"What's wrong?" Song Yu asked, noticing the change in Qi Chengyue's mood. Song Yu handed Qi Chengyue the hot cocoa that she had the secretary make while waiting for them to come up.

Qi Chengyue accepted the hot cocoa and handed Song Yu her phone. Song Yu read the message from Jian Yi. Wordlessly, Song Yu passed the phone to Qi Chengzhi.

After reading, Qi Chengzhi gave the phone to Cheng Dongge. Qi Chengzhi said to Qi Chengyue, "Ignore him. I'll get Chang Lai to fetch you home. Stay home and rest for two days. Cut yourself off from the world, switch off your phone. Other than Jian Yi, the reporters might hassle you as well. So stay home and lay low. Keep calm for Thursday's court."

Qi Chengyue nodded. Song Yu walked over and squeezed her hand. "The reporters will be blocking the company door. While our security guards will do their best to keep them at bay, the reporters will try to photograph you or even ask you some questions. Chang Lai will be waiting for you right outside the main entrance. You need to stay strong and cross the few meters between the office building and the car."

Qi Chengyue gritted her teeth and nodded. "I will."

An hour later, the head of security reported that Zhou Mingyan had left but the paparazzi were still here. He surmised that they would not leave until they catch a glimpse of Qi Chengyue.

The reporters were blocking the company's main entrance, making it impossible for Qi Chengyue to leave.

"I'm ready," Qi Chengyue stood up and said. "No point in waiting any longer. They're not going to leave until I step out of the company."

Qi Chengzhi nodded and contacted Chang Lai.

Ten minutes passed before he gave Qi Chengyue the green light.

Cheng Dongge refrained from following her. He knew that their appearance together would rile up the press's imagination so he could only look on from the office window.

Not long after, he saw the reporters flock toward the main entrance like bees to honey. He knew Qi Chengyue had reached the lobby.

Qi Chengyue was escorted by the security team who were pushing back at the surging reporters.

"Miss Qi, what do you have to say about Madam Zhou's claims?"

"Was Zhou Mingyan telling the truth?"

"Miss Qi…"

"Miss Qi…"

Qi Chengyue felt as if countless reporters were lobbing countless questions. Each question felt like a rock thrown at her.

She kept her head low, her long hair covered her face. Without a word, she was escorted into the car by security.

Only when she was in the car—shielded by the tinted windows—did her body start to shake.

Chang Lai stopped the car at the villa owned by Mr. and Mrs. Qi Zhongxun in Jade Field Park. He got down and opened the back door. As Qi Chengyue attempted to get down, Chang Lai stopped her. He leaned closer and whispered, "Miss Qi, there are reporters hiding in the corners. They will surely rush out when you step out of the car. Be ready."

Qi Chengyue took deep breaths, then signaled to Chang Lai that she was ready.

Chang Lai nodded and escorted her from the car. Immediately, a few figures appeared out of nowhere and blocked Qi Chengyue's path.

"Miss Qi, what are your views on the confrontation with Madam Zhou this afternoon?"

"Miss Qi, what is your side of the story? Regarding Madam Zhou's revelation."

"Miss Qi, does your silence mean acquiescence?"

"Is there something going on between you and Mr. Cheng?"

"Was it Mr. Jian who had an affair first? Or you? Or was this thing with Mr. Cheng just to get back at Mr. Jian?"

"Was Zhou Mingyan's presence today due to the dispute in asset distribution from your divorce? Was the conflict caused by the dissatisfaction of both parties with regards to the distribution?"

Finally, Qi Chengyue could not take it anymore. She raised her head and glared at the reporter. Her eyes were red but her teeth were bared. "I, Qi Chengyue, have never been unfaithful in my marriage!"

Chang Lai shoved the reporters aside and with much effort, finally got Qi Chengyue safely back into the house.

…

…

That night, Zhou Mingyan's afternoon ruckus made the headlines on every news portals' entertainment segment, including Weibo, Wechat, and other social media platforms.

