Chapter 126 – Public Identity
One day in March, a bombshell piece of news dropped onto the Weibo Hot Search, a tearful letter from Film Emperor Zhong Jingyi:
First of all, I’m very sorry to have to explain this matter to everyone in this way. Last year, I temporarily stepped back from the entertainment circle to manage the company. During this time, I worked diligently to run the company. Although I didn’t achieve anything great, I can say that I did right by the business my brother left behind. But just recently, Zhong’s Chips declared bankruptcy. At first, I thought it was due to my own mismanagement, but I never expected that it was all because Zhuoshi Company intentionally seized our market resources. It wasn’t until yesterday that I learned that Zhuoshi is my brother Yan Shengping’s company. I don’t know why he had to be so ruthless. I had already forgiven him for hurting me before, but it turns out he established a new company to secretly plot against our entire family. I’m completely unable to process this outcome right now. If my brother just can’t stand me, then he should have targeted me alone. Now that the company is bankrupt, my father has been hospitalized with high blood pressure, and my mother has developed mild depression. I don’t want anything else right now, I just want my brother to give me an explanation!
This matter was like a meteor crashing into a river, creating a massive wave. Fans flocked to condemn Yan Shengping, even going to Zhuoshi’s official Weibo account to spew filth.
But Zhuoshi didn’t indulge these people. They sent a lawyer’s letter directly to Zhong Jingyi, demanding legal action. However, this did not deter those fans and onlookers. You’re suing the celebrity, what does that have to do with us? Venting our anger is what’s most important.
[Hehehe, these days, anyone can send a lawyer’s letter. Does Yan Shengping even need to be defended? He stabbed our baby Yi back then, and today he directly bankrupted his company. People’s hearts are truly fearsome!]
[Resolutely boycott Zhuoshi’s chips. I will boycott any product from any company that uses them!]
[Nothing more to say. Baby Yi was just too soft-hearted back then. He should have called the police when he was stabbed and given him a criminal record! Giving him a villa to live in was too good for him! An ungrateful wolf cub!]
[Anyone who hangs out with Lin Ganzhi is no good. They should both just go die!]
[True, Lin Ganzhi is no good either. I couldn’t stand him acting all high and mighty on the show!]
[By the way, where is Luan Yuanzhou? His own wife has suffered such a huge injustice, and he hasn’t even made a peep. As expected, whoever has money is the boss. Such a bootlicker!]
[I support baby Yi. I’m going to go photoshop a funeral portrait for that Yan Shengping right now. He should just die!]
The netizens spoke with a sense of irresponsibility, saying whatever came to mind. In just ten minutes, the comments on Zhong Jingyi’s Weibo post exceeded one hundred thousand.
[By the way, do you guys only look at Zhong Jingyi’s posts when you’re on Weibo? Are you sure you don’t want to check the trending list again and see what kind of nonsense you’re spouting?]
The onlookers exited the comment section and clicked on the trending list. The number one topic was: The long-lost young master of Wenren Enterprises has finally been found after 21 years, and it’s the current chairman of Zhuoshi, Yan Shengping!
!!!
What kind of power-fantasy script was this?
Anyone with a bit of common sense had heard of the Wenren Group. Its business interests were vast, even having a place in the top business circles of the United States. It was on a completely different scale from the current Zhong’s. Crucially, the Wenren Group was also a patriotic enterprise. Although its business scope was mainly abroad in previous years, it had never changed its nationality for that reason. Its charitable work in recent years was also mainly conducted in the country. It had built over a thousand schools and donated teaching buildings to various universities. A few years ago, it was even selected as one of the top ten patriotic figures.
Who, in their youth, hadn’t dreamed of being the long-lost young master of the Wenren family!
Then, someone dug up Yan Shengping’s past honors. He had grown up as the very model of a “perfect child.” Although there were no recent photos, someone posted a picture of Yan Shengping playing the violin in high school. Countless netizens were struck speechless by Yan Shengping’s slightly youthful, divine looks. He was so incredibly handsome, and had been a top student since childhood. In his sophomore year, while others were still blinking with clear, foolish eyes, he had already started his own business using the knowledge he had learned!
