The press conference held by Xiang Xueyuan's research institute, initially expected to strike a major blow to Xia Corporation due to project overlap, saw Xia Corporation and Gu Corporation Entertainment stocks rise instead of fall by the closing bell. Those who had wisely cut their losses earlier were left deeply regretting their decision.
That afternoon, "Heh, I'm really grateful" (呵呵我真的会谢) directly topped the trending search list, overshadowing the other two trending topics: "Xiang Xueyuan Returns to Develop New Energy Projects" and "The King Was Born Before Me" (君生我未生).
Photos of Xiang Xueyuan and Xia Honglang also began circulating online.
One featured a refined, silver-haired scholar, while the other presented an energetic, domineering CEO.
With these two male gods in a virtual battle, someone even posted Gu Mister's stunning beauty.
Of course, various popular young idols, prompted by their management teams, also released their handsome photos, riding the harmless wave of popularity.
Meanwhile, as Xiang Xueyuan's research project and photos were widely shared on social media, and various self-media outlets churned out lengthy posts to capitalize on the buzz, people began to inquire about the identity of Xiang Xueyuan's wife.
Which woman was so fortunate as to capture the attention of such a mysterious, perfect male god?
The investigation revealed that Xiang Xueyuan had long since divorced his wife and had remained single for many years, only adopting a son and a daughter, dedicating all his other time to scientific research.
This added another layer of mystery to him, further fueling curiosity about his ex-wife.
Before long, an old photograph spread across the internet.
It showed a much younger Xiang Xueyuan standing side-by-side with a woman under a blooming plum blossom tree, both smiling sweetly at the camera.
"Is this Professor Xiang's ex-wife? She's so beautiful!"
"Yes, why did they get divorced?"
"How else? She found him poor for being a scientist!"
"Aren't all women like that, disliking poverty and loving wealth? Knowledge doesn't pay the bills!"
"If this woman knew Professor Xiang's current academic status, wouldn't she regret it immensely?"
"Those saying that above have truly foul mouths. Do you even know her? You're making baseless judgments!"
"Exactly, all speculation, right? Saying her intestines turned green with regret. You're all lifelong singles, daring to comment on someone else's marriage. What's wrong with you?"
"Yes, yes, yes, women only love money, just not you, nya nya nya~"
"Damn... you guys quickly look at what I found! Attached image: 01.jpg"
The image revealed a magazine feature photo. In it, a man and a woman. The man was Xia Honglang, who had topped the hot search that night and was being hailed as "Daddy Xia" by everyone. And the Xia太太 beside him...
Someone isolated the screenshots of the women from both photos and placed them side-by-side for comparison, exclaiming in shock.
"Holy cow! Professor Xiang's ex-wife is Daddy Xia's current wife! Xia Qiantian's stepmother!"
"Oh my god! This gossip is making me feel so choked!"
"Damn! Didn't I say it? Disliked poverty and loved wealth, right? Abandoned the talented Professor Xiang to become a stepmother in a wealthy family, what kind of good person could she be! So she's managed to snag a rich guy, is that supposed to be impressive!"
"I heard before that Xia Qiantian's stepmother is quite resourceful, marrying into a wealthy family with her own child. Truly impressive!"
"More than impressive, she married Professor Xiang in her first marriage, and Daddy Xia in her second. Even Mister Gu is her future son-in-law. Good heavens! Are all these quality men flocking around her!"
"I thought Xia Qiantian was impressive enough, but I didn't realize her stepmother was the truly calculating and powerful figure! The ultimate player in the wealthy elite!"
"With such a stepmother, will our Qiantian be at a disadvantage..."
"Probably not, right? Haven't they said their family has a good relationship? Xia Qiantian even wore a watch given by her sister during the dating show."
"Who knows? Whether the relationship is good or not, isn't it all for show? Maybe she's just a good actress!"
"Damn, as expected, the world of the wealthy is deep and murky, I'm getting goosebumps... it's truly frightening!"
"Yeah..."
...
The internet was in an uproar, and soon the trending topic "Ultimate Player in the Wealthy Elite" (豪门头号玩家) overtook "Heh, I'm really grateful" (呵呵我真的会谢) to claim the top spot.
Under this trending topic, many people came forward to share their experiences, claiming that this Mrs. Xia was full of schemes.
Even the unsavory rumors from when Aunt Liu first married into the Xia family were rehashed repeatedly to the point of being unbearable.
With a mix of truth and falsehood, Xia Qingyu was also portrayed as a calculating stepsister within the wealthy family.
This caused many of Xia Qiantian's devoted fans to worry about her safety.
Xia Honglang was initially still vexed by the matter of him sending a banner. He had only realized from the trending topic "Heh, I'm really grateful" that Bai Yuqi had fooled him; it wasn't a high-level expression of gratitude among young people, but a form of mockery.
Before he could even process this, his wife was facing various excessive accusations online.
Xia Honglang was worried about Aunt Liu's well-being during his drive from the company to home.
His wife was known for her delicate nature, her disposition as gentle as water, and her timidness.
He wondered how much of a blow she would suffer facing such accusations.
With a complex heart, Xia Honglang returned home with heavy steps, contemplating how to comfort his cherished wife. He then saw Aunt Liu, wearing a floral dress and an apron, her hands dusted with flour, smiling as she approached him: "You're back."
"Mm, I, I'm back." Xia Honglang was taken aback by Aunt Liu's appearance. "What, what are you busy with?"
"Qiantian saw a picture of a cake and pastries online, and the sisters wanted to try them. Qiantian was worried about getting fat and losing her beauty, and Qingyu was concerned about eating too much sugar for her health, so I've adapted a recipe I found online and made a low-fat, sugar-substitute version," Aunt Liu said with a smile. "It's good that you're back. Wash your hands and help me taste it to see how it is."
"Mm, okay." Seeing that Aunt Liu seemed unaffected by what was happening online, Xia Honglang gave a slight smile before heading to his room to change into loungewear, wash his hands, and come downstairs.
Aunt Liu personally offered Xia Honglang a small piece of the pastry, her eyes blinking expectantly. "How is it? Is it sweet enough? Is the cake base fluffy?"
"It's quite delicious," Xia Honglang replied. "I really like this one."
"That's good then," Aunt Liu finally let out a sigh of relief. "If you like it, the two sisters definitely will too. Can you help me arrange the fruit decorations? She's gone to pick up Qingyu from the martial arts studio. The sisters will be back soon, and I want to give them a surprise!"
"Okay." Xia Honglang agreed and began rolling up his sleeves to help Aunt Liu decorate the cake. Once the decoration was nearly complete, he finally asked, "About what's happening online..."
"The Ultimate Player in the Wealthy Elite?" Aunt Liu turned to look at Xia Honglang and said, "I've seen that."