NOVPUBIn the hospital ward, an oppressive stillness hung heavy in the air.
Lin Yuan lay like a soul-sucked shell, his face ashen and bloodless, sprawled on the hospital bed. Within his eyes surged a tide of pain, running rampant as if to drown him completely.
Standing before his bed was a man in his forties.
This man was dressed in a well-fitted suit, its sleek lines highlighting his tall stature. A pair of delicate glasses perched on his nose, his eyes behind them sparkling with a seeming intelligence and composure, exuding a refined and restrained temperament.
He was Zhang Jian, a senior lawyer for the Lin Group.
Zhang Jian bent forward slightly, leaning in close to Lin Yuan, his voice deep yet carrying an assurance and confidence, "Mr. Lin, you need not overly worry about the threat of prison."
"After all, the cup of water that plunged Wu Tong into confusion was not personally delivered by you to his hands. Even if it was laced with a sedative, from a legal perspective, there’s no concrete direct cause-and-effect relationship that links you to this matter."
"Moreover, in the current situation, you are the one who has truly been attacked; you are the victim here."
He paused for a moment, pushing his glasses up, and methodically presented his own view, "Furthermore, considering our current legal system, there are still some areas, especially in certain special fields, where the definitions remain to be perfected."
"Such as the intimate relations between men that have occurred in this case, which are not yet clearly included within the strict definitions of rape in the legal texts."
"Therefore, our immediate priority should be to think about how we can cleverly defuse this storm of public opinion, to strive to minimize any potential losses and protect your reputation and interests to the greatest extent."
"I have pondered for a long time and have drafted a preliminary plan."
"We can arrange for one of your bodyguards to step forward and take the main responsibility for this incident, publicly claiming that he was covertly instructed by a competing company, intentionally infiltrating your side with the vile intent of tarnishing your reputation and image."
"And then secretly slipped the sedative into Wu Tong’s drink, leading to this series of heartrending and chaotic episodes."
"This explanation may have some flaws in its logical rigor and might not withstand thorough scrutiny."
"However, as you well know, the nature of internet public opinion is characterized by its rapid shifting of hot topics, ephemeral as clouds passing by."
"Although this matter is stirring up quite a frenzy at the moment, it is bound to struggle to maintain a dominant position in the vast ocean of information online for long, and the fervor will inevitably wane over time."
"Once this storm passes and the uproar of public opinion subsides, you will still have the chance to return to your former life’s trajectory and restore your past status and glory."
"It’s just that..." Zhang Jian frowned slightly, his words tinged with a hint of helplessness and regret.
Lin Yuan’s already contorted face due to pain twisted even more fiercely. Enduring the severe pain below, he ground his teeth and pressed, "It’s just what? Spit it out!"
Zhang Jian sighed with a touch of sympathy and pity in his eyes, "This incident has already caused a huge stir, resulting in an extremely widespread social impact."
"Under such circumstances, your passionately planned and much-anticipated investment project for a factory in Jizhou is likely doomed to fail now!"
"Damn it!"
Lin Yuan erupted. He had been quite optimistic about the environment in Jizhou, and that was precisely why he had planned to invest in building a factory here, but he had never imagined that in the end, it would all come to nothing.
"It’s Chen Nan, Chen Nan!"
Lin Yuan’s gaze turned cold and venomous like that of a viper, sending chills down one’s spine, "All of this must be Chen Nan’s doing behind the scenes. It was him, it must have been him!"
At that moment.
Lin Yuan thought of what Chen Nan had said when they parted ways.
He had said that Jizhou was not a place where everyone could stand their ground.
At first, he didn’t take Chen Nan’s words to heart. After all, who would believe the words of a young punk?
But now, he had a strong premonition.
This must be Chen Nan’s doing behind the scenes.
Because everything about this matter was revealing a sense of eeriness and bizarreness.
For example, why were his driver and bodyguard fast asleep on the living room sofa, unable to wake up?
And another example, why were there so many internet celebrities live streaming in the Longteng Number One Villa District?
All this felt very strange indeed!
Despite this.
But Lin Yuan couldn’t find any evidence related to Chen Nan, which made him very irritable.
------
On the other side.
Chen Nan drove Lin Xi back to the Jade Garden Villa District.
Lin Xi wasn’t in a hurry to get out of the car but instead sat there with an incredulous look on her face as she flipped through her phone, her eyes revealing disbelief.
Then, she looked at Chen Nan in shock, "Brother, what on Earth is going on?"
She had read the announcement from Jizhou Public Security Bureau and knew the background of the incident. Although it appeared plausible and flawless, she had a strong premonition.
There must be a lot of undisclosed insider information behind this matter.
Chen Nan caressed her head indulgently and smiled, "Little kids shouldn’t pry, get out of the car!" he said, pushing open the driver’s door and stepping out.
Lin Xi pouted and retorted unhappily, "I’m not little at all."
Just as the siblings had entered the hall.
Yan Jin approached them excitedly, asking if they had seen the news because she had learned of Lin Yuan’s scandalous and disgraced downfall.
She was also shocked when she saw the news, unable to believe that Lin Yuan had been publicly violated.
After the shock passed, she felt a surge of vindictive satisfaction.
Such scum deserved to have his reputation destroyed and to suffer disgrace.
"Mom, my brother and I have already seen the news," Lin Xi said with an alluring smile on her innocent face. "I believe that after this incident, Lin Yuan will definitely be unable to establish himself in Jizhou, and he won’t even have the face to appear before us in the future!"
Yan Jin shook her head, unconvinced, a flicker of worry passing through her eyes, "You’re underestimating Lin Yuan. That guy is someone who will resort to any means necessary to achieve his goals."
Seeing her look of anxious concern, Chen Nan spoke softly, "Aunt Yan, don’t worry. If Lin Yuan ever dares to harass you and your daughter again, I’ll make sure he regrets it."
"Well, it’s getting late. I’m going to go to bed, and you two should also sleep early!" he said as he slipped on his slippers and headed upstairs. Earlier, controlling the Gu Insect to make Wu Tong commit atrocities against Lin Yuan had been quite draining, consuming a large amount of his spiritual power.
He needed a good sleep to recover.
But just as Chen Nan had just undressed and lay down on the bed, the door was slowly pushed open by Lin Xi, her face blushing as she looked at Chen Nan with affectionate eyes, "Brother, can I sleep with you?"
