Chapter 129: Orders from the Higher-Ups

On the day Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei had their private date, the fans of the Feizhou couple truly felt like it was a celebration. Clips of their date broadcast quickly spread across domestic media, sparking widespread attention.

Lu Zhou’s parents, Lu Zhenkun and Qin Fang, stayed glued to the livestream almost day and night, tracking their beloved son’s real-time progress on the dating show with dark circles under their eyes from lack of sleep.

When "Swap? Exes" first aired, their son barely received any messages from girls on the show, which worried them deeply. But now, the situation seemed to have completely reversed.

Their precious son had not only won back the heart of his ex-girlfriend who had discarded him but also appeared to have caught the interest of another female participant, Qi Jiajia. After watching today's livestream, Lu Zhenkun and Qin Fang felt even prouder. It almost seemed that the well-known female star on the show was somewhat interested in their son.

"Oh my, today's footage really made our hearts bloom with joy," Qin Fang said, wearing a proud auntie’s smile as she repeatedly scrolled through various trending videos showcasing Lu Zhou’s talents.

"Right? Somehow little Zhou has become so outstanding without us realizing it. Hey, what kind of talentless fools did the company that signed him before have? Were they blind? My son is so excellent, yet he never got a proper debut. It’s just ridiculous," Lu Zhenkun fumed, unable to hold back his frustration at the entertainment company, Jinhua Entertainment, that had stifled their son’s talent for nearly a decade.

"But, old Lu," Qin Fang said, looking at the footage of Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei playing violin on the street, "little Zhou suddenly becoming so outstanding, I’m a bit unaccustomed to it. It feels like he’s changed somehow. So talented and multifaceted—he's still my son? I almost don’t dare to recognize him."

"He must have suffered a lot alone outside all these years. After so many years without success, he must have kept many things to himself and wouldn’t tell us. If it weren’t for this show, would you even know he dated anyone? Whether his talents improved or slipped, he certainly wouldn’t inform us every step. Now that he’s on the show and has the chance to showcase himself, it’s a good thing. You worry when he’s not outstanding; you also worry when he is. What do you want, anyway?" Lu Zhenkun teased.

"True..." Qin Fang sighed.

"Old Lu, among these four girls, who do you think suits our son the best?"

"The best match..." Lu Zhenkun pondered, pinching his chin. "You can tell little Zhou likes the female star. When he’s with her, he never stops smiling. They’re both so happy together."

"I like that star too. She has a great personality. Being around them is so sweet, I even get jealous," Qin Fang couldn’t help but laugh.

"Jealous of what?" Lu Zhenkun’s lips twitched.

"How can I not be jealous? Once he finds true love, I won’t be the most beloved woman in his world anymore. How can I not be jealous?"

"You think that way, you’ll definitely be a terrible mother-in-law someday."

"Are you asking for a beating, old Lu?" Qin Fang gave him a playful slap.

Lu Zhenkun didn’t dodge but sighed. "Still, I feel this female star comes from a solid background. Their family must be well-off. If little Zhou really ends up with her, I’m a bit worried he’ll get dumped again."

"Pfft, can’t you hope for the best for our son?"

"Of course, maybe I’m just worrying over nothing. Maybe the star doesn’t even like our son."

"Hey, you’re such a jinx! I think she likes Zhou. Women’s intuition is always spot on, and she doesn’t seem like an ordinary, shallow girl. Maybe she doesn’t care about the guy’s family background either."

Lu Zhenkun thought his wife was too optimistic. "That’s hard to say."

"What about Zhou’s ex-girlfriend? What do you think? She seems to be thinking about our son a lot. Do you think Zhou will soften and get back with her?"

"Matters of the heart are unpredictable. Judging by how our son acts, it doesn’t look like he wants to reconcile. He’s pretty clear-headed—he got that from me!"

"Heh, you only say the good parts come from you."

"Of course."

They chatted happily.

...

It was a weekend, and the Ye family was gathered together.

Ye Fangfei’s mother, Fang Xinlei, had been following the updates of "Swap? Exes" closely, watching her daughter’s date with Lu Zhou. It was clear that her daughter was the happiest she had been since joining the show.

Ye Fangfei was a pampered princess at home. From childhood, Fang Xinlei and Ye Genghua rarely forced their daughter to do anything she disliked. This arranged marriage proposal was the greatest pressure she had ever experienced.

