Chapter 52: Who Asked You to Match My Outfit

Beijing's 798 Art Zone was formerly a cultural and creative park transformed from old factory buildings. Its mottled red brick walls and interwoven metal pipes exude an industrial-chic texture, complemented by a scatter of art galleries, studios, and trendy spaces. As one of the capital's most avant-garde cultural landmarks, it is frequently chosen as a venue for film and television events and art exhibitions, naturally possessing a youthful and diverse influx of traffic.

And this was the broadcasting venue for today!

The co-constructed streaming studio was hidden inside a high-ceilinged industrial building. Against a backdrop formed by black metal scaffolding, the logos of Penguin Video and Douyu shone brightly side by side, while screens continuously looped edited clips of the drama series.

The floor was covered with dark gray carpeting, and the center featured an L-shaped sofa paired with a solid wood coffee table. Several track lights cast angled beams downward, preserving the rugged feel of the park while exuding refined on-camera elegance.

After all, with the broadcast simultaneously interfacing with two major platforms, every detail radiated professionalism.

When Jiang Ye pushed the door open, his footsteps sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet lounge.

He wore a beige hooded sweatshirt, straight-leg denim jeans with the cuffs slightly gathered, and a pair of white sneakers, striking a balance between the refreshing vibe unique to an 18-year-old and a grounded, non-frivolous demeanor.

Following closely behind him was Bailu. The young girl wore a milky-white sweatshirt, the hem of which barely covered the edges of her denim shorts, revealing a slender stretch of fair calves. She wore white canvas shoes, her long hair loosely tied into a low ponytail with slightly curled ends, and her face wore minimal makeup, save for a bright, watery red hue on her lips that looked vibrant and spirited.

At the moment, however, she was drooping her little face, with her head nearly buried in her chest.

This was because she had accidentally twinned with her boss, earning herself a three-minute lecture in the hallway just moments ago.

She still vividly remembered her boss's scathing remarks!

"I must say, little deer student, does our company rule state that employees must dress like twins with their boss? Your aesthetic matches mine so precisely—are you planning to go take the reporters' questions for me?"

"Are you trying to usurp the throne? Or do you want to manufacture a shipping rumor with me?"

Manufacture your head, you banana peel!!!

Hers was milky white, while his was beige—there was a clear difference in shade!

Could she really be blamed for this?

She was utterly furious...

As the two stepped inside, the three occupants of the lounge all looked up.

Meng Ziyi was pressing her lips together in front of a mirror, using a bean-paste-colored lipstick to outline precise lip curves. She wore a burgundy velvet slip dress layered with a matching suit jacket, radiating elegance mixed with a hint of subtle sexiness.

Ouhu leaned back on the sofa with his legs crossed, wearing black cargo pants, a black graphic T-shirt, and an army-green utility jacket thrown over the top. He spun his phone between his fingertips, exuding an effortless, unrestrained air.

Yu Menglong sat in a single-sofa chair, clad in an off-white turtleneck sweater and light khaki casual trousers. He was looking down, meticulously buttoning his shirt cuffs, the clean and soft lines of his profile resembling a quiet painting.

"Everyone here?" Jiang Ye casually pulled over a chair and sat down, his gaze sweeping across the three of them. "Don't be nervous during the broadcast later; just think of it as chatting with netizens. Remember to share more embarrassing behind-the-scenes stories from the set—viewers love hearing those..."

"Brother!!!"

Before Jiang Ye could finish, Ouhu was the first to leap to his feet, pulling him into a tight, enthusiastic embrace.

He was so excited he practically wanted to shout "Daddy"!

"Man, you're amazing! My Weibo followers went up by 800,000 in just one week!"

He grinned from ear to ear.

With both *Chilly* and *Go Princess Go* becoming massive dual hits, coupled with the upcoming release of *The Left Ear*, he had undoubtedly transformed into the hottest newcomer actor of the younger generation.

He even felt that sucking up to Ma Sichun wasn't half as promising as hanging out with Jiang Ye...

Of course, that was just a fleeting thought for now, but this kid was truly incredible!

