When the situation was urgent, even a company that was usually strict about rules and procedures had no choice but to draft a public statement as quickly as possible.
When the Brand Department came to report to him, Shang Shao was driving. He hadn’t bothered with a chauffeur, choosing to drive the Taycan himself as he took Ying Yin to the marina.
The electric sports sedan was quiet and nearly soundless as it moved. Shang Shao kept his eyes on the road, listening to the statement through his Bluetooth earpiece.
After his subordinate finished reading it, he explained, “As you instructed, the statement mainly clarifies Mr. Jin’s identity. It will be published on Qinde’s official website, while on Weibo, reputable news media outlets will repost it and lead the discussion.”
Shang Shao glanced sideways and saw Ying Yin slumped in the passenger seat, her long legs bent with both knees drawn up. Her head rested against the window, her expression quiet and distracted.
Shang Shao reached over and took her hand. The touch was so cold that his heart tightened.
“Don’t overthink it.” His voice was low as he called her attention back.
His subordinate on the other end waited quietly. Only after Shang Shao had reassured Ying Yin did he continue, “There’s also the account impersonating Madam Jin. We’ve already collected the necessary evidence and submitted the case through the proper channels as quickly as possible. We should be able to obtain the account holder’s real-name information soon.”
Shang Shao gave a brief response. “Handle the rest yourselves.”
As the car drove down the cliffside and headed toward the second security checkpoint inside the grounds, Qinde’s official website published the statement.
Regarding the recent rumors circulating online concerning our company’s President, Mr. Jin Yuanmin, and alleged marital problems and infidelity, in order to clarify the facts and safeguard the lawful rights and interests of the relevant parties, our company hereby makes the following statement:
- Mr. Jin Yuanmin joined our company in 2014 and has since served successively as Vice President and President of Qinde Land, a position he continues to hold to this day. There has been no change in his marital status.
- The account claiming to belong to “Jin Yuanmin’s wife” is an impersonation and fabrication. As it has seriously affected the reputation of Mr. Jin Yuanmin and our company, we have legally preserved evidence and will pursue legal liability against the parties concerned through legal channels.
- The “Mr. Jin Yuanmin” who has been the subject of widespread discussion online is a case of mistaken identity and is not Mr. Jin Yuanmin himself. We respectfully urge the general public to respect citizens’ right to privacy and refrain from spreading further rumors.
Following the statement on the official website were several photographs. One showed Jin Yuanmin’s employment and promotion history within the group, another was a group photo from the company’s annual meeting, and the third was a screenshot of a press release bearing its publication date.
The statement was reposted by authorized news media outlets, and as soon as the hashtag #QindeStatement was created, it shot straight onto the trending list:
[I’m so confused now.]
[This is turning into a whole Rashomon situation.]
[I’m dead, how is it Qinde?! As an auditor, I went through Deloitte’s Chinese and English websites from top to bottom just to get the tea. Does anyone understand my dedication?!]
[But the statement doesn’t explain anything! Why was the Jin Yuanmin at the Galaxy Awards that guy?]
One of the highest-liked comments firmly occupied the top spot:
[Maybe he was sick or had something come up, so someone else temporarily filled in for him. That kind of thing happens all the time, doesn’t it? To put it bluntly, they’re all just representatives of Qinde anyway. Does it really matter who’s actually behind the face?]
Then, as if by perfect coincidence, a post from Jin Yuanmin’s actual wife’s WeChat Moments also somehow found its way online:
[Just made a durian mille-crêpe cake for the two little gluttons at home, and only then realized I’d become famous online. Thanks everyone for your concern and attention. That wasn’t me, and it wasn’t my husband either. We’re doing just fine. Besides, what woman would be blind enough to fall for him? /crying with laughter//crying with laughter/]
Of course, a real married couple would have plenty of photos together. She picked out some everyday snapshots and arranged them into a nine-grid collage. At a glance, it was filled with children, sunshine, blue skies and green grass, cakes – the picture of a peaceful, happy life.
Just as the truth was finally coming to light, some sharp-eyed netizens noticed something:
[REPORT!! The original wife’s Weibo post that got 200,000 reposts has been deleted!]
The account claiming to be Jin Yuanmin’s wife deleted the post and deactivated the account with remarkable speed. That move made the truth more or less self-evident:
[So it really was just a rumor…]
[LMAO.]
[Chinese netizens really took another massive L.]
