QTIMP -Chapter 198 Character Persona – Overachiever (Part 30)

Seeing the clear surveillance footage, Xu Tingting’s anger eased a little.

“Alright, I understand. By the way, has President Tang gone to see you? I heard there are quite a lot of reporters gathered outside the hotel now. You still have a flight to catch later, so please be careful.”

“I heard President Tang mention the reporters blocking the entrance too. That actually works in our favor. I’ll do an interview later, and then you coordinate to release the video.”

“We’ll make our company’s stance clear.”

The two of them discussed what needed to be done next over the phone.

The doorbell rang—breakfast had been delivered. Tang Chaoyun instructed someone to set it out.

“Eat first. We’ll head back after you’re done.”

Si Qiu put away her laptop and glanced at her watch.

Tang Chaoyun knew she was checking how much time was left before boarding. So he said, “I’ve applied for a flight route. We’ll take a private jet on the way back.”

Si Qiu was slightly taken aback, then smiled. “Thanks for the trouble.”

“You’ve said that twice already this morning. We’re still husband and wife, and there’s also Che’er. You don’t need to be so polite with me.”

He sat down and spread peanut butter on a piece of bread.

Si Qiu sat opposite him, drinking porridge from her bowl.

The smile on her face was something she had never shown since they moved in together—genuine, like an ordinary married couple chatting.

“We’ll leave through the main entrance later.”

He took a bite of his sandwich and swallowed before speaking.

“Hm? You’re going to do an interview?”

Si Qiu nodded. “In situations like this, blocking it off is worse than addressing it directly. Since you’re already here, we might as well be open about it to avoid rumors. It’s also a good chance to establish the company’s image.”

Tang Chaoyun looked at her with a scrutinizing smile. “Is that all?”

His sharpness surprised Si Qiu, just as her own perceptiveness surprised him.

“Not entirely. It’s just that the entertainment industry is too chaotic right now. The country won’t allow this kind of disorder to continue forever.”

“My small company can’t withstand too many storms, so it’s better to prepare in advance.”

Admiration filled Tang Chaoyun’s eyes. At that moment, he suddenly understood—Si Qiu was not a sunflower, but the rising sun.

“Alright. Since I’m here, I’ll listen to your arrangements.”

“True. I’ve cooperated with you in quite a few of these scripted scenarios before. This shouldn’t be difficult for you.”

For a moment, Tang Chaoyun’s smile stiffened. Then it quickly returned.

“Alright, alright. Whether it’s karma or repayment, I’ll bring out my best acting skills.”

As he said this, he stood up, hands pressing on the table as he leaned toward her.

“Don’t worry. I’ll cooperate perfectly.”

Si Qiu tapped her bowl lightly against his coffee cup. “Then—pleasant cooperation.”

Tang Chaoyun sat back down and took a sip of coffee. “It will be pleasant.”

Si Qiu didn’t respond further.

After finishing breakfast, she changed into a light blue off-shoulder dress and tied her hair into a low bun.

Their luggage was carried by bodyguards as they walked out of the hotel elevator together—only to be instantly swarmed by media.

Bodyguards quickly formed a barrier, but reporters still desperately pushed forward, shoving microphones and recording devices toward them.

“Hello, President Si, what’s your take on last night’s trending topic?”

“President Si, do you have any intentions of engaging in under-the-table deals?”

“President Si, will you suppress He Yan because he refused your… unspoken rules?”

Si Qiu stopped walking and looked at them with a faint smile.

Her voice was soft as it carried through the air. “Your questions—I’ll answer them one by one.

First, you asked what I think about last night’s trending topic. I was having breakfast this morning when I saw it. As for whether I have any intentions of engaging in under-the-table deals…”

At this point, Si Qiu tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing a captivating smile that seemed to pull people in.

“Under-the-table deals are the lowest form of tactics. They don’t match my standards at all. Neither I, nor Yianqi Entertainment under my name, will ever participate in such things. And for your third question—if there was never any such ‘deal’ to begin with, how could there be any refusal?”

She only answered half of the third question, not addressing whether she would retaliate. Most people didn’t notice, but Tang Chaoyun raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Oh? Then President Si, what kind of man do you think is worthy of your standards?” someone else called out loudly.

Si Qiu tightened her grip on Tang Chaoyun’s arm. “Isn’t the answer obvious?”

Tang Chaoyun was the head of the Tang Group; these reporters naturally recognized him. They were also aware of their marriage situation.

But now, seeing the way their arms were linked so intimately—and Tang Chaoyun’s indulgent gaze toward her—some of them suddenly became uncertain about the information they had.

This didn’t look like a couple pretending to be affectionate for show.

In an instant, the reporters shifted their focus to Tang Chaoyun. He rarely gave interviews, but this time he was unexpectedly cooperative.

“What’s your opinion on the rumors involving your wife?”

Tang Chaoyun lowered his gaze to her briefly and smiled. “The legal department of the Tang Group has already begun collecting evidence. We will soon be filing lawsuits against those who spread false reports and comments. I want to remind everyone: the internet is not outside the law. Justice may be delayed, but it will never be absent. I hope everyone speaks and acts with caution. That’s all for today. We’re catching a flight—please make way.”

With that, he signaled the bodyguards, and the two of them got into the car smoothly, completely ignoring the reporters’ further questions.

As he opened the car door for her, he even raised a hand to shield her head so she wouldn’t bump it. These small, considerate actions soon dominated social media headlines, with posts describing the Tang Group CEO as “dominant and protective of his wife.”

A highly misogynistic wave of online discourse quietly disappeared.

He Yan and his manager, who had been closely monitoring the situation, began to feel uneasy.

They didn’t believe Si Qiu’s claim that she didn’t care. People with power and status valued their reputation above all else—who knew how they might retaliate next?

So they quickly contacted their company, hoping it would step in to apologize to President Si and settle the matter properly.

By the time they got home, the original plan to go to an amusement park had already been canceled because of the incident.

Si Qiu went straight to the company.

Meanwhile, Tang Chaoyun returned home. Tang Che looked behind him and didn’t see his mother, disappointment almost spilling out of his eyes.

Tang Chaoyun sighed and rubbed his hair. “You’ve seen what’s been happening online. Your mother is busy dealing with it right now. You need to understand.”

Tang Che nodded reluctantly.

After a few more words of comfort, the two of them headed to the psychological therapy center Si Qiu had arranged. They spoke with the psychologist for an hour and a half.

Holding the report in his hands, Tang Che nervously twisted his fingers.

“Dad… am I very serious? Are you and Mom going to abandon me?”