Chapter 73: Unfollow Him

The main focus of these three hot search topics lies in the first one: the 90-million-yuan earrings, the 200-million-yuan necklace, the current president of Xu Corporation, and Meng Ying’s boyfriend. Combined with the earlier buzz about the Yang family’s daughter pretending to be President Xu’s girlfriend, Meng Ying, who had remained silent but was already seen as a winner in life, became the center of attention.

As a result, many fans flocked to Meng Ying’s Weibo page. Most of them expressed their admiration for her, saying that she could have easily flaunted her status as the boss’s wife, enjoyed the privileges of having a powerful backer, or even boasted about her relationship on Weibo. Instead, she chose to stay low-key—not only avoiding showing off but also letting someone else impersonate her. Moreover, she traveled far away to study rather than directly leveraging her resources. This made her seem beautiful, kind, humble, and adorable, with an impeccable character. No wonder she was so cherished by the president of Xu Corporation.

Some fans, however, were just following the trend, curious to catch a glimpse of the two extravagant diamond pieces and see what they looked like.

While Meng Ying’s fan count was rising, many fans, unable to find the information or content they were looking for, began scrolling through the 200+ accounts she followed, hoping to uncover more clues.

But then, they discovered something surprising: Meng Ying wasn’t following any accounts related to Xu Corporation.

A large group of fans: “???”

“Do you have a lot of questions, little friend?”

On the other hand, when they checked the verified Weibo account of Xu Dian from Xu Corporation, they found that although the account had been relatively low-key before, rarely posting anything except for a few financial news updates, it had recently posted two messages and even replied to fans.

He kept mentioning his “girlfriend” left and right, as if he was afraid no one knew, single-handedly announcing their relationship to the world.

And then, there was this small account.

Its username was “Legs Up All Day.”

**Legs Up All Day**: “Meng Ying hasn’t even accepted your earrings and necklace, okay?”

“Shocking.”

“This account knows the inside story.”

“Is this person calling out President Xu from Xu Corporation?”

“Tsk tsk.”

“I think this president staged his own drama, playing the entire show by himself—gifting the necklace, calling her his girlfriend, then getting emotional about it. He even flaunted it a bit on Weibo and unilaterally announced their relationship.”

“If you’ve got more to say, spill it all on this Weibo post.”

“Tsinghua University should admit you for this.”

“I believe the self-directed drama now. Meng Ying isn’t even following him!! Maybe he’s still in the pursuit phase, but here he is claiming he’s already gifted the earrings and necklace and that she’s his girlfriend. My god, does he have no shame? This president must be really hard up because Meng Ying is too hard to chase. You must be really ugly, huh?”

“Ugly people sure love to stir up trouble, girls.”

“Ugly people stirring up trouble +1.”

“Looking at his Weibo, he’s probably moved himself to tears by now. @XuCorporationXuDian.”

“@XuCorporationXuDian, come on, tell us, how does it feel to have your ‘girlfriend’ not even follow you?”

“I’m done. This guy is such a drama king, the epitome of a male drama queen. Unbelievable.”

And so, these three hot search topics climbed their way up. Not only that, but someone also paid to boost them, ensuring they stayed in the top three within an hour.

People in the industry probably never expected Xu Dian to end up in such a situation. As the black car drove on, his phone kept ringing nonstop—first a call from Zhou Yang, then one from Li Yi, followed by Jiang Yu. Even Li Yao, Wen Ze Li, and Wen Ze Xin called to check in.

Gu Sui sent a WeChat message asking if he was okay.

Liu Yan also sent a message.

**Liu Yan**: Congrats on making it to the hot search.

Then came another message.

**Yun Lu**: Xu, are you okay? Meng Ying is so beautiful; she’s worth you making a fool of yourself.

**Yan Xing**: President Xu, you really don’t make the hot search often, but when you do, it’s a bang. This is textbook-level drama queen behavior.

Xu Dian: “……”

Meng Ying had already found out about the hot search from Xu Qing and Liu Qin. After scrolling through the entire saga, she pressed her lips together, leaning against the car window, trying hard not to laugh.

No one could have imagined that netizens would spin such a wild narrative. Give them a pen, and they could probably write a whole new novel titled *Those Years of the Drama King CEO*.

From the time she secretly admired Xu Dian until now, all these years, he had never been humiliated like this.

Xu Dian hung up the call from Wen Ze Xin, irritably tugging at his collar. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the woman in the passenger seat, trying her best to stifle her laughter, though not very successfully.

