After hanging up the phone, Xu Zifan took out the SIM card and threw it into the trash can, then looked towards the bar and curled his lips into a smile.
Inside the bar, Bai You and Adam were in a panic. Bai You tried to call Qiao Zixin but found that her phone was off. A wave of fear washed over her; this feeling of losing control made her anxious.
"Adam, who did you mention this to? How could someone know about this and even find the right private room?"
Adam leaned against the door and said impatiently, "I didn't mention it to anyone. I'd be stupid to tell anyone about something like this."
As the two were discussing, the door was suddenly pounded on loudly. "Police inspection, open the door!"
Adam cursed under his breath and casually opened the door. Bai You didn't have time to stop him and turned pale with fright. As someone who frequently attracts fans, her biggest fear was encountering the police. However, thinking that she wasn't carrying anything she shouldn't have today, she managed to calm herself down and clutched her bag to keep herself from getting too nervous.
The police checked their IDs and, seeing that the woman's name was indeed Bai You, immediately gave their colleagues a wink. The men who had come with them quickly searched the private room, and when they found the sofa, they shouted, "Boss, we've found something!"
The group looked over immediately, and when they saw the small bag covered in an unknown powder, Bai You's legs went weak and she almost fell to the ground. "This isn't mine! I really don't know why this is here!"
The police officer put the small bag away as evidence and said coldly, "Alright, someone reported you for drug trafficking here. Now come with us. We'll find out if there are any problems when we get back."
Adam then understood what they meant and immediately struggled to protest his innocence. However, given the situation he saw and the content of the phone report, they had to go to the police station for investigation, and protesting his innocence was useless.
At this time, several reporters who had arranged to meet arrived at the bar. They didn't dare to approach the police when they saw them, and secretly took a lot of photos with their flash turned off. But as they were taking photos, something seemed off. Wasn't there supposed to be some dirt on Qiao Zixin? Why was it Qiao Zixin's best friend who was arrested? There was also a male model, but there was no sign of Qiao Zixin at all.
Hearing them shout that they hadn't gained any followers or made any deals, the reporters exchanged glances and filmed the entire process of their arrest and arrest. They couldn't waste their gas money on this trip; after all, Bai You had some connection to Qiao Zixin, and exposing her gaining followers would definitely bring Qiao Zixin into the picture, allowing them to capitalize on the buzz.
The reporters went back and worked overtime to write reports, striving for exaggerated and eye-catching content. They were unscrupulous media outlets that Bai You had specifically chosen, so they naturally wouldn't hold back this time.
Everything unfolded as Xu Zifan had anticipated, and he successfully brought Qiao Zixin home. He gently placed her on the bed in the second bedroom. Qiao Zixin let out a few muffled murmurs, her brows slightly furrowed, seemingly quite uncomfortable. Xu Zifan didn't take off her coat; instead, he buttoned it all the way up, covered her with a blanket, and whispered gently in her ear, "Sleep, everything's alright, don't be afraid."
Qiao Zixin was perhaps soothed by his pleasant voice, her brows gradually relaxed, and she slept more peacefully.
Xu Zifan took a shower, changed into his pajamas, and went to the kitchen to make a hangover soup. He had learned this when he was busy with business and social engagements. Back then, his family was poor, and he didn't want to have a splitting headache every time he had a social engagement, so he learned to cook it himself. Over time, the hangover soup he made was both delicious and effective. Fortunately, he had a photographic memory and remembered everything he learned very well, so even after transmigrating through several lifetimes, he hadn't forgotten anything.
Half an hour later, Xu Zifan gently fed Qiao Zixin some hangover soup. Qiao Zixin was truly drunk and didn't even see who he was before drinking the soup. Xu Zifan shook his head, closed the door, went back to his room, and turned on his computer to browse stock market trends. To turn things around, how could he do it without money?
Time flies when you're focused on something. Xu Zifan had just selected a few good stocks suitable for short-term trading when he heard the door next door open. He checked the time; it was already five in the morning.
He got up and walked out. Qiao Zixin looked at him with a surprised and uncertain expression. "Who are you? Why am I here? Where is Bai You?"
She instinctively hugged her arms and took two steps back, then remembered that she was dressed neatly and wearing a thick coat, and relaxed a little.
Xu Zifan pointed to the toiletries on the cabinet and gave a gentle, harmless smile. "These are new ones I bought yesterday. Go wash up first, and we'll talk when we sit down."
Qiao Zixin glanced at him a few times, hesitated for a moment, and then went to wash up first. When she came out, Xu Zifan had already prepared bacon and eggs, toast, and hot milk, her favorite breakfast. This made her feel even more uneasy, and she couldn't help but ask again, "Where is my friend who was with me? Why am I here?"
Xu Zifan sat down opposite her and looked at her, saying, "Miss Qiao, my name is Xu Zifan, and this is my home. Yesterday, I accidentally learned that Bai You was plotting against you, so I went to the Blues Bar and pretended to be someone who was conspiring with Bai You to rescue you. At the time, you were so drunk that you were unconscious, and I didn't know who you could trust, so I could only bring you back first. I hope you can forgive me if I have offended you in any way."
