Ling Qianhe walked over with Director Li Ping.
Lin Muxu was still looking around. Yang Weiyang pinched her palm, clearly so excited she was about to faint.
She was practically out of breath; how could Lin Muxu remain so calm?
Meanwhile, Ling Qianhe was chatting and laughing with the director. His gaze occasionally fell on Lin Muxu.
Li Ping and Ling Qianhe were old acquaintances, both figures in the film and television industry who brought honor to the country overseas.
One was a global top star, the other an international director.
Li Ping and Ling Qianhe were naturally discussing their next film.
The old man sighed with emotion.
"I'm currently struggling with the preparations for my new film. The actor selection process is not going smoothly; I can't find outstanding actors like you, Qianhe."
"I still remember last year when you played a genius hacker. It was simply... perfect."
"Honestly, Qianhe, you are a truly gifted actor, a genius recognized worldwide. Such a treasure of an actor like you should be in more films!"
"It's a shame your talent isn't confined to cinema. You even divide your energy for the stage and your music. Otherwise, I can't even imagine how much higher your achievements would reach."
"I believe that within ten years, there won't be a more outstanding young actor than you!"
Ling Qianhe was still young.
He had plenty of time.
Upon hearing the old man's words, Ling Qianhe simply smiled.
"There is."
His words were extremely firm, which momentarily stunned the old man.
Huh? What did he mean by that? Did he think there was a more outstanding young actor?
Ling Qianhe looked at Lin Muxu, then he said:
"There's an empty seat next to me."
He said this without any preamble.
Lin Muxu froze.
"What for?"
She was perfectly fine staying with Yang Weiyang!
She was a newcomer in the entertainment industry!
She needed to fully recognize her own status and position, absolutely not trying to get to the very front row.
That area was flooded with cameras and reporters, with major stars vying for attention. If she went to the front, wouldn't she be asking for trouble?
Ling Qianhe found a flawless excuse.
"Sister Lan said the entire crew should sit together."
"You can't refuse her request. With her status, bringing a newcomer to the front row won't lead to media speculation. Sister Lan's standing is high enough that others will give her face."
"Oh, and that empty seat was for Huo Ziyao. She said she wasn't feeling well and left early."
Huo Ziyao?
If she took the seat of the major star Huo Ziyao, wouldn't her feud with her deepen?
She felt a headache coming on.
Director Li Ping, facing her, looked her up and down, his eyes lighting up.
"Qianhe, do you know her? Is she your friend?"
"She's very delicate-looking, with a classic Oriental beauty."
Ling Qianhe pursed his lips. In front of outsiders, this little wolf cub put away its fangs, appearing refined and polite, completely lacking his wild demeanor in private.
"Yes, she's my friend."
"We've acted together before."
"We can talk about it slowly."
Ling Qianhe led Lin Muxu forward, walking through the aisle.
Director Li kept appraising Lin Muxu.
As Lin Muxu sat down beside Sister Lan, she realized something was wrong.
Ling Qianhe's seat was right next to her.
She was sitting right beside Ling Qianhe!
Wasn't this position a bit too conspicuous?
She gasped and, before the cameras could sweep over them, quickly whispered:
"Ling Qianhe, are you crazy? Sitting here will attract a swarm of anti-fans!"
The entertainment industry still had its hierarchy.
Ling Qianhe looked at the cameras focused on the stage. He took the opportunity to touch Lin Muxu's palm.
A smug smile played on his lips, and then he said:
"What are you afraid of? If the sky falls, Sister Lan and I will support it."
Tonight was a charity gala. On stage, the auction of personal items donated by celebrities had begun.
The proceeds from the auction would all go to charity.
Newcomers like Lin Muxu were just there to fill in.
Their previously practiced performance outfits were left at the television station. Signed by the superiors and donated, they were perfect for charity.
Coincidentally, her initial evaluation was A, Yang Weiyang's was F, Ou Ruola's was C because she couldn't dance, and Han Jiuzhen, who had little screen time, was B.
They happened to have outfits for different grades, each in a different color.
This was for good luck.
Other people's practice outfits, costing thousands or tens of thousands, were auctioned off.
Lin Muxu bid for her companions' outfits, planning to return them later.
But when it came to Lin Muxu's A-class training outfit.
The situation was slightly different.
Ling Qianhe, with a blank expression, raised his paddle.
"Fifty thousand."
Everyone was a little surprised. They didn't expect him to bid.
Lin Muxu's eyes widened as she looked at Ling Qianhe beside her. She glared at him, but Ling Qianhe's expression remained unchanged. Sister Lan, unable to suppress a smile, raised her paddle to seventy thousand.
Everyone finally understood.
This was probably something their crew had coordinated, a way to do charity.
Everyone knew that Brother Qianhe was incredibly wealthy.
So, him bidding a high price for a female co-star's outfit was normal.
It startled everyone.
They thought he had some inappropriate relationship with this new actress.
Turns out it was just crew coordination.
How frightening.
Zhao Lan's bid successfully resolved Ling Qianhe's crisis.
