Volume 1, Chapter 49: Wen Ying Trends on Hot Searches, Suspected Pregnancy

Duan Yixiao, having suffered a rebuff, returned in defeat.

He climbed back into his car, feeling somewhat depressed and at a loss for what to do.

Did everyone around him seem to be hoping that he would divorce Jiang Yunyao?

Zhou Manhua, Chen Niake, Zhong Huiying...

His mind was filled with irritation.

The conditions proposed by Jiang Yunyao made him feel slightly short-changed. After all, he had received quite a bit in dividends from the Duan Group over the past two years, and giving half of that to Jiang Yunyao would amount to a substantial sum.

He wanted to drag it out a little longer.

Mainly because he currently lacked any leverage to negotiate with Jiang Yunyao. Could he really resort to Chen Niake's suggestion of wearing a green hat?

At that moment, his trusted confidant within the Duan Group called him.

"Wen Ying is trending on hot searches, suspected of being pregnant."

Wen Ying was the spokesperson for Qianfan, a health brand under the Duan Group. According to the endorsement contract, Wen Ying was strictly prohibited from becoming pregnant during the endorsement period.

Moreover, a female celebrity's sudden pregnancy was often accompanied by numerous trending topics and scandals. If any dark history were confirmed, it would deal a massive blow to their brand image.

"Keep a close eye on Wen Ying's movements, contact her agent immediately, and find out what is going on. Also, monitor whether her other endorsed brands are taking any action. Notify me the moment you have any news."

With that, he drove straight to the Duan Group headquarters.

When he returned home that evening, Jiang Yunyao was sitting at the dining table eating dinner.

Zhou Manhua sat in the living room with a sallow, sullen expression, looking like an avenging deity.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had clashed again, and Zhou Manhua probably hadn't gotten the upper hand.

Upon seeing him, Zhou Manhua immediately reined in some of her anger, stood up with the help of her cane, and said, "Son, you're back. Wash your hands quickly and come sit down for dinner."

Duan Yixiao hurriedly helped her walk to the dining room.

"Some people are simply outrageous, eating their meals with such relish and completely ignoring the fact that there are still breathing people in this house! Not to mention their husband who has been working hard outside all day..." After spending this period living together, Zhou Manhua found Jiang Yunyao more and more unbearable.

Jiang Yunyao lifted her eyelids slightly, cast a freezing glance in Zhou Manhua's direction, and let out a cold, mocking curve of her lips. "Why don't you ask your son how many meals he's actually eaten at home these past few months? If I had waited for him to eat, my bones would already be resting in the Duan family ancestral grave."

"You... I swear you're going to hound me to my grave!" Zhou Manhua used to think she was easy to manipulate, but now she realized Jiang Yunyao had simply kept her fox tail hidden all along; in reality, she was vicious and ruthless.

"Then I advise you to be careful. After all, given your status as a mother, I don't think you're qualified to enter the Duan family ancestral grave anyway." Jiang Yunyao possessed a tongue that could successfully negotiate deals worth hundreds of millions. Only someone like Zhou Manhua could have ever mistaken her for a cat without claws.

"You!" Zhou Manhua clutched her chest, her face contorted with rage, eyes shooting fire. She pointed a trembling finger at Jiang Yunyao like a loaded gun, wishing she could execute her on the spot.

Jiang Yunyao showed not a shred of fear. "If you want to eat in peace, keep quiet and stop asking for trouble. I'll treat you exactly how you treat me—it's only fair."

"Son, look at this! This is the good wife you married!" Seeing that she was no match for Jiang Yunyao, Zhou Manhua had no choice but to seek backup from her son.

Duan Yixiao hadn't expected that he wouldn't even be able to eat a meal in peace upon returning home. Looking at the two women before him, he felt utterly suffocated.

