Chapter 105

Chapter 105

It was the perfect season for travel, and at this moment, the airport terminal was bustling with people, filled with vibrant energy and joy.

Yet, Gao Wenye and Ye Zhixia seemed to be completely isolated from this lively atmosphere, as if they were shielded from it all.

At this moment, their world was eerily silent, so quiet that it was terrifying.

A chill enveloped Gao Wenye's entire body; his mind froze, and even his limbs felt weak.

Only now did he understand why Ye Zhixia's phone had suddenly fallen to the ground just moments ago.

It wasn't an accident; she had seen the information before him.

Having been in the entertainment industry for years, Gao Wenye had experienced many storms.

He forced himself to calm down and wanted to assess the severity of the situation first.

However, before he could open Weibo, his phone rang again.

It was his assistant, Wang Ge.

Gao Wenye quickly answered the call, his voice trembling slightly.

"What happened?" he asked, then added, "How bad is it?"

"Brother," Wang Ge had already moved past the stage of being speechless. Though his tone was steady, it carried a sense of despair and powerlessness, "You haven't seen the news yet, have you?"

"Just tell me," Gao Wenye said, losing patience with Wang Ge's hesitation.

"Alright, I'll give you a brief summary. Please prepare yourself mentally," Wang Ge took a deep breath and began, "Around 3:30 PM today, shortly after you boarded the plane, someone leaked a series of videos and photos related to your infidelity. There are more than twenty individuals involved, and most of the videos were taken recently. The person's equipment was very professional, and the clarity of the photos and videos can be described as high-definition, making everything crystal clear."

"We... I've already consulted a professional forensic team, and there are no signs of any post-production alterations on those videos and photos," Wang Ge continued, his tone hesitant and cautious, "Moreover, we can't trace the source of the leak. So far, we can't determine if they have anything else."

After a pause, he couldn't help but call out, "Brother?"

Gao Wenye's hand holding the phone was shaking, and he could barely stand still.

"Why did it happen right when we boarded the plane?" he asked.

But deep down, he knew it was a calculated move.

The person wanted to strike while he was unable to respond, aiming to crush him completely.

The leak at 3:30 PM, now three hours later at 6:30 PM...

Even if it were something that could be handled through public relations, the delay had already put him at a significant disadvantage.

Not to mention, this was a situation with substantial evidence. Even if he were in Beijing and intervened immediately, he would have no guarantee of success.

Who could hate him so much, wanting to destroy him completely without leaving any room for survival?

Gao Wenye's eyes widened with rage, and his frozen mind slowly started to work again.

Recently, he had indeed indulged quite a bit, but he had been very careful.

He was certain he hadn't been followed by paparazzi.

Yet, the person managed to leak information about over twenty individuals, indicating they had been meticulously tracking him.

Could it be due to his recent participation in Hand in Hand 99, which had attracted the envy and opposition of competitors like Zhang He or Wang Peng?

Or Wei Youlin or Lin You?

...

Never before had he hated anyone so intensely, but now, facing an unknown adversary, his teeth clenched in anger.

"Have you contacted Jifeng and Jiule?" His voice sounded hoarse.

Jifeng and Jiule were two of the most renowned and capable PR firms in the industry, known for their ability to turn situations around.

Each had numerous successful crisis management cases under their belt.

If even they couldn't handle this...

Gao Wenye dared not think further about the consequences.

He had worked hard to climb up, even using his marriage as a stepping stone to enhance his status.

For this, he had severed ties with his parents.

But now, fate had dealt him a heavy blow.

Not only would it strip him of everything he had gained...

If even Jifeng and Jiule couldn't resolve this, it might leave him without the means to crawl back to the family he desperately wanted to escape.

Cold sweat poured down his back, and his palms became slick with sweat.

Instinctively, Gao Wenye tightened his grip on the phone, closing his eyes and praying fervently.

It's a pity that this time, fate did not favor him as it did when he won the Best Actor award.

He heard Wang Ge's voice coming through.

