Chapter 97

Backstabbed

Chao Musheng stared at the ridiculous headline for two or three seconds, then followed his curiosity and clicked in.

He was also rather curious: when had Xu Chenzhu started a new romance? How had he not known?

The article opened to an extremely blurry screenshot — a person bent sideways pushing someone into a car, the person in the car showing only a leg, the person pushing them showing only half a face.

That was himself.

He read on. The screenshot had been taken from Song Xu's livestream.

The headline was dramatic; the content was tedious and padded. It spent a long time listing the invited guests at the fashion charity event before adding, at the very end: Speculation in the livestream suggests the long-legged figure in the car may be Kunlun's CEO, who is reportedly on excellent terms with the company representative who pushed him back in. What do readers think?

Two minutes of his life, wasted on this article. Chao Musheng felt considerable wordless frustration.

If you can't write, don't write. You're wasting my expressions.

*

"Editor — are we really sure publishing this won't get us sued by Kunlun's legal department?" The junior writer sat at an aged computer, faintly trembling.

"We haven't said anything." The editor ate a steamed bun from downstairs. "We just passed along what commenters were saying. What's the problem? Even if Kunlun's PR team actually comes to the door, the worst that happens is we post a groveling apology and take it down. As long as it hasn't caused serious harm, a company the size of Kunlun isn't going to go after small fry like us."

The article had been up less than two hours and the click count was going up like it had boarded a flight. Yes, plenty of commenters were calling it clickbait. He didn't mind.

Getting insulted was fine. Being ignored was the problem.

What genuinely surprised him was that two hours had passed and Kunlun's PR team still hadn't responded. A few months back he'd published something that brushed against Kunlun's CEO and the call had come in under five minutes, the tone extremely firm — he'd kept a pinned apology up for forty-eight hours.

He hadn't particularly wanted to go near Kunlun again. But the discussion around this was too high to resist.

If Kunlun didn't contact him, he wasn't taking it down.

Fortune favored the bold in this business; the timid starved. In self-media, the only thing that mattered was traffic, and the last thing that mattered was dignity.

*

After washing up, Chao Musheng came out of his room to find a bodyguard waiting.

"Mr. Chao — 时光 magazine would like to request a video interview of approximately twenty minutes. If you agree, they can arrange it around your schedule entirely."

Chao Musheng was surprised — his mother hadn't mentioned anything. "Which department at 时光 is making this request?"

"They say they're editors in the new media and editorial division." The bodyguard walked with him downstairs; breakfast was already laid out. "The two editors are still outside waiting. Would you like to see them after breakfast, or have them come back later?"

Knowing Chao Musheng's relationship with 时光's editor-in-chief, the bodyguard had been perfectly pleasant to the editors despite them being, relatively speaking, quite junior.

Chao Musheng sat down at the table. "Please invite them in."

Waking up to that chaotic push notification had left him with the word editor slightly stuck in his head, associated now with that absurd headline.

Romance exposed. Legs longer than editor's will to live.

There was no romance. The legs were genuinely long. And they did look particularly good in suit trousers, better than most.

*

The new media and editorial team hadn't been especially hopeful about getting this interview — but the general public's interest in Mr. Chao was running very high right now, which was extremely valuable for 时光's broader market reach. So they'd screwed up their courage and come to try.

As the saying goes — you're already here. Trying won't cost you anything. And maybe Mr. Chao would take pity and agree.

When the bodyguard came to invite them in, both of them went involuntarily tense, making their way through the ring of serious-faced bodyguards with careful steps.

The white building's floors were polished to a mirror finish — they could see the crystal chandelier reflected in the floorboards when they looked down.

"Mr. Chao — hello. We're editors at 时光. We apologize for disturbing you."

"Hello." He gestured. "Have you had breakfast? If not, sit down and have some."

"Thank you, Mr. Chao — we've already eaten."

They'd been up working since they opened their eyes. When would there have been time for breakfast?

Gurgle.

