Married in a Daze - Chapter 146
Chapter 146
One hour after Jing Rui Entertainment announced its termination of contract with Qin Zhenzhen, Jian Mu's team finally sent out a message. They posted an official Weibo, announcing a press conference at 7 PM, to be live-streamed on twenty-four platforms.
The announcement sent the internet into a frenzy. The online discourse had already reached a white-hot stage, and this Weibo post pushed the atmosphere to its absolute peak. After feasting on gossip for several days, netizens could finally, at long last, await the truth. They all eagerly awaited, hoping their own versions of events would be confirmed.
At the vast live broadcast venue, the host had arrived early. For this event, Jian Mu had invited the well-known host Xiang Mu, a top figure in local hosting circles with considerable prestige. His mere presence drew countless netizens to camp out on the live-streaming platforms.
"Are all the reporters here?" Jian Mu asked his assistant while getting his makeup done, turning his head slightly. The assistant glanced at the list. "Three or four are still missing. The rest are all here."
Jian Mu nodded. "Have Cui Hong contact the remaining ones."
The assistant hesitated. "Ah Mu?"
Jian Mu lowered his gaze. "Go on."
The assistant had no choice but to say, "Okay."
The makeup room door opened and closed as the assistant walked out. The outer room was filled with the team, currently bustling with chaotic activity. Cui Hong's figure was mixed among them. The assistant, Qian Zhu, took a deep look at her. "Cui Hong."
Startled at being called, Cui Hong paused. "Assistant Qian?"
Qian Zhu nodded and waved her over. "There are four reporters who haven't arrived yet. Go contact them."
"Yes, Assistant Qian."
After replying, a strange light flickered in her eyes. She glanced towards the others, then subtly leaned closer to Qian Zhu's ear. "What exactly does Mr. Jian intend to do? We should have some preparation too."
Qian Zhu looked at her and smiled. "How would I know? Ah Mu keeps things tight-lipped. We just do what he instructs. No need to know so much."
Cui Hong nodded. "That's true. But Mr. Jian has been quiet for so long this time. The outside world has gone crazy, everyone thought he and Miss Qin..."
She didn't finish her sentence, shaking her head. "It shouldn't be possible."
Qian Zhu glanced at her sideways. "Why wouldn't it be possible?"
After saying this, a look of regret flashed across his face, caught by Cui Hong as she looked up. Qian Zhu lowered his head, masking the expression in his eyes. "Alright, don't ask so many questions. Just do your job well."
Cui Hong quickly replied with feigned obedience. "Yes, Assistant Qian."
After Qian Zhu left, Cui Hong immediately contacted the reporters who hadn't arrived and also made a phone call.
"There's a good show tonight."
"Watch the live stream."
The person on the other end of the line said a few things. Cui Hong listened, nodding from time to time. "Maybe."
"It should be related. Clarifications probably won't be clarified."
"I know."
After hanging up, Cui Hong pondered. Jian Mu had kept this matter tightly under wraps within the team for days; no one had gotten any information. But from those few sentences exchanged with Qian Zhu just now, she could somewhat speculate.
After putting away her phone, Cui Hong jogged over to where Qian Zhu was. "Assistant Qian, I've contacted them all."
Qian Zhu looked at her as she continued, "Also, those media outlets we've been trying to schedule with, they previously said they didn't have time. They just contacted me, saying they can make time now, and asked if they can come to the venue."
"That's fine." Qian Zhu looked at her, as if seeing her for the first time, and smiled. "Thank you, Cui Hong."
Startled by the sudden thanks, Cui Hong's heart gave a jolt. She looked up to see Qian Zhu still wearing a smile, so she forced a smile too. "It's nothing. It's what I should do."
Qian Zhu nodded. What should be done. What shouldn't be done.
She's done it all.
If not for Jian Mu's warning, he would never have imagined that a wolf had been raised by his side.
The slightest carelessness, and it would devour its master.