"They..." Wang Ge said with difficulty, shattering his last shred of hope, "they all rejected this case."

Gao Wenye couldn't utter another word. The hand holding the phone to his ear fell heavily, unable to support itself any longer.

June was approaching, and the summer season would soon begin.

He had two films ready with distribution keys, scheduled for release.

One of them was a large-scale sci-fi movie he signed on right after winning the Best Actor award.

Due to the high complexity and extensive scope of the special effects, the production team specially hired the most renowned foreign special effects crew. After more than two years of meticulous work, they set the release date for this summer.

He had hoped this film would solidify his position in the entertainment industry.

But now, despite the film finally being completed, he faced a problem that made it impossible for him to be part of it.

This movie, from pre-production to post-production, was done with utmost precision.

Although he wasn't clear about the exact budget, based on his years of experience in the industry, Gao Wenye estimated it wouldn't be less than one billion yuan.

Moreover, the compensation wasn't limited to just the cost.

There were also losses from the film not being released, costs of recasting and reshooting, and waiting for the special effects team's availability, among other factors.

Just thinking about it made Gao Wenye's scalp tingle.

Apart from this film, another commercial movie he wrapped up last year was also scheduled for release this summer.

In addition to these two, there was one film that had been completed and was currently in post-production, and another that was still in production.

Along with his endorsements from the 99 program and the projects he invested in after Xinye was established...

Previously, Gao Wenye always felt he was lukewarm in the entertainment industry, envious and jealous of Meng Qingyan's skyrocketing popularity.

But now, he experienced the immense risks hidden behind the word "fame" for the first time.

He even wished he could go back in time and remain lukewarm forever.

People bustled around the airport, and some domestic tourists recognized him, raising their cameras to take photos, but he didn't notice.

The world before him had collapsed, leaving him unable to care about anything else.

Beside him, Ye Zhixia had already picked up her phone and was now holding it, listening to her agent berate her like a grandchild.

Compared to Gao Wenye, Ye Zhixia faced much less pressure.

Apart from the huge breach of contract fee from the 99 program, her roles in other productions were mostly cameo or supporting roles.

Her screen time was limited, her salary was modest, and her impact on the producers was far less significant.

Thus, whether it was face replacement or reshooting, the time and effort required were relatively minimal.

Moreover, although her behavior was outrageous, she was ultimately a victim in this situation.

With proper public relations, playing the sympathy card, and quickly distancing herself from Gao Wenye, she might still have a chance to extricate herself.

However, her previous performance was subpar, and after Xinye was established, she intended to sign with them upon her contract's expiration.

If not for the massive traffic brought by the 99 program, the company might have already given up on her.

Now, with Gao Wenye facing ruin, Xinye, as a new company yet to establish itself, would likely follow suit.

No other company would sign her at this critical juncture.

Renewing her contract with the company was now inevitable.

Logically, the company should find it relatively easy to separate her from the scandal.

However, her fans were drawn to her loving persona.

The more they loved her before, the more they hated her now.

Her Weibo account had already been flooded with insults and derogatory comments.

Even if the company managed to separate her from the scandal, it wouldn't make much difference.

Ye Zhixia's path in the entertainment industry was destined to be difficult.

Not only would these haters likely follow her for life, but even the ridicule from passersby would influence the decisions of producers and investors.

In just a few hours, not only had the partners sent termination and compensation letters, but even the scripts that came due to her popularity had been withdrawn.

... Her contract would officially expire in the fall.

Without much consideration, the company had already decided to abandon her.

Therefore, after the news broke, neither Gao Wenye nor Ye Zhixia responded.

Ye Zhixia listened expressionlessly.

Even though her agent didn't explicitly state it, she understood the underlying message.

Without a word, she hung up the phone.

Growing up, she had always been competitive.

But now, he has become the laughingstock of the world.

Such humiliation, such loss of dignity, all exposed to the public like that.

This was more painful than being killed.

He lifted his eyes and glared at Gao Wenye with a dark expression.

