Facing the sudden barrage of cameras and microphones, Shang Ziqian was momentarily stunned.
His expression also betrayed a hint of annoyance at being disturbed.
It wasn't until a reporter mentioned Yu Wenli's name that he vaguely guessed something.
But he wasn't sure.
He had been busy with training recently, and these past few days he had been shuttling between major fires, with barely any time to catch his breath.
Let alone keeping up with entertainment gossip.
But he had heard about Yu Wenli's skyrocketing popularity.
If the media was approaching him at this time, he could only think of one thing: that fight.
Although they had a long history, for nearly three years in between, Yu Wenli had been ignoring him.
Therefore, the only evidence that could be found was the video of that fight.
Besides that, it was all hearsay, unreliable, and certainly wouldn't have drawn so many media outlets.
However, just in case, before answering any questions, Shang Ziqian first clarified the whole story.
After confirming it was roughly as he suspected, he took the microphone, his expression indifferent.
"A fight between friends, is it worth causing such a commotion?"
A light, dismissive remark, directly attributing the widely discussed video to a playful spat between friends.
The severity of the incident was immediately reduced by several levels.
The reporters seemed taken aback, pausing for a moment before pressing further, "Are you sure they are friends? Would friends go at each other that hard?"
"Exactly! That person was practically trying to kill you, and you're still defending him? Did you get paid?"
"We heard your relationship was terrible, and now you're saying you're friends. Isn't that contradictory?"
"We've visited Jiangcheng before, and many people believe you are enemies. Is the rumor true?"
"We heard Yu Wenli injured your hand during the fight, preventing you from playing the piano again. Is that true?"
Most of the reporters who had followed them here were hired by Jiang Tu, so the direction of questioning was very clear.
Shang Ziqian saw through it at a glance and retorted, "You're the ones who got paid, aren't you? Every question is aimed at Yu Wenli. Aren't you a bit too eager?"
The reporters: "..."
Why wasn't this guy playing by the rules?
Just as they were about to launch another attack, Shang Ziqian preempted them, addressing the live camera with utmost seriousness.
"Regarding the video online, I want to explain here that Yu Wenli and I are not enemies; we are friends. At that time, we fought because we were young and foolish. I bullied his girlfriend and also hurled some unpleasant words, the kind that involve parents. So..."
He spread his hands apologetically. "After so many years, I apologize again for my bad behavior. I am truly sorry. I hope it doesn't cause any negative impact on everyone, and I hope everyone can continue to trust our Sucheng Fire Department."
He ended with a bow.
[Wow! This firefighter brother is so handsome!]
[So the fight back then had a reason?]
[I can suddenly understand Yu Wenli.]
[If I put myself in his shoes, I'd really want to hit someone.]
[Did Yu Wenli and his girlfriend know each other that early?]
[That's still no excuse for hitting someone so hard!]
[The person involved doesn't even mind, what's the point of you guys dwelling on it?]
[Did you get paid?]
The comments quickly devolved into an argument.
On-site, the explanation wasn't well-received either.
"You say you're friends, but according to our investigation, many people are certain your relationship is very bad. You even brought people to trash Yu Wenli's place."
"If you're friends, why haven't you contacted each other for so long?"
"Why didn't you clarify from the beginning? Why wait until now?"
"Can you guarantee that what you're saying is the truth?"
Questions were piled on one after another.
Shang Ziqian calmly addressed each one. "We didn't keep in touch because we had a falling out back then. I bullied your girlfriend, and you expect me to still be friends with you?
"As for not clarifying from the beginning, it's because I'm very busy. I'm a firefighter, and I train every day. In my eyes, human lives are more important than gossip.
"As for whether what I'm saying is the truth..."
Shang Ziqian suddenly raised his eyes, looking sharply at the reporter. "I believe no one knows better than I, the person involved, right?
"Since you all claim to have investigated, you should also know that I, Shang Ziqian, do not seek fame or fortune, nor do I stoop to lying.
