In the afternoon, Su Li brought Su Xiaobei over to Xiao Luo's apartment before heading for the press conference.
"I was at fault for what happened this morning, I shouldn't have..." Su Li tried to apologize.
However, Xiao Luo did not even look at her. He picked up Su Xiaobei and cut Su Li off in the middle of her explanation. "You don't have to apologize, you did nothing wrong, you were just showing your true nature that's all," he said.
What did he mean by showing my true nature?
Su Li became annoyed all of a sudden. She had already put aside her pride to apologize to him. In truth, this was something she would never do, and it was a first for her, so it wasn't easy. It was bad enough that her apology had no effect whatsoever; she was even given the cold shoulder—it was like sticking a warm face into a cold b*tt!
"How narrow-minded!"
She fumed, turned around, and immediately left his apartment. Along with Chai Zhiying and Luo Pingxiang, they headed for the press conference.
Xiao Luo stared at her and then closed the door. He smiled as he turned his attention to Su Xiaobei and asked, "Is Daddy narrow-minded?"
"What is the meaning of narrow-minded?" the little girl asked, blinking her huge eyes.
"It means being ungenerous, shallow, short-sighted, and always being having a suspicious mindset. It also means being a chauvinist when it comes to handling trivial matters and many more," Xiao Luo said, waffling as he tried explaining to her.
The little girl shook her head and asked, "Daddy, what does 'ungenerous' and 'shallow' mean?"
There were not many words that she could understand, and she was utterly overwhelmed by those.
Xiao Luo chuckled and said, "Forget it, let's go watch some cartoon instead."
"Alright, I want to watch Logger Vick, Briar and Bramble from Boonie Bears!"
As soon as he mentioned watching cartoons, Su Xiaobei became very animated and started to cheer excitedly.
...
At Su Li's press conference, the hall was packed and bustling with a crowd of people. Personalities from Xiahai Satellite TV and online programs were ready and eager to broadcast the press conference live.
Xiao Luo was sitting on the sofa, as Su Xiaobei sat on his lap watching cartoons. Xiao Luo, on the other hand, was on his phone watching Su Li's press conference.
The woman wore a long orange dress. The slit of her dress reached her thigh, and she tied a red strap around her waist. On her feet, she wore a pair of black sneakers. They were a casual match, but she looked stylish and was still elegant enough to suffocate any man who looked at her. Especially those pair of slender legs that were long and fair, so enticing it made one have the urge to give it a tiny pinch.
She stood on the stage covered in red carpet, and there were all kinds of lights beaming down toward her. Reporters were continually taking pictures, causing their cameras to flash non-stop.
"If any of you have any questions, you can start asking them. Please do so one at a time and I suggest that those of you with questions, please raise your hands for the sake of good order. The girl in the red shirt, you can ask the first question," Chai Zhiying said, as she stood on stage with a microphone in hand. She would ensure that the press conference was run in an orderly manner.
The girl in the red shirt stood up, looked at Su Li on stage, and asked, "Ms. Su, according to reliable sources, Huangpu has already terminated their contract with you and they plan to drop you completely. What are your views regarding this matter?"
Su Li thought briefly before she said, "To Huangpu, I'm always grateful for all the things that they've done for me. Without them, I wouldn't be where I am at today."
Chai Zhiying was really satisfied with the reply Su Li gave and quietly gave her a thumbs up.
"Huangpu cut you off when you were at your lowest, and anyone with eyes can tell that something fishy is going on here. I heard that Yang Yuanzhong, one of the shareholders of Huangpu, is in jail now. Does Ms. Su have anything to do with the reason why he's in jail? Or should I say, is Ms. Su the main reason why he's in jail, and that's why Huangpu decided to cut you off and block you in the midst of this public relations crisis?"
The girl was clearly an experienced reporter. She never asked Su Li if she was married because she knew that some other reporters would eventually ask her this question, which was evidently the most significant topic of this press conference. She was much more interested in digging out other useful and sensational stories.
When asked those questions, Su Li's expression turned cold. "I'm not someone who's really good at pleasing the leaders, and I've unintentionally offended many people along the way. I'm still going to say the same thing, that I'm always grateful towards Huangpu," she said, "I only found out not too long ago that Mr. Yang Yuanzhong went to jail. As for what the reason was, I really have no idea."
"That's a rather clever reply."
Xiao Luo murmured to himself, acknowledging that Su Li's reply was really well thought out. In public, she couldn't express the hatred she had toward Huangpu. Otherwise, no one from this industry would want to work with her in the future. And all the more, Su Li could not reveal the actual reason why Yang Yuanzhong was in jail. She had to take care and maintain her image at all times, and she just had to keep her head down and see her way through all these questions.
After the girl in the red shirt finished asking her questions, a tall male reporter was next in line.
"Ms. Su Li, what are you looking forward to, and do you have any plans for the future?" the male reporter asked.
