Chapter 12
Lu Bei didn't mention what happened that afternoon. He knew all too well how crazy his fans were.
So he just made up a reason to muddle it through.
Seeing the fans quiet down, the director, Huang Yong, finally breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that Lu Bei's live stream had suddenly stopped that afternoon and his phone and inbox had practically exploded.
The situation only improved after Lu Bei's manager intervened.
Since they hadn't seen Lu Bei during the task, the other participants came over to check on him.
Having missed out on Lu Bei's screen time that afternoon, Zheng Xinrui naturally wouldn't let it pass. She had seen the netizens' comments about her during her lunch break, but she didn't care. Even negative publicity was still publicity; she could create some buzz to clear her name once her popularity increased.
She pushed Wu Yang aside, facing the camera with a concerned expression.
Before she could say anything, Lu Bei got up and walked out.
This left Zheng Xinrui standing there. Her smile vanished before it could even fully form.
Lu Bei was known in the entertainment industry for his eccentric and aloof personality, so his fans didn't find his actions abrupt. Instead, they focused on details during the live stream, noting things like how thin their idol looked.
Zheng Xinrui naturally didn't dare show anything on camera, but the clenched fist hidden behind her back betrayed her inner turmoil.
…
Far away in the capital, outside a traditional courtyard house, a black limousine pulled up. An elderly man in a Tang suit stepped out and hurried into the courtyard. After parking the car, his bodyguards quickly followed.
“Old Zhou! Old Zhou!” the old man called out after only a few steps.
"What are you shouting for?! Why are you making such a fuss?" With this reply, the door to the main room opened and out came Zhou Yunliang, who had stayed at Tang Yao's guesthouse for a night. He glared at the old man before him, clearly annoyed.
"Quickly, quickly, show me the video you sent to the group chat again," the old man said bluntly, not caring about his tone.
Although somewhat confused, Zhou Yunliang still took out his phone from his pocket, pulled up the video he had taken that day, and handed it to the old man.
The old man clicked play. His eyes glued to the screen, as if afraid of missing a single detail.
After watching for a while, he replayed the video, watching it carefully again. When it finally stopped, his voice became even more excited: "If I'm not mistaken, this must be a Ghost Orchid! There are flames and icebergs next to it. I can't see the others very clearly. Old Zhou, tell me, why can't you film a video properly? Why are you only filming yourself?!"
The old man's tone was somewhat reproachful, which made Zhou Yunliang's eyes widen in irk.
What kind of talk was that? If he wasn't filming himself, who else would he film?!
The man in front of him was one of Old Zhou's best friends, named Ji Mingquan. The Ji Family held considerable influence in the capital.
Old Master Ji had two daughters and a son. All were intelligent and capable, so he had long since relinquished his power. His greatest hobby was tending to flowers and plants; he was practically an expert in it. That was why he suddenly became so excited when he saw what appeared to be rare plants in Zhou Yunliang's video.
"Old Zhou, give me the address quickly. I'll go check it out myself." Ji Mingquan became increasingly excited, seemingly wanting to rush to the scene the very next second.
Zhou Yunliang, who had just been inexplicably lectured, now started to act coy.
No matter what Ji Mingquan said, he held his purple clay cup and sipped slowly, adopting an attitude of ignoring him and not taking any initiative.
Ji Mingquan finally realized what was happening, rolled his eyes helplessly, and muttered "stingy."
"Alright, didn't I go to the tea garden this time? I got a few ounces of pre-rain white tea, I'll share half with you." Ji Mingquan said with a pained expression.
"Give it all to me." Zhou Yunliang finally spoke. A smug smile like that of an old fox was on his face.
Ji Mingquan gritted his teeth, finally waving his hand in irk, "It's all yours, it's all yours!"
Zhou Yunliang then gave him the address, adding slowly, "By the way, the guesthouse is currently filming some variety show, so it seems it's temporarily closed to the public."
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Ji Mingquan's head.
He glared at Zhou Yunliang for a long time before finally taking out his phone and called his son.
“Go check which entertainment company is recording the variety show in The Garden Within The Memories.”
A moment later, Ji Mingquan revealed a grin after receiving a response.
“Don’t forget the tea you promised!”
“I won’t forget.” Ji Mingquan waved his hand and walked away without looking back.
“When will this old Ji change his habit of believing everything one hears?”
The bodyguard beside him lowered his head, not daring to speak.