Qi Chengyue read one of the headlines on a popular entertainment site, 'Divorced! Youngest Daughter Of Qi Family And Husband Dragging Out Skeletons Over Settlement Dispute!'

There was a short video clip below the headline. A host gave a brief introduction before the actual content ran. Zhou Mingyan was pulling her arm and yelling at her. The video even showed some of the photos of her and Cheng Dongge on 'dates'.

After the video, there were stills of her, Jian Yi, and Cheng Dongge, placed side by side.

The caption was a summary.

'A few months back, the youngest daughter of the Qi family, Qi Chengyue, got married. The grandeur of the wedding had been the talk of the town. Jian Yi was a man with a mediocre family background, just a grunt in the company. Yet, he managed to marry into the Qi family. He became the model example of a man marrying rich and was jokingly known as the modern-day royal son-in-law.'

'In the wink of an eye, the married couple is filing for a divorce. Rumor has it the marriage was not a happy one. With such a power imbalance in their marriage, Jian Yi was having an affair. Today, Jian Yi's mother had a heated confrontation with Qi Chengyue, claiming that Jian Yi was not the only one who was unfaithful. Not wanting to be left behind, the Qi family princess quickly got together with the company director's special assistant, Cheng Dongge. It seems like she is particularly fond of your average joe.'

Qi Chengyue stopped herself from scrolling down to the comment section and closed the page.

She could not believe that the press had published Cheng Dongge's photos.

Qi Chengyue wanted to call Cheng Dongge and apologize. She felt ashamed that her problems had inconvenienced him. Although she did not see the comments, she could imagine the vile insults that would be directed at him.

She knew with the anonymity of the internet, keyboard warriors post comments without weighing the facts. Their sharp words serve as entertainment to themselves, while the target of their words has to live with the consequences. It should be considered a crime.

Qi Chengyue had her phone in her hand but she put it down. She did not know how Cheng Dongge was feeling about this whole debacle.

Right at that moment, Guan Liya knocked. She walked in with a bowl of bird's nest soup and set it down on the bedside table. Then, she sat on Qi Chengyue's bed and saw the tablet by Qi Chengyue's hand.

Before Guan Liya could say anything, Qi Chengyue spoke, "Ma, I'm fine."

Guan Liya blew out a breath and took Qi Chengyue's hand. "We all knew what Jian Yi was capable of. Now, he's using even his mother. Like mother, like son I guess. Don't dwell on it. I called Chengzhi today. He says there's nothing to worry about on Thursday's court. The divorce will go through and Jian Yi will get nothing. These words were from your big brother, so rest assured."

"I know," Qi Chengyue mumbled.

"Ay!" Guan Liya exhaled a sigh and gently stroked Qi Chengyue's long hair. "My poor baby girl. Once this is over, you'll never have to see Jian Yi again. You can get back to your normal life and move on to find the happiness you deserve."

Qi Chengyue did not say anything. Her confidence had been shattered. She was no longer that proud and brave woman, no longer someone special.

Now, she was doubtful of her chance for romance. Would she find a man who truly loved her? Was she deserving of love? She felt untethered from life. Her marriage with Jian Yi had made her uncertain about her love life and herself.

If she was good enough, why did Jian Yi only thought of using her? Why couldn't he give her a bit of affection?

It must be her. She was not enough.

"Don't overthink. Drink the bird's nest. Rest for a few days. When you meet Jian Yi in court, show him how well you've been without him." Guan Liya massaged her hand.

Qi Chengyue finished the bowl of bird's nest soup in front of her mother. Guan Liya collected the empty bowl and said to her, "Go on and sleep earlier."

Then, she left the room.

Qi Chengyue laid in bed staring at her phone. In the end, she just closed her eyes with her phone in hand.

…

…

The next day, as Qi Chengyue was eating dinner at home, the live-in helper ran over and said, "Miss, the Young Master's wife is calling."

Qi Chengyue followed Qi Chengzhi's order to switch off her phone. Hence, Song Yu's call went straight to voicemail.

