Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

……

……

Night quietly descends upon Shanghai.

Just after eight o'clock, the sky outside the window had completely darkened. The city lights came on one by one, and the distant skyscrapers were outlined in a blurry silhouette against the night, with the light and shadow of neon lights flowing across the glass window.

Gu Qing put down the guitar, feeling a faint pain in his fingers. His fingertips, which had been pressing the strings for a long time, were a little red, and it hurt when he pressed them lightly.

My throat was also a bit dry and hoarse. I had been talking and singing non-stop for two hours. Although I drank water a few times in between, I could still feel the fatigue in my vocal cords.

He picked up the water glass next to him, took a big gulp, and let the warm liquid slide down his throat.

Two hours.

Gu Qing sang all of her singles since her debut.

One song after another, it was as if he was taking his fans on a journey through his entire career.

He also chatted with viewers in the live chat, with some asking what he'd been busy with lately and others asking if he'd participate in a variety show.

When asked what his next project is, he answers each question, saying what he can say and vaguely mentioning what he can't.

To be honest, I'm a little tired.

But it's not bad.

This feeling reminded Gu Qing of her days doing live streaming in her previous life. Back then, she would sing, chat, and interact with the audience in front of the camera.

Be yourself in front of the camera, and use music and language to connect with strangers on the other end.
Gu Qing felt that tonight was the happiest and most relaxed night of the year for him.

Gu Qing leaned back in her chair, watching the barrage of comments scrolling wildly across the screen.

"30 yuan to see a top-tier concert? I'm asking you, where can I find tickets that cheap?!"

"My brother's birthday party was so generous!!"

"I heard that my brother is negotiating a starting price of 200 million for singing a song. Are we going to make tens of millions tonight?"

"Two hours! A full two hours! No guests, no commercials, just my brother! What an amazing birthday party!"

"I've already recorded it, and I'll play it on repeat every day from now on!"

"My ears are pregnant, little brother, you have to take responsibility!!"

The live chat was still flooded with comments like "Thank you, little brother," "Happy birthday," and "It was totally worth it."

Gu Qing was deeply moved as she looked at the comments.

The birthday party seems to have gone well.

Sing with your heart, chat with your heart, and spend time with your heart.

This is enough.

He glanced at the number of online users in the upper right corner of the screen.

278 million.

This number surprised even Gu Qing herself.

The paid live stream cost 30 yuan per person, and 278 million people watched it simultaneously.

what does this mean?
This means that ticket revenue alone exceeded 8300 million.

Because it's a donation to charity, the Adou platform won't take any commission to show its support, especially since Gu Qing is one of the platform's small business owners.

After deducting taxes, he would receive at least 6000 million.

Two hours, more than 6000 million.

Gu Qing remained silent for a few seconds.

The money came too fast.

It was so fast that it felt somewhat unreal to him.

He remembered himself in his past life.

After graduating from school, I was tricked into interning in a top-tier metropolis, where the monthly salary was 2800 yuan.

It's supposed to be one day on, one day off, but there's practically no rest time at all. The dorm is shared, and you have to pay for your own utilities. Meals aren't included, and you eat the cheapest boxed lunches every day. You even hesitate for ages before adding an extra sausage.

After working for a few months, I couldn't take it anymore and quit to do live streaming.

But live streaming isn't that easy.
For the first six months, things barely improved. I spent my days talking to a few scattered comments on the screen, and my income was barely enough to cover the rent.

The saying that you wouldn't dare add a sausage to your instant noodles is not just a joke.

That's real life.

And now?

Sitting at home, singing songs and chatting, in two hours, more than 6000 million.

Compared to myself, the 208 seems utterly inferior...

Gu Qing suddenly felt a little dazed.

He recalled the fans who commented "30 yuan is such a great deal" in the live stream.

For a frugal student, 30 yuan might be a day's worth of meals.

It might be a week's allowance, or it might be money saved up for a long time before being willing to spend it.

They were willing to give him the 30 yuan because they liked him and trusted him.

This affection and trust is too heavy a burden.

It was so important that he felt he had to do something.

Gu Qing sat up straight and looked at the camera.

The comments were still scrolling, but gradually, more and more people noticed that his expression had changed.

"The songs have all been sung, and tonight's birthday party is coming to an end."

Gu Qing's voice was a little hoarse, but very sincere.

