Chapter Ten: That Poor Fan!

Chapter Ten: That Poor Fan!

"Ah—" This was the cry of the lecherous man as he flew through the air.

Bang!

That was the sound of his body slamming into the advertising board as he landed.

The interval between the two sounds was very short, proving that the lecherous man hadn't enjoyed much of a thrill soaring through the air.

Crack—

The foam advertising board snapped cleanly in two, splitting the Butterfly group's "body" right down the middle.

Sensing danger, his body instinctively retaliated.

This was a skill Tang Zhong had learned in prison.

His movements were so urgent and swift that not even "Thunderbolt" or "Quickplay" could match his speed.

So, by the time Tang Zhong had kicked the man flying, no one had yet understood what had happened.

"What just happened?"

"Why did Tang Xin hit someone?"

"Oh my god, our Xinxin's way of hitting someone is so cool—I'm in love with her—"

The most frustrated people were the entertainment reporters on the scene. If only they had managed to capture the moment Tang Xin kicked someone, it would be front-page news tomorrow for sure.

Unfortunately, Tang Xin was too fast, and she hadn't given them any warning before striking—

Still, this slight regret did nothing to dampen their current excitement.

"Tang Xin hit someone."

"Butterfly group member Tang Xin kicked a fan, sending him flying over two meters!"

"Idol or thug? Why did the star assault a fan?"

In their minds, eye-catching headlines for the event were already taking shape.

Security guards quickly rushed over, surrounding Tang Zhong and the other two Butterfly members, Lin Huiyin and Zhang Hepburn, then hustling them away from the scene.

The reporters gave chase, shouting loudly, "Tang Xin! Tang Xin! Why did you hit someone?"

"Does being a celebrity give you the right to assault people? Tang Xin, don't you owe your fans an explanation?"

"Is the Butterfly group a gang of thugs? What reason could you possibly have for hitting someone out of the blue?"

Bai Su, like a beautiful mother hen, shielded Tang Zhong, Lin Huiyin, and Zhang Hepburn as she hurried them into the waiting RV, forbidding them from answering any of the reporters' questions.

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"Tang Zhong," Bai Su finally lost her temper in the RV on the way back. "What did I tell you before we went out? I warned you over and over—don't speak, don't say a word—"

"I didn't say anything," Tang Zhong replied, with deep aggrievement.

Bai Su nearly choked, almost coughing up blood.

"But your actions have far more serious consequences than words. Hundreds of times more serious," she fumed. "How could you hit a fan? You're a star! What celebrity would dare to kick a fan and send him flying? Do you realize how serious this is? Because of this, Butterfly might be finished."

"He groped my butt," Tang Zhong explained. He didn't think he'd done anything wrong—only that perhaps his approach had been misguided. He shouldn't have kicked the guy in public; he should have simply remembered what the creep looked like and dealt with him in private.

If the one who had groped him had been a female fan, he might have let it go—after all, a gentleman doesn't quarrel with a lady.

But the thought of his charming behind being groped by a man made Tang Zhong so disgusted he wanted to soak in a pool for hours.

"Is that so?" Bai Su paused, then said, "Well, that changes things. The situation could be very much in our favor."

She took out her phone, dialed a number, and spoke with a smile, "Director Liu, I'm so sorry about what happened… Yes, yes, there was a reason. Without a reason, Tang Xin would never have done something so impulsive."

She shot Tang Zhong a fierce look, her way of making him pay for her having to clean up after his violent outburst.

"Director Liu, there should be surveillance footage from the scene, right? Yes, the fan was a pervert. While Tang Xin was signing, he took the opportunity to grope her—You know Tang Xin is always very reserved, known as a model of purity in the industry. It's the first time she's encountered something like this, so she got emotional and kicked him…"

"Yes, yes, Tang Xin has learned a bit of self-defense. You know, as a star, she needs to sing, dance, and have some martial arts skills too."

"Alright. Thank you, Director Liu. I'll await your good news. I'll treat you to dinner and apologize in person next time."

