After the interview, everyone was moved to tears along with Teng Hao. Although none of the people present truly understood the accident from years ago, Teng Yi’s few words about their brotherhood were enough to touch everyone’s hearts. The director and producer stepped forward to shake hands with Teng Yi again.
“Thank you for your time, Mr. Teng.”
“You’re welcome.”
Teng Yi shook hands with each of them, and finally, he naturally walked to Ruan Yu’s front, extending his hand to her first. Ruan Yu looked at him, motionless.
He wasn’t embarrassed and maintained his extended hand, saying, “Today, I entrust Teng Hao to you.”
So that’s what it was about.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him.” Ruan Yu shook his hand naturally like everyone else. His hand had warmed up now, which slightly relieved her.
After Teng Yi left, the production team organized the scene and began officially recording Teng Hao’s segment. The filming of Teng Hao started with his morning exercise routine.
When the staff wanted to help Teng Hao change clothes, he refused.
“I’ll do it myself, just give me five minutes,” he said, turning his wheelchair and entering his room.
As the door closed, several young women showed disappointed expressions.
“We missed a chance to peek at that body,” one of them whispered.
“So that’s what you were thinking, you’re so dirty!”
“Like you weren’t thinking the same thing? Aren’t you just as bad?”
“Fine, fine, I’m worse than you. I not only wanted to peek at that beautiful body, I wanted to pounce on him directly.”
“…”
Ruan Yu listened to their jokes and couldn’t help but raise the corner of her mouth in a smile.
Teng Hao did change his clothes within five minutes. The white sportswear gave him a youthful appearance as if he had returned to those years past when just a blink of an eye captured youth at its finest.
“Do you still insist on exercising every day?” Ruan Yu asked.
“Yes.”
Teng Hao led Ruan Yu into the ground floor gym. The gym was particularly spacious, almost the same size as the living room, and the equipment was as complete as any commercial gym.
“Usually I have a personal trainer, but on days when the trainer doesn’t come, I just do simple exercises by myself,” Teng Hao said as he bent down to pick up a dumbbell, easily lifting it a few times. Suddenly, he beckoned to Ruan Yu: “Host Ruan, want to feel my muscles?”
Ruan Yu looked at the camera, pretending to be shy as she asked, “Can I enjoy this privilege?”
The staff on site all silently broke into smiles.
Naturally, no one would answer.
“Then I’ll help myself and feel them on behalf of our audience,” Ruan Yu answered her question, then reached out to touch Teng Hao’s arm.
Indeed, even through the sportswear, she could feel the perfect muscle definition of this man.
“How is it?” Teng Hao asked.
His slightly smug expression was just like that moment years ago in the practice room when he asked her “Isn’t young master very cool?”
“Cool,” Ruan Yu answered.
It was truly cool, to build such a physique with this body. No one would truly understand what he had sacrificed behind that smile.
Teng Hao went on to teach Ruan Yu several workout moves. The two of them “chatted” and “played” in the gym, staying within the script yet being more vivid than the script called for. The director and producer were very satisfied with the interaction between Ruan Yu and Teng Hao – it wasn’t awkward, constrained, or inhibited. Everyone felt this was the most natural and smoothest recording of “They Say” so far.
After finishing the recording at the Teng residence, Teng Hao changed into a suit, preparing to go to the company. The entire production crew followed in cars, while Ruan Yu and the cameraman rode in Teng Hao’s car, chatting to the company.
The company was called DT Investment, a large investment enterprise mainly dealing with venture capital and equity investment. DT Investment has developed rapidly in the past two years, growing from initial obscurity to becoming a venture capital group with international competitiveness. The company had professional investment teams and, besides its main business, was involved in IT, biomedicine, new materials, and new energy, with impressive achievements in each field.
DT’s employees had been informed in advance that the “They Say” production team would be visiting the company today. Everyone was looking forward to seeing their boss on television, so each employee actively cooperated with the filming requirements. During the interview segment, there were even many heartwarming confessions to Teng Hao.
“Seems like you’re very popular in the company,” Ruan Yu said.
“It’s alright,” Teng Hao smiled. “In the company, I mainly play the good cop, while my brother plays the bad cop, so my relationship with the employees is more harmonious. They’re all more afraid of my brother.”
“Your brother is also in charge of the company?”
Teng Hao nodded.
“DT Investment was originally founded by my brother. But he’s more low-profile and doesn’t like dealing with media interviews. Later, when two of my projects became hugely successful and I appeared more in public, people automatically assumed I was in charge of the company.”
“Is he still managing company business now?”
“Occasionally. After I took over, he completely retreated behind the scenes, changing from the company’s leader to its backbone and support.”
“Your brother is clever, giving all the hard work to you,” Ruan Yu joked.
“His ambitions lie elsewhere, I suppose.”
Teng Hao’s casual remark ended the topic, but in Ruan Yu’s heart, waves of emotion surged.
She knew best where Teng Yi’s ambitions lay – his heart and soul belonged to street dance. Perhaps no business achievement could match the joy and freedom of sweating it out on stage.
He should be dancing, continuing to dance.
After the program recording finished, Teng Hao reserved an entire restaurant in the shopping mall across the street to treat the production crew to dinner. A full day of filming had completely closed the distance between Teng Hao and everyone else – they all liked this elegant, gentle, and witty man.
During the meal, several young female staff members gathered their courage to inquire about Teng Hao’s relationship status.
“Does Mr. Niel have a girlfriend?”
While cutting his steak, Teng Hao smiled at the young woman who asked: “Is this also a question required by the program?”
“No, no, no, it’s purely my curiosity,” she said.
“Sorry, I can’t satisfy your curiosity.”
Everyone laughed.
The young woman persisted: “Mr. Niel’s evasive answer must mean he either has a girlfriend or his heart belongs to someone.”
Teng Hao smiled without answering, and his silence only made the young woman more certain.
Everyone began guessing what kind of woman could have captured Teng Hao’s heart.
Ruan Yu was curious too, but she didn’t feel right about gossiping.
When the dinner ended, it was already very late.
The staff departed directly from there, and Ruan Yu decided to see Teng Hao’s home. Although he had a driver, she wanted to make sure he got home safely.
After all, she had promised Teng Yi she would take good care of Teng Hao today.
“Miss Valedictorian, are you treating me like a child?” With the cameras off, his form of address changed from the polite “Host Ruan” back to the intimate “Miss Valedictorian.”
“In my heart, you’ll always be a little kid.”
“Hmph.” He was extremely dissatisfied.
The two headed toward the mall exit together. Ruan Yu wanted to push his wheelchair, but Teng Hao wouldn’t let her.
“I’m used to it, don’t help,” he said.
Ruan Yu didn’t insist.
The city plaza was crowded with people. Ruan Yu walked slowly beside Teng Hao’s wheelchair.
Suddenly, Teng Hao’s wheelchair stopped.
“What’s wrong?” Ruan Yu stopped too.
Teng Hao didn’t answer, his gaze fixed on the giant promotional poster ahead, lost in thought.
Ruan Yu followed his line of sight and froze as well.
Ren Yunshen.