Chapter 18: Yang Mi: I Like Charismatic Men

Magic City

After a long day of work on "The Temptation to Return," director Lin Tianyi turned on his computer.

Mobile phones back then were still feature phones, with barely any entertainment functions.

To relax, besides the big health treatments, there was nothing but surfing the internet.

Of course, it wasn't that he didn't want the big health treatments—he simply couldn't afford it; he was no longer young.

Back in the day, he could piss three feet against the wind; now… never mind, a true hero doesn't boast of past glory.

"Huh?" Lin directed, browsing news on his computer, suddenly froze in shock:

"Isn't that our lead actor?"

Rifle with bayonet, and he captured the fugitive alive?

So fierce?

"This kid's going to be famous!" Lin stared, wide-eyed—he'd spent years in the entertainment industry and knew exactly how valuable this was.

Immediately, he picked up the phone to call the producer.

But the moment he reached for his phone, it rang.

"Old Lin, did you see the news?" The producer's voice, relaxed and cheerful, came through the line:

"Our lead's gone viral!"

Like Lin, he'd spent the whole day working, but his tone made it clear how delighted he was.

Lin laughed heartily: "Producer, we've got great luck!"

"Hahaha, indeed!" The producer boomed with laughter—he'd always assumed his male lead was a newcomer.

But now… he wouldn't be one for long.

"Producer, we got a lead like this for such a small fee—we've hit the jackpot!" Lin laughed.

The producer was in high spirits: "Haha, but honestly, that fee was a bit too low for him—after filming wraps, we'll give him a big red envelope."

Times change, prices change.

"Working with you feels so clear-hearted… hey, no more talk—the press conference's starting." Lin suddenly noticed the press conference for "In the Darkness" had begun.

…

A spacious room.

Director Jiang Wei, Qi Hui, Ling Xiaosu, and Zhang Ruoyun sat at the table, facing a sea of cameras.

Long and short lenses were pointed straight at Qi Hui and the others.

Qi Hui glanced around—there were many media outlets: every major TV station, even video platforms like Tudou and Youku.

Too bad, CCTV didn't show up.

Jiang Wei cleared his throat and said: "Alright, the press conference is officially starting."

"Ladies and gentlemen of the media, I assume you already know what happened—I won't repeat it."

"These three are the heroes who captured the fugitive—ask whatever you'd like."

"Our crew was lucky enough to film the entire incident—we'll share the footage with all of you after this press conference."

Hearing this, the media's excitement surged; reporters scrambled to raise their hands.

Jiang Wei casually pointed to one.

"Mr. Ling, how did you know the man was a fugitive?" The reporter immediately turned to Ling Xiaosu.

He was the most famous—who else would you ask?

Ling Xiaosu cleared his throat and said: "Actually, it was Qi Hui who spotted the fugitive, not me."

He then introduced Qi Hui to the media: "This is my friend, a 2005 graduate of Beijing Film Academy, set to play Xie Ruolin in 'In the Darkness.'"

"Let him tell you the details."

He had no intention of stealing credit or fame.

Even if he had, the police had already confirmed the full account, and the cameras had captured plenty of footage—any attempt to take credit now would only backfire.

"Mr. Qi, could you please recount the exact events?" The media turned their lenses toward Qi Hui.

Facing the cameras, Qi Hui cleared his throat and briefly recounted how he spotted Zhang Guofeng and subdued him.

Of course, he wouldn't mention anything he shouldn't.

…

Hunan Province.

Yang Mi and Tang Yan, promoting "The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3," were in their hotel room watching this explosive news.

"Huh? Beijing Film Academy 2005?" Tang Yan exclaimed: "Mi Mi, isn't that your classmate?"

At this time, Tang Yan and Yang Mi still got along well, and were dubbed the beauties of "The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3."

The third, of course, was Liu Sisi.

"Uh… I think so." Yang Mi glanced, unsure.

She rarely attended university—she'd been busy filming throughout that period, barely attending classes.

In her freshman year, she played Guo Xiang in Liu Yifei and Huang Xiaoming's "The Return of the Condor Heroes."

In her sophomore year, she played the female lead Wang Zhaojun in "Wang Zhaojun."

Her junior and senior years were much the same—she was filming "The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3" and the new "Dream of the Red Chamber."

She only returned for graduation.

She mostly knew only her dorm mates and a few girls.

As for the others… she basically ignored them.

From the start, she and her classmates weren't on the same starting line.

