Mad Dog

Chapter 13: Evasive Attitude With Crossing Boundaries

Jiang Qi was indeed looking for Zhi Qi.

From the moment he walked from the backstage to the center of the venue, his gaze fell on the densely packed audience seats, almost unable to shift away. The crowd was like a sea of ants, making it impossible to catch a glimpse of Zhi Qi’s shadow. Jiang Qi couldn’t help but frown in disappointment.

Knowing that Zhi Qi would come in this venue from a week ago, Jiang Qi had an uneasy feeling. He both wanted and feared to see her. However, now that he was in this venue and felt the solid ground beneath his feet, he realized how difficult it was to find Zhi Qi. He couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious.

The disappointment of hopelessness made him uncomfortable. Sitting in his position, Jiang Qi seemed absent, his expression showing a restrained gloominess. He was so lost in his thoughts that he completely ignored the reporters’ eager questions on the stage.

Fortunately, Shen Lei, fearing that the microphone would fall into Jiang Qi’s hands, continuously engaged with the reporters, smoothly handling the questions. The microphone never made its way to Jiang Qi.

Gradually, most people noticed that something was amiss.

Is Shen Lei… not getting along with Jiang Qi? These reporters have attended various events, numbering in the hundreds if not thousands, and it’s the first time they’ve witnessed a director so blatantly denying the lead actor a chance to speak.

Moreover, “Gazing at the Sky” can be considered Jiang Qi’s major leading role.

Except for the initial public meeting during the film’s commencement, the director surprisingly didn’t let the male lead speak? Could it be that the discord between the two is already evident?

Reporters have a highly sensitive sense for gossip, and most of them have realized that the current situation is unusual. Cameras in hand, they clicked away incessantly. Some bold reporters directly asked:

“Can we have the male lead, Jiang Qi, answer a few questions related to the movie?”

Pointed out directly, Shen Lei had no choice but to pass the microphone over. However, seeing Jiang Qi’s dark expression as he took the microphone, Shen Lei felt like his heart was hanging in his throat.

The reporter, satisfied to see the microphone finally reaching Jiang Qi, smiled and coughed before asking, “Mr. Jiang Qi, you were not well-known in the entertainment industry before, but now you are the male lead of a billion-dollar box office movie. Have you undergone any systematic training in acting?”

Some questions couldn’t be asked outright, but this was clearly an indirect way of probing into Jiang Qi’s past.

Jiang Qi raised an eyebrow, glanced at the reporter, and calmly said into the microphone, “No.”

It was his first time being interviewed by the press, and he hadn’t prepared any scripted responses. His tone wasn’t particularly friendly. The questioning reporter paused for a moment, a hint of displeasure appearing in his eyes.

His next question was less polite, delivered with a sarcastic tone, “Then, may I ask where Director Shen discovered this unpolished gem? It’s truly intriguing.”

Hearing this, Shen Lei felt a sudden jolt in his heart and hurriedly reached for the microphone in front of Jiang Qi. However, it was too late.

“Where?” Jiang Qi raised an eyebrow, looked at the reporter without hesitation, and answered, “In prison.”

Although the fact that Jiang Qi has been in jail is almost known worldwide, it’s different when it’s spoken from the protagonist’s mouth. His answer not only stunned the reporters but also left the hundreds of fans in the audience bewildered. The studio suddenly sounded like a buzzing swarm of a thousand flies, all engaged in murmured discussions.

Zhi Qi, holding a telescope, shook her hand, prompted by the girl beside her.

“Wow, does Jiang Qi not avoid talking about this issue?” The girl was surprisingly impressed, continuously fangirling, “He’s so manly! Today is another day killed by Jiang Qi’s charm! He’s even more handsome in real life than on the screen!”

…

In the hearts of fangirls, it seems that the main focus is whether someone is handsome or not.

Zhi Qi smiled, but her eyes seemed somewhat distant.

After Jiang Qi finished speaking, she noticed that the faces of the entire creative team in the front row didn’t look too good. But the young man still had that straightforward personality and said whatever he wanted.

Shen Lei was startled and directly grabbed the microphone from Jiang Qi, awkwardly changing the topic, “Is there anything else you want to ask?”

The reporter hesitated for a moment, the question ‘How did Director Shen discover Jiang Qi in prison?’ stuck in his throat. He forcefully bit his tongue—after all, he had to consider his professional demeanor and couldn’t ask whatever he wanted.

And during this pause, many other reporters waiting to ask questions had already seized the opportunity.

