Chapter 231: Chapter 231 Consequences
Xu Ke and Lin Mengyao left without a care, leaving only their backs to the crowd, but the luckless Liao Yanyan wasn’t so fortunate. Because of something Xu Ke said before leaving, everyone knew she was a kept woman.
No matter how desperately she tried to explain afterward, it was useless. People prefer to believe what they want to believe, and a scandal involving a beautiful girl is always entertaining.
"I never would have thought a pretty girl like her would do such a thing. Maybe she doesn’t even know who the father of her child is and just picked someone to take the fall." Gossip A speculated, earning soft agreements from a few others around.
"I disliked her from the first glance. She always seemed to have a sly aura, and look, she turned out to be a troublesome vixen." Gossip B rolled their eyes, amplifying their voice in a coldly sarcastic manner.
"Don’t speak so harshly, after all, we have no evidence. What if there are hidden truths? It’s not good to sentence someone so directly." A rational person among the gossipers said, but unfortunately, his remarks didn’t gain support and instead sparked some ideological re-education from more extreme thinkers.
Listening to those around her discussing her, Liao Yanyan’s expression changed multiple times.
After kneeling for too long, Liao Yanyan’s legs were numb. She managed to stand up by clutching a table, easing the tingling in her legs while cursing Xu Ke and Lin Mengyao in her heart, contemplating her next move when a sudden exclamation came from the crowd.
"Oh my god, if I’m not mistaken, isn’t she the new face from Star Entertainment who’s been getting a lot of exposure lately? What’s her name again... ah, Liao Yanyan." Someone in the crowd shouted, recognizing Liao Yanyan.
Their voice was unrestrained, even rising a bit from excitement, and in almost an instant, everyone in the café knew Liao Yanyan’s identity.
"I’m not Liao Yanyan, you’re mistaken."
Since entering the café, for the first time, Liao Yanyan’s expression turned to panic, the awkward look on her face laid bare before everyone.
She wanted to push through the crowd and leave, but her not fully recovered legs held her back. Liao Yanyan had just taken two steps when she was surrounded by people in the café, who began frantically taking photos and videos of her face.
"Oh my god, it’s my first time seeing a celebrity up close. Her skin is amazing, she’s beautiful."
"I never would have thought the entertainment industry was this messy. I thought she was another youthful goddess, turns out she’s a mistress and pregnant out of wedlock. It’s a shame I didn’t catch that juicy part on video." The comment reminded everyone.
"Did anyone record a video of what just happened? Can you send it to me?"
"Same request, same request."
"+1, +1."
"I got it. If you want the video, find me later. Just to be clear, it’s not free." Someone in the crowd responded loudly, and the previously restless crowd suddenly quieted, followed by an even greater frenzy. Phones kept approaching Liao Yanyan’s face, cameras practically pressed against her.
Among the crowd were those recording and narrating, some suddenly going live, and others pretending to interview Liao Yanyan journalist-style, with a few taking advantage of the chaos to benefit themselves.
Liao Yanyan’s face alternated between red and white, changing several times within just a minute, but she had to endure it all without showing any dissatisfaction, lest it speed up her demise.
In the end, it was the shop staff who couldn’t stand it any longer. The café was in complete chaos and couldn’t be controlled, so they called the police to maintain order at the scene, but it was too late. The matter had already started fermenting online.
Having offended Xu Ke, Star Entertainment naturally didn’t send PR to resolve Liao Yanyan’s crisis, instead letting the situation develop on its own.
Liao Yanyan became infamous, but unlike the previous time she rose to fame, this time she became the epitome of infamy. Within one night, she became synonymous with shamelessness and seduction, with her Weibo flooded with abusive comments. Her private messages on Weibo were filled with insults, threats, and curses, making the former affection and declarations of love seem like a mere dream.
Someone exposed Liao Yanyan’s phone number, and her phone was bombarded with calls. Now, Liao Yanyan was like a rat crossing the street, only daring to stay confined in the company-rented apartment, with the curtains drawn and the door bolted to bring her a sense of security.
"I did as you asked, and now things have turned out like this. My career is ruined, I need money, I want to go abroad." Liao Yanyan used a SIM card she bought online to call the mysterious person who contacted her before. At this point, she was no longer the star she once was, having realized her predicament due to the company’s indifference.
Liao Yanyan’s hair was a mess, her once meticulously maintained face lost its luster. In just one night, she aged over ten years, her hair turned into a bird’s nest from her own tugging, clumps of hair between her fingers, and her well-manicured nails were bitten bare, some already oozing blood.
"You didn’t accomplish any of the tasks you were given, what makes you think you can demand so much?" The mysterious person’s voice on the other end was largely unchanged, but their tone clearly carried mockery.
"What do you mean? Are you trying to burn the bridge after crossing it? Ha, you think I’m easy to bully? I have all the recordings from our collaboration and chat screenshots online. I’ve already been ruined because of you. A few more lice don’t bother me. Push me too much, and I’ll hand these recordings to Xu Ke and Lin Mengyao—maybe I’ll find a way out."
Liao Yanyan hadn’t gone mad, but she was pretty close. The person on the other end fell silent, clearly aware that Liao Yanyan was indeed capable of doing something as foolish as harming others and harming herself in the process.
"How much do you want?" The voice on the other end finally asked, displeased.
"Fifteen million, and you need to cover my breach penalty. I signed a B-level contract with Star Entertainment, the compensation is around five million, not more than six million." Liao Yanyan said, knitting her brows.