Chapter 22 “Xiang-Shi Together”

Chapter 22: "Xiang & Shi, Together"

They remained in that stalemate for a moment before Shen Shiyan directly scooped the entire person out of the bathtub.

Averting his gaze, he wrapped Shen Ci in a nearby bath towel.

Leaving the warm water, Shen Ci came to his senses, opening his eyes to Shen Shiyan's cold expression.

"Daddy." Shen Ci's voice was soft as he took the towel from Shen Shiyan, dried himself off, and wrapped it around his body.

Shen Shiyan gave a hum, pulled him over to stand in front of the mirror, and took a hairdryer to slowly dry Shen Ci's still-damp hair.

Shen Ci's eyes were still a little misty. His freshly dried hair lay soft and flat against his forehead, revealing his slender neck and shoulders. His two collarbones formed a slight arc, prominent against his very fair skin.

Shen Shiyan remained expressionless as he wound up the hairdryer's cord.

Remembering the question Shen Ci had asked while brushing his teeth, he glanced at Shen Ci a couple more times. After putting the hairdryer back in the drawer beneath the sink, he used his free hand to ruffle Shen Ci's hair twice and said, "Much prettier now."

Shen Ci's eyes instantly lit up.

Great, Daddy likes me too!

That night, Shen Ci slept extremely soundly. The next day, after being dropped off at school by Shen Shiyan, he even went to show off in front of his currently only good friend, Song Qiuchi, earning a disdainful eye-roll from Little Song.

The press conference began promptly at 11:30 AM.

Shen Shiyan and Song Xianghan, as the parties involved, sat side by side.

"Yuhe hereby convenes this press conference specifically addressing the previous false statements and misinformation targeting our company and Ms. Song Xianghan, President of Xingtu Technology. These rumors, spread through tactics like taking statements out of context, fabricating facts, and purchasing internet trolls, have severely infringed upon the legitimate rights and interests of both Yuhe and Xingtu. Simultaneously, they have misled public perception, disrupted online order, and consumed public resources. After mutual discussion, we have engaged a law firm to collect evidence on all defamatory information and will pursue civil litigation against relevant responsible parties and malicious reposters, resolutely holding them fully accountable under the law without leniency!"

Standing before the microphone in an impeccably tailored suit, Shen Shiyan's gaze was cold, his words incisive and concise. Making his first public appearance before the media, he handled himself with practiced ease.

"May we ask if there is any personal emotional connection between President Song and yourself beyond professional cooperation? Is this press conference merely a smokescreen?"

"Rumors suggest President Shen has privately invited President Song out on multiple occasions. Is this collaboration truly a result of an 'emotional exchange'?"

"Is there a direct connection between this press conference and the news about sexual harassment by the President of Chonghe that President Song exposed? Was this exposure intended to assist President Shen in taking over Chonghe?"

...

Reporters swarmed the press conference. Lanyards with media badges swayed on their chests as lenses focused on Song Xianghan and Shen Shiyan's faces. The clicking of camera shutters rose and fell, mingling with various sharp questions.

Song Xianghan was long accustomed to such scenes. Her delicate hand took one of the microphones, and her clear voice instantly carried through the hall via the speakers. The agitated reporters quieted down, raising their cameras.

"As you all can see, Xingtu and Yuhe only have a cooperative relationship. President Shen and I are merely business partners. If these few reporters insist on delving into my private emotional life, please communicate with my lawyer."

Song Xianghan answered with a smile as warm as a spring breeze, yet it held a hidden sharpness that sent a chill through the crowd.

"Regarding the news about Chonghe, I will respond one final time. This was solely to protect my own legitimate rights and interests, uphold a safe workplace environment for women, and help more victims understand that 'power is not a license for harassment, and cooperation is not a shield for sexual misconduct.' It has nothing to do with anything else. This exposure has no connection whatsoever to our collaboration. As for whether it assists President Shen in taking over Chonghe, I suggest you directly ask Chairman Shen, the head of the Shen Group. He will provide you with a more accurate answer."

