Qin Jinhai wore a cold expression, making the person whose seat he'd taken dare not voice their anger.
Fu Bing didn't even have to look at Li Qing to feel her resentful gaze. "Director Qin," she said to him, "do you think I don't have enough enemies?"
Qin Jinhai raised an eyebrow. "I believe you can handle it."
Handle my ass!
Fu Bing, her expression full of unspoken curses, turned her head away, not wanting to look at the damn dog of a man.
She was so angry her lungs ached.
Su Junling acted as if Qin Jinhai didn't exist and discussed tomorrow's scenes with Fu Bing.
Li Qing went to the first-row seat arranged for her by the organizers.
However, all eyes in the venue were on Fu Bing.
The female stars, dressed in millions worth of haute couture and jewelry, could not steal Fu Bing's limelight.
Even though Fu Bing was plagued by scandals, she still easily attracted everyone's attention.
Fu Bing paid no mind to their stares; instead, she was mentally calculating how to use this exposure to her advantage.
The media was using her to attract attention, and she could similarly use the media to change her past image.
The awards ceremony was rather boring, and it had nothing to do with Fu Bing. The stars on stage exchanged perfunctory pleasantries, and those in the audience who received awards left immediately afterward. It was utterly dull.
Midway through the ceremony, she got up to go to the restroom, intending to slip out through the back door.
While she was washing her hands, a voice suddenly spoke from behind her.
"Wash your right hand thoroughly."
It was Qin Jinhai's voice.
Fu Bing closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "Director Qin, you haunt me relentlessly. Have you finally decided to return my assets?"
"I just don't like the scent of other men on my woman."
"Are you talking about Li Qing? She probably has the scent of quite a few men on her. Director Qin has been made a cuckold so many times, his head's practically a green pasture."
Fu Bing was not without a temper. Having someone she deeply hated constantly in her sight—not strangling him already showed great self-control. And this damn dog of a man still showed up in her face every day.
"What can your sharp tongue bring you?"
"It can…"
Before Fu Bing could finish, Qin Jinhai pulled her into a stall and locked the door.
She had just started to struggle when Qin Jinhai covered her mouth.
"Someone's coming."
The stall was spacious enough for Fu Bing alone, with room to turn around. But with this damn dog of a man added, it instantly felt cramped.
Qin Jinhai's chest pressed tightly against her. The heat from his skin seeped through the thin fabric of their clothes, making Fu Bing's eyes burn. His natural scent of Wu Mu was both calming and cool, yet held an underlying warmth. Whenever she fell asleep in his arms, she would sleep soundly, without dreams.
She once thought he would always be by her side, steadfastly protecting her. Who would have thought…
Fu Bing forced herself not to think further, silently glaring at Qin Jinhai.
"If you keep looking at me like that, I'll kiss you."
Fu Bing immediately looked toward the door. To look at him a second longer would be a desecration to herself.
Qin Jinhai was both exasperated and amused by her blunt reaction.
The crisp sound of high heels echoed in the restroom.
"Xiaobing, are you there? It's been years since we had a real heart-to-heart talk. Since you're here tonight, let's chat, okay?"
Li Qing's voice was cautious and low, as if afraid of disturbing someone. She walked step by step towards the only closed stall door in the restroom. Jealousy flashed in her eyes. Qin Jinhai had repeatedly humiliated her in public for a woman who had been in jail. Even though Qin Jinhai was, to the public, her man, as soon as Fu Bing returned, he only had eyes for Fu Bing.
Fu Bing anxiously watched the diamond-studded high heels that appeared underneath the stall door. She held her breath.
Li Qing gripped the door handle, about to turn it.
"Miss Li Qing, there are only two more awards before Best Actor and Best Actress."
Li Qing retracted her hand, looking towards Mu Lin who stood outside.
"Is Director Qin here as well?"
"Director Qin is next door."
Li Qing sneered inwardly but said aloud, "Of course, I know."
Mu Lin accompanied Li Qing out.
The restroom returned to silence.
Fu Bing forcefully pulled Qin Jinhai's hand away and tried to open the door to leave.
The next second, Qin Jinhai kissed her. Just like every kiss before, it was domineering yet irresistibly addictive.
Fu Bing forcefully pushed him, hit him, and kicked him, only for Qin Jinhai to respond with even greater force.
