Chapter 96

Chapter 96

It was late spring, the temperature gradually warming up, yet Tang Yue felt as if he had fallen into icy water, his body growing colder and colder.

Having known Ye Zhiqiu for so long, he had always been more tolerant and accommodating towards him than towards others. Now, without a word, Ye Zhiqiu had hung up on him.

The implications of this action were clear: Ye Zhiqiu not only knew about the incident but also reacted with extreme intensity.

Tang Yue closed his eyes, repeatedly telling himself to stay calm, knowing that only by remaining calm could he find a way out.

This kind of situation was extremely disgraceful.

If it had happened between two obscure individuals or ordinary classmates, no matter how shameful, the impact would have been limited.

But once it involved someone like Ye Zhiqiu, a celebrity who spanned different circles, the incident would inevitably become widely known within those circles and might even affect those outside them.

Although there was still no definitive conclusion, and the online sentiment had not entirely turned against Ye Zhiqiu, Tang Yue could not help but feel tense and afraid.

If he couldn't clarify the situation, he would lose his footing in the fashion industry forever.

This was the only thing he might ever have, and he absolutely could not lose it.

Tang Yue kept his eyes closed, going over every detail of what had happened since he prepared for the competition, not daring to miss anything.

However, no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't understand how two people could coincidentally come up with nearly identical ideas at the same time.

Something must have gone wrong, Tang Yue thought.

But regardless of where the problem lay, he needed to take the initiative and gather evidence first.

Tang Yue steadied himself and immediately began checking the keys to his home.

After renting the apartment, he had replaced all the locks.

He hastily pulled open a drawer and carefully counted the keys.

Not one was missing.

Then, he called professionals to check his home for any installed cameras or signs of unconventional entry into the locks.

He actually preferred the idea that cameras might have been installed rather than someone sneaking in.

After all, even if someone could get in, with Ye Zhiqiu's computer skills, cracking his password would not be easy.

After finishing everything, Tang Yue leaned against the door, closing his eyes, and thought of the camera outside his downstairs neighbor's door.

If anyone came, they wouldn't escape the camera's lens.

Feeling somewhat reassured, he decided to ask his neighbor for the surveillance footage from the past few months after they returned from work.

But that wasn't enough.

He still needed to contact Ye Zhiqiu.

Tang Yue pursed his lips, his brow deeply furrowed.

Only now did fear, anger, jealousy, and the pain of betrayal surge through him like a tidal wave, leaving him feeling like a tiny weed tossed about in the storm.

Messages popped up on his phone, all from the class group tagging both him and Ye Zhiqiu.

Tang Yue hesitated to open them.

Biting his lip, he chose to contact Ye Zhiqiu first.

The call went through again, and Tang Yue waited nervously, but just like before, there was no answer.

While waiting for the professionals to check his equipment, Tang Yue couldn't leave.

Without further hesitation, he opened Ye Zhiqiu's chat window.

Word by word, adding and subtracting, he tried to phrase his message as tactfully as possible.

He distanced himself from the accusation while not explicitly accusing Ye Zhiqiu of plagiarism.

"Le Le: Xiao Qiu, can we talk? Perhaps because I've seen too many of your design drafts, I realized after the incident that I inadvertently borrowed a few elements from your everyday designs. But I definitely did not plagiarize. I don't know how such a coincidence could happen, so I'm looking for reasons myself. Let's meet and discuss this together, okay?"

As soon as he sent the message, a red exclamation mark appeared on his screen.

He had been blocked by Ye Zhiqiu.

Tang Yue froze, watching the red dot blur and spread across his vision, turning into a terrifying blood-red.

The complex emotions he harbored towards Ye Zhiqiu, fueled by long-suppressed jealousy and resentment, suddenly erupted uncontrollably.

He clenched his lips tightly and, in a fit of agitation, opened the four-person chat group and resent the message.

As outsiders, Li Shaojun and Jin Baobao were still unaware of what had happened.

But as soon as Tang Yue's message appeared, they immediately guessed most of it.

For a moment, the group fell silent.

But privately, messages from Li Shaojun and Tang Yue arrived one after another on Ye Zhiqiu's phone.

"Shaojun: What's going on? Did he plagiarize you?"

"Baobao: Hug my treasure."

"Shaojun: Master Qiu, you know that at any time, both Baoge and I believe in and support you."

