Chapter 23: We Wait for People

Chapter 23: We Wait for People

Before Huo Ze could take out his phone to find someone to help him verify the evidence, a commotion arose from the crowd outside.

A man in a suit, accompanied by several security guards, pushed his way through, yelling as he did so, "What are you all doing here? Looking for trouble?"

Wen Wen and Zhao Wei simultaneously lifted their heads, and at the sight of the man, they seemed to have found their anchor.

Ye Le Yao was puzzled when she saw Zhao Wei and Wen Wen rush forward together.

"Dad!"

"Husband, you finally came!" Wen Wen's eyes welled up with tears as she pointed at Ning Xu, Ning Xing, and the onlookers, saying, "It's them... They not only slandered our son as gay but also said..."

Ye Le Yao exclaimed in shock:

"This is Zhao Wei's father? So Wen Wen still doesn't know she's a wife of a closeted gay man?"

Huo Dad and Huo Mom were stunned, turning to look over.

What?

Could it be that Zhao Yang was also...

Then Ye Le Yao continued:

"Zhao Wei deliberately exposed this matter right before Ning Xu's competition to mess with his head. I remember when Ning Xu responded, he mentioned Zhao Yang, saying that he and his son are both freaks."

"His son was dating two people at once, while Zhao Yang..."

Ye Le Yao recalled the plot carefully, her expression becoming increasingly vivid:

"Zhao Yang had more varied tastes, even going so far as to seek thrills in the sea..."

Huo Ze's hand trembled, nearly dropping his phone.

Huo Dad and Huo Mom were shaken to their core.

Their worldview was significantly impacted.

"Ahh, I can't take it anymore. I'm just a reader of novels, why do these explosive plots always torment me!!!"

Huo Dad and Huo Mom: "..."

Who could say otherwise?

They didn't even read novels! Yet, explosive plots still unfolded around them daily.

However, they did indeed enjoy watching the drama unfold.

Horze held his phone, his expression even more complicated.

Good news: A plethora of evidence about the father and son could be found with just a quick online search.

Bad news: It all looked incriminating.

Horze went to see Horjing.

Should they report it to the police after all?

Horjing gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Indeed, calling the police was now the best option.

With his older brother nodding in agreement, what did Horze have to hesitate about? He quickly took out his phone and sent a message to a tech-savvy friend he knew, asking him to gather and organize all the evidence as fast as possible.

...

It was 10 AM on a weekday morning, prime time for many office workers to slack off during work hours.

In the era of short video and live streaming popularity, short video apps were often the go-to choice for many to slack off. It was at this moment that someone sharp-eyed noticed a new, unfamiliar art streamer had suddenly appeared in the entertainment live streaming section.

Many netizens clicked in:

"Wrong section?"

"Should we contact the admin to report an error?"

"Hey, don't move your hand, streamer. The person who flashed by just now looks like God Xu!"

God Xu referred to Ning Xu. As the AD of this year's popular championship team, KTW, Ning Xu was not only the soul of KTW but also the esports player with the most endorsements in the current esports circle. Even many netizens who didn't follow esports had heard of his name.

Seeing this comment, the netizens were all taken aback.

"Taking a closer look, the other person does resemble someone from Team Z."

Team Z was none other than Horze, whose in-game ID was Z.

Misidentifying God Xu was one thing, but there was no way they could mistake Team Z too, right? So, those who had originally intended to just drop in for some fun all stopped in their tracks, patiently waiting for the live stream camera to adjust properly.

The streamer's hand shook for nearly a minute before the camera finally steadied, and the previously glitching audio came through the live stream:

"Little Star," a steady middle-aged male voice sounded, laced with suppressed anger, "you need to explain. What is going on here?"

"What's there to explain?" Ning Xu, having just learned of being deceived, was initially somewhat upset. But seeing how shameless each member of this family was, his heart was now filled with nothing but anger. "Your son was two-timing, deceiving both my sister and me. Does he need my sister to explain that?"

Ye Leyao was also indignant. "Victim blaming? How ridiculous, Old Deng!"

The netizens in the live stream recognized Ning Xu's voice keenly:

"Truly divine, Xu Shen!"

"Streamer, could you shift the camera angle?! "

"Treading two boats? I've never heard of Xu Shen being in a relationship. What's this about 'betraying my and my sister's feelings'? What's going on here?"

The live chat was flooded with question marks, but the streamer showed no intention of explaining.

The onlookers were now in an uproar. Since Zhao Yang had arrived and ordered security to chase them away, they now had the audacity to interrogate the victim:

"We all bought tickets to attend the art exhibition. On what grounds do you have to kick us out?"

"That's right! Are you too ashamed to face this?"

The crowd was particularly enraged, while Wen Wen felt an immense relief.

Perfect. With Zhao Yang's arrival, she now had confidence and support.

Now looking at these onlookers, her eyes were filled with disdain.

"You're just jealous of our Zhao Wei!" Wen Wen shielded Zhao Wei behind her, eyeing Ning Xu with disdain. "Just because Zhao Wei has achieved something now, do you need to slander my son like this?"

