An Ran felt secretly pleased when he posted the photos and saw netizens unfollowing Shen Xingsui and condemning her. As long as Shen Xingsui was not doing well, he would be at ease.
if……
If it weren't for Shen Xingsui, how could I have ended up in this situation today?
He was originally, or rather, a chosen one, and should have been a top star in his life, enjoying the adoration of millions!
But Shen Xingsui insisted on participating in the talent show and stealing his thunder. Whatever he wanted, Shen Xingsui would compete with him for it. Even the man he liked, Shen Xingsui wanted to steal him!
Now his family doesn't like him, and even the entertainment industry has started to ostracize him.
“When I get solid evidence, everyone will know about you and Sui Sui. His reputation is now tied to yours. Just be nicer to him and comfort him, and things will naturally work out.” An Ran sent a message to Zhang Chi: “Everyone knows about you and Sui Sui now. His reputation is already tied to yours. Just be nicer to him and comfort him, and things will naturally work out.”
At that time, Shen Xingsui and Fu Jinxiao will definitely break up.
In the end, isn't he the one who benefits the most? Zhang Chi has finally done him a good deed.
Zhang Chi quickly replied, "I hope nothing bad happens. I'm worried the Shen family might retaliate against me."
An Ran sneered after seeing Zhang Chi's reply and typed back, "You and Sui Sui got into a drunken mess. How can you blame yourself for this? Shen Xing Sui is a grown man, not some virgin waiting to be married. Does the Shen family really lack such a broad perspective? Besides, as long as you can win over Shen Xing Sui and make him like you, what can the Shen family do to you?"
Zhang Chi seemed to have finally been persuaded: "Alright then."
An Ran scoffed when she saw how clueless and easy to manipulate he was, not taking him seriously at all.
Zhang Chi also took the opportunity to reveal his arrangements: if An Ran wanted to film, they would have to go to the hot spring resort in the south of the city. This place was not chosen by him, but by Shen Xingsui, because the resort was in a relatively secluded location, making it convenient.
An Ran had never been to that villa, but she didn't dwell on it too much.
After all, it doesn't really matter where he is. His goal is to bring down Shen Xingsui, and everything else can be put aside for later.
After agreeing on a time and place with Zhang Chi, An Ran went downstairs and saw her eldest brother, second brother, and father talking in the living room upstairs. This was a common occurrence; since the family's financial situation deteriorated, they often held small meetings like this.
He could almost guess what the party would be about.
Sure enough, Jian Kuo spoke first: "You all know our family's current situation. Xiao Zhi, your career isn't doing well either. If things really don't work out, why don't you go to the company and help me and your older brother?"
Jianzhi sat on the sofa and said, "Dad, the company is fine with you and my older brother. I'm not familiar with the business, so what use would I be? As for the economic situation, don't worry, our boss will give me resources. I have connections with him."
An Ran came downstairs and said, "Yes, my brother and the boss's wife have a very good relationship."
Jianzhi nodded: "Dad, you don't need to worry about these things anymore."
"That's good." Jian Kuo looked at An Ran and said, "Ranran, the family business has been suppressed by the Shen family. Dad really hopes you can help share some of the burden..."
An Ran has always been known for her caring nature, and upon hearing her father's words, she quickly replied, "Dad, don't worry, I will definitely work hard to earn money in the future and try to help support the family."
However, his meager salary and remuneration were actually of no use whatsoever.
Jian Kuo's gaze flickered for a moment before he continued, "Ranran, actually, a long time ago, Mr. Wang from Taichuan Group expressed his appreciation for you. Our family has a business deal to discuss with them, and this deal is very important to our family. I know you are the most sensible and obedient child..."
An Ran's expression froze.
He never expected that Jian Kuo would use him as a pimp to negotiate business deals for him!
He'd met that Mr. Wang before. He was quite young, and not particularly good-looking. Although his business was indeed doing well and he had some money, he was a completely old man—how could he be worthy of him? If he agreed, wouldn't he be repeating the mistakes of his past life?!
An Ran hesitated and said, "Parents, I've been quite busy with work lately."
Jian Kuo's face immediately fell.
“But don’t worry,” An Ran immediately replied, “I swear our lives will get better soon!”
