Magic City.
The press conference was about to start. Xu Mei was in the makeup room doing her final preparations.
Cao Bo and Gong Sheng were in the nearby lounge, staring at each other.
After the breakup, Cao Bo had not seen Xu Mei. Thinking about the upcoming meeting, Cao Bo felt somewhat nervous.
“Will Fang Ping really come?”
Cao Bo made conversation. Gong Sheng was calm and composed. “She will definitely come. Our company’s President Jiang personally went to the train station to pick her up. She is on her way to the venue… Mr. Cao, if I remember correctly, this is the fourth time I have answered the same question from you.”
Cao Bo choked. “I just do not want to make a wasted trip!”
The round-trip flight from Xiang Province to Magic City was not expensive for Cao Bo, but this trip did come with pressure.
Pressure from home, pressure from President Guan.
With Zhao Dong’s mess, Xu Mei and Cao Bo’s old relationship was dug up and reported daily. The public sympathized with Cao Bo for being cuckolded, and said the two had a contractual romance. The Cao family had to endure strange looks from others when going out recently.
Cao Bo’s parents already looked down on Xu Mei, and now they despised her even more. They forbade Cao Bo from having any further involvement with Xu Mei!
There was no need to mention President Guan’s side. President Guan could understand Cao Bo’s unwillingness to admit the cuckoldry, but if Cao Bo cooperated with Jiaxin to clear things up for Xu Mei, President Guan would be very unhappy.
Allies in the same camp must advance and retreat together. If Cao Bo insisted on helping Xu Mei, President Guan would doubt Cao Bo’s stance!
So Cao Bo came this time, hiding from his family and allies, sneaking out of Xiang Province like a thief.
If Fang Ping failed to arrive on time, causing today’s press conference to not achieve the expected effect, Cao Bo felt he would be too much at a loss!
Thinking this, Cao Bo immediately became righteous and urged Gong Sheng. “No, no, make another call. What if there is traffic?”
Gong Sheng really made a call.
To clear things up for Xu Mei, Cao Bo was a key figure. They still needed this Cao fellow. Gong Sheng was very smooth in compromising.
Why was Cao Bo so anxious?
There was only one answer.
Xu Mei’s current state was very good. She was temporarily not suitable for romance, at least not rekindling old feelings with this Cao fellow… So Gong Sheng knew the answer but could not point it out.
“Arrived at the entrance? Good, good, good. I will come out to meet you.”
Gong Sheng hung up the phone. Cao Bo had already rushed out ahead with a quick step.
It seemed that without seeing Fang Ping with his own eyes, Cao Bo would not be at ease no matter what.
Jiang Youjia accompanied Fang Ping into the venue.
Cao Bo almost did not recognize Fang Ping.
“Professor Fang?”
Fang Ping smiled at Cao Bo. “I am no longer a professor now. You can call me by my name, or call me Teacher Fang.”
Fang Ping used to be very particular about details. Her usual clothes were branded, not flashy, but definitely matching her professor status.
After becoming a judge on a talent show and then a manager, Fang Ping’s attire became even more refined.
The Fang Ping standing before Cao Bo had her hair cut short, wore khaki casual trousers, a white shirt with a beige wool cardigan on top. Too ordinary, too plain.
Fang Ping had not even put on makeup!
He heard Fang Ping got a large sum in the divorce. How did she end up so down and out?
Fang Ping was not just without makeup. She was tanned.
At first glance, she looked very down and out. After looking longer, one would notice Fang Ping’s composure.
For a press conference interview, facing so many media, this was a big deal. The old Fang Ping would have taken it very seriously.
The current Fang Ping would not dress up specially. Whatever she was like usually, that was how she attended the press conference.
Because Fang Ping now understood, Xu Mei was the sole protagonist of this press conference. Fang Ping was here to clear things up for Xu Mei. After saying what needed to be said, Fang Ping would leave. Xu Mei was a big star in the entertainment industry. Fang Ping was just a teacher in a rural primary school!
The assistant ran over to say the media reporters had all arrived.
Cao Bo specifically asked, “Has the reporter I beat come?”
“He has. His seat is in the first row.”
Cao Bo rubbed his fists, thinking if that reporter was still clueless today, he would beat him again.
Gong Sheng gave Jiang Youjia a look. Jiang Youjia followed Cao Bo like a personal guardian.
Outside the venue, Cao Bo could beat that reporter twenty times without issue. He absolutely could not act during the press conference!
No matter the occasion, once a fight broke out, everyone’s attention would shift. Would not today’s press conference be for nothing?
After everything was ready, Xu Mei came out from the makeup room.
Fang Ping was plain. Xu Mei was similarly low-key.
As a victim, Xu Mei would not be aggressive in her makeup and attire.
Seeing Xu Mei, Cao Bo’s eyes dodged. He did not dare meet Xu Mei’s gaze. Instead, Xu Mei was particularly calm and generous. “Cao Bo, thank you for making this trip.”
Cao Bo pretended to be calm. “It is a small matter. President Gong generously reimbursed my travel expenses. I am not specially here to clear things up for you. Mainly, I cannot stand it on my own face.”
Cao the duck was cooked through, but his mouth was still stubbornly hard.
Everyone did not expose Cao Bo.
Xu Mei thanked Fang Ping. Fang Ping waved her hands repeatedly. “No need to thank me. This is what I owed you before. I should come today. After I clear things up for you, these entertainment industry matters have nothing to do with me anymore. If you encounter trouble later, I will not have the ability to help you.”
Xu Mei was not studying music, but she did have a good voice.
After signing with President Guan’s company, Xu Mei won the championship.
But even if Xu Mei had not signed, she would have been at least third in that talent show. She made it to the top three on her own strength.
Good voice, talented.
During the competition, Fang Ping actually always favored Xu Mei.
If those things had not happened later, if Fang Ping had not insisted on being Xu Mei’s manager and just been her professional teacher, years later it would have been a great mentor-student story in the entertainment industry.
It was too late to say this now. Fang Ping recalled the past, filled with emotion.
Xu Mei said nothing more.
In this press conference, Xu Mei, Cao Bo, and Fang Ping, the three parties involved, each had their own thoughts.
When the three appeared together, the portal website reporter whom Cao Bo had beaten was stunned.
Cao Bo was expected, but how could Fang Ping come? President Zhao said no one could find Fang Ping!
The portal reporter felt a hidden pain in his body. He wanted to slip out of the venue to tip off Zhao Dong. Gong Sheng brought two security guards, smiling as he stood before the reporter.
“The press conference has just started. Where is Reporter Cheng going?”
Reporter Cheng stammered.
Gong Sheng had the two guards watch him from left and right.
“Reporter Cheng, reporting without evidence, our company can sue you, you know? You spread rumors with one mouth. We bust rumors running our legs off!”
Gong Sheng did not know how Xie Qian found Fang Ping.
In such a short time, finding a teacher in a rural primary school who usually did not even watch TV was really too difficult!
