APCF – Chapter 52 Apology

After leaving the school gate and crossing two streets, the nanny van was parked in a secluded corner.

Qi Xingchen jumped into the van, pulled off his mask, and exhaled, “Didn’t run into any media or paparazzi, right?”

“No, it’s pretty safe here,” An Ran replied.

“Good, let’s wait here for a bit.”

About half an hour later, Qi Jiaze sneaked over and softly called out from outside the car door, “Bro.”

Qi Xingchen said, “Uncle Qin, open the door for him.”

Qi Jiaze stealthily got into the van. Qi Xingchen was about to ask why he looked like he was sneaking into a village when Qi Jiaze threw his arms around him. “Damn! Bro! That was awesome!”

“…Let go of me first.”

Qi Jiaze gave him a few more shakes, making Qi Xingchen dizzy. “Did you get it?”

“Yep! Got the whole thing on video!”

“Did you say it exactly as I taught you?”

“Word for word.” Qi Jiaze handed a necklace to Qi Xingchen.

Inside the necklace was a pinhole camera that Qi Xingchen had bought earlier that morning. It could sync to a designated player or store locally.

He exported the video and watched it from start to finish, then smiled. “Perfect, that’s enough.”

“By the way,” Qi Xingchen asked, “how did you handle Cui Hao?”

“That guy isn’t much of a man.”

Qi Jiaze clicked his tongue and sneered, “He was so scared he collapsed. You know what, bro? He literally collapsed. Sat on the ground, hugging my leg, begging me not to show the video to the school… I thought he’d try to grab the necklace or fight me for it. What a coward.”

Qi Xingchen patted him on the shoulder. “So, are you planning to give it to the school?”

“…I haven’t decided yet.”

“Alright, I’ll copy the video for you tonight. Use it when you’ve made up your mind. But remember two things,” Qi Xingchen paused, “First, make sure he gets the punishment he deserves, but don’t let it escalate into something worse. Second, don’t be lenient like last time. Right now, he’s stealing and defaming classmates. If he keeps going unchecked, he could become a habitual thief or a fraud. If you don’t stop him out of kindness, you’ll end up harming him. Got it?”

Qi Jiaze thought quietly for a few minutes, then nodded. “Got it, bro. Last time, Sister Yujie said the same thing, and I didn’t believe her. Now I see you’ve really changed a lot.”

“…Maybe it’s because I hit my head two months ago and it knocked some sense into me. They say facing life and death makes you see things more clearly,” Qi Xingchen said, rubbing his nose.

“No matter what, you’ll always be my favorite brother,” Qi Jiaze hugged him again and sniffed, “Thank you for helping me.”

His fluffy little head was pressed against Qi Xingchen’s ear, and Qi Xingchen could hear the thick congestion in his voice.

After the incident with Tao Xuan, he must have been the most distressed.

Being framed and misunderstood, with no one believing him except his own brother. How wronged must he have felt seeing the insults under Shang Yuliang’s Weibo?

How much heartache had he endured until now?

Qi Xingchen lowered his gaze and rubbed his brother’s hair.

I will clear your name.

Since it wasn’t convenient for Qi Jiaze to be seen leaving with him, the brothers parted ways there. Qi Xingchen headed to the police station while Qi Jiaze returned to school for a nap.

Having gone the entire morning without eating or drinking, Qi Xingchen felt a bit dizzy. Luckily, An Ran had bought some snacks while waiting for him, so after filling his stomach, he went straight to the director’s office.

The comprehensive medical examination report had been ready since around five o’clock the previous afternoon, but due to a dinner engagement, Qi Xingchen only picked it up this morning and dropped it off at the police station while buying the camera.

He thanked the director, took the two file folders, and set off back to the set.

At the aquarium, it happened to be lunchtime. Qi Xingchen walked to the director’s lounge and knocked on the door. “Director Shang, it’s Xiao Qi. Have you finished eating?”

“Yes, come in,” Shang Yuliang responded.

As Qi Xingchen entered, Shang Yuliang was reviewing the storyboard. Qi Xingchen placed two file folders and a piece of paper on the table. “Director Shang, I’d like to talk with you.”

“It’s about the Weibo post, right?” Shang Yuliang was perceptive. “I didn’t say who did it, so the netizens’ guesses don’t count. Let’s talk about it tonight.”

In Shang Yuliang’s mind, Qi Jiaze was undoubtedly the culprit. By not directly naming Qi Jiaze in his post, he believed he was already showing Qi Xingchen a great deal of respect.

Without a name mentioned, netizens could only speculate, which wasn’t concrete proof. At most, Qi Jiaze would get scolded online, but it wouldn’t affect his real life as long as he stayed offline.

