Qi Heng certainly had his ways.
He managed to get in touch with the male celebrity’s girlfriend.
With a top-tier diamond necklace from a French auction, he persuaded her to step forward and clarify the situation.
The girl didn’t want to cause trouble, as offending the Qi family would do her no good. So, she posted a lengthy statement, explaining that the girl mentioned in her social media post two years ago wasn’t Liu Yiyi, and adding that she and Liu Yiyi were good friends, among other things.
As for the high-heel remarks, Qi Heng arranged for media outlets to release statements, claiming that Liu Yiyi had injured her foot bone while filming and found wearing high heels painful each time, with no other implications intended.
Thanks to various public relations efforts, the heat surrounding this incident finally began to subside.
Evening.
The production team, in a rare show of generosity, treated the guests to a nice meal at a restaurant in town.
Zhou Zhengwen was truly in his element the moment he sat down at the drinking table.
Qin Wanyin arrived fashionably late, and he seized the opportunity. “Wanyin, why so late? Shouldn’t you drink a penalty toast?”
Qin Wanyin replied, “I don’t drink.”
Drinking would undermine her delicate persona, especially when it came to hard liquor.
Zhou Zhengwen’s expression darkened. “Are you disrespecting me?”
Qin Wanyin took out a packet of cephalosporin, swallowed a pill as if it were candy, and offered one to Zhou Zhengwen while chewing. “Want one? If you don’t take it, you’re disrespecting me!”
Mixing cephalosporin with alcohol is a one-way ticket to the afterlife.
Zhou Zhengwen: “…”
The atmosphere instantly turned awkward.
“I’ll drink for her,” Chi Lie spoke up, breaking the tension.
The young man wasn’t accustomed to drinking, his face already flushed as he picked up the glass in front of Qin Wanyin and downed it in one go, his neck turning a faint shade of pink.
【Holy crap! I’m totally shipping them!】
【That’s some serious boyfriend energy!】
【When did these two get so close? Xiao Lie blocking the drink is so hot—I want to kiss his throat!】
Qin Wanyin showed little reaction, merely finding Chi Lie’s actions baffling.
Why wasn’t he blocking drinks for Liu Yiyi instead of showing off in front of her?
Glancing over at Liu Yiyi, she understood.
Liu Yiyi was drinking with Qi Heng.
The knight in shining armor wanted to step in but had no chance, so he redirected his chivalry toward her instead.
Zhou Zhengwen loved pressuring women into drinking.
Seeing Qin Wanyin as an immovable wall, he set his sights on Xiao Nan.
Carrying a bottle of baijiu, he walked over and filled Xiao Nan’s glass to the brim. “Xiao Nan, we worked so well together today. Let’s have a drink.”
Xiao Nan was on the verge of tears.
She didn’t drink and had no desire to start.
She still had a thesis to write that night, and if she downed this glass of baijiu, she’d likely pass out right at the table.
She waved her hands. “I don’t drink.”
Rejected repeatedly, Zhou Zhengwen’s face darkened. “Are you looking down on your Brother Zhou?”
The implication seemed to be: Others are celebrities, so it’s fine if they refuse, but who do you think you are?
After drinking that glass, Chi Lie, the knight in shining armor, rushed to the restroom to vomit.
Meanwhile, Qi Heng was chatting and laughing with Liu Yiyi, showing no intention of stepping in to help.
Xiao Nan clenched her fists, about to reach for the glass when a pair of slender, elegant hands picked it up before she could.
She looked up to see Qin Wanyin holding her glass, turning it upside down.
The liquor spilled all over the floor. Qin Wanyin raised an eyebrow slightly. “The young lady doesn’t know the rules. This glass is my toast to you, Mr. Zhou.”
This was no toast—it was a libation!
One that practically sent Zhou Zhengwen off to the afterlife!
Zhou Zhengwen grew furious, on the verge of cursing loudly.
“Mr. Zhou, we’re live streaming. Making a drunken scene probably isn’t appropriate.” Qin Wanyin reminded him calmly, casually swapping two cups and pouring sour plum soup for herself and Xiao Nan.
The live chat had long been fed up with Zhou Zhengwen.
[Zhou Zhengwen is acting like a know-it-all again!]
[My wife is so cool! That flick of her wrist just now totally won my heart!]
[LOL! Qi Heng and Liu Yiyi just stood by watching Zhou Zhengwen bully an ordinary person. So cringe!]
Zhou Zhengwen’s head buzzed, only then remembering they were live streaming.
