The power of capital was immense.

The news and public opinion that netizens see are often manipulated by an invisible hand behind the scenes.

However, when public outrage reaches its peak, no amount of money or hired trolls can reverse the tide.

As it turns out, evil deeds come with consequences. Since they dared to throw dirt on Ye Fan, they should’ve been prepared to be exposed.

If the production team wants to prove their innocence, it’s simple—they just need to release the footage of Ye Fan returning home and discovering the missing money.

If the video really shows Ye Fan entering the room, searching through the bag he brought back, and realizing the money was gone, the public will absolutely stop pursuing the matter.

The scandal had been trending for an entire day, and by evening, people were still talking about it.

“There’s still no solid proof. Should we just wait and see? What if they release the video later?”

“We’ve been waiting the whole day! If the production team had nothing to hide, they would’ve cleared their name a long time ago, don’t you think?”

Ye Fan’s team also sprang into action.

They purchased sponsored articles and pushed them across the internet, providing a detailed breakdown of the incident and openly accusing the production team of stealing the money Ye Fan had left in her room.

Only Ye Fan’s team knew what had truly happened that day in Austria.

This explosive wave of online controversy was further fueled by Hua Rui Entertainment behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, Ye Fan’s own Weibo remained silent.

She hadn’t been in the industry for long and had always kept a low profile, rarely posting on social media.

Her latest post was from a month ago—just a repost of the promotional trailer for Let’s Travel.

But in a short time, her follower count had surged by several million, and that single post had racked up hundreds of thousands of comments.

Netizens and fans flooded the comments section.

“Why isn’t Ye Fan speaking up? Is she feeling guilty or just trying to ride the wave for attention?”

“Are you one of the production team’s hired trolls? Do us a favor and get lost.”

“It breaks my heart to see such a hardworking girl being falsely accused.”

“If that sharp-eyed netizen hadn’t noticed the suspicious editing, Ye Fan would’ve been wrongfully blamed forever. The more you think about it, the scarier it is.”

Meanwhile—

The production team was holding an emergency meeting late into the night.

Let’s Travel had only aired its first episode when it was hit with an editing scandal, and the online backlash was overwhelming.

If they continued airing the show, it would only make things worse—audiences were growing more hostile, ratings were plummeting, and the show’s reputation was in ruins. Investors were on the verge of losing all their money.

The team reached out to several top PR firms, offering high prices to manage the crisis.

But the situation was so toxic that none of the agencies wanted to get involved.

When all of public opinion had turned in Ye Fan’s favor, who would still want to help the production team? That would be like destroying their own reputation.

In the early hours of the morning, Let’s Travel’s official Weibo, under mounting pressure, finally released a statement:

[There was an equipment malfunction at the time, and the footage of Ye Fan discovering her missing money was not recorded. We sincerely apologize for the earlier accusations made against Ye Fan based on this incident.]

It was clear the team was in full panic mode. But did they really think a vague and half-hearted statement like that would make the issue disappear?

The production team’s perfunctory response only served to enrage the public further.

“Equipment malfunction? Really? It just happened to break during the key moment when she discovered her money was gone? Sounds more like the team deliberately chose not to film it.”

“I’m honestly laughing at this point. They didn’t follow her into the room to film her looking for the money, but immediately picked up the camera again when she mentioned it was missing? So your equipment conveniently works and breaks at just the right times, huh?”

“I’m just a bystander, but even I can’t stand it. Seriously, show some decency! Is it okay to bully a rookie just because she’s new to the industry?”

“What a joke. That’s your attitude? If you’re not going to give a sincere apology to Ye Fan, then expect the backlash to continue until you do.”

While the internet was in an uproar, Ye Fan stayed quietly at home. She didn’t check the comments, nor did she want to get involved.

Ye Fan trusted her team, and she believed the truth would eventually come to light in a proper and fair way.

All Ye Fan needed to do was stay calm and focus on spending time with her little Dudu.

…

After being apart from Ye Fan for so long, Dudu had become like a little shadow, following her around everywhere she went.

Wherever Mommy went, the baby followed.

If she sat down, he had to be right beside her. If she stood up, he clung tightly to her leg and refused to let go.

