Chapter 44

“I got Jin Keyang’s phone.”

The helper that Qiao Chuchu had brought handed her the phone, and proudly started explaining his achievements, laughing out loud when he mentioned how Jin Keyang ended up drenched.

Shen Yinyin clapped her hands, “Big brother, you’re amazing! You really pissed Jin Keyang off, that was so satisfying.”

“It was nothing,” the man modestly took credit, “Next time, if you need someone to teach idiots a lesson, come find me.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded, “Sounds good.”

The payment was settled, and the man, along with his group of friends, left.

Qiao Chuchu and Shen Yinyin were about to take a cab to leave when a black sedan suddenly stopped in front of them.

Qiao Chuchu recognized it as her older brother’s car, and as she wondered how he got here, the car window rolled down, revealing her brother’s handsome face.

“Get in.”

Shen Yinyin exclaimed, “Wow! He’s so handsome!”

“Ahem,” Qiao Chuchu cleared her throat, “This is my brother, Qiao Bo.” After she got in the car with Shen Yinyin, she continued, “Brother, this is my friend, Shen Yinyin.”

“Hello,” Qiao Bo greeted politely.

Shen Yinyin responded enthusiastically, “Hello, hello, your brother is really handsome.”

She whispered to Qiao Chuchu, “Your brother is way too handsome. With looks like that, he would definitely be a huge star in the entertainment industry.”

Qiao Chuchu whispered back, “My brother works in finance. He doesn’t like the entertainment industry.”

“Oh, right, your family’s business needs someone to inherit it,” Shen Yinyin said, understanding.

“Ahem,” Qiao Bo coughed strategically, “Did you guys go to the Hope Orphanage?”

His bluntness caught Qiao Chuchu off guard, “How did you know, big brother?”

Qiao Bo casually offered an excuse, “There are people I know at the Hope Orphanage, and they told me.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded, “Oh, we went to volunteer. We also got an unexpected find. Look at this.”

“What’s wrong with the phone?” Qiao Bo asked, confused.

“This is Jin Keyang’s phone,” Qiao Chuchu signaled to Shen Yinyin, who then continued, “We heard that Jin Keyang is a jerk, and he likes to bully people while filming videos. We wanted to see if there’s any video of him bullying Qiao Cen.”

“I’ll handle this,” Qiao Bo said. “I’ll take care of it. You two…”

Next time, don’t take such risks.

He didn’t say it out loud, but since Chuchu didn’t want him to know, he decided to pretend he didn’t know.

Jin Keyang realized his phone was missing, and a wave of intense unease and panic surged within him. His phone contained many secrets that no one else should know.

If someone found it and used the information maliciously, his reputation would be ruined.

Even though his father had power to suppress things behind the scenes, Jin Keyang feared he wouldn’t be able to stay in the entertainment industry.

Suddenly, he remembered being splashed with cold water in the bathroom, followed by a volunteer handing him clothes. The whole situation felt off, and he immediately suspected that someone had stolen his phone.

If he caught the thief, he wouldn’t let them off easily!

His phone had a chip for location tracking, specifically to prevent it from being lost. The panic in his heart eased a little, and he hurriedly rushed back to use the tracking system to find his phone.

The location on the screen pointed to a large trash station, so he brought a few bodyguards with him to search for the phone.

The trash station was piled high with all sorts of garbage. The ground was muddy and filthy, and every step he took felt like stepping on more trash. The smell of rot and decay was overwhelming, making him feel sick.

Jin Keyang had always been pampered, having the best of everything, even the garbage was never his responsibility. The thought of being here in this disgusting place made him want to vomit.

“Wait until I catch you. You’re dead!” he muttered under his breath.

Covering his nose and mouth, he walked at the back, ordering his bodyguards, “My phone is lost, and the tracking shows it’s here in the trash station. Find it for me.”

The bodyguards exchanged glances, hesitating. “Young Master, this is such a huge trash station. How are we supposed to search for it?”

“Use your hands, use your eyes! Do I have to teach you how to do your job?” Jin Keyang threatened. “If you don’t find the phone, don’t bother coming to work tomorrow.”

The bodyguards immediately looked distressed. Wasn’t this making things difficult for them?

But they had no choice. After all, he was their boss, and they were paid well. For the money, they had no choice but to obey and start digging through the garbage.

Jin Keyang stood aside, watching the location system guide them, “Over there, it’s over there. Hurry up and dig!”

The buried items were deep, and they felt disgusted, wanting to throw up as they dug.

