Chapter 116: Beyond the Splendor

Yu Fengqin slipped her arm through Lin Qihua’s and slowly led him into the banquet hall. Along the way, Lin Qihua could feel countless gazes falling upon him, and he could not help feeling somewhat nervous.

“Don’t be nervous.” Yu Fengqin greeted people she knew with practiced ease as she explained, “That’s how these occasions are. The more attention people pay to you, the more it means you stand out. You’ll get used to it.”

“The problem isn’t whether I stand out or not. It’s because of you.” Lin Qihua was speechless.

“Isn’t that the perfect opportunity for you to play the gallant protector?” Yu Fengqin teased, clearly in high spirits.

The two of them made their way to a quieter corner where there were fewer people, and at last found some peace.

“You’ll have to get used to this kind of life. There’ll be plenty more of it in the future.” Yu Fengqin picked up a cocktail from the long table beside them and lightly gestured with it. “Want one?”

“No, thank you. Lemon water is fine.” Lin Qihua waved his hand. “It’s important to stay in good condition.”

“Quite right. As your employer, I’m delighted to see that you have such self-awareness.” Yu Fengqin took a glass of lemon water from the other side of the table and handed it to him. “I’m glad you came with me. It makes me feel safe.”

“I think I’ve already become everyone’s target.” Lin Qihua smiled wryly as he clinked glasses with her. “Why don’t you go spend time with your friends? You don’t have to worry about me. I can stay here by myself.”

“It’s all right. I’ll go later.” Yu Fengqin waved toward the other side, signaling that she was occupied. “Besides, there’s nothing much going on. It’s quieter here.”

“That won’t do. It’s not every day you get to attend a banquet like this. Wouldn’t it be a waste not to socialize?”

Just then, Yu Fengqin’s face suddenly went pale. Looking up, Lin Qihua saw a middle-aged man approaching them with a wineglass in hand, his expression dark and gloomy.

“I knew you’d be here.” The man stopped in front of them and spoke in a low voice, his tone harsh. Lin Qihua keenly caught something in his gaze: greed, fervor, and possessiveness.

Yu Fengqin took a small step back and bumped into Lin Qihua. She immediately steadied herself, her expression returning to normal. Lightly smoothing the loose hair at her temple, she said, “I didn’t expect you to come, Chen Jian.”

“Hmph. Xinghui Entertainment is a reputable company. How could I possibly be absent from an occasion like this?” The middle-aged man turned toward Lin Qihua with a mocking smile. “Not bad. You managed to find yourself another pretty boy without even trying—and one with some ability, too. He actually managed to bring you back from the brink.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.” Yu Fengqin did not lose her temper. Instead, she smiled sweetly at Lin Qihua. “Let me introduce you. This is Chen Jian, the head of Xinghui Entertainment. You could say he’s my former brother-in-law—my former brother-in-law, that is.”

Lin Qihua nodded and extended his right hand. “Mr. Chen, it’s a pleasure. I’m Lin Qihua, an ordinary artist with Galaxy Entertainment.”

“Hmph.” Chen Jian snorted, making no move to shake his hand.

Lin Qihua was not offended. He withdrew his hand with a smile and took a small step to stand beside Yu Fengqin.

“I told you long ago that your struggle was pointless. Galaxy Entertainment is a tiny company. With the slightest move on my part, I can make it impossible for you to breathe. You’d do better to accept our terms. I’m willing to merge Xinghui Entertainment with Galaxy Entertainment and put the ownership in your hands,” Chen Jian said heavily.

“You’ve made that offer more than once. Have you ever seen me accept it?” Yu Fengqin replied with a restrained smile. “My position remains the same. Galaxy was a legacy left to me by A Li. It is written in black and white, and it is also a precious memory he left behind. I will not hand it over so easily.”

“Foolish.” Chen Jian was growing exasperated. “Don’t force us to resort to harsher measures. You know you can’t stop us.”

“I may not be able to stop you, but you can’t stop me either. I think plenty of people would be interested in what I have in my possession.” Yu Fengqin refused to yield an inch.

“Hmph.” Chen Jian was furious, but he knew he could not lose his temper in such a setting. What Yu Fengqin had said was precisely what worried him. If she were pushed too far and released what she had, countless people would scramble to get their hands on it.

“So we should calm down and discuss this properly, shouldn’t we?” Yu Fengqin said with a smile. “Starting off with such a dark expression isn’t like you, Jian. Have you forgotten what your brother taught you?”

Chen Jian’s expression grew even uglier, perhaps because he had been reminded of something unpleasant.

“You used certain methods to catch my company off guard. I don’t blame you. Truly,” Yu Fengqin continued. “Your purpose was obvious enough. You simply wanted to force me into submission. But you didn’t dare come at me openly, so you could only attack me through my own field. Fortunately, you failed. Otherwise, the company your brother and I built together would have been impossible to keep afloat. But even if it could no longer survive, I still would not surrender. You know what I’m like.”

Chen Jian stared coldly at Yu Fengqin. “Don’t assume that a little success means everything is peaceful now. You still have a long way to go.”