Yang Mi felt a touch of pride; who, upon seeing her classmates, wouldn't mention her, Yang Mi?

"No way?" Tang Yan widened her eyes, pointing at Qi Hui on the screen and asking, "You don't remember someone this handsome?"

Yang Mi didn't take it to heart: "Handsome as he is, he's no Hu Ge or Huo Jianhua... well, never mind."

She glanced at the screen and took back the words she was about to speak.

Then she shrugged and said, "I actually prefer those with charm. He's very handsome, but lacks charm."

Lacks charm... Tang Yan rolled her eyes; you might as well just say he's not famous.

"What about now?" Tang Yan pointed at the screen, where the scene had switched to Qi Hui holding a rifle, facing a fugitive alone, looking heroic and domineering, incredibly handsome.

Yang Mi nodded: "His charm is gradually rising."

"That's basically what happened," Qi Hui finished his account simply, then paused before continuing, "Actually, this feat isn't solely my credit."

His original purpose in creating this situation was to thank Ling Xiaosu and Zhang Ruoyun.

Of course, he wouldn't take all the credit upon himself.

Otherwise, why not just quietly call the police?

Where would the need be for him to step in and fight personally?

"I actually couldn't have beaten him alone; if not for Senior Brother Ling and this junior brother from the class of '07, Zhang Ruoyun, who is two years my junior, helping out, the fugitive might have escaped."

"Especially Senior Brother Ling, who rushed at him first and risked his life to restrain the opponent."

"Ahem, no, no, no," Ling Xiaosu hurriedly waved his hands, "If not for Qi Hui disregarding his own danger and injuring him, I wouldn't have had the chance either."

"Actually, none of us were certain that person was the fugitive. It was Junior Brother Xiao Zhang who risked approaching the opponent, deliberately letting him hear the police call to startle the snake, which allowed us to confirm the target."

Zhang Ruoyun hurriedly coughed, "No, no, Senior Brothers are joking. Senior Brother Qi discovered the target first; what I did was entirely within the plan of both Senior Brothers. It was part of the plan."

"Moreover, if Senior Brother Ling hadn't been there to protect me, I wouldn't have dared to approach and call the police."

"No, no, both Junior Brothers are impressive."

"No, no, no, both Senior Brothers planned the strategy and struck with thunderous force."

"Why say that? It was clearly the Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers who risked their lives!"

The three stood before the camera, trading words, endlessly engaging in commercial flattery and mutual praise.

For a moment, brotherly love and harmony prevailed, the atmosphere peaceful, causing online viewers to immediately start debating.

"These three have such a good relationship!"

"Holy crap? Is the academic atmosphere at Beijing Film Academy that good? Pushing the chance to appear on camera back and forth."

"Brothers, I'm starting to want to go to Beijing Film Academy."

"If only the world were this harmonious."

"Exactly, why can't they lead humanity forward properly under the beacon of freedom and democracy?"

"Upstairs, did you eat too much laundry detergent for the US military and ruin your brain?"

"Damn it, there are little pinkies everywhere."

"Guys, you've derailed the thread; we're talking about the three brothers from Beijing Film Academy."

"Derail my ass! If I don't spray this Western-worshipping dog dead today, I'm not Chinese today. Keys, come!"

The internet buzzed incessantly, but the media present at the scene watched the three mutually praising each other with some speechlessness.

Being behind a screen and being on-site are two different concepts.

"Oh, there's something I forgot to mention," Director Jiang Wei interjected. "The reason this happened is that today Qi Hui came to our 'Lurking' film crew for an audition, preparing to play the role of Xie Ruolin."

"Sigh, I never expected that an actor in our 'Lurking' film crew would be a fugitive..."

The reporters: "..."

What a stiff transition.

"Of course, that's not the main point." Director Jiang Wei took out two sheets of paper covered in text: "These are letters of gratitude from the police comrades."

"One is for our 'Lurking' film crew, and one is for the three actors of our 'Lurking' film crew..."

Director Jiang couldn't speak three sentences without mentioning 'Lurking'; as for whether Qi Hui and the other two were all actors in 'Lurking'... regardless of whether they would be in the future, they certainly were now.

'Snow Leopard' Film Crew

Zhang Jian closed his computer with a gloomy face and sighed helplessly.

Now the reputation of 'Lurking' is completely out there, popular before it even aired.

Damn it, I'm so envious!

If only I had known that kid could stir up so much trouble... Zhang Jian felt extremely gloomy in his heart.