Chapter 263: Crazy Fan

News of the hostage situation caused everyone's faces to pale. A group of journalists, cameras at the ready, rushed out.

Gu Qichen's face grew serious. "I'll go check," he said.

Xia Yangyang, equally shocked, quickly added, "I'll go too."

Three minutes later, they were all on the rooftop of the Shi Chuan Building. A large crowd had gathered, forming a tight circle.

Xia Yangyang overheard someone ask, "What's going on?"

Another replied, "A crazy fan of Shen Manbing snuck into her restroom to propose. She humiliated him, so he's taken her hostage and is threatening to jump off the building with her."

"My God, she's so popular! There was a proposal at a film festival, and another fan hid under her hotel bed. This is terrifying!"

"Shi Chuan Building has tight security. How did he even get up here?"

Gu Qichen pushed through the crowd to the front, followed by Xia Yangyang. The sight that greeted her left her speechless. The villain was choking Shen Manbing at the edge of the rooftop. Security guards formed a ring around them, attempting to negotiate. The villain, brandishing a gun, shouted, "Don't come closer! One more step, and we jump! Stay back!"

Recognizing the villain instantly, Xia Yangyang's heart leaped. It was the "plumbing repairman" she'd helped to the 26th floor that morning. How could this be?

The scene was chaotic; whispers filled the air.

"The boss isn't here. He'd go mad if he knew."

"This will be tomorrow's front-page headline—entertainment or social news, I don't know."

"Don't jinx it! He's bluffing. She'll be fine."

Despite being choked, Shen Manbing fought back defiantly. "You lunatic! If you want to die, go ahead! I'm not going with you! Let me go, or you'll regret it!"

The villain, visibly agitated, pleaded, "Bingbing, I love you! Why won't you marry me? I'll let you go if you say yes. I promise! I'd pluck the stars for you! No one loves you more!"

Disgust and repulsion laced Shen Manbing's voice. "Marry you? In your dreams! Many men want to marry me—should I marry them all? You're a nutcase! Let me go, or I'll make sure you rot in jail!"

"Without you, what's the point? Bingbing, you're my sunshine. I've seen your movies countless times, memorized every line. My favorite is, 'All my life I have longed to be kept and cherished, to relieve me from fear, pain, roaming, and rootlessness.' Remember that line from 'Geisha'? Your tears were like the moon. The more I watched, the more I realized you were speaking to me. That's why I'm proposing. We'll be happy! Please, marry me!"