After the divorce, the aloof CEO begged me not to withdraw my investment.

The office was silent, with only the sound of papers turning echoing in the air.

He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

He felt a surge of irritation and slammed the documents in his hand onto the table.

"Damn it!" he cursed under his breath.

He was caught in a dilemma. Partnering with this company would undoubtedly greatly boost the development of the Baye Group.

But this also means that he has to indirectly help Liu Qingyi, the woman who once deeply hurt him.

However, if he doesn't cooperate, he will have to give up an excellent development opportunity, which would be a huge loss for both him and the Baye Group.

He felt powerless, as if he were trapped in a giant spider web, unable to escape no matter how hard he struggled.

The office was filled with a strong smell of tobacco mixed with the bitterness of coffee, just like Ye Feng's mood at that moment, bitter and anxious.

He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and the taste of nicotine stimulated his nerves, but it couldn't calm his chaotic thoughts.

Liu Qingyi hung up the phone, her slender fingers gripping it tightly, her knuckles white, as if she wanted to crush it. The office was filled with the scent of expensive fragrance, but it couldn't mask the chill emanating from her.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the bustling night view of City A resembled a giant vortex, engulfing her.

"He didn't agree?" she murmured to herself, her voice so low it was almost inaudible.

An indescribable sense of grievance welled up in her heart, and tears welled up in her eyes, but she forced herself not to let them fall.

She recalled Ye Feng's hesitant look in the coffee shop and his words, "I need time to think about it."

At the time, she thought he was being considerate of their past relationship, but now it seems he was deliberately making things difficult for her!

"Good, very good!" Liu Qingyi suddenly stood up and slammed her phone onto the soft leather sofa with a thud.

Her chest heaved violently, and she breathed rapidly, like an enraged lioness.

The expensive furnishings in the office seemed incredibly jarring to her at that moment, as if mocking her failure.

She picked up the internal phone on the table and dialed the number of the public relations manager.

"Hello, it's me." Her voice was cold and devoid of any emotion. "Immediately release the news that Ye Feng has refused to cooperate with our Jinxiu Group, and that he is arrogant and doesn't know what's good for him."

The public relations manager's hesitant voice came from the other end of the phone: "President Liu, wouldn't this... be inappropriate? After all, it's the Baye Group..."

"Do as I say!" Liu Qingyi interrupted him sharply. "I need to see results, immediately!"

She abruptly hung up the phone, her long nails digging deep into her palms, leaving several bright red marks.

She didn't care about the consequences; at this moment, all she wanted was revenge, to make Ye Feng taste the humiliation.

The news spread like wildfire within the industry. The story of Ye Feng refusing to cooperate was embellished, and various versions of rumors and gossip flourished.

Some people say that Ye Feng is too arrogant, looks down on others, and doesn't take Jinxiu Group seriously.

Some say Ye Feng was short-sighted and missed the opportunity to cooperate with internationally renowned companies.

Some even speculate that Ye Feng deliberately suppressed the development of Jinxiu Group because of his past relationship with Liu Qingyi.

The public relations department of Baye Group was inundated with calls, and reporters flocked to the site, eager to get the latest news.

Ye Feng's name instantly became the focus of heated discussion in the industry, but this time it was accompanied not by praise, but by doubt and ridicule.

Liu Qingyi sat in her office, looking at the overwhelming negative news online, a cold smile curling at the corner of her lips.

She knew that Ye Feng must be in a terrible predicament right now, which gave her a sense of vengeful pleasure.

But deep down, she still felt a faint unease.

She didn't know whether what she was doing was right or wrong.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm her chaotic thoughts.

Qi Xue frowned as she looked at the overwhelming negative news about Ye Feng on her phone screen.

The comments section was filled with various doubts and ridicule, and some even began to maliciously speculate about Ye Feng's business motives. She felt a surge of anger burning in her chest, and her fingers gripping her phone so tightly they turned white.

"These people know absolutely nothing!" she muttered to herself, a surge of urge to protect Ye Feng welling up inside her.

She opened the photo album and found the photos from the banquet that day.

In the photo, she was wearing the dress Sophie had mocked, and Ye Feng stood beside her, his gaze gentle yet firm. She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately clicked "send."

The caption was just a short sentence: "That night was very happy."

The news immediately caused a huge uproar. Qi Xue's fans left messages expressing their support and showing their understanding and trust in Ye Feng.

"Even Goddess Qi Xue has spoken out, so I believe in Ye Feng!"

"Those haters just hide behind their keyboards and spew nonsense!"

"Support Ye Feng! Support Qi Xue!"

Public opinion began to shift slowly; although negative comments still existed, supportive voices were also increasing.

Ye Feng's phone vibrated; it was a WeChat message from Qi Xue: "You're welcome."

He immediately dialed Qi Xue's number.

"Qi Xue, thank you." Ye Feng's voice carried a hint of weariness, but even more so, gratitude. "I never expected you to..."

“You’re welcome,” Qi Xue’s voice was clear and firm. “It’s what I should do.”

Ye Feng was silent for a moment, then said, "I was very happy that night too."

Qi Xue's heart skipped a beat; she could sense the sincerity in Ye Feng's tone.

“I believe in you,” Qi Xue said softly. “You don’t need to pay attention to those rumors.”

"Thank you, Qi Xue." Ye Feng's voice was full of gratitude.

Just as Qi Xue was about to hang up the phone, Ye Feng's voice suddenly came from the other end.

"If it's convenient, I'll treat you to a meal sometime."

Qi Xue lowered her head and chuckled softly, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"You can ask me for help after you've settled everything."

Ye Feng felt a warm sensation in his chest, as if he were tightly surrounded by something, making him feel exceptionally warm.

After hanging up the phone, Ye Feng looked at the night view outside the window, feeling a mix of emotions.

Liu Qingyi's revenge chilled him to the bone, but Qi Xue's actions brought him a touch of warmth.

He took a deep breath, his eyes hardening once more. He knew he had to resolve this crisis as quickly as possible to protect those around him.

Qi Xue put down her phone, looked at the flashing neon lights outside the window, and felt a mix of emotions.

She knew that what she did might cause some controversy, but she did not regret it.

She believed in Ye Feng, and she also believed in her own judgment.