Chapter 254: Golden Eagle Goes Nuclear, Rise Really Doesn’t Keep Idlers
The red carpet event officially began at 4:30 PM. The “Xing Ni” film crew is the grand finale for this year’s Golden Eagle Festival. Their lounge is arranged in the innermost private room, with very high treatment specifications.
Similar to the Screaming Night back then, ordinary artists without connections cannot get in.
Of course, this does not prevent seniors with connections, or those with high enough star power, from coming over for a “visit.”
– For example, Mom Wen.
Just as Chi Ye and Jin Xia were whispering, Mom Wen happened to walk in, and her first words were a familiar “Oh my goodness”: “Oh my goodness, I guess I came at the wrong time.”
You know that.
Chi Ye thought to himself, but still stood up to greet her.
Mom Wen is generally a good person, she just likes to brag. She is one of the few senior Lao among Chi Ye’s connections in the industry…
As for Director Lu and Xu Yingying, they are just insignificant people.
“Mom Wen is here.”
Jin Xia greeted her politely.
“I’m here, let me acknowledge some relatives.”
Mom Wen immediately launched into action, her direct way of speaking surprising even Chi Ye.
Acknowledge relatives again?
“Come, come, sisters, come in quickly and see my nephew.”
No matter how dumbfounded Chi Ye was, at the doorway, Mom Wen’s group of close girlfriend friends had already “filed in” chattering noisily.
“Oh wow, old Wen, you’re really something, you still have this power?”
“Didn’t you say it was a nephew last time? How did he become a nephew this time?”
Mom Wen glanced at her friends who were contradicting her, clearly displeased: “Do I need to explain my relationship with Xiao Chi to you? Last time? Which time? Are you coming in or not? If not, leave.”
Close girlfriends: “…”
“Let me tell you, Xiao Chi is someone I watched grow up. Even before he was born, I knew this child would be successful in the future…”
“…Yes, yes, yes.”
“Old Wen learned heavenly eye power as a child and could tell fortunes.”
“Old Wen is truly an authority in this regard, I believe that.”
“Xiao Chi, do you still remember? We met in the lobby last time.”
The quiet lounge became lively. Chi Ye passively became a “human check-in point” again. Currently, in the entire internal entertainment circle, perhaps only a few people could make him speechless and helpless.
Mom Wen was really good at putting on a show.
“Then I’ll go… for makeup and styling?”
Jin Xia blinked her eyes, a little unhappy on her small face, feeling that Mom Wen was not as kind and amiable as before.
Don’t you know that besides events, we rarely have such a good opportunity to spend time alone together?
In response, Mom Wen leaned into her ear and said: “Sister isn’t coming for nothing, I’ll post on Moments later.”
Jin Xia: “?”
Mom Wen added: “I’ll P a couple’s filter for you two.”
Jin Xia was satisfied: “Sister, you’re actually quite nice.”
Chi Ye: “…”
He glanced at the “messy” room and whispered to Jin Xia: “You go first, I’ll be there shortly.”
“…Old baby won’t do either.”
Jin Xia scanned the group of “charming and still youthful” aunties, and lowered her voice to warn them.
Chi Ye: “…When I see your mom next time, I’ll wear a mask.”
“That works too.”
Chi Ye: “…”
“Hmph hmph, I’ll go first. You have to be here within five minutes, otherwise… I’ll wait for you for ten minutes!”
“Go on, go on.”
Chi Ye exchanged a few words with Empress Dowager before Jin Xia turned to leave.
She originally intended to go back to her own lounge, but unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped out, she encountered a sneaky figure.
“…Sister Shang?”
Jin Xia asked, surprised and curious: “What is your cat doing here? You… are you looking for Chi Ye?”
“?!?”
Sister Shang’s body trembled, startled to the point of breaking out in a cold sweat. She quickly waved her hands: “No, no, I… I… I wasn’t looking for Chi Ye.”
Empress Dowager became even more curious, her beautiful peach blossom eyes unclouded: “Sister, why are you so nervous?”
“I… I’m not, I didn’t.”
Sister Shang realized she was being quite useless. Ever since she “disappeared” instantly at the premiere ceremony of “Xing Ni,” she had been subconsciously avoiding Jin Xia.
It wasn’t guilt, of course… she just felt a bit ashamed. Well… that’s how she interpreted it.
A long time had passed since this incident, and she thought it was all over. Yet, seeing Jin Xia again, she couldn’t help but feel a little “guilty as if caught red-handed”…
No, why am I so pathetic? Why am I afraid of her? Why am I nervous?
I didn’t sleep with Chi Ye!!
Sister Shang reflected internally, then resumed her “true nature” as a fairy-like beauty with a composed smile: “I just saw a lot of people here, so I wanted to come and see.”
