Chapter 557
A Spendthrift Woman?
……
……
"..."
Gu Qing felt the gaze of the entire room shining on her like spotlights.
Those gazes came from all directions, even from the artists in the back row who usually don't talk much.
Just moments ago, they were being mocked by Lao Guo until they looked like wilted eggplants, but now their eyes lit up, like drowning people grabbing onto the last piece of driftwood.
That hopeful gaze almost pierced him, as if saying: Brother, go for it and help us get revenge!
"What, you think I'll hit you, Peach?!"
Gu Qing felt a soreness in her teeth and clenched her back teeth.
He really wanted to go on stage and take over Guo Degang's peach-shaped hairpin.
But he still held back.
Gu Qing could naturally tell that Lao Guo was obviously trying to recruit him as a teammate.
Being a good person really makes it easy to be used as a target.
Old Guo clearly knew that Gu Qing wouldn't dare to run away, nor would she.
Last year's encounter ended in a draw, with both sides thoroughly understanding each other's background and character.
If you have a kind heart and want to do charity, then don't hide it.
"Teacher Guo is so magnanimous!"
Under the camera's lens, Gu Qing smiled broadly and gave Lao Guo on stage a thumbs-up.
"Did your younger brother chicken out?"
The artists were greatly disappointed, like deflated balloons.
They had originally hoped that Gu Qing could have a thrilling "battle of the gods" with Lao Guo, just like last year, so that they could watch the excitement and vent their anger.
But Gu Qing refused to take the bait.
"Haha, old man, I'm not as magnanimous as you."
Old Guo laughed heartily, filled with emotion, and was about to utter another astonishing statement, "I heard you donated tens of millions just from the tickets to your birthday banquet. I could never do that. If only there were more people like you..."
"Can't do it?"
Gu Qing felt a chill run down his spine.
He understood the implication in Lao Guo's words—this person wanted to put him on the hot seat.
What about "birthday party tickets costing tens of millions" and "more like you"?
Isn't this blatantly saying, "Look how generous Gu Qing is, how can you stingy people be so shameless?"
This is making herself the public enemy of the entertainment industry!
Gu Qing stood up with a "whoosh," her movements as swift as a drifting maple leaf. The safety buckle hanging at her waist swayed gently, pressing down on the hem of her skirt.
He strode onto the stage, his lips aimed at the microphone, Gu Qing turned his head to face Lao Guo beside him, and smiled gently and calmly:
"Teacher Guo, you are too modest."
With such a prestigious brand like Deyun Club, I'm sure many people would support you by holding several charity performances each year.
The most important thing about charity is to do it consistently, not to see who donates the most, but to see who does the most. Contributing a little love is always appreciated.
His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear.
"Oh, oh, oh, my little brother is right!"
"Teacher Guo, you can't give up!"
"We'll definitely be there to support Deyun Club's charity performance!!"
The artists in the audience instantly got excited, their eyes lit up, and they cheered and jeered.
The sound was much more enthusiastic than when I was watching the program earlier.
It still takes the younger brother to step up!
You old geezer, you want us to bleed? You'd better bleed too!
Ideally, your comedy troupe should do charity work every single day of the year!
The artists were overjoyed; their initial disappointment with Gu Qing was replaced by a surge in their goodwill towards him.
Some people even stood up and applauded, as if they were holding an awards ceremony.
Despite the malicious jeering from the crowd, Lao Guo remained all smiles.
His eyes were narrowed to slits, and the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, like a Maitreya Buddha.
Not only was he not annoyed, but he could hardly hide his admiration for Gu Qing.
What a clever young man.
Is it a bad thing for Deyun Club to hold several charity performances a year?
It's not bad at all; it's actually a great thing!
It brings both fame and fortune, earning a good reputation while getting things done.
Especially since making a public promise on such an important stage, it will inevitably be praised by netizens afterwards, and even the image of Deyun Society will be elevated to a higher level.
These jeering artists had no idea they were already under control.
Once he personally admits that he is willing to do charity, do these people still think they can run away with the subsequent donations?