To be honest, although he had never relaxed in his pursuit of catching him cheating, he wasn't professional, so the number of times he actually caught Gao Wenye in the act was quite limited.

But he truly hadn't expected that Gao Wenye would play around even more wildly and diversely than he imagined.

No wonder he couldn't get it up at home; it turned out he had already spent everything outside.

Ye Zhixia clenched her fists and slowly walked up to Gao Wenye.

At this moment, all the vitality seemed to have drained from Gao Wenye. He looked exhausted, like a stray dog, exuding a disgusting sense of weakness.

Perhaps this weakness wasn't just due to the blow but was inherent in him.

It was just that before, he had been blinded by the false persona he had deliberately built.

How could he have fallen for such a thing?

Ye Zhixia suddenly felt a bit dazed.

Since childhood, the people she liked always ended up liking Ye Zhiqiu, so she always harbored a deep resentment.

With Gao Wenye, she finally won on the surface, but the outcome was so humiliating.

If only...

An intense feeling of regret and anger surged within her.

If only Ye Zhiqiu had won this time too?

Then she wouldn't have suffered this undeserved disaster.

Thinking about her current miserable state and comparing it to Ye Zhiqiu's current glory, Ye Zhixia's hatred grew stronger.

"What? A stray dog," once love turned to hate, Ye Zhixia sneered at Gao Wenye, attacking his weak points, "aren't these all things you did yourself? Can't handle it? Too bad, you don't even have a father to clean up after you."

But she was different.

Even if she left the entertainment industry, she still had her family, her elder brother, her mother, and Ye Ding.

Worst-case scenario, even if Ye Hongxian disowned her, with her mother's control over Ye Zhiqiu, Ye Ding wouldn't leave her without a share.

Malice spread throughout her heart, both painful and satisfying, as Ye Zhixia looked at Gao Wenye with disdain.

"Speaking of which, I should thank you for giving all your energy to those sluts outside," she said, her words dripping with venom, "since the task here is no longer needed, let's go find a urology clinic together to make sure you haven't passed on any diseases."

"What did you say?" Gao Wenye hadn't recovered from the massive blow.

In fact, he might never recover.

The deeper he thought about it, the more desperate his situation became.

"I said you're dirty," Ye Zhixia glared at him with hatred.

The words "stray dog" and "dirty" each hit Gao Wenye where it hurt the most.

As usual, he gritted his teeth, raised his hand, and took a step forward to slap Ye Zhixia.

"Everyone's watching, Gao Wenye," Ye Zhixia didn't dodge, smiling as she asked, "what, do you think you're not rotten enough yet, needing more proof?"

Gao Wenye raised his hand high, breathing heavily, like a cornered beast.

"I really regret ever falling for someone like you," Ye Zhixia lowered her voice and said viciously, "and why did you choose me instead of Ye Zhiqiu back then?"

"Do you like him? Then why didn't you choose him?" Ye Zhixia pressed on relentlessly.

"Don't be unreasonable." Seeing many people pointing their phones at them, Gao Wenye turned and walked away.

Not just because of the phones, but also because he finally realized that Ye Zhixia's attitude towards him had changed.

It wasn't the same as when she used to throw tantrums out of jealousy.

Back then, no matter how angry she got, she would still care about his feelings and never say something that directly attacked his weaknesses.

But now, she seemed to have...

Seemed to have truly given up on him.

This realization made Gao Wenye's heart sink involuntarily.

Originally, as long as Ye Zhixia remained dependent on him, no matter how low he fell, he could still rely on her for basic support.

But now, the Ye Zhixia who was once so infatuated with him seemed to have suddenly let go, and he panicked first.

However, accustomed to controlling the relationship, Gao Wenye still held strong, not saying a single soft word to Ye Zhixia.

Instead, because Ye Zhixia mentioned Ye Zhiqiu, his thoughts returned to Ye Zhiqiu.

Yes, Ye Zhiqiu!

He originally liked Ye Zhiqiu.

