After Being Bitten By Top-Tier O, Flop A Went Viral - Chapter 35

35: Not Kidnapped by Anyone

Because Qin Que had been watching Dai Yuchen closely since he arrived, she saw everything clearly.

At the moment the ladder tipped toward Yan Qing, the man falling from it had a malicious smile on his face.

What kind of person who accidentally falls would smile as their first reaction?

Dai Yuchen was now completely panicked, like a thief caught red-handed. Though he continued to deny it, his voice trembled uncontrollably. “I didn’t do it! Let me go!”

At the same time, the cameras around them emitted a soft beep as they simultaneously shut off. The chaotic livestream feeds from all three channels went black.

Viewers erupted in discussion.

Comment 1: What’s going on? The screen went dark!

Comment 2: Is Qingqing okay? Was Dai Yuchen doing it on purpose? That bastard!

Comment 3: Not necessarily. Right now, it’s just Qin Que’s word against his. I was watching Channel 3—Dai Yuchen probably just slipped. Who would jump off a ladder on purpose to hurt someone?

Comment 4: But his expression at that moment was practically screaming “I did it on purpose.” Everyone knows Qin Que’s temperament. If she wasn’t certain, she wouldn’t have lost her temper like this.

Comment 5: That orange tree is only about three meters tall. If you prepare properly, falling wouldn’t even injure you. It’s a cheap way to take a shot at Yan Qing.

Comment 6: My heart aches for Qingqing. That long cut must hurt so much—her face turned pale.

Comment 7: I’m so done with you people. You’ll believe whatever Qin Que says, huh? Where’s the evidence? I could just as easily say she’s trying to shift blame for not taking care of Yan Qing properly. Don’t let her innocent act fool you—she’s cunning. She’s been clinging to Yan Qing this whole time to ride her coattails. Now that something’s happened, she’s scared of being blamed and is desperately pinning it on someone else. Disgusting!

Comment 8: Hey, upstairs, are you just making up nonsense without thinking? Have you even watched the show? Qin Que scared of Yan Qing blaming her? Forget their relationship for a second—since when is Yan Qing that kind of person?

Comment 9: So what if I haven’t watched it? Haven’t you seen enough hot searches? I’ve been sick of Qin Que for a while now. What is she, some bootlicker clinging to Yan Qing? Isn’t it natural for a lackey to fear their boss’s anger? She’s an embarrassment to alphas, and now she’s biting someone else for her master’s sake. Makes me wanna puke.

Comment 10: Even so, upstairs, you reek like you just crawled out of a sewer. Yuck.

Comment 11: Still more clear-headed than you delusional fairy-tale shippers. It’s not like they’re sharing their earnings with you. Watching you all squeal like idiots is hilarious.

Comment 12: You’re the idiot! Your whole family’s idiots! I ship who I want—it’s not like I’m eating your rice. So full of yourself—just go reincarnate already.

Seeing the cameras turn off, Dai Yuchen figured Bosen Entertainment probably didn’t want to escalate things either. Emboldened, he started struggling again, yanking at Qin Que’s arm. “Let go! You have no proof! Keep slandering me, and I’ll sue you for defamation!”

Yan Yuzhen and Jin Shuo stood frozen, unsure what to do. They were young, and the situation had escalated too quickly. Even if they wanted to help Qin Que, they didn’t know how.

Nie Sijun, meanwhile, stared at Dai Yuchen with a grave expression, lost in thought.

Mi Sike tried to mediate. “Miss Qin, let him go for now. We’ll investigate and figure things out.”

Her words were actually meant to help Qin Que.

This was too big of an issue. No matter how stupid Dai Yuchen was, he wouldn’t admit to it. They needed evidence first. But if Qin Que kept holding on like this, she might just punch Dai Yuchen outright. If they found proof later, fine—but if they didn’t, Dai Yuchen would never let Qin Que off the hook.

But to Qin Que, these words sounded like the production team was preparing to cover for Dai Yuchen.

The man’s face, growing smug as he realized she couldn’t do anything to him, overlapped with another smiling face from her memories.

“She killed herself. What does that have to do with me?”

Bastard!

The sharp pain from her arm being yanked made Qin Que clench her teeth and raise her fist.

She didn’t like resorting to violence. In her twenty-five years of life, she’d only actively attacked someone once.

This was the second time.

“What are you doing?! Hit me, and you’re finished!”

Dai Yuchen’s trembling threat didn’t stop Qin Que. She tightened her grip on his collar and raised her fist.