“You have no idea how severe cyberbullying can be. It’s no less harmful than the school bullying you imagine.”

Qi Xingchen understood Shang Yuliang’s thinking. A man in his fifties, not spending much time online, could be unaware of the gravity of online harassment.

“I can’t wait until tonight. I need to talk to you now.”

Having already halted work for the entire morning, the afternoon schedule was very tight. Shang Yuliang was about to refuse when he saw the determination in Qi Xingchen’s eyes and relented. “Alright, alright, let’s hear what you have to say.”

Qi Xingchen cleared his throat and pointed to the items on the table.

“These two are Tao Xuan’s medical examination report and the injury assessment issued by the municipal public security bureau based on that report. It confirms that Tao Xuan had no external injuries.”

“Hmm?” Shang Yuliang hesitated and then opened the report.

“This paper is a statement from other students who were present and witnessed the entire incident.”

Shang Yuliang pulled over the statement. It read: [I voluntarily testify that on the date in question, Qi Jiaze did not intentionally injure Tao Xuan with a basketball.]

Below were rows of signatures and handprints. Qi Xingchen added, “The signing process was also recorded on video to ensure authenticity.”

These materials were genuine beyond any doubt. Shang Yuliang looked both puzzled and amazed. After taking a few sips of water, he said, “The class monitor of Tao Xuan’s class, that kid with the surname Cui, was very sure your brother hit Tao Xuan. Could it be…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but Qi Xingchen could tell he still had doubts.

After all, the eyewitness seemed so sure, and Cui Hao, being a trusted class monitor, had no reason to lie, especially when he gained nothing from it.

“Then please watch this video,” Qi Xingchen said, pushing the freshly obtained recording towards Shang Yuliang.

The footage revealed Cui Hao sneakily hiding a wallet in his school uniform and then flagrantly accusing Qi Jiaze, his actions fully exposed on screen.

“This is the second time Jiaze has caught him stealing…” Qi Xingchen’s expression was ice-cold. “I forgot to mention, the first time, Jiaze didn’t want to damage his pride, so he taught him a lesson but didn’t report it to the teacher. Since that day, Cui Hao has held a grudge against Jiaze. Do you think such a class monitor is trustworthy?”

With a muffled “thud,” the teacup in Shang Yuliang’s hand tipped over, spilling tea all over the table.

Qi Xingchen quickly gathered all the evidence and grabbed some tissues to clean up the spill.

“…Sigh, I’ll delete the Weibo post right now. I was too impulsive about this matter. I’m sorry, Xiao Qi.”

Shang Yuliang sighed, pulling out his phone. “I didn’t know what was going on. Seeing Taotao pulling out the IV needle and rushing to Jing’an to see Tao Xuan this morning was heart-wrenching. I felt both furious and anxious, so I posted on Weibo in a fit of anger. You know I’m not good with this kind of thing; it took me several tries to figure it out.”

“Wait,” Qi Xingchen interrupted, “You don’t need to delete the post.”

Shang Yuliang was puzzled. “Not deleting it might cause rumors, right?”

“What you need to do,” Qi Xingchen said slowly, “is to issue a public apology to my brother.”

Shang Yuliang froze for a moment, seemingly unsure if he had heard correctly.

Qi Xingchen continued, “As an actor under your direction and playing Lin Xiao, I respect and admire you, and I am grateful for your guidance. But as Qi Jiaze’s brother, I am deeply pained by your certainty, without conclusive evidence, that Jiaze was the culprit.”

“Jiaze may not be the best student, but he is a good person. Now that the evidence is clear, please issue a public apology to him on Weibo.”

Shang Yuliang widened his eyes at Qi Xingchen, who met his gaze unwaveringly. The two stood in silent confrontation.

After a long pause, the room was filled with heavy breathing.

Shang Yuliang was visibly furious. “Xiao Qi, I’ve admitted my mistake. Don’t push it too far!”

“The one being excessive is you. If you don’t publicly apologize, I will release all this evidence online. These materials hold legal weight. You can decide whether the public will believe me or you.”

Shang Yuliang was at a loss for words.

“Moreover, I will reclaim the aquarium and no longer lease it as a filming location. You can consider the time and cost of relocating the scenes.”

“You… you…” Shang Yuliang roared, “I signed a contract with the former owner. This is breach of contract!”

“No problem,” Qi Xingchen replied casually, “I can afford the penalty.”

Shang Yuliang couldn’t believe it. If he had a heart condition, he might have been angered to death on the spot.

