"I disagree!" Gu Yueyue refused. She had never engaged in any CP (couple pairing) hype since her debut, and she didn't like doing such things. It would be confusing, with fans not knowing the real story, and she wouldn't be able to explain herself. In CP hype, the one being paired up always loses out in unequal relationships, and in this kind of relationship, the woman is often at a greater disadvantage.
Old Yao scoffed: "That's not up to you. I'm informing you on behalf of the company, not asking for your permission, understand?"
Gu Yueyue was furious. She was not good with words to begin with, and she was so angry that she couldn't say a word.
Ono pulled Gu Yueyue aside and casually stood next to her, smiling at Lao Yao, "Sister Yao, don't be angry. Our Yueyue didn't say she wouldn't obey the company's arrangements, it's just that creating a CP (couple pairing) right now isn't appropriate for Qiao Yuanbin."
Old Yao paused for a moment, then his eyes darted around. He narrowed his eyes and said in a less than pleasant tone, "Why isn't it appropriate?"
"Of course it's not appropriate. If I remember correctly, Qiao Yuanbin's next project has already been confirmed. It's an urban romance web series. Instead of creating a CP with our Yueyue, why not create a CP directly on set? There will still be viewers watching, and it will definitely be more real than creating a CP with our Yueyue out of thin air."
Old Yao sneered: "You think you're so smart? We don't know about this situation? The person acting with him is Lin Shizhi from Jingxuan. What kind of status does Lin Shizhi have? Can she really hype herself up with our Binbin?"
"But I heard that Lin Shizhi debuted as an internet celebrity, relying on hype and traffic generation all the way. She doesn't have much acting skills. She's been in the industry for two or three years, and she's just maintaining her popularity by creating CP pairings with other people. Brother Bin is outstanding in every way and is the number one male star that Hongsheng is promoting. Why would Lin Shizhi disagree? Maybe if we extend an olive branch, Lin Shizhi would be more than happy to accept it."
"Moreover, Lin Shizhi has over 40 million fans, and our Yueyue doesn't even have half of that. Besides, Brother Bin and Lin Shizhi are co-stars in the drama, so the company won't even need to hype them up. As long as Brother Bin gets closer to her, we can't control what the media says, right? Whether they're a couple or not, whether they're dating or not, it's all up to the fans to decide."
Xiao Ye's words and actions all showed that she was considering Qiao Yuanbin's best interests, and her suggestions were reasonable and well-founded.
Old Yao was somewhat tempted, but rumors circulated in the industry that Lin Shizhi had powerful backers, and the company was wary of this, which is why they didn't dare to set their sights on her.
Seeing that she was tempted, Ono wanted to continue persuading her, but Gu Yueyue stopped her. Gu Yueyue shook her head slightly, not liking Ono's attempt to shift the blame.
Ono smiled at her and quietly patted her hand to comfort her.
"Sister Yao, the director has to worry about the on-screen couples. Aren't web dramas all about attracting fans through romantic pairings? You can talk to the director directly about it; that's a natural progression. Besides, Lin Shizhi is a top-tier celebrity. Even if Brother Bin is with her, he's not afraid of fan backlash. Forty million fans! How many of them are fans of the couple? Does Brother Bin have to worry about not having enough viewership?"
Following her vision, Yao Qian became more and more excited, eager to put it into practice immediately.
Ono secretly sneered at her expression. What a short-sighted fool, all she thinks about is making a quick buck. She's got the ability to make money, and she's already trying to make Yueyue famous. Why can't she help Hongsheng? She's just throwing away the pearl and picking up the fish eye.
Old Yao wanted to call a meeting to discuss this matter properly. He hadn't dared to act recklessly back then because he was afraid of the power behind Lin Shizhi. But now, after hearing what Xiao Ye said, he realized that Lin Shizhi was originally an internet celebrity who used hype and traffic generation, so she might not be opposed to this kind of thing. It would be better to reach out to her. Even if Lin Shizhi disagreed, he could communicate with the director and ask him to help him. As long as he kept things in check and didn't anger Lin Shizhi, it would be a mutually beneficial thing.
"I'll reconsider this matter." Old Yao impatiently told them to leave, but then called Gu Yueyue back, "By the way, you should rest well at home during this time. The fourth episode of Star Idol will start recording on the 4th of next month, and you'll be a mentor. Zheng Wan from our company will also be participating, so remember to take good care of her."
