"But Anyao..."
Han Yi pursed his thin lips and wanted to say something else, but he heard someone knocking anxiously on the door.
"Come in."
"Chairman Han, bad news!"
Secretary Gao approached with a look of anxiety, his forehead covered in fine sweat. His gaze was shifty and he did not even dare to look Han Yi in the eye, afraid that he could not withstand such a big blow.
Staring at him with a frown, Han Yi asked, "What happened?"
"The news... the headlines... are related to Miss Ji and Third Young Master Yan, and... Young Master Bai..."
He could sense that Han Yi's gaze got colder with every word he said. With shaky hands, Secretary Gao handed the cellphone over and his voice became softer and softer until he fell silent.
"Chairman Han, please take a look for yourself."
As soon as she heard that the matter was related to her and involved Yan Lie and Bai Siyu, Ji Anyao grabbed the cellphone and lowered her head to take a swift glance at it, after which her face became increasingly sullen. Her face was almost scrunched up into a ball!
"That's really enough!"
Clenching her fists, Ji Anyao raised her hand and was about to smash the cellphone down onto the ground. She was so infuriated that her entire body was about to explode!
"Hey, hey, hey! What are you trying to do... Don't smash the phone! The cellphone is innocent. What exactly happened? Let me see!"
Yin Mei'er swiftly grabbed Ji Anyao's arm and immediately snatched the phone back. As soon as she took a glance, she couldn't help but curse!
"Damn it! Anyao, it seems you are really being targeted by someone! You've also gotten involved with a big bad wolf..."
"What does it say?!"
Su Chengyu asked eagerly with a look of bewilderment.
At the same time, Han Yi shot him a cold glance with a grave expression on his handsome face. He knew that it definitely wasn't a good thing.
"Someone tipped the reporters off that Anyao seduced Yan Lie and even took a lot of photos in Seduction nightclub. Look... This beast Yan Lie is indeed sordid! Besides, these photos are of Yan Lie carrying Anyao away from Seduction nightclub, getting into the car, and entering the hotel... With such photos exposed, who would believe that there's nothing between Anyao and Yan Lie!?"
Although it was dim in Seduction and the photos were not too clear, the photographer had chosen a good angle and an accurate timing to snap the photos. They deliberately chose to snap a photo when the light was cast on their faces, thus their looks could be seen clearly.
At that time, Yan Lie was pressing her against the wall with some ambiguity. Anyone who saw that would think that they were flirting with each other and nothing else.
As for the photo of Yan Lie holding her in the car and entering the hotel, it was undoubtedly suggestive. She was tipsy and wearing a skimpy dress at that time with her arms around his neck. If the person in the photo wasn't herself, Ji Anyao would have immediately thought they were going to check into a hotel to get intimate.
In fact... that was what happened.
However, the protagonist somehow turned from Yan Lie to Bai Siyu later on.
Those photos were circulated all over the internet within minutes of being released, and it became a viral piece of news with the most number of likes. Ji Anyao refused to believe that no one was behind it!
Yan Lie was not Bai Siyu who would become the talk of the town once he was caught toying with women. As a playboy who was favored by many, he had been involved in scandals with countless female models whom he was rumored to have slept with. The addition of Ji Anyao was insignificant, and there couldn't have been such a huge uproar.
"Oh dear!"
Yin Mei'er suddenly gasped and let out a cold cry.
The trio tensed up immediately after hearing those words.
Ji Anyao was in despair.
"What's wrong again this time?"
"Anyao... your family background has also been revealed! The rumors of you and Young Master Bai getting it on in the car have been spreading continuously. At that time, no one knew who the woman in the photo was, but now... they've put all the photos together and are insistent that you and Young Master Bai have an affair. They've even revealed your identity..."
"What?!"
Ji Anyao's expression changed drastically.
If that was not revealed, everything would still be within control. Anyway, very few people knew that she was Gu Mingyuan's daughter and those who did were close friends. Gu Mingyuan was too prideful to allow his family to reveal any news.
Hence, even if those photos were revealed, she would have most be reprimanded by Gu Mingyuan. Others would forget about it and never mention her again after they had enough of the gossip.
However, things were far more complicated now that her identity had been exposed.
She reckoned that Gu Mingyuan must be hopping mad and the reputation of the Gu Corporation would definitely have been affected. Besides, Old Mr. Gu... would inevitably be criticized by others. At such an old age, he still had to be shamed and disgraced because of his granddaughter. Even Ji Anyao herself couldn't be spared. Those news would mar her for life and she would never be able to get rid of it!
The more she thought about it, the more she felt a chill down her spine. Ji Anyao subconsciously folded her arms tightly and her face was frighteningly pale.
"Anyao, are you okay?!"
Realizing that she was not in the right mood, Yin Mei'er immediately fell silent, not daring to continue further. She reached out to hold her, her eyes filled with concern.
No one expected things to escalate to this point.
The culprit who was getting up to such tricks behind her back was out to push her down the cliff and never make a comeback!
Lying on the hospital bed, Han Yi's face was even more austere.
After a moment of silence, he abruptly got up, unplugged the infusion tube inserted in the back of his hand, and lifted the blanket to get out of bed!
"Chairman Han!"
"Han Yi! Where are you going?"
Su Chengyu hurriedly took a step forward and grabbed him by the hand.
"This matter must be dealt with immediately! We can't let the situation worsen any further! We must find the culprit as soon as possible! Otherwise... he won't stop there. No one knows what else he will do to Anyao!"
"But you're injured!"
"I'm alright."
Breaking free from Su Chengyu's hand, Han Yi strode out with anger written all over his face. Seeing the woman whom he grew up with and had been protecting and pampering to bits getting schemed against like this, he couldn't sit still and do nothing at all.
"Hey... I'll go with you!"
Seeing that he couldn't stop him at all, Su Chengyu decided not to and strode forward to catch up with him. He was just as enraged about how things turned out!
Qin Muyan entered the CEO's office of the Bai Group with a cup of coffee.
She left the door slightly ajar so that the noise from inside could still be heard.
"Fortunately, you managed to show up to the meeting in time and pointed out the problems. The suggestions you've made are very critical and Old Master couldn't find any fault with you at all. He looks much more at ease now... However, you have always been very punctual in the past, why were you so late today?"
"Nothing, I just went to bed later than usual last night and overslept this morning."
Bai Siyu was burying his head in the table and signing the documents as he flipped through them. His tone was as composed as usual, and nothing seemed off about him.