After the Harem Novel’s Female Lead was Spoiled by the Comments - Chapter 7

Wen Hebai’s question was clearly outside the scope of Yan Qingwen’s current thoughts. Yan Qingwen had considered the reputations of both parties and the interests of both families, but she had somehow overlooked physical needs. She stood there stunned, unsure of how to respond.

A moment later, Yan Qingwen gave her reply: “Resolve it however you did before. But please, take it easy and don’t let anyone photograph you.”

For a split second, an unidentifiable emotion flashed through Wen Hebai’s eyes. She twitched the corner of her mouth, adopted a lazy expression, and said, “I’m just teasing you. I’m a public figure; if I mess around outside and get caught, my image and career will be ruined.”

For so many years, she had maintained a single persona and never engaged in “scandal hype.” Perhaps this was why her fans had been so firm in believing the news of Yan Qingwen’s confession was fake when it first leaked online.

However, her fans hadn’t expected to be “backstabbed” by her. After she posted the marriage certificates, her comment section was overrun. Some fans gave sincere blessings, some wailed in heartbreak over their “lost love,” some questioned if it was a forced family alliance, and others turned into “anti-fans,” joining the carnival of haters.

Marketing accounts also jumped in to ride the hype, digging up her past “black materials.” Some even leaked rumors of her discord with Yan Qingwen to add “evidence” to the forced marriage theory.

Wen Hebai’s manager couldn’t reach her and was nearly fuming with anxiety. Fortunately, Wen Hebu was holding the fort at the company, using every means to guide public opinion toward a positive direction and quickly stabilizing the situation.

Yan Qingwen’s mood didn’t lighten because of Wen Hebai’s words. She went straight to the study and made a call: “Help me check the background of that Zhuang Yi who appeared at the banquet today.” She paused, then added, “Also, arrange for someone to keep an eye on Jiang Yunhan and report his whereabouts to me.”

Knowing she was in a novel world wasn’t the scary part; the scary part was her thoughts and behaviors being beyond her control.

She had to stay alert to avoid being brainwashed, while also guarding against the mind-controlling power behind Jiang Yunhan.

Thinking of this, Yan Qingwen called the manor’s butler, asking him to export the surveillance footage from the hour or two around her arrival, and began watching it alone.

The Yan family banquet started at noon, with guests arriving sequentially around 11:30 AM.

Arriving before the guests were the media reporters. After all, the Golden Anniversary of the Yan family head was a major news event where elites gathered; digging up any high-society secrets would be a massive win.

However, the Yan family had not invited the media inside, so they could only wait outside the manor gates.

Initially, the media followed orders, until a few livestreaming influencers arrived. They exploited the public’s curiosity about the lives of the wealthy to boost their viewership. Every time a luxury car arrived, they would shove past the barriers, desperate to be the first to film the guest stepping out.

To ensure guest safety, the private manor’s security had to move in to separate them.

From that point on, the scene gradually became chaotic. This chaos reached its peak when Wen Hebai arrived; reporters and influencers swarmed her, competing for an interview.

Ten minutes later, Yan Qingwen’s car arrived. She stepped out just as Wen Hebai, who had finished her interview and was about to enter the manor, looked back at her.

Because Wen Hebai had stopped in her tracks, the eggs originally aimed at her flew toward Yan Qingwen instead.

Seeing this, Yan Qingwen rewound the footage a few minutes and played it in slow motion.

This time she saw it clearly: Zhuang Yi had not appeared in the frame at all before. Only when the anti-fan with the eggs approached Wen Hebai did his figure appear, seemingly just passing by. Then, as the fan raised the eggs to throw, he reacted instantly, lunging forward with agility to block for Yan Qingwen.

This scene was captured by the livestreaming influencers and the surrounding media.

The slow-reacting security guards finally moved in to subdue the fan, who was planning a second round of attacks.

Yan Qingwen, worried about the negative impact on the Yan Group, had someone take Zhuang Yi to wash up and change, while she stayed behind to deal with the reporters.

Five minutes later, Yan Qingwen entered the manor, while Wen Hebai remained outside to handle the anti-fan situation.

Judging from the surveillance alone, she found no traces of this being a deliberate setup by Zhuang Yi. It could only be said that his reflexes were very sharp.

