Ming Yue was equally shocked. Her jaw slacked down, and she took a step back, stunned in place.
"What should we do?" Ming Yue quivered. "You can't go like this," she checked the time, " We only have two more minutes before the conference."
Li We paced back and forth, raking her brain on what to do next. She had rushed over, and didn't bother to bring along extra clothes.
"Wei, let's swap our clothes," Ming Yue suddenly said. "What?" Li Wei exclaimed, as she stopped in her tracks. Ming Yue was far taller than her, so wearing her clothes would look like throwing her into them.
Ming Yue pulled her into the changing room, "This is our only option," she said.
Within a minute, Li With stepped out of the changing room, looking big in her outfit. She was wearing a short penciled green gown, adorned with sparkling gemstone at its hem. But on her, it was a long A-line gown.
As Ming Yue got out, she looked Li Wei up and down, sighing softly, "You are really short!" She shook her head in frustration.
For the first time, Li Wei felt the disadvantage of being short. Ming Yue checked the time again, "it's almost time, relax yourself and say the truth okay?" Ming Yue held Li Wei's face, whispering in a low tone. "Hmm.." Li Wei replied. "Take a deep breath." Ming Yue commanded. Lin Wei closed her eyes and took in a sharp breath. "Let's go now," Ming Yue pulled Li Wei to the front, pushing her forward with her shoulders.
As Li Wei opened the press room door, Li Wei was met with the sharp gazes of the audience. As soon as they saw her, they began to flicker the light of their camera, snapping a picture of Li Wei's face. She was momentarily stunned, standing in place.
She clenched her fist, her knuckles turning white from tension. She stepped forward, standing in front of the pulpit.
She bowed her head slightly, before adjusting the mic to the height of her mouth.
She adjusted her breath, "Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed members of the press, and honored guests, I stand before you today with a mix of emotions - gratitude, humility, and a hint of nervousness. As many of you may know, the past few days have been a whirlwind of rumors, speculation, and misinformation. I want to take this opportunity to set the record straight and address the allegations that have been made against me.
First and foremost, I want to apologize to my fans, my team, and my family for any distress or disappointment that I may have caused. I understand that my actions, or rather, the actions attributed to me, have fallen short of the expectations that you have of me. And for that, I am truly sorry.
However, I must also correct the narrative that has been spun around me. I am not the person that the tabloids and social media have made me out to be. I am a dedicated artist, a passionate advocate for my craft, and a committed member of this community.
In the coming days and weeks, I will be working tirelessly to clear my name, to rebuild trust, and to rediscover the joy and passion that brought me to this industry in the first place. I hope that you will join me on this journey, that you will give me the opportunity to prove myself anew, and that together, we can create a brighter, more compassionate, and more honest future for all of us.
Thank you." She finished her speech and bowed deeply to the audience. A resounding applause erupted from the audience. As the applause died down, a reporter stood up, throwing a question at her, "Miss Wei, please can you tell us who the man in the video is?"
Li We paused for a few seconds, collecting her thoughts before responding, "He is the son of my father's friend," she began, in a composed voice. "He is also a fan of my work. After wrapping up a shoot at the hotel, I waited for him to have dinner together." Li Wei replied.
Everyone shook their heads in understanding, except the latter, who stood up again. "But why did he hug you, or could he be your boyfriend?" His question sparked curiosity, and everyone looked up to her for an answer.
Li Wei was speechless by the question. She didn't know the answer to the question herself, but she has to give an answer to the press now or never be able to answer it again.
"Well, assume that as a casual way of greeting an acquaintance. We are not in any form of intimate relationship as you suggested," Li Wei replied, throwing a question back at the reporter, "Or isn't that accepted by society?"
The reporter awkwardly sat down after being defeated by her question. He was definitely the reporter chosen by Ying Yue to ask Li Wei tough questions.
However, everyone's eyes suddenly changed, and people began to whisper to themselves while looking at their phones. The silent whispers turned into noise, and the room was turned into chaos. The reporters began firing questions, flashing their camera light as they snapped photos of Li Wei.
The light from different angles flashed into Li Wei's eyes, blurring her vision.
Ming Yue rushed forward, drawing Li Wei off-stage. "Li Wei, let's leave..". She whispered, concern etched over her face. She glanced at the reporters, nauseated by their lack of coordination.
They were like dogs, always eager to see the downfall of stars to get promotions at their workplace. Puppy Dogs.
Ming Yue sat Li Wei down on the sofa in the dressing room, bringing her mineral water from the table. "Here.." she said, uncaping the water and placing it in her hand.
Li Wei took a sip of water before handling it back to Ming Yue. She rested her back against the soft cushion, placing her hand over head. What could have gone wrong?
She suddenly stood up remembering that they were looking at their phones earlier. She strode towards the table, rummaging through her bag, but couldn't find her phone. "Uh?.." she glanced at Ming Yue with a questioning gaze.
Li Wei felt that something was off with her evasiveness. She walked up to her, holding her chin to meet her gaze. "Ming Yue where's my phone?" She asked, her voice tinged with panic.
Ming Yue pulled her to sit, changing the subject, "Don't worry about it for now, relax yourself and prepare to hold another conference."
Li Wei refused to sit, her resolve to check her phone strengthening more. "Ming Yue, I have prepared myself mentally, no matter what it is. Hand over my phone to me now," Li Wei snapped.
Ming Yue sighed, "Wait a minute," she said, walking out of the room. She knew her limit. If she were in the same situation, she would also be more frustrated.
The door opened again, and Ming Yue entered. She stood in front of Li Wei with a complicated expression. "Are you sure about this?" Ming Yue asked again, her voice soft and persuasive.
"Hmm.."Li Wei nodded and took the phone. She thought nothing was worse than her present situation. However, Li Wei was mistaken, as her present situation was just the tip of an iceberg.