Was she supposed to tell her that progress had been almost nil?
How could she possibly bear it?
The overwhelming flood of yellow journalism, no one could easily accept that, right?
Yu Wenli managed a calm smile and said, "After the clarification, things got much better. Don't overthink it, go back to sleep. It's Saturday today."
He composedly tucked the corner of the quilt around her.
Wen Tingxue felt as if she hadn't slept at all, her whole body exhausted. But in certain moments, intuition doesn't diminish with fatigue.
On the contrary, it becomes stronger.
Like now, her sixth sense was telling her he wasn't telling the truth.
But she didn't expose him directly. Instead, she pulled at the corner of her lips and pouted playfully, "I'm a little hungry. Can you make me some porridge?"
Her face was pale as she lay on the bed, making her eyes appear dark and bright.
But not as bright as before.
There was a subtle dimness that was hard to describe.
Yu Wenli's heart immediately softened like cotton.
"Okay," he agreed softly, "Drink some water first, I'll go make food."
After a morning kiss, he helped her sit up and placed a cup of warm water in her hand.
Perhaps her mind was too chaotic, Yu Wenli actually forgot to take her phone when he walked to the kitchen.
Wen Tingxue stared at the steaming water for a few seconds. When she heard movement from the kitchen, she immediately got up.
She quietly found her phone in the living room and tiptoed back to bed.
She turned it on.
The moment the screen lit up, the phone, text messages, and WeChat were all flooded with notifications, pouring in at once.
It took a full minute to stabilize.
Wen Tingxue held her phone, stunned, watching the messages pop up one after another.
Only after everything went quiet did she blink in a daze, regaining her senses.
After a moment of hesitation, she tapped on Weibo.
A flood of direct messages.
Wen Tingxue gave a bitter smile.
She knew it was hard to investigate someone in this day and age, wasn't it?
Her Weibo and video accounts would eventually be dug up by them.
But she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly.
Hesitantly curling her index finger, she slowly exhaled a breath of stale air before opening the messages, which numbered over ninety-nine.
Direct Message 1: "How much for one night, missy? I'll pay double, or even triple, let me have some fun too, eh?"
Direct Message 2: "Whore who ruins family happiness!"
Direct Message 3: "Let Uncle see your ***."
The indecent words made Wen Tingxue feel so disgusted she wanted to vomit.
But after retching by the bedside for a while, nothing came out.
Instead, tears welled up. In a blurry haze, she tapped on the trending topics for the city.
The phrase "Mei Yuan's beauty" was indeed on the list.
Wen Tingxue steadied her emotions and tapped on it.
The first thing she saw were three photos: a middle-aged man with a successful career standing under a transparent umbrella, with a young and beautiful female university student.
Heh.
They really knew how to pick angles!
Knowing there was a car behind them, they didn't capture it at all!!
Wen Tingxue gnashed her teeth, both angry and annoyed.
She scrolled down.
The comment section was the same as her direct messages, almost nothing readable.
The occasional clarifying comment was quickly suppressed by the baseless rumors.
Netizen A: [Isn't everyone already aware that the Mei Yuan beauty is a bar girl? Surely nobody doesn't know by now.]
Netizen B: [I slept with her. She was really good, though a bit pricey, but worth every cent!]
Netizen C: [Anyone who's had class with her knows her paints are expensive, and her clothes and bags are no cheap items.]
Netizen D: [Many guys in the school have slept with her. She looks pure, but she's wild in private.]
Netizen E: [Who believes they're just in a teacher-student relationship? I certainly don't. She's always flirting with professors on campus, too restless!]
Wen Tingxue could tolerate other miscellaneous rumors, but these netizens claiming to be Mei Yuan students, she truly couldn't stand!
They knew her innocence better than anyone, yet they slandered her so recklessly for their own fleeting amusement!
If they were truly Mei Yuan students, it would only prove one thing: the school only filters out academic failures, not scumbags!
"You..."
When Yu Wenli remembered the phone and hurried over from the kitchen, Wen Tingxue had already seen the things he didn't want her to see.
Hearing his voice, Wen Tingxue turned around with a lack of emotion, meeting his pained gaze.
"I'm fine," she said, pulling at the corner of her lips. Her smile was shattered, hurting him more than tears would have.
Yu Wenli quickly moved to her side, pulling her into his arms with one hand and taking the phone from her with the other.
