DASFAM_23

Night had fallen.

The commotion on the Capital University forum showed no sign of dying down. The repost of Song Zhiqing's lengthy accusation had accumulated nearly seven hundred comments, and the sentiment inside was uniformly savage.

—"The fact that he could make Master Song this furious, in a way, Bai Xu's actually kind of impressive."

—"I know who he is. Back in university he kept to himself and never said much. I never would have thought he was like this behind closed doors."

—"I heard Bai Xu was already a repeat offender. Apparently Master Song kept cleaning up his messes for him."

—"I happened to be in a group project with him once. Ask him to do anything and he'd drag his feet and make excuses. Terrible team player."

—"Someone who dares to plagiarize and steal right under his advisor's and employer's nose. He's a disgrace to the whole industry."

—"Bai Xu comes from a pretty ordinary background, right? I heard he even 'sold himself' for a while?"

—"What the hell, is that true?"

"......"

Comments like these kept pouring in without end. Even without a shred of evidence, enough people spitting in the same direction was all it took to nail Bai Xu to the pillar of shame as someone with rotten character.

Shang Yanxiao read on with a deepening frown, then simply closed his tablet.

"Third Young Master, I've noticed quite a few comment sections are missing floors."

Xie Qi shared what he'd observed, "It looks like the original poster has been deleting neutral or positive replies and quietly steering the narrative. And the posts have already spread to industry-related forums as well."

No need to think hard about it— the one pulling the strings from behind the scenes had to be Song Zhiqing.

Shang Yanxiao looked up and gave instructions, "Have someone monitor things in real time. Whether it's the forum or any other platform, any comment that crosses a line or spreads false information, screenshot it and pass it to the legal team for later use."

Xie Qi nodded, "Lawyer Zhang's team is already on it."

Shang Yanxiao gave a small nod.

Xie Qi set his tablet aside, and with a hint of a probe that was easy to miss, said, "Third Young Master, you've never gotten involved in things like this before. This time it seems like you're more anxious about it than Young Master Bai himself."

In the past, Shang Yanxiao had been consumed by the company and business dealings— always thinking about how to outmaneuver the competition and maximize returns on whatever project was at hand. He would never ordinarily have the spare attention to follow something like this involving an outsider, let alone give instructions to the legal team to keep a close watch on public opinion.

"......"

Shang Yanxiao said nothing. When he raised his eyes again, there was a faint and subtle edge to them, "Am I?"

What was this?

Was Xie Qi suggesting he was paying too much attention to Bai Xu's situation?

Xie Qi's heart gave a jolt at the look that came with that question, and he quickly backpedaled, "Oh, what I meant was, Young Master Bai doesn't seem affected in the slightest. At dinner just now he looked quite confident, so he must already have something in mind."

"Good that he has a plan."

Shang Yanxiao's brow shifted slightly, and he added a follow-up almost without thinking, "Otherwise, if the public outcry gets out of hand and someone with nothing better to do digs up his personal information, it could drag the third branch into it as well."

"......"

That would be a rather difficult connection to make, wouldn't it?

Xie Qi turned the thought over silently, then answered with full professional composure, "Understood."

He pushed up his glasses, "In that case, Third Young Master the investigation into Song Zhiqing, Fang Xu, and the others that I was asked to look into earlier, do you still want to review it? Or should we just leave it and let Young Master Bai handle things on his own?"

"......"

Shang Yanxiao couldn't help but meet his assistant's gaze again, "Since when do you joke around with me?"

"I'm not joking."

Xie Qi suppressed a smile and held the tablet out with the investigation findings on it once more, "Third Young Master, you should probably take a look. I'm afraid Young Master Bai might not be able to handle it on his own and have it blow back on the third branch."

Shang Yanxiao took an unhurried sip of warm water, and said, whether about Bai Xu or as something to tell himself, "Troublesome."

The Bai Xu being called troublesome had no idea whatsoever what was happening in the master bedroom. He was busy coordinating with Qiu Yi and the others, and hadn't spared a single thought for the stream of abuse going around online.

Another night passed.

