5:53 AM.
Due to drinking last night, Zhao Yanan was in a deep sleep. The phone on the bedside table had been ringing for a while before it finally woke her up. She grabbed her phone and saw that the caller was Xiaowei. So early? Could something have happened?
With that thought, Zhao Yanan immediately became alert and answered the call.
"Ms. Zhao, have you seen the news about Mr. Chu online?"
"Mr. Chu? What happened now?"
"He..." Xiaowei stammered nervously, "A web celebrity is accusing him of sexual assault and even claims he beat her. Over ten other influencers from the same base are publicly supporting her."
Zhao Yanan was momentarily stunned. Then, Xiaowei dropped another bombshell, "Xia Zhu jumped off a building. Now, her mother is also accusing Mr. Chu online..."
Zhao Yanan couldn't stay calm any longer and hastily said, "Notify everyone at the ministerial level or above. We're holding an emergency meeting at 7 AM in the company!" After hanging up, the beautiful CEO's mind was in turmoil. She was about to call Chu Yuxuan when, coincidentally, that scion called her.
"Yanan, you're up early?"
"What on earth happened?"
They spoke almost simultaneously.
Chu Yuxuan smiled lightly, "So you already know? I thought you were still asleep... Yanan, listen to me. Call that big guy and have him come pick you up. From now on, take him with you wherever you go. Understand?"
Zhao Yanan suddenly recalled how, on the way back from a dinner hosted by Gao Ning, Chu Yuxuan had told her something similar, instructing the big guy to act as both her driver and bodyguard due to concerns about Jin and Gao Ning's intentions.
It seems those two really have made a move against Chu Yuxuan?
"What can I do?" Zhao Yanan forced herself to stay calm.
"Let me think..." Chu Yuxuan pondered, "Get up now and warm up a glass of milk. Your stomach isn't great."
Zhao Yanan: ...
At a time like this, and he's talking about that?
"Chu Yuxuan, I'm not joking, and please, don't joke either. This is a serious matter."
Chu Yuxuan's tone remained relaxed, "It's okay. I'll handle it. You just go to work as usual. The company's probably going to be very busy today... Once this blows over, I'll treat you to a big meal as compensation, and you can't refuse."
"Where are you now?" Zhao Yanan faintly heard someone calling out "Captain" on the other end, and her heart tightened.
Chu Yuxuan chuckled, "Cooperating with the police investigation at the station. It's fine."
After a moment of silence, Zhao Yanan said, "Chu Yuxuan, I believe in you. You wouldn't do such a thing... Please cooperate fully with the investigation."
"Alright, I'll listen to you."
After hanging up the phone, Chu Yuxuan handed over his phone, smiling brightly.
Chu Muhan rolled her eyes at him, "Seems like things are going well?"
"Maybe I should introduce you two someday?" suggested Chu Yuxuan.
"Not interested."
Another ten minutes passed before the minister from Qingya's legal department finally arrived at the police station.
After understanding the situation from the police, he went to see Chu Yuxuan.
"Mr. Chu..."
"How long before you can get me out?" Chu Yuxuan asked.
The legal minister looked troubled, "You are now the prime suspect. I'm afraid... it's going to be difficult."
Chu Yuxuan took a deep breath, realizing that this minister probably didn't have the ability to get him out, and besides, Chu Muhan would likely do everything possible to keep him detained. Using some means to get out of here would be near impossible.
After a moment of thought, he said to the minister, "Listen carefully. After you return to the company, find Minister Chu from the technical department. Tell him to investigate the head of the influencer base. He'll know what to do. If you run into any trouble, just let them know that only you, as my lawyer, can see me. Understand?"
The minister could tell that his boss probably had no hope that he could get him out and had called him here merely to pass on a message.
"I understand, Mr. Chu!"
"Good. Remember, keep everything confidential, including from Ms. Zhao. Don't tell her."
"I understand!"
At 7 AM, the city gradually began to wake up.
The news about Chu Yuxuan continued to ferment online, rapidly gaining traction.
Several officers who had gone out to investigate returned to the station, bringing with them surveillance footage from outside the Blazing Bar. The footage showed Xia Zhu meeting with Chu Yuxuan at 1:50 AM. Due to the distance, the surveillance didn't capture what they said, but from the video, it appeared that Chu Yuxuan was dismissive of Xia Zhu. After he left, Xia Zhu squatted on the ground and cried for several minutes.
The officers who had gone to Qinglu's house also returned to the station, bringing with them an injury report signed by a doctor. The final result was that the injuries were real and constituted minor injuries.
Chu Yuxuan wasn't surprised by this.
It wasn't hard to analyze: Qinglu had initially faked her injuries with makeup just to leave evidence on surveillance. After leaving the hotel, she made the injuries real to avoid being caught when the police conducted a physical examination.
"This girl is quite dedicated..." Chu Yuxuan smiled bitterly.
Chu Muhan didn't doubt her brother's character, but all the current evidence was unfavorable to him.
The situation was spiraling out of control, heading toward the worst possible outcome, which inevitably worried her.
At that moment, Xia Zhu's mother arrived at the police station with a large group of reporters, holding a sign that read "Return my daughter" in large characters, and knelt at the station's entrance, sobbing.
"That Chu Yuxuan is inhuman! He deceived and abandoned our Xia Zhu, forced her to sell her house to pay for some breach of contract, and even made her sleep with others! Wuwu... My daughter was driven to death by him!"
"Heavens, please open your eyes! Do rich people really get to do whatever they want?!"
"My daughter, she died with her eyes wide open!"
Whether or not what she said was true, the genuine grief of a mother who had lost her daughter was unmistakable, leaving everyone present deeply moved.
The situation had reached a sensational level, with multiple media outlets already competing to report on it.
At Qingya Media, after finishing the emergency meeting, Zhao Yanan asked the ministers of the legal and administrative departments to stay behind, "You two are coming with me to the influencer base. Notify the security department to ensure no reporters get in!... Xiaowei, call the head of the influencer base again and urge him!"
"Ms. Zhao, I just called several times, but no one answered..."
The legal minister instinctively glanced in the direction of the technical department minister's office, frowning slightly.
Since leaving the police station, he had called Minister Chu to relay Chu Yuxuan's instructions. It was now 7:30 AM, so why hadn't he arrived yet? Couldn't he be more reliable?
Little did he know that the blonde-haired, blue-eyed foreign minister was currently standing outside the base director's apartment, and inside that apartment stood a Korean man with a cold expression.