Chapter 69

After the truth came out, Kong Xiyan seemed unchanged aside from being busier than usual, but online, her popularity remained sky-high.

She had already had a massive fan base three years ago, and now, thanks to "Breaking the Cocoon" and the press conference, she'd pulled in a fresh wave of followers. Within a few days, her Weibo follower count had tripled. The netizens who had once cursed her without knowing the facts were now flooding her feed, trying to figure out how to apologize.

Even more netizens were heartbroken for her.

If it hadn't been for Wei Yan and He Wei, she might well have been standing among the international elite.

After all, her looks and acting skills, as well as her standing in the industry at the time, had been beyond dispute.

Netizens speculated that it was precisely because she had stood so high three years ago that Wei Yan and He Wei had targeted her, setting that trap. After all, no one else in the industry had matched her prominence back then.

Fu Qiu had asked Kong Xiyan if that was indeed the case.

But Kong Xiyan shook her head.

She didn't know either.

In fact, three years ago, apart from working on sets together, she hadn't been particularly close to Wei Yan. With He Wei, she'd only had a passing acquaintance. There was no grudge, no recent enmity, so aside from the netizens' speculation, there seemed no other explanation.

Perhaps only by confronting that couple face-to-face could she get an answer.

Unfortunately, those two had refused to say a single word since the press conference, let alone explain why they had targeted Kong Xiyan three years ago.

This infuriated netizens even more, and they condemned the couple for selfishly ruining someone else's life without offering an explanation or an apology, even hiding like cowards.

They flooded He Wei's and Wei Yan's Weibo comments with abuse, but those two didn't dare log on. The netizens then turned their ire toward Xingyue Entertainment, demanding they take a stance.

Xingyue had suffered severe damage from this incident.

Their three official Weibo accounts were bombarded with curses daily, and netizens kept pushing the issue. Whenever they posted any news, people would comment without even reading: "Apologize!"

—We're not asking you to be a saint in the entertainment industry, just a decent newspaper. Apologize!

—Trying to cover up a mistake with other news? Apologize!

—We're not leaving until you apologize!

Xingyue's magazine office phones were also ringing off the hook, and their staff was miserable. The new issue's sales barely reached a tenth of previous numbers.

Netizens proved they weren't just talking.

A week later, Xingyue finally posted on Weibo.

They fired the reporter responsible for the false reports, issued a formal apology, and announced they would pay compensation.

They also tagged Kong Xiyan.

But Kong Xiyan ignored them.

Three years ago, they had used such tactics to destroy a person. If it hadn't been for Chi Wanzhao, she would never have had the chance to return. So she wasn't magnanimous enough to forgive them outright. Tong Yue, sensing her attitude, let Xingyue stew for a few days before stepping in to handle it.

As the year drew to a close, the news about the press conference still dominated online. Perhaps because people were on holiday and had more time, they went to great lengths to dig up inside stories.

Photos of He Wei cozying up to some director surfaced.

How Guo Yixi had been bought off by the couple was exposed.

A video of Wei Yan secretly meeting a model leaked.

These stories, which would normally go unnoticed, were now magnified under a microscope and spread openly online. Wei Yan's and He Wei's fans seemed to vanish overnight; with tens of millions of followers, not a single one stood up for them.

Seeing this, the TV dramas and ads they had signed began canceling contracts one after another, and even the shows they were scheduled to appear on were dropped. Everyone wanted to avoid being tainted by association.

They were like rats in the street—people saw their names and couldn't help but step on them before moving on.

Within days, netizens had exposed most of Wei Yan and He Wei's dissolute lifestyle over the past three years. Some of Kong Xiyan's fans wanted to know how she had spent those years, so they dug around and found out she had lived in a remote mountain area, teaching children to read and write as a volunteer teacher.

This news wasn't spread widely because Kong Xiyan didn't want to make a story out of it or risk netizens disturbing the children in Changning Village, so she kept it under wraps.

But a couple of days later, a set of photos suddenly surfaced online showing Kong Xiyan earnestly teaching children.

In a rundown house with cracked walls, Kong Xiyan smiled brightly at a group of children, holding chalk in her hand. As she spoke, her expression was gentle, her eyes seeming to hold stars that sparkled. The children, simply dressed, had faces full of curiosity and a thirst for knowledge.

They sat at desks with chipped corners and missing legs, listening attentively.

These warm, simple photos made people's eyes sting. Some had been taken on overcast days when the school had no power; in the gloomy weather, the children had placed candles on the desks, still smiling innocently, as if the harsh environment didn't affect them at all.

