Chapter 50

Despite Zuo Mingran repeatedly insisting that she was fine, she was still taken to the hospital by Shi Shuangxia the next day for a full-body check-up, and only after confirming that all indicators were normal did she feel relieved.

The online news was incessant, and after flipping through it for a while, Zuo Mingran realized that both her and Fan Zhenzhen's news had been suppressed. Currently, the hot search was about a male celebrity cheating and domestic violence, and netizens were relentlessly criticizing him. Zuo Mingran even saw a few familiar usernames in the comment section.

Shi Shuangxia came over with the test results and saw Zuo Mingran boredly propping her chin up and playing with her phone. She knocked on the table and said, "What are you looking at?"

Zuo Mingran put away her phone and stretched lazily, taking off the sunglasses perched on her head. "Just enjoying the gossip."

The updates online were constantly being reported to Shi Shuangxia. She handed the test results to Zuo Mingran and smiled, "You're not content with your own gossip, you want to eat up others' too?"

Zuo Mingran chuckled, "Homegrown melons don't taste as sweet as the wild ones."

The two of them walked out together, and Shi Shuangxia asked her, "Has Fan's family contacted you?"

"Fan's family?" Zuo Mingran shook her head. "No, why?"

Shi Shuangxia said, "The news about you on the internet has already been suppressed. We hired a public relations team, and they've also helped to generate some distractions, like the recent hot search about that male celebrity. Although it was mainly to divert attention away from Fan Zhenzhen, it does benefit us as well. It seems like they're extending an olive branch, wanting us to let Fan Zhenzhen off the hook. I thought they would contact you after doing us a favor."

Doing a favor without expecting anything in return wasn't the mindset of joining the Young Pioneers. Fan's family didn't have such a high level of political consciousness, so why hadn't they contacted her...

Zuo Mingran's expression turned slightly cold. It seemed that they had found someone they considered more persuasive.

Shi Shuangxia quickly understood this as well, and whispered coldly, "No wonder they didn't say much. It turns out they don't think our opinions matter."

The car was parked outside, basking in the midday sunshine. The April sun was still bearable, but it became uncomfortable after standing for too long.

Fearful that another journalist might suddenly appear, Zuo Mingran and Shi Shuangxia quickly walked towards the parking lot. Just as they reached the entrance, they saw a person standing next to the car. Tall and with long legs, the radiant sunlight shone upon him, as if enveloping him in a halo. Although his face couldn't be clearly seen because he was looking down, it didn't stop passing girls from turning their heads to steal glances at him.

Zuo Mingran didn't know how long he had been standing there, but she glanced to the side and saw someone holding up a phone to take pictures. Her eyelids twitched, and she hurriedly walked over to block the line of sight from the onlookers.

"Why are you here? Where's Wen Mo?" 

The light in front of Yunyang suddenly dimmed as Zuo Mingran stood up, casually taking what she had in her hand and saying, "I came to pick you up, Wen Mo is at work." 

Zuo Mingran couldn't help but laugh, "So you, as the boss, snuck out?" 

She wore sunglasses, covering half of her face, and the curve of her lips resembled a cunning cat. Yunyang smiled and replied, "How is picking up my girlfriend considered playing truant?" 

This is teasing Wen Mo for being a single dog. 

Zuo Mingran wanted to say something else, but Shi Shuangxia, who was standing not far away, couldn't help but cough, then looked up at the sky, pretending not to exist. 

Zuo Mingran looked around and asked, "How did you come here?" 

Yunyang pointed in a direction and said, "I drove." 

Having a car was not surprising. Zuo Mingran had a car and driver provided by the "Escape Game" program crew for transportation in Y City, so it was not difficult for Yunyang to find a car. 

Since the hospital was a public place, Zuo Mingran turned to Shi Shuangxia and asked, "Xia jie, do I still have work in the afternoon?" 

Shi Shuangxia couldn't wait for her to leave and replied, "No... There are a few things, I'll find you later in the evening." 