At that moment, the trash station manager came running over. “What are you doing? Who told you to dig through the trash? Get out of here!”

The garbage was sorted by type, waiting to be sent to the main trash depot. What were they digging for here?

“We’re looking for something. I suggest you don’t meddle. Get lost,” Jin Keyang said, wearing a mask so no one could recognize him.

The old man didn’t dare argue and ran off. “Fine, you guys wait for it!”

Half an hour later, they finally found the object shown by the location system. “We found it!”

However, what they pulled out wasn’t a phone, but a small chip.

Jin Keyang immediately realized he had been set up, and he was furious, stomping his feet. “Damn it! Who dares to play me like this? Do they want to die?”

Just then, the old man returned with a few security guards. “It’s them, they were digging through the trash!”

“Get out of here, now! A big truck is about to come in!”

The security guards came over, trying to persuade Jin Keyang, but he was in a volatile mood and felt like teaching them a lesson as soon as he saw them.

“No one has dared speak to me like this! You guys, teach them a lesson!”

The security guards were only trying to get them to leave, not to fight, and they couldn’t beat the bodyguards. They took several punches and didn’t stop until the guards were lying on the ground.

As Jin Keyang left, he took off his mask, and one of the older men recognized him.

“Is that Jin Keyang?”

Jin Keyang had already left with his bodyguards and didn’t hear the question.

He returned home, reeking of the trash station, only to find his father and stepmother sitting in the living room. The butler approached with a worried look, attempting to speak to him, “Yangyang…”

“Don’t touch me,” Jin Keyang shrugged him off and walked over to Jin Cheng. “Dad, didn’t you go to work today?”

Jin Cheng spoke in a low voice, “Kneel.”

His face was ashen, looking extremely displeased.

“Dad, what’s going on?” Jin Keyang still didn’t understand what was happening.

“Yangyang, where did you come from? Why do you smell like this?” Ximen Sajiang covered her nose, surprised. “Don’t you realize what you’ve done?”

Her face wore an expression of satisfaction, which made Jin Keyang furious. He looked at Jin Cheng and tried to sit beside him. “Dad…”

“Don’t call me ‘Dad,’ I’m not your dad,” Jin Cheng stopped him, blocking his path. “I can’t raise a son like you!”

Ximen Sajiang stepped in to explain, “Yangyang, I always thought you were a good child, but I didn’t expect you to hide so many wrongdoings from the adults. Your actions are truly disappointing.”

“Shut up!” Jin Keyang couldn’t stand her words. Was she cursing him?

Ximen Sajiang didn’t shut up and instead said, “It’s all over the internet. Don’t you know?”

This made Jin Keyang realize something might have really happened. In a panic, he took out his phone. There were dozens of missed calls—calls from his manager, friends, and the butler…

He opened Weibo, and countless messages cursing him flooded in. The latest trending topic was about him.

#Shock! Jin Keyang bullied Qiao Cen!

#Shock! Jin Keyang’s hidden secrets!

#Shock! Jin Keyang caused a girl’s death!

#Shock! Jin Keyang bullied his classmates!

#Shock! Jin Keyang bought his top-tier status!

【Woke up early to find out yet another celebrity’s scandal! So many this year!】

【I’ve read all the Weibo posts! Shocking for my whole family! I can’t believe Jin Keyang is such a disgusting person! Truly shameless!】

【What the hell! Jin Keyang actually did so many crazy things! Isn’t he afraid of retribution?】

【Jin Keyang is really bad. Not only did he lack public morals by taking people to rummage through the garbage station, but he also hit people. My whole face was swollen from the beating!】

【The girls who were bullied by Jin Keyang are so pitiful.】

【Our Qiao Qiao is the real victim. Because of him, she was unjustly criticized by netizens for two years. Who can we ask for compensation for this grievance?】

【I’ve never liked Jin Keyang. His temper is horrible, and he’s extremely rude to others. But what can we do? He has strong backing, and no one dares to offend him. It’s well-deserved that this is being exposed today!】

【I don’t believe my brother would do something like this. He’s definitely being slandered!】

—

Some fans appeared to cry injustice, but they were ruthlessly mocked by netizens as brain-dead.

In an instant, the whole internet knew about this news. Jin Keyang’s top-tier status was stripped away, and millions of fans were rapidly dropping.

When Jin Keyang saw this, his face turned pale, beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and his heart was racing, almost about to leap out of his chest.

He continued scrolling and came across trending topics where Qiao Cen was clearing her name.

