"Live broadcast? What live broadcast?"
As Xia Yiran was still in bed, she received a call from Zhang Peng.
Clicking on the link he sent, it was a live broadcast on a certain platform. Su Hui was publicly defending Xia Weiliang in front of the media, even saying she wanted to see if the person who bullied her daughter had faced retribution!
She instantly sobered up, "Damn it! Is she crazy?!"
On the other end of the phone, Zhang Peng said, "With Mrs. Xia speaking out, public opinion is bound to be affected. At this critical juncture, you can only say what Mrs. Xia says. Absolutely do not reveal any dissatisfaction, understand?"
Zhang Peng knew her too well. If he didn't warn her in advance, and she said something unfavorable, it wouldn't be something public relations could fix.
When Xia Yiran came out of her room, Xia Chengye was also at home, watching television in the living room. The news being broadcast was precisely about Su Hui going to the hospital.
Xia Chengye was quite angry, "This is really outrageous!"
Xia Yiran quickly went over, "Dad, what's going on with Mom? She didn't even discuss it with us before going to the hospital. Just now, my agent called to ask, saying it had a very bad impact on me, making it seem like I was so unfilial!"
"Sigh! I already warned her not to get involved in this mess, but she just wouldn't listen!"
"How can Mom be like this…"
At this moment, Xia Xiaoqiu helped her grandaunt down the stairs.
"I told her to go."
Xia Chengye looked up, his expression immediately contained, "Aunt, you too... you're also being so unreasonable?"
Xie Wanfei glanced at him, walked past Xia Yiran, and sat on the sofa. Her disdainful gaze swept over Xia Chengye, "Truly foolish! Do you think not speaking out means the Xia family is protecting itself? That was a human life! If it wasn't a huge matter, who would leap to their death from a building? If you don't speak out, the media will speculate wildly, and perhaps all the unsavory things you've done in the past will be dug up!"
Xia Chengye's expression slightly froze, and he quickly calmed down.
In business, how many people are truly clean? Especially as businesses grow larger, the more dirt can be dug up.
Xie Wanfei continued, "Su Hui's high-profile support for Weiliang is clearly telling everyone that our Xia family stands upright and is not afraid of slander! What is this called? This is called backbone!"
A few words had Xia Chengye obediently sitting down to listen to the lecture.
Xia Yiran resentfully said, "Then Mom shouldn't have ignored me! Her appearance makes me seem so unfeeling!"
Xie Wanfei glanced at her. Before she could speak, Xia Xiaoqiu retorted, "Your adoptive mother is in trouble, yet you act as if nothing happened. Do you think you don't seem unfeeling?"
"What do you know! Did you see me when I was sad? Must I cry and wail to prove I'm sad?"
"Heh heh, I don't know. I only know that the one visiting is my cousin, and the one being scolded is also my cousin! So, whether or not Second Aunt is involved, you can't shake off the label of being heartless and ungrateful."
"You..."
Xia Yiran truly hated this Xia Xiaoqiu!
The two had always been at odds. Xia Xiaoqiu, relying on her family's wealth and being the legitimate daughter of a wealthy family, even when living with Xia Chengye, was bossy. Xia Chengye always turned a blind eye and even advised Xia Yiran to be understanding as an elder sister.
Xia Xiaoqiu rolled her eyes to the heavens and directly ignored her.
Xia Chengye, being a businessman, had some intelligence. After careful consideration, he immediately said humbly, "Then, according to Aunt, what should we do now?"
Xie Wanfei swept him a cold glance, then looked at Xia Yiran, and stood up. "Xiaoqiu, accompany Aunt for a walk in the courtyard. Talking too much with fools makes my brain slow down."
Xia Chengye: "..."
"Oh!" Xia Xiaoqiu stifled a laugh and responded, then helped her outside.
Only after they were completely out of sight did Xia Yiran hook her arm around her father's and cry, "Dad! What does Aunt mean by this? I know she likes Xia Weiliang, but she shouldn't target me everywhere! She even says it's all for the good of the Xia family. She's not surnamed Xia, so she wouldn't truly care about the Xia family!"
"Silence!"
Xia Chengye suddenly reprimanded her, startling Xia Yiran, "Dad..."
Xia Chengye doted on this daughter very much and rarely spoke harshly to her, but at this moment, his face was stern, and he said word by word, "Aunt has never had any other intentions for the Xia family! If she didn't care about the Xia family, she could have simply ignored us! After your grandparents passed away, it was thanks to Aunt's support that we are where we are today! Don't let me hear you speak ill of Aunt again, do you understand?"
"I... I understand." Xia Yiran felt extremely wronged.
Xia Chengye was also very annoyed at this moment. Seeing her tearful appearance made him even more unhappy. "Bao Fang is your adoptive mother, after all. It is indeed inappropriate that you didn't visit her, especially when the reporters are involved. Go see her when you have time later."
"Yes, I understand."
Xia Chengye said no more and turned to go to the study.
In the garden, Xia Xiaoqiu supported Xie Wanfei and asked softly, "Aunt, why didn't you tell Second Uncle just now?"
Xie Wanfei gently fanned herself, pursed her lips, and smiled, "If it were you, would you ask money from the daughter you've had a mother-daughter relationship with for over twenty years, or the daughter you've only met a few times and had unpleasant interactions with, if you were in dire need of money?"
Xia Xiaoqiu was straightforward and said without thinking, "Of course, from the one I raised for decades! Although she's not my biological daughter, she's still the one I raised. To be honest, even asking her for filial piety is only natural!"
Xie Wanfei smiled, "Even our Xiaoqiu understands this logic, but some people just refuse to comprehend it."
Xia Xiaoqiu blinked her big round eyes, "Aunt means... Bao Fang went to Xia Yiran for money first, and she didn't give it, so she went to my cousin?"
"Heh heh, then that needs to be thoroughly verified."
She turned her head and whispered a few words in Xia Xiaoqiu's ear, then asked, "Do you understand?"
"Mhm!" Xia Xiaoqiu's eyes lit up, "I'll go do it now!"
—
Seeing Su Hui in the video, Xia Weiliang's eyes felt a little sore.
Even though she didn't want to admit it, it felt pretty good to have someone backing her up.
Nuomi was scrolling through the comments, "Mrs. Xia's move is really powerful! The comments were polarized before, but now more and more passers-by are siding with Sister Weiliang!"
She felt the satisfaction of revenge, "This is how it should be! You need to use your brain when eating melons. In this day and age, there's still the victim is always innocent theory!"
Xia Weiliang didn't care what others said; she just wanted to end these troublesome matters.
At this moment, Song Yuan returned.
"Brother Yuan!"
Nuomi dropped her phone and quickly went to greet him, "How did the investigation go?"
Even Xia Weiliang was staring at her, and her heart couldn't help but tighten.
Song Yuan changed his shoes and walked in, placing a manila envelope on the table, "I found out."
Xia Weiliang took a deep breath, then picked up the paper bag and pulled out the examination report…