At that moment, Xu Ke, dressed in a black suit with an erect posture, stood just outside the door.

When everyone saw it was Xu Ke, they were all completely taken by surprise.

Why is it Xu Ke? Why is it really Xu Ke?!

They never expected that the "Mr. Xu" from the now-refuted rumors had not only been spared Wong Qifu's ruthless rejection but had also shown up in person at such a critical press conference. This completely upended their understanding of the world.

The people watching the live broadcast immediately started cursing.

"A rapist can still come and announce an engagement to the goddess?"

"Damn it, what kind of world is this? This scum isn't even as handsome as I am, yet he gets to stand here?"

"Where are the police? Where's the Wang Family Corporation's security? Why hasn't anyone kicked this degenerate piece of scum out?"

People were cursing left and right, especially the men who had become completely smitten with Wong Qifu while watching the press conference. When they saw that her fiancé was indeed Xu Ke, the flames of jealousy nearly devoured them whole. At that moment, they were consumed with envy for Xu Ke. At that moment, not a single person spoke up for him.

Even those who had remained rational and neutral, believing there was no hard evidence for Xu Ke's alleged misdeeds, now began to revile him.

But they also envied him.

Admittedly, many felt it was a sorry state of affairs for Xu Ke to be vilified as a rapist before even being criminally detained. If he was innocent of these accusations yet still subjected to such scorn, his situation would be tragic with a capital T.

But if it meant they could have a taste of such a beauty—especially to be the fiancé of a top-tier beauty like Wong Qifu—they wouldn't just endure the curses; they would willingly die tomorrow.

***

When Wang Yu saw Xu Ke actually appear, he ground his teeth so hard they nearly shattered. The murderous intent in his eyes was palpable; if looks could kill, Xu Ke would have been sliced to pieces on the spot.

Why?! Hadn't Chen Zhiyong and Wong Hongsheng already stopped Xu Ke downstairs? Why is he now standing at the door, straight-backed as if nothing happened? Were we all played for fools?

Then, when Wang Yu saw Wang Wu standing behind Xu Ke, a sudden realization seemed to dawn on him.

***

Besides Wang Yu, who was practically grinding his teeth to dust, the people watching the live broadcast and waiting for Xu Ke's downfall didn't look any better.

"What the hell is that idiot Wang Yu doing?" Sun Luo cursed aloud. The faces of the Huang Family members and Yang Qing were just as grim.

They had already pushed Xu Ke into a corner. The final step was to prevent him from attending, which would have forced Wong Qifu to swallow the bitter pill. Last night, Sun Luo, Yang Qing, and the Huang Family had planned to send men to the Wang Family Corporation to wait for Xu Ke and incapacitate him on arrival. Each step of their plan was interlinked; they couldn't afford a single failure.

However, Wang Yu and Wong Liqing had refused to allow outside Innate Maestros into their territory. Besides, if it were discovered, it would give their rivals ammunition to claim that they were "colluding with outsiders." So, they chose to handle it themselves. Sun Luo had assumed that with Wong Hongsheng and Chen Zhiyong on the job, it would be an effortless success. But seeing the outcome today, he knew he had been slapped in the face.

As for Nie Qinghe and Chang Xiujuan, their situation was even more pathetic. No matter how viciously Xu Ke was cursed, he still had the right to stand on the fringes of high society and attend the press conference. And them? They could only watch from their small, insignificant corner, grinding their teeth in hatred as Xu Ke basked in the spotlight.

***

As Xu Ke appeared at the entrance and walked toward Wong Qifu's side, the reporters' cameras—their "long guns and short cannons"—instantly swiveled to his face, their shutters clicking incessantly. The cameras of media outlets not affiliated with the Wang Family Corporation were locked even more tightly onto his face. They all sensed that every moment to follow would be explosive.

Seeing Xu Ke walk onto the stage so calmly and steadily in front of so many reporters, many were surprised. Was this the composed reaction one would expect from an ordinary person attending such an event for the first time?

Xu Ke walked to Wong Qifu's side and slowly sat down.