[Forever young, forever charging into battle, forever getting fooled…]
[Why though…]
[Probably a hater or some troll pretending to be someone else behind a fake account. No idea who gave her the nerve.]
[Surely she doesn’t think deactivating her account means she won’t go to prison?]
[Hopelessly ignorant of the law.]
[A rumor that got 200,000 reposts and a million likes… I don’t even want to imagine…]
[The haters really deserve some credit for helping spread it /popcorn/]
[Oh, this whole thing? This is just the haters finding kindred spirits in each other /cute//cute/]
On the online forum, Ying Yin’s fans were celebrating with tears of relief, some even crying with joy, as though they had narrowly escaped a disaster.
Among them were quite a few heartfelt comments:
[Honestly, the most heartbreaking thing since this whole mess started is that not a single one of you believed her. Thirteen years, and the trust you had in her fell apart so easily. If she really were that kind of person, she would have been that kind of person all along. I just hope she won’t check the super-topic, won’t look at the posts, and hasn’t had Junyi read the group messages to her. Getting so many people to unfollow you that it literally exploded – there’s really no one else like her in the whole Chinese entertainment industry. If you’ve ever insulted her on your homepage, let’s go our separate ways here. Don’t come anywhere near her again in the future.]
But naturally, the incident wasn’t going to lose its heat so quickly. Qinde’s statement had only cleared up the allegations that Ying Yin had been involved with another man; it still hadn’t explained her relationship with him.
[If that wasn’t Jin Yuanmin, then who was it?]
The lake-blue Taycan glided at a steady speed through the dappled shadows of the trees. After driving for a while, it passed the Marine Animal Protection and Breeding Center.
Although it was the weekend, there were still people on duty. Six or seven cars were parked at varying distances across the open-air parking lot. After the Taycan passed by, a Nissan sedan started up as well.
Even though it followed at a very slow pace, keeping several hundred meters behind, it was still conspicuous on such an open stretch of road. Shang Shao lifted his eyes. In the rearview mirror, his eyes were as still and unfathomable as a deep pool, betraying nothing.
The next second, he called Lin Cunkang.
“Hello.” Shang Shao turned the steering wheel casually. He glanced once more into the side mirror and gave a string of numbers. “Dong A968JN, Nissan. Tell the checkpoint to stop it.”
After hanging up, Ying Yin snapped out of her distracted state. “Are we being followed?”
She instinctively grabbed the back of the seat and turned around. Before she could get a clear look, Shang Shao raised a hand to shield her face.
There was only the faintest scent of agarwood on his fingertips.
“Don’t look. There might be a camera.”
Ying Yin was always a half-beat slow to react, and after his reminder, she quickly straightened up and sat properly.
“It’s not necessarily them.” Shang Shao smiled for a moment, reassuring her. “There are people working here on weekends too. Apart from registered vehicles, it’s difficult for outsiders to get in. I’m probably just being overly cautious.”
“They’ve already found out who you are?” Ying Yin asked anxiously, bewildered. “Otherwise, why would they come here?”
Shang Shao pondered for a moment. “There are a few entertainment newspapers in Hong Kong with reporters who know what I look like. With something this big blowing up online, they’re bound to take an interest.”
“Then they’ll just make things up.” Ying Yin suddenly sat bolt upright.
“They’ll take the photos first, then publish the story,” Shang Shao said with a faintly sardonic smile. “You could say that’s one aspect of their professionalism.”
Ying Yin started looking around for a mask. “They can’t take pictures of you…”
The car was rarely used, and after rummaging through the center console and storage compartment for a long while without finding a mask or hat, Shang Shao took her hand. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
“What if the stock price crashes?”
Shang Shao laughed. “Do you really think you have that much power?”
His words were almost teasingly soothing, and when he lifted Ying Yin’s hand to his lips, his touch was even gentler.
As he finished speaking, his warm lips pressed against her knuckles. “Your hands are freezing. Let’s go out to sea and get some sun.”
The car passed through the checkpoint, and a minute later, the Nissan following behind was indeed stopped. Shang Shao glanced over and saw someone get out of the car to argue with the security staff, clearly very unhappy about it.
But this piece of land, worth more than seven billion yuan, had originally been retained by him for these animal-protection and breeding organizations as a charitable gesture. It was private property, after all, so naturally, he was the one who made the rules.
