"Mr. Lawrence, do you have any good ideas for entertainment?"
The old principal was already excited. Ten billion! How many impoverished students could be funded to complete their studies and change their destinies?
Lawrence smiled enigmatically and then set his gaze on Lin Xingwan, who was on the other side. He said, "I just heard that the most beautiful Ms. Lin Xingwan tonight is your star student, and she plays the piano exceptionally well. If she could play a piece titled 'My Short Chinese Friend,' I would immediately transfer ten billion to S University's account."
After Lawrence finished speaking, the atmosphere in the entire auditorium instantly dropped to freezing point. All the Chinese people who understood him glared at Lawrence with fury.
The old principal, who had always valued money more than his own life, also quickly turned cold.
"Mr. Lawrence, student Lin cannot play this song. Perhaps you could choose another one?" the old principal said again, his tone carrying a chilling solemnity.
Zhou Jinbai, sitting far from them, took in the entire scene.
"Young Master, this Lawrence tonight wants to embarrass the Young Madam," Chen Yuchu said, her delicate brows furrowed. Although Lawrence was a genius Hollywood director who had made many excellent works, she had no good feelings towards him.
He was Chinese, yet he insisted on considering his American-Chinese identity superior. In fact, to others, it was just a showy act.
Especially since he had repeatedly belittled China, which was enough for Chen Yuchu to detest him.
"Hmph, it's just a foolish act," Zhou Jinbai said with a cold expression, his tone like biting frost.
He was not surprised that Lawrence would do such a thing.
"It's fine, then play another song, 'butterfly doors.' The sheet music for this song is simple. Even if you don't know how to play, you can learn it by just looking at it."
Lawrence's words blocked all of the old principal's excuses.
Lin Xingwan's mind frantically recalled the lyrics of this song.
There was a lyric that directly referred to Chinese people as 'Chinese bugs.' Moreover, the cover of this song once featured four foreigners smiling as they stepped on a Chinese person.
When this song was released years ago, it was quickly criticized by many Chinese people. It had even been classified as a banned song in China's music library.
In reality, Lawrence didn't care which song was played, as long as it insulted China.
"It's just a song, Miss Lin. If you play it, you can secure a ten billion donation for the school. This is a great thing. I believe everyone present would strongly support you playing it."
Ye Qingning couldn't help but say this.
"Yes, it's just a song. Playing it won't kill you. Xingwan, don't be so hesitant. Hurry up and go on stage to play."
Hao Manqing seemed to be advising Lin Xingwan, but her heart was full of calculations.
They had already arranged for reporters to write press releases. As soon as Lin Xingwan went on stage to play, all the news criticizing her would be published online simultaneously. At that time, not only would Lin Xingwan be unable to protect herself, but Top Entertainment would also suffer a severe blow.
As for other companies, they would avoid Top Entertainment as if it were a plague.
Some people who had never heard of the song 'butterfly doors' were also watching the spectacle with amusement.
"School beauty Lin, just play a song. You won't lose a piece of flesh, and you'll even get a ten billion donation. This is like pie falling from the sky!"
"I think I've heard the song 'butterfly doors.' The melody is quite nice. It's just that the lyrics aren't good, and they're very unfriendly to us Chinese."
"It's already the 21st century. Do all song lyrics have to praise our country? Playing the melody isn't singing. Only those who feel inferior to other countries and think they are less than others would consider playing this song shameful!"
...
The guests present began to chat, and some even took out their phones to search for the lyrics of the song.
Some people didn't want Lin Xingwan to play this song, but more people couldn't stand to see others succeed. They were fanning the flames, standing on the highest moral ground to make Lin Xingwan the villain.
"Mr. Lawrence, I..." Lin Xingwan was not foolish and naturally would not agree to play the song. However, before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted.
"I am willing to donate one hundred billion to S University. May I have the honor of Miss Lin playing a piece for me?"
One hundred billion?
Good heavens!
Everyone in the audience showed expressions of shock. Some of their eyes widened like dinner plates, and some even felt their jaws drop.
It was simply unbelievable!
Unfathomably generous!
A charitable donation of one hundred billion. Were these banquets even worthy of their presence?
Lawrence's face turned ugly, and Hao Manqing and Ye Qingning were also stunned.
This plan was supposed to be flawless, forcing Lin Xingwan to play 'butterfly doors' for ten billion!
But why did Dongfang Junze appear out of nowhere?
"One... One hundred billion? Did I hear that correctly? Mr. Dongfang, are you really going to donate one hundred billion to S University?"
The old principal trembled uncontrollably due to his extreme excitement.
Let alone asking student Lin to go on stage to play, he would even jump and perform a striptease with his old bones.