Song Xianghan returned the microphone and glanced at Shen Shiyan beside her.

He picked up the microphone in front of him and addressed the final question: "The rumored multiple invitations are pure misinformation. The collaboration is the result of careful consideration by both Xingtu and Yuhe. We look forward to this partnership creating greater commercial value in Yuncheng. We also urge major online media to focus their attention on the new business opportunity—the maritime zone. Regarding emotional matters between myself and Miss Song, no further responses will be given. We will directly employ legal means to protect our rights."

The press conference was very effective. Afterwards, the previous rumors collapsed on their own.

A relieved Miss Qi even ate two extra bites of rice at lunch.

After the meal, Song Xianghan took Shen Shiyan to the Yunhai Maritime Zone. From the cruise ship, they could see the two areas marked by Xingtu—the future project investment sites.

"Congratulations. You even managed to snag Chonghe along the way."

Song Xianghan, braced against the cold sea breeze, teased Shen Shiyan. Gone was the forced smile from the press conference; she looked much brighter now.

Shen Shiyan gazed at the deep blue sea. The sea breeze brushed past, layer upon layer of waves crashing against the ship's hull before disappearing. Seagulls circled in the distance, their occasional cries audible.

"It's just the interim authority for now."

Song Xianghan shook her head. "You're still too young. My cheap second brother has always had it in for me. He's quite close to Shen Siwen. I've investigated; the two seem to have some illegal dealings under the table, related to casinos or underground banks. But it's hidden very deep; I haven't found any concrete evidence yet."

Shen Shiyan turned back. His dark eyes seemed to encompass the entire ocean. "Thank you for the insight, Miss Song."

Song Xianghan looked at him appreciatively, unable to help but admire his intelligence—he grasped things immediately.

Utilizing his position as the acting president of Chonghe, it would be easy to trace Shen Siwen's assets and cash flows through Chonghe's financial records and company transactions. Following the money trail might reveal a vulnerability, truly bringing Chonghe under his own control.

Song Xianghan's phone vibrated twice. She glanced at the screen and waved it at Shen Shiyan with a resigned expression. "My eldest brother wants me to pick up Qiuchi. Want to come along?"

Shen Shiyan gave a light laugh and nodded.

On the way, Song Xianghan idly scrolled through social media. The top trending search was still the press conference hashtag from the morning, followed by a deep red "trending" tag.

But a few entries below were particularly eye-catching. Song Xianghan handed her phone to Shen Shiyan.

#The new president of Yuhe is insanely handsome!#

#The presidents of Yuhe and Xingtu are equally matched in looks, a perfect pair made in heaven!#

#I raise the banner for 'Xiang-Shi Together'!#

Shen Shiyan's face darkened: "..."

He averted his gaze, took out his own phone to search, and clicked into that "Xiang-Shi Together" hashtag. Only then did he understand it was a homophone for "together through thick and thin."

Below were photos of the two from the press conference. The group had gathered 1.5 million members—fans shipping him and Song Xianghan—and the number was still growing.

Shen Shiyan closed his phone. "Should we clarify this further?"

Song Xianghan laughed. "No need. When I get back, I'll have someone have the hashtag removed."

Song Xianghan wasn't too concerned about these things. Due to her striking looks, she had been shipped with others more than once, even approached by talent scouts. But she had absolutely no interest in debuting as a celebrity or dating. Mentioning it to Shen Shiyan was just teasing him, given his younger age, to lighten the mood.

She stretched lazily. "These people are like that. They'll ship a cat and a dog they see on the street together. Don't pay it any mind."

Shen Shiyan gave an acknowledging hum, somewhat relieved.

He didn't want to clarify further either, fearing it would only make things worse.

After picking up the child, Song Xianghan drove them directly to the Shen residence. The adults exchanged thanks, and the children said their goodbyes.