“Qin Que, stop.”

Yan Qing’s calm, almost cold voice came from behind her, accompanied by an even stronger wave of wine-scented pheromones.

Like a soothing yet suppressing force, Qin Que’s fury was forcibly dampened, morphing into a deeper sense of grievance.

She listlessly released Dai Yuchen and turned to look at Yan Qing.

The woman’s face was tense, her eyes serious but lacking the same anger Qin Que felt.

For a moment, Qin Que felt like she was back three years ago, when everyone had told her to let it go—only she couldn’t.

But why would Yan Qing be like this too? If it were her, shouldn’t she be even more unwilling to let it go?

Why did you stop me?

That guy tried to hurt you on purpose!

Doesn’t it hurt?

Or… do you not believe me either?

When the young alpha released her grip and turned back with those aggrieved, confused, and pitifully wet eyes, Yan Qing realized her tone had been too harsh just now.

She could justify it—after all, the Qin Que she’d seen earlier, red-eyed and ready to throw a punch, resembled the stereotypical alpha she was familiar with far more than the Qin Que she knew.

Violent. Hard to reason with.

So she’d instinctively treated her the same way she treated those people.

But now, faced with those shimmering dark eyes, guilt surged in her heart.

No matter what, she shouldn’t have spoken to Qin Que like that.

The omega sighed softly and walked up to Qin Que, placing her uninjured hand on the alpha’s forearm.

“Ah—!” A sharp, tingling pain made Qin Que flinch.

“Does it hurt?” Only when Yan Qing lifted her arm did Qin Que notice the bruises left by Dai Yuchen’s frantic clawing.

The woman’s eyes lowered as she stared at the purplish marks. After a moment, she murmured, “I’m sorry.”

“N-no, it’s fine. It doesn’t hurt much.” By now, Qin Que’s grievances had long since melted under Yan Qing’s concerned gaze. She shook her head hurriedly, trying to pull her arm back.

But Yan Qing kept hold of her wrist and led her toward the first aid kit.

“Hey! You think you can just—” Dai Yuchen’s voice rang out behind them, aggressive.

“Shut up.”

Before Qin Que could get angry again, Yan Qing turned her head and shot a cold glance at the man.

Her voice and expression were calm, but everyone present could sense the danger in them.

Dai Yuchen choked back the rest of his words, shrinking like a quail.

Qin Que now felt Yan Qing had been incredibly gentle with her.

After shutting Dai Yuchen up, the woman even squeezed her palm reassuringly.

But she still couldn’t relax.

To Qin Que, Dai Yuchen was a massive danger. She couldn’t ignore him.

As Yan Qing applied ointment to her arm, Qin Que—busy helping the omega unscrew the cap one-handed—said seriously, “He definitely did it on purpose. I saw it clearly. When the ladder fell, he was smiling. He—”

“I know,” Yan Qing cut her off, massaging the medicated skin gently. “I believe you.”

Qin Que noticed the complexity in the woman’s gaze—a mix of pity and helplessness. That look weighed heavily on her heart, and she finally fell silent.

If Yan Qing believed her, that was enough. She should trust Yan Qing to handle it.

Yan Qing sighed again.

This kid was always so foolish, throwing herself into danger for others’ sake.

She’d stopped Qin Que not to help the production team sweep things under the rug, and certainly not to protect Dai Yuchen—but to protect Qin Que.

If Qin Que had thrown that punch, it might’ve vented Yan Qing’s anger, but without proof…

Just then, Mi Sike and the other three guests approached. All four looked uneasy. Nie Sijun spoke first.

“We checked the camera footage. At that moment, none of the cameras captured a close-up of Dai Yuchen. It just looks like… an accident.”

Everyone fell silent. The AI-controlled cameras had missed the most critical moment.

Qin Que slowly clenched her fists, her eyes filled with frustration.

Again. Just like last time. No evidence…

Dai Yuchen, lurking nearby, seemed to pick up on their expressions. He immediately shouted at Qin Que, “No proof means you’re slandering me! Just wait—this isn’t over!”

Yan Qing shot him a cold look, but before she could speak, Nie Sijun stepped forward. Her voice remained gentle but carried an unshakable certainty.

“Whether you did it or not, you know the truth. Don’t push your luck.”

As someone who’d shared a bed with Dai Yuchen for years, she knew her husband’s nature all too well.