Xu Dian narrowed his eyes, steering the car with one hand and pulling up in front of a modern building. In this vast area, the structure stood out as avant-garde.

It was an oval-shaped building, standing tall and imposing.

As the sky darkened, lights began to illuminate the building, shining through the glass like over a hundred glowing lanterns.

Meng Ying reached to unbuckle her seatbelt, but her hand was suddenly covered by his. She turned her head to see Xu Dian, wearing his glasses, leaning over to press the release button. The lenses reflected the light, and Meng Ying held her breath, quietly watching his handsome profile. Xu Dian then opened the car door, but before stepping away, he leaned in close, his breath so near that she only needed to move a centimeter to touch his thin lips.

Xu Dian looked at her leisurely and said, “Having fun laughing?”

She had been laughing the whole way.

Meng Ying coughed lightly, her cheeks trembling as she tried to hold it in.

Unable to resist, Xu Dian pinched her nose gently before pulling away and saying, “Get out of the car.”

That light pinch left Meng Ying stunned for a second before she turned and stepped out of the car.

Once outside, Xu Dian slipped his hands into his pockets, glancing at his phone.

**Jiang Yi**: President Xu, should we take down the hot search?

Jiang Yi didn’t dare send a voice message or call, afraid he might laugh and give himself away, so he stuck to text. Xu Dian raised an eyebrow, glancing at Meng Ying, who was holding her small bag, smoothing her dress, her eyes curved with amusement. He replied, “No need. Let it stay up for now.”

After all, she seemed to be enjoying it so much.

Never mind.

**Jiang Yi**: Got it. Oh, by the way, President Xu, the hot search was boosted by Mr. Zhou Yang, Mr. Li Yi, Mr. Wen Zeli, Sister Qiao, and Old President Xu working together.

**Xu Dian**: ……

Oh.

The wind tonight was stronger than usual, and Meng Ying felt a chill on her calves. Fortunately, after Xu Dian finished messaging Jiang Yi, he walked over, took her hand, and led her up the steps.

The servers on both sides immediately bowed, welcoming them in English.

The marble floor was so polished that it reflected their figures. The ceiling was so high that looking up felt like gazing at the stars. Xu Dian whispered, “This place is called Chenpin Tower. It was built two years ago. Many Chinese people like to come here because it serves authentic Chinese cuisine. Even the Western restaurant is run by Chinese.”

“Oh.”

The marble floor had directional signs, as the place was so large it was easy to get lost. Servers in white gloves stood by the stairs, ready to press the elevator buttons.

They took the elevator to the 20th floor. Upon exiting, a server guided them to the restaurant. Meng Ying glanced over the carved railing, feeling a bit dizzy from the height. She could even see the front desk on the first floor they had passed earlier. Xu Dian chuckled and pulled her back. “Don’t look. People with acrophobia can’t handle it.”

Meng Ying bumped into his chest, and he naturally wrapped his arm around her slender waist.

Meng Ying looked up at him. “Do you have acrophobia?”

“No, but I was worried you might. My mom does.”

Meng Ying: “I don’t.”

“Alright, let’s take another look then.” With that, Xu Dian pressed Meng Ying toward the railing. Since he was leaning over, Meng Ying had to bend with him, and the sudden sense of weightlessness made her gasp. She let out a couple of startled cries before turning around and wrapping her arms around Xu Dian’s waist.

The sudden warmth and her throwing herself into his arms left Xu Dian stunned for a few seconds. Meng Ying tilted her head up, grabbing his shirt collar, and asked, “Happy now?”

Xu Dian: “Very.”

“Typical man’s cheap trick,” Meng Ying said disdainfully, pinching his chin.

Xu Dian: “…”

Can’t you just see through it without saying it out loud?

The two of them arrived at a table by the window. Xu Dian pulled out the chair for Meng Ying, who sat down gracefully. He then took his seat across from her. A server approached, handing the menu to Meng Ying.

When the server moved to pour water, Xu Dian gently waved them off and poured the water for Meng Ying himself.

Meng Ying knew the prices here were steep, but she hadn’t expected them to be *this* expensive. She avoided looking at the numbers and focused solely on the dish names.

She ordered two dishes she liked and then stopped, feeling it was enough. Xu Dian took the menu, glanced at her, and without even looking at the prices, added several more dishes—all of which were Meng Ying’s favorites. Meng Ying protested, “That’s enough.”

“It’s not. The portions here are small. You’ll see when the food arrives,” Xu Dian replied, adding a serving of shark fin soup and a salad before finally setting the menu aside.

