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"This is my first marriage!"
Haicheng.
After finishing filming today, the cast and crew of "The Tide" went to a nearby restaurant for a meal.
The film set was far from the city center and not very bustling, so the dinner was held at an unknown little restaurant.
The private room was small, barely enough to seat a dozen or so people.
Ning Shiyue finished making a phone call in the corridor and ran into Director Zhang Tai, who was returning from the restroom.
Zhang Tai leaned closer: "Xiao Ning, talking on the phone with your girlfriend?"
Ning Shiyue was taken aback, then denied it: "No, Director Zhang, didn't I tell you that I really don't have a girlfriend..."
Zhang Tai laughed heartily: "Hahaha, I know, just kidding, Xiao Ning. Was that my sister's call? I heard you calling her name from far away, Ning Yuxuan, right? She's a celebrity now, even I remember her name."
Ning Shiyue nodded somewhat awkwardly: "Yes."
Zhang Tai stroked his chin and said with a smile, "I've heard people say before that you have a very good relationship with your family. You're usually quiet, but when it comes to family matters, you suddenly become a different person. I was skeptical at first, but now it seems to be true."
Ning Shiyue's ears burned slightly: "Director, I..."
Ning Shiyue felt quite guilty because his Weibo post had caused a huge uproar, and the entire crew had increased security measures just in case.
Zhang Tai waved his hand: "Hey! No need to explain, I understand. Valuing relationships and family is a good thing, especially in our circle!"
Today's filming went smoothly. The acting of the main actors, including Ning Shiyue, was up to par, and they performed well in several key scenes.
Zhang Tai drank a little more wine and was in a very good mood.
He continued, "Xiao Ning, if your sister ever comes to visit the set, you should talk to her about it. I'd like her to have a cameo role."
Ning Shiyue paused slightly, then helped Ning Yuxuan refuse: "It might be a bit inappropriate. She... hasn't received professional training, and her acting skills aren't very good."
Zhang Tai laughed heartily and patted Ning Shiyue on the back: "Don't worry, don't worry, it's just a small cameo role. No acting skills are needed, just a good appearance is enough! Besides, I was just mentioning it to you, we can talk about it another time! Come on, let's not talk here anymore, let's go back to the private room first."
Ning Shiyue: "...Yes."
Zhang Tai suggested having Ning Yuxuan make a cameo appearance because he was drawn to her popularity.
Not only has Ning Yuxuan been trending on social media these days, but if she were to actually make a cameo appearance in the drama, the "sibling collaboration" could be promoted when the series airs, generating buzz.
Zhang Tai prides himself on not being one of those old-fashioned directors. He knows that in this day and age, it's not enough to just make a good film; even the best wine needs advertising.
However, these were all icing on the cake. Zhang Tai only mentioned them to Ning Shiyue when he remembered them, and did not intend to force it.
The two returned to their private room, where the other main members of the crew greeted the director and Ning Shiyue and asked them to return to their seats.
Someone said to Ning Shiyue, "Shiyue, did you see that? In the short time you went out to make a phone call, you're trending again."
Upon hearing this, Ning Shiyue didn't reply, but his nerves instantly tensed up.
He was filming in this desolate place, and apart from his colleagues, he couldn't see anyone else. The only reason he could trend on social media was because of the Weibo post he made the day before yesterday.
His agent had previously told him that he didn't need to worry about Cheng Xiyang's situation, as the company had obtained evidence and would handle it for him, allowing him to focus on filming.
Has something gone wrong again?
Seeing Ning Shiyue's tense expression, the person who spoke quickly said, "Shiyue, don't misunderstand! It's good news, look at the trending topics yourself!"
Zhang Tai chuckled and said, "Oh? What's trending? I'll join in the fun."
Ning Shiyue opened Weibo.
Since Cheng Tingting's video came out yesterday afternoon, there have been no shortage of topics related to this incident on the trending search list.
Initially, public opinion was largely critical of Cheng Xiyang.
But after that, Cheng Xiyang's studio issued a statement and a lawyer's letter, and with the efforts of fans, the balance of public opinion shifted slightly back.
After that, Cheng Tingting did not respond again for more than 24 hours.
Netizens are extremely anxious.
What happened? Why did Cheng Tingting only post one video and then disappear? Could she have been bribed?
Is it because they've received the money that they've stopped releasing information? A whole day has passed and there's still no news.
