I've already reached the Nascent Soul stage, and you're saying I didn't time travel?

Chapter 32 Well done!

"How's the situation now?!"

Xu Zhiqiang led Li Yao into the company and asked urgently as soon as they entered.

The two arrived in a great hurry. Xu Zhiqiang's hair was disheveled, and his usually meticulously styled hair was nowhere to be seen.

Li Yao wasn't even wearing makeup; her face was sallow, and she looked like a completely different person.

The company was also in a mess.

Upon seeing Xu Zhiqiang approach, the assistant quickly stepped forward to report:

"Mr. Xu, Yao Yao's social media account has been hacked, and her chat history has been filmed and posted online, where it is now being widely circulated."

Xu Zhiqiang took the computer and quickly started watching the videos, his face growing paler with each viewing.

There are more than a dozen videos exposed online, including chat logs between Li Yao and Qi Xuan during their blind date—in which Li Yao angrily berates Qi Xuan for being stingy, a slut, and curses him for not being able to find a girlfriend.

It also includes her venting her dissatisfaction to the matchmaker, demanding compensation for the blind date expenses, and the chat logs of her constantly arguing with the matchmaker.

She also complained to her best friend and other friends about Qi Xuan's stinginess, saying that luckily she ran away without spending a penny, and that she must find a rich man to marry in the future, even if she is kept by a tycoon, etc.

Even her chat logs, including those where she discussed with herself how to use Qi Xuan to create a persona for personal gain, were all exposed on the video.

After watching these videos, Xu Zhiqiang felt utterly disheartened.

When you scroll down to the comments section, the remaining half of the post also went cold:

"I'm so angry after reading the chat history! It's one thing that you didn't accept Qi Shen's suggestion to split the bill, but you also cursed him so rudely behind his back. Now that Qi Shen is popular, you actually lied to everyone and said that you would pay for it yourself. Do you have any shame at all?"

"I thought she really was his ex-girlfriend, but it turns out she just called herself one. How much of what she says is true?"

"Hilarious! So many supporters were following along and cursing before, and now that the chat logs have been exposed, I just want to ask if they feel ashamed?"

"Their faces certainly don't hurt, since they didn't have faces to begin with, so how could they feel pain?"

"Thanks to the hacker for digging up these chat logs and exposing this liar's true colors. Otherwise, Qi Shen would have been unable to clear his name no matter what."

"Such behavior—fabricating facts and inciting cyberbullying without any moral bottom line in pursuit of traffic—must be held legally accountable!"

"Without MCNs fanning the flames, would this have become such a hot topic? They've abandoned all basic principles for the sake of popularity. I suggest the platform ban these unscrupulous agencies as well!"

……

Upon seeing the word "ban," Xu Zhiqiang's eye muscles twitched involuntarily.

He angrily scolded:
"What's the use of keeping you around?! This has blown up so badly, didn't you even think about public relations?!"

The assistant shrank back, looking aggrieved:
"The incident happened in the middle of the night, and there was no one in the company. By the time we received the news in the morning, it was already out of control."

We contacted many media outlets and platforms, but they completely ignored us. Even some self-media and influential figures we usually associate with didn't dare to speak up for us, fearing it would affect their fan base.

As for complaints, we've considered them, but the video is circulating everywhere, even trending on social media, so we simply can't handle them all.

"Won't you clarify this? Won't you say the video is fake?!"

Xu Zhiqiang was so angry he almost had a brain hemorrhage.

"Boss, it's no use,"

The assistant said with a wry smile:
"Many of her contacts have come forward to testify that the chat logs are authentic and have criticized Yao Yao for her poor character, rushing to cut ties with her."

Upon seeing the messages from relatives and close friends displayed by her assistant, Li Yao's face turned deathly pale, and she swayed as if she were about to fall.

Xu Zhiqiang glanced at her with disdain and ordered his assistant in a deep voice:

"Let's hold back for now and lay low for a while. Once Qi Xuan causes some trouble, we can take the opportunity to clear our name. Even if the ex-girlfriend is fake, the blind date is real. If we manage it well, we can use the blind date as a publicity stunt."

