{"id":2779,"date":"2026-04-03T02:43:52","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T02:43:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/public-entertainment-circle-30\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T03:21:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T03:21:55","slug":"public-entertainment-circle-30","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/www.velvetink.xyz\/fr\/chapter\/public-entertainment-circle-30\/","title":{"rendered":"Public [Entertainment Circle] 30"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 30

**”Breaking: Popular traffic-actress has been secretly married for nearly two years.”**
**”Fan count exceeds fifty million.”**
*\u201cIllusion\u201d wrapped filming at the end of October.*

After finishing the wrap party BBQ hosted by the director, Fu Yuan came over personally, and the next morning took Qin Mang away.

Now, finally out of the remote mountainous area with no signal, a flood of news came crashing in.

Popular actress, secret marriage, two years, fan base over fifty million.

Qin Mang\u2019s Weibo followers had just surpassed fifty million.

A Tong read the trending topic headline aloud.

She couldn’t help muttering, \u201cWho\u2019s this capable?\u201d

Maybe netizens didn\u2019t know, but for those who were aware of Qin Mang\u2019s marital status, the implication was obvious.

The car cabin was dimly lit. Qin Mang had grown noticeably thinner, lazily curled up in the wide leather seat. Her velvet black dress flowed elegantly down; her long hair was tied up casually in a low bun, revealing her slender and delicate neckline and shoulders. Her porcelain skin glowed. When she turned to glance out the window, her beautiful shoulder blades were strikingly visible.

They were currently descending the mountain.

The car wasn\u2019t going fast.

Qin Mang admired the rolling mountains outside. Mist and clouds intertwined with dense forests, stretching all the way to the horizon like a majestic, expansive painting.

It made one\u2019s mood naturally relax.

\u201cJie, look!\u201d

\u201cYou\u2019ve been nominated by netizens too.\u201d

Suddenly hearing A Tong\u2019s words, Qin Mang lifted her lashes and glanced at her, an elegant charm in her gaze.

Her good mood instantly vanished.

She accepted the tablet A Tong handed over.

What met her eyes was a glaring red \u201cBreaking\u201d character.

Her slender, delicate fingers slowly swiped across the screen.

It was a report by veteran paparazzi Wu Yanquan.

Wu Yanquan claimed he didn\u2019t have solid evidence yet, so wouldn\u2019t reveal too much for now.

This comment almost got him cursed to death by fans of various actresses.

But even if cursed, the buzz was up.

In the entertainment industry, what you fear isn\u2019t being scolded\u2014it\u2019s being ignored.

The key point was, Wu Yanquan had been in the game for years. Every scoop he ever broke had been spot on. Every time, he stirred the industry.

If he said it was a top-tier star, it absolutely was.
If he said it was a popular actress, it definitely was!

So this time, when he hyped up that it was a current top-tier actress, the internet exploded.

Netizens cursed with their mouths but had already begun digging deep\u2014curiosity always wins.

\u201cThere are only a few who count as truly top-tier. Eliminate the married ones, eliminate the not-popular ones\u2014\u201d
\u201cCurrently, including Qin Mang, there are three names on the list.\u201d
\u201cDamn, how did Qin Mang end up on the list too?\u201d
\u201cOh my god, can\u2019t imagine it. If Qin Mang really secretly married a regular guy, I might become an anti on the spot.\u201d
\u201cIf I had that face of hers, I\u2019d never get married! No man in this world is worthy!\u201d
\u201cQin Mang, get a grip. With that seductive face of yours, you’re meant to make the best men on earth fall at your feet\u2014then play with all of them without taking responsibility!\u201d
\u201cHahaha dying at the comment above, but I completely agree!\u201d
\u201cDon\u2019t you dare get married\u2014marriage is the graveyard of all seductive spirits!\u201d
\u201cHistorically, how many stunning beauties had a good ending after marrying ordinary men? Either they got their hearts ripped out or were skinned and soaked in wine!\u201d
\u201c\u2026\u201d

The reason Qin Mang made the list was due to her secretive whereabouts over the past two years. A staff member from Hezhou Film anonymously revealed that she often traveled alone and never allowed any staff to accompany her.

Clearly suspicious.

After reading it all, Qin Mang\u2019s expression was slightly complex\u2014was this praise or a curse?

