Chapter 96

Five or six years ago, Ye Jiaying was merely a college graduate who couldn't even find a job, her family drowning in foreign debt, driven by life to the point of having no will to live.

At her most desperate moment, it was Lin Dongfan who helped her regain her confidence.

At that time, she believed there was love in the world.

Now, after so many years, she is no longer the poor girl who couldn't even afford rent, but an executive director earning an annual salary of 300,000.

Such an income may not make her rich and wealthy, but it allows her to live proudly.

As an administrative manager of a media company.

Over these years, she has also had plenty of contact with the handsome men and beautiful women of the entertainment world, and her deepest feeling is that human relationships are merely exchanges of value.

But she still believes there is love in the world.

Just…

The man before her loves not her, but another woman—that's all.

Yet she still thanks the man before her who once changed her fate—Lin Dongfan, who gave her shelter from the wind and rain in her most difficult time.

She gazed at Lin Dongfan with deep affection: "If my media resources can help you, I will spare no effort to help you. Even if it means clashing with the Mayor, I am willing to bear this risk."

"Thanks."

Although Lin Dongfan dared not meet her warm, fervent gaze, his heart still felt warm.

If she is willing to help.

Then this matter would save a lot of trouble.

No matter where Shang Qing is receiving treatment in the United States, if he learns that Shang Liang is not his biological son, he will surely be exposed.

At that time, Shang Qing will appear.

And Shang Liang will lose everything he now has, unable to inherit Shang Media.

The bigwig of the Executive's faction, Xiao Yunce, will also be mired in negative public opinion, which will inevitably affect the April People's Congress election.

It can be called killing three birds with one stone.

Lin Dongfan said: "If there's nothing else, I'll go first and call you later."

"Wait a moment…"

Ye Jiaying suddenly called out to Lin Dongfan again.

She had some questions she knew she shouldn't ask, but she couldn't help asking: "She… is she good to you, loving you as you love her?"

This "she" goes without saying—it refers to Lin Dongfan's wife, Chu Lingxi.

Lin Dongfan nodded without hesitation, uttering an "uh": "When I had nothing, her parents married her to me, giving me everything; I cannot do something ungrateful."

"So that's how it is…"

Ye Jiaying smiled with a hint of bitterness.

Yet deep down she inexplicably felt a little relieved, relieved that she hadn't misjudged him—he truly is a person who values sentiment and righteousness.

Ye Jiaying added: "Rest assured, within 24 hours I will let the whole world know: Shang Liang is not Shang Qing's biological son."

"Mm, I'll wait for your good news."

Before, Lin Dongfan never felt nervous to the point of being at a loss when alone with anyone.

Except when alone with Ye Jiaying, his heart always had an invisible barrier he couldn't cross.

Today, Ye Jiaying wore a delicate luck ring on her neck.

A street-stall item worth five yuan.

Lin Dongfan could recognize it at a glance—it was the gift he had given her years ago, the ring engraved with a string of Sanskrit containing blessing elements.

After all these years, she still wears it.

The car's air conditioning was on, warm air filling the space, her gaze growing ever more fervent; if she didn't get out soon, things might well spark.

Lin Dongfan shoved open the car door as if fleeing for his life.

The outside air, at minus one degree, instantly froze Lin Dongfan's wandering thoughts like a tomb. He pulled his coat tight and strode straight toward his own car.

He knew Ye Jiaying was surely sitting in the car watching him walk away.

There was nothing to be done.

He couldn't turn back.

He must not turn back; turning back would mean entering a fallen zone.

Lin Dongfan opened the passenger door, got in, lit a Lijun cigarette, and took a puff to steady himself.

Yang Qing, sitting in the driver's seat, had eyes that were truly sharp; at a glance he could tell Lin Dongfan's state was a bit off.

Yang Qing curiously asked: "You and General Manager Ye—any story between you?"

Lin Dongfan lowered the window, turned his head, and spat out a mouthful of smoke.

Yang Qing started the car, turning the wheel and laughing: "Please, comrade public servant, explain to me why you get nervous the moment you see her."

Yang Qing started the car, laughing while turning the steering wheel: "Then please, comrade public servant, explain to me why you get nervous every time you see her?"