Old Guo knew it perfectly well.
He also suffered a lot when he was young before he realized the truth: the most powerful thing in this world is not fists, but brains.
But then, Lao Guo lost his composure.
"Teacher Guo, I remember Dalin's birthday is February 8th next year. How about we have him hold a charity performance at Deyun Club on that day?"
Having suffered a loss, Gu Qing naturally had no intention of letting Lao Guo off the hook. He chuckled and said, "I strongly support him becoming the young master of the troupe."
"Da Lin..."
Upon hearing this, Lao Guo's ever-smiling expression finally showed a subtle change.
His lips twitched slightly, and his eyelids twitched. Although he quickly returned to normal, Gu Qing caught that fleeting fluctuation.
The eldest son, who had always been raised with corporal punishment, was naturally the biggest source of pain for Lao Guo after he finally realized his mistakes.
Those years, his strictness towards Dalin, even to the point of being harsh, is one of the things he least wants to recall in his life.
When I was a child, he wouldn't let me eat at the table and would often beat and scold me, calling it "training" me. In reality, he just didn't know how to be a father.
Old Guo also knew how much his son liked Gu Qing.
After all, he had never seen any of the other apprentices in the class addressed as "Brother Qing" by Da Lin.
That child was always polite to everyone, but he was genuinely close to Gu Qing.
"Teacher Guo, do you think what I said makes sense?"
Gu Qing asked with a smile, her voice tinged with curiosity, "It can't be that the rumors on the internet are true, and that Da Lin is really Master Qian's son, right? You really don't want to give Deyun Society to him?"
"Hahaha—Oh oh oh."
The artists on site burst into laughter.
Gu Qing didn't mind being pulled up by Lao Guo to cover for him.
after all,
Putting aside everything else, Guo Degang's annual charity donations at charity galas are always the highest among all celebrities.
Those stingy celebrities don't donate at all;
For smaller donations, say ten or twenty thousand yuan.
The largest donations are around 700,000. Guo Wengui donates two to three million every year without batting an eye.
Gu Qing respects this sentiment.
But later, when they tried to turn him into a public enemy of the entertainment industry, Gu Qing became unhappy.
My mom supports me because she can protect me.
After you've finished spouting nonsense, what good will I get besides being resented?
"Hey, Yu Qian was born to me, how could Da Lin not be my son?!"
No matter how turbulent things were inside, Lao Guo showed no sign of it on his face.
He rolled up his mandarin jacket sleeves with a smooth, effortless motion. "He's the young master of Deyun Society. If I don't give the troupe to him, who else can I give it to?"
"Teacher Guo, you can give it to me, but you have to write a proper contract, don't just give me an empty shell."
Gu Qing continued with a smile, her tone sounding like she was joking with an elder, yet also like she was being serious.
"then you……"
Just as Lao Guo was about to make a sarcastic remark and gain some advantage, he turned his head and looked at Gu Qing—he saw that Gu Qing's eyes, though curved, held no smile and seemed rather cold.
"Hiss...Is this young man going to hit me?"
Old Guo suddenly felt a chill.
He recalled the rumors circulating this afternoon—that Feng Kuzi had been beaten by Gu Qing and was still in the hospital.
I don't know if it's true or not, but judging from this kid's expression...
Guo, who is usually fearless, is a little timid.
It wasn't that he was afraid of being beaten by Gu Qing.
At worst, I can just lie on the ground and howl a few times, and become famous all over the country again.
Old Guo was just afraid that Gu Qing might impulsively reveal all of his family's dirty secrets.
Those things, while not illegal in theory, are shameful.
How much family business did that bastard Dalin tell this kid?
Don't you know the saying "family scandals should not be aired in public"?
Why are you even talking about contracts?!
Guo's face got a little hot.
This is his only fatal flaw—his eldest son, who is disciplined with harsh discipline; his youngest son, who is spoiled; his domineering second wife; and his family, a complete mess...
he knows,
If I continue to follow Gu Qingpin, I'm bound to make a fool of myself.