He stuck to her like glue all day long—and Ye Fan, of course, was happy to let him.

“Mommy has to feed me,” Dudu insisted, sitting in front of his little bowl.

He could eat by himself, but he didn’t want to. Mouth wide open, he looked like a chubby little quail waiting to be fed.

His hands stayed stubbornly tucked behind his back—an unspoken protest against feeding himself.

Ye Fan chuckled. She was planning to let the noodles cool down a bit before feeding him, so they wouldn’t be too hot.

But Dudu wasn’t willing to wait even a few seconds. He quickly stretched out a hand to point at his mouth—then immediately tucked it behind his back again.

“Mommy, ah—” he said, mouth open wide, waiting for her to feed him.

Ye Fan twirled some noodles onto a small fork and gently brought it to his mouth.

Dudu leaned in eagerly, happily biting down on the fork. His little mouth closed, lips moving contentedly as he chewed.

“Mommy, I want more,” Dudu said, pointing again at the noodles on the table.

This was the best he’d eaten in days—everything just tasted better with Mommy around.

Ye Fan kept feeding him, bite after bite, until his little belly was completely round and full. Only then did she gently put a stop to it.

Dudu stared longingly at the now-empty plate, clearly reluctant to let the meal end.

Ye Fan lightly patted his round tummy and tapped him on the nose.

“You’ve had plenty, little one. No more.”

Truthfully, Dudu wasn’t even that hungry—he just loved the feeling of being fed by Ye Fan.

When it was finally Ye Fan’s turn to eat, Dudu insisted on sitting on her lap.

His chubby little body curled up in her arms, warm and heavy with comforting weight.

Every time Ye Fan raised her hand to take a bite, Dudu tilted his head up to watch her eat.

Again and again, Dudu kept watching her—never once getting tired of it.

When Ye Fan went to the kitchen to wash the dishes, Dudu followed right behind, clinging to the hem of her pants.

In his soft little voice, he pleaded, “Up… up… Mommy, carry me.”

Ye Fan scooped him up and set him down beside the sink, where he could see her clearly.

Only then did Dudu finally settle down.

Earlier, when he had to tilt his head up to look at her, his neck got tired and he couldn’t see her well.

But now that she was right in front of him—close enough to reach out and touch—he felt much more at ease.

Dudu knew exactly why Ye Fan had been away for so many days. That’s why he hadn’t cried or thrown a tantrum when she left.

This family relied on her alone. Ye Fan had no choice but to work hard.

She just hoped that by pushing herself a little more, she could give her baby the best life possible—while still being present in his.

As Ye Fan quietly washed the dishes, Dudu sat by her side, watching her in silence.

The next moment, Dudu suddenly stuck out his little bottom and crawled a step closer to Ye Fan.

Startled, Ye Fan quickly reached out—soap still on her hands—afraid he might fall.

She thought he was about to get restless and tried to block him gently with her body.

But to her surprise, Dudu leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on her face.

A tiny kiss, right on the tip of her nose.

Ye Fan froze, caught completely off guard. She hadn’t expected that at all.

Before she could react, she heard his little voice echo softly through the quiet kitchen.

In his sweet, milky tone, Dudu said:

“Baby is small now. Mommy takes care of baby. When baby grows up, baby will take care of Mommy.”

Ye Fan smiled and kissed his chubby cheek in return, then rubbed her face gently against his.

“Dudu doesn’t have to grow up so fast.”

She just wanted to watch him grow, little by little. Dudu was her baby—no matter what, she loved him just the way he was.

Dudu reached out and hooked his chubby little arms around Ye Fan’s neck, his soft hands clasped together.

Ye Fan didn’t have the heart to set him down, so she simply kept washing dishes with him clinging to her.

With one arm wrapped securely around Dudu’s tiny body, she used the other to finish the dishes as best she could.

Luckily, there weren’t many left—she took her time, and eventually, everything was cleaned.

Adjusting Dudu in her arms, Ye Fan dried her hands and carried him into the living room.

Snuggled in his mother’s arms, Dudu felt completely at peace. Surrounded by her familiar scent, his eyes began to flutter closed.

He blinked slowly, sleep creeping in, though he refused to shut his eyes completely.