"Baobao: Treasure, Shaojun and I only believe in you."

Ding-ding-ding. Ye Zhiqiu looked down at his screen, and the expression on his face softened involuntarily.

Almost everyone in the group was present now.

Because Ye Zhiqiu had been implicated in a plagiarism scandal, everyone's faces were grim.

"Teacher Xiao Ye," Gao Yang couldn't hold back, "we submitted our drafts back in April. If we can't testify as group members, the editors at the magazine can also vouch for it."

"Don't worry." Ye Zhiqiu smiled, looking down to reply individually to Jin Baobao and Li Shaojun, telling them not to worry.

"The truth cannot be hidden, and falsehoods cannot be whitewashed." He smiled. "The truth will come out eventually."

"I'll contact the editors at the magazine," Wang Ru said, "to get them to issue a statement."

"Wait a bit more." Ye Zhiqiu said calmly, composed.

Only Zhang Lan remained silent, but her face was dark.

"What's this, are you all idle right now, gathered here?" Ye Zhiqiu smiled, opening his email. "Let me find some more work..."

As he spoke, the internal phone suddenly rang, interrupting him mid-sentence.

Zhang Lan, being nearby, picked it up.

"Yes."

"Alright."

"Mm."

After hanging up, she frowned with concern.

"It was the secretary upstairs," she said, "the boss wants you to go up."

"Do we need the boss to step in for something like this?" Hearing this, Wang Ru and Gao Yang became anxious. "Usually, the department and PR team should handle it, right?"

Qin Jianhe was generally lenient with personnel, trusting his staff fully, thus delegating authority thoroughly.

He rarely intervened in departmental affairs unless it was a special situation.

Now, with the incident just happening and Ye Zhiqiu being summoned, they couldn't help but worry.

After all, since Ye Zhiqiu entered the public eye, he had always been in the spotlight. Being dragged into such a scandal would undoubtedly have a negative impact on the company.

Thinking of Zhou Lang's gloating attitude when they met earlier, Wang Ru felt both angry and nauseous.

"When you go up there," Wang Ru said, "listen to whatever the boss says, and be patient."

Seeing the three of them so worried, Ye Zhiqiu found it amusing.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "Is the boss that scary?"

"I'm honestly a bit afraid of him," Gao Yang said, instinctively stepping back.

Seeing this, Ye Zhiqiu laughed. He didn't say anything else, getting up to head upstairs.

But as he walked into the dimly lit stairwell, he paused, looking down to send a message to Tang Yue in the group.

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: I've always treated you as a friend no less dear than Baobao and Shaojun. Personally and professionally, I've done my best for you. But you betrayed a true friend, dragging me into this passive and terrible situation. I think there's no need for us to meet again, is there?"

In his previous life, he realized too late and never had the chance to say these words.

Now, Ye Zhiqiu typed each word, seemingly about the current situation, yet not just about the current situation.

Pausing for a moment, Ye Zhiqiu looked down and continued typing.

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: Also, I've collected evidence and will release it one by one. I believe the public's eyes are bright and they will make their own judgments."

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: Since you haven't done anything, Tang Yue, what are you afraid of? I'm not afraid, am I?"

Then, he turned off the screen and went upstairs.

*

Tang Yue stood at the door, anxiously watching the man who had just finished checking his place, his entire body tense.

"Hello," the man put away his equipment, "I found no cameras in your residence, and there are no signs of any unusual entry into your door lock."

Hearing this, Tang Yue's face gradually turned pale.

"Are you sure?" he asked incredulously.

"In this field, not just in the capital, but nationwide, I believe there are few people more professional than us," the man said. "You can trust our judgment."

Tang Yue didn't say anything, remaining stunned for a while before remembering to pay the man.

Just as he paid, his phone, still unlocked, received a message from Ye Zhiqiu's group.

Tang Yue read through the message, his already pale face turning even paler, eventually becoming a lifeless gray.

Even the man who had just been paid and was about to leave was startled.

"Do you need me to call an ambulance?" he asked.

Tang Yue shook his head numbly and saw the person out.

The air fell silent again as Tang Yue looked down at Ye Zhiqiu's messages for what seemed like the hundredth time.

He had found nothing, but Ye Zhiqiu had evidence?

What kind of evidence?

His heart pounded loudly, then suddenly seemed to stop. Tang Yue remembered something.

