[Ha, who knows — maybe the car accident was fake~]
[Right, when a certain someone had that car accident and only Shiyao was left behind, everyone felt sorry for Shiyao, and their brand’s livestream sales exploded. Then later they clarified that they had nothing to do with Shiyao — who even knows what really happened, hahaha~]
[Those who’ve never bought their products, check in here.]
[Shiyao is so pitiful, she was used.]
[Exactly, ugh. Genuinely laughing — they took her money and then made her work as their servant. What kind of man does that, makes me want to be sick.]
[Oh come on — do you really think the Xuan Group is short on that little bit of money???]
[Money’s never too much. “Laughing, laughing, laughing.”]
Whether the netizens genuinely felt sorry for Shiyao or were simply there to watch the drama, Yan Yunning couldn’t say. What she did feel, genuinely, was sorry for Xuan Yanyu.
While scrolling through the comments, she accidentally tapped into Shiyao’s live stream that had been pushed to the trending list. [I don’t know what happened just now, it just suddenly cut off.] Shiyao said in the live stream, her eyes red-rimmed, speaking in that deliberately ambiguous tone of hers.
[It was my first time going live — maybe I accidentally tapped something. But that doesn’t seem right either, I didn’t tap anything……]
Yan Yunning couldn’t be bothered to watch any further. She closed the phone and looked up at Xuan Yanyu. “Why aren’t you handling it? Just letting her go on talking nonsense and stirring up public opinion?”
“There’s no rush. Evidence is already being gathered, and the lawyer’s letter will be sent together with a statement shortly. Everyone who posts inflammatory comments will have to issue public apologies.”
Yan Yunning pressed her lips together. “Will this affect the company?”
“It won’t.” Xuan Yanyu picked up the phone Yan Yunning had left on the coffee table, opened the backend sales figures of one of the brands and showed her. “Not bad at all — by riding the traffic Shiyao brought in and running a sale, the numbers have been exceptionally good. And we even saved on advertising costs.”
“Once the clarification statement goes out, the products go back to regular price, and there’ll definitely be people who regret not grabbing them in time. At that point, I’ll have someone post on the official account that Xuan Group products are on a limited-time discount — and then hold a giveaway in the comments section for some free vouchers.”
“Far from being hurt, sales will actually do better than usual, and the brand reputation will improve as well.”
Their company spanned multiple fields with diversified operations. One Shiyao was nowhere near enough to touch them.
And that was just the sales figure from a single livestream. Offline would certainly add up to no less.
Yan Yunning: “……”
On the other side, Shiyao stared at the flood of gifts streaming up in the livestream, suppressing the smile at the corners of her mouth as she cried in floods of tears. [Thank you all for comforting me, I truly thank you all, I’ve received your kindness……]
The stream suddenly cut off. Shiyao looked at Qi Qingchen, who had pulled out the network cable, and her voice went shrill with panic. “What are you doing?”
“Shiyao.” Qi Qingchen sounded weary to the bone. “What do you want? Money — right?”
Shiyao gave a cold laugh. “Do you still want me, then? Qi Qingchen, let’s break up.”
Qi Qingchen’s lips trembled. He reached into his pocket and drew out a black card, holding it out before her. A sourness rose in his throat. “Shiyao, the passcode is the date we met again. Take the money and go. This is the last time I will ever protect you.”
Shiyao pursed her lips and took the card from Qi Qingchen’s hand without a moment’s hesitation. “You’d better keep your word and not let Xuan Yanyu come after me.”
She had always known that Qi Qingchen would protect her — which was why she had dared to say all those things online.
After a long silence, Qi Qingchen gave a nod. “Mm.”
Shiyao turned the card over in her fingers and touched her abdomen lightly, a flicker passing through her eyes.
“Yaoyao……”
Before Qi Qingchen could finish his sentence, Shiyao turned around, dragged out the suitcase she had already packed from the room, and left the apartment without looking back.
“Yaoyao.”
The only reply to Qi Qingchen was a loud “bang” as the door swung shut.
Qi Qingchen’s heart plummeted. He sank onto the sofa in utter defeat.
“Daddy.” A little girl clutching a stuffed bear looked up at Qi Qingchen with a crumpled expression and watery eyes.
“Youyou.” Qi Qingchen composed himself and stepped forward to take the little girl into his arms.
The little girl thoughtfully wiped the corner of Qi Qingchen’s eyes. “Daddy, don’t be sad anymore. Uncle is coming to take us home.”
Qi Qingchen pinched her small cheek. “Uncle called you?”
The little girl’s eyes lit up brilliantly. “Mm, Uncle said he’d take Youyou out for pizza. Daddy, can we go home with Uncle? I miss Grandpa.”
Qi Qingchen’s throat tightened. “We can. We’ll go home.”
The little girl giggled with delight. “Wonderful! Uncle also said Grandpa prepared lots and lots of toys for me!”
Qi Qingchen smiled faintly as well. “Is that so?”
Hadn’t his dad been furious with him? Why would he prepare toys for Youyou?
“Yes.” The little girl pointed to the children’s smartwatch on her wrist. “Grandpa and Grandma call Youyou often, but Grandpa told Youyou not to tell you.”
Qi Qingchen’s body went rigid. He said nothing for a long while.
“Ding dong.” The doorbell sounded. Qi Qingchen carried Qi Xingyou to the door and opened it.
“Brother.”
“Uncle.”
Qi Qingxian smiled and took the little girl from Qi Qingchen’s arms. “My precious Youyou.”
“Uncle, Daddy promised Youyou we’re going home!” Seeing Qi Qingxian, the little girl couldn’t hold back the news.
Qi Qingxian ruffled the little girl’s head and shot a teasing glance at Qi Qingchen. “Finally given up on Shiyao?”
After all, his brother had once said that if their father wouldn’t let him marry Shiyao, he wouldn’t come home.
Qi Qingchen looked away uncomfortably.
Qi Qingxian grumbled, “Brother, I’ll take Youyou to Dad and Mom. You hurry back and have your surgery — the company still needs you. I’ve been managing it for you all this time and it’s cost me so much.”
“What could you possibly have going on?” Qi Qingchen poured a glass of water and handed it to him.
“What could I have going on?” Qi Qingxian opened his mouth wide. “Ever since I’ve been running the company for you, I haven’t gone out to have fun even once. I’m exhausted. Every day I have to go over reports, attend meetings.”
“And Dad still has good taste — he raised you strictly from childhood. Ever since I joined the company, Dad scolds me practically every day. He used to be so gentle with me; now he can barely stand the sight of me.”
To think he used to believe his father was biased in his favor. Now he finally knew — not at all!
His father had always intended the company for his older brother, so he had been strict with his brother from childhood while being more indulgent toward him.
Though, he thought his dad had made the right call. Running a company was exhausting — it didn’t suit him. He would be perfectly happy just collecting dividends.
As long as he behaved himself and didn’t anger his brother, his brother wouldn’t leave him short of spending money.
Qi Qingchen looked at Qi Qingxian with suspicion. “Dad actually scolds you?”
From childhood, his father had always had a particular soft spot for this younger brother of his.
“Not only scolds — scolds me terribly.” Qi Qingxian took a sip of water and couldn’t help but vent. “Otherwise, why would I have made that bet with you???”
The day Yanyu’s brother had taken Shiyao abroad to see his brother, he had spotted the photos online, booked a flight himself, and arrived at his brother’s hospital room one step ahead of them.
He had shamelessly begged his brother to tell Shiyao that he had no hope of recovery — wanting to see, now that his brother was terminally ill and had lost the presidency of the Qi Group, whether Shiyao would still love him.