"Director Qin? Please, come in!" Yang Wanqing snapped out of her surprise and hurriedly stepped aside to let them in.
Qin Zheng walked into the living room, followed by the woman behind him. She glanced over the furnishings, her gaze lingering briefly on Xiao Yue lying in the corner before moving away.
Chen Siyao came downstairs and froze when she saw Qin Zheng. "Director Qin? What brings you here?"
Qin Zheng smiled. "Just came to check in. This is Gu Lan, from the Information Bureau."
The woman beside him nodded to Chen Siyao. "Hello, Miss Chen."
They sat down on the sofa. Chen Hao emerged from the study, and Qin Zheng stood up at the sight of him, bowing slightly. Chen Hao nodded and sat beside Chen Siyao.
Gu Lan took a tablet out of her bag, tapped it a few times, and handed it to Chen Siyao. "Miss Chen, we've identified the person behind the rumors."
Chen Siyao took the tablet. The screen displayed a man's profile. He was twenty-seven or twenty-eight, identified as Zhao, a small-time streamer on a streaming platform with fewer than ten thousand followers.
"This man," Gu Lan said emotionlessly, as though reading a report, "previously tried outdoor livestreaming in a format similar to yours, but he never gained any traction."
"After seeing you break into the mainstream, he became jealous. He then maliciously edited videos to spread rumors about you, hoping to ride the wave of attention and gain followers."
Chen Siyao stared at the face on the screen, her emotions tangled. She didn't know this man, had never met him, hadn't even known he existed. Yet he hated her enough to try to destroy her this way.
"What will happen to him?" she asked.
"He'll be dealt with according to the law." Gu