dhibooks Chapter 643 The Autistic Little Ears: Brother Chen Long Outputs Huang Xiaoming's Work
Chapter 643 The Autistic Little Ears: Brother Chen Long Outputs Huang Xiaoming's Work
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--capital,
"Dudu, stop looking. Xiao Gu shouldn't have gotten off the plane yet at this hour."
The hotel room was very warm, and a thin layer of condensation had formed on the windowpane.
A middle-aged woman leaned against the headboard, helplessly watching Chen Duling staring blankly out the window:
"Let me tell you, ever since we arrived at the hotel, you've looked out the window at the building more than ten times in the past hour."
The woman took a leisurely sip of tea and joked, "If you really want to see Xiao Gu as soon as possible, Mom will take you to the airport to pick him up right now."
Chen Duling stood by the window,
She was wearing a cream-colored turtleneck sweater, one hand gently resting on the window frame, her fair forehead almost touching the glass.
Outside the window is the gray-white winter skyline of the capital, and occasionally a few cars drive by below, causing my gaze to follow them.
Upon hearing her mother's words, Chen Duling turned around abruptly.
"Mom, what are you saying?"
Her voice was a few decibels deeper than that of most girls, carrying a mature quality that didn't quite match her innocent, bunny-like face.
This contrast makes her always give unfamiliar people a slight surprise whenever she speaks.
She has the face of an innocent high school girl, but her voice carries a cool and aloof older sister vibe.
"I haven't watched it that many times."
Chen Duling immediately retorted.
"Still saying you don't?"
The woman put down her teacup. "Dudu, Mom is still very open-minded. If you want to date, then go ahead. Mom also likes Xiao Gu quite a bit."
Chen Duling opened her almond-shaped eyes slightly and looked at her mother.
"Xiao Gu is young, handsome, and very talented."
The woman counted on her fingers, one by one, "She's much better than your father was when he was young. If you like her, just like her. What's there to be embarrassed about?"
"Mom... what good is it if I like someone else?"
Chen Duling lowered her long eyelashes, staring at her fingertips, a faint melancholy appearing on her delicate, fair face:
"Xu Yi has to like me first."
"Xu Yi?"
The woman paused for a moment, then realized what she meant and chuckled, "You still call him Xu Yi?"
"Mom, is this the important point?!"
Chen Duling blushed.
"Yes, yes, Mom understands what you mean. You're afraid that people won't like you."
The woman nodded understandingly, "Such an outstanding boy can indeed put a lot of pressure on people."
"but……"
Seeing her increasingly dejected daughter, the woman still tried to comfort her, "Dudu, don't be discouraged. Xiao Gu definitely has feelings for you, Mom promises!"
"really?"
Chen Duling blinked, looking at her mother with a somewhat blank expression.
“Dudu, ever since you were in ‘The Left Ear,’ Xiao Gu has been taking care of you, teaching you how to act, how to appear on shows, and how to give interviews…”
Later, when you weren't getting any acting roles, they took you to a game promotion event. Knowing you were being mistreated on set, they even sent someone to deliver flowers to you.
Even the announcements for the Spring Festival Gala were all introduced to you by Xiao Gu.
"Dudu, why would a man do these things if he doesn't like you? Xiao Gu definitely likes you."
The woman, exasperated, gently poked Chen Duling's forehead with her fingertip. "Little Gu has done so much, even I'm moved. Aren't you moved?"
"If you want to pursue a guy like that, you have to take the initiative. Are you waiting for someone else to take the initiative?!"
"Mom, of course I'm touched! I...I..."
Chen Duling's pretty face flushed red instantly. She wanted to say something, but her tongue seemed to be tied in knots. Her pink lips moved for a long time, but she couldn't utter the sentence completely.
She can't just say directly, "Your daughter is willing to go through fire and water for someone, can she?"
No one remembers Xu Yi's help to her better than Chen Duling.
Perhaps these things were really just a matter of lifting a finger for Gu Qing.
He did it, he helped, and he probably doesn't even remember it anymore.
But those seemingly insignificant little things were, in Chen Duling's eyes at the time, a salvation that pulled her out of despair.
Just like,
During her student days, Li Er's crush and flutter of affection for Xu Yi stemmed solely from a warm smile under the sunlight.
The destructive power of the "white moonlight" is astonishing.
Li Er truly remembers things for a lifetime!
And now,
There is only one problem troubling Chen Duling:
She... doesn't know how to pursue boys!
"Don't know how to pursue guys?"
The woman's expression was priceless after listening to her daughter's halting confession.
