CHAPTER 52

"Uncle." You Mingxuan, in a state of panic, took the elevator straight to the top floor and rushed to his uncle's office. However, he was stopped at the door by a male secretary in a business suit who extended his arm. "Mr. You is not here right now."

"Then where is he? When will he be back?" You Mingxuan asked anxiously.

"Mr. You went out for a business meeting and didn't inform us in advance." the secretary implied that he was unaware as well.

You Mingxuan glanced at the secretary, who had a professional smile on his face, and at the closed door of the vice president's office. Suddenly, he shouted desperately, "Uncle! Uncle, save me!"

The secretary clearly did not expect that this grown man would have the audacity to make such a scene. He was momentarily stunned. Seizing this opportunity, You Mingxuan swiftly ducked under his arm and rushed to the office door, opening it directly.

Vice President You put down his pen and looked over with a stern expression.

You Mingxuan's eyes welled up with tears, choking out, "Uncle."

The secretary finally caught up and awkwardly said, "I'm sorry, Mr. You..."

Vice President You waved his hand, and the secretary glanced at You Mingxuan and stepped back, gently closing the door behind him.

Vice President You, seeing You Mingxuan's pitiful and teary-eyed appearance, became furious and scolded, "What kind of man cries all the time? Get over here!"

You Mingxuan rolled over and stood stiffly in front of his desk.

Vice President You said, "Sit on the sofa!"

You Mingxuan sat on the sofa.

Vice President You picked up the phone and asked the secretary to bring in two cups of tea. He sat across from You Mingxuan.

As the two cups of tea arrived, Vice President You picked up his cup, blew on the tea's surface to cool it down. You Mingxuan dared not speak and only glanced at him secretly, observing his initially grim expression gradually softening. Then, he tentatively spoke, "Uncle."

Vice President You didn't even lift his eyelids and coldly snorted, "Causing trouble, aren't you? Now, no one can save you."

The blood drained from You Mingxuan's face. He hadn't expected his own uncle to sever his path with the first sentence.

"Do you have no way to deal with it either?" he asked with a trembling voice.

Vice President You lifted his gaze, earnestly staring into his eyes, and then shook his head.

You Mingxuan felt completely drained, slumping in the sofa like a pile of mud. His eyes were hollow, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

Was his entertainment career really over like this? Others at least had a downhill path to follow, but what about him? He started off on a cliff.

At some point, tears filled You Mingxuan's eyes. He wiped them away and said in a resentful tone, "Uncle, at the very least, let me know who is behind all this."

Vice President You placed the tea cup on the table with a deliberate but gentle motion and said, "Until now, you still don't know where you went wrong."

"I told you before, the entertainment industry is full of hidden tigers and crouching dragons, countless people with deep backgrounds. Just because someone appears easy to b*lly doesn't mean you should b*lly them. One should not be arrogant. Who knows when they might end up in the gutter?" Vice President You said, "If I were as disregarding of others as you are, could I have reached the position of vice president?"

"I know I was wrong, but what can I do now?" You Mingxuan choked on his words and said, "Anyway, I can't survive in this industry anymore. Can't I at least know whom I have offended?"

Vice President You's gaze turned profound. "Even if you know, what can you do? I, who cannot take action, do you think you can?"

You Mingxuan replied hesitantly, "I..."

Vice President You continued, "Others have made it clear that they don't want to see you in the industry. So, lay low for a while. During this time, reflect on your actions at home. If I find out you're causing trouble again, I won't care with you anymore."

You Mingxuan's eyes suddenly lit up. "Uncle!"

Vice President You waved his hand. "Go now."

You Mingxuan jumped up from the sofa and rushed to Vice President You, giving him a tight hug. "Thank you, Uncle!"

.....

"You Mingxuan is probably in a lot of trouble now. Just the breach of contract fines from those brand endorsements would be a huge blow. As for advertisements, I doubt anyone would dare to hire him recently," An Ling called to report the progress.

"Thank you for your hard work."

"Not really." An Ling teased. "It's all for the sake of your 'Yao Yao'. "

Qin Yinong smiled.

An Ling switched hands to hold the phone. "I find this job quite interesting. Look at you, you're usually not that involved in PR matters, and the other people in the company are none of my business. If I don't practice my skills, I'll become rusty." She paused and then casually probed, "I noticed that Tang Ruoyao has been involved in quite a few scandals. How about we sign her to our company when her contract expires?"

"She still has three years left on her contract." Qin Yinong blurted out.

"Not too long. After three years, she will only be twenty-five, a prime age like a blooming flower. She could earn a lot of money," An Ling thought to herself. Did she plan this in advance, knowing all the details?

