Chapter 89: The Pavilion at the Heart of the Lake, Part Four

Although not everyone in the younger generation knew her personally, her name was widely recognized.

Most people had assumed that, given Su Han’s standing, the only person present who was worthy of her was Ren Yuheng. So who exactly was this Yan Yu?

Yan Yu nodded to the others and took his seat in silence. Yang Xuefei, meanwhile, was staring excitedly at Tong Kunkun.

“Yuheng, shouldn’t Miss Su Han be right up your alley? How did someone else manage to beat you to her?” Tong Kunkun asked with a smile.

Ren Yuheng smiled faintly. “Su Han and I are merely childhood friends. It’s not as though we were betrothed at birth, so there’s no need for everyone to read too much into it.”

The others showed no change in expression, but inwardly they were startled. It seemed Yan Yu had already angered Ren Yuheng.

Today promised to be entertaining indeed.

At that moment, another young man approached the pavilion at the center of the lake. He was about the same age as Ren Yuheng, but both his arms were in plaster, and his face was wrapped in bandages, making him look utterly disheveled.

“Sorry, Brother Ren. I’m late,” the young man said first in apology before taking his seat, conveniently right beside Yan Yu.

Ren Yuheng asked in confusion, “Junwen, what happened to you?”

The young man sighed. “Don’t even mention it. I ran into a tough one in Eastern Harbor last time and stumbled in the gutter...”

“Eastern Harbor is your territory. Someone actually made you lose?” another person asked, puzzled.

“I still don’t know where that punk came from. He was unnervingly strange, but in Eastern Harbor there’s no place I, Tan Junwen, can’t get back. In a couple of days, when I return, I’m going to make that kid pay!” Tan Junwen said coldly.

Yan Yu, who had been drinking tea, slowly lifted his head and met Tan Junwen’s eyes.

Then—

Tan Junwen was stunned rigid.

Nothing was more terrifying than an air of sudden silence, and nothing more dreadful than Yan Yu’s unexpected concern.

“Y-you—how are you here?!” Tan Junwen cried, so startled that he toppled backward, rolled twice on the ground, and only then stopped, his expression as if he had seen a ghost.

“I’m here to offer birthday wishes for Su Han’s grandfather’s eightieth birthday,” Yan Yu replied indifferently.

Realizing his own loss of composure, Tan Junwen hurriedly scrambled to his feet and returned to his seat, trembling all the while. He swallowed hard and forced out a smile uglier than a grimace. “Brother Yu... hello...”

In this circle, Tan Junwen was notorious for his dissipated ways, and no one had ever seen him make such a spectacle of himself. In an instant, those who had been preparing to mock Yan Yu all wisely kept their mouths shut, while inwardly racking their brains over the name Yan Yu, trying desperately to determine what sort of towering figure this young man might be.

All of this fell into Ren Yuheng’s eyes, and his expression darkened even further.

Yan Yu, however, paid it no mind and continued drinking his tea.

At that point, Yang Xuefei could no longer restrain herself. She took a photograph of Tong Kunkun from her bag and, cheeks flushed red, asked, “Kunkun, I’m your number one fan. Could you give me your autograph?”

Tong Kunkun smiled. “Of course.”

After receiving the autograph, Yang Xuefei was overjoyed and clutched the photograph of Tong Kunkun as though she would never let it go.

Ren Yuheng said, “Kun, I heard Miss Yang Xuefei also wants to enter the entertainment industry in the future. Since you’re both here, why not take a look and see whether she has the makings of a star? Perhaps you can even help guide her a little.”

Tong Kunkun raised an eyebrow and sized up Yang Xuefei from head to toe before saying, “Her temperament is decent enough, but there’s still something missing. Her looks are about a nine out of ten, though her nose could use a little enhancement in Korea. If she enters the entertainment industry, it would be very easy for her to...”

“Very easy for her to what?” Yang Xuefei asked, full of anticipation.

“Ah, perhaps it’s better not to say,” Tong Kunkun replied, shaking his head.

