Page 30

Seeing the flash of astonishment on Ji Ze's face, Chen Mo nodded solemnly and said, "Yes, that's right. I mean it."

With that, Chen Mo straightened up and left the restroom, strolling leisurely back to the studio hall.

When filming resumed that afternoon, everyone was stunned to discover that Ji Ze, the Heavenly King who had been slacking off before, suddenly seemed pumped full of adrenaline. He volunteered for every game segment and gave it his all. Although the final results were still disastrous, the show itself turned out exceptionally well. Once this episode aired, it would surely be popular with viewers. The television station and production crew were delighted by the outcome.

As for Huang Lixin and the others, they had no objections either. Although Ji Ze had been especially eye-catching in the later segments, his frequent interactions with them meant the director could not cut out everyone else's footage during post-production without harming the integrity of the show. Strictly speaking, Huang Lixin and the others had actually benefited from the misfortune.

After filming ended, Ji Ze's manager, Qin Yuqiong, kept her promise and treated everyone to a lavish meal. Since it was already late and everyone was tired after a full day of filming, the considerate Qin Yuqiong arranged the dinner at the five-star hotel where they were staying. It was close to the television station, and the guests could return directly to their rooms to rest afterward.

Everyone was naturally very pleased with Qin Yuqiong's thoughtfulness. She even specifically asked Chen Mo what he liked to eat. Chen Mo smiled with interest. "I'm not interested in what we eat. I only care about the entertainment before dinner."

After saying that, he gave Ji Ze a meaningful look.

Everyone understood Chen Mo's implication. What they had thought was the tired old story of a rookie being forced to bow his head before a powerful manager had instantly turned into a dramatic ending where the rookie pretended to be weak before crushing a Heavenly King. While enjoying the spectacle, everyone also gained a deep understanding of just how difficult Chen Mo was to deal with. At the same time, they tactfully kept silent about Qin Yuqiong's likely predicament of suffering an unexpected defeat.

Qin Yuqiong's expression darkened slightly. She glanced at Ji Ze, only to find that he was not looking at her at all. His thoughtful gaze remained fixed on Chen Mo, and no one knew what he was thinking.

As they left the television station, Chen Mo deliberately lagged behind the others. When no one was paying attention, he quickly whispered to Xiao Ding, "Send the video to my phone."

Xiao Ding was startled, then nodded.

By the time they arrived at the hotel's private dining room, it was already past seven in the evening. After filming all day, everyone was ravenous. Before ordering, however, Chen Mo impatiently ordered a bottle of very strong baijiu and two wide-mouthed glass cups.

After opening the bottle, he poured only a shallow layer into one cup but filled the other to the brim. Chen Mo turned the bottle and the full cup toward Ji Ze, gesturing for him to take them. Ji Ze's face turned livid, his expression wavering. Seeing this, an unmistakable flash of heartache crossed Qin Yuqiong's face. She smiled at Chen Mo and asked, "What are you doing, Chen Mo? The dishes haven't even arrived, yet you're in such a hurry to drink. It's bad for your health."

As he played with the cup in his hand, Chen Mo looked at Qin Yuqiong, who was pretending not to understand, and suddenly smiled. "You're so beautiful, Sister. You should handle things beautifully too. Didn't you say you would treat me to a meal and formally apologize to me? That was why I didn't make things difficult for Senior Ji onstage."

The moment Chen Mo finished speaking, everyone exchanged knowing looks.

Qin Yuqiong pressed her lips together awkwardly. But at this point, she could not lower herself to argue with Chen Mo over such a trivial matter. She could only smile and say, "In that case, how about I apologize to you on A Ze's behalf—"

"You shouldn't do that, Sister." Chen Mo set down his cup helplessly and looked at Qin Yuqiong. "Beautiful women are beautiful even when they act spoiled and willful. But we already made an agreement, didn't we? You made that agreement with me as Senior Ji's manager, right? That was why I trusted you. If you want to go back on your word after making an agreement, then because you're so beautiful, I won't say anything. But—"

Before he could finish, Ji Ze had already picked up the full cup of baijiu and drained it in one gulp. When he reached out to pour another cup, Qin Yuqiong immediately snatched the bottle from his hand and smiled at Chen Mo. "A Ze can't hold his liquor. Let me drink the remaining two cups for him."

"How could I bear to force a beautiful sister to drink?" Chen Mo smiled as he looked at Ji Ze, resting his chin on one hand while swirling the cup in the other. "Besides, a bet is a bet. This is an agreement between men."

Before he had even finished speaking, Ji Ze snatched the cup from Qin Yuqiong's hand without room for refusal, poured himself two more full cups of baijiu in succession, and drank them both in one go. Just as he was about to sit down, Chen Mo continued, "There's more."

Ji Ze's face suddenly flushed red. He stood up again, his gaze more of a glare at Chen Mo than an actual look, and viciously said, "You're more handsome than me."

After saying that, he sat back down angrily. The people at the table had no idea what riddle Chen Mo and Ji Ze were talking about, and they looked at one another in confusion.

Chen Mo curled his lips in satisfaction and continued, "There's more."

Ji Ze immediately bristled and shouted, "That's all!"

"There is. We just decided it." In a good mood, Chen Mo waved Xiao Ding over. "Bring me the phone."

Xiao Ding took out his phone with a bewildered look and handed it to Chen Mo.

Chen Mo opened the folder and pulled up the video Xiao Ding had recorded backstage. He waved the phone at Ji Ze and said, "The third agreement. As long as you say you like me, admire me the most, and are my loyal fan... As long as you say those words, I'll delete the video from Xiao Ding's phone. How about it?"

"Hey, don't go too far!" Ji Ze glared at Chen Mo, unable to endure it any longer.

