Meng Yanchen looked at Fan Shengmei, his gaze firm and warm: "Shengmei, no matter what difficulties we encounter, we will face them together. I believe we can overcome these obstacles and complete the acquisition." Fan Shengmei nodded slightly, her fighting spirit rekindled in her eyes: "Yes, I won't give up easily. I just don't know what tricks Chen Tianhao will use next; the road ahead may not be easy." The two exchanged a glance, seeing determination in each other's eyes. Meanwhile, outside the office, negative rumors about the Fu Group's acquisition were quietly brewing.

Fan Shengmei returned to her office and had barely sat down, not even having time to gather her thoughts, when her phone suddenly rang. The shrill ringtone echoed in the quiet office, as if carrying some ominous premonition. She frowned slightly and subconsciously glanced at the caller ID; the words "Unknown Number" on the screen filled her with a strange unease.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly pressed the answer button. A deep, deliberately distorted voice came from the receiver: "Fan Shengmei, I advise you to immediately stop the acquisition plan, otherwise, we will expose your family's shameful past. Then, let's see how you'll survive in this industry!" Fan Shengmei felt a buzzing in her ears, and her hand gripping the phone tightened instantly, her knuckles turning white. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but something seemed to be stuck in her throat. After a long while, she managed to squeeze out, "Who are you? Why are you doing this?" However, there was no response from the other party, only a chilling laugh, followed by the jarring "beep beep beep" of the busy signal in the quiet office.

Fan Shengmei sat frozen in her chair, her mind blank. It took her a long time to recover and realize the gravity of the situation. She knew that if the truth about her family of origin were exposed, it would be devastating to her relationship with Meng Yanchen, as well as the reputation of the alliance. She couldn't imagine how Meng Yanchen would view her after finding out, or how the members of the alliance would gossip about her.

Almost instinctively, she picked up the intercom and dialed Meng Yanchen. The call connected quickly, and she said in a slightly trembling voice, "Yanchen, I... I just received an anonymous call. The caller threatened to stop the acquisition or expose my family history." Meng Yanchen was silent for a moment on the other end of the line, then said calmly, "Shengmei, don't panic, I'm coming right away."

Not long after, Meng Yanchen rushed into Fan Shengmei's office. His steps were hurried, and his usually neatly combed hair was now somewhat disheveled, clearly indicating that he had rushed over immediately upon hearing the news. Seeing Fan Shengmei's distraught appearance, he felt a pang of heartache. He quickly walked to her side and gently held her shoulders: "Shengmei, don't be afraid, I'm here. This is likely Chen Tianhao's last stand; he's desperate." Fan Shengmei looked up, her eyes filled with pain and inner turmoil: "Yanchen, what should I do? I'm really worried about what will happen after those things are made public..." Meng Yanchen gently embraced her, softly comforting her: "Don't panic, let's think of a solution together. No matter what, I won't let you get hurt. But right now, we are indeed facing a difficult choice: continue the acquisition, or..." Meng Yanchen didn't finish his sentence, but Fan Shengmei understood what he meant.

Meng Yanchen released Fan Shengmei, straightened up, and his eyes turned cold and resolute: "Here's what we'll do. On the one hand, I'll arrange for security personnel to protect you 24 hours a day to ensure your personal safety is not threatened. On the other hand, I'll have the technical team investigate the source of this anonymous call to see if we can find the mastermind behind it." After saying that, he immediately took out his phone and quickly issued a series of instructions.

Watching Meng Yanchen methodically arrange everything, Fan Shengmei felt slightly more at ease. However, her inner turmoil didn't lessen in the slightest. She paced back and forth in her office, each step feeling like a blow to her heart. Continuing the acquisition, she wasn't sure if she could bear the consequences of her family's secrets being exposed; abandoning the acquisition, on the other hand, was something she was truly unwilling to do, after all, they had already put in so much effort, and victory was within reach.

Time ticked by in tension and agonizing anticipation. Security personnel quickly arrived, standing guard outside Fan Shengmei's office. Their upright posture and serious expressions, like silent statues, offered Fan Shengmei a sense of security. Meanwhile, Meng Yanchen returned to his office, personally directing the technical team to investigate the anonymous phone calls. Inside, the technicians stared intently at their computer screens, their fingers flying across the keyboards, strings of code flashing and jumping across the screens, a tense and oppressive atmosphere filling the air.

Standing behind the technicians, Meng Yanchen's eyes were fixed on the screen, his gaze revealing a relentless determination to achieve his goal. "How's it going? Any leads?" His voice was low and urgent. A technician, still operating the system, replied, "Mr. Meng, the other party is very cunning. The phone call uses multiple layers of encryption. We're working hard to crack it, but it will take some time." Meng Yanchen frowned slightly, crossed his arms, and paced back and forth in the room, pondering a countermeasure.