Because he was giving so much.
Dongfang Junze let out a "hmm," and his clear gaze swept across the crowd. "The S University auditorium is full and can accommodate eight thousand people. Yet, among these eight thousand people, no one speaks up when their compatriots are bullied by foreigners. If you think your country is bad, then work to improve it; if you think the government is bad, then study hard and become an official: if you think the people are uncivilized, then start by being a civilized person yourself. Those who abandon their country and do not love it have no right to be arrogant in China. No matter where you go in the world, you will only be a stray dog. And to insult one's own country in front of so many people is either foolish or wicked."
His speech, without naming names, caused countless people to recognize themselves and lower their heads in shame.
Lawrence, being targeted by Dongfang Junze repeatedly, now had a face as purple as a pig's liver. "Dongfang Junze, who are you calling a stray dog? The reason why your China has always been so backward is that you are unwilling to humbly accept your shortcomings. Fortunately, our family had the foresight to change our nationality. Do you know that every time I return to China, I look at everything around me with pity? Improvement? Haha, even with another hundred years, you still won't surpass other countries. Sick man of East Asia, a hopeless case."
Enraged, Lawrence was now speaking without restraint. The entire auditorium was filled with a tense atmosphere.
If not for the burly bodyguards sitting next to Lawrence, he would have already been beaten to the ground.
"Then show me your ability and defeat me!" Dongfang Junze stood up from his seat and walked directly towards Lawrence.
His steps were steady, yet everyone seemed to see the thick killing intent swirling around Dongfang Junze.
Lawrence's bodyguards immediately became vigilant as they saw the situation was not good, their gazes fixed on Dongfang Junze.
Even though these bodyguards were all over 1.9 meters tall and powerfully built, they were completely intimidated by Dongfang Junze.
One bodyguard saw that Dongfang Junze seemed about to attack Lawrence and tried to push him away. The next second, a knife was directly plunged into his wrist.
Immediately after, Chen Yuchu also caught up, and that exquisite knife was thrown by her.
Behind Chen Yuchu, eight bodyguards held firearms, their muzzles pointed at the heads of Lawrence and his entourage.
Lawrence and his bodyguards immediately showed fear.
The bodyguards naturally dared not obstruct Dongfang Junze. They were paid, not Lawrence's father, why would they risk their lives for him? This was a matter of life and death.
Dongfang Junze easily grabbed Lawrence by the collar. The mask seemed to instantly become terrifying and ferocious, exuding a deathly aura from hell, like a mad devil.
"Dongfang Junze, what... what do you want to do?" As soon as Lawrence finished speaking, he was directly pulled up from his chair by Dongfang Junze and thrown to the stage below.
Dongfang Junze elegantly took off his suit jacket, twisted his neck, and then tidied his cuffs. "Wing Chun is suitable for beating dogs."
With that, the man's figure flashed like lightning towards Lawrence.
Although he was hitting someone, Dongfang Junze's movements were extremely clean and handsome. Lawrence had no power to resist.
The atmosphere in the entire auditorium rose to a fever pitch.
"Well done! Dongfang Junze, I respect you as a man!"
"So cool! How can there be such a handsome man in the world who fights in a suit? Why can't polygamy be allowed? I'm willing to be Dongfang Junze's 1837347398th wife."
"Ahhh, I'm dying! What kind of celestial being could be worthy of such a man?"
Lin Xingwan also felt her blood boil at this scene. Seeing Dongfang Junze like this, she felt her heart flutter.
This feeling was similar to when she first fell in love with Zhou Jinbai.
Lin Xingwan's heart was filled with pain and torment. Why... was she actually developing feelings for a man other than her husband? She had always thought of herself as a devoted person.
In a short time, Lawrence was completely subdued by Dongfang Junze, unable to even stand up.
"Throw him out," Dongfang Junze commanded.
"Yes." Four subordinates each carried one of Lawrence's limbs and walked him out.
The entire auditorium erupted in thunderous applause.
The old principal, who had appeared beside Lin Xingwan at some point, urged, "Quick, quick, student Lin, go on stage and play a song for Mr. Dongfang. Whether we can get one hundred billion depends on you."
With that, he directly pushed Lin Xingwan forward.
"School beauty Lin, play a song."
"Play a song, school beauty Lin."
Dongfang Junze also turned his gaze to Lin Xingwan. He didn't say anything, but his entire being, down to the tip of his hair, silently told Lin Xingwan: it was her turn to perform.
At this moment, Lin Xingwan no longer hesitated. She stood up and walked onto the stage.
She sat down like an elegant swan.
Her slender, jade-like fingers extended, and clear piano notes rang out.
At first, not many people recognized the prelude.
