Gu Qing sent the message, ate a few more pieces of vegetable leaves, then suddenly put down her chopsticks and looked at Director Lü.
"Brother Lü, my friend is almost at the hotel. I'll go pick her up and talk to her about her interview this afternoon."
"What's there to talk about? Just have her come directly to the station."
Director Lü said with a smile.
"I'm just worried she'll be nervous and make mistakes during the interview."
"As long as she's presentable and you don't mind, how could I possibly refuse her?"
"That won't do, that won't do. We need to rely on our strength."
Gu Qing chuckled, stood up to say goodbye to Wu Jing, nodded apologetically to the group of reluctant girls around her and her compatriots at the next table, and quickly left.
the other side.
Inside the car picking people up from the airport.
"Dudu, let's go to the hotel first. The boss said he'll wait for you there and then talk to you about the interview this afternoon."
Sitting in the passenger seat, Zhao Ya put down her phone, turned her head, and smiled.
"Okay, Xiaoya, I understand."
Chen Duling nodded quickly, her voice tinged with nervousness.
She sat in the back seat, her hands folded on her knees, her back ramrod straight.
The woman holding her daughter's small hand could clearly feel that her daughter's palms were sweating.
The sweat was sticky and hot, like it had just been pulled out of hot water.
The elderly mother saw through it all but didn't say anything.
She had heard of Gu Qing's great name.
The various news articles I come across, whether it's about temperament, image, career development, or even reputation, absolutely represent the "ceiling" of sons-in-law in the minds of mothers-in-law everywhere.
Such an outstanding young boy, even she, a loving mother, wondered: "Is my Dudu good enough for him?"
"Could it be that you're still in unrequited love?"
The woman wanted to laugh but didn't want to ask too many questions.
She saw things very clearly—she was only looking out for her daughter's safety, to prevent her from being led astray, and to guard against any underhanded or dirty tricks; she wouldn't interfere in anything Chen Duling did.
Whether it's filming a drama or pursuing a relationship, adults have their own choices.
"Manager Zhao, does Mr. Gu Qing have any hobbies?"
The woman hesitated for a moment, then spoke gently, with a sense of caution:
"It wouldn't be right for us to come empty-handed since it's our first meeting. There's a shopping mall up ahead, could we stop here for a bit?"
"Auntie, you're too kind. There's no need for any special treatment, and please don't accept any gifts."
Our boss doesn't like accepting gifts; he only helped Dudu because we're friends.
Zhao Ya quickly waved her hand and said with a smile:
"If my boss sees that I bought a gift, he'll scold me instead."
"Also, Auntie, you can just call me Xiaoya, no need to be so polite."
I also really like Dudu. We used to chat a lot when we were filming.
"Then...then Auntie will be too kind of you."
The woman was flattered and overwhelmed, unable to hide her surprise.
Since becoming her daughter's agent, she has dealt with many companies and even artists' agents.
That arrogant attitude and domineering eye-rolling were almost the norm.
Even the agents of third-tier artists look down on them and often face ridicule and demands for special treatment from the production crew.
The woman had never encountered an agent like Zhao Ya before.
Especially since the other party was an artist of Gu Qing's caliber, the woman had never even heard of him.
She recalled what Zhao Ya had said—"I'm only helping Dudu because we're friends."
It wasn't "because Dudu is suitable," nor "because the director needs it," but rather "because we are all friends."
The woman understood the weight of those words better than anyone else.
In this circle, the word "friend" is too light, so light that it can be crushed by self-interest at any time;
But sometimes, it's too heavy, heavy enough to change a person's destiny.
She turned her head and glanced at her daughter, her gaze lingering on her face.
Chen Duling was looking down at her phone. On the screen was a photo of her and Gu Qing on the set of "The Left Ear". The two of them were wearing school uniforms, standing in the sunlight, making peace signs, tilting their heads, and smiling brightly.
The woman gently touched her forehead.
Which little girl could resist such charm?
...!
In the blink of an eye, we arrived at the hotel.
After checking in, Zhao Ya led Chen Duling and her group up the elevator.
The elevator doors opened, revealing a thick carpeted hallway that made no sound when stepped on. "Dudu, why don't you go ahead? Mommy's waiting for you in the room..."
The woman hesitated and fell behind.
"Mom, what are you saying?"
Chen Duling's fair face turned bright red. She stomped her foot, feeling both ashamed and annoyed.
"Auntie, you should come along. I'm worried about my boss's safety if Dudu goes into his room alone."
Zhao Ya smiled and spoke, easily defusing the awkward situation.
She has experienced so much in the past few years and has dealt with all kinds of people. You can't tell at all that she is a 27 or 28-year-old girl. She is worldly-wise and sophisticated, and her emotional intelligence has grown considerably.
Simultaneously,
Zhao Ya didn't forget to jokingly remind the woman—don't overthink it, if something like that really happened, my boss would be the one who suffers.
