However, that was just the beginning of a tragic tale of regret
After returning to Tibet, Yin Bai resumed being a personal assistant to Zuo Jingyou. Zhang Yu, who stayed in Haicheng, was dealing with the matter concerning that underage girl.
The girl’s name was Gu Liu, and after graduating junior high school at the age of fifteen, she was discovered by a talent agent from Starlight Entertainment and became a trainee at the entertainment company. Her family was not well-off, and she wanted to earn some money to support her household. In Haicheng, she was essentially alone and helpless. If it weren’t for meeting Yin Bai, who knows what would have happened to her.
Although Gu Liu was young, she understood that certain matters couldn’t just be left alone. Even without Zhang Yu’s help, she was determined to sue those three affluent young masters.
Zhang Yu was delighted with this development and entrusted Yin Bai’s team of lawyers to handle the case.
Moreover, Gu Liu relied on media public opinion to make a big fuss about the matter. In a short period of time, the entertainment industry was in an uproar.
The majority of people are supporting the girl in wielding the weapon of the law to defend her rights and sever ties with that filthy entertainment company, ultimately sending those three wealthy youths to prison. A minority of individuals view this as an unusually skewed distribution of interests, like a “fairy jump1” in an ancient tale.
Regardless of the perspective, the tremendous public opinion has caused a major PR crisis for Starlight Entertainment. Other companies have even started to make moves, attempting to acquire and merge with Starlight Entertainment.
The entertainment industry has been in great turmoil because of this incident. Just like witnessing a lively show put on by Starlight Entertainment, its peers are secretly fueling the entertainment frenzy surrounding this matter and openly trying to undermine its position.
The entire top management of Starlight Entertainment has been thrown into a state of distress by this incident. Among the three wealthy youths involved, one is a collateral relative of the Yeh family in Huacheng, and his net worth is slightly higher than the others.
Furthermore, as he is the only son in the family and a cherished sole heir, they wanted to use their connections to get him out of trouble. However, the girl’s side refused to release him. After several inquiries, they discovered that Yin Bai played a crucial role in this matter as a symbol of justice.
Upon calculating the situation, that collateral relative from the Yeh family reached out to Yin Bai, hoping she would do him a favor.
When Yin Bai received the phone call from this relative of the Yeh family, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the absurdity of the request.
In the chilling and frigid film set, she was bundled up in a thick down jacket, holding a thermos cup to keep warm. As she listened to the howling wind, her mind wandered while half-heartedly hearing the pleading voice coming from her mobile phone. After a while, she spoke, “Mr. Yeh, this matter cannot be resolved simply by me mentioning it casually… It involves judicial fairness. Do you think I, a mere citizen, can manipulate the judiciary? Do you take me for a fictional hero?”
Indeed, Yin Bai had not deliberately done anything. She simply greeted some acquaintances who were in higher positions and pointed out the severity of the matter. Everyone was disgusted by the incident and decided to handle it strictly.
Mr. Yeh’s voice on the other end sounded humble: “It’s just a matter of making a request. Please let me bring my son back…”
Yin Bai’s tone was subtly delicate as she said, “Your son, causing trouble, and you still want to bring him back?”
Mr. Yeh replied, “He’s still young and ignorant. I’ll teach him to mature.”
Yin Bai let out a cold laugh, “He’s not young anymore. He’s twenty-three now, five years older than that underage girl. Before reaching adulthood, if a child hasn’t been properly educated, it’s not Mr. Yeh’s fault. Because everyone who wants to grow up must go through the trials and tribulations of society.”
“Mr. Yeh, I advise you to let your son experience the trials and tribulations of society.”
Mr. Yeh’s voice became firm as well, “Ms. Yin, are you refusing to give face to the Yeh family?”
Yin Bai burst into laughter, as if she had heard a ridiculous joke. “Are you also considered part of the Yeh family? Do you think you’re Yeh Shen or Yeh Can? Oh, neither of them could commit such despicable acts. Only you, wealthy landowners, can indulge your sons like this.”
