Chapter 18: CH 018

TL: Moonlit

Lin Hanchuan finished arranging all the work and left the company early for the first time ever.

When Ran Xing heard the doorbell, he rushed to open the door at the first moment. As expected, the person he had in mind was standing outside.

Even though he had some expectations, Ran Xing couldn’t hide his surprise and joy. He looked at Lin Hanchuan’s cold expression and forced a smile, trying to suppress the high curve of his lifted mouth. He humbly stepped aside and opened the door for Lin Hanchuan, saying, “President Yan, please come in.”

Seeing him relaxed and without any signs of sadness or sorrow, Lin Hanchuan’s gaze softened slightly. With a stern face, he asked, “Why did you take action on your own?”

“This is the simplest and most effective method, isn’t it?” Ran Xing smiled shyly, poured a cup of tea for Lin Hanchuan, and flattered, “I learned it from you, President Yan.”

Previously, when Lin Hanchuan dealt with Qiu Hongguang using a recording, Ran Xing simply followed suit.

“Blaming me for teaching you bad habits?” Lin Hanchuan was both angry and amused. Since the incident had already happened and public opinion was gradually improving, he didn’t have the habit of digging deeper. He just issued a serious warning, “Don’t let it happen again.”

“There won’t be a next time!” Ran Xing didn’t hesitate and obediently responded like a well-behaved echo.

After silently observing Ran Xing for a few seconds and seeing his face turn slightly red, Lin Hanchuan softened his voice, “In the video, that man laid hands on you. Did you get hurt?”

As if not expecting Lin Hanchuan to notice such a small detail, Ran Xing paused for a moment and smiled, “I ran away when he tried to attack me, so I wasn’t hurt.”

“That’s good.” Lin Hanchuan sighed inwardly and rubbed Ran Xing’s soft black hair. “Don’t act so impulsively in the future. I’ve said it before, no matter what happens, I’ll handle it for you. Don’t be afraid.”

Ran Xing wasn’t afraid. Not only was he not afraid, he was even excited. But he just lowered his head, appearing like a well-behaved and obedient child.

At that time, sitting in the car, Ran Xing pulled out a dagger from the storage compartment of the passenger seat. Evil thoughts churned in his mind, and he desperately wanted to drag that man to hell and perish together.

After calling the person out, they sat in a private room on the second floor of the cafe and watched the hurried pedestrians downstairs. The resentment in Ran Xing’s heart slowly dissipated.

He was no longer just Ran Xing; he was an artist of Starlight Entertainment and a subordinate of Lin Hanchuan. Having been immersed in the entertainment industry for many years, Ran Xing may not understand everything, but he knew that if a company’s artist had a criminal record, it would greatly damage the company’s public image and even affect the work and prospects of other artists within the company.

If he were still in the Yanshi Film Industry, the solitary Ran Xing would have probably taken action already. But Starlight Entertainment was different.

He thought a lot and finally put down the dagger in his hand and opened the recording function on his phone.

As for being beaten… a slight smirk appeared on the corner of Ran Xing’s lips.

When he saw that man again, he found that he had already aged considerably, while Ran Xing himself was in the prime of his youth. He was no longer the naive child who could only be beaten and scolded. In that instant, the last trace of gloom in his heart also dissipated.

Ran Xing had already given up on resorting to violence and wanted to resolve the issue peacefully.

But since that man took the initiative to attack… he only retaliated, giving him a thorough beating and even threatening him with the dagger to leave the city.

That’s all.

Ran Xing raised his head, looking downcast and pitiful. “Luckily, I ran fast. I never expected him to suddenly attack me. It scared me…”

Lin Hanchuan comfortingly patted Ran Xing’s head.

As the grown-up in the family, he had to regain face when his little one was bullied.

On that same afternoon, all the dirty deeds of Ran Xing’s father were exposed—stealing, robbery, soliciting, fighting… It was even revealed that he had spent several years in prison and had only recently been released.

The initial sympathy from netizens turned into anger at being deceived.

“I rarely speak so maliciously about an old person, but I have to say one thing: Old scoundrel.”

“I used to mock Ran Xing for having only a junior high school education. I apologize. I can fully accept this reason for having a junior high school education. I just hope that if Ran Xing has the opportunity, he can return to school… Not a fan, just a passerby’s suggestion.”

“In the recording, this old pervert claims that he received guidance from a master. This master must be as wicked as him, causing trouble wherever he goes.”

“@Local police, this old scoundrel is extorting money. Can you send him back to prison?”

“I’ve insulted Ran Xing before, but I apologize. I will buy ten clothing items endorsed by Ran Xing, hoping that the brand will renew its contract with him. He is a great actor.”

“Support «Sword Immortal», support Star Entertainment. It’s rare to see such a humane company.”

Times had changed. It was no longer an era of blind filial piety. Netizens learned about Ran Xing’s father’s despicable acts, and no one spoke up for him. Countless messages flooded Ran Xing’s social media accounts, apologizing to him.

Due to guilt and compensation, netizens spontaneously started buying products endorsed by Ran Xing. In just three hours, the sales and returns that had been declining for the past few days skyrocketed, breaking historical records.

Ran Xing’s father didn’t understand much about online matters. He didn’t know what all of this meant, but he understood the insults from netizens. Lying on the hotel bed, he was gasping for breath, infuriated. He wanted to throw his phone but hesitated because he didn’t want to buy a new one. His face turned pale with anger.

Suddenly, a sharp pain ran through his ribs and chest as he grew agitated. He turned pale and muttered angrily, “This damn brat, may he be struck by lightning…”

At the cafe, he was rejected and became angry, wanting to take action. But Ran Xing pinned him down on the ground and beat him ruthlessly, even hitting him in places that others couldn’t see. Although his abdomen and chest were in excruciating pain, there were no visible injuries on the surface.