“…” Jin Xia sized her up for a few moments, then suddenly said in a sweet voice: “You came to find Teacher Chi!”
Sister Shang’s face turned ashen: “Let me explain, I…”
“You want to see the drama.”
“I… yes.” Sister Shang paused, overjoyed: “You finally understand me?”
“It’s like… as soon as he appears, there will be big news and gossip… you know?”
Sister Shang gestured excitedly: “For example, with Chu Luan Yu’s situation… he wasn’t here, and there was no news. The moment he arrived, it was immediately exposed. Don’t you think that’s amazing?!”
“I’ve studied this privately. I think Chi Ye and Conan have the same constitution. Conan goes where people die, he goes where accidents happen.”
Sister Shang laid bare her heart: “I can’t help it. I really like this kind of thing, damn it, I can’t help it. I dream of coming to watch the commotion, I dream of it, can you understand?!”
Jin Xia: “…”
She was dumbfounded by Sister Shang’s sudden barrage of “heartfelt” words.
Besides, sister, what happened to your cool, detached fairy persona?
Do you know your image filter has shattered?
She couldn’t quite understand Sister Shang’s preferences… in fact, she never had. She always felt that Sister Shang’s eagerness to pry into others’ privacy was a bit impolite… Well, she was usually impolite to others too.
Does Chi Ye only attract the “welcome” of girls who are usually impolite to others?
Thinking of Shi Jinwei’s usual bad temper, thinking of Sheng Ning’s mocking phoenix eyes…
Empress Dowager suddenly understood. It turned out everything had a pattern.
“How is it, how is it? Are they fighting yet?”
Seeing that Jin Xia didn’t seem to suspect her of “catching them in the act,” Sister Shang instantly relaxed. Unable to suppress her curiosity, she leaned in to peek: “Who went in just now? Was it Weiwei or Sheng Ning? Uh… was it Yu Yan or Xu Yingying?”
“…It was Mom Wen.”
Jin Xia mumbled: “She insisted on dragging Teacher Chi to show off… and succeeded.”
“Ah?”
Sister Shang was utterly disappointed to hear it was so uninteresting. Shaking her head: “That’s not right, why aren’t others looking for him… I was hoping to see a more exciting scene…”
Jin Xia: “…Let’s go. We haven’t seen each other in a long time. Let’s chat?”
Knock knock knock.
At this moment, a sound of argument suddenly came from ahead.
“Hey, don’t pull me! Don’t pull! Do you know how expensive this suit is?”
“Sir, sir, you can’t go in!”
A well-dressed young man with slicked-back hair was being blocked by a waiter at the doorway, and the two were “wrestling” without any semblance of decorum.
Behind the young man, over a dozen energetic youths had already stepped forward: “In this scene, face is important. Let go of me! Let go! If you don’t, I’ll deal with you!”
“Sir, sir, you really can’t enter here, this is…”
“Do you know who I am?”
Ji Zhua Zhang adjusted his tie, chest puffed out: “I’m also a guest at this year’s gala. I’m an invited guest from the short drama investment side.”
The waiter paused.
“And,”
Ji Zhua Zhang glanced at him and pointed inside: “I’m Chi Ye’s former teammate. Don’t you think I look familiar?”
The waiter looked him over carefully and finally found him somewhat familiar. His mouth then opened wider and wider, dawning realization: “You are…!”
“Yes, that’s right, I am Zhang…”
“Quick, someone! Ji Zhua Zhang is here to sell chicken feet again! Quick, someone!! Throw him out!”
Ji Zhua Zhang: “?!”
Just as he was furious, his peripheral vision caught sight of Sister Shang… As for Jin Xia, she merely glanced in their direction before returning to the lounge.
Sister Shang, however, stood not far away, watching the scene with great relish and happiness.
Ji Zhua Zhang was overjoyed: “Madam… Madam Shang, I’m Chi Ye’s friend. Let me in, let me in!”
Sister Shang was taken aback.
Madam… Shang?
OMG, what a terrible way to address me.
She didn’t like it, but…
“Let him in.”
Sister Shang walked over gleefully and waved the staff, who had surrounded them as if facing a great enemy, away: “Let him through, let him through.”
The waiter looked troubled: “Uh, Sister Shang, he…”
“Oh, I’ll go tell Xiao Chi, please let him in.”
The Fairy Sister looked a bit displeased. Upon hearing Sister Shang’s words and seeing her beautiful face, which made one feel ashamed, the waiter’s face flushed, and he quickly moved aside: “I… alright, then let him… let him in…”
Sister Shang glanced at him strangely but didn’t pay it any mind. She walked up to Ji Zhua Zhang and asked expectantly, “What are you looking for Xiao Chi for?”
Ji Zhua Zhang was equally surprised now.
He had just tried his luck, and he didn’t expect Shang Youshu to actually “vouch” for him.
