Chapter Sixty-Six: Reunion at the Summit

On the pedestrian bridge, the lights were bright. Below, cars occasionally sped by, and if one looked closely, there were quite a few people on either side carrying cameras; even on the bridge itself, motion cameras had been set up, and drones hovered in the sky above.

Yang Jiaxing tried his best to appear natural, inwardly grumbling about whichever fool had come up with this filming mode for the final scene. Why not follow the traditional romance show routine—make a call, and if the other person agrees, then meet them? That would save everyone a lot of awkwardness.

During their interactions, Yang Jiaxing admitted he’d gotten carried away, at one point even doubting his own charm. But after returning home and spending a day alone, he watched the first season more than three times. The writer in the observation room had made a good point: Chen Siyang was an entertainer, and she entered the romance show under pressure. Whoever went too far would only increase that pressure for her. That’s why Tang Zhichu succeeded.

But, thinking back, was Chen Siyang someone they should have tried to reach? Yang Jiaxing felt he’d been blinded by greed; how could an ordinary person approach an ambitious celebrity? In his eyes, Chen Siyang was exactly that—a driven entertainer. After the first episode aired, her followers on social media skyrocketed by over two hundred thousand, and Tianhe Entertainment was trending for all the wrong reasons.

She was classically trained, the visual star of her girl group, both professional and beautiful—an artist like that, sent to a romance show by Tianhe! Everyone assumed Chen Siyang was being sidelined, unable to get resources, but Yang Jiaxing believed it was a strategic retreat. How could an ordinary person hope to connect with such a woman? Even Tang Zhichu withdrew in the end.

Only afterward did Yang Jiaxing realize that this season truly hid dragons and tigers; he’d naively thought he could genuinely pursue love and ended up the biggest fool. As for Chen Siyang, it went without saying. The reason Yang Jiaxing ultimately reconciled with Tang Zhichu was because he’d asked a friend at the bank to look into Tang Zhichu’s background. He wanted to see what Tang was worth, but stumbled upon his secret.

Tang was supposedly just a small restaurant owner, but every month a corporate account from DY paid him. That was a true mastermind. Regardless of Tang’s connections at DY, the fact remained that he never revealed himself throughout the show; his talent for singing only came out at the end, under special circumstances. That kind of composure demanded enormous confidence.

No wonder, when chatting with friends, they’d say: never underestimate anyone, especially the one who stands to gain the most from the outcome.

“So? You called me here but won’t speak?”

At some point, Zhou Yun appeared beside Yang Jiaxing, mimicking his posture as she rested her fair arm on the bridge railing.

Yang Jiaxing came back to himself and glanced at Zhou Yun. She wore a pure white dress, her hair tied in a bun, and her round face was not only cute but carried a distinct feminine charm. Now that he was clear-headed, he regretted not waking up sooner—his smooth start had blinded him, not only having first contact with Chen Siyang, but also Zhou Yun, who was so beautiful and so proactive toward him.

He was calculating how best to speak, hoping for something profitable or interesting.

Yang Jiaxing sighed and said, “Do you think we missed our chance?”

Zhou Yun shook her head—he was being ridiculous—but still replied, “I don’t think so.”

Yang Jiaxing nodded, “I agree, I wouldn’t say we missed out. It’s just that participating in the romance show with Tang Zhichu was utterly hopeless.”

Zhou Yun was taken aback. What did he mean by that?

Seeing Zhou Yun’s puzzled expression, Yang Jiaxing smiled, “Let’s go. I hope we’ll be good friends from here on.”

He turned and walked away, heading up the bridge, not a trace of hesitation. Zhou Yun watched his retreating figure and thought he was rather carefree; she wasn’t worried about being criticized by the audience. After all, she’d been the one to approach Yang Jiaxing, and he had ignored her every time.

Descending the steps, Yang Jiaxing’s smile blossomed. If Chen Siyang could elevate herself by playing the retreat, then so could he—by doing the same for Tang Zhichu. When the storm of public opinion came, would it favor him or Tang Zhichu?

That was why Yang Jiaxing chose Zhou Yun and said participating with Tang Zhichu was hopeless; his attitude was one of genuine admiration.

Why do this? Perhaps it was a touch of resentment born from love. When your rival wins your goddess, that rival deserves to be damned. If he hasn’t, then perhaps it’s the goddess who’s the problem.

Additionally, deep down, Yang Jiaxing respected Tang Zhichu—he really was impressive, able to flirt with Chen Siyang and then dash away!

Brilliant!

...

Huang Zejun stood on the bridge, calm inside. He could see Yang Jiaxing and Zhou Yun on either side of the road; neither had returned to their cars, both watching the bridge, as if waiting for something.

Jiang Lan was also on the bridge, dressed casually, unlike Zhou Yun.

Yet in the night breeze, her hair floated, and her mature, captivating aura needed no clothing to enhance it.

Huang Zejun had rehearsed many words in his mind, but when he saw her, he couldn’t speak them.

They exchanged a smile, and Jiang Lan spoke first, “In the future, when dealing with girls, try not to be too opinionated. Pay more attention to their feelings.”

Huang Zejun nodded, “I will, but I think I did okay, didn’t I?”

Jiang Lan paused, then laughed, “Not bad. Keep at it.”

“Lan, can I call you that?”

“Why are you calling me the same as they do? You’re not younger than me!”

“I think you’ll meet someone even better, truly.” Huang Zejun spoke earnestly.

But his comparison wasn’t himself—it was Tang Zhichu. Why bother competing? He’d come here just to throw in the towel, or maybe to be the stepping stone for that pair.

Huang Zejun felt he’d figured it out: Tang Zhichu was a career man, able to push even Chen Siyang away—so what chance did Jiang Lan have?

He thought he should benchmark himself against Tang Zhichu; look at him, chasing success, does he lack women? Not at all—there are plenty!

By the way, Tang Zhichu said he’d buy Huang’s company, but never took action. Damn, did he change his mind? Things were getting tricky. Online, there were crowds calling Tang Zhichu “husband.” He was gaining popularity, and if Huang Zejun delayed, there would certainly be changes.

Jiang Lan rolled her eyes, “Thanks for that!”

Huang Zejun laughed heartily, waving at Jiang Lan, “See you at the top, Lan. I’m off to chase my career again!”

Jiang Lan waved back, “See you at the top.”

After leaving the bridge, Huang Zejun didn’t return to his car, but went to join Yang Jiaxing. The two embraced, then both turned to look at the bridge.

Across the way, Jiang Lan and Zhou Yun stood together, Zhou Yun now wrapped in an extra jacket.