The first editor heard her colleague's stomach growl with hunger.

Mortifying.

Her scalp prickled.

"Even if you've already eaten — sit down and have a little more." He waved them over; the bodyguard brought chopsticks and placed food in front of them.

"Thank you, Mr. Chao." The editorial editor turned pink immediately. She was less than two months into the job; the other editors, afraid of annoying Mr. Chao, had passed the assignment to her.

The food filled their stomachs and the stiffness in them eased considerably.

He was so thoughtful. They hadn't expected it at all.

"Could I see the interview outline first?"

"Please." The editorial editor held it out with both hands.

The questions weren't unreasonable. Two or three of them even proactively mentioned some of Kunlun's recent products — effectively doing promotional work for the company.

"Thank you to your magazine for helping us promote Kunlun." He set down the outline. "I can cooperate with the interview — but I only have about an hour this morning. After nine-thirty I need to attend Editor-in-chief Chao's panel discussion, and I have other arrangements after that."

"That's more than enough!" The two editors could barely contain their delight. "We'll call our visual colleagues over right now."

Mr. Chao was handsome and he was kind. The most wonderful person in the world.

*

In under ten minutes, everyone was assembled; the styling team even did a simple touch-up for Chao Musheng.

Most of the questions were standard. When the topic eventually moved toward romantic life, the 时光 staff held their breath, braced for the young executive to become irritated.

"There are a lot of comments online about your appearance." The editor eased into it. "We also found an interview video from two years ago — do you still remember it?"

A clip played from the day of his college entrance exams.

"Yes — I remember. I'd just finished the last subject and all I was thinking about was going home for the summer." He watched his younger, more unpolished self and smiled. "A summer without homework is a happiness for everyone."

The editor showed him the viral lion's-head video. "This clip was very popular a few days ago. A lot of people commented on your looks, and some said they'd like to date you. Would you be comfortable sharing anything about your personal life?"

"Thank you to everyone for the compliments — it's a little embarrassing." He paused — and the headline surfaced again involuntarily. Legs longer than editor's will to live. Despite himself, he laughed. "From when I turned eighteen until now I've been consistently busy. I've simply had no time for a relationship."

"Would you mind taking a high-voted audience question from the comment section?"

"Please go ahead."

"A commenter asks: we've heard that Kunlun's CEO has very long legs. Are they really that long?"

The editor was clever — she hadn't asked directly whether the long-legged person in last night's car was Kunlun's CEO, but she'd given curious viewers an answer to what they really wanted to know.

"They really are." He laughed softly. "Our boss has genuinely, textbook-certified long legs."

The 时光 staff, watching his expression as he said it, screamed internally.

AAAAAAA.

He actually answered that question!

*

Half an hour later, the 时光 new media team had edited the interview footage and uploaded it to every platform's official account. Remarkable efficiency.

The panel discussion hadn't even started when Chao Yin saw her son's interview on their official account on her phone. "Whose idea was it to interview Sheng-sheng?"

"It would be the editorial and new media teams' initiative." Her assistant watched her expression carefully; she didn't seem displeased, so she continued: "Since yesterday noon, the new media team has already published individual interview clips for many of the artists. The response has been very positive."

Chao Yin gave an unreadable smile. "The artists' individual clips run a few minutes. Sheng-sheng's runs over ten."

The other artists' comment sections were full of organized fan messaging. Sheng-sheng's individual clip comment section was full of actual humans leaving remarks and playing with jokes.

She clicked into the video. The post-production team had worked quickly enough to add effects in the thirty-minute window.

In the video, the young man spoke with precision, his expression natural and relaxed — and even without any styling, he was luminous on camera.

This was the first time Chao Yin had seen with such clarity that her child had grown up. He was accomplished enough now to hold his own ground — accomplished enough, even, to be the one she could lean on.

She felt proud, and something else that didn't have a clean name.

A young eagle eventually has to open its wings and fly.

"Our boss has genuinely, textbook-certified long legs."