Meanwhile, Fan Shengmei sat alone in her office, her mind replaying the unbearable scenes of her childhood. She remembered the arguments at home and her parents' demands; those painful memories flooded back, almost overwhelming her. She worried that if these things were made public, Meng Yanchen would be disappointed in her, the members of the alliance would gossip about her, and everything she had painstakingly built would be destroyed.

On the other hand, she recalled the efforts she and Meng Yanchen had put into the acquisition plan—the countless days and nights of hard work, the numerous negotiations—every detail was still vivid in her mind. She was unwilling to give up so easily; she longed to completely escape the shadows of the past and realize her own value through this acquisition.

Torn by inner turmoil, Fan Shengmei unconsciously walked to the window. She gazed at the bustling city streets outside, the traffic and the people coming and going—everything seemed so calm. Yet, her heart was like a stormy sea, turbulent and turbulent.

At that moment, the technicians in Meng Yanchen's office suddenly exclaimed excitedly, "Mr. Meng, we have a lead! We've traced the phone signal to a location near an abandoned factory, but we still need to confirm the exact location." A glint flashed in Meng Yanchen's eyes, and he immediately said, "Continue tracking, and be sure to pinpoint the exact location. At the same time, notify the security department to be ready to act at any time."

Fan Shengmei was unaware of the progress on Meng Yanchen's side; she was still struggling internally. She thought of Meng Yanchen's trust and support, of the trials and tribulations they had endured together, and a sense of resolve gradually rose within her. She thought that perhaps she should face it bravely and not be defeated by threats.

Just then, Meng Yanchen walked into Fan Shengmei's office again. His face showed signs of fatigue, but his eyes shone with excitement: "Shengmei, we have a lead. The phone signal is coming from near an abandoned factory, and the technical team is further confirming the exact location. What are your thoughts?" Fan Shengmei looked at Meng Yanchen, a resolute glint in her eyes: "Yanchen, I want to continue the acquisition. I can't back down because of fear; I must face all of this bravely." Meng Yanchen paused slightly, then a relieved smile appeared on his face: "Okay, Shengmei, I support you. Since you've decided, we'll face it together. I'll strengthen security measures and speed up the investigation to find the mastermind as soon as possible."

Meng Yanchen picked up his phone again, arranging for more security personnel to provide comprehensive protection for Fan Shengmei. He also contacted members of the alliance, informing them of the current situation and requesting their support in terms of public opinion. He knew that he would not only have to deal with Chen Tianhao's threats but also handle a potential public relations crisis.

Meanwhile, Chen Tianhao sat in his secluded office, looking out the window at the gloomy sky with a smug smile. He had assumed Fan Shengmei would abandon the acquisition because of this threat, but he hadn't expected her to be so stubborn. He picked up the phone on his desk and said to the person on the other end, "Increase the public pressure and make the Fu Group and Fan Shengmei the target of public criticism."

Soon, negative news about the Fu Group's acquisition using improper means and Fan Shengmei's questionable background began to spread rapidly online. Major media outlets and social media platforms reprinted the stories, and the Fu Group was quickly caught in a media storm.

When Fan Shengmei saw these negative news reports on her computer, her heart sank. She knew this was another ruthless move by Chen Tianhao. Looking at the appalling comments, she felt both angry and helpless. Meng Yanchen came to her office again, and seeing her haggard face, said with concern, "Shengmei, don't worry too much about these things. What we need to do now is to deal with this calmly. I've contacted the public relations team, and they're trying to handle this public opinion. At the same time, we need to speed up the acquisition process and let the facts speak for themselves."

Fan Shengmei nodded slightly, took a deep breath, and said, "Okay, let's speed up the acquisition. I refuse to believe that Chen Tianhao can control everything." However, she knew in her heart that the road ahead would be even more difficult. After seeing these negative news reports, the alliance members' attitudes began to waver. Some members called to inquire about the situation, their words revealing worry and hesitation. Meng Yanchen had to reassure them one by one, assuring them that the problem would be resolved as soon as possible and that their interests would not be harmed.

At this unpredictable moment, Meng Yanchen and Fan Shengmei face unprecedented pressure. Will Meng Yanchen be able to uncover the mastermind behind the anonymous phone calls and successfully expose Chen Tianhao's conspiracy? Under public pressure, will Fan Shengmei be able to stick to her decision and continue to push forward with the acquisition plan? Everything remains uncertain, and their fates hang in the balance amidst this tense situation.