Qiao Zixin frowned. "Bai You plotted against me? How could that be? Why would she plot against me?"
"This is the recording and this morning's news." Xu Zifan handed over the phone and tablet, saying that no amount of words could compare to the facts, so it was better to let her listen and see for herself.
Qiao Zixin quickly swiped her tablet. She and Bai You were childhood neighbors, and their relationship had grown even closer in the past two years. Even though the photos taken in the bar were a bit blurry, she could recognize Bai You at a glance. The news said that Bai You had been arrested for drug use, and the evidence was conclusive. The man suspected of having made transactions with Bai You had also been identified as Adam, a moderately famous male model. The news ended with...
It implies that she and they are birds of a feather, otherwise how could they have such a good relationship?
Many comments lamented the chaos in the entertainment industry, but even more criticized her, as if they had witnessed her gaining fans.
Looking at the photo of room 102, Qiao Zixin had a bad feeling. Could it be that Bai You was really scheming against her? Was she trying to get her to gain followers? She saw her phone next to her and quickly turned on the recording.
"You're Adam? How did you get here so fast..."
"Thirty thousand yuan for her virginity..."
"Then you can just insist that she threatened you, and you might even gain a lot of sympathy fans..."
Qiao Zixin listened to her friend's voice in disbelief, each vicious word making her tremble with rage! What had she done to wrong Bai You? Why would Bai You harm her? Even knowing her conservative nature, she still chose a random man to ruin her! Looking at the background of the photos taken by the reporters in the news, it wasn't hard to imagine how indecent the photos of her would have been taken if it weren't for Xu Zifan. Then her reputation would be stained beyond repair!
After being betrayed by her boyfriend, company, and agent, her best friend also stabbed her in the back. Qiao Zixin's strong will, which she had been maintaining, crumbled in an instant. She propped her head up to shield her eyes, staring intently at the table, trying not to let the tears fall, not wanting others to see her vulnerability, but the tears still fell uncontrollably, drop by drop, onto the table.
Xu Zifan placed a box of napkins in front of her and said softly, "You did nothing wrong, they were the ones who were wrong."
Qiao Zixin desperately suppressed her emotions, her mind blank. Hearing this word of agreement, she couldn't help but vent, "Am I that much of a failure? Why did they all betray me? I didn't do anything wrong to anyone, so why are they all criticizing me? I didn't become a mistress, I didn't act like a diva, I didn't bully newcomers, I didn't engage in any underhanded dealings with Lin Yan... I didn't do any of these things! It was clearly Lin Yan who cheated on Liu Jie, and they're the ones smearing me, so why doesn't anyone believe me?!"
"I trust you."
The voice was very soft, yet it felt like a salvation for Qiao Zixin. Through teary eyes, she looked up at Xu Zifan with a somewhat confused gaze. "You believe me?"
Xu Zifan nodded, looking at her with unwavering eyes, "I believe you. Even if the whole world doesn't believe you, I will still believe you."
Qiao Zixin's grief seemed to have broken through a crack, no longer overwhelming her as before. She asked hesitantly, "You really believe me? You believe I didn't do those things?"
"I believe it. You don't need to pay attention to the rumors spread online by trolls; the truth will eventually come out. As for those who betrayed you, it's a good thing that they can see through their character sooner rather than later."
Qiao Zixin paused, gave a self-deprecating laugh, and suddenly felt an urge to confide in someone. "Even my parents don't believe me. They suspect that my personality has changed since I became famous. Otherwise, why would the company abandon me? What's worse, I can't produce any evidence to clear my name, and I can't find any way out."
She leaned back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling, her voice becoming very soft, "When I was at the height of my fame, everyone around me was trying to flatter me. But after I got into trouble, not a single person was truly loyal to me. Only a complete stranger said they believed in me. I was so stupid and blind... Now I have nothing left, absolutely nothing..."
Betrayal by everyone, cyberbullying, and no hope of recovery—not everyone can bear this, especially when even her own parents have doubts. Qiao Zixin's fate was to suffer from depression, and after two years of agonizing endurance, she jumped from a building, ending her life at the young age of 25.
She wasn't weak; she was just overwhelmed by a series of interconnected nightmares. If someone had been willing to lend her a hand at that moment, she would have been able to stand up instead of developing depression, losing control of herself, and ultimately collapsing and committing suicide.
Xu Zifan looked at the person he was to save in this life, his voice carrying a convincing power, "I will bring you back to your peak, and make all those who betrayed you regret hurting you."
Qiao Zixin blinked, thinking she was hallucinating. She looked at him in astonishment, stunned by his vow-like demeanor, but at the same time, she calmed down, thinking of the most important question, and narrowed her eyes warily, "We don't know each other, right? Why are you helping me? Who exactly are you?"
Xu Zifan smiled and looked at her intently. "I am your fan, your most loyal fan."