The related commentary online continued to ferment and spread. It had gone beyond the school and industry forums— influencer accounts had picked it up and carried it onto Weibo's entertainment section, where it made the trending list: 

#CapitalUniversityProfessorAccusesStudentOfPlagiarism#

No names were given in the headline, but clicking into the topic, 'helpful' commenters had wasted no time decoding the full sequence of events and once again piled the blame squarely onto Bai Xu.

Capital University was compelled to issue a response on its official website:

"We are currently reaching out to the parties involved to understand the situation. Since its founding, this institution has upheld the educational philosophy of 'cultivating virtue and pursuing truth'. We will firmly not tolerate academic misconduct, nor will we presume to determine the facts without due process. We ask that students, faculty, and members of the public remain patient."

Some commenters, eager to watch the drama unfold, shot back: "What is there to even look into? Don't tell me you actually think Master Song is lying?"

Others, more level-headed despite their curiosity, pushed back: "That's not necessarily a given, is it? Where's the evidence that the student plagiarized? I've clicked through this so many times and haven't seen a single piece."

—"Is Bai Xu paying for bots? Everyone has seen the way Master Song conducts himself as an educator and a person. Would he really have any reason to smear a student who has absolutely no standing in the industry?"

—"Exactly! Check out @TaojingStudio, they've already posted a whole stack of ceramic design drafts showing Bai Xu's 'references'. The evidence is right there."

—"Isn't the worst part that he submitted the studio team's work under his own name? Absolutely shameless."

—"[link] This is the official website of the International Natural Ceramics Exhibition, you can contact the organizers there to request that Bai Xu's individual entry and competition eligibility be revoked."

"......"

Song Zhiqing was a celebrated ceramics master with a decades-long reputation for refined and gracious conduct, while Bai Xu, the one at the center of the storm, was a nobody with no notable works or achievements to his name, who had not said a single word in his own defense since the whole thing broke.

Who was right and who was wrong seemed self-evident.

With troublemakers stoking the fire and casual onlookers being swept along in the wrong direction, public opinion was whipped back and forth in wave after wave. Just when it seemed as though the verdict was all but set in stone—

A new thread appeared on the Capital University forum. The person who posted it had made no attempt at anonymity. The freshly registered ID stated plainly: BaiXu BX.

"I hereby make a named accusation: Song Zhiqing, Professor of Ceramic Arts Design at Capital University, has for years used threats, intimidation, and psychological manipulation to steal original designs from students and pass their work off under his own name. I call upon the university administration and the public to see this clearly."

It was a Saturday, and the bold, enlarged headline drew an immediate crowd of students and faculty. Word spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred, and curious onlookers from across the internet flooded into the thread as well.

As if anticipating that people might doubt the authenticity of the new account, Bai Xu posted a video in the main entry to verify his identity.

Given the impression Song Zhiqing had already planted in their minds, most people had imagined Bai Xu as some selfish, impoverished, unremarkable-looking man— and then they clicked on the video.

The Bai Xu on screen was wearing a clean, simple white t-shirt. His fair, delicate features were immediately striking, his face carrying a natural quality of gentle, soft-spoken innocence.

"Hello everyone. My name is Bai Xu, a graduate of the Ceramic Arts Design program at Capital University, class of last year."

The soft, gentle tone carried a trace of unease that was hard to conceal, and combined with a face and manner that projected no threat whatsoever, it was enough to make more than a few people do an immediate about-face.

—"What the hell? Why did nobody tell me Bai Xu looked like this?"

—"I have no principles, I have no moral compass. I came here for the drama and I'm switching sides on the spot."

—"Teachers, fellow students. Are you seriously sure you have the right person? Does this face look like it belongs to someone capable of doing something like that?"

—"You can know a face without knowing the heart. Could this be a stunt?"

The live comment stream scrolled past on screen, and after his brief introduction, Bai Xu moved quickly into his clarifying statement.

"Today I am filing a named report against Song Zhiqing, Professor of Ceramic Arts Design at Capital University. Over the course of my four years at university, he used his position as my supervising mentor to claim credited authorship on seven of my original works in total, presenting them publicly as his own."