"She will start her own studio by then." Qin Yinong said indifferently.

"What a pity." An Ling sighed, drawing out her words.

"There's nothing to regret. Our studio can't hold her back."

"You think highly of her." An Ling commented.

Qin Yinong's patience wore thin, and she responded coldly, "Can we not talk about Tang Ruoyao? Is that the only topic we have left?"

Qin Yinong didn't like others interfering too much in her personal matters, no matter who they were. Occasionally teasing was fine, but crossing the line would make her disregard friendship.

An Ling tactfully skipped over and asked, "How is the preparation for your movie project going?"

"The funding is in place, and as for the director... I'm considering hiring Lin Guoan. It's almost finalized. We just need to find a suitable time to sign the contract." Last time, Qin Yinong had an enjoyable conversation with Lin Guoan, and they had previously worked together, so they knew each other well. The only thing that made Qin Yinong hesitate was the casting. However, she already had a strategy in mind. Lin Guoan was easily influenced, and he didn't have a strong personality. As a producer, she could exert pressure on him and make sure he didn't choose Tang Ruoyao.

She would never play a romantic couple with Tang Ruoyao.

"When are you planning to start filming?"

"Lin Guoan is currently filming another project. We'll have to wait for that to wrap up, and then it will take at least a month or two to select the actors. Hmm, probably early next year." Qin Yinong thought for a moment and said, "By the way, if there's an opportunity, I''ll bring those artists from the studio to the set.."

"Okay." An Ling agreed.

Qin Yinong hung up the phone and spun it in her palm a few times. She tapped on the green icon in the center of the screen, exited, then tapped again, repeating the action, suppressing the impulse to personally share the good news with Tang Ruoyao.

At this moment, she was grateful that she hadn't added Tang Ruoyao as a friend on WeChat. Otherwise, given the number of times she missed Tang Ruoyao every day, she wouldn't be able to resist sending her dozens of messages.

Qin Yinong took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly in three parts, gradually calming her agitated emotions.

"Qin Jie." Guan Han knocked on the door, holding the phone's microphone. "It's Shi Xiao's call." Shi Xiao was the public face and responsible person for the anti-domestic violence charity organization that Qin Yinong had established.

Qin Yinong took the phone. "It's me, speak."

It was unclear what Shi Xiao said on the other end, but Guan Han saw Qin Yinong's previously relaxed brow furrow tightly.

"How did this happen?"

"Okay, I'll go there personally. Let's meet at the airport."

After ending the call, Qin Yinong's expression turned solemn. "Book two tickets to X city, we're leaving now." She paused for two seconds, her eyes burning with anger. "The elementary school we built two years ago was a shoddy construction project. They just experienced an earthquake there, and the building collapsed."

Guan Han was taken aback, realizing the seriousness of the situation, and immediately started making preparations.

Half an hour later, Qin Yinong met Shi Xiao in the airport waiting lounge. As soon as Shi Xiao saw her, he immediately stood up respectfully. Before he could greet her, Qin Yinong gestured with a downward motion of her hand, cutting to the chase. "What's the current situation?"

Shi Xiao showed her the photos sent from the scene. In the photos, half of the student building stood tall in the wind, while the other half had collapsed into ruins, with debris and bricks piled up together.

The more Qin Yinong looked at it, the colder her expression became, and the words she uttered carried a frosty tone. "Were there any casualties?"

Fortunately, the silver lining in this unfortunate situation was that the earthquake occurred after school hours, and most of the students had already left the school. Only a few students who were studying in the classrooms and a teacher who ran into the classroom to save students were trapped under the rubble.

"All the people have been rescued. One child is seriously injured and is currently in the intensive care unit, while the others have minor injuries."

"What about the contractor responsible for this project?" Qin Yinong asked.

"He fled overnight. We are trying to locate him." Shi Xiao said with a guilty tone, lowering his head.

The responsibility for the shoddy construction lies with the contractor, whom the locals had hired. Qin Yinong was only responsible for providing the funds, so technically, this matter had nothing to do with her. But Shi Xiao knew that Qin Yinong was not the kind of person who would turn a blind eye. If she believed that everything would be fine once the schools were built and it had nothing to do with her, she wouldn't have left her contact information with the principals after each completion, showing her determination to take responsibility.

Due to the inconvenient transportation in the mountainous area, Qin Yinong had to change several modes of transportation along the way, finally ending up on a donkey cart. The principal of the affected school was an old, thin man who sat across from her. He looked at Qin Yinong's immaculate attire, which stood out in this place, and his dark face blushed with embarrassment. He kept apologizing, explaining that due to the urgency of the situation, the only tricycle available had gone to the city, and there was no way to arrange it for her.