Dai Yuchen laughed—a twisted, ugly sound. “So you do have a thing for that pretty girl! Already siding with outsiders?”

Nie Sijun looked at him with sorrow and shook her head. “I’m just done with you. I want a divorce.”

Dai Yuchen’s grin froze. He stared at her, disbelieving, before suddenly bursting into manic laughter. “You wish! Unless I’m dead, you’ll be a Dai in life and a Dai in death!”

Nie Sijun’s reply was calm and resolute, as if this decision had been brewing in her heart for a long time—and now that it was out, there was no taking it back.

“Even if I die, I’ll divorce you.”

The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned. Yan Yuzhen and Jin Shuo glanced around helplessly. Qin Que looked at Yan Qing, who was rubbing her temples in exasperation.

She suddenly regretted it.

This situation wasn’t quite the same as before. Shan Xiao Jia was already dead, so Qin Que had had no choice but to fight to the bitter end for justice.

But now, her anger had only caused trouble for Yan Qing—the victim—and put them in a passive position.

Even with good intentions, she should’ve discussed it with Yan Qing first.

But why did the wrongdoers always get to walk free, leaving the victims to suffer the consequences?

As Qin Que wallowed in misery, Mi Sike approached with a phone and said quietly to Yan Qing, “Miss Yan, CEO Xu is on the line.”

Yan Qing stood, took the phone, and ruffled Qin Que’s bowed head firmly. Under the alpha’s confused gaze, she flashed a bright smile.

“Don’t look so defeated. You did the right thing. A bad person is still a bad person, even if they’re not caught. And you’re not alone—leave the rest to me. Stay here and keep an eye on things so that bastard doesn’t bully Sister Nie.”

She then gestured at Yan Yuzhen. “Okay?”

Yan Yuzhen immediately understood, thumping her chest. “Don’t worry, Sister Yan. If they argue, we’ll listen. If he dares to lift a hand, the four of us will beat him until his teeth scatter!”

Jin Shuo nodded silently.

Yan Qing gave her a thumbs-up before stepping aside to take the call.

“Hello.”

Xu Li’s voice came through. “How’s your injury?”

“It’s fine. Just a scratch.” Yan Qing glanced at the neatly bandaged wound on her arm—Qin Que had even tied it into a bow—and couldn’t help but smile. “What’s the situation outside?”

Xu Li was succinct. “Chaos. Your fans have flooded Destined’s official Weibo comments demanding answers. Xu Zheng’s troll army has also mobilized, mainly attacking Qin Que, saying she slandered Dai Yuchen to curry favor with you. Without evidence, more and more people are buying it. You know how those alphas who love feeling superior online love to circle the wagons.”

“Tch. Think Qin Que embarrassed their oh-so-noble gender?” Yan Qing smirked coldly. “Old Dai must be exhausted cleaning up after his son at his age. But he brought this on himself.”

“So, how do you want to handle this?” Xu Li paused. “With your influence, just speaking out and saying Dai Yuchen hurt you would give us the upper hand in the court of public opinion, evidence or not. Xu Zheng’s main target is Qin Que. We could—”

“No.” Yan Qing cut her off without hesitation. “We can’t hurt Qin Que.”

She understood Xu Li’s meaning. Dai Yuchen’s father, renowned director Dai Ming, was currently filming a blockbuster funded by Xu Zheng—a last-ditch effort for Xu Zheng’s faction. Xu Zheng had fought to get Dai Yuchen into Destined, produced by Xu Li’s side, to build hype for Dai Ming before the film’s release.

But no one expected Dai Yuchen to be such a disaster, earning nothing but infamy. Now, with this incident, if they struck hard, they could tarnish both Dai Yuchen and Dai Ming, making it nearly impossible for Xu Zheng to recover.

All it would cost was Qin Que’s reputation. After all, even Xu Zheng’s trolls didn’t dare attack Yan Qing directly, fearing her fans’ wrath.

Talk about a lucky shot.

Yan Qing rubbed her temples wryly. If the main target had been her, she’d have gladly taken the hit to make them pay.

But now…

Her gaze fell on the alpha nearby.

Qin Que leaned against the orange tree, her tall frame curled into a small, dejected ball, her usually bright eyes dull as she stared at the grass.

This righteous warrior had suffered enough.

How could Yan Qing bear to hurt her further?

“Then… we’ll have to back down,” Xu Li said after a pause. “Call it a misunderstanding?”

“It wasn’t a misunderstanding,” Yan Qing stated firmly. “I believe Qin Que. If she says Dai Yuchen tried to hurt me, he did.”

