Chapter 76 Tonight, I apologize to you on behalf of my mother.
For the next three days, Lou Yiqi had no idea how she got through it. She inexplicably didn't want anyone in the studio to know about it.
This is probably out of a sense of revenge.
She had been drifting from agency to agency for far too long. Ten years ago, her contract with her previous agency expired, and she was invited by her friend Ding Chen to join the studio he founded. Their relationship was good at the time, and Ding Chen clearly hoped to capitalize on her momentum and cultivate a "Three Golden Horse Awards" actress for the studio. But after just two or three years, Ding Chen realized she was still one step short of the "Three Golden Horse Awards" category and decisively dropped her. The studio's resources began to shift towards new talent and more popular talent.
Lou Yiqi understood the logic behind this, but she couldn't help but feel resentful. Especially since Ding Chen had begun to gain some influence in the industry, and over the past three or four years, he'd secured invitations to the GM Charity Dinner every year, yet he'd never once mentioned bringing her along. Instead, he'd bring in young, beautiful newcomers. And every time, his studio would prepare press releases promoting the newcomers' beauty, which always led to her being dragged into the comparisons.
"Who is this new person in Ding Chen's studio? Why didn't Ding Chen bring Lou Yiqi with him, but brought a newcomer instead?"
"Strength can't defeat beauty!"
"Hahaha~ Hilarious, right? Does Lou Yiqi have the talent to do that? How many awards has he won to brag like that? Aren't you afraid of getting struck by lightning for bragging so much?"
Each time, she was a stepping stone for those beautiful newcomers.
Finally, finally this time, she had the chance to slap those newcomers in the face, and slap Ding Chen in the face!
Lou Yiqi noticed that his expression in the mirror almost turned ferocious because of this thought, so he quickly relaxed and practiced facial expression management in front of the mirror.
She felt like she was back in her early days, excited and nervous about the upcoming ceremony. She constantly checked herself, fearing she wasn't beautiful enough and wasting this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But the more she practiced and the more she focused on it, the more she realized she was getting older. She was truly afraid she would lose to her younger peers.
Lost to—Lin Manman.
They were going to walk the red carpet.
Lou Yiqi was a little annoyed, but he couldn't stop the passage of time, and soon it was the night of the GM charity dinner.
"Ms. Lou, Mr. Du still has some matters to attend to. You will be walking the red carpet alone on behalf of the 'Abyss Rescue' crew. Please be prepared."
After the female assistant temporarily sent by Runjia Entertainment completed the handover, she was invited to get on the car sent by Runjia Entertainment.
Coincidentally, the GM Charity Dinner was held in Hall 1 of Yuejingtai Hotel.
But this time it was not a celebration banquet. A long red carpet was laid outside Hall 1 of Yuejingtai Hotel. Luxury cars stopped at the end of the red carpet one by one according to the procedure, walked along the red carpet full of cameras, and signed on the signature board at the end of the red carpet.
Lou Yiqi watched the cars passing by one by one and couldn't help but hold on to her handbag. After the hotel quietly reminded her, she took a deep breath and got out of the car.
Unexpectedly, just after getting off the car and stepping into the range of the protective spell, Lou Yiqi heard a shocked voice from behind him before he could wash off the slight chill of winter.
"Sister Qi? Are you Sister Qi? What are you doing here?"
Lou Yiqi looked back, feeling a strange feeling in his heart.
The car following behind her turned out to be the studio's car. Lin Manman was wearing a black velvet strapless mermaid dress, which made her already fair skin look even more like snow, radiant and bright, and indescribably charming and sexy.
Just by looking at her, Lou Yiqi could imagine Lin Manman's press releases in her mind - beautiful right-angled shoulders, collarbones that could hold a coin, a walking black rose...
The short and fat middle-aged man whose arm she was holding was their boss, Ding Chen.
Ding Chen also saw Lou Yiqi and was extremely surprised. He asked the same question in confusion: "Yiqi, what are you doing here?"