…
That evening, Tang Yao returned from the vegetable garden and saw someone standing in front of her small building.
It was Ouyang Hua, the male singer who was almost forty years old.
Was he specifically waiting for her?
Tang Yao looked around. There was no one there and no cameras from the production crew. After thinking for a while, she frowned and walked over.
Ouyang Hua looked up when he heard her movement. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
“Is there something you need?” Tang Yao’s tone was somewhat cold.
"Nothing much, just passing by for a stroll tonight. Boss Tang, are you just back from the fields?"
Tang Yao wore rubber boots covered in mud and carried a hoe.
Tang Yao nodded, casually placing the tools in the corner. Regular exercise was good for the health.
"Boss Tang, you're actually quite attractive. Have you ever thought about becoming a star? The entertainment company I'm signed with is currently organizing a new star competition. I can recommend you. They'll definitely offer very good benefits because of me, so you won't have to work so hard. Beauty should be admired, not suffer the hardships of life." Ouyang Hua said, walking towards Tang Yao with a seductive tone.
The distance between them gradually closed. So close that Tang Yao felt uncomfortable, but Ouyang Hua didn't stop.
His supposedly affectionate eyes remained fixed on Tang Yao, like those of a predator eyeing its prey.
"Thank you for your kindness, but I don't plan to enter the entertainment industry." Tang Yao took a step back to create some distance and clearly refused. "I don't think my life is that hard right now."
Ouyang Hua's smile faded slightly. His eyes filled with a determined glint. This puzzled Tang Yao. She was just a bit of a salted fish, so what made her seem so easy to bully?
Ouyang Hua, unaware of Tang Yao's thoughts, gradually lost patience and reached out his hand towards her.
One must know, he was relying on his cousin's position as vice president of an entertainment company and always acted this way in private- using coercion and bribery. Many dared not speak out and many others fawned over him because of his resources and connections, making Ouyang Hua increasingly unscrupulous.
Just as Tang Yao was considering, his hand stopped in mid-air.
Both of them turned their heads simultaneously and saw Zhang Qing beside them.
She was wearing loose shorts and flip-flops. Her short, wine-red hair slightly damp, indicating she had just finished washing up.
"Boss, I need to borrow a hairdryer." Zhang Qing spoke to Tang Yao, but her eyes were fixed on Ouyang Hua. Her gaze filled with undisguised disgust.
Seeing his plans ruined, Ouyang Hua shook off Zhang Qing's hand and turned to leave.
"Thanks, I'll get you the hairdryer." Tang Yao unlocked the door.
"No need. Be careful next time. Don't be alone with this person." Zhang Qing reminded her. Then she turned and left. Her back was as cool as she was.
The production crew smoothly recorded at the guesthouse for a few days and Huang Yong gained considerable viewership.
Even the TV station executives who had initially been skeptical of him called to praise and reassure him. Huang Yong walked with a smug grin these past few days.
Ouyang Hua didn't come to see Tang Yao again. The occasional glances he gave her seemed no different from those given to others, so Tang Yao temporarily put the matter aside.
That day, when Tang Yao woke up, it was already bright daylight. The production team had given the guests tasks early in the morning and they were already working enthusiastically in Tang Yao's field.
Tang Yao had specifically set aside a separate plot of land for the production team, so she wasn't worried about them damaging her precious seeds.
Xiao Li made a refreshing and delicious bowl of plain noodles.
Tang Yao sat in her dining room, eating while simultaneously turning on her live stream on her phone, as usual.
The live stream was as lively as usual. Just yesterday, Tang Yao had heard Huang Yong remark that hiring Lu Bei at a high price had saved the show.
However, today's comments were a bit strange. The usual barrage of comments discussing what they were doing, criticizing a particular guest, or praising one's idol was scarce today.
Everyone's attention was focused on Zhang Qing, who hadn't been particularly noticeable these past few days.
"Why is Zhang Qing out again? Wasn't it said she tried to latch onto a big shot but failed, and ended up being buried by his wife?"
"Disgusting, mistress! Get out of the entertainment industry!"
"I heard from a relative who works in logistics for a variety show that Zhang Qing tried to knock on Ouyang Hua's door yesterday, but was kicked out."
"I used to like her songs, but I didn't expect her to be this kind of person. I'm turning against her."
"How desperate is she to be famous? She should be grateful for this opportunity. Trying to knock on Ouyang Hua's door? He's a veteran in the entertainment industry and his character is impeccable. How can he possibly be interested in a woman like that?"