"Haha, then you can ask Dalin for it later. At that time, Deyun Society will no longer be mine."
Old Guo chuckled, avoided Gu Qing's eyes, cupped his fists in a respectful gesture towards the performers below the stage, and resumed his smiling demeanor.
“A charity performance is a good suggestion, no problem.”
"I, the old man, guarantee that from this day forward, Deyun Society will hold at least 10 special performances every year, and all ticket proceeds will go to charity."
His voice was loud and clear, full of energy.
"I hope everyone will come and support us."
"sure."
"Teacher Guo, we promise to go."
Many celebrities, whether genuinely or not, clapped and nodded, thinking that the old man was putting on a brave face and waiting to see a good show.
"Haha, my brother is such a nice person, Teacher Guo is so kind, and everyone is so supportive."
"I declare this the most harmonious Bazaar Gala to date!"
The viewers in the live stream were laughing and having no idea how intense the underlying tension was.
They only saw Gu Qing and Lao Guo arguing on stage and assumed it was just for the show.
"My younger brother has such high emotional intelligence! He convinced Teacher Guo with just a few words!"
"Teacher Guo is very generous; he donated without hesitation!"
“This is what a positive role model should be like, unlike some people who only shout slogans.”
The comments section was filled with a peaceful atmosphere, like the Chinese New Year.
Seeing that Lao Guo had "surrendered," Gu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
Amidst the stares of numerous celebrities who viewed him as a "hero," he prepared to step down from the stage.
"Don't rush to leave now that you're here."
Old Guo suddenly called out to Gu Qing, his voice tinged with a hint of mischief, "It just so happens that the next item up for auction is destined for you, so stay and lend this old man a hand."
"A connection with me?"
Gu Qing paused, turned around, and came to Lao Guo's side.
Let's see what tricks he's up to this time.
At this moment, the concierge carefully brought over a painting.
The picture frame was made of dark solid wood and looked quite heavy.
The concierge walked with a steady gait, as if he were carrying a precious treasure.
Old Guo held up the upper right corner of the frame, while Gu Qing subconsciously picked up the left side and glanced down at the painting—
A simple oil painting. Two blurry figures, their features indistinct, the colors extremely monotonous, a hazy gray, like clouds on a cloudy day.
The composition is messy and the brushstrokes are immature; it is clearly a beginner's painting, or even a "child's drawing."
"Whose work is this?"
Gu Qing really couldn't appreciate it, and of course, she wouldn't show it.
He merely looked curious, tilted his head slightly as if he were carefully appreciating something, and asked Lao Guo.
"This is a work directed by Feng Xiaogang."
After saying this with a smile, Guo looked around at the audience and feigned surprise, "He was here this afternoon, why isn't he here tonight? Are even directors acting like divas these days?"
Gu Qing: "..."
All the artists: "..."
In an instant, the venue fell silent, as if someone had pressed the pause button.
The air freezes.
Two or three seconds later, a faint, suppressed laugh could be heard in the venue.
Some people covered their mouths, some lowered their heads, and some used coughs to hide the smiles on their lips.
Believe it or not, this painting is actually related to him.
Gu Qing felt that she had encountered the most formidable opponent of her life.
He had just threatened Da Lin when Lao Guo immediately brought up Feng Kuzi. He really doesn't suffer any loss.
"Haha, just kidding, just kidding. Director Feng had something come up at the last minute and asked his assistant to auction off his work."
Old Guo changed his tone, laughed heartily, and gestured with his eyes towards the painting, "Director Feng priced it at 9. Young man, would you like to help him give it a shout-out?"
"I think this painting..."
Gu Qing hadn't finished speaking.
"Okay, I also think you can't bring yourself to say it, so let me help you say it."
Old Guo interrupted with a joke, speaking so fast it was like a machine gun, giving Gu Qing no time to react.
Gu Qing looked up at the sky, feigning helplessness.
That expression looked like it was saying, "This is so hard for me."
"Hahaha, this is hilarious! Teacher Guo and my little brother are so funny!"