Zuo Mingran waved her hand without any psychological burden, "Okay, then I'll go first." 

Shi Shuangxia looked disdainful and urged her, "Go, go." She had had enough of this dog food. 

*** 

Shi Shuangxia wanted to talk to Zuo Mingran about the matter with Left Xingde. After Fan Zhenzhen was arrested, there were fewer false news smearing Zuo Mingran online. She didn't know if it was because the person behind it was caught or if they didn't have the money to buy more water armies. Regardless of the situation, it was beneficial to them. 

However, Shi Shuangxia was concerned about another matter. She held her computer and hesitated for a moment. Seeing that Zuo Mingran's expression didn't change much, she continued, "Regarding Left Xingde's side..." 

She hesitated again, then continued, "When I signed you on all those years ago, I went to see them. It was a kind of intimidation, asking them to ideally distance themselves from you." 

Shi Shuangxia hadn't told Zuo Mingran about these things, but upon careful thought, it wasn't difficult to find some clues. Left Xingde was greedy for money, even embezzling the compensation money for his own brother. Seeing Zuo Mingran becoming a big star, he wouldn't hesitate to cause trouble.

"Initially, when you weren't famous, they took all of your parents' inheritance and naturally didn't dare to cause trouble. Later, when you became popular, they tried to approach me, but I scared them off. They don't have the guts. If it weren't for someone giving them ideas, they wouldn't have thought of smearing you online. Besides, Ancheng and B City are tens of thousands of miles apart. How could they be connected to Fan Zhenzhen?"

As Zuo Mingran's manager, Shi Shuangxia provided a detailed background for her identity - orphaned, forced to drop out of school at a young age and worked odd jobs until she coincidentally became a star. The only thing that deviated from reality was ignoring the matter with Left Xingde. At that time, she thought it was better to have fewer problems. After all, dealing with troublesome people could lead to complications. Although it wasn't her fault, there would inevitably be some people taking advantage of the situation.

Later on, Left Xingde did behave himself for a while. But after seeing Zuo Mingran's fame, his devious thoughts began to resurface. He contacted Shi Shuangxia and demanded money. Shi Shuangxia took the opportunity to threaten him, warning that if he caused any more trouble, she would sue him to reclaim the inheritance. Left Xingde was afraid of losing the money he had already pocketed, so he never contacted them again. Now that he had come looking for them, it was evident that there was someone behind him.

Zuo Mingran sat on the couch, holding a pillow, and pondered. After a moment, she said, "There are quite a few people who know about my identity. After all, I had so many classmates in middle and high school. But no one would have the free time to investigate what happened to my family back then. The person who would have such thoughts should have known me for a long time and have a vendetta against me."

She looked at Shi Shuangxia and said, "I have someone in mind."

The matter with Tang Wenbin was originally kept secret from her own manager. Later, Zuo Mingran found it troublesome to explain and didn't want to bring it up. So she took care of Tang Wenbin herself, completely concealing the matter. Who could have expected that Tang Wenbin would turn out to be a pesky mosquito, causing such a big incident.

Zuo Mingran made up an excuse and briefly explained the grudge between herself and Tang Wenbin, but she concealed the fact that he had almost cheated on his original partner. Instead, she made it seem like he was harassing her.

Although it wasn't entirely honest, at the moment, there was no other way. Besides, all the evidence had been destroyed, so even if Tang Wenbin himself showed up, he could only listen to her fabrications.

With a suspect in mind, the next steps became much easier. Without Fan Zhenzhen backing him, Tang Wenbin was left to face the consequences. And as her manager, Shi Shuangxia was quite adept at handling such situations.

The next morning, Zuo Mingran's studio released two announcements.

One was a statement declaring that recent online rumors were baseless and that they reserved the right to take legal action against those involved.

Similar statements were released in the entertainment industry every so often, and no one paid them much attention. Just as some people were about to mock it, they saw the second announcement.