"Why is someone like that still appearing on variety shows? @EscapeTheCity @DirectorHuangYong."
Watching the comments, Tang Yao frowned slightly.
She recalled that dashing figure that night and considering their later interactions, she instinctively felt that Zhang Qing wasn't that kind of person.
Some people wondered why everyone was talking about Zhang Qing. Immediately someone provided a link to see what Zhang Qing had done.
Tang Yao clicked on the link.
It was a post by an anonymous blogger claiming to be a paparazzi. The blogger posted a few blurry photos, each featuring the same girl but different boys.
The post was lengthy, mostly accusing Zhang Qing of being immoral and attempting to seduce a powerful figure to climb the social ladder.
The language used in the post almost made Tang Yao unable to finish reading. This person, under the guise of justice, was wantonly insulting and defaming a woman.
Netizens, without distinguishing right from wrong, began to condemn Zhang Qing.
Everyone seemed to have forgotten that Zhang Qing was also the prodigy who wrote the wildly popular song "Call to Arms" at the age of sixteen.
Because the Zhang Qing incident continued to escalate, her activities were suspended in the afternoon and she was allowed to rest in her room.
The program couldn't be interrupted; the others still needed to continue recording.
When Tang Yao arrived at Zhang Qing's room, Shen Wentao and Du Meijuan were just about to leave.
"Don't worry, I've been in the entertainment industry for so long, I've heard all sorts of nasty things. This is nothing. The innocent will clear themselves." Du Meijuan's voice could be heard from afar.
"That's right, don't worry. I'll speak up for you. Although I don't have much influence, I still have some loyal and rational fans." Shen Wentao's voice remained calm and gentle.
"Thank you, Teacher Shen and Teacher Du. I'm fine." Zhang Qing's voice was relatively stable, seemingly unaffected by the outside world.
Turning the corner, Tang Yao saw the three people talking.
"Teacher Shen, Teacher Du." Tang Yao greeted the two.
After greeting them, the two hurriedly left as they had signed a contract and still had to go to record the show.
"Elder Sis Qing, I brought you some snacks, would you like some?" Tang Yao smiled at Zhang Qing.
Zhang Qing stepped aside to make room for Tang Yao. A slightly helpless smile appeared on her face. "I'm really fine. You don't all need to come and comfort me. These insults are nothing. There have been much worse things before."
The two had become familiar with each other over the past few days.
Zhang Qing wasn't wearing makeup and was dressed in simple loungewear, making her look much younger than her actual age.
A chair and a wooden guitar sat on the balcony, sunlight streaming in and bathing everything in a beautiful golden hue.
"No, I just came to share with you the peach blossom pastries my family’s Xiao Li made."
After closing the door, Zhang Qing pulled up another chair and placed it on the balcony.
Tang Yao sat on the second chair and took out the pastries she had brought.
The peach blossom pastries made by her family’s Xiao Li were incredibly lifelike, with layers of pink petals. It was so beautiful that it was almost too beautiful to eat.
The taste was sweet and crispy, with a delicate peach blossom fragrance. It was sweet but not cloying.
Zhang Qing took a sip. Paired with the peach blossom tea Tang Yao had brought, a warm feeling flowed into her stomach. It even lifted her somewhat depressed mood.
She simply took off her shoes and sat cross-legged on the chair, looking at the sky outside.
"Sometimes I really want to quit the industry," Zhang Qing suddenly sighed in the quietness.
Tang Yao turned to look at her. The initial unfamiliarity and defensiveness had faded, and a hint of melancholy appeared in Zhang Qing's eyes.
"Just kidding. This industry makes money much faster than other industries and I'm short of money," Zhang Qing said frankly. "So no matter what others say, it doesn't matter to me. Nothing is more terrifying than being broke."
"Do you believe what those posts say?" Zhang Qing suddenly turned and asked.
Tang Yao, resting her chin on her hand, answered without hesitation: "No."
A flicker of surprise crossed Zhang Qing's eyes, then she smiled.
"I can probably guess who's behind this. They just want me to give in," Zhang Qing smiled.
She didn't say the rest, but instead picked up the guitar leaning against the side and gently strummed the strings.
A melodious tune flowed from her fingers.
"Spinning in the darkness
Shouting before dawn
This is my unique answer
The tattered pedals
The blackened umbrella
Neither can stop
Light piercing the darkness
..."