Bai Xu produced a tablet he had clearly prepared in advance, and stated with precision and clarity the creation date of each piece, presenting documentation that covered every stage—from initial drafts through revisions, to molding and completion—each with a clear timestamp.

Viewers with relevant expertise in the field marveled quietly to themselves:

Good lord.

How deeply would someone have to care about their own work to keep records this thorough?

Bai Xu continued before the camera, "When I had finished designing my second original piece, 'Vivid', Song Zhiqing expressed considerable admiration for it and told me that if a suitable competition came up, he would make sure to secure a spot for me."

"I trusted him as my mentor. But two months later, the piece won a national award— and the credited name on it was his."

The ceramic series 'Vivid' had been Song Zhiqing's most celebrated 'creation' in the past three years. After winning the award, it had even represented the Chinese Ceramic Arts Association at an overseas exhibition.

And now Bai Xu was saying it was his work?

Reactions among those in the know ranged from shock to skepticism— and Bai Xu went on to display screenshots of his chat history with Song Zhiqing from that time, complete with timestamps as corroboration.

"I once went to Song Zhiqing directly to ask about the situation. But he used his position as my mentor to pressure me, turning it around and reprimanding me for caring too much about awards and rankings. He told me the piece never would have won if it hadn't carried his name."

"Beyond that, he subjected me to persistent coercion and manipulation, round after round of psychological pressure that made me begin to doubt myself and believe that I could only produce work of any worth under his guidance."

"From my internship onward, I joined the ceramic arts studio he recommended. In reality, that studio was funded by him from behind the scenes and co-founded with the owner, Fang Xu!"

"They continuously squeezed every bit of value out of me, misappropriated my work, and withheld the commissions I was owed— again and again, without any justification!"

Bai Xu's logic and delivery were both clear and composed. His unhurried tone carried an occasional catch that stopped just short of breaking, paired with eyes that were genuinely reddening at the rims, and the effect was devastating.

"As for what everyone is most concerned about, the claim that I 'misappropriated' the studio team's work to enter competitions and exhibitions, that is pure fabrication. I have already submitted the relevant copyright documentation, design drafts, concept sketches, and more to the international ceramics exhibition organizers. I trust that the official body will reach the correct judgment."

"In addition, I have compiled and released all of my evidence in full. All legal proceedings related to these matters have been handed over to my legal team."

"Finally, I want to say—"

Bai Xu looked directly into the camera. The softness in his expression gradually gave way to resolve.

"I know I am nothing but an unknown small player in this industry. Perhaps my statement cannot shake this so-called 'mountain'. But someone has to be the first."

"I am doing this now, for the person I used to be, and for any 'other versions of me' who may be out there, to seek justice, to demand answers, and to fight for the truth."

"I have always believed that a 'mountain' built from false stones is precarious, and will eventually crumble—to be trodden underfoot by those who truly deserve to climb it."

The declaration rang out with force, bringing the clarification video to a close and leaving those who heard it stirred.

Bai Xu posted the key documents and chat records he had prepared, all organized and compiled in advance, directly beneath the video, making it far more persuasive than Song Zhiqing's lengthy all-text accusation.

And what was more, several graduates from the same department appeared beneath the video to file their own named reports:

@ZhengHua: I am Zheng Hua, class of 2021. I hereby file a named report: Capital University Professor Song Zhiqing misappropriated my original ceramic work 'Spring Day's Shadow', then used his position as my supervisor and the threat of delayed graduation to pressure and coerce me into compliance. [Supporting evidence, long image attached]

@BaiYueqi: I am a graduate of the class of 2022. I hereby file a named report: Capital University Professor Song Zhiqing used his standing as a mentor-judge at major ceramic arts competitions to openly manipulate scores and rankings, and in doing so obtained improper benefits on multiple occasions.

@DongJiangshan: I am also a graduate of the class of 2022. I join in filing a named report against Song Zhiqing. He plagiarized and misappropriated my graduation work, used the same tactics to spread false information about me privately, and as a result I was collectively blacklisted by major studios across the industry. I once attempted to expose him, but he paid to have it suppressed. A person like this has no place in front of students.

Bai Xu's statement opened the door, and six more graduates stepped forward to file named reports against Song Zhiqing.

