CH 36

Ling Shu was here for the movie premiere.

The movie was called "Reborn from the Flames".

The male and female leads were both famous movie stars of the moment, and tickets were hard to come by.

But Ling Shu had two.

When he was hospitalized before, He You'an came to visit and brought two tickets. Ling Shu gave them both to Ling Yao because Ling Yao was a die-hard fan of He You'an.

Recently, Ling Yao returned the tickets because she was having a cold war with his brother-in-law. So Ling Shu had to come alone with two tickets.

He snuck out of work to come here, which was impossible in the past. 

But Yue Dingtang, the police station consultant, was actually given a leisurely job with a fancy title and generous pay just to win him over. He didn't have to do any work. 

Even Ling Shu, his assistant, could wander around all day without going to the city bureau and still collect his salary without anyone saying a word.

So, going to see a movie wasn't a big deal.

Ling Shu looked up at the sky. It was a sunny day with no snow or wind, and the big sun was shining warmly overhead, spreading its warmth to the people below.

Shanghai was as bustling and lively as ever.

Outside the cinema, people who had come for the premiere had formed a queue that stretched half a block. 

There were also many people who couldn't get tickets waiting on the sidelines for someone to sell theirs. Above their heads hung a large colorful movie poster featuring the lead actors, He You'an and Lin Feng. 

The poster was surrounded by bright, multicolored lights, a privilege reserved only for the most prominent movie stars of the time.

Although the figures in the poster were slightly exaggerated, He You'an's beauty still shone through. Many people who had never seen her in person were drawn in by the poster alone.

That's the power of true beauty.

A few people in long robes wandered outside the queue, quietly selling and buying the few expensive tickets they had in their hands. As they walked, they came across Ling Shu.

"Sir, are you selling tickets?" they asked.

"How can I sell them?" Ling Shu replied. 

"According to the price on your ticket, I'll pay double. Think about it, the movie isn't just showing for one day. You can come and watch it anytime, but it's more profitable for you to get an extra payment, don't you think?" the other party said.

Ling Shu replied, "What if I also want to sell an additional signature?"

"What signature?" the other party asked.

"He You'an's personal signature," Ling Shu said.

"Do you also have Miss He's signature? Is it real or fake?" the other party asked.

"It's definitely real. A premiere movie ticket with a signature, I’ll sell for two silver dollars. How about it?" Ling Shu replied.

"Wow! You really know how to ask for a lot!" the other party exclaimed.

Ling Shu took out the movie ticket with the signature. The elegant signature was clearly visible, and those familiar with He You'an could immediately recognize that it was indeed her signature. 

The other party reached out to take a closer look, but Ling Shu quickly pulled it back. 

"Many people want He You'an's autograph, but I was able to get it because my sister's classmate is Miss He's neighbor. You know what they say, proximity is power. If I wasn't in a rush to get into the theater to watch the movie, I could have sold this ticket for at least two yuan."

After spouting off some nonsense, the other person was immediately intrigued.

Ling Shu pretended to put the ticket back in his pocket.

"If you don't want it, then forget it. With the autograph, I can always find a loyal fan of Miss He to add it to their collection."

"No no no, I'll take it!"

Not only was Ling Shu able to watch a movie, but he also stumbled upon a windfall. He happily pocketed the silver yuan and walked into the cinema. These days, two yuan is not a small amount of money. 

Of course, for the wealthy, they can afford not only five silver dollars, but even one hundred. Among the fans of He You'an, there are many rich kids. When they sell these items, doubling the profit is not a problem.

Ling Shu doesn't like watching movies.

But compared to sitting in the office all day, this is naturally more interesting. 

The movie tells the story of the female protagonist played by He You'an, who changes her appearance and approaches her enemy to make him fall in love with her, all in order to seek revenge for her family. 

However, she eventually falls in love with him and tragically commits suicide after killing him.

At that moment, the audience sitting in front, behind, and to the sides were all immersed in the superb performance of the male and female leads. 

Some were even moved to tears, quietly sobbing. With a small paper bag in his hand, Ling Shu fished out one salt and pepper peanut after another, his eyes and mouth working in unison, while also sharing his thoughts internally.

As the movie came to a close, He You'an also appeared.

The scene immediately went from sorrowful to boiling with excitement.

She was surrounded by Lin Feng and a group of supporting actors, dressed in a white Western-style dress and wearing a hat, with a slight smile on her lips.

Unlike the loneliness she exuded when Ling Shu first saw her that night, He You'an now exuded a peaceful elegance, smiling sweetly and brilliantly, just like the grandeur of the movie playing.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, "Reborn from the Ashes" will once again become the focus of discussion on every street and alley, and will add another brilliant chapter to He You'an's acting career. 

Even though she was already famous and had far surpassed the average person in terms of material wealth, no one would refuse the honor of adding more glory to her name.

The producers gave their speeches first, followed by Lin Feng and He You'an.

