Chapter 554
The Bizarre Banquet
……
……
The lights in the VIP ward were set to a soft, warm yellow, and the curtains were drawn tightly, completely shutting out the noise from the outside world.
"How could this be... how could this happen?"
Feng Kuzi leaned against the hospital bed, the wound on his back still throbbing, as if a red-hot wire was slowly moving under his skin.
He instinctively tried to change his position, but the movement aggravated the abrasions on his back, causing him to wince in pain and gasp for breath.
His mind was still replaying the roar from Boss Wang's phone call earlier—
"People from Tencent, Alibaba, Baidu, Huangguo, Moon, Dongfang... all of these platforms called!"
Everyone's asking if Huayi Brothers is going to war with Gu Qing! How am I supposed to answer that?!
Each name was like a heavy hammer blow, slamming into his heart.
"Organized crime...organized crime...Kyoto headquarters?"
He muttered to himself, his voice so soft it was like a mosquito's hum, his lips trembling, and the muscles in his face twitching involuntarily.
"And then there's Tencent, Alibaba, Baidu, Huangguo, the moon, Dongfang... I... I..."
"Could it be that my movie was discovered?"
His voice grew softer and softer, and his two short legs under the blanket trembled slightly uncontrollably, his kneecaps colliding with each other with a very faint "clattering" sound.
He was really, really scared to death.
The saying goes, "Ignorance is bliss."
The more experience a person has, the more panic they will feel.
Those clueless, naive young people, fearless and thinking the whole world should revolve around them.
But he's different—he's been working in this industry for thirty years.
Especially considering his advanced age.
He has both a son and a daughter, wealth and fame—he has everything he could want.
Luxury homes, luxury cars, collectibles, status in the industry... This life has been worthwhile.
But it is precisely because he has all of this that he is even more afraid of losing it.
Moreover, he had done some bad things.
In those years, to snatch projects, to step on competitors, and to gain a foothold in the industry, he used various methods, said many things, and hurt many people...
All the events and grievances surged up at that moment, overwhelming his reason like a tidal wave.
Fear can fester.
In just a few minutes, countless terrifying images flashed through his mind.
He was blacklisted, investigated, had his old grievances dug up, and was sent to work on a sewing machine...
dignity?
That's something only those who are inferior to you need.
If he really had such a strong sense of self-respect, he wouldn't have apologized like a dog after his angry confrontation with Principal Wang last year.
That happened last year.
His painstakingly produced film, "I Am Not Madame Bovary," was a huge production with a stellar cast, including Bingbing as the female lead.
Despite extensive advertising, the film flopped at the box office after its release, failing to even recoup its costs.
He attributed the box office failure to Wanda Cinemas' limited screenings, and then posted a long article on his blog, accusing "Old Wang" in the voice of "Pan Jinlian".
They made sarcastic remarks such as "the screening rate in 10 days is less than 22%" and "the grievances of a filmmaker".
result,
He didn't receive a response from Old Wang; instead, he received a blog post from Principal Wang that tore away all his pretenses:
"Director Feng, I've seen your film. It's a complete flop, and the biggest problem is that the audience doesn't appreciate it."
"You made a bad film, and you blame it on too few screenings? I'm speechless at your logic. I simply won't give you any screenings, so what?"
The words were sharp and merciless, tearing his "artist's grievances" to shreds.
During that period, he became the laughing stock of the entire internet.
The topic trended on social media for three days, and the comments section was full of mockery.
Some people dug up his old interviews and statements, examining them line by line.
Some say he has "lost his talent," some say he is "abusing his seniority," and some say he "deserves it."
He endured it for three days.
On the fourth day, he couldn't take it anymore.
He had his agent issue an apology statement, using extremely humble language, saying things like "it was a momentary impulse," "I shouldn't have brought my personal emotions to the public platform," and "I apologize to Mr. Wang"...
But what's the point of apologizing?
The screening rate of "I Am Not Madame Bovary" never exceeded 15% until it was taken off the screens. Its box office totaled 4.8 million yuan.
For a film with an investment of over 100 million yuan and a star-studded cast, it couldn't have flopped any further.