#Shock! Qiao Cen saves someone! He didn’t hit anyone!

#Shock! The real reason Qiao Cen was attacked by the entire internet!

#Shock! Qiao Cen was framed by Jin Keyang!

#Shock! The entire internet owes Qiao Cen an apology!

#Shock! Qiao Cen is the true idol!

【Wuwuwu! Our Qiaoqiao has had it so hard! Finally, his unjust suffering is cleared!】

【I knew my idol wouldn’t do something so out of his mind. He was trying to save someone, but Jin Keyang turned on him and framed him. He’s been slandered for two years. The whole internet owes Qiao Cen an apology!】

【Jin Keyang is too evil, it makes me so angry!】

【Apologize, apologize, he must apologize!】

【Qiao Cen is so great, we will never criticize you again! The entertainment industry needs idols like you!】

—

Below, there were more trending topics.

It was a long Weibo post by An Qiuying, the girl who had been bullied by Jin Keyang and forced abroad. She accused him of his beastly actions. With every word she typed, her grievances lessened, and her tears, as strong as they were, flowed freely.

“I am An Qiuying, the girl who was almost assaulted by Jin Keyang in the bathroom at the fashion gala two years ago. It was Qiao Cen who appeared just in time to save me, and I’m very grateful. Please forgive me for not coming forward to clear his name right away because I was helpless. Jin Keyang threatened me not to say anything, and he forcibly sent me abroad, saying I would never be allowed to return as long as he was alive… I owe Qiao Cen a thank you. Thank you for saving me, and I’m sorry for letting you suffer two years of unjust accusations…”

【Hugs, miss, this isn’t your fault. It’s all Jin Keyang’s fault, that scumbag!】

【Yes, Jin Keyang is a real scumbag. Someone hurry up and deal with him!】

【Wuwu, Qiao Cen suffered so much. I didn’t know you were such a good person.】

—

There were more trending topics, but Jin Keyang was already shaking with fear, unable to continue reading. He was terrified of the curses and condemnations from the entire internet.

He couldn’t panic, his father could save him. Yes, he still had his father!

“Dad, I didn’t do any of this! Someone is trying to frame me! You have to believe me, Dad!”

Jin Cheng pulled his pant leg free from Jin Keyang’s grasp and reached out to the side. Ximen Saqian quickly placed a thick stack of papers into his hand.

“Look at the good deeds you’ve done!”

“Now, look at whether I’m really your father!”

Jin Keyang looked at the papers in his hand, and there, glaring at him, was the paternity test result, showing a 0% biological connection between him and Jin Cheng. The 0% pierced his eyes.

Next was the second paper, another paternity test, this time confirming a 99.99% biological connection between him and the butler, Li Gong. The true father-son relationship could not be more real.

Jin Keyang collapsed onto the floor, murmuring, “This can’t be… this absolutely can’t be!”

“How could I be Li Gong’s son? I’m my dad’s son! I’m not his son!”

“Dad, did she do this? She’s the one behind this! She wants to set me up? Dad, you have to stand up for me!”

Jin Keyang pointed at Ximen Saqian, accusing her.

Ximen Saqian was no pushover. “Yangyang, now that things have come to this, it’s time for you to control your temper.”

“Enough! What’s all this shouting about?” Jin Cheng almost growled through his anger, then turned to the anxious butler in the distance. “Li Gong, come here.”

When Li Gong heard his name, his body clearly stiffened, and he nervously walked over.

“Yes, sir.”

“Li Gong, you really are something!” Jin Cheng’s face turned green with anger. “Something, behind my back, with my wife… you had a son for me, and you kept it a secret for so many years. You’re really something!”

Li Gong, realizing he couldn’t hide it anymore, quickly knelt to apologize. “Sir, you can’t blame me entirely. It was Madam… she seduced me first, and then I…”

Slap!

“Shut up! I won’t let you slander her!”

Jin Cheng raised his hand and gave him a hard slap. The sound echoed through the hall, and Li Gong’s face instantly turned red, showing the strength of the blow.

At this point, Li Gong no longer feared him. He stood up and met his gaze. “Don’t pretend like you love her so much, it’s sickening. If you really loved her, you wouldn’t have neglected her, leaving her alone at home. If you don’t care about her, naturally, someone else will care for her and love her!”

“I don’t need you to talk about how I am!” Jin Cheng panted, “Li Gong, take your son and get out of the Jin family!”

“Dad, you can’t treat me like this!” Jin Keyang grabbed Jin Cheng’s leg, “I only recognize you as my father, Li Gong is not my father! He’s not!”

