Double evil in the business district

Xiao Yue slowly uttered a name, like dropping a stone, stirring ripples across a tranquil lake. The surprise in Detective Luo's tone was quickly replaced by professional composure. "Okay, I understand. I'll investigate immediately."

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Yue leaned back in her chair, exhausted from a sleepless night. Outside the window, the dazzling light of a new day couldn't illuminate the deepening darkness within her. She thought she'd found a breakthrough, that she'd finally uncovered the truth. But she had no idea it was just the beginning of another nightmare.

Seeing that Xiao Yue and her team's investigation seemed to be going nowhere, the Hong Shui army became even more reckless. They fabricated new rumors, portraying Xiao Yue as a scheming woman who would do anything for personal gain, even fabricating a story of "shady dealings" between her and Shen Ting. Xiao's corporate reputation plummeted like a kite with a broken string.

Netizen Feng, an ordinary office worker, browsed the news daily. The recent deluge of negative news about Xiao Yue had left him with a deeply negative impression of this woman, whom he had never met. He commented in the comments section, "This kind of woman will do anything for money. It's disgusting!" His comment quickly garnered likes and replies from other netizens, sparking even more online anger and abuse.

Public Relations Manager Lin was frantically dealing with various crises, but it felt like she was struggling in a raging flood, powerless to turn the tide. She approached Xiao Yue, her tone filled with a hint of helplessness and pleading: "Boss Xiao, the situation is getting worse and worse. We must find a solution as soon as possible, otherwise..."

Xiao Yue rubbed her aching temples and said in a hoarse voice, "I know, I'm trying." But deep down, a deep sense of powerlessness welled up in her. She felt like she was stuck in a quagmire, and the more she struggled, the deeper she sank.

Meanwhile, the investigation that Shen Ting had sent Detective Luo to investigate also encountered obstacles. The other party seemed to have been prepared and had cleaned up all traces, making Detective Luo's investigation difficult. Shen Ting stood by the French window, gazing at the bustling city, his brow furrowed. He knew Xiao Yue was under tremendous pressure, and he wanted to help her, but he found himself powerless.

In the evening, Xiao Yue dragged her exhausted body back to the apartment, but her phone kept ringing. It was Shen Ting calling.

"Yueyue, are you okay?" Shen Ting's voice was full of worry.

Xiao Yue tried hard to force a smile: "I'm fine, don't worry."

"Don't be so stubborn," Shen Ting said in a low and firm voice, "I know you're having a hard time. If you need anything, just tell me."

Xiao Yue was silent for a moment, but she couldn't help but feel aggrieved. She choked up and said, "Ting, I'm so tired..."

On the other end of the phone, Shen Ting's heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand. He wished he could be by her side right now, give her a hug, and tell her everything would be fine. But he knew that anything he said now would seem pale and powerless.

At this moment, Shen Ting's assistant suddenly knocked on the door and handed him a document with a serious expression: "Mr. Shen, please take a look at this..."

Shen Ting took the document, glanced at the contents on it, and his face turned ashen in an instant.

"There's some movement from Blogger Zhang's side..." the assistant whispered.

The document in Shen Ting's hand was a screenshot of blogger Zhang's latest Weibo post. Several photos were prominently displayed, showing Xiao Yue and a stranger behaving intimately, resembling a romantic date. Although the photos were blurry and dimly lit, they were enough to spark speculation among netizens uninformed about the situation.

"This photo is obviously photoshopped," Shen Ting's assistant complained indignantly. "This is too despicable!"

Shen Ting's face was gloomy, his eyes as cold as a pond. "What did the technical department say?"

"They are currently conducting an appraisal, but this P (synthesis, retouching) method is very sophisticated, and it will take some time to fully confirm it," the assistant replied.

"As soon as possible!" Shen Ting's tone left no room for doubt. He had a premonition that there was a bigger conspiracy behind this.

Meanwhile, Detective Luo's investigation has reached a deadlock. He had initially identified a suspect, but just as he was about to investigate further, he discovered he was being followed. The person following him was very professional, and Detective Luo tried several times to shake them off, but failed.

