Chapter 454 - Huo Kun getting his way
Because of Du Yu's sudden departure, the scenes today were shelved aside.
Gu Rushan knew the genuine reason, which was the reason why she felt depressed. All of a sudden, she recalled Su Tao's reminders, which came true. Huo Kun really was not a good person. He actually used Du Yu to pressure her!
If she was an ordinary woman, she would surely be shaken.
However, Gu Rushan was an unbending woman, and she had already made up her mind that she would not bow to Huo Kun, even at the risk of being kicked out of the production team.
She subconsciously called Su Tao and reported everything to him.
After a brief silence, Su Tao's expression turned grave as he replied, "Don't be anxious. Huo Kun is now trying to force you to submit by using ample conditions to tempt you along with Du Yu. So you have to meet with him!"
"But I'm disgusted by him!" Gu Rushan bit her lips with indignance as she continued, "I really don't wish to meet him!"
"There are always challenges in life, and even without Huo Kun, you might meet someone like him. Are you going to hide from them as well? It's not fearful to be facing trouble, but it's fearful if you run away." Su Tao sighed.
"Alright!" Gu Rushan mustered her courage from Su Tao's encouragement. "I will meet with him!"
The situation had progressed sooner than Su Tao had expected. After all, he never expected that Huo Kun would make a move at Gu Rushan so soon.
After hanging up his call with Gu Rushan, Su Tao went onto the internet. Just five minutes ago, Du Yu had posted a video.
In the video, Du Yu wore an indignant expression as he said, "We're all Chinese, and we can't be blinded by money. Recently, there's a Chinese that proclaimed himself a Physician King, actually established a medical center in South Korea, stayed with a Korean lady, and even considered himself a half-Korean! We should boycott someone like him!"
All the comments were targeted at him, and the words were extremely unbearable. Many people echoed their voices along as they proclaimed to boycott before the Three Flavour Hall.
With how the situation has developed, there was nothing Su Tao could do.
Damn it, how can such a nationalist like me be called a traitor?
He had taken up the responsibility to spread the culture of TCM and defeated TKM to regain dignity for his country, so how was he considered a half-Korean?
Although he's staying with Kim Jung-yeon, he hasn't even touched her and someone was jealous?
All the obscene language made Su Tao feel enraged but he did not lose his rationale. He knew that he had to bear the pressure at such a crucial moment.
His encouragement for Gu Rushan was actually partly for him.
It's nothing to receive a setback, but he had to pull himself together and cannot be defeated by those false words.
Firstly, he had to resort to emergency public relations to prove that all the allegations directed at him were false.
Kim Jung-yeon hesitated while standing before the door and looked at Su Tao.
Knowing that she was also under pressure, Su Tao smiled. "What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry to have caused you trouble." Kim Jung-yeon said in a low mood. "If I did not request to stay here, we wouldn't have had our photos taken and your reputation would not be ruined."
Waving his hand, Su Tao comforted her, "It has nothing to do with you. Someone is trying to defame me on purpose, and even without you, they would still create other allegations. On the contrary, I should apologise that I dragged you into this matter."
Kim Jung-yeon did not expect that Su Tao would speak those words. Her eyes welled up with tears from the emotions. "Su Tao Oppa, I'm really filled with admiration for you. You're not like others and you did not look at me in a different light due to our countries. Because my brother has told me that you're a nationalist person, I thought that you wouldn't like me."
"It has nothing to do with any individual. It's only because TCM was being humiliated by TKM, which I have proven the worth of TCM with my own ability. But for Kim Jung-ho, I will not hold any discrimination against him. On the contrary, I admire Kim Jung-ho because he's similar to me; he's someone that's willing to take up the pressure." Su Tao smiled.
"If my brother knew what you've said, he would definitely go insane from the happiness!" Kim Jung-yeon's mood instantly became better. "I knew that he was already a fan of yours. He even created a few alternate accounts to leave messages at your official fan club."
"How did you know about that?" Su Tao smiled after a brief stun.
Selling her brother out, Kim Jung-yeon smiled. "He's a narcissist, so he will still use his own photo even for his alternate accounts."
At this moment, Su Tao gained a more understanding about Kim Jung-yeon and Kim Jung-ho as he sighed in his heart. If they weren't Korean, he might have been able to take them in as his trusted aides.
But it's a pity that despite how everyone's insulting him as a traitor, the nationalism in his heart wouldn't change. The words of the ancestors were still engraved deep in his heart.
It's impossible for people of different standing to have the same heart!