Hmm… I heard that the captain and Shang Youshu had a very public scandal a while ago. Could it be… they really have something going on?
He was pleasantly surprised, and his expression became even more fawning: “Ah, Sister… wife?”
He lowered his voice: “I’m here to talk to the captain about something, a very big matter.”
“Hey, watch your address, what ‘wife,’ what nonsense are you spouting!”
Shang Youshu, however, was startled by Ji Zhua Zhang’s address. She quickly looked around, and only when she saw that Jin Xia wasn’t there did she relax. She was a little displeased with Ji Zhua Zhang’s “presumptuousness,” but being good-natured, she felt it wasn’t worth getting angry over.
“Be careful, don’t shout randomly. You can’t joke about these things.”
Ji Zhua Zhang paused, observed Sister Shang’s expression carefully, and realized she wasn’t genuinely angry. He nodded in understanding and secretly said: “Understood, these things really can’t be shouted randomly.”
“Remember that.”
After speaking, Sister Shang continued to ask, “A big matter? How big?”
“Well… let’s put it this way, if I don’t see him today, I’ll cause a scene at the Golden Eagle Festival!”
“?!”
Sister Shang’s eyes lit up: “Really?”
Ji Zhua Zhang seemed a bit surprised but nodded: “Of course. I’m not Jiang Mou, I never lie.”
“…Alright, alright, alright.”
Sister Shang’s gaze towards Ji Zhua Zhang became increasingly strange.
Ji Zhua Zhang suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
It must be my imagination… right?
……
It seemed Ji Zhua Zhang’s big matter wouldn’t be resolved for now. As long as Sister Shang was at the Golden Eagle Festival, he wouldn’t be able to see Chi Ye…
However, Jiang Mou’s “big matter,” an event concerning the entire internal entertainment circle, had already erupted.
At 4:30 PM that day, the red carpet for the current Golden Eagle Festival officially began, with dazzling stars and numerous big names.
At the same time.
Online. Jiang Mou’s newly registered and certified personal Weibo account suddenly broke the news that “shook” the entertainment industry—
He reported, using his real name, a top-tier first-line Green Robe for tax evasion and money laundering, and also provided two detailed audio recordings. The Green Robe’s voice in the recordings was pleasant, belonging to one of the most familiar “superstars” everyone hears daily.
As soon as the incident broke out, Chu Luan Yu, who was already on the hot search, was overshadowed. The first-line Green Robe instantly soared to the top of the trending topics.
Tax evasion is shocking, but money laundering is a matter of extremely grave nature.
Although it’s a “common” occurrence within the industry, being exposed under the spotlight is like blowing up the sky.
The public’s disgust, resistance, and even hatred for such matters requires no words.
This incident, for anyone, would be enough to destroy their career, and in severe cases, lead to legal consequences.
The first-line Green Robe was instantly thrust into the spotlight. Her studio, team, and company rushed out to refute the rumors, but the situation had already begun to ferment, and Jiang Mou’s “self-exposure” was not over yet.
Following the Green Robe, he exposed several other well-known first and second-tier artists’ “scandals.” A common characteristic among these exposed artists was that most of them were associated with Yue Na, or had previously had long-term collaborations with Yue Na.
Moreover, Jiang Mou was one of Rise’s most heavily promoted first-tier boy group members before his “death,” so the public found his claims highly credible.
Yue Na Headquarters was shaken, and Young President Liu was dumbfounded.
“What does he want?! Has he gone mad?!”
“This is defamation! Slander!”
The sound of a cup being smashed echoed from the office. The secretary lowered her head and frowned: “I just checked his situation over the past year and found that… he really has no way out. Many people are looking for him now, and his Weibo has been inactive for a year.”
“Inactive for a year, what does this sudden madness today mean?!”
Young President Liu cursed: “What does his death have to do with me? Why is he targeting us?!”
“…It seems to be because of the Chu Qingqing matter. Chu Qingqing’s team somehow contacted him and asked him to expose Chu Luan Yu. Afterward, they would give him a large sum of money. But… after Jiang Yi finished the job, they seemed to have paid much less…”
“???”
Young President Liu listened, his face full of disbelief. “What the hell? Less to give? Are they idiots?”
Qu Qingqing is one of Yue Na’s long-term cooperation big stars. The studio is affiliated with Yue Na, but what does this matter have to do with them?
“Chi Ye attended the Golden Eagle Festival today, and Zhang Xianming also made an appearance. Could this be his doing?”
“Chi Ye?! Him again?!”
Young President Liu’s head was about to explode with anger. “This guy Rise has so many damn problems!”
“Quick, contact the Big Boss… This matter must be resolved immediately, without delay, or something big could happen.”
“I’ll be damned. I wasn’t looking for you, but you came after me. Fine, then you can all die!”