Lin Manman covered her mouth in surprise: "Oh, Sister Qi, you don't know that Mr. Ding came here alone, specially dressed up, and came here to block people, right? Sister Qi is worthy of being Mr. Ding's friend for more than ten years. You really know Mr. Ding well. If Mr. Ding really came alone, I wouldn't want our studio to be embarrassed, and I would be in a difficult situation. I can only take you in. But..."
She pursed her lips and smiled, holding Ding Chen's hand tighter, leaning sideways to press Ding Chen's arm tightly. "Luckily, Mr. Ding had the foresight to invite me as his female companion! Sister Qi, hurry up, before anyone sees you, and leave. However, our studio will be all over the internet and trending tonight, so we don't need you to make sacrifices or cause any scandals."
Although they said they didn't want to cause a scandal, their voices were actually getting louder and louder, which had already attracted many reporters from outside the area, who were secretly eavesdropping and taking pictures.
She was just implying that she was old! She didn't deserve to come to the GM charity dinner! She had no status in the studio!
Lou Yiqi was so angry that he was shaking all over. Just as he was about to scold Lin Manman, he heard footsteps behind him.
"I'm sorry, it's your turn to walk the red carpet soon."
It was the hotel staff who successfully reminded Lou Yiqi of what was important. She was suppressing her anger and trying to put on a warm and appropriate smile when the staff member politely asked, "Hello, could you please show us your invitations?"
Lou Yiqi turned around and was about to take out the invitation, but found that the staff member had his back to her and was talking to Ding Chen and Lin Manman.
Lin Manman looked at Lou Yiqi with great pride and handed him an invitation.
"It's Mr. Ding. Please keep your invitation letter." The staff member handed the invitation letter back and looked at Lin Manman.
The air was strangely quiet for five seconds before Lin Manman realized that the staff was asking her for an invitation.
"I—why are you looking at me? I'm Mr. Ding's female companion!" Lin Manman hugged Ding Chen's hand tightly, raised her chin, and said meaningfully: "Pay attention to checking the people you should check!"
"Okay, it's Mr. Ding's female companion." The staff member nodded. "Please wait for a moment, Mr. Ding and your female companion. Once Ms. Lou signs and leaves the camera range, you two can begin walking the red carpet."
"What?" Lin Manman suspected there was something wrong with her ears. "Who?"
Lou Yiqi?
"She didn't even have an invitation, how are you supposed to be security? You should kick her out! How could she get into the venue?"
"Miss, I'm not a security guard. I'm an employee of GM Fashion Group. Please don't interfere or doubt our work without reason. Miss Lou is one of the actors invited by our company. She's here on behalf of the crew of "Abyss Rescue." The staff member said coldly, and ignored the two of them and just walked forward.
He politely gestured "please" to Lou Yiqi: "Ms. Lou, it's your turn to walk the red carpet. Please come this way."
Lou Yiqi couldn't believe what she saw. She didn't do anything, but someone took out her anger and slapped Lin Manman in the face.
Lin Manman didn't have an invitation, and in the eyes of the GM Charity Dinner organizers, she was simply "Mr. Ding's female companion." Yet, she was an actress invited by the organizers, representing the film "The Abyss."
Lou Yiqi didn't need to look back to sense Ding Chen's astonishment. Lin Manman's face was almost twisted with anger, jealousy, and astonishment. Her heart was overflowing with joy, and she didn't even have to force a smile. She had never walked a red carpet so well before, her posture graceful, her smile warm and appropriate. As she signed autographs and posed for photos, she received several compliments from reporters.
"Oh my god, what's going on with Lou Yiqi? Her look today is so stunning."
"The short hair and red dress really suit her. She looks charming and cool. She has finally gotten rid of that artificial softness."
"These ruby earrings are the perfect finishing touch. Quick, quick, she's looking over here, take a few more pictures."
Even after walking down the autograph platform, Lou Yiqi still couldn't believe what had happened.
She has always been criticized for her red carpet appearances, with people saying she's trying to show off her body, or act feminine, and all sorts of criticisms. But she's never been praised by reporters during a photo session.