The moment he was seated, Wong Qifu turned to meet his gaze, and they both couldn't help but share a faint smile. It had to be said that even though their primary goal today was clarification, announcing their engagement in front of so many cameras still filled Wong Qifu's heart with joy. This was the first time she and Xu Ke had appeared together, openly, in the same venue.

Their relationship had begun absurdly. Wong Qifu's recklessness and dominance had been on full display back then. A ring, a fortune-teller's words, and Xu Ke's instinctual resistance were all it took for her to force a marriage upon him. Spreading the news throughout the city was merely a game to see how flustered and lost he would become. Back then, their engagement was just a joke in her eyes, one she could call off at any time.

But somewhere along the way, they had both changed.

***

As the smile bloomed on Wong Qifu's lips, she quickly reined it in, realizing the formal setting. It was a subconscious reaction, but the tenderness cradled within her smile was impossible to hide.

That inadvertent smile shattered the hearts of everyone watching.

What was so good about Xu Ke? Why was he worthy of a CEO of her stature announcing their engagement in front of so many people? Isn't he just a lowly commoner?!

After sitting down, Xu Ke also composed his expression and spoke directly into the microphone. "Good afternoon to all our friends from the media and to everyone watching the live broadcast."

"I am Qifu's fiancé, Xu Ke."

"I trust that after cursing me until three-thirty in the morning, you all even have my phone number, so I'm surely no stranger to you," he said calmly. "If there's anything you want to ask, you can ask me directly."

The words had barely left his mouth when a female reporter immediately launched an attack. "Mister Xu, I'd like to ask, with your checkered past and common background, why would Miss Wang be interested in you?" she demanded. "Is it true, as the rumors claim, that you were already maintaining an improper relationship with Miss Wang at the gym while you still had a girlfriend?"

At this, everyone secretly drew a sharp breath, their faces alight with excitement. They were eager to see how Xu Ke would respond. This reporter was blatantly accusing Wong Qifu and Xu Ke of having an affair. Did she have a death wish?

They glanced over and immediately understood. It turned out she was from a media company under the Ye Family. The female reporter stared coldly at Xu Ke, her gaze unwavering.

Xu Ke simply chuckled. "First, as to why Qifu is interested in me, you'll have to ask her. Second, there was no improper relationship. Third, I do not have a checkered past."

As soon as he finished, the crowd exchanged glances. His answers were technically on point, but who would believe them? Mere words were not enough to dispel the rumors swirling online.

The female reporter cut straight to the chase. "Mister Xu, the rumors all insist you're a cheater and a rapist. Furthermore, a Ms. Chang Xiujuan, who was almost your mother-in-law, and your ex-girlfriend's best friend, a Ms. Yang, have both come forward with public accusations against you. It takes two to tango. If you hadn't wronged them first, they wouldn't have gone to such lengths. Do you still claim that doesn't qualify as a checkered past?"

Seeing the reporter's sharp counter, the crowd erupted. This was absolutely captivating.

Xu Ke smiled. "'Checkered past'? 'Cheater'? 'Rapist'? 'It takes two to tango'?" he repeated slowly. "I certainly hope you can live up to the standards of your press pass. Even if media professionals aren't legal experts, you cannot make subjective assumptions. You need to speak with evidence. Making baseless claims only diminishes the media's credibility. Don't you think so?"

Hearing this response, everyone in the room began to feel a little uncomfortable. With those words, Xu Ke seemed determined to antagonize everyone present. His previous answer had been weak but acceptable. This retort, however, struck a nerve with many unscrupulous media outlets. After all, many of them were professionals who made a living from baseless claims.

The female reporter, not to be outdone, smiled. "Mister Xu, I see you come from a humble background and likely have no experience with press conferences, so you may not understand our rules. We ask questions, and you provide answers. The purpose is to clarify doubts, not to issue a final verdict. My line of questioning doesn't mean I will write it in the papers. As long as you respond to my questions directly and properly, I naturally won't have to make unsubstantiated claims. What do you think?"

A thick sense of superiority was written all over her face. She was openly looking down on Xu Ke for his lack of worldly experience.

Seeing this, Xu Ke smiled faintly. "In that case, could I trouble anyone here with a recording to play my previous answers for this reporter? Perhaps she has a hearing problem. Were my answers not direct enough? What do you all think?"

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