Let's wait and see. If Cheng Tingting doesn't have any more concrete evidence by tomorrow, I'll side with Cheng Xiyang.
[I have a feeling she might have been murdered? Can Cheng Tingting come out and let everyone know she's safe?]
Cheng Xiyang's fans breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the situation might gradually improve.
Under each trending topic, there are countless comments from fans trying to guide casual observers.
[Once the studio sent a lawyer's letter, that so-called "sister" disappeared without a trace. Those who know, know!]
[Cheng Xiyang's studio presented legally binding documents, while that woman only had empty words. It's obvious who's in the right, isn't it?]
I'd suspected there was something wrong with Cheng Tingting for a while, and I was right.
Support Cheng Xiyang; it takes only a mouth to spread rumors, but it takes a lot of legwork to refute them.
However, just when the hype and discussion surrounding the matter reached their peak and began to decline, Cheng Tingting suddenly reappeared.
At 4 PM today, Cheng Tingting posted another Weibo post.
This time, it wasn't her who appeared, but a series of treatment records.
Cheng Tingting posted a list on Weibo of all the hospital receipts since the car accident, detailing every treatment cost and diagnosis record, totaling more than a dozen pictures.
The last record clearly states: The family voluntarily gave up treatment.
In her Weibo post, Cheng Tingting explained: Originally, these records were all in Liu Yufang's possession, and she was unable to release them immediately. However, with the help of kind-hearted people, the hospital retrieved all of these electronic records again, and now they can be shown to netizens.
This Weibo post tipped the scales again, and various netizens claiming to "know the inside story" emerged.
[I knew it!! Cheng Tingting was just waiting for the right moment to produce evidence and destroy Cheng Xiyang! She's already brought her ID to report him, how could she not have evidence!]
[I used to just laugh and say nothing when I saw Cheng's fans trying to defend her, but it turns out that lawyer's letters in the entertainment industry are just worthless pieces of paper. They proved me wrong so quickly.]
I had a friend in the medical system look at these records, and he couldn't find any flaws, so they shouldn't be fake.
[I have a friend who works at this hospital! I messaged him, and he asked his colleagues, who confirmed that they had indeed treated such a patient!]
Cheng Xiyang's fans will certainly not give up defending themselves, but no matter how many fans a top star has, they can't compare to the vast number of casual observers.
Even though fans kept questioning the authenticity of these treatment records, they were unable to gain the upper hand in public opinion.
.
Jincheng.
Lin Yuanfeng rushed back from his business trip and arrived at the "shelter" his subordinates had prepared for Cheng Tingting—a high-end apartment with tight security.
The apartment is staffed with caregivers and assistants to respond to Cheng Tingting's requests at any time.
Inside the room, a slender girl was sitting in a chair.
"Young lady," Lin Yuanfeng looked at the girl and asked, "According to the plan, we're going to release the recording tonight. Then you won't have a chance to back out. Are you really sure?"
Cheng Tingting nodded without hesitation.
She has carefully preserved those recordings until now, waiting for this day, so why would she want to go back on her word?
Seeing Cheng Tingting like this, even Lin Yuanfeng, who had been in the business world for many years, felt a pang of pity.
This girl is only one year younger than his daughter, yet she has already experienced such great ups and downs in her life, and her eyes are completely different from those of an ordinary girl in her twenties.
Lin Yuanfeng suppressed his emotions and continued to personally confirm with Cheng Tingting: "We will send you abroad for treatment next week. Someone will help you settle down there. But after all, you will be far away from your family and going overseas alone, so you need to be mentally prepared."
During the day, the doctor had already given Cheng Tingting a comprehensive examination. The sequelae in her shoulder and arm were very serious, and a full recovery would be difficult, but it could be improved through surgery.
If the surgery goes smoothly, Cheng Tingting's right arm will still not be able to move completely freely like an ordinary person's, but it will not affect her normal life and she will no longer experience frequent and unbearable pain.
There are few doctors worldwide who can perform this surgery, and in China, only one doctor in Beicheng has successfully performed the surgery on a patient with a similar case.
However, the doctor's surgery was scheduled for three months later, and since the treatment was being conducted domestically, he was bound to be disturbed by the media and even Cheng Tingting's family.
After careful consideration, in order to allow Cheng Tingting to receive treatment with peace of mind, Lin Yuanfeng still suggested sending her abroad for surgery.