Jian Mu had climbed so high. There were plenty waiting for him to fall, plenty wanting to take his place. That's why he, as an assistant, was usually very careful when selecting people. He never expected that people's hearts could change.
The backstage was a hive of activity. As Cui Hong tried to go help others, Qian Zhu grabbed her wrist. "Someone was looking for you at the entrance just now. Go check."
Cui Hong was taken aback, instinctively looking towards the entrance where she saw several men in suits. She frowned slightly and slowly walked over.
Seeing Cui Hong come out, the man at the entrance extended a hand. "Miss Cui, this way, please."
Cui Hong turned to look at Qian Zhu. There were too many people; she could barely make out his expression. It was somewhat cold.
"Miss Cui?"
A wave of panic rose in Cui Hong's chest. "What do you want with me?"
The man in the suit showed his identification. Cui Hong's face changed dramatically. She immediately tried to turn and run, only to be pushed forward from behind.
She turned her head. Qian Zhu was standing right behind her, his face cold. "Cui Hong, I gave you a chance just now."
"You just didn't know how to take it."
Cui Hong swallowed hard, suddenly clenching her hands, her face deathly pale. Her heart sank to the bottom. She finally understood why Qian Zhu had said those things in front of her earlier.
The commotion at the entrance didn't cause much disturbance. After Cui Hong was taken away, Qian Zhu stood in place, watching her twisting body and the vicious glare she shot back at him. He suddenly smiled.
This industry... it truly devours people.
Compared to the chaos backstage, the front stage was already neatly arranged. Jian Mu walked onto the stage. The stage lights shone on him. He appeared composed and natural, his movements graceful and noble. The host stood up to greet him.
Camera flashes went off incessantly. Countless reporters were stationed below the stage. With twenty-four platforms live-streaming, the comment sections had long been flooded.
When Qin Zhenzhen opened the platform, she was almost unable to watch the stream due to the barrage of comments. In the end, she had to turn off the comments for the video to run smoothly. Lu Ruyun was just coming downstairs. Qin Zhenzhen tilted her head to look at her. "Ruyun, come here quickly."
Lu Ruyun casually gathered her long hair and pinned it up, then walked over to Qin Zhenzhen and sat down. "Has it started?"
Qin Zhenzhen nodded, still feeling somewhat nervous. "Yes, just started."
Lu Ruyun followed her gaze to the man on the screen. Jian Mu's origins weren't particularly distinguished; his family background was quite ordinary. But the man on camera now was elegant, witty, and composed in his responses. He knew when to advance and when to retreat, neither putting on airs nor being overly humble.
Facing so many reporters and the host's sharp questions, he answered without batting an eyelid, handling everything with ease.
Occasionally, his clever remarks even elicited light laughter from the audience.
On the video, when the host asked if he had recently released a new song, Qin Zhenzhen knew they had reached the focal point of the evening. She held her breath, waiting. The same went for everyone watching the live stream—they were all waiting for the answer to this question.
If she had opened the comment section, she would have seen it completely flooded.
Trolls and anti-fans were exhausting all efforts spamming about the "cheating scandal," while fans desperately tried to debunk the rumors. A fierce war of words was unfolding in the comments. Fortunately, Qin Zhenzhen had turned them off, so she saw a clean live-stream screen and Jian Mu's sharp features under the lights.
Upon hearing the question, Jian Mu didn't answer immediately. Instead, he paused. The host's smile also froze for a few seconds before he blurted out, "It seems Mr. Jian isn't very keen on answering this question?"
"Correct."
After this single word from Jian Mu fell, the fans were stunned, too shocked to continue fighting with the anti-fans.
The host was also clearly taken aback for a few seconds, seemingly not expecting Jian Mu to be so cooperative. A premonition began to stir in his heart; he smelled a major gossip bombshell. Even his face flushed slightly, and he asked rapidly, "Then, Mr. Jian, it's been widely speculated that this song was written for Miss Qin. Is this information accurate?"