Jin Cheng, “I could never have a son like you—”

#Qiao Cen saves people! Qiao Cen is the true idol!

The trending news about Qiao Cen was still online, and everyone knew about the video of him hitting someone two years ago. It was a deliberate act by Jin Keyang, and he had been falsely accused.

Now, everything had been cleared up. Jin Keyang, the sinner, was being cursed across the entire internet, with calls for him to leave the entertainment industry. Such a person didn’t deserve to be an idol and shouldn’t tarnish the entertainment world.

Jin Keyang became the target of a public outcry, and only the tip of the iceberg regarding his bad behavior had been exposed. After Qiao Cen’s name was cleared, everything about Jin Keyang bullying people, his bad temper, disrespecting seniors, and throwing tantrums had been revealed.

It was the people who had been bullied and threatened by Jin Keyang who exposed the truth, eager to vent their anger.

#JinKeyangGetOutOfTheEntertainmentIndustry!

#JinKeyangIsTrash!

The whole internet was filled with news condemning Jin Keyang.

In the past, negative news about Jin Keyang would rarely stay on the trending list for more than half an hour, but this time, it stayed for an entire day, and his team hadn’t made any moves yet.

Everyone started to speculate that Jin Keyang had been abandoned by his company.

And they were right. On the third day after the incident, the company posted a Weibo announcing the termination of Jin Keyang’s contract.

Soon after, there were rumors online that Jin Keyang had been taken away by the police, apparently in connection with the investigation into the campus flower case, which had resulted in her death because of Jin Keyang.

The campus flower’s parents had never given up on avenging their daughter, and this time, no one stopped them. They successfully got Jin Keyang to confess the details of the case.

The agency, which had been monitoring Weibo closely, excitedly informed Qiao Cen.

“Xiao Cen, that guy Jin Keyang was taken by the police! It looks like the forces behind him have abandoned him, and he finally got what he deserved.”

“After being cursed by the entire internet for two years, and today, you’ve finally turned the tables.”

“Now, everyone on the internet is apologizing to you. They say you’re the real idol. Your Weibo followers have reached fifty million, and your fans are so proud of you.”

“Also, many agency owners have been calling me, wanting you to be a spokesperson. The resources are pouring in, and I’m getting so many calls every day I can hardly keep up.”

“Xiao Cen, you’ve really become famous now. No one will ever curse you again!”

Qiao Cen listened to his manager’s excited tone, feeling very happy. “I know. I owe it all to my sister. It’s all because of her that I’m able to clear my name.”

The manager had worked with Qiao Chuchu before and knew that it must have been her influence that made a difference.

“You should thank your sister well. You should rest for now, and I’ll contact you later.”

“Okay.”

Qiao Cen couldn’t stop smiling. His sister had done such a dangerous thing for him and had even helped teach Jin Keyang a harsh lesson.

Two years ago, the entire internet had cursed him. Now, the tables had turned, and the trending topics were all cursing Jin Keyang.

He had finally been able to clear his name and felt a sense of relief and happiness.

He happily swam like a little fish to find Qiao Chuchu and knocked on the door to her room.

“Sis, what are you doing?”

“It’s nothing, just playing a game for a bit,” Qiao Chuchu said. She had put in quite a bit of effort these past few days, and finally managed to relax, so she played a few rounds of the game.

She was on the same team as Shen Zilin, and they even had their microphones on. Shen Zilin overheard Qiao Cen’s words and said, “Qiao Cen, do you have time tonight? Let’s go out for dinner.”

Shen Zilin spent most of his time training at the gaming base every day, and occasionally checked his phone for news. He had heard about the situation online and had even contacted Qiao Cen to check in, letting him know that everything was fine on his side.

“Sure,” Qiao Cen replied happily. “I’ve been resting these past two days, so I’m free tonight.”

Shen Zilin responded, “Great, I’ll make the reservation. Chuchu, what do you feel like eating? Or is there anywhere you want to go?”

Qiao Chuchu replied, “How about hotpot? It’s been a while since I last had it.”

Since returning to the Qiao family, she hadn’t eaten out much. She usually ate breakfast and dinner at home with her family, and only went to the school cafeteria for lunch.

“Sounds good,” Shen Zilin agreed. “What about you, Qiao Cen? Can you eat hotpot?”

As an idol, Qiao Cen was very particular about his body and looks, and had high standards for his diet. He and Shen Zilin hadn’t eaten hotpot together before.