“My head hurts, seems I really drank too much. Wanyin, Xiao Nan, sorry about earlier!” He took the out Qin Wanyin offered.
Qin Wanyin smiled slightly, pushing the drink toward Xiao Nan. “Try it, it’s quite good.”
Xiao Nan’s nose tingled. “Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.” Qin Wanyin clinked her cup against Xiao Nan’s. “Happy birthday.”
Xiao Nan froze. “How did you know today is my birthday?”
Qin Wanyin had once accidentally seen Xiao Nan’s ID card. With her good memory, she’d unintentionally remembered.
But that sounded like a creepy invasion of privacy.
So she blinked, joking, “Because I’m a fairy.”
Under the lights, Qin Wanyin’s black hair cascaded like a waterfall over her shoulders. Her palm-sized face was radiant with a smile, the contours of her eyes alluring, breathtakingly beautiful.
Xiao Nan’s eyes reddened.
She had thought she’d have to grit her teeth and endure these few days, but Qin Wanyin truly seemed like a fairy—helping her avoid alcohol and even remembering her birthday.
With a sob, she hugged the fairy.
She was going to write this fairy into her thesis acknowledgments!
As the meal ended, the production team drove the guests back to the village.
Upon returning to the villa, they saw Aili back from the hospital, a bandage wrapped around her neck.
Liu Yiyi expressed concern, “Aili, are you okay? What did the doctor say?”
No matter how strained relations between celebrities might be, they usually maintain some face in front of the cameras.
But this time, Aili coldly shook off Liu Yiyi’s hand. “Stop pretending.”
Liu Yiyi was stunned.
The air froze.
Qi Heng defended her. “Aili, Yiyi is just concerned about you.”
“Concerned?” Aili sneered. “If she hadn’t pushed me toward Wei Guang, would I have been taken hostage?”
The room erupted in shock!
Qi Heng said sternly, “You can eat carelessly, but you can’t speak carelessly. If you say Yiyi pushed you, do you have proof?”
Aili clenched her fists tightly. “Proof? Wasn’t all the proof deleted by you, Young Master Qi?”
That afternoon in the hospital, the more Aili recalled the incident, the more suspicious it seemed.
She had clearly been some distance from Wei Guang, but amid the chaos, someone had pulled her, and that was how Wei Guang had grabbed her.
She reviewed the live stream replay. While she didn’t see who pulled her, she noticed a crucial detail.
The spot she was pulled to was originally Liu Yiyi’s position.
In other words, if she hadn’t “taken the hit,” Wei Guang would have taken Liu Yiyi hostage.
And this made sense.
After all, even Wei Guang knew Liu Yiyi was Qi Heng’s beloved. If he wanted a hostage, naturally he’d choose the most valuable one.
Thinking this, Aili immediately asked Director Wang for the direct footage from Liu Yiyi’s camera.
But she was told the data had been deleted.
On Qi Heng’s orders.
This was clearly intentional evidence destruction!
Aili glared fiercely at Liu Yiyi. “If you don’t want people to know, don’t do it. I’ll find the proof someday.”
Then she glanced at Qi Heng again, with a hint of mockery. “By a twist of fate, I accidentally learned a secret about Young Master Qi. All I can say is, your judgment of people is truly—a pile of crap.”
Her gaze swept past Qi Heng and landed on Qin Wanyin, her eyes lighting up.
Abandoning her coldness toward Qi Heng and Liu Yiyi, she smiled and linked arms with Qin Wanyin.
“Wanyin, from today on, you’re my life-and-death sister! If there’s anything you want to do but can’t, or anything you want to say but can’t, you can come to me anytime!”
Qin Wanyin thought for a moment—there actually was something.
“After this variety show ends, aren’t you walking the red carpet at Paris Fashion Week?”
“That’s right, that’s right! Do you want to join too? I’ll talk to my agent right away!”
“No.” Qin Wanyin shook her head and leaned closer to her ear. “I want to ask you to wear a dress designed by my brother.”
Aili was taken aback. “That simple?”
A life-saving favor deserves a flood of gratitude in return. Qin Wanyin could have asked for money or resources, yet she made such a simple request?
“Are you sure that’s your only request? Just this simple thing?”
“This one is enough.” Qin Wanyin smiled.
Aili was momentarily dazzled by that smile, her face flushing slightly.
But she also felt a little angry.
Qin Wanyin seemed smart, so how could she be so foolish!
No wonder she had been bullied so badly by that scumbag Qi Heng and that homewrecker Liu Yiyi!