How could this happen? Why did she suddenly have such a good thing?
"Ms. Lou, please come this way." The staff member led her, "Your seat is here."
Lou Yiqi followed the staff into the actual venue and found that the venue was arranged in a semicircle, with two semicircular rows of seats on the outermost edge, followed by tables that could seat 8-10 people.
Her seat must be in the outer row of seats... Lou Yiqi thought to herself, but found that the staff brought her to the front, right in the center.
The round table seated six people, five of whom were already seated and chatting. The two seats in the middle—Lou Yiqi had just realized that the arrangement of this round table was very unique, with two main seats. Directly facing the stage were two seats. On the left sat the president of GM Fashion Group, and on the right sat...
The woman in the long-sleeved chiffon dress turned out to be Du Wanwan!
And on the seat next to Du Wanwan, there was a name: Lou Yiqi.
"Mr. Mu, Mr. Du, Miss Lou is here."
Du Wanwan slightly turned sideways, and the light gauze of her long skirt slid gently like water with her movements, and a layer of pearl-like light floated on the light blue.
That is...that is Jiao Xiao!
It is said that the price of mermaid silk is higher than that of gold and diamonds. It is luxurious enough if a high-end dress can be covered with a layer of gauze on the outermost layer. Du Wanwan actually made an entire dress with mermaid silk.
"Mr. Mu, look," Du Wanwan said with a smile, "Miss Lou is so stunned by the long dress you designed that she can't take her eyes off it."
"Hahaha~ You're too kind. Only the Du family can afford to make such a mermaid skirt." The president of GM Fashion Group responded with a smile.
"Hello, Mr. Mu, hello, Mr. Du, I'm Lou Yiqi, the heroine of the movie 'The Abyss Rescue.'" Lou Yiqi was almost shocked to the point of losing her mind by what she saw. She relied entirely on her instincts, which came from years of experience in the entertainment industry, to greet people appropriately.
But that night, she sat next to Du Wanwan and watched a show she had no recollection of. Table 1 was filled with important figures, so all she had to do was smile and agree gracefully; there was no room for her to interrupt.
She couldn't believe what she had been through.
It was not until the end, when the CEOs stood up and left and the host called the artists to the stage for a photo, that she realized: Wait, she hasn't donated yet!
"Ms. Lou, Ms. Lou Yiqi, here." The host directed her to stand near the C position. Only then did Lou Yiqi realize that the details of the donations were scrolling on the teleprompter opposite.
"...The crew of 'Abyss Rescue' donated 10 million yuan."
Their crew actually donated 10 million? Where did the crew get the money?
No, that's not right. It's not that the crew doesn't have money. This is donated by investors—Runjia Entertainment Group. And besides that, there's another donation message right after that.
"Ms. Du Wanwan donated 100 million yuan."
1...100 million... Lou Yiqi took a deep breath. And in his personal capacity!
She realized belatedly that her invitation tonight, her treatment at the main table, and her front-row photo position were all bought with the 150 million!
Although Lou Yiqi had seen many big-budget movies, she had never seen anyone like Du Wanwan casually spending 150 million yuan on a dinner party as easily as skipping stones on the water.
And then there's Du Wanwan's dress, which is worth who knows how many villas...
For the first time, Lou Yiqi felt that money was just a symbol, not a value, because it was indeed beyond her imagination. She stood there in a daze, listening to the host calling out her name, and then she discovered another point that made her heart burst with joy:
Lin Manman was still in the audience.
She was sitting in a semicircular row of seats on the second floor. Although she was applauding, she couldn't help but stretch her face, and the jealousy in her eyes almost rushed through the entire venue.
She wasn't eligible to go on stage for a photo. Lou Yiqi suddenly realized what was going on. Only artists with invitations could go on stage for photos, and Lin Manman didn't qualify. Ding Chen wasn't by her side, so he must have taken the opportunity to get close to someone.