Chen Mo could not be bothered to respond to Ji Ze. Instead, he directly asked Qin Yuqiong, "What do you think, beautiful sister?"

Even Qin Yuqiong, hardened by countless battles, was made somewhat awkward by Chen Mo's teasing. She was also a little angry from embarrassment, feeling that Chen Mo had gone too far by kicking someone while they were down. Still, if a casual sentence could coax Chen Mo into deleting the video, what was wrong with that?

Unfortunately, Ji Ze had always been stubborn, and his status in the industry did not allow him to do such a thing. Qin Yuqiong considered it and was just about to speak when Chen Mo waved his hand. "If beautiful sister wants to say those words in Senior Ji's place, then there's no need. You're very beautiful, Sister, but right now, I only want to hear those words from Senior Ji himself."

This guy actually dared to look me in the eye and tell such a blatant lie, claiming he's more handsome than me! I have to use this chance to teach him how to respect objective facts!

Perhaps Chen Mo's words were too suggestive, because the others in the private room exchanged uncomfortable looks. Ji Ze's face darkened with anger. He abruptly stood up and said, "Keep dreaming, brat. I'll never say that!"

"It's already nighttime." Chen Mo casually waved the phone around, his long index finger gliding over the screen as he said, "It doesn't matter if you won't say it. But you know I use my phone every day. What if one day my hand slips and I accidentally hit send—"

"Wait." Qin Yuqiong took a deep breath and calmly glanced around the table.

Everyone present understood what she meant. Seeing Qin Yuqiong's predicament, those who went to the restroom went to the restroom, and those who made calls made calls. They all found excuses to leave. Only Chen Mo, Yang Qindong, Xiao Ding, Ji Ze, and Qin Yuqiong remained in the private room.

Ji Ze glanced at Qin Yuqiong, then stormed out of the private room and slammed the door behind him. Qin Yuqiong smiled at the others and followed him out. A few minutes later, the two returned. Ji Ze stood with a stiff face and said to Chen Mo in a hard voice, "I like you, admire you, and am your fan."

Chen Mo curled his lips into a half-smile and said to Ji Ze, "You really are such a manager boy."

Without waiting for Ji Ze to respond, he stood up as well. "But I like you too. Especially the way you clearly aren't convinced, yet still have to grit your teeth and say you like me."

As soon as he finished speaking, the cup in his hand lightly clinked against Ji Ze's. Ji Ze rolled his eyes and drained his drink. Chen Mo was just about to drink when he suddenly remembered something. He had no choice but to put down his cup and say, "I forgot. I'm not eighteen yet, so I can't drink alcohol. Juice will do instead."

Qin Yuqiong's expression turned cold at Chen Mo's actions.

Chen Mo deleted the video from Xiao Ding's phone, then handed the phone to Ji Ze and asked, "Want to check?"

Ji Ze sat down with a frown, completely ignoring Chen Mo. Qin Yuqiong, on the other hand, took the phone uneasily and checked it before returning it to Xiao Ding. The others judged that enough time had passed and gradually returned to the private room.

Chen Mo enjoyed the meal immensely. Once dinner was over, everyone happily went their separate ways. Yang Qindong followed Chen Mo back to his hotel room. Watching Chen Mo bustle about as he showered and changed clothes, Yang Qindong leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and smiled. "Your actions today really made me see you in a new light."

Chen Mo chuckled and looked at Yang Qindong. "Your reaction today also made me see you in a new light."

Yang Qindong raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Chen Mo replied with a smile, "I thought you would stop me."

"I'm different from other managers. Generally speaking, I won't make decisions for my artists about what they should do without permission. But I don't understand why you went through so much trouble. You knew there was an easier way, so why didn't you use it?" Yang Qindong could not let it go.

Chen Mo glanced at Yang Qindong and suddenly asked, "Given the situation at the time, if I hadn't compromised, then with Qin Yuqiong's personality, she would rather have Ji quit filming than risk letting him compete with me on the piano, right?"

Yang Qindong considered Qin Yuqiong's character and could only say, "So what? If they quit filming, we'd have even more reason to expose that video. Then—"

"Then you would release press statements saying Ji Ze threw his weight around at the filming site, bullied a rookie, and quit the program, while I was the rookie he bullied. After that, you would keep releasing press statements to tie the two of us together for publicity. Am I wrong?"

"So what?" Yang Qindong asked in confusion, unable to understand Chen Mo's reaction.

"I don't want that."

"What?"

"I don't like it." Chen Mo raised an eyebrow. "When there's a better way to prove I'm stronger than him, why should I let him run away at the last moment? Why should I become the one who got bullied? I don't want to see media reporters tying the two of us together for publicity every day, and I especially don't want to hear them say I resemble him. And I absolutely won't allow you to keep releasing press statements about how I'm also a high-quality idol, the Piano Prince..."

"I won't decide every word and action I take according to your script or your instructions. Don't forget our agreement when we signed the contract: I get the final say in everything. I'm not a puppet without thoughts or a voice. If I did things your way, how would I be any different from that idiot who acts crazy and stupid despite his age, then hides behind women whenever something happens? Besides, solving the problem my way can both prove my strength and save Qin Yuqiong some face—"

Yang Qindong said in astonishment, "Wait, don't tell me you think that after what happened today, you can still befriend that woman Qin Yuqiong?"

"Why not?" Chen Mo was equally astonished. "Didn't we already do exactly what she asked?"

"I doubt the result she wanted was this."

"Then there's nothing I can do." Chen Mo shrugged and said without much sincerity, "She said it, and I did it. I've already shown her my greatest sincerity. If the result still doesn't meet her expectations, it only means she lacks the ability to control the overall situation. I find that very regrettable. But if she wants to take out her anger on me because of her own lack of ability, then I don't think my manager would allow that to happen."