Chapter 058: The Chill Before the King's Fall (24)

Wei Wan’er was screaming as she was taken away by the police.

The results of the investigation soon emerged. On the day Ouyang Zining fell down the shopping mall stairs, Wei Wan’er had gone shopping with her. Not long after, Wei Wan’er invented an excuse to leave, then disguised herself in the restroom and followed behind Ouyang Zining. As Ouyang Zining was descending the stairs, Wei Wan’er pushed her from behind.

As for the motive behind pushing Ouyang Zining, it was beyond anyone’s expectation.

“Why should she be allowed to marry President Huangfu? I’m not inferior to her in any way. Isn’t it just a matter of climbing into his bed and having his child? If it were up to me, I could do that too.” In the interrogation room, Wei Wan’er rambled incoherently. “The one who should have his child is me.”

Outside, Le Yixian watched the scene with mixed feelings. In the original story, Wei Wan’er was the heroine’s close friend—the first to stand up for her when the original character framed the protagonist. Now, however, the world’s plot had made her a scapegoat.

It seemed the direction of this world had shifted.

Someone else had stepped in to fill the original protagonist’s role. The thought weighed heavily on Le Yixian’s heart.

“Xiao Ya,” a gentle, warm voice approached. Le Yixian turned to meet Huangfu Shang’s worried gaze. “Don’t worry, there’s a way to resolve this.”

“Hm?” Le Yixian was puzzled.

Huangfu Shang slowly took her slightly cool hand in his, lowering his handsome face to brush her palm lightly. “I’ll help with the matter at the Alice Hotel as well.”

So that’s what he meant. Le Yixian’s expression softened. “Thank you, Xiao Shang.”

“Xiao Ya, you don’t need to thank me,” Huangfu Shang held her hand firmly. “You’re the one I like. I don’t want to see you troubled. I only want to see you smile. Could you smile for me?”

Le Yixian looked at him, half amused and half helpless, her lips curving up slightly. “I’m not unhappy.”

“But I feel like you’re not happy,” Huangfu Shang pouted, tracing her fingers with a hint of grievance on his face. “Even if you’re smiling, your heart’s not happy. I don’t want you to be unhappy.”

“Even if I’m not happy, as long as you’re by my side, that’s enough.”

Upon hearing this, Huangfu Shang’s eyes lit up instantly, as if fireworks blossomed within them. “I feel the same. As long as I have you, Xiao Ya, that’s enough.”

Le Yixian looked at him and hesitated before asking, “Xiao Shang, what do you think of this world?”

Huangfu Shang tilted his head. “It’s wonderful—because you’re here.”

He frowned slightly, as if recalling something. “This question sounds familiar. I think someone else asked me this before.”

Le Yixian didn’t reply, just watched him silently.

She had asked this very question in the previous world.

“Xiao Ya, why are you asking that?” Huangfu Shang noticed her tension. “Do you not like this world?”

Recalling how a single sentence in the previous world had nearly caused disaster, Le Yixian replied, “Wherever you are, I like it too.”

Huangfu Shang blushed at her words.

Seeing this, Le Yixian said nothing more.

Clearly, her little lover was as enraptured with this world as he had been with the last.

What should she do?

When Ouyang Zining regained consciousness, Le Yixian showed her the video circulating online. Unexpectedly, Ouyang Zining looked utterly bewildered. “I never did such a thing.”

“Really?”

“Really. I don’t remember it at all,” Ouyang Zining nodded.

Le Yixian pressed her lips together. Then what was the meaning of this video?

The Alice Hotel incident could not be delayed any further. The official social media account had already issued a statement promising to investigate thoroughly and provide answers to the public.

Even the Health Department and other agencies had intervened as the online furor grew, and Alice Hotel had suspended operations for the time being.

Any further delay would only worsen the hotel’s reputation. As a renowned establishment, once its reputation was tarnished, it would be difficult to recover.

Then, one day, the police contacted Wang Jingye, informing him that they had found a lead.

It was related to the detained Wei Wan’er.

Apparently, she had conspired with an intern to stage a scene, deliberately recording it and mentioning Ouyang Zining by name in the footage. Their goal was to ruin Ouyang Zining’s reputation online, making the Huangfu family despise her and refuse to let her marry into their family.

Upon hearing this, Wang Jingye quickly sought out the other intern, who was so frightened when he found her that she nearly burst into tears.

Before Wang Jingye could say anything, she nervously confessed everything.

It turned out the two had filmed the scene a week prior. They had intentionally thrown the cake on the floor, though in the end, it was never served to customers but was thrown into the trash.

Wang Jingye’s face remained expressionless. Le Yixian and Manager Chang exchanged a glance before the latter nodded and left.

The office fell silent. The intern, trembling, mustered the courage to look up, only to meet a pair of deep, inscrutable eyes. She shuddered and quickly lowered her gaze.

“At your age, there are so many things you could learn—why choose to slander others?” Le Yixian’s voice was devoid of emotion, her tone flat but unwavering, making the intern’s legs go weak. “Do you realize we could hold you legally responsible? You’ve only just entered the workforce. If you end up with a criminal record, how will you live? How will you find a job?”

“I… I didn’t mean to. Wei Wan’er said we were just playing a prank on Ouyang Zining,” the intern sobbed, covering her face. “Ouyang Zining is always hogging the spotlight. At the Li family banquet, Chef Tian had picked me as the pastry chef, but she deliberately made my signature chocolate cake for Chef Tian the next day, adding all sorts of extra touches to impress him. My chance to shine was stolen by her.”

“Opportunities are earned through one’s own efforts. The capable rise to the top—there’s nothing wrong with that,” Le Yixian replied coldly, watching as the intern’s face went pale. “Now, you’re fired.”

“President Wang, I was wrong—I’ll change, please give me another chance!” At the word “fired,” the intern begged desperately for mercy.

“I’ve already entrusted the hotel to my daughter. Besides, I think her decision is right,” Wang Jingye said calmly, sipping his steaming tea.

The intern was filled with regret.

Wei Wan’er had assured her that President Wang was kind, that if she pleaded and cried a bit, he would forgive her and let her keep her job at the Alice Hotel.

If Wang Jingye had known what she was thinking, he really might have wanted to wring her neck. Nearly ruining Alice Hotel over this incident, and she expected to be forgiven? Even if she begged a thousand or ten thousand times, he would not let her off so easily.

Manager Chang entered and nodded at the two of them. “We found the surveillance footage. The cake was indeed thrown into the trash.”