For the first time, Lou Yiqi felt proud. She put on her most elegant posture and smile and took this photo that was a highlight in her life.
She thought that this day full of surprises was over, but unexpectedly, when she walked off the stage carefully with her skirt lifted and was about to leave, she was stopped by someone.
"Yiqi... No, Sister Qi! Sister Qi, please wait a moment, please stay."
Lou Yiqi turned around and couldn't help laughing again.
It turned out to be Ding Chen. He ran over from somewhere. Behind Ding Chen was Lin Manman, who had a gloomy face and could no longer control her expression.
"Qi, Sister Qi." Ding Chen ran a little too fast, panting when he stopped. He greeted her with a warm smile she had never seen before. "Sister Qi, you're really a hidden talent. How could you..."
"Ms. Lou." A cold male voice interrupted Ding Chen.
Lou Yiqi turned around dazed and realized it was Pei Xingyao, Du Wanwan's assistant who always followed her like a shadow. He was dressed in his usual black suit, tall, straight, handsome, and cool, with an indescribable air of nobility.
"Ms. Du wants to take you back, but she has some things to take care of. Please go to the car and wait for her. I have already told the staff, you take Ms. Du's invitation letter, and they will take you there."
"Oh, okay, okay." Lou Yiqi was almost numbed by the excitement and pride. She instinctively took the invitation from Pei Xingyao and walked towards the exit.
"Yiqi!" Ding Chen called out hurriedly, trying to catch up.
But as soon as he moved, he was stopped by the staff.
"Sorry, Mr. Ding, that's the VIP channel. Ordinary guests, please go this way."
"But...she..." Ding Chen spoke incoherently, moving his feet constantly, wishing he could catch up with Lou Yiqi.
As long as he follows Lou Yiqi, he will be able to meet Mr. Du from Runjia Investment and establish a good relationship with him!
"I advise you to stop." The cold voice sounded again, like ice water pouring down on Ding Chen's head, freezing him completely in place.
"That's the noble person you can't meet, the east wind you can't borrow, and the financial sponsor you can't get."
Lou Yiqi had not walked far when she heard this sentence clearly. She was guided by the staff in a daze until she got into the legendary luxury car.
Before she could recover from her shock at the custom-made star-shaped roof, the driver in the driver's seat thoughtfully reminded her, "The young lady will be here for a while, ma'am. You can play with your phone for a while. It's okay. We young ladies don't care about rules."
Play...play with your phone...
Lou Yiqi took out his cell phone, instinctively logged into his secondary Weibo account, and clicked on the trending search list.
Then, my heart skipped a beat.
The top five hot search positions are all related to Du Wanwan, her, and the crew of "Abyss Rescue".
#Du Wanwan donated 100 million#
#Lou Yiqi's cool and charming look#
#Donation for the movie "Abyss Rescue"#
#Lou Yiqi Du Wanwan#
#Lou Yiqi GM Charity Dinner#
"Actually...actually, it's all us..." Lou Yiqi clicked on the trending searches one by one, almost losing the ability to speak. "How could it be..."
"What's the big deal?" the driver laughed. "Our young lady is naturally popular. Everyone likes to see her."
"No, I know these five topics weren't bought. The buzz is real. What I mean is..." Lou Yiqi gathered her thoughts briefly, "This shouldn't be the case. Today is a big day for the entertainment industry. How could no one buy trending searches?"
There are several artists who are jokingly called the hot search list contractors here tonight!
"Hahaha!" The driver laughed again. "Ms. Lou, how dare someone buy a trending search to push our young lady down? Don't you want to be in this business anymore?"
Oh, that's right. Lou Yiqi finally realized what was going on and immediately laughed.
She leaned back in her chair, clicked on her own topic, and read the praise. Some were her fans ecstatic that she had finally made it big, while others were sarcastic that she had just gotten lucky, hooked up with a wealthy sponsor, and had great resources. Another person deliberately mocked her, saying that at this rate, when "The Abyss Rescue" was released, Du Wanwan would give her the Best Actress award at the three major film festivals.