Even more fatal,
Since then, his new works have almost never been shown in Wanda Cinemas.
Even if you apologize, even if you ask someone to pass on a message, even if you beg in a humble manner—it's all useless.
Capital doesn't care about personal relationships; it only cares about interests.
If you're not making money anymore, who's going to care about you?
He finally woke up to the true meaning of the power of capital.
I'm being generous by calling you "Director Xiao Gang";
If I don't give you face, what's the difference between you and a lapdog?
He used to have the ability and energy to make critically acclaimed and commercially successful films—"The Dream Factory," "Be There or Be Square," "Big Shot's Funeral," "Cellphone," "A World Without Thieves"...
In those years, his name was a guarantee of box office success.
Huayi treated him like a god of wealth, giving him whatever he wanted.
When people in the industry see him, they all respectfully call him "Director Feng".
But now?
He's getting old. His aesthetic sense is outdated.
He doesn't understand or bother watching the movies that young people like.
He felt he was making films with "depth," but the market didn't accept it. The audience didn't accept it. The investors didn't accept it either.
He betrayed all his former friends, one by one.
He had a falling out with Wang Shuo, drifted further and further away from Uncle Ge, and was only superficially friendly with his old colleagues Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige.
Now, "Youth," a film he poured his heart and soul into, is the final period he has drawn for his film career.
He wanted to use this film to tell everyone: I, Feng Xiaogang, can still make movies! I still have something to offer!
I'm still the director who can make great movies!
But this last remaining "conscience" only concerns the film.
That doesn't mean he's not a bad person.
…：
"Xiao Ming, give me a cigarette."
Feng Kuzi's voice was hoarse and trembling. He raised his hand and beckoned to Huang Jiaozhu with his finger, his gesture carrying a sense of entitlement.
"Director Feng, the doctor said..."
"The doctor said I'm about to die, am I dead?!"
Feng Kuzi snatched the cigarette from Huang Xiaoming, his movements revealing a mixture of impatience and anger.
He held it in his mouth, his fingers trembling slightly—not from anger, but from fear.
When he tried to borrow a light, the lighter took two tries to light, and the flame danced on the cigarette butt, making the wrinkles on his face appear even deeper.
He took a deep breath, the smoke swirling in his lungs before he slowly exhaled.
White smoke rose and spread under the warm yellow light, blurring his expression.
He glanced furtively at the few people in the ward—
Huang Xiaoming stood at the foot of the bed with a subtle expression; Zhong Chuxin huddled in the corner, head down, not daring to look at him; the other two artists who stayed behind to "look after" the artists stood near the door, their eyes darting around, seemingly lost in thought.
The atmosphere was as awkward as solidified lard.
He swallowed hard, cleared his throat, forced a dismissive smile, and deliberately raised his voice:
"Hey, this little bastard is pretty capable; he knows quite a few people. Even my brother called and advised me to let him off the hook and not get angry."
Everyone: "..."
Director Feng, are you sure you're being "advised"?
They could hear the cursing even from three meters away.
Phrases like "You're trying to kill us," "You're fucking obsessed with women," and "I wish I could chop you up"... if this is considered "persuasion," then all the peacemaking in the world would sound the same.
But no one dared to expose it.
Everyone remained silent, exchanging knowing glances.
Even with his thick skin, Feng Kuzi couldn't withstand the silent scrutiny.
His facial muscles twitched involuntarily, a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, the smoke making him squint.
"Alright, you guys go back first, I'm a little tired."
He waved his hand irritably, as if shooing away flies.
Seeing that Zhong Chuxin was still standing there, a beat slow to react, he added, his voice even louder: "You get out too!"
Zhong Chuxin trembled, her eyes reddened slightly, and she quickly walked out with her head down.
The group was eager to leave. Their farewells were polite and thoughtful—"Director Feng, please get some rest," "Director Feng, take care of yourself," "Director Feng, please contact us anytime if you need anything"...
Every word was impeccably polite, and even the sound of the door closing was perfectly controlled, without making a single unnecessary noise.
The moment the door closed, the ward fell completely silent.
Feng Kuzi leaned against the hospital bed and quietly finished his cigarette.