Thinking of the expression on Ran Xing’s face when he gestured with the knife at his own neck, Ran Xing’s father couldn’t help but shudder. He had an inexplicable feeling that Ran Xing wasn’t just threatening or intimidating him; he was capable of actually doing it.

“If you appear in front of me again, disturbing my life, I will kill you, cut your throat, and let your blood splatter from here to the doorstep. I have nothing, and now that I’ve finally grasped something, if you dare to ruin it… even if I die, I will drag you to hell with me.”

Ran Xing’s father recalled Ran Xing’s eerie voice, and he trembled. He looked at the balance in his account, considering returning to his hometown, but he couldn’t bear to leave behind this gold mine named Ran Xing.

Before he could make a decision, there was a knocking sound at the door. Grumbling and clutching his stomach, Ran Xing’s father went to open the door in his slippers. “Damn it, I said I don’t need room service…”

At the door were not hotel staff but two well-dressed police officers. “Mr. Ran, you are involved in extortion. Several months ago, several robbery and theft cases are suspected to be related to you. Please come with us.”

Ran Xing’s father’s mind went blank, and he could only think of two words: It’s over.

Ran Xing’s father appeared with great fanfare and disappeared silently once again, and nobody noticed his disappearance.

Upon hearing the feedback from the public relations manager on the phone, Lin Hanchuan’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Find him a lawyer and defend him.”

Whether it would be a positive defense or a negative defense was a matter of perspective.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Hanchuan returned to the meeting room. “Sorry, I took a private call.”

“No problem.” The brand representatives smiled cheerfully, their eyes filled with laughter. “So, our contract with Mr. Ran is finalized.”

“Happy cooperation.” Lin Hanchuan extended his hand, giving a faint smile.

Watching Lin Hanchuan’s calm expression, the brand representatives couldn’t help but feel emotional. When he chose to gamble, Starlight Entertainment had no winning chances, but this young man seemed to have the power to turn the tide against all odds. Sure enough, within a day, the whole situation had been completely reversed.

Due to Ran Xing’s recent popularity, the brand took advantage of the heat and released another advertisement.

In the commercial, Ran Xing wore traditional and outdated clothing, receiving strange looks from people on the street. He then changed into more casual clothes and was criticized by people online for not fitting into any specific style. Amidst the various criticisms, Ran Xing wore the clothes designed by the brand.

He wore clothes that combined classical charm with everyday convenience, ignoring all the pointing and comments, walking from the street to the runway.

He had no expression on his face, his eyes calm and unruffled. Only in the final glance towards the camera did his entire being become like a fine point in a traditional painting, as if the calm and pale ink wash had given birth to magnificent and beautiful mountains.

“Wuwuwu, Ran Xing is so handsome, even ordinary people are amazed by his good looks. He’s so good-looking.”

“The highest level of beauty is gender ambiguity. Ran Xing not only blurs gender boundaries but also blurs sexual orientation.”

“The brand is so clever. This commercial is just a true portrayal of Ran Xing himself—being accused and unjustly criticized… I hope the real Ran Xing can reach the pinnacle of life!”

“I’ll buy it! Can’t I buy it? Please stop hurting me with your knife; I’m going to cry.”

“Poor Xing Xing, I hope one day you can wipe off the dust on you and shine brightly again.”

Once this advertisement was released, the brand’s sales skyrocketed, and the inventory was not enough to meet the demand. They had to open pre-orders, and even the company’s stock price increased by several points.

Coinciding with the approaching finale of «Sword Immortal», the ratings kept rising until it reached an absurdly high level on the day of the final episode, while the neighboring show «Jiuge» had long been forgotten.

Ran Xing became popular, «Sword Immortal» was a hit, and these two events became the solid foundation of Starlight Entertainment, making it a well-known entertainment company in the industry.

Lin Hanchuan stood on the balcony, observing the lively scene of everyone toasting and celebrating around the great contributor, Ran Xing. He spoke to the man next to him, who seemed absent-minded. “Did you find out?”

Taking a sip of champagne and enjoying it with half-closed eyes, the man replied, “Trust my professional ethics. The details and evidence chain have been sent to your email.”

“After confirming its accuracy, I will have my secretary transfer the final payment to you.” Lin Hanchuan opened the email sent by the private investigator on his phone, squinting as he looked at the reconstructed details and photos.

“I heard that you put that scumbag in jail. I have a few comrades who work as prison guards. Do you need help taking care of that scumbag?” The private investigator smiled. “This service is free, consider it a gift.”

“Thank you.” Lin Hanchuan turned off his phone and walked toward Ran Xing, who had been absent-minded the whole time.

The private investigator downed the drink in his glass in one gulp, contemplating the investigation results, and couldn’t help but feel emotional. “Indeed, noble families have many hidden secrets.”

Yan Weilou was clearly the sole heir of a noble family but ended up in a situation where he had to fight alone. Qiu Hongguang was a stranger but became the darling of the Yan family… If he hadn’t investigated, he would have misunderstood that Qiu Hongguang had a blood relationship with Yan Weilou’s parents.

Qiu Hongguang, an outsider, not only lived with the Yan family for a long time but also secretly investigated Ran Xing, digging up his scumbag father from the small town. Was it jealousy or the fact that Ran Xing had already started affecting his position in the entertainment industry?

Perhaps it was both. The private investigator pondered.

Author’s Note:

The image of Ran Xing in Lin Hanchuan’s eyes: weak, pitiful, and full of grievances.

The actual Ran Xing: super fierce, super ruthless, but pretending to be obedient in front of the old gong.