The Protagonist's Childhood Friend Is Running Away!

"Holy crap! I take back what I said earlier. I never imagined Xiao Fan was the shameless one!"

"Seriously? Is Xiao Fan some kind of pedophile?"

"Hey, Xiao Fan's a rich second-generation heir, but he's never even had a girlfriend. Could he really be one?"

"I think it's possible he's gay and using a marriage engagement to hide his sexual orientation!"

"What a twist! Xiao Fan's a total pervert. I say we go straight to physical castration!"

"Where did this pedophile come from? Get lost!"

In an instant, a wave of outrage and insults swept across the internet. Xiao Fan, once hailed as a heaven-sent prodigy, had become a loathsome pedophile in the public eye!

By then, the sun was sinking in the west. The last rays of the setting sun gilded the earth like molten gold. Inside a top-tier private room at Nine Dragons Hospital, the most luxurious hospital in Suzhou, catering exclusively to the wealthy...

Xiao Fan, looking a little better, lay on the hospital bed. He glanced at Xiao Ling'er, his younger sister, who was watching him with concern, and smiled reassuringly as he spoke softly.

"Don't worry, Ling'er. The doctor said I only have some internal injuries. A few days of rest will be enough. Besides, the Su Household isn't doing so well right now."

At the thought, a fierce glint flashed in Xiao Fan's eyes, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Hearing this, the worry on Xiao Ling'er's face turned to an admiring smile.

It was true. The Su Household was now a target of public outrage, and even its stock price had begun to suffer. As more dirt came out in the days ahead, it would only become harder for the Su Household to salvage its reputation.

"With that one move, I not only brought the Xiao Group back into the public eye, I also scored us a major advertising win. A lot of the goods piled up in our warehouses have already sold, and we've eased the cash-flow problem, too!"

Xiao Fan took a sip of the plain water by his bed. His air of confidence grew ever more pronounced, and he couldn't help boasting smugly.

To kill three birds with one stone—that was Xiao Fan for you. Who would dare call him a Zhong Yong now?!

What was more, this whole affair had brought him and Ling'er closer. Once Xiao Ling'er had the main family's support, what would the Su Household amount to?!

"Something's wrong! Something's wrong, Young Master Xiao! Something huge has happened!" Just then, the hospital room door flew open, and a man rushed inside. Xiao Fan frowned sharply and looked over, only to find his secretary, Leng Yu.

Seeing him in such a panic, Xiao Fan immediately snapped at him in a displeased voice, "What are you panicking for? Even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up!"

As he spoke, annoyance flashed in his eyes. Couldn't this guy tell he was in the middle of a nice chat with Ling'er?

"The Su... the Su... the Su Household has made its move! Young Master Xiao, look!" Secretary Leng Yu didn't notice Xiao Fan's displeasure. Instead, he panted as he hurried over and shoved his phone into Xiao Fan's hand.

What was this?

The Su Household had made its move!

Leng Yu's frantic behavior made Xiao Fan frown even harder. Then he looked at the phone, and countless Douhai trending topics filled the screen...

[Young Girl's Resistance: The Online Storm Sparked by a Broken Engagement!]

[One Billion? Not Enough to Buy Out a Marriage Contract?]

[No Honor! Ambushed and Beaten Instead? Xiao Fan, the Poet, Gets Eaten Alive!]

Every trending topic stabbed at him like a nail driven straight into his heart. Xiao Fan froze, then instinctively clutched his pounding chest. He stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what he was seeing.

He scrolled frantically, but the trending list was still completely dominated by the same topics!

Beside him, Xiao Ling'er's heart sank, too. She was stunned by how quickly the Su Household had responded and how swiftly they'd struck back.

"Take a look at the comments, Young Master Xiao!" Secretary Leng Yu said urgently, still visibly panicked. He couldn't stand still. Xiao Fan's brow, already furrowed, drew even tighter.

His face dark with anger, Xiao Fan opened the comments on the video with the most discussion. A glance was enough to show that they were full of insults aimed at him...

Pedophile?

Physical castration!

Gay?

In an instant, those humiliating words filled Xiao Fan's eyes. Fury surged through him. The veins on his hands bulged as he gripped the phone tightly and let out a series of low growls. His eyes swept fiercely across the room. "Hurry! Pay for it! Get the internet trolls and the bloggers!"

"Even if we have to throw money at it, bury these comments! I want these topics off the trending list right now!"

Those vile comments were an insult to him. How could he be a pedophile? And he certainly wasn't gay! His pent-up fury had nowhere to go, and his chest felt unbearably tight.

The only response he got was Secretary Leng Yu lowering his head in silence. Xiao Fan felt even worse. He couldn't help coughing twice...

Xiao Ling'er had seen the comments, too, and her brow furrowed. She couldn't believe how absurd they were.

But now she watched Xiao Fan erupt in a towering rage, his reaction so extreme that her eyelid twitched. She couldn't help wondering...

Xiao Fan was already so old. Had he really never dated a single girl? He didn't seem interested in women at all. Could he actually be a pedophile?!

Even a typical rich second-generation heir, though not as involved with women as Su Bai of the Su Household, would have had a few girlfriends by now.

But Xiao Fan?

Xiao Ling'er's body stiffened. She looked at Xiao Fan with an indescribable expression, pressed her lips together, and, after a moment's thought, took an involuntary half-step backward.

Xiao Fan noticed the sudden movement. His face was ashen, and he was coughing uncontrollably. He looked up at Xiao Ling'er in disbelief.

Ling'er, why are you backing away? Don't you believe me?!

Faced with his wounded expression, Xiao Ling'er didn't know what to do.

But when she thought of those appalling comments and Xiao Fan's reaction just now, she couldn't shake her unease. She forced a smile and said softly, "No, I've just been standing for too long. I want to sit down."

Then, with light steps, she crossed to the spot in the room farthest from Xiao Fan and sat down. That sudden show of distance was like the final straw for Xiao Fan.

"Pfft!"

In an instant, Su Bai's vision blurred. A sharp pain stabbed through his chest, his face flushed red, and his blood surged upward. He couldn't stop himself from spitting out a mouthful of blood!

Blood sprayed everywhere. His face turned deathly pale as he slumped onto the hospital bed...

"Doctor! Where's the doctor? Someone's coughing up blood! Hurry and get a doctor in here!"

The sudden scene left Secretary Leng Yu stunned. He shouted in a panic, while Xiao Ling'er, seated in the corner, wore an expression full of hesitation and confusion...