After hanging up the phone, Wei Yumeng looked at Chen Yutong seriously.
"I've already arranged a time with my elder brother. Although I've helped you, I hope you won't do anything excessive."
Wei Yumeng's tone still carried a hint of threat. After all, she couldn't be entirely sure if these news reports had anything to do with Chen Yutong.
Chen Yutong hurriedly nodded, "Don't worry, I only have one goal now. I just want Yang Yi to come back, that's all."
Wei Yumeng breathed a sigh of relief, "Prepare yourself well. When you go to see my elder brother later, don't wear something like this."
Chen Yutong then realized that she hadn't paid attention to her appearance for the past few days. She had mostly been wearing home clothes and hadn't even remembered to put on makeup when she went out. They say women dress up for the one they love. After Zhan Yangyi left, she hadn't realized who she was dressing up for anymore.
"I know. I'll definitely present myself in the most perfect way to see him later."
Wei Yumeng still gave a few more words of caution, still not entirely at ease, and then left. Chen Yutong watched Wei Yumeng's departing back. She never imagined that one day, she would feel so grateful for Wei Yumeng's actions. She glanced at the time. There were still two hours until the appointment with Zhan Yangyi. She needed to dress up well.
After much effort, Chen Yutong finally chose an outfit. It was the same one she wore when she first met Zhan Yangyi. Although she wore it to a banquet back then, it was perfectly fine for everyday wear, just a little more elegant. She hoped that seeing her dressed like this would remind Zhan Yangyi of their first meeting. With this thought, Chen Yutong finally went out.
Even when she was in the car, Chen Yutong kept looking at the news reports that slandered Zhan Yangyi. She didn't even care what others would think of her. She directly used her account to leave comments under those news articles.
"You're all mistaken. Yang Yi is not that kind of person at all."
"I am his other half. I know his character best. I believe him."
However, other netizens saw her comments and only felt pity.
"Am I seeing things correctly? Miss Chen Yutong actually showed up in person. While we can understand you wanting to support your husband, he really is a scumbag. You shouldn't be fooled by him."
"Yes, yes. These photos aren't fake. My technician friends have all checked them."
Chen Yutong held her phone, her hands trembling slightly. "It's not like that, it's not like that!"
But no one would hear her explanation. They only believed what they saw. Chen Yutong leaned back against the seat with some dejection. However, thinking about meeting Zhan Yangyi soon, she forced herself to cheer up. Following the address Wei Yumeng gave her, she arrived at a business club. She usually didn't frequent such places, but the environment here was indeed very comfortable. After she stated her purpose, a server led her to a private room.
Zhan Yangyi was looking at his phone. He had seen Chen Yutong's comments under almost every news report about him. She was desperately defending him, but no one believed her. A hint of tenderness appeared in Zhan Yangyi's eyes, but it quickly turned into helplessness.
"You don't need to do this," he murmured.
Just then, he heard footsteps outside the door. He immediately put away his phone and adjusted his posture. When Zhan Yangyi saw Chen Yutong walk in, he was even dazed for a moment. Time seemed to rewind to the scene of him meeting Chen Yutong for the first time, before their marriage. At that time, he could never have imagined that they would reach such a point.
"Yang Yi," Chen Yutong smiled at Zhan Yangyi, "I didn't expect you to be so early." She recalled that in the previous few times she had seen Zhan Yangyi, she had been in a state of disarray. Now, as Wei Yumeng had said, she couldn't let Zhan Yangyi see her in that state anymore.
Zhan Yangyi just stared at her blankly, not saying a word.
"I'm sorry. Due to some circumstances, I could only ask Yu Meng to help me arrange this meeting. But one thing is true: I came to see you today because of those news reports."
As soon as Chen Yutong finished speaking, Zhan Yangyi seemed to reach out to her blankly, his hand almost touching her cheek. She naturally didn't dodge. She also wanted to feel the warmth of Zhan Yangyi's hand. But just as they were about to touch, Zhan Yangyi suddenly withdrew his hand, his expression returning to one of indifference. Chen Yutong's mood immediately plummeted. She had thought this outfit might have had some effect, but it seemed not to be the case.
Zhan Yangyi's hand had returned under the table, and Chen Yutong couldn't see that he was tightly gripping his right wrist with his left hand, as if forcefully controlling something.
"If you're here to resolve that matter, then there's no need. You can go back," Zhan Yangyi said indifferently.
"No, I'm not leaving," Chen Yutong said with determination. "I know that the mistakes I've made before are enough for everyone to think that I'm responsible for this too. But the one thing I don't want is for you to misunderstand me. Those news reports have nothing to do with me."
Zhan Yangyi appeared somewhat impatient. "I don't care about those news reports at all. What's going on with those photos? And don't you know those things are real?"
Zhan Yangyi's words were like a sharp sword piercing Chen Yutong's heart. Chen Yutong couldn't quite believe that Zhan Yangyi would admit it so readily.
"Actually, there's nothing more for us to say to each other, is there?" Zhan Yangyi said calmly. "These news reports explain everything. I don't love you anymore, and I need my own life. This has nothing to do with you. I just can't continue living with you anymore."
"But you promised me before that you would reconsider our relationship and give me another chance," Chen Yutong pressed on.
Zhan Yangyi let out a mocking laugh. "If I hadn't said that back then, would you have let it go? That was in front of the company. If the commotion had continued, the consequences would have been unthinkable, so I had to say that then."
"But if that's the case, you didn't have to come out and see me that day. Yet, you still showed up."
Zhan Yangyi suddenly leaned closer to Chen Yutong. "You think that way? Actually, I wasn't going to see you that day." He then took out his phone and opened the photos from the news reports. "Do you see this woman? She's my current girlfriend. I was planning to pick her up from work that day, but you stopped me."