But they hadn’t forced her to accept the alliance with the Zhang family outright. They gave her great freedom of choice, hoping she would try to get along with Zhang Chen. If she felt a connection, they could be together; if not, they wouldn’t be able to force her.

Having watched the show so far, though it was not over yet, Fang Xinlei was already quite certain that Ye Fangfei couldn’t be moved by Zhang Chen. This arranged marriage was doomed.

Zhang Chen had failed to truly enter Ye Fangfei’s heart. His personality, approach to matters, and tastes were all vastly different from hers. These were insurmountable barriers preventing a genuine romantic connection.

Fang Xinlei could already foresee how unhappy her daughter’s future would be if the marriage was forced.

Initially, Fang Xinlei thought Ye Fangfei’s breakup with Zhang Chen was simply due to her lack of experience in relationships and her stubborn pursuit of independence, which made her subconsciously reject arranged matches, thus ending things after just three days.

Both Fang Xinlei and Ye Genghua thought her behavior was outrageous and spoiled, believing they had raised her too indulgently.

But watching the show now, it was clear the two were truly incompatible. On the other hand, Ye Fangfei and Lu Zhou’s interactions were harmonious and comfortable—the kind of chemistry that might spark mutual attraction between a man and a woman.

"Regarding the Zhang family marriage, I think we should just forget it," Fang Xinlei said.

Ye Fangfei’s elder brother, Ye Mingzhe, glanced at their father Ye Genghua, hesitating to speak.

Of course, it would be best if his sister could marry into the Zhang family, but now it seemed impossible.

He had always thought Ye Fangfei was just being picky and spoiled in rejecting Zhang Chen, but after catching up on the show, he realized Zhang Chen and his sister really didn’t vibe. It wasn’t her being difficult.

Even if they were to arrange a marriage, it should be with someone compatible. Otherwise, forcing it would be like burying his sister’s future happiness.

Better not to marry at all.

Ye Genghua furrowed his thick brows, then relaxed and after a moment’s reflection nodded, "Let Fangfei follow her heart."

It wasn’t just the Ye family realizing this marriage was unlikely; the Zhang family did too.

After watching the latest livestream, Zhang Chen’s mother, Jiang Yuanyuan, saw how differently Ye Fangfei behaved around another man compared to her son, and her expression darkened.

She realized Zhang Chen was doomed to fail in marrying into the Ye family.

"She’s practically fluttering like a flower in bloom. I bet she’s set her sights on that young male star," Jiang Yuanyuan sneered, finding Ye Fangfei’s behavior baffling.

"If she ends up choosing that guy in the end, it’ll be the biggest joke under the sun. Ye Genghua will probably be so furious he’ll spit blood. Such a huge fortune, yet they raised a daughter with such shallow vision. Totally spoiled rotten. Who does she think she is?"

Thinking about how hard her son had tried to please Ye Fangfei, only to be disregarded like that, Jiang Yuanyuan was instantly furious and couldn’t hold back her scolding.

The butler nearby heard but dared not make a sound.

Zhang Deyuan, wearing glasses and reading, frowned at his wife’s outburst, glanced at the TV, then back at his book.

"The Ye couple are famous in this circle for spoiling their daughter. They never expected her to worry about the family business. How can you say she has shallow vision?"

"Ye Fangfei is young but has made a name for herself in her field through her own abilities—that’s impressive. Compare her to your son—who’s really spoiled whom?"

Zhang Deyuan’s words made Jiang Yuanyuan’s face stiffen, leaving her no comeback, and she felt even worse inside.

"Don’t talk about your son like that. Acheng’s career is doing well too. You should be more supportive; otherwise, you’ll crush his motivation."

Jiang Yuanyuan finally snapped back irritably.

Zhang Deyuan said, "I already give him plenty of funds to do whatever he wants. That’s the greatest support."

Jiang Yuanyuan pursed her lips, leaned over and grabbed Zhang Deyuan’s arm, whining, "Honey, this marriage with the Ye family is probably off. You’re not mad at Acheng, are you?"

"I expected he wouldn’t manage it. I was just gambling to see how he’d perform. His temperament... rash and impulsive. He’s got to be tempered more before he can achieve great things."

Jiang Yuanyuan was speechless.

...

In the United States, the city that never sleeps, in a luxurious hotel’s presidential suite.