Qin Yinong calmly waved her hand, a faint smile on her face, indicating that she didn't mind.

The principal first took her to Jianing Hope Elementary School. Qin Yinong stood in front of the ruins, standing there for a while, preparing to take a step forward, but Shi Xiao and Guan Han each grabbed one of her arms.

Guan Han: "Qin Jie."

The principal said, "Be careful of aftershocks."

Qin Yinong retracted her step and finally glanced at the words "Jianing" lying on the ground, sighing. "Have the injured children and teachers been compensated?"

Faced with her question, the principal remained silent.

In this impoverished and remote area, there was no comprehensive compensation mechanism. The government provided some compensation, but it was insufficient, and even less reached the hands of the affected families. The construction team had fled, and there was no way to hold them accountable.

Qin Yinong tilted her head slightly and said in a deep voice, "Shi Xiao."

Shi Xiao took a step forward and reassured her, "Don't worry, we will handle the aftermath work properly."

The principal didn't say anything, just bowed deeply to Qin Yinong and remained in that position for a long time.

Qin Yinong stayed in the area for two days, sleeping at a villager's house in the evenings. Few people here had a television, so they didn't recognize the glamorous celebrity Qin Yinong from the screen. Qin Yinong changed into local clothing and the principal gathered the parents of the injured victims to hold a meeting together to discuss compensation plans.

Qin Yinong was unfamiliar with the local cost of living or the villagers' way of life. She remained quiet throughout, although it was difficult to listen because they were speaking in the local dialect instead of Mandarin. The principal had to provide on-site translation for her. Shi Xiao acted as her part-time bodyguard, while Guan Han searched for sporadic mobile phone signals from the only high point in the village, so as not to miss any important matters.

The next day, Qin Yinong was in the courtyard feeding chickens for the villagers when a woman rushed in, eyes fixed on Qin Yinong standing in the center of the scene, with anger burning in her eyes.

Qin Yinong instinctively sensed that something was wrong and called out, "Shi Xiao!"

Shi Xiao was grinding grain for the villagers in another small room. He was tall and strong, with great strength, and was assigned by Qin Yinong to do physical work in exchange for accommodation. There is a saying that 'poverty breeds troublemakers in remote areas.' This place was too remote, and with Qin Yinong's appearance, identity, and status, Shi Xiao was afraid that something might happen to her. He had been on high alert and immediately rushed out upon hearing the call.

When he saw the scene in the courtyard, he was almost scared out of his wits.

The local woman grabbed a broom from the corner of the wall and swung it towards Qin Yinong in the center, shouting something. Judging from her furious expression, it was probably not something pleasant.

Qin Yinong was alert and managed to dodge the attack. The broom stirred up a cloud of dust when it hit the ground, making her squint and cough from the irritation.

Shi Xiao quickly stepped forward, subdued the woman, and pinned her hands against the wall.

Qin Yinong rubbed her wrist where she had accidentally been hit by the broom handle, furrowing her brow and said, "I'll go find the principal."

Shi Xiao disagreed, saying, "No, don't go. Just find someone else." After this incident, he couldn't let Qin Yinong out of his sight.

There was a child in this household who didn't have to go to school because the school had collapsed. He had been hiding behind the window and timidly came out, volunteering in a soft voice, "I'll go get the principal."

Qin Yinong nodded, patting her pockets but finding nothing. She went into the house and skillfully retrieved a candy from Guan Han's pocket, handing it to the child. The child smiled shyly and quickly ran off.

The principal arrived and immediately had a shocked expression upon seeing the woman.

It was then that Qin Yinong learned that this woman was the mother of the severely injured student. The child was still in critical condition, and with the construction team missing, word had spread that someone had come to help with the aftermath, someone who had donated to build the elementary school. Naturally, the mother's anger was directed towards Qin Yinong.

If this elementary school hadn't been built, her child would have had no education at most. Now, even their life was uncertain.

The woman cried and pounded the ground while speaking, occasionally glaring at Qin Yinong with resentment. Qin Yinong didn't approach to comfort her. While she was willing to take responsibility, it didn't mean she was a saint. She could forgive the accusations without any hard feelings, but that was as far as it went.

Guan Han returned from outside and saw the chaos in the room. After getting a general idea of what had happened, a chill ran down her spine, and all the hairs on her body stood up. She firmly shielded Qin Yinong behind her. Outside the courtyard, there were seven or eight well-dressed men, all bodyguards summoned by Guan Han.

