241: Are you Ye Chen?

Everyone was stunned upon hearing this and instinctively turned their heads toward the door of the private room.

They saw...

The carved wooden door of the private room had been pushed open at some point. Ye Chen leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, his face expressionless and his gaze calmly fixed on Lin Mei.

Surprise flickered across the faces of Bing Lan and Li Qin simultaneously, but neither spoke immediately.

Lin Mei frowned and looked Ye Chen up and down, his tone clearly unfriendly. "Who are you? Who let you in?"

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow and slowly walked into the private room, taking the empty seat next to Bing Lan before looking up at Lin Mei.

"Before trying to steal someone else's girl, didn't you even bother to investigate who her boyfriend is?"

"With this level of professionalism, how have you survived in the Entertainment Circle until now?"

Lin Mei was taken aback at first, but then, as if remembering something, a look of realization dawned on him.

"Are you Ye Chen?"

As an insider, he had naturally seen some of the rumors about Ye Chen, especially the videos that had circulated online early on.

He just hadn't expected to meet him in person here, in this manner. Moreover, he looked... younger and more ordinary than in the videos.

"That's right."

Ye Chen nodded and even offered a kind reminder.

"I think the conditions you just offered were too simple; it makes you seem like you have no ambition. Why not add a few more?"

"For example, how about letting you sit in the position of The Group's CEO?"

"Or maybe having my Bing Lan serve you tea and water?"

"Mention them all at once, so you don't have to find excuses to ask someone out next time."

Lin Mei was so incensed by Ye Chen's nonchalant tone that he laughed.

He took a deep breath, suppressed the wicked fire in his heart, and put a smile back on his face.

"Haha, Mr. Ye must be joking. Since you put it that way, I won't be polite."

"Besides Senior Bing Lan... oh no, President Bing herself, I want 30% of Shuyue Group's shares. They must be original shares with corresponding decision-making power."

"Can you satisfy this condition, Mr. Ye?"

Bing Lan's expression instantly turned cold, and Li Qin clenched her fists in anger.

30% of the original shares?

This was practically blatant robbery!

It was even worse than robbery!

Yet, Ye Chen nodded.

"Sure."

"What?"

The smile on Lin Mei's face froze, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Even Bing Lan and Li Qin looked at Ye Chen in astonishment.

Ye Chen spread his hands, looking sincere. "I said sure. You want 30% of Shuyue Group's shares? No problem."

Lin Mei's heart skipped a beat. "Ye Chen, you... you're not messing with me, are you? Can you make that decision?"

"Of course I can."

Ye Chen picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup, and took a sip. "Because I don't have any shares in Shuyue Group at all. What I promised you is no different from nothing. Doesn't this deal sound like a great bargain?"

Lin Mei: "???"

He was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage out of humiliation.

"Are you fucking playing me?!"

Ye Chen set down the teacup.

"Playing you? You're not even worthy."

"But those words you just said..."

As Ye Chen spoke, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, swiped a few times on the screen with his thumb, and then pressed play.

From the phone's speaker, Lin Mei's sinister and harsh threatening voice immediately rang out clearly.

Once the recording finished playing, the private room fell into a dead silence.

Lin Mei's face instantly turned from flushed red to a ghastly pale green.

He stared intently at Ye Chen's phone, his eyes filled with disbelief and overwhelming fury!

He had calculated everything, but he hadn't expected Ye Chen to arrive so early or to be so cunning as to record him.

"Kid... you set me up?!"

Lin Mei asked through gritted teeth.

Ye Chen put his phone away and tucked it back into his pocket.

"Set you up? You handed those words to me yourself."

"Now, with conclusive evidence of extortion and intimidation..."

"Big star Lin, how many days do you think this is enough to keep you in the detention center?"

"Is it enough to let your fans and partners see your 'true face'?"

Lin Mei's chest heaved violently. He knew that if this recording got out, it would be a devastating blow to his acting career!

But having struggled in the Entertainment Circle for many years, he quickly forced himself to calm down and squeezed out a cold sneer.

"Heh... Ye Chen, you think you can control me just because you recorded me?"

"I guarantee that not only will you be unable to release this recording, but even if you do, it won't cause any waves!"

"Instead..."

