Chapter 40: CH 40

At 10am the next day, the entertainment industry exploded with an exclusive piece of news.

“The world’s richest Huo family’s prince’s secret date with a young pretty idol from Juju Entertainment: While chatting, the pretty idol suddenly kneeled on the ground — Unspoken rules? Begging not to be subjected to it!”

Bai Zhen Zhen had just finished distributing today’s newspapers when she saw the headlines. She was seated at her office desk using the computer, when a client suddenly shared the news with her.

Before she could finish reading the entire article, Bai Meng Ru called first.

“Sister, you should have… seen the news, right?” Bai Meng Ru’s voice trembled with tears.

“What news?” Bai Zhen Zhen pretended not to understand.

“It’s the news regarding Young Master Huo and I…”

“What about you and him?” Bai Zhen Zhen asked.

She really wanted to know what kind of performance Bai Meng Ru would show.

“Yesterday, Young Master Huo suddenly called and asked me out. I thought he wanted to ask me about you, so I agreed. Who knew, who knew that he would…”

“What did he do? If you want to speak, then speak properly and finish your sentence. Don’t just hesitate here and there. Otherwise, you can call me back after you’ve organised your words.”

“Sister, I’m afraid you will misunderstand…” Bai Meng Ru said weakly, “After I met Young Master Huo, I wanted to persuade him to have a good talk with Dad, before reconciling with you. However, I didn’t expect him to say that he would never look back on the past, and that he would never try to save your relationship… Looking past that, I didn’t expect him to even… even…”

“Are you trying to say that he wanted to take advantage of you?” Bai Zhen Zhen rolled her eyes as she replied.

Bai Meng Ru paused for a moment, before saying “Yes”, and even started to sob.

Sure enough, there’s always someone out there better than you. Bai Zhen Zhen initially thought that Huo Xiang’s and her acting skills were good, but she never knew that Bai Meng Ru’s were better! No wonder she was determined to be an idol.

“After I rejected his request, he went on to force me, saying that if I don’t agree to be his lover, he would destroy my career… Thus I knelt down and pleaded with him, but he just walked away without looking back…”

“Oh, it’s so serious.” Bai Zhen Zhen responded carelessly.

“The difficult thing right now is that the reporters managed to to take a picture of me and him together… Even the picture of me kneeling has been put online…” Bai Meng Ru continued.

Bai Zhen Zhen asked cooperatively: “Then what should we do?”

“I’ve thought about it. The Huo family has a large business influence, we can’t go against them… So I plan to refute the media, telling them that he didn’t take advantage of me and that we are actually good friends. I simply slipped accidentally… Sister, do you think it will work?”

“Even if I do so, but I still wanted to tell you the truth. Sister, that Young Master Huo really isn’t a good person. It’s all for your own good that Dad hates their family and refuses to let you go out with him. Sister, you must be careful not to be fooled by them…”

Hearing Bai Meng Ru speak to this point, Bai Zhen Zhen finally understood her intention.

First, contact the media and release the false news. On one hand, she could smear the Huo family’s reputation, on the other hand, she could hype herself up. After that, when the Huo family goes to find trouble with her, she would take the initiative to stand up and clear the issue, saying that it wasn’t as the media portrayed it to be, thus saving face for the Huo family.

With this, even if Huo Xiang doesn’t appreciate her clearing up the issue, he also wouldn’t hate her. But she would achieve her goal of using Huo Xiang to generate popularity for herself. From that day onwards, the entire entertainment circle would know that she, Bai Meng Ru, was the “friend” of the heir to the world’s richest man, and treat her differently.

Of course, other than doing that, she also had to specially tell her sister the “truth” in private, letting Bai Zhen Zhen misunderstand Huo Xiang. Her sister could forget about getting the man that even she couldn’t get.

“Sister Meng Ru, don’t persuade me to be careful. It’s you who should be more careful, otherwise you wouldn’t even know how you died.” Bai Zhen Zhen threw Bai Meng Ru’s words back at her in sarcasm.

Bai Meng Ru was obviously startled, asking: “Sister, what do you mean?”

“You’ll find out later in the news what I meant.”

Bai Zhen Zhen threw down those words and hung up the phone.

****

At Juju Entertainment, Bai Meng Ru walked out of the washroom and into the lounge, sitting on the sofa. She gazed at the black screen of her handphone, lost in thoughts.

At this moment, Zhen Wei walked over and asked the people around Bai Meng Ru: “Has the interview been filmed? The libel was published an hour ago. If we don’t post a clarification interview now, it will be too late. It’ll all be over if the Huo family looks to us to take responsibility.”

“We are posting it immediately! CEO Zhen, don’t worry. Ms Bai’s performance in the interview was exceptionally good. Her emotions were sincere, and her expressions were natural! I believe that after this interview is published, the Huo family would never know that the person standing up to clarify the matter is the same person who released the news an hour ago!”

“Alright, cut the crap, publish it quickly!” Zhen Wei urged impatiently.

