Chapter 74
The one who came looking for the production team was not only Yun Xueshan.
Time rewound to last night, deep into the night.
In Tongque Town, Anxin City, Jiannan Province, at the archaeological site.
The student who had previously recommended Shen Jinfeng to Professor Gu, believing Shen Jinfeng might be able to solve the chime-bell problem, and who wholeheartedly wanted to pull his idol—Shen Dalao—into the same academic lineage, finally finished a day’s exhausting work and opened the What Kind of Person Are You livestream again.
He was preparing to absorb his daily spiritual nourishment and begin his leisure time.
A few seconds later, his eyes widened.
He stared blankly at the deserted island under the empty night sky for a full minute. Where were the people? Not a single person was left?
From the bullet comments, he vaguely guessed something and hurriedly went to social media to search.
Sure enough, all the trending topics had exploded.
He quickly learned the whole story of what had happened tonight.
Damn. Shen Dalao was so awesome it had kind of gone beyond all limits!
He happily joined the melon-eating army and joined everyone in cursing the production team.
Ten minutes later, he suddenly remembered something.
His whole body shot upright.
“Professor, Shen Dalao is out of the show!”
Holding his phone, he rushed in one breath into Professor Gu’s room. Professor Gu had just finished work and was eating a late-night snack with He Yingcai.
“Professor, we can start taking action now! You previously said you wanted to absorb Shen Dalao into our team. He’s already out!”
Professor Gu took two seconds to process it before remembering that there had indeed been such a matter. His eyes immediately lit up.
But he was puzzled. “Didn’t you say it was estimated to take another month or so?”
The student shook his head excitedly and immediately began describing to the two of them, with great animation, the entire cause, development, and current online public opinion surrounding tonight’s incident.
When people talk about something they are interested in, fond of, or worship, they can always speak endlessly and eloquently, and they can infect those listening with great force.
That was exactly his state now.
He Yingcai’s eyes also shone as he listened. “Bold yet meticulous, daring to doubt, rigorous in thought, sharp and resourceful. He really is a good seedling.”
“Old Gu, you already have enough students. Why don’t you give this one to me?”
Professor Gu’s face darkened, and he glared at him.
“Go, go, go. I reserved this one long ago. If you want a disciple, go find one yourself. What kind of skill is stealing someone else’s?”
“And can you even steal him from me?”
The student watched from the side, stunned.
Sure enough, a good seedling also needed to be “fought over” as a foil to stimulate enthusiasm.
Before, Professor Gu had still wanted to keep up appearances, to put on airs, and talk about some assessment period.
But now that there was competition, his face changed immediately.
So why had it been so difficult for the student to become his disciple back then?
Was it because he had not found a suitable shill?
The student silently wept in his heart.
However, no matter what, the thought that he might soon work with Dalao made him wish he could immediately rush online and make a hundred posts to show off!
Ahem, calm down. He had to stay steady. He could not open the champagne halfway through.
After Professor Gu and He Yingcai glared at each other and traded a few rounds of verbal blows,
the two angrily turned their backs to each other and sat down.
The student carefully reported, “Teacher, then may I take a day off tomorrow and go to the production team? I’ll personally invite Shen Dalao over on your behalf?”
“Ahem, as for the training plan, salary, benefits system, why don’t you give me a rough idea, and I’ll go negotiate tomorrow?”
Although archaeological work definitely could not rely on salary to attract people, they still had to show sincerity, right?
He thought he had considered everything very thoroughly.
After all, judging from the way Professor Gu valued Shen Dalao and seemed very expectant, he should approve the leave!
But given Professor Gu’s identity and status, it would be too exaggerated for him to go personally.
Therefore, letting the student go was the best choice.
As the student thought this, he was secretly delighted.
Yay, he could perfectly escape work for a day and also meet Shen Dalao.
His girlfriend was a fan of He Erwang, and he had previously been a fan of Qin Ye.
Maybe he could even conveniently ask for autographs and photos together. Too satisfying!
Professor Gu listened to him, his expression easing slightly, and was just about to nod.
Unexpectedly, He Yingcai, who had been sitting with his back to him, suddenly turned around and looked at the student with interest.
“Xiao Lü, I’ll go with you!”
“Anyway, we’ve been stuck here for so many days with no progress. It’s just right to go out, get some fresh air, relax, and change my brain.” He said.
He thought Shen Jinfeng’s brain seemed useful. Maybe he could provide him with some ideas and new directions.
Professor Gu suddenly spun around too and glared at him face-to-face.
“He Yingcai, you still haven’t given up!”
