They surrounded me right after the breakup.

An old residential area in the eastern part of Jingzhou.

Ji Bochang sat in front of his computer in his rented room, the screen displaying Weibo's trending topics.

He frequently refreshed the webpage, and the comments and reposts jumped significantly with each refresh.

He clicked on the long post, looked at the comments from netizens below, and liked each one.

Ji Bochang's lips curled up higher and higher.

He picked up the instant noodles on the table and took a bite. The soup was cold and the noodles were clumped together, but he ate it with relish.

On the table, the phone was buzzing.

Ji Bochang glanced at the caller ID and answered the call.

"Mr. Li."

"I saw it." Lee Myung-bak's voice came through the microphone, tinged with amusement. "Well done!"

"This is just the beginning." Ji Bochang put down the instant noodles and leaned back in his chair.

"The chat logs are real, so I have nothing to be afraid of. Once the public outcry starts, Xingyue Media will definitely be affected, and even if Jiang Han wants to clear his name, he won't be able to."

"Don't rush," Lee Myung-bak said. "What you've released now is the first wave. Tomorrow, arrange for a few marketing accounts to write in-depth articles and organize the timeline."

"You confessed to Shen Qingning first, and Jiang Han slept with her afterward. As long as this logical chain is established, Jiang Han won't be able to explain himself even if he has a hundred mouths."

Ji Bochang nodded: "I've already contacted three marketing accounts, and they'll post it simultaneously tomorrow night."

"What about Shen Qingning? Has she contacted you?"

"No, she blocked all my contact methods, so I can't reach her."

Ji Bochang paused for a moment: "She will definitely issue a statement. Knowing her personality, she will jump out and speak up for Jiang Han."

"That makes things even easier." Lee Myung-bak smiled.

"The more she speaks up for Jiang Han, the more netizens feel that she is being PR-manipulated. You don't need to do anything; just let her jump into the pit herself."

Ji Bochang agreed and hung up the phone.

He reopened Weibo and saw that someone had taken a screenshot of Shen Qingning's words in the chat history: "I have no feelings for Jiang Han anymore."

Ji Bochang leaned back in his chair, the smile on his lips slowly fading away.

He recalled that day at the entrance of Xingyue Media, when Shen Qingning said to his face, "As long as Jiang Han nods, I will fulfill all his requests anytime, anywhere."

When she said this, her eyes were full of light, a light she had never seen before.

"You bitch! If I can't have you, I'll destroy you!"

Ji Bochang picked up his phone and flipped through his photo album. There were still a few screenshots he hadn't posted.

He deliberately saved the few words Shen Qingning said, "I want to be with you," intending to release them after the initial wave of hype subsided.

Outside the window, the sky was gray and hazy. Ji Bochang stared into the distance for a few seconds before turning back to his desk.

He opened a new document and began writing his second exposé.

This time, he will write about Shen Qingning.

It describes how she seduced him while dating Jiang Han, how she used her body to obtain resources, and how she relentlessly pursued him after their breakup.

The truth and the falsehood are mixed together, and no one can tell the difference.

Bicui Manor Villa.

Shen Qingning hung up the phone.

She put her phone on the sofa and huddled in a corner.

The living room lights were off, except for the computer screen on the coffee table.

The screen displayed Weibo's trending topics list. After reading the long article, she clicked on the comments section and scrolled down.

Those words were like knives; each one cut away a piece of her flesh.

She deserved to be scolded, not because of her own actions!

It's because those words were also criticizing Jiang Han, accusing him of using women to climb the social ladder, and accusing him of sleeping with other people's girlfriends.

Every single one of these points is about upholding justice for Ji Bochang, and every single one of these points is about feeling sorry for Shen Qingning.

Shen Qingning closed her laptop and leaned back on the sofa.

The living room was quiet, with a painting hanging on the wall, which Jiang Han had bought a while ago.

The painting depicts a lake with several ducks on it.

She stared at the painting for a long time, her mind revolving around only one thought.

All of this started because of her.

If I hadn't been so blinded by greed, I wouldn't have said those things to Ji Bochang.

If she hadn't said those things, Ji Bochang wouldn't have had those screenshots.

If Ji Bochang hadn't had the screenshots, this whole incident wouldn't have happened.

Shen Qingning turned on her computer, pondering and considering the matter repeatedly.

She created a new blank document.

The cursor is blinking on the white page.

She stared at the cursor, her fingers hovering over the keyboard for a long time, before she began to type.

"I am Shen Qingning. Regarding the chat logs circulating online today and Mr. Ji Bochang's lengthy article, I hereby make the following statement..."

After typing this sentence, Shen Qingning stopped.

She recalled Jiang Han's words: "If you issue a statement now, netizens will say that I've lobbied you."

Yes, any statement issued now will be interpreted as Jiang Han having instructed her to make it.

Whether you say it or not, the result is the same.

Shen Qingning deleted that line of text, closed the document, and did not save it.

She stood up, walked to the window, and drew back the curtains, revealing the night view of Jingzhou.

Of all the lights in the houses, not one was lit for her.

Shen Qingning has thought it through. She will wait for this matter to escalate for a few more days, until everyone is criticizing Jiang Han, before she steps forward.

I'll risk everything to shut everyone up.

Even if it means the end of her acting career.

Even if I lose my acting roles, my endorsements, and everything else, it doesn't matter.

Shen Qingning returned to the bedroom balcony and stared blankly at the empty villa across the way.

Jiang Han didn't scold her, didn't blame her, and didn't even sigh.

Shen Qingning left the window, went to the bathroom, and looked at herself in the mirror.

My eyes were swollen, my lips were dry and chapped, and my hair was a mess.

She turned on the tap, splashed cold water on her face with her hands, and then splashed it again.

Water dripped down his chin onto the collar of his pajamas, then slid down his collarbone to his chest.

Shen Qingning sent a message to her agent.

"All filming next week has been cancelled; I have things to take care of."

After sending the message, she added another one: "Don't ask what's wrong, I'll tell you later."

The agent quickly replied, "Are you crazy? That endorsement deal took two months to finalize, and you're just going to cancel it like that?"

Shen Qingning turned off her phone and uninstalled Weibo.

If she keeps watching, she'll be unable to resist rushing out right now, issuing a statement and holding a press conference regardless of the consequences, taking all the blame upon herself.

Shen Qingning lay down on the bed and hugged the large cushion.

The cushion was bought by Jiang Han a long time ago. It's been used for two years, and the cotton inside has long since collapsed. It doesn't feel very heavy when you hug it.

She buried her face in the cushion, inhaling the faint, familiar scent that lingered on it.

Shen Qingning understood that she owed Jiang Han too much over the years.

I owe him ten years of companionship, I owe him a long period of patience, and I didn't try to stop her when she broke up with me...

Now we even owe him our innocence!

Money? She doesn't lack it!

Name? She doesn't care anymore!

She would only reappear when everyone thought that the big star Shen Qingning had gone into hiding.

Then everyone will know that Jiang Han did nothing wrong from beginning to end.

She's the one who's wrong; she's been wrong for ten years.