"Moreover, according to your narrative, if Yu Wenli and I were enemies, I would be wishing for him to go to hell right now. Why would I take the blame myself?
"It was my fault back then, and I deserved that beating. Besides, when I was desperate to end my life, it was Yu Wenli who took me to the hospital. He is my savior.
"My life was saved by him. I repaid his kindness with ingratitude, so it's normal for him to be angry. If I truly thought he was wrong, I would have called the police then, not waited until now.
"Finally, a word of advice: since you are in the media, don't make money you shouldn't be making!"
With that, Shang Ziqian picked up his cap and formally stated, "I've said what I needed to say. Please do not disturb my work anymore."
...
Que You, who had watched the live broadcast, was dumbfounded. Just as he was about to get out of the car to ask Shang Ziqian something, Yu Wenli, on the other end of the screen, stopped him. "Don't go. Do you want to hand evidence to the media on a silver platter?"
The media was currently suspecting Yu Wenli of bribing Shang Ziqian. If Que You, Yu Wenli's agent, were seen meeting with Shang Ziqian, regardless of their purpose, it would be spun as definitive proof of a "deal."
Que You, realizing his mistake, quickly drove away.
He had just arrived in Jiangcheng and was planning to meet Shang Ziqian to advise him to be careful with his words.
He hadn't expected the media to be one step ahead.
Even less so, he hadn't expected Shang Ziqian to speak up for Yu Wenli.
Filled with curiosity, Que You wanted to go down and ask him what he was thinking.
He couldn't ask the person directly now.
But the question still lingered.
Que You was so curious he was itching to know, and he couldn't help but grab Yu Wenli and ask, "Hey, do you think he's lost his mind? He actually sided with you! Jiang Tu must be completely baffled right now, my god, I never saw this twist coming!"
Yu Wenli was actually not too surprised. "Someone who has lost everything once, once they want to live a good life, there's nothing they can't let go of."
But he was genuinely surprised by Shang Ziqian's actions in speaking for him.
He had thought Shang Ziqian would at most deny everything.
However, remembering their last meeting, he felt it made sense.
At the same time, he was happy for him.
Happy that he could let go of the past and live his life anew.
"I told you Amber's boyfriend was no problem, but you guys didn't believe me."
As they were talking, a few more colleagues gathered around.
But their expressions were all a little subtle, and Wen Tingxue, in particular, didn't engage.
During the days Yu Wenli was in trouble, these colleagues were the first to distance themselves, even making sarcastic remarks.
Wen Tingxue didn't have the generosity to pretend everything was fine with them.
After all, she had felt offended.
And she really disliked such opportunistic behavior, so she offered a perfunctory response on the surface and prepared to leave with her documents.
Just then, Qiu Rui opened the door and said, "Amber, go back and get ready. You're coming with me on a business trip to Hong Kong tonight."
"No problem," Wen Tingxue agreed, but didn't stop walking.
Qiu Rui sidestepped to let her into the office and then closed the door.
The others were stunned for a moment, then tacitly clustered together to discuss.
"Hong Kong? The K family order?"
"The K family is a super major client of the company. For such an important order, Cleo is actually bringing an intern? Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
"I agree. Cleo favors Amber a little too much. Even if her abilities are excellent, she's still an intern who hasn't been made permanent!"
"So what if she's not permanent? She's capable. Last week's design proposal was her idea. What did you guys contribute?"
"We weren't talking about you, why are you getting so worked up? You sycophant."
-
As the live broadcast video topped the trending searches, Lin's Records' public relations department began releasing a large volume of press releases.
The content focused on the life-saving grace mentioned by Shang Ziqian, aiming to mitigate the negative impact of the video.
In less than a day, Yu Wenli's popularity returned to its previous peak, even showing signs of surpassing it.
Jiang Tu's scheme had truly backfired.
After all, Yu Wenli was not one to be trifled with. While resolving the situation, he didn't forget to cause some trouble for Jiang Tu.