He Yingcai paused for a moment, then smiled playfully and arrogantly. “I want to snatch him, so I’ll snatch him. Snatching people depends on each person’s ability. I’m not going to waste time arguing with an old man like you. I’ll go to the scene and snatch him.”
“Heh, what can you do about it?”
Professor Gu’s eyes widened. For a moment, he actually could not speak.
He frowned and thought for a while. Finally, he made up his mind and said with imposing grandeur, “I’m going too!”
“Xiao Lü, help me book a plane ticket. I’ll go with you.”
He Yingcai was not wrong. Since there was no progress at the archaeological site for now, it was not bad to go out and change his mood.
A good seedling had to be fought for. Over the past few days, whenever the student had a chance, he would promote Shen Jinfeng to him with a few words.
Now, Professor Gu felt that Shen Jinfeng’s various performances, words, and actions were all too much to his taste, and his looks were good too.
No one knew that Professor Gu, who dealt with cultural relics every day, was also slightly face-obsessed.
Therefore, he had truly been tempted until his heart itched.
He had already decided that Shen Jinfeng would be his future disciple. If He Yingcai really snatched him away, he would be furious.
Thinking of this, he instructed the student irritably, “Just book tickets for the two of us. Don’t help him book one.”
For a moment, the student could not hold it together.
But between his own teacher and a close senior, he still knew who mattered more.
He quickly nodded. “Yes, Teacher. I’ll go buy the tickets right away. Once I buy them, I’ll send them to you on WeChat!”
He felt that if he stayed here any longer, it would be too much of a Shura field. His little heart could not bear it. After getting permission, he quickly ran off.
After he left, He Yingcai raised his brows and did not bother staying any longer either.
“Old Gu, you’re already so old, yet you’re still so petty and narrow-minded. Tsk.”
He snorted coldly, as if implying something.
After saying that, he left too.
Professor Gu was left alone in the room, blowing his beard and glaring, so angry he nearly burst.
However, He Yingcai had reminded him. Tomorrow, he had to pay attention to his image and show a modest, magnanimous, and friendly manner.
Pah, pah, pah. What did he mean “show”? He was originally that kind of person.
Outside the door, the student had not walked quickly. As he walked, he lowered his head and fiddled with his phone, probably checking flight tickets.
He Yingcai strode a few steps and caught up, suddenly patting the student’s shoulder.
“Xiao Lü, come, secretly help me buy a ticket too.”
The student was startled and almost dropped his phone.
He raised his head, on the verge of tears, inwardly crying bitterly. When immortals fought, little ghosts suffered.
“Teacher He, I already promised Professor Gu. I definitely can’t go back on my word.”
He Yingcai’s brows stood upright, and even his beard trembled.
The student said, “But hurry and ask your assistant to buy one for you. Otherwise, there won’t be any tickets left soon.”
He Yingcai nodded and hooked an arm around his shoulders. “You can at least tell me which flight you booked, right?”
The student’s vigilance instantly rose.
What did he mean? Was he trying to find out which flight he had bought and then deliberately arrive earlier than them?
Hmph. He had bought the earliest flight.
He shook his head and smiled awkwardly. “I really can’t say that. You can’t lure me into being a traitor.”
He Yingcai looked at him steadily for two seconds, straightened up, and said expressionlessly, “What’s there to hide? Without even looking, I know you definitely bought the earliest one.”
He took the lead and walked away, waving at the student. “I’m leaving. See you tomorrow.”
The student: “…”
If you knew, why ask? Speechless.
He quickly lowered his head and paid for the ticket he had just chosen at top speed.
However, the student did not expect this.
Professor Gu saw He Yingcai as his rival, but he did not expect either
that at the same university, Beijing University, he had another competitor.
Late at night, in the Beijing University materials science laboratory.
Recently, Professor Feng Chenfeng’s students, and even a few specialized teachers, had almost all thrown themselves into researching the new material, forgetting food and sleep.
Of course, when drinking water, one should remember the person who dug the well.
The group of experiment laborers contributed all their remaining free time during meals and bathroom breaks to the What Kind of Person Are You livestream, and to Shen Jinfeng.
As a result, today,
near dawn, a doctoral student finally finished the experiment at hand and found a moment to take out his phone.
“I’m really speechless. I thought I could finish a few hours earlier and still catch a glimpse of the meteor shower!” The doctoral student sighed and hurriedly opened the livestream.
“But Shen Dalao said it might start as late as ten. Generally speaking, meteor showers last several hours, right? I hope I’m still in time.”
As soon as he said this, he instantly attracted the attention of the other classmates who were still focusing on experiments.
