Chapter 40 To Hell with Prudence

Click!
Click!
The camera flashes went off, illuminating the press conference venue as bright as day.
Xu Ming walked out from the radiance, looking at the media reporters off the stage with a stern expression.
"Thank you all for coming to today's press conference."
"The purpose of today is primarily to clarify the recent rumors. Originally, I couldn't be bothered to step forward, but some media outlets and online remarks have become increasingly absurd, leaving me no choice but to speak up."
"I, Xu Ming, formerly a two-stripe squadron leader at the Qianying Village Primary School in Fusong County, Jilin Province, and former labor committee member of Class Three, Grade Two in the 2004 cohort of Fusong Town No. 2 Middle School, am absolutely incapable of participating in such vicious incidents as physical fights and brawls."
Xu Ming's clarification was resolute and forceful.
In the spacious conference hall, it clearly reached the ears of every single reporter.
Yet, while every word was familiar, when pieced together, the reporters were somewhat bewildered.
A two-stripe squadron leader?
A labor committee member?
What the hell are you dragging up ancient history for?
The key is that you even look so proud of it.
On such a grand occasion, with a face that serious, are you just pulling our leg right out of the gate?
Do you think this is a comedic stage!
"I also hope everyone will convey my attitude. Their framing of me is equivalent to framing a former Young Pioneer squadron leader, a former member of the Communist Youth League, a former..."
Xu Ming paused, recalling that he hadn't even paid his league dues in full later on.
Instead, he changed his tune: "In short, kind words forge good affinities, while malicious words break hearts. Teacher Zhang and the others merely lost their health, but what I lost was my reputation."
Pfft~
Some mainland media reporters in the audience already burst out laughing.
By this point, if they still couldn't detect the schadenfreude underlying Xu Ming's words, they would be utter fools.
Meanwhile, the expressions of the Hong Kong reporters turned ashen instantly.
A reporter from Next Magazine took the lead in interrogating him: "According to our interviews, Dicky Cheung, Edmond Leung, and others came to participate in their friend Andy Hui's Shanghai concert on May 11th."
"They merely went to a bar to relax after rehearsals, and because of a few verbal disputes, they were beaten to the point of hospitalization. At present, all accusations point to you as the mastermind. Is this still just a rumor?"
To say those Hong Kong reporters harbored any genuine affection for Hong Kong artists would be false.
At this moment, however, their stances aligned.
"Pardon the invite, I was in America (crossed out), I just flew from Beijing to Shanghai last night and went straight to discuss a cooperation," Xu Ming said. "As for the bar you mentioned, I am neither aware of it nor was I present."
No matter what the other party said, he stuck firmly to the six-word mantra: do not listen, do not believe, do not answer.
If the other side truly possessed a substantive trump card, they wouldn't just be stirring up public opinion behind the scenes; they would have already stepped forward to deal with him.
"There is surveillance footage in the bar showing that the person who had the conflict with Dicky Cheung and the others was precisely your fellow disciple Xiaoshengyang and his group, and you also appeared later..."
"Hold on, I appeared? Where's the evidence? Where are the photos?"
Before the reporter could finish, Xu Ming directly interrupted him.
"Although no front-view photo was captured, whether from the profile or the build, it can basically be determined to be you," the reporter said.
"There are plenty of people across the country whose profiles and builds resemble mine. There are crowds of people imitating me nationwide right now; believe it or not, I could call ten of them over right this second."
Xu Ming waved his hand impatiently. "This is clearly framing and slander; I advise everyone not to spread rumors based on hearsay."
His casual attitude thoroughly enraged the Hong Kong reporters in the audience.
One of them abruptly stood up and couldn't help but blurt out: "Is this how mainlanders treat Hong Kong actors who come to attend events? You people are too violent!"
"Actually, they could also choose not to come, which I personally would strongly support," Xu Ming said with a completely serious expression.
Jokes aside, the Hong Kong and Taiwan artists of future generations either grew old or faded into obscurity, and it never made any discernible difference anyway.
On the contrary, after losing the talent pool of the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan truly failed to produce any good content ever again.
"Besides, if you insist on me voicing an opinion on this matter, I think this might just be retribution. Judging from the newspapers, Dicky Cheung's injuries are far lighter than those Teacher Wang Buzhao suffered back in the day."
"As for violence, when it comes to the genre of police and gangster films, Hong Kong is in a league of its own. It's hard for anywhere else to achieve that level of realism."
Xu Ming put down the microphone, intending to turn around and leave the stage.
As if suddenly remembering something, he picked it up again and said, "If Dicky Cheung and the others need it, I can visit them with a flower basket. Finally, I sincerely wish all you teachers from Hong Kong a speedy recovery. Cultivating a bit more virtue in your speech might save you from getting hurt in the future."
Dropping these words, Xu Ming hesitated no longer, his figure disappearing from the stage of the press conference.
Before taking the stage, many people had sent him text messages advising him to be cautious in his words and deeds.
Right up until he went on stage, he had thought the same way: better to avoid trouble than to look for it, especially since he had already gained the upper hand.
Yet, the moment he felt the arrogance and disrespect deeply rooted in the bones of these Hong Kong reporters, he threw all of that out the window.
To hell with caution in words and deeds.
He didn't even care for the market of that tiny sliver of land.
Besides, he knew better than anyone just how immense the market potential of the mainland was. If you come here to beg for food, you have to respect the master of the house; if you can't manage that, get lost.
An uproar swept through the audience.
Cameras aimed at Xu Ming's retreating back, continuously clicking.
A flush of excitement spread across the faces of every reporter.
A major news story! Even old grudges from years ago had been dragged into this.
They always knew that wherever this scoundrel Xu Ming was, topics and controversy would never be in short supply; he had never failed to deliver on that front.
In the past, no matter how explosive the news, it might have taken until the next day for the public to know.
However, today's press conference was organized with the help of Sohu Entertainment, which had arranged a direct live stream.
Among the netizens guarding the live stream, quite a few were recording the screen.
The moment the press conference ended, the news spread outward immediately.
"I support Xu Ming, well roasted!"
"This is what you call the wheel of fortune turning; justice has eyes."
"These Hong Kong actors should have been put in their place long ago, acting like their eyes are glued to the heavens."
Amidst the chorus of approval, several young girls far away in Hengdian, who had been guarding the live broadcast, grew excited as well.
"How is Xu Ming effeminate in the slightest? What a real man, so hardcore it hurts. He vented my pent-up anger!"
Yang Mi wore an expression as if she shared the honor.
Having debuted early, she had witnessed plenty of differential treatment between Hong Kong/Taiwan artists and mainland artists, but she had always had to swallow her pride and endure it.
Even for the drama *Beauty's Rival in Palace* she was currently filming—despite being shot entirely in the mainland—they, the mainland actors, were treated as the bottom rung of the crew.
"Actually, it depends on the person. When we filmed *Chinese Paladin 3* back then, Teacher Wallace Huo and Teacher Liu Zicong were both quite nice."
Liu Shishi paused. "Still, Xu Ming is really hardcore. It's just that the subsequent public opinion storm is likely going to be huge."
After meeting up with Tang Yan in Beijing and hanging out together for quite a while, the two of them had traveled together to Hengdian to visit Da Mi Mi on set.
"Tang Tang, didn't you act alongside Xu Ming before? Is he really that manly in person?" Yang Mi asked.
"Ah? Yes, Teacher Xu is very considerate."
Tang Yan's face inexplicably turned red. Whether Xu Ming was hardcore or not, how could she possibly not know?