Her red lips curled lazily: \u201cThe ones who end up with their hearts gouged out and skinned alive are late-stage love-brained seductresses. This miss\u2026 is smart.\u201d

\u201cThey\u2019re worrying for nothing.\u201d

Next to her, Fu Yuan had been on the phone since they got signal again\u2014contacting media friends, hoping to keep Qin Mang\u2019s name out of it, or suppress the topic with other news.

But they underestimated both the netizens and fanbases’ battle power.

Especially the three names on the list\u2014all had fierce fans, tons of die-hard followers.

Naturally, no one wanted the suspicion on their own idol, and soon fans were digging up rivals’ entire schedules from two years ago.

\u201cIs that really the focus?\u201d

Fu Yuan couldn\u2019t help asking after hearing Qin Mang\u2019s comment.

It was his first time experiencing how Qin Mang zeroed in on the oddest key point\u2014no wonder Meng Ting had warned him.

Qin Mang felt a bit cold. Calmly pulling the blanket tighter, she unwrapped her sleep mask and said lazily, \u201cEven if it\u2019s me, so what? They said it themselves\u2014no evidence.\u201d

Fu Yuan hung up the phone and looked at her. \u201cTrue, but it\u2019s not about whether it *is* you\u2014it\u2019s that everyone *thinks* it is. The media thinks it is.\u201d

\u201cOver a dozen domestic outlets are waiting for you to return after wrapping.\u201d

\u201cAt the slightest movement now, you\u2019ll be watched.\u201d

Qin Mang thought back to being swarmed by the media at a hotel last time. Her brows twitched slightly as she rubbed the now-warm sleep mask.

\u201cSo don\u2019t go back to the Lakeside Manor for now.\u201d
\u201cWait till the storm passes.\u201d
\u201cYou\u2019ve shot two dramas back to back. It\u2019s the perfect time to rest and recharge. Until year-end, stick to variety shows and commercial endorsements. You don\u2019t have a representative work yet, so you can\u2019t disappear from the public eye for too long.\u201d

Fu Yuan moved on to her upcoming schedule.

Qin Mang gave a noncommittal response.

Since she chose to be in this industry, she had to deal with it.

Though she lacked patience, once she decided to do something, she had to succeed.

But\u2014

Even Fu Yuan, usually calm, was getting frustrated. \u201cDo you have any idea who leaked this?\u201d

Qin Mang was on the rise. She didn\u2019t have a single official work out yet\u2014if her secret marriage got exposed, it would be disastrous.

By the time her film released, people would focus on her relationship, not her performance.

Qin Mang\u2019s gaze darkened. \u201cMaybe someone who knows about the Qin-He family alliance.\u201d

That person couldn\u2019t say it outright due to the families involved, so they dropped vague hints to get the media digging.

After all, not many knew about the marriage.

Since returning to Deep City, Qin Mang had moved back into her pre-marriage residence.

As a top celebrity, her rest time was scarce and her schedule was packed.

After filming five commercials, three magazines, and two interviews, Qin Mang finally hit her limit backstage at a variety show.

Sleeping later than a dog, waking earlier than a rooster\u2014even office workers weren\u2019t suffering as much.

If the entertainment industry was this hard to survive in, she might as well go home and inherit the family business. Become a lazy heiress\u2014or wait, a wealthy wife now.

She almost forgot she was a *married* young lady.

He Lingji\u2019s name flashed through her mind\u2014only to be suppressed by her brain almost instantly.

So\u2014
Forget dreams.
Forget fame.
Forget works.

She needed beauty sleep!

Meng Ting quickly tried to coax her, \u201cAiya, little ancestor, after this variety shoot, you\u2019ll finally get a break! Happy?\u201d

He was blatantly lying.

He directly scratched out the unimportant items after this show.

As Qin Mang\u2019s agent for over two years, he knew her temperament best\u2014and this was clearly the breaking point.

