143: Chapter 143 Awkward! Zhang Fan Crowned "National Scumbag"?

On Monday morning at Singularity Technology, just as the office area had resumed its busy rhythm, the receptionist girl ran in clutching her phone, her face pale: "President Zhang! President Zhou! It's bad! The hot search list is full of negative news about President Zhang!"

Zhang Fan had just sat down in the conference room, holding the optimization report for the overseas servers, and frowned when he heard this: "What news?"

Zhou Yurou took the phone handed over by the receptionist. The Weibo hot search list on the screen made her gasp instantly.

# Zhang Fan National Scumbag #

It had shockingly landed at third place on the hot search list, followed by an eye-catching "Explosive" tag.

Clicking into the topic, pinned at the top was a collage of photos, with four images corresponding to four scenes: The first was last Friday, showing Zhang Fan and Zhou Yurou discussing the overseas operation plan downstairs at the office building. They were standing relatively close, and the shot made it look like they were "intimately chatting."

The second was from last week when Song Zhiwei came to the company to discuss additional investment. Zhang Fan was walking her to the parking lot, and the image of them walking side-by-side was cropped to only show their "backs together."

The third was Liu Ruyan accompanying Zhang Fan over the weekend to test the new features of "star dream workshop." They were huddled together looking at a computer screen in a coffee shop. The camera angle was deliberately lowered, making it look exceptionally ambiguous.

The fourth was the most absurd. Last week, when Zhang Fan went to his hometown to visit Lele, Xia Qinyi saw him off at the station. The moment they waved goodbye was captured to look like they were "reluctantly parting."

The marketing account that posted it added fuel to the fire with its caption: "Singularity Technology founder Zhang Fan, having risen to power relying on the Song family's capital, has become arrogant. He is surrounded by beauties: his partner Zhou Yurou on the left, investor Song Zhiwei on the right, and he doesn't even spare his subordinate Liu Ruyan or his neighbor, a single mother. He really is a modern-day 'Time Management Master'!"

The comment section had already exploded. In just half an hour, there were over 100,000 comments: "No wonder Singularity could become popular; turns out he relied on clinging to women's coattails!"

"I used to think he was a tech upstart, I didn't expect him to be such a scumbag!"

"I feel bad for Miss Song. With such a good family background, how could she fall for a guy like this?"

There were also a few rational voices: "Could it be a camera angle issue? The first photo is clearly them talking about work, right?"

"Calling him a scumbag without concrete proof, isn't that too arbitrary?"

But these were quickly drowned out by the insults.

"Someone is deliberately causing trouble!" Zhou Yurou handed the phone to Zhang Fan, her tone filled with anger. "These photos were clearly taken by someone lying in wait. The angles are all deliberately misleading, and the marketing account's copy is calculated to stir up trouble. It must be a competitor!"

Zhang Fan scrolled through the screen, feeling incredibly annoyed. He knew this scandal had come at too convenient a time—right after Yunqi Technology failed to poach their staff, and just as his collaboration with Lin Wanyi was starting. It was nine times out of ten either overseas capital or opponents of the Lu family pushing things from behind the scenes, wanting to take him down through public opinion and subsequently affect the stability of Singularity Technology and his collaboration with Lin Wanyi.

The discussions in the office area grew louder. Employees were secretly checking their phones, casting glances toward Zhang Fan's office from time to time. Wang Chengsi from the Technology Department walked by holding a coffee and couldn't help but say: "President Zhang, this is clearly a smear campaign. We need to issue a statement to clarify immediately!"

"Clarifying will only make things messier." Zhou Yurou frowned, analyzing calmly. "If we issue a statement now, the marketing accounts will say we are 'trying to cover up.' If we don't respond, we'll be accused of 'tacit admission.' The best method is to handle it coldly, wait for the hype to die down, and then find an opportunity to speak with facts—like releasing recordings or videos of the work discussions, or asking our partners to help clarify."

Zhang Fan nodded, but he knew better than anyone that while handling it coldly was easy for him, it was an unmerited disaster for Zhou Yurou, Song Zhiwei, Liu Ruyan, and Xia Qinyi. He pulled out his phone and first sent a message to Song Zhiwei: "Regarding the hot search, I'm sorry to have dragged you into this. I will find a way to resolve it as soon as possible."

Song Zhiwei's reply came quickly, her tone carrying her usual assertiveness: "No need to apologize for such a small matter. I've already had my PR team handle it. If those marketing accounts dare to spread rumors, I will make them pay the price. Focus on company matters and don't be affected by public opinion."

Next, he sent a message to Liu Ruyan, telling her not to mind the comments online and to focus on handling matters in the Technology Department.

Liu Ruyan's reply was simple: "Rest assured, President Zhang. I know this is a deliberate smear campaign, and it won't affect my work." But Zhang Fan could imagine how aggrieved she must feel when seeing those malicious comments about a "subordinate climbing the ladder"—Liu Ruyan had followed him since the company's inception and had pulled countless all-nighters for the Star Core Engine, only to be slapped with such a label because of a photo taken from a tricky angle.