The assistant should confirm, and immediately go and make the arrangements.

But just then, a panicked shout suddenly came from inside the company:

"Oh no! Yao Yao's account on Douyin has been banned!"

Xu Zhiqiang and Li Yao were shocked upon hearing this.

The Douyin account is their main platform for selling products. Even though the incident has been exposed and many people have unfollowed them, they will still retain a lot of loyal fans. At least they can make some money in the future, and if they manage it well, they might be able to make a comeback.

But now...

Just as Xu Zhiqiang was about to go forward to check the situation, other employees nearby shouted in panic:
My Weibo account has also been banned!

"Even pornographic books have been blocked!"

"Your Bilibili account is banned!"

……

Xu Zhiqiang felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his whole body chilled to the bone. A single account being banned could be due to various reasons, such as inappropriate speech; with proper negotiation, it might even be unbanned.

But if all her social media accounts were blocked at the same time... that means Li Yao has been completely abandoned.

It's remarkable that he invested so much money in supporting Li Yao in the early stages!

Before he could even feel heartbroken, Xu Zhiqiang immediately thought of the other online celebrity accounts under his company.

If this turmoil is limited to Li Yao, that's fine, but if it affects the company...

Just then, crisp footsteps came from outside.

Turning around, I saw a group of security guards in blue uniforms striding in.

The lead officer immediately showed his identification and said:
"Xu Zhiqiang and Li Yao, right? We are from the joint investigation team. You are involved in cyberbullying and defamation, so you need to come with us and cooperate with the investigation."

"In addition, because you disseminated illegal content and caused extremely negative impacts, the cultural enforcement department has decided to revoke your company's 'Internet Culture Business License.' This is the 'Administrative Penalty Decision.' Please sign for it."

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhiqiang nearly collapsed to the ground.

However, the bad news doesn't stop there.

"Mr. Xu, something terrible has happened!"

The business liaison officer shouted in terror:

"Because Sister Yao Yao fabricated the persona of an 'ex-girlfriend' and is suspected of contract fraud, the brands she collaborated with have filed a class-action lawsuit, demanding triple damages, totaling over 30 million yuan!!"

"thirty million!!"

Xu Zhiqiang felt dizzy for a moment.

He glanced around, his gaze landing on Li Yao. Suddenly, he shoved her to the ground and roared furiously:

"It's all her fault! Whether it's fabrication or framing, it's all her doing! She should be held responsible for any compensation! I'm also going to sue her for harming our company and dragging us all down with her!"

Li Yao's eyes widened in disbelief as she said:

"Xu Zhiqiang, what the hell did you say to me in bed last night? You praised my status and said I would expand and strengthen the business, and now you're denying it?!"

"You filthy bitch, how dare you talk back?!"

Xu Zhiqiang was about to step forward and hit someone, but was stopped in time by the police officer next to him.

Not to be outdone, Li Yao jumped up and frantically scratched Xu Zhiqiang's face.

The scene suddenly became chaotic.

……

Class One Garden Party.

When they saw Xu Zhiqiang and Li Yao being taken away by the police in a disheveled state on the news, everyone cheered:

"Haha, well done!"

"You deserve it!"

"These bastards have finally met their match?!"

Xue Cheng immediately sent a large red envelope in the group chat, prompting everyone to praise the boss for his generosity.

……

In the villa's bedroom, Ji Yuwei saw the message in the group chat and couldn't help but smile slightly.

On the other end of the phone, the top lawyer, who had just finished reporting the claims details, asked with a puzzled look:

"Miss Ji, what's wrong...?"

"It's nothing. Shouldn't we be happy that the wicked have received their due punishment?"

"That's what you said."

After hanging up the phone, she made herself a cup of coffee.

Sitting in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, she sipped her coffee while flipping through John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty".

Before long, the enormous sky light curtain appeared as scheduled.

She put down her book and looked up from this best vantage point.

The next second, his pupils suddenly contracted.

(End of this chapter)