Many netizens were moved to tears.

They typed furiously:

—Where is this?! I want to donate clothes!

—These kids are so heartbreaking. City kids live so carefree by comparison.

—My heart aches! I actually teared up!

—I cried shamelessly...

—Same...

The photos were posted by a newly registered ID, not many—just over twenty—but they spread quickly, especially after Kong Xiyan's fan clubs, official account, and forum reposted them. Countless big accounts followed suit, and the photos soon flooded the internet.

Netizens expressed both sympathy for the children and praise for Kong Xiyan, admiring her pure heart even after suffering such injustice three years ago.

Numerous show producers sent invitations, wanting to interview Kong Xiyan.

It was already afternoon by the time Kong Xiyan learned about it. She had just finished filming, and Fu Qiu approached with a smile, phone in hand. She waved it at her: "Sister Kong, I know where your new home is."

New home?

Kong Xiyan frowned slightly. "What are you talking about?"

Fu Qiu handed her the phone. "Here."

Kong Xiyan saw the photos and her expression changed slightly. Fu Qiu noticed and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Kong Xiyan returned the phone to Fu Qiu, took out her own from a down jacket nearby, and quickly dialed a number.

It rang several times before someone answered.

The voice on the other end was still soft.

"Xiyan."

Kong Xiyan's nose tingled at the sound of Wang Haining's voice. It had been a long time since she'd contacted her after returning—partly because of the accident on the variety show, partly because Wei Yan and He Wei had stirred up trouble, leaving no time to reach out.

So hearing that voice made her eyes redden inexplicably.

Wang Haining didn't hear a response and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Kong Xiyan half-complained, "Was it you who released the photos?"

Wang Haining chuckled. "Mm. But don't worry, I got the principal's approval before posting them. Consider it a New Year's gift for you."

"Xiyan, you've worked hard."

Kong Xiyan suppressed her complaining tone and responded nonchalantly, "I haven't."

Because of this matter, she really hadn't done much. Chi Wanzhao had arranged everything perfectly—even at the press conference, she had barely said a word.

Wang Haining thought she was just stubborn, remembering how Xiyan had been three years ago and how long it had taken her to recover.

They chatted briefly, then Wang Haining suddenly said, "Oh, by the way, Boss Chi's donation has arrived. When you come back next year, you'll see a different school."

"And a different Changning."

Kong Xiyan didn't understand the latter half. She smiled and asked, "Really? She never told me."

That made sense. Lately, she left early and came home late, sometimes not returning until midnight. She rarely crossed paths with Chi Wanzhao, let alone had time for a proper conversation.

Kong Xiyan looked down at her shoes, pressing her lips together.

Wang Haining continued, "Mm. So, how are you two doing?"

Kong Xiyan was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"It's just... just..."

Wang Haining couldn't bring herself to ask outright. She pondered the wording but found no good way to phrase it. She found herself awkwardly silent on the phone, which was rare for her. Fortunately, Kong Xiyan didn't dwell on it and simply shifted the topic. "Earlier, I asked whether you'd come to City B for the New Year. Have you decided?"

Wang Haining thought for a moment. "Alright. Once the kids start their winter break, I'll come."

Kong Xiyan brightened. "Great. I'll pick you up then."

Wang Haining: "Mm."

After hanging up, Wang Haining stared at her phone. Since she couldn't ask, she'd just have to go see for herself.

No sooner had Kong Xiyan put away her phone than Fu Qiu dragged her off. Tong Yue was waiting nearby, holding a few sheets of paper. When Kong Xiyan got close, she asked, "Xiyan, these are events you could attend tonight. Pick one?"

"No need."

Kong Xiyan shook her head. "I have plans tonight."

Tong Yue frowned, glanced at Fu Qiu, who shrugged to say she didn't know either. Tong Yue wanted to ask directly, but seeing Kong Xiyan's delicate features, she held back. "That's fine. You've been tired lately. Get some rest."

Kong Xiyan hummed in acknowledgment and left with Fu Qiu. Just before getting into the car, she pulled out her phone and sent a message.

—Are you free tonight? I'd like to take you out for dinner.

Chi Wanzhao had just finished a meeting and returned to her office when her phone buzzed. She took it out, glanced at it, and a smile curved across her eyes. Zhou Sheng couldn't help asking, "Boss Chi, what's got you so happy?"

Chi Wanzhao put away her phone, walked back to her desk with a calm expression, then looked up at Zhou Sheng and said, "Once you've married a wife, you'll know why it makes you this happy."

Zhou Sheng: ...