Incidentally, there's another issue that I don't need to explain, as it's quite logical.
Why would I go to Jenny's concert? It's simple: she bought a company, so of course she'd go see the company's most profitable star! Isn't that perfectly normal?
After this press conference, the scandalous news about Jenny and me finally came to a temporary halt. The entertainment sections of the newspapers were almost entirely dominated by the story of my one-time purchase of Deep Blue Entertainment!
In their mouths, I'm a big shot who's landed in the domestic entertainment industry! Everyone's talking about my talk of future "two-way communication."
It must be admitted that Chinese people still have a strong obsession with the Oscars; after all, what you can't have is always the best. Every year, China's top directors and stars make their tragic attempts to break into Hollywood with the Oscars, only to always end up battered and bruised. It's truly lamentable.
And now, my appearance has undoubtedly given everyone hope!
I've already established myself in Hollywood and even own a sizable film company. So, what happens next... is something to look forward to.
The scandal gradually subsided. Although I was still in the media spotlight, at least the topics weren't so infuriating anymore.
A day had passed, and I thought the storm had passed, but what happened next made me extremely angry!
Almost without any warning, one night, a strange article suddenly appeared on several websites and blogs of several online promoters!
Jenny's true identity revealed: She's from Vietnam...
When Ning Yan rushed into my room in a panic to tell me the news, I immediately opened my laptop and saw the news on an entertainment website...
Bang!
In a fit of rage, I suddenly raised my hand and flipped the table over! My laptop, worth over 30,000 yuan, was smashed to pieces with one punch!
"Who did this?!" I glared at Ning Yan furiously.
Ning Yan's expression was grave: "It's obvious that this wasn't done by the media themselves... someone is targeting us."
Part Three: The Pinnacle, Chapter Fifty-Seven: Shen Shan's Identity
Jenny's true identity revealed: She's from Vietnam...
The huge headline was eye-catching, but what was even more shocking was the text below. I won't go into details, but the whole article was written in a tone that exposed the inside story, pointing out without any concealment Jenny's true background. She was a very popular, beautiful mixed-race woman who was once a top hostess in a high-end nightclub in Hanoi and was sought after by many customers.
The person who wrote this was clearly malicious, even interviewing the hostesses and madam of that nightclub… Fortunately, nightclubs have a high turnover rate, and Jenny had been gone for over two years. Her former “colleagues” were long gone, their whereabouts unknown. The author did bring some recent photos of Jenny, a poster, and photos of an old waitress and two senior managers from the nightclub. They didn't recognize Jenny and hadn't had much contact with her back then, but they recognized her face as that of a former top hostess.
The sinister intentions behind these words are obvious, and the language is quite straightforward, almost explicitly stating the words "famous courtesan."
Below were several pictures. The photos were taken on-site by the author of this piece. One was an exterior view of the nightclub, which had been renovated after several years and looked even more impressive. Another picture was clearly taken from inside, showing some brightly lit scenes and some scantily clad, sexy women.
It was almost like the strongest whirlwind… no, it should be called a hurricane! A tornado! This report practically swept across the entertainment news pages of every website, both newspapers and the internet. At first, newspapers seemed to reprint it somewhat restrainedly, using slightly ambiguous language, but soon, it escalated rapidly!
It was like a sudden, unexpected blow! It stunned the person instantly.
It's right now, and with all the publicity, advertising, and hype, Jenny's popularity is at its peak. She's the center of everyone's attention, so the sudden outbreak of such a huge scandal is bound to be devastating.
"This definitely wasn't done by the media themselves," Ning Yan said to me, her expression grave. Since the press conference, Fang Nan had left for two days. She needed to go back and personally handle the company's transfer procedures; after all, the company belonged to her, and many procedures required her personal involvement.
Ning Yan has basically started treating me as her new boss these past two days, and her tone was unusually solemn when she spoke to me: "Our relationship with the media isn't bad, so no media person would go to such lengths to ruin Jenny's reputation. It's the rule in the industry that unless there's a deep-seated grudge, people generally wouldn't resort to such ruthless methods to destroy someone."
