If the news about the discord between Chen Xiaoyong and Xie Sangyan made them somewhat popular, then the current news undoubtedly made Xie Sangyan known to the majority. A few days after the previous news broke, some old stories about Xie Sangyan surfaced online.
It seemed as if someone with an agenda was gradually digging up these stories. Details about Xie Sangyan's background and her journey to where she is now were all unearthed. Only the parties involved would know the truth.
Shen Tong was in the training room, looking at the newspaper in her hand with mixed feelings. It turned out that Xie Sangyan's parents were also deceased, which made Shen Tong feel a sense of empathy. When she got to the back of the newspaper, she saw many old photos of Xie Sangyan in a bar.
Xie Sangyan had debuted with a pure image. Now with so many indecent photos of her having been exposed, it was really adding insult to injury. Such revelations would undoubtedly be a severe blow to someone who had only recently started her career.
"See that? This is the past of that bitch Xie Sangyan! Looks like I don't even need to lift a finger; she went and failed on her own!" Chen Xiaoyong, who was supposed to be practicing her singing in the training room, spent all her time spreading the news ever since she learned about the scandalous revelations concerning Xie Sangyan.
Shen Tong sneered internally but kept her face expressionless, saying, "Miss Chen, you're right."
"She admitted all of this herself! She acknowledged it when facing the reporters! That woman is just a slut without proper upbringing!" Chen Xiaoyong spat out the most venomous words she could think of. To an outsider, it might seem like the two had some deep-seated hatred. In reality, Xie Sangyan had only taken an endorsement from her. If she wasn't skilled enough, who could she blame?
"Yes." Shen Tong replied absent-mindedly. Faced with such vicious remarks from Chen Xiaoyong, she truly felt like telling her that she too was someone without proper upbringing!
At this moment, Chen Xiaoyong was too elated to notice Shen Tong's lack of enthusiasm.
Shen Tong's mind wasn't focused on the news about Xie Sangyan. What puzzled her was that the entire report didn't mention Liang Xiaoyuan. Weren't they supposed to have known each other for a long time? Instead, the scandal between Xie Sangyan and the president of the Lu Group was highlighted.
The newspaper revealed that Xie Sangyan and the president of Lu Group were suspected of having a romantic relationship. Throughout the entire process, Liang Xiaoyuan's presence was conspicuously absent.
All in all, today had been a particularly smooth day. Chen Xiaoyong was in a good mood and didn't make things difficult for Shen Tong.
...
After work, Shen Tong cooked and did laundry by herself, feeling relaxed and happy. Fang Xiaoxi hadn't returned yet, having been busy dealing with the fallout from the news about Xie Sangyan.
In the evening, Shen Tong tossed and turned in bed, holding her phone but not knowing what she was doing or what she wanted to do.
Yes, she felt inexplicably restless.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, her phone rang. It only rang three times before the call was disconnected. Shen Tong quickly picked up her phone. It was a missed call from Liang Xiaoyuan.
Her hand trembled slightly as she pressed redial.
"Shen Tong..." Liang Xiaoyuan's voice sounded fuzzy.
Shen Tong replied, "Do you need something?"
"No."
His answer was lifeless. After a pause, Shen Tong asked, "Where are you? I'll come to find you."
"I'll send you the address."
"Okay. Bye." Shen Tong said.
The two of them, having known each other for so long, were always this in sync. Not long after hanging up, she received a text message from him. Shen Tong quickly found her usual clothes and put them on, then grabbed a pair of sunglasses to avoid any unnecessary trouble during this sensitive period.
The destination was a well-known bar in S City. Shen Tong composed herself and walked in confidently. Finding Liang Xiaoyuan was easy since he was sitting alone at the bar. From a distance, she could see him turning down girls who tried to chat him up.
"What's this? Drinking alone to drown your sorrows?" Shen Tong couldn't help but tease Liang Xiaoyuan. But as soon as she spoke, she regretted it. Why did she sound so jealous?
Liang Xiaoyuan didn't like to argue. Seeing Shen Tong arrive, he simply smiled and said, "Sit."
Shen Tong sat down and noticed that Liang Xiaoyuan looked more haggard than before. "You really don't know how to take care of yourself. Is she more important than anything to you?"
"No." Liang Xiaoyuan replied, "I just want to protect her."
"Isn't that the same thing!" Shen Tong couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.
"..." Liang Xiaoyuan smiled bitterly. This was the first time Shen Tong had seen him like this—dressed casually yet still looking handsome.
Shen Tong asked, "Where is she?"
"You're asking about Xie Sangyan?" Liang Xiaoyuan said, "She's fine, still the same as always."
"Such a big incident happened, and you're so calm. What's really going on? Those reports aren't true, right?" Shen Tong preferred to believe that the news about Xie Sangyan was fake.
"What if I told you they were true?" Liang Xiaoyuan's expression showed a hint of pain, different from his previously confident demeanor. But to Shen Tong, this version of Liang Xiaoyuan seemed more genuine.
"Even if they are true, I still believe in you. I just didn't expect you weren't part of her past..." Shen Tong began but didn't finish her sentence.
Liang Xiaoyuan continued for her, "I wasn't part of her past. We were college classmates but got to know each other later at work. We only lived in the same city during our years in the UK. She has her life, which I cannot interfere with."
"I'm not asking for an explanation. Is this your way of confessing?" Shen Tong joked.
Liang Xiaoyuan went on, "No matter what she wants to do, I will support her. But there is no possibility for her and me."
"Liang Xiaoyuan, are you saying this to me or to yourself?" Shen Tong's eyes held a probing look. "There's no need to force yourself. If you really like her, there's nothing wrong with that."
"You're as blunt as ever, just like before." Liang Xiaoyuan had the mood to joke, "But what if the person I like is you?"
"Uh..." Shen Tong knew he was joking, but she still felt embarrassed and didn't dare look him in the eye.
"If I were to speak of love, I fell for a girl in college. But we never ended up together." Liang Xiaoyuan's tone was tinged with sadness.
Shen Tong was curious, "Why couldn't you be together?"
"She fell for someone else. I couldn't give her the life she wanted back then; I was just a penniless college student." Liang Xiaoyuan smiled self-deprecatingly.
Shen Tong was surprised. Even someone like Liang Xiaoyuan could be rejected? As they continued to chat, Shen Tong realized that Liang Xiaoyuan's past was just as tough. Without a foundation of money and power, he had to work much harder than others to get what he wanted.