In mid-April, he, Jin Baobao, and Li Shaojun had gone to Ye Zhiqiu's house.

At that time, he had told them that he was about to submit his manuscript.

And on that day, only he had visited Ye Zhiqiu's workspace...

During the preparation period for the competition entry, Ye Zhiqiu hadn't come to his place, but he had gone to Ye Zhiqiu's.

Moreover, after entering Ye Zhiqiu's workspace, he had changed the submission date, delaying it by over half a month before submitting it to the organizers...

Tang Yue stood there, numb and desperate, unable to tell if this was a coincidence or a trap.

But he knew that this time, even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn't clear his name.

To survive and minimize the impact, he could only seek Ye Zhiqiu's help.

However, given Ye Zhiqiu's current attitude toward him, those words couldn't come from him.

Swallowing hard, Tang Yue dialed Tao Ruoqing's number with trembling hands.

She didn't answer the first time, so he gritted his teeth and tried again.

Finally, Tao Ruoqing's voice came through the receiver.

"Mrs. Ye," Tang Yue spoke, his voice shaking so much it barely formed words, "could you please ask Xiao Qiu for help?"

Recently, Tao Ruoqing's emotions had been a rollercoaster.

Qi Xin's initial orders had gone smoothly, and she had profited greatly.

A few days ago, Mrs. Zhou's application for a large loan, which her husband had helped with, had been approved, allowing her to invest the money successfully.

Plus, Ye Zhixia's wedding was approaching...

Everything should have been joyous.

But just a couple of days ago, Gao Wenye's scandal broke online.

Someone posted a few blurry photos of Gao Wenye and the company's artist Cui Xuan together.

In the photos, Cui Xuan looked limp, and they were seen entering a hotel together.

Since only a few photos were posted without any text, speculation ran rampant online, and even the producers of Hand in Hand 99 had sought Gao Wenye for clarification.

Gao Wenye's company, along with Gao Wenye and Cui Xuan personally, immediately issued statements to explain the "truth."

Though the statements were sincere, claiming it was merely colleagues supporting each other while drunk, Tao Ruoqing still had doubts, especially considering Ye Zhixia's recent state.

No matter how she asked, Ye Zhixia refused to say more.

In recent days, the online discourse had become chaotic.

Some supported the idea of normal colleague interaction, while others pursued the marketing account asking if Gao Wenye had left the hotel that night.

For some reason, the account never provided a clear response.

It seemed deliberately aimed at stirring up trouble before Gao Wenye and Ye Zhixia's wedding.

When Tao Ruoqing received Tang Yue's call, she was discussing this matter with Ye Zhixia.

"If being with him makes you unhappy, why don't we...," Tao Ruoqing said, "why don't we cancel the wedding?"

Tao Ruoqing always valued face above all.

Yet, for him, she was willing to cancel the long-planned wedding. Hearing this, Ye Zhixia's eyes immediately welled up.

"No," he said, clenching his teeth, his eyes filled with determination, "I want everyone to envy me, not pity me. I will never let those bitches win."

Only then did Tao Ruoqing realize that Gao Wenye had more than one person outside their relationship.

"Face is important," she said earnestly, "but as a mother, my child's happiness matters more. I don't ask for anything else; I just want you to live well. Jumping into such a fire pit will make me cry inside even if I smile on the outside."

Ye Zhixia lowered his head and, after a long pause, said, "Maybe we can scale down the wedding. I don't have the energy to face so many people."

The next filming session of Hand in Hand 99 was in two days. If not for that, Tao Ruoqing would have wanted to beat Gao Wenye into a pulp.

Hearing Ye Zhixia's words, her heart ached even more.

So when she answered Tang Yue's call, her mood was terrible.

Even the "hello" was filled with disgust and frustration.

Only when she heard Tang Yue's trembling voice did she calm down a bit.

"What's wrong?" she asked, "Ask Xiao Qiu, ask him what?"

Tang Yue's voice still trembled uncontsciously, but he managed to explain the situation to Tao Ruoqing.

"Please, Mrs. Ye, for the sake of how obedient I've been to you in the past, please help me plead with Xiao Qiu. He has everything, and even if he did make a mistake, he still has a chance to turn things around. I have nothing, and if the accusation of plagiarism is pinned on me, my life will be completely ruined."

