Chapter 104: Reaping What One Has Sown

Chapter 104: Reaping What One Has Sown

When Wang Guocheng heard Fan Xiaoyou’s voice, the anxiety that had gripped him all night finally began to dissipate.

He asked hurriedly over the phone, "Xiaoyou, how are things on your end? I just spoke with He Lu, and he mentioned that the criminals who kidnapped Tang Ling have surfaced. Did they give you any trouble?"

Realizing it was Wang Guocheng calling, Fan Xiaoyou quickly reassured him, "Guocheng, I’m fine. It was just a scare. Tang Ling and I are both safe! It’s actually the former general manager of the Kingyi Group’s Kangcheng branch—where Tang Ling used to work—who ended up being targeted by those criminals. It’s a long story, but I never expected that the one who delivered Tang Ling into the hands of those villains was Yu Xiaoyang from Kingyi Kangcheng."

Wang Guocheng had learned about Yu Xiaoyang’s situation earlier that afternoon. Ever since the incident with Tang Ling, Yu had seemingly evaporated from the Kingyi Kangcheng office; everyone had lost touch with him. What surprised Wang was that Yu Xiaoyang was actually involved with the criminals. Not wanting to say too much and risk slipping up, Wang asked about a few other matters before hanging up.

Fan Xiaoyou felt that Wang Guocheng seemed preoccupied, but she shook it off, assuming she was just exhausted from spending the day at the hospital with Tang Ling.

Seeing Fan Xiaoyou head into the bathroom to wash her face, evidently preparing for bed, Feng Youru asked with concern, "Great author, are you giving up on your novel for the next few days? You signed a contract, you know—are you planning to stop updating?"

Fan Xiaoyou, her face covered in cleanser, poked her head out, foam dripping. "Youru, thanks for your concern, but I have enough drafted to last a few more days. I’m just genuinely tired today; I want to wash up and get some sleep."

Feng Youru stood at the bathroom door, munching on an apple, and asked mysteriously, "I want to gossip about something."

After rinsing the foam from her face, Fan Xiaoyou looked at her suspiciously. "What is it? Why are you acting so cryptic lately, just like Yang Ye-ye?"

Ignoring the comment, Feng Youru pressed on, "Hey, Xiaoyou, let me ask you: what exactly is the relationship between Tang Ling and Kingyi’s Yu Xiaoyang? Why would Yu give up a perfectly good job as a general manager just to get involved in this mess? He’s basically thrown his entire career away!"

Fan Xiaoyou rolled her eyes. "Well... look, you’re not an outsider, so I’ll be honest with you. Yu Xiaoyang and Tang Ling used to be lovers. You know how Tang Ling was a bit vain back then; of course, she wouldn't let go of a 'golden turtle son-in-law'."

Feng Youru clicked her tongue. "Kingyi Group is a Global 500 company, one of the biggest in Country Z. How could they produce a rotten apple like Yu Xiaoyang? You didn’t see today’s *Kangcheng Evening News*, did you? The media is so fickle. The last report was praising how young and promising he was, and now... as soon as he’s in trouble, every media outlet in Kangcheng is slandering him, and several have even dug into his family background to turn it into a story."

Fan Xiaoyou shook her head. "In this world, when you're on top, you're a god; when you fall, you're dirt. One minute you're revered, the next you're despised. It’s nothing new. But Kingyi is a major corporation; I’m sure they’ll handle this PR crisis by tomorrow."

In reality, after hanging up with Fan Xiaoyou, Wang Guocheng had been working remotely with Ding Cheng in Beicheng to suppress all negative reports about Yu Xiaoyang online.

Ding Cheng’s chat box popped up: "Mr. Wang, we have cleared all negative news. We’ve replaced it with a report about the upcoming change in leadership at the Kingyi Group’s Kangcheng office."

Wang Guocheng smiled, satisfied, and typed quickly: "Well done."

Ding Cheng looked at the four characters and felt a mix of frustration and amusement. He had spent the entire day working without eating or drinking, only to be dismissed with four words. He sent a playful, pouting emoji: "Give me a raise!"

Wang Guocheng stared at the screen for a long time before typing back: "Why? Are you short on money?"

Fearing Wang might misunderstand, Ding Cheng quickly claimed he was joking. "No... the salary you give me is already higher than the industry average. I was just teasing."

While reading about the raise, Wang Guocheng couldn't help but think about how often Ding Cheng had been bringing up money lately. After closing the messaging software, Wang called his other top assistant. "Help me check Ding Cheng’s recent expenses and financial records!"

The person on the other end seemed hesitant. "King, are you sure? Ding Cheng has always been loyal to you. Do you suspect he’s involved with a competitor?"

Wang Guocheng replied coldly, "Just do what I told you. Once you have the data, send it to my private email."

After hanging up, Zhao Luwei was puzzled by Wang’s request. But as a member of Wang’s secret intelligence team and a top assistant, he had no reason to refuse.

In the middle of the night, the anesthesia wore off, and Yu Xiaoyang woke up. According to the doctor’s initial plan, he shouldn't have regained consciousness until the next morning.

Rubbing his aching head, Yu sat up, staring at the white walls and the hospital bed, furrowing his brow as he struggled to recall what had happened. When he tried to move his arm, he realized he was still hooked up to an IV. Just as he was about to speak, Tang Ling, who had been dozing off nearby, woke up.

Their eyes met, and both immediately looked away, as if struck by electricity.

"I... I’m sorry," Yu said.

"I... I’m sorry," Tang Ling replied.

Yu Xiaoyang didn't know how to face her. In truth, from the moment Tang Ling was discovered by the police, he had been tortured by guilt. He had never intended for his decision to hand her over to Scar-face to result in such consequences. And Tang Ling couldn't face Yu because she knew that her presence had ruined him.

They sat in silence—one on the bed, one standing beside it.

After a long while, Tang Ling said, "You’re still on an IV. You should lie down; I’ll pour you a glass of warm water."

Seeing her pour the water, Yu felt a complex mix of regret and pity. He had wronged her. He licked his parched lips, words caught in his throat. He wanted to apologize; he truly felt he had failed her.

"I’m sorry. My misfortune is my own doing; I’ve reaped what I’ve sown. I... I’m a beast. I shouldn't have sent you to Scar-face..."