Ye Fan moved gently, carefully supporting him as she walked toward the bedroom.

She cradled his head with one hand and softly laid him down on the bed.

Though he had fallen asleep, the moment he was no longer in Ye Fan’s arms, his eyes cracked open again, just a sliver.

Without her close, his sleep turned restless.

Dudu reached out with his soft, tiny hand and gently tugged at Ye Fan’s sleeve.

Ye Fan pulled back the covers and lay down beside him.

She let him hold onto her fingers, while her free hand softly patted his little body.

Dudu’s eyes fluttered closed once more, his breathing steady and calm.

Ye Fan’s long hair spread out behind her as she rested her head on the soft pillow, with her little Dudu in her arms, smelling faintly of milk.

A wave of sleepiness washed over Ye Fan, and soon, she drifted off, falling into a peaceful slumber alongside Dudu.

“Sleep tight, my little one.”

…

Meanwhile, Ye Li created a group to counter Tang Jin, and she became its admin. The group had already grown to 500 members.

Many of them were fans of the young actor Duan Qi, and once they learned that Duan Qi was dating Tang Jin, they all turned into passionate anti-fans of hers.

They actively gathered all kinds of dirt on Tang Jin, doing everything they could to smear her name.

Today, Ye Li and a few admins from the group went out for a meal together. They sat down at their table.

One of them asked, “Hey, have you guys seen the latest news?”

“You mean the situation with the ‘Let’s Travel’ show and how they’ve been slandering Ye Fan? It’s been causing quite a stir, a lot of people are talking about it.”

“To be honest, Ye Fan really does have a certain presence. When I first started watching the show, I had a pretty good impression of her. I didn’t think she’d be the type to lose money like that.”

Ye Li curled her lips in disdain. She hadn’t told anyone in the group that Ye Fan was her sister.

Ye Fan had gained some fame, but Ye Li didn’t care about that in the slightest.

Ye Li was determined to be remembered for her own abilities, not for being tied to Ye Fan in any way.

Otherwise, every time someone mentioned her, they’d probably just call her “Ye Fan’s sister,” and she certainly didn’t want that.

She waved her hand dismissively. “Alright, enough about Ye Fan. Do you guys think this situation has anything to do with Tang Jin?”

One person replied, “Both Tang Jin and Ye Fan are on the same reality show. If Ye Fan’s image suffers, it actually seems like it would benefit Tang Jin.”

Without thinking, Ye Li casually remarked, “Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if Tang Jin, that heartless woman, was behind this.”

“Maybe she joined the reality show to clean up her image. But she can keep dreaming. With someone like her, she’ll never be able to redeem herself, no matter how long she tries.”

After Ye Li spoke, there was a moment of silence. Then, one person suddenly spoke up, “Ye Li, what you said actually makes a lot of sense.”

Another person chimed in, “Maybe Tang Jin really did collude with the production team to bring Ye Fan down and clear her own name.”

Ye Li hadn’t expected her casual words to get such agreement. One person asked, “So, Ye Li, what are you going to do about it?”

Ye Li smiled smugly. “Of course, I’m going to make things difficult for Tang Jin.”

As Tang Jin’s number one anti-fan, Ye Li was always eager to do anything to bring her down.

The group exchanged knowing looks and smiled, quietly forming a plan.

That same day, a post appeared online:

[Breaking Gossip! Ye Fan’s blackmail scandal—The real mastermind is actually Tang Jin’s team!]

Original Poster: “Everyone thinks the money incident with Ye Fan is the production team’s fault, but have you considered that Ye Fan’s rival, Tang Jin, might also be involved?

The real star and her stand-in meet on the same reality show—how could they not tear each other apart? It’d be a missed opportunity for the drama-loving audience.

Oh, and by the way, Tang Jin has this perfect, aloof goddess persona. Why would she get her hands dirty? Of course, she’s using the production team to completely discredit Ye Fan.

And no, I’m not necessarily on Ye Fan’s side either. She’s probably been manipulated by Tang Jin and the production team. Maybe she should be a bit more careful.”

This post not only slanders Tang Jin but subtly takes a jab at Ye Fan as well, emphasizing that there’s a strong possibility Tang Jin was in cahoots with the production team and that the money incident was just a joint stunt for publicity.

