Chapter 86: The Answer
“Dad, Mom, Gu Yulan lied to me.” Wen Yan’s voice was dry.
The other end went silent, waiting for Wen Yan to continue. Every word, every sentence, was a struggle to speak. Wen Yan heard himself mention that person’s name again.
“Gu Yulan has been telling everyone that he was keeping me. He told me he was with me because he liked me.”
Thinking back to that period of being tormented by lies, Wen Yan found it impossible not to feel pain.
“I don’t know if what’s being said online counts as true or not.”
Laying the ugly, filthy truth bare before his parents made Wen Yan feel like he was breaking down. His voice grew weaker and weaker until finally, he had to lean against the wall to finish telling them everything.
His father and mother had never imagined that Gu Yulan, whom they had treated so seriously, could do something so nauseating. Gu Yulan’s hypocrisy had been perfect; not only did he take care of Wen Yan, but he was also meticulous with them. And Wen Yan was such a truly good child; he could never have done such things. No one would have ever thought the truth was like this.
His father’s heart felt like it was being twisted by a knife when he remembered how much he had trusted Gu Yulan. Then, he suddenly thought of the investment made after Gu Yulan left, which was still providing a steady income. A person like Gu Yulan would only use such things to bind Wen Yan; he could never truly care for them.
More and more abnormal details were being unearthed. So many things couldn’t stand up to close scrutiny.
“What about Pei Zhouye?” His mother’s voice trembled, as if she were afraid to hear the answer. She was already choking back tears.
“Mom, I don’t want to talk about it.” Wen Yan closed his eyes, his tone exhausted to the extreme.
If the former was a deception, then Pei Zhouye was a threat. The first tricked him into a cage step by step, while the second forced him into the abyss step by step. He had, indeed, had an improper relationship with Pei Zhouye.
They were on the verge of collapse. Before Wen Yan hung up, perhaps to comfort them so they wouldn’t be too sad or worry about him, he said one final, disjointed sentence before ending the call.
“I like Pei Zhouye.”
As soon as that call ended, another one popped up. It had been busy just now, and Wen Yan hadn’t looked at the screen, so he hadn’t seen the numerous calls from Shen Yao.
As soon as he answered, Shen Yao spoke in a frantic rush: “Sister-in-law, are you okay? There are people arranged by my brother near your house, but there are too many people to stop. It’s not safe there. I’m already downstairs at your place. I’ll take you somewhere else.”
Every word Shen Yao said was the truth. Wen Yan didn’t hesitate long before giving a low response of agreement.
With so many rumors and criticisms today, Wen Yan didn’t encounter any harassers on his way downstairs; Pei Zhouye’s bodyguards had done their jobs well. He saw a white van that looked a bit old, and he hesitated whether to call Shen Yao to confirm.
While he was still hesitating, the window rolled down, and Shen Yao leaned out, waving at him anxiously. “Sister-in-law, we have to go.”
The interior of the vehicle had been modified; at the very least, it didn’t look as worn out as the exterior.
Wen Yan lowered his eyes and said softly, “Thank you.”
Shen Yao was blunt. “Sister-in-law, why are you thanking me? Those things online are all rumors. It’s just that the heat is too high right now. My second brother’s company said they can’t suppress it. We can only go find Brother Pei; otherwise, they’ll keep spreading rumors. They won’t listen to me; they only listen to Lin Seran.”
“That bastard Lin Seran!” Shen Yao had no idea he had just spilled everything. He was truly enraged and had no guard against Wen Yan. “Wen Yan, don’t worry. My brother and I will get justice for you.”
Wen Yan didn’t speak, silently contemplating the cause and effect. So, the people spreading the rumors were Pei Zhouye’s people?
At 3:00 PM, he had set a scheduled post for 8:00 PM on Weibo. The content was to clarify his relationship with Gu Yulan, using “XXX” to refer to him throughout. It was accompanied by chat logs between him, his parents, and Gu Yulan.
But as for his relationship with Pei Zhouye, he didn’t know how to clarify it. Pei Zhouye gave him money, and he had slept with him and kissed him. Calling it “keeping” wasn’t wrong at all.
What Lin Seran had done was use Pei Zhouye’s PR firm, and those firms only listened to Lin Seran and Pei Zhouye. They were frantically spreading rumors online, and the heat remained high.
Wen Yan gripped his phone, his throat working. Finally, he let out a low, self-deprecating chuckle. He had known a day would come when everything would be exposed; he just hadn’t expected it to be more terrifying and cruel than he had imagined.
The Pei Group’s private executive elevator rose from the underground parking lot. No one saw them along the way. The atmosphere in the lounge was oppressive and heavy. Shen Yao looked at Wen Yan worriedly, not knowing how to comfort or counsel him. Those beautiful, clear eyes were lowered, the light within them gone, and there wasn’t even a trace of a smile on his lips.
Wen Yan’s phone was lagging. Unknown calls and messages were still pouring in, the words filthy and foul, piercing Wen Yan’s eyes and heart with pain. He wondered if he really was as wretched as these people claimed.
“What’s wrong?”
Pei Zhouye’s voice appeared at the lounge door. Shen Yao and Wen Yan looked up simultaneously. He was dressed in a sharp, expensive suit, possessing both maturity and coldness—very different from his usual appearance. Pei Zhouye paused, affected by their reactions, his lips curling slightly in an attempt to look a bit more approachable.
Shen Yao opened his mouth, not knowing how to say it. Wen Yan averted his gaze coldly, his thoughts unknown. Pei Zhouye had just finished an international meeting; his assistant had set his phone to “Do Not Disturb,” and he never checked it when he was busy. Otherwise, Shen Yao wouldn’t have brought Wen Yan here.
“Wen Yan is being slandered, Brother.” Shen Yao felt his own voice sound incredibly strained. “Brother, everyone online is cursing Wen Yan. Look for yourself.” Shen Yao handed over the phone.
Pei Zhouye took it without looking. He stepped forward and leaned down to hug Wen Yan. It was an intimate contact, and though Wen Yan didn’t push him away, his body language was entirely one of resistance and stiffness. Pei Zhouye noticed but still lightly patted Wen Yan’s back.
“It’s okay. I’ll handle it.”
He sat down beside Wen Yan and flipped through the phone Shen Yao had handed him. Various reports and slanders, from netizen comments to media reports and countless marketing account videos. They discussed Wen Yan’s appearance, education, and background. There were some positive replies, but they were clearly meant to increase the heat and perceived authenticity.
Pei Zhouye’s face was cold. As his fingertips slid across the insults on the screen, his eyes grew dark. After a long silence, Pei Zhouye spoke:
“Wen Yan, get engaged to me.”
Recommended Reads
