Movie/TV series: Starting with Ode to Joy, I opened my own private kitchen.

Page 129

Upon hearing the word "boyfriend," Mi Duo burst into tears, which streamed down her face like a burst dam. She stared at Su Chang with a wronged expression, her lips trembling slightly, and said, "How could you say that to me? I... because of you, I was dumped by Xiao Liang, and who knows how you managed to lure me to this hotel?" Her voice was filled with sorrow and despair.

Su Chang was immediately taken aback by her tears and the aggrieved expression on her face. He quickly said, "Hey! Why are you crying? It's like I've bullied you. Since we can't remember how we got to the hotel, let's check the security footage. Is that alright?" His voice was tinged with impatience.

Mido knew that the two of them probably hadn't had sex last night, so she nodded reluctantly and said, "Okay then." Her voice was very low, as if she had lost all her strength.

Su Chang sighed helplessly, thinking to himself that he couldn't go out drinking alone anymore, or he might get taken advantage of. He was secretly relieved that nothing bad had happened.

Su Chang and his companion first went to the hotel front desk and asked the hotel manager to help them check the surveillance footage. Since Su Chang had booked the presidential suite the night before, the manager did not refuse his request.

Su Chang's expression was somewhat serious. He stared intently at the computer screen, as if anticipating something.

Mido stood to the side, her hands clasped tightly together, her eyes revealing a hint of tension and unease.

The hotel manager quickly pulled up the surveillance footage, and the two saw that they had entered the hotel supporting each other, and that they did not make any other unusual movements along the way.

Mido breathed a slight sigh of relief, and her expression relaxed a bit.

Su Chang secretly rejoiced that she hadn't done anything too outrageous.

Next, Mido decided to continue checking the surveillance footage at TX Bar, and as the owner, Su Chang naturally had the right to access it. Su Chang made a phone call to Zheng Fangxiu, asking the manager of TX Bar to come and open the door.

The two went to the monitoring room and retrieved the surveillance footage from the previous night.

When the surveillance footage appeared on the screen, both of them stared intently at it, their hearts pounding involuntarily.

Finally, they saw everything that happened last night, and finally understood how the two of them got together.

Let's go back to 11:30 last night.

Su Chang had drunk a bit too much because of Jiang Lai's situation, but he was still relatively lucid. He suddenly noticed a sleazy man putting drugs in a woman's glass.

Since this was her own shop, Su Chang was instantly enraged and rushed over without hesitation, beating the sleazy man away. The bar staff also acted quickly and took the sleazy man away.

The woman was none other than Mi Duo. Mi Duo had drunk too much at the time, and when she saw Su Chang, her face immediately lit up with excitement. She grabbed Su Chang and wouldn't let her leave.

Due to the noisy environment of the bar, it was unclear what the two said, but they eventually started drinking together and continued until after 1 a.m.

Both were completely drunk, so they helped each other out of the bar. The bar staff, seeing this, assumed Su Chang was picking up girls and didn't interfere much.

After watching the video, Su Chang stared intently at Mi Duo and said irritably, "Now that the truth is out, does that mean I'm no longer involved?" His eyes revealed a hint of dissatisfaction and impatience.

Mido looked at Su Chang timidly and said softly, "Thank you! But..." Her voice trembled slightly, as if there was something she found difficult to say.

Seeing Mi Duo's hesitant expression, Su Chang became even more impatient. He frowned and said, "Just say what you want to say. I'm very busy, okay?" His tone was clearly displeased.

Mido took a deep breath and mustered her courage to say, "Could you please let the Spirit Jewelry go?" Her gaze was fixed on Su Chang, with a hint of pleading in her eyes.

"What? You can't bear to part with your general manager boyfriend?" Su Chang looked at Mi Duo with a teasing expression, a slight upturn of her lips, carrying a hint of mockery.

Mido quickly shook her head and said, "No, I've figured it out now. Maybe we're not from the same world. Forcing us to be together might not end well. I just don't want to drag others into this." Her eyes were full of sincerity and helplessness.

Su Chang stared at Mi Duo for a long while, and Mi Duo stared back without flinching. Their gazes met in the air, as if engaged in a silent contest. A ripple stirred in Su Chang's heart. He realized that Mi Duo might not be the selfish person portrayed in TV dramas.

Finally, Su Chang sighed helplessly and said, "You're too late. My people have already driven down the price of Tongling Jewelry by half. You can't expect me to go and return the money, can you?" His tone revealed a hint of helplessness and determination.