Even more shocking was the appearance of an anonymous account making an additional accusation—

That Song Zhiqing had used his position as a supervising professor to harass and sexually assault students. He had specifically targeted female students who appeared introverted and kept to themselves, and the methods he used to silence people afterward followed the same pattern, making it evident this was not a first offense. Current female students were urged to stay alert and take precautions!

More and more evidence and testimony continued to point toward Song Zhiqing, stripping away the careful disguise he had maintained for years.

And all of it had been arranged and planned in advance by Bai Xu.

He had always suspected that Song Zhiqing couldn't possibly have targeted only the original owner over all these years, so he had specifically asked Qiu Yi—who had a wider social circle—to quietly look into things on his behalf.

People like Zheng Hua had suffered at his hands during their time at university, and had simply had no recourse, powerless and unheard. When they learned that Bai Xu was willing to be the first to speak out, they ultimately chose to step forward as well.

One person's voice might amount to very little, but when enough people are willing to speak, the sound naturally grows louder.

The mounting counter-accusations and the steady release of evidence were like a pair of hands that had built up enough force, and came swinging back hard across Song Zhiqing's face.

All that lofty integrity? False.

All that model conduct as an educator? Also false.

All that indifference to fame and fortune? Every last bit of it, false.

—"I was going to say this yesterday, not long after Song Zhiqing posted that lengthy 'accusation,' someone reposted it to the forum, and then he restricted the visibility of his original Moments post. I think that was deliberate. No matter how far the repost spread afterward, he'd already removed the source."

—"Yesterday I left a comment in that thread saying I thought Song Zhiqing might be in the wrong, and it was deleted in under a minute. And you're telling me nobody was controlling that?"

—"I can't be the only one who always thought Song Zhiqing's smiling face was hiding something, that he was far more calculating underneath than he appeared. I used to go out of my way to avoid him on campus. Looks like that instinct was right after all."

Many alumni who had been quietly watching from the sidelines finally spoke their minds openly, and onlookers who had been following for the drama joined in with their own outrage:

—"Disgusting! He calls himself a teacher?"

—"I've heard of professors faking academic research, but I never expected to see it in an arts program too. Unbelievable!"

—"@CapitalUniversity, is the president watching? Is anyone on the board watching? This needs to be investigated and handled seriously!"

"......"

In the span of a single day, public opinion had completely reversed. The one standing on the high ground now was Bai Xu.

Shang Queyan watched the video from beginning to end, then looked up at the person in question sitting across from him—

Bai Xu was unhurriedly cutting his foie gras, every movement composed and refined, with nothing at all of the pitiful look from the video, the air of someone throwing caution to the wind just to file a report.

He had witnessed Bai Xu's ability to shift expressions before, but even so, Shang Queyan felt a small jolt of amazement, "It's a shame you didn't go into entertainment. That performance was something else."

From the moment the clarification video went up, Bai Xu's accusations delivered with reddened eyes alone had been more than enough to win people's sympathy.

Some viewers had even called out; Bai Xu's face just doesn't look like it has a bad thought behind it, his personality must be as soft as a ball of cotton. For someone like him to stand up and accuse Song Zhiqing like that, he must have gathered every bit of courage he had!

Tsk, tsk.

No bad thoughts behind that face? Soft as cotton? He was a wolf in sheep's clothing, deliberately playing weak, only to land a killing blow at the decisive moment.

If she were being honest, Shang Queyan felt something close to admiration deep down—

Certain qualities in Bai Xu were remarkably similar to her brother's. A grudge always repaid, the blade falling swift and sure, fast, precise, and ruthless—and with just this one move, he'd been more than enough to bring Song Zhiqing to his knees completely.

Bai Xu met Shang Queyan's gaze, "Your brother's face is what should be in entertainment, what a waste."

"......"

Shang Queyan huffed, "My brother excels in whatever circle he's in."

Bai Xu looked at the barely contained brother-worship radiating from the person in front of him, and thought back to how he had grown and come into his own in the original story as well, "So do you. You won a global-level competition at such a young age."