“Yes, I know.” Yu Fengqin nodded. “That’s why we’ve always been cautious. Our ambitions aren’t great. As long as we can keep going, that’s enough.”

“Just wait.” Chen Jian’s voice was icy. He shot Lin Qihua a vicious look before turning and walking away. This was no place to openly fall out with one another; doing so would only make him lose face.

Lin Qihua was left completely bewildered.

“Confused?” After Chen Jian had gone, Yu Fengqin lost the strength she had displayed moments before. Her face was pale, her eyes filled with sorrow, and her body trembled faintly.

“Are you all right?” Lin Qihua asked with concern.

“I’m fine.” Yu Fengqin breathed out softly, and some color returned to her face. “I’m sorry you had to witness such an unpleasant scene.”

“It’s all right,” Lin Qihua said quietly. “I imagine this isn’t something you wanted to face. In this story, you’re the victim.”

“The victim?” Yu Fengqin’s eyes grew distant. “Yes, I’m the victim. I don’t even know how my husband died. Isn’t that laughable?”

“There must be a reason.”

“Yes.” Yu Fengqin straightened and smiled. “I mentioned earlier that Chen Jian was my former brother-in-law. My husband was Chen Li, an exceptionally capable businessman. Galaxy Entertainment was founded by the two of us. I was responsible for running it, while he managed the family’s business.”

“I know.”

“A Li was simply too capable. Under his management, the family business flourished, and he became the strongest candidate to succeed as head of the family,” Yu Fengqin recalled. “The family assembly was to be held the following year. But during a business trip, A Li was suddenly involved in a car accident and quietly passed away, leaving me alone to go on living in this world.”

Lin Qihua had a bad feeling. Sure enough, Yu Fengqin continued, “I don’t know whether the accident was truly accidental or deliberate. In any case, A Li left me just like that. I didn’t even dare ask how someone as cautious as him could have gotten into a car accident.”

“Just as I thought.” Recalling Chen Jian’s eyes, Lin Qihua knew this was undoubtedly one of those sordid dramas found in powerful families.

“After A Li died, his cousin Chen Yuan became head of the family at the assembly a year later. I left the Chen family in silence and lived by watching over Galaxy Entertainment.” Yu Fengqin hugged her shoulders, as though trying to ward off the chill rising from the depths of her heart. “But they still refused to leave me alone. They wanted the shares in the Chen family company that A Li had transferred to me long ago—fifteen percent in all. They intended to give me a little money and take the shares back. That way, they could control the entire company and do whatever they pleased.”

Fifteen percent was an enormous stake in the modern world. The Chen family’s company must have been immense, and those shares were certainly worth a fortune. Trying to reclaim them without giving anything in return was truly ruthless.

“Perhaps someone hoped to have both the money and the woman,” Yu Fengqin said, gently wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes. “They thought they could force me into submission with a few simple tricks. But these were the last keepsakes A Li left me. How could I possibly hand them over so easily? That was how Chen Jian acquired Xinghui Entertainment and set it against Galaxy Entertainment. Since they couldn’t defeat me head-on, they could only target my company. Once Galaxy Entertainment truly became unable to carry on, they would appear as saviors and swallow me whole, skin and bones.”

“This is really…” Lin Qihua shook his head, not knowing what to say.

“It’s all right. Thank you for listening to me for so long.” Yu Fengqin smiled faintly. “I think it’s time to resolve this matter. The fifteen percent stake A Li left me isn’t what matters most. Galaxy is the memory we shared, and I could never truly hand those shares over to the company’s other shareholders who aren’t part of the Chen family. A Li would hate me for that. So in the end, the only solution is to sit down at the negotiating table and settle the matter.”

“That may be for the best,” Lin Qihua said quietly.

“It’s all right. I have Galaxy. I have wonderful sisters like Lili and Lingling, and talented artists and capable helpers like you, Lei Jing, and Xiao Xiao. I’m confident I can make Galaxy bigger and stronger. Those shares are a burden in my hands. It would be better to turn them into cash and invest it in the company’s development.” Yu Fengqin had regained the bearing of a formidable businesswoman and spoke with renewed confidence.

“Good.” Lin Qihua gave her a thumbs-up.

“All right, I’m fine now.” Yu Fengqin smiled. “You’re a wonderful listener. I feel much better.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

A commotion suddenly arose ahead of them, and soon the entire banquet hall was buzzing with discussion. Lin Qihua and Yu Fengqin walked over to see what was happening.

It was President Shang of Qingsong Entertainment, accompanying a beautiful young woman into the hall. He looked immensely proud, and the fervent gazes surrounding them made it clear just how shocking her arrival was.

“Why is she here too?” Lin Qihua murmured.

There was no mistaking her. Lin Qihua knew the girl: Gu Yuhan. The last time they had met was on the set of Entertainment Interview, where they had even worked together. He had never expected their second meeting to come so soon, at Qingsong Entertainment’s celebratory reception.

Gu Yuhan was surrounded by the adoration of countless people, while Lin Qihua could only stand beyond the glittering center of attention and look at her from afar.

Only now did he realize how distant the two of them truly were.