Both of them spoke in a conventional manner, expressing their gratitude, but the audience who attended this premiere would have the opportunity to line up and ask for autographs from the movie stars. 

This was why there was a long line outside earlier - not only He You'an, but also Lin Feng, a handsome young actor, was quite popular among the wealthy young ladies.

Among the fans who came to line up for autographs today, many were employed by these wealthy young ladies to help them get autographs.

Originally, Ling Shu didn't want to go, he was just planning to leave after finishing his peanuts. A young man approached Ling Shu, claiming to be from the film company where He You'an worked. 

He said that He You'an had just seen Ling Shu and hoped to speak with him backstage after the premiere. 

Ling Shu agreed and found a quiet corner to wait for He You'an to finish.

As the premiere ended, many fans approached their favorite movie stars for photos. 

He You'an was surrounded by the most people, and one person even brought a large bouquet of bright red flowers that caught everyone's attention, including He You'an's. 

The flowers emitted a unique fragrance that was neither orchid nor rose. 

He You'an smiled and accepted the bouquet, about to thank the person when suddenly, something unexpected happened! 

A sharp knife flashed from behind the bouquet, heading straight towards He You'an!

Someone screamed first, but it was unclear who.

He You'an's face turned pale, and she instinctively tried to dodge backwards.

But she forgot she was still wearing high heels, and when her heel twisted, her whole body became unsteady.

The knife was about to pierce through her clothes and into her flesh, blood splattering everywhere. 

The people around scattered and some tried to pull He You'an to the side, but the attacker was extremely persistent, charging forward and refusing to stop until someone was hurt.

Given He You'an's delicate body, it was uncertain whether she would survive the attack.

The people who were slow to react could only watch in shock and horror, frozen in place, as a tragedy was about to unfold.

Fortunately, the beauty did not fall victim to the attack. Someone flew in with a kick and knocked the knife-wielding thug to the ground.

Others finally snapped out of their daze and rushed forward, quickly pinning the criminal down so he couldn't move.

The thug continued to struggle fiercely, his neck stiff, glaring fiercely at He You'an with bloodshot eyes like a wild beast that hadn't tasted meat in days.

He You'an's face turned pale as someone helped her up, trembling as she asked, "Who are you?!"

"I put your photo by my bedside every day, but why did you smile at someone else? So many people saw you smile, I want you to only smile for me from now on! I really like you!"

The other person chuckled strangely, their voice eerie and unsettling.

In this day and age, those who can run a movie company naturally have some connections and abilities. 

When this incident broke out, the police quickly arrived and took the criminal away. 

The meet-and-greet couldn't even happen, and the premiere ended hastily. The staff escorted the fans and audience out one by one, and the other actors in the movie also left one after another.

However, He You'an stayed behind to rest backstage.

She still hadn't recovered from the shock earlier, looking dazed as she held a cup of hot tea without taking a sip.

It wasn't until Ling Shu arrived that she forced herself to perk up and express her gratitude.

"If it weren't for you just now, I might have..."

He You'an seemed to be trying hard to show that she was calm, but the more she tried, the more charming she appeared.

Her eyes were moist, but she held back the tears, like a crescent moon spring, radiating brilliance and beauty.

It's hard to imagine someone could hurt such a beautiful woman, but it's a reminder that the world is full of different people and situations. 

"Small matter, if you feel guilty, just sign a few more photos for me. I'll take them back to appease my sister," said Ling Shu in a casual tone, making He You'an smile and feel better.

"No problem, I'll sign as many as you want. And if there's a new movie coming out, I'll send some tickets to your sister," replied He You'an.

"Great, from now on, you'll be in charge of our movie tickets," joked Ling Shu.

"What movie tickets?" Suddenly, Shen Shiqi walked in and casually asked the last question.

The next second, he saw Ling Shu and his face immediately turned ugly.

"What are you guys doing behind my back? You said you came to attend the premiere today, but it turns out you're here to have a secret meeting with a lover?" 

The words were clearly directed at He You'an, but there were also two members from the film company present besides He You'an and Ling Shu. The words were like a public humiliation, trampling He You'an's dignity in front of everyone.

Although Shen Shiqi's flirtation with her was not a secret, and He You'an had already become accustomed to Shen Shiqi treating her like a plaything, sometimes passionately loving her and pampering her, and sometimes treating her coldly and playing with her at will, it did not mean that she would not feel embarrassed and angry, especially after just experiencing an assassination attempt.

He You'an's mood suddenly turned sour.

The tears she had been holding back just now also broke free and turned into falling pearls.

Shen Shiqi coldly sneered at the sight, showing no pity or sympathy, and instead walked towards Ling Shu with big strides. "Good, today I finally caught you in the act. Get out of here!" 

As he spoke, he reached out to grab Ling Shu's collar.

Before he could even finish saying "get out," Shen Shiqi felt the world spin around him and suddenly found himself pinned to the ground.

His chin was then met with a heavy blow, causing him to scream in agony like a fat pig being slaughtered!