Finally, after hesitating for a long time, he still sent a message to Xia Qinyi: "Don't worry about the hot search. It's media rumor-mongering. I will clarify it, and it won't affect you and Lele."

Xia Qinyi's reply was gentle: "I believe in you. Lele also says, 'Uncle Zhang Fan is not a bad person.' Don't tire yourself out; this matter of public opinion will pass."

Putting down his phone, Zhang Fan leaned back in his chair, his heart filled with guilt and irritation.

He wasn't afraid of being insulted, but he was afraid of dragging those around him into his own affairs. He was even more afraid that this scandal would affect Lin Wanyi's willingness to collaborate—after all, Lin Wanyi had just experienced the betrayal of the Lu family and was exceptionally sensitive about "trust." If she mistakenly believed he really was a "scumbag," she might terminate the collaboration.

"President Zhang, Miss Lin's assistant just sent a message asking if we should pause today's theme song communication meeting." Liu Ruyan suddenly walked in, holding a tablet. "She said that after seeing the hot search, Miss Lin is a bit worried that the collaboration might affect her reputation and wants to see how things develop first."

Sure enough, the thing he was most worried about had happened. Zhang Fan took a deep breath and stood up: "I will go talk to Lin Wanyi in person. It's hard to explain clearly over the phone, and explaining face-to-face shows more sincerity."

Zhou Yurou quickly stopped him: "If you go out now, you will definitely be besieged by reporters! Let me go. I've met Miss Lin a few times, and she has a good impression of me. I'll go explain it clearly and take the opportunity to finalize the details of the collaboration."

Zhang Fan thought for a moment and agreed: "That's fine. Tell her that all the rumors are false. I can provide any evidence to prove my innocence. Additionally, Singularity will bear all public opinion risks she might face due to the collaboration, including arranging a PR team to help her clarify. We will never let her be wronged."

After Zhou Yurou left with the collaboration plan, Zhang Fan walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked at the reporters gathered downstairs—they were holding cameras, surrounding the company entrance like a flock of hungry vultures, waiting to capture any "scoop." He knew this public opinion war had only just begun, and the person causing trouble behind the scenes would not give up easily.

Meanwhile, backstage at "Chinas Good Voice," Lin Wanyi was looking at the hot search on her phone, her brows knitted tightly.

Her assistant advised from the side: "Wanyi, look at how bad the reputation of Singularity Technology's President Zhang is right now. If you collaborate with him, netizens will definitely accuse you of 'wanting to climb to the top by relying on a scumbag.' It will have too big an impact on your competition!"

Lin Wanyi, however, shook her head. In her previous life, she had seen too many cases of public opinion reversals. Moreover, after her rebirth, she had specifically paid attention to news about Zhang Fan and knew that he had focused on technology since the early stages of his startup and had never had any scandals.

The angles of those photos were too deliberate, and the copy was too inflammatory; it was clearly someone deliberately smearing him.

More importantly, she recalled the last interview Zhang Fan gave before he disappeared after Singularity Technology went bankrupt in her previous life—he said, "My biggest regret in this life is not being able to protect the people around me, and not being able to let good technology be seen by more people." How could a person like that be a "scumbag"?

"There is no need to terminate the collaboration." Lin Wanyi put down her phone, her tone firm. "Help me arrange a meeting with President Zhou of Singularity Technology and tell her I have something to discuss with her. Also, help me prepare a statement to be issued at the appropriate time. I believe in Singularity Technology, and I also believe that President Zhang Fan is not that kind of person."

The assistant was stunned: "Wanyi, do you really believe him? What if..."

"There is no 'what if'." Lin Wanyi looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes full of certainty. "I am betting that he is a person worthy of trust, just as I am betting that Singularity Technology can help me rewrite my destiny."

Meanwhile, at Yunqi Technology, Lu Qingping was looking at the hot search, his expression complex.

He both hoped that the scandal would cause Lin Wanyi to distance herself from Zhang Fan and despised such smear tactics, especially seeing Zhou Yurou and Liu Ruyan dragged into it; he felt uneasy in his heart.

"Qingyan, check and see if this scandal is the work of Polaris Capital." Lu Qingping dialed his third brother's number, his tone grave. "If it is them, we must absolutely not let them use Wanyi's collaboration to take down Singularity—if Zhang Fan falls, the next one to be targeted will be Yunqi Technology."

On the other end of the line, Lu Qingyan was silent for a few seconds, his tone carrying a note of seriousness: "I am already investigating. I have preliminarily traced the funding sources of several marketing accounts to shell companies related to Polaris Capital. Big brother, it seems we must join forces with Zhang Fan; otherwise, no one will escape Polaris's schemes."

Lu Qingping gripped his phone tightly, looking at the sky outside the window. For the first time, he felt that his previous "eagerness to protect his sister" might have been headed in the wrong direction from the very beginning. And this sudden scandal, instead of breaking up the collaboration between Lin Wanyi and Zhang Fan, had instead made everyone realize that a larger storm was quietly approaching.