"Don't look at these things. Lies are just lies. Time will prove everything."
He held her tightly, trying to offer her warmth in this way.
"I will always be by your side. Trust me, I will handle this."
Handle it?
How?
The rumors had spread to the point of being unmanageable.
Even if she issued statements and clarifications again and again, those people wouldn't pay attention, wouldn't care.
Remembering the disgusting direct messages, Wen Tingxue's throat bobbed as she pursed her lips, her pale face asking, "How long do you think it will take to clarify these rumors?"
Yu Wenli moved his lips, but in the end, he remained silent.
Honestly, he didn't know.
Moreover, even if the rumors were clarified one day, the damage this incident had caused her would remain indelible.
"It will be clarified."
This was his first time offering such a powerless comfort.
Wen Tingxue leaned her head on his shoulder, not responding.
Even if he didn't say it, she could guess a little.
This matter, it seemed, wouldn't be easily resolved.
The silence was broken by a sudden video call.
Yu Wenli glanced down. "It's your two roommates."
"Mmm," Wen Tingxue sat up slightly.
Yu Wenli thought her friends might offer some comfort, so he tactfully made space. "You guys talk, I'll go check on the porridge."
Fearing she might overthink it, he leaned down and kissed her. "It will be resolved, trust me."
"..." After a moment of eye contact, Wen Tingxue nodded. "Mmm."
Those words lacked conviction.
She was obviously just placating him.
Yu Wenli smiled and pinched her cheek. "Be good, don't look so glum. I'll put on some music for you later."
"Okay." The young girl forced herself to curve her lips.
...
After composing herself, she pressed to answer.
The worried faces of Lu Youran and Jiao Yutong instantly appeared on the screen.
"Xiaoxue, are you okay? Don't take those things online to heart..."
The two chatted with her for a while, and Wen Tingxue responded with a smile to each of them.
"Oh, right," Lu Youran suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "Fu Ran has already started investigating the netizens who are posing as Mei Yuan students. If any of them are actually from our school, I'll make sure they don't get away with it! What scumbags!"
Lu Youran was so angry she gritted her teeth. "Who in the school doesn't know you're well-behaved? You rarely participate in activities, mostly just sketching in the studio. You even have little time to meet up with your boyfriend. Why are they spreading such rumors about you! It's too much!"
Wen Tingxue lowered her eyes, remaining silent.
She also wanted to know why.
At school, she was always low-key and never offended anyone. How could so many people brazenly tell such lies?
And they said it as if it were the truth.
Jiao Yutong also said, "Tang Mobai is also trying to find a way. For the next few days, just rest at home, watch TV, binge-watch dramas, and don't look at Weibo. Don't answer those random calls and texts either."
"Tang Mobai?" Wen Tingxue raised her eyes in surprise.
Lu Youran's gossip gene immediately kicked in. "Yes, it's Tang Mobai! If it weren't for this incident, Tongtong would never have paid attention to him!"
"Youran!" Fearing she might say something else, Jiao Yutong quickly covered her mouth.
Watching the two bicker, Wen Tingxue's mood suddenly improved considerably.
They were roommates, and she knew how tough Jiao Yutong's heart was.
Even if Tang Mobai waited downstairs, she could remain motionless and sketch.
She believed that if it weren't for her situation, Jiao Yutong wouldn't have given Tang Mobai a chance.
"Thank you, both of you." Wen Tingxue touched her chest, feeling touched.
Lu Youran and Jiao Yutong said in unison, "What are you thanking us for!"
Wen Tingxue didn't hear the rest of their words because Yu Xiuxiu also called.
After explaining to Lu Youran and Jiao Yutong, Wen Tingxue redialed the video call.
It was answered quickly.
Without giving Wen Tingxue a chance to formulate her words.
"I..."
The moment the video call connected, Wen Tingxue's first thought was how to explain the situation online.
Especially with Yu Wenli's parents on the other side.
As it turned out, before she could speak, Yu Xiuxiu and Wen Jin'yan were both concerned about whether she was sad.
They asked if she was okay, telling her not to read what was online.
She didn't even need to explain; they completely believed her.
This realization and unconditional trust gave her a lot of warmth and strength.
It miraculously healed the harm caused by the online comments.
"I'm fine," Wen Tingxue said with a genuine smile. "I'm really fine, you don't need to worry. Brother Yu is taking very good care of me."