Qi Chengyue hurried to the phone. "Go on WeChat. I sent you a video clip," she heard Song Yu speak on the phone.

She hung up and went straight to her bedroom to get her phone—the half-eaten meal totally ignored.

Truly, her phone had been bombarded by tons of calls by strangers. Qi Chengyue took out the SIM card and used WIFI to load WeChat instead. She saw the link Song Yu shared and she clicked into it. The video clip popper out. She had never imagined she would be seeing Cheng Dongge on a news video.

The reporters were all camping at Qilin's front door early in the morning. As soon as Cheng Dongge arrived, he was surrounded by the media.

Cheng Dongge stopped and turned to look at them. He pointed to the empty plot of land next to Qilin's car park and said, "Everyone, since you're all here. I have some words for you, let's head over there. It's the morning working hours now, we'll block the employees if we stand here."

The reporters gladly obliged. As long as Cheng Dongge was with them, they were happy.

Cheng Dongge took firm and steady steps toward the empty plot of land. One of the reporters tried to ask a question but Cheng Dongge raised a hand to stop him. "Please let me speak. I am not here to answer your questions but to speak my piece. If anyone is unsatisfied with this, I will leave without giving a statement."

At last, all the reporters remained silent. No one dared to interrupt Cheng Dongge.

"First off, I want to clarify that Miss Qi and I are not in a relationship. We did not engage in any form of intimacy. As for the evidence, those photos were simply taken from an ambiguous angle. Taken out of context, the narrative was spun into a scandal to tarnish our reputations. I believe all of you here are familiar with such tactics. Perhaps some of you may say, I'm just giving excuses. The fact is I like her, but I can wait until she's done with the divorce. She will be a single woman soon, why would I make this difficult for her?"

Looking at the shocked faces of the reporters, Cheng Dongge nodded solemnly. "That's right, I like her. She has never done anything to betray her marriage or Jian Yi. Before the divorce, Jian Yi was already living together with Guan Xiaolin. Now, Guan Xiaolin is pregnant. Once, Young Master Cheng and his wife even ran into Jian Yi's mother and Guan Xiaolin in the shopping mall. They were swiping Miss Qi's credit card for their purchases."

Cheng Dongge had a cold smile. "Do you really believe in the story told by such a character? Guan Xiaolin asked to meet with Miss Qi and at that time, I was accompanying Young Master Cheng's wife who wanted to follow Miss Qi. I was operating under Young Master Cheng's orders to look after his wife. I admit I feel it is a pity that Miss Qi met a man who not only did not appreciate her efforts in maintaining and supporting the marriage, he betrayed the sanctity of their marriage vows."

"The Guan family had asked us to not reveal Guan Xiaolin's pregnancy as it was an embarrassment to the family. But, after Jian Yi's stunt yesterday, why should we keep this under wraps?"

The reporters were elated with the amount of information that they were getting.

Cheng Dongge's words unraveled part of the mystery.

There have been rumors of Jian Yi's other woman but no one knew the identity.

If what Cheng Dongge said was true, this was big news!

"As everyone knows, I am Young Master Cheng's assistant. When I get involved in things, it's usually under Young Master Cheng's direct orders. Miss Qi's divorce is one of such things, which is why I have been interacting with her more often. Those photos were also a by-product of that. Through our recent interactions, I have developed feelings for her but they were only known to me. Even though she is going through a divorce with Jian Yi, she would never betray her marriage until everything has been finalized. And because of that, I respect her decision and have not confessed to her."

"I do not want to give her any more trouble. I don't want to give others more ammunition to spread negative news about her, tarnishing her name. And yet, it happened anyway. Here, I would like to say this to Jian Yi." Cheng Dongge looked straight into the camera. "Jian Yi, this foolish woman truly loves you. She sacrificed everything for you yet you don't even acknowledge her. You went so far as to have an affair and impregnate another woman."