"This paid live stream was probably not very well prepared, and it wasn't very good either. It was just me singing and playing the guitar all by myself."

"For next year's birthday party, I will bring you a more complete and wonderful program, which will definitely make you feel that it is worth more than your money."

The live chat exploded instantly.

"It's already worth it!!"

"Little brother, don't say that!!"

"A two-hour concert isn't worth it? What nonsense are you talking about?!"

"We think it's totally worth it!!"

Gu Qing looked at the comments, not letting her emotions show for too long. Instead, she took a deep breath and became even more serious.

"After paying taxes, I will donate all the proceeds from tonight's live stream to charity."

His voice was not loud, but it was firm.

"Donations will be made in the name of 'a kind person' who watches the paid live stream tonight."

"I personally oversee the destination of every single transaction, and I personally hand over the details with Mr. Han Hong."

Afterwards, the information will also be posted on the team's accounts so that every fan or netizen watching the live stream can participate in the monitoring.

This was his promise.

Gu Qing knew that this was no small sum of money, and that the temptation of wealth was inevitable.

But with public oversight and Mr. Han Hong's unwavering reputation, he believes that every penny will be spent on those who need help.

The chat was silent for a moment.

Then, an overwhelming wave of "support" poured in.

"Good job, little brother!!"

"This is a true idol!!"

"I believe in you!!"

"We'll do charity with you!!"

Gu Qing checked the time; it was almost nine o'clock.

"Although I'm also very reluctant to leave you, it's getting late, and you should all get some rest."

The live chat was instantly flooded with crying emojis.

"don't want!!"

"Let's chat a little longer!!"

"I can't bear to part with it!!"

Gu Qing smiled, a smile as gentle as moonlight.

"Can't you sleep?"

He thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, I've been reading the poems of the Hermit of Xiangshan recently, and there's one line that I particularly like, so I'll share it with you."

He read it softly:
"Who would have thought of me by the river one night, just as I was gazing at you by the pond?"

Gu Qing looked at the camera.

"Good night."

He waved and then ended the live stream.

The screen went dark.

……

Gu Qing leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and let out a long sigh.

"it's over……"

He patted his neck gently to relieve the soreness from maintaining one position for a long time.

Then he interlaced his fingers, stretched them upwards, and gave a deep yawn.

The bones made a slight "crackling" sound, and all the fatigue in the body seemed to be released with this movement.

"Boom boom boom——"

There was a gentle knock on the door.

"Boss, it's time to go have dinner." Zhao Ya's voice came from outside the door.

Gu Qing opened her eyes and checked the time.

It's past eight o'clock, time to eat.

But he really didn't want to move.

"Sister Xiaoya, you guys go ahead."

He said, "I'm a little tired. There are some nutritious meals prepared in the refrigerator."

Gu Qing added, "After you finish eating, remember to send me the receipt, and I'll reimburse you. Don't try to save me money!"

"Good boss!"

Zhao Ya's voice was filled with laughter, "We're definitely going to have a big meal!"

A small cheer came from outside the door, followed by soft footsteps that faded into the distance.

The villa's gate was opened and then closed.

The whole world fell silent.

Gu Qing picked up his phone from the table and saw that Ah Dou, the junior manager in charge of his live stream, was still cautiously sending messages:
"Mr. Gu, are you satisfied with today's live broadcast? Is there anything that needs improvement? We can adjust it at any time!"

The tone was so cautious, as if he were reporting to his boss.

Gu Qing couldn't help but laugh.

He replied, "No, the live stream went very well. Thank you all for working overtime."

After thinking about it,
He sent another red envelope containing 1,000 yuan: "Please have some milk tea, don't be shy."

This is probably the kind of happiness that transcends censorship, right?

Gu Qing thought about it and couldn't help but smile again.

This must be the most satisfying thing for every streamer, right?

He shook his head, stopped paying attention to what happened, and opened WeChat.

Then, his expression froze.

News bombardment.

A real information bombardment.

Moments, WeChat messages, public account comments... all the red dots were jumping wildly, the numbers soaring from 99+ all the way up, with no end in sight.

"I have to reply to Sister Zhao, Sister Shi, and Sister Tiantian, otherwise she'll start crying right away. Including Sister Tao... Oh right, and Sister Jiang Xin too. If I don't reply, will she come storming into my house?"

"No, there's also Brother Chao and Brother Chichi. Why are these two grown men so troublesome too?!"

