When Chen Yutong walked out of the hotel room, she was utterly exhausted, no longer wanting to think about what had just happened.
Although it seemed Zhan Mohan had spared her for Zhan Yang's sake this time, she knew her future path would only become more difficult.
She still felt a lingering fear recalling the events.
Just ten minutes prior, Zhan Mohan had demanded she look him in the eyes and declare she no longer had feelings for him.
Chen Yutong looked at Zhan Mohan, her voice trembling, "I... I... I really..."
As she spoke, Zhan Mohan deliberately took a step closer to her. His imposing aura sent a shock through her heart.
Under different circumstances, such proximity would have made her heart flutter, but now it was entirely different.
Zhan Mohan's presence filled her with fear, prompting her to unconsciously swallow to conceal it.
It even brought back memories of when she was almost driven out of the Zhan family, the despair she had experienced then.
"I really... I really don't have any feelings for you anymore."
Chen Yutong didn't know how she managed to utter those words. Tears welled up in her eyes, but for her own sake, she had no choice.
"Then, from this moment on, you should remember this. If there's a next time, I'm sure you know the consequences," Zhan Mohan's tone was laced with a chilling threat.
Chen Yutong recoiled, her unspoken resentment intensifying.
She knew she had to reclaim any humiliation she suffered today from Wei Yumeng.
Zhan Mohan watched Chen Yutong leave, his brow still furrowed.
This time, he had intentionally given Chen Yutong an opportunity. He wasn't sure if it was the right decision.
While his actions were for Zhan Yang's sake, they were also unfair to Wei Yumeng. However, he believed he wouldn't let similar situations occur again.
Upon returning home, Chen Yutong's first action was to check the public's current sentiment regarding the previous incident.
To her surprise, the news and videos had been taken down.
However, this maneuver provided her with an opportunity. She deliberately left a post on a forum, detailing how Wei Yumeng had used her influence to suppress the truth of her actions.
As expected, the post ignited passionate discussions among netizens.
Chen Yutong knew there was no turning back now; she had to press on.
Wei Yumeng woke up to find it was already evening. She hadn't expected to sleep for so long.
She walked out of her room, and her two children looked at her. "Mom, Dad said he... he won't be home tonight either."
Hearing this, Wei Yumeng felt a pang of sadness, yet over the past few days, she had become somewhat accustomed to this situation. Zhan Mohan hadn't spent a night at home in days.
Perhaps the effects of her earlier intoxication had worn off; her mind felt much clearer now. She realized wallowing in despair wouldn't solve anything, and it was better to take things one step at a time.
With that thought, Wei Yumeng decided to get some fresh air. After saying goodbye to the children, she left the house.
She found herself on the streets. She had hoped it would clear her head, but for some reason, everywhere seemed to hold memories of her and Zhan Mohan, inevitably bringing him to mind.
"Look, isn't that Wei Yumeng?" a passerby remarked.
"It seems to be."
"A woman like her actually dares to walk on the street. How shameless."
The words of the passersby pierced Wei Yumeng's heart like sharp swords.
She quickened her pace, wanting to escape the torrent of gossip.
She finally reached a market, hoping for a bit of safety.
To her utter dismay, someone directly threw vegetables at her.
"Bad woman, get out of our neighborhood," a formidable-looking elderly woman snarled.
Once one person started, others joined in, pelting Wei Yumeng with various items.
"Cheating on your husband, how shameless!"
"People like you are a waste of air."
The surrounding crowd pointed and hurled insults without end.
Wei Yumeng tried to run, but she was surrounded, with no escape.
How she wished someone would appear to help her, and how she hoped that person would be Zhan Mohan.
"Mohan..." She clutched her head, crying out his name in despair.
But she could only watch as eggs flew towards her. She instinctively crouched, hugging herself tightly, trying to shield herself.
After a while, the assault stopped. Instead, a warm presence enveloped her.
Wei Yumeng looked up in surprise, only to see Chai Yanyu's face.
"Sister, are you alright?" Chai Yanyu's voice was filled with concern. He used his body to shield her from the projectiles, holding Wei Yumeng close.
"A'Yu." Wei Yumeng could hardly believe that it was Chai Yanyu who had appeared at this moment.
Seeing Wei Yumeng's state, Chai Yanyu's anger flared. How dare these despicable people do this to her.
Chai Yanyu's assistant was even more direct, dispatching a team of bodyguards to surround the attackers.
"Mr. Chai, what should we do with these people?"
Chai Yanyu turned to face them, his voice chilling. "I'm sure you're aware of the consequences if I report this incident to the police."
Even as he spoke, Chai Yanyu didn't look at the crowd, his gaze fixed on Wei Yumeng, checking if she was injured.
The attackers were intimidated by Chai Yanyu's demeanor and remained silent.
"I can pretend I didn't see what happened today, but shouldn't you pay a price for your actions? Or would you prefer I send you all to the police station? You all seem to enjoy gossip so much. Perhaps having so many of you go together could become the most interesting news in Pengcheng."
Chai Yanyu's tone was menacing. A few who were more timid fell to their knees with a thud.
"I... I'm sorry."
Chai Yanyu said coldly, "The person you should apologize to is not me."
Those individuals then approached Wei Yumeng and bowed deeply. "We're sorry."
Wei Yumeng's expression remained unchanged, and she instinctively took a step back behind Chai Yanyu.
Chai Yanyu's eyes gleamed with coldness. "You think an apology is enough?"
The individuals visibly flinched.
Just as Chai Yanyu was about to further chastise them, Wei Yumeng tugged at his sleeve.