However, as time passed and the climax arrived, the entire auditorium once again erupted in thunderous applause.
Because Lin Xingwan was playing "Me and My Motherland"!
The patriotic fervor ignited within their blood seemed to awaken suddenly.
In fact, the applause Lin Xingwan received lasted longer than Dongfang Junze's.
Below the stage, Cheng Yanzhe watched Lin Xingwan with almost infatuated eyes.
Even though Ye Qingning, sitting beside him, had a very unpleasant expression, Cheng Yanzhe was completely unaware.
Ye Qingning's grip on her evening gown had left creases, and her jealousy towards Lin Xingwan intensified.
She couldn't wait until the end of the centennial celebration and got up to leave!
She thought Cheng Yanzhe would follow her, but after walking a stretch, Ye Qingning looked back and saw Cheng Yanzhe still looking at Lin Xingwan. Ye Qingning sped up her departure in anger.
She suddenly felt a sense of despair: it seemed that in her lifetime, she would never be able to surpass this woman, Lin Xingwan, whether in love or career!
If she couldn't surpass her, then she would destroy her.
After the song ended, Lin Xingwan gracefully returned to her seat.
Chen Yuchu directly walked up to the host and said in an extremely excited tone, "On behalf of our CEO, I would like to donate one hundred billion to S University in front of all the guests!"
With that, the big screen displayed the bank card in Chen Yuchu's hand.
"Beep, card swiped successfully!"
As the machine's sound rang out, the auditorium once again erupted in applause. The old principal was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes.
Even though the centennial celebration had ended perfectly, everyone's emotions were still stirred.
Lin Xingwan hadn't drunk any alcohol, but her cheeks were burning.
She sent a message to Zhou Jinbai and then walked out of the auditorium to wait for him to pick her up.
Unexpectedly, while the auditorium was bustling, it was pouring rain outside.
A cold wind blew, and Lin Xingwan shivered.
"School beauty Lin, let me give you a ride," a schoolmate driving by said to her.
"No, thank you. My husband will come to pick me up." Lin Xingwan politely refused. Even though it was a schoolmate, she wouldn't easily get into someone else's car. After all, she was a very cautious person. Underneath a pretty face, who knew if it was a human or a ghost?
Other passing schoolmates also offered her rides, but she refused them all.
"Lin Xingwan, get in the car." Cheng Yanzhe also drove over, with Hao Manqing sitting in the back seat.
"Xingwan, why haven't you gone home yet? Didn't your man who lives off you come to pick you up? Hurry up and get in the car, let Yanzhe give you a ride." Hao Manqing feigned concern for Lin Xingwan.
"No need, my husband is already on his way." Lin Xingwan's face turned cold. At this moment, no matter how low the temperature was around her, she habitually put on an air of 'I'm the coolest.'
"With my mother inside, Zhou Jinbai won't misunderstand anything." Cheng Yanzhe was puzzled. What kind of spell had that good-for-nothing cast on her?
"Cheng Yanzhe, it's not that I'm worried about my husband misunderstanding. I just purely don't want to ride in your car." Lin Xingwan said word by word, her expression extremely serious.
She didn't want Hao Manqing to think she still had any lingering feelings for Cheng Yanzhe.
There were still many people around Lin Xingwan peeking with curious eyes. Cheng Yanzhe, having been rejected twice, drove away with a cold face.
"School beauty Lin, what does your boyfriend do?" someone approached Lin Xingwan and asked gossipy.
"A beautiful, rich, and successful woman like school beauty Lin, a strong female lead, her boyfriend must be handsome, rich, and a domineering CEO. Otherwise, how could he be worthy of school beauty Lin? Don't you agree?" another person explained sarcastically, winking at others.
Liu Xinxin, who had suffered at Lin Xingwan's hands before, finally couldn't hold back and reappeared to make her presence known to Lin Xingwan.
"Speaking of school beauty Lin's boyfriend, I remember at my wedding, her boyfriend drove a Volkswagen to race with Qiu Junze, and school beauty Lin spent a fortune on her boyfriend. They were truly in love."
Liu Xinxin deliberately emphasized the words 'Volkswagen' and 'spent a fortune,' as if afraid others wouldn't catch her implied meaning.
For a moment, various eyes from the surroundings fell upon them.
Some people even whispered that Lin Xingwan's behavior was completely a one-sided effort.
Some men thought that Lin Xingwan was too outstanding, and the more outstanding a woman was, the lower her choice of partner.
Just then, a Rolls-Royce with extremely cool lines and a sleek design appeared before everyone.
All eyes turned to this car with curiosity. The car door opened, and a pair of shiny black leather shoes slowly appeared in view.