Nan Qiao had just finished her shower, wearing silk pajamas, applying high-end skincare products in front of the vanity mirror. Suddenly, her phone rang.

She glanced at the screen—it was an international call from Liu Yali.

"Li-jie," Nan Qiao answered, putting the call on speaker.

"Nan Qiao, sorry to disturb your rest," Liu Yali’s warm voice came through.

"No, I’m still awake. What’s up? If it’s work, we can talk after my vacation," Nan Qiao smiled, giving her a heads-up.

"Um... it’s not really work. It’s about Lu Zhou, the matter I mentioned before."

"Lu Zhou?"

Nan Qiao paused applying her serum and looked at the phone. "Oh, you mean asking me to persuade him to re-sign with the company? Didn’t I already agree? When I return to China, I’ll find a time to talk to him, but I can’t promise anything."

"Don’t wait until you’re back. I’m afraid there might be new complications. The company’s top brass is pressuring me a lot. Could you find time to talk to Lu Zhou on the last day of filming 'Swap? Exes'? You’re both in the US after all..."

Liu Yali’s tone was very persuasive.

"Is it that urgent? Is the company worried someone will swoop in on him midway?" Nan Qiao chuckled.

"Yes, many companies in China are eyeing him. To avoid any mishaps, I want you to keep him from signing with others. That way, when he returns, I can bring the new contract and negotiate face-to-face. The pressure from above is intense. Director Feng even instructed to do whatever it takes to re-sign him. The company has already made significant concessions."

Liu Yali’s words revealed the pressure she was under.

"Really? Lu Zhou has that much status in the company now? I haven’t watched the show these days. Any new developments?" Nan Qiao raised an eyebrow at the mention of Director Feng.

Liu Yali said, "Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei had a full day date on the show, showing off their talents and trending online. Director Feng probably got stimulated by that and agreed to the contract terms I proposed earlier."

"Oh..." Nan Qiao thoughtfully continued applying her skincare and asked belatedly, "What terms? Director Feng personally approving?"

Liu Yali said, "He wants freedom, right? The company agreed to let him establish his own studio with little interference. His revenue share will be greatly increased. He’ll have significant say in his music projects, plus access to the company’s top agents, producers, and PR teams. You can mention this when you talk to him."

Nan Qiao stopped, puzzled. "Wow, how much of a shock did Director Feng get?"

"I don’t know—these terms are even more generous than what I initially asked. I didn’t expect the company to agree so easily."

Nan Qiao felt a bit jealous. "I never got such treatment. The company’s favoritism is too obvious. I want those conditions too."

There was a brief silence on the line before Liu Yali awkwardly laughed. "Well... your contract isn’t up yet."

Nan Qiao snorted, "I’ll sign an addendum. I’m not happy about this."

Liu Yali rubbed her temples, explaining politely, "You’ll probably have to negotiate with Director Feng in person. Lu Zhou’s situation is mainly driven by shareholders wanting him back. They’re very eager to re-sign him, especially since he refused before."

Nan Qiao laughed, "Why did you even agree to his release in the first place? Now you’ve dug a big hole for the company."

Liu Yali sighed, "That’s my punishment. Lu Zhou’s been hiding his skills all along. He never showed off his talents like he did on the dating show. I suspect he was already unhappy with the company and was waiting for the contract to expire."

Nan Qiao said, "That’s suspicious, but it can’t be. For an artist, time is money. After all these years, would he have just waited to end the contract? It must be your team’s oversight before, you have to admit that."

"I won’t deny it. I’ve been ordered to optimize the department," Liu Yali confessed, then smiled. "So... can you do me a favor and make the trip? I’ll treat you to a big meal when you’re back."

Since they were close, Nan Qiao couldn’t refuse.

"Alright then. The company’s made such big concessions. He should be tempted. It’s tough fighting solo in showbiz."

Liu Yali blew her a kiss. "Thank you, dear."

Nan Qiao teased, "Hmph! Makes me so jealous. I’m changing my contract! Go ask Director Feng for me."

Liu Yali was speechless.

Please support the official release, dear readers. If you truly cannot afford it, please just enjoy quietly, okay?

Thanks to Mr. Xiaodao for the 139 Qidian coins tip!

Thanks for the +100 reading points tip!

Thanks to user 20230219666598 for the 100 reading points tip!