Chapter 57: World Two [27]

After sitting down and drinking a cup of hot tea, Yu Hongjun and Director Li explained the whole story to Shao Qing.

The friend who had attempted suicide by swallowing sleeping pills yesterday afternoon was indeed a friend of both, even an industry insider—a phenomenal goddess from over twenty years ago.

“The name Jiang Qingyi might be somewhat unfamiliar to you, but in the era that belonged to her, she was a well-deserved top star, a Senior I once admired,” Yu Hongjun let out a soft sigh.

“Sadly, life is unpredictable. Qingyi, because of… certain matters, suffered severe physical and mental trauma, which even led to her retiring from the industry. Of course, back then, the public statement was that she returned to family life to get married and have a child. But many within the industry knew the real reason for her retirement.”

“For the first few years, Qingyi was cared for by us, her friends, in rotation. Later, because too many paparazzi were trailing us, we arranged for Qingyi to stay at the best sanatorium.”

“After slowly recuperating for over a decade, Qingyi’s condition gradually improved. To help her fully recover, following the doctors’ guidance, we started letting her slowly interact with the outside world, trying a method of moving to a new city every year to live, hoping she could reintegrate into normal society.”

“This whole affair was my oversight. I thought her condition had taken a turn for the better in recent years, so I reduced her caregivers according to her wishes, only hiring an ordinary local nanny.” Yu Hongjun let out a long sigh as she spoke, a lingering fear evident in her eyes.

“I am truly grateful that you, Little Shao, lent the car without hesitation. The doctor said it was timely medical attention that prevented mortal danger. She just needs half a month of rest to recover.” Yu Hongjun stood up as she spoke and bowed to Shao Qing.

If her friend had truly come to harm because of her negligence, she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself for the rest of her life.

“Sister Hong, what are you doing? I only did what any ordinary person would do.” Shao Qing hurriedly reached out to support her.

“Besides, I didn’t do much—just lent out a car that wasn’t being used. It was Doctor Wang who was decisive enough not to just wait for the ambulance,” Shao Qing said, a sliver of guilt arising in her heart.

At the time, she hadn’t known the person who overdosed was Yu Hongjun’s friend, so her concern had been somewhat superficial. She hadn’t had any thought of personally driving the person to the hospital; she had merely lent the car.

“No, some people will find all sorts of excuses to refuse when asked to lend their car for transporting a patient. Besides, you’re a well-known celebrity. If something unexpected had happened during the transport, you would have faced a lot of trouble.”

As a veteran insider, Yu Hongjun knew very well the risks Shao Qing had shouldered by lending her car.

“How is Teacher Jiang’s condition?” Shao Qing asked, diverting the topic. “Has the Senior been pronounced out of danger?”

Shao Qing wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with the name Jiang Qingyi. When browsing rankings of “White Moonlights” in film and television dramas, the name Jiang Qingyi appeared with considerable frequency.

Many older netizens would comment below, lamenting that such a fine actress had retired early to return to family life. Had she not retired back then, she would surely have become a legend enshrined in textbooks.

“Yes, she’s out of danger. Boss Hao is accompanying her,” Director Li said, unable to resist pinching the bridge of her nose, a hint of frustration in her eyes. “I didn’t expect she still hadn’t moved past it. Going forward, we should arrange more people to look after her to prevent another incident.”

“Teachers, do you mind if I offer a personal opinion?” Jing Ke, who had been silent at the side until now, suddenly spoke up.

“Hm? Do you have an opinion to share?” Director Li looked at this person with an outstanding appearance but who wasn’t a familiar face.

“Teacher Jiang hasn’t moved past it until now, which means she hasn’t yet come to terms with those events. Could that be related to the fact that the people who hurt her haven’t been brought to justice yet?” Jing Ke met Director Li’s scrutinizing gaze, her amber eyes appearing extremely candid.

Jing Ke: “I feel that if Teacher Jiang could see those people thrown in prison, reviled by millions, her heart would certainly feel much better.”

Yu Hongjun couldn’t help a bitter smile upon hearing this. “We understand this logic, too. But back then, over twenty years ago, those people were already insurmountable mountains. More than twenty years later, their influence is even more deeply entrenched.”

“Even if several of us joined forces, we could only inflict minor, inconsequential damage on them—not even comparable to the recent tax audits targeting high-income artists,” Yu Hongjun said, her tone tinged with self-mockery.

The few of them might seem like veteran insiders, able to buy face wherever they went.

But when it came to confronting the true capitalists and the powers behind the scenes, they were still much too green. Those people had, at minimum, been operating within the entertainment industry for two generations.

And if one dug deeper, before they became investors in the entertainment industry, many had past ties to the underworld. Their underhanded methods were numerous.

“Would the two Teachers be willing to try telling me the names of the relevant people? I recently got to know a friend working in the Provincial Government. Perhaps I could ask them to investigate,” Jing Ke said.

