Chapter Ninety-Three: Plainly Bullying Honest Folk Like Us

The martial arts festival was being held inside a vast convention hall.

When Bai Qingming arrived, a large crowd had gathered at the entrance.

There were fans who had come because of the event’s fame, and there were also streamers already lining up to enter the hall.

The platform had prepared an identity card for each streamer in advance, much like a ticket. Each card contained unique information. At the entrance, staff would scan it on a nearby machine, and only after confirming identity could one enter.

This was meant to prevent fans from sneaking in by posing as streamers.

Bai Qingming waited in line for a short while. When it was his turn, he reached into his pocket and froze.

Where was his card?

He had either forgotten to bring it or lost it; in any case, it wasn’t on him.

The staff member at the entrance was a striking young woman with a provocative figure. When she looked up and saw Bai Qingming, her face suddenly turned red.

“So handsome!”

That was what she thought.

She had never watched Bai Qingming’s livestream, so she had no idea who he was. She only thought he was incredibly handsome, almost exactly like the dream lover she always saw in her nighttime fantasies.

“Um… I forgot my identity card. Can I go in directly?”

Bai Qingming asked.

The girl came back to herself and nodded without hesitation.

Just as she stepped aside and Bai Qingming was about to walk in, the man standing behind him in line also stepped forward, grinning ingratiatingly at the girl.

“Uh, I forgot my card too. Can I go in like he did?”

In truth, he wasn’t a streamer at all, only a fan trying to slip in under false pretenses.

Seeing how smoothly Bai Qingming had been allowed through, he had dared to ask.

The girl glanced at the man behind Bai Qingming. Seeing his ugly, crooked features, her good mood instantly soured.

She had just spotted a handsome guy and was happily preparing to indulge in a little daydreaming, only to have it interrupted by this fool.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Her expression darkened, and she blurted out three words:

“You? Not worthy.”

The man was instantly dumbfounded, his face full of question marks.

“He can go in, so why can’t I?”

“You? Compare with him? Look at yourself in a mirror first. Do you even have half his looks?”

Before she realized it, the girl had said aloud what was on her mind.

She hurriedly clapped a hand over her mouth, but it was too late.

Her words immediately stirred public outrage.

Some fans who had no identity cards and had tried to impersonate streamers in order to get into the hall, only to be exposed and turned away, finally found their chance. At once they began voicing their dissatisfaction.

“So this is how you treat honest people?”

“That’s not fair!”

“Protest!”

“If one can go in, then everyone should be allowed in, or else he shouldn’t be allowed either!”

In an instant, the entrance grew noisy.

“Everyone, please don’t misunderstand. I meant that you have to have an identity card to get in.”

The girl grew flustered and tried to explain, but no one listened. A pack of people who couldn’t eat the grapes were saying they were sour, stirring up the crowd.

Now Bai Qingming felt thoroughly uncomfortable too.

He could neither go in nor stay out, so he could only stand there, looking rather blank.

At that moment, another staff member came over.

She was also a young woman in uniform, but this one was an experienced employee and had seen this kind of scene many times. Hearing the commotion at the door, she came over to understand what was happening.

Honestly, she didn’t quite understand why her colleague had acted that way and treated people without cards differently.

Yet when she looked at Bai Qingming, she seemed to understand.

So handsome. A little special treatment didn’t seem out of line, even if she were asked to provide some special service.

The young woman also blushed, and before long her mind involuntarily conjured up a few scenes unsuitable for children.

On the bed, on the sofa, on the balcony, in the bathroom.

Very quickly, she was done.

After swiftly regaining her composure, the young woman took a tablet computer from her coat pocket, waved it in her hand, and said loudly:

“We have records of every streamer taking part in the event. If you didn’t bring your card, facial recognition will do as well. For those of you saying you forgot your card, would you like to try?”

The moment she finished speaking, the people stirring up trouble fell silent.

Seeing this, Bai Qingming let out a breath of relief.

If everything was handled properly, then there was no need to fear gossip.

Thinking this, he took the tablet, faced the camera, and blinked as instructed.

The next second.

Beep—

A sharp series of warning tones sounded, and four large words appeared on the screen:

No such person found.

Bai Qingming: “…”

This was great. The people who had just quieted down were instantly energized again.

“Well, now he can’t get in either, right?”

“Exactly. If they still let him in, that would be blatant bullying of honest people like us.”

“That’s right. Honest people aren’t easy to push around.”

One voice after another rang out, and Bai Qingming was utterly speechless.

“Forget it. I’m not going in.”

With that, he stepped out of the line.

He was thinking he would go back and look for it. Perhaps the card had been left at the hotel. The event hadn’t started yet, so it wouldn’t be too late to fetch it and return.

But just then, the earlier young woman suddenly called out and stopped him.

“Handsome, please wait!”

She took off the identity card hanging around her neck and said with complete seriousness, “Rules are dead; people are alive. This is my card. Take it and go in. Then no one will have anything to say.”

With that, the young woman handed the card to Bai Qingming.

In an instant, everyone was stunned.

This was actually allowed?

Right there in front of everyone, openly granting special treatment, openly discriminating, openly playing games like this.

That was really something.

The others no longer knew what to say and could only slink away one by one.

“I give up! Farewell!”

“This is a society that judges by face. Being handsome really is amazing.”

“I’ve learned something today. Honest people really do deserve to be bullied.”

“Mom, I want plastic surgery!”

...

Bai Qingming entered the hall as he wished.

To be honest, he felt no embarrassment at all.

He wasn’t trying to slip in under false pretenses; he had simply forgotten his card.

As for those who pointed at him and gossiped behind his back, Bai Qingming didn’t take them to heart either.

It wasn’t his fault he was handsome. What was he supposed to do about it?

As he entered the hall, one familiar face after another appeared before Bai Qingming. Whether he knew them or not, nearly all of them took the initiative to greet him.

“Bachelor Godfather?”

A voice came from behind him. Bai Qingming turned around and saw an unexpected person.

“President Wang?”

“You know me?”

President Wang seemed a little excited.

“Of course I know you. Are you going on stage too?”

Bai Qingming couldn’t help but be surprised. This man was quite famous; he hadn’t expected to run into him here.

“I heard there’ll be a model show here, so I came to watch the fun.”

President Wang said with a sly smile.

Hearing this, Bai Qingming became even more puzzled.

“Did you come to the wrong place? What model show? It’s all a bunch of big burly men here, coming to take part in the martial arts festival.”

President Wang immediately shook his head.

“What’s so great about the martial arts festival? I’ll tell you a secret, but don’t tell anyone.

When the opening starts, a group of beauties will come onstage to dance. They’re all supermodels specially invited by the platform, every one of them gorgeous.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you. When the time comes, if you set your sights on one, once she comes down, add her on WeChat and talk price right away. Otherwise, if you’re late, she’ll leave with someone else.”

Bai Qingming: “…”