Stalking 018

With Fang Zhiyi's constant stream of cursing, everyone in the livestream room was stunned.

This didn’t sound right at all. If what he was saying were true, then Fang Xiaolian hitting her stepmother and stealing money were all acts of self-defense?

“She deserves a beating! I beat her so many times when she was little, and she still dared to run away! Just you wait until you come back! Your mother has already arranged a blind date for you!” Fang Zhiyi even pointed at the camera threateningly. “They’re willing to pay a bride price of fifty thousand! Tell me, which family raises a daughter if not to marry her off? Right?”

He ranted shamelessly, coarse and unreasonable.

In front of the screen, Fang Xiaolian stared at her father’s face, a familiar nervousness creeping into her heart—the same dread she had of him suddenly slapping her. As she listened, her heart grew cold again and again.

Suddenly, her phone rang: “President Fang! Great news!”

“What?”

“A distributor just contacted us saying they want to place an order!” The young woman on the other end of the line paused before adding, “And they told me to tell you: keep going.”

Fang Xiaolian hung up and realized that the comments in her own livestream, which had been condemning her, had now turned into a chorus of accusations against Fang Zhiyi and Hu Xiulian. Many viewers were cursing through gritted teeth.

“What are you all yelling about? Listen, if you want to buy something, buy the brand I’m promoting in my livestream! That little good-for-nothing? What do I know about her? What high-quality stuff could she possibly make? Mine is good—it’s a major brand! My son’s brand!” Fang Zhiyi said smugly.

Liu Wen, watching from inside the livestream, was dumbfounded. How could Fang Zhiyi be so brainless? Sure, he was badmouthing Fang Xiaolian, but not like this! Wasn’t this just exposing himself?

“Fang Xiaolian, I’m sorry.”

“Fang Xiaolian, I’m sorry.”

The first person typed that message, followed by a second, then a third.

Fang Xiaolian stared blankly at the apologies flooding the livestream, while her private message count skyrocketed.

“Why are you apologizing to her? She’s an ungrateful wretch!” Fang Zhiyi roared. “My son told me she’s nothing but a good-for-nothing loser!”

But the angrier he got, the more furious the audience became.

Fang Zhiyi’s first-ever livestream had reached an astonishing several hundred thousand online viewers.

Overnight, the top trending topic became “The Shocking Reversal of the Fang Xiaolian Incident.”

No one doubted its authenticity because the disdain, belittlement, and suppression Fang Xiaolian’s biological father had shown were so natural and undeniable.

Those who had previously boycotted Fang Xiaolian’s brand now began apologizing en masse. More people searched for her products and placed orders. The shops that had canceled their cooperation called one after another. Even major companies smelling an opportunity reached out to Fang Xiaolian.

Fang Xiaolian was left dizzy by this sudden turnaround.

“What? I just spoke the truth! Don’t yell at me—let your mother handle it.” Fang Zhiyi handed the phone to Hu Xiulian. As she listened to her son’s raging on the other end, she was baffled.

She thought Fang Zhiyi had cursed correctly—it felt satisfying!

That was until Liu Wu snatched the phone and hung up without a word, leaving everyone staring at one another in bewilderment.

Fang Zhiyi shook his head. “Kids grow up—I can’t understand their stuff anymore.” He walked away with his hands behind his back.

“Host, you’re pretty cunning,” Xiaoxiaohei suddenly said.

Fang Zhiyi chuckled. “Even you noticed?”

“First, you used Liu Wen’s money to create buzz and smear Fang Xiaolian. Then, when the heat was at its peak, you stepped in and revealed the truth. Those who had bullied Fang Xiaolian online either felt played or guilty, so their anger naturally shifted target.”

“Oh, you’ve gotten smarter.”

“But this approach is risky,” Xiaoxiaohei said.

“I don’t have a choice. I have to use unconventional methods to do what I need to do. At least on the surface, I’m doing the same thing the original owner did, right?” Fang Zhiyi grinned.

Xiaoxiaohei was curious. “Host, aren’t you afraid of messing this up?”

“I’m not betting on them pitying a young girl trying to start a business. I’m betting on their hatred for me—their anger at Liu Wen for tricking them.” Fang Zhiyi clapped his hands. “And I have absolute confidence in my acting skills.”

Fang Zhiyi walked off into the distance. “What happens next is out of the hands of an idle man like me. People will dig up the rest on their own.”

Just as Fang Zhiyi had predicted, the brand behind his livestream was traced back, and soon Liu Wen was exposed to the public. When people realized he was Fang Xiaolian’s brother, everything fell into place.

Liu Wen’s company faced boycotts, his brand suffered, and the shareholder who had backed him was implicated. Large orders were canceled, leaving Liu Wen sitting pale-faced in his office, knowing it was all over.

Sure enough, before the end of the workday, the company notified him of his termination and said they would hold him accountable.

Almost simultaneously, a law firm offered free legal services to seek justice for Fang Xiaolian and sent Liu Wen a legal notice.

Liu Wen experienced the thrill of a roller coaster—in just one day and one night, he went from a respected boss to a despised outcast.

He knew he had no place left here. But where could he go? After racking his brain, he fled back to his village in disgrace, thinking that seclusion would offer safety.

Hu Xiulian was surprised but mostly disappointed by his return. She still couldn’t understand how her son had lost his job because of some “internet thing.”

Liu Wen couldn’t be bothered to explain. Instead, he stormed off in search of Fang Zhiyi, his face twisted with rage.

“This is all your fault! If you hadn’t run your mouth, none of this would have happened!” Liu Wen burst in, grabbing Fang Zhiyi’s collar. Fang Zhiyi didn’t resist. He just looked at him calmly.

“Someone else is more eager to see you,” Fang Zhiyi said, pointing behind him.

“You’re finally back, my dear big brother.”

A voice that made Liu Wen’s blood run cold sounded from behind. He turned his head slowly and saw a face marked with scars.

“Do you like it? If you hadn’t called the cops back then, maybe I wouldn’t have run…”

“You… you deserved it!”

When Hu Xiulian rushed in, the scene she feared didn’t occur. Instead, Liu Wen was nervously eyeing Liu Wu, who sat huddled in a corner, head bowed, carving a piece of wood while muttering to himself: “Pretty impressive, huh? I learned that inside. If you didn’t finish, the cell boss would hit you. Sometimes they even made me drink urine…”

Liu Wen shuddered.

“Xiao Wu, stop talking!” Hu Xiulian quickly interrupted, then turned to Liu Wen. “You can stay here for today. Tomorrow, I’ll find you a place to live.”