mijobooks Chapter 47, Official Announcement?
Chapter 47, Official Announcement?
Chen Yao stood there, still holding the cup of milk tea, watching Gao Huan and Nazha walk out of the office side by side.
Her expression didn't change, but the fingers holding the milk tea cup tightened a little.
When Gao Huan reached the door, he stopped and turned around.
"Yaoyao, the contract is signed. See you later."
Chen Yao paused for a moment, then smiled.
The smile was a little wider than before, and her eyes curved into two crescent moons.
See you later, Huan-ge.
……
The press conference for "Love O2O" was held at a five-star hotel in Pudong.
When Gao Huan and Nazha arrived, a crowd had already gathered at the hotel entrance.
There were reporters, fansites carrying large cameras, and several fans holding light sticks, all standing in the cold wind at the end of February, their faces red from the cold.
As Gao Huan got out of the car, the sign was immediately raised, and the character "Huan" swayed in the crowd.
Some people shouted "Brother Huan," others shouted "Gao Huan, look this way!" The sound of camera shutters clicking was continuous, like the chirping of cicadas in summer.
He wore a sharply tailored black stand-up collar suit, which accentuated his tall and slender figure. Without any extra embellishments, he exuded a relaxed yet restrained aura.
His hair was combed back neatly, with no stray hairs left on his forehead, revealing his handsome face without reservation.
He has never liked to dress up, and except for filming and stage performances, he almost always appears without makeup.
Even without makeup, his handsome features, accentuated by his bone structure, still shine through, clean and dazzling.
Naza skipped and hopped beside him, wearing a red dress, her hair loose, and exquisite makeup, making her look bright and flamboyant.
She linked arms with Gao Huan, her steps light and quick, her high heels clicking crisply on the ground.
The two walked into the hotel lobby, where staff greeted them and led them to the conference hall.
In the corridor, Gao Huan saw someone.
Mao Xiaotong.
Gao Huan's gaze lingered on her face for an extra second.
Only one second.
Naza reacted as if pricked by a needle, instantly noticing it.
Her hand, which was linked with Gao Huan's arm, tightened silently at the knuckles, her nails almost digging into her palms, yet she maintained a calm smile on her face, without even a twitch of her eyebrows.
Following Gao Huan's gaze, she turned her head to look at the girl, and her heart sank.
She's beautiful, and more importantly, she's Gao Huan's type.
When Gao Huan was carrying herself on the train, she once said that someone like her who doesn't exercise is just skinny and not very comfortable. She'd be better off being shorter than this tall.
Is this the kind of person she would like?
She has a clear and pure quality that makes her stand out from the crowd at a glance, and is as clean as unblemished white moonlight.
The girl wore a light-colored floral print sundress with a long, flowing skirt that swayed gently in the breeze, making her appear as light as if she were about to float away.
Mao Xiaotong noticed the gazes from this side, looked up, and her eyes met Gao Huan's.
She paused for a moment, then her eyes crinkled into a smile, revealing a clean and bright expression.
Her lips curled up slightly, and the corners of her eyes curved into crescents, like the April breeze brushing across a lake, creating soft ripples.
Naza's fingertips tightened again, and that subtle sense of pressure, like vines, silently wrapped around her.
Mao Xiaotong sensed someone watching her, looked up, and her eyes met Gao Huan's in mid-air.
She paused for a moment, then smiled. It wasn't a big smile, but it was very clean. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and her eyes curved slightly, like the April wind rippling the surface of a lake for a moment.
"Hello, Teacher Gao Huan, hello, Teacher Nazha." She walked over, her voice not loud but clear, with a slight southern accent, soft but not cloying.
Gao Huan nodded. "Hello."
Naza smiled, a smile sweeter than usual, so sweet that Gao Huan could feel the hand holding her arm tightening around his.
"Hello, Ms. Xiaotong, you look so beautiful today."
Mao Xiaotong smiled somewhat embarrassedly.
"Ms. Nazha, you flatter me. You are truly beautiful today."
The two looked at each other, and a subtle, indescribable atmosphere filled the air.
Like a freshly brewed cup of tea, it looks calm, but the tea leaves are still swirling at the bottom of the cup, not yet settling.
Naza's lips were slightly upturned, but Gao Huan knew what was hidden beneath that smile.
She was looking at Mao Xiaotong.
Like one cat staring at another, it appears to be out of curiosity, but in reality, it is assessing the other's fighting strength.
The three people stood in the corridor, the atmosphere somewhat awkward.
Gao Huan spoke first.
"Let's go, the press conference is about to start."
Naza took his arm and walked forward. After a couple of steps, she turned back and glanced at Mao Xiaotong.
"Xiaotong, let's go together."
Mao Xiaotong nodded and followed behind.
She walked at a moderate pace, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far, just enough to avoid being photographed together without giving the impression that she was deliberately avoiding anything.