He found it hard to fathom that the seemingly most obedient and youngest actor in the crew turned out to be the toughest to deal with.

“…Xiao Qi,” Shang Yuliang, his head aching with frustration, said, “You’re part of ‘Heart of the Ocean.’ Don’t you want to see it succeed? Or are you planning to quit?”

This statement carried a hint of a threat.

Qi Xingchen shrugged. “I don’t mind. A TV series with an attempted rapist as an actor – who knows how the audience will react.”

The Xu Sheng case was still gathering evidence. Whether or not it led to a conviction, the impact of the news would be significant.

If Xu Sheng’s reputation was tarnished and Qi Xingchen left, “Heart of the Ocean” would have to recast and reshoot, with actors only needing to pay the penalty fees and risking damage to their reputation.

The biggest loss would fall on the investors and the director.

Qi Xingchen knew he was being somewhat aggressive. Given Shang Yuliang’s senior status, forcing him to apologize to a young person was indeed challenging.

Since capital tends to be profit-driven, Qi Xingchen reconsidered and stepped back a bit. “How about this? If you apologize, I’ll have Xu Sheng’s charges adjusted to another crime with the same sentencing. This will benefit both Taotao and you. Let’s make it a win-win. What do you say?”

Shang Yuliang had no reason to refuse. The impact of Xu Sheng’s case was too damaging, and the cost of reshooting was too high.

For Taotao, even though it was right to use legal means to protect herself, society often views women through a biased lens. Rumors about Taotao would inevitably fly for some time.

This would affect Taotao’s image and the viewership ratings of “Heart of the Ocean,” in which she played a leading role.

Qi Xingchen’s ability to secure an injury assessment without Tao Xuan’s ID within just two hours demonstrated his competence in this area.

In the end, Shang Yuliang sighed and compromised.

Qi Xingchen didn’t want to leave anyway. “Heart of the Ocean” was his first acting project, holding sentimental value.

Additionally, he didn’t want to give up the TV exposure, as his public recognition was still quite low, and he needed the TV platform to increase his visibility.

A win-win was achieved.

Shang Yuliang was straightforward, which could be felt from the way he usually reprimanded Xu Sheng and Qi Xingchen. After apologizing and closing Weibo, he went back to filming and handling his business.

During a costume change, Qi Xingchen sent a message to Qi Jiaze:【Jiaze, check Shang Yuliang’s Weibo.】

Five minutes later, King:【!】

King:【Bro, what do you need recently?】

Why do all the Qi’s have the same quirks? Qi Xingchen was speechless for a moment:【Don’t buy me any gifts, or I’ll get mad.】

King:【Alright then ☹️ Thanks, bro.】

Xingxing:【No problem, focus on your classes.】

After messaging Qi Jiaze, a heavy weight lifted from his chest, and he felt much more at ease. After changing his clothes, he remembered he hadn’t contacted Bo Ye today.

Since he had promised to reach out, he glanced at the date and tapped on Bo Ye’s profile picture.

Xingxing:【You finished filming today, right?】

Bo:【Yeah, at the airport now.】

Airport?

Xingxing:【Where to?】

Bo:【S City, for the East Orange Music Festival the day after tomorrow.】

East Orange TV is one of the top three video platforms in the country. Its annual music festival is a grand event eagerly awaited by fans nationwide.

Qi Xingchen slapped his forehead, realizing he had forgotten about it.

But Bo Ye rarely participated in such music festivals, so why was he attending this time?

It wasn’t even time to release new songs.

“…Oh,” he remembered that in “Night of Peach,” the female lead wrapped up filming while the male lead was recording a talent show for East Orange TV.

Judging by the timeline, Tao Tao would finish shooting in a month and a half. It made sense that Bo Ye was already in touch with East Orange to lend them support.

Curious, Qi Xingchen asked:【How many songs are you singing?】

Bo:【Three songs.】

Three songs… Xingxing: 【Are you the closing act?】

Bo:【Yes, the closing act.】

Bo:【Time to board, I’m heading to the gate.】

Xingxing:【Safe travels.】

Xingxing: [Psyduck waving handkerchief.gif]

After sending the message, Qi Xingchen, holding his phone, walked towards the seal training area.

Three songs.

That’s practically a mini-concert.

Unable to contain his excitement, he checked his schedule for the day after tomorrow.

No night scenes.

He could barely hold back his eagerness, so he opened the ticketing app—

“Xingxing,” An Ran ran over, “The equipment is all set… Don’t walk and use your phone; you might trip.”

“Got it.”

Seeing his nonchalant response, An Ran rested her chin on her hand. “What are you looking at?”