Cheng Tingting nodded again, her voice firm: "I'm ready, and I won't regret it."
Lin Yuanfeng was surprised to see that the girl nodded twice without any hesitation.
He never expected that this 26-year-old girl would have such courage.
When he sent someone to pick up Cheng Tingting and bring her to Jincheng, he thought the girl would think about it for a long time before going with him, but Cheng Tingting agreed in less than ten minutes.
The girl's reasoning was: "Rather than living in the shadows my whole life, I might as well take a gamble; things can't get any worse anyway."
After hearing about it, Lin Yuanfeng felt that this girl was extraordinary.
Seeing that Cheng Tingting agreed, Lin Yuanfeng nodded slightly: "Okay, then you can rest and recover. We will help you handle the public opinion issues. You just need to cooperate with us."
"I understand, thank you, Chairman Lin," Cheng Tingting said. "May I... ask you a question?"
"What's the problem?"
Why are you willing to treat me?
Lin Yuanfeng smiled and said, "Because I am a father."
...
After the treatment records were exposed, they quickly topped the trending searches.
A large number of netizens flooded Cheng Xiyang's Weibo.
【Cheng Xiyang, you're inhuman! Are you just going to watch your sister sacrifice her health for your fame? Don't you feel any remorse wearing clothes bought with her compensation money?】
[Give me back my money! Give me back my money! Return the compensation to your sister!]
[Retire from the entertainment industry! Regardless of whether the law will punish you, I just hope I'll never see your face again!]
The fans are still struggling.
The treatment plan only stated that the family was giving up treatment, without specifying the reason! Nobody knows the details; perhaps the treatment costs were simply too high, and they couldn't afford it even after using up all the compensation money!
[Netizens, stop making sarcastic remarks. Maybe Cheng Xiyang doesn't even know about this; it was all his mother's doing!]
[If you want to criticize someone, you should criticize Cheng Xiyang's mother! Cheng Xiyang is also a victim; he didn't want this to happen!]
But netizens didn't buy it at all.
[Liu Yufang is despicable, but Cheng Xiyang is even more despicable! He silently enjoys the benefits without having to be the villain!]
[It would be a miracle if Cheng Xiyang didn't know! After his sister's car accident, the family suddenly had money to buy clothes and pay copyright fees. He has no idea what kind of money it came from.]
[Fans, stop trying to defend them! Cheng Xiyang and his mother are both scum; not one of them is innocent!]
...
As Cheng Xiyang's Weibo account was flooded with criticism, Cheng Xiyang himself dared not come out to make any response.
In a room in Beicheng, Cheng Xiyang, several people from his company, and his mother gathered together, each with an extremely solemn expression.
Liu Yufang was devastated: was her son, whom she had raised with great difficulty and who was capable of making a lot of money, going to be ruined by her good-for-nothing daughter?
After an unknown period of silence, a senior executive of the company spoke up: "Cheng Xiyang, if things continue like this, we really have no choice but to give up on you."
Cheng Xiyang's expression changed.
Liu Yufang stood up agitatedly and exclaimed, "No, you can't do this! My son... you know how much money he's made for you these past two years! You can't just abandon him after you've served your purpose!"
The company executive slammed his hand on the table: "Ms. Liu, please get this straight! It's not that we're abandoning you after you've served your purpose, it's that you and your son haven't handled your family matters well, and now it's further damaging our company's image!"
Liu Yufang was intimidated by the other party's imposing manner and stammered, not daring to reply.
She is a bully who preys on the weak and fears the strong. The tougher the other party's attitude, the less she dares to confront them directly.
After a moment, Liu Yufang sat down dejectedly and stammered, "But...but didn't you already know about this? It was your people who suggested using Tingting's compensation money to pay for costumes and copyright fees..."
The company executive glanced at Liu Yufang impatiently: "So what if it was our suggestion? You and Cheng Xiyang assured me that this matter would not go wrong. But look at us now! Cheng Tingting has come out on her own and released evidence! And you, you can't even get in touch with her!"
Liu Yufang's face turned ashen: "I..."
Cheng Xiyang didn't say a word, but his expression wasn't much better than his mother's.
He knew very well that his acting career was now almost completely ruined and there was virtually no chance of a comeback.
Compared to Liu Yufang's panic, Cheng Xiyang had fallen into despair.
Suddenly, Liu Yufang's phone rang.
Liu Yufang looked down instinctively, and then jumped up again.
