The Legend of Cinderella's Counterattack

The light from my phone screen illuminated my pale face. Chenxi's words were like sharp icicles, piercing my heart with every word. "They said you...that you relied on your relationship with Yuxuan to get to the top, that you have no real talent..."

I slumped back into my chair, my mind blank. Plagiarism? An illicit relationship? These ridiculous accusations, like invisible ropes, entangled Yuxuan and me, suffocating us.

"Lolo, don't worry, we will find out." Chenxi's voice trembled slightly, and I could feel her worry and anger through the phone.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "Send me the link to the post."

Clicking the link, I was greeted by a post on an anonymous forum titled, "Exposing the Dark Side of the XX Design Competition: Connections Lead to Success, Plagiarism Rampant." The post was filled with malicious speculation and personal attacks against Yuxuan and me. Someone even dug up photos of me from the past and compared them to my current appearance, using them to support the rumor that I had relied on connections to get to the top.

The comments section was a turmoil, with all sorts of unsightly comments spreading freely, pushing Yuxuan and I into the crosshairs of public opinion. I felt like I was in a giant whirlpool, swept away by the relentless tide, unable to breathe.

With a bang, the office door was pushed open, and Yuxuan hurried in. He must have seen the news online.

"Lolo, are you okay?" He hugged me tightly in his arms, his tone full of worry and self-blame.

"I'm fine." I tried to force a smile, not wanting to worry him.

"Don't be afraid, I will take care of it." His voice was low and firm, as if he was giving me strength and as if he was making a promise to himself.

I know that a new storm has come, and we can only work hand in hand to overcome the difficulties together.

But who was behind all this? And why were they targeting Yuxuan and me? All of this remained unknown. Yuxuan held my hand tightly, his eyes firm yet gentle, as if silently telling me he would always stand by me. Chenxi's investigation quickly yielded results. She said solemnly, "Although the IP addresses of these malicious comments have been disguised, I've noticed that the language style and word usage of several of them are very similar to those of the competitor you faced in the competition."

My heart sank as I recalled my competitor's arrogant expression and sarcastic tone. Could he really be behind this? But why would he do this? Was it simply jealousy and resentment?

Yuxuan calmly analyzed, "If it's really him, then he did this for only one reason: to ruin your reputation and disqualify you from the competition, so that he can win."

"But even if he really wants to win, he wouldn't resort to such despicable means, right?" I find it unbelievable. Is it really possible to throw conscience and morality behind when it comes to interests?

"Human nature cannot stand the test." Yuxuan's tone was filled with helplessness and bitterness. "Some people will do anything to achieve their goals."

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. It had already happened, and the most important thing now was to find a way to resolve it. Escaping and remaining silent would only embolden those hiding in the shadows.

"We can't just sit there and wait for death." I raised my head and looked at Yuxuan with a firm gaze. "We must fight back. We must make those who spread rumors and cause trouble pay the price!"

Yuxuan nodded approvingly. "You're right. We can't let those malicious remarks spread freely." He pondered for a moment, then said, "Chenxi, continue your investigation and see if you can find more evidence. Luoluo, let's issue a statement together to clarify the truth to the public."

We immediately took action. Yuxuan and I worked together to write a statement detailing the origins of the competition plan, the design philosophy, and our relationship. We didn't shy away from any questions and instead presented all the facts to the public. At the end of the statement, we wrote:

"The clear will be clear, and the turbid will be turbid. We believe that justice lies in the hearts of the people. We reserve the right to pursue legal responsibility for those who maliciously fabricate rumors, slander and defamation."

As soon as this statement was released, it quickly caused an uproar online. Voices of support poured in like a tide, and many netizens left messages expressing their trust in our character and condemning the despicable actions of those who spread rumors.

However, things didn't end there. A bigger storm was quietly brewing... After the statement was released, my phone kept ringing with notifications. Most of them were words of encouragement and support, but there were also some doubts and insults. My mood was like a roller coaster, up and down.

Just when Yuxuan and I were at a loss, an unexpected phone call came in.

"Hello, Miss Lin, I am a representative of the XX family. We are aware of some of the troubles you have encountered recently and would like to say a few words." A low and magnetic voice came from the other end of the phone, with an aura of majesty without anger.

I was stunned. The XX family is a well-established and wealthy family in the fashion industry. How could they pay attention to a small designer like me?

"Please go ahead." I tried to sound calmer.

"Our family has always admired your talent and believed in you. Regarding the originality of your entry, our family can testify. A previous design project you participated in included a prototype for this entry, and several designers in our family can attest to this."

His words were powerful, and every word was full of strength, like a reassurance, instantly soothing my inner uneasiness and anxiety.

"Thank you so much!" I was so excited that I could hardly speak. I didn't expect that at the critical moment, it was this ancient family that stood up and spoke for me.

"You're welcome. We're simply speaking the truth. Our family strongly condemns these malicious slanders! We hope you won't be swayed by these rumors and continue to pursue your dreams."

After I hung up the phone, I was filled with gratitude and touched, and a warm feeling welled up in my heart. Yuxuan held my hand and said with relief, "You see, good prevails over evil, and the truth will always come out."

The ancient family's statement was like a bombshell, causing a huge sensation on the Internet. Many netizens who were originally skeptical began to change their minds and believed in our innocence.

