Chapter 345: A Beauty Encountered Backstage

The Hong Kong leg of the tour concluded, and Link led his team to Taiwan for five concerts. Collaborating with singers like Jay Chou, Leehom Wang, Mayday, Jolin Tsai, and Karen Mok, each concert drew over 30,000 attendees, with the Taipei Arena show reaching a staggering 68,000.

Before arriving, Link had set up a Weibo account, tasked his assistant with daily updates, and received warm welcomes from Chinese fans. His past act of heroism during the 2008 Olympics, acknowledged by official media, further solidified the positive reception.

Media coverage highlighted his Olympic gold medal, life-saving actions, and the gesture of returning the medal to China. His multifaceted identity as a world boxing champion, best-selling artist, music icon, and film star was emphasized. In just ten days, his Weibo followers exceeded 10 million, making him the most followed foreign artist on the platform.

His Twitter following also saw a surge of over 8 million, primarily from China, during the concerts. After Taiwan, the tour moved to major southeastern Chinese cities.

Ring ring!

Following a concert in Shenzhen, Link was backstage writing thank-you notes when his phone rang. It was Chris Liu.

"Chris, I'm listening!"

"Link, are you still backstage?"

"Yes, what's up?"

"My friend wants to come backstage for your autograph, but your bodyguards won't let her in. Could you talk to them?"

"No problem, have your friend mention your name, and I'll let them know."

"Great! Hurry up."

After hanging up, Link informed Wallace and Bob to allow someone named "Chris Liu or Yifei Liu" in. Wallace mentioned two masked Chinese girls acting mysteriously.

Link assured him it was fine, as Chris Liu's friend wouldn't be an assassin.

He continued writing, handing finished cards to his assistant for the waiting fans outside.

Knock knock!

"Come in!"

Two masked girls entered with his assistant. The shorter one, around 5'4", wore a white T-shirt and blue jeans, with a ponytail and bright almond eyes filled with curiosity. The taller one, in a blue dress, had flowing black hair, fair arms, delicate shoulders, and beautiful phoenix eyes sparkling with excitement. Both held flowers.

"Thank you for the flowers, ladies. Do you speak English?" Link asked with a smile.

The shorter girl, after a nudge from the taller one, replied in English, "Yes, we speak some English, Mr. Baker. I'm your fan, and we just watched your amazing concert."

"Thank you! Do you need autographs?" Link asked, sitting down with a pen.

The shorter girl nodded after a glance at the taller one.

"What's your name, miss?"

"Shu Chang, Jennifer Shu!"

Link wrote, "To the beautiful Miss Jennifer Shu," then turned to the taller girl, "And your name, miss?"

She blinked without answering.

Link chuckled and wrote, "To the anonymous Miss Chris Liu."

"You recognized me?" The taller girl removed her mask, revealing a beautiful face with phoenix eyes, red lips, and rosy cheeks.

"Hi, Chris, long time no see. Want a hug, like when I left in 2008?" Link offered his hand.

Chris Liu blushed and leaned into his chest.

Link hugged her gently, enjoying her fragrance and delicate frame.

Shu Chang watched in surprise. Yifei was usually reserved, but now she was embracing Link intimately. Shu Chang sensed their relationship might be more than platonic.

"Why didn't you call ahead? I would've sent my assistant to pick you up," Link asked after releasing her.

"I wanted to surprise you, but your bodyguards were too strict," Chris Liu smiled.

Link explained the heightened security due to past incidents and the frequent attempts by self-proclaimed VIPs to gain access. He had insisted on not entertaining any unofficial requests during the tour.

After some chatting, he asked if they were busy and offered to take them out for a late-night snack after finishing the cards.

Chris Liu agreed to wait.

As Link wrote, Chris Liu sat opposite him, gazing at his face, occasionally looking away when he glanced up, blushing and playing with her hair.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing... You seem even more handsome."

"You're more beautiful too. Has anyone told you you look like an elf?" Link asked while writing.

"No, but fans call me a fairy. They're joking."

"They have good eyes. You are a fairy."

"Has anyone called you a prince?"

"Of course, I'm also Superman."

"Yes, you're amazing. I only knew you as a boxer before, never imagined you'd become a champion, even beating Tyson. Then you became a famous singer. At first, I couldn't believe it was the same person, so I searched your information on Baidu..."

Chris Liu poured out the words she'd wanted to say for two years.

The brightly lit room, filled with flowers, created a warm atmosphere as they sat and talked.