The cigarette ash had piled up quite a bit, and he forgot to flick it off. It fell onto the white sheet, burning a small, yellowish-brown hole.
He stubbed out his cigarette in the water glass on the bedside table, making a very faint hissing sound.
Just as I was about to lean back against the pillow, I jerked back up in pain, wincing. The abrasions on my back felt like salt had been rubbed into a wound.
"Hiss—Damn!"
He gritted his teeth, slowly adjusted his body to a less painful angle, leaned against the headboard, and closed his eyes.
But my mind just wouldn't stop wandering.
His hatred for Gu Qing was like ants crawling into his bones, unstoppable.
At most, the incident involving Principal Wang was just a matter of "criticizing" him for making a bad film.
A skillful tongue can't break a body.
Even after all the criticism, he's still Feng Xiaogang, still a big director, still able to make movies and earn money.
But Gu Qing is different.
This kid really did beat me up!
And all of this was done in full view of everyone!
The pain is physical, but it hurts even more to one's pride.
If you really have to back down, can you really swallow this insult?
He lived his whole life, wasn't it all for this face?
"But what can I do if I don't admit defeat and apologize?"
He muttered to himself, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly, his expression shifting between light and dark, like the sky before a storm.
The Huayi of today is not the Huayi of the past.
Those two surnamed Wang are now in a real mess.
The stock price has plummeted, the real estate projects it invested in have collapsed, and its cash flow is stretched to the point of breaking down.
He's no longer the director Feng who used to look down on all his colleagues in the industry.
The box office appeal is gone, and so is the audience appeal.
"Perhaps I'm overthinking it."
Feng Kuzi took a deep breath, as if trying to convince himself or to bolster his courage.
"This kid just got close to someone because of his pretty face; he doesn't have a strong family background. He only has people protecting him because he's famous."
If he were some kind of Heavenly King, I would have died long ago.
He himself didn't quite believe this logic.
But that's how people are; when they're in despair, they always have to find a reason to live, even if that reason is full of flaws.
He picked up his phone, found his agent's number, hesitated for two seconds, and dialed it.
I answered the phone after it rang twice.
"Xiao Zong, you should already know what happened."
He deliberately kept his voice calm, as if he were talking about something trivial: "I'm in a bad mood lately, so I have to avoid things. I can't go head-to-head with this kid for now."
"In my name, draft an apology message and send it to each of the three of them individually. Just give them a perfunctory reply."
As someone who considers himself a "man," he certainly couldn't admit defeat verbally.
Just as Feng Kuzi was about to hang up, he remembered something and quickly put the phone back to his ear, adding calmly, "Oh, by the way—when I said 'perfunctory,' don't actually send three identical copies. Just modify it a little, understand?"
"Give him some face, and know when to stop. If I really have to drag myself there and apologize to him in person, even if it means risking my life..."
He paused, then his voice suddenly rose eight octaves, carrying a bluffing ferocity, "I...I...I'll fucking die right here and now!"
"I know, I know, Director Feng, I understand. I promise I'll arrange for someone to edit it properly."
The agent on the other end of the phone hurriedly said seriously, "I guarantee it will be just like the one with Principal Wang, flawless."
How could he not understand his master's temperament?
He's stubborn as a mule.
The last time I had a conflict with Principal Wang, he acted the same way—saying "I don't care," but then making his team apologize humbly, revising the wording eight times.
Before sending it out, I had to double-check that it "wouldn't seem too humble."
There's no way around it, that's the purpose of a team.
The boss is responsible for being assertive, and the team is responsible for handling the aftermath.
The boss is responsible for saving face, the team is responsible for being shameless. The division of labor is clear, and everyone performs their duties.
"Ah."
Feng Kuzi let out a heavy sigh, his complexion improving slightly. But the anger lingered in his heart, and he couldn't swallow it down.
He paused for a few seconds, then said:
"Have someone check that little bastard's schedule."
His voice suddenly turned somber, "Don't check recently, you'd better check next year's filming schedule. If it's a movie, let me know."
If the yang cannot come, then the yin will come.
Having been in the industry for so many years, this old face still carries some weight.
