Brother Dao Took the Entertainment Industry by Storm, Fans Beg Me Not to Kill Anymore

Chapter 812: Star-Chasing Below Deck, Star-Chasing On Deck

"Teacher Xiao! Over here!"

A photographer's shout rang out, and Xiao He instinctively turned to look, adjusting his angle for the perfect shot.

On both sides of the red carpet, phones were held up toward Xiao He, cameras livestreaming the moment.

And the livestream rooms had already gone absolutely wild the moment Xiao He appeared.

[Ahhhh, it's really Xiao He! Another day dressed like a gangster boss!]

[Damn, Xiao He actually showed up for this gala event? I asked his team earlier, and they said he wasn't going.]

[Seems like he changed his schedule at the last minute and went in place of Director Zhuang.]

[Dammit, I would've flown to Hong Kong if I'd known! Is it too late to go now?]

[Ahem, don't even think about it. The place is already packed to the brim. Sure, the livestreams make it look like people are close, but without equipment, you can't see jack on the red carpet with the naked eye, let alone what's happening on the ship. Honestly, you're better off just camping the livestreams.]

[But the livestreams won't last long! I heard they can't livestream on the ship this time.]

[Oh, you don't know? Head over to the Journey Across Mountains and Rivers official Douyin account. They got authorization from the organizer to livestream at sea for a while. Maybe you'll catch a glimpse of who you want to see over there.]

[Ah, so that's why I saw the Journey Across Mountains and Rivers team earlier. They came specifically to livestream? That's some serious presentation!]

[So is Brother Xiao going to record the special episode of Journey Across Mountains and Rivers? I'm so hyped, so hyped! I've watched that snowy mountain episode so many times, I've worn it out. Finally, new content!]

[No clue, but from what the Journey Across Mountains and Rivers guests said, the program team did invite him, but Xiao He wasn't planning to join. In the end, they called in Brother Shu Han to record together.]

[Ugh, that's such a shame.]

Beside the red carpet, some people tried to ask Xiao He about his plans for the trip—after all, media folks were experts at seizing any opportunity to dig up explosive topics.

Xiao He, however, remained completely unbothered. He acted as if he hadn't heard a thing, striding down the red carpet until he reached the massive cruise ship docked at the center of the port.

"Mr. Xiao."

The staff members on both sides had flawless makeup and sweet voices. After confirming Xiao He's identity and invitation letter, they bowed and greeted him in unison.

Xiao He's gaze swept over them, and without a word, he continued forward. Only when he was about to board the ship at the very last moment did he finally spot the familiar figure by the railing.

The bodyguard Ah Nan stood silently among the security detail, watching him in silence.

Their eyes met across the distance.

Then, they quickly looked away.

Xiao He took a deep breath of the salty, humid sea air and slowly exhaled.

Well, that was pretty obvious, Officer Cheng.

But of course, it wasn't because Officer Cheng's disguise was bad. It was just that their presence was like a blazing light in the dead of night, their souls shining with a dazzling red glow.

It made Xiao He, the "criminal" equipped with an alarm system, sense them almost immediately upon arrival.

Looking at it this way, it really was too OP. Lucky for him...

Xiao He casually tucked away his invitation letter and slowly stepped onto the ship.

Lucky for him, this OP alarm system was on his side. So the very alert that made criminals' hearts race was instead a reassuring proof of safety.

But at the same time, the moment Xiao He set foot on the cruise ship and stood on the deck, he couldn't help rubbing his nose.

Sure, because Hong Kong hadn't returned to the fold in its early years, much of its situation mirrored the old Hong Kong films—standing at the feet of high-level capital inevitably came with blood-soaked primitive accumulation. In the chaotic times, the big family big shots who managed to ride the wind, clean up their act, and stand back in the light were no simple characters. But still—

Could you guys tone down the Same Kind aura around here?!

He'd long gotten used to ignoring these auras thanks to frequent visits from people like Bao Xingsheng, but after arriving in this environment, he still couldn't keep his nose in check.

So after rubbing his nose, Xiao He couldn't help covering his mouth and sneezing several times in a row, looking genuinely troubled for once.

"See, I told you! You caught a cold from the chill!"

A woman's voice, tinged with both annoyance and concern, came from behind him.

"I really didn't."

Xiao He turned his head helplessly to look at Liu Rulan, who was walking toward him.

His gaze swept past Liu Rulan, only to see Lao Qi's figure behind her.

"Where's Brother Tong?"

Xiao He asked, puzzled.

"He disappeared the moment he got on the ship."

Liu Rulan shrugged. "Probably doesn't want to get too close to us. After all, your influence is no joke these days."

And sure enough, just as Liu Rulan said, people soon started crowding around Xiao He.

No matter how you looked at it, star-chasing didn't discriminate by age or social status, especially since there were plenty of young people on the ship this time.

"Um, Brother Xiao, we're your fans."

Young girls in princess gowns clutched their phones, staring nervously at Xiao He. "Can we take a photo with you?"

"Of course, no problem."

Xiao He shot Liu Rulan a look while taking the girls' phones, quickly snapping selfies with the beautiful little princesses.

Liu Rulan stayed silent until they were further away before letting out a sigh. "Ah, I knew it."

Standing on the other side of the deck, watching the excited crowd swarming around him, she sighed helplessly. "So how did this guy convince himself he could board the ship quietly and pull tricks with everyone else? Has he seen his own face lately? No matter where he goes, he's the center of attention, right?"

And he had the nerve to say he'd help Tong Junhui keep an eye on the three big families in Hong Kong once they were on board.

Hehe.

With this kind of fanfare, who was watching whom was anyone's guess.

"Thanks, Brother Xiao! I'm a huge fan!"

One wave left, and another wave came. Xiao He hadn't expected the star-chasing fans on the ship to be no fewer than those onshore. After taking photos for half the day, the crowd kept growing instead of shrinking. Even the other celebrity guests boarding the ship didn't get treatment like Xiao He's.

It was clear just how massive Xiao He's traffic was right now.

Just as Liu Rulan was about to send Lao Qi to call the ship's security to maintain order, a team of black-suited bodyguards stepped forward, actively separating the enthusiastic fan guests from Xiao He.

"Our sincerest apologies, Teacher Xiao. We rushed over as soon as we heard you'd boarded. Are you alright?"

The lead bodyguard was the first to apologize to Xiao He.

"It's fine. It's my fault. Everyone's just too passionate."

Xiao He recognized this man as the captain of the Bao family's bodyguard team from earlier on the set. He gave a wry smile and greeted him.

"Teacher Xiao, this way, please." The bodyguard stepped aside, and the entire team immediately cleared a path for Xiao He. "I'll escort you to the upper deck."

"Alright, thank you."

Xiao He nodded in thanks.

The upper-class banquet, huh?

He pondered thoughtfully, then shot Liu Rulan a reassuring glance from afar before following the group of bodyguards alone, stepping into the arena of fame and fortune aboard Hong Kong's lavish cruise ship.