Chapter 29

After posting on Weibo, Wen Tang ignored the uproar her comment had caused online. She put down her phone and went to take a shower.

She told Ke Xin and Yang Yang to leave first, but they refused to go, preferring to sleep on the floor in Wen Tang’s apartment. In just half a day, the online buzz had become uncontrollable, and they were afraid something serious might happen. Usually, they listened to Wen Tang, but now even her words didn’t carry weight.

Since they wouldn’t leave, Wen Tang didn’t insist and went to her room. Ke Xin was still worried about Wen Tang not eating dinner and called after her, “Tang Tang, do you want anything to eat?”

Wen Tang replied, “No, I don’t want anything.”

*

Wen Tang’s Weibo post was like adding gasoline to a fire. Netizens followed the drama like a soap opera, with constant reversals. Just as the connection between Wen Tang and Wen Haifeng as father and daughter, and her sibling relationship with Wen Anle, was confirmed, Wen Tang herself claimed within an hour that she had no father.

Who was telling the truth?

【????? Is Wen Tang denying her own father just to stay in the entertainment industry?】

【Wen Tang has been in the entertainment industry for years, and we’ve only ever heard of her mother. We’ve never heard of her having a father.】

【What a ridiculous farce. Did all the keyboard warriors insult her so much and get it wrong?】

【It can’t be a mistake; he must be her real father! Liu Meifen forcing the victims to sign a confidentiality agreement says it all. As for why Wen Tang denies it, who knows? Maybe she doesn’t want to lose money. After all, where else can one make money faster than in the entertainment industry?】

【Just a middle school graduate—who knows what she can do outside the industry, hahaha!】

【Look at Wen Haifeng’s eyes and nose; they’re exactly the same as Wen Tang’s. No doubt he’s her real father!】

【They’re cut from the same mold, so denying it is very difficult!】

【It’s bad enough she denies her real father, but she also curses people to death? To make money at any cost, Wen Tang has really shattered my worldview.】

【She said her father is already dead. Why is it so hard for you to believe? You’re just putting labels on her. That’s really sick!】

【In the end, everyone blames Wen Tang, even though she’s not at fault. Tang Tang is so pitiful!】

【Wen Tang’s fans should just leave!】

【Fans of Wen Tang should stop talking. If you can support someone like her, your character is questionable.】

【What kind of idol you have reflects on the type of fans they attract. Bad values all around.】

【Whether or not he’s her real father, Liu Meifen paying off people is real, right? Forcing the relatives of the critically ill to sign confidentiality agreements is real, right? Bullying the vulnerable is real, right? This matter can’t be cleaned up!】

【Wen Tang is doomed for life!】

…

Wen Tang’s statement did not reverse the public opinion. At this point, the wisest course of action would have been to stay silent, but she did not. Instead, her Weibo post refocused the scattered rational discussions onto her, and many rival fans and paid commenters began to steer the narrative against her. As a result, she became the focal point of all conflicts and criticisms.

Anger surged once again.

What had been a lull from the morning was suddenly reignited. People were back at their keyboards, ready to continue the battle.

Although this was not as intense as the storms faced by some industry veterans during their prime, it was definitely comparable. This was undoubtedly the largest scale of online harassment Wen Tang had ever faced.

And Wen Tang herself had contributed to this situation.

At the company, due to Wen Tang’s sudden entanglement in the public relations crisis, there had been non-stop meetings since the incident occurred. Everyone was working overtime, closely monitoring the internet, and ready to respond to any developments immediately. Wen Tang’s team, experienced in managing crises from her frequent trending topics, had a highly capable and mature team adept at controlling public opinion. Originally, the situation was manageable, and public enthusiasm would naturally wane over time. As entertainers, they were very experienced in this area.

The strategy was to remain silent and not respond, allowing the negative comments to gradually dissipate. After a few days, they could reintroduce positive information to shift the narrative. This approach would have minimized the damage, allowing Wen Tang to continue her career and recover her public image over time.

However, with Wen Tang’s unexpected Weibo post, the company’s efforts seemed futile.

None had anticipated Wen Tang’s move.

Netizens were caught off guard, rival fans were surprised, and even those within the company were shocked!

“Why did Wen Tang post on Weibo?”

“What did she post?! No father? Her father is already dead? How could she do this? How dare she? Such a blatant lie!!”

“Delete her Weibo post! Who’s managing her account? Hurry and delete it!!”

The general manager, frantic and anxious, was as restless as a hot potato. Liu Meifen was also present in the company, mentally cursing Wen Tang a hundred times.

The employee managing Wen Tang’s Weibo, under the immense pressure of the situation, weakly raised a hand and said, “But, Manager, Tang Tang just posted it. If we delete it right away, won’t it look bad?”