How could her outstanding son possibly be gay?

"And you, Ning Xing," Wen Wen then directed her ire towards Ning Xing, scanning her from head to toe with utter disgust. "I've told you before, when you come to see your father, don't dress so flamboyantly..."

Ye Leyao was utterly astounded by Wen Wen's thought process.

"No wonder I always felt that there was something off about Wen Wen. She's the classic clingy wife!"

"Blindly believing in her husband and son, taking any criticism against them as jealousy, and even imagining others coveting her husband..."

"But seriously, Zhao Yang is scruffy, pot-bellied, embodying the epitome of a middle-aged greasy man, reeking of an old man. Who on earth would fancy him?"

Ye Leyao's sarcastic remark was met with nods from the Huo family.

In the end, their hearts went out to Ning Xing even more.

Looking at Ning Xing, it was clear she was deeply upset.

Compared to Ning Xu, who only knew Zhao Wei online, Ning Xing had invested much more emotionally in him. Now being slandered by Wen Wen, her eyes welled up with tears. Her chest heaved violently, unable to utter a word for a long moment.

When had Ning Xu ever seen his sister like this?

His eyes brimmed with concern, about to retort, when he heard Huo Ze say, "Ning Xu, come over here."

With so many eyes and cameras watching, Ning Xu knew that even if they were in the right, the onlookers might still side with them. But without concrete evidence, he couldn't act rashly.

Glaring fiercely at Zhao Wei hiding behind Wen Wen, Ning Xu pulled Ning Xing over.

The fans in the live stream finally confirmed it.

These two voices belonged to Huo Ze and Ning Xu!

But who could tell them what had actually happened? Why was Ning Xu accusing someone named Zhao Wei of playing both sides?

Could it be that Ning Xu was the one being cheated on?!

The fans were instantly enraged, yet couldn't help but indulge in gossip:

"Streamer, my dear streamer, can you please tell us what's going on?"

The streamer remained silent as Wen Wen's voice echoed again: "What's this? Seeing your defamation against my son failing, you're now convening to discuss your next move? Let me tell you, don't think this ends with your commotion. I'm not done with you over this!"

"You must compensate us for all the negative impact on the art exhibition, and for Ning Xing's slap just now! Both of you siblings owe us! Otherwise, I will definitely sue you through a lawyer!" Wen Wen was fiercely aggressive.

Ye Le Yao was once again stunned by Wen Wen's audacity, finding her eerily familiar:

"This is... bullying with the backing of power? Isn't Wen Wen taking things a bit too far?"

Huo Mama: "Chortle—"

To say the least, Ye Le Yao's description was as fitting as ever!

Huo Ze led Ning Xu aside, whispering something to him.

Ye Le Yao leaned in to eavesdrop, catching the words "call the police," which instantly put his mind at ease.

"I didn't expect Third Brother, this eccentric esports teenager, to be somewhat reliable? He actually thought of calling the police, showing some maturity, not bad, not bad!"

"I thought he would veer towards becoming a delinquent given his previous behavior!"

Huo Ze: "..."

If you have the guts to criticize me in your head, why don't you have the guts to do it to my face!

And besides, no matter how eccentric this esports teenager might be, he's nowhere near as delusional as you, a closet otaku whose inner fujoshi thoughts are leaking out!

Ning Xu, though shocked and puzzled by Huo Ze's words, chose to unconditionally trust him, taking his phone to call the police with Ning Xing nearby.

Huo Ze's phone vibrated, and his friend sent over the information at that moment.

In high spirits, Huo Ze decided to temporarily overlook Ye Le Yao's otaku antics.

After all, without Ye Le Yao, their team might have really stumbled during this playoff!

Wen Wen, seeing this, suddenly raised her voice: "Jun Yi, you should properly educate your little Ze. Don't let him learn from those two heartless people!"

Huo Mama, however, smiled faintly and retorted: "Rest assured, my third son may be cunning, but he wouldn't do something as despicable as cheating on two people or scamming money."

When the words hit a sore spot, Wen Wen's expression abruptly changed, and she glared fiercely at Madam He, snorting coldly. "What evidence do you have to prove that my little Wei is two-timing? And... Little Xing spent money on my son willingly. As for you, don't believe everything others say! Be careful not to be deceived!"

"Fortunately, fortunately," Madam He maintained a proper smile at the corner of her mouth. "I've been smart since I was young; generally, no one can deceive me. Unlike you—"

As she spoke, Madam He cast a meaningful glance at the Zhao family father and son.

Zhao Yang and Zhao Wei felt a chill down their spines as they were looked at.

Why was she looking at them?

Could it be that she knew something?

Zhao Wei suddenly became somewhat nervous, swallowing his saliva and couldn't help but grab Zhao Yang's arm. "Dad, why don't we just forget about it..."

"What are you afraid of!" Zhao Yang lowered his voice. "Your mother doesn't know! Besides..."

