Song family's villa.
Song Xinyi hasn't left the house for a whole week. Now, not only the students at school, but almost everyone on the internet was scolding her, calling her vicious, fake white lotus, green tea bitch, and other kinds of insult. As soon as she came out, reporters and even some of her former fans would be blocking her doors and surrounding her car. The most extreme ones even threatened to retaliate against her after the 'pen throwing' incident was exposed. Song Xinyi didn't dare to go out, and not even dare to read the comments on the internet.
"Mom, what should I do? I'm so scared..." Song Xinyi cried in Lin You's arms.
Throwing out the pen was entirely an unplanned impulse. After finishing her run that day, Song Xinyi just wanted to follow everyone else to watch the finish line. However, when she saw Su Bei sprinting towards the finish line, the dissatisfaction and hatred towards Su Bei that has been accumulated for so long, broke out all of a sudden, along with burning jealousy that couldn't be ignored.
Song Xinyi secretly stole the pen from an assistant scorer next to her, and when no one noticed, quietly threw the pen to the runway. At the time, except for a strong impulse to prevent Su Bei from taking the first place, Song Xinyi didn't have much thought.
The pen was not hers. So many people were also there at the time. Song Xinyi thought that she wouldn't be discovered. But unexpectedly, someone took a video! Song Xinyi didn't regret her action. But she regretted her carelessness at that time, plus the hatred towards the person who took the video.
Lin You was a woman who once embarked on the road of movie queen. She had experienced enough winds and waves. At this moment, she calmly consoled her daughter. "Yiyi, don't be afraid. For now, you should stay at home and not be panic. After the storm subsides, everything will be fine."
After a while, public opinion on the internet would no longer be so strong. When the time came, their media company would expose some scandal, and her daughter's matter would be forgotten entirely. However, it was no longer possible for Song Xinyi to continue her study at Weiming Middle School.
Lin You was thinking of sending her daughter abroad temporarily. A few years later, Song Xinyi could come back and start afresh by participating in some good-rating variety shows or taking a role in an influential tv drama. Soon, she would be able to regain her initial fanbase and developed further.
Song Xinyi was obviously dissatisfied with Lin You's plan. She frowned in displeasure: "How long will I have to wait. What about my TV series?"
This time, the 'pen throwing' incident significantly damaged Song Xinyi's budding career. Originally, 'Miss Orange,' a hot IP that was going to be filmed soon, has basically chosen her as the female lead. But after this scandal, Song Xinyi was not only attacked by her own fans, but also by millions of fans of the male lead's actor. After considering the negative impact Song Xinyi would bring to the IP's reputation, the production team has sent a notification to cancel her female lead role.
Not only that, the various variety shows that she appeared in all had her shoot deleted, and those who still haven't been filmed canceled her contract. Obviously, she already has such high popularity, and it was clear that in no time, she would soar into an even higher standing. But just because of this one 'pen throwing' incident, everything was ruined.
Song Xinyi was not reconciled.
"Mom, let Dad help me! Let him delete the video from the internet! And find me water army(1) to whitewash my reputation!" Song Xinyi eagerly pulled Lin You's hand.
Lin You's face darkened. "You still dare to say this? Do you know how much your father and our company have been implicated by this scandal?"
Song Group's stock has been falling for a week, and many projects have also been suspended. Although most of the reason was Qin Shao's attack against Song Group, it was also true that Song Yancheng has been very busy these days.
Did Song Yancheng never try to let people control the public opinion, and didn't try to delete the video and whitewash his daughter? He tried, but Qin Shao hindered. Moreover, Qin Group's suppression of Song Group was so severe that it didn't give them the slightest chance to breathe.
Song Xinyi still wanted to retort, but Lin You scolded her with a cold face: "Enough. Go back to your room and reflect on your action! Don't do something stupid again!"
At the same time, Lin You inwardly muttered: If things continue like this, it seems that they inevitably will have to visit Jinxi Garden to ask the two elders to interfere...
—
Meanwhile, Qin Group's headquarter.
Mr. Qin was sitting in his office. Before him was Li Honghao, Yuantai Jewelry's chairman and Li Man'er's father.
"Mr. Qin, many thanks for giving Yuantai Jewelry this opportunity." Li Honghao couldn't hide the excitement on his face. In exchange for handing over the video, Qin Shao promised him a favor. Li Honghao didn't get greedy either. He only made a request for his company, which was for an opportunity to become Qin Group's alternative business partner in jewelry.
Li Honghao has just returned to China, and his foundation wasn't stable. Originally, with Yuantai Jewelry's current standing, it was impossible to become Qin Group's business partner, even if it was just an alternative. The opportunity Mr. Qin gave this time undoubtedly gave him a chance to gain a firm foothold in the local market and open up subsequent businesses.
Mr. Qin lightly glanced at Li Honghao. "You don't need to thank me. This is just an equivalent exchange."
Li Honghao: "Still, I want to thank Mr. Qin. Please be assured, Yuantai Jewelry will definitely not disappoint you."
"To express our gratitude, my family and I want to prepare a dinner for Mr. Qin. I wonder if Mr. Qin is willing to come?" When Li Honghao said this, he was sweating nervously. What kind of person was Mr. Qin? For him to invite Mr. Qin to his house, it was truly outrageous.