"It seems they've already noticed my investigation," Detective Luo thought to himself as he sat in a cafe, observing the people passing through the window. He realized his adversary was more formidable than he'd imagined. The risks of the investigation had increased, but he didn't back down. Instead, his resolve to uncover the truth only intensified. He picked up his phone, called Shen Ting, and reported the situation.

"I understand. Be careful." Shen Ting's voice was low and calm. "I will arrange for someone to protect your safety."

After hanging up the phone, Shen Ting immediately contacted his security team and arranged for them to secretly protect Detective Luo. He knew that this propaganda war was not only aimed at Xiao Yue and Xiao's company, but also a provocation to him.

Online, the "evidence" photos posted by blogger Zhang quickly went viral. Netizen Feng and others, unaware of the truth, flooded the comment section with vile comments attacking Xiao Yue personally.

"I told you, this woman is not a good person at first glance!"

"I felt sorry for her before, but I didn't expect she would be such a person!"

"Boss Shen is truly blind. How could he fall for a woman like this?"

……

Negative comments flooded in like a tide, drowning Xiao Yue. She felt her breathing become difficult as she looked at the vicious comments on her phone screen. She knew the photo was fake, but she couldn't argue.

Public Relations Officer Lin came to Xiao Yue's office again, his face pale and his tone anxious: "Mr. Xiao, the current situation is very grim. The online public opinion has completely gotten out of control..."

Xiao Yue leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. "I know," her voice was hoarse and trembling. She felt like she was trapped in a giant spider web. The more she struggled, the more powerless she felt.

Shen Ting called again. Xiao Yue hesitated for a moment, but finally answered the call.

"Yueyue, I know everything about what happened on the Internet. Don't worry, I will take care of it." Shen Ting's voice was gentle and firm, like a warm current flowing into Xiao Yue's cold heart.

"Ting..." Xiao Yue's voice was choked. She wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say.

"Believe me," Shen Ting said firmly, "I will definitely find out the truth and clear your name."

Xiao Yue was silent for a moment, finally letting out a soft "hmm." She knew Shen Ting genuinely wanted to help her, but deep down, a deep sense of powerlessness welled up within her. She didn't know how long this storm of public opinion would last, nor did she know how much longer she could hold on.

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Yue slowly opened her eyes and stared out the window with a blank stare. Night fell, and the city lights began to illuminate, but they couldn't illuminate the growing gloom in her heart. She picked up her phone, looked at Shen Ting's name on the screen, her finger lingering on the dial button, but she hesitated to press it...

"Maybe I should..." she muttered to herself. Xiao Yue walked into the office, where the familiar surroundings were now filled with an oppressive atmosphere. The whispers ceased as she passed, replaced by inquiring, suspicious, and even disdainful glances. She felt like a criminal stripped naked, with nowhere to hide. Her once-friendly colleagues now avoided her, and even a simple greeting became a luxury.

Work had become incredibly difficult. Xiao Yue tried to focus on the documents in front of her, but the vicious comments lingered in her mind like a lingering ghost. "Fickle," "scheming bitch," "will do anything to get ahead"... These harsh words repeatedly assaulted her nerves, nearly bringing her to a breaking point.

She sent Shen Ting a message: "Today at the company... was tough." After the message was sent, it fell on deaf ears, with no response. She knew Shen Ting was busy, busy with company affairs and investigating the truth, but even a simple word of comfort could bring her immense strength. But now, even that simple comfort had become a luxury.

Xiao Yue felt unprecedentedly lonely and helpless. She curled up in her office chair, hugging herself tightly, as if this could give her a sense of security. She began to doubt herself, wondering if she had truly done something wrong, wondering if she was truly as bad as those comments said she was. She even began to doubt Shen Ting, wondering if he truly believed in her, and if he would be swayed by the public opinion.

She flipped through her phone again and again, looking for Shen Ting's number, but she never had the courage to dial it. She was afraid to hear his voice, afraid to hear the hesitation and hesitation in his tone. She was afraid to hear him say he didn't believe her, afraid to hear him say he had given up on her.

Late at night, Xiao Yue sat in her office, all silent except for the faint glow of her computer screen. She felt trapped in an invisible cage, unable to breathe, unable to escape. She stared out the window at the flashing neon lights, her eyes empty and lost.

