Chapter 82

Unlike the Korean custom, Americans prefer parties (Party) to banquets. Therefore, Li Jingming thoughtfully organized a grand party instead of a lavish feast. In doing this, Li Jingming employed a small tactic: he did not arrange the party at a hotel but on the vacant land of Kwangguk Film Company. This had two benefits: first, it would create a pleasant memory for the employees, fostering a sense of belonging to Kwangguk Film; second, it was a show for the neighbors, letting those who had nothing to do but sunbathe see that there was work being done here, and it was a large-scale production requiring dozens of people. Dozens of people and it's called a large-scale production? Of course, in America, many films that gross millions of dollars are made by just seven or eight people.

"Hey, this place is really nice, is it your company?" Alan Page approached to probe Li Jingming, as he had inadvertently seen Ahn Hanjin bowing to Li Jingming earlier, and Li Jingming had casually waved. Li Jingming looked much younger than Ahn Hanjin, and Alan Page had met Ahn Hanjin when he and his agent came to sign the contract, as Ahn Hanjin was the acting CEO of Kwangguk Film (the CEO's role is similar to that of a Korean company president). So, the person who could make Ahn Hanjin so respectful must be the largest shareholder or the chairman.

Alan Page's guess was correct, but Li Jingming couldn't admit it. "I'm just a small fry, just an artist under this company." Li Jingming wasn't lying; during registration, all the entertainment industries in the U.S. were under the parent company Kwangguk Entertainment, and he was still the first signed artist of Kwangguk Entertainment.

"You Asians are not honest at all." Alan Page winked at Li Jingming, making a knowing expression.

This was a sweeping generalization, and Li Jingming wanted to tell her loudly that she was wrong, only he himself was not being honest.

Here, people were singing, dancing, drinking, and eating, having a great time, but on the other side of the ocean, someone's head was about to explode.

Kim Tae-hee couldn't turn on her phone while on the plane, and her agent, Kim Jeol-su, was with her, which meant that for over ten hours, Korea couldn't contact Kim Tae-hee or anyone with her. NamooActors (Tree Entertainment) couldn't make any statements before Kim Tae-hee herself spoke, as she was different from other artists under their management; she was a true star. If the artist and the company's statements were inconsistent, the company would definitely lose face.

After getting off the plane, Kim Tae-hee got into the car and turned on her phone to call home and report her safety. A trip to America was like a trip to Incheon, and her family would certainly be worried about her. As soon as she turned on her phone, a flood of messages came in, and the notification sounds stopped. Kim Tae-hee tapped the screen a few times, but there was no response. Was it frozen? She even tapped the phone and brought it close to her face. Suddenly, the phone rang, and Kim Tae-hee, who was concentrating on figuring out what to do with her phone, almost threw it away. The call was from her mother.

"Oh, Mom, what's up? You scared me to death with your sudden call." As the second daughter most pampered at home (Kim Hengsu cried), Kim Tae-hee acted like a little girl in front of her family, often being coquettish.

"Hey, you brat, why didn't you turn on your phone for so long?" The voice on the other end was a bit anxious.

"Of course not, turning on the phone on the plane would cause big trouble." Kim Tae-hee asked curiously, wondering why her mother sounded like that.

There was a moment of silence on the other end, as if making a decision. "Mom doesn't agree with that, you should give it up."

"What thing, you mean 'Fighting'? Everyone said it's just a performance. If I don't seek a breakthrough now, it will be harder later. The competition for actresses is fierce." Kim Tae-hee thought it was about filming 'Fighting,' a complete departure from her usual image. When she first took the role, not only her mother but also her agent disagreed, but she didn't want to be just a 'national beauty' who didn't need acting skills. With the guidance of an acting master like Seo Jeong-gyu, she believed her acting could improve. However, her mother, who had recently taken a hands-off attitude, was now disagreeing again?

"Don't change the subject, I'm talking about that, right?" Kim's mother was angry.

"You haven't said anything, how do I know what you're talking about?" Kim Tae-hee was getting more and more confused.

"Let me put it straight, the Li family's son, we don't match him. Give up on this idea." Kim's mother.

"Huh?" Kim Tae-hee was startled, wondering which Li family.

"Ah, you child, can we afford to offend them? Your father is always thinking this and that, and now his daughter is going to be sacrificed. If I find out he's involved in this, I'll skin him alive." Kim's mother, who seemed to have transformed from "My Sassy Girl" to "My Sassy Wife," continued, "In a family like that, you, an actress, would just be a concubine. At your age, you wouldn't be favored. They'll sweet-talk you now, but in the end, they'll call the shots. Women should look ahead, like your father, the fool, didn't he see the example of the Da Yu Group? He's still trying to get involved, and I see it ending in disaster."