Inside the Nissan, one person remained in the back seat. Beside him, an open nylon canvas case revealed an assortment of long and short lenses and camera bodies. He was holding one camera himself, while using his other hand to operate his phone.
In the Cantonese accent used by Hong Kong locals, he said, “Didn’t get the shot. I’ll send it over to you. Blue Taycan, passing by in three minutes. Just the two of them in the car.”
Three minutes later, the Taycan rounded the corner and merged into the traffic along the coastal road. Sure enough, a Honda pulled out from a private petrol station nearby.
Shang Shao lowered the window, lazily resting his left arm on it. The driver of the Honda was pretty good. He changed lanes several times, but the other car followed at a steady distance, neither too close nor too far.
After a kilometer of this, Shang Shao rested his hand against his lips and gave a very soft, almost relieved laugh.
Forget it.
At least they were seeing things through to the end, staying true to their original purpose. He’d just consider it a bonus for all these years of loyalty.
He stopped overtaking and changing lanes, simply letting them follow all the way until they entered the yacht harbor.
This harbor belonged to him too. The management fees for a superyacht were simply exorbitant – more than 300,000 a day. No matter how you ran the business, it wasn’t worth it, so he had simply bought the place outright and put an end to the problem.
This was a leisure marina, open only to members of the yacht club. A few yacht companies offering high-end experiences could also bring guests into the harbor after making reservations and registering in advance. Other than the various boat crews, everyone else was prohibited from entering.
After Shang Shao passed through the checkpoint, he called the management office. “Black Honda, Dong A35663. Whatever excuse they give you, let them in.”
“Hm?” Ying Yin made a questioning sound. “A friend of yours?”
The smile faded from the corners of Shang Shao’s lips. “Yeah. You could say… an old friend.”
Ying Yin called him out. “You look like you’re in a really good mood. I’m the only one who’s nervous.”
“Miss Ying.” He looked at her helplessly. “Today is the day I successfully proposed to you. How could I possibly be in a bad mood?”
So much had happened in a single day. It wasn’t even noon yet, and already the proposal seemed like something that had happened ages ago.
Ying Yin interlaced her fingers and stretched lazily, the pink diamond sparkling brilliantly and almost translucently in the sunlight. She wanted to lighten her mood, and she was doing her best to act as though she had. But there was a weight in her chest, as though a stone had settled there.
She didn’t care much about her own reputation. She’d been getting cursed at for over a decade anyway, and she had never intended to hide her relationship or marriage from her fans in the first place. When she thought about it carefully, all her anxiety was really for Shang Shao. She was afraid of causing trouble for him, afraid of exposing him, afraid of having netizens pick him apart and pass judgment on him.
But… those all seemed like things floating on the surface, like buoys drawing everyone’s attention. What lay deeper was something only she herself knew.
She wanted the whole world to see them too. Her and him.
She wanted them to be openly and unequivocally declared to the world. She wanted her name beside his. Whether it brought storms or sunshine, she wanted them to weather the wind and rain together, beneath the same gravestone.
Amid the gently undulating sea, the superyacht stood majestically in the distance, towering like a white skyscraper.
Ying Yin got out of the car and raised a hand to shield her eyes, but the midday sun was so intense that she still had to squint against the glare.
The boarding gangway had already been set up. The crew normally remained on standby aboard the yacht, and after receiving a call earlier, they were now waiting respectfully at the dock.
Most of the crew were of Indian descent. The only white man was the captain, a tall, broad-shouldered man with curly hair, his skin flushed reddish beneath the sunlight.
Shang Shao often used this yacht to entertain important guests, as well as certain VIPs whose names could not be disclosed. When hosting guests, it would head out into international waters or travel between Hong Kong and Macao, so it was used quite frequently. As a result, its foreign crew of 132 lived aboard the yacht permanently, every one of them bound by a confidentiality agreement.
Although summer was just beginning, they were all still dressed in formal white uniforms as they came to welcome them. This was the first time any of them had seen their young owner board the yacht with a woman, but not a trace of surprise or bewilderment showed on their faces. They simply greeted her with polished, professional smiles.
Several hundred meters away, the black Honda looked completely out of place in the marina.
The entertainment reporter slipped out of the car from the side facing farther inland. He moved quickly but discreetly, crouching as he searched for cover before raising his high-powered telephoto lens, its camouflage-white casing blending into the surroundings.