If her timing wasn’t off, a meticulous arrest operation was already prepared on that end. Uprooting the radish would bring out the mud; settling those people along the way would be absolutely no problem.

A hint of surprise flashed in Yu Hongjun’s eyes. She couldn’t help but search her memory again, trying to match Jing Ke with some third-generation princeling from a particular circle.

Those words sounded like a conservative interrogative sentence, but Yu Hongjun could discern the hidden meaning within.

In this Jing Ke’s view, dealing with figures deeply rooted in the entertainment industry seemed like a very simple matter.

“Sister Hong, Director Li, if you have relevant evidence, maybe you could let Jing Ke give it a try,” Shao Qing helped patch things up from the side, adding the prerequisite of having evidence.

Shao Qing didn’t distrust Yu Hongjun or Director Li; she purely wanted to minimize the risk of Jing Ke being exposed.

“We do indeed have evidence in hand. But if we aren’t absolutely certain we can bring them down, I advise not provoking them. Some artists who opposed them have been forced to go abroad to lie low,” Yu Hongjun warned.

“It’s fine. A large portion of my fixed assets are overseas, so even going abroad wouldn’t be a problem.” Jing Ke smiled. “If there is evidence, I hope the two Teachers will choose to trust the national judicial institutions once, to let the delayed justice finally arrive.”

Hearing Jing Ke’s words, after much hesitation, Yu Hongjun still gave a brief account of what had happened back then.

As for the original evidence, Yu Hongjun had always kept it in a safe deposit box at a foreign bank. Retrieving it and sending it domestically would take about a week.

“No problem. I will submit all the relevant materials to my friend when the time comes. The two Teachers just wait for the news. Even if they can escape the tax audit this year, they will certainly be thrown into prison next year,” Jing Ke stated.

Considering Jiang Qingyi had just been rescued from danger and still needed to recuperate, Jing Ke and Shao Qing didn’t visit immediately. They first spent three days completing the brand endorsement shoot, and only after confirming Jiang Qingyi’s condition had slightly improved did they bring some fruit suitable for patients to visit her in the hospital.

Jiang Qingyi’s life had been saved, but her spirit was still not well. After mustering her strength to express thanks, she resumed staring blankly at the ceiling.

“Qingyi, you probably don’t know Little Shao. She’s a lot like you were back then. She won Best Actress right after her debut, and later won Best Supporting Actress and several popularity awards. Now, her fan count has exceeded thirty million.”

Yu Hongjun was accustomed to her friend’s state. Seeing that she was still willing to express gratitude to Jing Ke and Shao Qing actually brought a hint of pleasant surprise.

“Teacher Jiang, hello. I am Shao Qing, currently an actress,” Shao Qing, seated to the side, greeted.

But Jiang Qingyi didn’t respond verbally. She merely shifted her gaze from the ceiling to Shao Qing, giving her a fleeting glance.

Seeing her friend react, Yu Hongjun became even more animated. “This handsome-looking young Miss here is Little Shao’s good friend. While she’s not in our industry, she also has quite a few fans online.”

Hearing this, Jiang Qingyi glanced at Jing Ke. Meeting her amber eyes, she momentarily paused, feeling somewhat taken aback by the calmness in her gaze.

It had been so long since anyone had looked at her with such a calm expression. Usually, the looks she received were filled with regret, pity, sympathy, disgust, or aversion…

“Teacher Jiang, hello. I’m Jing Ke. Currently, I suppose you could say… I’m the Boss of an entertainment company, and also a newcomer to investing within the industry,” Jing Ke also introduced herself.

“In-ves-tor?” Jiang Qingyi said slowly.

“Yes, I want to invest in some interesting projects and break certain so-called unspoken rules within the industry,” Jing Ke said with a smile, her gaze and tone remaining calm.

“Teacher Jiang, have you not been paying attention to the news online recently? Many insiders are busy paying back taxes. One by one, they’re keeping a low profile. It’s a perfect opportunity for me to step in and invest, laying out my strategy.”

Jiang Qingyi blinked, showing a sliver of interest in Jing Ke’s words.

“Paying back taxes? Who?” Jiang Qingyi asked. She pushed her hands against the bed, seemingly wanting to sit up.

Seeing this, Yu Hongjun immediately helped her friend up and stuffed a pillow behind her back.

Director Li’s actions were even faster. She directly cranked the hospital bed up, adjusting it to a suitable angle so Jiang Qingyi could lean back comfortably.

“Many people. Hardly anyone doesn’t need to pay back taxes,” Jing Ke said.

Jiang Qingyi blinked, slightly parting her lips as if she wanted to say something. But after making half a syllable, she lost the desire to express herself and went back to letting her thoughts wander.

Yu Hongjun and Director Li exchanged a glance, then both simultaneously turned to look at their friend, Boss Hao, who was peeling an apple.

Boss Hao was momentarily confused, not quite understanding why her two friends were looking at her.