Of course, Ling Qianhe frowned and quickly raised his paddle to one hundred thousand.
Zhao Lan naturally wouldn't compete with him anymore.
The outfit fell into his hands. The moment the cameras turned away, Lin Muxu quickly and softly questioned Ling Qianhe:
"Was that necessary?"
Ling Qianhe raised an eyebrow, then said:
"What wasn't necessary?"
"How could I let your outfit fall into another man's hands? What if he's a pervert?"
Lin Muxu could do nothing about him.
"But maybe Sister Lan could have bid for it..."
Ling Qianhe said:
"Women aren't allowed either? Are women not perverts?"
His jealousy was unleashed, completely disregarding gender.
Lin Muxu was about to kick him, but the camera panned back to Ling Qianhe's face. Her leg froze mid-air, and she awkwardly shifted her posture.
Ling Qianhe maintained his elegant, unruffled demeanor.
"Be good."
"Lin Muxu, this is my territory."
Lin Muxu heard his voice softly reach her.
She was so angry she gnashed her teeth!
The charity auction continued. Lin Muxu felt stifled and annoyed. The next item, however, suddenly sparked a flurry of discussion.
"The next auction item is very special... we received it from the celebrity's family, who entrusted us to auction it."
"It's a painting by the renowned actor Mr. Tang Jiuzhou."
"This is a genuine work he personally painted while participating in the film 'Jiangshan Tu' (Map of Rivers and Mountains). The starting bid is five hundred thousand yuan."
There was a buzz of discussion.
Lin Muxu froze. She heard the system prompt in her ear.
"Host, quickly, bid for this painting!"
Since the system said so, it meant this painting had a story behind it.
Without time to ask the system why, Lin Muxu slowly placed a bid.
"Seven hundred thousand."
Ling Qianhe, beside her, let out a soft laugh. His voice was pleasant, his laughter cool, but to Lin Muxu, it made her teeth itch with anger because Lin Muxu knew what Ling Qianhe intended.
"One million."
Lin Muxu gritted her teeth.
He was competing with her, wasn't he!
She wasn't short of money now! She was about to bid two million when the system started outputting frantically.
"Let him have it, don't compete with him."
Lin Muxu was very angry.
"Why can't I compete with Ling Qianhe?"
The system suddenly became forceful.
"Are you the system or am I the system? Just listen to me, and I guarantee there's no mistake!"
Lin Muxu let out a muffled hum.
She hated the system the most.
She hated Ling Qianhe too!
They should be bundled together and launched into outer space via rocket.
In the subsequent auction, it was almost entirely Ling Qianhe's domain. He personally bid on nearly ten items, causing everyone to marvel.
Rumor had it that Ling Qianhe had an astonishing background and was the heir to a prominent aristocratic family.
It seemed the rumors might not be just rumors, but the truth.
Meanwhile, Lin Muxu sat in her seat, sulking. Ling Qianhe glanced at her dejected expression, his lips curling slightly, a faint smile appearing on his handsome face.
Hmm.
Is Sister Muxu angry?
He didn't want her to spend money.
So he bought it for her.
Why was she angry?
...
Lin Muxu had her items, pointed out by the system, snatched by Ling Qianhe. Moreover, the task of meeting three important figures was only half completed, with one missing.
With the charity gala nearing its end, she didn't want to fail the mission, so she was a bit dejected.
Suddenly, an elegant and graceful woman appeared beside Zhao Lan!
This woman seemed to have materialized out of nowhere. She must have arrived in the latter half of the charity gala; Lin Muxu hadn't seen her on the red carpet.
She appeared to be friends with Zhao Lan, often whispering to her. When Zhao Lan spoke to her, her eyes showed disappointment.
After a moment, she walked up to Ling Qianhe.
"Can you give me Tang Jiuzhou's painting?"
"This painting is very important to me. I specifically rushed back from Europe for this painting, but I still arrived a step too late."
"I can offer a very high price, as long as you are willing to give me that painting."
Her voice was laced with pleading.
Ling Qianhe looked at the other person.
"Miss He, I also bought this painting as a gift for someone."
"Perhaps after the gala, you can talk to the painting's true owner?"
At that moment, a system notification sounded in Lin Muxu's mind.
"Received a clue to meet the third important figure!"
"He Yunru! A renowned art-house film director in the industry, but she also has another identity: the second-generation heir of the He family, possessing formidable resources behind her. Tang Jiuzhou was her lover in her youth, but they were separated by the He family who disdained his ordinary background. Later, Tang Jiuzhou died accidentally, and Tang Jiuzhou's family refused to donate his belongings. She has been searching persistently. This time, due to negotiating a very important business deal for the He family in Europe, she arrived late at the charity gala."
Lin Muxu froze.
It was truly a case of "just when all hope seemed lost, a new path appeared."
However.
How did she become the true owner of this painting?
Lin Muxu realized belatedly.
So...
Ling Qianhe bid for the painting.
It was to give to her.
This fool, why didn't he let her bid for it herself, why spend extra money!
His money was her money anyway.
Hmph, idiot, a fool, doesn't he know he should save more "wife money" for himself?