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"Zhiyan, you and Xuanxuan go together."

From the moment he accidentally witnessed the text message Cen Meng sent to Ning Yuxuan, Ning Shiyue remained vigilant.

That day, during a dinner party for the film crew, Cen Meng approached Ning Shiyue and provoked him. Ning Shiyue recorded the entire conversation.

I sent a copy to Ning Yuxuan, kept a backup for myself, and also gave a copy to my assistant.

Ding Yan nodded: "Okay, Shi Yue, how do you plan to send it out?"

Ning Shiyue thought for two seconds and said, "Give the recording to Brother Gao Lin and let the company handle it."

Gao Lin is Ning Shiyue's agent.

Ding Yan subconsciously said "but," then paused, stunned.

"Shi Yue, you mean..." He looked at Ning Shi Yue as if confirming, "You want Gao Lin and the company to release this recording?"

Ning Shiyue glanced at him: "What?"

Ding Yan: "No, it's nothing... I'll contact them right away!"

Based on his understanding of Ning Shiyue over the years, Ding Yan had already prepared a long list of words to persuade Ning Shiyue, suggesting that he discuss things with the team first and not always act rashly on his own.

Ning Shiyue had suffered a lot because of this style of doing things in the past.

Previously, when Ning Shiyue and Cheng Xiyang were equally popular, Cheng Xiyang always appeared to be understanding, while Ning Shiyue always disdained to explain or pretend.

This is why, when passersby mention Ning Shiyue's personality, their impression is usually that he has a bad temper and is difficult to get along with.

Last time, Cheng Xiyang and Ning Yuxuan had a conflict on a variety show. Ning Shiyue did not consult with anyone and posted a Weibo post to angrily criticize Cheng Xiyang without any evidence.

Fortunately, someone eventually helped find the evidence, and the result was good, but she was still severely reprimanded by her agent.

This time... Ning Shiyue doesn't actually plan to get involved himself?

Ding Yan secretly wondered to himself.

Ning Shiyue glanced at Ding Yan and smirked, "Are you wondering why I don't post it myself?"

Ding Yan chuckled a few times and simply admitted, "Yeah, that's not like you at all."

Ning Shiyue said calmly, "I will learn from this experience."

Last time, his impulsive actions almost caused Ning Yuxuan and her mother to be trapped at the recording site by the media and unable to return.

He may not care about his own reputation, but he would never care about the safety and reputation of his family.

His agent and company were far more experienced in handling these kinds of incidents and were able to choose the most appropriate time to release the recording.

...

Thanks to the relentless efforts of marketing accounts and online trolls, the hashtag "#NingYuxuanHasABadTemper#" continues to climb.

In addition, two new topics have emerged: "#CenMengRecording#" and "#NingYuXuanNingShiYueBullyingCenMeng#".

At the same time, numerous anonymous "insiders" emerged, speaking with great detail and conviction.

My friend is a makeup artist who worked on the set of "My Crystal Lover." He told me back then that Ning Yuxuan had a very spoiled and demanding personality and was difficult to please.

I've also heard from relatives that when Ning Yuxuan and Yin Xueyao were filming, Ning Yuxuan bullied Yin Xueyao terribly because of her mother and younger brother's connections.

The comment sections of these revelations are filled with trolls and paid commenters who are working in concert with them.

Wow, I thought Ning Yuxuan had a nice personality when I watched the show, I never expected her to be this kind of person behind the scenes.

[So, rumors may not be entirely baseless! There was a reason why many people disliked Ning Yuxuan before the show aired; she really did have issues in private!]

Some people even took the opportunity to drag Ning Shiyue into the mess, since Ning Shiyue has made more enemies in the entertainment industry.

Ning Shiyue's popularity and online traffic are now firmly among the top three among male artists of the same age.

Fans of male actors who follow a similar path and are close in age to Ning Shiyue are eagerly hoping for Ning Shiyue's downfall, so that resources in the film and fashion industries can fall into the hands of their idol.

Why are you all only talking about Ning Yuxuan? In this recording, it sounds like Ning Shiyue is the one constantly berating Cen Meng, even saying things like "shameless."