The press conference hall was very large, with several standing microphones on the stage. The backdrop was blue and printed with the title of the drama, "Love O2O," and the names of several lead actors.
The audience was packed with reporters, their flashes going off one after another, like a lake ruffled by the wind, with shimmering light dancing everywhere.
Gao Huan and Gulnazar sat in the front row, next to the director and several other lead actors.
Mao Xiaotong sat in the second row, directly behind Gao Huan.
The host opened by introducing the project and the creative team, followed by a Q&A session with reporters.
The first question is about the female lead.
"Why did the production team ultimately choose Gulnazar to play Bei Weiwei?"
The producer picked up the microphone and rattled off a bunch of standard answers: the actress's temperament matched, her acting was solid, and she had great chemistry with the male lead. But the reporters didn't hear the answer they wanted. What they wanted to hear was, why wasn't it Zheng Shuang?
Zheng Shuang was originally a strong contender for the role.
Book fans voted her to be tied for first place with Gulnazar. The director initially favored her as well, but the production team ultimately chose Gulnazar.
Everyone in the industry knows the reason—Gao Huan.
Gao Huan suggested to the production team in the early stages of project preparation: "Nazha is suitable for Bei Weiwei."
It's not a request, it's a suggestion.
But when a male actor who single-handedly carries 600 million yuan at the box office makes a "suggestion" to the production company, the weight of that suggestion is no different from a request.
Then another reporter pointed the microphone at the production team and asked directly:
"What were the considerations behind ultimately choosing Gulnazar to play Bei Weiwei? Why not Zheng Shuang?"
Just as the producer was about to speak, Gao Huan picked up the microphone and took over the conversation unhurriedly.
"I'll answer that question."
The entire room fell silent for a moment, and all the cameras turned to him.
Gao Huan leaned back in his chair, speaking slowly and deliberately, as if he were talking about something he had already thought about.
"I've read the novel *Love O2O*. What kind of person is Bei Weiwei in the original story?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the audience before settling on Nazha sitting next to him.
"The most beautiful girl in the Computer Science department, she is bright and charming, has a great figure, and outstanding temperament."
She has a straightforward personality, is not coy or pretentious, and will speak her mind when necessary and be sweet when appropriate.
She's not the kind of innocent little rabbit that needs protection; she's someone with her own claws, someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the male lead.
As he said this, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
"Look at Nazha, she's standing there, she looks just like Bei Weiwei."
Some people in the audience laughed, while others began to whisper among themselves.
Gao Huan didn't stop and continued speaking.
His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear and distinct, as if he were playing out sentences from a book one by one.
"The original text describes her as wearing a red dress, with skin as smooth as jade, bright eyes and white teeth; she looked like a painting."
He turned his head and looked at Nazha.
Naza is wearing a red short skirt today.
Someone in the audience exclaimed "Oh!" in sudden realization, and the sound of camera shutters clicking increased.
Gao Huan looked away and added one last sentence into the microphone.
"I think Gulnazar is the real-life Bei Weiwei. There's a reason she ranked first in the book fans' vote."
After he finished speaking, he put the microphone back on the table, leaned back in his chair, and looked as calm as if nothing had happened.
Naza sat next to him, gently squeezed his fingers under the table, and quickly let go.
Her ears turned red, but the corners of her mouth were upturned, not a big curve, but very genuine.
The reporters wanted to ask more questions, but the host had already steered the conversation to the next segment.
Naza watched as Gao Huan picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip, and then stopped looking at the audience.
But she knew that from this moment on, she didn't care at all about who got the role, no matter how much controversy there was.
Next, Nazha was surrounded by another group of reporters, most of whom asked questions about the character Bei Weiwei. She answered fluently, clearly having done her homework beforehand.
After the crowd dispersed somewhat, Gao Huan saw Mao Xiaotong standing in a corner, talking to a staff member.
Her expression was serious, her head slightly tilted. After listening to the other person finish speaking, she nodded and smiled—a sweet, business-like smile.
Naza walked out of the crowd, stood next to Gao Huan, and followed his gaze.
She saw Mao Xiaotong.
Then she turned her head to look into Gao Huan's eyes, her lips curving slightly upwards, but that smile was different from the one she had given to the reporters earlier.
This smile is for him, sweet with a hint of sourness.
"Is it pretty?" she asked.
Gao Huan looked at her, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
"good."
"Not bad?" Naza's tone rose slightly.
You stared at someone for several seconds just now.
Gao Huan remained silent.
Naza reached out and gently poked his waist. The force was light, but it carried a mischievous "I noticed but I won't say anything" vibe.
"Go ahead and look, I'm not stopping you."
Gao Huan lowered his head and looked at her.
Naza tiptoed and whispered in his ear, "I want to be good friends with her."
The sound was very soft, like a feather falling on cotton.
But Gao Huan understood what was in that tone—"I want to be friends with her so I can keep an eye on her."
