Zhao Dong and Cao Bo had chatted amiably, discovering many common points on their first meeting. Cao Bo had clearly agreed to help, so why did he back out at the last minute?
It was probably that ridiculous male pride.
For a man, unless he was truly desperate with no other options, who would willingly slap a green hat on his own head?
Cao Bo clearly did not fall into the desperate category. With Zhao Dong’s “gratitude gift”, Cao Bo could live comfortably. Without it, he would not starve either.
At the crucial moment, Cao Bo’s pride won out. He refused to admit publicly that Xu Mei had cuckolded him. The logic was sound and flawless, yet it threw a wrench into Zhao Dong’s plan.
Zhao Dong assured Xie Jinghu repeatedly that he would handle it.
After Zhao Dong hung up, Cao Bo had already been dragged away by Guan Zong. Guan Zong tried to steer the topic back to The Crown of Thorns, but the reporters had lost interest in playing along. They hounded Cao Bo on how he planned to resolve the matter.
Cao Bo stuck out his neck. “Anyway, I will not apologise. If you are unhappy, sue me!”
With that, the chap bolted.
The beaten reporter was furious. It was meant to follow the script, so why the punch?
He had taken a beating for nothing. Even if Cao Bo apologised on the spot, this would not end simply. Getting hit meant a separate price tag!
The reporter clamoured for a medical check.
Zhao Dong followed Cao Bo out but did not spot him. He thought for a moment and turned back.
If Cao Bo would not cooperate, the matter still needed sorting.
Cooperation would be ideal, of course. Without it, there were ways around that too.
Looking at the still rowdy venue, a cold smile crept onto Zhao Dong’s lips.
…
At that moment, Gong Sheng was lurking outside the press conference venue for The Crown of Thorns.
Zhao Dong was carrying out Xie Jinghu’s task, while Gong Sheng had to complete Xie Qian’s.
The big and small Mr Xies, when it came to judging people, Xie Qian had the edge.
Zhao Dong excelled at dirty tricks and backstabbing.
Gong Sheng disliked schemes and lacked Zhao Dong’s shamelessness, but he had been a broker before, with a nimble mind.
When young Mr Xie ordered him to muzzle the reporters, Gong Sheng had not yet met those attending today. Upon arrival, he first bribed the venue staff.
Idlers could not enter or exit freely, but staff could come and go midway. Gong Sheng wanted real-time updates and instructed them to herd the reporters into a side lounge once the event ended.
As the press conference kicked off, sure enough, reporters began steering the narrative.
A staffer slipped out to brief Gong Sheng, who crushed his cup in rage.
“It is just as expected…”
Gong Sheng sent the staffer back for more intel. Before fresh news arrived, he saw Cao Bo fleeing the venue.
What was going on?
Cao Bo looked all haughty, like a runaway bride from a wedding!
Once Cao Bo was gone, the staffer came trembling with the report.
“A reporter asked Mr Cao if he caught Xu Mei in bed with someone. Mr Cao denied it and flew into a rage, beating the reporter!”
Gong Sheng: ? ? ? !
What sort of fantastical plot was this? Had Cao, the man Xu Mei called barely two-tenths decent, clung to his moral line at the end?
That seemed unlikely!
Perhaps it was Zhao Dong’s unconventional scheme?
Gong Sheng refused to think well of Cao Bo. While sending the staffer back to monitor, he phoned Xie Qian with the update.
Hearing Cao Bo had decked a reporter, Xie Qian’s first thought was: Zhao Dong had not paid enough.
“While they are at odds, go find Cao Bo and sound him out.”
“And those reporters…”
“Still need PR. Get them to go easy in their writes. The reporter brawl will drag in Xu Mei. With payoffs in their pockets, they will not skew too hard against her.”
Fine, it seemed he still had to do what needed doing, no slacking off.
Gong Sheng said he knew what to do.
…
Chengdu.
Xie Qian had the call on speaker, so Wen Ying heard every bit.
Cao Bo had punched a reporter at the launch. Both Gong Sheng and Xie Qian figured the bribe fell short. Wen Ying hesitated to speak.
“Say what you want to say.”
“Then I will. Is it possible that Cao Bo and Xu Mei shared real feelings? Even after breaking the engagement, Cao Bo still holds a soft spot for her?”
As a lawyer in her past life, Wen Ying dealt most with “interests”.
Uneven splits turned kin against kin and lovers to foes. She had seen it all too often.
People chased gain yet tangled in emotions, complex and baffling.
Some divorcing couples clashed in court over a single wok’s ownership.
Others, fresh from registry divorce, collapsed in tears outside.
Dating pairs did not always love. Split ones did not always hate. Emotions shifted lifelong, each phase unique!
“So you mean…”
After Wen Ying’s words, Xie Qian rarely wavered.
Wen Ying smiled. “I mean, since Cao Bo did not sell out Xu Mei or doom her, set aside that he is from Guan Zong and Liang Dan’s camp, handling this through their emotional tie might be simpler?”
Xu Mei had said Cao Bo had two-tenths decency.
Wen Ying reckoned those two-tenths might stick to romance.
Cao Bo had poached Qin Yi’s girl, sure, but openly, without forcing Xu Mei to accept his pursuit. Overall, he was a fairly upfront playboy.
This playboy had more than one ex like Xu Mei, yet none had aired public feuds with him. Clearly, his romances and breakups stayed civil. Likewise, Cao Bo never badmouthed exes publicly. Even tempted by Zhao Dong this time, he still did not sling mud at Xu Mei on stage.
Resisting gain for the right choice was tough for anyone.
Especially with just two-tenths decency!
Punching the reporter might have been impulse, regret setting in after.
Right now, Cao Bo needed validation from the source. He played hero and deserved praise, not cold hard cash pushing sides.
He was lost in the thrill of “saving the beauty”. If Gong Sheng showed with money and snapped him awake, might Cao Bo lash out in shame?
Seal Cao Bo’s lips with cash and an NDA, or follow Wen Ying’s emotional angle?
Xie Qian faced a choice too.
Pick wrong, and Zhao Dong’s plot might succeed, forcing Xie Qian to mop up a bigger mess.
It took just two or three seconds of pause before Xie Qian decided. “We will try your way first.”
Wen Ying’s smile bloomed wide, her eyes sparkling. Xie Qian recalled the tale of “beacon fires to amuse the lords”.
He could not blame King You of Zhou for folly entirely.
If Bao Si’s smile was half as charming as a hamster’s, Xie Qian fully got why the king lost his head!