“Director Shen, could you share your thoughts on achieving such impressive box office results with your small-type thriller film?”

“Does Director Shen have plans for his next movie?”

“Will Jiang Qi continue to be cast as the male lead in your future projects?”

“Is Jiang Qi’s next role in a movie or a TV drama?”

Shen Lei chose to answer a few random questions, avoiding any mention of Jiang Qi altogether. Because nobody really knew what that man was thinking. A few days ago, Shen Lei remembered when Jiang Qi mentioned wanting to leave the entertainment industry, fearing that he might just announce it recklessly.

Shen Lei felt that this press conference was probably the most eagerly anticipated event to end in his entire career. After enduring until the end, there was still a signing event for fans.

Shen Lei didn’t expect Jiang Qi to deal with such matters; he initially thought of letting the supporting actors from the movie handle the signing table. However, unexpectedly, Jiang Qi stood up first.

???

Shen Lei asked in confusion, “What are you doing? Going to sign autographs for fans?”

“Yes,” Jiang Qi nodded. “Is there a problem?”

He looked innocently pure, leaving Shen Lei momentarily perplexed.

Of course, there was no problem. Shen Lei even wished Jiang Qi would cooperate like this, but… no matter how Shen Lei thought about it, it didn’t seem like Jiang Qi’s style. However, Jiang Qi had genuinely decided to sign for the ‘fans’ this time. In the sea of people, unable to find Zhi Qi, he could only try this method.

Under Shen Lei’s ‘seeing a ghost’ expression, Jiang Qi’s slender figure walked toward the signing table.

While signing, Jiang Qi casually wrote, but his gaze unconsciously drifted towards the people in line behind. It was said that only the two hundred fans who bought VIP seats could come for the signing. Jiang Qi didn’t know if Zhi Qi was among them.

If she wasn’t… Jiang Qi anxiously squeezed the pen, an involuntary gesture.

Amidst the chaos, Jiang Qi spotted a familiar figure—

It was the slender silhouette of a girl, with straight black hair falling to her waist. She wore simple jeans, a T-shirt, and white sneakers. Her simple attire made her stand out in the crowd. As she left with the flow of people, a small portion of her profile revealed, enough for Jiang Qi to recognize her even if he turned into ashes!

Jiang Qi suddenly stood up, and even the fingertips that had just dropped the pen were trembling slightly.

“Ah!” The girl waiting for the autograph in front of him was startled by his sudden movement, subconsciously exclaimed, and looked at him with wide-eyed innocence, holding her heart.

Many surprised glances turned towards them, but Jiang Qi didn’t care about any of that. Only after truly seeing Zhi Qi did he realize that his previous jumbled thoughts were complete nonsense. Seeing her, he couldn’t control the desire to catch up.

Ignoring the inquiries from the staff, Jiang Qi’s gaze stuck to Zhi Qi’s figure that had just passed by, and he maneuvered through the surrounding crowd to catch up. In fact, it was just a short distance, but amidst the chaos of people, it seemed like an insurmountable gap between them.

As he saw the fleeting silhouette he had just captured disappear, impatience and frustration filled Jiang Qi’s brow. Unluckily, at this moment, reporters stationed at the door spotted him. Their eyes brightened, and they swiftly blocked his way.

“Mr. Jiang.” These reporters waiting at the door were basically paparazzi without formal invitations, and their questions wouldn’t be as restrained. The journalist in front had a face full of disdain, whether in his small eyes or aimed at the camera pointed at Jiang Qi, there was malice present. “Regarding the rumors circulating online, are they true? Can you give a direct response?”

Jiang Qi’s mind was focused on finding Zhi Qi – he might still have a chance now. He could locate the girl in the dense crowd.

The young man furrowed his brows tightly, not hearing clearly what the reporter in front of him was saying, and he tried to move away. However, this seemingly ‘completely ignored’ attitude inadvertently angered the paparazzo in front.

“Mr. Jiang, is your evasive attitude a confirmation?” The paparazzo sneered, asking a deliberately provocative question. “Is it true that you were imprisoned for attempted sexual assault, as claimed by an informant on the internet?”

As soon as this statement was made, the previously noisy crowd fell into an eerie silence.

And Jiang Qi had run too fast; even Qiu Mi and Shen Lei couldn’t come to defuse the situation in time.

In a moment of awkward silence, Jiang Qi finally heard what the reporter said and slowly turned his head.

Under the gaze of the crowd, the young man, with an icy expression, stared at the paparazzi and said word by word, “I violated your mom.”