Chapter 98
When the two woke up, they found that the internet had gone into chaos. The number of messages on their phones increased rapidly, nearing the point of explosion.
“What’s going on? Why was it exposed?” Xia Linxia asked, feeling a bit lost.
Ji Fengxue comforted her, then called Chen Nian back. The latter’s voice was hoarse and dry, clearly having spoken a lot, likely to reporters and media who had shown up.
“Don’t come back to the country yet. Huaimeng has already set off to find you. The company is arranging emergency public relations. Be careful, don’t go out if you don’t have to, and come back after the storm passes.”
Room service delivered breakfast to the two, but neither had an appetite. They ate a few bites casually and then started looking at the news online. The scolding and mockery were endless, and a large number of fans were unfollowing them.
[I still can’t believe my house has collapsed]
[This is really too much. As an old fan, I don’t even know what to say. I’ve unfollowed. Not badmouthing you is my greatest kindness. Goodbye forever.]
[I always said there are no truly loving couples in the entertainment industry. Most of it is for show, but I didn’t expect this pair to be so much for show.]
[What’s going on with Ji Fengxue? Doesn’t she have any dignity anymore? Playing this game with Xia Linxia?]
[I’m so angry! As someone who genuinely shipped Summer CP for so long, I’m really angry!]
[These actors will do anything to make money, even pretend to be a couple. It’s disgusting.]
[Toxic! What kind of atmosphere is this? Ji Fengxue and Xia Linxia should both get out of the entertainment industry!]
[I still can’t believe it. Teacher Ji, Xia Xia, can you please say something, woo woo woo woo]
[Documents can be faked. Xue Hua Xia Hua, don’t panic. Don’t be led astray before there’s an official response!]
[This is probably true! You guys say, didn’t Summer suddenly announce they were together, shocking many people? The benefits of business CP are obvious. Ji Fengxue followed Xia Linxia to participate in the variety show, and Xia Linxia also used Ji Fengxue’s resources to get into Director Chen’s film, and gained a bunch of CP fans. What a good plan!]
[Isn’t this just making money from fans? Pity these fans are still waiting for a reversal.]
[Spitting foul language, these two are blacklisted for life.]
Even Xia Linxia, who was accustomed to negative comments, couldn’t help but get angry seeing tens of thousands of angry comments, especially when Ji Fengxue was also being criticized. Netizens always liked to put Ji Fengxue first.
But there was nothing they could do. They had indeed deceived everyone. Fans, friends, and even family were kept in the dark.
She didn’t even dare to answer Xia Yangxuan’s calls right now.
“What should we do?” Xia Linxia looked at Xia Yangxuan’s nineteenth missed call, so anxious she was about to cry. “I feel like he’s going to fly over and beat me up.”
“I’ll take it.” Ji Fengxue took her phone and answered it, showing a soft attitude first. “Big Brother.”
There was a sudden silence on the other end. He probably didn’t expect her to answer the phone and swallowed all the scolding words he had prepared, but his tone wasn’t much better. “Where is Xia Linxia?”
“You can tell me if you have anything. If you want to scold someone, you can direct it at me.”
“Do you think I don’t dare?” Xia Yangxuan suppressed his anger.
“You dare!” Xia Linxia suddenly shouted from the side.
“Xia Linxia, you better think about how you want to die,” Xia Yangxuan gritted his teeth. If she were there, she would probably have been reduced to ashes by now.
Fortunately, Jiang Yuan snatched his phone and said, “Do you know how the news was leaked?”
Xia Linxia was also puzzled. Her copy of the document was hidden in her own safe, and Ji Fengxue had reportedly already destroyed hers. So, only Jiang Yuan had a copy. But Jiang Yuan had given it to her last month, and she had destroyed it after taking it home… Wait!
“Xiao Wang!” Xia Linxia suddenly remembered this person. “I left the document in the car at the time. I got out to buy something, and he must have seen it.”
Jiang Yuan: “That’s very likely. I just investigated everyone around you. Xiao Wang took leave to go home because his father is a gambler and owes a lot of usury. I’ll send someone to contact him.”
