A top star's secret marriage exposed?

"Who's here?" The female lead came out of the room and froze when she saw Jiang Jingyin. The bamboo basket in her hand clattered to the ground.

Jiang Jingyin looked up, and their eyes met.

Her red lips parted slightly, emotions churning in her eyes before a sheen of tears quickly clouded them.

The camera zoomed in for a close-up. Then the female lead rushed over and hugged Jiang Jingyin, her voice brimming with the joy of reunion. "I knew it! I knew you'd come back!"

Seeing this, Minmin hugged Jiang Jingyin too, secretly rubbing his cheek against him.

Jiang Jingyin's throat tightened. He shoved the female lead away, then broke free of Minmin's hands.

Something had to be wrong!

Jiang Jingyin knitted his brows tightly and glared at Minmin.

That look frightened Minmin, leaving him at a loss.

Had he done something wrong? Was he not allowed to hug Daddy here?

They looked so alike. Far too alike!

They were practically cast from the same mold!

Jiang Jingyin was starting to lose it.

[Noticed something's wrong, have you?]

Then the girl in the hat walked up to Jiang Jingyin and lifted her head slightly, revealing her face.

Jiang Jingyin's eyes widened. "Zheng Xinxin?"

The director frowned. "Who's Zheng Xinxin? Is that in the script?"

[Stop looking at the script, director! Watch the drama unfold!]

"Who told you to come?!" Jiang Jingyin had completely forgotten where he was. The moment he saw Zheng Xinxin, he lost control of his emotions. He looked down and glared at Minmin, suddenly raising his voice.

"I, I..." Minmin froze, his lips trembling as though he had been frightened. "Auntie said Daddy didn't want... didn't want Mommy and me anymore."

"I, I didn't believe her," Minmin tried hard to explain. "That's why Auntie... brought me here..."

At that, Minmin seemed to remember something. He gently tugged on Jiang Jingyin's sleeve and asked, "Daddy... do you really, really not want Mommy and me anymore?"

"Who's your daddy?!" Jiang Jingyin shouted back. A thin sheen of sweat had formed on his forehead, and everyone present could see his guilty unease.

Jiang Jingyin really was starting to panic.

There were so many people on set, including the director and his fans!

Even President Zheng was here!

Why did they have to pick today?

Zheng Xinxin must have done this on purpose! Had she deliberately brought this child here to ruin him?!

Jiang Jingyin glared at Zheng Xinxin, his gaze venomous.

That vicious woman!

"I'm not your daddy!" Jiang Jingyin answered loudly, as though he were telling Minmin, yet also trying to convince himself.

He bitterly regretted it now. If he had known this day would come, he should have simply let the child die in the hospital!

In a fury, Jiang Jingyin jerked his hand free. He used so much force that Minmin lost his balance, his legs buckling as he fell to the ground.

It was a hard fall. Minmin landed facedown with a thud, his head striking the floor.

"Wah... it hurts..." Minmin finally choked back a sob. "Wah... bad Daddy!"

"I don't want you anymore!" Minmin covered his head with his little hands and sat curled into a tiny ball on the floor, looking utterly pitiful. "Mommy said you're a liar! You tricked her into having Minmin, then you didn't want us anymore!"

"Wah... Daddy really is a big liar!" Minmin didn't wail loudly when he cried. His eyes were red, and his face flushed from holding it in, but his voice remained quiet. He only sobbed softly, yet the sight was heartbreaking.

Zheng Xinxin's heart ached so badly that she no longer cared about keeping up the act. She hurried over, scooped Minmin up, and asked anxiously, "Are you hurt anywhere? Let Auntie see."

The moment Zheng Xinxin picked him up, Minmin seemed like a child who had finally found shelter. He threw himself into her arms with a loud wail and burst into tears.

Anyone who saw such a sweet little child being bullied would have burned with anger.

"Jiang Jingyin, what the hell is wrong with you?" Holding Minmin, Zheng Xinxin soothed him while glaring at Jiang Jingyin. "Fine, you won't acknowledge Xianxian, but you won't even acknowledge your own son?!"

Everyone was stunned by her words.

The director jolted, stumbled half a step backward, caught his foot on a cable, and fell straight back.

He landed heavily in his chair.

What did she mean, his own son? That little child actor was Jiang Jingyin's son?

The fans instantly flew into a rage.

A few of the quicker-thinking fan leaders immediately sensed a crisis. Spotting someone livestreaming, one of them snatched his phone.