Meng Ting showered her with praise, \u201cWe\u2019re not treating you like a cash cow\u2014it\u2019s just to mislead those stalker paparazzi.\u201d

\u201cLook at the recent headlines.\u201d
\u201cThe ones tailing you even praised you as the cleanest celebrity they\u2019ve ever seen in private life.\u201d
\u201cEvery day, it\u2019s either working or going home\u2014straight-line lifestyle.\u201d
\u201cA role model among modern actresses.\u201d

Qin Mang shot him a cold look. \u201cSwear it?\u201d

\u201cI swear!\u201d

Meng Ting raised his hand solemnly, while signaling the styling team, \u201cCome, come, glam up our most beautiful and hardworking actress in the universe\u2014make her the brightest star tonight!\u201d

Qin Mang’s eyelids drooped slightly. Under the stark white lights, her delicate, pale face looked even more flawless. She opened the show\u2019s schedule and gave a soft hum.

“You better keep your word.”

Once this was over, she was *definitely, absolutely* going on a long vacation!

No more work. After catching up on sleep, she would play, shop, and eat to her heart\u2019s content!

Suddenly, the phone placed upside down on the makeup table buzzed.

And then buzzed again.

Normally, this kind of frenzied WeChat messaging came from Wu Yuxi, but she’d recently flown to Antarctica to see penguins.

Who knew\u2014

Qin Mang casually unlocked her phone, but her gaze froze the next second.

It was her childhood friend, Gu Qiyang.

**Cherish Every Delicate Flower**: \\[Heard the young lady wrapped filming, huh? What a coincidence! Perfect timing to join my bachelor party. Tonight at midnight, Yunlan Clubhouse. You *must* come.]

**Bachelor party?**

Qin Mang thought for a few seconds and replied: \\[If I\u2019m not mistaken, didn\u2019t I just attend your *fourth* wedding last winter? Already single again?]

**Gu Qiyang replied instantly**: \\[NONONO, this is the bachelor party for my *fifth* marriage. I\u2019m getting married tomorrow. I didn\u2019t tell you since I thought you were still filming. Figured I\u2019d just invite you to the *next* wedding.]

\\[What a coincidence\u2014]

Gu Qiyang, known in their circle as a famous playboy, used to date rising celebrities. Most people assumed he was just having fun, but unlike those careless rich kids, he treated every girlfriend equally\u2014with marriage. Never a scumbag. This would be his fifth marriage as an adult\u2014and this time, not with a celebrity, but an outsider.

He’s only been of marriageable age for four years.

Averaging one wedding per year.

*Next wedding*, my ass.

Qin Mang was speechless.

Marriage wasn\u2019t a game.

But for *this guy*, it was basically his annual performance.

**Cherish Every Delicate Flower**: \\[You *have* to come! I\u2019m serious this time!]

**Little Lion Roar Meow**: \\[…We\u2019ll see.]

A staff member knocked on the door, reminding, \u201cMs. Qin, it\u2019s your turn.\u201d

Qin Mang tossed her phone to Meng Ting without a care.

No interest in dealing with Gu Qiyang.

He claimed to be \u201cserious\u201d for all four previous weddings, too.

—

Qin Mang was appearing on a very popular variety show called **\u201cTrue or False\u201d**.

It had become a hit in recent years for its live, unedited, and 100% real format, featuring the most advanced lie detectors\u2014no guest could lie! Extremely thrilling.

Celebrities who dared to come on this show generally had a great public image.

Of course, *only* if they didn\u2019t get exposed during the lie detector segment.

Originally, Fu Yuan didn\u2019t want Qin Mang to take this show, no matter how popular it was.

But this time, the entire cast of *\u201cDreams of Old Beijing\u201d* would appear together\u2014it was the movie\u2019s first public promotion.

Meng Ting thought this show would absolutely win fans for Qin Mang.

A cool and direct ice beauty\u2014who wouldn\u2019t love that? So he strongly urged her to take it.

Recording began.

Qin Mang had slimmed down a little recently, making her seem less intimidating. Today, she wore a milky-white retro hollow-knit sweater, soft and cozy, with a matching butterfly headband. She radiated a cool, transparent beauty. Yet with her dark hair and charming eyes, she remained dazzlingly stunning.

Most of the live audience was seeing her in person for the first time.

The visual impact was overwhelming.

Some were even stunned into silence, thinking she looked like she’d stepped straight out of a manga.

The guest lineup was full of old friends. Though it was Qin Mang\u2019s first time on a variety show, she wasn\u2019t stiff. She even handled the host\u2019s teasing jokes with ease.