Lin Dongfan had just finished speaking when Yang Qing gave him a sideways look of contempt.

It was clear this couldn't be hidden.

Lin Dongfan had no choice but to steel himself and make up a story: "It's just a friend of mine, nothing to do with me. Ye Jiaying wants to use my connections to find that friend. This puts me in a difficult spot."

"Then tell me the story between your friend and her—I love hearing it." Yang Qing drove the car slowly onto the road.

Lin Dongfan took a puff of his cigarette.

He reminisced feelingly:

"Five or six years ago, my friend passed the civil service exam smoothly, transforming from a mountain village kid into an iron rice bowl civil servant—truly spring wind in his pride, horse hooves swift, seeing all of Chang'an's flowers in a day."

"I get it—when good things happen, one's spirit lifts."

Understood, when encountering happy events, one's spirit is refreshed.

At that time my friend had his hands in his pockets, and there was truly no opponent in his eyes.

The padding is a bit much; let's get straight to the point.

One night, as my friend passed the door of the West Capital Bar, he saw a man forcibly drag a drunk woman into a car; the woman cried out for help.

Then what happened?

My friend went up and punched him, knocking his teeth out.

What was the relationship between that woman and that man?

No relation. At that time the woman had just graduated, couldn't find a job, and her family was deep in debt; forced, she went to work as a waitress at the bar. As a result, on her first day on the job, customers plied her with lots of alcohol, and that scumbag tried to take her to get a room. She wasn't a sex worker, so what happened was exactly the scene I just described.

I see, your friend played hero and saved the beauty.

The plot is indeed a bit cliché; that night my friend originally wanted to send her home, but she said she had nowhere to go because she couldn't pay rent and had been kicked out by her landlord.

So, did your friend take her to get a room?

Getting a room costs money, and my friend was dirt poor too, but he couldn't just watch her sleep on the streets. You don't know—she was sitting by the road crying, giving off a feeling of utter despair, as if life had no meaning.

Then what happened?

My friend comforted her for Along time; eventually, having no choice, he brought her back to his place to stay the night.

Did something unspeakable happen that night?

Yeah.

After evaluation, your friend is a scumbag who takes advantage of others' misfortune.

Bullshit, you don't understand the situation at all; back then, feelings ran deep and naturally grew intense, like two lonely, dependent souls suddenly finding resonance.

Tell me what happened next.

She stayed at my friend's place for three days; he gave her a lucky ring, with no other intention—just to comfort her and hope she could pull herself together.

Brother, a ring is just a ring; you shouldn't give it away casually.

Back then my friend was clueless about these things; he just wanted to change her luck.

Then what happened?

At that time, a famous female director was casting for Dream of the Red Chamber; my friend thought she had the right look and temperament, so he lent her his newly earned wages to let her go to Jingcheng for the open audition.

She's that beautiful; she really does have potential as an actress.

When she left, she kissed my friend, told him to wait for her, and said she'd come back once she found work.

Later, she didn't come back?

No, it's not like that; my friend also said he'd wait for her. Later, because he went to the countryside for poverty alleviation, he gave up his rented place and forgot to tell her. When she returned and couldn't find him, they lost contact just like that.

What are cell phones for?

Boss, back then everyone was poor; nobody could afford a cell phone.

I see; she must have thought you dumped her, so when they met again years later, she looked at him with resentment—this really was your fault.

You're confused? It was my friend, not me.

Fine, it was your friend.

Yang Qing rested his left hand on the steering wheel and raised his right middle finger.

Lin Dongfan felt gloomy and speechless, turned his head toward the window, silently smoked, and deep down he also felt a little regret—Ye Jiaying was his first love.

Over these years Ye Jiaying has changed a lot; the older she gets, the prettier she becomes, with even more poise than before.

Last time I met her at Shangshi Media Company.

I almost didn't recognize her.

What's precious is that, after all these years, Ye Jiaying still helps him unconditionally, even if it means offending the mayor.

The media resources at her disposal are beyond what ordinary people can match.

It can be foreseen:

A terrifying public opinion storm is about to break out.