C42 Make Things Clear

Upon hearing her words, Gu Qinian remained silent, his brow unintentionally furrowing as an unfamiliar emotion lurked in his eyes.

Ye Tian couldn't decipher his look and didn't bother trying. She simply let out a derisive chuckle. "Judging by your icy demeanor, I assume you expect me to apologize or offer an explanation, right? Does it bother you to see your darling Ziyan get a taste of her own medicine?"

Gu Qinian continued to stay quiet, fixing her with a heavy gaze.

Losing interest, Ye Tian dropped her forced smile and met Gu Qinian's dark eyes with a frankness. "This time, I won't apologize or offer any explanations."

"Gu Qinian, regardless of what you think, the trouble was caused by Ye Ziyan's own misconduct. You've had me bow my head before, and I did, but you know full well why I did it. If it weren't for my grandfather, I wouldn't have tolerated it this long."

"Yes, I needed your help, and you did indeed assist me, for which I am truly grateful."

"But that doesn't give you the right to repeatedly demand my submission. As for my grandfather's situation, whether you choose to help from now on or not, I won't be pinning all my hopes on you anymore."

"Since we clearly despise each other, let's just lay it all out today and save you the trouble of being upset with me over Ye Ziyan's issues."

She recalled the times he had intentionally made things difficult for her, assigning her challenging tasks, and a twinge of sorrow hit her. Yet, she kept her composure, her expression impassive as she laid everything bare.

These words had been bottled up inside her for too long, and it was only when her grandfather's oxygen mask was removed that she finally saw things clearly.

After she finished speaking, Gu Qinian remained silent, his face growing increasingly grim.

The air in the restaurant thickened with their mutual silence.

Having recently regained some of her strength after a significant setback, Ye Tian had no desire to engage in further confrontation. She rose from her seat, intending to return to her room.

Just then, Shang Yuvyuv's call came through. Without hesitation, Ye Tian answered, and Yuvyuv's shrill voice pierced the air from the other end of the line.

"Ahhh! That's so satisfying! Tian, you've got to check Weibo right now—the whistleblower's evidence is solid!"

Ye Tian was momentarily taken aback, instinctively glancing at Gu Qinian, whose expression had darkened even further.

She paused briefly, ended the call, and opened Weibo. As expected, the whistleblower's latest post had gone viral, featuring two audio clips.

With a moment's hesitation, she tapped the screen.

Instantly, Ye Ziyan's scornful voice filled the air, repeating the very words she had uttered at the fan meeting the day before.

Her aggressive tone and blatant contempt were a stark contrast to the facade she presented publicly, and even more so to the tenderness she reserved for Gu Qinian.

The audio had been edited to exclude Ye Tian's responses, yet it served as irrefutable proof, swiftly discrediting those who had defended Ye Ziyan.

Ye Tian hadn't anticipated this development and was somewhat taken aback.

She looked over at Gu Qinian, his eyes stormy and his complexion poor. After a moment's thought, she shrugged nonchalantly and offered a crooked smile.

"This audio couldn't have surfaced at a better time. Now, even if you wanted me to clear things up, no one would believe it."

Her smile then faded into a rare expression of solemnity as she fixed her gaze on his inscrutable eyes.

"Now that the chance has presented itself, I'll just lay it out plainly."

"Gu Qinian, Ye Ziyan is malicious at heart. She's tripped over her own schemes this time; she has no one else to blame."

"I'll reiterate my stance: as long as she doesn't bother me, I'll turn a blind eye to whatever happens between you two."

"I get it; she's your treasured White Moonlight, and you're indebted to her for her past kindness, which is why you've been shielding her so recklessly."

"But I refuse to believe you're without sense. If she keeps this up, she's bound to self-destruct."

"Rather than squandering time on me, you'd be better off figuring out how to clean up her mess this time. Advise her to keep a low profile and act with some decency."

Her words flowed in a steady stream, and once she finished, she walked back to her room without a backward glance.

Back in bed, she picked up her phone again, returning to the Weibo post to briefly scan the comments below.

Most people were discussing the recent revelations. No one had expected Ye Ziyan to be that kind of person.

Some even apologized to the whistleblower, and in the process, extended their apologies to Ye Tian and Shang Yuvyuv.

The most significant reactions came from Ye Ziyan's fans.

The audio recording captured Ye Ziyan's verbal insults towards her fans. When they heard her admit to using them as pawns, they were incensed.

This led to a mass exodus of fans, who didn't hold back in their criticism of Ye Ziyan.

Ye Ziyan had organized the fan meeting to boost her waning popularity, but her plan backfired, and her popularity plummeted even further.

This was truly a case of shooting oneself in the foot.

Ye Tian arched an eyebrow as she exited Weibo and saw a string of excited emojis from Shang Yuvyuv, which made her chuckle.

Realizing it was a workday, she quickly called Lu Jingyue to request the day off. After hanging up, she heard noises outside—it was Gu Qinian leaving.

Now alone in the apartment, she gazed at the ceiling, content with the quiet comfort, though a hint of bitterness and powerlessness lingered deep within her.

Shaking off the feeling, she turned over and drifted back to sleep.

She slept straight through to noon, and upon stirring, she heard sounds from outside.

Could Gu Qinian have returned at this hour?

Puzzled, she stepped out to investigate but didn't find Gu Qinian. Instead, she saw a woman bustling between the kitchen and dining room.

"Auntie, who might you be?"

The woman, noticing Ye Tian was awake, hurriedly replied, "Second Miss Ye, I'm Mrs. Liu. The young master sent me to prepare your meals."

Pointing to the steaming dishes on the table, she smiled warmly, "Everything's ready. Please help yourself."

Ye Tian's eyebrows quirked up in surprise. She hadn't expected Gu Qinian to arrange for someone to cook for her. Was he concerned she might starve in his apartment?

For the entire day, Gu Qinian didn't return, leaving only Mrs. Liu to cook for her and remind her to take her medication.

Ye Tian felt a complex mix of emotions about the situation, unable to pinpoint exactly how she felt.

Gu Qinian had always been distant and cold toward her. His demeanor had never been warm, often openly displaying his disdain.

For the first time, she was aware that he had arranged for someone to look after her. Yet, this gesture of concern seemed to her more like an attempt to smooth things over.

Was it because he knew the woman he fancied had made a mistake that he was showing her a modicum of kindness? His behavior seemed more about shielding Ye Ziyan.

With these thoughts, she gazed out at the evening sky darkening beyond the window, her features softening into a wry smile.

Well, it made sense. After all, Ye Ziyan was his lifesaver...