"Teacher Guo is so mean, she's tripping up my brother again! Director Feng, please don't mind her, it's just that Teacher Guo is being sarcastic, my brother is a good kid!"
"That's right, that's right. Your younger brother is dedicated, gentle, and polite. He can even do action scenes. If Director Feng wants to work with him on a project, you definitely won't be disappointed."
Fans were worried that the joke might cause Feng Xiaogang to dislike Gu Qing, and that his younger brother might not get any more acting roles, so they flooded the live stream with comments trying to explain.
Feng Kuzi: "..."
I don't know about other things, but he had experienced the action scenes first.
"Come on, putting everything else aside, the frame alone weighs over ten kilograms."
Old Guo weighed the picture frame in his hand. He said it was a compliment, but his words were even more sarcastic. "I don't know how much it's worth. You can name it whatever you want."
In just a few words, Feng Kuzi's paintings were belittled into mere scrap metal.
The tone was as if he were introducing a pile of scrap metal.
Gu Qing suppressed her smile and remained silent.
Well, when Grandpa Guo doesn't argue with him, he's really likable.
This mouth of hers can make you grit your teeth when she's being sarcastic, and make you overjoyed when she's praising you.
The atmosphere in the audience was also awkward.
Which artist present doesn't know that Gu Qing, who was holding Director Feng's painting, was the one who ended up in the hospital?
What kind of situation is this?
Should the person who hit someone hold the painting of the person who was hit?
This arrangement is absolutely brilliant.
Offend Director Feng? Or offend Gu Qing?
Just kidding, of course it's worth offending Director Feng.
Although Director Feng is a great director, his career has declined in recent years, with his new films flopping and his reputation collapsing.
Gu Qing? He's at the height of his power, and there's an unknown amount of influence behind him.
Besides, with so many artists in the audience, who could Director Feng possibly hate? It's a case of "the law doesn't punish the masses."
After weighing the pros and cons, almost no artists spoke up.
"Two...two hundred thousand."
In the end, Su Mang had to bite the bullet and call out the price.
There was no way around it; Feng Kuzi was invited by her, and even the painting was brought by her.
Is it appropriate to refrain from bidding and give them face?
The most outrageous thing was that after bidding, Su Mang, whether she had gone mad or was truly out of her mind, clasped her hands together, held the bid card between her fingers, and shook it apologetically at Gu Qing, hoping that her good younger brother wouldn't blame her.
Thankfully, the camera was immediately switched away after Su Mang announced the price.
Otherwise, it would inevitably cause a huge uproar on the live broadcast.
Did the Bazaar editor apologize to Gu Qing?
If this footage were broadcast, it would trend on social media for three days.
Even so, many celebrities saw it and were filled with fear and shock.
Damn, is this some kind of exaggeration?!
Even the director of Bazaar had to apologize to Gu Qing before they dared to shoot the photos?
Just who is this top celebrity to have achieved this level of success?!
The entertainment industry is full of rumors and fake news.
Many celebrities without a powerful background will even fabricate rumors about their illustrious family background in order to provide themselves with a protective shield.
This leads to the fact that, in the eyes of outsiders, every artist who enters the entertainment industry seems incredibly successful, rich, and beautiful.
However, when the truth comes out, most of them are just deadbeats and clowns who have to act like grandsons and sons for the sake of resources.
"Is there anyone else bidding?"
"Is nobody here?"
Guo shouted twice, and the scene fell completely silent.
finally,
The renowned director Feng Xiaogang's masterpiece was auctioned off to Su Mang for 20 yuan.
In his previous life, this childlike painting was auctioned for a staggering 450 million.
"Teacher Guo, can you let me go now?"
As soon as the painting was finished, Gu Qing wanted to leave. He had already taken half a step, his body slightly turned towards the audience.
"Hey, wait a minute, wait a little longer. At least leave something behind before you go."
Old Guo chuckled and gestured to stop him, saying, "Last year, one of your folding fans was auctioned off for a record-breaking 500 million yuan, which was a great contribution to charity."