Xia Linxia sighed in annoyance: “Sister Yuan, what do we do now?”
With such a major incident, it wasn’t just the two of them involved. Pending business collaborations had been suspended, and one endorsement company had proposed terminating the contract. Others were in a wait-and-see state. The company’s stock had also fallen, and even the management was being criticized, especially Jiang Yuan, who already had a high public profile.
Jiang Yuan was quite calm. After the contract took effect, she had arranged for public relations to prepare for damage control. However, in the middle of it, the two of them had fallen for each other, overturning the original plan.
“Your brother contacted the paparazzi. They said there were no other pieces of evidence or follow-up moves. There were only two photos, one at the beginning and one at the end. The omitted content in between leaves room for many interpretations,” Jiang Yuan said.
Xia Linxia and Ji Fengxue exchanged a look. With Xia Yangxuan’s help, things would be much easier. Whether it was money or power, paparazzi couldn’t compete with the CEO of Xia Corporation. Once they got what they wanted, they would naturally compromise.
“Alright, that’s it. I’m going to be busy. You two be careful,” Jiang Yuan hung up the phone.
Xia Linxia sat by the bed and flipped through Weibo again. She sadly hugged Ji Fengxue’s waist and rested her head on her stomach. “Lao Ji, you’ve lost so many fans. Your number was already pathetic, and now it’s about to disappear completely.”
Ji Fengxue stroked her head and said with a smile, “As long as my fans include your name, it doesn’t matter if you’re the only one left.”
“But it’s too undignified for an actress like you to have only one fan,” Xia Linxia still felt it was a pity. “I’ve also lost a lot. I worked hard to accumulate them.”
Ji Fengxue was about to comfort her when she heard Xia Linxia comforting herself: “Forget it, I still have my indestructible zombie fans. At worst, I’ll buy some. I heard they’re very cheap.”
Ji Fengxue laughed.
The situation online was one-sided. As a top star, Xia Linxia naturally had many rivals. As soon as this incident broke out, her black material was everywhere, from her face and figure to her personality and character, nothing was spared from being criticized.
She had very few close friends in the industry, let alone anyone who would dare to speak up for her at this critical juncture.
But it was hard to guarantee that there wouldn’t be a few who were fearless.
For example, Qiu Xingzhou specifically posted on Weibo, strongly supporting Xia Linxia and Ji Fengxue as true lovers, claiming that their relationship status could not be faked.
Le Qingyi, relying on her lack of fans, couldn’t help but step forward, saying that Summer’s feelings were stronger than steel and truer than iron.
Song Wanyi and Xue Hui also posted a sticker emoji on Weibo to show their support.
“There is true affection in the world, there is true love in the world. I’ll treat them to a meal when we get back,” Xia Linxia wiped away tears that weren’t there. Seeing something, she suddenly jumped up from the bed. “Lao Ji!”
“What’s wrong?”
“Xiao Yuran also posted on Weibo.” Xia Linxia said in disbelief, “She’s actually blessing us?”
Ji Fengxue clicked to take a look. Xiao Yuran had posted an ambiguous Weibo, with only two simple words: “Be happy.”
Xia Linxia sat cross-legged again: “Speaking of which, it’s been a long time since I heard any news from her. Before the new year, Huaimeng said she terminated her contract with her original company and was studying abroad. I don’t know if she’ll return to the entertainment industry in the future.”
Ji Fengxue nodded, indicating she understood.
When the two were having lunch, they finally had an appetite. This was mainly due to Xia Linxia’s carefree nature and Ji Fengxue’s indifference to losing fans. Ji Fengxue had even prepared for the worst, planning to hold a press conference to apologize in person. However, this would implicate the company, and all the efforts of the entire team would be in vain.
As things stood, she had to bear any consequences. For now, she would just follow the arrangements from above.
Halfway through their meal, Xiang Huaimeng arrived, her expression filled with worry. However, upon seeing the empty plates on their table, her worry completely disappeared.