I agree. Ning Shiyue is really lacking in manners as a man, just insulting people like that.

[They probably think they can bully Cen Meng because she has no popularity or fans now.]

[A casual fan of Ning Shiyue has turned against him because of this recording.]

As these two topics gained popularity and eventually trended on social media, more and more negative voices emerged regarding Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue.

This includes guidance from marketing accounts and online trolls, as well as netizens who have been misled.

Gradually, even Ning Fei was affected.

I don't have a good impression of Ning Yinghou anymore. Although she herself seems to be fine, how did she raise such a pair of children?

[+1, anyway, my positive impression of Ning Fei has almost completely shattered.]

...

Inside an apartment in the northern part of the city.

As public opinion gradually shifted in the direction she desired, Cen Meng clenched her fists nervously, her nails digging deep into her palms.

Is she finally going to succeed?

The company had already given up on her, and she couldn't rely on Gu Yunhao at all.

I heard that after abandoning her, Gu Yunhao actually went back to Ning Yuxuan.

Cen Meng's heart was filled with resentment.

Everything she lost was because of this woman; only by defeating her can she make a comeback.

Now, she has staked everything on this, making a final, desperate gamble.

This time, Cen Meng almost used up all her last savings to find marketing accounts and online troll companies.

Cen Meng's eyes were red as she stared intently at the negative trending topics about Ning Yuxuan, hoping in her heart: "Let it rise a little higher, just a little higher."

This time, she was determined to ruin Ning Yuxuan's reputation.

...

Jiangcheng, on the set of "The Tide".

The makeup artist frowned as she looked at the negative trending topics: "What's wrong with these netizens? They have no ability to distinguish right from wrong. It's obvious that these are marketing accounts ganging up to deliberately smear Teacher Ning and the others."

The prop master next to him was equally indignant: "That's right, this was obviously done on purpose, the methods are disgusting."

During this time on set, everyone knew that Ning Shiyue was definitely not the kind of person who said one thing to someone's face and another behind their back.

On the contrary, when they first met, everyone was worried that Ning Shiyue might be difficult to get along with, but they later found that as long as the request was reasonable, Ning Shiyue was actually easier to talk to than anyone else.

It's just that he always has a cold face and no expression when he's resting, which makes it easy for people to misunderstand.

As for Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan, most of the crew members didn't have much contact with them, but—

A few days ago, when Ning Fei came to visit the set, she brought gifts for the entire crew.

Not only the main actors received gifts, but even the ordinary staff members received gifts.

In addition, Ning Fei treated everyone to a delicious afternoon tea dessert.

For this reason alone, the crew members all had a very good impression of Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan.

The makeup artist continued scrolling through Weibo.

Upon seeing the so-called revelation from the makeup artist of "Crystal Lovers," she became even more indignant: "Why are all sorts of people coming out to spread rumors? My master did the makeup for this drama. At the time, she even told me that Ning Yuxuan was a nice person and pretty."

Props maker: "They're probably paid trolls, all on alt accounts, and nobody can verify it."

The makeup artist read several more smear articles about Ning Yuxuan and became increasingly angry.

“No,” she said. “I’m going to post a Weibo.”

As she spoke, the makeup artist began typing on the keyboard.

The prop master standing nearby said worriedly, "Junjun, the online opinion is very unfavorable to Teacher Ning and the others. Are you sure you want to speak out at this time?"

The makeup artist looked up and shook the bracelet on her wrist: "If I don't say something at this time, my conscience won't allow it."

The bracelet she was wearing was a gift from Ning Fei when she visited the set—a bracelet from the C brand.

Seeing this, the prop master also touched his own hair.

She also received a gift from Ning Fei at that time, which was this hair clip in her hair.

It's not that she can't afford it, but she would never normally spend nearly four figures on a hair accessory, so she's been wearing it every day since she received it.

People rarely give gifts to these staff members; usually, treating them to a cup of milk tea or coffee is considered quite generous.

Thinking of this, the prop master silently took out his phone and began editing a Weibo post.

...

As Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue's negative trending topics continue to climb, more and more bystanders are joining the ranks of gossip enthusiasts.

