Chapter 22: Malicious Slander

Chen Jinseng had a smile on his lips. The thought of Ye Yan earnestly scolding a dog that had stolen her sweet potatoes made her seem so adorable to him!

Chen Jinseng thought back to Ye Yan’s cute little expression just now, and his gaze towards Ye Yan grew deeper and deeper.

At this moment, Ye Yan wasn’t paying any attention at all.

Chen Jinseng’s affectionate gaze was shown to everyone, even the blind.

Ye Yan is that blind man.

An Yue took Ye Yan and Chen Jinseng to the cat-stroking stall they had been to before.

“Tsk, what do you think? Isn’t it cute?” An Yue picked up a blue-eyed, snow-white-haired stuffed cat. It was tiny and adorable, and its “meow” could melt anyone’s heart.

Ye Yan’s eyes also lit up. After all, it’s hard for anyone to resist a cuddly teddy cat like that.

“I simply can’t put it down!”

“Does my sister really like it that much?” Chen Jinseng asked, looking at Ye Yan who wouldn’t let go of the kitten.

“Like it.”

“Then, shall I buy it and give it to you?”

“It’s not good, and you don’t need to buy it either.” Ye Yan’s expression was serious and cold at this moment, making her refusal clear.

Chen Jinseng’s expression froze. His hands clenched involuntarily, and his tongue pressed against his upper palate as he tried to suppress the urge to pull Ye Yan into his arms and punish her severely.

The atmosphere suddenly became a bit awkward. Even Chen Jinseng’s fans couldn’t help but marvel at this scene.

[You stupid Ye Yan! How dare you be so shameless! Do you find it fun to be between two men? No wonder Pei Xuanyu doesn’t want you anymore!]

[Take Shengsheng away. How dare Ye Yan reject him? Damn it! I’ll make sure to punish her!]

[Tsk, it’s obvious Ye Yan doesn’t like those cute little guys. If your brother isn’t good enough, then don’t even try to get close to her. Leave Ye Yan to me!!]

………

Everyone in the comments section is defending Chen Jinseng.

The trending topic #SympathyForChenJinsheng# continues to rise in popularity on various entertainment charts.

In all the online communities related to Chen Jinseng, people are criticizing Ye Yan.

Ye Yan was exposed online once again, with old scandals being dug up and circulated once more.

And it’s obvious that someone is deliberately trying to create a negative narrative this time, implying that Ye Yan is manipulating Chen Jinseng’s feelings, portraying Ye Yan as someone who plays with innocent young boys.

………

In a minivan at that moment, a woman with elaborate makeup fiddled with her phone, clearly in a good mood, especially after reading the trending searches related to Ye Yan.

This person is none other than He Xiaoxiao.

She was one of those who fueled the situation further.

She’d disliked Chen Jinseng for always protecting Ye Yan ever since she first saw them. Finally, she got her chance.

This time, she’s determined to crush Ye Yan completely.

The gloom and malice in He Xiaoxiao’s eyes made her assistants shiver with fear.

………

Due to the intense online backlash against Ye Yan, she received a call from her agent that afternoon.

“Hey, Yanyan, are you okay?”

Just after connecting the call, the agent's caring words came through the phone.

“Ah? What’s wrong? Did something happen?” Ye Yan sounded clearly anxious as she listened to her agent’s words. She could sense that something was off.

“Ye Yan, let’s just not record this show anymore, okay?”

The agent’s tone was somewhat serious and formal.

“What exactly happened?” At this moment, Ye Yan’s expression also became somewhat cold.

“Give me your location, and I’ll come find you to talk to you in person.”

Ye Yan didn’t hesitate to send her current address to her agent.

………

An hour later, an unassuming van stopped in front of Ye Yan.

“Get in the car.”

Ye Yan looked at her agent, who was completely armed and seemingly ready to cover her nose as well, and felt speechless.

The actress isn’t even that covered up, yet her agent covers herself even more tightly than she does herself.

But Ye Yan didn’t hesitate and got into the car anyway.

Since they’re already bankrupt, they certainly can’t afford a driver or assistant. So, the agent acts as the driver.