“Checking tickets for the East Orange Music Festival…”

“Don’t bother,” An Ran pouted. “Bad news for you – the tickets sold out two days ago.”

Qi Xingchen: “…”

His chest hurt.

But he wasn’t one to give up easily. If he couldn’t get tickets through the app, maybe he could find some at a higher price on Weibo. He exited the ticketing app and opened Weibo.

The assistant director called out to him: “Hurry up, Xingxing, we’re just waiting on you!”

“Coming!” he shouted back.

As he moved, he switched to his Weibo alt account, “Jingxi Qi Xiangsi,” and quickly posted:

[Double the price for front-row tickets to the East Orange Music Festival in Section A, first row negotiable.]

After posting, he tossed his phone to An Ran, leaned on the railing, and jumped into the seal training area.

The afternoon’s task was to reshoot unsatisfactory scenes from earlier. Since he didn’t need to memorize new lines, Qi Xingchen found the shoot easy.

After two hours and six reshot scenes, it was time for a break. He signaled An Ran to get him a wet towel, as a fine layer of sweat formed on his neck.

But An Ran didn’t leave. Instead, she rushed over to him, hopping around like a frantic ant on a hot pan. “Xingxing, how could you openly ask for tickets like that?”

Qi Xingchen: “???”

He shakily opened the Weibo app:

——Qi Xingchen: Double the price for front-row tickets to the East Orange Music Festival in Section A, first row negotiable.

Qi Xingchen felt the world go black and almost fainted.

He must have been in too much of a hurry earlier and didn’t check if he had successfully switched accounts before posting.

“Thousands of fans have already tagged the official East Orange Weibo,” An Ran looked resigned. “I bet there are plenty of people now accusing you of trying to grab attention.”

“Then I’ll delete it quickly.”

“Yes, delete it first, then explain. Just say… you meant to use a secondary account but accidentally posted from your main one.”

Qi Xingchen felt like crying but had no tears, thinking it wasn’t even a lie.

That’s exactly what happened.

He quickly deleted the Weibo post and followed An Ran’s advice to repost with an explanation. Ten minutes later, he had over forty comments.

[Hahaha, that’s too cute, how do you even mess up switching accounts?]

[East Orange TV official Weibo, hurry up, someone needs tickets!]

[Hmm, Qi’s younger brother just cooled down from the playboy rumors, now he’s looking for more trouble?]

[If we’re talking about attention-seeking and stirring drama, this one’s got it all. East Orange finally got Bo Ye to come, can’t you leave them alone?]

With so many trolls appearing in just ten minutes, he could only imagine how chaotic it would get next.

What bothered him most was that several users had tagged Bo Ye, which made him uncomfortable.

Never mind, better not to look. He closed Weibo and returned to filming.

After wrapping up for the day, he played ostrich, adopting a policy of hearing no evil, seeing no evil, and saying no evil about his foolish mistake.

Back at the hotel, while eating dinner, he fulfilled his promise by sending the video of Cui Hao to Qi Jiaze.

Just after sending it, he put down his phone and continued eating, only for Qi Jiaze to call him, “Bro, I was just about to call you.”

“What’s up?”

“Do you have a window facing Coastal Plaza in your room?”

The pool faced White Sand Harbor, while Coastal Plaza was on the other side. It was a moderate tourist spot and a community hub for residents near White Sand Harbor.

As a top suite, it naturally had windows on both sides. When Qi Xingchen confirmed this, Qi Jiaze said, “Bro, go to the window.”

Wondering what mischief was afoot, Qi Xingchen set down his chopsticks and opened the window facing Coastal Plaza.

“Bro, look outside. What do you see?”

Qi Xingchen observed for a moment. “A lot of people jogging, walking off their meals, and walking their dogs.”

“Don’t look down; look up.”

Look up?

Following the instruction, Qi Xingchen lifted his gaze.

In the sky, two fiery red hot air balloons slowly drifted closer, each lit by massive spotlights, with red banners hanging below.

The first banner read: [Super Handsome Qi Xingchen]

The second banner read: [Walk the Flower Road, Qi Xingchen]

Then, the spotlights suddenly burst into a brilliant glow, and countless rose petals poured down from the hot air balloons!

The people in Coastal Plaza were stunned, taking out their phones to snap photos and record videos.

Qi Xingchen: “…”

That evening, Qi Jiaze was taken to the Coastal Police Station for an hour of verbal reprimand for violating city sanitation and public order regulations. He was fined 5,000 yuan and sentenced to three days of community service. 😁

_{In the novel. this is the first time our MC has decided to use his influence for his own. I love it. he should do it more often.}