"It's Tingting! My daughter!" Liu Yufang exclaimed. "She finally contacted me! She must have come to her senses and decided to reconcile with us!"
...
Two hours after the treatment records were released, Cheng Tingting posted another new Weibo post, this time containing three audio recordings.
These recordings completely shattered the fans' hopes that Cheng Xiyang would sever ties with his mother.
The first recording timeline is from before Cheng Xiyang debuted.
One of the female voices came from Liu Yufang: "Tingting, Mom knows you have resentment in your heart, and Mom is sorry for you. Mom promises you that your younger brother is good-looking, and he will definitely become famous as soon as he debuts. Then Mom will pay you back all this money."
The other voice was Cheng Tingting's: "What's the use of giving me back the money then? The doctor said that if I don't get treatment in time, my arm may never be able to move like a normal person again!"
"It's not that serious! Doctors these days like to exaggerate things to charge more money! Listen to your mother, I'll treat your illness after Xiyang makes a lot of money!"
...
The second recording begins with Cheng Xiyang's voice.
"Cheng Tingting, didn't Mom already transfer your living expenses to you? I've told you many times that I'm very busy. Do you think the entertainment industry is as easy as the jobs you've done before?"
"My job? Thanks to you and Mom, no one wants to hire me now, even if I wanted to!"
"What's the point of arguing with me about this? Things are already like this, and besides, aren't I just making money to support you?"
"Earn money to support me? Cheng Xiyang, how dare you say that? Do you give me even one-thousandth of what you earn each month... no, one-ten-thousandth?"
"Isn't 1,500 yuan enough for you to live on? I earn more because I'm capable, what does it have to do with you? If you're so capable, why don't you debut as a celebrity yourself?"
...
The last recording was clearly made today; in the phone call, Liu Yufang was begging her daughter to cooperate in clearing her son's name.
At first, Liu Yufang wanted to transfer the call to someone in Cheng Xiyang's company, but Cheng Tingting insisted that she would refuse to communicate unless Liu Yufang answered the phone herself.
Next, you can hear someone constantly reminding Liu Yufang to be careful with her words to avoid being recorded and having something used against her.
However, in the few words Liu Yufang blurted out, one could still hear that she did not really feel guilty towards her daughter. She just felt that her own son's future was about to be ruined by her daughter, so she lowered herself to try to coax her daughter back.
The more people listened to the recordings, the angrier they became.
[What the hell is this?! Can't Liu Yufang just die? At a time like this, she's only thinking about her son and doesn't care at all about her daughter's life or death!]
[They even tried to trick Cheng Tingting into meeting them! Luckily, Cheng Tingting refused, otherwise she probably would have been held captive and threatened!]
[This mother and son are so despicable, I'm so angry I'm developing breast nodules!]
[I not only want Cheng Xiyang to leave the entertainment industry, I also hope he and his mother are sued and sent to jail to work on sewing machines!]
While everyone was condemning Cheng Xiyang, some people thought of Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue.
Ultimately, it was because Ning Yuxuan and Liu Yufang had a dispute that went viral on social media. Cheng Xiyang's fans attacked Ning Yuxuan and her family, which led Ning Shiyue to retaliate on Weibo, ultimately exposing Cheng Xiyang and Liu Yufang's misdeeds.
Several related topics subsequently became trending topics:
#Ning Shiyue speaks out for justice#
#Ning Yuxuan saw through Liu Yufang long ago#
#Ning siblings rid the people of a scourge#
[Holy crap, now I understand what Ning Shiyue meant by "debuting by sucking the blood of one's relatives"—it's no exaggeration at all! Cheng Xiyang and his mother are two vampires!]
[It's more than just sucking blood! I think they want to devour Cheng Tingting completely, tear her apart and eat her whole! It's so tragic to have family like that...]
[Thanks to Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue for ridding the people of this scourge! I initially thought it was just a feud between top celebrities, but it turned out to be a major social news story.]
[Ning Shiyue is awesome! Just for his willingness to stand up and expose Cheng Xiyang, I've become a fan!]
I love Ning Yuxuan so much! She looked absolutely stunning when she confronted Liu Yufang!
...
Inside the hotel's private room, Ning Shiyue and the director both read through all the trending topics.
When Ning Shiyue saw Cheng Xiyang's sister release the recording, his expression didn't seem to be one of satisfaction, but rather one of heaviness.