At that line, she laughed. Knowing her son as well as she did — if he could joke about his direct superior in public, their private relationship really was as good as people said.

She put away her phone and prepared for the upcoming panel discussion. This fashion symposium was for a small group of major investors and industry figures, closed to the public.

Most of the attendees were difficult people; every time she had to engage with them, she needed to be at full sharpness. Today, though, they all seemed unusually cooperative — the symposium ran very smoothly.

When it ended, instead of leaving, the assembled figures gathered around Chao Musheng to wish him well for the branch anniversary.

"Thank you all — I'll personally pass along everyone's good wishes." Chao Musheng checked the time. "I need to get to the branch office. Please rest — I'll be off ahead of you."

"Safe travels, Mr. Chao." Everyone stepped back, opening up the exit. "We'll look forward to asking for your guidance at this evening's gala."

"You're too kind. My knowledge is limited — I'm the one who still has much to learn from all of you. Goodbye." He smiled with a small bow — and gave Chao Yin an almost invisible wink before turning and walking out.

"Youth and talent." One of the figures watched Chao Musheng leave, surrounded by his bodyguards. "The next wave surpasses the last. That young man's future is beyond calculation."

He had barely appeared at the compound before several of them had tried to research his personal background — only to have their inquiries intercepted by a call from a relevant government department.

Once they understood he was on a national priority-cultivation list, who would dare continue?

A slight sourness lingered — someone with that kind of ability, only Kunlun could hold onto him.

"Editor-in-chief Chao." One of the figures turned to Chao Yin. "You're on such good terms with Mr. Chao — if there's ever an occasion where we might be useful to you, please do consider making an introduction."

"If such an occasion arises, it would be my honor. Though a figure of your standing hardly needs introductions." She redirected with a smile. "The restaurant flew in a new shipment of ingredients this morning — please do stay and try the menu."

They all had similar things on their minds. Unfortunately, Chao Yin was impossible to get a firm commitment from — a basket's worth of well-phrased words, not a single concrete agreement.

Nobody who had reached her position was simple.

And she had the particular luck that Mr. Chao was gracious and equidistant with everyone — except for her, toward whom he was conspicuously warm.

Now that they thought about it, the reason he'd attended some sessions and not others was obvious once you looked at the speaker list. He'd come for Chao Yin's sessions.

And Kunlun headquarters arranging to send a representative to this event had probably been because Mr. Chao wanted to come and support her in the first place.

All of which suggested Mr. Chao's position within Kunlun headquarters was quite exceptional.

*

Chao Musheng went back to the white building to change. Coming downstairs, he found a black car parked at the entrance.

The windows were closed — he couldn't see inside. But he had a feeling.

He walked up and knocked. The window descended slowly to reveal Xu Chenzhu's elegant features.

"Mr. Xu." Chao Musheng opened the door and folded himself into the seat beside him. "What brings you here?"

"Where I'm staying isn't far. It was on the way, so I came to pick you up." Xu Chenzhu noticed Chao Musheng's collar bar was bare and reached into a velvet jewelry box he'd had in the car. "Did you forget an accessory?"

He opened the box. Inside was a thin chain set with a small green gem. He fastened it to Chao Musheng's collar bar. "A good fit."

Chao Musheng looked down at the silver chain and its green stone — it felt like a miniature version of the material used in Xu Chenzhu's glasses chain.

"I did bring collar accessories — I was saving them for this evening's gala." He touched the silver chain; the material felt unusually cool against his fingers.

"That's fine — I have plenty of these." Xu Chenzhu's mouth curved. "Come by my place before the gala this afternoon and choose something you like."

Chao Musheng was about to say Xu Chenzhu was too generous with him — but his gaze had already gone involuntarily to Xu Chenzhu's legs.

Xu Chenzhu's legs were genuinely long. If this car were any smaller, they'd have nowhere to go.

"What are you looking at?"

"Looking at..." A dry cough. "Admiring your very long legs, Mr. Xu."