The image was incredibly clear – so clear that he felt as though he were genuinely spying on them. He was almost overwhelmed by the man’s presence, to the point that his wrist began to tremble.
Nearly ten years. Shang Shao had practically become an obsession for them. They couldn’t photograph him, couldn’t dig up anything on him – whether he could finally redeem himself all depended on today!
But for some reason, he kept feeling as though Shang Shao was smiling faintly. With all that chaos going on outside, he was actually smiling? Shouldn’t he be busy fending off all the media?
The reporter hesitated.
Then, in the next second, he saw Shang Shao tuck the long strands of Ying Yin’s hair behind her ear.
This was practically material being handed to him on a silver platter.
The shutter had long since been set to its quietest setting, with the camera switched to continuous shooting mode. Click-click-click – the shutter fired off in rapid succession.
Shang Shao tucked Ying Yin’s hair behind her ear and studied her for a moment beneath the sunlight. Then he leaned close to her ear, first pressing a kiss to the corner of her lips before asking, “Want me to carry you up?”
Ying Yin’s eyes widened, incredulous at his sudden whim. “I can walk by myself.”
There were so many people watching!
Shang Shao kept his voice at a whisper, coaxing her casually. “I just proposed to you today. How could you bear to tell me ‘no’?”
That didn’t seem to be the same thing…
Ying Yin raised her eyes, about to refuse, but became lost in Shang Shao’s gaze.
“Hmm?” he prompted patiently, gently coaxing her into agreeing.
Ying Yin: “…”
She closed her eyes, rose onto her toes, and leaned into his embrace, lifting her arms to wrap them around his neck.
Shang Shao gave a soft laugh, the corners of his lips curving upward. His large hand rested at the small of her back as he held her for a moment, before effortlessly scooping her up into his arms.
Ying Yin had been so frightened by the uproar online that her face had remained pale this whole time. Now that Shang Shao had scooped her into his arms, a faint flush spread across her skin. She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to take it anymore, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and let out a muffled laugh.
The boarding ramp from the dock to the stern deck stretched on in a long, gentle incline. The sunlight rested on the upper levels of the yacht, glinting like sharp, brilliant stars.
Shang Shao had anticipated all of this and walked with steady, unhurried steps.
Hundreds of high-definition photos capturing their intimate interaction were continuously being written onto the SD card.
[BREAKING!]
The entertainment reporter typed the headline and article directly into his phone:
[Mainland Civilian-Born Best Actress Clings to Hong Kong’s Top Tycoon Heir! The Two Board a White Yacht Together as the Young Master Carries the Princess in His Arms, Showering Us with Sweet PDA!]
The article read:
[As rumors surrounding renowned mainland actress Ying Yin’s love life continue to cause an uproar throughout the entertainment industry, sharp-eyed onlookers spotted her appearing in public with a man. After an unrelenting stakeout, our reporter finally captured photos revealing that this mysterious man is none other than Shang Shao, heir to Hong Kong’s number-one tycoon family.
Shang Shao, 36, is an executive director of Shangyu Group and the family’s designated successor. It is rumored that the Shang family’s assets approach one trillion yuan. For Best Actress Ying, who has long set her sights on marrying into wealth, this can certainly be considered a dream come true.
The two were extremely intimate in public. Young Master Shang was seen whispering in her ear one moment and kissing her the next, seemingly head over heels in love. And in the midst of their playful interactions, the young heir completely disregarded his prestigious status and scooped the Best Actress into his arms, leaving onlookers green with envy.
Although the Shang family has always claimed to value discretion, the second son previously entered the entertainment industry as a director, and now the eldest son has been caught publicly showering a female star with affection. Could there be some deeper commercial strategy behind all this?
It is worth noting that Young Master Shang has long been the subject of rumors about being “not up to the task,” while the Best Actress has reportedly been willing to do whatever it takes to gain entry into Deep Water Bay. However, Ying Yin herself has also long been notorious for being exceptionally skilled at using her feminine charms. This time, it seems like the perfect cure has finally met an unusual ailment. You have your two ounces of “softness,” while I have my silver tongue to “stimulate” it. Here’s wishing the two of you an early wedding!
[Today Entertainment] will continue to bring you updates.
“Hey, you little rascal.” A voice came from the driver’s seat, and the driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror.
“Hey, what? Have you sent the photos yet?” the entertainment reporter asked impatiently, frowning as his fingers continued flying across the screen.
There was no response from the front.
The car had stopped.