"Oh, I think that's an exaggeration. It must be someone outside the industry." The car door opened, and a slender woman was helped in. "Years ago, there was a scandal involving award-buying at the three major film awards. Now, to ensure the quality of the trophies, they've completely eliminated the possibility of buying awards. If you say that in front of people in the film industry, you'll be laughed at."
Lou Yiqi quickly put her phone away and sat upright. Although she was twenty-one years older than him, she couldn't help but feel awkward in front of this young and domineering CEO.
"Mr. Du, thank you..."
Du Wanwan interrupted her with just a smile, "How was it? Did you have fun tonight?"
Lou Yiqi couldn't say anything against his will. He nodded and said sincerely, "I'm happy. I've never felt so proud, so... shining like a star."
It seems like she is the moon among all the stars.
Of course, if she is the moon, the person in front of her is the Creator.
Du Wanwan smiled again, obviously very satisfied with this answer. Lou Yiqi was about to say something to please her and thank her, but at this moment, Du Wanwan suddenly said:
"You don't need to thank me. If it weren't for the accident, you should have received this starlight and glory twenty years ago."
She… what did she say? Lou Yiqi’s brain, which had been boiling for over four hours, and her heart, which had been beating rapidly for over four hours, were instantly frozen.
A fearful echo kept ringing in my heart: "What did she know? She...she did this to get revenge on me?"
The smile on Du Wanwan's lips and the warmth in her smile didn't change at all, and her eyes were also looking at her with a smile.
I watched her face turn completely pale, all the blood drained away, as if she were a paper figure, and her lips moved a few times.
After a long while, Lou Yiqi said in a weak voice, "You...you did it on purpose? Tonight..."
"Yeah." Du Wanwan did not deny it.
That night, she decided to use money to pry open the past between Lou Yiqi and her mother.
The meaning of using money, of course, does not mean to call Lou Yiqi to Du's house for tea, bring out several boxes of cash, pile them up, and add more cash with each question until all the truth is revealed.
This is so tasteless.
Du Wanwan wanted to use another method to test whether Lou Yiqi still remembered everything that happened.
She let Lou Yiqi experience firsthand what "starry sky", "superstar treatment" and "money power" meant.
"Ms. Lou, don't be afraid. No matter what you say, I won't remove you from your role as the leading actress. I firmly believe that you are the most suitable actress to play the leading role in 'Abyss Rescue'. All the arrangements for tonight were indeed made on purpose because I heard a piece of news."
Du Wanwan looked at her and said gently and slowly, "I heard that my mother was once assaulted and did something wrong to you, which delayed you for many years. Tonight, I apologize to you on my mother's behalf."
The truth that had been hidden for twenty-one years, a truth that no one knew, suddenly fell before his eyes. Lou Yiqi was stunned and panicked, almost jumping up and down.
"You...how could it be...no one knew! I haven't told anyone! How could you know...I, I will..."
Lou Yiqi seemed to have been frightened to the greatest extent in the world. She burst into tears on the spot and kept shouting, "I didn't tell anyone! How did you know?"
"Ms. Lou." Du Wanwan remained seated in her original posture, neither comforting her nor blaming her. She simply asked, "Why didn't you tell anyone?"
Lou Yiqi covered her delicately made-up face with her hands and cried bitterly: "What can I tell others?"
"Tell them that the person who persuaded you to resign from the art troupe, who promised you a leading role in a major film, who filled you with anticipation, but who ultimately ruthlessly forgot about you and abandoned you, leaving you destitute and destitute, who made you struggle in the entertainment industry for twenty years, enduring the cold shoulder but unable to win the three major film awards, was my mother, the former daughter of Runjia Investment Group, the daughter of the richest man, Du Qingjia."
"Tell others that you hate her."
The word "hate" was like a needle, which made Lou Yiqi jump up instantly.
"how?"
Seeing that Du Wanwan still maintained that gentle and harmless look, she asked softly, "Don't you hate her?"
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