Before Jian Kuo turned angry, he made a promise: in any case, when Shen Xingsui got into trouble, the Shen family would definitely be too busy to take care of themselves, and Fu Jinxiao would no longer help him as much, so he and his second brother would be able to have better development!
Jianzhi was somewhat skeptical after hearing this, and glanced at him: "What method could you possibly have?"
An Ran was somewhat unconvinced, but he still didn't reveal his idea. After all, he was planning to create an accident, and if his brother found out first, he might be exposed later.
Therefore, An Ran snorted and said, "Brother, don't ask so many questions. Just wait for the surprise I'm going to give you!"
Jane didn't believe it, but she didn't care.
His younger brother sometimes loves to court death, but he's too lazy to care right now. As long as he doesn't do anything reckless to himself, he doesn't want to meddle in An Ran's affairs.
...
next day
The online buzz surrounding Shen Xingsui's relationship has gradually faded.
Wang Meican immediately released a statement denying the rumors, claiming that they were just collaborators that night, that she was in seclusion writing a song, and that she and Zhang Chi in the photo were colleagues with no inappropriate relationship. Some netizens believed this explanation, while others remained cautiously optimistic.
At this time, An Ran's agent also began to slowly try to clear An Ran's name, releasing some press releases to improve her image, similar to the following:
#Compared to some celebrities who become obsessed with love after becoming famous, An Ran is a breath of fresh air#
#Ranran is really hardworking and dedicated; she hasn't had a break in six months#
Some netizens who had forgotten their past scandals have now emerged from their silence to distort the truth:
"Actually, no matter what, the Jian family has also raised Shen Xingsui."
"He even broke ties with his brother, with whom he had spent many years. What an ingrate."
"An Ran is really nice."
"He's actually a good person. Didn't he correct and apologize for some of the mistakes he made before?"
"No one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes. We support Ranran!"
With the influx of online trolls, many netizens joined in to whitewash An Ran's image, creating a lot of buzz and successfully rehabilitating her persona, which also brought her a lot of attention.
Meanwhile, An Ran's live stream of visiting the store finally began.
He brought two cameramen and a host with him today, and said with a smile, "Today we're going to a hot spring hotel in a resort. This hotel is very famous for its hot spring and relaxing atmosphere. I finally managed to find this great place today, and I'm taking you all to see it..."
Previously, they had always gone to places for eating, drinking, and having fun. The crew members were quite surprised that they came here for the first time.
But the reporters still came along.
An Ran introduced herself very enthusiastically: "Let's go inside and take a look together."
The viewers in the live stream were also very happy:
"Ranran is so beautiful."
"Shen Xingsui is simply no match for him."
"Let's explore a store together with Ranran!"
As the camera zoomed in, An Ran introduced the hot spring hotel while secretly checking her phone, waiting for Zhang Chi to tip her off. She wanted to see him and Shen Xingsui in a private room so she could catch them in the act.
Zhang Chi quickly replied, "I'm in Area A, but it's a closed area because Sui Sui is very cautious, and it's a closed area. How did you get here?"
An Ran said, "Don't worry about that, I have a solution."
An Ran led the camera crew inside, smiling as she said, "Let's go into the private rooms and take a look. The private hot springs here are fantastic."
A sign on the front door reads "Do Not Disturb".
However, An Ran pretended not to see it and said, "We booked an area when we came, let's go in and take a look!"
The cameraman on the live stream tried to remind An Ran that this wasn't their reserved area and that they'd gone to the wrong place, but An Ran didn't give him a chance and strode right in. He was excited and thrilled as he went in because he couldn't wait to see Shen Xingsui and Zhang Chi's relationship broadcast live. All the viewers would then know about the two men's romance, and Shen Xingsui's previous denials would become a joke, ruining his future forever...
The camera moved forward and, sure enough, captured two people embracing and kissing on the Bund not far away. The two people were stunned when they saw the camera suddenly and aggressively enter. After abruptly separating, they looked at the newcomer in disbelief.
An Ran recited her prepared lines: "Oh dear, there are people here. Why are you hugging..."
He got stuck in his throat halfway through his sentence, nearly choking to death.