After a moment, the reporter hesitantly looked up. In front of the checkpoint barrier, two security guards dressed in black were blocking the car, while an older gentleman approached the window.
The window lowered halfway.
Lin Cunkang, dressed in a shirt and waistcoat, asked with impeccable courtesy, “Would you mind if I came in and had a little chat?”
The entertainment reporter: “…”
Fuck, not again?
Not even ten million would make him give up! He was determined to make a name for himself with this one!
Lin Cunkang remained perfectly composed and gentlemanly. “Don’t be nervous. I’ve merely been asked to help him choose which photographs and wording to use. If you waste another minute, the group’s official statement will come out first, and you’ll lose your scoop.”
The entertainment reporter: “…”
Lin Cunkang opened the door and ducked inside. “Please.”
The heated discussions online still showed no signs of stopping.
Even the CP group was completely bewildered:
[If it wasn’t Jin Yuanmin, then who the hell is it?]
They had dug and dug, yet there was nothing left to uncover – not the slightest clue.
The employees at Qinde had already started shipping them:
[I really want to use a burner account to go on there and spill the tea… (but I don’t dare)]
[Do you think Chairman Shao will make it public?]
[He definitely won’t. Otherwise, why would he have been so secretive about announcing it on his Moments back then?]
[I wonder what’s going on over at the parent group?]
Over at Shangyu Group, Secretary Zhou handed the drafted engagement announcement to Shang Qingye for review. Out of a secretary’s sense of duty – and as a trusted aide – he cleared his throat. “Is Chairman Shao moving a little too quickly?”
The announcement was barely two lines long, extremely businesslike and devoid of even the slightest hint of emotion. Shang Qingye scanned it once before casually setting the document aside. “There was always going to be a day like this.”
“If he wants to keep it low-key, there are always ways to do that,” Secretary Zhou ventured cautiously.
“He can’t bear to leave her standing there alone, looking around in confusion.”
Shang Qingye rarely embellished his words. Every sentence he spoke was as precise and concise as a set of meeting minutes.
It was the first time Secretary Zhou had ever heard him use such a figurative, almost poetic expression, and he couldn’t help but pause in surprise.
Because there was nothing the public could get out of Shang Shao, all the online backlash was directed at Ying Yin instead. Some demanded that she come forward and admit to the relationship; others begged her to deny it. Some accused her of having no ambition for her career.
Zhuang Tiwen had just finished fighting the previous hard battle and was preparing to move on to the next one with the PR agency they were working with.
They held a meeting and came up with a strategy for muddying the waters:
Step One: Issue a statement, but don’t directly address the relationship. Instead, announce that they would be taking legal action against the smear campaign, citing fabricated facts, defamation, and infringement of reputation rights. This step was meant to reassure Ying Yin’s fans and make their stance clear to the netizens who were watching from the sidelines, confused, or wavering.
Step Two: Deploy the paid commenters. Replace the genuine composite image made by the CP fans with a pre-edited fake composite, making it appear as though Ying Yin and the cinema were unrelated.
Step Three: Keep suppressing the heat. Now that there was hard evidence proving the rumors were fabricated, communication with the platforms would be much smoother. They would pull trending topics, delete posts, and mute accounts spreading rumors, then flood the entertainment forums with screenshots showing these accounts had been “muted for violating community guidelines,” while having the paid commenters push talking points like “Spreading rumors is disgusting,” “The poor girl,” and “Is there really no law against spreading rumors in the Chinese entertainment industry?”
With this combination of moves, public opinion should calm down by eighty percent. As for the remaining diehards who refused to let it go, they could simply be ignored. Without an audience, their desire to perform would naturally fade.
Tiwen was confident. Everything was ready on her end; all she needed was the right moment to strike. With a hundred thousand paid commenters waiting for the order, #ShangLu suddenly exploded onto the trending list.
@ShangLu: “@YingYin My sister-in-law, thanks.”
Zhuang Tiwen: “…?”
A while later, #ShangYuGroupAnnouncement and #ShangShao simultaneously exploded onto the trending list.
Zhuang Tiwen: “?”
Ten minutes later, #YingYinSuperYacht exploded too.
Zhuang Tiwen: “…”
The PR agency called. “Director Zhuang, we’ve got all the plans and materials ready. On your end…”
Tiwen stared blankly ahead. “Scrap everything.”
“Huh?” the agency representative said. “But we’ve already paid the deposits.”
