Chapter Twenty-Five: The Photograph Scandal

After settling matters with the lead actress, Zhang Qianjun was about to return to his script when he suddenly remembered being photographed that morning. He decided to give Li Yanjing a heads-up.

"Glasses" didn't react much to the news. Perhaps due to his background in the music industry, he wasn't particularly sensitive to such things. After all, who in the music scene hasn't had a dozen flings? Marriage and divorce were barely news, let alone a kiss at the airport. Still, acting on his professional instincts as a manager, he asked, "How do you want to handle it?"

Zhang Qianjun shrugged. "I don't really care. I'm just not sure about Kan Qingzi's side. I tried calling her earlier, but she didn't pick up—probably filming."

"Give her another call. Tell her to check with her manager. If they need us to coordinate, I'll handle the liaison."

Zhang Qianjun agreed, and dialed his girlfriend's number again.

After several rings, she finally answered. "Honey? What is it? I just finished a scene; I was in the lounge, but I'm out now."

"Remember when I dropped you off at the airport this morning? A paparazzo snapped some photos of us. Ask your manager if it’s a problem."

Kan Qingzi grew anxious instantly. "What did they capture? Will it affect you?"

"Just holding hands, hugging, a kiss—the usual. I’m fine with it; I don't rely on a 'girlfriend-fan' base to make a living. Besides, even though we starred in a hundred-million-yuan film, the audience isn't that vast. Not that many people actually know who I am."

"What does 'Glasses' say? I have to ask my manager."

"Glasses is as dense as a brick. In his world, only if we had a kid would it be a real issue—and that’s only because he’d have to find relatives to help babysit."

"Hahaha, why is he so funny? Is he still hoping to turn you into a pop star? That’s hilarious. Once we’re two years older, why don’t we try having one?"

"Sure. Women recover better and faster from early pregnancies, and the risks are lower. As long as the conditions are right, sooner is definitely better than later. Let’s have two. Ideally, a boy first, then a girl. The older brother can look after the younger sister, so he develops a sense of responsibility. If the girl is older, the boy might end up spoiled."

"I was just thinking about it, and you've already got the order planned out! Hahaha, I have to go now. I’ll go ask my manager about the photos. Mwah, love you!"

"Mwah, Qingbao. Go on."

After hanging up, Kan Qingzi looked radiant. The worry and tension that had been on her face vanished. She hummed *Fly Away* as she walked back, feeling as if she were genuinely contemplating when to have a child.

"Hey!" A sudden shout made her jump. She looked up to see Li Qin and immediately felt a surge of defiance. *This rustic girl dares to startle me?* She prepared to step forward and give this little prankster a piece of her mind.

"Whoa, whoa, let’s talk, don't get physical. Look at you, all love-struck. Talking to your beau again? Did you two get it on over the phone?" Li Qin had a sharp tongue; having trained at an opera school, her barbs were always perfectly inflected.

They had met on the set of *Dream of the Red Chamber* but weren't close. Now, filming *The Watchful Sky*, they were playing best friends, and being from the same company and of a similar age, they had grown quite close.

Kan Qingzi found Li Qin's brazen comment amusing. "Do you realize this doesn't fit your 'pure' persona at all? Your mouth is full of such scandalous talk—are you trying to go to heaven?"

Li Qin scoffed. "I don't have a 'pure' persona. What kind of actress has a 'pure' persona when she’s playing a ten-year-old's mother at twenty-one? You can't be that 'early' in your career to be playing a mom!"

The conversation drifted into complaining about their company’s mismanagement; the artists just filmed whatever the company threw at them, with no real career planning involved.

"I got distracted and forgot—I need to find Sister Li. My boyfriend dropped me off at the airport this morning, and a paparazzo snapped us. He told me to ask how my company wants to handle it."

Li Qin’s gossip radar went off immediately. "What did your boyfriend say?"

Kan Qingzi glanced at her, thinking, *Why are you so excited?* "He said it doesn't matter, whatever happens, happens. His manager feels the same. He just wants to know what my company wants to do so he can coordinate."