“Of course I can,” Qiao Cen said. “I love hotpot.”

He did enjoy hotpot, but after becoming an idol, he had given up many things he liked. He knew that one couldn’t have everything, to gain something, one had to lose something.

Qiao Chuchu asked, “Can I bring a friend? She’s helped me out too.”

“Of course,” Shen Zilin said. “I’ll make the reservation and send you the address. See you tonight.”

“See you tonight.”

As soon as the game ended, Qiao Chuchu stopped playing.

Qiao Cen looked at how familiar the two were with each other. “Sis, when did you and Shen Zilin become so close?”

“It’s nothing, we just play games together and discuss your study plan,” Qiao Chuchu replied, then asked, “What’s up?”

“Nothing.” Qiao Cen shook his head.

He should be happy that his sister got along well with his friends, but for some reason, he felt a bit uneasy.

—

Jiujiu Hotpot was a national chain with a good reputation, so Shen Zilin made the reservation there.

He arrived first and booked a private room, then sent them the details.

Qiao Cen drove to pick up Qiao Chuchu and Shen Yinyin, and together they entered the private room.

“Wow, who’s this handsome guy?” Shen Yinyin exclaimed.

“He’s my friend, Shen Zilin,” Qiao Cen introduced. “This is my sister’s friend, Shen Yinyin.”

He jokingly added, “Wow, what a coincidence, you both have the same surname. Could you be long-lost relatives?”

“Haha, that’s too much of a coincidence,” Shen Yinyin greeted him. “Hello, I’m Shen Yinyin. You’re really handsome!”

“Thank you, I’m Shen Zilin,” Shen Zilin replied. “Chuchu, please, everyone sit down.”

He handed over the menu. “Here’s the menu, take a look and tell me what you want to eat.”

The hotpot ingredients were limited, and they ordered their favorite dishes, choosing a half-spicy, half-plain hotpot.

While waiting for the food, they chatted happily. They first vented about Jin Keyang’s actions, angrily cursing him for deserving to be arrested and hoping he would be sentenced.

Qiao Chuchu flipped through Jin Keyang’s current plotline.

【Jin Keyang’s fake son identity was exposed by Ximen Sajuan, and he was finally kicked out by Jin Cheng, who had been protecting him. Without Jin Cheng, the big boss behind him, Jin Keyang lost all his protection. Everyone who had been bullied by him rose up to seek revenge, exposing all his wrongdoings. They even helped the parents of the campus flower, who died because of him, get justice, and Jin Keyang was successfully imprisoned for manslaughter and sentenced to death. This time, no one was there to protect him. He truly got what was coming to him.】

【As for Jin Cheng and Ximen Sajuan, they later divorced because Jin Cheng couldn’t bear the thorn in his heart and couldn’t stand being with Ximen Sajuan.】

【Ximen Sajuan still wouldn’t let go. I just want to tell her, Jin Cheng isn’t such a good person either…】

The three of them exchanged excited glances, all with expressions of joy. If the setting allowed, they would have clapped in celebration.

Jin Keyang, that scumbag, was finally dealt with. What a cause for celebration.

Just as the hotpot ingredients, drinks, and milk were being served, they all raised their glasses. “Cheers! To Qiao Cen’s reputation being cleared and his future career soaring!”

“Thank you! And I wish you all the best as well! I’ll drink first!”

Qiao Cen downed his drink in one go, unable to hide his smile. He was truly happy. From now on, no one would use this issue to slander him again.

The four of them were enjoying their meal when suddenly, there was a knock at the door. They thought it was the waiter, so they let the person in.

To their surprise, it wasn’t a waiter, but a handsome young man wearing a white shirt and black trousers, with a small knot at the back of his head.

The four of them didn’t know him. “Who are you? What’s going on?”

“Well, it’s like this,” the young man said. “My girlfriend’s birthday is today, and I was hoping you could write a handwritten ‘Happy Birthday’ and say a few words of blessing to her. Is that okay?”

He looked at them expectantly, his hands pressed together in a prayer-like gesture. “Please, just one message.”

“How romantic,” Shen Yinyin marveled at this kind of love. “Why don’t we write it? His gesture makes me believe in love again.”

Qiao Cen and Shen Zilin didn’t mind. “Sure, let’s write it.”

As they were about to write a birthday message, they heard Qiao Chuchu’s inner thoughts.

【Don’t do it, Yinyin. This isn’t love at all. It’s just a little trick to deceive girls, and the girl being tricked is apparently Qin Zhongsong’s daughter.】

The young man: “???”