The feud between the two was "skillfully" unearthed, and many netizens began to suspect that Yu Wenli's recent smear campaign might have been Jiang Tu's doing.
Of course, these were currently just speculations, but speculations could be very misleading.
Jiang Tu's actions, such as bullying juniors and deliberately creating public opinion during competitions, caused a stir among the general public.
However, Jiang Tu's fans were very powerful. They locked down comments, cleared the plaza, and suppressed the trending topics, quickly putting out the fire.
Wen Tingxue had nothing much to do in the afternoon and kept an eye on the online developments.
After confirming that the storm had passed, she packed her things and headed to the airport.
The plane landed in Hong Kong at half-past eleven.
They took a taxi to the hotel.
On the way, Qiu Rui gave Wen Tingxue many points to be aware of.
The K family was a super major client of the company, and their young master was known for being difficult to deal with.
However, the person they were meeting this time was that very young master, so they had to be well-prepared, or they might be severely challenged.
"Is he really... that difficult to please?"
Wen Tingxue's scalp tingled as she wrote notes.
Three pages!
A full three pages!
Packed with dense points!
She couldn't understand how one person could have so many taboos.
This couldn't be said, that couldn't be touched, like a porcelain doll.
So pampered.
Qiu Rui also found dealing with him troublesome, but there was no choice.
"Just try to be careful and don't anger him, otherwise it will be very troublesome."
"Okay."
Wen Tingxue nodded obediently.
It was just a matter of enduring, wasn't it?
She was good at that.
The Hong Kong hotel was located by the sea, and the night view from the twenty-seventh floor was excellent.
Yu Wenli had found the background in the video familiar but couldn't recall where.
Wen Tingxue was busy telling him other things and forgot to mention she was on a business trip.
After the call ended, Yu Wenli suddenly remembered that it was a hotel in Hong Kong.
Jiang Tu was also in Hong Kong today.
Fearing they might run into each other, Yu Wenli picked up his phone again, preparing to send Wen Tingxue a message to warn her.
But the moment he finished typing, he felt a sense of powerlessness.
Even if he warned her, with Jiang Tu's capabilities, the young lady would surely be no match for him.
Moreover, going to Hong Kong at this time, it was highly likely to be a K family order.
After a moment of deliberation, Yu Wenli deleted the text and made a call instead.
The other end quickly responded, "I'll be in Hong Kong now."
...
The next morning, Qiu Rui took Wen Tingxue to the K family headquarters.
To their surprise, they learned that the young master was not in the office today and would not be coming in all week.
Qiu Rui patiently asked, "Then where is he now? Could you please help contact him?"
Her calls were hung up directly, without any regard.
The secretary shook her head apologetically. "I'm truly sorry, but Young Master He said he wouldn't be handling any business this week."
"But this project was discussed before, and most of the procedures have been completed. Young Master He only needs to sign and stamp, it won't take much time," Qiu Rui explained.
The secretary smiled apologetically. "Ms. Qiu, we're old acquaintances. You know, we can't influence Young Master He's decisions. However, I do want to ask you, have you offended him somehow?"
"What do you mean?" Qiu Rui asked curiously.
The secretary looked around and whispered, "Originally, Young Master He planned to come to the capital to sign the contract himself because he really liked the design proposal you sent. But the afternoon before yesterday, he suddenly received a call and then demanded that you come here to sign.
"Moreover, he deliberately stopped handling official business just as you were arriving. I think, perhaps, you didn't take care of something that made him unhappy?"
Qiu Rui frowned, trying to recall. "No, we haven't contacted him since the afternoon of the day before yesterday."
She knew he had a temper and was vengeful.
She had always been extremely cautious in her interactions with him.
It was impossible that she had neglected something.
The secretary shrugged. "Then I don't know."
"Alright," Qiu Rui said helplessly. "I'll think of something else."
