Chapter 15

What was supposed to be a family reunion banquet turned into a scandalous affair, catching everyone off guard.

In just a few minutes, the news spread throughout the hotel, and almost all the guests invited to the banquet knew about the affair between Xu Hai and Xu Yao.

However, not everyone was like the Huo family, who knew in advance what was going to happen and arrived early to witness the fresh drama firsthand.

Most of the guests were not present and could only hear exciting accounts from others.

Some guests were not satisfied with just hearing about it and wanted to join the excitement, but then saw Zhuang Hua and Xu Yunzhi coming out to see the guests off.

Since the hosts were already seeing the guests off, even the most curious guests had to suppress their burning desire for gossip and say goodbye.

While seeing the guests off, Zhuang Hua specifically asked everyone to refrain from spreading the news about what happened today.

Many guests had business dealings with the Xu family and wouldn’t openly offend Zhuang Hua, so they agreed.

But everyone knew that paper couldn’t cover fire; this scandal was bound to spread.

The Xu family’s reunion banquet today was grand, with almost all the prominent business figures in the circle invited. When the affair was exposed at the hotel, many reporters and media were present and reportedly captured some indecent footage.

Even if they could stop the gossip, what about the media? Who could guarantee that these images wouldn’t spread?

Sure enough, by the time the banquet ended and night fell, anonymous forums and live-streaming platforms were already buzzing with anonymous leaks, gaining quite a bit of attention. It didn’t take long for netizens to figure out that this incident occurred at the Xu family’s reunion banquet.

However, there was still too little information in the leaks for netizens to immediately identify the two main characters involved.

The next day, more netizens joined the discussion, and some gossip accounts, who somehow got the news, directly named Xu Hai and Xu Yao as the scandal’s main characters!

Once the news broke, it caused an uproar online.

Having uncovered such a sensational piece of gossip, the modern Sherlock Holmes-like netizens couldn’t sit still. They started digging through all the photos of Xu Hai and Xu Yao together from the past year and actually found some clues.

Analyzing these clues, netizens concluded that Xu Hai and Xu Yao had been entangled with each other for half a year!

On the day of the banquet, the pixelated photos were also “leaked,” further confirming the rumors.

The online discussion was overwhelming, even causing fluctuations in Xu Group’s stock prices.

The company’s top management immediately held a board meeting. At the end of the meeting, Xu Hai was removed from his position as chairman, and Zhuang Hua was appointed as the new chairperson. At the same time, Xu Yunzhi was appointed as the new CEO of the group.

It was then that Xu Hai completely believed Xu Yao’s words from the previous day—

Zhuang Hua had indeed known about this for a long time and had schemed against them!

But it was too late for regrets now.

Under Zhuang Hua’s maneuvers, Xu Group was firmly in the hands of her and Xu Yunzhi. Although Xu Hai still held 20% of the group’s shares, once he signed the divorce agreement, these shares would also belong to Zhuang Hua.

Thinking about this, Xu Hai was so angry that he fainted.

……

For the past two days, Ye Leyao had been like a restless weasel in a melon patch, constantly consuming gossip online.

When the latest headline popped up, he laughed unrestrainedly:

[So many people watched the affair and he didn’t faint, but now he faints just because he got removed from his position?]

[The scumbag’s tolerance is a bit too weak, don’t you think? But I feel great, hahaha!]

Downstairs.

Mama and Papa Huo exchanged a glance and smiled contentedly.

Thanks to Ye Leyao, even though they didn’t do anything for the past two days, they didn’t miss a single piece of gossip online.

After browsing through the latest news, Ye Leyao quickly clicked on the next piece. It wasn’t until he had been scrolling for almost half an hour that he reluctantly exited Weibo and opened his friend circle, intending to take his usual look around.

As soon as he clicked in, he saw a familiar profile picture—it was Xu Chen.

The caption was just a simple line of emo text: “I’m like a ball being kicked around, I have no family left.”

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened slightly, becoming more alert:@@novelbin@@

[No family left?]

[Could it be that Xu Chen’s two dads also kicked him out?]

Huo Jing had just stepped into the Huo residence when he heard this remark.

Mama and Papa Huo were discussing it.

Mama Huo said, “I haven’t heard of Xu Hai kicking Xu Chen out. Could it be Xu Yao?”

Papa Huo frowned and shook his head; he wasn’t sure. If it really was Xu Yao, then he was being too ruthless.

But Xu Chen had brought this all upon himself; he had personally severed the last bit of affection Zhuang Hua had for him.

Hearing movement at the door, both looked up simultaneously.

Huo Jing had gone abroad on a business trip a couple of days ago, and today he originally planned to go back to his own place. However, remembering that his assistant had reported yesterday that the management team for Ye Leyao had been set up, he decided to come back with Assistant Feng to personally inform Ye Leyao.

He didn’t expect to hear several familiar names as soon as he walked in.

“Dad, Mom, what’s going on?” Huo Jing walked over and sat down.

Papa Huo glanced at Assistant Feng, concealing the fact that they had gotten advance news from Ye Leyao and had enjoyed the fresh gossip as a family, and simply recounted the events of the past few days to Huo Jing.

Assistant Feng listened, dumbfounded and wide-eyed, completely engrossed.

Is there really so much interesting gossip in wealthy families?!

Can you tell me more?!

Huo Jing frowned and used his gaze to ask: Was this leaked by Ye Leyao?

Mama Huo nodded lightly.

Of course.

Otherwise, how could they have coincidentally caught the freshest gossip firsthand?

