"Isn't that our Director Wang?" Fang Zhongtian's oily voice sounded again, speaking before Wang Yu could even react.
"I heard your car factory is on the verge of bankruptcy under your management, unable to even pay your employees' wages. And yet, as the director, you're constantly seen with a bunch of shady characters, always bringing a pretty young girl with you wherever you go."
Fang Zhongtian rattled off a series of accusations at Wang Yu. "I also heard that you didn't contribute a single cent to the disaster relief efforts, sending just a few people to go through the motions. So, now that things are settled, you're planning to sneak away, aren't you? Tell me, am I lying?"
Everything Fang Zhongtian said about Wang Yu was a one-sided account, using a selective presentation of facts, only telling part of the story.
This bastard is truly cunning and devious!
Wang Yu smacked his lips but didn't intend to engage with this guy.
However, despite Wang Yu's reluctance, the media people weren't willing to let him off the hook.
Fang Zhongtian's words had a powerful effect. The gaze of all sorts of media personnel turned towards Wang Yu. For days, they had been interviewing "heroic" positive figures like Fang Zhongtian, and now they needed some negative material for contrast. Wang Yu's appearance perfectly fit their needs!
With Fang Zhongtian's few words, Wang Yu had already been painted as incompetent, stingy, and someone with questionable personal conduct.
"Director Fang, isn't this inappropriate?" a man in a Metallurgical General Plant uniform asked softly beside Fang Zhongtian. "Spreading rumors like this isn't good for them, is it?"
"What are you afraid of? I said I heard about it."
A malicious glint flickered in Fang Zhongtian's small eyes as he nonchalantly stuck a cigarette in his mouth.
"Besides, these aren't lies, are they? What difference does it make if Wang Yu tries to defend himself? Do you think everyone will choose to believe him, a stranger with no backing or support, who has also offended our Metallurgical General Plant, or will they believe me, someone they see as a positive figure?"
Fang Zhongtian sneered, his gaze filled with cunning and slyness. But one had to admit, his assessment was spot on.
The media people genuinely didn't care who was right or wrong; sensational news was all that mattered!
At that moment, everyone surrounded Wang Yu. Of course, some of their attention also fell on Wu Lingling.
Clearly, this must be the "pretty young girl" Wang Yu was always with!
"Hey, what are you doing? Don't spout nonsense!" Han Jun, furious, wanted to step forward to argue. How could that disgusting scumbag Fang Zhongtian twist the truth like this? Was his mouth full of filth? More importantly, how could these people believe him?
"Don't bother with them."
Wang Yu shook his head, stopping Han Jun, his expression remarkably calm.
Similarly, Wu Lingling beside him remained composed, as if the scene before them was mere air.
"Get in the car, let's go."
Wang Yu cast a casual glance at Fang Zhongtian, who was hopping around like a clown, not worth wasting time on.
But as Wang Yu intended to leave, the media people had other ideas. They blocked him directly, bombarding him with questions, giving him no chance to get into his car and drive away.
They even blocked all his cars, preventing them from moving.
"Please, make way!" Wang Yu's brow furrowed slightly, but the media people clearly had no intention of listening. They even intensified their questioning.
Questions like: Have there been any complaints about personal conduct issues from anyone in your factory?
Your factory is on the verge of collapse and can't pay wages, and you didn't contribute a cent to disaster relief. Where did the money go?
What is your relationship with the beautiful young lady behind you? What exactly did you do for the disaster relief?
A series of similar questions, while not as utterly shameless as the sensationalist clickbait of later generations, were still sharp and troublesome!
Meanwhile, Fang Zhongtian stood in the distance, arms crossed, a smug and gloating smile on his face.
"So you dare to fire my nephew and disrespect me in front of the media before, you little brat!"
Fang Zhongtian's face was filled with malice. Those from the Metallurgical General Plant beside him couldn't help but curse him internally as a "disgusting beast," but they said nothing outwardly.
"Please, make way." Wang Yu spoke again, but still, no one was willing to yield.
"Please, make way!" another voice called out from outside the crowd, followed by a clamor of sounds.
"Hmm, what's going on?"
Everyone's curious gaze turned aside. They saw a group of people approaching in the distance.
However, unlike the well-dressed media, these people were not uniformly neat. Some were covered in dirt and rags, their faces smudged and grimy. Some were stained with oil, their hands calloused and caked with mud. Some wore thin clothing, even wrapped in bandages and gauze...
A motley crew, young and old, totaling thirty to forty people.
Each of them exuded a distinct aura of hard work, just like their honest and simple faces suggested their identities – the most basic, ordinary citizens!
Every single one of them looked at Wang Yu and his group with burning eyes.
"Everyone, he is Director Wang!"
Someone from the crowd stepped forward and pointed directly at Wang Yu. It was Lin Chunfeng, dressed formally now, his shoes polished to a shine, exuding an air of authority.
"Benefactor!"
Someone in the crowd shouted, followed by everyone simultaneously kneeling down!
"Our benefactor!"
"Thank you for your immense kindness!"
"If it weren't for you, I don't know what we would have done!"
A torrent of voices erupted, leaving everyone completely bewildered.
"What? What's going on?" Fang Zhongtian, flustered, tried to push forward, but a sturdy man in his thirties at the edge of the crowd casually rolled up the sleeve of his dirty work clothes.
He revealed a strong, dark, and incredibly thick bicep, developed from years of labor.
Glancing at the man's arm, which was likely thicker than his own thigh, Fang Zhongtian promptly retreated a couple of steps, adopting an air of superiority, as if he, a person of status, disdained to associate with these common folk.
"Brother Lin, what's going on? Who are these people?"
Faced with so many people suddenly kneeling, even the usually steady and calm Wang Yu felt a bit flustered. He could only look to Lin Chunfeng for help.
"They..." Lin Chunfeng swept his gaze over the media personnel present and slowly began to speak.
His tone was clear and filled with authority.
"They are the people and families from the epicenter of the earthquake who were buried under the rubble."
"They have come here specifically to thank and bid farewell to you – Wang Yu! The benefactor who saved their lives and the lives of their loved ones!"
Lin Chunfeng's words immediately caused a stir.