At those words, Uncle Lin and Xie Qi both tensed at the same time, afraid that Bai Xu was about to touch on something Shang Queyan couldn't bear.

But Bai Xu didn't hold back at all and continued, "If you could endure the hardship of training, then you can certainly endure the pain of rehabilitation. If you're willing to represent the third branch and step into the group, your ability in the future won't necessarily fall short of your brother's."

There was no deliberate flattery or ingratiation in the words—just a straightforward warmth pressed firmly into the other person's chest.

Shang Queyan was taken aback for a few seconds. A ripple gradually stirred in his eyes, "...Do you really think that?"

Bai Xu delivered his praise in pairs, "Well, since Shang Yanxiao is that exceptional, how far behind could his brother possibly be?"

Shang Queyan lifted his chin, and a streak of the quietly cocky confidence that hadn't shown itself in a long time surfaced again, "Obviously."

Uncle Lin and Xie Qi exchanged a glance, each quietly suppressing a smile of relief.

Before misfortune had struck the third branch, the Fourth Young Master had always been like this in front of his parents and older brother. It seemed he was gradually stepping out from under the shadow of that grief, his spirits lifting more and more.

Bai Xu had nearly finished eating. He picked up the warm water beside him, "Xie Qi, Song Zhiqing is just about finished off. Please go ahead and arrange for all the follow-up exposure across the relevant platforms."

"Whatever he did these past two days to steer public opinion against me, have people do the same to him."

Give someone a taste of their own medicine.

A blade only cuts deepest when it finds the one who truly deserves it, that is when it is at its sharpest, and causes the most pain.

Xie Qi had long grown accustomed to this kind of counter-strike from watching Shang Yanxiao at work. He gave his glasses a small push, "Don't worry, Young Master Bai. I'll arrange everything exactly as you intend."

While someone sat at home directing the strategy, someone else was pacing like an ant on a hot griddle—

In an extravagantly furnished suite, Song Zhiqing had lost every trace of his usual composed ease.

When the wall begins to fall, everyone shoves!

Since Bai Xu had spoken out, in just two short days, more and more people had come forward to accuse him. Even his wife and children, living far overseas, had condemned his misconduct— they'd already had two arguments over the phone!

Online, no small number of people were muddying the waters just to join in the spectacle and spin stories, but there were also those coming forward with solid evidence to hammer him with. Even his 'glorious' deeds from decades ago had been dug up and exposed from top to bottom!

Song Zhiqing had underestimated the destructive power of the internet, and had never imagined that this wave of condemnation—one he himself had started—would ultimately turn and bite him back.

His phone rang. It was his assistant calling.

Out of a guilty conscience, Song Zhiqing had already declined over a dozen 'greetings' from colleagues before this. Now he hurriedly answered, "Hello, what did the legal team say?"

The assistant's voice was very faint, "Master Song, I've consulted with the lawyer. He said for now we can only collect evidence and send a lawyer's letter to go after a wave of people for defamation of reputation, demanding that netizens stop making false rumors and abusive remarks about you."

These days, what you could sue for was reputational damage rather than defamation, which already said quite a lot about the truth of the matter.

The assistant knew full well what a despicable person Song Zhiqing was, but as someone collecting a paycheck, he could only follow orders.

"I contacted the forum administrator last night to request post removal, but they just replied saying the school has taken over the investigation, so the posts cannot be deleted."

This matter had spread completely.

Deleting posts at this critical juncture would only further corroborate the truth of what Bai Xu and the others had reported, wouldn't it?

"……"

Song Zhiqing gritted his teeth, "What about the PR team? Have you found one yet! No matter how much it costs, get this thing buried for me!"

The accusations came shrieking out through the phone, where was the so-called 'refined elegance' he displayed on normal days?

The assistant's ears rang from the blast. Suppressing the resentment of a working man, he said, "Master Song, Bai Xu and the others have too complete a chain of evidence, and you have no way to refute all of it. It really is a bit difficult to handle."

"The PR team's suggestion is that you first put out an apology statement, admit to two of the most trivial 'mistakes,' then say there were misunderstandings between the parties and that private communication and mediation are underway, and then…"

"Apologize and admit fault? Impossible!"