"Oppa, I've already thought of a solution to deal with this situation." Kim Jung-yeon sighed. "Let me personally do something for you."
"Then you will be on the frontlines." Su Tao shook his head with his brows furrowed.
"This has something to do with me, to begin with." Kim Jung-yeon calmly smiled and continued, "I've pulled an all-nighter to make a video, which I will soon post online."
Letting out a sigh, Su Tao asked, "So, what do you intend to do?"
"Just wait and watch!" Kim Jung-yeon playfully smiled.
After seeing Kim Jung-yeon returning to her room, Su Tao helplessly sighed before he gave a call to Yan Jing after a brief pondering.
The Three Flavour International's brand was under a crisis now, and there were only two solutions right now. Either they contact all the mainstream media to conduct a lockdown or host a press conference to explain the matter and redirect the controversy.
"How is it going?" Su Tao asked.
"The mainstream media has already withdrawn their manuscripts. But some smaller ones are still blowing up the matter. Just earlier, the video from Du Yu blew up the matter even more. I'm worried that the mainstream media might soon follow up on it. After all, mainstream media can get out of our control with their need for content." Yan Jing helplessly replied. "The press conference will begin two hours from now, and we will try to lead the direction of the controversy."
"Has Xia Yu passed the relevant information to you?" Su Tao asked again.
Nodding her head, Yan Jing sighed, "I've received it. But just the video between Du Yu and that man can't prove anything."
After a brief pondering, Su Tao instructed, "Delay the press conference for half an hour. I will provide you with more information by then."
"Half an hour is the most we can delay. After all, we've already sent out our invitations, and not many reporters have the patience to wait." Yan Jing responded after a brief silence.
"I'll do my best!" Su Tao sighed, hoping that Xia Yu could get all the matter sorted out.
The progress so far was smooth. Huo Kun received Gu Rushan's invitation. The moment you grab a hold of a woman's weakness, it's easy to take them down.
He had to admit that Gu Rushan was a smart woman, since she invited him to a five-starred hotel for their appointment. She had probably already made up her mind to give herself to him.
Huo Kun was satisfied with Du Yu. If the latter hadn't taught Gu Rushan a lesson, how could she know the unspoken rules in this circle?
After he pressed on the bell, a voice sounded out. Upon entering the room, he passed by the bathroom, which he could hear splashing water. Is she currently showering?
Huo Kun felt his heart jolting as he smiled and resisted the urge to barge into the bathroom. Taking out a device from his bag, he swept around the room for cameras.
He's a cautious person and often laid traps for others. So he wouldn't fall for traps so easily.
After having no definite reaction, he let out a breath in relief and stowed the device.
A brief moment later, Gu Rushan walked out in a white bathrobe with her hair dripping with water. Her skin was flushed from the steam and she wore slippers with her legs revealed since the bathrobe only covered to her knees.
With her delicate features, she would look so pure regardless of what she wore.
"Chairman Huo, you're finally here? I'll pour a cup of tea for you!" Gu Rushan charmingly said.
Seeing Gu Rushan's back facing against him, her figure instantly made him feel an urge to smoke.
But he had resisted the temptation and took out a contract from his bag with a smile. "This is your contract, and you're the only one in the company who is receiving such conditions."
Placing the teacup beside Huo Kun, Gu Rushan received the contract and read through the deal. The conditions made her exclaim, since artists generally had probation for two years, in which the company would only pay for their expenses in this period. However, Huo Kun struck that out and gave her a condition of 50% profits.
At the same time, he even promised to invest advertisements on her that's roughly two million, forging her at the standard of top celebrities.
"Why?" Gu Rushan sighed.
Gu Rushan looked pitiful, as if she was like those innocent girls that were easily fooled.
Looking at Gu Rushan's face, Huo Kun gently replied, "Firstly, I admire you, in which you can consider it to be love at first sight. Secondly, I love challenges, and I want to close our distance."
A bitter smile rose on Gu Rushan's lips as she shook her head. "Chairman Huo, we're adults, and I know your meaning. But your girlfriend, Ni Jingqiu, is a friend of mine. Don't you think that you're letting her down by doing this?"
"Just as you've said, we're all adults. We're only taking what we need, and isn't it normal for us to keep quiet about it? It won't affect you from being friends with Ni Jingqiu." Huo Kun laughed.
After hesitation appeared on Gu Rushan's face, she shook her head in the end. "I can't do that!"
Huo Kun has seen all sorts of women, and Gu Rushan's behavior was refusing is accepting. This time, he had to take the initiative, or he would lose this opportunity.