She wanted to laugh, but also felt sorry for her daughter. Her lips twitched several times before she managed to hold back her laughter.
But then she thought about it again and suddenly realized something was wrong.
"That's not right, Dudu."
The woman pushed up her round-framed sunglasses and asked in surprise, "Didn't you have a crush on a boy when you were in school?"
Chen Duling's body stiffened slightly.
“I remember it very clearly. Once when you came home, you told me that you had added someone as a friend and that the two of you were playing games together.”
The woman was very puzzled: "Why don't you know how to pursue boys?"
"mom……"
Chen Duling's shoulders slumped, as if deflated: "Do you know what happened next?"
"What happened next?" the woman asked curiously.
He deleted me.
Chen Duling replied.
The air fell silent for a moment.
"Deleted?"
The woman's sunglasses nearly slipped off her nose. "Why?"
"I thought he liked playing video games."
Chen Duling's voice carried a lingering sense of helplessness, a feeling that hadn't faded even after many years. "So I practiced desperately, practiced relentlessly. Later, the two of us had a one-on-one duel in the game—"
"and then?"
“I killed him six times.”
Chen Duling uttered these words in a calm tone, as if stating a physical formula.
He ignored me from then on.
"..."
The woman stared blankly, her mouth agape.
She looked incredulously at her daughter's serious, almost solemn face, which showed no hint of a joke, and suddenly felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
Did she give birth to a daughter or a son?
"Dudu..."
The woman rubbed her temples and, in a tone of wisdom emanating from someone with more experience, earnestly advised, "Girls should show some vulnerability and be a little coquettish sometimes. Why are you so strong-willed?"
"That won't do."
Chen Duling immediately retorted, "Playing games is all about winning, how can you hold back!"
She paused, then added softly, a hint of barely perceptible delight in her voice:
"Moreover, Xu Yi told me that he doesn't like girls who are too delicate. He admires girls who are self-reliant, independent, and strong-willed."
The woman's eyes suddenly lit up.
"That's great!"
She clapped her hands, a bright smile blooming on her round face. "Dudu, if you kill Xiao Gu six times, won't he like you then?"
Chen Duling fell silent.
"mom."
Her voice was muffled, "But I can't beat Xu Yi in the game."
Woman: "..."
"He can kill me six times in a row."
Chen Duling's almond-shaped eyes were dim, and her heart was ashen.
"Dudu, why don't you try again?"
Undeterred, the woman tried to find a final solution: "How about improving my gaming skills?"
"Mom, my prescription is almost 600 degrees, and I still can't beat Xu Yi... He's too good."
When she got to the second half of the sentence, Chen Duling's tone suddenly changed, sounding disappointed.
She suddenly grabbed the woman's hand, her voice filled with barely suppressed excitement.
"Mom! Do you know how strong Xu Yi is?!"
The woman was startled by her sudden enthusiasm.
"Our server only has two hundred players who reach the King rank in a single season!"
Chen Duling's eyes shone brightly, and her voice became more spirited:
"Xu Yi is that good! Every time he carries me, the two of us can completely dominate the enemy in the bottom lane!"
She released the woman's hand, her slender fingers gesturing in the air:
"When we try to secure second place, he'll first lower my health bar, then wait for my crowd control abilities to be ready before—"
"Stop, stop, stop!"
The woman quickly reached out to stop her daughter's endless explanation.
She felt her head was buzzing and couldn't understand a single word.
Seeing the look of admiration in Chen Duling's eyes when facing the powerful, the woman suddenly wondered if there was a serious problem with her parenting.
"Dudu,"
The woman tried to keep her tone calm, "Is your focus right now on the game?"
"Ah...right."
Chen Duling paused, then reluctantly withdrew her slender hand that had been raised in mid-air.
With round, almond-shaped eyes, she stared blankly at her mother beside her, her gaze unfocused. Her small, rabbit teeth gently bit her lower lip. "Mom, what should I do?"
"How do I do it—"
The woman drawled out the words, her expression inscrutable.
Chen Duling held her breath in anticipation.
"Mom doesn't actually know either."
The woman calmly shrugged.
Chen Duling tilted her head, her beautiful eyes devoid of emotion.
"It was your dad who pursued me back then."
The woman said awkwardly, "Mom doesn't know how to pursue men either."
"..."
Chen Duling buried her pretty face in the pillow, not wanting to talk to her mother anymore.
"Dudu, don't rush. Although Mom has never pursued a man, I can still give you advice."
The woman quickly pulled her daughter up, saying righteously, "Listen to your mother. I've eaten more rice than you've eaten salt, so I definitely understand men better than you."