(If you're not reading on littlepandatranslations.com, it means this has been stolen)
“Your son shelters drug users, devises schemes against innocent young girls, and still thinks he can escape?”
“I heard that when your son previously caused a fatal accident, you tried to settle it with money. Mr. Yeh, do you consider yourself a feudal landlord? This is a new society. Not everything can be resolved with money!”
Yin Bai sarcastically taunted, and Mr. Yeh on the other side was evidently frustrated but didn’t dare to offend Yin Bai too much. He could only lower his voice and grit his teeth, saying, “Ms. Yin, we’ll see how it goes.”
Yin Bai mocked, “Mr. Yeh, instead of waiting and seeing with me, you should worry about how to get your son a reduced sentence.”
If you ask Yin Bai, scum like this in society, these garden pests, are better off dead sooner rather than reproducing.
After hanging up Mr. Yeh’s call and happily adding him to her blacklist, Yin Bai no longer paid attention to this matter.
Public opinion boiled and stirred, and a series of scandals in the entertainment industry erupted. In the end, the girl emerged victorious, Starlight Entertainment collapsed, and the artists were absorbed by major entertainment companies, marking the conclusion.
This matter intermittently lasted for several months, from the end of the year to the spring of the following year, finally coming to a close in March.
Under Gu Liu’s bravery, the girls who had suffered in silence before came forward one after another to expose similar incidents, resulting in the three men spending a few more years in prison.
Yin Bai was extremely satisfied with this outcome. She greatly admired these girls and had her entertainment company sign them on, providing them with new career plans and nurturing them well, allowing them to shine in the entertainment industry.
The girls were deeply grateful for this opportunity.
In early March, the company officially signed contracts with these girls. To show her support, on the day of the signing, Yin Bai made a formal appearance at the event. She shook hands with each brave girl, patting their shoulders and encouraging them, saying, “The past is behind us. Here, you must work hard and learn something…”
“Hosting, acting, singing… Whatever you want to do in the future, go for it and do it well.”
Gu Liu, who was at the forefront, looked at Yin Bai with shining eyes when faced with her encouragement. Full of hope, sincerity, and seriousness, she said, “Director Yin, I will. We will all strive for excellence and earn a lot of money for the company!”
Yin Bai looked at Gu Liu’s hopeful and earnest gaze, and couldn’t help but be reminded of the same look she had seen in Xiao Nian’s eyes ten years ago.
Full of gratitude and absolute trust. However, since she handed Xiao Nian that contract, she had never seen that expression in Xiao Nian’s eyes again.
She had truly… made a mistake.
If she truly loved Xiao Nian, she shouldn’t have started things in this way. She was too hasty and too young.
The next day, after flying back to Tibet, that night, she lay on the bed with Zuo Jingyou in her arms and told her about the signing of the contract. When she mentioned Gu Liu, Yin Bai hugged Zuo Jingyou’s shoulder and said with great sadness, “When I looked into her eyes, there was a moment when I suddenly thought of Xiao Nian.”
Zuo Jingyou lay in Yin Bai’s embrace, tilting her head curiously as she asked, “Hmm, Teacher Xiao Nian? Why? Do they look very similar? I don’t think so.”
Although Zuo Jingyou was filming in Tibet, she had been following this matter closely, just like Xiao Nian. She had shown support for Gu Liu and even called her to offer encouragement. Of course, she knew what Gu Liu looked like.
In terms of appearance, Gu Liu and Xiao Nian really didn’t resemble each other at all.
(If you're not reading on littlepandatranslations.com, it means this has been stolen)
Yin Bai curved her lips and turned to look at Zuo Jingyou. In the darkness, her eyes sparkled as she said, “It’s just a feeling. I don’t mean to say that they look alike.”
