Since Qing Muyie already knew about her situation, Meng Jingwei saw no need to keep her main card deactivated.
Unexpectedly, Qiao Ziqian's call came through.
Without hesitation, she answered, "Ziqian?"
"Meng Meng, where are you? The director said you went into lockdown training?" Qiao Ziqian said over the phone. "I called you several times before, but you didn't pick up. I was free now, so I called again, and surprisingly, it connected."
"Uh uh..." Meng Jingwei touched her nose. To avoid exposing herself, she said with a smile, "Yes, I'm indeed in lockdown training."
She had discussed this with the director beforehand and decided to maintain the pretense.
"Sigh~" A long sigh came from Qiao Ziqian on the other end of the line. He sounded rather down.
Meng Jingwei frowned, thinking that since his 'fiancée' Nan Shuang had recently passed away, he must be emotionally unstable. She worriedly asked, "What's wrong? Are you in a bad mood?"
Despite knowing Qiao Ziqian for a short time, Meng Jingwei felt he had good character.
"It's nothing..." Qiao Ziqian sighed dejectedly. "I just feel like having a drink."
His words conveyed a sense of sadness and desolation.
Meng Jingwei had also experienced similar pain. She recalled the agonizing grief she felt when she believed Qing Muyie had died, a pain so intense that life seemed worse than death.
Especially the loss of a loved one brought immense suffering.
"I..."
Helplessly, Meng Jingwei replied, "Where are you? I happen to be free now and can take a little break."
Upon hearing her words, the person on the other end of the line was silent for a full three seconds.
"Hello, did you hear me?"
Receiving no response, Meng Jingwei asked.
"I heard you."
Qiao Ziqian responded, his tone urgent. "I'll call you back later, I have something urgent right now. I'll hang up first."
"Okay, fine. You go ahead. Text me back when you're done."
"Alright, bye-bye."
Meng Jingwei put away her phone and drove to Chaoyun E-sports.
She arrived in Lancheng at six in the evening. After being busy until seven-thirty, and with time still to spare, she decided to visit Chaoyun E-sports Company to check on its recent operations.
Meanwhile, the man on the other end of the phone was leaning against a tree, one foot propped on the ground, the other raised and resting against the trunk. He held a cigarette between his fingers, his thin lips exhaling a wisp of smoke that was quickly dispersed by the wind.
He stared ahead with a troubled expression, his mind burdened with thoughts. The usual gentle demeanor he displayed on set was gone, replaced by a hint of cold severity.
"Ziqian? Ziqian?"
From not too far away, Li Shang, wearing his costume and wrapped in a down jacket, walked over to him angrily. He stepped forward and slapped Qiao Ziqian on the head. "I'm calling you, didn't you hear me?"
After finishing his scene, he was looking for his assistant. When he couldn't get through to Qiao Ziqian, he searched for him everywhere.
He then found him staring blankly, and when his calls went unanswered, Li Shang became furious.
However, as his hand landed on Qiao Ziqian's head, though it was a playful gesture without much force, the moment Qiao Ziqian turned to look at him, his dark, unfathomable eyes seemed poisoned, filled with a murderous chill.
Li Shang was startled by his gaze. He suddenly felt an imposing pressure emanating from the other person, instilling a sense of dread within him.
Of course.
Qiao Ziqian, feeling irritated, was indeed in a dark mood. The instant Li Shang hit him, he had almost retaliated uncontrollably. But in a moment of clarity, he realized it was Li Shang and managed to restrain his emotions.
If this were Beijing, who would dare to act so imperiously towards him?
"Sorry, I was spacing out and didn't hear you," Qiao Ziqian said. He took a drag from his cigarette, then pinched the cigarette butt between his slender fingers and flicked it with force. The cigarette flew directly into a trash can five meters away.
The distance, the wind speed, the strength, the precision...