Qin Yinong couldn't help but find it amusing.

Due to the sudden appearance of the woman, Qin Yinong had left the village early under the persuasion of Guan Han and Shi Xiao. She disguised herself and went to the county hospital to visit the critically injured child.

By the time she had dealt with the aftermath, three days had passed. The construction team was caught red-handed, and the subsequent procedures followed the legal process. Shi Xiao called a lawyer to handle the case.

The three of them returned to Beijing together.

Qin Yinong already had mild neurasthenia, and in the village, there was no alcohol or a tranquil environment for deep rest. She didn't dare to take sleeping pills, and her rest was far from adequate. The bumpy journey back on different modes of transportation worsened her condition. When the plane landed, her lips were pale, and her face even paler, resembling a female ghost. She hastily put on some makeup in front of a mirror, finally looking somewhat normal.

When she came out of the airport, Qin Yinong's steps were unsteady, and the images in front of her seemed to overlap. She didn't know where she was walking and her knees weakened. A wave of dizziness swept over her, but she fought to remain conscious and managed not to collapse forward but leaned to the side.

Guan Han stood by her side at all times.

As expected, Guan Han supported her and then whispered to Shi Xiao, "Give me a hand." After all, she was a woman, and Qin Yinong was half a head taller than her. Her entire weight leaned on Guan Han, and she couldn't support it for long.

Shi Xiao froze for a moment, then showed a conflicted expression.

Qin Yinong was his boss, and she was a woman. He stupidly asked, "Where should I support?"

Seeing him hesitate, Guan Han decisively snapped, "The shoulder!" It was already at such a critical moment, and he was still lost in thought.

Although Qin Yinong hadn't completely fallen into a coma, she was completely weak and unable to move. She could hear vague sounds from the outside and see the surroundings, although it was all hazy. At first glance, it still seemed like she was awake.

Shi Xiao gently wrapped his arm around Qin Yinong's shoulder, not daring to overstep any boundaries. His eyes nervously darted around, and he was startled when he looked down and met her half-open eyes. But seeing that she didn't react, he felt slightly relieved.

"Keep moving forward and don't let anyone notice." Guan Han said in a low voice to Shi Xiao. In the face of this sudden event, she remained calm and composed.

Shi Xiao continued to walk forward as if nothing had happened, half encircling and half supporting Qin Yinong.

Guan Han was left with one hand, gripping Qin Yinong's wrist, while the other hand dialed the private doctor's phone number, informing them to come to Qin's house immediately. She was describing Qin Yinong's current symptoms to the doctor when she suddenly caught a glimpse of a flash of light from the corner of her eye.

Her expression turned cold, and she quickly looked towards a certain direction.

Shi Xiao: "What's wrong?"

"Quick, let's go," Guan Han almost squeezed out these two words through her teeth.

Shi Xiao responded with an "Oh" and hastened his pace.

The flashes of light became more and more frequent.

Guan Han tried to position herself sideways, blocking the two people from being captured by the camera.

Qin Yinong was placed in a car outside the airport. Guan Han took off her sunglasses and mask, and they moved a bit further away, allowing her to breathe fresh air.

The vehicle slowly started moving.

After lying down for a while, Qin Yinong gradually recovered on her own. With the support of Guan Han, she sat up and smiled at her with slightly reddened eyes, saying, "I'm fine now, aren't I?"

Guan Han remained silent, displaying an unusual attitude.

Qin Yinong remained silent, and after a while, she let out a long sigh.

As soon as Guan Han heard her sigh, it felt like a needle pricking her heart. She wanted to say something nice, but her anger hadn't subsided, and her facial expressions changed several times, ending up in a very comical expression.

Guan Han managed to make Qin Yinong laugh, and she chuckled lightly while leaning back in her chair.

"You're still laughing." Guan Han said. "Do you know that you were caught by the paparazzi? Do you realize it?"

"If they caught me, then so be it. It's not the first time I've been caught." Qin Yinong said indifferently. 

"They'll probably just say I've found a new lover." She suddenly let out a soft hiss and furrowed her brows. 

"Did Shi Xiao wear a mask?"

Her recent memories were still a bit confused, and she couldn't recall.

Shi Xiao often appeared online and in the news to promote the Maple Red Anti-Domestic Violence Charity Organization. Although he wasn't particularly attractive and had relatively low recognition, he was still a somewhat well-known "internet celebrity." If their relationship were exposed by the entertainment media, it could potentially damage Maple Red's reputation.

