Chapter 26

Although every word the gold-medal manager said was true, for some reason, after hearing Yang Qindong's words, everyone present suddenly looked at Ji Ze with expressions of realization, then glanced at Chen Mo, whom Yang Qindong had his arm around. Those who had originally not understood why Ji Ze had lashed out at Chen Mo during their first meeting now vaguely felt, I get it.

Lin Xia, Huang Lixin, and the others looked at Yang Qindong with strange expressions. As expected of the gold-medal manager the media called the most difficult person in the entertainment industry. His PR tactics, capable of talking someone to death in just a few words, were simply ten times more effective than Chen Mo's head-on approach earlier.

He seemed to be questioning why Chen Mo had offended a senior, but in reality, he had casually pinned the label of "jealous of a newcomer" and therefore "throwing a tantrum" on Ji Ze. The most infuriating part was that Ji Ze clearly understood the hidden meaning behind Yang Qindong's words, yet had no way to refute it—

He couldn't exactly force himself to say that he wasn't jealous of a newcomer and didn't care at all about the titles the media had given Chen Mo, like "Piano Little Prince" and "Original Genius," could he?

Come on, if he actually said that out loud, wouldn't that make things even worse?

So although Ji Ze understood Yang Qindong's implication, he could only remain coldly silent, stubbornly insisting that Chen Mo was rude and disrespectful toward his senior.

Seeing this, Chen Mo could only explain with an innocent expression, "I wasn't disrespectful to my senior. I didn't even know who he was. He came up and said all those things to me. I didn't even get angry. I kindly asked what his mother's surname was. When I saw he didn't understand, I even asked what his father's surname was. He still hasn't answered me!"

The crowd of onlookers: "..."

Today, they had finally learned the highest realm of shamelessness.

As a gold-medal manager in the entertainment industry, Yang Qindong's clients were mostly major stars at the level of Best Actor and Best Actress. It was rare for him to accompany a newly debuted artist to Banana TV, so naturally, he had been busy socializing and exchanging pleasantries. He really had not noticed the clash between Chen Mo and Ji Ze earlier. Now, seeing Chen Mo putting on such a pure, aggrieved act, Yang Qindong, who knew Chen Mo's temperament well, nearly laughed out loud.

Fortunately, Yang Qindong gritted his teeth and held it in at the critical moment. Then Ji Ze pointed at Chen Mo with an indignant expression and scolded, "Listen to him! Listen to him! Isn't that rude? He actually asked me, right in front of me, what my mother's surname was!"

Although Ji Ze did not know what exactly the joke was about, he instinctively felt that it could not be anything good. Chinese language and expressions were profound and subtle; generally speaking, phrases involving someone's maternal relatives carried bad implications. Ji Ze was simply following that ingrained line of thought.

But after hearing Ji Ze's accusation, Chen Mo looked even more aggrieved. "How was I supposed to know that you have a bad relationship with your mother? That I can't even mention the surname of her esteemed self in front of you? Besides, I later asked what your father's surname was, and you didn't answer that either. Which one of us is actually rude? You really are a thief crying thief!"

Ji Ze: "..."

Ji Ze only felt a wave of heat rush to his head. Unable to hold back, he swore and cursed at Chen Mo, "Who the fuck asks what someone's parents' surnames are for no reason? What normal person asks that? Is there something wrong with your brain?"

"Can't I even ask your father's name?" Chen Mo looked utterly bewildered. Then he immediately defended himself with an innocent expression. "Seriously, it was just a greeting between people meeting for the first time. Who knew you had so many taboos? I can't ask your mother's surname, and I can't ask your father's surname either. If I do, I'm rude and disrespectful to my senior. Who made that rule? Isn't that making things too difficult? You didn't have it written on your face that I couldn't ask. Besides, no matter what conflict you have with your parents, you should try your best to resolve it. Why take your bad temper out on me?"

Lin Xia and the others, who knew Chen Mo's temperament well, were all dumbfounded by this utterly seamless performance.

Ji Ze, rendered speechless by Chen Mo's shameless twisting of words, nearly exploded with rage. He abruptly rose from in front of the dressing table. The chair beneath him tipped backward from the force of his movement and crashed loudly onto the floor.

