Chapter 17: Such a Fine Face, How Did It End Up with Such a Ruined Mouth?

The next day, well past mid-morning, Chen Mo finally woke up inside the hotel room. The hangover feeling was truly unbearable. He couldn’t help but shake his head with a wry smile—alcohol really was a terrible thing. Clearly, he would have to drink less from now on.

After getting up to jumpstart his metabolism and freshening up, the headache still lingered, accompanied by a rumbling stomach. It was well-known that drinking sped up metabolism, and now it was nearly noon. Stepping out of the hotel room, he planned to go downstairs for something to eat, only to run into Zhao Liying who was dragging her suitcase, ready to leave.

Chen Mo instinctively sized her up and nodded appreciatively, satisfied with the success of his transformation efforts over the past two months. Zhao Liying, noticing his gaze, smiled gracefully, revealing a hint of feminine charm.

Her naturally fair skin was complemented perfectly by the black off-shoulder dress she wore. For women with fair complexions seeking to enhance their paleness, black was the ideal choice. The dress, designed to expose the shoulders, highlighted her slender frame, exuding a tasteful sensuality without excess. Combined with the soft, knitted fabric, it created an aura of gentle elegance and understated grace.

Her hair was pulled into a mid-to-low ponytail, keeping her delicate facial features unobstructed and lending her face a clear, soft appearance. She was well aware of Chen Mo’s reaction; as the saying went, women dress to please those they care about. With a hint of pride, she said, “So? Not disappointed, Director Chen?”

Chen Mo shook his head irritably. “The outfit is good, but the aura still needs work.”

In her mind, she must have thought herself the one with the sharp tongue. Hearing his words, she flushed with frustration, biting back her anger. It was infuriating, yet she had no way to argue.

But Chen Mo soon paid the price for his ruthless honesty. The young woman swiftly approached him, slammed her foot down hard on the top of his foot, and before he could react, she was pulling her suitcase and running off. Chen Mo sucked in a sharp breath, twisting his foot in pain. The culprit had already disappeared, leaving him helpless and wanting to cry.

He slapped his own cheek, scolding himself, “Should’ve kept your mouth shut!”

Well, the kick was strong, but luckily she wasn’t wearing heels today—still not a fan of high heels, it seemed.

For Chen Mo, this was a small mercy; otherwise, he’d be in real trouble.

“Tut tut tut!” As Chen Mo rubbed his foot, a sudden voice interrupted. He turned to see none other than Ning Hao, smirking with a hint of schadenfreude.

“Nice face, but what’s with that sharp tongue? You say ‘just a little lacking in aura’? I don’t know where you got the nerve to give her the nickname ‘Little Knife Zhao.’ I think you should be called ‘Little Knife Chen,’ no, ‘Toxic Tongue Chen’!”

“Shut up! I’m just being honest, alright? Admit I’m right,” Chen Mo retorted, shooting Ning Hao a glare.

“You shouldn’t say that in front of her. Don’t you see she’s different with you? Stabbing at her like that—really smart?” Ning Hao leaned against the wall by the door.

“You’re overthinking it. Anyway, enough. I’m starving. Let’s go get something to eat.” Chen Mo rolled his eyes and headed toward the elevator.

“Alright then, let’s go.”

The crew had wrapped filming and most people had left, but Chen Mo still had to oversee post-production. Fortunately, the post-production wasn’t complicated, and after more than half a month’s work, "Watching the Meteor Shower Together" was finally complete.

However, the real test was just beginning. The promotion and distribution of a TV series were entirely different from those of a film.

First, a TV series had to secure a broadcasting platform, which was the most difficult step. The upside was once a platform was secured, the promotional efforts could focus mainly on that platform, reducing the need for extensive external publicity—very different from films.

That said, it wasn’t easy. The threshold was even higher than for movies. Although TV stations had long separated production from broadcasting, they still operated as a buyer’s market. Unless you were very famous or had a well-known show, expecting them to compete for your series was wishful thinking.

To achieve the desired success, third- or fourth-tier satellite channels wouldn’t cut it. At least a second-tier satellite station was needed. If it were one of the top-tier ones, even selling for a bargain price would be acceptable to Chen Mo.

But he lacked connections in this regard.

His hometown had some contacts, but their satellite channel was at best third-tier. He wasn’t considering that unless absolutely necessary.

His only hope lay with Teacher Li Bin, though he had no idea which channel Li Bin’s contacts were with. If it was the Capital Satellite TV, that would be a disaster.

Not that Capital Satellite TV wasn’t influential, but it wasn’t the right fit. Even in later years, they rarely aired idol dramas.

After completing post-production, Chen Mo immediately returned to Beijing Film Academy to meet Teacher Li Bin. Showing him the sample footage, Li Bin was genuinely impressed.

“I didn’t expect you had it in you. This drama is really ‘beautifully’ made!” Li Bin remarked, clearly surprised.

Even to his eyes, the series was far more refined than any current idol drama, especially the character styling and wardrobe choices, which had a stunning impact.

“This is all I’ve got. Please don’t laugh, Teacher. So, what do you think?” Chen Mo said modestly.

“That’s enough. I knew you were waiting for me. I’ve already made some calls, but I can only give you a chance to show it off. Whether they’ll buy it, or what price they’ll offer, I can’t promise,” Li Bin smiled.

“Of course. I’m already grateful. But which satellite station did you contact?” Chen Mo asked curiously.

“Guess,” Li Bin teased.

Chen Mo was speechless—how was he supposed to guess?

“Alright, no more teasing. Here’s their contact number. I’ve already given them a heads-up. Zhou Qizhong, Deputy Director of the Acquisition Department at Blueberry TV. An old classmate of mine,” Li Bin said, handing Chen Mo a business card with a chuckle.

This was a tremendous surprise. Chen Mo hadn’t expected Li Bin’s contact to be Blueberry TV.

Though not as prestigious as Future TV, Blueberry TV was still a major second-tier satellite channel on the verge of breaking into the first tier.

And most importantly, Li Bin’s connection was with the deputy director of their acquisition department.