Ren Yuheng said, “Go on and say it. We’re all friends here.”

Only then did Tong Kunkun continue. “For a girl like you, with no strong background and no backer, if you want to break into the entertainment industry, it’ll probably be unavoidable to go through certain unspoken arrangements. If you can accept that, then perhaps things can go smoothly and you might secure a second female lead role. But if you can’t accept it...”

Yang Xuefei, who had been full of hope moments ago, slowly let her smile fade after hearing his words.

If Yan Yu had said these things to her, she might not have cared. But today, the one speaking was her idol, Tong Kunkun.

Tong Kunkun was one of the hottest rising stars in the industry right now, and Yang Xuefei had no way to refute what he said.

In an instant, all color drained from her eyes. Her mood sank, and she even began to wonder whether all her years of hard work had been worth it.

“I was only speaking casually, so don’t take it to heart. After all, the entertainment world is very murky, and not just anyone can get in,” Tong Kunkun said with feigned kindness, offering comfort.

To say something like that in front of so many people was to leave Yang Xuefei humiliated.

If she still insisted on entering the entertainment industry, wouldn’t that be an indirect admission that she was willing to accept such arrangements?

A trace of satisfaction appeared in Ren Yuheng’s eyes. His aim had been achieved.

So you want to make an enemy of me, Ren Yuheng? If I can’t deal with you, can’t I deal with the people around you?

The others looked at Yang Xuefei with schadenfreude, and she grew more and more ashamed. Her face flushed all the way to her ears, and there seemed even to be tears shimmering in her eyes. It was plain how deeply Tong Kunkun’s words had hurt her.

Only Tan Junwen looked somewhat uneasy. The others might not know, but he certainly did: this Yan Yu... was not someone to be trifled with...

Yan Yu gently patted Yang Xuefei on the shoulder, a warm smile on his face, and said softly:

“As the saying goes, a lotus rises from the mud unstained, and is washed by clear ripples yet remains unadorned. Feifei, I think you have the makings of a true superstar. As long as it is what you love, then persevere. There is no need to force yourself to endure the sordid things in the entertainment world.”

Yang Xuefei froze, then quickly wiped away her tears and said awkwardly, “Yan Yu, I appreciate your kindness, but Kunkun is right...”

“What he said is no different from a fart. Don’t take it to heart.”

Everyone was stunned.

No one had expected Yan Yu to suddenly curse, and to do so without the slightest regard for anyone’s face.

The smile on Tong Kunkun’s face instantly stiffened. He struggled to maintain his composure and asked sharply, “Yan Yu, I’m at least someone from the industry, and I’m a hot young star right now. If what I say is a fart, then wouldn’t what you say be less than a fart?”

Here it came.

The tension in the lakeside pavilion thickened by the second. Tan Junwen sensed trouble and silently edged farther away, fearing he would be dragged into it.

“A star is still just someone people prop up. As an ordinary person, I simply think Feifei is beautiful, kind, has a lovely singing voice, and can act too. If she doesn’t become famous, who will?” Yan Yu said with a smile.

Yang Xuefei had already felt inferior because of Tong Kunkun’s words, but after hearing Yan Yu speak, she was suddenly deeply moved. After all, there are many who add flowers to brocade, but none so precious as one who offers charcoal in the snow.

Tong Kunkun was furious as well. “You’re completely out of your depth. You don’t understand anything!”

“Indeed, I don’t understand. I just don’t understand how a shrill, talentless, effeminate man like you managed to become famous.”

Yan Yu’s expression remained blank. Once he understood that Tong Kunkun had been brought here by Ren Yuheng to target him, he no longer intended to spare this fellow any dignity.

Tong Kunkun laughed in rage. “There are reasons I’m popular. At the very least, I have Sister Xin backing me, supporting me, and spending money on traffic. What about Yang Xuefei? What does she have? She has nothing!”

At that very moment, behind Yan Yu, Shangguan Xin appeared, walking slowly toward them in high heels...