“Uncle Zhou knew about it from the start. He got Wu Wan to sound it out as confirmation,” Bai Cheng saw that the atmosphere wasn’t right and made a reasonable statement.
Father Zhou knew about the matter right from the start. The reason he spoke to Wu Wan was just a way of confirming the authenticity of the news. Zhong Yibin knew how this had happened – the Su family had probably leaked the secret.
“Er Bing, do you really have amnesia?” Bai Cheng felt that it was inconceivable. Those amnesiacs in television dramas were equivalent to fools. Not only was this Zhong Erbing not a fool, he even became more clever! Moreover, within this period of interaction, they had failed to realize any abnormalities. They had been friends for more than twenty years, yet they weren’t able to tell.
“En,” Zhong Yibin pursed his lips. “I remember bits of the past but also don’t remember some parts. The reason why I sought you guys out is to verify the matter about the Nanshan school flower…”
“Er Bing, you should have told us earlier. We’re the clearest about the things you went through from young,” Ji Yao looked at Zhong Yibin fixedly. These days, they could feel that Zhong Yibin was deliberately distancing himself from them. Of course, it was also because they felt that they didn’t have the face to meet Zhong Yibin. Zhou Zimeng’s matter caused a huge chasm to form between them. It would be difficult to return to their former state.
“I’m slowly recovering my memories. I will ask you guys if I can’t recall something,” Zhong Yibin smiled faintly. Saying this was also a warning to them not to attempt to lie to him. Since there were things he could and could not remember, if one attempted to lie to him about something he coincidentally recalled, it would be rather embarrassing.
It was unknown if Bai Cheng and the rest didn’t comprehend this or didn’t care but the atmosphere improved vastly. Everyone smiled and toasted each other as if they had returned to the times when there was no estrangement. Bai Cheng brightened up the atmosphere as he spoke of their childhood. Stealing biscuits together during kindergarten, fighting together during elementary school, the disrespectful younglings ridiculing their elder brothers and sisters… Zhong Yibin drank a few cups of wine before getting up and bidding farewell. There were still many things he had to settle.
After Zhong Yibin left, the lively atmosphere in the room immediately dissipated. Bai Cheng raised a fist at Wu Wan. “Are you an idiot! Why are you still involved with the Zhou family!”
“Uncle Zhou invited me out for tea, it’s not like I could have not turned up,” Wu Wan lowered his head and rebutted. Even if Zhou Zimeng was the one in the wrong, Uncle Zhou had always treated them well. He felt that he couldn’t be so heartless.
Bai Cheng couldn’t resist once again giving him a fist. Wu Wan’s personality was truly hateful.
Ji Yao was silent for a while. He placed the cup on the table heavily. “We need to do something. If not, we really won’t be friends with Er Bing in the future…”
The current Zhong Yibin’s ability to speak and work had already matured significantly. He was gradually progressing in the direction of the Zhong family’s elders and was no longer on the same path as them. On the other hand, not only were they not able to help out, they even constantly brought Zhong Yibin trouble.
Zhong Yibin’s top priority was resolving the matter of the people making a fuss outside the television station. As for how these few princes intended to mend their relations, it was not at all within his scope of attention.
The police advised Zhong Yibin to spend a bit of money to de-escalate the situation. They had seen countless such hoodlums who were not afraid of getting their feet rough. Who could tolerate such a ruckus day after day? Yet, Zhong Yibin didn’t take their advice. After verifying that he had not knocked into anyone, he directly sent out an indictment and sued the other party.
That day, Shengshi Entertainment made a statement to declare that the matter of their director knocking into someone was untrue and that they had already invited a professional lawyer to sue these people for slander. In addition, they requested for the rumors to stop before going too far.
However, this statement did not receive the support of the public. On the contrary, it attracted even more sunspots.
A Weibo account called ‘it’s difficult for poor people to obtain a salary’ released a lengthy essay, meticulously breaking down the whole story. His every sentence was aimed at the rich second-generation refusing to admit to knocking down someone.
[It has been so many years, the relevant evidence was destroyed long ago. Since he did a private settlement during the year he knocked into the person, he definitely didn’t lodge a report. There is nothing to investigate. The unfortunate Li family didn’t know how to use the internet and could only cry out their grievances outside Shengshi’s doors with a calico curtain. The Heavens are watching what men do!]
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Following that was a water army who spread the rumor that Zhong Yibin had bought off Old Waves and was deleting their comments everywhere. Netizens were extremely easy to lead around and continuously created a ruckus, asking for Zhong Yibin to apologize and compensate them monetarily, as well as for Shengshi Entertainment to be driven out of the entertainment industry.
“You aren’t helping him out?” Song Xiao leaned against the bedhead as he scrolled through Weibo. He frowned slightly as he looked through the dispute.
Yu Tang calmly lay his head on Song Xiao’s leg. A cigarette-shaped lollipop danged from his mouth as he crunched on it vigorously. “Locusts after autumn, let it hop about for a few more days.”
Zhong Yibin no longer responded, instead handing everything to the police to investigate. Zhong Jiabin, who had been watching over the company during the past few days, realized that someone was targeting Shengshi Entertainment in a conspiracy to usurp power.