However, Shu Chang was growing anxious. It was past 8 PM, and she had two missed calls and a message from Yifei's mother, asking if they were back at the hotel and urging a reply.

Shu Chang showed the message to Chris Liu, asking how to respond.

"Ignore it."

"Are you sure? Aren't you afraid of your mom?"

"No, I can dodge her."

Chris Liu smiled and checked her own phone, which was on silent. Three missed calls and twelve unread messages, all from her mother.

She replied with "Sleeping, good night" without reading them.

Shu Chang pulled her back, whispering, "Are we really staying? Your mom told us not to see Link privately, saying he's dangerous and it's not good for us to get close."

"My mom's wrong. Link is nice, not dangerous at all."

"Don't you think he's dangerous? He's handsome, an Olympic champion, a world-famous star, talented, and a billionaire. But he's also a playboy with many girlfriends. Your mom's worried you'll get hurt."

"No, we're just friends. He won't do anything to me. Besides, foreigners have different tastes. We might be considered pretty here, but to Link, we might be ordinary. And our figures aren't that great compared to his girlfriend Ivanka."

Chris Liu looked down at her B-cup chest, envying Western girls with D-cups and bigger butts.

"But he just called you an elf, meaning he finds you pretty."

"Really? Am I a beauty in Link's eyes?" Chris Liu touched her face, blinking excitedly.

"Definitely. I saw how he hugged you, very passionately. It means he likes you."

"Really?"

Chris Liu excitedly glanced at Link, then whispered, "Chang Chang, do you really think Link likes me too?"

Shu Chang sighed inwardly. The usually aloof "Fairy Sister" was now a lovestruck girl in front of Link. If Link made a move, she'd likely be defenseless.

"Chang Chang, why aren't you saying anything?"

"Yes, Link seems interested, but he's a playboy. It's not a good thing to be liked by him."

"Link's not a playboy. The American media is slandering him."

"It can't all be slander. The media says he has over twenty rumored girlfriends. Even if it's not twenty, there must be at least two or three. He has a girlfriend, and we're celebrities. It's not good to get too close."

"But we're just friends. I never thought of being his girlfriend."

"If Link asked you to be his girlfriend, or worse, wanted to sleep with you, would you refuse?"

"Of course! I'm not that kind of girl."

Chris Liu confidently patted her chest.

Shu Chang looked at her helplessly. Yifei was confident with other guys, but in front of Link, she was a different person. If Link had ill intentions, Shu Chang felt she wouldn't last long.

"Chris, Jennifer, sorry for the wait."

Link finished writing and handed the cards to his assistant.

"It's okay."

Chris Liu pulled Shu Chang aside, whispering, "Don't worry, Link's not a bad guy. I've known him since 2008. He's an athlete, doesn't smoke, drink, or do drugs. He rarely even goes to bars. He has a healthy lifestyle. And with both of us here, even if he tries anything, you can help push him away."

Shu Chang considered this. It seemed reasonable. From the news, Link only seemed a bit of a playboy, but he was also a philanthropist, donating millions annually. Such a big figure wouldn't force himself on Yifei.

Plus, with her there to watch over, they could handle any unexpected situations.

"Okay, we're just going out with Link for a snack and then back to the hotel, right?"

"That's settled, let's go!"

Chris Liu pulled her friend towards Link, who had also finished his work.

He changed into casual clothes, put on a cap, and led them to a waiting car, leaving the Shenzhen stadium discreetly.

—

They arrived at the Pearl River Commercial Street and strolled along, chatting and enjoying local snacks like beef balls, double skin milk, spicy prawns, and ginger vinegar eggs. Due to stomach issues, Link only had shrimp wonton soup, carrying the snack bags and beer for the girls.

He inquired about Chris Liu's career, learning about her two-year hiatus due to being "banned" and her upcoming film with Leehom Wang. He promised to attend the premiere and offered her opportunities in his American film company.

Chris Liu and Shu Chang were impressed by his company's success with "Easy A," which had grossed over $100 million worldwide. Shu Chang asked about the investment, and Link explained the financial details, revealing his significant profit.

They were astonished by his earnings, not just in film but also from his boxing matches, totaling over $170 million.

Their conversation was interrupted by Wallace's call, warning of paparazzi following them and suggesting they get in the car.

Link informed the girls, and Chris Liu agreed immediately, while Shu Chang hesitated before joining them in the car.

(End of Chapter)