When Meng Ziyi turned around, the hem of her skirt stirred up a wave of fragrant breeze. "Director~"

With a sweet smile, she shoved Bailu aside, slipped her arm around Jiang Ye's, and gently scratched his palm with her fingertips from an angle hidden from everyone else.

Recently, she was probably the most triumphant person in the entire school.

Not long ago, things hadn't been like this at all.

Her classmates used to look at her as if she were a complete fool.

At first, everyone thought she was quite impressive to have secured a leading lady role in a project personally endorsed by Professor Tian, assuming there must be some powerful backing behind the scenes.

But once the unofficial set photos leaked, public sentiment flipped instantly.

The director was a college freshman, the production team was dirt poor, and the actors' wardrobes consisted either of old costumes borrowed from the school or custom pieces fashioned from curtain fabric, with props purchased online for 9.9 yuan including shipping.

When night shoots wrapped up, the students who came to help couldn't even afford a taxi and had to cram onto the last public bus back to the dorms.

"What kind of bad luck has Meng Ziyi run into?"

"She really has no eye for resources, running off to mess around with a student production. Was her brain caught in a door?"

The surrounding atmosphere was filled with mockery!

Even her closest best friend in the dorm, Wang Yifei, was so anxious she broke out in acne.

Being one of the few who knew that Meng Ziyi had invested her own money into the project, she watched the shabby state of the crew and felt heartbroken over her money every single day.

"Ziyi, did you get scammed? What kind of spell did that director cast on you? Tell me, and I'll round up a few people to help you get your money back!"

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have encouraged you to invest in yourself. If I had known it would turn out to be a crew like this..."

Yet Meng Ziyi acted as though she had been put under a love potion.

Sometimes she would return to the dorm after a shoot, exhausted enough to fall asleep the second her head hit the pillow, only to spend ages smiling at her phone right before dozing off, jumping at every opportunity to praise the director to her roommates.

"You guys didn't see him directing; that focused expression of his is just drop-dead gorgeous!"

"He isn't poor; he just spends money where it matters. You guys simply don't understand him!"

Wang Yifei was on the verge of a nervous breakdown!

Not only was her dear friend about to be swindled out of her money, but her chastity might also be in jeopardy!

And the result?

Who could have predicted that this series, mocked by the entire school as "ridiculously poor," would blow up overnight?

Right now, within the school, Meng Ziyi was arguably the object of greatest envy among all female acting majors, period.

Even the head of the department, who used to pay her no mind, would now greet her with a smile and a compliment on her "good eye."

The most reserved of them all was Yu Menglong.

Seeing Jiang Ye look over, he immediately stood up and gave a slight nod. "Director Jiang."

Compared to his perfunctory attitude in the past, this form of address carried a heavier weight of sincerity.

If it hadn't been for Ouhu's sake when he was first coaxed into joining, he would have quit long ago.

Now, his commercial appearance fees had doubled, and several new scripts had recently come looking for him.

Aside from genuine, heartfelt gratitude, a quiet, indescribable sense of awe toward Jiang Ye had taken root in his heart.

After the group chatted idly in the lounge for a while, a staff member came over to invite them out, as the live broadcast was about to begin.

Upon entering the studio, a warm yellowish glow instantly enveloped them.

The words "Princess Promotion Live Roast Show" glittered brightly on the backdrop. The host, Li Xiang, was currently chatting with a middle-aged man wearing wire-rimmed glasses. Seeing them enter, Li Xiang immediately stepped forward with a smile. "Director Jiang, Teacher Meng, Teacher Ouhu, Teacher Yu, this is President Zhang from Penguin Video."

Penguin Video attached great importance to this live stream, dispatching Zhang Zhidong, Vice President of Content, to oversee it personally.

President Zhang stepped forward to shake hands with Jiang Ye, wearing a warm smile. "Director Jiang is young and accomplished. The data for this drama is simply astonishing; our backend department gets flooded with fans demanding updates every single day."

Jiang Ye shook hands back politely. "It's all thanks to the platform's support."