CH 125

Chapter 125 – Holding a Press Conference

Lu Xiuran had stayed up all night without sleep. Throughout the night, he was completely sleepless, with his eyes glued to the computer screen. He watched as the once overwhelmingly one-sided opinions slowly transformed, with critical comments starting to emerge. As public opinion took shape, Lu Xiuran became more and more excited.

While keeping his eyes on the computer screen, Lu Xiuran didn’t forget to occasionally release some juicy information through the paid water army and marketing accounts he had acquired. He wanted to push Chen Li further into a desperate situation, and this excitement kept him sitting in front of the computer all night. By morning, Lu Xiuran showed no intention of leaving his seat.

Now, he could even imagine Chen Li’s work “Light” being taken down from the center of the Dream Cup finals exhibition area. Chen Li’s name had been tainted because of today’s events, and from now on, he would face condemnation and would never be able to recover his standing in their circle.

Just then, Lu Xiuran’s phone rang. It was a call from Chen Qing, Lu Xiuran’s cousin. Lu Xiuran picked up, “Cousin, what’s up?”

Indeed, Lu Xiuran and Chen Qing were relatives. Lu Xiuran’s mother and Chen Qing’s mother, Du Liqian, were sisters. Lu Xiuran referred to Du Liqian as “Aunt,” so naturally, Chen Qing became Lu Xiuran’s cousin.

“Did you create the commotion online?” Chen Qing asked as soon as the call connected.

“Yes,” Lu Xiuran didn’t deny it and openly admitted to it.

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a while before Chen Qing’s voice came through, “Keep going. If you’re going to do it, do it on a larger scale. And that Wei Chen, make your water army target him too!”

“Okay, I understand. I’ll inform them right away.” Although Lu Xiuran didn’t know Chen Qing’s intentions, he still followed his cousin’s instructions and agreed,

“Thank you for your help,” Chen Qing said, though his gaze seemed somewhat gloomy.

He wanted Wei Chen to know that breaking away from the Wei family and living freely with Chen Li was impossible. As long as Chen Qing was around, Wei Chen should obediently accept the arrangements of the Wei family and become a subordinate of the Chen family.

However, Chen Qing knew that today’s setbacks wouldn’t be enough to crush Wei Chen, but who knew what the future held? Wei Chen was all alone, how long could he hold out in the capital city?

Thinking about the future where Wei Chen would be unable to persist, where he would lower his stern face and beg for help, Chen Qing’s heart couldn’t help but leap with excitement, and he felt a sense of release.

“You’re welcome,” Lu Xiuran didn’t know what Chen Qing was thinking, but at this moment, his smile never disappeared from his face.

The Lu family had some standing in the capital city, not just because they were a family of scholars but also because they were related to the Chen family. Even though this Chen family was from Shanghai, everyone knew that the Chen family in Shanghai and the Chen family in the capital city were of one heart.

As long as his relationship with Chen Qing was maintained, the Lu family had nothing to fear. The two of them quickly reached an agreement, discussing how to push Wei Chen and Chen Li further into the abyss in a friendly conversation. When they hung up the phone, half an hour had passed. The feelings between the two cousins had reached their most harmonious point ever. Before, they didn’t have such a good relationship.

However, what they didn’t know was that no matter what they planned at this moment or how perfectly they thought they executed it, everything would come to nothing after the press conference at noon in the Dream Cup.

Sometimes, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment it brings. For those with narrow minds, when disappointment strikes, it inflicts not only pain but also a feeling of indignation and suffering. It’s like a massive slap hitting their faces, causing excruciating pain and endless humiliation.

What frustrates them the most is that the source of this humiliation is none other than themselves.

*

The press conference for the Dream Cup was scheduled to take place in the main hall of the building where the Dream Cup organizing committee was located, at half-past two in the afternoon.

However, even before one o’clock, the hall for the press conference was already filled with numerous journalists. The stage for the conference hadn’t even been fully set up yet, and the staff were busy with their preparations.

These journalists, armed with microphones and cameras, were eagerly waiting. They were like a pack of wolves that caught the scent of blood, their eyes shining brightly with anticipation, just waiting to pounce on their prey. Of course, there was a difference between them and an actual wolf pack. At least a wolf pack had a leading alpha, but these journalists had no clear leader; each operated on their own, and when chaos broke out, it could be even more terrifying than a pack of wolves.

