Chen Fei felt his trip to Hong Kong had been like a dream. It was originally filled with anticipation, yet reality had dealt him a harsh blow. Okay, I admit it was mostly my own doing.

As the saying goes, if you don't court death, you won't die. The other party had no ill intentions toward him; at most, they were just trying to do a good deed that went awry. But he insisted on digging his own grave, stubbornly pushing himself into a corner. There was no helping it. He got what he deserved, having to sneak back to the mainland on a decrepit little boat.

However, Dong Wencheng's efficiency was a bit higher than Chen Fei had anticipated. After he snuck back from Hong Kong to Shenzhen in the dead of night, it took less than ten minutes for someone to pick him up. They even provided him with a first-class plane ticket from Shenzhen back to Tongzhou City. Clearly, even though Chen Fei had clashed with the black market in Hong Kong, they were powerless here. No matter how influential they were, they couldn't stretch their reach into the mainland. After all, the mainland was the Party's territory, where all demons and monsters had to stand aside obediently.

Furthermore, this matter was personally requested by the number one official of Tongzhou City, the Conference City of Jiangnan Province. Naturally, even across vast distances, there would still be people willing to grant him this favor.

Putting other things aside, Dong Wencheng had already climbed to the position of top official in a provincial capital at the young age of fifty. As long as he didn't orchestrate his own downfall, he was expected to at least reach the level of a provincial governor. If he were more impressive, a transfer to the Capital City wouldn't be out of the question. So, who wouldn't want to get on good terms with such a promising political star? The answer was obvious: everyone would.

As for the black market… No matter how tough you are, you think you can prance around on the mainland? Better wake up and stop dreaming.

「The next morning at ten o'clock」

After a comfortable night in the five-star hotel arranged for him, a refreshed and spirited Chen Fei boarded the first-class cabin of the flight from Shenzhen to Tongzhou City. The spacious seat allowed him to enjoy the comfortable space, and not far away, a slim, smiling flight attendant was ready to provide meticulous, high-quality service at a moment's notice.

"Finally, I'm going back," he muttered softly, habitually pulling the brim of his cap down slightly as he gazed at the scenery outside the window. He paid no mind to his surroundings. "After I return this time, I must focus on my cultivation. If I had reached the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer before, would I have had to flee Hong Kong in such a sorry state?"

That's right. In his view, the biggest reason he had to flee Hong Kong so disgracefully was that his cultivation level was insufficient; he was only at the Peak of the Qi Cultivation Third Layer. If his cultivation had reached the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer, would he have needed to flee?

The answer, of course, is no! Absolutely not!

He knew that the threshold from the Peak of the Qi Cultivation Third Layer to the Fourth Layer was a watershed between the early and middle stages of the Qi Cultivation Realm. Breaking through would be a complete qualitative change, a true metamorphosis. He could even face an Innate Expert without fear, so there would naturally be no question of fleeing in distress.

So, it was fair to say that Chen Fei was suppressing a fire in his heart, determined to reclaim his lost pride.

After all, I'm the super lucky one who received that high-level cultivator's inheritance. If I can't even handle a minor situation like this, isn't that just too embarrassing?

Just then, two or three people entered from the boarding gate, escorting a corpulent man with a double chin who appeared to be in his forties or fifties. He was dressed in a refined suit, exuding an air of high society that demanded respect. However, there was something unlikable about the man. His heavy-lidded eyes were held high with disdain, giving him an arrogant look, as if he looked down on everyone.

Upon entering first class, he swept a disdainful glance over Chen Fei and the other passengers. But when his gaze fell upon the front row, his eyes suddenly lit up. A lecherous gleam flashed in his unsightly eyes as he strode forward with a beaming smile. "My dear Miss Gu, what a coincidence to see you again. It seems this is fate."

"...Mr. Lau, hello." After that grating voice faded, a voice that sounded somewhat familiar to Chen Fei followed, causing him to startle slightly.

This is…

Subconsciously, Chen Fei looked toward the source of the voice at the front of the first-class cabin. There, in the fifth and sixth rows, sat two women.

One of them was Gu Feishuang, the rising domestic film and television star who had once been his companion at the Shawan Club in Tongzhou City. She was dressed very simply today in a white blouse, black pencil pants, and a pair of black studded shoes. Yet, she looked incredibly refreshing and capable. Combined with a punk-style hat—likely a disguise—and her flowing hair, she was even more eye-catching, her aura naturally drawing everyone's attention and making her the center of focus.

The other woman seemed more ordinary. She was most likely Gu Feishuang's agent.