It is well-known that deleting a post immediately often leads to ridicule.

What does an immediate deletion indicate?

For netizens, it would imply Wen Tang was guilty and nervous.

The consequences of deletion were severe, but not deleting it was even worse!

Wen Tang’s claim of having no father was in direct contradiction to the fact that Wen Haifeng was indeed her father—a fact known throughout the company. There was no doubt about it.

Deleting the post could be interpreted as Wen Tang acting out of anger and being overly emotional, but it would be seen as an act of indignation.

But if they did not delete it…

“Delete it! Delete it for me!!!”

“Hurry up!!!!”

Without needing further instruction from the general manager, Liu Meifen, her composure lost, shouted loudly.

Meanwhile, the situation at Wen Tang’s company was chaotic.

On the other side, Zhou Jingyu was being blocked by Lu Yi in the office after work and was forced to have dinner with him. Zhou Jingyu had been busy with official duties and had repeatedly turned down Lu Yi’s invitations, leaving Lu Yi no choice but to come in person.

When Zhou Jingyu arrived at the clubhouse with Lu Yi, he found not only Lu Yi but also several classmates from the last reunion.

“The last gathering was too short. Everyone felt it wasn’t enough, so we arranged another private get-together. You were the last to know,” Lu Yi said, putting his arm around Zhou Jingyu’s shoulder and leaning in, adding with a touch of self-satisfaction, “How about that? Are you touched!”

Zhou Jingyu glanced at Lu Yi’s hand on his shoulder. Zhou Jingyu disliked physical closeness, something Lu Yi, a longtime friend, should have known well.

Lu Yi quickly withdrew his hand and raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright, I won’t touch you!”

Most of the people present were acquaintances from Zhou Jingyu’s high school days. When Zhou Jingyu arrived, they greeted him warmly.

Since this was a private gathering, everyone was more relaxed. With Zhou Jingyu arriving later, there were only a few seats left. As Zhou Jingyu was about to choose a seat, Lu Yi quickly grabbed the best spot.

There were three seats left in a row, and Lu Yi took the middle one for himself.

“Wait, sit in the seat next to this one. I’ll take this spot. I have a friend coming later!”

Lu Yi even helped pull out the chair next to him for Zhou Jingyu.

Zhou Jingyu looked at Lu Yi, who, feeling guilty, touched his nose. Zhou Jingyu sat down in the chair Lu Yi had prepared for him.

Next to him was Liu Ying.

Since Liu Ying added Zhou Jingyu on WeChat last time, they have had a few interactions, mostly related to work. Her family’s business was quite influential, and after several discussions, both sides were interested in potential cooperation.

When Liu Ying saw Zhou Jingyu sit down, she turned and smiled at him.

Zhou Jingyu nodded slightly. The events of high school were long past, and his memories of Liu Ying were limited to a brief interaction over class matters. They were not very familiar.

Liu Ying, who had heard from Zhou Jingyu about his blind date last time, had been upset for a while. But then she realized that a blind date was not the same as a girlfriend. Even if they had mutual feelings, they had not yet started dating, so she still had a chance.

Zhou Jingyu was such a quality man that no woman would want to miss out on him. So, he quickly reenergized himself and, taking advantage of work, bravely pursued true love.

The dinner party organized in the group was also a chance for Liu Ying to pursue Zhou Jingyu.

But Zhou Jingyu was like an iceberg, wrapped in ice and hard to thaw, and was extremely unresponsive.

Despite Liu Ying’s repeated attempts to engage him in conversation, he only nodded or replied briefly before turning his attention elsewhere, which left Liu Ying feeling quite frustrated.

As more people arrived, only the seat next to Lu Yi remained vacant.

Someone asked, “Lu Yi, who’s coming? You’ve been so secretive about it.”

Lu Yi laughed heartily, his face beaming with joy.

Soon, Lu Yi received a phone call and stood up from his seat.

“Wait here, I’m going to pick someone up.”

He left the room.

A couple of minutes later, he came back, followed by a woman with an elegant demeanor and graceful presence.

“Wow!” The moment people saw the newcomer, they exclaimed in surprise.

Lu Yi guided Jiang Qianya to the vacant seat next to him. “Let me introduce you all properly. This is my friend, Jiang Qianya.”

The room buzzed with excitement.

“So that’s why you were so mysterious—turns out it’s a big star! Really, my apologies for underestimating!”

“Now that she’s here, it’s definitely more than just a friendship!”

“This is amazing!”

“Wow, let’s drink a few more glasses with her later!”

…

Jiang Qianya immediately captured everyone’s attention upon entering.

As everyone playfully teased, Jiang Qianya lowered her head slightly, smiling with a hint of blush, appearing somewhat shy.