"Mom, what are you talking about? How am I too old and not favored?" Kim Tae-hee.

"How can you still think about that boy? I know about Li Kan. They say he's a reincarnated demon. Following him will bring no good. Such a person is ruthless. Don't be foolish." Kim's mother, who knew where she heard this, made Li Kan innocent. Why was he associated with a demon? However, recently, more people were calling and contacting her, and old friends who had drifted apart were inviting her out for tea.

"What does this have to do with Jingming?" Kim Tae-hee had a vague idea.

"Jingming, Jingming, calling him so affectionately. Forget it, I've said my piece. Think about it yourself." Kim's mother hung up the phone directly.

Just as Kim Tae-hee was frowning, trying to figure out what was going on, her agent, Yoon Jeol-su (a cameo by a reader), handed her a notebook. Kim Tae-hee took it and saw a picture on the first page. In the picture, she was holding Li Jingming's arm with one hand and feeding him a long ice cream with the other.

At the time, Kim Tae-hee was jokingly teasing Li Jingming, trying to get the ice cream on his nose. But because she was wearing flat shoes and was twenty centimeters shorter than Li Jingming, she had to look up and couldn't aim accurately. Afraid he would dodge, she held his arm, and the photo turned out surprisingly well. It was sweet and beautiful, making Kim Tae-hee's eyelids twitch. The caption below read, "Although Kim Tae-hee is getting older, her childlike heart remains, and her sweet coquettishness can melt any man's heart more than a ten-year-old girl."

What kind of talk is this? She was still in her twenties, how could she be called old?

The more she read, the angrier Kim Tae-hee became. This was a scandal, but why was it all about their age difference?

"The strongest newcomer and the most beautiful actress, still sweet despite a six-year age gap."

"Love doesn't care about height or age."

"Kim Tae-hee's first date exposed, Disney is the secret meeting place."

"Childlike heart, the perfect collision of love and fairy tales."

"Approaching thirty, still obsessed with the cartoon kingdom, discussing Kim Tae-hee's princess complex."

Just say I have a princess complex, and I'm twenty-eight, not thirty. Kim Tae-hee no longer cared about the scandal itself. Were these people writing the posts her enemies, trying to smear her? How dare someone say "love doesn't care about height or age"? This was a rapid-fire attack, and Kim Tae-hee hated it when people mentioned her height and age.

Indeed, many people were specifically trying to smear Kim Tae-hee. The goddess had suddenly become someone else's girlfriend, and under the shock, many former fans turned into haters.

Although the evidence was very clear, it was only circulating online. It was Monday night, and the previous day's newspapers had already been printed, so the scandal wouldn't appear in traditional media on Tuesday. Kim Tae-hee's father had already contacted the major media outlets, as his daughter's scandal was no small matter.

Many newspaper and TV editors and reporters were eager to interview Kim Tae-hee, the national goddess's romance being exposed, a big news story, especially with a newcomer six years younger. Such a topic was even more sensational, and getting the first-hand scoop could mean a promotion and wealth.

But the response was a cold bucket of water: "Not approved."

Joking, others only knew who Kim Tae-hee's father was, but the people above them knew who Li Jingming's father was. Who would dare to say anything bad about that family? Even if there were rumors about Li Jingming all over the world, these traditional media outlets wouldn't say anything negative.

On Tuesday, as expected, no matter how big the storm online, there was no news on TV or in the newspapers.

Kim Tae-hee, harassed by messages from friends in the industry all night, didn't sleep well. Waking up early, she was already having a headache. If it were a rumor with other male actors, a simple "for promotional purposes" would usually suffice, and with her high standards and family background, fans would often just laugh it off. But the day before, she had gone wild, like a child let out after being cooped up for a long time. She was in a playful mood and acted especially intimate with Li Jingming. Li Jingming, who had lived in America for many years, didn't think these actions were particularly intimate and acted very naturally. Now, with the photos leaked, it was "the truth is only one" that they were indeed dating. Kim Tae-hee was now in her bedroom, lying on her bed, looking at the posts. Fortunately, it was still early in the morning, and no one in the family was up, or her mother and sister would have come to nag her. But was she really that happy the day before? Kim Tae-hee browsed through the photos, and in one, she was smiling so much her eyes were almost closed, despite her usually large eyes.

"Kan, it's okay if she's a bit older. As the saying goes, a woman three years older is like holding a gold brick. Holding two gold bricks is just a bit heavier, but otherwise, it's fine." Li Jingming was talking to director Jason Reitman when Kim Yoon-shu called. Li Jingming walked to the side to take the call and heard a strange statement about two gold bricks as soon as he answered.