However, things are not as simple as we thought. Although our response has received some support, many people are still influenced by previous malicious comments and their attitude towards us has become more complicated.

"Things have developed to this point. This is no longer a simple competition." Yu Xuan said solemnly, "There must be someone behind this, manipulating all this, with the goal of completely defeating you."

I nodded, feeling a vague sense of unease. Who was stirring up trouble behind this, and what was their motive?

At this moment, Chenxi rushed in and said anxiously, "I found some clues. The IP addresses of those anonymous comments seem to be..."

There was a hint of hesitation in her tone, and she seemed to be hesitant to speak. My heart was also in my throat. Could it be that as we guessed, the mastermind behind this was... "Chenxi, what did you say? Who is it?" I asked anxiously, my heart feeling like it was being tightly grasped by an invisible hand.

"Those IP addresses are related to... to Li Meng's company..." Chenxi's voice became lower and lower, as if he himself did not dare to believe this fact.

Li Meng is one of my strongest opponents in this competition. She had always been very friendly and even offered to cooperate with me. I didn't expect that she was doing this behind my back!

"It's her!" I clenched my fists angrily, my fingertips almost digging into the flesh.

Yuxuan patted my shoulder and signaled me to calm down. "Don't be impatient. We don't have any conclusive evidence yet, so we can't jump to conclusions."

"But, who else would do this except her? She has always regarded me as a thorn in her side. This competition is crucial to her. She must want to win by any means necessary!" I tried hard to suppress the anger in my heart, but I still couldn't calm down.

"I know you are very angry now, but we can't act impulsively. I will let the technical department continue to track and find conclusive evidence to expose her true identity." Yuxuan's tone was firm and calm, like a clear spring, slowly extinguishing the anger in my heart.

A few days later, a fashion charity dinner was held at a luxury hotel in the city center, and Yuxuan and I were invited. I knew Li Meng would also be there, and this might be an opportunity for a face-to-face confrontation.

At the banquet, elegantly dressed people and clinking glasses filled the air, and celebrities from all walks of life gathered. Yuxuan and I immediately attracted a lot of attention. Those who had been skeptical of me gathered around, eager to find out what was going on.

"Ms. Lin, do you have anything to say about the rumors online?"

“Mr. Lu, do you really believe that Miss Lin’s work is original?”

Facing the reporters' aggressive questions, I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. "I know that recent events have caused everyone to doubt me, but I can say responsibly that my work is absolutely original and I have a clear conscience!"

"As for those malicious attacks online, I believe that the law will give a fair judgment, and the innocent will be cleared. I will not be defeated by these rumors, and I will continue to stick to my dream!" My tone was firm and powerful, and there was an unquestionable light in my eyes.

Yuxuan also stood up and stood firmly beside me. "I believe in Luoluo, and she believes in me. That's enough. As for those who hide in dark corners and maliciously slander others, I hope you will take care of yourselves!"

His words were powerful and carried a strong aura that shocked everyone present.

After the dinner, I felt a lot more relieved. Although there are still many unresolved issues, at least I bravely stood up, faced those doubts and misunderstandings, and helped more people understand the truth of the matter.

However, just when things seemed to be getting better, the anonymous commenter posted even more vile content again, even touching upon my personal privacy, which made me feel unprecedented hurt and anger.

Faced with such serious malicious slander, how could Yuxuan and I protect ourselves and each other while also not affecting our preparations for the competition? After the charity dinner, I had assumed those hiding in the shadows would tone down a bit, or at least not dare to act so brazenly as before. I was so naive. It turns out that for some people, malice is like a snowball, only growing larger and larger until it completely consumes you.

That evening, as usual, I browsed the internet to see what people were saying about the dinner. The trending search term "Lin Luoluo plagiarized" was still prominent. Clicking on it, I was flooded with all sorts of disgusting comments. This time, they weren't just targeting my work; they were also targeting my past, my family, and even my relationship with Yuxuan.

"I've heard that Lin Luoluo would do anything to get to the top, and it's true!"

"Climbing up the Lu family's big tree, of course you can do whatever you want!"

"Poor Mr. Lu was kept in the dark and thought he had found true love. How ridiculous!"

Even worse, they dug up some of my old photos, maliciously photoshopped them, and fabricated all sorts of rumors. Seeing all that obscenity, my heart felt like it was being stabbed by a knife, the pain unbearable. Tears streamed uncontrollably, and I frantically closed the webpage, but I couldn't erase those images.

"Lolo, what's wrong with you?" Yuxuan noticed that something was wrong with me, put down the documents in his hand and asked with concern.

I fought back my tears and shook my head, "Nothing, just a little tired."

He came over and gently held me in his arms, "Don't worry, everything will be over."

His embrace was warm and strong, bringing me a sense of comfort. However, those vicious comments were like maggots, lingering and gnawing at my heart. I began to doubt myself, my work, my love, and even the meaning of my existence.

"Yuxuan, can I really do this? Do I really have the ability to finish the game? Am I really worthy of your love?" I leaned weakly on his shoulder and asked with a trembling voice.

He held my face in his hands, his eyes firm yet gentle, "Of course! You are very talented, I believe in you! You deserve all the good things in this world, including my love!"

His words warmed me, but the dark cloud in my heart lingered. I knew I had to overcome this hostility and regain my confidence before I could move on. But how could I resist this relentless attack?