"Mom, you've gone wrong, so please stop giving me bad advice."
Chen Duling had no expectations and her expression was one of utter despair.
"I need to practice the pipa now. I have to go to rehearse with Xu Yi this afternoon."
She couldn't stand her mother acting like a child, so she used her work on the Spring Festival Gala as an excuse to stop the woman, who was becoming increasingly animated in her speech.
Chen Duling's family workshop has never made any major mistakes.
that's because,
She herself serves as the company's legal representative.
All decision-making power rests with her.
after all,
If the company runs into trouble, Chen Duling, as the legal representative, will be the first person responsible.
She won't let anyone make decisions for her; she only trusts herself!
Chen Duling silently took out the pipa, put on the prosthetic nails, and sat in the hotel chair with the bottom of the pipa resting on her right thigh.
Thinking of the teacher's posture, I let out a soft sigh, relaxed my shoulders and neck, straightened my back, and began to lightly pluck the strings with my fingertips.
Watching her daughter practice intently, the woman remained silent, but her eyes revealed heartache.
since,
After switching from dancing to playing the pipa
She could sense that her daughter, who had always excelled academically, was experiencing a blow to her self-esteem and anxieties about failing to live up to others' expectations.
All you need to do is practice your posture and learn the normal direction of the strings.
But the woman looked at Chen Duling, who practiced for more than ten hours every day. Calluses formed on her delicate fingertips, and blisters would heal and then break again. After nearly two months of non-stop practice, she could play the entire piece with ease.
Time flies.
Before we knew it, it was almost noon.
The hotel gradually became more noisy, and footsteps and the dull thud of suitcase wheels rolling over the carpet began to echo in the corridor.
More and more celebrities are checking into this hotel, which was booked by the Spring Festival Gala production team.
The artists invited to the Spring Festival Gala all traveled light, with at most two or three assistants.
After checking in, I stopped being picky about anything, such as the room's orientation, floor level, or mattress firmness.
When you encounter hotel staff, they are all friendly and approachable, without the slightest bit of airs.
Any artist who can perform on the Spring Festival Gala knows that putting on airs in that place is the stupidest thing to do.
Even if you're unhappy, you have to greet them with a smile.
Many celebrities simply gathered in the hotel lobby to chat and laugh.
The only advantage,
Living here means you don't have to worry about your privacy being compromised.
Even the Chaoyang residents have to keep quiet these days. Who would dare to cause trouble so close to the Spring Festival Gala?
The hotel staff kept glancing at the hotel staff.
These A-list celebrities and top stars, whom we usually only see on TV, are sitting just a few steps away from us.
They dressed like ordinary people, drank ordinary coffee, and chatted about ordinary things.
That feeling was so dreamlike.
"Big Brother! It's Brother Chen Long!"
Someone shouted, and all the artists in the hotel lobby put down their cups and turned their heads in unison.
A large crowd surged in at the hotel entrance.
The one in the lead had sparse silver-black hair, a distinctive large nose, and wrinkles at the corners of his eyes that were familiar to people all over the country.
When Brother Chen Long makes an appearance, he is always surrounded by a large entourage.
Surrounded by agents, assistants, bodyguards, and accompanying publicists, a huge entourage completely blocked the hotel lobby.
He was wearing a down jacket and walked with a brisk pace. Despite being over sixty years old, he had more energy than many young people.
"Hey! Brother Chen Long is here!"
"Brother, it's been a long time."
"Brother, you are still so healthy."
The artists in the lobby all stood up at once, their faces beaming with the warmest smiles, and they rushed forward to greet each other.
"Good good."
Brother Chen Long's wrinkles deepened, and he smiled brightly as he shook hands with each of the artists who came up to him.
His grip was frighteningly strong; it felt like being clamped by an iron clamp. Several delicate young artists grimaced in pain but were too embarrassed to complain.
"Hey, Brother Jing! You're here too?!"
Standing next to Brother Chen Long was a man wearing only a thin long-sleeved shirt even in the dead of winter; it was Wu Jing.
"Wolf Warrior 2 is so good, I've watched it three times!"
"Director Wu Jing, when are you going to write Part 3? Could you reserve a supporting role for me? I'll act in it for free!"
"Yes, yes, Brother Jing, your 'Wolf Warrior 2' got me so excited! Just give me any role in the third one, I don't care how many lines I have!"
Upon seeing Wu Jing, the artists who had gathered around became even more enthusiastic.
Towards Chen Long, they merely held the respect due to an elder brother.
