My autobiography is definitely not a tragedy!
Chapter 363 - 242: The Art of Leaving Space

Chapter 363: Chapter 242: The Art of Leaving Space

"Achoo!" Meng Lang sneezed after returning home from his run.

He rubbed his nose, feeling the slightly cool breeze of the early morning, and looked up at the swaying plane trees.

"The wind has started blowing, huh..."

...

"Wow, things about Mr. Xu just keep getting juicier and bigger.

Being reported and causing a big drop in the stock market is one thing, but even his ’unspeakable secrets’ have been exposed. It must be a huge grudge, right?"

"Exactly, you didn’t see Mr. Xu’s face just now. He looked like he wanted to silence everyone present."

"Tell me about it. I was scared to death just now. I almost thought my job was gone."

"Hey! If almost the entire company didn’t know by now, do you think we could sit here calmly eating this watermelon?"

"Hey! Do you guys think this is true or not?"

"I’d say there’s a ninety percent chance it’s true. Have you noticed that the women who used to come and go from Mr. Xu’s office are nowhere to be seen?"

"Hiss~ Now that you mention it, I hadn’t noticed before; now it all adds up... it’s irrefutable evidence!"

"Tsk tsk! I could eat off this piece of gossip for years. Hey, do you guys think that Mr. Xu got divorced recently because of..."

"Absolutely! No wonder Mr. Xu still doesn’t have kids. If it were me, I wouldn’t want to be Mrs. Xu either; who wants to remain celibate?"

"Cut it out, it’s not like you’d have a chance. If Mr. Xu took a fancy to you, even if he were impotent, you’d definitely cling to him!

Not having kids is even better; when he’s gone, the inheritance will all be yours, lol!"

"You little imp, I think you’re the one plotting that!"

"Stop talking, the manager is coming!"

...

"Bang! Crash bang..."

The blinds were tightly pulled, and a huge clatter of debris and glass hitting the floor emanated from Xu Jingsong’s office, audible even several meters away.

Employees working nearby fell silent, occasionally casting strange looks towards the office.

After a stormy scene, only a mess remained inside the office.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Who exactly is it? I have to make their lives worse than death!!!"

Xu Jingsong’s eyes were red, he panted heavily, with debris and shards of glass under his feet.

Having seen the wildly circulating message online, Xu Jingsong nearly passed out!

When he saw the unusual looks from the people around him, even that foolish Ou Doudou cast a strange and sympathetic glance his way...

At that moment, Xu Jingsong truly felt the urge to kill everyone present.

In fact, the message wasn’t extensive, it was just one picture.

Yes, it was a medical report describing an indescribable condition...

Even that would have been bearable. Although it was embarrassing, Xu Jingsong’s family knew their own affairs.

He wasn’t actually "disabled for life"; if people found out, so be it, it would just be a bit awkward.

But what nearly drove Xu Jingsong mad was that the medical report actually showed only one half!

The report only displayed the first half with "blunt instrument hit," "function impaired," and other analyses of the condition, but the part hidden by the spreader was...

[Must rest, no intercourse within three months.]

Yes, just hiding this one line, but it created a complete misunderstanding for outsiders...

His life, Xu Jingsong thought, was over...

One line difference left infinite space for speculation...

Chinese Culture is profound and deep, the art of leaving things unsaid, a clever play on words.

The person who spread the rumor by telling half and leaving half undoubtedly made the impact of this medical report exponentially worse!

Malignant! Too malignant!

What grudge, what hatred, to do this to me?

"Mr. Xu, what’s done is done; the priority now should be clarification quickly!" Cui Jizhong suggested cautiously.

"Clarification? How do you suggest we clarify this?!" Xu Jingsong could not contain his anger.

In just a short time, he had perceived the malicious intent of the rumor-monger, who clearly didn’t intend to give him any chance to clarify.

What? Are you saying this medical report is fake?

Then show me a real one!

Orz!

What? Are you saying the medical report is misleading since it’s incomplete?

Then why don’t you post the complete one online to clarify?

Orz!

Alright, even if Xu Jingsong posted the full report in frustration, there would surely be someone saying...

"Extra! Extra! Officially confirmed!"

"Damn! Even Mr. Xu himself has confirmed it; can’t believe it’s actually true! I thought it was just a rumor."

"Haha! That medical report must have been photoshopped!"

"Who needs Photoshop? Just adding one line at the end would do, anyone can do it!"

Continue Orz!

Xu Jingsong might not be a PR expert, but he knew human nature well.

Given his status, the internet would have little sympathy, more often reveling in schadenfreude. Any negative news would quickly be amplified.

And this kind of "entertaining" tabloid news was particularly eye-catching; the more he clarified, the more excited the keyboard warriors became, and the rumors would only spread wider and possibly even make the trending topics one day.

To want to speak but cannot, that’s the most helpless.

The more he tried to clean it up, the sadder it became...

Xu Jingsong could even imagine that, even if he recovered and demonstrably changed his women to proclaim he was fine,

people would probably think he was trying to cover up, putting on a show for the public.

Thinking further ahead, even if he had children later, others would still think it was through "heavy spending for a child"...

The general public has never really wanted the truth,

they ignore evidence that doesn’t suit their taste.

If falsehoods seduce them,

they prefer to worship these falsehoods.

Whoever provides them with illusions,

easily becomes their master.

Whoever destroys their illusions,

becomes their victim...

Online violence is a bloodless yet endless massacre...

Xu Jingsong today fully experienced what it meant for "sorrow to flow upstream."