"Then investigate!" I glanced at Ning Yan. "Someone always does things. Surely we can find out?"
Ning Yan seemed to want to say something, but ultimately didn't.
"Wait," I called to her, "Jenny...how is she?"
“She’s very emotionally unstable,” Ning Yan said with a wry smile. She shook her head. “Anyone would feel bad in this situation. Besides, she’s a girl. And her past was so pitiful; it wasn’t like she willingly chose to fall into this state. What hurts her most now is that this matter will probably also hurt YoYo. Because YoYo has never known that her sister used to work in that line of work. But now, the news is everywhere in the newspapers and online…”
I nodded, then thought for a moment and said, "We can't stay at the Four Seasons Hotel, and we can't stay in Shanghai either... Let's find a place for Jenny to rest for a few days, a quiet place."
"Yes, the company has properties near Mount Lu, including several villas that were purchased from Miss Qianfang. For tax convenience, they are registered under the company's name... Of course, they are all your properties now. If you agree, I would like Jenny to stay there for a few days. The villas are at the foot of Mount Lu, the environment is quiet, and the media can't find the place."
I nodded immediately.
“There’s one more thing… um, Jenny’s tour.” Ning Yan sighed. “Originally, the next stop on the tour was Guangzhou, in ten days. But now, given the situation…”
Seeing that I didn't speak, Ning Yan explained, "The company's phones are practically ringing off the hook with calls from the media. We're taking a cold approach, treating it as a rumor, a fabrication, and ignoring it. But the company has to make a statement. With all this fuss going on, if the company doesn't step in, people will think we're in the wrong. As for the upcoming concert schedule, Jenny's current emotional state probably prevents her from working. But if we cancel the concert now, compensating the local event organizer is a minor issue; the real problem is that these people stirring up trouble will have something to say about us, and they'll likely accuse us of being guilty and that Jenny is too ashamed to show her face."
I thought about it and realized it's really difficult. This whole thing happened so suddenly. If the upcoming concerts are really canceled... then I'm worried that many people who didn't believe the news before might actually start to believe it.
“Then let’s postpone it for a couple of days.” I rubbed my temples vigorously. “Let’s discuss it and think of a solution. Doesn’t the company have a lot of public relations experts? And some hype masters too? I can afford to pay them no matter how much it costs! You should handle this matter as soon as possible, since I’m not familiar with this circle in China. If you need money, take it from the company account first. If it’s not enough, just let me know.”
This is really serious now. No matter who's behind this, the timing is absolutely insidious! It happened right after Jenny's first solo tour, like striking a snake at its vital point. This shocking scandal suddenly broke out at such a crucial moment, completely disrupting our plans!
A wildly popular idol who's captivated millions was once a hostess in a foreign brothel! This kind of news is probably unprecedented in the history of China's entertainment industry. At least, I know the media is in an uproar; almost every outlet is treating it as headline news.
To avoid media harassment, my phone, Ning Yan's phone, Jenny's phone, and others' phones were all turned off. We each got new numbers for internal use only.
We quickly evacuated the Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai. Jenny had already booked two commercial endorsement events in Shanghai, but we had to cancel them. We all left the Four Seasons Hotel; for the past few days, the area downstairs has been swarming with reporters. The hotel was practically hoping we'd leave as soon as possible. Even the hotel's garbage collectors were bribed by the reporters; they check the garbage on our floor every day, hoping to find some clues.
I still don't know who did it; Ning Yan is still investigating.
Of course, if I were to name my biggest enemy in China, without a doubt, it would be the Qing Hong, or Ye Huan.
However, I don't believe they were behind this. The reason is simple. While their actions were ruthless, they didn't seem to cause me, Chen Yang, much harm. The biggest victim was Jenny. As for me, I was merely the boss of Jenny's agency. For me, the harm was minimal.