Wow, this is so lively! Why are so many people simultaneously accusing Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue?

Is it really because Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue are such bad people that they have angered the public?

[But why are all these leaks coming from alt accounts? Are they credible?]

[That's right, it's all information I heard from relatives and friends, not a single one dared to say it was their own.]

Just when netizens were getting tired of these baseless and dubious revelations, an industry insider finally stepped forward and spoke out.

@Makeup Artist Junjun: It was a very pleasant experience working with Ning Shiyue on set this time. I look forward to everyone enjoying the final product!

The post included several photos, which were group photos of the blogger with Ning Shiyue, Ning Yuxuan, and Ning Fei.

Although it wasn't explicitly stated that it was a statement about the recording incident, the timing of releasing these group photos clearly indicates an intention.

This account is not one of those fake, blank information accounts that leak information; it is a real, verified personal account.

Her past Weibo posts were all work records of the makeup artist, including many photos with the cast and crew.

Scrolling back, you'll find that although this makeup artist looks to be only around thirty years old, she has considerable experience in the industry and has worked with many well-known actors and directors.

Netizens flocked to the scene upon hearing the news.

Wow! They're actually industry professionals! So many photos with them!

I know this makeup artist; she's worked on many famous TV dramas. She's an exceptionally skilled makeup artist!

Well... I trust this makeup artist more than those random anonymous accounts.

[+1, these are people who genuinely work in the entertainment industry. The fact that they dare to speak out at this time must mean that Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue are truly trustworthy.]

Subsequently, the prop master of "Tide Order" also posted on Weibo.

It was also noted that Ning Shiyue got along extremely well with the crew and staff, and everyone was very happy when Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan came to visit the set.

The prop master is a complete amateur, with no official account; his Weibo posts are just casual work diaries.

However, it's also clear that this is a true insider, spending most of the year on set.

Ning Shiyue's fans quickly discovered the clarification post on Weibo, and naturally, they seized the opportunity to spread it far and wide.

The prop master for Ning Shiyue's new drama has spoken out! Everyone should check it out!

Ning Shiyue has zero negative reviews from the staff! He's definitely not a bad person!

With several genuine industry insiders speaking out, public opinion has finally begun to shift.

I feel like this situation is about to take a turn for the better; many people are now speaking up for Ning Shiyue and Ning Yuxuan.

I agree, and that recording itself was very strange... coupled with various anonymous leaks, it feels like someone is manipulating things behind the scenes.

However, Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue's haters were not to be outdone.

They urged each other in the group to forward, like, and comment extensively on those negative topics, trying to push the negative trending topics even higher.

Their presence was also felt throughout the comments section.

[The small account leaked the information because they were afraid of offending anyone; on the contrary, these so-called industry insiders clearly formed a group with a specific purpose!]

[Yes, just look at the photo of that makeup artist with Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan, and you'll know her words can't be objective!]

No matter how many people speak up for Ning Shiyue, it doesn't change the fact that he bullied Cen Meng and verbally abused her.

For a time, the trending topics were in complete chaos, with neither side able to gain a clear advantage.

On one hand, there are numerous industry insiders speaking out under their real names; on the other hand, there are videos and audio recordings as evidence.

The recording, in particular, has become the core focus of the debate.

Whether the recording was edited or maliciously manipulated is the key point of discussion among netizens.

Professionals have stated that the recording is definitely not complete, and the signs of editing are quite obvious.

However, netizens on the other side said: Regardless of whether it was edited or not, Ning Shiyue's two curse sentences cannot be faked.

Just as the controversy reached its peak, a new recording was released by a Weibo alt account.

Inside an office building in Beicheng, Ning Shiyue's agent, Gao Lin, smiled with satisfaction upon seeing that the recording had been successfully sent out.

"Ning Shiyue, not bad." The agent said into the phone, "This time he knew to notify me and even prepared a recording in advance. This move of first revealing the information and then reversing it is practically a classic marketing case study."

Ning Shiyue's tone on the phone was very calm: "I don't care about whether it's being hyped or not, as long as my family isn't wronged."