"This other woman came to your wife and asked her to give up, said that you will never love her. What woman will endure such humiliation? You betrayed her first, so she followed Guan Xiaolin's request—she filed for divorce. Yet, what do you want? You want half of her share in Qilin. If she refused, you will not sign the papers," Cheng Dongge said all this sardonically.

There was pin-drop silence among the reporters. They were stunned by the revelation and did not know what to say.

"Jian Yi, all that you have gained was from the Qi family. On what grounds are you demanding for her share in the company? Her refusal made you spread all these fake news, even getting your mother to make a scene. What kind of man falls to such underhand tactics? You neglected her. She deserves a man who will take care of her, and I am willing to be that person. I respect her. Hence, until the divorce is legally-binding, I will not risk having her labeled a cheater. I will not stoop so low like you. Once Miss Qi is officially single, I will pursue her. But, until then, she has never done anything to threaten the sanctity of their marriage."

Cheng Dongge's eyes swept across the sea of reporters. "I'm done."

The reporters were in a daze and it was not until Cheng Dongge had entered Qilin did they come back to their senses.

…

…

Qi Chengyue stared blankly at her phone. The video clip had ended. 'Why did Cheng Dongge say that?'

His live confession would make him the target of public insults.

Qi Chengyue stood up, took her keys and rushed downstairs.

As she ran out of the house, Guan Liya asked in a concerned tone, "Chengyue! Where are you going?"

"I'm going out for a bit. Will be back soon. Don't worry!" Qi Chengyue said as she wore her shoes.

"But you have not finished your dinner." When Guan Liya walked over, Qi Chengyue already had her shoes on.

"I'm full already. Ma, I gotta go. Don't worry about me," Qi Chengyue said. Then, she went into the garage and got into her car. She was heading to Cheng Dongge's house.

She stopped the car in front of the apartment complex that Cheng Dongge lived in and rushed down to the main door. From the columns of numbers on the intercom, she found Cheng Dongge's unit.

The music rang and rang. No one answered the door.

Qi Chengyue looked at the time. In her rush, she had forgotten that work had only ended for Cheng Dongge.

Moreover, he would usually follow Qi Chengzhi for after-work meetings with clients. There might be a work dinner scheduled today.

She got back into the car and waited. She thought of calling Qi Chengzhi to ask if Cheng Dongge was with him. She took her phone from the passenger seat but realized that there was no signal. The SIM card was at home.

Qi Chengyue could only wait and wait she did, for three hours.

A car appeared a short distance away and parked in the nearby car park. A man got down from the car and walked toward the apartment complex. Qi Chengyue recognizes him as Cheng Dongge.

He had that look of deep concentration. Under the street light, his shadow was elongated. His footsteps were heavy and unflinching, giving him an air of solemnity.

Qi Chengyue exited her car. She waited for him to approach.

When Cheng Dongge saw her, his footsteps slowed down.

Qi Chengyue lifted her head. The soft, yellow glow of the streetlight illuminated his clean-shaven face and gave him a gentle look.

Cheng Dongge said nothing. He stood facing her with his head low as if waiting for her to speak.

Suddenly, Qi Chengyue felt nervous. Her heartbeat quickened and she took a deep breath before saying, "I saw your interview. Thank you. But… it's not worth it. I'm not worth your help. I believe you understand the consequences of your confession. There will be a lot of backlashes directed at you."

Tears started to well up in her eyes and her vision became blurry. Her throat and sinuses strained with each sob.

With family as an exception, never before had anyone treated her with such care, to the point of sacrificing themselves for her sake.

"Cheng Dongge, I really am not worth doing all this. The fact that you got dragged into this scandal has made me incredibly guilty. If you had said nothing, the focus of the scandal will be on me. Jian Yi's target is me. This is my cross to bear. Why did you dig yourself a deeper hole? I know you want to help, but I don't want you caught in the crossfire. I am a soon-to-be divorcee, married for only a few months. My husband cheated on me and my reputation has been soiled since then. I no longer care if my image is tarnished further, but you, why are you jumping into this mud puddle?"