Nowadays, Brother Chen Long can offer them no help in their careers whatsoever.
in contrast,
If this older brother were to actually ask them to make cameo appearances in movies, which artist wouldn't be filled with resentment?
The king of bad movies has been decided.
Unlike Wu Jing, who was riding high on the popularity of "Wolf Warrior 2," everyone wanted to sit on the hot kang (heated brick bed) of the movie.
This is the kind of big director who can generate profits for them.
Surrounded by a group of people, Wu Jing had a smug look on his face, and the smile on his lips was impossible to suppress.
He greeted everyone with a smile, shook hands, and addressed them as brothers, responding with great enthusiasm.
"No problem, no problem, we're all brothers. I'll contact you guys again after I finish writing the third part."
"If a suitable role comes up, I will definitely contact you, don't worry."
"Is Xiao Gu here? He's definitely here—we have to save one for him!"
He spoke with utmost sincerity, his tone as earnest as if he were swearing an oath to heaven.
But in his heart, Wu Jing was cursing.
Where were you all when I was begging for investment and acting opportunities everywhere?
He kept a detailed record of all the humiliation he suffered during those years.
Do you think you can just get a role from him by saying a few nice words?
Go dream!
When interacting with these people, Wu Jing's main tactic is to talk nonsense.
You can say nice things and smile easily, but when it comes to actually playing a role—anyone who believes you is a fool.
As soon as Chen Long arrived at the hotel, all the artists in the building quickly found out.
Even celebrities like Jay Chou, Huang Bo, Lay Zhang, Huang Xiaoming, Li Yifeng, Zhang Guoli, Wang Jingwen, and Na Ying...
Almost every celebrity with a name came down from their room and into the lobby to greet Brother Chen Long.
Their status is obvious.
Brother Chen Long is truly energetic, always smiling, shaking hands with men, hugging women, and even kissing old acquaintances on the cheek.
There were even more people in the hotel lobby.
Huang, the leader of the cult, squeezed through the crowd and came to Chen Long. He first bowed respectfully halfway, then grasped Chen Long's hands with both of his, adopting an extremely humble posture.
"Brother, it's almost noon."
Huang Xiaoming's smile was perfectly measured, neither obsequious nor cold, and his tone carried a hint of respect from a junior to a senior.
"We've all finally gotten together, shouldn't we catch up? How about you book a restaurant and treat everyone to a meal?"
Huang Xiaoming's mastery of interpersonal relationships is truly unmatched by ordinary people.
"Everyone, come and eat whatever you want for lunch."
Chen Long waved his hand and readily agreed, "I've already arranged for someone to make the reservations."
A small cheer rose from the crowd.
"but--"
Chen Long abruptly changed the subject, raised his left hand, clenched it into a fist, and slammed it into Wu Jing's chest with a thud. "What time is it now? I'm waiting for someone."
The punch was clearly quite powerful; Wu Jing was forced back half a step and coughed twice while clutching his chest.
But the smile on his face remained unchanged.
"Cough cough—Brother, you're really strong."
Wu Jing rubbed his chest, glanced down at his watch, and looked up with a smile, "It's almost time, the big star should be here soon."
As soon as he said that, everyone around him perked up their ears.
"Big brother, Brother Jing, who's got such a big shot?"
Huang Xiaoming reacted the fastest, immediately continuing the conversation.
With a relaxed smile on his face, he said in a half-joking tone, "Making you two wait for someone—which big star is coming? I'll have to meet them when the time comes."
Wu Jing turned his head, grinning broadly:
“Master, you’ve known this person for much longer than I have.”
Master Huang was slightly taken aback: "I know him?"
"Huang Xiaoming, on the way here, Wu Jing told me that you and my son had a conflict?"
Brother Chen Long always addresses everyone by their first name, casually blurting out, "Is it your girlfriend who likes him?"
I had more girls who liked me when I was younger; you need to work on your charm.
Brother Chen Long earnestly advised: "When a man establishes himself, he should focus on refining his work and cultivating his career. He should not be preoccupied with romantic love or let women dictate his thoughts and cause him to lose his temper. It is not worth it."
In just a few words,
All the artists around stopped talking and cast strange glances at them as if they were watching a spectacle.
"Is Big Brother going to stand up for his younger brother Gu Qing?"
A young female celebrity lowered her voice and whispered to the person next to her.
"Didn't you hear me? 'My little one.' My goodness, are the two of them that close?"
The person next to him shook his head, his gaze sweeping across the crowd to Huang Xiaoming's retreating figure, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips.
