Chapter Ninety-Three: This Battle Will Be Much Easier to Fight

Yes, otherwise why do people say beauty is a calamity? It really does feel as if President Fu has lost his head this time.

But in that video, Fu Zichen was only defending his girlfriend, lightly pushing that reporter aside... how did it suddenly turn into such a serious injury?

Shills above, how much are you paid per post? If you have that kind of connection, let us make money together!

...

Even the few remarks that supported Fu Zichen were all drowned out by a frenzy of attacks. Gradually, even ordinary bystanders no longer wanted to speak. Those who sensed the undercurrent beneath it all chose silence, waiting for the final outcome.

The Fu Group had always forged ahead with steady determination over all these years; there was no need at all to do something so outrageous. Fu Zichen might indeed have been bewitched by beauty, but he would never have done something so foolish in broad daylight, under so many cameras.

Pei Susu looked at the comments, every one of them hurling abuse at Fu Zichen.

As for the remarks aimed at her, they were all things like "beauty bringing ruin" and "a femme fatale who brings a nation to its knees"...

Pei Susu could only stare at them in speechless exasperation.

She was Pei Susu. She just happened to be with Fu Zichen, and in their mouths, everything she had ever done before was instantly buried, as if so long as she leaned on Fu Zichen, she could do anything at all.

"Sister, don't mind those comments."

Seeing the faint pallor in Pei Susu's face, Fu Zichen could not help but feel a little uneasy.

He knew that one of the biggest reasons Pei Susu had not wanted to make their relationship public was that she did not want the career she had built with her own efforts to be seen by others as nothing more than the result of climbing upward by means of that connection.

Pei Susu noticed his caution and laughed softly.

"Zichen, I've never blamed you."

If, at the auction, Fu Zichen had not descended like a heavenly general to rescue her and use his own standing to shield her, Pei Susu would have suffered far more grievance. These netizens' comments did not amount to anything.

After so many years in this industry and after handling so many clients, Pei Susu's ability was there for all to see. She did not need outsiders to have a say in it.

"I just think these netizens are far too one-sided. It seems that whenever an outstanding woman does something outstanding, they immediately begin to speculate that there must be an even more powerful man behind her."

It seemed to have become a shared assumption among everyone: that no matter how well a woman did in her own field, it always implied that she had backing, support, a man behind her; otherwise she would amount to nothing.

But Pei Susu was determined to prove with her own ability that she was simply herself. Even without Fu Zichen, she could still rise to the very top in this industry.

"Sister has always been amazing."

Fu Zichen met her gaze, and then the two exchanged a knowing smile.

"Once this matter is settled, Sister can return to the company. If anyone tries to make trouble out of it and push you around, leave it to me."

After all, this mess could be considered to have come from him. Fu Zichen had seen with his own eyes how much effort Pei Susu had put into the project being reviewed.

If all her hard work were stripped away like this, it would not be what Fu Zichen wanted to see.

Pei Susu nodded.

Her phone suddenly rang. She lowered her eyes to glance at it, then raised her brows slightly.

Well, speak of the devil.

The call was from Zhou Haoyue.

Since the incident broke, Pei Susu had wondered how the people in her team would see her. But no matter how she thought about it, she still felt they would never be like the netizens online, making snap judgments simply because of her and Fu Zichen's identities.

They had come this far together and weathered so many storms side by side; they should know each other's abilities very well.

"Susu-jie, you've really been hiding this too deeply!"

Zhou Haoyue's exaggerated voice burst through the line. Startled by the volume, Pei Susu unconsciously moved the phone a little farther from her ear.

"I knew it. Why else would you keep hiding your little boyfriend all this time? So it's President Fu!"

In an instant, Zhou Haoyue turned into a detective straight out of a mystery novel. "I said so, didn't I? President Fu hardly ever shows his face at the company, but the few times he has come out, it seems like it's always been to back you up."

"Nice one, Susu-jie. You actually bagged the big boss at the top. Does that mean our project team is going to rise with the tide too?"

"..."

She had guessed that Zhou Haoyue would not care, but she had not expected this reaction.

Pei Susu could only press a hand to her brow.

"Even if the two of us are together now, isn't everything still as usual? Has our project team ever received any special treatment before?"

Zhou Haoyue muttered, "That's true," and then finally remembered that he had called to check on Pei Susu.

"There's so much ugly talk online right now. Susu-jie, just don't keep looking at it. Everyone in our project team believes in you!"

It seemed Zhou Haoyue had turned on speakerphone, and immediately a clamorous chorus of voices from the rest of the team rang out on the other end.

"Yes, Susu-jie, you should just stay home and rest for these two days."

"We'll handle everything about the project! We all trust you!"

"..."

After getting along for so long, it would have been impossible not to be touched. Pei Susu pressed her lips together in a faint smile and replied to each of them one by one.

"If, next time our project team has a dinner together, Susu-jie can bring President Fu along, then we'll really have face!"

Zhou Haoyue had already begun teasing her without restraint.

"..."

Pei Susu and Fu Zichen were in the same enclosed space. Though the speakerphone was off, they could still faintly hear.

Pei Susu coughed twice and hurriedly hung up the phone, as if to cover up her embarrassment.

"I really didn't expect them to be so... enthusiastic."

"It's fine."

Being accepted by the people around his sister meant he would not bring Pei Susu any further trouble. Fu Zichen also let out a breath of relief.

In the days that followed, the rumors online only grew more intense, yet the Fu Group still gave no statement, which made the public speculate endlessly.

It was only when Fu Zichen finally obtained the DNA results that the truth came out. Li's account had not been a lie after all; the child really was not the husband of Madam Chen, but the child of the president of the M Group.

The moment she saw the results, Pei Susu could not help but feel a weight lift from her chest.

"I've already sent this report to Madam Chen's husband. He's considered one of the wealthy men in the capital, and most of the backlash in this whole matter can be traced back to him."

The assistant rushed over with the report, nearly breathless from running the whole way. After giving his update, he drank two cups of water in one go.

Pei Susu exchanged a glance with Fu Zichen.

"Now that the trending topic over there has been taken down, this battle has become much easier to fight."