Bad Rumors

The next day.

Ye Shuang arrived at the company early. After getting a good day’s rest yesterday, he felt considerably more energized.

“Good morning, CEO Ye.”

“Good morning, CEO Ye.”

As soon as Ye Shuang entered, the employees nearby began greeting him one after another. He gave them a simple response, and Kou Kou, who had been waiting for him, quickly walked over.

“CEO Ye.”

“Kou Kou, have you had breakfast?” Ye Shuang asked.

“Thank you for your concern, CEO Ye. I already have.” After saying this, Kou Kou’s expression became somewhat hesitant, as if she wanted to say something. Noticing this, Ye Shuang simply asked, “What is it?”

“CEO Ye, it’s like this. Recently, some unfavorable comments have appeared online,” Kou Kou said.

“Unfavorable comments…” Ye Shuang became a little interested when he heard this. “Come on. Tell me all about it in my office.”

“Yes.”

After returning to the office, Ye Shuang had just sat down when Kou Kou poured him a cup of coffee and brought over a tablet.

“Please take a look.”

Ye Shuang glanced at it and saw that it was a short-video platform. A young woman was speaking into the camera, so he turned up the volume.

“Hello, everyone. I’m Tao Yiyi. I’m making a real-name report against Ye Shuang, vice president of the Chen Group, for abusing his authority and forming a clique. Not only has he repeatedly forced female subordinates to provide him with services, but he also drove away capable colleagues. He even fired me simply because I refused to comply…”

After watching the video, Ye Shuang raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Hmm?”

“This…”

“Who is this woman?” Ye Shuang asked Kou Kou. And what did she mean by providing services?

Was that for real?

Even if she wanted to frame him, couldn’t she come up with something more believable? How did someone who was several levels below Chen Qin and the others in appearance even find the courage to say something like that?

Kou Kou immediately explained, “CEO Ye, Tao Yiyi is the employee who dumped her work on Miss Bai last time.”

Ye Shuang understood at once. After all, he had never met Tao Yiyi in person, and he certainly had no reason to remember her name.

Ye Shuang remained quite calm. He simply opened the comments section and looked through it. Almost every comment claimed to have had similar experiences, followed by attacks against Ye Shuang himself. Some people were even saying that they wanted to dig up his personal information.

“Our official company account has also received a lot more comments. They’re all…” Kou Kou hesitated.

Ye Shuang searched for his group’s official account.

“Is this the company of that CEO Ye who forces female subordinates?”

“Seriously? It’s such a large listed company, yet this is what capitalists are like.”

“Ugh. The power of capital.”

After seeing so many netizens rush over to condemn him without bothering to distinguish right from wrong, Ye Shuang rubbed his chin.

Kou Kou, standing nearby, did not dare say anything. As his assistant, she naturally knew what Ye Shuang was usually like. There were indeed many beautiful women around CEO Ye, but the claims that he forced subordinates to provide him with services were complete nonsense.

Kou Kou herself was much prettier than Tao Yiyi. If anything like that had really happened, how could she not know about it? Tao Yiyi was simply talking rubbish.

While Kou Kou watched Ye Shuang’s expression, she had assumed that he would be furious. Instead, she found him completely calm, as though he did not take it seriously at all.

“CEO Ye, what do you think… Should we issue a statement?” Kou Kou asked.

“There’s no need. It’s just a minor matter.” After saying this, Ye Shuang set down the tablet. “These people lack the ability to think independently. It’s hardly strange that they’ve allowed themselves to be used as tools. After all, so-called online judges are a double-edged sword.”

“What’s on the schedule this morning?”

“There’s a regular shareholders’ meeting this morning,” Kou Kou replied.

“Hmm. When will President Chen be back?”

“President Chen’s flight arrives at ten. She won’t be attending the meeting.”

“Then let’s go. We’ll attend the meeting first.”

Seeing that An Shiyu and Anshi Yi were probably out having fun somewhere else, Ye Shuang led Kou Kou toward the conference room.

When they reached the entrance, Ye Shuang noticed the numerous gazes directed at him.

In particular, quite a few of the shareholders were looking over, their eyes seeming to carry hidden implications. Clearly, it had something to do with the recent rumors. These people had probably heard the news even earlier, and now that the matter had been spreading online, it was impossible for them not to know about it.

Even so, Ye Shuang remained perfectly calm. He walked to the central seat at the conference table—the seat usually occupied by Chen Qin—and sat down.

After taking his seat, Ye Shuang glanced around at those present.

“Everyone’s more or less here. Let’s begin the regular meeting.”

Aside from the usual data and minor matters, the group remained stable, and there was nothing particularly noteworthy. Just as Ye Shuang was about to end the meeting, a man suddenly spoke up.

“CEO Ye, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

“Recently, the group has come under attack online, and there have been some unfavorable rumors about you. This has affected our company’s image,” the man said. “It could cause investors to lose confidence. Don’t you think you owe us an explanation?”

Ye Shuang responded indifferently, “They’re just rumors. Do you really think Chen Group can be affected by a few trivial rumors?”

“Well… Of course not.”

“If something is true, then it’s true. If it’s false, then it’s false. If you believe this can influence investors’ decisions, then defeating competitors would only require hiring internet trolls instead of developing better products and strategies.” After saying this, Ye Shuang glanced at the man, who quickly fell silent.

“All right. Does anyone else have something to say?” Ye Shuang swept his gaze across the room.

When no one spoke, Ye Shuang smiled.

“Then the meeting is adjourned. Go back to work.”

After the brief incident during the morning meeting, Ye Shuang returned to his office with Kou Kou. By then, An Shiyu and Anshi Yi had already come back.

“Hey, was the morning meeting fun?” Anshi Yi asked.

“What’s fun about going to work?” Ye Shuang said as he sat down in his chair.

“Hey, there are some interesting rumors about the group lately. Something about CEO Ye forcing female subordinates…” Anshi Yi was playing with her phone when she seemed to notice something. She poked Ye Shuang’s lower leg with her foot.

“How annoying, CEO Ye. How did you get found out about our relationship?”

“Looks like we can only make it public now. I suppose this day was bound to come eventually,” An Shiyu added.

Ye Shuang: “…”

“Have I ever asked you to provide me with any services?” Ye Shuang asked expressionlessly.

“You have. You asked us to help you with your work.”

“That’s called working…”

“It means the same thing.”

“It absolutely does not mean the same thing!”

An Shiyu, however, propped her chin in her hand and said with a mysterious smile, “Actually, these rumors would be very easy to resolve.”

“Easy?”

“That’s right.”