Suddenly, the phone screen lit up. It was a message from Shen Ting: "Yueyue, I've been very busy these days and didn't reply to your message in time. I'm sorry. No matter what happens, I believe in you. I'll come to you when I finish dealing with things here."

Xiao Yue read the message, tears silently streaming down her face. She wanted to reply, but found she was too weak to type. She wanted to trust Shen Ting, to believe he would find out the truth and clear her name. But deep down, she was still filled with fear and anxiety.

She mechanically tidied the documents on her desk, exhausted both physically and mentally. Just then, the office door was gently pushed open, and Public Relations Officer Lin walked in. Her face was even paler than before, and her eyes were filled with anxiety and uneasiness.

"Mr. Xiao..." Public Relations Officer Lin's voice was low and hoarse, "I... I have some bad news to tell you..."

Xiao Yue looked up at Public Relations Lin, feeling a sense of foreboding. "What news?"

Public Relations Officer Lin took a deep breath and said slowly, "Just now...just received news..." She paused, as if she was having trouble speaking, "Xiao's...several of Xiao's major clients...they...they want to terminate their cooperation with us..." She clutched the documents tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white, "and..."

"...Also, rumors about our product quality issues have started to appear online..." Public Relations Officer Lin's voice was trembling, and he was almost on the verge of tears.

Xiao Yue felt dizzy. She held onto the table, barely able to stand. The documents in her hands fell to the floor, just like her shattered mood. "How could this happen..." she muttered to herself, her voice as soft as a mosquito.

Public Relations Officer Lin's eyes welled up. "We've tried every PR trick we can think of. We've issued clarifications, contacted major platforms to remove the misinformation, and even hired a network of influencers to try to sway public opinion, but... but nothing's working..." She choked up, unable to continue.

Negative public opinion spread like a virus, swiftly devouring everything in Xiao's enterprise. Xiao Yue looked at the scattered documents, her mind blank. Trying to remain calm, she took a deep breath and asked, "Have you contacted a lawyer? Are you preparing to sue the rumormongers?"

"We've already contacted them, and the lawyer is collecting evidence." Public Relations Officer Lin replied with a hint of helplessness in his tone.

Xiao Yue knew that even if the lawsuit was successful, it wouldn't make up for the losses Xiao's company had suffered. This storm of public opinion had already dealt a huge blow to Xiao's reputation. Customers were lost, partners were withdrawing, and the stock price plummeted...all of this was like a mountain weighing down her breath.

She forced herself to cheer up and said to Lin's public relations: "Continue to contact the media and hold a press conference. I want to come forward and clarify the facts in person."

Public Relations Officer Lin looked at her worriedly, "Mr. Xiao, your current condition... I'm afraid it's not suitable..."

"I must stand up," Xiao Yue said firmly, "If even I back down, the Xiao Group will be finished."

For the next few days, Xiao Yue barely slept. She held endless meetings with her lawyers and public relations team, discussing response strategies, and gave media interviews, repeatedly explaining and clarifying her situation. But all she faced was endless questioning and attacks.

At the press conference, flashbulbs kept flashing and reporters' sharp questions stabbed her like swords.

"Mr. Xiao, how do you explain those photos circulating online?"

"Boss Xiao, are you really as rumored, willing to do anything to get to the top?"

"Mr. Xiao, how do you explain the Xiao family's current predicament?"

Xiao Yue tried to remain calm, answering every question in a calm tone, but she could feel her heart crumbling bit by bit. She was like a person trapped in a quagmire; the more she struggled, the deeper she sank.

Late at night, the lights in the office were still brightly lit. Xiao Yue sat alone in front of her computer, watching the negative comments constantly refresh on the screen, her eyes empty and numb. She felt unprecedented fatigue and despair.

Suddenly, a rapid knock on the door shattered the silence of the office. Public Relations Officer Lin pushed open the door, holding a document, her face grave. "Boss Xiao, there's news from Detective Luo..." She walked over to Xiao Yue and handed her the document. "He said...he said he found an important clue..."

Xiao Yue took the document, his eyes fell on a few lines of words on the document, and his pupils suddenly contracted.