Although Lu Yi had confirmed Jiang Qianya as his girlfriend, she had not officially acknowledged him as such, leaving Lu Yi unable to claim the title of her boyfriend. As the teasing grew more outrageous, Lu Yi stood up to defend, “Stop making a fuss. She’s really just a friend. She’s here on a short vacation in Lingcheng, and I specifically invited her!”

As for why he had invited her, everyone understood without needing to say more.

With Lu Yi’s explanation, the crowd quieted down and stopped making further remarks.

Jiang Qianya had previously met Zhou Jingyu and even flew back to Lingcheng on the same flight from Liuzhou. Among the men pursuing her, Lu Yi’s conditions were the best and most aligned with her expectations for a partner—wealthy, handsome, and from a distinguished family. She almost agreed to date him, but then she encountered Zhou Jingyu before making a final decision.

People can’t help but compare.

When she heard Zhou Jingyu was coming to this gathering, she decided to join as well.

Upon entering, her gaze was immediately drawn to Zhou Jingyu. However, despite the enthusiastic reception she received from everyone, Zhou Jingyu remained aloof and indifferent.

Yet, despite his cold demeanor, Jiang Qianya felt a sudden, strong attraction.

He was truly unique.

Once everyone had arrived, the food was served.

The table was lively with conversation and laughter, but Zhou Jingyu remained detached from the atmosphere. He placed his phone on the edge of the table, occasionally glancing at it, with a slight frown.

He had sent her two or three messages today, but they were met with silence. Was she so busy today? Normally, she would reply within an hour, no matter how busy she was.

Since last night, she had seemed off—her responses were minimal and dismissive, and she went to bed earlier than usual. What was going on?

Has she discovered the truth?

Liu Ying, sitting next to Zhou Jingyu, noticed his frequent glances at his phone and, sensing his concern, gathered her courage to ask, “Everyone brought their partners. Why didn’t you bring your girlfriend?”

Liu Ying was so focused on her concern that she forgot that Zhou Jingyu had been tricked into coming here without knowing the full arrangement.

Before Zhou Jingyu could answer, Lu Yi quickly interjected.

“He doesn’t have a girlfriend! He’s been single forever!” Lu Yi looked at Zhou Jingyu with disdain and sighed, “Why hasn’t a woman tamed this anomaly? When he’s around, all the women flock to him, and now we’re all left without girlfriends because he’s single!”

When it comes to acting, women are like top actresses.

Liu Ying was surprised. “Huh? He doesn’t have a girlfriend? Didn’t he say last time that he had a promising blind date?”

The term “promising” was Liu Ying’s own addition. After all, Zhou Jingyu had only said the blind date was good, so Liu Ying inferred that the interaction must have been positive.

This revelation surprised Lu Yi as well.

“What? He had a blind date and didn’t say anything? When did this happen??”

Lu Yi’s eyes widened in disbelief, staring at Zhou Jingyu. He couldn’t believe that Zhou Jingyu had kept such a matter from him, and he had to hear it from someone else!

Were they still even friends?

Lu Yi’s loud exclamation attracted everyone’s attention. The whole table turned to look at Zhou Jingyu, curious about the gossip.

Feeling like the center of attention, Zhou Jingyu helplessly sighed and finally said, “My grandfather was worried I’d remain single forever after turning thirty, so he had a friend introduce me.”

He didn’t deny it.

While Zhou Jingyu spoke casually, the listeners had other thoughts!

“Single for life?”

“You?”

“Is your grandfather mistaken about you?”

“……”

In the end, everyone concluded with a single exclamation: “You really went on a blind date?”

Zhou Jingyu thought to himself that, although he hadn’t had a formal blind date, due to his grandfather’s arrangements, he had ended up meeting her, which could be considered a kind of blind date.

He then smiled faintly, nodding slightly, which seemed to acknowledge his satisfaction with the so-called blind date.

His demeanor made it clear to anyone watching how pleased he was with the rumored blind date.

“If I had known earlier, I would have had you bring your girlfriend along so we could meet her!”

“Let us see who managed to win over Zhou Jingyu!”

“Yeah, what a missed opportunity!”

…

The group, chatting and joking, expressed their regret at not meeting Zhou Jingyu’s blind date. After years of knowing each other, their familiarity returned after the second meeting, and the question remained: who was the woman capable of capturing Zhou Jingyu’s heart?

After the group had finished discussing, Zhou Jingyu spoke up seriously, “She’s just a blind date, not a girlfriend yet.”

The use of the word “yet” seemed quite significant at this moment.

Everyone looked at each other, realizing the situation. However, Zhou Jingyu offered no further explanation. Remembering the person he had been chatting with on his phone, he smiled slightly. Although he never showed much emotion, this was the most he had revealed about his feelings.