He suddenly turned toward Bing Lan, his eyes venomous.

"Bing Lan! I'm giving you one last chance!"

"Control your man, have him delete the recording, and then come to dinner with me tonight obediently!"

"Otherwise, I promise..."

"By tomorrow morning, all sorts of 'hard evidence' about you acting like a diva on set, bullying newcomers, and even sleeping with directors and producers will flood the entire internet!"

"Let's see then which one collapses first: your Shuyue Group or my reputation?"

"A man with nothing to lose has no fear. At worst, I'll leave the circle, but I can still make you lose a layer of skin. Do you believe me?!"

This was a complete falling out.

Ye Chen sighed softly and stood up.

"So much nonsense."

"It seems you don't understand human speech."

Before his voice even faded.

He had already stepped in front of Lin Mei.

Lin Mei felt his vision blur and his collar tighten. He was hoisted up by an irresistible, massive force!

"You... what are you doing? Let go of me!"

"Do you know who I am? My fans could drown you with their spit..."

Before he could finish, he was tossed out of the private room by Ye Chen like a piece of trash!

Lin Mei fell clumsily onto the thick carpet in the hallway. His suit was a wrinkled mess, and his hair was disheveled. Where was the poise of a top-tier star?

He struggled to get up and pointed at Ye Chen and Bing Lan inside the room, trembling with rage.

"Fine! Fine! Fine!"

"Ye Chen! Bing Lan! You just wait!"

"This isn't over!"

"If I don't destroy you both, my last name isn't Lin!"

After finishing his threats.

He didn't dare stay any longer, fearing Ye Chen would come out to beat him again. He hurriedly tidied his clothes and fled the tea house in disgrace.

Once he left.

Li Qin stood up indignantly.

"This Lin Mei is simply scum!"

"How can so many female fans like him? They must be blind!"

Ye Chen sat back in his chair and said with a smile, "Calm down. I'm quite good at fighting this kind of entertainment public opinion war."

Hearing this, a strange expression appeared on Bing Lan's beautiful face.

"You're not thinking of using the same method you used to deal with the Azure Dragon Society, are you?"

Ye Chen shook his head.

"Dealing with someone like Lin Mei, who relies on his face and reputation and thinks he can control others..."

"We have to make him completely 'cold,' until not even ashes remain."

Upon hearing this, Li Qin's eyes lit up. She rubbed her hands together and said, "I'll go get the computer ready! What materials do you need? Dig up his dark history? Contact internet water armies? Or..."

"No need for all that trouble."

Ye Chen raised his hand to interrupt her and shook his phone. "I can handle it right here. You two just keep drinking your tea and watch."

He spoke nonchalantly, as if he were just about to post a regular update on his social feed.

Bing Lan and Li Qin glanced at each other, both seeing curiosity in the other's eyes.

They both knew Ye Chen had extraordinary methods, but handling a top star's public relations crisis with just a phone?

It still sounded somewhat inconceivable.

Could it be... Ye Chen's hacking skills have improved again???

Ignoring their expressions, Ye Chen's fingers were already flying as he operated the screen rapidly... In the underground parking lot of the Yunyao Tea House, inside a luxurious nanny van.

Lin Mei sat in the back row with a ghastly expression, punching the leather seat.

"Damn it!"

"Bitch who doesn't know what's good for her!"

"And that bastard surnamed Ye!"

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, especially when he thought of Ye Chen's face. His fury intensified... He suddenly pulled out another private phone and dialed a number.

The call was answered almost instantly.

Without waiting for the other person to speak, Lin Mei growled through gritted teeth.

"Old Dog! Take action! Release all the 'black material' we prepared about Bing Lan!"

"Buy trending searches, buy hot topics, find big influencers to repost!"

"I want to see the whole internet cursing her by tomorrow morning!"

"I want to see the name of Shuyue Group tied to 'scandals'!"

"Money is no object. Smash it in until she's dead!"

A raspy male voice came from the other end of the line.

"Young Master Lin, so urgent?"

"Bing Lan was a top star after all, and her background doesn't seem simple. Should we..."

"Should we what?" Lin Mei interrupted rudely. "Do as I say! Immediately! Right now! I'll take responsibility if anything happens! I want her reputation ruined, and I want her to come crawling to me on her knees!"