Gao Huan's smile widened slightly as he reached out and ruffled her hair.
Naza's hair brushed against his fingers; it was soft and had a coconut scent that was sweet but not cloying.
He ruffled her hair, but she didn't flinch. Instead, she tilted her head slightly and rubbed against his palm, like a cat that had been petted comfortably.
Mao Xiaotong walked over from the corner, holding her phone. When she saw Gao Huan and Nazha standing together, she paused for a moment.
"Teacher Gao Huan, Teacher Nazha, I'm leaving now."
Her tone was polite, neither too close nor too distant, maintaining a safe distance that suggested "I know you, but we're not close."
Naza released Gao Huan's hand, took a step forward, and stood in front of Mao Xiaotong.
"Xiaotong, let's add each other on WeChat?"
Naza took out her phone, opened the QR code, and handed it over.
"Let's keep in touch more often and have meals together."
Mao Xiaotong paused for a moment, glanced at Gao Huan, and then at Gulnazar.
Gao Huan stood behind Nazha, his expression unchanged, but there was a very faint curve at the corner of his mouth, which was barely noticeable unless you looked closely.
Mao Xiaotong hesitated for a moment, then took out his phone and scanned Nazha's QR code.
"Thank you, Sister Nazha."
As Nazha watched her accept the friend request, the corners of her mouth turned up, and her smile was just the right amount of sweetness.
You're welcome. Let's keep in touch.
Mao Xiaotong is gone.
Naza stood there, watching her figure disappear around the corner of the corridor, then turned her head to look at Gao Huan.
I accepted her friend request.
"Um."
"I'll invite her out to dinner often from now on."
"Um."
"Don't you want to say anything?"
Gao Huan looked at her, reached out, and tidied up her hair that he had just messed up.
The movement was very light; the fingertips slid from the top of her hair to behind her ear, brushing against her earlobe. The warmth transferred to her ear, and her ear turned slightly red.
"As long as you're happy," he said.
Naza paused for a moment, then laughed.
The smile started at the corners of her mouth, slowly spreading to her eyes, and then to her entire face, like a flower blooming in time-lapse photography.
She tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek.
The lipstick mark remained on his face, a light beige color, like a petal fallen on the snow.
Reporters nearby witnessed this scene, and the sound of camera shutters rang out like machine guns. The flashes made the two people look like two statues, one red and one gray, leaning against each other, like an oil painting that hadn't quite dried yet.
Gao Huan did not dodge.
It's not an official announcement, but it's like an official announcement, yet it's still not an official announcement.
Naza wasn't embarrassed at all.
She stood there, arm in arm with him, a "I won" smile on her face, like a fire that the wind couldn't extinguish.
Gao Huan turned his head and glanced at the corner of the corridor.
The figure in the light blue dress has disappeared.
But his gaze lingered there for a second.
Only one second.
Then he turned around and followed Nazha outside.
In the corridor, a staff member led the way. Naza linked arms with him, her steps light and quick. Her high heels clicked crisply on the floor, each beat like a heartbeat.
She took out her phone, opened WeChat, found the friend she had just added, and saved her name as Mao Xiaotong.
She stared at the name for two seconds, then locked the screen, put her phone in her pocket, a smile playing on her lips; she was in a good mood.
Gao Huan glanced down at her.
"You really want to be friends with her?" he asked.
Naza looked up at him.
"Of course," she said, her tone as certain as if she were making a decision she had thought about many times before. "I want to be her best friend, a really good friend."
Gao Huan looked into her eyes, and there was a very serious light in those big eyes.
He gave a slight smile, but said nothing more.
As the two walked out of the hotel, a cold wind blew in, and Nazha shrank her neck and leaned closer to Gao Huan.
Gao Huan took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.
Naza pulled her coat tighter, stood on tiptoe, and whispered in his ear, "I saw you glance at her just now."
Gao Huan remained silent.
"But I'm not angry." Her voice was soft, slightly carried away by the wind, but Gao Huan heard every word clearly.
"Because I'm prettier than her. And she quickly became my best friend."
Gao Huan lowered his head and looked at her.
Her eyes shone with a bright, smiling light, like a cat that had stolen a fish.
The nanny van was parked at the door, and Yangyang Jin opened the door.
Gao Huan bent down and got into the car, with Nazha following behind him.
The car started and drove out of the hotel.
Gao Huan leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
The image from earlier flashed through my mind: Mao Xiaotong standing at the corner of the corridor, wearing a light-colored floral sundress, her profile illuminated by the light, her nose straight, her jawline sharp, like a watercolor painting that hadn't quite dried yet.
Then came the words Nazha whispered in his ear while standing on tiptoe: "I want to be good friends with her."
The corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
interesting.
As the car drove onto the elevated highway, the Shanghai skyline slowly moved past the car window.
Gao Huan opened his eyes and looked at the gray sky outside.
Spring is almost here.