Qin Shao raised his eyebrows slightly: "Sorry, no time."
Hearing this, Li Honghao's face turned awkward. But remembering his wife's request, he bit the bullet and told the truth: "It's indeed very abrupt for me to invite Mr. Qin over. In fact, it is my wife who wants to meet you." His wife said that she wanted to see Su Bei's father, saying that it was related to her past. Although Su Mei did not tell him the full story, Li Honghao chose to support his wife's decision.
However, when Mr. Qin heard Li Honghao's request, his face turned cold: "No."
"This..." Li Honghao was taken aback: "My wife's name is Su Mei, I wonder if Mr. Qin has any impression?"
Qin Shao: "I don't know."
Li Honghao still wanted to say more, but was interrupted by Qin Shao: "Chen De, see the guest off."
Chen De immediately came in: "Mr. Li, please."
...
After the two men left, Mr. Qin sat alone in his office, engulfed in silence. Since he could find out that Li Man'er was the student reporter at the school sports festival and could find out about her father, he naturally also found out about her mother.
Qin Shao has investigated many things about Su Mei's pasts. Such as her career as a female star who debuted together with Lin You, her various entanglements with Lin You and Song Yancheng, or about her giving birth to a pair of twins babies in the Hongxing County's countryside....and then about her going abroad in a hurry.
Xiaobao and Xiaobei were born under Song Yancheng's conspiracy. Qin Shao didn't know the biological mother of his two children, and naturally didn't have any emotion towards the other party, both in a good and bad way.
However, whether it was to protect his two children or out of his own selfishness, Qin Shao didn't want them to have any contact with Su Mei. Having just him, their father, was enough for Xiaobei and Xiaobao. This was Mr. Qin's selfishness.
—
Meanwhile, Su Bei was completely ignorant of the storm currently brew in Mr. Qin's heart, and was busy at home doing the last preparation for the 'Red Hacker Challenge' final.
"Are you nervous?" Su Xiaobao looked at Su Bei.
"Of course not. Don't be ridiculous." Su Bei quickly retorted.
Su Xiaobao: "Then, are you panicking?"
There has always been a strange connection between the twins. Probably because they have been together for so long, Su Xiaobao and Su Bei's emotions easily affected each other. Even a faint change of emotion could be detected by the other. Just like now, Su Xiaobao felt flustered, and this emotion obviously stemmed from Su Bei.
Su Xiaobao raised his hand and poked the tip of Su Bei's nose: "You have acne here."
"Hiss——it hurts!" Su Bei slapped Su Xiaobao's hand and covered her nose. Su Bei discovered the acne when waking up this morning, but simply thought it was caused by her recent busy schedule.
Is it really caused by nervousness?
"What should I do?"
Initially, Su Bei wasn't nervous about the final. But after thinking that Mr. Qin was going to watch her competition, she suddenly felt nervous. She was afraid of losing face if she performed badly in front of Qin Shao.
Su Xiaobao lowered his gaze, seemingly deep in thought. Then he raised his head and asked Su Bei: "Do you want to drink milk tea?"
Su Bei: "I want!"
—
On the other side, Xu Yangyang, who was also preparing for the final, was even more nervous than Su Bei. However, his tension was for a completely different reason.
Big brother Xu who was watching on the side couldn't stand it anymore: "For god's sake, Xu Yangyang, didn't you have enough fuss? What are you doing running up and down all day? Can't you stop for a while?"
Xu Yangyang: "Brother, I'm bringing my shoes!"
Xu Shiwei: "What are you going to do with your shoes tomorrow? Using the keyboard with your feet?"
"No, hehe." Xu Yangyang laughed twice and explained: "I am going to see my god Q tomorrow. Of course I have to give god Q a meeting gift!"
[Q] and [vvvv] are his idols! However, ever since he knew [vvvv] is his big brother, [vvvv] is no longer his idol, but [Q] is still his god! The number one big boss he admired the most!
"I am going to give my precious sneaker to god Q." Xu Yangyang took out a pair of flashy-looking AJ and asked: "Big brother, how do you think about this one? Among my collection, this is the number one, the most limited of the limited edition."
"Or this one, this is also good. I bought it after going to line up at 2 am."
Xu Shiwei: Haha.
Xu Yangyang: "Just giving out one pair of sneakers seems less sincere, ah. I should also give god Q my treasured No.23 jersey and a basketball autographed by LeBron James."
Xu Yangyang: "Hehe, god Q surely will like it."
Xu Shiwei:...
No, baby Q won't like it.
Looking at his family's stupid child, Xu Shiwei asked kindly: "Are you sure you want to give these to baby Q?"
Xu Yangyang: "Of course!"
He is so excited, he cannot wait to see god Q!
Xu Shiwei: He also cannot wait.
——Cannot wait to see what kind of face this stupid boy would make when he saw [Q] with AJ sneaker, basketball, and jersey in his hand.
A/N: (1) Water Army: A group of organized internet ghostwriters paid to post online comments with particular content, usually to control public opinion on social media and such