Song Zhiqing refused point-blank, then turned around and lashed out again, "What are you and the PR team even good for? You can't even handle something this minor?"

He had been riding high for decades, and now he was supposed to apologize to some young upstart like Bai Xu?

Wasn't that just slapping himself in the face?

The assistant was utterly speechless. After a long silence, he couldn't hold back anymore, "Master Song, if you're so capable, do it yourself! You think I actually care about this few-thousand-yuan salary? I quit!"

Song Zhiqing's mouth twitched, "What did you say?"

The assistant seemed to have flipped a switch to freedom, "You've trashed your own reputation yourself, and you still have the nerve to blame others? Ptui!"

Song Zhiqing was left rooted to the spot by this sudden torrent of abuse. Listening to the cold, decisive dial tone in the phone, he felt as though all the blood in his body was surging straight to the top of his head.

No!

He could not be brought down like this!

Song Zhiqing forced down the burning humiliation of having his face slapped, and tried to reach out to school board members he had once been close with. If only the school would cooperate by deleting the posts and stand on his side, the matter would be easy to resolve.

But before he could even find their contact information, a WeChat notification popped up with a link— sent by his assistant:

"Master Song, see for yourself. Goodbye to you."

The last four words dripped with mockery.

Song Zhiqing felt his chest tighten with a suffocating pressure. With trembling hands he tapped the link, and before long the screen redirected to the official website of Capital University, where a brand-new situation report had just been posted—

"In recent days, named reports from graduates of our university (Bai, Zheng, and others) against our university's professor of ceramic art and design (Song) have appeared online. Our university has taken this extremely seriously and contacted the aforementioned graduates at the earliest opportunity to review the situation.

It has now been verified that Song, professor of Ceramic Art and Design at our university, failed to fulfill his duties as a supervisor, and repeatedly used his position and titles to suppress and infringe upon the legitimate original creative rights of multiple students during his tenure. The aforementioned acts of misconduct all constitute violations of relevant regulations!

Following a unanimous decision by multiple senior board members of the university in conjunction with the relevant education authorities, Song's professorship is hereby revoked and his teaching duties are suspended, effective immediately!"

After reading these lines, Song Zhiqing did not dare continue reading. He took several deep breaths, trying to ease the tightness in his chest—

The situation was unfolding as though someone had hit the fast-forward button, giving him absolutely no time to wriggle his way out!

The school had publicly issued an official statement, stripped him of his title, and removed him from his position— all in full view of every teacher and student at the university. This was an open slap across his face!

And yet this was far from over. A mass message had appeared in the main group chat of the Chinese Ceramic Arts Association, with his name specifically tagged.

A Weibo link was attached below the group message, as though some major announcement had followed.

Song Zhiqing clenched his jaw and tapped to open it.

In the few seconds it took the page to load, his heart felt as though an invisible hand had seized it in an iron grip, waiting at any moment for the death sentence to be read aloud.

Whatever a person fears most, that is precisely what comes for them!

Sure enough, the Chinese Ceramic Arts Association had posted a statement on their official Weibo:

"Based on the existing evidence submitted in the reports, the Association has decided to revoke Song Zhiqing's title of Vice President of the Chinese Ceramic Arts Association. Going forward, no works related to Song will be promoted on any official platforms.

Once all evidence has been further confirmed, the Association will step forward to help restore the original creative rights and deserved awards of the affected graduates whose works were misappropriated!

An artist should never be a mountain that blocks the road of others. We hope that all creators in the arts will hold true to their original hearts, respect originality, and strive together to reach the summit of many peaks!"

The comment section, which normally saw only a trickle of activity, was now flooded with onlookers who had come to watch the drama unfold.

—"Great! That was resolved fast! Impressive!"

—"Oh my god, the Association even said they'll help restore everyone's deserved awards for their original works, wonderful!"

—"Does this statement basically count as Song Zhiqing getting a soft ban from the industry?"

—"Good riddance! People like Song Zhiqing who chase fame and steal credit should just get out! Tumors like him should be driven out of the ceramic arts industry!"