"Do you mean for me to convince Xiao Qiu to take responsibility for this plagiarism incident?" Tao Ruoqing asked.

If it were possible, wouldn't she want that too?

But such a thing, as one could easily guess, would never be agreed upon by anyone.

Tao Ruoqing pondered for a moment.

"I'll try to find a way," she finally said.

Meanwhile, after chatting briefly with Zhou Tongxin outside, Ye Zhiqiu had just entered Qin Jianhe's office.

Inside the office, the chessboard by the window still stood.

As Ye Zhiqiu pushed the door open, Qin Jianhe was sitting on the sofa, deep in thought, holding a black piece.

On the other side of the chessboard, warm milk and small sweets were already prepared, bathed in sunlight, creating an especially cozy atmosphere.

Seeing this, Ye Zhiqiu remained silent and quietly walked over, taking a seat opposite Qin Jianhe.

"The milk is still warm," Qin Jianhe's gaze shifted from the chessboard, his eyes filled with a gentle smile, "have something to eat."

"Did you call me here just for food?" Ye Zhiqiu picked up the cup and took a sip, asking, "is there nothing else you need to ask me?"

Qin Jianhe shook his head.

"I know you won't," he said.

Won't what? What won't?

He didn't say, but both understood clearly.

The rich, warm milk slid down his throat, warming his heart.

Ye Zhiqiu felt a slight warmth rise within him.

Lowering his eyes, he drank half the cup before looking up again.

"The public relations department is already preparing the relevant statement," Qin Jianhe said, leaning slightly forward and gently ruffling his hair with a smile, "the magazine is also following the necessary procedures; they will publish your submission time later..."

His voice paused momentarily, and a soft, clear gentleness filled his dark eyes.

"Don't worry," he said, "and don't be afraid."

Ye Zhiqiu pursed his lips.

What he had originally thought would require many excuses to explain turned out to need no explanation at all.

Qin Jianhe asked nothing, he simply chose to believe him, standing by his side.

Suddenly, countless memories from his previous life flooded back without warning.

Countless times, Qi Xin returned to vent his anger at him because of Jiang Nan's words.

No matter how much he explained, it seemed like no one in this world would believe him.

He could always be ignored, always blamed.

So eventually, he stopped explaining altogether, his heart encased in a thick layer of ice, cold and numb.

Even when Tang Yue once used his design almost verbatim in a movie and stunned everyone, he watched Tang Yue's face on the screen, confidently recounting the design philosophy he had once shared...

His heart remained numb.

His talent, renamed, became Qi Xin's glory.

His old designs could be used by Tang Yue to shine and pave his path forward.

Only he himself seemed to have vanished entirely.

Except for that one time at nineteen, when he stood on the stage of an international fashion competition, shining so brightly that no one dared to look directly at him...

After that, he seemed to disappear completely from the world.

He knew very well that even if he had stepped forward then to claim those designs as his own, not belonging to Tang Yue, no one would have believed him.

No one believed him. The world seemed to have become deaf to him, ignoring whatever he said, unwilling to hear.

Everyone was moving forward, climbing higher, shining brilliantly.

Only he became a severely depressed patient, forgotten by the world, constantly wanting to end it all.

If he hadn't been sure that he had been enduring the pain with full clarity, he might have doubted whether those magical events were merely his imagination.

Unfortunately, it wasn't, Ye Zhiqiu knew.

Gripping the milk cup tightly, Ye Zhiqiu suppressed the intense emotions surging within him.

Now, it seemed someone could finally believe in him unconditionally, stand by his side.

Without needing any explanation from him, even before he had taken any action, everything had already been handled for him.

And he was told, don't worry, and don't be afraid.

This is what it feels like to be trusted without reservation, Ye Zhiqiu thought.

His heart felt as though it was soaking in warm water, tingling warmly.

The matcha-flavored cream puffs exploded one by one in his mouth, their sweet and pure taste quickly replacing the dark and murky past and emotions that lurked in his heart.

Ye Zhiqiu worked hard to suppress the sourness rising to his nose, and he slightly lifted his eyes to smile.

"I'm not afraid," he said.

He truly wasn't afraid.

Not only because he had designed all of this himself,

but also because Qin Jianhe was sitting right across from him, looking at him with gentle and resolute eyes.

The sound of ice cracking echoed in his heart.

To Ye Zhiqiu, the world seemed to come alive again.