As she drove, she said, “Yanyan, the reactions online regarding your relationship with Chen Jinseng are getting increasingly intense. It’s getting out of control. Maybe you should issue an explanation or something, and then withdraw from this program.”

“Me and Chen Jinseng? Why?”

“Don’t you know?” The agent glanced at Ye Yan in surprise.

“Hurry up! I’m giving you one minute to briefly describe what happened online.”

Ye Yan spoke indifferently, without any trace of panic in her voice.

Her strikingly beautiful features were so dazzling that it was hard to look at them directly.

“Your rejection of Chen Jinseng was far too obvious. This prompted Chen Jinseng’s fans to react negatively against you. There were also those who deliberately fanned the flames by spreading negative rumors behind your back. As a result, it seems like Chen Jinseng’s feelings were exploited by you. You now have the reputation of being someone who manipulates innocent young boys. This is definitely not in your favor!”

The agent quickly briefed Ye Yan on the current situation.

“Can you afford to pay the penalty for canceling this show?”

Ye Yan suddenly spoke up, and her words made the atmosphere in the car somewhat awkward.

“If it really doesn’t work out… I’ll ask the company’s management for help.”

“Company?” Ye Yan couldn’t believe that her own company still hadn’t terminated the contract with her yet.

“Well, I’m not entirely sure about the company’s attitude toward you. Previously, the company practically shut you out from any opportunities. But let’s give it a try anyway. It’s worth a shot.”

Ye Yan bit her lip and frowned slightly. “It seems this is the only option left.”

………

The afternoon was off for the production team, giving Ye Yan the time to deal with this matter.

The agent brought Ye Yan directly to the company’s headquarters.

ST Building: As a leader in the entertainment industry, ST operates in various fields. It holds stakes in many of the country’s largest entertainment venues and KTVs. ST holds a dominant position in the industry.

The agent took Ye Yan straight to the top floor, to the ST President’s office. She hadn’t expected to be able to meet the company’s boss so easily before coming here.

At first, the agent simply called the president’s secretary out of curiosity. Initially, the secretary was very dismissive, saying the president was too busy to meet with anyone. But once she learned that the agent was representing Ye Yan, her attitude changed significantly.

This is the only way to take Ye Yan directly to the top floor, the president’s office.

But Ye Yan didn’t know that the company’s boss had re-evaluated her worth and decided to meet with her as a result.

………

The minimalist furnishings, subdued color scheme, and elegant decor all indicate that ST’s president is a cold and reserved person. Such people are generally hard to get close to,

according to Ye Yan’s observations of the president’s office.

Ye Yan’s gaze soon fell on the person who was standing with his back to her.

Ye Yan frowned. What did this mean? Turning his back on her—did he not want to see her?

While lost in thought, the man who had his back to her turned around.

At that sight, Ye Yan’s breath froze in her lungs. It was as though she was frozen in place.

The man had shiny black hair, boldly arched eyebrows, sharp black eyes, thin lips slightly pursed, well-defined facial features, and a tall, slender figure that wasn’t rough or bulky at all.

His tailored suit emphasized his perfect physique. He resembled an eagle in the night—cold, aloof, yet imposing. His solitary presence exuded a sense of dominance that seemed to defy the heavens and earth.

Ye Yan felt the familiarity her body had toward this person, silently suppressing the emotions in her heart.

The original owner knew this person.

This was the conclusion Ye Yan reached after taking one look at the man. However, since she wasn’t sure what the situation was, Ye Yan remained silent and didn’t say anything.

The man glanced at Ye Yan, and the coldness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a tender expression. His star-filled eyes held a look of adoration that Ye Yan couldn’t understand.

In a moment, the man spoke up: “You go out first.”

The agent was sensible enough to realize that it was addressed to her.

Then, the man’s lips curled into a faint smile as he said with deep emotion, “You little troublemaker! It’s great to see you again~”

Ye Yan froze slightly upon hearing this familiar voice.

A tremor that arose from deep within made Ye Yan feel utterly helpless.

For a long time.

Ouyang Ximing sighed and said, “Why do you seem so unfamiliar with me after not seeing each other for so long? Please sit down and let’s talk.”

Ye Yan sat there in a daze, continuing to remain silent, with the mindset that saying too much would only lead to more mistakes.