She wasn\u2019t just a beautiful face, nor did she act aloof. She was surprisingly witty.

Just as Meng Ting had predicted:

Qin Mang would win fans on a show like this.

The show was live.

When it reached the most anticipated **\u201clie detector truth segment,\u201d** excitement soared again.

The host had staff bring out the lie detector.

With a smile, he explained, \u201cThis is the latest model. They say its accuracy is nearly 100%. Dare to try it?\u201d

\u201cSure!\u201d

\u201cLet\u2019s do it!\u201d

\u201cAhhh!\u201d

The audience was even more excited than the guests.

Qi Rong, a bit nervous, tugged Qin Mang\u2019s sleeve and whispered with her mic off, \u201cIt won\u2019t expose how many hookups I\u2019ve had, right\u2026?\u201d

Qin Mang laughed. Her already striking features lit up under the stage lights.

She said, \u201cThat\u2019s probably a bluff.\u201d

No lie detector could really be 100% accurate.

Except\u2014

Qin Mang hadn\u2019t turned off her mic.

The host heard her. \u201cMangmang doesn\u2019t believe it?\u201d

\u201cThen you *have* to try it yourself!\u201d

\u201cOur lie detector is made *especially* for skeptics.\u201d

Qin Mang looked at the sleek silver device with growing interest and stepped up. \u201cSure, let\u2019s test it.\u201d

If they were using a lie detector, might as well go big.

Audience members got to submit questions.

Someone asked: \u201cI want to know if Goddess Qin currently likes anyone.\u201d

Host: \u201cYou have three seconds. Three, two, one.\u201d

Qin Mang calmly replied, \u201cNo.\u201d

BEEEEEP\u2014

A long tone.

Test passed.

No lie.

—

**He Group\u2019s Scientific Instruments Division.**

**Technical Department Meeting Room.**

The lie detector, as He Group\u2019s latest research project, was making its debut on the show\u2014essentially still in testing.

All relevant personnel were watching the live segment.

The room was silent.

Cool-toned lights reflected off walls lined with cold metal strips.

At the head of the table sat a refined, striking man. His shirt buttoned to the collar, neat to the extreme. A pair of slim-framed glasses rested on his high nose bridge, giving him an air of restrained elegance.

His expression was unreadable.

His long fingers brushed slowly over a lie detector identical to the one on TV.

A low, cold chuckle slipped from his pale lips.

Secretary Cong had broken into a cold sweat the moment Qin Mang said \u201cNo.\u201d

When the machine confirmed *truth*\u2014

He was drenched.

Upon hearing that laugh, he didn\u2019t even dare look at his boss\u2019s face.

Cong Zhen stammered, \u201cMaybe\u2026 the machine malfunctioned? Should we recalibrate it?\u201d

The project lead exploded: \u201cSecretary Cong, you’re not a tech guy\u2014what do you know?\u201d

\u201cThe detector is flawless!\u201d

\u201cIt\u2019s *way* more accurate than anything else on the market!\u201d

\u201cEven President He was smiling!\u201d

Cong Zhen\u2019s eyelid twitched, wildly signaling the tech guy.

I\u2019m trying to *save* you here!

Smiling? That was a cold laugh, you idiot!

The tech guy asked sincerely, \u201cAre you having a facial spasm?\u201d

Cong Zhen: \u201c\u2026\u201d

Can\u2019t you use your dog eyes to see He-ge\u2019s face right now?!

An assistant noticed Cong Zhen looked faint and asked, \u201cAre you okay, Secretary Cong?\u201d

He lifted his heavy eyelids and looked at everyone.

Wiped his forehead.

Sometimes, he really envied these clueless fools.

*Sigh\u2014*

Bearing this secret alone was *exhausting*.

\u201cMeeting\u2019s over.\u201d

The man\u2019s cool-toned voice made the air freeze.

He Lingji got up and left the room.

The tech lead, finally sensing something was off, grabbed Cong Zhen. \u201cPresident He\u2019s not satisfied?\u201d

Cong Zhen smiled faintly. \u201cNo\u2014he\u2019s *too* satisfied.\u201d

Could you *not* be so overachieving?

A lie detector with *near-perfect* accuracy?

What place would the world have left for white lies?!