Li Qin sighed. "Isn't your boyfriend the lead of a hundred-million-box-office hit? Everyone calls him the 'new film sensation.' If he doesn't care, I don't know whether to call him responsible or just plain crazy."

Kan Qingzi laughed. "You mean 'reckless,' don't you?"

Li Qin looked up at the ceiling. "You said it, not me."

Kan Qingzi scoffed. "Sometimes I think he's a bit reckless too, but then I remember he’s strong, handsome, and loves me. So, being reckless isn't such a big deal."

Li Qin knew the conversation was over; if she let her, this woman would gloat all night. She pretended not to hear and switched the subject.

They laughed and bickered their way back to the lounge. Upon entering, they saw their manager, Sister Li, along with the company "prince," Lin Yushen, and his assistant. With no outsiders around, Kan Qingzi told her manager about the photos.

Sister Li was instantly displeased, frowning. "When we signed you, we said no dating. If you already were, you were supposed to break it off. Now you’re dating, and you’re not even hiding it. See what happened? What am I supposed to say to you?"

Ever since getting together with Zhang Qianjun, Kan Qingzi’s confidence had grown. Perhaps because her basic needs were met, her repressed personality was starting to shine through. She was no longer the cautious girl from last year’s auditions.

"I wanted to walk alone, but he insisted on dropping me off. At the airport, I didn't want it to happen like that, but he's just used to it. He's so strong, I couldn't resist him~"

Li Qin felt like she was getting PTSD; she had heard this kind of talk many times in their shared room, and it always made her want to throw something.

Sister Li was fuming. "Do you know how this affects your image? It’s a huge blow to your future career."

Kan Qingzi retorted, "Will it affect me playing the wicked second lead? I doubt it. Do you really need to maintain a 'pure' persona to play a villain?"

Seeing Kan Qingzi acting like a thick-skinned rebel, Sister Li didn't waste more words and called the head of the company, Manager Li, to report the situation.

After hanging up, Sister Li’s expression softened slightly. "Manager Li says to just deny it for now, and be more careful in public."

Kan Qingzi felt a bit embarrassed. The company was being reasonable, not making a scene, but she remembered her boyfriend saying the photos were extremely clear, which made her feel awkward.

"Sister Li, my boyfriend says the photos are very clear and comprehensive. Denying it might be difficult..."

Sister Li’s brow twitched. "How comprehensive?"

"Just hugging and kissing. Nothing too extreme."

"How many normal people hug and kiss at a security checkpoint? Are you two afraid people won't know you're together?"

Kan Qingzi finally felt a bit intimidated, but she kept her composure. "Young people are like that, it's very common~"

Before Sister Li could explode, Lin Yushen, who had been eavesdropping, burst into laughter. "Sorry, I didn't mean to listen, but you guys were so loud I couldn't help it. Hahaha!"

Sister Li immediately shifted her focus. "Yushen, as a senior in this company and someone who’s supposed to take over, you shouldn't just be laughing at this."

The company's "prince" wasn't having it. "I’m just an actor. This isn't my department. Besides, the law doesn't forbid dating. In my opinion, it’s not a big deal. How many people even know Qingzi? Even if it hits the papers, no one will read it."

Sister Li, helpless, reported back to her boss. "Manager Li says if we can't deny it, try to have your boyfriend suppress the story. You’re both young and just starting to gain some fame; it’s better to have less of this news. Especially your boyfriend—he has a new film project with a fifty-million investment. It’s better to be safe."

Kan Qingzi felt worried and called her boyfriend again.

"What did they say?" A familiar voice came through, and somehow, her anxiety vanished.

"The company says we’re just starting to get famous, so we should try to suppress it. They also said you have a new film project, and it's better to play it safe."

"Fine, I’ll reach out and ask around. Wait for my call." The phone clicked off.

Kan Qingzi clutched her phone, her calm replaced by growing anxiety. *Why hasn't he called back yet?* she muttered to herself.

Li Qin was about to comfort her when the screen lit up. Before the ringtone could sound, she picked up.

"What did they say?" Kan Qingzi asked anxiously.

"Damn it, the jerk! They opened their mouths and asked me for a million yuan, saying they’d investigated my income."