The woman understood the subtext.
She gave an awkward smile, said nothing more, and followed the footsteps.
"Auntie was just afraid of disturbing the young people's reminiscing."
"Sister Xiaoya, I can't beat Xu Yi."
Chen Duling clung to Zhao Ya's arm, acting coquettish and shy.
Zhao Ya knocked on the door.
Chen Duling tiptoed and landed, her cherry lips a little dry from nervousness. She swallowed hard, her beautiful eyes wide with anticipation for Gu Qing, whom she hadn't seen in a long time.
"pat~"
The door opened.
The radiant, noble, and aloof image of Gu Qing that Chen Duling had envisioned did not appear.
What appeared before her was—
"Crack~"
Gu Qing lazily opened the door, a half-eaten cucumber dangling from his mouth. He seemed to have just taken a shower, wearing a loose white shirt with the collar slightly open, revealing a section of his fair collarbone.
His hair was still damp, fluffy and soft, with a few strands hanging down in front of his forehead, making his features look handsome and clean.
Upon seeing Zhao Ya, Chen Duling, and the others at the door, he caught the cucumber, turned slightly in surprise, and smiled brightly.
"Sister Xiaoya, Dudu, I knew it was you guys coming."
"Is that your mother in the back? She looks so young. Hello, Auntie."
The voice was clear and gentle, with a relaxing and approachable quality.
Chen Duling's subconscious imagination of Gu Qing is still the same image Xu Yi had when filming "The Left Ear"—cold, aloof, and unattainable, like a star hanging in the night sky, visible but untouchable.
It's a perspective from the viewpoint of unrequited love, feeling unattainable, enhanced by a special filter.
In reality, Gu Qing is someone who plays games with her, helps her rank up, occasionally criticizes her for being bad at games, but is always gentle and considerate of her feelings.
The two figures intertwined and overlapped, yet they transformed into Gu Qing before our eyes—a boy next door with a cucumber in his mouth, his hair still damp, and wearing a loose shirt.
Chen Duling was a little dazed, standing still as if she had been frozen in place.
Her mind went blank; all the tension, all the anticipation, all the opening lines she had rehearsed countless times—she had completely forgotten them.
She only snapped back to reality when the woman behind her gently nudged her shoulder.
"Gu...Gu Qing."
Her voice was barely audible, tinged with nervousness and unease.
"what?"
Gu Qing paused for a moment, then smiled and took another bite of cucumber. The refreshing taste filled her mouth, making a crisp "crunch" sound.
His tone was unclear as he looked at Chen Duling with surprise, and said sarcastically:
"Little Ears, have you finally broken out of character?"
"No...no, I'm just afraid that if I keep calling you Xu Yi, it might have a bad influence."
Chen Duling walked into the room with her head down.
She frequently posts on her own fan page, and not long ago I saw a comment—it's unclear whether it was from one of her fans, Gu Qing's fans, or some troll pretending to be a fan—expressing dissatisfaction:
"Xu Yi? 'Left Ear' is so many years old, can you please stop trying to piggyback on that!"
This sentence dealt a huge blow to Chen Duling.
She didn't sleep at least that night, and occasionally she would think about it late at night, turning on the "NetEase Cloud Music" emo mode.
She repeatedly asked herself:
Am I really just trying to freeload?
Everyone else calls him "little brother," but I insist on calling him Xu Yi. None of the other female leads do that, do they?
The more I think about it, the more I realize how scheming I am, and the more anxious I become.
"What's wrong with you? Shout if you want. I filmed 'The Left Ear' with you, not with anyone else."
Gu Qing chuckled and shook his head, leading the group into the room, his tone as casual as if he were talking about a trivial matter.
The observant assistant had already filled a container with water and placed it in front of the two of them.
"Xiao Gu, I haven't finished drying my hair yet. Let's finish drying it first, it's easy to catch a cold when your hair is wet."
Xu Jie, holding a hairdryer, urged them on; her voice came through the air.
"Little Ears, Auntie, please wait a moment."
Gu Qing had no choice but to stand up apologetically, bow slightly to them, and then walk quickly over.
"Sister Xiaoya, I'm leaving Dudu in your care. Please entertain him for me."
His voice drifted from the bedroom, mixed with the buzzing of the hairdryer.
Zhao Ya also gave Chen Duling a brief explanation: "Dudu, do you know about 'The Night Banquet of Han Xizai'?"
"I know, I know. My younger brother Xu told me about it when he took me on Running Man. I even looked it up after I got back."
Chen Duling nodded quickly, her eyes lighting up.
She has always remembered these things.
After Gu Qing finished drying her hair and sat back on the sofa,
"Little brother, I... I can't dance."
Upon hearing Zhao Ya explain the role she was auditioning for, Chen Duling looked anxiously at Gu Qing and said helplessly.
"If you can't dance, you can learn. It's just a few simple moves."
Gu Qing smiled.
