This time, things were indeed a bit dangerous for Zhou Yi. He could see the affection points and attribute values dropping in the system backend.
This was exactly what the system had warned him about—being a celebrity came with risks. The affection of fans could plummet at any moment, and the benefits they granted could just as easily be taken back.
Fortunately, Zhou Yi hadn’t responded publicly yet. Some of his loyal fans were still waiting, holding out for his explanation.
You Man glanced nervously at her phone, her eyes filled with worry. "We were followed, weren’t we?"
Zhou Yi nodded. "Yeah, they took those photos when we left the shop and got into the car."
You Man lowered her head in guilt. "It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been in such a hurry to... they wouldn’t have caught us."
Zhou Yi reassured her with a relaxed smile. "Even if it wasn’t this time, it would’ve happened eventually. Once someone’s targeting you, they won’t let go. Luckily, they didn’t capture anything incriminating. Don’t worry, I’ll handle it."
"Really? It seems pretty serious to me."
"Really. The only thing I’m worried about is you overthinking this."
"I know all the people in these photos. I’m not overthinking—I’m just worried about you. Have you figured out what to do?"
"I have."
Even 077 was surprised. It had only been a few minutes since he’d learned about the situation, yet he already had a plan.
Zhou Yi’s phone kept buzzing with notifications, but he ignored them. He assumed it was all about the trending scandal.
Calmly, he kissed the woman’s forehead and said softly, "Manjie, I’ll head back to the company to deal with this. Don’t stress—just rest."
You Man knew she couldn’t help in this situation, so she nodded. "Let me know if there’s anything I can do. I’ll wait for your update."
Zhou Yi smiled, bid her goodbye, and returned to the company.
As expected, his phone rang. It was Kong Huaijin.
"Hey, A-Yi, are you busy?"
Her tone sounded composed—she didn’t seem angry.
Zhou Yi feigned ignorance. "I’m at the company working. What’s up, sis?"
Kong Huaijin sighed. "You really don’t know? You’re trending at number one. You should check."
Zhou Yi put her on speaker, pretending to scroll through Weibo. After a moment, he gasped in exaggerated shock. "This is complete nonsense! They’re slandering me!"
Kong Huaijin frowned. "What’s your relationship with the people in these photos? Feels like someone’s targeting you."
She might have had her doubts, but seeing how even she had been photographed just standing next to Zhou Yi, she figured these other women might not have any real connection to him either.
As he flipped through the photos, Zhou Yi explained, "You know Su Ning, right? Her brother used to pursue you."
Kong Huaijin skimmed the trending photos. "Yeah, I know her."
"She’s my classmate. I used to have feelings for her, and there was some history between us."
At this, Kong Huaijin’s brow furrowed.
"But now we’re just friends. That photo was taken when she confessed to me—I turned her down."
Hearing this, her expression softened. Good, he’d rejected her.
"The second woman is Jiang Ruolan. You’ve met her. We’re just supervisor and subordinate—we’re often together, so getting photographed is normal. It was just a business outing."
"Right, I remember her. She’s very professional and upright—not the type to mess around."
Kong Huaijin had a good impression of Jiang Ruolan. In the photo, Zhou Yi was just helping her down the stairs—nothing scandalous.
"The fourth one is You Man, the owner of the fast-food place where I used to work. She took care of me before I found my parents—without her, I wouldn’t have had money for school."
"Later, to repay her, I partnered with her to open a restaurant. Today, I was just going over the accounts with her since I’m leaving for Province A tomorrow. I wanted to settle things before I left. Who knew... sigh."
Zhou Yi sounded genuinely wronged. Kong Huaijin comforted him, "If that’s the case, it’s easy to explain. None of these photos show anything intimate. Just have the girls clarify things."
That was exactly Zhou Yi’s plan, but he couldn’t suggest it himself. Kong Huaijin had PR experience—she was the perfect person to handle this early.
Zhou Yi continued playing the innocent, hesitant card. "I don’t understand all these online twists and turns. I might have to trouble you with this, sis."
Kong Huaijin’s eyes lit up. It was rare for Zhou Yi to ask for her help—she was more than happy to oblige.
With a confident smirk, she said, "Don’t worry, this is nothing. I’ll have the company’s PR team handle it."
The Kong family had weathered far worse storms. Their PR team wasn’t just for show—plus, she had Luo Bingqing, the entertainment industry’s ultimate weapon.
Zhou Yi sounded apologetic. "I’m really sorry. That day, we were just standing together, and now they’re saying we’re involved. I hate that you got dragged into this mess."
Kong Huaijin examined her freshly manicured nails and chuckled playfully. "No need to be so formal with me. But since I’m helping you... how are you going to thank me?"
Her tone was teasing, not demanding—just lighthearted enough not to annoy him.
Zhou Yi played dumb. "What kind of thanks do you want, sis?"
"How about making the rumors true?"
The moment she said it, she heard Zhou Yi cough violently on the other end. Kong Huaijin burst out laughing.
So easy to tease.
"Alright, alright, just kidding. I’ll have the team take care of it. Don’t stress."
"Okay, thanks, sis."
"But you owe me dinner when you’re back."
"Deal. It’s the least I can do."
After hanging up, Kong Huaijin immediately called her team to handle the situation.
All they needed was for the women in the photos to explain the context. If each of them spoke up, the issue would be resolved easily.
Manager Wang from the Kong family’s PR department contacted each woman—no need for Kong Huaijin to intervene personally.
Of course, the first to respond was Kong Huaijin herself. She had to stir the pot first, drawing all the attention so the other women’s statements would gain traction.
Kong Huaijin didn’t post the statement from her personal account but from the official Kong Group’s verified Weibo, under the identity of the Kong family’s eldest daughter.
The title was explosive:
"Yes, We Have That Kind of Relationship."
Netizens clicked instantly.