Soon, the dishes arrived, and sure enough, the portions were tiny.

Xu Dian had a bottle of red wine opened, explaining that the chicken steak paired best with red wine.

Meng Ying gave him a calm look.

He, on the other hand, appeared completely serious, showing no signs of any ulterior motives.

Meng Ying stretched her leg under the table, brushing it against his.

Xu Dian’s body stiffened. He reached down, capturing her foot in his hand, his voice low and husky, “Enough, now.”

Meng Ying: “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

Xu Dian rubbed his lips, leaning slightly closer to her, and said, “You can only act like this with me.”

Meng Ying smiled serenely.

His hand held her foot, his fingertips lightly tapping her instep, sending a tingling sensation through her.

Meng Ying really couldn’t handle alcohol well. Just a little bit made her feel dizzy. She was a bit weak, so Xu Dian picked up a fork, cut a piece of chicken steak, and fed it to her from across the table. He even spoon-fed her the shark fin soup. She was unusually compliant but still lucid enough to ask, “Aren’t you driving later?”

Xu Dian wiped the sauce from the corner of her mouth with a napkin and said, “I’m staying here tonight.”

“Where?”

“The 36th floor.”

Meng Ying propped her chin on her hand, her eyes glistening with a tipsy glow. “You’re so scheming.”

“Oh?” Xu Dian raised an eyebrow, feeding her another spoonful of shark fin soup. Meng Ying couldn’t respond, busy chewing. After the meal, Xu Dian signed the bill, helped Meng Ying to her feet, and picked up her small bag. Meng Ying could still walk, though she was slightly dizzy. She clung to his shirt and said, “Back in our sophomore year, in the library, when you dropped your book, do you know who the person across from you was…”

“It was you,” Xu Dian said as he guided her into the elevator.

Meng Ying hummed in acknowledgment. “And during graduation…”

“When you were standing by the fountain taking photos and almost fell into the water, it was Zhou Yang who pulled you back. I know that too.”

“You remember all of that?”

Meng Ying’s voice was soft.

Xu Dian didn’t respond. They reached the 36th floor. This level had two units per elevator, but they were separated, each with its own private elevator. After facial recognition unlocked the door, the lights inside automatically turned on, casting a warm glow. The interior design was minimalist, dominated by shades of gray and white.

As soon as Meng Ying touched the sofa, she felt a wave of laziness wash over her.

Xu Dian sat on the coffee table, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. Then he leaned over, capturing her lips in a kiss. Meng Ying’s hands lifted weakly before falling back down, only to rise again and rest lightly on his neck. Soon, he scooped her up and carried her into the bathroom.

The sound of running water filled the room.

Meng Ying tilted her head back.

Steam enveloped the bathroom, and water droplets rolled down her skin. She clenched her teeth, feeling even dizzier than before.

Not long after, she curled up at the head of the bed. Xu Dian leaned over her again, and her toes curled in response.

The room’s light slanted across the space.

Meng Ying gripped the pillow, hearing her phone ring. In her dazed state, she reached for it, but Xu Dian wrapped his arm around her waist from behind, his voice low and husky. “Follow me on Weibo.”

“Hmm? Wife.”

That single word—“wife”—was deep and rough, sending a shiver through Meng Ying’s body. She turned her head, kissing him before murmuring, “Okay.”

In her hazy state, the call ended without her noticing.

Meng Ying was once again lost in the whirlwind of sensations. Xu Dian cupped her chin, kissing her deeply. The hourglass in the room had almost run out, and the clock’s ticking grew louder as it approached two in the morning. Meng Ying rolled over, yawning. Xu Dian brought her a glass of water, sitting on the edge of the bed and offering her a straw.

Meng Ying bit down on the straw and took several sips, finally soothing her dry throat.

Not long after, the man wrapped his arms around her from behind and asked, “Are you sleepy?”

“A little.”

Meng Ying responded, recalling how she had agreed to his request in the heat of the moment. She pouted. *This dog of a man really knows how to take advantage of the situation.* She opened Weibo and clicked the “Follow” button.

Then, she posted a quick update.

**Meng Ying V**: “Followed.”

It went without saying what—or rather, *who*—she had followed. Everyone understood.

Almost instantly, comments flooded in. However, the tone of the comments was unexpected.

“Wow, Meng Ying, my poor Yingying! We must never bow to evil forces!!!”

“Unfollow him! Never bow to evil forces, absolutely not!”

“Make him go away!”

Xu Dian: “Huh??”

Previous

Next