The second announcement was a lawsuit, stamped with an official seal, suing Left Xingde for spreading rumors and demanding that he return the inheritance that rightfully belonged to Zuo Mingran's parents.

After a few days of online turmoil, many people now know that Zuo Mingran has an uncle named Zuo Xingde. However, while spreading rumors can be understood, what about returning the inheritance? Just when everyone was confused, a marketing account seemingly casually explained why Zuo Mingran had come out to work and the fact that her parents had originally left her a large inheritance.

They say fortunes change, but no one expected the online sentiment to change so quickly. The comments that criticized Zuo Mingran the day before were still not deleted, and suddenly the roles of victim and perpetrator switched. Many netizens found themselves feeling embarrassed.

As for Zuo Xingde, who had always caused trouble, he remained silent after issuing a statement. Not even the media could contact them for an interview, as if the ones who had previously cried out about Zuo Mingran being a villain were not them.

Some people wanted to resist, but they were immediately taught by the fans to behave.

Look, this is a lawsuit, it has legal effect, not just a simple statement.

Zuo Mingran didn't pay attention to the change in online sentiment. She was busy filming a reality show.

The sudden rainfall didn't cause much damage to the production team, except for Fan Zhenzhen, who was seriously injured. Everything else was within their control. The show must go on, and they learned from their mistakes. This time, they chose an extremely safe location. Even if there were mountains of swords and seas of fire outside, it couldn't affect them.

The original storyline also had a similar plot. After Fan Zhenzhen pinned the blame on Yin Ruxin, the two of them had conflicts on the show, creating a lot of conflicts and gimmicks for the production team. Afterwards, Fan Zhenzhen even established herself as a genuine and sincere person.

Now that one of the protagonists in this conflict had left, the show continued smoothly. As a former novelist, Zuo Mingran had a great imagination and actually helped solve many puzzles, which was an unexpected joy for the production team.

After the filming was over, Zuo Mingran's work in Y City was completely finished. This was also the last job she did as an artist after coming here. It was already 10 o'clock at night when they left the filming location, and the sky was completely dark, with only stars shining.

The production team invited everyone to have a meal. Except for Yin Ruxin and another artist who had to leave for work elsewhere, everyone else received an invitation.

Suddenly relieved of the burden, Zuo Mingran suddenly felt tired and weary. After Yin Ruxin left, she wasn't familiar with the others, and she was planning to find an excuse for An Qi to decline the invitation when she heard someone calling, "President Yan has come?"

Zuo Mingran was standing there absentmindedly when she heard the voice. Under the lights, a car stopped and Yan Yunyang got out of the car, shining brightly under the lights, especially noticeable among the crowd.

Zuo Mingran was startled for a moment, and Yan Yunyang walked up to her, extending his hand to her and softly asking, "Are you tired?"

Zuo Mingran blinked and instinctively placed her hand in his, slightly tiredly replying, "A little."

"Then let's go back now, or go eat?"

"Let's go back."

The chief director came over to invite them to a gathering, but Yan Yunyang clearly knew how to handle such situations and politely declined the invitation with a few words.

However, Zuo Mingran could see clearly that the chief director was just saying something for the sake of appearances. Most of the people going to the gathering were staff members who had a good relationship with each other. It would be awkward if Yan Yunyang went, as he would be the odd one out.

Zuo Mingran left with Yan Yunyang. An Qi and Zhuang Bai didn't attend the dinner either, but they also took a day off with Zuo Mingran. The three of them went to the city to have dinner with Zhuang Bai's friends.

As the car drove through the streets with flickering lights, Zuo Mingran leaned back in her seat and let out a long sigh of relief. Yan Yunyang glanced at her and slowed down the car, asking, "Are you tired?"

Zuo Mingran lifted her arm to cover her face and muffled her voice, "Not too much, definitely not as tired as you."

Pausing for a moment, as if remembering something happy, she continued with joy, "Anyway, it's the last day. I won't have to run around like this for work anymore."