If Qing Hong or Ye Huan were seeking revenge against me, they should be targeting me personally. Jenny, on the other hand, has no special relationship with me.
Moreover, Ye Huan is now independent and busy dealing with Qing Hong's counterattack. At this stage, he probably doesn't have time to deal with me. Qing Hong is probably in the same boat.
Just as we were leaving the Four Seasons Hotel, Jenny and YoYo had already left the hotel. Ning Yan sent a car to take them away, but before I left, I was greeted by two guests.
"We were sent by Mr. Shen Shan." I recognized the man; I had seen him once before in the hotel lobby. He was still very polite to me: "Mr. Chen, it's really not easy to see you."
I smiled.
It wasn't easy for the two of them to come see me. I'm so annoyed by the media right now that I'm not seeing any visitors. These two only came after they revealed Shen Shan's name before being brought to see me.
"What is it? Speak up."
The man bowed slightly and said with a smile, "Mr. Chen, our boss, Mr. Shen, would like to see you... Actually, after my last visit, I relayed your words back to him. Mr. Shen would very much like to see you in person. However, you have been too busy lately... Moreover, there are media people everywhere here and outside, and it's too inconvenient for Mr. Shen to come in person. So, we would like to invite you to come over. Mr. Shen said he just wants to have a cup of tea and chat with you."
I squinted, didn't say anything, and just stared at the guy.
The guy Shen Shan sent was quite clever and knew how to act and speak with great tact.
However, I had some doubts.
What exactly is Shen Shan's stance in contacting me?
It's obvious that Shen Shan is a member of the Green Gang! Moreover, he's the Shanghai branch manager of the "Ren" faction within the Green Gang! Back then, I beat the son of the head of the "Ren" faction into a eunuch.
That day in the private room, Qiaoqiao's father was there. I only met Shen Shan briefly, and the room was dimly lit. He didn't seem to recognize me at the time, assuming I was some kind of nephew or niece of Qiaoqiao's father.
But now, the person who came to invite me calls me "Mr. Chen," which makes it very clear that he already knows who I am!
So, what does he want from me? Is he seeking revenge for his boss's son?
But such politeness doesn't seem quite right.
If he really wanted to plot against me, trick me into attending a treacherous banquet, and then kill me, there would be no need for him to be so blatant as to send someone to invite me. Doing so would be too obvious and clumsy.
Seeing that I didn't speak, the man suddenly smiled and slowly took out an envelope from his pocket. It had sealing wax and markings on it, so it was obviously sealed.
“Our boss, Mr. Shen, said that you must be very curious, Mr. Chen. If you have any concerns, he gave me this to show you. He said that once you open it, you will know.”
With mixed feelings of doubt, I opened the envelope, glanced inside, smiled, and immediately put the item into my pocket. "Your boss, Mr. Shen, is truly resourceful!" I chuckled.
After saying that, I stood up, patted my clothes, and said, "Let's go, I'll go see your boss, Mr. Shen, now."
This man seemed to have anticipated my change of heart. He smiled, quickly bowed, took two steps back, and then led the way.
I didn't even bring many men with me, just Tu. This puzzled my other brothers. One of them couldn't help but ask me, "Fifth Brother, we know who this Shen Shan is. But don't you have a grudge against the Green Gang? Shouldn't you bring more men for protection?"
I chuckled. "They're local bullies; they can summon a hundred or so men with a mere whistle. We only have a dozen or so people here at most. Even if we brought them all, we'd just be easy prey if a fight broke out. Unless I bring all my brothers from the Vancouver area... is that even possible?"
Smiling, I left the group behind. I asked them to help Ning Yan organize the people to leave Shanghai, and then I told Ning Yan to let them go first. I then found out the address of the villa in Lushan, and I would go there to meet them later.
Of course, Ning Yan remained in Shanghai, where she was urgently working with some of the company's media relations experts to draft a plan to handle the situation.