If Gu Qing were to act in a TV series, or a production by one of the three major studios, he wouldn't be able to get involved.
But the film industry—that's the territory he's cultivated for decades, a place where he sees people all the time, with a deep and complex network of connections.
He absolutely had to trip him up a little.
If I can't kill Gu Qing, I'll at least disgust him!
Make things a little harder for him, let him know that there are some people in this circle who you can't afford to offend!
Having finally found a way to vent his anger, Feng Kuzi felt much of the knot in his chest loosen up.
He endured the back pain, adjusted to a relatively comfortable position, and closed his eyes.
As for the Bazaar dinner tonight? He wouldn't go even if he were out of his mind. He also doesn't have the face to go.
Tonight is destined to be the most difficult night of his life.
……
And so, time passed by, second by second.
At 8:30 p.m., the main venue of the Bazaar Charity Night was brightly lit, as dazzling as a galaxy.
A huge crystal chandelier hangs from the dome, refracting thousands of tiny rays of light, illuminating the entire venue as if it were daytime.
On both sides of the red carpet, photographers set up their long lenses and tripods, while staff members made final equipment adjustments.
Inside the venue, artists entered one after another.
The female celebrities changed into various haute couture gowns, some elegant, some sexy, and some innocent, vying for attention.
The male celebrities mostly appeared in suits, exuding a composed, handsome, or refined air. Each of them wore a perfectly timed smile, displaying star quality in every gesture.
But if you look closely, you'll find that—
After the artists entered and took their seats, they all looked around strangely.
Some people were whispering to each other, some were looking down at their phones, and some were gesturing with their eyes to their companions to look in a certain direction.
"Hey, did you hear that?"
An actress in a nude pink dress lowered her voice and whispered in her companion's ear.
"Is it that incident? I heard he punched Director Feng twice!" His companion's eyes widened, and he covered his mouth.
"Two punches? But I heard he kicked Director Feng half to death and he's still in the hospital being treated." A male actor next to him also chimed in, his eyebrows dancing with excitement.
"Hit and kick? But the version I heard clearly said that Gu Qing's younger brother picked up Director Feng by one hand and slammed him to the ground!"
Another actress joined the discussion, her tone filled with disbelief, "I really can't believe he could be so cruel. He was such a well-behaved and gentle child..."
“What do you mean by brutal? Feng Kuzi deserved to be beaten! Don’t you know how he bullies actresses on set?” “Exactly, exactly. I heard that Feng Kuzi forced his sister to dance for entertainment when Gu Qing wasn’t around, and he got caught and that’s why he got beaten.”
"Which sister? Zhao Liying or Jiang Xin?"
"It seems like both of them were present..."
In just one afternoon, news of Gu Qing beating up Feng Kuzi had spread throughout all the small groups of Bazaar artists, and was even spreading to the entire Chinese entertainment industry at an alarming rate.
The versions vary widely, becoming increasingly outrageous, ranging from "he was punched twice" to "he was kicked half to death" to "he was picked up and slammed to the ground," each version embellished and described in vivid detail.
"Ah... I initially thought this was nonsense. Gu Qing really hit someone? What will happen to him then? Won't he be blacklisted?"
A female celebrity showed a worried and regretful expression, her brows furrowed slightly, as if she was feeling sorry for the handsome young man.
"What are you trying to block? Your information is outdated!"
A well-informed male celebrity lowered his voice, a hint of smugness in his tone, "I heard that Director Feng has already apologized to Gu Qing! This top star Gu has incredible connections behind him; I heard it's the young CEO Wang from Huayi Brothers, who personally called Director Feng to urge him to apologize quickly!"
"That's outrageous! My God... Does that mean Zhao Xiaodao has really latched onto a powerful figure?"
One female celebrity sighed with a mixture of envy and jealousy, her tone tinged with sourness, "Back when I was working as a hostess, why didn't a Prince Charming come to my aid? I can't accept it!"
"You? Give me a break. Do you think Gu Qing would ever be interested in you?"
"Screw you! I was the school beauty back in the day!"
The female celebrities were both jealous and envious, chattering away about it.