"What? How is this possible? It's only been a short time!" Mi Duo looked at Su Chang in disbelief, her eyes wide with shock and disappointment.

Su Chang shrugged and said, "Believe it or not, I'm telling the truth. If you don't believe me, go ask Xiao Liang yourself." His expression was somewhat indifferent, as if he didn't care about Mi Duo's reaction.

Mido was filled with conflict and pain. She knew she couldn't change Su Chang's decision, but since it had already happened, she couldn't really ask Su Chang to return the money. Who would be that stupid?

Mi Duo stared at Su Chang for a while, and seeing that he didn't try to avoid her at all, she figured he wasn't lying to her, and there was no need for him to. So she asked again, "Then could you let Gao Wen come back?"

Upon hearing Mi Duo's words, Su Chang frowned immediately, then said, "I still maintain that whatever the matter is, let the person involved speak to me..."

"Then give me your contact information, otherwise how will we find you?" Although Mi Duo was a little disappointed when she heard Su Chang's words, she still asked.

Su Chang took out a business card from his pocket and handed it to Mi Duo, saying, "Keep it safe!" After saying that, Su Chang left.

Mido looked at the business card in her hand and immediately became excited. She quickly picked up her phone and called Gao Wen, seemingly forgetting the unpleasant incident that had occurred between the three of them the day before.

After leaving, Su Chang went straight back to Ode to Joy. As soon as Su Chang got home, her phone rang. Su Chang saw that it was an unknown number and guessed that it should be Gao Wen, so she pressed the answer button.

"President Su, this is Gao Wen." As soon as the call connected, Gao Wen's voice came through eagerly.

Su Chang's tone was indifferent, seemingly unsurprised by Gao Wen's call: "Yes, what's up?"

Gao Wen paused slightly, then said with a hint of pleading, "President Su, what happened before was my fault. I can apologize to Qiao Jingjing and Guan Xiaodi. Please, President Su, allow me to make a comeback." Her eyes revealed a hint of expectation, and her fingers gripped the phone tightly.

Su Chang smiled slightly, but there was a hint of unfathomable meaning in that smile. He slowly said, "Gao Wen, do you really think I sidelined you because of those two people? It seems you still haven't realized your mistake. I think we should talk again after you've thought it through." After saying that, Su Chang hung up the phone without giving Gao Wen a chance to refute him.

Meanwhile, at Gao Wen's home.

Gao Wen's face instantly turned utterly dejected. She stared blankly at her phone, tears welling in her eyes. Her lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

Lei Yiming and Mi Duo looked at Gao Wen expectantly. However, when they saw Gao Wen holding her phone for a long time without saying a word, and looking so dejected, Mi Duo's face immediately showed anxiety.

"Wenwen, what's wrong? Did Su Chang make things difficult for you?" Mi Duo asked quickly, her voice full of concern.

Upon hearing Mi Duo's words, Gao Wen could no longer hold back her tears, which streamed down her face. Her eyes were filled with grievance, and her voice trembled with sobs as she said, "Duo Duo, what does he mean? He told me to think clearly about where I went wrong before calling him, but didn't I already say I was willing to apologize to those two newcomers?"

Lei Yiming looked at Gao Wen and felt a pang of heartache. He patted Gao Wen's shoulder and comforted her, "Gao Wen, don't cry. Why don't you tell us the whole story, and we'll help you analyze it?"

Mido quickly nodded and said, "Yes, Wenwen, tell us what happened first."

Gao Wen took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She began to recount the conflict between her and Guan Xiaodi, how she tacitly allowed Guan Xiaodi to be isolated, how she deliberately made things difficult for Qiao Jingjing and Guan Xiaodi during filming, and how she felt that Su Chang had treated her unfairly, so she simply left.

Upon hearing Gao Wen's account, both Lei Yiming and Mi Duo showed expressions of surprise.

Chapter 246 The Stubborn Mido

Lei Yiming lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then looked up at Gao Wen with a serious expression and said, "Gao Wen, do you want to hear the truth or a lie?"

Gao Wen looked at Lei Yiming with a puzzled expression, her brows furrowed and her eyes filled with confusion. She raised her voice and asked, "What do you mean by that? Of course I want to hear the truth."