"Little brother, I'm terrible at dancing! I can't dance at all, I'm completely uncoordinated!"
Seeing that Gu Qing hadn't grasped the seriousness of the situation, Chen Duling blushed and emphasized:
"It really doesn't match!"
“Mr. Gu Qing… my daughter… she really has no talent for dancing.”
Even the woman who had originally planned to remain silent couldn't help but speak up.
Her expression was subtle, as if she were recalling some unbearable scene.
You should think this through carefully.
"Even if it's not coordinated yet, there are still four months until the Spring Festival Gala. Surely we can learn a few moves by now?"
Gu Qing was puzzled.
"Also, Auntie, just call me by my name, don't be so polite. Dancing is a minor matter; the specifics will depend on the director's arrangements."
He glanced at the time and stood up.
"Come on, Little Ears, I'll take you to the interview first."
"..."
Chen Duling was so anxious she was practically steaming. Her lips opened and closed repeatedly, like a fish that had been pulled ashore.
She wanted to explain, but seeing Gu Qingdu get up and walk out, she could only follow him in despair and resignation.
Oh no... I'm going to embarrass Xu Yi...
……
The group arrived at the station by car.
Along the way, Gu Qing responded to the greetings from his employees.
Chen Duling felt very awkward following behind.
Putting aside how nervous she was during the Spring Festival Gala director's interview—that pressure felt like a mountain pressing down on her chest, making it hard for her to breathe.
It was the staff members who passed by, chatting and greeting Gu Qing, who made her feel extremely uncomfortable when they looked at her.
Most of the male employees were fine; they were either inquisitive, surprised, or curious about "who this is."
But those female staff members,
Some stared intently at her, their gazes fierce.
Some of them had very unpleasant expressions, with the corners of their mouths turned down, as if they had seen something that bothered them.
Some simply turned their heads away, pretending not to see.
Chen Duling was very familiar with these gazes.
As a former campus beauty who became an internet sensation, she was also a prominent figure at China Southern Airlines.
Whenever a boy talks to her or confesses his feelings, the girls around her often give her this kind of look.
Jealousy and hostility were particularly evident.
She lowered her head, quickened her pace, and moved closer to Gu Qing.
We arrived at Director Lü's office.
Gu Qing led Chen Duling inside.
"Delicate and elegant, non-threatening, and completely unobtrusive..."
Director Lü was very satisfied with Chen Duling's appearance. He took off his glasses, looked her up and down, and nodded.
"Xiao Gu, you're pretty good, you actually found it."
"Can the little girl dance?"
Director Lü asked gently, his tone as if he were chatting with a junior.
"Director...Director, I can't dance..."
Chen Duling's voice was so soft it was like a mosquito's buzz, and her head was almost drooping to her chest.
"It's alright, just move around a bit, I'll take a look at your body. There's still a long time until the Spring Festival Gala, I'll arrange for a professional teacher to teach you then."
Director Lü said with a smile, leaning back in his chair with a "relaxed" expression.
"Okay... well..."
Chen Duling mustered her courage, gritted her teeth, and moved her limbs by feeling.
next moment--
Gu Qing: "..."
Director Lü: "..."
Their smiles froze on their faces, as if someone had pressed the pause button.
The scene, how to put it—
Chen Duling stretched her left arm forward and kicked her right leg back, making her look like a frog that had been electrocuted.
Her movements were completely arrhythmic; her hands were hands, her legs were legs, as if they weren't body parts, each with its own independent thought.
Left hand to the left, right hand to the right, left leg to the left, right leg to the right, like four independent people holding a meeting that has nothing to do with each other.
Even more lethal was her expression.
People who dance are either absorbed, focused, or at least serious.
But Chen Duling's expression was like she was being tortured.
His brows were furrowed, his lips were pressed tightly together, and his eyes were fixed on the floor. He exuded an aura of despair, as if asking, "Why am I here?"
When she dances, even her personal charm diminishes.
"You...you really can't dance at all..."
After a brief silence, Chen Duling lowered her head, staring at her toes, not daring to speak.
Director Lü was picking at his teeth, and the sound was like a dentist pulling out a tooth.
Gu Qing also hesitated, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly.
His expression was priceless—from shock to bewilderment, from bewilderment to helplessness, and then to sudden realization: "So you meant it literally!"
But he still tried to smooth things over, saying, "Brother Lü, you've never danced before. In just over four months, you can definitely learn a few moves."
"Well... alright then. Let her practice first."
Director Lü hesitated for a moment, but still agreed.
"But Xiao Gu, are you really confident?"
He was still very satisfied with Chen Duling's appearance.
That face, that aura—standing there, it was as if he had stepped out of a painting.
But when I start dancing... sigh.
"Don't worry, Brother Lü, I will definitely teach her!"
Gu Qing seemed to be possessed by Guan Yu, and in front of everyone, he made a solemn pledge to Cao Cao at Huarong Road.
……
...(End of this chapter)