I didn't know what you were auctioning this year, so I just happened to bring it out on stage for auction.
Guo was being honest; he didn't bring up any jealousy or rivalry.
"Teacher Guo, I really haven't prepared anything for this year's auction."
Gu Qing shrugged helplessly. "As for what I have on me, I have nothing."
He was genuinely afraid that something like what happened last year would happen again.
Last year, his folding fan was auctioned off for a record-breaking 500 million yuan. Although the money was donated, the subsequent discussions gave him a headache for quite some time.
This year, Chris Wu didn't even come. With the big spender absent, Gu Qing didn't provide any personal items to the organizers at all.
"Don't you have clothes here? Take them off and sell them."
Guo Degang chimed in, "Back then, Brother Chen Long stripped down to his underwear for charity. Don't you all agree?"
"Yes, yes, yes!!"
"Little brother, take it all off! We'll definitely buy it!!"
The artists were especially happy, shouting and cheering, and the female artists were the ones who shouted the loudest.
Gu Qing could never be as crazy as Brother Chen Long.
He stammered shyly for a while, which caused another uproar from the audience.
Deng Chao stood up and jumped around like a music conductor, signaling everyone to shout together: "Tuotuo Tuotuo!"
The live stream chat was filled with laughter, a sea of joy.
Gu Qing's female fans, however, were almost in tears.
"No! Little brother, don't take it off!"
"Teacher Guo, please spare my child!"
"Mom won't allow it!!"
In the live chat, the mothers were spamming the screen, wishing they could reach through the screen and wrap Gu Qing in a blanket.
"Can I sell this? Can I sell this?"
Fortunately, after searching his entire body, Gu Qing finally found something he could auction off.
He took off the jade-colored safety buckle from his waist and threaded a long red ribbon through the ring.
"Sure, forget about buttons, you'd be worth a fortune even if you sold your hair."
Old Guo smiled and nodded, his eyes narrowing into slits. "How much do you want to sell it for?"
"This button... is made of mutton fat jade. If the team didn't give me false accounts, they bought it for 3 yuan."
Gu Qing replied truthfully, "Then let's set it at 3."
The camera gave it a close-up.
With well-defined knuckles and a fair, slender palm, a jade-like safety buckle, tied with a red string, hangs from its palm.
The jade was white with a hint of blue, warm and smooth like grease, and shimmered with a soft luster under the light.
The white of the palm, the vibrancy of the red string, the smoothness of the mutton-fat jade...
The visuals are quite beautiful.
It's like a meticulous painting, like a short poem.
Gu Qing then gave a brief explanation into the microphone, her voice calm and scholarly: "In ancient times, the peace buckle, also known as the 'nostalgia buckle' or 'arhat's eye,' is our most traditional jade ornament. Its overall meaning is safe travels, warding off evil and disasters, and protecting health."
His voice was clear and gentle, like a mountain stream, neither hurried nor slow. His eyebrows and eyes were relaxed, and his eyelashes cast faint shadows under his eyes.
His brightly colored robes made him look like a meticulous painting, exquisite, elegant, and untouched by worldly affairs.
A handsome and refined young man, a melodious voice, vibrant and elegant attire, and aesthetically pleasing visuals—
It had an indescribable impact on the women present.
That's not just "handsome". It's "beautiful".
It seems to present a concrete image of the 'beauty' described by the ancients.
The enjoyment was interrupted by the voice of an older woman.
"Thirty thousand? I'll offer three hundred thousand!"
Su Mang, who had just finished bidding, immediately put up his bid.
She even stood up and gestured to those around her, saying, "Please, everyone, give me this button from my brother."
"Director Su, the highest bidder wins."
But this time, her pride was worthless.
Immediately, a female business owner called out a price, her voice crisp and decisive: "Five hundred thousand."
"Six hundred thousand. To ward off illness and disaster, I'm buying peace for my daughter."
"Who wouldn't want the jade buckle on the koi fish? I'll offer 800,000!"
When another boss shouted out during the bidding, it instantly reminded everyone.