“Is there any left?” She was so worried that she hadn’t even eaten her airplane meal and was starving now.
Ji Fengxue ordered another meal for her.
Xiang Huaimeng said while wolfing down the food, “There are security personnel arranged downstairs. You two should go out and wander around nearby, pretending to be on vacation and unaware of the news. The company will issue a statement soon.”
The two did as they were told. Protected by a group of plainclothes security personnel, they went to a nearby alley for a stroll and then returned to the hotel.
Xiang Huaimeng used her alt account to post photos of them in the alley online.
[How can they still be playing? Do they have to pretend at this point?]
[Fake! It’s all an act! Just as expected of an actress!]
[But looking at their expressions, their state is quite good. Do they even know they’ve messed up?]
[As I said before, don’t believe rumors until you get an official response!]
[Chenxing Entertainment has issued a statement!]
Chenxing Entertainment v: Regarding the rumors on the internet, the company hereby responds as follows. Xia Linxia and Ji Fengxue do indeed have a separate contract, but it is not a romantic contract as rumored online, but a development cooperation agreement. The company, in planning for the development of the two, specially planned a one-on-one route, and the Summer duo was the first group in that plan. During the process, the two also admired each other and became lovers. [Image] [Image] [Image]
The images contained different content, detailing the clauses where Xia Linxia needed to help Ji Fengxue increase her traffic, and Ji Fengxue needed to personally guide Xia Linxia’s acting. There was also a date at the bottom right, exactly one month before their official announcement.
[Wuwuwuwuwu, you scared me to death]
[Who are you trying to fool? You just said the documents could be faked, can’t this one be faked too? It’s all just the company’s whitewashing tactics.]
[Since the company dares to issue a statement, it’s probably a misunderstanding. Aren’t paparazzi good at taking things out of context?]
[Whether Summer is real or not, I just want to quietly be a fan of one person now. The feeling of my house collapsing is too unbearable.]
[But I still believe Summer is real. Their eyes and interactions are too perfect. I don’t believe anyone can act this well all the time.]
Xia Linxia was stunned when she saw the photos: “Are these pictures…?”
“Of course not,” Xiang Huaimeng said. “When General Manager Jiang was preparing this plan, she prepared an extra option and drafted this contract. Fortunately, the paparazzi only had the final signed picture, which perfectly connected with the contract we have.”
Xia Linxia and Ji Fengxue simultaneously gave a thumbs up.
“But why is the company only issuing a statement now?” Xia Linxia asked curiously. They had a plan long ago, so why didn’t they release it sooner?
Xiang Huaimeng swallowed. “Because… alas, you two are probably in trouble.” The netizens’ issues were secondary. The angriest people right now were actually their families.
The debate online continued, with some believing, some hating, and some observing. But since the parties involved did not come forward, the netizens who were eager to gossip gradually dispersed.
At this moment, an even bigger piece of news broke out.
The whistleblower was Qiu Xingzhou, and the content of the leak was that he had registered his marriage with a man. The registration date was Valentine’s Day last month.
[?????????]
[Mommy doesn’t believe it!!!!]
[Husband, how could you do this! Am I not your favorite woman anymore?!]
[Ahhhhhhhh I was halfway through eating melon and found out my house has also collapsed!]
[Goodbye, unfollowing.]
[What the hell, what kind of shocking melons have there been these past few days!]
[According to gossip, Qiu Qiu and his partner were childhood sweethearts. You guys should just give up, you can’t compete.]
[The key is that this husband is too damn handsome! I don’t know whose jealousy I should be feeling.]
Xia Linxia quickly called Qiu Xingzhou. The two were silent for a few seconds. She was preparing to say something touching when she heard a muffled groan from the other end, followed by Qiu Xingzhou’s sobbing voice: “Good girl, don’t say thank you! Daddy is busy, busy! Wang Ba Duan, can you be gentler!”
Beep beep—
“What’s wrong with you?” Ji Fengxue walked over.
Xia Linxia loosened her grip and covered her ears with both hands: “Ahhhhhh! I’m tainted!”
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