"What are you doing? That's my phone!" the man shouted.

"So what if it's your phone?" The fan leader held absolute authority among the fans, and she even began scolding him. "Don't you know what you can and can't livestream?"

"Mind your own business!" The man wasn't a Jiang Jingyin fan. Zheng Ye had brought him in specifically to livestream. "Give me my phone, or you'll regret it!"

"Regret it? What exactly are you going to do?" came the sharp challenge.

The fan leader acted as though she couldn't hear him. She tapped at his phone and shut down his livestream outright.

The fan leaders were privately in contact with Jiang Jingyin's team. They had previously heard vague rumors about problems in his private life.

If this blew up, wouldn't their beloved idol's entire acting career be ruined?

The other fans didn't know as much as the fan leaders. Hearing Zheng Xinxin slander their idol, they immediately erupted, demanding an explanation.

Zheng Xinxin sneered at them. "An explanation for what? For your idol secretly marrying and having a child, then refusing to acknowledge them?"

Jiang Jingyin's heart raced, and sweat poured from his body. He couldn't admit it. If he did, everything would be over!

"You're lying!" Jiang Jingyin turned and shouted, "Bodyguards! Get this crazy woman and this damn brat out of here!"

As soon as Jiang Jingyin finished speaking, several men emerged from backstage.

The men in professional attire strode forward, an imposing mass with a frightening presence.

Minmin's little face went deathly pale. Sensing that something was wrong, he moved in front of Zheng Xinxin, tears clinging to his lashes as he pleaded with Jiang Jingyin. "I won't look anymore. Minmin won't look for Daddy anymore. Don't, don't hurt Auntie...!"

Jiang Jingyin showed no mercy. He glared at the bodyguards. "What are you standing around for? Do it!"

The bodyguards had been hired by Jiang Jingyin's team. When he gave an order, they simply carried it out.

They were paid to do a job, not to show compassion. Women and children were no exception.

One man had already grabbed Minmin's arm.

Several others moved behind Zheng Xinxin, preparing to act.

Ning Shile immediately stood and walked over, placing himself in front of Zheng Xinxin.

"Move," a bodyguard ordered.

Ning Shile acted as though he hadn't heard, his hands hanging at his sides.

Seeing Ning Shile's stance, the bodyguards understood. So he wanted a fight?

They were well trained and naturally had no fear of an unarmed young man. Nor did they intend to go easy on him. One swung a fist, ready to strike.

"Let's see who dares lay a hand on him." Zheng Ye suddenly stood, his voice cold.

Zheng Ye had always known when to advance and when to retreat, rarely losing his temper. But now his eyes were chilling, his voice icy, and an overwhelming pressure radiated from him.

Intimidated by that sudden, powerful presence, the bodyguards froze.

Minmin quickly broke free while the bodyguard was distracted.

Children were especially perceptive about such things. Sensing that Zheng Ye was different, Minmin ran toward him after escaping the bodyguard, calling, "Big brother, heeelp!"

Zheng Ye brought Minmin to his side.

"P-President Zheng..." Jiang Jingyin's voice trembled as he looked at him and explained, "They're spreading lies about me!"

"Oh?" Zheng Ye looked at Zheng Xinxin. "Are you spreading lies about him?"

"Lies?" Zheng Xinxin scoffed. She took a marriage certificate from her pocket and opened it to the page bearing the couple's official photograph. "Does it still count as lies when there's a marriage certificate?"

This was exactly what Jiang Jingyin had been waiting for. He snatched it away without even looking, held it up, and challenged Zheng Xinxin. "And you say you aren't spreading lies? You brought a fake marriage certificate to accuse me of secretly marrying and having a child?"

"Do you know spreading false accusations is illegal?"

Zheng Xinxin frowned and glanced at the marriage certificate. "Fake?"

Only now, with things having reached this point, did Ning Shile remember. [Wait, wait. I think this marriage certificate really is fake!]

[Jiang Jingyin never officially married Minmin's mother. He used a fake marriage certificate to trick her!]

Ning Shile's mind was a mess. He felt that his ability to recall the plot might really be disappearing.

Even so, he kept trying to remember. [I remember there was another way to prove Jiang Jingyin is a scumbag!]

[I think he has an alternate Weibo account that he registered when he was with Minmin's mother. There are lots of details about their relationship on it! And photos of them together!]

[What was that account called again?]

[Damn it, I can't quite remember!]