Moreover, Jiang Yunhan’s inner thoughts said Zhuang Yi did this to get close to her, but if Wen Hebai hadn’t suddenly stopped and turned around, the eggs would have hit Wen Hebai. This contradicted Jiang Yunhan’s claim.

In summary, the heart-voice she heard from Jiang Yunhan might not be true, and Zhuang Yi might not have been “just passing by.” The truth required careful verification.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Yan Qingwen was used to not locking her study when home alone, so Wen Hebai simply turned the handle and walked in.

“Why aren’t the lights on?” Wen Hebai clicked the switch.

Only then did Yan Qingwen notice the world outside was pitch black. The electronic clock reminded her it was already evening.

Wen Hebai leaned against the doorframe: “I’m hungry. Is there dinner?”

This seemed to trigger a switch; Yan Qingwen’s stomach began to growl. She hadn’t eaten anything since noon. Focused on the surveillance, she hadn’t noticed the hunger, but now she felt a slight dizziness.

“The nanny is off today. No one cooked,” Yan Qingwen told her.

Wen Hebai suddenly seemed eager: “Are there groceries? I can cook.”

Yan Qingwen picked up her phone, ignoring the suggestion: “What do you want to eat? I’ll order delivery.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? My cooking is delicious now!” Wen Hebai sat on the study’s single sofa with a huff, crossing her legs. Her slit skirt slid down, revealing her long, slender legs.

Yan Qingwen sneered: “Is that so? Why do I remember you being on a variety show last year where you poured half a bottle of cooking wine into a cucumber salad, mistaking it for vinegar?”

Wen Hebai: “…”

She gave a hollow laugh and offered a weak explanation: “That was for the ‘variety effect’.”

Seeing that Yan Qingwen didn’t believe her, she slumped into the sofa and grumbled her order: “I want the roast goose rice from E’Huang Ji.”

Yan Qingwen placed the order. Wen Hebai adjusted herself into a comfortable lying position, her eyes landing on Yan Qingwen. A memory flashed in her mind, and she curled her lips, winking: “President Yan, how did you know I was on a variety show last year, and exactly which dish I made?”

Yan Qingwen said flatly: “Because one of the artists on that show was from an entertainment company under the Yan Group. Coincidentally, she was the one who ate your dish and vomited. After the show aired, your fans attacked her, causing her to lose quite a bit of public favor.”

Wen Hebai refused to admit it was her fault, blaming the production team: “Any normal person would have edited that out. Who knew the crew would keep it in for the ‘variety effect’?”

In truth, both of them knew exactly why: their companies were rivals competing for resources at the time. Rumors of their discord were rampant. If two rival artists appeared on the same show without conflict, there would be no highlights. Thus, the production team purposely broadcast that mistake.

“So, are you settling old scores now?” Wen Hebai asked.

“I’m just reminding you not to be so confident in your culinary skills.”

Wen Hebai huffed.

Yan Qingwen thought back to the person who threw the eggs. She checked with Wen Hebai again: “The person who threw eggs at you today—are you certain it was an anti-fan?”

Wen Hebai caught the implication and asked back: “You suspect he wasn’t?”

Yan Qingwen seemed deep in thought and didn’t answer.

Wen Hebai then said: “My bodyguards checked his Weibo and forum accounts; there are plenty of posts bashing me. I also had someone check his bank account; there are no large, unexplained transfers. According to him, he felt I didn’t deserve the Golden Pear Best Actress award, and was angry that his favorite actress missed out for the third time. So, in a fit of rage, he threw eggs to vent.”

“Then do you know Zhuang Yi?” Yan Qingwen asked again.

“I know him!” Wen Hebai raised an eyebrow, her expression full of mockery. “The ‘deeply affectionate’ man who, after his ‘heroic rescue,’ has been fluttering around you like a butterfly, hoping for a sliver of your attention.”

Yan Qingwen felt that if she continued this conversation, it would likely end in another argument.

Fortunately, the food she ordered arrived just then.

After dinner, Wen Hebai’s assistant arrived with part of her luggage. Seven large suitcases—three for clothes, one for skincare and makeup, one for jewelry, one for shoes, and one for snacks.

This was only part of it. Yan Qingwen began to worry if her villa could even hold all of Wen Hebai’s things.