Chapter 49

Su Tao was silent for a few seconds, moving her ear away from the door. She knocked on the door decisively and said to the video, "Open the door."

After the video image spun around, it returned to Xie Jin's face. He looked the same as ever, just as annoying, "Our little peach is so smart, she found me so fast. But I was going to sleep, and I'm not wearing anything. Are you sure you want to come in?"

Su Tao thought about it and felt there was no point in catching him, so she nodded and said, "Never mind, keep sleeping, I'm leaving."

She hung up the video and was about to leave when the door in front of her suddenly opened. In the next moment, Su Tao's arm was grabbed and she was forcibly pulled inside the door.

With a "bang," the door closed, and Su Tao was pinned against the door again.

Her gaze went from his chest down, and she saw that he was clearly wearing pants.

"What are you looking at, little peach?" His low voice came from above her head, teasing.

Su Tao's expression froze, and she glared at him, teasing back, "When did you settle down here?"

But Xie Jin put away his smirk and said seriously, "Anywhere you are is home."

Su Tao: "..."

Big brother, your sweet talk could be even more corny.

Xie Jin lowered his brows, his pitch-black eyes under his long lashes stared at her unwaveringly, "I saw the photos of you going into a hotel with Jiang Qi, so I flew over immediately."

Xie Jin's sudden confession surprised Su Tao. He looked like he was jealous and wanted her to coax him.

Su Tao's mouth twitched. She suddenly felt that she might be partly responsible for Xie Jin becoming like this now.

Considering his previous behavior of asking her for car fare, she tentatively asked, "Are you trying to get me to reimburse your plane ticket?"

The top of Su Tao's head was lightly tapped, "Who told you to reimburse my ticket, just sleeping with me is enough."

Su Tao stared at him in astonishment, as if she couldn't believe those words came from Xie Jin's mouth.

Her head was tapped again, "What are you thinking? I meant sleeping as a noun, little peach. How can you be so impure now?"

Su Tao: "..."

She wasn't thinking anything. Su Tao pushed hard against his chest with both hands, shoving him away. She turned around, opened the door, and said, "I didn't think of nouns or verbs, just sleep by yourself, goodbye."

With a "bang," Xie Jin's line of sight was blocked. He immediately opened the door and watched Su Tao's almost fleeing back. The corners of his mouth curved up in a smile.

Because Fu Chengcheng kept following them, Su Tao personally accompanied Jiang Qi to dance practice and rehearsals.

Jiang Qi seemed to have really calmed down. When he saw Su Tao, he just nodded at her indifferently and didn't look at her again.

This made Su Tao feel much more relaxed. At least this time, keeping him company the whole time didn't cause her any psychological burden.

Jiang Qi first met up with the team members and practiced the dance together. In the afternoon, they went to the event venue stage to walk through the rehearsal twice. The live broadcast would officially start in the evening.

Everything went smoothly in the morning. When they arrived at the event venue, the dressing rooms were shared by the entire team. Su Tao had stayed up until late last night, so now she was having trouble keeping her eyes open.

Jiang Qi was with the team members now. Even if Fu Chengcheng came looking for him, there would be others around, so nothing too ambiguous could be caught on camera.

She just instructed Yue Xuan not to let them meet alone.

After giving the instructions, Su Tao found a corner to sit in one of the empty seats at the venue. No matter how wonderful the rehearsal was on stage, it couldn't stop her from dozing off. She soon fell asleep leaning against the chair.

She didn't know how long she slept, but in her groggy state, she felt someone approaching. Instinctively she opened her eyes, and sensed the person nearing her had left again. Through blurry eyes, it looked like Jiang Qi. She rubbed her eyes again and scanned the venue, but didn't see Jiang Qi anywhere.

Maybe it was just her imagination. With that bit of sleep, Su Tao didn't continue napping and went to the dressing room to find Jiang Qi, Yue Xuan and the others instead.

The rehearsals throughout the afternoon went very smoothly, so smoothly that Su Tao, who had been very unlucky recently, felt it was unbelievable.

During the live broadcast that night, it was Yue Xuan's first time bringing an artist to such a large event. Although the boy group also had their own manager, Su Tao still had Yue Xuan keep an eye on the show's run down and some important matters, to train her.

So Su Tao was free to relax and enjoy the show, scrolling through her phone.

With one glance at her phone, her little deer eyes instantly widened.

Sure enough, the ease and comfort were just an illusion!

She had actually trended on hot search with Jiang Qi.

The title was even more shocking than with Fu Chengcheng:

#Jiang Qi's Girlfriend Exposed#

Clicking in, there were photos from various angles.

Jiang Qi leaning in with feelings in his eyes as he stroked her hair.

Jiang Qi sitting next to her, turning his head as if to kiss her. Su Tao's mind buzzed. She recalled seeing Jiang Qi when she was dozing off, so it wasn't her imagination after all.

Unwilling to give up, she scrolled down looking for signs of a mistaken shot, after all, Jiang Qi had said he no longer liked her, and he had acted normal all day today.

But all she saw were marketing accounts unanimously confirming Jiang Qi's secret girlfriend had always been Su Tao. The two hadn't announced it publicly for the sake of each other's careers.