Thinking about all the suffering Cheng Tingting has endured over the years, Ning Shiyue felt terrible.
Although he knew in his heart that he was powerless without evidence at the time, he still felt sad that he could not let the public see this matter sooner.
It wasn't until he saw netizens praising Ning Yuxuan in various ways that Ning Shiyue's lips finally curved into a tiny smile.
Director Zhang Tai, after seeing the trending topics, repeatedly exclaimed, "I really didn't expect something like this to happen..."
The producer next to him sighed, "Yeah, Cheng Xiyang looks like a pretty good-looking boy, but I never expected him to be so terrifying! Luckily, we didn't choose him!"
Zhang Tai nodded and looked at Ning Shiyue: "Little Ning, you don't know this, do you? Before you came to audition, we were originally considering letting Cheng Xiyang play the male lead. But you were more suitable than him, and your acting skills were better, so we chose you!"
Ning Shiyue was surprised: "I...I don't know."
Zhang Tai laughed and said, "You could say you're our lucky star! Without you, this whole project would probably have fallen through! Come on, Xiao Ning, let me toast you on behalf of everyone!"
.
On the other side, Xie Zhiyan was saying goodbye to Ning Fei.
"Auntie, I'll visit you again when I have the chance."
Ning Fei smiled kindly: "Okay, but if you're busy with work, you don't need to come here often. When you have free time, you can go out and have fun with Xuanxuan more often."
After exchanging a few polite words, Ning Fei had her daughter see Xie Zhiyan out.
On the way to the garage, Ning Yuxuan, unlike her usual self, remained silent for a long time.
Xie Zhiyan broke the silence: "What are you thinking about?"
Ning Yuxuan stopped, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.
Xie Zhiyan's brow twitched slightly: "Nervous?"
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
She bit her lip: "A little."
Ning Yuxuan herself didn't know what was going on. She had been inexplicably persuaded by Xie Zhiyan at home and had inexplicably agreed to meet Aunt Zheng this week.
It's true that she and Aunt Zheng were very familiar with each other before, and it's also true that they haven't seen each other for a long time.
The fact that she was visiting Xie Zhiyan's girlfriend after several years made Ning Yuxuan feel uneasy.
A smile appeared in Xie Zhiyan's eyes: "It's rare to hear you admit it so readily."
Upon hearing this, Ning Yuxuan turned to look at the instigator and said aggressively, "What's wrong with being nervous? This is my first time getting married and my first time meeting my parents. It's only natural to be nervous!"
Xie Zhiyan replied calmly, "This is also my first time getting married."
Ning Yuxuan gave the man a dissatisfied look: "Of course I know that."
Xie Zhiyan added calmly, "This is also the first time I've brought a girl home to meet my mother."
Ning Yuxuan pouted: "You're not saying that's not true either. This is also the first time I've introduced my boyfriend to my mother."
She had considered introducing Gu Yunhao to her family before. Back then, she was incredibly persistent. The less her family supported her, the more she wanted to bring Gu Yunhao home, trying every possible way to get Ning Fei and Ning Shiyue to approve of the man she had chosen.
But Gu Yunhao wouldn't even give her the status of a proper girlfriend, let alone agree to go home with her.
Ning Yuxuan is actually relieved that Gu Yunhao didn't agree, so that Ning Fei and Ning Shiyue wouldn't be disgusted by Gu Yunhao in person.
Moreover, if Gu Yunhao were to actually come to Ning Shiyue's house, the two might actually start fighting on the spot...
Xie Zhiyan's deep voice pulled Ning Yuxuan back to reality: "Is that so?"
Ning Yuxuan replied without hesitation, "Yes, why would I lie to you? I only took you home."
The man fell silent.
The air was silent for two seconds before Ning Yuxuan suddenly realized what was happening.
She looked up at Xie Zhiyan and glared at him: "You tricked me into telling me!"
Xie Zhiyan looked at her without answering.
Ning Yuxuan stared wide-eyed at the man opposite her, and in the dim light of the streetlamp, she finally caught a glimpse of the barely perceptible smile on his lips.
"Xie Zhiyan!" Ning Yuxuan said with even greater certainty, "You're deliberately trying to trick me. You want to know if I've ever brought Gu—"
Before she could finish saying the last two words, her lips suddenly felt hot.
The man's warm fingertips touched her lips, pressing them very lightly.
Ning Yuxuan was caught off guard and her body trembled slightly.
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