Chapter 13: Fishing for a Slap in the Face

"I can explain this matter."

Facing the aggressive questioning from the Sohu Entertainment reporter, Gu Cheng spoke with nonchalant ease.

"That night, I was indeed speeding severely, and I was driving without a license—as this reporter lady correctly pointed out, I turned eighteen at the beginning of this year. Half a month before the incident, I had applied for driver's training. I’m a quick learner, but I hadn't yet had the chance to take the test..."

The reporter aggressively interrupted, cutting straight to the point: "Driving without a license is driving without a license! It has nothing to do with how fast you learn to drive!"

"Patience, please. I didn't say it had anything to do with it; I was simply providing the details," Gu Cheng replied with a calm, graceful demeanor, appearing completely unperturbed.

"Now, let me explain why I was forced to speed that night. I received a call from a female subordinate, but she was unable to speak before an accident occurred. When I arrived at the company and found her with my colleagues, she had been stabbed by a suspect involved in an internal economic crime case and was unconscious.

"It was the middle of the night, and my regular driver was not with me. Although my cousin has a license, she is not an experienced driver, and she was so terrified that her legs had gone weak; she was clearly not in a mental state to drive at high speeds. Therefore, I had to act out of necessity, speeding without a license to rush her to the Provincial People's Hospital for emergency treatment. The two young women in the car you mentioned were the injured employee and my cousin, who was attending to her. I believe these actions fully meet the legal criteria for 'emergency avoidance.' The police who handled the case later reached the same conclusion, which is why I was only fined and banned from taking the driving test for one year."

After hearing Gu Cheng's explanation, Director Li finally let out the breath he had been holding. Dong Jie and Liu Feifei also breathed a sigh of relief.

The Sohu Entertainment reporter was in total disarray: *What the hell? Was the whistleblower blind? Why didn't they mention any of this? What kind of trap-setting informant is this?!*

However, having slapped her own face, she had to see it through, even with tears in her eyes. At this moment, she had no choice but to push forward. Gritting her teeth, the reporter forced another question:

"You... do you have proof of what you're saying? Why wasn't this information public? Why did you directly threaten the NetEase news portal to retract the article instead of clarifying it openly? As journalists, we naturally have to judge based on public information. That... at the very least, we were forcing you to reveal the truth..."

By the end of her sentence, the reporter was rambling incoherently.

Gu Cheng smiled politely. "Miss, it seems you lack common sense. This matter involved a major criminal case, and at the time, the suspect had not yet been apprehended; the situation had not been fully investigated. If I had clarified things publicly just to defend myself, I would have alerted the culprit and hindered the police investigation. Would you take responsibility for that, or would someone else?"

Gu Cheng paused deliberately, controlling the rhythm of the room, before shifting to a more earnest tone: "I know that times are changing and society is progressing. The birth of internet media has made news response times much faster. This is the benefit of the internet, and as someone who works in the industry, I know it well.

"But sometimes, I feel that we in the online media should also have a sense of responsibility. Let the truth fly for a while, let it land, and see it clearly before reporting it responsibly. Don't act like a pan of oil that’s been splashed with water—splattering everywhere just for the sake of being fast. I didn't pressure the NetEase news portal to retract their article; they did so voluntarily upon learning that the incident involved an ongoing, unresolved case. I hope you can learn from that responsible attitude."

After Gu Cheng finished, almost every reporter from the television stations, magazines, and newspapers in the room had sided with him.

It felt incredibly satisfying!

*Take that, online media, always chasing speed! Take that, all of you who boast every day that 'television news takes half a day, while internet media gets it in an hour!'*

*Look who’s getting slapped in the face now!*

The line "let the truth fly for a while" was destined to appear in commentary articles across all major print media and television stations the next day. By comparison, the catchy phrase from a few months ago—"we are just forcing the truth out by spouting nonsense"—would likely lose its momentum.

Moreover, with the "Two Sessions" approaching, it was time for the online trolls to tone down their rumors. If they dared to speak recklessly again, they would simply be silenced.

There is no greater art than using the momentum of the moment.

As for whether online media would smear Gu Cheng, he didn't care. Firstly, the three major portals would certainly have to play a game of give-and-take. Secondly, these current web portals wouldn't be able to act arrogant in front of him for much longer; once his ecosystem was built... *heh*.

...

"Mr. Gu, that was wonderful! Truly satisfying! Regarding this incident, our CCTV Film and Television Department owes you a favor! I’m not exaggerating; I heard several leaders praising you just now. In the future, for anything you send over for review, we will be as lenient as possible!"

After the press conference, while everyone was having a casual meal in the CCTV canteen's private room, Director Li couldn't stop showering Gu Cheng with praise.

Halfway through the meal, Gu Cheng received a call from Zhang Chaoyang, who said he had fired the female reporter and leaked the informant's information.

Zhang Chaoyang's implication was that this was merely the work of a low-level underling trying to score a big story, and that he had been completely unaware. He expressed his hope to maintain a friendly relationship with Gu Cheng and, by extension, Legend Entertainment and Alipay.