"Mm." The corners of Xu Chenzhu's eyes warmed. "I know you've been complimenting my textbook-certified long legs."

"Mr. Xu — you've seen the 时光 official interview?" Chao Musheng touched his nose. It was all that self-media editor's fault for going on about legs being longer than someone's will to live — now the image was lodged in his head.

With all the adjectives in the world available, couldn't they have chosen a more dignified one?

"I have." The warmth at the corners of Xu Chenzhu's eyes dispersed again. "The comment section has been very enthusiastic."

Enthusiastic to the point of impertinence, was what he meant.

Chao Musheng opened the comment section on his phone. Some of the entries made his face go red.

The viewers were rather too comfortable with him.

He scrolled quickly down — and landed on an even more outrageous one.

[When he mentions the boss's long legs, he smiles so gently. He's so in love.]

???

What was that.

He locked his screen fast and glanced sideways at Xu Chenzhu with the corner of his eye.

Good — Xu Chenzhu hadn't noticed that comment. He could relax.

*

When a star destined to dim finally fell, the impact would be like a tidal wave.

The security player stood in the path that all the artists would have to pass through, scanning each figure — some tall, some thin. Tonight was the red carpet night of the fashion charity event. Which of them was the star destined to die?

The entire red carpet would be livestreamed. If an artist had an accident during this segment, would it generate even greater impact?

Was the system concerned about which particular star fell?

Or did it only want a star to fall — any star?

The artists passed him by, most of them barely glancing at a security guard. He studied their necks as though selecting the most suitable candidate for death.

*

"Hurry up." Song Xu urged his assistants along. "Several others have already posted their styling photos, and my makeup isn't even done yet — how did you contact the styling team?"

The assistants followed him in silence, arms full of garment bags.

"Xu-ge — don't stress." His manager tried to calm him. "Being first out doesn't mean the most impressive. No male artist has broken through yet with their look tonight."

"If people are curious about the red carpet, posting your styling first always gets you—" Song Xu was walking and talking and walked directly into a security guard, staggered back several steps, and went down.

"What the—" He got up, brushed off his trousers with a frown. "Are you blind?"

The security player looked at the shrill-voiced male artist in front of him and gave a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "My apologies."

"And that's the best attitude you can manage." Song Xu's mood had already been poor; the insincere apology made it worse. "What's your name!"

"Xu-ge — drop it." His manager murmured near his ear. "If someone photographs it and posts it as you bullying security staff, we'll have a problem. Let's go get your makeup done."

Song Xu swallowed his fury. He'd spent years learning to read people to manage Song Cheng, and he could see clearly that this security guard was contemptuous of him — the look in his eyes was pure judgment.

He was Kunlun entertainment's top male artist.

A nobody security guard — what gave him the right to look down on him?

However much the feeling grated, Song Xu ultimately let it go. He wasn't willing to give netizens something to moralize about.

*

Xu-ge.

The security player locked onto the identity: Song Xu, Kunlun entertainment artist.

If all the industry figures were bending over backward to impress Kunlun headquarters' representative — that meant Kunlun's entertainment division had significant influence in this instance world.

If the artist who died was Kunlun entertainment's top star...

He watched Song Xu's retreating back. The smile that appeared had no warmth in it.

Then you it is.

Lucky you.

*

Linhai branch office.

The general manager smoothed his clothes for the fifth time and ran his hand over his hair again.

"General Manager — is it really true the boss is personally attending this anniversary?" The other senior management weren't in much better shape; everyone was lined up in a neat row at the main entrance, necks craning.

"Yes — I confirmed it with Secretary Liu half an hour ago." He dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief. "Everyone look sharp. And try to relax — don't let the boss think our staff aren't professional."

"General Manager — should Mr. Chao be attending as well?" The PR manager dropped her voice. "If he is — I think it would be appropriate to put Mr. Chao's seat next to the boss."

"Hmm." He frowned. "Wouldn't that be a little irregular? We do have other company heads attending as guests..."