The attending journalists came from various fields: entertainment, arts, and even serious CCTV reporters were present at the Dream Cup press conference. This fact illustrated the importance of the Dream Cup in the country and the impact caused by Wei Chen and Chen Li’s incident.

Even Jack, a journalist from a business magazine, was present at this press conference.

Unlike other reporters, Jack was the only one among them who had met Wei Chen before. The latest cover story of the business magazine featured Wei Chen, and his interview had caused quite a sensation in the professional field.

As soon as other journalists spotted Jack, their gazes turned somewhat subtle. Some even approached him, hoping to get exclusive information about Wei Chen, even if Jack was also a fellow journalist.

“Hey, Jack, did you come here today because you recognized Wei Chen’s voice in that threatening recording? Are you regretting interviewing Wei Chen and pushing him to a higher level?” one journalist asked, feigning calmness, but secretly activating the recording device hidden in his pocket.

Jack glanced at the journalist and realized that the reporter belonged to a newspaper known for spreading baseless rumors. He responded coldly, “You don’t need to look for news from me. By the way, turn off the recording device in your pocket.”

The journalist was taken aback by Jack’s directness but walked away smugly. However, where Jack couldn’t see, the journalist spat out, “Bah! Who does this big media guy think he is? What makes him think he’s so special?”

Jack overheard the remark but chose to ignore it. He knew the caliber of that newspaper and its reporters; there was no point expecting them to have any integrity. Besides, should he bark back at every dog that barked at him?

“Jack, I’m actually curious about these questions too,” said another journalist friend of Jack’s, patting him on the shoulder. They could be considered colleagues as Jack worked for a business magazine under the People’s Daily group, and his friend was a journalist for the People’s Daily.

“I just want to see the ridiculous look on those journalists who came here today hoping to find news from Director Wei,” Jack said, with a hint of mockery in his voice.

Raising an eyebrow, his friend couldn’t believe it. “Jack, do you mean you actually identified the voice in that threatening recording as Wei Chen’s?”

“The voice in the recording indeed belongs to Director Wei,” Jack replied without hiding anything. Wei Chen’s voice was pleasant, and he had listened to it once and remembered it accurately; there was no mistaking it.

“If that’s the case, why do you still believe Wei Chen?” his friend asked, puzzled. With the evidence already presented, why would Jack still stand against the tide?

Jack chuckled, “Did you listen to the recording carefully?”

His friend nodded, “Of course I did.” He had done his homework before attending this press conference, and the matter had caused quite a sensation. Even those who didn’t pay much attention to it should have heard about it.

“Then, did you hear Wei Chen admit to the author of ‘Light’ plagiarizing?” Jack countered.

His friend listened to the recording again and realized that throughout the entire recording, Wei Chen neither explicitly accused the creator of ‘Light’ of plagiarism nor made any veiled threats. In fact, thinking back, Wei Chen’s tone was quite composed. If it weren’t for the creator of ‘Yearning for Rebirth’ portraying himself as a victim, many people wouldn’t even have interpreted it as a threat.

They had all been influenced by a preconceived notion. When the person who uploaded the audio emphasized the threat, they automatically assumed that the person in a weaker position was being threatened. In reality, upon closer listening, the recording could be seen as both a threat and a piece of advice.

It advised the creator of ‘Yearning for Rebirth’ to admit his mistake, or else he would be unable to stay in this industry once the truth came to light. Plagiarism was already a reprehensible act, but trying to turn the tables on the original creator was even more despicable.

After analyzing the recording thoroughly, his friend found that what should have been a clear-cut case had now become somewhat foggy, and he couldn’t see the outcome clearly.

“Jack, do you really believe Wei Chen?” his friend asked, though he already had an answer in his heart.

“I do,” Jack said firmly.

“Why?” his friend was still puzzled. They had only met a couple of times, right?

“I don’t know why,” Jack admitted, “If you want me to give a reason, it’s just a gut feeling. Anyone who has come into contact with Wei Chen should have the same gut feeling. His personal charm is indescribable with words, but it makes people wholeheartedly trust him.”

His friend was taken aback, “I’ve never seen you praise someone like this before.”

“Really? Am I praising him? I’m just stating facts,” Jack said innocently. He was indeed stating facts; praising Wei Chen’s excellence would take more than just a few words.

His friend was about to say something when a voice came from the stage. The head of the Dream Cup, the president of the Painting and Calligraphy Association, and a few finals judges came on stage.

The press conference was about to begin.