“Damn, I completely forgot! I even planned to make a wish with Shen Dalao!”
“Who didn’t? I was planning to wish that Shen Dalao could discover more rare materials for us to study, hahaha.”
“A-He, hurry up. Open the livestream, put it on speaker, and bring it over so I can take a look. I’m almost done too. I need Shen Dalao to give me some strength!”
“Yes, yes. A-He, hurry up. I want to worship Shen Dalao.”
A-He was the name of the doctoral student who had opened his phone.
“Stop shouting, stop shouting! At this hour, maybe they’re already asleep.”
According to past experience, that was how it should be.
However, as soon as he clicked into the livestream room, the night sky was filled with twinkling meteors.
It should have been breathtakingly beautiful, but unfortunately, the exploding bullet comments covering the screen ruined the atmosphere.
The doctoral student temporarily turned off the bullet comments.
Then he realized: why was there not a single person on the beach either? It made the night seem even lonelier.
He froze for a moment, not yet understanding the situation.
Then he saw a sentence floating across the public screen: [This meteor shower has come to an end. Wishing all viewers’ dreams come true. Good night and sweet dreams~]
He stared at the screen and blinked several times.
“A-He, are you done yet?”
“Brother He, hurry up!”
Under the calls of the others, he finally came back to himself.
“Damn it, stupid production team. I just went in and it ended. Shen Dalao and the others probably finished watching and went to sleep.”
“Wait for me. I’ll go look at the trending topics. There must be videos!”
As he spoke, he exited the pitch-black livestream room.
“Damn, it really ended. I told you, this hour is already Dalao’s healthy sleep time.”
“I’m dying laughing. I used to be He Erwang’s fan. He used to be a proper night owl, the kind who was like, if the moon doesn’t sleep, I won’t sleep. But now he goes to sleep at ten every night, sometimes even earlier. Healthier than an ancient person!”
When they heard the doctoral student say it had ended, several people who had some free time began chatting too.
Who would have thought this chatting would last nearly twenty minutes.
Just when everyone had nearly forgotten that A-He had said he was going to find a meteor shower video on the trending topics,
the doctoral student suddenly cursed three times in a row.
“Holy crap.”
“Motherfucker!”
“You stupid bastard!”
Everyone was startled by him.
At this hour, several more people had finished their experiments.
Most of them were preparing to pack up and go back to sleep.
The doctoral student stretched out his hand and beckoned everyone over.
“Heavyweight news. Shen Dalao saw through that the environment in What Kind of Person Are You was fake and came out early!”
Before the others could exclaim,
he continued, “But what’s even more hateful is that Shen Dalao used to be so miserable!”
“What? Shen Dalao was miserable?” Someone could not process it. Over these past days of watching the livestream, Shen Jinfeng’s powerful and omnipotent image had already taken deep root in their hearts.
“Are you saying he was badly scolded in the entertainment industry before?”
The doctoral student shook his head. “No. Look at the current third trending topic. I feel like it’ll rush to number one soon. It’s a post from Shen Dalao’s fan club about how his unscrupulous relatives spent all these years seizing the inheritance that should have belonged to him, occupying the magpie’s nest, deliberately slandering and spreading rumors, and harming Shen Dalao.”
“Wh-what?” Even the student doing an experiment looked over at the sound, speaking in shock.
“Isn’t that Gu Shengsheng’s script? How is it connected to Shen Dalao?” After all, Shen Jinfeng really did not look like someone who matched that kind of awful family situation.
One look at Shen Dalao, and he seemed like someone who could easily solve those people without lifting a finger. He actually had this kind of troublesome matter clinging to him?
“Whew, data’s transferred. Let me take a look!”
The doctoral student was filled with righteous indignation. He raised his phone high, ready to discuss it with his classmates.
Suddenly, he felt his hand go light.
The phone was gone.
“Who snatched my phone?” He raised his head angrily.
Then he saw a stern, expressionless face.
“Teach-teacher?”
The person who had taken his phone was the big boss of their materials department, Department Head Feng Chenfeng.
He was also the doctoral student’s direct supervisor.
“Teacher, why are you here so late? I finished my experiment.” The doctoral student’s arrogance immediately weakened, and he quickly explained that he had already completed everything he was supposed to do.
He thought Feng Chenfeng had come to check the results and was afraid he would be misunderstood as neglecting his work.
The others who had been making noise earlier instantly quieted down too.
Those doing analysis did analysis. Those working on experiments worked on experiments.
Yes, bitter experimental laborers were this tragic. Worse than 996.
