Chapter 110: Untainted by the Mud

The living room was quite bright under the crystal chandelier, with strands of translucent light softly swirling around everyone, imparting a faint warmth that made one feel a gentle comfort in a daze.

On the sofa, Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin sat on either side of Xiao Qiangwei. Upon hearing her tearful confession, they both became furious in unison.

“What a despicable woman! Such a person should be castrated! Tell me, which young master from Bin City was it?” Qi Yue slammed her hand hard on the coffee table.

“I don’t know his name exactly. They say he’s called the number one young master of Bin City—a figure who can play both sides,” Xiao Qiangwei replied weakly.

Yang Zhilin then expressed concern for Xiao Qiangwei’s future. She gently stroked the back of her hand and asked with care, “Now that you’ve run away like this, what are you planning to do next?”

Hearing Yang Zhilin’s question, tears welled up more heavily in Xiao Qiangwei’s eyes. After sobbing for a moment, she said stubbornly, “Even if I never become a star, I won’t give my first time to such a scumbag!”

Hearing Xiao Qiangwei’s tear-stained declaration that she’d rather give up stardom than let herself be violated, Lin Yu felt a deep stir in his heart.

In his previous life, due to certain incidents, he was well aware of how murky the entertainment industry truly was. To emerge untainted from that dazzling yet filthy world was indeed no easy feat.

That Xiao Qiangwei could maintain the most precious part of her purity despite her sweeping fame across Asia was truly remarkable.

With this in mind, he spoke with some pity, “Tell me, how can we help you? Would leaving Bin City make you safe?”

Xiao Qiangwei, who found Lin Yu rather annoying, shot him a glare without answering.

“Don’t interrupt!” Seeing this, Qi Yue stood up and warned.

“Is that necessary? Besides, I didn’t say anything wrong!” Lin Yu sighed helplessly, fully experiencing the irrationality of women.

In truth, Lin Yu felt he hadn’t misspoken, but Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin thought otherwise.

His words implied that Xiao Qiangwei should be sent away. The two girls, who hadn’t yet had the chance to take photos with their idol, sing with her, or have deep conversations, naturally didn’t want that. After all, encountering an idol by chance and bringing them home might only happen once in a lifetime.

Having never been a fan of any singer, Lin Yu couldn’t grasp the special feelings the two girls as fans held.

Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin kept comforting the superstar Xiao Qiangwei.

After yawning, Lin Yu spoke, “The past is dark and untraceable, but the road ahead is bright and radiant. Don’t dwell on momentary unhappiness. You should try to persuade her. I’m going to sleep first.”

“Oh, hurry up and go rest. Don’t be a bother here. We girls are chatting, why do you always have to butt in?” Qi Yue, fully focused on her idol, teased.

Noticing Lin Yu’s repeated setbacks, the perceptive Yang Zhilin secretly sent him a comforting look when the other two weren’t paying attention.

Lin Yu responded with a faint smile and went back to his bedroom, collapsing onto the springy Simmons mattress to rest.

Only after he had completely disappeared from the living room did Xiao Qiangwei begin to recount the full story.

After her narration, Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin learned that their idol was an orphan, raised in an orphanage from a young age.

By chance, she was discovered by the top agent Liang Tian, who coincidentally led her onto the path of singing. The hardships she endured were beyond what outsiders could imagine.

Now, forced to flee, she had no money and nowhere to go. She had brought out a Ferrari, but without license plates or any paperwork, it was no different from an illegal vehicle.

Who would have thought that beneath the glamorous facade of a pop diva and lead singer of a top vocal group, Xiao Qiangwei was so pitiful?

As she spoke, her tears gradually ceased, but the other two girls’ eyes filled with tears, which soon turned into quiet sobbing.

Compared to her, both had comfortable family backgrounds, and thinking of their idol’s tragic childhood, they felt a surge of sympathy.

Finally, with a helpless expression, Xiao Qiangwei suggested, “Why don’t we turn on the speakers and sing to lighten the mood?”

“Hm? Sure!” Hearing her, the already lively Qi Yue’s eyes immediately brightened.

Having their idol sing so close by was such a blissful thing! All unpleasant thoughts simply vanished.

The more reserved Yang Zhilin, originally hesitant about singing near midnight, glanced at her friend’s expectant look and agreed, “Looking forward to Sister Mo Li’s performance.”

Unlike Qi Yue, Yang Zhilin’s greatest attraction to the Jin Xiu Vocal Group was that they only performed songs with a Chinese style. The lyrics exuded a rich, poetic beauty that deeply moved her, a girl born with a love for words.

Then Qi Yue enthusiastically set up the sound system and amplifier, plugged in the microphone, and played the Jin Xiu Vocal Group’s album on the DVD.

“Do you have honey? I want some honey water to soothe my throat. Drinking honey water before singing makes me feel like my voice will be sweeter. It’s a habit I’ve had for many years,” Xiao Qiangwei said suddenly, looking at the familiar images on the television.

“Do you have any special requirements for the honey? I have some at home, but it’s just a cheap kind that costs a few hundred yuan per jar,” Qi Yue quickly replied.

“A few hundred yuan per jar? Honestly, even though I’m famous, I can’t touch a penny. All my earnings are controlled by Liang Tian. I can only afford honey that costs thirty yuan a jar,” Xiao Qiangwei said, feeling wronged.

This was shocking—the pop diva renowned across Asia could only afford honey costing thirty yuan per jar.

“That Liang Tian is so wicked! He’s inhuman to exploit you like this,” Qi Yue said angrily.

“Actually, Qing Feng and Bing Yu get better treatment because they obey well and often sell themselves under Liang Tian’s orders to make money. We’re all just tools he uses to earn,” Xiao Qiangwei sighed deeply.

“Then why don’t you break ties with him? With your fame, you could sing anywhere and not worry about income,” Qi Yue asked, puzzled.

Meanwhile, Yang Zhilin was carefully diluting the honey with hot water at the dining table. Her movements were gentle and elegant, exuding a beauty akin to refined calligraphy.

“Ah, it’s not that easy. The breach penalty on the contract is ten million. Liang Tian is a well-known figure in the entertainment industry, and because he controls female stars by forcing them to sell their bodies, he knows many influential people in society,” Xiao Qiangwei explained.

Hearing this, Qi Yue immediately expressed contempt, “How despicable! What kind of people are these? They’re nothing but beasts driven by lust.”

“Exactly. That richest man in Bin City, Qi Dazhu, who’s so fat, spent two million last night to book Qing Feng and Bing Yu for one night,” Xiao Qiangwei added.

Upon hearing this, Qi Yue, who had initially thought it didn’t concern her, blushed and cursed, “Qi Dazhu, you bastard! I only get two thousand a month, but you spend two million in one night!”

“...You’re so young, you wouldn’t also...” Hearing this, a playful look crossed Xiao Qiangwei’s face.

[From Prajna: A new round of the leaderboard battle starts at midnight. I hope everyone throws all their flowers and votes at Quancai. The great author Aotian Wuhen is about to release a new book. Dare you help me reach first place? My 2012 goal is nothing else but to sit atop the new book chart before the new release. Dear friends, please support. Let’s give it our all!!! See you at midnight.]