"Hahaha, he's really messed up this time. He always acts like a smiling tiger, stabbing people in the back. He's in for a rough time with someone like Big Brother."
A chorus of whispers reached Huang Xiaoming's ears, and his face stiffened, leaving him speechless for a moment.
However, Chen Long's tone was sincere throughout, and he seemed to be a senior sincerely giving advice to a junior, so he had no way to refute him.
"Brother, it's not like that. I have no conflict with Xiao Gu. Brother Jing is just spreading rumors."
Huang Xiaoming forced a smile, glanced at Wu Jing with feigned complaint, and said vaguely, "My darling and her younger brother have recorded two seasons of variety shows together, and their relationship is as close as siblings. I also treat Xiao Gu like a younger brother."
The voice just fell,
"Pfft-"
Someone was trying to suppress a laugh, and there were a few faint, almost inaudible snorts.
Huang Xiaoming did not turn around. His back stiffened for a moment before he regained his upright posture.
Several artists who had grudges against him exchanged knowing glances as they watched his stiff back.
Those artists who were close to Gu Qing,
Especially some of the female celebrities, whose mouths were almost turned up to their chins.
Who among the veterans in the entertainment industry doesn't know about Huang Xiaoming's scandals from his early years?
Cheating, living off women, and dumping his girlfriend—that was a truly dark history that caused a huge uproar at the time.
It was precisely because the internet wasn't as developed back then, and he was willing to spend money on public relations, that he was able to clear his name so cleanly now.
Now he's transformed into a domineering CEO with a deeply affectionate persona, always putting on the act of a devoted and loving man wherever he goes.
Every time he mentions his girlfriend in front of the media, his eyes and tone are more dramatic than in any of his films.
Ironically, who in the industry doesn't know who he is?
Gu Qing was slandered so badly back then,
Online press releases are everywhere, and marketing accounts are releasing smear articles in unison, as if they have all received instructions.
Which celebrity in the industry doesn't know the truth?
On the surface, they seem harmonious, but behind the scenes, they are more petty than anyone else.
Which male celebrity who is close to Yang Ying hasn't been inexplicably attacked online?
How many years have we been using this same old trick? Aren't we tired of it?
"It would be good to let his wife keep an eye on him; there's always someone who can control someone else."
Someone muttered something under their breath.
The person next to him scoffed and lowered his voice: "Are you sure she can control him? Our Xiaoming was recently caught on camera at a nightclub."
"I've heard about it too. Apparently, it's a little green tea girl that Sister Amy cultivated, and she's completely infatuated with him."
"Tsk, that's disgusting. So he can do this, but Yang Ying can't? Jay Chou's song 'What Kind of Man' suits him quite well."
The group pursed their lips and didn't say anything more.
Brother Chen Long didn't say anything more. He glanced at Huang Xiaoming, then at the various celebrities around him with their different expressions, and waved his hand slightly.
He's a straightforward person; once he says something, he says it and he won't go on and on.
Since Huang Xiaoming himself said there was "no conflict," he couldn't say anything more.
"I'll wait for Gu Qing."
Brother Chen Long changed the subject, his kind smile returning to his face, and said cheerfully to those around him, "If you have something to do, go ahead and do it. Don't keep this old man waiting."
Huang, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, lowered his head to hide his embarrassment, remained silent, and hurriedly left the hall, deliberately avoiding the scrutinizing gazes of the crowd.
Other than that,
Several other artists who had previously competed with Gu Qing for resources or had private conflicts also quietly took this opportunity to leave.
She didn't want to stay and wait for Gu Qing to arrive, to avoid an awkward encounter.
However, the vast majority of the artists in the lobby showed no intention of leaving.
Even some celebrities who had already returned to their rooms to rest saw the message in the group chat that Gu Qing was about to arrive and made a special trip back down the elevator to wait for her.
Even Jay Chou, who was originally looking for an excuse to sneak back to his room, was surprised to learn that Gu Qing was coming.
She immediately abandoned her thought of leaving and walked over to Chen Long's side, where the two chatted to pass the time while waiting.
At this moment, the hotel lobby presents a rare and spectacular sight:
Standing side by side were world-class superstar Chen Long, Asian pop music king Jay Chou, and up-and-coming director Wu Jing, who holds the record for the highest-grossing domestic film.
Huang Bo, Zhang Yixing, and other top-tier film and television stars were also waiting nearby, chatting and laughing.
About twenty minutes later,
A chauffeured car pulled up in front of the hotel, and the eagerly awaited 'superstar' had arrived.
……
……
...(End of this chapter)