Because the people embracing each other here aren't Zhang Chi and Shen Xingsui, but Jian Zhi and his boss's lover! Not anyone's lover, but their company boss's girlfriend!
Jianzhi frantically grabbed a towel from the side and tried to stand up, shoving away the boy she had just been kissing. Somewhat embarrassed, she faced the camera and angrily asked An Ran, "What are you doing here?"
An Ran panicked too, stammering, "Brother? How could it be you?"
Jian Zhi wished he could disappear on the spot. He said angrily, "I should be asking you that too! What do you mean by bringing this group of people here? What are you trying to do?!"
An Ran was startled by the man's aggressive tone and quickly said, "It was an accident, brother, let me explain..."
"An accident?" Jian Zhi felt like he had heard the biggest joke of his life. His usually handsome face in front of the media and fans twisted into a grimace: "This place is so secluded, and our outer door is closed. You're telling me it was an accident? Do you think I'm an idiot, Jian Anran!"
An Ran had no way to express her suffering.
How was he supposed to explain that he wasn't there to arrest Jian Zhi, but rather to arrest Shen Xingsui and Zhang Chi?
Yes, why not Shen Xingsui?
An Ran was flustered and confused, her mind a complete mess.
The host quickly said to the cameraman, "I'm sorry, everyone, there's been a little unexpected situation..."
Jane looked at the camera in disbelief and said, "This isn't a recording, it's a live stream?"
An Ran finally realized what had happened. To be honest, he was completely panicked. The thought that what had just happened might have been broadcast live, and that his boss might even see it, left him dumbfounded.
The viewers in the live stream filled the chat with question marks:
"?"
"?"
"What's going on?"
Why is Jane kissing a man?
"There's a gay guy right next to me!"
"That's not the point. The point is that when Jianzhi took the photos of Sui Sui before, he made some sarcastic remarks. Now he's the one who's gay?"
An Ran stammered, "It's a live stream, but brother, I didn't expect it to be you here..."
Jane was too lazy to care anymore. In order to maintain her public image and save face with her boss, she quickly explained to the camera, "I'm about to start filming a movie. This is my good friend. We were just rehearsing a scene, just a trial run. I know it's not a good idea, but my friend is very enthusiastic, so it had to be like that..."
The boy who was having an affair with Jane was dumbfounded.
He looked at Jianzhi's eagerness to distance himself from the situation and felt a strange sense of irony.
They had been secretly together for almost seven or eight years. At first, he and Jianzhi were a normal couple. Later, in order to have better resources and a better platform, Jianzhi, after discovering that the boss liked him, plotted to make him have a relationship with the boss. He felt that he was dirty and unworthy of Jianzhi, and had no choice but to be with the boss. Even so, he still spoke up for Jianzhi to the boss and asked for resources for him.
But what about now?
Once something goes wrong, Jianzhi wants to get rid of him like a piece of leech.
Jane continued, "So please don't misunderstand, our relationship is completely innocent..."
"Splash!"
A glass of wine on the table was splashed onto Jane's face without hesitation.
The boy held an empty cup in his hand, his gaze filled with indifference and hatred, as if he could see right through the person. He simply said to the camera, "He's the one who asked me out."
Simplified treatment choked me.
I never expected that someone who has always liked and been obsessed with me would bite me over something like this.
Jane blurted out, "Are you crazy?"
With a flick of his wrist, the empty cup shattered on the stone floor with a crisp cracking sound, scattering glass everywhere. Since everyone in the hot spring was barefoot, Jian Zhi instinctively took a step back. The boy, however, seemed oblivious to the pain of the broken glass, merely giving Jian Zhi a cold, dismissive smile: "Scumbag."
After saying that, the boy turned and left.
An Ran standing next to her was stunned, the host was stunned, the cameraman was stunned, and the viewers in the live stream were stunned:
"What's going on?"
"It's a scene from the hammer site, guys."
"Are these food review shows always this exciting?"
"Holy crap..."
Seeing Jian Zhi standing there dumbfounded, An Ran asked softly, "Brother, are you alright?"
Jane stood there, staring blankly at the shards of glass. The broken glass seemed to be the boy breaking himself in front of him, or perhaps it was a final farewell to their years of relationship. In the end, he wasn't afraid of being found out by his boss; he actually said it on the screen, acting so decisively.
