IOLYF Chapter 20

After Remnant Sword wrapped up, Xia Qing’s manager suspended his work for a week to monitor any online buzz regarding Xia Qing. His PR team had several contingency plans ready, and thanks to swift and effective action from Xia Qing’s company, not a single rumor from that night leaked online. However, as Xia Qing’s manager, Chen Li still felt uneasy because Mo Ming had yet to approach them for any negotiation.

Mo Ming’s silence hung over them like the sword of Damocles. After a week of calm, just as Xia Qing was preparing to return to work, the sword finally came crashing down.

On a Saturday night at 8 p.m., a newly registered account posted a lengthy accusation online, detailing Xia Qing’s numerous wrongdoings. But what shocked everyone wasn’t the tearful, blood-stained words; it was the seven or eight incriminating photos attached to the post.

One image showed security camera footage of Xia Qing helping a drunken person into a hotel room. Another showed a screenshot of a phone call to the police, followed by photos of the police report. The post claimed that after calling the police, Xia Qing, in a panic, had transferred a hush money payment of 100,000 yuan. There were also screenshots of a chat where Xia Qing used crude and humiliating language to proposition the victim, only to be firmly rejected.

The twisted narrative made Xia Qing’s blood boil, but after seeing the photos, his heart sank. These so-called pieces of evidence fit together to form a nearly unbreakable chain of logic.

Xia Qing knew that Mo Ming was the one who posted this. He was shocked, furious, and confused. If Mo Ming wanted to stir up a scandal and step on Xia Qing to climb higher, why would he hide his identity?

In the post, the anonymous author claimed that they had dropped the charges out of fear, resolving the issue as a misunderstanding. However, the incident had caused immense psychological damage, leaving them unable to sleep without medication. The post concluded by stating that they were exposing Xia Qing to prevent anyone else in the industry from suffering the same fate.

Xia Qing was a popular star at the time, and with the post dropping during the peak traffic hours of Saturday night, it immediately blew up and trended on social media platforms.

The online world exploded!

Xia Qing’s mind went blank, his hands and feet turning cold. He was so enraged that he almost smashed his phone. His manager, Chen Li, called, and the moment Xia Qing picked up, he was practically screaming his innocence.

“It’s all lies! That bastard, that bitch—I’ll kill him!”

Chen Li had no time to calm Xia Qing down. He sternly asked, “Never mind the other photos for now. What about those two chat screenshots? Last time I checked your phone, there wasn’t any conversation like that.”

“They’re fake! I never said those things—it’s all Photoshopped!” Xia Qing hastily replied.

“Are you sure? You better not lie to me, especially at a time like this.”

“I’m sure! I swear those chat screenshots are fake. I never had that kind of conversation with him. What I showed you last time was everything.”

“Alright, got it.” Chen Li turned to direct his team.

Based on what Mo Ming had already posted, denying the incident entirely wasn’t an option. But if they could prove that the chat screenshots were fabricated, it would undermine much of Mo Ming’s story. While Xia Qing’s reputation would still be damaged, they could at least save his career.

Mo Ming had posted anonymously, without revealing whether he was part of the industry. Any information that could hint at his identity had been heavily redacted. He expressed fear of his family finding out, claimed he didn’t want to become the center of a media storm, and insisted that he wasn’t trying to exploit Xia Qing for fame—he just wanted to expose the truth. With such a pitiful display, Chen Li wanted to maintain the moral high ground and couldn’t directly accuse Mo Ming of being behind the post. Instead, in their statement, they explained the misunderstanding in detail and focused on discrediting the chat screenshots, firmly stating that Xia Qing would never have said such vile things.

In response to Xia Qing’s studio’s statement, the anonymous poster swiftly uploaded a ten-second screen recording, proving the chat’s authenticity and slapping Xia Qing’s team in the face with undeniable evidence.

When Xia Qing saw the recording, he was dumbfounded. He noticed the timestamp on the chat matched the afternoon of the Remnant Sword wrap-up day. His face turned pale.

It was exactly when Mo Ming had borrowed his phone in the trailer!

“Didn’t you say you never had that conversation?” Chen Li was furious. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to reverse public opinion after getting called out like this?!”

“No, Chen Ge! He… He used my phone to send those messages. After he sent them, he deleted them. I had no idea!” Xia Qing stammered in panic. “Chen Ge, I’ll send you all my chat history with him. At least it’ll prove our relationship isn’t what he’s making it out to be.”