Feng Chenfeng waved his hand. “All of you continue with your own work. It’s about time. If you really can’t finish, come back tomorrow.”
Everyone quickly nodded in agreement.
However, naturally, no one was tactless enough to actually slip away now.
But Feng Chenfeng paid them no attention.
Instead, he looked at the phone and, with movements that were not particularly familiar, swiped through the trending topics, distinguishing truth from falsehood and piecing together the cause and effect from the massive amount of useless information.
Then the more he read, the darker his face became.
Absolutely outrageous!
Those Shen family people had gone too far!
For others, even people like Professor Gu, who greatly admired Shen Jinfeng, seeing this would only make them curse the Shen family as jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards, then sigh that fortunately Shen Jinfeng had worked hard on his own and become capable.
But Feng Chenfeng was different.
He had been old acquaintances with Shen Jinfeng’s parents.
He was also the “meritorious official” who had discovered the wandering Shen Jinfeng.
It was he who had sent Shen Jinfeng back to the Shen family.
He had thought the Shen family would treat Shen Jinfeng well. He had thought that after Shen Jinfeng returned to the Shen family, he would live a carefree, happy, wealthy life without worrying about food or clothing.
He never imagined that one day, the bloody truth that Shen Jinfeng’s life over the past few years had been like living in deep water and scorching fire would be unveiled before him like this.
Feng Chenfeng nearly clenched his teeth to pieces. It had been many years since he had been this angry!
Half of it was directed at those evil-doers in the Shen family.
The other half was directed at himself.
Unprecedented guilt drowned him.
If he had been more careful back then, if he had learned more about the Shen family’s current situation, he would not have sent Shen Jinfeng back.
Or at the very least, he would have paid more attention and helped Shen Jinfeng seek justice.
Feng Chenfeng’s fingers tightened around the phone until they faintly turned white.
He completely forgot his original purpose for coming to the laboratory.
He had also seen the trending topic: Shen Jinfeng had already come out of the deserted island.
He had to go find him!
With a heart full of guilt and love for talent, he sincerely wanted to find Shen Jinfeng and cultivate him into a true talent.
Best of all, like Shen Jinfeng’s mother.
He planned to go back, buy a plane ticket, and rush over tomorrow to see Shen Jinfeng.
Thus, everyone in the laboratory looked at one another, completely unable to understand why the dean, who was usually busy with countless affairs, had suddenly come to the laboratory, done nothing, and left.
Only when Feng Chenfeng reached the door, his figure disappearing from everyone’s sight,
did the doctoral student react. “Wait, my phone!”
He froze for a moment, inwardly battling with himself, but still chased after him.
“Teacher, my phone is still in your hand!”
…
On the night of the meteor shower,
similar scenes played out in more than one place.
Thus, the next day,
after Feng Chenfeng got off the plane, he suddenly saw a familiar figure in the crowd.
It was Professor Gu, who also worked at Beijing University.
Although he was in a hurry to get to the production team, he still went forward to greet him.
“Professor Gu, long time no see! I didn’t expect to run into you here.”
Professor Gu raised his eyes, saw Feng Chenfeng, and was also somewhat surprised. “Professor Feng? What a coincidence, what a coincidence.”
Although the two knew each other, they were not close.
So they could only exchange a few polite, awkward pleasantries.
Feng Chenfeng smiled and said, “Professor Gu, how many days will you be staying in Sha City? After you finish your business, you must contact me. I’ll treat you to a meal!”
Professor Gu smiled sheepishly. “If things go smoothly, I’ll be leaving today.”
Feng Chenfeng said, “That really is a pity. Then we’ll get in touch after we return to school.”
Their politeness ended there, and they went their separate ways.
Only, neither side expected
that an hour later, they would meet again.
At the office building of the What Kind of Person Are You production team.
They exchanged a glance and smelled something wrong.
Feng Chenfeng asked, “Professor Gu, you came here for…?”
Professor Gu had no intention of hiding it. “I’m here to find my student.”
Feng Chenfeng’s expression almost broke. “I’m also here to find my disciple. May I ask, Professor Gu, the person you’re looking for is…?”
The two looked at each other and understood without needing to say anything.
Damn. He was actually here to snatch the person!
The student’s eyes widened in shock.
In his heart, he actually felt both “so that’s how it is” and a kind of shocked sense that this was only natural!
The two professors met on a narrow road and refused to yield to each other.
Side by side, they walked into the building.
Then, they were both led by the staff to a reception room.
When they entered the reception room, they were shocked.
What was going on?
There were actually quite a few people sitting inside?
