The atmosphere at the table froze for a moment amidst awkward laughter from both sides.
"Knock knock".
Fortunately, at that moment, there was a knock on the door of the private room, and a waiter from the Chinese restaurant pushed in a cart and began to focus on serving the four people on the table.
As expected of the well-trained waiter here, he didn't look up at the people at the table the whole time, silently arranged the dishes, and then silently left.
Only after the door closed again did Tong Junhui finally raise his eyes slightly, looking at Zhou Junhao with a hint of suspicion, before turning to Xiao He: "You two know each other?"
"Uh, uh—"
Zhou Junhao didn't know how to answer. He couldn't very well say, "Brother Tong, this is the mysterious hacker master who helped us back then," so he could only cover it up with a smile.
Xiao He, on the other hand, remained remarkably calm, displaying the qualities of a true film emperor. He said casually, "He came to our film crew as an extra before, and apparently he almost got into trouble? Anyway, it caused quite a stir at the time. Later, as one of the investors, I went to visit this reporter, Zhou."
Tong Junhui nodded, unable to discern anything from Xiao He's expression: "I see..."
He then looked at Zhou Junhao: "Really?"
Zhou Junhao laughed, afraid that Tong Junhui would notice something amiss, so he quickly changed the subject: "Sigh, there was nothing I could do. It was really tough back then. And you don't know, Brother Tong, I really thought I ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ was going to die, so I just swallowed the evidence. But when I opened my eyes, I was already in the hospital, and I had to take the evidence out myself."
"Okay, stop there."
Tong Junhui seemed to have guessed what the word "掏" meant. Faced with a sumptuous dinner, he didn't want to talk about such an unappetizing topic, so he simply changed the subject, poured himself a glass of wine, and stood up to toast Xiao He and Liu Rulan:
"Thank you so much for what happened back then. You came to the hospital to visit me under those circumstances and helped me with everything. It's just a pity that I haven't had a proper opportunity to thank you because of the case. This time, I finally have the chance to express my gratitude to you in person."
He then drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.
"You are welcome."
Xiao He quickly raised his glass in response.
Liu Rulan also shifted her gaze from Zhou Junhao, raised her wine glass and said, "It's alright, what happened back then is in the past. We're all doing well now, so there's no need to dwell on it anymore. Xiao He and I came here mainly to celebrate your successful job search."
"Found a new job?"
Xiao He was astonished.
Which entertainment company is Tong Junhui currently with?
Is he preparing to make a comeback in the entertainment industry?
"Yes, thanks to Xiao Zhou."
Tong Junhui smiled and patted Zhou Junhao on the shoulder, "With his help, I am now officially a front-line reporter."
Xiao He's eyes widened.
Wait, wait, isn't something wrong?
Hmm? Tong Junhui?
A former movie star and well-known male celebrity in the entertainment industry, now he's switched careers to become a reporter?
Xiao He's gaze suddenly fell on Zhou Junhao.
Could it be that this brat did something to get Tong Junhui to work with him?
How come this person is addicted to going undercover?
When Zhou Junhao received Xiao He's suspicious gaze, he couldn't help but shrink back and explained with an embarrassed laugh, "Haha, actually this has little to do with me, so there's no need to single it out."
Heaven bears witness! He really didn't mean to make Brother Tong become a reporter!
He was completely dumbfounded when he found out about this!
"Well, mainly I want to do something for my past self, and also for more innocent people in the present."
Faced with Xiao He's question, Tong Junhui simply smiled and said, "Just consider it as me... wanting to help more of my former fans."
Although most of his original fans have left, Tong Junhui believes that as long as he helps enough people—perhaps one of them is one of his original fans out of a hundred or a thousand people—it will be worthwhile.
Consider it an atonement for the past when I was blinded by greed and wanted to take shortcuts, but ended up disappointing my fans!
Xiao He's expression was very complicated after hearing Tong Junhui's words.
At this moment, in Xiao He's eyes, this man shone with a sacred light.
—At least, Xiao He would never do such a burdensome journey as if he were atonement. He has always been open-minded and prioritizes avoiding internal conflict.
Liu Rulan, standing to the side, was not as shocked as Xiao He. She simply sighed and nodded slightly at the former artist: "You have matured a lot since then. I only hope that everything will go smoothly for you in the future."
The person who broke down and knelt down to beg her back then seems to have finally awakened his will, but unfortunately it's all too late.
Liu Rulan would no longer feel sorry or regretful for him.
Tong Junhui gazed at Liu Rulan without saying anything more, but raised his glass and clinked it against Liu Rulan's in a slightly humble manner: "Thank you, and I hope Sister Liu's career will get better and better."
Liu Rulan smiled and said, "With Xiao He around, I have the confidence."
Xiao He, who was being called upon, laughed.
This statement seems to be quite provocative.
Tong Junhui then turned to Xiao He and said, "I hope Xiao He will become a global superstar soon."
Xiao He paused, raised his glass in response, and smiled with exceptional confidence: "Thank you for your kind words."
-
On the way back, Liu Rulan was in an exceptionally good mood; Xiao He could hear her humming even while driving.
"It seems Sister Liu is in a good mood."
Xiao He chatted casually.
"Hmm, not bad."
Although Liu Rulan didn't say she cared about Tong Junhui, she still thought about him a little. Now that Tong Junhui had rediscovered the meaning of his life, she breathed a sigh of relief.
But she quickly looked at Xiao He: "However, I always feel that the reporter knows you, and that your relationship is more than just ordinary?"
Xiao He raised an eyebrow: "Is it that obvious?"
"You didn't leave any flaws, but that reporter... he seemed a bit dim-witted and not very capable. How did he manage to infiltrate and obtain so much intelligence and evidence?"
Liu Rulan posed a soul-searching question.
Xiao He almost burst out laughing.
If Zhou Junhao heard Liu Rulan's complaints, he would probably want to kill himself.
"So I think he and Teacher Tong are quite complementary as partners, at least he won't be so silly."
Liu Rulan crossed her arms: "Don't change the subject."
“Zhou Junhao, he...”
Xiao He thought about it and felt that there was nothing wrong with talking about it. After all, Liu Rulan knew his hacker identity, and now that there was another person, Tong Junhui, among them, knowing this would give her some background information.
Xiao He then simply explained the situation: "I have worked with him a few times, and he knows that I am a hacker."
Liu Rulan fell silent.
Xiao He coughed lightly, feeling a little guilty, and added in a low voice, "He won't reveal my situation, don't worry, and I can guarantee he won't tell anyone."
Liu Rulan hesitated, then rubbed her temples, wanting to reprimand her, but found that she didn't seem to have anything to say.
After all, she was an outsider in those matters, and Xiao He also had his own sense of propriety.
Thinking about it that way, it doesn't seem like a big deal.
"Okay, I understand."
Liu Rulan accepted the matter quickly and then began to think about another issue.
"In that case, should I send them some more insider gossip as a kind of opening gift for Tong Junhui?"
Xiao He slipped and almost ran a red light.
What?
Sister Liu, you're the real ruthless one!