*What?* A million? That was outrageous.

"That's way too much. What should we do?"

"Do nothing. Am I crazy to give him a million? You’ve always liked sports cars—that’s almost enough to buy you a 911."

Kan Qingzi was annoyed. How could he joke at a time like this? "I was just saying that online! What if they leak the photos?"

"So what if they do? Are you scared?"

"With you around, I’m not scared of anything."

"That’s it then. Let them go to hell. I'll save that money to buy you a Porsche. The 2012 model is coming out soon anyway."

"No, that's too expensive. Why buy that?"

"Don't you love it? You said when you were in school, your dream was to drive a sports car along the island road in Xiamen. Once the car arrives, we can go to Xiamen and Nan'ao Island together."

Kan Qingzi was deeply touched. She had only made a passing comment online, yet her boyfriend had remembered it. Still, she felt a lingering unease. "Is it really okay? Don't people say unmarried celebrities are terrified of being exposed?"

"That's for 'traffic' stars. I rely on talent. Besides, you don't understand—anti-fans are the most loyal fans. Remember, the peak creates hypocritical support, but the dusk witnesses the true believers. His exposure is equivalent to purifying my fan base. I can use the momentum to promote my movie. I might even have to thank him later."

Kan Qingzi listened to her boyfriend’s twisted logic. It felt slightly off, but since he said so, she chose to believe him.

They hung up, waiting for the fallout with mixed emotions.

Sure enough, on the third day, their airport photos were arranged in a grid and posted online by the infamous Fengxing Studio.

In an instant, keywords like "Zhang Qianjun and Kan Qingzi," "Liu Xiaobei and Wei Lai," and "Everything in the movie is fake" were all over the trending charts. Interestingly, aside from the usual chatter:

"I knew these two had something going on! Every time they did a roadshow, Kan Qingzi was always next to Zhang Qianjun."

"I told you! Zhang Qianjun wasn't even acting on *Very Quiet Distance*; he said he liked Wei Lai, and a bunch of his female fans were just in denial."

"Boo hoo, my little brother is so innocent, he must have been tricked by that older woman."

"Everything in the movie is fake; there is no boy like Xiaobei. I can't love anymore."

"This woman is ugly and tacky. She must have used dirty tricks to hook Xiaobei."

"Hahaha, Xiaobei and Wei Lai are together; now *that* is the truth."

"To the guy above, Zhang Qianjun isn't innocent. My classmate is at the Beijing Film Academy, and they say he was famous for being a brawler since military training. The instructors took turns fighting him and were so beaten they didn't dare say a word. Plus, he's notoriously hot-tempered; if he’s unhappy on set, he’ll point at your nose and curse you out."

"Heh, another 'I have a friend' series."

"Pure bystander here: Kan Qingzi is neither ugly nor tacky. She was the school beauty at the No. 9 High School in Harbin."

"Upvoted! And she has a great figure too!"

"Creepy guys, go back to the forums!"

"Suddenly feel like the 'Hall Master' is so manly. If you love her, let everyone know—Wanma Hall, Planet."

"Ahhhhh, I want to replace Kan Qingzi! With the Hall Master’s waist, hips, and face, Kan Qingzi must be in heaven—Wanma Hall, July Flowing Water."

"I don't need to replace her, I just want to join them—Wanma Hall, August Itch."

And so on, ranging from fan-oriented comments to extreme, unsightly remarks.

There were also many asking:

"Who is Zhang Qianjun?"

"Who is Kan Qingzi?"

"Is *Better Days* any good?"

"Why is Zhuo Wei leaking such nobodies?"

It did, however, help Zhang Qianjun and Kan Qingzi break out of their niche thanks to the notoriety of Fengxing Studio.

Just as the buzz reached its peak, *Brotherhood of Blades* released its first official poster featuring Shen Lian, which immediately climbed into the top ten on the trending list.

*Cut through the chaos, shatter the mystery, sever the hatred, slay the corrupt.*

*The pinnacle of realistic martial arts masterpieces: Brotherhood of Blades.*

*Directed by Lu Yang.*

*Starring Zhang Qianjun and Liu Yifei.*

*Stay tuned.*