Ye Qiu sat there, cool as a cucumber, as if Jin Lingling’s antics were beneath his notice.
Xiao Li and the security captain exchanged looks of astonishment.
Just who was President Lin’s boyfriend?
To talk with such confidence—could he really resolve this PR crisis?
“Xiao Li, you’re with PR, right?” Ye Qiu asked suddenly.
Xiao Li nodded. “Yes.”
“Go back and draft a statement right away. No need to spin tales—just stick to the facts.”
Ye Qiu continued, “Tell the public we’d settled on a twenty-million endorsement fee with Jin Lingling. She backtracked at the last minute, demanding forty million.”
“She even threw her big-star status around, threatening President Lin that if we didn’t cough up, she’d shut the salon down.”
“That’s when President Lin lost it and slapped her.”
Xiao Li glanced at Lin Jingzhi, as if asking, Is that how it went?
“Ye Qiu’s spot on. Jin Lingling did threaten me like that,” Lin Jingzhi confirmed.
Xiao Li hesitated. “President Lin, even if that’s true, and Jin Lingling was out of line, she’s got a massive online following. If we put out a statement like that, netizens might not buy it—it could still hurt the salon.”
“No worries. Just do as I say, and make it quick,” Ye Qiu said.
Xiao Li looked to Lin Jingzhi.
“What’re you looking at me for? Get on with it like Ye Qiu said,” Lin Jingzhi snapped.
“Yes, ma’am.” Xiao Li scurried off.
The security captain piped up again. “President Qin, President Lin, what about those people at the gate?”
Ye Qiu turned to him. “Take your team out there now. Block the entrance—don’t let them trash the place.”
“If anyone tries to force their way in, splash paint, or start a fire, beat the stuffing out of them.”
“Don’t swing unless you have to, but if you do, don’t hold back.”
“As long as they’re still breathing, it’s fine.”
The captain blinked, taken aback by Ye Qiu’s ruthlessness. “What if they record it and post it online?”
“Are your guys useless or what?” Ye Qiu shot him a glare, then waved it off. “Forget it, I’ll handle that part.”
“Just make sure they don’t keep wrecking things.”
“Go do it now!”
The captain nodded and bolted out.
“Ye Qiu, will this work?” Qin Wan asked, worry creasing her brow. “Jin Lingling’s a big star with a lot of clout.”
“Wan Sis, relax. If I can’t handle a mere actress, how’d I survive the underworld?” Ye Qiu said, pulling out his phone to text Han Long.
Then he dialed Long Ye. When the call connected, he asked, “Where you at?”
“Still in the capital,” Long Ye grumbled. “Big Bro, you’re a right git—leaving without a word. I wanted to grab a drink with you!”
Ye Qiu cut to the chase. “Long Ye, I need a small favour.”
“What’s up? Anything for you, Big Bro.” After Ye Qiu’s showdown with the Bai family, Long Ye had been in awe, treating him like a proper brother.
“You know Jin Lingling?” Ye Qiu asked.
“You mean the Jin Lingling, the star?” Long Ye replied.
“Yep, that’s her.”
“Hahaha, course I know her—otaku goddess, right? Always strutting around half-naked in public. Calling her a star’s generous—she’s just famous for flashing skin.”
Long Ye snickered. “Big Bro, here’s a juicy tidbit: before she hit it big, Jin Lingling worked the hostess scene at a club.”
Ye Qiu raised an eyebrow. “For real?”
“Dead serious,” Long Ye said. “Back when she was at film school, she was already moonlighting at a club. First time I saw her was there.”
“It was my mate’s joint.”
“And that’s not all—she was selling more than drinks. My buddy who ran the place has a stash of her little videos. I’ve seen ‘em myself.”
“Gotta say, she knows some tricks.”
He suddenly yelped, “Bloody hell, Big Bro, you’re not into her, are you?”
“Take my advice—touch anyone but her.”
“She’s dirty—caught something nasty back in the day.”
Well, damn—that’s a bombshell!
Ye Qiu had called Long Ye to dig up some dirt on Jin Lingling for a counterstrike. Public figures always had skeletons, right?
He hadn’t expected Long Ye to have this much tea.
“Long Ye, get those videos from your friend—I need ‘em. And dig up more dirt on her,” Ye Qiu said.
“Big Bro, what’s this for?” Long Ye paused, then gasped, “Wait, did she piss you off?”
“This dumb broad threatened Lin Sis and Wan Sis and wants my hands. Tell me she’s not begging for it.”
“Bloody hell, she’s got guts! Hang tight, Big Bro—I’ll send you her dirt in a bit.”
“Cheers.”
“Oh, and Big Bro, swing by the capital sometime. I’ll take you somewhere fun—gorgeous girls there: flight attendants, nurses, office ladies, kindergarten teachers—you name it.”
“Piss off!”
Ye Qiu hung up, grinning at Lin Jingzhi and Qin Wan. “Don’t worry—Jin Lingling’s toast soon.”
Qin Wan said, “Her stirring this up will dent the salon’s rep no matter what. We need a plan to bounce back.”
Lin Jingzhi nodded. “Wan Sis is right. There’s one way to fix our image.”
“What’s that?” Qin Wan asked.
“Find a new spokesperson,” Lin Jingzhi said. “Someone who outshines Jin Lingling in looks, vibe, and reputation—across the board.”
Qin Wan’s eyes lit up. Solid idea.
Lin Jingzhi added, “But beyond that, the key is they’ve got to be squeaky clean—no scandals, always projecting a positive, healthy vibe to the public.”
Qin Wan’s face fell. “That’s a tall order. In showbiz, stars without dirt are rare as hen’s teeth.”
Lin Jingzhi sighed. “Yeah, finding someone like that’s a needle in a haystack.”
Ye Qiu’s mind sparked. “I’ve got someone in mind.”
“You mean Andy Lau, right?” Lin Jingzhi said, knowing Ye Qiu’s only celebrity crush was the Heavenly King. “Forty years in the game, impeccable talent and character—a real role model. But our salon’s clientele is women—having him endorse might not fit.”
“Plus, he’s a megastar. No guarantee he’d say yes.”
Ye Qiu chuckled. “Not Andy Lau.”
“Then who?” Lin Jingzhi asked, baffled.
Ye Qiu smiled. “Tangtang!”