"I'll still come to the capital," Yu Xiuxiu said worriedly. "I'll take care of you these next few days..."
"Really, no need." Fearing they would delay their work, Wen Tingxue said quickly, "We can take care of ourselves. Besides, this matter isn't that big, it'll be resolved soon. And, it won't be useful for you to come over anyway, this is an online issue, it's hard to control."
Yu Xiuxiu countered, "How could it be useless? Did you forget what your mother does?"
Wen Tingxue smiled. "I know, of course. But I've already found cousin and Zhi Shu jie for this. You really don't need to make the trip."
Yu Xiuxiu and Wen Zhong'en, along with Wen family parents, were all in the rising phase of their careers.
There was no need to waste time over her issues.
Most importantly, resolving rumors wasn't something that could be done just by having more people.
"Meow~" Little Nine suddenly jumped in front of the camera, licking and rubbing against the screen towards Wen Tingxue.
It seemed to be comforting her.
Wen Tingxue had heard the little guy's meows long ago but hadn't had a chance to ask.
It probably couldn't wait any longer, so it jumped into Yu Xiuxiu's arms.
Before, whenever they were on the phone and it heard her voice, Little Nine would meow and search for her everywhere.
Today was no different, except it seemed to know something, hence its haste to get in front of the screen.
"Good boy, Little Nine. Sister is fine."
Wen Tingxue's heart softened as she spoke to Little Nine.
Little Nine stared at her with its glass-like eyes, as if judging the truth.
After a few seconds, perhaps having found its answer, Little Nine continued to rub and lick the screen.
It was incredibly cute.
Wen Jin'yan shook her head, smiling. "This little guy must miss you terribly."
"Sister will be back for New Year's, and I'll bring you delicious food," Yu Xiuxiu soothed Little Nine as if it were a child.
The originally somber atmosphere lightened considerably because of Little Nine, but the conversation had to return to its main topic.
Wen Jin'yan said, "Seeing that you're okay, Grandpa can sleep well tonight."
They had all been busy lately. They didn't know how Grandpa got the news.
He had called them late at night about this matter.
Worried the young girl wouldn't be able to bear it, he urged them to go see her.
Wen Tingxue's eyes welled up, and she quickly said, "Tell Grandpa that I won't be defeated by gossip. I'm Grandpa's student, I have a strong mind!
"Oh, we're only on this call together, let's not talk about unhappy things.
"I have good news for you all, I've been nominated for the gold award at the National Art Exhibition!"
"Meow~" Little Nine was the first to respond.
Yu Xiuxiu and Wen Jin'yan congratulated her immediately, and Wen Zhong'en and Yu Wen were also overjoyed.
Amidst the lively atmosphere, Yu Wenli came out with sweet porridge and took the phone from the young girl's hand.
"Let her eat something first. If you have any questions, I'll answer them."
Wen Jin'yan rolled her eyes. "What do we have to talk to you about? Just take good care of Yi Yi."
"Don't listen to your mother's nonsense. She misses you a lot. However, you guys eat breakfast first. We can talk more when we have time," Yu Xiuxiu knew their personalities.
It wasn't a major issue, and they didn't want to alarm them.
The call ended.
Yu Xiuxiu looked at the suitcase beside her and said, "Let's trust the children. They're adults now, and they can handle some things themselves."
Wen Jin'yan nodded. "Yes, I believe they can get through the gossip."
Wen Zhong'en and Yu Wen also had no objections.
They had originally planned to fly to the capital today, but this phone call had reassured them a lot.
The young girl was stronger than they had imagined.
When they chatted with Yu Wenli last night, they didn't believe it, but today, they did.
Since that was the case, they would give the children space to grow.
No one grows up smoothly. Especially with their chosen paths, they were bound to face various unexpected events. The sooner they experienced them, the better.
If it really came down to it, they still had them as parents, didn't they?
Over here.
After putting down the phone, Yu Wenli brought the bowl and fed her the porridge.
"Is it sweet?" he asked.
"Sweet." At least it was sweeter than what she felt in her heart.
Yu Wenli smiled. "Then drink more."
Wen Tingxue opened her mouth and took another sip. After slowly swallowing, she said, "I've thought it through."
"Mmm?" Yu Wenli looked up, puzzled.