She even found very clear videos.

Jiang Qi walking over to her as she slept soundly, leaning down to smooth her hair, sitting next to her, moving her head onto his shoulder, waiting a while, then turning his head as if to kiss her until she woke up startled, and Jiang Qi took the opportunity to get up and leave.

Su Tao pinched her slightly swollen brow, her pulse pounding at her temples. She opened Jiang Qi's Weibo and super topic, which were full of fans' voluntarily controlled comments.

When she opened her own Weibo, there was a row of identical question marks.

It seemed the fans were still confused about this hot search, and also because of Su Tao's previously accumulated good reputation, they didn't attack her like they did with Chengcheng. Instead, they chose to wait for an explanation.

Su Tao took three deep breaths, feeling the situation was still controllable.

She immediately edited a Weibo to control the fans' emotions and give them some peace of mind.

Su Tao: Regarding the untrue online statements, my company reserves the right to pursue legal liability. The company statement and lawyer's letter will be released afterwards, please don't spread rumors.

Su Tao urgently called the company's general manager, asking them to quickly release a statement.

Then she asked the tech department to trace the IP.

But before the IP trace even started, Fu Chengcheng posted a Weibo, essentially confessing on her own.

She claimed to have seen Su Tao in Jiang Qi's room. She also took the opportunity to clear her own name, saying she was used by Su Tao as a shield to cover up the relationship, and her words were full of grievance.

This was clearly Li Yao's new strategy - take advantage of the hype over Su Tao's scandal to whitewash her own artist.

After stopping the CP hype, this was a vicious kick.

Su Tao tightly squeezed her phone with her fingers, splitting her already fragile nails again.

It was just when Jiang Qi's team was on stage performing. The whole venue went dark, then fireworks lit up around the stage. Su Tao looked up, the clear pupils reflecting the fiery light, and the silhouettes of nine handsome youths.

She turned around and walked towards the backstage, the fiery light in her eyes fading and replaced by gloominess. She called Li Yao, her Clear Spring voice now gloomy.

"Thank you for the hot search, wait for my big surprise."

The boss had flown away late last night and flown back early this morning.

After returning, he had switched to hell mode.

Wu Xieyu was extremely nervous at this moment, standing in front of the ominous dark door. He took three deep breaths but still didn't have the courage to knock on the door.

Finally, he told the secretary who had come with him, "If I'm not out in ten minutes, I've probably pretended to faint. Be smart and come in to save me."

After saying that, he knocked on the solemn door as if walking to his execution.

A row of executives already stood in front of the desk, all with lowered brows and eyes, not daring to speak up.

Xie Jin sat in the swivel chair facing the window, only showing them a cold and stern side profile.

The ice-cold and terrifying aura made even Wu Xieyu, who had prepared a contingency plan, not dare to approach.

He saw the hot searches about Jiang Qi and Su Tao, and knew the boss would be furious again. They would all be unlucky today.

The room was deathly quiet, and everyone knew from experience that this was the calm before the storm.

"Knock knock knock"

The sudden knocking made everyone's pounding hearts skip a beat, and the sound of gasps could be heard.

Then, Wu Xieyu's petite secretary pushed open the door and stood there slender and gentle.

This was the first brave soul after Su Tao to directly open the door without permission.

Everyone had silently mourned for him in their hearts.

"Mr. Wu, Mr. Xie, Su Tao has posted a clarification on Weibo."

The little secretary handed the tablet in her hand to Wu Xieyu. He had actually not thought of anything before rushing in, just wanting to save his own boss.

Although he had only followed Wu Xieyu for a year, he also knew seven or eight things about the boss's relationship with Su Tao. So he felt this clarification Weibo could improve the boss's mood.

Wu Xieyu glared at the little secretary, then his gaze fell on the computer screen. But after just one glance, he froze, and gradually the corners of his mouth rose as his face showed joy. He excitedly said, "Boss..."

With a glance up, Xie Jin had already turned around and was looking at him coolly.

Wu Xieyu immediately handed over the tablet.

Su Tao v: Regarding the testimony identified by @Fu Chengcheng, I deeply suspect her motives.

As Jiang Qi's agent, I was always with the executing agent Le Xuan waiting in Jiang Qi's room, in order to prevent a certain person who had followed us to the hotel from having a chance to create a scandal. I didn't expect that when the scandal could not be cooked up, the spear would be turned around.

Moreover, my current boyfriend @Xie Jin was also at the hotel that night, so this baseless accusation is unfounded, a behavior that fools the public.

I will pursue legal liability for Fu Chengcheng's slanderous behavior.

Xie Jin's gaze lingered only on the sentence "My current boyfriend @Xie Jin", reading it over and over again, uncertain whether his eyes were blurred. He beckoned to several executives.

"Read this sentence to me again." Wu Xieyu took the initiative to step forward and read it out loud and sonorously: "My current boyfriend Xie Jin."

Xie Jin pursed his lips tightly, then relaxed them. The solemn aura all over his body faded away. He screenshot the page and looked at it repeatedly before putting the computer down.