—

**Inside a private room at Yunlan Clubhouse.**

He Lingji didn\u2019t join the card game. Instead, he sat idly on the sofa in the corner, untouched strong liquor on the table before him.

He hadn\u2019t had a sip yet.

His black silk shirt had two buttons undone, revealing his flawless collarbones. His refined face had taken on a lazy, untamed edge.

His long fingers stroked the cold frame of his phone, his weary eyes gaining clarity.

He picked up the full glass, sipped slowly.

Ruan Qizhu, holding playing cards, looked around helplessly. Everyone here was a close friend, but he sucked at cards.

He couldn\u2019t help but call out, \u201cBrother He, come save your precious little cotton-padded jacket!\u201d


He Lingji passed by without much expression,
uttering two monosyllabic words: \u201cI refuse to save him.\u201d

Someone asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s up with Brother He today?\u201d
\u201cIn a bad mood?\u201d
\u201cWhy aren\u2019t you playing cards?\u201d

As the number one internet surfer and Brother He\u2019s little loyal sidekick, Ruan Qizhuo quickly pieced together a full set of logical conclusions in his head, then tossed the cards aside and came over:

\u201cHehe, is our Brother He feeling lonely in his empty room?\u201d
\u201cMissing your little wife who\u2019s busy working?\u201d

He had previously heard from Brother Rong about those nineteen days in Ling City.
Ruan Qizhuo noticed that He Lingji was idly fiddling with his phone.

Bravely, he snatched it away.
\u201cBrother He, you\u2019re too shy to call your wife, so I\u2019ll do it for you!\u201d
After grabbing it, he quickly took two steps back.
\u201cThis is when your little cotton-padded jacket charges into battle!\u201d

He Lingji\u2019s private phone was taken from his fingertips.
But the man, known for never tolerating challenges to his authority, merely glanced at him lightly.

He flexed his knuckles, and calmly picked up a bottle of liquor.
The transparent liquid, under the dim lighting, refracted into dazzling shards of brilliance.

*\u201cDoo doo doo\u2014\u201d*
*\u201cThe number you dialed is currently on another call. Please try again later.\u201d*

The sound of the rejection tone suddenly rang out.
He called three times in a row.

Ruan Qizhuo muttered under his breath, \u201cWho\u2019s sister-in-law talking to in the middle of the night?\u201d
The flow of liquor abruptly stopped…

—

After finishing her recording, Qin Mang was being harassed by nonstop calls from Gu Qiyang.

She was just arriving at Yunlan Clubhouse, and snapped, \u201cWhy the hell are you rushing me? Get your ass down here and pick me up.\u201d

\u201cYou\u2019ve finally arrived, Princess!\u201d
\u201cI\u2019m on my way down right now!\u201d

Gu Qiyang was in high spirits.

Just as they entered the lobby,
Meng Ting, who had been quietly observing the surroundings, suddenly changed his expression.

**\u201cCrap, paparazzi.\u201d**

\u201cDon\u2019t take it off.\u201d
Seeing Qin Mang about to remove her mask, Meng Ting quickly lowered his voice to warn her.
\u201cSix o\u2019clock\u2014paparazzi.\u201d

Qin Mang\u2019s fingers, which were near her ear, suddenly paused.

What the hell?
Paparazzi ambushing a place like this in the middle of the night?

\u201cYour friend won\u2019t be in trouble if he gets photographed at a party, right?\u201d Meng Ting hadn\u2019t expected this either.
The paparazzi had been trailing Qin Mang for a while with no results, and there hadn\u2019t been any movement recently.

Who knew they\u2019d launch a sneak attack this late?

Qin Mang was about to say it was fine,
but suddenly remembered her childhood friend\u2019s reputation in the entertainment circle.

She cursed quietly, \u201cShit. No way.\u201d

Gu Qiyang\u2019s well-known record of \u201cmarrying every little celebrity once\u201d was basically public knowledge.
If she got photographed attending his bachelor party, the media would definitely twist it into \u201chis fifth bride is her!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-2779","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.velvetink.xyz\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/2779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.velvetink.xyz\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.velvetink.xyz\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.velvetink.xyz\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2779"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.velvetink.xyz\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/2779\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2781,"href":"https:\/\/www.velvetink.xyz\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/2779\/revisions\/2781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.velvetink.xyz\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.velvetink.xyz\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=2779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}