“Oh, is that so?” Tiwen slumped back in her chair, expressionless. “Then change the copy.”
“Okay, I’ll notify everyone in batches. Change it to what?” the PR representative asked seriously, signaling for their subordinate to take notes.
“Change it to: Wishing Ying Yin and Shang Shao a hundred years of happiness together. They’re such a perfect match. A wealthy-family romance novel come to life. Oh my god, is this what it feels like when your favorite tropes from a rich-family romance actually happen in real life? I’m shipping this until the day I die. Congratulations, beautiful! You deserve it! This is absolutely perfect – my dream couple has become real! From now on, every rich-family romance novel I read has a face.”
The PR representative: “…”
Zhuang Tiwen gritted her teeth and enunciated every word. “Cover their entire forum with flower cars.”
She had lost her mind.
After hanging up, Tiwen opened Weibo and clicked into the trending topics one by one.
@Shang Lu: “@Ying Yin, my sister-in-law. Thanks.”
The top-liked comments underneath read:
[FUCK FUCK FUCK, the Yinyu CP is REAL! Ke Yu and Ying Yin forever! He’s your brother! She’s your sister-in-law!]
Shang Lu replied: [Don’t be ridiculous.]
He had registered this main account for his films. Although he had a large number of followers, he rarely used it, mostly posting behind-the-scenes photos from sets, wrap announcements, and clips of himself with Ke Yu. Getting him to personally enter an online discussion was practically impossible.
His seemingly fierce little retort sent the SilverFish CP fans retreating, while the Lu-Dao shippers charged forward: [He’s jealous! The endgame of the universe is true love between Lu and Dao!]
This time, the aloof director did not come down to say they were being ridiculous.
The mood on the trending forum changed completely:
[He really did it. I’m crying my eyes out! He publicly acknowledged his rich-family background for Xiao Yin!]
[Give Yinyin more resources, please!]
[He finally gave up that leaky disguise of his!]
[I’m shipping them to DEATH! He must have seen Xiao Dao standing up for Yinyin without hesitation when everyone was attacking her, so he finally stepped in!]
…Which was basically close to the truth, except for one missing piece.
Shang Lu was not someone who acted on a whim. The reason he had done this was simply because he had received advance notice from Shang Qingye and knew that Shang Shao was going to make their relationship public.
Shang Lu ordered Shang Mingbao, “Go. Go to that SilverFish CP thing and tell them they can disband right where they stand.”
Mingbaosaid, “If I go to the CP super-topic and talk shit right now, I’m going to get beaten up!!!”
The SilverFish CP fans had only just gotten their fill of Ke Yu and Ying Yin that morning, and by the afternoon they had suffered a devastating blow. The super-topic, with more than 200,000 followers, was now eerily silent.
Shang Lu switched to his alternate account and entered the forum, posting: [My condolences.]
He was immediately blocked and received more than 3,000 replies cursing him out.
Zhuang Tiwen clicked into the #ShangShao trending topic again.
Shangyu’s announcement was there too:
[Mr. Shang Shao, shareholder and Executive Director of Shangyu Group, has recently become engaged to Ms. Ying Yin. We thank all members of the public and society at large for their attention to this matter.]
Shangyu did not have an official Weibo account, so the announcement was reposted by the Hong Kong law firm Wing Shing & Co. on the group’s behalf.
Comments:
[???]
[Never heard of this group?]
[I’ve never heard of them, but the announcement is so short. Somehow it makes them feel insanely important.]
[The official website is back up. Shipping, infrastructure, jewelry, energy, mining, and commodity futures – and they’re simultaneously expanding into the mainland Chinese market and developing their biomedicine and healthcare business.]
[…Holy shit?]
[You might not know Shangyu, but you can know the Shang family.]
[I don’t.]
[Okay, then: they’re Hong Kong’s number-one tycoon family. Besides Shangyu Group, there’s also Qili Entertainment & Hotels, which holds half of a Macau casino license. Qili also has branches in Las Vegas. BTW, Ying Yin is their global ambassador. Oh, and… Qinde belongs to the Shang family too. That’s why Shang Shao was able to attend the event in Jin Yuanmin’s place.]
[A group this massive issuing an official announcement just for this… He really loves her.]
[Probably because he was worried netizens would say nasty things about Ying Yin?]
[He REALLY loves her!!!]