His voice grew even softer: "Those matters are all overseas affairs; how can they be managed domestically? Moreover, your mother isn't wrong; you're definitely going to break off with Ning Xing later on. You might as well take advantage of the fact that you're still in contact and ask her for some compensation!"

Zhao Wei thought about it and found that Zhao Yang had a point. His perfectly good exhibition had been ruined by Ning Xing and Ning Xu. If he didn't get some compensation, how could he continue his further studies abroad?

His heart, which had been hanging, relaxed slightly for a moment, but then Zhao Wei thought of something else. "Then what about these people..."

Zhao Yang turned to look at the security guards upon seeing this. "What are you waiting for? Chase all of them out! If anyone dares to take another photo, smash their equipment directly!"

This immediately sparked outrage among the crowd. The people who came to visit the art exhibition were influential figures in the art circle, and the live stream exploded:

"This person seems to have some serious issues!"

"Dare you try smashing it?"

"If I were the streamer, I'd lie on the ground right now and see what they dare to do!"

The security guards, hearing this, felt as speechless as the audience in the live stream.

They were all ordinary workers earning regular wages, not those expensive bodyguards. Don't think that their cheap labor value would make them expend more effort that wasn't worth it!

Thus, the audience in the live stream heard the voice of the security guard:

"You should just step back a bit; don't huddle too closely together. If someone accidentally steps on your foot, won't it hurt you?"

"Oh yes, yes, yes, go to that corner; the shots will be clearer there!"

"It's just taking a photo; it won't make you lose any flesh. They're really making a big deal out of nothing, but since they're being so unreasonable, you should cooperate a little."

"How could you not hear clearly? It's very quiet inside the exhibition hall now. If you really feel like you can't hear clearly, go to the surveillance room. There's my colleague there; report my name and watch the surveillance directly..."

Ye Leyao was almost laughing herself silly:

"Good job, Uncle Security Guard!"

"That's right; it's just a photo, it won't make you lose any flesh. Why are you being so stingy and not letting them take photos?"

As if hearing Ye Leyao's thoughts, the streamer's hand trembled, and the camera, which had originally only been filming the ground, suddenly swayed, capturing Ye Leyao's smiling face.

In the barrage of "hahaha" comments in the live stream, an additional message suddenly appeared:

"Is that Ye Leyao?"

Unfortunately, this comment was brushed past too quickly and was soon drowned in the sea of messages in the barrage.

Inside the exhibition hall.

Zhao Yang and Wen Wen were particularly annoyed to see the security guards' "inaction."

"I'm going to complain if you keep doing this!" Wen Wen shouted loudly.

Several security guards didn't even spare her a glance.

Wen Wen was furious, her gaze sweeping around before finally landing on Madam He again.

Madam He raised her eyebrows slightly.

Then she heard Wen Wen say, "Junyi! Quickly call your family's bodyguards to help us, help us get rid of this group..."

"That won't do!" Madam He interrupted Wen Wen without hesitation.

Wen Wen was taken aback, but before she could ask why, Madam He explained, "After all, you said that homosexuality is a perversion." As she spoke, Madam He feigned regret in her tone. "I guess you wouldn't want us perverts to help you either, right?"

Wen Wen was dumbfounded.

Zhao Yang stepped forward, grabbing her arm and saying angrily, "We don't need their help! I have my own methods. Wait here, I..."

"Who is Zhao Yang and Zhao Wei?" A stern voice suddenly broke through the noise in the hall.

Everyone stopped their actions simultaneously and looked up.

Three police officers in uniform stood at the door, their expressions solemn.

Zhao Wei's body suddenly trembled, and subconsciously, he wanted to turn around and hide in the crowd.

Zhao Yang's expression also changed drastically, and he followed Zhao Wei, turning to run.

Ning Xu suddenly spoke up, pointing at the two of them. "They are the ones; I'm the informant."

The police officer nodded slightly at Ning Xu, then turned to look at the father-son duo of Zhao Wei and Zhao Yang. His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough for everyone to hear: "We received a real-name report that the two of you are involved in fraud and the production and dissemination of obscene videos. Please come with us."

Zhao Wei's legs went weak, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

Zhao Yang's face was even paler, devoid of any color.

Wen Wen looked at the police, then at the father and son, her expression stiff. "… Could there have been a mistake?"

"There's no way. The police wouldn't come to arrest someone unless they had concrete evidence in hand~~~"

"While we're waiting for the police, what are you doing?"

Ye Le Yao looked at the pale faces of Zhao Wei and Zhao Yang, feeling particularly elated.

"So if I were to tell Wen Wen now what her husband has been up to..."

Before Ye Le Yao could finish her thoughts, she saw Aunt He suddenly step forward, standing beside Wen Wen, and said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, "Do you know what kind of obscene videos Zhao Yang and Zhao Wei were spreading?"

Wen Wen turned in disbelief. "Could it be that you know..."

Aunt He smiled as if basking in the spring breeze. "It's the kind of video you detest the most: gay porn."

Wen Wen trembled, her expression one of severe shock, and she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Impossible—"