And thinking about the piercing look Ye Zhiqiu gave him at the wedding, he was even more convinced that Ye Zhiqiu also liked him.

Gao Wenye regretted his decisions once again.

If only he had chosen Ye Zhiqiu instead of Ye Zhixia back then. If only someone like Ye Zhiqiu had been by his side...

How could he have ever wanted to look elsewhere?

And how could he have ended up in such a desperate situation today?

Yes, Ye Zhiqiu.

He thought this again.

He had originally believed there was no hope with Ye Zhiqiu and didn't dare to think about him for even a moment, fearing the pain and regret it would bring.

But now that the floodgates of longing had opened, it was impossible to close them again.

Whether it was an escape from reality or a desperate attempt to grasp at the last straw, Gao Wenye found himself drowning in thoughts of Ye Zhiqiu.

At that moment, the car they had arranged for had arrived. Both of them got into the car without looking at each other, each opening their own door.

Once seated, Gao Wenye immediately took out his phone, unlocked it, and sent a trembling message to Ye Zhiqiu.

"Gao Wenye: Xiao Qiu, I really regret suppressing my true feelings and not seeking you out. I have no real feelings for those others; I sought them out merely to alleviate my longing for you."

As the message was sent, a red exclamation mark appeared in the chat window, reminding Gao Wenye that Ye Zhiqiu had long blocked him.

He hurriedly copied the content and pasted it into a text message, sending it again.

This time, it went through, and Gao Wenye let out a long sigh of relief.

He continued to type.

"Gao Wenye: Xiao Qiu, if there is only one person I have ever loved in this world, it's you."

"Gao Wenye: Xiao Qiu, can you give me another chance?"

At that moment, on the second floor of the Ye family residence, Tao Ruoqing was seething with anger.

With Gao Wenye's scandal at its peak, the photo of him raising his hand to slap Ye Zhixia at a foreign airport had instantly gone viral online.

His previously cultivated gentle image had already crumbled, and this photo further exposed his shamelessness.

Tao Ruoqing felt her heart ache upon seeing the photo and became worried about Ye Zhixia. She couldn't help but repeatedly call out, urging Ye Zheng to book a flight immediately to accompany Ye Zhixia.

She planned to bring him back home once things calmed down.

She then called Ye Zhixia, but the line was busy, and when she tried again, his phone was switched off.

Tao Ruoqing was both anxious and terrified, fearing something might happen to Ye Zhixia in a foreign country.

Unfortunately, all flights that day were fully booked, and Ye Zheng could only get tickets for the next morning.

Unable to reach Ye Zhixia, Ye Zhiqiu's phone began to vibrate repeatedly with messages from Gao Wenye.

Even though Ye Zhiqiu knew what kind of person Gao Wenye was, he was still shocked by his audacity.

Without saying a word, he smiled slightly and handed the phone to Ye Zheng.

Ye Zheng glanced at it, and his face darkened immediately.

"What's wrong? Is something wrong with Xia Xia?" Seeing this, Tao Ruoqing, like a frightened bird, rushed to grab the phone from Ye Zheng's hand.

Upon seeing Gao Wenye's messages on the screen, she nearly fainted from rage.

How could she have agreed to let Ye Zhixia be with such a shameless person?

She wished he were dead.

"Mom." Ye Zheng tried to take the phone back, but Tao Ruoqing held it tightly.

"No," she gritted her teeth, "he must die."

Saying this, she took screenshots of the messages Gao Wenye had sent to Ye Zhiqiu.

Ye Zheng immediately understood what she intended to do.

"Mom," he said, "please don't involve Xiao Qiu, okay?"

"Why not?" Seeing Ye Zheng defend Ye Zhiqiu, Tao Ruoqing lost control. She looked at Ye Zhiqiu, "Xiao Qiu, you want to help your brother, right? Mom just wants to expose the truth and show everyone what he really is. You wouldn't refuse, would you?"

Ye Zhiqiu smiled and looked at Ye Zheng.

"Mom." Ye Zheng frowned.