The #ShangShao trending topic was taken over by a marketing account with more than ten million followers, which became the discussion host:
[/shocked//shocked/ HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT! The eldest son of the Shang family has finally made his first public appearance? Do you know just how low-profile he normally is? You literally can’t find a single photo of him anywhere in Hong Kong. Apparently, every young heir from every major wealthy family in Hong Kong has been photographed in some kind of gossip scandal – except him.
He attended a prestigious British boarding school for secondary education, one of those elite schools even more popular among the aristocracy than Eton. He then majored in philosophy at Cambridge, with minors in law and finance, and holds dual master’s degrees in philosophy and management. He’s currently based in Ning City, reportedly to develop the group’s new biomedicine and healthcare market.
No idea how he and Ying Yin even met in the first place?]
The comments here were even livelier:
[Do we follow the usual procedure first, or can we just start shipping them?]
[I’m fucking shipping them until I die!]
[My hopeless romantic brain has officially grown in!]
[Ughhh, is the Shang family gene getting a little ridiculous?]
[Can I say it? All the rich-family romance novels I have on hand suddenly feel so bland.]
[Young Master, please come out and make more public appearances from now on. We like what we see.]
[When you realize the man who got over a million likes on Douyin just for his aura also comes from such an incredible background… I’m literally crying tears of joy straight into my mouth.]
[According to industry insiders, Shang Shao is the most promising successor among Hong Kong’s wealthy families. The others all have their own messy issues, but he’s rock-solid.]
[How has a man this good never been sent off for a political marriage – ugh, I mean, an arranged marriage?!]
[I heard the eldest young master isn’t interested in women.]
[That’s a very difficult statement to convince me of now.]
[You little bastard, look at Ying Yin’s face and say that again!]
Tiwen eventually clicked into the #YingYinSuperYacht topic.
The topic was being hosted by the Hong Kong entertainment outlet #Today Entertainment, which had also been the first to break the story. All the nastier wording had been removed from their article, replaced with the line, “Our reporter sends his tearful congratulations.” To be fair, with Shang Shao deliberately giving them the opportunity, they had managed to capture the best possible angle.
In the photographs, the white yacht towered majestically against the sea, bathed in sunlight with an almost untouchably sacred quality. Shang Shao carried Ying Yin in his arms, bridal-style, taking one step after another as he carried her up onto the deck.
Blue seas and cloudless skies. Crew members in immaculate uniforms. Seagulls sweeping overhead.
The scene looked so much like a wedding procession that you could hardly blame anyone for thinking they were boarding the yacht to get married.
Comments:
[A superyacht… I’m losing my mind… Just how rich is this man?]
[!!!! SO!!!! When Ying Yin boarded that tycoon’s yacht overseas, it was Shang Shao who pulled the strings too, wasn’t it!!!!]
[Girl, you found the missing piece! Exactly! That kind of social circle is insanely closed-off!]
[Oh my god, I’ve got goosebumps. They were already together that early!]
[They’re so perfect together, so perfect, so perfect, so perfect, so perfect.]
[I’m jealous. I don’t even know who I’m jealous of. I’m going downstairs to run ten laps!]
This was the biggest earthquake to hit the Chinese entertainment industry in the past decade.
The major entertainment forums were already scrambling to ship them, hunt for hidden sweet moments, piece together the timeline, and search for clues. The Jin-Yin CP had risen from the dead. Three thousand group members were like a blazing fire when gathered together and scattered stars across the night sky when apart, spreading sweet evidence of Ying Yin and Shang Shao all over every corner of the internet.
Tiwen collapsed face-first onto her desk.
Thinking back to just a month ago, when this man had still been telling her, “It’s not like I have a performative personality,” and “I’ll keep my marriage private,” Tiwen couldn’t help but feel murderous rage rising from the depths of her soul.
“Only those who can freely choose when to reveal or conceal their power truly possess power.”
His words still rang in her ears, deafeningly clear.
Yeah. You fucking mastered the art of revealing and concealing. You let the entire internet ship you two into oblivion!
Junyi left the major fan groups in Ying Yin’s fan support network and collapsed onto the desk beside Tiwen.
Two heads lay side by side in mutual despair.
Tiwen asked, “What are they saying on your end?”
Junyi replied, “They’re already picking out wedding dresses for her.”
“…”
“There are still quite a few career-focused fans who’ve left,” Junyi said objectively. “But this time, I’m guessing the number of new fans she gains will be even greater.”