The male celebrities, on the other hand, were more interested in the details of how Gu Qing brutally beat him up—was it with fists or feet? How many times did he hit him? Did Feng Kuzi fight back? Did he beg for mercy?
honestly,
No artist has ever escaped being scolded by a director.
Especially a famous director like Feng Xiaogang, who has a bad temper and a sharp tongue, really doesn't hold back when he's scolding people.
Several people present had worked with him before and had been called "useless," "idiot," and "can't you act?" on set.
Hearing that he had been beaten, many people were secretly pleased.
Deserve it.
However, compared to the excitement and gossip of these onlookers, Liu Tao's demeanor when he entered the venue was completely different.
She wore a deep blue floor-length gown tonight, which made her look gentle and dignified.
But that face, which usually wore a gentle smile, now looked restless and full of worries.
Her eyes kept searching the venue, as if looking for someone.
"Tao, your little tyrant brother is pretty impressive."
Her best friend, Qin Hailu, one of the most talented actresses in mainland China, smiled and covered her mouth, leaning over to poke her arm, her tone full of mischievous amusement.
"When can I introduce him to my girlfriends? Let me see what a real domineering CEO looks like."
Qin Hailu wore a neatly tailored black suit dress tonight, her short hair was combed meticulously. Her appearance is not particularly beautiful or outstanding; she has an oval face, which is rare in the entertainment industry.
Like a white-collar leader you can see anywhere in the company, he exudes a powerful aura.
"What guts! That was a really good fight!"
She lowered her voice, her tone full of approval, "To deal with this disgusting old scoundrel, you should give him a good beating!"
Upon hearing about Gu Qing's deeds, Qin Hailu couldn't help but applaud.
This really hit her sweet spot.
"Sister Lu, you should read less of those weird novels. Doesn't your brother-in-law keep an eye on you?"
Liu Tao replied absentmindedly, her beautiful eyes searching the venue.
She was looking for Gu Qing, and also for Jiang Xin. The former was out of worry, the latter... she couldn't quite put her finger on it—anger? Disappointment? Or something else entirely?
"As for what your younger brother looks like, haven't you seen him?"
"How could I see clearly from so far away?"
Qin Hailu pursed her lips, "He greeted you with a smile for quite a while, but when he came to my table, he just smiled and left without me even getting a chance to say a word."
"Go back and sit down first, we can talk again when you get back."
Liu Tao released Qin Hailu's arm and walked towards table A2. Her steps were somewhat hurried, clearly indicating that her mind was not on the matter at all.
"Forget loyalty for the sake of beauty."
Qin Hailu muttered something, revealing a completely different, submissive side beneath her domineering and unapproachable exterior, "Once you had that little brother of yours, you forgot about me the moment you turned around."
She turned away, feeling wronged, her high heels clicking rhythmically on the ground.
Before sitting down at table A3, her gaze inadvertently met that of Da Bingbing at the next table—
then,
Qin Hailu resumed her indifferent expression, and more directly scoffed, rolling her eyes before gracefully sitting down as if the person sitting opposite her was just a wisp of air.
Da Bingbing gritted her teeth, her pretty face looking rather unpleasant.
She was cursing under her breath, but she could only suppress it and maintain a facade of civility.
She wouldn't tolerate any of the other five actresses, who were also part of the "Four Dan and Two Bing" group, daring to give her such attitude.
But ironically, the one who dared to give her such a cold shoulder was Qin Hailu.
When she wore that "dragon robe" on the Cannes red carpet, Qin Hailu casually remarked in an interview, "Wearing ambition on your body."
This plunged her into a media storm, where she was criticized for a whole month for "revealing her ambitions" and "trying to attract attention."
This is how the conflict between the two began, and it continues to this day.
Although Qin Hailu is not a top-tier celebrity, her talent and status are top-tier among actresses.
Even Zhou Xun, whose acting skills are most praised among the "Four Dan and Two Bing" actresses, is not inferior to her.