Burning with anger, Ji Ze crossed the distance to Chen Mo in just a few strides, grabbed him by the collar, and demanded, "You're pretty good with words, huh? Looking to get beaten up?"

The backstage area, which had still been filled with whispers, instantly fell silent. Everyone silently looked toward Ji Ze.

Only Yang Qindong casually turned his head away. In a corner obscured by moving figures and props, Xiao Ding stood quietly, holding an Orange phone rumored to have five million pixels. Under the lights, its camera lens gave off a faint glint.

Chen Mo casually glanced at Ji Ze's veiny right hand gripping his collar and said with a smile, "Seeing how much Senior Ji cares about me, I assume you've read the reports about me. Since you've read them, you should know about how I crippled ten bodyguards in a nightclub. You don't honestly think your fighting skills are better than those ten professional bodyguards combined, do you?"

Hearing those words, Ji Ze's body stiffened instinctively, and even his pupils contracted. His grip on Chen Mo's collar tightened.

Chen Mo sneered and continued, "Before I lose my temper, Senior, you'd better let go voluntarily. Otherwise... you probably don't want to find out what it feels like to have the bones in your hand broken. Don't you still need to play the piano?"

Ji Ze's expression grew even angrier at those words, and his grip on Chen Mo's collar became tighter.

Yet Chen Mo did not take any of this seriously. With both hands in his pockets, he looked entirely relaxed. He cast Ji Ze a light glance and said, "Allow me to remind you: if you keep grabbing me like this, any counterattack from me would absolutely count as self-defense. There are so many people watching. As long as I don't continue after you let go, then even if I use too much force while breaking free and hurt you, I won't need to pay any medical expenses. What do you think? If I just make one move, can I break your bones?"

The moment Chen Mo said this, Ji Ze immediately recalled the viral video online of Chen Mo beating people up at the nightclub. Cold sweat instantly broke out all over him. His hand gripping Chen Mo's collar loosened and tightened uneasily, then tightened and loosened again.

Seeing Ji Ze drenched in sweat despite his outward bravado, Chen Mo curled his lips disdainfully. Then his gaze turned icy as he stared directly into Ji Ze's eyes, his face filled with hostility as he shouted, "Let go!"

Ji Ze glared back at Chen Mo just as fiercely. Seeing Chen Mo's expression gradually turn impatient, Ji Ze unwillingly clutched Chen Mo's collar. Before Chen Mo could make a move, he finally let go with great reluctance and took two dejected steps back.

The tense, explosive atmosphere immediately eased somewhat.

The next second, every guest and staff member backstage unconsciously let out a breath.

Chen Mo looked with some distaste at his wrinkled collar and frowned unhappily. His gaze swept over Ji Ze, who was still standing across from him and glaring fiercely. Still full of anger, Chen Mo raised his brows and said, "What? Still not convinced?"

Ji Ze snorted coldly.

Chen Mo thought for a moment and said, "You play the piano too, right?"

Ji Ze did not answer.

Chen Mo continued on his own, "You don't like the sight of me. I was treated like this by you for no reason, so I feel pretty upset too. I want to beat you up, but bullying a weakling like you would feel a bit like winning unfairly. What should we do... How about we settle this according to the rules of the industry, with a piano duel?"

"A piano duel?" Ji Ze repeated instinctively.

Chen Mo nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on Ji Ze. "Don't you play the piano? Then the two of us will have a piano duel. The loser apologizes to the winner. In front of everyone, and the live audience, the loser apologizes to the winner."

Seeing Ji Ze's somewhat stunned expression, Chen Mo sneered. "Aren't you unconvinced? You took your anger out on someone over titles the media casually made up, and you even wanted to bully someone younger than you as a so-called 'senior.' Let me see what your actual skills are like. Respecting the elderly and caring for the young may be a traditional virtue in China, but not every older person deserves to be called 'Senior.'"

Chapter 26

"Fine, a piano duel it is. Do you think I'd be afraid of you—"

"No!"