Then, he sat down next to Bai Meng Ru, wrapping his left hand around her shoulder.

“What’s wrong, honey? Why the long face? After today, you will be the most popular female star in our company!” While speaking, he kissed Bai Meng Ru’s neck affectionately.

Bai Meng Ru pretended to be worried: “Ah Wei, I only did this after listening to you. There wouldn’t be any dangers, would there…”

“Isn’t it just a normal way of hyping up people? What kind of danger could there be?” Zhen Wei sneered, before smiling at Bai Meng Ru, “You deserve the main credit for this. Your idea actually reminded me that there was such a path.”

“I, I only said that because of my sister, Young Master Huo frequently contacts me, but I didn’t say to set him up in this manner…” Bai Meng Ru denied it.

“Aiya, I know you’re innocent and kind. You’ve definitely never thought of doing so. But relax, it’s just hyping up the situation only. It won’t cause any loss to them, and it’ll also improve your popularity. It’s a win-win situation, why not just do it?”

Bai Meng Ru bit her lips, and quietly said: “We mustn’t do this in the future anymore… I feel so guilty…”

“Ok, I promise there will be no next time!” Zhen Wei pretended to make a swearing gesture, “Besides, if I wanted to make use of the Huo family to generate publicity again, they wouldn’t let it go so easily the next time!”

“Ok…” Bai Meng Ru finally nodded, before burying her head in Zhen Wei’s chest.

Suddenly, the man who had left to publish the clarifying interview ran back in, his face flustered as he said to Zhen Wei: “CEO Zhen, not good! We’re in big trouble!”

Zhen Wei asked lazily: “What happened to cause you to be so agitated?”

“Before our clarification interview could be posted, the internet… the audio of the conversation between Ms Bai and Young Master Huo last night has already been circulating on the internet!”

“What?!” Zhen Wei jumped off the sofa in shock.

Bai Meng Ru’s eyes also widened.

Zhen Wei immediately shouted at Bai Meng Ru: “What did you talk about yesterday?! Why did he record it?!”

“I- I don’t know…” Bai Meng Ru was also frightened.

“Let’s go! Bring me to see it!” Zhen Wei hurriedly left the lounge.

****

Taking advantage of her lunch break, Bai Zhen Zhen brought a fruit basket to visit her old father in the hospital.

Father Bai had just finished a round of chemotherapy, and his mental state wasn’t too good currently. But the moment he saw Bai Zhen Zhen, he was still elated.

“Zhen Zhen, I heard from you yesterday that you’ve already found a job. Why aren’t you working, and even ran all the way here?” Father Bai said.

Yang Su Ping sneered, saying mockingly: “What kind of job is that! Barely a thousand dollars a month, she would be better off picking rubbish off the streets!”

“Aunty Yang, what you said is wrong,” Bai Zhen Zhen wasn’t angry at her words, instead laughing, “My job has career progression. Those people picking rubbish off the streets can only continue picking rubbish for the rest of their lives. But I can be promoted, and get a raise. Of course it’s different!”

“Zhen Zhen, I believe in you. You will definitely be successful one day!” Father Bai encouraged.

Bai Zhen Zhen gave a fake “haha” laugh, before asking Yang Su Ping: “By the way, Aunty Yang, Meng Ru hasn’t visited today?”

“Zhen Zhen, why do you keep calling ‘Aunty Yang’? If you continue doing so, I will become angry.” Father Bai began to express his dissatisfaction again.

Bai Zhen Zhen raised her eyebrows, and chose to remain silent.

You’re becoming angry now? There will be something for you to be truly angry about later!

“It doesn’t matter. No matter how intimately she addresses me, it’s useless if she has no intentions of actually regarding us as mother and daughter.” Yang Su Ping spat out darkly, before continuing, “I’ll just look forward to my Meng Ru being filial to me. She’s now contracted with a famous entertainment company as an idol. It won’t be long before she makes it big!”

“Heh, Aunty Yang, what a coincidence! Meng Ru really is famous. I’ve even seen her on the news today!” Bai Zhen Zhen said.

Yang Su Ping’s eyes lit up: “Really?!”

However, she realised that Bai Zhen Zhen wasn’t so kind as to tell her such good news, and her suspicion began to grow.

“What news, let me see.” Father Bai said.

Bai Zhen Zhen was waiting precisely for those words.

She operated her phone while speaking: “I haven’t taken a look in my rush to come here! I only noticed her name in the headlines, and wanted to read it after coming to the hospital. Conveniently, I would be able to ask Meng Ru about it too!”

She passed her phone over to Father Bai.

“The audio recording of the secret date has been exposed! Bai Meng Ru, Ms Bai, actually isn’t innocent!!*” Bai Zhen Zhen read the headlines out loud, and pretended to be surprised, “Ah? Did Bai Meng Ru have a boyfriend? They actually went on a date?”

“What boyfriend? If Meng Ru had a boyfriend, how could she not tell me!” Yang Su Ping said so, while leaning over and stretching out her neck, wanting to know what happened too.

