Reborn in the Hong Kong entertainment industry in the 1980s

Seeing Hu Xiaoxiao pulling him away again, he loudly explained, "I really wanted to date you and be your girlfriend. If the reporters exposed it, you would become wary of me, and all my efforts would be wasted. So, believe me, those paparazzi really have nothing to do with me."

Hu Xiaoxiao loosened his collar, but her eyes were even colder. "If you say the first news report wasn't intentional, what about the second one? I've studied the photo in the newspaper the day you delivered the dried goods. From where you were standing, you could have seen someone taking pictures."

"I...I did discover someone was taking pictures. But at that time, I realized you had absolutely no interest in me and didn't want to have anything to do with me at all, so I thought—" Chang Wanming suddenly became self-righteous again,

"At the time, I thought that even if I couldn't pick up a girl, it would be good to get some publicity. If I had a scandal with you, I would get publicity and audiences would recognize me. Even if I couldn't get the girl, getting some fame would be a win. Xiaoxiao, in other industries, what I did would indeed be despicable and shameless, but in the entertainment industry, this kind of publicity-seeking is very common. Many people do it. Even if you dragged me to the company and exposed me in front of the whole company, everyone would agree with my thinking and wouldn't think it was a big deal."

"Who in the entertainment industry doesn't want to be famous? I'm not stealing or robbing; I'm just getting a little publicity. What's wrong with that? Believe it or not, other artists just haven't had the chance. Once they did, they'd be even more eager to ride your coattails than I am!"

Hu Xiaoxiao wasn't so easily swayed by his excuses. "Trying to ride the coattails of others' popularity is indeed a common thing in this industry, so I've never paid any attention to those gossips and rumors. But, spying on people using the toilet and then spying on them changing clothes is something that no industry can tolerate."

"You've wronged me!" Chang Wanming was even angrier than Hu Xiaoxiao. "I said I didn't peep at you when you went to the toilet. I was looking for you outside! And I definitely didn't peep at you when you changed! I've said it before, I did have some ulterior motives, I just wanted to create some chance encounters so you would like me and then pursue me as your girlfriend, but I absolutely did not do anything so tasteless and despicable! I swear, if I did, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"

Hu Xiaoxiao sized up Chang Wanming, trying to discern the truth in his words. She asked him if he had actually seen anyone outside the changing room when he delivered the dried goods that day. She also inquired about how many times he had followed her and orchestrated these "chance encounters."

Chang Wanming denied the locker room incident, saying, "I already told you that I went to look for you near the locker room that day, and someone else pointed me in the right direction. You came out before I even got to the locker room, and you still ask me..."

At this point, Chang Wanming suddenly realized, "That day you asked me if I saw someone run past, right? It really wasn't me that time!"

To prove his innocence, Chang Wanming didn't hide anything and told everyone that he had tried to stage a chance encounter with Hu Xiaoxiao twice in the past few days.

The time and place were not concealed at all.

After listening, Hu Xiaoxiao's expression was unclear. She asked, "You saw the person who took the photo that day. Do you know who he is?"

“Those are staff members from the program department. I don’t often work on programs, how would I know them?” Chang Wanming realized that besides him, other people were also eyeing Hu Xiaoxiao. He said with a grin, “Xiaoxiao, you don’t have a boyfriend, so there must be a lot of people eyeing you. Why don’t you try dating me? I’ll escort you to and from get off work every day, and I guarantee no one will dare to make a move on you.”

After going through all the people she had offended in her mind, Hu Xiaoxiao heard Chang Wanming's words and said, "Looks like you've forgotten the pain again. You've caused me so much trouble, and I haven't even settled accounts with you yet."

"What's there to settle between us? Didn't I already say it?" Chang Wanming said with a grin, "It's just picking up girls. What man hasn't done that? You're not a saint, you can't even be picked up by someone."

Seeing Chang Wanming's shameless and thuggish demeanor, Hu Xiaoxiao felt an urge to punch him.

Chang Wanming immediately took several steps back, pointed at Hu Xiaoxiao, and shouted, "What do you want to do? You want to hit me again? Just because I like you, you're going to hit me? Fine! Hit me then! Kill me!"

Chang Wanming, with his neck stiff, leaned towards Hu Xiaoxiao and shouted, "Go ahead and hit me! Hit me! Hit me in the face! It would be best if you crippled me! Then I'll call all the citizens of Hong Kong to come and judge the reasoning. Just because I, Chang Wanming, chased after you and slept with you, you think I've defiled your purity, so you crippled me!"

I'm sure every paparazzi magazine in Hong Kong wants to ask you, "What gives you the right to be so domineering? Even princesses aren't so arrogant as to forbid others from touching them. Who are you, Hu Xiaoxiao, to be so cocky?"

Hu Xiaoxiao was speechless at Chang Wanming's shameless and roguish behavior, which even seemed designed to provoke her. She was certain that Chang Wanming wished she would actually beat him up. That way, he could complain to reporters and maybe dominate the gossip headlines for a month, becoming famous throughout Hong Kong.

Another kind of red, it's still red, this person is so desperate for fame they're practically going crazy.

Ultimately, he wasn't afraid of being beaten, but rather afraid of not becoming famous.

Hu Xiaoxiao chuckled, fearing he might have nothing to fear, and said, "You probably know I just came from Charlie's office, and you probably know why Charlie wanted to see me. That's one of the reasons you've been trying to bump into me and create a surprise. You want to follow in Mingxu's footsteps and have me create a reputation as an on-screen couple with you, so you can become as famous as Mingxu in Hong Kong. In short, you want to be famous and take over Mingxu's job."

Chang Wanming, thinking he had Hu Xiaoxiao under control, admitted, "That's right, that's exactly it. Is it not allowed? This idea was proposed by Charlie, and the TV station still supports it."

Hu Xiaoxiao reminded him: "Charlie's idea is based on the premise that you have value, that you can be promoted, and that I am willing. If I am not willing to cooperate, it's all just empty talk. Chang Wanming, Charlie values ​​profit the most. If I tell him that I am willing to cooperate with him to create hype and promote him as a screen couple again, but the target has to be different, anyone is fine, but not you, Chang Wanming, do you think Charlie will agree?"

Charlie will definitely agree!

The company has too many artists, including many outstanding and handsome male artists; no one is irreplaceable. Especially Chang Wanming, who has never filmed a single drama as the male lead. Replacing him? It's far too easy!

Moreover, given Hu Xiaoxiao's status at the TV station, her vested interests with Charlie, the high regard she enjoys from President Lu, and the resources she possesses, she could easily blacklist someone without much effort; a few words would suffice to determine Chang Wanming's future at the TV station.

"You want to be famous? Then try being infamous first." Hu Xiaoxiao turned and walked towards Charlie's office.

燶: burnt, charred.