Lei Yiming sighed helplessly, his eyes revealing a hint of helplessness and worry. He shook his head slightly and said in a heavy tone, "Gao Wen, the truth might be hard for you to accept, and I don't know if you can take it in."

Gao Wen's face immediately darkened, her lips pressed tightly together, revealing her impatience. She crossed her arms and said stiffly, "Just say what you have to say."

Lei Yiming took a deep breath, deciding to stop hiding his true intentions. He looked firmly at Gao Wen and said, "Gao Wen, you're too arrogant, and you put yourself on a pedestal. To ordinary people, you're a big star, but to someone like Su Chang, you're just a pretty face."

Upon hearing Lei Yiming's words, Gao Wen's face instantly turned pale. Her eyes widened, her expression filled with disbelief. Her lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

Mido quickly rushed over and hugged Gao Wen, her eyes filled with concern and anger. Pointing at Lei Yiming, she said sharply, "Lei Yiming, what are you saying? How did Wenwen become just a pretty face?"

Lei Yiming shook his head helplessly, a hint of resignation and regret in his eyes. He sighed and said, "I'm just telling the truth. Think about it yourselves, what is it that makes Gao Wen a big star?"

Mido answered without hesitation, "Of course it's because of Wenwen's own hard work, plus her outstanding looks, that makes the audience like her. What else could it be?"

Lei Yiming shook his head, his tone becoming more serious: "You're wrong. Gao Wen is a star because there's capital supporting her, and that's why she's so valuable. But think about it now. After being sidelined by Su Chang, do you think Gao Wen will still be that high-profile star after a while? Without the support of capital, she's just an ordinary person who's a bit prettier."

Gao Wen's body trembled slightly, her eyes filled with loss and confusion. She gripped Mi Duo's hand tightly, as if searching for a sliver of comfort.

Mi Duo turned to look at Gao Wen, who looked dejected, and felt a pang of heartache. She glared at Lei Yiming, then quickly comforted her, "Wenwen, don't listen to his nonsense. You've always been the best. We'll work together to get through this."

Gao Wen shook her head with a wry smile after hearing Lei Yiming's words, her eyes revealing a hint of helplessness and self-mockery.

She looked at Lei Yiming, her tone tinged with resentment: "Duoduo, you don't need to comfort me. Lei Yiming is right. Without the support of capital, I am indeed just a slightly prettier woman."

Gao Wen turned her gaze to Lei Yiming, a hint of expectation flickering in her eyes. She asked softly, "Lei Yiming, what do you think I should do now?"

Lei Yiming pondered for a moment, frowned, and then slowly said, "You now have two paths before you. The first is to give up your celebrity status and return to the life of an ordinary person. That way, even if you are blacklisted, it won't have too much of an impact on you."

Gao Wen and Mi Duo exchanged a glance, their eyes both revealing their resistance to the suggestion.

Lei Yiming seemed to have anticipated their reaction, and he continued, "Secondly, find a powerful backer. That way, you won't have to worry about encountering such things again. As for Su Chang, you need to be more careful with your attitude. Since he targeted Tongling Jewelry, it means he's definitely not simple."

Upon hearing this, Mi Duo's face turned pale. She stammered, "I haven't had a chance to tell you yet, but this morning Su Chang has already driven Tongling Jewelry's stock price down by half."

"What?" Lei Yiming and Gao Wen exclaimed at the same time, their faces filled with disbelief.

Lei Yiming's eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape, as if he couldn't accept this fact. His hands clenched unconsciously, revealing his inner tension.

A flicker of fear crossed Gao Wen's eyes. Her lips trembled slightly as she murmured, "How could this happen..."

Lei Yiming snapped out of his daze, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down. He looked at Gao Wen and said seriously, "If you choose the second path and continue being a star, then you must find a way to get Su Chang's forgiveness. You have to lower your stance to the lowest possible level, even at the cost of some sacrifice. Otherwise, no one will dare to be your backer. Or rather, your best option is actually to make Su Chang your backer."

Gao Wen's expression became very complicated. She bit her lip, thinking to herself. She knew it was a difficult choice, but she also understood that Lei Yiming was right; this was her only way out at the moment.

Lei Yiming and Mi Duo didn't rush Gao Wen; they simply waited quietly for her decision.

Ten minutes later, Gao Wen took a deep breath, her eyes revealing a hint of tension and unease. She bit her lip and asked Lei Yiming, "Su Chang is clearly unwilling to forgive me now. What should I do to get him to forgive me?"

