Chapter 0
The president of the Hope Newspaper was a young woman who looked no older than thirty, named Su Lei. She spoke concisely and directly, giving an impression of forthrightness and sincerity.
Upon meeting her, Song Qiao wasted no words and presented the documentary evidence he had prepared.
Initially, Su Lei was reluctant to entertain Song Qiao, but out of consideration for President Xu, she reluctantly accepted the documents.
However, as she read, she was astonished.
While minor discrepancies between reported facts and reality might be considered normal, perhaps due to oversights by the newspaper's reporters, the data Song Qiao provided was directly contradictory to what her newspaper had published.
This clearly indicated either a problem with Song Qiao himself or deliberate defamation by the newspaper's reporters. m..oΓg
"Boss Song, the documentary evidence you've provided can currently only be considered a one-sided account. We will need to verify the specifics with the Red Cross."
Su Lei pondered for a long time before giving Song Qiao this reply.
Song Qiao could not afford to let the newspaper's report stand unchallenged. Every day it remained would significantly damage his company's reputation, potentially leading to its swift elimination from the market.
"Ms. Su, there's no need to trouble yourselves. We have already invited a representative from the Red Cross Association to testify."
Fortunately, Song Qiao had made thorough preparations. As he spoke, he signaled to the young man sent by the Red Cross.
The young man immediately understood and took out his work identification. He then explained to Su Lei in detail the specifics of Song Qiao's donation of supplies to the Red Cross.
As Su Lei listened, her expression grew increasingly grim, and she nearly slammed the table.
In front of Song Qiao and his companions, she directly called for Zhou Ning.
Upon seeing the person responsible, Song Qiao immediately had Qin Ya present the prepared lawyer's letter. Without waiting for any explanation, he simply stated, "I'll see you in court," and prepared to leave.
Zhou Ning had never encountered such a situation. He was indeed in the wrong regarding this matter, and his face instantly turned pale with fear.
He had never expected a factory owner with no apparent formal education to resort to legal action so readily.
If he were to become a defendant, charges of malicious rumor-mongering and defamation could easily land him in prison for several years.
With this thought, he no longer dared to deny anything. In front of his superior, he suddenly fell to his knees and begged for mercy, "Boss Song, I was wrong. I was blinded by greed and fabricated this smear report. Please, be magnanimous and spare me this once."
Song Qiao, who had already reached the door, smiled faintly, seeing that things had unfolded as he predicted.
He turned around and said to Zhou Ning without emotion, "It's not impossible for me to spare you."
"Tell me, who instigated you to do this, and what did they give you in return?"
Facing the imminent threat of prison, Zhou Ning was no longer concerned with camaraderie and immediately implicated Lin Sheng.
"Lin Sheng, it was Lin Sheng! That scoundrel instigated me. He even gave me a bribe of twenty thousand yuan."
"I wrote the article in the newspaper exactly as he instructed. Boss Song, please forgive me for this being my first offense."
Zhou Ning, who was typically outwardly brave but inwardly cowardly, was now weeping hysterically from fear.
"Zhou Ning, how dare you do something like this behind the newspaper's back!"
Su Lei, now understanding everything, slammed the table. Her fiery temper made her want to discipline her employee immediately.
"Ms. Su, it's best to remain calm. I suggest your newspaper promptly dismiss this unscrupulous reporter to avoid further trouble in the future."
Song Qiao glanced at Su Lei and said indifferently.
Su Lei, admitting fault, did not hesitate. She gave Zhou Ning a cold look.
"Immediately publish a public apology to Boss Song and then pack your things and leave. I never want to see a despicable person like you at the newspaper again."
Zhou Ning was utterly shocked by Su Lei's decision and opened his mouth to argue.
"Ahem, you should consider your options carefully. I still have the right to sue you personally."
Song Qiao coughed lightly from the side, immediately silencing Zhou Ning.
After all, compared to imprisonment, being fired was a far lighter punishment.
Furthermore, unlike Lin Sheng, Zhou Ning had an uncle working in government propaganda in the provincial capital. Even if his reputation were affected by this incident, he could still find a way to make a living.
"Alright, I agree. I'll do as Boss Song wishes."
Zhou Ning gritted his teeth and nodded in agreement. His gaze towards Song Qiao became resentful. He now harbored animosity towards both Lin Sheng and Song Qiao.
In his mind, these two were the reason for his downfall, and he himself bore no fault.
Seeing that the matter was resolved, Song Qiao exchanged a nod with Su Lei and strode out of the office.
Lin Sheng, this same troublemaker was behind him again. It was true that you could guard against a thief, but not against constant harassment. He had intended to let the previous incident go, but instead, the other party became even more persistent.
To deal with such a scoundrel, it was necessary to cut off the root of the problem, otherwise, he would always be a menace.
With this thought, Song Qiao called Qi Yun.
They had met a while ago. Upon receiving the news, Qi Yun readily agreed and promised Song Qiao that he would teach Lin Sheng a memorable lesson, as long as no lives were lost.
At the very least, it would be appropriate for him to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
…
This farce lasted only one afternoon, after which the Hope Newspaper published a lengthy clarification of the facts.
Upon the news, the public, who had initially misunderstood Song Qiao, was in an uproar. They vociferously cursed the reporter named Zhou Ning as heartless, with some radical individuals even vowing to administer justice themselves and find him to teach him a lesson.
In an instant, Zhou Ning became a pariah in the city, facing universal condemnation. Even the vegetable vendor at his doorstep refused to sell him produce. He found himself increasingly ostracized in the city.
Song Qiao had not expected such strong support from the public. It seemed that many people harbored resentment towards unscrupulous media outlets.
He felt no sympathy for Zhou Ning's predicament, as it was entirely self-inflicted.
The business of Xiangpiaopiao was largely unaffected. Instead, due to the increased public attention, its notoriety in the city had further improved.