"To continue acting, continue singing, and do my best to give the audiences a better performance," Su Li replied.
The other questions were just an assortment of trivial ones, and Su Li answered all of them one by one. Perhaps because the girl in red set the expectations, it seemed everyone took the hint and understood that someone else would ask that most crucial question next. Hence, as they went along, no one touched on that most important topic, but instead, chose to ask about a variety of other issues to dig out more items to report on.
Chai Zhiying coughed a little and went on the microphone again. "There's not much time left. Su Li will be answering one more question from the last reporter here. It's about time for Li Li to attend to other matters." She looked around and spotted a male reporter. "Let's have the guy in the black color shirt ask his question!" she said.
The reporter stood up, took the microphone a media crew member handed to him, and asked, "Ms. Su, this question is regarding the hot topic that's on everyone's mind and has been ongoing with some insane discussions on the internet. What I want to ask is, are you really married? Or are all those discussions just rumors that were spread because some people out there have an ulterior motive?"
This was the question everyone was waiting for, and all the reporters in attendance suddenly went silent and stayed focused.
Chai Zhiying did not seem to be nervous at all. Although this question was going to determine if Su Li could get out of this crisis, she had already reminded her last night to grit her teeth and deny it, no matter what the consequences. As long as she kept denying it, she would be able to get out of this crisis.
As soon as the question was asked, Su Li was visibly stunned and could no longer hear anything else inside the venue.
To admit or to deny—this was a tough choice for her!
For her own future promotions and activities, she should deny this without hesitation and maintain the status that she presently had. But now that she was faced with the moment of truth, she started to waver. Because as soon as she denied it, this would mean that she was telling everyone, especially the person in Crescent Bay hotel right now—that Su Li had been playing the kind of game that kindergarten children played and that she had no intention to spend the rest of her life with him.
In her head, she recalled all the things that Xiao Luo has done for her recently and was really touched. Su Li had assumed a cold and aloof demeanor right through the press conference, but when it came to this question, she suddenly eased up and smiled.
The entire crowd gawked at Su Li and looked at one another, wondering what had happened to her. For Su Li's reaction seemed odd—shouldn't she be nervous and perturbed? Why did she suddenly have such a sweet and happy smile on her face?
"Ms. Su, did you hear my question?" the reporter repeated.
Su Li snapped out of her momentary trance and replied, "I'm married!"
As soon as she gave this reply, the entire venue went dead silent, so quiet one could hear a pin drop. No one expected such an answer from her.
On the stage behind Su Li, Chai Zhiying stumbled a little and almost fell. With an incredulous look on her face, she stared at Su Li and just couldn't comprehend why Su Li would have said that.
...
Xiao Luo shuddered, and the phone fell from his grasp. He was momentarily shocked but he quickly and picked up the phone again. His brows were furrowed as he watched the live stream of the press conference, with waves of confusion swirling within himself.
What was this woman up to?
Was she actually aware of what she was saying, or not?
Like Chai Zhiying, he could not understand why Su Li chose to say what she did. It was clear that all she needed to do was deny everything, and this scandal would have resolved itself. Instead, she insisted on confirming everything, but to what end? Was she planning on retiring from the entertainment industry?
...
...
The press conference fell into a dead silence, and after about four or five seconds, there was a rumble of droning murmurs. The reporters were all whispering to one another, for it was difficult for them to keep calm—this was just too big a scoop. They were regular people before they became reporters, so, like their readers, it wasn't unusual that they were deeply invested in the private lives of mega-celebrities like Su Li. They had initially thought that it was impossible to extract any sort of firm statement from Su Li. But as it turned out, as they actually discussed that most critical issue—the scandal, and Su Li's response were quickly seen as scandalous.
It was completely unexpected, and it was as if they were in a game of "Landlord War," where someone had thrown out a King Bomb just as the game had begun. Everyone's heads were ringing!
The male reporter was still in a daze. In a tone thick with disbelief, he asked, "Miss Su, did you just say that you're already married?"
"You heard right," Su Li acknowledged.
"Miss Su, do you mind telling us more about your husband?"
"Is he from a rich family from Xiahai?"
"He must be really outstanding to have caught your eye, no?"
The entire crowd suddenly got out of control—it was pandemonium! The reporters did not care if they had already asked their questions, and everybody stood up at the same time, screaming for answers. They threw a relentless barrage of questions at Su Li, question after question.
Although she did not know why Su Li would confirm the news, Chai Zhiying quickly returned to her senses and quietened the place. Many of the reporters backed down and cooperated with her, and some order was restored.
Su Li still held on to the microphone as she stood on the red-carpeted stage, facing the crowd with a relaxed smile on her face. "He's just a regular person, but then, he's not all that regular, either. I apologize, but I can't reveal too much about him."
"Miss Su, I hear that there was a young girl about four or five years of age with the both of you while you were ice-skating at Huijin Building. Was that your daughter?" The male reporter who had already asked a question earlier posed another—one that got everyone's undivided attention.
