Xu Youheng was filled with anger bottled in his chest. In his view, professions like actors or singers were not respectable. Only those lacking ability would strive to enter the entertainment industry.

“What’s so good about being an actress? You’re constantly scrutinized by others, making money by flaunting your looks. Can’t the Xu family support you? Why bother fussing around in that vain industry?”

Meng Zhen used to be just an orphan, playing around as a small internet celebrity without affecting the Xu family at all. But once her identity was revealed as the daughter of the Xu Group, every move of hers became closely tied to the company. Naturally, Xu Youheng didn’t want her to continue developing within the entertainment circle.

“I don’t see anything wrong with being an artist. Every penny we earn is through our own hard work, and we’re no less noble than anyone else. If you’re worried about me damaging the Xu family’s reputation, you can have the PR department sue the marketing account that spread the rumor directly and hold them legally accountable. Then, release a statement saying I’m a distant relative of yours. That way, the gossip will naturally dissipate.”

“Alright! You really have ideas. I’ll do as you say. Let’s see what kind of name you can make for yourself in the entertainment industry!” Xu Youheng hung up the video call in anger.

Fortunately, he hadn’t let anger cloud his judgment. He proactively contacted the head of the PR department and instructed them to release a lawyer’s letter online, warning the marketing accounts, and then clarifying his relationship with Meng Zhen.

While sipping soup, Meng Zhen opened the app and discovered that the official account of Xu Group had already made a post, announcing their intention to sue the blogger with the ID ‘Happy Spectators’.

These marketing accounts were typically operated by teams, and due to their frequent spreading of rumors, they often received numerous legal letters. However, Xu Group wasn’t like ordinary individuals. Members of its legal department were all elite professionals in their field. Once they initiated legal action, the consequences were unimaginable.

Happy Spectators hurriedly deleted that Weibo post, but netizens were not pleased. They started flooding Meng Zhen’s social media with comments.

【Having a sugar daddy is really great. Want to send a lawyer’s letter? Just send it. This move is so ‘awesome’.】

【Xu Group keeps claiming that Happy Spectators defamed their CEO. I don’t think this charge holds water at all. After all, the fact that he’s sponsoring Meng Zhen is undeniable. How can that be called defamation?】

【As the old saying goes, catch the thief with the stolen goods, catch the adulterers in bed. If they had a photo of Xu Youheng and Meng Zhen in bed together, I don’t believe their PR department could talk their way out of it. Unfortunately, the evidence just isn’t solid enough!】

Even though Meng Zhen had strong mental resilience, seeing these foul and insulting comments still made her tremble with anger. She took a deep breath and placed her phone on the desk, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

She wasn’t a fool. She could see that there must be someone behind this matter who was fanning the flames.

Yu Jing wouldn’t do such a thankless task, so it had to be Yue Yuanzhao.

Five minutes later, Xu Group issued another statement, 【Regarding the recent widespread rumors across the internet about our CEO, Mr. Xu’s ‘romantic relationship’ with Ms. Meng, Xu Group reaffirms that these claims are entirely false. Ms. Meng is a relative of Mr. Xu’s. We urge everyone to stay rational, refrain from spreading rumors, and work together to maintain a harmonious online environment.】

Upon seeing this announcement, netizens were all shocked. If they remembered correctly, Meng Zhen had been exposed before as someone who wasn’t from a wealthy family. Rather, she was a child abandoned by her parents and grew up in an orphanage. How could she possibly be connected to the Xu family?

【CEO Xu didn’t need to lie about something like this. Could Meng Zhen have really found her relatives? My goodness, this world is truly magical.】

【Our Sister isn’t a mistress, nor has she been kept by someone. You didn’t believe the fans’ explanation before, but you should believe it now, right?】

Yue Yuanzhao opened Weibo and saw this statement. His mind raced with thoughts and a cold sweat broke out on his back. His face alternated between pale and bluish, clearly looking unsightly.

“Yuanzhao, what’s wrong with you?” His manager couldn’t help but ask.

Yue Yuanzhao’s eyes were filled with fear and unease. He grabbed his manager’s hand and pulled her into the room, his voice hoarse, “Sis, you have to help me. Earlier, I paid off that marketing account to release photos of Meng Zhen and Xu Youheng to teach her a lesson. Who knew she was actually related to CEO Xu? I can’t afford to offend the Xu Group!”

The manager felt like her ears must be malfunctioning. After all, Yue Yuanzhao was an adult. Didn’t he know that slander and spreading rumors were illegal? Using any means just to retaliate against a female star, was he out of his mind?

In her heart, the manager cursed Yue Yuanzhao with a barrage of expletives, but she couldn’t just sit idly by. After all, Yue Yuanzhao was her most famous artist, and if his reputation was ruined, it would also affect her future.

“I’ll figure something out. Just behave yourself for now and stop offending people.” The manager waved her hand repeatedly and stepped out to make a call to the head office.

The company responded swiftly, ordering Yue Yuanzhao’s fans to delete the slanderous posts they made directed at Meng Zhen. With tails tucked, they resembled disgraced rats scurrying away.

Many passersby witnessed the actions of Yue Yuanzhao’s fans and mocked them, saying they were finally ‘kneeling down’ to a standard.