The agent laughed: "It's not just that she's not being wronged, that Cen Meng is definitely finished this time."

If Cen Meng hadn't taken the initiative, her manager would have almost suspected that the recording was actually a setup by Ning Shiyue and Ning Yuxuan for Cen Meng.

After all, Cen Meng admitted in the recording that she was the third party and exposed her dark thoughts.

With the real recording being released at the height of the controversy, Cen Meng will likely never be able to maintain her position in the entertainment industry again.

In other words, Cen Meng ruined her own acting career.

The agent watched the situation unfold with a detached eye.

Sure enough, the release of the new, complete recording immediately caused a huge stir.

Because this recording is so clear and so complete.

Compared to the previous recording with obvious editing, even a non-professional can immediately hear the difference.

[...Did I hear that right? Cen Meng just admitted to all the scandals she's had up to this point?!]

Yes, you understood correctly. Cen Meng herself said that the book, the house, and that man were all things she stole out of jealousy.

This recording is so explosive... I don't even know what to say. All I can say is that I haven't heard such a sweet juicy piece of gossip in ages.

I'm shocked. How can someone like Cen Meng steal things and then act so self-righteously?

...

At the recording site of "Dear Mom", all the guests finally returned to the villa.

After saying goodbye to the audience, the live broadcast of this episode officially ended.

Before leaving the scene, a staff member kindly reminded Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan: "Teacher Ning, Yuxuan, there was a slight problem with Weibo during our program recording."

Upon hearing this, Ning Fei's brows furrowed slightly.

The biggest benefit Ning Fei gained from participating in this program was the improvement in her relationship with her daughter.

Therefore, she is very glad that she signed up for this variety show and enjoys the recording process.

The only flaw is that since the variety show started filming, her daughter has frequently appeared on trending topics and has been criticized a lot.

Although she was able to quickly escape danger each time, Ning Fei still didn't want her daughter to always encounter such things.

My daughter isn't in the entertainment industry, so she doesn't need to go through all this.

Judging from the staff's expressions and tone, something bad must have happened again.

Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan exchanged a glance: "Xuanxuan..."

Ning Yuxuan said, "Mom, I remember you said we'd be having hot pot at home tonight?"

Ning Fei was slightly taken aback.

“Yes,” Ning Fei said. “I asked Aunt Xu to prepare the ingredients, enough for four people.”

This morning, Ning Yuxuan casually mentioned that she hadn't had hot pot in a long time and was craving it.

So Ning Fei asked the housekeeper to make preparations in advance, and also invited Xie Zhiyan and Zheng Xinmei.

Eating hot pot with just two people is too lonely; it's much more lively with four people together.

Zheng Xinmei readily agreed. In recent years, she and Ning Fei had been meeting in other places and hadn't visited her friend's house in a long time. This time, she would like to go and see what changes had occurred.

During the day, Xie Zhiyan stayed at the old house with Zheng Xinmei, and the two of them happened to come over together in the evening.

Ning Yuxuan: "That's fine then."

Ning Fei: "Xuanxuan..."

Ning Yuxuan: "Let's go home first. We can discuss anything on the way."

Ning Fei hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Alright."

Uncle Li was waiting outside when Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei got into the car together.

After adjusting herself to a comfortable position in the back seat, Ning Yuxuan finally turned on her phone.

Ning Fei looked at the screen with a worried expression.

Upon opening Weibo, the first trending topic that catches the eye is: #TheRealRecordingOfTheNingYuXuanNingShiYueIncident#

Ning Fei was completely confused: "What recording?"

While clicking on the trending topic, Ning Yuxuan explained to her mother, "It must have happened the day we had barbecue in Jiangcheng."

Ning Fei didn't attend the barbecue party, so she was unaware of what Cen Meng had asked her to do that day.

Clicking into the trending topics, the first item is the complete audio and video recording.

Ning Yuxuan thought for a moment and then opened the comments section.

[Wow, thank goodness we have this complete recording, otherwise Ning Shiyue would be more wronged than Dou E!]