Hearing this, Tao Ruoqing raised her eyes sharply, her swollen, bloodshot eyes glaring fiercely, making one's heart race.

Ye Zheng clenched his fists slowly by his side, unable to say another word.

Ye Zhiqiu looked at him once more, then smiled gently at Tao Ruoqing, "If it makes you feel better, go ahead and post it."

Within moments, another trending topic emerged online: "Gao Wenye, Ye Zhiqiu."

The appearance of this trend further fueled the curiosity of netizens.

Those who had wanted to catch a glimpse of Ye Zhiqiu during Ye Zhixia's wedding immediately chimed in.

"Holy crap, it's actually true. At the wedding, when Gao Wenye left, the way he looked at Ye Zhiqiu—it always seemed strange, as if he was looking at something he couldn't have but couldn't forget. I thought I was imagining things, but it turns out he really was pining after something he couldn't have."

"Damn it, how much more is there? Can you just dump it all at once? I've been doing nothing but eating melons all afternoon."

"This is too damn exciting. Are they trying to take both brothers down?"

"Does he even think he's worthy?"

"Ye Zhiqiu's looks and charisma would attract admirers anywhere. It would be strange if anyone didn't like him. Today, he was just glanced at by a dog; everyone can just move on. Ye Zhiqiu didn't even look at him, probably because he found it disgusting."

"Bastard. He doesn't deserve to look at my Zhiqiu. Even a glance is disgusting."

"Taking Ye Zhiqiu away from this mess. This has nothing to do with him. Scum doesn't deserve him."

"Is there a possibility that Gao Wenye only truly likes Ye Zhiqiu? Because he couldn't get Ye Zhiqiu, he fell into despair and degeneration. After all, as long as it's not Ye Zhiqiu, it doesn't matter who the other person is."

"If the floor above thinks shit smells good, let them eat it. Don't try to whitewash shit and pollute the whole river."

"+1. Trash is trash. Cheating is cheating. Domestic violence is domestic violence. Sex addiction is sex addiction. Prostitution is prostitution. Shameless is shameless. You can't whitewash someone like that."

"..."

At the same time, a black car was speeding through the rain.

In the back seat, Qin Jianhe was slightly lowering his eyes, focused on reading the proposal on his tablet.

The phone rang, and he glanced at it casually.

Seeing it was Wei Jie, he answered it.

"Mr. Qin, uh, what...?" Wei Jie stuttered.

"Speak," Qin Jianhe said in a calm voice, brief and to the point.

"The situation with Gao Wenye and Ye Zhixia suddenly involves Teacher Xiao Ye," Wei Jie spoke cautiously, choosing his words carefully. "The online comments aren't looking good. Should I show you the screenshot of the Weibo post from Mrs. Ye?"

Hearing this, Qin Jianhe's dark eyes involuntarily darkened.

"Sure," he said.

The message came in, and Qin Jianhe didn't hang up but switched over directly.

Seeing the text message Gao Wenye sent to Ye Zhiqiu in the screenshot, his expression turned cold, and his already sharp and cold phoenix eyes became icy.

"Check this Gao Wenye," his voice remained calm, but Wei Jie could clearly hear the icy chill in it, making him dare not utter a word. "Find out which production companies, endorsements, variety shows, and other partners are currently suing him. Also, touch base with the tax department to see if there are any issues with his taxes."

Qin Corporation, especially Q.L, is one of the top taxpayers in Beijing, even in the entire country.

The company's finance department often interacts with the tax department, and their relationship has become quite familiar over time.

Internal news from a few weeks ago.

The tax department is planning to crack down on tax evasion and money laundering in the entertainment industry.

Since they're going to crack down, they might as well start with Gao Wenye.

After hanging up, Qin Jianhe didn't pick up the tablet again but looked out at the rain-drenched road signs.

Up front, Uncle Li noticed his action and quickly said, "Young Master, we'll be there soon."

"Mm," Qin Jianhe responded softly, then lowered his head and opened Ye Zhiqiu's chat window, typing a message.