This order had to be secured, or she wouldn't be able to explain it to the company.
As she turned to leave, the secretary received a call from the young master. "Is Ms. Qiu here today?"
"Yes," the secretary gestured for her not to leave. "They are at the company now. Do you want to see them?"
The young master said, "Tell them to go to Tuo Mountain. I'll be waiting here."
The secretary: "?"
...
Tuo Mountain is located far from the city, in a remote area, and has always been a favorite spot for racing enthusiasts.
Qiu Rui knew the young master liked extreme sports, so she didn't think much of it.
Besides, there was a race at Tuo Mountain recently, so it was normal for him to be there.
It was a two-hour drive by taxi.
They arrived near noon.
Wen Tingxue glanced at the entrance and felt something was off, but couldn't quite pinpoint it.
"You are Ms. Qiu, right?" Two bodyguards in black got out of the car. "Young Master He sent us to pick you up."
Qiu Rui recognized the young master's car and nodded.
The moment the car door opened, Wen Tingxue felt a chill.
"Hello, Ms. Wen."
Jiang Tu, sitting in the car, waved with a smile.
Qiu Rui had met him before and knew his reputation was poor.
Instinctively, she took two steps back and said, "Excuse me, we have other matters to attend to."
Seeing her intention to escape, Jiang Tu raised his eyebrows with a smile. "At this point, do you think I'll let you go?"
...
Using Qiu Rui as a threat, Wen Tingxue had no choice but to follow Jiang Tu to the race track.
There was indeed a race today. The young master they had tried so hard to meet had just come down from the track. His short hair was damp with sweat, making him appear even more rosy-cheeked and dark-eyed.
He was clearly a young master who had grown up pampered.
Surrounded by a crowd, his arrogance was evident.
Seeing a beautiful woman by Jiang Tu's side, the young master curiously leaned in to examine her.
Wen Tingxue glared back at him resentfully.
She knew that today's situation was orchestrated by him.
"You are Amber, the one who designed the proposal?"
The young master seemed oblivious to her emotions and asked with interest.
He even threw down his helmet and sat down next to her.
Wen Tingxue: "..."
Wen Tingxue: "Yes."
She responded curtly, a meager acknowledgment of her role as an employee.
"She's quite pretty," the young master stroked his chin and said to Jiang Tu, "If you're not interested, leave her for me."
Jiang Tu raised his eyes. "Are you sure? Her boyfriend is Yu Wenli."
The young master: "..."
"Pretend I didn't say anything." The young master immediately gave up.
Wen Tingxue: "?"
Before she could ponder further, Jiang Tu pulled her up. "The rule here is that the winner can take the girl in the opponent's back seat, and anything goes, so..."
He smiled dangerously and then pushed her back.
A young man not far away was about to reach out, but someone else intercepted him first.
The expressions of those around them changed.
Wen Tingxue, however, smelled a very familiar scent.
She looked up.
The silver-haired youth happened to look down, and as their eyes met, he smiled and asked, "Do you trust me?"
"I trust you!"
In this situation, he was her only lifeline.
Chi Zerui liked the trust in her eyes, but the thought that she had been manipulated into this situation made him want to punch someone.
"Are you so sure you can win?" Chi Zerui looked up, his eyes dark.
Jiang Tu's plan was ruined, and his expression was extremely unpleasant. "Why are you here?!"
"I go wherever I please, do I need to report to you?"
"You..."
As Jiang Tu opened his mouth, the young master leaned into his ear and said with a grim expression, "Control yourself. Someone from the Xiao family is here."
Ever since the Lan family was absorbed, Xiao Zhen's appetite had only grown.
The Jiang family was already in his sights.
Jiang Tu didn't want to hand over any more leverage, so he could only watch as Chi Zerui put her in the car.
"Don't race. You can't win against him," the young master advised kindly.
Jiang Tu refused to listen. "Who says! He's good at racing, but that doesn't mean he's good at motorcycles!"
...