"Dear Miss Gu, I wonder if you remember the compliments I paid you yesterday? If I weren't already married, I would truly want you to be the leading lady at my wedding." Just then, that repulsive voice spoke again, making Chen Fei frown involuntarily. What does this old creep mean by that?

"Thank you for your praise, Mr. Lau," Gu Feishuang replied, a flash of disgust clear in her beautiful eyes, though she forced a smile, perhaps out of some other concern.

Seeing this, many passengers in first class felt as if they had swallowed a fly. Although Gu Feishuang's popularity had not yet reached the point of being a household name, seeing such a stunningly beautiful woman being harassed by a man with a double chin, a beer belly, and a truly nauseating face was unsettling. With a face like that, you're a toad lusting after swan's flesh? How shameless!

"Dear Miss Gu, I hope you know that my words come from the heart, because you are truly beautiful. I was wondering, after we deplane, would I, Lau Tianqi, have the honor of inviting you to dinner? I would be most delighted to discuss the endorsement with Miss Gu then," said the old creep who was called Mr. Lau, shooting a look at the agent sitting beside Gu Feishuang. Then, his lustful eyes locked onto Gu Feishuang's full chest, his intentions obvious.

"...President Lau, the sunlight in this seat is a bit glaring, and I'm not used to it. If you don't mind, how about we switch seats?" The agent, after catching Mr. Lau's glance, was momentarily stunned but then, without the slightest hesitation, sold Gu Feishuang out, rising to give up her seat.

"Sister Li, you..." Gu Feishuang hadn't expected her own agent to not only refuse to help her but to sell her out so readily. Her brows knitted instantly, her eyes flashing with anger.

"Hahaha, my dear Miss Gu, I believe we will have a pleasant journey," Mr. Lau said, giving the agent a look that clearly meant, *'Well done.'* He then laughed heartily and prepared to sit down next to Gu Feishuang.

But just then, Gu Feishuang couldn't stop herself from speaking up. "Mr. Lau, you have a strange sense of humor. I'd prefer to sit with Sister Li." Although she was supposed to be accustomed to various forms of harassment in her line of work, she had lost her composure and spoken more directly than intended.

Hearing Gu Feishuang's clear refusal, Mr. Lau's face finally darkened. He spoke, displeased, "Miss Gu, although you have some fame now, there's no need to be so arrogant, is there? Do you think that with my status, I, Lau Tianqi, am not qualified to invite you to a meal or sit beside you?"

"And don't forget, our True Me sportswear's offer to make you an endorser hasn't been signed in black and white yet. Believe it or not, with just one word from me, Lau Tianqi, I can have you replaced immediately!" At that moment, Lau Tianqi appeared utterly imperious, believing he held the power of life and death over her, absolutely certain he had her in his grasp.

Of course, in a way, he did. Given Gu Feishuang's current popularity, she was, at best, a third-tier starlet. For an actress at that level in the entertainment industry, the value of an endorsement contract was almost impossible to resist. It not only brought a huge income to her and her company but, more importantly, provided exposure and increased fame.

For the many stars active in the entertainment world, exposure and fame were the ultimate goals—they were their professional lifeblood.

And because he understood this, Lau Tianqi was utterly certain she couldn't refuse such a huge temptation. After all, Gu Feishuang wasn't the first third-tier starlet he had targeted. In the past, whenever he used similar tactics, he was always successful; those beauties would practically throw themselves at him.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lau, but I don't think I can continue this conversation." However, just as Lau Tianqi believed victory was his and that she couldn't possibly escape his clutches, Gu Feishuang's calm words left him completely stunned.

"What... what did you say?" Lau Tianqi never expected her to actually reject him, to abandon such a massive temptation of fame and fortune. He felt deeply insulted. The whispers and scornful glances from elsewhere in the first-class cabin felt like needles pricking his face.

"Gu Feishuang, let me tell you, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!" The next moment, he exploded with rage and embarrassment, pointing a finger at her nose as he cursed.

"Fei Shuang, you're not some rookie who just debuted a few days ago, are you? A request like President Lau's is perfectly normal. It's just one dinner, just one night, and in return, you get a seven-figure endorsement deal. Isn't that enough? Don't be so willful. You should also know that President Lau has many friends in the film industry, right? If he recommends you to them, you know what that means. I don't need to spell it out for you."

But the agent, Sister Li, didn't just fail to help Gu Feishuang; she even kicked her while she was down, earnestly trying to persuade her. This left the onlookers not only stunned but also filled with a sense of sorrow.

Is this what the real film and entertainment industry is like? Did all those glamorous female stars on TV come up this way?

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