Chapter 144: I Want to Disappear for a While

It was already evening, yet the news continued to ferment. Some satellite television channels had even begun reporting on it. The reason hot topics are so captivating is precisely due to their timeliness and popularity; they easily stir emotions and draw people in, making them feel as though they are part of the story.

Ye Yuning grew increasingly anxious, though Zhou Wan and Ning Cai tried their best to comfort her. Meng Yanzhou scrolled through his phone, reviewing the materials sent by Chen Rumeng. As an engineering student, he didn't fully grasp the operations of new media, but he knew that following Shen Xian's plan would surely turn the tide. At the same time, he felt a sense of wariness, realizing that Shen Xian was truly terrifying—a master at manipulating the human heart.

He approached Ye Yuning and said softly, "Yuning, don't be afraid. Just do as I say now, and there won't be any problems."

Ye Yuning looked up, completely at a loss, having no idea what to do.

Meng Yanzhou instructed, "Immediately create personal social media accounts on several platforms simultaneously. Then, post an announcement stating that while you will be accepting a live interview tomorrow morning, you will also be broadcasting it live yourself."

Ye Yuning hesitated, "Is there any point in that?"

"Do as I say," Meng Yanzhou replied, "and you will be absolutely fine."

Ye Yuning hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright then."

She immediately began registering accounts on platforms like Douyin, Kuaishou, and Weibo, posting an update: "Hello everyone, I am Ye Yuning, the legal representative of the Red-Crowned Goose Special Breeding Base in Nanzhou. Tomorrow morning, I will officially accept a live interview with Beijing media."

Once posted, the update was immediately noticed by various influencers and paid commentators, who began sharing it frantically. Soon, the news of Ye Yuning speaking out began trending.

[Ye Yuning, head of the Nanzhou Red-Crowned Goose Special Breeding Base, speaks out; live broadcast to begin tomorrow.]
[The full story to be revealed tomorrow.]

Ye Yuning’s follower count across multiple platforms began to soar, gaining hundreds of thousands in just a few hours. Even Meng Yanzhou couldn't help but gasp.

Ye Yuning looked at Meng Yanzhou with admiration. "Brother Meng, you're amazing! I just posted one update, and I've gained so many followers."

Meng Yanzhou smiled without a word, maintaining an inscrutable expression. Ye Yuning asked again, "But what use are followers to me? What is the goal?"

This question stumped Meng Yanzhou. He realized he didn't actually know. Shen Xian’s instructions had only told him to have her register accounts, without specifying the end game. How was he supposed to explain that to her? Seeing Zhou Wan and Ning Cai staring at him, Meng Yanzhou braced himself and said, "It will be useful, of course. You'll understand tomorrow." He decided to stall for now and think of a reason later that night. Ye Yuning didn't press further.

It was night, and Qingqing kept clamoring to see Shen Xian. Meng Yanzhou walked over, crouched down, and patted his hands. "Qingqing, how about Uncle holds you?"

Qingqing hugged Zhou Wan’s leg and shook her head. "I want Daddy."

A flash of darkness crossed Meng Yanzhou's eyes, but he quickly masked it with a bright smile. "How about Uncle takes you to get something delicious?" He knew that to win over Zhou Wan, the key was to win over Qingqing. If Qingqing liked him, he would have many more opportunities to spend time with Zhou Wan. He planned to take the indirect route, coaxing Qingqing first, and then growing closer to Zhou Wan once the child favored him.

But Qingqing still shook her head. "No." She looked up at Zhou Wan with her fair, chubby cheeks. "I want Daddy."

Zhou Wan sighed and crouched down. "Daddy will be back in a few days." Only then did Qingqing brighten up. Ning Cai looked down at the child, frowning; she couldn't fathom what charm Shen Xian possessed that made Qingqing so attached to him.

Back at his three-story villa, Shen Xian found himself alone. Xiao Yang called. "Godfather, I have a feeling that after tomorrow’s broadcast, your reputation will be destroyed. Why don't I help you run away now? My dad has a friend in Malaysia; I can take you there to hide. You won't be able to survive in the country."

"That won't be necessary. Everything is under control," Shen Xian said while browsing his computer. Seeing that Ye Yuning had registered the accounts, he breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she was following his plan, so there shouldn't be much trouble.

"So, is it really over between you and the Diva?" Xiao Yang asked.

Shen Xian sighed. "I’m better off alone, truly. I know myself too well. I am paranoid and sensitive; I cannot easily give my heart. Once I do, I fall deeply and cannot pull myself out. I watch myself sink into the vortex, yet I have no way to save myself. I have felt like I was in a swamp many times, watching myself sink into the mud, only to try and pick myself out with tweezers, bit by bit. To me, love is a vortex, a mire. Therefore, I must stay away."

Xiao Yang was silent for a long time before finally saying, "Why don't you just be a heartless scumbag? The kind who just takes off his pants without getting emotionally involved. Wouldn't that be free and easy?"

Shen Xian replied with a melancholic tone, "I can't do it. I wish I could, but I am a nostalgic and sentimental person. I get attached to a dog after raising it for a while; I can't even bear to throw away a pebble my grandfather left me, let alone someone I’ve spent a long time with."

Xiao Yang couldn't understand Shen Xian’s mental state.

"I know full well that some people shouldn't be loved, but I fell for them anyway. Loving and not being able to have is the most painful thing in life, and I really, really don't want to experience it a third time. It was clearly they who approached me first, they who said they loved me, and they who made so many promises. But why is it that when it comes time to leave, it’s also them?"

"Promises, vows of eternal love, 'till death do us part'—they only count while you're in love. Once the love is gone, the promises vanish with it. That’s why I don't want to talk about feelings anymore. Love is something even dogs wouldn't bother with."

Shen Xian said a lot, his voice heavy with sorrow. Xiao Yang remained silent for a long moment. "What do you want to do after this is over?"

Shen Xian stood on the balcony, looking at the gloomy sky. In the distance flowed the Langchuan River. Thirty kilometers downstream was Jianping Town, and on the edge of Jianping Town sat the sports arena owned by Xiao Yang’s father.

"After this is over, I want to disappear for a while," Shen Xian said softly.

The next morning, all of Nanzhou was buzzing with excitement—there were only two hours left until Ye Yuning’s live interview with the Beijing media!