"Can't you learn from Brother Baoqiang and Brother Sicheng and be a little more mature!"

Gu Qing felt incredibly overwhelmed. Replying to a group of sensitive and vulnerable people was more tiring than a live stream. He rubbed his temples, opened his WeChat Moments, and edited a disclaimer:
"Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes! There were just too many messages to reply to (it's frustrating). I just finished a live stream and I'm a bit tired. I'll take a nap and reply to everyone later."

After thinking about it, I added another sentence:
"By the way, I really don't need a birthday present. The gifts sent to the office are overflowing, and I'm almost out of space at home (heart emoji). I appreciate your kind intentions. I really don't need a gift!! (Please!)"

send.

Gu Qing prepared to put down her phone.

But the comments on WeChat Moments have already started.

The first comment was from Li Binbin.

"Nowhere to put it? How about I give you a villa too?"

Gu Qing looked at the comment and her lips twitched.

This woman is really rich, and she's fast at surfing too.

They even know his fans gifted him a villa?

Gu Qing casually replied with a hands-clasped emoji: "Sister Binbin, please let me go!"

"I'm not joking."

Li Binbin replied instantly, "Sis is serious, consider it a birthday present, how about it?"

Gu Qing: "..."

He thought for a moment and replied with a skull emoji.

If you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes.

Li Binbin continued to press for answers.

Gu Qing didn't know how to reply when she suddenly saw another familiar profile picture appear.

"Master, I can't afford to give you a house, but how about I give you a skin in full?"

Da Mimi suddenly appeared.

Gu Qing was stunned for a moment.

What's wrong with Honey lately?
Why am I always the one helping him out?
Li Binbin wanted to give him a villa, and he didn't know how to refuse. Suddenly, Yang Mi jumped in and said she wanted to give him a skin, which immediately changed the subject.

This rescue was perfectly timed.

Just ...

Why is my brain getting more and more confused?

Although Gu Qing was grateful to Yang Mi for helping him out, he still tagged her in the conversation, saying, "Go play somewhere else, play your King of Glory. You're not qualified to talk to me unless you're at King 50 stars."

at the same time,

Yang Mi, who was still on a business trip, was sitting in the dressing room, cursing and swearing at her phone.

"You son of a bitch! You're going to be the death of me!"

Yang Mi gritted her teeth, hands on her hips, her makeup still on, but her expression was already ferocious. "I helped you out of that situation, and you treat my kindness like dirt! I think you just want to live off me!!"

The assistant next to him shrank back, not daring to speak.

"Is being a King of Glory player with 50 stars so impressive?"

Yang Mi continued to berate, "I'll... I'll show you next season!!"

As she spoke, she opened the game and glanced at her rank.

Star Yaoyi.

I'm still a lot, many stars away from reaching 50 stars in the King rank.

Yang Mi remained silent.

Then, she turned off the game and tossed her phone aside.

"never mind,"

She muttered, "I won't hold it against him since it's his birthday today."

The assistant carefully handed her a glass of water: "Honey, calm down..."

"I'm not angry!"

Yang Mi took the water, took a sip, and said, "I just think this kid is so ungrateful! I helped him out of a tight spot, and he talked back to me!"

The assistant, who was observing clearly from the sidelines, hesitated, wanting to say something but not daring to speak in front of his boss.

the other side,
Li Binbin's home.

The spacious living room is softly lit, and the city lights are visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The leading lady leaned back on the sofa, wearing a simple loungewear set, her long hair draped over her shoulders, exuding a lazy yet powerful aura.

On that mature, aloof, and distant face, there seemed to be dark energy swirling around, indicating that the person in question was in a very bad mood.

She looked at her phone screen, at the message Gu Qing had replied to Yang Mi.

"Go away and play your King of Glory. You're not qualified to talk to me unless you're at King 50 stars."

Only then did the corners of her lips turn up slightly.

"That vixen is always trying to rub against you! Did she even talk to you?!"

Li Binbin scoffed coldly.

……

Once Gu Qing closed her WeChat Moments, she truly stopped looking at her phone.

I washed up, changed into my pajamas, and lay down on the bed.

There was a book on the bedside table, a collection of three hundred Tang and Song poems that I was currently reading.

He picked up the book, intending to flip through a few pages before going to sleep.

But as soon as I opened it, my phone rang.

Gu Qing frowned slightly and picked up her phone to take a look.