He pulled down the corners of his mouth, knitted his brows deeply, and let out a slight sigh before speaking. "Mom, let's eat first. We can talk about whatever it is after dinner." He picked up some food for Zhou Manhua and scooped her a bowl of soup, offering a few words of placating comfort.

In the past, he would have undoubtedly berated Jiang Yunyao, laying all the blame squarely on her. But now, Jiang Yunyao possessed the terrifying energy of a madwoman firing on all cylinders, and she looked thoroughly unapproachable.

Zhou Manhua was almost driven to another fit of rage by Duan Yixiao. She slammed her chopsticks down resentfully and snapped, "I'm not eating!"

The meal, inevitably, ended on a sour note.

Jiang Yunyao couldn't care less. Rather than wronging herself, she preferred to make things difficult for others.

It was just a pity that she had to endure countless grievances before finally understanding this simple truth.

She quietly finished her meal.

"Wait a moment, I have something to say to you." As she stood up to leave, Duan Yixiao called out to her.

A flash of light crossed Jiang Yunyao's eyes. "Have you agreed to sign the divorce papers?"

Duan Yixiao's gaze turned stern. "Are you really in that much of a hurry to get a divorce?"

Jiang Yunyao curled her lip. If they didn't divorce, what was she supposed to do—wait around to inherit his estate?

Without concealing the disappointment on her face, she replied, "Isn't that it? Then what is it about?"

Duan Yixiao hurriedly shoveled down a couple of mouthfuls of rice, grabbed a tissue to wipe his mouth after finishing, and slowly asked, "Did you look at the trending searches?"

Trending searches?

Jiang Yunyao subconsciously shook her head. "What's wrong? What happened?" Could it be that his affair with Chen Niake had made it to the trending topics?

She pulled out her phone with a puzzled look.

"Last night, Wen Ying was photographed leaving a hospital with the Lu family's second young master, and she's suspected of being pregnant. Now, all the major brands she endorses are sitting on pins and needles. Once this news is confirmed, Wen Ying will likely have to pay massive penalties for breaching her contract," Duan Yixiao told her with a solemn expression.

As he spoke, Jiang Yunyao had already roughly gathered the situation from the internet.

Wen Ying was her college classmate who had entered the showbiz industry on the strength of her breathtaking, peerless beauty, eventually becoming an A-list actress after clinching a Best Actress award.

Yet no one could escape the iron law of "popularity brings controversy." As Wen Ying rose to stardom, a slew of dark scandals had surfaced about her.

For instance, rumors claimed she was backed by a mysterious tycoon, her personal life was chaotic, she aggressively flirted with younger male celebrities, and she bullied assistants while putting on diva airs... This time, she had probably been targeted by a rival.

"Isn't it normal for Wen Ying to trend?" Jiang Yunyao didn't think much of it; it was just malicious actors deliberately manufacturing hype to grab eyeballs.

"If she really is pregnant, her endorsement contract with the Duan Group will have to be terminated. This is no trivial matter." Duan Yixiao's expression remained tense and serious.

Jiang Yunyao quickly made the connection: Wen Ying was the spokesperson for Qianfan, the health brand under the Duan Group.

Two years ago, seeing that Duan Yixiao had built the Yijiangshan venture into a thriving success, Duan Zhenhong finally acknowledged him as his son and assigned him a decent position within the Duan Group.

Duan Yixiao's very first task had been to secure Wen Ying as the spokesperson for Qianfan.

At the time, a competing brand of Qianfan was also courting Wen Ying, and their endorsement budget far exceeded Qianfan's, presenting a formidable challenge for Duan Yixiao.

Ultimately, however, Wen Ying chose Qianfan out of consideration for Jiang Yunyao.

It was precisely because Duan Yixiao facilitated this partnership that he began to make a name for himself within the Duan Group.

Now that Wen Ying was embroiled in a scandal and facing a barrage of public condemnation, the brands she endorsed were starting to panic, rushing to issue public relations statements in an attempt to distance themselves from her and seize the initiative in marketing.