I didn't know how long had passed when Chen Ningxue slowly came to, her consciousness still fixated on the moment Prince George had knocked her out!
"You're awake?" she heard Ling Feng's voice as soon as she moved slightly.
It was then that Chen Ningxue realized she had fallen asleep on Ling Feng's shoulder, their posture resembling that of a couple!
"I'm sorry!" Chen Ningxue hurriedly spoke, "By the way, where's Prince George?"
"He suddenly had something to attend to, so he left first!" Ling Feng said indifferently, "You looked very tired, so I didn't wake you."
Chen Ningxue tidied her hair by her ears and was about to introduce herself when Ling Feng softly said, "If I'm not mistaken, you must be a celebrity, right?"
Chen Ningxue's body stiffened, and an awkward smile appeared on her lips, "A celebrity? I..."
Watching Chen Ningxue's somewhat awkward smile, he simply stated, "At the ten o'clock direction, there's a man in disguise. Under his overcoat, there's a camera that has been filming you for more than two hours!"
Chen Ningxue subconsciously looked towards the ten o'clock direction, and indeed, a man in a brown overcoat was fiddling with a camera in his hands. When he noticed Chen Ningxue's gaze, his expression turned somewhat panicked and he turned his head away.
Chen Ningxue's heart sank – it seemed she had still not escaped the paparazzi's tail!
"Filmed me for two hours, does that mean even my sleeping posture on his shoulder has been captured?" Chen Ningxue felt somewhat anxious inside.
Being in the entertainment industry, Chen Ningxue knew all too well the explosiveness of scandals! Many artists have a love-hate relationship with scandals.
"I'm sorry, sir!" Chen Ningxue composed herself, slightly embarrassed, "My name is Chen Ningxue, and I'm a singer from Huaxia. That person followed me here, I'm sorry to have dragged you into this!"
Ling Feng nodded slightly, "Oh, he's a paparazzo?"
The surprise Chen Ningxue had expected did not appear on Ling Feng's face, which made her feel slightly relieved but also a bit disappointed. After all, she was quite a star in the Huaxia Music Scene, or was her fame overly estimated?
"Yes!" Chen Ningxue nodded, "Please excuse me, I need to go and negotiate with him!"
Chen Ningxue approached the man, and the paparazzo did not panic but instead showcased a meaningful smile!
If she had been only somewhat certain before, now with Chen Ningxue approaching, he was eighty percent sure!
"Sir, name your price," Chen Ningxue said calmly, "Two hundred thousand, hand over your videos and photos!"
The chubby-faced paparazzo chuckled smugly, "Miss Chen Ningxue, to cover up your scandal, I've followed you for a good half a year! Two hundred thousand to send me away? With your current status in the music scene, are you insulting me or yourself?"
Chen Ningxue said coldly, "What do you want then?"
The paparazzo stretched out five fingers and said, "Anything less than this number, no deal!"
"Five hundred thousand? Isn't your appetite a bit too big!" Chen Ningxue couldn't help but say, "Greed swallows an elephant, I can give you at most three hundred thousand, which is enough for several years of your salary!"
"Five hundred thousand? No, no!" the paparazzi man hugged his camera and said, "I'm talking about five million!"
"What!" Chen Ningxue couldn't help but shout, "Five million? Why don't you just rob someone?"
"Miss Chen Ningxue, five million is just a drop in the bucket for you! You are currently in the explosive phase of your career, and if your scandal breaks now do you think the public will still see you as the Pure Jade Girl? I think spending five million to buy a limitless future is quite a bargain for Miss Chen!"
Chen Ningxue clenched her teeth. She could naturally afford five million, but seeing the paparazzi man's confident attitude, the rage in her heart couldn't help but flare up!
"What a big talker!" Chen Ningxue said coldly, "I debuted at sixteen, and have been through ups and downs in the entertainment industry for eight years, do you really think a video and some photos can blackmail me? Dream on!"
The paparazzi man frowned, "Miss Chen, this isn't fun anymore! Since we can't agree, let's go back to our country and see each other there!"
Chen Ningxue took a few deep breaths, wanting to storm off! But thinking it over, she said coldly, "One million, I can only give you one million! That's my final offer!"
The paparazzi man smiled faintly, "So Miss Chen is still quite anxious, huh? Too bad, five million was the price just now, it's changed now, less than six million and there's no talking!"
Chen Ningxue's initial offer gave the paparazzi man confidence, he felt that since Chen Ningxue had "softened" first, it meant there was still room to increase the price, so he was even more fearless!
"Hmph!" After coldly laughing, Chen Ningxue turned and left without any hesitation!
"Huh?" The paparazzi man was a bit confused, "Is she just walking away? Doesn't she want the video and photos anymore?"
"I'm sorry!" Back at her seat, Chen Ningxue apologized to Ling Feng, "I couldn't negotiate successfully, it seems like the scandal with you will be out soon after we return to our country! It might affect you, I'm truly sorry!"
Ling Feng had heard their entire conversation earlier. He also found the paparazzi man's opportunistic blackmailing quite despicable.
"I personally don't mind, but as a celebrity, aren't you worried about the scandal impacting you?" Ling Feng asked somewhat puzzled.
Chen Ningxue smiled slightly, "Of course, scandals will have some impact, but I won't compromise with those paparazzi! If one stands upright, why fear a crooked shadow? I, Chen Ningxue, didn't debut eight years ago to fear such evil spirits."
Ling Feng inwardly praised her. Although Chen Ningxue was a delicate woman, she possessed a stubborn resilience!
"Moreover, a senior of mine once said, 'A celebrity without scandals is hardly a celebrity!'" Chen Ningxue sighed, "It looks like I'm about to become famous!"
Ling Feng admired Chen Ningxue's attitude and said, "No matter what, having a scandal is never good, let me handle this matter, I'll take care of it!"
Chen Ningxue looked at Ling Feng in surprise, "You'll take care of it, but that paparazzi is asking for six million! But don't worry, once we return to our country, I have ways to handle it."
Ling Feng shook his head, "Let me handle it first, and if I can't solve it, then leave it to you. After all, I don't want to be exposed like a rare animal."
Ling Feng had returned to their country hoping to live a quiet life. If the scandal with Chen Ningxue got out, it was very likely that his adversaries would find out. To be on the safe side, Ling Feng decided to personally handle this matter.
Moreover, the fact that Chen Ningxue first apologized to Ling Feng made him feel that helping this pure and stubborn girl was not a difficult decision to make.