After hanging up, Bai Su let out a long sigh of relief. Looking at Tang Zhong, she said, "Director Liu is very reasonable; he won't pursue this matter. The guy you kicked has already been taken to the hospital, and their people will investigate the incident so they can clear your name publicly. Soon you'll see just how terrifying and shameless the journalists will make you out to be—"

"Thank you," Tang Zhong said, gazing at her.

Now he understood why Lin Huiyin and Zhang Hepburn relied on her so much. She really did do her utmost to protect and take care of them, not just in work but in daily life as well.

Bai Su massaged her temples, exhausted. "Let's wait for the news. I hope there won't be a next time."

Tang Zhong nodded. "After this, I don't think anyone will dare grope my butt again, right?"

"You—" Bai Su nearly leapt up to knock him on the head.

No, she thought, I really need to give this guy a lesson. Otherwise, who knows what even worse things will happen in the future?

She organized her thoughts, cleared her throat, and looked at Tang Zhong seriously. "Tang Zhong, do you understand your current identity?"

"Yes. I'm a member of the Butterfly group," Tang Zhong replied cheerfully.

"That's right. You're a member of Butterfly. You're a celebrity." Bai Su was satisfied with his attitude. "Have you ever seen or heard of a star attacking a fan?"

Tang Zhong shook his head.

"Stars are public figures. Everything they say and do is scrutinized by the media and the public. In public, even a look, a gesture, or a single word—any of it could bring disaster on you."

"What happened to you today is something many stars face. But they all choose to resolve it in other, softer ways—"

"In what ways?" Tang Zhong asked.

Bai Su fell silent; she could hardly answer. Usually, when stars encounter such situations, all they can do is swallow the humiliation.

Seeing her silence, Tang Zhong understood her answer.

"My thinking is different from yours," he said. "Celebrities are people too. They have their own feelings and preferences. If someone insults them, they can talk back. If someone touches them, they can—well, they can fight back. This kind of behavior is sexual harassment under the law. If even such illegal acts are tolerated in silence, it only encourages those with no morals to keep pushing their luck—"

"Think about it. Today, it was me he touched—fortunately, it was me. What if it had been Tang Xin?"

"As Tang Xin's brother—"

Bai Su looked at him in surprise. "You're finally willing to admit Tang Xin is your sister?"

"She has always been my sister." Tang Zhong didn't want to tell Bai Su that he'd peeked at Tang Xin's diary. He continued, "I don't want my own sister to have to put up with this kind of humiliation just because she became a star. If it had been Huiyin or Hepburn—"

Seeing both women glare at him, Tang Zhong gave a bashful smile. "It's just an example. I know, no one would dare touch you…"

This only made the two even angrier.

"I think, as their parents, they wouldn't accept their daughters being humiliated like this either. Would they? Sure, being a star is glamorous and the money is important, but that doesn't mean they should give up their feelings or dignity. In cases like this, you ought to do exactly what I did—kick the guy flying. If every celebrity did that, no pervert would dare try anything again."

"So, you mean what you did today was completely right?"

"Of course, but I did make a mistake." Tang Zhong admitted. "I shouldn't have kicked him like that."

"At least you realize your mistake," Bai Su said, gratified.

"I should have turned around, slapped him a few times, and called him a pervert with tears in my eyes," Tang Zhong said. "That way, the reporters and fans would know what really happened. Everyone would attack and condemn the pervert instead of blaming me. I promise, next time, I'll handle it differently."

Bai Su thought, Just let me die already.

When the car arrived at Ziyuan, Bai Su received another call. After hanging up, she addressed the three Butterfly members in the car, "I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is, the pervert you kicked was sent to the hospital—two of his ribs were broken."

"You broke two ribs with one kick?" Zhang Hepburn stared at Tang Zhong. Was this man a monster?

Bai Su nodded, laughing, "The good news is, Director Liu had someone pull the surveillance footage. It clearly shows the fan groping Tang Zhong first, and then Tang Zhong kicking him—"

"That fan is really pitiful," Zhang Hepburn wrinkled her nose, her rosy cheeks full of sympathy. "He got two ribs broken—and all for touching a man's butt…"