Ye Li sat at her desk, typing up the post with ease. Having frequented gossip forums for years, she was quick to get her thoughts down.

Though Ye Li disliked Ye Fan, for some reason, she felt even more resentment toward Tang Jin.

Tang Jin looked a bit like her, but with every feature just slightly better. Why was it that Tang Jin could be a famous star, while she was stuck living an ordinary life?

Tang Jin came from a wealthy family, while Ye Li was from an ordinary background. What made Ye Li even angrier was that Tang Jin had stolen her idol, Duan Qi.

Ye Li had a gut feeling that she and Tang Jin were natural enemies. In this lifetime, she was determined to clash with Tang Jin.

After Ye Li posted, the members of the anti-Tang Jin group quickly flooded the comments.

“Smart move, OP. I was always puzzled why Ye Fan got so much hate right after joining the show. Turns out, Tang Jin was just trying to clear her own name.”

“So, Tang Jin and the production team teamed up to smear Ye Fan. Now that the truth’s coming out, Tang Jin’s team is making the production team take the fall. Tang Jin really knows how to play her cards, huh? I respect that.”

“Tsk, tsk. Ye Fan gets a bit of fame, and Tang Jin starts suppressing her. From now on, everyone, be careful. If you get more famous than Tang Jin, you can bet she’ll be scheming behind your back.”

“Tang Jin should just leave the entertainment industry. Congratulations to Duan Qi for finally seeing her true colors. The countdown to their breakup has started.”

Ye Li and the anti-Tang Jin group never imagined that, in their rush to attack, they had inadvertently revealed the truth.

Tang Jin’s fans charged in with full force.

“Why is Ye Fan being smeared because of Tang Jin? Let’s stick to the facts and criticize the production team, not drag Tang Jin into this!”

“Tang Jin has been keeping a low profile. Why can’t people just leave her alone? If Ye Fan wants justice, she should seek it elsewhere!”

With Tang Jin’s fans getting involved, the post quickly gained momentum. More people began paying attention to the issue.

The anti-Tang Jin group, however, only grew more determined. Their comments were filled with enthusiasm, completely focused on smearing Tang Jin.

Ye Fan’s fans saw the situation escalating, now involving Tang Jin, and they were livid. They rushed to the thread and dove right into another heated argument with Tang Jin’s fans.

Tang Jin saw the post, and she was absolutely livid. “Who’s the fool posting this nonsense? What evidence do they have to accuse me of smearing Ye Fan?”

With an angry tone, Tang Jin ordered, “Delete the post. Get all of these deleted immediately!”

If Tang Jin had known that the one behind the post was her own sister, Ye Li, she would have been even angrier.

Manager Li furrowed his brow. “We can’t delete the post.”

“The production team deleted all those posts earlier, which made netizens think they were just trying to cover things up. If we delete our posts now, it’s basically admitting we’re guilty.”

Tang Jin was shocked. “So we’re just going to let them smear me like this?”

Manager Li replied, “I’m arranging for some posts to be put out now to shift public attention onto the production team. We’ll make it clear that Ye Fan was targeted because of them — it has nothing to do with you.”

Although Manager Li was already doing his best to salvage the situation by pinning everything on the production team,

Tang Jin’s team and the show’s director had once been on good terms, but at this point, protecting themselves was the top priority.

This move from Tang Jin’s team had some effect. After all, the people spreading the posts had no solid evidence and couldn’t prove Tang Jin was behind it.

Her fans remained firmly on her side.

But the situation still spread at lightning speed.

Many people reposted the thread on Weibo, and within minutes, it had been shared over a hundred thousand times. The official Weibo accounts for Let’s Travel and Tang Jin were soon flooded with comments from netizens.

Ye Fan’s fans were questioning whether Tang Jin had been involved and were demanding a clear explanation from the production team.

By sheer accident, a few of Ye Li’s remarks ended up shifting public opinion and completely dragged Tang Jin into the mess.

A question was now lingering in everyone’s mind:

Had Tang Jin’s team really colluded with the production crew to stir up drama, smear Ye Fan, and boost Tang Jin’s image?

=^_^=