[Exactly! From now on, I'll argue with anyone who says Ning Shiyue has a bad temper! Compared to Cen Meng's explosive remarks, Ning Shiyue only calling her shameless is incredibly kind!]

Ning Yuxuan is so calm! Every word she said hit the nail on the head, leaving Cen Meng completely speechless.

[As expected, I was right to always support Ning Yuxuan! With so many trending topics this month, hasn't Ning Yuxuan always come out on top?]

Honestly, the fact that these people went to such lengths to edit audio recordings to smear Ning Yuxuan shows that she really doesn't have any substantial dirt on her.

There were many more comments criticizing Cen Meng, most of which used rather vulgar language. Ning Yuxuan, thinking that Ning Fei was next to her, quickly glanced at them without reading them carefully.

After closing the comments section, Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei exchanged a glance.

"Mom," Ning Yuxuan's eyes crinkled into a smile, "it seems the matter has been resolved."

Ning Fei seemed to be thinking: "This time... is it Cen Meng's side that's causing you trouble again?"

Although her daughter didn't explain the whole story in detail, Ning Fei could guess what happened from the comments on netizens' posts.

Ning Yuxuan: "Yes, but don't worry, Mom. After today, Cen Meng shouldn't be able to cause any more trouble."

Ning Shiyue had sent her the recording before, and Ning Yuxuan listened to it once. In it, Cen Meng personally admitted to everything she had done.

After this recording was completely exposed, it's unlikely that Cen Meng can continue working in the entertainment industry.

Ning Fei nodded slightly and then asked, "Who released the recording that clarified the situation?"

Ning Yuxuan laughed: "Who else could it be but Ning Shiyue? I bet Ning Shiyue has already sent me a message to brag about his achievements."

I opened WeChat, and sure enough, Ning Shiyue had sent me a message.

Ning Shiyue: [How was it? I did a good job this time, right? The matter was resolved perfectly just as you and Mom finished your live stream.]

Ning Yuxuan showed Ning Fei news about Ning Shiyue.

Ning Fei smiled and said with satisfaction, "Shi Yue is much more composed than before."

As a mother, Ning Fei knows that although her two children seem to have very different personalities, they actually have many similarities, such as being prone to impulsive actions when controlled by their emotions.

However, in just over a month, not only did her daughter seem like a completely different person, but her son also seemed to have matured a lot.

She could finally feel much more at ease.

Ning Yuxuan replied to Ning Shiyue: 【You've definitely improved, Mom praised you. And this time, you didn't call me crying afterwards!】

Ning Shiyue: […Who cried! Stop spreading rumors!]

Ning Shiyue: [Mom, you're watching too, right? I absolutely didn't shed a single tear that day, not one!]

...

Shortly after Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei arrived home, Xie Zhiyan also drove up.

This time I came with Zheng Xinmei.

Upon entering the house, Zheng Xinmei greeted the mother and daughter warmly and asked Xie Zhiyan to bring in the gifts he had brought.

The hot pot pot is ready at home, and the ingredients are arranged around it.

Zheng Xinmei waved with a smile: "Come on, Zhiyan, you and Xuanxuan can sit over there together."

Then he said to Ning Fei, "Fei, let's sit here."

Ning Fei smiled and said, "Okay."

My friend was like this when he was in school; he always liked to take care of things wherever he went.

Later, he only restrained himself in front of outsiders, but now that he's at his old friend's house, he's reverted to his true nature.

The four of them sat down, and Zheng Xinmei glanced at the hot pot broth.

“It’s a hot pot with two broths.” Zheng Xinmei said to Ning Fei, “I remember that among us, only Xuanxuan likes spicy food, right? The two of us prefer mild flavors. Zhiyan is like me, and I’ve never seen him eat spicy food.”

Ning Fei's brow twitched slightly.

Ning Yuxuan also turned her head to look at Xie Zhiyan: "Do you never eat spicy food at home?"

[Author's Note]

Some readers have mentioned wanting a sweet romance, and that's for sure! "Ending" refers to the main storyline (like the original female lead's complete demise in this chapter), but there will definitely be plenty of romance! I'll be writing a lot in the main story and side stories, just in case it gets too sweet and cloying for everyone~