"Okay, I understand. Is there anything else?" Gu Yueyue just wanted to get back as soon as possible; she felt suffocated at the company.
I left the company without any problems.
On the way back, Gu Yueyue was in a bad mood. Xiao Ye wanted to talk to her, but Gu Yueyue sighed and asked, "Why did you do that?"
"Sister, it's better to sacrifice a friend than myself. That's how this industry is." Xiao Ye sent a message to her usual entertainment reporter friend, asking him to help her inform Lin Shizhi so that they could take precautions.
Gu Yueyue has relied on Xiao Ye's help in many things along the way, but the two of them always disagree on some things. She knows that Xiao Ye is thinking of her, but these things make her feel uneasy, and she always feels pretentious and can't appreciate it.
"Sister, trust me. Lin Shizhi will definitely be fine. Hongsheng isn't even close to going up against Lin Shizhi. I heard that Lin Shizhi's backer is Actress Yu. Before, Lin Shizhi used to hype up Actress Yu for doting on her, but recently they've been going public with their relationship, and Lin Shizhi has already backed down. Look, there haven't been any gossip or scandals about her online in the last six months. Her dating rumors were wiped out a year ago. Only Yao Qian is blinded by such petty gains. If they try to court disaster, even if Lin Shizhi doesn't care, Actress Yu won't let them get away with this. Just you wait and see, if Qiao Yuanbin dares to make a move, he'll definitely have a hard time later."
Ono felt increasingly relieved as she thought about it. It was just a pity that they had no powerful backing, so she could only use others' strength against them. The methods were somewhat underhanded, but as long as they worked, that was enough.
Xiao Ye has already said everything, and the company is definitely already planning how to hype it up. It's too late to blame Xiao Ye now, Gu Yueyue began to worry.
"Didn't you say that Qiao Yuanbin has a sugar daddy behind him? Will Lin Shizhi and the others get into trouble?" Gu Yueyue only knew that the sugar daddies behind them were all very powerful, but she couldn't tell who was more powerful than whom. Over the years, she had devoted herself to acting.
Ono laughed: "Sis, you don't need to worry about that. The guy behind Qiao Yuanbin is just a nouveau riche, he can't compare to them. Sigh, it's a pity these young and beautiful women are falling in love so young!"
Gu Yueyue felt a little relieved. On her way back, she saw her advertising endorsements everywhere. The relief she felt for others made her worry for herself. She had been taking on so many endorsements lately, and she didn't know how the company would arrange things for her afterward.
"We're home! Sis, you go up first. I'll go park the car." Ono was always full of energy, as if nothing could stump her.
Gu Yueyue was in the elevator, her brow twitching, a feeling of panic and unease enveloping her. She was unaware that an intruder had entered her home.
Gu Yueyue stood at the door, looking at the apartment door and feeling that something was wrong. There seemed to be something on the doorknob, like snot or glue.
She has excellent eyesight and saw it immediately, so she didn't open the door.
Perhaps people have a magical sixth sense to foresee unknown dangers. Gu Yueyue slowly took two steps back. She was the only one living on this floor. She used to enjoy the quiet here, but today she felt a terrifying silence.
A sound suddenly came from inside the door, and Gu Yueyue almost suffocated. Suddenly, the door opened, and a strange man emerged, naked except for a bath towel. His face was full of smiles, and when he saw Gu Yueyue standing in the doorway, his eyes were filled with madness. His voice suddenly rose, "Wife! You're back? I've been waiting for you for so long! Come in quickly! Come home, quickly..."
He immediately reached out to grab Gu Yueyue.
Gu Yueyue stopped breathing, and the string in her mind snapped.
A note from the author:
Miss Gu: Why haven't you come to see me yet?
Xu Yi: Almost there, almost there, it's on its way.
Chapter Three
Gu Yueyue dodged backward, quickly pulled out pepper spray from her bag, and only when she saw the man clutching his eyes and screaming in pain did she stumble and run towards the elevator.
Just then, Ono came out of the elevator and saw Gu Yueyue's disheveled appearance. She quickly reacted, pulled Gu Yueyue into the elevator, and turned on the stun gun in her hand. Only after the two of them were safely downstairs did she call the police and notify the property security to come and handle the situation.