He Yingcai grabbed a staff member and asked in an unfriendly tone, “Can’t you arrange a separate meeting room for us? Why are a bunch of people, no matter what they’re here for, all together?”
This was far too unprofessional.
Sun Xinping arrived late and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He jogged over to the two groups, bowed, and shook hands with Professor Gu, He Yingcai, Feng Chenfeng, and the others.
Only then did he say apologetically, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
“We didn’t arrange it wrong. Everyone in this room is here for Shen Dalao.”
Huh?
Professor Gu’s gaze froze.
He Yingcai’s face stiffened.
Feng Chenfeng’s face filled with disbelief.
The student’s eyes and mouth both opened wide.
“All these people here are looking for Shen Dalao?”
Sun Xinping suddenly felt a subtle sense of balance in his heart.
Yes indeed, all these people were here for Shen Jinfeng.
Heaven knew that today, for the entire day—oh, no, only half a day so far, and he had no idea whether more people would come later—
he had been stunned again and again.
However, after being shocked enough times, one got used to it.
Every person here had a powerful background or a rather special identity.
At first, he had still been trembling with fear. Now, even while receiving two academician-level big shots, he could remain “neither humble nor arrogant.”
Sun Xinping “calmly” nodded. “Yes. Everyone is here for Shen Dalao, so I had everyone gather in one room first. You can communicate a little.”
Mainly because, well, he did not have that many conference rooms in this building!
If everyone got one room, he could not fit this many people!
“What would you like to drink?” he asked.
Serving tea and water to two academician-level big shots as a director was not a loss.
Feng Chenfeng took two seconds to recover. “A glass of water, thank you.”
He Yingcai followed and reacted. “Please make me a cup of tea, thank you.”
Professor Gu: “Tea.”
The student benefited too and whispered, “Plain water is fine for me too.”
Sun Xinping nodded and personally went to serve them.
Professor Gu and the others found a sofa and sat down together.
Soon, someone who had already been sizing them up spoke to greet them.
“Are the professors also here to find Shen Dalao?”
He opened the conversation. “I run a clothing brand and wanted to ask Shen Dalao for some guidance.”
This CEO was being modest.
He was the founder of an emerging domestic clothing brand. In recent years, it had developed rapidly, rising from behind, and had already become a clothing brand with considerable recognition worldwide.
“Ah?” What did Shen Jinfeng have to do with clothing brands?
Feng Chenfeng froze for a moment.
“I’m from the General Administration of Sport. I wanted to ask Shen Dalao to personally explain his fitness routine,” another man continued.
He Yingcai was rather surprised.
He had heard the student give him some popular science about Shen Jinfeng’s deeds, but he did not expect that even exercising could attract the General Administration of Sport.
And there was more.
There was actually a bald man beside them who claimed to be from Shaolin Temple.
Oh, and another female patron claimed to be from Mount Emei.
…
In the corner sat a refined man with several plainly dressed elders beside him.
Oh, Professor Gu recognized this one.
He was from a museum.
Professor Gu frowned. Why were people from a museum here?
He also recognized an elderly man beside him. He seemed to be a famous inheritor of intangible cultural heritage.
“I am…”
One after another, quite a few people introduced themselves.
There were still several people who never spoke, merely listening with stern expressions.
After everyone had roughly introduced themselves,
Professor Gu felt as though his brain was not quite enough.
His future student was this impressive?
No, his future student had attracted so many people here. Would he still be his future student?
Sun Xinping returned with the tea and water, placing them in front of them.
He Yingcai grabbed him. “Then where is Xiao Shen?”
Sun Xinping smiled faintly. “Shen Dalao is currently meeting with the people who arrived earlier. They should be almost done talking.”
Feng Chenfeng frowned unhappily.
To be honest, with his current status, wherever he went, he was treated as a distinguished guest, respected and admired.
It had been a long time since he had needed to wait.
Who had gotten ahead of him?
“Who is talking to Jinfeng now?” he asked.
Sun Xinping hesitated.
He did not dare reveal Yun Xueshan’s identity.
But with a room full of big shots staring at him, they were not people he could afford to offend either.
He swallowed and chose to answer selectively. “It’s Qin Ye’s uncle.”
“Who is Qin Ye’s uncle?”
Qin Ye’s fame was still very high.
It came not only from his explosive popularity in the entertainment industry in earlier years,
but also from his rising reputation in the business world in recent years.
The student suddenly understood and secretly gritted his teeth.
Damn, Ye Shen was shameless!
He had actually relied on his uncle’s nepotistic connection to get there first!
