You Rong, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them. "You just said Lin Qinghe's studio stepped forward to handle the negative comments about me online?"
"Yes."
Seeing You Rong's expression, as if he doubted his words, Hu Xiaobei handed his phone to You Rong. "Brother! Look... my friend is in this line of work. What he says is absolutely reliable. He said that Sister Qinghe's studio contacted them this morning to handle it!"
You Rong lowered his gaze, scanning the chat content on Hu Xiaobei's phone. His expression became complicated.
Lin Qinghe hadn't mentioned a word of this to him...
Seeing You Rong remain silent, Hu Xiaobei shrank his neck and said softly, "Brother, um... I think Sister Qinghe genuinely likes you. If you don't like her, why don't you make it clear?"
You Rong did not reply. His handsome face was etched with a heavy expression.
It wasn't that he hadn't made it clear to Lin Qinghe; she simply wouldn't listen. He had spoken too harshly, yet he was afraid of hurting her too much.
The next day.
Lin Qinghe arrived at the set and greeted You Rong as usual, preparing for the shoot. But today was different. Lin Qinghe noticed You Rong's gaze lingering on her intermittently.
Lin Qinghe touched her face, wondering if something had appeared on it.
After this happened several times, Lin Qinghe decided to seize the opportunity during a break between scenes and directly asked, "You Rong, do you have something you want to say to me?"
You Rong hesitated, his lips pursed. "I..."
Just as You Rong was about to speak, a terrified scream came from behind him. His words were immediately interrupted. Turning around, they saw a crowd gathered around the source of the sound, and no one knew what had happened.
You Rong and Lin Qinghe walked over. The crowd parted, allowing them to see Hu Xiaobei, pale and shaken, standing before a package that had just been opened, revealing a photoshopped picture of You Rong's death and bloody funeral clothes.
Lin Qinghe frowned deeply. "What's going on? Who sent these things?"
Hu Xiaobei swallowed, managing to calm himself. "I... I don't know. A man in black clothes and a mask delivered it just now, saying it was for Brother. I thought it was some kind of gift, but when I opened it, it was this ghastly thing!"
The bystanders began to whisper.
"What's going on? Who did You Rong offend? Or is it a crazy fan? This is too terrifying..."
"Yeah, but how did they know our filming location? It's really scary to think about. What will You Rong do?"
Lin Qinghe looked at You Rong. His eyes were cast down, his emotions unreadable. At that moment, Director Wang also arrived, his face troubled. "You Rong, this... what do you plan to do?"
"It's probably done by people who are unhappy with me online. Just strengthen the security of the crew and don't let them have another chance to sneak in."
Lin Qinghe heard this and felt a surge of anger. "That's it? Aren't we going to call the police? People like this need to be taught a lesson! We absolutely must call the police!"
You Rong, surprisingly calm, looked at Lin Qinghe. "Calling the police won't help. They haven't actually harmed anyone. At most, they'll be taken to the police station for a reprimand and then sent home. If you want to sue for civil damages, you'll also have to spend a lot of time, which isn't worth it. Moreover, if the matter escalates... it's not good for the artist themselves, and it will have a negative impact on the drama."
"How do you know calling the police won't help? Have you called the police before? They..."
Meeting You Rong's gaze, Lin Qinghe's words stopped abruptly. Realizing something, her expression changed.
You Rong calmly withdrew his gaze and continued talking to Director Wang.
He had indeed called the police. Two years ago, during that unprecedented wave of online attacks, not only he but also his family had received endless harassment. Incidents like receiving funeral clothes and photoshopped images were commonplace.
Lin Qinghe's words suddenly faltered, clearly recalling this as well.
Seeing You Rong's composed demeanor, Lin Qinghe felt a blockage in a certain part of her heart, an indescribable sense of frustration.
She thought this farce had passed. Security at the set was increased, and unauthorized personnel were no longer allowed to enter and exit freely.
Three days later.
After You Rong and Lin Qinghe finished filming a night scene, they returned to the hotel in separate cars. As soon as Lin Qinghe got out of the car, she caught a glimpse of a dark figure rushing towards You Rong.
Lin Qinghe's heart leaped, and she quickly shouted, "You Rong, be careful!"
But it was too late. The man lunged forward and landed a heavy punch on You Rong's face. Caught off guard, You Rong stumbled back several steps. The man didn't stop there, continuing to throw punches.
Fortunately, Hu Xiaobei reacted quickly and kicked the man. The man fell to the ground, and as he struggled to get up, the driver also got out and lunged at him, restraining him.
"Let go... let me go..."
Hu Xiaobei and the driver held the man down firmly. Hu Xiaobei angrily demanded, "Who are you? Why are you hitting someone?! What do you want?!"
Lin Qinghe quickly went to help You Rong, asking anxiously, "Are you okay? Let me see how badly you're hurt!"
Lin Qinghe anxiously checked You Rong. Seeing a large bruise on his jaw but no other injuries, her heart finally settled.
You Rong touched his bruised jaw. "...I'm fine, don't worry." His gaze passed over Lin Qinghe to the man pinned on the ground. "Who are you? Why did you hit me?"
He didn't recognize the man.
The man ignored You Rong, his eyes filled with obsessive madness as he gazed at Lin Qinghe, struggling excitedly. "Qinghe... Qinghe! I'm your fan! I've liked you for five whole years! My room is full of your posters. I haven't missed a single fan meeting of yours! Qinghe! I like you! I love you! I..."
The man's struggles almost made Hu Xiaobei and the driver lose their grip. His words surprised everyone present.
The man continued to shout frantically, "Qinghe! Don't be afraid, I will protect you forever! I won't let anyone hurt you, I absolutely... absolutely will protect you well!"
The man's nearly hysterical state frightened Yuan Xiaoai, who pulled Lin Qinghe back. "Sister Qinghe... be careful, don't let this person hurt you."
Lin Qinghe's slight retreat seemed to provoke the man. He struggled violently, his face contorted.
"Qinghe! I'm your fan! I'm your true fan! Why are you afraid of me... Why aren't you looking at me?! I love you so much!"
With a sudden surge of strength, the man shoved away Hu Xiaobei and the driver who were holding him and lunged towards Lin Qinghe, trying to grab her shoulders. Fortunately, You Rong grabbed his arm and punched him hard in the face, knocking him to the ground.
At that moment, hotel security noticed the situation through the surveillance cameras. Three or five security guards rushed over and restrained the man.
The man's eyes seemed to ignore everyone else, and he didn't care about being held. He stared maniacally at Lin Qinghe, continuing to shout, "Qinghe! I'm your true fan, I've really liked you for five years... five years!"