"Qin Jianhe: Coming to pick you up. Meet at the usual spot."

A moment later, Ye Zhiqiu's reply came.

"Yi Ye Zhiqiu: Okay, will be quick. Flying kiss.jpg, Rose.jpg"

Unlike before, this time, he sent a flying kiss and a rose.

The coldness in his eyes slowly melted away, and Qin Jianhe gently caressed the red lips and rose on the screen with his thumb, his lips finally curving slightly upward.

*

When Tao Ruoqing received Qin Jianhe's message, she was still checking for gaps.

The sudden revelation had a significant impact on her, so it took her until now to realize that Ye Zhixia's company hadn't come forward to speak up for him.

"No, we can't," Tao Ruoqing looked at Ye Zhiqiu. "Brother, you'll go abroad to accompany your brother tomorrow. Xiao Qiu, you should go to your brother's company with me tomorrow."

"There's no need," Ye Zheng said softly. "I contacted Xiao Xia's agent earlier, and their attitude was very ambiguous. They probably won't renew his contract."

This news was like adding insult to injury for Tao Ruoqing.

But she wasn't giving up and insisted on going there.

She wanted to pave a way for Ye Zhixia.

If Ye Zhixia didn't want to continue in the entertainment industry, it wouldn't matter. Her investments were profitable enough to support him without pressure.

However, he shouldn't be discarded or kicked out by others.

Whether to sign a contract should be Ye Zhixia's decision.

"Xiao Qiu," she insisted. "You should go with me."

Ye Zhiqiu didn't really care, just like today's messages from Gao Wenye. He didn't mind whether they were exposed or not.

He enjoyed watching them struggle and then achieve nothing, only to face greater disappointment.

His phone vibrated in his hand, and Ye Zhiqiu lowered his eyes, the smile in them softening slightly.

The medicine was applied, the comfort given, and the sacrifice made. Now, Ye Zhiqiu was tired of playing along and eager to return home.

“Alright,” he smiled, “I’ll accompany you.”

Then, he stood up, smiling gently, “I should be going back now.”

“Leaving today?” Tao Ruoqing was somewhat taken aback. “Stay here; you can set off early tomorrow morning.”

“Someone is here to pick me up.” Ye Zhiqiu smiled.

Even if Qin Jianhe hadn’t come, this gloomy and oppressive place was somewhere he didn’t want to stay another moment.

Hearing this, Tao Ruoqing relaxed.

“Qi Xin, right?” she asked, giving Ye Zheng a meaningful glance.

As if deliberately ignoring her gaze, Ye Zheng also stood up.

“I’ll see you down.” he said.

Seeing this, Tao Ruoqing raised her hand slightly before slowly retracting it.

Pretending not to notice her suddenly tensed body, Ye Zhiqiu turned and walked out first.

The rain continued outside. Ye Zheng took a large umbrella and held it over both of their heads.

The car was parked under the phoenix tree, just a few steps away.

But in that brief moment, he could still smell the faint scent on the young man, a mix of cold rain and a light, clear fragrance.

It seemed a bit woody, yet there was also a hint of warmth like citrus. Ye Zheng couldn’t quite tell.

They stopped at the car, and Ye Zhiqiu bent down to open the door.

“Go back, brother.” he smiled.

The rainy night was pitch black, but the open door cast a faint light from afar, reflecting brightly in Ye Zhiqiu’s eyes.

It seemed he was equally eager to meet the person who had come for him.

“Do you really like him?” Ye Zheng asked.

“Mm.” Ye Zhiqiu nodded naturally without any hesitation.

“Would you marry him?” Ye Zheng asked again.

At this question, Ye Zhiqiu seemed to pause slightly.

For some reason, Ye Zheng felt a sudden relief in his heart.

But then, Ye Zhiqiu looked up at him again.

“If I were to get married in this life,” he said, with a faint smile in his eyes and a very certain tone, “it would definitely be him.”

He paused and added, “Only him.”