During their senior year internships, some of his classmates even went to the company Yan Shengping had founded. They were interns while Yan Shengping was the boss. And while building his business, he also managed to earn two bachelor’s degrees. A real-life big shot!
[My god, what was the Zhong family thinking, just casting aside such an outstanding adopted son?]
[Are there any more pictures of the big shot? One isn’t enough! He’s too gorgeous! Zhong Jingyi is just trash in comparison!]
[He’s the lost young master of the Wenren family! As a humble worker at the Wenren Group, congratulations to the boss on finding his younger brother! Our boss is super nice, good people get good rewards! And his brother is so handsome!]
[Am I the only one who thinks Lin Ganzhi is the one who won the lottery? Marrying Yan Shengping during his downfall, and now reaping endless wealth and status!]
[But you’d have to be like Ganzhi and support him without any complaints! A normal person would have left long ago. Not like Ganzhi, who was always saying good things about CEO Yan on the show and always stood by his side!]
[Nonsense, are you guys just used to licking the boots of rich people? He stabbed his own brother, and he’s in the right? I don’t care whose son he is, first of all, he doesn’t know how to be a decent human being!]
[Exactly, just because he’s a child of the Wenren family, you all immediately change your tune. Disgusting! So what if he’s from the Wenren family? Is it glorious for a son to stab his adoptive father’s child out of jealousy?]
[But seriously, I really don’t get it. Why would Yan Shengping stab that good-for-nothing Zhong Jingyi for no reason? It doesn’t benefit him at all, does it?]
When one clear-headed person asked this, many others, aside from the crazed fans, echoed the sentiment. That’s right, his career had already surpassed his adoptive father’s. Why would he bother with a good-for-nothing like Zhong Jingyi?
At this moment, fans who were on the opposite side of Zhong Jingyi from “Survive!” swarmed in to talk about what happened on the variety show. They hadn’t witnessed Yan Shengping’s character, but Zhong Jingyi’s character was eye-opening enough. The comment section instantly turned into a gossip fest.
Zhong Jingyi, who had been waiting for a comeback, did not receive news of Zhuoshi’s downfall. Instead, the Wenren Group’s official Weibo account posted its one and only private message: Regarding Zhong Jingyi’s slander against Mr. Yan Shengping, materials have been prepared and submitted to the court. We will be filing a joint lawsuit with @Zhuoshi Technology.
At that moment, Zhong Jingyi’s face turned pale.
***
Yan Shengping’s exclusive room in the Wenren Residence was astonishingly large, a completely different dimension from the guest room he had stayed in before. The room was decorated in shades of blue-gray, which suited Yan Shengping’s reserved personality. There was a huge floor-to-ceiling window, and when the curtains were drawn, a field of precious Gabriel flowers could be seen outside. Lin Ganzhi could roll around freely on the five-meter-wide bed.
Feeling a bit tired after a long day, he went to bed early. The fickle spring weather made him shed his thick pajamas and change into a silk robe. When Yan Shengping came out of the shower, he saw Lin Ganzhi half-reclining on the edge of the bed, playing a game. The silk robe couldn’t hide Lin Ganzhi’s playfully swinging feet. His jade-like ankles were dotted with a few drops of water, and the tips of his toes were a faint pink, curling from time to time. The color of Yan Shengping’s eyes couldn’t help but deepen. After a whole day of dealing with fake sycophants, only the person before him could truly calm him down, or rather, stir him up.
But the person in question was completely unaware. His mind was solely focused on how many good characters he could draw in the new game. Seeing the mobile lucky draw machine emerge, he excitedly waved him over.
“Yan Shengping, quick, click this. I’ve been saving up diamonds for a while!” Lin Ganzhi suddenly sat up straight. The movement was so abrupt that the robe on his shoulder uncontrollably slipped down, revealing his fair skin. Lin Ganzhi himself realized this was a bit inappropriate and was about to pull the robe back up when Yan Shengping swiftly grabbed his wrist.