Huo Jing pursed his lips and nodded. Since it was someone else’s family affair, he wasn’t too concerned. He just needed to watch if there would be any significant strategic moves in Xu Group after Zhuang Hua and Xu Yunzhi took over. As long as it didn’t affect their cooperation, Huo Jing didn’t need to worry.

After a brief moment of thought, Huo Jing asked, “Is Ye Leyao upstairs?”

Only then did Mama Huo ask why he had come back.

Huo Jing explained his purpose.

Mama Huo quickly got up and called Ye Leyao downstairs.

Ye Leyao came downstairs with his phone and saw an unfamiliar person on the sofa who was somewhat handsome.

Ye Leyao’s eyes instantly lit up, and he became very excited:

[Has my eldest brother, who has been single for twenty-six years, finally brought a boyfriend home?!]

Papa Huo: “…cough cough cough cough cough—”

Huo Jing: “…”

[What’s wrong with Papa Huo? Why did he choke on water?!]

Mama Huo: “…”

Isn’t it because you can’t stop saying shocking things?!

Luckily, Assistant Feng couldn’t hear this, or he’d be flustered.

To prevent further misunderstandings, Mama Huo quickly pulled Ye Leyao’s arm and explained, “Didn’t you say before that you wanted to enter the entertainment industry? So I had your brother make preparations, and now Assistant Feng has put together a team. Your brother specifically brought him back to tell you!”

She emphasized the words “Assistant Feng.”

Only then did Ye Leyao realize he had misunderstood. Thinking about it, he remembered that in novels he had only heard about his brother having a “rumored boyfriend,” never an actual partner.

He made an “oh” sound and sat down next to Mama Huo on the sofa.

Unaware of the misunderstanding, Assistant Feng smiled at Ye Leyao and took out the prepared documents to explain.

Regarding his future development in the entertainment industry, Ye Leyao listened very carefully.

Assistant Feng couldn’t help but sigh in his heart.

No wonder the boss assigned him to a company. Who wouldn’t like such a handsome and humble young man?!

Although, he still preferred his own brother, hehe.

Admiring Ye Leyao, Assistant Feng spoke more: “…Although we have planned your future development route, it’s just a plan. The more important thing is to see how you develop in the industry and how the audience perceives you.”

A public persona can be crafted!

Assistant Feng couldn’t help but give an example: “When my brother first entered the industry, the agency created a ‘noble son’ persona for him, which was very popular at the time. With this persona, he quickly became famous…”

Ye Leyao looked up at Assistant Feng.

He had found Assistant Feng quite handsome earlier, as if he had seen him somewhere before.

Hearing that Assistant Feng had a brother, Ye Leyao was a little surprised:

[Could it really be such a coincidence?]

The other Huo family members all turned to look.

After Assistant Feng finished praising his brother, Ye Leyao asked, “Assistant Feng, are you talking about your biological brother?”

Assistant Feng smiled shyly, a bit embarrassed: “Yes, his name is Feng Ziqi. After you enter the industry, you might even get a chance to work with him!”

Ye Leyao’s gaze towards Assistant Feng instantly became difficult to describe and deeply meaningful:

[It really is such a coincidence.]

Mama Huo put down her cup.

How is it a coincidence?

Is there something they don’t know?

Papa Huo was also anxious.

Quick, tell us, isn’t Feng Ziqi an artist under our company?

Huo Jing also remembered Feng Ziqi.

Not because he was an outstanding and promising artist under the subsidiary, but because Assistant Feng occasionally chatted with Huo Jing during leisure moments and would mention his brother.

After hearing so much about him, Huo Jing remembered him.

In fact, not long ago, Huo Jing thought there was a promising project and recommended Feng Ziqi to participate.

So, back to the point, how was this a coincidence?

The three of them stared intently at Ye Leyao, patiently waiting for him to unravel the mystery.

[Let me find a photo—]

Ye Leyao picked up his phone and searched for a while. Finally, he looked up again and glanced at Assistant Feng.

“Is this him?” Ye Leyao asked.

Assistant Feng beamed: “Yes, yes, yes, this is my brother!”

He debuted a year ago and is already a rising star in the industry!

Talking about Feng Ziqi, Assistant Feng was particularly proud, his chin lifting slightly.

Ye Leyao: [This is really……interesting.]

What’s interesting? Those six dots in your ellipsis can hold so much content. Don’t leave us hanging, just say it!

The three members of the Huo family were getting anxious.

Ye Leyao suddenly turned to look at Huo Jing.

The eldest son of the Huo family, who could command wind and rain in the Huo Group, suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

Even when the stock price of the Huo Group plummeted, he wasn’t this nervous!

Like awaiting the final judgment, Huo Jing even held his breath for a moment.

Then he heard Ye Leyao say:

[My eldest brother is really… the most pitiful and wronged person of our time!]

[How should I tell my brother that Feng Ziqi, upon debuting, established a noble son persona, packaging himself as the rumored boyfriend of the Huo Group’s crown prince, flaunting his power in the industry, and even used Assistant Feng’s connections to get the keys to my brother’s Jiangbin villa…]

[Wait, at this moment, isn’t Feng Ziqi participating in a reality show?]

[If I’m not mistaken, today’s the day Feng Ziqi took the filming crew to my brother’s villa, completely solidifying the rumor that he is my brother’s “rumored boyfriend”, right?]

“Crash!”

Huo Jing accidentally broke a glass.

He suddenly stood up, the atmosphere around him chilling, casting a cold glance at Assistant Feng.

Assistant Feng was still praising his brother when he was caught off guard by his boss’s gaze, the remaining words stuck in his throat, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead.

W-What’s going on?