"It's appropriate." She pulled him aside and pulled up a video.

He watched a young man neatly and efficiently push the figure leaning out of a car back inside, then watched the PR manager replay this single action several times.

He wasn't sure what point she was trying to make. He offered, tentatively: "This young man has very quick hands?"

"General Manager — the person being pushed back in is Xu Chenzhu. The person pushing is Mr. Chao." She explained with great patience. "Their private relationship is very close. I checked with colleagues at headquarters — Xu Chenzhu trusts and values Mr. Chao enormously."

That was Xu Chenzhu and Mr. Chao?

The general manager's expression went through several changes. He had assumed it was some couple being playful with each other.

He looked at the PR manager and quietly exhaled. Thank goodness he hadn't asked who that pair of lovebirds were. That would have finished him.

"General Manager — the car is almost at the entrance. You need to come out."

He sprinted out and planted himself in the front row of the welcoming formation.

*

The sky was brilliantly clear. From a distance, Chao Musheng spotted several large red balloons floating above the branch office entrance, along with flower arrangements and red congratulatory banners sent by partner companies — festive in a way that was also quite cheerfully unpolished.

Compared to Kunlun headquarters, it was like a different company entirely.

When the car stopped, he and Secretary Liu got out first. He was turning to hold the door frame for Xu Chenzhu when Xu Chenzhu was already stepping out.

His eyes went to the legs again involuntarily. They really were long.

Stop that. He pulled his gaze back immediately.

"Welcome, Mr. Xu." The general manager jogged forward, umbrella in hand, holding it over Xu Chenzhu to block the sun. "We are honored by your presence at the Linhai branch."

Chao Musheng looked up and found a red banner hanging across the top of the entrance: Warmly Welcoming Mr. Xu to Inspect Our Branch. A gust of wind sent it dancing like kelp in the air.

"The general manager spent time in academia in his earlier years." Secretary Liu sidled up to Chao Musheng and murmured. "A minor weakness for hanging banners. But the work capability is genuinely strong."

"Secretary Liu, Mr. Chao." The general manager came to them next, shaking their hands with enthusiasm.

Chao Musheng glanced back at Xu Chenzhu. The umbrella the general manager had been carrying was now in Xu Chenzhu's hand — and this composed man, standing at an entrance plastered with banners, somehow managed an effortless elegance despite everything around him.

Noticing the glance, Xu Chenzhu walked over with the umbrella and shifted it over Chao Musheng's head, blocking the harsh sun.

"Please — please come in." Having finished shaking hands with the main party, the general manager turned to find Xu Chenzhu holding an umbrella for Mr. Chao, and discreetly gave the PR manager a thumbs up. Thank goodness she'd had the intelligence to find this out in advance.

He jogged forward and reached for the umbrella, intending to hold it for both of them. Xu Chenzhu smoothly moved it out of his reach.

"No need." His shoulder settled lightly against Chao Musheng's. "We'll hold it ourselves."

"Of — of course." The general manager smiled and withdrew his hand. "Please follow me, Mr. Xu and colleagues."

Chao Musheng followed the general manager inside. Noticing that Xu Chenzhu was still holding the umbrella, he smiled, took it gently from his hand, and folded it closed, handing it to a nearby staff member. "Thank you."

"Not at all," the staff member said.

Xu Chenzhu looked at the thirty centimeters that had opened up between their shoulders. His eyes dropped slightly.

"Mr. Xu — the anniversary celebration is on the third floor. This way, please."

The group moved toward the elevator corridor. Just as they reached the elevator doors, a video started playing with its audio on full blast from the emergency stairwell behind them. The mechanical AI voiceover was entirely without feeling.

"Kunlun CEO's romance exposed — beloved is so good-looking, netizens say boss has excellent taste."

The general manager: "..."

Who. Who was in that stairwell watching videos without earphones at this exact moment.

This had to be a business rival — couldn't stand this year's numbers, decided to sabotage him instead.

He was dripping with cold sweat.