Volume One, Chapter 20: Money Earned Through Talent and Hard Work Is Always Worthy of Praise
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Shen Qi’s smug, miserly look of a petty man who had suddenly come into his own had finally given Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu something to seize upon.
“Of course he had to sell the song for money so that Diva Li wouldn’t find out, but doesn’t he look a little too greedy?”
“Exactly. A man without a job is hopeless. Just fifty thousand yuan has him grinning like that.”
Zhu Yiyi frowned, while Li Huange merely let out a cold laugh and turned toward Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu.
“As everyone knows, the husband of Actress Lin is a famous superstar in the music industry. Naturally, she wouldn’t care about fifty thousand yuan.”
“And Ms. Bai’s husband is an executive at a major corporation, so naturally she wouldn’t care about such a small sum either.”
“But people are different. To an ordinary person, fifty thousand yuan is hardly a trivial amount.”
“Should an ordinary person who happens to earn money through his own talent not even be allowed to feel happy about it…”
“Must he be looked down upon by the two of you?”
Hearing this, Zhu Yiyi felt thoroughly vindicated.
Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu both stiffened, their expressions turning unpleasant.
“Diva Li, please don’t read too much into our words. We weren’t looking down on him. We simply felt that Shen Qi was being a little too vulgar…”
Bai Qinghe had not even finished speaking when Li Huange cut her off.
“Oh? How many people in this world are not vulgar? Don’t ordinary people all live among the bustle of everyday life? Are you saying that ordinary people, who cannot earn as much as you do, must nevertheless look down on small sums like fifty thousand yuan simply because you do?”
“You…”
For a moment, Bai Qinghe did not know how to respond. For the first time in front of the cameras, she looked completely rattled.
Lin Xiaolu immediately stepped in. “Diva Li, please don’t twist our words. All we meant was that Shen Qi is already living off you, so he shouldn’t also take another payment from you.”
Li Huange had been about to respond to Lin Xiaolu, and now Lin had practically offered herself up.
“I run a company. My company has a business arrangement with Shen Qi, and we entered into a transaction. Are you saying Actress Lin believes Shen Qi shouldn’t accept payment?”
Lin Xiaolu pursed her lips, preparing to speak, but Li Huange immediately pressed on.
“Then, in all the works you’ve made, do you refuse to pay anyone who happens to have a close relationship with you?”
“You…”
Lin Xiaolu was struck speechless as well.
Zhu Yiyi was so delighted that she nearly applauded.
Sister Huange was incredible. With nothing more than her sharp tongue, she had rendered both actresses speechless.
Was this the bearing of a diva and a female CEO?
Zhu Yiyi felt that she still had a long way to go.
Li Huange rose slowly, speaking in a calm yet powerful voice.
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“No one in this world is obligated to give endlessly and unconditionally to anyone else!”
“Even an ordinary person like Shen Qi, who used his own talent to create a good work—though I am his wife, I have no right to claim it without compensation!”
“Everyone has the right to feel happy after earning money through their own abilities!”
A wave of applause from ordinary people immediately erupted throughout the studio. The applause was, in effect, a pointed rebuke to Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu.
The fans of Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu continued arguing in the comments, but they were quickly drowned out by Li Huange’s supporters and the viewers who had originally remained neutral.
[What’s the matter? Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu are famous actresses who look down on fifty thousand yuan, and now they expect ordinary people to look down on it too?]
[Isn’t that just looking down on the poor? Aren’t the fortunes you have earned built by countless ordinary fans?]
[I actually prefer approachable celebrities like Diva Huange.]
[Shen Qi is Diva Huange’s husband. He probably doesn’t lack that money either, but he’s clearly so down-to-earth.]
Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu seemed to realize what had happened. Their words had indeed placed them on the opposite side of the public.
It had not originally been a serious matter, but Li Huange had taken control of the entire situation.
The two women grew even angrier at her. They could not help marveling at how forceful and difficult she was, yet they had no choice but to explain themselves quickly.
“That isn’t what we meant. Perhaps I misunderstood—I thought Shen Qi was happy because of the money, but I only realized just now…”
“Yes, yes. Shen Qi must have been happy because he managed to help Huange.”
Li Huange shook her head. Looking at Shen Qi’s delighted expression on the screen, she said seriously, “He was happy because he made money!”
Bai Qinghe: “???”
Lin Xiaolu: “???”
Was she really refusing to let this go?
Li Lei asked curiously, “Could Shen Qi really be…”
Li Huange did not try to hide it. Shen Qi’s usual miserly, money-loving manner surfaced in her mind, and she could not help smiling faintly.
“Yes. Shen Qi is indeed a little greedy and stingy, but that actually makes him… rather adorable.”
“Adorable?” Zhu Yiyi found that difficult to understand.
Most of the audience did as well.
How could greed and stinginess make someone seem adorable?
Everyone’s attention returned to the livestream.
…
“Look at that smug, penny-pinching face of yours!” Shen Xiaokun could not resist mocking him.
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Shen Qi chuckled and slipped his phone into his pocket.
“Every penny earned through honest work and without stealing or cheating deserves respect!”
“No matter how wealthy someone is, as long as that wealth was earned through hard work, it deserves praise!”
The comments erupted in approval.
Shen Qi clapped his hands and stood up. “All right. Although the song has already been delivered to your mother’s company, our agreement is still in effect. Until I give you permission, you still can’t tell your mother the truth.”
“So you’re still going to keep working as a ghostwriter behind the scenes?”
“Mm-hmm!”
Shen Qi headed toward the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Shen Xiaokun called after him, “I’m not very hungry. You can wait until seven to make dinner.”
Without even turning his head, Shen Qi waved him off. “No, no. Your mother says you’re still growing and need a balanced diet. Several of today’s dishes are more complicated, so I need to start preparing early.”
Shen Xiaokun opened his mouth, but for a moment he had no idea what to say.
Everyone in the studio once again turned to Li Huange.
Fang Qian asked, “Most home-cooked dishes are fairly simple. Diva Li, have you ever eaten any of Shen Qi’s more complicated dishes?”
Li Huange shook her head. “I don’t know how to cook, so I have no idea which of his dishes are difficult. Usually, everything is already prepared when I get up in the morning, and when I come home, I simply sit down and eat.”
The studio filled with envious murmurs. Countless viewers were filled with anticipation. After all, the dishes Shen Qi had prepared at noon had already given everyone a glimpse of his culinary skill.
Now that Shen Qi said dinner would be somewhat complicated, just how elaborate could it be?
The livestream cut directly to the kitchen.
Shen Qi first pulled a handful of bean sprouts from a plastic bag and began washing them. The comments instantly filled with question marks.
Bai Qinghe laughed. “What complicated dish could possibly be made with bean sprouts? I honestly can’t imagine one.”
Lin Xiaolu laughed as well. “I’ve visited many cities and I’m quite passionate about food, but I truly can’t think of any famous dish that uses bean sprouts.”
The moment Shen Qi took out the bean sprouts, Li Huange seemed to know exactly what he was making. She had eaten this dish before and had praised it without reserve.
She glanced at the two women and smiled.
“I may be able to guess what this dish is. Perhaps you two have underestimated Shen Qi’s cooking. I dare say that even a Michelin-starred chef couldn’t make this dish.”
“I consider myself fairly well-traveled and knowledgeable, but I’ve never eaten or even seen bean sprouts prepared this way anywhere else.”
“Although I don’t know how to cook, I can still imagine how complicated this dish must be!”
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