“Speaking of which, Comrade Little Hao was also investigated for taxes, and they found some issues,” Yu Hongjun said, deliberately raising her volume.

“Boss Hao, do you remember how much you had to repay?” Seeing her friend react slightly, Director Li also raised her volume.

Boss Hao, who was peeling an apple, couldn’t help but roll her eyes, but still gave the answer. “Of course I remember. I paid back exactly two million five hundred thousand, no more, no less.”

“Ah, why two hundred fifty thousand? Comrade Little Hao, what’s this about, were you engaging in tax evasion?” Yu Hongjun used an exaggerated tone, trying to pique Jiang Qingyi’s curiosity.

“Strictly speaking, it wasn’t me, but a company under my name. The financial officer embezzled a sum of money behind my back and eventually set their crooked mind on the tax payment,” Boss Hao said with a trace of helplessness.

Seeing Jiang Qingyi turn her head to look at her, she could only recount the whole story of how she was nearly taken in by an employee who embezzled company funds to spend on a game, one detail after another.

Shao Qing and Jing Ke very tactfully did not interrupt. They just sat quietly to one side listening, incidentally taking the tangerine Yu Hongjun offered and peeling it to eat.

After sitting in the hospital room for a little over an hour, Jing Ke and Shao Qing left together with Yu Hongjun and the other two, allowing Jiang Qingyi, who had yawned, to rest peacefully.

“Thank you for chatting with Qingyi. Her state of mind seems much better,” Yu Hongjun immediately expressed her gratitude on behalf of her friend after closing the ward door.

“It’s no problem. Chatting with Teacher Jiang was quite interesting,” Shao Qing smiled.

Jing Ke pressed her brows together slightly and asked, “The three Teachers seemed very averse to mentioning anything related to the entertainment industry in front of Teacher Jiang?”

“Yes, we’re worried Qingyi will recall unpleasant things,” Director Li said.

“But sometimes, it’s better to channel than to dam. I think Teacher Jiang might not necessarily be unwilling to understand today’s entertainment industry.” Jing Ke chose her words carefully. “Judging by her reactions today, Teacher Jiang’s level of attention towards the entertainment industry is still quite high. She might want to return to the stage.”

“There’s a saying online… isn’t it, ‘Get back up from where you fell.’ I feel the three Teachers could appropriately share some news with Teacher Jiang. You could read screenplays to her, ask her for advice on certain issues, or even get her involved in screenplay creation.”

“Of course, this is just a suggestion based on my personal observation.” Jing Ke didn’t state her case too strongly, remaining as objective as possible. “I just feel that when a person realizes they are needed, they will then have the will to stay.”

Jing Ke’s words left Yu Hongjun and the other two momentarily stunned, and they began looking at each other.

Right. How had they failed to grasp such a simple truth all these years?

All these years, they seemed to have treated Jiang Qingyi like a porcelain doll needing meticulous care.

Could their own measures have conversely exerted psychological pressure on her, making her feel like a burden?

“Thank you. We will seriously consider your suggestion,” said the usually taciturn Boss Hao, the first to voice her stance.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to invest? How about investing in my new drama? I’ll give you a corresponding share of the profits,” Director Li proactively offered an olive branch.

Saying a mere thank you only required moving one’s lips; Director Li was more accustomed to giving tangible benefits to express her gratitude.

“Sure, how much investment does Director Li need?” Jing Ke naturally wouldn’t refuse.

Director Li’s new drama was precisely the one where Shao Qing was playing the supporting female lead. If she became an investor, even if it was closed-set filming, she would have a legitimate reason to visit the set.

Moreover, Director Li had always been a guarantee of quality. Investing in her drama was a sure win with no loss.

Director Li pondered for a second, then finally held up three fingers. “I’ll give you a ten percent share of the profits. You just need to invest this amount.”

As far as she knew, Jing Ke was just an investment newcomer newly in contact with the entertainment industry. Her new drama’s current investment had already exceeded one hundred million.

Since this was a gesture of goodwill, asking for three million would be enough to signify it. At worst, that ten percent share could be deducted a bit from her and Boss Hao’s portions.

“Thirty million? Alright, Director Li, give me an account, and I’ll have the finance department transfer it immediately,” Jing Ke said. Having managed company affairs for over a month, she had a rough idea of how much money was needed to produce a good television drama.

“Huh? Not thirty million, three million is enough.” Director Li quickly withdrew her hand. If Jing Ke invested thirty million, this wouldn’t be her offering goodwill, but Jing Ke giving her money.

“Three million?” Jing Ke also raised an eyebrow. “Did Director Li only manage to pull in tens of millions in investment? Do you need me to invest more?”

“Ah?” Director Li was stunned as well. She subconsciously looked at Shao Qing, her not-so-large dark eyes filled with question marks.

Shao Qing shouldn’t have any extremely wealthy friends, should she? Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been targeted and suppressed by those people for three whole years without being able to turn things around, right?