Right below the headlines was an audio file.

Bai Zhen Zhen played the audio file out loud. Though the internet speed was slow, the file still loaded smoothly.

“Although it’s a little embarrassing to say it personally, but I couldn’t care less any more…”

“If you help me, I’m willing to do anything…”

“As long as you help me, I’m willing to give you everything…”

Bai Meng Ru’s seductive words were recorded clearly.

Following that was Huo Xiang’s merciless refusal: “I don’t need you to do anything for me.”

Even the final words “Don’t even try to scam me, there are many security cameras in this restaurant!” were also played out. The recording ended at this point.

Though the recording was edited, there was no discordance with the way it was edited together. As someone who had listened to the whole thing happen before her, she could attest to its authenticity. So even if Bai Meng Ru wanted to talk her way out of it, there was no way to deny that these words did indeed come out of her mouth.

Below the audio file, there was also a detailed analysis of the whole incident written by the reporter, the bulk of it ridiculing Bai Meng Ru’s “performance” for the sake of generating popularity, wanting to hype herself up while simultaneously slandering the Huo family’s young master’s reputation. However, she didn’t expect that the Huo family’s young master would have made preparations a long time ago, and ruthlessly countered her plans.

In the comment area, majority of the netizens were standing on the Huo family’s side, and scoffing at Bai Meng Ru and her company’s terrible methods of generating popularity for their idols.

“This- This is impossible! How could Meng Ru do such things!” Father Bai’s face was ashen as he listened to the audio. After reading the entire article, he was completely enraged.

“Right? Meng Ru is such a obedient and innocent child, she must have been framed by someone!” Yang Su Ping pointed towards Bai Zhen Zhen and shouted, “Bai Zhen Zhen, it must be you! You must have been jealous that Meng Ru’s job was better than yours, so you colluded with that Huo guy to frame her. That must have been what happened!”

“Aunty Yang, what does this have to do with me?” Bai Zhen Zhen pouted, pretending to be aggrieved, “I’m the same as you, and have only just finished reading the article. If I knew it earlier, I wouldn’t have shown it to Dad. After all, how hurt would Dad be, knowing that Meng Ru did all these…”

Father Bai’s breathing became rapid, and his whole body was trembling.

“You’re still trying to lie your way through!” Yang Su Ping raged.

Bai Zhen Zhen merely retorted calmly: “Aunty Yang, you should listen to the recording carefully. The words came out from Bai Meng Ru’s mouth. Don’t you recognise your own daughter’s voice?! Taking a step back, even if I colluded with the Huo family to frame Bai Meng Ru, would she really jump into such an obvious trap? To say such… shameless words?!”

“It’s obviously part of your plan to harm my daughter, yet you refuse to admit it–“

“Enough!” Father Bai roared, “Give Meng Ru a call, and get her to come over immediately to explain the matter!”

“Yes, that’s right. Let Meng Ru explain the matter herself. She would know who was the one who set her up!” Yang Su Ping mumbled as she dug out her phone, calling her daughter.

The moment the dialing tone started, it immediately halted and a female electronic voice sounded out — “I’m sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later.”

Trying again multiple times, it was still the same response.

“Old Bai, our Meng Ru wouldn’t be in trouble, would she?” Yang Su Ping said to Father Bai, “She’s still a child, barely entering society. How could she meet such things? Exactly which low-life without a shred of conscience would dare to slander her like this…”

“Sigh~~” Bai Zhen Zhen gave a heavy sigh.

Yang Su Ping immediately glared at her: “Bai Zhen Zhen, you’re acting weirdly. What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing!” Bai Zhen Zhen shrugged, “I’ve watched Meng Ru grow up since she was young. Seeing my younger sister in this state today, I can’t help but feel sad that she hasn’t lived up to expectations.”

“You–“

Bai Zhen Zhen ignored Yang Su Ping’s glare, turning towards Father Bai, “Dad, I still have work in the afternoon. I dropped by just to visit you, and I need to go back soon. Though Meng Ru isn’t sensible, I hope you don’t take it to heart. Don’t hurt yourself in your anger!”

How could Father Bai be in the mood to listen to her advice? He was currently enraged, and his original wan face had even become red with anger.

“Then I’ll make a move first.” Bai Zhen Zhen raised her eyebrows, before looking at Yang Su Ping, “Aunty Yang, thank you for taking good care of my dad~”

After speaking, she leisurely walked out of the ward.

—————————

[Small scene]

A certain little cutie: I can’t believe that my Brother Xiang didn’t appear in this chapter at all.

Huo Xiang (smugly): Doing everything without chasing fame and fortune — That refers to your ultra-cool Brother Xiang, me.

System: Knight, you only require 18.5 more happiness points before you can get lost back to your reality!

Huo Xiang: …….qwq

—————————

*白梦茹‘白’小姐，原来不清‘白’ – Play on words. Bai Meng Ru’s surname is 白 (bai), and the words for innocent is 清白 (qing bai)