Chapter 57: Clarifying the Rumors  

Avoiding the more sensitive topic, Ou Zichen did not address Zhao Yunxi’s claims but instead responded to the matter regarding Yang Xiaoyun.  

“As for that rumor, I think it’s necessary to clarify today. It’s true that I have had a few meals with Yang Xiaoyun before, but we are just ordinary friends—nothing more. So I hope everyone will stop making baseless speculations.”  

The moment Yang Xiaoyun heard Ou Zichen’s words, her face turned deathly pale. How could this be happening? Why had things turned out this way?  

Yang Xiaolin, watching the shifting emotions on Yang Xiaoyun’s face, smirked mockingly and let out a cold snort—so Yang Xiaoyun finally had her day of reckoning.  

She eagerly waited to see her downfall.  

The guests were all whispering amongst themselves, and Yang Dapeng’s face darkened instantly.  

How humiliating! Today, their Yang family’s reputation had been completely ruined.  

He had thought Yang Xiaoyun had secured a powerful connection, but it turned out Ou Zichen never had any such intentions. He had even imagined that after today, he would become Ou Zichen’s father-in-law and live a life of being flattered and respected by others. Who would have thought…  

Right now, he wished he could dig a hole in the ground and crawl into it.  

The reporters wanted to press further, but Ou Zichen didn’t give them the chance. He swiftly picked Zhao Jiaying up and carried her off the stage.  

Seeing this, Ou Zilong quickly stepped forward to take control of the situation.  

“That concludes the Q&A session for today. The Ou family has prepared a feast for everyone, and we hope you all enjoy yourselves. From this point on, please feel free to relax and mingle.”  

With that, Ou Zilong also stepped down from the stage and went to find his little girlfriend.  

Zhao Jiaying was the main character today, and there were plenty of people around to keep her company. That meant he could take it easy and spend time with his girlfriend, which suited him just fine.  

Ou Zilong’s girlfriend was named Cai’er, a top-tier domestic car model. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but she also had an impeccable figure.  

Back when she was single, countless men had pursued her. The reason she chose Ou Zilong was simple—she was drawn to the power and status behind the Ou Corporation. In the entertainment industry, the ultimate goal was often to marry into wealth and become the kind of socialite that everyone envied.  

Ou Zilong had been dating Cai’er for nearly a year but had never brought her home. His grandmother, Lin Zhenzhu, had always been vocal about her dislike for people in the entertainment industry, claiming it was chaotic and full of unreliable individuals. She believed that anyone dating her grandson was merely after his wealth.  

However, Ou Zilong firmly believed that Cai’er was sincere about their relationship. After all, he had pursued her for a long time before she finally agreed to be with him. What he didn’t realize was that Cai’er had been playing hard to get, and the naive Ou Zilong had unknowingly fallen into her trap.  

The reason he decided to bring her today was that Cai’er had expressed interest in attending Zhao Jiaying’s birthday banquet. Of course, the banquet itself was just an excuse—she knew that many influential figures and journalists would be present. Her ultimate goal was to make it publicly known that she was Ou Zilong’s girlfriend.  

Ou Zilong, in his simplicity, thought that since Lin Zhenzhu was in a good mood today, she might just approve of his relationship with Cai’er.  

He walked over to Cai’er and wrapped an arm around her slender waist. Cai’er, in a sweet and delicate voice, said: “Zilong, aren’t you going to take me to greet Grandma?”  

If she didn’t make her presence known today, then when would she?  

“Grandma is chatting with Madam Chen right now. Let’s go give Yingbao her gift first, and then we’ll find Grandma later.”  

“Alright, I’ll listen to you!”  

In front of Ou Zilong, Cai’er behaved like an obedient little kitten, always appearing so docile and agreeable. This delighted Ou Zilong, making him even more infatuated with her.  

Meanwhile, after Ou Zichen and Zhao Jiaying stepped down from the stage, the guests eagerly swarmed toward them.  

Since they were attending an Ou family banquet, they wouldn’t come empty-handed. Even though they hadn’t known the occasion beforehand, they had all prepared gifts in advance.  

Now, one by one, they presented their gifts to Zhao Jiaying, wishing her a happy birthday.  

It was the first time Zhao Jiaying had received so many gifts that her hands couldn’t hold them all. Beaming with joy, she continuously thanked her uncles, aunts, and other guests.  

These were no ordinary presents—exquisite diamonds, luxurious jewelry, and other high-end accessories filled the pile.  

There were simply too many gifts for Zhao Jiaying to carry, so in the end, several servants had to help move them into the villa.  

Once the guests had finished giving their gifts, they scattered to chat among themselves. Everyone at the banquet was a distinguished figure in Bincheng, either wealthy or influential. Strengthening their connections today was an opportunity they wouldn’t miss.  

After the guests left their seats, only Yang Xiaoyun’s family remained in the hall. Ou Zichen’s words earlier had left them utterly humiliated.  

Yang Dapeng had originally hoped to use this event to network with other powerful individuals. Now, he sat stiffly in his chair, overcome with embarrassment. Leaving would seem disrespectful to the Ou family, as if they were storming off in anger. But staying meant enduring the ridicule and judgment of others.  

Neither leaving nor staying felt like the right choice.  

Now that the room was nearly empty, Yang Xiaolin finally seized the chance to humiliate Yang Xiaoyun.  

She strutted up to her, arms crossed over her chest, looking down at her with a mocking expression.  

“Tsk, tsk, tsk… What did President Ou say just now? Oh yes—‘I’m just ordinary friends with Yang Xiaoyun, nothing more.’” Yang Xiaolin covered her mouth and chuckled before continuing: “Yang Xiaoyun, didn’t you always say Ou Zichen was your boyfriend? Why didn’t you speak up just now when he denied it? Pfft… As if Ou Zichen would ever be interested in someone like you! So it turns out this whole time, you were just deluding yourself!”

Yang Xiaoyun kept her head down, not daring to look at Yang Xiaolin. Now that she no longer had Ou Zichen as her support, she didn’t dare to act arrogant in front of them anymore. She could only clench her fists tightly and endure.  

But Yang Xiaolin had no intention of letting her off so easily. She continued,  

“It’s bad enough that you’ve humiliated yourself, but you’ve also embarrassed Dad and disgraced the entire Yang family! We’ve become the laughingstock of everyone because of you. You deserve to die!”  

As soon as she finished speaking, Yang Xiaolin raised her hand, ready to slap Yang Xiaoyun across the face. She had endured Yang Xiaoyun for so long—today, she had to get her revenge!  

However, before her palm could land, Yang Dapeng grabbed her wrist and bellowed: “Enough! Haven’t we lost enough face already? The guests are still here—do you really want to continue making a scene?”  

Yang Xiaoyun, seeing Yang Dapeng stepping in to protect her, thought he was siding with her out of fatherly affection. She felt a wave of gratitude in her heart.  

Yang Xiaolin also believed that Yang Dapeng was defending Yang Xiaoyun. Unwilling to accept this, she protested: “Dad, even now, you’re still protecting her? Have you forgotten that not long ago, Yang Xiaoyun tricked you out of ten million yuan, claiming she needed it to buy jewelry for attending a banquet with Ou Zichen? But now, it’s obvious—she never used that money for jewelry at all!”  

Hearing this, Yang Xiaoyun panicked. Back then, she had indeed deceived Yang Dapeng. She had believed that as long as she got rid of Zhao Jiaying, she could secure her position as the future Madam Ou. Once she succeeded, she would have repaid the money.  

But now, the money was gone, Zhao Jiaying was still alive, and her dream of marrying into the Ou family had completely crumbled…