Everyone in the world admires strength. When a man standing at the very top of the world falls in love with her, countless people will flock to their love story, becoming intoxicated by it, completely and utterly captivated.
“It’s okay,” Tiwen said gently. “She’s already learned how to set herself free.”
Ying Fan had barely parked her Porsche in front of the small villa when she called Ying Yin again. As before, there was no answer.
She had a key to Ying Yin’s house, so she picked up her bag and let herself in.
The villa was bathed in warm afternoon sunlight, while the flowers in the backyard were blooming exuberantly. Ying Fan called out several times, confirmed that no one was home, then sat down in a wicker chair with a sigh.
She opened Weibo.
Ying Fan’s eyes widened, and her breath caught.
The next second, she nearly fainted beneath the dizzying sunlight.
It was the feeling of being struck by fate, without knowing whether it was a blessing or a curse – or whether it was either at all.
No matter how much commotion was raging outside, none of it could reach the yacht, where the sea breeze swept it all away.
Superyachts could be privately customized to an extraordinary degree. The most important feature of Shang Shao’s was the private deck leading to the master bedroom. This section of the deck was completely secluded; from anywhere else on the yacht, not the slightest glimpse of it was possible.
Here, they were completely free, whole and undivided, beyond the gaze of others.
Shang Shao carried Ying Yin over to the outdoor sofa and settled her in his arms. The sunlight out at sea was intense, leaving her drowsy and sleepy from basking in the warmth.
“Do you like it?” Shang Shao asked, adjusting the bathrobe around her and making sure she wouldn’t catch a chill from the breeze.
“Yeah.” Ying Yin nodded. “It’s so quiet and warm here. I wonder what the world outside is like now?”
“Do you want to know?”
“I’m worried they’ll hurt you.”
Shang Shao stroked her hair, still warm from the sun. There was color in her face again now, and he was pleased to see it.
After kissing her affectionately on the lips for a while, he handed her his phone. “You need to prepare yourself.”
“I’m prepared.” Ying Yin didn’t suspect anything, obediently curving her lips into a small smile at him. “Although they said some pretty nasty things this time, it was easy enough to clear up. It wasn’t that upsetting.”
“What I mean is…” Shang Shao paused for a moment, looking straight into her eyes. “You need to prepare yourself for the fact that from now on, your name will always be mentioned alongside mine.”
Ying Yin froze for a moment, then instinctively opened Weibo.
The very first post in her feed was the Shangyu announcement reposted by Wing Shing & Co.
“Ying Yin,” Shang Shao said slowly and steadily, his meaning unwavering. “Now the whole world knows. You’re wearing my wedding ring. You’re my fiancée, openly and legitimately. From now on, you’ll be by my side, and we’ll spend the rest of our lives together.”
Ying Yin didn’t have time to process what she was feeling. Her eyes blinked once, wide with emotion, and a tear fell, soaking into the white sofa.
She was smiling. “Why? You clearly had so much more to lose…”
“Because I couldn’t wait.” Shang Shao pulled her into his arms, tightening his embrace as he spoke each word with solemn tenderness. “I couldn’t wait to tell everyone that I have you. I couldn’t wait…”
His voice brushed against the shell of her ear, lowering together with the sound of the sea breeze. “I couldn’t wait to hear you call me your husband.”
Her heart seemed to lose all sense of weight, dropping sharply for real and leaving her whole body tingling with helplessness and uncertainty.
“Call me?” Shang Shao kissed her earlobe. The tiny red mole there made his gaze darken.
“Or are you not going to?” His voice was low, unhurried.
Her courage rose and fell with the tides of the sea.
She wasn’t used to saying it. She only ever called him that when she couldn’t take it anymore, her voice breathless and spoiled, carrying a broken quality that made her sound almost irresistibly vulnerable.
But now the sea was blue, the sky was clear, and the sun was already so high.
“…I will.” After a long while, Ying Yin swallowed, lowered her eyes, and lightly ran her tongue over her lips.
“Mm.” Shang Shao waited. His heartbeat was gradually pounding like a drum, yet his expression remained perfectly calm. Only the hand wrapped tightly around her waist betrayed how he was really feeling.
Ying Yin parted her lips.
“Hu…”
She was still terribly shy. Just that one syllable was enough to turn her face bright red, and she turned away and buried it in the crook of his neck.
“Husband.”