“The Su family recently cooperated with the Zhou family on a project. Using the news of Yibin’s amnesia in exchange for some benefits is very normal,” With a suspect in mind, Father Zhong very quickly had a rough idea of things after getting someone to investigate. Mother Zhong was angered to death and invited the Su family’s mother and daughter to her house as guests. The Su family’s mother and daughter had a guilty conscience and didn’t dare to keep their appointment, saying that Su Ruiying had fallen ill.
“Oh, she’s sick. Surely it’s not because she’s scared stiff? I know a shaman. We can go to your house someday to exorcise devils,” Mother Zhong spoke bizarrely into the phone.
Mother Su’s face paled from anger. But she didn’t dare to say much and suppressed her anger. “It’s just the flu. We’re concerned that it’ll spread to you.”
“Oh, is that so? I originally wanted to invite you two to participate in tomorrow night’s summit meeting,” Mother Zhong said in a frigid tone. “Let me have the piece of diamond jewelry I gifted you the other time. I need to let the First Madam see it tomorrow night.”
The so-called summit meeting was an unofficial meeting organized by the country. Celebrities from all walks of life were invited. The main attendees were plutocrats, rich and powerful families, as well as their family members. For the unmarried Su Ruiying, such an occasion was extremely advantageous. Hearing these words, Mother Su’s eyes instantly lit up. Just as she wanted to change her words and state that they could attend, she heard the latter statement and simultaneously turned mute.
That piece of diamond jewelry was gifted to her by Mother Zhong as compensation for the matter of the fake fiancée failing to go through and even resulting in humiliation. At the same time, it was also hush money for them not to speak about Zhong Yibin’s amnesia. The fact that it was brought up today was a clear indication that Mother Zhong already knew that they had leaked the secret and would surely put them in their place.
After several days of hubbub, the court officially received Zhong Yibin’s case and prepared to begin a court hearing. At the same time, the capital’s traffic police released the details of their investigation on their official Weibo. This article had no biases and was a strictly business-like elaboration on the results of their investigation.
[Upon investigation, the elderly person Zhang Moumou was knocked down by a pickup truck in the capital’s suburbs on the 7th of September. This caused his upper body to be paralyzed. The driver of the van has already turned himself in to the authorities. As the driver’s financial situation is poor, he was unable to foot compensation and the court has yet to determine the compensation amount. Upon verification, there are no vehicular records of any accidents involving Zhong Yibin, the person Zhang Moumou’s son, Li Mou, insists is the culprit.]
An uproar was caused when this piece of news was released. What was originally a matter of a rich second-generation taking advantage of his position to bully people was actually an issue of lying?
Without waiting for a response from the netizens, a Weibo account named ‘Old Waves Exposing Cottage Industries’ released the exploits previously committed by ‘it’s difficult for poor people to obtain a salary’. This person appeared to be a web expert; he was able to follow the comments below this post, find those accounts’ IP addresses and list them. The countless comments and forwards of the post unexpectedly only amounted to five IP addresses. It was clearly a water army.
These water army accounts that had been listed made the most clamor over Zhong Yibin and swayed public opinion in a direction that was disadvantageous for Zhong Yibin.
The masses, who felt that they had been made a fool of, blew up.
[I say – our little director Zhong is so meng. How can he do such a thing!]
[They even hired a water army to act as sunspots, is there a need to be so vicious?]
“Who is so impressive to even able to track down the IP addresses of Old Waves’ users?” Chu Qin scrolled through the internet and was very surprised.
“The administration center of Old Waves’ user base,” Zhong Yibin curled his lip. He had requested for Yu Tang’s aid right at the beginning, but that guy insisted on ‘oppressing before praising’. How childish!
The corner of Chu Qin’s mouth twitched. He wanted to say something but upon turning, noticed that an email notification had popped up on his computer. Clicking on it, his eyes widened slightly. He was silent for a moment before suddenly asking, “Er Bing, do you want to film a week’s program with me?”
“En?” Zhong Yibin raised his head while immersed in the animated film, blinking vacantly.
The Zhong family’s big brother called today, stating that Father Zhou took such actions to not only avenge Zhong Yibin, but also for the sake of his business. They were told not to worry and that the issue now was regaining Zhong Yibin’s reputation. Chu Qin pondered over it. Why not let Zhong Yibin do an interview one week?
The program hosted by Chu Qin, ‘The Lollipop Now and Then’, was originally a talk show. As long as there was a topic, it was fine to randomly talk about it at that point in time.
Therefore, during this point at which the winds and waves were at its fiercest, Shengshi TV released a piece of news – next week’s ‘The Lollipop Now and Then’ has invited its own director as the guest. The topic would be ‘the hedonistic son of rich parents, from then till now’.
Everyone suffered a huge shock. They admired Shengshi’s guts in creativity and were also immensely curious about this week’s program. Of course, a portion of the interest was never on the usual things.
[Zhong Qin is going to appear together again? Aoaoao!]
[Director daren was frightened and needs Qin Qin’s kiss before he can get up!]
[The higher-ups are going to dole out candy once again. I’ll go buy a packet of dog food to eat while watching.]
The author has something to say:
Small theater: <The audience’s views of right and wrong are always muddled>
Audience member A: Little director Zhong definitely didn’t knock a girl up
Reporter: Why do you think so?
Audience member A: Because he is in true love with Qin Qin
Reporter: …
Audience member B: Little director Zhong definitely won’t knock someone down and not compensate them
Reporter: Why do you believe so?
Audience member B: He’s so handsome, I can tell he’s not a bad guy just from a glance
Reporter: …