39: Chapter 39 Live Broadcast Connection: Dare You Accept?

180,000.

The repost count on Su Wantang's sixth Weibo post was still jumping.

The Hotpot feast had ended.

Fahd walked away, patting his stomach, the red oil stains splattered on the front of his white robe left unwiped. He turned at the safety exit and tossed out a comment.

"Li, next week's family banquet in Abu Dhabi—bring your Hotpot."

Li Li tilted his chin at him.

180 tables had been wiped clean, and the red oil in the two-meter-wide pot was still bubbling. Hotel staff were cleaning up the mess, and the spicy scent drifted along the sea breeze, spreading across half of Jumeirah.

Director Pei Zhao stopped Old Zhou at the safety exit; she wasn't looking at the aftermath, but at her phone.

The top three trending searches.

First: #Li Li fries Hotpot base on the Burj Al Arab helipad#

Second: #Prince's expression control collapses while eating duck intestine#

Third: #Su Wantang accuses ex-boyfriend Li Li#

She twisted the lucky bracelet on her wrist.

"Interesting."

The private beach of the Burj Al Arab.

9:40 PM. The tide had receded halfway, and the sound of the waves just managed to drown out the sporadic sirens in the distance.

The 'free social time' arranged by the Production Team continued, with the live stream ongoing and everyone's cameras still running.

The guests strolled along the coastline, but the comments scrolling in the live stream weren't about Hotpot—they were all about Su Wantang.

Yin Ruoying glanced at the comments in her own live stream, but didn't say anything.

Fang Ruowei held up her selfie stick, aiming the camera at her face, and spoke.

"Everyone, don't be anxious. I don't know the specifics... but regarding matters of the heart, it's really not appropriate for outsiders to judge."

Impeccable. She didn't take sides. The comments were filled with [Sister Wei is so rational].

Han Xubai adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses: "Regarding Ms. Su Wantang's accusations, as a legal practitioner, I must remind everyone—a unilateral statement does not constitute a complete chain of evidence. Of course, this is just a professional habit of mine."

Comments: [Lawyer Bai, just tell us whether you believe it or not!]

Gu Zeyan deliberated for three seconds before blurting out the universal phrase his agent had taught him— "Everyone has their own story, and I respect everyone's feelings."

Comments: [That's the same as saying nothing.]

Wen Zhuotang didn't speak. She sat on a rock, head bowed, scrolling through her phone.

On the screen was Su Wantang's live stream.

Su Wantang was crying.

Su Wantang's live stream.

Online—8.7 million.

The peak data of her live streaming career.

In front of the camera was a 'no-makeup' look. A meticulously designed no-makeup look. The redness in her eyes was real, and the tears were real, but the angle she sat at allowed the fill light to make her tear tracks look crystal clear.

"He... three days before filming the Dating Reality Show, he suddenly told me to break up."

She choked back a sob. She paused for two seconds.

The timing was just right for the comments to scroll through a round of sympathy.

"I asked him why, and he said 'not suitable'. Just three words. Four years, dismissed in three words."

She wiped her tears. With her fingertips. From the corners of her eyes downwards, without smudging her eyeliner.

"Later I found out, he was going on a Dating Reality Show. He was afraid I would hinder his career..."

She sniffled. She lifted her chin slightly, letting the fill light hit her neckline.

"I never wanted to make this public. But today, at the Burj Al Arab, in front of the whole world, he was living it up. Eating ice cream and taking walks with another girl..."

Her voice dropped.

"Were all those things he said to me fake?"

The comments were one tone from top to bottom—

[Scum, go die!!!]

[Four years! Dumped just like that!]

[Li Li, are you even human?!]

[Support Sister Tangtang! Down with the scum!]

Thousands per second.

Simultaneously flooding into Li Li's live stream.

Li Li walked on the beach.

His phone was in his pocket, vibrating for over forty times. He didn't take it out.

Jiang Rumu walked half a step to his left, a tablet tucked under her arm.

Her phone was also vibrating.

Not about Su Wantang.

Three minutes ago, four exposés appeared on Weibo simultaneously—

"Insider exposé: Jiang Rumu bullies makeup artist on set, throws things in public and forces them to cry"

"Jiang Rumu's former assistant speaks out: She doesn't respect any staff members at all"

"Exclusive exposé: Jiang Rumu's contract is about to expire, suspected fallout with management agency"

"Li Li x Jiang Rumu Dating Reality Show CP: One is a scum, the other is a wicked woman, a match made in heaven?"

Four of them. Published at the same time. Reposted by the same batch of marketing accounts. The same template of talking points.

They might as well have had 'Company Manipulation' carved on their faces.

Jiang Rumu finished scrolling and locked her screen.