After dark, the president of Meng Zhen’s fan club sent Meng Zhen a private message, including screenshots of Yue Yuanzhao contacting the marketing account.

【Sister, I’ve found these two screenshots. You can have them professionally authenticated and use them as evidence to sue Yue Yuanzhao.】

Yue Yuanzhao’s narrow-mindedness reached its peak. Just because Meng Zhen performed better than him on a variety show recording, he teamed up with a marketing account to tarnish her reputation, aiming to completely drive her out of the entertainment industry.

Seeing the malicious words on the screen, Meng Zhen’s feelings were mixed. When she was being slandered and defamed, her fans not only wholeheartedly believed in her but also tirelessly searched everywhere, trying their best to find evidence.

Getting hold of these two screenshots wasn’t easy.

Meng Zhen’s eyes were slightly warm as she thanked the other person. The next morning, wearing a mask, she personally went to the court to file a lawsuit.

The deadline for filing a civil lawsuit was generally within seven days. During this period, the latest episode of 《Do-Re-Mi-So-La》 happened to be broadcast.

At this moment, Meng Zhen and Lei Yin were sitting on the sofa. The girl held a bag of cucumber-flavored potato chips, crunching away.

When Yue Yuanzhao started playing the guzheng, Lei Yin’s expression appeared somewhat odd. After a while, she finally managed to say, “With his level, how can he even dare to participate in this show? I’ve watched several episodes before, and the contestants were all very talented.”

Meng Zhen smiled and patted Lei Yin’s head gently but said nothing.

The girl opened the bullet screen and found that most viewers were criticizing Yue Yuanzhao’s skills. This reassured her.

It turned out it wasn’t her sense of aesthetics that was the issue, but rather that Yue Yuanzhao wasn’t quite up to par.

Not long after, it was Meng Zhen’s turn to perform. Lei Yin’s eyes widened as she saw her Sister Zhenzhen in a plain-colored qipao and holding an erhu. She opened her mouth in astonishment, even forgetting to eat her potato chips.

“Sister, you look amazing! You look super good in a qipao!”

“Behave and watch TV quietly. Don’t cause a fuss.”

Meng Zhen gently pushed Lei Yin away a bit while holding a thick reference book in her hands. Her brows furrowed as she carefully flipped through it.

A few days ago, Meng Zhen received an audition notice for a TV drama sent personally by Director Qian Xubing. Naturally, she was determined to seize this opportunity.

Lei Yin listened to Meng Zhen’s performance. The music was spirited and passionate, easily stirring the emotions of the audience. Meng Zhen demonstrated impeccable skill and emotional depth in her playing.

“Sister Zhenzhen, your erhu playing sounds amazing! When did you learn it? Why don’t I remember?”

“You forgot? When we were little, students from the music academy used to volunteer at the orphanage. That’s when I learned from them.”

Meng Zhen casually brushed it off with a random excuse, thankfully Lei Yin was naive and didn’t probe further. Otherwise, Meng Zhen wasn’t sure how she would explain it.

After this episode of the variety show aired, it sparked a huge discussion online.

Traditional music enthusiasts are often more critical than fans of popular singers, capable of pinpointing flaws in online instrument performances. However, Meng Zhen was an exception. Her technique, posture, and emotional depth while playing were nearly flawless and could be considered perfect.

Even Meng Zhen’s fans were surprised by how well she played the erhu. Her skill could be considered excellent even among students at the top music academies in the country. For a young woman who had just come of age, this achievement was remarkable.

In contrast, traditional music enthusiasts were not kind to Yue Yuanzhao. They criticized every aspect of his performance, from his technique during the performance to the tremors in his playing, listing out each issue in detail.

While the criticisms from traditional music enthusiasts were reasoned and supported, Yue Yuanzhao’s fans refused to accept them. They began aggressively attacking these enthusiasts to defend their idol, even resorting to doxing the guzheng teacher who criticized Yue Yuanzhao. They leaked the teacher’s home address and phone number in fan groups, pressuring the teacher to delete her posts.

Initially, netizens had merely mocked Yue Yuanzhao for overestimating his abilities, criticizing his lack of skill in playing the guzheng yet eagerly appearing as a guest on a traditional music variety show. However, now the arrogant behavior of Yue Yuanzhao’s fans had completely enraged the public.

Some traditional music fans found a video of Yue Yuanzhao being interviewed in South Korea, provided a translation, and posted it online, which quickly went viral.

The video was very short, only two to three minutes long.

Initially, netizens thought it was just a regular interview. However, when they pressed play, they realized they were completely mistaken.

“You’re so talented. Do you play any instruments?” The host asked Yue Yuanzhao, holding the microphone.

Yue Yuanzhao replied, “Before coming to Korea, I only knew how to play the guitar. Later, I developed a strong interest in Korean culture and learned to play the gayageum.”

The host continued, “Indeed, the historical heritage of our country is also captivating. I heard that the gayageum is similar to the guzheng. Do you know how to play guzheng as well?”

Yue Yuanzhao shook his head, saying, “I think the gayageum sounds better so I have no intention of learning guzheng. I haven’t made any effort to understand it either.”

Then Yue Yuanzhao burst into laughter.

That laughter seemed like a resounding slap across the faces of all his countrymen.