Yan Yunyang was genuinely stunned for a while at the sudden news. Thinking about what had happened in the past few days, he couldn't help but think that the online comments had overwhelmed Zuo Mingran, leading her to consider leaving the entertainment industry.

Before he could think of comforting words, he heard Zuo Mingran muttering beside him in a constant stream of words, "Actually, I wanted to quit a long time ago, but I still had a contract. Now Xia Jie has arranged everything clearly for the studio, and they don't need me to create a presence anymore. I've saved up a lot of money, and there's also a share of the profits. Living a carefree life is not just a dream..."

Her voice was light and fast, like the wind passing by outside the window, fleeting by the ears.

The car passed through a street with strange lights and Yan Yunyang glanced at Zuo Mingran, who sat crookedly in her seat as if she had no bones. She was holding her phone, replying to messages with an unmistakable smile in her eyes.

Yan Yunyang didn't understand the twists and turns of the entertainment industry, and his limited understanding came from the recent forced explanations. But since Zuo Mingran felt happier after leaving, he wouldn't ask any more questions.

The car entered the hotel parking lot and Zuo Mingran got out of the car, leaning on the door and asking Yan Yunyang, who also got out, "Are you in a hurry to go back? I want to stay in Y City for a few days."

It is said that with no worries, one feels light. Although she had traveled to other places before for work, it was always a rushed trip with no time to relax. The tourist attractions were limited to the airport, filming locations, and hotels.

After leaving the entertainment industry, she didn't have to rush around anymore. According to her previous life as a homebody, she would probably spend the rest of her life in City B. It was rare that she was still in City Y now, so she decided to appreciate the beauty of this place before going back. These memories would support her future travels.

Y City was a city of mountains and rivers, with beautiful scenery and a developed tourism industry. There were countless tourist attractions of all sizes, and this season was the best time for tourism.

The travel plan was decided on the spur of the moment, so they had to make travel arrangements on the spot. That night, Zuo Mingran couldn't fall asleep due to excitement. She searched on her phone for over an hour, but in the end, Yan Yunyang said that he had been on business trips to City Y before and knew some interesting places. He then forcibly disconnected the internet to let her sleep earlier.

After all, she was still a public figure. Although Zuo Mingran had unilaterally withdrawn from the industry, she still had many acquaintances. She had to be careful of the impact if she wanted to go out and play. As a result, they finally chose a few lesser-known places with fewer people and spent two days there before returning home.

The matter with Fan Zhenzhen in City Y had not been completely resolved yet, but Zuo Mingran had already given her statement and had a lawyer to handle the professional matters. There was basically nothing left for her to do.

Coincidentally, Shi Shuangxia had sorted out the materials to sue Zuo Xingde after returning home. With the spirit of resolving the matter as soon as possible and focusing on being a rich woman, Zuo Mingran booked a flight back early the next morning.

After returning to City B, Shi Shuangxia handed over the information she had investigated to Zuo Mingran and said angrily, "You were right. The person who helped Zuo Xingde and Fan Zhenzhen connect was indeed Tang Wenbin. When we found him, he was planning to run away. He was so scared when he saw us that he immediately exposed the other person as well."

Zuo Mingran raised an eyebrow. "Someone else?"

Shi Shuangxia said, "Tang Wenbin couldn't even contact Fan Zhenzhen himself, but he was with that little star named Guan Xinrui before."

With only a few people she had met since coming here, Zuo Mingran still remembered the name Guan Xinrui. She sneered when she heard this, "So they were looking for revenge on me."

Shi Shuangxia sighed in disgust. "Zuo Xingde is easy to deal with, but these two, even if we sue them for spreading rumors, the most they'll get is an apology and compensation. It's not enough to make them regret their actions."

Zuo Mingran smiled, "We can't do anything, but there will naturally be others who will deal with them."

"Who?"

"Of course it's Fan Zhenzhen." Zuo Mingran smiled mischievously, "If Fan Zhenzhen's family knows that they influenced her, what do you think they would do?"