"Sis, you go to the car first. I'll handle this." Perhaps because she had encountered too many unexpected situations with Gu Yueyue over the years, Xiao Ye was very mature for her age.
Gu Yueyue hid in the car. After all, she was a public figure. Although many people here knew her, she absolutely couldn't let this incident escalate.
She waited in the car for about two hours before Ono returned with two bottles of mineral water.
"A bunch of bastards, they're all shirking responsibility after something happened. We chose this neighborhood because of its security, right? And what did they say? 'As public figures, you probably don't want this to become public knowledge, right? We'll settle this privately, and we'll definitely pay what we owe.' Holy crap, I've never seen such shamelessness. Sis, did we offend someone? Why have things been going so badly lately?"
Ono was just saying it casually, but she got so angry that she couldn't control her mouth and said whatever came to mind. By the time she noticed that Gu Yueyue in the back seat was acting strangely, it was too late. She couldn't think of anything to say to make amends, so she could only keep quiet and drive.
Gu Yueyue took it to heart.
Over the years, she has been unable to accept some tacitly accepted unspoken rules, which has offended quite a few people. After all, she has no money or power in this industry, and her voice is weak while she has ridiculously insistent bottom lines. There must be quite a few people who want to deal with her.
When they arrived at Ono's house, Ono led her inside. Looking at the messy house, Ono scratched her hair sheepishly and said with a smile, "It's been a long time since I've been back, so the house is a bit messy. Sis, please sit on the sofa for a while, and I'll tidy up the guest room for you when I get back."
Ono went to the supermarket to buy some daily necessities for her. When Ono returned, she found that Gu Yueyue was already asleep on the sofa.
Seeing Gu Yueyue's furrowed brows even in her dream, Xiao Ye sighed softly. Her sister's life was truly too hard. Damn it, she was going to curse Hongsheng until it went bankrupt sooner or later.
Gu Yueyue stayed here for one night. The next day at noon, Xiao Ye brought back takeout after finishing her errands outside.
After lunch, she looked at the few bites of food still in Gu Yueyue's bowl, sighed deeply, and suggested, "Sister, things are almost settled. After lunch, I'll go for a walk with you. Staying cooped up at home all the time isn't good for your health. Besides, everyone around here is an old man or woman, no one will notice you."
"How did that matter go?" Gu Yueyue's voice was rather hoarse; her usually clear and melodious voice had become dull and weak.
Ono put down his chopsticks and said in a light tone, "It's alright, we think we can get a lot of money."
"Can't we lock him up?"
Ono scratched her itchy face, looking troubled. "That's unlikely, and it's not worth it. Sis, you're a public figure. Exposing this will have a bad impact on you. Who knows what kind of nonsense the media will spread. Besides, even if we expose him, it will be difficult to get him punished. The property management has already taken care of the aftermath. They won't let us expose this, and it won't be good for them either."
"Although this incident involved you encountering a stalker fan and a perverted man, looking deeper, it reveals the impact your voice as a public figure can have on these real estate developers."
Gu Yueyue lowered her eyelids, her voice trembling slightly, "Is this all there is to it? I'm the victim here."
At this point, any words of comfort are meaningless. The victim cannot seek redress and is instead forced to cover it up, which is painful in itself.
"Sister, once we have money, once we have money, we won't have to put up with other people's attitudes anymore. Just bear with it a little longer." Xiao Ye scratched her hair, which hadn't been washed for almost a week. She didn't know how long she could bear it.
In the afternoon, Ono still dragged Gu Yueyue out of the house.
The weather is nice outside today, with a cool evening breeze, but there might be a sudden downpour tonight.
Wearing a mask and hat, Gu Yueyue squinted at the setting sun.
The sun is always the same sun, but people only dare to look directly at it at its sunrise and sunset, as if fairness has been artificially manipulated.
Want some popsicles?
Suddenly, Ono's question came from beside her. Before she could reply, Ono ran towards the small supermarket.
Gu Yueyue sat down on the bench. A girl dragged a suitcase and carried a travel bag and walked towards her from afar. Behind her was the orange sunset that was spreading out. A gentle breeze was blowing, and a few strands of hair by the girl's ears were flowing with the wind. She seemed to be in a different world from the others around her.