He raised his eyes, seeming to have just noticed that everyone was standing in a row like being punished. He pressed down with his palms to the crowd and said gently, "Sit down, everyone."

The hot searches for last night's "Yingfeng Night" didn't even beat the hot searches for Su Tao, Jiang Qi and Fu Chengcheng.

The three of them occupied the top five spots. Not to mention the various evidence of reversals, Su Tao also publicly announced her relationship with Xie Jin in a roundabout way.

They already had CP fans, and the popularity rose at once.

Plus there were unexpectedly several pieces of black history that Fu Chengcheng had been sponsored, seeming to be ironclad, but the information hadn't been released in full yet.

At this moment, Su Tao was sitting steadily in her office, watching Li Yao who had rushed over covered in dust. She placidly placed several folders neatly in front of her.

"Sister Li, I said I would give you a big gift."

Li Yao looked angrily at the calm Su Tao across from her, somewhat exasperated: "Where did you find all this?"

Su Tao smiled lightly. "Keep a few more paparazzi informants, what information can't be found? There must be sacrifice for gain. I've never begrudged spending this petty cash."

Li Yao knew that the "petty cash" she was talking about was a considerable amount. Ordinary brokerage firms actually couldn't bear to spend money to feed these resources that might not be useful.

But at this moment it had subverted her long-held ideas.

Because at critical moments, it could indeed be a fatal blow.

Su Tao reached out and flipped through the documents in front, taking out one and tapping it. "There's also information about plastic surgery, the hospital, the doctor, and medical records. I heard you just got Fu Chengcheng an endorsement for a beauty brand. It's said the penalty for breach of contract is quite astonishing."

It was almost an industry standard that fashion and beauty endorsements would not use actresses with a history of cosmetic surgery.

If it was exposed that she had gone under the knife at this time, not to mention the newly signed contract going yellow, the amount of liquidated damages was indeed huge.

"Su Tao!" Li Yao's eyes were about to split, she was so angry that smoke was practically coming out of her seven orifices, but she couldn't get angry. After calming herself down, she gritted her teeth and said, "What do you want?"

"It's simple. I'm easygoing and don't hold grudges. As long as you show sincerity, I won't keep hounding you. After all, destroying Fu Chengcheng doesn't do me any good either."

Li Yao looked at Su Tao's face, tranquil and aloof, and the pile of black materials on the table. The corners of her eyes twitched.

Damn, easygoing and doesn't hold grudges her ass!

Li Yao endured for a long time before finally admitting defeat at the hands of this young girl. With a frustrated expression she said, "Is the sincerity enough with the dual endorsement we previously agreed on, plus a fashion red carpet invitation recommendation?"

Su Tao's eyes lit up. The fashion red carpet invitation recommendation was truly sincere. She finally nodded satisfactorily, collecting all the folders and smiling as she held out her hand, "Sister Li, pleasure working with you."

Li Yao was in no mood to shake hands with her. She left Su Tao's office in humiliation.

Everyone in the outer office public area had seen Li Yao stomping in furiously, looking like she was itching for a fight heading straight for Su Tao's office. They even broke into a cold sweat for their boss, after all Li Yao's petty behavior was notorious, extremely difficult to deal with.

They didn't expect that in less than ten minutes, she fled in defeat. They all secretly admired Su Tao.

Not having slept well last night and fighting all day, Su Tao was extremely tired. Her brain could no longer function.

She vaguely felt that she seemed to have forgotten to handle something important, but no matter how she tried, she couldn't remember what she had forgotten.

Totally exhausted, she returned home. As soon as she opened the door, she discovered to her surprise that the light was on and a familiar burnt smell was coming from the kitchen.

She tiptoed to the kitchen and saw a tall and dignified figure. She finally remembered what she had forgotten.

In her urgency, she had neglected to discuss with him before unilaterally using Xie Jin as a human shield, and had forgotten to tell him.

Xie Jin was struggling with a steak, which had already been pan-fried black, following the trend of swallowing pills last time.

She really wanted to tell him to let the steak go.

Su Tao: "Why don't I pan-fry it?"

Su Tao suddenly spoke, startling Xie Jin so that he almost dropped the spatula.

Xie Jin: "How come you're home so early today?"

He had wanted to secretly pan-fry the steak to surprise her.

Su Tao threw away his over-fried, raw inside steak, scrubbed the pan, added a pat of butter, and turned on low heat.

As she pan-fried, she explained to Xie Jin: "You can't use too high heat to pan-fry steak, or the outside will burn while the inside is still raw."

Xie Jin nodded, with an expression of sudden realization. "So I slowly pan-fried you well-done over low heat?"

Su Tao glanced at him, not understanding the nonsense he was spewing.

"When did you decide to make up with me?" Xie Jin's smile was unrestrained. Beaming, he said, "You wanted to surprise me, right?"

She flipped the steak and carefully considered how to explain to him. "Actually, I..."

"Let's do this."

Xie Jin interrupted her words. He pondered for a few seconds, seeming to have given it careful thought before speaking.

"Let's not be too impulsive either. Let's set the wedding for next month. Do you want to go to Guam, or Fiji, Tahiti is fine too."

Su Tao: "..."