Hearing Chen Mo suggest settling things through a "piano duel," Ji Ze, who was also feeling deeply wronged, let his temper get the better of him and was about to agree when someone cut him off.

Everyone looked toward the voice and saw several hosts, who had been warming up the audience at the front when the incident happened, standing at the doorway along with Ji Ze's manager, Qin Yuqiong, who had vanished somewhere earlier. The person who had objected was Ji Ze's manager, Qin Yuqiong.

Qin Yuqiong was a woman in her thirties. Though her features were not particularly outstanding, she possessed an exceptionally captivating, refined air. Her deep wine-red shoulder-length curls fell loose around her shoulders, and she wore a classic black V-neck batwing-sleeve dress. The slightly loose dress did nothing to conceal Qin Yuqiong's curvy figure. The smooth silk texture, combined with her deep wine-red curls, further highlighted her fair, delicate skin. Her nude stiletto heels clicked crisply against the floor as she walked. Like a fragrant breeze, she swept through the backstage area, and in an instant, even the atmosphere seemed brighter and gentler.

She smiled warmly and nodded to everyone before hurrying over to Ji Ze. "I'm sorry. I wasn't here just now, so I don't know what happened. Could someone fill me in?"

The hosts followed Qin Yuqiong over, chatting and joking with everyone as they tried their best to ease the stiff atmosphere backstage. They had heard about the incident from the director and rushed back immediately. After all, both sides were guests invited by the production team. If something really happened, it would not reflect well on the show.

Ji Ze looked at Qin Yuqiong with a poor expression, his gaze slightly evasive. "It's nothing."

"Nothing?" Qin Yuqiong smiled, then glanced at Yang Qindong and Chen Mo. In a joking tone, she said, "What a pity. The atmosphere just now didn't look like nothing happened. Don't tell me you lost your temper at someone again?"

After saying that, Qin Yuqiong did not wait for Ji Ze to answer. She turned to Yang Qindong and said, "But even if A Ze was being childish and lost his temper at Chen Mo, I'm sure Dong gave the young man justice while he was here, right? A Ze never gets away without a lesson when he misbehaves in front of Dong. Since that's the case, could Dong and Chen Mo please let this matter go for my sake? No matter what, after we finish recording, A Ze and I will treat everyone to something to eat. First, as thanks for everyone's hard work, and second, as a formal apology to Chen Mo. Dong is a grown man. Surely you won't refuse to give this little woman even that much face?"

"Why should I? The two of them ganged up to insult me, so why should I apologize to him? A piano duel it is! Do you think I'd be worse than him?" Before Yang Qindong and Chen Mo could speak, Ji Ze exploded first, loudly objecting.

Qin Yuqiong lightly glanced at Ji Ze. The Ji Ze who had been puffed up like an angry ball immediately deflated. He shot Chen Mo an indignant look and said nothing more.

Since Qin Yuqiong had put it that way, Yang Qindong could not remain silent. He smiled as well. "I wouldn't dare. Everyone in the industry knows how formidable Sister Qin is. I wouldn't dare treat you as some little woman."

"Then will Dong give me this favor?" Qin Yuqiong asked with a smile.

Yang Qindong smiled and glanced at Chen Mo, shrugging as he spread his hands. "This isn't up to me! We have to listen to our Xiao Mo."

Qin Yuqiong smiled again at that. Her eyes gleaming, she turned to Chen Mo and asked gently, "Then would Chen Mo be willing to give your sister this favor? How about I treat you to something later?"

The atmosphere had originally been tense enough to draw swords, but Qin Yuqiong's intervention had changed things. If Chen Mo continued to press the matter, he would seem rather aggressive. Yet if he simply let Ji Ze off like this, Chen Mo was unwilling. And he was no fool. From Qin Yuqiong's presence the moment she appeared, as well as Yang Qindong's faint wariness toward her, Chen Mo could tell that though this woman appeared elegant, refined, gentle, and pleasant, her methods were surely equally impressive. Chen Mo did not want a beautiful woman like Qin Yuqiong to hold a grudge against him over such a minor matter. After all, regardless of her age, when a beautiful woman hated a man, she would always find all sorts of ways to make trouble for him.