Chapter 30

“Have you heard the latest gossip?”

“What?”

“Today’s big scoop.”

“Oh, you mean Wen Tang?”

“Yeah, it’s shocking!”

As the dinner was winding down and everyone was chatting, someone suddenly brought up the topic.

Zhou Jingyu had spent most of the evening distracted by his phone, which had received no messages, and initially had no interest in the gossip being discussed. However, when Wen Tang’s name came up, he suddenly paid attention.

He had been so busy that he wasn’t aware of the latest entertainment news.

Although Liu Ying was seated closest to Zhou Jingyu, she found it hard to strike up a conversation with him since he was either talking to others or absorbed in his phone, making him even more distant than at the last class reunion.

As the gathering was about to end, Liu Ying thought she should at least find an opportunity to speak with Zhou Jingyu to make the trip worthwhile.

Just as she was hesitating on how to start a conversation, she saw Zhou Jingyu, who had been contemplating his phone, suddenly look up.

Liu Ying, who was quick-witted, saw an opportunity.

“You’ve just returned to the country and you know Wen Tang?” Liu Ying asked. This successfully drew Zhou Jingyu’s attention.

When Zhou Jingyu’s clear, cold gaze fell on her, Liu Ying felt a pang of nervousness. Zhou Jingyu had always had an almost irresistible allure for her.

During their school days, Liu Ying had made many efforts to get closer to him, only to find that others considered them a perfect match. She often took pleasure in this, but all of it ended when Zhou Jingyu went abroad.

Now, under Zhou Jingyu’s gaze, Liu Ying’s heart raced uncontrollably, and she tried to maintain her composure, though a slight blush remained on her face.

She softly said, “Wen Tang is very popular now, so it’s no wonder you recognize her even after being away for ten years.”

She assumed Zhou Jingyu’s knowledge of Wen Tang was just from seeing her on TV or in magazines.

Regarding this, Zhou Jingyu didn’t offer much explanation.

He merely smiled faintly, not interested in chatting further with Liu Ying and instead focused on Wen Tang.

He asked, “What happened to Wen Tang?”

This question was like poking a hornet’s nest.

Zhou Jingyu had already been the focus of attention, and with Wen Tang’s current scandal making headlines, the room buzzed with explanations.

“Wow, you don’t know?”

“Her brother was caught driving without a license, involved in a hit-and-run, and is now under police custody.”

“This incident has blown up. Everyone knows about it. Her brother was unknown, but she’s a big star, and now there’s a nationwide outcry. Wen Tang might have a hard time escaping this!”

“Who knows where this brother came from. The authenticity of the incident is still in question, and since the accident involved her brother, not her, it’s unfair to blame her.”

“Unfair? If she wasn’t a big star, her brother wouldn’t have been so reckless.”

“Wow, that’s serious! If I had tried something like that when I was eighteen, my dad would have skinned me alive!”

“You? You had plenty of trouble when you were young.”

“Yeah, the local troublemaker, causing chaos at school, teachers were always gritting their teeth.”

“Writing a thousand-word apology every week until your hand ached—that was you, right?”

“And you had to read it out at the Monday morning meetings.”

“…Brothers, save me some face in front of my girlfriend!”

“Hahaha!”

…

As the conversation went on, the topic became more disjointed.

Zhou Jingyu, however, grew increasingly concerned.

Despite the lively banter, no one forgot that Jiang Qianya was also present. To the outside world, both she and Wen Tang were top stars. Whether she knew any insider information was uncertain. The group turned to her and asked, “Qianya, is there any truth to Wen Tang’s situation?”

Jiang Qianya’s team was indeed closely monitoring the situation. As is well-known, Wen Tang and Jiang Qianya were notorious rivals in the industry. Jiang Qianya’s team had been actively involved from the moment the news broke, leveraging various marketing accounts and online trolls to fuel the fire. It could be said that the rapid escalation of Wen Tang’s situation was largely due to Jiang Qianya’s team’s efforts.

However, in public, Jiang Qianya maintained a perfect image.

When asked about the situation, Jiang Qianya smiled slightly and adopted a detached attitude, saying, “I was also very surprised when I first heard about it. Although I’ve met Wen Tang a few times, we’re not very close. My knowledge is probably no more than what you’ve heard.”

Jiang Qianya subtly shifted her gaze to Zhou Jingyu. Noting his attentive demeanor, she continued calmly, “However, it’s well-known in the industry that her father and brother have poor reputations, so it’s not entirely surprising that something like this happened.”

Her words effectively summarized the online narrative of the day.

After Jiang Qianya finished speaking, the group redirected their conversation back to lighter topics.

“Wow, they’re really biological siblings!”

“If that’s the case, Wen Tang isn’t entirely innocent!”

