Edge of A Burning Kiss - Chapter 44

So, who could be so meticulously plotting against her?

After a moment of contemplation, Xia Jin sent a message to Song Qianrou.

[Xia Jin: Let the public opinion keep brewing. No rush!]

[Song Qianrou: Emmm, President Xia, maybe you should check out President Qin’s Weibo?]

Frowning, Xia Jin immediately opened Qin Yu’s Weibo. His latest post had already climbed to the top of the trending list.

[It was indeed premeditated but not by Xia Jin. It was me!]

Attached was a photo, the very one he had secretly taken of Xia Jin napping in the afternoon.

Qin Corporation’s PR team also reposted Qin Yu’s update: [Mr. Qin Yu and Ms. Xia Jin are in a consensual relationship. Any further defamation will be dealt with legally.]

After a brief hesitation, Xia Jin reposted Qin Yu’s post as well. She didn’t add any words, just attached a single photo.

It was the picture taken of them by that street photographer at the Bund.

Netizens soon dug up photos of the fireworks display at the Bund.

[So those XJ fireworks were actually Qin Yu’s doing for Xia Jin?]

[That means the rumors about Qin Yu and Guan Yunshi were completely baseless! If Guan Yunshi has proof, let’s see it!]

[But isn’t it true that Xia Jin is the Xia family’s illegitimate child? She abandoned her own mother for wealth and status! See Xia Zhixue’s Weibo for details.]

A kind soul had already screenshotted Xia Zhixue’s post: [Please don’t speak about my sister like that. She just missed our father too much.]

On the surface, Xia Zhixue’s post seemed to defend Xia Jin, but in reality, it only threw her into the eye of the storm.

Netizens swarmed Xia Zhixue’s Weibo, unearthing all sorts of “evidence” that Xia Jin had “abandoned” her biological mother.

Vivid descriptions painted Xia Jin as a gold-digger who had turned her back on her own mother for a life of luxury.

In an instant, Xia Jin’s reputation hit rock bottom, as if she had become a modern-day version of the infamous Chen Shimei.

But plot twists often come when least expected.

An anonymous account suddenly dropped a bombshell, posting a photo of Xia Jin from her high school days. The girl in the picture wore simple clothes, but her gaze was resolute, her lips set in quiet determination.

[A High School Classmate of Xia Jin: As someone who went to school with Xia Jin, let me clarify. Back then, it was her biological mother who abandoned her! She relied solely on scholarships from Ruitong High School, juggling studies and part-time jobs to support her younger brother, Xia Ziling! Back then, she studied like her life depended on it just to get into university and change her fate. Abandon her mother? What a joke!]

This revelation was like a stone tossed into still waters, sending ripples far and wide. More testimonies soon followed.

[High School Classmate No. 2: I once hired Xia Jin as a ringer for a basketball match. Damn, she was ruthless, she totally schooled Qin Yu on the court! No wonder he didn’t get mad. Turns out they were already an item back in high school!]

[Anonymous Source: Just gonna say, I once paid Xia Jin to take an exam for me… She was insanely smart! And her rates were super reasonable!]

Xia Jin’s “dark past” was suddenly reframed as an inspiring rags-to-riches story, transforming her from a villainous social climber into a real-life Cinderella.

Just as public opinion began to shift, the Beijing police released an official statement, catapulting the entire incident to its climax.

[Beijing Police: Recently, our bureau cracked a case of intentional homicide. The suspect, Ji Zhenli, has been arrested on suspicion of hiring a killer. Currently, we are making every effort to apprehend the fleeing driver involved in the incident. We urge the public to actively provide any leads.]

Ji Zhenli! Isn’t that Xia Jin’s biological mother?

Netizens instantly grasped the truth, Xia Jin’s so-called “abandonment” wasn’t abandonment at all. She was the one who had been abandoned!

And her biological mother was even implicated in hiring a killer!

The plot twist was more dramatic than a TV drama!

In an instant, sympathy, pity, guilt… a flood of emotions surged toward Xia Jin. The internet was overwhelmed with apologies and support for her.

[Holy shit, I’m such a piece of trash! Is it too late to apologize to Xia Jin now?]

[My heart aches for Xia Jin! How on earth did she endure all these years?]

[Ji Zhenli must be severely punished! A scumbag like her doesn’t deserve to be a mother!]