"I wasn't the one who gave birth to her, but she's my daughter!" Su Li responded.
Everybody present in this space had brilliant minds, so how could they not understand the hidden meaning of her response? There was a great scoop here to be had, and it was putting them all on edge.
But Su Li's next words had quashed any hope that had begun to grow within them. "I apologize, but I'm unable to reveal anything about her either!"
That was it!
Chai Zhiying's face was pale as a sheet. She had called for this press conference to quell the public uproar, but not only had Su Li confirmed that she was already married, but she had also acknowledged the existence of Su Xiaobei. All the rehearsal they had done yesterday had all been for naught.
...
...
The press conference finally came to an end, but Xiao Luo could not calm his heart. Su Li's words and actions had far exceeded his expectations, and the internet was thrown into chaos yet again. Many netizens expressed their dissatisfaction and no longer had any love for her; the Internet was rife with posts and comments by people swearing to leave the fandom.
"Daddy, I'm thirsty," Su Xiaobei said. She was lying with her head on his lap and pulled him back from his thoughts with her endearing voice.
Xiao Luo stroked her tiny face, helping her sit up gently before he went to get her a glass of water.
The little girl was transfixed by the animated cartoon on the television. She glugged the water, emptying the glass in a few gulps.
When Xiao Luo sat down on the sofa, she lay down once more using his lap as her pillow.
Not long after, Su Li returned. Seeing Su Xiaobei watch the television as she lay on her side, irritated her. She scooped Su Xiaobei up in her arms and said to Xiao Luo, "Lying on her side and watching TV isn't good for her eyes, don't you know something as simple as this? Are you going to be responsible if she grows up to become short-sighted?"
"She only does this once in a while; it's not such a big problem," Xiao Luo replied, unperturbed in the face of her criticism.
"What would you know? Bad habits always start with 'once-in-a-whiles,' and then it'll be difficult to fix them once the habit is formed," Su Li huffed. She then turned to Su Xiaobei and chided her, "Su Xiaobei, who said you could lie on your side and watch TV? Haven't I told you before that you have to sit with your back straight when you watch TV? You can't sit too closely, and you have to take regular breaks so your eyes won't dry up or become tired. Did you forget everything I've said?"
"I won't do it again. Don't be angry, Mommy, and don't blame Daddy anymore," the little girl responded. She spoke in a soft voice and kept a stiff upper lip.
Su Li could not bring herself to be angry anymore, not at the sight of such a well-behaved and sensible child. "You're not allowed to lie on your side and watch the TV anymore in the future, do you hear me?"
"Hm," Su Xiaobei responded and nodded obediently.
Su Li said no more as she embraced the child tightly in her arms before making their way back to her own residence.
Suddenly, Xiao Luo asked, "Why did you confirm your marriage?"
Su Li froze, stopping in her steps, then she turned and rebuked, "What's it to you?!"
Then, she walked away without turning back, with Su Xiaobei in tow.
Xiao Luo sat on the sofa with his brows raised. She had a point; why should he have to know, anyway?
Suddenly, his phone rang—it was Zhang Dashan calling him.
"D*mn it man, I have crazy news, really unbelievable news. Dude, have you seen it? Goddess Su is married!"
The instant the call connected, Zhang Dashan's loud voice rang out. He sounded excited, agitated, and in disbelief—he was crowing like a rooster.
"Ah," Xiao Luo said, "You called just to tell me this?"
Zhang Dashan was somewhat taken aback, but he quickly got back to the matter. "Hey, did you hear what I just said? This country's Goddess Su Li is married, she's married! Big boss, this is the scoop of the year," he cried.
"Celebrities are human too, getting married is a normal thing. What's there to be surprised about?" Xiao Luo responded, sounding a little harsh and stern.
"F*ck, man, what's going on with you? I leave you for a bit and already we're not on the same page anymore, you c*nt!" Zhang Dashan shot back, running his mouth carelessly.
"That's enough. Stop beating around the bush and get right to it."
Xiao Luo changed the topic. He couldn't tell Zhang Dashan that he was the one that Su Li was married to, knowing that both of them would part ways in the future. So, informing Zhang Dashan would just be a waste of time. Instead, Xiao Luo changed the subject. "Manager Lee reported to me about the situation of the factory's construction. It's half-built and the equipment has already been purchased as well. Each store's renovation can be completed within a month, which means to say that Luo's Workshop will be able to officially set up shop in Xiahai City," he said, "There are no funding issues with Jiangcheng, are there?"
"Don't worry, things are stable on my side. I might as well just go whore myself out if I can't even get something like this done," Zhang Dashan replied, patting his chest as if to assure Xiao Luo on the other end of the line.
"That settles it then!"
Xiao Lu heaved a sigh of relief, but then frowned again at the thought of Su Li being his competitor in Xiahai City.