Jian Mu looked up, his gaze meeting the camera, his eyes calm. He nodded in admission. "It is accurate."
"Holy shit!"
"Good thing the contract was terminated."
"Is this publicly admitting to cheating? Jian Mu is really something."
"Who would have thought Qin Zhenzhen really was that kind of person. Good thing Director Shen had the foresight to kick her out of the company. Otherwise, wouldn't SP and Lanyi bleed us dry in compensation?"
Those two simple words from Jian Mu immediately stirred up a stormy whirlwind online. Inside Jing Rui Entertainment, it was also a scene of noisy commotion. Everyone was stationed in front of live-stream platforms, waiting to see how this farce would conclude.
Shen Hao was no exception, sitting in his office waiting to watch the stream. The office door wasn't closed, so voices from outside drifted in.
"Director Shen is too amazing!"
"Director Shen is mighty!"
A series of flattery reached Shen Hao's office. Shen Hao felt somewhat lightheaded. Pointing at Jian Mu on the live stream, he said, "See? I knew they had a connection."
The assistant bowed his head, joining in the flattery. "Director is truly wise."
Shen Hao chuckled lightly, his gaze returning to the computer screen.
On the screen, the reporters on-site had already begun buzzing with discussion. Several couldn't wait to ask questions. Of course, the host wouldn't miss this chance to get firsthand access to the big scoop. He proactively asked, "Then, Mr. Jian, if we're not mistaken, this is a love song. Are you saying it was specifically written for Miss Qin?"
Jian Mu looked completely at ease. "That's correct."
The host's face showed excitement, but before he could ask another follow-up, Jian Mu took the initiative. "This is indeed a love song, and it was indeed written for Miss Qin Zhenzhen. However, it was not written by me personally for Miss Qin."
The excited expression on the host's face hadn't had time to recede before it froze at Jian Mu's words, making his expression rather comical. "Not written by you personally for Miss Qin?"
Jian Mu smiled slightly. "Of course not. To be precise, the lyrics for this song were written by Miss Lu. The reason it wasn't credited is because Miss Lu wanted to give Miss Qin a surprise."
"This song is a gift she prepared for Miss Qin's wedding."
"Because Miss Qin had collaborated with me before and personally liked my musical style very much, that's why Miss Lu secretly prepared this, wanting to give her a surprise."
"I truly never expected it to cause such misunderstanding among everyone. My sincerest apologies."
The host had completely not anticipated this turn of events. Fortunately, he reacted quickly, adjusted his state, smiled, and continued questioning. "Then, Mr. Jian, why clarify only now? As far as I know, many netizens online were convinced that you and Miss Qin had a... special relationship."
Jian Mu thought deeply for a few seconds. "Actually, the reason for not clarifying earlier was because the relevant authorities were collecting evidence, and I needed to cooperate. As for everyone believing Miss Qin and I had a special relationship... I'd like to say, we are indeed special. We are special friends."
His words caused another stir of noise among the reporters below. The host's laughter could be heard even through the screen.
But while some were joyous, others were worried.
Upon hearing this explanation, the pleased expression on Shen Hao's face completely cracked and fell apart! The implication of Jian Mu's words was that this song was commissioned by Lu Ruyun for him to create for Qin Zhenzhen. While clearing himself of any involvement, he also didn't forget to indicate that Qin Zhenzhen and Lu Ruyun had a very good relationship. The previous cheating incident was completely baseless!
But how was this possible?
He had clearly received information that Jian Mu and Qin Zhenzhen lived together!
Still unwilling to give up, Shen Hao wanted to make a phone call. Just as his hand touched the phone, a shrill ringtone sounded. The assistant glanced at his expression and picked up the call.
Half a minute later, the assistant said quietly, "Director Shen, President He wants you to go see him."
Upon hearing this, Shen Hao stared at the man on the screen who was still chatting and laughing with the host. Suddenly, he plopped down onto his chair, his face ashen.
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