Xia Jin stared at the messages on her phone, her heart a whirlwind of mixed emotions.

She hadn’t expected things to escalate to this point.

She hadn’t even imagined that her high school classmates from so long ago would still remember her.

Just then, Director Zhang’s call came through.

“Ms. Xia, are you okay? I saw everything online. Sigh, you’ve really been wronged,” Director Zhang’s voice carried a hint of concern.

Xia Jin took a deep breath, forcing her voice to sound calm. “Director Zhang, I’m sorry for causing trouble for the production team.”

“Ah, what trouble? If anything, you’re the one who’s suffered the most! How about this, do you want to delay filming for a few days to give yourself some time to recover?”

“No need, Director Zhang. I’m fine. We can proceed as scheduled tomorrow,” Xia Jin replied with a smile.

She knew she had someone backing her now. She no longer had to live in fear.

After hanging up, Xia Jin was about to close her eyes for a brief rest when her phone rang again.

It was Qin Yu.

“Thank you for going out of your way to clear my name,” Xia Jin said with a smile.

“You’re my girlfriend. Who else would I do it for? Director Zhang told me you insisted on continuing filming tonight?”

“Mhm, I’m fine.”

“Alright, as long as you’re not crying. I’ll have a surprise for you tonight,” Qin Yu chuckled. “You’ve got pretty good connections, quite a few people stepped up to defend you.”

Xia Jin was curious. “Oh? I haven’t checked Weibo closely yet.”

“Then go take a look. I’ve got some things to handle here, so I’ll hang up first.”

After Qin Yu ended the call, Xia Jin noticed a WeChat message from Xu Lingqing.

[Ms. Xia, don’t worry. Some rival must have maliciously spread those rumors. We’ll always support you!]

When Xia Jin opened Weibo, Xu Lingqing’s post was the first thing that popped up.

[Xu Lingqing V: Stellar Cube was built from the ground up by President Xia! Back then, she hadn’t even graduated from university when she used her modest savings to rent a tiny office and embark on her entrepreneurial journey. To save money, she wore multiple hats, both boss and employee working late into the night every day. In the beginning, President Xia faced rejection at every turn. No one was willing to believe in her, let alone invest in her. But she never gave up. Through sheer hard work and talent, she took one step at a time, ultimately shaping Stellar Cube into the empire it is today! And you dare say she’s vain? That she abandoned her birth mother? What utter nonsense! She is clearly the strongest, most hardworking, and most admirable woman out there!]

Xu Lingqing’s Weibo post was like a bombshell, detonating across the internet once again.

Netizens were awestruck by Xia Jin’s struggles.

Soon after, Shen Du also posted a Weibo update.

[Shen Du V: I’m honored to have collaborated with Ms. Xia Jin. She is an incredibly talented and visionary entrepreneur. Her business acumen and strategic insight have earned my deepest admiration. I believe that under her leadership, Stellar Cube will only continue to thrive! Supporting Ms. Xia Jin! Supporting Stellar Cube!]

Celebrities like Jiang Qingli, Chen Suihe, Ke Yun, and others reposted Xu Lingqing and Shen Du’s messages, expressing their faith in and support for Xia Jin.

Even designer Anli stepped forward with a post.

[Anli V: I’ve worked with Ms. Xia Jin on numerous occasions. She is an extremely dedicated and professional partner. Collaborating with her has taught me so much. Supporting Ms. Xia Jin! I stand by her character!]

Finally, Tang Wenlun dropped the ultimate mic-drop, Xia Jin’s high school transcript, ruthlessly silencing the rumor-mongers.

[Tang Wenlun V: Here’s Xia Jin’s high school transcript, see for yourselves. Back then, she was the top-scoring graduate of our Ruitong High School! And you claim she abandoned her birth mother for wealth and status? Absolutely laughable!]

As Xia Jin scrolled through the overwhelming flood of support and encouragement on her phone, her eyes welled up. She never expected so many people to stand up for her, nor did she imagine she could earn this much trust and affection.

Picking up her phone, she sent a WeChat message to Xu Lingqing, Shen Du, Jiang Qingli, Chen Suihe, Ke Yun, Anli, Tang Wenlun, and the others, thanking them for their support.

[Xia Jin: Thank you, truly. Thank you all.]

Though the words were brief, they carried the full weight of her gratitude and emotion.

This world still had warmth in it.