This is someone who, at the age of 22, won the Best Actress and Best New Performer awards at the 38th Golden Horse Awards for her role in the film "Durian Durian," and also won the Best New Performer award at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
In addition to winning a grand slam of film awards, she also won the Best Actress award at the Hong Kong and Guangdong Film Golden Bauhinia Awards and the Golden Lion Award for Best Actress, the highest award in theater.
He is beyond redemption, a nationally recognized first-class actor.
In terms of strength and status, none can rival it.
It can be said,
Aside from Gong Li and Maggie Cheung, she is the pinnacle of mainland Chinese actresses.
Even Bingbing wouldn't fare well if she went head-to-head with this kind of person.
after all,
They earn their living purely through their acting skills, so no one needs to pamper them.
So what if you have capital, resources, and traffic?
They have works, awards, and national certifications; those are the real assets.
"Sister Tao, Sister Tao, have you heard?"
As the live broadcast approached, Yang Zi, Qiao Xin, and Wang Ziwen arrived at the venue.
The two little girls, in particular, excitedly ran towards Liu Tao, their faces beaming with gossip-filled excitement.
"Jiang... have you seen Xin Xin?"
Liu Tao interrupted her, his voice sounding somewhat urgent.
"Uh...I didn't see her, Sister Jiang Xin should be..."
Yang Zigang was stunned and shook his head, but then his eyes lit up when he caught sight of the entrance out of the corner of his eye. "Hey, it's here!!"
At the entrance of the venue, Jiang Xin and Zhao Liying walked in arm in arm.
And at the very moment they appeared—
The once bustling and lively venue seemed to have been put on pause.
It suddenly became very quiet.
It was a strange silence—not that no one was talking, but that everyone was talking, but in a very low voice, like the buzzing of bees.
All the artists turned their gazes in unison, some staring openly, others pretending not to care but secretly glancing.
Jiang Xin: "..."
Zhao Liying: "..."
The two of them were certain that this was the strangest look they had ever seen in their lives.
It's like being illuminated by hundreds of spotlights at the same time, with every pore clearly visible.
"Sister Jiang Xin, they...they don't know, do they?"
Sister Zhao's legs felt weak, and her voice was trembling.
"Liying, it's okay."
Jiang Xin took a deep breath, patted her back to encourage her, "We haven't done anything wrong, what are we afraid of?"
She pulled Zhao Liying along, straightened her back, raised her head, and walked forward at a leisurely pace.
The high heels clicked crisply on the ground.
The passing artists didn't say a word, but their gazes followed them closely, observing them closely.
The feeling of being watched, discussed, and judged by everyone is like an invisible rope, making it hard to breathe.
until--
Jiang Xin's gaze met Liu Tao's.
Those eyes, which were usually so gentle and tender, were now cold and indifferent, as cold as a lake in the depths of winter, covered with a thick layer of ice.
Even beneath that indifference, there was a hint of hostility.
"Gurgle..."
Jiang Xin pursed her lips slightly, letting out a barely audible swallowing sound.
Her usually radiant and confident face was now replaced by guilt and panic.
She quickly let go of Zhao Liying's hand, her voice trembling, "Li...Liying, you should go back first."
"Oh……"
Sister Zhao also sensed that something was wrong. She lowered her head and ran away like a frightened little rabbit.
Jiang Xin steeled herself and walked toward table A2.
She felt as if she were walking on cotton, soft and yielding, with no strength in her step.
Wang Ziwen still looked at her with that unfriendly expression, his eyes saying, "How dare you come here?"
The two girls, Yang Zi and Qiao Xin, were mostly curious, their eyes darting around, clearly wanting to get some information from her, the person involved, but they were very tactful and didn't speak rashly.
until--
Why didn't my younger brother come?
Liu Tao spoke up.
Her voice was cold as she stared at Jiang Xin, her gaze like two knives: "How is he now?!"
This was the first time my best friend had spoken to me a month later.
But Jiang Xin dared not show much surprise.
She lowered her head in submission, her voice softening, carrying the timidity of a child who had done something wrong: "Tao, I..."
I'm asking about your brother!
Liu Tao raised her voice again, her tone unusually angry. Her voice wasn't loud, but every word pierced Jiang Xin's heart like nails: "I don't care about anything about you!"