She was too familiar with this routine. Contract expiring and not renewing? Fine. Smash your reputation before you leave—fan goodwill, public favor, industry reputation, all reduced to zero.

Once you realize you're worthless without the company, you'll come back on your own to sign a humiliating treaty.

The comments in her live stream had already split into two. Die-hard fans cursed the marketing accounts for spreading rumors. Haters were frantically spamming—

[The wicked woman finally exposed? Bullying an assistant? Impressive, Jiang Rumu!]

[Scum paired with a wicked woman, a match made in heaven!]

Jiang Rumu tucked the tablet tighter under her arm.

She didn't speak.

Shen Jue came running from behind.

He slammed on the brakes on the sand, almost doing the splits, and grabbed Jiang Rumu's shoulder.

"Sister!"

"What's wrong?"

"Su Wantang's live stream—and those black materials about you—my live stream is full of it—"

He was panting heavily, standing there at 1.87 meters tall, scratching the back of his head until his hair was a mess.

"Sister, are those real or fake?"

He asked directly. No buildup, no probing.

Jiang Rumu shook her head.

"Fake. Don't worry about it."

Shen Jue froze for a second. Then he nodded. Nodded vigorously.

"Okay!"

He turned and ran, but stopped after three steps, giving a thumbs up in Li Li's direction.

"Brother Li! I believe you!"

Li Li didn't look back.

Shen Jue ran back to his camera position and spoke to the lens.

"I don't know what's being spread online. But I've been with Brother Li and Sister Mu for almost two days—what kind of people Brother Li and Sister Mu are, I've seen with my own eyes."

He scratched his head.

"If you want to curse, go ahead, and wait until the truth comes out. Just one thing—I believe them."

The comments were split into two factions. Half cursed him for being PUA'd. Half spammed 'Little Jue is really so pure'.

Li Li stopped walking.

A wave receded, leaving a wet line on the beach.

He took out his phone.

Su Wantang's live stream online—11 million. She was still crying.

He swiped to his live stream backend. The comments were all the same— 'Scum', 'Human trash', 'PUA master', 'Seeking justice for Su Wantang'.

He swiped to Jiang Rumu's four black materials again. 20,000 reposts five minutes ago, now 80,000.

Still rising.

After cursing him, they cursed Jiang Rumu; after cursing Jiang Rumu, they turned back to curse him. A closed loop.

Li Li rotated his left wrist.

Blue text floated up.

[System prompt: Current public opinion crisis level—Red]

[Suggestion: Take action immediately. For every 10-minute delay, the favorability value decline rate x 2.3]

He locked the screen.

Jiang Rumu also stopped.

"You saw those things about me?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry about my side, I can handle it."

"You can handle it." Li Li turned his head. "Your fans can't take it."

Jiang Rumu didn't respond.

"78,000 comments." He recited the number. "In the past fifteen minutes, the negative comments in your live stream. This is exactly what your company wants—to smash you to rock bottom and force you to go back and renew your contract."

The sea breeze blew over, his messy hair brushing against his forehead.

"I won't do it."

"What are you planning to do?"

Li Li opened the live streaming app.

The fixed camera was still on. The comments were all curses. Online—46 million.

They were all waiting.

Waiting for his response. Waiting for his explanation. Waiting for his apology. Waiting for him to break down. Waiting for his downfall.

Li Li raised his phone, aiming it at his face.

Behind him were the beach, the waves, and the lights of the Burj Al Arab.

He spoke.

"I saw it. I saw it all."

The speed of the comments slowed down for a beat.

"Some people believe what Su Wantang said. Fine."

He paused.

"Now, Su Wantang and I will have a live connection. In front of everyone, we'll talk about it one by one."

The comments went blank.

"The complete chat history. The complete timeline. The complete truth."

"Every word she said—I will take them all on."

He tilted his head, his left canine tooth showing.

"Su Wantang—"

"Do you dare to accept?"

The comments froze for two seconds.

Then they exploded from the bottom—

[??????]

[He wants a live connection??? A face-to-face confrontation???]

[Brother Li is crazy! She's crying! Isn't connecting now just handing over your head??]

[No, you don't understand! He has the complete chat history! Jiang Rumu has already seen it!!]

[Does Su Wantang dare to accept? Does she dare????]

Jiang Rumu stood two steps behind him.

Her tablet lit up.

The comments in Su Wantang's live stream were scrolling the same sentence by the second—

"Li Li is calling for a live connection."

"Will you accept?"

"Will you accept?"

"Will you accept?!"

11 million people online.

Everyone was waiting for Su Wantang's answer.

And Su Wantang's hand was hovering above the 'End Live Stream' button.

Three centimeters.

She didn't press it.

And she didn't move it away.