Over the years, many people have liked Jane, but this boy is the one who has been most open and honest with him.
It can be used, or it can be fished.
Jianzhi thought he wouldn't feel anything, but he didn't expect that things would escalate to this point today, and he still felt very upset.
“Today must have been an accident…” Seeing Jian Zhi’s expression, An Ran guessed that she had gotten into trouble and quickly said, “Actually, I didn’t come here on purpose to find your brother. The person I’m looking for isn’t you. I’m looking for Zhang Chi. If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you the chat history. I’ll call him!”
An Ran checked her chat history again and discovered that she had been deleted!
He was furious and called Zhang Chi, but heard Zhang Chi's puzzled voice on the other end of the line: "An Ran, what's wrong?"
An Ran said angrily, "Zhang Chi, are you out of your mind? You gave me a fake address. How come my brother is here? Where are you? Explain yourself!"
“We are indeed at a hot spring,” Zhang Chi asked. “Where are you?”
An Ran quickly replied, "Area A."
Zhang Chi responded, "I just heard it was quite lively over there. Wait a minute, we'll head over now."
An Ran felt a surge of emotion when she heard that they were coming.
After all, this would prove his innocence and show that he wasn't there to cause trouble for Jianzhi.
When Zhang Chi and Shen Xingsui appeared at the door, An Ran was still dreaming of dragging them both into the hot springs: "Did you two come to soak in the hot springs together? What a coincidence, coming to soak in such a private thing together..."
He had only spoken halfway when someone else appeared behind him.
Fu Jinxiao leaned against the door. The man stood next to Shen Xingsui, watching An Ran talk incessantly with a half-smile. As he watched the smile gradually disappear from his face, it was as if he were watching some kind of clown.
Then, Shen Xingchen appeared.
Shen Xingchen waved and said, "Hey, An Ran, long time no see! We're going to the hot springs together."
An Ran's attempt to smear him completely failed him. He even felt unsteady on his feet. The live stream camera seemed like a joke on him. When he turned around and saw Jian Zhi's sinister gaze, he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. He said, "Zhang Chi, you schemed against me?!"
Zhang Chi, who was standing behind Fu Jinxiao, popped his head out and said, "How did I lie to you?"
"Don't you know how you lied to me?"
"And what about you?" Zhang Chi couldn't hold back any longer. He was still terrified when he thought about it: "Didn't you scheme against me first? You instigated me to target Sui Sui and encouraged me to drug her. If I hadn't been able to tell right from wrong, I would have almost been tricked by you. Do you know that you almost killed me?!"
An Ran's face turned pale. He couldn't believe Zhang Chi would dare to say such a thing, especially since it was a live broadcast.
Are all these people crazy?
An Ran took a step back: "What did you say? I, I didn't teach you. You're the one who did all the dirty work, and now you're blaming me for it."
Zhang Chi sneered: "Teacher Fu asked me to save the phone calls and notes you made later. Are you still not admitting it? Or should I play them for you to hear right now?"
An Ran looked at Fu Jinxiao not far away in shock and disbelief.
The man he admired and had always loved was now looking at him with icy eyes—or rather, as if he were looking at some kind of termite.
An Ran murmured, "Teacher Fu..."
Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow, his face cold, and slowly said, "An Ran, it's not that I didn't give you a chance at the foot of the tower in Peach Blossom Town."
An Ran recalled Fu Jinxiao's warning to her back then. Had he already noticed it back then?
"It's your own fault for not cherishing the opportunity." Fu Jinxiao's smile was faint, yet it seemed to be wrapped in a layer of hostility: "You can't blame me for this."
An Ran staggered a little.
The host, who was listening from the back and was completely confused, leaned over and said, "Ranran, what's going on? What are you talking about? What about drugging? Are you letting Zhang Chi harm Sui Sui?"
An Ran felt as if her sore spot had been hit when asked that question.
Of course he knew it was a live stream, and he had even hosted it himself. He originally wanted to use this live stream to bring down Shen Xingsui, but he never expected that he would be the one who suffered the most. No, no, he absolutely cannot be finished.