"……"

Song Zhiqing stared at the cutting stream of abuse filling the comment section, and the suffocating pressure lodged in his chest simply would not let up. His legs gave way beneath him and he sank to his knees on the floor.

He felt no pain in his knees whatsoever. His face cycled between gray and white, and what stirred in his heart he could not tell, whether it was remorse or hatred.

It was over. All of it, over.

Now that this statement of industry-wide 'soft blacklisting' had gone out, the image and standing he had spent so many years painstakingly building were at last utterly destroyed. And in all likelihood, a steady stream of lawsuits would follow in the days to come.

...

Meanwhile, at Taojing Studio.

The employee responsible for managing the online store came to find Fang Xu, his expression urgent, "Boss, our studio's Weibo is getting absolutely buried in complaints from netizens, and all three of our online shops have been overrun!"

Ever since word got out that Taojing Studio had colluded with Song Zhiqing to suppress Bai Xu, furious netizens had been storming their way over to cause 'trouble'— some who had previously bought things started flooding them with bad reviews, while others were repeatedly placing and then canceling orders!

Still others had filed official complaints, demanding that shops of this kind, ones built on plagiarism, be shut down. One of the stores had already been forced to suspend operations!

How could Fang Xu not know how dire the situation was? Listening to a phone line that simply would not connect, he was so enraged he slammed his phone down onto the desk.

"That useless wretch Song Zhiqing! Putting on such a respectable front before, swearing up and down he could handle it, and now look, he's vanished without a trace!"

When things go wrong and the cart overturns, he leaves behind a whole heap of mess, then drags the studio into it and disappears into thin air? Quite something, truly!

The employee in charge of operations, seeing that Fang Xu was in the thick of his rage, didn't quite dare to respond.

Then, suddenly, the office door was pushed open from outside.

Qiu Yi walked in, her expression maintaining a polite enough surface, "Boss."

Fang Xu furrowed his brow and fixed his gaze on her, "What is it?"

Qiu Yi held out a resignation letter she had clearly prepared well in advance, "This is my letter of resignation. I respectfully ask for your approval."

"……"

Fang Xu was taken aback for a moment, then quickly caught on, "Qiu Yi, I seem to recall that you and Bai Xu attended the same school, with you being the senior. Let me ask you, were you involved in all this?"

"So what if he and I are from the same school?"

Qiu Yi neither denied it nor took the blame, "Boss, the studio didn't end up in this position because of me. When problems arise, you should look for the reasons within yourself."

Fang Xu slammed the table and shot to his feet. The anger he had been holding back was no longer containable,"You—!"

The operations employee panicked, "Sister Qiu."

Qiu Yi met his fury head-on without a trace of fear, "Boss, if you dare lay a hand on me, I'll dare take you to court. Do you really think the studio doesn't have enough lawsuits on its hands already?"

"......"

Fang Xu was seething.

Before he could even think of what to say, another group of people pushed open the office door without so much as a knock and walked straight in.

The assistant had been unable to stop them, and could only rush over to explain apologetically to Fang Xu, "Boss, they- they're from the tax authority. I couldn't- couldn't stop them."

The official at the front singled out Fang Xu and stepped forward to present his credentials, "Fang Xu? Someone has filed a report alleging financial fraud and tax evasion on your part. We'd ask that you cooperate with our investigation."

The fury on Fang Xu's face froze. A flicker of panic stirred in the depths of his eyes. He looked toward Qiu Yi, "Was it you who reported me?"

Qiu Yi refused to take the blame, "That's got nothing to do with me. Aren't you being a little too quick to assume guilt, boss?"

"……"

Fang Xu's mind was turning to mush. He couldn't produce a single word in rebuttal.

The officials gave him no time to deal with things quietly, stepping forward at once to demand, "Please cooperate. We will be requiring the financial transaction records for your studio for the past three years, as well as—"

Their voices gradually faded with distance.

Qiu Yi, having left the office, exhaled a long breath. She gathered the belongings she had already packed up and walked away without looking back. Only once she was out of the studio did she quickly dial Bai Xu's number.

—Buzz, buzz, buzz.

The phone on the desk vibrated.

Bai Xu pulled his gaze away from the forum page, stood up, and answered, "Hello, Sister Qiu? Have you finished with the resignation? Did Fang Xu give you any trouble?"