Gu Cheng naturally agreed readily; there was no need to push things too far.

After all, he had already achieved his goal.

The biggest gain from this incident wasn't just improving his relationship with the television and print media, but establishing a reputation that would warn off future trouble.

He was a celebrity now, and soon to be known as a wealthy man in the public eye; there would be no shortage of people trying to smear him.

By setting this trap and delivering a heavy blow, anyone who tried to smear him in the future would have to weigh the consequences: *Why did Gu Cheng leave such an obvious flaw for us to exploit? Could it be another 'entrapment' scheme?*

After the meal, Liu Feifei looked visibly embarrassed, seemingly ashamed of her previous misunderstanding. Gu Cheng finally seized the opportunity to distance himself from her.

The two held their drinks and chatted for a while in the private room's lounge.

Just as Liu Feifei began to say, "I'm sorry, I misunderstood you," Gu Cheng cut her off directly.

"It’s not your fault. I’ll take this opportunity to clarify a few things. Actually, I like Kwon Bo-ah. From start to finish, I haven't been single in any strict sense. That talk of heartbreak that night was all a lie, meant only to help you find the feeling of being in love while filming. Now that the shoot is over, I hope you can wake up."

"What? But isn't she your distant cousin?" Liu Feifei gasped in shock, her teacup clattering to the floor and shattering.

Gu Cheng didn't want to hurt her, but he had to be decisive. "Those words were made up on the spot to make you believe me. The surname 'Kwon' is quite common in the East; I just happened to use it because Bo-ah shares the same name as my grandmother. Even that song, 'Chrysanthemum Terrace,' wasn't a product of my heartbreak—it was composed by Jay Chou. Although I won't be releasing an album this year, the song will be published online in a while, and you'll see the proof then."

"You scumbag! You emotional fraud!" Liu Feifei felt the sting of being deceived.

"How am I an emotional fraud? Even if I lied, I only said, 'I am currently single and nursing a heartbreak.' That’s all. From beginning to end, I never once said I liked you," Gu Cheng replied coldly and calmly, without a single logical flaw.

"You are only fourteen years old; matters of the heart are not things you should be considering. If you think this makes me an emotional fraud, you have no idea how many real ones you'll encounter on your path through life. If it were Dong Jie who had this misunderstanding, I wouldn't have bothered explaining this much; we are both adults, and it would have been settled in a sentence. I am only telling you this now because I see you as a child and didn't want to leave you with any psychological trauma."

Liu Feifei was speechless, yet furious like a tigress; she couldn't bear the thought of her charm being compared unfavorably. Born into a wealthy family, with a diplomat father and an "artist" mother, her vanity and princess complex were deep-seated.

She hadn't truly been deeply in love with Gu Cheng; she had simply found him to be the most handsome and excellent man she had ever met and wanted to conquer him to satisfy her vanity. When Gu Cheng showed his vulnerable side, she felt they were fated to be together.

After a long moment, she found a flaw and retorted fiercely, "Miss Kwon is only a few months older than me! Why can't I talk about love, but she can? What kind of nonsense is that?"

Gu Cheng coldly pointed out the hole in her argument. "Did I say I am dating her? No. I only told you that I have someone I like. Liking someone and dating someone are not the same thing. Of course, I will wait a year or two for her, until she is emotionally mature and capable of making her own judgments, and then we can discuss it. For now, I will only protect her. I, Gu, do not stoop to deceiving children. What I obtain must be given to me willingly and honorably!"

Liu Feifei backed away twice, tears welling in her eyes, before turning and leaving.

Gu Cheng let out a sigh of relief, thinking that this matter had finally been settled without a guilty conscience.

He could have resolved it sooner and more bluntly, but he hadn't wanted to harm the mental health of a minor.

Just as he fully relaxed, Liu Feifei, hearing his sigh of relief, felt a surge of anger. She turned back, rushed over, and slapped Gu Cheng across the face.

Gu Cheng was caught off guard. He instinctively raised his hand to slap back, but then offered a cold, arrogant smile.

*I can't lower myself to the level of a child.*

Liu Feifei shrank back, trembling, only to find Gu Cheng looking at her with a pity reserved for the weak. Feeling a sudden sense of helplessness, she collapsed to the floor and began to sob.

After a long while, Liu Feifei wiped her face and ran out. It was exactly like the scene where Bai Xiuzhu is hurt by Jin Yanxi; she had performed this gesture so many times over the past four months that it had become second nature.

A while after Liu Feifei left, seemingly worried by the silence in the lounge, Dong Jie stepped in cautiously.

She glanced at Gu Cheng, her expression complex, and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his face. "She's just a child who hasn't experienced love; it's normal for her to be confused. Don't feel aggrieved; you brought this on yourself."

"Sister Dong, don't say that. It only makes me feel more guilty. The play is long over, and everyone should move on—I wish you and Feifei a bright future and even greater success."

Gu Cheng took Dong Jie's hand, removed the handkerchief from his face, and stood up to leave.