Suddenly, he bent down and lifted her with one hand onto the storage shelf. His large hand slipped beneath her skirt, caressing her skin. His burning fingertips roamed over her delicate skin, sending shivers through her.
"Mmm... let... go..." Fu Bing protested.
It only resulted in him treating her even more intensely.
It wasn't clear whose teeth cut whose tongue, but the metallic taste of blood soon filled their mouths. The taste of blood further ignited the beast within Qin Jinhai, making him even more frenzied.
Fu Bing was dragged by him into a vortex of lust, her rationality slowly fading.
Only when Qin Jinhai had kissed his fill did he finally release the woman in his arms.
Fu Bing's gaze gradually refocused. Her lips were slightly swollen from the kisses, her eyes tinged red at the corners.
Qin Jinhai couldn't resist and bent down to kiss her deeply once more before forcing himself to let her go.
The moment Fu Bing was free, she kicked Qin Jinhai several times. Due to her posture, her kicks lacked any real force.
Fu Bing was fuming. She completely failed to notice Qin Jinhai smoothing her slightly wrinkled dress and tidying her hair.
He coaxed her as if she were a child, "Don't rush off. Go back to the awards ceremony; there's a surprise waiting for you."
After saying this, Qin Jinhai didn't linger and quickly left.
Fu Bing stood before the mirror, looking at her own reflection—eyes luminous, cheeks flushed—and felt a wave of annoyance. Seeing that her makeup was still flawless, she returned to the awards ceremony.
Su Junling glanced at her, momentarily stunned by her dazzling beauty, then said softly, "You and Qin Jinhai are certainly a pair."
"The awards ceremony is even more interesting."
The seat next to her, where Qin Jinhai should have been, remained empty.
At this moment, the Best Actor award had just been presented. The large screen displayed the nominees for Best Actress. After all the nominees' clips had been shown, no host appeared to make the introductions.
The crowd couldn't help but murmur among themselves.
Fu Bing had the same question. The organizers couldn't have made such a glaring mistake.
Amidst the crowd's buzz, an elderly woman with white hair, dressed in a Cheongsam, stepped onto the stage. Her demeanor was elegant and impeccable.
She was Rong Shizhi, a ninety-year-old veteran actress. The Golden Cauldron Award had been created in her honor. Many in the audience rose to welcome her.
Rong Shizhi said with a slight smile, "Good evening, everyone. I am Rong Shizhi, and I've been invited to present the Best Actress award. After careful consideration, the organizers have decided that this year's Best Actress award will remain vacant."
At that moment, the director happened to cut the camera feed to Fu Bing.
Rong Shizhi looked towards the large screen. When she saw Fu Bing, her eyes showed the boundless affection and indulgence of an elder for a junior.
"Three years ago," she continued, her gaze shifting from the screen to meet Fu Bing's across the crowd, "I personally handed her the Best Actress trophy. She represented the highest standard of performance for the new generation in our film industry. In the three years she has been absent, no actress has emerged who could rival her. The Golden Cauldron Award will not be given to someone undeserving."
Rong Shizhi looked at Fu Bing across the stage and through the crowd, her voice gentle as she added, "Child, we are waiting for you to return."
Fu Bing's heart churned, and her eyes moistened, but she fought back the tears. Many eyes turned towards her.
The host had already handed her the microphone.
Fu Bing suppressed the lump in her throat and took the microphone. "Thank you, Teacher, for your profound kindness. Thank you all for never speaking a harsh word to me throughout everything. I still owe over a billion in breach of contract penalties, so my current focus is on repaying those debts."
She made no mention of acting.
Rong Shizhi heard the unspoken meaning in her words. Disappointment flickered in her eyes, but she still smiled. "I believe you can succeed on any path you choose."
"Thank you, Teacher."
Li Qing, sitting in the front row, nearly crushed the handbag in her grip, yet she had to maintain a smile for the cameras. She was the hottest contender for Best Actress this year. And this was her best performance to date—at least, that's what she believed. The organizers, clearly to favor Fu Bing, would rather leave the Best Actress award vacant than give it to her.
Li Qing's agent, Lin Xiao, walked over and bent down to whisper in her ear, "In a stall in the women's restroom, I found one of Director Qin's diamond cufflinks."
Lin Xiao had once been the agent Qin Jinhai personally selected for Fu Bing. When Fu Bing ran into trouble, Lin Xiao was the first to turn on her.
Li Qing's venomous gaze swept towards Fu Bing. Fu Bing, just you wait.