Chapter 67: Saving a Life in Passing

The news of Xi Rou’er’s return to the country exploded through the entertainment industry, and videos from the airport instantly dominated the trending searches. Headlines like “Xi Rou’er: Gentle and Sweet,” “Kong Yiwei Invites Xi Rou’er to Dinner,” and “Xi Rou’er Returns, Popularity Skyrockets” abounded. All the comments about her were full of praise and admiration; she was a star universally recognized and adored.

But none of this concerned Yun Fu, who was utterly absorbed in gaming and never bothered surfing the internet. She only found out because Qiao An rushed over, clutching her phone in excitement.

“Xiao Fu, I just got word—Xi Rou’er is the last guest on ‘Our Journey’!”

Yun Fu was reading a book at the time. Qiao An glanced at it—it was entirely in English, and Yun Fu was flipping through it at lightning speed, much faster than she ever read Chinese books. Qiao An couldn’t tell if she was actually reading.

Upon hearing Qiao An’s words, Yun Fu’s hands didn’t pause; she lazily turned a page and finally responded, “Xi Rou’er?”

“You don’t know her?” Qiao An looked at Yun Fu’s face, which clearly asked, “Should I?” and sighed in resignation.

“She debuted four years ago in a film by Director Zhou Fan and became an overnight sensation. She’s humble, works hard, and her acting is superb. A year and a half ago, she was picked by a major foreign director, went abroad to film several movies, and now she’s a big star in Hollywood—winning awards left and right. Don’t let her youth fool you; her status surpasses many veterans in the industry.”

After her explanation, Qiao An added, “Just make sure to avoid her when you participate in the show.”

She went on at length, but Yun Fu remained as indifferent as ever, only slowing her page-turning slightly.

“…” Qiao An sighed again, seeing Yun Fu’s calm, languid demeanor.

“By the way, there’s a gala tomorrow. The organizers invited you. Let’s go and check it out.”

“Okay,” Yun Fu replied.

Because of the incident involving Ning Lan and Du Xingyuan, Yun Fu had gained more recognition, and the previous rumors about her being a mere pretty face had largely been dispelled. On top of that, the trailer for her recent project had attracted countless fans—she was beautiful, talented, and captivating.

Now, all that remained was the broadcast of “Stunning Swan,” which would further boost her popularity. Yun Fu’s meteoric rise was just on the horizon.

Qiao An brimmed with motivation, but every time she looked at Yun Fu’s composed, lazy figure, she couldn’t help but sigh.

The gala was a small charity event, typically dominated by top-tier celebrities. Others simply needed to make an appearance.

Yun Fu brought her phone along and, as soon as she sat down, opened her game.

Qiao An was exasperated but didn’t dare nag her.

“I’m going to the restroom,” Yun Fu finally said, putting her phone away after tiring of the game.

—

“Ah! What are you doing? Let me go!”

“Let you go? I’m telling you, you’ve offended someone. Don’t expect to leave here unscathed tonight!”

Yun Fu had just approached the restroom when she heard a woman’s voice, followed by a rough male shout. Judging from the footsteps, more than one man was involved.

The woman’s struggles continued, but her voice was growing weaker.

“Hmph, acting so high and mighty. Once we get some video, your career is finished!”

Yun Fu stepped inside, apparently oblivious to the scene, heading straight for the restroom.

The group of men was stunned, their actions halted, uncertain whether to continue.

They exchanged glances, each seeing the same desire in the other’s eyes. The leader licked his lips and quietly followed Yun Fu.

The woman lying on the floor, teetering on the edge of despair, bit her lip hard and glared viciously at the men. Watching them approach the girl who had just entered, her emotions were a tangled mess.

“Such a beautiful woman—if she’s brave enough to come in, we should give her a proper welcome,” the leader said with a lecherous grin.

Yun Fu frowned, eyeing the three men rushing toward her. Her gaze narrowed, a cold glint flashing within.

She had never seen anyone so eager for disaster.

She lifted her leg and kicked forward, then spun for a second kick—her long legs moved like a dancer’s arc.

Only the first two men felt the full force; they were sent flying, sprawled on the ground, unable to get up.

Then, she caught an incoming punch, applied a bit of pressure, and with a sharp crack, the man howled in pain.

In just a few swift moves, the floor was littered with bodies.

Yun Fu glanced at the two trembling men who had escaped her wrath, her posture relaxed as she rubbed her wrist.

The sight sent chills down their spines. Terrified, they dragged their fallen companions and fled.

Finally, Yun Fu entered the restroom, annoyance flickering between her brows.

After all, no one likes being blocked from using the restroom.

The woman on the floor scrambled up, casting a fearful look at the direction the men had fled, then at the restroom.

Hesitation flashed in her eyes, and after biting her lip, she walked in.

When Yun Fu emerged, she found the anxious woman standing by the sink, waiting.

Seeing Yun Fu, the woman immediately looked up.

“Um… thank you.”

“It wasn’t because of you,” Yun Fu replied, lazily washing her hands, taking a napkin, and drying them, her entire demeanor emanating a languid air.

But the woman knew this was someone not to be trifled with.

“My name is Ouyang Ting. Whether or not you did it for me, you saved me! I should thank you. I don’t like owing favors. Let’s add each other on WeChat—if you ever need anything, I’ll be there to help.”

Ouyang Ting finished, then mentally berated herself. Ah, you fool—this is your savior, how could you use such a tone? But that was her nature; what she said always differed from what she felt.

Yun Fu raised her hand, flicked her wrist, and tossed the napkin perfectly into the nearby trash bin.

She showed no sign of emotion and started walking out.

Ouyang Ting panicked and hurried after her. “Hey, I don’t even know your name! Don’t ignore me—if you don’t add me on WeChat, I’ll feel uneasy. And when I feel uneasy, I’ll keep bothering you. The entertainment industry is small; it’ll be easy for me to find you.”

Yun Fu finally stopped, rubbed her brow, took out her phone, opened her QR code, and handed it to her.

Ouyang Ting’s face lit up with joy. She quickly scanned it, and after Yun Fu accepted, she finally stopped following her.

A while later, Ouyang Ting’s agent found her and was startled by her disheveled appearance.

“Tingting, what happened to you?”

Ouyang Ting was far from a simple girl group idol—her family owned a chain of well-known hotels, and she was practically a princess. If anything happened to her, it would be difficult to explain.