Lin Qiong took the microphone and lowered his head. It felt like there was a string in his mind, ready to snap at any moment.
Why was Fu Xingyun here?
He didn't know.
Was it because Fu Xingyun knew he had married for money and rushed over because of it? Or maybe it was because something came because of Qin Heng, and he couldn't attend the event, so Fu Xingyun came in his place.
In his mind, Lin Qiong was desperately searching for excuses.
But he knew very well that, regardless of the reason, Fu Xingyun had come for him.
Fear and unease filled his heart.
It felt like the ominous cawing of crows in the dark night, sending shivers down his spine.
He dared not look at Fu Xingyun. He even felt that he was extremely despicable. Instead of fearing Fu Xingyun's revenge for marrying for wealth, Lin Qiong was more afraid that Fu Xingyun had seen his response just now.
What was Fu Xingyun thinking at this moment?
Lin Qiong instinctively wanted to raise his head and glance at him, but he forcefully resisted.
Fu Xingyun's love and affection were too much for him to bear. If he revealed any weaknesses, he might never be able to escape.
Until the end of the event, Lin Qiong didn't look up from the stage. As soon as the host finished the closing remarks, he hurriedly left the stage.
Almost the moment he left the stage, Lin Qiong went to pull Wang Cheng, wanting to leave as soon as possible.
Seeing how anxious Lin Qiong was, Wang Cheng's face twisted in discomfort as he asked, "What's wrong? Do you need to use the restroom?"
Lin Qiong shook his head, pulling Wang Cheng towards the backstage. "Let's go quickly."
"Go back to the hotel?"
Lin Qiong broke into a cold sweat for a moment. "Let's go home, let's take a flight."
Wang Cheng's eyes widened. "Now?"
Lin Qiong said, "Right now."
"But there's a celebration banquet for the film crew tonight, celebrating the box office exceeding three billion yuan." Wang Cheng caught up with Lin Qiong's hurried steps. "You can't leave."
Lin Qiong felt like something exploded in his mind with a loud bang.
"I... you..."
He was somewhat incoherent.
Wang Cheng noticed that something was wrong. "What's the matter with you?"
Lin Qiong remained silent for a long time and said somewhat dejectedly, "Nothing, let's just go back to the hotel."
Thinking that he might not have slept well the night before, Wang Cheng drove them back. During the journey, Lin Qiong suddenly asked, "When will the celebration banquet end?"
No one could say for sure about such things, but an all-night celebration was inevitable. "If it ends early, it might be around one or two in the morning."
After hearing this, Lin Qiong became mute, not saying another word throughout the journey.
When they arrived at the hotel, Lin Qiong quickly packed his luggage and took out his phone to book an early morning flight. However, all the flights for that day were sold out, so he had to settle for buying a train ticket.
He had to leave; he couldn't see Fu Xingyun anymore.
Recently, he would think of Fu Xingyun whenever he saw anything. It seemed like the two of them were together all the time without a day apart.
There was a desire in his heart; he urgently wanted to see Fu Xingyun.
But he couldn't see him again. If he did, he really wouldn't be able to leave. He would live each day in fear, and the plot around Fu Xingyun terrified him. Fu Xingyun, though an individual, was destined for an extraordinary life. What Lin Qiong wanted was an ordinary life.
Lin Qiong haphazardly stuffed clothes into his suitcase, feeling empty inside. Perhaps, from the beginning, he shouldn't have entangled himself with Fu Xingyun.
He was wrong; he was really wrong. He shouldn't have deceived him into marriage for money, deceiving emotions even if unintentionally. But he was indeed guilty.
He shouldn't have fantasized about things that didn't belong to him, the money Fu Xingyun gave him, the life he provided.
So much so that he couldn't repay it now, only able to escape to avoid it.
Fu Xingyun must hate him to the extreme. In novels, all those who betrayed the antagonist never had a good ending. He didn't know if Fu Xingyun came today for revenge or just to see him.
Lin Qiong didn't dare to think, fearing it was the former, but more afraid it was the latter.
There was a palpitation in his heart for Fu Xingyun, but these feelings were not supposed to exist. If he wanted to live the life he dreamed of, he had to suppress these feelings.
At seven o'clock, the door was knocked on by Wang Cheng. Lin Qiong, dressed neatly, opened the door. "Let's go, it's time, don't keep everyone waiting for too long."
Lin Qiong nodded and followed him out.
Seeing his restlessness, Wang Cheng spoke, "Do you have something on your mind?"
"No," Lin Qiong hurriedly replied, then waved his hand. "Just didn't sleep well last night."
Still using the same excuse, Wang Cheng looked at him with some concern, deciding to pay more attention to him.
As they approached the private room, they could hear the joyful atmosphere inside, filled with laughter and cheers.
Lin Qiong pushed the door open and was greeted with calls.
"Lin Qiong! Quick, come sit here!"
"Wow! Our childhood friend is here!"
"Lin Qiong! You finally arrived; the director wouldn't start without you."
There was still half an hour before the banquet started, and Lin Qiong knew these were just polite words, but he smiled genuinely.
The celebration banquet had a fantastic atmosphere, easily lifting everyone's spirits, and the drinks flowed round after round.
Lin Qiong was now a celebrity, and many people offered toasts. Even though he couldn't handle more, he continued to pour drinks into his stomach.
After others had toasted, it would be impolite for him not to drink. In the end, most people were in a slightly tipsy state, chatting harmoniously about the past on the film set and their expectations after the movie's release.