Zuo Mingran was unaware of others, but Fan Zhenzhen's mother, Tian Min, had placed all her hopes for the latter half of her life on Fan Zhenzhen. Now that Fan Zhenzhen was imprisoned, regardless of the outcome, it was considered a death sentence from the perspective of Tian Min. Tian Min couldn't afford to provoke the Yan family, so she definitely wouldn't be afraid of Tang Wenbin and Guan Xinrui. It was likely that she couldn't bear to let go of her desire for revenge even for a moment.

After listening to her, Shi Shuangxia gave her a thumbs up and said, "Using someone else as a scapegoat, well done."

Zuo Mingran modestly replied, "Not at all."

After dealing with these two individuals, only Zuo Xingde remained.

When Zuo Xingde was mentioned, Shi Shuangxia sneered and said, "He's smart now. He wants to transfer his assets to his son before we come to ask for money. By doing that, he can take all the responsibility himself. Even if we win the lawsuit, we won't be able to get a penny from him. When he went to handle the procedures, I had someone intercept him and spread news that his son was refusing to recognize him because of money. He's still hesitating now."

Although Zuo Mingran didn't know much about the original host's uncle, based on her memories, this person was selfish and extremely money-minded. Even after being married to him for decades and giving birth to two children, his wife rarely managed to get a single penny from him.

The compensation money that had been taken from Zuo Mingran back then, whether used to buy a house or set up a business, was all under Zuo Xingde's name. Once Zuo Mingran won the lawsuit, even if he refused to repay the money, as long as Zuo Mingran requested the court to enforce it, Zuo Xingde's assets would be seized.

No wonder Shi Shuangxia wanted her to come back as soon as possible. Zuo Mingran looked at the materials in her hand and asked, "When is the court hearing?"

Shi Shuangxia hesitated and said, "I don't know anyone in Ancheng, so I think we'll have to wait for a while."

Zuo Xingde now had the intention to transfer his assets. Blocking him once wouldn't stop him from trying again. Compared to giving his assets to his own son, Zuo Xingde was even less willing to let Zuo Mingran take them away. Therefore, considering both aspects, Zuo Xingde would definitely continue his efforts to transfer his assets.

After contemplating for a while, Zuo Mingran said to Shi Shuangxia, "I'm going to make a phone call."

This phone call from Zuo Mingran was made to Yan Yunyang. They had been living under the same roof for so long, and Zuo Mingran had never asked him for help before. However, time was of the essence now, and she couldn't worry about that much.

After listening to her, Yan Yunyang remained silent for a moment. Zuo Mingran thought he also found it difficult, so she quickly said, "If it's difficult, forget it. I'm not lacking in that amount of money anyway. I'm just annoyed that they're causing trouble for no reason."

"It's not difficult," Yan Yunyang said. "I just sent a message to Wen Mo, which is why I didn't reply to you immediately."

Zuo Mingran touched her nose and replied, "Oh," saying, "Thank you. If it weren't for your help..."

"In fact, I'm glad you called me for help." Yan Yunyang interrupted her and smiled softly. "The fact that you can turn to me means that you consider me someone you can rely on. As your husband, I'm happy to see that."

Through the phone, Zuo Mingran blushed for a moment. In the past, it was always her teasing Yan Yunyang, but she never expected to be teased in return one day.

"Just a few days ago, you said you were my boyfriend," she said. "You're moving up too quickly."

Yan Yunyang laughed, "My husband status is legally protected."

Zuo Mingran remembered when she first transmigrated, the divorce agreement was placed in front of her. Yan Yunyang even lied to her that the fish in the fish tank cost 800,000 yuan each. It felt like it happened just yesterday, even though it was months ago.

The studio rented a unit on the 15th floor of an office building. Zuo Mingran stood by the window, looking outside. The sunlight shone through the glass, and she squinted her eyes, a smile slowly spreading across her face.