“But we have no proof.” Xu Li sounded exasperated, as if to say, What do you want me to do?

“We just don’t have direct evidence.” Yan Qing was resolute. “If we call the police, we might find circumstantial evidence.”

“But by the time the investigation concludes, the rumors will’ve spread like wildfire,” Xu Li argued. “And the public doesn’t put much stock in circumstantial evidence. Qin Que will still get dragged.”

“I know.” Yan Qing plucked a blade of grass, rolling it absently between her fingers. “But since when do victims have to eat their grievances? Tell Xu Zheng: either he accepts my terms, or he can fish Director Dai’s precious son out of jail.”

“Fine. I’ll have him call you. Don’t hang up yet.” Xu Li fell silent briefly before ending the call.

Within three minutes, the phone buzzed again.

Yan Qing answered. A deep, hoarse male voice, dripping with resentment, got straight to the point. “What are your conditions?”

Yan Qing didn’t mince words either.

“First, call off your trolls. Only daring to bully a small-time actor—how pathetic.”

Xu Zheng snorted derisively. “Only because she’s your precious Miss Li’s darling. Fine. It’s not like crushing her does me any good anyway.”

He emphasized Li deliberately, clearly trying to provoke her.

Yan Qing laughed. “CEO Xu, I’ll say it again: my surname is Yan. If your brain’s not working, go home and eat some walnuts. Don’t embarrass yourself in public.”

“You—!” Xu Zheng’s voice rose sharply before he snarled, “What else?”

“Second, Destined’s official team has the final say on how this incident is explained. I won’t outright accuse Dai Yuchen, but don’t expect us to clear his name either. We’ll each take a step back. After all, he’s the one who screwed up—you think he’s getting off scot-free?” Yan Qing glanced at Dai Yuchen, still throwing a tantrum at Nie Sijun, her eyes filled with disdain.

“You’re dreaming,” Xu Zheng spat. “I’m negotiating to save him. How’s this any different from tearing up the deal?”

“Oh, it’s very different,” Yan Qing said cheerfully. “Going from a death sentence to life imprisonment—shouldn’t you thank me for sparing him? Or would you rather I call the cops now? With Dai Yuchen’s brains, who knows what other family secrets he might spill in interrogation?”

Silence. Then, through gritted teeth: “What else?”

“Third, whatever it takes, make Dai Yuchen agree to divorce Nie Sijun.” Yan Qing’s expression softened slightly as she watched Nie Sijun’s slender back.

Better late than never. At least this would settle one of her own worries.

“Fine.” Xu Zheng agreed quickly—clearly, swapping wives was no big deal to him. “But it has to wait until after the show wraps and the hype dies down.”

“Deal. But draft a contract first—settle the divorce date and asset split. No funny business.” Yan Qing smiled.

Xu Zheng hung up.

Yan Qing imagined him throwing a tantrum in his office, rolling around in rage, and felt much better. She handed the phone back to Mi Sike and returned to Qin Que’s side.

“How’d it go?” The alpha, who’d been hanging her head, immediately looked up, eyes wide and hopeful.

“All settled.” Yan Qing couldn’t resist ruffling her hair and explained the terms.

Yan Yuzhen, listening in, couldn’t help but marvel. “Sister Yan, you’re amazing! Getting them to agree to so much in this situation—we came out way ahead!”

Her admiration was genuine. Without evidence, Yan Qing had essentially gambled on absolute trust in Qin Que. Luckily, the other side had a guilty conscience—otherwise, this could’ve ended very differently.

“But Dai Yuchen’s still staying on the show.” Qin Que’s mood dipped again.

With Dai Yuchen around, she couldn’t shake the fear that Yan Qing might get hurt again.

Yan Qing studied Qin Que’s bowed head, feeling a pang of guilt. This was the best solution she could devise, but by Qin Que’s logic, Dai Yuchen was still escaping punishment.

She wasn’t like Qin Que—she couldn’t charge ahead recklessly for the sake of justice. If Qin Que was pure-hearted, Yan Qing was just an imposter.

She smiled bitterly, wondering how to comfort Qin Que, when the alpha suddenly looked up and said dejectedly, “You did it to protect me. I dragged you down.”

Yan Qing blinked, then understood. She sighed. “…You.”

Always remembering others’ kindness. So easily fooled.

For someone like this to have never been taken advantage of before—Yan Qing really was lucky.