“What good will that do? Have you even looked at your chat history? Most of his responses to you were just emojis. It’s all you making advances!” Chen Li snapped.

Xia Qing’s face went even paler. Only now did he remember that most of Mo Ming’s replies to him had been tiny, pitiful-looking emojis.

“Xia Qing, tell me the truth. That night, did you… did you do anything to him?”

“No, Chen Ge, I swear I’m innocent! You have to believe me!” Xia Qing was nearly in tears. “I can confront him directly. Things have already come to this point, so let’s put everything out in the open. If he thinks he can just slip away unscathed while ruining me, he’s dreaming!”

Chen Li remained silent for a long time before finally speaking. “He doesn’t want to climb higher on your back. He just wants to destroy you.”

“…”

“Do you have a grudge against him?”

“No…” Xia Qing’s voice trembled. “I’ve only known him for about ten days. He’s the one who seduced me! Otherwise, how could things have escalated so quickly? Chen Ge, what do I do?”

Xia Qing knew that he had indeed brought a drunken Mo Ming to the hotel and that Mo Ming had called the police. That much was true. The details of the night were known only to the two of them. To the outside world, whether it was all just a misunderstanding would be a matter of perception. Once the public formed their first impression, Xia Qing knew that no matter what, he would never shake off this scandal…

“Alright, then let’s put everything on the table and face it head-on,” Chen Li said. “Just sit tight, don’t say a word, and wait for my instructions.”

Xia Qing anxiously waited for his company to release another statement. He waited for his manager’s call. But after an hour passed, the online frenzy only grew, and his company remained silent. Then, Chen Li showed up at the hotel.

Chen Li sat down on the sofa, lit a cigarette, and looked deeply troubled.

Xia Qing had never seen the usually decisive Chen Li look so defeated. Nervously, he asked, “Chen Ge, why haven’t we released a statement yet?”

“He sent me a recording—a recording of our negotiation that night,” Chen Li said, his brow furrowed. “I thought in that kind of sudden situation, after making him turn off his phone, there wouldn’t be a chance for him to record anything. But I was wrong. I didn’t expect him to have another recording device.”

“Doesn’t that just prove he came prepared that night? Chen Ge, you have to help me!”

“That recording is incredibly damaging—not just to you, but to me and the entire company.”

“Then why hasn’t he released it yet?” Xia Qing was on the verge of a breakdown. “He’s already ruined me this much. What’s he holding back for? Just send me to jail already!”

“Do you want to drag me down with you? Do you want to ruin the entire company’s reputation?” Chen Li snapped. “Do you understand how serious that recording is?!”

Xia Qing shriveled up, collapsing onto the sofa. “What do we do? What do we do…”

“He said that as long as the company doesn’t provoke him, he won’t release the recording. He’s only targeting you,” Chen Li sighed. “I don’t know what grudge he has against you…”

Just then, Xia Qing received a message from Mo Ming. It was a short line, instructing Xia Qing to come alone to meet him at a restaurant.

Xia Qing immediately showed the message to Chen Li.

“He wants to negotiate with you. Do as I say and prepare.”

Xia Qing quickly nodded. “Alright.”

“Remember, don’t make him angry,” Chen Li warned. “Try to get him to talk. Figure out what he really wants. If you can’t handle this, your only option will be to stay in the company’s freezer.”

Fully disguised, Xia Qing arrived at the restaurant mentioned in Mo Ming’s message. But when he called to ask for the private room number, Mo Ming told him a different location: a private room at a hot pot restaurant across the street.

A few minutes later, Xia Qing finally pushed open the door to the room where Mo Ming was waiting.

The small room was filled with the rich, spicy aroma of simmering hot pot. The bubbling broth sent steam curling into the air, and Mo Ming sat by the table, dressed in a white shirt and a beige knit vest. His pale face was flushed from the heat, and he was blowing on a piece of shrimp before trying to eat it, his long, thick lashes fluttering as he blinked away the steam.

If this had been during the early days of their acquaintance, Xia Qing might have found Mo Ming’s innocent charm irresistible. But now, he couldn’t muster any appreciation.

The person in front of him, who acted like a harmless little kitten, was actually a snake—a master of disguise.

Mo Ming turned to look at Xia Qing, his eyes curving into a mesmerizing shape as he smiled gently. “Finally, you’re here, Xia Ge.”

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