…

Zhou Jingyu listened in silence, grasping the full context of the situation. Suddenly, he stood up.

Lu Yi, who had been engaged in a lively discussion with others, turned in surprise at the noise, “What are you doing?”

Without responding, Zhou Jingyu addressed the group, “Sorry, I have some matters to attend to. I’ll be leaving now.”

Without giving anyone a chance to stop him, he quickly left the room. The remaining guests, engrossed in their gossip, looked around, confused about what had just happened.

“…He just left like that?”

“What’s so urgent?”

…

Zhou Jingyu was indifferent to these minor concerns.

His mind was occupied with the events he had just heard at the dinner table.

Since he had arrived in Lu Yi’s car, he didn’t waste time contacting the driver. Instead, he hailed a taxi immediately.

The ride to his apartment took over twenty minutes. During the journey, Zhou Jingyu took the opportunity to open his phone and check his WeChat messages with Wen Tang.

The messages he had sent earlier were still visible, with no replies.

He paused, exited WeChat, and opened Weibo for the first time.

The trending topic immediately appeared on his screen.

It was all about Wen Tang.

There were countless comments and insults, full of outrage and hostility.

The vitriol was harsh and unforgiving, making it difficult to look at.

Zhou Jingyu was struck by the intensity of online abuse in the country for the first time. He frowned deeply.

Was Wen Tang being targeted solely because of her family connections?

The clock showed only nine o’clock. The car was moving through the bustling streets, the streetlights casting alternating light and shadow inside the vehicle. Zhou Jingyu’s flawless face remained perfectly composed from every angle.

Upon arriving at his destination, he paid the fare and got out of the taxi. The driver, taken aback by Zhou Jingyu’s striking presence, stared at him for a moment before leaving.

Zhou Jingyu took the elevator to his floor, where he found Wen Tang’s apartment door tightly closed.

The soundproofing was excellent; standing at the door, he couldn’t hear any noise from inside or know if Wen Tang had returned.

After lingering for a moment at Wen Tang’s door, Zhou Jingyu eventually turned and went back to his own apartment.

He and Wen Tang were merely neighbors, not close enough to knock on each other’s doors.

Meanwhile, Wen Tang was enjoying a bath, washing away her exhaustion and frustration.

An hour later, when she emerged, Ke Xin and Yang Yang were sitting cross-legged in the living room, engaged in heated online debates.

Upon seeing Wen Tang, Ke Xin reported the situation of the past hour: “Tang Tang, Aunt Liu called several times, but I didn’t answer. The phone ran out of battery and shut off.”

Ke Xin handed Wen Tang her phone, which was now charged but still off.

Observing Wen Tang’s calm demeanor, Ke Xin cautiously added, “Tang Tang, the Weibo post you made earlier… the company has already had it deleted.”

Expecting Wen Tang to be angry, Ke Xin and Yang Yang were relieved when Wen Tang remained composed, merely responding with a quiet “Oh” as she took the phone and sat on the sofa.

Ke Xin and Yang Yang exchanged relieved glances, grateful that Wen Tang’s temper hadn’t flared up.

Their relief was short-lived, however, as Wen Tang’s anger was merely redirected.

Not in a hurry to turn on her phone, she sat on the sofa, arms crossed, and looked at the two in the living room: “It’s so late, why are you still here? Do you think my place is a hotel where you can stay as long as you want?”

Ke Xin and Yang Yang had planned to stay the night to keep an eye on Wen Tang. They had been reluctant to leave, fearing something might go wrong, but now they faced Wen Tang’s unyielding dismissal.

Ke Xin and Yang Yang: “…”

They couldn’t handle it anymore.

They were just diligent workers, and the thought of facing their boss’s anger was daunting. They quickly tidied up the living room, making sure no trace of their presence remained, and hurried to the door. At the threshold, Ke Xin said, “Tang Tang, I ordered dinner for you earlier. It’s in the fridge. You can heat it up when you want to eat!”

Their dedication to providing food was unwavering.

After all, one needs to be well-fed to have the strength to fight against adversities!

After saying this, she closed the door behind her with a decisive motion. Despite merely leaving Wen Tang’s home, it felt as if she was fleeing with her tail between her legs.

Wen Tang watched them leave with an impassive expression, wondering why she had chosen these two as her assistants.

Their intelligence seemed to be at a mere ninety.

With her phone still off, once she turned it on, numerous messages flooded in.

Over the years, Wen Tang had made some friends in the industry.

She selectively replied to a few of them.

Finally, her gaze fell on the top of her WeChat list.

The only person she had pinned.

He had sent her messages.

20:13:22

【Y: Are you very busy?】

An hour later, which was ten minutes ago.

【Y: Are you… okay?】