Lei Yiming looked at Gao Wen, his brows furrowed slightly, lost in thought. His gaze lingered on Gao Wen's face, as if pondering some important question.

After a long silence, he sighed and said with a hint of helplessness, "You're wrong. Su Chang said on the phone that he would let you realize your mistake before you went to him, which means he's still willing to give you a chance. It all depends on your performance. Or maybe from the very beginning, he never really wanted to completely blacklist you."

Upon hearing Lei Yiming's words, Gao Wen's eyes flashed with surprise. She began to recall the content of her previous phone call with Su Chang. Suddenly, as if she had just realized something, she said softly, "I see. Lei Yiming, what should I do next?"

Lei Yiming frowned, his eyes revealing a hint of worry and hesitation. He looked at Gao Wen, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly said, "Are you sure you're determined to become a star no matter what, right?"

Gao Wen looked at Lei Yiming with a puzzled expression, her eyes filled with confusion and doubt. She asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Lei Yiming sighed, his expression somewhat heavy. He looked at Gao Wen and said earnestly, "My meaning is simple: for your future path to be smoother, you have to make some sacrifices and rely on Su Chang. Only then can you move forward more smoothly."

Gao Wen frowned immediately, a surge of anger and resentment rising within her. She understood Lei Yiming's meaning perfectly; she had always despised women like him who would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. A resolute glint flashed in her eyes as she declared, "I will not become that kind of woman!"

Mido then pointed at Lei Yiming and roared, "Lei Yiming, what do you mean? Do you want Gao Wen to become that kind of woman?" Her face was full of anger and disappointment; she could not accept Lei Yiming's suggestion.

Seeing Mi Duo's angry face, Lei Yiming gave a bitter smile. His heart was filled with helplessness and contradiction. He knew that his words might hurt Gao Wen and Mi Duo, but he also knew that this was the cruel reality.

He said, "Mi Duo, although I really want to say no, that circle is just that cruel. Without a strong background, Gao Wen will have a hard time surviving. And you have to think about it, Gao Wen has offended quite a few people before. If Gao Wen gets into trouble, there will definitely be a lot of people who will want to kick her while she's down. So..."

Mido wanted to continue arguing, but Gao Wen stopped her. Gao Wen's eyes revealed a hint of determination and calm as she looked at Lei Yiming and asked, "Do you think I should do this?"

Lei Yiming looked into Gao Wen's expectant eyes, and a pang of pain shot through his heart. He knew, of course, that Gao Wen liked him, but he had always loved Mi Duo. Besides, now that Mi Duo had broken up with her boyfriend, he was even less likely to reciprocate Gao Wen's feelings. His heart was filled with contradiction and struggle; he didn't know how to answer Gao Wen's question, so he could only lower his head and remain silent.

Seeing Lei Yiming's reaction, Gao Wen's lips curled into a bitter smile, her eyes revealing deep helplessness and disappointment. She gently shook her head and said, "Okay, I understand what you mean."

Seeing Gao Wen's state, Lei Yiming panicked and hurriedly tried to explain, "Gao Wen, that's not what I meant, I..." However, before he could finish speaking, Gao Wen raised her hand to interrupt him.

Gao Wen's eyes flashed with determination and resolve. She raised her hand to stop Lei Yiming from continuing, "No need to say anything more. I understand what you mean. You guys go first. I want to be alone." Her voice was calm, but it carried an undisguised sadness.

Lei Yiming opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, he didn't say anything. His eyes were filled with guilt and helplessness. He knew that his words might have hurt Gao Wen, but he didn't know how to express his true feelings.

Mido looked at Gao Wen with a serious expression, her eyes filled with concern and worry. She said anxiously, "Wenwen, don't listen to Lei Yiming's nonsense and do anything foolish."

Gao Wen forced a smile, a smile tinged with sadness and bitterness. She said to Mi Duo, "Duo Duo, don't worry, I won't do anything foolish. I'll think it through myself. You and Lei Yiming go first."

Seeing the resolute look in Gao Wen's eyes, Mi Duo knew that saying anything more would be pointless. She nodded helplessly and said, "Alright then." Then, she glared fiercely at Lei Yiming and quickly left.

Chapter 247 Invitation to Dinner

Seeing Gao Wen's hesitant expression, Lei Yiming felt a pang of regret and self-reproach. He sighed deeply and quickly followed Mi Duo.