By the time he thought to protest, Yan Shengping had already very consciously sealed Lin Ganzhi’s lips. The sound of water filled the empty room. In no time, Lin Ganzhi went limp, letting Yan Shengping support the back of his head to keep him from falling, while continuing his forceful invasion of Lin Ganzhi’s mouth.
When they finally separated, Lin Ganzhi’s lips were slightly swollen, and his robe was in a complete mess. Lin Ganzhi panted weakly, quickly moving away from Yan Shengping and hiding under the covers, because he had seen the glint of an old beast in Yan Shengping’s eyes!
How long had it been? No self-control at all. Bad review!
The public opinion issue hadn’t even been resolved yet!
To protect his own butt, Lin Ganzhi quickly changed the subject. “Shouldn’t we be planning the next step regarding Zhong Jingyi’s matter?”
Yan Shengping gave a perfunctory “hmm,” clearly not caring about the matter anymore. He then fumbled in his pocket. Lin Ganzhi frowned, not knowing what he was up to. Then he saw Yan Shengping pull out a piece of paper from his pocket. Upon closer inspection, why did it look so familiar?
The next second, Yan Shengping looked at the note and read, “Wishing me and Li Yueshuo a hundred years of happiness?”
Uh, Lin Ganzhi looked at Yan Shengping with a bad feeling, saying guiltily, “I didn’t know about your relationship with Li Yueshuo back then, did I?” Why was he bringing up old scores?
Yan Shengping’s handsome brows furrowed slightly, his eyes tinged with a bit of disappointment. He looked quite dejected. “But when I saw this back then, I nearly went mad. I thought I would never find you again.”
Acting! Such an actor!
Lin Ganzhi fiercely despised this kind of behavior in his heart, but Yan Shengping’s god-tier looks were like tiny hooks that entangled him, making it impossible for him to be ruthless. Yan Shengping had completely figured out the weakness of a face-con. Powerless to resist, Lin Ganzhi spread his hands and was eaten clean by Yan Shengping. Yan Shengping gnawed on the silly fox, while Lin Ganzhi admired the great beauty. It would have been even better if his back didn’t ache afterwards.
Afterwards, as Lin Ganzhi was drifting off to sleep, he drowsily asked if Yan Shengping still wanted to leave a way out for the Zhong family. Yan Shengping was silent for a moment before saying, “As expected, I can’t hide anything from Zhizhi. For the sake of our past connection, after this lawsuit, I will still leave a way out for them. It just depends on whether they are willing to seize it.”
Yan Shengping’s tone was flat, but Lin Ganzhi knew all too well that this time, Yan Shengping was truly heartbroken.
However, what surprised everyone was that the lawsuit did not proceed. The reason was that the Zhong family obediently accepted the compensation. Zhong Jingyi deleted his Weibo post overnight, followed by a vague apology, saying that there were still misunderstandings with his brother that needed to be cleared up privately. As for “privately,” the Zhong family never reached out.
“Is the Zhong family feeling guilty?” Lin Ganzhi asked as he accompanied Yan Shengping to bask in the moonlight on the terrace after dinner.
“Hmm.” A flicker of displeasure crossed Yan Shengping’s face. He clearly didn’t want to waste too much time on the Zhong family. What he wanted was for them to lie down obediently, not to hide and make him guess. “Before my identity was announced at home, there was still some splash.”
“They got scared?” Lin Ganzhi came up with a reasonable explanation.
“They raised me for so many years, after all. As long as they grasp this key point, even the Wenren family won’t act rashly against them. Zhong Wenwei wouldn’t easily let go of this opportunity. Unless… there’s something he feels guilty about,” Yan Shengping said his conjecture indifferently.
People’s hearts are fickle, and human nature is sinister. This time, Lin Ganzhi could quickly understand Yan Shengping’s thoughts. He didn’t want to guess because he didn’t want to know the bottomless darkness of their hearts, and he didn’t want such people to infiltrate their lives again.
Suddenly, a shiver ran through Lin Ganzhi’s heart. A terrifying guess took shape in his mind.