The two parts of A Chinese Odyssey were released within a month of each other.
Upon the release of this news, some rejoiced while others grieved.
However, when the cast list was revealed.
It caused another tempest!
Zhang Yang and Li Xinyan, the male and female leads, were already known from the film's early stages of production.
Besides these two, another name sent shockwaves through everyone!
Zhang Qingyun!
The cast list actually included Zhang Qingyun!
However, the official promotional poster only featured a silhouette of a monkey, and the cast list only contained the actors' names, without specifying the roles they played.
"When did Brother Ma become associated with Jiangnan?"
"Could it be a different person with the same name? Isn't Zhang Qingyun finished?"
"When did Brother Ma get finished? He just went to study at the drama troupe."
"Most of Chen Zhe's fans are likely Brother Ma's former fans. This is getting interesting."
"Hiss... The former top star and his successor clashing. I'm starting to look forward to this!"
No one anticipated that the announcement of A Chinese Odyssey's premiere would bring such an unexpected surprise on top of the existing buzz.
Although Zhang Qingyun was no longer a top star, the discussions surrounding him had never ceased.
Even though he hadn't appeared in public for some time and the media had stopped reporting on him, his fame was indelible. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Brother Ma, as a former top star, had unparalleled recognition.
Then there was Chen Zhe following in his footsteps, albeit with much better acting skills. Now, as speculated by netizens, the premiere of the two films felt like a confrontation stemming from his and Chen Zhe's rivalry as successors.
Furthermore, Zhang Qingyun's decision to join the Jiangnan camp after failing to defeat them had become a hot topic of discussion.
And people were filled with curiosity as to how he managed to become an actor for Jiangnan!
Due to these controversial topics, A Chinese Odyssey had exploded in popularity within the film and television industry!
...
The buzz surrounding Jiangnan's new film continued to grow.
So did Ting Yu's.
The third episode of "Times Music King" was about to begin.
Some netizens spotted Ting Yu and Lin Yanyu at the airport, boarding a flight to the UK together.
Everyone knew that in the previous episode, which took place in Egypt, Ting Yu was alone. This time, he brought Lin Yanyu along. Speculation arose that this episode might, like the first one in Cuba, focus on romance rather than competition.
The previous episode, set in Egypt, a war-torn country, had not featured any episodes in the first two installments.
This time, Su Yu received notification from the production team that on the first day of the program, they would be attending a top-tier international art exchange event. This event would not only feature exhibitions of world-renowned paintings but also renowned literary figures and master musicians.
They weren't there to perform, but rather the art exchange event needed the popularity of "Times Music King," and they were invited as guests.
The capital of the United Kingdom.
In a villa with classical architecture, Su Yu and Lin Yanyu were enjoying a lavish dinner.
This time, with his wife accompanying him, Su Yu naturally did not stay at the hotel arranged by the production team.
Furthermore, Lin Zhaoyang owned a villa in the UK, so they went directly to the villa after arriving at the airport.
Although Lin Zhaoyang only visited the UK a few times a year, he had hired a housekeeper to clean and maintain the house, and a renowned local chef for cooking.
The two had informed the staff in advance, and upon arriving home, a sumptuous meal was already prepared.
"Wife, besides the UK, in which other countries does Dad have houses?" Su Yu asked curiously.
Although Lin Zhaoyang wasn't listed on any rich lists, based on Su Yu's understanding, his father-in-law was definitely among the top ten wealthiest individuals globally. Of course, this was just his guess; he didn't know the exact extent of his father-in-law's wealth.
"Hmm... I'm not sure. When I was a teenager, Dad often took me and Mom on trips abroad, and it seemed we never stayed in hotels," Lin Yanyu replied, chewing on her Wellington steak with a thoughtful expression.
"How many countries did you visit?" Su Yu raised an eyebrow.
"Dozens of countries, I doubt even Dad knows the exact number," Lin Yanyu chuckled.
A rich wife, I don't want to work hard anymore!
At that moment, Su Yu suddenly had the urge to retire early.
Indeed, some people are born at the finish line...
"Susu, is Lauren and Mina your opponent in this season's competition?" Lin Yanyu asked with a smile, as Su Yu was contemplating.
However, her tone carried a subtle, peculiar undertone.
Upon hearing this, Su Yu replied, "Based on calculations, it should be."
"Mina should know your identity as Jiangnan, right?" she continued to ask.
"Yes, she was present when I met her father, Malin, previously."
"Oh," Lin Yanyu nodded.
Su Yu was completely bewildered.
What did "Oh" mean?
Just as Su Yu was about to bury his head and continue eating, Lin Yanyu suddenly turned, her eyes curving into crescent moons, and asked Su Yu, "It seems Mina has a crush on you, doesn't she?"
Su Yu twitched the corner of his eye, then spread his hands innocently and said, "I don't know."
He could indeed sense that Mina had a liking for him. Being handsome and talented easily attracted girls, which he found troublesome and helpless.
But it was unavoidable; that's just how excellent he was.
However, in his interactions with these girls, Su Yu always maintained a proper boundary. Whether chatting or spending time together, it was always on a platonic level. He didn't like getting involved with other women in any way, not even ambiguously, because he already had the wealthy Lin Yanyu in his heart. Lin Yanyu only had eyes for him, and he would reciprocate by only having eyes for Lin Yanyu. This was the most basic way for two people to interact.
Lin Yanyu offered Su Yu a piece of steak, saying, "I was just asking casually."
Su Yu hesitated for a moment before taking the bite of steak.
"I feel very proud when my husband is liked by so many people." Unlike other women, she didn't question her husband when other women showed interest in him.
She knew that with Su Yu's looks and talent, it would be abnormal if no girls liked him.
It wasn't just Mina; many other girls also liked Su Yu. But so what?
Su Yu's heart belonged to her, Lin Yanyu. And she was very confident in Su Yu, not blindly so, but through spending a long time interacting with him and understanding him.
"My wife is so understanding, which also makes me very proud," Su Yu immediately smiled and whispered in Lin Yanyu's ear, "Does the villa have a bathtub?"
Lin Yanyu's ear was tickled by Su Yu's breath, and her cheeks turned red, "Yes, it does... Why?"
"Shall we save time and eat while taking a bath, perhaps with a bottle of wine?"
"Save time for what?"
"What do you think, wife? Since you're so sensible, today I'll be sharing my all."
"Uh... Then this humble woman can only repay you generously!"