Gu Yueyue racked her brains for a precise description before finally coming up with one: Hmm… she seemed to see a girl from another dimension. Then she saw the girl carrying a suitcase, circling around the elephant fountain as if she had seen something extraordinary.
What an adorable little girl! She must really love life. What seems like an ordinary scene to her is something extraordinary and delightful.
Gu Yueyue was so engrossed in watching that she felt a scalding sensation on her face. She stepped back and saw the enlarged popsicle in front of her.
"Here, eat up. This is an old-fashioned popsicle. I wonder if this is a childhood memory for you?" Ono sat down next to her, slurping the popsicle with a look of pure enjoyment.
Gu Yueyue looked at the popsicle in her hand, then reached up to touch the mask on her face. She glanced at the busy pedestrians coming and going with concern.
Ono laughed and said, "Don't worry, sis, no one will notice. Who would believe that a big star is eating an ice cream here? Take off your mask and be more open."
Gu Yueyue was somewhat tempted. She tore open the popsicle wrapper, took out the old-fashioned popsicle that reminded her of her childhood, put down her mask, took a small bite, and felt the coolness between her lips and teeth, which relieved the heat brought by the sweltering summer. The familiar taste spread on her taste buds. Gu Yueyue rarely put down all her burdens and sat on this bench, squinting her eyes to savor the childhood treat in her hand.
Gu Yueyue was initially quite uncomfortable, but after a few minutes, when no one really noticed her, she finally relaxed completely.
The girl she had noticed earlier had stopped in front of the fountain. She took out her phone and looked at it for a while, her posture resembling that of an elderly person unfamiliar with phones, struggling to figure out how to use a smartphone. Gu Yueyue sat on the bench, curiously observing her.
She answered a phone call, but hung up after a few minutes.
She then looked around, and just as she was about to see Gu Yueyue, Gu Yueyue immediately avoided her gaze, pulling down the brim of her black fisherman's hat to cover half of her face.
The girl's gaze finally fell on the bench where Gu Yueyue and the others were sitting. She carried her suitcase and walked briskly toward them.
Yesterday, Xu Yi parted ways with the club members. She didn't know the route or was unfamiliar with modern transportation. Relying on her vague memories, she changed different modes of transportation dozens of times before finally finding this place.
Before going on her trip, the original owner rented a room here and had a roommate to share the apartment with.
She had just finished a phone call with her roommate, who was still working and might not be back for another two hours, so she was told to find somewhere nearby to rest for a while.
Xu Yi didn't know where she could wait for someone. She saw several rows of benches not far from the fountain. The other benches were full of elderly men and women resting and chatting. There was only one place she could go.
As Xu Yi approached, she noticed that both people on the bench had become tense, especially the lady wearing a hat, whose body was trembling slightly with tension.
Xu Yi examined her body in a few breaths and found no leakage of spiritual energy. So why was that young lady frightened because of her?
"Hello, may I sit here?" Xu Yi tried to keep her voice soft so as not to frighten her.
But she forgot that although this body was very young, it did not have the petite feel of a typical young girl. At over 1.7 meters tall, its presence was too strong. Moreover, although her voice was soft, her tone was cold and sharp, and the moment she opened her mouth, the young lady shivered like a frightened bird.
"Um."
It was a very soft response; if she hadn't possessed such strong spiritual senses, she might have missed that "hmm."
Xu saw that she had given her permission, so he sat down gently next to her, his mind wandering. The person next to him was probably what people in this world often call a socially anxious person.
The sound of someone slurping an ice pop reached Xu Yi's ears. Curious, she looked over; she remembered this thing from the original owner's memories—it was very sweet. But as soon as her gaze swept over, the person next to her tensed up. Xu Yi had no choice but to silently look away and continue examining her phone.
Ono's original intention was to bring Gu Yueyue out to relax, not to make her feel nervous in a different place. So after she finished eating her popsicle, he suggested that they go back.
Gu Yueyue didn't want to get too close to strangers, even though the little girl gave her a strange feeling of closeness, she didn't want to linger there any longer.
"Are you leaving?" Xu asked as they stood up. She didn't know why she blurted out the question; they didn't know each other, and it was very impolite to ask so abruptly.
Gu Yueyue immediately became alert; the frights inflicted on her by stalker fans during this period were truly unforgettable.