Guan Han couldn't help but say sarcastically, "Let it be exposed. It would be best if they also expose all the things you've donated to those Hope Primary Schools. Let's see who dares to criticize you."

In the industry, there was a celebrity known for his dedication to charity work. He had donated to over a hundred Hope Primary Schools and was hailed as the "Man That Even the Sun Can't Blacken." Guan Han speculated that Qin Yinong could be called the "Woman That Even the Sun Can't Blacken."

Qin Yinong gave her a reproachful look.

Guan Han took a gentle breath, composed herself professionally, and reported in a steady tone, "He wore it. Not only did he wear a mask, but he also wore sunglasses and a hat, covering himself up completely. Except for his own mother, I doubt anyone would be able to recognize him."

Qin Yinong's brow slightly relaxed. "That's good."

"Qin Jie, I don't understand." Guan Han couldn't hold back any longer and finally spoke up.

"What don't you understand?"

"Why don't you ever talk about all the good deeds you do?" Guan Han stood up for her.

Apart from personally funding the establishment of charitable organizations and donating to schools, every time there was a natural disaster or something similar, she was the one who donated the most actively. Her house couldn't even fit all the certificates she received. Other celebrities would shout about their charity work all over the internet, but she quietly threw money in without making a sound.

Could those people who constantly criticized her online even accomplish one-thousandth, or even one-millionth, of what she does?

Qin Yinong smiled and asked in return, "Why should I talk about it?"

"Because..." Guan Han started to explain but got stuck in her throat.

Qin Yinong gently filled in for her, saying, "If I talk about it, will it wash away the stains on me?"

Guan Han pursed her lips and nodded.

"So, do you also think I have stains on me?" Qin Yinong smiled gently.

"I didn't mean that."

"The essence of doing good lies in the act itself, not in the praise of others but in one's own inner peace." Qin Yinong said. "I see it as a spiritual practice in this world."

Guan Han didn't understand.

When did Qin Jie start believing in Buddhism? She had never seen her recite any scriptures either.

Qin Yinong hadn't fully recovered yet, and talking exhausted her. She made a hushing gesture to Guan Han and lazily leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes to rest.

Her personal doctor had examined Qin Yinong and found no major issues, just excessive fatigue. He advised her to rest more.

Qin Yinong took her medication and, under its effects, sank into a deep sleep.

Qin Jianing hadn't seen her mother for three days, and when she saw her lying motionless on the bed, her eyes immediately turned red. Lately, her mother had been spending more and more time in bed, and Jianing felt a growing sense of fear deep within her.

She don't know what new knowledge she has recently come across. She sat by the bedside and pondered for a while. Then, her mouth twitched, and she burst into tears. It wasn't the typical wailing of a child; it was a silent cry without any sound.

A delicate and charming little child, with her long hair scattered, wearing a snow-white princess dress, stood silently at the bedside, dropping golden beans.

Not to mention Ji Shulan, the grandmother, whose heart was breaking at the side. Even Guan Han felt at a loss and reflexively reached into her pocket for candy, only to find it empty.

Qin Yinong had just woken up from a deep sleep. She saw her daughter crying with tears streaming down her face. The two adults beside her wanted to console her but were afraid of waking her up, so they kept gesturing with their hands.

Qin Yinong: "..."

She propped herself up and leaned over to hug Ningning, but her strength hadn't fully returned, and she couldn't lift her. Seeing the situation, Guan Han quickly lifted Ningning and as soon as Ningning was in her arms, both of her arms wrapped around Qin Yinong's neck, burying her face in it. She cried so hard that she couldn't catch her breath, trembling all over.

Qin Yinong listened to her suppressed cries and felt a deep sadness.

She gently patted Qin Jianing's back, motioning with her hand to send Guan Han and Ji Shulan out.

Qin Jianing cried and wet Qin Yinong's shoulder before lifting her head and sniffling, asking, "Mom, what do you actually do? Why do you always end up in such a miserable state?"

Qin Yinong patiently and gently replied, "Mom is an actress."

Qin Jianing said, "Can someone prove it for you?"

Qin Yinong was taken aback.

Why did she need proof?

Qin Jianing wiped away her tears and looked at her intently. "Can I talk to your colleague?"

"What colleague?" Qin Yinong suddenly had a foreboding feeling.

"Miss Yao." Qin Jianing said.

Author's Note:

Author Liuliu: Hey! Watch your language, that's your Mommy!

PS: Although I reminded you that you'll forget about it in the next moment, I still want to remind you that Hope Elementary School is a foreshadowing. Hehe ╰(*°▽°*)╯

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