However, if he knew he had actually already walked through the gates of Hell once, simply because someone had a moment of hesitation in changing their methods from bodily elimination to soul-crushing murder.

Would he consider himself lucky, or would he grieve?

"Xu Bolin! It must be that old man!"

A flashing cold light gleamed in Xu Jingsong’s eyes!

It was still the same half-true, half-false narrative, mixing rumors with truth, the truth mixed with dust, making it end up in your pants—neither feces nor not.

This familiar strategy was exactly like the last time rumors had spread!

Based on his previous speculation, the mastermind behind Gao Yuan was none other than Xu Bolin.

Considering what had occurred that night at the Cloud Peak Restaurant, only Gao Yuan herself would know such details...

Simple reasoning suggested the biggest suspect behind the rumors was emerging!

People are like this: criticise you once, and they can do it again; harm you once, and they can do it again.

As behavior becomes a pattern, as thinking turns into inertia, as reasoning deepens...

Then, he was gradually coming to a conclusion...

Of course, what he never could have imagined is that the true mastermind was an insurance salesman with whom he had nether crossed paths nor even seen.

A random passerby who had never been harmed by him had a vendetta deep as the ocean?

Speaking this out loud would probably make no one believe it...

"Xu Bolin! I call you Uncle, and this is how you play dirty with me, isn’t it?"

Compared to Gao Yuan standing in the limelight, that mastermind behind the scenes enraged Xu Jingsong even more.

He laughed out of sheer anger.

So, tearing off masks, is it? Crushing someone’s heart, is it?

Good! Very good!

A murderous intent erupted in Xu Jingsong’s eyes!

...

Elsewhere.

"Tsk tsk! Cyber violence is truly frightening. I just posted a diagnosis report after all..."

Meng Lang looked at all sorts of comments online, feeling a twinge of guilt.

But this should keep Xu Jingsong troubled for a while, right?

So all that’s left is...

[Han Li: Female, 29 years old, senior attorney at Zhongtian Law Firm.

Native of: Zhaojue County, Da Liang Mountain Area, Sichuan Province.

Family Structure: Three older sisters, two younger brothers, parents both farmers.

Life Record:

Born in 1990 in the notorious poverty-stricken "Mai Village".

Started receiving financial support from local tycoon Bao Yumin in 2004 to complete high school and university.

Had two abortions in 2010, both times accompanied by Bao Yumin as co-signer.

Graduated in 2012 with a master’s degree from Country Hua Political and Legal University, joined a renowned local law firm the same year.

Remitted 500,000 in 2013 to build a three-story villa for her family.

Moved to Su City in 2014 and joined Zhongtian Law Firm.

From 2014 to 2018, remitted a total of 1.2 million to her family, 300,000 of which came from benefit transfers related to Xu Group companies, handled by Cui Jizhong...]

Looking at the information that Zero had organized on the screen, Meng Lang sighed.

A person worthy of hate, yet also bears suffering worthy of compassion.

Even without much detail, Meng Lang could have a general understanding of Han Li’s life.

[Though Han Li can be ruthless in her methods, she comes from poverty, and I know she’s made many sacrifices to get to where she is today.

If I hand over the evidence, her life would essentially be ruined.

I feel, although she is at fault, this punishment seems a bit too cruel...]

Thinking of Lin Haitang’s words, she must have some understanding of Han Li as well...

That was Meng Lang’s dilemma.

[Even as she lay in a pool of blood, Han Li still fixated her venomous gaze in my direction, a trace of vindictive satisfaction in her eyes, her lips even curling into a deranged smile.]

Now, he sort of understood.

For him, it might just be a minor punishment for a greater admonition.

But inadvertently, it might also have destroyed a family just out of poverty...

And the entire life of a pitiable person who had just climbed out of the quagmire...

What made Meng Lang hesitant, even more, was,

Why Han Li?

Just because she had a grudge with him, was she chosen as the life assassin in a previous episode?

Was Night Demon Clan a spur-of-the-moment decision, or was she actually a spy long developed secretly by the Night Demon Clan?

If she is a spy, whether now or in the distant future...

If this isn’t clear, might acting rashly lead to reprisal from the Night Demon Clan?

Perhaps keeping her could help trace back to the Night Demon Clan by following the vine’s path?

After all, up till now, Han Li could be considered the only ordinary person connected to the Night Demon Clan...

"Zero, pull up Han Li’s other related data, especially focus on her social network!"

Soon, the information on the screen refreshed again.

[Su City Mercedes-Benz Club senior member, Tianxiang Beauty Club senior member, Zhao Ge Fan Club vice-president, Secretary at the Sichuan Province Su City Hometown Association...]

Huh? Meng Lang’s gaze suddenly paused.

Zhao Ge Fan Club vice-president?

This person is also a fan of Zhao Ge?

While it’s normal for her to be a fan, Meng Lang felt a strange, unexplainable sensation.

His evaluation of Han Li was,

Shrewd and intelligent, selfish, yet indifferent.

Filled with desires, yet remaining rational, completely indifferent to society, holding onto a sophisticated self-interest, the only slightly close social connection probably being her own relatives.

Such a person... could she be a fervent fan?

Hmm! Perhaps even those who have fallen into darkness have their own moonlight in the depths of their hearts?

Having reviewed Han Li’s life records several times over and finding nothing unusual, Meng Lang had no choice but to give up.

But just because he can’t figure it out now, doesn’t mean he won’t be able to in the future.

Time... should give me the answers, right...

He stood up and slowly walked towards the bookshelf...