Caller ID: Teacher Han Hong.

He paused for a moment, then answered the call.

"Teacher Han Hong?"

"Little brother, I'm not here to ask you for money, please don't misunderstand!"

On the other end of the phone, Han Hong's voice was as strong as ever, but unusually, it carried a hint of panic.

"I didn't mean to disturb your rest, I just really can't sleep!"

Gu Qing chuckled: "What's wrong, Teacher Han Hong? Is there something that's keeping you up at night?"

"It's all your fault, you brat!"

Han Hong's voice carried a hint of helplessness.

"Over 8000 million? You really dared to donate that much to me!"

Gu Qing paused for a moment, then laughed: "Not that much, after paying taxes, there should be more than 6000 million left?"

"Sixty million isn't enough?!"

Han Hong's voice rose a few decibels, then became weak and feeble.

"Xiao Gu, I'm begging you, our foundation really can't handle this much money."

"Can't eat?"

"Yes, I can't eat."

Han Hong sighed, "We have a plan for all our donations and relief efforts. The annual budget, projects, and staffing are all planned."

This is far too much money; we can't possibly use it all.

Her voice carried a sincere emotion, as well as genuine distress.

"I am very grateful for your support. You are the best child I have ever met in all these years."

However, we really can't accept this money.

When Han Hong said those words, he felt that fate was playing tricks on him.

These are my experiences over the years.

She raised funds and traveled extensively to do charity work.

When he was short of money, he even got so desperate that he yelled in front of the media, "Damn it, he's made so much money, but he's not willing to help ordinary people at all..."

to this end,

She is targeted by many in the industry and is often attacked for no reason, resulting in extremely poor interpersonal relationships.

after all,

Which celebrity would like someone who constantly asks you to donate money?

But now that someone has actually donated money, she says she "can't eat."

It's not that I don't want to collect them, it's that I really can't use them all.

Han Hong didn't know what to say.

In contrast to Teacher Han's bewilderment,
Gu Qing suddenly realized that she had made the right decision to donate the money.

A charitable foundation is afraid that receiving too much money will affect its work efficiency, that it will not be able to use it all, and that it will betray the trust of donors.

What an absurd fantasy!
But that's just how Han Hong is.

She is genuinely doing charity work; she's not just putting on a show.

"Teacher Han Hong,"

Gu Qing thought for a moment, "Then what should I do? I've already posted an article saying that if you don't accept it, can I just donate this money to someone else?"

Han Hong remained silent for a few seconds.

"How about... you take thirty million?"

Gu Qing suggested, "I'll donate the remaining 30 million to Uncle Long's foundation."

"Brother Chen Long?"

Han Hong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "You should have no problem donating to his charitable foundation. Big Brother is a role model for us philanthropists."

"He also has a mature operating team on his side, so he can definitely handle it well."

"Then it's settled," Gu Qing said.

"Xiao Gu, why don't you start your own foundation? I think you can definitely do it!"

Han Hong couldn't help but say.

Seeing Gu Qing, she felt that someone could take over her charitable work.

Gu Qing was stunned for a moment, then quickly shook her head—even though Han Hong couldn't see her.

"No, no, no, I can't do that."

He said, "I'm too busy with work, I simply don't have time to take care of it. And..."

"I'm also afraid of seeing people who are suffering, as it can easily lead to depression."

Gu Qing gave a bitter smile.

This is the truth.

He had considered doing charity work, but he knew he wasn't the kind of person who could face hardship head-on.

Seeing those who are suffering makes him feel sad, keeps him awake at night, and makes him want to do something.

But all he could do was donate money.

Let professionals do what they are good at.

"Teacher Han Hong,"

Gu Qing's voice turned serious, "If you need money, come to me anytime. Just ask, and I'll give you whatever amount you want."

"This is our responsibility."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

Then, Han Hong's voice came through, tinged with a sob:
“Responsibility… Xiao Gu… you’re right, this is our responsibility!”

She took a deep breath, and her voice became firm.

"Come be a guest on the show next week, and I'll definitely toast you! You don't need to drink, I'll drink!"

"I must raise a toast to those children!"

Gu Qing listened to her words and said, "Okay."

He said, "I will definitely go."

After hanging up the phone, Gu Qing leaned against the headboard and looked at the night view outside the window.

The city lights still twinkled, and distant rainbows outlined blurry silhouettes in the night sky.

……

...(End of this chapter)