“I’ll tell you something that might make you angry… Although I feel a little uneasy, I suddenly had the urge to talk to you about Xiao Nian today…”
Zuo Jingyou smiled and raised her hand to stroke Yin Bai’s long hair, whispering softly to her, “It’s okay, go ahead and tell me. I’m also curious about what kind of story exists between you and Teacher Xiao Nian.”
“Even more curious about why someone as cute as you, Yin Bai, would be left behind by Xiao Nian.”
Since being together with Yin Bai, Zuo Jingyou increasingly felt that she couldn’t find anyone as wonderful as Yin Bai in this world.
Because Yin Bai was truly too precious, she cared deeply about why Xiao Nian could bear to leave her that day.
Yin Bai curved her lips, revealing a bitter smile. “Because, in the beginning, I wasn’t such a good person. Or rather, when I was younger, I was a complete scoundrel.”
Zuo Jingyou blinked her eyes and placed her hand on Yin Bai’s shoulder, gently caressing her cheek as she asked in confusion, “Why do you speak of yourself like this?”
Yin Bai sighed, feeling somewhat uneasy as she said, “Well… I’ll tell you, and then you’ll understand…”
“Alright, go ahead.”
Yin Bai looked up, gazing at the ceiling in the dim light. Her thoughts traveled through time, suddenly returning to the year when she was nineteen, in the theater during a musical performance…
In the same dim space, she sat on the stage, looking up at the spotlight shining down on a beautiful woman wearing a green dress and a red wig. She heard her melodramatically sing, “Ah… I just woke up…”
“Ah… Please forgive me…”
“Ah… My makeup is in complete disarray…”
Suddenly, it felt as if the little rose from the story was standing right in front of her, alive and vibrant. Yin Bai looked at the woman’s delicate face, and for the first time in her life, a tremendous ambition surged within her — she wanted this person to accompany her for a lifetime.
In the darkness, Yin Bai’s eyes became misty. She softly spoke, saying, “Did I tell you before that I fell in love at first sight with Xiao Nian…”
“Yes, you did.”
“That was the year I turned nineteen, during the Children’s Day event at the Haicheng Theater. I went alone to watch a domestic musical adaptation of 《The Little Prince》.”
“The actors’ voices were enchanting, and it was there, in that venue, that I first encountered Xiao Nian.”
“She was a student at a music university, with exceptional vocal abilities and performance skills. That’s why she played the role of Little Rose…”
“You know how much I adore ‘The Little Prince,’ so it was love at first sight for me.”
Zuo Jingyou nodded and gave her assessment, “What a truly romantic first encounter.”
(If you're not reading on littlepandatranslations.com, it means this has been stolen)
Yin Bai turned her head and looked at Zuo Jingyou, sighing softly, “I also thought it was a beautiful beginning, but I was too young at the time, and I didn’t know how to love someone… Such a beautiful start only became a regretful sigh in the end.”
Yin Bai paused and continued speaking to Zuo Jingyou, “That was the first time I met Xiao Nian. For a long time afterward, I would attend her performances… until three months later when I discovered that she had left the musical troupe…”
“On my twentieth birthday, I was celebrating at the hotel owned by my family, and on that day, I encountered Xiao Nian again.”
She would always remember that day, when a disheveled woman struggled to escape from someone else’s room and collided into her arms. At that moment, the woman tightly grasped Yin Bai’s hand, looking up at her with a glimmer of desperation in her eyes, saying, “Save me… Save me…”
Yin Bai looked into the familiar face of the woman, and a wave of ecstatic joy surged within her heart.
Today was her birthday, so this woman must be the gift bestowed upon her by the heavens.
Thus, Yin Bai leaned on her cane and grasped her hand, her face cold as she said, “Alright, I’ll save you.”
However, that was merely the start of a tragic regret.
LP: Now I understand why Xiao Nian was relunctant to love Yin Bai back! Yin Bai handed her a contract after she encountered such an event (◞‸◟；)