I followed Shen Shan's men down the elevator to the underground parking lot, then got into a black Mercedes-Benz and drove out the hotel's back door. A number of reporters had gathered at the hotel's back door, and seeing a Mercedes emerge, they couldn't resist getting in to take a look. However, Shen Shan's men were all very aggressive. They rolled down the window, cursed a few times in Shanghainese, stepped on the gas, and sped away without caring if they hit anyone.
Although the reporters were scolded, they didn't suspect anything when they saw that the driver was a man and from Shanghai.
These people took me to a club called "Royal Dynasty" in the Bund area of Shanghai.
It's basically a nightclub-like place. When I came in during the day, there were naturally no customers, but the pure European-style palatial decor clearly showed that a lot of money had been spent on it.
This nightclub was located on the upper floor of a building, occupying four floors. It even had artificial mountains and fountains in the lobby, making it truly magnificent. As soon as I entered, I was immediately led to the innermost part of the building.
I roughly counted, and there were probably at least a hundred private rooms here. I was led directly to the largest one at the very back. It had luxurious sofas, top-of-the-line BOSS sound equipment, and the floor was paved with the most expensive white marble. A ring of Roman columns surrounded the room, exuding an air of grandeur.
Shen Shan sat alone in the private room. He sat in the middle of the sofa, with a cup of tea in front of him and a thick cigar in his hand.
As I walked in, I whispered a message to Tu to wait outside.
"Chen Yang..." Shen Shan saw me enter and immediately stood up and laughed loudly, "It's really not easy to see you!"
After saying that, he laughed and walked towards me with his arms outstretched.
Without any hesitation, I gave him a quick hug, and then we sat down together like old friends.
"Mr. Shen, this place of yours is really great!" I gave him a thumbs up. "You must have spent a lot of money on it, right?"
"Buying these floors didn't cost much, but the renovations cost twenty million." Shen Shan laughed heartily and leaned back casually on the sofa. "We're brothers, so I won't stand on ceremony. There's a teapot on the table, pour yourself a drink."
I smiled, quite pleased with his straightforwardness. I poured myself a cup of tea, took a sip, smacked my lips, and said with a smile, "Good tea." Then I looked up at Shen Shan and said with a smile, "Mr. Shen, you're too kind... especially with that 'brother' thing. I can't accept that. In terms of age, you're more than twenty years older than me; in terms of seniority, I'm a generation younger than you. There's no need for the 'brother' thing. If you don't mind, just call me Xiao Wu."
"Sigh, it's not easy to see you." Shen Shan sighed. "I know your identity, and I also know about your grudge with the head manager of the Qinghong gang... As for the identity I currently hold in public, it would be difficult to invite you here so abruptly. I'm afraid you won't want to see me and will suspect that I'm going to harm you. Hehe..."
I smiled, then slowly took the envelope out of my pocket and placed it on the table. When I opened it, the envelope contained an old black and white photograph!
The photo is the old-fashioned kind, obviously taken more than 20 years ago in one of those old photo studios. It's the kind where people sit there like idiots, making stiff smiles under the photographer's direction...
In the photo, there are two people, one fat and one slightly thinner. The fatter one has a smile on his face and his eyes are squinted into slits, while the thinner man looks younger and has a very sharp and capable appearance.
The thinner one of these two is Shen Shan, who is sitting in front of me now!
And that fat guy…it was none other than the person who saved my life back then, the one I owe my greatest benefactor to date! That fat guy Fang!! Fang Dahai!!
Shen Shan actually knows Fatty Fang? And judging from this photo, they've known each other for many, many years!
Finally, on the back of this photo, there is a line of handwriting.
The handwriting looks like it was left many years ago. The calligraphy is like a dog's paw, crooked and twisted, but between each stroke, there is a faint sense of power that penetrates the paper!
And these four words left a very deep impression on me!
I remember before I told him I was going to Canada, Fatty Fang told me, "When you get to Vancouver, find them. Just say four words to them and they'll help you!"
...