Yup!
Putting aside emotions and sentiments such as being angry for one's friend, isn't the most mysterious thing about Gu Qing his lucky streak?
Every film he makes becomes a hit, every song he releases becomes a hit... Are all these things really just coincidences?
The entertainment industry is inherently mysterious and eccentric.
Many big bosses highly regard the idea of a "box office magic potion," otherwise they wouldn't go to burn incense and pray to Buddha every day to inquire about wealth.
Now, the safety buckle on Gu Qing's body—that's something that "lucky koi" wears close to their body, how much luck must it have absorbed?
"one million!"
Prices began to soar.
That was faster than any previous auction item.
Midway through, Sister Zhao really wanted to hold up a sign.
Her hand was already raised eagerly, the price tag in her hand, but she found that Gu Qing's eyes were fixed on her, so she could only awkwardly put the tag down.
She pouted, looking a little aggrieved.
"You spendthrift woman!"
"You want buttons? Why are you spending so much money on this? Are you crazy?"
Gu Qing breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Sister Zhao put down the sign.
the other side,
Director Feng's kindergarten paintings once fetched a sky-high price of 450 million yuan at auction.
now,
Gu Qing's peace buckle was also given the meaning of "ensuring safety", making the competition on site even more intense.
“150……170……230……270……”
Prices skyrocketed.
More and more people started bidding, including business owners, artists, and even CEOs personally participating.
"I'll offer five hundred!"
A boss surnamed Chen immediately shouted out an exorbitant price, his voice booming, "I'll light the lamp for Mr. Gu Qing's peace amulet."
They even used the jargon of a proper auction.
In an auction house, "lighting the lamp" means that no matter how much others bid, you raise the price until the item is sold.
This is the most high-profile, domineering, and extravagant way to play.
Gu Qing had also acted in "The Mystic Nine," so he naturally understood the meaning of "lighting the sky lantern."
"Buddha lighting the sky lantern? The Nine Gates have become a reality?!"
"Oh my god, the tension is palpable! This is so exciting! Is my little brother that popular?"
"So many female celebrities have spoken up, how come even male bosses are bidding?"
The fans in the live stream were very excited and shocked.
The comments section was flooded with messages; some people were screaming, and others were taking screenshots.
"Light up the lamps? It's a charity gala, what kind of lamps are you going to light?"
Do you really think we can't afford to film this?
Mr. Chen's words further heightened the tension at the scene to a new level.
Some of the bosses looked very unhappy, and they were all ready to have a good showdown.
Some people have already started holding up signs, while others are whispering to their assistants.
A bidding war was about to break out.
"Thank you, Mr. Chen, for your charitable heart. I never imagined that this safety amulet could carry so much significance."
Gu Qing spoke up in time to stop it.
He was also afraid that things would get out of control and turn a perfectly good charity gala into a strange competition.
“I don’t think it’s my button that’s worth so much, but rather Mr. Chen’s kindness is far more profound.”
Gu Qing paused, glanced at the eager bidders below the stage, and said apologetically, "I would also like to thank the other bidders as well."
But as I said before, charity is about a steady, long-term approach.
May we all contribute to charity on this day every year.
As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Qing stepped off the stage and handed the safety amulet in her hand to Boss Chen.
"Thank you, thank you for the compliment, Mr. Gu."
Mr. Chen took the jade buckle, looked at Gu Qing, and couldn't stop smiling.
It was the face of a typical businessman: shrewd, worldly, and calculating.
But at this moment, there was only one expression on that face—happiness.
He seized the opportunity to grab Gu Qing's hand, shaking it vigorously and talking enthusiastically.
The people around rolled their eyes.
"Okay, thank you, Mr. Chen."
Gu Qing was embarrassed for a moment before she managed to pull her hand back.
The auction finally concluded without any major incidents.
A few more closing acts were performed afterward, all of decent quality and nothing out of the ordinary.
As the dinner drew to a close,
Finally, we've reached the closing segment of this Bazaar event—
"Group photo!"
……
...(End of this chapter)