In this critical moment, An Ran's inherent selfishness resurfaced. Since Jian Zhi was definitely doomed from his affair anyway, she might as well protect herself: "It wasn't me who made it, it was my second brother, he made it!"
Jianzhi looked up at Anran in disbelief.
An Ran quickly said, "It was all his idea that day. Because he was exposed for stealing Sui Sui's manuscript, he has always hated Sui Sui, so he came up with this idea. He used me... *slap*!"
A crisp slap landed on An Ran's face.
An Ran glanced at her second brother in shock, only to see Jian Zhi's face filled with anger. His eyes, which no longer held the doting affection of the past, were now full of resentment: "What nonsense are you spouting?"
An Ran was stunned.
"If you weren't jealous of Shen Xingsui, jealous that he's more favored by Fu Jinxiao than you, would I have used you?" Jian Zhi wasn't afraid to tear off the mask now: "You're petty, do you think I don't know you've been openly and secretly jealous and malicious? I used to think you were smarter and more sensible than Shen Xingsui, but now it seems he's a thousand times, a hundred times better than you!"
The viewers in the live stream went wild:
"What?"
What did I hear?
"An Ran, do you like Teacher Fu?"
"Wait, there's a lot of information here..."
"Does Teacher Fu like Sui Sui more? Are they a couple? Class representative, come quick!"
An Ran's biggest pain in life was being told that he was not as good as Shen Xing Sui. Jian Zhi completely grasped his sensitive spot and poked at it hard, making him lose face completely.
An Ran said sternly, "What kind of good person are you? Now you know he's good, but weren't you the ones who kicked him out of the house? You started to despise him, neglect him, and force him to leave as soon as you found out Shen Xingsui wasn't your biological son. You know I'm jealous of him openly and secretly, so you know Shen Xingsui is innocent, but you still cooperated with me in this charade, didn't you? Does this stop you from kicking him out? No, it doesn't!"
An Ran's sharp voice was like a needle, piercing deep into everyone's heart.
The selfishness that Jian Zhi had been hiding in his heart was exposed. He slowly and somewhat guiltily turned his head to look at Shen Xingsui not far away, his eyes filled with remorse and reluctance. He was suddenly afraid that Shen Xingsui would find out about this, because it might make him very sad.
Shen Xingsui was indeed looking at him.
The man standing on the shore had dark, deep eyes. His watery eyes were fixed on Jianzhi, and beneath the calm surface, it seemed that there were too many unspoken things hidden.
Jianzhi spoke softly, "Sui Sui... there are actually some misunderstandings..."
Shen Xingsui finally turned her gaze away from him.
The little boy who used to follow him around calling "Brother, Brother" seemed to have finally disappeared completely, and Shen Xingsui's eyes were filled with nothing but unfamiliarity and disgust for Jian Zhi.
Jane felt a tearing pain in her heart. She stepped over the shards of glass on the ground and said, "Sui Sui, Sui Sui, listen to your brother. There are really a lot of misunderstandings involved. That idea wasn't mine..."
Seeing Jian Zhi leave, An Ran realized that this was her last chance; otherwise, she would suffer a terrible fate. So she quickly went over and said, "Sui Sui, Sui Sui, there were a lot of misunderstandings between us just now. I know I was wrong, I'm sorry, I was really wrong. I won't argue with you anymore. I wish you both happiness if you like Fu Jin Xiao. I will never stop you from pursuing Teacher Fu again. I absolutely support you, really..."
“Actually, I’ve always been on your side. I secretly returned some of those albums you collected.” An Ran said quickly, “Please forgive me. I really know I was wrong. I didn’t really do anything wrong. This whole Zhang Chi thing wasn’t my idea. Believe me, it was all Jian Zhi’s idea…”
An Ran and Jian Zhi are now eager to distance themselves from each other, and their once loving brotherhood has vanished.
Just then, Fu Jinxiao spoke slowly and deliberately: "Excuse me for interrupting."
Everyone's eyes immediately turned to him.
"Let me clarify, he didn't harass me." Fu Jinxiao's voice was calm and unhurried. Facing the camera, he was also poised and generous, and said with a smile, "I was the one who pursued him."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