Wen Tingxue said, "It's just gossip, isn't it? As long as I don't care, it can't hurt me. And, I believe the truth will eventually be revealed. My innocence will be proven sooner or later."
Although she still felt a lump in her throat when she thought about those words,
she knew she had to face these things.
Wen Tingxue tentatively said, "Hello."
"It's me." A deep, stern male voice replied.
It was indeed Han Xianyun's voice.
Wen Tingxue became even more curious. "Mr. Han, is there something you need me for?"
They didn't have much entanglement, did they?
Aside from a brief meeting during the summer, they had almost no interaction.
"You sound quite well," Han Xianyun raised an eyebrow, quite surprised.
Wen Tingxue: "..."
So, you called this early in the morning just to say that?
Perhaps sensing her thoughts, Han Xianyun got straight to the point. "I'm not calling to kick you while you're down, but to help you."
"Help me?" Wen Tingxue instinctively looked at Yu Wenli.
Yu Wenli gestured for her to continue listening.
Han Xianyun said, "Do you really think this was a coincidence?"
"What do you mean?" Wen Tingxue partially understood.
Han Xianyun: "When the three photos were posted online, Lin Wanqing immediately tried to suppress the heat, but it didn't work."
Wen Tingxue instantly understood.
She had had suspicions, but she didn't know who it was.
She couldn't fathom who hated her that much.
As if he had X-ray vision, Han Xianyun said, "Someone from the Fu family."
"What?" Wen Tingxue couldn't believe it. "Why?"
Han Xianyun retorted, "What do you think?"
Fu Zhiyi.
Wen Tingxue gritted her teeth in anger. She shouldn't have believed Fu Yuchuan's words!
"Since Miss Wen already has a guess, I'll be direct. Anything that can make Fu Yuchuan unhappy, I will do even if it costs me a thousand,"
Han Xianyun didn't hide his animosity towards Fu Yuchuan.
"So, what's your solution?" Wen Tingxue was curious.
Han Xianyun smiled and said, "What truly stops rumors isn't the truth, but power. Believe me, only I can help you now."
Wen Tingxue still didn't understand. "Can you be more direct?"
"It's very simple. As long as you are the seventh young lady of the Han family, a sister personally recognized by me, Han Xianyun, no one will doubt your relationship with Sha Zhengxin."
After speaking, Han Xianyun slowly added, "They wouldn't dare."
It was like in the glamorous entertainment industry, if a young lady from the Fu family entered, no one would suspect she was being exploited.
Because the Fu family was powerful enough.
Similarly, if Wen Tingxue were a Han family young lady, then it wouldn't matter whether it was Sha Zhengxin or Tian Zhengxin.
No matter how capable you are, can you be more capable than the Han family?
Although this logic of using power to suppress others was ridiculous, it was undeniably effective.
-
After breakfast, Wen Tingxue deliberately put on a flawless everyday makeup.
To show that she was completely unaffected by this incident.
Therefore, the effect on camera was particularly good.
Ten minutes later, major media outlets simultaneously broke news with photos of the person involved in the scandal appearing at the Han family's old mansion.
Netizen A: [What's going on? Why is she going to the Han family?]
Netizen B: [Slurp slurp, this is the Han family in the capital? Even my dream mansion isn't this luxurious!]
Netizen C: [I heard the Han family has a seventh young lady. Could it be her?]
Netizen D: [What kind of joke are you telling? The school beauty's surname is Wen, what does she have to do with the Han family?]
Netizen E: [Publicity stunt! It's definitely a publicity stunt!]
As all sorts of speculation arose, Wen Tingxue had already completed the ritual of paying respects to the ancestors in the Han family's ancestral hall.
Yan Jun and the head of the Han family also gave her the bowls, chopsticks, and longevity lock that were meant for an adopted daughter.
"Originally, this was for another child, but then," Yan Jun's eyes moistened, "there was an accident. Please don't dislike it."
"How could I?" Wen Tingxue quickly said, "It's my honor to become your daughter."
Yu Xiuxiu and Wen Zhong'en also knew about this.
The two parties had just spoken by phone.
After all, it was for their daughter, so they naturally agreed.
"You've been wronged," Yan Jun affectionately stroked Wen Tingxue's face.
Han Xianyun, who was waiting nearby, said lazily, "Since all the necessary procedures are complete, shall I have someone post on Weibo?"