Qiu Yi laughed, "He didn't have time to give me trouble, officials came to investigate, saying he'd been evading taxes. Bai Xu, be honest with me, was it you who reported him?"

"……"

"From the look on the investigators' faces, they probably already have some solid evidence in hand."

Bai Xu heard her words and furrowed his brow slightly, "It wasn't me. I hadn't had the chance to act yet."

Fang Xu's conduct was mostly driven by the merchant's pursuit of profit. His methods were contemptible, but most of it only skirted the edge of illegality.

Bai Xu had originally planned to take him to court first and gain the upper hand that way, then gradually investigate whatever financial irregularities the studio might have and continue building a case against him from there.

He hadn't expected someone else to get there before him.

Qiu Yi heard his answer and found it strange, "How is it that someone else thought of the same thing? Maybe Fang Xu has made too many enemies over the years and some rival saw this as a chance to go after him?"

"......"

Bai Xu didn't respond. A rather unlikely guess flashed through his mind.

Qiu Yi, on the other end of the line, sensed his hesitation, "Bai Xu? What's wrong?"

Bai Xu came back to himself, "Nothing, Sister Qiu. You've worked hard helping out all this time. Let me treat you to a meal sometime, take a good rest these next few days, and I'll get back in touch once I have the studio plans on the agenda."

"Alright, let's leave it at that for now."

The call ended cleanly and crisply.

Bai Xu's fingertips traced the edge of his phone as he quietly turned over what he had just learned:

Even if netizens were directing their fury at Fang Xu as a result of the Song Zhiqing affair and filing complaints against the studio, the authorities couldn't possibly have mobilized investigators that quickly without any relevant evidence.

If it were the 'rival' Qiu Yi had mentioned, since they would already have had evidence for some time, there would have been no need to wait until this particular moment to file a report.

Bai Xu had a strong gut feeling; was someone hiding in the background, working behind the scenes on his behalf? And the number of people who knew, from beginning to end, that he was going after Song Zhiqing and Fang Xu was very few indeed—

Qiu Yi and the other seniors had been busy collecting evidence and joining forces against Song Zhiqing; they had no energy left for something like this.

Shang Queyan wasn't the type to keep things hidden— if he wanted to help, he would have said so openly from the start.

As for Xie Qi, he had from start to finish simply been following Bai Xu's own instructions...

At this point in his thinking, Bai Xu quietly contradicted himself, "No, that's not right."

The person in this household who could truly make Xie Qi follow orders wasn't him— it was someone else entirely!

The suspicion taking shape in the back of Bai Xu's mind grew stronger and stronger. He wasn't one to dawdle. He quickly pushed open his door and headed for the master bedroom.

Chen Yufei, standing guard outside the master bedroom, saw him coming, "Young Master Bai."

Bai Xu raised his eyes slightly, "How is the Third Young Master? Still unconscious?"

Chen Yufei nodded as he always did, with little visible emotion on his face.

"……"

Was that so?

Today, he was determined to get the truth out of the person at the center of this, one way or another.

Bai Xu had no intention of forcing an answer out of Chen Yufei. Affecting his usual manner, he said, "I'm going in to check on him. Keep watch out here."

Chen Yufei had no suspicions, "Alright."

Bai Xu entered the room without deliberately locking the door. He looked at Shang Yanxiao lying on the bed, and the hazy images from that half-dreamed vision in his mind began, vaguely, to grow more real.

A truth was on the tip of being spoken aloud.

So this was what they meant by failing to see what was right before you. He understood it now.

Bai Xu let out a barely perceptible huff of laughter, and strode to the bedside in a few large steps. His gaze lingered over Shang Yanxiao's face—a face so striking it was almost otherworldly—and he took the most direct, most blunt approach available to him, leaning straight down over him.

The breath of the two of them mingled at close range, carrying with it a faint, nearly imperceptible undercurrent of something restless.

The corner of Bai Xu's mouth curved. With a deliberate, teasing edge to his probing, he said, "Shang Yanxiao? Keep playing dead, and I just might go ahead and kiss you."

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