Chapter Nine

The moment the press conference ended, the world erupted. News outlets, social media, and business circles all latched onto Lu Yifan's accusations like wolves to fresh prey. Headlines screamed about Chen Wei's supposed corruption, questioning the legitimacy of his empire. Xinyi sat stiffly on the couch, her fingers tightening around her phone as she read through the endless stream of speculation.

Chen Wei stood near the window, his posture rigid. His jaw clenched as he listened to the frantic voices of his legal and PR teams discussing damage control. The room buzzed with tension, but his focus remained on the city skyline beyond the glass.

"This isn't just a smear campaign," he finally said, his voice low but sharp. "Lu Yifan has a plan. He wouldn't come at me this openly unless he had something to back it up."

His chief advisor nodded, flipping through a tablet. "We've already begun countermeasures, but we need something stronger. The board is getting nervous."

Chen Wei turned to Xinyi, his eyes dark with determination. "You should leave the estate for now. Until we find out what his next move is, I don't want you caught in the crossfire."

Xinyi frowned. "No. I'm not leaving you to handle this alone."

His gaze softened for a fraction of a second before hardening again. "Xinyi"

"I'm not fragile, Chen Wei," she interrupted, standing to face him. "This fight involves me too."

A knock at the door interrupted them. One of the security team members stepped in, his face tense. "Sir, we have a problem. A reporter managed to breach the estate's perimeter. They're demanding a statement."

Chen Wei's expression darkened. "How the hell did that happen?"

"We're handling it now, but the media is swarming outside. The rumors are spreading too fast."

Chen Wei exhaled sharply. "Fine. I'll address them myself."

Xinyi's eyes widened. "Chen Wei, that's exactly what Lu Yifan wants! If you respond now, when emotions are high, it could backfire."

His lips pressed into a thin line. "If I stay silent, I look guilty."

She hesitated, knowing he was right. But there had to be a smarter way to handle this. Her mind raced before an idea struck. "Then let's turn this against him. If Lu Yifan wants to play dirty, let's make sure he drowns in his own lies."

Chen Wei raised an eyebrow. "What are you thinking?"

She met his gaze, her eyes gleaming with resolve. "Let's dig into Lu Yifan's past. He's trying to destroy your reputation so let's expose his."

For a moment, silence filled the room. Then, slowly, a smirk tugged at the corner of Chen Wei's lips.

"Xinyi," he murmured, "remind me never to get on your bad side."

---

As the night deepened, Chen Wei's team got to work. Xinyi stayed by his side, scanning through years of records, reports, and insider information on Lu Yifan. Every shady deal, every questionable partnership it was all there, buried beneath layers of deception. And then, finally, a breakthrough.

Xinyi gasped, her fingers tightening around the tablet. "Chen Wei, look at this."

He leaned over, his eyes narrowing at the screen.

"Lu Yifan's been laundering money through overseas shell companies," she said, her voice trembling with excitement. "And these records show illegal offshore accounts ones he never disclosed."

Chen Wei's smirk returned, but this time, it was laced with cold satisfaction. "We just found his Achilles' heel."

Xinyi exhaled, feeling the tension in her chest lighten slightly. "What's the plan?"

Chen Wei turned to his team. "Leak this to the right people. I want the financial authorities all over him by morning."

His chief advisor nodded. "Understood. This will hit hard."

Xinyi placed a hand on Chen Wei's arm, looking up at him. "This won't end with just this move. Lu Yifan won't back down."

Chen Wei gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, his gaze unreadable. "Neither will we."