The atmosphere became even more harmonious with each passing moment.
Just as the director stood up to raise his glass to toast everyone, the door to the private room was unexpectedly opened from the outside.
The force of the door being pushed open was not small, producing a loud "thud" sound.
All eyes gathered towards the entrance, where a tall man walked in.
Not only the director but also others were surprised. They had seen this person today, so it was impossible not to know who he was.
The director approached Fu Xingyun, putting down his glass, and went towards him. "President Fu."
The director stood next to Fu Xingyun and cautiously asked, "Does President Fu have some business? Or would you like to join the celebration banquet?"
Fu Xingyun glanced at him, lips slightly parted. "Looking for someone."
Sweeping his gaze around, he finally focused on Lin Qiong, who was now unconscious, sprawled on the table.
The director asked, "Who is President Fu looking for?"
Fu Xingyun raised his hand, pointing. "Him."
The director raised his eyebrows in surprise. What could be the relationship between Lin Qiong and Fu Xingyun? Their social status and backgrounds were entirely different, making any interaction between them improbable. Even if there was any connection, with Fu Xingyun's capability, Lin Qiong would likely be the lead in his movies.
However, a sudden realization struck the director.
It seemed like this big boss had taken an interest in Lin Qiong. Otherwise, why would he come suddenly to take someone away?
As soon as the man spoke, he walked towards Lin Qiong and pulled him up from the chair.
"I'm taking him away."
"No!"
"No!"
Two voices simultaneously objected—one was from the director, and the other from Wang Cheng.
After speaking, the director regretted and felt conflicted. He didn't need to offend such a big shot for a small actor. But Lin Qiong was a genuinely pure kid. Despite coming out of nowhere, he had become the director's favorite young actor in recent years.
The director took a deep breath. "President Fu, you see, Lin Qiong has had too much to drink now, speaking nonsense. You can't communicate with him in this state. If there's anything, let's discuss it tomorrow."
He signaled Wang Cheng, "Wang Cheng, hurry, take Lin Qiong back to rest. He needs to drink some sobering-up soup; otherwise, he'll feel uncomfortable."
Wang Cheng quickly stepped forward, intending to pull Lin Qiong away from the man, but before he reached him, the man's dark gaze fell on him. Wang Cheng shivered instantly.
"I said I'm taking him. Do you have a problem with that?"
A chill ran down the director's back in an instant.
"President Fu, this is not appropriate."
The entertainment industry was filled with such dirty deeds. You couldn't scrutinize anything too closely, or you would find unpleasant things.
"No, you can't take him away!" Wang Cheng rushed forward, trying to pull Lin Qiong's leg and bring him back. However, the next moment, he was kicked aside.
The man exuded a menacing aura, intimidating those from the crew who wanted to intervene. The security guards who entered later frightened them into standing still.
They could only watch helplessly as Lin Qiong was taken away.
Li Lin was preparing the dishes when he saw a familiar figure, and the person in their arms was even more familiar—someone he had just seen yesterday.
"You..."
He was about to speak, but the other person simply walked past as if he didn't exist.
----
Lin Qiong's head was heavy, and he felt dazed. He tried to raise his hand to shield his eyes from the chandelier on the ceiling, but he realized someone was undressing him.
With a hoarse voice, Lin Qiong, in his drunken state, could barely make out the figure. "Who are you?"
No one responded, and Lin Qiong, with a flushed face, spoke again, "Who are you?"
Still, there was no response. The upper body felt cool, and the next moment, Lin Qiong realized that the person was trying to remove his pants. He forced himself to sit up, sensing danger, resembling a wild cat baring its fangs, he sternly asked, "Who are you?!"
However, all he got was a cold laugh from the other person.
Lin Qiong attempted to push the person away, but the alcohol had left his body weak, making his attempts feeble. It seemed as if he was yielding rather than resisting.
Sweating profusely, Lin Qiong felt a sense of impending danger. "Who are you?! What... what are you trying to do?!!"
The man's icy voice uttered two words, "Sleeping with you."
Hearing this, Lin Qiong struggled even harder, but the man's strength was surprisingly firm, firmly pressing him down on the bed.
"No." Lin Qiong's voice gradually broke down. He was too intoxicated to escape. "Don't, don't..."
However, the man's actions didn't cease. One hand removed Lin Qiong's intimate clothing, while the other gripped tightly around his waist.
Almost mad, Lin Qiong tried desperately to find something to cover himself. "No! Let go! Release me! Let go!!!!"
Then, he felt a sensation on his thighs, causing Lin Qiong to tremble. His legs kicked frantically, attempting to free himself, but the man showed no signs of loosening his grip.
Terrified, Lin Qiong shouted, "You damn pervert, if you dare touch me, I'll report you to my husband."
Hearing the mention of a spouse, Fu Xingyun's face darkened. He raised his hand and flipped Lin Qiong over, pressing him down.
Although the man's clothes were still intact, Lin Qiong screamed in horror, "Do you know who my husband is?"
"Do you know who my husband is?!!!!"
Almost instinctively, Lin Qiong spoke out.
Fu Xingyun, upon hearing this, ruthlessly bit into the back of Lin Qiong's neck. The fair skin began to flush, nearly reaching the point of rupture.
"Aren't you getting a divorce?" Fu Xingyun mocked, watching Lin Qiong struggling frantically. "Don't worry, I'll pay you for it." He threw a wad of banknotes in front of Lin Qiong.