When Liu Tao learned that Gu Qing had hit Feng Kuzi, he was completely terrified.
She sat in the hotel room, her phone nearly falling to the ground, her mind completely blank.
Gu Qing? Assaulted someone? And assaulted Feng Kuzi?
That burning anxiety scorched her heart like a flame.
She made countless phone calls, but Gu Qing's line was always busy. She sent countless messages, but they went unanswered.
Especially after learning that,
Jiang Xin caused trouble again, which led to Gu Qing losing control and hitting someone—her anger was truly uncontrollable.
She had never regretted meeting this silly girl so much.
She could tolerate, forgive, and clean up the messes Jiang Xin had made in the past.
But this time, she almost harmed Gu Qing.
Liu Tao was truly at his breaking point.
It wasn't until she saw Jiang Xin appear here unharmed that she finally lost control of her emotions.
"Tao, my brother... he's alright."
Jiang Xin bit her lower lip, feeling a mix of bitterness and pain in her heart as she listened to the awkwardness and distance in her best friend's words.
She knew she had no right to defend herself, so she could only honestly confess what Gu Qing had done.
"He had come with us, but Bazaar called him back to talk about something."
She raised her head, trying to keep her voice steady, "Don't worry, my brother said he's already taken care of it."
Director Feng sent apology messages to both me and Liying, saying he was drunk and his mind was momentarily confused.
"Huh? They really apologized?!"
"Wow, little brother—oh no, Brother Gu is amazing!"
"From today onwards, can I work with him?"
Yang Zi and Qiao Xin's eyes widened instantly, and they covered their mouths, suppressing their screams.
At the next table, the artists who had been eavesdropping were also wide-eyed in surprise.
Feng Kuzi—the one known for his bad temper, sharp tongue, and never admitting his mistakes—actually apologized?!
Should the one who got hit apologize to the one who hit them?
What's wrong with this world?
"..."
Only Liu Tao let out a soft sigh of relief.
Her tense, pretty face lowered slightly, her fingers, which had been gripping the wine glass white, slowly loosened, the blood flowed back, and her fingertips gradually regained their color.
She raised her glass, preparing to take a small sip to calm her racing heart—
"Little brother?! Little brother, you've come!"
A sudden, delighted scream rang out from the entrance, so enthusiastic and sharp it could pierce eardrums.
"Gu Qing, little brother, how come you've become even more handsome after just one afternoon? I'm absolutely smitten with you!"
"Come on, little brother, can I take a picture with you? I'm a fan!"
In an instant, the entire venue erupted in a frenzy, as if it had been boiled.
When the artists near the entrance saw that tall and slender figure walk in, they all rose from their seats in surprise and rushed over.
The scene was like fans meeting their idol; everyone's eyes lit up and their smiles were as bright as spring flowers.
Zhang Dada, who was just about to get up, was bumped by a female celebrity and almost fell to the ground.
His pale face flushed crimson with rage, his lips trembled, and he roared inwardly:
These little bitches, how come they ran faster than me?!
They were laughing at me when I went up to them. What are you all doing?!
"Little brother, you look so handsome tonight! Who put this outfit on you?"
"Little brother, when are you going to release a new song? I've listened to all your songs on repeat almost 100 times, they're so good!"
What's your next project? Could you give me a cameo role?
They showered her with compliments like they were free, each one more exaggerated and nauseating than the last.
Some people tried to link arms with Gu Qing, some wanted to take selfies with him, some handed him autographed books, and some even took out their phones to ask for his contact information.
The scene was so grand that anyone who didn't know better would have thought it was a fan meeting with a top celebrity.
Surrounded by people, Gu Qing was a little confused for a moment, but she quickly realized why they were so enthusiastic.
He responded to each question with a polite but distant smile.
Of those who gathered around, how many genuinely admired and liked the person, and how many were simply opportunists who had seen the "trend"?
No one can tell.
But one thing is certain—
From today onward, everyone in the entertainment industry will remember one thing:
Gu Qing is someone you shouldn't mess with.
Director Feng, who was lying in the hospital, in so much pain that he couldn't sleep and was still cursing, will probably never learn this.
……
...(End of this chapter)